Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

by J.K. Rowling

The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter
wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But
just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish
creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts,
disaster will strike. And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts,
fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new
professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls'
bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny.
But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and
someone, or something, starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be
Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid,
whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at
Hogwarts most suspects: Harry Potter himself!

Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1 The Worst Birthday
1. Find the simile that the author used to describe how the Dursleys treated Harry now
that he’s back home with them again.
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2. How was Harry spending his birthday?
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3. How did Dudley get Harry in trouble?
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Chapter 2 Dobby’s Warning

1. Describe Dobby and the message he gave to Harry.
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2. Why did Dobby come to warn him?
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3. What did Uncle Vernon do to punish Harry for ruining his deal and for not telling them
that he couldn’t use magic outside of school?
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Chapter 3 The Burrow

1. How did Harry become free from his room and the Durleys?
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2. Why did they think Draco Malfoy could have sent the house elf to Harry?
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3. What softened Mrs. Weasley’s anger when the boys arrived home with Harry?
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4. How did the boys get rid of the gnomes?
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Chapter 4 At Flourish and Blotts

1. Who was the author of the majority of the books Harry needed to purchase for his
school year?
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2. Where did Harry land when using the Floo powder and who did he see?
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3. Who did Harry see in Knockturn Alley?
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4. Who’s the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts?
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Chapter 5 The Whomping Willow

1. When Ron and Harry missed the train, how did they get to Hogwarts?
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2. What attacked the car after the boys crashed?
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3. What is Ron’s and Harry’s consequence for being seen in the flying car and crashing
into the Whomping Willow?
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4. How did the other boys treat Ron and Harry after learning about the flying car?
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Chapter 6: Gilderoy Lockhart
1. What did Ron receive at breakfast? What was in it?
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2. What did Lockhart tell Harry about fame or being famous?
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3. What are mandrakes?
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4. What do you think of Gilderoy Lockhart as the new Defense against the Dark Arts
teacher?
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Summary:
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Chapter 7: Mudbloods and Murmurs

1. What does Oliver Wood think of Colin Creevey?
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2. What did Malfoy call Hermoine? What does it mean?
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3. What happened to Ron? Why?
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4. Where did Ron and Harry spend their detention?
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Summary:
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Chapter 8: The Deathday Party

1. Why can’t Nearly Headless Nick join the headless hunt?
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2. Why was Filch embarrassed and angry when Harry found his Kwickspell course?
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3. Why must Harry go to NIck’s deathday party?
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4. What did Harry find after following the voice again?
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Summary:
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Chapter 9: The Writing on the Wall

1. Why did Filch insist that it was Harry who petrified Mrs Norris?
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2. What is a squib?
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3. What did Professor Binns tell the students about the Chamber of Secrets?
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4. Why did the students think that Harry is the heir of Slytherin?
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Chapter 10: The Rogue Bludger

1. How did Hermione get Lockhart to sign the permission slip to get a Restricted book?
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2. What is Hermoine brewing in the girl’s bathroom?
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3. What happened during the quidditch match?
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4. What did Dobby tell Harry in the hospital wing?
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5. What did Prof Dumbledore tell Prof Mcgonagall?
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Summary:
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Chapter 11 The Dueling Club

1. Why did the students trade talismans, amulets, and other protective devices?
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2. What distraction did Harry cause to help Hermione sneak into Snape’s office?
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3. What did Harry do to stop the snake from attacking Justin?
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4. What did Harry trip over in the dark passage?
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Chapter 12 The Polyjuice Potion
1.Why was Harry happy most people were leaving for the Christmas holiday?
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2. How were Ron and Harry supposed to get a bit of Crabbe and Goyle, as well as keep
them out of the way while they talked Malfoy?
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3. What did the boys learn when they interrogated Malfoy?
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4. What happened to Hermione and why couldn’t she go with the boys to the Slytherin
common room?
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Chapter 13 The Very Secret Diary

1. Why was Moaning Myrtle so upset when Harry and Ron came to talk to her?
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2. What was the book and who did it belong to?
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3. What was odd about the journal?
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4. What did Harry learn after following Tom Riddle in the book?
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Chapter 14 Cornelius Fudge

1. Why doesn’t Harry want to report the stolen journal?
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2. Why was Harry more worried about what the voice said this time?
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3. Why was the Quidditch cup match cancelled?
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4. What message did Dumbledore and Hagrid give the boys before they were
accompanied off the school property?
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Chapter 15 Aragog
1. What made Ernie apologize to Harry?
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2. Where did the spiders lead Harry and Ron?
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3. What did Harry and Ron find in the forest that had been lost?
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4. What saved Harry, Ron and Fang after Aragog was finished talking to them?
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Chapter 16 The Chamber of Secrets

1. Why did Harry want to speak with Moaning Myrtle?
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2. What did Harry see in Hermione’s hand?
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3. Why do you think it was good that Harry and Ron found the paper before going to talk
to Moaning Myrtle?
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How did Harry get the sink to open?
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Chapter 17 The Heir of Slytherin

1. Who did Harry see in the Chamber of Secrets?
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2. Who opened the Chamber of Secrets and how?
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3. How did Fawkes and the Sorting Hat help Harry defeat the basilisk and Tom?
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How did the children and Lockhart get back up to the bathroom?
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Chapter 18 Dobby’s Reward

1. Why did the phoenix come to help Harry?
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2. Why can Harry speak Parseltongue?
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3. What did Harry do to show he belongs in the Gryffindor House?
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4. How did Harry free Dobby?
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