On November 1

On November 1, Hagrid, a 'half-giant',
delivers Harry to his only living relatives,
the cruel and magic-phobic Dursleys,
comprising Uncle Vernon, a bad-tempered uncle,
Aunt Petunia, a woman who appears to absolutely loathe Harry,
and Dudley, their spoiled and overweight son.
They attempt in vain to rid him of his magical powers,
hide his magical heritage,
and severely punish him after any strange occurrences.
However, as his eleventh birthday approaches,
Harry has his first contact with the magical world when he begins
receiving letters from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,
which are delivered by owls. Unfortunately,
his uncle confiscates the letters before he can read them.
Much to the Dursley's chagrin,
Hogwarts is aware that Harry is not receiving his letter and send
a representative of the school to meet with him and explain his heritage.
At the stroke of midnight on Harry's eleventh birthday,
Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts' gamekeeper,
appears and informs Harry that he is a wizard and has been
invited to attend the school.
Each book chronicles one year in Harry's life,
which is mostly spent at Hogwarts.
There he learns to use magic and brew potions.
Harry also learns to overcome many magical, social,
and emotional hurdles as he struggles through his adolescence,
Voldemort's second rise to power,
and the Ministry of Magic's corruption and incompetence.
After facing many obstacles, forging lasting friendships,
and losing countless loved ones,
Harry Potter confronts the Dark Lord for the last time.

HARRY POTTER (4)

Overview

Plot summary
The story opens with the conspicuous celebration of a
normally secretive wizarding world. For many years,
it had been terrorised by the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort.
The previous night, on October 31, Voldemort discovers
the Potter family's hidden refuge, killing Lily and James Potter.
However, when he attempts to murder their toddler
son, Harry, the Avada Kedavra killing curse he casts rebounds
upon him. Voldemort's body is destroyed, but his spirit
survives: he is neither dead nor alive. Meanwhile,
the orphaned Harry is left with a distinctive lightning
bolt-shaped scar on his forehead, the only physical sign
of Voldemort's curse. Harry is the only known survivor of
the killing curse, and Voldemort's mysterious defeat causes
the wizarding community to dub Harry "The Boy Who Lived".

HARRY POTTER (3)

The success of the novels has made Rowling the
highest-earning novelist in history. English language versions
of the books are published by Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom,
Scholastic Press in the United States, Allen & Unwin in Australia
and Raincoast Books in Canada.

Thus far, the first five books have been made into
a series of motion pictures by Warner Bros. The sixth,
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,
began filming in September 2007,
with a scheduled release of 21 November 2008.

HARRY POTTER (2)

Since the release of the first novel Harry Potter and
the Philosopher's Stone in 1997, which was retitled Harry Potter
and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States,
the books have gained immense popularity, critical acclaim and
commercial success worldwide. The series has spawned films,
video games and Potter-themed merchandise. As of April 2007,
the first six books in the seven book series have sold more than
400 million copies and have been translated into more
than 64 languages. The seventh and last book in the series,
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was released
on 21 July 2007. Publishers announced a record-breaking
12 million copies for the first print run in the U.S. alone.

HARRY POTTER

Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels
written by British author J. K. Rowling.
The books chronicle the adventures of the eponymous
adolescent wizard Harry Potter, together with Ron Weasley
and Hermione Granger, his best friends.
The story is mostly set at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft
and Wizardry, an academy for young wizards and witches.
The central story arc concerns Harry's struggle against
the evil wizard Lord Voldemort, who killed Harry's
parents in his quest to conquer the wizarding world.