Hey i have recently been reading some theories/conspiracies etc. about the significance of the number seven in HP books... e.g. seven books, seven horcrux and harry's SEVENteenth birthday. I was wondering if anybody could shed some light on the 'significance of seven'.

All we know is that its the most powerfully magical number, which is why Voldemort mad 7 horcruxes, why there are 7 years at Hogwarts, and why 7 is used any other time in the book.
Why she chose 7, and why its magical, I have no clue.

Seven is supposed to be a lucky number. Don't forget the Weasley's have 7 children, 7 players on the Quidditch team,...
I used to study numerology for fun when I was in my teens. It has been years but I can probably look up the significance of 7 and come back with a probable answer.

It's obvious on why she chose the number seven.
-Seven is a lucky and magical number.
Harry Potter is about a boy who can do magic
-Voldemort's seven horcruxes
AND
-The seven on the back of Harry Potters quidditch robes.

Here are some things mentioned in the book or going to be that have to do with seven:

-Harrys Quidditch Number
-Harrys Seventeenth birthday
-7 Houses
-7 Years
-7 magical number/magical world
-7 horcruxes
-7 books
-Weasleys 7 kids

It seems obvious she chose 7, magical number, worked wonders for me in Hockey. 50 goals in 35 games, almost 2 a game.

What do you mean by 7 houses Spencer Potter?
Since there are all these 7's maybe 7 people will end up destroying the Horcruxes, (Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Neville, Malfloy?)
And there were 7 basilisk attacks. Mrs.Norris, Colin , Nearly Headless Nick, Justin, Hermione, Percy's girlfriend, and Ginny. That's a bit odd.

oooh! that makes so much sense that Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Neville, Malfloy would be the ones to destroy the horcruxes. cause if there were 7 of them wouldnt that automatically make them harder to fight against?? im not sure, maybe i'm reading too much into that number 7 stuff but i'd think that if there were 7 of them against voldemorts horcruxes then they would have some conceled magical advantage or something. feedback anyone?

7 has always been a magical/spiritual/religious number. According to the bible it took God 6 days to create the world, and on the 7th day he rested.

Has anyone ever looked at the Seven deadly sins?

Pride is excessive belief in ones own abilities. It had been called the sin from which all others arise also known as Vanity.

Envy is the desire for other traits, status, abilities or situations.

Gluttony is the desire to cinsume more than that which ones requires

Lust is an inordinate desire for pleasures of the body

Anger in manefested in the individual who spurns love and optsinstead for fury, also known as wrath.

Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain

Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work

Doesn't this sound like a recipe for Voldemort?

Then there are the Seven Heavenly Virtues

Faith

Hope

Charity

Fortitude

Justice

Temperance

Prudence
Is this Harry?

nice thought etphonehome. that would make so much sense that LV would be the 7 deadly sins and that Harry would be the 7 heavenly virtues.

Oh, very good work guys! I love what etphonehome said! Absolutely loved it! But when it comes down to it, it's simply the battle of good vs evil. Who will have more will power and in the end turn out to be stronger? And just to emphasise and add to what you said I'll try to give examples and explain a little more!

Pride- This one is very obvious, but Voldemort had complete confidence the night he went to "destroy" the Potters. Needless to say this backfired horribly on him.
Envy- I think deep down inside Voldemort truley envys Dumbledore. Dumbledore has everything he wants- people who admire him, a position of power, and respect. Voldemort so longingly wishes he were on the same status. Also, I think Voldemort envys purebloods.
Gluttony- Voldemort always wants more- More Deatheaters, More servants, More Power.
Lust- Well, I can't exactly remember Voldemort being lustfull, but there was surely a women who moved him in many ways. Like there is for all men. We just haven't met her yet.
Anger- Basically self-explainatory with Voldemort. He hates his muggle father for leaving him. He hates his mother for being "weak". He hates the world for betraying him. He is very vengefull. He will not give mercy because he was shown none.
Greed- Again, Voldemort is always in the search for more. He wants to be the most respected and feared wizard ever. He already had one, but he will never gain the other.
Sloth- Voldemort wants to evade death at all costs. This is why he took so much precision and time into the planning of the Horcruxes.

Now on a happier note.

Faith- Altough it sometimes faulters, Harry always has faith that he will get through this horrible battle and one day he will look at the world and smile.
Hope- Ties in with faith. Harry hopes for the best. He knows what he's up against and all he can do is hope. He hopes his friends will go with him. He surely hopes he won't die.
Charity- Harry is so generous! He spreads his money out with his friends. And he gives them all the tips he can in fighting Voldemort. (Thus the formation of the DA)
Fortitude- Harry resisted giving up. He always finds the strength to push through. This is somewhat due to Ron and Hermionie. No matter how low he is feeling, they are by his side to help him get up again.
Justice- Harry believes everyone should be given a chance. He gave the chance to Peter Pettigrew and he was wrong. Still he believes in righteousness.
Temperance- No matter how much Harry just wants to go and take Voldemort down, he has made a plan in his mind to get the Horcruxes destroyed first. Also, I think this is very well demonstrated when Harry talks to Snape. He needs a very large amount of self-control when talking to Snape.
Prudence- He knows what how strong Voldemort is and he doesn't underestimate him. He also does not underestimate his friends determination and will power.

Just thought I would give examples to help explain a little bit more. I still loved your point.


Ah, I did! Thank you for reminding me! Do you think that will have any signifacance in the seventh book? Perhaps it is just to emphasize that the do not have a lot of respect in the wizarding world, but they are still one poweful family in various areas. The are powerful in Harry's life and when the time comes, they will be a very great part of the wizarding war.

Well done Hilly, I would have gone further into it but I didn't have the time...busy mum...all that rubbish lol!!!

I only mentioned it because the 7 deadly sins are the first '7' that I thought of!

Ofcourse there are the 7 wonders of the world....but I don't see that fitting into the story, but then anything is possible!!

I've been here for over a year and this is the very first time I'm posting in the Department of Mysteries.

I like what you wrote Hilly, I makes sense.On the other hand I don't know if Jo is into religion.

I also like what you, X-Girl, said:



But where is Snape there? He doesn't fit into evil, he doesn't fit into good.

As there could be 7 people destroying the Horcruxes, can there also be 7 death eaters?

Let me see: L.Malfoy, Bellatrix, her husband (although he's not that important), then Avery (or whatever his name is), Crabbe Sr., Goyle Sr., and that new blonde death eater we don't know the name of.

i think there will be 7 people who help harry defeat voldemort but i dont think it will be malfoy at all i think he will stay a Death eater but Snape is going to end up good and apolgices and asks Harry if he can help that means instead of Malfoy helping it will be snape

so the 7 people who help harry will be Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Ginny, Neville and Snape

I agree with you X-girl, about those 7 people doing the destroying...

except malfoy...

i agree with harry4ever on that one

but knowing JKR, or any writer, you don't just make up a character for no reason.

so let's look into some characters that are just there...

Seamus Finnegan.

He's always blowing things up, in the 4th movie he even mentions it.

Don't you think he'd be perfect to blow up a Horocrux???

what do you think?

<3

just one problem... I think...with what X-Girl says

think about what we already know for sure about Horcruxes!
Harry destroyed the diary, which was a horcrux. Voldemort's soul was in 7 pieces due to the magical properties of 7... if he had 7 horcruxes it would be in 8 pieces... so there are really only 6 horcruxes.
Further, Harry is the only one who can kill Voldemort. Since he already destroyed the diary, I don't think it's possible for this theory to hold true, sorry!

All in all, I too find the prevalence of the number 7 to be quite fascinating! I'll be on the look out when I read bk. 7 for further examples of this number, as well as in my re-reads of the 6 already released for more foreshadowing clues!

Fuoco

~The Devil's Advocate~
I can not remeber where I heard it but J.K. said that the number seven is very speical to her.
Seven
Seven Horcruxes
Seven Weasly kids
Seven Years of Hogwarts
Seven differnt DADA teachers (well six so far)
Seven books
Etc. . .

I always thought that the seven virtues where as follows:
Chastity (Latin, castitas) (purity, opposes lust, Latin luxuria)
Courage and boldness. Embracing of moral wholesomeness and achieving purity of thought through education and betterment. Practicing proper love and its expression due to one's spiritual vocation.

Abstinence (Latin, frenum) (self-control, opposes gluttony, Latin gula)
Constant mindfulness of others and one's surroundings; practicing self-control, abstention, and moderation.

Liberality (Latin, liberalitas) (will, generosity, opposes greed, Latin avaritia)
Generosity. Willingness to give. A nobility of thought or actions.

Diligence (Latin, industria) (ethics, opposes sloth, Latin acedia)
A zealous and careful nature in one's actions and work. Decisive work ethic. Acting energetically without excessive reflection.

Patience (Latin, patientia) (peace, opposes wrath, Latin ira)
Forbearance and endurance through moderation. Resolving conflicts peacefully, as opposed to resorting to violence. The ability to forgive; to show mercy to sinners.

Kindness (Latin, humanitas) (satisfaction, opposes envy, Latin invidia)
Charity, compassion, friendship, and sympathy without prejudice and for its own sake.

Humility (Latin, humilitas) (modesty, opposes pride, Latin superbia)
Modest behavior, selflessness, and the giving of respect. Giving credit where credit is due; not unfairly glorifying one's own self.

It still fits Harry, and it's way off-topic, but still, that's what I've been taught...

Good thoughts!
I think it is possible that there will be six other people helping Harry destroy the horcruxes (making 7 total), but I don't know about one per horcrux, as some of them have already been destroyed and one is inside him. Also, I think it is just going to be Harry, Ron, and Hermione searching for horcruxes. Harry wouldn't want to endanger anyone else, but I think he knows Ron and Hermione will be with him no matter what. The seven sins and all of that stuff is highly interesting, too. The other thing that I have thought of is that there have been six people who end up being different than we think they are. There has been one in each book. Maybe there will be a seventh in the seventh book. The first book was Quirrel (I am thinking more of people who end up being worse than we think they are, but you could say Snape for the oposite), the second was Tom Riddle, because at first Harry liked Tom and thought he was good. In the third book, Harry finds out that Wormtail was a traitor and Scabbers is the one who turns out to be different. In book four, they think they are in the presence of Moody, when it is really Barty Crouch Jr. Book five, Percy/ the ministry both turn on Harry and the rest of the Weasleys. In book six, Snape kills Dumbledore which is unexpected. So, perhaps this will be another example of seven. I think there is definitely something significant about the number seven, although I am not positive what.

Ginerva Weasely

the seventh child of the seventh family (black, crouch, gaunt, lestrange, longbottom, malfoy and weasley)

whose name has 7 letters in the first and last

so ginny will be very powerful if we are to believe the rule of 7 theory

Just Thought everybody would like to know the Signficance of the Number 7 according to Numerology:

According to The Complete Idiot's Guide to Numerology:

Contemplative & Private, 7 is considered the most mystial of the numbers, also the number of the researcher & philosopher, because w/ all the time alone the 7 can't help but dig deeply & think things over. the # 7 is the scholar & seeks the heart of the matter. Is the # of inner wisdom. key words: Solitary, Mystical, Philosophical, Analytical, Private, Deep, Contemplative, Selective, Skeptical, Perfectionist, Inventor, Loner, Observant, Eccentric, Reserved, Intuitive, Specialization, Researcher.

I only wonder (and I will try to find out and fit it in my busy schedule) what HP Main Characters carry the Numerolgy number 7 with them?

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a #7 Destiny number.
(1) + (5) + (11) + (8) + (9) = 34 (3 + 4 = 7) Plus "Wulfric is a Master # of 11)

Hermione Jane Granger is a # 7 Destiny number
(6) + (3) + (7) = 16 (1+6 = 7)

Umm.. there can't be seven people destroying the horcruxes (at least, not the seven people listed) - Harry's already destroyed one (the diary); Dumbledore destroyed another (the Ring) and don't forget that one part is still in Voldemort's body.

There are only actually four horcruxes left. Remember Harry's mantra? "The Cup, the Locket, the snake, something of Ravenclaw or Gryffindor's"... now, I think at least one of those four presumed horcruxes is incorrect.. but there are definitely four mentioned.

yes i have also wondered this as well! all of the books are just littered with 7's of stuff tho i cannot think of most of them now but the common ones have been name but y 7? jeez i hope this gets answered in the 7th book lol..........

maybe since 7 is a magical and lucky number if the 7 weasley's come together it may be powerful and enough to defeat voldemort... just speculation and since 7 is harry's number seventeenth birthday etc. that harry will gain extra power/magic

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As per trey79nc's post about numerology and the numbers of other main characters...I was also curious about that and figured a few out.

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore - #7
Hermione Jane Granger - #7
Sirius Black - #7
Tom Marvolo Riddle - #7
Lord Voldemort - #2 (but if you add in "I am" as they do in the movie it makes him a #7)
Rebeus Hagrid - #7
James Potter - #7
Neville Longbottom - #7

Ronald Bilius Weasley - #1
Minerva McGonagall - #5
Severus Snape - #2
Arthur Waesley - #3
Molly Weasley - #5
Remus John Lupin - #1
Draco Malfoy - #5
Harry James Potter - #3
Lilly Potter - #2
Ginevra Molly Weasley - #9

As far as other characters who appear frequently in the books I have not done as of yet but will have more done in the near future.

Seamus Finnigan is qute a good idea. [:

About the number sevens, peopl are aying Seven people for seven Horcruxes, but thier aren't seven left, Harry destroyed one, the ring, the locket, so theres only four left, Something of the three remaining founders maybe and Voldemort himself.



There are three people left there who are still aive and who aren't LV. Maybe they are the ones who help Harry to destroy the other Horcruxes and then Harry does Voldemort himself. As Nevillie could of had Harry's destiny couldn't he maybe Nevillie helps him do it.

For Lily and Molly's numbers, wouldn't you use their maiden names? So it would be Lily Evans and Molly Prewett...how would that change their numbers?

I have just realized an error on my part and I do apologize... I spelled Lily with two "L" thus changing her number as Lily Potter, she becomes a #7. It was asked though what the numbers of Lily and Molly would be using their maiden names. They are as follows:

Lily Evans - #2
Molly Prewett - #2
Lily Potter - #7 (corrected)

Again, I do apologize for my spelling error!

I don't understand how numerology works.I just thought i'll tell you...7 is prime.It doesnt have a square root.Seven is a odd number.I also wanted to say,didnt DD say that LV only because he makes the prophecy significant,it is significant.Maybe LV wants to make 7 significant??

7 si the most powerfully magic number, as people before me have said. Voldemort intended to make 7 hoircruxes, thinking that it would make him immortal

Many people have said about the Weasleys....

But no one's really expanded on this...

Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Bill, Molly and Arthur (I don't think Percy or Charlie will have too much to do with the 7th book, or atleast not as important a part) I think the Weasley family will defeat LV. Harry can't do it alone and well i doubt just Harry, Ron and Hermione could do it so I think that the Weasley family will play a really important part in the defeat of LV. Someway or another they're going to either help Harry, or Harry won't be able to do it and they'll take over from him or something along those lines.

Basically I think there's more to them than we already know...I mean Arthur works in the ministry, who better to get all the information he can about the goings on of LV, he would be a great help to Harry.



I like that you said 'intended'....What if Voldemort didn't make 7 horcruxes as he was planning to?

x

i think your right about the wealeys playing a big part in the 7th book because 7 is the most powerfull number and if like percy and charlie dont play a big part in voldemorts downfall (if that happens) that leaves 7 wealeys. also i know this is of topic but does anyone know if the deathy hollows has anything to do with godrics hollow (lily and james lived there)

I think the deathly hallows will have a LOT to do with Godric's Hollow.

And for many reasons...

1. It was the final hiding place of Lily and James....this makes it significant to both Harry and LV....Harry defeated LV there....LV lost his powers at this place, this could make him scared of it? If Harry could lure him there maybe he would have an advantage? (to make this not as off topic I'm going to think of seven points! this will relate Godric's Hollow to the significance of 7 )

2. It is widly thought James Potters family lived here making it special to Harry and will give him the confidence he needs to thwart LV.

3. Harry's parents are buried here, it is likley he will visit them

4. Harry has already said he's going there at the end of HBP. 'I thought I might go back to Godric's Hollow,' Harry muttered.

5. Harry is in Gryfindor, It has been speculated that Godric's Hollow is connected to Godric Gryfindor... It has also been speculated that Harry is Gryfindor's heir

6. Godric's Hollow is believed to be in Wales, based upon a place that JKR grew up in so it would be special for JKR herself to make this place the location of a huge event(also this would make Harry of welsh heritage...yay! (the yay is because i'm Welsh =P)

7. Not as important but still worth a mention, James was a very talented seeker, Harry is an especially talented seeker, Bowman Wright invented the Snitch, he was once an inhabitant of Godric's Hollow. Could there be a link here?

(Hope this helped you HarryEyes)

So there are 7 reasons why Godric's Hollow will be significant in DH...7 is the most important magical number so will this be the location for the final battle between Harry and LV??

x

Also people have seen that the name

Severus Snape

contains within it the number seven

significant or what??

However I think there is too much empasis on this number 7 stuff, its getting a bit contrived now, but well done pottyhead for thinking of all those points!!

Are you guys forgetting that Dumbledore already destroyed a Horcrux? How can the seven not include him, if he already got one? Also, that would mean that it couldn't be Harry who kills Voldemort, because he already destroyed the diary. Not that he has to be the one, but, you know, just saying.

We all know about 7 horcruxes etc.
And the fact that the Weasleys have 7 kids.
But JKR has said that Ginny is powerful, Ive read that somewhere, and we have seen this before, If you watch OOTP, when ginny does the Reducto curse it looks really powerful. And forgive me if im wrong, but isnt the 7th child of a seventh child meant o possess really strong magic. Now I dont know anything about the weasleys bloodline and if either Arthur or Molly had 6 brothers/sisters. But if they do then thyis would make ginny realllly powerful and that she has a big part to play .

Oh and i think JKR had hinted that the weasleys are descendants of Ravenclaw somewhere. :S

I agree that these character's we consider "extras" are probably going to play some kind of role in book 7. But here's a question. I haven't the time to go back and look, but can someone check and see how many characters have never really played a huge role on the books but yet they've still been mentioned? Not just briefly, and maybe more than once. There might be seven of them, too.

I also agree about Seamus. I think he'd be perfect for blowing up a horcrux. Haha.

This is an interesting coincidence, but i disagree with some people that it will "help harry beat voldemort". I mean, its the magic number 7, but its not that important. Interesting posts though, i enjoyed reading this thread. Especially the stuff about Godric's Hollow

I agree with a lot of these seven theorys! I wonder why no one had made a thread about this yet! Seven is my lucky number! In the Bible (in Genesis) it says God created the Earth in seven days. I like the seven points of Godric's Hollow, Pottyhead, nice job! Also, three out of four kids in my family have birthdays on the 17th (mine is one of them, October 17th). Strange...I wonder if we have any magical powers...

You know what, I wouldn't be surised at all if that were true

Am I right, or am I missing people?

I noticed that on Harry's first visit to Gringotts, seven directions are listed that he tried to remember when going down to his vault with Hagrid.

Harry's wand cost seven Galleons.

continuing my little hunt as i reread all the books: There were seven of Lockhart's books on the booklist

In Prisoner of Azkaban at the Christmas lunch/dinner, there were seven staff members at the table.

Ok, JKR has given us the number 7 and clues to the book alot through out each book. I fingured the number 7 in everything in HP once i got up to the 5th book. I think the number 7 is a good number to start with, that number is a lucky number. Like i said earlier JKR gave us clues to each book and almost in every book it listed one thing that had the number 7 in it.

My mom is a weird spiritual person, and she told me that seven is a powerfully magic number. And lets all think about our patterns:

seven members on a quidditch team
seven horcruxes
seven years at hogwarts
Granger has seven letters. I just realized that...
So does Weasley!!
There a seven Weasley kids
seven Lockheart books
seven staff members at the table in PoA christmas lunch/dinner
you come of age on your SEVENteenth birthday
Harry's wand was seven galleons
Harry is number 7 on the quidditch team
"The seven potters"

Well, seven is a magical number, and the series is about a boy who can do magic, so I guess it all makes sense.

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but Harry came face-to-face with Voldemort (not Tom Riddle the memory) seven times as well.

1. When he was a baby and got his scar
2. At the end of PS/SS
3. At the end of GoF
4. At the end of OotP
5. Flying on his broomstick during DH (when Hedwig died... )
6. In the forest when he sacrifices his own life
7. At the end of DH when Voldy dies

I don't think I've missed any others, though there were a few close calls like in Godric's Hollow, but they just missed each other then.

Man, the number seven has been woven in so well!

I got an awesome book about decodeing the mysteries of Harry Potter and they pointed out every 7, 12, and 13. In the first four books, the 12 chapter reveals the culprit in disguise.

I think JK Rowling wanted to use any and all magical refernces on the face of this earth. (I think she managed to get most of them, to tell you the truth!) So numerology and superstitions involving lucky numbers play a large part in the series.

Most people, even little seven year old kids who've never read or even heard of Harry Potter, know that seven is a highly lucky number. Seven, in this series, is a central theme for aging, maturing, and deep magical powers. There are seven books, to start with; that's probably the biggest seven in the entire series!

Wizards become legal adults or 'of age' at seventeen, instead of eighteen like the rest of the world. School takes seven years, the first year starting when the student is eleven (11) and the last year starting when they are seventeen (17) Voldemort, convinced that seven is the most powerful and magical number, has seven horcruxes. (How many people expected, like me, thirteen instead?)

It is a notoriously magical number, so of course it plays a part in this magical world full of wonderfully hidden cliches. Whenever seven pops up, it is a sign that something's important!