The facets of redeeming Tom Riddle

[annunathradien]

No: HPFGUIDX 128575

<<Tonks:
The Christian message is a
universal message of Love in its highest form, for everyone,
everywhere. Even Tom Riddle can be redeemed, because the God of
Love cares even for him. I think that DD cares for Tom too. DD
doesn't like what Tom has become and the things that Tom has done,
but in his heart DD cares for Tom too. That is part of why I think
he calls him Tom. >>


I realize this is out of the blue and we haven't been introduced, but
I post/lurk at HPfGU and HP for Seekers.  I wanted to reply to this 
comment you made on HPfGU.

Suffice to say, I agree with the statement above.  Actually, I think 
that may be the purpose of the prophecy, at least partly.  What
better way to "vanquish" a *Dark* Lord than to remove his darkness?   
Something that would be rather amusing to me that so many out there 
are near obsessed pondering who 'Harry' will end up with... when it 
might not be about 'Harry's' lovelife at all.  But Tom Riddle's.

Although, *how* would Tom be redeemed if that is one of the
intentions of the storyline?  My guess is that Tom, through Harry 
(that piece of Tom inside of Harry), would have to experience that 
thing which the "Dark Lord knows not" (as DD says, "has none at 
all").  In essence, give Tom what he apparently didn't have or "know" 
before.  

If that thing is Love as popularly speculated, then, Tom would have
to experience (or "know") love.  But how?  Or from whom?

It's possible we could learn more about background of Tom's family 
(most likely, his mother's background)... something that Dumbledore 
could be showing Harry first hand in that Pensieve (Slytherin Family 
pensieve possibly?  Could it have Riddle's mother's memories in it?).
 
Thus showing Tom that he was very loved.  Although Tom may have 
realized his mother loved him, he never had the chance to experience
it from what we understand.  She died when he was born (of course, I
have a whole conspiracy theory that his mother had been murdered... 
and by members of that "true family" he mentions in GOF, but that's 
o/t).

Tom believed his mother loved a man far unworthy of her.  Considering 
what apparently happened, what can't wholly blame Tom for his 
bitterness.  Not only for the fact she was a pureblood witch, but
also Riddle Sr. wasn't much of a husband or even human being in 
general it seems.  Something I could understand Tom grew exceedingly 
bitter over (and this bitterness probably aggravated by a dark mentor 
or mentors.  Fuelling his bigotry).  I believe this is what was one 
of the earlier catalysts of Tom denegrating human emotions 
(weaknesses), moreso Love.  Love is what made Tom's mother fall prey 
to an apparent libertine, love blinded her to his "filthy" 
muggleness.  Thus, Tom likely vowed to never succumb to such weakness 
("There is only power and those too weak to seek it").  

Of course, Love seems to be 'the power', possibly the greatest power 
("More wonderful and more terrible than death, than human 
intelligence, than forces of nature..."). "The one with 'the
power'..."  

But this 'new' Tom, the one reborn in Harry Potter... he's "weak" (as 
the old Tom would put it).  Or at least, he has the opportunity this 
time around to be "weak".  This 'weakness' would/will make Tom more 
powerful than he ever was as Voldemort (and we know how 'power-
hungry' Tom always was).

...."but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not"

This could be splitting hairs, simply "knowing" love (regardless of
who it's directed at) certainly could be more than enough, but I just
think it would be JKR's sort of irony that besides falling in love, 
JKR may push the irony further and have Tom do what he'd once 
castigated his mother for.  Fall in love with someone 'unworthy' (my 
guess it would be a non-pureblood, but Ginny being one of the "blood 
traitor" Weasleys could probably work as well).

Perhaps this is too simplistic (and cheeky, but JKR is a cheeky one, 
isn't she?), JKR being an admitted Christian... I wouldn't be 
surprised she's not unfamiliar with the concept of "knowing" someone
as it's eluded in the Bible.

For example, confused about the angel Gabriel's statement saying she 
shall be the Virgin mother of Christ, Mary says....

How shall this be, seeing I **know not** a man? (Luke 1:34)

There are many other examples of this interpretation of "know" in the 
Bible.

Perhaps "knows" as it is in the prophecy is a bit of a double 
entendre?  It's describing the "Dark Lord" never experiencing
love.... but also never having the opportunity to *literally* 
experience it?  Voldemort was never in love, never married and hence 
never experienced the act of love with the other sex (as Christian 
doctrine would dictate, the Dark Lord never "knew" anyone).  
Is "knows" a clue from JKR?  I'm not suggesting JKR will ever bring 
sex or even marriage sex (at least not directly) into the HP 
books ... but perhaps she's telling us, in order for Harry (Tom) to 
fulfill the prophecy, he (Tom) needs to love someone of the opposite 
sex (enough to be marriagable material, thus able to "know" her and 
eventually "be fruitful and multiply")?  As progressive as HP and JKR 
are, I don't think she will bring in a homosexual relationship... so, 
in this case, the love would have to be a 'her'.

Could the prophecy be indirectly including this elusive 'her', this 
Bride, someone for Tom Riddle to "know"?

In general regards to marriage, as I'm sure you're aware, 'to give 
one's hand' to someone, means to offer the person to be married 
(Usually the parents offer the hand of their daughter, the bride, to 
the bridegroom).  The bride and bridegroom also offer their hands to 
each other to bear the rings.  Could this "the hand of the other"  
also be connected to "knows"? 

"Either must die at *the hand of the other* for neither can live
while the other survives."

Could the prophecy, literally, be describing marriage and this
marriage-love as the 'vanquisher' of the Dark Lord's darkness?  
Alchemical marriage and otherwise?  Voldemort already experienced at 
least one marriage, but an abnormal one (the resurrection ritual at 
the end of GOF.  A marriage with no bride).  Thus in order 
to 'vanquish' darkness, Tom Riddle needs to be 'married' (or at 
least, experiences the love of a bridegroom) and/or have a 'bride' in 
order to 'vanquish' his shadow, Voldemort?  Vanquishing the darkness 
of the Dark Lord, all you'd have left is Lord.  'Expecto Patronum' 
indeed.

Of course, that line of the prophecy ("neither can live while the 
other survives") makes it sound like the bride and bridegroom may 
have to kill each other ('neither can live while the other 
survives').  Which doesn't seem to hold true with a marriage 
metaphor, unless it was a dramatic ending a la "Romeo and Juliet". Of 
course, marriage vows are usually "till death do us part".  In 
essence, death = the dissolve of a marriage, vice versa?

There's also this line in the Bible that intrigues me (both about 
marriage, marriage partners and death):

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat 
of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 
(Genesis 2:17). 

Perhaps JKR's prophecy is stating that once Harry (or Tom) and 
his "Eve" "eat from the tree of knowledge", he and "Eve" will "die".  
Cast out of the Garden, lose their immortality?  But what is 
the "Garden" of HP?  The Wizarding World?  I could perceive
Harry/Tom, after learning the entire truth ("knowledge of good and 
evil") of the Wizarding World, may voluntarily choose to leave it 
along with his Bride.  Then again, crossing into the Underworld has 
been symbolised numerous times throughout the series.  Perhaps Harry 
(Tom) and "Eve" will cross-over ("die", in a sense), but return to 
the land of the Mortal (Leave the land of immortality, aka the Garden 
aka Paradise, and return to the place where people can die).

~annu