Evil Slytherin

[rowena_grunnionffitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 67801

   Slytherin distrusted Muggle born Wizards, as Hogwarts was founded 
during a time of persecution he may well have based this opinion on 
bitter personal experience. Even so he was certainly wrong to hold 
the treachery of a few against all Muggle borns. Eventually the 
conflict between him and the other Founders became so intense that 
Slytherin chose to leave the school. However the other Founders did 
not eliminate his house, as one might expect, strongly suggesting 
that dispite their difference of opinion Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and 
Hufflepuff did not regard Slytherin's ideals has totally 
reprehensible.  

   The dissension between the Founders and Slytherin's departure are, 
according to Binns, part of the historical record attested to by 
written sources. The legend of the Chamber of Secrets on the other 
hand is an oral tradition and so likely to have undergone a certain 
amount of change and distortion over the generations. Though the 
Chamber and its monster certainly exist Slytherin's motive for 
putting it there might not be the one traditionally ascribed to him. 

   It seems to me possible that the basilisk was left by Slytherin as 
a weapon for another Parselmouth to use in defense of the school 
should his fears of betrayal be realized. Presumably he informed his 
successor as Head of Slytherin, his 'heir', of the location of the 
chamber and nature of its occupant. However, as the emergency he 
feared never occured at some point the direct transmission from head 
to head broke down, leaving only an oral tradition of a secret 
chamber and a monster which was later embroidered by purist 
ideologues.