Ginny and the Basilisk (was: tell me why... (about the Basilisk))

[Ginny Gryffindor]

No: HPFGUIDX 27597


--- btk6y at v....  wrote:

Hey all- don't know if this has been discussed, but I was rereading 
CoS and it occurred to me that Harry might have gone through a lot of 
trauma unnecessarily at the end of the book.  The basilisk is only 
supposed to be able to be controlled by the Heir of Slytherin, right?
 
And how does the Heir of Slytherin control it?  By speaking 
Parseltongue.  
<snip!>
I personally think that Parseltongue is the key to controlling the basilisk and Harry should have tried to talk to it (of course, easy for me to say now). Anyway, thoughts are welcome and hopefully this hasn't already been discussed to death- thanks.

***  I'm a newbie, so please forgive me for bringing up this topic if
     it has been discussed already.  I hope the difficulty of sifting
     through 25,000+ messages to find some answers is reason enough
     not to get a howler from a list elf.  I'm also kinda nervous,
     putting up this topic 'cause I tend to just lurk and reply once
     in a while.  Am still awestruck by all the smart people here.
     I think I suffer from some sort of "HPforGrownups Newbie Syndrome".
     But I know there are a lot of patient and helpful people here, so 
     I think I'll risk it.  Here I go....

     We know that in CoS, Ginny was "taken over" by Tom Riddle and
     the memories preserved in his diary.  And we also know that 
     "Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets.  She strangled the
     roosters and daubed threatening messages on the walls.  She set
     the Serpent of Slytherin on four mudbloods and the Squib's cat."
     (from CoS, Chapter 17 - The Heir of Slytherin).  

     So as an offshoot to the thread started above, my question is:  
     How did Ginny do it all? Opening the Chamber and commanding the 
     basilisk requires Parselmouth abilities (logically) and you 
     probably have to be the Heir of Slytherin to do it all.  Being 
     taken over by Riddle, does that mean she can now speak Parseltongue 
     to be able to command the basilisk? Did Riddle sort of give her 
     some of his powers when he started "pouring some of his soul into 
     her" like what happened when Voldemort cursed Harry?  If that 
     didn't happen, then what "mechanism/process" did she utilize to 
     commit all those acts?

     Any idea will be greatly appreciated.  And if this has been 
     discussed before, my apologies again.  ***

***  Going OT, just wanted to say Hello to Gissy and her guy!  It's
     your little sister here.  Hi also to Dianne (from my other HP
     list, and my classmate in Basic Alchemy at HOL).
     Also, congratulations (and a shower of fireworks from my wand)
     to Steve Vander Ark for a very informative and very well-put-
     together site.  ***

____________________
:-) ginnygryff
(keeping her fingers crossed, and now fervently researching for a
 spell that will protect her from List Elf Howlers or a shower of
 rotten tomatoes)



















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