Chamber of Secrets: Chapters 17 & 18

Wizard rock of the week: "Save Ginny Weasley" by Harry and Potters

Step right up, step right up! It's a new year and a new start, so let's celebrate! Here in re-read land we aim to please, so for a limited time you -yes, you!- are eligible for an aaaaaaaaaaaaaaamazing offer: two re-reads for the price of one! Why, that's right, for this week only you'll get double your money's worth in the form of two posts in one week! Wowee!

[so, um, last week: yeah. Life is crazy sometimes, peoples. Especially when you're coordinating a wedding for 350 guests at a giant basilica. But now my dear, dear friend is officially a Mrs. and my life is returning to normalcy]

Today's post will finish off Chamber of Secrets in all its thrilling glory, especially in the actions of Chekhov's Phoenix Gun. And also, I get to gloat a little bit. But more on that later.

AND: This week the awesome kiddos over at Team Star Kid announced that they're making a sequel called A Very Potter Sequel, coming Summer 2010!!!! GET PUMPED!

And now, ze post!

Chapter Seventeen: The Heir of Slytherin

What Happens:

Harry walks through the huge, creepy Chamber and sees Ginny's unconscious form on the ground. He turns her over gently, but Tom Riddle interrupts him. Riddle isn't a ghost, but isn't quite solid; he claims to be "a memory, preserved in a diary for fifty years." Harry frantically reminds Tom that there's a basilik, and then notices that his wand is missing, but Tom just wants to chat. In typical villain fashion, he monologues. He explains that Ginny became so attached to her sympathetic diary that Tom was able to manipulate her into opening the Chamber and attacking the students (and the cat). Later, when Ginny started to get nervous about the diary and threw it away, Tom was thrilled that Harry was its new owner and manipulated Harry into believing the worst about Hagrid. It turns out, actually, that Riddle's motive for Ginny's disappearance was that he wanted to meet Harry and talk to him face-to-face about how a little child could've defeated Voldemort.

Harry is confused; after all, Voldemort wasn't during Riddle's time. Riddle contradicts him, however, he is Lord Voldemort, the true Heir of Slytherin. Even amid his shock at this revelation, Harry manages to hang onto his head. Riddle declares himself the "greatest sorcerer in the world," and Harry contradicts him; Dumbledore, not Riddle, is the greatest. At this a red and gold blur sweeps by; Fawkes has arrived, along with the Sorting Hat.

Riddle speaks Parseltongue and summons the basilisk. Harry has the sense to keep his eyes closed, and can hear the snake slithering around the Chamber. Fawkes dives in and tears its eyes out so Harry can look around. He feels rather helpless until the Hat falls on his head. Desperate, he pleads it to help him, and is shocked when I giant sword comes out of its depths. He fights the basilisk and , but one of its fangs sinks deep into Harry's arm, spreading venom everywhere. Harry feels himself fading.... until Fawkes lays his head on the wound and his tears heal the bite. Riddle raises his wand against Harry, but Fawkes saves the day again: he drops the diary in Harry's lap, and Harry uses it to stab the diary. Riddle disappears and Ginny comes to.

She's terrified of what she's done, nearly hysterical. Harry tries to comfort her the best he can, and he, Ginny, and Fawkes make their way back down the hallway and meet up with Ron and the Obliviated Lockhart. They fly out of the Chamber thanks to Fawkes' incredible strength. Myrtle is a little bit disappointed to see them alive, but Fawkes leads the four of them to McGonagall's office

Commentary:

Okay, I'm just gonna come out and say that this chapter is by far one of the most intense in the whole series.

[Captain Obvious sticks his head in. "Maggie?" he asks. "You do realize that the penultimate chapter of a Potter novel is almost always a pretty intense one, right?"

"Of course," I agree. "But in this case the climax is even more intense than usual; more intense, I'd argue, than any except GoF and DH."

The good Captain nods. "Just making sure." He salutes and strides out, magenta cape swooshing behind.]

The last time we saw Our Heroes things were looking grim. Dumbledore has been suspended, Hagrid sent to Azkaban, Hermione (and others) Petrified, and Ginny Weasley taken into the Chamber. Harry and Ron were almost victims of Lockhart's memory charm, got caught in a cave-in, and Harry was alone heading toward the basilisk, all in the interest of saving tiny Ginny Weasley from certain death.

Aaaaaaand this is the part where I gloat. I would just like to clearly state, for the record of the universe in blog-land, that way back in 1998, after reading this book, I TOTALLY CALLED that Harry and Ginny would end up together. On the since-defunct harrypotterfans.net, I got a lot of heat for this unpopular view even way back then, especially when PoA came out and people where convinced that Cho was Harry's One Twu Luv. But I knew then.... and was ever so happy when I read HBP and my prediction was vindicated. So hah, universe, I win!

Where was I? Oh yes, Harry's entering the very scary Chamber all by himself. Poor guy. I'm trying to remember what my reaction was when I first read this... I think I was confused, just like Harry, about Tom Riddle, his intentions, and why someone who was 16 fifty years ago was standing in the Hogwarts Chamber still looking a gorgeous as ever.

But let's count the red flags about Tom Riddle, red flags neither Harry nor I noticed. One: he's still looking sixteen fifty years later. Fishy. Two: He seems completely unconcerned that a giant monster lives about twelve feet from where he's standing. Three: He steals Harry's wand without any trouble, and then claims Harry won't need it.

Now let's delve into the terrifying and confusing world of Horcruxes. I am so mystified by the idea of a Horcrux like Riddle knowing about present day events... granted, Ginny filled him in on the whole story, but I'm a tad confused about how much Horcrux Voldemort knows.

Also- a conundrum! What would've happened if Harry had dueled with Riddle in the usual way? Riddle didn't have a wand though... unless he stole Ginny's.... oh my, this is making my head hurt. And what would have happened if Riddle had succeeded in sucking all the life out of Ginny to fully reincarnate himself? Discuss!

Chapter Eighteen: Dobby's Reward

What Happens:

Back in the office, the Weasley parents, Dumbledore, and McGonagall are thrilled Ginny's okay, but can't understand how. Harry explains as best as he can, trying to leave out the diary, which would incriminate Ginny. Dumbledore must know Something Is Up, so he gently pries and gets Harry to admit about the diary. Mr. Weasley is outraged that Ginny would get involved with something clearly Fishy, but Dumbledore defends her, tells McGonagall to throw a celebratory feast, awards Harry and Ron Special Awards for Services to the School. Ron leaves, and it's time for this book's episode of Dumbledore Explains it All.

Harry asks Dumbledore about what Riddle said: is he really so similar to Voldemort? After all, he's a Parseltongue, he would've done well in Slytherin... Dumbledore explains that Voldemort passed a little bit of himself along to Harry, which is why they have so many things in common. Harry feels defeated; he should be in Slytherin after all! But no, Dumbledore protests- Harry specifically asked not to be in Slytherin, and therein lies the difference. It is our choices, after all. For further proof, the sword he drew out of the hat was Gryffindor's himself. Feeling much better, Harry turns to go. Lucius Malfoy is waiting to come to the office, accompanied by Dobby. Lucius sneers at them, and Harry figures out that it was Malfoy who planted the diary on Ginny, way back in the fall. Lucius hisses at Harry to prove it, which, of course, Harry can't do.

Moving by instinct, Harry asks Dumbledore if he can have the old diary back; he pulls off one of his disgusting socks, stuffs the book into it, and hands the whole thing to Malfoy. Lucius flings the horrible sock in the air... and Dobby catches it! Freed, Dobby uses his considerable magic to defend Harry against Malfoy, whom he launches down the stairs.

At the feast, Hermione and the other Petrified people return, and Hermione is thrilled that Harry and Ron figured out the mystery.

The rest of the school year flies by; exams are canceled as a treat and life returns to normal. Just before everyone arrives home on the train, Harry asks Ginny what she had been trying to tell them all the morning before she was taken to the Chamber. Much to Fred and George's delight, she reveals that Percy has a girlfriend: Penelope Clearwater, a Ravenclaw prefect. And so, all end happily for our friends and they laugh as they rejoin the Muggle world.

Commentary:

Whew! I must say, it's rather adorable how Harry tries to cover up for Ginny, but it was kind of inevitable that the story was going to get out.

This book's big chunk of exposition is *exceedingly* important! I hope you were paying attention! Dumbledore pretty much lays it out: part of Voldemort was implanted into Harry.... hello, giant clue! Of course, none of us had any idea what it meant, so maybe it wasn't so helpful.

There's really not much to say about this chapter- it's one of wrapping up, and the lovely moment of Dobby is freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! (which they totally got wrong in the film, btw... since I'm not sure if handing someone a sock inside a book is the same as handing someone a sock, period... but maybe I'm just splitting hairs?)

And ::snigger:: Percy's got a girlfriend. Haha.

And with that I'm out till later in the week! Hope you all had a splendid New Year and all that, and I can't wait to kick off the third installment of the series.