Harry Potter: Sorcerer's Stone Study Notes

General Knowledge

• Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling.

Book 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Philosopher's Stone)

• Harry, an orphan, lives with his unkind relatives, the Dursleys.
• On his eleventh birthday, Harry learns he is a wizard and is invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
• He discovers he is famous for surviving an attack by Lord Voldemort, who killed his parents but mysteriously failed to kill him.
• At Hogwarts, Harry befriends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
• Harry is sorted into Gryffindor house.
• Harry becomes the seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
• The trio discovers a plot involving the Sorcerer's Stone, which grants immortality, and Professor Quirrell, who is possessed by Voldemort.
• Harry confronts Quirrell/Voldemort and, through the protection of his mother's love, defeats them.

Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

• Harry returns to Hogwarts for his second year, but strange events are occurring.
• Students are being Petrified.
• A mysterious voice is heard throughout the castle.
• It is revealed that the Chamber of Secrets, a hidden chamber built by Salazar Slytherin, has been opened.
• Ginny Weasley is possessed by Tom Riddle's diary, which is a Horcrux containing a piece of Voldemort's soul.
• Ginny opens the Chamber and unleashes a basilisk.
• Harry enters the Chamber and, with the help of Fawkes the Phoenix and the Sword of Gryffindor, defeats the basilisk and Tom Riddle.

Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

• Sirius Black, a supposed mass murderer and Voldemort's follower, escapes from Azkaban prison.
• Dementors, the guards of Azkaban, are stationed at Hogwarts to search for Black.
• Harry learns that Black is his godfather and was wrongly accused of betraying his parents.
• Peter Pettigrew, the actual betrayer, is revealed to be Ron's pet rat, Scabbers.
• With the help of Hermione's Time-Turner, they save Sirius Black and Buckbeak the Hippogriff.
• Pettigrew escapes, and Sirius remains a fugitive.

Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

• Harry is unexpectedly selected as a fourth champion in the Triwizard Tournament.
• The Triwizard Tournament consists of three dangerous tasks.
• Barty Crouch Jr., disguised as Professor Moody, is revealed to have manipulated events to ensure Harry's participation.
• Harry and Cedric Diggory reach the Triwizard maze cup at the same time, which is a portkey that transports them to Voldemort.
• Cedric is killed by Peter Pettigrew.
• Voldemort is resurrected with the help of Pettigrew, using Harry's blood.
• Harry duels Voldemort and escapes with Cedric's body.
• Barty Crouch Jr. is exposed and captured, but is later given the Dementor's Kiss.

Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

• Voldemort's return is denied by the Ministry of Magic, which launches a smear campaign against Harry and Dumbledore.
• Dolores Umbridge, a Ministry official, is appointed as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and gradually takes control of Hogwarts.
• Harry forms Dumbledore's Army (DA), a secret student group that learns practical Defence Against the Dark Arts.
• Harry has visions of Voldemort through their mental connection.
• Harry, Ron, and Hermione, along with Luna, Ginny, and Neville, travel to the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic.
• A battle ensues with Death Eaters.
• Sirius Black is killed by Bellatrix Lestrange.
• Dumbledore confronts Voldemort in the Ministry Atrium, exposing Voldemort's return to the wider wizarding world.

Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

• Snape becomes the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
• Harry finds an old potions textbook marked "This Book is the Property of the Half-Blood Prince," filled with spells and notes.
• Harry learns about Voldemort's past and his Horcruxes, objects in which he has hidden pieces of his soul.
• Dumbledore and Harry begin a quest to destroy the Horcruxes, starting with a locket hidden in a cave.
• Dumbledore is weakened after obtaining the locket and is killed by Snape.
• Snape reveals himself to be the Half-Blood Prince.

Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

• Harry, Ron, and Hermione leave Hogwarts to hunt and destroy Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes.
• They search for the Deathly Hallows: the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility.
• They discover that the locket they retrieved was a fake.
• They eventually find and destroy several Horcruxes, including the diary, the locket, Hufflepuff's cup, and Ravenclaw's diadem.
• Harry discovers that he himself is a Horcrux.
• The Battle of Hogwarts takes place.
• Many characters are killed, including Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, and Nymphadora Tonks.
• Harry confronts Voldemort and, because Voldemort used Harry's blood to regenerate in book 4, the protection Lily gave Harry lives in Voldemort, meaning Voldemort cannot kill Harry. Voldemort destroys the Horcrux within Harry.
• Harry defeats Voldemort, destroying the final Horcrux and ending his reign of terror.

Key Characters

• Harry Potter: The protagonist, known as "The Boy Who Lived."
• Ron Weasley: Harry's best friend, known for his loyalty and humor.
• Hermione Granger: Harry's best friend, known for her intelligence and bravery.
• Albus Dumbledore: The wise and powerful headmaster of Hogwarts.
• Lord Voldemort: The main antagonist, a dark wizard seeking immortality and power.
• Severus Snape: A complex character, Potions Master and later Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
• Rubeus Hagrid: The half-giant groundskeeper at Hogwarts.
• Sirius Black: Harry's godfather, wrongly accused of betraying his parents.
• Remus Lupin: A werewolf and friend of Harry's parents, later a professor at Hogwarts.
• Ginny Weasley: Ron's younger sister, who later becomes Harry's wife.
• Neville Longbottom: A shy and clumsy student who shows great bravery.
• Luna Lovegood: An eccentric and insightful student, friend of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
• Draco Malfoy: Harry's rival, a Slytherin student.

Key Locations

• Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: A boarding school for young witches and wizards.
• Privet Drive: The street where Harry lives with the Dursleys.
• Diagon Alley: A hidden street in London with wizarding shops.
• The Burrow: The Weasley family home.
• Godric's Hollow: The village where Harry's parents were killed.
• Azkaban: The wizarding prison.
• The Ministry of Magic: The governing body of the wizarding world.

Key Spells and Potions

• Accio: Summoning Charm
• Alohomora: Unlocking Charm
• Expelliarmus: Disarming Charm
• Wingardium Leviosa: Levitation Charm
• Expecto Patronum: Creates a Patronus, a defensive charm against Dementors.
• Avada Kedavra: The Killing Curse (Unforgivable)
• Crucio: The Torture Curse (Unforgivable)
• Imperio: The Imperius Curse (Unforgivable)
• Polyjuice Potion: Allows the drinker to assume the form of another person.
• Amortentia: The most powerful love potion.

Magical Objects and Creatures

• The Sorting Hat: Determines which house a student belongs to at Hogwarts.
• Wands: Magical instruments used to channel spells.
• Time-Turner: A device that allows the user to travel back in time.
• The Mirror of Erised: Shows the viewer their deepest desires.
• Horcruxes: Objects containing pieces of a wizard's soul.
• Dementors: Soulless creatures that drain happiness.
• House-elves: Magical creatures bound to serve wizarding families.
• Dragons: Powerful and dangerous magical creatures.
• Hippogriffs: Creatures with the body of a horse and the head of an eagle.
• Basilisks: Giant snakes whose gaze can kill.

Important Themes

• Love and Sacrifice: Lily Potter's sacrifice protects Harry.
• Good vs. Evil: The ongoing battle between Harry and Voldemort.
• Prejudice and Tolerance: The treatment of house-elves, werewolves, and other magical creatures.
• The Power of Friendship: Harry, Ron, and Hermione's bond helps them overcome challenges.
• Death and Mortality: Voldemort's fear of death drives his actions.
• Choice: Dumbledore emphasizes the importance of making the right choices.

Houses of Hogwarts

• Gryffindor: Known for bravery, daring, nerve, and chivalry.
• Hufflepuff: Values hard work, dedication, patience, loyalty, and fair play.
• Ravenclaw: Known for intelligence, learning, wisdom, and wit.
• Slytherin: Values ambition, cunning, leadership, and resourcefulness.

Summary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Harry learns he is a wizard and attends Hogwarts. He befriends Ron and Hermione and faces Voldemort's plot to steal the Sorcerer's Stone, ultimately defeating him through the power of his mother's love.