Harry Potter 8,9 & 10

Chapter 8 - The Potions Master

Harry and his friends are engrossed in their numerous studies, taking so many courses, including History of Magic taught by a ghost, Charms with Professor Flitwick, Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall (Hermione's favorite and best course), and Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Quirrell. They have some trouble - getting lost in the large halls and hundreds of staircases - and are frightened of the caretaker, Argus Filch and his cat named Mrs. Norris. Professor Quirrell certainly seems to be the most bizarre teacher, as his turban emits a strange odor of garlic and constant movement. Rumors come and go as to Quirrell's necessity of the turban and presence in Hogwarts. With all the courses, Harry is thrilled to discover that everyone in school is just as clueless as he. Harry also learns that Snape is the head of Slytherin.

On Fridays all the owls bring the students their mail. Since Harry has no wizard family, he never expects any mail. However, on Friday he receives a letter from Hagrid, written in untidy handwriting, asking to have afternoon tea. Harry is thrilled to meet with Hagrid, for he is frustrated after his Potions class with Snape. He realizes that Snape hates him for being a celebrity, among other unknown reasons. Snape looks at Harry with his slanted menacing eyes and continues to ask him detailed questions, despite his blank answers. Hermione is the only person with her hand in the air, knowing the answer; however Snape continues to pick on Harry. He even docks Gryffindor several points because Harry cannot answer his questions. Harry wonders why he hates him so much.
After class, Ron goes with Harry to visit Hagrid. They are comforted by Hagrid's information that Snape projects a desolate and mean image to everyone. Hagrid recognizes Ron by his hair and freckles and inquires as to his brothers' well being, for he remembers them from years past. Hagrid is reading a story from The Daily Prophet about a break-in at Gringotts. The break-in Ron had mentioned on the train is this same break-in, which he sees occurred on his birthday, while they were at Gringotts. Harry thinks about the empty vault and the small package that he and Hagrid removed from the bank. He also wonders if he should tell Hagrid about Snape's suspicious nature. Harry and Ron leave Hagrid's shack, trying to piece together the puzzle.
Topic Tracking: Friendship 5

Chapter 9 - The Midnight Duel

Harry realizes that he hates Draco Malfoy even more than Dudley Dursley - a sentiment he previously thought impossible. When notices for flying lessons appear, everyone realizes that Slytherin and Gryffindor will be competing. Harry worries about flying in Quidditch tournaments because he has no idea how to do so, while Ron reassures him that Draco is just bragging about his flying abilities. Neville is such a klutz, that he has never been allowed to fly before, while Hermione recites rule after rule about flying and Quidditch from various texts she has read in the library. Neville receives a package from home called a Remembrall, a ball that tells you if you've forgotten something. Draco walks by and snags Neville's Remembrall, hoping to start a fight between the two houses. Professor McGonagall stops Draco returns the Remembrall.

Madame Hooch, the flying teacher, gathers the students together and teaches them the intricate method of mounting their brooms and lifting up into the air. When Neville attempts to fly, his broom zooms into the forest, leaving him fallen flat on the ground with a broken wrist. Madame Hooch tells everyone to stay put still while she takes him to the hospital. However, as soon as they are gone, Draco Malfoy steals the Remembrall and flies into the air alone, teasing Harry and his friends. An enraged Harry mounts his broom and flies after Malfoy, realizing the simplicity, joy, and wonder of flying through the air on a broom. He informs Malfoy that he is alone without his gang and catches the Remembrall as Malfoy flies down to the ground. Suddenly Professor McGonagall screams Harry's name in outrage, as he has flown in the air without permission and may now be expelled from Hogwarts. She leads him through the school to seek a boy named Oliver Wood, the head of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. After seeing Harry dive fifty feet and catch the Remembrall his first time on a broom, she realizes his power and skill, and gives him the position of Seeker on the Quidditch team. He is the only first year to ever have this honor and place. Ron is shocked to hear of such amazing news for his friend.
Topic Tracking: Good vs. Evil 5
Topic Tracking: Friendship 6
The older boys on the Quidditch team come up to Ron and Harry, who are eating in the banquet hall, excited to meet their new teammate. Malfoy and his gang also speak to Harry, wondering when he will be expelled. They are surprised to learn that he has been rewarded instead of punished for flying on his broom, and invite him to a midnight wizard's duel. Ron claims that Harry will accept and that he will be his second. Harry doesn't understand anything that is going on, but accepts to fight, nonetheless. After they have left, Hermione walks up to Harry and Ron, upset that they will fight. She thinks it selfish and unfair for Harry to go around at night losing points for Gryffindor.
When Ron and Harry exit Gryffindor Tower at approximately 11pm, Hermione is waiting for them near the exit to stop them from risking a loss of valuable points. She follows them out, and is locked out of the tower, for the hole through which they climbed - with the fat lady - is no longer there, and she must wait for her to return to the painting in order to go through the painting and into the Tower.
Topic Tracking: Magic 7
Hermione follows them to the duel. They walk through the classrooms and hope to find Malfoy. They find Neville waiting outside the Tower, healed from his arm injury, but confused as to the password to get back inside. Instead of finding Malfoy the four stumble across Filch speaking to his cat, Mrs. Norris. They fear getting caught and run through the trophy room. Ron realizes that they must return to Gryffindor as soon as possible. Hermione informs them that Malfoy had tricked them into venturing into the Trophy room against the rules. Filch chases them until they find themselves lost in a corridor - the forbidden corridor on the third floor. It is guarded by a large animal with three heads over a trapdoor.
"They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog which filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; thee drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs." Chapter 9, pg. 119
The kids run as fast as they can to escape death, this monstrous animal guarding, what Hermione reveals, is a trapdoor. The fat lady in the portrait has returned and Harry tells her the secret password of "pig snout." Her door opens and the kids climb through and fall asleep. Harry realizes that the only place more secure and safe than Gringotts is Hogwarts. Now, he realizes where the little package from the vault is located: under the trapdoor.

Chapter 10 - Hallowe'en

When Malfoy sees Harry and Ron the following day alive and well, he is shocked. Harry informs Ron of the mystery behind the object that was moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and the two spend the remainder of the day trying to decipher what it is. Neville and Hermione do not care what the mysterious object is. At lunch that day, the owl drops a package for Harry with a letter from McGonagall explaining what is inside. It is a Nimbus Two Thousand broom, the highest speed and latest model, given to Harry by the Gryffindor Quidditch team. McGonagall wants to keep this news quiet, since first years are not allowed broomsticks. Nonetheless, Harry is to meet Woods that afternoon for the team's first practice. Malfoy grabs Harry's package, realizes what it is, and is prepared to turn him in. However, Professor Flitwick suddenly appears, inquiring as to the chatter, congratulating Harry on his new broom and position on the Quidditch team. Malfoy is appalled and confused, wondering how Harry could be in such good standing with the professors. Harry informs Malfoy that it is all because of him that he is so lucky. Hermione walks up behind Ron and Harry, upset about them breaking the rules, yet again. She still does not care about the package or the broomstick and leaves in a huff with her nose in the air.

Harry finds his first Quidditch practice on the field with the older boys and Woods. Woods explains the entire game to him, that with seven players on each time, there are the positions of Chaser, Keeper, and Seeker, the ball is called the Quaffle, and the team hopes to snag the Snitch. Harry comments that the sport seems like basketball, only with broomsticks and six hoops. Harry flies in the air and catches so many balls that he impresses Woods and the rest of the teammates. He is compared to the great Quidditch player,
Charlie Weasley, one of Ron's older brothers.
Two months goes by and Harry can hardly believe how comfortable he feels at Hogwarts. He is busy with classes, Quidditch practice, and mastering all the magic. One day in Charms class, the students begin to make feathers fly. Ron has difficulty pronouncing a spell and Hermione helps him. Hers works perfectly and her feather flies, causing the teacher to congratulate her in public. Ron makes a derogatory comment behind her back to Harry about her lack of friends and pompous attitude. Harry sees Hermione leave the class in tears. They find out that she is absent for the rest of the day, crying in the bathroom.
Topic Tracking: Magic 8
Topic Tracking: Friendship 7
Later, that day, Professor Quirrell runs down the hall frantically claiming that there is a monstrous troll loose in the basement. At Dumbledore's request, the older kids lead everyone out to safekeeping. Ron and Harry, however, remember that Hermione doesn't know about the troll. They decide to leave the group to find her and save her. They see Snape roaming the campus outside the group, away from where he should be. In their search, they begin to smell something foul and find themselves in direct contact with the troll.
"It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite grey, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holing a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long." Chapter 10, pg. 129
Harry and Ron decide to lock it inside the chamber. Yet, when the walk away, they hear a high-pitched scream that belongs to Hermione, also locked inside the women's bathroom chamber with the giant troll. They go back inside to save her in an enormous fight against the monster. Harry jumps on its neck and sticks his wand inside one of its nostrils, causing it severe pain, while Ron uses his wand to retrieve Harry's. Eventually, they overtake the troll through magic and survive unscathed. Professor McGonagall finds the three students and is furious. Hermione lies to her, claiming that she wanted to go and fight the troll on her own, and Ron and Harry found and saved her. McGonagall is infuriated with Hermione, for she cannot believe that such a perfect girl has suddenly done something horribly wrong. She docks Gryffindor five points for Hermione's behavior and adds on ten points for Harry's bravery. They return to Gryffindor through the fat lady's picture and become three musketeers - an inseparable trio of friends.
Topic Tracking: Friendship 8
Topic Tracking: Good vs. Evil 6

Regards Danita