Defeat of Grindelwald in 1945 and timeline

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 86339

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "drjuliehoward" 
<drjuliehoward at y...> wrote:
> Albus Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald, a famous dark wizard, in 
> 1945.  What is the relation to the timeline in which Tom Riddle 
> opened the Chamber of Secrets specifically and in which Tom Riddle 
> was at Hogwarts in general?  Is their any relation (familial or 
> otherwise) between Grindelwald and Tom Riddle/Voldemort?
> 
> "drjuliehoward"

Geoff:
Harry was in his Second Year at Hogwarts, i.e. 1992/93. If we assume 
that it was literally 50 years since the opening of the Chamber of 
Secrets, then that was in 1942/43.

As regards to when Tom Riddle was at Hogwarts, canon gives us:
"A boy of about sixteen entered, taking off his pointed hat. A silver 
Prefect's badge was glinting on his chest. He was much taller than 
Harry but he, too, had jet-black hair" 

(COS p.181 UK edition)

"Harry stared at him. Tom Riddle had been at Hogwarts fifty years 
ago, yet here he stood, a weird, misty light shining about him, not a 
day older than sixteen."

(ditto p.227)

The Prefects implies at least Fifth year. Sixteen could be Fifth Year 
or Sixth Year". Assuming that he stayed through to the Upper Sixth, 
if he was sixteen and in the Fifth Year at this point, then he was at 
Hogwarts 1937-45, if in the Lower Sixth at his point, then 1936-44.

I think your second question has been touched on in various thteads 
which I have not followed.

Geoff