Let's go back to the beginning and assume that Dumbledore is correct in that Voldemort successfully split his soul into seven parts.

One resided in his body, and six were hidden in horcruxes. When Voldemort attacked Harry, it is my belief that the rebounding curse DID kill that 1/7 of Voldemort's soul, along with his body. His most trusted followers (Bellatrix?) had to then resurrect him from a horcrux (receptacle unknown - the hypothesized relic of Ravenclaw/Griffindor?), and that piece of him now resides in his body.

That leaves 5 horcruxes in place. One was destroyed in the diary, so down to four. One was destroyed in the Gaunt family ring, so down to three. One was in the Slytherin locket, and presumably destroyed by Regulus Black (see below), leaving just two horcruxes - one is Nagini, and the other is the Hufflepuff cup. Where is the cup? Why did Voldemort wish to return to Hogwarts? Why was it so valuable to him to have an insider there (spying on Dumbledore aside, which I never believed)?

The cup must reside at Hogwarts in the Room of Requirement, along with everything else that people wanted to hide. As an aside, do you really think Harry would not have recognized Snape's handwriting after all these years? I think the handwriting is LILY's ("you have your mother's natural abilities." Plus, Snape using Peppermint? Yeah right!), and her book was nicked by the "half-blood prince," but that a thought for another day. So, I believe that Harry will return to Hogwarts next term, because the cup will be there.

Where is Nagini? We must try to trace Voldemort's hiding locations: the diary in the Chamber of Secrets, the Ring in the house of the Gaunts, the Locket in the cave he visited as a child. Besides the Ministry, where have we seen Nagini before? In the RIDDLE family house, and that is where I believe she remains. So to summarize:

Harry is looking for only TWO horcruxes:

1. The Hufflepuff Cup, which I believe is hidden in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts.

2. Nagini, who is hiding in the Riddle family house.

OK, I can hear some of you asking if we really know the Slytherin locket horcrux was destroyed by "R.A.B."/Regulus Black. My answer is yes, and I think it explains one very big question: Why were the Longbottoms tortured into insanity by Bellatrix, et al? It doesn't make sense that after the fall of Voldemort this would occur. No, I don't think they were attacked because of the prophesy - there is no evidence that they were looking for, or attacked, Neville.

What information did they want? It had to be information they were after, since they otherwise would have killed the Longbottoms outright. I think that Voldemort/his followers found out that Regulus had deserted them and found at least the one horcrux/Slytherin locket. Or, Bellatrix went to retrieve the Locket to resurrect her master only to find out it was gone, and that put her on the trail of the Locket and Regulus (and she would recognize the initials). Why would Regulus seek out the Longbottoms? Who better to ask for help in destroying it than two Aurors (who, as pure-bloods, were probably related to the Blacks)? I think Bellatrix traced Regulus's steps to the Longbottoms, and the Longbottoms failed to disclose the location of either the horcrux or Regulus Black (or both).

So who is the key to discovering whether the locket was destroyed? It might be Neville, but I doubt it (theories on memory charms aside). My vote is for Kreacher; he obviously adored his Mistress and her favorite son. Could he have passed on the locket (presumably as an empty horcrux, or, if I'm wrong, as an intact one) and commanded Kreacher to hide it, guard it with his life and NOT to disclose the location, especially if he knew he was close to being caught?

If so, then Harry may be able to retrieve it simply by commanding Kreacher to hand it over. Although, the conversation may start innocently once Harry discovers R.A.B. is Regulus Black; he may simply ask Kreacher for information on Regulus before discovering that Kreacher is in possession of the locket. I don't think we've heard the last of him (nasty little thing that he is), and Harry will discover that the Locket is no longer a horcrux.

I hope you enjoy my theories, and I'm looking forward to reading everyone elses.

8/16/05

Posted by: Sharon

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