Skirmish in the Chamber of Secrets

The Affray in the Chamber of Secrets is a conflict that took place in 1993. It took place when the Tom Riddle's Diary, a Horcrux of Lord Voldemort, took Ginny Weasley into the Chamber of Secrets after possessing her. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Gilderoy Lockhart went down to rescue, but as Ron and Lockhart were stuck behind an avalanche of stone, the battle was fought mostly by Harry. He managed to defeat both the Basilisk and the memory of Tom Riddle, thus saving Ginny's life and unknowingly eliminating one Horcrux.

Background
"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware."

- One of the messages on the walls of Hogwarts Castle

Since Halloween night, 1992, Tom Riddle's Diary (actually one of Voldemort's Horcruxes), had possessed student Ginny Weasley and forced her to open the Chamber of Secrets (which had been closed since 1943), to unleash Salazar Slytherin's Basilisk on Muggle-born students and to write hideous messages threatening all Muggle-born students. Among the Muggle-Borns attacked by Ginny in her possessed state were Colin Creevey, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Penelope Clearwater, and Hermione Granger. When Ginny realised what she had been doing, she attempted to rid herself of the Diary. Harry Potter found the Diary, but he could figure out how to work it. On Valentine's Day Harry noticed that the Diary had absorbed all of the red ink that had spilled all over it. That evening, Harry found out the Diary worked. Tom Riddle showed Harry how he framed Hagrid for the crime. Soon after, the Diary was stolen back by Ginny fearing that the Diary was divulging her secrets. After some time, the Diary forced Ginny to leave a message saying she was taken into the Chamber, hoping to lure Harry Potter there, and subsequently to his demise.

Going down into the Chamber


After the School Staff saw the message concerning Ginny Weasley's disappearance, they appointed Gilderoy Lockhart to save her, as Lockhart had said the previous night at dinner he knew where the entrance to the Chamber was. Lockhart, a charlatan, tried to sneak out of the School, but was stopped by Harry and Ron Weasley, who intended to save Ginny.

Throughout the school year, Harry, Ron, and Hermione Granger had been investigating the Heir of Slytherin and the Chamber of Secrets. After Harry watched the capture of Hagrid, he, Ron, and Hermione decided to question Hagrid if another student was attacked. Before one of the Quidditch matches, Hermione and Penelope Clearwater were attacked. Hermione had just had an epiphany about the Monster of Slytherin. She was attacked as she returned from the Library. Ron and Harry went to question Hagrid, but he was arrested by Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic the same night. On Hagrid's suggestion, they went to speak with Aragog. From this information and a slip of paper Harry discovered in the petrified hand of Hermione, Harry surmised that the Monster of Slytherin was a Basilisk and that the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets was most likely in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

At wand point, Harry and Ron forced Lockhart to take them to the bathroom. Once there, Harry asked Myrtle about her death. She claimed that she heard a boy's voice speaking a strange language and then saw a pair of great yellow eyes. Harry found a broken tap with a snake engraved in the handle. He spoke in Parseltongue, and the entrance to the Chamber opened. They forced Lockhart in and followed.

The Battle
Upon entering a series of maze-like dungeons, the three of them set out in search of Ginny. When they come across a great snake skin, Lockhart feigned collapsing. Ron tried to force his to his feet, but Lockhart managed to steal Ron's wand. He told the boys that he was going to wipe their memories and escape. However, his plan failed, as the Memory Charm backfired, causing the ceiling to cave in. Ron and a memory-erased Lockhart are then stuck behind the wall of rocks, and Harry had to venture into the Chamber by himself. Ron told Harry he would try moving some of the rock while he waited.

Harry next reached a set of doors. When he spoke Parseltongue, they opened allowing him into the Chamber proper. When he reached the end, Harry discovered Ginny collapsed at the foot of a statue of Salazar Slytherin. As he tried to wake her Tom Riddle appeared behind him telling Harry that she would not wake. Harry tried to tell Tom that they were in great danger, but Tom just scoffed. This confused Harry, especially when Riddle began asking Harry how he survived Voldemort's attack on him when he was a baby. Harry asked why this matter that Voldemort was after Tom's time.

He, then, wrote Tom Marvolo Riddle and rearranged the letters to I am Lord Voldemort. After Harry realised the truth, Riddle continued to question him telling Harry that the longer he talked the longer he lived. They argued over the merits of Voldemort's magical experimentation with Harry telling Riddle that Dumbledore was the greatest sorcerer in the world. His loyalty summoned Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix. Fawkes brought the old school Sorting Hat. When satisfactorily answered, Riddle used Parseltongue to send Salazar Slytherin's Basilisk after Harry. Fawkes clawed the Basilisk's eye out allowing Harry to look at the monster. Unfortunately, the Basilisk had an acute sense of hearing. It lunged multiple times at Harry, but Harry dodged each. Unsure of what to do, Harry placed the Sorting Hat on his head and asked for help. He felt the hat squeeze on his head and then something hard fell out of it. It was Godric Gryffindor's Sword. Harry picked up the sword and waited for the Basilisk to lunge again. This time its aim was true, but Harry stood his ground and stabbed the Basilisk through the roof of its mouth. Unfortunately, one of its fangs penetrated Harry's arm. As Harry lay dying, Riddle taunted him. He even pointed out that Fawkes was crying. Harry pulled the fang out of his arm, and Fawkes settled his head above Harry's wound. His tears magically healed Harry's injury.

Riddle then said that he would kill Harry with his own wand. Just as he was pointing the wand at Harry, Fawkes dropped the Diary to Harry's hands. Harry plunged the fang into the Diary destroying Riddle, saving Ginny, and unknowingly eliminating one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes.

Aftermath
When Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart emerged from the Chamber, they headed to the office of Minerva McGonagall. Dumbledore was in there when they arrived as were Ginny's parents, Arthur and Molly Weasley. Harry explained all that had happened but tread lightly around Ginny's involvement. Dumbledore came to his rescue, by asking how Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny. Harry explained all about the Diary. Ginny was not punished, and Harry and Ron both won Awards for Special Services to the School and 200 points each for Gryffindor. Harry exposed Lockhart as a fraud, and he was sent to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

Godric Gryffindor's Sword
After slaying the Basilisk, the sword was impregnanted with Basilisk Venom. Basilisk Venom is one of the rare ways to destroy a horcrux, as it's only cure is also incredibly rare: phoenix tears. Since the sword was in his possession, Albus Dumbledore used to to destroy Marvolo Gaunt's Ring, and, after his death, he left it to Harry Potter. Ron Weasley used it to destroy the locket horcrux, and Neville Longbottom used it to decapitate Nagini.

Appearances

 * Precceeded By: Affray in the Chamber of Secrets Followed By: Encounter at the Shrieking Shack
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)