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We know that when the Killing curse rebounded on Lord Voldemort, it split a portion of his soul which latched on to the only other living thing in the room - Harry. My question is, are we to assume that there were absolutely no other living creatures in the room at that time? I think it's safe to assume that there were insects, bacteria etc. And they are living, if I'm not wrong. So, is there even a possibility that the soul could have attached to them?

I know it sounds childish, but I was curious. One could say that non-humans in the HP world do not have souls, but that is not the case. We know that members of the Headless hunt, for example ride on ghostly horses and Mopsy Fleabert has written an entire book about animal spirits. So, was the room free from all organisms except Harry and her mother?

Possibly related -

Why does the piece of Voldemort's soul attach itself to the only living thing i.e. Harry?

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  • If it may not be free from bacteria, there's certainly a big leap between between ghost horses and animal spirits, and microscopic bacteria. I'm fairly certain the only "animal" in the room was a human named Harry. –  Dec 13 '16 at 18:41
  • @EᴀsᴛᴇʀʟʏIʀᴋ or maybe the potters' cat. Maybe Disney will do a 'Simba the chosen one' remake –  Dec 13 '16 at 18:50
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    Just let it go, people, just let it go already! It's been almost 20 years since the first book was published; those aren't the actual matters that Rowling wanted to make us think about with this book! – Gallifreyan Dec 13 '16 at 18:51
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    @Gallifreian that's a pity. I was just planning out writing a ff about gryffy the gecko's adventures at Hogwarts. Also, it's a legit question. i am also curious about souls in the potterverse –  Dec 13 '16 at 18:58
  • just say it has to be big enough to hold half a soul like a cup or something but just happened to hit harry – The Answer Dec 13 '16 at 19:32
  • @TheAnswer, but just happened to hit harry hmmm... that's interesting –  Dec 13 '16 at 19:35
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    @Gallifreian - Says the guy named in honour of a 50 year old TV show that was made with such a low budget that they simply taped over some of the early episodes – Valorum Dec 13 '16 at 19:41
  • @Valorum - I don't see how that is relevant. Also, I don't go around asking about the exact species of germs that 8th Doctor (Eccleston) couldn't live without if removed, for instance. – Gallifreyan Dec 13 '16 at 19:45
  • -1 for a really lame question, when you even state the answer in your intro. – Himarm Dec 13 '16 at 20:57
  • @Himarm, i was just stating what we always hear and read. but i really wanted to question its plausibilty –  Dec 13 '16 at 21:01
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    @Himarm Hm? I don't think the question is about the statement that Harry was the only other living thing in the room. It's about the feasibility of said scenario. – DBPriGuy Dec 13 '16 at 21:01
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    @Himarm - Given that the genesis of this statement is Dumbledore (who's wrong about Harry being a Horcrux), it seems valid to question his interpretation further. – Valorum Dec 13 '16 at 21:07
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    @Gallifreian, ahem, Eccleston was the 9th Doctor. Paul McGann was the 8th. But I digress... – FreeMan Dec 22 '16 at 17:20
  • Imagine having to chase down a budgie or cockroach with a piece of Voldemort's soul in it. – EvilSnack Dec 26 '16 at 20:46
  • I'm intrigued as to why you un-accepted. Are you anticipating a different and better answer will be forthcoming? – Valorum Mar 29 '17 at 06:13
  • @Valorum, sorry I was just messing around with something –  Mar 29 '17 at 06:24

1 Answers1

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Because Harry was the only living thing in the room.

JKR: So because Voldemort never went through the grotesque process that I imagine creates a Horcrux with Harry, (SU: Mm-hm.) it was just that he had destabilized his soul so much that it split when he was hit by the backfiring curse. And so this part of it flies off, and attaches to the only living thing in the room. A part of it flees in the very-close-to-death limbo state that Voldemort then goes on and exists in.

PotterCast - JK Rowling Interview (Pt 1)

Taken literally, it could be imagined that Voldermort's curse was sufficient to kill every other living thing in the nearby vicinity including small mammals, insects and bacteria.

Valorum
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    i mean, ok. seems like a stretch to conclude killing every other living being, but i guess what else can one say –  Dec 13 '16 at 21:03
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    @ChahatUpreti - As I said, if you take into account that the spell was sufficiently powerful as to destroy a house, it's certainly plausible that it could have sterilised the room. – Valorum Dec 13 '16 at 21:04
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    Even the cat? ? – ibid Dec 13 '16 at 22:25
  • @ibid - Especially the cat. – Valorum Dec 13 '16 at 22:56
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    I don’t disagree with the possibility of the curse having killed everything else in the room, but surely it’s worth mentioning the distinct possibility that bacteria, for example, are not sentient or ensouled enough for Voldemort’s soul to glom on to them. – Adamant Dec 14 '16 at 05:25