Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling is the second book in the Harry Potter series. It begins with a description of Harry’s miserable summer holidays with the cruel and abusive Dursleys.
One morning when Harry goes to the garden he notices someone staring at him through the hedge. Later on Harry finds out that this was Dobby, the house-elf who comes to warn him about the dangers he would face because of the evil wizard Voldemort in his second year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Dobby pleads with Harry not to go to Hogwarts, but Harry is not afraid of Voldemort and he insists that he will go to Hogwarts.
Harry’s friend Ron Weasley and his two elder brothers Fred and George rescue him from the Dursleys and Harry spends the rest of the summer holidays with the Weasleys. Harry is fortunate to have good friends who genuinely care about him. Harry and the Weasleys go to London to buy their school books for the second year, and they meet Harry’s arch enemy Draco Malfoy and his father Lucius Malfoy who are supporters of Voldemort. Lucius Malfoy maliciously throws a book at Ginny Weasley at a bookshop.
Something strange happens when Harry and Ron try to cross the barrier between platforms nine and ten to catch the Hogwarts Express. They crash into the barrier but cannot find the cause for the crash and miss the train, but get to Hogwarts by another way.
During the second year at Hogwarts, there are rumours about the Chamber of Secrets being opened by the heir of Voldemort. Harry finds himself in many dangerous situations, but his courage enables him to overcome his enemies. Harry escapes Voldemort again, but he is modest about his victory and stays out of the limelight.
Reviewed by Hannah William