The Riddle House

[Grey Wolf]

No: HPFGUIDX 46684

Daniel wrote:
> In Chapter 1 (GoF) it mentions that a wealthy man owns the Riddle 
> house for "tax reasons" Is there more to this than what most seem to 
> think? Could someone that we've been introduced to have it? This 
> leads us to who... It can't be Voldemort as he would have had trouble 
> paying the upkeep as he'd been out of body for thirteen years... 
> Wormtail could not leave his Animagus form so it would have been 
> suspicious if his name had appeared on it... And Dumbledore knows of 
> the Riddle House. It can't be Dumbledore or it would have been very 
> neglectful of him to let Voldemort back in, it couldn't be one of the 
> Death Eaters as they were trying to convince the WW that they had 
> repented, rather than drawing attention to themselves by purchasing a 
> large manor where the Riddles lived... So who owned it and why would 
> they have wanted to keep Frank on? Could it have been Crouch maybe? 
> 
> Daniel

Don't be so quick to dismiss Dumbledore or the DE! Although it is 
entirely possible that the house is indeed owned by some rich muggle 
for taxation purposes, JKR tends to "keep things within the family" so 
to speak, so it's not impossible to think that the house is owned by 
someone we've already met. I myself tend to think that the person is 
Dumbledore, but other have voted for Lucius Malfoy. Let me elaborate my 
own version.

The basic detail that made me think of Dumbledore in the first place 
was Frank. What sort of person would allow that old man to continue 
working there, when we know that his advaced age doesn't make hima good 
gardener anymore? Obviously not Lucius, or any other DE, with their 
dismisiveness of muggles. We need a kind heart that knows that, without 
that job, Frank won't have an income. Thus, Dumbledore. But, why, if he 
owns the house, doesn't he know what goes on in it? (I can imagine that 
some oldies of the list already see my answer coming, but anyway).

The answer, of course, is that, according to MAGIC DISHWASHER, 
Dumbledore DOES know what's going on. He wants the resurrection to 
happen, and he wants Voldemort to have easy access to the bone of his 
father. Which is why he buys the house, but ignores it completely, 
never even visiting it. Thus, when Voldemort comes, he does not suspect 
that Dumbledore is one step ahead. After all, Voldemort could hide 
anyplace, but by making sure that that particular place is empty, 
Dumbledore helps Voldemort decide using the potion, since two out of 
three ingredients are close to hand. If he had had to hide in Crouch's 
or in Lucius', because the Riddle house had been inhabited, he might 
have decided against using the potion, which would ruin Dumbledore's 
plan.

Hope that helps,

Grey Wolf