Cue No. 18

Low cellos lead in the cue, and throbbing string chords play over the beginning of the trio’s conversation with Sirius. This is a direct callback to Harry’s conversation through the Floo network with his godfather in Goblet of Fire. A bass clarinet solo announces the presence of the Ministry theme, highlighting Sirius’ suspicions of Fudge. Woodwind chords move slowly as the mystery is posed to Harry. Strings join the texture as a solo horn plays the 3-note motif at the mention of Voldemort. Low strings ominously rumble the motif down below, and a quick interruption disrupts the mood when Sirius hears someone coming. The strings close out the conversation, and the trio stands up and looks out the rainy window.

Arpeggios play over anxious strings trilling below. They morph quickly into a much more mysterious texture featuring the celesta and choir. Hermione is now of the belief that something must be done by them to fight the dark forces gathering out in the world. The Chamber of Secrets theme announces itself, now fully functional as a “Voldemort plotting” theme, appropriate for this moment in the cue. A slow Hedwig fragment plays when Hermione turns towards Harry, implying that he should be the one to teach the students of Hogwarts how to defend themselves.

The all-too-familiar lead into Hedwig’s Theme begins playing, instilling the sense of magical mystery once more. As the camera glides out of the common room and into the rainy night, it is not Hedwig’s Theme, but the Chamber theme that plays out in the horns. A grand statement of this theme solidifies the darkness to come while reminding us aurally that Umbridge (and her theme) is not the main antagonist in this story.

The scene transitions to Hogsmeade, where Hermione is dragging Harry and Ron to the Hog’s Head, where she says it will be a safe place to have meetings. In a Prisoner of Azkaban style, a medieval-sounding consort plays a small piece to accompany their walk and to set the mood for the wintery season at Hogwarts.