Dumbledore Wrong? - The Sword.

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 145218

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "susanbones2003" <rdas at f...> wrote:
>
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "graverobber23" 
> <graverobber23 at y...> wrote:
> >> 
> > graverobber: 
> > 
> > Voldemort didn't die when he cursed Harry Potter. He became
> > a spirit as we saw in Sorcerer's Stone. So therefore, LV's
> > horcrux did not die. So there are actually 5 horcruxes still
> > out there.  
> > 1) Hufflepuff's cup, 
> > 2)Something of Griffindor's, 
> > 3) Slitherin's Locket, 
> > 4) Nagini, 
> > 5) LV himself. (HBP)
> > 
> > Now the true question is.... What is the thing from Godric 
> > Griffindor? My thoughts are on Godric Griffindor's sword.
>
> 
> Jen D here,
> Harry used that sword in COS. Wouldn't there have been some
> indication if it had been something as dark and dangerous as
> a horcrux? Are horcruxes neutral? The diary certainly seemed
> to have the power to do evil, given the right circumstances.
> Just a question.
> Jen D

bboyminn:

This bring up several thoughts, some of them tangental.

We don't know anything about the Sword of Gryffindor before it
appeared in the Chamber of Secrets. We don't know for a fact that it
was in the possession of Dumbledore. Perhaps, the Sword was a lost
relic; tucked away in some dusty attic or musty basement, or perhaps,
lost in the 'throw away' version of the Room of Requirements. I don't
recall the presences of a jewel encrusted Sword every being noticed in
the Headmaster's office.

It is conceivable that Gryffindor's Magic Hat would be able to draw
Gryffindor's Sword from whatever lost location it might have been in,
and bring it to Harry's aid in the Chamber.

It is only after this event that the Sword holds a prominent place in
Dumbledore's office.

Now, I can't say with any certainty that Dumbledore didn't have the
Sword neatly tucked way in some storage location. But it would have
been nice and foreshadowing, if Harry had noticed a grand jeweled
sword in Dumbledore's office, and then in a later book, have that
Sword play a prominent role. That seems like JKR's writing style.

So, I'm speculating that the magical power of the Sorting Hat which
once belonged to Gryffindor himself, had the power to bring the Sword
from whatever hidden, lost, or storage location it might have been in.

Now to the central point, and I respond with pure speculation. I don't
 think a Horcrux object itself is inherently evil or dangerous. One
could wear the Ring or the Locket on a routine basis without any harm,
as long as they didn't try to destroy it or remove the soul piece from
within.

I suspect, as we see in the cave, it is the many external protective
enchantments that guard the Horcrux, but are not actually part of it,
that are the real danger. 

Further, we really don't know how Dumbledore injured his hand. Was it
done by the protective enchantments? Was it due to the tremendous
force release by releasing the soul piece for the Horcrux object? In
this one case, did Voldemort add an additional curse to the Ring
itself to protect it. The distinction here is the the Locket had
curses and protections all around it, but the Locket itself didn't
have a defensive or protective charm/curse placed ON it. 

Remember the Ring was at the Gaunt house, which by this time was
hardly more than a derelict ruin close to a muggle village. There is a
great likelihood that the local boys would come to the Gaunt House on
an adventure, so in the event that they were able to touch the Ring,
the addition of a curse place specifically on the Ring itself might
have been an advantage in this case. 

For the Locket in the cave, adventuring boys would not be a problem.
The cave was hidden and difficult to get to, and the locket was
protected by many effective external charms and enchantments. So, no
need to curse the object itself.

So, my central point is that I don't think that a Horcrux itself is
inherently dangerous. It isn't automatically a cursed object. One
could handle and wear the object without fear. Again, that is a normal
Horcrux. Harry handled and destroyed the Diary easily, but that object
didn't have additional protections. It was meant to be found and used.
The Ring and the Locket were never meant to be found and/or used, so
their additional protections would have been much stronger.

For what it's worth.

Steve/bboyminn