Mrs. Riddle (was: Re: Grindelwald)

[bibphile]

No: HPFGUIDX 76168

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "ratalman" <ratalman at y...> 
wrote:
> What bothers me is that when she dies, she apparently has no 
> friends and no family, and consequently her half-wizard baby has 
> to be raised in a muggle orphanage.
> 
> Sure, that scenario is possible, she fell in love with a muggle, 
> and despite her family's relation to Salazar, had no prejudices 
> about muggles.
> 

Entirely possible.  Not even very improbable after 1000 years.

Robyn:
> But my suspicions go to "how" did she have enough contact with, 
> or knowledge of, the muggle population, to actually fall in love 
> with one?  Was she already living her life as a muggle, prior to 
> her relationship with Tom Sr?  

All that's neccessary is that she ventured into the muggle world 
even once.  She could have needed a new muggle outfit for some 
reason (Quidditch World Cup mabe).  She could have just been going 
for a walk and not intended to talk to anyone.  (Hogsmede is the 
only all magical village and the Blacks lived in London.)  She could 
have just thought it would be adveturous to spend a day in the 
muggle world.  there could be any number of perfectly mundane 
reasons.  Tom Sr. sees her and thinks she's pretty.  He starts up a 
conversation with her.  They set up a date.  Eventually they get 
married.

Robyn:
> Why did she have no one to turn to at the time of her death?  Why 
> would she choose a life for herself and her child apart from other 
> magical people?

That is a bit harder to answer.  Maybe all of her family was dead.  
I'm not sure if there even are wizard orphanages.  Maybe she wasn't 
living as a muggle at all.  She could have been walking from home to 
work when she went into labor.  (I don't know if witches can 
apparate late in pregnancy.)

Robyn:
> Moreover, the fact that Tom Sr abandoned her upon learning she 
> was a witch, certainly does not suggest that "he" was an 
> enlightened person, and non-prejudiced himself.  Why would 
> she choose "him"?

She may not have known he was prejudice.  He may not have shown it 
until she told him she was a witch.  (Even Seamus's mother didn't 
tell her husband until after they were married and we have no reason 
to think he's prejudice so her not telling doesn't indicate she had 
a particular reason to fear his reaction.)
 
Robyn:
> I'm wondering whether there is still much to learn about the 
> parents of T.M. Riddle.

Maybe.  But I see no reason to assume Mrs. Riddle was anything other 
than a witch that fell in love with a muggle.

bibphile