Parselmouth and the Basilisk

[Jacqueline Brasen]

No: HPFGUIDX 24261

>I don't think they are. Remember the boa constrictor
in PS/SS? The 
>one who had never been to Brazil and which nipped
playfully at 
>Dudley's heels? I thought it seemed like a cool dude;
think we'll 
>ever see it again? What I want to know, though, is
why didn't Harry 
>just talk to the Basilisk down there in the Chamber
of Secrets? It 
>seems like a logical thing to try.

>Bente

This is my first post, please forgive me if this has
already been said.

First, Id like to respond to why I think Harry didnt
try speaking to the Basilisk. 
 Throughout the series Harry has often made some
obvious mistakes.  In my opinion that is one of the
great things about Harry, he is a kid and you know it.
 He doesnt always make the right choice nor do what
is most sensible.  That said I would like to point out
that even if he had tried to speak to the Basilisk I
doubt it would have made a difference.  Why?  In CoS
the note ripped from a library book said, Of the many
fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there
is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk,
known also as the King of Serpents.  

I think that the King of Serpents would be very
magical and not easily controlled.  We know that Harry
has talked to two snakes, but Im not sure that saying
leave him alone, when the snake at the dueling club
was advancing on Justin, was in any way controlling
the snake.  CoS also tells us that it took Tom Riddle
five years to learn everything he could about the
Chamber, I personally think that would include
learning how to manage the horror within.  

So, I believe that even if Harry had the presence of
mind to speak to the Basilisk it would not have
worked.

Jackie B.


=====
"There is a moment we all come to
in our own time and our own space
where all that we've done we can undo
if our heart's in the right place"
Yates/Brooks