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Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone - Blog Posts
Harry: “So light a fire!”
Hermione: “Yes — of course — but there’s no wood!”
Ron: “HAVE YOU GONE MAD? ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?”
– Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone icons
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Happy Holidays! As a Christmas gift, I'm going to spam post Christmas icons! Stay safe and have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Is nobody going to acknowledge the fact that Draco Fucking Malfoy was the first student in The Philosopher’s / Sorcerers Stone to properly curse
“If the lump had given this (the Remembral) a squeeze, he would have remembered to fall on his fat ARSE”
The kid’s a legend
1st book: HP
If I ever had to choose a favorite book, it would be Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Bought by my mother because of it’s rampant success in England, it was and still is a very important book for me. The series was the first new-generations understanding of youth activism, feminism, equality and kindness. But the first book was, for lack of a better word as this word doesn’t seem to do it justice, home. I, like all great books, was taken out of my world to another place where I found friends and a family, and security. It gave me confidence, hope and connection while pushing me and allowing me to feel safe, all at the same time.
But Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is not my favorite books because of the story, a particular character or author, time period or residual feeling of inspiration. While it is one that continues to connect to me, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is my favorite book just because it is my home, my base and my beginning of reading. While I read before Harry Potter and surely would’ve read without it, the first chapter can always make me smile and bring me back to really beginning to love reading and experiencing that other world and how much books can bring joy, compassion and comfort. This book, that will always be my favorite book, represents more than even the world of Harry Potter represents to me with the characters and connections; it does in fact just represents me and my child hood and my love of reading and excitement to learn.
All of the Harry Potter books will always have a place with me, but Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is the first and the strongest and the one that can always bring me back to the places I love. Happy National Book Month
JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Sorcerors Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blooded Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I literally grew up with the release of the books and films. From September 1st 2018 to midnight, July 21st, 2007 I grew up with Harry, Ron and Hermione. But even 20 years later children and adults around the world are growing up with them, learning from the characters, the books, the films, their friends, their families, their teachers, and their stories.
We have learned about compassion, friendship, empathy, inner strength, how to persevere; we have learned about activism, to fight against inequality, to fight for more than just ourselves. It has been scientifically concluded that these stories have increased people’s humanity and lessened the possibility of hate from taking over. The generation that grew up with these stories, those who read them to us and those who have read them since believe and have a new understanding about those around them that aren’t like themselves due to religion, race, politics, economics, immigration and all the other things that make us beautifully different. What we learned from Harry Potter, what we learned from you over these past 20 years today (in the states), in these 19 years and counting, thank you JK Rowling. Thank you for the world you created in these stories, and so much more
Thank you
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was the final book of the series, creating a different and more pronounced impact than probably all but Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. It was also different for me than the rest of the series as it was the only book I got at midnight, it was the only book (I ever) jumped ahead with—seeing that at the end “All was well” and that this was the only book I read after the movies, having been dismayed by the 4th movie, I didn’t read it for almost 8 years. Reading the book then I was an adult and not a pre-teen or teenager and it, therefore, has a separate place in my heart and in my mind even though I read it after just rereading the entire series. The fact that Deathly Hallows all fits in one book is majesty itself, so much explained and told but not overwhelming.
One of the main themes through the series and highlighted in the Deathly Hallows is how much Harry has to due by himself and how much of the burden he can share with others. As we have grown up with Harry, Ron and Hermione we experience this as well albeit with less dramatic stakes. This is true in both the physical battles of the Seven Potters and the Battle of Hogwarts, but also just in terms of Harry leaning on Hermione and Ron in trying to figure things out but in other times letting them take charge while he rests or sometimes becomes distracted by the Deathly Hallows and not the task at hand: finding and destroying the Horcruxes and also when they all joke around, comforting each other and themselves. This is also true emotionally, in the way we can best understand when Harry leans on Hermione and Luna while burying Dobby.
Another theme throughout the Deathly Hallows is how complicated relationships and individuals can be. Looking past Ron and Hermione and Harry, I mean Harry and Dudley, Draco Malfoy and Xenophilius Lovegood. For Harry and Dudley it happens for both of them; while Harry despises them, he makes sure they’re safe and while the Dursleys have always had disdain and repulsion for Harry, Dudley is worried and angry that they’re not sticking together and helping him, and we know Petunia’s recognition of the final loss of her sister shocks and somewhat destroys her. With Draco, as we saw in the Half-Blood Prince, he reminds us there’s a difference between a bad boy or bully, and a truly bad person. Yes, he’s a bully and elitist, but just like his father he mostly just likes to complain and pump up his ego; he’d do very little actual damage or harm to others, that type of evil or hatred is outside of him. Xenophilius Lovegood, in my opinion, had his best and worst moments in trying to sell Harry and his friends to the Dark Lord. It wasn’t cowardly, it wasn’t weak; there is a difference between sacrificing yourself for a cause or for someone else and sacrificing your child. Xenophilius fought alongside and supported Harry until for him, there really was no more purpose in a better world, an okay world or any world.
The Deathly Hallows also nicely tidy’s up the series with the Chapter “King’s Cross” by referencing for us how just because the Harry Potter Universe was in books and in our minds didn’t make it any less real and for showing us as well as Harry how death, adulthood and life are all things we must accept and how choosing acceptance will help us move forward even if not always easy or instantaneous.
Professor Quirrell
Professor Quirrell, Harry Potter’s Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (the first of many) that turned out to be trying to help Voldemort return to power. There is not much to say about this character; as he played dumb so well, he kind of was very easily forgettable. I don’t even remember much of what they learned from him. (Also thou, it’s upsetting that there is a specific Defense Against the Dark Arts class that children are required to take for 5 years--why aren’t there more prevention for this, why do kids have to be SO prepared). While definitely not the best person to learn from, unexpectedly he can be a great lesson to all of how (1) book smart is not the same as street smart and (2) to be careful, cautious and not overconfident about who you are
But I will say that while it was unfortunate it was him, I always loved how excited Harry was to meet him. All of these wizards finally get to meet “The Boy Who Lived” and here Harry is just as excited to meet Professor Quirrell because to Harry THIS is someone important, someone, he can and will learn from about magic. I always loved that.
But, there are a few things that bother me as going back in history, the main two are:
1. Why didn’t Voldemort mention to Quirrell (he was there) that he could ask Snape for help to get the Sorcerer's Stone? Voldemort always trusted Snape!
2. Why didn’t Snape share his concerns with Dumbledore? I know that Snape’s concerns with Lupin held more to the story, but I feel like he still would have mentioned it, especially considering how much he pursued Quirrell. Did he not bring it up, or was he ignored?
** Bonus moment: Obviously the later fact how Fred and George were hitting Voldemort with snowballs <3<3<3
Mr. Ollivander
Today is Mr. Ollivander’s birthday, the wandmaker who sells Harry his wand on his 11th birthday, measures the wand’s of all the Champions in the Tri-wizard Tournament and is held prisoner during the Second War at Malfoy Manor. According to Pottermore he was influential to the wizarding world as he completely transformed wand making when he took over his family’s business. While I would have also liked the previous method of bringing something personal to have a wand made out of, Mr. Ollivander’s method of creating wands from selective materials and selling them to the wizard who had a connection with the wand is both a more logical approach and produced a noticeable change in strength and beauty for the wand holder.
But there is more to his story....
As with the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Mr. Ollivander was Harry Potter’s, and our’s, first taste of magic. In his wandshop is where Harry first gets to perform just a bit of magic and, as he repeats throughout his years, how much he loves it. While Harry Potter might have been a special case, I believe that Mr. Ollivander was passionate and caring about each new (or older) wizard who came in for a companion in their wand and enjoyed being with them as they started their journey and full embracing the beauty that is magic. So thank you Mr. Ollivander for your passion, compassion, brilliance and heart.
20th Year of Harry Potter
Nineteen years ago in the US (September 1st, 1998) Harry Potter was released. Hearing of it’s success in the UK, my mother ran out and got it for us to read together. While It would not become more common in my community for another few years, it quickly became very important to me. My mother read it to me at night the first time around, miss-pronouncing Hermione until my dad who grew up for a time in England corrected her, and then I read it many times over to where the book started to fall apart.
The Harry Potter series is a big deal for many reasons, and has shaped our world and helped us connect with more than just the theme parks, midnight book releases, Emma Watson, movies and expansions such as Quidditch Throughout the Ages. The story of Harry Potter has shown the ridiculousness of racism, the promotion of helping those less fortunate, of doing what is morally right and reminding us that what we see is not always accurate as with depression or social differences. The Harry Potter world created by J.K. Rowling (who I also first assumed was a male) was the first apocalyptic universe where everyone was fighting to survive, but also win the world for good; and make the world better. Hermione Granger might not have been the main protagonist as with following series that all became about the sole female heroine, but she was the first to be brave regardless of her fears, rely on her smarts, and always be there for her friends. In studies the Harry Potter series have been noted as a large influence on combating race and social-class status as the absurdity of separation on these qualities were shown in the books with werewolves, elves and with half-bloods and muggles. While not the sole supporter or eye-opener, it is a reason why younger generations believe it is their responsibility to make sure everyone is treated with equality and respect.
September 1st is widely known in the Harry Potter Universe as the day that those who were fortunate enough to receive their Hogwarts letters would get on the Hogwarts Express and get to begin their official journey into the wizarding world, and while intended enough, it is when those in the US were able to join as well with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. In this story, we were Harry, we were learning everything as he did--something that would continue for the rest of the series (very eloquently referenced with each new book I might add) that entranced us. But more than with the wizarding world, we were like Harry in learning about the problems arising and feeling that we had to stop it, how it was our duty to stop it, part of what has spread outside the pages to common activism and empathy in our day to day lives. Again we were Harry Potter, we were young, new to this world and with our humbled experience prior, we wonder if this world we were growing into was as magical and perfect as we were led to believe. This is what this Harry Potter journey taught us and continues to remind us, that not everything perfect or fair but that we can all, individually make a difference