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We know that some people were aware of the fact that Lord Voldemort was Tom Marvolo Riddle prior to his return in Goblet of Fire; at the very least his close soon-to-be-Death-Eater "friends" and Albus Dumbledore:

“Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts..."

... underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here.” (Professor Dumbledore to Weasleys, Chamber of Secrets, CHAPTER EIGHTEEN, Dobby’s Reward)

and

“Voldemort,” said Riddle softly, “is my past, present, and future, Harry Potter…”

He pulled Harry’s wand from his pocket and began to trace it through the air, writing three shimmering words:

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE

Then he waved the wand once, and the letters of his name rearranged themselves:

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT

“You see?” he whispered. “It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends only, of course. ... (Tom's Diary manifestation in the Chamber of Secrets).

QUESTION:

Who - based on canon (books/interviews/pottermore) - knew about the fact that Lord Voldemort was Tom Marvolo Riddle prior to Ginny being taken to the Chamber of Secrets?

Obviously, Albus Dumbledore and Tom himself. Who else?

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  • You'd think that when Riddle stopped showing up at class reunions when Voldemort popped up out of nowhere someone might put things together.
    – Oldcat
    Commented Sep 11, 2014 at 18:42
  • 2
    Rather than dupe, I'd suggest we merge these two; namely, the other one into this one.
    – Möoz
    Commented Jun 18, 2017 at 21:20
  • @Mooz is that even possible for such old questions?
    – SQB
    Commented Jun 18, 2017 at 22:18
  • @SQB I'm pretty sure mods can merge anything.
    – Möoz
    Commented Jun 18, 2017 at 22:34
  • I agree with @Möoz, this isn't a duplicate. This is related, but the answers here give many more examples and much more information. Commented Sep 25, 2018 at 15:23

2 Answers 2

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Lestange and Avery are known to be members of Tom Riddle's gang while at Hogwarts.

"Lestrange, I want that essay on my desk by tomorrow or it's detention. Same goes for you, Avery." - Slughorn's memory from the Slugclub and Tom Riddle's gang.

Slughorn himself is likely to know. Particularly with Tom Riddle asking him about horcruxes, and Dumbledore later coming around to collect memories about Tom Riddle.

Helena Ravenclaw (ghost) knew the identity of Tom Riddle as the person to whom she gave the location of the diadem, and who subsequently became Lord Voldemort.

1
  • 2
    I think Burke of Borgin and Burke's had a fair idea as well.
    – Reya
    Commented May 8, 2017 at 9:15
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Mr. Ollivander knew.

Mr Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger.

"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands ... Well, if I’d known what that wand was going out into the world to do ..."

He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Hagrid.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, by way of Pottermore

He obviously knew who Voldemort was, because he knew that Voldemort gave the scar, and he knew Voldemort's wand, and he knew that he sold that wand to Tom Riddle.

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  • 8
    Good catch. People forget Ollivander for some reason :) Now the actual question - how did he know Tom was now Voldemort? Commented Jun 18, 2017 at 16:02
  • Hello, Rajat Ligade, and welcome to Science Fiction & Fantasy That's a good first answer! May I interest you in taking the tour?
    – SQB
    Commented Jun 18, 2017 at 16:52
  • @Gallifreyan that would be interesting to know, but the question only asks who, not how.
    – SQB
    Commented Jun 18, 2017 at 17:04
  • @SQB I would disagree. If Ollivander don't have an exclusive source of information and carelessly tell people about schoolboy-Voldemort, it can indicate that Voldemort's identity was sort of common knowledge
    – Shana Tar
    Commented Oct 31, 2018 at 13:29

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