This sounds familiar have you been in my computer?

 

Yeah, that's me crawlin' in yo Windows, stealin' all yo files...

It's a concept at least as old as the Usual Suspects:

[quote='Verbal' Kint]
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist.
[/quote]

Seriously, Dumbledore is going to 'unmask' him how? His own reputation is just barely repaired from his fall during Harry's 5th year, Gaunt had provided evidence in the form of six Death Eaters and his own head, and if, say, Lucius Malfoy was dragged out of Azkaban, given Veritaserum and asked, "Is this the head of the Dark Lord Voldemort?" he'll say "Yes" without batting an eye.

Scrimgeour isn't an idiot, but with all the Death Eater attacks stopped and a clear victory in his hand, is he really going to say, "Oh, Dumbledore. You're right. That prophecy says that Harry has to kill him. Aurors, arrest that hero!"? No, he'll take the easy win but keep Gaunt on a close watch.

 

You'd have to rationalize how he retrieve his sanity, as he is portrayed as a psychopath in canon.

As for what Dumbledore would do, I think that he would first research the Mr. Gaunt's story to see if it has any truth at all. Naturally, he wouldn't find a shred of truth, so he would go about trying to come up with a way to stop Tom from succeeding at persecuting muggles, magical creatures, and muggleborns.

Though, you could take this a political route, suggesting that Mr. Gaunt's fame for ridding the world of Voldemort protects him from any accusations Dumbledore or the Order of the Phoenix might throw at him. In this case, you could have Tom take a slow and steady approach that use an undercurrent in Wizegamont legislature to slowly transform the Wizarding World into the image he so desires.

All this, of course, depends on you actually coming up with a believable rationalization for how he reverted from lunatic back to an enigmatic young man.

Hell, if he gains his sanity and goes about it right, Dumbledore might trying taking him under his wing. After all, Dumbledore is one to preach about second chances.

 

If Dumbledore wasn't such a pussy, he'd just assassinate him. It would be a lot easier, now that Voldemort was a public figure.

But then he wouldn't be Dumbledore, I suppose.

In any case, you asked how he would unmask him. Consider this: Dumbledore and Harry have recently been vindicated in the eyes of the public after Voldemort outed himself. Their reputations aren't suffering, if anything, they should command more sway than they did before Fudge started his smear campaign against them. Dumbledore and Harry Potter accusing Voldemort of malicious intent may not blow his whole plan out of the water, but it would certainly cast a shadow of doubt upon him.

Additionally, by this time Dumbledore has already collected all the information on Voldemort's past that we've seen in canon. Combine his memories of the Gaunts, the Ministry records of their misdeeds, and the mysterious deaths of the Riddles (along with Dumbledore's memory of Morfin's innocence) and you've got a pretty serious case against him.

Scrimgeour isn't Fudge, he isn't going to blow them off for fear of inciting another panic. That would be repeating exactly the same mistake his predecessor made, and he really isn't that stupid.

 

I like this idea of Gabriel Gaunt.

As for Dumbledore unmasking him, I think if Voldemort would go with this plan he would make it rather hard for Albus to prove that Gaunt is actually the Dark Lord. Sure, given enough time it's inevitable, but let's not forget that time is something that Dumbledore doesn't have. Tom completely changes rules of the game when Albus is readying for his end moves.

It has a potential for a great story showing them both in a battle of wits with Dumbledore as a sort of underdog.

 

Really, the only way I see it working is a short crack piece, or maybe something vaguely similar to nonjon's A Black Comedy. That said, I reckon it could be pretty damn funny if written by someone who is actually quite amusing as opposed to the standard crappy humour we see nowadays throughout ffn.

Either that, or you could make it into Voldemort seeking a sort of redemption, in order to heal his soul, but still carrying the same beliefs, just in a more 'peaceful' light.

I'd read it anyway, but that's just my thoughts on it.

 

Perhaps Voldemort should choose another name than Gaunt to hide his real identity. The story might work if Dumbledore has nothing more than suspicions that the hero isn't who he claims to be.

 

I'd see the story working more before his first fall. He establish himself as a villain (no one ever really saw him) and has a small group of Death Eaters he uses. British ministry is bad tripping because of this new Dark Lord that inspire terror and brings death.

Suddenly, Tom Marvolo Riddle ''comes'' back from his travel and decides to use his magical prowess to bring an end to Voldemort. He brings the head of Voldemort and his closest followers (the only one who knew Riddle from his time at Hogwarts and know he is actually Voldemort). All hail Tom Riddle, Slayer of Voldemort!

Proclaim a hero, he proceed to find a job in the ministry. Dumbledore can't do much about it since he has no proof (no one ever saw the face of Voldemort or he was using glamour every time/etc.). He is force to watch as Riddle gain more and more power in the ministry.

 

What I don't understand is why he would go anywhere near anything that might be associated with Lord Voldemort. Taking the name Gaunt just seems like a needless jibe at Dumbledore. Of course if this starts before HBP then it's possible he might not know that Dumbledore has connected him to the Gaunts, but it still seems like a stupid risk.

But my biggest worry about this plot bunny is, bleugh politics. Seriously it's so vary rarely written well that I really worry about any fic that is so focused on a political battle. That's not to say it can't be done, but it makes me wary.

 

The trouble with fics like this this is that political muddle often overshadows the actual storyline; stories like these can quickly become info-dumps.

Showing the story, while at the same time describing how the political systems works, is the way to do this - and it'd be bloody hard to pull off.

There's also the whole "making characters jump through hoops" - a storyline that forces characters to do things that aren't in their natures, just to advance the plot, is always doomed to failure.

Old 50's films, such as the Creature from the Black Lagoon, are rife with this sort of problem.

 

nonjon already did this and his way is the only way in which I can see this working.

 

Hmmm, I just thought about something. Evil House Elves. Generation after generation undermining the wizards ability to live alone and to care for themselves, weakening them for the eventual battle for world dominance. Kinda like crabpeople.

 

So... House Elves are conditioning us to be metrosexual?

 

Indeed. Ever wondered about Lucius hair?

 

I have now.

Fucking write it.

 

You know watching Green Lantern movie I get an idea.

After defeating Grindewald, Dumbledore visits him. They get to talking and Grindewald says something about wizards not growing up anymore because of muggle. It disturbs DD because he realises it is true so he starts to look for a differen way and eventually finds a way to go to different a planet which is empty. With DD spearheading the effort wizarding world leaves Earth for newly named Avalon. Thought it takes time.

fastfoward Harry Potter at 11 is one of the last wizards at Earth is coming to a very different world. A world where dragons and other animals roams freely. Where adventure is everyday occurence. A bit like Taure's lord of magic with a dash of Stargate Nox thrown in.


I mean really Wizards of HP could easily pull it if Green lanterns could. Their abilities similar enough. All it needs to do is a little scaling up. It would be fun to explore entirely new world full of new things.

 

I'm confused by this 'wizards not growing up' part. Explain?

 

Sounds like he means they stopped progressing as a society/species, while the muggles steadily marched forward with development of things like technology, warfare, communication, etcetera.

I like the concept Tasoli proposes and wouldn't mind seeing it go somewhere.

 

I assumed he meant the society doesn't change - the rather common cliche where we get someone (often H or Hr) say "Oh buy you are all stuck in medieval times, let me lecture you on why you all suck".

It could be interesting, having a wizard planet. However, a few things to work through:
- different cultures. Do the ex-Chinese wizards cast spells in faux-latin and with a wand?
- why? Is going to another planet suddenly going to change everything about the Wizarding World?
- muggleborns. They aren't going to live in a castle in Scotland now, they're going to another Solar system - further than normal people have ever been.
- "though it takes time" - why?. Either the wizards can create portkeys to carry a crapload of stuff, or they can't. If they can't, and they have to take hundred of trips, I don't see why they'd do so, especially the pureblood families with multiple properties and the like. If they can take everything at once, then it should take next to no time at all, at least, once the planet has been found.
Which leads to...
- how do they pick a planet? They don't have a clear idea of where they are going, so apparition is out. There aren't fireplaces there, so flooing is out. The Knight Bus probably can't get there. And wizards don't have spaceships.


I'd probably give it a go if you wrote it, but I can't see why the major plot point exists.

 

You are spot on. I meant this^ -for those confused about my other post.

Like I said ıt came to me after watching Green Lantern specifally where we see OA planet. Than I tought about Asgard from Thor movie. and I was like "Hey Potterverse Wizards could do all of that too why aren't baddass like them than. I mean c'mon man who doesn't want to see Magical Word rather than magical street we got? Not to mention destroyed nature also kills magical animals and muggles destroys more and more of the nature everyday. Think the unicorns man.

They keep most of their cultures but mostly they are like schools of magic with more bleedover. (as in Western school of magic -Hogwarts and co-, Eastern school of magic -chinese japanese-, Southern -african,latin american, indian american-)

There is first class transportation. They can come and go. It is rather like long flight tough rather expensive.

Mostly to convice people to leave. I mean govermant can decide all it wants if people doesn't want to they don't. DD is spearhead so there will be a lot of supporters. Also was thinking it would requare a new transport system. How bout two way Veil of Death?

About Purebloods. They will resist at first than realise that they can sell their stuff here and buy entire countrys for them to rule over like noblety on other side. It would be a plot point of the story. Conflict btween rich purebloods who rules over countryside and more mixed group in city(ies) who argues for more democratic system.

I have no clue. Little devil on my left says say some vague bullshit and gloss it over by not mentioning it.

Not everything but a lot of things for sure. As much as Taure's Lords of Magic story at least. I mean they suddenly stop hiding like overnight. They could go nuts with any kind of magic they wish. Like this;