Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets


The film opens with Harry Potter and his caged owl Hedwig staying with the Dursleys on summer break. An elf named Dobby appears in Harry’s room and warns Harry not to return to Hogwarts this fall because of terrible danger. Dobby’s disruptions result in Uncle Vernon locking Harry in his room until Harry is rescued by the Weasley brothers. Harry and Hedwig escape in the Weasleys’ flying car, and Harry finishes summer vacation at the Weasleys’ home, the Burrow. After buying their new schoolbooks, Harry and the Weasleys go to trainstation Platform 9 3/4, but the gateway closes on Ron and Harry before they can board the Hogwarts express. Harry and Ron use the flying car to get to Hogwarts, but the car breaks down and crashes into the sentient, angry willow tree on the school’s grounds.

New professor and celebrity wizard author Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh) now teaches at Hogwarts. Harry resumes quidditch practice with team Gryffindor. This year, Slytherin’s seeker is Harry’s rival Draco Malfoy, who sports a Nimbus 2001 broomstick. The ominous Chamber of Secrets (secretly located beneath the sink in the ladies’ restroom) has opened, and Professor McGonagall reveals to the students how Hogwarts' founder Salazar Slytherin built the chamber long ago. Salazar disliked muggles (non-wizard humans) and muggleborn wizards, and emerges as something of a racial supremacist. Salazar had sealed the chamber until his heir had returned to school. Professor McGonagall also reveals that the chamber is guarded by a monster.