Loophole that means Voldemort could still be alive

I just finished re-reading Deathly Hallows, and I believe I have found a loophole that allows the possibility of Voldemort being alive.

You might remember that Harry was the 7th, unintentional Horcrux, only because the rebounding Killing Curse shattered a piece of Voldemort's soul which attached to Harry. My theory is, that in the final battle, where Voldemort's killing curse rebounds upon him again, is it not possible that a shard of his remaining soul could've broken and attached itself to a random person in the room?

We remember it says that Voldemort's soul attached itself to the only living thing in the room (Baby Harry). Why couldn't that happen again? Why couldn't someone that witnessed Voldemort's death have become a Horcrux by mistake?

I think this could be a loophole made intentionally by JKR, incase she wants to write an 8th book, or it could even be a secret clue to indicate she has plans for an 8th. Remember she said "Never say never" in response to questions about an 8th book, and her representative or someone said he couldn't comment further.

So that is my theory. Voldemort's soul could've shattered again from his rebounding killing curse and attached to another person in the room, as it was pretty damaged and unstable.

What do you think?

I can see two problems with this.

1. He didn't kill someone in order for his soul to split. Someone would have had to die in that moment for his soul to split.

2. He was killed through the use of the Elder Wand which did not belong to him, but to Harry, whom he had attempted to use the curse upon.

I guess it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility, but it's definitely far fetched.

And another problem. :)

The last time the Killing Curse hit him but he had Horcruxes so he couldn't die. However he was reduced to vapour, not even a ghost, just barely alive. His body was reduced to vapour, it was not found in the ruins of the Potters' house at Godric's Hollow.

But, Voldemort's dead body was found in Hogwarts.

So he's dead, definitely. :)

I can see two problems with this.

1. He didn't kill someone in order for his soul to split. Someone would have had to die in that moment for his soul to split.

2. He was killed through the use of the Elder Wand which did not belong to him, but to Harry, whom he had attempted to use the curse upon.

I guess it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility, but it's definitely far fetched.

Even if that is the case, wouldn't his soul be split a heap anyway from all the people he had killed? More than 50 people died in the Battle of Hogwarts, including Snape, so wouldn't that count as someone dying recently by his hand?

I suppose, anything could happen in relation to the deaths that occurred shortly before his showdown with Harry. It just seems like without his horcruxes, as Kanksha pointed out, he would not have anyway of surviving. His body was indeed found and moved, instead of being reduced to the vapor as he was in Godric's Hollow. Like I said though, I would never totally discount anything in the series, which is more than you'll get out of a lot of people. I mean if Rowling were ever in need of reviving the cash cow...

Rowling has over a billion (U.S.) dollars, right? While I'd love to see another book, I really hope she doesn't milk the series. The Scottish Book will be enough for me.

But IIRC, Rowling, or maybe even a character in HBP or DH, said that Voldemort's soul was too weak to make another horcrux. His soul was already ripped into 8 pieces, remember, which is more than anyone had ever done. He had already pushed himself to the brink.

While maybe this was intentional on Rowling's part, I for one doubt it. Very interesting theory, though, I must say.

You never-ever-ever know...

As always... I like to say... JKR reserves the right to Retcon!

The unintentionally splitting of his soul is done in a kind of order: first, the Killing Curse kills his living body and THEN, because he has Horcrxues, his soul splits in two.

Because this second time he has no Horcrxues his soul wouldn't have the chance to split it would simply be torn from his body to the afterlife.

This is interesting. It could be possible... or maybe because it was the Elder Wand backfiring that killed Voldemort maybe there's some ay that it preserved some of his soul. I really doubt that this will happen but never say never right. I'll definitely be reading anything else JK comes up with :)

Yes, but the first time didn't Voldemort attempt to kill Harry and Harry made NO attempt to stop him, on account of him only being a baby?
Whereas this time he used Expelliarmus. So that means that if another Death Eater attempted to kill say Mollie Weasley and she used expelliarmus, and they instead killed themselves with Avaka Kedavra, then they to could technically come back to life aswell couldn't they? That is, if we assume your theory is correct. It could work for anyone, so for that reason I think no, he couldn't come back.

However that stone in the forest is another matter. Harry dropped it, am I correct? He says nobody saw him, and I think it's right to assume he was right, as surely if a death eater saw it they would have gone back to investigate and Voldemort would have returned.
But a student could stumble upon it one day and accidently bring back someone from the dead. Realising what the stone did, he could go bragging about it and an ex death eater may get wind of this stone that brings people back.
Infact, maybe that's one of the reasons J.k Rowling decided to have Harry drop the stone there. So if she ever did want to return to that world she had a way back in.

The only reason Voldemort's soul splits and latches onto Harry the first time is because he has Horcruxes in place to tether him to the world; without those Horcruxes his soul, split and all, simply departs the world and cannot latch on to anything - there's a order to it:

1. Horcruxes?
2. Soul Split

If you have nothing keeping you alive it matters not if your soul splits, it won't latch on to anything it'll simply absolve.

And yeah there are still at least two objects in the series that have an obscure connection to the passage of life and death: the Ressurection Stone as Meggy said and there's also the Veil in the Dept of Mysteries; there's plenty of room there for something.

In addition, even though Dumbledore says no spell can bring back the dead he is only stating an official magical law or limitation - the same kind of law as being unable to fly using magic and we've all read how that one was broken ^^.

Like most people are saying, a soul passes on to the next stage when the body is killed and no more pieces of soul remain. This is the case in the Final Battle. With no Horcruxes remaining, Voldemort is just like any other wizard in terms of his vulnerability.

While I think it is unlikely that Voldemort will return, I thought it was odd that Harry's scar was used as a means to say, 19 years later, that all is well in the Wizarding world. How could the scar indicate anything about Voldemort, when that horcrux was destroyed in the forest? The connection is gone.

I'm not sure that would work. Did Voldemort have to be hit with the rebounded AK in order for his soul piece to latch onto Harry? If so, he is definitely dead because he had no more Horcruxes to keep him alive after the spell hit.

Is it possible that when he Avada Kedavra -ed Harry in the forest part of his soul could have gone to a death eater or Hagrid or something? Maybe then when the elder wand backfired, something happened like when Voldy tried to kill Harry the first time.

Is it possible that when he Avada Kedavra -ed Harry in the forest part of his soul could have gone to a death eater or Hagrid or something? Maybe then when the elder wand backfired, something happened like when Voldy tried to kill Harry the first time.No, because Harry and Dumbledore saw it at King's Cross.

:rolleyes: lol, I totally forgot about that!! Thank you for reminding me!

I agree that the Resurrection Stone could be used to bring back Voldemort or perhaps be the source of evil in any more books if they indeed get written. As Harry's telling DD and even when he just drops it in the forest could be a subtle hint that we will be seeing it again.

While I think it is unlikely that Voldemort will return, I thought it was odd that Harry's scar was used as a means to say, 19 years later, that all is well in the Wizarding world. How could the scar indicate anything about Voldemort, when that horcrux was destroyed in the forest? The connection is gone.

That was the point. The fact that he could no longer feel anything from his scar was a sign that his (I'm going to make up a word here, for the heck of it) Horcruxial connection with Voldemort had long sense been broken. I'd compare it to the saying, "it's not what you said, it's what you didn't say."

That was the point. The fact that he could no longer feel anything from his scar was a sign that his (I'm going to make up a word here, for the heck of it) Horcruxial connection with Voldemort had long sense been broken. I'd compare it to the saying, "it's not what you said, it's what you didn't say."
Right, but it's not proof that Voldemort is gone, just that the connection is broken.

I'd say the proof was the body that was moved from the Great Hall. In any event, I've admitted I'm open to the possibility of there being some loophole that would allow for his return; I highly doubt it though. It would be a stretch for Rowling to bring him back and it would be far more likely she would just create a new villain if she wanted to revive the series that badly.

Could his soul stand another horcrux? I mean, it's been split seven times. There's must not be much of it left. Or if it was, I imagine it was very weak.

I just finished re-reading Deathly Hallows, and I believe I have found a loophole that allows the possibility of Voldemort being alive.

You might remember that Harry was the 7th, unintentional Horcrux, only because the rebounding Killing Curse shattered a piece of Voldemort's soul which attached to Harry. My theory is, that in the final battle, where Voldemort's killing curse rebounds upon him again, is it not possible that a shard of his remaining soul could've broken and attached itself to a random person in the room?

We remember it says that Voldemort's soul attached itself to the only living thing in the room (Baby Harry). Why couldn't that happen again? Why couldn't someone that witnessed Voldemort's death have become a Horcrux by mistake?

I think this could be a loophole made intentionally by JKR, incase she wants to write an 8th book, or it could even be a secret clue to indicate she has plans for an 8th. Remember she said "Never say never" in response to questions about an 8th book, and her representative or someone said he couldn't comment further.

So that is my theory. Voldemort's soul could've shattered again from his rebounding killing curse and attached to another person in the room, as it was pretty damaged and unstable.

What do you think?

I was thinking the exact same thing as I was reading it. It almost made it too clear that a part of Voldemorts soul attached itself to the next living thing, why not happen again?

I think Voldemort is done for good, the only reason I say that is the fact that she brings up in the Epilogue how Harry hasn't felt the scar burn/hurt him since.

I think Voldemort is done for good, the only reason I say that is the fact that she brings up in the Epilogue how Harry hasn't felt the scar burn/hurt him since.

That is because the Horcrux in Harry's head is gone, which means that his connection to Voldemort is severed, but Voldemort himself could still exist.

Not that I agree with this theory. I want there to be more adventures out there but I fully believe that Voldy's gone mouldy. Just wanted to point out that Harry's scar not hurting doesn't mean anything anymore. I don't believe in this theory at all...just wanted to clarify that.

That is because the Horcrux in Harry's head is gone, which means that his connection to Voldemort is severed, but Voldemort himself could still exist.



Yeah I know. but she says this for not so much the obvious reason that the connection is broken but rather says it to show that Voldemort is done with for good

You could argue though, that when she said "His scar had not pained him for 19 years. All was well." that could be taken as 2 completely different sentences/statements.

She could just be telling her readers his scar hadn't pained him (therefore showing the connection was gone as the Horcrux had been destroyed) and then could be going on to tell them that all was well with the world. So technically, we can't really say she used his scar as means to say all was well with the wizarding world. They could be two seperate sentences. If she had wrote it like "His scar hadn't pained him for 19 years, all was well" then that would have been a different story. But she didn't :)

:huh:
That makes sense.
the idea of Voldemort alive is a little exciting, it's like it goes on and on. If you think about it, he did kill someone when he was trying to kill Harry and the elder wand backfired. Even though it was himself, would it still count?

You could argue though, that when she said "His scar had not pained him for 19 years. All was well." that could be taken as 2 completely different sentences/statements.

If she had wrote it like "His scar hadn't pained him for 19 years, all was well" then that would have been a different story. But she didn't :)

I think you're splitting hairs with that statement noting that she used a period instead of a comma

I think you're splitting hairs with that statement noting that she used a period instead of a comma

Meggy is splitting hairs indeed but that's the point: it means JK can also split hairs should she ever decide to ;)

didnt Voldemort "kill" Harry in the Forbidden Forest?Even if his soul had attached to a Death Eater who is to say that he/she isnt dead?I mean the battle took alot of lives.

Don't forget about the ritual to make a Horcrux. I believe Dumbledore stated that he thought Voldemort would have made his final Horcrux from Harry's death (in 1981) since it would have been such a meaningful death for Voldemort. So from that I think it's likely that he had performed the ritual before entering the Potter's house (or just before killing Harry), meaning to make a Horcrux from that death.

But I really doubt he performed the ritual during the Battle of Hogwarts, as his soul was already stretched so thin.

THAT'S why his soul split apart in 1981, and why I believe it didn't when he cast the Avada Kedavra curse in the forest, and in the Great Hall.

Well she could retcon Voldy alive and retcon Harry dead (he's actually just an entity, like his parents from the stone, more than ghosts or living and quite real looking spirit riddle). So you have Harry actually sad and wanting to get back to the afterworld, but having kids and such in the meanwhile - while actually looking for Voldemort who didn't actually die, but has no body. The big show down will be Ghost!Harry v. the Elder Wand that Voldemort's spirit escaped into when he died. And Ron will exclaim to JKR, "overkill mate!"

Don't forget about the ritual to make a Horcrux. I believe Dumbledore stated that he thought Voldemort would have made his final Horcrux from Harry's death (in 1981) since it would have been such a meaningful death for Voldemort. So from that I think it's likely that he had performed the ritual before entering the Potter's house (or just before killing Harry), meaning to make a Horcrux from that death.

But I really doubt he performed the ritual during the Battle of Hogwarts, as his soul was already stretched so thin.

THAT'S why his soul split apart in 1981, and why I believe it didn't when he cast the Avada Kedavra curse in the forest, and in the Great Hall.

Beautiful!! It makes perfect sense to me that a horcrux is prepared for well before the actual murder takes place, and explains how a bit of Voldy-soul got attached to Harry by accident. Normally it would happen with the murder of the wizard's choice (neither James' no Lily's death triggered it) but when the AK rebounded unexpectedly on LV, it just happened.

For this reason, I gotta say, sorry WWB, good theory, but I don't think LV is among us anymore.

Although, I still don't understand how a piece of LV's soul managed to attach to Harry and stay there, given Dumbledore's speech to Snape in DH, page 643:
“Lord Voldemort’s soul, maimed as it is, cannot bear close
contact with a soul like Harry’s. Like a tongue on frozen steel,
like flesh in flame ..”
“Souls? We were talking of minds!”

Well, somehow little Voldysoul managed it, in a way, didn't he/it? For 17 years, in fact.

I want to believe this theory. I want book eight to come out! But I doubt that was JK Rowling's intention. However, anything can happen!

I just finished re-reading Deathly Hallows, and I believe I have found a loophole that allows the possibility of Voldemort being alive.

You might remember that Harry was the 7th, unintentional Horcrux, only because the rebounding Killing Curse shattered a piece of Voldemort's soul which attached to Harry. My theory is, that in the final battle, where Voldemort's killing curse rebounds upon him again, is it not possible that a shard of his remaining soul could've broken and attached itself to a random person in the room?

We remember it says that Voldemort's soul attached itself to the only living thing in the room (Baby Harry). Why couldn't that happen again? Why couldn't someone that witnessed Voldemort's death have become a Horcrux by mistake?

I think this could be a loophole made intentionally by JKR, incase she wants to write an 8th book, or it could even be a secret clue to indicate she has plans for an 8th. Remember she said "Never say never" in response to questions about an 8th book, and her representative or someone said he couldn't comment further.

So that is my theory. Voldemort's soul could've shattered again from his rebounding killing curse and attached to another person in the room, as it was pretty damaged and unstable.

What do you think?

Well, it was a different sort of rebound. It was hit by another spell, whereas when Harry was little his mother's sacrifice gave him protection, so, no, I don't think it's a loophole.

I love that you're hoping for an 8th book though. I'm doing the same thing!

In the case that Voldemort would still be alive in someone else... well, wouldn't it have shown up sooner? I mean, the epilogue is what, nineteen years later? It really only took ten years for Voldemort to appear again after he was "killed" the first time.

And another problem. :)

The last time the Killing Curse hit him but he had Horcruxes so he couldn't die. However he was reduced to vapour, not even a ghost, just barely alive. His body was reduced to vapour, it was not found in the ruins of the Potters' house at Godric's Hollow.

But, Voldemort's dead body was found in Hogwarts.

So he's dead, definitely. :)

:tu::tu::relax:

Did LV kill anyone before his last attempted AV with Harry? Because if not, he couldn't have made another horcrux with his final curse because it rebounded back onto him. So, unless he could actually make his own body a horcrux, he's gone for good.

Did LV kill anyone before his last attempted AV with Harry? Because if not, he couldn't have made another horcrux with his final curse because it rebounded back onto him. So, unless he could actually make his own body a horcrux, he's gone for good.

The probability of him killing someone before his final curse is likely... I mean, he is Lord Voldemort, after all.

Meggy is splitting hairs indeed but that's the point: it means JK can also split hairs should she ever decide to ;)
Splitting hairs is alot like splitting a soul.

I wrote that because I don't know what else to say. :scared: I think Voldemort is long gone and won't be returning. That was the point of destroying all the horcruxes.

But what about Bellatrix? :lol:

Voldemort is dead and is staying dead. As for Bella, she's dead, too. I think Molly hit her with a killing curse based on Voldy's reaction when she got offed.

Voldemort is dead and is staying dead. As for Bella, she's dead, too. I think Molly hit her with a killing curse based on Voldy's reaction when she got offed.

i think so too. I doubt Bellatrix made any horcruxes anyway. Besides, Voldemort looked genuinely scared when Harry stated that all the horcruxes were destroyed and he's not a good actor. i think Voldy knew that there waas the possibility that he would be dead soon.

When Voldemort tried to kill Harry as a baby he still had Horcruxes that supported and anchored his soul, where as in the Great Hall he had no Horcruxes left. Plus hyperthetically, if a piece of soul had seperated and attached itself to another living being, I think there would have been a mention of a vapour-like image of Voldemort escaping like at Godric Hollow. Imo.



But what about Bellatrix? :lol:

:lol:

Hopefully, not.

Good point. :agree: :lol:

IMO they are both dead and that's that.

I think this idea is cool but somehow i dont think jkrowling would. I liked voldie though so i wish he had won XD

No, he's definitely dead. JKR made the effort to state explicitely that Tom Riddle was dead, killed by his own rebounding spell. Full stop. :rolleyes:

People are so determined to believe that people might not really be dead. I believe there's actually a website called "dumbledoreisnotdead.com" :rolleyes:.

And there are many more opportunities for an eigth book, without Voldemort still being alive...

Don't forget about the ritual to make a Horcrux. I believe Dumbledore stated that he thought Voldemort would have made his final Horcrux from Harry's death (in 1981) since it would have been such a meaningful death for Voldemort. So from that I think it's likely that he had performed the ritual before entering the Potter's house (or just before killing Harry), meaning to make a Horcrux from that death.

But I really doubt he performed the ritual during the Battle of Hogwarts, as his soul was already stretched so thin.

THAT'S why his soul split apart in 1981, and why I believe it didn't when he cast the Avada Kedavra curse in the forest, and in the Great Hall.

Exactly - there is a ritual and I agree that Voldemort hadn't performed it before the battle in the Great Hall. Incidentally, though, I do wonder what object he'd intended to make into a Horcrux that night in 1981 when he tried to kill Harry and made him a Horcrux instead.

I think there's a slim possibility, but the problem is that he needed to have a horcrux first and also, when it rebounded the first time, the spell hit harry first to make the scar, this time, it hit another spell and that spell can't become a horcrux. If he had hit harry in the forest and rebounded, maybe it couldve been a horcrux but otherwise no

I just think its time to bury him so to speak. However I would find it curious if others just as powerful, or even more powerful than him were around with Horcruxs. I kind of find it intersting (or did) that the he was not the one who created this magic. It further leads me to believe that the individual that did may still be alive, and more skilled at creating them.

Hhhmm interesting theory but i don't think so...
Harry said in the last book that his scar hadn't hurt for 18 years..... i doubt it!

The whole point of Harry finishing off the Horcruxes was to able to kill Voldemort - so that if he was hit with the killing curse there would be nothing left to attach him to life.
I think the only reason Voldemorts soul attached its self to Harry when he was a baby was due to
1. He was planning to make a Horcrux with Harry's death
2. Because parts of his soul still survived he was able to cling to life.

I think the whole point of getting rid of the horcruxes was to make him like anyone else with no chance of survival (unless Lily was there to protect him with her sacrafice :))

Voldemort is still alive. He's alive inside that weird demon baby in the limbo universe.

Granted, it's a straw to cling to, but as long as there's a chance, it's possible that one day he might return to the magical world to purge the impure.

I promise you, one day "Weird Demon Baby In The Limbo Universe" will rise!!!!!

How about this idea...somebody take a time turner and go back in time and tell Voldemort that he would be killed in such and such day. Voldemort then takes a time turner and comes to the future. So silently that nobody knows, Harry won't feel it because the connection between them no longer exists. And now he can start his reign of terror AGAIN!!!!! and this time he wouldn't make the stupid mistake of AKing Harry...

How about this idea...somebody take a time turner and go back in time and tell Voldemort that he would be killed in such and such day. Voldemort then takes a time turner and comes to the future. So silently that nobody knows, Harry won't feel it because the connection between them no longer exists. And now he can start his reign of terror AGAIN!!!!! and this time he wouldn't make the stupid mistake of AKing Harry...

Good theory :tu: Are you allowed to have a time turner? An ingenius death eater could of course controll a student to get one due to academic reasons.

This is interesting. It could be possible... or maybe because it was the Elder Wand backfiring that killed Voldemort maybe there's some ay that it preserved some of his soul. I really doubt that this will happen but never say never right. I'll definitely be reading anything else JK comes up with :)

I would like to say also... that the wand was harry's, and being the elder wand it would never fail its master in a duel... I think if it let voldemort live at all... that would be a fail

ok, immense problem with the time turner if someone had gone back and warned voldemort, then that would have already happened and voldemort wouldnt have been killed, in the third book, if you remember, anything hey did after they went back, had already happened, plus (i might be wrong in this one) wasnt a lot of stuff in the department of mysteries destroyed? including the time-turners?

Yes, Hermione said that all the time turners were destroyed.

:whistle: Looks like Voldy's out of luck.......................

JKR said that he was stuck in limbo as the ugly, flayed looking baby. Interesting theory, but I think he is dead.

Even if that is the case, wouldn't his soul be split a heap anyway from all the people he had killed? More than 50 people died in the Battle of Hogwarts, including Snape, so wouldn't that count as someone dying recently by his hand?

Yes I'd say that does count but I think that in order to rip your soul apart to create a Horcrux you have to have that intent when killing someone. Harry became one because Voldemort decided to create a Horcrux with Harry's death. If you split your soul everytime you killed then Voldemort would have his soul in about 100 pieces would he not?

How about this idea...somebody take a time turner and go back in time and tell Voldemort that he would be killed in such and such day. Voldemort then takes a time turner and comes to the future. So silently that nobody knows, Harry won't feel it because the connection between them no longer exists. And now he can start his reign of terror AGAIN!!!!! and this time he wouldn't make the stupid mistake of AKing Harry...

Wouldn't this just create a crazy story loop? You could then just say well a good guy could then take one and go back in time to stop the that person taking a time turner and helping Voldemort. Besides I think there have to be severe magical concequences for using a time turner to essentially change the course of history either that or there is a limit to how far back a person can travel in time. If that weren't the case, then why didn't Dumbledore just use one and stop Voldemort from being reborn again?

Maybe he had a child that we don't know about?

Being raised secretly by his remaining loyalists?

Maybe he had a child that we don't know about?

:lol: I doubt it - I don't think Voldemort has ever got close enough to anyone to produce a child and I think Bellatrix would have hunted it down and destroyed it in a fit of Jealousy.

Being raised secretly by his remaining loyalists?

Apart from the Malfoy's (who didn't seem to be too loyal during the battle of Hogwarts) does he have anyone left?:hmm:

But it would be interesting - even more so if the child rebelled against his fathers way of life - or if the child was a squib.

In my opinion I think Voldemort's reign is over, but I am sure he will not be the last dark wizard.

Voldemort is dead. That much I'm certain of. I don't know of any future books like "Albus Potter and the Genezarg revival" or whatever, but if JK writes any more books in the series, Voldemort won't be in them alive.

Maybe he had a child that we don't know about?

Being raised secretly by his remaining loyalists?

Well, I doubt he'd have a child. In any case, that still means that Voldemort is dead.

Regarding the child theory, maybe it could have been produced asexually? Though, that wouldn't make it him any more than brother would his twin. Riddle was a product of his upbringing (or, you know, lack thereof) and despite all the regal inbreeding, I don't think he was *genetically* predisposed to be evil.


1. He didn't kill someone in order for his soul to split. Someone would have had to die in that moment for his soul to split.

He killed Snape :huh:

When Harry became host to the final horcrux he was left with a cursed scar, result of the rebounding curse or a part of the horcrux in him? If someone in the room had become a horcrux they would probably have some physical mark of it. Time to inspect those battle scars? :lol:

When Harry became host to the final horcrux he was left with a cursed scar, result of the rebounding curse or a part of the horcrux in him? If someone in the room had become a horcrux they would probably have some physical mark of it. Time to inspect those battle scars? :lol:

But, there was so much dark magic being used that day, that they might not be able to tell the difference between a horcrux scar, and a regular dark magic scar.

Even with that said, I still don't think this could happen. I think Voldemort is dead.

But, there was so much dark magic being used that day, that they might not be able to tell the difference between a horcrux scar, and a regular dark magic scar.

Even with that said, I still don't think this could happen. I think Voldemort is dead.

Seemed to me that most of the DE's were shooting to kill? Altough you're right a cursed scar could mean anything and not necessarily suggest a hidden horcrux. But in the end I agree, and I believe Peeves, Voldy's gone mouldy.

I think the chance of an 8th book is highly unlikely, she did write the epilogue already... and I don't think Voldemort's soul could take another split.

Hurray for my first post! I got an account specifically to reply to this thread.

Good idea that would make another book fun, but there's a problem with that. Voldemorts soul only latched on to harry as a baby because he couldn't die already having existing horcruxes. Six I believe right? During the final showdown, he had none and thus was able to die so he did.

Having said that, I know JKR said there would be no more harry potter books, and even though she's a very true to her word type person, nothing she ever does will be this successful and eventually she'll miss it and do another one. It might not be "Harry Potter and the...." but it'll take place in the same world with refferences to the original series. Might be about harry as an auror, or james a kid, or dumbledore as a child right up to the end of the first wizard war that made harry so famous, even completely centered around a character you wouldn't suspect like neville or nearly headless nick but give it time and I bet there will be something other than a family tree and encyclopedia.

Hurray for my first post! I got an account specifically to reply to this thread.
A good reason to join, welcome to this large discussion site. :welcome:

...nothing she ever does will be this successful and eventually she'll miss it and do another one. It might not be "Harry Potter and the...." but it'll take place in the same world with refferences to the original series. Might be about harry as an auror, or james a kid, or dumbledore as a child right up to the end of the first wizard war that made harry so famous, even completely centered around a character you wouldn't suspect like neville or nearly headless nick but give it time and I bet there will be something other than a family tree and encyclopedia.
Or maybe she'll be so busy spending her fortune doing what she always wanted to do but couldn't afford it before she won't have time to write. But it would be really good if she did, and tied up a few loose ends for us.

Back to the subject of the thread, I don't see any way Voldemort could still be alive. Others have already pointed out that, deprived of his horcruxes, he can't survive... He's just that pitiful baby-thing under the bench or wherever it was at King's Cross station.

This being said, Voldemort is not necessary for another HP-related book. There can always be another villain, another Dark Lord rising. Look at the Narnia series, the villain(esse)s were not the same from one book to the other.

mm I see what you mean, LV killed Snape in the shack, so his soul split again, Nagini was still alive and he already knew they were looking for horcruxes, so he could have made another one right there...
So, everytime you kill somebody your soul splits but it becomes unstable, so LV only killed what, 7 people??? and Snape???


I just remembered, it was Nagini who killed Snape, not LV. So it was her soul that splitted I guess, if animals have souls.....

I just finished re-reading Deathly Hallows, and I believe I have found a loophole that allows the possibility of Voldemort being alive.

You might remember that Harry was the 7th, unintentional Horcrux, only because the rebounding Killing Curse shattered a piece of Voldemort's soul which attached to Harry. My theory is, that in the final battle, where Voldemort's killing curse rebounds upon him again, is it not possible that a shard of his remaining soul could've broken and attached itself to a random person in the room?

We remember it says that Voldemort's soul attached itself to the only living thing in the room (Baby Harry). Why couldn't that happen again? Why couldn't someone that witnessed Voldemort's death have become a Horcrux by mistake?

I think this could be a loophole made intentionally by JKR, incase she wants to write an 8th book, or it could even be a secret clue to indicate she has plans for an 8th. Remember she said "Never say never" in response to questions about an 8th book, and her representative or someone said he couldn't comment further.

So that is my theory. Voldemort's soul could've shattered again from his rebounding killing curse and attached to another person in the room, as it was pretty damaged and unstable.

What do you think?

I like. :D It very much could have happened. We will know if another Book comes, I guess. :)

I also have another theory ... a very, very far fetched one, please be warned, but where I feel Voldemort can resurrect not due to a horcrux, but because of the possession on Ginny Weasley. Tom Riddle possessed Ginny for long periods when she was very young, and there could be a possibility, where her soul was darkened by TR's possession and she eventually became a DL because the possession took over.

As I said very far fetched, but hey, in the world of magic, everything is possible. :)

Some of my (desperate) ideas for a way to bring back everyone's favorite Dark Lord:

1. Voldemort magically cloned himself.

2. Voldemort preserved his consciousness in a portrait.

3. Voldemort instantly took possession of one of the many random kids in the Great Hall just before the AV hit him (conveniently making him look as if he had been killed, as his now-empty body would seem dead for all intents and purposes), and is now lying dormant within said boy/girl, manipulating their body to continue his evil deeds...(sorta like how he did with Ginny)

4. Voldemort (somehow) made a backup 8th Horcrux with Grindelwald's murder.

5. Voldemort has a secret child (maybe conceived with Bellatrix?) out there, somewhere, that inherited Voldemort's same personality/beliefs, so he or she is effectively the very same person...

My favorite scenario is number 1, because I'd love to see the wizarding world's equivalent of genetic engineering and similar sciences (a concept we have yet to explore).


I also have another theory ... a very, very far fetched one, please be warned, but where I feel Voldemort can resurrect not due to a horcrux, but because of the possession on Ginny Weasley. Tom Riddle possessed Ginny for long periods when she was very young, and there could be a possibility, where her soul was darkened by TR's possession and she eventually became a DL because the possession took over.


I like this idea. A compelling way to further explore how even good people can go rotten, and it's the love interest of Harry, to boot!

And another problem. :)

The last time the Killing Curse hit him but he had Horcruxes so he couldn't die. However he was reduced to vapour, not even a ghost, just barely alive. His body was reduced to vapour, it was not found in the ruins of the Potters' house at Godric's Hollow.

But, Voldemort's dead body was found in Hogwarts.

So he's dead, definitely. :)

I agree with you there.
Voldemort basically went boom when he tried to kill Harry the first time, not only reducing his body to vapor/smithereens, he blasted a huge section of the top floor of the Potter's home as well, so it must have been quite a big explosion. When he dies in DH, there is no explosion.
:lol:

You do have some good pointers. But I must say no. First of all, when Voldemort did try to kill Harry the first time, it was intentional. It was also intentional when he tried the second time in the final battle. But here's the thing with what you said. He never tried to kill anyone else except Harry. So how could it rebound onto someone else if he was only trying to kill Harry? That's the way I see it, anyways. But you do have somewhat of a point. I would LIKE to see an 8th book, but I just don't see it happening. In the Year in a Life interview with JKR, she also said she was tired of deadlines, and she misses it when it was just her own private world. She also said she's working on a new book, other than the HP encyclopedia i've been hearing about. But as I said, I just don't see how it's possible.

I think Voldemort is definitely dead. If Jo wanted to write more books about the HP universe, I am guessing she would start with a new villain, or write a prequel, in which, Voldemort would still be alive.

Would be nice if Voldemort had a son it has been done before but still a nice idea.
To me there was no indication Voldy survived. I believe the first time there was no body now there is which means he is dead.

Oh no, not a prequel! Aren't we sick already of everyone doing prequels?
I'd rather read a story about the founders of Hogwarts or something.

In any case, I'm quite confident that Voldy is moldy. Dead as a doornail. Caput.
To see why, you need to draw comparisons between the final battle in the Great Hall and the night at the Potters in 1981.
For one, he had his Horcruxes at the Potters in 1981. They were all destroyed by the time the GH battle began. Granted, he also simultaneously spawned off another horcrux that very night in 1981 by the act of casting the AK, but that's only because Lily died; in the Great Hall, no one died as a result of his AK (except himself)- therefore, no further splitting of the soul could occur to attach itself somewhere. I also don't believe that merely killing normally creates horcruxes, it's only said that killing splits the soul. Other procedures and intricate spellwork normally have to be undertaken to contain and preserve that soul fragment in a horcrux, either prior or after the killing, most likely a little of both.

We also know that the AK rebounded for very different reasons. No one sacrificed their lives at the Great Hall battle in the way that Lily did at her house; LV's AK rebounded merely because the wand refused to do his bidding, and "boomeranged" back on him. This was quite different from what happened in 1981 with his own wand.

Would be nice if Voldemort had a son it has been done before but still a nice idea.
To me there was no indication Voldy survived. I believe the first time there was no body now there is which means he is dead.

I Agree he is dead And J.K Rowling is done with writing Harry Potter Books so he is for sure dead

Oh no, not a prequel! Aren't we sick already of everyone doing prequels?
I'd rather read a story about the founders of Hogwarts or something.
That would basically be a prequel.

That would basically be a prequel.

Not really in the usual sense though - it wouldn't tie directly into the Harry Potter story or any of the currently living characters we've come to know, even a young Dumbledore. Prequels are generally more than just a story that goes back in time, they also tie into the original characters in some way, like in "Star Wars", you have a young Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, and Luke/Leia as babies; in "Ginger Snaps Back", you have the same two girls in their previous lives experiencing the beginning of their werewolf curse (the Ginger Snaps movies were pretty good, BTW, if you never seen them), or in "Underworld Evolution", it goes back farther than a generation, but, you still have some of the same characters, Victor and Lucius, etc..

I was thinking more like seeing how the four founders created Hogwarts, a thousand years ago, with no otherwise direct ties to Harry Potter or any of the characters therein. Though, I suppose, if we got to see the Chamber of Secrets being built, that'd be something of a tie-in.

EDIT: Just had a second thought- if Ravenclaw's daughter is in the book, then yeah, it would be a prequel, as her ghost is alive in the current books!
D'oh.
Anyway, the gist was, I'd prefer something way back in time, not a rehash of the last 50 years or so.

you know... i have a hunch... though i think it farfetch... but what IF when voldemort was still "dead" maybe he was thinking of a another way to revive himself..... I mean voldie is really smart right? So i doubt all those 11 years he was not doing SERIOUS thinking on a better way of immortality... jst mayb...

We remember it says that Voldemort's soul attached itself to the only living thing in the room (Baby Harry). Why couldn't that happen again? Why couldn't someone that witnessed Voldemort's death have become a Horcrux by mistake?

Not only did Voldemort have all those Horcruxes in place when he tried to kill Harry, but he had also rendered his own soul incredibly unstable in the process of making all those Horcruxes. It was because his soul was so unstable that a part of it split off and latched on to Harry. At the end of DH, the destruction of the Horcruxes has rendered his soul stable enough for him to be killed.

BTW, while killing somebody is a prerequisite for making a Horcrux, a Horcrux does not automatically happen just by killing someone. It happens by performing some sort of enchantment. I came across an interview awhile back in which Rowling said that the actual enchantment is way too gross to be included in the books. (She told her publisher what it was, and the publisher blanched). So what that means is that (if she's not pulling our leg), then the enchantment involved in making a Horcrux is grosser than anything Wormtail did in the graveyard in GoF.

So yes, Voldemort killed Snape, and yes, a bunch of other people died in a battle that he initiated. But there's no evidence that he actually had time to make any new Horcruxes between the time Snape died and the time Nagini was destroyed.

Voldemort is truly dead. And as other posters have stated, this time we actually have a dead body to prove it. :D

No, I think he's gone forever.

Aha! A "dead thread" is resurrected, when it appeared to be gone forever!

No, he's definitely gone. And we saw in King's Cross what his soul is like. Even if let's say a devoted Death Eater called him back, what we saw in King's Cross is what he'd get. Rather useless.

You know, if anyone could figure out how to beat death and escape from limbo, it would be Voldemort. Perhaps Dumbledore as well, but we know he isn't interested in that. Voldemort is in an immortal state so it could happen after hundreds of years or maybe even thousands.

Not only did Voldemort have all those Horcruxes in place when he tried to kill Harry, but he had also rendered his own soul incredibly unstable in the process of making all those Horcruxes. It was because his soul was so unstable that a part of it split off and latched on to Harry. At the end of DH, the destruction of the Horcruxes has rendered his soul stable enough for him to be killed.

This post seems to imply that as the trio destroyed horcruxes and those bits of soul returned to Voldemort and somehow caused that piece of his sould to stabilize. But in canon it's said that only remorse, true remorse could cause Voldemorts soul to come back together.

I disagree that his soul was becoming more stable with the killing of his horcruxes. If anything, I think it would have become even more unstable without the other bits floating around balancing it out. In my mind, Voldemort was killed by a combination of his soul being so fragile at the moment of his battle with Harry, him not being the EW's true master and sort of-kind of the rebounding curse. I think with his soul being only 1/8th of what he should have had he was so vulnerable to magic that even Harry's expelliarmus charm would have been enough to kill him. Tho, for the sake of keeping Harry's hands squeaky clean it's said the Voldemort's own rebounding curse is what killed him.

I came across an interview awhile back in which Rowling said that the actual enchantment is way too gross to be included in the books. (She told her publisher what it was, and the publisher blanched).

ooo. :err:

Curious.

So yes, Voldemort killed Snape, and yes, a bunch of other people died in a battle that he initiated. But there's no evidence that he actually had time to make any new Horcruxes between the time Snape died and the time Nagini was destroyed.

I don't think he did. He was also surrounded by DEs so didn't have the privacy to do such a thing as create more horcruxes.

Voldemort is truly dead. And as other posters have stated, this time we actually have a dead body to prove it. :D

Yup.

I just finished re-reading Deathly Hallows, and I believe I have found a loophole that allows the possibility of Voldemort being alive.

You might remember that Harry was the 7th, unintentional Horcrux, only because the rebounding Killing Curse shattered a piece of Voldemort's soul which attached to Harry. My theory is, that in the final battle, where Voldemort's killing curse rebounds upon him again, is it not possible that a shard of his remaining soul could've broken and attached itself to a random person in the room?

We remember it says that Voldemort's soul attached itself to the only living thing in the room (Baby Harry). Why couldn't that happen again? Why couldn't someone that witnessed Voldemort's death have become a Horcrux by mistake?

I think this could be a loophole made intentionally by JKR, incase she wants to write an 8th book, or it could even be a secret clue to indicate she has plans for an 8th. Remember she said "Never say never" in response to questions about an 8th book, and her representative or someone said he couldn't comment further.

So that is my theory. Voldemort's soul could've shattered again from his rebounding killing curse and attached to another person in the room, as it was pretty damaged and unstable.

What do you think?

Most horcruxes are not placed in living things but rather in more durable items. Why the soul fragment attached itself to Harry rather than to some other random item in the room may have to do with how intent Voldemort was on (killing) Harry. He must have already prepared to make a horcrux of the soul fragment(s) caused by killing the Potters. Why else would it have become any kind of a horcrux? Horcruxes are not created automatically every time some wizard commits murder. There has to be some kind of spell involved. Otherwise every wizard who was a murderer would be protected by horcruxes, which is clearly not the case.

Most horcruxes are not placed in living things but rather in more durable items. Why the soul fragment attached itself to Harry rather than to some other random item in the room may have to do with how intent Voldemort was on (killing) Harry. He must have already prepared to make a horcrux of the soul fragment(s) caused by killing the Potters. Why else would it have become any kind of a horcrux? Horcruxes are not created automatically every time some wizard commits murder. There has to be some kind of spell involved. Otherwise every wizard who was a murderer would be protected by horcruxes, which is clearly not the case.

When the curse backfired, Voldemort's couldn't pass on because of his existing horcruxes. That is why part of it latched on to Harry. In DH, Voldemort had no horcruxes remaining, so even if his rebounded curse blasted his soul into a million pieces, they would all pass on.

I also have another theory ... a very, very far fetched one, please be warned, but where I feel Voldemort can resurrect not due to a horcrux, but because of the possession on Ginny Weasley. Tom Riddle possessed Ginny for long periods when she was very young, and there could be a possibility, where her soul was darkened by TR's possession and she eventually became a DL because the possession took over.

As I said very far fetched, but hey, in the world of magic, everything is possible. :)

Extremely unlikely. Remember, Harry killed the horcrux that operated the diary in the Chamber of Secrets. He didn't know it was a horcrux at the time, but he did neutralize the magic in the diary which was possessing Ginny. Ginny is in no danger of ever being possessed by Tom Riddle again. Even magic has rules.

Most horcruxes are not placed in living things but rather in more durable items. Why the soul fragment attached itself to Harry rather than to some other random item in the room may have to do with how intent Voldemort was on (killing) Harry. He must have already prepared to make a horcrux of the soul fragment(s) caused by killing the Potters. Why else would it have become any kind of a horcrux? Horcruxes are not created automatically every time some wizard commits murder. There has to be some kind of spell involved. Otherwise every wizard who was a murderer would be protected by horcruxes, which is clearly not the case.
I just want to point out, the horcrux is the object, not what is in the object, and it is expressly unnatural for soul fragments to inhabit them. Souls want to be in living things

The major difference between what happened at Godric's Hollow in 1981 and what happened at Hogwarts in 1997 is that Voldemort went to Godric's Hollow with the intention of making a Horcrux out of Harry's death (if Dumbledore's assumption is correct, anyway). This heavily implies that there has to be some preparations made before the murder as well as after it.

Do I dare bring up another point? Yes, I do.
What if Dumbledore was wrong, and an extra Horcrux was made before he tried to kill Harry? The only proof of the exact number he made isn't very reliable, as it was a hypothetical question to Slughorn. Riddle could have just picked a number at random...

If Voldemort were a Pragmatic Villain instead of a Generic Evil Dude, I would expect just such a misdirection. However, Slughorn is one of the least threatening people in Harry Potter, and isn't very likely to risk his neck by willingly giving up information that Voldemort probably forgot even exists (even though he did exactly that once Harry got him sufficiently drunk)

Do I dare bring up another point? Yes, I do.
What if Dumbledore was wrong, and an extra Horcrux was made before he tried to kill Harry? The only proof of the exact number he made isn't very reliable, as it was a hypothetical question to Slughorn. Riddle could have just picked a number at random...

This would have been a good point except for that fact that we were privy to Voldemort's thoughts when he realized that his horcruxes were under threat. He doesn't think of any another horcrux.

if Jo were to write another book she would come up with something better than a lost horcrux theme. that would be so cheesey and forced that it would ruin the magic of the original series.

I can see your point. But I think she wouldn't have written the epilogue the way she did if Voldemort was to return. An 8th book would be awesome though :')