S2 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Ch 15-17

10/16/23 • 103 min

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First Time Readers

Chapter 15 - The Forbidden Forest

It was the first time Hermione has ever failed to answer a teacher’s question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.

Q1 - Do you really think McGonagall has never heard of four students out of bed before?

Q2 - At this point in the book were you convinced Snape was the main assailant to Quirrel? Would you have bet 12 sorcerer’s stones?

Q3 - Is a punishment of going in the forbidden forest too extreme for any students?

“I want fang,” said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang’s long teeth. “All right, but I warn yeh, he’s a coward,” said Hagrid.

Q4 - Is it weird that Hagrid goes by Hagrid and not Ruebeus?

“Always the innocent are the first victims,” he said, “So it has been for ages past, so it is now.”
Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, “The Forest hides many secrets.”

Q5 - How much do you think Centaurs know?

“The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times.”

Chapter 16 - Through the Trapdoor

Q1 - Do you think you could make a pineapple tapdance across the classroom?

“I think it’s a warning...it means danger’s coming.”
“Neville will play quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down.”

Q2 - What do you think Dumbledore does on a day to day basis?

“You can’t!” said Hermione. “After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You’ll be expelled!” “SO WHAT?” Harry shouted. “Don’t you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort’s coming back!
“I’ll use the Invisibility Cloak,” said Harry. “It’s just lucky I got it back.” “But will it cover all three of us?” said Ron.
“I won’t let you do it,” he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. “I’ll — I’ll fight you.” He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight. “Go on then, try and hit me!” said Neville, raising his fists, “I’m ready!”

Q3 - What are your thoughts on Neville?

“HAVE YOU GONE MAD?” Ron bellowed. “ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?”

Q4 - What do you think was the level of difficulty for that chess game?

“But Harry — What if You-Know-Who’s with him?” “Well — I was lucky once, wasn’t I?” said Harry, pointing at his scar. “I might get lucky again.” Hermione’s lip trembled and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him. “Hermione!” “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.
“Harry took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. He turned to face the black flames. “Here I come,” he said and he drained the little bottle in one gulp.

Q5 - Which was your favorite test?

Q6 - If you could add a test to the group, what would you do?

Chapter 17 - The Man With Two Faces

Q1 - When you first read this, did you expect that it was going to be Quirrell?

“He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn’t you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead”
“There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it.”

Q2 - What do you think Voldemort is at this moment?

“How touching...” it hissed. “I always value bravery...Yes, boy, your parents were brave...I linked your father first and he put up a courageous fight...but your mother needn’t have died...she was trying to protect you...Now give me the stone, unless you want her to have died in vain.”
And other voices, maybe in Harry’s own head, crying, “Harry! Harry!”
“What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrel is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows.”

Q3 - How much elixir do you really think the Flamels have stored?

Q4 - Thoughts on Dumbledore?

“To one as young as you, I’m sure it seems incredible, but to Nicholas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

Q5 - What do you think Dumbledore means when he says the above quote?

“The truth,” Dumbledore sighed. “It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.”
“Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realize that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves it’s own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign...to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection for ever. It is in your very skin.”

...

Chapter 15 - The Forbidden Forest

It was the first time Hermione has ever failed to answer a teacher’s question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.

Q1 - Do you really think McGonagall has never heard of four students out of bed before?

Q2 - At this point in the book were you convinced Snape was the main assailant to Quirrel? Would you have bet 12 sorcerer’s stones?

Q3 - Is a punishment of going in the forbidden forest too extreme for any students?

“I want fang,” said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang’s long teeth. “All right, but I warn yeh, he’s a coward,” said Hagrid.

Q4 - Is it weird that Hagrid goes by Hagrid and not Ruebeus?

“Always the innocent are the first victims,” he said, “So it has been for ages past, so it is now.”
Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, “The Forest hides many secrets.”

Q5 - How much do you think Centaurs know?

“The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times.”

Chapter 16 - Through the Trapdoor

Q1 - Do you think you could make a pineapple tapdance across the classroom?

“I think it’s a warning...it means danger’s coming.”
“Neville will play quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down.”

Q2 - What do you think Dumbledore does on a day to day basis?

“You can’t!” said Hermione. “After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You’ll be expelled!” “SO WHAT?” Harry shouted. “Don’t you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort’s coming back!
“I’ll use the Invisibility Cloak,” said Harry. “It’s just lucky I got it back.” “But will it cover all three of us?” said Ron.
“I won’t let you do it,” he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. “I’ll — I’ll fight you.” He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight. “Go on then, try and hit me!” said Neville, raising his fists, “I’m ready!”

Q3 - What are your thoughts on Neville?

“HAVE YOU GONE MAD?” Ron bellowed. “ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?”

Q4 - What do you think was the level of difficulty for that chess game?

“But Harry — What if You-Know-Who’s with him?” “Well — I was lucky once, wasn’t I?” said Harry, pointing at his scar. “I might get lucky again.” Hermione’s lip trembled and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him. “Hermione!” “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.
“Harry took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. He turned to face the black flames. “Here I come,” he said and he drained the little bottle in one gulp.

Q5 - Which was your favorite test?

Q6 - If you could add a test to the group, what would you do?

Chapter 17 - The Man With Two Faces

Q1 - When you first read this, did you expect that it was going to be Quirrell?

“He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn’t you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead”
“There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it.”

Q2 - What do you think Voldemort is at this moment?

“How touching...” it hissed. “I always value bravery...Yes, boy, your parents were brave...I linked your father first and he put up a courageous fight...but your mother needn’t have died...she was trying to protect you...Now give me the stone, unless you want her to have died in vain.”
And other voices, maybe in Harry’s own head, crying, “Harry! Harry!”
“What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrel is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows.”

Q3 - How much elixir do you really think the Flamels have stored?

Q4 - Thoughts on Dumbledore?

“To one as young as you, I’m sure it seems incredible, but to Nicholas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

Q5 - What do you think Dumbledore means when he says the above quote?

“The truth,” Dumbledore sighed. “It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.”
“Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realize that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves it’s own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign...to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection for ever. It is in your very skin.”

...

Previous Episode

S2 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Ch 11-14

Chapter 11 - Quidditch

Q1 - How much would you pay to watch the Quidditch World Cup match in 1473 that had all seven-hundred ways to commit a foul committed?

Harry thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing Potter for President over the crowd. His heart skipped. He felt braver.

Q2 - How do we feel about Lee Jordan shooting his shot with Angelina during his commentary for the match?

Q3 - The Weasleys are poor, how does one of the twins have a gold wristwatch?

Q4 - Should they have magical protection for the players during a quidditch match?

Q5 - What do you think about Quidditch?

Q6 - What do you think about Snape jinxing Harry?

Chapter 12 - The Mirror Of Erised

So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting Harry about having no proper family.

Q1 - The wizarding world needs google? This book is kinda at the dawn of the internet, so Hogwarts probably isn’t set with a computer lab, and most tech doesn’t work around Hogwarts, but how much time would they save with a google search?

“And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is,” said Ron. “It’d be safe to ask them.” “Very safe, as they’re both dentists,” said Hermione.
“Will you look at this? I’ve got presents!” “What did you expect, turnips?”

Q2 - How much would you pay for a Weasley jumper?

Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor, where it lay in gleaming folds. Ron gasped. “I’ve heard of those,” he said in a hushed voice, dropping the box of Every-Flavor Beans he’s got from Hermione. “If that’s what I think it is — they’re really rare, and really valuable.” “What is it?” Harry picked the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It was strange to the touch like water woven into material. “It’s an invisibility cloak,” said Ron, a look of awe on his face.

Q3 - Who did you think the cloak was from on the first read?

Q4 - Is a hundred fat, roast turkeys excessive for the amount of kids likely staying at Hogwarts for Christmas?

Q5 - Is it irresponsible to give an eleven year-old an invisibility cloak and just say “use it well?

Q6 - Did you catch the riddle of the inscription on the mirror: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi?

He looked in the mirror again. A woman standing right behind his reflection was smiling at him and waving. He reached out a hand and felt the air behind him. If she was really there, he’d touch her, their reflections were so close together, but he only felt air — and she and the others existed only in the mirror.
Harry was so close to the mirror now that his nose was nearly touching that of his reflection. “Mum?” he whispered. “Dad?”
Harry was looking at his family, for the first time in his life. The potters smiled and waved at Harry and he stared hungrily back at them, his hands pressed flat against the glass as though he was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. He had a powerful kind of ache inside him, half joy, half terrible sadness. How long he stood there, he didn’t know. The reflections did not fade and he looked and looked until a distant noise brought him back to his senses. He couldn’t stay here, he had to find his way back to bed. He tore his eyes away from his mothers face, whispered, “I’ll come back,” and hurried from the room.

Q7 - This is way too personal, and I’m not going to ask this, but what would you see in the mirror?

“So — back again, Harry?” Harry felt as though his insides had turned to ice. He looked behind him. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. Harry must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror he hadn’t notices him. “I — I didn’t see you, sir.” “Strange how short-sighted being invisible can make you,” said Dumbledore, and Harry was relieved to see that he was smiling.
If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared.
It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.

Q8 - What do you think Dumbledore saw in the mirror?

Chapter 13 - Nicholas Flamel

Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something Harry and Ron thought was very good for her.
“There’s no need to tell me I’m not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy’s already done that,” Neville choked. Harry felt in the pocket of his robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box Hermione had given him for Christmas. He gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry. “You’re worth twelve of Malfoy,” Harry said.

Q1 - What are your thoughts on Neville?

Q2 - Is there a serious ...

Next Episode

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Ch 1

Chapter 1 - The Dark Lord Ascending

The dedication of this book Is split seven ways: To Neil, To Jessica, To David, To Kenzie, To Di, To Anne, And to you, If you have stuck with Harry until the very end.
Oh, the torment bred in the race, the grinding scream of death and the stroke that hits the vein, the haemorrhage none can staunch, the grief, the curse no man can bear. But there is a cure in the house and not outside it, no, not from others but from them, their bloody strife. We sing to you, dark gods beneath the earth. Now hear, you blissful powers underground — answer the call, send help. Bless the children, give them triumph now. Aeschylus, The Libation Bearers
Death is but crossing the world, as friends do the seas; they live in one another still. For they must needs be present, that love and live in that which is omnipresent. In this divine glass they see face to face; and their converse is free, as well as pure. This is the comfort of friends, that though they may be said to die, yet their friendship and society are, in the best sense, ever present, because immortal. William Penn, More Fruits of Solitude

Q1 - What do you think of the forward and dedication?

The drawing room was full of silent people, sitting at a long and ornate table. The room’s usual furniture had been pushed carelessly up against the walls. Illumination came from a roaring fire beneath a handsome marble mantelpiece surmounted by a gilded mirror. Snape and Yaxley lingered for a moment on the threshold. As their eyes grew accustomed to the lack of light, they were drawn upward to the strangest feature of the scene: an apparently unconscious human figure hanging upside down over the table, revolving slowly as if suspended by an invisible rope, and reflected in the mirror and in the bare, polished surface of the table below. None of the people seated underneath this singular sight was looking at it except for a pale young man sitting almost directly below it. He seemed unable to prevent himself from glancing upward every minute or so.

Q2 - What do you think of this scene?

“Severus, here,” said Voldemort, indicating the seat on his immediate right. “Yaxley — beside Dolohov.” The two men took their allotted places. Most of the eyes around the table followed Snape, and it was to him that Voldemort spoke first. “So?” “My Lord, the Order of the Phoenix intends to move Harry Potter from his current place of safety on Saturday next, at nightfall.” The interest around the table sharpened palpably: Some stiffened, others fidgeted, all gazing at Snape and Voldemort. “Saturday . . . at nightfall,” repeated Voldemort. His red eyes fastened upon Snape’s black ones with such intensity that some of the watchers looked away, apparently fearful that they themselves would be scorched by the ferocity of the gaze. Snape, however, looked calmly back into Voldemort’s face and, after a moment or two, Voldemort’s lipless mouth curved into something like a smile. “Good. Very good. And this information comes —” “— from the source we discussed,” said Snape.

Q3 - What is going on here and who is their source?

Again, Voldemort looked up at the slowly revolving body as he went on, “I shall attend to the boy in person. There have been too many mistakes where Harry Potter is concerned. Some of them have been my own. That Potter lives is due more to my errors than to his triumphs.”
“I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck and chance, those wreckers of all but the best-laid plans. But I know better now. I understand those things that I did not understand before. I must be the one to kill Harry Potter, and I shall be.”

Q4 - Is Voldemort right here?

At these words, seemingly in response to them, a sudden wail sounded, a terrible, drawn-out cry of misery and pain. Many of those at the table looked downward, startled, for the sound had seemed to issue from below their feet. “Wormtail,” said Voldemort, with no change in his quiet, thoughtful tone, and without removing his eyes from the revolving body above, “have I not spoken to you about keeping our prisoner quiet?”

Q5 - Who is their prisoner?

“As I was saying,” continued Voldemort, looking again at the tense faces of his followers, “I understand better now. I shall need, for instance, to borrow a wand from one of you before I go to kill Potter.” The faces around him displayed nothing but shock; he might have announced that he wanted to borrow one of their arms.

Q6 - Why does he need to borrow one of their wands?

“No higher pleasure,” repeated Voldemort, his head tilted a little to one side as he considered Bellatrix. “That means a great deal, Bellatrix, from you.” Her face flooded with color; her eyes welled with tears of delight. “My ...