Marvolo Gaunt's Ring

Lore & Background

The ring is associated with the Gaunt family, who are descendants of Salazar Slytherin. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Albus Dumbledore reveals to Harry that the ring was one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. Dumbledore finds the ring and attempts to destroy it, but the curse placed on the ring causes his hand to become blackened and withered. The ring is eventually destroyed by Dumbledore using the Sword of Gryffindor, which is imbued with Basilisk venom.

In Their Own Story

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore shows Harry a memory of Tom Riddle visiting the Gaunt shack. There, Riddle meets his uncle Morfin Gaunt, who wears the ring. Riddle later murders his father and frames Morfin, taking the ring. Years later, Dumbledore discovers the ring hidden in the Gaunt shack. He puts it on, triggering a deadly curse that spreads up his arm. Dumbledore manages to destroy the ring with the Sword of Gryffindor, but the curse ultimately shortens his life.

Reader's Guide

The ring is a Horcrux and must be destroyed with a weapon capable of destroying such objects, such as Basilisk venom. The ring's curse is lethal and activates upon contact. Dumbledore destroyed the ring using the Sword of Gryffindor, which was impregnated with Basilisk venom from the Chamber of Secrets. The ring's destruction does not release the Resurrection Stone, as the stone remains intact after the Horcrux is destroyed.

Did You Know?

• The ring is an heirloom of the Gaunt family, who are descendants of Salazar Slytherin.
• The ring is one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, containing a fragment of his soul.
• Albus Dumbledore destroyed the ring using the Sword of Gryffindor, which was imbued with Basilisk venom.
• The curse on the ring caused Dumbledore's hand to become blackened and withered, ultimately shortening his life.
• The ring first appears in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.