Ok so I always have found the way JK Rowling portrayed the chamber to be disappointing. I guess this expands to parseltongue as a whole.

Like at first we learn that Slytherin built this crazy chamber and there are different theories why. Then it’s like ohh you need parseltongue to open it, ohh wow crazy snake. Wonder what else is in it. Ohh we never discuss it again.

And then we find out apparently dumbledore can get past parseltongue and you don’t need to know it to get in.

Of course in fanfics there’s everything from a library, to a portrait of Slytherin and or other founders and people make their own thoughts on parseltongue and stuff.

So my question is. What are your head canons/ theories on what’s in the chamber and what parseltongue really is?

Like iv always had the theory that the basilisk was the main snake in the chamber, like it was the biggest, most magical and rarest and most dangerous. But there were tons of other snakes and magical animals that used the chamber as a home. Like there was an entrance in the forest and animals could get in and the basilisk was like a guardian for them 😂. I don’t know why but it makes me chuckle to think about a bunch of snakes, thestrals and other animals using it as cover like a cave in winter or when massive storms come through.