I too agree that Quirrel is H&C with the highest probability. However, I would not assign zero probability to Sirius Black either, hence I wrote he was a candidate, not the candidate for H&C.
I think it has already been implied in the text several times that the Philosopher’s Stone is in fact still in Hogwarts. Granted, it may not be behind those particular traps on the third floor.
But Master Flamel has said—that even he can no longer keep safe the Stone—that he believes Voldemort has means of finding it wherever it is hidden—and that he does not consent for it to be guarded anywhere but Hogwarts. Minerva, I am sorry, but it must be done—must!
The above quote makes me think of what is so special about Hogwarts that it alone can protect the Stone. It is not likely to be merely presence of Dumbledore (or he could easily be carrying it with him everywhere he goes). Something unique about Hogwarts allows it to safeguard the Stone even from Voldemort who supposedly can always divine its whereabouts. My working hypothesis is again that Hogwarts is a jumble of multiple versions of itself from different timelines/realities. If this hypothesis is true, then the Chamber of Secrets is hidden in time, so a version of it with a live snake may still exist.
Somewhat related to my other post, I am not exactly sure how prophecies are supposed to work. Yes, I know that they are supposed to “relieve pressure” built in the time continuum but to me they sound like information traveling more than 6 hours into the past. Sounds like the centaur accurately prophesied events 10+ years into the future! The only reason why Dumbledore would take active role in trying to bring the prophecy to fruition by manipulating Lily is if he himself was the sender of the message or somehow knows that failing to act in this particular way will result in a worse outcome than the ‘end of the world’. In short, I’d say this particular Chekhov gun still has plenty of unused ammo.
I too agree that Quirrel is H&C with the highest probability. However, I would not assign zero probability to Sirius Black either, hence I wrote he was a candidate, not the candidate for H&C.
I think it has already been implied in the text several times that the Philosopher’s Stone is in fact still in Hogwarts. Granted, it may not be behind those particular traps on the third floor.
The above quote makes me think of what is so special about Hogwarts that it alone can protect the Stone. It is not likely to be merely presence of Dumbledore (or he could easily be carrying it with him everywhere he goes). Something unique about Hogwarts allows it to safeguard the Stone even from Voldemort who supposedly can always divine its whereabouts. My working hypothesis is again that Hogwarts is a jumble of multiple versions of itself from different timelines/realities. If this hypothesis is true, then the Chamber of Secrets is hidden in time, so a version of it with a live snake may still exist.
Somewhat related to my other post, I am not exactly sure how prophecies are supposed to work. Yes, I know that they are supposed to “relieve pressure” built in the time continuum but to me they sound like information traveling more than 6 hours into the past. Sounds like the centaur accurately prophesied events 10+ years into the future! The only reason why Dumbledore would take active role in trying to bring the prophecy to fruition by manipulating Lily is if he himself was the sender of the message or somehow knows that failing to act in this particular way will result in a worse outcome than the ‘end of the world’. In short, I’d say this particular Chekhov gun still has plenty of unused ammo.