[HPforGrownups] Re: Voldemort vs. Riddle

[yellows at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 77456

In a message dated 8/15/2003 6:04:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Ravenclaw Bookworm writes:

> Maybe I'm being picky about the semantics (ignoring the all posts discussing the word "either" <g>) but why would JKR have DD calling it his "proper name" instead of just his "name?"  Obviously she wouldn't want to give away the key to CoS, but phrasing struck me as unusual in light of all he has said about the power of names, etc.  
> Add to that the fact that DD knows it isn't his "proper" name, just a stage name, if you will.

I think that Voldemort *is* Lord ... Thingy's <g> proper name now, as far as DD's concerned. 

On Page 824 of OoP, American hardback, DD says, "Harry, suffering like this proves you are still a man! This pain is part of being human --"

DD evidently sees this as something that should make Harry glad; Harry should rejoice that he is still human. Does this mean that Harry is ever in danger of *not* being human? I think so.

The closer Harry and LV get, the less human Harry may become. This, I believe, is because LV himself is no longer human. When he became Voldemort, he renounced his previous life, perhaps even underwent a physical change, and Tom Riddle died, or was hidden away. Lord Voldemort was born in his place.

When DD fought Voldemort in the MoM (YAY!), he tried to appeal to the human side of LV, Tom Riddle, if he's still in there. That would allow LV to feel pain and love and suffering, and might make him human -- vulnerable -- again.

Back to GoF, the much-discussed gleam of triumph in DD's eyes could likely be about this same thing. What if Harry's blood has awakened Tom Riddle within LV? During the MoM battle in OoP, DD tried to call upon this human side that he knows must be hiding in LV. That's why DD called him Tom for the first time in many years.

Hoping this made some sense...  :)

Brief Chronicles