[HPforGrownups] Dumbledore, Dippet, Grindlewald & Riddle

[srsiriusblack at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 49301

In a message dated 06/01/2003 15:45:06 Eastern Standard Time, 
bkb042 at yahoo.com writes:


> I've been following the "Voldemort's Age" thread and found myself 
> back at those nagging questions: 1) How did Riddle find out that he 
> was the Heir of Slytherin? and 2) How did he find out about the 
> existance of the Chamber of Secrets? The answer to #2 would be 
> comparatively easy; Just look in Hogwarts: A History. But that bit 
> of information would be nothing more that an interesting bit of 
> trivia UNLESS Riddle had already been informed of his distinguished 
> ancestor. So who told him? We know that Dumbledore was the 
> transfiguration teacher at the time of Riddle's tenure at Hogwarts, 
> and we know that Dippet was Headmaster. We also know that there was 
> a wizard named Grindlewald in existance at the time. 
> 
> 

I strongly suspect that the edition of Hogwarts, A history which is in 
circulation today for students is not the same edition that was available for 
Tom Riddle's generation. Hermione constantly complains that no one has read 
the book, as well. It isn't on the reading list for the school, so I also 
suspect that there are things in the book that are useful but rarely 
discovered. 

So to answer your first two questions, imho, there are many ways Riddle could 
have discovered he was the heir without being told by a staff memeber. 
Firstly, of course, there could have been magic set just to inform the heir 
upon his arrival to Hogwarts- a dream, a vision, or the like. Or, it could 
have been in Howarts, A History. The fact that the staff refers to the 
Chamber as myth and rubbish to Harry's generation makes me believe that they 
do so for the protection of the students-- so that no one goes looking for 
it. Maybe in Riddle's generation it wasn't a secret as much, but just part of 
Hogwarts' history. Also, Riddle is a parselmouth. The basilisk could have 
told him without anyone else ever knowing. ( see how Harry hears the basilisk 
and no one else does...)

There is also the fact that we know Riddle knew who his father was...  this 
could have been a bit of information in the "unrevised" edition of Hogwarts, 
A History. Knowing his father's name and reading of his father would have 
made it easier for him to put the connection together....


As to the Grindlewald, I think we may just hear more about that generation of 
the staff in the future. Dumbledore has long hinted to the fact that there 
were many people who did not apporve of his appointment as headmaster. 
(Personally, I would like a list of all anti-Dumbledore characters so that I 
can dislike them <wink>)

-Snuffles

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty 
recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the 
dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with 
open eyes, to make it possible. This I did."  T.E. Lawrence- Seven Pillars of 
Wisdom


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