Why Tom? (re: wizard genetics and long-lived)

[fanofminerva]

No: HPFGUIDX 101256

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "littleleahstill" 
<cmjohnstone at h...> wrote:
> In COS, Diary Tom tells Harry that they are probably the only 
> Parseltongues to attend Hogwarts in the last 1000 years.  As we 
know, 
> but Diary Tom didn't, Harry's ability to talk to snakes is not 
> innate, but was transferred to him at Godric's Hollow. So, if we 
take 
> Diary Tom's word for it, he is the only Parseltongue to attend 
> Hogwarts in the last 1000 years.  Is the ability to speak 
> Parseltongue genetic?  If so, that's one heck of a recessive gene- 
> and why would it be activated in a witch/muggle mating?  It 
doesn't 
> appear to be possible to learn it, considering the many gifted 
> wizards who can't do it.
> 
> We know Tom is the Heir because he can open the Chamber, but is it 
> anywhere directly said that his mother is descended from Salazar? 
I 
> thought it was in COS, but I can't find it.  Who did Salazar have 
> this family with? Choosing Rowena or Helga would make Tom the Heir 
of 
> Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff as well, which seems unlikely, so can we 
> assume a child born during his wanderings post-Hogwarts.  Perhaps 
the 
> Parseltongue gene descended from Salazar through a very long line 
of 
> squibs, and was activated by Tom Snr's marriage to a witch. That's 
a 
> nice thought.
> 
> Or could Parseltongue have been a gift of VaporMort? I like this 
one, 
> but Harry needed Parseltongue to access the chamber, so I assume 
the 
> same would have applied to Tom.
> 
> Am I missing something here?
> 
> Leah


I think this has to do with whatever (and I don't know what this is) 
makes Tom Riddle the /heir/ versus /descendant/ of Slytherin.  I 
think his ability to open the chamber, not the act of his opening 
it, makes him the heir.  Why him?  I asked the same in an earilier 
post, and I personally do not think we will know the answer until 
the end of the septology.

Julie