Canon question (DH)...
When Voldy had just killed Harry's parents, leaving Harry orphaned, and Dumbledore is speaking with Snape about needing to protect Harry...
Snape is refusing, telling Dumbledore that the Dark Lord is gone for good and that Harry does not need protection.
Dumbledore tells Snape, instead, that Voldy will be back.
Question:How does Dumbledore know that Voldy is not defeated for good?
It can't be the prophecy that Dumbledore heard, b/c Snape eaves-dropped on it and he is not convinced that Voldy is coming back.
Snape is refusing, telling Dumbledore that the Dark Lord is gone for good and that Harry does not need protection.
Dumbledore tells Snape, instead, that Voldy will be back.
Question:How does Dumbledore know that Voldy is not defeated for good?
It can't be the prophecy that Dumbledore heard, b/c Snape eaves-dropped on it and he is not convinced that Voldy is coming back.
However, we did hear from Krum that the symbol WAS used by Grindelwald as his own symbol - hence the reason he got so hyped up about it when he saw Xeno wearing it at the wedding. So, I think I'm going to lean towards Albus seeing it as a sign that Tom admired Grindlewald.
We are not exactly sure when he began wearing it. I tended to see Horace's memory as taking place during Tom's 7th year. But he would have had the ring since the beginning of 6th. I would HOPE that IF he had been wearing it during 6th year that SOMEONE would have questioned him about it before making him HeadBoy - but as we have seen before (with James) one doesn't really have to be exemplary to become HeadBoy. -- Hwyla
When did Tom kill his father? Well, that depends. In GOF we are given the date of 50 years before summer 1994, before Tom's 7th year. In HBP Albus says it happened when Tom was in his 16th year - did he mean the summer he was 16 (actually his 17th year) - ie 1943, before Tom's 6th year or actually in his 16th year, ie when he was 15, in 1942?
I agree with Jodel that Tom's conversation with Morfin implies Tom only learned that day that the Gaunts were Slytherin's heirs and that his father was the Muggle living next door. Since diary!Tom knew these things this places the acquisition of the ring in summer 1942. But the other 2 readings are quite plausible, with a different interpretation of Tom's interaction with Morfin.
Anyway, Jodel goes on to suggest that it was the conversation with Morfin that motivated Tom to seek the Chamber of Secrets in earnest, and the experience of modifying his memory that led to his experiments in recording his own memories in the diary. Maybe.
I would HOPE that IF he had been wearing it during 6th year that SOMEONE would have questioned him about it before making him HeadBoy
I doubt it. Would anyone have questioned the Lovegoods? The ring did nothing to Horace's trust in Tom.