Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)

by J.K. Rowling

‘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

He wore round glasses, and on his forehead was a thin, lightning-shaped scar.

What wouldn’t he give now for a message from Hogwarts? From any witch or wizard? He’d almost be glad of a sight of his arch-enemy, Draco Malfoy, just to be sure it hadn’t all been a dream …

Life at The Burrow was as different as possible from life in Privet Drive. The Dursleys liked everything neat and ordered; the Weasleys’ house burst with the strange and unexpected.

I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that, this September, I will be taking up the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!’

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 which 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.

‘You’d better hope Creevey doesn’t meet Ginny, 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’.

‘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.

‘Mudblood’s a really foul name for someone who was Muggle-born – you 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.’

October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the grounds and into the castle. Madam Pomfrey, the matron, 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 afterwards. Ginny Weasley, who had been looking peaky, 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.

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

‘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.’

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.’

‘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 …’

‘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.’ 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

‘Make way for the heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through …’ Percy was deeply disapproving of this behaviour. ‘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 nipping off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant,’ said George, chortling.

Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison.

‘What’s up?’ said Ron, looking at him with concern. ‘It was Hagrid, Ron. Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago.’

‘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.’

‘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.’

‘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. ‘You don’t think – not Moaning Myrtle?’

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.

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

‘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 opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger.’

‘Haven’t I already told you,’ said Riddle quietly, ‘that killing Mudbloods doesn’t matter to me any more? For many months now, my new target has been – you.’

‘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

I can see now – there is nothing special about you, after all. I wondered, you see. Because there are strange likenesses between us, Harry Potter. 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.’

Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can’t see where it keeps its brain.

‘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.’

It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.’

‘Master has given Dobby a sock,’ said the elf in wonderment. ‘Master gave it to Dobby.’ ‘What’s that?’ spat Mr Malfoy. ‘What did you say?’ ‘Dobby has got a sock,’ said Dobby in disbelief. ‘Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby – Dobby is free.’

‘Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won’t they?’ said Hermione, as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging towards the enchanted barrier. ‘When they hear what you did this year?’ ‘Proud?’ said Harry. ‘Are you mad? All those times I could’ve died, and I didn’t manage it? They’ll be furious …’