New Thoughts on Harry Potter

This is part of the RSI continuing series on what RSI thinks is coming up in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Today, my daughter and I are thinking about horcruxes again.

Voldemort's horcruxes are objects within which he has concealed part of his soul. In order to kill Voldemort, Harry Potter will have to destroy the horcruxes first. Harry has already destroyed the horcrux in Voldemort's diary and Dumbledore has destroyed the ring. Now, there are four horcruxes left--Slytherin's locket, the snake Nagini, Hufflepuff's cup, and an undetermined relic from either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor.

My daughter Katy has found the locket in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The locket was originally in the basin with the green potion in Voldemort's cave but evidently was stolen by Regulus Black (Sirius' brother) and taken back to the Black house years before Harry and Dumbledore arrived at the cave. In The Order of the Phoenix, the locket was mentioned as one of the objects that was cleaned up as Mrs. Weasley, Sirius, and the gang were clearing out the Black house.

There was a musical box that emitted a faintly sinister tinkling tune when wound, and they all found themselves becoming curiously weak and sleepy until Ginny had the sense to slam the door shut; also a heavy locket that none of them could open
. . . (116).

Finding the locket will be a different problem for Harry than finding the other horcruxes. RSI's theory is that Harry will find the cup, the snake, and the relic through "legilimency"--breaking into Voldemort's mind and finding the objects in Voldemort's memory. It was established in The Goblet of Fire that Harry was mentally stronger than Voldemort and Harry's ability to delve into Voldemort's mind was a big part of The Order of the Phoenix. So, the ground is set for Harry to break into Voldemort's mind to find those three horcruxes in Deathly Hallows.

However, Harry won't be able to find Slytherin's locket that way. After all, Voldemort doesn't know where the horcrux is now. According to Katy, Harry (or Hermione or Ron) will have to figure out that the locket was in the Black house and had been saved by Creacher the house elf. Ultimately, RSI and Katy agree that Harry will find Slytherin's locket by asking Creacher for it.

Katy's other thought was that Voldemort hid one of remaining horcruxes at Hogwarts.

RSI's other thought is that Harry will be able to use legilimency to set Voldemort up for the kill and that Voldemort is going to die. Whether Harry himself lives or dies in the effort depends on the path Severus Snape ultimately takes.

I think Harry will live myself.