reminder because this is ?? important
a-z headcanons || accepting
HOW ARE THEY ARE REMEMBERING DAILY NEEDS? WHAT FALLS THROUGH THE CRACKS?
so when we see the orphanage in dumbledore’s memory, harry describes it as “thewhole place was shabby but spotlessly clean” (hbp ch.13, p.264) and “[the children] looked reasonably well-cared for, but there was nodenying that this was a grim place in which to grow up” (hbp ch.13, p.268) and tom’s room specifically as “a small bare room with nothingin it except an old wardrobe, a wooden chair, and an iron bedstead” (hbp ch. 13, p.269)
based on this, and what we see mirrored in the film, the orphanage, in which tom spent the first 11 years of his life (and every summer between school terms) in a place that, though it didn’t have much, was still impeccably clean. which suggests routines; whether the children were obligated to help clean or not is speculation, but based on my own years at a catholic school, i know that whenever we’d get in enough trouble our punishments could very well include helping the janitors/custodians with their chores. tom’s room didn’t have it’s own restroom, which also suggests, perhaps, a communal area; he’s never described as being dirty/etc, but we still don’t know if he had his own routines or if they were enforced.
another thing we see in the film are flashes of tom’s possessions (the book with notebook paper just inside the cover, the seven stones placed in a neat line, the photo of the cave) and paired with his mentioned habit “the young tom riddle liked to collect trophies. yousaw the box of stolen articles he had hidden in his room. […] bear in mind thismagpie-like tendency” (hbp ch.13, p.277) i’ve always been under the impression that, in his younger years, he might’ve shown more obvious signs of ocd (or the equivalent) before attending hogwarts. he expanded this to his followers “a motley collection; a mixture of the weak seeking protection, the ambitious seeking some shared glory,and the thuggish gravitating toward a leader who could show themmore refined forms of cruelty” (hbp ch.17, p.362) & the items which, eventually, led to his treasured horcruxes.
it wasn’t until after his graduation from hogwarts and his years of “traveling” that he let his appearance slip, most likely due to his strenuous research: “he disappeared after leaving the school … traveled far and wide … sank so deeply into the dark arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as lord voldemort, he was barely recognizable” (cos) but i believe the change occurred mostly because he valued POWER over physical appearance. not once did he complain about his looks after his resurrection, though many people like to joke that he’s missing his nose, you’ve got to admit he could still most likely slaughter you & your family if he so desired.
so in regards to DAILY NEEDS: if anything, i can see him staying up until the early hours of the morning, devouring the various texts/scrolls spread out across the desk, practicing spells, etc. & he’ll shower in the mornings, most likely routine, not always to the great hall too early but early enough nonetheless (except on days he stays up too late & can’t quite pull an all-nighter, etc) – but i’ve never really liked the trope/fanon that he’s neurotic with keeping his robes in the most pristine condition. he’ll change if there’s something spilled on his robes, and such, but i wouldn’t be surprised if even the dark lord rolled out of bed & sprinted/hurried (w/ dignity lmao) to class with his tie undone or lopsided, etc.
also this is years late so i sort of lost track on where i was going with this ?? ? ?? so ? ? here’s all i’ve got for now.