Splitting one's soul was considered a violation of the very laws of nature, and existence in such a form was preferred by very few, and was therefore considered the vilest of the Dark Arts. If at least one of the Horcruxes (and by extension the wizard's soul) were intact, the wizard was considered immortal. Therefore, Voldemort would be entirely dependant on the Elixir, and if it ran out, or was contaminated, or if the Stone was stolen, he would die just like any other man.' - Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore discussing Voldemort's desire for immortality Ī Horcrux was an object chosen for the purpose of being a receptacle of part of one's soul, split by doing the most inhumane action: murder.

While the Elixir of Life does indeed extend life, it must be drunk regularly, for all eternity, if the drinker is to maintain the immortality.

But there are several reasons why, I think, a Philosopher’s Stone would appeal less than Horcruxes to Lord Voldemort. Harry Potter: ' So he’s made himself impossible to kill by murdering other people? Why couldn’t he make a Philosopher’s Stone, or steal one, if he was so interested in immortality?' Albus Dumbledore: ' Well, we know that he tried to do just that, five years ago. Furthermore, the potion did not rejuvenate youth, as if one lived past their natural lifespan, they would continue to age, eventually taking on a decrepit and ancient appearance, as Nicolas did. It had to be drunk regularly, for all eternity, to continuously live on. Thus, it was possible for them to die even while drinking the potion. The Elixir did not truly grant immortality, though, it only extended the drinker's lifespan, as opposed to rendering them invulnerable to damage. With the destruction of the Philosopher's Stone, all individuals who were immortal because they drank the Elixir of Life (like Flamel and his wife) died after the supply of Elixir ran out. The Stone was then destroyed by Albus Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel himself in order to prevent cases like Voldemort's from attempting to steal the Stone again. In 19, a weakened Lord Voldemort tried to gain possession of the Stone so he could rise again as an immortal after his downfall ten years prior. The Philosopher's Stone, a stone created by famous alchemist Nicolas Flamel, was able to produce the Elixir of Life, one of the known means of immortality.

Elixir of immortality foil