Shouldn't Voldemort have become a ghost?

[Territomauvais]

I have not read more than half of the replies, so I don't know if this has been said.

With risk, comes consequence.

Voldemort split his soul several ways, but that doesn't matter, what matters is he split it period.

I whole fully believe what JK wanted us to understand is that because of his risk to obtain near immortality, he cannot pass on, nor can he return. Voldemort's physical piece of soul that died that night lays in King's Cross, forever.

Sucks for him, lol.

Oh, quick edit...I truly believe Voldemort see's King's Cross just as Harry does. King's Cross meant to Voldemort EXACTLY what it meant to Harry. It was his transition, his reality, from knowing he was different, to accepting it.

[hershlag]

Voldermort would be too dangerous as a ghost, im sure if he were he would try and try and try to regain to full life again

[Phil_Stone]

If we assume that Voldemort knew as much as Harry/the reader about ghosts, and recognize that he experianced life as a near ghost as Vapor-Mort, then even if his soul could leave a mark on earth, he might still choose not to do so.

Voldemort's speeches about life without a body do not make it sound as if it would be a form of life he would choose, even if facing death. But more importantly, I think he is clever enough to understand the difference between leaving an imprint on earth, and persisting on earth, as a ghost. It is a matter of identity. As Vapormort, Riddle himself survived, and was eventually restored to a body. But a ghost would not be like that, but rather more like Dumbledore's portrait. It represents him, and perhaps reasons as he would, but it is not him, only a facsimile. Voldemort would not be the least satisfied by a facsimile of himself surviving. It would be on the order of Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets. It might allow one to reach across time and influence the world of the future, but one would have no knowledge of it, and no control. It is not how posterity recalls him, his reputation, about which he is concerned, but only himself.

[The_Green_Woods]

I don't think one can choose to become a ghost. Those who are scared of death are the ones who stay behind in HP universe. I think Headless Nick said something to that effect. Voldemort was very scared of death (OOTP); he did not wish to die at all, and that was why he made the horcruxes in the first place, so that he could live forever IMO. He should have become a ghost IMO

[Adetayo]

He probably didn't have enough soul left to become a ghost. Cuase I don't think nearly headless nick split his soul or any other ghost for that matter.

[Azure_Skies]

I agree with the general consensus. Voldemort's soul was so badly damaged being ripped apart repeatedly, that there wasn't enough to leave an "imprint" anywhere.

[Daelin]

You know, I think this is a two-level argument. First, I agree with the consensus that Voldy messed his ticket up when he started splitting souls, not least because all the soul parts in the horcruxes were destroyed, which is to say Voldy could not piece his soul back together.

I notice two other things from DH book about this question. First, despite his injuries Harry was whole in the King's Cross vision; the condition of the soul determines the next physical reality for people who are not ghosts, while the ghosts are locked into their death condition. So Voldemort's King's Cross condition was a true foreboding of what waited for him, to my mind regardless of how or when he died, unless he began to rebuild his soul by showing remorse. Also, everything about Voldemort was artificial - his renewed body was the result of his magical skills, but as soon he died all of that was gone; I think there would not be a body to even bury!

The other thing I took away friom this, is that as poor an existence as a ghost would know, it would still depend on conditions Voldemort could not meet. The ghosts we see have various links to the world, people or places they loved and old loves they cling to, because it's what they loved best. All the things (never people) that Voldemort loved, were destroyed and gone - even if he could exist as a ghost, what purpose would he find in existing as an object of ridicule and mocking, powerless to even scare children, much less control armies. If Voldemort existed as a ghost, he would flee all wizards and men, and indeed all living things, for the eternal shame and failure of his ever-present, unchanging condition.

[Lorraine10]

I'm agreeing with everyone when they say that he had nothing left to become a a ghost. I mean he had split his soul into seven parts. What gets me is that, assuming you all are right, and the reason that he couldn't become a ghost was because of the fact that he did split his soul. My question is that, we have heard of all people in the book, including Dumbledore, say that Voldemort was very wise. If infact he was wise don't you think he would have known about this?

Another thing that kind of makes it easy to believe that he feared death, was that he did split his soul. Voldemort was so afraid of death that he split his soul into seven parts, and placed them inside these objects that could be easily destroyed in my opinion. But I think that the reason he did this was because he thought he had a better chance of living longer, and that he knew that he wasn't strong enough against Harry. I mean why do you think he created all those other Horcruxes?

In conclusion I think that when he finally really did die, I think that maybe he thought it was for the best. By creating all of these Horcruxes he knew that the time was coming for someone, especially Harry to figure that out. And it was just a matter of time, before they were all destroyed.

Also, I think that even if he didn't split his soul, and he died. I don't think he would have become a ghost. I say this because ghosts can only do so many things. I mean they can still haunt you. But can they really kill another person?

[IAmLegend]

Well, no, voldemort didnt fear death, he feared the unknmown, and the things hecouldnt control Death brought. When Voldemort saw what the beggining of death was like, and decide he liked it (or he oculd have completly given up on life at this point)

[dobbysfriend]

I agree that he didn't have enough soul left to become a ghost. Besides, if he remained a ghost, he probably would have haunted Hogwarts, and that would be really scary.

[SeverusSnapeHBP]

Not only was Voldemort destroyed, but his soul was destroyed as well, therefore since his soul was destoryed, he can't become a ghost because a ghost is a soul. Destroying Voldemort's soul was the whole reason why Harry destroyed the Horcruxes in the first place.

[JamesxProngs]

You would think that the dark lord would have become a ghost, but his soul might have been to torn to actually have enough to be come a ghost.

[Fawkesfan1]

Originally Posted by JamesxProngs

You would think that the dark lord would have become a ghost, but his soul might have been to torn to actually have enough to be come a ghost.

That's what I figured as well. His soul was too far beyond repair to have become something like that. That's why he was the way he was -- stuck between two worlds with no way to go to the other side.

[GriseldatheGood]

If a ghost is the imprint of a departed soul, then can a dementor destroy a ghost? There aren't very many ghosts, considering how long wizarding history is, so it seems like something must be able to destroy one.

[Annielogic]

Originally Posted by SeverusSnapeHBP

Not only was Voldemort destroyed, but his soul was destroyed as well, therefore since his soul was destoryed, he can't become a ghost because a ghost is a soul. Destroying Voldemort's soul was the whole reason why Harry destroyed the Horcruxes in the first place.

Harry needed to destroy the Horcruxes to make Voldemort the same as any mortal, so he would have no anchors keeping him from dying completely, imo.

The soul pieces which resided within the Horcruxes were destroyed when the objects/beings were damaged beyond repair. However, Voldemort's main (master) soul that resided within his own body would still have existed after his body was dead (the same as others). That last scarred, damaged soul was like what we saw in the King's Cross chapter, imo. According to JKR that is where he stays, in a limbo for eternity, unable to move on.

Originally Posted by JamesxProngs

You would think that the dark lord would have become a ghost, but his soul might have been to torn to actually have enough to be come a ghost.

I agree, I don't think Voldemort's soul would have been strong enough to leave an imprint.

[lilamedusa]

I think that JK Rowling answered this question, but I'll say my opinion anyway .

IMO, he couldn't become a ghost, because a ghost is a soul, and Voldie's soul was destroyed, (by Harry and DD). And even if it wasn't, it was a way to damaged soul to become a ghost (I'm not so sure about that...).

[Annielogic]

Originally Posted by lilamedusa

I think that JK Rowling answered this question, but I'll say my opinion anyway .

IMO, he couldn't become a ghost, because a ghost is a soul, and Voldie's soul was destroyed, (by Harry and DD). And even if it wasn't, it was a way to damaged soul to become a ghost (I'm not so sure about that...).

Is this the quote you're thinking of, from the live web chat?

quote Jon: Since voldemort was afraid of death, did he choose to be a ghost if so where does he haunt or is this not possible due to his horcruxes J.K. Rowling: No, he is not a ghost. He is forced to exist in the stunted form we witnessed in King’s Cross.

The soul pieces within the Horcruxes were destroyed. The final main soul that was left in Voldemort's body isn't destroyed. It seems his soul leaves the dead body like everyone else's would once their mortal body dies. I think Horcruxes act differently because they are not the natural soul container. Voldemort then moves on to exist and remain in that limbo state we see in the King's Cross chapter. He didn't have the strength to 'move on' or substance of soul to leave an imprint. Imo.

[UselessCharmMaster]

I think the rest of his soul was just not enough to create a ghost. Voldemort wasn't a fully human person; his soul was so damaged that it was unable to do anything.

[Happy_Hexer]

I have to go with the theory that there wasn't enough left of Voldemort to truly die, or that being a ghost wasn't a strong enough option for Voldemort. I can't see him going for the compromise of treading in his previous steps as a ghost.

[GinnyPotter13]

i don't think that Voldemort had enough soul left to becoume a ghost. I mean a ghost is a soul attached to the Earth because of fear of death, but because Voldemort split his soul 7 times, there wasn't enough soul left!!