[HPforGrownups] The Talented Mr. Riddle

[Peg Kerr]

No: HPFGUIDX 2888



Caius Marcius wrote:

> In the final chapter (18) of HP/CS, Dumbledore tells Harry and the Weasleys,
> "Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle."
> <snip>
>
> OK, so maybe Voldy's motivations in keeping his previous identity secret are
> clear, but why are the Good Guys going along with this conspiracy of
> silence?  Surely Ginny and Harry could never have been duped if the name Tom
> Riddle were as notorious as the name of Voldemort.  We know from the
> admirable History of Magic instructor, Professor Binns, that a thorough
> in-depth exploration of Wizardly history is an important area of study.  Why
> isn't the rise of Voldemort tackled as an important historical topic in its
> own right?
>
> (Or maybe Binns did tell his class that Voldy began his career as Riddle,
> but they were all sleeping).

Good point (and your last line made me laugh).  Well, Tom Riddle had come up
with his nome de evil at Hogwarts, although I don't think he told anyone the
name while he was there.  I don't think he did much to establish an adult
identity as Tom Riddle.  Think about it: no credit rating.  Probably no record
of marriage or owning a home.  As far as his victims knew, he arrived on the
scene, fully blown, as Lord Voldemort.  Not much for newspaper reporters (or
historians) to go on) if he kept the two identities separate and switched from
one to the other upon graduation (particularly if he laid mostly low for several
years in between--perhaps off in Transylvania comparing notes with the
vampires?)

Peg