Another mysterious message

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 165860

Eggplant wrote:
>
> Everybody knows about the mysterious "Gleam of triumph" passage in
Goblet of Fire, but there is another strange remark made way back in
book 2, it came right after Harry first found the diary but before he
found out how to use it:
> 
> "While Harry was sure he had never heard the name T.M. Riddle
before, it still seemed to mean something to him, almost as though
Riddle was a friend he'd had when he was very small, and had
half-forgotten. <snip>"
> (Chamber of Secrets, 233-34)
> 
> I've read 4 Potter books since then but I still don't know what that
was all about. A friend?!

Carol responds:
I know that some people (probably half the members of this group)
think that Harry's reaction is related to his being a Horcrux (his
soul bit identifies with Tom Riddle), but I don't agree with that
interpretaion, not being a Harry!Horcrux advocate. 

I think Harry's reaction to the name is part of the spell that's
designed to draw the reader in to interact with Memory!Tom by writing
in the diary. Ginny has a similar reaction, confiding her little
girl's secrets to "dear Tom" and thinking of him as her friend. To be
sure, Harry's reaction occurs before he has interacted with the diary,
 after simply reading the name, but I still thinks that's just part of
the way the diary is designed, to lure the reader into writing in it
and conversing with the seemingly charming Tom.

Carol, a voice crying in the wilderness with whom nobody is likely to
agree