During Harry’s first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he discovers the awe and anxieties of the magical world. Still, as he returns for his second year, he has much left to learn. The more magic Harry encounters, the more he finds out that darkness is lurking around the corner.
During the school year in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Hogwarts is shaken by a series of mysterious attacks. As students and ghosts alike become petrified by someone—or something—lurking the halls, Harry, Ron, and Hermione realize the danger began to unfold decades ago. As the mystery builds and the trio take their research all the way back to the history of the school’s founders, the race is on for Harry to save not only his friends, but Hogwarts itself.
In a book filled with twists and turns, it’s nearly impossible to narrow down the story’s best beats. But some still stood out above the rest. Here are just 10 of our favorite moments from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
1. Dobby drops a pudding
On the night of a very important dinner at the Dursley household, Harry encounters a new magical being—and a soon-to-be ally and friend. After Harry retreats to his room at the Dursleys' to keep out of the way, he finds a totally unexpected visitor: Dobby the house-elf. Dobby insists that Harry not return to Hogwarts under any circumstances.
When Harry refuses to capitulate, Dobby devises a scheme to keep him at the Dursleys', far away from Hogwarts. Dobby magically sends Aunt Petunia’s pudding floating through the air and drops it onto the kitchen floor. As usual, the Dursleys blame Harry, and chaos ensues.
Chapter 2: Dobby's Warning
Performed by a full cast
2. The Weasleys break Harry out of Privet Drive
After the incident with the pudding, the Dursleys put Harry under more intensive house-arrest than ever before. Uncle Vernon locks Harry in his room and installs bars on his windows. Harry worries that if he attempts to use magic to free himself, he’ll be expelled from Hogwarts. But ever the faithful friend, Ron gets Fred and George to help him pull off a rescue mission.
The boys drive their father’s flying Ford Anglia to Privet Drive, remove the bars from the windows, and pull Harry out of the window. Harry’s exhilaration is infectious, and the Weasleys are so excited to spend time with him for the summer holiday.
From Chapter 3: The Burrow
Performed by a full cast
3. Harry and Ron drive Mr. Weasley’s car into the Whomping Willow
After arriving at King’s Cross Station on September 1, Harry and Ron are unable to cross the barrier to get to Platform 9 ¾. They decide instead to drive the Ford Anglia up into the air and off to Hogwarts. However, the car has never made such a long flight before.
It starts to sputter out and fail as Harry and Ron get close to Hogwarts, landing in the worst possible place: among the branches of the Whomping Willow. Though the car makes it out of the battering branches, it’s worse for wear and angrily speeds off into the Forbidden Forest.
From Chapter 5: The Whomping Willow
Performed by a full cast
4. The first class with Gilderoy Lockhart
In their first lesson with Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, the students learn that his favorite topic of instruction is, well, himself. His first act as a Hogwarts professor is to give the students an exceedingly long quiz with questions all about his life, as outlined in his nine books, which were required reading for the summer. As usual, only Hermione gets full marks.
From Chapter 6: Gilderoy Lockhart
Performed by a full cast
5. Ron (tries to) curse Malfoy for insulting Hermione
Tensions are high between Gryffindor and Slytherin from the beginning of Harry’s time at Hogwarts. During his second year, his dislike of Draco Malfoy rises even higher when Malfoy joins the Slytherin Quidditch team as Seeker. Lucius Malfoy also purchased his son and the other six members of the Slytherin Quidditch team the latest racing broom, the Nimbus 2001. It’s an even newer model than Harry’s Nimbus 2000, clearly intended to give Slytherin the advantage.
When the teams are disputing who gets access to the Quidditch pitch for practice, Ron and Hermione show up to support the Gryffindor team. When Malfoy escalates, calling Hermione a cruel, derogatory name, Ron attempts to stand up for his friend—which backfires due to his broken wand.
From Chapter 7: Mudbloods and Murmurs
Performed by a full cast
6. Harry and Draco duel in the Dueling Club
The mysterious force petrifying Hogwarts students claims a new victim in Gryffindor student Colin Creevey. Madame Pomfrey and the professors are still stumped about how to revive the petrified students, and how it’s even happening to them. Because of the rising danger, Professor Lockhart sets up a club to help students learn how to protect themselves. Professor Snape gets roped into helping as well. The ongoing feud between Harry and Draco intensifies during the Dueling Club. Snape pairs them to duel, and it quickly turns fierce. After Draco summons a snake using Serpensortia, Harry wards off the creature seemingly by speaking to it in Parseltongue—eliciting horrified reactions from the audience of students who think Harry was provoking the snake to attack.
From Chapter 11: The Dueling Club
Performed by a full cast
7. Harry, Ron, and Hermione brew Polyjuice Potion
With the anonymous attacks on students continuing, Harry, Ron, and Hermione go into full detective mode. To get more information about the Heir of Slytherin, Hermione goes through the long and arduous process of brewing Polyjuice Potion in the school bathroom occupied by the ghost Moaning Myrtle. With hairs plucked from Crabbe and Goyle and ingredients nicked from Professor Snape’s private storage, Harry and Ron transform into Malfoy’s sidekicks, allowing them to infiltrate Slytherin House. Hermione’s own attempt to adopt the form of Millicent Bulstrode is less successful, thanks to a rogue cat hair.
From Chapter 12: The Polyjuice Potion
Performed by a full cast
8. Harry writes in Riddle’s Diary
When Harry notices overflowing water coming from Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom, he goes to investigate and finds a diary belonging to one T.M. Riddle. When he starts writing in the diary, he’s surprised to discover that words appear on the page as if Riddle himself is replying. Harry quickly starts asking questions about the Chamber of Secrets and the Heir of Slytherin, and Riddle seemingly has answers.
From Chapter 13: The Very Secret Diary
Performed by a full cast
9. Harry and Ron meet the spiders in the Forbidden Forest
Harry and Ron are desperate to uncover the mystery of the Heir of Slytherin. With Hogwarts in danger of entirely shutting down, they decide to follow Hagrid’s cryptic advice to “follow the spiders.” Even though spiders are one of Ron’s biggest fears, they pursue them deep into the Forbidden Forest and take Hagrid’s dog, Fang, along with them. There, they meet Aragog, an Acromantula with a backstory intricately linked to Hagrid’s years at Hogwarts. Despite their connection and shared ally, Aragog has a colony of children to feed—and Harry and Ron will make a tasty meal indeed…
From Chapter 15: Aragog
Performed by a full cast
10. Dobby is freed
Toward the end of the book, Harry goes to meet with Professor Dumbledore. After Harry debriefs with Dumbledore about what happened, he crosses paths with Lucius Malfoy, who had pushed for Dumbledore to get fired, but now Dumbledore is back. Harry also discovers that Dobby is the Malfoys’ house-elf. Under the guise of returning the diary, Harry cleverly tricks Lucius into giving Dobby an article of clothing—a single sock—thus freeing him.
From Chapter 18: Dobby's Reward
Performed by a full cast
