" Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is the second book in the seven book series. J.K. Rowlings writing progresses more in this second installment with more depth in characters, plot twists, and more magical creatures. If you are reading this and you haven't read this series, you are going to be spoiled – so proceed at your own risk.

Now the first two books are the ones that I am the most familiar with, so there is nothing that is really surprising me in this reread, but here are some things that that I have picked up on now, compared to when I was reading it for the first time when I was 12.

There seems to be a common theme of placing the blame on someone. These books are almost structured like a murder mystery novel- the crime happens and there is a prime suspect, although that suspect never ends up to be the real bad guy. Just like in this book, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are convinced that Draco Malfoy is petrifying everyone. And as a reader we are convinced that the villain is Draco (just like Snape, Lupin, & Sirius Black are/were made out to be) and SUPRISE, they're not!

Anyways. Dobby is introduced in this book, right in the beginning. Where he breaks into Harry's room and sabotages Harry's chances of going back to Hogwarts by dropping a cake on one of the Dursley's guests.

"The pudding fell to the floor with a heart-stopping crash. Cream splattered the windows and walls as the dish shattered. With a crack like a whip, Dobby vanished."

Now after this, Dobby remains vanished for awhile until he reappears to Harry in the hospital after he gets hit by a rouge bludger. Dobby admits to charming the bludger to chase Harry,

"Harry Potter must go home! Dobby thought the Bludger would be enough to make–"

It was after this that I realized– Dobby is just like one of the Sour Patch Kids in the commercials! He does crazy things and is forgiven instantly!

"'Got a sock,' said Dobby in disbelief. 'Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby– Dobby is free.'"

Hell yeah, Dobby!

One thing small that I really appreciate in this series is that Harry informs his two best friends, Hermione and Ron, about everything. There are so many novels where the main character gets into trouble because they don't tell anyone and it could have all been avoided! Honestly, the three of them are just friendship goals:

"Before he had time to regain his breath, the dormitory door opened and Ron came in. 'It was Hagrid, Ron. Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago.'"

The last thing I'm going to talk about is Lockhart. He is the second Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, since Harry has been to school at Hogwarts. God I really really really despise his character. Almost as much as Professor Umbridge – not as much, but almost. He is arrogant, classless, and insertive when he actually doesn't know anything.

"'Don't know when I've been more shocked. Flying a car to Hogwarts! Well, of course, I knew at once why you'd did it. Stood out a mile. Harry, Harry, Harry. Gave you a taste for publicity, didn't I?' said Lockhart."

He is just so full of himself, it's infuriating! And at the end, when Lockhart was sent to go find Ginny because she had been taken by the Basilisk to the Chamber of Secrets, he was caught trying to flee the school,

"'Awfully sorry, boys, but I'll have to put a Memory Charm on you now. Can't have you blabbering my secrets all over the place. I'd never sell another book–'"

Thankfully he placed a spell on himself, because he used Ron's defaulted wand, and he lost his memory. Luckily there are so many great characters in this series to make up for him, Umbridge, and Voldemort (yes, I categorize them all together, because they are all awful people).

Now... onto my reread of the third book, so look out for it...