CHAPDISC: HBP 23, Horcruxes

[snow15145]

No: HPFGUIDX 160281




>Snipped very good summary from Goddlefrood<


1.Given that Harry, in the course of the series, has often turned up 
late to the Gryffindor Tower without a real complaint from the Fat 
Lady, why do you think she is so liverish in this instance? 

Snow:

Dumbledore had beefed up security that evening on his return from his 
outing telling the Fat Lady that all passwords were to be changed at 
midnight. From the way the Fat Lady acted she seemed to be annoyed by 
this new rule telling Harry if he didn't like it to take it up with 
Dumbledore
as if to say its not my rule its his and don't yell at me 
about it if you don't like it, the rule has inconvenienced me as well.

2. Do you think there is any significance in the Astronomy Tower 
being the Bloody Baron's favourite haunt (pun intended) when it is 
also later the scene of Dumbledore's death?

Snow:

Absolutely, but which side is he playing for
is he spying on or for 
Dumbledore? It does appear that he is under Dumbledore's confidence 
since the Baron was aware that Dumbledore had matters to attend to 
before retiring for the evening. 

3. What other business would you think Dumbledore had to attend to 
after midnight on a school night, as alluded to by Nick?

Snow:

I think that Dumbledore arrived back at school before midnight so as 
to change the passwords to the common rooms before midnight. 

Dumbledore has many people, friend and foe, that are better dealt 
with under the cloak of darkness. 

I believe that he had just came back, from this particular late night 
jaunt, from the cave area since he was in good spirits according to 
information retrieved from the Baron. Dumbledore had to let a few 
choice persons know of his findings that night in case he had to 
execute the plan soon
 

4. However insignificant the distinction, is the difference in the 
description of Slughorn's wagging finger between the two versions 
perhaps a clue to something?

Snow:

Its just part of his facetious memory to convince whomever is 
checking on this memory, to believe that someone was attempting to 
control him, via tainted candy, into speaking about the Horcruxes and 
he refused.

5. This segment of his memory, although perhaps embarrassing and no 
longer a view that Slughorn holds, does not appear to do any harm to 
Slughorn, unlike the later part regarding Horcruxes, so why do you 
think he covered up this portion from his fogged memory?

Snow:

Actually it does more than embarrass Slughorn, he is promoting the 
fact that he has connections with the Ministry and that he can be 
bribed to use those contacts to assist their endeavors. 

6. Why would Uncle Horace become excited when describing Horcruxes? 

Snow:

Power does that to a person, Slughorn was very open with the 
simplification of what a Horcrux is and that it was very natural with 
someone such as Tom to be curious about dark magic but notice 
however, that when the conversation turns to how you achieve such a 
feet, Horace changes his tune drastically. 

Slughorn got caught up in the moment sharing a topic that was 
extremely forbidden by Dumbledore to a bright student because he 
likes that the children look up to him; his own arrogance became his 
hidden shame. 

7. Was Tom Riddle initially listening to information he already 
possessed, or did he have no knowledge of Horcruxes at all prior to 
this conversation?

Snow:

Tom's true objective was to find out if you could make multiple 
Horcruxes and to find the spell needed to transfer the soul fragment. 
Tom couldn't very well appear knowledgeable at all about Horcruxes 
even though he was already aware that such capability existed. 

Wouldn't it come across a bit strange to Horace if Tom were to have 
said I know how you make a Horcrux, I'm just not sure how you encase 
one or if you can make more than one?

8. What compelled Horace to continue answering Tom's questions when 
he was clearly described as being uneasy about the subject, was it 
more than just a natural conversation in other words?

Snow:

You think it may have been that same Legilimency power that 
Dumbledore used on Draco on the Tower? Both Draco and Slughorn appear 
to be speaking almost against their will at times. 

9. Without going too deeply into the nature of Horcruxes, as that 
aspect has been discussed almost ad nauseam, do you think Voldemort 
actually has or had seven soul pieces, six of which are or were 
Horcruxes?

Snow:

I think there are or were five Horcruxes with the intent of a sixth 
with the death of Harry
he didn't kill Harry but he did kill an 
unarmed Lily; so the first step in making a Horcrux had been 
accomplished before he faced little Harry with the AK. 

Harry is not a Horcrux in the conventional sense but he did receive 
powers that made him equal to Voldemort, in other words he received 
the portion of soul that would have normally been encased to make a 
Horcrux; Harry is a living non-Horcrux but with all the necessary 
components, which makes him unique since he is not a Horcrux but 
obviously (to me) received the properties of one. 

10. How had Dumbledore acquired his knowledge of Horcruxes and why 
was it such thorough knowledge?

Snow:

Personal experience!

11. Did Lord Voldemort treat the Diary Horcrux carelessly as 
Dumbledore suggests or is there more to its destruction than 
initially met the eye?

Snow:

Interesting that it seems implied that Bella was entrusted with the 
Dark Lord's most precious secrets and yet Lucius was the one who 
initiated the Diary's coming out party, then again she was in Azkaban 
at the time ;)


12. Would you agree that there are four Horcruxes to find, and if not 
why not?

Snow:

I know that Voldemort was defiantly one short of his most powerful 
goal of seven when he entered Godric's Hollow. 

13. As far as I recall the Sorting Hat was whipped from the head of 
Godric Gryffindor (with the implication nthat it was his), so why 
would Dumbledore not at least make a mention of this?

Snow:

The Hat had belonged to Gryffindor but when it became the all-
knowledgeable Sorting Hat it ceased to belong to Gryffindor alone.  

14. Do you agree with Dumbledore that Nagini is a Horcrux and if so 
did he conclude this when consulting his machine in OotP or from some 
other source?

Snow:

This seems to be one of the only times that I felt like Dumbledore 
was dishing out information beyond his normal vagueness. Harry needs 
to understand that a living creature can be a Horcrux, although it 
would be inadvisable to do so. This leaves the door open for Nagini 
but it just as simply could relate to Harry. 
If Dumbledore suspected Harry to be directly connected with Voldemort 
in a Horcrux-like capacity, would he have told Harry? remember this 
is the man who kept the prophecy from Harry for five years. 


15. At this advanced stage of the series do you think that the 
summary of the remaining Horcruxes is correct or think that 
Dumbledore is wrong, as he himself professes to be on occasion?

Snow:

I would say it is nothing less than an educated guideline. There are 
no definitive answers, only direction based on theory, something from 
the four founders, the diary and a living Horcrux. 

16. Do you agree that Lord Voldemort is unaware when a Horcrux is 
destroyed and if so, and given that he knows of the loss of the Diary 
Horcrux, do you think he would create another? 

Snow:

I think Voldemort had an objective of seven, only. I'm not certain 
that he would be able to make more than that number given the 
transformations that occur with each loss of soul fragment less he 
completely turn into the creature that he now resembles so closely.

17. Why does Dumbledore not categorically say that Lord Voldemort 
could be killed if his Horcruxes are destroyed, but only that it will 
take uncommon skill and power to kill him?

Snow:

Possibly to remind Harry that destroying the Horcrux does not 
diminish Voldemort's powers. The Horcruxes are like clones under a 
master, killing the clones doesn't kill the master but to totally 
destroy the master the clones must also be destroyed. 

18. Lord Voldemort is said to be a powerful and gifted wizard so why 
would he set such store by the Prophecy?

Snow:

All threats to his power must be taken into consideration. There is 
no rationality with someone who is controlled by his own obsession.