The Hogwarts Collection Read online

Page 11


  Perhaps, when he first constructed the Chamber, Slytherin wanted no more than a place in which to instruct his students in spells of which the other three founders may have disapproved (disagreements sprung up early around the teaching of the Dark Arts). However, it is clear by the very decoration of the Chamber that by the time Slytherin finished it he had developed grandiose ideas of his own importance to the school. No other founder left behind them a gigantic statue of themselves or draped the school in emblems of their own personal powers (the snakes carved around the Chamber of Secrets being a reference to Slytherin’s powers as a Parselmouth).

  What is certain is that by the time Slytherin was forced out of the school by the other three founders, he had decided that henceforth, the Chamber he had built would be the lair of a monster that he alone – or his descendants – would be able to control: a Basilisk. Moreover, only a Parselmouth would be able to enter the Chamber. This, he knew, would keep out all three founders and every other member of staff.

  The existence of the Chamber was known to Slytherin’s descendants and those with whom they chose to share the information. Thus the rumour stayed alive through the centuries.

  There is clear evidence that the Chamber was opened more than once between the death of Slytherin and the entrance of Tom Riddle in the twentieth century. When first created, the Chamber was accessed through a concealed trapdoor and a series of magical tunnels. However, when Hogwarts’ plumbing became more elaborate in the eighteenth century (this was a rare instance of wizards copying Muggles, because hitherto they simply relieved themselves wherever they stood, and vanished the evidence), the entrance to the Chamber was threatened, being located on the site of a proposed bathroom. The presence in school at the time of a student called Corvinus Gaunt – direct descendant of Slytherin, and antecedent of Tom Riddle – explains how the simple trapdoor was secretly protected, so that those who knew how could still access the entrance to the Chamber even after newfangled plumbing had been placed on top of it.

  Whispers that a monster lived in the depths of the castle were also prevalent for centuries. Again, this is because those who could hear and speak to it were not always as discreet as they might have been: the Gaunt family could not resist boasting of their knowledge. As nobody else could hear the creature sliding beneath floorboards or, latterly, through the plumbing, they did not have many believers, and none, until Riddle, dared unleash the monster on the castle.

  Successive headmasters and mistresses, not to mention a number of historians, searched the castle thoroughly many times over the centuries, each time concluding that the Chamber was a myth. The reason for their failure was simple: none of them was a Parselmouth.

  So there you have it: it’s not a guided tour, nor is it entirely complete, but you’re now privy to some of the famous wizarding school’s many secrets. We leave you with these small pieces of advice: tread carefully when using a Time-Turner, stop searching for the Chamber of Secrets – unless you’re a Parselmouth – and don’t linger too long before the Mirror of Erised.

  We hope you’ve enjoyed this collection of J.K. Rowling’s writing, presented by Pottermore.

  ‌

  Digital Editions also published by Pottermore

  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

  Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

  Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

  Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

  Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

  Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two

  Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne

  A new play by Jack Thorne

  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay

  ‌

  Discover even more of

  J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World...

  Visit www.pottermore.com, where your own Sorting Ceremony, exclusive new writing by J.K. Rowling and all the latest news and features from the Wizarding World awaits.

  Pottermore, the digital publishing, e-commerce, entertainment and news company from J.K. Rowling, is the global digital publisher of Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World. As the digital heart of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, pottermore.com is dedicated to unlocking the power of imagination. It offers news, features, and articles as well as new and previously unreleased writing by J.K. Rowling.

  All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher

  This edition first published by Pottermore Limited in 2017

  The Pottermore Presents titles were first published individually by Pottermore in 2016:

  Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies

  Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists

  Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide

  Text © J.K. Rowling

  Cover design and interior illustrations by MinaLima © Pottermore Limited 2016

  Harry Potter characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

  J.K. ROWLING’S WIZARDING WORLD TM J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

  The moral right of the author has been asserted

  ISBN 978-1-78110-838-3

 

 

 


    Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone Read onlineHarry Potter and the Philosophers StoneHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Read onlineHarry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Read onlineHarry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Read onlineHarry Potter and the Deathly HallowsHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Read onlineHarry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Read onlineHarry Potter and the Half-Blood PrinceHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Read onlineHarry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Read onlineFantastic Beasts and Where to Find ThemVery Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination Read onlineVery Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of ImaginationShort Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies Read onlineShort Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous HobbiesHogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide Read onlineHogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable GuideThe Tales of Beedle the Bard Read onlineThe Tales of Beedle the BardThe Casual Vacancy Read onlineThe Casual VacancyHarry Potter and the Cursed Child Read onlineHarry Potter and the Cursed ChildShort Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists Read onlineShort Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky PoltergeistsQuidditch Through the Ages Read onlineQuidditch Through the AgesThe Ickabog Read onlineThe IckabogFantastic Beasts, The Crimes of Grindelwald [UK] Read onlineFantastic Beasts, The Crimes of Grindelwald [UK]Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two Read onlineHarry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and TwoThe Prisoner of Azkaban Read onlineThe Prisoner of AzkabanFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Read onlineFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of GrindelwaldThe Hogwarts Library Collection Read onlineThe Hogwarts Library CollectionShort Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies (Kindle Single) (Pottermore Presents) Read onlineShort Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies (Kindle Single) (Pottermore Presents)Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hp-7 Read onlineHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hp-7Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide (Kindle Single) (Pottermore Presents) Read onlineHogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide (Kindle Single) (Pottermore Presents)Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire hp-4 Read onlineHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire hp-4The Christmas Pig Read onlineThe Christmas PigHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Read onlineHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneThe Order of the Phoenix Read onlineThe Order of the PhoenixHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban hp-3 Read onlineHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban hp-3Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets hp-2 Read onlineHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets hp-2HP 3 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Read onlineHP 3 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanThe Half-Blood Prince Read onlineThe Half-Blood PrinceThe Hogwarts Collection Read onlineThe Hogwarts CollectionTales of Beedle the Bard Read onlineTales of Beedle the BardThe Goblet of Fire Read onlineThe Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince hp-6 Read onlineHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince hp-6Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists (Kindle Single) (Pottermore Presents) Read onlineShort Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists (Kindle Single) (Pottermore Presents)Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone hp-1 Read onlineHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone hp-1