Predictions on the something small

[erinellii]

No: HPFGUIDX 88479

 "tlpbupu"  wrote:
 > The Slytherins are not the only ones who know anything about the 
> COS.  Hermione says that all the copies of "Hogwarts a History" 
have 
> been taken out and she left her copy at home.  She says that she 
> wants it to read up on the legend of the COS.  So really anyone 
> could read about it.


Erin:
Actually, I don't believe that "Hogwarts: A History" contains the 
legend of the Chamber at all.

Why not?  Because Hermione can't remember it.  

This is the girl who literally learns entire textbooks by heart.  I'd 
give examples, but I don't think it's necessary on this list.  She 
does admit to having memorized all her coursebooks in chapter six of 
PS/SS.  Throughout the series, she *constantly* refers to facts 
from "Hogwarts: A History".  And now, when it comes to this one very 
important piece of information, she can't remember?

Nope. Not buying it. 

Even if Hermione wasn't the super-brain we know and love, there are a 
couple of OTHER reasons why she should have remembered the Chamber, 
if she had read about it in a book.  For one thing, it involves a 
big, scary monster.  Right in the castle where she was going to be 
living.  That's the kind of thing that an 11-year-old, especially an 
11-year-old who's just found out that monsters and ghosts are real, 
wouldn't easily forget.  Even if she didn't think that the legend had 
any basis in fact, it's still the kind of thing that would tend to 
stick out in one's mind.

But, if that hadn't done it, then the whole muggleborn aspect should 
have.  Hermione may not actually learn the word "mudblood" until her 
second year, but as a muggleborn, and as widely read as she is, she 
must be aware that there is some predjudice against her kind.  And we 
saw how much that matters to her all throughout CoS.  So 
if "Hogwarts: A History" had told the full story, had pointed out 
that Salazar Slytherin had not only wanted to exclude muggleborns but 
was actively seeking to *kill* them, Hermione would have remembered 
it.  She just would have.  

Hermione herself has called the book a highly selective and biased 
history which glosses over the nastier aspects of the school.  If the 
author of the book didn't see fit to include House-Elves, why 
shouldn't the Chamber have been glossed over as well?  My guess is 
that if there is any mention of the Chamber at all (and there 
probably is, because Hermione seems to think *something* is in 
there), it is probably a throwawy reference like "Reports of a 
secret 'Room of Requirement' are as false as the rumors of a secret 
chamber built by Slytherin."

So, my best guess is that those who checked out the book were 
disappointed.  If the legend really *had* been in there, it would 
have been all over the school in no time, and Professor Binns' class 
wouldn't have been so interested in what he had to say.

So, my question still stands.  Where *did* Bill get his information 
from?

Erin