Of Souls and Death

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 148834

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "William Bernard"
<bbernard1945 at ...> wrote:
>      
>     Catherine adds:
>      
>     The real question is how exactly is a Horcrux made? 
> 
> Bill again:
>That's exactly the question. We really don't know. My impression, 
> supported by nothing, is that the spell to create the horcrux is 
> done first and then the process is completed with the murder. 
> There are too many unknowns at this stage to say.
> 
> I based my conclusion on what I perceived was the most logical 
> conclusion from statements made in the books.
> 
>   Bill

bboyminn:

Here is a bit of information that may affect your belief on this matter.

First, Tom kills his father and grandparents, and steals the Ring and
Locket from the Gaunts. Then, unless I am mistake, later, Slughorn
tells Tom about Horcruxes. I believe when viewing that memory, Harry
notices that Tom is wearing the Gaunt Ring. So, first death, then
object, then knowledge, then Horcrux.

For Tom to have used those three significant deaths to create
Horcruxes, he couldn't have prepared in advance. 


To something mentioned elsewhere in this thread. Someone speculated
that once a soul was torn, that soul piece remained available
indefinitely, and therefore always available to be made into a
Horcrux. I only believe that to a limited extent. I'll buy that the
soul piece remains, but not indefinitely. Of course, this is based
more on personal beliefs than hard canon.

In the Christian sense, all sins can be forgiven if you are truly
repentant and remorseful. So, I believe that in time the torn soul can
heal itself. Even so, it is certain to remain damaged and scarred. 

Still that implies that for many months and perhaps for years, the
torn bit of soul is available for a Horcrux. I believe for most
people, like soldiers, even without conscious repentance and remorse,
the soul will heal on its own. For those who are truly evil, that tear
in the soul could easily last a lifetime. So, the torn soul last,
though the amount of time is long but variable.

So, the main point is that the Horcrux doesn't have to be made
immediately, and most likely, anyone evil enough to create one, is not
likely to have that portion of the soul heal any time soon. So, I
guess I am agreeing with that concept, but simply expanding the
parameters of it.

Just a thought.
Steve/bboyminn