A Comprehensive Voldemort Character Bio

Harry Potter is a widely acclaimed film series based on eponymous novels by J.K. Rowling. It consists of 8 fantasy movies released from 2001 to 2011, distributed by Warner Bros. The Harry Potter franchise became one the most successful and popular franchises, garnering billions in revenue worldwide. The books and the movies received a remarkable amount of positive reviews from the general audience and critics. 

The story is set in the late 20th century and depicts a fictional world of magic filled with Wizards, Witches, and Muggles. It revolves around an 11-year-old orphaned Wizarding Genius, Harry Potter, his journey in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and his battle against the most dangerous Dark Wizard to ever exist, the Lord Voldemort. 

Harry Potter series is widely praised for its fantastic storyline, set design, costumes, cinematography, direction, and visuals. One of the most remarkable aspects of the series is its character portrayal. The characters, their backstories, their development; everything is top-notch. 

Tom Marvolo Riddle (aka Lord Voldemort), an English-born Half-blood Wizard, considered the most powerful and dangerous Dark Wizard, was the main antagonist in the series. His quest for immortality and power led him to perform the vilest acts ever known in the world of magic. He is still known as the most hated villain of all time. 

Lord Voldemort Quick Facts

Full Name: Tom Marvolo Riddle

Birth Date: 31 December 1926

Birthplace: Wool’s Orphanage, London, England, Great Britain

Also Known As/Alias: 

• Lord Voldemort (Self-proclaimed title and chosen name)
• You-Know-who (by Wizarding Community)
• He-who-must-not-be-named (by Wizarding Community)
• The Dark Lord
• Chief Death Eater 
• Heir of Slytherin

Death Date: 2 May 1998

Death Place: Great Hall, Hogwarts Castle, Highlands, Scotland, Great Britain.

Age When The Series Start:

Zodiac sign: Capricorn

Siblings: None

Children: Delphini (Daughter)

Partner/Spouse: Bellatrix Lestrange (Partner) 

Most Memorable Moment:

• Return/Rebirth of Lord Voldemort (24 June 1995, Lord Voldemort was restored to his Physical Form and Full magical power, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
• Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort Duel (2 May 1998, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- part 2)
• Voldemort and Dumbledore duel (Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix, Voldemort and Dumbledor Duel in the Ministry of Magic)

Magical Heritage: Half-Blood

Hogwarts House: Slytherin

Wand: 

• 13 1/2″, Yew, phoenix feather core
• Elm, dragon heartstring (Temporary)
• Elder, 15″, Thestral tail hair core (Temporary, Never Mastered)

Patronus: None

Actors Who Played: 

• Ralph Fiennes
• Richard Bremmer (Flashback, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone)
• Ian Hart (Voice and Likeness, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone)
• Christian Coulson (Teenager, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets)
• Hero Fiennes-Tiffin (Child, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince))
• Frank Dillane (Teenager, Film 6)

Lord Voldemort Birthplace/Parents

Tom Marvolo Riddle, aka Lord Voldemort, was born to Tom Riddle Snr. and Merope Riddle (Gaunt) on 31 December 1926 at Wool’s Orphanage in London. His mother, a witch, died immediately after giving birth to him, and he was raised at that Muggle-run Orphanage. 

Tom’s father was a wealthy muggle living in a village called Little Hangleton, near Gaunt Shack. 

Tom’s maternal grandfather, Marvolo Gaunt (after whom he was named), and maternal uncle, Morfin Gaunt, from the House of Gaunt, were the last known male Slytherin. They were the pure-blood descendants of Salazar Slytherin by the early twentieth century. 

Lord Voldemort Physical Traits

In Childhood And Early Adulthood

Tom Marvolo Riddle, in his childhood and early adulthood, was tall and handsome with jet black hair, pale skin, and dark eyes. He resembled his father, and his distinguishing features were his long fingers, high-pitched voice, and stern laugh.

In His Late 20’s

His good looks faded away with his indulgence in Dark Arts. When he visited Dumbledore about 10 years after leaving school, his features looked distorted and became waxy and reptilian. His skin became white, and the sclera of his eyes took on a bloody appearance. 

Before Regaining His Body

Before he recovered his body from Wormtail’s rebirthing potion, he had the shape of a crouched human child. But, in fact, he looked nothing like a child. That “baby” form was hairless, and his skin was scaly-looking, dark, raw, and red. His arms and legs were thin and frail, and his face was snake-like, with blazing red eyes.

After His Rebirth/The Lord Voldemort

After regaining his body, his features became even more distorted. He had pale white skin, a thin body, and dark scarlet eyes with cat-like slits for pupils. His face resembled a chalk-colored skull, and his hands had unnaturally long fingers. He had no hair, lips, or nose (only snake-like slits for nostrils). He used to wear a black hooded cloak and didn’t wear any shoes.

His monstrous and hideous appearance was owed to him splitting his soul several times to create Horcruxes. It was also a result of undergoing several dangerous magical transformations. 

Lord Voldemort Early Life (1926 To 1938)

Tom Marvolo Riddle, aka Lord Voldemort, grew up in a dreary orphanage, unaware of his wizarding heritage. 

Even though he was unaware of his background, he still had a grasp over his abilities and could control them as well. He could move objects and make them float without touching them. He could manipulate animals and speak Parseltongue. He was notorious for being a bully, a thief, and he enjoyed inflicting harm on other orphans. He was always an ‘unusual’ kid.

Discovery Of Being A Wizard

Albus Dumbledore made Tom realize his magical background and that he was a wizard and invited him to Hogwarts.

He was not surprised at learning that he was a Wizard. He always believed that he had unique gifts that no one else had, and he was distinctive and superior. Tom even disliked his name as it was, in his eyes, a prevalent name. Moreover, he hated the human characteristics and loathed the idea of death, considering it a human weakness. 

Lord Voldemort Hogwarts Years (1938 To 1945)

In Hogwarts, Tom was allocated to house Slytherin, and he immediately became known as a brilliant student. He charmed the teachers at Hogwarts. Even Dumbledor once mentioned that he was the most brilliant student Hogwarts ever had. 

A Gang Of Thugs

In Hogwarts, Tom started gathering a group of thugs from the house Slytherin. He called it a group of “the weak seeking protection, the ambitious seeking some shared glory, and the thuggish gravitating toward a leader who could show them more refined forms of cruelty.” They later became the part of Lord Voldemort’s army called “Death Eaters.”

Hatred For His Heritage

Tom hated his father and called him a “filthy muggle.” He got rid of his muggle name and referred to himself as “Lord Voldemort” (an anagram of his real name). Many believed that hatred for his father led him to evil. Tom was a descendent of Salazar Slytherin through his mother’s side, a fact he took great pride in and called himself her true heir.

Murder Of Riddle Family

Upon learning the reality of his father from his uncle Morfin Gaunt, Tom became furious to the extent of seeking revenge. Using his uncle’s wand, he killed his father, grandfather, and grandmother with the Killing Curse. In addition, he framed Morfin by altering his memory, causing him to believe that he was the killer. Finally, Tom took the Gaunt family’s signet ring and created a Horcrux.

After Hogwarts Years

The Transformation

After leaving Hogwarts, Tom requested Dippet to allow him to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, a request that Dippet rejected.

He then started working at a dark magic shop named Borgin and Burkes on Knockturn Alley, much to everyone’s surprise. Tom used to find valuable objects for the lowest price possible. However, he unexpectedly left the job and vanished after killing Hepzibah Smith for a gold locket belonging to Slytherin and a gold cup belonging to Helga Hufflepuff. He used these items to create Horcruxes.

Disappearance

Tom then disappeared for approximately 10 years and traveled across the world, sinking deeper into Dark Arts and exploring the evil laid behind it. He met the evilest of Wizards and Witches and underwent so many magical transformations that his physical form became distorted. He emerged as the “Lord Voldemort” after this.

The First Rise Of Lord Voldemort (1970’s To 1981)

Death Eaters

By the early 70s, Lord Voldemort had gathered a growing group of thuggish followers called the Death Eaters. They were his army, alongside the werewolves, dementors, and an army of the dead called Inferi. 

Everyone feared him across Britain, and people dared not to take his name and often referred to him as ‘He-who-must-not-be-named”.

The First Wizarding War

Voldemort’s reemergence was marked by disappearances, violence, and terror. He and his minions attacked everyone who stood up to them or defended the rights of Muggles and Muggle-born wizards. They used the Dark Mark to mark the terrible scenes of torture and murder so that no one else would dare to oppose them. As a result, families were wiped out, and many more were forced to flee. This war continued for 11 years.

Lord Voldemort emerged as ‘mightier than any living Wizard,’ and his era was filled with deaths and darkness.

The Prophecy And The First Fall From Grace

“The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…”

Sybill Trelawney gave Albus Dumbledore this Prophecy ten years into the war, when Voldemort was at the pinnacle of his power, predicting Voldemort’s fall. Severus Snape heard half of the Prophecy and relayed it to Lord Voldemort. Voldemort decided to find and kill that child.

He believed that one-year-old Harry Potter was that child. So, he killed Lily and James Potter. When he was about to kill Harry using the Avada Kedavra curse, it rebounded on him and obliterated his body. So. Voldemort was beaten for the first time after eleven years of dominance and warfare.

A shard of his soul broke away from the rest. It clung to Harry Potter, which provided Harry with some of Voldemort’s power and a latent connection with his mind.

Voldemort lost his physical body and magical abilities, but he lived on in the guise of a ghost. His spirit was confined to the human world by the Horcruxes he had constructed.

Missing Years: (1981 To 1994)

Voldemort retreated to the forests of Albania, waiting for his Death Eaters to come and rescue him, much to his disappointment. His army was either killed or confined in Azkaban, and the rest refused to recognize the allegiance. He inhabited animals like snakes to keep himself alive.

Second Defeat By Harry Potter: (1991 To 1992)

Voldemort wanted to get the Philosopher stone to create an Elixir, which would allow him to transform back into physical form. He infiltrated Hogwarts. While possessing Quirrell’s body, he battled Harry in front of the Mirror of Erised for the Stone. Voldemort couldn’t touch Harry without inflicting excruciating pain on himself. Dumbledore rescued Harry and later destroyed the Stone.

The Rebirth Of Lord Voldemort

Lord Voldemort hatched a plan with his loyal Death Eater, Peter Pettigrew, to form a potion to regenerate his body. He made a transient potion with unicorn blood and Nagini’s venom to achieve a primal body (a scaly baby-like form). However, he needed a potion consisting of a bone from his father, flesh from his servant, and blood from his enemy for complete regeneration. He chose Harry Potter as his enemy and lured him into Little Hangleton Graveyard for his rebirthing. The potion worked, and Lord Voldemort emerged in a new body. Voldemort summoned his remaining Death Eaters to a meeting and demanded their renewed allegiance. Harry managed to escape successfully. 

The Loss Of Prophecy And Possession Of Harry Potter

Lord Voldemort wanted to get the Prophecy, a feat in which he failed with the Prophecy getting destroyed. He dueled with Harry, Dumbledore, and the Order of the Phoenix on his way. 

Voldemort successfully possessed Harry’s body, but Harry’s loving heart and acceptance of death proved to be adverse to Voldemort, and he managed to escape. Voldemort backed off with many of his Death Eaters killed or imprisoned in the Azkaban.

The Second Wizarding War

With the help of Severus Snape, Voldemort got Dumbledore’ killed; (he didn’t die actually, and Snape was actually an informer for Dumbledore). Voldemort emerged again and gained control over Ministry. It was the beginning of the second Wizarding War. A new reign of terror had begun, and Voldemort aimed at nothing less than killing his nemesis, Harry Potter. So, he secured the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand to ever exist, to defeat Harry.

Voldemort realized that Dumbledore and Harry knew about Horcruxes and were able to destroy four of them. This made him frantic, and he was ready to do anything to avenge his failure. 

The Final Battle At Hogwarts

Voldemort attacked Hogwarts for their refusal to give Harry up, and the Battle at Hogwarts began. The school was attacked by Voldemort’s army of Death Eaters, werewolves, giants, and Acromantulas, with Voldemort commanding from the Shrieking Shack.

Harry witnessed the death of Severus Snape, recollected his memories, and realized how Snape had protected him and that he was himself a Horcrux for Voldemort’s soul. He battled Voldemort and got killed (it was only the Horcrux inside him got destroyed, and Harry was still alive). He was sent to a place between life and death and saw Voldemort there in a feeble, whimpering form. He went back once again to kill already weakened Voldemort. 

The Final Duel

Although Voldemort got hold of the Elder Wand, he could never master it. So instead, Harry used the Expelliarmus during the duel, which summoned the wand to its true master Harry. When Voldemort used the spell Avada Kedavra, it bounced back and killed him.

Voldemort’s dead body was taken to a separate chamber away from the Great Hall. His mutilated soul got trapped in a Limbo from where he could not move nor return to the land as a ghost. The Lord Voldemort, who feared nothing but death, faced a more dreadful fate. 

Lord Voldemort Family

Lord Voldemort never married or never had any romantic relationship with anyone. However, he shared an unconventional relationship with one of his most Loyal “Death Eaters,” Bellatrix Lestrange. They conceived a daughter together, Delphini.

Bellatrix Lestrange

Bellatrix Lestrange was one of Voldemort’s most loyal and trusted Death Eaters. Voldemort even entrusted her with one of the Horcrux he had created (although she was unaware of it). Her loyalty to Lord Voldemort was exceptional. 

Bellatrix was in love with Voldemort and was even sexually attracted to him. Lord Voldemort did hold Bellatrix in greater importance and used to have at least superficial affection for her.

However, Voldemort was a selfish, egotistical, and self-centered man, and he did not feel any human connection with anyone. Therefore, there is a possibility that her relationship with Bellatrix was implied or that he just enjoyed her praising him.

It was revealed years later after their death that Voldemort and Bellatrix did engage in an intimate relationship and conceived a daughter, Delphini. This relationship was likely a reward for her undying loyalty to him. In addition, he wanted to extend the Slytherin bloodline. He considered Bellatrix a compatible mate due to her blood relations and her being a powerful witch.

Delphini

Delphini was the daughter of Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange. He died while she was still a baby, so much is unknown about their relationship.

However, in the alternate timeline created by Scorpius and Dumbledore, Voldemort was still alive and had put Delphini (known as Augurey in this timeline) in charge of the Ministry of Magic.

Nevertheless, She served as a loyal and faithful servant to Voldemort in that alternate timeline. Although Voldemort disliked the idea of love and becoming attached to anyone, and he desired immortality, he might have had a daughter to continue the Slytherin Bloodline.

Another possible reason Voldemort had a daughter was that he may have been intellectually raved by the prospect of a student with similar abilities and potential to himself. It left him showcasing his vanity and ego even more because he had no living relatives whose abilities he could compare or learn from.

Lord Voldemort’s Magical Abilities

In Albus Dumbledore’s words, Tom Riddle, aka Voldemort, was the brightest student ever attending Hogwarts. He was unrivaled in his skills in Dark Arts and was called the most powerful and dangerous Dark Wizard. His megalomania and self-obsession led wizards and witches to fear him. 

Magical Mastery

Even before he knew he was a Wizard, he could control objects with his mind from a young age. He could move them, talk to animals, speak Parseltongue and perform feats no one his age could think of. His profound capability for evil and destruction, and his lack of morals, combined with immense magical power and deadly skills, made him known as unbeatable (up until the arrival of Harry Potter). He was feared across all of Britain. Only Dumbledore stood equal/superior to him in magical capabilities, and even in their duel, he could hold him back. 

Dark Arts

Voldemort was highly skilled in Dark Arts. His expert knowledge of Dark Arts led to his ability to create multiple Horcruxes. Furthermore, he raised an army of Inferi and used all three questionable Curses. He could perform the Cruciatus Curse, Imperius curse, and the most dangerous Killing Curse.

Potions

Voldemort had exceptional knowledge of Potions. He guided Pettigrew to brew the Regeneration Potion that resurrected him to full power and corporeal form (Lord Voldemort’s rebirth). In addition, he could make Emerald Potion (or the Drink of Despair), which he used to protect Slytherin’s locket in the Horcruxes cave. Another Potion he was highly skillful in making was the Rudimentary Potion. He instructed Peter to brew it to enable him to assume an extraordinarily feeble and barely-alive form.

Charms

Lord Voldemort was also highly skilled in the art of Charms. Some of his famous ones were Disillusionment Charm, Summoning Charm, Disarming Charm, Shield Charm, and Silencing Charm. 

Memory Modification

Voldemort was highly adept at modifying the memories of others for his own benefits, as he did with his uncle Morfin Gaunt. Memory Modification of Bertha Jorkins was another accomplishment he had, and Dumbledore himself praised him for this skill.

Occlumency And Legilimency

Voldemort was exceptionally gifted in the use of Occlumency and Legilimency. He was able to virtually shield his own mind and infiltrate the minds of others. Even Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore, the experts in Legillimency, could not penetrate his mind. He could delve and peer deep into the minds of others and could even influence the minds he entered.

Parseltongue

Parseltongue, the ability to understand and converse with snakes was another skill Voldemort had ever since his childhood. It was a trait he inherited from his ancestor, Salazar Slytherin. This power was one that he preferred as it allowed him to communicate with the serpent of Slytherin and his loyal pet snake and Horcrux Nagini (who committed horrific actions on his behalf)

Immortality/Horcruxes

From an early Childhood, Voldemort loathed the idea of death and considered it a human weakness. His obsession with immortality led him to commit evils the human mind could not fathom. He was the only wizard who created seven Horcruxes (splitting his soul into seven parts).

Voldemort’s Horcruxes:

Diary: Killed Moaning Myrtle in 1943 to create the first Horcrux.

Ring: Killed his father, Tom Riddle Snr. To make the second Horcrux.

Diadem: Killed an Albanian peasant in 1945 to create the third Horcrux.

Cup: Killed Hepzibah Smith in 1946 to create the Horcrux.

Locket: Killed Muggle Tramp in 1946 to create the 5th Horcrux.

The Scar On Harry’s Head: In 1981, Voldemort tried killing Harry Potter, but his curse rebounded, resulting in the creation of the 6th Horcrux. Voldemort was unaware of it.

Nagini: Killed Bertha Jorkins in 1994 to create Nagini, his pet snake, the most loyal Death Eater, and his 7th Horcrux.

Other Skills

Voldemort was highly skillful at Flying, Transfiguration, Alchemy, Wandless and non-verbal magic, Spell creation, Alchemy, Apparition, and power of possession. He was undoubtedly the greatest and most dangerous wizard with immense powers and skills.

His Charisma, physical aptitude, intellectual ability, and leadership skills were something he took great pride in. 

Lord Voldemort Wands

Lord Voldemorts’s Wand was made of Yew Wood. It was 13 1/2 inches long, and its core consisted of one of Fawkes (Phoenix) feathers. Voldemort shared a similar wand core with Harry Potter (his wand was a ‘twin’ of Harry’s wand). From 1997 till his death, he used a series of wands to circumvent Harry Potter’s wand. 

Voldemort’s Search For Elder Wand

The Elder Wand, the most powerful to ever exist, was the one Lord Voldemort desired. He desperately needed it to defeat Harry and possess it permanently to establish his status as the most powerful wizard the world had ever seen.

His obsession with finding the Elder wand led him to kill many people. Finally, he acquired it but was never able to master it.

Appearances In Books

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (First identified as Tom Riddle)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Order of Pheonix
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Appears in flashback(s))
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Appearances In The Movies

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone (movie)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (movie) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (movie)
• Harry Potter and the Order of Pheonix (movie)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Appears in flashback(s))
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Play)

Lord Voldemort’s Famous Quotes

• “….You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father’s name forever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother’s side?…. No, Harry. I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world! “..

—Tom Riddles’ transformation into Lord Voldemort.

• “I have experimented; I have pushed the boundaries of magic further, perhaps, than they have ever been pushed —” 

— Voldemort, regarding the magical experimentation he did while abroad.

• “I remember only forcing myself, sleeplessly, endlessly, second by second, to exist. … I settled in a faraway place, in a forest, and I waited… Surely, one of my faithful Death Eaters would try and find me… one of them would come and perform the magic I could not, to restore me to a body .., but I waited in vain. …“

— Voldemort admonished his Death Eaters for failing to resurrect him soon.

Frequently Asked Questions