Awwwww. Hermione is their friend now! So, Hermione just lied to keep Harry and Ron from getting in trouble. Harry and Ron defeated the nasty troll and saved her life.

That was exciting.

I loved the scenes between Harry and Malfoy over the last three chapters. Harry stood up to him while they were both breaking the rules and flying. Harry got his first broom and got to stick it in Malfoy’s face.

That was fun.

And we met the three-headed dog. Which, maybe it was just me, but I thought it was a bit under-played in the book. Like. It’s a freakin’ three headed giant dog!

That was scary.

So now I’m more than half finished with the first book. And I’ve been enjoying myself. Sorry for being such a slow reader for those of you following along and rereading with me. I won an ebay auction today for book seven, which means I have all of the books now except five and six. So I need to find those next. Looking at the collection, these books start getting scary thick as the series goes on. You thought waiting three weeks for me to finish reading one book was bad, just remember, this is the thin one. Hah.

If you had a remembrall, what would yours have to remind you of every day/week? I would just use mine as a to do list. “Remembrall, remind me to clean my room later.” “Remembrall, next friday is grandma’s birthday, don’t let me forget to send her a card.” What about yours?

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The sorting hat! This seems like a “bigger” chapter than the rest, so it gets its own entry.

Thanks for all of the comments on the last post here, it’s really interesting to see which house everyone believes they belong in. Though, I can’t help but wonder if we maybe aren’t able to make that choice for ourselves.

The online quizzes I’ve taken in the past told me I was a Ravenclaw. And I’m happy with that. But Monica made a pretty strong argument for my being in Hufflepuff. She wrote:

“I would have to disagree with you, Alan. I think you’ve got to be a Hufflepuff. They’re the ones who demonstrate true loyalty and friendship, which I think you do. The Ravenclaws are all booksmarts and not much creativity. I know you’re a smart guy, but I think you value friendship, loyalty and fairness more.”

So, I don’t know. Maybe our friends are better judges than we are.

I’ll agree that I’m more creative than I am booksmart, and usually my intelligence comes from creative problem-solving, not from being able to refer to some past solution I read about in an old dusty book.

But Hank made Hufflepuffs sound like huge losers on his new album. I don’t want to be a loser.

Anyway, this whole chapter was much more fun to read than it was to watch.

As a bonus, here’s a picture from my annotated copy of Sorcerer’s Stone. Monica drew the sorting hat in the margin:

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We just arrived at Hogwarts. Hermione and Ron are with Harry now. Funny how we make friends at school. If any other family had arrived at King’s Cross just then, Harry might not know Ron. I do think Hermione would have found Harry under any circumstances though.

Harry knows he’s a wizard now and while he’s amazed with everything that’s happening around him because he’s experiencing it for the first time, it seems less annoying than when that happens in the films. I laugh every time Harry is still dumbfounded and impressed by magic in the third and fourth films. As if he doesn’t know first-hand that wands can move walls or transport him to different countries with a single flick. Really irritating when his eyes go wide at any magic after the first two films.

Malfoy is also portrayed much more realistically here than in the films. His “darkness” could easily be mistaken for snobbery and that really helps make him more relatable, and much more of a threat, in my opinion.

Reading the words “Ministry of Magic” outside of YouTube or Myspace made me giggle a little. And on page 65 (where the Ministry of Magic is introduced) Kristina Horner had left a little note asking me to @reply her when I got there. Monica drew little pen drawings of Scabbers in the margins. Chellie circled her favorite Hagrid-isms. Annotated books are the best gifts ever.

The next chapter is entitled “The Sorting Hat”. After taking a few online quizzes that you guys have linked in the past, it was determined I belong in Ravenclaw. After reading the next chapter I’ll report back on whether I agree or not.

Which house are you in?

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I’m currently reading the Harry Potter series for the first time, click here to find out why.

So Hagrid just arrived at the shack on Harry’s eleventh birthday, though, I shouldn’t know it’s him yet, haven’t started Chapter 4, just, seen the film more than a few times.

I don’t plan on comparing the books to the films all that much in the future, but for now, they’re my only frame of reference, so, I will state that the tone of the first book seems a bit darker and more mature than the film, which makes me happy. I remember wishing that Wes Craven had directed the films so they were a little less cartoony/less Disney.

So, Harry’s survived his parents’ murder and the attempt on his own life by Voldemort, who seems to have vanished after not being able to kill the young boy. He’s now living with his wicked aunt and uncle who favor their own boy, Dudley, over Harry, to the point of absurdity.

After years of being his own best friend, letters started arriving for Harry, though he hasn’t been allowed to read any of them. They all appear to be from the same person.

So far, I haven’t come across anything new. Between the wrock that I listen to, the hanging out with friends who randomly make Potter references in everyday conversation, and the films, I’ve been pretty spoiled. I’m told that won’t last however, and that the books focus more on the friendships and relationships and love between the characters than they do on the magic. Which will be exciting, to see the various character development that I’ve been missing out on.

Of course, let’s all be honest, Harry is way too well-adjusted for the life he’s lived up to this point. I mean, we’ve all seen the film The People Under the Stairs, right? Harry would have taken a hatchet to his aunt and uncle about three years ago and then convinced the rest of the neighborhood children to do the same, then built himself a church in an old barn and.. oh, wait, that was Children of the Corn.

Anyway, to fulfill Hayley’s challenge, I needed to start reading before the new year. I’ve now done that. Though I may not be able to read much more with Christmas this week. Lots of traveling and visiting family, etc. For those who are reading along with me, I’ve just finished chapter three and will try to read the next three chapters before Monday, Dec. 28th.

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