Sep 08, 2005 17:02
After a throw-away scene with the Fat Lady and Nearly Headless Nick, Harry runs up to Dumblegod's office to give him Slughorn's memory. They journey into the pensieve and see the same memory as before, this time with substance instead of mist. Turns out Slughorn did tell Riddle about horcruxes and how they are created. Riddle is most interested in the idea of splitting your soul into more than one horcrux, seven to be exact, since it is the most powerful number. Slughorn is horrified and Riddle leaves quickly with an evil expression of wild happiness.
Of course, Dumblegod suspected this all along. The pertinent information from the memory is the idea that Voldemort was interested in splitting his soul seven times. Technically six since the seventh portion of his soul was what kept him alive for 13 years. Harry destroyed one in the Chamber, Dumblegod with his "prodigious skill" (HP 503) destroyed one, which leaves four that must be destroyed before Harry can destroy the one that resides in Voldie's body.
Now comes the brainstorming part of the chapter. What are the last four horcruxes? Dumbledore's theory (and he's always right, you know) is that Voldie tried to use an artifact for each founder: the locket (slytherin), the cup (hufflepuff). If he found one for Ravenclaw, DD doesn't know, but he knows that the last relic of Gryffindor is safe in his office: the ruby encrusted sword that Harry used to kill the Basilisk.
Harry asks if he can go in search of the next horcrux and Dumblegod agrees, much to Harry's astonishment.
Next we come to the confusing part of the chapter, where Dumblegod tells Harry that he's setting too much store by the prophecy, you know, that thing that the entire previous book centered around. Well, apparently, prophecies are only significant if they are acted on. Since Voldemort acted on the prophecy, he fulfilled it. If he would have ignored it, then Harry would be just like any other kid. Basically, Voldemort created his own enemy.
But! Harry doesn't have to kill Voldie because of the prophecy. He has to kill him because he (Harry) won't reast until he's tried, to avenge all of the people that Voldemort has killed and the horrible things he's done. Harry has a choice. But, the fact that Voldie is going to hunt Harry down until he's dead might have something to do with it, too.