Basilisks (was Re: Bang! You're dead.)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 86581

Carol:
Young Tom Riddle ... had already committed another
effortless murder using a basilisk, ...edited...

 
Geoff:
Several weeks go, I raised a point about Fawkes attacking the 
basilisk's eyes and not getting killed in COS.
 
Reading this post threw up a thought in the same sort of direction. 
How did Tom Riddle manage to communicate with the creature back in 
1942 or thereabouts? ... Did he talk over his shoulder to it? 
...I wonder how much information he had as the Heir of Sltherin 
about it and from where he got this information. Was it passed down 
by word of mouth? Did Salazar leave something in writing?
 
Geoff

Carol:
I think he must have communicated with it before he saw it. Harry
heard it talking to itself ("Kill! Kill! Kill!" or whatever) as it
slithered through pipes. maybe Tom heard it before he saw it and was
able to communicate with it, even command it not to harm him. Possibly
it was even intelligent enough to recognize him as Slytherin's heir
and therefore its master. Maybe he promised it a chance to kill freely
if it would obey him. Maybe he took additional precautions never to
look it in the eye; it's likely that he knew it was a basilisk before
he ever saw it. Diary!Tom was able to command it. The real Tom must
have been able to do so as well.

Carol