Heir versus Descendant of Slytherin

[jimlaming]

No: HPFGUIDX 99028

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Jen Reese" <stevejjen at e...> 
wrote:
> Julie:
> > But we're not talking about houses, etc.  When Tom refers to 
> himself 
> > as the HEIR of Slytherin, he talks of carrying on Salazar 
> Sytherin's 
> > noble work.  

SNIP
 
> Jen: You ask a good question about why no one else opened the 
> Chamber before Tom. And how *did* he know he was the Heir of 
> Slytherin? Personally, I like the idea that he became the heir when 
> he opened the chamber and not before. Tom was born a parselmmouth 
> and descended from Slytherin, but it was putting two & two together-
-
> researching Slytherin and the Chamber until he realized the mystery 
> to open it--that he became the Heir of Slytherin.
> 
> Pippin was proposing in post # 98774, that Slytherin left "goodies" 
> in the Chamber for whoever discovered and opened it. Presumably 
> those things would assist the Heir in his mission. 
> 
> Julie: 
> > Could all descendants of Slytherin speak parseltongue?  If not, 
> why 
> > not?  How was it that Tom could?  How did Tom find out how to 
open 
> > the chamber while in school?  My theory is that something (and I 
> > don't know what) had to happen for Tom to be bequeathed of the 
> > powers of Slytherin.  Could this be where Grindelwalde comes in?
> > I think we will find out more about how Tom was chosen, just as 
we 
> > will find out how Harry was chosen.
> 
> Jen: I keep thinking Grindelwald will come into play again and this 
> would be an interesting twist. JKR promised us in the chat we would 
> find out more about Riddle's birth--I hope that information will 
> answer the question of how Tom discovered his origins. Some say it 
> was through a letter written by his Mom, but...Does he have a scar 
> somewhere, too? Was another Prophecy made about "The Heir of 
> Slytherin approaches...." Hehe.


Jim Postulates:

I have always thought that there would have been clues left by SS 
that would lead the candidate along the path to becoming the Heir, al 
la daVinci code.  If the candidate could recognize this clue it would 
lead them to the next clue and the next until the candidate had 
proven themselves both physically capable, mentally attuned and 
magically skilled enough to be bestowed with the gifts found in the 
chamber.  

SS wanted to purify the school and the WW.  TR updated that with his 
own goal of getting Harry and on to WW domination.  I wouder... here 
I go asking questions again... would SS have approved of the new 
goals?

JimLaming, always asking questions...