Family Ties

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 121968


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Tonks" <tonks_op at y...> wrote:
 
Tonks:
> 
> You are right. I wasn't thinking. Just can't figure out how it is 
> that Tom Riddle, James Potter and Harry all look so much alike. 
> Harry and James, of course, because they are father and son. But 
> Tom???

Geoff:
But I meet people from time to time and say perhaps to my 
wife, "Don't you think that he looks just like so-and-so?" 

Robert Hardy who plays Fudge in "the medium that dare not speak its 
name" is an absolute clone of a friend in my church. He looks the 
same, he sounds the same... it's uncanny.

There again, returning to canon, there are one or two references in 
COS which came to mind....

'There was a knock on the office door.
"Enter," said the old wizard in a feeble voice.
A boy of about sixteen entered, taking off his pointed hat. A silver 
Prefect's badge was glinting on his chest. He was much taller than 
Harry but he, too, had jet-black hair.

(COS "The Very Secret Diary" p.181 UK edition)

'Riddle's face contorted. The he forced it into an awful smile.
"So. Your mother died to save you. Yes, that's a powerful counter-
charm. I can see now - there is nothing special about you after all. 
I wondered, you see. Because there are strange likenesses between us, 
Hary Potter. Even you must have noticed. Both half-bloods, orphans, 
raised by Muggles. Probably the only two Parselmouths to come to 
Hogwarts since the great Slytherin himself. We even /look/ something 
alike... But after all, it was merely a lucky chance that saved you 
from me. That's all I wanted to know."'

(COS "The Heir of Slytherin" p.233 UK edition)

I don't think the likenesses are so great as to suggest any link 
biologically. The similarities appear to be more of an experiential 
nature. Tom is also described by Dumbledore as being "clever, 
handsome" (ibid. "Dobby's Reward" p.243). Harry has never acquired 
the epithet of handsome.....

Geoff
http://www.aspectsofexmoor.com
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