June 2007 - Posts
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
By: J.K. Rowling
Rowling takes a sharp u-turn from the way the books in the Harry Potter series start out in this installment. Instead of seeing Harry upset, angry, depressed or despondent at the beginning of the book, we see ‘The Other Minister,’ meaning the Prime Minister of England. He is not at all happy to see Cornelius Fudge emerge from the fireplace in his office to talk of the recent disasters that have been tormenting the country and the wizarding community. Then we are whisked off to a little street called Spinner’s End where two women are having an argument about whether or not they can trust the person Narcissa wants to speak with. Yes, Narcissa. Draco Malfoy’s mother, and the wife of Lucius who now resides in Azkaban. Narcissa needs a favor and there’s only one person she trusts enough to turn to: Professor Snape. He makes a vow that is full of intrigue to the reader because we don’t know exactly what it entails, but we get enough to know that it won’t be good.
Now we get to see Harry. He’s not upset, truth be told he’s a little excited, but not letting himself get too excited, and he’s taking a nap. Dumbledore has sent him a note and he should be a Privet Drive in a few hours time. Harry hasn’t finished packing because he’s too nervous. What if he doesn’t come? But Dumbledore does show up and the situation in the Dursley’s living room is quite entertaining. It is pure Dumbledore, through and through. And by this point I really hope you know what I mean by that!
Harry accompanies Dumbledore on a recruitment mission to the house of a Horace Slughorn. Hogwarts is again in need of a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and Harry is to help recruit Slughorn. He succeeds, but when he returns to his classes he’s in for a surprise, because Slughorn is not the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and that causes a whole new set of issues for Harry: one being his new potions book. He’s temporarily using an extra one from the closet and it’s full of notes and markings from someone called the Half-Blood Prince. When Harry starts to take note of these ideas, his potions grade is greatly improved. Hermione and Ginny are angry he’s listening to a book (and considering what happened to Ginny in the Chamber of Secrets who could blame them?) and Ron thinks it’s brilliant.
Besides all of this, Harry has been made Quidditch Captain, deals with quarrels between his two closest friends because of other relationships they have, a crush on a girl that could possibly complicate his life dramatically, Draco Malfoy is up to something and he’s trying to find out and he gets to take private lessons from Dumbledore. The lessons are my favorite part of the book. The last includes a field trip of sorts that is creepy and scary at first, then quickly turns into Harry’s worst nightmare. Horcruxes are dangerous things, even to wizards. But Lord Voldemort is not an ordinary wizard: his horcruxes are more dangerous than most. They have been hidden amongst enchantments that make them very difficult to locate and retrieve to destroy. And that’s all you get on horcruxes!
The end of book 6 is dramatic, sad, and horrible. If I would have been reading the signs I would have seen it coming the first time I read this (when it came out in 2005). You may know what happens, but all I can say is that you find out what Snape promised to do and you just might cry. (I did the first time so don’t feel bad!) The ending is the end of a lot of things for Harry, his childhood (what he had of one), two relationships that have touched him deeply (in different ways), but it is also the spark that ignites a fire in him that will give him the determination to do what he has to do. Book 7 looks like it will be a romp that Harry’s many fans won’t forget and can’t wait to get their hands on!
Sadly, this is the last Harry Potter Book Review (unless I can get my hands on those two little books Rowling put out a few years ago - I have no idea which box my copies are in...one on creatures and I can't remember what the other was about).
Don't be too sad, though! I'll still be posting on Harry Potter news (that I come across), I'll review the movie when it comes out - you may have to give me a day or two as I work my other job the night it comes out - and I'll continue to post reviews on whatever I'm reading at the moment. Next week you'll see The Moorchild and possibly The Rosetti Letter (an adult fiction book! Hooray as it's been awhile for one of those!).
I'm sure you know this already, but just in case....
A hacker has claimed he/she broke into a computer and stole a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. There's an article about it here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19352126/?gt1=10056
Just so you know, I will not be posting any spoilers about the book before it comes out. I haven't seen it, nor will I until I'm in line at Barnes and Noble at Midnight on July 21 (well, the night of July 20). I also will NOT be looking for how the book ends on the internet. The joy for me is in reading the book, not supporting a hacker who is out to ruin people's fun. Sure, J.K. Rowling doesn't really need the money anymore, but she has put A LOT of work into this series and she has influenced countless children to pick up books that are over 500 pages long. For that, I will always be willing to buy her books, not leak all the fun out of them! Oh, and keep in mind: the hacker could just be making up any ending to suit their own purposes.
So did you know that there are a WHOLE BUNCH of bands that are currently touring and singing about Harry Potter? No jokes here!
No, I have not listened to any of these bands, but I'm thinking they're not naughty or anything because they're playing at libraries in front of children, and promoting reading. Well, some of them may be (like Draco and the Malfoys) but the one that is coming to Minneapolis - YES MINNEAPOLIS - is called Harry and the Potters. They are a 2-man band who portray Harry at year 7 and at year 4 (the guys are brothers as well).
Anyhew, here is there website:
http://www.eskimolabs.com/hp/news.htm
You can even order some of their cds! I'm not sure if they have a MySpace page or not, but Draco and the Malfoys do.
Oh! The Date! Monday, July 16th at Pershing Park in Minneapolis. It starts at 6 and is FREE! FREE!!
I am going to do my best to get there! It sounds like fun!
Here are a few other wizarding bands touring about:
- Draco and the Malfoys
- the Hungarian Horntails
- the Remus Lupins
- The Whomping Willows
- DJ Luna Lovegood
- The Moaning Myrtles
- The Parselmouths
- The Hermione Crookshanks Experience
- The Marauders
I love the names of these bands!
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
By: J.K. Rowling
Book 5 brings some pretty sinister characters to Hogwarts and to Privet Drive. Dementors attack Dudley Dursley one night while he is walking home. Harry had gotten into trouble for trying to listen to the news, so he went to a park where he saw Dudley walking home and realized he had better head home (Uncle Vernon had threatened to lock him out if he came home after Dudley did.) Luckily Harry was there, because he summoned his Patronus which saved him and Dudley. Of course, Dudley is in shock, and so is Harry when the woman who torturously babysat him comes running up and tells him to keep his wand out for goodness sake!
Harry is, of course, in trouble with the Ministry of Magic again. He is granted a hearing which is held at the Ministry of Magic. Interesting happenings in that courtroom go on I tell ya!
Harry’s had another rotten summer of letters. This year, instead of not getting any, all he’s getting are cryptic replies from Ron, Hermione, and Sirius saying they’ll tell him more when he sees them. I feel I should warn you that Harry is an angry young man in this novel. I don’t really blame him; because if I was in his situation would I have behaved differently? I’d like to say yes, but who really knows? Things are, of course, sorted out in the end, and even though the blame is shared, there’s still something about needing to be accountable for your actions that is a little lacking at the end of this book (although by the time you get to the end you feel really bad for Harry).
The Order of the Phoenix is a group of witches and wizards who believe that Voldemort is back and are trying to take the necessary precautions: recruiting new members, protecting Harry, spreading the word, etc. Harry’s jealousy and anger that Ron and Hermione have been there taking part in things could have ruined their friendship, but instead they talk things out and no, things are not smooth sailing for the three of them in this book, they still have arguments throughout.
Harry’s been having these dreams that are terrible yet intriguing to him. He’s in this long corridor and if he can just get past that door to find what’s hidden back there he’ll feel better. He’s supposed to take occlumency lessons from Professor Snape, per Dumbledore’s orders to stop these dreams, but we all know how Harry and Professor Snape feel about each other so it doesn’t take long for things to reach boiling points. I think that part of the reason Harry is so angry throughout this book is because he’s being kept in the dark. He’s not told why he needs occlumency, just that it’s Dumbledore’s orders. By this time Harry’s had about enough of Dumbledore as he doesn’t talk to him, doesn’t look at him, and doesn’t let him in on what’s going on. He’s justified in being angry about this, because he has done things that most witches and wizards never will and he has seen Lord Voldemort’s return. Being a teenager is hard enough, but when you’re being told to do things that don’t make sense to you and aren’t explained, it can be difficult to follow through. Generally, parents or those in charge of us feel that they’re doing what is best, but as a teenager you don’t really care unless you know what’s going on. Face it, most of us don’t appreciate being given cryptic orders that we don’t understand and are expected to follow.
A massively unpleasant change that happens at Hogwarts is the arrival of Dolores Umbridge as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. She’s a member of the Ministry of Magic and was present at Harry’s trial. Soon, she’s being given authority over all of Hogwarts. She tries to get rid of Professors she doesn’t approve of, and she issues decrees that will specifically affect Harry (such as no clubs or organizations are allowed without her approval, and this includes Quidditch). The fact that she’s got it out for Harry is no secret! She even creates an Inquisitional Squad and gives them authority to take house points. Of course Malfoy’s a member and his obvious glee is disgusting.
There’s so much more that goes on in this book that I don’t even know where to go from here…..maybe some cryptic notes:
- Hagrid’s not at school at the beginning of the school term. Where is he and what’s he been up to?
- When he does return, why is he always sporting a black eye?
- What exactly do Harry’s dreams mean? Why is the one about Arthur Weasley true? Does that automatically make the others true?
- The D.A. is Hermione’s idea (which is a shocker just because it’s Hermione and she doesn’t believe in breaking rules) and takes off….until they get caught and the consequences are NOT good.
- Love troubles. ‘Nuff said.
- Thestrals, what the heck are they and why can’t everyone see them?
- Why are Ron and Hermione prefects and not Harry?
- Where did Fred and George get the money to do the things they’ve been doing? (Ok, we already know, but most people don’t….and what they do with the money is priceless…..especially they’re exit – you’ll know what I’m talking about when you get there).
- Luna Lovegood….is she as weird as she seems?
- St. Mungo’s……poor Neville – and speaking of Neville, I’m so proud of him!
- The prophecy……If I say anymore I’ll give away the ending and I just can’t do that to you! But it’s good, and it’s making me rethink my stance on what’s going to happen in book 7….I still think it could happen (OH! Do you know my stance on book 7? I could be wrong, in fact, I probably am, but I think that Harry and Lord Voldemort will both die. The reason I say this is because Voldemort just can’t live. I’ll be so disappointed if evil has a chance at the end of these books!I think that getting rid of Lord Voldemort could be the end for Harry as well….they have this connection and I just don’t know……)
This is a really fun site! It's really a Harry Potter Information Overload! If you want a family tree, spells (which are completely fabricated, by the way), creatures, potions, quotes, information on J.K. Rowling and so much more!
http://www.hp-lexicon.org/
Just a word of warning, though! If you're truly a Harry Potter fan you will get lost in this site for hours! Hours I tell you!
I wrote my review of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on Tuesday so I could post it here for you today..(I'm trying to spread the Harry around....there's still over a month before book 7 and I'm about ready to start book 6 - see my dilemma?)
Anyhew, the whole point is that the review is here, you'll just have to scroll down a bit....past the post about The Knight Bus I think (by the way, there's really no major reason why I always put The Knight Bus in bold, I just like it!)
Update: the review is below the post on The Man That Nobody Knows
Well, this isn't going to do much for the vast majority of those who read my blog, but I thought you should know that J.K. Rowling is going to be doing a U.S. Book Tour this Fall. Most people won't be able to go, as Scholastic is picking out schools for three of the stops and the other one is in New York, so unless you're going to be in that neighborhood......
Read more about it here:
http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=265711>1=7701
So here's a short article from Newsweek that talks about the man who is making the Harry Potter movies.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19140644/site/newsweek/from/ET/
Guess what? The 3 main characters (Harry, Ron and Hermione - just in case you live under a rock...) have signed on to do the last two movies. I'm very excited about that! I still don't like the 'new' Dumbledore, but there really wasn't much choice in the matter....**sigh**
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
By: J.K. Rowling
Harry's summer at the Dursley's comes to a close with a dream and a letter. In the dream Lord Voldemort is back and Harry's scar hurts again, in the letter, he's informed that the Weasley's will be picking him up in a few days to take him to the Quidditch World Cup. Harry has something to look forward too! Hooray! That hardly ever happens!
When the Weasley's come to pick Harry up they arrive in such an unconventional way that I thought Harry's Uncle Vernon was going to have a heart attack. And of course, Fred and George leave a little something behind that Dudley can't resist.....you'd think he'd have learned by now....and the result is quite funny.
The Quidditch World Cup is a nightmare for the Ministry of Magic - some of the wizarding community got a little overzealous in their decorations and celebrations so that the Muggles around start to notice strange things. Especially the way some of them are dressed! I think the man who's wearing a woman's nightdress is the best - he insists that it's the sort of thing those Muggles wear, the ministry member trying to get him to put some pants on has quite a difficult time with him!
The actual Quidditch match itself is very good. The Weasley's, Harry & Hermione have great seats. They even meet a house elf named Winky who is saving a seat for her master, Mr. Crouch. Hermione is incensed at the way house elves are treated and starts S.P.E.W., the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. Harry and Ron join to get her to leave them alone about it, but she has a hard time convincing anyone else because house elves want to have a master, they literally live to serve and Hermione believes they deserve wages and holidays (and rightly so).
After the game is over (no, I'm not saying anything about the actual match) the group goes back to their tents to celebrate. Late in the evening Mr. Weasley wakes them up and makes them run for the woods. Deatheaters are marching around the campground while floating a family of Muggles in the air. Harry, Ron and Hermione get separated from Fred, George & Ginny and find themselves in the woods, alone, when they hear a voice say, "MORSMORDRE!" and the Dark Mark appears. At first, Harry and his friends are blamed, but when overzealous ministers realize they're much to young to be able to do a spell like that they look elsewhere. Winky the house elf is found holding Harry's wand. She is blamed for placing the Dark Mark and is fired (which totally destroys her little heart) by Mr. Crouch (her master).
All of this, and school hasn't even started yet! When school starts, the students learn that the Triwizard Tournament is to be held at Hogwarts. Students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons will be staying and competing in the tournament. An age restriction of 17 years is placed for those who wish to enter the tournament (because of deaths that have occurred in previous tournaments). Of course Fred and George attempt to enter and end up with unexpected results. When the Goblet of Fire returns the three expected names Dumbledore starts to give instructions regarding the three tasks, but then the Goblet lights up again and a 4th name comes out. I bet you can guess whose name it was!
Harry can't believe it. Sure, competing in the tournament would have been great, but after all the attention he's had in the last three years he could really stand to take it easy, but it's not to be so. The rules clearly state that if a name comes out of the Goblet of Fire it's a binding contract. Harry has no idea who put his name in, but whoever it is probably isn't looking out for Harry's best interest. Ron thinks Harry put in his own name and they have a fight about it. They don't start speaking until after the first task when Ron realizes Harry would have been mad to put in his own name. Pretty much the entire school is against Harry, they even have buttons that read, "Support Cedric Diggory - The Real Hogwarts Champion" then will change and say, "Potter Stinks."
On top of all of this, they have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Alastair "Mad-Eye Moody". His classes prove to be very interesting. On their first day he shows them the three unforgivable curses that he-who-must-not-be-named used to control, torture and kill people. And that's just the first day, so you can imagine what comes later!
Besides dealing with classes, people talking about him behind his back, Professor Snape (as usual), and the Triwizard Tournament Harry has more than enough on his plate. Then comes more in the form of a horrible reporter, Rita Skeeter. Now, if any of you out there are planning on becoming a journalist you need to pay attention to this book and the next, especially. Rita Skeeter is a prime example on exactly how NOT to act as a reporter. She's all about 'the scoop.' She doesn't care if the story is accurate or not, she prints what she knows will sell, and in this case it's all about Harry and his tragic life which she milks for all its worth and then some! (Hermione does outwit her in the end. Hooray!)
Then, as if this isn't enough there's the Yule Ball. As a champion Harry is expected to have a partner. One day Harry and Ron make a deal that they will both have a date by that evening. The girl Harry asks already has a date, and it bums him out. He walks in to the common room to see a simpering Ron. He asked the prettiest Beauxbaton girl to the dance and it didn't go over well. Harry's desperate, so he asks Parvati and she gets her sister to go with Ron.
The focus on this book is mainly on the Triwizard Tournament and the tasks set before the champions. The tasks are all exciting and danger filled. The last task takes an unexpected turn and Harry ends up face-to-face with Lord Voldemort once again. Harry manages to make it out, but once he's back there are consequences that will last for a long time...the tragedy and drama he suffers through at the end of the book are heart-wrenching and we will see more of that in the rest of the series (book 5 for sure, but the other effects will last through book 7).
I can't tell you much else as I don't want to give all of the action and drama away! That wouldn't be very fair to you!
Guess what Scholastic has gone and done? They've put up the cover art for the deluxe edition of HP7!
If you click on the link you can check it out, plus there's a fun magnifying glass that comes up and lets you look at the details closely:
http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/books/covers/art7deluxe.htm
I was going to save these for next week, but I'm afraid I'll forget to post about them, so:
Join Dumbledore's Army - how fun!
http://joindumbledoresarmy.warnerbros.com/
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - the Death Eater Art on this site is a little frightening! I didn't have a pleasant picture in mind from the books, but when you see something it can be disturbing....(you can create a Death Eater Mask and post it)
http://www.harrypotterorderofthephoenix.com/
The movie comes out July 11!!!!! (It was originally supposed to come out on the 13th, they moved it up two days) Only a little more than a month to wait......
So, did you know that The Knight Bus is touring the U.S.? Well, now you know!
It's stopping at 37 libraries across the U.S. and MN is not a lucky state! I'm so sad! BUT! The closest places you can go are Chicago, IL, St. Louis, MO or Ohio. The bus will be in those states at the end of this month and if you want to see it you have to pre-register at that library. So, take a road trip! And if you go take lots of pictures and send them to me! Oh how I wish it was coming to MN!!!!
For more information on The Knight Bus click on the link below. It will take you to Scholastic's website where you'll find the touring dates of the bus, plus plenty of other Harry Potter related activities and such to keep you busy!
http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/events/tour.htm
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
By: J.K. Rowling
**spoilers ahead....I've realized that I sometimes may give too much away!
Summer with the Dursley's is never fun, but Harry is less than thrilled when he finds out his Uncle Vernon's sister Marge is coming to visit. She's a big, loud obnoxious woman who enjoys insulting Harry, but she takes it too far when she insults his mum and dad. Marge suddenly starts to blow up - and no, I don't mean explode, more like Violet in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (you know it was a book before it was a movie, right?) when she eats the gum that has the meal in it and blows up like a gargantuan blueberry.
Harry's already retrieved his trunk and schoolbooks before his Uncle Vernon can catch him and he's out the door. He doesn't know where he's going, but anywhere's better than the Dursley's! Harry stops a few blocks away to collect his thoughts. When he sees gleaming eyes staring out at him he's startled and falls backwards and the next thing he knows a bus is about to run him over. It's The Knight Bus which picks up stranded witches and wizards. It's here that Harry learns about Sirius Black and that he's escaped from Azkaban, the wizards prison.
Harry manages to make it to The Leaky Cauldron in one piece, although the way the driver of the bus drives he didn't think he was going to make it! When he gets there the Minister of Magic is there to greet him. Harry is expecting to be thrown out of school as he's not allowed to use magic over the summer. He's thorougly surprised when he's allowed to stay in school and Fugde (the Minister of Magic) is quite nice to him.
Harry meets up with Hermione, Ron and the rest of the Weasley's at The Leaky Cauldron. On their last night there Harry overhears Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arguing about whether or not they should tell him that Sirius Black is after him. Harry's not too scared because he agrees with Mrs. Weasley that Hogwarts is the safest possible place for him to be.
On the way to school the train is slowed to a stop. A cold, creepy feeling comes over those on board, but Harry is affected more than the rest. When he realizes what happened and meets the new Dark Arts Professor he feels silly for reacting the way he did when no one else did. Of course he's made fun of, because Draco magically finds out.
Once safely back at school in one piece, they find out that Hagrid's their new Care of Magical Creatures teacher. The hippogriff's are fascinating, but Draco makes a wrong move with Buckbeak and havoc ensues with future consequences. In their Divination class Professor Trelawny predicts Harry's death. She continues to do so for pretty much every class after that. Defense Against the Dark Arts is their favorite class. Professor Lupin brings in a boggart for their first day and the students get to face their worst fears and make them funny. Harry doesn't get a go, but when he finds out why he understands.
Quidditch is another hot topic this year. Wood wants the Quidditch Cup, but when the Dementors enter the school grounds against the rules, havoc ensues for the Gryffindor team, but especially for Harry. (The Dementors are at Hogwarts guarding the entrances so Sirius Black can't enter. They are the 'jailers' of Azkaban and really nasty pieces of work.) Later in the year, Harry sees Dementors on the ground during a Quidditch match. This time he was prepared for them and had his wand ready. What he didn't know was that the Dementors on the field weren't exactly what he had thought they were!
Remember the future consequences with Buckbeak? Well, he gets sentenced to die (because Draco faked how bad his injury really was and his dad is pure evil) and Harry, Ron and Hermione go to visit Hagrid. When they're leaving, Ron's rat escapes and he starts to chase it so Harry and Hermione follow him. When Ron gets Scabbers, a big black dog goes for Ron and drags him under the Whomping Willow. Harry and Hermione finally get in there and go after them. When they get to Ron, they find out that the dog isn't a dog at all, and it's not a person Harry wants to see. It's a person Harry very much wants to hurt because of what he'd done to Harry's family. Professors Lupin and Snape show up further creating havoc. Harry finally hears the real story of who gave his parents hiding place away and what happened leading up to that.
Ron's injury lands him in the hospital with Madam Pomfrey while Harry and Hermione have to try and save two lives. How they do it is fascinating and quite intriging. I won't tell you too much more because then I'd be giving everything away!
As always, Harry Potter had me reading so fast I could hardly see straight!
No, not the city! The bird! Dumbledore's pet, Fawkes, is a phoenix. They are mythical birds "associated with the Egyption sun-god Re and the Greek Phoibos (Apollo)." The bird is rumored to live near a cool well and sings in the morning during its bath so that the sun god will stop to listen.
The birds live 500-1461 years, and when they die they burn to death and are reborn from the ashes.
The bird is said to symbolize immortality, resurrection and life after death. That's a fascinating idea to associate with Dumbledore and with Harry himself. Harry's already cheated death 3 times. How many more chances will he get? What about Dumbledore, will he have a life after death like his bird, or will his memory be enough to carry him on?
Encyclopedia Mythica Article:
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/p/phoenix.html
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
By: J.K. Rowling
Harry's summer back at the Dursley's is anything but fun. Harry's still managing to walk into trouble, but with Vernon Dursley around it's not that difficult. Even the word 'magic' is enough to get Harry yelled at. And that's not all: he hasn't received a single letter from either Ron or Hermione. He can't figure it out; it's his birthday, they're his friends and they don't even seem to care!
Harry finds out the reasoning behind the missing letters when a mysterious stranger just shows up in his room and manages to get him into even more trouble. The stranger is an interesting creature that seems bent on hurting himself for warning Harry to not go back to Hogwarts. He really has Harry's best interest at heart, but Harry will go back to school. There is NO WAY he's going to stay with the Dursley's any longer than he has to! He almost does though, as the stranger's actions cause Harry to be locked away in his room. Uncle Vernon even put bars on his windows!
Fred, George and Ron come to Harry's rescue in an extremely unusual way. After they 'bust him out' of his jail, they head to The Burrow, the home of the Weasley's. Ron seems a bit embarrassed, but to Harry it's the best house he's ever been in. Soon school is starting and Harry and Ron's family head to Diagon Ally to get their school supplies and meet up with Hermione.
The kids meet their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at a bookstore when picking up their textbooks. The ladies swoon in front of him (even Hermione!) and the men just look around uncomfortably and awkwardly (they just don't get what all the fuss is about!) Gilderoy Lockhart sees Harry and seizes him for a photo op (so they can make the front page). Harry is less than thrilled while Lockhart seems to think it just soooo fabulous. He makes himself an unwanted mentor to Harry throughout the schoolyear, causing some serious harm to Harry's arm (he was trying to help, but he's a bit of a git so it goes horribly wrong), thinks that Harry's detention with him is a treat for Harry and much, much more! He even sets a bunch of cornish pixies loose on his class and makes them clean up his mess!
So that's that. But what is going on at Hogwart's this year? Harry, Ron and Hermione are doing very well at being at the wrong place at the wrong time. When they discover Mrs. Norris rigid and "hanging by her tail from a torch bracket" (139) they know it doesn't look good, especially with the message that's been written on the wall: "THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE." (138)
Curiosity is electric at the school. What is the Chamber of Secrets? Why would anyone want to kill a witch or wizard who wasn't a 'pure' blood. (There is argument earlier in the book about the word mudblood - in the wizarding world it's a VERY bad word concerning a person with muggles for parents. It's about the worst insult you can make.)
Of course, Harry, Ron and Hermione set out to learn all they can about the Chamber, who opened it and why. They come up with a plan which includes an elaborate potion and set to work on it in one of the girls' bathrooms. No one really goes in there on account of Moaning Myrtle (a ghost who was killed in there). I think she's hilarious, yet annoying at the same time. (If you watch the movie Myrtle is exactly how I pictured her, the hair, the glasses, the attitude! I love it!)
A slight mishap with the potion leaves the information gathering adventure up to the two boys. They live up to the task and find that the person they had suspected of opening the Chamber has no idea who it is.
The discovery of a mysterious diary leads the three to suspect someone they're close to, someone they never thought could have done such a thing. Of course, like any good detectives, they follow the lead and are again disappointed they haven't figured it out (well, relieved would be a better word, but they had wanted to solve the mystery.....)
After one of their own (as in 'the gang') is attacked, the urgency to solve the mystery intensifies, then, it gets worse. Harry and Ron overhear that there has been a new message left: 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.' Then they find out who it is. It becomes absolutely imperative for them to figure out the mystery. A clue Hermione found is brought into play and the boys sneak away to find the chamber. Professor Lockhart interferes and ends up in a bit of a mess, but the boys don't mind. They're on a mission to save someone they love. She's not a muggle, but is very important to the boys.
Harry's in for a bit of a shock when he sees the diary lying in the Chamber next to an almost lifeless body. She's still alive, so Harry has to figure out how to save her without his wand, since Tom Riddle (the owner of the diary) has taken it. And then he calls out the monster that lives in the Chamber. Harry's loyalty to Dumbledore brings him aid in the form on a Phoenix (Dumbledore's pet) and the Sorting Hat, but Riddle scoffs at it. Only when Harry and the Phoenix do the unexpected does he start to worry. Then he panicks. And he......(Nope! not going to tell!)
Oh, and bring in to play the fact that Harry is hearing voices, quidditch practice and matches, exams, and the dueling club are all going on at the same time, you know this book is definitely not dull!
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