Slytherin, the Chamber and the Basilisk

[David]

No: HPFGUIDX 47005

Iris wrote:
> 
> I don't know if this has been debated yet: why did Slytherin build 
the Chamber of Secrets, on which purpose? Why did he hide the 
Basilisk?

and went on to raise the possibility that Salazar Slytherin was 
misunderstood by later followers and opponents.

Sorry to take so long to respond, but I have only just become aware 
of this thread.

To my knowledge, this is not a topic that has been debated much.

I think it is interesting that the chamber is called the Chamber of 
Secrets.  What secrets?  The only secrets we know of were the precise 
identity of the 'monster within', and the location and mechanism of 
the entrance.

Possibly the chamber was designed as a place for carrying out spells 
(or spell) of unusual importance, and one of these would have 
required a basilisk. (In which case Trevor's importance may be for 
getting another one)

What might such a spell be?  We know that Slytherin was concerned 
about the admittance to Hogwarts of muggleborns - but not on grounds 
of magical inferiority or hostility, just of security in an age of 
persecution.  A *magical* approach to this problem would be to try to 
bring about some kind of reconciliation between wizards and muggles 
by means of a spell.

Such an approach would of course be highly *ambitious*, and might not 
appeal to the brave who would prefer to tough a situation out.

It is entirely plausible that it would also require a reconciled and 
united wizarding world to be successful.  Hence Slytherin could never 
finish his 'noble work'.

So what we could be looking for is a wizard who unites Slytherin 
characteristics with those of other houses, particularly Gryffindor, 
who can speak Parseltongue, who knows where the Chamber of Secrets 
is, and also has a foot in the muggle camp.

David