Merope Riddle

 Merope Gaunt

Biographical information

Full Name

Merope Gaunt-Riddle

Nickname(s)

• Tramp's Daughter (by village people)
• Evil Witch (by village people)
• Squib, Blood traitor, Useless sack of muck  (by her father, Marvolo)
• Defeated-looking person (by Harry Potter) 
• No Beauty (by Mrs Cole)
• Little Dove (by her uncle, Ominis)
• Mother (by her son, Tom)

Born

c. 1907

Died

31 December 1926, Wool's Orphanage, London, England, Great Britain

Blood Status

Pure-blood

Marital status

Married

Nationality

British

Also known as

The Mother Of Lord Voldemort

Status

Deceased

Physical information

Species

• Spirit

• Wizard (formerly)

Gender

Female

Hair Colour

Dull

Eye Colour

Dark Brown

Skin Colour

Pale

Family Information

Children

Tom Marvolo Riddle (son)

Siblings

Morfin Gaunt † (brother)

Parents

• Marvolo Gaunt † (father)

• Unnamed Mother †

Grandparents

• Unnamed Wizard † (paternal grandpa)

• Unnamed Witch † (paternal grandma)

Uncles/aunts

• Ominis Gaunt † (paternal uncle)

• Three Unnamed Uncles † (paternal)

• One Unnamed Aunt † (paternal)

Great-aunts/uncles

Noctua Gaunt †

In-laws

• Thomas Riddle † (father-in-law)

• Mary Riddle † (mother-in-law)

• Hermione Granger (daughter-in-law)

Grandchildren

• Mattheo Salazar Riddle (grandson)

• Roselyn Merope Riddle (granddaughter)

Ancestors

• Salazar Slytherin † (paternal ancestor)

• Cadmus Peverell † (paternal ancestor)

• Gormlaith Gaunt † (paternal ancestor)

• Corvinus Gaunt † (paternal ancestor)

Descendants

• Riddle-Granger family

• Potter family

Relationships

Allies

• Hermione Granger (contacted her through a dream to warn her)

• Tom Riddle Junior

Enemies

Marvolo and Morfin Gaunt †

Romances

Tom Riddle Senior † (husband; unrequited)

Magical characteristics

Powers/skills

• Parselmouth (the ability to speak snakes)

• Charms

• Dark Arts (possibly)

• Potions (can make potions)

• Spells creation (can create spells)

Wand(s)

Unknown length, wood and core

Affiliation

Residence

Gaunt Shack, Outside Little Hangleton, Yorkshire, England, Great Britain

Loyalty

• House of Gaunt (abandoned)

• Riddle Family (formerly)

• Hermione Granger

• Tom Riddle Jr.

Character information

Appearance(s)

• The Mysterious Portrait Of Riddle

• Mischief Mayhem (mentioned)

Portrayed by 

Louise Molinaro

Merope Riddle (née Gaunt) (1907 – 31 December 1926) was a British pure-blood witch, Marvolo Gaunt's daughter, and Morfin's sister. She was a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin and a Parselmouth. Merope grew up in a squalor-ridden shack near Little Hangleton, with her father Marvolo and brother Morfin. Both of them were mentally and physically abusive towards her.

Merope developed an obsessive love for Tom Riddle, a handsome and wealthy Muggle. After both her father and brother were imprisoned in Azkaban, she bewitched and married Tom, getting pregnant. A year into their marriage, Tom Riddle was liberated from the effects of her magic and fled. Merope ended up alone in London and later died at Wool's Orphanage, soon after giving birth to her son whom she named Tom Marvolo Riddle.

Many years after her death, her son (with the name of Lord Voldemort) became the most dangerous Dark wizard of all time.

Magical abilities and skills

• Love: Merope was one of the few members of her family who could feel true and unconditional love, as displayed by her love for Tom Riddle Snr, a Muggle man, despite her family's traditional beliefs about Muggles. However, her passion bordered on obsession, to the point where she would use magic to subjugate her target. This led to her downfall and loss of powers when she naively and incorrectly believed her love would be reciprocated if she freed him of such enslavement. Due to this, her magical powers were sapped when Riddle, freed of bewitchment, left her and she fell into depression.

• Parselmouth: Like her famous ancestor, father, and brother, Merope could talk to snakes, which she later passed on to her son and grandchildren.

• Charms: Merope once attempted to use an inaudible spell to move a pot, which instead shot it across the room, smashed it against the wall, and seemed unable to mend it.

• Dark Arts: Merope used the Imperius Curse (which required powerful magic to be effectively cast) to compel Tom Riddle Senior to fall in love with her. Due to the history of Dark Arts within her family, this was not improbable.

• Potions: Merope used a love potion to make Tom Riddle fall in love with her. If so, this would have proven that Merope was a talented potion-maker.

Relationships

Family

Parents:

Marvolo Gaunt

"Pick it up! That's it, grub on the floor like some filthy Muggle, what's your wand for, you useless sack of muck?"

— Marvolo's verbal abuse after Merope drops a pot.

Marvolo was Merope's father. He was a very abusive father to her daughter except for Morfin a son of Marvolo and brother of Merope. Both Marvolo and his son were very abusive towards Merope because Marvolo claimed she was careless and couldn't use her magic...

Siblings:

Morfin Gaunt

"She likes looking at that Muggle. Always in the garden when he passes, peering through the hedge at him, isn't she? And last night — Hanging out of the window waiting for him to ride home, wasn't she?"

— Morfin talks about Tom Riddle Senior and how her sister fancies him.

Morfin was Merope's brother. He was very abusive towards her sister and did not like it when she started to fancy a muggle man.

Uncles:

Ominis Gaunt

Little Merope: "Where are you going, Uncle Ominis?"

Ominis Gaunt: *sadness look* "A trip, little dove."

Little Merope: *sadness in her voice* "But when are you coming back?"

Ominis Gaunt: "I don't know..."

— Little Merope and her uncle last meet each other before he leaves.

Ominis was Merope's paternal uncle. He was Merope's favourite uncle.

Children:

Tom Marvolo Riddle

Merope Gaunt: "You remind me of someone. I know..."

Tom Riddle: "I am Tom. Tom Riddle. I'm your son!"

Merope Gaunt: *shocked* "OH GOD!!! *walks closer* "My son.."

— Merope and Tom Jr. meet each other for the first time.

Tom was Merope's only son with her estranged husband, Tom Senior.

In-laws:

Merope Gaunt: "You are married to my son?"

Hermione Granger: "Yes, Mrs. Riddle."

Merope Gaunt: "Oh! Please call me Merope."

— Merope and Hermione meet each other for the first time.

Hermione is Merope's daughter-in-law. Nothing is known about their relationship because Merope died giving birth Tom and Hermione never saw her however they meet dreams a couple of times and Hermione summons her spirit for help.