Did Hermione know that Harry was a Horcrux?
Table of Contents
Evidence for why Hermione Knew
Hermione's extensive knowledge and intuition: Throughout the Harry Potter series, Hermione Granger is portrayed as an intelligent and resourceful character. Her knowledge of magic and the wizarding world often aids the trio in their quests. Hermione's familiarity with magical literature and her ability to connect seemingly unrelated clues suggest that she may have deduced the possibility of Harry being a horcrux.
Textual evidence: In "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," Hermione is the one who explains the concept of horcruxes to Harry and Ron (HBP, Chapter 23). This demonstrates her in-depth understanding of the subject and the fact that she had read about horcruxes even before Dumbledore mentioned them.
Hermione's understanding of the connection between Harry and Voldemort: Throughout the series, Hermione is observant of the unique connection between Harry and Voldemort. She acknowledges the peculiar bond that allows Harry to feel Voldemort's emotions and see glimpses of his thoughts.
Textual evidence: In "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," Hermione is the first to suggest that Harry's dreams and visions might be connected to Voldemort (OOTP, Chapter 23). This shows her awareness of the link between the two, which could have led her to suspect that Harry was a horcrux.
Hermione's observation of the effects of horcruxes on Harry: Throughout their journey to find and destroy horcruxes, Hermione becomes increasingly aware of the negative impact horcruxes have on Harry, such as the locket's ability to amplify his negative emotions.
Textual evidence: In "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," Hermione is the one who first notices the detrimental effect the locket has on Harry and suggests they take turns wearing it (DH, Chapter 15). This insight into the impact of horcruxes on Harry could have contributed to her suspicions about Harry's connection to Voldemort.
Hermione's suspicion of Harry's ability to speak Parseltongue: Harry's ability to speak Parseltongue is a rare and dark skill typically associated with Salazar Slytherin and his descendants, including Voldemort. Hermione's knowledge of this connection might have led her to suspect a deeper bond between Harry and Voldemort.
Textual evidence: In "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," Hermione is the one who realizes that Harry can speak Parseltongue and is concerned about its implications (CoS, Chapter 11). Her concern demonstrates her awareness of the connection between Parseltongue and Voldemort, which could have further fueled her suspicions about Harry being a horcrux.
Hermione's knowledge of the prophecy: Hermione knows the prophecy that predicts the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort. This prophecy may have led her to deduce that there was a deeper connection between them, such as the possibility of Harry being a horcrux.
Textual evidence: In "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," Hermione learns about the prophecy from Harry (OOTP, Chapter 37). Knowing the prophecy, she may have pieced together the possibility of Harry being a horcrux, based on the unique connection between Harry and Voldemort mentioned in the prophecy.
Hermione's careful nature and attention to detail: Hermione's thorough and cautious approach to problem-solving may have led her to consider various explanations for the connection between Harry and Voldemort, including the horcrux theory.
Textual evidence: Throughout the series, Hermione often examines problems from multiple angles and conducts extensive research to find solutions. For example, in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," Hermione researches the tasks in the Triwizard Tournament to help Harry prepare (GoF, Chapter 28). This attention to detail demonstrates her analytical nature, which could have prompted her to explore the possibility of Harry being a horcrux.
Evidence for why Hermione didn’t know
Hermione's belief in Dumbledore's guidance: Hermione consistently trusts and follows Dumbledore's guidance throughout the series. If she had known or suspected that Harry was a horcrux, it is unlikely that she would have withheld this information from Harry and Ron, as doing so would contradict Dumbledore's advice to share information with one another.
Textual evidence: In "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," Hermione strictly adheres to Dumbledore's instructions, insisting that they focus on finding and destroying horcruxes (DH, Chapter 6). This indicates that she had faith in Dumbledore's plan, which did not involve revealing Harry's horcrux status.
Hermione's emotional reaction to the revelation: When the truth about Harry being a horcrux is finally revealed, Hermione appears to be genuinely shocked and upset. This suggests that she did not know about Harry's horcrux status beforehand.
Textual evidence: In "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," when Harry informs Hermione and Ron that he must die to destroy the horcrux within him, Hermione reacts with disbelief and distress, exclaiming, "No, Harry – you're wrong" (DH, Chapter 34). This reaction indicates that the news was unexpected and that Hermione did not know about Harry's horcrux status before this moment.
Hermione's focus on other explanations for Harry's connection to Voldemort: Throughout the series, Hermione explores other explanations for the connection between Harry and Voldemort, which suggests that she may not have considered the horcrux theory as the primary reason.
Textual evidence: In "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," Hermione suggests that the connection between Harry and Voldemort might be due to the Dark Lord's attempt to possess Harry (OOTP, Chapter 24). This alternative explanation indicates that she might not have been convinced that Harry was a horcrux.
Hermione's shock at learning about the connection between Harry and Nagini: When Hermione learns about the connection between Harry's scar and Nagini, she is visibly shocked and upset. This reaction implies that she did not anticipate such a direct link between Harry and Voldemort's horcruxes.
Textual evidence: In "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," after learning that Nagini was a horcrux and recalling Bathilda Bagshot's attack, Hermione is horrified and exclaims, "Harry, it all fits – your scar, everything – if Nagini is a horcrux" (DH, Chapter 19). This response indicates that the idea of Harry being closely connected to a horcrux was unexpected, suggesting that she did not know about his own horcrux status.
Hermione's lack of urgency in discussing the horcrux theory: If Hermione had known or strongly suspected that Harry was a horcrux, it is likely that she would have felt a sense of urgency to discuss and address this issue. However, there is no evidence in the books that Hermione prioritizes this theory over other concerns.
Textual evidence: Throughout "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," Hermione is primarily focused on locating and destroying other horcruxes, as well as researching the Deathly Hallows (DH, Chapter 22). Her focus on these other tasks suggests that she did not know or prioritize the idea that Harry was a horcrux.
Hermione's commitment to protecting Harry: Hermione's strong friendship with Harry and her determination to protect him would likely have motivated her to address the horcrux issue if she had known about it.
Textual evidence: Throughout the series, Hermione consistently prioritizes Harry's well-being. For example, in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," she is willing to use a Time-Turner to help save both Sirius Black and Buckbeak, despite the risks involved (PoA, Chapter 21). Her dedication to Harry's safety indicates that if she had known about the horcrux within him, she would have likely discussed it with him and Ron and sought a solution to protect him.
