Mrs Norris

[jodel at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 46840

Carol asks:
<< This part still gives me a bit of a problem.  Exactly how has Tom 
enchanted Ginny to do what he wants?  Is he in her mind somehow?  I had 
always been under the impression that he has simply charmed her to do what he 
wants her to do.  But unless he is somehow in her head, how does he know that 
Mrs. Norris is there petrified, ready to be hung on the wall? >>

Voldemort has two very extrordinary specialties. First, he is a parslemouth. 
But the more dangerous quality is that he is able to posess others. In this 
regard, he is almost more dangerous as VaporMort than when he actually has a 
physical form of his own. 

Tom Riddle *possessed* Ginny and used her body as his own. He took consious 
control and overrode even her own awareness of where she was or what she was 
doing. Fortunately he was too weak to keep control of her for long periods. 
Which is probably why the basilisk was not out for extended periods of time. 
As she grew weaker he grew stronger but he still had to fight to get her down 
into the Chanber at the end of the year. She was aware of that conflict as 
she had NOT been aware of slipping out to kill the roosters and paint words 
on the wall. 

Could someone with a clearer recollection refresh our memory here? Did ALL 
the petrifications take place on the same floor of the castle? The third 
floor? Same floor as the Library, the entrance to the Gryffandor common room 
AND moaning Myrtle's bathroom? Was Tom limited to very short excursions with 
his pet basilisk? Or are these all on separate floors?

-JOdel