A clue nobody has brought up AFAIK...

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 122209


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "mhbobbin" <mhbobbin at y...> 
wrote:

mhbobbin:
 
> In addition, Riddle envisions himself as the Heir of Slytherin. 
> Intriguing idea that a Gryffindor would see himself that way. 
> Intriguing but what would it change? And Riddle likes to hang out 
> with big snakes and speaks Parselmouth.

Geoff:
You almost make this sound as if he is role-playing. 

Canon suggests that he is what he envisions himself to be:

'"You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name for 
ever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, 
through my mother's side?"'

(COS "The Heir of Slytherin" p.231 UK edition)

'"You can speak Parseltongue, Harry," said Dumbledore 
calmly, "Because Lord Voldermort - who is the last remaining 
descendant of Salazar Slytherin - can speak Parseltongue."'

(COS "Dobby's Reward" p.245 UK edition)

I think it highly unlikely that the Sorting Hat would place him in 
Gryffindor with such a close connection to the founder of Slytherin.

Going back to the genesis of this idea, that Hagrid would not hide 
Aragog outside the dormitory. The description of the location to 
which Tom Riddle went doesn't chime with being the Gryffindor 
dormitories. We are told that it was the room which, in Harry's day, 
has become Snape's classroom. The area is in darkness, the door is 
ajar, no one comes or goes - it doesn't sound like the dormitory. 
Again, the description of Aragog suggests that it would be a 
difficult beastie to hide in an open dormitory shared with others.

Nope, I'll vote for Tom being in Slytherin.

Geoff
http://www.aspectsofexmoor.com
Enjoy a virtual visit to the Exmoor National Park 
and the preserved West Somerset Railway