One of the most-well known series belongs to Harry Potter. It is also a series that has proved itself to be a contemporary classic. A story filled with magic, friendship, amazing beasts and creatures, and a fight against good and evil. So, what is it’s most famous friendship?
The Golden Trio
Harry, Ron, and Hermione create one of the famous friendships in literature. They are seen as best friends in all seven books. They go through various trials in each book even if it means breaking the rule. At first, Harry is only friends with Ron, but soon enough they befriend Hermione.
In many ways, Ron and Hermione remind me of Sam from Lord of the Rings. There is no way Harry would have defeated Voldemort without his best friends. This is especially seen during Deathly Hallows during their hunt for the Horcruxes—-Harry wanted to do it alone, but Ron and Hermione wouldn’t allow it.
This is the 4th book of the Harry Potter series. Things really start to get dark in this one.
Harry Potter wants to get away from the pernicious Dursleys and go to the Qudditch World Cup with Hermione, Ron, and the Weasleys. He wants to dream about Cho Chang, his crush (and maybe do more than dream). He wants to find out about the mysterious event involving two rival schools of magic, and a competions that hasn’t happened for hundreds of years. He wants to be a normal fourteen-year-old wizard. Unfortunately for Harry Potter, he’s not normal; he’s different- even by Wizarding standards.
And in his case, different can be deadly.
Unlike the first three books, it didn’t start as magical due to a nightmare. Harry Potter is now 14, and terrifying things do happen to him—that isn’t any scar he has (it does hurt and burn at times). At least, he can still go to The Qudditch World Cup with his best friends and the Weasleys, but even that ended deadly.
The novel primarily focuses on The Triwizard Tournament, a competition between three Wizarding Schools, which has three dangerous tasks. This year, each champion must be 17 to compete, but for some reason Harry’s name was put in the Goblet of Fire. This book has one of the most annoying characters- Rita Skeeter, a lying journalist.
I will always love The Golden Trio. Love seeing how they develop throughout the books. Love that they help Harry with the tasks. Prior to each task, the champions are told information about them so they have time to prepare—Ron and Hermione are willing to help Harry with that. Love their relationship to Hagrid.
In some ways, the book was better than the movie. For example, you got to see Dobby (glad to see him again). Plus, the 3rd task (the Maze) is somewhat different. The Maze has creatures and different obstacles in it, which is so different from the movie. True, it still remains my least favorite task—-because of the Graveyard scene.
Despite the chaos of the tasks, there are still some enjoyable scenes. Such as The Yule Ball- love how Hogwarts was designed for that.
This is the 3rd book in the Harry Potter series. Now, Harry is a thirteen-old-wizard along with his best friends, Ron and Hermione.
For twelve long years, the dreaded fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be a dedicated follower of the Dark Lord, Voldemort. Now he’s escaped. And the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep, “He’s at Hogwarts…he’s at Hogwarts.” Is he coming for Harry?
Harry Potter isn’t safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may be a traitor in their midst.
In this book, it starts out just as magical as the first two. You automatically want to back to Hogwarts. New characters are introduced as well as a type of creature that creeps me out. For the first time, Hogwarts has an incredible Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher- Remus Lupin, who even is supportive outside of his classes such as teaching Harry the Patronus Charm. A novel with three Qudditch matches, a game I love seeing. The craziness of the Knight Bus, Marauder’s Map, and Hogsmeade.
This is actually the final novel where our main trio are still kids, but the first time they are somewhat mature. That is because of some of the challenges they have to face, and some new classes. Dementors, defending Buckbeak, etc……..
I have now finished two of the Harry Potter books—–Chamber of Secrets focuses on Harry’s 2nd year at Hogwarts. New dangers await and new characters exist.
Harry’s second year at Hogwarts is rife with fresh torments and horrors, including an outrageously sutck0up new professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls’ bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley’s younger sister, Ginny.
But these seem minor when the real trouble begins, and someone- or something- starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally revealed? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects………Harry Potter himself!
Home to flying cars, new ways of travel- such as Floo Powder, new monsters, new dangers, and new students. Now The Chamber of Secrets is open once again- who knows what lurks down there- how deadly the creature is. In this one, we learn more about Harry Potter and Voldermort- about some of their similarities and Voldemort’s original name. About Fawkes and Godric Gyrffindor’s sword.
The Golden Trio
Turns out, they have another challenge to figure out- who opened the Chamber of Secrets. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are incredible friends, in many ways. From the Polyjuice Potion to Forbidden Forest to actually entering the Chamber of Secrets and fighting the creature. Took a lot to figure this out.
New Characters
Dobby- love this House Elf despite telling Harry not to return to Hogwarts. I don’t know what it is about him that I love
Ginny- the younger sister of Ron
Lockhart- Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher; but once again not a good one
Lucius Malfoy- Darco’s father; one of my least favorite Death Eaters
So far, I have reread three series this year, as in series I read back when I was kid- as in middle and elementary school. Narnia, Percy Jackson, and now Harry Potter- they played an important part in my life.
Till now there’s no magic for Harry Potter. He lives with the miserable Dursleys and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry’s room is a tiny closet beneath the stairs, and he hasn’t had a birthday party in eleven years.
But then a mysterious letter arrives by owl messengers: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And there he finds not only friends, flying sports on broomsticks, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that’s been waiting for him…….if Harry can survive the encounter.
The first book in any series is pretty exciting. It makes you actually know if you will love the series or not. It really helps set everything up- it makes you start to get to know who the major characters and locations are. Especially in the world of fantasy. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is a pretty magical and enchanting novel. Even from the first page, you are hooked. The story gets stronger once you really start to feel the magic of the Wizarding World.
The Locations
Diagon Alley
You really start to feel the magic here. You are seeing different shops filled with brooms, spell books, robes, wands, cauldrons, and the wizarding bank. Harry truly starts to feel the wizarding world there- not so much at the Dursleys.
Hogwarts
So much fun and magic here. Even from the train ride to get there is magical- Platform 9 and 3/4 and the candy you buy on the train. First years have a magical way to enter the castle, which is by the boats. The sorting hat is pretty interesting- how does it seem to know the students- they are only 11 after all. Qudditch- such a fun sport played on brooms. The ghosts and the various kinds of steps. Even the kinds of classes are fascinating. The Forbidden Forest- despite being so creepy, it still is interesting.
The Characters
Harry Potter- as the protagonist, I love him. An orphan, who lost his parents tragically, and grew up with an abusive family. Imagine his surprise when he finds out he was a wizard. Brave and an incredible friend
Ron- loved how he become Harry’s first friend
Hermione- true, it took a while for HP and Ron to warm up to her, but glad they did; smart, which proved to helpful in many ways
*Talking about all of the ones I love might take a while*
The Plot
This was an incredible fantasy in many ways. A book filled with incredible friendship, magic and suspense, and discovering the nature of the setting of this world. Each chapter makes you want to continue into the next- found some amazing cliffhangers.
Meg's Magical Musings 