Chamber of Secrets and Snake err.... Snape

[Miles]

No: HPFGUIDX 148107

Karen wrote:
> I just find that very interesting, since it is likely that he told
> Malfoy to use that spell. For what reason?

potioncat wrote:
> I think Snape learned two things about Harry's
> abilities that day: his resourcefulness and his being a Parselmouth.

Miles:
And I think at least the second information he tried to reveal. He could
suspect Harry being a Parselmouth and tries to find out it by letting Draco
cast a snake. Possibly it is not Snape's, but Dumbledore's idea that Harry
is a Parselmouth.
But I think it is interesting that Draco succeeded in casting the snake. As
far as we know, it is not enough to know the incantation of a spell to
perform it. So obviously Draco knew the spell, and Snape just told him to
use it. We don't have background information (and I doubt we will get it),
so we can speculate - maybe "Serpensortia" is kind of House speciality of
Slytherin, the House of the Snake?

Miles