horcruxes

Noun

horcrux (plural horcruxes)

1. In Harry Potter, an object in which a wizard has concealed a part of their soul through magic, rendering them immortal until the object is irreparably damaged or destroyed.
   • They stared at it as if it was the one ring or the holy grail or a horcrux, or perhaps all of them rolled into one. An empty, plastic cat food bowl.2013, Adam Rawlins, The Strange Encounter of Sally Shakespeare and Toby Tinker, page 24

   Synonyms:

   phylactery

2. (broadly) Something in which one has invested a part of one's self; an object which allows for the preservation of memory, culture, etc.
   • When I read manuscripts, I feel very aware that some part of the writer's soul lives in the pages—like a good Horcrux, say—and if I’m turning one down, I need to do so with thoughtfulness and respect.2016, Cheryl B. Klein, The Magic Words: Writing Great Books for Children and Young Adults, page 338