Minerva and Tom: 6 theories

[chrusotoxos]

No: HPFGUIDX 153853

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "luna_loco" <peckham at ...> wrote:
>
> The simplest explanation for McGonagall not having any useful memories
> is that she was not close enough to have seen anything about Tom other
> than the image that he intentionally presented to the Hogwarts faculty
> and students.  


chrusotoxos now:

I agree on one point, that Minerva probably didn't have friends in
Tom's circle and was not romantically involved with him. But I also
think that 

1) Tom struck me as someone very popular and/or well-known in such a
small school: handsome, talented, charismatic, Muggleborn yet a
Slytherin...and students just seem to know a lot of things about
people like this. Think about all the knowledge Hermione has on
students that have never been mentioned, or about Harry following
Draco Malfoy around, or bumping into him when he's crying, or breaking
into another common room for a dare. Dumbledore said that Tom's new
name, Voldemort, was known only to his first DE, but also that during
his time at school "there were a series of funny accidents, which
culminated with the death of a girl", Myrtle. Would a student know
nothing about those funny accidents? Occuring in a period when she was
probably HeadGirl?

2) Ok, DD needs useful memories, but I think he also wants Harry to
understand the mundane aspects of Tom's personality. His reaction when
he knew he was a wizard, his skill to convince or bully people...and
Minerva herself, wouldn't she say soemthing to Harry? "I remember him
well from school, a clever boy he was" and the like...

But of course you're right:

> As Sigmund Freud once said, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." 
> Based on this saying, McGonagall's inability to provide special
> insight about Tom Riddle could be nothing more than she never learned
> anything special about him in the first place.
> 
> Allen

Even if old Sigmund seemed to have some trouble to stick to his own
rules :D

Chrustoxos