Horcruxes Explained

Introduction | How They Work | Significance
| The Seven Explained | Questions?



This is the place for questions submitted by readers that we've attempted to answer. If you'd like to contact us about Wands, please email us at: noah at staff dot mugglenet dot com, or kyle at staff dot mugglenet dot com. We'll try to answer it straight-away, and perhaps put it on this page. This section of Level Nine was created and written by Noah and Kyle. Please DO NOT direct questions about it to any other staff members.



Is it possible to turn a wand into a Horcrux? A wand is always by the user's side, therefore the risk of destroying it is slim, I would think. If possible, would that make the wand more or less powerful? And would turning the Elder Wand into a Horcrux make it invincible?

Submitted by Lamia

Good question! I think it is possible to turn a wand into a Horcrux. Although you do make a good point, the Horcrux would be in even more danger than you might think if a witch or wizard placed it in his/her wand. On the whole, Dark wizards or witches would be the ones to create Horcruxes at all, so when he or she is caught, their wand would be destroyed.

As for the power of the wand, I don't think it would change at all, unless the carrier placed curses or charms on it. As we see with the snake, Nagini, the fact that it is a Horcrux gives it no further physical abilities than a regular snake of its kind. Voldemort is able to control it purely because he can speak Parseltongue.

I also do not think that turning the Elder Wand into a Horcrux would make it invincible. The Elder Wand is already the most powerful wand in the world, nothing can dominate it in duel. As we saw in the seventh book, the Elder Wand is not just one wand passed down through history, it is the wand of the witch or wizard who dominated the last possessor of the Elder Wand. Therefore, making the Deathstick a Horcrux only increases the carrier's folly.



Why was Voldemort able to destroy the Horcrux in Harry Potter using the Avada Kedavra curse when the basilisk's fang, the sword of Gryffindor and Fiendyre are the only means of destroying Horcruxes?

Submitted by Michelle

Yes, the three ways we know of that can destroy Horcruxes are Basilisk fangs, the Sword of Gryffindor, and Fiendfyre. However, until Harry, none of the Horcruxes were actual living organisms (except for Nagini, but she was killed with the Sword anyway). Obviously a Killing Curse wouldn't be able to kill or destroy an inanimate object, such as Riddle's Diary, the Diadem, the Ring, the Locket, etc. because they have no life in them to destroy. However, Harry Potter was a living being, who needed to be killed in order for the Horcrux within him to be annihilated. Therefore, the Avada Kedavra curse would be a valid tool for destroying any Horcrux, such as Voldemort used against Harry, that is dependent upon a living organism.



Do you think it would have been possible to become truly invincible by making a Phoenix a Horcrux? As we are shown many times throughout the series, Phoenix's are reborn upon death, so surely that means a Horcrux in a Phoenix could never be destroyed? And, if that is the case, why did Voldermort never think of doing that? I know he used Naginni as a link to Slyhterin, but surely he wouldn't care if it meant he was tied to the Phoenix life for eternity?

Submitted by Joe

Remember that with living Horcruxes the two souls are not completely intertwined. (Think of Harry after the scene at "King's Cross.") Harry should have died from that Avada Kedavra but because of a separate condition - (love connection to Voldemort) - his soul was able to stay on Earth while Voldy's was banished to that horrible realm. A similar case would most likely have existed in a phoenix Horcrux. It would only need to be destroyed sufficiently once because as opposed to the phoenix, the alien piece of soul cannot recuperate after being destroyed.



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