How did Tom kill his father?

[Brenda M.]

No: HPFGUIDX 111569

> Geoff wrote: When Sirius 
> escaped from Azkaban, the Muggle media only got hold of the story 
> because Fudge approached the Muggle Prime Minister. I would think 
> that the existence of the Wizarding world would be a classified 
> matter in Whitehall and not for every Tom, Dick or Harry police 
> officer or civil servant to know.

Brenda now:

Hmm, perhaps I watch too much X-Files or similar movies. I thought if 
the case was this odd, then perhaps the top officers would hear about 
it and deduce that it had to be magic. After all, there were 3 deaths 
from prominent rich family. Presumably important people.

Or, for all we know, the Muggle authorities might have learned the 
existence of WW during Voldemort's reign of terror. When Muggle 
police started wondering why there are so many unexplained death.


> Jekatiska:
> What if it was the Basilisk? Ok, the idea may sound ludicrous, 
> because when we met the Basilisk, it was very big indeed.
> But what if it was a lot smaller 50 years earlier? Small enough to 
be transported to Little Hangleton? What gave me this idea
> was the fact that the three of them had frightened expressions on
> their faces, like those petrified by the Basilisk, and unlike 
> Cedric who was killed by Avada Kedavra. Just a thought.
> 
> Geoff:
> Yes, but possibly the circumstances differed slightly. I suspect 
that 
> Tom Riddle intended his father and grandparents to know what was 
> coming to them; anyway, they must have known because he presumably 
> killed them one by one; they were in the same room and so had time 
to be terrified.

Bren:

Hmm, that's true. Tom Riddle made them die of fear and fright, 
literally. There was a very interesting thread a while ago on the 
Mystery of Riddle's Death, discussing British tradition of dinner, 
servant, lifestyle of the riches, etc...

> Geoff wrote:
> Cedric's death came out of the blue. A high voice says "Kill the 
> spare" and PP says "Avadra Kedavra" before anyone has time to 
blink. Hence, he didn't know what hit him. <<<

Brenda:
I was thinking of Mrs Weasley's boggart in 12 Grimmauld Place:

"Ron's body turned into Bill's, spread-eagled on his back, his eyes 
wide open and empty." [OoP, 160. UK]

So I assumed that AK victims have the empty expression, although any 
death curse comes suddenly so one wouldn't have time to react 
properly, I suppose.


Brenda