7 Harry Potter Fan Theories J.K. Rowling Debunked (And 3 She Approved)

by Danny Meegan

1. Harry's Horcrux Wasn't Destroyed By The Basilisk Bite Because He Didn't Die

Harry Potter Basilisk Bite
Warner Bros.

The Theory: With the final Harry Potter books revealing that Basilisk venom is capable of destroying Horcruxes (a method Ron and Hermione actually use to destroy Hufflepuff's Cup in The Deathly Hallows), a moment in The Chamber Of Secrets suddenly became a bit of a question mark.

Since Harry is a Horcrux, why wasn't that Horcrux destroyed when the Basilisk bit him?

This became a huge point of contention for years, but one of the most commonly-accepted answers to that question is quite simple: since Harry didn't die, neither did the Horcrux. A seemingly fine solution, but with no official comment on the subject, this remained firmly in theory territory.

The Approval: In 2015, Rowling addressed this topic directly, tweeting back at a fan who wondered why Harry's Horcrux was unharmed after being touched by Basilisk venom.

As the author states, the theory that Harry would need to have died for the Horcrux to be destroyed was, in fact, true.

Harry came dangerously close to death, but after being saved by Fawkes' tears he was able to make a full recovery, meaning the Horcrux stayed safe until Voldemort unwittingly destroyed it in book seven. Smooth move mate.

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Which of these theories - debunked or approved - is your favourite? Share your picks in the comments section!

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Danny has been with WhatCulture for over ten years, and is currently Doctor Who Editor and WhoCulture Channel Manager, overseeing all of WhatCulture's Whoniverse coverage. In 2022, he took charge of WhoCulture and has grown it into the biggest Doctor Who channel on YouTube, and one of the biggest Doctor Who communities on the web full-stop. He has been writing and video editing since his early teens, and first got a taste for content creation after making his own Doctor Who trailers, off the back of a burning obsession with the Matt Smith era of the show. Like many his age, he first got into Doctor Who with the 2005 revival, but has since gone back and fallen in love with the classic years too. If you need someone to recite every Doctor Who episode in order, or to give you a random factoid about the making of Gridlock, Danny is the person to ask!