Chapter Discussion Chamber of Secrets Ch. 9 The Writing on the Wall

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 189002

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Chapter Discussion: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Chapter 9: The Writing on the Wall.

This chapter is packed full of important information, so I hope you'll read it yourself, but here are the headlines:

Dumbledore determines that Mrs. Norris is not dead and can be cured.
Ron explains about Squibs.
Professor Binns lectures on the Chamber of Secrets.
The Trio visit Moaning Myrtle's toilet.
There are a few tense moments between Ron and Percy, as we learn how upset Ginny is. The Trio plan to use Polyjuice Potion to spy on Draco.

1. This chapter is very funny. Why do you think JKR used so much comedy just as she's introducing the idea of the Chamber of Secrets?

2. What is Snape up to with his "Wrong place at the wrong time" speech?

3. What would have happened if Harry had told Dumbledore about the voices?

4. Why didn't JKR introduce Squibs in SS/PS?

5. How does the explanation of Salazar's reasons for excluding Muggle-born students compare to contemporary wizards' reasons? (Malfoy, Black, etc.)

6. Are you surprised that Harry expected students to think he was Slytherin's heir at this time?

7. Ginny is  pale, upset, worried
how did these descriptions influence your opinion of Ginny the first time you read CoS, and how do you view the descriptions now?

8. Neither Ron nor Harry has heard of Polyjuice Potion---if you were their teacher what would your opinion of them be?

9. At one time this book was going to be The Half Blood Prince. Who knows what the plot would have been, but do you see any sections in this chapter that seem to foreshadow or parallel HBP?

10. What do you think of Binns' comment, "Just because a wizard doesn't use Dark Magic doesn't mean he can't"? Is this brought up in any of the other 6 books?

11. I have to confess, I had a really good question for this chapter that turned out to be based on movie contamination. I had such a bad case; I had to read the chapter several times before I accepted the event wasn't canon. All these years I thought it was an important moment in the Harry/Snape dynamic. So, what questions do you have?

Thanks to Zara for her assistance!

--Potioncat


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