Ponderables...

[deedeee88]

No: HPFGUIDX 85614

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sevenhundredandthirteen" 
<sevenhundredandthirteen at y...> wrote:
> 
> deedeee88 pondered:
> 
> >2. If only the heir of Slytherin could open the chamber of secrets
> >how was Harry able to open the Chamber of Secrets??!?
> 
> I reply:
> 
> The book never actually says that only the heir of Slytherin could 
> *open* the Chamber of Secrets, only that they are the only ones who 
> could *unseal* the Chamber of Secrets.
> 
> From CoS Chapter 9 `The Writing On The Wall.'
> Spoken by Professor Binns:
> 
> "Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets 
so 
> that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived 
at 
> the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of 
> Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school 
of 
> all who were unworthy to study magic."
> 
> Note that we have the use of the words `seal' and `unseal.' The way 
I 
> see it, Slytherin sealed the Chamber 1000 years ago. Tom Riddle, 
his 
> true heir, unsealed it 50 years ago. But no-one has resealed it in 
> any way. That is, *anyone* can now walk on down into the Chamber of 
> Secrets (provided they speak Parseltongue or are with someone who 
> does). So, Harry didn't unseal the Chamber of Secrets (which is the 
> only task restricted to Slytherin's heir) it was already unsealed 
for 
> him. He just opened the door to it.


DeeDee here:

After OOP, what with DD saying that Mr. Riddle/Voldemort would mark 
his nemisis as his equal....how can anyone say that Harry 
just "reopened" the chamber??!????