Time of Possession (was Re: Entering the Chamber)

[quigonginger]

No: HPFGUIDX 90481

Kneasy (in a rather brilliant post) asked:
> > Harry first hears the Basilisk during his detention with 
Lockhart - 
> > this is within the first few days of the start of the school 
year. 
> Is 
> > it likely that Ginny has already opened the Chamber in that short 
> time? 
 
To which Constance Vigilance answered: 
> Harry did not notice any snakey sounds in his first year, so the 
> Basilisk seemed to be out of the way until Ginny actually freed it 
> from Myrtle's bathroom, which I think could have happened early on, 
> before Ginny started to become suspicious. Yeah. I think Ginny 
could 
> have opened it within that short amount of time.

To which I, Ginger, now add: 
(all quotes CoS US paperback unless otherwise indicated)
I am certain there would have been time.  TR tells Harry that he had 
been listening to Ginny as she "poured out her soul".  He then grew 
stronger (p. 310) and, well, we know the rest. 

So how much time did she have to "pour out her soul"? 
31 July-Harry's b-day/Mason party/Harry shut in his room
3 Aug.-Harry has been in his room for 3 days, (p. 22)/rescued by the 
Weasleys. (p. 23)
4 Aug.-Harry arrives (early morning) at the Burrow
11? Aug.-Harry gets letter from Hogwarts ("about a week after his 
arrival" p. 43)/letter arrives from Hermione asking them to 
meet "next Wednesday" in Diagon Alley (p. 45)
So Ginny gets the diary on "next Wednesday".  

Now I know JKR is dodgy on dates, but in PS/SS, Harry's birthday is 
on a Tuesday (SS p.43 paperback).  Since his 11th birthday is in 1991 
(using the generally accepted timeline based on Nick's deathday), 
then his 12th birthday is in 1992, which, if I recall, was a leap 
year.  That makes his birthday fall on a Thursday in CoS.  That makes 
the 11th a Monday. 

So the Wednesday in question would have to be the 13th or the 20th.  
The letter arrived "about a week after his arrival" so it could have 
come anywhere betweed the 9th and the 13th, giving a couple of days 
leeway.  Had it arrived on the 9th, 10th or 11th, then the trip to DA 
would have been on the 13th.  Had it arrived on the 12th or 13th, 
then they would have gone the 20th.  All I have to go on it the quote 
that "Mrs Weasley woke them all early the following Wednesday." (p. 
47), which doesn't really narrow it down much.

She would have had either 11 or 18 days to write before she even 
reached Hogwarts.  A girl about to go away from home for the first 
time can write a *whole lot* in a diary in a week or two, especially 
if the diary is so sympathetic and kind (p. 309).  

Which makes me wonder- on p. 66, Ginny forgot her diary.  Did she 
know in some way that it was bad, and forgot it on purpose, but was 
forced by TR to retrieve it?  Or did she just honestly forget it and 
remember on her own?

Ginger, who has never had to correct her own post so many times 
before sending!