TR's training

[foxmoth at qnet.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 18734

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Amy Z" <aiz24 at h...> wrote:
> Gwendolyn Grace wrote:
> 
> >However, I am of the opinion that for the
> >most part, Tom Riddle was fascinated by dark arts and read all he 
> could
> >about them from the first day of his first year.
> 
> I just read the bit where TR says "it took =me= five whole years to 
> find out everything I could about the Chamber of Secrets and discover 
> the secret entrance" (CS 17).  He seems to have arrived at Hogwarts 
> already determined to practice the Dark Arts.  Did his dear mum leave 
> him a letter saying "never be ashamed of who you are--you're the Heir 
> of Salazar Slytherin"?

	We know that "Hogwarts: A History" contains a reference to the 
Chamber of Secrets, because Hermione remembers having read about it, 
CoS ch. 9. So Tom could have read about it during his first year and 
persuaded himself that *he* was be the heir on the basis of being able 
to speak Parseltongue. (I wonder how he found out? Maybe he let a 
magical fire burn too long and summoned an ashwinder.)  He then 
launched himself on his five year search for the Chamber. It wouldn't 
surprise me to learn that there were  all sorts of Dark Arts tomes and 
maybe even magical devices stashed away in the Chamber which would 
enable Tom to discover more about his ancestry, and much else besides.
	

Pippin