LV never loved anyone

[Brenda M.]

No: HPFGUIDX 110288

Welcome back, Del! <grin>

>>> Del wrote:
> 
> When asked :
> "Has Voldemort or Tom Riddle ever cared for or loved anyone?"
> 
> JKR answered :
> "Now, that's a cracking question to end with—very good. No, never.
> [Laughter.] If he had, he couldn't possibly be what he is. You will
> find out a lot more about that. It is a good question, because it
> leads us rather neatly to Half Blood Prince, "
> 
That answer mildly shocked me: how can someone have *never* loved?!
I know Tom was an orphan so obviously he had no family to love, but 
he could still have loved other people: a friend, a caretaker, a 
pet, or even an imaginary memory of his mom, anything. Harry found 
people to love as soon as he entered the WW, no matter how deprived 
of love he was during his childhood. But Tom never loved anyone. I 
find that hard to imagine, especially since JKR said some time ago 
that in her books nobody was ever born evil. So Tom was born normal, 
but he never cared for anyone ? Weird. <<<


Brenda:

I pretty much agree with everything you wrote. It caught my eyes 
too. I thought the reason he hated his Muggle father so much was 
because he loved his mother? Even as a concept? ('I never really 
knew my mother but she died taking care of me'). Or what about his 
very close friends who he shared the name Lord Voldemort with? Are 
they in his service now? Are they Death Eaters? What about Death 
Eaters? ('Ah, here comes my true family...') What about Barty Crouch 
Jr who thought he could be like father and son with Voldemort? Even 
his most faithful servant meant nothing to him?

What about romantic interest? He was a very good-looking, 
exemporary, brilliant, Head Boy at Hogwarts. Didn't any girl show 
interest? I know I would have.

Sorry to go off tangent here, but basically I didn't think it was 
possible for anyone to not love at all, even ever-so-slightly.

Brenda