Harry Potter Read-Along/Discussion [2]

RECAP - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Chapters 5-10

When we last saw Harry at the end of chapter 4, he was leaving the hut on the rock without so much as a backward glance to his aunt, uncle and cousin. Hagrid whisked Harry a hidden wizarding shopping district (my own shoppers-heart flutters at the thought). He takes Harry to the wizarding bank called Gringotts that is run by Goblins and guarded by dragons, and after taking a small sack of coins from Harry's vault, they remove a grubby brown-paper-wrapped package from a vault that Hagrid wont say a word about.

Harry gets fitted for robes, his wands chooses him (which happens to be the brother wand to the one that chose Voldemort) and Hagrid gifts him with a snowy owl that Harry names Hedwig. A month later, Harry is off to Hogwarts via the Hogwarts Express which picks up at platform 9 3/4 (which is another hidden wizard thing). He ends up riding in a car with Ron Weasley, the youngest of the Weasley family that Harry meets on the platform, who is as fascinated by Harry as Harry is by him.

Upon arriving at Hogwarts, Hagrid takes all of the first years students across the lake to the front door of the school, where they are herded inside and are sorted into their House by the Sorting Hat! Harry is in Gryffindor along with all of the Weasleys and that annoying Hermione girl, though the Hat tells him he could do great things in Slytherin!

Harry begins his classes and realizes that the greasy Professor Snape really just does not like him, and Harry really does not like the snobby Draco Malfoy. A few days after Harry gets settled into his classes, the first year students begin their flying (broom) lessons, and Harry is beyond excited. There is just one little mishap with Malfoy, and Harry ends up breaking the rules and flying on his broom without supervision. Professor McGonagall catches him and Harry is sure he will be expelled, but they let him join the quidditch team as the seeker, being the youngest player at the school in 100 years!

Malfoy does not like this, challenges Harry and Ron to a midnight wizard's duel. Somehow Hermione and Neville get dragged into Harry's first adventure at Hogwarts, and when they find out that Malfoy tricked them and sent Filch the caretaker to catch them, they RUN, almost getting caught several times. While hiding from Filch, the four students accidentally go into the room in the third floor corridor that was forbidden by Dumbledore on their first day. It just so happens to be housing a giant three headed dog, and after they run for their lives and safely make it back to their dormitory, they realize that the dog was guarding a trap door in the floor.....

DISCUSSION

• From what Harry has heard about Slytherins, he is absolutely adamant that he not be sorted into that house, as several other students hope as well. Do you think some of the kids who are actually sorted into Slytherin have the same feelings as Harry did? I mean, their traits and potential all say that they should be in Slytherin, but maybe they still don't want to be there? Like Neville, maybe their traits and potential don't show themselves, and they don't know that they would do best in that house?

• Snape is beyond being tolerable even from the very beginning of the book. He is a snotball, point blank, but he is horrible to Harry. We all know why, but we also know Snape's big secret at the end of the series. What my thought process is, is how can adults treat children so awfully? The Dursleys, Snape, don't they have compassion!? I know they were written this way but, am I the only one who is really bothered by this?

• Do you think Dumbledore and McGonagall bent the rules for Harry having a broomstick because he deserved it and truly was going to be an asset to his quidditch team? Or do you think he was an asset, but he was also Harry Potter, the boy who lived, son of James Potter, and he sort of got some special treatment?

I keep finding myself speeding through this book because I love it and I just want to finish and get to the next books but I have to remind myself to take my time and use my head. Its so fun and lighthearted (even with the mean spirited grown-ups) and even sometimes downright silly and I just love the magic of this first novel. It literally just makes my heart happy every time I pick up this book.

I'm only about half way through the book and Harry and his three classmates have already had their first adventure, and it warms my heart to know that there will be many more to follow. I cant wait to finish reading this and move on to the next book. Have any of you re-read this one this year? What were your thoughts upon revisiting with Harry on his first trip to Hogwarts?

Cant wait to hear from you guys!

A.