Harry Potter: 11/29/09

Etymology

The Order of the Phoenix is named for founder and leader,Albus Dumbledore, had a phoenix named Fawkes for a magical familiar, and his Patronus also took the form of a phoenix. Fawkes gave two feathers to comprise the cores of the wands of Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, key figures in the conflict between the Order and the Death Eaters. Fawkes also participated in the conflict at times, once coming to Harry's aid against Slytherin's Basilisk, and on another occasion swallowing a Killing Curse Voldemort aimed at Dumbledore.

In mythology, the phoenix often represents resurrection and life after death. This could allude to how the Order of the Phoenix was reborn after Voldemort returned to power, and how Harry Potter survived two Killing Curses. The Order's name thus symbolizes their opposition to an organisation focused on causing death and finding unnatural, Dark methods of achieving immortality.

"....That is believed to be some sort of monster......

—Professor Binns on the Chamber of Secrets occupant

Salazar Slytherin created the Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and inside this Chamber was placed a Basilisk that could only be controlled by his one true heir (a Parselmouth).

Salazar Slytherin's Basilisk, blinded by Fawkes.

Biography

It was born in the chamber, as revealed by Aragog. In the early 1940s, theChamber of Secrets was opened by a Slytherin fifth year, Tom Marvolo Riddle, who was able to control the creature through this method. Riddle unleashed the Basilisk on the school, his goal to kill the Muggle-bornstudents. All the victims were merely Petrified, except for a student named Myrtle who was killed in the girls bathroom. This bathroom was also the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. These events were nearly the cause for permanent closing of Hogwarts.

To avoid this fate for Hogwarts, Riddle blamed Gryffindor third year Rubeus Hagrid for all the events, claiming the monster at fault was Aragog, Hagrid's pet Acromantula. Hagrid was expelled, and the attacks stopped. However, Transfiguration teacher Albus Dumbledore became suspicious of Riddle and thus prevented him from further terrorizing the school from fear of discovery.

Slytherin's Basilisk would only listen to Tom Marvolo Riddle (later Lord Voldemort), regardless of Harry Potter being able to understand and speak Parseltongue to it in the Chamber of Secrets. It is possible that the Basilisk was trained, enchanted, or persuaded to obey only the Heir of Slytherin, and not all Parselmouths.

During the battle between Harry Potter and the Basilisk, the Phoenix Fawkes was able to blind the Basilisk and buy Harry some time. During that period of hiding, Harry obtained the Godric Gryffindor's Sword and stabbed the Basilisk through the roof of its mouth, killing it. Harry subsequently used one of the creature's fangs to destroy Tom Riddle's Diary, which was being used to connect Voldemort's fragile soul to the material world.

Another one of the Basilisk's fangs was used again at a later time to destroy a similar object, Helga Hufflepuff's Cup.