Random theory

[kenjari]

I have no idea why I was thinking about this while in the shower this evening, especially since the final book won't be out for a good long while.

Dumbledore has a horcrux of his own.
There have been massive hints leading to some sort of resurrection-type thing for him. And what is the series' only established mechanism for such an effect? A horcrux! Given Rowling's tendency to hide things in plain sight, this theory seems plausible to me.
Of course, this complicates Dumbledore's character a bit, but I can think of a couple non-evil explanations for his having a horcrux:
Dumbledore made said horcrux as a sort of insurance against Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Dumbledore wanted to make it so that Voldemort wouldn't be able to eliminate him that simply.
In order to better understand how to deal with Voldemort's horcruxes, Dumbledore had to make one himself.

Comments

[sigerson.livejournal.com]

Hmmmmm....
Fawkes, perhaps?
But doesn't one have to kill someone in order to make a horcrux? Or do you just have to fracture your own soul somehow?

[holmes-iv.livejournal.com]

Per Canon, you must commit a murder to fracture your soul sufficiently.

[stolen-tea.livejournal.com]

Easily enough accomplished, though - Dumbledore has a history of putting ends above means. And if it's "killing" rather than "murder", then I'm sure there'd have been a volunteer at some point.

[gee-tar.livejournal.com]

Especially if the one killed is Fawkes! He'd just resurrect himself so no harm done!

[kenjari.livejournal.com]

A volunteer seems quite likely. The books have already given us a couple of examples of people willingingly sacrificing their lives for the good of others, so there's precedent.

[digitalemur.livejournal.com]

But Dumbledore didn't get a cool "if you strike me down I will become even stronger" speech! He can't be Obi-Wan!

Sorry, that's just what your theory reminded me of. Hee!

[outlawradio.livejournal.com]

I don't think Rowling would mess with death like that (to resurrect Dumbledore). I think in her world, it's important that when a character's dead, it's final.

[ladybird97.livejournal.com]

This actually touches on something that's been bugging me for a while. It's been one of Rowling's major themes from the beginning of the series that death is final, and there's no coming back. On the other hand, there was so much phoenix imagery surrounding Dumbledore and his death that it feels like he will come back in some form...but on the other other hand, I don't think that she would break her own rules and themes like that. I don't know, is the short answer :)

And I also don't think that Dumbledore would have made a horcrux. Not if it involved killing people, even willing sacrifices.

Sorry :) It's an awesome theory, but I just don't think I agree.

[orichalcum.livejournal.com]

Well, and actually, I feel like that's been true with at least two of the major deaths. Sirius doesn't _die_ die; he falls through a magical veil.Which totally seems like something you can come back from under certain extreme circumstances.

Reincarnation as a phoenix, I buy. And I like the Horcrux idea, but I think it's too evil even for Dumbledore.

[kenjari.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there are some big holes in this crackpot theory of mine. I'm not all that wedded to the idea, actually: while I think it's a really interesting possibility, I think that there are others that are more likely.
One of the more meta holes in the theory is that I think it would require a significant and unprecedented shift in focus from Harry and Voldemort to Dumbledore's backstory that is highly unlikely at this point in the series.