It’s Monday and the universe’s favorite chapter by chapter Harry Potter podcast, Podtrificus Totalus, is talking giant snakes!

In this week’s chapter, things get bad at Hogwarts. Harry and Ron can’t find an opportunity to sneak into Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom and uncover the Chamber of Secrets. They discover that the monster that has been petrifying their classmates is a basilisk and that Ginny, Ron’s younger sister, has been taken to the Chamber. With the threat of Hogwarts closing for good and a reluctant Lockhart dragged along with them, they take the plunge into the Chamber, hoping they can rescue Ginny before it’s too late.

We make a number of references to outside sources and popular culture, which are listed below:

• 
  

  The Basilisk on the Harry Potter Lexicon

  
  


• 
  

  Basilisk on Wikipedia

  
  


• 
  

  Several wizard rock songs, including “And Then I Died” by The Moaning Myrtles, “Never Going to the Bathroom Again” by Harry and the Potters, and “Save Ginny Weasley” by Harry and the Potters

  
  


• 
  

  Gilderoy Lockhart on the Harry Potter Wiki

  
  


• 
  

  The Memory Charm on the Harry Potter Wiki

  
  

Our Spell of the Week for this episode is Obliviate, which Lockhart attempts to use on Harry and Ron after he tells them his secret… using Ron’s broken wand.