#hogwarts librarian

Marvolo Gaunt’s Ring 

This is the first object that Voldemort turns into a horcrux, and the piece of soul that he tears off to create it is the piece I believe he would have been most eager to get rid of: His own history and background. 

His own ancestry must have been a huge source of inner conflict and self-loathing. Each side of his family tree embodied aspects he both admired and loathed in equal measure. His father’s side was wealthy, powerful, and elite, but Muggles. His mother’s side were pureblood wizards descended from Slytherin himself, but they were poor, illiterate, and pathetic. So he ripped that part of his soul away to create his first horcrux. 

It wasn’t just symbolic either. In sealing his past away within the ring, I believe it became a sort of secret-keeper, ensuring that no one would be able to research or uncover the origins of Lord Voldemort. Have you ever wondered why Dumbledore never shared Voldemort’s past with Harry until his sixth year at Hogwarts? Perhaps it’s because that history was impossible to access until Dumbledore destroyed the horcrux in the ring before Harry’s sixth year. 

In The Deathly Hallows, Voldemort muses on the location of where he hid the horcrux. 

“...how could the boy know that he had hidden the ring in the Gaunt shack? No one had ever known him to be related to the Gaunts, he had hidden the connection...” 

“...their abandoned home was, perhaps, the least secure of his hiding places, it was there that he would go first...” 

The reason that the location of the ring was given so few protections is because it was meant to be its own greatest protection, as well as a protection to the rest of the horcruxes. Because who would even look for the ring if Voldemort’s history was safely sealed away? 

(Side note: I believe the reason that Dumbledore was able to find the ring in the first place is because it contained one of the Deathly Hallows, which Dumbledore had previously sought independently of any connection to Voldemort. Not realizing this, Voldemort never considered that anyone might be interested in the ring for reasons other than himself.) 

The fact that the ring contained Voldemort’s history is both reflected in the ring itself, and shaped the abilities that the horcrux would have. The Resurrection Stone has an obvious connection with the past, in that it can allow the living to speak with the dead. The power of the horcrux, I believe, was focused on exploiting the past of anyone who discovered it. This is why it was so effective against Dumbledore, whose greatest regrets and sorrows were tied to his past. 

After the horcrux in the ring was destroyed by Dumbledore (which I imagine required him to actually face his own past) it unlocked Voldemort’s history, allowing Dumbledore and Harry to begin investigating it in earnest. 

(Side note: I also find it interesting that after this horcrux was destroyed, Dumbledore was attended to by another character who struggled with his own past: Severus Snape.) 

Tom Riddle’s Diary 

After the creation of the first horcrux, Voldemort ceased to call himself Tom Riddle, and adopted his new identity as Lord Voldemort. But there was a problem. There were still people who knew him and remembered him as Tom. I believe the diary was his solution to this problem. 

Similarly to the way that he sealed away his own history with the ring, Voldemort tore off the piece of his soul that contained his own identity, and sealed it within the journal. It was impossible to discover who Lord Voldemort really was while the horcrux in the diary existed. It was the ultimate secret identity. 

After all, doesn’t it seem curious that Voldemort’s true identity as Tom Riddle was a complete mystery to the wizarding community? He may have been mysterious, but he had supporters who knew him when he was still Tom. Surely there must have been rumors. If nothing else, why hadn’t Dumbledore, who had personally known Tom and saw his path to darkness, alerted the Ministry of Magic and others that Voldemort was actually Tom Riddle? Perhaps he didn’t because he simply couldn’t. 

Voldemort entrusted the safekeeping of this horcrux with the Death Eater who’s own identity he most envied. Proud, wealthy, elite pure-blood Lucius Malfoy. 

Voldemort also sealed away those parts of himself that may have made Tom Riddle proud (school prefect, Head Boy, star student, school hero, etc.) but that he had no need of as Lord Voldemort. 

This horcrux was destroyed by Harry at a time when he was conflicted about his own identity. Did he really belong in Gryffindor? Did being a parselmouth make him evil? It was ultimately Harry embracing his true identity that allowed him to pull the Sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat, which he used to kill the basilisk, enabling him to then destroy the horcrux. 

(Side note: I also find it interesting that not so far away from this battle was perhaps the wizarding world’s most despicable identity thief: Gilderoy Lockhart.) 

After this horcrux was destroyed, Dumbledore is able to share his memories of Tom Riddle once again. 

Salazar Slytherin’s Locket 

After safely sealing away his history and his identity from the rest of the world, there were still aspects of Voldemort’s soul that he wanted to tear off and seal away from himself. First among these were his own fears. 

In many ways it was the locket’s strong connection to fear that started my wife and I on this whole theory in the first place. In fact, they’re so straightforward that rather than explaining each one, let’s just quickly list them off: 

The location where Voldemort hid it featured multiple protective enchantments that preyed on fear. 

Those wearing it had their own fears and suspicions amplified. 

It thrived on Delores Umbridge, who used fear-mongering to get ahead. 

When Ron was getting ready to destroy the horcrux, it manifested his deepest fears out loud and in front of his eyes. 

It was worn next to the wearer’s heart. 

Voldemort literally locked away his fears in a locket. 

I feel like that last point bears repeating: Voldemort literally locked away his fears in a locket. 

Destroying the horcrux required Ron to face his darkest fears, not only the fears manifested by the locket that night, but his fears of being rejected by Harry and Hermione when he returned to them. 

It’s also telling that after the horcrux in the locket is destroyed, Voldemort’s own fears become amplified, twisted, and deranged. For example, after learning that one of his horcruxes was stolen from Bellatrix’s vault in Gringotts, Voldemort goes on a senseless killing spree among his own followers. This whole tirade kicks off a pattern of panic and paranoia that would stick with Voldemort to the end, and I don’t think it’s any coincidence that this occurs only after the locket was destroyed. 

Rowena Ravenclaw’s Diadem 

Now we’re starting to get to the horcruxes that we see much less of in terms of their abilities and defenses, so there will be more conjecture here, but please stick with me. 

It makes sense to me that the diadem is where Voldemort would seal away his doubts because Ravenclaw is so closely tied to intelligence. Voldemort was incredibly intelligent himself, and it’s only natural for intelligent people to experience indecision and self-doubt from time to time. But Voldemort would have likely felt that such hesitation was beneath someone as powerful as him, so it would have to go. 

A few points to consider for this: 

Voldemort obtained the diadem by manipulating the Grey Lady’s own self-doubt. 

To access the Room of Requirement, where the diadem was hidden, the seeker needed to (among other things) pace back and forth. Pacing is often associated with individuals experiencing indecision or doubts. 

The diadem is worn on the head, where doubts reside. 

It was destroyed when Vincent Crabbe cast fiendfyre in the Room of Requirement. This was an absolutely idiotic act that probably would have been avoided if he had the brains to doubt himself. 

Also noteworthy is that nearby at the time of its destruction was Draco Malfoy, who struggled with self-doubt throughout books six and seven. 

After the destruction of the diadem, Voldemort begins to doubt himself as the true master of the Elder Wand, leading to his decision to kill Snape. 

Helga Hufflepuff’s Cup 

This is the horcrux we probably see the least of, in terms of its powers, its history, and the exact circumstances of its own destruction. (Since we only hear a secondhand account from Ron telling Harry that Hermione destroyed it with an old basilisk fang from the Chamber of secrets.) 

Having said that, I believe there’s still a case to be made for Voldemort sealing away his own pleasures and worldly desires within the cup. I think its likely that Voldemort would have seen such enticements as nothing but a distraction, and if he really had sealed away his own doubts before this, then he probably wouldn’t have thought twice before ripping out the part of his soul that had anything that made him feel any kind of actual joy. 

Let’s take a look at some of the possible evidence for this: 

The horcrux was hidden in a vault of great worldly wealth, owned by an attractive woman he may have once had a romantic relationship with. 

Hufflepuffs have a reputation for valuing comfort, friendship, and contentment. 

As a cup, it would be held next to the mouth, which is often associated with acts of pleasure like eating, kissing, drinking, etc. 

The two people present when this horcrux was destroyed were Ron and Hermione, who had just recently discovered their own mutual romantic attraction and affection for each other. 

We don’t really have a chance to see what effect the destruction of this horcrux has on Voldemort, likely because it occurs so close to his own defeat that he doesn’t really have a chance to mention how he’s craving a cheeseburger or anything. (I’m tempted to point to the awkward Draco scene. I won’t use that as evidence since it only occurred in the movie and not the books. But still...) 

What we DO see throughout the series though is that Voldemort has a distinct lack of showing any desire for physical gratification. Things like food, intimacy, and comfort just aren’t priorities for him at all. (He doesn’t even wear a fancy outfit. And with an ego like his, that’s surprising to me.) 

Nagini 

What happened to Voldemort’s nose? Why doesn’t he have any hair? What’s with his red eyes and pale skin? In short, why does he look so much like a snake, and why is it never explained to the audience? 

I believe that as Voldemort was nearing the intended completion of his transformation, he believed that he had truly surpassed what it meant to be human. To reflect this, the last horcrux that he intentionally created was made by ripping away his own humanity and sealing within his own pet snake. This would serve multiple purposes, as it would strip away from him any shred of human morality, set him apart from the rest of humanity, and also bestow upon his loyal pet and servant a human-like intelligence and capacity to communicate. 

It was also through “milking” Nagini’s venom that first allowed Voldemort to regain some semblance of a human body again. 

Perhaps the strongest piece of evidence for this is looking at who was responsible for killing Nagini: Neville Longbottom. Awkward, bumbling, oh-so-relateable and human Neville Longbottom. For me, Neville was always a character defined not by his skill or power as a wizard, but by his own goodness, persistence, and humanity. 

Harry Potter 

And now we finally come to the accidental horcrux, containing the piece of soul that Voldemort never actually meant to lose. 

It seems clear to me that during his rise to power Voldemort was a man on a mission, relentlessly pursuing a purpose and destiny that he saw as more important than anything else... that is, until the point that he learned of Sybill Trelawney’s prophecy about him. 

I suppose it makes sense in a way. Only truly great witches and wizards would be the subject of a prophecy, so this was just further proof to Voldemort of his own greatness and the importance of his own destiny. 

But by chasing after that prophecy and seeking to kill Harry, he instead lost the part of himself he valued above all else: His purpose. 

From that night forward, Harry became the Chosen One. Harry was the one with a great destiny that the wizarding world would speak of for generations. Harry became the living legend. 

In contrast, Voldemort’s only purpose for the rest of his life would be Harry. The entire plot of the Goblet of Fire revolved around the fact that Voldemort had to use Harry’s blood for the spell to regain his physical body. He devised an elaborate, dangerous plan that required months of planning an preparation because he was totally unwilling to consider using any other enemy but Harry. How could he consider using anyone else? His only purpose was Harry. 

The kicker? Destroying this horcrux required Harry to fulfill his destiny, and required Voldemort to finish killing his own destiny. And they both had to do it on purpose. 

Final Thoughts 

Whew! We made it! I actually managed to finish writing this post, and if you’re reading this then that means you’ve nearly finished reading it. 

This is turned out to be considerably longer than I originally intended, and WAY longer than most of the posts I write. But I’m cool with that because this theory is exciting for me, and it meant a lot to share it with all of you. It’s also been fun because it’s a theory my wife and I got to collaborate and work out together (which is one of the major perks of a nerdy marriage.) 

So now that you’ve all had a chance to read our theory, I really REALLY want to know what you all think!! Do you agree? Disagree? Is there additional evidence that we missed? Please reblog with your comments!! 

Update/Additional Content 

This is a fantastic question, and it actually brings up a piece of evidence for this theory that I had totally forgotten about! 

In The Tales of Beedle the Bard, the darkest story by far is “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart.” 

In that story, the main character is a handsome and skilled warlock who believed that emotion was a weakness. He saw his friends become foolish when they fell in love, so he “resolved never to fall prey to such weakness and employed dark arts to ensure his immunity.” 

The way the warlock accomplished this in the story was to remove his own heart, and keep it locked in a crystal case. 

Later in the story the warlock attempts to place the heart back within himself, but “it had grown strange during its long exile, blind and savage in the darkness to which it had been condemned, and its appetites had grown powerful and perverse.” 

In Dumbledore’s notes on the story, he points out how similar the heart in this story is to a horcrux. “He is dividing what was clearly not meant to be divided…” 

While “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart” is regarded by the wizarding world as simply a gruesome fairytale, I believe that it is similar to “The Tale of the Three Brothers,” in that although exaggerated over the ages, it originated from an actual historic account. 

In short, based on the evidence in “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart,” I would say the answer to your question is, “Yes.”