Harry Potter and the First Time Readers

Chapter 1 - The Worst Birthday

• “I want more bacon” “There’s more in the frying pan, sweetums,” said Aunt Petunia, turning misty eyes on her massive son.

Q1 - Has your opinion of the Dursley’s changed at all?

• Harry stared from his purple-faced uncle to his pale aunt, who was trying to heave Dudley to his feet.

Q2 - Why do you think Vernon is purple and Petunia is pale?

Q3 - Why do you think Harry wants the Dursley’s to recognize his birthday?

Q4 - Are you a birthday person or not?

• Aunt Petunia knew he hadn’t really done magic, but he still had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at his head with the soapy frying pan.

Chapter 2 - Dobby’s Warning

Q1 - First thoughts on Dobby?

• “Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew.”

Q2 - Where do you think Dobby came from?

Q3 - Do you think a wizards word is more binding than a muggles? Why didn’t Harry just say you have my word and lie to Dobby?

• See why I’ve got to go back to Hogwarts? It’s the only place I’ve got — well, I think I’ve got friends.

Q4 - When was the last time you wrote and mailed a hand-written letter to someone?

• Harry, whose insides were aching with hunger, jumped off his bed and seized it. The soup was stone cold, but he drank half of it in one gulp. Then he crossed the room to Hedwig's cage and tipped the soggy vegetables at the bottom of the bowl into her empty food tray. She ruffled her feathers and gave him a look of deep disgust.

Q5 - What is Harry thinking and feeling at this moment?

Q6 - Which family does Dobby serve? Why can't he just leave the family? 

Q7 - Why does Dobby want to warn Harry? And why Harry specifically?

Chapter 3 - The Burrow

Q1 - How do we like the Weasley’s rescuing Harry?

• A lot of wizards think it’s a waste of time, knowing this sort of Muggle trick, but we feel they’re skills worth learning, even if they are a bit slow.”

Q2 - From the little you know of the characters, what do you think their professions will be?

Q3 - Do you think Harry forgetting Hedwig makes him a bad pet owner?

Q4 - If you could bewitch any object in your house, what would you do and why?

• Mrs Weasley was marching across the yard, scattering chickens, and for a short, plump, kind-faced woman, it was remarkable how much she looked like a saber tooth tiger.

Q5 - Does de-gnoming a garden sound fun?

Q6 - Do you think you’ve ever been the victim of a shrinking door key?

• “Bless them, they’ll go to any lengths to ignore magic, even if it’s staring them in the face.”
• “Your sons flew that car to Harry’s house and back last night!” shouted Mrs Weasley. “What have you got to say about that, eh?” “Did you really?” said Mr Weasley eagerly. “Did it go alright? I-I mean,” he faltered, as sparks flew from Mrs Weasley’s eyes, “That was very wrong. Boys — very wrong indeed.”

Q7 - How do you like Mr and Mrs Weasley?

Q8 - How do you like the Burrow?

Chapter 4 - At Flourish and Blotts

• Life at the burrow was as different as possible from life in Privet Drive.
• What Harry found most unusual about life at Ron’s. However, wasn’t the talking mirror or the clanking ghoul: it was the fact that everybody there seemed to like him.

Q1 - What book sounds most interesting from the second-year reading list:

• The Standard Book of Spells
• Break with a Banshee
• Gadding with Ghouls
• Holidays with Hags
• Travels with Trolls
• Voyages with Vampires
• Wanderings with Werewolves
• Year with the Yeti

Q2 - Why doesn’t Harry at least try to give the Weasley’s a bit of money?

Q3 - Would you ever want to go shopping in Borgin and Burkes?

Q4 - First impressions of Mr Malfoy?

Q5 - Did you catch the diagonally and nocturnally?

Q6 - Why do you think Wizards don’t use ball point pens?

• “We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy,” he said.

Chapter Five - The Whomping Willow

• The end of the summer holidays came too quickly for Harry’s liking. He was looking forward to getting back to Hogwarts, but his month at The Burrow had been the happiest of his life.

Q1 - What do you think are the contents of Ginny’s diary?

Q2 - How dumb are Ron and Harry for not just waiting?

Q3 - Why would they plant a tree at Hogwarts that could kill a student? No safer place than Hogwarts…

• “Or he might have been sacked!” said Ron enthusiastically, “I mean everyone hates him—” “Or maybe,” said a very cold voice right behind them, “he’s waiting to hear why you two didn’t arrive on the school train.”

Q4 - Given the option, would you want to fly to Hogwarts in the car, or would you rather take the train? What other way would you want to get to the castle?

• “So,” he said softly, “the train isn’t good enough for the famous Harry Potter and his faithful sidekick Weasley. Wanted to arrive with a bang, did we, boys?”
• Professor McGonagall gave him a piercing look, but he was sure she had almost smiled.

Summary

• Best Moment
• Favorite Chapter
• Best Character
• What is your favorite location so far in the Wizarding world?

Chapter 14 - Norbert The Norwegian Ridgeback

• “But there aren’t wild dragons in Britain?” said Harry. “Of course there are,” said Ron. “Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. THe Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our lot have to keep putting spells on Muggles who’ve spotted them, to make them forget.”

Q1 - Now that you’d know but do you think the Ministry of Magic has ever put a memory spell on you?

Q2 - On your first read, did you think Snape was the one who was going after the stone?

Q3 - How much brandy and chicken blood do you think Hagrid went through to feed Norbert?

• “Wonder what it’s like to have a peaceful life?” Ron sighed.
• Harry suddenly turned to Ron. “Charlie,” he said. “You’re losing it, too,” said Ron. “I’m Ron, remember?”

Chapter 15 - The Forbidden Forest

• It was the first time Hermione has ever failed to answer a teacher’s question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.

Q1 - Do you really think McGonagall has never heard of four students out of bed before?

Q2 - At this point in the book were you convinced Snape was the main assailant to Quirrel? Would you have bet 12 sorcerer’s stones?

Q3 - Is a punishment of going in the forbidden forest too extreme for any students?

• “I want fang,” said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang’s long teeth. “All right, but I warn yeh, he’s a coward,” said Hagrid.

Q4 - Is it weird that Hagrid goes by Hagrid and not Ruebeus?

• “Always the innocent are the first victims,” he said, “So it has been for ages past, so it is now.”
• Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, “The Forest hides many secrets.”

Q5 - How much do you think Centaurs know? 

• “The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times.”

Chapter 16 - Through the Trapdoor

Q1 - Do you think you could make a pineapple tapdance across the classroom?

• “I think it’s a warning…it means danger’s coming.”
• “Neville will play quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down.”

Q2 - What do you think Dumbledore does on a day to day basis?

• “You can’t!” said Hermione. “After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You’ll be expelled!” “SO WHAT?” Harry shouted. “Don’t you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort’s coming back! 
• “I’ll use the Invisibility Cloak,” said Harry. “It’s just lucky I got it back.” “But will it cover all three of us?” said Ron.
• “I won’t let you do it,” he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. “I’ll — I’ll fight you.” He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight. “Go on then, try and hit me!” said Neville, raising his fists, “I’m ready!”

Q3 - What are your thoughts on Neville?

• “HAVE YOU GONE MAD?” Ron bellowed. “ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?”

Q4 - What do you think was the level of difficulty for that chess game?

• “But Harry — What if You-Know-Who’s with him?” “Well — I was lucky once, wasn’t I?” said Harry, pointing at his scar. “I might get lucky again.” Hermione’s lip trembled and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him. “Hermione!” “Harry — you’re a great wizard, you know.” “I’m not as good as you,” said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him. 
• “Harry took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. He turned to face the black flames. “Here I come,” he said and he drained the little bottle in one gulp.

Q5 - Which was your favorite test?

Q6 - If you could add a test to the group, what would you do?

Chapter 17 - The Man With Two Faces

Q1 - When you first read this, did you expect that it was going to be Quirrell?

• “He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn’t you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead”
• “There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it.”

Q2 - What do you think Voldemort is at this moment?

• “How touching…” it hissed. “I always value bravery…Yes, boy, your parents were brave…I linked your father first and he put up a courageous fight…but your mother needn’t have died…she was trying to protect you…Now give me the stone, unless you want her to have died in vain.”
• And other voices, maybe in Harry’s own head, crying, “Harry! Harry!”
• “What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrel is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows.”

Q3 - How much elixir do you really think the Flamels have stored?

Q4 - Thoughts on Dumbledore?

• “To one as young as you, I’m sure it seems incredible, but to Nicholas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

Q5 - What do you think Dumbledore means when he says the above quote?

• “The truth,” Dumbledore sighed. “It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.”
• “Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realize that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves it’s own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign…to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection for ever. It is in your very skin.”

Q6 - Do you think Dumbledore meant for Harry to go after Voldemort?

• “Sent owls off ter all ter parents old school friends, askin fer photos…knew yeh didn’t have any…d’yeh like it?” Harry couldn’t speak, but Hagrid understood.

Q7 - How rigged is the point system?

• “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr Neville Longbottom.”

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?

Chapter 6 - The Journey From Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

FF: Not who Hedwig is named after, but Saint Hedwig of Andechs (1174–1243), Duchess of Silesia, is the patron saint of orphans.

Q1 - Is Hagrid an idiot for not showing Harry how to get on the platform?

• He passed a round-faced boy who was saying, “Gran, I’ve lost my toad again.”
• “Blimey,” said the other twin. “Aren’t you —?” “He is,” said the first twin. “Aren’t you?” he added to Harry.” “What?” said Harry. “Harry Potter,” chorused the twins. “Oh, him,” said Harry. “I mean, yes, I am.”
• They leant out of the window for her to kiss them goodbye and their younger sister began to cry. “Don’t, Ginny, we’ll send you loads of owls.” “We’ll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat.” “George.” “Only joking, mum.”

Q2 - What is your first impression of the Weasley family?

• Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn’t know what he was going to — but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind.
• “Are all your family wizards?” asked Harry, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found him. “Er — yes, I think so,” said Ron. “I think mums got a second cousin who’s an accountant, but we never talk about him.”

Q3 - What is your first impression of Ron?

Q4 - What sweet sounds the best?

• Bertie Botts Every Flavor Bean
• Droobles Best Chewing Gum
• Chocolate Frogs
• Pumpkin Pasties
• Cauldron Cakes
• Liquorice Wands
• “Go on, have a pasty,” said Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry’s pasties and cakes (the sandwiches lay forgotten).

Q5 - Is 500 chocolate frog cards an alarming amount of chocolate frogs to eat?

• When they shook their heads, he wailed, “I’ve lost him! He keeps getting away from me!” “He’ll turn up,” said Harry.

Q6 - First impressions of Hermione Granger?

• “You’ll soon find out some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.” He held out his hand to shake Harry’s, but Harry didn’t take it. “I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks,” he said coolly.

Q7 - What do you think of Scabbers the rat’s bravery in biting Goyle’s knuckle?

Chapter 7 - The Sorting Hat

• “Welcome to Hogwarts,” said professor MGonagall
• “There’s nothing hidden in your head the sorting hat can’t see.”

Q1 - If you had to create a way for students to be sorted into their houses without using the sorting hat, what would you do?

Q2 - So what house are you?

Q3 - Why do you think it took so long to sort Seamus Finnigan and Neville Longbottom?

• “You could be great, you know, it’s all here in your head, and slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that — no? Well, if you’re sure — better be Gryffindor!”

Q4 - Why do you think Harry nearly got sorted into Slytherin?

• “Before we begin out banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!”
• “Is he — a bit mad?” he asked Percy uncertainly. “Mad?” said Percy airily. “He’s a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit, yes. Potatoes, Harry?”

Q5 - Do you know what mint humbugs are?

Q6 - Where do you think these ghosts come from?

• It happened suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell’s turban straight into Harry’s eyes — and a sharp, hot pain shot across the car on Harry’s forehead.
• Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand, and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest. “Ah, music,” he said, wiping his eyes. “A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot.”

Q7 - Do you know what a poltergeist is?

Chapter 8 - The Potions Master

Q1 - If you had a scar, where would you want it and what would you want it of?

Q2 - Do you think Harry is going to get married? If so, do you think he’d marry any of the people who were introduced in the book so far?

• At the start-of-term Banquet, Harry had got the idea that Professor Snape disliked him. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew he’d been wrong. Snape didn’t dislike Harry — he hated him.

Q3 - Do you think there’s any reason why Snape would hate Harry or is just one of those let-me-pick-a-student-to-be-mean-to-on-the-first-day kind of thing?

Q4 - Is Fang a boar or a dog?

Q5 - First impression of McGonagall and Snape?

Chapter 9 - The Midnight Duel

• Harry had never believed he would meet a boy he hated more than Dudley, but that was before he met Draco Malfoy.

Q1 - Would you like to have a remembrall?

Q2 - So far in the Hogwarts experience, what event/class would you be most excited for and why?

• WHAM! — a thus and a nasty crack and Neville lay, face down, on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher and started to drift lazily toward the Forbidden Forest and out of sight.

Q3 - Was it Nevilles issue for falling off his broom or was it his broomstick?

• Harry saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. He leant forward and pointed his broom handle down — next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball — wind whistled in his ears, mingles with the screams of people watching — he stretched out his hand — a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently on to the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his hand.

Q4 - What did you initially think was going to happen to Harry after McGonagall caught him flying?

• “Wood?” Thought Harry, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on him?

Q5 - Is it a bit too early to make Harry Seeker after one nice catch of a Remembrall?

Q6 - Would you like to learn how to fly on a broom?

• “And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?” “Throw it away and punch him on the nose,” Ron suggested.

Q7 - What are your thoughts on Draco Malfoy?

• “What do they think they’re doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?” Ron said finally.

Q8 - Is Hogwarts really safe…like really?

Q9 - Does Steak and Kidney pie actually sound good?

Chapter 1 - The Boy Who Lived

• He hurried to his car and set off home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn’t approve of imagination.
• “You can’t blame them,” said Dumbledore gently, “We’ve had precious little to celebrate for eleven years.”

Q1 - What are your general impressions of McGonagall, Dumbledore, Hagrid, and the Dursleys?

Q2 - Why can McGonagall transform into a cat? And if you could transform into an animal which would you choose?

Q3 - Why do you think Voldemort could not kill Harry?

Q4 - Do you think Dumbledore was right to separate Harry from the magical world?

• “You think it – wise – to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?” “I would Trust Hagrid with my life,” said Dumbledore.
• “Yes, yes, it’s all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we’ll be found,” Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm…
• “Good luck, Harry,” he murmured.

Q5 - What year do you think all this happened?

Q6 - Is Dumbledore irresponsible for leaving Harry on the doorstep with just a letter?

Q7 - Why do you think it took so long for Dumbly and Hagrid to get to Privet Drive?

Chapter 2 - The Vanishing Glass

• Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys’ front door; it crept into their living-room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-coloured bobble hats – but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large, blond boy riding his first bicycle, on a roundabout at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother. The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too. Yet Harry Potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice which made the first noise of the day. ‘Up! Get up! Now!’

Q1 - Who is the nastiest to Harry?

• ‘Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don’t you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy’s birthday.’ Harry groaned. 

Q2 - When you were a kid what was your favorite breakfast?

• He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry, the bank, and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects. This morning, it was motorbikes.

Q3 - Out of all the magical things Harry can do in chapter 2, which do you think was the coolest?

• Hair Growth
• Shrinking Sweater
• Appearing on the roof
• Talking with a snake
• Making the glass disappear

Q4 - What are your first thoughts about Harry?

Q5 - What was the best birthday gift you ever got?

Q6 - Do you think it’s normal for a wizard to be able to talk to snakes?

• He’d lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he’d been a baby and his parents had died in that car crash. He couldn’t remember being in the car when his parents had died. Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead. This, he supposed, was the crash, though he couldn’t imagine where all the green light came from. He couldn’t remember his parents at all. His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house. 

Q7 - What is this flash of green light and pain on his forehead?

Chapter 3 - The Letters From No One

Q1 - Do you think the knobbly sticks are a useful teaching/character building tool?

• “What’s this?” he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if he dared to ask a question. “Your new school uniform,” she said. Harry looked at the bowl again. “Oh,” he said. “I didn’t realize it had to be so wet.”
• Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon’s sister Marge, who was holidaying on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill and – a letter for Harry? Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter ‘H’. 

Q2 - Why do the Dursleys not want him to get this letter?

Q3 - Do you think you can “stamp out” being a wizard? What do you think happens to people who suppress their magic?

• He hoped the roof wasn’t going to fall in, although he might be warmer if it did. Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that he’d be able to steal one somehow.

Q4 - Do you wonder if these letters are duplicated by magic or if Hogwarts is handwriting all these letters to Harry?

Q5 - How would you have gotten the letter if you were Harry?

• Monday. This reminded Harry of something. If it was Monday – and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days of the week, because of television – then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Harry’s eleventh birthday. Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun – last year, the Dursleys had given him a coat-hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon’s old socks. Still, you weren’t eleven every day. 

Q6 - What’s your most memorable birthday?

• One minute to go and he’d be eleven. Thirty seconds ... twenty ... ten – nine – maybe he’d wake Dudley up, just to annoy him – three – two – one – BOOM. The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in. 

Q7 - What’s going to happen next?

Chapter 4 - The Keeper of Keys

• BOOM. They knocked again. Dudley Jerked awake. “Where’s the cannon?” he said stupidly.

Q1 - What was Dudley dreaming about?

• “Las’ time I saw you, you was only a baby,” said the giant. “Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh’ve got yer mum’s eyes.”
• “Harry – yer a wizard.”

Q2 - If you are starving in a hut and a massive giant breaks in and starts cooking up a meal, what would you hope that he made?

Q3 - What are your first impressions of Hagrid? What’s up with his assault of Dudley?

Q4 - The logistics and maybe ethics of Hagrid throwing an owl out of the door in the middle of a raging storm is interesting. Let’s discuss.

• She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years.

Q5 - Is it alarming or endearing that Hagrid can’t spell Voldemort?

Q6 - Why do you think Voldemort tried to kill Harry and killed Lily and James?

Q7 - Do you have any theories about what stumped Voldy about Harry?

Q8 - Hagrid says that us Muggles would want all our problems solved with magic. Do you think this is true? And what is the first problem you are fixing with magic?

Chapter 5 - Diagon Alley

Q1- Should the wizarding world have more than one bank? That seems like a bad monopoly.

• “Gringotts is the safest place in the world for anything yeh want ter keep safe – ‘cept maybe Hogwarts.”

Q2 - Hagrid and Harry took the boat off the island. How long were the Dursleys stranded there before they got off?

Q3 - Which book sounds the most interesting from Harry’s book list?

• Standard Book of Spells
• A History of Magic
• Magical Theory
• Beginners Guide to Transfiguration
• One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
• Magical Drafts and Potions
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
• Even though everything Hagrid had told him so far was unbelievable, Harry couldn’t help trusting him.

Q4 - What is the weirdest thing you think Hagrid keeps in his pocket?

• “If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they’d be sucked through the door and trapped in there,” said Griphook. “How often do you check to see if anyone’s inside?” Harry asked. “About once every ten years,” said Griphook, with a rather nasty grin.

Q5 - Does Draco have the wrong wand? His mother picked it up for him…

• “But I know I’ll be in Slytherin, all our family have been – imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I’d leave, wouldn't you?”
• “Where are your parents?” “They’re dead,” said Harry shortly.
• “Ah yes,” said the man. “Yes, yes. I thought I’d be seeing you soon. Harry Potter.”
• “It’s really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course.”

Q6 - If you could choose your wand, which wand core would you want and why?

• “I remember every want I’ve ever sold, Mr Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather – just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother, why its brother gave you that scar.”

Q7 - How do we like Hagrid?

Lizzy and Jon are diving into Harry Potter! It's Lizzys second time reading, although she's forgotten so much that it might as well be her first time reading, and it very brilliant with how she sees Harry Potter. Coming from someone who reads it every year, Jon has had his mind changed more about certain things in the short time Lizzy has taken to read this series, than by anyone else who has read these books. She argues her points very convincingly and it's a fun season! So join Jon and Lizzy for some ethical questions on dementors, some doubts about whether Dumbledore truly is good, and some good debates about things that have never come up before in Jon's Harry Potter readings.

Join Jon, Jenn, Danny, and Kristen as they talk over the movie of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. They talk over some theories about what will happen, their impressions of the characters, and what they thought of the sixth movie.

Join Jon and Lizzy as they talk about the ethics of Dementors—whether they are good, evil, or if theyre justified in sucking out the souls of witches and wizards. This is a sneak peak of Season 2—which is coming out soon!

Did you do it then?...So join Jon, Jenn, Danny, and Kristen as they talk over the movie of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. They talk over some theories about what will happen, their impressions of the characters, and what they thought of the sixth movie.

Chapter 36 - The Flaw in the Plan

• Hands, softer than he had been expecting, touched Harry’s face, pulled back an eyelid, crept beneath his shirt, down to his chest, and felt his heart. He could hear the woman’s fast breathing, her long hair tickled his face. He knew that she could feel the steady pounding of life against his ribs. “Is Draco alive? Is he in the castle?” 

Q1 - Were you surprised at Narcissa lying?

• And now a chill settled over them where they stood, and Harry heard the rasping breath of the dementors that patrolled the outer trees. They would not affect him now. The fact of his own survival burned inside him, a talisman against them, as though his father’s stag kept guardian in his heart. 

Q2 - Why is Harry not affected by crucio and the dementors and stuff?

• “Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!” “He beat you!” yelled Ron, and the charm broke, and the defenders of Hogwarts were shouting and screaming again until a second, more powerful bang extinguished their voices once more. 

Q3 - What do you think of Ron’s progression as a character?

• In one swift, fluid motion, Neville broke free of the Body-Bind Curse upon him; the flaming hat fell off him and he drew from its depths something silver, with a glittering, rubied handle — The slash of the silver blade could not be heard over the roar of the oncoming crowd or the sounds of the clashing giants or of the stampeding centaurs, and yet it seemed to draw every eye. With a single stroke Neville sliced off the great snake’s head, which spun high into the air, gleaming in the light flooding from the entrance hall, and Voldemort’s mouth was open in a scream of fury that nobody could hear, and the snake’s body thudded to the ground at his feet —

Q4 - Do you get why we all love Neville so much now?

• The house-elves of Hogwarts swarmed into the entrance hall, screaming and waving carving knives and cleavers, and at their head, the locket of Regulus Black bouncing on his chest, was Kreacher, his bullfrog’s voice audible even above this din: “Fight! Fight! Fight for my Master, defender of house-elves! Fight the Dark Lord, in the name of brave Regulus! Fight!” 
• Hundreds of people now lined the walls, watching the two fights, Voldemort and his three opponents, Bellatrix and Molly, and Harry stood, invisible, torn between both, wanting to attack and yet to protect, unable to be sure that he would not hit the innocent. “What will happen to your children when I’ve killed you?” taunted Bellatrix, as mad as her master, capering as Molly’s curses danced around her. “When Mummy’s gone the same way as Freddie?” “You — will — never — touch — our — children — again!” screamed Mrs. Weasley. Bellatrix laughed, the same exhilarated laugh her cousin Sirius had given as he toppled backward through the veil, and suddenly Harry knew what was going to happen before it did. Molly’s curse soared beneath Bellatrix’s outstretched arm and hit her squarely in the chest, directly over her heart. Bellatrix’s gloating smile froze, her eyes seemed to bulge: For the tiniest space of time she knew what had happened, and then she toppled, and the watching crowd roared, and Voldemort screamed.

Q5 - What was the most emotional moment in the whole series for you?

• “You won’t be killing anyone else tonight,” said Harry as they circled, and stared into each other’s eyes, green into red. “You won’t be able to kill any of them ever again. Don’t you get it? I was ready to die to stop you from hurting these people —” “But you did not!” “— I meant to, and that’s what did it. I’ve done what my mother did. They’re protected from you. Haven’t you noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding? You can’t torture them. You can’t touch them. You don’t learn from your mistakes, Riddle, do you?”

Q6 - What do you think of this?

• “Yeah, it did,” said Harry. “You’re right. But before you try to kill me, I’d advise you to think about what you’ve done. . . . Think, and try for some remorse, Riddle. . . .” “What is this?” Of all the things that Harry had said to him, beyond any revelation or taunt, nothing had shocked Voldemort like this. Harry saw his pupils contract to thin slits, saw the skin around his eyes whiten. “It’s your one last chance,” said Harry, “it’s all you’ve got left. . . . I’ve seen what you’ll be otherwise. . . . Be a man . . . try . . . Try for some remorse. . . .” 

Q7 - Thoughts on Harry telling Tom to try for some remorse?

• “The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy.” Blank shock showed in Voldemort’s face for a moment, but then it was gone. “But what does it matter?” he said softly. “Even if you are right, Potter, it makes no difference to you and me. You no longer have the phoenix wand: We duel on skill alone . . . and after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy. . . .” “But you’re too late,” said Harry. “You’ve missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took this wand from him.” Harry twitched the hawthorn wand, and he felt the eyes of everyone in the Hall upon it. “So it all comes down to this, doesn’t it?” whispered Harry. “Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does . . . I am the true master of the Elder Wand.” 

Q8 - What do you think about the Elder Wand issues?

Q9 - How did you like the death of Voldemort?

• After a while, exhausted and drained, Harry found himself sitting on a bench beside Luna. “I’d want some peace and quiet, if it were me,” she said. “I’d love some,” he replied. “I’ll distract them all,” she said. “Use your Cloak.” 
• “And then there’s this.” Harry held up the Elder Wand, and Ron and Hermione looked at it with a reverence that, even in his befuddled and sleep-deprived state, Harry did not like to see. “I don’t want it,” said Harry. “What?” said Ron loudly. “Are you mental?” “I know it’s powerful,” said Harry wearily. “But I was happier with mine. So . . .” He rummaged in the pouch hung around his neck, and pulled out the two halves of holly still just connected by the finest thread of phoenix feather. Hermione had said that they could not be repaired, that the damage was too severe. All he knew was that if this did not work, nothing would. He laid the broken wand upon the headmaster’s desk, touched it with the very tip of the Elder Wand, and said, “Reparo.” 

Q10 - What are your thoughts on the Hallows now?

Epilogue

Q1 - What do you think about the epilogue?

Q2 - What do you think of Harry and Ginny and their kids names?

• “Teddy’s back there,” he said breathlessly, pointing back over his shoulder into the billowing clouds of steam. “Just seen him! And guess what he’s doing? Snogging Victoire!”
• “Don’t forget to give Neville our love!” Ginny told James as she hugged him. “Mum! I can’t give a professor love!” “But you know Neville —” James rolled his eyes. “Outside, yeah, but at school he’s Professor Longbottom, isn’t he? I can’t walk into Herbology and give him love. . . .” 

Q3 - What do you think about Prof Longbottom?