Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)

by J.K. Rowling

for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the dow...

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and ...

Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall’s hand, with a horr...

seemed as though life would be back to normal next year, or as normal as it ever was at Hogwarts.

To their great surprise, both he and Ron passed with good marks; Hermione, of course, had the best grades of the first years.

his good Herbology mark

It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn’t have everything in life.

notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays (“I always hope they’ll forget to give us these,” said Fred Weasley sadly);

eating Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King’s Cross station.

A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn’t attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.

“both of you — I’ll send y...

“I’ll need something to look ...

“Bye, Harry!” “See you, Potter!” “Still famous,” said Ron, grinning at him. “Not where I’m going, I promise you,” said Harry.

“There he is, Mum, there he is, look!” It was Ginny Weasley, Ron’s younger sister, but she wasn’t pointing at Ron.

“Busy year?” she said. “Very,” said Harry. “Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley.”

“Ready, are you?” It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still mustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people.

“You must be Harry’s family!” said Mrs. Weasley. “In a manner of speaking,” said Uncle Vernon. “Hurry up, boy, we haven’t got all day.” He walked away.

“Hope you have — er — a good holiday,” said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.

“They don’t know we’re not allowed to use magic at home. I’m going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer. . . .”