Chapter Summaries

As Gryffindor prepared for the Quidditch House Cup, Harry became anxious about playing and discovered that Snape had borrowed a book about whether Muggle diseases affected wizards. Harry and Hermione investigated the curious borrowing, leaving Ron and Neville puzzled about why Snape would need the book.

• Ron retold the Troll encounter with exaggerated feats, entertaining Gryffindor despite Harry and Hermione's impatience.
• Harry and Ron joined Gryffindor Quidditch practice as reserve Chasers while training intensified ahead of the first match.
• Harry grew nervous about the upcoming match, and Hermione borrowed a Quidditch guide to help him and Ron understand the game.
• Harry spotted Snape's name in the borrowing register for Can Muggle Diseases Affect Wizards?! and pointed it out to Hermione.
• Hermione borrowed Snape's book, while Ron and Neville wondered why a wizard would need it.

Harry overcame his nerves enough to join his first official Quidditch match against Slytherin. As the match began, he watched the fast-moving play and realized Slytherin had a slight advantage among the Chasers and Beaters.

• Hermione, Ron, Parvati, and Padma urged Harry to eat before the match, but he managed only a little porridge.
• Wood gave Gryffindor's team a pre-match talk, and Fred and George's jokes helped Harry relax.
• Madam Hooch released the Snitch and Bludgers, then started the match between Gryffindor and Slytherin.
• Angelina seized the Quaffle as Lee Jordan praised her during his biased commentary.
• Harry watched the Chasers' aerial play and judged that Slytherin had a slight edge among the other six players on each team.

Harry used Spirits Awakened to help Ron overcome his nerves, turning the tide of the Quidditch match as Gryffindor closed the gap. Harry then spotted the Golden Snitch, but his Nimbus 2000 began bucking wildly, and he suspected someone was interfering with it.

• Harry used Spirits Awakened to help Ron focus, and Ron began saving Slytherin’s shots.
• Ron blocked eleven Slytherin attacks and helped Gryffindor score three goals, narrowing the lead to forty points.
• Harry spotted the Golden Snitch and maneuvered to draw the Slytherin Seeker away from it.
• Harry’s Nimbus 2000 began shaking violently, nearly throwing him off, and he struggled to activate Magic Perception.

After Gryffindor defeated Slytherin, Harry, Ron, and Hermione suspected Snape had jinxed Harry during the match but decided they lacked evidence to report him. They went to Hagrid’s hut to discuss it, where Neville greeted them instead of Hagrid.

• Wood praised Ron’s performance and offered to make him his substitute if he kept playing well.
• Hermione said she had seen Snape stare at Harry and cast a jinx, and Harry confirmed he had sensed Snape’s magic targeting him.
• Harry, Ron, and Hermione agreed they could not prove Snape had jinxed Harry or tried to reach the Three-Headed Dog.
• Harry suggested they talk to Hagrid, and the three went to his hut.
• Neville opened the door, congratulated Harry and Ron on the match, and Hermione asked why he was there.

Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville told Hagrid they suspected Snape was trying to steal something guarded by Fluffy, but Hagrid denied it and accidentally mentioned Nicolas Flamel. On the way back to the castle, Ron revealed that he knew who Flamel was.

• Harry and the others told Hagrid they had seen Snape near Fluffy and suspected he wanted to steal what the dog guarded.
• Hagrid revealed that Fluffy was guarding something for Dumbledore, then warned the children to stay out of it and mentioned Nicolas Flamel.
• Harry and the others left Hagrid's hut without learning what Flamel's name meant.
• Hermione advised the group not to ask a professor, so Snape would not learn they were watching him.
• Ron announced that he knew exactly who Nicolas Flamel was.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s search for information about the Philosopher’s Stone remained stalled, while Gryffindor celebrated its strong Quidditch results. As Christmas approached, the friends made plans for the holidays, and Harry grew curious about Charlie Weasley’s life studying dragons in Romania.

• Harry, Ron, and Hermione found almost no useful information about the Philosopher’s Stone and could not determine why Snape might want it.
• Oliver Wood celebrated Gryffindor’s two pre-Christmas Quidditch victories, especially Ron Weasley’s impressive performance against Hufflepuff.
• Harry and Ron worried when Snape volunteered to referee the Hufflepuff match, but Dumbledore attended and the match passed without trouble.
• As Christmas approached, Hermione and Neville planned to go home, while Ron decided to stay at Hogwarts because his parents were visiting Charlie in Romania.
• Harry became interested in Charlie’s dragon studies after hearing Wood and Hagrid talk about him living among dragons.

Harry and his friends found no useful clues about the Philosopher’s Stone and lost interest in their search. Dean told them that Seamus and Professor Kettleburn had been taken to the Hospital Wing, leaving Harry and Ron curious about what had happened.

• Harry considered teaching Ron and the others his meditation method because it could accelerate magical growth.
• Harry and his friends found only an ancient account of a Philosopher’s Stone prototype and uncovered no practical clues.
• Harry and Ron played wizard’s chess while Hermione’s enthusiasm for the search faded.
• Dean Thomas told Harry and Ron that Seamus had been taken to the Hospital Wing and that Professor Kettleburn was involved.
• Harry and Ron asked Dean what had happened.

Harry stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas and taught Hermione, Ron, and Neville how to meditate, while they relaxed and played after finishing the hardest parts of their homework. During his usual meditation, Harry entered a strange white room resembling his old room on Privet Drive.

• Harry chose to remain at Hogwarts for Christmas rather than return to the Dursleys, and Ron was glad to have him stay.
• Harry taught Hermione, Ron, and Neville the meditation method; Hermione and Neville learned quickly, while Ron struggled to concentrate.
• After two days of practice, all three began to sense their magical power growing through meditation.
• Hermione and the other students left Hogwarts, and Harry and Ron spent the day playing after completing the most difficult parts of their homework.
• Harry began his usual meditation before sleep but found himself in a strange white room resembling his old room on Privet Drive.

Harry and Ron failed to enter the Restricted Section to investigate the Philosopher’s Stone, then headed to the Christmas Eve feast at Hogwarts. At the Great Hall, they met Professor Babbling, whose striking appearance briefly stunned Harry.

• Hermione had told Harry and Ron to search for information about the Philosopher’s Stone in the Restricted Section.
• Harry and Ron considered ways to sneak past the portraits guarding the Restricted Section but abandoned the attempt after failing to find a safe method.
• Harry and Ron hurried to the Great Hall for the Christmas Eve feast, which fewer than fifty students had stayed at Hogwarts to attend.
• Harry and Ron met Professor Babbling outside the Great Hall and greeted her before she went inside.

Harry celebrated Christmas at Hogwarts and opened presents from Ron, Dudley, Hagrid, Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, Neville, and his classmates. When he opened a mysterious parcel, he collapsed from a piercing noise, while a pair of scarlet eyes stirred in a place between reality and illusion and looked toward the castle.

• Harry noticed his mental strength had greatly improved after touching a silvery star, though he could not explain why.
• Ron thanked Harry for giving him a Claudius Ptolemy Chocolate Frog card, and they exchanged Christmas greetings.
• Harry opened Dudley's boxing gloves, Hagrid's homemade flute, and Mrs. Weasley's green sweater, then found presents from Hermione, Neville, and other classmates.
• Harry opened a light, paper-wrapped parcel and collapsed as a piercing cacophony knocked him unconscious.
• A pair of scarlet eyes opened in a gray place between reality and illusion and looked toward a castle in the Scottish Highlands, but a wall blocked its view.