[HPforGrownups] Re: Now that I think about it, I'm not sure the Basilisk was such a good idea...

[Odile Falaise]

No: HPFGUIDX 57945

Following Melanie's very interesting thought about the practicality of the Basilisk, Andrea wrote:
 
<mini-snip> <<<You're right, it DOESN'T seem very practical at all to have this
monster that can kill with a look slithering around the school and yet
somehow expected to kill ONLY the Muggle-borns.  <another wee snip>
But anyway, aside from that, the only solution seems for the basilisk to [have been] 
charmed somehow to only affect Muggle-borns.  >>> <additional snippage>
 
Me (Odile): Veddy interesting indeed!  As far as we know from canon (and I am sorry but I do not have the books with me), Moaning Myrtle was the *only* person/entity killed by the Basilisk, when it looked at her with his big yellow peepers, right?  Is it certain that Myrtle was indeed a "mudblood"?  Draco Malfoy said as much to the Polyjuiced!Harry & Ron, but was it a fact?  Or did he and Lucius just assume as much [that she was Muggle-born] because she died as a result of the Chamber of Secrets being opened?  
 
I recall seeing, in previous posts, speculation as to whether or not Nearly Headless Nick and Mrs. Norris were Muggle-born, since they were attacked as well.  Until it is proven that *all* victims of the Basilisk (be they petrified or killed outright), I have to whole-heartedly agree with Melanie, that unless the Basilisk was "programmed" to kill only Muggle-borns, then the Basilisk wasn't exactly genius.
 
This may very well be answered in the text, but, like I said, I don't have the books with me.  
 
Andrea also wrote:
<<<I doubt the Chamber entrance was
in a bathroom when Salazar made it all those years ago.  They didn't even
HAVE modern plumbing then.  I think the entrance probably modified itself
to whatever use the room was put to at the time.>>>

Me (Odile) again: A good point, to be sure, but the snake was on the faucet thing - surely that was in place from the beginning, when Salazar Slytherin first built it? This may be movie contamination on my part, though!  

And another question: how was Fawkes able to peck the Basilisks eyes out without any ill effects (unless you don't count getting eyeball goop on your beak an "ill effect")?  Are phoenixes immune to the Basilisks' deadly stare?  

Odile ^_^


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]