On page 436 of the U.S. copy of HBP, Riddle is talking with Hepzibah.  She reveals to him that she has in her possession Helga Hufflepuff's goblet.

Hepzibah says "Didn't I tell you I was distantly descended?  This has been handed down in the family for years and years.  Lovely, isn't it?  
And all sorts of powers it's supposed to possess, too."

LV obviously wanted this for a horcrux because of it's having been owned previously by Helga Hufflepuff.  Could he also use it for its other powers and what might they be?

Any ideas?

Maybe you can put water into it, and it will change into whatever drink the beholder wishes (except potions).

Or maybe it is a mini pensieve.

Or maybe it tests any drink inside it for poison.

according to the legends of the Holy Grail, which the cup could symbolize The Grail possessed the ability to; heal the sick, or in Arthur's case, the mortally wounded; the power to ensure that all who are worthy to approach it remain youthful; and the power to provide sumptuous food of any type except for those who are not yet worthy to eat from it or approach it, perhaps, as is referred to in Taliesin's poem, as they are cowards. Here we see the glimmer of the Christian influence, with only those being strong enough and pure of mind, body and spirit being able to seek and approach the Grail.  If the tarot suit cups = the element of water, than the powers could be those of Love, mirror magic, purification, healing, divination, dream magic, spiritualism, creating and working with charged water  I am sure there are more those are two of the obvious symbolic meanings that both could hold true for HArry.  If only the pure of heart can activate the magic within hte cup then Harry fits the bill.  The mirror magic was interesting as we have seen mirrors in the books in the two way  that Sirius gave as well as the mirror of erised.

I don't think it would make people remain youthful, otherwise what is the need of the Elixer of Life?  But I like the rest of your idea.

There maybe a difference between remaining youthful and immortality. Looking young until you die as opposed to living forever maybe?  The drinker would also have to be pure of heart, which LV certainly is not, he most likely could not have activated the magic within.  In the alchemy thread we have also discussed that you must be pure of heart to create the PS or the elixir of life.  LV could not have created it but he certainly could have stolen it and used it.

I think this belongs in the Princely Nook!

*POP*

Asphodel Wormwood. :wizard:

When I read about the goblet (the book actually described it as a "cup") and that it had powers I didn't think about it in terms of the Holy Grail (thanks MemyslfnI - that was very interesting).

Could the "cup" have powers that would actively help LV in his desire to overtake the world (I'm sure if he was successful, he wouldn't be satisfied with the wizarding world only.)?  Are there any powerful cups in fantasy/mythology that could be used as a weapon, for example?

Knowing how the whole series is somewhat based on the Arthurian Legends, I immediately thought of the Holy Grail.  However, I doubt that it actually is the Grail.

I think that could really fit, I mean we know from the above quote that Hepzibah didn't actually know what powers the cup possesed, she said she hadn't "tested them thouroughly" . I think it would make sense, if 'memyslfnI' is right, Hepzibah wouldn't have been able to access the powers of the cup because we know that she was greedy and selfish, certainly not pure of heart. I think your theory had a lot of great points 'memyslfnI', It's certainly set me thinking