Harry Potter and the
Philosopher's Stone
Mr Vernon Dursley wakes up in his home at 4 Privet Drive to a very unusual day, which includes a cat watching him from the street signpost. He lives there with his wife Petunia and their new-born son, Dudley. Things get stranger as the day progresses, with strange happenings occuring all over England. Vernon is worried that it has something to do with Petunia's sister, Lily, and her family. He's not far from wrong either but the Dursleys don't find out until morning arrives the next day. During the night a man called Albus Dumbledore arrives to Privet Drive and we learn that the cat is actually a person, Professor McGonagall. Things get stranger as a giant man, Hagrid, arrives with a baby boy, Harry Potter, who we learn has survived from the most powerful dark wizard in the world, Lord Voldemort, but Harry's parents have been killed. The little boy is the Dursley's nephew and he has been brought to Privet Drive to live with them far away from knowing the truth of what happened to him that fatal Halloween night ...
Harry Potter has spent the first 11 years of his life been bullied by the Dursleys'; his only living relatives. He believes that his parents died in a car crash when he was a baby and his lightning bolt scar is the product of the crash. He is forced to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs because the Dursleys' are ashamed of him.
Harry receives some mail addressed to him in his cupboard shortly after his 11th birthday but his Uncle Vernon gets it before he can read it. He moves Harry to a bedroom but the letters keep on coming. Uncle Vernon starts to lose it and he decides to take the family on the run with him.
They hire a boat and are awoken in the night by a man, Hagrid. He has come to wish Harry a Happy Birthday and to tell him about
Hogwarts, the wizard school he is going to go to. Harry doesn't know what he is on about but Hagrid soon fills him in, despite the Dursleys protests. Harry's parents were wizards and murdered by Lord Voldemort who then lost his powers when he tried to kill Harry. Harry Potter is famous throughout the wizarding world and he didn't even know until now.Hagrid takes Harry to
Diagon Alley in London and buys all his school things that he needs. He buys Harry an owl for his birthday that Harry calls Hedwig and then returns Harry to the Dursleys care.The Dursleys take Harry to Kings Cross Station to catch his train, the
Hogwarts Express on the 1st September. On the train he makes friends with Ron Weasley who is amazed that he is talking to the famous Harry Potter. When they arrive at Hogwarts they are sorted into houses by the sorting hat. Harry is placed in Gryffindor after telling the hat he didn't want to be in Slytherin and Ron is put in Gryffindor too.Harry starts to get used to his new life and likes every subject apart from
Potions with Professor Snape who seems to hate him. They take flying lessons and Harry catches Neville Longbottom's remember-ball after been taunted by the evil Draco Malfoy. Professor McGonagall takes him to see Oliver Wood who wants him as Gryffindor's new seeker in Quidditch.At the Halloween feast a troll gets into Hogwarts and Harry and Ron manage to lock it into the toilets where Hermione, a swotty student is. They rescue her and she lies to Professor McGonagall for them. The three of them become best friends.
Hermione, Harry and Ron learn that there is a three-headed dog at Hogwarts guarding something valuable. They learn it is a philosopher's stone that is an elixir of life.
At Christmas Harry receives his father's invisibility cloak. He uses it to explore Hogwarts and discovers the Mirror of Erised. Dumbledore tells him that it will destroy Harry's life by looking at it and moves it to a new location.
Harry, Hermione, Neville and Malfoy get detention and have to help Hagrid in the
Forbidden Forest. Harry gets attacked but is saved by a centaur. He learns that his attacker was Lord Voldemort.They discover that whoever is after the stone has gone for it and Harry, Ron and Hermione go after them. After facing a series of challenges Harry gets to the final room and is faced by Professor Quirrell who is Lord Voldemort's servant. Harry manages to get the stone and realises that Quirrell and Voldemort can not be touched by anything that has been blessed and is pure. Dumbledore comes just in time to pull Harry off and saves his life.
Harry wakes up at Madam Pomfrey's hospital wing. Dumbledore tells him the full story, Harry is a hero, and he has stopped Voldemort yet again. He is allowed to go to the feast. Gryffindor though have lost out on the Quidditch cup and the House cup. Dumbledore gives out some last minute points to Gryffindor and Gryffindor win the house cup.
Harry, Ron and Hermione leave on the Hogwarts Express with the other students the next day. Harry knows that this summer won't be as bad because the Dursleys don't know he can't use magic at home.