What's hiding in CoS?

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 70208

Michael Gidlow: 
> While reading about mythical snakes last night, a sudden thought 
> about the Basilisk struck me. What if the Basilisk was guarding 
> something in the Chamber of Secrets? Afterall, many snakes in 
> mythology and religion guarded or protected something valuable. 
> Rowling has said that CoS foreshadows a lot that will be revealed 
in 
> full in other books. I don't have any idea what it might be 
guarding, 
> but it was just a thought.
 
This is a good thought, but it seems to me that dozens of people, 
including Wizard Archaeologists, Museum Curators, Aurors, the authors 
of "Hogwarts: A History" and countless others would want to dig 
through that rubble.

I mean, there is now evidence that the Chamber of Secrets, thought to 
be a legend, exists. It throws all kinds of new light on Salazar 
Slytherin, Voldemort, the treatment of muggle-borns, and Hogwarts 
itself. Not to mention, there is probably some rare and valuable 
stuff down there.

It really seems far-fetched to just say, "Ah, the Chamber is closed, 
let's leave it be." There isn't THAT much rubble blocking the way -- 
especially not for magic -- and there is a handy Parselmouth to open 
the entrance up again.

If that Chamber wasn't picked clean already, I would think Dumbledore 
would have had to use every ounce of influence he has to keep 
gawkers - legitimate and otherwise -- from doing so. 

And maybe he did. Maybe it got mostly hushed up. It is not publicly 
known until GoF that Harry is a Parselmouth. Fudge doesn't even know 
until Rita breaks the story. So, maybe it never was opened again.

But if it was investigated, and something was found down there, the 
next question is, "Who's got it?"

Darrin