While this may seem preposterous, I want to critique the cultural competency of

the PCL-YV as it pertains to the Wizarding community. I believe Tom Riddle’s

malicious ambition toward immorality, and adult sentimentality toward his youthful
deviance communicate psychopathy, but the current checklist fails to incorporate these
prevalent measures due to cultural incompetence.

Within the Harry Potter series two “dark” wizards sought to gain control of the
Dealthy Hallows: Gellert Grindelwald and Tom Riddle. The Dealthy Hallows are three
powerful magical objects supposedly created by Death and when possessed make the
owner the Master of Death. The items are the Elder Wand (considered unbeatable), the
Resurrection Stone (which summons spirits of the dead), and the Cloak of Invisibility
(renders its user completely untraceable). Grindelwald is considered the second most
dangerous wizard and has a similar history to Riddle with his dark experimentation,
control of others, and quest for the Dealthy Hallows. Grindelwald intended to create a
global hierarchy that would have revolutionized the International Statute of Secrecy and
established the Wizarding community as dominant over Muggles. He committed
numerous crimes, including several murders, in his quest for the Dealthy Hallows and the
power they would bring. Riddle’s mentality showed an ‘othering’ of death, as he
impressed that his mother “could not be a witch if she had succumbed to the shameful
human weakness of death” (Book 6, p. 363). Both Riddle and Grindelwald sought
immorality and invincibility. Why? I believe this is a feature of psychopathy in the
Wizarding community. Unlike the Muggle community (which the PCL-YV was intended
for) the Wizarding community can achieve immortality through extraordinary means and
magical artifacts. These include the Dealthy Hallows and the Sorceror’s Stone – an object
that provides the Elixir of Life and extends ones lifetime. Within the Muggle world, there
are no means of evading death, it is an inevitable equalizer that is altogether ignored. It
would be a delusional waste of time for a psychopath to focus their cunning nature
toward achieving this impossibility. In the Wizarding world immortality is a possibility
and the two dark wizards presented in the series aspire to evade death. This aspiration
feeds into their grandiose sense of self (since they believe they are worthy of living
forever) and demands violent and deviant behavior to achieve. Aspirations toward
Immortality should be a PCL-YV item as it communicates a psychopathic trait found
only within the Wizarding world that does not present within the Muggle world.

Lord Voldemort consistently displayed a preoccupation with and preservation of

his youthful deviance and crimes. I believe this should be considered sentimentality
present in psychopaths. This sentimentality was initiated with Tom’s detailed research
into his family history. His quest for information concerning his biological family, the
Gaunts’, yielded him no relationship (as his history proves he is unable), but it did
provide him with a family heirloom that he was especially proud of. Lord Voldemort’s
diary, ring, and locket horcruxes show his attachment and sentimentality toward his
background and development as Tom Riddle. The ring and locket indicate a heritage he
discovered at this age and was especially proud of. This heritage gave him supposed
superiority due to the ‘pureblood’ maintenance and passed down the valuable ability of
Parseltongue. The diary is Voldemort’s largest indication of sentimentality as it is a literal
preservation of himself in youth. Voldemort made it with the intention of resurrecting
Tom Riddle and carrying on with his criminal pursuits of the Chamber of Secrets. This
practice of revering his development communicates Voldemort’s psychopathic traits and
preference for psychopathic behavior. I believe Sentimentality Toward Deviance
Committed in Youth would be an enlightening item on the PCL-R as it communicates the
pride psychopaths feel toward their antisocial development. It is possible Voldemort’s
orientation toward his self as Tom Riddle is a feature of psychopathy only present within
the Wizarding world. Ages 12-18 are the stage of life where personality is tried and tested
in response to situations not directly administered by one’s family. A witch or wizards
personality is supremely shaped by their introduction to magic at Hogwarts. It is the first
time their magical powers are tested outside of one’s home life, and is the first time
magical information is given that sparks their motivations for their lifetime. For
Voldemort, his introduction to the Dark Arts and Salazar Slytherin’s pureblood
domination during his youth correlated with his psychopathic personality. The mentality
introduced in his youth became a permanent fixture in his adult behavior. It is likely that
other cultures have an impactful and illuminating youth similar to the Wizarding world,
and that psychopaths commit crimes in sentimentality with their development.