HARRY POTTER and the Chamber of Secrets Chapter Nineteen - The Final Chapter
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Chapter Nineteen
DOBBY’S REWARD
Fawkes takes Harry, Ron, Ginny and Lockhart down the corridors until they are standing in front of Professor McGongall’s office. Harry knocks and pushes the door open. “Ginny!” cries Mrs. Weasley. She has been waiting for news about her daughter. Mr. Weasley hugs his daughter tightly.
Dumbledore is in the office, too. Fawkes flies past Harry and lands on Dumbledore’s shoulder. “You saved her, you saved her! How did you do it?” cries Mrs. Weasley as she hugs Ron and Harry. “I think we would all like to know what happened,” says Professor McGonagall.
Mrs. Weasley finally lets Harry go. He walks over to McGonagall’s desk. He places the Sorting Hat, the beautiful sword and the diary on the desk. Then he tells everyone about everything that happened in the Chamber of Secrets. He talks for almost twenty minutes without stopping.
But Harry does not say anything about Ginny and how she wrote to Tom in the diary. The Diary is destroyed now. There is no way to show how Tom Riddle controlled Ginny. But Dumbledore is looking at Harry with a strange smile.
“What I would like to know,” he says, “Is how Lord Voldemort managed to control Ginny. I know that he is far from here, hiding in the forests of Albania.” Harry is very relieved. Dumbledore understands that it is not Ginny’s fault.
“It was this diary,” says Harry. “It was Tom’s diary from when he was at the school. He wrote in it to leave a memory of himself.” Dumbledore picks up the diary. “Brilliant,” he says quietly. “Tom Riddle was one of the most brilliant students ever.”
“But very few people know that Lord Voldemort was Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving the school. He traveled the world to learn all of the Dark Arts. It changed him physically and magically.”
“But what does the diary have to do with Ginny?” asks Mrs. Weasley. “I was writing in it, and Tom wrote back to me, all year…” says Ginny, as she cries. “Where did you get the diary?” asks Ginny’s mother. “I found it after we went to the bookstore,” says Ginny. “It was together with the books you gave me, mum.”
“Ginny,” says Dumbledore kindly, “Do not worry. It is not your fault. Voldemort has more power than you can imagine. But I think you should go to the hospital building. Let Madam Pomfrey look at you. You should rest. You will not be punished.” Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ron leave the room with Ginny. They take her to the hospital building.
“Professor McGongagall?” continues Dumbledore. “Would you mind taking Professor Lockhart to the hospital building too please? Perhaps Madam Pomfrey can reverse his Memory Charm?” As McGonagall is taking Lockhart out of the room, Lockhart asks, confused, “I’m a professor? Who could believe it?”
Just before they leave, Dumbledore says one more thing. “And Professor McGonagall? I think Hogwarts deserves a celebration, don’t you? Go to the kitchens after and ask them to prepare a feast for all the children!” Professor McGonagall smiles. The door closes behind them. Dumbledore andHarry are alone now.
“I remember saying that I would have to expel you if you broke the rules again,” says Dumbledore seriously. Harry feels like he will cry in desperation! “But in this case,” Dumbledore begins to smile. “I am glad that you broke the rules. Congratulations, I am awarding two hundred points to you, Harry Potter, and two hundred points for Ron, for Gryffindor!” Harry cannot believe his ears.
“I want to thank you, Harry,” continues Dumbledore. “You showed me great loyalty in the Chamber. Fawkes responded to your feeling of loyalty to me and to the school.” Fawkes the phoenix screeches loudly. “I’m sorry you had to meet Tom Riddle.” “Professor Dumbledore?” asks Harry. “Riddle said that I was like him. He said we were similar.”
“Did he say that?” says Dumbledore. “What do you think, Harry?” “I don’t think I’m like him at all!” answers Harry. “I’m in Gryffindor, I’m…” Harry stops talking. “Professor,” he continues after a moment. “The Sorting Hat told me I could do well in Slytherin. And everyone thought I was the heir to Slytherin… because I speak Parseltongue.”
“Do you know why you speak Parseltongue, Harry?” asks Dumbledore. “When Voldemort attacked you and your family, he transferred some of his own powers into you. I do not think he wanted to do that, but that is what happened.” “So, I have some of Voldemort’s powers,” continues Harry. “I should be in Slytherin.”
“You must understand something, Harry,” says Dumbledore. “You have many qualities that Salazar Slytherin prefers in his students: intelligence… determination… and you like to ignore the rules.” He smiles at Harry. “But the Sorting Hat put you in Gryffindor because you asked it to. That is what makes you different from Tom Riddle.”
“Harry, it is the choices we make that show who we really are. It is much more than your skills and abilities. It is your character.” Dumbledore walks over to his desk. “If you want proof that you belong in Gryffindor, I suggest that you look closely at this.” He picks up the blood-stained sword. He gives the sword to Harry.
He looks closely at the sword. He turns it over and he sees something written on the handle: “Godric Gryffindor”. “The Sorting Hat would only give that sword to a true Gryffindor,” says Dumbledore. “I think it is time for you to go back to Gryffindor house for some rest. I need to write a letter to Azkaban. They must release our friend, Hagrid!”
Before Harry can leave, the door opens violently! Lucius Malfoy enters the room. He is furious! And with him is Dobby. Dobby is covered in bandages from many injuries. “Good evening, Lucius,” says Dumbledore in a kind voice. Malfoy almost pushes Harry to the floor as he enters the room.
Dobby follows him. There is a look of terror on his face. “So, I see you have returned to Hogwarts,” says Malfoy. “The governors suspended you, but you have returned.” “Well, let me explain, Lucius,” says Dumbledore, very calmly. “The other eleven governors contacted me today. They heard that Arthur Weasley’s daughter had been killed.”
“The governors wanted me back at Hogwarts immediately. After all, they thought that I was the best man for the job. Some of the governors told me some interesting stories about you… They say that you threatened them? They said that you threatened to curse their families if they did not suspend me…”
Malfoy looks even more furious. “So, have you stopped the attacks?” he says. “Did you capture the person responsible?” “Yes, we have,” says Dumbledore, smiling. “Well?” says Malfoy angrily. “Who is it?” “It is the same person as last time,” says Dumbledore. “But this time, Lord Voldemort was using someone else. He was using someone else through this diary.”
Dumbledore shows the small black book with the hole in the middle. He is looking closely at Malfoy, to see his reaction. Harry is watching Dobby. The elf is doing something very strange. He is pointing at the diary, then he is pointing at Malfoy. Then he hits himself in the head!
“It was very lucky that Harry and Ron discovered this diary and solved the mystery,” says Dumbledore. “If they had not killed the Basilisk and rescued Ginny, no one would have known that Ginny was innocent. They would all think SHE was killing half-bloods. The Weasleys are one of the most important pure-blood families in our world.”
“What would happen to Arthur Weasley and his Muggle Protection Act if people thought his own daughter was killing Muggle-borns? Yes, we are lucky that Harry and Ron discovered and destroyed the diary.
Voldemort’s memories have been erased.” Malfoy continues to stare at Dumbledore. But Dobby keeps pointing at the diary and then at Lucius Malfoy, then punching himself in the face.
Harry understands. “Don’t you want to know how Ginny got the diary, Mr. Malfoy?” asks Harry. Malfoy looks at him angrily. “How would I know how that stupid girl got the diary?” “Because you gave it to her,” says Harry. “When we were all at the bookstore, Flourish and Blotts. You put the diary inside her bag before she left, didn’t you?”
Malfoy looks like he wants to hurt Harry. “You cannot prove anything,” he says. “No, we cannot,” says Dumbledore. “The diary is destroyed. The evidence is gone. But if I were you, I would not give any more of Lord Voldemort’s things to anyone. Arthur Weasley and the Ministry of Magic would probably want to talk to you about it.” Malfoy looks like he will take out his wand. Then suddenly he turns and walks towards the door.
“Come, Dobby! We’re leaving!” he yells. Malfoy opens the door violently and kicks Dobby through the door. Harry can hear Dobby screaming in pain as they walk down the corridor. Harry thinks for a moment. Then he acts. “Professor Dumbledore,” he says quickly. “Can I give the diary back to Mr. Malfoy?” “Of course, Harry,” Dumbledore answers. “But hurry, we are having a feast in the Great Hall to celebrate. It will begin soon!”
Harry does not know if his plan will work, but he quickly takes off one of his dirty, wet, smelly socks. He pushes the diary into the sock. Then he runs after Malfoy and Dobby. “Mr. Malfoy,” yells Harry. “I’ve got something for you.” Harry pushes the smelly sock into Malfoy’s hand. “What the…?”
Malfoy pulls the diary out of the sock. He looks at the diary and throws the sock to the side. Then he looks at Harry. “If you are not careful, Potter, you will have the same end as your parents,” he says. “They tried to interfere where they should not have interfered. Come Dobby… I said, Come!”
But Dobby does not move. He is holding Harry’s disgusting, dirty sock. He is looking at it like it is a valuable treasure. “Master has given Dobby a sock,” says the elf. “Master gave it to Dobby.” “What are you talking about, you fool?” spits Malfoy. “Dobby has a sock now,” he says. He almost cannot believe it.
“Master threw the sock and Dobby caught the sock. Dobby is free.” Malfoy stops and stares at the elf. Then he jumps at Harry! “You made me lose my servant, boy!” But Dobby shouts loudly, “You will not hurt Harry Potter!” There is a loud bang, and Malfoy falls backwards. He falls down the stairs. He stands up and takes out his wand. But Dobby points his finger at him.
“Harry Potter has freed Dobby!” says the elf happily. “Harry Potter set Dobby free!” “I thought it was the best thing to do,” says Harry, smiling. “I’d better go now, Dobby. There’s a feast in the Great Hall. And I want to see my friend, Hermione. Goodbye.” Harry hugs Dobby. “Harry Potter is greater than Dobby thought.” Then suddenly, with a loud crack, Dobby disappears.
Harry has been to many feasts at Hogwarts, but this feast is special. The celebrations last all night. Hermione returns from the hospital building yelling, “You solved it! You solved it!” And Justin finds Harry to apologize. He is sorry he thought Harry was the heir of Slytherin.
Hagrid appears later, too. He will return to his small house near the Forbidden Forest. And Gryffindor House wins the House Cup because of Harry and Ron’s four hundred points. The celebration is especially great because Professor McGonagall has canceled all the exams for the semester!
The summer semester continues. Everything is back to normal again. Except there is no Defense Against the Dark Arts class! The children learn that Lucius Malfoy was dismissed as a governor of the school. Draco Malfoy does not walk around the school acting like he is the boss anymore.
It is finally time to return home. All the children take the Hogwarts Express train back to London. Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of the Weasleys spend the last few hours they have together, talking and laughing. Finally, the train arrives at the London station. It is time to say goodbye for the summer.
Harry takes out a feather pen and writes on a piece of paper. He tears the paper into two pieces. He gives one piece to Ron and one piece to Hermione. “Here,” says Harry. “This is a phone number, Ron! I taught your father how to use a phone last summer. Call me at the Dursleys’, OK? I won’t survive another summer only talking to Dudley.”
“Your aunt and uncle will be proud of you, won’t they, Harry?” says Hermione. “They will be proud that you saved the school.” “Proud?” says Harry. “Are you crazy? I almost died many, many times, but I didn’t. My aunt and uncle will be angry that I am still alive!” Finally, together, they leave the station and return to the Muggle world.
