basilisk

[aiz24 at hotmail.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 8940

readbaby asks:

>whats the point of harry being able to speak parseltounge if he
>doesnt tell basilik to kill tom morvolo riddle? can tommy die also if
>he looks into the snakes eyes?

I don't think Tom can be killed in any of the usual ways, because he 
isn't alive, he's just a memory.  That's why to "kill" him H has to 
stab the diary.  (Notice that this doesn't kill Voldemort--it can't 
affect the real-world Riddle.)

The second time I read CoS I wondered whether *Tom* could kill 
*Harry*--if he could, why did he sic the basilisk on him and get all 
upset when it was distracted by Fawkes?--why not just curse him?  He 
seems to be capable, if not of Avada Kedavra (he's only 16 after all), 
then of something, because he's about to kill Harry with his own wand 
when Harry stabs the diary.  Maybe he just likes to do things via 
snake.

Amy Z.