The Riddle House

• Type: Residence
• Location: Little Hangleton, England
• Owner/Residents: The Riddle Family (Thomas Riddle, Mary Riddle, Tom Riddle Sr.), Frank Bryce (groundskeeper), Lord Voldemort (temporary), Peter Pettigrew (temporary)
• Key Features: A large, formerly grand manor house situated on a hill overlooking its village; later became damp, derelict, and ivy-covered.

The Riddle House was once the finest and largest dwelling in the village of Little Hangleton. A handsome, square manor with tall, diamond-paned windows, it stood on a hill, separate from the village it overlooked. For many years, it was maintained in a state of grandeur by the wealthy but unpopular Riddle Family. The family, consisting of Thomas Riddle, his wife Mary Riddle, and their son Tom Riddle Sr., were known for their snobbish and rude demeanor, which alienated them from the local villagers. The house's history is dominated by a dark event. In the summer of 1943, the three Riddles were found dead in their drawing room. The cause of death baffled Muggle doctors, as the bodies were unmarked. The Ministry of Magic, however, would have recognized the effects of the Killing Curse. The blame initially fell upon the Riddles' gardener, Frank Bryce, who discovered the bodies. Frank was arrested but later released due to a lack of evidence and his steadfast claim of innocence. The true murderer was the sixteen-year-old Tom Marvolo Riddle, son of Tom Riddle Sr. and Merope Gaunt. Despising his Muggle father for abandoning his witch mother, Tom sought revenge by murdering his paternal family. He used his uncle Morfin Gaunt's wand for the crime and then altered Morfin's memory, framing him for the murders. Morfin confessed and was sentenced to Azkaban. Following the tragedy, the Riddle House fell into a state of disrepair. No one wished to live in the “creepy” house, and it was eventually purchased by a wealthy man for tax purposes who never resided there. It became damp, derelict, and overgrown with ivy, with peeling paint and dusty, echoing rooms. Frank Bryce, who lived in a small cottage on the grounds, continued to serve as its groundskeeper into his old age.

The Riddle House is the primary setting for the opening chapter of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It serves as a temporary hideout for the weakened Lord Voldemort and his servant, Peter Pettigrew (also known as Wormtail). In August 1994, Frank Bryce investigates a light in the supposedly abandoned house. He overhears Voldemort and Wormtail discussing their plans, which include the murder of a Ministry of Magic employee, Bertha Jorkins, and a plot to capture Harry Potter. Voldemort, sensing Frank's presence with the aid of his snake Nagini, confronts and murders the elderly Muggle with the Killing Curse. This event is significant as it is witnessed by Harry Potter in a dream from hundreds of miles away, causing his scar to burn intensely and establishing the book's central conflict. Symbolically, the house represents Voldemort's rejected Muggle heritage. His act of murdering his family there was a pivotal step in his transformation from Tom Marvolo Riddle into Lord Voldemort and his abandonment of his human connections. The house's derelict state mirrors the decay of the Riddle family line and the dark history that permeates the location.

• Grounds: The house is surrounded by neglected grounds and gardens, which Frank Bryce tended to. A lane connects the grounds to the main village of Little Hangleton.
• Entrance Hall: Described as large, cavernous, and echoing. A grand staircase leads from the hall to the upper floors.
• Upstairs Drawing Room: The location where both the Riddle Family and, fifty years later, Frank Bryce were murdered. When Voldemort used it as a hideout, it contained a fireplace, a moth-eaten rug, and a single high-backed armchair where he sat while being cared for by Wormtail.

• The opening of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire at the Riddle House, focusing on a minor character (Frank Bryce) rather than Harry Potter at Number Four, Privet Drive, marked a significant narrative shift for the series. It immediately established a darker, more ominous tone than the previous books.
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Riddle House is depicted as a gothic, Tudor-style manor, visually emphasizing its grim history. The scene of Frank's murder is a key part of the film's opening sequence (film).