This “Harry Potter” theory suggests these Horcruxes are way more powerful than we realized
In the ever expanding Harry Potter there are always more secrets than just the ones tucked away in that chamber. Thankfully, it also has just as many diehard fans dedicated to uncovering those secrets. Two of those Potterheads are blowing our Hogwarts-loving minds this week with a new theory on what exactly made Hufflepuff’s cup and Slytherin’s locket so special (and Horcrux-worthy), and honestly we don’t know how we never thought of this.
For superfans well-versed in the awesome respective powers of Gryffindor’s sword and Ravenclaw’s diadem, but still a little shaky on how said cup and locket fit into the whole Horcrux-Voldemort’s immortality thing, prepare to be shook. Harry Potter enthusiasts and popular YouTubers Super Carlin Brothers welcomed special guest (and Pixar theorist) Seamus Gorman to appear on the show they posted Tuesday and went on to discuss the overlooked objects in great detail.
The video’s a little on the long side, but here’s the jist: J.K. Rowling’s talked at length on the backstory of so many HP details, but she’s never really touched on where the locket and cup’s powers came from in the first place or how their enchantments manifested themselves before Voldemort came along and swiped them as his own personal evil soul piggy banks. Gorman and Carlin Brother Jonathan point out that there are a bunch of indications that, aside from its potential other powers (and that sweet badger engraved on the front of it), the cup’s greatest (and kind of weirdest, tbh) gift may very well have been its ability to turn vinegar into wine.
Sounds like a stretch, right? WRONG. Stay with us here: The only time vinegar comes up in the books is during Charms class in Order of the Phoenix, when the students are turning it into wine (Helga Hufflepuff was known for her charms skills). Rowling has also explained on Pottermore (since she left it out of the books) that to get into the Hufflepuff common room, someone would have to tap out Helga Hufflepuff’s name on a specific barrel — and if you get it wrong? Doused with vinegar. Helga is also toasting with the cup in the common room portrait, we’re guessing with wine.
As for the locket, the thought is that it may have kept some of Slytherin’s knowledge inside and that could have been where Merope Gaunt (a.k.a Voldemort’s mom) was scoring some of her power. And maybe, the guys pose, the smarts Salazar locked up in that locket, were only meant to be accessed by his heirs via Parseltongue! Crazy stuff. It would also help explain why wearing the locket seemed to give Dolores Umbridge (not a Parselmouth) some extra oomf—though that might also be related to the horcrux inside, or, you know, the fact that, like Slytherin, Umbridge was *the worst*.
The video goes into a lot more detail, but safe to say we’ll be spending the rest of the day thinking about this.
