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[edit] Chapters

Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived

Chapter 2: The Vanishing Glass

Chapter 3: The Letters From No One

Chapter 4: The Keeper of the Keys

Chapter 5: Diagon Alley

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

Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat

Chapter 8: The Potions Master

Chapter 9: The Midnight Duel

Chapter 10: Hallowe'en

Chapter 11: Quidditch

Chapter 12: The Mirror of Erised

Chapter 13: Nicholas Flamel

Chapter 14: Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback

Chapter 15: The Forbidden Forest

Chapter 16: Through the Trapdoor

Chapter 17: The Man with Two Faces

[edit] Overview

The first book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the US) is written from the point of view of the 11-year-old Harry Potter. While its prime audience is children aged 8 to about 11, the story has enough depth to make it a satisfying, if short, read for even adult readers, and the characters show realistic development over the course of the book.

This book came out with different titles in the UK and in the US. In the UK, and in most other English editions, it was named Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Apparently the US publisher felt that his audience would not have sufficient background into classical mythology to know what the Philosopher's Stone was, and so titled the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. While many fan sites, mostly in the US, have chosen the latter title, and the film and video games have done likewise, this book uses the UK title as being somewhat closer to the author's intent.

[edit] Book Highlights

• New places visited: Privet Drive, Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, Forbidden Forest
• Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher: Quirrell
• Title refers to: the Philosopher's Stone

Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived

[edit] Synopsis

Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.

Mr Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache. Mrs Dursley was thin and blond and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbours. The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.

Mr Dursley notices strange events on his way to work: a cat on Privet Drive happens to be reading a map, and people dressed in colourful robes are walking in the streets. Mr Dursley attempts to disregard these oddities. During his lunch break, he sees another group of curiously robed people, and hears mention of the Potters and their son, Harry. He is reminded of the Dursleys' shameful secret, and the reason why they pretend the Potters don't exist. When Mr Dursley arrives home, he hears reports of unforeseen shooting stars and flocks of owls flying during the daytime. Previously unwilling to discuss the Potters with Mrs Dursley, he finally verifies with her that their nephew's name is Harry. Mr Dursley sleeps uneasily.

Later that night, a mysterious man by the name of Albus Dumbledore appears in Privet Drive. He removes from his robes a Put-Outer with which he extinguishes the street lights. Dumbledore addresses the cat which seemed to be reading a map earlier as Professor McGonagall, prompting the cat to transform into a robed woman. The couple talk about how recent celebrations have left "Muggles" inquisitive. Dumbledore confirms with McGonagall that James and Lily Potter are dead, and their infant son Harry was apparently involved in the defeat of their assailant, an entity named "You-Know-Who" or Voldemort. Harry, according to Dumbledore, is due to arrive at Privet Drive soon by means of someone named Hagrid.

Hagrid arrives transporting himself and Harry on a flying motorbike. Dumbledore leaves the baby on the doorstep of number four with a letter. McGonagall despairs at the fact that Harry, a definite celebrity, will spend his childhood with such people. Hagrid re-mounts his motorcycle, McGonagall once again becomes a cat, and Dumbledore re-illuminates the streetlights, and they all depart.

[edit] Analysis

This is one of five chapters in the series that is not written from Harry's point of view. The other chapters are Chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, and Chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Evidence in the series indicates that Harry is born on 31 July, 1980, and orphaned on 31 October, 1981 — Hallowe'en night — when he is one year and three months old. Critics point out a lack of "trick-or-treating" and similar festivities on Privet Drive that night, but it should be mentioned that we don't actually see Privet Drive on the 31st; it is the 1st of November when Vernon Dursley drives off to work, and the night of the 1st when Dumbledore and Hagrid arrive.

Evidence also suggests that there is a day between the death of Harry's parents, and his arrival at Privet Drive; Harry is orphaned on 31 October, 1981, and the story opens with Vernon Dursley leaving for work on the morning of 1 November. This has sparked speculation amongst readers; is there an accident of dates, or is the "missing day" a purposeful addition by the author? It was believed by many readers that the occurrences during that day would be important, possibly even pivotal, to events in the seventh book.

There is also a contradiction: 1 November, 1981 was, in reality, a Sunday, and the book states that that day is a Tuesday. Much of the series has minor internal conflicts of this sort. These errors or oversights do not detract from the sweep of the story, so while they may be mentioned, they are provided more as a curiosity than as something for the readers to concern themselves with.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. What caused the Dursleys' embarrassment of the Potters? Why is it a secret to the Dursleys that they are related?
2. What exactly is the cat on Privet Drive?
3. Who are the robed people Mr Dursley sees in the streets?
4. Who is "You-Know-Who"?

[edit] Further Study

1. While many people seem to be celebrating the defeat of this Voldemort, Dumbledore seems to think the celebrations premature. What would make him think this?

[edit] Greater Picture

This chapter provides the framework for the contrast that will be echoed throughout the series between the magical and the mundane.

The events that immediately result in Harry's being orphaned are not discussed in this chapter, but are gradually revealed throughout the series. They are included here by way of reference.

Harry Potter is orphaned when the Dark Lord Voldemort murders his wizarding parents, Lily and James Potter. Voldemort breaks into the Potters' house in the village of Godric's Hollow and duels with James. Voldemort kills James and attempts to do the same to Lily and Harry. He is successful in killing Lily, ignoring her pleas to spare their lives, but his attempt to kill Harry backfires and Voldemort is apparently killed instead. When Harry is older and, during his first year at Hogwarts, meets with Voldemort, Voldemort states that Harry's mother need not have died. Lily's sacrificial attempt to save Harry, however, causes the curse, which Voldemort consequently attempts on Harry, to backfire. This forms a connection between attacker and victim, during which, parts of Voldemort's powers are transferred to the infant, and give Harry a lightning-bolt shaped scar on his forehead. The protection that Lily gives her son — which Albus Dumbledore later explains as her "love" for Harry — destroys Voldemort's physical body and would have killed him completely had it not been for the Dark magic he had been using to split his soul, called Horcruxes. The downfall of Voldemort renders Harry an extremely popular figure in the wizarding world.

It is entirely possible that, because of the Fidelius charm that was meant to protect the Potters from Voldemort still being active, Hagrid would have been unable to find the place until one of the parties to the secret was there. We can safely assume that Sirius, as one of James' closest friends, would have been aware of the Potters' location; in fact, he does say, in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, that he had seen "the bodies and the destruction" of the house, so he must have known the secret, either before the Fidelius charm was performed, or by Peter Pettigrew (who we will not meet until the third book) informing him of it afterwards. It has been conjectured that Hagrid was unable to enter the remains of the house to recover Harry until Sirius appeared on the scene, and it could have been Sirius who actually removed Harry from the wreckage and passed him to Hagrid to carry back to Little Whinging. Hagrid does say, however, in Chapter 4, that he took Harry from the wreckage himself, so we have to assume either that Hagrid was in on the secret, or else that the Fidelius charm ends automatically when the secret it is designed to protect (in this case, the whereabouts of James and Lily) is no longer operative. We could speculate as to which it is, but given that the house is apparently visible to all wizards by the time of the seventh book, it is most likely that the charm had simply ended with Lily's death.

The fact that Sirius had seen "the wreckage" was also thought to be significant; the Killing Curse does not affect things, only people, and so does not leave wreckage. So the house would have been intact when Voldemort died, giving us a standing house, three dead bodies, and Harry. Add to this the fact that in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Voldemort had his wand back, and we are drawn inescapably to the conclusion that someone, most likely Peter Pettigrew, was there with Voldemort, was aware of his downfall, recovered his wand (and perhaps concealed his body), and destroyed the house, either in revenge or in frustration, while leaving Harry untouched, likely out of fear that whatever had felled Voldemort would kill anyone who tried to attack Harry. We have found out since that the destruction in the house was restricted to the room in which Lily was killed and Harry was sleeping; it is possible that Pettigrew blasted his way out of the house carrying Voldemort's body rather than trying to carry it back down the stairs. The fact that Voldemort, in his memory of that night as viewed in the seventh book, does not recall Peter accompanying him is inconclusive; Voldemort does not seem to pay much attention to his Death Eaters, unless they are directly in his way.

Chapter 2: The Vanishing Glass

[edit] Synopsis

Ten years have passed since baby Harry was left with the Dursleys. The living room is full of pictures of Dudley, but none of Harry.

Harry, who sleeps in a spidery cupboard, is awakened by his aunt Petunia, who is telling him to cook breakfast. It is Dudley's birthday and the kitchen table is covered with presents. We are told that Dudley enjoys punching Harry but doesn't usually catch him. Harry is described in detail. Dudley comes into the kitchen and almost throws a tantrum because he has fewer presents than the year before.

The Dursleys find out that Mrs. Figg, the cat-obsessed lady nearby who usually watches Harry while the Dursleys take Dudley on his birthday trip, has broken her leg. They discuss what to do with Harry, and Dudley wails that he doesn't want him to come. Dudley's friend, Piers Polkiss, arrives and because they don't know what else to do with him, Harry gets to come along to the zoo. Uncle Vernon warns Harry that if anything strange happens, Harry will be in major trouble. (Strange things seem to happen around Harry, and the Dursleys don't believe him when he says he didn't cause them.)

On the way to the zoo, Uncle Vernon becomes angry when Harry mentions he dreamed about a flying motorcycle.

The zoo goes well at first, and Harry even gets some ice cream. When they get to the reptile house, Harry has a conversation with a large boa constrictor. When Dudley pushes Harry out of the way so he can see the snake's strange behavior, the glass enclosing the snake vanishes. The snake slides out, saying that it will go to his natural environment in Brazil and thanking Harry.

In the car, Dudley and Piers greatly exaggerate their encounter with the snake, and when they are home and Piers is gone, Harry is sent to his cupboard by a furious Uncle Vernon.

Later, Harry is lying in his cupboard, thinking. The only thing he remembers about his past is a flash of green light and a pain in his forehead. He also remembers how sometimes, when he's out with the Dursleys, strange-looking people seem to recognize him.

[edit] Analysis

This is the first chapter in which we see how the Dursleys are treating Harry. They treat him as if he was a slave, and they show him no respect at all. Importantly, however, Harry has been made neither timid nor bitter by this treatment, an early sign of the admirable qualities which are so vital to his destiny.

This is also the chapter in which we see Harry's magical talents being shown, such as being able to talk to snakes (this will be explained more fully in this book's successor, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets). Rowling has said that this uncontrolled magical ability is normal for wizarding children who haven't yet learned to control their magical powers. Strangely, Harry does not seem frightened by these bizarre incidents, and only casually questions them. This suggests an innate acceptance of magic, and perhaps an unconscious awareness of his true magical nature.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why did Dudley pretend to cry?
2. Why did Dudley stop his fake crying when his friend came?
3. What kinds of strange things happen around Harry?

[edit] Further Study

1. What do these strange things that happen around Harry teach us about his character?

[edit] Greater Picture

The scene with the snake could be construed as a hint of what is to come in the next two chapters. Harry and the snake are in almost the same position, as both are prisoners and are cut off from the world in which they belong: Harry, stuck with the Dursleys, is being prevented from joining the Wizarding world, just as the snake, captive in the zoo, cannot enter the world of the Amazon jungle. Also, both were raised away from their home, and so have no knowledge of their native worlds. And finally, each in turn is released from their prison, and head for an unknown future, somehow believing that it must be better then what they are leaving behind.

In this chapter we learn of Harry's ability to speak to snakes, a fact that will be extremely important in future books. While it seems that these early signs of magic could be the trigger which sent the active phase of Albus Dumbledore's great plan into action, we must recall that Harry is about to turn 11, and it is in the September after they reach the age of 11 that magical children are invited to attend school. The author has stated that Hogwarts is the only Wizarding school in the UK, thus every magical child will receive the opportunity to attend when he or she reaches 11. Not all children do attend; some, like Marvolo Gaunt, who we will meet later, likely would not trust the established school system with their children.

Under the pretext of telling us why the Dursleys are afraid to leave Harry home alone, we learn how Harry used his powers before he knew he was a Wizard, basically in self-defense. This story is contrasted in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince with the story of how the boy Tom Riddle (later known as Lord Voldemort) used his powers to terrorize others before he knew he was a wizard. This comparison adds another layer to the good vs. evil theme.

Chapter 3: The Letters From No One

[edit] Synopsis

Harry is finally let out of the cupboard after being punished for the boa constrictor episode. The summer holidays have started and Dudley and his friends harass Harry daily, enjoying their favorite sport, "Harry Hunting". Dudley finds he has been accepted to Uncle Vernon's old public school (US: private school), Smeltings, whereas Harry will be going to a local comprehensive (US:public school), Stonewall High.

In July, Petunia takes Dudley shopping for his school clothes. The next morning Harry finds her dyeing some of Dudley's old clothes grey, to make him a "school uniform". As everyone sits down for breakfast the mail arrives. Harry has a short fight with Dudley over who has to retrieve the mail. Harry loses. Picking up the mail, Harry sees there is a letter addressed to him:

Mr. H. Potter

The Cupboard under the Stairs

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

Harry had never received mail before and wasn't sure who this could be from. The envelope was a thick, heavy, yellow parchment with a strange wax seal on the back. Back in the kitchen, Uncle Vernon snatches the letter from Harry as he tries to read it. Uncle Vernon is shocked at the contents of the letter and immediately sends Dudley and Harry out of the kitchen so he and Petunia can discuss it. Dudley and Harry listen to the conversation through the keyhole and the gap under the door, and overhear them decide to ignore the letter and not respond.

Uncle Vernon moves Harry up into Dudley's second room. Day after day more letters show up for Harry, but they are now addressed to him in "The Smallest Bedroom", despite Vernon's attempts to prevent their entering the house. Vernon does manage to prevent Harry from getting any of the letters. On Sunday, when Uncle Vernon is sure no post is coming, the letters come streaming out of the fireplace. Vernon decides enough is enough, packs everyone into the car and drives all day to a run-down hotel on the outskirts of some city. The next day "about a hundred letters" show up at the hotel for Harry. Next, Uncle Vernon finds a rickety old shack out on a rocky island off the coast, accessible only by boat. As they settle in for the night Harry stares at Dudley's watch, counting down the minutes to midnight and his eleventh birthday. A storm is raging outside but Harry thinks he hears something else outside the shack. Just as he counts the final second down to his birthday a huge BOOM shakes the shack. Someone is knocking on the door.

[edit] Analysis

Uncle Vernon’s attempts to shut out, and then run away from, the letters can be seen as an analogy with people's tendency to try to ignore facts. The tendency to try to avoid unpleasant truth is a common human weakness. The idea that if you refuse to admit something to yourself, then it can’t be true, may be very comforting sometimes. The problem is that, just like the letters that burst out of the fireplace, the truth has a tendency to come back and strike you in the face. Unfortunately, this is a lesson that Vernon Dursley never seems to learn, as determined denial and brutish ignorance are the key qualities of his character. This chapter has an enjoyably tense atmosphere, as it almost as if Harry's true identity and destiny is rushing toward him, and no matter how hard the Dursleys try to outrun it, with a "BOOM!" on the door it catches up, and nothing will ever be the same again.

As mentioned in Chapter 1, there are a few places in the stories where days and dates don't line up. We have already seen that this book covers events largely in 1991 and 1992. The Dursleys leave Privet Drive for the hotel on Sunday, leave the hotel and drive to the island on Monday (Dudley complains because he is missing The Great Umberto on TV), and so Harry's birthday falls on Tuesday. However, July 31, 1991 is a Wednesday. This trivial error does not truly affect the story in any way, and is included here more as a curiosity than as something for the scholar to concern himself with.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why does Uncle Dursley decide to move Harry out of the cupboard? What does Dudley think of this change?

[edit] Further Study

1. How could the writer of the letters know where Harry's room/place was at any given moment?
2. Who is the person that is sending these letters?
3. Who is the person that comes to get Harry?
4. Does Harry get to read his letter? And when?

[edit] Greater Picture

This chapter shows the great lengths that the Dursleys are willing to go to in order to appear normal to neighbors and not to draw attention to themselves. Their need to appear normal in front of others is the reason they hide Harry in his room and is also the reason they keep him at their home after the dramatic events at the beginning of Harry's fifth year.

Chapter 4: The Keeper of the Keys

[edit] Synopsis

BOOM! The knockings continue outside the door. Vernon comes running in with a rifle as the door is smashed in. A huge man with a bearded face enters. He twists Uncle Vernon's gun like a pretzel, sits down and wishes Harry happy birthday, and gives him a squished cake. The giant man makes himself at home, starts a fire and makes tea and sausages. He introduces himself as Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Hagrid is dismayed to find the Dursleys have told Harry nothing of his past or of his parents, and furious that they told Harry that his parents died in a car crash. Hagrid explains that Harry is a wizard, a very famous wizard. He gives Harry his letter, now addressed to him at the shack. The letter explains that Harry has been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Hagrid sends an owl to Professor Dumbledore saying he found Harry and will be taking him to get his school supplies. Petunia begins ranting and Harry learns that she and Uncle Vernon have lied to him about his past. Hagrid tells Harry about a very dark wizard, by the name of Voldemort (though Hagrid seems to have enormous difficulty saying the name, apparently out of fear), who ten years ago (when Harry was only one year old) tracked down and killed Harry's parents, James and Lily Potter. He tried to kill Harry too, but failed, and that is how Harry got the scar on his forehead. Harry asks Hagrid what happened to Voldemort and Hagrid tells him that no one is sure, but something happened to him (on the Hallowe'en night he tried to kill Harry) that drove him into hiding.

Harry questions whether he is really a wizard, but Hagrid asks whether he had ever made things happen when he was angry or scared. Harry remembers things he had done, most recently the boa constrictor, and smiles. Uncle Vernon cuts in and says Harry isn't going to a magic school. He then insults Albus Dumbledore, calling him a crackpot. This sends Hagrid into a fit of rage and he causes a pig's tail to grow out of Dudley's back side. The Dursleys scramble into the other room, terribly afraid of Hagrid. Hagrid asks Harry not to mention the magic he performed to anyone at Hogwarts, as he isn't supposed to do magic anymore. Harry asks why not, and Hagrid explains that he had been expelled from Hogwarts during his third year. Harry questions him further, but Hagrid changes the subject saying it's late and they have lots of things to do the next day. At that they go to sleep, Hagrid on the couch, Harry under Hagrid's huge coat on the floor.

[edit] Analysis

In this chapter, we learn a bit more of what happened the night Lord Voldemort came to Godric's Hollow. We also get a feeling for the dread that most wizards have for Voldemort, or even his name.

The Dursley's behaviour here is a classic example of the human tendency for ignorance and fear to go hand in hand. In a vicious circle, their ignorance about magic makes them afraid of it, and their fear prevents them from developing a better understanding. In contrast, Harry's willingness to accept his magical nature when the evidence is shown to him, clearly indicates his open-minded intelligence.

One of the central themes to these books is the danger of prejudice and divisiveness, and this chapter, particularly Petunia's tirade, gives a picture of the prejudiced view from the Muggle side of the Muggle/Magic divide.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. What does this chapter tell us about Aunt Petunia's character?
2. Why do Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon hide Harry's secret?
3. Do they tell him what his secret is? Why or why not?

[edit] Further Study

1. Can you think of a reason, aside from ignorance and fear, for Petunia's apparent hatred of her sister Lily?

[edit] Greater Picture

This chapter briefly mentions Hagrid's expulsion from Hogwarts, which will be important to the plot of the next book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Hagrid's fear of saying Voldemort's name will be echoed through almost all of the series, with people referring to Voldemort as "you-know-who" and variants on that theme. This dread, though constant, will be greatly reinforced in the seventh book, where we will learn that Voldemort has, in fact, placed a taboo on his name, such that anyone who speaks it will be immediately detected and subject to reprisals. We will find that the taboo is specifically aimed at those who would fight him, as they are the only ones who dare speak his name. While this is never mentioned, it is entirely likely that a similar taboo was in place in Voldemort's initial time in power, and it would be this taboo which had engendered a fear of speaking the name among the Wizarding populace.

In this chapter, by learning his true nature, Harry has taken the first step on the path of his eventual destiny. He will continue on this path throughout the entire series, with occasional setbacks.

Chapter 5: Diagon Alley

[edit] Synopsis

Harry wakes up to find an owl attacking Hagrid's coat. Hagrid tells him to give the owl five Knuts, which turn out to be odd-looking coins, and they set off for London. Walking down the street, Harry notices Muggles (non-magical folk) are looking at them strangely and are scrambling to let Hagrid pass.

After climbing broken down escalators to the London Underground and getting Hagrid stuck at the ticket barrier (and after complaints from Hagrid that the seats were too small and trains too slow), they finally reach Central London.

Soon, they reach a place called the Leaky Cauldron. Harry notices the Muggles' gaze traveling from the record shop on one side to the bookstore on the other side, not noticing the pub in-between. He has a feeling that of those present, only Hagrid and himself can see it.

On entering the pub, Harry is greeted enthusiastically by many excited people, including one Quirrell, who Hagrid says will be teaching Harry about Defence Against the Dark Arts. Leaving the Leaky Cauldron, Harry and Hagrid find themselves in a small courtyard behind the pub. While Harry thinks over the responses of the people, Hagrid starts counting the bricks on top of the bin with his umbrella. He then taps a brick three times and a hole appears, getting bigger and bigger, and turns into an archway. They enter Diagon Alley.

Harry and Hagrid walk past the wizard shops to the end of the street, where Gringotts, the wizard bank, stands. At Gringotts, Hagrid provides the key to Harry's parents' vault, and a note authorizing him to enter another vault on behalf of Dumbledore. After a high-speed cart ride with Griphook the goblin (which makes Hagrid queasy), they reach Harry's vault, which is full of wizard money (galleons, sickles and knuts). Hagrid helps Harry draw enough for school supplies and a year at school, and educates him on the wizard monetary system. After another cart ride, Hagrid removes the only contents of vault seven hundred thirteen, a small grubby parcel, without explaining what it is.

Back on the surface, Harry, with Hagrid's assistance, buys school supplies. He meets another first-year Hogwarts student who seems quite full of himself; but before introductions can be completed, Harry's robes are finished and he moves on to buy other supplies: books, a cauldron, a telescope, and potion supplies. For his birthday, Hagrid buys him an owl, Hedwig. Finally, at Ollivander's, Harry buys a wand, which turns out, according to Mr. Ollivander, to be twin to the one sold to Voldemort, each being made with one of the only two tail-feathers ever given by one particular phoenix.

[edit] Analysis

Harry is amazed that he is so respected by these people. Without realizing it, he is famous, a hero to an entire people. In this chapter, we see Harry's reaction to fame; mostly, he is a bit embarrassed, because he feels he has done nothing to deserve the adulation that is being cast his way. We will be contrasting this with the behaviour of someone who lives for fame in the next book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

We are also here, for the first time, exposed to the parallel Wizarding economy, and to the magical creatures that exist in the Wizarding world. We meet goblins, and hear about phoenixes, dragons, unicorns, hags, and vampires; this is our first intimation that these creatures out of mythology may have a real, parallel existence.

Harry finds that having a wand related to Voldemort's makes him uneasy; while Ollivander sees it as an indication that Harry will be a great wizard, Harry finds it disturbing that he could have even that small a similarity to a wizard who is universally seen as evil, further evidence of his admirable character. The provenance of the magical core of Harry's wand will become important in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Hagrid says that the Wizarding monetary system is simple. Is it?

[edit] Further Study

1. We see that Harry and Hagrid get off the island by using the same boat that Harry and the Dursleys used to get there. If Harry and Hagrid take the only boat on the whole island, how did the Dursleys get home?
2. When asked how he had gotten to the island, Hagrid reported that he had flown there. Apparently, wizards cannot fly without equipment such as a broom, a flying car or motorcycle, or a flying carpet. How could Hagrid fly there?

[edit] Greater Picture

The "small, grubby parcel" that Hagrid removes from the vault will turn out to be the titular Philosopher's Stone (US: Sorcerer's Stone), which will be the effective center of this book's plot. Harry, with his limited classical education, does not understand why this stone should be so prized, but its function will be explained to him by a classmate, Hermione Granger.

Mention is made of Harry's humility, above. While this character trait will serve him well, it will for a long time be masked by his unique position as "the Boy Who Lived". Harry will defeat Voldemort repeatedly, and in the process will begin to believe that he is the only one who can perform certain activities. Close examination will reveal that while he accepts, to some extent, the description of himself as a hero, he does not use this as a way of increasing status; rather, he sees it as increasing his obligations. Late in the series, he becomes known as The Chosen One, as the Ministry tries to use him as a means of showing that they are doing something; despite being thrust into the limelight in this manner, Harry does not use his fame as a way of improving his lot, instead shunning it so that he can continue the mission he has been given.

It is mentioned in the description of Ollivander's that the window display consists of a single wand on a cushion. We will find out in later books, notably Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, that Voldemort has been hunting artifacts of the Founders in order to make them into Horcruxes. It was suggested that the wand in Ollivander's window is Rowena Ravenclaw's; this might have had something to do with Ollivander's disappearance in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as well. It turns out, however, that the artifact of Ravenclaw's that Voldemort was after had been found by him many years before; he had located her lost diadem, and had turned it into a Horcrux before he met Harry.

The idea that "The wand chooses the wizard" will also become a key point in the larger story. It will become particularly important in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Chapter 6: The Journey from Platform Nine and Three Quarters

[edit] Synopsis

Back at the Dursleys', Harry now has to wait out the month before he can go to Hogwarts. Uncle Vernon agrees to take him to London only because he has to take Dudley to a surgeon to get his pig's tail removed. The Dursleys then leave him standing in the station, unable to find Platform 9-3/4 where his train is supposed to leave.

Harry then spots another apparent wizarding family, and tags along with them to get to the Hogwarts Express. This family, who recognize him for who he is, turn out to be the Weasleys, and Harry is introduced to three of the four Weasley children who are currently attending Hogwarts: Fred, George, and Ron, who ends up sharing a compartment with him. (Percy Weasley is also attending, but he is a Prefect and so rides in the special Prefects compartment at the head of the train.) Ron tells him about the treat, Chocolate Frogs, and the enclosed Famous Wizard cards; Harry gets Albus Dumbledore's card, among others. Ron also happens to mention that there had been a break-in at Gringotts Wizarding Bank in Diagon Alley; Harry is interested in this because of his own recent trip there.

During the trip to school, various other students introduce themselves to him. Neville stops by looking for his toad, Trevor; Hermione Granger stops by shortly afterwards trying to help Neville find Trevor. Draco Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, tries to coerce Harry into an alliance, and when that fails, in part because of Malfoy's bad-mouthing the Weasley family, the three try to steal some of Harry's snacks; in this, they are stopped by Scabbers, Ron's pet rat, who attacks Goyle. Finally, Hermione returns, to let them know that they are about to arrive and should get into uniform.

At Hogsmeade Station, Hagrid reappears to shepherd the first-years down to a fleet of small boats that carry the students across the lake to Hogwarts castle.

[edit] Analysis

Hermione, here in her first appearance of the series, is portrayed as a true grind – a girl whose "know-it-all" attitude is immediately off-putting. Both Harry and Ron dislike her at once... though not in the same way that they dislike the anti-trio, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who they immediately despise. It is interesting how Hermione mellows during the course of the series; this ongoing maturation of the characters, especially Hermione and, to a slightly lesser extent, Harry, is a significant part of what makes the overall story so compelling.

Draco's attitude to Ron gives us our first glimpse of the lineage-related prejudice which plagues the wizard world, and is the obsession of Voldemort and most of his followers.

Albus Dumbledore's "Famous Wizards" card is the key that provides a major clue to the riddle that needs to be solved in the course of this book.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

[edit] Further Study

[edit] Greater Picture

While much of what Harry reads on Dumbledore's Chocolate Frog card will prove important to the story of this book, it will turn out that it will be somewhat important up until the very end of the series. In part of what will be an almost stunning amount of interconnection between the first of the series and the last, we will find that Grindelwald, mentioned on Dumbledore's Chocolate Frog card, was in fact an influence on the young Dumbledore, and has a large, though not central, role in the final book of the series.

Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat

[edit] Synopsis

Upon reaching the school, Hagrid hands the new students over to a teacher, Professor McGonagall. She leads the students to an anteroom, where they wait to be sorted into Houses. They are understandably nervous about this process, and are further unnerved by a small crowd of ghosts who pass through the anteroom on their way to the Great Hall. Shortly, Professor McGonagall returns, leads them into the Great Hall, and places them, one by one, under the Sorting Hat, which calls out the house to which they are assigned. There are four houses in Hogwarts, each with very specific characteristics. Slytherin is filled with ambitious, cunning witches and wizards. Ravenclaw is home to the most intelligent witches and wizards. Gryffindor houses only the brave, and Hufflepuff is where the most fair and honest go. The Sorting Hat suggests quietly that Harry might fit well in Slytherin, but when Harry balks at this, it places him instead in Gryffindor House.

Ron and Hermione also are Sorted into Gryffindor, along with several others. Professor Dumbledore then makes a few eccentric prefatory remarks, and the feast begins. In the course of the feast, we are introduced to Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, the Gryffindor house ghost, who is nicknamed Nearly Headless Nick; and to some of the other students in Harry's year: Neville, who had almost lost his toad on the train; Seamus; and Dean, who is mentioned in the US editions of the book as being a "tall, black boy," but is not described in the British editions of the book. Harry also has an episode of pain in his scar when he is scrutinized by Professor Snape, the Potions teacher.

After the meal, there are a few start-of-term announcements, including one that catches Harry's ear: "this year, the third floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." Harry asks Percy if Dumbledore is serious, and Percy replies that he must be.

Now that the meal is finished, it is time to sing the school song: "everyone pick their favorite tune", said Dumbledore, "and off we go!". Afterwards, they leave for their dormitories. Percy leads the first-year Griffindors through a very convoluted path, though all paths through Hogwarts seem convoluted; Harry is bemused by the paintings on the walls, whose occupants are aware of the passing students and comment on them. They are briefly harassed by Peeves, but eventually reach the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, which is guarded by a portrait of a fat lady. Percy gives the password ("Caput Draconis"), and everyone goes up to their dormitories and to bed. During the night, Harry has a dream, involving Quirrell's turban and Malfoy turning into Snape. Harry wakes up sweating, and goes back to sleep, and when he wakes up the next morning he doesn't even remember the dream.

[edit] Analysis

The purpose of this chapter seems to be to introduce us to the houses in Hogwarts; to give us our first taste of the character of the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, and to introduce us also to the idea that Harry's scar can be a barometer, if you will, of the passing scene. We are also given another indication of Harry's fame in the Wizarding world, through the response made by the rest of the school when his name is called out for Sorting.

We are also given some ideas about how the Wizarding world differs from the Muggle world that Harry has been trapped in so far. The understanding of the operation of the Wizarding world here is not only appropriate to Harry's age level (11), but also is at about the level of detail that would be comprehended by someone of that age who was suddenly introduced to the magical world. For instance, the food of the banquet fades in on the plates; Harry doesn't stop to wonder who prepared it or how it got placed on the plates. That curiosity and the resultant understanding doesn't come about for another three years.

Harry's dream is, of course, foreshadowing of the main plot line of this book. At this point, the reader does not know enough to interpret this dream, but may understand that there is some connection between the pain Harry is feeling in his scar, and Quirrell's turban.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

[edit] Further Study

1. Do you think Dumbledore is really as "barmy" as seems to be popularly believed? If not, is his behaviour an affectation, or does he have wisdom that other wizards don't understand and thus dismiss as eccentricity?

[edit] Greater Picture

In this book, we see half of a timeline contradiction. At Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party, commemorating the five-hundredth anniversary of his death, in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, his death is stated to have been on 1492-10-31. However, in this chapter, Nearly Headless Nick states that he has been dead for nearly 400 years. It is assumed that this is an error on the part of the author, and in fact the author has corrected this, by making Nick say that he has been dead for nearly 500 years, in later editions of this book.

As mentioned in the Greater Picture section for that Deathday Party chapter, the date of Nearly Headless Nick's death can be used to determine a timeline for the entire series, leading us to all the specific dates of the book. However, this timeline is not critical to the plot or events of the books, as it only affects the interactions between the events in the books and the Muggle world, and those interactions are very few.

The byplay between Harry and the Sorting Hat becomes more germane in the course of the second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and later in illustrating the difference between Harry and Voldemort. While the Hat recognizes qualities in Harry bestowed on him by the connection between him and Voldemort, it is ultimately Harry's exercising of choice and free will that leads to his assignment to Gryffindor.

Harry's dream may actually be a foreshadowing of events in the entire series, rather than in just this book. It may be that his dream is actually an unconscious attempt by Voldemort to influence Harry's actions by means of Legilimency, as he will do again in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. While this is neither confirmed nor refuted by later events, it is unlikely that it is a conscious use of Legilimency by Voldemort; Voldemort did not start deliberately using Legilimency on Harry in that book until he became aware of the existing connection at about Christmas.

We are meant to believe that the explosion of pain in Harry's scar is because Snape is looking at him. It is true that Snape is not pleased to see him; at that distance, Snape can only see the similarity between Harry and his father James. We will find out that James and Snape were in the same year at Hogwarts, and that they did not get along. In actual fact, the pain in Harry's scar is because Voldemort, then riding Quirrell, is either looking at Harry through Quirrell's turban, or is using Legilimency to observe the room, and has just detected Harry.

Harry's scar did not hurt when he first met Quirrell in the Leaky Cauldron, and Quirrell's skin did not burn when they shook hands there (see The Man with Two Faces), because he wasn't wearing the turban at the time, and hence Voldemort was not possessing him from the back of his head. Quoting from the text, at the welcoming feast, "Harry spotted Quirrell, too, the nervous young man from from the Leaky Cauldron. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban." (Emphasis ours.) This implies that this is the first time Harry has seen him wearing the turban.

Chapter 8: The Potions Master

[edit] Synopsis

Harry finds his first few days at Hogwarts very trying indeed. The other students keep looking at him as though he is some kind of celebrity, which makes him nervous. The castle itself is very convoluted and he and Ron repeatedly get lost on their way to class and are late, or are caught accidentally trying to enter forbidden areas, which puts them (on the very first day at Hogwarts) on the wrong side of the caretaker, Argus Filch. And the lessons themselves are difficult.

Harry meets his teachers for the first time: Professor Sprout for Herbology, Professor Binns for History of Magic, and Professor Flitwick for Charms. He also has Professor McGonagall for Transfiguration, and Professor Quirrell for Defence Against the Dark Arts, though of course he has met them before.

At breakfast on Friday, Harry receives his first message by owl post, from Hagrid, inviting him to tea after class; he then attends his first Potions class with Professor Snape, a double length class shared with Slytherin first-years. This class does not go at all well, with Snape singling Harry out, and ridiculing him for his lack of magical knowledge. Snape, who apparently disapproves of Harry's celebrity status, continues to be harder on Harry than even the other Gryffindors in the class. In particular, when Neville melts the cauldron he shares with Seamus, Snape unjustly holds Harry partly responsible and penalizes Gryffindor House one point because of it.

When Harry (and Ron) get to Hagrid's hut for tea, Harry finds a clipping from the Daily Prophet, which mentions the robbery from Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Hagrid refuses to talk about it, and Harry ends up coming to the conclusion that the vault that was burglarized was in fact the one that Hagrid himself had emptied during their trip to Diagon Alley.

[edit] Analysis

In this chapter we meet most of the Hogwarts teachers, at least most of the ones who will be major characters in this and later books. We discover that while most of the teachers are delighted to have Harry in their classes, Snape is less than impressed. As we progress through the books, Snape's singling out of Harry becomes a regular occurrence. Later we find out precisely why Snape hates Harry so much; for now, we are led to believe that it is Harry's celebrity that Snape dislikes. This will be reinforced in the next book, where we will see Snape's reaction to a celebrity teacher.

In the conversation with Hagrid at the end of this chapter, we see Harry's urge to understand and investigate, a quality which equips him to solve (with help) the many mysteries which will be put before him throughout his seven-year story.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

[edit] Further Study

1. Why didn't Snape call on Hermione when she raised her hand?
2. Why does Snape hate Harry so much?

[edit] Greater Picture

Snape's great dislike for Harry becomes a main feature in many of the later books.

This first ever Potions class will actually foreshadow a lot of the events in the books. Snape says, in his introduction, that he can teach the students to "brew fame, bottle fortune, and even stopper death." The sheer number of connections of this scene, as described below, to later parts of the series, had led many fans to speculate, following the events at the end of the sixth book, that Dumbledore and Snape had conspired to fake Dumbledore's death. In fact, the potion mentioned had been used in that book, although we do not find out about that until late in the final book; Snape had, in fact, prevented or reversed Dumbledore's death from his touching a cursed ring. The discussion of aconite or monkshood, and the associated Draught of Living Death, reappear in the sixth book, first when Professor Slughorn has Harry's class brew this potion, and possibly (in the US edition only) on the top of the Astronomy tower, when Dumbledore is trying to convince Draco to switch sides, and tells him that can make Draco and all his family appear to be dead. The bezoar that Snape asks Harry to describe will play a small role in the fourth book, and a much larger one in the sixth book.

The fact that Harry and Ron constantly get lost shows the magical qualities and enormity of the castle. Hogwarts has many secrets, many of which will become very important later in the series.

Chapter 9: The Midnight Duel

[edit] Synopsis

Harry is dismayed to find out, in his second week of school, that flying lessons are also going to be shared with Slytherin house, and because he has no idea about how to fly, he will be subject to ridicule from Draco Malfoy, who has become as well-loved by Harry as cousin Dudley.

Neville receives a Remembrall from his grandmother, which Draco attempts to steal, but is prevented from doing so by the arrival of Professor McGonagall.

At the flying lesson, Neville falls off his broom and injures himself. The instructor, Madam Hooch, takes him off to the hospital wing, ordering the rest of the class to stay on the ground. Draco spots Neville's Remembrall on the ground, and takes off to place it in a tree for Neville to fetch later. Harry flies off after him, and finds that flying on a broomstick is something he is naturally good at. Draco changes his mind and throws the Remembrall away in the air, but Harry dives after it and catches it mid-air, just inches above the ground. He is immediately accosted by Professor McGonagall, who has been watching from her office. Professor McGonagall drags him away from the lesson, apparently in disgrace, but then introduces him to the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Oliver Wood, and tells him Harry's the new Seeker.

Surprised to find Harry at dinner that evening, Draco challenges Harry to a Wizard's Duel in the trophy room at midnight. Ron volunteers to be Harry's second. As Harry and Ron leave the common room later that night, circumstance adds Neville and Hermione to the party. As they reach the trophy room, they hear Filch looking for them. Evidently Draco had no intention of showing up, but simply sent Filch after Harry to get him in trouble. Making a run for it because Peeves yelled that he found students out of bed, Harry's group end up in the forbidden third-floor corridor, looking for a place to hide. Though they do avoid Filch, they are dismayed to find that their hiding place is occupied also by a huge three-headed dog. Managing to escape, they return to the common room, where Hermione points out that the dog was standing on a trap door and apparently guarding something. Harry leaps to the conclusion that the dog was guarding the package that Hagrid had taken from the vault at Gringotts.

[edit] Analysis

This is one of the happiest chapters, at least initially, of Harry's early school career. We've seen how he felt initially out of place – apart from the natural dislocation of being in a new school, Harry has had to deal with sudden celebrity, and the associated ongoing feeling that he's a bit of a fraud. This is compounded by the fact that he doesn't seem to be able to do magic with the natural fluidity of some of his peers, such as Hermione (it seems that she knows anything that can be learned from a book, while Harry has to muddle along). Harry is also concerned that his years of living among Muggles, particularly those Muggles, may have crippled his magical abilities – all the other students will have had magical upbringings and will bring an understanding to the school that he does not have.

In this situation, imagine his joy to discover that flying on a broomstick is something magical that he can do, not only naturally and well, but better than anyone else in the class. Compound this with the discovery that his father also flew well, that he will not have to attend further flying classes with the Slytherins, that the school will be providing him with a top-quality broom for use in Quidditch matches... and you can see that by dinner time, Harry could likely fly from sheer joy, without needing a broom.

The Wizards' duel, which may appear somewhat arbitrary, is a natural progression; Draco has been humiliated, and he must have his revenge. And for Draco, betraying Harry (and, peripherally, Ron) to Filch would be every bit as satisfying as beating him, if he could, personally, at a duel, and carries much less risk of further humiliation – what if Harry met him at the duel and actually beat him? This is also a glimpse of the lack of courage to act for himself which will later land Draco in more trouble than he can imagine.

It is also necessary for Harry to find clues to the location of Hagrid's grubby little package. It will seem that many different people are all seeking that one small thing... and Harry of course will have to know where it is if he is to do his part in keeping it safe.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

[edit] Further Study

[edit] Greater Picture

The trap door under the three-headed dog Fluffy is one of the many Hogwarts secrets foreshadowed in the previous chapter. The trap door also provides a huge question to be answered in this series: "What is under the trap door?" If the dog is guarding Hagrid's parcel, then one must question what else could lie beneath the floors of the castle. Hogwarts holds many secrets that will be discovered in later books.

Chapter 10: Hallowe'en

[edit] Synopsis

The next morning, Harry receives a long, thin package in the morning post. The attached note warns him not to open it at the table, that it is a broom, and is signed "Professor M. McGonagall." Malfoy is already dismayed that Harry and Ron apparently escaped his plan to have them thrown out, and so arranges to find out what is in the package. Discovering that it is a broomstick, he informs Professor Flitwick of his discovery, and is then further dismayed that not only does the staff know about this breach of the rule that first-years are not allowed to have broomsticks, but they also approve of it.

That evening, as directed, Harry goes down to the Quidditch pitch, where he meets Oliver Wood. Oliver explains the rules of the game, and does some basic practice with Harry. After this, Oliver has the team practicing three evenings a week; Harry of course is practicing as well.

A month and a half passes; and it is Hallowe'en. Professor Flitwick decides that the class is ready to actually use the spell to make things float that they have been learning (Wingardium Leviosa). Hermione corrects Ron's pronunciation of the incantation and is the first to succeed. Later Ron says to Harry that Hermione is unbearable and that is why she has no friends. Hermione overhears them and runs crying into the girls' bathroom.

During the Hallowe'en feast that evening, Professor Quirrell bursts into the Great Hall, hysterical, announcing the appearance of a mountain troll in the dungeons. As they are being shepherded back to their common room, Harry and Ron remember that Hermione is still in the bathroom, and head off to inform her of the troll. On the way, they see Professor Snape apparently headed for the forbidden third floor corridor. They then find the troll, which attacks Harry, Ron and Hermione in the bathroom. Frightened, Ron calls out the first spell that comes to his head, Wingardium Leviosa, which causes the troll's club to float into the air and later crash down on its head, leaving it unconscious. Upon the arrival of the teachers, Hermione lies to Professor McGonagall and says that it was her idea to try to defeat the troll, and that Harry and Ron had arrived just in time to save her. Professor McGonagall chides Hermione and takes away five points from Gryffindor for her action, but awards Harry and Ron five points apiece for defeating the troll. From then on, Hermione becomes friends with Harry and Ron.

[edit] Analysis

In the early part of the chapter, we see Harry once again receiving great joy from his flying ability. The fact that he has been presented with a world-class racing broom, and that he is able to put it so lightly through its paces, is very heartening for him. Flying and Quidditch are quickly becoming his centering point; he can retreat to the air or the pitch when things become too confusing to bear.

JK Rowling has said: "When we were editing 'Philosopher's Stone' my editor wanted me to cut the scene in which Harry, Ron and Hermione fight the troll. Although I had accepted most of the smaller cuts he wanted me to make I argued hard for this one. Hermione, bless her, is so very annoying in the early part of 'Philosopher's Stone' that I really felt it needed something (literally) huge to bring her together with Harry and Ron." Reference This is the beginning of the change in Hermione. At this point, we are starting the process of having her turn into a sympathetic character; previously, she had been the two-dimensional goody-two-shoes grind, and now we very suddenly see that there is some hope for her. This is also the first example of the "trio" working together, and their success when their skills are combined indicates how powerful and vital this friendship will be in the greater story.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

[edit] Further Study

[edit] Greater Picture

Harry receives his broom, which he becomes very attached to in the later books, as flying is the one thing he is best at in his year. One of the most devastating moments in the coming books will be when this broom is destroyed; and throughout the series, he will be periodically deprived of flight and will suffer because of this.

Hermione suddenly appears in a more sympathetic light by lying to save Harry and Ron, a key hint towards how her caring and thoughtfulness will be essential to the Trio's success across later years. The bond between the Trio, first formed here, is arguably the most important relationship in the whole story.

Chapter 11: Quidditch

[edit] Synopsis

Quidditch season starts in November, and Harry is lucky to have Hermione as his friend, because the extra practices are taking away his homework time, and it is only Hermione's help that allows him to get through it all. Also, she has become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules, so when she, Harry, and Ron are out in the courtyard one day, she creates a small wizard fire to keep them warm. Professor Snape, seeing them there, confiscates the book Harry was reading, Quidditch Through the Ages, on a pretext. Harry and Ron notice that he is limping.

That evening, Harry decides to ask Snape to return the book. Hoping to catch him with other teachers so as to defuse his anger, he looks into the staff room. There he finds Snape with a very bad wound on his leg tended by Filch, and talking about something with three heads that apparently injured him. Snape notices Harry and, enraged, orders him out of the staff room. Harry, Ron, and Hermione jointly decide that his injury is likely caused by the three-headed dog in the forbidden third floor corridor.

The following morning is the day of Harry's first Quidditch match, which would be against Slytherin. The match proceeds well, until Harry's broom starts acting strangely. Hermione notices that Professor Snape is staring fixedly at Harry and muttering, and comes to the conclusion that he is jinxing it. To stop this, she runs across the stands, knocking Professor Quirrell over in the process, and sets Snape's robes on fire, thus breaking his concentration. Regaining control of the broom, Harry dives for the pitch, in the process nearly swallowing the Snitch and thus winning the match.

After the match, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are discussing events in Hagrid's hut. Hagrid voices disbelief that Snape could have been jinxing Harry's broom. Harry mentions that Snape had apparently run afoul of the three-headed dog, which Hagrid accidentally identifies as "Fluffy". Hagrid later mentions that whatever he's guarding, "that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicholas Flamel —" thus accidentally providing another clue to the nature of the object being guarded.

[edit] Analysis

Hermione's intelligence and generosity are already proving useful, if only in the small (comparative to what comes later) matter of homework.

It is also quite clear now that someone has malicious intentions against Harry. It certainly seems obvious that it is Snape, from the events in this chapter. We also have seen that Snape seems to have a particular interest in the forbidden Third Floor corridor, the trap door, and perhaps what is underneath it.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

[edit] Further Study

1. Why would Snape treat his own leg wound, or get assistance from Filch, instead of visiting Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing?

[edit] Greater Picture

There is one timing issue in this chapter, which perhaps adds to the suspicion on Snape (as opposed to Quirrell). As Hermione is rushing along the teacher's row to reach Professor Snape, she knocks Professor Quirrell over; but then "It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize that he was on fire." Thirty seconds is a long time, when you're trying to counter a jinx or doing something that requires that level of concentration; so for thirty seconds Snape is trying to stop a jinx that is no longer going on, because Quirrell has been knocked over and has had his concentration broken. It is possible that the author meant something closer to five seconds, which would be more reasonable all around.

As can be seen here, if the Trio have a weakness it is a tendency to become stubbornly fixed on a single idea; their determined belief that Snape has malevolent intentions could have had nasty consequences at the Quidditch match had luck not favoured them.

In what has been hailed as one of the better displays of the interconnectedness of the series, the fact that Harry catches the Snitch in his mouth will become a plot point in the seventh book.

Chapter 12: The Mirror of Erised

[edit] Synopsis

Now that they have the name "Nicholas Flamel", Hermione, Ron, and Harry are spending all their spare time in the library, trying to find out who he is, a pastime that annoys Hagrid, when he finds out about it. Despite searching for a fortnight, however, they have not found him by Christmas break, when Hermione returns home for the holidays. Ron is staying at Hogwarts because his parents are going off to visit their son Charlie in Romania and Harry is staying because Hogwarts is more of a home to him than Privet Drive ever could be. Hermione reminds them to keep looking for information on Flamel.

On Christmas Day, both Harry and Ron receive gifts. Among Harry's are a sweater from Mrs. Weasley, and an Invisibility Cloak from an anonymous sender. The note with the cloak says that it had been Harry's father's, and advises him to use it well.

Christmas Dinner is very merry, including various magical accessories and truly amazing amounts of food.

Following dinner, Harry remembers the Invisibility Cloak, and decides to explore the Restricted section of the library in the hopes of finding Flamel's name. The first book he selects, however, screams when opened, causing Harry to break his lamp, and attracts Filch. On the run from Filch, he ends up in a room containing a magic mirror, which shows him standing amidst a crowd of people. On inspection, this crowd turns out to be his parents and relations – not the Dursleys, but his magical relatives.

Harry wakes Ron up and brings him down also to see this mirror, so that Ron can see Harry's parents, but Ron instead sees himself with a Head Boy's badge, and holding the Quidditch Cup.

Harry repeats his visit to the mirror a few times, eventually being surprised in the act by Professor Dumbledore. Dumbledore identifies the mirror as the Mirror of Erised, and that it shows "only the deepest desire of our hearts". When asked what he sees when he looks into the mirror, Dumbledore replies that he sees himself holding a pair of socks, which Harry suspects is a lie. Dumbledore then says that he is going to hide the mirror, and asks Harry to not seek it out again.

[edit] Analysis

Family has recently become very important to Harry: raised by the Dursleys, who barely mask their contempt for him, Harry was largely unaware of his lack. Recently, though, exposure to Ron Weasley and his family has allowed Harry to begin to understand what it feels like to be part of a family, and to have people who are concerned about him. He is touched when Mrs. Weasley, knowing that he wouldn’t be receiving many gifts from other people, sends him Christmas presents.

By looking in the Mirror of Erised, Harry gets his first glimpse of his real family. He is transfixed by the sight of his parents and relatives he never knew, and so continues to come back to look in the mirror at his parents. Dumbledore explains the way the mirror works, and it is apparent at this point in his life, Harry wishes more than anything to have a normal life with his family restored to him.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

[edit] Further Study

1. When Harry asks Dumbledore what he sees when he looks into the Mirror, Dumbledore replies that he sees himself holding a pair of socks. Is that really what Dumbledore sees?

[edit] Greater Picture

Harry's desire to have an ordinary, peaceful life with a family around him is a feeling which will follow him throughout his story. It will also serve as an incentive that will drive him to do what he needs to do.

After asking what Dumbledore sees in the mirror, Harry thinks to himself that he has just asked a very impertinent question, and much later in the series comes to the conclusion that Dumbledore had not been entirely truthful. It is revealed much later, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, that Dumbledore's heart's desire is the same as Harry's – to be reunited with his departed family, especially his mother Kendra and sister Ariana.

At this stage in the books, we do not know who had returned the Invisibility Cloak to Harry. At the end of this book, it will be revealed that, in fact, Dumbledore was the sender. However, that raises a very large question. When Harry is caught at the Mirror of Erised, Dumbledore mentions that he does not need a cloak to be invisible. We will learn later that invisibility can be provided by a spell, the Disillusionment charm, and we can guess that Dumbledore is very good at it. Why, then, would Dumbledore want James Potter's Invisibility Cloak? He has no need for it, after all.

This last point is particularly of interest, as the author mentions that it is a peculiarly never-asked question. It will be a key issue in the final book in the series, as it turns out that the Cloak is one of the Deathly Hallows of the title. It should be noted that there is technique involved in concealing the fact that this is even a question. The previous ownership of the Invisibility Cloak is separated in the text from Dumbledore's statement that he doesn't need one, by several exciting events, even though the two do fall in the same chapter, and the admission that it was Dumbledore who had been keeping the Cloak for the intervening decade is several chapters ahead. This separation of the three parts of the paradox removes the immediacy that makes it a question that the reader thinks about.

Dumbledore's interest in this Cloak will be echoed again in the seventh book.

Chapter 13: Nicholas Flamel

[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.

Chapter 14: Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback

[edit] Synopsis

Professor Quirrell, though, seems to prove stronger than expected, as Fluffy remains alert and growling behind the door. But with only 10 weeks left until end of the year exams, Hermione starts laying out timetables for studying and insisting that Harry and Ron do likewise. So it is when they are studying in the library that they find Hagrid taking a book out of the dragon section. Asked directly about Nicholas Flamel and the Philosopher's Stone, he promises to tell them something about it, but not in the library; students aren't supposed to know about it.

At Hagrid's hut, they find out that the Stone is protected by Fluffy, and enchantments by Professors Sprout, Flitwick, McGonagall, Quirrell, Dumbledore, and... Professor Snape. This is alarming as of course Snape is the one who is trying to get the Stone, but to add to the confusion, it turns out Hagrid has won a dragon's egg from someone down in the village, and is planning to hatch it despite living in a wooden house.

In due course, the egg hatches. Hagrid invites Harry, Ron and Hermione down to witness it. Draco Malfoy unfortunately overhears and sees the dragon hatch as well, through Hagrid's window. Of course, this means that they will have to get rid of it somehow, before Malfoy tells Professor Dumbledore. Harry has an idea: Ron's brother Charlie is working with dragons in Romania, maybe he can find Norbert (as Hagrid has named the dragon) a home. Hagrid is not happy about this, but finally agrees, and Charlie also agrees.

Malfoy manages to find out about Charlie's schedule, and is waiting when Harry and Hermione (Ron being incapacitated by a dragon bite) carry a crated Norbert towards the tower where Charlie's friends will take him away. Harry and Hermione see him being caught by Professor McGonagall, who penalizes him twenty House points, and gives him detention. Harry and Hermione, safe beneath the Invisibility Cloak, make it to the top of the tower and see Norbert off, but then are caught by Filch on their way back to the dormitory - in their excitement, they have forgotten the Cloak on the top of the tower.

[edit] Analysis

At first glance, this chapter seems to have little purpose in the book – Norbert is introduced and sent away all in one chapter and never re-appears in the series, except occasionally Hagrid gets to missing him, and there is a mention in passing in the seventh book. The purpose of the chapter seems to be largely preparatory.

Part of the purpose is making the need to get to the stone more urgent. The Trio at this point quite firmly believe, and with reason, that it is Professor Snape who is seeking the Stone. Knowing that Snape was involved in setting up the guardians for it, they are sure that he also now knows enough about the guardian spells to start making his way through them.

Another part of the purpose is setting up the scene in the Forbidden Forest, in the next chapter. Without detention, there would be no need for Harry to go into the Forest, and no way for him to witness the events that occur there.

A third part of the purpose is actually setting up the final scene in the book. As we have not reached that scene yet, we will not discuss it here, except to say that a victory is sweeter if it follows, and reverses, a defeat.

And finally, this chapter shines a light on part of the character of Draco Malfoy. Having found that he has an advantage over Hagrid and the Trio, in that he knows Hagrid is doing something horribly illegal and the Trio is helping him do it, he does not report this to the authorities. Instead, he holds this knowledge tight, using it to torment Ron in the hospital wing, and trying to get additional advantage out of the situation. This is classic Slytherin deviousness and ambition.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

[edit] Further Study

1. How did Charlie's friends fly to the school to get Norbert if there are numerous enchantments protecting the school?

[edit] Greater Picture

As mentioned in the Analysis section, this chapter also is a significant part of the set-up for the final scenes in the book. Having been instrumental in losing a huge number of House Points for Gryffindor, as Harry will be in the opening pages of the next chapter, how much sweeter is it that he is also instrumental in winning them all back, and more?

Norbert does reappear in passing in the seventh book. Hagrid and Charlie happen to be together at the Weasley home, and Hagrid inquires about Norbert. Charlie says that they are calling her Norberta now. Hagrid asks how they know she is female, and Charlie says that the females are more fierce.

In this chapter we also see Harry's willingness to break rules if he has a good reason. This ability to think independently will be useful in later years as more and more daunting tasks are put before him.

Chapter 15: The Forbidden Forest

[edit] Synopsis

When Filch hauls Hermione and Harry up before their head of house, Professor McGonagall, she already has Neville in front of her for being out and wandering the halls so late. Neville says he was on his way to warn Harry, which leads Professor McGonagall to believe that Harry and Hermione had made up this story about the dragon specifically to lure Draco out into the halls at midnight, in the hopes of getting him detention. She assigns detention for all three of them, and penalizes each of them fifty House points. (She had earlier penalized Malfoy twenty points and given him detention.) In one night, Harry has been involved in an action that bumped Gryffindor to the bottom of the standings in House points. He resolves not to get involved in anything else except schoolwork, and to avoid anything that might cost more House points.

Detention takes place about a week before exams. Filch meets Harry, Hermione, Neville, and Draco in the Entrance Hall, and takes them down to Hagrid's hut. Hagrid tells them that something in the Forbidden Forest has been killing unicorns, and tells them that they are going to separate into two parties, and follow the trails of unicorn blood from a wounded unicorn in hopes of finding what it is, and if necessary put the unicorn out of its misery. Hagrid, Harry, and Hermione will be one party, Draco and Neville, with Fang (Hagrid's boarhound), will be the other. They separate. Hagrid hears something unexpected, a sort of slithery sound, but can't find what caused it. Hagrid's party then meets with Ronan the centaur. Ronan makes a few remarks about astronomy, and the party is then joined by Bane, another centaur, who also comments on astronomy. Hagrid leaves the centaurs, then Hermione sees red wand sparks, and Hagrid runs off to investigate, leaving Harry and Hermione standing on the path.

It turns out Draco had frightened Neville, and he had panicked and sent up the sparks. Hagrid, figuring Harry would be harder to scare, re-groups Harry with Draco and Fang, taking Hermione and Neville. After about an hour, Harry and Draco find the unicorn, dead. Then they hear the slithery noise again, and a hooded figure appears and starts drinking the unicorn's blood. Malfoy and Fang run away. The hooded figure starts advancing on Harry, whose scar starts searing with pain.

A centaur appears and chases away the hooded figure. He introduces himself as Firenze, tells Harry that the forest is not a safe place for him, and offers him a ride back to Hagrid. Ronan and Bane gallop alongside, angry at Firenze for allowing a human to ride him "as if he were a common mule", and also for interfering with the portents of the heavens. Firenze departs with Harry, saying that he will fight the evil, even alongside humans if he must.

As they head back to Hagrid, Firenze explains that unicorn blood will keep you alive, "even if you are only an inch from death", but it will be a cursed sort of half-life. Harry wonders why that would be better than death. Firenze says maybe the hooded figure is waiting for something stronger, that will restore him to full life. Harry realizes that this means the Elixir of Life, a product of the Philosopher's Stone, and comes to the conclusion that the hooded creature is Voldemort, who is probably only somewhat alive, as Hagrid had said back in July. They reach Hagrid at this point, who lets the students return to the castle. Harry then tells Ron and Hermione what has been happening overnight, and they conclude that Voldemort is now just waiting for Professor Snape to get the Stone, and then will reappear to kill Harry.

There is one last surprise in the night: when Harry reaches his bed as dawn nears, he finds his Invisibility Cloak, neatly folded, with a note: "Just in case."

[edit] Analysis

In this chapter we have learned that it is quite likely that Voldemort is still alive, even if only just, and that he is taking measures to return to life. We are also introduced to the Centaurs who inhabit the forest, and get a taste of their feelings about humanity and Wizard-kind. In particular, we can see, even after exposure to only three centaurs, that there are clearly factions among them, those like Ronan and Bane who would have nothing to do with Humans, and those like Firenze who are willing to put aside their feelings about "inferior races" for the good of all involved.

This is also our first introduction to the Forbidden Forest and the creatures that live in it. We can guess at this point that the Forbidden Forest will play at least some role in the remainder of the story.

There is one other, small point of interest. Harry's Invisibility Cloak is returned to him by apparently the same person who had originally given it to him for Christmas. We recall that Harry and Hermione had left the Cloak on the top of the Astronomy Tower. The Astronomy Tower will be in fairly frequent use, as Astronomy students do their practical work there; it would be a reasonable assumption, in fact, that there would be a class up there every clear night. Wizards being subject to the same foibles as any other humans, we can safely guess that it is unlikely that the Cloak would have been returned to Harry if a student had found it. So whoever had found it must be an adult, one who is either commonly up on the Astronomy Tower during daylight, or else is singularly aware of everything passing in the school. The person in question must be a teacher, as no student would have been able to borrow the Cloak from Harry's father, but we cannot yet be certain which. We can, however, rule out Professor McGonagall, as Harry recognizes the handwriting as having been the same as on the initial note, and does not recognize it as hers, though a note from her accompanied his broom in September. While we, as readers, are beginning to suspect that the "oddly spiky" handwriting might be Professor Dumbledore's, Harry does not feel himself to be important enough to merit that level of attention from the school's Headmaster, and so dismisses the possibility.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

[edit] Further Study

1. Ronan and Bane both comment that Mars is shining brightly. Mars is the Roman god of war. Are these comments meant to foreshadow upcoming events in the wizarding world?

[edit] Greater Picture

We will shortly find out that the unidentified figure who is killing the unicorn is, in fact, Quirrell. The actions of Quirrell, who we will later find out is entirely under the control of Voldemort, show that Voldemort will stop at nothing to regain his power. He shows no remorse for killing the unicorn, and indeed, shows no remorse for any of his actions that lead to others' deaths. Given that his soul has been split into pieces and stored in horcruxes, Voldemort is not quite human. While his physical appearance in a later book would seem to bear out his lack of humanity, we should bear in mind that Voldemort's physical appearance is likely something that he chose himself: as the self-proclaimed heir of Slytherin, and thus with great affinity for snakes, Voldemort very likely has chosen to model himself physically on a snake. We will find out that he didn't always look like a snake, even after he had started creating Horcruxes.

Chapter 16: Through the Trapdoor

[edit] Synopsis

End of term exam time comes, with both written and practical tests. Harry can't figure out how he was able to take exams while worrying that Voldemort was about to burst through the door and kill him. With the end of exams, Ron and Hermione are relaxed, but Harry is not; his scar is hurting more than ever, which indicates danger is coming.

It suddenly dawns on Harry that he has to check something with Hagrid - he needs more detail about where the dragon's egg had come from. They're not exactly the sort of thing one carries around idly after all. Hagrid, confronted, says he doesn't know what the man he won the egg from looked like, because he kept his cloak on. Hagrid also mentions that he had told this stranger that Fluffy the three-headed dog would calm right down if he was played a bit of music.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione now know that someone knows how to get past the three-headed dog, and they run off to tell Professor Dumbledore, but Professor McGonagall informs them that he is not at Hogwarts, he has been called away to London. They try to trail Professor Snape, but fail in doing so. Harry resolves to go down the trap door as soon as the Gryffindor common room clears; Hermione and Ron immediately elect to go with him.

As they prepare to leave, Neville notices them and attempts to stop them from leaving, he can't stand to let them lose any more House points for Gryffindor. Hermione is forced to put him in a full body bind so they can leave the common room. Under the Invisibility Cloak, they make their way to the third-floor corridor, finding the door already open. Using the flute that Hagrid had given Harry for Christmas, Harry plays Fluffy to sleep and then they jump down through the trap door, right into a crop of Devil's Snare. Hermione recognizes it, and manages to neutralize it. From there, they end up in a chamber that they can escape only by catching a flying key with the aid of a broomstick. Naturally, Harry manages this. The next trap is a Wizard chess set. Ron navigates them across this by winning the game, but in the process is incapacitated. After checking that he is still alive, Harry and Hermione pass through a chamber in which there is a troll, luckily already knocked out, and move on to the next challenge, a logic puzzle, which Hermione solves. However, only one can proceed forward. Harry chooses to go on, sending Hermione back to help Ron, and to send an owl to summon Dumbledore. Harry then proceeds into the last chamber. And there is someone there, but it isn't Snape, and it isn't Voldemort.

[edit] Analysis

In this chapter we start to see the Trio working together, and the strength they have as a group. Each of the three has a vital role to play in helping Harry reach the Philosopher's Stone. No one of them, nor even two of them, could have succeeded in reaching the Stone. Hermione's knowledge was required to free them from the Devil's Snare and to defeat the logic puzzle; Harry's flying ability was required to catch the key; and Ron's chess-playing ability was required on the Wizard Chess board. Notably, however, they were not simply taking turns. Ron had to remind Hermione about making a light to evade the Devil's Snare, and Harry needed Ron's and Hermione's help on brooms to corner the key.

It was mentioned earlier that a number of teachers had provided protection for the Stone. In order, that would be Hagrid (Fluffy), Professor Sprout (Devil's Snare), Professor Flitwick (charmed keys), Professor McGonagall (wizard chess set), Professor Quirrell (troll), and Professor Snape (potions for the logic puzzle). While we have been told that Professor Dumbledore has also provided protection, we have not yet seen the form his magic will take.

The logic puzzle Hermione solves is interesting, in that we see the question, and the solution, but not the initial setup. The solution, as determined by Hermione, is that the smallest bottle will take you forwards, and the one at the right end of the line will take you back. Clearly, from the arrangement of the bottles and the associated clues, it is possible for Hermione to determine which potion is which. Is it possible, from the clues and Hermione's solution, to work backwards and determine what the arrangement must have been? In fact, it does not, as the third clue is based on the sizes of the bottles, which we are not told; however, it does refine it to one of two possible setups, either of which is uniquely solvable from the clues provided. A discussion of this puzzle, and the possible solutions, appears on the Discussion page for this chapter.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

[edit] Further Study

1. If someone had previously passed through the room, why then were all the potions in the logic puzzle still present? Would that person not have had to drink the "onwards" potion at least? And if it was some form of magically refilling bottle, why would only Harry to be able to proceed?

[edit] Greater Picture

This chapter is almost pure action; there is very little here that is carried forwards to further books. However, the following points should be mentioned.

Neville standing up to the Trio is the first occasion where we have seen him evince any sort of bravery. Until now, he has seemed to be ineffectual, very weak magically, and at the mercy of the passing scene. Here, for the first time, we see him standing up against opposition; futilely, to be sure, but he is standing up for what he believes. This marks the start of a trend of maturation and increasing strength that will result, by the seventh book, in Neville being leader of an underground resistance to a Dark organization.

Hermione here shows some concern for Ron; it is impossible to judge, at this early stage, whether this is the start of the relationship that develops in books six and seven, but one could say that a seed has been sown here.

It is perhaps interesting that Ron's words here to Hermione, "Are you a witch, or what?" are echoed precisely by Hermione, speaking to Ron near the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. While this was certainly a conscious choice by the author, one must wonder whether it was meant to be a conscious choice by Hermione.

Chapter 17: The Man with Two Faces

[edit] Synopsis

Note: This chapter ties up a large number of plot threads in a relatively small space. In order to catch the necessary high points, the synopsis must be relatively long.

The man in the final chamber is Quirrell. But a changed Quirrell, no longer twitching and stuttering, no longer unsure of himself. Quirrell is quick to point out that being seen as ineffective, particularly alongside Snape, is a very effective disguise. Snape was suspected of all the mischief that Quirrell had done, such as enchanting Harry's broom in the Quidditch match against Slytherin – apparently Snape was working a counter-charm, and it was Hermione knocking Quirrell off his feet that stopped the enchantment. Quirrell also admits to having let the troll into the dungeons at Halloween, so that he could look at what was guarding the Stone, in which he was also thwarted by Snape.

Now all that stands before him is the final guardian of the Stone, which Harry recognizes as the Mirror of Erised. While examining the Mirror, Quirrell mentions that Snape was at school with Harry's father, and that they hated each other. He also says that "his Master", which apparently means Lord Voldemort, is with him wherever he goes. When Quirrell is unable to decode the secret of the Mirror, he asks for help, and a voice tells him to "use the boy". Quirrel stands Harry in front of the mirror. Harry sees himself taking the Stone out of his pocket and finds that it is, in fact, in his pocket. He tells Quirrell that he sees himself winning the Quidditch cup, but the mysterious voice says he's lying and demands to speak to Harry face to face. Quirrell demurs, but eventually removes his turban to reveal a second face on the back of his head, that of Lord Voldemort. Voldemort orders Quirrell to seize Harry, but Quirrell cannot - his skin burns and blisters when he tries. Quirrell prepares to curse Harry to death but Harry grabs his opponent's face, and Quirrell is in too much pain to utter the jinx. But by now, the pain in Harry's head, from his scar, is enough to drive him out of consciousness.

Harry wakes up in the hospital wing, with Professor Dumbledore in attendance. Dumbledore tells him that Quirrell did not get the stone, that Dumbledore arrived just in time to save Harry from Quirrell, and that the Stone has been destroyed. Yes, that means Nicholas Flamel and his wife Perenelle will die, but they have enough time to get their affairs in order, and "after all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." Dumbledore agrees with Harry that Voldemort is still out there, possibly looking for another body to inhabit, possibly looking for some other way to return but refuses, for the moment, to explain to Harry why Voldemort wants to kill him. Quirrell could not touch Harry, according to Dumbledore, because Harry's mother died to save him, and a love that strong provides protection against some forms of magic. Dumbledore also admits to having been the source of the Invisibility Cloak which Harry has been using - Harry's father had left it in Dumbledore's care. Dumbledore also mentions that the reason Snape seems to hate Harry so much is because Harry's father saved Snape's life, leaving Snape in his debt, something that has continued to bother Snape. Dumbledore then mentions that Harry got the Stone out of the Mirror because the enchantment on the mirror was such that if someone wanted to use the Stone, they would only see themselves using it, but someone who wanted to find it but not use it, would find it.

After Dumbledore's departure, Ron and Hermione are allowed to visit. Harry lets them know what had happened in the last chamber and what Dumbledore had told him. They come to the conclusion that Dumbledore had allowed Harry to fight Voldemort, if he chose, rather than trying to protect him from Voldemort.

Next day, Harry has another visitor: Hagrid. Hagrid is in tears, because he was the one who had given Quirrell the final piece of information he needed in order to figure out how to reach the Stone. Harry manages to calm him, and Hagrid remembers that he has a gift for Harry. The gift is a photo album, containing wizarding pictures of Harry's parents.

Late in the day, Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, relents and lets Harry go to the end-of-term feast. There, after much good food, Professor Dumbledore rises to award the House Cup. Slytherin is in the lead, in part because without Harry in the final match, Ravenclaw defeated Gryffindor rather badly at Quidditch, and in part because of all the points Harry lost in the Norbert debacle. "However, recent events must be taken into account - I have some last-minute points to dish out." Harry, Ron, Hermione, and – surprisingly – Neville have earned between them enough house points to regain the lead and win the House cup for Gryffindor.

Exam results appear and while Hermione, as expected, is top of her class, both Ron and Harry have managed decent passes, and even Neville has managed to scrape through. And finally it's time for the Hogwarts Express to take everybody back home. Ron and Hermione promise to write, and Ron promises to invite them both to stay with him. And although they have all received notes telling them they are not allowed to do magic outside of school, Harry knows that the Dursleys have no idea about that. "I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer..."

[edit] Analysis

Clearly the big surprise here is that it is not Snape, but Quirrell, who is behind the ongoing attack on Harry. We already know of Snape's dislike of Harry, and Harry of course is equally aware of it. It is because of this dislike that Harry has evidently decided Snape is the main mover behind the attacks. It does not occur to Harry that there might be other reasons behind Snape's dislike of him, as it does not occur to him that such obvious dislike would make Snape the main suspect in any attack against Harry. Snape's dislike of Harry is widely known, even among the staff, though Dumbledore seems to discount it somewhat; it is almost certain that Snape will have been interrogated following the attacks on Harry and will have been cleared. Harry apparently assumes that as he has not heard of such questioning, it has not happened. It does not seem to occur to him that teachers might not feel a need to discuss disciplinary details with an 11-year-old student.

Many fan sites have pointed out a discrepancy in this chapter. Hermione says that she found Dumbledore in the Entrance Hall as she was on her way to send an owl to him. Yet the trap door is in the third-floor hallway, and the Owlery, we will find later, is high in the castle, on the seventh floor. Why would Hermione head down to the main floor on her way from the third to the seventh floor? One possible answer to this can actually be found in the Harry Potter films, in which we see a large central stairwell in the castle. Combine that with Percy's earlier warning that the stairways like to move, and it is entirely possible that Hermione, emerging from the third floor corridor, would have found herself on the side of the central stairwell away from the Owlery with no staircases leading upwards at that moment. On her way downwards to find a staircase that would bridge the gap, she might either have been forced all the way to the Entry Hall, or else happened to see Dumbledore, below her, as he returned to the castle.

The speculation provided above is intended to quiet one of the few small issues that can hamper the enjoyment of the story; it is unsupported by anything in the books.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

[edit] Further Study

1. Why did Dumbledore have Harry's father's invisibility cloak at the time of his death, given that Dumbledore could make himself invisible without a cloak?

[edit] Greater Picture

In this chapter, Harry survives his second encounter with Lord Voldemort, and that which protected him the first time, his mother's love, protects him again, and apparently will continue to protect him. We will later learn that part of this protection is based on his having a home where someone of his mother's blood (in this case, her sister, Harry's Aunt Petunia) lives. This is why Harry must return to Privet Drive each summer, as much as he hates it.

This is also the first place where the seeming hatred between James Potter and Severus Snape is mentioned. This is featured prominently in the later books, especially the fifth. As this apparent hatred is one of the axes on which the series plot turns, we will see it repeatedly over the entire story arc, and will eventually learn the full reasons for it.

One of the key questions driving the series is asked here for the first time, as well, and is not answered. Harry asks why Voldemort is trying to kill him, and Dumbledore says that he must refuse to answer that. We will learn later that there is a prophecy that says that either Harry or Voldemort must die, as "neither can live while the other survives." Dumbledore feels that as a child of 11 years, Harry is still too young to learn this, arguably extremely harsh, fact. The prophecy will be revealed to Harry in four years, along with Dumbledore's reasons for withholding it.

In this chapter, also, Dumbledore voices one of the philosophies that centers the series: "after all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." This does not, at first glance, seem to be a particularly useful philosophy, but it will turn out that this is the key difference between Voldemort and those who would defeat him. Much of the series revolves around death and the attitudes towards it. Voldemort, we will find, fears death, to the point of killing other people in cold blood in order to preserve his own life. Dumbledore, and to a large extent Harry, are prepared to die, if necessary, to destroy the great evil that Voldemort represents. It is the one who is prepared to meet death, on his own terms, who fully masters it; running away from death will not allow one to avoid it. It is because of this that Harry, we are told, is the stronger wizard when he meets Voldemort and duels him near the end of book 4.