Chapter 1: The Worst Birthday

"No cards, no presents, and he would be spending the evening pretending not to exist."
Description of Harry's 12th Birthday.

Harry sitting on a bench, unaware of someone in the bushes

Harry has returned to the Dursleys for the summer holiday, and things are very bad for him. Over the
summer, the Dursleys have become so fearful of Harry's new-foundmagical abilities that they have
locked away all of Harry's magical supplies (e.g. his wand, his broomstick, spellbooks, etc.)
immediately after his arrival home. The Dursleys have also banned Harry from saying words such as
"magic" in the house, as evident inVernon Dursley's outburst at breakfast. On 31 July (Harry's
birthday), Harry has never felt so lonely, he misses Hogwarts and his best friends Ron
Weasley and Hermione Granger. Neither of them have written to him all summer, not even to send
birthday wishes.
Aunt Petunia, Dudley, and Uncle Vernon are having a dinner party for one of Vernon's clients, Mr
Mason, and Harry has to stay in his room for the night, making no noise and "pretending he doesn't
exist".
However, when he gets there, someone else is on his bed...

Chapter 2: Dobby's Warning

"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 the oven
door later... Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts."
Dobby warning Harry.

Dobby bowing to Harry Potter

The thing on his bed, a house elf named Dobby, tells Harry that he must not go back toHogwarts, as
it willl be dangerous because terrible things are going to happen there. The elf, however, can't tell
him what things, and continues to be vague because everytime he gets close to letting something
slip he starts hurting himself.. In the process, he makes a lot of noise, which is noticed by the group
downstairs. Dobby then reveals that he has stopped letters being sent to Harry, and offers them to

him if Harry will stay away from Hogwarts. Harry refuses and, in frustration at Harry's refusal, Dobby
runs downstairs and uses a Hover Charm to smash the dinner party's pudding. An owl from
the Ministry of Magic is promptly received (scaring away Mrs Mason, who is mortally afraid of birds)
with a warning saying that Harry has violated the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage
Sorcery, though he is not actually punished (possibly because it is only his first offence). After
realising that Harry isn't allowed to do magic outside of Hogwarts grounds, Uncle Vernon locks Harry
in his room. Vernon reasons that if Harry uses magic to get himself out, he will be expelled anyway.

Chapter 3: The Burrow

"This is the best house I've ever been in."
Harry Potter, about the Burrow.

The flying Ford Anglia

The Dursleys' punishment lasts for three days, until Ron, Fred, and George Weasley, worried about
not hearing from Harry all summer, borrow their father's flying Ford Angliaand come to the rescue.
They are able to break the metal bars off Harry's window and help him pick the lock to his door so
that he can get his Nimbus 2000 and trunk. The Dursleys discover his escape attempt, but by the
time they can intervene, Fred, George, Ron and Harry have got everything of Harry's and have flown
away. On the flight to the Burrow, Harry explains Dobby's warning. They all agree that it's very fishy
and speclate that Dobby most likely belongs to the Malfoys who sent Dobby to Harry as a joke since
the Malfoys are an old wizarding family of great wealth. Fred and George tell Harry that Lucius
Malfoy used to work for Voldemort but claimed that the Dark Lord bewitched him after Voldemort lost
his powers. Harry is taken to the Burrow, the Weasleys' home, and he finds the house truly amazing.
Since Ron, Fred and George took the car without permission, they are yelled at by Molly Weasley,
who was waiting in the kitchen. After their scolding, she makes them breakfast and has the three
Weasley boys (and Harry who volunteered) de-gnomethe garden refusing to use a technique
from Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests, and do it their own way. Arthur Weasley soon
comes home and is honoured to meet Harry after they are introduced to each other. Molly, his wife,
yells at him for enchanting the car. Ginny Weasley, who was enrolling at Hogwarts that year, is very
obviously enamoured with Harry and spends most of the chapter hiding from him.

Chapter 4: At Flourish and Blotts

Lucius Malfoy: "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?"
Arthur Weasley: "We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard,
Malfoy."

 Lucius Malfoy and Arthur Weasley arguing at Flourish and Blotts.

Gilderoy Lockhart showing off his book

Harry stays at the Burrow until his departure for Hogwarts. The Weasleys make it clear that they all
like Harry. For example, Arthur insists that Harry sit next to him during meals where Molly, who
constantly deplores the state of his hand me down clothes and how thin he is, insists that he eat
extra food. During that period, he and the Weasleys travel toDiagon Alley with Floo powder in order
to get their school supplies. Harry has difficulty with the smoke around him and says "Diagon Alley"
unclearly, and thus he accidentally lands in a shop in the ill-reputed Knockturn Alley instead. The
shop is Borgin and Burkes, specialising in objects related to Dark magic. There he sees Lucius
Malfoy, father ofDraco Malfoy, Harry's arch rival from school, selling items imbued with Dark magic to
a dark arts salesman, Mr Borgin. Lucius Malfoy explains that the Ministry has been conducting raids
on wizard houses in order to uncover illegal artefacts, so he is selling his more problematic
possessions. He also expresses his disdain for a rumoured Muggle Protection Act, which he (rightly)
assumes Arthur Weasley is behind.
Harry leaves the shop to be found by Hagrid and taken back to Diagon Alley to reunite with the
Weasleys andHermione Granger, who is also there with her parents. In Flourish and Blotts, he and
the Weasleys meet the famous wizard/author Gilderoy Lockhart, who announces that he will be
taking over as Hogwarts' new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. He then forces Harry to have
his picture taken with him for the main page of theDaily Prophet. They also meet Draco and Lucius
Malfoy there. The elder Malfoy continuously taunts and insults Arthur and his family and eventually
Arthur lunges at him. During the fight, Malfoy grabs one of the Weasleys' second-hand books and
after Hagrid breaks it up subsequently throws it back at Ginny in contempt.

Chapter 5: The Whomping Willow

"Of all the trees we could've hit, we had to get one that hits back."
Ron, complaining about the Whomping Willow.

The flying Ford Anglia caught in the Whomping Willow

It is time to return to Hogwarts, Harry and the Weasleys arrives at King's Cross Stationon the Ford
Anglia, after several delays (Fred and George forgetting their broomsticks, and Ginny forgetting her

diary.) On the way to the Hogwarts Express, when Harry and Ron try to go through the barrier
to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters after everyone else went through, the barrier is mysteriously
sealed against them. Having missed the train, Harry and Ron thus decide to fly Mr Weasley's
flying Ford Anglia to Hogwarts. They end up getting spotted by many Muggles and crash into
the Whomping Willow, the impact breaking Ron's wand. The giant tree starts pounding the car. The
battered car manages to escape, ejecting Harry, Ron, and their luggage, before quickly driving off
into the Forbidden Forest.
After they make it to the castle, Professor Snape catches the boys and attempts to have them
expelled, but fails to convince the headmaster, Professor Albus Dumbledore, who says that he will
send a letter to Harry and Ron's families. Still, Professor McGonagall gives a warning and separate
detentions to both boys. She also tells them that Ginny had been sorted into Gryffindor, providing
them with Endless Sandwiches and disallowing them from attending the Start-of-Term Feast.

Chapter 6: Gilderoy Lockhart

"Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honourary Member of the Dark Force
Defence 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!"
Gilderoy Lockhart, presenting himself.

A baby mandrake root

The next day, Ron receives a Howler from his mother during breakfast in the Great Hall. Then,
Minerva McGonagall hands out timetables and the first class is Herbology with theHufflepuffs. In the
class, Professor Sprout teaches how to transplant Mandrakeseedlings, which have restorative
properties when mature. The next class isTransfiguration, where Ron has problems with his broken
wand, even when he repaired it with some Spellotape. Later, the trio have their first lesson
with Gilderoy Lockhart, appointed as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. His way of
teaching is a complete disaster. Much to Harry's chagrin, he receives constant attention from
Lockhart and Colin Creevey, a first year student. Both constantly interact with him on the base of his
fame (Colin treats Harry as a celebrity and Lockhart hopes to actually bring him to that state).

Chapter 7: Mudbloods And Murmurs

"Harry knew at once that Malfoy had said something really bad because there was an instant
uproar at his words."
Reaction after Malfoy calls Hermione a Mudblood.

Ron Weasley vomiting slugs

The Gryffindor Quidditch team has a very early practise on Saturday morning, where they are treated
to an hour-long introduction to a new training programme Oliver Woodspent the summer working on.
Soon after the actual practise starts, the Slytherin Quidditch team, with new Nimbus
2001 broomsticks, arrives, and an argument over field time ensues. During the confrontation, Malfoy
is revealed to be the new Slytherin seeker, and the one responsible for getting the Slytherin team
new brooms. Hermione says that nobody on their team had to buy his way in, they made it on pure
talent to which Malfoy calls Hermione a Mudblood, for which the Gryffindor team react angrily and
Ron tries to curse him. However, his damaged wand causes the curse to backfire and he is rushed
toHagrid's cabin when he starts vomiting slugs. Ron and Hagrid both explain to Harry that Mudblood
is a very insulting name for Muggle-Borns like Hermione. They also explain that there are some
wizards like the Malfoys who think they're better than everyone else because they're Purebloods.
After they return to the castle, Professor McGonagall assigns Harry and Ron their detentions. Harry
is made to help Lockhart answer his fan mail, while Ron polishes the school's prizes and trophies.
During his detention, Harry hears a disembodied, sinister voice which Lockhart is unable to hear.

Chapter 8: The Deathday Party

"Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they died? Sounds dead depressing to me..."
Ron, about the Deathday Party.

Petrified Mrs Norris

In return for distracting Argus Filch just when he's about to give Harry severe punishment, Harry
promises he will come to Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday Party onHallowe'en. He brings Ron and
Hermione along as well. While there, they meet Moaning Myrtle. The three of them quickly get
sickened by the ghostly party and return to theGreat Hall.

The Chamber of Secrets has been opened - Enemies of the heir, beware

Before they get to the Hallowe'en feast, Harry hears the voice (which Ron and Hermione also cannot
hear) and follows it to the second floor, where he finds the bathroom flooded and Mrs Norris, Filch's
cat, hanging from a torch bracket, petrified and coupled with a message on the wall, reading "THE
CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE". Then,
students leaving the Hallowe'en Feast surround them. And Malfoy yells: "Enemies of the Heir,
beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"

Chapter 9: The Writing on the Wall

"Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world."
Ron, to Harry.

Moaning Myrtle crying

Filch and Snape try to get Harry in trouble for what happened, but Dumbledore says that it is
powerful dark magic that no second year student could perform. They decide
thatProfessor Sprout's mandrakes will be used, once they are mature enough, to create a draught
capable of reviving Mrs Norris. Hermione wants to research the Chamber, so she
persuades Professor Binns (the History of Magic teacher) into telling the class about it. He explains
that one of the founders of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin, got into an argument with the others about
whether Muggle-borns should be admitted. When the rift grew too large, he left the school.
According to legend, he built a going-away present to the school in the form of a secret chamber that
could only be opened by his true heir. This "Chamber of Secrets" contains a monster that only the
Heir of Slytherin can control and that, once released, would purge the school of all Muggle-borns.
Binns unsuccessfully tries to assure the class that the Chamber does not actually exist and that the
school has been searched many times in vain.

Chapter 10: The Rogue Bludger

"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!"
Dobby explaining his plans to Harry.
Harry, Ron and Hermione decide that the heir is probably Draco Malfoy since everyone in his family
have been sorted into Slytherin House, he's a Pureblood supremacist, and because his father
worked for Voldemort. To try to confirm it, Hermione proposes to use Polyjuice Potion, which can
change a person into somebody else for an hour. After getting Lockhart's signature to check out the

book Moste Potente Potions from the Restricted Section that has the recipe, Hermione warns them
that the potion will take a month to brew, supposing they gather all the necessary ingredients (two of
which can only be found in Snape's private inventory). Since no one comes into Moaning Myrtle's
bathroom, the three of them decide it is the best place to brew the potion unnoticed. Hermione
begins working with the ingredients they have.
During the month that it takes the Polyjuice Potion to brew, a Quidditch match
between Gryffindor and Slytherintakes place. During the match, one of the Bludgers stakes after
Harry and focuses completely on him. SinceBludgers are supposed to attack each and every player,
the crowd immediately realises that this Bludger has been tampered with. Harry still manages to
catch the Golden Snitch and allow for Gryffindor to win thanks to the Slytherin Seeker Draco Malfoy
wasting his time insulting Harry and not paying attention to his surroundings where the Snitch was
hovering slightly above his left ear. However, prior to catching the Snitch, the Bludger broke Harry's
arm, and Lockhart, attempting to fix it, gets rid of all the bones in his arm instead. Madam
Pomfrey gives Harry Skele-Gro potion to counter this and Harry is forced to stay in the hospital
wing overnight.
During that night, Dobby visits Harry and reveals that it was he who made the Bludger chase after
Harry, and was also responsible for the barrier of Platform Nine and Three-Quarters not letting him in
for in hopes of Harry leaving or never arriving at Hogwarts. He also reveals that the Chamber of
Secrets has been opened before and immediately punishes himself, as he is not supposed to reveal
anything. After Dobby disappears,Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey enter with Colin
Creevey, who has also been petrified. He was found with a camera containing film that has been
burnt to the melting point. Dumbledore just observes the camera saying, "The Chamber of Secrets
has indeed been opened again."

Chapter 11: The Duelling Club

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little duelling 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. "
Gilderoy Lockhart, presenting the Duelling Club.

Duelling Club

After Harry heads to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom the next morning and explains the details he
learned from Dobby, Hermione comes up with a plan of Harry and Ron providing a distraction in
Potions so she can steal the remaining ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion from Snape's private
stores. Shortly afterwards, when McGongall comes around with the sign-up list for the students who

will remain in the school during Christmas, learning that Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle have signed up,
Harry, Ron, and Hermione do this as well, since this gives them the perfect opportunity to use their
Polyjuice Potion. With Harry providing a distraction during Potions class by throwing
a Filibuster firework into Goyle's cauldron, it creates the necessary disturbance allowing Hermione to
succeed without trouble, though Snape still suspects Harry's involvement with this incident after
finding the firework.
Harry later signs up for a Duelling Club which, to Harry's great displeasure, is taught by his two least
favourite teachers, Lockhart and Snape. During a practise battle in the first meeting, Draco
Malfoy conjures a snake to attack Harry. Lockhart tries to banish it, but all he manages is to set it
loose on the students. Harry sees that the snake is advancing on a Hufflepuff student named Justin
Finch-Fletchley and instinctively tells it to stop, which-to Harry's great surprise-it does. He expects
Justin to be grateful Justin and the others are less than ecstatic about it. All they saw was Harry
speaking Parseltongue, the language of snakes, and since they cannot understand it, it seemed to
them that he was egging the snake on.

Petrified Nearly-Headless Nick

Harry learns that Parseltongue is a very rare gift that is closely associated with Salazar Slytherin.
Due to this, Harry becomes the number one suspect among students for being the heir of Slytherin.
Hermione even tells him that since Salazar Slytherin lived so long ago, he might actually be a
descendant. When a Herbology lesson is cancelled, Harry has a talk with Hagrid, who reveals that
the school's roosters are being mysteriously killed. Seconds after leaving Hagrid, Harry runs into a
petrified Justin Finch-Fletchley and a black, also petrified, Nearly-Headless Nick. Peeves alerts the
whole school, and a Hufflepuff student called Ernie Macmillan claims that Harry has been caught
red-handed.

Chapter 12: The Polyjuice Potion

"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"
Draco, about the Chamber of Secrets.

Harry Potter transforming into Gregory Goyle

For the first time, Harry is taken to Dumbledore's office, and there he witnesses Fawkes
Dumbledore's phoenixbursting into ashes and being reborn. Dumbledore says that he does not
believe Harry to be behind the attacks, a belief reinforced by Hagrid backing Harry's alibi, but a large
portion of the school is now sure that Harry is Slytherin's heir. When Christmas arrives (Harry's gifts:
a toothpick, fudge in a tin, a copy of Flying with the Cannons, a new quill, a jumper and plum cake),
with the Polyjuice Potion ready and Hermione having acquired some spare Slytherin robes to use
(since they can't use their regular clothes while transformed), they give to Crabbe and Goyle two
chocolate cakes containing "sleeping pills" that made both Crabbe and Goyle fall asleep once eating
the cakes. Harry and Ron take their hairs (and shoes due to Crabbe and Goyle having larger feet)
and assume their form. Hermione tries to use a hair she thought belongs to Millicent Bulstrode, but it
is actually her cat's hairand Hermione is transformed into a cat/human hybrid. Hermione is forced to
spend a few weeks in the hospital wing. As Crabbe and Goyle, once Draco leads them to the
Slytherin common room, Harry and Ron interrogate an unsuspecting Malfoy and discover that even
though he wishes he were, Draco is not the Heir of Slytherin. They also hear that Lucius Malfoy
mentioned that the last time the chamber was opened, fifty years ago, aMuggle-born student died
and whoever was responsible was expelled. Malfoy also mentions his father's secret stash of illegal
artefacts.

Chapter 13: The Very Secret Diary

Harry: "Dangerous? Come off it, how could it be dangerous?"
Ron: "You'd be surprised... Some of the books the Ministry's confiscated - Dad's told me there was one that burned your eyes out."
Ron, warning Harry about the diary.

A dwarf singing a valentine

Weeks later, Ron and Harry overhear Argus Filch complaining about his workload and leaving. They
arrive at Moaning Myrtle's bathroom to find it flooded. Myrtle, a sulkingghost, explains that she had
flooded it because somebody flushed a diary down the toilet and onto her. Harry picks it up; he
discovers that it once belonged to somebody called T.M. Riddle, but the diary is completely
blank. Ron remembers from his detention that Riddle had won an award for special service to the
school fifty years before, as he had another slug attack on the trophy. Hermione deduces that since
this coincides with the last time the Chamber was opened, Tom Riddle might have received his prize
for catching whoever was responsible for the attacks back then. Even though all attempts to extract
information from the diary fail, Harry feels a strange compulsion to keep it.

On Valentine's Day, Ron and Harry are dismayed to find out Lockhart has spread dwarves dressed
as cupids throughout the school to receive and deliver Valentines as a morale booster due to
believing that he made the attacks stop. One cupid-dwarf manages to deliver one (a singing
valentine) to Harry. While struggling to avoid him, the embarrassed Harry trips and falls, having ink
spilled all over the contents of his bag. Ginny notices the diary and assumes a horrified expression.
Draco Malfoy also tries to steal the diary as Harry is picking up his stuff, but an angered Harry stuns
him, ignoring the fact that Percy Weasley was also there trying to handle the situation, which results
in Percy reprimanding Harry.
Later, Harry realises that even though ink was spilled all over the diary, it is not stained at all. He tries
writing to the diary and, to his surprise, T.M. Riddle writes back. Riddle explains that he was the one
who caught the person who opened the Chamber of Secrets the last time, and he can show Harry
what happened. Harry agrees and gets sucked into a "recording" of Riddle's memory. He witnesses
the school's previous headmaster,Armando Dippet, informing Riddle that the school will be closed,
since now a Muggle-born girl has died. Riddle, apprehensive of this, catches Hagrid fiddling with a
large spider in a box. Riddle reports Hagrid to Dippet. During the memory we also learn that Riddle
was an orphan that did not want to go back to the orphanage, and his full name was Tom Marvolo
Riddle. Having seen this, Harry now believes Hagrid was the one who opened the Chamber fifty
years before and he is responsible this time.

Chapter 14: Cornelius Fudge

"Bad business, Hagrid. Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns.
Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."
Fudge, at Hagrid's Cabin.

The 12 signs

Harry, Ron and Hermione decide not to ask Hagrid about it, hoping that the attacks have stoppedand indeed, almost four months after the attack on Justin and Nearly-Headless Nick, the
disembodied voice keeps quiet and the attacks seem to have ceased. However, odd things keep
happening: Harry returns to his dormitory one day to find it a mess. Ron deduces that somebody has
been looking for something, and Harry eventually notices that Tom Riddle's Diary is gone. This
greatly befuddles them, knowing that only aGryffindor student or a staff member could know the
password to enter the dormitory.
The next day, the scheduled Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff is cancelled due to
yet another attack and Harry hears the voice again. This time Minerva McGonagall calls for Harry
and Ron personally, and leads them to the hospital wing, where they see Hermione petrified. She

was found near the library with aRavenclaw prefect, holding a small, circular mirror. This proves that
Harry is not the Heir of Slytherin, since he would never attack one of his friends.
Harry and Ron decide they now must talk to Hagrid. With the now constant supervision on students,
this is not easy, but they manage to do it by using Harry's Invisibility cloak. When they reach Rubeus
Hagrid's cabin Harry and Ron manage to hide just before Cornelius Fudge, who is the Minister for
Magic, and Dumbledore arrive at the scene. Fudge announces that Hagrid, who to the best of his
knowledge opened the Chamber of Secretsthe last time, will be sent to Azkaban prison as a
precaution. They are shortly joined by Lucius Malfoy, who declares that he and the other governors
of Hogwarts have unanimously voted to suspend Dumbledore, despite the obvious logic that this
would only worsen the situation. Both Hagrid and Dumbledore give last words to Harry and Ron:
Hagrid says that if anybody wants the truth they should "follow the spiders" and Dumbledore says
that he will only truly have left the school when none there remain loyal to him. He also stresses that
if anybody at Hogwarts needs help, it will always be available to those who ask for it.

Chapter 15: Aragog

"Ron gave a loud snort. Evidently, hatching Aragog out in a cupboard wasn't his idea of
being innocent."
Ron, about Hagrid having an Acromantula.

Aragog's home.

Harry and Ron decide to follow the spiders as per Hagrid's advice after Harry notices the spiders
during a Herbology lesson. Walking with Fang as their guide along the trails of the spiders, which are
strangely all fleeing Hogwarts, takes them into the Forbidden Forest. Even though Ron is deeply
arachnophobic, the fact that Hermione has been petrified and that they may be able to help through
this investigation gives him the willpower to go along anyway. There, they encounter Arthur
Weasley's car, which had apparently taken to driving through the forest like some sort of wild animal.
They eventually meet Aragog, an ageing Acromantula which had been one of Hagrid's
pets.Aragog explains that Hagrid is innocent and that the monster who killed the girl 50 years ago
was something that all spiders fear, even the giant ones (the reason why every single spider was
fleeing Hogwarts). Harry and Ron go to leave, but Aragog halts them, deciding to leave them as
dinner for his children. Mr Weasley's Ford Anglia comes blasting through the layers of spiders,

however, and enables the boys and Fang escape. Ron is furious that Hagrid endangered their lives
until Harry explained his logic.

The spiders attacking Harry and Ron

After this, Harry and Ron feel that they have reached dead ends everywhere, until one possible last
hope occurs to them. Aragog said that the body of the dead girl was found in a bathroom, and Harry
deduces that Moaning Myrtlemight have been that victim. Of course, with the school under such
security, it will be almost impossible to sneak in the girls' bathroom near where the first attack
occurred.

Chapter 16: The Chamber of Secrets

"Just the man. 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."
Snape, giving Lockhart a mission.

Basilisk Skin

Days later, Professor McGonagall informs the students that the Mandrake Drought will soon be
ready. Later that same day, Harry and Ron manage to trick Lockhart - who is leading them to their
next class - into letting them go by stroking his ego. Just as they pat themselves on the back, they
get caught by Professor McGonagall, and Harry has to make up an excuse - they were going to
see Hermione in the hospital wing, where visitors were now barred. They now have to go along to
make their story appear convincing, but rather than simply hanging around Hermione's petrified form,
this time Harry notices a piece of paper tightly clutched in her hand. This piece of paper reveals what
Hermione had found out before she was attacked. She had discovered, based on strong
circumstantial evidence, that the monster in the Chamber of Secrets was a basilisk. As a basilisk is a
giant snake, thus explaining the mysterious voice that only Harry could hear, as he was able to speak
Parseltongue. The Basiliskkills people by looking it in the eye, but no one died because nobody had
directly looked at its deadly gaze: Colin Creevey saw it through his camera, Justin FinchFletchley saw it through Nearly-Headless Nick (who was already dead and since he couldn't die
"again", he was only petrified), Mrs Norris saw a reflection of it in the waters of the flooded bathroom,
and both Hermione and Penelope Clearwater used a mirror to look around corners after Hermione
figured things out. There is also a note talking about how the rooster's call is potentially fatal to the

Basilisk (which explains Hagrid's roosters having been killed during the year). On the note is also
scribbled a single word, "pipes", which means that the serpent moves around through the plumbing
(which helps them realise that the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is in Moaning Myrtle's
bathroom).
Having solved the mystery, Harry and Ron decide to go to the staff room and report to the teachers.
When they get there, they overhear the teachers talking about another attack having occurred. Harry
and Ron decide to hide to hear more details, and learn that Ginny has been kidnapped and the heir
of Slytherin has left another message under the previous one:
HER SKELETON WILL LIE IN THE CHAMBER FOREVER
Harry and Ron also hear that Hogwarts will be closed tomorrow. The teachers then force Lockhart to
deal with the monster, as he has been claiming he could handle whatever is responsible for the
attacks. Looking very crestfallen, he leaves for his room.
Harry and Ron decide that if Lockhart is going to deal with the monster they might as well tell him
what they know. They go to his room, only to find him frantically planning to run away. When
questioned on why such a talented wizard as himself is leaving, Lockhart admits that he is a fraud
and that he put Memory Charms on the people who really did the things that he claimed to have
done in his books. He then attempts to put a memory charm on Harry and Ron as well, but they
manage to disarm him and, under wand threats, take him toMoaning Myrtle's bathroom.
Moaning Myrtle explains her death, saying the last thing she saw was a pair of enormous eyes by
one of the sinks, the tap of which has never worked. Harry finds a snake carved on the tap and then
opens the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets by speaking Parseltongue to it.
Harry, Ron and Lockhart slide down a large pipe and find themselves in maze-like tunnels far under
the school. Down there, they encounter a snake skin left by the Basilisk. Just then, Lockhart feigns
fainting and he steals Ron's wand. Victoriously proclaiming that he will erase Harry and Ron's
memories and tell everybody they lost their sanity at the sight of Ginny's mangled body, Lockhart
fires. Ron's broken wand causes the charm to backfire, erasing Lockhart's memory and causing a
portion of the ceiling to cave in. This traps Harry in the direction of the chamber and Ron in the
direction of the castle. Ron has no choice but to stay behind and clear a path through the rocks while
Harry continues in search of Ginny. Harry then encounters a wall with stone snakes on it, opens it by
speaking Parseltongue and enters the Chamber itself.

Chapter 17: The Heir of Slytherin

Tom Riddle's diary

"Haven't I already told you that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? For many
months now, my new target has been you."
Tom Riddle to Harry.
Harry finds himself standing at the end of a long, dimly lit chamber

Harry entering the Chamber of Secrets.

At the far end, he finds Ginny lying on the ground, pale and cold. He drops his wand and runs to her,
trying to get a response from her, but to no avail. He then sees Tom Riddleapproaching him and
holding Harry's wand. Riddle explains that his presence in the present is due to the fact that he is a
memory, which had been preserved in his own diary for fifty years.
He then reveals what has happened: Riddle is the one that had opened theChamber of Secrets fifty
years ago and planned to purge the school of Muggle-borns; however, when he learned that the
school was going to close down due to the attacks and that Dumbledore (then
the Transfiguration teacher) was keeping a closer watch on him, he had no choice but to cease the
attacks and frame Hagrid for doing it. He eventually left behind a diary containing the memory of his
sixteen-year-old self in hopes that it would, one day, fall into the hands of an unsuspecting victim who
would help him finish his work.
The diary ends up with Ginny. Riddle had written back sympathetically and Ginny grew to confess
her fears, hopes and feelings to him. She essentially poured some of her soul into him, which was
exactly what he wanted. He gradually grew more powerful and eventually managed to pour some of
his soul back into her, possessing her and using her body to open the Chamber of Secrets, releasing
the basilisk that launched the new series of attacks and to write the threatening messages on the
walls. However, Ginny became suspicious of the diary and tried to dispose of it by flushing it down
the toilet in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. This is when Harry found it.
When Ginny saw Harry with the diary on Valentine's Day, she panicked and worried that Riddle had
told Harry about her role in the attacks, so she stole it back from his dormitory. It began taking
control of her again, but this time with the intention of killing Harry, so he had Ginny write her own
farewell on the wall and come down to wait, luring Harry to the rescue and, consequently, his doom.
Riddle is angered that Harry managed to defeat the Dark Wizard Lord Voldemort as a mere baby.
When Harryasks Riddle why he cares about it, Riddle reveals that "Voldemort is his past, present
and future." He then writes his name in the air with Harry's wand:
TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE

Riddle then waves the wand and the letters rearrange themselves into
I AM LORD VOLDEMORT
Needless to say, this means that Tom Marvolo Riddle is in fact Lord Voldemort's real name. He then
reveals he is, in fact, a half-blood, and his mother had named him Tom after his Muggle father and
Marvolo after hiswizard grandfather, a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. He scrambled his name to
create a new one, which he knew people would fear when he became the greatest sorcerer in the
world.

Fawkes' tears healing Harry

Harry retorts that he must be mistaken, because the greatest sorcerer in the world, as everybody
knows, is Albus Dumbledore. Even when Voldemort was at the peak of his power he was afraid of
Dumbledore, and now he is barely alive. Riddle replies that Dumbledore has been driven out the
castle by the mere memory of him. Harry yells that Dumbledore is not as gone as Riddle seems to
believe. In this display of loyalty he summons Fawkes the phoenix to him, who also brings with it
the Sorting Hat, both assets that Riddle deems extremely useless.
Riddle then summons the Basilisk and commands it to kill Harry. However, Fawkes isn't as
defenceless as one might initially think, and pecks out the Basilisk's eyes, thus preventing its gaze
from killing. The basilisk can still hear and smell Harry, however, and remains very dangerous, so
Harry, in desperation, puts on the Sorting Hat, wishing against hope for help. Instead of an answer,
Harry Potter has a heavy sword with a hilt embedded with rubies fall on his head from inside the hat.
After several missed strikes from the blinded Basilisk, it strikes again, right at him this time but Harry
plunges the sword into the roof of the Basilisk's mouth, killing it. However, one of its poisonous fangs
sinks into his arm, injecting a deadly poison. While Riddle gloats over his "win", Harry takes Riddle's
diary and plunges the Basilisk fang into the diary. Ink begins pouring out of the book the memory of
Riddle is destroyed. Ginny immediately stirs and wakes up. Harry is now moments from death,
when Fawkescries on the wound, and since phoenix tears have incredible healing properties, Harry
is instantly cured.
Harry and Ginny travel back through the Chamber to find Ron and Lockhart, who has no idea of who
or where he is. Harry, Ron, Ginny and Lockhart grab onto Fawkes and fly up the tunnel, out of the
Chamber (anotherphoenix specialty, as they can lift very heavy loads). They return up to the
Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, where the Entrance seals shut again, and head to McGonagall's office.

Chapter 18: Dobby's Reward

"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."
Dobby being freed by Harry.

Albus Dumbledore holding the Sword of Gryffindor

At McGonagall's office, Harry, Ron, and Ginny find Dumbledore, McGonagall, Arthur andMolly
Weasley, who are delighted to see them alive. Harry worries that Ginny will get blamed for being the
person behind the attacks, but to his great relief Dumbledore rightly deduces that Voldemort is the
culprit. After Ginny leaves to get a much-needed rest, Harry and Ron both receive two hundred
house points each for Gryffindor and both get an Award for special services to the school, and then
Dumbledore asks to speak with Harry alone.
Harry expresses his concern that he belonged in Slytherin. Dumbledore reveals
thatVoldemort transferred some of his powers to Harry when he gave him his scar, explaining his
ability to speak Parseltongue. He asks Harry why he thinks the Sorting Hat put him in Gryffindor if he
has so many Slytherin qualities, and Harry admits that the only reason it did was because he had
asked it to. Dumbledore confirms this and tells Harry that "it is our choices, rather than our abilities,
that reveal who we truly are". He points out to the sword Harry had drawn out of the hat - Harry now
notices it has Godric Gryffindor's name on it. Dumbledore says that only a true Gryffindor would be
able to draw it out.
Lucius Malfoy then barges into McGonagall's office, outraged that Dumbledore had returned to the
school after being dismissed. Dumbledore calmly responds that the governors had asked him to
return once they heard that Arthur Weasley's daughter was attacked. Apparently they had been
blackmailed by Malfoy to vote for Dumbledore's dismissal in the first place under Malfoy's threat of
cursing their families. Dobby follows Lucius into the room, thus showing that his masters are
the Malfoys.
Dumbledore and Malfoy have a calm but venomous interchange (respectively), during which
Dumbledore andHarry (with the help of Dobby's unspoken hints) essentially expose Lucius
sneaking Riddle's diary (one of his illegal artefacts) into Ginny's school things during the fight with
Arthur at Flourish and Blotts. This was supposed to frame Ginny for the attacks, with heavy
implications on the Muggle Protection Act Arthur Weasley had been suggesting. Malfoy dares
Dumbledore to prove his accusation, and while the Headmaster has insufficient evidence to do that,
he cautions Malfoy against orchestrating any further such plots, otherwise he is certain that Arthur
Weasley would do whatever it took to trace it back to Malfoy.
Knowing that a master can release his house-elf by giving them some clothes, Harry tricks Malfoy
into freeingDobby by giving Malfoy one of his own socks, which he promptly throws away to be

caught by Dobby. Malfoy's retribution is thwarted by the now free Dobby, who then thanks Harry
profusely and disappears. The petrified people are cured, Hagrid is released from Azkaban, Lockhart
is sent to a hospital and Lucius Malfoy is fired from his post as school governor. The book ends with
Harry at King's Cross, crossing the barrier back to theMuggle world.