Was Harry in Danger from the Basilisk?

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 108700

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman"
<susiequsie23 at s...> wrote:

> 
> SSSusan:
> >> ... 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.  ... Tom set it all up ..., still, other than NHN, all
> the victims were right-on target. ...  This makes me believe that, 
> had Tom decided to single out Harry, he  eventually could have done 
> so.<<
> 
> Asian_lovr2:
> > '...ONLY MUGGLE-BORNS...' you say, and you know this for a fact, 
> > or is it really an assumption on your part? ... anyplace ... book
> > ... cleary stated that Penelope ... is a muggle-born? 

> 
> 
> SSSusan:
> Sorry, Steve, I should have provided canon when I posted 
> originally.  I am relying upon Tom's own words, here:
> "She [Ginny] set the Serpent of Slytherin on four Mudbloods, and the 
> Squib's cat."  [CoS, US hardback, p. 310]  That tells me that, yes, 
> Penelope was Muggle-born, unless we have reason to think Tom doesn't 
> have his facts straight.
> 

Asian_lovr2:

To that I can only say that all Tom knows is what Ginny tells him, or
shows him.


> SSSusan:
>
> As for the randomness of the attacks--the way you described them 
> later--yes, I agree.  *Anyone* walking down the hall who encountered 
> the Basilisk's eyes would be a victim, regardless of his/her status 
> as muggle-born, half-blood, pureblood, or whatever.  I was referring 
> to Tom's intention in directing the basilisk, which I believe was to 
> go after Muggle-borns.
> 
> Siriusly Snapey Susan

Asian_lovr2:

I also believe that Tom (through Ginny) is directing the Basilisk, and
believe that he is sending it after Muggle-borns. I just have a hard
time believing Tom's directions could have been, 'Go kill a muggle
born'. As I illustrated in my example, that's like directing a dog to
 'go attack the Catholics'. How does it know? 

Now, go attack the person who looks like this at or near this
location, I can believe. The attacks on Colin, Justin, and
Hermione/Penelope all occurred at times when it was very unlikely to
find anyone wandering the hallways, much less specifically a Muggle-born. 

It's reasonable, although within definite limits, that a Basilisk
could distinguish between Muggle and magic, but I can't see any reason
why that would be a natural adaptation of a Basilisk.

Just a thought.

Steve/asian_lovr2