Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) - 21 questions

Question: Why does Aragog try to kill Harry and Ron?

Answer: Because he's a giant meat-eating spider. His love for Hagrid stops him and his children from attacking Hagrid. But beyond that, they simply want to eat whoever just meanders into their lair.

Question: At the end of the movie, during the final feast, there is a teacher sitting next to Snape on the high table. It only shows her once or twice for a second, but I was just curious if anybody knew which teacher she was. Thanks ^^.

Answer: She's not identified, but it could be Madam Irma Pince (who is listed as a character on IMDb).

Question: Bit of an odd question: After reprimanding Ron, for sounding too much like himself and not Crabbe, why does Harry make no attempt to sound like Goyle?

Answer: I think Harry wasn't mad about the fact that Ron didn't sound like Crabbe but the fact that he was saying things Crabbe wouldn't say.

Question: Is it just me, or do the Expelliarmus, Everte Statum and Rictusempra spells all do exactly the same thing- knock the opponent backwards? And why doesn't Expelliarmus disarm the opponent?

Answer: The spells have different effects, not necessarily visible, they're just cast so strongly that the spell has the added effect of throwing the opponent back.

Question: When Professor McGonagall turns the bird into a water goblet, what type of bird is that?

Answer: I believe it's a breed of toucan or hornbill. Tropical in origin. Not sure if it's South American or African.

Question: Hagrid was expelled from Hogwart's because he was believed to have opened the Chamber of Secrets. He was stripped of his wand at the same time. Why then, after he is proved innocent of opening the Chamber, is he not given another wand?

Answer: Hagrid apparently still has his old wand that he keeps hidden within his umbrella. That is how he gave Harry's cousin, Dudley, a rat's tail in "Philosopher’s Stone". Also, now that Hagrid has been exonerated, he is free to obtain a new wand if he so wishes.

Question: In the book, whenever someone used the polyjuice potion to change into another person, their voices changed too. In the film their voices remained the original, it didn't change into the voice of the person they were transforming into. Can someone tell me what prompted the makers of this movie to make this change?

Answer: Actually, that only happens in this movie and was most likely decided on because it would be easier for the younger audience to identify with the altered Harry and Ron if they had something they could connect to the character. In the fourth movie, Crouch's voice changed to Moody's. The reason that the kid's voice didn't change could be explained as a result of the fact that, being novice potion makers and children, they didn't quite get the potion exactly right.

Question: No kids in the whole school go into the girls toilet because of Moaning Myrtle. Clearly even Dumbledore would know about this. Not judging Dumbledore, but wouldn't he have asked Myrtle at least 50 years ago when the chamber was re-opened after Myrtle died?

Answer: Myrtle doesn't know anything Dumbledore doesn't already know. He already knew the Chamber was opened. He knew the kind of monster that was released. He just didn't know where it was, and Myrtle couldn't have helped him with that. (Also, there's no evidence that Dumbledore never questioned Myrtle. She just didn't have a lot of information, when you think about it).

Question: Can someone explain the significance of Draco Malfoy tearing out and pocketing the page from the book during the scene in the bookstore in Diagon Alley in the beginning of the movie?

Answer: I think it is just meant to show that he has no respect for other peoples possessions. He must have seen a spell he liked, and 'stole' it. I have read the book and don't remember any significant reference to it in there either.

Question: In which House was Moaning Myrtle? It's not stated in either the book or the movie, but she does have a crest on her cloak, can anybody identify it?

Answer: Unfortunately, her robe just has the Hogwarts crest on it.

Question: Does any one know the Japanese golfer joke Uncle Vernon was telling at the beginning of the movie?

Answer: The punchline is actually quite vulgar, but you can read a copy of the joke at http://www.sugarquill.net/forum/index.php?s=1a43217a81cc245555ad6ac82d3bcc5b&showtopic=6214&view=findpost&p=225388

Question: In the trivia section it says "A trait of J.K. Rowling is to make up names that are pertinent or descriptive of their object/person (eg. Diagon Alley, Voldemort, etc)." I understand Diagon Alley = Diagonally, but what does Voldemort describe?

Answer: Vol de mort is French for "Flight from Death", something Voldemort is known for.

Question: In the Chamber, right before the Basilisk blasts out of the water, Tom Riddle says something about Lord Voldemort returning. As he says this, he holds out a hand in front of him and stares at it. Is there a reason for this?

Answer: As it states in the film Tom Riddle is Voldemort; as he was at school, and he put the memory of himself into the diary. Whilst in the chamber he is taking the life out of Ginny Weasly to bring himself back and get voldemort back to full power again. So as he pulls the power out of Ginny he is becoming more than a memory and therefore solid - this is why he is looking at his hand, he's watching himself become solid and real again.

Question: On the site, there's a mistake submitted about when they all say 'no' in unison. Can anyone tell me what part this is?

Answer: Just after Harry has his experience with Tom Riddle 50 years in the past, Hermione, Ron and Harry are walking outside on the grounds discussing it, when Hermione suggests speaking with Hagrid about it, and Ron remarks, "That'd be a cheerful visit. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?" Hagrid suddenly shows up behind them and asks, "You wouldn't be talking about me, now would you?" To which all three promptly reply, "No!!"

Question: Does the special features DVD have any deleted scenes? If so, how do I get to them?

Answer: The deleted scenes are on Disc 2. In the classroom-looking room with the parchment scrolls in the shelves and the picture of Filch on the desk, etc., move the cursor up towards the top of the screen, and look for (I believe) "Extended Scenes," and select it.

Question: Someone submitted in the trivia section that there's a shop in Knockturn Alley where the entire set of Harry Potter books are in the window. I couldn't find them. Are they really there? I think if they are, they might be the British version of the books, and I have no idea what they look like.

Answer: Yes they are there, and yes, they are the British versions of the books. This page has pictures of the British covers: http://www.bloomsbury.com/BookCatalog/subject.asp?Category_id=28

Question: At the end of the movie, when Hermione is out of hospital, she hugs Harry and only shakes hands with Ron. I haven't read the books, so is there any reason why she does this? Does she like Harry or something?

Answer: It's more that she actually likes Ron, but, in typical teenage style, is highly reluctant to show it. Harry's a good friend, so gets a hug. Ron's potentially more, but she's afraid to show it. There's a scene in the trailers for the Prisoner of Azkaban where she grabs Ron's hand when frightened, then lets go immediately looking embarrassed, which seems to fit this.

Question: In Lockharts classroom, Hermione shouts "Imobulous" or something like it and all the pixies are frozen in mid air and can't move. Why don't Ron and Harry just use the same spell on the spiders when the spiders start to come after them?

Answer: They're panicking and can't remember the spell. Hermione is the smarter and more level headed of the three, that's why she remembered it.

Question: When Harry and Draco are duelling, Draco casts a spell before Lockhart says "three". What spell does he cast on Harry?

Answer: According to the subtitles he said "Everte Statum." No such spell exists in the books.

Question: Can someone tell me where I can see recent pictures of the Harry Potter cast?

Answer: http://harrypotter.warnerbros.co.uk/home.html. http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/poapics.html has more pictures.