1. Dobby
“Harry managed not to shout out, but it was a close thing. The little creature on the bed had large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls. Harry knew instantly that this was what had been watching him out of the garden hedge that morning.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Two ‘Dobby’s Warning’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
As soon as we heard that Jim Kay was working on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, we were desperate to know how he would interpret one of our favourite characters; Dobby the unwaveringly loyal house-elf. Although at first Dobby is a bit of nuisance for Harry (dropping Aunt Petunia’s masterpiece of a pudding on the floor so that the Dursleys would blame Harry, breaking Harry’s arm with a Bludger…) he proves to be an immensely loyal friend to Harry and was putting himself in grave danger to protect him from Lucius Malfoy’s evil plan.
2. Fawkes
“A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling. It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock’s and gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle.
A second later, the bird was flying straight at Harry. It dropped the ragged thing it was carrying at his feet, then landed heavily on his shoulder. As it folded its great wings, Harry looked up and saw it had a long, sharp golden beak and a beady black eye.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Seventeen ‘The Heir of Slytherin’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
It seems strange now to think that we didn’t meet Fawkes until book two, but Dumbledore’s faithful pet was first spotted by Harry in Dumbledore’s office, before swooping in to save the day in the Chamber of Secrets. Crimson and gold with stunning feathers, we’ve already had a chance to see Jim Kay’s interpretation of a phoenix and it is spectacular.
3. Gilderoy Lockhart
“Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd. The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue that exactly matched his eyes; his pointed wizard’s hat was set at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Four ‘At Flourish and Blotts’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
Gilderoy Lockhart was the second Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher Harry was taught by at Hogwarts, although he first meets him in a book signing at Flourish and Blotts. Lockhart is an incredibly narcissistic character who goes as far as to cover his office at Hogwarts with portraits of himself and sets Harry’s class a quiz on trivia about himself for their first lesson. Although his vanity made our skin crawl at times, we couldn’t help but laugh at Lockhart throughout Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and we’re hoping to see his dazzling white teeth and wavy hair brought to life in Jim Kay’s illustrations.
4. Moaning Myrtle
“The squat ghost of a girl had glided over. She had the glummest face Harry had ever seen, half-hidden behind lank hair and thick, pearly spectacles.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Eight ‘The Deathday Party’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
Ah Moaning Myrtle. The miserable teenage ghost who haunts the girl’s bathroom she was killed in after hiding there to escape her bullies. Myrtle is a sensitive soul and spends her eternity as a ghost circling the drains, wailing, flooding the toilets and spying on students. Despite this, she does provide some fantastic comedy moments throughout the series (particularly her flirty comments to Harry) and proves important when it comes down to finding the Chamber of Secrets and its monster.
5. Polyjuice Potion
“The three of them stared into the cauldron. Close up, the potion looked like thick, dark mud, bubbling sluggishly.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Twelve ‘The Polyjuice Potion’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
For the first, and certainly not the last time, we witness the use of Polyjuice Potion in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A time-consuming and challenging potion, Hermione spends months mixing the concoction before it’s ready for them to turn into Slytherins Crabbe, Goyle and Millicent Bulstrode to go and investigate Malfoy. The transformation sounds pretty unpleasant to us, and after Hermione turned into a hairy cat-faced hybrid after accidently using a cat hair instead of one of Millicent’s, we’ll be steering clear of the stuff.
6. Mandrakes
“Harry let out a gasp of surprise that no one could hear.
Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs.
Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Professor Sprout dusted off her hands, gave them all the thumbs-up, and removed her own earmuffs.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Six ‘Gilderoy Lockhart’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
Who could forget an entire Herbology class putting on earmuffs before replanting a hoard of screaming, wriggling plants? Mandrakes are incredibly useful plants, and make appearances later in the book in the form of antidotes, in particular for those that have been petrified. But for our first meeting in the Hogwarts greenhouses, they provide an insight into how amazing it would be to attend Hogwarts (seriously, WHERE is that owl with our acceptance letter?!).
7. Gnomes
“There was a violent scuffling noise, the peony bush shuddered, and Ron straightened up. ” This is a gnome,” he said grimly.
“Gerroff me! Gerroff me!” squealed the gnome.
It was certainly nothing like Santa Claus. It was small and leathery looking, with a large, knobby, bald head exactly like a potato. Ron held it at arm’s length as it kicked out at him with its horny little feet; he grasped it around the ankles and turned it upside down.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Three ‘The Burrow’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
Harry helping the Weasley family to de-gnome their garden has to be one of the ultimate laugh-out-loud moments of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Harry, Ron, Fred and George spend the morning spinning gnomes around in the air (to get them dizzy so they can’t find their way back) before launching them as far away from the Burrow as possible. After a few nasty bites Harry soon lost sympathy for the little critters and was throwing them with as much enthusiasm as the Weasley brothers.
8. The Burrow
“”Touchdown!” said Fred as, with a slight bump, they hit the ground. They had landed next to a tumbledown garage in a small yard, and Harry looked out for the first time at Ron’s house.
It looked as though it had once been a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and there until it was several stories high and so crooked it looked as though it were held up by magic (which Harry reminded himself, it probably was). Four or five chimneys were perched on top of the red roof. A lopsided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance read, THE BURROW . Around the front door lay a jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. Several fat brown chickens were pecking their way around the yard.
“It’s not much,” said Ron.
“It’s wonderful ,” said Harry happily, thinking of Privet Drive.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Three ‘The Burrow’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
The Weasley home might not be a palace, but it’s a wonderful family home, bustling with noise and mischief (mostly from the twins). Harry first sees The Burrow after Fred, George and Ron rescue him from the Dursleys in a flying car and take him to the Weasley home in the early hours of the morning. Harry gets to see where Ron grew up, experience family life for the Weasleys and see Ron’s bedroom which is described as ‘a violent shade of orange’.
9. Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington’s Five-Hundreth Deathday Party
“It was an incredible sight. The dungeon was full of hundreds of pearly-white, translucent people, mostly drifting around a crowded dance floor, waltzing to the dreadful, quavering sound of thirty musical saws, played by an orchestra on a raised, black-draped platform. A chandelier overhead blazed midnight-blue with a thousand more black candles. Their breath rose in a mist before them; it was like stepping into a freezer.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Eight ‘The Deathday Party’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
Nearly-Headless Nick invites Harry, Ron and Hermione to his ‘Deathday Party’ on Halloween to celebrate the 500th anniversary of his death by beheading. The party includes a candlelit dinner of moulded food, a tombstone cake, a game of head hockey and a ghost orchestra playing the musical saw. As well as the famous trio, the party was attended by Moaning Myrtle, Peeves and the Headless Hunt, and gave us a fascinating insight into the world of ghosts.
10. Knockturn Alley
“Clutching his broken glasses to his face, Harry stared around. He had emerged into a dingy alleyway that seemed to be made up entirely of shops devoted to the Dark Arts. The one he’d just left, Borgin and Burkes, looked like the largest, but opposite was a nasty window display of shrunken heads and, two doors down, a large cage was alive with gigantic black spiders. Two shabby-looking wizards were watching him from the shadow of a doorway, muttering to each other. Feeling jumpy, Harry set off, trying to hold his glasses on straight and hoping against hope he’d be able to find a way out of here.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Four ‘Flourish and Blotts’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone we got to see Jim Kay’s incredible illustration of Diagon Alley, but in book two we can’t wait to see the street where the more sinister wizards and witches shop; Knockturn Alley. Harry ends up there after a mishap with Floo powder and turns up in Borgin and Burkes just in time to witness Malfoy and his father persuading Mr. Borgin to take a number of potions off their hands. Luckily when Harry finally escapes the shop unseen he runs into Hagrid who takes him straight back to the safety of Diagon Alley.
11. Duelling Club
“A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done; but Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor. Harry leapt forward and pulled Millicent off. It was difficult: She was a lot bigger than he was.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Eleven ‘The Duelling Club’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
The Duelling Club is headed by Professor Lockhart and Professor Snape in an apparent bid to help students feel safer. After Snape effortlessly disarms Lockhart (much to Lockhart’s embarrassment) the students are quickly paired off to try out the spells on each other. The room quickly descends into chaos and finally results in a duel between Harry and Draco Malfoy. It’s at this moment, when Draco conjures an angry black snake, that we discover that Harry can speak parseltongue and the school becomes suspicious of his involvement with the Chamber of Secrets.
12. Aragog and his Spider Family
“Spiders. Not tiny spiders like those surging over the leaves below. Spiders the size of carthorses, eight-eyed, eight-legged, black, hairy, gigantic. The massive specimen that was carrying Harry made its way down the steep slope toward a misty, domed web in the very center of the hollow, while its fellows closed in all around it, clicking their pincers excitedly at the sight of its load.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Fifteen ‘Aragog’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
Hagrid is known for his love of strange and dangerous creatures, and in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets we meet one of his most dearly loved pets; Aragog and his enormous spider family. As he’s sent off to Azkaban by Cornelius Fudge, Hagrid advises Ron and Harry to “follow the spiders”. This proves to be a foolish errand as Aragog’s family would rather eat the pair than help them, and they’re saved by sheer lucky when Mr Weasley’s enchanted car disrupts their feast.
Jim Kay has pretty much confirmed that we’ll get to see his interpretation of the spiders in a blog post; “Book two was a lovely opportunity to work on some spiders….they are great to draw” so now it’s just a case of waiting to see them in all their pincer-clicking glory when the book comes out.
13. The Basilisk
“The enormous serpent, bright, poisonous green, thick as an oak trunk, had raised itself high in the air and its great blunt head was weaving drunkenly between the pillars. As Harry trembled, ready to close his eyes if it turned, he saw what had distracted the snake.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Seventeen ‘The Heir of Slytherin’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
The monster unleashed from the Chamber of Secrets is a source of fear and mystery throughout this book as several students, a ghost and a cat are petrified by the beast, narrowly escaping death. Hermione’s hours in the library reveal that the creature is a basilisk; a giant serpent that can kill if you look directly into its eyes, and Harry comes face to face with it at the end of the book. Although the thought of a giant snake is terrifying, we can’t help but think that Jim Kay’s version would be spectacular.
14. Cornelius Fudge
“The stranger had rumpled gray hair and an anxious expression, and was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak, and pointed purple boots. Under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Fourteen ‘Cornelius Fudge’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge becomes a pivotal character throughout the Harry Potter series, and he’s one of those strange ones that has us questioning whether he’s good or bad. He certainly doesn’t seem to be a bad person, but he does make some really bad decisions. His lime-green bowler was toned down for the films, but readers will always remember his rather eccentric appearance when he first strides into the books.
15. Ron Belching Slugs
“”Ron! Ron! Are you all right?” squealed Hermione.
Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap.”
Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter Seven ‘Mudbloods and Murmurs’. Text copyright © J.K. Rowling 1998
Okay so obviously we love Ron and felt very sorry for him trying to get through his second year at Hogwarts with a broken wand (thanks to a crash landing into the Whomping Willow in his dad’s car). But we couldn’t suppress a smile when his wand backfired and ended up causing him to endlessly puke up slugs in front of the Slytherin and Griffindor quidditch teams.
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