Is there a limit on the number of Horcruxes a person can make?

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 162188

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "rapid_white_wolf" <rapid_white_wolf at ...> 
wrote:
>
> Dumbledore assumed Voldermort made six horcruxes, but could Voldermort
> have made more?  Also if there is a limit what would happen if you
> made too many Horcruxes?

Geoff:
I think he is basing it on the fact that Tom Riddle seemed to favour
having a soul in seven pieces....

'"How do you split your soul?"

"Well," said Slughorn uncomfortably, "you must understand that the 
soul is supposed to remain intact and whole. Splitting it is an act of 
violation, it is against nature."

"But how do you do it?"

"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 -"

"Enaase? But how -?"

"There is a spell, do not ask me, I don't know!" said Slughorn...

~~~~

"Yes, sir," said Riddle. "What I don't understand, though - just out 
of curiosity - I mean, would one Horcrux be much use? Can you only 
split your soul once? Wouldn't it be better, make you stronger, to 
have your soul in more pieces? I mean, for instance, isn't seven the 
most powerfully magical number, wouldn't seven -?"'

(HBP "Horcruxes" pp.465-66 UK edition)

Obviously, if he wanted to split his soul into seven pieces, this would 
entail creating six Horcruxes. I suspect that, since this was forefront 
in his thinking at this point, he went for that option and Dumbledore, 
perhaps knowing him well, realised that this was the likely scenario.