In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, The Basilisk origins proved that the reptilian creature is one of the most dangerous creatures in the wizard world. Harry's second year in Hogwarts is filled with mysteries: Dobby, a clumsy elf, tries his best to prevent the boy from going back to school, warning him that there is something dangerous going on. As the story progresses, Dobby turns out to be right as Hogwarts students are found petrified, with the professors concerned about a mysterious creature lurking in the corridors.
All these events are connected to the Chamber of Secrets and the monster that lies there, the Basilisk: a massive snake-like creature that instantly kills anyone who looks at it directly in the eyes. The Basilisk attacks several Hogwarts students and nearly kills them, including Hermione - Harry's dear friend and the franchise's smartest character. Harry eventually defeats the terrifying monster with the help of Fawkes, Dumbledore's Phoenix, but the Basilisk's death doesn't erase the tragedy that the creature brought to Hogwarts decades before Harry's second year.
The Basilisk Was Placed By Salazar Slytherin In The Chamber Of Secrets
The Basilisk was placed in the Chamber of Secrets sometime during Hogwarts' founding days, in the 10th century. The underground chamber was secretly built by Salazar Slytherin, one of Hogwarts' founding , without the knowledge of his three fellow founders. Unlike Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff, Slytherin was completely against Muggle-born students being accepted in the school, prompting him to place a female Basilisk deep in his Chamber of Secrets, hoping his one true heir would someday unleash the monster against Muggle blood students.
Fans theorize whether Harry could've controlled the Basilisk but the truth is that the creature's power is related to something else. The figure of the Basilisk shows that Hogwarts wasn't created only through love and determination, but also hatred, channeling Salazar's prejudice throughout the centuries until it reaches Tom Riddle. The one true heir isn't something related to blood only, but also to anger and fear, which are something Slytherin and Riddle have in common. The Basilisk is merely the link that unites the two.
The Basilisk Attacked In 1942-1943 And 1992-1993
Without any reported sightings or incidents, what the creature did during its early centuries of life is one of the Basilisk's hidden details, but in the 1942-1943 school year, Tom Riddle brought the creature out of its slumber. Myrtle Warren was killed by the Basilisk, which shocked Hogwarts - especially since the faculty were unable to identify the culprit of the attacks.
After the tragedy, Riddle heard Dumbledore saying that Hogwarts would close in case they didn't catch the person behind the attacks, which prompted Riddle to frame Hagrid and his secret Acromantula pet for Myrtle's death, so he could keep living in Hogwarts. Dumbledore was convinced Hagrid wasn't responsible, but since the attacks stopped after his expulsion, there was no way to prove his innocence.
The Basilisk only reappeared 50 years later, when Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets once again under the control of Riddle's diary, which is one of the first Horcruxes introduced. This time, while many students were petrified, no one was killed and the monster was slain. After discovering he can speak Parseltongue, the language of snakes, Harry gathers Hermione's clues and goes after the Basilisk, opening the Chamber of Secrets and slaying the creature after Fawkes blinded it, disabling its power of instantly killing those who look it directly in the eyes. The antidote to petrification was made from Stewed Mandrakes.
