Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Book Notes

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling

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Author/Context

J.K. Rowling (1966-?)

Born in a small town in England called Chipping Sodbury on July 31, 1966, Joanne Kathleen Rowling found her calling early in life, discovering hobbies in solitary reading and writing. She never wanted to do anything except write for herself or write for others, irregardless of publication. As a child, Rowling held many of the characteristics that she based her title character, including a short, squatty body, with thick horn-rimmed glasses, with the feeling of an outsider. When she grew up and out of her awkward stage, she attended Exeter University, abandoning a brief desire to become a ballerina. After school, Rowling worked as a teacher to make ends meet before she was married. However, marriage was not as successful as her impending writing career, and after a divorce that left her impoverished and unemployed, Rowling began to write in cafes in Scotland, watching over her infant daughter. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone began as a personal project written in longhand. In due time (and with a little grant from the Scottish Arts Council), Harry Potter took off after its first publication in 1998, winning such awards as The British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year and the Smarties Prize.

Rowling began the Harry Potter books after her divorce, taking five years to complete the first installment, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. However, she claims that it took five years because of the intense planning of the sequential books. There are seven books in the Harry Potter series, each of which are published around the world, including Britain, America, Brazil, Holland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Japan. When the time came to publish Harry Potter in the United States, Rowling and the publishers realized that the name needed a slight alteration. Rowling came up with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, changing a possibly confusing "Philosopher" for "Sorcerer." Since its initial publication, Rowling has gone from an unknown, unpublished author to one of the best-selling, most renowned children's writers in English language history. Her books rival C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia and the Beatrix Potter series, both writings that Rowling loves and reads to her own daughter. Rowling intends to continue her Harry Potter series, following Harry's studies and training at the wizard's school, Hogwarts, from age 11-17, with each book corresponding with a year of Harry's life.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has transcended popular culture, being made into a movie in 2001, merchandised throughout toy stores, and plans to continue in its successful film form for the next three books.

According to Rowling, Harry Potter is a genuine character that holds true to many of her personal ideals and goals. "The idea that we could have a child who escapes from the confines of the adult world and goes somewhere where he has power, both literally and metaphorically, really appealed to me."

J.K. Rowling lives in Edinburgh, Scotland with her daughter, Jessica.

Bibliography

Profile | J.K. Rowling. 26 June 2002.

Harry Potter: Meet J.K. Rowling. 26 June 2002.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc: London, 1999.

Plot Summary

The story begins with a description of the Dursleys, an utterly normal family in England, who are left with baby Harry Potter on their doorsteps. Aunt Petunia's sister Lily married James Potter and became a powerful couple in the wizard's world. They were killed by the evil Voldemort, leaving Harry with a large scar on his forehead and legacy as the only wizard to escape Voldemort alive. Head wizard Albus Dumbledore decides to have Harry grow up with the Dursleys until he is ready to attend Hogwarts, the premiere magic school in England. At age 11, Harry is whisked away to Hogwarts by the giant gamekeeper, Hagrid, to find himself lost amongst a new world of magic and power.

Hagrid takes Harry to Diagon Alley, where he retrieves some of his inheritance from Gringotts, the wizard bank, and purchases his books, wand, and robes from the Leaky Cauldron and Ollivanders. On the train to Hogwarts at platform Nine and Three Quarters, Harry meets his new friend Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Everyone is amazed to meet the famous Harry Potter. On the train Harry also meets Draco Malfoy, a boy with whom he develops a distrust and hatred. At Hogwarts, the children meet Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Quirrell, all professors and wizards. At the opening banquet, the Sorting Hat decides in which house the children live, sorting Hermione, Neville, Ron, and Harry into Gryffindor, and Draco Malfoy into Slytherin, the house run by Snape and known to have schooled Voldemort in years past.

Hermione busies herself with studies, Ron with chess, and Harry with learning about his family and powers. He becomes an expert at flying and is allowed to play Quidditch for Gryffindor's team. Draco Malfoy continually tries to get the Gryffindor kids in trouble, by setting them up and dragging them away from their beds at the wrong time. One day, Ron and Harry come across a large troll and rescue Hermione from death. From then on, the threesome spies on Snape and Quirrell and seek to discover the secrets at Hogwarts. They realize that the Sorceror's Stone is hidden by a three-headed dog at Hogwarts and is the secret to eternal life created by Nicholas Flamel. They believe Snape is the culprit behind the evil and try to stop him from destroying Harry and Hogwarts.

Meanwhile, Hagrid keeps an eye on Harry and looks out for him. They visit Hagrid and meet his new pet dragon, Norbert. Norbert causes problems for everyone, as dragons are illegal animals. The three send the dragon away to Romania under Harry's Invisibility Cloak and are discovered out of bed doing so. They are branded and punished with detention and stricken of fifty points each. As detention the kids must help clean up the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid. They find a unicorn slaughtered, with its blood scattered across the ground, and are frightened by an evil spirit. The good centaur Firenze flies Harry away from danger in the forest as soon as he discovers who Harry is.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione discover that Voldemort tricked Hagrid into revealing the method by which to get past the three-headed dog and to the Sorcerer's Stone. They rush past the dog, and through the chambers to stop Voldemort from killing Harry. Ron gets everyone past the life sized Wizard's Chess board, while Hermione breaks the riddle that allows Harry to proceed to the ultimate chamber under ground. He sees the Mirror of Erised, the same mirror that shows the hopes and dreams of the person who looks inside. He finds Quirrell in the chamber without his stutter. He admits to hosting Voldemort and trying to destroy Harry in the forest. When his turban is removed, Harry sees a double face on top of Quirrell's head - it is Voldemort, and he wants to use Harry to get the Stone and then kill him. Harry discovers the Stone in his pocket and tries to kill Voldemort/Quirrel until he blacks out.

Harry awakens in the infirmary to Dumbledore congratulating him. He saved the Stone, Hogwarts, and his own life. Because of his bravery and that of Hermione, Ron, and Neville, Gryffindor wins the House Cup for the year. Harry must go back to the Dursleys for the summer, but looks forward to all the magic he will practice and learn in the future.

Major Characters

Harry Potter: Harry Potter is the famous eleven year old child of Lily and James Potter, who is the only known wizard to have survived any attack from the evil Voldemort. A weak boy with glasses and brown messy hair, Harry has lived with his mean aunt and uncle Dursley in England since his parents were killed at age one. When he turns eleven, he is taken away to Hogwarts, the wizard's school, where he learns to fly, becomes friends with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and saves the school from Voldemort's evil schemes of stealing the Sorcerer's Stone. Although he returns to live with the Dursleys when school is out for summer, knows that he is a powerful and skilled wizard and looks forward to learning more magic and making more friends when he returns the following year.

Rubeus Hagrid: Hagrid is the gamekeeper of Hogwarts and one of Harry's friends. He rescues Harry from the Dursleys, introduces him to the wizards' world, Diagon Alley, and brings him to Hogwarts. A simpleminded, clumsy giant, Hagrid was once thrown out of Hogwarts and often blurts out secrets that should be kept silent.

Voldemort: Voldemort is the evil villain in the novel, the murderer of Harry's parents, and the creature who plans to kill Harry. His name is rarely uttered by wizards and causes fear among all who think of him. He was once a good wizard, however, his ideas and powers went to the dark side, and now he lives his life in different hosts, such as Quirrell, who keep him alive until he can steal the Sorcerer's Stone and achieve immortality.

Ron Weasley: Ron Weasley is the youngest son of the enormous Weasley clan of boys with red hair and freckles, and one of Harry Potter's friends. His family has little money, but still manage to send Ron to Hogwarts and give Harry Christmas presents. Ron is an expert at Wizard's Chest and initially abhors Hermione. As the three uncover the truth behind the Sorcerer's Stone, Ron is key in getting past the chess chamber, sacrificing his own power for Harry.

Hermione Granger: Hermione Granger is a proud, intelligent, bookish, girl who follows every rule to the tee. Although she initially keeps her nose in the air around everyone and reads too many books, she eventually becomes friends with Ron and Harry, and is instrumental in their plot to save Hogwarts and the Sorceror's Stone from Voldemort. Her wizard skills in Herbology are key in passing through one of the chambers. She is also one of the few wizards who come from a regular muggle family.

Professor Quirrell: Professor Quirrell is one of the teachers at Hogwarts and a shy man who stutters too much. Although he seems to be blackmailed and controlled by Snape, Quirrell is actually the evil one, the one who follows his master Voldemort instead of Dumbledore, and who ultimately tries to kill Harry. He wears a turban at all times, which covers the head of Voldemort living underneath.

Professor Snape: Professor Snape is the menacing Potions professor at Hogwarts who heads Slytherin and seems to abhor Harry Potter. Although Harry and his friends initially think that Snape is the evil professor following Voldemort, he is the man who attempts to protect Harry from Quirrell and the evil spirit. Snape does, in fact, hate Harry, but only because he and James Potter were rivals at Hogwarts a generation earlier.

Albus Dumbledore: Albus Dumbledore is the old, wise, and revered headmaster of Hogwarts and single best wizard currently alive. He is kind and generous, and slightly mad. He watches over Harry Potter from his birth to his revelation to his heroic deeds, and ultimately awards Gryffindor the House Cup at the conclusion of the novel.

Draco Malfoy: Draco Malfoy is the arch nemesis of Harry Potter and a boy with whom Harry must contend throughout the novel. Draco comes from a long line of spoiled wizards, and some who have followed Voldemort in the past. He is constantly teasing and taunting Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville, and tricks them into finding trouble often.

Minor Characters

Mr. Vernon Dursley: Vernon Dursley is Harry Potter's uncle and a large, stout typical man who works in a Drilling Factory. He despises Harry and does everything possible to ruin his life and keep his heritage from him. When the letters begin to pour into the house, he takes the family away from home, and eventually becomes mad. Despite such enmity, Vernon still picks Harry up from school and allows him to live at 4 Privet Drive.

Mrs. Petunia Dursley: Petunia Dursley is the sister of Lily Potter and an utterly normal wife in England. She, like her husband, dislikes Harry and tries to make his life miserable by making him live in the cupboard under the stairs. She has always been bitterly jealous of her seemingly perfect and strange sister and desperately keeps Harry's true identity a secret.

Dudley Dursley: Dudley is the only child of Vernon and Petunia Dursley. A fat, mean child, Dudley bullies and teases Harry at home and at school. He is spoiled and selfish, constantly wants attention and material possessions, and winds up with a pig's tail as part of his body after Hagrid becomes angry.

Professor McGonagall: Professor McGonagall is the head of Gryffindor dorm and one of the wizards who is intricately involved with Harry's well being. She transforms into a cat at the onset of the novel and works hard keeping Harry and his friends in shape and out of trouble. She catches them without the Invisibility Cloak after they gave away the dragon and dock each fifty points from Gryffindor.

Lily and James Potter: Lily and James Potter are Harry's parents, two successful and famous wizards. They were killed by Voldemort when Harry was just an infant, leaving him to live with Lily's sister, Petunia Dursley.

Dedalus Diggle: Customer of the Leaky Cauldron who is thrilled to meet Harry Potter in the store. He had previously seen Harry and bowed to him in town, before Harry knew who he was.

Griphook: A goblin in the bank of Gringotts who leads Harry and Hagrid to their respective accounts and safe personal rooms. Harry finds his wealth of gold, while Hagrid obtains the sorcerer's stone.

Hedwig: Hedwig is Harry's owl, a birthday present from Hagrid. It keeps him company while waiting out his time with the Dursleys and becomes Harry's messenger throughout his adventures at Hogwarts.

Wood: Wood is the captain of Gryffindor's Quidditch team and is thrilled to have Harry on the team as the Seeker. He leads the team to several victories and in numerous pep talks.

Scabbers: Scabbers is Ron Weasley's pet rat. He plays with it on the train to Hogwarts and keeps Ron and Harry company throughout their time at Hogwarts.

Madame Hooch: Madame Hooch is the flying instructor at Hogwarts who instructs the children in mounting their brooms and flying in the air to play Quidditch.

Neville: Neville is the young boy from the train who lost his toad. He is placed in Gryffindor with Ron, Hermione, and Harry, and is often injured because of magic or clumsiness. He warns the three friends of McGonagall when they escape to free the dragon and is ultimately the child who earns the points at the end of the year for Gryffindor to win the House Cup.

Ronan, Bane, and Firenze : The centaur who helps Hagrid, Harry, and Hermione in the forest. Firenze informs Harry of his greatness and offers to fly him out of the forest, much to the other centaur's chagrin.

Madame Pomfrey: The nurse in charge of the hospital ward at Hogwarts. She is extremely timely and overprotective of the injured and famous Harry Potter under her care and only allows his friends to visit him for fifteen minute increments.

Norbert: Norbert is Hagrid's Norwegian Ridgeback dragon. Hagrid wins him as an unhatched dragon egg and is ecstatic to raise him as a pet. Unfortunately, he grows into a larger dragon who bites Ron's hand and must be taken away. Since dragons are illegal at Hogwarts, Harry, Ron, and Hermione send it to Ron's brother Charlie, who works with dragons in Romania.

Nicholas Flamel: Nicholas Flamel is an old friend of Albus Dumbledore and the object of Harry, Ron, and Hermione's curiosity. He is the creator of the Sorcerer's Stone, and although he never makes a presence during the novel, becomes a powerful force. When the Stone is destroyed at the end of the novel, they realize that Nicholas Flamel will eventually die, for he no longer will have everlasting life.

Fluffy: Fluffy is the three headed monster dog that guards the Sorcerer's Stone in Hogwarts. It bites Snape and is soothed only by hearing music. Harry, Hermione, and Ron pass it in order to find the chamber, which safeguards the stone.

Filch: Filch is the custodian and keeper of Hogwarts. He also functions as a librarian of sorts, keeping a watch on all the kids coming in and leaving, and makes sure that they do not do anything they should not. He keeps a constant companion of his cat, Mrs. Norris, with whom he constantly speaks. The children are generally frightened of Filch and hope to pass by his ominous presence when they go into the library or pass through the halls.

Mrs. Norris: Mrs. Norris is Filch's cat and constant companion. He often speaks with her when sad or alone.

Piers Polkiss: Piers is Dudley's friend and fellow gang member who hates Harry. The two spend their time beating him up and devising schemes to destroy his life. Piers attends Dudley's birthday celebration at the zoo.

Objects/Places

Hogwarts: Hogwarts is the best wizard's school in the magic world to which Harry Potter attends. Albus Dumbledore is the headmaster of the school and top wizard of the magical world. The majority of the novel takes place in Hogwarts, where Harry and his friends live in Gryffindor House, win the House Cup, and save the Sorcerer's Stone from the evil Voldemort.

4 Privet Drive: 4 Privet Drive is the home of the Dursleys and Harry for the first ten years of his life. It is here that Dumbledore leaves the baby Harry to be raised and it is here that he sends so many letters that are never opened.

Gringotts: Gringotts is the Wizards Bank, located under London, under the Underground train system, is run by goblins, and stores numerous vaults of wealth and treasures. Harry's inheritance is safely stored at Gringotts, as is the Sorcerer's Stone before Hagrid takes it to Hogwarts. Gringotts is in the news because of several break-in attempts...to steal the hidden Stone.

The Daily Prophet: The Daily Prophet is the newspaper of the magic world, which Hagrid (among others) reads on a daily basis. It is in this newspaper that Harry learns of the break-in attempts at Gringotts.

Diagon Alley: Diagon Alley is the first magical place that Harry visits with Hagrid. In the Alley, Harry learns about magic and buys all of his necessities for school - including his wand, books, cloak, and more.

The Leaky Cauldron: The Leaky Cauldron is the first store in Diagon Alley that Harry and Hagrid visit to purchase his materials for Hogwarts. It is through a brick behind the Leaky Cauldron that Hagrid and Harry enter Diagon Alley.

Knuts: Knuts are bronze pieces of money used in the wizard world. There are also Sickles (silver) and Galleons (gold).

Quidditch: Quidditch is the wizard equivalent of football (or soccer). Harry masters this sport quickly and becomes the first first-year allowed to play for the House Cup.

Madam Malkin's: Madam Malkin's is the cloak store where Harry waits for Hagrid to buy a drink. Inside, he meets a little spoiled boy there who informs him of so many places, activities, and objects in the wizard world that he does not yet understand. The boy turns out to be his future nemesis, Draco Malfoy.

Slytherin: Slytherin is Gryffindor's rival house, and the one to which Draco Malfoy belongs and Professor Snape controls and heads. According to myth and rumor, Voldemort was a member of Slytherin when he attended Hogwarts years ago.

Hufflepuff: Hufflepuff is another Hogwart house.

Ollivander's: The shop of wands, where Harry purchases his wand of a phoenix tail.

Harry's wand: The wand that Harry selects (or that selects Harry) has only one brother wand. The matching wand to Harry's belongs to Voldemort.

Gryffindor: Gryffindor is the Hogwart house to which Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville belong, and is directed by Professor McGonagall. Although they appear to be in last place in terms of points, they eventually win the House Cup at the conclusion of the novel.

Remembrall: A Remembrall is a ball that tells you what you need to remember and is a gift for Neville from his family. Draco Malfoy steals Neville's Remembrall during flying lessons, causing Harry to race after him to retrieve it. At this point, Harry learns of his phenomenal flying ability.

Nimbus Two Thousand: The Nimbus Two Thousand is the high-tech, fancy broomstick that Harry is given to play Quidditch for Gryffindor.

Invisibility Cloak: Harry receives an Invisibility Cloak as an anonymous gift for Christmas. It belonged to his father and helps Harry uncover many mysteries at Hogwarts. It helps him discover certain truths, but also gets him into trouble.

Mirror of Erised: The Mirror of Erised is a magical grand mirror, with gold inscription on top and claws as feet on the bottom. When one looks into the mirror, one can see his or her own desires and wishes. It is also the mirror that helps Harry obtain the Sorcerer's Stone at the end of the novel.

Muggles: 'Muggle' is the term for normal, regular non-wizard people in the magical world.

Ravenclaw: Ravenclaw is the fourth house in Hogwarts.

Sorcerer's Stone: The Sorcerer's Stone was created by Nicholas Flamel and guarded by Dumbledore at Hogwarts. It grants everlasting life and changes all touched objects to gold. Voldemort seeks the Stone to grant him immortality, while Harry seeks it to save his life and the lives of all wizards at Hogwarts.

Wizard's Chess: Wizard's chess is an animated, life-like game of chess, where the figurines fight and defeat one another on their own. Ron, Hermione, and Harry must pass through and win a life-size game of Wizard's Chess in order to get to the Sorcerer's Stone.

Cupboard Under the Stairs: The Cupboard Under the Stairs is Harry's home at the Dursley's house. They force him to sleep in the small compartment while Dudley is given two full bedrooms. Only when Harry's magic seems to pose a threat to the family, do they let him sleep in a bed outside the cupboard.

Platform Nine and Three Quarters : Platform Nine and Three Quarters is the magical platform from where the train to Hogwarts leaves. It is unseen to the muggles and can only be reached by concentrating hard and walking (or running) into the brick wall between platforms nine and ten.

The Sorting Hat: The Sorting Hat is a large, black, pointed 'witch' hat that speaks. It decides in which house each child belongs after being placed upon its head. When it makes a decision, it calls out the name of the house. The Sorting Hat is a vital component to the initiation of the new students of Hogwarts.

Quotes

Quote 1: "Nothing like this man had ever been seen in Privet Drive. He was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground and high-heeled, bucked boots. His blue eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind half-mooned spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albert Dumbledore." Chapter 1, pg. 12

Quote 2: "'A letter?' repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. 'Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous - a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in future - there will be books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name!'" Chapter 1, pg. 15

Quote 3: "Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age. HE looked even smaller and skinner than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair and bright green eyes. He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Sellotape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead which was shaped like a bolt of lightning. Chapter 2, pg. 20

Quote 4: "A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair." Chapter 4, pg. 39

Quote 5: "Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Harry, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake. A wizard? Him? How could he possibly be? He'd spent his life being clouted by Dudley and bullied by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon; if he was really a wizard, why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock him in his cupboard? If he'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley had always been able to kick him around like a football?" Chapter 3, pg. 47

Quote 6: "Harry wished he had about eight more eyes. He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping." Chapter 5, pg. 56

Quote 7: "Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, Harry was sure, and he leant forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least - but at first he thought it was empty. Then he noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask." Chapter 5, pg. 59

Quote 8: "Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, 'Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well...how curious...how very curious...'" Chapter 5, pg. 65

Quote 9: "Albus Dumbledore, currently Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern
Times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his
Defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945,
For the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's
Blood and his work on alchemy with his partner,
Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys
Chamber music and tenpin bowling." Chapter 6, pg. 77

Quote 10: "The narrow path had opened suddenly on to the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets towers." Chapter 6, pg. 83

Quote 11: "He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully - an there was Malfoy, laughing at him as he struggled with it - then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold - there was a burst of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking." Chapter 7, pg. 97

Quote 12: "They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog which filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; thee drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs." Chapter 9, pg. 119

Quote 13: "It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite grey, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holing a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long." Chapter 10, pg. 129

Quote 14: "Harry learnt that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara desert." Chapter 11, pg. 132

Quote 15: "They just looked at him, smiling. And slowly, Harry looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror and saw other pairs of green eyes like his, other noses like his, even a little old man who looked as though he had Harry's knobbly knees - Harry was looking at his family, for the first time in his life...The Potters smiled and waved at Harry and he stared hungrily back at them, his hands pressed flat against the glass as though he was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. He had a powerful kind of ache inside him, half joy, half terrible sadness." Chapter 12, pg. 151

Quote 16: "'It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible.'" Chapter 12, pg. 157

Quote 17: "Hermione was trembling. Excuses, alibis and wild cover-up stories chased each other around Harry's brain, each more feeble than the last. He couldn't see how they were going to get out of trouble this time. They were cornered. How could they have been so stupid as to forget the cloak? There was no reason on earth the Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let alone being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the invisibility cloak and they might as well be packing their bags already." Chapter 15, pg. 177

Quote 18: "From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated...Everywhere Harry went, people pointed and didn't trouble to lower their voices as they insulted him." Chapter 15, pg. 179

Quote 19: "Harry had taken one stop towards it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered...Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, it lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood." Chapter 15, pg. 187

Quote 20: "They seized a broomstick each and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one." Chapter 16, pg. 203

Quote 21: "Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,
Two of us will help you, whichever you would find.
One among us seven will let you move ahead,
Another will transport the drinker back instead,
Two among our numbers hold only nettle wine,
Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.
Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:
First, however slyly the poison tries to hide
You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;
Second, different are those who stand at either end,
But if you would move onwards, neither is your friend;
Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,
Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;
Fourth, the second left and the second on the right
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight." Chapter 16, pp. 206-207

Quote 22: "'He is with me wherever I go,' said Quirrell quietly. 'I met him when I traveled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it...Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me.' Quirrell shivered suddenly. 'He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me ... decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me.'" Chapter 17, pg. 211

Quote 23: "'See what I have become?' the face said. 'Mere shadow and vapour...I have form only when I can share another's body...but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds...Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks...you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest...and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own...Now...why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"' Chapter 17, pg. 213

Quote 24: "'To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all - the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things which are worst for them.'" Chapter 17, pg. 215

Quote 25: "'Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leave its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign...to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good.'" Chapter 17, pg. 216

Topic Tracking: Friendship

Friendship 1: Harry lives his life without any friends or companions. It is a difficult and weary existence, and he constantly hopes that it will change by some magical miracle. Dudley, however, has numerous friends, all violent and cruel little boys who vow to make Harry's life miserable.

Friendship 2: While Harry waits to go to Hogwarts back at the Dursleys, he finally has one friend - Hedwig the owl, a present given to him by Hagrid. Hedwig becomes a constant companion throughout the remainder of the novel helping Harry and his new friends uncover various plots and schemes at Hogwarts.

Friendship 3: When Ron Weasley walks into Harry's room on the train, the two boys begin a friendship that will last throughout their time at Hogwarts. They share their stories, their family problems, and eventually candy. Ron reassures Harry that he will not feel out of place or behind on information. Harry appreciates Ron's words.

Friendship 4: When Draco Malfoy offers his evil hand of friendship to Harry in the same sentence as he badmouths Ron, Harry refuses. He informs Draco that Harry needs no help finding his own friends and has already done so with Ron. From this point on, Harry and Ron are inseparable friends, while Draco Malfoy becomes their anti-friend - their nemesis.

Friendship 5: Harry and Ron develop their friendship some more, as they spend all their time together in class, in Gryffindor, and fending off Malfoy. Harry has also found a good and loyal friend in Hagrid. They visit him in his shack together and learn about the break-in at Gringotts on his birthday. Hagrid reassures in a friendly way that Snape is mean to everyone - not just him.

Friendship 6: Harry goes to extremes to help his friends. When Draco steals Neville's Remembrall, Harry chases after him on his broomstick to retrieve it. Harry realizes the importance of friends and wants to help them no matter the cost.

Friendship 7: Ron despises Hermione so much because of her pompous demeanor that he makes a derogatory remark aloud to Harry behind her back about how she has no friends. She overhears the comment and runs away in tears. Harry finds Ron's comment upsetting and feels badly for Hermione.

Friendship 8: After the terrifying incident with the troll, Ron, Harry, and Hermione become a trio of best friends. They believe that survival after such a scary brush with death is enough to bring anyone together.

Friendship 9: Faster than he gains it, Harry loses all his good fame and popularity in one night. When he and his friends lose one hundred and fifty points for Gryffindor, Harry discovers that he has no more friends. Ron and Hermione stand behind their friend and remain the only true friends he has at this point.

Friendship 10: When Harry vows to find the Stone that very evening, Ron and Hermione accompany him. They will not allow their friend to enter into a death trap alone and will help him at any chance.

Friendship 11: Ron sacrifices himself in the ultimate expression of friendship. In order to allow his friends to continue to the next chamber, he allows his knight to be killed in the giant game of wizard's chess, rendering him unconscious.

Friendship 12: It is Hermione's turn to express her love for her friends when she answers the riddle and walks through the fire, allowing Harry to proceed to the final chamber underground. She hugs Harry and tells him how great a wizard he is and how important friendship is to her. She realizes that all of her studying is useless without her friends.

Topic Tracking: Good Vs. Evil

Good vs. Evil 1: The story begins with a description of the first conflict between the Dursleys and the Potters. The Dursleys, the typical boring English family are established in the role of the "evil" component, while the Potters are the "good" people of the story. Benevolent Harry is forced to stay with mean Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley Dursley. This dichotomy sets up Harry's rescue from the Dursleys as an important escape from evil early on in the novel.

Good vs. Evil 2: The second conflict and antagonist in the book is named Lord Voldemort. Voldemort epitomizes evil and villainy, as he is the murderer of Harry's parents and a creature destined to kill Harry and destroy Hogwarts. His short description in the beginning of the novel alludes to his evil presence throughout. Dumbledore, the epitome of goodness and benevolence, is the man describing Voldemort, illustrating a subtle battle between good and evil at the onset.

Good vs. Evil 3: Hagrid retells the story of good and evil, of Voldemort and his parents to Harry. Harry discovers the meaning behind his scar, sees a momentary green light and feels a sharp pain in his head. He sees the Dursleys, his current antagonists in full view, while he learns about Voldemort, his magical antagonist in hindsight. Harry wonders about his good magical powers and how he could have used them to fend off his evil aunt and uncle.

Good vs. Evil 4: When Harry meets Draco Malfoy, he meets his antagonist at Hogwarts. Draco is the mean little boy who becomes Harry's nemesis. Draco comes from a family that defected to the evil side of magic with Voldemort years ago. Although they returned to good magic, Ron and Hermione inform Harry that they never should have left.

Good vs. Evil 5: Although Draco's evil intentions were to get Harry expelled from Hogwarts, Harry's good nature and magic reigns true. Draco maliciously steals Neville's Remembrall and Harry flies after him, benevolently trying to retrieve it for his friend. The end result is Harry's being awarded the position of Seeker on Gryffindor's Quidditch team.

Good vs. Evil 6: Harry, Hermione, and Ron come face to face with an evil presence - the troll. They fight it with their good presence and magic and defeat it, illustrating once again that good triumphs over evil. Furthermore, an even greater good has come from this battle with the evil troll - Ron and Harry discover a good friend in Hermione.

Good vs. Evil 7: When Harry's broom flies out of control, it seems to be controlled by an evil force, outside his control. Hermione spies Snape from across the stands staring at Harry, as if he were placing an evil spell on the broom. She sets his robes on fire, destroying any possible spell that may have come from him.

Good vs. Evil 8: When Harry sees Snape seemingly threaten Quirrell in the forest, he believes Quirrell to be good and Snape to be evil. He informs his friends that they must safeguard the good Quirrell from the evil Snape, in order to save the Sorcerer's Stone.

Good vs. Evil 9: Harry and Malfoy are frightened by a horrible, menacing creature in the forest. Its presence gives Harry's scar a striking pain, making him realize that this creature is the embodiment of evil. When Firenze discovers Harry frightened in the forest, he informs Harry of the menacing presence that lives in the forest. Firenze flies Harry's good spirit away, saving it from the evil presence.

Good vs. Evil 10: When Harry sees Quirrell inside the final chamber, he comes face to face with evil's helper. Quirrell is hosting Voldemort in his turban and plans to destroy Harry. Harry must do whatever necessary to prevent the evil Voldemort from stealing the Sorcerer's Stone, for he will use it for evil instead of for good.

Good vs. Evil 11: As Harry physically fights with the two-faced monster of Quirrell and Voldemort, he is literally fighting the strong evil spirit that killed his parents and is trying to kill him. As he places his hand on Quirrell's face, it burns, illustrating that good overcomes evil.

Good vs. Evil 12: When Gryffindor defeats Slytherin, it seems that the good spirits and forces have officially and finally overtaken the evil one. Since Slytherin is associated with Voldemort and also is the house of Draco Malfoy, its defeat is celebrated. Gryffindor, the house associated with goodness and Harry Potter, is victorious.

Topic Tracking: Hopes and Desires

Hopes and Desires 1: When Harry sees the boa constrictor trapped behind the glass at the zoo, he begins to empathize with it. He understands and genuinely knows how it feels to be held captive in a home that is not his own. He hopes for a home of his own, he hopes to be rescued and taken away from the Dursleys. These desires translate into Harry's unknown magical powers that allow the boa constrictor to escape and live his dreams of a free life.

Hopes and Desires 2: When the letters begin to pour into 4 Privet Drive, Harry is punished several ways. He is moved to a bedroom upstairs; however, he secretly desires only to read his letter and hopes to be returned to his cupboard under the stairs with his letter in hand.

Hopes and Desires 3: Hagrid reveals one of his deepest secrets and greatest desires to Harry. He has always wanted to own a pet dragon. Unfortunately dragons are illegal in Hogwarts, so he has never had one in his possession.

Hopes and Desires 4: Hermione introduces herself to Ron and Harry, along with a long list of her hopes and desires at Hogwarts. She wants to be in Gryffindor dorm, wants to meet the famous wizard Dumbledore, and is honored to meet Harry Potter. She hopes to read and learn as much magic as possible. Her life and motivation all seem to stem from a deep desire to be a skillful wizard. After all, she comes from a muggle family and must dream and work hard in order to fulfill such a desirable life of magic. Furthermore, Ron and Harry hope to be in a dorm far from Hermione and in a different one than Slytherin.

Hopes and Desires 5: Hermione, Harry, and Ron hope to discover information on Nicholas Flamel during their Christmas vacation. Hermione intends to ask her muggle parents if they know anything, while Ron and Harry plan to research his name at Hogwarts while alone. They desire the truth behind the small package and its association with this man named Nicholas Flamel.

Hopes and Desires 6: The Mirror of Erised is a magical object that reflects the hopes, dreams, and desires of the person who looks into it. When Harry looks at the mirror, he sees his family reflected back at him, and when Ron looks at it, he sees himself the captain and winner of the House Cup in Quidditch.

Hopes and Desires 7: Harry sees the Mirror of Erised inside the final chamber and concentrates on his hopes and desires. He focuses so that he doesn't allow Quirrell to see his own hopes and desires and location of the Stone. The mirror is key in discovering the whereabouts of the magical Sorcerer's Stone.

Hopes and Desires 8: Dumbledore explains that the only person who could truly find the Stone is someone who genuinely desires it truthfully. The person who hopes to find the Stone for reasons other than eternal life and gold is the person who will find it. Harry hoped to find the Stone purely to save people's lives; therefore, it appeared in his pocket. Voldemort hopes to find it for its material value, and therefore would never be able to seize it for his own.

Topic Tracking: Magic

Magic 1: As the Dursleys seem to ignore the small magical elements occurring during the day, they are not privy to the scene outside their door. Dumbledore appears out of thin air, while McGonagall transforms herself into a person from a cat. This magic is the mere beginning of a story seeping with magic and wizardry.

Magic 2: Harry cannot explain the random events that happen to him, all magical occurrences without his knowledge: his overnight hair re-growth, his ability to appear on a roof, his shrunken jumper. When he sees the boa constrictor behind the glass, he is able to speak with it and furthermore, able to make the glass disappear that separates him from the snake. This magic is not intentional and therefore causes quite a scene at the zoo and much trouble for Harry.

Magic 3: Hagrid uses his magic to give Dudley a pig's tail. Harry wonders how Hagrid can have magical powers if he is just the gamekeeper. Although he is never supposed to use his magic - especially around Harry - Hagrid informs him that he was once a student at Hogwarts years ago.

Magic 4: The only way to access the magical Platform Nine and Three Quarters is to concentrate and run straight into the wall between platforms nine and ten without fear. Mrs. Weasley instructs Harry on how to do so and he does it magically. On the other side of the wall, Harry sees the magical train to Hogwarts and is thrilled for having accomplished one of his first magical acts on his own and intentionally.

Magic 5: Harry is exposed to the wizard candy of magical proportions. The every flavor beans are literally every flavor - from tasty apple to repugnant spinach. And the collectible cards from the chocolate frogs contain pictures of wizards that appear, smile, make faces, and disappear at random. It takes Harry a while to get used to this type of a photograph.

Magic 6: The Sorting Hat is the opening ritual of the banquet and decides upon the House for each student. It sings, speaks, and selects for each child's personality. Its magical powers of speech and selection are powerful and unquestioned by all wizards.

Magic 7: The only way to enter and exit Gryffindor Tower is through a portal in a portrait of a fat lady. The password is "pig snout" and must be spoken to the lady who must be present in order for anyone to pass through it. If she is gone from the picture, the children are locked out of the tower.

Magic 8: Ron has difficulty with his magic and cannot pronounce the necessary spell to make his feather fly in class. Hermione is flawless with her spell and warrants a congratulatory declaration from the teacher in class. Her magical skills seem to be superior to Ron's, and this frustrates him.

Magic 9: Harry's gift of the Invisibility Cloak is a piece of magical cloth that allows him to become invisible upon wearing it. He uses it to venture into the library and research information on Flamel. However, as he uses this piece of magic, he discovers another. The books in the library make noises and screams when opened, informing Filch of someone's unwelcome presence.

Magic 10: The Sorcerer's Stone is a magical object that turns everything into gold and grants everlasting life. Nicholas Flamel is the only known creator of the stone and its magic is the attraction by evil forces. Harry, Hermione, and Ron believe that Snape is after it.

Magic 11: Harry is satisfied with returning home for the summer, for he knows that he has another year of Hogwarts to look forward to. He plans to practice his magic on Dudley all summer, even though he is not allowed. Magic is to be kept strictly at Hogwarts; however, this little rule most likely will not apply to Harry's summer activities.

Chapter 1 - The Boy Who Lived

The novel opens with a detailed description of the Dursleys, an utterly normal family in England - boring, overweight and typical. Mr. Dursley is the director of a drill-making firm, while Mrs. Dursley watches over their beloved son, Dudley, who can do no wrong in their eyes. They abhor anything and everything out of the ordinary, namely their relatives the Potters. Mrs. Petunia Dursley's sister, Lily, married Mr. Potter, and gave birth to Harry, a child who they despise and desperately attempt to keep away from their precious Dudley.

Topic Tracking: Good vs. Evil 1

One morning, odd and extraordinary events begin to occur near the Dursley home at 4 Privet Drive. A cat is reading a map, an owl flies past the window, and everyone in town seems to be wearing cloaks - clothing Mr. Dursley believes is only for the weird and young. He passes the day at work, noticing the difference in the weather and his surroundings, and thinks little of it until he overhears someone mention the name "Potter." He frantically worries about his weird cousins and their bizarre child and rushes home to his wife to express his concern. The cat is still reading out front, while the news reports an influx of owls and shooting stars instead of rain. When Mr. Dursley brings up the Potters, Petunia chooses to ignore the statement and pretend that they don't exist, so as not to clutter their simple lives with anything out of the ordinary. They are desperately wrong.

In the same corner that the cat watches, a man appears out of nowhere.

"Nothing like this man had ever been seen in Privet Drive. He was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground and high-heeled, bucked boots. His blue eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind half-mooned spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albert Dumbledore." Chapter 1, pg. 12

After Dumbledore appears, he spies the cat and calls her Professor McGonagall. She transforms into an elderly woman with glasses and a tight bun, wearing an emerald cloak. She wonders how Dumbledore knows it is her, and he quips that no cat is as stiff as she is. They discuss the day, eat lemon sherbet from the Muggles (mortal people), eventually arriving at the subject of the Potters. Dumbledore informs McGonagall of the recent tragedy that befell the Potters. Voldemort, a man of infinite horror and destruction, a man of whom nobody dares utter his name, violently attacked Lily and James Potter - two miraculous sorcerers - and killed them. The miracle is that their child, their baby Harry, survived the attack. McGonagall and Dumbledore are shocked, for Voldemort's power and anger has killed so many and caused so much destruction to adults, let alone children and babies. Because of Voldemort's failure to kill Harry, it seems his power has broken, and he has fled. These two wizards now await Hagrid, a giant, hairy messenger, to learn how to take care of the valuable Potter baby.

Topic Tracking: Good vs. Evil 2
Topic Tracking: Magic 1

Hagrid arrives with Harry wrapped in baby blankets. Because of the attack, he has a large scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on his forehead. Dumbledore informs McGonagall that they intend to leave Harry with the Dursleys for several years, so that he may be raised as a normal child until he is ready to accept his place in wizard history. McGonagall cannot fathom that they would leave this miracle baby - this miracle child - in the hands of such morons as the Dursleys. Dumbledore reiterates that he has written Mr. Dursley a letter explaining the entire story and significance of events and birth for Harry when he's older. He assumes that Dursley will show the letter and explain Harry his heritage.

"'A letter?' repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. 'Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous - a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in future - there will be books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name!'" Chapter 1, pg. 15

Dumbledore explains that this is the exact reason to leave Harry with the Dursleys. Such fame would be too much to handle at such a young age. When he is ready, they will come for him. Hagrid bids goodbye to his beloved package of youth, while Dumbledore and McGonagall wish him luck, knowing that they are doing the right thing. They place him on the doorstep and leave.

Chapter 2 - The Vanishing Glass

Ten years pass and everything around the Dursley house remains the same. Nobody would be able to tell that Harry lives with them, for he sleeps in the cupboard under the stairs, in a small dark space infested with spiders. Because of this, his appearance is left slightly less than empowering:

"Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age. HE looked even smaller and skinner than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair and bright green eyes. He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Sellotape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead which was shaped like a bolt of lightning. Chapter 2, pg. 20

Aunt Petunia tells Harry that his parents died in a car accident years earlier and that he should never ask any questions. This statement is a rule that must be obeyed. One morning, Harry is woken up early in celebration of Dudley's birthday. The Dursleys buy him dozens of expensive presents - none necessary items - and prepare for a birthday extravaganza including a trip to the zoo. Harry goes with Uncle Vernon, Dudley's friend Piers Polkiss, and the Dursleys because the sitter, Mrs. Figg called to cancel. Dudley does not want Harry coming on the trip, for he thinks he will ruin everything. However, when nobody can stay with Harry, he comes along, after a serious threat from Uncle Vernon not to do anything crazy. Harry can never explain the weird things that happen to him, for example when his hair grew back overnight, when he suddenly appeared on the roof after being chased by Dudley's gang, and when he shrunk a horrible jumper that Aunt Petunia tried to get him to wear. However, he fully believes that nothing funny and bizarre will occur this day at the zoo. Yet, at the zoo, Harry looks at the poor snake, enclosed in his own cupboard-type of prison, behind the glass, sitting all day while annoying visitors like Dudley tap their fingers against the glass. The snake winks at Harry, opening the conversation of breeding and history. Harry sees a sign that first says the snake is from Brazil, but lower says that it was bred in captivity. Harry feels sorry for the snake and hurt that Dudley keeps punching him in the stomach. Suddenly, the glass disappears between the boys and the snake, allowing it to wrap itself around Dudley and Piers, and eventually escape to Brazil.

Topic Tracking: Magic 2

On the car ride home, Uncle Vernon Dursley blames Harry and vows to put him back in the cupboard, while Dudley complains and reports that Harry was talking to the snake. Meanwhile, Harry is confused and sad, for he has no friends, everyone at school makes fun of him for fear of Dudley and his gang, and he knows nothing about his parents. He recalls a strange vision from his childhood and simultaneously feels a tingle in his scar. Furthermore, Harry often sees people that he recognizes, but never gets close enough to them to start a conversation. He is alone and hopes to be rescued by some imaginary unknown relative.

Topic Tracking: Hopes and Desires 1

Chapter 3 - The Letters From No One

Because of the boa constrictor incident, Harry is forced to stay in his cupboard for an uncanny amount of time - until summer. However, as soon as the summer activities begin, Dudley and his gang play Hunting Harry, destined to destroy his life, whether imprisoned or free. Dudley gets a new pinstriped uniform for school, in bright colors and sparkling white design. It is a sight that gives Harry a decent amount of laughter and humor, no matter how much he holds it in. One day, the post (mail) comes, causing a frenzy in the Dursley household. Among the three letters on their doorstep, there is one addressed to Harry, noting his residence in the Cupboard Under the Stairs. As soon as Uncle Vernon opens the letter and reads what is written, he is shocked, frightened, and confused. Aunt Petunia is likewise flabbergasted, wondering how 'they' know where Harry lives and is treated. They had planned to eradicate all of the weirdness and 'those' type of people from their lives and cannot understand how it still exists. Dudley erupts with desperation wanting to see Harry's letter, while Harry craves his only possession - a letter addressed to him (and not anyone else in the family). Uncle Vernon calls it a mistake and tells Harry to move to Dudley's second bedroom, now filled with all of his broken toys. Dudley complains and Harry wishes he could be back in his cupboard with his personal letter. However, when the post comes the following day, a letter arrives addressed to Harry Potter in the smallest bedroom in 4 Privet Drive. The family is outraged and Harry is thrilled, wondering how someone could know exactly where he is all the time. Furthermore, he realizes that if these people wanted to get a hold of him badly enough, he knows that they will.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 1
Topic Tracking: Hopes and Desires 2

The letters continue to come...by the dozens. One day Harry awakens early and races outside to catch the mailman before he arrives. Unfortunately, Uncle Vernon had slept outside on the doorstep waiting for Harry before he has the chance to retrieve a letter. Over the next week, the letters multiply by the dozens. Uncle Vernon does everything possible to stop them. He stays home from work and boards up the mail slot with nails and wood. Finally on Sunday, he relaxes, realizing that no post arrives on the day of rest. However, during the relaxing Sunday brunch, forty letters bolt through the chimney and inside the house, desperate to find their way into Harry's hands. Outraged, Uncle Vernon takes the family immediately away from the house and on a road trip.

The family checks into a gloomy hotel outside the city, with Harry and Dudley sharing a musty room. Dudley complains of hunger and missing his television, and snores loudly. Suddenly, a porter knocks on the hotel door with another letter for Harry Potter, this time care of Room 17 at the Railview Hotel. Uncle Vernon snags the letter before Harry can take it, again. Harry realizes that it is only hours until his eleventh birthday, and despite his terrible past ten years, knows that an eleventh birthday is something special. Uncle Vernon seems to be going insane, stopping the car and running out to a cliff several times, until he finds a deserted, morose shack in the middle of nowhere. The family stays there overnight, as Dudley snores and Harry awaits the ticking of the clock telling him that he is changing into an eleven year old man. At the stroke of midnight, he hears a loud knock on the door and awaits the visitor on the other end.

Chapter 4 - The Keeper of the Keys

Uncle Vernon races to the door with a shotgun in his hands, desperate to keep away whoever has come to disrupt his normal life. After several bangs, the door is finally pushed open by a large giant - Hagrid. "A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair" Chapter 4, pg. 39. He takes Dursley's gun and bends it into a knot with his bare hands, throwing it in the corner. He hands Harry a smashed, old birthday cake, and asks for some tea after his long journey. Harry wonders who this strange man is, and he responds that he is Rubeus Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.

After the introductions, Harry inquires the meaning of Hogwarts. Hagrid is outraged that Harry does not know what it is, and he soon finds out that Harry knows nothing about his past, his parents' death from the explosion and not a car crash, his wizardry, and his fame. Hagrid erupts at the Dursleys for keeping Dumbledore's letter away from Harry, for treating him so horribly, and for lying to him about his parents and powers. Aunt Petunia cries out to them that she could never let the wizardry - the freakishness that infected her precious sister Lily - happen to Harry. She would not allow such abnormalities in her normal home, so she lied to Harry. Hagrid, therefore, realizes that he must catch Harry up on his past and the story of the villainous Voldemort before he even reaches Hogwarts, and so begins to speak.

Hogwarts retells the story of Harry's birth, fame, and miracle survival from Voldemort's rage. He explains the scar on Harry's forehead, which brings Harry a short vision of green light and the momentary sound of a loud cackling laugh. After Hagrid finishes the long history, Harry ponders his future and his existence as a wizard.

"Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Harry, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake. A wizard? Him? How could he possibly be? He'd spent his life being clouted by Dudley and bullied by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon; if he was really a wizard, why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock him in his cupboard? If he'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley had always been able to kick him around like a football?" Chapter 3, pg. 47

Topic Tracking: Good vs. Evil 3

Hagrid continues to gawk in awe of Harry Potter, chuckling at such a thought. He wonders if anything bizarre has happened to Harry that he could not explain. For the first time, Harry thinks back to all the times he had been chased or hurt or angered, and how he had done things to save himself - for example growing his hair back overnight and letting the boa constrictor out onto Dudley. As soon as Hagrid prepares Harry to leave for Hogwarts and writes a letter of acceptance sent by the owl to Dumbledore, Uncle Vernon finally reacts harshly towards everyone. He will not allow Harry to be sucked into the crazy world of magic. When he insults Dumbledore, Hagrid loses his temper, yells at the Dursleys, and turns Dudley into a pig - at least he gives Dudley a pig's tail. When Harry jumps into Hagrid's cloak to venture to Hogwarts, he wonders how Hagrid has magical powers. Hagrid slips the information that he was a student once, but was expelled for reasons he is not yet ready to explain.

Topic Tracking: Magic 3

Chapter 5 - Diagon Alley

When Harry awakens the following morning, he thinks he has had the most phenomenal dream, and is ecstatic when he sees Hagrid, cementing the truth behind his new life. An owl flies over them and drops the paper, The Daily Prophet. When he continues to hover and fight with them, Hagrid tells Harry to pay the owl for delivering the paper. Harry inquires as to how he will pay for Hogwarts, since he knows Uncle Vernon Dursley will never spend any money on wands or magic books, and he has no other money. Hagrid informs Harry that his parents left him a hefty inheritance stored at Gringotts, the Wizard's bank and one of their first stops in the wizard world - a place below the Underground (subway system) in London. Goblins run Gringotts, so he explains that it is a horrible idea to try to steal from it.

As Hagrid reads The Daily Prophet he is upset by the news regarding the Ministry of Magic. Apparently Dumbledore turned down the position in years past to stay at Hogwarts, while a wizard by the name of Cornelius Fudge now holds the reign. The job of the Minister of Magic is to make sure that Muggles know nothing about wizards and to keep the two worlds separate, so that everyone doesn't always think that there will be a magic solution to any and everything.

Hagrid and Harry leave the shack and go to a small boat in the harbor to travel to Hogwarts. Hagrid is not supposed to fly or use other magic now that he has Harry in his possession; however, he uses magic, again, telling Harry to keep it a secret. Hagrid reveals his secret desire to own a dragon and proceeds to read over Harry's list of things to bring to Hogwarts, from the strict uniform of robes, gloves, cloaks, and a pointed hat, and a large selection of magic books. They may bring either a cat or a toad or an owl, but are not allowed a broomstick until the second year of study. Harry wants to buy his belongings in London and is thrilled to visit the big city for the first time, with Hagrid's help of course.

Topic Tracking: Hopes and Desires 3

They visit the Leaky Cauldron, a famous store in London, to buy some of his books and materials. A customer, Dedalus Diggle, is excited to meet Harry Potter inside the store. Two professors are also inside buying books, Doris Crockford and Professor Quirrell, a stuttering man who is in search of a book about vampires. Hagrid informs Harry that Quirrell is a brilliant man who had an unfortunate experience with vampires in the past and has since been scared of everything. Harry recognizes Diggle as one of the men who had bowed to him in the past. On a brick wall in the back, Hagrid knocks on a specific brick that opens into a small hole and eventually a grand and beautiful land of a cobbled street with sunshine and magic stores all around. "Harry wished he had about eight more eyes. He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping" Chapter 5, pg. 56. This place is called Diagon Alley and it is the way to get to Gringotts. When they arrive, Harry is mesmerized by and curious about the goblins, who seem cruel and intimidating, despite their tiny size. Harry reads a warning not to steal in the form of a poem covering the front of the bank as Hagrid requests a deposit from Harry Potter's vault and the you-know-what from Dumbledore's vault. Harry wonders what unnamed object Hagrid is ordered to obtain. Hagrid is at Gringott's for Harry and also on official Hogwart business for Dumbledore.

As the two follow the goblin Griphook through caves of stalagmites, stalactites, and other minerals until they find Harry's vault of wealth. There are piles and piles of Knuts, bronze coins, and other mountains of wealth awaiting him. Harry realizes the Dursleys certainly never knew about Harry's wealth (stored all underground in London), for they would have stolen it all by this point. After Hagrid explains the monetary system for wizards, they visit Dumbledore's vault. Although Harry expects to see something miraculous, he peeks into a different world altogether:

"Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, Harry was sure, and he leant forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least - but at first he thought it was empty. Then he noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask." Chapter 5, pg. 59

After the trip to Gringotts, Hagrid wants to stop for a pick-me-up at Madam Maltin's. While he waits, Harry meets a spoiled little wizard boy who reminds him of Dudley in attitude alone. He asks Harry all about his parents and his stay, and informs him of the sport Quidditch, and of the dorms Slytherin and Hufflepuff. Harry is extremely put off by this boy and asks Hagrid all about the things he mentioned. Hagrid keeps forgetting how little Harry knows about his heritage, frustrating Harry with his own ignorance. Quidditch, it seems, is the wizard's sport, equivalent to the fame of football (or soccer), and Slytherin and Hufflepuff are simply two of the four dorms at Hogwarts. At this point, Hagrid tells Harry that Voldemort was actually a wizard at Hogwarts years ago.

They continue shopping for the rest of Harry's things to bring to Hogwarts. Hagrid decides to buy Harry an owl as a birthday present, for it is the most popular animal, and quite useful. The two enter Ollivander's to purchase Harry's wand. An older, menacing man, Mr. Ollivander owns the store, and claims to have sold wands to everyone, including his parents. He repeatedly informs Harry that he does not select his wand, the wand selects him. After several tries, Harry finally finds a match in a specific wand from a phoenix tale feather.

"Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, 'Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well...how curious...how very curious...'" Chapter 5, pg. 65

Ollivander informs Harry and Hagrid that Harry's selection of wands is curious, for its matching brother belongs to the wizard who gave Harry his scar - Voldemort. After he pays for his wand, the two leave Ollivander's in a morose and confused state of mind. Harry and Hagrid journey back through Diagon Alley, through the Leaky Cauldron, and to a restaurant to eat a hamburger. Although he has just celebrated the best birthday of his life, Harry is concerned that he doesn't remember a thing of the life he lived behind his fame. Hagrid calms his nerves, explaining that he will learn everything and have an amazing time at Hogwarts. There is nothing to worry about, for everyone starts there at the beginning.

They wait for the train until it pulls into the station.

Chapter 6 - The Journey from Platform Nine and Three Quarters

Harry must wait out the time at the Dursleys until September 1st, when Hogwarts School begins. The Dursleys are terrified of him, and instead of mistreating him, simply ignore him. His only friend and companion is the owl given to him by Hagrid, which Harry names Hedwig. When the eve of the day to go to Hogwarts arrives, Harry asks Uncle Vernon for a lift to King's Cross train station in London. They claim that they are only taking him because they are going to London to have Dudley's pig tail removed before school begins.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 2

When they arrive at the station, Harry removes his ticket that says Platform Nine and Three Quarters. The Dursleys laugh at him, leaving him stranded and alone in the train station, with all muggles, and nowhere to go. Eventually Harry overhears some people speaking about muggles and Hogwarts, and he joins them. A family with four redheaded children are preparing for the journey, with its youngest son Ron the same age as Harry. The mother explains that Harry must run straight into the wall between platforms nine and ten - without fear - and he will vanish and find his way into platform Nine and Three Quarters. After watching the other children vanish into the wall, Harry succeeds and finds himself among other wizards with owls and animals. Several children help him load his large chest onto the train and notice Harry's unusual scar. They ask if he is the Harry Potter, and Harry of course responds affirmatively. They leave to say goodbye to their mother while Harry sits in the train waiting for it to leave.

Topic Tracking: Magic 4

Ron Weasley, the youngest redheaded child of the family walks into Harry's room and asks to sit, for all the other seats are filled. Harry openly invites him inside and they begin sharing their pasts. Ron is the sixth son in a long line of successful wizards, so he feels he has much to live up to and nothing new to proof. Furthermore, his family is not excessively rich, so he must use his brothers' robes and wands. Harry understands and explains that he was poor until a month ago. Furthermore, he knows nothing about Hogwarts and the wizard world and fears being the worst student at Hogwarts. Ron reassures him that there are many children that come from muggle families and that he will be just fine.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 3

As the train speeds, a woman knocks on their door with a food cart. Since Harry has money for the first time, he buys a little of all the new food choices so that he may share them with his new friend. Harry never had the opportunity to share anything with anyone, since he had no possessions, and likes the idea. The food consists of such wizard snacks as Pumpkin Pasties, Every Flavor Beans, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands, and of course Chocolate Frogs, which Ron explains contain collectible cards of famous wizards. Ron is only missing two out of his collection of nearly five hundred. The card that is in this particular Chocolate Frog is of Dumbledore. Harry sees his picture for the first time on the card's inscription.

"Albus Dumbledore, currently Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern
Times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his
Defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945,
For the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's
Blood and his work on alchemy with his partner,
Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys
Chamber music and tenpin bowling."
Chapter 6, pg. 77

Unfortunately, when Harry sees the photo, it soon disappears. Ron explains that people come and go in photos, and cannot be expected to stay around all day long smiling in them. They continue collected cards, eating the every flavor beans (which include not only chocolate, but also spinach and other such distasteful flavors).

Topic Tracking: Magic 5

In the middle of their feast, a young girl with bushy brown hair enters the room with Neville, a young boy looking for his lost toad. She introduces herself as Hermione Granger, and is a talkative, bossy little girl from a muggle family who has read everything there is to know about magic and is thrilled to be a part of Hogwarts. She hopes to be in the Gryffindor dorm, for she has heard that Dumbledore is in charge of it and is even more honored to meet the famous Harry Potter who sits before her. The two leave Harry and Ron's seats to continue searching for Neville's lost toad. Ron continues to look at his sleeping rat named Scabbers, and hopes that he is not in the same dorm as Hermione. They both hope desperately not to be in Slytherin, for that was the dorm of Voldemort, a name nobody utters.

Topic Tracking: Hopes and Desires 4

Harry wonders what wizards do after Hogwarts, and Ron tells him that one of his brothers is studying dragons in Romania while another is in Africa working for Gringotts. Suddenly, their compartment door opens and in walks three mean-looking boys wanting to discover this Harry Potter for themselves. One of the boys is Draco Malfoy, the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop who frustrated Harry in Diagon Alley. He smirks at Ron, blurting out that everyone knows that the Weasleys have red hair and freckles and more children than they can afford, and he tells Harry that it is important to make friends with the right people. Harry turns down his handshake and informs him that he has already made a good friend - Ron. Draco is humiliated and picks a fight with the two boys. Scabbers fights back with the other boys, making a horrible mess of all the candy wrappers until Hermione walks back in with Neville. Ron explains to them that Draco comes from a family that defected to Voldemort's side years ago, but has since returned to the good side of magic. However, Ron's father claims that they are not to be trusted, for they should never have left in the first place.

Topic Tracking: Good vs. Evil 4
Topic Tracking: Friendship 4

The train comes to a halt and everyone must exit onto a boat. Hagrid directs all the boats and traffic of children, finds Neville's lost toad, Trevor, and brings the children to Hogwarts through a narrow pathway. "The narrow path had opened suddenly on to the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets towers." Chapter 6, pg. 83

Chapter 7 - The Sorting Hat

When the children enter Hogwarts, they are greeted initially by Professor McGonagall introducing them to the school. It is an enormous building with torches and miraculously high ceilings. They are about to have their start-of-year banquet, in which they must pass a test to sort them into one of the four houses. Harry is terrified of performing magic that he does not know - especially in front of the entire school. As he enters, a line of nostalgic wizard ghosts suddenly frightens him. They quickly leave when they discover the commencement of the opening banquet. The first years enter the banquet hall, lined with glittering goblets and golden table-settings and a ceiling that seems to stretch to the heavens.

The ceremony begins with the sorting hat, a large black, pointed, dirty hat that is laid in the front of the banquet hall on a chair. Each first year must place it on his or her head and it shouts out the name of the hall that suits the personality. The hat opens with a little song and proceeds through the list of new years. Harry is terrified of not being selected at all, but is eventually placed in Gryffindor with Neville, Ron, and Hermione. Draco is placed in Slytherin. When Harry's name is called, there is a loud hush of whispers among the students wondering if this is The Harry Potter.

Topic Tracking: Magic 6

When the sorting is complete, Dumbledore addresses the students as they begin to eat. Dumbledore says four silly, meaningless words, and the feast commences. Harry wonders if Dumbledore is mad. Ron claims that he is the most brilliant wizard, and yes, he is a bit mad. The food is miraculous and plentiful. At the meal, friendly ghosts from years past, including Nearly Headless Nick, join the students at the tables. They speak and reminisce and give advice. Harry looks around at the different professors, and sees Professor Quirrell, the stutterer in the turban. He also sees a new menacing-looking man named Professor Snape, who teaches Potions and glances morbidly at Harry. When he looks at Harry, Harry feels a striking pain in his scar. After the meal, Dumbledore leads the students in a rendition of the Hogwarts school song. Afterward, the children run off to their new respective houses and fall asleep. Harry dreams an unusual story in he sleep:

"He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully - an there was Malfoy, laughing at him as he struggled with it - then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold - there was a burst of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking." Chapter 7, pg. 97

When Harry awakens, he remembers nothing from his dream.

Chapter 8 - The Potions Master

Harry and his friends are engrossed in their numerous studies, taking so many courses, including History of Magic taught by a ghost, Charms with Professor Flitwick, Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall (Hermione's favorite and best course), and Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Quirrell. They have some trouble - getting lost in the large halls and hundreds of staircases - and are frightened of the caretaker, Argus Filch and his cat named Mrs. Norris. Professor Quirrell certainly seems to be the most bizarre teacher, as his turban emits a strange odor of garlic and constant movement. Rumors come and go as to Quirrell's necessity of the turban and presence in Hogwarts. With all the courses, Harry is thrilled to discover that everyone in school is just as clueless as he. Harry also learns that Snape is the head of Slytherin.

On Fridays all the owls bring the students their mail. Since Harry has no wizard family, he never expects any mail. However, on Friday he receives a letter from Hagrid, written in untidy handwriting, asking to have afternoon tea. Harry is thrilled to meet with Hagrid, for he is frustrated after his Potions class with Snape. He realizes that Snape hates him for being a celebrity, among other unknown reasons. Snape looks at Harry with his slanted menacing eyes and continues to ask him detailed questions, despite his blank answers. Hermione is the only person with her hand in the air, knowing the answer; however Snape continues to pick on Harry. He even docks Gryffindor several points because Harry cannot answer his questions. Harry wonders why he hates him so much.

After class, Ron goes with Harry to visit Hagrid. They are comforted by Hagrid's information that Snape projects a desolate and mean image to everyone. Hagrid recognizes Ron by his hair and freckles and inquires as to his brothers' well being, for he remembers them from years past. Hagrid is reading a story from The Daily Prophet about a break-in at Gringotts. The break-in Ron had mentioned on the train is this same break-in, which he sees occurred on his birthday, while they were at Gringotts. Harry thinks about the empty vault and the small package that he and Hagrid removed from the bank. He also wonders if he should tell Hagrid about Snape's suspicious nature. Harry and Ron leave Hagrid's shack, trying to piece together the puzzle.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 5

Chapter 9 - The Midnight Duel

Harry realizes that he hates Draco Malfoy even more than Dudley Dursley - a sentiment he previously thought impossible. When notices for flying lessons appear, everyone realizes that Slytherin and Gryffindor will be competing. Harry worries about flying in Quidditch tournaments because he has no idea how to do so, while Ron reassures him that Draco is just bragging about his flying abilities. Neville is such a klutz, that he has never been allowed to fly before, while Hermione recites rule after rule about flying and Quidditch from various texts she has read in the library. Neville receives a package from home called a Remembrall, a ball that tells you if you've forgotten something. Draco walks by and snags Neville's Remembrall, hoping to start a fight between the two houses. Professor McGonagall stops them and Draco returns the Remembrall.

Madame Hooch, the flying teacher, gathers the students together and teaches them the intricate method of mounting their brooms and lifting up into the air. When Neville attempts to fly, his broom zooms into the forest, leaving him fallen flat on the ground with a broken wrist. Madame Hooch tells everyone to stay put still while she takes him to the hospital. However, as soon as they are gone, Draco Malfoy steals the Remembrall and flies into the air alone, teasing Harry and his friends. An enraged Harry mounts his broom and flies after Malfoy, realizing the simplicity, joy, and wonder of flying through the air on a broom. He informs Malfoy that he is alone without his gang and catches the Remembrall as Malfoy flies down to the ground. Suddenly Professor McGonagall screams Harry's name in outrage, as he has flown in the air without permission and may now be expelled from Hogwarts. She leads him through the school to seek a boy named Oliver Wood, the head of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. After seeing Harry dive fifty feet and catch the Remembrall his first time on a broom, she realizes his power and skill, and gives him the position of Seeker on the Quidditch team. He is the only first year to ever have this honor and place. Ron is shocked to hear of such amazing news for his friend.

Topic Tracking: Good vs. Evil 5
Topic Tracking: Friendship 6

The older boys on the Quidditch team come up to Ron and Harry, who are eating in the banquet hall, excited to meet their new teammate. Malfoy and his gang also speak to Harry, wondering when he will be expelled. They are surprised to learn that he has been rewarded instead of punished for flying on his broom, and invite him to a midnight wizard's duel. Ron claims that Harry will accept and that he will be his second. Harry doesn't understand anything that is going on, but accepts to fight, nonetheless. After they have left, Hermione walks up to Harry and Ron, upset that they will fight. She thinks it selfish and unfair for Harry to go around at night losing points for Gryffindor.

When Ron and Harry exit Gryffindor Tower at approximately 11pm, Hermione is waiting for them near the exit to stop them from risking a loss of valuable points. She follows them out, and is locked out of the tower, for the hole through which they climbed - with the fat lady - is no longer there, and she must wait for her to return to the painting in order to go through the painting and into the Tower.

Topic Tracking: Magic 7

Hermione follows them to the duel. They walk through the classrooms and hope to find Malfoy. They find Neville waiting outside the Tower, healed from his arm injury, but confused as to the password to get back inside. Instead of finding Malfoy the four stumble across Filch speaking to his cat, Mrs. Norris. They fear getting caught and run through the trophy room. Ron realizes that they must return to Gryffindor as soon as possible. Hermione informs them that Malfoy had tricked them into venturing into the Trophy room against the rules. Filch chases them until they find themselves lost in a corridor - the forbidden corridor on the third floor. It is guarded by a large animal with three heads over a trapdoor.

"They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog which filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; thee drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs." Chapter 9, pg. 119

The kids run as fast as they can to escape death, this monstrous animal guarding, what Hermione reveals, is a trapdoor. The fat lady in the portrait has returned and Harry tells her the secret password of "pig snout." Her door opens and the kids climb through and fall asleep. Harry realizes that the only place more secure and safe than Gringotts is Hogwarts. Now, he realizes where the little package from the vault is located: under the trapdoor.

Chapter 10 - Hallowe'en

When Malfoy sees Harry and Ron the following day alive and well, he is shocked. Harry informs Ron of the mystery behind the object that was moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and the two spend the remainder of the day trying to decipher what it is. Neville and Hermione do not care what the mysterious object is. At lunch that day, the owl drops a package for Harry with a letter from McGonagall explaining what is inside. It is a Nimbus Two Thousand broom, the highest speed and latest model, given to Harry by the Gryffindor Quidditch team. McGonagall wants to keep this news quiet, since first years are not allowed broomsticks. Nonetheless, Harry is to meet Woods that afternoon for the team's first practice. Malfoy grabs Harry's package, realizes what it is, and is prepared to turn him in. However, Professor Flitwick suddenly appears, inquiring as to the chatter, congratulating Harry on his new broom and position on the Quidditch team. Malfoy is appalled and confused, wondering how Harry could be in such good standing with the professors. Harry informs Malfoy that it is all because of him that he is so lucky. Hermione walks up behind Ron and Harry, upset about them breaking the rules, yet again. She still does not care about the package or the broomstick and leaves in a huff with her nose in the air.

Harry finds his first Quidditch practice on the field with the older boys and Woods. Woods explains the entire game to him, that with seven players on each time, there are the positions of Chaser, Keeper, and Seeker, the ball is called the Quaffle, and the team hopes to snag the Snitch. Harry comments that the sport seems like basketball, only with broomsticks and six hoops. Harry flies in the air and catches so many balls that he impresses Woods and the rest of the teammates. He is compared to the great Quidditch player, Charlie Weasley, one of Ron's older brothers.

Two months goes by and Harry can hardly believe how comfortable he feels at Hogwarts. He is busy with classes, Quidditch practice, and mastering all the magic. One day in Charms class, the students begin to make feathers fly. Ron has difficulty pronouncing a spell and Hermione helps him. Hers works perfectly and her feather flies, causing the teacher to congratulate her in public. Ron makes a derogatory comment behind her back to Harry about her lack of friends and pompous attitude. Harry sees Hermione leave the class in tears. They find out that she is absent for the rest of the day, crying in the bathroom.

Topic Tracking: Magic 8
Topic Tracking: Friendship 7

Later, that day, Professor Quirrell runs down the hall frantically claiming that there is a monstrous troll loose in the basement. At Dumbledore's request, the older kids lead everyone out to safekeeping. Ron and Harry, however, remember that Hermione doesn't know about the troll. They decide to leave the group to find her and save her. They see Snape roaming the campus outside the group, away from where he should be. In their search, they begin to smell something foul and find themselves in direct contact with the troll.

"It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite grey, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holing a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long." Chapter 10, pg. 129

Harry and Ron decide to lock it inside the chamber. Yet, when the walk away, they hear a high-pitched scream that belongs to Hermione, also locked inside the women's bathroom chamber with the giant troll. They go back inside to save her in an enormous fight against the monster. Harry jumps on its neck and sticks his wand inside one of its nostrils, causing it severe pain, while Ron uses his wand to retrieve Harry's. Eventually, they overtake the troll through magic and survive unscathed. Professor McGonagall finds the three students and is furious. Hermione lies to her, claiming that she wanted to go and fight the troll on her own, and Ron and Harry found and saved her. McGonagall is infuriated with Hermione, for she cannot believe that such a perfect girl has suddenly done something horribly wrong. She docks Gryffindor five points for Hermione's behavior and adds on ten points for Harry's bravery. They return to Gryffindor through the fat lady's picture and become three musketeers - an inseparable trio of friends.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 8
Topic Tracking: Good vs. Evil 6

Chapter 11 - Quidditch

November rolls around and the weather becomes bitterly cold. The Quidditch season has also begun, with Harry Potter as the secret weapon for Gryffindor. Hermione is a huge help to Harry with his studies and his practice. He learns more about the sport from a library book, which he hopes to keep:

"Harry learnt that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara desert." Chapter 11, pg. 132

Meanwhile, Hermione becomes more relaxed about breaking rules and hanging out with her new friends. She creates a small fire in a jar that she carries around with her and uses to keep warm with Ron and Harry. They spy Snape from afar, who seems to be limping. He limps over to speak with them, inquiring about their possessions. Harry remarks that he is simply carrying a book. Snape docks Gryffindor five points for taking a book out of the school when it is not allowed. Harry decides to ask Snape for his book back, so he finds him speaking with Filch. Snape's robes are lifted over his legs and his feet are mangled and bloody. When he sees Harry, he screams at him to leave. Harry informs his friend of Snape's torn legs and that he had probably tried to get past the three legged dog and to the package in hiding.

The first big Quidditch game of the season arrives and all of Harry's friends cheer him on with signs that say "Potter for President" and the like. Harry is terrified and excited at the same time as he listens to Woods pre-game motivational speech. When the game begins, its goes well. However, halfway through, Harry's Nimbus Two Thousand seems to fly out of control, vibrating, flying higher and higher, throwing Harry off, terrifying the crowd. The team tries to reach him or at least catch him, but the broom doesn't allow it. Hermione, Hagrid, and Ron are all in the crowd fearing for their friend's life, when Hermione spots Snape across the stands. She realizes that he is casting a magic spell on Harry's broom and must be stopped. She makes her way to the other side of the stand and sets Snape's robes on fire, quelling the spell on the broom. Harry returns to land safely and joins his two friends in Hagrid's hut for tea and conversation. Hagrid informs his little wizards that Snape couldn't possibly know what is in hiding and he could never harm a Hogwart student. Unfortunately, Hagrid slips out some information regarding the precious package in hiding. It concerns only Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel. Hermione, Ron, and Harry take this information and use it to decipher the next portion of their tale.

Topic Tracking: Good vs. Evil 7

Chapter 12 - The Mirror of Erised

Christmas time arrives and everyone gets ready to go home for the holidays. Everyone leaves except for Harry and Ron, who are thrilled to stay at Hogwarts together. Malfoy taunts Harry about having no family (and more so no family who cares about him) and Ron for having no money. He provokes Ron into fighting with him just as Snape walks into the room. Snape docks Gryffindor five points for fighting, despite his provocation by Malfoy. Ron hates him deeply and vows to get him, while Harry admits that he hates both Malfoy and Snape. Hagrid takes them to the Great Hall where they admire Professors McGonagall and Flitwick's decorations.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry visit the library to seek information on Nicholas Flamel, much to Hagrid's warning and chagrin. They can find nothing and ask Hermione if she can ask her parents anything while she is home on vacation. She will, but also thinks they will know nothing since they are both muggle dentists.

Topic Tracking: Hopes and Desires 5

During vacation, Ron and Harry spend time eating and carousing in the empty halls. They are so busy having fun that they even forget to research information on Flamel. On Christmas morning, Harry awakens to a bundle of packages and presents for him. He is surprised, for he never expected even one gift. There is a fifty pence piece from the Dursleys, a Chocolate Frog from Hermione, a Weasley jumper, (a piece of family clothing knitted by Ron's mother), and finally a rare and valuable Invisibility Cloak, from an anonymous source. The cloak came with a note from someone who said that it belonged to Harry's father prior to his death and that he should use it well. Ron has always wanted one and is thrilled at seeing it in the hands of someone so close to him. The rest of the Weasleys burst into the room, all wearing their respective jumpers, and beckon the family together for Christmas dinner. Christmas dinner is a beauteous occasion, with Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Hagrid all feeling warm and emotional. Harry is amazed by all the candy, food, and gifts, far better than anything he could ever have imagined or wanted with the Dursleys. The remainder of Christmas day consists of the Weasley's fighting each other in a playful game of snowball.

As Harry goes to bed alone that night, he is preoccupied with his Invisibility Cloak and who sent it to him. It belonged to his father and he knows he must use it well. With the cloak, he has all of Hogwarts to discover, and realizes he can do so without the interference of Filch. Harry ventures to the restricted section of the library so that he may discover information on Nicholas Flamel. As he opens a book, it lets out a massive scream, informing Filch that an intruder is inside the library.

Topic Tracking: Magic 9

Harry looks around at the old, moldy, untitled, creepy books, and is frightened. He sees Snape come to Filch's cry, as they search for the intruder. In his cloak, Harry rushes away and hides in a nearby room. He discovers a mirror inside the room that is as high as the ceiling and decorated with gold and an inscription on the top. As he looks deeply at the mirror, he is terrified because he sees no reflection. He looks closer and sees about ten people staring back at him. A woman appears to wave to Harry, and a man puts his arm around her. She has the same eyes as Harry and he has the same tuft of hair. Harry realizes that this is his family.

"They just looked at him, smiling. And slowly, Harry looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror and saw other pairs of green eyes like his, other noses like his, even a little old man who looked as though he had Harry's knobbly knees - Harry was looking at his family, for the first time in his life...The Potters smiled and waved at Harry and he stared hungrily back at them, his hands pressed flat against the glass as though he was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. He had a powerful kind of ache inside him, half joy, half terrible sadness." Chapter 12, pg. 151

Harry is so excited that he runs to fetch Ron to show him his family. Although exhausted, Ron travels under the cloak to the Mirror of Erised to see Harry's family. However, when Ron looks at the mirror, he only sees Harry. When Ron looks at him for himself, he sees himself as an older, successful captain of Quidditch. They wonder if the mirror sees the future. Harry knows that it cannot for his entire family is dead. Ron worries about getting caught by Filch and pulls him away. The next day Harry rushes off to the mirror, yet again, to sit with his family. This time, however, Dumbledore sees him and explains the power of the mirror. It shows people's desires and wishes.

"'It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible.'" Chapter 12, pg. 157

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Dumbledore further informs Harry that the mirror will be moved the next day to another place. Harry should not waste any more of his time searching for it, because it is far better to live each day to its fullest than dwelling on dreams. When Harry asks Dumbledore what he sees when he looks in the mirror, he replies that he sees himself with a pair of thick woolen socks.

Chapter 13 - Nicholas Flamel

Harry preoccupies himself with schoolwork and constant Quidditch practice, fueled by an insistent Wood. Snape will referee the upcoming game against Hufflepuff, causing a frenzy amongst the young wizards. Hermione and Ron urge him not to play; however, he is the only Seeker on the team and must play for the team to win. Hermione is slightly frustrated that Harry and Ron did little work to find information on Flamel while she was at home. Yet, one day while Ron and Hermione are playing wizard's chess (the one magical thing at which Hermione is not skilled), Neville comes racing to find them with his legs stuck together from the Leg-Locker Curse placed by Malfoy. Hermione fixes his legs while Harry tells him that he is far superior to Malfoy and deserves to be a part of Gryffindor, no matter what Malfoy says. Harry gives him the remaining Chocolate Frog as a gift. However, as Harry opens the wrapper, he looks on the back of the card. It is Dumbledore's and mentions the name, Nicholas Flamel as a partner. Hermione runs to gather one of her books and reads aloud the passage about Flamel. He is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone, a fact which beguiles Hermione and means nothing to Ron and Harry. They realize that Flamel, who is six hundred and forty-five years old, is not in the recent wizard's book because he is so old, and must have asked his friend, Dumbledore, to take it from Gringotts and guard it for him. Snape must be after it, for its magical powers turn everything into gold and grants everlasting life.

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As the big game draws near, Harry knows that he must play Quidditch so that Gryffindor can defeat Slytherin. However, he wonders how he can do so with such a biased referee as Snape. Snape's classes, furthermore, are torture for Harry, as he constantly picks on him and treats him worse than everyone else. Harry believes that Snape has the ability to read minds.

Hermione and Ron fear Harry's impending doom on the Quidditch field. Everyone is in the stands, including Dumbledore, which places Harry's mind at ease, for he doesn't believe that Snape will try to harm him in front of the old wizard. Malfoy instigates Ron and Neville at the start of the game and jumps on Ron, wrestling him. In the course of five minutes, Harry captures the Snitch on his Nimbus Two Thousand and wins the game for Gryffindor in an unprecedented time and move, giving them enough points that places them in the lead. Ron misses the entire game during his fight with Malfoy, Snape appears angry and embittered, and Dumbledore congratulates Harry on not wasting too much time in front of the Mirror of Erised.

Harry flies on his Nimbus Two Thousand near the forest and sees Snape enter to speak with Quirrell. Snape threatens Quirrell and informs him that no students are supposed to know about the Sorcerer's Stone. He leaves Quirrell alone, stuttering, and seemingly terrified in the forest.

Harry returns to his friends celebrating in Gryffindor. Ron has given Malfoy a black eye while Neville has taken on his gang of friends. Harry informs his friends of the conversation he just overheard, thinking that Snape is trying to get Quirrell to help him get past the three-headed dog and abscond with the Stone. They believe that as long as Quirrell can stand up to Snape, the Stone is safe. Ron thinks they have only until Tuesday to do something about it.

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Chapter 14 - Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback

Over the following weeks, the three friends are overly friendly towards Quirrell and attempt to get all of their peers to do the same. Hermione, however, begins to fret extensively about the final examinations, which must be passed in order to advance to a second year at Hogwarts. They meet Hagrid, again, and ask him questions about the Sorcerer's Stone and what else is guarding it, aside from Fluffy the monster-dog. Hagrid is shocked that they know about it, and agrees to tell them more information in private. Hagrid is hiding a small dragon behind his back, a pet he has wanted for years. Ron informs them that it is illegal to breed dragons.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione visit Hagrid in his hut to inquire more about the Stone. After Hagrid tells them that all the teachers know about guarding it - including Snape - and that nobody knows how to get past Fluffy except he and Dumbledore, he shows them the black egg of a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon. Hermione believes him to be mad to raise such a fire-breathing animal, for he lives in a wooden house. Hagrid send a note to Harry several days later that the egg is hatching. The three friends visit Hagrid in his hut and witness the birth of the dragon, which Hagrid names Norbert. However, they notice that Malfoy is standing outside the hut and knows about the illegal dragon. In due time, the dragon begins to grow, bites Ron's hand, and causes Hagrid to neglect his duties. Hagrid agrees to dispose of the dragon, only if he can send it to Charlie Weasley in Romania. Charlie agrees to take the dragon, only if they can get it to the tallest tower at midnight that Saturday, where his friends will carry it away. They agree to do so in order to rid themselves of the stress of Norbert and Malfoy.

Unfortunately, Ron's bitten hand is swollen and infected, and he must be taken to the hospital. When Hermione and Harry visit him, they worry that Malfoy knows about the Saturday escape, for he has the book with the note from Charlie. They realize they have no time and must take care of the dragon immediately, and inform Hagrid, who is saddened and tearful at the loss of his baby dragon friend. As they make their way to the top of the spiral staircase with Norbert boxed in - all invisible - they run into McGonagall pulling Malfoy away and giving him detention for being out after hours. When he claims that Harry Potter is coming with an illegal dragon, she accuses him of lies. Thrilled at such retribution, they continue to the top of the tower where Charlie's friends take away Norbert. When they make their way back down the spiral staircase to return to Gryffindor, they are stopped by Filch. They have carelessly left the Invisibility Cloak on top of the tower.

Chapter 15 - The Forbidden Forest

Harry and his friend are terrified of the trouble in which they find themselves.

"Hermione was trembling. Excuses, alibis and wild cover-up stories chased each other around Harry's brain, each more feeble than the last. He couldn't see how they were going to get out of trouble this time. They were cornered. How could they have been so stupid as to forget the cloak? There was no reason on earth the Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let alone being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the invisibility cloak and they might as well be packing their bags already." Chapter 15, pg. 177

McGonagall holds Neville in her clutches, who claims to be out of bed warning Harry and his friends about Malfoy. McGonagall is so outraged that she gives the three detention and docks fifty points each from Gryffindor - the exact amount he had just won for the team at the Quiddtich game. Because of such an enormous loss, rumors spread throughout Hogwarts about Harry destroying Gryffindor's chances of winning. He becomes the horror and hatred of all students. "From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated...Everywhere Harry went, people pointed and didn't trouble to lower their voices as they insulted him" Chapter 15, pg. 179. Ron is the only person who stands behind Harry.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 9

Harry even offers to resign from the Quidditch team; but Wood does not allow him to do so because he is needed to win back the points he lost. Hermione keeps to herself, and the three are engrossed in study until a week prior to exams. Harry overhears Quirrell speaking to someone, sobbing that he will do something. He assumes that Quirrell is speaking with Snape, but never sees him. Harry joins his friends studying in the library, and seeks information still on how to get past Fluffy, for he believes Snape is prepared to steal the Sorcerer's Stone.

Harry and Hermione receive a note from McGonagall informing them that they must serve their detention that evening. With Malfoy and Neville, they report to her and learn that they must help Hagrid with some work in the forest. Terrified, they divide up into groups of two, searching for a silvery liquid (Unicorn blood) that is spilled throughout the ground. They must clean it up. Harry, Hagrid, and Hermione go one way, while Malfoy, Neville, and Fang (Hagrid's animal helper) go another. Harry, Hagrid, and Hermione meet Ronan and Bane, two friendly centaurs. While they look up in admiration of Mars, they see red arrows of alert and find the others in need. Apparently Malfoy had frightened Neville, who sent the red arrows. Frustrated with such childish behavior, Hagrid takes over Malfoy and Neville, while Fang, Hermione, and Harry venture farther into the forest. There is more silvery unicorn blood splattered over the trees and ground. Harry walks deeper into the forest until he discovers the beautiful, innocent white unicorn lying dead on the ground. As soon as Harry sees it, he, Malfoy, and Fang are frightened by another visitor.

"Harry had taken one stop towards it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered...Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, it lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood." Chapter 15, pg. 187

As soon as they see this figure, Harry feels a sharp, horrible pain in his scar, rendering him useless and immobile, cringing on the ground. A centaur named Firenze comes to him, realizing that he is Harry Potter, explains the events, and tries to fly him out of the forest. Only a desperate creature will kill an innocent animal and drink its blood to survive - only a creature such as Voldemort. Ronan and Bane chastise Firenze for lowering himself to help a human on its back; however, Firenze sees what is written in the stars and knows he must save Harry. Voldemort is after the Sorcerer's Stone, hidden in Hogwarts, and is staying alive now through Unicorn blood.

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When they return to Gryffindor, Harry and Hermione awaken Ron to retell the events of the evening. Harry is frantic and Ron is terrified to hear about the forest and Voldemort. They believe Snape wants the Stone for Voldemort and know they must do something about it, or else Voldemort will come and kill Harry. They talk until morning, when Harry finds his Invisibility Cloak returned to him with a note that says, "Just in case."

Chapter 16 - Through the Trapdoor

Harry struggles to get through the exam period with the fear of Voldemort constantly in his mind and his dreams. Furthermore, his scar continues to cause him stabbing pain since the adventure in the forest. After their final exam of History of Magic with Professor Binns, everyone cheers and relaxes in his or her own way. They do not find out their marks for at least one week, so Ron believes there is no reason to worry. Harry continues to wonder why his scar plagues him, thinking it a warning of impending danger. Hermione and Ron continue to appease Harry by reminding him that he and the Stone are safe, so long as Dumbledore is alive and well. Unfortunately, Harry is not appeased, for he feels like he has forgotten to do something important. Hermione tells him that it's just the exams that he is worried about, but he does not agree. His fear and worry plagues his every thought and action. Suddenly, he realizes that Hagrid is the only other person who knows how to get through the trapdoor and believes that he was tricked into telling the secret to whoever gave him the dragon egg. When they find him, they trick him to blurt out the way he won his dragon egg - through a drunken bet to a cloaked man - and that the way to tame Fluffy is to play music. The three rush off to find Dumbledore to warn him about Voldemort and run into McGonagall. She informs them that Dumbledore is out for the day. They insist upon seeing him and vocalize their knowledge about the Sorcerer's Stone. When they are forced to leave, they bump into Snape, who warns them not to be inside on such a day, for it looks suspicious, and Gryffindor cannot afford to lose any more points due to suspicion.

Hermione is to guard Snape, while Ron is to guard McGonagall. Unfortunately, their plan falls through, for both professors race after the three children, threatening to take away more points. Harry, passionate and enraged, plans to go and seek the stone that very night, regardless of the chance of expulsion. If he doesn't, then Voldemort will return, kill him, and destroy all of Hogwarts. Death is imminent and he will do whatever he needs in order to defeat the creature who killed his parents. Ron and Hermione vow to accompany him under the Invisibility Cloak. They will not allow him to go alone.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 10

The three travel through Gryffindor. They are stopped by an enraged Neville who does not want to allow them to escape and break the rules again. After they plead with him and try to explain the importance of their actions, Hermione places a full body bind spell on him, rendering him immobile and speechless. When they pass several corridors, they see Snape and Fluffy. Harry instructs Ron to get Hagrid if anything happens to him. Then, Hermione plays the flute Harry got from Hagrid for Christmas, and Fluffy falls asleep. Harry then falls through the trapdoor onto a soft plant below. He yells to them that he is safe. They fall down after him into the Devil's Snare, the large plant made of snake tendrils that suffocate the three young wizards. Hermione thinks hard and tells them to relax. She drops out of it and uses her magic on the plant, freeing Ron and Harry. They are thrilled now that she paid attention during Herbology class. The next step is to pass through a wooden door guarded by hundreds of seeming small flying birds. However, the small flying animals are actually keys (with wings), and Harry must fly on his broomstick and find the silver key that opens the door. "They seized a broomstick each and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one." Chapter 16, pg. 203

After Ron crashes, Harry, the expert Seeker, mounts his broom and snags the feathery silver key, already used by the previous creature seeking the Stone. They walk into a dark room. The room suddenly is lit by a bright light and set as a giant chess board. Ron, the expert chess player, tells his friends that they are lousy chess players and takes control of the game. In wizard's chess, the players literally fight and destroy each other, dragging the pieces to the side. After half the game, Ron is left on a knight and realizes that he must be sacrificed in order for Harry to win and find Voldemort and the Stone. Hermione and Harry desperately try to stop Ron from sacrificing himself, but he continues and is thrown off the horse and dragged unconscious to the side of the board by the White Queen.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 11

When they finish the game, they are in the next room, a room filled with a horrible stench and a table of bottles. When they step into the room, a purple fire surrounds them, with black flames in the doorway ahead. On the table is a puzzle.

"Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,
Two of us will help you, whichever you would find.
One among us seven will let you move ahead,
Another will transport the drinker back instead,
Two among our numbers hold only nettle wine,
Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.
Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:
First, however slyly the poison tries to hide
You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;
Second, different are those who stand at either end,
But if you would move onwards, neither is your friend;
Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,
Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;
Fourth, the second left and the second on the right
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight."
Chapter 16, pg. 206-207

Hermione is thrilled, for she answers the puzzle immediately, they drink the small bottle and proceed. Hermione throws her arms around Harry telling him how wonderful a wizard he is. Harry tells her the same. She responds that she is a good studier and is clever, but that friendship and bravery are the most important things. Hermione then walks through the flames to return to help Ron and get help from Dumbledore, while Harry walks in the other direction to the next room. However, when he reaches the next and final chamber, he finds a new surprise. The creature awaiting him is neither Snape nor Voldemort.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 12

Chapter 17 - The Man with Two Faces

Harry is shocked to see Quirrell standing in the final chamber. After several ropes bind his body, preventing all movement, Quirrell explains that it is he, not Snape, who tried to kill him, let out the troll in the school, and who is trying to steal the Stone. Snape is an easy scapegoat, as he made himself quite unpopular with all his suspicious antics. The Mirror of Erised is inside the chamber and Quirrell claims through it is the only way to find the stone. Harry tries to keep Quirrell from concentrating on the mirror. Quirrell informs Harry that Snape does in fact hate Harry, for he studied at Hogwarts with Harry's father; however, he does not wish him dead. Harry also inquires about the threat that he thought he heard from a sobbing Quirrell. Quirrell claims that it is sometimes difficult to follow his master's instructions, for he is a great wizard, and he was there with Quirrell that day in the classroom.

"'He is with me wherever I go,' said Quirrell quietly. 'I met him when I traveled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it...Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me.' Quirrell shivered suddenly. 'He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me ... decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me.'" Chapter 17, pg. 211

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Topic Tracking: Good vs. Evil 10

As Harry listens to Quirrell, he remembers when he met him in Diagon Alley and is angry with himself for not seeing the truth then. Quirrell looks at the mirror, desperate to learn how to use it to find the stone. He speaks to his master, begging for help. A voice from within Quirrell speaks loudly, telling him to use Harry to get to it. The ropes fall away from Harry and he walks in front of the mirror. He wishes to find the stone first so that he may save everyone. He tells Quirrell that he sees himself shaking hands with Dumbledore after winning the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor. He then truly sees himself winking and then feeling the stone drop into his actual pocket. He walks away, trying to escape, once he knows what he holds. However, the high pitched voice continues to harass Quirrell to kill Harry, for he knows that Harry has the stone. Harry cannot believe that he knows this and wants to speak to Voldemort face to face. Quirrell unwraps his turban to reveal a ghastly site of a gray, ugly, flattened face on top of Quirrell's. Voldemort is weak and must use other bodies for his own life. He is sustained on Unicorn blood until he can get the stone and Elixir of Life, which will make him his own body.

"'See what I have become?' the face said. 'Mere shadow and vapour...I have form only when I can share another's body...but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds...Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks...you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest...and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own...Now...why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"' Chapter 17, pg. 213

Voldemort continues to harass Harry, by taunting him about his parent's deaths and how he will die, as well. Quirrell attacks Harry, strangling him, meanwhile causing Harry's scar the most excruciating pain imaginable. Although Harry's head seems to be splitting in two, Quirrell's hands seem to be burning in just as much pain. After Harry hits Quirrell's face and he winces in pain, Harry realizes that he cannot touch him without feeling pain. So, Harry grabs hold of Quirrell and holds onto him as tight as possible, all-the-while hearing Voldemort screaming to kill him. He falls into blackness.

Topic Tracking: Good vs. Evil 11

When he awakens, he sees Dumbledore over him, hoping for his recovery. He looks around and realizes that he is in the hospital and that everything has passed. Dumbledore had received the message and found Harry in just enough time to pull Quirrell off of him. However, he feared that Harry was dead, due to the pain and injury. Everyone in the school knows what transpired and everyone is cheering for him, especially Ron and Hermione. Dumbledore informs Harry that the Stone has been destroyed. Harry worries about Nicholas Flamel, for he realizes that with the Stone destroyed, he will die. Dumbledore explains that Flamel and his wife have lived a long life and are ready to go.

"'To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all - the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things which are worst for them.'" Chapter 17, pg. 215

Dumbledore continues to explain that Voldemort is not dead, although he left his host, Quirrell, to die. As he is not living, he cannot be killed, but currently cannot cause harm. He will continue to try and come back, and Harry successfully delayed that catastrophe. Harry continues to ask questions and Dumbledore responds with only the truth - for it is a beautiful and terrible thing - and something that Harry may only know when he is ready and older. Harry does wonder why his mother was killed trying to save Harry and why Quirrell winced in pain when he touched him.

"'Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leave its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign...to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good.'" Chapter 17, pg. 216

Dumbledore informs Harry that he continued to bring Harry his father's Invisibility Cloak, so that he may have some fun with it, just like his father did in years past. He continues to answer questions concerning Snape and the Stone. Snape and Harry's father were rivals (similar to Malfoy and Harry), and after saving Snape's life, he felt forever indebted to a dead man. He worked very hard protecting Harry during the year so that he could pay back his debt to Harry's father, and hate his memory in peace. Finally, Dumbledore explains how Harry got the stone in his pocket. Only someone who wanted to find the stone and not use it, would actually be able to find it. If not, then they would look into the mirror and see gold or the Elixir Of Life - not the stone. He tells Harry to start eating all of his candy and leaves.

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Madame Pomfrey, the nurse on duty, allows Ron and Hermione to visit Harry briefly, as they have been worried about their friend for days. Harry retells his story about the mirror and the turban and the stone, and of Dumbledore's advice. Ron informs Harry that Slytherin won the last Quidditch match and the cup, but the end of the year feast is the following day and should be fun nonetheless.

Hagrid is the next to visit Harry in the hospital. He apologizes profusely for telling Quirrell about Fluffy and feels responsible for Harry's near death experience. Harry calms him down, offers him a Chocolate Frog, and opens Hagrid's get-well present: a leather-covered book of wizard photographs, all smiling back at him.

Harry ventures to the Great Hall for the feast alone, causing a hush over the entire crowd when he enters. Slytherin celebrates their victory until Dumbledore announces some changes and additions. He awards fifty points to Ron for excellence in chess, fifty to Hermione for excellence in the purple fires, and sixty to Harry for bravery and courage in the face of danger. Gryffindor is now tied with Slytherin. Then, he gives ten small points to Neville for standing up against others - his only points ever earned and the few that pushed Gryffindor into the winner's circle. All three houses erupt in cheers, for Gryffindor had taken the championship away from Slytherin in a long awaited victory. It is the best evening of Harry's life.

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As everyone departs for the summer vacations, they bid each other goodbye and make plans to visit. The train departs Hogwarts and enters at King's Cross Station. Harry thanks Mrs. Weasley for the jumper and fudge, while Ron's little sister is mesmerized by his presence. Surprisingly Uncle Vernon appears at the station prepared to take Harry back to his miserable home, still embarrassed and outraged at such freakish magic. Harry looks forward to going home for the first time, for the Dursley's don't know that he is not supposed to use magic over the vacation. He plans to have a lot of fun with Dudley while living at 4 Privet Drive.

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