Why keep the horcrux ring? (was: Possible source of DD's hand injury)

[Richard]

No: HPFGUIDX 139714

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Bev & Gary" <gbadams_77 at c...> 
wrote:
> 
> 
>   KathyK:
>   > Interesting.  My main question about this would be, why would 
>   > Dumbledore need to hold onto the ring?  
> 
>   SSSusan:
>   I'm not sure I'm right about this, but... is it possible that DD 
wanted 
>   to hang onto it *because* he knew Slughorn would recognize it?  
Perhaps DD thought coming face to face with the artifact 
>   which had held one of Voldy's horcruxes (horcruces?) would prove 
>   persuasive?
> 
>   Or am I way off base there? ;-)
> 
>   Beverly replies:
> 
>   I don't think you are off base, Susan.  I believe Dumbledore 
wore that ring when he visited Slughorn for a reason.  If you'll 
remember, in the pensieve scene of the "Sluggish Memory," Tom Riddle 
is wearing the ring in Slughorn's presence.  Harry makes a note of 
it and thinks "Voldemort has already killed his father."
>   So, Slughorn has seen Tom Riddle wearing the ring and even 
though we don't know whether or not Slughorn knows or suspects it is 
a horcrux, it will interest him and grab his attention.  Then, to 
see that *same* ring on Dumbledore's hand...well, it has to 
register.  
> 
>   Dumbledore doesn't do anything of that magnitude just because.  
There is a reason.  What is that reason?  To give Slughorn a little 
jolt to show that Dumbledore is on the trail of Voldemort and if old 
Sluggy has any information about Voldy, then he needs to be 
forthcoming.
> 
>   Bev.

Richard here:

While I do believe that Dumbledore had a reason for keeping the 
ring, and for showing it to Slughorn, I don't think we have any 
basis for presuming that Slughorn knew it was a horcrux prior to 
Dumbledore telling him ... and we don't have any basis for presuming 
that Dumbledore did so.

The simplest explanation for having it when visiting Slughorn is 
that Slughorn might well recognize it, and realize that this was 
taken from either Tom himself, or from some person or place with 
whom or where it was considered safe.  There might well be the hope 
that Slughorn would leap to the conclusion that this was a horcrux 
of Tom's, and that it has been destroyed as such.  We don't know 
that even this realization occured, though, so I think even this is 
still in the realm of pure speculation ... even though I think this 
is the case in so far as Dumbledore's intent goes.

As for why Dumbledore would choose to keep the ring for any other 
purpose, consider the fact that until it has been examined after 
its "destruction," would Dumbledore be certain that he had in fact 
destroyed a horcrux?  With respect to the veil specifically, 
we "saw" Sirius pass through the veil, and nothing came out the 
other side: Sirius and all he carried and wore simply disappeared.  
Had the Gaunt ring been tossed through the veil, how likely is it 
that it would pass through and not also disappear?  As I see it, 
giving up the ring completely, with no possibility of examining it 
would leave one very critical question mark for Dumbledore in his 
quest for whatever horcruxes Tom had made.

Again, as we only see things passing through the veil and 
disappearing (OK, it is the veil and the arch, really, but let's not 
pick that nit for the moment), do we know whether it is possible for 
anyone to pull something like their hand out from the arch at all?  
Again, we simply don't know, but I do think the logic of magic (a la 
JKR) doesn't have to require one-way passage through the veil.

Now if we assume that it was passed through the veil, and any such 
passage kills any living thing so passing, and that therefore the 
ring, as a "living thing" (at least with regard to Tom's fragmentary 
soul), are we sure it could be withdrawn, were someone to hold it 
and carefully thrust it some distance through the veil?  I think, as 
an independent "living" thing, it would not be possible to pull it 
back unless one was actually wearing it ... which is again pure 
speculation.

The problem I see with this scenario is that it becomes the effect 
of the veil/arch that causes the damage, and not one or more 
powerful curses placed upon the ring in order to at least discourage 
anyone from damaging it.

To me, the primary reason for such speculation is that we do not 
know how Harry might find the remaining horcruxes, nor whether Harry 
will have the slightest idea how to go about destroying them once 
found.  Thus, I think there will need to be some explanation of the 
methods that may or must be used to destroy those remaining.

Richard