Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Ch 10-13

Harry Potter and the First Time Readers

Chapter 10 - Hallowe’en

Q1 - Is it shady that McG has bought a Nimbus Two Thousand — the current best broomstick in the world — for Harry?

• “Potter’s been sent a broomstick, Professor,” said Malfoy quickly. “Yes, yes, that’s right,” said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. “Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what Model is it?” “A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir,” said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy’s face. “And it’s really thanks to Malfoy here that I’ve got it,” he added.

Q2 - Is the Snitch worth too many points?

• Ron looked still more awkward at this [news Hermione was crying and wanted to be left alone], but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Hallowe’en decorations put Hermione out of their minds.

Q3 - What position would you want to play in Quidditch?

Q4 - Theories on how on earth someone could smuggle a troll into the castle?

Q5 - Why didn’t Hermione tell the truth?

Q6 - Is five points a little too skimpy for two first years taking on a mountain troll and winning?

Q7 - The point system at Hogwarts seems absolutely arbitrary, do you think there is a rule book for the point system?

• But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.

Ilvermorny

Marble statues of Isolt and James flank the front doors of Ilvermorny Castle. The doors open onto a circular room topped by a glass cupola. A wooden balcony runs around the room one floor above. Otherwise the space is empty except for four enormous wooden carvings representing the houses: the Horned Serpent, the panther Wampus, the Thunderbird and the Pukwudgie.

While the rest of the school watches from the circular balcony overhead, new students file into the round entrance hall. They stand around the walls and, one by one, are called to stand on the symbol of the Gordian Knot set into the middle of the stone floor. In silence the school then waits for the enchanted carvings to react. If the Horned Serpent wants the student, the crystal set into its forehead will light up. If the Wampus wants the student, it roars. The Thunderbird signifies its approval by beating its wings, and the Pukwudgie will raise its arrow into the air.

Should more than one carving signify its wish to include the student in its house, the choice rests with the student. Very rarely – perhaps once a decade – a student is offered a place in all four houses. Seraphina Picquery, President of MACUSA 1920 - 1928, was the only witch of her generation so honored, and she chose Horned Serpent.

It is sometimes said of the Ilvermorny houses that they represent the whole witch or wizard: the mind is represented by Horned Serpent; the body, Wampus; the heart, Pukwudgie and the soul, Thunderbird. Others say that Horned Serpent favours scholars, Wampus, warriors, Pukwudgie, healers and Thunderbird, adventurers.

Chapter 11 - Quidditch

Q1 - How much would you pay to watch the Quidditch World Cup match in 1473 that had all seven-hundred ways to commit a foul committed?

• Harry thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing Potter for President over the crowd. His heart skipped. He felt braver.

Q2 - How do we feel about Lee Jordan shooting his shot with Angelina during his commentary for the match?

Q3 - The Weasleys are poor, how does one of the twins have a gold wristwatch?

Q4 - Should they have magical protection for the players during a quidditch match?

Q5 - What do you think about Quidditch?

Q6 - What do you think about Snape jinxing Harry?

Chapter 12 - The Mirror Of Erised

• So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting Harry about having no proper family.

Q1 - The wizarding world needs google? This book is kinda at the dawn of the internet, so Hogwarts probably isn’t set with a computer lab, and most tech doesn’t work around Hogwarts, but how much time would they save with a google search?

• “And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is,” said Ron. “It’d be safe to ask them.” “Very safe, as they’re both dentists,” said Hermione.
• “Will you look at this? I’ve got presents!” “What did you expect, turnips?”

Q2 - How much would you pay for a Weasley jumper?

• Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor, where it lay in gleaming folds. Ron gasped. “I’ve heard of those,” he said in a hushed voice, dropping the box of Every-Flavor Beans he’s got from Hermione. “If that’s what I think it is — they’re really rare, and really valuable.” “What is it?” Harry picked the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It was strange to the touch like water woven into material. “It’s an invisibility cloak,” said Ron, a look of awe on his face.

Q3 - Who did you think the cloak was from on the first read?

Q4 - Is a hundred fat, roast turkeys excessive for the amount of kids likely staying at Hogwarts for Christmas?

Q5 - Is it irresponsible to give an eleven year-old an invisibility cloak and just say “use it well?

Q6 - Did you catch the riddle of the inscription on the mirror: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi?

• He looked in the mirror again. A woman standing right behind his reflection was smiling at him and waving. He reached out a hand and felt the air behind him. If she was really there, he’d touch her, their reflections were so close together, but he only felt air — and she and the others existed only in the mirror.
• Harry was so close to the mirror now that his nose was nearly touching that of his reflection. “Mum?” he whispered. “Dad?”
• Harry was looking at his family, for the first time in his life. The potters smiled and waved at Harry and he stared hungrily back at them, his hands pressed flat against the glass as though he was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. He had a powerful kind of ache inside him, half joy, half terrible sadness. How long he stood there, he didn’t know. The reflections did not fade and he looked and looked until a distant noise brought him back to his senses. He couldn’t stay here, he had to find his way back to bed. He tore his eyes away from his mothers face, whispered, “I’ll come back,” and hurried from the room.

Q7 - This is way too personal, and I’m not going to ask this, but what would you see in the mirror?

• “So — back again, Harry?” Harry felt as though his insides had turned to ice. He looked behind him. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. Harry must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror he hadn’t notices him. “I — I didn’t see you, sir.” “Strange how short-sighted being invisible can make you,” said Dumbledore, and Harry was relieved to see that he was smiling.
• If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared.
• It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.

Q8 - What do you think Dumbledore saw in the mirror?

Chapter 13 - Nicholas Flamel

• Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something Harry and Ron thought was very good for her.
• “There’s no need to tell me I’m not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy’s already done that,” Neville choked. Harry felt in the pocket of his robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box Hermione had given him for Christmas. He gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry. “You’re worth twelve of Malfoy,” Harry said.

Q1 - What are your thoughts on Neville?

Q2 - Is there a serious issue that the trio could not find the only known maker of the sorcerer's stone — something that makes the elixir of life which makes the drinker immortal — in anything they read until they got to the chocolate frog? Is this bad searching, or bad recorded history?

Q3 - What position would you want to play in Quidditch?