Horcrux destruction

[Nhaz]

Okay, JKR never publicly revealed the process of Horcrux creation but it's stated to make people want to vomit. But what about their destruction? In canon the characters have it relatively easy - Harry was lucky enough to score a crit right into the venom glands of a basilisk using a sword that imbibes only what gives it more damage and other stats, and thus basilisk venom alone is responsible for the destruction of five out of Voldemort's seven (intentional or not) Horcruxes, with Fiendfyre destroying the last proper one and Voldemort's own Killing Curse killing the bit of his soul stuck in Harry.

But what about a timeline in which Harry is butterflied out of existence? There won't be a convenient way for a Parseltongue with an interest in destroying Horcruxes to open the Chamber of Secrets, let alone stab the basilisk inside with the Sword of Gryffindor. Fiendfyre is an option, but I doubt the group of characters I have in mind (save one) would like the idea. So I started making a list of other possible ways, by thinking of magic that could either destroy a soul or its container. So far I've come up with three:

1. Dementors. I imagine they wouldn't refuse, although the soul might not be tasty or sufficient. They would undoubtedly hunger for more. (if I decide to use this, I know what Horcrux will be destroyed, where and by whom)

2. The Veil. Casting a Horcrux beyond the veil would, I think, ensure the departure of a Horcruxed soul from the mortal world.

3. The Killing Curse. I have a special situation in mind where it, in combination with other factors, would have this effect, although I can only use this once.

I have more ideas but I'm not sure those are destructive enough. Mostly from the HP Wiki:

1. Other poisons. Maybe Acromantula venom. The Peruvian Vipertooth dragon is mentioned to have a potent poison. Neither of those is mentioned to match that of a basilisk's, though.

2. Dragon fire. Fiendfyre is Dark magic, but a dragon's breath maybe would destroy even a Horcrux. The Swedish Shortsnout (Oooo-oh!) is stated to have a fire hot enough to burn bones to ashes in seconds.

3. Exploding liquid from an Erumpent horn. Would it also blow up the Horcrux?

4. Casting the Horcrux back into the fiery chasm from whence it- oh wait, wrong book.

 

I'm asking you to help me decide whether any of these is in any way implausible or unrealistic. Even without Harry, the Horcrux count will be seven (all properly made), and I want to keep the story interesting, so I might need a number of different methods. The Chamber of Secrets will be opened, but with the plot as I'm planning it, I don't see how Horcrux destruction will be tied to it.

Thanks in advance if you decide to share an opinion.

[sibilant]

I've always had the plunny that the horn of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack might do the trick  

I think what you've come up with makes sense--except #1 from the Wiki as they are stated to be weaker than a basilisk. The reason the Crumple Horned Snorkack or the Erumpent might work is because it wasn't explicitly stated (not that I recall anyway) that their venom is less potent than a basilisk's. I'm also not so sure about the Dementors--maybe, because they would be "eating" that piece of the soul? But the horcrux would be an inanimate object, but I don't /think/ that'll factor in at all. 

[Nhaz]

Thanks. Now, I don't believe the tone of the story would call for something as quirky as a crumple-horned snorcack, unless it's Lily finding an alternative solution via Xeno Lovegood... Come to think of it, she IS the "small acts of kindness and quirkiness" Gandalf to Severus's "only with great power and magic" Saruman. Thanks for the idea!

As for the Dementors, your doubts make me even more certain that I'll use this. It isn't supposed to be easy, so they'll have to get the Dementors to eat the less delicious mangled 1/8th soul in the Horcrux, rather than the juicy, wholesome soul of the wizard that delivers it...

[Guest Tanda]

Until my son mentioned about Dementors, I hadn't noticed how they were unique creatures. We can probe more exploring how they might be created in the process and what they were before they turned into the creatures which suck souls from people.