Harry Potter Forums

MA: After we got back from Carnegie Hall, we brought back your message of "Harry is kind of not really a Horcrux." (SU: Oh, yeah.) And I don't want to dwell too long on Horcruxes, but I'd love to hear you talking about how he is or isn't, or wasn't.

JKR: Well, I'll tell you- do you know what? This will not end the discussion. (MA: Yeah.) (laughs) I know that, and you know that, but here is the thing: for convenience, I had Dumbledore say to Harry, "You were the Horcrux he never meant to make," but I think, by definition, a Horcrux has to be made intentionally. So because Voldemort never went through the grotesque process that I imagine creates a Horcrux with Harry, (SU: Mm-hm.) it was just that he had destabilized his soul so much that it split when he was hit by the backfiring curse. And so this part of it flies off, and attaches to the only living thing in the room. A part of it flees in the very-close-to-death limbo state that Voldemort then goes on and exists in. I suppose it's very close to being a Horcrux, but Harry did not become an evil object. He didn't have curses upon him that the other Horcruxes had. He himself was not contaminated by carrying this bit of parasitic soul. The only time he ever felt it stirring and moving was in Order of the Phoenix, when he himself goes through a very dark time. And there's a moment where he's looking at Dumbledore, and he feels something rear like a snake inside him, and of course, at those times, it's because the piece of soul inside him is feeding off his emotions. He's going through a dark time, and that piece of soul is enjoying it, and making its presence felt, but he doesn't know what he's feeling, of course. Also, I always imagine that the Sorting Hat detected the presence of that piece of soul (JN: Yeah!) when Harry first tried it on, because it's strongly tempted to put him in Slytherin. So that's how I see it. (JN: Wow.) Now, I know that won't end the debate, but I do think that the strict definition of "Horcrux," once I write the Scottish Book, will have to be given, (SU: Yeah.) (JN: Yes.) and that the definition will be that a receptacle is prepared by Dark Magic to become the receptacle of a fragmented piece of soul, and that that piece of soul was deliberately detached from the master soul to act as a future safeguard, or anchor, to life, and a safeguard against death. So that doesn't really clear anything up. Well, I think it- (JN: It does quite a bit.) It at least states what I believe,(MA laughs) but I don't think it's necessarily going to convince people who have a strong feeling one way or the other on the matter. You know what? That's been the case with most of Harry Potter. (JN laughs) I give my explanation, and it just fuels more debate.

even if only for a few seconds.