20 Facts Every Harry Potter Super-Nerd Should Know
13. Voldemort Cant Feel Love Because Of His Conception
In Half-Blood Prince, it was revealed that Voldemorts mother, the abused and miserable Merope Gaunt, seduced his father a rich, handsome Muggle who wouldnt give her the time of day by bewitching him through a love potion. Though it sounds romantic on paper, its more like the equivalent of magical roofies (hey, this is Voldemorts mom were talking about). After she became pregnant with Voldemort, she took the bewitchment off in hopes that he would stay for the sake of their child, at which point he wisely turned tail and fled. J.K. Rowling has since noted that it was very significant that Tom Riddle was conceived under the effects of magic and coercion, rather than through an act of genuine love: because of this, Tom Riddle who became Lord Voldemort was incapable of feeling love later on in his life. The symbolic significance of this has also been pointed out by Rowling that, in being conceived from a loveless union, and brought up with neither parent, Voldemort came into the world in a very prejudicial manner, also perhaps foreshadowing the immorality and hatred that pervaded his later life.
Canadian student. Spends probably an unhealthy amount of time enthusing over musicals, unpopular TV shows, and Harry Potter. Main life goal: to become fluent in Elvish.