Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the first book in the Harry Potter series. Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.
All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley - a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stirs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.
But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry - and anyone who reads about him - will find unforgettable.
For it's there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter.
The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a trange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.
And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom, and the unwanted attention of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny.
But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone - or something - starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisnous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects... Harry Potter himself!
For twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort.
Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well. And the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep, "He's at Hogwarts ... he's at Hogwarts."
Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst.
You have in your hands the pivotal fourth novel in the seven-part tale of Harry Potter's training as a wizard and his coming of age. Harry wants to get away from the pernicious Dursleys and go the International Quidditch Cup with Hermione, Ron, and the Weasleys. He wants to dream about Cho Chang, his crush (and maybe do more than dream). He wants to find out about the mysterious event that's supposed to take place at Hogwarts this year, an event involving two other rival schools of magic, and a competition that hasn't happened for a hundred years. He wants to be a normal, fourteen-year-old wizard. Unfortunately for Harry Potter, he's not normal - even by wizarding standards.
And in his case, different can be deadly.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is the school that Harry attends all year, excluding his summer vacations. Hogwarts is a giant castle hidden to the Muggle eye. It has many trap doors, secret passageways, toilets that are passageways, dungeons, and more. Hogwarts has four different houses - Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. You get sorted by the Sorting Hat and stay in that House for your stay at Hogwarts. Hogwart students are generally in school for 7 years, when they take their O.W.L's and N.E.W.T's. Hogwarts School's headmaster is Albus Dumbledore, and the deputy headmistress is Minerva McGonagall. Harry is in his fourth year there.
Teachers
1. Professor Dumbledore is the headmaster of Hogwarts.
2. Professor McGonagall is deputy headmistress, the head of Gryffindor house, and teaches transfiguration.
3. Professor Snape is the head of Slytherin house, and teaches potions, and double potions.
4. Professor Sprout is the head of Hufflepuff house, and teaches herbs, and in the greenhouses.
5. Professors Lockhart, Lupin, Quirrell, and "Moody" all taught Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lockhart performed a Memory Charm and it backfired and hit him. Professor Lupin was a werewolf (a tame one) but when the parents found out, he had to resign. Professor Quirrell was Lord Voldemort's servant (one of them) and died trying to save him. Professor "Moody" was really Barty Crouch, who is gone from the Dementor's Kiss. The real Moody never taught there, and was locked in a trunk.
6. Professor Trelawney teaches Divination.
7. Professor Vector teaches Arithmancy, which only Hermione takes.
8. Professor Grubblyplank used to teach Care of Magical Creatures before retiring. Hagrid, who is the gamekeeper, now teaches the class.
9. Madame Hooch oversees Quidditch practices.
10. Madame Pomfrey is the nurse of the school.
11. Professor Flitwick teaches Charms.
12. Professor Binns is the only ghost teacher and teaches History of Magic.
Students
1. Harry Potter is the main character, and is in Gryffindor house. His parents were murdered by Lord Voldemort.
2. Ron Weasley is Harry's best friend, and has five brothers (Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, and Bill) and a sister (Ginny).
3. Hermione Granger is Harry's other best friend. Her parents are dentists, and Muggles.
4. Fred and George Weasley are Ron's twin brothers, also in Gryffindor.
5. Ginny Weasley is Ron's sister, also in Gryffindor.
6. Neville is the very forgetful boy in Gryffindor.
7. Draco Malfoy is Harry's biggest enemy. He's in Slytherin, and his parents are death eaters.
8. Crabbe and Goyle are Malfoy's lackies from Slytherin.
9. Percy Weasly is Ron's older brother, was a prefect, Head Boy, and now works for the Ministry.
10. Cho is Harry's crush.
11. Krum is a famous Quidditch player.
12. Cedric Diggory was a prefect, and died.
1. Sirius Black is Harry's godfather, and is escaped from Azkaban.
2. Wormtail is Voldemort's servant.
3. Voldemort was the most powerful Dark Lord ruling for ten years. The night he killed James and Lily Potter, he turned his wand on Harry - and failed to kill him. That was the night of his downfall. The result was the lightning shaped scar on Harry's forehead from the Avada Kedavra curse.
4. Mr. Ollivander is the wandmaker.
5. Fudge is the Minister of Magic.
6. Dobby is the house-elf that befriended Harry.
7. Rita Skeeter is the reporter for The Daily Prophet, whom Hermione has enclosed in a jar.
8. Hedwig is Harry's snowy-owl.
9. Scabbers was Ron's rat... it was really Wormtail.
10. Pig, or Pigwidgeon, is Ron's small owl.
11. Crookshanks is Hermione's ginger cat.
Joanne Kathleen Rowling (pronounced "rolling") was born July 31st, 1966. Her parents were Peter and Ann Rowling.
She dreamed of being a writer when she was a child. Jo had one sister, Di. Her first story was titled "Rabbit," and about a rabbit who caught the measles, who was visited by friends. Her favorite books as a child were Manxmouse, The Little White Horse, and The Chronicles of Narnia series. She also liked the authors Jane Austen, Ian Fleming, Noel Streatfeild and E. Nesbit, as well as others.
She also had friends as a child, namely, Ian and Vikki Potter. They used to play "witches and wizards." She "really liked the surname Potter."
Later she attended Exeter University, a "liberal school," where she mastered French, and fell in love, but after they graduated, they no longer were together.
Then she worked as a researcher for Amnesty International, as well as some secretarial jobs - but she was always writing. Then she worked as an office worker for the Manchester Chamber of Commerce - but she was always writing. At that time, she received a letter from her old boyfriend from Exeter University, saying that he wanted to see her again in Manchester. She saw her old boyfriend while, of course, still writing. On a train ride from Manchester to her London home, the Harry Potter books idea was born. She started to write the first Harry book. Sadly, her mother, Ann, died during this time of multiple sclerosis, and Joanne lost her job. On top of that, the relationship with her boyfriend seemed to be going nowhere.
She then decided to work as an assistant teacher in Paris, and then as a teacher of English as a second language at a school in Oporto, Portugal, while still working on the Potter books. Also, in Portugal, Ms. Rowling fell in love yet again, this time to a journalist for a TV station in Portugal. Within months, they were married.
Then in 1992, Joanne became pregnant, and her baby girl, Jessica, was born in 1993. During this time, Rowling was divorced and depressed. She received a phone call from her sister living in Edinburgh, Scotland, who suggested she move to Edinburgh. Joanne did, with her daughter and some of the first Harry Potter book at her side.
In Edinburgh, she lived in a tiny flat. She felt humiliated asking for public assistance, which she needed. She still continued to write about Harry. It was cold and dreary flat, so Joanne would often go to caf with Jessica and write while Jessica slept.
She completed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in 1994, and sent two copies of her book to two agents. She received a grant from the Scottish Arts Council, and began work in Edinburgh as a teacher of French at Leth Academy and a college.
Rowling was off welfare, and planning the second Harry book. She found out her book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, would be published! Jo was overjoyed. Then she found out that Mr. Little, from the USA, wanted to publish her book for a large amount of money, and, of course, she agreed.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was published in 1997 in England, which was an immediate success, even winning lots of awards. Rowling decided to move out of the tiny flat and rent a house in Edinburgh. Jessica started to go to pre-school, yet Rowling still went to cafs to write.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone came out in the USA in August (or September?) 1998. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second Harry Potter book, came out in 1998. Of course, Jo continued to write, and there was a new HP book born, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Some religious groups protested the Harry Potter books, saying that they promote evil and Satanism in children, which unsettled Jo, yet she ignored them. An offer to make a HP movie and merchandise was offered, and accepted by Joanne. The fourth popular book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, was released July 8th, 2000.
She married Dr. Neil Murray at their home in Scotland on December 26,2001.Rowling's eight-year-old daughter, Jessica, from her first marriage was one of the bridesmaids, as was Rowling's sister, Dianne, and Murray's sister, Lorna.
She is considered one of the best authors ever. She will probably continue to write books after Harry.
Sorting Song During Harry's Sorting
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find,
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin,
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
You're in safe hands (although I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
Sorting Song During Harry's 4th Year
"A thousand years or more ago,
When I was newly sewn,
There lived four wizards of renown,
Whose names are still well known:
Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,
Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,
Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,
Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.
They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,
They hatched a daring plan
To educate young sorcerers
Thus Hogwarts School began.
Now each of these four founders,
Formed their own house, for each
Did value different virtues
In the ones they had to teach.
By Gryffindor, the bravest were
Prized far beyond the rest;
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest
Would always be the best;
For Hufflepuff, hard workers were
Most worthy of admission;
And power-hungry Slytherin
Loved those of great ambition.
While still alive they did divide
Their favorites from the throng,
Yet how to pick the worthy ones
When they were dead and gone?
'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,
He whipped me off his head
The founders put some brains in me
So I could choose instead!
So put me snug about your ears,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind
And tell where you belong!"
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