The Legend of the Chamber of Secrets

• Type: Wizarding legend, Hogwarts folklore
• Owners: The story is part of the collective oral tradition of the students and staff of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
• Maker: The legend is based on the historical actions and intentions of Salazar Slytherin.

The Legend of the Chamber of Secrets is a well-known, though often dismissed, story within Hogwarts. As recounted by Professor Cuthbert Binns, the legend details a fundamental disagreement between the four Hogwarts founders. Salazar Slytherin believed that magic education should be restricted to students from all-magical families, a view opposed by Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, and Rowena Ravenclaw. According to the legend, the conflict escalated until Slytherin left the school. Before his departure, he was said to have secretly built a hidden room known as the Chamber of Secrets. The Chamber housed a monster that only Slytherin's true heir could control. The story concludes that the Heir of Slytherin would one day return to open the Chamber, unleash the monster, and purge the school of all those Slytherin deemed unworthy to study magic, specifically Muggle-born students. For centuries, the legend was widely regarded by most witches and wizards, including successive Headmasters and Headmistresses, as a mere cautionary tale with no basis in reality.

While the legend itself possesses no inherent magic, its primary function was as a frightening story perpetuated among students. However, the “property” of the legend is that its core claims were entirely true. Its “usage” by the Heir of Slytherin was to create an atmosphere of terror and to carry out the attacks it foretold. The truth behind the legend was revealed to be:

• The Chamber of Secrets was a real, physical location hidden deep beneath Hogwarts.
• The monster within was a giant Basilisk, a serpent king whose gaze could kill.
• The “Heir of Slytherin” was any descendant of Salazar Slytherin who could speak Parseltongue, the language of serpents, thereby allowing them to command the Basilisk. Tom Riddle was the last known heir.
• The stated purpose of purging the school of Muggle-borns was the genuine motive behind the Chamber's creation and subsequent openings.

The legend originated sometime after Salazar Slytherin left Hogwarts in the medieval era. It was passed down through generations, becoming a staple of Hogwarts folklore. Numerous searches for the Chamber were conducted throughout the centuries, but all failed, leading most to believe it was a myth. The Chamber was first opened in 1943 by a sixteen-year-old Tom Riddle. He used the Basilisk to attack students, resulting in the death of Myrtle Warren (later Moaning Myrtle). Riddle framed Rubeus Hagrid and his Acromantula, Aragog, for the attacks. The truth was covered up by the then-Headmaster, Armando Dippet, and the legend's veracity remained unconfirmed. The Chamber was opened for a second time during the 1992-1993 school year. Ginny Weasley, under the control of Tom Riddle's Diary, unknowingly unleashed the Basilisk once more, leading to several students, a ghost, and a cat being Petrified. This event brought the legend to the forefront of life at Hogwarts and directly initiated the central conflict of the school year.

The Legend of the Chamber of Secrets serves as the central plot driver for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. It is formally introduced by Professor Cuthbert Binns after Mrs Norris is attacked, providing the historical context for the mysterious events plaguing the school. The re-emergence of the legend creates an environment of fear, suspicion, and prejudice, particularly against Muggle-born students. Harry Potter's discovery that he is a Parselmouth causes many, including himself for a time, to suspect that he is the Heir of Slytherin. This misunderstanding alienates him from his peers and places him at the center of the mystery. Hermione Granger's diligent research into the legend leads her to correctly identify the monster as a Basilisk, a crucial step in solving the puzzle. Ultimately, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley prove the legend true by finding the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, confronting the memory of Tom Riddle, and defeating the Basilisk. The resolution of these events also serves to clear Rubeus Hagrid's name from the accusations made fifty years prior.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the character of Professor Cuthbert Binns is omitted. The Legend of the Chamber of Secrets is instead recounted to the Transfiguration class by Professor Minerva McGonagall. (film)