diff --git "a/train/Harry Potter-Book 2-The Chamber of Secrets.txt" "b/train/Harry Potter-Book 2-The Chamber of Secrets.txt" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/train/Harry Potter-Book 2-The Chamber of Secrets.txt" @@ -0,0 +1,11424 @@ + + + + + + +P a g e | 2 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +THE WORST BIRTHDAY +Not for the first time, an argument had broken out +over breakfast at number four, Privet Drive. Mr. +Vernon Dursley had been woken in the early hours of +the morning by a loud, hooting noise from his nephew +Harry’s room. +“Third time this week!” he roared across the table. “If +you can’t control that owl, it’ll have to go!” +Harry tried, yet again, to explain. +“She’s bored,” he said. “She’s used to flying around +outside. If I could just let her out at night —” +“Do I look stupid?” snarled Uncle Vernon, a bit of +fried egg dangling from his bushy mustache. “I know +what’ll happen if that owl’s let out.” +He exchanged dark looks with his wife, Petunia. +Harry tried to argue back but his words were drowned +by a long, loud belch from the Dursleys’ son, Dudley. +P a g e | 3 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I want more bacon.” +“There’s more in the frying pan, sweetums,” said Aunt +Petunia, turning misty eyes on her massive son. “We +must build you up while we’ve got the chance. … I +don’t like the sound of that school food. …” +“Nonsense, Petunia, I never went hungry when I was +at Smeltings,” said Uncle Vernon heartily. “Dudley +gets enough, don’t you, son?” +Dudley, who was so large his bottom drooped over +either side of the kitchen chair, grinned and turned to +Harry. +“Pass the frying pan.” +“You’ve forgotten the magic word,” said Harry +irritably. +The effect of this simple sentence on the rest of the +family was incredible: Dudley gasped and fell off his +chair with a crash that shook the whole kitchen; Mrs. +Dursley gave a small scream and clapped her hands +to her mouth; Mr. Dursley jumped to his feet, veins +throbbing in his temples. +“I meant ‘please’!” said Harry quickly. “I didn’t mean +—” +“WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU,” thundered his uncle, +spraying spit over the table, “ABOUT SAYING THE ‘M’ +WORD IN OUR HOUSE?” +“But I —” +“HOW DARE YOU THREATEN DUDLEY!” roared +Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his fist. +P a g e | 4 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I just —” +“I WARNED YOU! I WILL NOT TOLERATE MENTION +OF YOUR ABNORMALITY UNDER THIS ROOF!” +Harry stared from his purple-faced uncle to his pale +aunt, who was trying to heave Dudley to his feet. +“All right,” said Harry, “all right …” +Uncle Vernon sat back down, breathing like a winded +rhinoceros and watching Harry closely out of the +corners of his small, sharp eyes. +Ever since Harry had come home for the summer +holidays, Uncle Vernon had been treating him like a +bomb that might go off at any moment, because Harry +Potter wasn’t a normal boy. As a matter of fact, he +was as not normal as it is possible to be. +Harry Potter was a wizard — a wizard fresh from his +first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and +Wizardry. And if the Dursleys were unhappy to have +him back for the holidays, it was nothing to how +Harry felt. +He missed Hogwarts so much it was like having a +constant stomachache. He missed the castle, with its +secret passageways and ghosts, his classes (though +perhaps not Snape, the Potions master), the mail +arriving by owl, eating banquets in the Great Hall, +sleeping in his four-poster bed in the tower dormitory, +visiting the gamekeeper, Hagrid, in his cabin next to +the Forbidden Forest in the grounds, and, especially, +Quidditch, the most popular sport in the wizarding +world (six tall goal posts, four flying balls, and +fourteen players on broomsticks). +P a g e | 5 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +All Harry’s spellbooks, his wand, robes, cauldron, and +top-of-the-line Nimbus Two Thousand broomstick had +been locked in a cupboard under the stairs by Uncle +Vernon the instant Harry had come home. What did +the Dursleys care if Harry lost his place on the House +Quidditch team because he hadn’t practiced all +summer? What was it to the Dursleys if Harry went +back to school without any of his homework done? +The Dursleys were what wizards called Muggles (not a +drop of magical blood in their veins), and as far as +they were concerned, having a wizard in the family +was a matter of deepest shame. Uncle Vernon had +even padlocked Harry’s owl, Hedwig, inside her cage, +to stop her from carrying messages to anyone in the +wizarding world. +Harry looked nothing like the rest of the family. Uncle +Vernon was large and neckless, with an enormous +black mustache; Aunt Petunia was horse-faced and +bony; Dudley was blond, pink, and porky. Harry, on +the other hand, was small and skinny, with brilliant +green eyes and jet-black hair that was always untidy. +He wore round glasses, and on his forehead was a +thin, lightning-shaped scar. +It was this scar that made Harry so particularly +unusual, even for a wizard. This scar was the only +hint of Harry’s very mysterious past, of the reason he +had been left on the Dursleys’ doorstep eleven years +before. +At the age of one year old, Harry had somehow +survived a curse from the greatest Dark sorcerer of all +time, Lord Voldemort, whose name most witches and +wizards still feared to speak. Harry’s parents had died +in Voldemort’s attack, but Harry had escaped with his +lightning scar, and somehow — nobody understood +why — Voldemort’s powers had been destroyed the +instant he had failed to kill Harry. +P a g e | 6 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +So Harry had been brought up by his dead mother’s +sister and her husband. He had spent ten years with +the Dursleys, never understanding why he kept +making odd things happen without meaning to, +believing the Dursleys’ story that he had got his scar +in the car crash that had killed his parents. +And then, exactly a year ago, Hogwarts had written to +Harry, and the whole story had come out. Harry had +taken up his place at wizard school, where he and his +scar were famous … but now the school year was +over, and he was back with the Dursleys for the +summer, back to being treated like a dog that had +rolled in something smelly. +The Dursleys hadn’t even remembered that today +happened to be Harry’s twelfth birthday. Of course, +his hopes hadn’t been high; they’d never given him a +real present, let alone a cake — but to ignore it +completely … +At that moment, Uncle Vernon cleared his throat +importantly and said, “Now, as we all know, today is a +very important day.” +Harry looked up, hardly daring to believe it. +“This could well be the day I make the biggest deal of +my career,” said Uncle Vernon. +Harry went back to his toast. Of course, he thought +bitterly, Uncle Vernon was talking about the stupid +dinner party. He’d been talking of nothing else for two +weeks. Some rich builder and his wife were coming to +dinner and Uncle Vernon was hoping to get a huge +order from him (Uncle Vernon’s company made drills). +P a g e | 7 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I think we should run through the schedule one +more time,” said Uncle Vernon. “We should all be in +position at eight o’clock. Petunia, you will be — ?” +“In the lounge,” said Aunt Petunia promptly, “waiting +to welcome them graciously to our home.” +“Good, good. And Dudley?” +“I’ll be waiting to open the door.” Dudley put on a +foul, simpering smile. “May I take your coats, Mr. and +Mrs. Mason?” +“They’ll love him!” cried Aunt Petunia rapturously. +“Excellent, Dudley,” said Uncle Vernon. Then he +rounded on Harry. “And you?” +“I’ll be in my bedroom, making no noise and +pretending I’m not there,” said Harry tonelessly. +“Exactly,” said Uncle Vernon nastily. “I will lead them +into the lounge, introduce you, Petunia, and pour +them drinks. At eight-fifteen —” +“I’ll announce dinner,” said Aunt Petunia. +“And, Dudley, you’ll say —” +“May I take you through to the dining room, Mrs. +Mason?” said Dudley, offering his fat arm to an +invisible woman. +“My perfect little gentleman!” sniffed Aunt Petunia. +“And you?” said Uncle Vernon viciously to Harry. +“I’ll be in my room, making no noise and pretending +I’m not there,” said Harry dully. +P a g e | 8 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Precisely. Now, we should aim to get in a few good +compliments at dinner. Petunia, any ideas?” +“Vernon tells me you’re a wonderful golfer, Mr. +Mason. … Do tell me where you bought your dress, +Mrs. Mason. …” +“Perfect … Dudley?” +“How about — ‘We had to write an essay about our +hero at school, Mr. Mason, and I wrote about you.’ ” +This was too much for both Aunt Petunia and Harry. +Aunt Petunia burst into tears and hugged her son, +while Harry ducked under the table so they wouldn’t +see him laughing. +“And you, boy?” +Harry fought to keep his face straight as he emerged. +“I’ll be in my room, making no noise and pretending +I’m not there,” he said. +“Too right, you will,” said Uncle Vernon forcefully. +“The Masons don’t know anything about you and it’s +going to stay that way. When dinner’s over, you take +Mrs. Mason back to the lounge for coffee, Petunia, +and I’ll bring the subject around to drills. With any +luck, I’ll have the deal signed and sealed before the +news at ten. We’ll be shopping for a vacation home in +Majorca this time tomorrow.” +Harry couldn’t feel too excited about this. He didn’t +think the Dursleys would like him any better in +Majorca than they did on Privet Drive. +“Right — I’m off into town to pick up the dinner +jackets for Dudley and me. And you,” he snarled at +P a g e | 9 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry. “You stay out of your aunt’s way while she’s +cleaning.” +Harry left through the back door. It was a brilliant, +sunny day. He crossed the lawn, slumped down on +the garden bench, and sang under his breath: +“Happy birthday to me … happy birthday to me …” +No cards, no presents, and he would be spending the +evening pretending not to exist. He gazed miserably +into the hedge. He had never felt so lonely. More than +anything else at Hogwarts, more even than playing +Quidditch, Harry missed his best friends, Ron +Weasley and Hermione Granger. They, however, didn’t +seem to be missing him at all. Neither of them had +written to him all summer, even though Ron had said +he was going to ask Harry to come and stay. +Countless times, Harry had been on the point of +unlocking Hedwig’s cage by magic and sending her to +Ron and Hermione with a letter, but it wasn’t worth +the risk. Underage wizards weren’t allowed to use +magic outside of school. Harry hadn’t told the +Dursleys this; he knew it was only their terror that he +might turn them all into dung beetles that stopped +them from locking him in the cupboard under the +stairs with his wand and broomstick. For the first +couple of weeks back, Harry had enjoyed muttering +nonsense words under his breath and watching +Dudley tearing out of the room as fast as his fat legs +would carry him. But the long silence from Ron and +Hermione had made Harry feel so cut off from the +magical world that even taunting Dudley had lost its +appeal — and now Ron and Hermione had forgotten +his birthday. +What wouldn’t he give now for a message from +Hogwarts? From any witch or wizard? He’d almost be +P a g e | 10 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +glad of a sight of his archenemy, Draco Malfoy, just to +be sure it hadn’t all been a dream. … +Not that his whole year at Hogwarts had been fun. At +the very end of last term, Harry had come face-to-face +with none other than Lord Voldemort himself. +Voldemort might be a ruin of his former self, but he +was still terrifying, still cunning, still determined to +regain power. Harry had slipped through Voldemort’s +clutches for a second time, but it had been a narrow +escape, and even now, weeks later, Harry kept waking +in the night, drenched in cold sweat, wondering where +Voldemort was now, remembering his livid face, his +wide, mad eyes — +Harry suddenly sat bolt upright on the garden bench. +He had been staring absent-mindedly into the hedge +— and the hedge was staring back. Two enormous +green eyes had appeared among the leaves. +Harry jumped to his feet just as a jeering voice floated +across the lawn. +“I know what day it is,” sang Dudley, waddling toward +him. +The huge eyes blinked and vanished. +“What?” said Harry, not taking his eyes off the spot +where they had been. +“I know what day it is,” Dudley repeated, coming right +up to him. +“Well done,” said Harry. “So you’ve finally learned the +days of the week.” +P a g e | 11 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Today’s your birthday,” sneered Dudley. “How come +you haven’t got any cards? Haven’t you even got +friends at that freak place?” +“Better not let your mum hear you talking about my +school,” said Harry coolly. +Dudley hitched up his trousers, which were slipping +down his fat bottom. +“Why’re you staring at the hedge?” he said +suspiciously. +“I’m trying to decide what would be the best spell to +set it on fire,” said Harry. +Dudley stumbled backward at once, a look of panic +on his fat face. +“You c-can’t — Dad told you you’re not to do m-magic +— he said he’ll chuck you out of the house — and you +haven’t got anywhere else to go — you haven’t got any +friends to take you —” +“Jiggery pokery!” said Harry in a fierce voice. “Hocus +pocus — squiggly wiggly —” +“MUUUUUUM!” howled Dudley, tripping over his feet +as he dashed back toward the house. “MUUUUM! +He’s doing you know what!” +Harry paid dearly for his moment of fun. As neither +Dudley nor the hedge was in any way hurt, Aunt +Petunia knew he hadn’t really done magic, but he still +had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at his head +with the soapy frying pan. Then she gave him work to +do, with the promise he wouldn’t eat again until he’d +finished. +P a g e | 12 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +While Dudley lolled around watching and eating ice +cream, Harry cleaned the windows, washed the car, +mowed the lawn, trimmed the flowerbeds, pruned and +watered the roses, and repainted the garden bench. +The sun blazed overhead, burning the back of his +neck. Harry knew he shouldn’t have risen to Dudley’s +bait, but Dudley had said the very thing Harry had +been thinking himself … maybe he didn’t have any +friends at Hogwarts. … +Wish they could see famous Harry Potter now, he +thought savagely as he spread manure on the flower +beds, his back aching, sweat running down his face. +It was half past seven in the evening when at last, +exhausted, he heard Aunt Petunia calling him. +“Get in here! And walk on the newspaper!” +Harry moved gladly into the shade of the gleaming +kitchen. On top of the fridge stood tonight’s pudding: +a huge mound of whipped cream and sugared violets. +A loin of roast pork was sizzling in the oven. +“Eat quickly! The Masons will be here soon!” snapped +Aunt Petunia, pointing to two slices of bread and a +lump of cheese on the kitchen table. She was already +wearing a salmon-pink cocktail dress. +Harry washed his hands and bolted down his pitiful +supper. The moment he had finished, Aunt Petunia +whisked away his plate. “Upstairs! Hurry!” +As he passed the door to the living room, Harry +caught a glimpse of Uncle Vernon and Dudley in bow +ties and dinner jackets. He had only just reached the +upstairs landing when the doorbell rang and Uncle +Vernon’s furious face appeared at the foot of the +stairs. +P a g e | 13 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Remember, boy — one sound —” +Harry crossed to his bedroom on tiptoe, slipped +inside, closed the door, and turned to collapse on his +bed. +The trouble was, there was already someone sitting +on it. +P a g e | 14 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +DOBBY’S WARNING +Harry managed not to shout out, but it was a close +thing. The little creature on the bed had large, bat- +like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis +balls. Harry knew instantly that this was what had +been watching him out of the garden hedge that +morning. +As they stared at each other, Harry heard Dudley’s +voice from the hall. +“May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?” +The creature slipped off the bed and bowed so low +that the end of its long, thin nose touched the carpet. +Harry noticed that it was wearing what looked like an +old pillowcase, with rips for arm- and leg-holes. +“Er — hello,” said Harry nervously. +“Harry Potter!” said the creature in a high-pitched +voice Harry was sure would carry down the stairs. “So +P a g e | 15 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +long has Dobby wanted to meet you, sir … Such an +honor it is. …” +“Th-thank you,” said Harry, edging along the wall and +sinking into his desk chair, next to Hedwig, who was +asleep in her large cage. He wanted to ask, “What are +you?” but thought it would sound too rude, so instead +he said, “Who are you?” +“Dobby, sir. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf,” said +the creature. +“Oh — really?” said Harry. “Er — I don’t want to be +rude or anything, but — this isn’t a great time for me +to have a house-elf in my bedroom.” +Aunt Petunia’s high, false laugh sounded from the +living room. The elf hung his head. +“Not that I’m not pleased to meet you,” said Harry +quickly, “but, er, is there any particular reason you’re +here?” +“Oh, yes, sir,” said Dobby earnestly. “Dobby has come +to tell you, sir … it is difficult, sir … Dobby wonders +where to begin. …” +“Sit down,” said Harry politely, pointing at the bed. +To his horror, the elf burst into tears — very noisy +tears. +“S-sit down!” he wailed. “Never … never ever …” +Harry thought he heard the voices downstairs falter. +“I’m sorry,” he whispered, “I didn’t mean to offend you +or anything —” +P a g e | 16 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Offend Dobby!” choked the elf. “Dobby has never +been asked to sit down by a wizard — like an equal — +” +Harry, trying to say “Shh!” and look comforting at the +same time, ushered Dobby back onto the bed where +he sat hiccoughing, looking like a large and very ugly +doll. At last he managed to control himself, and sat +with his great eyes fixed on Harry in an expression of +watery adoration. +“You can’t have met many decent wizards,” said +Harry, trying to cheer him up. +Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he +leapt up and started banging his head furiously on +the window, shouting, “Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!” +“Don’t — what are you doing?” Harry hissed, +springing up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed — +Hedwig had woken up with a particularly loud +screech and was beating her wings wildly against the +bars of her cage. +“Dobby had to punish himself, sir,” said the elf, who +had gone slightly cross-eyed. “Dobby almost spoke ill +of his family, sir. …” +“Your family?” +“The wizard family Dobby serves, sir. … Dobby is a +house-elf — bound to serve one house and one family +forever. …” +“Do they know you’re here?” asked Harry curiously. +Dobby shuddered. +P a g e | 17 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Oh, no, sir, no … Dobby will have to punish himself +most grievously for coming to see you, sir. Dobby will +have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they +ever knew, sir —” +“But won’t they notice if you shut your ears in the +oven door?” +“Dobby doubts it, sir. Dobby is always having to +punish himself for something, sir. They lets Dobby get +on with it, sir. Sometimes they reminds me to do +extra punishments. …” +“But why don’t you leave? Escape?” +“A house-elf must be set free, sir. And the family will +never set Dobby free … Dobby will serve the family +until he dies, sir. …” +Harry stared. +“And I thought I had it bad staying here for another +four weeks,” he said. “This makes the Dursleys sound +almost human. Can’t anyone help you? Can’t I?” +Almost at once, Harry wished he hadn’t spoken. +Dobby dissolved again into wails of gratitude. +“Please,” Harry whispered frantically, “please be quiet. +If the Dursleys hear anything, if they know you’re +here —” +“Harry Potter asks if he can help Dobby … Dobby has +heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, +Dobby never knew. …” +Harry, who was feeling distinctly hot in the face, said, +“Whatever you’ve heard about my greatness is a load +P a g e | 18 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +of rubbish. I’m not even top of my year at Hogwarts; +that’s Hermione, she —” +But he stopped quickly, because thinking about +Hermione was painful. +“Harry Potter is humble and modest,” said Dobby +reverently, his orb-like eyes aglow. “Harry Potter +speaks not of his triumph over He-Who-Must-Not-Be- +Named —” +“Voldemort?” said Harry. +Dobby clapped his hands over his bat ears and +moaned, “Ah, speak not the name, sir! Speak not the +name!” +“Sorry,” said Harry quickly. “I know lots of people +don’t like it. My friend Ron —” +He stopped again. Thinking about Ron was painful, +too. +Dobby leaned toward Harry, his eyes wide as +headlights. +“Dobby heard tell,” he said hoarsely, “that Harry +Potter met the Dark Lord for a second time, just +weeks ago … that Harry Potter escaped yet again.” +Harry nodded and Dobby’s eyes suddenly shone with +tears. +“Ah, sir,” he gasped, dabbing his face with a corner of +the grubby pillowcase he was wearing. “Harry Potter +is valiant and bold! He has braved so many dangers +already! But Dobby has come to protect Harry Potter, +to warn him, even if he does have to shut his ears in +P a g e | 19 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +the oven door later. … Harry Potter must not go back +to Hogwarts.” +There was a silence broken only by the chink of +knives and forks from downstairs and the distant +rumble of Uncle Vernon’s voice. +“W-what?” Harry stammered. “But I’ve got to go back +— term starts on September first. It’s all that’s +keeping me going. You don’t know what it’s like here. +I don’t belong here. I belong in your world — at +Hogwarts.” +“No, no, no,” squeaked Dobby, shaking his head so +hard his ears flapped. “Harry Potter must stay where +he is safe. He is too great, too good, to lose. If Harry +Potter goes back to Hogwarts, he will be in mortal +danger.” +“Why?” said Harry in surprise. +“There is a plot, Harry Potter. A plot to make most +terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of +Witchcraft and Wizardry this year,” whispered Dobby, +suddenly trembling all over. “Dobby has known it for +months, sir. Harry Potter must not put himself in +peril. He is too important, sir!” +“What terrible things?” said Harry at once. “Who’s +plotting them?” +Dobby made a funny choking noise and then banged +his head frantically against the wall. +“All right!” cried Harry, grabbing the elf’s arm to stop +him. “You can’t tell me. I understand. But why are +you warning me?” A sudden, unpleasant thought +struck him. “Hang on — this hasn’t got anything to +do with Vol — sorry — with You-Know-Who, has it? +P a g e | 20 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +You could just shake or nod,” he added hastily as +Dobby’s head tilted worryingly close to the wall again. +Slowly, Dobby shook his head. +“Not — not He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, sir —” +But Dobby’s eyes were wide and he seemed to be +trying to give Harry a hint. Harry, however, was +completely lost. +“He hasn’t got a brother, has he?” +Dobby shook his head, his eyes wider than ever. +“Well then, I can’t think who else would have a +chance of making horrible things happen at +Hogwarts,” said Harry. “I mean, there’s Dumbledore, +for one thing — you know who Dumbledore is, don’t +you?” +Dobby bowed his head. +“Albus Dumbledore is the greatest headmaster +Hogwarts has ever had. Dobby knows it, sir. Dobby +has heard Dumbledore’s powers rival those of He- +Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at the height of his +strength. But, sir” — Dobby’s voice dropped to an +urgent whisper — “there are powers Dumbledore +doesn’t … powers no decent wizard …” +And before Harry could stop him, Dobby bounded off +the bed, seized Harry’s desk lamp, and started +beating himself around the head with earsplitting +yelps. +A sudden silence fell downstairs. Two seconds later +Harry, heart thudding madly, heard Uncle Vernon +P a g e | 21 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +coming into the hall, calling, “Dudley must have left +his television on again, the little tyke!” +“Quick! In the closet!” hissed Harry, stuffing Dobby +in, shutting the door, and flinging himself onto the +bed just as the door handle turned. +“What — the — devil — are — you — doing?” said +Uncle Vernon through gritted teeth, his face horribly +close to Harry’s. “You’ve just ruined the punch line of +my Japanese golfer joke. … One more sound and +you’ll wish you’d never been born, boy!” +He stomped flat-footed from the room. +Shaking, Harry let Dobby out of the closet. +“See what it’s like here?” he said. “See why I’ve got to +go back to Hogwarts? It’s the only place I’ve got — +well, I think I’ve got friends.” +“Friends who don’t even write to Harry Potter?” said +Dobby slyly. +“I expect they’ve just been — wait a minute,” said +Harry, frowning. “How do you know my friends +haven’t been writing to me?” +Dobby shuffled his feet. +“Harry Potter mustn’t be angry with Dobby. Dobby +did it for the best —” +“Have you been stopping my letters?” +“Dobby has them here, sir,” said the elf. Stepping +nimbly out of Harry’s reach, he pulled a thick wad of +envelopes from the inside of the pillowcase he was +wearing. Harry could make out Hermione’s neat +P a g e | 22 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +writing, Ron’s untidy scrawl, and even a scribble that +looked as though it was from the Hogwarts +gamekeeper, Hagrid. +Dobby blinked anxiously up at Harry. +“Harry Potter mustn’t be angry. … Dobby hoped … if +Harry Potter thought his friends had forgotten him … +Harry Potter might not want to go back to school, sir. +…” +Harry wasn’t listening. He made a grab for the letters, +but Dobby jumped out of reach. +“Harry Potter will have them, sir, if he gives Dobby his +word that he will not return to Hogwarts. Ah, sir, this +is a danger you must not face! Say you won’t go back, +sir!” +“No,” said Harry angrily. “Give me my friends’ letters!” +“Then Harry Potter leaves Dobby no choice,” said the +elf sadly. +Before Harry could move, Dobby had darted to the +bedroom door, pulled it open, and sprinted down the +stairs. +Mouth dry, stomach lurching, Harry sprang after him, +trying not to make a sound. He jumped the last six +steps, landing catlike on the hall carpet, looking +around for Dobby. From the dining room he heard +Uncle Vernon saying, “… tell Petunia that very funny +story about those American plumbers, Mr. Mason. +She’s been dying to hear …” +Harry ran up the hall into the kitchen and felt his +stomach disappear. +P a g e | 23 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Aunt Petunia’s masterpiece of a pudding, the +mountain of cream and sugared violets, was floating +up near the ceiling. On top of a cupboard in the +corner crouched Dobby. +“No,” croaked Harry. “Please … they’ll kill me. …” +“Harry Potter must say he’s not going back to school +—” +“Dobby … please …” +“Say it, sir —” +“I can’t —” +Dobby gave him a tragic look. +“Then Dobby must do it, sir, for Harry Potter’s own +good.” +The pudding fell to the floor with a heart-stopping +crash. Cream splattered the windows and walls as the +dish shattered. With a crack like a whip, Dobby +vanished. +There were screams from the dining room and Uncle +Vernon burst into the kitchen to find Harry, rigid with +shock, covered from head to foot in Aunt Petunia’s +pudding. +At first, it looked as though Uncle Vernon would +manage to gloss the whole thing over. (“Just our +nephew — very disturbed — meeting strangers upsets +him, so we kept him upstairs. …”) He shooed the +shocked Masons back into the dining room, promised +Harry he would flay him to within an inch of his life +when the Masons had left, and handed him a mop. +Aunt Petunia dug some ice cream out of the freezer +P a g e | 24 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +and Harry, still shaking, started scrubbing the +kitchen clean. +Uncle Vernon might still have been able to make his +deal — if it hadn’t been for the owl. +Aunt Petunia was just passing around a box of after- +dinner mints when a huge barn owl swooped through +the dining room window, dropped a letter on Mrs. +Mason’s head, and swooped out again. Mrs. Mason +screamed like a banshee and ran from the house +shouting about lunatics. Mr. Mason stayed just long +enough to tell the Dursleys that his wife was mortally +afraid of birds of all shapes and sizes, and to ask +whether this was their idea of a joke. +Harry stood in the kitchen, clutching the mop for +support, as Uncle Vernon advanced on him, a +demonic glint in his tiny eyes. +“Read it!” he hissed evilly, brandishing the letter the +owl had delivered. “Go on — read it!” +Harry took it. It did not contain birthday greetings. +Dear Mr. Potter, +We have received intelligence that a Hover Charm was +used at your place of residence this evening at twelve +minutes past nine. +As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to +perform spells outside school, and further spellwork on +your part may lead to expulsion from said school +(Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage +Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C). +We would also ask you to remember that any magical +activity that risks notice by members of the non- +P a g e | 25 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +magical community (Muggles) is a serious offense +under section 13 of the International Confederation of +Warlocks’ Statute of Secrecy. +Enjoy your holidays! +Yours sincerely, +Mafalda Hopkirk +IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE +Ministry of Magic +Harry looked up from the letter and gulped. +“You didn’t tell us you weren’t allowed to use magic +outside school,” said Uncle Vernon, a mad gleam +dancing in his eyes. “Forgot to mention it. … Slipped +your mind, I daresay. …” +He was bearing down on Harry like a great bulldog, +all his teeth bared. “Well, I’ve got news for you, boy. … +I’m locking you up. … You’re never going back to that +school … never … and if you try and magic yourself +out — they’ll expel you!” +And laughing like a maniac, he dragged Harry back +upstairs. +Uncle Vernon was as bad as his word. The following +morning, he paid a man to fit bars on Harry’s window. +He himself fitted a cat-flap in the bedroom door, so +that small amounts of food could be pushed inside +three times a day. They let Harry out to use the +bathroom morning and evening. Otherwise, he was +locked in his room around the clock. +P a g e | 26 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Three days later, the Dursleys were showing no sign +of relenting, and Harry couldn’t see any way out of his +situation. He lay on his bed watching the sun sinking +behind the bars on the window and wondered +miserably what was going to happen to him. +What was the good of magicking himself out of his +room if Hogwarts would expel him for doing it? Yet life +at Privet Drive had reached an all-time low. Now that +the Dursleys knew they weren’t going to wake up as +fruit bats, he had lost his only weapon. Dobby might +have saved Harry from horrible happenings at +Hogwarts, but the way things were going, he’d +probably starve to death anyway. +The cat-flap rattled and Aunt Petunia’s hand +appeared, pushing a bowl of canned soup into the +room. Harry, whose insides were aching with hunger, +jumped off his bed and seized it. The soup was stone- +cold, but he drank half of it in one gulp. Then he +crossed the room to Hedwig’s cage and tipped the +soggy vegetables at the bottom of the bowl into her +empty food tray. She ruffled her feathers and gave +him a look of deep disgust. +“It’s no good turning your beak up at it — that’s all +we’ve got,” said Harry grimly. +He put the empty bowl back on the floor next to the +cat-flap and lay back down on the bed, somehow even +hungrier than he had been before the soup. +Supposing he was still alive in another four weeks, +what would happen if he didn’t turn up at Hogwarts? +Would someone be sent to see why he hadn’t come +back? Would they be able to make the Dursleys let +him go? +P a g e | 27 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +The room was growing dark. Exhausted, stomach +rumbling, mind spinning over the same unanswerable +questions, Harry fell into an uneasy sleep. +He dreamed that he was on show in a zoo, with a card +reading UNDERAGE WIZARD attached to his cage. +People goggled through the bars at him as he lay, +starving and weak, on a bed of straw. He saw Dobby’s +face in the crowd and shouted out, asking for help, +but Dobby called, “Harry Potter is safe there, sir!” and +vanished. Then the Dursleys appeared and Dudley +rattled the bars of the cage, laughing at him. +“Stop it,” Harry muttered as the rattling pounded in +his sore head. “Leave me alone … cut it out … I’m +trying to sleep. …” +He opened his eyes. Moonlight was shining through +the bars on the window. And someone was goggling +through the bars at him: a freckle-faced, red-haired, +long-nosed someone. +Ron Weasley was outside Harry’s window. +P a g e | 28 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +THE BURROW +“Ron!” breathed Harry, creeping to the window and +pushing it up so they could talk through the bars. +“Ron, how did you — What the — ?�� +Harry’s mouth fell open as the full impact of what he +was seeing hit him. Ron was leaning out of the back +window of an old turquoise car, which was parked in +midair. Grinning at Harry from the front seats were +Fred and George, Ron’s elder twin brothers. +“All right, Harry?” asked George. +“What’s been going on?” said Ron. “Why haven’t you +been answering my letters? I’ve asked you to stay +about twelve times, and then Dad came home and +said you’d got an official warning for using magic in +front of Muggles —” +“It wasn’t me — and how did he know?” +“He works for the Ministry,” said Ron. “You know +we’re not supposed to do spells outside school —” +P a g e | 29 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“You should talk,” said Harry, staring at the floating +car. +“Oh, this doesn’t count,” said Ron. “We’re only +borrowing this. It’s Dad’s, we didn’t enchant it. But +doing magic in front of those Muggles you live with —” +“I told you, I didn’t — but it’ll take too long to explain +now — look, can you tell them at Hogwarts that the +Dursleys have locked me up and won’t let me come +back, and obviously I can’t magic myself out, because +the Ministry’ll think that’s the second spell I’ve done +in three days, so —” +“Stop gibbering,” said Ron. “We’ve come to take you +home with us.” +“But you can’t magic me out either —” +“We don’t need to,” said Ron, jerking his head toward +the front seat and grinning. “You forget who I’ve got +with me.” +“Tie that around the bars,” said Fred, throwing the +end of a rope to Harry. +“If the Dursleys wake up, I’m dead,” said Harry as he +tied the rope tightly around a bar and Fred revved up +the car. +“Don’t worry,” said Fred, “and stand back.” +Harry moved back into the shadows next to Hedwig, +who seemed to have realized how important this was +and kept still and silent. The car revved louder and +louder and suddenly, with a crunching noise, the +bars were pulled clean out of the window as Fred +drove straight up in the air. Harry ran back to the +window to see the bars dangling a few feet above the +P a g e | 30 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +ground. Panting, Ron hoisted them up into the car. +Harry listened anxiously, but there was no sound +from the Dursleys’ bedroom. +When the bars were safely in the back seat with Ron, +Fred reversed as close as possible to Harry’s window. +“Get in,” Ron said. +“But all my Hogwarts stuff — my wand — my +broomstick —” +“Where is it?” +“Locked in the cupboard under the stairs, and I can’t +get out of this room —” +“No problem,” said George from the front passenger +seat. “Out of the way, Harry.” +Fred and George climbed catlike through the window +into Harry’s room. You had to hand it to them, +thought Harry, as George took an ordinary hairpin +from his pocket and started to pick the lock. +“A lot of wizards think it’s a waste of time, knowing +this sort of Muggle trick,” said Fred, “but we feel +they’re skills worth learning, even if they are a bit +slow.” +There was a small click and the door swung open. +“So — we’ll get your trunk — you grab anything you +need from your room and hand it out to Ron,” +whispered George. +“Watch out for the bottom stair — it creaks,” Harry +whispered back as the twins disappeared onto the +dark landing. +P a g e | 31 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry dashed around his room, collecting his things +and passing them out of the window to Ron. Then he +went to help Fred and George heave his trunk up the +stairs. Harry heard Uncle Vernon cough. +At last, panting, they reached the landing, then +carried the trunk through Harry’s room to the open +window. Fred climbed back into the car to pull with +Ron, and Harry and George pushed from the bedroom +side. Inch by inch, the trunk slid through the window. +Uncle Vernon coughed again. +“A bit more,” panted Fred, who was pulling from +inside the car. “One good push —” +Harry and George threw their shoulders against the +trunk and it slid out of the window into the back seat +of the car. +“Okay, let’s go,” George whispered. +But as Harry climbed onto the windowsill there came +a sudden loud screech from behind him, followed +immediately by the thunder of Uncle Vernon’s voice. +“THAT RUDDY OWL!” +“I’ve forgotten Hedwig!” +Harry tore back across the room as the landing light +clicked on — he snatched up Hedwig’s cage, dashed +to the window, and passed it out to Ron. He was +scrambling back onto the chest of drawers when +Uncle Vernon hammered on the unlocked door — and +it crashed open. +P a g e | 32 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +For a split second, Uncle Vernon stood framed in the +doorway; then he let out a bellow like an angry bull +and dived at Harry, grabbing him by the ankle. +Ron, Fred, and George seized Harry’s arms and pulled +as hard as they could. +“Petunia!” roared Uncle Vernon. “He’s getting away! +HE’S GETTING AWAY!” +But the Weasleys gave a gigantic tug and Harry’s leg +slid out of Uncle Vernon’s grasp — Harry was in the +car — he’d slammed the door shut — +“Put your foot down, Fred!” yelled Ron, and the car +shot suddenly toward the moon. +Harry couldn’t believe it — he was free. He rolled +down the window, the night air whipping his hair, +and looked back at the shrinking rooftops of Privet +Drive. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley were +all hanging, dumbstruck, out of Harry’s window. +“See you next summer!” Harry yelled. +The Weasleys roared with laughter and Harry settled +back in his seat, grinning from ear to ear. +“Let Hedwig out,” he told Ron. “She can fly behind us. +She hasn’t had a chance to stretch her wings for +ages.” +George handed the hairpin to Ron and, a moment +later, Hedwig soared joyfully out of the window to +glide alongside them like a ghost. +“So — what’s the story, Harry?” said Ron impatiently. +“What’s been happening?” +P a g e | 33 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry told them all about Dobby, the warning he’d +given Harry and the fiasco of the violet pudding. +There was a long, shocked silence when he had +finished. +“Very fishy,” said Fred finally. +“Definitely dodgy,” agreed George. “So he wouldn’t +even tell you who’s supposed to be plotting all this +stuff?” +“I don’t think he could,” said Harry. “I told you, every +time he got close to letting something slip, he started +banging his head against the wall.” +He saw Fred and George look at each other. +“What, you think he was lying to me?” said Harry. +“Well,” said Fred, “put it this way — house-elves have +got powerful magic of their own, but they can’t +usually use it without their master’s permission. I +reckon old Dobby was sent to stop you coming back +to Hogwarts. Someone’s idea of a joke. Can you think +of anyone at school with a grudge against you?” +“Yes,” said Harry and Ron together, instantly. +“Draco Malfoy,” Harry explained. “He hates me.” +“Draco Malfoy?” said George, turning around. “Not +Lucius Malfoy’s son?” +“Must be, it’s not a very common name, is it?” said +Harry. “Why?” +“I’ve heard Dad talking about him,” said George. “He +was a big supporter of You-Know-Who.” +P a g e | 34 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“And when You-Know-Who disappeared,” said Fred, +craning around to look at Harry, “Lucius Malfoy came +back saying he’d never meant any of it. Load of dung +— Dad reckons he was right in You-Know-Who’s +inner circle.” +Harry had heard these rumors about Malfoy’s family +before, and they didn’t surprise him at all. Malfoy +made Dudley Dursley look like a kind, thoughtful, +and sensitive boy. +“I don’t know whether the Malfoys own a house-elf. +…” said Harry. +“Well, whoever owns him will be an old wizarding +family, and they’ll be rich,” said Fred. +“Yeah, Mum’s always wishing we had a house-elf to +do the ironing,” said George. “But all we’ve got is a +lousy old ghoul in the attic and gnomes all over the +garden. House-elves come with big old manors and +castles and places like that; you wouldn’t catch one in +our house. …” +Harry was silent. Judging by the fact that Draco +Malfoy usually had the best of everything, his family +was rolling in wizard gold; he could just see Malfoy +strutting around a large manor house. Sending the +family servant to stop Harry from going back to +Hogwarts also sounded exactly like the sort of thing +Malfoy would do. Had Harry been stupid to take +Dobby seriously? +“I’m glad we came to get you, anyway,” said Ron. “I +was getting really worried when you didn’t answer +any of my letters. I thought it was Errol’s fault at first +—” +“Who’s Errol?” +P a g e | 35 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Our owl. He’s ancient. It wouldn’t be the first time +he’d collapsed on a delivery. So then I tried to borrow +Hermes —” +“Who?” +“The owl Mum and Dad bought Percy when he was +made prefect,” said Fred from the front. +“But Percy wouldn’t lend him to me,” said Ron. “Said +he needed him.” +“Percy’s been acting very oddly this summer,” said +George, frowning. “And he has been sending a lot of +letters and spending a load of time shut up in his +room. … I mean, there’s only so many times you can +polish a prefect badge. … You’re driving too far west, +Fred,” he added, pointing at a compass on the +dashboard. Fred twiddled the steering wheel. +“So, does your dad know you’ve got the car?” said +Harry, guessing the answer. +“Er, no,” said Ron, “he had to work tonight. Hopefully +we’ll be able to get it back in the garage without Mum +noticing we flew it.” +“What does your dad do at the Ministry of Magic, +anyway?” +“He works in the most boring department,” said Ron. +“The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office.” +“The what?” +“It’s all to do with bewitching things that are Muggle- +made, you know, in case they end up back in a +Muggle shop or house. Like, last year, some old witch +died and her tea set was sold to an antiques shop. +P a g e | 36 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +This Muggle woman bought it, took it home, and tried +to serve her friends tea in it. It was a nightmare — +Dad was working overtime for weeks.” +“What happened?” +“The teapot went berserk and squirted boiling tea all +over the place and one man ended up in the hospital +with the sugar tongs clamped to his nose. Dad was +going frantic — it’s only him and an old warlock +called Perkins in the office — and they had to do +Memory Charms and all sorts of stuff to cover it up — +” +“But your dad — this car —” +Fred laughed. “Yeah, Dad’s crazy about everything to +do with Muggles; our shed’s full of Muggle stuff. He +takes it apart, puts spells on it, and puts it back +together again. If he raided our house he’d have to put +himself under arrest. It drives Mum mad.” +“That’s the main road,” said George, peering down +through the windshield. “We’ll be there in ten +minutes. … Just as well, it’s getting light. …” +A faint pinkish glow was visible along the horizon to +the east. +Fred brought the car lower, and Harry saw a dark +patchwork of fields and clumps of trees. +“We’re a little way outside the village,” said George. +“Ottery St. Catchpole.” +Lower and lower went the flying car. The edge of a +brilliant red sun was now gleaming through the trees. +P a g e | 37 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Touchdown!” said Fred as, with a slight bump, they +hit the ground. They had landed next to a +tumbledown garage in a small yard, and Harry looked +out for the first time at Ron’s house. +It looked as though it had once been a large stone +pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and +there until it was several stories high and so crooked +it looked as though it were held up by magic (which, +Harry reminded himself, it probably was). Four or five +chimneys were perched on top of the red roof. A +lopsided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance +read, THE BURROW. Around the front door lay a +jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. +Several fat brown chickens were pecking their way +around the yard. +“It’s not much,” said Ron. +“It’s wonderful,” said Harry happily, thinking of Privet +Drive. +They got out of the car. +“Now, we’ll go upstairs really quietly,” said Fred, “and +wait for Mum to call us for breakfast. Then, Ron, you +come bounding downstairs going, ‘Mum, look who +turned up in the night!’ and she’ll be all pleased to +see Harry and no one need ever know we flew the +car.” +“Right,” said Ron. “Come on, Harry, I sleep at the — +at the top —” +Ron had gone a nasty greenish color, his eyes fixed on +the house. The other three wheeled around. +Mrs. Weasley was marching across the yard, +scattering chickens, and for a short, plump, kind- +P a g e | 38 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +faced woman, it was remarkable how much she +looked like a saber-toothed tiger. +“Ah,” said Fred. +“Oh, dear,” said George. +Mrs. Weasley came to a halt in front of them, her +hands on her hips, staring from one guilty face to the +next. She was wearing a flowered apron with a wand +sticking out of the pocket. +“So,” she said. +“ ’Morning, Mum,” said George, in what he clearly +thought was a jaunty, winning voice. +“Have you any idea how worried I’ve been?” said Mrs. +Weasley in a deadly whisper. +“Sorry, Mum, but see, we had to —” +All three of Mrs. Weasley’s sons were taller than she +was, but they cowered as her rage broke over them. +“Beds empty! No note! Car gone — could have crashed +— out of my mind with worry — did you care? — +never, as long as I’ve lived — you wait until your father +gets home, we never had trouble like this from Bill or +Charlie or Percy —” +“Perfect Percy,” muttered Fred. +“YOU COULD DO WITH TAKING A LEAF OUT OF +PERCY’S BOOK!” yelled Mrs. Weasley, prodding a +finger in Fred’s chest. “You could havedied, you could +have been seen, you could have lost your father his +job —” +P a g e | 39 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +It seemed to go on for hours. Mrs. Weasley had +shouted herself hoarse before she turned on Harry, +who backed away. +“I’m very pleased to see you, Harry, dear,” she said. +“Come in and have some breakfast.” +She turned and walked back into the house and +Harry, after a nervous glance at Ron, who nodded +encouragingly, followed her. +The kitchen was small and rather cramped. There +was a scrubbed wooden table and chairs in the +middle, and Harry sat down on the edge of his seat, +looking around. He had never been in a wizard house +before. +The clock on the wall opposite him had only one hand +and no numbers at all. Written around the edge were +things like Time to make tea, Time to feed the +chickens, and You’re late. Books were stacked three +deep on the mantelpiece, books with titles like Charm +Your Own Cheese, Enchantment in Baking, and One +Minute Feasts — It’s Magic! And unless Harry’s ears +were deceiving him, the old radio next to the sink had +just announced that coming up was “Witching Hour, +with the popular singing sorceress, Celestina +Warbeck.” +Mrs. Weasley was clattering around, cooking +breakfast a little haphazardly, throwing dirty looks at +her sons as she threw sausages into the frying pan. +Every now and then she muttered things like “don’t +know what you were thinking of,” and “never would +have believed it.” +“I don’t blame you, dear,” she assured Harry, tipping +eight or nine sausages onto his plate. “Arthur and I +have been worried about you, too. Just last night we +P a g e | 40 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +were saying we’d come and get you ourselves if you +hadn’t written back to Ron by Friday. But really” (she +was now adding three fried eggs to his plate), “flying +an illegal car halfway across the country — anyone +could have seen you —” +She flicked her wand casually at the dishes in the +sink, which began to clean themselves, clinking +gently in the background. +“It was cloudy, Mum!” said Fred. +“You keep your mouth closed while you’re eating!” +Mrs. Weasley snapped. +“They were starving him, Mum!” said George. +“And you!” said Mrs. Weasley, but it was with a +slightly softened expression that she started cutting +Harry bread and buttering it for him. +At that moment there was a diversion in the form of a +small, redheaded figure in a long nightdress, who +appeared in the kitchen, gave a small squeal, and ran +out again. +“Ginny,” said Ron in an undertone to Harry. “My +sister. She’s been talking about you all summer.” +“Yeah, she’ll be wanting your autograph, Harry,” Fred +said with a grin, but he caught his mother’s eye and +bent his face over his plate without another word. +Nothing more was said until all four plates were +clean, which took a surprisingly short time. +“Blimey, I’m tired,” yawned Fred, setting down his +knife and fork at last. “I think I’ll go to bed and —” +P a g e | 41 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“You will not,” snapped Mrs. Weasley. “It’s your own +fault you’ve been up all night. You’re going to de- +gnome the garden for me; they’re getting completely +out of hand again —” +“Oh, Mum —” +“And you two,” she said, glaring at Ron and Fred. +“You can go up to bed, dear,” she added to Harry. +“You didn’t ask them to fly that wretched car —” +But Harry, who felt wide awake, said quickly, “I’ll help +Ron. I’ve never seen a de-gnoming —” +“That’s very sweet of you, dear, but it’s dull work,” +said Mrs. Weasley. “Now, let’s see what Lockhart’s got +to say on the subject —” +And she pulled a heavy book from the stack on the +mantelpiece. George groaned. +“Mum, we know how to de-gnome a garden —” +Harry looked at the cover of Mrs. Weasley’s book. +Written across it in fancy gold letters were the words +Gilderoy Lockhart’s Guide to Household Pests. There +was a big photograph on the front of a very good- +looking wizard with wavy blond hair and bright blue +eyes. As always in the wizarding world, the +photograph was moving; the wizard, who Harry +supposed was Gilderoy Lockhart, kept winking +cheekily up at them all. Mrs. Weasley beamed down +at him. +“Oh, he is marvelous,” she said. “He knows his +household pests, all right, it’s a wonderful book. …” +“Mum fancies him,” said Fred, in a very audible +whisper. +P a g e | 42 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Don’t be so ridiculous, Fred,” said Mrs. Weasley, her +cheeks rather pink. “All right, if you think you know +better than Lockhart, you can go and get on with it, +and woe betide you if there’s a single gnome in that +garden when I come out to inspect it.” +Yawning and grumbling, the Weasleys slouched +outside with Harry behind them. The garden was +large, and in Harry’s eyes, exactly what a garden +should be. The Dursleys wouldn’t have liked it — +there were plenty of weeds, and the grass needed +cutting — but there were gnarled trees all around the +walls, plants Harry had never seen spilling from every +flower bed, and a big green pond full of frogs. +“Muggles have garden gnomes, too, you know,” Harry +told Ron as they crossed the lawn. +“Yeah, I’ve seen those things they think are gnomes,” +said Ron, bent double with his head in a peony bush, +“like fat little Santa Clauses with fishing rods. …” +There was a violent scuffling noise, the peony bush +shuddered, and Ron straightened up. “This is a +gnome,” he said grimly. +“Gerroff me! Gerroff me!” squealed the gnome. +It was certainly nothing like Santa Claus. It was small +and leathery looking, with a large, knobby, bald head +exactly like a potato. Ron held it at arm’s length as it +kicked out at him with its horny little feet; he grasped +it around the ankles and turned it upside down. +“This is what you have to do,” he said. He raised the +gnome above his head (“Gerroff me!”) and started to +swing it in great circles like a lasso. Seeing the +shocked look on Harry’s face, Ron added, “It doesn’t +P a g e | 43 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +hurt them — you’ve just got to make them really dizzy +so they can’t find their way back to the gnomeholes.” +He let go of the gnome’s ankles: It flew twenty feet +into the air and landed with a thud in the field over +the hedge. +“Pitiful,” said Fred. “I bet I can get mine beyond that +stump.” +Harry learned quickly not to feel too sorry for the +gnomes. He decided just to drop the first one he +caught over the hedge, but the gnome, sensing +weakness, sank its razor-sharp teeth into Harry’s +finger and he had a hard job shaking it off — until — +“Wow, Harry — that must’ve been fifty feet. …” +The air was soon thick with flying gnomes. +“See, they’re not too bright,” said George, seizing five +or six gnomes at once. “The moment they know the +de-gnoming’s going on they storm up to have a look. +You’d think they’d have learned by now just to stay +put.” +Soon, the crowd of gnomes in the field started walking +away in a straggling line, their little shoulders +hunched. +“They’ll be back,” said Ron as they watched the +gnomes disappear into the hedge on the other side of +the field. “They love it here. … Dad’s too soft with +them; he thinks they’re funny. …” +Just then, the front door slammed. +“He’s back!” said George. “Dad’s home!” +P a g e | 44 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +They hurried through the garden and back into the +house. +Mr. Weasley was slumped in a kitchen chair with his +glasses off and his eyes closed. He was a thin man, +going bald, but the little hair he had was as red as +any of his children’s. He was wearing long green +robes, which were dusty and travel-worn. +“What a night,” he mumbled, groping for the teapot as +they all sat down around him. “Nine raids. Nine! And +old Mundungus Fletcher tried to put a hex on me +when I had my back turned. …” +Mr. Weasley took a long gulp of tea and sighed. +“Find anything, Dad?” said Fred eagerly. +“All I got were a few shrinking door keys and a biting +kettle,” yawned Mr. Weasley. “There was some pretty +nasty stuff that wasn’t my department, though. +Mortlake was taken away for questioning about some +extremely odd ferrets, but that’s the Committee on +Experimental Charms, thank goodness. …” +“Why would anyone bother making door keys +shrink?” said George. +“Just Muggle-baiting,” sighed Mr. Weasley. “Sell them +a key that keeps shrinking to nothing so they can +never find it when they need it. … Of course, it’s very +hard to convict anyone because no Muggle would +admit their key keeps shrinking — they’ll insist they +just keep losing it. Bless them, they’ll go to any +lengths to ignore magic, even if it’s staring them in +the face. … But the things our lot have taken to +enchanting, you wouldn’t believe —” +“LIKE CARS, FOR INSTANCE?” +P a g e | 45 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Mrs. Weasley had appeared, holding a long poker like +a sword. Mr. Weasley’s eyes jerked open. He stared +guiltily at his wife. +“C-cars, Molly, dear?” +“Yes, Arthur, cars,” said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes +flashing. “Imagine a wizard buying a rusty old car and +telling his wife all he wanted to do with it was take it +apart to see how it worked, while really he was +enchanting it to make it fly.” +Mr. Weasley blinked. +“Well, dear, I think you’ll find that he would be quite +within the law to do that, even if — er — he maybe +would have done better to, um, tell his wife the truth. +… There’s a loophole in the law, you’ll find. … As long +as he wasn’t intending to fly the car, the fact that the +car could fly wouldn’t —” +“Arthur Weasley, you made sure there was a loophole +when you wrote that law!” shouted Mrs. Weasley. +“Just so you could carry on tinkering with all that +Muggle rubbish in your shed! And for your +information, Harry arrived this morning in the car +you weren’t intending to fly!” +“Harry?” said Mr. Weasley blankly. “Harry who?” +He looked around, saw Harry, and jumped. +“Good lord, is it Harry Potter? Very pleased to meet +you, Ron’s told us so much about —” +“Your sons flew that car to Harry’s house and back +last night!” shouted Mrs. Weasley. “What have you got +to say about that, eh?” +P a g e | 46 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Did you really?” said Mr. Weasley eagerly. “Did it go +all right? I — I mean,” he faltered as sparks flew from +Mrs. Weasley’s eyes, “that — that was very wrong, +boys — very wrong indeed. …” +“Let’s leave them to it,” Ron muttered to Harry as +Mrs. Weasley swelled like a bullfrog. “Come on, I’ll +show you my bedroom.” +They slipped out of the kitchen and down a narrow +passageway to an uneven staircase, which wound its +way, zigzagging up through the house. On the third +landing, a door stood ajar. Harry just caught sight of +a pair of bright brown eyes staring at him before it +closed with a snap. +“Ginny,” said Ron. “You don’t know how weird it is for +her to be this shy. She never shuts up normally —” +They climbed two more flights until they reached a +door with peeling paint and a small plaque on it, +saying RONALD’S ROOM. +Harry stepped in, his head almost touching the +sloping ceiling, and blinked. It was like walking into a +furnace: Nearly everything in Ron’s room seemed to +be a violent shade of orange: the bedspread, the walls, +even the ceiling. Then Harry realized that Ron had +covered nearly every inch of the shabby wallpaper +with posters of the same seven witches and wizards, +all wearing bright orange robes, carrying broomsticks, +and waving energetically. +“Your Quidditch team?” said Harry. +“The Chudley Cannons,” said Ron, pointing at the +orange bedspread, which was emblazoned with two +giant black C’s and a speeding cannonball. “Ninth in +the league.” +P a g e | 47 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Ron’s school spellbooks were stacked untidily in a +corner, next to a pile of comics that all seemed to +feature The Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad +Muggle. Ron’s magic wand was lying on top of a fish +tank full of frog spawn on the windowsill, next to his +fat gray rat, Scabbers, who was snoozing in a patch of +sun. +Harry stepped over a pack of Self-Shuffling playing +cards on the floor and looked out of the tiny window. +In the field far below he could see a gang of gnomes +sneaking one by one back through the Weasleys’ +hedge. Then he turned to look at Ron, who was +watching him almost nervously, as though waiting for +his opinion. +“It’s a bit small,” said Ron quickly. “Not like that room +you had with the Muggles. And I’m right underneath +the ghoul in the attic; he’s always banging on the +pipes and groaning. …” +But Harry, grinning widely, said, “This is the best +house I’ve ever been in.” +Ron’s ears went pink. +P a g e | 48 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +AT FLOURISH AND BLOTTS +Life at the Burrow was as different as possible from +life on Privet Drive. The Dursleys liked everything +neat and ordered; the Weasleys’ house burst with the +strange and unexpected. Harry got a shock the first +time he looked in the mirror over the kitchen +mantelpiece and it shouted, “Tuck your shirt in, +scruffy!” The ghoul in the attic howled and dropped +pipes whenever he felt things were getting too quiet, +and small explosions from Fred and George’s +bedroom were considered perfectly normal. What +Harry found most unusual about life at Ron’s, +however, wasn’t the talking mirror or the clanking +ghoul: It was the fact that everybody there seemed to +like him. +Mrs. Weasley fussed over the state of his socks and +tried to force him to eat fourth helpings at every meal. +Mr. Weasley liked Harry to sit next to him at the +dinner table so that he could bombard him with +questions about life with Muggles, asking him to +explain how things like plugs and the postal service +worked. +P a g e | 49 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Fascinating!” he would say as Harry talked him +through using a telephone. “Ingenious, really, how +many ways Muggles have found of getting along +without magic.” +Harry heard from Hogwarts one sunny morning about +a week after he had arrived at the Burrow. He and +Ron went down to breakfast to find Mr. and Mrs. +Weasley and Ginny already sitting at the kitchen +table. The moment she saw Harry, Ginny accidentally +knocked her porridge bowl to the floor with a loud +clatter. Ginny seemed very prone to knocking things +over whenever Harry entered a room. She dived under +the table to retrieve the bowl and emerged with her +face glowing like the setting sun. Pretending he hadn’t +noticed this, Harry sat down and took the toast Mrs. +Weasley offered him. +“Letters from school,” said Mr. Weasley, passing +Harry and Ron identical envelopes of yellowish +parchment, addressed in green ink. “Dumbledore +already knows you’re here, Harry — doesn’t miss a +trick, that man. You two’ve got them, too,” he added, +as Fred and George ambled in, still in their pajamas. +For a few minutes there was silence as they all read +their letters. Harry’s told him to catch the Hogwarts +Express as usual from King’s Cross station on +September first. There was also a list of the new +books he’d need for the coming year. +SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE: +The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by Miranda +Goshawk +Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart +Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart +P a g e | 50 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart +Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart +Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart +Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart +Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart +Fred, who had finished his own list, peered over at +Harry’s. +“You’ve been told to get all Lockhart’s books, too!” he +said. “The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher +must be a fan — bet it’s a witch.” +At this point, Fred caught his mother’s eye and +quickly busied himself with the marmalade. +“That lot won’t come cheap,” said George, with a +quick look at his parents. “Lockhart’s books are really +expensive. …” +“Well, we’ll manage,” said Mrs. Weasley, but she +looked worried. “I expect we’ll be able to pick up a lot +of Ginny’s things secondhand.” +“Oh, are you starting at Hogwarts this year?” Harry +asked Ginny. +She nodded, blushing to the roots of her flaming hair, +and put her elbow in the butter dish. Fortunately no +one saw this except Harry, because just then Ron’s +elder brother Percy walked in. He was already +dressed, his Hogwarts prefect badge pinned to his +sweater vest. +“Morning, all,” said Percy briskly. “Lovely day.” +P a g e | 51 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +He sat down in the only remaining chair but leapt up +again almost immediately, pulling from underneath +him a molting, gray feather duster — at least, that +was what Harry thought it was, until he saw that it +was breathing. +“Errol!” said Ron, taking the limp owl from Percy and +extracting a letter from under its wing. “Finally — he’s +got Hermione’s answer. I wrote to her saying we were +going to try and rescue you from the Dursleys.” +He carried Errol to a perch just inside the back door +and tried to stand him on it, but Errol flopped +straight off again so Ron laid him on the draining +board instead, muttering, “Pathetic.” Then he ripped +open Hermione’s letter and read it out loud: +“ ‘Dear Ron, and Harry if you’re there, +“ ‘I hope everything went all right and that Harry is +okay and that you didn’t do anything illegal to get him +out, Ron, because that would get Harry into trouble, +too. I’ve been really worried and if Harry is all right, +will you please let me know at once, but perhaps it +would be better if you used a different owl, because I +think another delivery might finish your one off. +“ ‘I’m very busy with schoolwork, of course’ — How can +she be?” said Ron in horror. “We’re on vacation! — +‘and we’re going to London next Wednesday to buy my +new books. Why don’t we meet in Diagon Alley? +“ ‘Let me know what’s happening as soon as you can. +Love from Hermione.’ ” +“Well, that fits in nicely, we can go and get all your +things then, too,” said Mrs. Weasley, starting to clear +the table. “What’re you all up to today?” +P a g e | 52 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry, Ron, Fred, and George were planning to go up +the hill to a small paddock the Weasleys owned. It +was surrounded by trees that blocked it from view of +the village below, meaning that they could practice +Quidditch there, as long as they didn’t fly too high. +They couldn’t use real Quidditch balls, which would +have been hard to explain if they had escaped and +flown away over the village; instead they threw apples +for one another to catch. They took turns riding +Harry’s Nimbus Two Thousand, which was easily the +best broom; Ron’s old Shooting Star was often +outstripped by passing butterflies. +Five minutes later they were marching up the hill, +broomsticks over their shoulders. They had asked +Percy if he wanted to join them, but he had said he +was busy. Harry had only seen Percy at mealtimes so +far; he stayed shut in his room the rest of the time. +“Wish I knew what he was up to,” said Fred, frowning. +“He’s not himself. His exam results came the day +before you did; twelve O.W.L.s and he hardly gloated +at all.” +“Ordinary Wizarding Levels,” George explained, seeing +Harry’s puzzled look. “Bill got twelve, too. If we’re not +careful, we’ll have another Head Boy in the family. I +don’t think I could stand the shame.” +Bill was the oldest Weasley brother. He and the next +brother, Charlie, had already left Hogwarts. Harry +had never met either of them, but knew that Charlie +was in Romania studying dragons and Bill in Egypt +working for the wizard’s bank, Gringotts. +“Dunno how Mum and Dad are going to afford all our +school stuff this year,” said George after a while. “Five +sets of Lockhart books! And Ginny needs robes and a +wand and everything. …” +P a g e | 53 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry said nothing. He felt a bit awkward. Stored in +an underground vault at Gringotts in London was a +small fortune that his parents had left him. Of course, +it was only in the wizarding world that he had money; +you couldn’t use Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts in +Muggle shops. He had never mentioned his Gringotts +bank account to the Dursleys; he didn’t think their +horror of anything connected with magic would +stretch to a large pile of gold. +Mrs. Weasley woke them all early the following +Wednesday. After a quick half a dozen bacon +sandwiches each, they pulled on their coats and Mrs. +Weasley took a flowerpot off the kitchen mantelpiece +and peered inside. +“We’re running low, Arthur,” she sighed. “We’ll have +to buy some more today. … Ah well, guests first! After +you, Harry dear!” +And she offered him the flowerpot. +Harry stared at them all watching him. +“W-what am I supposed to do?” he stammered. +“He’s never traveled by Floo powder,” said Ron +suddenly. “Sorry, Harry, I forgot.” +“Never?” said Mr. Weasley. “But how did you get to +Diagon Alley to buy your school things last year?” +“I went on the Underground —” +“Really?” said Mr. Weasley eagerly. “Were there +escapators? How exactly —” +P a g e | 54 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Not now, Arthur,” said Mrs. Weasley. “Floo powder’s +a lot quicker, dear, but goodness me, if you’ve never +used it before —” +“He’ll be all right, Mum,” said Fred. “Harry, watch us +first.” +He took a pinch of glittering powder out of the +flowerpot, stepped up to the fire, and threw the +powder into the flames. +With a roar, the fire turned emerald green and rose +higher than Fred, who stepped right into it, shouted, +“Diagon Alley!” and vanished. +“You must speak clearly, dear,” Mrs. Weasley told +Harry as George dipped his hand into the flowerpot. +“And be sure to get out at the right grate. …” +“The right what?” said Harry nervously as the fire +roared and whipped George out of sight, too. +“Well, there are an awful lot of wizard fires to choose +from, you know, but as long as you’ve spoken clearly +—” +“He’ll be fine, Molly, don’t fuss,” said Mr. Weasley, +helping himself to Floo powder, too. +“But, dear, if he got lost, how would we ever explain +to his aunt and uncle?” +“They wouldn’t mind,” Harry reassured her. “Dudley +would think it was a brilliant joke if I got lost up a +chimney, don’t worry about that —” +“Well … all right … you go after Arthur,” said Mrs. +Weasley. “Now, when you get into the fire, say where +you’re going —” +P a g e | 55 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“And keep your elbows tucked in,” Ron advised. +“And your eyes shut,” said Mrs. Weasley. “The soot — +” +“Don’t fidget,” said Ron. “Or you might well fall out of +the wrong fireplace —” +“But don’t panic and get out too early; wait until you +see Fred and George.” +Trying hard to bear all this in mind, Harry took a +pinch of Floo powder and walked to the edge of the +fire. He took a deep breath, scattered the powder into +the flames, and stepped forward; the fire felt like a +warm breeze; he opened his mouth and immediately +swallowed a lot of hot ash. +“D-Dia-gon Alley,” he coughed. +It felt as though he were being sucked down a giant +drain. He seemed to be spinning very fast — the +roaring in his ears was deafening — he tried to keep +his eyes open but the whirl of green flames made him +feel sick — something hard knocked his elbow and he +tucked it in tightly, still spinning and spinning — now +it felt as though cold hands were slapping his face — +squinting through his glasses he saw a blurred +stream of fireplaces and snatched glimpses of the +rooms beyond — his bacon sandwiches were +churning inside him — he closed his eyes again +wishing it would stop, and then — +He fell, face forward, onto cold stone and felt the +bridge of his glasses snap. +Dizzy and bruised, covered in soot, he got gingerly to +his feet, holding his broken glasses up to his eyes. He +was quite alone, but where he was, he had no idea. +P a g e | 56 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +All he could tell was that he was standing in the stone +fireplace of what looked like a large, dimly lit wizard’s +shop — but nothing in here was ever likely to be on a +Hogwarts school list. +A glass case nearby held a withered hand on a +cushion, a bloodstained pack of cards, and a staring +glass eye. Evil-looking masks stared down from the +walls, an assortment of human bones lay upon the +counter, and rusty, spiked instruments hung from +the ceiling. Even worse, the dark, narrow street Harry +could see through the dusty shop window was +definitely not Diagon Alley. +The sooner he got out of here, the better. Nose still +stinging where it had hit the hearth, Harry made his +way swiftly and silently toward the door, but before +he’d got halfway toward it, two people appeared on +the other side of the glass — and one of them was the +very last person Harry wanted to meet when he was +lost, covered in soot, and wearing broken glasses: +Draco Malfoy. +Harry looked quickly around and spotted a large +black cabinet to his left; he shot inside it and pulled +the doors closed, leaving a small crack to peer +through. Seconds later, a bell clanged, and Malfoy +stepped into the shop. +The man who followed could only be Draco’s father. +He had the same pale, pointed face and identical cold, +gray eyes. Mr. Malfoy crossed the shop, looking lazily +at the items on display, and rang a bell on the +counter before turning to his son and saying, “Touch +nothing, Draco.” +Malfoy, who had reached for the glass eye, said, “I +thought you were going to buy me a present.” +P a g e | 57 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I said I would buy you a racing broom,” said his +father, drumming his fingers on the counter. +“What’s the good of that if I’m not on the House +team?” said Malfoy, looking sulky and bad-tempered. +“Harry Potter got a Nimbus Two Thousand last year. +Special permission from Dumbledore so he could play +for Gryffindor. He’s not even that good, it’s just +because he’s famous … famous for having a stupid +scar on his forehead. …” +Malfoy bent down to examine a shelf full of skulls. +“… everyone thinks he’s so smart, wonderful Potter +with his scar and his broomstick —” +“You have told me this at least a dozen times +already,” said Mr. Malfoy, with a quelling look at his +son. “And I would remind you that it is not — prudent +— to appear less than fond of Harry Potter, not when +most of our kind regard him as the hero who made +the Dark Lord disappear — ah, Mr. Borgin.” +A stooping man had appeared behind the counter, +smoothing his greasy hair back from his face. +“Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you again,” said +Mr. Borgin in a voice as oily as his hair. “Delighted — +and young Master Malfoy, too — charmed. How may I +be of assistance? I must show you, just in today, and +very reasonably priced —” +“I’m not buying today, Mr. Borgin, but selling,” said +Mr. Malfoy. +“Selling?” The smile faded slightly from Mr. Borgin’s +face. +P a g e | 58 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“You have heard, of course, that the Ministry is +conducting more raids,” said Mr. Malfoy, taking a roll +of parchment from his inside pocket and unraveling it +for Mr. Borgin to read. “I have a few — ah — items at +home that might embarrass me, if the Ministry were +to call. …” +Mr. Borgin fixed a pair of pince-nez to his nose and +looked down the list. +“The Ministry wouldn’t presume to trouble you, sir, +surely?” +Mr. Malfoy’s lip curled. +“I have not been visited yet. The name Malfoy still +commands a certain respect, yet the Ministry grows +ever more meddlesome. There are rumors about a +new Muggle Protection Act — no doubt that flea- +bitten, Muggle-loving fool Arthur Weasley is behind it +—” +Harry felt a hot surge of anger. +“— and as you see, certain of these poisons might +make it appear —” +“I understand, sir, of course,” said Mr. Borgin. “Let +me see …” +“Can I have that?” interrupted Draco, pointing at the +withered hand on its cushion. +“Ah, the Hand of Glory!” said Mr. Borgin, abandoning +Mr. Malfoy’s list and scurrying over to Draco. “Insert a +candle and it gives light only to the holder! Best friend +of thieves and plunderers! Your son has fine taste, +sir.” +P a g e | 59 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I hope my son will amount to more than a thief or a +plunderer, Borgin,” said Mr. Malfoy coldly, and Mr. +Borgin said quickly, “No offense, sir, no offense meant +—” +“Though if his grades don’t pick up,” said Mr. Malfoy, +more coldly still, “that may indeed be all he is fit for +—” +“It’s not my fault,” retorted Draco. “The teachers all +have favorites, that Hermione Granger —” +“I would have thought you’d be ashamed that a girl of +no wizard family beat you in every exam,” snapped +Mr. Malfoy. +“Ha!” said Harry under his breath, pleased to see +Draco looking both abashed and angry. +“It’s the same all over,” said Mr. Borgin, in his oily +voice. “Wizard blood is counting for less everywhere — +” +“Not with me,” said Mr. Malfoy, his long nostrils +flaring. +“No, sir, nor with me, sir,” said Mr. Borgin, with a +deep bow. +“In that case, perhaps we can return to my list,” said +Mr. Malfoy shortly. “I am in something of a hurry, +Borgin, I have important business elsewhere today —” +They started to haggle. Harry watched nervously as +Draco drew nearer and nearer to his hiding place, +examining the objects for sale. Draco paused to +examine a long coil of hangman’s rope and to read, +smirking, the card propped on a magnificent necklace +P a g e | 60 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +of opals, Caution: Do Not Touch. Cursed — Has +Claimed the Lives of Nineteen Muggle Owners to Date. +Draco turned away and saw the cabinet right in front +of him. He walked forward — he stretched out his +hand for the handle — +“Done,” said Mr. Malfoy at the counter. “Come, Draco +—” +Harry wiped his forehead on his sleeve as Draco +turned away. +“Good day to you, Mr. Borgin. I’ll expect you at the +manor tomorrow to pick up the goods.” +The moment the door had closed, Mr. Borgin dropped +his oily manner. +“Good day yourself, Mister Malfoy, and if the stories +are true, you haven’t sold me half of what’s hidden in +your manor. …” +Muttering darkly, Mr. Borgin disappeared into a back +room. Harry waited for a minute in case he came +back, then, quietly as he could, slipped out of the +cabinet, past the glass cases, and out of the shop +door. +Clutching his broken glasses to his face, Harry stared +around. He had emerged into a dingy alleyway that +seemed to be made up entirely of shops devoted to the +Dark Arts. The one he’d just left, Borgin and Burkes, +looked like the largest, but opposite was a nasty +window display of shrunken heads and, two doors +down, a large cage was alive with gigantic black +spiders. Two shabby-looking wizards were watching +him from the shadow of a doorway, muttering to each +other. Feeling jumpy, Harry set off, trying to hold his +P a g e | 61 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +glasses on straight and hoping against hope he’d be +able to find a way out of here. +An old wooden street sign hanging over a shop selling +poisonous candles told him he was in Knockturn +Alley. This didn’t help, as Harry had never heard of +such a place. He supposed he hadn’t spoken clearly +enough through his mouthful of ashes back in the +Weasleys’ fire. Trying to stay calm, he wondered what +to do. +“Not lost are you, my dear?” said a voice in his ear, +making him jump. +An aged witch stood in front of him, holding a tray of +what looked horribly like whole human fingernails. +She leered at him, showing mossy teeth. Harry +backed away. +“I’m fine, thanks,” he said. “I’m just —” +“HARRY! What d’yeh think yer doin’ down there?” +Harry’s heart leapt. So did the witch; a load of +fingernails cascaded down over her feet and she +cursed as the massive form of Hagrid, the Hogwarts +gamekeeper, came striding toward them, beetle-black +eyes flashing over his great bristling beard. +“Hagrid!” Harry croaked in relief. “I was lost — Floo +powder —” +Hagrid seized Harry by the scruff of the neck and +pulled him away from the witch, knocking the tray +right out of her hands. Her shrieks followed them all +the way along the twisting alleyway out into bright +sunlight. Harry saw a familiar, snow-white marble +building in the distance — Gringotts Bank. Hagrid +had steered him right into Diagon Alley. +P a g e | 62 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Yer a mess!” said Hagrid gruffly, brushing soot off +Harry so forcefully he nearly knocked him into a +barrel of dragon dung outside an apothecary. +“Skulkin’ around Knockturn Alley, I dunno — dodgy +place, Harry — don’ want no one ter see yeh down +there —” +“I realized that,” said Harry, ducking as Hagrid made +to brush him off again. “I told you, I was lost — what +were you doing down there, anyway?” +“I was lookin’ fer a Flesh-Eatin’ Slug Repellent,” +growled Hagrid. “They’re ruinin’ the school cabbages. +Yer not on yer own?” +“I’m staying with the Weasleys but we got separated,” +Harry explained. “I’ve got to go and find them. …” +They set off together down the street. +“How come yeh never wrote back ter me?” said Hagrid +as Harry jogged alongside him (he had to take three +steps to every stride of Hagrid’s enormous boots). +Harry explained all about Dobby and the Dursleys. +“Lousy Muggles,” growled Hagrid. “If I’d’ve known —” +“Harry! Harry! Over here!” +Harry looked up and saw Hermione Granger standing +at the top of the white flight of steps to Gringotts. She +ran down to meet them, her bushy brown hair flying +behind her. +“What happened to your glasses? Hello, Hagrid — Oh, +it’s wonderful to see you two again — Are you coming +into Gringotts, Harry?” +“As soon as I’ve found the Weasleys,” said Harry. +P a g e | 63 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Yeh won’t have long ter wait,” Hagrid said with a +grin. +Harry and Hermione looked around: Sprinting up the +crowded street were Ron, Fred, George, Percy, and +Mr. Weasley. +“Harry,” Mr. Weasley panted. “We hoped you’d only +gone one grate too far. …” He mopped his glistening +bald patch. “Molly’s frantic — she’s coming now —” +“Where did you come out?” Ron asked. +“Knockturn Alley,” said Hagrid grimly. +“Excellent!” said Fred and George together. +“We’ve never been allowed in,” said Ron enviously. +“I should ruddy well think not,” growled Hagrid. +Mrs. Weasley now came galloping into view, her +handbag swinging wildly in one hand, Ginny just +clinging onto the other. +“Oh, Harry — oh, my dear — you could have been +anywhere —” +Gasping for breath she pulled a large clothes brush +out of her bag and began sweeping off the soot Hagrid +hadn’t managed to beat away. Mr. Weasley took +Harry’s glasses, gave them a tap of his wand, and +returned them, good as new. +“Well, gotta be off,” said Hagrid, who was having his +hand wrung by Mrs. Weasley (“Knockturn Alley! If you +hadn’t found him, Hagrid!”). “See yer at Hogwarts!” +And he strode away, head and shoulders taller than +anyone else in the packed street. +P a g e | 64 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?” Harry +asked Ron and Hermione as they climbed the +Gringotts steps. “Malfoy and his father.” +“Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?” said Mr. Weasley +sharply behind them. +“No, he was selling —” +“So he’s worried,” said Mr. Weasley with grim +satisfaction. “Oh, I’d love to get Lucius Malfoy for +something. …” +“You be careful, Arthur,” said Mrs. Weasley sharply +as they were bowed into the bank by a goblin at the +door. “That family’s trouble. Don’t go biting off more +than you can chew —” +“So you don’t think I’m a match for Lucius Malfoy?” +said Mr. Weasley indignantly, but he was distracted +almost at once by the sight of Hermione’s parents, +who were standing nervously at the counter that ran +all along the great marble hall, waiting for Hermione +to introduce them. +“But you’re Muggles!” said Mr. Weasley delightedly. +“We must have a drink! What’s that you’ve got there? +Oh, you’re changing Muggle money. Molly, look!” He +pointed excitedly at the ten-pound notes in Mr. +Granger’s hand. +“Meet you back here,” Ron said to Hermione as the +Weasleys and Harry were led off to their underground +vaults by another Gringotts goblin. +The vaults were reached by means of small, goblin- +driven carts that sped along minature train tracks +through the bank’s underground tunnels. Harry +enjoyed the breakneck journey down to the Weasleys’ +P a g e | 65 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +vault, but felt dreadful, far worse than he had in +Knock-turn Alley, when it was opened. There was a +very small pile of silver Sickles inside, and just one +gold Galleon. Mrs. Weasley felt right into the corners +before sweeping the whole lot into her bag. Harry felt +even worse when they reached his vault. He tried to +block the contents from view as he hastily shoved +handfuls of coins into a leather bag. +Back outside on the marble steps, they all separated. +Percy muttered vaguely about needing a new quill. +Fred and George had spotted their friend from +Hogwarts, Lee Jordan. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were +going to a secondhand robe shop. Mr. Weasley was +insisting on taking the Grangers off to the Leaky +Cauldron for a drink. +“We’ll all meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to +buy your schoolbooks,” said Mrs. Weasley, setting off +with Ginny. “And not one step down Knockturn +Alley!” she shouted at the twins’ retreating backs. +Harry, Ron, and Hermione strolled off along the +winding, cobbled street. The bag of gold, silver, and +bronze jangling cheerfully in Harry’s pocket was +clamoring to be spent, so he bought three large +strawberry-and-peanut-butter ice creams, which they +slurped happily as they wandered up the alley, +examining the fascinating shop windows. Ron gazed +longingly at a full set of Chudley Cannon robes in the +windows of Quality Quidditch Supplies until +Hermione dragged them off to buy ink and parchment +next door. In Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke +Shop, they met Fred, George, and Lee Jordan, who +were stocking up on Dr. Filibuster’s Fabulous Wet- +Start, No-Heat Fireworks, and in a tiny junk shop full +of broken wands, lopsided brass scales, and old +cloaks covered in potion stains they found Percy, +P a g e | 66 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +deeply immersed in a small and deeply boring book +called Prefects Who Gained Power. +“A study of Hogwarts prefects and their later careers,” +Ron read aloud off the back cover. “That sounds +fascinating. …” +“Go away,” Percy snapped. +“ ’Course, he’s very ambitious, Percy, he’s got it all +planned out. … He wants to be Minister of Magic …” +Ron told Harry and Hermione in an undertone as they +left Percy to it. +An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. +They were by no means the only ones making their +way to the bookshop. As they approached it, they saw +to their surprise a large crowd jostling outside the +doors, trying to get in. The reason for this was +proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the +upper windows: +GILDEROY LOCKHART +will be signing copies of his autobiography +MAGICAL ME +today 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. +“We can actually meet him!” Hermione squealed. “I +mean, he’s written almost the whole booklist!” +The crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches +around Mrs. Weasley’s age. A harassed-looking wizard +stood at the door, saying, “Calmly, please, ladies. … +Don’t push, there … mind the books, now. …” +Harry, Ron, and Hermione squeezed inside. A long +line wound right to the back of the shop, where +Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books. They each +P a g e | 67 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +grabbed a copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade +2 and sneaked up the line to where the rest of the +Weasleys were standing with Mr. and Mrs. Granger. +“Oh, there you are, good,” said Mrs. Weasley. She +sounded breathless and kept patting her hair. “We’ll +be able to see him in a minute. …” +Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a +table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all +winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the +crowd. The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget- +me-not blue that exactly matched his eyes; his +pointed wizard’s hat was set at a jaunty angle on his +wavy hair. +A short, irritable-looking man was dancing around +taking photographs with a large black camera that +emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding +flash. +“Out of the way, there,” he snarled at Ron, moving +back to get a better shot. “This is for the Daily Prophet +—” +“Big deal,” said Ron, rubbing his foot where the +photographer had stepped on it. +Gilderoy Lockhart heard him. He looked up. He saw +Ron — and then he saw Harry. He stared. Then he +leapt to his feet and positively shouted, “It can’t be +Harry Potter?” +The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; Lockhart +dived forward, seized Harry’s arm, and pulled him to +the front. The crowd burst into applause. Harry’s face +burned as Lockhart shook his hand for the +photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting +thick smoke over the Weasleys. +P a g e | 68 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Nice big smile, Harry,” said Lockhart, through his +own gleaming teeth. “Together, you and I are worth +the front page.” +When he finally let go of Harry’s hand, Harry could +hardly feel his fingers. He tried to sidle back over to +the Weasleys, but Lockhart threw an arm around his +shoulders and clamped him tightly to his side. +“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said loudly, waving for +quiet. “What an extraordinary moment this is! The +perfect moment for me to make a little announcement +I’ve been sitting on for some time! +“When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and +Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography +— which I shall be happy to present him now, free of +charge —” The crowd applauded again. “He had no +idea,” Lockhart continued, giving Harry a little shake +that made his glasses slip to the end of his nose, “that +he would shortly be getting much, much more than +my book, Magical Me. He and his schoolmates will, in +fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and +gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in +announcing that this September, I will be taking up +the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at +Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!” +The crowd cheered and clapped and Harry found +himself being presented with the entire works of +Gilderoy Lockhart. Staggering slightly under their +weight, he managed to make his way out of the +limelight to the edge of the room, where Ginny was +standing next to her new cauldron. +“You have these,” Harry mumbled to her, tipping the +books into the cauldron. “I’ll buy my own —” +P a g e | 69 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Bet you loved that, didn’t you, Potter?” said a voice +Harry had no trouble recognizing. He straightened up +and found himself face-to-face with Draco Malfoy, +who was wearing his usual sneer. +“Famous Harry Potter,” said Malfoy. “Can’t even go +into a bookshop without making the front page.” +“Leave him alone, he didn’t want all that!” said Ginny. +It was the first time she had spoken in front of Harry. +She was glaring at Malfoy. +“Potter, you’ve got yourself a girlfriend!” drawled +Malfoy. Ginny went scarlet as Ron and Hermione +fought their way over, both clutching stacks of +Lockhart’s books. +“Oh, it’s you,” said Ron, looking at Malfoy as if he +were something unpleasant on the sole of his shoe. +“Bet you’re surprised to see Harry here, eh?” +“Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, +Weasley,” retorted Malfoy. “I suppose your parents +will go hungry for a month to pay for all those.” +Ron went as red as Ginny. He dropped his books into +the cauldron, too, and started toward Malfoy, but +Harry and Hermione grabbed the back of his jacket. +“Ron!” said Mr. Weasley, struggling over with Fred +and George. “What are you doing? It’s too crowded in +here, let’s go outside.” +“Well, well, well — Arthur Weasley.” +It was Mr. Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco’s +shoulder, sneering in just the same way. +“Lucius,” said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly. +P a g e | 70 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Busy time at the Ministry, I hear,” said Mr. Malfoy. +“All those raids … I hope they’re paying you +overtime?” +He reached into Ginny’s cauldron and extracted, from +amid the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, very +battered copy of A Beginner’s Guide to Transfiguration. +“Obviously not,” Mr. Malfoy said. “Dear me, what’s +the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if +they don’t even pay you well for it?” +Mr. Weasley flushed darker than either Ron or Ginny. +“We have a very different idea of what disgraces the +name of wizard, Malfoy,” he said. +“Clearly,” said Mr. Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to +Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who were watching +apprehensively. “The company you keep, Weasley … +and I thought your family could sink no lower —” +There was a thud of metal as Ginny’s cauldron went +flying; Mr. Weasley had thrown himself at Mr. Malfoy, +knocking him backward into a bookshelf. Dozens of +heavy spellbooks came thundering down on all their +heads; there was a yell of, “Get him, Dad!” from Fred +or George; Mrs. Weasley was shrieking, “No, Arthur, +no!”; the crowd stampeded backward, knocking more +shelves over; “Gentlemen, please — please!” cried the +assistant, and then, louder than all — +“Break it up, there, gents, break it up —” +Hagrid was wading toward them through the sea of +books. In an instant he had pulled Mr. Weasley and +Mr. Malfoy apart. Mr. Weasley had a cut lip and Mr. +Malfoy had been hit in the eye by an Encyclopedia of +Toadstools. He was still holding Ginny’s old +P a g e | 71 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Transfiguration book. He thrust it at her, his eyes +glittering with malice. +“Here, girl — take your book — it’s the best your +father can give you —” Pulling himself out of Hagrid’s +grip he beckoned to Draco and swept from the shop. +“Yeh should’ve ignored him, Arthur,” said Hagrid, +almost lifting Mr. Weasley off his feet as he +straightened his robes. “Rotten ter the core, the whole +family, everyone knows that — no Malfoy’s worth +listenin’ ter — bad blood, that’s what it is — come on +now — let’s get outta here.” +The assistant looked as though he wanted to stop +them from leaving, but he barely came up to Hagrid’s +waist and seemed to think better of it. They hurried +up the street, the Grangers shaking with fright and +Mrs. Weasley beside herself with fury. +“A fine example to set for your children … brawling in +public … what Gilderoy Lockhart must’ve thought —” +“He was pleased,” said Fred. “Didn’t you hear him as +we were leaving? He was asking that bloke from the +Daily Prophet if he’d be able to work the fight into his +report — said it was all publicity —” +But it was a subdued group that headed back to the +fireside in the Leaky Cauldron, where Harry, the +Weasleys, and all their shopping would be traveling +back to the Burrow using Floo powder. They said +good-bye to the Grangers, who were leaving the pub +for the Muggle street on the other side; Mr. Weasley +started to ask them how bus stops worked, but +stopped quickly at the look on Mrs. Weasley’s face. +P a g e | 72 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry took off his glasses and put them safely in his +pocket before helping himself to Floo powder. It +definitely wasn’t his favorite way to travel. +P a g e | 73 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +THE WHOMPING WILLOW + The end of the summer vacation came too quickly for +Harry’s liking. He was looking forward to getting back +to Hogwarts, but his month at the Burrow had been +the happiest of his life. It was difficult not to feel +jealous of Ron when he thought of the Dursleys and +the sort of welcome he could expect next time he +turned up on Privet Drive. +On their last evening, Mrs. Weasley conjured up a +sumptuous dinner that included all of Harry’s favorite +things, ending with a mouthwatering treacle pudding. +Fred and George rounded off the evening with a +display of Filibuster fireworks; they filled the kitchen +with red and blue stars that bounced from ceiling to +wall for at least half an hour. Then it was time for a +last mug of hot chocolate and bed. +It took a long while to get started next morning. They +were up at dawn, but somehow they still seemed to +have a great deal to do. Mrs. Weasley dashed about in +a bad mood looking for spare socks and quills; people +kept colliding on the stairs, half-dressed with bits of +P a g e | 74 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +toast in their hands; and Mr. Weasley nearly broke +his neck, tripping over a stray chicken as he crossed +the yard carrying Ginny’s trunk to the car. +Harry couldn’t see how eight people, six large trunks, +two owls, and a rat were going to fit into one small +Ford Anglia. He had reckoned, of course, without the +special features that Mr. Weasley had added. +“Not a word to Molly,” he whispered to Harry as he +opened the trunk and showed him how it had been +magically expanded so that the luggage fitted easily. +When at last they were all in the car, Mrs. Weasley +glanced into the back seat, where Harry, Ron, Fred, +George, and Percy were all sitting comfortably side by +side, and said, “Muggles do know more than we give +them credit for, don’t they?” She and Ginny got into +the front seat, which had been stretched so that it +resembled a park bench. “I mean, you’d never know it +was this roomy from the outside, would you?” +Mr. Weasley started up the engine and they trundled +out of the yard, Harry turning back for a last look at +the house. He barely had time to wonder when he’d +see it again when they were back — George had +forgotten his box of Filibuster fireworks. Five minutes +after that, they skidded to a halt in the yard so that +Fred could run in for his broomstick. They had +almost reached the highway when Ginny shrieked +that she’d left her diary. By the time she had +clambered back into the car, they were running very +late, and tempers were running high. +Mr. Weasley glanced at his watch and then at his +wife. +“Molly, dear —” +P a g e | 75 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“No, Arthur —” +“No one would see — this little button here is an +Invisibility Booster I installed — that’d get us up in +the air — then we fly above the clouds. We’d be there +in ten minutes and no one would be any the wiser —” +“I said no, Arthur, not in broad daylight —” +They reached King’s Cross at a quarter to eleven. Mr. +Weasley dashed across the road to get trolleys for +their trunks and they all hurried into the station. +Harry had caught the Hogwarts Express the previous +year. The tricky part was getting onto platform nine +and three-quarters, which wasn’t visible to the +Muggle eye. What you had to do was walk through +the solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. It +didn’t hurt, but it had to be done carefully so that +none of the Muggles noticed you vanishing. +“Percy first,” said Mrs. Weasley, looking nervously at +the clock overhead, which showed they had only five +minutes to disappear casually through the barrier. +Percy strode briskly forward and vanished. Mr. +Weasley went next; Fred and George followed. +“I’ll take Ginny and you two come right after us,” Mrs. +Weasley told Harry and Ron, grabbing Ginny’s hand +and setting off. In the blink of an eye they were gone. +“Let’s go together, we’ve only got a minute,” Ron said +to Harry. +Harry made sure that Hedwig’s cage was safely +wedged on top of his trunk and wheeled his trolley +around to face the barrier. He felt perfectly confident; +this wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable as using Floo +P a g e | 76 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +powder. Both of them bent low over the handles of +their trolleys and walked purposefully toward the +barrier, gathering speed. A few feet away from it, they +broke into a run and — +CRASH. +Both trolleys hit the barrier and bounced backward; +Ron’s trunk fell off with a loud thump, Harry was +knocked off his feet, and Hedwig’s cage bounced onto +the shiny floor, and she rolled away, shrieking +indignantly; people all around them stared and a +guard nearby yelled, “What in blazes d’you think +you’re doing?” +“Lost control of the trolley,” Harry gasped, clutching +his ribs as he got up. Ron ran to pick up Hedwig, who +was causing such a scene that there was a lot of +muttering about cruelty to animals from the +surrounding crowd. +“Why can’t we get through?” Harry hissed to Ron. +“I dunno —” +Ron looked wildly around. A dozen curious people +were still watching them. +“We’re going to miss the train,” Ron whispered. “I +don’t understand why the gateway’s sealed itself —” +Harry looked up at the giant clock with a sickening +feeling in the pit of his stomach. Ten seconds … nine +seconds … +He wheeled his trolley forward cautiously until it was +right against the barrier and pushed with all his +might. The metal remained solid. +P a g e | 77 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Three seconds … two seconds … one second … +“It’s gone,” said Ron, sounding stunned. “The train’s +left. What if Mum and Dad can’t get back through to +us? Have you got any Muggle money?” +Harry gave a hollow laugh. “The Dursleys haven’t +given me pocket money for about six years.” +Ron pressed his ear to the cold barrier. +“Can’t hear a thing,” he said tensely. “What’re we +going to do? I don’t know how long it’ll take Mum and +Dad to get back to us.” +They looked around. People were still watching them, +mainly because of Hedwig’s continuing screeches. +“I think we’d better go and wait by the car,” said +Harry. “We’re attracting too much atten —” +“Harry!” said Ron, his eyes gleaming. “The car!” +“What about it?” +“We can fly the car to Hogwarts!” +“But I thought —” +“We’re stuck, right? And we’ve got to get to school, +haven’t we? And even underage wizards are allowed to +use magic if it’s a real emergency, section nineteen or +something of the Restriction of Thingy —” +“But your mum and dad …” said Harry, pushing +against the barrier again in the vain hope that it +would give way. “How will they get home?” +P a g e | 78 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“They don’t need the car!” said Ron impatiently. “They +know how to Apparate! You know, just vanish and +reappear at home! They only bother with Floo powder +and the car because we’re all underage and we’re not +allowed to Apparate yet. …” +Harry’s feeling of panic turned suddenly to +excitement. +“Can you fly it?” +“No problem,” said Ron, wheeling his trolley around to +face the exit. “C’mon, let’s go. If we hurry we’ll be able +to follow the Hogwarts Express —” +And they marched off through the crowd of curious +Muggles, out of the station and back onto the side +road where the old Ford Anglia was parked. +Ron unlocked the cavernous trunk with a series of +taps from his wand. They heaved their luggage back +in, put Hedwig on the back seat, and got into the +front. +“Check that no one’s watching,” said Ron, starting the +ignition with another tap of his wand. Harry stuck his +head out of the window: Traffic was rumbling along +the main road ahead, but their street was empty. +“Okay,” he said. +Ron pressed a tiny silver button on the dashboard. +The car around them vanished — and so did they. +Harry could feel the seat vibrating beneath him, hear +the engine, feel his hands on his knees and his +glasses on his nose, but for all he could see, he had +become a pair of eyeballs, floating a few feet above the +ground in a dingy street full of parked cars. +P a g e | 79 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Let’s go,” said Ron’s voice from his right. +And the ground and the dirty buildings on either side +fell away, dropping out of sight as the car rose; in +seconds, the whole of London lay, smoky and +glittering, below them. +Then there was a popping noise and the car, Harry, +and Ron reappeared. +“Uh-oh,” said Ron, jabbing at the Invisibility Booster. +“It’s faulty —” +Both of them pummeled it. The car vanished. Then it +flickered back again. +“Hold on!” Ron yelled, and he slammed his foot on the +accelerator; they shot straight into the low, woolly +clouds and everything turned dull and foggy. +“Now what?” said Harry, blinking at the solid mass of +cloud pressing in on them from all sides. +“We need to see the train to know what direction to go +in,” said Ron. +“Dip back down again — quickly —” +They dropped back beneath the clouds and twisted +around in their seats, squinting at the ground. +“I can see it!” Harry yelled. “Right ahead — there!” +The Hogwarts Express was streaking along below +them like a scarlet snake. +“Due north,” said Ron, checking the compass on the +dashboard. “Okay, we’ll just have to check on it every +half hour or so — hold on —” +P a g e | 80 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +And they shot up through the clouds. A minute later, +they burst out into a blaze of sunlight. +It was a different world. The wheels of the car +skimmed the sea of fluffy cloud, the sky a bright, +endless blue under the blinding white sun. +“All we’ve got to worry about now are airplanes,” said +Ron. +They looked at each other and started to laugh; for a +long time, they couldn’t stop. +It was as though they had been plunged into a +fabulous dream. This, thought Harry, was surely the +only way to travel — past swirls and turrets of snowy +cloud, in a car full of hot, bright sunlight, with a fat +pack of toffees in the glove compartment, and the +prospect of seeing Fred’s and George’s jealous faces +when they landed smoothly and spectacularly on the +sweeping lawn in front of Hogwarts castle. +They made regular checks on the train as they flew +farther and farther north, each dip beneath the +clouds showing them a different view. London was +soon far behind them, replaced by neat green fields +that gave way in turn to wide, purplish moors, a great +city alive with cars like multicolored ants, villages +with tiny toy churches. +Several uneventful hours later, however, Harry had to +admit that some of the fun was wearing off. The +toffees had made them extremely thirsty and they had +nothing to drink. He and Ron had pulled off their +sweaters, but Harry’s T-shirt was sticking to the back +of his seat and his glasses kept sliding down to the +end of his sweaty nose. He had stopped noticing the +fantastic cloud shapes now and was thinking +longingly of the train miles below, where you could +P a g e | 81 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +buy ice-cold pumpkin juice from a trolley pushed by a +plump witch. Why hadn’t they been able to get onto +platform nine and three-quarters? +“Can’t be much further, can it?” croaked Ron, hours +later still, as the sun started to sink into their floor of +cloud, staining it a deep pink. “Ready for another +check on the train?” +It was still right below them, winding its way past a +snowcapped mountain. It was much darker beneath +the canopy of clouds. +Ron put his foot on the accelerator and drove them +upward again, but as he did so, the engine began to +whine. +Harry and Ron exchanged nervous glances. +“It’s probably just tired,” said Ron. “It’s never been +this far before. …” +And they both pretended not to notice the whining +growing louder and louder as the sky became steadily +darker. Stars were blossoming in the blackness. +Harry pulled his sweater back on, trying to ignore the +way the windshield wipers were now waving feebly, as +though in protest. +“Not far,” said Ron, more to the car than to Harry, +“not far now,” and he patted the dashboard +nervously. +When they flew back beneath the clouds a little while +later, they had to squint through the darkness for a +landmark they knew. +“There!” Harry shouted, making Ron and Hedwig +jump. “Straight ahead!” +P a g e | 82 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Silhouetted on the dark horizon, high on the cliff over +the lake, stood the many turrets and towers of +Hogwarts castle. +But the car had begun to shudder and was losing +speed. +“Come on,” Ron said cajolingly, giving the steering +wheel a little shake, “nearly there, come on —” +The engine groaned. Narrow jets of steam were +issuing from under the hood. Harry found himself +gripping the edges of his seat very hard as they flew +toward the lake. +The car gave a nasty wobble. Glancing out of his +window, Harry saw the smooth, black, glassy surface +of the water, a mile below. Ron’s knuckles were white +on the steering wheel. The car wobbled again. +“Come on,” Ron muttered. +They were over the lake — the castle was right ahead +— Ron put his foot down. +There was a loud clunk, a splutter, and the engine +died completely. +“Uh-oh,” said Ron, into the silence. +The nose of the car dropped. They were falling, +gathering speed, heading straight for the solid castle +wall. +“Noooooo!” Ron yelled, swinging the steering wheel +around; they missed the dark stone wall by inches as +the car turned in a great arc, soaring over the dark +greenhouses, then the vegetable patch, and then out +over the black lawns, losing altitude all the time. +P a g e | 83 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Ron let go of the steering wheel completely and pulled +his wand out of his back pocket — +“STOP! STOP!” he yelled, whacking the dashboard +and the windshield, but they were still plummeting, +the ground flying up toward them — +“WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE!” Harry bellowed, +lunging for the steering wheel, but too late — +CRUNCH. +With an earsplitting bang of metal on wood, they hit +the thick tree trunk and dropped to the ground with a +heavy jolt. Steam was billowing from under the +crumpled hood; Hedwig was shrieking in terror; a +golf-ball-sized lump was throbbing on Harry’s head +where he had hit the windshield; and to his right, Ron +let out a low, despairing groan. +“Are you okay?” Harry said urgently. +“My wand,” said Ron, in a shaky voice. “Look at my +wand —” +It had snapped, almost in two; the tip was dangling +limply, held on by a few splinters. +Harry opened his mouth to say he was sure they’d be +able to mend it up at the school, but he never even +got started. At that very moment, something hit his +side of the car with the force of a charging bull, +sending him lurching sideways into Ron, just as an +equally heavy blow hit the roof. +“What’s happen — ?” +Ron gasped, staring through the windshield, and +Harry looked around just in time to see a branch as +P a g e | 84 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +thick as a python smash into it. The tree they had hit +was attacking them. Its trunk was bent almost +double, and its gnarled boughs were pummeling every +inch of the car it could reach. +“Aaargh!” said Ron as another twisted limb punched a +large dent into his door; the windshield was now +trembling under a hail of blows from knuckle-like +twigs and a branch as thick as a battering ram was +pounding furiously on the roof, which seemed to be +caving — +“Run for it!” Ron shouted, throwing his full weight +against his door, but next second he had been +knocked backward into Harry’s lap by a vicious +uppercut from another branch. +“We’re done for!” he moaned as the ceiling sagged, but +suddenly the floor of the car was vibrating — the +engine had restarted. +“Reverse!” Harry yelled, and the car shot backward; +the tree was still trying to hit them; they could hear +its roots creaking as it almost ripped itself up, lashing +out at them as they sped out of reach. +“That,” panted Ron, “was close. Well done, car —” +The car, however, had reached the end of its tether. +With two sharp clunks, the doors flew open and Harry +felt his seat tip sideways: Next thing he knew he was +sprawled on the damp ground. Loud thuds told him +that the car was ejecting their luggage from the trunk; +Hedwig’s cage flew through the air and burst open; +she rose out of it with an angry screech and sped off +toward the castle without a backward look. Then, +dented, scratched, and steaming, the car rumbled off +into the darkness, its rear lights blazing angrily. +P a g e | 85 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Come back!” Ron yelled after it, brandishing his +broken wand. “Dad’ll kill me!” +But the car disappeared from view with one last snort +from its exhaust. +“Can you believe our luck?” said Ron miserably, +bending down to pick up Scabbers. “Of all the trees +we could’ve hit, we had to get one that hits back.” +He glanced over his shoulder at the ancient tree, +which was still flailing its branches threateningly. +“Come on,” said Harry wearily, “we’d better get up to +the school. …” +It wasn’t at all the triumphant arrival they had +pictured. Stiff, cold, and bruised, they seized the ends +of their trunks and began dragging them up the +grassy slope, toward the great oak front doors. +“I think the feast’s already started,” said Ron, +dropping his trunk at the foot of the front steps and +crossing quietly to look through a brightly lit window. +“Hey — Harry — come and look — it’s the Sorting!” +Harry hurried over and, together, he and Ron peered +in at the Great Hall. +Innumerable candles were hovering in midair over +four long, crowded tables, making the golden plates +and goblets sparkle. Overhead, the bewitched ceiling, +which always mirrored the sky outside, sparkled with +stars. +Through the forest of pointed black Hogwarts hats, +Harry saw a long line of scared-looking first years +filing into the Hall. Ginny was among them, easily +visible because of her vivid Weasley hair. Meanwhile, +P a g e | 86 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Professor McGonagall, a bespectacled witch with her +hair in a tight bun, was placing the famous Hogwarts +Sorting Hat on a stool before the newcomers. +Every year, this aged old hat, patched, frayed, and +dirty, sorted new students into the four Hogwarts +houses (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and +Slytherin). Harry well remembered putting it on, +exactly one year ago, and waiting, petrified, for its +decision as it muttered aloud in his ear. For a few +horrible seconds he had feared that the hat was going +to put him in Slytherin, the House that had turned +out more Dark witches and wizards than any other — +but he had ended up in Gryffindor, along with Ron, +Hermione, and the rest of the Weasleys. Last term, +Harry and Ron had helped Gryffindor win the House +Championship, beating Slytherin for the first time in +seven years. +A very small, mousy-haired boy had been called +forward to place the hat on his head. Harry’s eyes +wandered past him to where Professor Dumbledore, +the headmaster, sat watching the Sorting from the +staff table, his long silver beard and half-moon +glasses shining brightly in the candlelight. Several +seats along, Harry saw Gilderoy Lockhart, dressed in +robes of aquamarine. And there at the end was +Hagrid, huge and hairy, drinking deeply from his +goblet. +“Hang on …” Harry muttered to Ron. “There’s an +empty chair at the staff table. … Where’s Snape?” +Professor Severus Snape was Harry’s least favorite +teacher. Harry also happened to be Snape’s least +favorite student. Cruel, sarcastic, and disliked by +everybody except the students from his own House +(Slytherin), Snape taught Potions. +P a g e | 87 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Maybe he’s ill!” said Ron hopefully. +“Maybe he’s left,” said Harry, “because he missed out +on the Defense Against the Dark Arts job again!” +“Or he might have been sacked!” said Ron +enthusiastically. “I mean, everyone hates him —” +“Or maybe,” said a very cold voice right behind them, +“he’s waiting to hear why you two didn’t arrive on the +school train.” +Harry spun around. There, his black robes rippling in +a cold breeze, stood Severus Snape. He was a thin +man with sallow skin, a hooked nose, and greasy, +shoulder-length black hair, and at this moment, he +was smiling in a way that told Harry he and Ron were +in very deep trouble. +“Follow me,” said Snape. +Not daring even to look at each other, Harry and Ron +followed Snape up the steps into the vast, echoing +entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches. A +delicious smell of food was wafting from the Great +Hall, but Snape led them away from the warmth and +light, down a narrow stone staircase that led into the +dungeons. +“In!” he said, opening a door halfway down the cold +passageway and pointing. +They entered Snape’s office, shivering. The shadowy +walls were lined with shelves of large glass jars, in +which floated all manner of revolting things Harry +didn’t really want to know the name of at the +moment. The fireplace was dark and empty. Snape +closed the door and turned to look at them. +P a g e | 88 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“So,” he said softly, “the train isn’t good enough for +the famous Harry Potter and his faithful sidekick, +Weasley. Wanted to arrive with a bang, did we, boys?” +“No, sir, it was the barrier at King’s Cross, it —” +“Silence!” said Snape coldly. “What have you done +with the car?” +Ron gulped. This wasn’t the first time Snape had +given Harry the impression of being able to read +minds. But a moment later, he understood, as Snape +unrolled today’s issue of the Evening Prophet. +“You were seen,” he hissed, showing them the +headline: FLYING FORD ANGLIA MYSTIFIES +MUGGLES. He began to read aloud: “Two Muggles in +London, convinced they saw an old car flying over the +Post Office tower … at noon in Norfolk, Mrs. Hetty +Bayliss, while hanging out her washing … Mr. Angus +Fleet, of Peebles, reported to police … Six or seven +Muggles in all. I believe your father works in the +Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office?” he said, looking +up at Ron and smiling still more nastily. “Dear, dear +… his own son …” +Harry felt as though he’d just been walloped in the +stomach by one of the mad tree’s larger branches. If +anyone found out Mr. Weasley had bewitched the car +… he hadn’t thought of that. … +“I noticed, in my search of the park, that considerable +damage seems to have been done to a very valuable +Whomping Willow,” Snape went on. +“That tree did more damage to us than we —” Ron +blurted out. +P a g e | 89 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Silence!” snapped Snape again. “Most unfortunately, +you are not in my House and the decision to expel +you does not rest with me. I shall go and fetch the +people who do have that happy power. You will wait +here.” +Harry and Ron stared at each other, white-faced. +Harry didn’t feel hungry anymore. He now felt +extremely sick. He tried not to look at a large, slimy +something suspended in green liquid on a shelf +behind Snape’s desk. If Snape had gone to fetch +Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House, they +were hardly any better off. She might be fairer than +Snape, but she was still extremely strict. +Ten minutes later, Snape returned, and sure enough +it was Professor McGonagall who accompanied him. +Harry had seen Professor McGonagall angry on +several occasions, but either he had forgotten just +how thin her mouth could go, or he had never seen +her this angry before. She raised her wand the +moment she entered; Harry and Ron both flinched, +but she merely pointed it at the empty fireplace, +where flames suddenly erupted. +“Sit,” she said, and they both backed into chairs by +the fire. +“Explain,” she said, her glasses glinting ominously. +Ron launched into the story, starting with the barrier +at the station refusing to let them through. +“— so we had no choice, Professor, we couldn’t get on +the train.” +“Why didn’t you send us a letter by owl? I believe you +have an owl?” Professor McGonagall said coldly to +Harry. +P a g e | 90 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry gaped at her. Now she’d said it, that seemed +the obvious thing to have done. +“I — I didn’t think —” +“That,” said Professor McGonagall, “is obvious.” +There was a knock on the office door and Snape, now +looking happier than ever, opened it. There stood the +headmaster, Professor Dumbledore. +Harry’s whole body went numb. Dumbledore was +looking unusually grave. He stared down his very +crooked nose at them, and Harry suddenly found +himself wishing he and Ron were still being beaten up +by the Whomping Willow. +There was a long silence. Then Dumbledore said, +“Please explain why you did this.” +It would have been better if he had shouted. Harry +hated the disappointment in his voice. For some +reason, he was unable to look Dumbledore in the +eyes, and spoke instead to his knees. He told +Dumbledore everything except that Mr. Weasley +owned the bewitched car, making it sound as though +he and Ron had happened to find a flying car parked +outside the station. He knew Dumbledore would see +through this at once, but Dumbledore asked no +questions about the car. When Harry had finished, he +merely continued to peer at them through his +spectacles. +“We’ll go and get our stuff,” said Ron in a hopeless +sort of voice. +“What are you talking about, Weasley?” barked +Professor McGonagall. +P a g e | 91 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Well, you’re expelling us, aren’t you?” said Ron. +Harry looked quickly at Dumbledore. +“Not today, Mr. Weasley,” said Dumbledore. “But I +must impress upon both of you the seriousness of +what you have done. I will be writing to both your +families tonight. I must also warn you that if you do +anything like this again, I will have no choice but to +expel you.” +Snape looked as though Christmas had been +canceled. He cleared his throat and said, “Professor +Dumbledore, these boys have flouted the Decree for +the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, caused serious +damage to an old and valuable tree — surely acts of +this nature —” +“It will be for Professor McGonagall to decide on these +boys’ punishments, Severus,” said Dumbledore +calmly. “They are in her House and are therefore her +responsibility.” He turned to Professor McGonagall. “I +must go back to the feast, Minerva, I’ve got to give out +a few notices. Come, Severus, there’s a delicious- +looking custard tart I want to sample —” +Snape shot a look of pure venom at Harry and Ron as +he allowed himself to be swept out of his office, +leaving them alone with Professor McGonagall, who +was still eyeing them like a wrathful eagle. +“You’d better get along to the hospital wing, Weasley, +you’re bleeding.” +“Not much,” said Ron, hastily wiping the cut over his +eye with his sleeve. “Professor, I wanted to watch my +sister being Sorted —” +P a g e | 92 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“The Sorting Ceremony is over,” said Professor +McGonagall. “Your sister is also in Gryffindor.” +“Oh, good,” said Ron. +“And speaking of Gryffindor —” Professor McGonagall +said sharply, but Harry cut in: “Professor, when we +took the car, term hadn’t started, so — so Gryffindor +shouldn’t really have points taken from it — should +it?” he finished, watching her anxiously. +Professor McGonagall gave him a piercing look, but +he was sure she had almost smiled. Her mouth +looked less thin, anyway. +“I will not take any points from Gryffindor,” she said, +and Harry’s heart lightened considerably. “But you +will both get a detention.” +It was better than Harry had expected. As for +Dumbledore’s writing to the Dursleys, that was +nothing. Harry knew perfectly well they’d just be +disappointed that the Whomping Willow hadn’t +squashed him flat. +Professor McGonagall raised her wand again and +pointed it at Snape’s desk. A large plate of +sandwiches, two silver goblets, and a jug of iced +pumpkin juice appeared with a pop. +“You will eat in here and then go straight up to your +dormitory,” she said. “I must also return to the feast.” +When the door had closed behind her, Ron let out a +long, low whistle. +“I thought we’d had it,” he said, grabbing a sandwich. +“So did I,” said Harry, taking one, too. +P a g e | 93 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Can you believe our luck, though?” said Ron thickly +through a mouthful of chicken and ham. “Fred and +George must’ve flown that car five or six times and no +Muggle ever saw them.” He swallowed and took +another huge bite. “Why couldn’t we get through the +barrier?” +Harry shrugged. “We’ll have to watch our step from +now on, though,” he said, taking a grateful swig of +pumpkin juice. “Wish we could’ve gone up to the +feast. …” +“She didn’t want us showing off,” said Ron sagely. +“Doesn’t want people to think it’s clever, arriving by +flying car.” +When they had eaten as many sandwiches as they +could (the plate kept refilling itself), they rose and left +the office, treading the familiar path to Gryffindor +Tower. The castle was quiet; it seemed that the feast +was over. They walked past muttering portraits and +creaking suits of armor, and climbed narrow flights of +stone stairs, until at last they reached the passage +where the secret entrance to Gryffindor Tower was +hidden, behind an oil painting of a very fat woman in +a pink silk dress. +“Password?” she said as they approached. +“Er —” said Harry. +They didn’t know the new year’s password, not having +met a Gryffindor prefect yet, but help came almost +immediately; they heard hurrying feet behind them +and turned to see Hermione dashing toward them. +“There you are! Where have you been? The most +ridiculous rumors — someone said you’d been +expelled for crashing a flying car —” +P a g e | 94 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Well, we haven’t been expelled,” Harry assured her. +“You’re not telling me you did fly here?” said +Hermione, sounding almost as severe as Professor +McGonagall. +“Skip the lecture,” said Ron impatiently, “and tell us +the new password.” +“It’s ‘wattlebird,’ ” said Hermione impatiently, “but +that’s not the point —” +Her words were cut short, however, as the portrait of +the fat lady swung open and there was a sudden +storm of clapping. It looked as though the whole of +Gryffindor House was still awake, packed into the +circular common room, standing on the lopsided +tables and squashy armchairs, waiting for them to +arrive. Arms reached through the portrait hole to pull +Harry and Ron inside, leaving Hermione to scramble +in after them. +“Brilliant!” yelled Lee Jordan. “Inspired! What an +entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping +Willow, people’ll be talking about that one for years — +” +“Good for you,” said a fifth year Harry had never +spoken to; someone was patting him on the back as +though he’d just won a marathon; Fred and George +pushed their way to the front of the crowd and said +together, “Why couldn’t we’ve come in the car, eh?” +Ron was scarlet in the face, grinning embarrassedly, +but Harry could see one person who didn’t look happy +at all. Percy was visible over the heads of some +excited first years, and he seemed to be trying to get +near enough to start telling them off. Harry nudged +Ron in the ribs and nodded in Percy’s direction. Ron +got the point at once. +P a g e | 95 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Got to get upstairs — bit tired,” he said, and the two +of them started pushing their way toward the door on +the other side of the room, which led to a spiral +staircase and the dormitories. +“ ’Night,” Harry called back to Hermione, who was +wearing a scowl just like Percy’s. +They managed to get to the other side of the common +room, still having their backs slapped, and gained the +peace of the staircase. They hurried up it, right to the +top, and at last reached the door of their old +dormitory, which now had a sign on it saying +SECOND YEARS. They entered the familiar, circular +room, with its five four-posters hung with red velvet +and its high, narrow windows. Their trunks had been +brought up for them and stood at the ends of their +beds. +Ron grinned guiltily at Harry. +“I know I shouldn’t’ve enjoyed that or anything, but — +” +The dormitory door flew open and in came the other +second year Gryffindor boys, Seamus Finnigan, Dean +Thomas, and Neville Longbottom. +“Unbelievable!” beamed Seamus. +“Cool,” said Dean. +“Amazing,” said Neville, awestruck. +Harry couldn’t help it. He grinned, too. +P a g e | 96 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +GILDEROY LOCKHART +The next day, however, Harry barely grinned once. +Things started to go downhill from breakfast in the +Great Hall. The four long House tables were laden +with tureens of porridge, plates of kippers, mountains +of toast, and dishes of eggs and bacon, beneath the +enchanted ceiling (today, a dull, cloudy gray). Harry +and Ron sat down at the Gryffindor table next to +Hermione, who had her copy of Voyages with +Vampires propped open against a milk jug. There was +a slight stiffness in the way she said “ ’Morning,” +which told Harry that she was still disapproving of the +way they had arrived. Neville Longbottom, on the +other hand, greeted them cheerfully. Neville was a +round-faced and accident-prone boy with the worst +memory of anyone Harry had ever met. +“Mail’s due any minute — I think Gran’s sending a +few things I forgot.” +Harry had only just started his porridge when, sure +enough, there was a rushing sound overhead and a +hundred or so owls streamed in, circling the hall and +P a g e | 97 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +dropping letters and packages into the chattering +crowd. A big, lumpy package bounced off Neville’s +head and, a second later, something large and gray +fell into Hermione’s jug, spraying them all with milk +and feathers. +“Errol!” said Ron, pulling the bedraggled owl out by +the feet. Errol slumped, unconscious, onto the table, +his legs in the air and a damp red envelope in his +beak. +“Oh, no —” Ron gasped. +“It’s all right, he’s still alive,” said Hermione, prodding +Errol gently with the tip of her finger. +“It’s not that — it’s that.” +Ron was pointing at the red envelope. It looked quite +ordinary to Harry, but Ron and Neville were both +looking at it as though they expected it to explode. +“What’s the matter?” said Harry. +“She’s — she’s sent me a Howler,” said Ron faintly. +“You’d better open it, Ron,” said Neville in a timid +whisper. “It’ll be worse if you don’t. My gran sent me +one once, and I ignored it and” — he gulped — “it was +horrible.” +Harry looked from their petrified faces to the red +envelope. +“What’s a Howler?” he said. +But Ron’s whole attention was fixed on the letter, +which had begun to smoke at the corners. +P a g e | 98 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Open it,” Neville urged. “It’ll all be over in a few +minutes —” +Ron stretched out a shaking hand, eased the envelope +from Errol’s beak, and slit it open. Neville stuffed his +fingers in his ears. A split second later, Harry knew +why. He thought for a moment it had exploded; a roar +of sound filled the huge hall, shaking dust from the +ceiling. +“— STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN +SURPRISED IF THEY’D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT +TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON’T SUPPOSE YOU +STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I +WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE —” +Mrs. Weasley’s yells, a hundred times louder than +usual, made the plates and spoons rattle on the table, +and echoed deafeningly off the stone walls. People +throughout the hall were swiveling around to see who +had received the Howler, and Ron sank so low in his +chair that only his crimson forehead could be seen. +“— LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I +THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, +WE DIDN’T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, +YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED —” +Harry had been wondering when his name was going +to crop up. He tried very hard to look as though he +couldn’t hear the voice that was making his eardrums +throb. +“— ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED — YOUR FATHER’S +FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT’S ENTIRELY YOUR +FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE +WE’LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME.” +P a g e | 99 +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +A ringing silence fell. The red envelope, which had +dropped from Ron’s hand, burst into flames and +curled into ashes. Harry and Ron sat stunned, as +though a tidal wave had just passed over them. A few +people laughed and, gradually, a babble of talk broke +out again. +Hermione closed Voyages with Vampires and looked +down at the top of Ron’s head. +“Well, I don’t know what you expected, Ron, but you +—” +“Don’t tell me I deserved it,” snapped Ron. +Harry pushed his porridge away. His insides were +burning with guilt. Mr. Weasley was facing an inquiry +at work. After all Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had done for +him over the summer … +But he had no time to dwell on this; Professor +McGonagall was moving along the Gryffindor table, +handing out course schedules. Harry took his and +saw that they had double Herbology with the +Hufflepuffs first. +Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the castle together, +crossed the vegetable patch, and made for the +greenhouses, where the magical plants were kept. At +least the Howler had done one good thing: Hermione +seemed to think they had now been punished enough +and was being perfectly friendly again. +As they neared the greenhouses they saw the rest of +the class standing outside, waiting for Professor +Sprout. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had only just +joined them when she came striding into view across +the lawn, accompanied by Gilderoy Lockhart. +Professor Sprout’s arms were full of bandages, and +P a g e | 100 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +with another twinge of guilt, Harry spotted the +Whomping Willow in the distance, several of its +branches now in slings. +Professor Sprout was a squat little witch who wore a +patched hat over her flyaway hair; there was usually +a large amount of earth on her clothes and her +fingernails would have made Aunt Petunia faint. +Gilderoy Lockhart, however, was immaculate in +sweeping robes of turquoise, his golden hair shining +under a perfectly positioned turquoise hat with gold +trimming. +“Oh, hello there!” he called, beaming around at the +assembled students. “Just been showing Professor +Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! +But I don’t want you running away with the idea that +I’m better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to +have met several of these exotic plants on my travels +…” +“Greenhouse three today, chaps!” said Professor +Sprout, who was looking distinctly disgruntled, not at +all her usual cheerful self. +There was a murmur of interest. They had only ever +worked in greenhouse one before — greenhouse three +housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. +Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt and +unlocked the door. Harry caught a whiff of damp +earth and fertilizer mingling with the heavy perfume +of some giant, umbrella-sized flowers dangling from +the ceiling. He was about to follow Ron and Hermione +inside when Lockhart’s hand shot out. +“Harry! I’ve been wanting a word — you don’t mind if +he’s a couple of minutes late, do you, Professor +Sprout?” +P a g e | 101 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Judging by Professor Sprout’s scowl, she did mind, +but Lockhart said, “That’s the ticket,” and closed the +greenhouse door in her face. +“Harry,” said Lockhart, his large white teeth gleaming +in the sunlight as he shook his head. “Harry, Harry, +Harry.” +Completely nonplussed, Harry said nothing. +“When I heard — well, of course, it was all my fault. +Could have kicked myself.” +Harry had no idea what he was talking about. He was +about to say so when Lockhart went on, “Don’t know +when I’ve been more shocked. Flying a car to +Hogwarts! Well, of course, I knew at once why you’d +done it. Stood out a mile. Harry, Harry, Harry.” +It was remarkable how he could show every one of +those brilliant teeth even when he wasn’t talking. +“Gave you a taste for publicity, didn’t I?” said +Lockhart. “Gave you the bug. You got onto the front +page of the paper with me and you couldn’t wait to do +it again.” +“Oh, no, Professor, see —” +“Harry, Harry, Harry,” said Lockhart, reaching out +and grasping his shoulder. “I understand. Natural to +want a bit more once you’ve had that first taste — +and I blame myself for giving you that, because it was +bound to go to your head — but see here, young man, +you can’t start flying cars to try and get yourself +noticed. Just calm down, all right? Plenty of time for +all that when you’re older. Yes, yes, I know what +you’re thinking! ‘It’s all right for him, he’s an +internationally famous wizard already!’ But when I +P a g e | 102 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +was twelve, I was just as much of a nobody as you are +now. In fact, I’d say I was even more of a nobody! I +mean, a few people have heard of you, haven’t they? +All that business with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!” +He glanced at the lightning scar on Harry’s forehead. +“I know, I know — it’s not quite as good as winning +Witch Weekly’s Most-Charming-Smile Award five +times in a row, as I have — but it’s a start, Harry, it’s +a start.” +He gave Harry a hearty wink and strode off. Harry +stood stunned for a few seconds, then, remembering +he was supposed to be in the greenhouse, he opened +the door and slid inside. +Professor Sprout was standing behind a trestle bench +in the center of the greenhouse. About twenty pairs of +different-colored ear-muffs were lying on the bench. +When Harry had taken his place between Ron and +Hermione, she said, “We’ll be repotting Mandrakes +today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the +Mandrake?” +To nobody’s surprise, Hermione’s hand was first into +the air. +“Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative,” +said Hermione, sounding as usual as though she had +swallowed the textbook. “It is used to return people +who have been transfigured or cursed to their original +state.” +“Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor,” said Professor +Sprout. “The Mandrake forms an essential part of +most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who +can tell me why?” +Hermione’s hand narrowly missed Harry’s glasses as +it shot up again. +P a g e | 103 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears +it,” she said promptly. +“Precisely. Take another ten points,” said Professor +Sprout. “Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still +very young.” +She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and +everyone shuffled forward for a better look. A hundred +or so tufty little plants, purplish green in color, were +growing there in rows. They looked quite +unremarkable to Harry, who didn’t have the slightest +idea what Hermione meant by the “cry” of the +Mandrake. +“Everyone take a pair of earmuffs,” said Professor +Sprout. +There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair +that wasn’t pink and fluffy. +“When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears +are completely covered,” said Professor Sprout. “When +it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs- +up. Right — earmuffs on.” +Harry snapped the earmuffs over his ears. They shut +out sound completely. Professor Sprout put the pink, +fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of +her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and +pulled hard. +Harry let out a gasp of surprise that no one could +hear. +Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly +baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were +growing right out of his head. He had pale green, +P a g e | 104 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his +lungs. +Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under +the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying +him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted +leaves were visible. Professor Sprout dusted off her +hands, gave them all the thumbs-up, and removed +her own earmuffs. +“As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries +won’t kill yet,” she said calmly as though she’d just +done nothing more exciting than water a begonia. +“However, they will knock you out for several hours, +and as I’m sure none of you want to miss your first +day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in +place while you work. I will attract your attention +when it is time to pack up. +“Four to a tray — there is a large supply of pots here +— compost in the sacks over there — and be careful +of the Venomous Tentacula, it’s teething.” +She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as +she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had +been inching sneakily over her shoulder. +Harry, Ron, and Hermione were joined at their tray by +a curly-haired Hufflepuff boy Harry knew by sight but +had never spoken to. +“Justin Finch-Fletchley,” he said brightly, shaking +Harry by the hand. “Know who you are, of course, the +famous Harry Potter. … And you’re Hermione Granger +— always top in everything” (Hermione beamed as she +had her hand shaken too) “— and Ron Weasley. +Wasn’t that your flying car?” +P a g e | 105 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Ron didn’t smile. The Howler was obviously still on +his mind. +“That Lockhart’s something, isn’t he?” said Justin +happily as they began filling their plant pots with +dragon dung compost. “Awfully brave chap. Have you +read his books? I’d have died of fear if I’d been +cornered in a telephone booth by a werewolf, but he +stayed cool and — zap — just fantastic. +“My name was down for Eton, you know. I can’t tell +you how glad I am I came here instead. Of course, +Mother was slightly disappointed, but since I made +her read Lockhart’s books I think she’s begun to see +how useful it’ll be to have a fully trained wizard in the +family. …” +After that they didn’t have much chance to talk. Their +earmuffs were back on and they needed to +concentrate on the Mandrakes. Professor Sprout had +made it look extremely easy, but it wasn’t. The +Mandrakes didn’t like coming out of the earth, but +didn’t seem to want to go back into it either. They +squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists, and +gnashed their teeth; Harry spent ten whole minutes +trying to squash a particularly fat one into a pot. +By the end of the class, Harry, like everyone else, was +sweaty, aching, and covered in earth. Everyone +traipsed back to the castle for a quick wash and then +the Gryffindors hurried off to Transfiguration. +Professor McGonagall’s classes were always hard +work, but today was especially difficult. Everything +Harry had learned last year seemed to have leaked +out of his head during the summer. He was supposed +to be turning a beetle into a button, but all he +managed to do was give his beetle a lot of exercise as +it scuttled over the desktop avoiding his wand. +P a g e | 106 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Ron was having far worse problems. He had patched +up his wand with some borrowed Spellotape, but it +seemed to be damaged beyond repair. It kept +crackling and sparking at odd moments, and every +time Ron tried to transfigure his beetle it engulfed +him in thick gray smoke that smelled of rotten eggs. +Unable to see what he was doing, Ron accidentally +squashed his beetle with his elbow and had to ask for +a new one. Professor McGonagall wasn’t pleased. +Harry was relieved to hear the lunch bell. His brain +felt like a wrung sponge. Everyone filed out of the +classroom except him and Ron, who was whacking +his wand furiously on the desk. +“Stupid — useless — thing —” +“Write home for another one,” Harry suggested as the +wand let off a volley of bangs like a firecracker. +“Oh, yeah, and get another Howler back,” said Ron, +stuffing the now hissing wand into his bag. “ ‘It’s your +own fault your wand got snapped —’ ” +They went down to lunch, where Ron’s mood was not +improved by Hermione’s showing them the handful of +perfect coat buttons she had produced in +Transfiguration. +“What’ve we got this afternoon?” said Harry, hastily +changing the subject. +“Defense Against the Dark Arts,” said Hermione at +once. +“Why,” demanded Ron, seizing her schedule, “have +you outlined all Lockhart’s lessons in little hearts?” +P a g e | 107 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Hermione snatched the schedule back, blushing +furiously. +They finished lunch and went outside into the +overcast courtyard. Hermione sat down on a stone +step and buried her nose in Voyages with Vampires +again. Harry and Ron stood talking about Quidditch +for several minutes before Harry became aware that +he was being closely watched. Looking up, he saw the +very small, mousy-haired boy he’d seen trying on the +Sorting Hat last night staring at Harry as though +transfixed. He was clutching what looked like an +ordinary Muggle camera, and the moment Harry +looked at him, he went bright red. +“All right, Harry? I’m — I’m Colin Creevey,” he said +breathlessly, taking a tentative step forward. “I’m in +Gryffindor, too. D’you think — would it be all right if +— can I have a picture?” he said, raising the camera +hopefully. +“A picture?” Harry repeated blankly. +“So I can prove I’ve met you,” said Colin Creevey +eagerly, edging further forward. “I know all about you. +Everyone’s told me. About how you survived when +You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he +disappeared and everything and how you’ve still got a +lightning scar on your forehead” (his eyes raked +Harry’s hairline) “and a boy in my dormitory said if I +develop the film in the right potion, the pictures’ll +move.” Colin drew a great shuddering breath of +excitement and said, “It’s amazing here, isn’t it? I +never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till I +got the letter from Hogwarts. My dad’s a milkman, he +couldn’t believe it either. So I’m taking loads of +pictures to send home to him. And it’d be really good +if I had one of you” — he looked imploringly at Harry +P a g e | 108 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +— “maybe your friend could take it and I could stand +next to you? And then, could you sign it?” +“Signed photos? You’re giving out signed photos, +Potter?” +Loud and scathing, Draco Malfoy’s voice echoed +around the courtyard. He had stopped right behind +Colin, flanked, as he always was at Hogwarts, by his +large and thuggish cronies, Crabbe and Goyle. +“Everyone line up!” Malfoy roared to the crowd. “Harry +Potter’s giving out signed photos!” +“No, I’m not,” said Harry angrily, his fists clenching. +“Shut up, Malfoy.” +“You’re just jealous,” piped up Colin, whose entire +body was about as thick as Crabbe’s neck. +“Jealous?” said Malfoy, who didn’t need to shout +anymore: Half the courtyard was listening in. “Of +what? I don’t want a foul scar right across my head, +thanks. I don’t think getting your head cut open +makes you that special, myself.” +Crabbe and Goyle were sniggering stupidly. +“Eat slugs, Malfoy,” said Ron angrily. Crabbe stopped +laughing and started rubbing his knuckles in a +menacing way. +“Be careful, Weasley,” sneered Malfoy. “You don’t +want to start any trouble or your mommy’ll have to +come and take you away from school.” He put on a +shrill, piercing voice. “If you put another toe out of line +—” +P a g e | 109 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +A knot of Slytherin fifth years nearby laughed loudly +at this. +“Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter,” smirked +Malfoy. “It’d be worth more than his family’s whole +house —” +Ron whipped out his Spellotaped wand, but Hermione +shut Voyages with Vampires with a snap and +whispered, “Look out!” +“What’s all this, what’s all this?” Gilderoy Lockhart +was striding toward them, his turquoise robes +swirling behind him. “Who’s giving out signed +photos?” +Harry started to speak but he was cut short as +Lockhart flung an arm around his shoulders and +thundered jovially, “Shouldn’t have asked! We meet +again, Harry!” +Pinned to Lockhart’s side and burning with +humiliation, Harry saw Malfoy slide smirking back +into the crowd. +“Come on then, Mr. Creevey,” said Lockhart, beaming +at Colin. “A double portrait, can’t do better than that, +and we’ll both sign it for you.” +Colin fumbled for his camera and took the picture as +the bell rang behind them, signaling the start of +afternoon classes. +“Off you go, move along there,” Lockhart called to the +crowd, and he set off back to the castle with Harry, +who was wishing he knew a good Vanishing Spell, +still clasped to his side. +P a g e | 110 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“A word to the wise, Harry,” said Lockhart paternally +as they entered the building through a side door. “I +covered up for you back there with young Creevey — +if he was photographing me, too, your schoolmates +won’t think you’re setting yourself up so much. …” +Deaf to Harry’s stammers, Lockhart swept him down +a corridor lined with staring students and up a +staircase. +“Let me just say that handing out signed pictures at +this stage of your career isn’t sensible — looks a tad +bigheaded, Harry, to be frank. There may well come a +time when, like me, you’ll need to keep a stack handy +wherever you go, but” — he gave a little chortle — “I +don’t think you’re quite there yet.” +They had reached Lockhart’s classroom and he let +Harry go at last. Harry yanked his robes straight and +headed for a seat at the very back of the class, where +he busied himself with piling all seven of Lockhart’s +books in front of him, so that he could avoid looking +at the real thing. +The rest of the class came clattering in, and Ron and +Hermione sat down on either side of Harry. +“You could’ve fried an egg on your face,” said Ron. +“You’d better hope Creevey doesn’t meet Ginny, or +they’ll be starting a Harry Potter fan club.” +“Shut up,” snapped Harry. The last thing he needed +was for Lockhart to hear the phrase “Harry Potter fan +club.” +When the whole class was seated, Lockhart cleared +his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, +picked up Neville Longbottom’s copy of Travels with +P a g e | 111 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking +portrait on the front. +“Me,” he said, pointing at it and winking as well. +“Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, +Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, +and five-time winner of Witch Weekly’s Most- +Charming-Smile Award — but I don’t talk about that. +I didn’t get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at +her!” +He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled +weakly. +“I see you’ve all bought a complete set of my books — +well done. I thought we’d start today with a little quiz. +Nothing to worry about — just to check how well +you’ve read them, how much you’ve taken in —” +When he had handed out the test papers he returned +to the front of the class and said, “You have thirty +minutes — start — now!” +Harry looked down at his paper and read: +1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart’s favorite color? +2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart’s secret ambition? +3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart’s +greatest achievement to date? +On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right +down to: +54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart’s birthday, and what +would his ideal gift be? +P a g e | 112 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and +rifled through them in front of the class. +“Tut, tut — hardly any of you remembered that my +favorite color is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti. +And a few of you need to read Wanderings with +Werewolves more carefully — I clearly state in +chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be +harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples — +though I wouldn’t say no to a large bottle of Ogden’s +Old Firewhisky!” +He gave them another roguish wink. Ron was now +staring at Lockhart with an expression of disbelief on +his face; Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who +were sitting in front, were shaking with silent +laughter. Hermione, on the other hand, was listening +to Lockhart with rapt attention and gave a start when +he mentioned her name. +“… but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret +ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my +own range of hair-care potions — good girl! In fact” — +he flipped her paper over — “full marks! Where is +Miss Hermione Granger?” +Hermione raised a trembling hand. +“Excellent!” beamed Lockhart. “Quite excellent! Take +ten points for Gryffindor! And so — to business —” +He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, +covered cage onto it. +“Now — be warned! It is my job to arm you against +the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may +find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. +Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am +here. All I ask is that you remain calm.” +P a g e | 113 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +In spite of himself, Harry leaned around his pile of +books for a better look at the cage. Lockhart placed a +hand on the cover. Dean and Seamus had stopped +laughing now. Neville was cowering in his front row +seat. +“I must ask you not to scream,” said Lockhart in a +low voice. “It might provoke them.” +As the whole class held its breath, Lockhart whipped +off the cover. +“Yes,” he said dramatically. “Freshly caught Cornish +pixies.” +Seamus Finnigan couldn’t control himself. He let out +a snort of laughter that even Lockhart couldn’t +mistake for a scream of terror. +“Yes?” He smiled at Seamus. +“Well, they’re not — they’re not very — dangerous, are +they?” Seamus choked. +“Don’t be so sure!” said Lockhart, waggling a finger +annoyingly at Seamus. “Devilish tricky little blighters +they can be!” +The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches +high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was +like listening to a lot of budgies arguing. The moment +the cover had been removed, they had started +jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and +making bizarre faces at the people nearest them. +“Right, then,” Lockhart said loudly. “Let’s see what +you make of them!” And he opened the cage. +P a g e | 114 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every +direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by +the ears and lifted him into the air. Several shot +straight through the window, showering the back row +with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreck the +classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. +They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with +them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from +the walls, up-ended the waste basket, grabbed bags +and books and threw them out of the smashed +window; within minutes, half the class was sheltering +under desks and Neville was swinging from the iron +chandelier in the ceiling. +“Come on now — round them up, round them up, +they’re only pixies,” Lockhart shouted. +He rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand, and +bellowed, “Peskipiksi Pesternomi!” +It had absolutely no effect; one of the pixies seized his +wand and threw it out of the window, too. Lockhart +gulped and dived under his own desk, narrowly +avoiding being squashed by Neville, who fell a second +later as the chandelier gave way. +The bell rang and there was a mad rush toward the +exit. In the relative calm that followed, Lockhart +straightened up, caught sight of Harry, Ron, and +Hermione, who were almost at the door, and said, +“Well, I’ll ask you three to just nip the rest of them +back into their cage.” He swept past them and shut +the door quickly behind him. +“Can you believe him?” roared Ron as one of the +remaining pixies bit him painfully on the ear. +“He just wants to give us some hands-on experience,” +said Hermione, immobilizing two pixies at once with a +P a g e | 115 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +clever Freezing Charm and stuffing them back into +their cage. +“Hands on?” said Harry, who was trying to grab a +pixie dancing out of reach with its tongue out. +“Hermione, he didn’t have a clue what he was doing +—” +“Rubbish,” said Hermione. “You’ve read his books — +look at all those amazing things he’s done —” +“He says he’s done,” Ron muttered. +P a g e | 116 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +MUDBLOODS AND MURMURS +Harry spent a lot of time over the next few days +dodging out of sight whenever he saw Gilderoy +Lockhart coming down a corridor. Harder to avoid +was Colin Creevey, who seemed to have memorized +Harry’s schedule. Nothing seemed to give Colin a +bigger thrill than to say, “All right, Harry?” six or +seven times a day and hear, “Hello, Colin,” back, +however exasperated Harry sounded when he said it. +Hedwig was still angry with Harry about the +disasterous car journey and Ron’s wand was still +malfunctioning, surpassing itself on Friday morning +by shooting out of Ron’s hand in Charms and hitting +tiny old Professor Flitwick squarely between the eyes, +creating a large, throbbing green boil where it had +struck. So with one thing and another, Harry was +quite glad to reach the weekend. He, Ron, and +Hermione were planning to visit Hagrid on Saturday +morning. Harry, however, was shaken awake several +hours earlier than he would have liked by Oliver +Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. +P a g e | 117 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Whassamatter?” said Harry groggily. +“Quidditch practice!” said Wood. “Come on!” +Harry squinted at the window. There was a thin mist +hanging across the pink-and-gold sky. Now that he +was awake, he couldn’t understand how he could +have slept through the racket the birds were making. +“Oliver,” Harry croaked. “It’s the crack of dawn.” +“Exactly,” said Wood. He was a tall and burly sixth +year and, at the moment, his eyes were gleaming with +a crazed enthusiasm. “It’s part of our new training +program. Come on, grab your broom, and let’s go,” +said Wood heartily. “None of the other teams have +started training yet; we’re going to be first off the +mark this year —” +Yawning and shivering slightly, Harry climbed out of +bed and tried to find his Quidditch robes. +“Good man,” said Wood. “Meet you on the field in +fifteen minutes.” +When he’d found his scarlet team robes and pulled on +his cloak for warmth, Harry scribbled a note to Ron +explaining where he’d gone and went down the spiral +staircase to the common room, his Nimbus Two +Thousand on his shoulder. He had just reached the +portrait hole when there was a clatter behind him and +Colin Creevey came dashing down the spiral +staircase, his camera swinging madly around his +neck and something clutched in his hand. +“I heard someone saying your name on the stairs, +Harry! Look what I’ve got here! I’ve had it developed, I +wanted to show you —” +P a g e | 118 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry looked bemusedly at the photograph Colin was +brandishing under his nose. +A moving, black-and-white Lockhart was tugging hard +on an arm Harry recognized as his own. He was +pleased to see that his photographic self was putting +up a good fight and refusing to be dragged into view. +As Harry watched, Lockhart gave up and slumped, +panting, against the white edge of the picture. +“Will you sign it?” said Colin eagerly. +“No,” said Harry flatly, glancing around to check that +the room was really deserted. “Sorry, Colin, I’m in a +hurry — Quidditch practice —” +He climbed through the portrait hole. +“Oh, wow! Wait for me! I’ve never watched a Quidditch +game before!” +Colin scrambled through the hole after him. +“It’ll be really boring,” Harry said quickly, but Colin +ignored him, his face shining with excitement. +“You were the youngest House player in a hundred +years, weren’t you, Harry? Weren’t you?” said Colin, +trotting alongside him. “You must be brilliant. I’ve +never flown. Is it easy? Is that your own broom? Is +that the best one there is?” +Harry didn’t know how to get rid of him. It was like +having an extremely talkative shadow. +“I don’t really understand Quidditch,” said Colin +breathlessly. “Is it true there are four balls? And two +of them fly around trying to knock people off their +brooms?” +P a g e | 119 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Yes,” said Harry heavily, resigned to explaining the +complicated rules of Quidditch. “They’re called +Bludgers. There are two Beaters on each team who +carry clubs to beat the Bludgers away from their side. +Fred and George Weasley are the Gryffindor Beaters.” +“And what are the other balls for?” Colin asked, +tripping down a couple of steps because he was +gazing open-mouthed at Harry. +“Well, the Quaffle — that’s the biggish red one — is +the one that scores goals. Three Chasers on each +team throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get +it through the goal posts at the end of the pitch — +they’re three long poles with hoops on the end.” +“And the fourth ball —” +“— is the Golden Snitch,” said Harry, “and it’s very +small, very fast, and difficult to catch. But that’s what +the Seeker’s got to do, because a game of Quidditch +doesn’t end until the Snitch has been caught. And +whichever team’s Seeker gets the Snitch earns his +team an extra hundred and fifty points.” +“And you’re the Gryffindor Seeker, aren’t you?” said +Colin in awe. +“Yes,” said Harry as they left the castle and started +across the dew-drenched grass. “And there’s the +Keeper, too. He guards the goal posts. That’s it, +really.” +But Colin didn’t stop questioning Harry all the way +down the sloping lawns to the Quidditch field, and +Harry only shook him off when he reached the +changing rooms; Colin called after him in a piping +voice, “I’ll go and get a good seat, Harry!” and hurried +off to the stands. +P a g e | 120 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +The rest of the Gryffindor team were already in the +changing room. Wood was the only person who looked +truly awake. Fred and George Weasley were sitting, +puffy-eyed and tousle-haired, next to fourth year +Alicia Spinnet, who seemed to be nodding off against +the wall behind her. Her fellow Chasers, Katie Bell +and Angelina Johnson, were yawning side by side +opposite them. +“There you are, Harry, what kept you?” said Wood +briskly. “Now, I wanted a quick talk with you all +before we actually get onto the field, because I spent +the summer devising a whole new training program, +which I really think will make all the difference. …” +Wood was holding up a large diagram of a Quidditch +field, on which were drawn many lines, arrows, and +crosses in different-colored inks. He took out his +wand, tapped the board, and the arrows began to +wiggle over the diagram like caterpillars. As Wood +launched into a speech about his new tactics, Fred +Weasley’s head drooped right onto Alicia Spinnet’s +shoulder and he began to snore. +The first board took nearly twenty minutes to explain, +but there was another board under that, and a third +under that one. Harry sank into a stupor as Wood +droned on and on. +“So,” said Wood, at long last, jerking Harry from a +wistful fantasy about what he could be eating for +breakfast at this very moment up at the castle. “Is +that clear? Any questions?” +“I’ve got a question, Oliver,” said George, who had +woken with a start. “Why couldn’t you have told us all +this yesterday when we were awake?” +Wood wasn’t pleased. +P a g e | 121 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Now, listen here, you lot,” he said, glowering at them +all. “We should have won the Quidditch Cup last year. +We’re easily the best team. But unfortunately — +owing to circumstances beyond our control —” +Harry shifted guiltily in his seat. He had been +unconscious in the hospital wing for the final match +of the previous year, meaning that Gryffindor had +been a player short and had suffered their worst +defeat in three hundred years. +Wood took a moment to regain control of himself. +Their last defeat was clearly still torturing him. +“So this year, we train harder than ever before. … +Okay, let’s go and put our new theories into practice!” +Wood shouted, seizing his broomstick and leading the +way out of the locker rooms. Stiff-legged and still +yawning, his team followed. +They had been in the locker room so long that the +sun was up completely now, although remnants of +mist hung over the grass in the stadium. As Harry +walked onto the field, he saw Ron and Hermione +sitting in the stands. +“Aren’t you finished yet?” called Ron incredulously. +“Haven’t even started,” said Harry, looking jealously +at the toast and marmalade Ron and Hermione had +brought out of the Great Hall. “Wood’s been teaching +us new moves.” +He mounted his broomstick and kicked at the +ground, soaring up into the air. The cool morning air +whipped his face, waking him far more effectively +than Wood’s long talk. It felt wonderful to be back on +the Quidditch field. He soared right around the +stadium at full speed, racing Fred and George. +P a g e | 122 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“What’s that funny clicking noise?” called Fred as +they hurtled around the corner. +Harry looked into the stands. Colin was sitting in one +of the highest seats, his camera raised, taking picture +after picture, the sound strangely magnified in the +deserted stadium. +“Look this way, Harry! This way!” he cried shrilly. +“Who’s that?” said Fred. +“No idea,” Harry lied, putting on a spurt of speed that +took him as far away as possible from Colin. +“What’s going on?” said Wood, frowning, as he +skimmed through the air toward them. “Why’s that +first year taking pictures? I don’t like it. He could be a +Slytherin spy, trying to find out about our new +training program.” +“He’s in Gryffindor,” said Harry quickly. +“And the Slytherins don’t need a spy, Oliver,” said +George. +“What makes you say that?” said Wood testily. +“Because they’re here in person,” said George, +pointing. +Several people in green robes were walking onto the +field, broomsticks in their hands. +“I don’t believe it!” Wood hissed in outrage. “I booked +the field for today! We’ll see about this!” +P a g e | 123 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Wood shot toward the ground, landing rather harder +than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as +he dismounted. Harry, Fred, and George followed. +“Flint!” Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. “This +is our practice time! We got up specially! You can +clear off now!” +Marcus Flint was even larger than Wood. He had a +look of trollish cunning on his face as he replied, +“Plenty of room for all of us, Wood.” +Angelina, Alicia, and Katie had come over, too. There +were no girls on the Slytherin team, who stood +shoulder to shoulder, facing the Gryffindors, leering +to a man. +“But I booked the field!” said Wood, positively spitting +with rage. “I booked it!” +“Ah,” said Flint. “But I’ve got a specially signed note +here from Professor Snape. ‘I, Professor S. Snape, give +the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the +Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new +Seeker.’ ” +“You’ve got a new Seeker?” said Wood, distracted. +“Where?” +And from behind the six large figures before them +came a seventh, smaller boy, smirking all over his +pale, pointed face. It was Draco Malfoy. +“Aren’t you Lucius Malfoy’s son?” said Fred, looking +at Malfoy with dislike. +“Funny you should mention Draco’s father,” said Flint +as the whole Slytherin team smiled still more broadly. +P a g e | 124 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Let me show you the generous gift he’s made to the +Slytherin team.” +All seven of them held out their broomsticks. Seven +highly polished, brand-new handles and seven sets of +fine gold lettering spelling the words Nimbus Two +Thousand and One gleamed under the Gryffindors’ +noses in the early morning sun. +“Very latest model. Only came out last month,” said +Flint carelessly, flicking a speck of dust from the end +of his own. “I believe it outstrips the old Two +Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the +old Cleansweeps” — he smiled nastily at Fred and +George, who were both clutching Cleansweep Fives — +“sweeps the board with them.” +None of the Gryffindor team could think of anything +to say for a moment. Malfoy was smirking so broadly +his cold eyes were reduced to slits. +“Oh, look,” said Flint. “A field invasion.” +Ron and Hermione were crossing the grass to see +what was going on. +“What’s happening?” Ron asked Harry. “Why aren’t +you playing? And what’s he doing here?” +He was looking at Malfoy, taking in his Slytherin +Quidditch robes. +“I’m the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley,” said Malfoy, +smugly. “Everyone’s just been admiring the brooms +my father’s bought our team.” +Ron gaped, openmouthed, at the seven superb +broomsticks in front of him. +P a g e | 125 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Good, aren’t they?” said Malfoy smoothly. “But +perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some +gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off +those Cleansweep Fives; I expect a museum would +bid for them.” +The Slytherin team howled with laughter. +“At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy +their way in,” said Hermione sharply. “They got in on +pure talent.” +The smug look on Malfoy’s face flickered. +“No one asked your opinion, you filthy little +Mudblood,” he spat. +Harry knew at once that Malfoy had said something +really bad because there was an instant uproar at his +words. Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy to stop Fred +and George jumping on him, Alicia shrieked, “How +dare you!”, and Ron plunged his hand into his robes, +pulled out his wand, yelling, “You’ll pay for that one, +Malfoy!” and pointed it furiously under Flint’s arm at +Malfoy’s face. +A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of +green light shot out of the wrong end of Ron’s wand, +hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling +backward onto the grass. +“Ron! Ron! Are you all right?” squealed Hermione. +Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came +out. Instead he gave an almighty belch and several +slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap. +The Slytherin team were paralyzed with laughter. +Flint was doubled up, hanging onto his new +P a g e | 126 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +broomstick for support. Malfoy was on all fours, +banging the ground with his fist. The Gryffindors were +gathered around Ron, who kept belching large, +glistening slugs. Nobody seemed to want to touch +him. +“We’d better get him to Hagrid’s, it’s nearest,” said +Harry to Hermione, who nodded bravely, and the pair +of them pulled Ron up by the arms. +“What happened, Harry? What happened? Is he ill? +But you can cure him, can’t you?” Colin had run +down from his seat and was now dancing alongside +them as they left the field. Ron gave a huge heave and +more slugs dribbled down his front. +“Oooh,” said Colin, fascinated and raising his camera. +“Can you hold him still, Harry?” +“Get out of the way, Colin!” said Harry angrily. He and +Hermione supported Ron out of the stadium and +across the grounds toward the edge of the forest. +“Nearly there, Ron,” said Hermione as the +gamekeeper’s cabin came into view. “You’ll be all right +in a minute — almost there —” +They were within twenty feet of Hagrid’s house when +the front door opened, but it wasn’t Hagrid who +emerged. Gilderoy Lockhart, wearing robes of palest +mauve today, came striding out. +“Quick, behind here,” Harry hissed, dragging Ron +behind a nearby bush. Hermione followed, somewhat +reluctantly. +“It’s a simple matter if you know what you’re doing!” +Lockhart was saying loudly to Hagrid. “If you need +help, you know where I am! I’ll let you have a copy of +P a g e | 127 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +my book. I’m surprised you haven’t already got one — +I’ll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, good-bye!” +And he strode away toward the castle. +Harry waited until Lockhart was out of sight, then +pulled Ron out of the bush and up to Hagrid’s front +door. They knocked urgently. +Hagrid appeared at once, looking very grumpy, but +his expression brightened when he saw who it was. +“Bin wonderin’ when you’d come ter see me — come +in, come in — thought you mighta bin Professor +Lockhart back again —” +Harry and Hermione supported Ron over the +threshold into the one-roomed cabin, which had an +enormous bed in one corner, a fire crackling merrily +in the other. Hagrid didn’t seem perturbed by Ron’s +slug problem, which Harry hastily explained as he +lowered Ron into a chair. +“Better out than in,” he said cheerfully, plunking a +large copper basin in front of him. “Get ’em all up, +Ron.” +“I don’t think there’s anything to do except wait for it +to stop,” said Hermione anxiously, watching Ron bend +over the basin. “That’s a difficult curse to work at the +best of times, but with a broken wand —” +Hagrid was bustling around making them tea. His +boarhound, Fang, was slobbering over Harry. +“What did Lockhart want with you, Hagrid?” Harry +asked, scratching Fang’s ears. +“Givin’ me advice on gettin’ kelpies out of a well,” +growled Hagrid, moving a half-plucked rooster off his +P a g e | 128 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +scrubbed table and setting down the teapot. “Like I +don’ know. An’ bangin’ on about some banshee he +banished. If one word of it was true, I’ll eat my kettle.” +It was most unlike Hagrid to criticize a Hogwarts +teacher, and Harry looked at him in surprise. +Hermione, however, said in a voice somewhat higher +than usual, “I think you’re being a bit unfair. +Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the +best man for the job —” +“He was the on’y man for the job,” said Hagrid, +offering them a plate of treacle toffee, while Ron +coughed squelchily into his basin. “An’ I mean the +on’y one. Gettin’ very difficult ter find anyone fer the +Dark Arts job. People aren’t too keen ter take it on, +see. They’re startin’ ter think it’s jinxed. No one’s +lasted long fer a while now. So tell me,” said Hagrid, +jerking his head at Ron. “Who was he tryin’ ter +curse?” +“Malfoy called Hermione something — it must’ve been +really bad, because everyone went wild.” +“It was bad,” said Ron hoarsely, emerging over the +tabletop looking pale and sweaty. “Malfoy called her +‘Mudblood,’ Hagrid —” +Ron dived out of sight again as a fresh wave of slugs +made their appearance. Hagrid looked outraged. +“He didn’!” he growled at Hermione. +“He did,” she said. “But I don’t know what it means. I +could tell it was really rude, of course —” +“It’s about the most insulting thing he could think of,” +gasped Ron, coming back up. “Mudblood’s a really +foul name for someone who is Muggle-born — you +P a g e | 129 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +know, non-magic parents. There are some wizards — +like Malfoy’s family — who think they’re better than +everyone else because they’re what people call pure- +blood.” He gave a small burp, and a single slug fell +into his outstretched hand. He threw it into the basin +and continued, “I mean, the rest of us know it doesn’t +make any difference at all. Look at Neville Longbottom +— he’s pure-blood and he can hardly stand a +cauldron the right way up.” +“An’ they haven’t invented a spell our Hermione can’ +do,” said Hagrid proudly, making Hermione go a +brilliant shade of magenta. +“It’s a disgusting thing to call someone,” said Ron, +wiping his sweaty brow with a shaking hand. “Dirty +blood, see. Common blood. It’s ridiculous. Most +wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we +hadn’t married Muggles we’d’ve died out.” +He retched and ducked out of sight again. +“Well, I don’ blame yeh fer tryin’ ter curse him, Ron,” +said Hagrid loudly over the thuds of more slugs +hitting the basin. “Bu’ maybe it was a good thing yer +wand backfired. ’Spect Lucius Malfoy would’ve come +marchin’ up ter school if yeh’d cursed his son. Least +yer not in trouble.” +Harry would have pointed out that trouble didn’t +come much worse than having slugs pouring out of +your mouth, but he couldn’t; Hagrid’s treacle toffee +had cemented his jaws together. +“Harry,” said Hagrid abruptly as though struck by a +sudden thought. “Gotta bone ter pick with yeh. I’ve +heard you’ve bin givin’ out signed photos. How come I +haven’t got one?” +P a g e | 130 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Furious, Harry wrenched his teeth apart. +“I have not been giving out signed photos,” he said +hotly. “If Lockhart’s still spreading that around —” +But then he saw that Hagrid was laughing. +“I’m on’y jokin’,” he said, patting Harry genially on the +back and sending him face first into the table. “I knew +yeh hadn’t really. I told Lockhart yeh didn’ need teh. +Yer more famous than him without tryin’.” +“Bet he didn’t like that,” said Harry, sitting up and +rubbing his chin. +“Don’ think he did,” said Hagrid, his eyes twinkling. +“An’ then I told him I’d never read one o’ his books an’ +he decided ter go. Treacle toffee, Ron?” he added as +Ron reappeared. +“No thanks,” said Ron weakly. “Better not risk it.” +“Come an’ see what I’ve bin growin’,” said Hagrid as +Harry and Hermione finished the last of their tea. +In the small vegetable patch behind Hagrid’s house +were a dozen of the largest pumpkins Harry had ever +seen. Each was the size of a large boulder. +“Gettin’ on well, aren’t they?” said Hagrid happily. +“Fer the Halloween feast … should be big enough by +then.” +“What’ve you been feeding them?” said Harry. +Hagrid looked over his shoulder to check that they +were alone. +P a g e | 131 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Well, I’ve bin givin’ them — you know — a bit o’ help +—” +Harry noticed Hagrid’s flowery pink umbrella leaning +against the back wall of the cabin. Harry had had +reason to believe before now that this umbrella was +not all it looked; in fact, he had the strong impression +that Hagrid’s old school wand was concealed inside it. +Hagrid wasn’t supposed to use magic. He had been +expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, but Harry +had never found out why — any mention of the +matter and Hagrid would clear his throat loudly and +become mysteriously deaf until the subject was +changed. +“An Engorgement Charm, I suppose?” said Hermione, +halfway between disapproval and amusement. “Well, +you’ve done a good job on them.” +“That’s what yer little sister said,” said Hagrid, +nodding at Ron. “Met her jus’ yesterday.” Hagrid +looked sideways at Harry, his beard twitching. “Said +she was jus’ lookin’ round the grounds, but I reckon +she was hopin’ she might run inter someone else at +my house.” He winked at Harry. “If yeh ask me, she +wouldn’ say no ter a signed —” +“Oh, shut up,” said Harry. Ron snorted with laughter +and the ground was sprayed with slugs. +“Watch it!” Hagrid roared, pulling Ron away from his +precious pumpkins. +It was nearly lunchtime and as Harry had only had +one bit of treacle toffee since dawn, he was keen to go +back to school to eat. They said good-bye to Hagrid +and walked back up to the castle, Ron hiccoughing +occasionally, but only bringing up two very small +slugs. +P a g e | 132 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +They had barely set foot in the cool entrance hall +when a voice rang out, “There you are, Potter — +Weasley.” Professor McGonagall was walking toward +them, looking stern. “You will both do your detentions +this evening.” +“What’re we doing, Professor?” said Ron, nervously +suppressing a burp. +“You will be polishing the silver in the trophy room +with Mr. Filch,” said Professor McGonagall. “And no +magic, Weasley — elbow grease.” +Ron gulped. Argus Filch, the caretaker, was loathed +by every student in the school. +“And you, Potter, will be helping Professor Lockhart +answer his fan mail,” said Professor McGonagall. +“Oh n — Professor, can’t I go and do the trophy room, +too?” said Harry desperately. +“Certainly not,” said Professor McGonagall, raising +her eyebrows. “Professor Lockhart requested you +particularly. Eight o’clock sharp, both of you.” +Harry and Ron slouched into the Great Hall in states +of deepest gloom, Hermione behind them, wearing a +well-you-did-break-school-rules sort of expression. +Harry didn’t enjoy his shepherd’s pie as much as he’d +thought. Both he and Ron felt they’d got the worse +deal. +“Filch’ll have me there all night,” said Ron heavily. +“No magic! There must be about a hundred cups in +that room. I’m no good at Muggle cleaning.” +P a g e | 133 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I’d swap anytime,” said Harry hollowly. “I’ve had +loads of practice with the Dursleys. Answering +Lockhart’s fan mail … he’ll be a nightmare. …” +Saturday afternoon seemed to melt away, and in what +seemed like no time, it was five minutes to eight, and +Harry was dragging his feet along the second-floor +corridor to Lockhart’s office. He gritted his teeth and +knocked. +The door flew open at once. Lockhart beamed down at +him. +“Ah, here’s the scalawag!” he said. “Come in, Harry, +come in —” +Shining brightly on the walls by the light of many +candles were countless framed photographs of +Lockhart. He had even signed a few of them. Another +large pile lay on his desk. +“You can address the envelopes!” Lockhart told Harry, +as though this was a huge treat. “This first one’s to +Gladys Gudgeon, bless her — huge fan of mine —” +The minutes snailed by. Harry let Lockhart’s voice +wash over him, occasionally saying, “Mmm” and +“Right” and “Yeah.” Now and then he caught a phrase +like, “Fame’s a fickle friend, Harry,” or “Celebrity is as +celebrity does, remember that.” +The candles burned lower and lower, making the light +dance over the many moving faces of Lockhart +watching him. Harry moved his aching hand over +what felt like the thousandth envelope, writing out +Veronica Smethley’s address. It must be nearly time to +leave, Harry thought miserably, please let it be nearly +time. … +P a g e | 134 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +And then he heard something — something quite +apart from the spitting of the dying candles and +Lockhart’s prattle about his fans. +It was a voice, a voice to chill the bone marrow, a +voice of breathtaking, ice-cold venom. +“Come … come to me. … Let me rip you. … Let me tear +you. … Let me kill you. …” +Harry gave a huge jump and a large lilac blot +appeared on Veronica Smethley’s street. +“What?” he said loudly. +“I know!” said Lockhart. “Six solid months at the top +of the best-seller list! Broke all records!” +“No,” said Harry frantically. “That voice!” +“Sorry?” said Lockhart, looking puzzled. “What voice?” +“That — that voice that said — didn’t you hear it?” +Lockhart was looking at Harry in high astonishment. +“What are you talking about, Harry? Perhaps you’re +getting a little drowsy? Great Scott — look at the time! +“We’ve been here nearly four hours! I’d never have +believed it — the time’s flown, hasn’t it?” +Harry didn’t answer. He was straining his ears to hear +the voice again, but there was no sound now except +for Lockhart telling him he mustn’t expect a treat like +this every time he got detention. Feeling dazed, Harry +left. +It was so late that the Gryffindor common room was +almost empty. Harry went straight up to the +P a g e | 135 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +dormitory. Ron wasn’t back yet. Harry pulled on his +pajamas, got into bed, and waited. Half an hour later, +Ron arrived, nursing his right arm and bringing a +strong smell of polish into the darkened room. +“My muscles have all seized up,” he groaned, sinking +on his bed. “Fourteen times he made me buff up that +Quidditch Cup before he was satisfied. And then I +had another slug attack all over a Special Award for +Services to the School. Took ages to get the slime off. +… How was it with Lockhart?” +Keeping his voice low so as not to wake Neville, Dean, +and Seamus, Harry told Ron exactly what he had +heard. +“And Lockhart said he couldn’t hear it?” said Ron. +Harry could see him frowning in the moonlight. +“D’you think he was lying? But I don’t get it — even +someone invisible would’ve had to open the door.” +“I know,” said Harry, lying back in his four-poster and +staring at the canopy above him. “I don’t get it either.” +P a g e | 136 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +THE DEATHDAY PARTY +October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the +grounds and into the castle. Madam Pomfrey, the +nurse, was kept busy by a sudden spate of colds +among the staff and students. Her Pepperup Potion +worked instantly, though it left the drinker smoking +at the ears for several hours afterward. Ginny +Weasley, who had been looking pale, was bullied into +taking some by Percy. The steam pouring from under +her vivid hair gave the impression that her whole +head was on fire. +Raindrops the size of bullets thundered on the castle +windows for days on end; the lake rose, the flower +beds turned into muddy streams, and Hagrid’s +pumpkins swelled to the size of garden sheds. Oliver +Wood’s enthusiasm for regular training sessions, +however, was not dampened, which was why Harry +was to be found, late one stormy Saturday afternoon +a few days before Halloween, returning to Gryffindor +Tower, drenched to the skin and splattered with mud. +Even aside from the rain and wind it hadn’t been a +happy practice session. Fred and George, who had +P a g e | 137 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +been spying on the Slytherin team, had seen for +themselves the speed of those new Nimbus Two +Thousand and Ones. They reported that the Slytherin +team was no more than seven greenish blurs, +shooting through the air like missiles. +As Harry squelched along the deserted corridor he +came across somebody who looked just as +preoccupied as he was. Nearly Headless Nick, the +ghost of Gryffindor Tower, was staring morosely out of +a window, muttering under his breath, “… don’t fulfill +their requirements … half an inch, if that …” +“Hello, Nick,” said Harry. +“Hello, hello,” said Nearly Headless Nick, starting and +looking round. He wore a dashing, plumed hat on his +long curly hair, and a tunic with a ruff, which +concealed the fact that his neck was almost +completely severed. He was pale as smoke, and Harry +could see right through him to the dark sky and +torrential rain outside. +“You look troubled, young Potter,” said Nick, folding a +transparent letter as he spoke and tucking it inside +his doublet. +“So do you,” said Harry. +“Ah,” Nearly Headless Nick waved an elegant hand, “a +matter of no importance. … It’s not as though I really +wanted to join. … Thought I’d apply, but apparently I +‘don’t fulfill requirements’ —” +In spite of his airy tone, there was a look of great +bitterness on his face. +“But you would think, wouldn’t you,” he erupted +suddenly, pulling the letter back out of his pocket, +P a g e | 138 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“that getting hit forty-five times in the neck with a +blunt axe would qualify you to join the Headless +Hunt?” +“Oh — yes,” said Harry, who was obviously supposed +to agree. +“I mean, nobody wishes more than I do that it had all +been quick and clean, and my head had come off +properly, I mean, it would have saved me a great deal +of pain and ridicule. However —” Nearly Headless +Nick shook his letter open and read furiously: +“ ‘We can only accept huntsmen whose heads have +parted company with their bodies. You will appreciate +that it would be impossible otherwise for members to +participate in hunt activities such as Horseback Head- +Juggling and Head Polo. It is with the greatest regret, +therefore, that I must inform you that you do not fulfill +our requirements. With very best wishes, Sir Patrick +Delaney-Podmore.’ ” +Fuming, Nearly Headless Nick stuffed the letter away. +“Half an inch of skin and sinew holding my neck on, +Harry! Most people would think that’s good and +beheaded, but oh, no, it’s not enough for Sir Properly +Decapitated-Podmore.” +Nearly Headless Nick took several deep breaths and +then said, in a far calmer tone, “So — what’s +bothering you? Anything I can do?” +“No,” said Harry. “Not unless you know where we can +get seven free Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones for +our match against Sly —” +The rest of Harry’s sentence was drowned out by a +high-pitched mewling from somewhere near his +P a g e | 139 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +ankles. He looked down and found himself gazing into +a pair of lamp-like yellow eyes. It was Mrs. Norris, the +skeletal gray cat who was used by the caretaker, +Argus Filch, as a sort of deputy in his endless battle +against students. +“You’d better get out of here, Harry,” said Nick +quickly. “Filch isn’t in a good mood — he’s got the flu +and some third years accidentally plastered frog +brains all over the ceiling in dungeon five. He’s been +cleaning all morning, and if he sees you dripping mud +all over the place —” +“Right,” said Harry, backing away from the accusing +stare of Mrs. Norris, but not quickly enough. Drawn +to the spot by the mysterious power that seemed to +connect him with his foul cat, Argus Filch burst +suddenly through a tapestry to Harry’s right, +wheezing and looking wildly about for the rule- +breaker. There was a thick tartan scarf bound around +his head, and his nose was unusually purple. +“Filth!” he shouted, his jowls aquiver, his eyes +popping alarmingly as he pointed at the muddy +puddle that had dripped from Harry’s Quidditch +robes. “Mess and muck everywhere! I’ve had enough +of it, I tell you! Follow me, Potter!” +So Harry waved a gloomy good-bye to Nearly Headless +Nick and followed Filch back downstairs, doubling the +number of muddy footprints on the floor. +Harry had never been inside Filch’s office before; it +was a place most students avoided. The room was +dingy and windowless, lit by a single oil lamp +dangling from the low ceiling. A faint smell of fried +fish lingered about the place. Wooden filing cabinets +stood around the walls; from their labels, Harry could +see that they contained details of every pupil Filch +P a g e | 140 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +had ever punished. Fred and George Weasley had an +entire drawer to themselves. A highly polished +collection of chains and manacles hung on the wall +behind Filch’s desk. It was common knowledge that +he was always begging Dumbledore to let him +suspend students by their ankles from the ceiling. +Filch grabbed a quill from a pot on his desk and +began shuffling around looking for parchment. +“Dung,” he muttered furiously, “great sizzling dragon +bogies … frog brains … rat intestines … I’ve had +enough of it … make an example … where’s the form +… yes …” +He retrieved a large roll of parchment from his desk +drawer and stretched it out in front of him, dipping +his long black quill into the ink pot. +“Name … Harry Potter. Crime …” +“It was only a bit of mud!” said Harry. +“It’s only a bit of mud to you, boy, but to me it’s an +extra hour scrubbing!” shouted Filch, a drip shivering +unpleasantly at the end of his bulbous nose. “Crime +… befouling the castle … suggested sentence …” +Dabbing at his streaming nose, Filch squinted +unpleasantly at Harry, who waited with bated breath +for his sentence to fall. +But as Filch lowered his quill, there was a great +BANG! on the ceiling of the office, which made the oil +lamp rattle. +“PEEVES!” Filch roared, flinging down his quill in a +transport of rage. “I’ll have you this time, I’ll have +you!” +P a g e | 141 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +And without a backward glance at Harry, Filch ran +flat-footed from the office, Mrs. Norris streaking +alongside him. +Peeves was the school poltergeist, a grinning, airborne +menace who lived to cause havoc and distress. Harry +didn’t much like Peeves, but couldn’t help feeling +grateful for his timing. Hopefully, whatever Peeves +had done (and it sounded as though he’d wrecked +something very big this time) would distract Filch +from Harry. +Thinking that he should probably wait for Filch to +come back, Harry sank into a moth-eaten chair next +to the desk. There was only one thing on it apart from +his half-completed form: a large, glossy, purple +envelope with silver lettering on the front. With a +quick glance at the door to check that Filch wasn’t on +his way back, Harry picked up the envelope and read: +KWIKSPELL +A Correspondence Course in Beginners’ Magic +Intrigued, Harry flicked the envelope open and pulled +out the sheaf of parchment inside. More curly silver +writing on the front page said: +Feel out of step in the world of modern magic? Find +yourself making excuses not to perform simple spells? +Ever been taunted for your woeful wandwork? +There is an answer! +Kwikspell is an all-new, fail-safe, quick-result, easy- +learn course. Hundreds of witches and wizards have +benefited from the Kwikspell method! +Madam Z. Nettles of Topsham writes: +P a g e | 142 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I had no memory for incantations and my potions +were a family joke! Now, after a Kwikspell course, I am +the center of attention at parties and friends beg for the +recipe of my Scintillation Solution!” +Warlock D. J. Prod of Didsbury says: +“My wife used to sneer at my feeble charms, but one +month into your fabulous Kwikspell course and I +succeeded in turning her into a yak! +Thank you, Kwikspell!” +Fascinated, Harry thumbed through the rest of the +envelope’s contents. Why on earth did Filch want a +Kwikspell course? Did this mean he wasn’t a proper +wizard? Harry was just reading “Lesson One: Holding +Your Wand (Some Useful Tips)” when shuffling +footsteps outside told him Filch was coming back. +Stuffing the parchment back into the envelope, Harry +threw it back onto the desk just as the door opened. +Filch was looking triumphant. +“That vanishing cabinet was extremely valuable!” he +was saying gleefully to Mrs. Norris. “We’ll have Peeves +out this time, my sweet —” +His eyes fell on Harry and then darted to the +Kwikspell envelope, which, Harry realized too late, +was lying two feet away from where it had started. +Filch’s pasty face went brick red. Harry braced +himself for a tidal wave of fury. Filch hobbled across +to his desk, snatched up the envelope, and threw it +into a drawer. +“Have you — did you read — ?” he sputtered. +P a g e | 143 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“No,” Harry lied quickly. +Filch’s knobbly hands were twisting together. +“If I thought you’d read my private — not that it’s +mine — for a friend — be that as it may — however — +” +Harry was staring at him, alarmed; Filch had never +looked madder. His eyes were popping, a tic was +going in one of his pouchy cheeks, and the tartan +scarf didn’t help. +“Very well — go — and don’t breathe a word — not +that — however, if you didn’t read — go now, I have to +write up Peeves’ report — go —” +Amazed at his luck, Harry sped out of the office, up +the corridor, and back upstairs. To escape from +Filch’s office without punishment was probably some +kind of school record. +“Harry! Harry! Did it work?” +Nearly Headless Nick came gliding out of a classroom. +Behind him, Harry could see the wreckage of a large +black-and-gold cabinet that appeared to have been +dropped from a great height. +“I persuaded Peeves to crash it right over Filch’s +office,” said Nick eagerly. “Thought it might distract +him —” +“Was that you?” said Harry gratefully. “Yeah, it +worked, I didn’t even get detention. Thanks, Nick!” +They set off up the corridor together. Nearly Headless +Nick, Harry noticed, was still holding Sir Patrick’s +rejection letter. +P a g e | 144 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I wish there was something I could do for you about +the Headless Hunt,” Harry said. +Nearly Headless Nick stopped in his tracks and Harry +walked right through him. He wished he hadn’t; it +was like stepping through an icy shower. +“But there is something you could do for me,” said +Nick excitedly. “Harry — would I be asking too much +— but no, you wouldn’t want —” +��What is it?” said Harry. +“Well, this Halloween will be my five hundredth +deathday,” said Nearly Headless Nick, drawing +himself up and looking dignified. +“Oh,” said Harry, not sure whether he should look +sorry or happy about this. “Right.” +“I’m holding a party down in one of the roomier +dungeons. Friends will be coming from all over the +country. It would be such an honor if you would +attend. Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger would be most +welcome, too, of course — but I daresay you’d rather +go to the school feast?” He watched Harry on +tenterhooks. +“No,” said Harry quickly, “I’ll come —” +“My dear boy! Harry Potter, at my deathday party! +And” — he hesitated, looking excited — “do you think +you could possibly mention to Sir Patrick how very +frightening and impressive you find me?” +“Of — of course,” said Harry. +Nearly Headless Nick beamed at him. +P a g e | 145 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“A deathday party?” said Hermione keenly when +Harry had changed at last and joined her and Ron in +the common room. “I bet there aren’t many living +people who can say they’ve been to one of those — it’ll +be fascinating!” +“Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they +died?” said Ron, who was halfway through his Potions +homework and grumpy. “Sounds dead depressing to +me. …” +Rain was still lashing the windows, which were now +inky black, but inside all looked bright and cheerful. +The firelight glowed over the countless squashy +armchairs where people sat reading, talking, doing +homework or, in the case of Fred and George Weasley, +trying to find out what would happen if you fed a +Filibuster firework to a salamander. Fred had +“rescued” the brilliant orange, fire-dwelling lizard +from a Care of Magical Creatures class and it was +now smoldering gently on a table surrounded by a +knot of curious people. +Harry was at the point of telling Ron and Hermione +about Filch and the Kwikspell course when the +salamander suddenly whizzed into the air, emitting +loud sparks and bangs as it whirled wildly round the +room. The sight of Percy bellowing himself hoarse at +Fred and George, the spectacular display of tangerine +stars showering from the salamander’s mouth, and its +escape into the fire, with accompanying explosions, +drove both Filch and the Kwikspell envelope from +Harry’s mind. +By the time Halloween arrived, Harry was regretting +his rash promise to go to the deathday party. The rest +of the school was happily anticipating their Halloween +feast; the Great Hall had been decorated with the +usual live bats, Hagrid’s vast pumpkins had been +P a g e | 146 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +carved into lanterns large enough for three men to sit +in, and there were rumors that Dumbledore had +booked a troupe of dancing skeletons for the +entertainment. +“A promise is a promise,” Hermione reminded Harry +bossily. “You said you’d go to the deathday party.” +So at seven o’clock, Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked +straight past the doorway to the packed Great Hall, +which was glittering invitingly with gold plates and +candles, and directed their steps instead toward the +dungeons. +The passageway leading to Nearly Headless Nick’s +party had been lined with candles, too, though the +effect was far from cheerful: These were long, thin, +jet-black tapers, all burning bright blue, casting a +dim, ghostly light even over their own living faces. The +temperature dropped with every step they took. As +Harry shivered and drew his robes tightly around +him, he heard what sounded like a thousand +fingernails scraping an enormous blackboard. +“Is that supposed to be music?” Ron whispered. They +turned a corner and saw Nearly Headless Nick +standing at a doorway hung with black velvet drapes. +“My dear friends,” he said mournfully. “Welcome, +welcome … so pleased you could come. …” +He swept off his plumed hat and bowed them inside. +It was an incredible sight. The dungeon was full of +hundreds of pearly-white, translucent people, mostly +drifting around a crowded dance floor, waltzing to the +dreadful, quavering sound of thirty musical saws, +played by an orchestra on a raised, black-draped +platform. A chandelier overhead blazed midnight-blue +P a g e | 147 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +with a thousand more black candles. Their breath +rose in a mist before them; it was like stepping into a +freezer. +“Shall we have a look around?” Harry suggested, +wanting to warm up his feet. +“Careful not to walk through anyone,” said Ron +nervously, and they set off around the edge of the +dance floor. They passed a group of gloomy nuns, a +ragged man wearing chains, and the Fat Friar, a +cheerful Hufflepuff ghost, who was talking to a knight +with an arrow sticking out of his forehead. Harry +wasn’t surprised to see that the Bloody Baron, a +gaunt, staring Slytherin ghost covered in silver +bloodstains, was being given a wide berth by the +other ghosts. +“Oh, no,” said Hermione, stopping abruptly. “Turn +back, turn back, I don’t want to talk to Moaning +Myrtle —” +“Who?” said Harry as they backtracked quickly. +“She haunts one of the toilets in the girls’ bathroom +on the first floor,” said Hermione. +“She haunts a toilet?” +“Yes. It’s been out-of-order all year because she keeps +having tantrums and flooding the place. I never went +in there anyway if I could avoid it; it’s awful trying to +have a pee with her wailing at you —” +“Look, food!” said Ron. +On the other side of the dungeon was a long table, +also covered in black velvet. They approached it +eagerly but next moment had stopped in their tracks, +P a g e | 148 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +horrified. The smell was quite disgusting. Large, +rotten fish were laid on handsome silver platters; +cakes, burned charcoal-black, were heaped on +salvers; there was a great maggoty haggis, a slab of +cheese covered in furry green mold and, in pride of +place, an enormous gray cake in the shape of a +tombstone, with tar-like icing forming the words, +SIR NICHOLAS DE MIMSY-PORPINGTON +DIED 31ST OCTOBER, 1492 +Harry watched, amazed, as a portly ghost approached +the table, crouched low, and walked through it, his +mouth held wide so that it passed through one of the +stinking salmon. +“Can you taste it if you walk through it?” Harry asked +him. +“Almost,” said the ghost sadly, and he drifted away. +“I expect they’ve let it rot to give it a stronger flavor,” +said Hermione knowledgeably, pinching her nose and +leaning closer to look at the putrid haggis. +“Can we move? I feel sick,” said Ron. +They had barely turned around, however, when a +little man swooped suddenly from under the table and +came to a halt in midair before them. +“Hello, Peeves,” said Harry cautiously. +Unlike the ghosts around them, Peeves the Poltergeist +was the very reverse of pale and transparent. He was +wearing a bright orange party hat, a revolving bow tie, +and a broad grin on his wide, wicked face. +P a g e | 149 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Nibbles?” he said sweetly, offering them a bowl of +peanuts covered in fungus. +“No thanks,” said Hermione. +“Heard you talking about poor Myrtle,” said Peeves, +his eyes dancing. “Rude you was about poor Myrtle.” +He took a deep breath and bellowed, “OY! MYRTLE!” +“Oh, no, Peeves, don’t tell her what I said, she’ll be +really upset,” Hermione whispered frantically. “I didn’t +mean it, I don’t mind her — er, hello, Myrtle.” +The squat ghost of a girl had glided over. She had the +glummest face Harry had ever seen, half-hidden +behind lank hair and thick, pearly spectacles. +“What?” she said sulkily. +“How are you, Myrtle?” said Hermione in a falsely +bright voice. “It’s nice to see you out of the toilet.” +Myrtle sniffed. +“Miss Granger was just talking about you —” said +Peeves slyly in Myrtle’s ear. +“Just saying — saying — how nice you look tonight,” +said Hermione, glaring at Peeves. +Myrtle eyed Hermione suspiciously. +“You’re making fun of me,” she said, silver tears +welling rapidly in her small, see-through eyes. +“No — honestly — didn’t I just say how nice Myrtle’s +looking?” said Hermione, nudging Harry and Ron +painfully in the ribs. +P a g e | 150 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Oh, yeah —” +“She did —” +“Don’t lie to me,” Myrtle gasped, tears now flooding +down her face, while Peeves chuckled happily over her +shoulder. “D’you think I don’t know what people call +me behind my back? Fat Myrtle! Ugly Myrtle! +Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle!” +“You’ve forgotten pimply,” Peeves hissed in her ear. +Moaning Myrtle burst into anguished sobs and fled +from the dungeon. Peeves shot after her, pelting her +with moldy peanuts, yelling, “Pimply! Pimply!” +“Oh, dear,” said Hermione sadly. +Nearly Headless Nick now drifted toward them +through the crowd. +“Enjoying yourselves?” +“Oh, yes,” they lied. +“Not a bad turnout,” said Nearly Headless Nick +proudly. “The Wailing Widow came all the way up +from Kent. … It’s nearly time for my speech, I’d better +go and warn the orchestra. …” +The orchestra, however, stopped playing at that very +moment. They, and everyone else in the dungeon, fell +silent, looking around in excitement, as a hunting +horn sounded. +“Oh, here we go,” said Nearly Headless Nick bitterly. +Through the dungeon wall burst a dozen ghost +horses, each ridden by a headless horseman. The +P a g e | 151 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +assembly clapped wildly; Harry started to clap, too, +but stopped quickly at the sight of Nick’s face. +The horses galloped into the middle of the dance floor +and halted, rearing and plunging. At the front of the +pack was a large ghost who held his bearded head +under his arm, from which position he was blowing +the horn. The ghost leapt down, lifted his head high +in the air so he could see over the crowd (everyone +laughed), and strode over to Nearly Headless Nick, +squashing his head back onto his neck. +“Nick!” he roared. “How are you? Head still hanging in +there?” +He gave a hearty guffaw and clapped Nearly Headless +Nick on the shoulder. +“Welcome, Patrick,” said Nick stiffly. +“Live ’uns!” said Sir Patrick, spotting Harry, Ron, and +Hermione and giving a huge, fake jump of +astonishment, so that his head fell off again (the +crowd howled with laughter). +“Very amusing,” said Nearly Headless Nick darkly. +“Don’t mind Nick!” shouted Sir Patrick’s head from +the floor. “Still upset we won’t let him join the Hunt! +But I mean to say — look at the fellow —” +“I think,” said Harry hurriedly, at a meaningful look +from Nick, “Nick’s very — frightening and — er —” +“Ha!” yelled Sir Patrick’s head. “Bet he asked you to +say that!” +“If I could have everyone’s attention, it’s time for my +speech!” said Nearly Headless Nick loudly, striding +P a g e | 152 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +toward the podium and climbing into an icy blue +spotlight. +“My late lamented lords, ladies, and gentlemen, it is +my great sorrow …” +But nobody heard much more. Sir Patrick and the +rest of the Headless Hunt had just started a game of +Head Hockey and the crowd were turning to watch. +Nearly Headless Nick tried vainly to recapture his +audience, but gave up as Sir Patrick’s head went +sailing past him to loud cheers. +Harry was very cold by now, not to mention hungry. +“I can’t stand much more of this,” Ron muttered, his +teeth chattering, as the orchestra ground back into +action and the ghosts swept back onto the dance +floor. +“Let’s go,” Harry agreed. +They backed toward the door, nodding and beaming +at anyone who looked at them, and a minute later +were hurrying back up the passageway full of black +candles. +“Pudding might not be finished yet,” said Ron +hopefully, leading the way toward the steps to the +entrance hall. +And then Harry heard it. +“… rip … tear … kill …” +It was the same voice, the same cold, murderous +voice he had heard in Lockhart’s office. +P a g e | 153 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +He stumbled to a halt, clutching at the stone wall, +listening with all his might, looking around, squinting +up and down the dimly lit passageway. +“Harry, what’re you — ?” +“It’s that voice again — shut up a minute —” +“… soo hungry … for so long …” +“Listen!” said Harry urgently, and Ron and Hermione +froze, watching him. +“… kill … time to kill …” +The voice was growing fainter. Harry was sure it was +moving away — moving upward. A mixture of fear and +excitement gripped him as he stared at the dark +ceiling; how could it be moving upward? Was it a +phantom, to whom stone ceilings didn’t matter? +“This way,” he shouted, and he began to run, up the +stairs, into the entrance hall. It was no good hoping to +hear anything here, the babble of talk from the +Halloween feast was echoing out of the Great Hall. +Harry sprinted up the marble staircase to the first +floor, Ron and Hermione clattering behind him. +“Harry, what’re we —” +“SHH!” +Harry strained his ears. Distantly, from the floor +above, and growing fainter still, he heard the voice: +“… I smell blood. … I SMELL BLOOD!” +His stomach lurched — +P a g e | 154 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“It’s going to kill someone!” he shouted, and ignoring +Ron’s and Hermione’s bewildered faces, he ran up the +next flight of steps three at a time, trying to listen +over his own pounding footsteps — +Harry hurtled around the whole of the second floor, +Ron and Hermione panting behind him, not stopping +until they turned a corner into the last, deserted +passage. +“Harry, what was that all about?” said Ron, wiping +sweat off his face. “I couldn’t hear anything. …” +But Hermione gave a sudden gasp, pointing down the +corridor. +“Look!” +Something was shining on the wall ahead. They +approached slowly, squinting through the darkness. +Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall +between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by +the flaming torches. +THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. +ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE. +“What’s that thing — hanging underneath?” said Ron, +a slight quiver in his voice. +As they edged nearer, Harry almost slipped — there +was a large puddle of water on the floor; Ron and +Hermione grabbed him, and they inched toward the +message, eyes fixed on a dark shadow beneath it. All +three of them realized what it was at once, and leapt +backward with a splash. +P a g e | 155 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Mrs. Norris, the caretaker’s cat, was hanging by her +tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, +her eyes wide and staring. +For a few seconds, they didn’t move. Then Ron said, +“Let’s get out of here.” +“Shouldn’t we try and help —” Harry began +awkwardly. +“Trust me,” said Ron. “We don’t want to be found +here.” +But it was too late. A rumble, as though of distant +thunder, told them that the feast had just ended. +From either end of the corridor where they stood +came the sound of hundreds of feet climbing the +stairs, and the loud, happy talk of well-fed people; +next moment, students were crashing into the +passage from both ends. +The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as +the people in front spotted the hanging cat. Harry, +Ron, and Hermione stood alone, in the middle of the +corridor, as silence fell among the mass of students +pressing forward to see the grisly sight. +Then someone shouted through the quiet. +“Enemies of the Heir, beware! You’ll be next, +Mudbloods!” +It was Draco Malfoy. He had pushed to the front of +the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless +face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the +hanging, immobile cat. +P a g e | 156 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +THE WRITING ON THE WALL +“What’s going on here? What’s going on?” +Attracted no doubt by Malfoy’s shout, Argus Filch +came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then +he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in +horror. +“My cat! My cat! What’s happened to Mrs. Norris?” he +shrieked. +And his popping eyes fell on Harry. +“You!” he screeched. “You! You’ve murdered my cat! +You’ve killed her! I’ll kill you! I’ll —” +“Argus!” +Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a +number of other teachers. In seconds, he had swept +past Harry, Ron, and Hermione and detached Mrs. +Norris from the torch bracket. +P a g e | 157 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Come with me, Argus,” he said to Filch. “You, too, +Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger.” +Lockhart stepped forward eagerly. +“My office is nearest, Headmaster — just upstairs — +please feel free —” +“Thank you, Gilderoy,” said Dumbledore. +The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Lockhart, +looking excited and important, hurried after +Dumbledore; so did Professors McGonagall and +Snape. +As they entered Lockhart’s darkened office there was +a flurry of movement across the walls; Harry saw +several of the Lockharts in the pictures dodging out of +sight, their hair in rollers. The real Lockhart lit the +candles on his desk and stood back. Dumbledore laid +Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to +examine her. Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged +tense looks and sank into chairs outside the pool of +candlelight, watching. +The tip of Dumbledore’s long, crooked nose was +barely an inch from Mrs. Norris’s fur. He was looking +at her closely through his half-moon spectacles, his +long fingers gently prodding and poking. Professor +McGonagall was bent almost as close, her eyes +narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, half in +shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: It was +as though he was trying hard not to smile. And +Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making +suggestions. +“It was definitely a curse that killed her — probably +the Trans-mogrifian Torture — I’ve seen it used many +P a g e | 158 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +times, so unlucky I wasn’t there, I know the very +countercurse that would have saved her. …” +Lockhart’s comments were punctuated by Filch’s dry, +racking sobs. He was slumped in a chair by the desk, +unable to look at Mrs. Norris, his face in his hands. +Much as he detested Filch, Harry couldn’t help feeling +a bit sorry for him, though not nearly as sorry as he +felt for himself. If Dumbledore believed Filch, he +would be expelled for sure. +Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under +his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand but +nothing happened: She continued to look as though +she had been recently stuffed. +“… I remember something very similar happening in +Ouagadougou,” said Lockhart, “a series of attacks, +the full story’s in my autobiography, I was able to +provide the townsfolk with various amulets, which +cleared the matter up at once. …” +The photographs of Lockhart on the walls were all +nodding in agreement as he talked. One of them had +forgotten to remove his hair net. +At last Dumbledore straightened up. +“She’s not dead, Argus,” he said softly. +Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting +the number of murders he had prevented. +“Not dead?” choked Filch, looking through his fingers +at Mrs. Norris. “But why’s she all — all stiff and +frozen?” +P a g e | 159 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“She has been Petrified,” said Dumbledore (“Ah! I +thought so!” said Lockhart). “But how, I cannot say. +…” +“Ask him!” shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and +tearstained face to Harry. +“No second year could have done this,” said +Dumbledore firmly. “It would take Dark Magic of the +most advanced —” +“He did it, he did it!” Filch spat, his pouchy face +purpling. “You saw what he wrote on the wall! He +found — in my office — he knows I’m a — I’m a —” +Filch’s face worked horribly. “He knows I’m a Squib!” +he finished. +“I never touched Mrs. Norris!” Harry said loudly, +uncomfortably aware of everyone looking at him, +including all the Lockharts on the walls. “And I don’t +even know what a Squib is.” +“Rubbish!” snarled Filch. “He saw my Kwikspell +letter!” +“If I might speak, Headmaster,” said Snape from the +shadows, and Harry’s sense of foreboding increased; +he was sure nothing Snape had to say was going to +do him any good. +“Potter and his friends may have simply been in the +wrong place at the wrong time,” he said, a slight sneer +curling his mouth as though he doubted it. “But we +do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why +was he in the upstairs corridor at all? Why wasn’t he +at the Halloween feast?” +P a g e | 160 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry, Ron and Hermione all launched into an +explanation about the deathday party. “… there were +hundreds of ghosts, they’ll tell you we were there —” +“But why not join the feast afterward?” said Snape, +his black eyes glittering in the candlelight. “Why go +up to that corridor?” +Ron and Hermione looked at Harry. +“Because — because —” Harry said, his heart +thumping very fast; something told him it would +sound very far-fetched if he told them he had been led +there by a bodiless voice no one but he could hear, +“because we were tired and wanted to go to bed,” he +said. +“Without any supper?” said Snape, a triumphant +smile flickering across his gaunt face. “I didn’t think +ghosts provided food fit for living people at their +parties.” +“We weren’t hungry,” said Ron loudly as his stomach +gave a huge rumble. +Snape’s nasty smile widened. +“I suggest, Headmaster, that Potter is not being +entirely truthful,” he said. “It might be a good idea if +he were deprived of certain privileges until he is ready +to tell us the whole story. I personally feel he should +be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until he is +ready to be honest.” +“Really, Severus,” said Professor McGonagall sharply, +“I see no reason to stop the boy playing Quidditch. +This cat wasn’t hit over the head with a broomstick. +There is no evidence at all that Potter has done +anything wrong.” +P a g e | 161 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Dumbledore was giving Harry a searching look. His +twinkling light-blue gaze made Harry feel as though +he were being X-rayed. +“Innocent until proven guilty, Severus,” he said +firmly. +Snape looked furious. So did Filch. +“My cat has been Petrified!” he shrieked, his eyes +popping. “I want to see some punishment!” +“We will be able to cure her, Argus,” said Dumbledore +patiently. “Professer Sprout recently managed to +procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have +reached their full size, I will have a potion made that +will revive Mrs. Norris.” +“I’ll make it,” Lockhart butted in. “I must have done it +a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake +Restorative Draught in my sleep —” +“Excuse me,” said Snape icily. “But I believe I am the +Potions master at this school.” +There was a very awkward pause. +“You may go,” Dumbledore said to Harry, Ron, and +Hermione. +They went, as quickly as they could without actually +running. When they were a floor up from Lockhart’s +office, they turned into an empty classroom and +closed the door quietly behind them. Harry squinted +at his friends’ darkened faces. +“D’you think I should have told them about that voice +I heard?” +P a g e | 162 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“No,” said Ron, without hesitation. “Hearing voices no +one else can hear isn’t a good sign, even in the +wizarding world.” +Something in Ron’s voice made Harry ask, “You do +believe me, don’t you?” +“ ’Course I do,” said Ron quickly. “But — you must +admit it’s weird. …” +“I know it’s weird,” said Harry. “The whole thing’s +weird. What was that writing on the wall about? ‘The +Chamber Has Been Opened’. … What’s that supposed +to mean?” +“You know, it rings a sort of bell,” said Ron slowly. “I +think someone told me a story about a secret +chamber at Hogwarts once … might’ve been Bill. …” +“And what on earth’s a Squib?” said Harry. +To his surprise, Ron stifled a snigger. +“Well — it’s not funny really — but as it’s Filch,” he +said. “A Squib is someone who was born into a +wizarding family but hasn’t got any magic powers. +Kind of the opposite of Muggle-born wizards, but +Squibs are quite unusual. If Filch’s trying to learn +magic from a Kwikspell course, I reckon he must be a +Squib. It would explain a lot. Like why he hates +students so much.” Ron gave a satisfied smile. “He’s +bitter.” +A clock chimed somewhere. +“Midnight,” said Harry. “We’d better get to bed before +Snape comes along and tries to frame us for +something else.” +P a g e | 163 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +* * * +For a few days, the school could talk of little else but +the attack on Mrs. Norris. Filch kept it fresh in +everyone’s minds by pacing the spot where she had +been attacked, as though he thought the attacker +might come back. Harry had seen him scrubbing the +message on the wall with Mrs. Skower’s All-Purpose +Magical Mess Remover, but to no effect; the words +still gleamed as brightly as ever on the stone. When +Filch wasn’t guarding the scene of the crime, he was +skulking red-eyed through the corridors, lunging out +at unsuspecting students and trying to put them in +detention for things like “breathing loudly” and +“looking happy.” +Ginny Weasley seemed very disturbed by Mrs. +Norris’s fate. According to Ron, she was a great cat +lover. +“But you haven’t really got to know Mrs. Norris,” Ron +told her bracingly. “Honestly, we’re much better off +without her.” Ginny’s lip trembled. “Stuff like this +doesn’t often happen at Hogwarts,” Ron assured her. +“They’ll catch the maniac who did it and have him out +of here in no time. I just hope he’s got time to Petrify +Filch before he’s expelled. I’m only joking —” Ron +added hastily as Ginny blanched. +The attack had also had an effect on Hermione. It was +quite usual for Hermione to spend a lot of time +reading, but she was now doing almost nothing else. +Nor could Harry and Ron get much response from her +when they asked what she was up to, and not until +the following Wednesday did they find out. +Harry had been held back in Potions, where Snape +had made him stay behind to scrape tubeworms off +P a g e | 164 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +the desks. After a hurried lunch, he went upstairs to +meet Ron in the library, and saw Justin Finch- +Fletchley, the Hufflepuff boy from Herbology, coming +toward him. Harry had just opened his mouth to say +hello when Justin caught sight of him, turned +abruptly, and sped off in the opposite direction. +Harry found Ron at the back of the library, measuring +his History of Magic homework. Professor Binns had +asked for a three-foot-long composition on “The +Medieval Assembly of European Wizards.” +“I don’t believe it, I’m still eight inches short. …” said +Ron furiously, letting go of his parchment, which +sprang back into a roll. “And Hermione’s done four +feet seven inches and her writing’s tiny.” +“Where is she?” asked Harry, grabbing the tape +measure and unrolling his own homework. +“Somewhere over there,” said Ron, pointing along the +shelves. “Looking for another book. I think she’s +trying to read the whole library before Christmas.” +Harry told Ron about Justin Finch-Fletchley running +away from him. +“Dunno why you care. I thought he was a bit of an +idiot,” said Ron, scribbling away, making his writing +as large as possible. “All that junk about Lockhart +being so great —” +Hermione emerged from between the bookshelves. +She looked irritable and at last seemed ready to talk +to them. +“All the copies of Hogwarts, A History have been taken +out,” she said, sitting down next to Harry and Ron. +“And there’s a two-week waiting list. I wish I hadn’t +P a g e | 165 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +left my copy at home, but I couldn’t fit it in my trunk +with all the Lockhart books.” +“Why do you want it?” said Harry. +“The same reason everyone else wants it,” said +Hermione, “to read up on the legend of the Chamber +of Secrets.” +“What’s that?” said Harry quickly. +“That’s just it. I can’t remember,” said Hermione, +biting her lip. “And I can’t find the story anywhere +else —” +“Hermione, let me read your composition,” said Ron +desperately, checking his watch. +“No, I won’t,” said Hermione, suddenly severe. “You’ve +had ten days to finish it —” +“I only need another two inches, come on —” +The bell rang. Ron and Hermione led the way to +History of Magic, bickering. +History of Magic was the dullest subject on their +schedule. Professor Binns, who taught it, was their +only ghost teacher, and the most exciting thing that +ever happened in his classes was his entering the +room through the blackboard. Ancient and shriveled, +many people said he hadn’t noticed he was dead. He +had simply got up to teach one day and left his body +behind him in an armchair in front of the staffroom +fire; his routine had not varied in the slightest since. +Today was as boring as ever. Professor Binns opened +his notes and began to read in a flat drone like an old +vacuum cleaner until nearly everyone in the class was +P a g e | 166 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +in a deep stupor, occasionally coming to long enough +to copy down a name or date, then falling asleep +again. He had been speaking for half an hour when +something happened that had never happened before. +Hermione put up her hand. +Professor Binns, glancing up in the middle of a deadly +dull lecture on the International Warlock Convention +of 1289, looked amazed. +“Miss — er — ?” +“Granger, Professor. I was wondering if you could tell +us anything about the Chamber of Secrets,” said +Hermione in a clear voice. +Dean Thomas, who had been sitting with his mouth +hanging open, gazing out of the window, jerked out of +his trance; Lavender Brown’s head came up off her +arms and Neville Longbottom’s elbow slipped off his +desk. +Professor Binns blinked. +“My subject is History of Magic,” he said in his dry, +wheezy voice. “I deal with, facts, Miss Granger, not +myths and legends.” He cleared his throat with a +small noise like chalk snapping and continued, “In +September of that year, a subcommittee of Sardinian +sorcerers —” +He stuttered to a halt. Hermione’s hand was waving +in the air again. +“Miss Grant?” +“Please, sir, don’t legends always have a basis in +fact?” +P a g e | 167 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Professor Binns was looking at her in such +amazement, Harry was sure no student had ever +interrupted him before, alive or dead. +“Well,” said Professor Binns slowly, “yes, one could +argue that, I suppose.” He peered at Hermione as +though he had never seen a student properly before. +“However, the legend of which you speak is such a +very sensational, even ludicrous tale —” +But the whole class was now hanging on Professor +Binns’s every word. He looked dimly at them all, every +face turned to his. Harry could tell he was completely +thrown by such an unusual show of interest. +“Oh, very well,” he said slowly. “Let me see … the +Chamber of Secrets … +“You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded +over a thousand years ago — the precise date is +uncertain — by the four greatest witches and wizards +of the age. The four school Houses are named after +them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena +Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built this +castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was +an age when magic was feared by common people, +and witches and wizards suffered much persecution.” +He paused, gazed blearily around the room, and +continued. +“For a few years, the founders worked in harmony +together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of +magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. +But then disagreements sprang up between them. A +rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. +Slytherin wished to be more selective about the +students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that +magical learning should be kept within all-magic +P a g e | 168 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +families. He disliked taking students of Muggle +parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After +a while, there was a serious argument on the subject +between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left +the school.” +Professor Binns paused again, pursing his lips, +looking like a wrinkled old tortoise. +“Reliable historical sources tell us this much,” he +said. “But these honest facts have been obscured by +the fanciful legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The +story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber +in the castle, of which the other founders knew +nothing. +“Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the +Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to +open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. +The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber +of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to +purge the school of all who were unworthy to study +magic.” +There was silence as he finished telling the story, but +it wasn’t the usual, sleepy silence that filled Professor +Binns’s classes. There was unease in the air as +everyone continued to watch him, hoping for more. +Professor Binns looked faintly annoyed. +“The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course,” he +said. “Naturally, the school has been searched for +evidence of such a chamber, many times, by the most +learned witches and wizards. It does not exist. A tale +told to frighten the gullible.” +Hermione’s hand was back in the air. +P a g e | 169 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Sir — what exactly do you mean by the ‘horror +within’ the Chamber?” +“That is believed to be some sort of monster, which +the Heir of Slytherin alone can control,” said Professor +Binns in his dry, reedy voice. +The class exchanged nervous looks. +“I tell you, the thing does not exist,” said Professor +Binns, shuffling his notes. “There is no Chamber and +no monster.” +“But, sir,” said Seamus Finnigan, “if the Chamber can +only be opened by Slytherin’s true heir, no one else +would be able to find it, would they?” +“Nonsense, O’Flaherty,” said Professor Binns in an +aggravated tone. “If a long succession of Hogwarts +headmasters and headmistresses haven’t found the +thing —” +“But, Professor,” piped up Parvati Patil, “you’d +probably have to use Dark Magic to open it —” +“Just because a wizard doesn’t use Dark Magic +doesn’t mean he can’t, Miss Pennyfeather,” snapped +Professor Binns. “I repeat, if the likes of Dumbledore +—” +“But maybe you’ve got to be related to Slytherin, so +Dumbledore couldn’t —” began Dean Thomas, but +Professor Binns had had enough. +“That will do,” he said sharply. “It is a myth! It does +not exist! There is not a shred of evidence that +Slytherin ever built so much as a secret broom +cupboard! I regret telling you such a foolish story! We +P a g e | 170 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +will return, if you please, to history, to solid, +believable, verifiable fact!” +And within five minutes, the class had sunk back into +its usual torpor. +“I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted old +loony,” Ron told Harry and Hermione as they fought +their way through the teeming corridors at the end of +the lesson to drop off their bags before dinner. “But I +never knew he started all this pure-blood stuff. I +wouldn’t be in his House if you paid me. Honestly, if +the Sorting Hat had tried to put me in Slytherin, I’d’ve +got the train straight back home. …” +Hermione nodded fervently, but Harry didn’t say +anything. His stomach had just dropped +unpleasantly. +Harry had never told Ron and Hermione that the +Sorting Hat had seriously considered putting him in +Slytherin. He could remember, as though it were +yesterday, the small voice that had spoken in his ear +when he’d placed the hat on his head a year before: +You could be great, you know, it’s all here in your +head, and Slytherin would help you on the way to +greatness, no doubt about that. … +But Harry, who had already heard of Slytherin +House’s reputation for turning out Dark wizards, had +thought desperately, Not Slytherin! and the hat had +said, Oh, well, if you’re sure … better be Gryffindor. … +As they were shunted along in the throng, Colin +Creevey went past. +“Hiya, Harry!” +“Hullo, Colin,” said Harry automatically. +P a g e | 171 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Harry — Harry — a boy in my class has been saying +you’re —” +But Colin was so small he couldn’t fight against the +tide of people bearing him toward the Great Hall; they +heard him squeak, “See you, Harry!” and he was +gone. +“What’s a boy in his class saying about you?” +Hermione wondered. +“That I’m Slytherin’s heir, I expect,” said Harry, his +stomach dropping another inch or so as he suddenly +remembered the way Justin Finch-Fletchley had run +away from him at lunchtime. +“People here’ll believe anything,” said Ron in disgust. +The crowd thinned and they were able to climb the +next staircase without difficulty. +“D’you really think there’s a Chamber of Secrets?” +Ron asked Hermione. +“I don’t know,” she said, frowning. “Dumbledore +couldn’t cure Mrs. Norris, and that makes me think +that whatever attacked her might not be — well — +human.” +As she spoke, they turned a corner and found +themselves at the end of the very corridor where the +attack had happened. They stopped and looked. The +scene was just as it had been that night, except that +there was no stiff cat hanging from the torch bracket, +and an empty chair stood against the wall bearing the +message “The Chamber of Secrets Has Been Opened.” +“That’s where Filch has been keeping guard,” Ron +muttered. +P a g e | 172 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +They looked at each other. The corridor was deserted. +“Can’t hurt to have a poke around,” said Harry, +dropping his bag and getting to his hands and knees +so that he could crawl along, searching for clues. +“Scorch marks!” he said. “Here — and here —” +“Come and look at this!” said Hermione. “This is +funny. …” +Harry got up and crossed to the window next to the +message on the wall. Hermione was pointing at the +topmost pane, where around twenty spiders were +scuttling, apparently fighting to get through a small +crack. A long, silvery thread was dangling like a rope, +as though they had all climbed it in their hurry to get +outside. +“Have you ever seen spiders act like that?” said +Hermione wonderingly. +“No,” said Harry, “have you, Ron? Ron?” +He looked over his shoulder. Ron was standing well +back and seemed to be fighting the impulse to run. +“What’s up?” said Harry. +“I — don’t — like — spiders,” said Ron tensely. +“I never knew that,” said Hermione, looking at Ron in +surprise. “You’ve used spiders in Potions loads of +times. …” +“I don’t mind them dead,” said Ron, who was carefully +looking anywhere but at the window. “I just don’t like +the way they move. …” +P a g e | 173 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Hermione giggled. +“It’s not funny,” said Ron, fiercely. “If you must know, +when I was three, Fred turned my — my teddy bear +into a great big filthy spider because I broke his toy +broomstick. … You wouldn’t like them either if you’d +been holding your bear and suddenly it had too many +legs and …” +He broke off, shuddering. Hermione was obviously +still trying not to laugh. Feeling they had better get off +the subject, Harry said, “Remember all that water on +the floor? Where did that come from? Someone’s +mopped it up.” +“It was about here,” said Ron, recovering himself to +walk a few paces past Filch’s chair and pointing. +“Level with this door.” +He reached for the brass doorknob but suddenly +withdrew his hand as though he’d been burned. +“What’s the matter?” said Harry. +“Can’t go in there,” said Ron gruffly. “That’s a girls’ +toilet.” +“Oh, Ron, there won’t be anyone in there,” said +Hermione, standing up and coming over. “That’s +Moaning Myrtle’s place. Come on, let’s have a look.” +And ignoring the large OUT OF ORDER sign, she +opened the door. +It was the gloomiest, most depressing bathroom Harry +had ever set foot in. Under a large, cracked, and +spotted mirror were a row of chipped sinks. The floor +was damp and reflected the dull light given off by the +stubs of a few candles, burning low in their holders; +P a g e | 174 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +the wooden doors to the stalls were flaking and +scratched and one of them was dangling off its +hinges. +Hermione put her fingers to her lips and set off +toward the end stall. When she reached it she said, +“Hello, Myrtle, how are you?” +Harry and Ron went to look. Moaning Myrtle was +floating above the tank of the toilet, picking a spot on +her chin. +“This is a girls’ bathroom,” she said, eyeing Ron and +Harry suspiciously. “They’re not girls.” +“No,” Hermione agreed. “I just wanted to show them +how — er — nice it is in here.” +She waved vaguely at the dirty old mirror and the +damp floor. +“Ask her if she saw anything,” Harry mouthed at +Hermione. +“What are you whispering?” said Myrtle, staring at +him. +“Nothing,” said Harry quickly. “We wanted to ask —” +“I wish people would stop talking behind my back!” +said Myrtle, in a voice choked with tears. “I do have +feelings, you know, even if I am dead —” +“Myrtle, no one wants to upset you,” said Hermione. +“Harry only —” +“No one wants to upset me! That’s a good one!” +howled Myrtle. “My life was nothing but misery at this +place and now people come along ruining my death!” +P a g e | 175 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“We wanted to ask you if you’ve seen anything funny +lately,” said Hermione quickly. “Because a cat was +attacked right outside your front door on Halloween.” +“Did you see anyone near here that night?” said +Harry. +“I wasn’t paying attention,” said Myrtle dramatically. +“Peeves upset me so much I came in here and tried to +kill myself. Then, of course, I remembered that I’m — +that I’m —” +“Already dead,” said Ron helpfully. +Myrtle gave a tragic sob, rose up in the air, turned +over, and dived headfirst into the toilet, splashing +water all over them and vanishing from sight, +although from the direction of her muffled sobs, she +had come to rest somewhere in the U-bend. +Harry and Ron stood with their mouths open, but +Hermione shrugged wearily and said, “Honestly, that +was almost cheerful for Myrtle. … Come on, let’s go.” +Harry had barely closed the door on Myrtle’s gurgling +sobs when a loud voice made all three of them jump. +“RON!” +Percy Weasley had stopped dead at the head of the +stairs, prefect badge agleam, an expression of +complete shock on his face. +“That’s a girls’ bathroom!” he gasped. “What were you +— ?” +“Just having a look around,” Ron shrugged. “Clues, +you know —” +P a g e | 176 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Percy swelled in a manner that reminded Harry +forcefully of Mrs. Weasley. +“Get — away — from — there —” Percy said, striding +toward them and starting to bustle them along, +flapping his arms. “Don’t you care what this looks +like? Coming back here while everyone’s at dinner —” +“Why shouldn’t we be here?” said Ron hotly, stopping +short and glaring at Percy. “Listen, we never laid a +finger on that cat!” +“That’s what I told Ginny,” said Percy fiercely, “but +she still seems to think you’re going to be expelled, +I’ve never seen her so upset, crying her eyes out, you +might think of her, all the first years are thoroughly +overexcited by this business —” +“You don’t care about Ginny,” said Ron, whose ears +were now reddening. “You’re just worried I’m going to +mess up your chances of being Head Boy —” +“Five points from Gryffindor!” Percy said tersely, +fingering his prefect badge. “And I hope it teaches you +a lesson! No more detective work, or I’ll write to +Mum!” +And he strode off, the back of his neck as red as +Ron’s ears. + +Harry, Ron, and Hermione chose seats as far as +possible from Percy in the common room that night. +Ron was still in a very bad temper and kept blotting +his Charms homework. When he reached absently for +his wand to remove the smudges, it ignited the +parchment. Fuming almost as much as his +homework, Ron slammed The Standard Book of +P a g e | 177 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Spells, Grade 2 shut. To Harry’s surprise, Hermione +followed suit. +“Who can it be, though?” she said in a quiet voice, as +though continuing a conversation they had just been +having. “Who’d want to frighten all the Squibs and +Muggle-borns out of Hogwarts?” +“Let’s think,” said Ron in mock puzzlement. “Who do +we know who thinks Muggle-borns are scum?” +He looked at Hermione. Hermione looked back, +unconvinced. +“If you’re talking about Malfoy —” +“Of course I am!” said Ron. “You heard him — ‘You’ll +be next, Mudbloods!’ — come on, you’ve only got to +look at his foul rat face to know it’s him —” +“Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?” said Hermione +skeptically. +“Look at his family,” said Harry, closing his books, +too. “The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin; +he’s always boasting about it. They could easily be +Slytherin’s descendants. His father’s definitely evil +enough.” +“They could’ve had the key to the Chamber of Secrets +for centuries!” said Ron. “Handing it down, father to +son. …” +“Well,” said Hermione cautiously, “I suppose it’s +possible. …” +“But how do we prove it?” said Harry darkly. +P a g e | 178 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“There might be a way,” said Hermione slowly, +dropping her voice still further with a quick glance +across the room at Percy. “Of course, it would be +difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We’d be +breaking about fifty school rules, I expect —” +“If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will +let us know, won’t you?” said Ron irritably. +“All right,” said Hermione coldly. “What we’d need to +do is to get inside the Slytherin common room and +ask Malfoy a few questions without him realizing it’s +us.” +“But that’s impossible,” Harry said as Ron laughed. +“No, it’s not,” said Hermione. “All we’d need would be +some Polyjuice Potion.” +“What’s that?” said Ron and Harry together. +“Snape mentioned it in class a few weeks ago —” +“D’you think we’ve got nothing better to do in Potions +than listen to Snape?” muttered Ron. +“It transforms you into somebody else. Think about it! +We could change into three of the Slytherins. No one +would know it was us. Malfoy would probably tell us +anything. He’s probably boasting about it in the +Slytherin common room right now, if only we could +hear him.” +“This Polyjuice stuff sounds a bit dodgy to me,” said +Ron, frowning. “What if we were stuck looking like +three of the Slytherins forever?” +“It wears off after a while,” said Hermione, waving her +hand impatiently. “But getting hold of the recipe will +P a g e | 179 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +be very difficult. Snape said it was in a book called +Moste Potente Potions and it’s bound to be in the +Restricted Section of the library.” +There was only one way to get out a book from the +Restricted Section: You needed a signed note of +permission from a teacher. +“Hard to see why we’d want the book, really,” said +Ron, “if we weren’t going to try and make one of the +potions.” +“I think,” said Hermione, “that if we made it sound as +though we were just interested in the theory, we +might stand a chance. …” +“Oh, come on, no teacher’s going to fall for that,” said +Ron. “They’d have to be really thick. ��” +P a g e | 180 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +THE ROGUE BLUDGER +Since the disastrous episode of the pixies, Professor +Lockhart had not brought live creatures to class. +Instead, he read passages from his books to them, +and sometimes reenacted some of the more dramatic +bits. He usually picked Harry to help him with these +reconstructions; so far, Harry had been forced to play +a simple Transylvanian villager whom Lockhart had +cured of a Babbling Curse, a yeti with a head cold, +and a vampire who had been unable to eat anything +except lettuce since Lockhart had dealt with him. +Harry was hauled to the front of the class during their +very next Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, this +time acting a werewolf. If he hadn’t had a very good +reason for keeping Lockhart in a good mood, he would +have refused to do it. +“Nice loud howl, Harry — exactly — and then, if you’ll +believe it, I pounced — like this — slammed him to +the floor — thus — with one hand, I managed to hold +him down — with my other, I put my wand to his +throat — I then screwed up my remaining strength +P a g e | 181 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +and performed the immensely complex Homorphus +Charm — he let out a piteous moan — go on, Harry — +higher than that — good — the fur vanished — the +fangs shrank — and he turned back into a man. +Simple, yet effective — and another village will +remember me forever as the hero who delivered them +from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks.” +The bell rang and Lockhart got to his feet. +“Homework — compose a poem about my defeat of +the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of Magical +Me to the author of the best one!” +The class began to leave. Harry returned to the back +of the room, where Ron and Hermione were waiting. +“Ready?” Harry muttered. +“Wait till everyone’s gone,” said Hermione nervously. +“All right …” +She approached Lockhart’s desk, a piece of paper +clutched tightly in her hand, Harry and Ron right +behind her. +“Er — Professor Lockhart?” Hermione stammered. “I +wanted to — to get this book out of the library. Just +for background reading.” She held out the piece of +paper, her hand shaking slightly. “But the thing is, +it’s in the Restricted Section of the library, so I need a +teacher to sign for it — I’m sure it would help me +understand what you say in Gadding with Ghouls +about slow-acting venoms —” +“Ah, Gadding with Ghouls!” said Lockhart, taking the +note from Hermione and smiling widely at her. +“Possibly my very favorite book. You enjoyed it?” +P a g e | 182 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Oh, yes,” said Hermione eagerly. “So clever, the way +you trapped that last one with the tea-strainer —” +“Well, I’m sure no one will mind me giving the best +student of the year a little extra help,” said Lockhart +warmly, and he pulled out an enormous peacock +quill. “Yes, nice, isn’t it?” he said, misreading the +revolted look on Ron’s face. “I usually save it for book +signings.” +He scrawled an enormous loopy signature on the note +and handed it back to Hermione. +“So, Harry,” said Lockhart, while Hermione folded the +note with fumbling fingers and slipped it into her bag. +“Tomorrow’s the first Quidditch match of the season, I +believe? Gryffindor against Slytherin, is it not? I hear +you’re a useful player. I was a Seeker, too. I was +asked to try for the National Squad, but preferred to +dedicate my life to the eradication of the Dark Forces. +Still, if ever you feel the need for a little private +training, don’t hesitate to ask. Always happy to pass +on my expertise to less able players. …” +Harry made an indistinct noise in his throat and then +hurried off after Ron and Hermione. +“I don’t believe it,” he said as the three of them +examined the signature on the note. “He didn’t even +look at the book we wanted.” +“That’s because he’s a brainless git,” said Ron. “But +who cares, we’ve got what we needed —” +“He is not a brainless git,” said Hermione shrilly as +they half ran toward the library. +“Just because he said you were the best student of +the year —” +P a g e | 183 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +They dropped their voices as they entered the muffled +stillness of the library. Madam Pince, the librarian, +was a thin, irritable woman who looked like an +underfed vulture. +“Moste Potente Potions?” she repeated suspiciously, +trying to take the note from Hermione; but Hermione +wouldn’t let go. +“I was wondering if I could keep it,” she said +breathlessly. +“Oh, come on,” said Ron, wrenching it from her grasp +and thrusting it at Madam Pince. “We’ll get you +another autograph. Lockhart’ll sign anything if it +stands still long enough.” +Madam Pince held the note up to the light, as though +determined to detect a forgery, but it passed the test. +She stalked away between the lofty shelves and +returned several minutes later carrying a large and +moldy-looking book. Hermione put it carefully into +her bag and they left, trying not to walk too quickly or +look too guilty. +Five minutes later, they were barricaded in Moaning +Myrtle’s out-of-order bathroom once again. Hermione +had overridden Ron’s objections by pointing out that +it was the last place anyone in their right minds +would go, so they were guaranteed some privacy. +Moaning Myrtle was crying noisily in her stall, but +they were ignoring her, and she them. +Hermione opened Moste Potente Potions carefully, and +the three of them bent over the damp-spotted pages. +It was clear from a glance why it belonged in the +Restricted Section. Some of the potions had effects +almost too gruesome to think about, and there were +some very unpleasant illustrations, which included a +P a g e | 184 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +man who seemed to have been turned inside out and +a witch sprouting several extra pairs of arms out of +her head. +“Here it is,” said Hermione excitedly as she found the +page headed The Polyjuice Potion. It was decorated +with drawings of people halfway through transforming +into other people. Harry sincerely hoped the artist +had imagined the looks of intense pain on their faces. +“This is the most complicated potion I’ve ever seen,” +said Hermione as they scanned the recipe. “Lacewing +flies, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass,” she +murmured, running her finger down the list of +ingredients. “Well, they’re easy enough, they’re in the +student store-cupboard, we can help ourselves. … +Oooh, look, powdered horn of a bicorn — don’t know +where we’re going to get that — shredded skin of a +boomslang — that’ll be tricky, too — and of course a +bit of whoever we want to change into.” +“Excuse me?” said Ron sharply. “What d’you mean, a +bit of whoever we’re changing into? I’m drinking +nothing with Crabbe’s toenails in it —” +Hermione continued as though she hadn’t heard him. +“We don’t have to worry about that yet, though, +because we add those bits last. …” +Ron turned, speechless, to Harry, who had another +worry. +“D’you realize how much we’re going to have to steal, +Hermione? Shredded skin of a boomslang, that’s +definitely not in the students’ cupboard. What’re we +going to do, break into Snape’s private stores? I don’t +know if this is a good idea. …” +P a g e | 185 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Hermione shut the book with a snap. +“Well, if you two are going to chicken out, fine,” she +said. There were bright pink patches on her cheeks +and her eyes were brighter than usual. “I don’t want +to break rules, you know. I think threatening Muggle- +borns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion. +But if you don’t want to find out if it’s Malfoy, I’ll go +straight to Madam Pince now and hand the book back +in —” +“I never thought I’d see the day when you’d be +persuading us to break rules,” said Ron. “All right, +we’ll do it. But not toenails, okay?” +“How long will it take to make, anyway?” said Harry +as Hermione, looking happier, opened the book again. +“Well, since the fluxweed has got to be picked at the +full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for +twenty-one days … I’d say it’d be ready in about a +month, if we can get all the ingredients.” +“A month?” said Ron. “Malfoy could have attacked +half the Muggle-borns in the school by then!” But +Hermione’s eyes narrowed dangerously again, and he +added swiftly, “But it’s the best plan we’ve got, so full +steam ahead, I say.” +However, while Hermione was checking that the coast +was clear for them to leave the bathroom, Ron +muttered to Harry, “It’ll be a lot less hassle if you can +just knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow.” +Harry woke early on Saturday morning and lay for a +while thinking about the coming Quidditch match. He +was nervous, mainly at the thought of what Wood +would say if Gryffindor lost, but also at the idea of +facing a team mounted on the fastest racing brooms +P a g e | 186 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +gold could buy. He had never wanted to beat +Slytherin so badly. After half an hour of lying there +with his insides churning, he got up, dressed, and +went down to breakfast early, where he found the rest +of the Gryffindor team huddled at the long, empty +table, all looking uptight and not speaking much. +As eleven o’clock approached, the whole school +started to make its way down to the Quidditch +stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of +thunder in the air. Ron and Hermione came hurrying +over to wish Harry good luck as he entered the locker +rooms. The team pulled on their scarlet Gryffindor +robes, then sat down to listen to Wood’s usual pre- +match pep talk. +“Slytherin has better brooms than us,” he began. “No +point denying it. But we’ve got better people on our +brooms. We’ve trained harder than they have, we’ve +been flying in all weathers —” (“Too true,” muttered +George Weasley. “I haven’t been properly dry since +August”) “— and we’re going to make them rue the +day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy, buy his +way onto their team.” +Chest heaving with emotion, Wood turned to Harry. +“It’ll be down to you, Harry, to show them that a +Seeker has to have something more than a rich +father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, +Harry, because we’ve got to win today, we’ve got to.” +“So no pressure, Harry,” said Fred, winking at him. +As they walked out onto the field, a roar of noise +greeted them; mainly cheers, because Ravenclaw and +Hufflepuff were anxious to see Slytherin beaten, but +the Slytherins in the crowd made their boos and +hisses heard, too. Madam Hooch, the Quidditch +P a g e | 187 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +teacher, asked Flint and Wood to shake hands, which +they did, giving each other threatening stares and +gripping rather harder than was necessary. +“On my whistle,” said Madam Hooch. “Three … two … +one …” +With a roar from the crowd to speed them upward, +the fourteen players rose toward the leaden sky. +Harry flew higher than any of them, squinting around +for the Snitch. +“All right there, Scarhead?” yelled Malfoy, shooting +underneath him as though to show off the speed of +his broom. +Harry had no time to reply. At that very moment, a +heavy black Bludger came pelting toward him; he +avoided it so narrowly that he felt it ruffle his hair as +it passed. +“Close one, Harry!” said George, streaking past him +with his club in his hand, ready to knock the Bludger +back toward a Slytherin. Harry saw George give the +Bludger a powerful whack in the direction of Adrian +Pucey, but the Bludger changed direction in midair +and shot straight for Harry again. +Harry dropped quickly to avoid it, and George +managed to hit it hard toward Malfoy. Once again, the +Bludger swerved like a boomerang and shot at Harry’s +head. +Harry put on a burst of speed and zoomed toward the +other end of the field. He could hear the Bludger +whistling along behind him. What was going on? +Bludgers never concentrated on one player like this; it +was their job to try and unseat as many people as +possible. … +P a g e | 188 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Fred Weasley was waiting for the Bludger at the other +end. Harry ducked as Fred swung at the Bludger with +all his might; the Bludger was knocked off course. +“Gotcha!” Fred yelled happily, but he was wrong; as +though it was magnetically attracted to Harry, the +Bludger pelted after him once more and Harry was +forced to fly off at full speed. +It had started to rain; Harry felt heavy drops fall onto +his face, splattering onto his glasses. He didn’t have a +clue what was going on in the rest of the game until +he heard Lee Jordan, who was commentating, say, +“Slytherin lead, sixty points to zero —” +The Slytherins’ superior brooms were clearly doing +their jobs, and meanwhile the mad Bludger was doing +all it could to knock Harry out of the air. Fred and +George were now flying so close to him on either side +that Harry could see nothing at all except their flailing +arms and had no chance to look for the Snitch, let +alone catch it. +“Someone’s — tampered — with — this — Bludger —” +Fred grunted, swinging his bat with all his might at it +as it launched a new attack on Harry. +“We need time out,” said George, trying to signal to +Wood and stop the Bludger breaking Harry’s nose at +the same time. +Wood had obviously got the message. Madam Hooch’s +whistle rang out and Harry, Fred, and George dived +for the ground, still trying to avoid the mad Bludger. +“What’s going on?” said Wood as the Gryffindor team +huddled together, while Slytherins in the crowd +jeered. “We’re being flattened. Fred, George, where +P a g e | 189 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +were you when that Bludger stopped Angelina +scoring?” +“We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other +Bludger from murdering Harry, Oliver,” said George +angrily. “Someone’s fixed it — it won’t leave Harry +alone. It hasn’t gone for anyone else all game. The +Slytherins must have done something to it.” +“But the Bludgers have been locked in Madam +Hooch’s office since our last practice, and there was +nothing wrong with them then. …” said Wood, +anxiously. +Madam Hooch was walking toward them. Over her +shoulder, Harry could see the Slytherin team jeering +and pointing in his direction. +“Listen,” said Harry as she came nearer and nearer, +“with you two flying around me all the time the only +way I’m going to catch the Snitch is if it flies up my +sleeve. Go back to the rest of the team and let me deal +with the rogue one.” +“Don’t be thick,” said Fred. “It’ll take your head off.” +Wood was looking from Harry to the Weasleys. +“Oliver, this is insane,” said Alicia Spinnet angrily. +“You can’t let Harry deal with that thing on his own. +Let’s ask for an inquiry —” +“If we stop now, we’ll have to forfeit the match!” said +Harry. “And we’re not losing to Slytherin just because +of a crazy Bludger! Come on, Oliver, tell them to leave +me alone!” +P a g e | 190 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“This is all your fault,” George said angrily to Wood. “ +‘Get the Snitch or die trying,’ what a stupid thing to +tell him —” +Madam Hooch had joined them. +“Ready to resume play?” she asked Wood. +Wood looked at the determined look on Harry’s face. +“All right,” he said. “Fred, George, you heard Harry — +leave him alone and let him deal with the Bludger on +his own.” +The rain was falling more heavily now. On Madam +Hooch’s whistle, Harry kicked hard into the air and +heard the telltale whoosh of the Bludger behind him. +Higher and higher Harry climbed; he looped and +swooped, spiraled, zigzagged, and rolled. Slightly +dizzy, he nevertheless kept his eyes wide open, rain +was speckling his glasses and ran up his nostrils as +he hung upside down, avoiding another fierce dive +from the Bludger. He could hear laughter from the +crowd; he knew he must look very stupid, but the +rogue Bludger was heavy and couldn’t change +direction as quickly as Harry could; he began a kind +of roller-coaster ride around the edges of the stadium, +squinting through the silver sheets of rain to the +Gryffindor goal posts, where Adrian Pucey was trying +to get past Wood — +A whistling in Harry’s ear told him the Bludger had +just missed him again; he turned right over and sped +in the opposite direction. +“Training for the ballet, Potter?” yelled Malfoy as +Harry was forced to do a stupid kind of twirl in midair +to dodge the Bludger, and he fled, the Bludger trailing +a few feet behind him; and then, glaring back at +P a g e | 191 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Malfoy in hatred, he saw it — the Golden Snitch. It +was hovering inches above Malfoy’s left ear — and +Malfoy, busy laughing at Harry, hadn’t seen it. +For an agonizing moment, Harry hung in midair, not +daring to speed toward Malfoy in case he looked up +and saw the Snitch. +WHAM. +He had stayed still a second too long. The Bludger +had hit him at last, smashed into his elbow, and +Harry felt his arm break. Dimly, dazed by the searing +pain in his arm, he slid sideways on his rain- +drenched broom, one knee still crooked over it, his +right arm dangling useless at his side — the Bludger +came pelting back for a second attack, this time +aiming at his face — Harry swerved out of the way, +one idea firmly lodged in his numb brain: get to +Malfoy. +Through a haze of rain and pain he dived for the +shimmering, sneering face below him and saw its eyes +widen with fear: Malfoy thought Harry was attacking +him. +“What the —” he gasped, careening out of Harry’s +way. +Harry took his remaining hand off his broom and +made a wild snatch; he felt his fingers close on the +cold Snitch but was now only gripping the broom with +his legs, and there was a yell from the crowd below as +he headed straight for the ground, trying hard not to +pass out. +With a splattering thud he hit the mud and rolled off +his broom. His arm was hanging at a very strange +angle; riddled with pain, he heard, as though from a +P a g e | 192 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +distance, a good deal of whistling and shouting. He +focused on the Snitch clutched in his good hand. +“Aha,” he said vaguely. “We’ve won.” +And he fainted. +He came around, rain falling on his face, still lying on +the field, with someone leaning over him. He saw a +glitter of teeth. +“Oh, no, not you,” he moaned. +“Doesn’t know what he’s saying,” said Lockhart loudly +to the anxious crowd of Gryffindors pressing around +them. “Not to worry, Harry. I’m about to fix your +arm.” +“No!” said Harry. “I’ll keep it like this, thanks. …” +He tried to sit up, but the pain was terrible. He heard +a familiar clicking noise nearby. +“I don’t want a photo of this, Colin,” he said loudly. +“Lie back, Harry,” said Lockhart soothingly. “It’s a +simple charm I’ve used countless times —” +“Why can’t I just go to the hospital wing?” said Harry +through clenched teeth. +“He should really, Professor,” said a muddy Wood, +who couldn’t help grinning even though his Seeker +was injured. “Great capture, Harry, really +spectacular, your best yet, I’d say —” +Through the thicket of legs around him, Harry +spotted Fred and George Weasley, wrestling the rogue +P a g e | 193 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Bludger into a box. It was still putting up a terrific +fight. +“Stand back,” said Lockhart, who was rolling up his +jade-green sleeves. +“No — don’t —” said Harry weakly, but Lockhart was +twirling his wand and a second later had directed it +straight at Harry’s arm. +A strange and unpleasant sensation started at Harry’s +shoulder and spread all the way down to his +fingertips. It felt as though his arm was being +deflated. He didn’t dare look at what was happening. +He had shut his eyes, his face turned away from his +arm, but his worst fears were realized as the people +above him gasped and Colin Creevey began clicking +away madly. His arm didn’t hurt anymore — nor did +it feel remotely like an arm. +“Ah,” said Lockhart. “Yes. Well, that can sometimes +happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer +broken. That’s the thing to bear in mind. So, Harry, +just toddle up to the hospital wing — ah, Mr. +Weasley, Miss Granger, would you escort him? — and +Madam Pomfrey will be able to — er — tidy you up a +bit.” +As Harry got to his feet, he felt strangely lopsided. +Taking a deep breath he looked down at his right +side. What he saw nearly made him pass out again. +Poking out of the end of his robes was what looked +like a thick, flesh-colored rubber glove. He tried to +move his fingers. Nothing happened. +Lockhart hadn’t mended Harry’s bones. He had +removed them. +P a g e | 194 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Madam Pomfrey wasn’t at all pleased. +“You should have come straight to me!” she raged, +holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an +hour before, had been a working arm. “I can mend +bones in a second — but growing them back —” +“You will be able to, won’t you?” said Harry +desperately. +“I’ll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful,” said +Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing Harry a pair of +pajamas. “You’ll have to stay the night. …” +Hermione waited outside the curtain drawn around +Harry’s bed while Ron helped him into his pajamas. It +took a while to stuff the rubbery, boneless arm into a +sleeve. +“How can you stick up for Lockhart now, Hermione, +eh?” Ron called through the curtain as he pulled +Harry’s limp fingers through the cuff. “If Harry had +wanted deboning he would have asked.” +“Anyone can make a mistake,” said Hermione. “And it +doesn’t hurt anymore, does it, Harry?” +“No,” said Harry, getting into bed. “But it doesn’t do +anything else either.” +As he swung himself onto the bed, his arm flapped +pointlessly. +Hermione and Madam Pomfrey came around the +curtain. Madam Pomfrey was holding a large bottle of +something labeled Skele-Gro. +P a g e | 195 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“You’re in for a rough night,” she said, pouring out a +steaming beakerful and handing it to him. “Regrowing +bones is a nasty business.” +So was taking the Skele-Gro. It burned Harry’s mouth +and throat as it went down, making him cough and +splutter. Still tut-tutting about dangerous sports and +inept teachers, Madam Pomfrey retreated, leaving Ron +and Hermione to help Harry gulp down some water. +“We won, though,” said Ron, a grin breaking across +his face. “That was some catch you made. Malfoy’s +face … he looked ready to kill. …” +“I want to know how he fixed that Bludger,” said +Hermione darkly. +“We can add that to the list of questions we’ll ask him +when we’ve taken the Polyjuice Potion,” said Harry, +sinking back onto his pillows. “I hope it tastes better +than this stuff. …” +“If it’s got bits of Slytherins in it? You’ve got to be +joking,” said Ron. +The door of the hospital wing burst open at that +moment. Filthy and soaking wet, the rest of the +Gryffindor team had arrived to see Harry. +“Unbelievable flying, Harry,” said George. “I’ve just +seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about +having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. +Malfoy didn’t seem too happy.” +They had brought cakes, sweets, and bottles of +pumpkin juice; they gathered around Harry’s bed and +were just getting started on what promised to be a +good party when Madam Pomfrey came storming over, +P a g e | 196 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +shouting, “This boy needs rest, he’s got thirty-three +bones to regrow! Out! OUT!” +And Harry was left alone, with nothing to distract him +from the stabbing pains in his limp arm. +Hours and hours later, Harry woke quite suddenly in +the pitch blackness and gave a small yelp of pain: His +arm now felt full of large splinters. For a second, he +thought that was what had woken him. Then, with a +thrill of horror, he realized that someone was +sponging his forehead in the dark. +“Get off!” he said loudly, and then, “Dobby!” +The house-elf’s goggling tennis ball eyes were peering +at Harry through the darkness. A single tear was +running down his long, pointed nose. +“Harry Potter came back to school,” he whispered +miserably. “Dobby warned and warned Harry Potter. +Ah sir, why didn’t you heed Dobby? Why didn’t Harry +Potter go back home when he missed the train?” +Harry heaved himself up on his pillows and pushed +Dobby’s sponge away. +“What’re you doing here?” he said. “And how did you +know I missed the train?” +Dobby’s lip trembled and Harry was seized by a +sudden suspicion. +“It was you!” he said slowly. “You stopped the barrier +from letting us through!” +“Indeed yes, sir,” said Dobby, nodding his head +vigorously, ears flapping. “Dobby hid and watched for +Harry Potter and sealed the gateway and Dobby had +P a g e | 197 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +to iron his hands afterward” — he showed Harry ten +long, bandaged fingers — “but Dobby didn’t care, sir, +for he thought Harry Potter was safe, and never did +Dobby dream that Harry Potter would get to school +another way!” +He was rocking backward and forward, shaking his +ugly head. +“Dobby was so shocked when he heard Harry Potter +was back at Hogwarts, he let his master’s dinner +burn! Such a flogging Dobby never had, sir. …” +Harry slumped back onto his pillows. +“You nearly got Ron and me expelled,” he said +fiercely. “You’d better get lost before my bones come +back, Dobby, or I might strangle you.” +Dobby smiled weakly. +“Dobby is used to death threats, sir. Dobby gets them +five times a day at home.” +He blew his nose on a corner of the filthy pillowcase +he wore, looking so pathetic that Harry felt his anger +ebb away in spite of himself. +“Why d’you wear that thing, Dobby?” he asked +curiously. +“This, sir?” said Dobby, plucking at the pillowcase. “ +’Tis a mark of the house-elf’s enslavement, sir. Dobby +can only be freed if his masters present him with +clothes, sir. The family is careful not to pass Dobby +even a sock, sir, for then he would be free to leave +their house forever.” +P a g e | 198 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Dobby mopped his bulging eyes and said suddenly, +“Harry Potter must go home! Dobby thought his +Bludger would be enough to make —” +“Your Bludger?” said Harry, anger rising once more. +“What d’you mean, your Bludger? You made that +Bludger try and kill me?” +“Not kill you, sir, never kill you!” said Dobby, +shocked. “Dobby wants to save Harry Potter’s life! +Better sent home, grievously injured, than remain +here, sir! Dobby only wanted Harry Potter hurt +enough to be sent home!” +“Oh, is that all?” said Harry angrily. “I don’t suppose +you’re going to tell me why you wanted me sent home +in pieces?” +“Ah, if Harry Potter only knew!” Dobby groaned, more +tears dripping onto his ragged pillowcase. “If he knew +what he means to us, to the lowly, the enslaved, we +dregs of the magical world! Dobby remembers how it +was when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was at the +height of his powers, sir! We house-elves were treated +like vermin, sir! Of course, Dobby is still treated like +that, sir,” he admitted, drying his face on the +pillowcase. “But mostly, sir, life has improved for my +kind since you triumphed over He-Who-Must-Not-Be- +Named. Harry Potter survived, and the Dark Lord’s +power was broken, and it was a new dawn, sir, and +Harry Potter shone like a beacon of hope for those of +us who thought the Dark days would never end, sir. +… And now, at Hogwarts, terrible things are to +happen, are perhaps happening already, and Dobby +cannot let Harry Potter stay here now that history is +to repeat itself, now that the Chamber of Secrets is +open once more —” +P a g e | 199 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Dobby froze, horrorstruck, then grabbed Harry’s +water jug from his bedside table and cracked it over +his own head, toppling out of sight. A second later, he +crawled back onto the bed, cross-eyed, muttering, +“Bad Dobby, very bad Dobby …” +“So there is a Chamber of Secrets?” Harry whispered. +“And — did you say it’s been opened before? Tell me, +Dobby!” +He seized the elf’s bony wrist as Dobby’s hand inched +toward the water jug. “But I’m not Muggle-born — +how can I be in danger from the Chamber?” +“Ah, sir, ask no more, ask no more of poor Dobby,” +stammered the elf, his eyes huge in the dark. “Dark +deeds are planned in this place, but Harry Potter +must not be here when they happen — go home, +Harry Potter, go home. Harry Potter must not meddle +in this, sir, ’tis too dangerous —” +“Who is it, Dobby?” Harry said, keeping a firm hold on +Dobby’s wrist to stop him from hitting himself with +the water jug again. “Who’s opened it? Who opened it +last time?” +“Dobby can’t, sir, Dobby can’t, Dobby mustn’t tell!” +squealed the elf. “Go home, Harry Potter, go home!” +“I’m not going anywhere!” said Harry fiercely. “One of +my best friends is Muggle-born; she’ll be first in line if +the Chamber really has been opened —” +“Harry Potter risks his own life for his friends!” +moaned Dobby in a kind of miserable ecstasy. “So +noble! So valiant! But he must save himself, he must, +Harry Potter must not —” +P a g e | 200 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Dobby suddenly froze, his bat ears quivering. Harry +heard it, too. There were footsteps coming down the +passageway outside. +“Dobby must go!” breathed the elf, terrified. There +was a loud crack, and Harry’s fist was suddenly +clenched on thin air. He slumped back into bed, his +eyes on the dark doorway to the hospital wing as the +footsteps drew nearer. +Next moment, Dumbledore was backing into the +dormitory, wearing a long woolly dressing gown and a +nightcap. He was carrying one end of what looked like +a statue. Professor McGonagall appeared a second +later, carrying its feet. Together, they heaved it onto a +bed. +“Get Madam Pomfrey,” whispered Dumbledore, and +Professor McGonagall hurried past the end of Harry’s +bed out of sight. Harry lay quite still, pretending to be +asleep. He heard urgent voices, and then Professor +McGonagall swept back into view, closely followed by +Madam Pomfrey, who was pulling a cardigan on over +her nightdress. He heard a sharp intake of breath. +“What happened?” Madam Pomfrey whispered to +Dumbledore, bending over the statue on the bed. +“Another attack,” said Dumbledore. “Minerva found +him on the stairs.” +“There was a bunch of grapes next to him,” said +Professor McGonagall. “We think he was trying to +sneak up here to visit Potter.” +Harry’s stomach gave a horrible lurch. Slowly and +carefully, he raised himself a few inches so he could +look at the statue on the bed. A ray of moonlight lay +across its staring face. +P a g e | 201 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +It was Colin Creevey. His eyes were wide and his +hands were stuck up in front of him, holding his +camera. +“Petrified?” whispered Madam Pomfrey. +“Yes,” said Professor McGonagall. “But I shudder to +think … If Albus hadn’t been on the way downstairs +for hot chocolate — who knows what might have —” +The three of them stared down at Colin. Then +Dumbledore leaned forward and wrenched the +camera out of Colin’s rigid grip. +“You don’t think he managed to get a picture of his +attacker?” said Professor McGonagall eagerly. +Dumbledore didn’t answer. He opened the back of the +camera. +“Good gracious!” said Madam Pomfrey. +A jet of steam had hissed out of the camera. Harry, +three beds away, caught the acrid smell of burnt +plastic. +“Melted,” said Madam Pomfrey wonderingly. “All +melted …” +“What does this mean, Albus?” Professor McGonagall +asked urgently. +“It means,” said Dumbledore, “that the Chamber of +Secrets is indeed open again.” +Madam Pomfrey clapped a hand to her mouth. +Professor McGonagall stared at Dumbledore. +“But, Albus … surely … who?” +P a g e | 202 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“The question is not who,” said Dumbledore, his eyes +on Colin. “The question is, how. …” +And from what Harry could see of Professor +McGonagall’s shadowy face, she didn’t understand +this any better than he did. +P a g e | 203 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +THE DUELING CLUB +Harry woke up on Sunday morning to find the +dormitory blazing with winter sunlight and his arm +reboned but very stiff. He sat up quickly and looked +over at Colin’s bed, but it had been blocked from view +by the high curtains Harry had changed behind +yesterday. Seeing that he was awake, Madam Pomfrey +came bustling over with a breakfast tray and then +began bending and stretching his arm and fingers. +“All in order,” she said as he clumsily fed himself +porridge left-handed. “When you’ve finished eating, +you may leave.” +Harry dressed as quickly as he could and hurried off +to Gryffindor Tower, desperate to tell Ron and +Hermione about Colin and Dobby, but they weren’t +there. Harry left to look for them, wondering where +they could have got to and feeling slightly hurt that +they weren’t interested in whether he had his bones +back or not. +P a g e | 204 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +As Harry passed the library, Percy Weasley strolled +out of it, looking in far better spirits than last time +they’d met. +“Oh, hello, Harry,” he said. “Excellent flying +yesterday, really excellent. Gryffindor has just taken +the lead for the House Cup — you earned fifty points!” +“You haven’t seen Ron or Hermione, have you?��� said +Harry. +“No, I haven’t,” said Percy, his smile fading. “I hope +Ron’s not in another girls’ toilet. …” +Harry forced a laugh, watched Percy walk out of sight, +and then headed straight for Moaning Myrtle’s +bathroom. He couldn’t see why Ron and Hermione +would be in there again, but after making sure that +neither Filch nor any prefects were around, he opened +the door and heard their voices coming from a locked +stall. +“It’s me,” he said, closing the door behind him. There +was a clunk, a splash, and a gasp from within the +stall and he saw Hermione’s eye peering through the +keyhole. +“Harry!” she said. “You gave us such a fright — come +in — how’s your arm?” +“Fine,” said Harry, squeezing into the stall. An old +cauldron was perched on the toilet, and a crackling +from under the rim told Harry they had lit a fire +beneath it. Conjuring up portable, waterproof fires +was a speciality of Hermione’s. +“We’d’ve come to meet you, but we decided to get +started on the Polyjuice Potion,” Ron explained as +P a g e | 205 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry, with difficulty, locked the stall again. “We’ve +decided this is the safest place to hide it.” +Harry started to tell them about Colin, but Hermione +interrupted. +“We already know — we heard Professor McGonagall +telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That’s why we +decided we’d better get going —” +“The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the +better,” snarled Ron. “D’you know what I think? He +was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, +he took it out on Colin.” +“There’s something else,” said Harry, watching +Hermione tearing bundles of knotgrass and throwing +them into the potion. “Dobby came to visit me in the +middle of the night.” +Ron and Hermione looked up, amazed. Harry told +them everything Dobby had told him — or hadn’t told +him. Hermione and Ron listened with their mouths +open. +“The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?” +Hermione said. +“This settles it,” said Ron in a triumphant voice. +“Lucius Malfoy must’ve opened the Chamber when he +was at school here and now he’s told dear old Draco +how to do it. It’s obvious. Wish Dobby’d told you what +kind of monster’s in there, though. I want to know +how come nobody’s noticed it sneaking around the +school.” +“Maybe it can make itself invisible,” said Hermione, +prodding leeches to the bottom of the cauldron. “Or +maybe it can disguise itself — pretend to be a suit of +P a g e | 206 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +armor or something — I’ve read about Chameleon +Ghouls —” +“You read too much, Hermione,” said Ron, pouring +dead lacewings on top of the leeches. He crumpled up +the empty lacewing bag and looked at Harry. +“So Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and +broke your arm. …” He shook his head. “You know +what, Harry? If he doesn’t stop trying to save your life +he’s going to kill you.” +* * * +The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and +was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing +had spread through the entire school by Monday +morning. The air was suddenly thick with rumor and +suspicion. The first years were now moving around +the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they +would be attacked if they ventured forth alone. +Ginny Weasley, who sat next to Colin Creevey in +Charms, was distraught, but Harry felt that Fred and +George were going the wrong way about cheering her +up. They were taking turns covering themselves with +fur or boils and jumping out at her from behind +statues. They only stopped when Percy, apoplectic +with rage, told them he was going to write to Mrs. +Weasley and tell her Ginny was having nightmares. +Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade +in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices +was sweeping the school. Neville Longbottom bought +a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple +crystal, and a rotting newt tail before the other +Gryffindor boys pointed out that he was in no danger; +P a g e | 207 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +he was a pureblood, and therefore unlikely to be +attacked. +“They went for Filch first,” Neville said, his round face +fearful. “And everyone knows I’m almost a Squib.” +In the second week of December Professor +McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names +of those who would be staying at school for +Christmas. Harry, Ron, and Hermione signed her list; +they had heard that Malfoy was staying, which struck +them as very suspicious. The holidays would be the +perfect time to use the Polyjuice Potion and try to +worm a confession out of him. +Unfortunately, the potion was only half finished. They +still needed the bicorn horn and the boomslang skin, +and the only place they were going to get them was +from Snape’s private stores. Harry privately felt he’d +rather face Slytherin’s legendary monster than let +Snape catch him robbing his office. +“What we need,” said Hermione briskly as Thursday +afternoon’s double Potions lesson loomed nearer, “is a +diversion. Then one of us can sneak into Snape’s +office and take what we need.” +Harry and Ron looked at her nervously. +“I think I’d better do the actual stealing,” Hermione +continued in a matter-of-fact tone. “You two will be +expelled if you get into any more trouble, and I’ve got +a clean record. So all you need to do is cause enough +mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so.” +Harry smiled feebly. Deliberately causing mayhem in +Snape’s Potions class was about as safe as poking a +sleeping dragon in the eye. +P a g e | 208 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Potions lessons took place in one of the large +dungeons. Thursday afternoon’s lesson proceeded in +the usual way. Twenty cauldrons stood steaming +between the wooden desks, on which stood brass +scales and jars of ingredients. Snape prowled through +the fumes, making waspish remarks about the +Gryffindors’ work while the Slytherins sniggered +appreciatively. Draco Malfoy, who was Snape’s +favorite student, kept flicking puffer-fish eyes at Ron +and Harry, who knew that if they retaliated they +would get detention faster than you could say +“Unfair.” +Harry’s Swelling Solution was far too runny, but he +had his mind on more important things. He was +waiting for Hermione’s signal, and he hardly listened +as Snape paused to sneer at his watery potion. When +Snape turned and walked off to bully Neville, +Hermione caught Harry’s eye and nodded. +Harry ducked swiftly down behind his cauldron, +pulled one of Fred’s Filibuster fireworks out of his +pocket, and gave it a quick prod with his wand. The +firework began to fizz and sputter. Knowing he had +only seconds, Harry straightened up, took aim, and +lobbed it into the air; it landed right on target in +Goyle’s cauldron. +Goyle’s potion exploded, showering the whole class. +People shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution +hit them. Malfoy got a faceful and his nose began to +swell like a balloon; Goyle blundered around, his +hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size +of a dinner plate — Snape was trying to restore calm +and find out what had happened. Through the +confusion, Harry saw Hermione slip quietly into +Snape’s office. +P a g e | 209 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Silence! SILENCE!” Snape roared. “Anyone who has +been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draught — +when I find out who did this —” +Harry tried not to laugh as he watched Malfoy hurry +forward, his head drooping with the weight of a nose +like a small melon. As half the class lumbered up to +Snape’s desk, some weighted down with arms like +clubs, others unable to talk through gigantic puffed- +up lips, Harry saw Hermione slide back into the +dungeon, the front of her robes bulging. +When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the +various swellings had subsided, Snape swept over to +Goyle’s cauldron and scooped out the twisted black +remains of the firework. There was a sudden hush. +“If I ever find out who threw this,” Snape whispered, “I +shall make sure that person is expelled.” +Harry arranged his face into what he hoped was a +puzzled expression. Snape was looking right at him, +and the bell that rang ten minutes later could not +have been more welcome. +“He knew it was me,” Harry told Ron and Hermione as +they hurried back to Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. “I +could tell.” +Hermione threw the new ingredients into the cauldron +and began to stir feverishly. +“It’ll be ready in two weeks,” she said happily. +“Snape can’t prove it was you,” said Ron reassuringly +to Harry. “What can he do?” +“Knowing Snape, something foul,” said Harry as the +potion frothed and bubbled. +P a g e | 210 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +A week later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were walking +across the entrance hall when they saw a small knot +of people gathered around the notice board, reading a +piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. +Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned them +over, looking excited. +“They’re starting a Dueling Club!” said Seamus. “First +meeting tonight! I wouldn’t mind dueling lessons; +they might come in handy one of these days. …” +“What, you reckon Slytherin’s monster can duel?” +said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest. +“Could be useful,” he said to Harry and Hermione as +they went into dinner. “Shall we go?” +Harry and Hermione were all for it, so at eight o’clock +that evening they hurried back to the Great Hall. The +long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage +had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of +candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety +black once more and most of the school seemed to be +packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and +looking excited. +“I wonder who’ll be teaching us?” said Hermione as +they edged into the chattering crowd. “Someone told +me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was +young — maybe it’ll be him.” +“As long as it’s not —” Harry began, but he ended on +a groan: Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the +stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and +accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his +usual black. +P a g e | 211 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called, +“Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? +Can you all hear me? Excellent! +“Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me +permission to start this little dueling club, to train +you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I +myself have done on countless occasions — for full +details, see my published works. +“Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape,” +said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. “He tells me he +knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has +sportingly agreed to help me with a short +demonstration before we begin. Now, I don’t want any +of you youngsters to worry — you’ll still have your +Potions master when I’m through with him, never +fear!” +“Wouldn’t it be good if they finished each other off?” +Ron muttered in Harry’s ear. +Snape’s upper lip was curling. Harry wondered why +Lockhart was still smiling; if Snape had been looking +at him like that he’d have been running as fast as he +could in the opposite direction. +Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and +bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of +his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. +Then they raised their wands like swords in front of +them. +“As you see, we are holding our wands in the +accepted combative position,” Lockhart told the silent +crowd. “On the count of three, we will cast our first +spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course.” +P a g e | 212 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I wouldn’t bet on that,” Harry murmured, watching +Snape baring his teeth. +“One — two — three —” +Both of them swung their wands above their heads +and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: +“Expelliarmus!” There was a dazzling flash of scarlet +light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew +backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and +slid down it to sprawl on the floor. +Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered. +Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. “Do you think he’s +all right?” she squealed through her fingers. +“Who cares?” said Harry and Ron together. +Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat +had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end. +“Well, there you have it!” he said, tottering back onto +the platform. “That was a Disarming Charm — as you +see, I’ve lost my wand — ah, thank you, Miss Brown +— yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor +Snape, but if you don’t mind my saying so, it was very +obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to +stop you it would have been only too easy — however, +I felt it would be instructive to let them see …” +Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had +noticed, because he said, “Enough demonstrating! I’m +going to come amongst you now and put you all into +pairs. Professor Snape, if you’d like to help me —” +They moved through the crowd, matching up +partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch- +Fletchley, but Snape reached Harry and Ron first. +P a g e | 213 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Time to split up the dream team, I think,” he +sneered. “Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter +—” +Harry moved automatically toward Hermione. +“I don’t think so,” said Snape, smiling coldly. “Mr. +Malfoy, come over here. Let’s see what you make of +the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger — you can +partner Miss Bulstrode.” +Malfoy strutted over, smirking. Behind him walked a +Slytherin girl who reminded Harry of a picture he’d +seen in Holidays with Hags. She was large and square +and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione gave +her a weak smile that she did not return. +“Face your partners!” called Lockhart, back on the +platform. “And bow!” +Harry and Malfoy barely inclined their heads, not +taking their eyes off each other. +“Wands at the ready!” shouted Lockhart. “When I +count to three, cast your charms to disarm your +opponents — only to disarm them — we don’t want +any accidents — one … two … three —” +Harry swung his wand high, but Malfoy had already +started on “two”: His spell hit Harry so hard he felt as +though he’d been hit over the head with a saucepan. +He stumbled, but everything still seemed to be +working, and wasting no more time, Harry pointed his +wand straight at Malfoy and shouted, “Rictusempra!” +A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach and he +doubled up, wheezing. +P a g e | 214 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I said disarm only!” Lockhart shouted in alarm over +the heads of the battling crowd, as Malfoy sank to his +knees; Harry had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and +he could barely move for laughing. Harry hung back, +with a vague feeling it would be unsporting to bewitch +Malfoy while he was on the floor, but this was a +mistake; gasping for breath, Malfoy pointed his wand +at Harry’s knees, choked, “Tarantallegra!” and the +next second Harry’s legs began to jerk around out of +his control in a kind of quickstep. +“Stop! Stop!” screamed Lockhart, but Snape took +charge. +“Finite Incantatem!” he shouted; Harry’s feet stopped +dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, and they were able +to look up. +A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the +scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, +panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, +apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done; +but Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still +moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and +Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands +lay forgotten on the floor. Harry leapt forward and +pulled Millicent off. It was difficult: She was a lot +bigger than he was. +“Dear, dear,” said Lockhart, skittering through the +crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. “Up you +go, Macmillan. … Careful there, Miss Fawcett. … +Pinch it hard, it’ll stop bleeding in a second, Boot — +“I think I’d better teach you how to block unfriendly +spells,” said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst +of the hall. He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes +glinted, and looked quickly away. “Let’s have a +P a g e | 215 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +volunteer pair — Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, +how about you —” +“A bad idea, Professor Lockhart,” said Snape, gliding +over like a large and malevolent bat. “Longbottom +causes devastation with the simplest spells. We’ll be +sending what’s left of Finch-Fletchley up to the +hospital wing in a matchbox.” Neville’s round, pink +face went pinker. “How about Malfoy and Potter?” +said Snape with a twisted smile. +“Excellent idea!” said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and +Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed +away to give them room. +“Now, Harry,” said Lockhart. “When Draco points his +wand at you, you do this.” +He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated +sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked +as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, “Whoops — +my wand is a little overexcited —” +Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and +whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. +Harry looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, +“Professor, could you show me that blocking thing +again?” +“Scared?” muttered Malfoy, so that Lockhart couldn’t +hear him. +“You wish,” said Harry out of the corner of his mouth. +Lockhart cuffed Harry merrily on the shoulder. “Just +do what I did, Harry!” +“What, drop my wand?” +P a g e | 216 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +But Lockhart wasn’t listening. +“Three — two — one — go!” he shouted. +Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, +“Serpensortia!” +The end of his wand exploded. Harry watched, aghast, +as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto +the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to +strike. There were screams as the crowd backed +swiftly away, clearing the floor. +“Don’t move, Potter,” said Snape lazily, clearly +enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye +to eye with the angry snake. “I’ll get rid of it. …” +“Allow me!” shouted Lockhart. He brandished his +wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the +snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air +and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, +hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin +Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, +poised to strike. +Harry wasn’t sure what made him do it. He wasn’t +even aware of deciding to do it. All he knew was that +his legs were carrying him forward as though he was +on casters and that he had shouted stupidly at the +snake, “Leave him alone!” And miraculously — +inexplicably — the snake slumped to the floor, docile +as a thick, black garden hose, its eyes now on Harry. +Harry felt the fear drain out of him. He knew the +snake wouldn’t attack anyone now, though how he +knew it, he couldn’t have explained. +He looked up at Justin, grinning, expecting to see +Justin looking relieved, or puzzled, or even grateful — +but certainly not angry and scared. +P a g e | 217 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“What do you think you’re playing at?” he shouted, +and before Harry could say anything, Justin had +turned and stormed out of the hall. +Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the +snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. +Snape, too, was looking at Harry in an unexpected +way: It was a shrewd and calculating look, and Harry +didn’t like it. He was also dimly aware of an ominous +muttering all around the walls. Then he felt a tugging +on the back of his robes. +“Come on,” said Ron’s voice in his ear. “Move — come +on —” +Ron steered him out of the hall, Hermione hurrying +alongside them. As they went through the doors, the +people on either side drew away as though they were +frightened of catching something. Harry didn’t have a +clue what was going on, and neither Ron nor +Hermione explained anything until they had dragged +him all the way up to the empty Gryffindor common +room. Then Ron pushed Harry into an armchair and +said, “You’re a Parselmouth. Why didn’t you tell us?” +“I’m a what?” said Harry. +“A Parselmouth!” said Ron. “You can talk to snakes!” +“I know,” said Harry. “I mean, that’s only the second +time I’ve ever done it. I accidentally set a boa +constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once — +long story — but it was telling me it had never seen +Brazil and I sort of set it free without meaning to — +that was before I knew I was a wizard —” +“A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?” +Ron repeated faintly. +P a g e | 218 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“So?” said Harry. “I bet loads of people here can do it.” +“Oh, no they can’t,” said Ron. “It’s not a very common +gift. Harry, this is bad.” +“What’s bad?” said Harry, starting to feel quite angry. +“What’s wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn’t told +that snake not to attack Justin —” +“Oh, that’s what you said to it?” +“What d’you mean? You were there — you heard me +—” +“I heard you speaking Parseltongue,” said Ron. +“Snake language. You could have been saying +anything — no wonder Justin panicked, you sounded +like you were egging the snake on or something — it +was creepy, you know —” +Harry gaped at him. +“I spoke a different language? But — I didn’t realize — +how can I speak a language without knowing I can +speak it?” +Ron shook his head. Both he and Hermione were +looking as though someone had died. Harry couldn’t +see what was so terrible. +“D’you want to tell me what’s wrong with stopping a +massive snake biting off Justin’s head?” he said. +“What does it matter how I did it as long as Justin +doesn’t have to join the Headless Hunt?” +“It matters,” said Hermione, speaking at last in a +hushed voice, “because being able to talk to snakes +was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That’s +why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent.” +P a g e | 219 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry’s mouth fell open. +“Exactly,” said Ron. “And now the whole school’s +going to think you’re his great-great-great-great- +grandson or something —” +“But I’m not,” said Harry, with a panic he couldn’t +quite explain. +“You’ll find that hard to prove,” said Hermione. “He +lived about a thousand years ago; for all we know, +you could be.” +* * * +Harry lay awake for hours that night. Through a gap +in the curtains around his four-poster he watched +snow starting to drift past the tower window and +wondered … +Could he be a descendant of Salazar Slytherin? He +didn’t know anything about his father’s family, after +all. The Dursleys had always forbidden questions +about his wizarding relatives. +Quietly, Harry tried to say something in Parseltongue. +The words wouldn’t come. It seemed he had to be +face-to-face with a snake to do it. +But I’m in Gryffindor, Harry thought. The Sorting Hat +wouldn’t have put me in here if I had Slytherin blood. +… +Ah, said a nasty little voice in his brain, but the +Sorting Hat wanted to put you in Slytherin, don’t you +remember? +Harry turned over. He’d see Justin the next day in +Herbology and he’d explain that he’d been calling the +P a g e | 220 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +snake off, not egging it on, which (he thought angrily, +pummeling his pillow) any fool should have realized. +By next morning, however, the snow that had begun +in the night had turned into a blizzard so thick that +the last Herbology lesson of the term was canceled: +Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves on +the Mandrakes, a tricky operation she would entrust +to no one else, now that it was so important for the +Mandrakes to grow quickly and revive Mrs. Norris and +Colin Creevey. +Harry fretted about this next to the fire in the +Gryffindor common room, while Ron and Hermione +used their time off to play a game of wizard chess. +“For heaven’s sake, Harry,” said Hermione, +exasperated, as one of Ron’s bishops wrestled her +knight off his horse and dragged him off the board. +“Go and find Justin if it’s so important to you.” +So Harry got up and left through the portrait hole, +wondering where Justin might be. +The castle was darker than it usually was in daytime +because of the thick, swirling gray snow at every +window. Shivering, Harry walked past classrooms +where lessons were taking place, catching snatches of +what was happening within. Professor McGonagall +was shouting at someone who, by the sound of it, had +turned his friend into a badger. Resisting the urge to +take a look, Harry walked on by, thinking that Justin +might be using his free time to catch up on some +work, and deciding to check the library first. +A group of the Hufflepuffs who should have been in +Herbology were indeed sitting at the back of the +library, but they didn’t seem to be working. Between +the long lines of high bookshelves, Harry could see +P a g e | 221 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +that their heads were close together and they were +having what looked like an absorbing conversation. +He couldn’t see whether Justin was among them. He +was walking toward them when something of what +they were saying met his ears, and he paused to +listen, hidden in the Invisibility section. +“So anyway,” a stout boy was saying, “I told Justin to +hide up in our dormitory. I mean to say, if Potter’s +marked him down as his next victim, it’s best if he +keeps a low profile for a while. Of course, Justin’s +been waiting for something like this to happen ever +since he let slip to Potter he was Muggle-born. Justin +actually told him he’d been down for Eton. That’s not +the kind of thing you bandy about with Slytherin’s +heir on the loose, is it?” +“You definitely think it is Potter, then, Ernie?” said a +girl with blonde pigtails anxiously. +“Hannah,” said the stout boy solemnly, “he’s a +Parselmouth. Everyone knows that’s the mark of a +Dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one +who could talk to snakes? They called Slytherin +himself Serpent-tongue.” +There was some heavy murmuring at this, and Ernie +went on, “Remember what was written on the wall? +Enemies of the Heir, Beware. Potter had some sort of +run-in with Filch. Next thing we know, Filch’s cat’s +attacked. That first year, Creevey, was annoying +Potter at the Quidditch match, taking pictures of him +while he was lying in the mud. Next thing we know — +Creevey’s been attacked.” +“He always seems so nice, though,” said Hannah +uncertainly, “and, well, he’s the one who made You- +Know-Who disappear. He can’t be all bad, can he?” +P a g e | 222 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Ernie lowered his voice mysteriously, the Hufflepuffs +bent closer, and Harry edged nearer so that he could +catch Ernie’s words. +“No one knows how he survived that attack by You- +Know-Who. I mean to say, he was only a baby when it +happened. He should have been blasted into +smithereens. Only a really powerful Dark wizard +could have survived a curse like that.” He dropped his +voice until it was barely more than a whisper, and +said, “That’s probably why You-Know-Who wanted to +kill him in the first place. Didn’t want another Dark +Lord competing with him. I wonder what other powers +Potter’s been hiding?” +Harry couldn’t take anymore. Clearing his throat +loudly, he stepped out from behind the bookshelves. +If he hadn’t been feeling so angry, he would have +found the sight that greeted him funny: Every one of +the Hufflepuffs looked as though they had been +Petrified by the sight of him, and the color was +draining out of Ernie’s face. +“Hello,” said Harry. “I’m looking for Justin Finch- +Fletchley.” +The Hufflepuffs’ worst fears had clearly been +confirmed. They all looked fearfully at Ernie. +“What do you want with him?” said Ernie in a +quavering voice. +“I wanted to tell him what really happened with that +snake at the Dueling Club,” said Harry. +Ernie bit his white lips and then, taking a deep +breath, said, “We were all there. We saw what +happened.” +P a g e | 223 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Then you noticed that after I spoke to it, the snake +backed off?” said Harry. +“All I saw,” said Ernie stubbornly, though he was +trembling as he spoke, “was you speaking +Parseltongue and chasing the snake toward Justin.” +“I didn’t chase it at him!” Harry said, his voice +shaking with anger. “It didn’t even touch him!” +“It was a very near miss,” said Ernie. “And in case +you’re getting ideas,” he added hastily, “I might tell +you that you can trace my family back through nine +generations of witches and warlocks and my blood’s +as pure as anyone’s, so —” +“I don’t care what sort of blood you’ve got!” said Harry +fiercely. “Why would I want to attack Muggle-borns?” +“I’ve heard you hate those Muggles you live with,” said +Ernie swiftly. +“It’s not possible to live with the Dursleys and not +hate them,” said Harry. “I’d like to see you try it.” +He turned on his heel and stormed out of the library, +earning himself a reproving glare from Madam Pince, +who was polishing the gilded cover of a large +spellbook. +Harry blundered up the corridor, barely noticing +where he was going, he was in such a fury. The result +was that he walked into something very large and +solid, which knocked him backward onto the floor. +“Oh, hello, Hagrid,” Harry said, looking up. +Hagrid’s face was entirely hidden by a woolly, snow- +covered balaclava, but it couldn’t possibly be anyone +P a g e | 224 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +else, as he filled most of the corridor in his moleskin +overcoat. A dead rooster was hanging from one of his +massive, gloved hands. +“All righ’, Harry?” he said, pulling up the balaclava so +he could speak. “Why aren’t yeh in class?” +“Canceled,” said Harry, getting up. “What’re you doing +in here?” +Hagrid held up the limp rooster. +“Second one killed this term,” he explained. “It’s +either foxes or a Blood-Suckin’ Bugbear, an’ I need +the headmaster’s permission ter put a charm around +the hen coop.” +He peered more closely at Harry from under his thick, +snow-flecked eyebrows. +“Yeh sure yeh’re all righ’? Yeh look all hot an’ +bothered —” +Harry couldn’t bring himself to repeat what Ernie and +the rest of the Hufflepuffs had been saying about him. +“It’s nothing,” he said. “I’d better get going, Hagrid, it’s +Transfiguration next and I’ve got to pick up my +books.” +He walked off, his mind still full of what Ernie had +said about him. +“Justin’s been waiting for something like this to +happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggle- +born. …” +Harry stamped up the stairs and turned along +another corridor, which was particularly dark; the +P a g e | 225 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +torches had been extinguished by a strong, icy draft +that was blowing through a loose windowpane. He +was halfway down the passage when he tripped +headlong over something lying on the floor. +He turned to squint at what he’d fallen over and felt +as though his stomach had dissolved. +Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the floor, rigid +and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes +staring blankly at the ceiling. And that wasn’t all. +Next to him was another figure, the strangest sight +Harry had ever seen. +It was Nearly Headless Nick, no longer pearly-white +and transparent, but black and smoky, floating +immobile and horizontal, six inches off the floor. His +head was half off and his face wore an expression of +shock identical to Justin’s. +Harry got to his feet, his breathing fast and shallow, +his heart doing a kind of drumroll against his ribs. He +looked wildly up and down the deserted corridor and +saw a line of spiders scuttling as fast as they could +away from the bodies. The only sounds were the +muffled voices of teachers from the classes on either +side. +He could run, and no one would ever know he had +been there. But he couldn’t just leave them lying +here. … He had to get help. … Would anyone believe +he hadn’t had anything to do with this? +As he stood there, panicking, a door right next to him +opened with a bang. Peeves the Poltergeist came +shooting out. +P a g e | 226 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Why, it’s potty wee Potter!” cackled Peeves, knocking +Harry’s glasses askew as he bounced past him. +“What’s Potter up to? Why’s Potter lurking —” +Peeves stopped, halfway through a midair somersault. +Upside down, he spotted Justin and Nearly Headless +Nick. He flipped the right way up, filled his lungs and, +before Harry could stop him, screamed, “ATTACK! +ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR +GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! +ATTAAAACK!” +Crash — crash — crash — door after door flew open +along the corridor and people flooded out. For several +long minutes, there was a scene of such confusion +that Justin was in danger of being squashed and +people kept standing in Nearly Headless Nick. Harry +found himself pinned against the wall as the teachers +shouted for quiet. Professor McGonagall came +running, followed by her own class, one of whom still +had black-and-white-striped hair. She used her wand +to set off a loud bang, which restored silence, and +ordered everyone back into their classes. No sooner +had the scene cleared somewhat than Ernie the +Hufflepuff arrived, panting, on the scene. +“Caught in the act!” Ernie yelled, his face stark white, +pointing his finger dramatically at Harry. +“That will do, Macmillan!” said Professor McGonagall +sharply. +Peeves was bobbing overhead, now grinning wickedly, +surveying the scene; Peeves always loved chaos. As +the teachers bent over Justin and Nearly Headless +Nick, examining them, Peeves broke into song: +“Oh, Potter, you rotter, oh, what have you done, +P a g e | 227 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +You’re killing off students, you think it’s good fun —” +“That’s enough, Peeves!” barked Professor +McGonagall, and Peeves zoomed away backward, with +his tongue out at Harry. +Justin was carried up to the hospital wing by +Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra of the +Astronomy department, but nobody seemed to know +what to do for Nearly Headless Nick. In the end, +Professor McGonagall conjured a large fan out of thin +air, which she gave to Ernie with instructions to waft +Nearly Headless Nick up the stairs. This Ernie did, +fanning Nick along like a silent black hovercraft. This +left Harry and Professor McGonagall alone together. +“This way, Potter,” she said. +“Professor,” said Harry at once, “I swear I didn’t —” +“This is out of my hands, Potter,” said Professor +McGonagall curtly. +They marched in silence around a corner and she +stopped before a large and extremely ugly stone +gargoyle. +“Lemon drop!” she said. This was evidently a +password, because the gargoyle sprang suddenly to +life and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in +two. Even full of dread for what was coming, Harry +couldn’t fail to be amazed. Behind the wall was a +spiral staircase that was moving smoothly upward, +like an escalator. As he and Professor McGonagall +stepped onto it, Harry heard the wall thud closed +behind them. They rose upward in circles, higher and +higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, Harry saw a +gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the +shape of a griffin. +P a g e | 228 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +He knew now where he was being taken. This must be +where Dumbledore lived. +P a g e | 229 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +THE POLYJUICE POTION +They stepped off the stone staircase at the top, and +Professor McGonagall rapped on the door. It opened +silently and they entered. Professor McGonagall told +Harry to wait and left him there, alone. +Harry looked around. One thing was certain: of all the +teachers’ offices Harry had visited so far this year, +Dumbledore’s was by far the most interesting. If he +hadn’t been scared out of his wits that he was about +to be thrown out of school, he would have been very +pleased to have a chance to look around it. +It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of +funny little noises. A number of curious silver +instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring +and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were +covered with portraits of old headmasters and +headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in +their frames. There was also an enormous, claw- +footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a +shabby, tattered wizard’s hat — the Sorting Hat. +P a g e | 230 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry hesitated. He cast a wary eye around the +sleeping witches and wizards on the walls. Surely it +couldn’t hurt if he took the hat down and tried it on +again? Just to see … just to make sure it had put him +in the right House — +He walked quietly around the desk, lifted the hat from +its shelf, and lowered it slowly onto his head. It was +much too large and slipped down over his eyes, just +as it had done the last time he’d put it on. Harry +stared at the black inside of the hat, waiting. Then a +small voice said in his ear, “Bee in your bonnet, Harry +Potter?” +“Er, yes,” Harry muttered. “Er — sorry to bother you +— I wanted to ask —” +“You’ve been wondering whether I put you in the right +House,” said the hat smartly. “Yes … you were +particularly difficult to place. But I stand by what I +said before” — Harry’s heart leapt — “you would have +done well in Slytherin —” +Harry’s stomach plummeted. He grabbed the point of +the hat and pulled it off. It hung limply in his hand, +grubby and faded. Harry pushed it back onto its +shelf, feeling sick. +“You’re wrong,” he said aloud to the still and silent +hat. It didn’t move. Harry backed away, watching it. +Then a strange, gagging noise behind him made him +wheel around. +He wasn’t alone after all. Standing on a golden perch +behind the door was a decrepit-looking bird that +resembled a half-plucked turkey. Harry stared at it +and the bird looked balefully back, making its gagging +noise again. Harry thought it looked very ill. Its eyes +P a g e | 231 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +were dull and, even as Harry watched, a couple more +feathers fell out of its tail. +Harry was just thinking that all he needed was for +Dumbledore’s pet bird to die while he was alone in +the office with it, when the bird burst into flames. +Harry yelled in shock and backed away into the desk. +He looked feverishly around in case there was a glass +of water somewhere but couldn’t see one; the bird, +meanwhile, had become a fireball; it gave one loud +shriek and next second there was nothing but a +smoldering pile of ash on the floor. +The office door opened. Dumbledore came in, looking +very somber. +“Professor,” Harry gasped. “Your bird — I couldn’t do +anything — he just caught fire —” +To Harry’s astonishment, Dumbledore smiled. +“About time, too,” he said. “He’s been looking dreadful +for days; I’ve been telling him to get a move on.” +He chuckled at the stunned look on Harry’s face. +“Fawkes is a phoenix, Harry. Phoenixes burst into +flame when it is time for them to die and are reborn +from the ashes. Watch him …” +Harry looked down in time to see a tiny, wrinkled, +newborn bird poke its head out of the ashes. It was +quite as ugly as the old one. +“It’s a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day,” +said Dumbledore, seating himself behind his desk. +“He’s really very handsome most of the time, +wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating +P a g e | 232 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely +heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and +they make highly faithful pets.” +In the shock of Fawkes catching fire, Harry had +forgotten what he was there for, but it all came back +to him as Dumbledore settled himself in the high +chair behind the desk and fixed Harry with his +penetrating, light-blue stare. +Before Dumbledore could speak another word, +however, the door of the office flew open with an +almighty bang and Hagrid burst in, a wild look in his +eyes, his balaclava perched on top of his shaggy black +head and the dead rooster still swinging from his +hand. +“It wasn’ Harry, Professor Dumbledore!” said Hagrid +urgently. “I was talkin’ ter him seconds before that +kid was found, he never had time, sir —” +Dumbledore tried to say something, but Hagrid went +ranting on, waving the rooster around in his +agitation, sending feathers everywhere. +“— it can’t’ve bin him, I’ll swear it in front o’ the +Ministry o’ Magic if I have to —” +“Hagrid, I —” +“— yeh’ve got the wrong boy, sir, I know Harry never +—” +“Hagrid!” said Dumbledore loudly. “I do not think that +Harry attacked those people.” +“Oh,” said Hagrid, the rooster falling limply at his +side. “Right. I’ll wait outside then, Headmaster.” +P a g e | 233 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +And he stomped out looking embarrassed. +“You don’t think it was me, Professor?” Harry +repeated hopefully as Dumbledore brushed rooster +feathers off his desk. +“No, Harry, I don’t,” said Dumbledore, though his face +was somber again. “But I still want to talk to you.” +Harry waited nervously while Dumbledore considered +him, the tips of his long fingers together. +“I must ask you, Harry, whether there is anything +you’d like to tell me,” he said gently. “Anything at all.” +Harry didn’t know what to say. He thought of Malfoy +shouting, “You’ll be next, Mudbloods!” and of the +Polyjuice Potion simmering away in Moaning Myrtle’s +bathroom. Then he thought of the disembodied voice +he had heard twice and remembered what Ron had +said: “Hearing voices no one else can hear isn’t a good +sign, even in the wizarding world.” He thought, too, +about what everyone was saying about him, and his +growing dread that he was somehow connected with +Salazar Slytherin. … +“No,” said Harry. “There isn’t anything, Professor. …” +The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless +Nick turned what had hitherto been nervousness into +real panic. Curiously, it was Nearly Headless Nick’s +fate that seemed to worry people most. What could +possibly do that to a ghost? people asked each other; +what terrible power could harm someone who was +already dead? There was almost a stampede to book +seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could +go home for Christmas. +P a g e | 234 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“At this rate, we’ll be the only ones left,” Ron told +Harry and Hermione. “Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. +What a jolly holiday it’s going to be.” +Crabbe and Goyle, who always did whatever Malfoy +did, had signed up to stay over the holidays, too. But +Harry was glad that most people were leaving. He was +tired of people skirting around him in the corridors, +as though he were about to sprout fangs or spit +poison; tired of all the muttering, pointing, and +hissing as he passed. +Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. +They went out of their way to march ahead of Harry +down the corridors, shouting, “Make way for the Heir +of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through. …” +Percy was deeply disapproving of this behavior. +“It is not a laughing matter,” he said coldly. +“Oh, get out of the way, Percy,” said Fred. “Harry’s in +a hurry.” +“Yeah, he’s off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of +tea with his fanged servant,” said George, chortling. +Ginny didn’t find it amusing either. +“Oh, don’t,” she wailed every time Fred asked Harry +loudly who he was planning to attack next, or when +George pretended to ward Harry off with a large clove +of garlic when they met. +Harry didn’t mind; it made him feel better that Fred +and George, at least, thought the idea of his being +Slytherin’s heir was quite ludicrous. But their antics +seemed to be aggravating Draco Malfoy, who looked +increasingly sour each time he saw them at it. +P a g e | 235 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“It’s because he’s bursting to say it’s really him,” said +Ron knowingly. “You know how he hates anyone +beating him at anything, and you’re getting all the +credit for his dirty work.” +“Not for long,” said Hermione in a satisfied tone. “The +Polyjuice Potion’s nearly ready. We’ll be getting the +truth out of him any day now.” +At last the term ended, and a silence deep as the +snow on the grounds descended on the castle. Harry +found it peaceful, rather than gloomy, and enjoyed +the fact that he, Hermione, and the Weasleys had the +run of Gryffindor Tower, which meant they could play +Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone, and +practice dueling in private. Fred, George, and Ginny +had chosen to stay at school rather than visit Bill in +Egypt with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Percy, who +disapproved of what he termed their childish +behavior, didn’t spend much time in the Gryffindor +common room. He had already told them pompously +that he was only staying over Christmas because it +was his duty as a prefect to support the teachers +during this troubled time. +Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. Harry +and Ron, the only ones left in their dormitory, were +woken very early by Hermione, who burst in, fully +dressed and carrying presents for them both. +“Wake up,” she said loudly, pulling back the curtains +at the window. +“Hermione — you’re not supposed to be in here —” +said Ron, shielding his eyes against the light. +“Merry Christmas to you, too,” said Hermione, +throwing him his present. “I’ve been up for nearly an +P a g e | 236 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +hour, adding more lace-wings to the potion. It’s +ready.” +Harry sat up, suddenly wide awake. +“Are you sure?” +“Positive,” said Hermione, shirting Scabbers the rat so +that she could sit down on the end of Ron’s four- +poster. “If we’re going to do it, I say it should be +tonight.” +At that moment, Hedwig swooped into the room, +carrying a very small package in her beak. +“Hello,” said Harry happily as she landed on his bed. +“Are you speaking to me again?” +She nibbled his ear in an affectionate sort of way, +which was a far better present than the one that she +had brought him, which turned out to be from the +Dursleys. They had sent Harry a toothpick and a note +telling him to find out whether he’d be able to stay at +Hogwarts for the summer vacation, too. +The rest of Harry’s Christmas presents were far more +satisfactory. Hagrid had sent him a large tin of treacle +toffee, which Harry decided to soften by the fire before +eating; Ron had given him a book called Flying with +the Cannons, a book of interesting facts about his +favorite Quidditch team, and Hermione had bought +him a luxury eagle-feather quill. Harry opened the +last present to find a new, hand-knitted sweater from +Mrs. Weasley and a large plum cake. He read her card +with a fresh surge of guilt, thinking about Mr. +Weasley’s car (which hadn’t been seen since its crash +with the Whomping Willow), and the bout of rule- +breaking he and Ron were planning next. +P a g e | 237 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +No one, not even someone dreading taking Polyjuice +Potion later, could fail to enjoy Christmas dinner at +Hogwarts. +The Great Hall looked magnificent. Not only were +there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick +streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the +ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and +dry, from the ceiling. Dumbledore led them in a few of +his favorite carols, Hagrid booming more and more +loudly with every goblet of eggnog he consumed. +Percy, who hadn’t noticed that Fred had bewitched +his prefect badge so that it now read “Pin-head,” kept +asking them all what they were sniggering at. Harry +didn’t even care that Draco Malfoy was making loud, +snide remarks about his new sweater from the +Slytherin table. With a bit of luck, Malfoy would be +getting his comeuppance in a few hours’ time. +Harry and Ron had barely finished their third +helpings of Christmas pudding when Hermione +ushered them out of the hall to finalize their plans for +the evening. +“We still need a bit of the people you’re changing +into,” said Hermione matter-of-factly, as though she +were sending them to the supermarket for laundry +detergent. “And obviously, it’ll be best if you can get +something of Crabbe’s and Goyle’s; they’re Malfoy’s +best friends, he’ll tell them anything. And we also +need to make sure the real Crabbe and Goyle can’t +burst in on us while we’re interrogating him. +“I’ve got it all worked out,” she went on smoothly, +ignoring Harry’s and Ron’s stupefied faces. She held +up two plump chocolate cakes. “I’ve filled these with a +simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make +sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how +greedy they are, they’re bound to eat them. Once +P a g e | 238 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +they’re asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide +them in a broom closet.” +Harry and Ron looked incredulously at each other. +“Hermione, I don’t think —” +“That could go seriously wrong —” +But Hermione had a steely glint in her eye not unlike +the one Professor McGonagall sometimes had. +“The potion will be useless without Crabbe’s and +Goyle’s hair,” she said sternly. “You do want to +investigate Malfoy, don’t you?” +“Oh, all right, all right,” said Harry. “But what about +you? Whose hair are you ripping out?” +“I’ve already got mine!” said Hermione brightly, +pulling a tiny bottle out of her pocket and showing +them the single hair inside it. “Remember Millicent +Bulstrode wrestling with me at the Dueling Club? She +left this on my robes when she was trying to strangle +me! And she’s gone home for Christmas — so I’ll just +have to tell the Slytherins I’ve decided to come back.” +When Hermione had bustled off to check on the +Polyjuice Potion again, Ron turned to Harry with a +doom-laden expression. +“Have you ever heard of a plan where so many things +could go wrong?” +But to Harry’s and Ron’s utter amazement, stage one +of the operation went just as smoothly as Hermione +had said. They lurked in the deserted entrance hall +after Christmas tea, waiting for Crabbe and Goyle +who had remained alone at the Slytherin table, +P a g e | 239 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +shoveling down fourth helpings of trifle. Harry had +perched the chocolate cakes on the end of the +banisters. When they spotted Crabbe and Goyle +coming out of the Great Hall, Harry and Ron hid +quickly behind a suit of armor next to the front door. +“How thick can you get?” Ron whispered ecstatically +as Crabbe gleefully pointed out the cakes to Goyle +and grabbed them. Grinning stupidly, they stuffed the +cakes whole into their large mouths. For a moment, +both of them chewed greedily, looks of triumph on +their faces. Then, without the smallest change of +expression, they both keeled over backward onto the +floor. +By far the hardest part was hiding them in the closet +across the hall. Once they were safely stowed among +the buckets and mops, Harry yanked out a couple of +the bristles that covered Goyle’s forehead and Ron +pulled out several of Crabbe’s hairs. They also stole +their shoes, because their own were far too small for +Crabbe- and Goyle-size feet. Then, still stunned at +what they had just done, they sprinted up to Moaning +Myrtle’s bathroom. +They could hardly see for the thick black smoke +issuing from the stall in which Hermione was stirring +the cauldron. Pulling their robes up over their faces, +Harry and Ron knocked softly on the door. +“Hermione?” +They heard the scrape of the lock and Hermione +emerged, shiny-faced and looking anxious. Behind +her they heard the gloop gloop of the bubbling, +glutinous potion. Three glass tumblers stood ready on +the toilet seat. +“Did you get them?” Hermione asked breathlessly. +P a g e | 240 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry showed her Goyle’s hair. +“Good. And I sneaked these spare robes out of the +laundry,” Hermione said, holding up a small sack. +“You’ll need bigger sizes once you’re Crabbe and +Goyle.” +The three of them stared into the cauldron. Close up, +the potion looked like thick, dark mud, bubbling +sluggishly. +“I’m sure I’ve done everything right,” said Hermione, +nervously rereading the splotched page of Moste +Potente Potions. “It looks like the book says it should +… once we’ve drunk it, we’ll have exactly an hour +before we change back into ourselves.” +“Now what?” Ron whispered. +“We separate it into three glasses and add the hairs.” +Hermione ladled large dollops of the potion into each +of the glasses. Then, her hand trembling, she shook +Millicent Bulstrode’s hair out of its bottle into the first +glass. +The potion hissed loudly like a boiling kettle and +frothed madly. A second later, it had turned a sick +sort of yellow. +“Urgh — essence of Millicent Bulstrode,” said Ron, +eyeing it with loathing. “Bet it tastes disgusting.” +“Add yours, then,” said Hermione. +Harry dropped Goyle’s hair into the middle glass and +Ron put Crabbe’s into the last one. Both glasses +hissed and frothed: Goyle’s turned the khaki color of +a booger, Crabbe’s a dark, murky brown. +P a g e | 241 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Hang on,” said Harry as Ron and Hermione reached +for their glasses. “We’d better not all drink them in +here. … Once we turn into Crabbe and Goyle we won’t +fit. And Millicent Bulstrode’s no pixie.” +“Good thinking,” said Ron, unlocking the door. “We’ll +take separate stalls.” +Careful not to spill a drop of his Polyjuice Potion, +Harry slipped into the middle stall. +“Ready?” he called. +“Ready,” came Ron’s and Hermione’s voices. +“One — two — three —” +Pinching his nose, Harry drank the potion down in +two large gulps. It tasted like overcooked cabbage. +Immediately, his insides started writhing as though +he’d just swallowed live snakes — doubled up, he +wondered whether he was going to be sick — then a +burning sensation spread rapidly from his stomach to +the very ends of his fingers and toes — next, bringing +him gasping to all fours, came a horrible melting +feeling, as the skin all over his body bubbled like hot +wax — and before his eyes, his hands began to grow, +the fingers thickened, the nails broadened, the +knuckles were bulging like bolts — his shoulders +stretched painfully and a prickling on his forehead +told him that hair was creeping down toward his +eyebrows — his robes ripped as his chest expanded +like a barrel bursting its hoops — his feet were agony +in shoes four sizes too small — +As suddenly as it had started, everything stopped. +Harry lay facedown on the stone-cold floor, listening +to Myrtle gurgling morosely in the end toilet. With +P a g e | 242 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +difficulty, he kicked off his shoes and stood up. So +this was what it felt like, being Goyle. His large hand +trembling, he pulled off his old robes, which were +hanging a foot above his ankles, pulled on the spare +ones, and laced up Goyle’s boatlike shoes. He reached +up to brush his hair out of his eyes and met only the +short growth of wiry bristles, low on his forehead. +Then he realized that his glasses were clouding his +eyes because Goyle obviously didn’t need them — he +took them off and called, “Are you two okay?” Goyle’s +low rasp of a voice issued from his mouth. +“Yeah,” came the deep grunt of Crabbe from his right. +Harry unlocked his door and stepped in front of the +cracked mirror. Goyle stared back at him out of dull, +deepset eyes. Harry scratched his ear. So did Goyle. +Ron’s door opened. They stared at each other. Except +that he looked pale and shocked, Ron was +indistinguishable from Crabbe, from the pudding- +bowl haircut to the long, gorilla arms. +“This is unbelievable,” said Ron, approaching the +mirror and prodding Crabbe’s flat nose. +“Unbelievable.” +“We’d better get going,” said Harry, loosening the +watch that was cutting into Goyle’s thick wrist. “We’ve +still got to find out where the Slytherin common room +is. I only hope we can find someone to follow …” +Ron, who had been gazing at Harry, said, “You don’t +know how bizarre it is to see Goyle thinking.” He +banged on Hermione’s door. “C’mon, we need to go —” +A high-pitched voice answered him. +P a g e | 243 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I — I don’t think I’m going to come after all. You go +on without me.” +“Hermione, we know Millicent Bulstrode’s ugly, no +one’s going to know it’s you —” +“No — really — I don’t think I’ll come. You two hurry +up, you’re wasting time —” +Harry looked at Ron, bewildered. +“That looks more like Goyle,” said Ron. “That’s how he +looks every time a teacher asks him a question.” +“Hermione, are you okay?” said Harry through the +door. +“Fine — I’m fine — go on —” +Harry looked at his watch. Five of their precious sixty +minutes had already passed. +“We’ll meet you back here, all right?” he said. +Harry and Ron opened the door of the bathroom +carefully, checked that the coast was clear, and set +off. +“Don’t swing your arms like that,” Harry muttered to +Ron. +“Eh?” +“Crabbe holds them sort of stiff. …” +“How’s this?” +“Yeah, that’s better. …” +P a g e | 244 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +They went down the marble staircase. All they needed +now was a Slytherin that they could follow to the +Slytherin common room, but there was nobody +around. +“Any ideas?” muttered Harry. +“The Slytherins always come up to breakfast from +over there,” said Ron, nodding at the entrance to the +dungeons. The words had barely left his mouth when +a girl with long, curly hair emerged from the entrance. +“Excuse me,” said Ron, hurrying up to her. “We’ve +forgotten the way to our common room.” +“I beg your pardon?” said the girl stiffly. “Our common +room? I’m a Ravenclaw.” +She walked away, looking suspiciously back at them. +Harry and Ron hurried down the stone steps into the +darkness, their footsteps echoing particularly loudly +as Crabbe’s and Goyle’s huge feet hit the floor, feeling +that this wasn’t going to be as easy as they had +hoped. +The labyrinthine passages were deserted. They walked +deeper and deeper under the school, constantly +checking their watches to see how much time they +had left. After a quarter of an hour, just when they +were getting desperate, they heard a sudden +movement ahead. +“Ha!” said Ron excitedly. “There’s one of them now!” +The figure was emerging from a side room. As they +hurried nearer, however, their hearts sank. It wasn’t a +Slytherin, it was Percy. +P a g e | 245 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“What’re you doing down here?” said Ron in surprise. +Percy looked affronted. +“That,” he said stiffly, “is none of your business. It’s +Crabbe, isn’t it?” +“Wh — oh, yeah,” said Ron. +“Well, get off to your dormitories,” said Percy sternly. +“It’s not safe to go wandering around dark corridors +these days.” +“You are,” Ron pointed out. +“I,” said Percy, drawing himself up, “am a prefect. +Nothing’s about to attack me.” +A voice suddenly echoed behind Harry and Ron. +Draco Malfoy was strolling toward them, and for the +first time in his life, Harry was pleased to see him. +“There you are,” he drawled, looking at them. “Have +you two been pigging out in the Great Hall all this +time? I’ve been looking for you; I want to show you +something really funny.” +Malfoy glanced witheringly at Percy. +“And what’re you doing down here, Weasley?” he +sneered. +Percy looked outraged. +“You want to show a bit more respect to a school +prefect!” he said. “I don’t like your attitude!” +Malfoy sneered and motioned for Harry and Ron to +follow him. Harry almost said something apologetic to +P a g e | 246 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Percy but caught himself just in time. He and Ron +hurried after Malfoy, who said as they turned into the +next passage, “That Peter Weasley —” +“Percy,” Ron corrected him automatically. +“Whatever,” said Malfoy. “I’ve noticed him sneaking +around a lot lately. And I bet I know what he’s up to. +He thinks he’s going to catch Slytherin’s heir single- +handed.” +He gave a short, derisive laugh. Harry and Ron +exchanged excited looks. +Malfoy paused by a stretch of bare, damp stone wall. +“What’s the new password again?” he said to Harry. +“Er —” said Harry. +“Oh, yeah — pure-blood!” said Malfoy, not listening, +and a stone door concealed in the wall slid open. +Malfoy marched through it, and Harry and Ron +followed him. +The Slytherin common room was a long, low +underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling +from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on +chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately +carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several +Slytherins were silhouetted around it in high-backed +chairs. +“Wait here,” said Malfoy to Harry and Ron, motioning +them to a pair of empty chairs set back from the fire. +“I’ll go and get it — my father’s just sent it to me —” +P a g e | 247 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Wondering what Malfoy was going to show them, +Harry and Ron sat down, doing their best to look at +home. +Malfoy came back a minute later, holding what looked +like a newspaper clipping. He thrust it under Ron’s +nose. +“That’ll give you a laugh,” he said. +Harry saw Ron's eyes widen in shock. He read the +clipping quickly, gave a very forced laugh, and +handed it to Harry. +It had been clipped out of the Daily Prophet, and it +said: +INQUIRY AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC +Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle +Artifacts Office, was today fined fifty Galleons for +bewitching a Muggle car. +Mr. Lucius Malfoy, a governor of Hogwarts School of +Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the enchanted car +crashed earlier this year, called today for Mr. +Weasley’s resignation. +“Weasley has brought the Ministry into disrepute,” +Mr. Malfoy told our reporter. “He is clearly unfit to +draw up our laws and his ridiculous Muggle +Protection Act should be scrapped immediately.” +Mr. Weasley was unavailable for comment, although +his wife told reporters to clear off or she’d set the +family ghoul on them. + +P a g e | 248 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Well?” said Malfoy impatiently as Harry handed the +clipping back to him. “Don’t you think it’s funny?” +“Ha, ha,” said Harry bleakly. +“Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should +snap his wand in half and go and join them,” said +Malfoy scornfully. “You’d never know the Weasleys +were purebloods, the way they behave.” +Ron’s — or rather, Crabbe’s — face was contorted +with fury. +“What’s up with you, Crabbe?” snapped Malfoy. +“Stomachache,” Ron grunted. +“Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those +Mudbloods a kick from me,” said Malfoy, snickering. +“You know, I’m surprised the Daily Prophet hasn’t +reported all these attacks yet,” he went on +thoughtfully. “I suppose Dumbledore’s trying to hush +it all up. He’ll be sacked if it doesn’t stop soon. +Father’s always said old Dumbledore’s the worst thing +that’s ever happened to this place. He loves Muggle- +borns. A decent headmaster would never’ve let slime +like that Creevey in.” +Malfoy started taking pictures with an imaginary +camera and did a cruel but accurate impression of +Colin: “ ‘Potter, can I have your picture, Potter? Can I +have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes, please, +Potter?’ ” +He dropped his hands and looked at Harry and Ron. +“What’s the matter with you two?” +P a g e | 249 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Far too late, Harry and Ron forced themselves to +laugh, but Malfoy seemed satisfied; perhaps Crabbe +and Goyle were always slow on the uptake. +“Saint Potter, the Mudbloods’ friend,” said Malfoy +slowly. “He’s another one with no proper wizard +feeling, or he wouldn’t go around with that jumped-up +Granger Mudblood. And people think he’s Slytherin’s +heir!” +Harry and Ron waited with bated breath: Malfoy was +surely seconds away from telling them it was him — +but then — +“I wish I knew who it is,” said Malfoy petulantly. “I +could help them.” +Ron’s jaw dropped so that Crabbe looked even more +clueless than usual. Fortunately, Malfoy didn’t notice, +and Harry, thinking fast, said, “You must have some +idea who’s behind it all. …” +“You know I haven’t, Goyle, how many times do I have +to tell you?” snapped Malfoy. “And Father won’t tell +me anything about the last time the Chamber was +opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it +was before his time, but he knows all about it, and he +says that it was all kept quiet and it’ll look suspicious +if I know too much about it. But I know one thing — +last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a +Mudblood died. So I bet it’s a matter of time before +one of them’s killed this time. … I hope it’s Granger,” +he said with relish. +Ron was clenching Crabbe’s gigantic fists. Feeling +that it would be a bit of a giveaway if Ron punched +Malfoy, Harry shot him a warning look and said, +“D’you know if the person who opened the Chamber +last time was caught?” +P a g e | 250 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Oh, yeah … whoever it was was expelled,” said +Malfoy. “They’re probably still in Azkaban.” +“Azkaban?” said Harry, puzzled. +“Azkaban — the wizard prison, Goyle,” said Malfoy, +looking at him in disbelief. “Honestly, if you were any +slower, you’d be going backward.” +He shifted restlessly in his chair and said, “Father +says to keep my head down and let the Heir of +Slytherin get on with it. He says the school needs +ridding of all the Mudblood filth, but not to get mixed +up in it. Of course, he’s got a lot on his plate at the +moment. You know the Ministry of Magic raided our +manor last week?” +Harry tried to force Goyle’s dull face into a look of +concern. +“Yeah …” said Malfoy. “Luckily, they didn’t find much. +Father’s got some very valuable Dark Arts stuff. But +luckily, we’ve got our own secret chamber under the +drawing-room floor —” +“Ho!” said Ron. +Malfoy looked at him. So did Harry. Ron blushed. +Even his hair was turning red. His nose was also +slowly lengthening — their hour was up, Ron was +turning back into himself, and from the look of horror +he was suddenly giving Harry, he must be, too. +They both jumped to their feet. +“Medicine for my stomach,” Ron grunted, and without +further ado they sprinted the length of the Slytherin +common room, hurled themselves at the stone wall, +and dashed up the passage, hoping against hope that +P a g e | 251 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Malfoy hadn’t noticed anything. Harry could feel his +feet slipping around in Goyle’s huge shoes and had to +hoist up his robes as he shrank; they crashed up the +steps into the dark entrance hall, which was full of a +muffled pounding coming from the closet where +they’d locked Crabbe and Goyle. Leaving their shoes +outside the closet door, they sprinted in their socks +up the marble staircase toward Moaning Myrtle’s +bathroom. +“Well, it wasn’t a complete waste of time,” Ron +panted, closing the bathroom door behind them. “I +know we still haven’t found out who’s doing the +attacks, but I’m going to write to Dad tomorrow and +tell him to check under the Malfoys’ drawing room.” +Harry checked his face in the cracked mirror. He was +back to normal. He put his glasses on as Ron +hammered on the door of Hermione’s stall. +“Hermione, come out, we’ve got loads to tell you —” +“Go away!” Hermione squeaked. +Harry and Ron looked at each other. +“What’s the matter?” said Ron. “You must be back to +normal by now, we are —” +But Moaning Myrtle glided suddenly through the stall +door. Harry had never seen her looking so happy. +“Ooooooh, wait till you see,” she said. “It’s awful —” +They heard the lock slide back and Hermione +emerged, sobbing, her robes pulled up over her head. +“What’s up?” said Ron uncertainly. “Have you still got +Millicent’s nose or something?” +P a g e | 252 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Hermione let her robes fall and Ron backed into the +sink. +Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had +turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears +poking through her hair. +“It was a c-cat hair!” she howled. “M-Millicent +Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potion isn’t +supposed to be used for animal transformations!” +“Uh-oh,” said Ron. +“You’ll be teased something dreadful,” said Myrtle +happily. +“It’s okay, Hermione,” said Harry quickly. “We’ll take +you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never +asks too many questions. …” +It took a long time to persuade Hermione to leave the +bathroom. Moaning Myrtle sped them on their way +with a hearty guffaw. “Wait till everyone finds out +you’ve got a tail!” +P a g e | 253 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +THE VERY SECRET DIARY +Hermione remained in the hospital wing for several +weeks. There was a flurry of rumor about her +disappearance when the rest of the school arrived +back from their Christmas holidays, because of +course everyone thought that she had been attacked. +So many students filed past the hospital wing trying +to catch a glimpse of her that Madam Pomfrey took +out her curtains again and placed them around +Hermione’s bed, to spare her the shame of being seen +with a furry face. +Harry and Ron went to visit her every evening. When +the new term started, they brought her each day’s +homework. +“If I’d sprouted whiskers, I’d take a break from work,” +said Ron, tipping a stack of books onto Hermione’s +bedside table one evening. +“Don’t be silly, Ron, I’ve got to keep up,” said +Hermione briskly. Her spirits were greatly improved +by the fact that all the hair had gone from her face +P a g e | 254 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +and her eyes were turning slowly back to brown. “I +don’t suppose you’ve got any new leads?” she added +in a whisper, so that Madam Pomfrey couldn’t hear +her. +“Nothing,” said Harry gloomily. +“I was so sure it was Malfoy,” said Ron, for about the +hundredth time. +“What’s that?” asked Harry, pointing to something +gold sticking out from under Hermione’s pillow. +“Just a get well card,” said Hermione hastily, trying to +poke it out of sight, but Ron was too quick for her. He +pulled it out, flicked it open, and read aloud: +“To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from +your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, +Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the +Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of +Witch Weekly’s Most-Charming-Smile Award.” +Ron looked up at Hermione, disgusted. +“You sleep with this under your pillow?” +But Hermione was spared answering by Madam +Pomfrey sweeping over with her evening dose of +medicine. +“Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you’ve ever met, or +what?” Ron said to Harry as they left the infirmary +and started up the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower. +Snape had given them so much homework, Harry +thought he was likely to be in the sixth year before he +finished it. Ron was just saying he wished he had +asked Hermione how many rat tails you were +supposed to add to a Hair-Raising Potion when an +P a g e | 255 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +angry outburst from the floor above reached their +ears. +“That’s Filch,” Harry muttered as they hurried up the +stairs and paused, out of sight, listening hard. +“You don’t think someone else’s been attacked?” said +Ron tensely. +They stood still, their heads inclined toward Filch’s +voice, which sounded quite hysterical. +“— even more work for me! Mopping all night, like I +haven’t got enough to do! No, this is the final straw, I’m +going to Dumbledore —” +His footsteps receded along the out-of-sight corridor +and they heard a distant door slam. +They poked their heads around the corner. Filch had +clearly been manning his usual lookout post: They +were once again on the spot where Mrs. Norris had +been attacked. They saw at a glance what Filch had +been shouting about. A great flood of water stretched +over half the corridor, and it looked as though it was +still seeping from under the door of Moaning Myrtle’s +bathroom. Now that Filch had stopped shouting, they +could hear Myrtle’s wails echoing off the bathroom +walls. +“Now what’s up with her?” said Ron. +“Let’s go and see,” said Harry, and holding their robes +over their ankles they stepped through the great wash +of water to the door bearing its OUT OF ORDER sign, +ignored it as always, and entered. +Moaning Myrtle was crying, if possible, louder and +harder than ever before. She seemed to be hiding +P a g e | 256 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +down her usual toilet. It was dark in the bathroom +because the candles had been extinguished in the +great rush of water that had left both walls and floor +soaking wet. +“What’s up, Myrtle?” said Harry. +“Who’s that?” glugged Myrtle miserably. “Come to +throw something else at me?” +Harry waded across to her stall and said, “Why would +I throw something at you?” +“Don’t ask me,” Myrtle shouted, emerging with a wave +of yet more water, which splashed onto the already +sopping floor. “Here I am, minding my own business, +and someone thinks it’s funny to throw a book at me. +…” +“But it can’t hurt you if someone throws something at +you,” said Harry, reasonably. “I mean, it’d just go +right through you, wouldn’t it?” +He had said the wrong thing. Myrtle puffed herself up +and shrieked, “Let’s all throw books at Myrtle, +because she can’t feel it! Ten points if you can get it +through her stomach! Fifty points if it goes through +her head! Well, ha, ha, ha! What a lovely game, I don’t +think!” +“Who threw it at you, anyway?” asked Harry. +“I don’t know. … I was just sitting in the U-bend, +thinking about death, and it fell right through the top +of my head,” said Myrtle, glaring at them. “It’s over +there, it got washed out. …” +Harry and Ron looked under the sink where Myrtle +was pointing. A small, thin book lay there. It had a +P a g e | 257 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +shabby black cover and was as wet as everything else +in the bathroom. Harry stepped forward to pick it up, +but Ron suddenly flung out an arm to hold him back. +“What?” said Harry. +“Are you crazy?” said Ron. “It could be dangerous.” +“Dangerous?” said Harry, laughing. “Come off it, how +could it be dangerous?” +“You’d be surprised,” said Ron, who was looking +apprehensively at the book. “Some of the books the +Ministry’s confiscated — Dad’s told me — there was +one that burned your eyes out. And everyone who +read Sonnets of a Sorcerer spoke in limericks for the +rest of their lives. And some old witch in Bath had a +book that you could never stop reading! You just had +to wander around with your nose in it, trying to do +everything one-handed. And —” +“All right, I’ve got the point,” said Harry. +The little book lay on the floor, nondescript and +soggy. +“Well, we won’t find out unless we look at it,” he said, +and he ducked around Ron and picked it up off the +floor. +Harry saw at once that it was a diary, and the faded +year on the cover told him it was fifty years old. He +opened it eagerly. On the first page he could just +make out the name “T. M. Riddle” in smudged ink. +“Hang on,” said Ron, who had approached cautiously +and was looking over Harry’s shoulder. “I know that +name. … T. M. Riddle got an award for special +services to the school fifty years ago.” +P a g e | 258 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“How on earth d’you know that?” said Harry in +amazement. +“Because Filch made me polish his shield about fifty +times in detention,” said Ron resentfully. “That was +the one I burped slugs all over. If you’d wiped slime +off a name for an hour, you’d remember it, too.” +Harry peeled the wet pages apart. They were +completely blank. There wasn’t the faintest trace of +writing on any of them, not even Auntie Mabel’s +birthday, or dentist, half-past three. +“He never wrote in it,” said Harry, disappointed. +“I wonder why someone wanted to flush it away?” said +Ron curiously. +Harry turned to the back cover of the book and saw +the printed name of a variety store on Vauxhall Road, +London. +“He must’ve been Muggle-born,” said Harry +thoughtfully. “To have bought a diary from Vauxhall +Road. …” +“Well, it’s not much use to you,” said Ron. He +dropped his voice. “Fifty points if you can get it +through Myrtle’s nose.” +Harry, however, pocketed it. + Hermione left the hospital wing, de-whiskered, tail- +less, and fur-free, at the beginning of February. On +her first evening back in Gryffindor Tower, Harry +showed her T. M. Riddle’s diary and told her the story +of how they had found it. +P a g e | 259 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Oooh, it might have hidden powers,” said Hermione +enthusiastically, taking the diary and looking at it +closely. +“If it has, it’s hiding them very well,” said Ron. “Maybe +it’s shy. I don’t know why you don’t chuck it, Harry.” +“I wish I knew why someone did try to chuck it,” said +Harry. “I wouldn’t mind knowing how Riddle got an +award for special services to Hogwarts either.” +“Could’ve been anything,” said Ron. “Maybe he got +thirty O.W.L.s or saved a teacher from the giant +squid. Maybe he murdered Myrtle; that would’ve done +everyone a favor. …” +But Harry could tell from the arrested look on +Hermione’s face that she was thinking what he was +thinking. +“What?” said Ron, looking from one to the other. +“Well, the Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years +ago, wasn’t it?” he said. “That’s what Malfoy said.” +“Yeah …” said Ron slowly. +“And this diary is fifty years old,” said Hermione, +tapping it excitedly. +“So?” +“Oh, Ron, wake up,” snapped Hermione. “We know +the person who opened the Chamber last time was +expelled fifty years ago. We know T. M. Riddle got an +award for special services to the school fifty years +ago. Well, what if Riddle got his special award for +catching the Heir of Slytherin? His diary would +probably tell us everything — where the Chamber is, +P a g e | 260 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +and how to open it, and what sort of creature lives in +it — the person who’s behind the attacks this time +wouldn’t want that lying around, would they?” +“That’s a brilliant theory, Hermione,” said Ron, “with +just one tiny little flaw. There’s nothing written in his +diary.” +But Hermione was pulling her wand out of her bag. +“It might be invisible ink!” she whispered. +She tapped the diary three times and said, +“Aparecium!” +Nothing happened. Undaunted, Hermione shoved her +hand back into her bag and pulled out what appeared +to be a bright red eraser. +“It’s a Revealer, I got it in Diagon Alley,” she said. +She rubbed hard on January first. Nothing happened. +“I’m telling you, there’s nothing to find in there,” said +Ron. “Riddle just got a diary for Christmas and +couldn’t be bothered filling it in.” + Harry couldn’t explain, even to himself, why he didn’t +just throw Riddle’s diary away. The fact was that even +though he knew the diary was blank, he kept +absentmindedly picking it up and turning the pages, +as though it were a story he wanted to finish. And +while Harry was sure he had never heard the name T. +M. Riddle before, it still seemed to mean something to +him, almost as though Riddle was a friend he’d had +when he was very small, and had half-forgotten. But +this was absurd. He’d never had friends before +Hogwarts, Dudley had made sure of that. +P a g e | 261 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Nevertheless, Harry was determined to find out more +about Riddle, so next day at break, he headed for the +trophy room to examine Riddle’s special award, +accompanied by an interested Hermione and a +thoroughly unconvinced Ron, who told them he’d +seen enough of the trophy room to last him a lifetime. +Riddle’s burnished gold shield was tucked away in a +corner cabinet. It didn’t carry details of why it had +been given to him (“Good thing, too, or it’d be even +bigger and I’d still be polishing it,” said Ron). +However, they did find Riddle’s name on an old Medal +for Magical Merit, and on a list of old Head Boys. +“He sounds like Percy,” said Ron, wrinkling his nose +in disgust. “Prefect, Head Boy … probably top of every +class —” +“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” said Hermione in a +slightly hurt voice. + The sun had now begun to shine weakly on Hogwarts +again. Inside the castle, the mood had grown more +hopeful. There had been no more attacks since those +on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, and Madam +Pomfrey was pleased to report that the Mandrakes +were becoming moody and secretive, meaning that +they were fast leaving childhood. +“The moment their acne clears up, they’ll be ready for +repotting again,” Harry heard her telling Filch kindly +one afternoon. “And after that, it won’t be long until +we’re cutting them up and stewing them. You’ll have +Mrs. Norris back in no time.” +Perhaps the Heir of Slytherin had lost his or her +nerve, thought Harry. It must be getting riskier and +riskier to open the Chamber of Secrets, with the +school so alert and suspicious. Perhaps the monster, +P a g e | 262 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +whatever it was, was even now settling itself down to +hibernate for another fifty years. … +Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff didn’t take this cheerful +view. He was still convinced that Harry was the guilty +one, that he had “given himself away” at the Dueling +Club. Peeves wasn’t helping matters; he kept popping +up in the crowded corridors singing “Oh, Potter, you +rotter …” now with a dance routine to match. +Gilderoy Lockhart seemed to think he himself had +made the attacks stop. Harry overheard him telling +Professor McGonagall so while the Gryffindors were +lining up for Transfiguration. +“I don’t think there’ll be any more trouble, Minerva,” +he said, tapping his nose knowingly and winking. “I +think the Chamber has been locked for good this +time. The culprit must have known it was only a +matter of time before I caught him. Rather sensible to +stop now, before I came down hard on him. +“You know, what the school needs now is a morale- +booster. Wash away the memories of last term! I won’t +say any more just now, but I think I know just the +thing. …” +He tapped his nose again and strode off. +Lockhart’s idea of a morale-booster became clear at +breakfast time on February fourteenth. Harry hadn’t +had much sleep because of a late-running Quidditch +practice the night before, and he hurried down to the +Great Hall, slightly late. He thought, for a moment, +that he’d walked through the wrong doors. +The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink +flowers. Worse still, heart-shaped confetti was falling +from the pale blue ceiling. Harry went over to the +P a g e | 263 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Gryffindor table, where Ron was sitting looking +sickened, and Hermione seemed to have been +overcome with giggles. +“What’s going on?” Harry asked them, sitting down +and wiping confetti off his bacon. +Ron pointed to the teachers’ table, apparently too +disgusted to speak. Lockhart, wearing lurid pink +robes to match the decorations, was waving for +silence. The teachers on either side of him were +looking stony-faced. From where he sat, Harry could +see a muscle going in Professor McGonagall’s cheek. +Snape looked as though someone had just fed him a +large beaker of Skele-Gro. +“Happy Valentine’s Day!” Lockhart shouted. “And may +I thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me +cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this +little surprise for you all — and it doesn’t end here!” +Lockhart clapped his hands and through the doors to +the entrance hall marched a dozen surly-looking +dwarfs. Not just any dwarfs, however. Lockhart had +them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps. +“My friendly, card-carrying cupids!” beamed Lockhart. +“They will be roving around the school today +delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn’t stop +here! I’m sure my colleagues will want to enter into +the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor +Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion! And +while you’re at it, Professor Flitwick knows more +about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I’ve +ever met, the sly old dog!” +Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands. Snape +was looking as though the first person to ask him for +a Love Potion would be force-fed poison. +P a g e | 264 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Please, Hermione, tell me you weren’t one of the +forty-six,” said Ron as they left the Great Hall for their +first lesson. Hermione suddenly became very +interested in searching her bag for her schedule and +didn’t answer. +All day long, the dwarfs kept barging into their +classes to deliver valentines, to the annoyance of the +teachers, and late that afternoon as the Gryffindors +were walking upstairs for Charms, one of the dwarfs +caught up with Harry. +“Oy, you! ’Arry Potter!” shouted a particularly grim- +looking dwarf, elbowing people out of the way to get to +Harry. +Hot all over at the thought of being given a valentine +in front of a line of first years, which happened to +include Ginny Weasley, Harry tried to escape. The +dwarf, however, cut his way through the crowd by +kicking people’s shins, and reached him before he’d +gone two paces. +“I’ve got a musical message to deliver to ’Arry Potter in +person,” he said, twanging his harp in a threatening +sort of way. +“Not here,” Harry hissed, trying to escape. +“Stay still!” grunted the dwarf, grabbing hold of +Harry’s bag and pulling him back. +“Let me go!” Harry snarled, tugging. +With a loud ripping noise, his bag split in two. His +books, wand, parchment, and quill spilled onto the +floor and his ink bottle smashed over everything. +P a g e | 265 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry scrambled around, trying to pick it all up +before the dwarf started singing, causing something of +a holdup in the corridor. +“What’s going on here?” came the cold, drawling voice +of Draco Malfoy. Harry started stuffing everything +feverishly into his ripped bag, desperate to get away +before Malfoy could hear his musical valentine. +“What’s all this commotion?” said another familiar +voice as Percy Weasley arrived. +Losing his head, Harry tried to make a run for it, but +the dwarf seized him around the knees and brought +him crashing to the floor. +“Right,” he said, sitting on Harry’s ankles. “Here is +your singing valentine: +His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad, +His hair is as dark as a blackboard. +I wish he was mine, he’s really divine, +The hero who conquered the Dark Lord.” +Harry would have given all the gold in Gringotts to +evaporate on the spot. Trying valiantly to laugh along +with everyone else, he got up, his feet numb from the +weight of the dwarf, as Percy Weasley did his best to +disperse the crowd, some of whom were crying with +mirth. +“Off you go, off you go, the bell rang five minutes ago, +off to class, now,” he said, shooing some of the +younger students away. “And you, Malfoy —” +P a g e | 266 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry, glancing over, saw Malfoy stoop and snatch up +something. Leering, he showed it to Crabbe and +Goyle, and Harry realized that he’d got Riddle’s diary. +“Give that back,” said Harry quietly. +“Wonder what Potter’s written in this?” said Malfoy, +who obviously hadn’t noticed the year on the cover +and thought he had Harry’s own diary. A hush fell +over the onlookers. Ginny was staring from the diary +to Harry, looking terrified. +“Hand it over, Malfoy,” said Percy sternly. +“When I’ve had a look,” said Malfoy, waving the diary +tauntingly at Harry. +Percy said, “As a school prefect —” but Harry had lost +his temper. He pulled out his wand and shouted, +“Expelliarmus!” and just as Snape had disarmed +Lockhart, so Malfoy found the diary shooting out of +his hand into the air. Ron, grinning broadly, caught +it. +“Harry!” said Percy loudly. “No magic in the corridors. +I’ll have to report this, you know!” +But Harry didn’t care, he was one-up on Malfoy, and +that was worth five points from Gryffindor any day. +Malfoy was looking furious, and as Ginny passed him +to enter her classroom, he yelled spitefully after her, +“I don’t think Potter liked your valentine much!” +Ginny covered her face with her hands and ran into +class. Snarling, Ron pulled out his wand, too, but +Harry pulled him away. Ron didn’t need to spend the +whole of Charms belching slugs. +P a g e | 267 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +It wasn’t until they had reached Professor Flitwick’s +class that Harry noticed something rather odd about +Riddle’s diary. All his other books were drenched in +scarlet ink. The diary, however, was as clean as it had +been before the ink bottle had smashed all over it. He +tried to point this out to Ron, but Ron was having +trouble with his wand again; large purple bubbles +were blossoming out of the end, and he wasn’t much +interested in anything else. +* * * + Harry went to bed before anyone else in his +dormitory that night. This was partly because he +didn’t think he could stand Fred and George singing, +“His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad” one +more time, and partly because he wanted to examine +Riddle’s diary again, and knew that Ron thought he +was wasting his time. +Harry sat on his four-poster and flicked through the +blank pages, not one of which had a trace of scarlet +ink on it. Then he pulled a new bottle out of his +bedside cabinet, dipped his quill into it, and dropped +a blot onto the first page of the diary. +The ink shone brightly on the paper for a second and +then, as though it was being sucked into the page, +vanished. Excited, Harry loaded up his quill a second +time and wrote, “My name is Harry Potter.” +The words shone momentarily on the page and they, +too, sank without trace. Then, at last, something +happened. +Oozing back out of the page, in his very own ink, +came words Harry had never written. +P a g e | 268 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Hello, Harry Potter. My name is Tom Riddle. How did +you come by my diary?” +These words, too, faded away, but not before Harry +had started to scribble back. +“Someone tried to flush it down a toilet.” +He waited eagerly for Riddle’s reply. +“Lucky that I recorded my memories in some more +lasting way than ink. But I always knew that there +would be those who would not want this diary read.” +“What do you mean?” Harry scrawled, blotting the +page in his excitement. +“I mean that this diary holds memories of terrible +things. Things that were covered up. Things that +happened at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and +Wizardry.” +“That’s where I am now,” Harry wrote quickly. “I’m at +Hogwarts, and horrible stuff’s been happening. Do +you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?” +His heart was hammering. Riddle’s reply came +quickly, his writing becoming untidier, as though he +was hurrying to tell all he knew. +“Of course I know about the Chamber of Secrets. In my +day, they told us it was a legend, that it did not exist. +But this was a lie. In my fifth year, the Chamber was +opened and the monster attacked several students, +finally killing one. I caught the person who’d opened +the Chamber and he was expelled. But the +headmaster, Professor Dippet, ashamed that such a +thing had happened at Hogwarts, forbade me to tell +the truth. A story was given out that the girl had died +P a g e | 269 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +in a freak accident. They gave me a nice, shiny, +engraved trophy for my trouble and warned me to keep +my mouth shut. But I knew it could happen again. The +monster lived on, and the one who had the power to +release it was not imprisoned.” +Harry nearly upset his ink bottle in his hurry to write +back. +“It’s happening again now. There have been three +attacks and no one seems to know who’s behind +them. Who was it last time?” +“I can show you, if you like,” came Riddle’s reply. “You +don’t have to take my word for it. I can take you inside +my memory of the night when I caught him.” +Harry hesitated, his quill suspended over the diary. +What did Riddle mean? How could he be taken inside +somebody else’s memory? He glanced nervously at the +door to the dormitory, which was growing dark. When +he looked back at the diary, he saw fresh words +forming. +“Let me show you.” +Harry paused for a fraction of a second and then +wrote two letters. +“OK.” +The pages of the diary began to blow as though +caught in a high wind, stopping halfway through the +month of June. Mouth hanging open, Harry saw that +the little square for June thirteenth seemed to have +turned into a minuscule television screen. His hands +trembling slightly, he raised the book to press his eye +against the little window, and before he knew what +was happening, he was tilting forward; the window +P a g e | 270 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +was widening, he felt his body leave his bed, and he +was pitched headfirst through the opening in the +page, into a whirl of color and shadow. +He felt his feet hit solid ground, and stood, shaking, +as the blurred shapes around him came suddenly +into focus. +He knew immediately where he was. This circular +room with the sleeping portraits was Dumbledore’s +office — but it wasn’t Dumbledore who was sitting +behind the desk. A wizened, frail-looking wizard, bald +except for a few wisps of white hair, was reading a +letter by candlelight. Harry had never seen this man +before. +“I’m sorry,” he said shakily. “I didn’t mean to butt in +—” +But the wizard didn’t look up. He continued to read, +frowning slightly. Harry drew nearer to his desk and +stammered, “Er — I’ll just go, shall I?” +Still the wizard ignored him. He didn’t seem even to +have heard him. Thinking that the wizard might be +deaf, Harry raised his voice. +“Sorry I disturbed you. I’ll go now,” he half-shouted. +The wizard folded up the letter with a sigh, stood up, +walked past Harry without glancing at him, and went +to draw the curtains at his window. +The sky outside the window was ruby-red; it seemed +to be sunset. The wizard went back to the desk, sat +down, and twiddled his thumbs, watching the door. +Harry looked around the office. No Fawkes the +phoenix — no whirring silver contraptions. This was +P a g e | 271 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Hogwarts as Riddle had known it, meaning that this +unknown wizard was headmaster, not Dumbledore, +and he, Harry, was little more than a phantom, +completely invisible to the people of fifty years ago. +There was a knock on the office door. +“Enter,” said the old wizard in a feeble voice. +A boy of about sixteen entered, taking off his pointed +hat. A silver prefect’s badge was glinting on his chest. +He was much taller than Harry, but he, too, had jet- +black hair. +“Ah, Riddle,” said the headmaster. +“You wanted to see me, Professor Dippet?” said +Riddle. He looked nervous. +“Sit down,” said Dippet. “I’ve just been reading the +letter you sent me.” +“Oh,” said Riddle. He sat down, gripping his hands +together very tightly. +“My dear boy,” said Dippet kindly, “I cannot possibly +let you stay at school over the summer. Surely you +want to go home for the holidays?” +“No,” said Riddle at once. “I’d much rather stay at +Hogwarts than go back to that — to that —” +“You live in a Muggle orphanage during the holidays, I +believe?” said Dippet curiously. +“Yes, sir,” said Riddle, reddening slightly. +“You are Muggle-born?” +P a g e | 272 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Half-blood, sir,” said Riddle. “Muggle father, witch +mother.” +“And are both your parents — ?” +“My mother died just after I was born, sir. They told +me at the orphanage she lived just long enough to +name me — Tom after my father, Marvolo after my +grandfather.” +Dippet clucked his tongue sympathetically. +“The thing is, Tom,” he sighed, “special arrangements +might have been made for you, but in the current +circumstances. …” +“You mean all these attacks, sir?” said Riddle, and +Harry’s heart leapt, and he moved closer, scared of +missing anything. +“Precisely,” said the headmaster. “My dear boy, you +must see how foolish it would be of me to allow you to +remain at the castle when term ends. Particularly in +light of the recent tragedy … the death of that poor +little girl. … You will be safer by far at your +orphanage. As a matter of fact, the Ministry of Magic +is even now talking about closing the school. We are +no nearer locating the — er — source of all this +unpleasantness. …” +Riddle’s eyes had widened. +“Sir — if the person was caught — if it all stopped —” +“What do you mean?” said Dippet with a squeak in +his voice, sitting up in his chair. “Riddle, do you mean +you know something about these attacks?” +“No, sir,” said Riddle quickly. +P a g e | 273 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +But Harry was sure it was the same sort of “no” that +he himself had given Dumbledore. +Dippet sank back, looking faintly disappointed. +“You may go, Tom. …” +Riddle slid off his chair and slouched out of the room. +Harry followed him. +Down the moving spiral staircase they went, emerging +next to the gargoyle in the darkening corridor. Riddle +stopped, and so did Harry, watching him. Harry could +tell that Riddle was doing some serious thinking. He +was biting his lip, his forehead furrowed. +Then, as though he had suddenly reached a decision, +he hurried off, Harry gliding noiselessly behind him. +They didn’t see another person until they reached the +entrance hall, when a tall wizard with long, sweeping +auburn hair and a beard called to Riddle from the +marble staircase. +“What are you doing, wandering around this late, +Tom?” +Harry gaped at the wizard. He was none other than a +fifty-year-younger Dumbledore. +“I had to see the headmaster, sir,” said Riddle. +“Well, hurry off to bed,” said Dumbledore, giving +Riddle exactly the kind of penetrating stare Harry +knew so well. “Best not to roam the corridors these +days. Not since …” +He sighed heavily, bade Riddle good night, and strode +off. Riddle watched him walk out of sight and then, +P a g e | 274 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +moving quickly, headed straight down the stone steps +to the dungeons, with Harry in hot pursuit. +But to Harry’s disappointment, Riddle led him not +into a hidden passageway or a secret tunnel but to +the very dungeon in which Harry had Potions with +Snape. The torches hadn’t been lit, and when Riddle +pushed the door almost closed, Harry could only just +see him, standing stock-still by the door, watching +the passage outside. +It felt to Harry that they were there for at least an +hour. All he could see was the figure of Riddle at the +door, staring through the crack, waiting like a statue. +And just when Harry had stopped feeling expectant +and tense and started wishing he could return to the +present, he heard something move beyond the door. +Someone was creeping along the passage. He heard +whoever it was pass the dungeon where he and Riddle +were hidden. Riddle, quiet as a shadow, edged +through the door and followed, Harry tiptoeing behind +him, forgetting that he couldn’t be heard. +For perhaps five minutes they followed the footsteps, +until Riddle stopped suddenly, his head inclined in +the direction of new noises. Harry heard a door creak +open, and then someone speaking in a hoarse +whisper. +“C’mon … gotta get yeh outta here. … C’mon now … +in the box …” +There was something familiar about that voice. … +Riddle suddenly jumped around the corner. Harry +stepped out behind him. He could see the dark +outline of a huge boy who was crouching in front of +an open door, a very large box next to it. +P a g e | 275 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“ ’Evening, Rubeus,” said Riddle sharply. +The boy slammed the door shut and stood up. +“What yer doin’ down here, Tom?” +Riddle stepped closer. +“It’s all over,” he said. “I’m going to have to turn you +in, Rubeus. They’re talking about closing Hogwarts if +the attacks don’t stop.” +“What d’yeh —” +“I don’t think you meant to kill anyone. But monsters +don’t make good pets. I suppose you just let it out for +exercise and —” +“It never killed no one!” said the large boy, backing +against the closed door. From behind him, Harry +could hear a funny rustling and clicking. +“Come on, Rubeus,” said Riddle, moving yet closer. +“The dead girl’s parents will be here tomorrow. The +least Hogwarts can do is make sure that the thing +that killed their daughter is slaughtered. …” +“It wasn’t him!” roared the boy, his voice echoing in +the dark passage. “He wouldn’! He never!” +“Stand aside,” said Riddle, drawing out his wand. +His spell lit the corridor with a sudden flaming light. +The door behind the large boy flew open with such +force it knocked him into the wall opposite. And out of +it came something that made Harry let out a long, +piercing scream unheard by anyone — +P a g e | 276 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +A vast, low-slung, hairy body and a tangle of black +legs; a gleam of many eyes and a pair of razor-sharp +pincers — Riddle raised his wand again, but he was +too late. The thing bowled him over as it scuttled +away, tearing up the corridor and out of sight. Riddle +scrambled to his feet, looking after it; he raised his +wand, but the huge boy leapt on him, seized his +wand, and threw him back down, yelling, +“NOOOOOOO!” +The scene whirled, the darkness became complete; +Harry felt himself falling and, with a crash, he landed +spread-eagled on his four-poster in the Gryffindor +dormitory, Riddle’s diary lying open on his stomach. +Before he had had time to regain his breath, the +dormitory door opened and Ron came in. +“There you are,” he said. +Harry sat up. He was sweating and shaking. +“What’s up?” said Ron, looking at him with concern. +“It was Hagrid, Ron. Hagrid opened the Chamber of +Secrets fifty years ago.” +P a g e | 277 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +CORNELIUS FUDGE +Harry, Ron, and Hermione had always known that +Hagrid had an unfortunate liking for large and +monstrous creatures. During their first year at +Hogwarts he had tried to raise a dragon in his little +wooden house, and it would be a long time before +they forgot the giant, three-headed dog he’d +christened “Fluffy.” And if, as a boy, Hagrid had heard +that a monster was hidden somewhere in the castle, +Harry was sure he’d have gone to any lengths for a +glimpse of it. He’d probably thought it was a shame +that the monster had been cooped up so long, and +thought it deserved the chance to stretch its many +legs; Harry could just imagine the thirteen-year-old +Hagrid trying to fit a leash and collar on it. But he +was equally certain that Hagrid would never have +meant to kill anybody. +Harry half wished he hadn’t found out how to work +Riddle’s diary. Again and again Ron and Hermione +made him recount what he’d seen, until he was +heartily sick of telling them and sick of the long, +circular conversations that followed. +P a g e | 278 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Riddle might have got the wrong person,” said +Hermione. “Maybe it was some other monster that +was attacking people. …” +“How many monsters d’you think this place can +hold?” Ron asked dully. +“We always knew Hagrid had been expelled,” said +Harry miserably. “And the attacks must’ve stopped +after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise, Riddle +wouldn’t have got his award.” +Ron tried a different tack. +“Riddle does sound like Percy — who asked him to +squeal on Hagrid, anyway?” +“But the monster had killed someone, Ron,” said +Hermione. +“And Riddle was going to go back to some Muggle +orphanage if they closed Hogwarts,” said Harry. “I +don’t blame him for wanting to stay here. …” +“You met Hagrid down Knockturn Alley, didn’t you, +Harry?” +“He was buying a Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent,” said +Harry quickly. +The three of them fell silent. After a long pause, +Hermione voiced the knottiest question of all in a +hesitant voice. +“Do you think we should go and ask Hagrid about it +all?” +P a g e | 279 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“That’d be a cheerful visit,” said Ron. “ ‘Hello, Hagrid. +Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and +hairy loose in the castle lately?’ ” +In the end, they decided that they would not say +anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack, +and as more and more days went by with no whisper +from the disembodied voice, they became hopeful that +they would never need to talk to him about why he +had been expelled. It was now nearly four months +since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been +Petrified, and nearly everybody seemed to think that +the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good. +Peeves had finally got bored of his “Oh, Potter, you +rotter” song, Ernie Macmillan asked Harry quite +politely to pass a bucket of leaping toadstools in +Herbology one day, and in March several of the +Mandrakes threw a loud and raucous party in +greenhouse three. This made Professor Sprout very +happy. +“The moment they start trying to move into each +other’s pots, we’ll know they’re fully mature,” she told +Harry. “Then we’ll be able to revive those poor people +in the hospital wing.” +The second years were given something new to think +about during their Easter holidays. The time had +come to choose their subjects for the third year, a +matter that Hermione, at least, took very seriously. +“It could affect our whole future,” she told Harry and +Ron as they pored over lists of new subjects, marking +them with checks. +“I just want to give up Potions,” said Harry. +P a g e | 280 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“We can’t,” said Ron gloomily. “We keep all our old +subjects, or I’d’ve ditched Defense Against the Dark +Arts.” +“But that’s very important!” said Hermione, shocked. +“Not the way Lockhart teaches it,” said Ron. “I haven’t +learned anything from him except not to set pixies +loose.” +Neville Longbottom had been sent letters from all the +witches and wizards in his family, all giving him +different advice on what to choose. Confused and +worried, he sat reading the subject lists with his +tongue poking out, asking people whether they +thought Arithmancy sounded more difficult than the +study of Ancient Runes. Dean Thomas, who, like +Harry, had grown up with Muggles, ended up closing +his eyes and jabbing his wand at the list, then picking +the subjects it landed on. Hermione took nobody’s +advice but signed up for everything. +Harry smiled grimly to himself at the thought of what +Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would say if he tried +to discuss his career in wizardry with them. Not that +he didn’t get any guidance: Percy Weasley was eager +to share his experience. +“Depends where you want to go, Harry,” he said. “It’s +never too early to think about the future, so I’d +recommend Divination. People say Muggle Studies is +a soft option, but I personally think wizards should +have a thorough understanding of the non-magical +community, particularly if they’re thinking of working +in close contact with them — look at my father, he +has to deal with Muggle business all the time. My +brother Charlie was always more of an outdoor type, +so he went for Care of Magical Creatures. Play to your +strengths, Harry.” +P a g e | 281 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +But the only thing Harry felt he was really good at +was Quidditch. In the end, he chose the same new +subjects as Ron, feeling that if he was lousy at them, +at least he’d have someone friendly to help him. +Gryffindor’s next Quidditch match would be against +Hufflepuff. Wood was insisting on team practices +every night after dinner, so that Harry barely had +time for anything but Quidditch and homework. +However, the training sessions were getting better, or +at least drier, and the evening before Saturday’s +match he went up to his dormitory to drop off his +broomstick feeling Gryffindor’s chances for the +Quidditch Cup had never been better. +But his cheerful mood didn’t last long. At the top of +the stairs to the dormitory, he met Neville +Longbottom, who was looking frantic. +“Harry — I don’t know who did it — I just found —” +Watching Harry fearfully, Neville pushed open the +door. +The contents of Harry’s trunk had been thrown +everywhere. His cloak lay ripped on the floor. The +bedclothes had been pulled off his four-poster and the +drawer had been pulled out of his bedside cabinet, +the contents strewn over the mattress. +Harry walked over to the bed, openmouthed, treading +on a few loose pages of Travels with Trolls. As he and +Neville pulled the blankets back onto his bed, Ron, +Dean, and Seamus came in. Dean swore loudly. +“What happened, Harry?” +“No idea,” said Harry. But Ron was examining Harry’s +robes. All the pockets were hanging out. +P a g e | 282 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Someone’s been looking for something,” said Ron. “Is +there anything missing?” +Harry started to pick up all his things and throw +them into his trunk. It was only as he threw the last +of the Lockhart books back into it that he realized +what wasn’t there. +“Riddle’s diary’s gone,” he said in an undertone to +Ron. +“What?” +Harry jerked his head toward the dormitory door and +Ron followed him out. They hurried down to the +Gryffindor common room, which was half-empty, and +joined Hermione, who was sitting alone, reading a +book called Ancient Runes Made Easy. +Hermione looked aghast at the news. +“But — only a Gryffindor could have stolen — nobody +else knows our password —” +“Exactly,” said Harry. +They woke the next day to brilliant sunshine and a +light, refreshing breeze. +“Perfect Quidditch conditions!” said Wood +enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table, loading the +team’s plates with scrambled eggs. “Harry, buck up +there, you need a decent breakfast.” +Harry had been staring down the packed Gryffindor +table, wondering if the new owner of Riddle’s diary +was right in front of his eyes. Hermione had been +urging him to report the robbery, but Harry didn’t like +the idea. He’d have to tell a teacher all about the +P a g e | 283 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +diary, and how many people knew why Hagrid had +been expelled fifty years ago? He didn’t want to be the +one who brought it all up again. +As he left the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione to go +and collect his Quidditch things, another very serious +worry was added to Harry’s growing list. He had just +set foot on the marble staircase when he heard it yet +again — +“Kill this time … let me rip … tear …” +He shouted aloud and Ron and Hermione both +jumped away from him in alarm. +“The voice!” said Harry, looking over his shoulder. “I +just heard it again — didn’t you?” +Ron shook his head, wide-eyed. Hermione, however, +clapped a hand to her forehead. +“Harry — I think I’ve just understood something! I’ve +got to go to the library!” +And she sprinted away, up the stairs. +“What does she understand?” said Harry distractedly, +still looking around, trying to tell where the voice had +come from. +“Loads more than I do,” said Ron, shaking his head. +“But why’s she got to go to the library?” +“Because that’s what Hermione does,” said Ron, +shrugging. “When in doubt, go to the library.” +Harry stood, irresolute, trying to catch the voice +again, but people were now emerging from the Great +P a g e | 284 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Hall behind him, talking loudly, exiting through the +front doors on their way to the Quidditch pitch. +“You’d better get moving,” said Ron. “It’s nearly eleven +— the match —” +Harry raced up to Gryffindor Tower, collected his +Nimbus Two Thousand, and joined the large crowd +swarming across the grounds, but his mind was still +in the castle along with the bodiless voice, and as he +pulled on his scarlet robes in the locker room, his +only comfort was that everyone was now outside to +watch the game. +The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous +applause. Oliver Wood took off for a warm-up flight +around the goal posts; Madam Hooch released the +balls. The Hufflepuffs, who played in canary yellow, +were standing in a huddle, having a last-minute +discussion of tactics. +Harry was just mounting his broom when Professor +McGonagall came half marching, half running across +the pitch, carrying an enormous purple megaphone. +Harry’s heart dropped like a stone. +“This match has been canceled,” Professor +McGonagall called through the megaphone, +addressing the packed stadium. There were boos and +shouts. Oliver Wood, looking devastated, landed and +ran toward Professor McGonagall without getting off +his broomstick. +“But, Professor!” he shouted. “We’ve got to play — the +Cup — Gryffindor —” +Professor McGonagall ignored him and continued to +shout through her megaphone: +P a g e | 285 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“All students are to make their way back to the House +common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give +them further information. As quickly as you can, +please!” +Then she lowered the megaphone and beckoned +Harry over to her. +“Potter, I think you’d better come with me. …” +Wondering how she could possibly suspect him this +time, Harry saw Ron detach himself from the +complaining crowd; he came running up to them as +they set off toward the castle. To Harry’s surprise, +Professor McGonagall didn’t object. +“Yes, perhaps you’d better come, too, Weasley. …” +Some of the students swarming around them were +grumbling about the match being canceled; others +looked worried. Harry and Ron followed Professor +McGonagall back into the school and up the marble +staircase. But they weren’t taken to anybody’s office +this time. +“This will be a bit of a shock,” said Professor +McGonagall in a surprisingly gentle voice as they +approached the infirmary. “There has been another +attack … another double attack.” +Harry’s insides did a horrible somersault. Professor +McGonagall pushed the door open and he and Ron +entered. +Madam Pomfrey was bending over a sixth-year girl +with long, curly hair. Harry recognized her as the +Ravenclaw they’d accidentally asked for directions to +the Slytherin common room. And on the bed next to +her was — +P a g e | 286 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Hermione!” Ron groaned. +Hermione lay utterly still, her eyes open and glassy. +“They were found near the library,” said Professor +McGonagall. “I don’t suppose either of you can +explain this? It was on the floor next to them. …” +She was holding up a small, circular mirror. +Harry and Ron shook their heads, both staring at +Hermione. +“I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower,” said +Professor McGonagall heavily. “I need to address the +students in any case.” +“All students will return to their House common +rooms by six o’clock in the evening. No student is to +leave the dormitories after that time. You will be +escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to +use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All +further Quidditch training and matches are to be +postponed. There will be no more evening activities.” +The Gryffindors packed inside the common room +listened to Professor McGonagall in silence. She rolled +up the parchment from which she had been reading +and said in a somewhat choked voice, “I need hardly +add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely +that the school will be closed unless the culprit +behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone +who thinks they might know anything about them to +come forward.” +She climbed somewhat awkwardly out of the portrait +hole, and the Gryffindors began talking immediately. +P a g e | 287 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“That’s two Gryffindors down, not counting a +Gryffindor ghost, one Ravenclaw, and one Hufflepuff,” +said the Weasley twins’ friend Lee Jordan, counting +on his fingers. “Haven’t any of the teachers noticed +that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn’t it obvious all this +stuff’s coming from Slytherin? The Heir of Slytherin, +the monster of Slytherin — why don’t they just chuck +all the Slytherins out?” he roared, to nods and +scattered applause. +Percy Weasley was sitting in a chair behind Lee, but +for once he didn’t seem keen to make his views heard. +He was looking pale and stunned. +“Percy’s in shock,” George told Harry quietly. “That +Ravenclaw girl — Penelope Clearwater — she’s a +prefect. I don’t think he thought the monster would +dare attack a prefect.” +But Harry was only half-listening. He didn’t seem to +be able to get rid of the picture of Hermione, lying on +the hospital bed as though carved out of stone. And if +the culprit wasn’t caught soon, he was looking at a +lifetime back with the Dursleys. Tom Riddle had +turned Hagrid in because he was faced with the +prospect of a Muggle orphanage if the school closed. +Harry now knew exactly how he had felt. +“What’re we going to do?” said Ron quietly in Harry’s +ear. “D’you think they suspect Hagrid?” +“We’ve got to go and talk to him,” said Harry, making +up his mind. “I can’t believe it’s him this time, but if +he set the monster loose last time he’ll know how to +get inside the Chamber of Secrets, and that’s a start.” +“But McGonagall said we’ve got to stay in our tower +unless we’re in class —” +P a g e | 288 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I think,” said Harry, more quietly still, “it’s time to +get my dad’s old cloak out again.” +Harry had inherited just one thing from his father: a +long and silvery Invisibility Cloak. It was their only +chance of sneaking out of the school to visit Hagrid +without anyone knowing about it. They went to bed at +the usual time, waited until Neville, Dean, and +Seamus had stopped discussing the Chamber of +Secrets and finally fallen asleep, then got up, dressed +again, and threw the cloak over themselves. +The journey through the dark and deserted castle +corridors wasn’t enjoyable. Harry, who had wandered +the castle at night several times before, had never +seen it so crowded after sunset. Teachers, prefects, +and ghosts were marching the corridors in pairs, +staring around for any unusual activity. Their +Invisibility Cloak didn’t stop them making any noise, +and there was a particularly tense moment when Ron +stubbed his toe only yards from the spot where Snape +stood standing guard. Thankfully, Snape sneezed at +almost exactly the moment Ron swore. It was with +relief that they reached the oak front doors and eased +them open. +It was a clear, starry night. They hurried toward the +lit windows of Hagrid’s house and pulled off the cloak +only when they were right outside his front door. +Seconds after they had knocked, Hagrid flung it open. +They found themselves face-to-face with him aiming a +crossbow at them. Fang the boarhound barked loudly +behind him. +“Oh,” he said, lowering the weapon and staring at +them. “What’re you two doin’ here?” +P a g e | 289 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“What’s that for?” said Harry, pointing at the +crossbow as they stepped inside. +“Nothin’ — nothin’ — “ Hagrid muttered. “I’ve bin +expectin’ — doesn’ matter — Sit down — I’ll make tea +—” +He hardly seemed to know what he was doing. He +nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the +kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a +nervous jerk of his massive hand. +“Are you okay, Hagrid?” said Harry. “Did you hear +about Hermione?” +“Oh, I heard, all righ’,” said Hagrid, a slight break in +his voice. +He kept glancing nervously at the windows. He +poured them both large mugs of boiling water (he had +forgotten to add tea bags) and was just putting a slab +of fruitcake on a plate when there was a loud knock +on the door. +Hagrid dropped the fruitcake. Harry and Ron +exchanged panic-stricken looks, then threw the +Invisibility Cloak back over themselves and retreated +into a corner. Hagrid checked that they were hidden, +seized his crossbow, and flung open his door once +more. +“Good evening, Hagrid.” +It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly +serious, and was followed by a second, very odd- +looking man. +The stranger had rumpled gray hair and an anxious +expression, and was wearing a strange mixture of +P a g e | 290 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +clothes: a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black +cloak, and pointed purple boots. Under his arm he +carried a lime-green bowler. +“That’s Dad’s boss!” Ron breathed. “Cornelius Fudge, +the Minister of Magic!” +Harry elbowed Ron hard to make him shut up. +Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into +one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore to +Cornelius Fudge. +“Bad business, Hagrid,” said Fudge in rather clipped +tones. “Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks +on Muggle-borns. Things’ve gone far enough. +Ministry’s got to act.” +“I never,” said Hagrid, looking imploringly at +Dumbledore. “You know I never, Professor +Dumbledore, sir —” +“I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my +full confidence,” said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge. +“Look, Albus,” said Fudge, uncomfortably. “Hagrid’s +record’s against him. Ministry’s got to do something +— the school governors have been in touch —” +“Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid +away will not help in the slightest,” said Dumbledore. +His blue eyes were full of a fire Harry had never seen +before. +“Look at it from my point of view,” said Fudge, +fidgeting with his bowler. “I’m under a lot of pressure. +Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it +wasn’t Hagrid, he’ll be back and no more said. But +P a g e | 291 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +I’ve got to take him. Got to. Wouldn’t be doing my +duty —” +“Take me?” said Hagrid, who was trembling. “Take me +where?” +“For a short stretch only,” said Fudge, not meeting +Hagrid’s eyes. “Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a +precaution. If someone else is caught, you’ll be let out +with a full apology —” +“Not Azkaban?” croaked Hagrid. +Before Fudge could answer, there was another loud +rap on the door. +Dumbledore answered it. It was Harry’s turn for an +elbow in the ribs; he’d let out an audible gasp. +Mr. Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid’s hut, swathed +in a long black traveling cloak, smiling a cold and +satisfied smile. Fang started to growl. +“Already here, Fudge,” he said approvingly. “Good, +good …” +“What’re you doin’ here?” said Hagrid furiously. “Get +outta my house!” +“My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure +at all in being inside your — er — d’you call this a +house?” said Lucius Malfoy, sneering as he looked +around the small cabin. “I simply called at the school +and was told that the headmaster was here.” +“And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?” +said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was +still blazing in his blue eyes. +P a g e | 292 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Dreadful thing, Dumbledore,” said Malfoy lazily, +taking out a long roll of parchment, “but the +governors feel it’s time for you to step aside. This is +an Order of Suspension — you’ll find all twelve +signatures on it. I’m afraid we feel you’re losing your +touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two +more this afternoon, wasn’t it? At this rate, there’ll be +no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts, and we all know +what an awful loss that would be to the school.” +“Oh, now, see here, Lucius,” said Fudge, looking +alarmed, “Dumbledore suspended — no, no — last +thing we want just now —” +“The appointment — or suspension — of the +headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge,” +said Mr. Malfoy smoothly. “And as Dumbledore has +failed to stop these attacks —” +“See here, Malfoy, if Dumbledore can’t stop them,” +said Fudge, whose upper lip was sweating now, “I +mean to say, who can?” +“That remains to be seen,” said Mr. Malfoy with a +nasty smile. “But as all twelve of us have voted —” +Hagrid leapt to his feet, his shaggy black head grazing +the ceiling. +“An’ how many did yeh have ter threaten an’ +blackmail before they agreed, Malfoy, eh?” he roared. +“Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead +you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid,” said Mr. +Malfoy. “I would advise you not to shout at the +Azkaban guards like that. They won’t like it at all.” +“Yeh can’ take Dumbledore!” yelled Hagrid, making +Fang the boarhound cower and whimper in his +P a g e | 293 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +basket. “Take him away, an’ the Muggle-borns won’ +stand a chance! There’ll be killin’ next!” +“Calm yourself, Hagrid,” said Dumbledore sharply. He +looked at Lucius Malfoy. +“If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of +course step aside —” +“But —” stuttered Fudge. +“No!” growled Hagrid. +Dumbledore had not taken his bright blue eyes off +Lucius Malfoy’s cold gray ones. +“However,” said Dumbledore, speaking very slowly +and clearly so that none of them could miss a word, +“you will find that I will only truly have left this school +when none here are loyal to me. You will also find +that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those +who ask for it.” +For a second, Harry was almost sure Dumbledore’s +eyes flickered toward the corner where he and Ron +stood hidden. +“Admirable sentiments,” said Malfoy, bowing. “We +shall all miss your — er — highly individual way of +running things, Albus, and only hope that your +successor will manage to prevent any — ah — killins.” +He strode to the cabin door, opened it, and bowed +Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling with his bowler, +waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him, but Hagrid +stood his ground, took a deep breath, and said +carefully, “If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, +all they’d have ter do would be ter follow the spiders. +That’d lead ’em right! That’s all I’m sayin’.” +P a g e | 294 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Fudge stared at him in amazement. +“All right, I’m comin’,” said Hagrid, pulling on his +moleskin overcoat. But as he was about to follow +Fudge through the door, he stopped again and said +loudly, “An’ someone’ll need ter feed Fang while I’m +away.” +The door banged shut and Ron pulled off the +Invisibility Cloak. +“We’re in trouble now,” he said hoarsely. “No +Dumbledore. They might as well close the school +tonight. There’ll be an attack a day with him gone.” +Fang started howling, scratching at the closed door. +P a g e | 295 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +ARAGOG +Summer was creeping over the grounds around the +castle; sky and lake alike turned periwinkle blue and +flowers large as cabbages burst into bloom in the +greenhouses. But with no Hagrid visible from the +castle windows, striding the grounds with Fang at his +heels, the scene didn’t look right to Harry; no better, +in fact, than the inside of the castle, where things +were so horribly wrong. +Harry and Ron had tried to visit Hermione, but +visitors were now barred from the hospital wing. +“We’re taking no more chances,” Madam Pomfrey told +them severely through a crack in the infirmary door. +“No, I’m sorry, there’s every chance the attacker might +come back to finish these people off. …” +With Dumbledore gone, fear had spread as never +before, so that the sun warming the castle walls +outside seemed to stop at the mullioned windows. +There was barely a face to be seen in the school that +didn’t look worried and tense, and any laughter that +P a g e | 296 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +rang through the corridors sounded shrill and +unnatural and was quickly stifled. +Harry constantly repeated Dumbledore’s final words +to himself. “I will only truly have left this school when +none here are loyal to me. … Help will always be given +at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.” But what good +were these words? Who exactly were they supposed to +ask for help, when everyone was just as confused and +scared as they were? +Hagrid’s hint about the spiders was far easier to +understand — the trouble was, there didn’t seem to +be a single spider left in the castle to follow. Harry +looked everywhere he went, helped (rather reluctantly) +by Ron. They were hampered, of course, by the fact +that they weren’t allowed to wander off on their own +but had to move around the castle in a pack with the +other Gryffindors. Most of their fellow students +seemed glad that they were being shepherded from +class to class by teachers, but Harry found it very +irksome. +One person, however, seemed to be thoroughly +enjoying the atmosphere of terror and suspicion. +Draco Malfoy was strutting around the school as +though he had just been appointed Head Boy. Harry +didn’t realize what he was so pleased about until the +Potions lesson about two weeks after Dumbledore and +Hagrid had left, when, sitting right behind Malfoy, +Harry overheard him gloating to Crabbe and Goyle. +“I always thought Father might be the one who got rid +of Dumbledore,” he said, not troubling to keep his +voice down. “I told you he thinks Dumbledore’s the +worst headmaster the school’s ever had. Maybe we’ll +get a decent headmaster now. Someone who won’t +want the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall +won’t last long, she’s only filling in. …” +P a g e | 297 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Snape swept past Harry, making no comment about +Hermione’s empty seat and cauldron. +“Sir,” said Malfoy loudly. “Sir, why don’t you apply for +the headmaster’s job?” +“Now, now, Malfoy,” said Snape, though he couldn’t +suppress a thin-lipped smile. “Professor Dumbledore +has only been suspended by the governors. I daresay +he’ll be back with us soon enough.” +“Yeah, right,” said Malfoy, smirking. “I expect you’d +have Father’s vote, sir, if you wanted to apply for the +job — I’ll tell Father you’re the best teacher here, sir +—” +Snape smirked as he swept off around the dungeon, +fortunately not spotting Seamus Finnigan, who was +pretending to vomit into his cauldron. +“I’m quite surprised the Mudbloods haven’t all packed +their bags by now,” Malfoy went on. “Bet you five +Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn’t Granger —” +The bell rang at that moment, which was lucky; at +Malfoy’s last words, Ron had leapt off his stool, and in +the scramble to collect bags and books, his attempts +to reach Malfoy went unnoticed. +“Let me at him,” Ron growled as Harry and Dean +hung onto his arms. “I don’t care, I don’t need my +wand, I’m going to kill him with my bare hands —” +“Hurry up, I’ve got to take you all to Herbology,” +barked Snape over the class’s heads, and off they +marched, with Harry, Ron, and Dean bringing up the +rear, Ron still trying to get loose. It was only safe to +let go of him when Snape had seen them out of the +P a g e | 298 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +castle and they were making their way across the +vegetable patch toward the greenhouses. +The Herbology class was very subdued; there were +now two missing from their number, Justin and +Hermione. +Professor Sprout set them all to work pruning the +Abyssinian Shrivelfigs. Harry went to tip an armful of +withered stalks onto the compost heap and found +himself face-to-face with Ernie Macmillan. Ernie took +a deep breath and said, very formally, “I just want to +say, Harry, that I’m sorry I ever suspected you. I +know you’d never attack Hermione Granger, and I +apologize for all the stuff I said. We’re all in the same +boat now, and, well —” +He held out a pudgy hand, and Harry shook it. +Ernie and his friend Hannah came to work at the +same Shrivelfig as Harry and Ron. +“That Draco Malfoy character,” said Ernie, breaking +off dead twigs, “he seems very pleased about all this, +doesn’t he? D’you know, I think he might be +Slytherin’s heir.” +“That’s clever of you,” said Ron, who didn’t seem to +have forgiven Ernie as readily as Harry. +“Do you think it’s Malfoy, Harry?” Ernie asked. +“No,” said Harry, so firmly that Ernie and Hannah +stared. +A second later, Harry spotted something. +Several large spiders were scuttling over the ground +on the other side of the glass, moving in an +P a g e | 299 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +unnaturally straight line as though taking the +shortest route to a prearranged meeting. Harry hit +Ron over the hand with his pruning shears. +“Ouch! What’re you —” +Harry pointed out the spiders, following their progress +with his eyes screwed up against the sun. +“Oh, yeah,” said Ron, trying, and failing, to look +pleased. “But we can’t follow them now —” +Ernie and Hannah were listening curiously. +Harry’s eyes narrowed as he focused on the spiders. If +they pursued their fixed course, there could be no +doubt about where they would end up. +“Looks like they’re heading for the Forbidden Forest. +…” +And Ron looked even unhappier about that. +At the end of the lesson Professor Sprout escorted the +class to their Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. +Harry and Ron lagged behind the others so they could +talk out of earshot. +“We’ll have to use the Invisibility Cloak again,” Harry +told Ron. “We can take Fang with us. He’s used to +going into the forest with Hagrid, he might be some +help.” +“Right,” said Ron, who was twirling his wand +nervously in his fingers. “Er — aren’t there — aren’t +there supposed to be werewolves in the forest?” he +added as they took their usual places at the back of +Lockhart’s classroom. +P a g e | 300 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Preferring not to answer that question, Harry said, +“There are good things in there, too. The centaurs are +all right, and the unicorns …” +Ron had never been into the Forbidden Forest before. +Harry had entered it only once and had hoped never +to do so again. +Lockhart bounded into the room and the class stared +at him. Every other teacher in the place was looking +grimmer than usual, but Lockhart appeared nothing +short of buoyant. +“Come now,” he cried, beaming around him. “Why all +these long faces?” +People swapped exasperated looks, but nobody +answered. +“Don’t you people realize,” said Lockhart, speaking +slowly, as though they were all a bit dim, “the danger +has passed! The culprit has been taken away —” +“Says who?” said Dean Thomas loudly. +“My dear young man, the Minister of Magic wouldn’t +have taken Hagrid if he hadn’t been one hundred +percent sure that he was guilty,” said Lockhart, in the +tone of someone explaining that one and one made +two. +“Oh, yes he would,” said Ron, even more loudly than +Dean. +“I flatter myself I know a touch more about Hagrid’s +arrest than you do, Mr. Weasley,” said Lockhart in a +self-satisfied tone. +P a g e | 301 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Ron started to say that he didn’t think so, somehow, +but stopped in midsentence when Harry kicked him +hard under the desk. +“We weren’t there, remember?” Harry muttered. +But Lockhart’s disgusting cheeriness, his hints that +he had always thought Hagrid was no good, his +confidence that the whole business was now at an +end, irritated Harry so much that he yearned to throw +Gadding with Ghouls right in Lockhart’s stupid face. +Instead he contented himself with scrawling a note to +Ron: Let’s do it tonight. +Ron read the message, swallowed hard, and looked +sideways at the empty seat usually filled by +Hermione. The sight seemed to stiffen his resolve, and +he nodded. + +The Gryffindor common room was always very +crowded these days, because from six o’clock onward +the Gryffindors had nowhere else to go. They also had +plenty to talk about, with the result that the common +room often didn’t empty until past midnight. +Harry went to get the Invisibility Cloak out of his +trunk right after dinner, and spent the evening sitting +on it, waiting for the room to clear. Fred and George +challenged Harry and Ron to a few games of +Exploding Snap, and Ginny sat watching them, very +subdued in Hermione’s usual chair. Harry and Ron +kept losing on purpose, trying to finish the games +quickly, but even so, it was well past midnight when +Fred, George, and Ginny finally went to bed. +Harry and Ron waited for the distant sounds of two +dormitory doors closing before seizing the cloak, +P a g e | 302 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +throwing it over themselves, and climbing through the +portrait hole. +It was another difficult journey through the castle, +dodging all the teachers. At last they reached the +entrance hall, slid back the lock on the oak front +doors, squeezed between them, trying to stop any +creaking, and stepped out into the moonlit grounds. +“ ’Course,” said Ron abruptly as they strode across +the black grass, “we might get to the forest and find +there’s nothing to follow. Those spiders might not’ve +been going there at all. I know it looked like they were +moving in that sort of general direction, but …” +His voice trailed away hopefully. +They reached Hagrid’s house, sad and sorry-looking +with its blank windows. When Harry pushed the door +open, Fang went mad with joy at the sight of them. +Worried he might wake everyone at the castle with his +deep, booming barks, they hastily fed him treacle +toffee from a tin on the mantelpiece, which glued his +teeth together. +Harry left the Invisibility Cloak on Hagrid’s table. +There would be no need for it in the pitch-dark forest. +“C’mon, Fang, we’re going for a walk,” said Harry, +patting his leg, and Fang bounded happily out of the +house behind them, dashed to the edge of the forest, +and lifted his leg against a large sycamore tree. +Harry took out his wand, murmured, “Lumos!” and a +tiny light appeared at the end of it, just enough to let +them watch the path for signs of spiders. +“Good thinking,” said Ron. “I’d light mine, too, but +you know — it’d probably blow up or something. …” +P a g e | 303 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry tapped Ron on the shoulder, pointing at the +grass. Two solitary spiders were hurrying away from +the wandlight into the shade of the trees. +“Okay,” Ron sighed as though resigned to the worst, +“I’m ready. Let’s go.” +So, with Fang scampering around them, sniffing tree +roots and leaves, they entered the forest. By the glow +of Harry’s wand, they followed the steady trickle of +spiders moving along the path. They walked behind +them for about twenty minutes, not speaking, +listening hard for noises other than breaking twigs +and rustling leaves. Then, when the trees had become +thicker than ever, so that the stars overhead were no +longer visible, and Harry’s wand shone alone in the +sea of dark, they saw their spider guides leaving the +path. +Harry paused, trying to see where the spiders were +going, but everything outside his little sphere of light +was pitch-black. He had never been this deep into the +forest before. He could vividly remember Hagrid +advising him not to leave the forest path last time +he’d been in here. But Hagrid was miles away now, +probably sitting in a cell in Azkaban, and he had also +said to follow the spiders. +Something wet touched Harry’s hand and he jumped +backward, crushing Ron’s foot, but it was only Fang’s +nose. +“What d’you reckon?” Harry said to Ron, whose eyes +he could just make out, reflecting the light from his +wand. +“We’ve come this far,” said Ron. +P a g e | 304 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +So they followed the darting shadows of the spiders +into the trees. They couldn’t move very quickly now; +there were tree roots and stumps in their way, barely +visible in the near blackness. Harry could feel Fang’s +hot breath on his hand. More than once, they had to +stop, so that Harry could crouch down and find the +spiders in the wandlight. +They walked for what seemed like at least half an +hour, their robes snagging on low-slung branches and +brambles. After a while, they noticed that the ground +seemed to be sloping downward, though the trees +were as thick as ever. +Then Fang suddenly let loose a great, echoing bark, +making both Harry and Ron jump out of their skins. +“What?” said Ron loudly, looking around into the +pitch-dark, and gripping Harry’s elbow very hard. +“There’s something moving over there,” Harry +breathed. “Listen … sounds like something big. …” +They listened. Some distance to their right, the +something big was snapping branches as it carved a +path through the trees. +“Oh, no,” said Ron. “Oh, no, oh, no, oh —” +“Shut up,” said Harry frantically. “It’ll hear you.” +“Hear me?” said Ron in an unnaturally high voice. +“It’s already heard Fang!” +The darkness seemed to be pressing on their eyeballs +as they stood, terrified, waiting. There was a strange +rumbling noise and then silence. +“What d’you think it’s doing?” said Harry. +P a g e | 305 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Probably getting ready to pounce,” said Ron. +They waited, shivering, hardly daring to move. +“D’you think it’s gone?” Harry whispered. +“Dunno —” +Then, to their right, came a sudden blaze of light, so +bright in the darkness that both of them flung up +their hands to shield their eyes. Fang yelped and tried +to run, but got lodged in a tangle of thorns and yelped +even louder. +“Harry!” Ron shouted, his voice breaking with relief. +“Harry, it’s our car!” +“What?” +“Come on!” +Harry blundered after Ron toward the light, stumbling +and tripping, and a moment later they had emerged +into a clearing. +Mr. Weasley’s car was standing, empty, in the middle +of a circle of thick trees under a roof of dense +branches, its headlights ablaze. As Ron walked, +openmouthed, toward it, it moved slowly toward him, +exactly like a large, turquoise dog greeting its owner. +“It’s been here all the time!” said Ron delightedly, +walking around the car. “Look at it. The forest’s +turned it wild. …” +The sides of the car were scratched and smeared with +mud. Apparently it had taken to trundling around the +forest on its own. Fang didn’t seem at all keen on it; +he kept close to Harry, who could feel him quivering. +P a g e | 306 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +His breathing slowing down again, Harry stuffed his +wand back into his robes. +“And we thought it was going to attack us!” said Ron, +leaning against the car and patting it. “I wondered +where it had gone!” +Harry squinted around on the floodlit ground for +signs of more spiders, but they had all scuttled away +from the glare of the headlights. +“We’ve lost the trail,” he said. “C’mon, let’s go and find +them.” +Ron didn’t speak. He didn’t move. His eyes were fixed +on a point some ten feet above the forest floor, right +behind Harry. His face was livid with terror. +Harry didn’t even have time to turn around. There +was a loud clicking noise and suddenly he felt +something long and hairy seize him around the +middle and lift him off the ground, so that he was +hanging facedown. Struggling, terrified, he heard +more clicking, and saw Ron’s legs leave the ground, +too, heard Fang whimpering and howling — next +moment, he was being swept away into the dark +trees. +Head hanging, Harry saw that what had hold of him +was marching on six immensely long, hairy legs, the +front two clutching him tightly below a pair of shining +black pincers. Behind him, he could hear another of +the creatures, no doubt carrying Ron. They were +moving into the very heart of the forest. Harry could +hear Fang fighting to free himself from a third +monster, whining loudly, but Harry couldn’t have +yelled even if he had wanted to; he seemed to have left +his voice back with the car in the clearing. +P a g e | 307 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +He never knew how long he was in the creature’s +clutches; he only knew that the darkness suddenly +lifted enough for him to see that the leaf-strewn +ground was now swarming with spiders. Craning his +neck sideways, he realized that they had reached the +ridge of a vast hollow, a hollow that had been cleared +of trees, so that the stars shone brightly onto the +worst scene he had ever laid eyes on. +Spiders. Not tiny spiders like those surging over the +leaves below. Spiders the size of carthorses, eight- +eyed, eight-legged, black, hairy, gigantic. The massive +specimen that was carrying Harry made its way down +the steep slope toward a misty, domed web in the very +center of the hollow, while its fellows closed in all +around it, clicking their pincers excitedly at the sight +of its load. +Harry fell to the ground on all fours as the spider +released him. Ron and Fang thudded down next to +him. Fang wasn’t howling anymore, but cowering +silently on the spot. Ron looked exactly like Harry felt. +His mouth was stretched wide in a kind of silent +scream and his eyes were popping. +Harry suddenly realized that the spider that had +dropped him was saying something. It had been hard +to tell, because he clicked his pincers with every word +he spoke. +“Aragog!” it called. “Aragog!” +And from the middle of the misty, domed web, a +spider the size of a small elephant emerged, very +slowly. There was gray in the black of his body and +legs, and each of the eyes on his ugly, pincered head +was milky white. He was blind. +“What is it?” he said, clicking his pincers rapidly. +P a g e | 308 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Men,” clicked the spider who had caught Harry. +“Is it Hagrid?” said Aragog, moving closer, his eight +milky eyes wandering vaguely. +“Strangers,” clicked the spider who had brought Ron. +“Kill them,” clicked Aragog fretfully. “I was sleeping. +…” +“We’re friends of Hagrid’s,” Harry shouted. His heart +seemed to have left his chest to pound in his throat. +Click, click, click went the pincers of the spiders all +around the hollow. +Aragog paused. +“Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before,” +he said slowly. +“Hagrid’s in trouble,” said Harry, breathing very fast. +“That’s why we’ve come.” +“In trouble?” said the aged spider, and Harry thought +he heard concern beneath the clicking pincers. “But +why has he sent you?” +Harry thought of getting to his feet but decided +against it; he didn’t think his legs would support him. +So he spoke from the ground, as calmly as he could. +“They think, up at the school, that Hagrid’s been +setting a — a — something on students. They’ve +taken him to Azkaban.” +Aragog clicked his pincers furiously, and all around +the hollow the sound was echoed by the crowd of +P a g e | 309 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +spiders; it was like applause, except applause didn’t +usually make Harry feel sick with fear. +“But that was years ago,” said Aragog fretfully. “Years +and years ago. I remember it well. That’s why they +made him leave the school. They believed that I was +the monster that dwells in what they call the +Chamber of Secrets. They thought that Hagrid had +opened the Chamber and set me free.” +“And you … you didn’t come from the Chamber of +Secrets?” said Harry, who could feel cold sweat on his +forehead. +“I!” said Aragog, clicking angrily. “I was not born in +the castle. I come from a distant land. A traveler gave +me to Hagrid when I was an egg. Hagrid was only a +boy, but he cared for me, hidden in a cupboard in the +castle, feeding me on scraps from the table. Hagrid is +my good friend, and a good man. When I was +discovered, and blamed for the death of a girl, he +protected me. I have lived here in the forest ever +since, where Hagrid still visits me. He even found me +a wife, Mosag, and you see how our family has grown, +all through Hagrid’s goodness. …” +Harry summoned what remained of his courage. +“So you never — never attacked anyone?” +“Never,” croaked the old spider. “It would have been +my instinct, but out of respect for Hagrid, I never +harmed a human. The body of the girl who was killed +was discovered in a bathroom. I never saw any part of +the castle but the cupboard in which I grew up. Our +kind like the dark and the quiet. …” +P a g e | 310 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“But then … Do you know what did kill that girl?” +said Harry. “Because whatever it is, it’s back and +attacking people again —” +His words were drowned by a loud outbreak of +clicking and the rustling of many long legs shifting +angrily; large black shapes shifted all around him. +“The thing that lives in the castle,” said Aragog, “is an +ancient creature we spiders fear above all others. Well +do I remember how I pleaded with Hagrid to let me go, +when I sensed the beast moving about the school.” +“What is it?” said Harry urgently. +More loud clicking, more rustling; the spiders seemed +to be closing in. +“We do not speak of it!” said Aragog fiercely. “We do +not name it! I never even told Hagrid the name of that +dread creature, though he asked me, many times.” +Harry didn’t want to press the subject, not with the +spiders pressing closer on all sides. Aragog seemed to +be tired of talking. He was backing slowly into his +domed web, but his fellow spiders continued to inch +slowly toward Harry and Ron. +“We’ll just go, then,” Harry called desperately to +Aragog, hearing leaves rustling behind him. +“Go?” said Aragog slowly. “I think not. …” +“But — but —” +“My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my +command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when +it wanders so willingly into our midst. Good-bye, +friend of Hagrid.” +P a g e | 311 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry spun around. Feet away, towering above him, +was a solid wall of spiders, clicking, their many eyes +gleaming in their ugly black heads. +Even as he reached for his wand, Harry knew it was +no good, there were too many of them, but as he tried +to stand, ready to die fighting, a loud, long note +sounded, and a blaze of light flamed through the +hollow. +Mr. Weasley’s car was thundering down the slope, +headlights glaring, its horn screeching, knocking +spiders aside; several were thrown onto their backs, +their endless legs waving in the air. The car screeched +to a halt in front of Harry and Ron and the doors flew +open. +“Get Fang!” Harry yelled, diving into the front seat; +Ron seized the boarhound around the middle and +threw him, yelping, into the back of the car — the +doors slammed shut — Ron didn’t touch the +accelerator but the car didn’t need him; the engine +roared and they were off, hitting more spiders. They +sped up the slope, out of the hollow, and they were +soon crashing through the forest, branches whipping +the windows as the car wound its way cleverly +through the widest gaps, following a path it obviously +knew. +Harry looked sideways at Ron. His mouth was still +open in the silent scream, but his eyes weren’t +popping anymore. +“Are you okay?” +Ron stared straight ahead, unable to speak. +They smashed their way through the undergrowth, +Fang howling loudly in the back seat, and Harry saw +P a g e | 312 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +the side mirror snap off as they squeezed past a large +oak. After ten noisy, rocky minutes, the trees thinned, +and Harry could again see patches of sky. +The car stopped so suddenly that they were nearly +thrown into the windshield. They had reached the +edge of the forest. Fang flung himself at the window in +his anxiety to get out, and when Harry opened the +door, he shot off through the trees to Hagrid’s house, +tail between his legs. Harry got out too, and after a +minute or so, Ron seemed to regain the feeling in his +limbs and followed, still stiff-necked and staring. +Harry gave the car a grateful pat as it reversed back +into the forest and disappeared from view. +Harry went back into Hagrid’s cabin to get the +Invisibility Cloak. Fang was trembling under a +blanket in his basket. When Harry got outside again, +he found Ron being violently sick in the pumpkin +patch. +“Follow the spiders,” said Ron weakly, wiping his +mouth on his sleeve. “I’ll never forgive Hagrid. We’re +lucky to be alive.” +“I bet he thought Aragog wouldn’t hurt friends of his,” +said Harry. +“That’s exactly Hagrid’s problem!” said Ron, thumping +the wall of the cabin. “He always thinks monsters +aren’t as bad as they’re made out, and look where it’s +got him! A cell in Azkaban!” He was shivering +uncontrollably now. “What was the point of sending +us in there? What have we found out, I’d like to +know?” +“That Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets,” +said Harry, throwing the cloak over Ron and prodding +him in the arm to make him walk. “He was innocent.” +P a g e | 313 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Ron gave a loud snort. Evidently, hatching Aragog in +a cupboard wasn’t his idea of being innocent. +As the castle loomed nearer Harry twitched the cloak +to make sure their feet were hidden, then pushed the +creaking front doors ajar. They walked carefully back +across the entrance hall and up the marble staircase, +holding their breath as they passed corridors where +watchful sentries were walking. At last they reached +the safety of the Gryffindor common room, where the +fire had burned itself into glowing ash. They took off +the cloak and climbed the winding stair to their +dormitory. +Ron fell onto his bed without bothering to get +undressed. Harry, however, didn’t feel very sleepy. He +sat on the edge of his fourposter, thinking hard about +everything Aragog had said. +The creature that was lurking somewhere in the +castle, he thought, sounded like a sort of monster +Voldemort — even other monsters didn’t want to +name it. But he and Ron were no closer to finding out +what it was, or how it Petrified its victims. Even +Hagrid had never known what was in the Chamber of +Secrets. +Harry swung his legs up onto his bed and leaned +back against his pillows, watching the moon glinting +at him through the tower window. +He couldn’t see what else they could do. They had hit +dead ends everywhere. Riddle had caught the wrong +person, the Heir of Slytherin had got off, and no one +could tell whether it was the same person, or a +different one, who had opened the Chamber this time. +There was nobody else to ask. Harry lay down, still +thinking about what Aragog had said. +P a g e | 314 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +He was becoming drowsy when what seemed like +their very last hope occurred to him, and he suddenly +sat bolt upright. +“Ron,” he hissed through the dark, “Ron —” +Ron woke with a yelp like Fang’s, stared wildly +around, and saw Harry. +“Ron — that girl who died. Aragog said she was found +in a bathroom,” said Harry, ignoring Neville’s +snuffling snores from the corner. “What if she never +left the bathroom? What if she’s still there?” +Ron rubbed his eyes, frowning through the moonlight. +And then he understood, too. +“You don’t think — not Moaning Myrtle?” +P a g e | 315 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS +All those times we were in that bathroom, and she +was just three toilets away,” said Ron bitterly at +breakfast next day, “and we could’ve asked her, and +now …” +It had been hard enough trying to look for spiders. +Escaping their teachers long enough to sneak into a +girls’ bathroom, the girls’ bathroom, moreover, right +next to the scene of the first attack, was going to be +almost impossible. +But something happened in their first lesson, +Transfiguration, that drove the Chamber of Secrets +out of their minds for the first time in weeks. Ten +minutes into the class, Professor McGonagall told +them that their exams would start on the first of +June, one week from today. +“Exams?” howled Seamus Finnigan. “We’re still +getting exams?” +P a g e | 316 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +There was a loud bang behind Harry as Neville +Longbottom’s wand slipped, vanishing one of the legs +on his desk. Professor McGonagall restored it with a +wave of her own wand, and turned, frowning, to +Seamus. +“The whole point of keeping the school open at this +time is for you to receive your education,” she said +sternly. “The exams will therefore take place as usual, +and I trust you are all studying hard.” +Studying hard! It had never occurred to Harry that +there would be exams with the castle in this state. +There was a great deal of mutinous muttering around +the room, which made Professor McGonagall scowl +even more darkly. +“Professor Dumbledore’s instructions were to keep the +school running as normally as possible,” she said. +“And that, I need hardly point out, means finding out +how much you have learned this year.” +Harry looked down at the pair of white rabbits he was +supposed to be turning into slippers. What had he +learned so far this year? He couldn’t seem to think of +anything that would be useful in an exam. +Ron looked as though he’d just been told he had to go +and live in the Forbidden Forest. +“Can you imagine me taking exams with this?” he +asked Harry, holding up his wand, which had just +started whistling loudly. +Three days before their first exam, Professor +McGonagall made another announcement at +breakfast. +P a g e | 317 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I have good news,” she said, and the Great Hall, +instead of falling silent, erupted. +“Dumbledore’s coming back!” several people yelled +joyfully. +“You’ve caught the Heir of Slytherin!” squealed a girl +at the Ravenclaw table. +“Quidditch matches are back on!” roared Wood +excitedly. +When the hubbub had subsided, Professor +McGonagall said, “Professor Sprout has informed me +that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. +Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who +have been Petrified. I need hardly remind you all that +one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, +attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year +will end with our catching the culprit.” +There was an explosion of cheering. Harry looked over +at the Slytherin table and wasn’t at all surprised to +see that Draco Malfoy hadn’t joined in. Ron, however, +was looking happier than he’d looked in days. +“It won’t matter that we never asked Myrtle, then!” he +said to Harry. “Hermione’ll probably have all the +answers when they wake her up! Mind you, she’ll go +crazy when she finds out we’ve got exams in three +days’ time. She hasn’t studied. It might be kinder to +leave her where she is till they’re over.” +Just then, Ginny Weasley came over and sat down +next to Ron. She looked tense and nervous, and Harry +noticed that her hands were twisting in her lap. +“What’s up?” said Ron, helping himself to more +porridge. +P a g e | 318 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Ginny didn’t say anything, but glanced up and down +the Gryffindor table with a scared look on her face +that reminded Harry of someone, though he couldn’t +think who. +“Spit it out,” said Ron, watching her. +Harry suddenly realized who Ginny looked like. She +was rocking backward and forward slightly in her +chair, exactly like Dobby did when he was teetering +on the edge of revealing forbidden information. +“I’ve got to tell you something,” Ginny mumbled, +carefully not looking at Harry. +“What is it?” said Harry. +Ginny looked as though she couldn’t find the right +words. +“What?” said Ron. +Ginny opened her mouth, but no sound came out. +Harry leaned forward and spoke quietly, so that only +Ginny and Ron could hear him. +“Is it something about the Chamber of Secrets? Have +you seen something? Someone acting oddly?” +Ginny drew a deep breath and, at that precise +moment, Percy Weasley appeared, looking tired and +wan. +“If you’ve finished eating, I’ll take that seat, Ginny. I’m +starving, I’ve only just come off patrol duty.” +Ginny jumped up as though her chair had just been +electrified, gave Percy a fleeting, frightened look, and +P a g e | 319 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +scampered away. Percy sat down and grabbed a mug +from the center of the table. +“Percy!” said Ron angrily. “She was just about to tell +us something important!” +Halfway through a gulp of tea, Percy choked. +“What sort of thing?” he said, coughing. +“I just asked her if she’d seen anything odd, and she +started to say —” +“Oh — that — that’s nothing to do with the Chamber +of Secrets,” said Percy at once. +“How do you know?” said Ron, his eyebrows raised. +“Well, er, if you must know, Ginny, er, walked in on +me the other day when I was — well, never mind — +the point is, she spotted me doing something and I, +um, I asked her not to mention it to anybody. I must +say, I did think she’d keep her word. It’s nothing, +really, I’d just rather —” +Harry had never seen Percy look so uncomfortable. +“What were you doing, Percy?” said Ron, grinning. +“Go on, tell us, we won’t laugh.” +Percy didn’t smile back. +“Pass me those rolls, Harry, I’m starving.” +Harry knew the whole mystery might be solved +tomorrow without their help, but he wasn’t about to +pass up a chance to speak to Myrtle if it turned up — +and to his delight it did, midmorning, when they were +being led to History of Magic by Gilderoy Lockhart. +P a g e | 320 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Lockhart, who had so often assured them that all +danger had passed, only to be proved wrong right +away, was now wholeheartedly convinced that it was +hardly worth the trouble to see them safely down the +corridors. His hair wasn’t as sleek as usual; it seemed +he had been up most of the night, patrolling the +fourth floor. +“Mark my words,” he said, ushering them around a +corner. “The first words out of those poor Petrified +people’s mouths will be ‘It was Hagrid.’ Frankly, I’m +astounded Professor McGonagall thinks all these +security measures are necessary.” +“I agree, sir,” said Harry, making Ron drop his books +in surprise. +“Thank you, Harry,” said Lockhart graciously while +they waited for a long line of Hufflepuffs to pass. “I +mean, we teachers have quite enough to be getting on +with, without walking students to classes and +standing guard all night. …” +“That’s right,” said Ron, catching on. “Why don’t you +leave us here, sir, we’ve only got one more corridor to +go —” +“You know, Weasley, I think I will,” said Lockhart. “I +really should go and prepare my next class —” +And he hurried off. +“Prepare his class,” Ron sneered after him. “Gone to +curl his hair, more like.” +They let the rest of the Gryffindors draw ahead of +them, then darted down a side passage and hurried +off toward Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. But just as +P a g e | 321 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +they were congratulating each other on their brilliant +scheme — +“Potter! Weasley! What are you doing?” +It was Professor McGonagall, and her mouth was the +thinnest of thin lines. +“We were — we were —” Ron stammered. “We were +going to — to go and see —” +“Hermione,” said Harry. Ron and Professor +McGonagall both looked at him. +“We haven’t seen her for ages, Professor,” Harry went +on hurriedly, treading on Ron’s foot, “and we thought +we’d sneak into the hospital wing, you know, and tell +her the Mandrakes are nearly ready and, er, not to +worry —” +Professor McGonagall was still staring at him, and for +a moment, Harry thought she was going to explode, +but when she spoke, it was in a strangely croaky +voice. +“Of course,” she said, and Harry, amazed, saw a tear +glistening in her beady eye. “Of course, I realize this +has all been hardest on the friends of those who have +been … I quite understand. Yes, Potter, of course you +may visit Miss Granger. I will inform Professor Binns +where you’ve gone. Tell Madam Pomfrey I have given +my permission.” +Harry and Ron walked away, hardly daring to believe +that they’d avoided detention. As they turned the +corner, they distinctly heard Professor McGonagall +blow her nose. +P a g e | 322 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“That,” said Ron fervently, “was the best story you’ve +ever come up with.” +They had no choice now but to go to the hospital wing +and tell Madam Pomfrey that they had Professor +McGonagall’s permission to visit Hermione. +Madam Pomfrey let them in, but reluctantly. +“There’s just no point talking to a Petrified person,” +she said, and they had to admit she had a point when +they’d taken their seats next to Hermione. It was +plain that Hermione didn’t have the faintest inkling +that she had visitors, and that they might just as well +tell her bedside cabinet not to worry for all the good it +would do. +“Wonder if she did see the attacker, though?” said +Ron, looking sadly at Hermione’s rigid face. “Because +if he sneaked up on them all, no one’ll ever know. …” +But Harry wasn’t looking at Hermione’s face. He was +more interested in her right hand. It lay clenched on +top of her blankets, and bending closer, he saw that a +piece of paper was scrunched inside her fist. +Making sure that Madam Pomfrey was nowhere near, +he pointed this out to Ron. +“Try and get it out,” Ron whispered, shifting his chair +so that he blocked Harry from Madam Pomfrey’s view. +It was no easy task. Hermione’s hand was clamped so +tightly around the paper that Harry was sure he was +going to tear it. While Ron kept watch he tugged and +twisted, and at last, after several tense minutes, the +paper came free. +P a g e | 323 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +It was a page torn from a very old library book. Harry +smoothed it out eagerly and Ron leaned close to read +it, too. + +Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam +our land, there is none more curious or more deadly +than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. +This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live +many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken’s egg, +hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are +most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and +venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, +and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall +suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, +for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only +from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it. +And beneath this, a single word had been written, in +a hand Harry recognized as Hermione’s. Pipes. +It was as though somebody had just flicked a light on +in his brain. +“Ron,” he breathed. “This is it. This is the answer. The +monster in the Chamber’s a basilisk — a giant +serpent! That’s why I’ve been hearing that voice all +over the place, and nobody else has heard it. It’s +because I understand Parseltongue. …” +Harry looked up at the beds around him. +“The basilisk kills people by looking at them. But no +one’s died — because no one looked it straight in the +eye. Colin saw it through his camera. The basilisk +burned up all the film inside it, but Colin just got +Petrified. Justin … Justin must’ve seen the basilisk +through Nearly Headless Nick! Nick got the full blast +P a g e | 324 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +of it, but he couldn’t die again … and Hermione and +that Ravenclaw prefect were found with a mirror next +to them. Hermione had just realized the monster was +a basilisk. I bet you anything she warned the first +person she met to look around corners with a mirror +first! And that girl pulled out her mirror — and —” +Ron’s jaw had dropped. +“And Mrs. Norris?” he whispered eagerly. +Harry thought hard, picturing the scene on the night +of Halloween. +“The water …” he said slowly. “The flood from +Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. I bet you Mrs. Norris +only saw the reflection. …” +He scanned the page in his hand eagerly. The more +he looked at it, the more it made sense. +“… The crowing of the rooster … is fatal to it!” he read +aloud. “Hagrid’s roosters were killed! The Heir of +Slytherin didn’t want one anywhere near the castle +once the Chamber was opened! Spiders flee before it! +It all fits!” +“But how’s the basilisk been getting around the +place?” said Ron. “A giant snake … Someone would’ve +seen …” +Harry, however, pointed at the word Hermione had +scribbled at the foot of the page. +“Pipes,” he said. “Pipes … Ron, it’s been using the +plumbing. I’ve been hearing that voice inside the +walls. …” +Ron suddenly grabbed Harry’s arm. +P a g e | 325 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets!” he said +hoarsely. “What if it’s a bathroom? What if it’s in —” +“— Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom,” said Harry. +They sat there, excitement coursing through them, +hardly able to believe it. +“This means,” said Harry, “I can’t be the only +Parselmouth in the school. The Heir of Slytherin’s +one, too. That’s how he’s been controlling the +basilisk.” +“What’re we going to do?” said Ron, whose eyes were +flashing. “Should we go straight to McGonagall?” +“Let’s go to the staffroom,” said Harry, jumping up. +“She’ll be there in ten minutes. It’s nearly break.” +They ran downstairs. Not wanting to be discovered +hanging around in another corridor, they went +straight into the deserted staffroom. It was a large, +paneled room full of dark, wooden chairs. Harry and +Ron paced around it, too excited to sit down. +But the bell to signal break never came. +Instead, echoing through the corridors came Professor +McGonagall’s voice, magically magnified. +“All students to return to their House dormitories at +once. All teachers return to the staffroom. Immediately, +please.” +Harry wheeled around to stare at Ron. +“Not another attack? Not now?” +P a g e | 326 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“What’ll we do?” said Ron, aghast. “Go back to the +dormitory?” +“No,” said Harry, glancing around. There was an ugly +sort of wardrobe to his left, full of the teachers’ +cloaks. “In here. Let’s hear what it’s all about. Then +we can tell them what we’ve found out.” +They hid themselves inside it, listening to the +rumbling of hundreds of people moving overhead, and +the staffroom door banging open. From between the +musty folds of the cloaks, they watched the teachers +filtering into the room. Some of them were looking +puzzled, others downright scared. Then Professor +McGonagall arrived. +“It has happened,” she told the silent staffroom. “A +student has been taken by the monster. Right into +the Chamber itself.” +Professor Flitwick let out a squeal. Professor Sprout +clapped her hands over her mouth. Snape gripped the +back of a chair very hard and said, “How can you be +sure?” +“The Heir of Slytherin,” said Professor McGonagall, +who was very white, “left another message. Right +underneath the first one. ‘Her skeleton will lie in the +Chamber forever.’ ” +Professor Flitwick burst into tears. +“Who is it?” said Madam Hooch, who had sunk, weak- +kneed, into a chair. “Which student?” +“Ginny Weasley,” said Professor McGonagall. +Harry felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe +floor beside him. +P a g e | 327 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“We shall have to send all the students home +tomorrow,” said Professor McGonagall. “This is the +end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said …” +The staffroom door banged open again. For one wild +moment, Harry was sure it would be Dumbledore. +But it was Lockhart, and he was beaming. +“So sorry — dozed off — what have I missed?” +He didn’t seem to notice that the other teachers were +looking at him with something remarkably like +hatred. Snape stepped forward. +“Just the man,” he said. “The very man. A girl has +been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into +the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come +at last.” +Lockhart blanched. +“That’s right, Gilderoy,” chipped in Professor Sprout. +“Weren’t you saying just last night that you’ve known +all along where the entrance to the Chamber of +Secrets is?” +“I — well, I —” sputtered Lockhart. +“Yes, didn’t you tell me you were sure you knew what +was inside it?” piped up Professor Flitwick. +“D-did I? I don’t recall —” +“I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you +hadn’t had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was +arrested,” said Snape. “Didn’t you say that the whole +affair had been bungled, and that you should have +been given a free rein from the first?” +P a g e | 328 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Lockhart stared around at his stony-faced colleagues. +“I — I really never — you may have misunderstood —” +“We’ll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy,” said Professor +McGonagall. “Tonight will be an excellent time to do +it. We’ll make sure everyone’s out of your way. You’ll +be able to tackle the monster all by yourself. A free +rein at last.” +Lockhart gazed desperately around him, but nobody +came to the rescue. He didn’t look remotely handsome +anymore. His lip was trembling, and in the absence of +his usually toothy grin, he looked weak-chinned and +feeble. +“V-very well,” he said. “I’ll — I’ll be in my office, +getting — getting ready.” +And he left the room. +“Right,” said Professor McGonagall, whose nostrils +were flared, “that’s got him out from under our feet. +The Heads of Houses should go and inform their +students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts +Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. +Will the rest of you please make sure no students +have been left outside their dormitories.” +The teachers rose and left, one by one. + +It was probably the worst day of Harry’s entire life. +He, Ron, Fred, and George sat together in a corner of +the Gryffindor common room, unable to say anything +to each other. Percy wasn’t there. He had gone to +send an owl to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, then shut +himself up in his dormitory. +P a g e | 329 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +No afternoon ever lasted as long as that one, nor had +Gryffindor Tower ever been so crowded, yet so quiet. +Near sunset, Fred and George went up to bed, unable +to sit there any longer. +“She knew something, Harry,” said Ron, speaking for +the first time since they had entered the wardrobe in +the staffroom. “That’s why she was taken. It wasn’t +some stupid thing about Percy at all. She’d found out +something about the Chamber of Secrets. That must +be why she was —” Ron rubbed his eyes frantically. “I +mean, she was a pureblood. There can’t be any other +reason.” +Harry could see the sun sinking, blood-red, below the +skyline. This was the worst he had ever felt. If only +there was something they could do. Anything. +“Harry,” said Ron. “D’you think there’s any chance at +all she’s not — you know —” +Harry didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t see how +Ginny could still be alive. +“D’you know what?” said Ron. “I think we should go +and see Lockhart. Tell him what we know. He’s going +to try and get into the Chamber. We can tell him +where we think it is, and tell him it’s a basilisk in +there.” +Because Harry couldn’t think of anything else to do, +and because he wanted to be doing something, he +agreed. The Gryffindors around them were so +miserable, and felt so sorry for the Weasleys, that +nobody tried to stop them as they got up, crossed the +room, and left through the portrait hole. +Darkness was falling as they walked down to +Lockhart’s office. There seemed to be a lot of activity +P a g e | 330 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +going on inside it. They could hear scraping, thumps, +and hurried footsteps. +Harry knocked and there was a sudden silence from +inside. Then the door opened the tiniest crack and +they saw one of Lockhart’s eyes peering through it. +“Oh — Mr. Potter — Mr. Weasley —” he said, opening +the door a bit wider. “I’m rather busy at the moment +— if you would be quick —” +“Professor, we’ve got some information for you,” said +Harry. “We think it’ll help you.” +“Er — well — it’s not terribly —” The side of +Lockhart’s face that they could see looked very +uncomfortable. “I mean — well — all right —” +He opened the door and they entered. +His office had been almost completely stripped. Two +large trunks stood open on the floor. Robes, jade- +green, lilac, midnight-blue, had been hastily folded +into one of them; books were jumbled untidily into +the other. The photographs that had covered the walls +were now crammed into boxes on the desk. +“Are you going somewhere?” said Harry. +“Er, well, yes,” said Lockhart, ripping a life-size poster +of himself from the back of the door as he spoke and +starting to roll it up. “Urgent call — unavoidable — +got to go —” +“What about my sister?” said Ron jerkily. +“Well, as to that — most unfortunate —” said +Lockhart, avoiding their eyes as he wrenched open a +P a g e | 331 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +drawer and started emptying the contents into a bag. +“No one regrets more than I —” +“You’re the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!” +said Harry. “You can’t go now! Not with all the Dark +stuff going on here!” +“Well — I must say — when I took the job —” +Lockhart muttered, now piling socks on top of his +robes. “nothing in the job description — didn’t expect +—” +“You mean you’re running away? said Harry +disbelievingly. “After all that stuff you did in your +books —” +“Books can be misleading,” said Lockhart delicately. +“You wrote them!” Harry shouted. +“My dear boy,” said Lockhart, straightening up and +frowning at Harry. “Do use your common sense. My +books wouldn’t have sold half as well if people didn’t +think I’d done all those things. No one wants to read +about some ugly old Armenian warlock, even if he did +save a village from werewolves. He’d look dreadful on +the front cover. No dress sense at all. And the witch +who banished the Bandon Banshee had a hairy chin. +I mean, come on —” +“So you’ve just been taking credit for what a load of +other people have done?” said Harry incredulously. +“Harry, Harry,” said Lockhart, shaking his head +impatiently, “it’s not nearly as simple as that. There +was work involved. I had to track these people down. +Ask them exactly how they managed to do what they +did. Then I had to put a Memory Charm on them so +they wouldn’t remember doing it. If there’s one thing I +P a g e | 332 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +pride myself on, it’s my Memory Charms. No, it’s been +a lot of work, Harry. It’s not all book signings and +publicity photos, you know. You want fame, you have +to be prepared for a long hard slog.” +He banged the lids of his trunks shut and locked +them. +“Let’s see,” he said. “I think that’s everything. Yes. +Only one thing left.” +He pulled out his wand and turned to them. +“Awfully sorry, boys, but I’ll have to put a Memory +Charm on you now. Can’t have you blabbing my +secrets all over the place. I’d never sell another book +—” +Harry reached his wand just in time. Lockhart had +barely raised his, when Harry bellowed, +“Expelliarmus!” +Lockhart was blasted backward, falling over his +trunk; his wand flew high into the air; Ron caught it, +and flung it out of the open window. +“Shouldn’t have let Professor Snape teach us that +one,” said Harry furiously, kicking Lockhart’s trunk +aside. Lockhart was looking up at him, feeble once +more. Harry was still pointing his wand at him. +“What d’you want me to do?” said Lockhart weakly. “I +don’t know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There’s +nothing I can do.” +“You’re in luck,” said Harry, forcing Lockhart to his +feet at wandpoint. “We think we know where it is. +And what’s inside it. Let’s go.” +P a g e | 333 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +They marched Lockhart out of his office and down the +nearest stairs, along the dark corridor where the +messages shone on the wall, to the door of Moaning +Myrtle’s bathroom. +They sent Lockhart in first. Harry was pleased to see +that he was shaking. +Moaning Myrtle was sitting on the tank of the end +toilet. +“Oh, it’s you,” she said when she saw Harry. “What do +you want this time?” +“To ask you how you died,” said Harry. +Myrtle’s whole aspect changed at once. She looked as +though she had never been asked such a flattering +question. +“Ooooh, it was dreadful,” she said with relish. “It +happened right in here. I died in this very stall. I +remember it so well. I’d hidden because Olive Hornby +was teasing me about my glasses. The door was +locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody +come in. They said something funny. A different +language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what +really got me was that it was a boy speaking. So I +unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own +toilet, and then —” Myrtle swelled importantly, her +face shining. “I died.” +“How?” said Harry. +“No idea,” said Myrtle in hushed tones. “I just +remember seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes. My +whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating +away. …” She looked dreamily at Harry. “And then I +came back again. I was determined to haunt Olive +P a g e | 334 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Hornby, you see. Oh, she was sorry she’d ever +laughed at my glasses.” +“Where exactly did you see the eyes?” said Harry. +“Somewhere there,” said Myrtle, pointing vaguely +toward the sink in front of her toilet. +Harry and Ron hurried over to it. Lockhart was +standing well back, a look of utter terror on his face. +It looked like an ordinary sink. They examined every +inch of it, inside and out, including the pipes below. +And then Harry saw it: Scratched on the side of one of +the copper taps was a tiny snake. +“That tap’s never worked,” said Myrtle brightly as he +tried to turn it. +“Harry,” said Ron. “Say something. Something in +Parseltongue.” +“But —” Harry thought hard. The only times he’d ever +managed to speak Parseltongue were when he’d been +faced with a real snake. He stared hard at the tiny +engraving, trying to imagine it was real. +“Open up,” he said. +He looked at Ron, who shook his head. +“English,” he said. +Harry looked back at the snake, willing himself to +believe it was alive. If he moved his head, the +candlelight made it look as though it were moving. +“Open up,” he said. +P a g e | 335 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Except that the words weren’t what he heard; a +strange hissing had escaped him, and at once the tap +glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin. +Next second, the sink began to move; the sink, in fact, +sank, right out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, +a pipe wide enough for a man to slide into. +Harry heard Ron gasp and looked up again. He had +made up his mind what he was going to do. +“I’m going down there,” he said. +He couldn’t not go, not now they had found the +entrance to the Chamber, not if there was even the +faintest, slimmest, wildest chance that Ginny might +be alive. +“Me too,” said Ron. +There was a pause. +“Well, you hardly seem to need me,” said Lockhart, +with a shadow of his old smile. “I’ll just —” +He put his hand on the door knob, but Ron and Harry +both pointed their wands at him. +“You can go first,” Ron snarled. +White-faced and wandless, Lockhart approached the +opening. +“Boys,” he said, his voice feeble. “Boys, what good will +it do?” +Harry jabbed him in the back with his wand. +Lockhart slid his legs into the pipe. +P a g e | 336 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I really don’t think —” he started to say, but Ron +gave him a push, and he slid out of sight. Harry +followed quickly. He lowered himself slowly into the +pipe, then let go. +It was like rushing down an endless, slimy, dark +slide. He could see more pipes branching off in all +directions, but none as large as theirs, which twisted +and turned, sloping steeply downward, and he knew +that he was falling deeper below the school than even +the dungeons. Behind him he could hear Ron, +thudding slightly at the curves. +And then, just as he had begun to worry about what +would happen when he hit the ground, the pipe +leveled out, and he shot out of the end with a wet +thud, landing on the damp floor of a dark stone +tunnel large enough to stand in. Lockhart was getting +to his feet a little ways away, covered in slime and +white as a ghost. Harry stood aside as Ron came +whizzing out of the pipe, too. +“We must be miles under the school,” said Harry, his +voice echoing in the black tunnel. +“Under the lake, probably,” said Ron, squinting +around at the dark, slimy walls. +All three of them turned to stare into the darkness +ahead. +“Lumos!” Harry muttered to his wand and it lit again. +“C’mon,” he said to Ron and Lockhart, and off they +went, their footsteps slapping loudly on the wet floor. +The tunnel was so dark that they could only see a +little distance ahead. Their shadows on the wet walls +looked monstrous in the wandlight. +P a g e | 337 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Remember,” Harry said quietly as they walked +cautiously forward, “any sign of movement, close your +eyes right away. …” +But the tunnel was quiet as the grave, and the first +unexpected sound they heard was a loud crunch as +Ron stepped on what turned out to be a rat’s skull. +Harry lowered his wand to look at the floor and saw +that it was littered with small animal bones. Trying +very hard not to imagine what Ginny might look like if +they found her, Harry led the way forward, around a +dark bend in the tunnel. +“Harry — there’s something up there —” said Ron +hoarsely, grabbing Harry’s shoulder. +They froze, watching. Harry could just see the outline +of something huge and curved, lying right across the +tunnel. It wasn’t moving. +“Maybe it’s asleep,” he breathed, glancing back at the +other two. Lockhart’s hands were pressed over his +eyes. Harry turned back to look at the thing, his heart +beating so fast it hurt. +Very slowly, his eyes as narrow as he could make +them and still see, Harry edged forward, his wand +held high. +The light slid over a gigantic snake skin, of a vivid, +poisonous green, lying curled and empty across the +tunnel floor. The creature that had shed it must have +been twenty feet long at least. +“Blimey,” said Ron weakly. +There was a sudden movement behind them. Gilderoy +Lockhart’s knees had given way. +P a g e | 338 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Get up,” said Ron sharply, pointing his wand at +Lockhart. +Lockhart got to his feet — then he dived at Ron, +knocking him to the ground. +Harry jumped forward, but too late — Lockhart was +straightening up, panting, Ron’s wand in his hand +and a gleaming smile back on his face. +“The adventure ends here, boys!” he said. “I shall take +a bit of this skin back up to the school, tell them I +was too late to save the girl, and that you two +tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled +body — say good-bye to your memories!” +He raised Ron’s Spellotaped wand high over his head +and yelled, “Obliviate!” +The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. +Harry flung his arms over his head and ran, slipping +over the coils of snake skin, out of the way of great +chunks of tunnel ceiling that were thundering to the +floor. Next moment, he was standing alone, gazing at +a solid wall of broken rock. +“Ron!” he shouted. “Are you okay? Ron!” +“I’m here!” came Ron’s muffled voice from behind the +rock-fall. “I’m okay — this git’s not, though — he got +blasted by the wand —” +There was a dull thud and a loud “ow!” It sounded as +though Ron had just kicked Lockhart in the shins. +“What now?” Ron’s voice said, sounding desperate. +“We can’t get through — it’ll take ages. …” +P a g e | 339 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry looked up at the tunnel ceiling. Huge cracks +had appeared in it. He had never tried to break apart +anything as large as these rocks by magic, and now +didn’t seem a good moment to try — what if the whole +tunnel caved in? +There was another thud and another “ow!” from +behind the rocks. They were wasting time. Ginny had +already been in the Chamber of Secrets for hours. … +Harry knew there was only one thing to do. +“Wait there,” he called to Ron. “Wait with Lockhart. I’ll +go on. … If I’m not back in an hour …” +There was a very pregnant pause. +“I’ll try and shift some of this rock,” said Ron, who +seemed to be trying to keep his voice steady. “So you +can — can get back through. And, Harry —” +“See you in a bit,” said Harry, trying to inject some +confidence into his shaking voice. +And he set off alone past the giant snake skin. +Soon the distant noise of Ron straining to shift the +rocks was gone. The tunnel turned and turned again. +Every nerve in Harry’s body was tingling +unpleasantly. He wanted the tunnel to end, yet +dreaded what he’d find when it did. And then, at last, +as he crept around yet another bend, he saw a solid +wall ahead on which two entwined serpents were +carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds. +Harry approached, his throat very dry. There was no +need to pretend these stone snakes were real; their +eyes looked strangely alive. +P a g e | 340 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +He could guess what he had to do. He cleared his +throat, and the emerald eyes seemed to flicker. +“Open,” said Harry, in a low, faint hiss. +The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the +halves slid smoothly out of sight, and Harry, shaking +from head to foot, walked inside. +P a g e | 341 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +THE HEIR OF SLYTHERIN +He was standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit +chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more +carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in +darkness, casting long, black shadows through the +odd, greenish gloom that filled the place. +His heart beating very fast, Harry stood listening to +the chill silence. Could the basilisk be lurking in a +shadowy corner, behind a pillar? And where was +Ginny? +He pulled out his wand and moved forward between +the serpentine columns. Every careful footstep echoed +loudly off the shadowy walls. He kept his eyes +narrowed, ready to clamp them shut at the smallest +sign of movement. The hollow eye sockets of the stone +snakes seemed to be following him. More than once, +with a jolt of the stomach, he thought he saw one stir. +Then, as he drew level with the last pair of pillars, a +statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, +standing against the back wall. +P a g e | 342 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry had to crane his neck to look up into the giant +face above: It was ancient and monkeyish, with a +long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the +wizard’s sweeping stone robes, where two enormous +gray feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor. And +between the feet, facedown, lay a small, black-robed +figure with flaming-red hair. +“Ginny!” Harry muttered, sprinting to her and +dropping to his knees. “Ginny — don’t be dead — +please don’t be dead —” He flung his wand aside, +grabbed Ginny’s shoulders, and turned her over. Her +face was white as marble, and as cold, yet her eyes +were closed, so she wasn’t Petrified. But then she +must be — +“Ginny, please wake up,” Harry muttered desperately, +shaking her. Ginny’s head lolled hopelessly from side +to side. +“She won’t wake,” said a soft voice. +Harry jumped and spun around on his knees. +A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the +nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred +around the edges, as though Harry were looking at +him through a misted window. But there was no +mistaking him — +“Tom — Tom Riddle?” +Riddle nodded, not taking his eyes off Harry’s face. +“What d’you mean, she won’t wake?” Harry said +desperately. “She’s not — she’s not — ?” +“She’s still alive,” said Riddle. “But only just.” +P a g e | 343 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry stared at him. Tom Riddle had been at +Hogwarts fifty years ago, yet here he stood, a weird, +misty light shining about him, not a day older than +sixteen. +“Are you a ghost?” Harry said uncertainly. +“A memory,” said Riddle quietly. “Preserved in a diary +for fifty years.” +He pointed toward the floor near the statue’s giant +toes. Lying open there was the little black diary Harry +had found in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. For a +second, Harry wondered how it had got there — but +there were more pressing matters to deal with. +“You’ve got to help me, Tom,” Harry said, raising +Ginny’s head again. “We’ve got to get her out of here. +There’s a basilisk … I don’t know where it is, but it +could be along any moment. … Please, help me —” +Riddle didn’t move. Harry, sweating, managed to hoist +Ginny half off the floor, and bent to pick up his wand +again. +But his wand had gone. +“Did you see — ?” +He looked up. Riddle was still watching him — +twirling Harry’s wand between his long fingers. +“Thanks,” said Harry, stretching out his hand for it. +A smile curled the corners of Riddle’s mouth. He +continued to stare at Harry, twirling the wand idly. +P a g e | 344 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Listen,” said Harry urgently, his knees sagging with +Ginny’s dead weight. “We’ve got to go! If the basilisk +comes —” +“It won’t come until it is called,” said Riddle calmly. +Harry lowered Ginny back onto the floor, unable to +hold her up any longer. +“What d’you mean?” he said. “Look, give me my wand, +I might need it —” +Riddle’s smile broadened. +“You won’t be needing it,” he said. +Harry stared at him. +“What d’you mean, I won’t be — ?” +“I’ve waited a long time for this, Harry Potter,” said +Riddle. “For the chance to see you. To speak to you.” +“Look,” said Harry, losing patience, “I don’t think you +get it. We’re in the Chamber of Secrets. We can talk +later —” +“We’re going to talk now,” said Riddle, still smiling +broadly, and he pocketed Harry’s wand. +Harry stared at him. There was something very funny +going on here. … +“How did Ginny get like this?” he asked slowly. +“Well, that’s an interesting question,” said Riddle +pleasantly. “And quite a long story. I suppose the real +reason Ginny Weasley’s like this is because she +P a g e | 345 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an +invisible stranger.” +“What are you talking about?” said Harry. +“The diary,” said Riddle. “My diary. Little Ginny’s been +writing in it for months and months, telling me all her +pitiful worries and woes — how her brothers tease +her, how she had to come to school with secondhand +robes and books, how” — Riddle’s eyes glinted — +“how she didn’t think famous, good, great Harry +Potter would ever like her. …” +All the time he spoke, Riddle’s eyes never left Harry’s +face. There was an almost hungry look in them. +“It’s very boring, having to listen to the silly little +troubles of an eleven-year-old girl,” he went on. “But I +was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was +kind. Ginny simply loved me. No one’s ever +understood me like you, Tom. … I’m so glad I’ve got +this diary to confide in. … It’s like having a friend I can +carry around in my pocket. …” +Riddle laughed, a high, cold laugh that didn’t suit +him. It made the hairs stand up on the back of +Harry’s neck. +“If I say it myself, Harry, I’ve always been able to +charm the people I needed. So Ginny poured out her +soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what +I wanted. … I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of +her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew +powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. +Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few +of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back +into her …” +P a g e | 346 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“What d’you mean?” said Harry, whose mouth had +gone very dry. +“Haven’t you guessed yet, Harry Potter?” said Riddle +softly. “Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of +Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and +daubed threatening messages on the walls. She set +the Serpent of Slytherin on four Mudbloods, and the +Squib’s cat.” +“No,” Harry whispered. +“Yes,” said Riddle, calmly. “Of course, she didn’t know +what she was doing at first. It was very amusing. I +wish you could have seen her new diary entries … far +more interesting, they became. … Dear Tom,” he +recited, watching Harry’s horrified face, “I think I’m +losing my memory. There are rooster feathers all over +my robes and I don’t know how they got there. Dear +Tom, I can’t remember what I did on the night of +Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I’ve got paint +all down my front. Dear Tom, Percy keeps telling me +I’m pale and I’m not myself. I think he suspects me. … +There was another attack today and I don’t know +where I was. Tom, what am I going to do? I think I’m +going mad. … I think I’m the one attacking everyone, +Tom!” +Harry’s fists were clenched, the nails digging deep +into his palms. +“It took a very long time for stupid little Ginny to stop +trusting her diary,” said Riddle. “But she finally +became suspicious and tried to dispose of it. And +that’s where you came in, Harry. You found it, and I +couldn’t have been more delighted. Of all the people +who could have picked it up, it was you, the very +person I was most anxious to meet. …” +P a g e | 347 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“And why did you want to meet me?” said Harry. +Anger was coursing through him, and it was an effort +to keep his voice steady. +“Well, you see, Ginny told me all about you, Harry,” +said Riddle. “Your whole fascinating history.” His eyes +roved over the lightning scar on Harry’s forehead, and +their expression grew hungrier. “I knew I must find +out more about you, talk to you, meet you if I could. +So I decided to show you my famous capture of that +great oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust —” +“Hagrid’s my friend,” said Harry, his voice now +shaking. “And you framed him, didn’t you? I thought +you made a mistake, but —” +Riddle laughed his high laugh again. +“It was my word against Hagrid’s, Harry. Well, you +can imagine how it looked to old Armando Dippet. On +the one hand, Tom Riddle, poor but brilliant, +parentless but so brave, school prefect, model student +… on the other hand, big, blundering Hagrid, in +trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf +cubs under his bed, sneaking off to the Forbidden +Forest to wrestle trolls … but I admit, even I was +surprised how well the plan worked. I thought +someone must realize that Hagrid couldn’t possibly be +the Heir of Slytherin. It had taken me five whole years +to find out everything I could about the Chamber of +Secrets and discover the secret entrance … as though +Hagrid had the brains, or the power! +“Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, +seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded +Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper. +Yes, I think Dumbledore might have guessed. … +Dumbledore never seemed to like me as much as the +other teachers did. …” +P a g e | 348 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I bet Dumbledore saw right through you,” said +Harry, his teeth gritted. +“Well, he certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on +me after Hagrid was expelled,” said Riddle carelessly. +“I knew it wouldn’t be safe to open the Chamber again +while I was still at school. But I wasn’t going to waste +those long years I’d spent searching for it. I decided to +leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen-year-old +self in its pages, so that one day, with luck, I would +be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish +Salazar Slytherin’s noble work.” +“Well, you haven’t finished it,” said Harry +triumphantly. “No one’s died this time, not even the +cat. In a few hours the Mandrake Draught will be +ready and everyone who was Petrified will be all right +again —” +“Haven’t I already told you,” said Riddle quietly, “that +killing Mudbloods doesn’t matter to me anymore? For +many months now, my new target has been — you.” +Harry stared at him. +“Imagine how angry I was when the next time my +diary was opened, it was Ginny who was writing to +me, not you. She saw you with the diary, you see, and +panicked. What if you found out how to work it, and I +repeated all her secrets to you? What if, even worse, I +told you who’d been strangling roosters? So the +foolish little brat waited until your dormitory was +deserted and stole it back. But I knew what I must +do. It was clear to me that you were on the trail of +Slytherin’s heir. From everything Ginny had told me +about you, I knew you would go to any lengths to +solve the mystery — particularly if one of your best +friends was attacked. And Ginny had told me the +P a g e | 349 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +whole school was buzzing because you could speak +Parseltongue. … +“So I made Ginny write her own farewell on the wall +and come down here to wait. She struggled and cried +and became very boring. But there isn’t much life left +in her. … She put too much into the diary, into me. +Enough to let me leave its pages at last. … I have +been waiting for you to appear since we arrived here. I +knew you’d come. I have many questions for you, +Harry Potter.” +“Like what?” Harry spat, fists still clenched. +“Well,” said Riddle, smiling pleasantly, “how is it that +you — a skinny boy with no extraordinary magical +talent — managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all +time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, +while Lord Voldemort’s powers were destroyed?” +There was an odd red gleam in his hungry eyes now. +“Why do you care how I escaped?” said Harry slowly. +“Voldemort was after your time. …” +“Voldemort,” said Riddle softly, “is my past, present, +and future, Harry Potter. …” +He pulled Harry’s wand from his pocket and began to +trace it through the air, writing three shimmering +words: +tom marvolo riddle +Then he waved the wand once, and the letters of his +name rearranged themselves: +i am lord voldemort +P a g e | 350 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“You see?” he whispered. “It was a name I was already +using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends only, +of course. You think I was going to use my filthy +Muggle father’s name forever? I, in whose veins runs +the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my +mother’s side? I, keep the name of a foul, common +Muggle, who abandoned me even before I was born, +just because he found out his wife was a witch? No, +Harry — I fashioned myself a new name, a name I +knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to +speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the +world!” +Harry’s brain seemed to have jammed. He stared +numbly at Riddle, at the orphaned boy who had +grown up to murder Harry’s own parents, and so +many others. … At last he forced himself to speak. +“You’re not,” he said, his quiet voice full of hatred. +“Not what?” snapped Riddle. +“Not the greatest sorcerer in the world,” said Harry, +breathing fast. “Sorry to disappoint you and all that, +but the greatest wizard in the world is Albus +Dumbledore. Everyone says so. Even when you were +strong, you didn’t dare try and take over at Hogwarts. +Dumbledore saw through you when you were at +school and he still frightens you now, wherever you’re +hiding these days —” +The smile had gone from Riddle’s face, to be replaced +by a very ugly look. +“Dumbledore’s been driven out of this castle by the +mere memory of me!” he hissed. +P a g e | 351 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“He’s not as gone as you might think!” Harry retorted. +He was speaking at random, wanting to scare Riddle, +wishing rather than believing it to be true — +Riddle opened his mouth, but froze. +Music was coming from somewhere. Riddle whirled +around to stare down the empty Chamber. The music +was growing louder. It was eerie, spine-tingling, +unearthly; it lifted the hair on Harry’s scalp and made +his heart feel as though it was swelling to twice its +normal size. Then, as the music reached such a pitch +that Harry felt it vibrating inside his own ribs, flames +erupted at the top of the nearest pillar. +A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, +piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling. It had a +glittering golden tail as long as a peacock’s and +gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged +bundle. +A second later, the bird was flying straight at Harry. It +dropped the ragged thing it was carrying at his feet, +then landed heavily on his shoulder. As it folded its +great wings, Harry looked up and saw it had a long, +sharp golden beak and a beady black eye. +The bird stopped singing. It sat still and warm next to +Harry’s cheek, gazing steadily at Riddle. +“That’s a phoenix. …” said Riddle, staring shrewdly +back at it. +“Fawkes?” Harry breathed, and he felt the bird’s +golden claws squeeze his shoulder gently. +“And that —” said Riddle, now eyeing the ragged thing +that Fawkes had dropped, “that’s the old school +Sorting Hat —” +P a g e | 352 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +So it was. Patched, frayed, and dirty, the hat lay +motionless at Harry’s feet. +Riddle began to laugh again. He laughed so hard that +the dark Chamber rang with it, as though ten Riddles +were laughing at once — +“This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A +songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, Harry +Potter? Do you feel safe now?” +Harry didn’t answer. He might not see what use +Fawkes or the Sorting Hat were, but he was no longer +alone, and he waited for Riddle to stop laughing with +his courage mounting. +“To business, Harry,” said Riddle, still smiling +broadly. “Twice — in your past, in my future — we +have met. And twice I failed to kill you. How did you +survive? Tell me everything. The longer you talk,” he +added softly, “the longer you stay alive.” +Harry was thinking fast, weighing his chances. Riddle +had the wand. He, Harry, had Fawkes and the Sorting +Hat, neither of which would be much good in a duel. +It looked bad, all right … but the longer Riddle stood +there, the more life was dwindling out of Ginny … and +in the meantime, Harry noticed suddenly, Riddle’s +outline was becoming clearer, more solid. … If it had +to be a fight between him and Riddle, better sooner +than later. +“No one knows why you lost your powers when you +attacked me,” said Harry abruptly. “I don’t know +myself. But I know why you couldn’t kill me. Because +my mother died to save me. My common Muggle-born +mother,” he added, shaking with suppressed rage. +“She stopped you killing me. And I’ve seen the real +you, I saw you last year. You’re a wreck. You’re barely +P a g e | 353 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +alive. That’s where all your power got you. You’re in +hiding. You’re ugly, you’re foul —” +Riddle’s face contorted. Then he forced it into an +awful smile. +“So. Your mother died to save you. Yes, that’s a +powerful counter-charm. I can see now … there is +nothing special about you, after all. I wondered, you +see. There are strange likenesses between us, after +all. Even you must have noticed. Both half-bloods, +orphans, raised by Muggles. Probably the only two +Parselmouths to come to Hogwarts since the great +Slytherin himself. We even look something alike … +but after all, it was merely a lucky chance that saved +you from me. That’s all I wanted to know.” +Harry stood, tense, waiting for Riddle to raise his +wand. But Riddle’s twisted smile was widening again. +“Now, Harry, I’m going to teach you a little lesson. +Let’s match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of +Salazar Slytherin, against famous Harry Potter, and +the best weapons Dumbledore can give him. …” +He cast an amused eye over Fawkes and the Sorting +Hat, then walked away. Harry, fear spreading up his +numb legs, watched Riddle stop between the high +pillars and look up into the stone face of Slytherin, +high above him in the half-darkness. Riddle opened +his mouth wide and hissed — but Harry understood +what he was saying. … +“Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts +Four.” +Harry wheeled around to look up at the statue, +Fawkes swaying on his shoulder. +P a g e | 354 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Slytherin’s gigantic stone face was moving. +Horrorstruck, Harry saw his mouth opening, wider +and wider, to make a huge black hole. +And something was stirring inside the statue’s mouth. +Something was slithering up from its depths. +Harry backed away until he hit the dark Chamber +wall, and as he shut his eyes tight he felt Fawkes’ +wing sweep his cheek as he took flight. Harry wanted +to shout, “Don’t leave me!” but what chance did a +phoenix have against the king of serpents? +Something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber. +Harry felt it shudder — he knew what was happening, +he could sense it, could almost see the giant serpent +uncoiling itself from Slytherin’s mouth. Then he heard +Riddle’s hissing voice: +“Kill him.” +The basilisk was moving toward Harry; he could hear +its heavy body slithering heavily across the dusty +floor. Eyes still tightly shut, Harry began to run +blindly sideways, his hands outstretched, feeling his +way — Voldemort was laughing — +Harry tripped. He fell hard onto the stone and tasted +blood — the serpent was barely feet from him, he +could hear it coming — +There was a loud, explosive spitting sound right above +him, and then something heavy hit Harry so hard +that he was smashed into the wall. Waiting for fangs +to sink through his body he heard more mad hissing, +something thrashing wildly off the pillars — +He couldn’t help it — he opened his eyes wide enough +to squint at what was going on. +P a g e | 355 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +The enormous serpent, bright, poisonous green, thick +as an oak trunk, had raised itself high in the air and +its great blunt head was weaving drunkenly between +the pillars. As Harry trembled, ready to close his eyes +if it turned, he saw what had distracted the snake. +Fawkes was soaring around its head, and the basilisk +was snapping furiously at him with fangs long and +thin as sabers — +Fawkes dived. His long golden beak sank out of sight +and a sudden shower of dark blood spattered the +floor. The snake’s tail thrashed, narrowly missing +Harry, and before Harry could shut his eyes, it turned +— Harry looked straight into its face and saw that its +eyes, both its great, bulbous yellow eyes, had been +punctured by the phoenix; blood was streaming to the +floor, and the snake was spitting in agony. +“NO!” Harry heard Riddle screaming. “LEAVE THE +BIRD! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU! +YOU CAN STILL SMELL HIM! KILL HIM!” +The blinded serpent swayed, confused, still deadly. +Fawkes was circling its head, piping his eerie song, +jabbing here and there at its scaly nose as the blood +poured from its ruined eyes. +“Help me, help me,” Harry muttered wildly, “someone +— anyone —” +The snake’s tail whipped across the floor again. Harry +ducked. Something soft hit his face. +The basilisk had swept the Sorting Hat into Harry’s +arms. Harry seized it. It was all he had left, his only +chance — he rammed it onto his head and threw +himself flat onto the floor as the basilisk’s tail swung +over him again. +P a g e | 356 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Help me — help me — Harry thought, his eyes +screwed tight under the hat. Please help me — +There was no answering voice. Instead, the hat +contracted, as though an invisible hand was +squeezing it very tightly. +Something very hard and heavy thudded onto the top +of Harry’s head, almost knocking him out. Stars +winking in front of his eyes, he grabbed the top of the +hat to pull it off and felt something long and hard +beneath it. +A gleaming silver sword had appeared inside the hat, +its handle glittering with rubies the size of eggs. +“KILL THE BOY! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS +BEHIND YOU! SNIFF — SMELL HIM!” +Harry was on his feet, ready. The basilisk’s head was +falling, its body coiling around, hitting pillars as it +twisted to face him. He could see the vast, bloody eye +sockets, see the mouth stretching wide, wide enough +to swallow him whole, lined with fangs long as his +sword, thin, glittering, venomous — +It lunged blindly — Harry dodged and it hit the +Chamber wall. It lunged again, and its forked tongue +lashed Harry’s side. He raised the sword in both his +hands — +The basilisk lunged again, and this time its aim was +true — Harry threw his whole weight behind the +sword and drove it to the hilt into the roof of the +serpent’s mouth — +But as warm blood drenched Harry’s arms, he felt a +searing pain just above his elbow. One long, +poisonous fang was sinking deeper and deeper into +P a g e | 357 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +his arm and it splintered as the basilisk keeled over +sideways and fell, twitching, to the floor. +Harry slid down the wall. He gripped the fang that +was spreading poison through his body and wrenched +it out of his arm. But he knew it was too late. White- +hot pain was spreading slowly and steadily from the +wound. Even as he dropped the fang and watched his +own blood soaking his robes, his vision went foggy. +The Chamber was dissolving in a whirl of dull color. +A patch of scarlet swam past, and Harry heard a soft +clatter of claws beside him. +“Fawkes,” said Harry thickly. “You were fantastic, +Fawkes. …” He felt the bird lay its beautiful head on +the spot where the serpent’s fang had pierced him. +He could hear echoing footsteps and then a dark +shadow moved in front of him. +“You’re dead, Harry Potter,” said Riddle’s voice above +him. “Dead. Even Dumbledore’s bird knows it. Do you +see what he’s doing, Potter? He’s crying.” +Harry blinked. Fawkes’s head slid in and out of focus. +Thick, pearly tears were trickling down the glossy +feathers. +“I’m going to sit here and watch you die, Harry Potter. +Take your time. I’m in no hurry.” +Harry felt drowsy. Everything around him seemed to +be spinning. +“So ends the famous Harry Potter,” said Riddle’s +distant voice. “Alone in the Chamber of Secrets, +forsaken by his friends, defeated at last by the Dark +Lord he so unwisely challenged. You’ll be back with +P a g e | 358 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +your dear Mudblood mother soon, Harry. … She +bought you twelve years of borrowed time … but Lord +Voldemort got you in the end, as you knew he must. +…” +If this is dying, thought Harry, it’s not so bad. +Even the pain was leaving him. … +But was this dying? Instead of going black, the +Chamber seemed to be coming back into focus. Harry +gave his head a little shake and there was Fawkes, +still resting his head on Harry’s arm. A pearly patch +of tears was shining all around the wound — except +that there was no wound — +“Get away, bird,” said Riddle’s voice suddenly. “Get +away from him — I said, get away —” +Harry raised his head. Riddle was pointing Harry’s +wand at Fawkes; there was a bang like a gun, and +Fawkes took flight again in a whirl of gold and scarlet. +“Phoenix tears …” said Riddle quietly, staring at +Harry’s arm. “Of course … healing powers … I forgot +…” +He looked into Harry’s face. “But it makes no +difference. In fact, I prefer it this way. Just you and +me, Harry Potter … you and me. …” +He raised the wand — +Then, in a rush of wings, Fawkes had soared back +overhead and something fell into Harry’s lap — the +diary. +For a split second, both Harry and Riddle, wand still +raised, stared at it. Then, without thinking, without +P a g e | 359 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +considering, as though he had meant to do it all +along, Harry seized the basilisk fang on the floor next +to him and plunged it straight into the heart of the +book. +There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink +spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over +Harry’s hands, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing +and twisting, screaming and flailing and then — +He had gone. Harry’s wand fell to the floor with a +clatter and there was silence. Silence except for the +steady drip drip of ink still oozing from the diary. The +basilisk venom had burned a sizzling hole right +through it. +Shaking all over, Harry pulled himself up. His head +was spinning as though he’d just traveled miles by +Floo powder. Slowly, he gathered together his wand +and the Sorting Hat, and, with a huge tug, retrieved +the glittering sword from the roof of the basilisk’s +mouth. +Then came a faint moan from the end of the +Chamber. Ginny was stirring. As Harry hurried +toward her, she sat up. Her bemused eyes traveled +from the huge form of the dead basilisk, over Harry, +in his blood-soaked robes, then to the diary in his +hand. She drew a great, shuddering gasp and tears +began to pour down her face. +“Harry — oh, Harry — I tried to tell you at b- +breakfast, but I c-couldn’t say it in front of Percy — it +was me, Harry — but I — I s-swear I d-didn’t mean to +— R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over — and — +how did you kill that — that thing? W-where’s Riddle? +The last thing I r-remember is him coming out of the +diary —” +P a g e | 360 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“It’s all right,” said Harry, holding up the diary, and +showing Ginny the fang hole, “Riddle’s finished. Look! +Him and the basilisk. C’mon, Ginny, let’s get out of +here —” +“I’m going to be expelled!” Ginny wept as Harry helped +her awkwardly to her feet. “I’ve looked forward to +coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now +I’ll have to leave and — w-what’ll Mum and Dad say?” +Fawkes was waiting for them, hovering in the +Chamber entrance. Harry urged Ginny forward; they +stepped over the motionless coils of the dead basilisk, +through the echoing gloom, and back into the tunnel. +Harry heard the stone doors close behind them with a +soft hiss. +After a few minutes’ progress up the dark tunnel, a +distant sound of slowly shifting rock reached Harry’s +ears. +“Ron!” Harry yelled, speeding up. “Ginny’s okay! I’ve +got her!” +He heard Ron give a strangled cheer, and they turned +the next bend to see his eager face staring through +the sizable gap he had managed to make in the +rockfall. +“Ginny!” Ron thrust an arm through the gap in the +rock to pull her through first. “You’re alive! I don’t +believe it! What happened? How — what — where did +that bird come from?” +Fawkes had swooped through the gap after Ginny. +“He’s Dumbledore’s,” said Harry, squeezing through +himself. +P a g e | 361 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“How come you’ve got a sword?” said Ron, gaping at +the glittering weapon in Harry’s hand. +“I’ll explain when we get out of here,” said Harry with +a sideways glance at Ginny, who was crying harder +than ever. +“But —” +“Later,” Harry said shortly. He didn’t think it was a +good idea to tell Ron yet who’d been opening the +Chamber, not in front of Ginny, anyway. “Where’s +Lockhart?” +“Back there,” said Ron, still looking puzzled but +jerking his head up the tunnel toward the pipe. “He’s +in a bad way. Come and see.” +Led by Fawkes, whose wide scarlet wings emitted a +soft golden glow in the darkness, they walked all the +way back to the mouth of the pipe. Gilderoy Lockhart +was sitting there, humming placidly to himself. +“His memory’s gone,” said Ron. “The Memory Charm +backfired. Hit him instead of us. Hasn’t got a clue +who he is, or where he is, or who we are. I told him to +come and wait here. He’s a danger to himself.” +Lockhart peered good-naturedly up at them all. +“Hello,” he said. “Odd sort of place, this, isn’t it? Do +you live here?” +“No,” said Ron, raising his eyebrows at Harry. +Harry bent down and looked up the long, dark pipe. +“Have you thought how we’re going to get back up +this?” he said to Ron. +P a g e | 362 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Ron shook his head, but Fawkes the phoenix had +swooped past Harry and was now fluttering in front of +him, his beady eyes bright in the dark. He was waving +his long golden tail feathers. Harry looked uncertainly +at him. +“He looks like he wants you to grab hold …” said Ron, +looking perplexed. “But you’re much too heavy for a +bird to pull up there —” +“Fawkes,” said Harry, “isn’t an ordinary bird.” He +turned quickly to the others. “We’ve got to hold on to +each other. Ginny, grab Ron’s hand. Professor +Lockhart —” +“He means you,” said Ron sharply to Lockhart. +“You hold Ginny’s other hand —” +Harry tucked the sword and the Sorting Hat into his +belt, Ron took hold of the back of Harry’s robes, and +Harry reached out and took hold of Fawkes’s +strangely hot tail feathers. +An extraordinary lightness seemed to spread through +his whole body and the next second, in a rush of +wings, they were flying upward through the pipe. +Harry could hear Lockhart dangling below him, +saying, “Amazing! Amazing! This is just like magic!” +The chill air was whipping through Harry’s hair, and +before he’d stopped enjoying the ride, it was over — +all four of them were hitting the wet floor of Moaning +Myrtle’s bathroom, and as Lockhart straightened his +hat, the sink that hid the pipe was sliding back into +place. +Myrtle goggled at them. +“You’re alive,” she said blankly to Harry. +P a g e | 363 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“There’s no need to sound so disappointed,” he said +grimly, wiping flecks of blood and slime off his +glasses. +“Oh, well … I’d just been thinking … if you had died, +you’d have been welcome to share my toilet,” said +Myrtle, blushing silver. +“Urgh!” said Ron as they left the bathroom for the +dark, deserted corridor outside. “Harry! I think +Myrtle’s grown fond of you! You’ve got competition, +Ginny!” +But tears were still flooding silently down Ginny’s +face. +“Where now?” said Ron, with an anxious look at +Ginny. Harry pointed. +Fawkes was leading the way, glowing gold along the +corridor. They strode after him, and moments later, +found themselves outside Professor McGonagall’s +office. +Harry knocked and pushed the door open. +P a g e | 364 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling + + +DOBBY’S REWARD +For a moment there was silence as Harry, Ron, +Ginny, and Lockhart stood in the doorway, covered in +muck and slime and (in Harry’s case) blood. Then +there was a scream. +“Ginny!” +It was Mrs. Weasley, who had been sitting crying in +front of the fire. She leapt to her feet, closely followed +by Mr. Weasley, and both of them flung themselves on +their daughter. +Harry, however, was looking past them. Professor +Dumbledore was standing by the mantelpiece, +beaming, next to Professor McGonagall, who was +taking great, steadying gasps, clutching her chest. +Fawkes went whooshing past Harry’s ear and settled +on Dumbledore’s shoulder, just as Harry found +himself and Ron being swept into Mrs. Weasley’s tight +embrace. +“You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?” +P a g e | 365 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“I think we’d all like to know that,” said Professor +McGonagall weakly. +Mrs. Weasley let go of Harry, who hesitated for a +moment, then walked over to the desk and laid upon +it the Sorting Hat, the ruby-encrusted sword, and +what remained of Riddle’s diary. +Then he started telling them everything. For nearly a +quarter of an hour he spoke into the rapt silence: He +told them about hearing the disembodied voice, how +Hermione had finally realized that he was hearing a +basilisk in the pipes; how he and Ron had followed +the spiders into the forest, that Aragog had told them +where the last victim of the basilisk had died; how he +had guessed that Moaning Myrtle had been the +victim, and that the entrance to the Chamber of +Secrets might be in her bathroom. … +“Very well,” Professor McGonagall prompted him as +he paused, “so you found out where the entrance was +— breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along +the way, I might add — but how on earth did you all +get out of there alive, Potter?” +So Harry, his voice now growing hoarse from all this +talking, told them about Fawkes’s timely arrival and +about the Sorting Hat giving him the sword. But then +he faltered. He had so far avoided mentioning Riddle’s +diary — or Ginny. She was standing with her head +against Mrs. Weasley’s shoulder, and tears were still +coursing silently down her cheeks. What if they +expelled her? Harry thought in panic. Riddle’s diary +didn’t work anymore. … How could they prove it had +been he who’d made her do it all? +Instinctively, Harry looked at Dumbledore, who +smiled faintly, the firelight glancing off his half-moon +spectacles. +P a g e | 366 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“What interests me most,” said Dumbledore gently, “is +how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, +when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in +the forests of Albania.” +Relief — warm, sweeping, glorious relief — swept over +Harry. +“W-what’s that?” said Mr. Weasley in a stunned voice. +“You-Know-Who? En-enchant Ginny? But Ginny’s not +… Ginny hasn’t been … has she?” +“It was this diary,” said Harry quickly, picking it up +and showing it to Dumbledore. “Riddle wrote it when +he was sixteen. …” +Dumbledore took the diary from Harry and peered +keenly down his long, crooked nose at its burnt and +soggy pages. +“Brilliant,” he said softly. “Of course, he was probably +the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen.” +He turned around to the Weasleys, who were looking +utterly bewildered. +“Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once +called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years +ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving the +school … traveled far and wide … sank so deeply into +the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our +kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical +transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord +Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone +connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome +boy who was once Head Boy here.” +“But, Ginny,” said Mrs. Weasley. “What’s our Ginny +got to do with — with — him?” +P a g e | 367 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“His d-diary!” Ginny sobbed. “I’ve b-been writing in it, +and he’s been w-writing back all year —” +“Ginny!” said Mr. Weasley, flabbergasted. “Haven’t I +taught you anything? What have I always told you? +Never trust anything that can think for itself if you +can’t see where it keeps its brain. Why didn’t you +show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious +object like that, it was clearly full of Dark Magic —” +“I d-didn’t know,” sobbed Ginny. “I found it inside one +of the books Mum got me. I th-thought someone had +just left it in there and forgotten about it —” +“Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right +away,” Dumbledore interrupted in a firm voice. “This +has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no +punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have +been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort.” He strode over +to the door and opened it. “Bed rest and perhaps a +large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find +that cheers me up,” he added, twinkling kindly down +at her. “You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still +awake. She’s just giving out Mandrake juice — I +daresay the basilisk’s victims will be waking up any +moment.” +“So Hermione’s okay!” said Ron brightly. +“There has been no lasting harm done, Ginny,” said +Dumbledore. +Mrs. Weasley led Ginny out, and Mr. Weasley +followed, still looking deeply shaken. +“You know, Minerva,” Professor Dumbledore said +thoughtfully to Professor McGonagall, “I think all this +merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go and alert +the kitchens?” +P a g e | 368 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Right,” said Professor McGonagall crisply, also +moving to the door. “I’ll leave you to deal with Potter +and Weasley, shall I?” +“Certainly,” said Dumbledore. +She left, and Harry and Ron gazed uncertainly at +Dumbledore. What exactly had Professor McGonagall +meant, deal with them? Surely — surely — they +weren’t about to be punished? +“I seem to remember telling you both that I would +have to expel you if you broke any more school rules,” +said Dumbledore. +Ron opened his mouth in horror. +“Which goes to show that the best of us must +sometimes eat our words,” Dumbledore went on, +smiling. “You will both receive Special Awards for +Services to the School and — let me see — yes, I think +two hundred points apiece for Gryffindor.” +Ron went as brightly pink as Lockhart’s valentine +flowers and closed his mouth again. +“But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet +about his part in this dangerous adventure,” +Dumbledore added. “Why so modest, Gilderoy?” +Harry gave a start. He had completely forgotten about +Lockhart. He turned and saw that Lockhart was +standing in a corner of the room, still wearing his +vague smile. When Dumbledore addressed him, +Lockhart looked over his shoulder to see who he was +talking to. +P a g e | 369 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Professor Dumbledore,” Ron said quickly, “there was +an accident down in the Chamber of Secrets. +Professor Lockhart —” +“Am I a professor?” said Lockhart in mild surprise. +“Goodness. I expect I was hopeless, was I?” +“He tried to do a Memory Charm and the wand +backfired,” Ron explained quietly to Dumbledore. +“Dear me,” said Dumbledore, shaking his head, his +long silver mustache quivering. “Impaled upon your +own sword, Gilderoy!” +“Sword?” said Lockhart dimly. “Haven’t got a sword. +That boy has, though.” He pointed at Harry. “He’ll +lend you one.” +“Would you mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the +infirmary, too?” Dumbledore said to Ron. “I’d like a +few more words with Harry. …” +Lockhart ambled out. Ron cast a curious look back at +Dumbledore and Harry as he closed the door. +Dumbledore crossed to one of the chairs by the fire. +“Sit down, Harry,” he said, and Harry sat, feeling +unaccountably nervous. +“First of all, Harry, I want to thank you,” said +Dumbledore, eyes twinkling again. “You must have +shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing +but that could have called Fawkes to you.” +He stroked the phoenix, which had fluttered down +onto his knee. Harry grinned awkwardly as +Dumbledore watched him. +P a g e | 370 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“And so you met Tom Riddle,” said Dumbledore +thoughtfully. “I imagine he was most interested in +you. …” +Suddenly, something that was nagging at Harry came +tumbling out of his mouth. +“Professor Dumbledore … Riddle said I’m like him. +Strange likenesses, he said. …” +“Did he, now?” said Dumbledore, looking thoughtfully +at Harry from under his thick silver eyebrows. “And +what do you think, Harry?” +“I don’t think I’m like him!” said Harry, more loudly +than he’d intended. “I mean, I’m — I’m in Gryffindor, +I’m …” +But he fell silent, a lurking doubt resurfacing in his +mind. +“Professor,” he started again after a moment. “The +Sorting Hat told me I’d — I’d have done well in +Slytherin. Everyone thought I was Slytherin’s heir for +a while … because I can speak Parseltongue. …” +“You can speak Parseltongue, Harry,” said +Dumbledore calmly, “because Lord Voldemort — who +is the last remaining descendant of Salazar Slytherin +— can speak Parseltongue. Unless I’m much +mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to +you the night he gave you that scar. Not something he +intended to do, I’m sure. …” +“Voldemort put a bit of himself in me?” Harry said, +thunderstruck. +“It certainly seems so.” +P a g e | 371 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“So I should be in Slytherin,” Harry said, looking +desperately into Dumbledore’s face. “The Sorting Hat +could see Slytherin’s power in me, and it —” +“Put you in Gryffindor,” said Dumbledore calmly. +“Listen to me, Harry. You happen to have many +qualities Salazar Slytherin prized in his hand-picked +students. His own very rare gift, Parseltongue — +resourcefulness — determination — a certain +disregard for rules,” he added, his mustache +quivering again. “Yet the Sorting Hat placed you in +Gryffindor. You know why that was. Think.” +“It only put me in Gryffindor,” said Harry in a +defeated voice, “because I asked not to go in +Slytherin. …” +“Exactly,” said Dumbledore, beaming once more. +“Which makes you very different from Tom Riddle. It +is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far +more than our abilities.” Harry sat motionless in his +chair, stunned. “If you want proof, Harry, that you +belong in Gryffindor, I suggest you look more closely +at this.” +Dumbledore reached across to Professor McGonagall’s +desk, picked up the blood-stained silver sword, and +handed it to Harry. Dully, Harry turned it over, the +rubies blazing in the firelight. And then he saw the +name engraved just below the hilt. +Godric Gryffindor. +“Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that out of +the hat, Harry,” said Dumbledore simply. +For a minute, neither of them spoke. Then +Dumbledore pulled open one of the drawers in +P a g e | 372 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Professor McGonagall’s desk and took out a quill and +a bottle of ink. +“What you need, Harry, is some food and sleep. I +suggest you go down to the feast, while I write to +Azkaban — we need our gamekeeper back. And I +must draft an advertisement for the Daily Prophet, +too,” he added thoughtfully. “We’ll be needing a new +Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. … Dear me, +we do seem to run through them, don’t we?” +Harry got up and crossed to the door. He had just +reached for the handle, however, when the door burst +open so violently that it bounced back off the wall. +Lucius Malfoy stood there, fury in his face. And +cowering behind his legs, heavily wrapped in +bandages, was Dobby. +“Good evening, Lucius,” said Dumbledore pleasantly. +Mr. Malfoy almost knocked Harry over as he swept +into the room. Dobby went scurrying in after him, +crouching at the hem of his cloak, a look of abject +terror on his face. +The elf was carrying a stained rag with which he was +attempting to finish cleaning Mr. Malfoy’s shoes. +Apparently Mr. Malfoy had set out in a great hurry, +for not only were his shoes half-polished, but his +usually sleek hair was disheveled. Ignoring the elf +bobbing apologetically around his ankles, he fixed his +cold eyes upon Dumbledore. +“So!” he said “You’ve come back. The governors +suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to +Hogwarts.” +P a g e | 373 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Well, you see, Lucius,” said Dumbledore, smiling +serenely, “the other eleven governors contacted me +today. It was something like being caught in a +hailstorm of owls, to tell the truth. They’d heard that +Arthur Weasley’s daughter had been killed and +wanted me back here at once. They seemed to think I +was the best man for the job after all. Very strange +tales they told me, too. … Several of them seemed to +think that you had threatened to curse their families +if they didn’t agree to suspend me in the first place.” +Mr. Malfoy went even paler than usual, but his eyes +were still slits of fury. +“So — have you stopped the attacks yet?” he sneered. +“Have you caught the culprit?” +“We have,” said Dumbledore, with a smile. +“Well?” said Mr. Malfoy sharply. “Who is it?” +“The same person as last time, Lucius,” said +Dumbledore. “But this time, Lord Voldemort was +acting through somebody else. By means of this +diary.” +He held up the small black book with the large hole +through the center, watching Mr. Malfoy closely. +Harry, however, was watching Dobby. +The elf was doing something very odd. His great eyes +fixed meaningfully on Harry, he kept pointing at the +diary, then at Mr. Malfoy, and then hitting himself +hard on the head with his fist. +“I see …” said Mr. Malfoy slowly to Dumbledore. +“A clever plan,” said Dumbledore in a level voice, still +staring Mr. Malfoy straight in the eye. “Because if +P a g e | 374 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Harry here” — Mr. Malfoy shot Harry a swift, sharp +look — “and his friend Ron hadn’t discovered this +book, why — Ginny Weasley might have taken all the +blame. No one would ever have been able to prove she +hadn’t acted of her own free will. …” +Mr. Malfoy said nothing. His face was suddenly +masklike. +“And imagine,” Dumbledore went on, “what might +have happened then. … The Weasleys are one of our +most prominent pure-blood families. Imagine the +effect on Arthur Weasley and his Muggle Protection +Act, if his own daughter was discovered attacking and +killing Muggle-borns. … Very fortunate the diary was +discovered, and Riddle’s memories wiped from it. Who +knows what the consequences might have been +otherwise. …” +Mr. Malfoy forced himself to speak. +“Very fortunate,” he said stiffly. +And still, behind his back, Dobby was pointing, first +to the diary, then to Lucius Malfoy, then punching +himself in the head. +And Harry suddenly understood. He nodded at +Dobby, and Dobby backed into a corner, now twisting +his ears in punishment. +“Don’t you want to know how Ginny got hold of that +diary, Mr. Malfoy?” said Harry. +Lucius Malfoy rounded on him. +“How should I know how the stupid little girl got hold +of it?” he said. +P a g e | 375 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“Because you gave it to her,” said Harry. “In Flourish +and Blotts. You picked up her old Transfiguration +book and slipped the diary inside it, didn’t you?” +He saw Mr. Malfoy’s white hands clench and +unclench. +“Prove it,” he hissed. +“Oh, no one will be able to do that,” said Dumbledore, +smiling at Harry. “Not now that Riddle has vanished +from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, +Lucius, not to go giving out any more of Lord +Voldemort’s old school things. If any more of them +find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur +Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back +to you. …” +Lucius Malfoy stood for a moment, and Harry +distinctly saw his right hand twitch as though he was +longing to reach for his wand. Instead, he turned to +his house-elf. +“We’re going, Dobby!” +He wrenched open the door and as the elf came +hurrying up to him, he kicked him right through it. +They could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the +way along the corridor. Harry stood for a moment, +thinking hard. Then it came to him — +“Professor Dumbledore,” he said hurriedly. “Can I give +that diary back to Mr. Malfoy, please?” +“Certainly, Harry,” said Dumbledore calmly. “But +hurry. The feast, remember. …” +Harry grabbed the diary and dashed out of the office. +He could hear Dobby’s squeals of pain receding +P a g e | 376 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +around the corner. Quickly, wondering if this plan +could possibly work, Harry took off one of his shoes, +pulled off his slimy, filthy sock, and stuffed the diary +into it. Then he ran down the dark corridor. +He caught up with them at the top of the stairs. +“Mr. Malfoy,” he gasped, skidding to a halt, “I’ve got +something for you —” +And he forced the smelly sock into Lucius Malfoy’s +hand. +“What the — ?” +Mr. Malfoy ripped the sock off the diary, threw it +aside, then looked furiously from the ruined book to +Harry. +“You’ll meet the same sticky end as your parents one +of these days, Harry Potter,” he said softly. “They were +meddlesome fools, too.” +He turned to go. +“Come, Dobby. I said, come.” +But Dobby didn’t move. He was holding up Harry’s +disgusting, slimy sock, and looking at it as though it +were a priceless treasure. +“Master has given a sock,” said the elf in wonderment. +“Master gave it to Dobby.” +“What’s that?” spat Mr. Malfoy. “What did you say?” +“Got a sock,” said Dobby in disbelief. “Master threw it, +and Dobby caught it, and Dobby — Dobby is free.” +P a g e | 377 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf. Then he +lunged at Harry. +“You’ve lost me my servant, boy!” +But Dobby shouted, “You shall not harm Harry +Potter!” +There was a loud bang, and Mr. Malfoy was thrown +backward. He crashed down the stairs, three at a +time, landing in a crumpled heap on the landing +below. He got up, his face livid, and pulled out his +wand, but Dobby raised a long, threatening finger. +“You shall go now,” he said fiercely, pointing down at +Mr. Malfoy. “You shall not touch Harry Potter. You +shall go now.” +Lucius Malfoy had no choice. With a last, incensed +stare at the pair of them, he swung his cloak around +him and hurried out of sight. +“Harry Potter freed Dobby!” said the elf shrilly, gazing +up at Harry, moonlight from the nearest window +reflected in his orb-like eyes. “Harry Potter set Dobby +free!” +“Least I could do, Dobby,” said Harry, grinning. “Just +promise never to try and save my life again.” +The elf’s ugly brown face split suddenly into a wide, +toothy smile. +“I’ve just got one question, Dobby,” said Harry as +Dobby pulled on Harry’s sock with shaking hands. +“You told me all this had nothing to do with He-Who- +Must-Not-Be-Named, remember? Well —” +P a g e | 378 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +“It was a clue, sir,” said Dobby, his eyes widening, as +though this was obvious. “Was giving you a clue. The +Dark Lord, before he changed his name, could be +freely named, you see?” +“Right,” said Harry weakly. “Well, I’d better go. There’s +a feast, and my friend Hermione should be awake by +now. …” +Dobby threw his arms around Harry’s middle and +hugged him. +“Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!” he +sobbed. “Farewell, Harry Potter!” +And with a final loud crack, Dobby disappeared. +Harry had been to several Hogwarts feasts, but never +one quite like this. Everybody was in their pajamas, +and the celebration lasted all night. Harry didn’t know +whether the best bit was Hermione running toward +him, screaming “You solved it! You solved it!” or +Justin hurrying over from the Hufflepuff table to +wring his hand and apologize endlessly for suspecting +him, or Hagrid turning up at half past three, cuffing +Harry and Ron so hard on the shoulders that they +were knocked into their plates of trifle, or his and +Ron’s four hundred points for Gryffindor securing the +House Cup for the second year running, or Professor +McGonagall standing up to tell them all that the +exams had been canceled as a school treat (“Oh, no!” +said Hermione), or Dumbledore announcing that, +unfortunately, Professor Lockhart would be unable to +return next year, owing to the fact that he needed to +go away and get his memory back. Quite a few of the +teachers joined in the cheering that greeted this news. +“Shame,” said Ron, helping himself to a jam +doughnut. “He was starting to grow on me.” +P a g e | 379 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +The rest of the final term passed in a haze of blazing +sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal with only a +few, small differences — Defense Against the Dark +Arts classes were canceled (“but we’ve had plenty of +practice at that anyway,” Ron told a disgruntled +Hermione) and Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a +school governor. Draco was no longer strutting +around the school as though he owned the place. On +the contrary, he looked resentful and sulky. On the +other hand, Ginny Weasley was perfectly happy +again. +Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the +Hogwarts Express. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, +George, and Ginny got a compartment to themselves. +They made the most of the last few hours in which +they were allowed to do magic before the holidays. +They played Exploding Snap, set off the very last of +Fred and George’s Filibuster fireworks, and practiced +disarming each other by magic. Harry was getting +very good at it. +They were almost at King’s Cross when Harry +remembered something. +“Ginny — what did you see Percy doing, that he didn’t +want you to tell anyone?” +“Oh, that,” said Ginny, giggling. “Well — Percy’s got a +girlfriend.” +Fred dropped a stack of books on George’s head. +“What?” +“It’s that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater,” +said Ginny. “That’s who he was writing to all last +summer. He’s been meeting her all over the school in +secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty +P a g e | 380 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling +classroom one day. He was so upset when she was — +you know — attacked. You won’t tease him, will you?” +she added anxiously. +“Wouldn’t dream of it,” said Fred, who was looking +like his birthday had come early. +“Definitely not,” said George, sniggering. +The Hogwarts Express slowed and finally stopped. +Harry pulled out his quill and a bit of parchment and +turned to Ron and Hermione. +“This is called a telephone number,” he told Ron, +scribbling it twice, tearing the parchment in two, and +handing it to them. “I told your dad how to use a +telephone last summer — he’ll know. Call me at the +Dursleys’, okay? I can’t stand another two months +with only Dudley to talk to. …” +“Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won’t +they?” said Hermione as they got off the train and +joined the crowd thronging toward the enchanted +barrier. “When they hear what you did this year? +“Proud?” said Harry. “Are you crazy? All those times I +could’ve died, and I didn’t manage it? They’ll be +furious. …” +And together they walked back through the gateway +to the Muggle world. +