What was Voldemort in PS/SS

[Arwan]

On another thread (Will Harry Die ) I realized that there is a difference of a opinion on what Voldemort was in PS/SS. Some believe that Voldemort's body was destroyed but not his soul and that the vapour was his soul, others believe that Voldemort may have used a Horcrux to survive. This poll is to get more opinions or idea on these two options or any other idea's on what you think it was.

I think that after Voldemorts backfired AK, he lost his body but not his soul.

 

[cagedcactus]

I was surprised that JKR didnt mention anything about that in book 6, despite of all those learning lessons with Harry and DD. But then I guessed that it must be very important in book 7.

I think that Voldemort's body was destroyed, and his soul remained behind. I think that Horcrux doesnt have to work as a bank account. It works in a way that your original soul (the one resides in your body) can not leave this earth.

 

[Dr Winterbourne]

I agree with this.

Voldemort's body was destroyed, and his soul (fragment) was thus freed, but because of the anchoring effect of his horcruxes (is that the proper plural form of horcrux) his soul could work its way back into the material realm.

He clearly drifted in another plane for a while, but I think that was an in-between place, not quite in either realm. If someone has a horcrux, and the proper incantations are enacted, then the soul fragment without a body is called back to the material realm, where it can be placed anew in a body re-created from the father, the enemy, the servant. This allows powerful dark wizaeds a way back to life - but they must have devoted minions and enemies.

No-one performed these dark rites for the vapomort, but he managed to work his way back to the material realm, where he eventually could possess other living things.

That's the way I see it, anyway.

 

[Piper]

I think when the AK rebounded and hit Voldemort the only thing left of him at that moment was the 1/7th of his soul that resides inside of his body. He wasn't even a whole spirit, but a 7th of a spirit. He could only posess small animals without a faithful servant to aide him.

I am going on the assumption that Dumbledore knows the mechaincs of Horcruxes. When he was speculating on what was a Horcrux and the total number of them etc, he said that he had destroyed one and Harry had destroyed one etc. He did not account for one being missing because it had been "used" to help return Voldemort to a form of any kind. He still has Harry searching for 4 Horcruxes, it would be 3 if it were the case that Voldemort had used one up for his return I think.

 

[Alz]

This come down to a debate hidden deep inside this forum - used versus exist.
Does a horcrux get 'used' up each time it is called into action - or as JKR seemed to write, the horcruxes keep that final piece of soul alive (exist).
Given PS/SS - it would assume exist and the byproduct of the night of the attack is that Voldemort lost his body but the horcruxes did their job, it kept that last bit of soul alive!

 

[Sirius Potter Fan]

Well, Alz . . . I definately remember that old thread . . . finaly convinced you! That was a fun debate though . . . Hope there are more to come! I agree with what's been said here already. The very small (less than 1/7th more like 1/156th ) soul portion floated around till it could be given a body. It was kept in existance by the pull of the other earth bound bits of soul.

 

[Hoggy Warty Hogwarts]

I quite agree with the fact it kept Voldemorts remaining bit of soul that was in his body b4 the AK rebounded kept him earthbound well thats the way i took it when i read it, if it did take a horcrux portion i would think that it wouldve taken the 1st piece he encased which would be the diary (as im sure from memory that was the 1st one he made) and as we know Harry destroyed that one but if it doesnt go in the order it was taken and maybe the last one he made wouldve been the one but we dont know what that was, so i doubt it anyway i believe he remained earthbound with his soul that was in his body... anyway i hope that makes sense. sorry if it doesnt

 

[Piper]

I really wonder whether it will matter which Horcrux was made from which death etc. I hope she tells us anyway.

 

[Jimenem]

I see that this thread hasn't seen a post since the release of the seventh book. However I feel it is still a valid debate. What exactly was Voldemort in the first book. And how did he come to be so? DO horcruxes get used up? Or is their mere existence all that is needed for their magic to work? Does the murder used to create each horcrux make a difference?

I completely agree with what has been said so far. Voldemort was simply in existence because the pull from his horcruxes in the material realm wouldn't allow his original soul to depart from it.
But I believe while horcruxes kept him here, and none were "used up" that particular instant, they can be used up. They could even be used to give Voldemort a new body, all it would take is someone feeding into the horcrux, (we saw the locket try to ensnare Ron) until it gains enough power to steal the life from that person and return fully to power and existence 100%. What would have happened to the original soul if Voldemorts diary horcrux would have succeeded in it's plan to return to power . . . . ???

(Perhaps this post belongs in another thread. . .)

 

[Dr Winterbourne]

I wonder if perhaps Voldemort was in a place like 'Kings Cross,' in a form like he was when Harry saw him. Eventually, he got his act together a little bit, and managed to find his way back to Earth, and began possessing things.

 

[Sirius Potter Fan]

Yes, Jim - we did discuss "what if" on the Diary Riddle if he had made it back to being fully alive. That thread I'm sure is still around here somewhere. We had some interesting theories, about the two Riddle/Voldemort's having to battle each other eventualy, because neither would accept the other. The younger (Riddle) would lack the experience the older (Voldemort) has and feel his way is best,(as most young people do) and the older would see the younger as brash and no where near as advanced.

 

[Snuffles]

[QUOTE="Alz]Does a horcrux get 'used' up each time it is called into action - or as JKR seemed to write, the horcruxes keep that final piece of soul alive (exist).[/QUOTE]

my thoughts exactly.
I thought horcruxes don't get "used": it simply remains, a part of the soul that is not dead, but is not whole, but enough to keep the person alive and from truly dying

in other words, when Voldemort used the Avada Kedavra, it did fire on him, killed the body, but could not kill the soul that was inside--not because he "used" a horcrux to survive, but simply because a horcrux existed.