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The Rebirth of the Fairy Tale:
The Wonderful World of Harry Potter
Years 1 through 4
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By: Jennifer Walford
If you have not read the Harry Potter series you are MISSING one of the BEST-written series of the 20th/ 21st Centuries! A children's book...I think not. This is a book for all ages! J.K. Rowling is a genius! How one person could conceive a fantasy world so complex yet so real defies the fact that a person only uses 10% of their brain. But for those (once like myself) sick of the over marketed world of products and ignored the Harry Potter craze, I implore you to put aside you anti-commercial Muggle attitude and embrace Harry Potter!
Who is Harry Potter?
Harry Potter is a wizard, unbeknownst to him for nearly a decade. Harry is an orphan, whose parents met an unfortunate end with You-Know-Who, or for you Muggles (non-magic people), Lord Voldemort, the most evil wizard of the modern era. Harry survived You-Know-Who's attack with only a lightning scar on his forehead. He is the only one who EVER survived an attack by You-Know-Who, making him quite famous in the magic world.
Young Potter currently resides with his mum's sister and family the Dursleys, Muggles, who do not like anything out of the ordinary, unless it is their extremely portly son and his temper tantrums. Needless to say young Harry is not the Dursley's favorite nephew. He is forced to live under the stairs, wear his cousin's hand me downs, and endure years of abuse. That is UNTIL one fateful day when a large Wizard named Hagrid comes to take Harry to Middle School at Hogwarts, the British school for wizards and witches.
Hogwarts: The School for Wizards and Witches
Hogwarts is a private school for magical people. For seven years they are taught the fine art of magic. There are four houses or dormitories at Hogwarts where students will live the next seven years while attending Hogwarts. Which house students will go is not entirely up to them. Every year when the new students arrive the Sorting Cap (a pointed wizard's cap with slants for eyes and a mouth) is brought out of its case in the Headmaster's Chambers placed upon each freshman's head for the Sorting Ceremony into one of the four Houses or dormitories of Hogwarts:
- House: Gryffindor Emblem: The Gryffin (Harry's House)
"Where dwell the brave at heart, their daring nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart..."
- House: Hufflpuffs Emblem: Badger
"Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid of toil..."
- House: Ravenclaw Emblem: Raven
"If you've a ready mind, Where those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind..."
- House: Slytherin Emblem: Snake ("You Know Who's" House)
"You'll make your real friends, Those cunning folk use any means To achieve their ends..."
Personalities of Hogwarts
Hogwarts is like your ordinary school, with a motley assortment of teachers and students. Presented here are the most notable characters from the series:
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Ron-Ron is Harry's best friend. He is the second to youngest child, and the last boy. So Ron often is left in the middle of everything, and the recipient of less than wonderful hand me downs, including a very old rat, named Scabbers, for a familiar (that is an animal wizards and witches have to protect them). But Ron is a faithful friend, who often finds himself in trouble with Harry.
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Hermione-Harry's other best friend. First let's get her name right; it is pronounced HER-ME-OH-NEE. She is a witch, but her parents are Muggles. So needless to say they were quite surprised when they found out their daughter was a witch. Hermione is very intelligent. Harry and Ron would be in a lot of trouble if not for Hermione at exam time and when a mystery needs to be solved. But Hermione is not always the model student; she is often found sneaking around Hogwarts with Ron and Harry.
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Hagrid-He is a big lovable wizard. He is the one who brought Harry to the Dursley's some ten years earlier. Hagrid is Hogwarts gamekeeper, meaning he is charge of monitoring all of the strange and wonderful animals on the grounds. Hagrid's favorite animals are usually very large and very dangerous. He has a real thing for dragons, and often puts others unknowingly into danger with some of his "loveable" pets.
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Professor McGonagall-was present when Harry was brought the Dursley's. She is a very stout stern older woman, who is the head of Gryffindor House. It is she who suggests Harry takes up the game of Witches and Wizards, Quidditch.
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Albus Dumbledore-Headmaster of Hogwarts. A very powerful, wise, older gentleman, with a long beard and tons of wonderful magical objects, including a Phoenix and bowl that allows one to take excess thoughts and save them for debate at another time. He is the one who made the arrangements for Harry to live with the Dursleys and his entrance into Hogwarts. Dumbldore knows more about Harry than meets the eye.
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Professor Snape-Positions Professor-Snape is not a fan of Harry, for some reason he cannot stand the boy. As head of the Slytherin House, he looks for any chance to take points away from the Grynfindors. Needless to say Harry, Ron, and Hermione do their share in having points taken away from Gryfindor, usually for no real reason (of course if you want to find out why you will have to read the books). Snape is a miserable wizard who would do anything to become the schools' Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher but somehow keeps getting passed up for the position. Could it have something to do with his past?
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The Weasleys- This is Ron's very big and loveable family who have taken Harry under their wing. All of the Weasleys have attended Hogwarts. Ron's two oldest brothers are very successful wizards. One studies dragons in Eastern Europe, while the other works for Gringotts Bank in Egypt. Percy, the third oldest, is about to graduate Hogwarts and follow in his father's footsteps and get a job with Britain's Ministry of Magic. Then there are the twins, George and Fred, the scourge of Hogwarts! These two are the resident practical jokers who drive the teachers and their poor mother up a wall with their hijinks. The two make up for it, though as BLOCKERS for the Gryfindor Quidditch Team. Then there is, of course, Ron and his little sister Ginny who has a crush on Harry.
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Draco Malfoy-Harry's archrival and a member of a very dignified, but devious Wizard family. Malfoy puts Harry down every chance he gets. He also makes it a point to let Harry know that Mudbloods (wizards and witches of Muggle and magic blood) are not true wizards and witches, like Harry's Mum and Hermione.
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