Billy Stubbs

Billy Stubbs was a Muggle boy who grew up in the same orphanage in London as a young Tom Marvolo Riddle. He is significant as one of the earliest known victims of Riddle's cruelty. The incident involving his pet rabbit provided Albus Dumbledore with a key insight into the nascent malevolence of the boy who would become Lord Voldemort.

Billy Stubbs resided at a Muggle orphanage in London during the 1930s. During his time there, he had an argument with fellow orphan Tom Marvolo Riddle. The very next day, Stubbs's pet rabbit was discovered to have been hanged from the rafters. Although Riddle denied any involvement, the orphanage matron, Mrs. Cole, was deeply suspicious of him. She believed Riddle had used his then-unexplained abilities to carry out the act. Years later, Mrs. Cole recounted this story to Albus Dumbledore when he visited the orphanage to offer Riddle a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This memory was stored in the Pensieve and later shown to Harry Potter by Dumbledore to illustrate Voldemort's nature from a young age.

The novels provide no description of Billy Stubbs's physical appearance. His personality is not detailed, but his ownership of a pet rabbit suggests he may have been a caring individual. He was also evidently unafraid to stand up to Tom Riddle, as he engaged in an argument with him, demonstrating a degree of courage or assertiveness.

As a Muggle, Billy Stubbs possessed no magical abilities or skills.

• Rabbit: Billy owned a pet rabbit. Following an argument between Stubbs and Tom Riddle, the rabbit was killed and hung from the rafters, an act widely believed to have been committed by Riddle.

• Tom Marvolo Riddle: Stubbs had an antagonistic relationship with Riddle and became one of his earliest victims. Their argument directly led to Riddle using his developing powers to kill Stubbs's pet, establishing a pattern of using magic to assert dominance and punish others.
• Mrs. Cole: As the matron of the orphanage, Mrs. Cole was aware of the incident concerning Billy's rabbit and was one of the first adults to be frightened by Tom Riddle's cruel and unnatural behavior.

• Billy: A common English diminutive for the name “William,” which is of Germanic origin, meaning “resolute protector” or “strong-willed warrior.”
• Stubbs: A common English surname derived from the Old English stybb, meaning “tree stump.” The name often referred to someone short and stocky or who lived near a prominent stump. The overall commonness of the name “Billy Stubbs” highlights his status as an ordinary Muggle boy, creating a stark contrast with the uniquely named Tom Marvolo Riddle.

The story of Billy Stubbs and his rabbit is a crucial piece of backstory for Lord Voldemort. It is one of several incidents from Tom Riddle's childhood—along with terrorizing Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop in a cave—that demonstrates his innate psychopathic tendencies and his conscious control over his magical abilities for malicious purposes, long before he learned he was a wizard. This premeditated cruelty contrasts sharply with Harry Potter's own instances of accidental magic before Hogwarts, which were typically defensive or reactive (like vanishing the glass at the zoo) rather than calculated and sadistic.