Tom Riddle

[Sagen]

Okay, I'm putting a Tom thread by itself and not with the Voldemort because as I think, they are two different people; Voldemort being Major and Tom being Minor.

Well, anyways like I was getting at. I have a couple of questions about Tom when he was a teenager.

-What do you think Tom would have been like when he was in school?
-Do you think Tom would have ever been in love? And if so with a Gryffindor?
-How do you think Tom would act or think towards the girl he would like?
-Do you think he would have had any friends?
-How would he act over all?

It would help me out a lot if you guys would help me.

Thanks,
Gen

(Mods: If this is in the wrong spot or doesn't need to exist beause there's already one about Voldy then feel free to move/delete it)

[Hypatia]

What do you think Tom would have been like when he was in school?

I envision him as being the perfect student, on the surface. A bit of a show off and definitely a teacher’s pet *cough* Slughorn *cough*. I doubt he’d have to work hard to attain excellent grades and would thus have a lot more spare time than other students with similar grades.

Do you think Tom would have ever been in love? And if so with a Gryffindor?

I really can’t picture him in love. I can picture him using a girl for his own ends, whether it be to introduce him to the right people, or give him access to books, or magical objects that would be in her family. However, I don’t think he’d necessarily require that such a girl be a Slytherin, just that she be a pure-blood. I think a lot of the anti-Slytherin sentiments were caused as a result of the Death Eaters being linked to it and it was probably more considered a snobby house prior to that, but not necessarily evil.

How do you think Tom would act or think towards the girl he would like?

I think he would be polite and charming yet essentially unaffectionate.

Do you think he would have had any friends?

I think he would have “associates” who believed that they were his friends. I don’t think he ever had a real friend though as I doubt he ever saw other people as being more than pawns or opponents.

How would he act over all?

Overall, I think he would be very reserved, careful to maintain a proper appearance to those that needed to see it. I can also imagine him being cruel, in a refined sort of way. I think he would be more likely to hurt others in ways that hurt them emotionally because it would be harder for him to be caught and would underscore his scorn for emotion.

Shameless self-promotion: as for a more detailed look at how I think he’d treat a girl, the first chapter of a story I wrote called A Woman Scorned deals with exactly that.

[Marnae]

I think Hypatia answered most of your questions, but I just want to point out a bit of what we know from canon.

Book six is where we and Harry learn a lot about Tom Riddle growing up. But in other books we learn important pieces. (And I don't have my books on me, but here is my memory... I can look them up if you'd like.)

In CoS, we learn that Albus didn't exactly trust Tom. We also learn that even though Tom opened the Chamber, he voluntarily blamed someone else and got them permanently expelled from school. No one but Albus suspected him. Meaning all the teachers loved him, and he put on the face in front of authority that he was the image of perfection. What does that tell you about his friends/opinion of what's important? It tells me that to him, it's important that he maintains an image of perfection so he can control what others think about him. Yes?

In HBP, Dumbledore tells us that Tom Riddle didn't have friensds. He had followers; the precursors to the Death Eaters is what they were referred to as. He was always separate and different.

So, as to your questions leading to romance, could you write a Tom Riddle romance that is also canon? Yes, I believe you can. But you'd have to completely understand what level of romance there was and what year of Hogwarts it's happening in. Because as a 6th and 7th year, we already see Tom as a ring leader to friends--not an equal to his friends. I doubt he would do what Draco does--allowing Pansy to fawn on him when he wishes. As Hypatia pointed out, his relationship with a woman would be more as a means to accomplish his own desires--essentially remaining unaffectionate. That is all.

Beth: Good supporting details. 5 points

[HogwartsGirly124]

-What do you think Tom would have been like when he was in school?

Horace Slughorn has taught potions twice at Hogwarts, and both times he created somethign informally called the "Slugh Club:" an elite group of students chosen because they have influential parents or because Slughorn believes they will be very important some day.

We all know that Tom was raised in orphanage and had no parents. So that means Slughorn thought Tom would be important someday and he was right.

I think Tom was popular with the teachers for his accademic skill and cleverness, but when the teachers were not around I think he would be popular for the wrong reasons. It says in the sixth book that while Tom was at the orphanage he lured a little girl and boy down to a cave and they were never the same. I think the students were afraid of what power Tom had as such an early age and because of his power I believe no one dared to cross his path.

I also think Tom would have started early in the "Dark Arts" and gathered followers
immediately out of cowardness or mere connections?


-Do you think Tom would have ever been in love? And if so with a Gryffindor?

I think it is very possible that Tom could have been in love. Throughout the series Tom/Voldemort has taunted the idea of love being so important, but I believe that maybe he was at love in school, but got heartbroken and it made him close a ceartain part of himself off. Making him darker and grow more interested in the dark arts.

Yes, I think it could have been with a Gryffidnor, but knowing Tom I think he would have hid the relationship from prying eyes. He would proabally taunt the girl in class and such, but when they were alone together in would be more love. Kind of the doomed romance type.


-How do you think Tom would act or think towards the girl he would like?

As I mentioned above I think Tom would act superior to her and others. He would proabally mock her and hurt her feelings to prove to everyone that he was alone in whatever he chose to do. But I think when whoever he liked caught him alone he would hold back nothing. And would be an endlesss cycle.


-Do you think he would have had any friends?

I think at first in first year he would be a sort of out cast and feel left out. But soon when others began to realize how powerful Tom actually was they would join him. Not real friends but more of aquantices.

-How would he act over all?

I think he would act like James Potter. He would be on top of it all. Braggy, mysterious, sneaky, different, and just unaproachable.



-- Hope I've helped.
Sophia

[dragonwings]

What do you think Tom would have been like when he was in school?
Cold, heartless, commandeering… just some adjectives that come in mind, lol. I really don’t think that there was much emotion, drama or angst in his teenage life because such emotion would be interpreted as weakness to him. He mocks others’ reactions and human errs because he believes that he is above them and he maintains that idea by being “perfect.” Perfection to him would mean being icy, cold, and indifferent but it would also mean making sure that his social life had to be very carefully balanced. He could not show indifference towards his housemates because he needed their support and he needed to know that they would follow him. But he would be very careful to make sure that he would only associate with the right sort of people and he would also make sure that he didn’t show too much emotion or true connection to the people he talked to. I think that it might have been something more like verbal sparring and witty banner rather than friendly jokes and casual talk.

Do you think Tom would have ever been in love? And if so with a Gryffindor?
I love this question because usually I would say that this is impossible, but there are two authors who has managed to pull this off perfectly! The first being Blue Bell, who’s stunning story “My Anchor” will keep you wanting more of that oh-so-yummy pairing of Hermione/Tom Riddle and Hatusu who’s story, “Take My Heart Away” has won recognition, and love, of many. These stories are prime examples what a good writer can do with such a lucrative pairing, but if we are to go strictly off canon, I think that this is just really unlikely. I, personally, cannot think of any real way to pull this off in canon. J.K. Rowling herself said that Voldemort did not love anyone, ever!

Darchey: Did Voldemort ever love a girl?

J.K. Rowling: No, he loved only power, and himself. He valued people whom he could use to advance his own objectives.

How do you think Tom would act or think towards the girl he would like?
Theoretically, if he DID like a girl (which I think is very unlikely because of the circumstances of his conception, birth, lack of parentage and childhood) I think that he would act rather like Malfoy does in fan fiction. He would act rather aloof until he guaranteed that his affections were returned before acting. He would flirt with her until he drove her to distraction before taking advantage of her and promptly leaving her. He would definitely blow hot and cold I think until the girl decided that she wanted more and he would make his move, lmao. Sorry, just thinking about Voldemort’s love life makes me want to laugh.

Do you think he would have had any friends?
I would label them more like, “acquaintances.” Friends seems like such a lucrative term in Tom’s case because I think that showing affection would seem like weakness to him. Especially when it came to “friends” who wanted certain favors. I do not think that he would like being in someone’s debt and he would never condescend to be someone’s equal and therefore, not be truly their friend. He would want to be respected, not hugged lol.

How would he act over all?
Condescending, better than thou, etc. I think that he might be respected for his intelligence and wit, but not really liked for his warm and fuzzy personality. *snickers*

Beth: Great! 5 points.

[snowybella]

I agree a lot with what Dragonwings said, but I’m going to try and not repeat everything she said so this post will be somewhat useful. ^_^

What do you think Tom would have been like when he was in school?

There are a lot of ways to take his personality. I agree a lot with what Dragon said, but as something else, here’s an easy, simple way to think about him: a person with a goal. We know from what Dumbledore says that he’s not a person who would just sit and watch as events unfurl before his eyes and make little side-comments. He nearly always has plans, and he’s making them become reality. I would always make sure there’s some ulterior motive with him when I write him. If he is nice to someone, it will be because he requires them to do something for him, or because he knows it’ll help him later on. In school, he would know where to be exactly where he wants to be. He wants the teachers to like him, because he knows that they’ll be some benefit, big or small, involved with it for him, so he’ll charm them. If he’s nice to some people, he expects there to be a reward for it somewhere- maybe the people he charms are pureblooded and have ties he can use, etc. Either way, I don’t think he’d be completely pleasant to anyone because that arrogant, powerful, slightly dangerous air is at least implied in the book.

I disagree a little bit with dragonwings here (“He could not show indifference towards his housemates because he needed their support and he needed to know that they would follow him.”) Because I don’t think everybody in his house would be considered important to him. Also, it’s good to note here that Slytherin house, as Jo said before, though known for it’s nasty people, has people in this house that are decent. So not everyone is going to be a pureblooded snob, though a good chunk may be, so he might not feel need to be decent or semi-kind to very many people. Even in the slug club meeting, he was not afraid to show his cruelty, and I think that is what enthralled or excited his earlier followers- he was not cruel to them, but the smirk his face took on in the meeting kind of hints that his ‘friends’ knew, at least generally, what kind of person he is- and that’s not one that’s incredibly nice or kind in any way.

Do you think Tom would have ever been in love? And if so with a Gryffindor?

Absolutely not. Canon-wise, at least, because I admit that I’ve read stories where the ideas seemed plausible, but the point is, someone like Voldemort could only become what Voldemort became without any real love in his life and all that stuff.

Take the Jo quote that dragon provided into consideration.

The point of his character is that he’s not nice in any way. He doesn’t have much care towards people other than himself. I know it’s tempting to make a character like fall in love with some enthralling, equally powerful, but overall good girl, but it’s just not likely. His personality doesn’t allow him to really see people as beings like himself- like Dragon said he’s condescending towards a lot of people. If he thinks he’s generally better than the overall population of people, he’s not likely to be able to fall in love with any of them. Nearly always, the person you fall in love with (romantically) is your equal. I think one way to show how Tom is could be in that way- he can’t fall in love unless it’s with an equal, because he won’t feel that person is worth his time unless they’re of use, and he can’t consider anybody his equal, because his arrogance doesn’t allow him to. That’s just a suggestion you might find useful. ^_^ And the fact that he doesn’t even really believe in love makes it really difficult for him to ever do so.

With a Gryffindor? I’m kind of tempted to say no. It’s not that it’s not possible, but it’s because he is himself that he could do such terrible things later on in his ‘career’, and ‘himself’ would need lots of training and fuel from the beginning. I don’t think that he’d necessarily hate all Gryffindors. I suspect that he does have a stereotype (negative, of course) of them, but he respects bravery at least a little bit, proven by DH.

If you were to try to, anyway, and still wanted to make it be plausible, I would try for a character who is talented enough to earn his respect, has some trait or characteristic that intrigues him, and top it off with some usefulness that would tempt him further. Vague, I know, but following basic guidelines of what you believe earns his respect, the choice could be narrowed.

How do you think Tom would act or think towards the girl he would like?

Charm her. Simple as that- he’s so used to doing so with everyone else, I doubt he’d act differently. I think he would study her first for some time- figure out what it is about her that gives him such an effect. I think he’d also spend some time trying to get rid of the feelings- he doesn’t really believe in them, remember? Or at least he thinks they’re useless and weak. When he finally resigns himself to the fact that he can’t, I suspect he’d go with the charming, and be rather straight-forward at some point. It’s a shot in the dark though- I’ve only ever been so close to writing at Tom/oc fic, and that only got as far as one chapter with Tom actually making an appearance.

Do you think he would have had any friends?

No. He doesn’t want them; because he feels that he doesn’t need them. Friends don’t prove useful to him- loyalty, he finds useful, and nearly requires it in his minions, but not friendship. Again, you must be of equality with your friends, or believe you are, or it’s really difficult. And not completely in the way of intelligence either, but Tom seems to be someone who bases character solely on intelligence, and since he barely even considers it a possibility that someone is as talented as he is… well, I suspect it would propose a problem on the idea of friendship. ^_^

How would he act over all?

I think dragon covered a lot of this too. I mentioned it several times- he’d act for a purpose, nearly all the time. He seems like someone who’s always productive, never wastes any time…. So I think to portray him, there is his air of arrogance, his thinking that he is the best, and finally, his goals. He’s nothing without his goals- Slytherin for the ambitious, right? So he has something he wants to do, and he’ll spend his time making sure he gets it done. And add cruelty and malice to the mix as well.

I hope this helped! But I’ve never actually written a complete fic on him, or anything to be completely fair, so you might want to pick and choose from what I said. ^_^ Again, I hope this was useful!