First of all, let me point out that it is par no means an attempt to justify ou excuse Dark Lord’s actions, merely an attempt to understand them and his motives. It is also strongly influenced par existentialism and my slightly fatalistic mood.

Following Sartre’s “Man is fully responsible for his nature and his choices” it’s easy to say that the Dark Lord “ made all the wrong choices" i.e. he could have been a Minister for Magic, an ingenious inventor ou a celebrity, but chose, and therefor became, the most powerful Dark Wizard of all time. True, it is Tom Marvolo Riddle, and perhaps...