Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the first book of the Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling. It was first published in 1997. In America, it is known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. All page numbers refer to the Bloomsbury edition, ISBN 0747532745.

The Boy Who Lived

• Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.
  • p. 7

• 'It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs.'
  • p. 14
  • Albus Dumbledore

• 'This boy will be famous. There won't be a child in our world that won't know his name. There will be books about him, he will be a legend.'
  • Minerva McGonagall.

• 'Scars can come in useful. I have one myself above my left knee which is a perfect map of the London Underground.'
  • p. 17
  • Albus Dumbledore

Diagon Alley

• Enter stranger, but take heed
  Of what awaits the sin of greed,
  For those who take, but do not earn,
  Must pay most dearly in their turn,
  So if you seek beneath our floors,
  A treasure that was never yours,
  Thief, you have been warned, beware
  Of finding more than treasure there.
  • p. 57
  • Engraved on the doors of Gringotts Bank

• 'Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember.... I think we must expect great things from you, Mr Potter.... After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great.'
  • p. 65
  • Spoken by Mr Ollivander

The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

• "Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters."

• 'Fred, you next,' the plump woman said.
  'I'm not Fred, I'm George,' said the boy. 'Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?'
  'Sorry, George, dear.'
  'Only joking, I am Fred.'
  • p. 70

• 'Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it,' said Ron.
  • p. 80

The Sorting Hat

• Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!
  • p. 91-92

• 'Is he — a bit mad?' he asked Harry uncertainly.
  'Mad?' said Percy airily. 'He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?'
  • p. 92

The Potions Master

• 'Ah, yes,' he said softly, 'Harry Potter. Our new — celebrity.'
  • Snape's first words of the series
  • p. 101

• 'You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making,' he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. 'As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses ... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.'
  • p. 102

• Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.
  "What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
  At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching towards the dungeon ceiling.
  "I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try asking her?"
  A few people laughed; Harry caught sight of Seamus's eye and Seamus winked. Snape, however, was not pleased.
  "Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"
  There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor house for your cheek, Potter."

• "Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville. "You - Potter - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills! Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."
  This was so unfair that Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Ron kicked him behind their cauldron. "Don't push it," he muttered. "I've heard Snape can get pretty nasty."

The Midnight Duel

• 'And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?'
  'Throw it away and punch him on the nose,' Ron suggested.
  • p. 114

• 'I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying —'
  'Bet you could,' Ron muttered.
  • p. 115

• I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed — or worse, expelled.
  • p. 120
  • Spoken by Hermione Granger

Hallowe'en

• Wingardium Leviosa!' he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.
  'You're saying it wrong,' Harry heard Hermione snap. 'It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the "gar" nice and long.'
  'You do it, then, if you're so clever,' Ron snarled.
  Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand and said, Wingardium Leviosa!'
  Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.
  • p. 127

• 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.
  • p. 132

The Mirror of Erised

• 'There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.'
  • p. 133

• 'You haven't got a letter on yours,' George observed. 'I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid — we know we're called Gred and Forge.'
  • p. 149

• "It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that Harry."
  • p. 157

• 'One can never have enough socks,' said Dumbledore.
  • p. 157

Nicolas Flamel

• 'Don't play,' said Hermione at once.
  'Say you're ill,' said Ron.
  'Pretend to break your leg,' Hermione suggested.
  ' Really break your leg,' said Ron.
  • p. 159 (Said to Harry when they heard Snape was going to be the referee for the Quidditch match.)

• Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something.
  • p. 163
  • Spoken by Draco Malfoy

Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback

• I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby.
  • p. 173
  • Spoken by Ron Weasley

Through the Trapdoor

• Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down.
  • p. 192

• 'You want to be more careful,' said Snape. 'Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can they? … Be warned, Potter — any more night-time wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you.'
  • p. 195

• 'One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape — wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that.'
  'Why me?'
  'It's obvious,' said Ron. 'You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know.' He put on a high voice, 'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong...'
  'Oh, shut up,' said Hermione.
  • p. 196

• "Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... What did Professor Sprout say? It likes the dark and the damp-"
  "So light a fire!" Harry choked.
  "Yes - of course - but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands.
  "HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"
  shortly after
  "Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Harry as he joined her by the wall, wiping sweat from his face.
  "Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis - "there's no wood", honestly."

• '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.
  'Me!' said Hermione. 'Books! And cleverness! There are more important things — friendship and bravery and —'
  • p. 208

The Man with Two Faces

• There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it …
  • p. 211
  • Spoken by Lord Voldemort

• What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrel is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a lavatory seat.
  • p. 214

• To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.
  • p. 215

• Humans do have a knack for choosing precisely those things which are worst for them.
  • p. 215

• Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.
  • p. 216

• 'The truth.' Dumbledore sighed. 'It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.'
  • p. 216

• Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love.
  • p. 216

• "Yes, him - Snape said he hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?"
  "Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."
  "What?"
  "He saved his life."
  "What?"
  "Yes ..." said Dumbledore dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it?"