harry potter and the philosopher's stone essay

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

By j.k. rowling.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is one of the most popular children's books ever written. It is a story about the triumph of love and bravery over evil.

Article written by Mohandas Alva

M.A. Degree in English Literature from Manipal University, India.

‘ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ‘ is a very engaging read for children and adults alike. Since it is the first book in this series, we are introduced to an entirely new world in this book. The world of magic slowly builds itself as we read through the book. The genius of this book is using the protagonist Harry’s discovery of this world to parallel the readers’.

Furthermore, despite several hardships and literally being an orphan who never knew love, Harry still recognizes love and affection when he sees it. While this book is memorable for a plethora of reasons, some elements of Rowling’s writing triumph as winners.

Discovering the Story World and Magic as a Metaphor

J. K. Rowling does a great job writing this story with an omniscient third-person narrative but still keeping the narrator wherever Harry is for a major part of this book. This makes the reader’s fascination and interest in the world of magic as new and real as Harry’s. We are introduced to several facts and significant peculiarities of the world of magic, all of which seem very consistently developed, adding authenticity to it. 

While there are a lot of similarities between the real world and the world of magic, the differences are usually peculiar and downright funny at times. Platform nine and three-quarters, running through a brick wall, ghosts roaming freely and talking to living people, and many other peculiarities add to the charm of creating an interesting story world. One could go on to theorize that calling non-magic people muggles and portraying the Dursleys as ordinary people who hate things like magic has a metaphorical purpose. 

It furthers the cause and appeals to the readers to be more imaginative and creative. Magic is a metaphor for imagination in this case. The Dursleys are scared of anything out of the ordinary. They spend their entire day doing mundane tasks they assign meaning to and criticize almost anything and anyone that doesn’t fit their design.

On the contrary, Harry, despite being ill-treated and not loved by the Dursleys, has a flair for imagination and creativity. It didn’t take very long for him to get used to the wizarding ways, and he very clearly had the potential to do great things after all. This book is, in its essence, an inspiration for readers to make dreams come true and bravely follow their dreams despite obstacles. It is an apt narrative for children who, at their age, tend to discover new things and ideas to develop. 

Good vs Evil and Heroism

The trope of a savior standing up to the tyrant is not new. However, ‘ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ‘ being a children’s book, delves into this slowly. When Harry is unaware of magic and thinks that his parents died in an accident, he is a normal child with very little to think about good, evil, and the need for heroism.

However, once he is informed of the actual circumstances of his parents’ death and after discovering magic, he gains new insights, and his worldview significantly changes. His sense of responsibility and the need to stop Voldemort at any cost from getting to the Philosopher’s Stone set the path for his heroism. This transition happens slowly, yet it feels very natural. He doesn’t know what he will do if he faces Voldemort. Despite this naive understanding of the consequences, he still chooses to face Voldemort. 

This portrayal of heroism is quite commendable as it appeals to the very cause of wanting to stop the wrongdoing. The fact that an eleven-year-old boy and his two friends thwart a feared dark wizard from stealing the Philosopher’s Stone in a school that has so many adults who are way more experienced and well-equipped to do it portrays heroism in its purest form. Heroism is more the choice to take action against evil than the ability to stop evil. This book does a good job illustrating this subtlety.

Sacrifice in Harry Potter

Sacrifice is an essential part of this novel. The story of ‘ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ‘ uses sacrifice to define both friendship and love. Harry’s parents die because they sacrifice themselves to protect Harry. Ron sacrifices himself while playing Wizard chess. Several people who fought in the war against Voldemort sacrificed themselves for the well-being of the collective community. 

The trope of sacrifice plays a major role in setting up differences in morality between the good and the evil. As Dumbledore points out to Harry, Voldemort does not understand love. The fact that Harry understands love and values it, sets a specific difference in the choices that Harry and Lord Voldemort make.

Harry is willing to sacrifice himself when he takes over the task of protecting the Philosopher’s Stone. On the contrary, Voldemort uses others for his selfish motives. This stark difference between willing to sacrifice oneself and using others as a shield to protect oneself makes all the difference and definitively separates good and evil in this book.

Why was Harry Potter banned?

Harry Potter was banned in a catholic school in Nashville, Tennessee, because of fear of evil spirits. Some other places have also banned Harry Potter books for similar religious fears. Some religious leaders were concerned that the spells and enchantments mentioned in the book were real and that they could summon evil spirits and dark magic.

Is  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone  worth reading for an adult?

‘ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ‘ is definitely worth reading for an adult. While it was written as a children’s book, it has outlived this label, and there are people of all ages who not only read these books but also engage in community discussions and have fun playing games inspired by these books. Many people have found reading this book a very rewarding experience, as is evident from the sales and fame this book has garnered across all demographics.

Should I read  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone  or watch the movie? 

While the movie is undoubtedly well-made and a thrill to watch, the books are far more detailed and a very thrilling read. Most people who have both read the books and watched the movies always choose the former as a better experience. Furthermore, there are several interesting and amusing characters and scenes in the book that the movie couldn’t incorporate. So, one would be missing out on a lot if one doesn’t read ‘ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. ‘

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Review - A Thrilling Read

Book Title: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Book Description: 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' by J.K. Rowling is an enchanting, generation-defining tale of a young wizard's magical journey.

Book Author: J.K. Rowling

Book Edition: First UK Edition

Book Format: Hardcover

Publisher - Organization: Bloomsbury

Date published: June 26, 1997

Illustrator: Thomas Taylor

ISBN: 1-4088-5565-2

Number Of Pages: 309

• Writing Style
• Lasting effect on the reader

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Book Review

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J K Rowling is a thrilling read that hooks the reader from page one. Published in the year 1997, it is one of the highest grossing novels ever written. Some elements of the novel like its elaborate yet accessible world-building makes it a very entertaining read for children and adults alike. It follows the story of an orphan boy named Harry Potter who realizes he is a wizard and the rest of the book records his journey as a young wizard in Hogwarts, a school of magic. This book, and the series as a whole have been a definitive part of an entire generation’s childhood and have garnered very high praise as an entertaining read.

• The plot is entertaining and is a very immersive read.
• Has a lot of early lessons for children on morality.
• The characters are well developed and the story world is well structured and interesting.
• The writing style may be a bit rudimentary for adult avid readers.
• Several instances of Deux Ex Machina make the protagonist’s position very safe and lacking any real danger.
• Some mild instances of body shaming exist within the novel.

Harry Potter Quiz

Summon your wit and wisdom—our Harry Potter Trivia Quiz awaits you! Do you have the knowledge to claim the title of Master Witch or Wizard? Take the challenge now!

1) Who was the Peverell brother that owned the invisibility cloak?

2) What is the core ingredient of the wand owned by Harry Potter?

3) What is the name of Harry Potter's pet owl?

4) What form does Hermione Granger's Patronus take?

5) What animal represents Hufflepuff house?

6) What is the name of the goblin-made object that is supposed to bring its owner prosperity, but also brings them into conflict with goblins?

7) Which creature can transform into a person's worst fear?

8) In which Harry Potter book does Harry first speak Parseltongue?

9) Who originally owned the Elder Wand before Dumbledore won it?

10) Which potion did Hermione brew in her second year that allowed her, Ron, and Harry to assume the identities of Slytherins?

11) Which object is NOT one of the Deathly Hallows?

12) What is the name of the goblin who helps Harry, Ron, and Hermione break into Gringotts?

13) Which spell is used to open the Marauder's Map?

14) What was the last Horcrux to be destroyed?

15) What is the name of the train that takes students to Hogwarts?

16) What potion is known as "Liquid Luck"?

17) Which character is killed by Bellatrix Lestrange in the Battle of Hogwarts?

18) In the "Order of the Phoenix," who is NOT a member of the original Order of the Phoenix shown in the old photograph that Moody shows Harry?

19) Who teaches Herbology at Hogwarts?

20) What specific type of dragon does Harry face during the Triwizard Tournament?

21) What is the name of the book Hermione gives to Harry before his first ever Quidditch match?

22) Who is the Half-Blood Prince?

23) What is Dumbledore's full name?

24) What does the Mirror of Erised show?

25) What creature is Aragog?

26) What does the incantation "Obliviate" do?

27) What is the effect of the Cheering Charm?

28) What are the dying words of Severus Snape in both the book and the film "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"?

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About Mohandas Alva

Mohandas is very passionate about deciphering the nature of language and its role as a sole medium of storytelling in literature. His interests sometimes digress from literature to philosophy and the sciences but eventually, the art and craft of narrating a significant story never fail to thrill him.

About the Book

The Harry Potter section of Book Analysis analyzes and explorers the Harry Potter series. The characters, names, terminology, and all related indicia are trademarks of Warner Bros ©. The content on Book Analysis was created by Harry Potter fans, with the aim of providing a thorough in-depth analysis and commentary to complement and provide an additional perspective to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

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A review of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone By J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone By J. K. Rowling Bloomsbury Pub Ltd Paperback: 224 pages, Feb 2000, ISBN-13: 978-0747532743

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling is a book about bravery and courage. As Professor Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, says “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”

I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it for muggles aged eleven and up. This is the first in the seven book Harry Potter series. I think readers must read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone before reading the other books in the series, as this book sets the scene for the Harry Potter world.

As the title suggests, the main character in this book is Harry James Potter, also known as the boy who lived. The book follows Harry in his first year at Hogwarts, where he meets Hermione Jean Granger, a genius, and Ronald Bilius Weasley, a red head with six siblings.

When he was just a baby, Harry’s parents were killed by a Dark Arts wizard named Voldemort. Voldemort also tried to kill Harry but failed, leaving Harry with a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on his forehead, and giving him the title the boy who lived. On the night of his parents’ death, Harry was placed on the doorstep of his aunt and uncle, the Dursley’s, much to their displeasure.

“Harry – yer a wizard” Harry was told on his eleventh birthday. With this news, he left the Dursley’s grasp for Hogwarts.

Harry, Ron and Hermione discover that in a room in the Forbidden Corridor on the third floor at Hogwarts, covered by spells and curses, lays the one and only Philosopher’s Stone – a stone that can transform any metal into pure gold and also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. During his time at Hogwarts, Harry develops the feeling that his potions teacher Professor Snape hates him, and has a gut feeling that Snape will try and steal the stone. One night, Harry, Ron and Hermione sneak up to the Forbidden Corridor to get the stone before Snape does. The trio pass through challenging obstacles. In the end, Harry has to finish the mission on his own and to his surprise, it’s not at all what he expected.

The theme of this story is magic and mystery. Nothing is as it seems, with changes at every turn.

This book is unlike any other; J. K. Rowling has opened the door to a whole new world of reading. Those readers who enjoy the Scarlet and Ivy series by Sophie Cleverly should also enjoy the Harry Potter series.

About the reviewer: Cleo was Commended in the 2019 Hunter Writers’ Centre/Compulsive Reader Review competition. She is in Grade 6 and her favourite subjects are novel study, reading groups and writing. Cleo has participated in the Premier’s Reading Challenge since she started school. Cleo plays as the Goal Shooter and Goal Attack in her local netball team, which she loves. Cleo’s dream is to have a dog and she is yet to know what she wants to be in the future.

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93 Harry Potter Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best harry potter topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 simple & easy harry potter essay titles, 👍 good essay topics on harry potter, ❓ harry potter essay questions.

• Harry Potter Books and Movies The lead character is the hero Harry Potter, a famous wizard whose adventures are the central focus of the book and the movie.
• The Themes of Hope and Trauma in “Harry Potter” The inciting incident of the series is a giant man breaking down the door and telling Harry about his horrible legacy.
• Concept of Home in “The Odyssey” and “Harry Potter” In the end, it could be said that both of these books show that home is a haven and safe place to return to.
• J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and Its Popularity It is because of the uniform content and constantly relevant themes of the children’s stories that have allowed it to endure the test of time.
• Heroes at Hogwarts: The Journey of the Hero in the Harry Potter Series That the Harry Potter books are written in a fashion robust enough to allow for close reading, for example, in the context of the monomyth of the hero, or in light of philosophical concepts, is […]
• Harry Potter Stories and Impact on Pop Culture Harry Potter shows how prejudices, conflict, and social hierarchies work in the community and the role of the moral concepts in struggling with difficulties.
• The Harry Potter Series Thus, in his article “Cryptozoology and the Paranormal in Harry Potter: Truth and Belief at the Borders of Consensus”, Peter Dendle discusses the role of the paranormal in the books.
• Harry Potter vs. Hari Puttar: Battle of Intellectual Property It should be emphasized that the necessity to protect the intellectual property fully depends on the aims and requirements of the intellectual property owner, and the entire policy of the company on the matters of […]
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 15″depicting the last series of the movie to be produced and also the first day of its first release to the theaters.
• The Harry Potter Phenomenon Analysis Since these groups sowed the seeds of the Potter phenomenon, the connectors and, later, the mavens were crucial to the publication of the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
• The “Harry Potter” Novels by Joanne Rowling A virtuoso command of the English language and an understanding of how to portray teenagers plausibly from their psychology allowed the author to reach the hearts of millions of children worldwide.
• The Book “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by J. K. Rowling He incessantly faces one problem after another in the course of his life Petunia and Vernon consider Harry’s magic a threat and decide not to tell him about his magical powers.
• Influence of Harry Potter and The Hunger Games The study is useful because it illustrates the importance of Harry Potter books within popular culture through the lens of improving young readers’ literacy.
• Literary Values of Harry Potter Novels by Rowling However, the world of wizards or wizardry that Harry lives in is secretive and is unknown to the non-magical people or the Muggles.
• “The Hound of the Baskervilles” by Conan Doyle, and “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling Also, the argument regarding the effectiveness of the two images is well-supported by the fact that through the use of varied approaches, the trivial one by Watson, and the sophisticated one by Holmes, the readers […]
• Rowling’s “Harry Potter” Books in Connection to Mythology The essential element of the book is the creation of the mythical element of a magical world and the classical theme of a tension between two abstract concepts good and evil.
• Enslavement in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” by J. K. Rowling Dobby embodies the new era of house-elves, those who have a sense of self-respect and demands that his rights be recognized by those who wish to have him in their service.
• “Harry Potter” Movie and Novel: Plot Changes The changes of the plot throughout the movie in comparison with the original novel are disturbing watchers since the times of cinema appearing and performance of the derivative movies.
• Harry Potter Movies in Concentric Circles Model The center of the model is the most important notion which influences a great number of other issues and leads to the appearance of new layers which could be compared with the ripples on the […]
• “Harry Potter Casts a Spell for Tolerance” by A. M. Paul The author of the article explores the role of literature in the social and moral development of the adolescents and children.
• Comparison Between Hooters Translates in China and Harry Potter and Magical Realism Having stayed in china for a long period, Craig wanted to bring to focus the culture and the lifestyle of the Chinese.
• Gender Role in Harry Potter Books and Movies However, it is important that if the children and adolescents are going to be affected, it should stand out as a positive influence making gender one of the timeless societal problems that should be approached […]
• Media Interpretation of Harry Potter and Sexuality Apart from that, it should be pointed out that in the fifth film of the series Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix, she urged Harry to use force against her.
• Fantasy Works: “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” and “Harry Potter” Generally, I would like to state that the plot of the novel is to be considered in relation to socialization issues.
• J. K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” and the Decisions of the Hero
• The Role of Fate Versus Free Will in “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” by J. K. Rowling and “Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro
• The Importance of Friends in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” J. K. Rowling
• The Life Values Learned in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”
• The Concept of Monomyth Theory in “The Golden Compass,” “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” and “Finding Nemo”
• Journey of the Hero in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer´s Stone”
• The Opening Scenes of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”
• Narratives of Adolescence Explored Through the “Harry Potter” Saga
• Lacanian Psychoanalytic Criticism in “Harry Potter”
• The Use of Mise-En-Scene and the Portrayal of Characters in the Movie “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”
• The Geography of Censorship: Communities, Challengers, and “Harry Potter”
• The Major Internal and External Conflict of Harry Potter in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”
• The Global Success of “Harry Potter” Books
• The Equal Parts of Danger and Delight in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”
• The Representation of the Grandfather Paradox in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” by J. K. Rowling
• The Four Major Points of Socialization in “Harry Potter”
• The Theme of Divination in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” by J. K. Rowling
• The Theme of Death in “Death Be Not Proud” by John Donne and “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J. K. Rowling
• The Success and Popularity of the “Harry Potter” Series
• “Lord of the Rings: Two Towers” vs. “Harry Potter: Prisoner of Azkaban” Comparison
• Learning Through the Life in “Harry Potter and Sorcerer’s Stone” by J. K. Rowling
• Symbolism, Imagery, and Motif of “Harry Potter”
• The Similarities Between J. K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and “The Deathly Hallows”
• Segregation and Prejudice in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”
• The Theme of Courage in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J. K. Rowling
• Religious Ideas and Symbolism in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J. K. Rowling
• Use of Mythology in “Harry Potter” Series by J. K. Rowling
• The Relationship Between “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and Economics
• Popular Perceptions and Political Economy in the Contrived World of “Harry Potter”
• Plot Flaws of the Movie “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”
• The Character of Severus Snape as a True Hero in the “Harry Potter” Series of J. K. Rowling
• Problems and Conflicts in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” by J. K. Rowling
• Race in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” by J. K. Rowling
• What Would the “Harry Potter” Characters Do With Their Fame Post-Wizarding War
• The Adventures in the “Harry Potter” Series by J. K. Rowling
• The Different Educational Philosophies Presented in the Movie “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”
• Why “Harry Potter” Should Be Taught in School
• The Character of Hermione Granger in “Harry Potter” by J. K. Rowling
• The Key Concepts of Religion in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J. K. Rowling
• Severus Snape as a Tragic Hero in the “Harry Potter” Series by J. K. Rowling
• The Criticism and Possibilities of the Use of J. K. Rowling’s Novel Series “Harry Potter” in Classrooms
• Are “Harry Potter” and “Peter Pan” Movies Similar?
• Are “Harry Potter” Harmful for Children?
• Who Was the Antagonist in “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”?
• How Many Chapters Are in Each of the “Harry Potter” Books?
• Does “Harry Potter” Follow the Hero’s Cycle?
• How Characterisation Creates the Theme of Good vs. Evil in the “Harry Potter” Series?
• How Are Gender Roles Represented Within “Harry Potter”?
• What Makes a “Harry Potter” Hero?
• How Successful Was the Marketing Campaign of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”?
• How the “Harry Potter” Phenomenon Changed American Culture?
• Why “Harry Potter” Should Be Taught in School?
• How the Nonprofit Organization “Harry Potter Alliance” Uses Story to Fulfill Their Mission?
• What “Harry Potter” Character Is the Most Underappreciated?
• What Makes “Harry Potter” So Popular and Well Known?
• What Stays Behind the Success of “Harry Potter: The Goblet of Fire”?
• How “Harry Potter” Changed the World?
• What Would the “Harry Potter” Characters Do With Their Fame Post-wizarding War?
• Why Do Children Read “Harry Potter” Books?
• Why Should the “Harry Potter” Series Not Be Banned?
• How “Harry Potter” Can Impact Children?
• Why “Harry Potter” When Voldemort Could Use Legilimency at Will?
• What Are the 12 “Harry Potter” Movies?
• How Successful Was the Marketing Campaign for the Movie “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”?
• What’s the Darkest “Harry Potter” Movie?
• Why Did “Harry Potter” Turn Dark?
• What Is the World Famous Phenomenon of “Harry Potter”?
• What Are the Several Major Points of Socialization in “Harry Potter”?
• Gender Stereotypes Essay Titles
• Language Arts Research Topics
• The Problem of Evil Topics
• Literary Criticism Research Ideas
• Pseudoscience Topics
• Surrealism Research Topics
• Realism Essay Topics
• Free Will Paper Topics
• Chicago (A-D)
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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is the first in the series of Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling. It was published in the U.S. as  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone a year after being published in the UK.

First British printing: July 1, 1997, Bloomsbury Books

First American printing: September 1, 1999, Scholastic, Arthur A. Levine Books U.S. illustrations by Mary GrandPré, 1998

• day by day calendar of events in the book
• differences between the British and American versions
• edits and changes to the text

Reader’s Guide to Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone:

Follow the links for chapter-by chapter guides with notes and commentary

Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived

In which we meet the Dursleys and learn of the peculiar happenings surrounding the arrival of Harry Potter on their doorstep including a conversation between Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall.

Chapter 2: The Vanishing Glass

In which is related the sad circumstances under which Harry has lived for the past ten years and of a trip to the zoo that goes awry.

Chapter 3: The Letters from No One

In which Dudley gets his new uniform and a letter arrives for Harry, which Uncle Vernon destroys – prompting a veritable deluge of letters over the next few days. Uncle Vernon then attempts to outrun the delivery of the letters and eventually takes his family to an abandoned hut on an island in the ocean.

Chapter 4: The Keeper of the Keys

In which Hagrid arrives at the hut and informs Harry that he is a wizard and has been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry also learns the truth about the deaths of his parents and the origin of the scar on his forehead, much to the chagrin of his uncle.

Chapter 5: Diagon Alley

In which Hagrid takes Harry to Diagon Alley in London to retrieve his inheritance and buy his school supplies, including a wand and Hedwig, a snowy owl. At the same time Hagrid gets a secret package from Gringotts vault 713, Harry meets Draco Malfoy, and Hagrid gives Harry his tickets for the Hogwarts Express.

Chapter 6: The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

In which Uncle Vernon takes Harry to King’s Cross Station and leaves him there. Harry meets the Weasleys, who help him get to Platform Nine and Three Quarters and settled on the train. Here he gets to know Ron and meets Hermione as the train rumbles to Hogwarts. Upon reaching the school they are met by Hagrid and the First Years are taken by boat to the castle.

Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat

In which Professor McGonagall tells the first-years a bit about the school and they are sorted into houses by the Sorting Hat. Then Dumbledore welcomes then, they have a feast and find their dormitory for their first night at Hogwarts.

Chapter 8: The Potions Master

In which Harry is pointed out and stared at by everyone in the school as he starts his first day of classes and meets his teachers, visits Hagrid and learns about the Gringotts break-in.

Chapter 9: The Midnight Duel

In which Gryffindor and Slytherin have flying lessons together, Neville injures himself on his broom, and Harry and Draco fight it out on brooms over Neville’s Remembrall, resulting in Harry being made Seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Later, Draco challenges Harry to a wizard’s duel but instead of dueling he tells Filch in hopes of Harry being caught and expelled. Harry and his friends evade Filch and after encountering Fluffy, the three-headed dog, are safely back in their dormitory.

Chapter 10: Hallowe’en

In which Harry receives a Nimbus 2000 broom, learns the rules of Quidditch and begins to practice. On Hallowe’en Hermione masters levitation in Charms class but the remarks of a jealous Ron send her in tears to the girls’ bathroom, where she is trapped with a troll. Harry and Ron run to her rescue and defeat the troll. Hermione tells a lie to keep them out of trouble and the three become friends.

Chapter 11: Quidditch

In which Snape takes Harry’s book, leading to Harry seeing Snape’s injured leg. Harry’s first Quidditch match against Slytherin in which someone jinxes his broom but he catches the Snitch and wins anyway. Hagrid later lets a secret slip.

Chapter 12: The Mirror of Erised

In which Harry, Ron and Hermione start searching the library for facts on Flamel, the school empties for Christmas, Ron teaches Harry wizard chess, Harry gets his father’s invisibility cloak for Christmas, tries it out at night and finds the Mirror of Erised, sees his family and is cautioned by Dumbledore.

Chapter 13: Nicolas Flamel

In which Harry learns that Snape will referee the next Quidditch match, Flamel is found, Gryffindor wins over Hufflepuff when Harry grabs the snitch after only five minutes.Harry follows Snape into the Forbidden Forest where he meets Quirrell and they speak of the Philosopher’s Stone.

Chapter 14: Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback

In which Hermione starts revising, the teachers pile on extra homework, Harry, Ron and Hermione visit Hagrid, discover he has a dragon’s egg, and later watch it hatch. As the dragon grows, it becomes harder to hide the illegal pet, until Charlie Weasley agrees to have it sent to him in Romania. Norbert is shipped off from the tallest tower, but Harry and Hermione are caught by Filch on their way back to their dorm.

Chapter 15: The Forbidden Forest

In which Harry’s popularity slips when his escapades lose his house 150 points, he overhears another conversation, and they serve detention with Hagrid who takes them to the Forbidden Forest in search of a wounded unicorn, which they find dead. Harry is rescued from Voldemort by a centaur.

Chapter 16: Through the Trapdoor

In which the students begin their exams, Hagrid lets slip how to control Fluffy, Harry, Ron and Hermione try to warn Dumbledore but he has been summoned away. Fearful that Snape is about to make his move to get the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry, Ron and Hermione decide to go after it themselves. Under the invisibility cloak they make their way to Fluffy, put him to sleep and go down the trapdoor, past plants, chessmen, and potions.

Chapter 17: The Man with Two Faces

In which Harry discovers it is Quirrell who is after the Stone and serving Voldemort, not Snape. Quirrell tries to use the Mirror of Erised to find the Stone but it gives it to Harry. Voldemort knows this and as part of Quirrell orders the professor to kill Harry, who blacks out in the struggle. He awakes in a hospital bed and hears many things from Dumbledore. At the end of year banquet Gryffindor is awarded the House Cup.

Original Bloomsbury cover art:

Original Scholastic cover art:

The U.S. cover was painted by Mary GrandPré. It shows Harry about to catch the Snitch, with other Quidditch players in the far distant background. Hogwarts castle appears behind Harryand the columns through which he is flying, and Fluffy’s three vicious heads are visible in an opening in the castle wall. In the distance the forest’s pointed pine trees mirror the pointed towers of the castle, while a unicorn gallops by. It is this image of Harry — wearing a striped Muggle shirt, jeans, and trainers and with a simple cape to indicate robes, that is most familiar to fans, at least in the U.S. There are patterns in the columns, but they are very difficult to make out. If they are supposed to be actual images of things, they are too distorted to be recognizable.

Title pages:

Pertinent text from the title pages:

First published in Great Britain in 1997 Copyright Text Joanne Rowling 1997 Copyright cover illustration Thomas Taylor 1997

Frontispiece (US edition):

Calendar and Dates

The story starts on 1 November 1981, then jumps to 1991, where we follow Harry through his first year at Hogwarts and to his journey back to London at the end of June, 1992.

Dedication: For Jessica, who loves stories, For Anne, who loved them too; And for Di, who heard this one first.

Jessica is Rowling's daughter, Anne is her late mother, and Di is her sister.

Interesting facts and notes

Facts and trivia:

The title refers to a stone sought after by alchemists, a stone which was reputed to turn other metals into gold and to grant immortality.

The U.S. title is changed to  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Comments by Rowling about the book:

Q: Do you rewrite a lot? A: A huge amount. Only once have I sat down, written something end to end, and let it stand. That was the chapter inPhilosopher's Stone when Harry learns to fly. I remember vividly - the old story we've heard a million times - my daughter fell asleep, it was a beautifully sunny day, I sat in a café, and wrote that chapter from beginning to end. And I think I changed two words. That's very unusual for me (Nr).

Q: Do you have a favorite passage from one of your books? A: Hard to choose. I like chapter twelve of Sorcerer's Stone (The Mirror of Erised), and I am proud of the ending of Goblet of Fire (Sch2).

Why is the name different in the U.S.?

Q: Does it bother you that in America they changed the names of your books? A: They changed the first title, but with my consent to be honest. I wish I hadn't agreed now but it was my first book, and I was so grateful that anyone was publishing me I wanted to keep them happy (CR).

Nestlé Smarties Book Prize 1997 Gold Medal 9-11 years, FCBG Children's Book Award 1997 Overall winner and Longer Novel Category winner, Birmingham Cable Children's Book Award 1997, Young Telegraph Paperback of the Year 1998, British Book Awards 1997 Children's Book of the Year, Sheffield Children's Book Award 1998, Whitaker's Platinum Book Award 2001

Characters Introduced

• Malfoy family

From the Web

Pensieve (comments).

Tags: beginnings friendship learning return surprises

Editor: Steve VanderArk

• October 31st, 1981 : Defeat of Voldemort; James and Lily Potter are killed
• July 29th, 1991 : A barrage of letters drives the Dursleys from their home
• July 31st, 1991 : Hagrid arrives at the hut-on-the-rock
• July 31st, 1991 : Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley
• July 31st, 1991 : Harry and Hagrid visit Gringotts
• July 31st, 1991 : Hagrid buys Harry his owl, Hedwig
• July 31st, 1991 : Failed attempt to steal the Philosopher's Stone
• September 1st, 1991 : Harry's first Hogwarts Express journey
• September 1st, 1991 : Harry Potter is Sorted into Gryffindor
• September 6th, 1991 : Harry and Ron visit Hagrid
• September 6th, 1991 : Harry's first potions class
• September 12th, 1991 : Gryffindors and Slytherins have their first flying lesson
• September 12th, 1991 : Neville breaks his wrist during flying lessons
• October 31st, 1991 : The Halloween Feast and the Mountain Troll
• November 8th, 1991 : The trio notices Snape limping
• November 8th, 1991 : Filch helps Snape bandage his wound
• November 9th, 1991 : Quidditch match: Gryffindor vs. Slytherin (1991)
• December 25th, 1991 : Harry receives the Invisibility Cloak
• December 25th, 1991 : Harry's first Christmas dinner at Hogwarts
• December 25th, 1991 : Harry discovers the Mirror of Erised
• February 22nd, 1992 : Quidditch match: Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff (1992)
• April, 1992 : Norbert hatches
• circa May 9th, 1992 : Charlie's friends take Norbert
• June, 1992 : The Trio follow Quirrell through the trap door
• June, 1992 : The room full of winged keys
• June, 1992 : Harry confronts Quirrell, defeats Voldemort
• June, 1992 : Quidditch match: Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw (1992)
• June 8th, 1992 : Dumbledore visits Harry in the Hospital Wing
• 2020 : The Lexicon's 20th Anniversary Celebration!

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Harry Potter and The Sorcerer'S Stone — Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Summary in 150 Words)

Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone (summary in 150 Words)

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

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Consider the four different Hogwarts houses. Does sorting simplify the complexity of a human being’s personality? Why or why not?

Discuss the role of fate and destiny in Harry’s life. Provide examples of how Harry’s free will pushes back against these larger forces at work.

Compare and contrast the characters of Harry and Voldemort . In what ways are they similar, and how are they different? Why are these differences so significant?

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Essay: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

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Main characters: Harry Potter is the protagonist of the plot and thus the story and characters were made up around him. He’s an eleven year old orphan who lives a miserable life with his aunt and uncle. Harry’s a rather thin, raven-haired, bespectacled boy who doesn’t know he’s a wizard yet. However things change rather quickly as he is saved by a beetle-eyed giant of a man named Rubeus Hagrid and enrols at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Here he makes various new friends and shows to have natural talent for Quidditch, which is as popular as human soccer, although these sports are very different. Throughout the story Harry acts courageously and he always seems to be focused. In this book, Harry also comes into contact with his archenemy and antagonist Voldemort. The first chapter also gives away some previous events that helped shape the current situation. One of the most important events, namely the murdering of his parents by Voldemort, which Harry survived because of his ‘mother’s love’, left Harry with a lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead, which seems to hurt excruciatingly whenever Voldemort feels a strong emotion. Voldemort, a.k.a. the most evil wizard of all time, is so feared by most that they often refer to him as ‘You-Know-Who’ or ‘He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’. After being nearly killed trying to kill Harry Potter, he now is weak and must either possess another human or drink unicorn’s blood to remain alive. Once a rather handsome man, Voldemort is now bald, noseless and vile-looking. Ron Weasley, a boy of Harry’s age, becomes Harry’s first and best friend at Hogwarts. He’s a freckled, red-haired and quite tall boy that grew up in a fairly large, but warm ‘pure-blood family’ as the sixth-born of seven children. Although his family isn’t wealthy, they seem to live a comfortable life. Even though Ron and Harry are best friends, they’re quite the opposite of each other. Whereas Harry is the famous and talented orphan with lots of inherited gold; Ron is the ordinary boy from a large, poor, but loving family. It is this controversy that makes Harry and Ron function as ‘Jing and Jang’ in the sense that they complement each other. It also makes the two friends jealous of the things the other possesses. For example: Harry is famous and talented but he longs not to be anything ‘special’, whereas Ron is rather ordinary and is quite mediocre regarding magic, Quidditch, etc. Because of this Ron is constantly trying to prove himself. Ron is not only the best friend one could wish for: he’s also very loyal and brave, which he proves by sticking with Harry when no-one does and by putting his life in danger by playing ‘real wizard’s chess’ to find the Philosopher’s stone. Hermione Granger is a girl of average size with bristly hair and rather large incisors. She’s the daughter of an ‘all-Muggle family’ (a family consisting only of non-wizards and the opposite of a pure-blood family) and seems to be a bossy girl who has apparently learnt almost every textbook by heart before the start of the first term. Therefore it’s not really worth mentioning that she’s quite the clever know-it-all. However despite being bossy and a know-it-all, she really is a good person that only wants the best for all. At first Harry and Ron don’t like her, but after they save her from a troll, she becomes a close friend. This comes in handy for the two boys as Hermione tries continuously to keep them out of trouble. Her knowledge concerning magic and her ability to think logically also plays a great role in finding the Philosopher’s stone. Rubeus Hagrid, a half-giant with long tangled black hair and a thick curly beard, was expelled from Hogwarts and had his wand broken, but Professor Dumbledore let him stay as the school’s gamekeeper. This job enables him to monitor, secretly befriend and raise the most magical creatures, albeit more than is strictly safe for him. Because of Dumbledore’s generosity, Hagrid is fiercely loyal to him and quickly becomes a close friend of Harry, Ron and Hermione as he saves them on different occasions. The downside of this jolly giant is his carelessness which makes him unreliable. Furthermore his love for alcoholic drinks and his naivety make him say things that aren’t meant for the ‘wrong ears’. Professor Dumbledore is a tall, slender man who wears quite peculiar half-moon spectacles and a large colourful cape. He has long silver hair and an enormous beard that tucks into his belt. Dumbledore is the headmaster of Hogwarts and is renowned for his achievements in magic such as the creation of the Philosopher’s stone with Nicolas Flamel and defeating a powerful dark wizard in 1945. Because of his skilfulness and wisdom he’s thought to be the only wizard feared by Voldemort. However, despite his fame he isn’t cocky or pretentious at all. Aside from being a famous wizard and headmaster of Hogwarts, he has a sweet tooth and is fond of woollen socks. Neville Longbottom is a plump, timid boy, who’s so forgetful that his grandmother gives him a ‘remembrall’ (a ball that glows red when you’ve forgotten something). Neville’s magical abilities are weak and appeared just in time to save his life when he was eight according to the first chapter. Despite his timidity, Neville will occasionally show his true bravery and fight anyone after some encouragement or when he thinks it’s really necessary. Despite Neville not being popular, Harry, Ron and Hermione feel sorry for his clumsiness and try to befriend him. Professor McGonagall, a tall, stern-looking woman with black hair tied in a tight bun, teaches transfiguration at Hogwarts. She is also Head of Gryffindor House (the same house where Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville are in). Although she is very strict regarding rules, (much to the dislike of the students), she’s only that strict to protect the students from various things. You could conclude that underneath that reserved and severe outer shell, lies only a concerned ‘grandmother-like woman’. Petunia Dursley, the sister of Harry’s mother Lily, where Harry resides since the death of his parents, is a rake-like woman with an unusually long neck that comes in handy for spying on neighbours. She regards her magical sister as a freak and tries to pretend that she never existed because she can’t comprehend magic and she doesn’t want the neighbours to know she’s related to such people. Her husband Vernon is a heavily built man with a pink, pig-like face that turns purple when he loses his temper. Both have narrow minds and fear everything that’s out of the ordinary. Their son Dudley is an overweight, spoiled bully who likes to use harry as his boxing-ball. Because of their fear of magic and their disgust of Harry’s parents, they see Harry as a curse that is destined to remain with them. Therefore it doesn’t need saying that Harry’s life with the Dursleys isn’t that joyful. Draco Malfoy is a slim, pale boy with blue eyes and blond hair which is combed neatly to the side. He comes from an old, noble wizarding family and despises ‘non-pure-blood’ wizards. Because he is of noble descent, he’s quite cocky, especially when it comes to his skills at Quidditch. Draco is also a very sly person who uses ‘whatever means necessary’ to accomplish his goals. Professor Snape, head of house Slytherin and potions teacher, has a hooked nose, grey skin and greasy black hair. Snape favours Slytherin pupils and seems to dislike other students and especially Harry. At first, Snape is suspected of being on Voldemort’s side, but in the end he turns out to be a good man. Professor Quirrell, teaches Defence Against the Dark Arts. Quirrell is voluntarily possessed by Voldemort, who appears on the back of his head, therefore he wears a turban as a disguise. To avoid being suspected of wanting to steal ‘the Philosophers’ Stone’ he stammers constantly and acts as if he has lost his courage by fainting when something unexpected happens. What is the story about? + What happens in the end? The story starts eleven years ago in the fictional suburb of Surrey, called Little Whining. At that moment, wizards across the world rejoiced that the most malicious wizard of all time, named Voldemort, was defeated. However, ordinary people, called ‘Muggles’, were very confused to see people in ‘weird robes’ celebrating for no apparent reason. The wizards were celebrating because earlier that day, Voldemort killed Harry Potter’s parents, but for some strange reason he wasn’t able to kill Harry who was still a baby at that time. After that incredible event, the evildoer seemed to have disappeared for good, causing Harry to become known as ‘the Boy Who Lived”, as he was the only person known to have survived an attack by Voldemort. Harry, who suddenly became an orphan, was brought to his aunt and uncle, the Dursleys, by Hagrid, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. Eleven years later, Harry still lives with his ill-tempered uncle Vernon, mean aunt Petunia and their spoiled, annoying son Dudley. Harry’s life with the Dursleys is almost unbearable; he has to live in a scruffy cupboard under the stairs, he is punished for everything except for drawing breath and the only belongings he has, are usually second-hand items passed down to him by Dudley. Knowing this, it’s needless to say that his aunt and uncle see him as a burden or even as a pest and try to avoid him as much as possible. However, when the Dursleys go to the zoo for Dudley’s birthday, Harry is allowed to come along with them because there is no one who could keep an eye on ‘the boy’ whilst they were gone. At the zoo, Dudley and his friend try to awaken a boa constrictor, by tapping repeatedly on the glass, albeit without any success, but when Harry comes by the cage, he’s able to speak to the snake in ‘Parseltongue’ (the language of serpents). The snake tells him that it wants to go back to Brazil and somehow Harry seems to be able to remove the glass from the snake’s cage! After this incident, the Dursleys are quite afraid of Harry and decide to be even harsher on him ‘to stamp out this magical nonsense’. After the excursion to the zoo, mysterious letters from Hogwarts addressed to Mr H. Potter, ‘The Cupboard under the stairs’ start to arrive. At first Vernon is furious and tries to keep the letters from Harry, but as he does this, more and more letters start to arrive, driving his uncle so mad that he decides to take the whole family to a dilapidated shack on a deserted island to outsmart ‘the mysterious sender’. Anyhow, they can’t seem to go unnoticed, because Hagrid shows up on Harry’s birthday, to deliver yet another letter to explain that Harry’s a wizard and has been admitted to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This is rather a shock for Harry, but it does help him to understand why he does some unexplainable things at times when he’s in distress. The following day, Hagrid and Harry go shopping for school supplies at a place, that’s hidden behind a magical brick wall, called Diagon Alley. Here Harry’s eyes open to this new and exciting world full of wizardry and magic. At Diagon Alley, Harry buys a lot of things, including a personalised wand. He also meets Malfoy, a fellow student, and Professor Quirrell, who teaches ‘Defence Against the Dark Arts’ at Hogwarts. The duo also pays a visit to Gringotts, the goblin bank, where Harry finds out about his inherited fortune and where Hagrid picks up a mysterious package. Harry spends the rest of the summer with the Dursleys in Dudley’s second bedroom, which was originally used to store Dudley’s old toys. Harry was given this bedroom, because his aunt and uncle wanted to keep up appearances by avoiding that anyone would find out about the way they treated Harry. When the summer is on its last legs and school is around the corner, Harry goes to King’s Cross station to board the train bound for Hogwarts. Little does he know that the platform nine and three quarters is a magical platform that can only be accessed by ‘magical folk’. Luckily, a family called the Weasleys tells Harry to ‘run through the wall’ between the platforms nine and ten, where he can board the right train and set off to Hogwarts, making new friends such as Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom on the go. Upon their arrival at Hogwarts, the first-year students are sorted into one of four houses according to their personality by ‘the Sorting Hat’. This hat is put on the pupil’s head and is said to know everything about the pupil. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville are all Gryffindors, a house known for bravery, although the hat wanted to put Harry in Slytherin at first. Malfoy is a Slytherin, a house known for ambition and infamous for producing dark wizards. After the sorting, the pupils get a tour of the school and go to the dormitories of their house to unpack. When the first term starts, the pupils begin to take all kinds of lessons related to magic such as ‘Defence Against the Dark Arts’, transfiguration, potions, etc. Potions proves to be Harry’s least favourite subject as the teacher, Severus Snape, seems to be really unfair and mean to Harry and the other pupils who aren’t members of house Slytherin. In the course of the first term, Harry finds out in the newspaper that there was an attempted robbery at Gringotts bank, but nothing was taken. It doesn’t take Harry a long time ‘to connect the dots’ between the attempted robbery and the package that Hagrid picked up at the bank earlier that day. After asking Hagrid about the package, he lets it slip that the package has got something to do with a certain Nicolas Flamel. During the first broom-flying lesson, it becomes clear that Harry belongs in house Gryffindor for his bravery, as he defends Neville who is being teased again by Malfoy, who steals Neville’s ‘remembrall’ and flies of with it. When flying after Malfoy, Harry suddenly realises that he’s very gifted at flying. Although Harry has obviously broken the rules by flying unsupervised, Professor McGonagall still rewards him by putting him on the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a Seeker, who badly need a good player to win the ‘House Cup’ after losing seven years in a row to Slytherin. After the ‘fight on the brooms’, Malfoy and Harry clash again in school after which Malfoy challenges Harry to a wizard duel at midnight. It’s at this very moment that the slyness of Malfoy becomes visible, as he doesn’t show because he was just trying to get Harry, Ron and Hermione into trouble for moving about the school whilst not being allowed to. Noticing Malfoy’s sneaky move, the trio hurries of to their dormitory through various forbidden parts of the school. As they try to open a random door to escape from the janitor, they stumble upon a giant three-headed dog, resembling the one guarding the underworld in Greek mythology, and manage to avoid an almost certain death by scurrying off quickly. Up to this point in time, Harry and Ron are mostly rather annoyed by Hermione’s swotty attitude, but they become close friends when they save her from a troll that was terrorising the school. As the first Quidditch match approaches in November, the three friends suspect Snape of wanting the package from Gringotts, because he seems to be the most hateful person in the world. During the game, Harry’s broom acts weirdly and seems to be jinxed, almost making Harry crash into the ground. Harry is saved mysteriously, but his friends blame Snape for putting him in danger as they saw him using some kind of spell on Harry. During the winter break, Harry stays at Hogwarts to celebrate Christmas with his friends and is given an invisibility cloak that once belonged to his father. He uses it to sneak around the castle and discovers ‘the Mirror of Erised’ in one of Hogwarts’ many secret rooms. When he looks into the mirror he sees his parents, but when he shares the mirror with Ron, Ron sees himself as champion of the house cup. Wanting to see his family more and more, Harry increasingly risks sneaking off at night to sit in front of the mirror. Whilst being there, Harry is so focused that he doesn’t notice Dumbledore gazing at him from a dark corner of the room. Suddenly Dumbledore gets Harry’s attention and explains to him that this mirror shows you your deepest desire. Dumbledore also briefly mentions that he’s going to put the mirror in a safer place. Despite the mirror being removed, Harry can also make use of his cloak to visit the forbidden section of the library at night, sniffing around to find out more about Nicolas Flamel. When classes resume after winter break, Harry, Ron, and Hermione finally figure out that Flamel is a renowned alchemist that made ‘the Philosopher’s Stone’ a.k.a. ‘the Sorcerer’s Stone’ which provides immortality to its owner and can turn any metal into gold. The first feature of the stone explains why Nicolas Flamel, born in 1327, is still alive. After some brainstorming the three friends come to the conclusion that ‘the stone’ must be the mysterious package that is now being guarded by the three-headed dog. The only question that lingers in their heads is: ‘who wants to steal this powerful stone and is able to do it’? Even though Harry wants to find out more, he has little time left as he tries to combine his classes, homework and Quidditch. Meanwhile, Hagrid wins a dragon egg at game of cards and decides to breed it, which is illegal and of course dangerous. These two facts are the main arguments put forward by Harry, Ron and Hermione to convince Hagrid to smuggle the dragon out of school and give it a better future somewhere else. Malfoy, still hell-bent on getting Harry into trouble, spies on them and tries to turn them in. When Harry and Hermione have successfully sent the dragon off at midnight, they’re caught by Professor McGonagall, along with Neville, who was trying to warn them, and Malfoy, who ratted the pair out. Professor McGonagall is really disappointed, gives the lot a large amount of detention and detracts so many points from Gryffindor that they move to the last place in the house cup contest. Because of this everyone is really angry, especially at Harry, who is being called names continuously. To make matters worse, the detention involves going into ‘the Forbidden Forest’ at night with Hagrid, to find out what has been hunting down unicorns and drinking their blood. During this quest, Harry and Malfoy stumble upon a vile, weak looking creature, crawling around the corpse of a unicorn, drinking its blood. It becomes clear to them that Voldemort, who is weakened, is trying to gain some extra life strength until he’s able to obtain ‘the stone’ to regain his full strength once more. The following weeks are very crowded because of the exams. Hermione, who is kind of a role model, urges Harry and Ron on to study, which results in good grades for both. After the exams, the three friends pay Hagrid another visit. When talking to him about the ‘Philosopher’s Stone’, Hagrid realises that he might have said too much about ‘the stone’ to the mysterious stranger who gave him the dragon egg, as he was rather intoxicated. The trio has a feeling that whoever is trying to steal the stone for Voldemort, is going to do it soon, so they decide to retrieve it after dark. As they leave the dormitory, Neville tries to stop him for their own wellbeing, so Hermione paralyses him temporarily. However retrieving the stone is no easy feat, as it is not only guarded by the three-headed dog, but also protected by multiple spells that pose serious challenges . Hermione manages to make the dog doze by playing on her flute, so that they can sneak through a trap door. Then they fall into a flesh eating plant called ‘Devil’s Snare’, which they defeat by lighting a fire. Following this challenge is a room filled with flying keys, from which only a golden one fits into the lock. Harry manages to catch the right key, but notices that it’s wings are crumpled, meaning that someone has beat them to it, and they need to hurry. In the next room, Ron has to play a real life chess game, but gets knocked unconscious, leaving only Harry and Hermione to complete the next challenge. This challenge is a logic puzzle, which if solved correctly, points out the correct potion that they should drink to go through the blazing fire in front of them. Unfortunately, there’s only enough for one, so Harry moves on and sends Hermione back to help Ron. To Harry’s surprise, he sees Quirrell standing in front of him and not Snape! Quirrell reveals that Voldemort is living on the back of his head like a parasite and says that it is the reason he wears a turban. He also says that he only stuttered to look weak, so he wouldn’t be a suspect. Furthermore he admits having tried to kill Harry at Quidditch whereas Snape tried to save him! The room they’re standing in, is empty, except for the Mirror of Erised. As Quirrell looks into the mirror, he sees himself holding the stone, but he can’t figure out what to do. Then Voldemort whispers: ‘use the boy, use the boy!’ Following this command, Quirrell makes Harry use the Mirror of Erised, and Harry finds himself holding the stone in his hands. Voldemort and Quirrell don’t notice because they’re focused on the mirror. Because Voldemort gets so frustrated he orders Quirrell to kill Harry, but when Quirrell touches Harry he becomes ash, because Voldemort cannot touch Harry and he is living inside of Quirrell at the moment. Following all this exertion, Harry blacks out. When Harry comes to his senses again, he’s in the infirmary sided by Dumbledore. Dumbledore explains that Harry defeated Quirrell/Voldemort through the protection of his mother’s love. He also says that he and Flamel have decided to destroy ‘the stone.’ The next day, at the end-of-year banquet, Dumbledore praises Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville for the roles they played in defeating Quirrell. He rewards them by giving house Gryffindor so much points that they still win the house cup. After the banquet everyone packs his bags and heads back home for the summer holidays. Although Harry is reluctant to return to the Dursleys again, he does chuckle at the fact that it will become a lot more fun for him, as he knows how to use magic now. Do you like the story? Why (not)? I like the story because it’s well written, combining ‘simple English’ and more difficult, abstract words in a fluent way which results in a pleasant reading experience. Apart from the author’s writing style, the storyline is also well constructed and really intricate. The story features almost solely round characters which adds to the reading experience because they develop and sometimes surprise the reader over time, making him or her want to know what’s going to happen next. As the personality and the appearance of these characters is so refined, it’s easy to identify yourself with a certain character, automatically causing you to take sides and to really experience certain events and emotions in the story as strongly the characters do. However the main asset of this story is that it creates an entire new world full of wizardry and magic, where nothing is normal or boring, which gives the reader the opportunity to get away from daily life for a few moments. It’s this stories ability to suck you into an enchanting world that makes it one of the best stories to read on a rainy or boring day. In fact, I like the story so much that I’m planning to read all the remaining books in English. On a separate sheet list 10 new, interesting words you learned from reading the story. Write the words down in the sentences they occur. Then look up and write down an English definition and add an extra sentence in which the word is used in the correct context. ‘Hermione had opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward. (page 117)’ To beckon means: to signal or summon, as by nodding or waving. to beckon= lonken He beckoned her to come and sit next to him. ”I think we’ve lost him,’ Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering. (page 118)’ To pant means: to breathe rapidly in short gasps, as after exertion. to pant= hijgen ‘I can’t run anymore,’ he panted loudly. ‘Harry had difficulty hiding his glee as he handed the note to Ron to read. (page 122)’ Glee means extreme happiness or delight. glee= vrolijkheid I couldn’t hide my glee, when I got some positive feedback yesterday. ‘Harry was just helping himself to a jacket potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the Hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. (page 127)’ Askew means: not in a straight or level position. askew= scheef The door was hanging askew on one twisted hinge. ‘He pushed the door ajar and peered inside ‘ and a horrible scene met his eyes. (page 134)’ Ajar means: slightly open. ajar= op een kier She had left the window ajar that morning. ”Just a bit of toast,’ wheedled Hermione. (page 135)’ To wheedle means: to employ endearments or flattery to persuade someone to do something or give one something. to wheedle= vleien I always wheedle if I really need something. ‘Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. (page 137-138)’ To squint means: to look with the eyes partly closed. to squint= turen When I looked over the edge of the trenches, I was squinting through my binoculars, trying to spot German soldiers on the other side. ‘Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls and no fewer than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles. (page 144)’ A festoon means: a string or chain of flowers, foliage, ribbon, etc., suspended in a curve between two points. a festoon= een slinger When we celebrated my sister’s fifteenth birthday, we had decorated the house with a lot of colourful festoons. Holly is a shrub with green prickly leaves and usually red berries. holly= hulst It’s a Christmas tradition to decorate your house with branches of holly. ‘Harry stepped aside, but with Ron in front of the mirror, he couldn’t see his family anymore, just Ron in his paisley pyjamas. (page 155)’ Paisley means: a soft woven, woollen fabric with a colourful pattern consisting of detailed figures. paisley= ‘paisley’ My grandmother had bought me a really soft, paisley scarf.

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20 years on, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban director Alfonso Cuarón and producer David Heyman reflect on taking the series in a darker direction

As the film widely regarded as the best Harry Potter movie hits its 20th anniversary, Total Film talks to the team behind it

This feature appears in the current issue of Total Film , which is available on shelves and digital newsstands now.

"I was not very aware of Potter’s universe and I was surprised to be offered it, coming from Y tu mamá también," recalls director Alfonso Cuarón, who’s talking to Total Film 20 years on from the release of his one and only dip into the Wizarding World, with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban . The third movie in the Potter franchise, it was, at the time, by some distance the best in the series – and the critical consensus did not alter once the dust settled on the five movies that followed.

"I was confused because it was completely not on my radar," Cuarón continues. "I speak often with Guillermo [del Toro] , and a couple of days after, I said, 'You know, they offered me this Harry Potter film, but it’s really weird they offer me this.' He said, 'Wait, wait, wait, you said you haven’t read Harry Potter?' I said, “' don’t think it’s for me.' In very florid lexicon, in Spanish, he said, 'You are an arrogant asshole.'"

"I’d seen Y tu mamá también, which I loved, and I oddly thought he’d be the perfect director for the third Potter," remembers David Heyman, who in 1999 bought the rights to the first four novels and went on to produce all eight Potter movies and the three Fantastic Beasts prequels that came after. He grins into the Zoom camera. "That’s not what some might think. Can you imagine what some thought Harry, Ron and Hermione would get up to, having seen Y tu mamá también?" It’s a fair point – Cuarón’s Mexican road movie about two 17-year-old guys and a 28-year-old woman enjoying uninhibited sex was full of action, and we don’t mean quidditch. "Y tu mamá was about the last moments of being a teenager, and Azkaban was about the first moments of being a teenager," Heyman notes. "I felt he could make the show feel, in a way, more contemporary. And just bring his cinematic wizardry."

Now, with Children of Men and Gravity on his CV, Cuarón seems like a more obvious choice than he did in the early noughties. Back then, the director had made only Mexican romcom Sólo con tu pareja, A Little Princess (which Heyman adored), Great Expectations starring Ethan Hawke, and Y tu mamá también, meaning he was untested on a film of Azkaban’s scale. Surely Warner Bros. wouldn’t entrust their golden goose to Cuarón? 

The first two movies, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , had together rung up almost $1.9bn at the worldwide box office – the kind of prize you’d employ three-headed dog Fluffy to protect. That there was to be a change at all was only because Chris Columbus (Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire) wished to spend more time with his family. He would stay on as a producer, but had chosen to vacate the director’s chair. 

Heyman flew to LA to meet with Alan F. Horn, President and COO of Warner Bros. Due diligence meant that there were several names under discussion – del Toro, Marc Forster, Callie Khouri, M. Night Shyamalan, and Kenneth Branagh, fresh from playing charismatic charlatan Gilderoy Lockhart in Chamber of Secrets, were all reportedly in the sorting hat – but it was Cuarón whose name was plucked out and announced to the world in July 2002. The franchise "needed to grow with the books", stressed Heyman, and Prisoner of Azkaban represented the pivotal moment when Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson), and Ron (Rupert Grint) were to undergo their most terrifying encounter yet: puberty.

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Teenage kicks

Prisoner of Azkaban is the last of the Potter books that can be described as lean, but is, nonetheless, a complex, densely plotted affair. Adapted by returning scribe Steve Kloves, the script details Harry attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his third year, only to find the beloved institution shrouded in fear. Circling the dark skies above Hogwarts are the Dementors, wraith-like creatures normally found guarding the fortress of Azkaban in the middle of the North Sea, where the worst criminals in the Wizarding World are detained. These cold, callous creatures now haunt Hogwarts because convicted murderer Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban. Black, it is whispered, was the most devoted follower of Voldemort, and is now intent on killing Harry to avenge the Dark Lord. 

But the plot, full of twists and turns and incorporating new Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor Professor Remus Lupin (David Thewlis), is only a part of it. Also in play are the secrets of Harry’s past as the series begins to properly dig into just what it is that makes him who he is – the famed only survivor of an attack by Voldemort. And then there’s a host of terrific set-pieces, new magical creatures, a clockwork-precise time-travel element, and, crucially, these now-teenage kids beginning to struggle with not just their hormones but their very identities. "The first two Potters deal with children’s experience," reflects Cuarón. "Characters who are 11 and 12. Innocence. A purity even in the way they see the danger. We were dealing with the first sting of questioning everything, particularly who you are. Suddenly you are not part of the whole; there is a teenage separation."

The director came to the production – the first to swell from a year-long time frame to 18 months, necessitated by the deepening and darkening of the books – with plenty of tricks up his sleeve. For starters, he sought to capture naturalistic performances from the young cast, who were now of an age where they could wrestle with their characters’ motivations and emotions rather than simply recite the lines. "Chris [Columbus] would help them with intonation and get them excited; Alfonso was treating them as young adults: what are you feeling?" explains Heyman. "Alfonso also had the three kids write essays about their characters. Dan wrote a page, Emma wrote 10 or 12, and Rupert didn’t give in anything. Just perfect."

"They were becoming more aware of the craft of acting and they wanted to go to the next stage," says Cuarón, who was satisfied that they understood their characters given how perfectly the effort they put into their essays chimed with their on-screen personalities. "From the get-go we talked about how we wanted to ground everything, to make it about a normal human experience in this world. [We wanted to explore] the internal life of each one of these characters. They were incredibly intuitive about this, and very receptive."

Another trick Cuarón employed was to bring in costume designer Jany Temime and together work on ensuring that each teen wore their school uniform to express their individuality. In the first two movies, the uniforms were, well, uniform, worn as a child would present themselves on the first day of school. In Azkaban, shirts are untucked, ties loosely knotted and sleeves rolled, while any time spent outside of lessons sees the kids ditch their uniforms for civvies. 

"Every robe was a slightly less bright red; it was a more muted red," nods Heyman. "The ties were less vivid, a little more purply red. Alfonso wanted Dumbledore’s robes to be more fluid, not as stiff and formal as [those worn by] Richard Harris. A little less statesman-like. A little more eccentric." 

Harris, sadly, had passed away when Chamber of Secrets was in post-production, with the role of Professor Albus Dumbledore inherited by Michael Gambon. Cuarón envisaged the headmaster as more of an "old hippie", as Temime put it, his robes of tie-dyed silk flowing behind him. Professor Lupin, meanwhile, wore unkempt tweeds, with Cuarón desiring that Thewlis exhibit the air of "an uncle who parties hard on the weekends". That Cuarón should introduce Thewlis and Oldman to the established adult cast that included Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall), Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), and Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) was no coincidence, again evidencing his desire to freshen the franchise. "It was a different culture of acting," says Heyman. "Not people who are sirs and lords and ladies."

Also key was Cuarón’s decision to introduce location work to what had largely been a studio-bound franchise. Certainly, much of the 2003 shoot, which ran from 24 February to late November, was conducted at Leavesden Studios in Hertfordshire, but the joyously crazed Knight Bus sequence was shot in Palmers Green and other areas of London, while Scottish locations provided the film’s natural scenery. As for the exhilarating scene in which Harry rides hippogriff Buckbeak, a visit to Virginia Water Lake in Surrey will have you scanning the sky for a swooping winged beast. 

But perhaps the most important change wrought by Cuarón was to introduce a more cinematic style, as he determined to explore Hogwarts’ grounds. "I can’t do anything unless I have the freedom to do what I do," says the director whose earlier films had established his fondness for fluid camera movement. "I wanted to stretch things. Open up the universe. To feel that Hogwarts is set in a geographical place, where you can have nature around your universe, and to make your universe one with that nature. And to create a geographic logic to Hogwarts. You know, the Great Hall is here, and then the stairs are next to the Great Hall, and if you take the stairs you go to the bedrooms… If you go to the Clock Tower, the hospital is a corridor away, and you can see the courtyard, and from there you see the bridge… and below that is Hagrid’s hut, and the Whomping Willow on the other side, then the forest…"

Incoming DoP Michael Seresin introduced a patina of silver and shadow to reflect the darkening emotions, and shot much of the action with wide-angled lenses to enable Cuarón to incorporate the characters’ body language, and to locate them in relation to Hogwarts. Columbus had favored close-ups, but Cuarón insists the evolution of style was for a concrete reason: "A child doesn’t have a sense of orientation. Places are places."

Of course, one element that Cuarón was delighted to maintain was John Williams, and the legendary composer distinguished his final franchise collaboration (though his theme would repeat throughout the series) by complementing his existing score with the thrilling and chilling addition of the Frog Choir singing 'Double Trouble'. With the lyrics taken from Shakespeare’s Macbeth ("Something wicked this way comes!"), it adds another tinge of horror to go with the Dementors, the reveal that Lupin is a werewolf, the threat of the murderous Black, and the folk-horror vibe as a sense of ancient power emanates from Hogwarts’ slopes and forests. 

Some sequences are genuinely scary, and most frightening of all is when the Dementors descend upon the Hogwarts Express from a grey, rain-lashed sky. Did Heyman and Cuarón ever fear that Azkaban was too dark? "You know, young people don’t like to be patronised," Heyman says. "It’s more parents worrying about their children than children worrying about themselves. So this is edgy. It’s thrilling. And the kids, and adults, watching it are enthralled."

"When I was at the set of the train, it reminded me so much of the Hitchcock films I had seen of the '30s and '40s," says Cuarón, who worked with master puppeteer Basil Twist to map the movement of puppets performing underwater, in slow motion. The practical effects, though ultimately scrapped, provided creative direction for VFX house Industrial Light & Magic to invest the Dementors with the "metaphysical quality" that Cuarón desired. But back to Hitch… "I wanted to do something in that atmosphere. Like Hitchcock, it was more about the anticipation."

All of these techniques and sequences were sewn together with as much skill as Cuarón brought to bear on stitching together the film’s time-travel sequence, in which Hermione uses the Time-Turner to save Buckbeak from execution, and more. For that shot, about a minute’s worth of action was filmed on Steadicam against bluescreen, and four minutes of background footage, shot separately, was then speeded up and composited behind the main action, while two other plates of background footage were tiled together as the camera turned. It was multiverse madness long before the MCU, and the result was dazzling. 

The same with the movie, which opened in the UK on 31 May 2004 and scored the highest opening weekend at the box office in UK history – a record it kept until Spectre’s release in 2015. In the US and Canada, it enjoyed the third biggest opening weekend of all time, racking up a cool $93.7m. With a worldwide total of $795.6m, Prisoner of Azkaban was the second biggest movie of 2004, behind Shrek 2. 

The reviews, too, were largely stellar, with The Hollywood Reporter calling it "deeper, darker, visually arresting, and more emotionally satisfying" than the previous Potters, while Rolling Stone labelled it a "dazzler". Now, 20 years on, it’s regarded by critics as the finest Potter movie, though Cuarón is far too modest to accept such praise. 

"Critics should ask children and Average Joes!" he laughs. "I’m grateful, but I have to say, if you ask fans and children, they have different views. But I was lucky that Azkaban is the most complex story. I saw it almost as a noir."

Heyman, naturally, won’t choose between his babies. "They’re all my children and they each mark different points in my life," he says. "I met my wife on the end of the second film, I brought my stepchildren onto the third film – Alfonso is my son’s godfather. The friendships that I made are so significant. I do think three is a very a special film, but I also think one, two, four, five, six, seven and eight are, too."

Cuarón concludes with a contented sigh. "I was very generously asked if I wanted to stay in the series but I felt that Prisoner of Azkaban was such an incredible sense of discovery. I’d been learning every day and I didn’t want to stop learning. It’s such an incredible universe and I had such a beautiful time."

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is out now in UK cinemas via a rerelease.

For more coming your way this year, check out our guide to the upcoming movies you should be watching out for.

Jamie Graham is the Editor-at-Large of Total Film magazine. You'll likely find them around these parts reviewing the biggest films on the planet and speaking to some of the biggest stars in the business – that's just what Jamie does. Jamie has also written for outlets like SFX and the Sunday Times Culture, and appeared on podcasts exploring the wondrous worlds of occult and horror. 

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An On-Set Experiment on ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ Proved the Main Trio are Real-Life Versions of Their Fictional Selves

I n the realm of cinematic magic, iconic franchises like the globally hyped Harry Potter film series have captured the hearts and imaginations of audiences worldwide. With JK Rowling’s relatable characters, intricate plotlines, and spellbinding adventures, each installment of the saga has left an indelible mark on pop culture.

Thanks to the filmmakers who visualized the magic from JK Rowling’s books and transferred it to the movies. But, alongside the director, a special thanks goes to the iconic cast who flawlessly portrayed their fictional characters. Well, why not, for an unexpected experiment during Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban revealed a fascinating parallel between the actors and their iconic roles.

Alfonso Cuarón’s Experiment While Filming Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Marking the inception of the onscreen magical journey with the heartfelt storyline and a bit of suspense, Chris Columbus introduced fans to the magical world of JK Rowling with his 2001 installment Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. However, three years later, as Alfonso Cuarón helmed the 2004 movie Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , it marked a significant turning point in the franchise.

“Nothing could be more unlucky”: 1 Harry Potter Character Hinted Dumbledore and Sirius Black’s Death in the Movie With a Warning From JK Rowling’s Book

Delving into darker themes and introducing a more mature tone, the third installment in the saga featured the golden trio emerging amid bewitching visuals, compelling storytelling, and intriguing dynamics. As Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson , and Rupert Grint’s characters embarked on their third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, they faced newfound challenges and complexities.

While the original cast of the film was accustomed to the challenges of the franchise, the new filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón wasn’t habituated to directing a film on this scale before. Therefore, to understand the cast and their connection with their characters, the filmmaker conducted an experiment on set. Cuarón fittingly gave the main trio an assignment, to write an autobiographical essay for their respective roles.

The Experiment on the Golden Trio Showed Fascinating Results

While this experiment had nothing to do with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban or its production, it certainly delivered the result that Alfonso Cuarón was looking for. After handing out the assignment to get to know about the golden trio’s connection with their fictional selves, Cuarón witnessed a fitting outcome that helped him create a unique environment for the main trio.

Even Eagle-Eyed Fans Missed Eddie Redmayne’s Character’s Easter Egg in Daniel Radcliffe’s Scene From Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

According to Collider ‘s report, Emma Watson playing the role of the overachiever and studious character Hermione Granger in the film series, wrote an extensive twenty-page thesis paper, offering her insight and exhaustive detail on Hermione’s character. While on the other hand, Daniel Radcliffe simply wrote a one-page summary, much like his character Harry, who was known to have only average grades.

However, surprisingly Rupert Grint went the extra mile to prove his remarkable connection with his character, as the actor never completed the essay. Proving to be a real-life version of his fictional counterpart, Grint when confronted by Alfonso Cuarón, simply replied that his character Ron would never turn the paper in. The ultimate result convinced the director he knew enough about the character.

Thus, after each actor seamlessly slipped into the mindset of their respective roles, representing the traits and mannerisms of Harry, Hermione, and Ron, with uncanny precision, Alfonso Cuarón understood the profound connection they shared with their characters.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is available on Max. 

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Magic and the supernatural lauren walsburg college.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman explore the themes of magic and the supernatural. Harry Potter is a story about a young, seemingly ordinary boy, finding out that he is in fact a wizard. Together with his friends Ron and Hermione, Harry battles enemies within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and without. Nobody Owens, or Bod for short, from The Graveyard Book grows up in a very unconventional situation being raised by Mr. and Mrs. Owens ghosts of the graveyard he lives in. Silas, his guardian who also happens to be a vampire, teaches Bod the ways of the world all the while trying to protect him from the villainous Jacks of All Trades. Both texts use of magic and the supernatural enable the authors to set up a hierarchal structure between those within the magical world and outside of it. There are clear distinctions between the two worlds, for example ghosts versus humans in The Graveyard Book and wizards versus muggles in Harry Potter . Both texts aim to break down the barriers of this social construction through the characters particularly Bod in The Graveyard Book and Hermione in Harry Potter. The two texts can be described as a hybrid of fantasy fiction...

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Summary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Publisher description.

Step into the enchanting world of Harry Potter with this captivating summary book that delves into the highlights of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." Inside, you'll find a comprehensive exploration of Harry's first year at Hogwarts, from his humble beginnings with the Dursleys to his heroic showdown with the dark wizard Voldemort. Each chapter is filled with engaging insights and analysis, providing a deeper understanding of the themes of friendship, bravery, and the triumph of good over evil that permeate this beloved tale. Join Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they navigate the halls of Hogwarts, uncovering secrets, facing challenges, and forging lifelong bonds along the way. From the Sorting Hat ceremony to the final confrontation in the Forbidden Forest, every moment is brought to life with vivid detail and heartfelt reflection. But this summary book is more than just a retelling of Harry's adventures—it's a gateway to the magical world of Hogwarts, inviting readers to rediscover the wonder and excitement of J.K. Rowling's timeless masterpiece. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the wizarding world, this book offers a fresh perspective on the story that has captured the hearts of millions around the globe. NOTE: This book is a summary and not the original work. It provides a condensed version of the main ideas and concepts from the original book for a quick and easy understanding. For a complete and detailed reading experience, please refer to the original text. So why wait? Embark on an unforgettable journey with Harry Potter and experience the magic for yourself. Buy now and let the adventure begin!

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