Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Chapter 14 Summary.
Cornelius Fudge
Chapter 14 of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, titled “Cornelius Fudge,” deals with the increasing tension at Hogwarts as Harry, Ron, and Hermione grapple with the implications of Hagrid’s past, the theft of Tom Riddle’s diary, and the shocking new attacks that lead to Hagrid’s arrest and Dumbledore’s suspension.
Hagrid’s Past
Harry, Ron, and Hermione discuss Hagrid’s fondness for large and dangerous creatures. They recall previous incidents involving creatures like the three-headed dog Fluffy and Norbert the Dragon. It was a fact that Hagrid had been expelled, and if the attacks had not stopped after Hagrid’s expulsion, Riddle would have never received a trophy.
Harry felt that if Hagrid, even as a teenager had heard about there being a monster in the castle, he would have gone to any length just to get a peek at it. Sure, Hagrid would never intentionally hurt anyone, but he might have felt bad for the monster being cooped up in one place and wanted to give it some space to stretch its many legs.
Hermione speculates that another creature might have been responsible for the attacks, and Riddle could have been mistaken, but the possibility for it to be the case is slim. The group debates whether they should confront Hagrid about the matter, and ultimately decide to wait unless another attack occurs.
Four months pass without any new attacks, and they hope the attacks have ceased. The school environment begins to return to normal, and Peeves gets bored of teasing Harry for being the Heir of Slytherin. Even Ernie Macmillan shows a change of heart, asking Harry to pass a bucket of leaping toadstools politely. In March, several Mandrakes throw a loud party, meaning they are very close to maturity. This makes Professor Sprout very happy.
Riddle’s Diary gets Stolen
During the Easter holidays, the students focus on selecting subjects for the next academic year. Neville gets sent letters from seemingly every witch and wizard in his family, giving suggestions on what lessons to take. Hermione, signs up for every possible subject, while Harry and Ron opt for the same classes, including Care of Magical Creatures, in order to stick together.
Meanwhile, the Gryffindor Quidditch team intensifies their training for an upcoming match against Hufflepuff. Oliver Wood insisted on long team practices every night every night after dinner. After Quidditch and Homework, Harry barely had time to think about anything else. However, their Quidditch practices were looking good, and Harry felt that Gryffindor’s chances of winning had never looked better.
However, Harry’s cheerful mood does not last for long. On the evening before Saturday’s match, while going to drop off his broomstick in his dormitory Harry runs into a disturbed Neville.
Neville points him to the door of the Dormitory, which Harry opens to make a troubling discovery. The contents of his trunks can be seen scattered on the floor, his cloak lay ripped, his had been drawer pulled out of his bedside and all the contents were strewn over his mattress. Even his bedclothes had been pulled off his four poster.
Neville helps him put his blankets back over the bed, when Ron, Dean and Seamus enter. Ron observes the mess and tells Harry that someone was perhaps looking for something in his belongings. He asks Harry is there is anything missing
Only one thing has been stolen; T.M Riddle’s Diary. The news is even more troubling, considering the fact that only a Gryffindor could have entered his dormitory to steal the book.
Hermione gets Attacked
The next morning, the sun shines bright, signaling perfect weather for Quidditch; much to the happiness of Oliver. He loads up the team’s plates with scrambled eggs, and encourages Harry to eat up. However, all Harry can think about is the diary.
Hermione tells Harry to report the theft, but it would require him to tell a teacher everything about the diary and possibly bring up Hagrid’s expulsion fifty years later, so he decides against it.
As Harry leaves the Great Hall to collect his Quidditch gear, he hears the mysterious voice once again. He informs Ron and Hermione of the same, and Hermione seems to have understood something. Without much explanation, she rushes off to the library.
Ron tells Harry to get going and grab his stuff since it is almost time for the match. Harry races up to the Gryffindor tower to get his broom and makes his way out to the Quidditch pitch. However, just as he is about to mount his broom, Professor McGonagall enters the pitch with a large microphone and announces that the match has been canceled. Oliver rushes to protest, but she ignores him and continues that all students are to return to their common rooms, where the heads of their particular houses will give them further information.
Putting the microphone down, she beckons Harry towards herself and tells him to walk with her. Ron detaches himself from the crowd to join Harry, and Professor McGonagall says that he should come along too.
She takes them to the hospital wing, where it is revealed that there has been another double attack. Two girls were found near the library, a Sixth Year Ravenclaw whom they had asked for directions to the common room after taking the Polyjuice Potion, and Hermione.
Dumbledore’s Suspension
Seeing the situation, new rules are imposed; students will be escorted to class with a teacher and there would be no evening activities anymore, including Quidditch practice or matches. In an emotional tone, she informs the students that the school would likely be closed unless the culprit is caught, and thereby encourages anyone with any information to step forward.
As she leaves, the Gryffindors begin to talk. Two Gryffindors have been attacked, a Gryffindor ghost, a Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw, but no Slytherin. Lee Jordan suggests that the teachers should just throw out the Slytherins, since it is obvious that the culprit is one of them. Percy seems unusually distressed after the attack on Penelope Clearwater the Ravenclaw, and George theorizes it is probably because she was a prefect too.
Defying the new rules, Harry and Ron use the Invisibility Cloak to visit Hagrid for answers. They wait for Dean Seamus and Neville to fall asleep, before getting dressed and throwing the cloak on. Teachers, prefects and ghosts patrol the dark hallways, looking for any unusual activity. With much caution, Ron and Harry make their way out of the castle, and remove the invisibility cloak once they are outside Hagrid’s hut.
Seconds after they knock on his door, Hagrid flings it open with a crossbow in his hand and Fang barking in the background. He lowers the weapon when he sees who it is, and invites them in for tea. It is clear that he had been expecting someone else.
He absentmindedly pours two large mugs of boiling water without any tea. As he grabs some fruitcake, there is a loud knock on the door, and he drops it.
Harry and Ron throw the invisibility cloak over themselves in panic, and Hagrid grabs his crossbow before opening the door. Two men enter, Dumbledore, and a short, odd looking man that Ron recognizes as Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic.
Fudge tells Hagrid that since four Muggle-Borns have been attacked, the Ministry needs to take action. Dumbledore swears that Hagrid has his complete confidence and that taking him away would not solve anything, but Fudge states that Hagrid’s record stands against him. When Hagrid asks, Fudge reveals that Hagrid is being taken to Azkaban as precaution, and would be let out with a full apology if someone else is caught.
There is another knock on the door, and Dumbledore answers it. Lucius Malfoy walks inside, wearing a cold and satisfied smile. Lucius declares that he is here to talk to Dumbledore, and hands him an Order of Suspension with all twelve signatures from the Governors of Hogwarts. Fudge protests Dumbledore’s suspension, but Lucius overrules it, saying this decision does not lie with the Ministry.
Both Hagrid and Fudge show clear disapproval, but Dumbledore graciously accepts his suspension. Hagrid, too, accepts his arrest and discreetly tells Ron and Harry to “Follow the Spiders” for clues. He also tells them to feed Fang while he is away.
This chapter ends with Ron and Harry discussing the fate of the school now that Dumbledore has been removed. Hogwarts has never been as vulnerable as it is right now, and Harry needs to act quickly.
