Rowling, J.K.- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2); Informal Buddy Read: Starts November 12, 2014 REVISIT 15 May 2018

[Judy]

Fandury wrote: "Judy wrote: "Team Myrtle here 😊

Chapter 2
[spoilers removed]"

Chapters 1 + 2

I also just finished this chapter and I agree, in the beginning Dobby is not really that likeable, and I also never m..."


(view spoiler)[Yeah, same for me - I don't think I've ever cried over Dobby when he dies...

I completely agree about the magic thing! That is something I've always wondered about - it's such an advantage for magical families, but the Weasleys e.g. still don't practice magic at home, right? (hide spoiler)]

[Judy]

Chapter 3

(view spoiler)[
During my reread last year, Molly and Arthur became some of my favorite characters! I never really noticed them much when I read HP as a kid, but they're just fantastic people and parents. Molly just cares so much and the way she embraces Harry as another son is just too much! ❤️ Arthur and his obsession with Muggle stuff are just hilarious, and also GO BEAT UP THAT SLIMY OLD LUCIUS!!! Plus I think it's amazing how we know them as these slightly droll parents, but both of them (especially Molly) are actually really talented wizards.

I also laugh EVERY TIME Errol comes up - that poor rumpled, old owl!
(hide spoiler)]

[ClaireB]

Judy wrote: "Chapter 3"

I love the Weasley family as a whole! They are just so warm and welcoming people. And so generous, too.

[Tammie]

Diane ~Firefly~ wrote: "ch 10-15

Well a lot happens here, we have Harry breaking his arm, but winning the game; a ghost being petrified, the polyjuice potion and learning Draco isn't behind the attacks. Hermione being pe..."

The only thing I could think of was they were so afraid...nothing else really made sense...

[Tammie]

I’ve finished,,,I liked this one, story wise, better than the first one although they were both brilliant. It really moved quickly.
So many characters it was a bit difficult to keep up with everyone...I also find myself constantly comparing to the movie when I know better...it should be the other way around..*kicking herself for not reading first*

I did more of reading the book this time vs listening...it helped keep things straight.

I plan to continue this series...

[Judy]

Chapter 6

(view spoiler)[OH MY GOD I HATE LOCKHART HE'S SO FREAKING ANNOYING!!!!!

Besides that - I think the house points are really different in this book (and the later ones) than in the first one... They got like five points for the troll thing in book 1, and now Hermione got 10 TWICE from Sprout, just for giving a correct answer in class? Did anyone else notice this? (hide spoiler)]

[Sophie, The other one]

Kirsten wrote: "What edition of this book are people picking up this time around to read/reread/listen to?

I am still working my way through my reread of the first book but likely will continue onto the 2nd, not..."
I've got an ebook from the library. My original set are still at my dad's as they were shared between me and my sisters.

I'd forgotten how rotten the Dursleys were to Harry and can't imagine how miserable it must be to have a birthday like that!

[ClaireB]

Chapter 15

(view spoiler)[The chapter in which Harry and Ron go to the Forebidden Forest to meet Aragog.
The magic in Harry Potter is very fascinating; A very curious case is the Weasley's flying car. It's fascinating how magic was able to give the car it's own personality to the point that it was able to go wild in the forest.

Also, this chapter always reminds me of my late grandmother with whom I watched the movie for the first time. She was absolutely terrified of spiders, a bit like Ron but worse. After that, she never wanted to watch any Harry Potter movie again. No matter that in the other movies there aren't any spiders. (hide spoiler)]

[Dev]

Tammie wrote: "I’ve just finished through chapter 10 where Harry overhears prof mcgonigall, madm pomfrey and prof dumbledore agree the chamber of secrets has indeed been opened.
You know what’s really bothering ..."

dumbledore always has an ulterior motive for EVERYTHING. idk if you have read the series before so i don't want to like get into spoilers but wait til we get to the later books lol

[ClaireB]

Diane ~Firefly~ wrote: "ch 10-15"

(view spoiler)[I never understood why they suspected Harry either. And especially before everyone learned he could speak to snakes. I mean, his mother was a muggleborn, one of his best friend is a muggleborn. Why would he go out killing muggleborns?
It always irks me to see how quick wizards are to turn their back to Harry. In book one, at one point nobody would talk to him because of the points he loses. (later books spoilers ahead)(view spoiler)[In Goblet of Fire, everyone is angry that he got into the triwizard tournament, especially Ron. In the Order of the Phoenix, everybody thinks he's a liar ! (hide spoiler)] Poor Harry. He can't catch a break. (hide spoiler)]

[ClaireB]

chapter 16

(view spoiler)[I love the friendship and solidarity between the teachers at Hogwarts. I love how they all played along in making Lockhart believe they were counting on him just to get rid of him.
"Right, that's got him out from under our feet" LOL I love MacGonagall so much. She's my favorite teacher.
It reminds me a bit of the Order of the Phoenix (view spoiler)[ when they all did all they could to make it difficult for Umbitch, hum sorry I mean Umbridge ;) (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Dev]

@ ✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry

did dumbledore ever tell snape (view spoiler)[that he wasn't giving him the position because it was cursed? i can't remember if snape knows why he can't teach DADA and is still mad or if dumbledore just never told him, because i feel like if dumbledore had explained it he might have understood and chilled out a bit but it's been forever since i read these (hide spoiler)]

[Diane ~Firefly~]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "chapter 16

Yeah, I agree that the main teachers are awesome!

[ClaireB]

Devann wrote: "@ ✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry

did dumbledore ever tell snape [spoilers removed]"

I'm not sure... You know Dumbledore. He has a habit of keeping secrets "for the greater good". He might have not told Snape, for whatever twisted reason Dumbledore made up.
I'm not a big fan of Dumbledore. Can you tell? haha

[Dev]

haha Yeah I am really not a fan either but I was trying to be like 'diplomatic' about it XD And I agree that he keeps WAY too many secrets and I think a lot of major problems in the series could have been solved literally by Dumbledore just informing people of important information

[ClaireB]

Devann wrote: "haha Yeah I am really not a fan either but I was trying to be like 'diplomatic' about it XD And I agree that he keeps WAY too many secrets and I think a lot of major problems in the series could ha..."

I could not agree more! And it's in The Order of the Phoenix that it shows the most. So much could have been avoided.

[Dev]

well i wasn't gonna start til the weekend but this thread is getting pretty active so here we go lol

Chapters 1-2

people who say Harry didn't get snarky til book 5 clearly weren't paying that much attention. 'oh so you've finally learned the days of the week?' love that kid

the whole underage magic thing is such a weird situation i think. (view spoiler)[ i know later in the books they say that it only detects whether magic is being done in the general area and not who casts it but 1. that is so unfair to wizard born vs muggle born children and 2. surely there is a difference between house elf and wizard magic and shouldn't it be able to differentiate between that? i know that really it's just an event to move the plot along but it always seemed like it didn't quite make sense to me (hide spoiler)]

[ClaireB]

I just finished the book

(view spoiler)[Can we just appreciate the best advise a dad could ever give his daughter:

"What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can’t see where it keeps its brain."

haha. I love Arthur Weasly ^^ (hide spoiler)]

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Come join us in the book 3 BR thread

[ClaireB]

Devann wrote: "well i wasn't gonna start til the weekend but this thread is getting pretty active so here we go lol

Chapters 1-2

people who say Harry didn't get snarky til book 5 clearly weren't paying that muc..."

I feel exactly the same. This underage magic law doesn't always seem very consistent. It always bothered me.

[M]

I just started mt re-read of this one and I was wondering if anyone else is just creeped out by Lockhart. In the books and in the movie he just a fat bag of nope.

[Dev]

Chapters 3-4

I always find the scene at Borgin and Burkes really interesting. Although I am kind of confused as to why the guy buys stuff that is apparently illegal if there are so many raids going on. Like Malfoy is worried about his house getting raided but you'd think the Ministry would just raid the Super Obvious Dark Magic Shop instead? Also the cabinet that Harry hides in (view spoiler)[if I remember correctly is actually the one that Draco is trying to fix in the 6th book. There's a lot of parallels between the 2nd and 6th books and I really love finding all of them. (hide spoiler)]

Can't stand Lockhart but really who can lol. He's one of those professors that makes you buy all of his expensive books so he gets the royalties from them [rolls eyes]

[Diane ~Firefly~]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Devann wrote: "well i wasn't gonna start til the weekend but this thread is getting pretty active so here we go lol

Chapters 1-2

I feel exactly the same. This underage magic law doesn't always seem very consistent. It always bothered me.."

When you think about it, how many times did Harry use magic before he knew he was a wizard? If that is ok, I don't understand why they can't use magic once they know. Plus, you would think practicing over summer break is a good thing...

[Abbey]

Diane ~Firefly~ wrote: "✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Devann wrote: "well i wasn't gonna start til the weekend but this thread is getting pretty active so here we go lol

Chapters 1-2

I feel exactly the same. Thi..."

I was also curious about this, especially in wizard households, like the Weasley family. Their house is pretty much run on magic, so it always seemed odd to me that their children couldn't partake in it until they were older. Children from wizard families also would have used indirect magic, like the floo network or other daily magic used around them, so it never made sense that they couldn't continue using their skills. It made sense for Harry's case, in a muggle family, but the rule as whole for everyone never made sense to me.

There is also the scene in one of the movies (which I know isn't the same as the books), where Harry is using the Lumos spell in his room - but isn't caught for underage magic. Yet, once it happens later in the series he is automatically sent the letter of expulsion.

[ClaireB]

Diane ~Firefly~ wrote: "✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Devann wrote: "well i wasn't gonna start til the weekend but this thread is getting pretty active so here we go lol

Chapters 1-2

I feel exactly the same. Thi..."

true, true. and when you consider that in book 3 (view spoiler)[ they just let it slide that he completely blew up his aunt like a balloon. It just makes no sense. I know that Fudge has other problems to think about with Sirius on the lose, but still. It just shows how incompetent the ministry of magic is. They aren't even able to follow their own laws. They should just delete that law altogether.
BTW, I just thought of something. In the movies, they really aren't consistent with that law. The first thing we see in The Prisoner of Azkaban is Harry performing the Lumos spell at the Dursleys'. It just makes it more confusing for the readers. (hide spoiler)]

[Sophie, The other one]

V true! You'd have thought someone would have done something about the glass disappearing at the zoo - not a subtle use of magic and def against Statute of Secrecy.

[ClaireB]

Abbey wrote: "Diane ~Firefly~ wrote: "✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Devann wrote: "well i wasn't gonna start til the weekend but this thread is getting pretty active so here we go lol

Chapters 1-2

I fe..."

yes, that's the scene I was talking about ! It makes it so confusing. And it's not an issue of book vs movie adaptation, because the law exists in the movies too.

[Sophie, The other one]

Also how does(view spoiler)[ borrowing the flying car in the next chapter (hide spoiler)] not count!?

[Sophie, The other one]

Chapter 3
(view spoiler)[how are Fred and George only just finding out about the fact Draco doesn't like Harry and Ron? Seems unlikely given the last book... (hide spoiler)]

[Dev]

@Abbey I think that lumos scene was just for the movie, but it is a very inconsistent thing all around

@Claire yeah the thing at the beginning of book 3 KIND OF makes sense as they are really bending the rules bc they want to keep him 'safe' and whatnot but what 'counts' as underage magic does seem to be incredibly arbitrary and really just relies on what is is convenient to the plot

i guess when they are younger maybe the magic is different because they won't have a wand yet? but then you'd think they'd be able to tell if it was a house elf bc they also don't have wands. ugh lol

[Dev]

Chapters 5-7

another kind of nod to things that happen in the sixth book re: snape (view spoiler)[with harry's off handed comment about him reading minds (hide spoiler)]

i've noticed that particularly in the earlier books there is a lot like villains / bad people being 'unattractive'. there's always so much made of how fat the dursley's are (view spoiler)[and doesn't dudley like start losing weight towards the end of the series when he becomes more good or am i imagining that? (hide spoiler)] and then of course snape is always super pale and greasy and 'hook nosed'. even with voldemort (view spoiler)[i feel like there is such a distinction between young handsome tom riddle who is maybe just 'misguided' then he BECOMES ugly as he starts doing more evil stuff and especially horcruxes. (hide spoiler)] again i guess it's fairly normal for a children's book but i still don't necessarily think it's right to do.

also why does hagrid's broken wand apparently work but ron's doesn't? (view spoiler)[i think ron's wasn't his own to begin with so maybe that factors in but it seems kind of weird (hide spoiler)]

sorry i'm just liking picking these books apart but i've read them so many times that it just comes naturally lol it's all meant in good fun mostly.

[Sophie, The other one]

Devann - I feel like I'm doing the same! They're enjoyable books and a lot of work obviously went into them, but there are a few plot issues. JK Rowling admits that the timeturner caused some problems!

[Tammie]

Another thing that just popped in to my head is what a turn Hermione took in this book from the first...(view spoiler)[she's turned in to an all out 'plotter' of breaking the rules vs the 'goodie two shoes' of pointing out all the bad in the first book...she was bending at the end of the first book...but this one...she's turned in to an instigator (hide spoiler)]

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Here's an interesting question - why are the sexes separated? We have witches and wizards, why not just one name for the magically inclined?

[Dev]

that is an interesting point, especially since the two words have very different connotations in the english language and to me it would make it easier to just call them all wizards [which seems to fit better than calling them all witches imo]

Chapters 8-12

And we've got a mention on (view spoiler)[the other vanishing cabinet! (hide spoiler)]

Re: the whole heir of slytherin thing, i don't remember if (view spoiler)[tom riddle actually IS related to slytherin? i guess he is because they have that locket or whatever right? but honestly if all it takes to get into the chamber is to speak parseltongue then you'd think someone else would have found it because i find it hard to believe that only ONE family in the entire wizarding world has members who speak parseltongue ...(view spoiler)[

i had forgotten that prefects can take points away from houses. that makes the whole system seem even more unfair than before because if even the teachers aren't playing fairly with the points i don't think you can expect teenagers to be that mature honestly

i love the bit where lockhart is like just do what i did and harry goes 'what, drop my wand?' lol (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Tammie]

Diane ~Firefly~ wrote: "Here's an interesting question - why are the sexes separated? We have witches and wizards, why not just one name for the magically inclined?"

You are right...at least in the mystical world vampires are vampires if male or female...doesn't see right...

[Tammie]

Devann wrote: "that is an interesting point, especially since the two words have very different connotations in the english language and to me it would make it easier to just call them all wizards [which seems to..."

I love your second observation...doesn't make sense who 'no one else but Harry Potter' can do it...I suppose it works with the plot though...

[ClaireB]

Devann wrote: "that is an interesting point, especially since the two words have very different connotations in the english language and to me it would make it easier to just call them all wizards [which seems to..."

indeed (view spoiler)[ Voldermort's family on his mother side, the Gaunt, are direct descendent of Slytherin.
And it's true that it seems awefully convenient to have only them speaking perseltongue. But they don't say that in the books. Just that the gift is very rare. So maybe there are others. But considering it's seen as something dark, I don't imagine a lot of people just parade about saying that they can speak to snakes.
Also, it's not just a matter of speaking the language, is it? The chamber is well hidden. Who would have guessed from the start that it was in the girls' bathroom? Riddle said himself that it took him years of research to find it.

What I find strange on the other hand, is that this giant snake could survive centuries underground, without getting out of that room. How about that? How did he feed? (hide spoiler)]

[Dev]

@Claire yeah i just finished the book and i guess you're right that you would really have to WANT to find the chamber in order to do it. Although good point about (view spoiler)[the basilisk and all. I thought maybe it hibernated but Fantastic Beasts says 'if food source is sufficient the serpent may attain a very great age' and you are right that the food source does not seem to be sufficient. I guess if they really are under the lake then maybe there is water / small animals for it to eat?? (hide spoiler)]

[Dev]

well, finished this one in just about 3 hours as well. i can probably read the next one in one sitting at well but after that i'll have to break them up into pieces lol

Chapters 13-18

just a few things under the cut about similarities between cos and hbp: (view spoiler)[ i find lockhart and slughorn similar in that they are always trying to advance themselves with no real regard for the danger around them. like lockhart is always trying to turn everything into a story about some great thing he has done / marketing opportunity and slughorn has the slug club and they are both very easily swayed by obviously flattery.

also harry goes into other people's minds and looks at their memories in both books: the diary here and then the other thing in hbp ...pensieve i think it's called?

then obviously all the stuff with tom riddle's background is in these two books and they both focus on horcruxes, although we don't know it at this point. but this is the first time we see the whole 'voldemort put a piece of himself in harry' thing and now of course we know exactly how/why that was. (hide spoiler)]

and then a few things i noticed that basically only deal with things happening in this book: (view spoiler)[how did ginny steal diary from boys common room? girls aren't supposed to be able to get in there and i know hermione did but i figured she just found a way around it. or i guess jkr didn't think up that particular point yet?

also why doesn't the basilisk petrified/kill fawkes? because of its healing powers maybe? because there's no way fawkes never looked at it. also it apparently can't petrify people who can speak parseltongue or tom would have been killed by it, do you think harry would have been able to look at it if he had tried? (hide spoiler)]

[Judy]

Whoops, I guess I finished this today after all - that was not the plan!

Before reading Chamber of Secrets, I always wonder why I only give it four stars... but I just loathe Lockhart so much, there is no way I can give it five...

[Dev]

haha lockhart IS annoying, but not enough for me to knock off a star solely for him. i just rate this one 4 stars because i know that i like the 3rd and 5th ones better so i need some way to differentiate.

[Abbey]

Diane ~Firefly~ wrote: "Here's an interesting question - why are the sexes separated? We have witches and wizards, why not just one name for the magically inclined?"

I wondered this so much as a kid reading the books! I so badly wanted to be a "wizard", but in the series females were "witches", which tend to have negative connotations in other stories moreso than wizards too. I agree with Devann that they should all just be called wizards, like we are all called muggles.

[Judy]

Devann wrote: "haha lockhart IS annoying, but not enough for me to knock off a star solely for him. i just rate this one 4 stars because i know that i like the 3rd and 5th ones better so i need some way to differ..."

I guess it's not just Lockhart for me, but Harry not even properly trying to "resist"? I just don't like when characters are letting themselves be steamrolled like that... I've got the same problem with (view spoiler)[Umbridge later on - Harry doesn't even TRY (even though there are legit reasons for that, I know... but still... (hide spoiler)]

[Dev]

@Abbey now i'm picturing them calling us like 'muggle and muggless' or something ridiculous lol

@Judy i'm not sure exactly what you mean by harry not trying to resist? i haven't read ootp in over 10 years so i cant really speak to that at this point but i think that he pretty much does what he can wrt lockhart considering that he's like 12 and lockhart is a teacher, although i guess i never gave it a lot of thought really.

[Silje]

Soo, I couldn't wait till tomorrow, so started listening to the book today=) Finished chapter 1-5 and started on the 6th.

I truly love the Weasleys. They are a family built on love. They don't have much, but are still quite a happy lot. And I like that a bit of a temper comes along with the read hair, just think about (view spoiler)[ the Howler that Molly sends to Ron or the fact that Arthur actually hits Lucius Malfoy, that was epic! (hide spoiler)]

I had also forgotten about (view spoiler)[ the degnoming of the garden. I can just picture the boys throwing gnomes around! It made me laugh out loud while jogging=P (hide spoiler)]

I am looking forward to continue listening on my drive home after work tomorrow=)

[Samantha]

Devann wrote: "well, finished this one in just about 3 hours as well. i can probably read the next one in one sitting at well but after that i'll have to break them up into pieces lol

Chapters 13-18

just a few ..."

I never thought about the comparison between (view spoiler)[Gilderoy and Slughorn before, but you're totally right! I noticed a similar comparison at the end of chapter 9 that I only noticed on this read through, but you went more in depth than I did :) (hide spoiler)]

I think I have an answer to your question, although I don't remember where I got this info from. (view spoiler)[I heard somewhere or read that boys weren't to be trusted to go into the girls sleeping quarters, but girls were trustworthy to not get into mischief, so they were able to go into the boys sleeping quarters. Honestly, I don't know where I heard that (maybe an extra scene from the movie??) but its the only thing that makes sense. (hide spoiler)]

[Dev]

@Samantha that kind of makes sense, i guess i just figured it went both ways but you're probably right

[Silje]

Samantha wrote: "Devann wrote: "well, finished this one in just about 3 hours as well. i can probably read the next one in one sitting at well but after that i'll have to break them up into pieces lol

Chapters 13-..."

I've heard or read that too, now that you mention it! Maybe it is in a later book?

[Joanne]

I finished the first book yesterday, so I think I will start this book after my current read. Tomorrow probably.