Tom Riddle, well-liked Slytherin

[judyserenity]

No: HPFGUIDX 40284

Several people here doubted that Tom Riddle had really been in 
Slytherin. Rowen Avalon pointed out that cannon says he was, with Ron 
telling Harry that Slytherin was the house "You-know-you" was in.  
And, Snickerdoodle noted that in SS, Hagrid tells "there wasn't a 
single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin, 
You-Know-Who was one"

Ok, so there's clear evidence that Tom Riddle was in Slytherin.  This 
has implications for a question that has been asked here before - did 
Slytherin House always have its current horrendous reputation, or did 
it get that reputation during Voldemort's first reign?  It seems to me 
that its bad reputation must be recent. Riddle says he had a good 
reputation (model student, etc) and that this was why he was able to 
place the blame for Myrtle's death on Hagrid. With the current 
"Slytherin House = Evil" belief that is prevalent, he would have had a 
much harder time escaping suspicion.

But, what about the fact that Dumbledore says few people know that Tom 
Riddle became Voldemort?  How do Hagrid and Ron even know that 
Voldemort was in Slytherin?  Hagrid, of course, knew Riddle 
personally, but it's not clear whether he knew that Riddle later 
became Voldemort.  It's not likely that Ron knew of the Riddle - 
Voldemort connection. The Weasleys are perplexed when Harry mentions 
Riddle; in fact,  Dumbledore's comment ("Very few people know that 
Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle") is addressed to them.  So, 
how does Ron know that Voldemort was a Slytherin? 

Also, *why* does Slytherin have a reputation for being evil?  Does the 
whole Wizarding World know that Voldemort was a Slytherin, and if so, 
how do they know this without knowing that Voldemort was called Tom 
Riddle at school?  (Of course, even if the Wizarding World mostly 
didn't know that Voldemort had been in Slytherin, they might still 
think Slytherin House was evil, because so many suspected Death Eaters 
were Slytherins.)

A comment on the fact that brave is capitalized when Riddle describes 
himself as "parentless, but so BRAVE."  Perhaps JKR is saying that 
Riddle, like Harry, had a choice of Gryffindor or Slytherin houses.   
A few pages later, Dumbledore talks about that many dangerous 
transformations Voldemort underwent.  Voldemort may be ever-so-evil, 
but he's not a wimp.  So, the Sorting Hat might have had trouble 
placing him, as it did with Harry.

Now, as for the "Voldemort's sexuality" thread, I don't even want to 
think about it.  (Snake lips! Ggahh!)


-- Judy Serenity, who is still a List Elf, but who hadn't posted to 
the main list in ages