AN OVERVIEW OF Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone arry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the first of seven books in J K Rowling s internationally best selling series about a young boy with magical powers It was published on June 26 1997 to worldwide critical acclaim and was adapted into a movie in 2001 The film directed by Christopher Columbus and starring Daniel Radcliffe Harry Potter Rupert Grint Ron Weasley and Emma Watson Hermione Granger chronicles Harry's beginnings as an orphan as well as his eventful first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry 12
Daniel Radcliffe plays the character of Harry Potter in all eight Harry Potter films 13
Miserable at the Dursleys In the movie's opening scene Albus Dumbledore the wise headmaster of Hogwarts and Professor McGonagall the head of Gryffindor House whisper to each other outside 4 Privet Drive in Surrey England about an orphaned infant named Harry Potter Hagrid the oafish groundskeeper of Hogwarts descends from the sky on his flying motorcycle and hands the two wizards a baby wrapped in blankets This boy will be famous says Professor McGonagall as she gazes down at Harry and the lightning bolt scar on his forehead There won't be a child in our world who doesn't know his name 2 He s far better off growing up away from all that until he's ready replies Dumbledore McGonagall and Dumbledore deliver Harry to the doorstep of Harry's aunt and uncle Petunia and Vernon As Harry grows into a young boy over the next ten years his childhood with the Dursleys is anything but idyllic Uncle Vernon is a blundering fool while Aunt Petunia spends her days doting on their spoiled son Dudley Harry sleeps in a cramped closet 14
Harry is at first surprised by his magical ability beneath the stairs and is either tormented by Dudley or ignored altogether But soon strange events start occurring One day while at the zoo Harry magically locks the tantrum pulling Dudley in a python s cage Then invitations to Hogwarts appear for Harry first in the mailbox then dozens through the chimney Soon there are so many letters Vernon and Petunia are forced to shuttle Harry and Dudley off to a remote island where no one and no mail can reach them No one that is except Hagrid On Harry's eleventh birthday Hagrid breaks down the door of the Dursleys island shack tells Harry the truth about his wizardly heritage and whisks him off to London England to prepare to attend Hogwarts 15
