Book #135: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

J.K. Rowling

 Released: June 26th, 1997

My 1st book for 2026 was J.K. Rowling’s "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone".  

[Blogger's Notes: In the United Kingdom, the book was known as "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Also, I am fully aware of the backlash J.K. Rowling has received for her personal beliefs and views.  This blog will focus strictly on the Harry Potter novels, and not political discussion.]  

I'm going to do this series a little bit different than I normally do.  My sister, Megan Perry, is a diehard Harry Potter fan.  Since she also does some blogging, I figured I would incorporate her thoughts on this one as well.  You can check her blog "Between The Pages" at Megan Perry Writes.

Bryan Shades: I received the first Harry Potter novel from my grandmother in 1997.  I wasn't very thrilled about it.  Back then, reading anything outside of Garfield or Star Wars picture books was a pure chore.  I remember it sat in my room for a good long while.  I later traded it to my sister for a Pokémon card.  Eventually, I decided to read it.  From the very first page, the story was captivating.  I found it to be easier to read than most books (especially since this was my first large hardcover book).  I remember a good bit of the story, and a lot of it was more visually stunning when I saw it in the movie theater back in 2000.  We went to see it as a family, and it was tremendous upon its release.

As a kid, people always joked that I was Harry Potter, and for what they say, I can absolutely see it.

Daniel Radcliffe, eat your heart out.

Years later, when I was working at Verstandig Broadcasting, I had an overnight shift from Midnight - 5am.  I reread the entire novel in one night.  Very good read.  But still I didn't fully understand the book.

This was my third read-thru, and I really took a lot more away from it this time.  I understood more about Hogwarts, I saw "Easter Eggs" that Rowling had planted in the first novel that set up character introductions and event in later novels/films.  This includes Hagrid mentioning borrowing a flying motorcycle from Sirius Black, and Uncle Vernon mentioning Aunt Marge being away on vacation.  Also, Professor Quirrell’s revelation that James Potter and Severus Snape were rivals in school foreshadows a greater story to be revealed in the later novels.

Megan Perry: It may seem silly to some, but this series has meant more to me that I can ever really put into words. 

I was in third grade when I picked up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Yup.. American here) for the first time and forever cemented my love for reading. While I always liked to read, it was really after my first literary journey to Hogwarts that I truly fell in love with words. 

The Harry Potter series played a big part in making me who I am today. It was this series that not only grew my love of reading and fantasy, but also inspired me to write.

I was nine years old when I knew that one day, I wanted to be a writer.

Harry Potter was a big part of my life growing up. I would eagerly await the next continuation of the story where I could return to the Wizarding World and follow Harry, Ron and Hermione on their next adventure.

I went to the midnight book releases and movie showings, and to be honest, I've lost track of how many times I've read the books and watched the movies.

There is just no other book series that has ever touched my heart and made me feel the way this series has.

The Harry Potter series made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me think and taught me valuable lessons. 

Shades: Harry Potter became much more than just a kid’s book.  It spawned a global franchise that created 8 legendary films based on the books, and legions of fans around the world, who continue to celebrate the magic of the wizarding world.  Megan will join me for more as the series continues.

Here is what I learned:

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• For Jessica, who loves stories.

• For Anne who loved them too.

• And for Di, who heard this one first.

• The Dursleys live at Number 4 Privet Drive.

• Mr. Dursley is the director of a firm called Grunnings.

• Grunnings makes drills.

• Mr. Vernon Dursley is a beefy man with a large mustache.

• Mrs. Petunia Dursley is thin and blonde with twice the amount of neck.

• The Dursleys have a son named Dudley.

• Mrs. Potter was Petunia’s sister.

• The Dursleys do not care for the Potters.

• The Potters had a son named Harry.

• Vernon’s office is on the 9th floor.

• Petunia enjoys gossip.

• Jim McGuffin is the weatherman.

• Albus Dumbledore is a wizard with a long grey beard.

• Dumbledore has a Put-Outer which is like a cigarette lighter that captures lights from streets and puts them out.

• Dedalus Diggle lives in Kent.

• Dumbledore is fond of lemon drops.

• You-Know-Who is Voldemort.

• The Potters lived in Godric’s Hollow.

• James & Lily Potter were murdered, but Harry survived.

• “I wouldn’t be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future — There will be books written about Harry — every child in the world will know his name!”

• Hagrid borrowed a flying motorcycle from Sirius Black.

• Harry has a lightning shaped scar on his forehead.

• Harry sleeps in the cupboard under the stairs.

• Spiders are frequently found in the cupboard.

• Dudley has a computer, a second tv, and a racing bike.

• Harry is Dudley’s punching bag.

• Harry wears Dudley’s old clothes.

• He wears round glasses held together with Scotch tape.

• Harry’s hair grows very fast.

• Dudley looks like a pig in a wig.

• Dudley received 39 presents for his birthday.

• Dudley struggles with math.

• Dudley receives a bike, video camera, remote control airplane, sixteen brew computer games, and a VCR.

• Mrs. Figg broke her leg.

• Harry usually stays with her on Dudley’s birthday.

• Yvonne is in vacation in Majorca.

• Piers Polkiss is Dudley’s best friend.

• Harry can talk to snakes.

• Harry accidently removes the glass allowing the boa constrictor to escape.

• Uncle Vernon drinks Brandy.

• The escape earned Harry his longest ever punishment.

• Dudley’s gang includes Piers,

• Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon.

• Dudley was accepted to Uncles Vernon’s old private school Smeltings.

• Harry will attend Stonewall, the local public high school.

• Aunt Marge is vacationing on the Isle of Wight.

• Harry’s full address is 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey.

• Dudley has a second bedroom.

• The Dursleys and Harry stay in Room 17 of the Railview Hotel in Cokeworth.

• Dudley enjoys watching The Great Humberto on TV.

• Dudley knows his days of the week because of television.

• The year prior, Harry received a coat hanger and an old pair of Uncle Vernon’s socks for his birthday.

• Harry looks like his dad but has his mom’s eyes.

• Rubeus Hagrid is the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.

• Harry is a wizard.

• Dumbledore is the headmaster of Hogwarts.

• Dumbledore’s accolades include Order of Merlin, First Class.  Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards.

• Harry has been accepted to Hogwarts.

• Minerva McGonagall is the Deputy Headmistress.

• A muggle is a nonmagical person.

• Instead of the truth, the Dursleys lied and told Harry his parents died in a car crash.

• Hagrid can’t spell “Voldemort”.

• Lily and James Potter were the Head Boy and Head Girl at Hogwarts in their day.

• Voldemort killed the Potters, McKinnons, Bones, and the Prewetts.

• Uncle Vernon believe Dumbledore is a crackpot old fool.

• Hagrid was expelled his third year at Hogwarts.

• Hagrid pays five bronze Knuts for the daily paper.

• Gringotts is the Wizards’ bank.

• Gringotts is run by goblins.

• Rumor has it dragons guard the highest security vaults at Gringotts.

• Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London.

• The Daily Prophet is the wizarding newspaper.

• Cornelius Fudge is the Minister of the Ministry of Magic.

• Hagrid doesn’t understand Muggle money

• The Hogwarts list for First Years includes:

• Three sets of plain work robes (black)

• One plain pointed had (black) for day wear.

• One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

• One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

• The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

• A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

• Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

• A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

• One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

• Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

• The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

• 1 wand

• 1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

• 1 set glass or crystal phials

• 1 telescope

• 1 set brass scales

• An owl, or a cat, or a toad

• First year students are not allowed to bring their own broomsticks.

• The Leaky Cauldron is a wizarding pub.

• Harry meets Tom the bartender, Doris Crockford, Dedalus Diggle, and Professor Quirrell.

• Quirrell suffers from stuttering.

• Professor Quirrell teaches the Defense Against the Dark Arts.

• Diagon Alley is the wizarding marketplace.

• It is located behind the wall of the Leaky Cauldron.

• Several shops passed include an Apothecary, Eeylops Owl Emporium.

• The latest racing broom is the Nimbus 2000.

• The Nimbus 2000 is the fastest broom ever made.

• Dumbledore has something mysterious in Vault 713.

• Griphook works at Gringotts.

• The cart system inside Gringotts makes Hagrid dizzy.

• Gold coins are Galleons.

• Silver coins are Sickles.

• Bronze coins are Knuts.

• 17 Sickles = 1 Galleon.

• 29 Knuts = 1 Sickle.

• Anybody besides a Gringotts goblin who attempts to open a high security vault, will be sucked into the door.

• The doors are checked once every 10 years.

• Hagrid likes to drink.

• Madam Malkins sells uniforms.

• Quidditch is a wizard sport similar to soccer.

• Voldemort was in Slytherin.

• Harry buys his books inside Flourish and Blotts.

• Harry is amused by “Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More” by Vindictus Viridian.”

• Harry buys his potion ingredients from the Apothecary.

• Hagrid gets Harry an owl for his 11th birthday.

• Hagrid buys the owl from Eeylops.

• Ollivanders is where Harry buys his wand.

• Ollivanders has been making fine wands since 382 B.C.

• Lily Potter’s wand was 10.25 inches and made of willow.

• Her style of wand is great for charm work.

• James Potter had a mahogany wand that was 11 inches and pliable.  More power and excellent for transfiguration.

• A wand chooses a wizard.

• Ollivander sold the wand that killed Harry’s parents.

• Hagrid had an oak wand that was 16 inches and rather bendy.

• Every Ollivander wand is completely unique.

• They use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons.

• Ollivander has remembered every wand he has ever sold.

• Harry’s wand is 13.5 inches and made the same as Voldemorts.

• Harry’s wand cost 7 Galleons.

• Harry’s train to Hogwarts leaves on September 1st from King’s Cross Station.

• Harry names his owl Hedwig after a name he found in “A History of Magic”.

• Platform 9 3/4 is located between the barrier of Platforms 9 & 10.

• Neville has a pet toad.

• Percy Weasley is a prefect.

• Fred and George Weasley are twins and pranksters.

• Ron Weasley is starting his first year at Hogwarts.

• Lee Jordan has a giant tarantula.

• The Weasley family has 7 children.  6 boys and 1 girl.

• Bill Weasley was a Head Boy.

• Charlie Weasley was Captain of Quidditch.

• Ron wears Bill’s old robes, uses Charlie’s wand, and has Percy’s old rat Scabbers.

• Percy got an owl for being a prefect.

• The Weasleys are impoverished.

• The train cart carries Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Droobles Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things.

• Chocolate Frogs have cards of famous witches and wizards.

• Ron needs the Agrippa and Ptolemy Chocolate Frog card.

• Ron has over 500 cards.

• Dumbledore’s biography on the back of his card reads: “Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.”

• Ron has 6 Morgana cards.

• Ron is shocked to learn people don’t move in muggle photos.

• Harry collects the cards of Dumbledore, Morgana, Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, Merlin and Cliodna.

• Bertie Botts includes random flavors like Spinach, Liver, and Tripe.

• Hermione Granger has a bossy voice, bushy brown hair, and large front teeth.

• Hermione has learned all the course books by heart.

• Harry has been written of in “Modern Magical History”, “The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts”, and “Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century”.

• Charlie is in Romania studying dragons.

• Bill is in Africa doing something for Gringotts.

• Draco Malfoy is the boy Harry met in Madam Malkins.

• Malfoy’s friends are Crabbe and Goyle.

• “My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford.”

• "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort.”

• Scabbers bites Goyel when he tries to steal Harry’s Chocolate Frogs.

• Hogwarts has an underground harbor beneath the castle.

• Neville’s toad is named Trevor.

• Hogwarts has four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.

• Houses earn points throughout the year and the one with the most points earns the House Cup.

• First years attend the Sorting Ceremony where the Sorting Hat divides them into the houses.

• Harry once turned his teacher and wig blue.

• The Friar ghost was in Hufflepuff.

• The Hogwarts ceiling is bewitched to look like the sky outside.

• The Sorting Hat’s Speech: “Oh, you may not think I'm pretty, But don't judge on what you see, T'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 Huflepuffs 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! And don't get in a flap! You're in safe hands (though I have none) For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

• Fred told Ron he had to wrestle a troll to get into Hogwarts.

• Hufflepuff receives Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, and Justin Finley-Fletchley.

• Ravenclaw receives Terry Boot, Mandy Brockhurst, and Lisa Turpin.

• Slytherin receives Millicent Bulstrode, Malfoy, and Blaise Zabini.

• Gryffindor receives Lavender Brown, Seamus Finnigan, Hermione, Neville Longbottom, Harry, Dean Thomas, and Ron.

• Harry asks the sorting hat to not place him in Syltherin.

• Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington is the resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower.

• Nick’s nickname is “Nearly Headless Nick” due to a beheading that went wrong.

• Slytherin has won the House Cup the last 6 years in a row.

• The Bloody Baron is the Slytherin ghost.

• The Baron likes to brag of their wins.

• Seamus is a half-and-half wizard.

• His dad is a muggle, and his mom don’t tell him til after they were married, to great shock.

• Professor Quirrell wears a turban.

• Madam Hooch is the Quiddtich coach.

• The third floor consider on the right-hand side is out of bounds.

• Hogwarts School Song: "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, Teach us something please, Whether we be old and bald Or young with scabby knees, Our heads could do with filling With some interesting stuff, For now they're bare and full of air, Dead flies and bits of fluff, So teach us things worth knowing, Bring back what we've forgot, Just do your best, well do the rest, And learn until our brains all rot."

• Dumbledore has a great affinity for music.

• The Bloody Baron is the only one who can control Peeves the Poltergeist.

• The Gryffindor Tower lays behind a picture of the fat lady.

• “Caput Draconis” is the password to Gryffindor Tower.

• Hogwarts has 142 staircases.

• Argus Filch is the Hogwarts caretaker.

• Filch owns a cat named “Mrs. Norris”.

• Professor Sprout teaches Herbology.

• Professor Binns teaches History of Magic.

• Professor Flitwick teaches Charms.

• Professor McGonagall teaches Transfiguration.

• Professor Quirrell’s turban was from an Arricannorince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie.

• Professor Snape teaches Potions.

• Professor McGonagall is over Gryffindor House.

• Professor Snape is over Slytherin House.

• Hagrid has a dog named Fang.

• Harry hates Malfoy more than Dudley.

• Neville breaks his wrist during the flying lesson.

• Oliver wood is the Gryffindor Quidditch captain.

• Gryffindor lost to Slytherin in their final match the previous year.

• Harry is the youngest player in the Gryffindor house in the past century.

• Fred and George are Beaters on the team.

• Gryffindor hasn’t won a Quidditch Cup since Charlie Weasley left.

• The Statue of Gregory the Smarmy has a secret passageway leading out of the school.

• The Gryffindor Tower password has changed to “Pig Snout”.

• Hermione threatens the boys with the Curse of the Bogies if they get caught.

• There is a 3-headed dog on the forbidden third floor corridor.

• The dog is guarding a trapdoor.

• Harry was given a Nimbus 2000 by Professor McGonagall.

• Malfoy has a Comet 260 broom.

• There are 3 Chasers in Quidditch.

• There is a Keeper and a Seeker in addition to the 2 Beaters.

• Wood has never heard of Basketball.

• Chasers attempt to throw the Quaffle through the stadium hoops for 10pts each.

• The Beaters use bats to hit the Bludgers at the other team.

• The Golden Snitch is what ends the game.  The Seeker who captures it earns 150 points.

• The Keeper defends the goals.

• The record for longest Quidditch game is 3 months.

• Wizard Baruffio once said “Fwish and Slick” instead of “Swish and Flick” and ended up with a large buffalo on his chest.

• Hermione became Harry and Ron’s friend when they saved her life from a 12-foot mountain troll.

• Hermione owns the book “Quidditch Through the Ages”.

• There are 700 ways to commit a Quidditch foul.

• The World Cup Match in 1473 saw all 700 committed.

• Gryffindor wears scarlet robes.

• Slytherin wears green robes.

• Madam Hooch referees Quidditch matches.

• Marcus Flint is the Slytherin captain.

• Lee Jordan announces games.

• The dog’s name is Fluffy. Hagrid bought him off a Greek chappie in a pub.

• Mr. And Mrs. Weasley spend Christmas in Romania with Charlie.

• Madam Pince is the librarian.

• Harry received his father’s invisibility cloak for Christmas.

• The Mirror of Erised shows the viewer the deepest, most desperate desire of their hearts.

• The mirror has the inscription “Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi” which in reverse (or mirrored) “I show not your face, but your heart’s desire”.

• Erised is desire backwards.

• “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

• “One can never have enough socks.”

• Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at.

• Nicolas Flamel invented the Sorcerer’s Stone.

• The Sorcerer’s Stone turns any metal into pure gold, and produces an Elixir of Life to grant immortality to the drinker.

• Snape referees Quidditch.

• Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks’ Convention of 1709.

• Hagrid won a dragon egg in a game of cards.

• Hagrid is attempting to breed a Norwegian Ridgeback.

• Hagrid names the dragon Norbert.

• Ronan is a centaur who lives in the Forbidden Forest.

• Firenze the centaur saves Harry from the cloaked figure.

• Her I one got a 112% on her Charms exam.

• Harry can convincingly imitate the Bloody Baron’s voice.

• Snape and James Potter hated each other.

• “After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

• “You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all — the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."

• “Always use the proper name for things.  Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.”

• James saved Snape’s life.

• Dumbledore enchanted the mirror to give the stone only to someone who wished to find it but not use it.

• Hated gives Harry a photo album of his parents.

• “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much courage stand up to our friends.”

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Overall, excellent read.  The first Harry Potter book is a smashing success.  Captivating, Megan, I, and millions of other fans across the globe, sparking a tremendous franchise and universe.

Highest Recommendation.

On to Book #136: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling.

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Need to catch up?  See previous blog post: Dave’s Way.