CHAPDISC: HBP 23, Horcruxes

[snow15145]

No: HPFGUIDX 160374



Carol responds:
I'm not sure what you mean by "obtain characteristics of a Horcrux."
Possibly "obtain" is the wrong verb, but aside from that, the only
characteristic of a normal Horcrux (cup, locket, ring, etc.) is its
capacity to keep a bit of Voldemort's soul earthbound.

Snow:

A Horcrux holds a portion of Voldemort; therefore Harry does have the 
same characteristics as a Horcrux since he also holds a portion of 
Voldemort.

According to the Encarta dictionary the definition of obtain: as a 
transitive verb get something: to get possession of something, 
especially by making an effort or having the necessary qualifications

Harry did (obtain) get possession of something (a bit of Voldemort) 
that is characteristic of all the other Horcruxes. 

Carol:

We can't deduce the characteristics of a Horcrux from the properties 
of the diary,
which was always an interactive magical object different from the
others, and Nagini, if she is a Horcrux, is also atypical.

Snow:

Harry does possess a feature that is quite necessary when creating a 
Horcrux, which is a bit of Voldemort, however that does not make 
Harry a Horcrux like the other items mentioned since they are all 
inanimate objects (even the Diary without Ginny's soul) as opposed to 
Harry who is a living soul. 

Let's see how Harry does fit the Horcrux definition. 

"A Horcrux is the word used for an object in which a person has 
concealed part of their soul." HBP pg. 497

The three stages to make a Horcrux as conveyed by Slughorn are step:

    (1)	"By an act of evil – the supreme act of evil. By committing 
murder. 498

What could be more evil than to kill an unarmed mother who is not 
even attempting to fight back? I would say that Voldemort secured the 
first stage of making a Horcrux that night at GH.

    (2)	"and hide part of it in an object outside the body." 497

The part of Voldemort's soul that was split when he murdered Lily did 
hide itself outside of Voldemort's body. Again I would have to say 
that Voldemort did secure step two when he blew himself up attempting 
to AK Harry. (You have a split soul inside a body that was just blown 
up. The split portion is separated from the core soul so it can no 
longer remain with the core soul, that little bugger had to go 
somewhere)

     (3) "Encase? But how - ?"
         "There is a spell, do not ask me, I don't know!" 498

So it takes a spell to purposely encase an object in something 
according to the Slughorn-suggestions-on-how-to-make-a-Horcrux. I 
think he is right when you are speaking of the conventional Horcrux 
that has no soul of its own, which I believe he was since attempting 
to use a living soul is inadvisable. 

What we are left with as a conclusion to this third part of the 
Horcrux endeavor as it might apply to Harry is that Voldemort did not 
purposely say a spell to encase a piece of himself inside of Harry 
otherwise he would be aware that Harry had a piece of his soul. 

In final conclusion of this enactment of events at GH as compared 
with the making of a Horcrux, I would have to say that Voldemort 
willing or not created the conditions for 2/3rds of the process. 
Since the final 1/3 of the process was mute we must conclude that 
Harry is not an official Horcrux as per Slughorn's how-to process. 

Whether Harry is a Horcrux or not the fact still remains that Harry 
has a bit of Voldemort


["Voldemort put a bit of himself in me? [ 
]
"It certainly seems so." COS pg. 333]


that was marked with a scar


["
and in marking you with that scar, he did not kill you, as he 
intended, but gave you powers, and a future
OOP pg. 842]


and Dumbledore realized the moment he laid eyes on little Harry what 
that scar was. 

["when I saw the scar upon your forehead, what it might mean. I 
guessed that it might be the sign of a connection forged between you 
and Voldemort." OOP pg. 827]

Voldemort made Harry equal to himself when he attacked baby Harry
a 
connection
by putting a bit of himself in Harry
1/7th of a bit I 
would say. 


Snow