Story

Plot summary

The story opens in 1981 with the unrestrained celebration of a normally secretive wizarding world which for many years had been terrorised by Lord Voldemort. The previous night (31 October 1981), Voldemort had discovered the refuge of the hidden Potter family, and killed Lily and James Potter. However, when he attempted to kill Harry, the Avada Kedavra killing curse rebounded upon him, and Voldemort was destroyed, becoming nothing more than a spirit: neither dead nor alive. Harry, meanwhile, was 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 his mysterious defeat of Voldemort results in him being dubbed "The Boy Who Lived" by the wizarding community.

The following night, a wizard (Hagrid) delivers Harry to what will be his residence for many years afterward. The orphaned Harry is subsequently raised by his cruel, non-magical relatives, the Dursleys, who consist of Uncle Vernon, a mad tempered uncle with hardly any neck, Aunt Petunia, a long-necked woman who appears to absolutely loathe Harry, and Dudley, their spoiled, fat son. They attempt in vain to rid him of his magical powers, hide his magical heritage and give him severe punishments after any strange occurrences.

However, as his eleventh birthday approaches, Harry has his first contact with the magical world when he receives letters from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which are delivered by owls. The letters are taken from him by his Uncle before he has a chance to read them. On his eleventh birthday he is informed by Hagrid, the gamekeeper of Hogwarts, that he is in fact 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, where he learns to use magic and brew potions. Harry also learns to overcome many magical, social, and emotional obstacles as he struggles through his adolescence, Voldemort's rise to power, and the Ministry of Magic's constant denials of Voldemort's return.