Was Harry in Danger from the Basilisk?

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 108609

sad1199 here:
> > ...edited...
> >  Now, a question. I have read these books through at least 5 
> > times and I am an intelligent person but! I still don't 
> > understand WHY Dobby tried to prevent Harry from returning to 
> > Hogwarts. ...edited... AND house elves are obviously more 
> > intelligent than given credit for if Dobby knew who Harry even 
> > was. Wait, it says that house elves are intelligent, right? I am 
> > just very confused about the whole Dobby thing, any help would 
> > be appreciated.


Asian_lovr2:
> Now the Basilisk and the danger to Harry, in this case, I think we 
> are giving the too much weight to the intelligences of the 
> Basilisk. This is a reptile, though very large, it probably had a 
> brain the size of a walnut. Generally speaking, reptiles are only 
> capable of two modes of operation; 'Lunch' and 'Sleep'. A 
> parseltongue might be able to communcate with it, but I seriously 
> doubt the conversations would sound like a dialog with a 
> Shakeperean actor. It is able to relay primitive thoughts and obey 
> simple orders, but I think that's about the extent of it. Any 
> sense of sophisticated language on the part of the reptile is 
> likely to be more a reflection of the listener than the speaker.
> 
> Also, I'm not totally convinced that the Basilisk can tell a muggle
> from a wizard. The fact is that the eyes of a Basilisk are deadly 
> to ANYONE who looks into them, wizards or purebloods have no 
> special protection. 


SSSusan:
I agree with you in general about the brain size of the basilisk, 
Steve--I don't think it could have planned or carried out actions on 
its own.  But I don't think I agree that the directions it was 
receiving were super-simple.  Diary!Tom apparently controlled the 
basilisk enough [through Ginny, am I right?] that it attacked ONLY 
MUGGLE-BORNS.  I do not believe this was a random happenstance nor 
sheer dumb luck.  And while I can't explain *how* Tom set it all up 
so that it worked out this way [one of those frustrating gaps in 
explanation in the books], still, other than NHN, all the victims 
were right-on target.  Tom described the list of victims quite 
proudly in the Chamber, as if they were just who/what he'd wanted.

This makes me believe that, had Tom decided to single out Harry, he 
eventually could have done so.

Siriusly Snapey Susan