Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Chapter 10 Summary.
The Rogue Bludger
Chapter 10 of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, titled The Rogue Bludger, explores the events of a hazardous Quidditch match and deepens the mystery surrounding the Chamber of Secrets.
Obtaining Moste Potente Potions
Following the disastrous Pixie incident, Lockhart stopped bringing magical creatures to his classes. Instead, he focused on reading passages from his books, and often reenacting them by taking Harry’s help. Harry, too, put up with it without resistance because he needed Lockhart’s help.
After another embarrassing class with Lockhart, where Harry was made to act like a werewolf, Hermione approaches Lockhart to sign a permission slip for a book in the Restricted Section of the library; citing that it would help her understand slow-acting poisons from his book Gadding with Ghouls.
Flattered, Lockhart signs the slip without hesitation. He also asks Harry about his Quidditch game against Slytherin the next day, and brags about him turning down an offer from the national squad for the position of seeker, to focus on fighting against the dark forces.
The trio heads to the library to borrow “Moste Potente Potions”. Madam Pince, the librarian gets suspicious and observes the signature closely, almost determined that it is a forgery. However, she does not find anything wrong and brings them the book, which is very large and mouldy-looking.
In order to have some privacy while reading the book, the trio returns to Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. After looking at some gruesome potions and their consequences, they finally discover the complex Polyjuice Potion recipe. Hermione notes that it is by far the most complicated potion she has ever seen, and that some ingredients, like the powdered horn of a Bicorn, would be extremely hard to come by. The potion would also require a piece of someone whom the user wishes to transform into. She notes that collecting all the ingredients would them take at least a month.
Despite the daunting list of ingredients and the risk involved, they decide it’s worth the effort to investigate Draco Malfoy.
The Quidditch Match
Saturday morning arrives, and Harry is nervous about the Quidditch match against Slytherin. The tension is palpable as the Gryffindor team knows they are up against the fastest brooms that money can buy. The only consolation that Wood has to offer the team before the big game, is that Slytherin might have better brooms but Gryffindor definitely has better people.
As they walked onto the pitch, the Gryffindor team was greeted by a roar of cheers; not only from Gryffindor but also from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, who were both anxious to see Slytherin lose.
During the game, Harry notices a rogue Bludger targeting him relentlessly. Despite Fred and George’s best attempts to protect him, the Bludger keeps going after Harry and ignores all the other players. Heavy rainfall starts, and the score is announced, Slytherin leading sixty to zero.
George calls for a timeout, and Harry along with the Weasley twins explains the situation to him. However, the only way to have an inquiry is if Gryffindor forfeits the match. In order to avoid forfeiting, Harry tells the twins to look after the other bludger, and decides to deal with the bewitched one on his own.
The game resumes, and the Bludger’s attacks become more aggressive. As Harry dives and swerves to dodge the bludger, Malfoy comes close to Harry and starts teasing him. At that moment, Harry spots the golden snitch, hovering right by Malfoy’s ear. Malfoy, who is busy laughing, had not noticed it.
In a delicate moment, in order to catch the golden snitch without Malfoy noticing, Harry makes a move. However, before he can do something, the bludger hits Harry in the elbow, shattering the bone.
With his brain numb with pain, he dives at Malfoy with the determination to win. He manages to catch the snitch, but falls straight to the ground and faints.
Dobby’s Visit
Harry, still lying on the pitch regains consciousness , only to find that Lockhart standing near him. Lockhart offers to mend his arm, as Colin takes photographs. As Harry protests against both Colin and Lockhart, the latter casts his spell. However, instead of mending the broken bones, Lockhart managed to remove all of them.
With this new issue, Harry is finally allowed to visit the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse is not happy, and informs Harry that she could mend bones in a second, but regrowing them would be longer and painful. She gives him Skele-Gro, the potion to regrow bones. It burns his mouth and throat as it goes down. Hermione and Ron give him some water, and the trio talks about Malfoy, who probably was the mastermind behind bewitching the Bludger. He is also visited by the rest of the Gryffindor team, who is thrilled about their victory. However, citing that Harry needs rest, Madam Hooch kicks them out.
Several hours later, Harry is awoken by a painful sensation in his arm; almost like it were full of splinters. But it wasn’t the sensation that had woken him up; it was Dobby, who was sponging his forehead in the dark. The house-elf is upset that Harry came to Hogwarts. Harry realizes that it was Dobby who sealed the platform at the King’s Cross station, in an attempt to stop Harry from coming.
In a fit of rage, Harry tells Dobby to leave before his bones grow back, but Dobby smiles and says that he is used to death threats, and gets atleast five a day.
He blows his nose using the tattered pillowcase he wears, which turns Harry’s anger into pity. Dobby explains that his attire is the symbol of a house-elf’s enslavement
Dobby also reveals that it was his bludger that was attacking Harry during the game. He also lets slip that the Chamber of Secrets has indeed been open, once again.
Dobby’s cryptic warnings and refusal to divulge more information add to Harry’s frustration and the growing sense of danger at the school. However, he cannot divulge any more information and hurriedly escapes.
Colin Creevey’s Attack
Right that moment, Dumbledore walks inside the dormitory in a nighcap with what looks like a statue. He is accompanied by Professor McGonagall.
When Madam Pomfrey inquires, they reveal it a petrified Colin Creevey, whose body was discovered by Dumbledore as the latter was going downstairs for some hot chocolate.
Colin’s body had grapes near it, indicating that he was coming to visit Harry.
Harry’s heart gives a jolt. He pretends to sleep, but angles his body upwards to listen in. Professor McGonagall asks if Colin took a picture of the attacker, but Dumbledore reveals the camera has been melted, confirming the severity of the situation. With great concern, Dumbledore announces that the Chamber of Secrets has indeed been reopened.
The chapter closes with a sense of impending doom, as Harry realizes the gravity of the threat Hogwarts is facing.
