Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Part II

And just like that, I apologize to Dobby for all the horrible things I said about him and for wanting nothing more than to strangle him. When he caught that sock that Mr Malfoy accidentally threw at him (well played, Harry, well played), and he realized what it meant - well...I...*tears in my eyes*.

And when I actually thought for a minute that Ginny had been killed, I just - couldn't. I mean, I don't have *feelings* for her (yet), but I wouldn't want any one of the Weasley's to die. Plus, I have my suspicions that her and Harry might have a thing in the later books...

I'm glad Lockhart got what was coming to him. Really, it couldn't have been executed more perfectly. I'm surprised he hadn't accidentally cast a spell on himself before. What a dumb-ass.

I like how JKR totally made us think that Ginny had walked in on Percy doing *you know what* (is that even appropriate for a young reader's book?) but then said he was just making out with his girlfriend. Even if that WAS what he was doing (making out), why imply earlier on that it was something else. Or am I the ONLY ONE who's mind went there?!

Let's talk about Harry:

- He's our hero - again. But not before having almost the entire school, his own house included, thinking that he's actually the heir to Slytherin. And it didn't help his case that Harry can talk to snakes in snake language (ie. Parselmouth), which was an ability possessed by Salazar Slytherin.

-But no matter what other people thought or gossiped about, Hermione and Ron stood by his side. And even though it seems like Harry didn't get either of them a Christmas gift (again), he at least remembered to give them his phone number at the end of the school year. BUT - and I know I keep going back to this - why doesn't Harry just spend the entire summer with the Weasley's?? Everyone knows that the Dursley's locked Harry up the previous summer and treat him horribly. And Harry SAVED Ginny's life! I'm sure the Weasley's would be happy to have Harry even if he hadn't saved their little girl. Is every book in this series going to start off with a few chapters on how horrible the Dursley's are to Harry? WE GET IT JKR.

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." (p. 245)

Oh  ya! And Hagrid! I'm so glad he wasn't actually the one to have opened the Chamber 50 years ago! And how can you not love someone who loves ALL animals/creatures as much as Hagrid does? Even if said creatures include HUGE spiders *shudder*. While I'm sure Hagrid is happy to remain in his title as gamekeeper, I do think his name should be publicly cleared at Hogwart's.

Best quote this book:

"Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison" (p. 177)

"Go home Harry Potter. Go home."

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Part I

In case you haven't been following along (why aren't you following along!?), we are now on the second book of Harry Potter in Alice's super-awesome Harry Potter Readalong and all the gifs. Of course, this post was supposed to be up on Friday, but I blame work and birthday celebrations for a good friend. Also, we all already know I'm like the last person on Earth to read Harry Potter, but just in case you fall into that 0.01% with me, then know that these posts are potentially full of spoilers.*

So after the the Philosopher's Stone, Harry has to go home and spend the summer with the horrible, good-for-nothing Dursley's. But my question is: WHY? Couldn't he have just gone straight to Ron's? Or stayed behind and lived with Hagrid? Isn't someone watching over Harry based on the fact that they now know how poorly the Dursley's have treated him all his life? I know, I know, it makes the story more interesting...because hello - flying car!

But before Ron and his brother's break Harry out of the Dursley's in their FLYING CAR, we meet Dobby. Dobby, the most annoying little house elf if I've ever known one, is hell-bent on keeping Harry from returning to Hogwart's. Something about Harry being in mortal danger if he should return. It seems fitting that I have a picture of myself strangling Dobby:

{circa 2007}

Of course, Harry doesn't listen to Dobby (there would be no story then), and spends the last month of his summer with the Weasley's, which Harry proclaims to be "the happiest of his life". Oh Harry. The usual back-to-school shopping is done and Harry sees for himself how poor (money wise), the Weasley's actually are. Which brings up another question: Why doesn't Harry offer to buy Ron something for school? I mean, they did let him stay with them and they fed him for an entire month!  And then, later on, when they are back in school and Ron's wand is broken, Harry daftly states "write home for another one"- as if he hasn't actually seen the bare insides of the Weasley's bank vault. No Harry, YOU should buy Ron a new wand! Or is that expecting too much from a 12 year old boy?

{You tell him, Alfred}

We are also introduced another new character in the Chamber of Secrets: Gilderoy Lockhart - the author of the majority of their school text books and their new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. For the most part, I just find his character quite amusing. Not sure how he achieved the status that he has, seeing as all of his spells go wrong.

We end this first half of the book with:
-Harry hearing voices
-learning that the house names come from the 4 wizards and witches that founded Hogwarts
-the original Slytherin (the wizard from which this name comes from), left Hogwarts at one point in a disagreement and built a hidden chamber of secrets in the castle and the only person who can open it is the true heir (whoever that is - Malfoy? Harry?)
-Hermione convinces Ron and Harry that they must make The Polyjuice Potion in order to get inside information from Malfoy.
-Harry breaks his arm in Quidditch, Gilderoy Lockhart performs another shoddy spell to fix Harry's arm, but ends up turning it into a rubber glove.

So while Harry lies in the infirmary, waiting for his arm to heal, Dobby returns and tells him to go home and admits the bludger that broke Harry's arm in the Quidditch match was rigged by none other than himself. Harry then over hears Dumbledore confirm that the chamber of secrets is indeed open again but by who or how they do not know...


*I'm finding it tough to search for Harry Potter gifs without spoiling things for myself so if you've come here looking for HP gifs, I am sorry to have let you down.