Does Malfoy own the Riddle House?

[mhbobbin]

No: HPFGUIDX 112165

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "womanofdunedain" 
<womanofdunedain at y...> wrote:
> A friend of mine came up with this theory, based on the following 
> quote:
> 
> <i>The wealthy man who owned the Riddle House these days neither 
> lived there nor put it to any use; they said in the village that 
he 
> kept it for 'tax reasons', though nobody was very clear what these 
> might be.</i>
> 
> I just thought I would throw it up here and see if anyone else 
> agrees.

mhbobbin:

Funny you should write this. I was just wondering that myself before 
I saw your post.  My suspicion is that it IS Malfoy as he is the 
only wealthy man we know but JKR only gives us this one clue.
And in true JKR fashion she first gives us a reason for the wealthy 
man's ownership--tax benefit---and then casts doubt upon it--not 
clear what tax benefit . IMO, by underlining the unexplained, 
absentee ownership of the Riddle house, she's told us that who owns 
the Riddle house connects back to the story.

The only character other than Malfoy who could own it, I think, 
would be Voldemort himself. But then he had to have someone else 
continue to pay the taxes.  But maybe this is all a red herring--she 
wants us to think it's Malfoy and it's really James Potter, the 
Blacks, or DD. Hmmmm.  We'll have to wait but I suspect Malfoy.

Which brings me to---why has she spent so much time telling us about 
the Riddle House, to use it only in GOF. Where is LV hanging out 
these days, with Wormtail, Bellatrix and Nagini?  Where were the 
escaped DEs hanging out prior to showing up at the Ministry. The 
Riddle House might just be an appropriate site. Bet Muggles can't 
find it anymore. Or would want to.

mhbobbin