Soul Splitting Questions

[ellecain]

No: HPFGUIDX 139502

> houyhnhnm:
<snip>   
> 
> BTW, with respect to "killing tears the soul", I still maintain 
that
> this is *not* canonical, if it means that any taking of life
> (regardless of motive or circumstances) damages the soul in some
> irremediable way that lying, bullying, cheating, hurting, and 
hating
> (committed by so many of the characters in the HP books) do not.
> 
> I want to see quotations with page numbers.

Elyse:
I completely agree. I was under the impression that a splitting of 
the soul occurs when and only when the spell caster is 
*trying* to create horcruxes. 
When it it his intention that his soul must be split.

For example in GoF doesn't someone say that
Moody was a great Auror who "never killed if he could help it,
But always tried to bring them in alive as far as possible"
Moody doesn't seem to be the type to create a horcrux or split his 
soul,
intentionally or otherwise.

Another problem I have with this 
a-soul-is-split-each-time-murder-is-committed theory
is when Voldemort is trying to kill Harry at the end of GoF.
He wanted his soul in seven pieces since it is the most powerful 
number
right? So why would he ruin that by breaking his soul into eighths?

For that matter I'm sure he's killed a lot of people over a span of 
11 years.
And I mean A LOT!
Didn't someone on the list say he had committed over 1000 specific 
crimes?
I'm sure murder accounted for at least 60 percent of them.
So how come Voldy doesn't have at least 60 pieces of his soul?

Carol responds:
I think it depends on what "tearing the soul" *means.* It's most
unlikely that Snape is going to want to create a Horcrux (unless he's
setting himself up as Voldy's successor, an idea that I see nocanon
support for). What are the consequences of soul-tearing in more
ordinary circumstances when murder is committed?

Elyse now:
I would like to take Carol's question further.
Assuming as everyone does that a soul is split each time murder is 
committed,
What happens to the split piece of the soul?
Where does it go?
If you were creating a horcrux, the soul is harnessed in an object.
But if you *unintentionally* split your soul, where does it go?


Also, one more question, concerning horcruxes.
If the locket stolen by R.A.B. is indeed the one in 12 Grimmauld 
place,
How come it hasn't acquired a life of its own by now?
I mean in CoS, the piece of Voldys soul in the diary became active 
right away.
It talked to Ginny, possessed her eventually and carried out its own 
agenda - opening the chamber of secrets.
So how come the Voldy-in-the-locket has been dormant for so long?
Shouldn't he be gaining strength, perhaps possessing people?
(Kreacher maybe?)

And if it is active how come it hasn't shown itself by now?
It must know it is not in its rightful place.
(It reminds me of Lord Of The Rings...
The ring WANTS to be found


..)
Similarly what if the horcrux WANTS to be found
?

Questions worth splitting one's mind over, if not the soul :)
Elyse