Tom Riddle Senior

Tom Riddle Sr. was a wealthy Muggle who lived in the village of Little Hangleton during the early 20th century. He is primarily significant as the father of Tom Marvolo Riddle, who would later become Lord Voldemort. After being magically coerced into a marriage with the witch Merope Gaunt, he abandoned her upon being freed from the enchantment. His abandonment, coupled with his Muggle status, fueled his son's hatred, leading to Tom Riddle Sr. and his parents being murdered by the teenage Voldemort. This act of patricide was used to turn Marvolo Gaunt's Ring into a Horcrux.

Tom Riddle Sr. was the son of Thomas Riddle and Mary Riddle, the wealthy and respected squires of Little Hangleton. The Riddle family lived in the Riddle House, a large and impressive manor that overlooked the village. He was known to be handsome and was considered a catch by the local girls. Prior to his involvement with Merope Gaunt, he was often seen riding with a young woman named Cecilia. His life was irrevocably changed when he caught the eye of Merope Gaunt, a descendant of Salazar Slytherin who lived in squalor with her abusive father, Marvolo Gaunt, and brother, Morfin Gaunt. Merope became infatuated with him and, after her father and brother were imprisoned in Azkaban, she used what is presumed to be a Love Potion to bewitch him. Under the influence of the magical coercion, Tom Riddle Sr. eloped with Merope, causing a scandal in Little Hangleton. However, after they were married, Merope, now pregnant, ceased to administer the potion, perhaps hoping that he had genuinely fallen in love with her or would stay for their child. The enchantment broke, and Tom Riddle Sr. was horrified to discover the deception. He promptly abandoned his pregnant wife and returned to his parents' home, claiming he had been “hoodwinked” and “taken in”. Years later, in the summer of 1943, his sixteen-year-old son, Tom Marvolo Riddle, sought him out. Finding his father to be a “foul Muggle” who had abandoned his magical mother, the young Voldemort murdered Tom Riddle Sr., along with his own grandparents, Thomas Riddle and Mary Riddle, using the Killing Curse. Voldemort then altered his uncle Morfin Gaunt's memory to make him confess to the crime, for which Morfin was sent to Azkaban where he later died. The Muggle police in Little Hangleton were baffled by the Riddles' deaths, as their bodies showed no signs of injury.

Tom Riddle Sr. was described as very handsome, with dark hair. His son, Tom Marvolo Riddle, inherited his good looks, which he used to his advantage during his Hogwarts years. From the perspective of the villagers of Little Hangleton, he was considered “stuck-up” and snobbish, a reflection of his wealthy, upper-class status. His immediate and total abandonment of his pregnant wife, while a reaction to being magically violated, demonstrated a cold and unforgiving nature. He shared the local disdain for the impoverished and odd Gaunt family, which made Merope's actions all the more drastic.

As a Muggle, Tom Riddle Sr. possessed no magical abilities whatsoever. His non-magical status was a source of immense shame and hatred for his son, Lord Voldemort, who sought to purge his Muggle heritage.

• Riddle House: He was a resident of the grand Riddle family manor in Little Hangleton, the finest house in the area.
• Horse: He was known to enjoy riding and owned at least one horse.

• Merope Gaunt (Wife): His relationship with Merope was entirely founded on magical coercion. He did not love her and was repulsed by her and the deception upon being freed from her Love Potion.
• Tom Marvolo Riddle (Son): Tom Sr. never met his son, having abandoned Merope before his birth. He became an object of intense hatred for the young Voldemort, who despised him for being a Muggle and for abandoning his mother. This hatred culminated in patricide.
• Thomas Riddle and Mary Riddle (Parents): He appeared to have a conventional relationship with his parents, returning to their home after leaving Merope. They were murdered alongside him by their own grandson.
• Cecilia (Girlfriend): A Muggle girl from the village with whom Tom Sr. was romantically involved before Merope's interference.
• The Gaunts (In-laws): He was despised by his wife's family, Marvolo Gaunt and Morfin Gaunt, for being a Muggle who had attracted Merope's attention.

• Tom: A very common English name, short for Thomas (the name of his father). Its ordinariness contrasts sharply with the Wizarding world and provides a stark reminder of Lord Voldemort's “common Muggle” parentage, which he loathed.
• Riddle: The surname is highly symbolic. A “riddle” is a question or statement phrased in a mysterious or ambiguous way, requiring ingenuity to solve. The story of Tom Riddle Sr.'s family and their connection to Voldemort forms the central mystery, or riddle, of Voldemort's past that Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore must unravel. The name itself is a key component in the anagram that reveals Voldemort's new identity: TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE becomes I AM LORD VOLDEMORT.

In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, a brief image of Tom Riddle Sr. is seen in the diary memory, where he is portrayed by Christian Coulson, who also played the teenage Tom Marvolo Riddle. In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, he is seen in Dumbledore's Pensieve memory and is played by an uncredited actor (film). J.K. Rowling confirmed on Pottermore that Merope Gaunt used a Love Potion to ensnare Tom Riddle Sr. She has also stated that Voldemort's inability to understand love stems from his conception in a loveless, magically-enforced union, as his mother had stopped using the potion and his father never loved her (Pottermore).