The second installment in the Harry Potter franchise manages to keep a lot of the childlike wonder of the first, when Harry was just discovering the wizarding world, although things do start to get darker in The Chamber of Secrets. Much of the magic of the first is also hard to replicate - the wonder of seeing Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, and real magic for the first time is impossible to recapture in exactly the same way.
The Chamber of Secrets does have plenty of magical moments of its own, though. From expansions of the wizarding world into wizarding homes and inventions to heartwarming scenes that bring a tear to a muggle eye, these don't need novelty to be truly magic.
The Flying Ford Anglia (And The Dursleys)
The opening scenes of the film aren't too cheerful, as Harry is stuck with the Dursleys, miserable that his friends haven't written to him all summer - and then has to deal with Dobby, a house elf who may later become a beloved character, but who starts out as a real annoyance. However, things take a turn for the better when the Weasleys show up... and in true style, in a flying Ford Anglia that their father charmed (and added invisibility to). Between the tension of Harry's escape and the magic of seeing a flying car, this is a great way to shift the tone to a happy one.
Everything About The Burrow
The mood continues to lift when Harry arrives at the Burrow (the Weasley home), and fans get to see how wizards live for the first time. While some things are similar to muggle life, there is magic at every turn, from the self-washing dishes to the magical clock, and there's a real charm to the Burrow that comes from more than just the presence of magic. Over time, the Burrow becomes a second home to Harry, but in this moment, it's brand new.
The Floo Network
The Chamber of Secrets proves that for all the wonderous magic revealed in the first film, there is still plenty to discover in the wizarding world - like Floo Powder.
Harry is introduced to this bright green mode of magical transportation when he travels from the Burrow to Diagon Alley, and while the concept and the green flames are spectacle enough, the fact that he misses and finds a darker, more frightening space in the wizarding world makes this all the more intriguing.
The Flying Ford Anglia (And The Train)
The flying Ford Anglia makes a second appearance as the Weasleys (and Harry) all head off to Platform 9 3/4 - and Harry and Ron get locked out. Rather than waiting around for someone to talk to about the issue, they decide to steal the car and fly above the train to Hogwarts - a scene that is magical for the gorgeous scenery and the actual flying car, of course, but also for its ability to transport the viewer to an age of reckless decision making.
Polyjuice Potion
Polyjuice potion becomes a staple of the series, but it first appears in The Chamber of Secrets, when Hermione mixes up a batch to allow the Golden Trio to do some snooping on Slytherin. Seeing them sitting in the bathroom, working over a bubbling cauldron, is a scene that calls to mind stereotypes of witches and wizards - in the best possible way. A bubbling cauldron - especially with contents ready to use against Slytherin and to save the day - has its own kind of charm beyond the potion in it.
Dueling Lessons
Part of the Harry Potter appeal is that the wizarding world often seems romantically old-fashioned, from robes and great halls to parchment and quills, and bringing dueling into the mix just adds to the charm. The dueling club created by Lockhart and Snape has some less-than-magical moments, such as Harry's accidental use of Parseltongue and the fear that it creates in the other students, but the concept itself, and those first flourishes of wands, is pure magic.
Fawkes (& The Sword Of Gryffindor)
The build-up to the big showdown of The Chamber of Secrets is one that gets darker and darker, with giant spiders, giant snakes, Hagrid arrested, and Hermione petrified.
It can be difficult to find wholesome and magical moments among so much fear and tension, but that just makes the moment that Fawkes comes to Harry in the Chamber of Secrets all the more powerful. Seeing the Phoenix battle on Harry's behalf, and the sword of Gryffindor come to him, is the magic of great storytelling, rather than great spellwork.
Dobby Is A Free Elf
A moment more emotionally magically than literally so is when Harry is able to trick Lucius Malfoy into freeing Dobby - who has slowly endeared himself to the audience over the course of the film. By the end, fans (and Harry) are fiercely protective of Dobby, and despise Lucius, so when Harry slips a sock into his book, leading to Lucius tossing it to Dobby and setting him free, it's deeply satisfying. This scene is the magic of seeing the good guy (or good elf) rewarded, and the villain punished.
The Final Feast
There is no underestimating the magic of the Hogwarts feasts - and the final feast this year has the added emotional impact of seeing Hermione returned to full health and joining Ron and Harry at the table. Magical plates of food, darkness defeated, and friends reunited make this a magical - and truly happy - scene to (almost) end the film on.
Our Choices Define Us
There are several quotes in the films that have become iconic, and this line from the end of the Chamber of Secrets is certainly one of them. Dumbledore, reassuring harry about his rightful place in Gryffindor over Slytherin, tells him that "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." The message here, is a timeless one, and it may be the most magical line in the movie.