No one helped Tom Riddle.
I’m still baffled over the fact that there are people who think that Tom Riddle should have just become a better person despite his circumstances. Like he should have just opened his eyes one day and shaken off every negative thing weighing him down and become a good person.
These people are the same ones who use Harry Unrealistic Abuse Survivor Potter as an example. Harry had shitty experiences and was abused growing up and he turned out to be an angel so obviously Tom could have ended up the same but chose not to.
There are many similarities between them, this is true. Such that make me ship them. But there are differences.
Was wanted by his parents.
Loved by his parents and godfather.
Grew up in a world not ravaged by a World War that had bombs dropped on his home city every year and didn’t live in a Great Depression.
Found out he was very wealthy and could afford anything his heart desired.
Got his first friend when he was 11. It was an owl who was also his first gift and pet.
Made his first human friend at 11. Made more after that.
Was popular at Hogwarts from the jump(because of something he personally didn’t do) and because he was in the ‘good’ House.
Was catered to by Dumbledore and given liberties not usually allowed to 1st years. That made him cool.
His best friend’s parents treated him like he was their own son.
His godfather, despite not being the best adult figure, tried to be there when he could be.
Was accepted as a Halfblood and didn’t really face any backlash for it.
Wasn’t wanted by his parents.
Wasn’t loved by his parents.
Grew up in the middle of the Great Depression caused by WWI, and during WWII where London was perpetually bombed for years, killing people all the time.
Was not popular from the jump. He was in the ‘evil’ House after all.
Was disliked by Dumbledore, the Deputy Headmaster of his school.
Wasn’t wanted by the rest of the family he had.
Was thought to be a Mudblood in a House that hates them.
There is a common theme here. Tom Riddle is incapable of opening his eyes and becoming a better person because he needs help with all this bad just piling up. An example to follow to help him would be nice. Harry Potter has Ron Weasley, Hagrid, Hermione, his Housemates, the Weasleys, Sirius, Remus, his parents’ love and adoration, MCGonagall Dumbledore’s support, plus Dumbledore’s Army, even Snape and many others. He has wealth on his side to take care of himself with if he has to. The muggle side isn’t at war. His time period is pretty decent. He’s generally popular in school from the start.
And what does Tom Riddle have on his side to bring him out of the darkness and show him a better way of life from what he was stuck facing when he went ‘home’ every year?
Harry escaped becoming a second Voldemort by having someone there. A friend. A parental figure. Someone that gave a damn about him and wanted what was best for him. Someone willing to teach him. Perfect strangers just willing to stretch out a helping hand.
Harry didn’t wake up one day and suddenly become an angel who can do no wrong and represents all the goodness in the world. Even in his worst times, someone was there to talk him down and teach him better, whether he wanted to hear what they had to say or not. Tom Riddle didn’t get that. Dumbledore wasn’t doing anything to try and help him, and he was the kid’s teacher, not some strange woman with half a dozen kids that Tom barely knew.
And you know, sometimes people need help and they shouldn’t be shamed for needing that help.
One wrong move could have created a 2nd Voldemort, and one right move could have made certain that Voldemort never happened at all.
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