The Seven Explained

Below is an analysis of the seven Horcruxes Voldemort created. Each contains a brief description, the individual abilities of the Horcrux, and a timeline detailing the appearences of each in the series.

The Diary
(1943 – 1992)
Description: This malicious journal was made into a Horcrux when Voldemort was a student at Hogwarts, and most likely produced from the death of Moaning Myrtle. Before he met Harry, Voldemort entrusted the book to Lucius Malfoy, hoping it could be used to release Slyterine’s monster once more. It worked, until the diary met Harry Potter, who would destroy the thing and, in effect, a spectral Tom Riddle Jr. with a basilisk fang.

Abilities:
1) Could converse with a reader through writing on blank pages.
2) Could make a person see memories originally written. Much like a pensieve, perhaps, though the visions might be altered by the Horcrux.
3) Could draw energy from a human source and create a body exclusively for its piece of soul.

Timeline:
Created during Voldemort’s time at Hogwarts -> Given to Lucius Malfoy -> Slipped into Ginny Weasley’s Transfiguration textbook -> Used by Ginny to discuss her boy troubles (Harry!) -> Thrown at Moaning Myrtyl -> Discovered by Harry Potter -> Stolen by Ginny -> Took the form of Young Tom Riddle in the Chamber -> Finally destroyed by Harry and his Basalisk fang in 1992

Harry Potter
(1981 – 1998)
Description: Harry Potter was made into a Horcrux on October 31, 1981, when Voldemort murdered his parents and attacked him with a killing curse. As a living Horcrux, Harry had a strong connection to Voldemort’s mind through his scar – out of which he often felt extraordinary pain. But this connection proved pivotal in Deathly Hallows when Harry needed to know what Voldemort was up to. Ultimately, the piece of Voldemort’s soul inside Harry was removed when Voldemort hit him with the Avada Kedavra in the Forbidden Forest.

Abilities:
1) Could speak Parseltoungue
2) Could sense Voldemort’s emotions

Timeline:
Created October 31, 1981 ->
Destroyed in the Forbidden Forest in 1998

Nagini
(1994 – 1998)
Description: A sinister snake that was infused with Voldemort’s soul at the Riddle House in 1994. It was made from the death of the old caretaker and was meant to be the sixth – (though it was the seventh) – Horcrux in Voldemort’s arsenal. As the Dark Lord’s most loyal servent, Nagini would act out its master’s will time and again until being annihilated by Nevile Longbottom during the Battle of Hogwarts. It was sliced in two by the sword of Godric Gryffindor.

Abilities:
1) Could possess a human corpse.
2) Could sense Voldemort’s emotions

Timeline:
Created in 1994 -> Appeared in the graveyard with Voldemort at the end of Goblet of Fire -> Attacked Arthur Weasley in the Department of Mysteries in Order of the Phoenix -> Appeared at Voldemort’s side in Malfoy Manner in chapter one of Deathly Hallows and ate Charity Burbage -> Infested and controlled Bathilda Bagshot’s corpse -> Fatally wounded Snape in the Shrieking Shack -> Sliced to bits by Nevile Longbottom and the sword of Godric Gryffindor

The Gaunt Ring
(1944 – 1996)
Description: Made into a Horcrux from the death of Tom Riddle Senior and his parents, the Guant’s ring had a black stone with the Peverell coat of arms imbued upon it. But what that little stone really was no one knew; until Dumbledore figured it all out. Before he died, Dumbledore used the Sword of Gryffindor to shatter the Horcrux once and for all, leaving a visible crack down the middle of it.

Abilities:
1) Contained a powerful, fatal curse.

Timeline:
Stolen by Voldemort and made into a Horcrux from the deaths of his father and grandparents -> Thrown into the rubble of the old Guant’s house with a curse upon it -> Came into contact with Dumblesore’s left hand -> Stabbed and destroyed by Dumbledore and the Sword of Godric Gryffindor in 1996

Hufflepuff’s Cup
(1946 – 1998)
Description: Most likely created from the death of Hepzibah Smith, who had attained the chalice through the generations linking back to Helga Hufflepuff herself. After making it into a Horcrux, Voldemort hid the cup within the Lestrange’s vault in Gringotts bank. It wasn’t destroyed until right before the battle of Hogwarts – stabbed with a basalisk fang found in the chamber of secrets.

Abilities/enchantments
1) Suggested to have certain, unknown magical properties.
2) Duplicated and burned when touched

Timeline:
Stolen from Hepzibah Smith in 1946 -> Placed in the Lestrange’s Gringotts vault
-> Aquired by the trio -> Brought to the Chamber of Secrets where it was stabbed with an old Basalisk fang

The Locket
(1946 – 1998)
Description: The locket is an especially interesting Horcrux because it is supposed that it was passed down from Salazar Slytherine’s possession. Via the memory of an elderly house elf, we discovered in Half-Blood Prince that Voldemort actually stole the locket from none other than Hepzibah Smith. It is described as solid silver with a snake-like “S” inscribed on its face. Its presence was first made known in OotP as the heavy locket found at Number 12 Grimmauld Place when our heroes were cleaning. It was once kept in a basin of magical liquid inside a cave by the sea. Regulus Black, the rogue Death Eater, had found it long before Dumbledore and Harry even entered the cave. Eventually, the locket was stolen from Dolores Umbridge in the Ministry of Magic. Using the Sword of Godric Gryffindor, Ron destroyed the Horcrux, albeit with some difficulty considering it humiliated him with images of Harry kissing Hermione.

Abilities:
1) Could display images to tempt or corrupt the viewer.
2) Had its own heart beat.
3) Had a mind of its own, had the will to strangle or drown its wearer.
4) Could impose negative emotions on a wearer and make
a Patronus charm impossible (for most).

Timeline:
Stolen from Hepzibah Smith in 1946 -> Placed in the cave from Voldemort’s past -> Aquired by Regulus Black who gave it to Kreacher so it could be brought back to the House of Black -> Briefly noticed by the trio on a shelf amongst dark artifacts at Number 12 Grimmauld Place -> Stolen by Mundungous Fletcher -> Aquired by Dolores Umbridge in 1996 -> Stolen from Umbridge at the Ministry of Magic by the trio -> Mentally enrages Ron Weasely -> Is finally destroyed when struck with the Sword of Godric Gryffindor in 1997

Ravenclaw’s Diadem
(???? – 1998)
Description: On the tiara the words, “Wit beyond measure is man’s greatest treasure” is written. Unfortunately for Rowena, her daughter Helena did not have her wits about her when she fell in love with the Bloody Baron and stole her mother’s precious diadem – stashing it inside a tree. Tom Riddle, after hearing this tale from the Grey Lady – (the ghost of Helena), sought out the diadem and made it a Horcrux from the death of a local alley tramp. For years the tiara was safely hidden in the storage place of the Room of Requirement, but after Crabbe’s spell “backfired” the Horcrux was destroyed by the outrageous FiendFyre.

Abilities:
1) Could bleed real blood when damaged.

Timeline:
Made into a Horcrux from the death of a tramp -> Stored in the “Room of Hidden Things” atop a bust -> Destroyed in 1997 when Crabbe cast a spell that released FiendFyre