After hearing the peculiar way in which the diary acted, Dumbledore believed he finally had proof for his theory, although he regarded with some concern the fact that the diary Horcrux had intended to be used as a weapon as much as a safeguard, leading him to conclude that it might not have been the only Horcrux Voldemort had made. He shared his theory about Horcruxes with Harry during his sixth year at Hogwarts in an informal series of lessons. [13] Marvolo, his son, Morfin, and his daughter, Merope, were the last of the Gaunts, a very ancient Wizarding family noted for a vein of instability and violence that flourished through the generations... He, as you saw, was left in squalor and poverty, with a very nasty temper, a fantastic amount of arrogance and pride, and a couple of family heirlooms that he treasured just as much as his son, and rather more than his daughter." — Albus Dumbledore's description of the Gaunt family and their heirlooms [src] Albus Dumbledore spent a great deal of time in his final years attempting to locate any Horcruxes Voldemort had made, a search which proved both fruitful and disastrous with the finding of Marvolo Gaunt's Ring in the summer of 1996. Although he successfully destroyed the Horcrux, he was infected with a debilitating curse that left him only a year to live. However, Dumbledore continued his search for more clues that might lead to the discovery of the other Horcruxes. [13] After weeks and a highly dangerous visit to Godric's Hollow, Harry and Hermione were encamped in the Forest of Dean. While on guard duty for the night Harry followed a bright white light into the forest. With this guidance from Severus Snape's Patronus Harry was able to find the Sword of Gryffindor at the bottom of a frozen pond. [8] After a a couple of failed attempts to retreive the sword Harry realised what he had to do. Stripping down, Harry waded into the freezing pool to retrieve the sword. After they had eloped, Merope became pregnant with Riddle's child. During her pregnancy, Merope apparently stopped giving Riddle love potions out of the hope that he would freely choose to stay with her or that he would at least stay for his child. However, after coming to his senses, Riddle fled from Merope, returning to Little Hangleton. [9]

I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more. Two days later Smith was found dead and her elderly house-elf, Hokey, admitted to accidentally poisoning her mistress' cocoa (mistaking a little known) highly lethal poison for sugar. [3] It was later believed by Albus Dumbledore, however, that Riddle had murdered Smith himself and embedded a false memory in the house-elf to escape detection, not unlike his murder of the Riddles in Little Hangleton a few years earlier. [4] As Smith had quite a collection and many hiding places, it was assumed that the priceless artefacts were simply hidden in her house.

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