Of basins and lockets, Dumbledore and Snape

[rj_anderson]

Or, in other words, the refined version of the theories I've been expounding on for the past week or so, in one handy linkable place (for those of you who've been asking if they could link). Thanks to everyone who contributed suggestions, objections, and questions for me to answer -- the idea has been much improved and refined in the process.

Comments

[malabud]

*bows*

Truly this is an astounding piece of interpretation. It gives true meaning to Dumbledore's death, beyond just securing Snape an unassailable place in the Death Eater ranks. I think that is what attracts me to this theory the most. Without some significance to the potion he drank, Dumbledore's death is essentially meaningless.

So, if we follow this theory, then four of the six Horcruxes have been destroyed: the Diary, the Ring, the Locket, and Ravenclaw's Potion. All that is left are Hufflepuff's Cup and Nagini, plus Voldemort himself, of course. All Harry really has to do now is find the Cup, because Nagini is with Voldemort.

I note with some interest that at no time has Voldemort had all six Horcruxes in existence. The Diary at least was destroyed before he ever created Horcrux number six in Nagini.

You have answered all the questions I thought of from your first post on this subject. I think the fact that Snape finally got the DADA teaching position is key. Why else would Dumbledore give it to Snape? It appears that Voldemort's curse not only forces the DADA professors to leave the position after a year or less, each leaves the school completely, whether dead, incapacitated, under a cloud of suspicion, or just plain fleeing the school. According to the curse's pattern, Snape could not have returned to teaching Potions in year seven. Dumbledore must have known this, as did Snape.

(I linked to this essay from my first post-HBP journal entry.)

[_regina]

I note with some interest that at no time has Voldemort had all six Horcruxes in existence. The Diary at least was destroyed before he ever created Horcrux number six in Nagini.

You know, it occurs to me now that Voldemort probably knows about the diary being destroyed, since Harry gave it back to Lucius visibly damaged. Wouldn't it make sense for Voldemort to make yet another Horcrux, knowing that one had been destroyed?

[lump_of_clay]

there's also the theory that Harry is the final Horcrux. Or at least the scar. And that's why he can read Voldemort's mind, because part of Voldemort's soul is in him.

Harry Horcrux?

[malabud]

I find the "Harry/Harry's scar is a Horcrux" theory difficult to accept, on at least two counts:

1. Lord Thingy has tried to kill him multiple times--not what you would expect if killing Harry would destroy one of the Horcruxes, on which Thingy's immortality depends.

2. Dumbledore repeatedly tells Harry that Voldemort can't really enter Harry's mind without "mortal agony" I believe it was, because of Harry's love and goodness, and before the end of GoF, he can't touch Harry's body even. How could this be true if a part of his soul was already in Harry?

Snape for DADA teacher

[malabud]

One other thought about Snape getting the DADA teaching position: this also means that somebody else is going to teach potions, which is Harry's only chance
(a) to continue potions, which might be very important for him (of course) and
(b) to continue potions up to NEWT level, which is a necessity for him if he wants to become an auror (a NEWT in potions is needed for this career).
So it could also be that Snape got the DADA position to clear the potions teacher's post for somebody else.
How's that?

Re: Snape for DADA teacher

[rj_anderson]

Oh, I'm sure that would have been a factor too -- but not the main one, I think, as the existence of the curse and the associated guarantee that Snape would not be able to remain at Hogwarts after he'd taught DADA would be a pretty overwhelming factor.