[HPforGrownups] Re: Harry a Horcrux?

[Kathryn Jones]

No: HPFGUIDX 153312

Geoff Bannister wrote:

> Geoff:
  snip
> <quote>
> We are told that a Horcrux is created, "by an act of evil  the
> supreme act of evil. By committing murder. Killing rips the soul
> apart. The wizard intent upon creating a Horcrux would use the damage
> to his advantage: he would encase the torn portion-" [1]...
> 
> [1] HBP "Horcruxes" p.465 UK edition
> </quote>
> 
> Please note that Slughorn does not say that horcruxes are randomly
> created. They are created by an ACT OF EVIL. They do not just
> "happen" - they are made by a specific act of will.

   KJ:

     To me, this whole argument is a question of semantics.  Is a soul 
part, whether intentionally, or unintentionally, encased in anything, a 
horcrux? Does a soul part actually have to be intentionally encased in 
order to make a horcrux? JKR has gone to great lengths to state that 
what occurred at Godric's Hollow had never happened before. Therefore, 
no one would have any idea of the repercussions. There had never before, 
in the history of the WW, been a backlash from a killing curse. If, 
during the explosion resulting from the backlash of the failed curse, a 
fragmented part of Voldemort's soul entered Harry, does it make a 
horcrux. The scar makes it obvious that something cut into Harry's head, 
we have now learned about horcruxes, and how they are made, and we know 
that Voldemort must had had several split fragments available. We know 
that there is a connection between them and that Harry has some of 
Voldemort's abilities. All of our information about horcruxes has come 
from Slughorn and Dumbledore, who also have no previous experience to 
know what could possibly have happened to Harry. I do think DD suspects.

    So, in my opinion, for what it is worth, I believe that it was the 
force of the explosion that is responsible for Harry being the 
repository of a soul part, and not through any design of Voldemort. I 
don't think that he had any intention of creating a horcrux at the scene 
of the crime. It would seem that a horcrux can be made at any time, 
although it is a bit confusing as to how to choose a particular soul 
piece to create a horcrux. In this instance, it is less confusing to 
argue whether or not we believe that Harry is holding a soul piece, than 
it is to argue whether or not he is a horcrux.

KJ