Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Philosopher's Stone/Chapter 13
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Chapter 13 of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: Nicholas Flamel
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[edit] Synopsis
Quidditch practice is picking up again as Harry and the rest of the team prepare for an upcoming match against Hufflepuff. Harry is horrified to be told that Professor Snape will be refereeing this match, as are Ron and Hermione when he tells them.
Harry gives a Chocolate Frog to Neville, who gives him back the card; Harry sees that it is the card of Albus Dumbledore, and suddenly recalls that it was on that card that he had seen Nicholas Flamel's name: Professor 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 Nicholas Flamel. The mention of Alchemy reminds Hermione of a book she had taken out of the library which mentions Flamel as being now 665 years old. Further research leads Harry, Ron, an Hermione to the conclusion that the mysterious package Hagrid had brought to the school was in fact the only known instance of the Philosopher's Stone. Eternal life and all the gold you could want. No wonder Snape wants it, they think...
Harry decides to play Quidditch even with Snape refereeing. In the course of the game, a fight breaks out in the stands between some of the Gryffindors (notably Ron and Neville) and some of the Slytherins (led by Draco Malfoy). The match lasts only about five minutes as Harry spots and catches the Snitch before Snape has been able to do more than award one penalty to Hufflepuff.
After the match, Harry sees Snape enter the Forbidden Forest. Using his broom, he is able to get close enough to eavesdrop on a conversation between Snape and Professor Quirrell. The conversation confirms Harry, Ron, and Hermione's belief that the package is the Philosopher's Stone, and leads them to conclude that Quirrell is the only thing standing between Snape and the Stone.
[edit] Analysis
Much of this chapter actually serves as reinforcement.
- Harry gives Neville the Chocolate Frog because Neville has been jinxed by Draco Malfoy. This serves to reinforce both Draco's disdain for rules and for Gryffindors, and Neville's relative incompetence.
- Snape's refereeing of the match allows some further reinforcement of his dislike of Gryffindor House in general, and Harry in particular.
- Harry's overhearing Snape and Quirrell serves to reinforce Harry's belief, and thus also Ron's and Hermione's, that Snape is trying to get the Philosopher's Stone, and poor, weak Quirrell is trying to stop him.
The only major plot advance at this point is the discovery that it is, in fact, the Philosopher's Stone that is being guarded on the one hand, and sought on the other. We are given some clue as well to its usefulness by being told the length of time that Flamel has been alive. Clearly, some of the Stone's function has to do with prolonging life. We will find out a bit more than this shortly.
[edit] Questions
[edit] Review
[edit] Further Study
[edit] Greater Picture
At one point in this chapter, Harry notices that he seems to be running into Snape far more frequently than usual. He wonders if Snape knows that he, Ron, and Hermione have found out about the Philosopher's Stone, and he has the horrible feeling that Snape can read minds. Harry has felt this to a greater or lesser degree a number of times, but this is the first time he has expressed the thought this clearly, even to himself. This will be a recurring concern for Harry, and will come to full fruition in the fifth book in the series.
Once again, Harry's single-minded view of Snape's character twists his perspective on the things he witnesses, so that he can only see one possible interpretation. This persistent prejudice towards Snape will come back to haunt Harry as the larger story reaches its climax.
We do not yet have any idea that Voldemort is still around, apart from Hagrid's earlier comment that he thinks Voldemort was "too evil to die". We will, however, receive a large hint in that direction shortly, when a Centaur speaks with Harry about the uses of Unicorn blood.
