Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Ch 1-5

Harry Potter and the First Time Readers

Chapter 1 - The Worst Birthday

• “I want more bacon” “There’s more in the frying pan, sweetums,” said Aunt Petunia, turning misty eyes on her massive son.

Q1 - Has your opinion of the Dursley’s changed at all?

• Harry stared from his purple-faced uncle to his pale aunt, who was trying to heave Dudley to his feet.

Q2 - Why do you think Vernon is purple and Petunia is pale?

Q3 - Why do you think Harry wants the Dursley’s to recognize his birthday?

Q4 - Are you a birthday person or not?

• Aunt Petunia knew he hadn’t really done magic, but he still had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at his head with the soapy frying pan.

Chapter 2 - Dobby’s Warning

Q1 - First thoughts on Dobby?

• “Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew.”

Q2 - Where do you think Dobby came from?

Q3 - Do you think a wizards word is more binding than a muggles? Why didn’t Harry just say you have my word and lie to Dobby?

• See why I’ve got to go back to Hogwarts? It’s the only place I’ve got — well, I think I’ve got friends.

Q4 - When was the last time you wrote and mailed a hand-written letter to someone?

• Harry, whose insides were aching with hunger, jumped off his bed and seized it. The soup was stone cold, but he drank half of it in one gulp. Then he crossed the room to Hedwig's cage and tipped the soggy vegetables at the bottom of the bowl into her empty food tray. She ruffled her feathers and gave him a look of deep disgust.

Q5 - What is Harry thinking and feeling at this moment?

Q6 - Which family does Dobby serve? Why can't he just leave the family?

Q7 - Why does Dobby want to warn Harry? And why Harry specifically?

Chapter 3 - The Burrow

Q1 - How do we like the Weasley’s rescuing Harry?

• A lot of wizards think it’s a waste of time, knowing this sort of Muggle trick, but we feel they’re skills worth learning, even if they are a bit slow.”

Q2 - From the little you know of the characters, what do you think their professions will be?

Q3 - Do you think Harry forgetting Hedwig makes him a bad pet owner?

Q4 - If you could bewitch any object in your house, what would you do and why?

• Mrs Weasley was marching across the yard, scattering chickens, and for a short, plump, kind-faced woman, it was remarkable how much she looked like a saber tooth tiger.

Q5 - Does de-gnoming a garden sound fun?

Q6 - Do you think you’ve ever been the victim of a shrinking door key?

• “Bless them, they’ll go to any lengths to ignore magic, even if it’s staring them in the face.”
• “Your sons flew that car to Harry’s house and back last night!” shouted Mrs Weasley. “What have you got to say about that, eh?” “Did you really?” said Mr Weasley eagerly. “Did it go alright? I-I mean,” he faltered, as sparks flew from Mrs Weasley’s eyes, “That was very wrong. Boys — very wrong indeed.”

Q7 - How do you like Mr and Mrs Weasley?

Q8 - How do you like the Burrow?

Chapter 4 - At Flourish and Blotts

• Life at the burrow was as different as possible from life in Privet Drive.
• What Harry found most unusual about life at Ron’s. However, wasn’t the talking mirror or the clanking ghoul: it was the fact that everybody there seemed to like him.

Q1 - What book sounds most interesting from the second-year reading list:

• The Standard Book of Spells
• Break with a Banshee
• Gadding with Ghouls
• Holidays with Hags
• Travels with Trolls
• Voyages with Vampires
• Wanderings with Werewolves
• Year with the Yeti

Q2 - Why doesn’t Harry at least try to give the Weasley’s a bit of money?

Q3 - Would you ever want to go shopping in Borgin and Burkes?

Q4 - First impressions of Mr Malfoy?

Q5 - Did you catch the diagonally and nocturnally?

Q6 - Why do you think Wizards don’t use ball point pens?

• “We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy,” he said.

Chapter Five - The Whomping Willow

• The end of the summer holidays came too quickly for Harry’s liking. He was looking forward to getting back to Hogwarts, but his month at The Burrow had been the happiest of his life.

Q1 - What do you think are the contents of Ginny’s diary?

Q2 - How dumb are Ron and Harry for not just waiting?

Q3 - Why would they plant a tree at Hogwarts that could kill a student? No safer place than Hogwarts…

• “Or he might have been sacked!” said Ron enthusiastically, “I mean everyone hates him—” “Or maybe,” said a very cold voice right behind them, “he’s waiting to hear why you two didn’t arrive on the school train.”

Q4 - Given the option, would you want to fly to Hogwarts in the car, or would you rather take the train? What other way would you want to get to the castle?

• “So,” he said softly, “the train isn’t good enough for the famous Harry Potter and his faithful sidekick Weasley. Wanted to arrive with a bang, did we, boys?”
• Professor McGonagall gave him a piercing look, but he was sure she had almost smiled.

Summary

• Best Moment
• Favorite Chapter
• Best Character
• What is your favorite location so far in the Wizarding world?