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All the harry potter books in order: your j.k. rowling reading list.

Of all the zeitgeist-defining fiction to come out of the past twenty years, perhaps none has been more universally beloved than the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. An incredibly imagined fantasy bildungsroman , it follows the eponymous boy wizard as he attends the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and contends with his destiny to fight the Dark Lord, Voldemort. Fortunately, he always has clever, loyal friends Ron and Hermione by his side — plus the invaluable mentorship of eccentric but wise Hogwarts headmaster, Dumbledore.

As fellow Potterheads will know, it’s virtually impossible to rank these books from best to worst, since each one is brilliant in its own way. That’s why we’ve decided to simply present all the Harry Potter books in order of chronology/publication, hitting the highlights for longtime fans to happily reminisce… and to help budding fans get a taste of the series’ genuine magic .

Here’s a quick catalog of the series, so that you know what you’re in for:

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1997)

2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998)

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999)

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000)

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003)

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005)

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)

8. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (2016)

And then the accompanying “Hogwarts library” texts:

• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
• Quidditch Through the Ages (2016)
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard (2016)

As well as Rowling's "Pottermore Presents" series and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them screenplays:

• Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide (2016)
• Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists (2016)
• Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroisim, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies (2016)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: the Original Screenplay (2016)
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald — The Original Screenplay (2018)

Without further ado, let's dive in!

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The main Harry Potter books in order

1. harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone.

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone , the book that started it all (understatement of the century), Harry Potter discovers his true identity in the wee hours of his eleventh birthday: he is a wizard, famous in the magical world for having vanquished the evil Lord Voldemort when he was only a baby. This revelation, delivered by a gruff, hairy giant named Hagrid, sets Harry on a fantastical (if also often frightening) journey of a lifetime.

He meets bosom buddies Ron and Hermione aboard the Hogwarts Express, and is soon sorted with them into Gryffindor: the house of the intrepid and brave. However, Harry also makes plenty of enemies at Hogwarts, most notably the arrogant Draco Malfoy and the nasty potions master, Snape (both affiliated with Slytherin house). And from battling a troll on Halloween to his first exhilarating Quidditch match — not to mention the novel’s climax , in which Harry goes up against Voldemort for the second time in his young life — there’s never a dull moment in the first year of his new adventure.

Sorcerer’s Stone (or Philosopher’s Stone , as it’s titled outside of the US) also perfectly balances exciting action with touching emotion, as Harry finds a true family in Ron and Hermione after years of misery with the Dursleys. Indeed, the book’s small, moving moments — such as Harry being floored by a gift from Ron’s mother, or Hermione’s tearful declaration at the end about “books and cleverness” — are just as magical as the spells themselves.

2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , Harry and friends return to Hogwarts with a bang — the bang of a flying Ford Anglia as it crashes into the Whomping Willow, that is. After being spotted by Muggles and narrowly avoiding expulsion, you’d think that the rest of Harry’s second year would be smooth sailing in comparison… right?

Wrong. When the school caretaker’s cat is found petrified (essentially paralyzed and comatose, but technically still alive) along with a bone-chilling message that “the Chamber of Secrets has been opened,” fear and suspicions start to arise — and of course, only worsen when students start getting petrified too. Nobody can figure out who the culprit is, only that he refers to himself as “the Heir” and seems to be on the warpath.

But as our young heroes know well by now, if you want a mystery solved right, you have to do it yourself. Which they do — through a combination of Polyjuice potion brewing, mysterious flashbacks provided by a sentient journal, and a truly horrific excursion to see a giant spider called Aragog. The book culminates in a visit to the titular chamber, which lies underneath Hogwarts and contains yet another deadly threat that Harry must face.

But of course, this being an early Potter book, it’s not all din and danger. Comic relief comes in the form of moronic, egocentric professor Gilderoy Lockhart, and toilet ghost Moaning Myrtle — who, in true Rowling fashion, ends up being key to the central plot twist of the story.

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The third book in the series introduces Sirius Black, a deranged mass murderer who’s just escaped from the wizard prison of Azkaban. As a result, swarms of Dementors — dark, faceless beings that “suck the soul” out of their victims and serve as the guards of Azkaban — infiltrate Hogwarts to patrol for Black, who’s supposedly after Harry next. To make matters worse, our normally steadfast hero has a bad reaction to the Dementors, which cause him to faint on a train and even lose a critical Quidditch match.

Again, though, it’s not all doom and gloom. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban also features Professor Remus Lupin, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and a school friend of Harry’s late father. Lupin and Harry quickly forge a father-son-like relationship themselves, and Lupin teaches Harry the Patronus Charm (powered by one’s happiest memories) to protect himself from Dementors.

Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione are squabbling even more than usual over their respective pets, Crookshanks the cat and Scabbers the rat. But what seems like a lighthearted subplot turns out to be a major factor in one of the biggest twists of the series , revealed in the last few chapters… and which naturally involves Black and Lupin as well. Oh, and hippogriffs and time traveling, in case that wasn’t enough to sell you on it.

Besides the sheer brilliance of plotting in this book, Rowling also presents some interesting commentary with the Dementors, which symbolize depression and force Harry to grapple with his past trauma. Indeed, though Goblet of Fire is widely identified as the “transition point” into the darker themes of the series’ latter half, Prisoner of Azkaban is definitely where those themes begin to take root.

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

There’s quite a bit to unpack in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire , so we’ll dive right in: after attending an eventful Quidditch World Cup with Hermione and the Weasley family, Harry returns to Hogwarts for his fourth year of school. It’s bound to be an exciting one, as Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard Tournament, in which students from three major wizarding academies will compete. However, only students aged seventeen or older are eligible for the competition, which means Harry is safe for once… or so he thinks, until the ceremonial Goblet of Fire selects him as the fourth Triwizard Champion for no discernible reason.

What follows is a nonstop sequence of thrills, landmarked by the challenges of the tournament — in which the contestants must tackle menacing dragons, malevolent mermaids , and a maze full of potentially fatal tricks and traps. But even between the challenges themselves is plenty of riveting drama, especially with Rita Skeeter (a slimy reporter trying defame Harry and friends), Mad-Eye Moody (the kids’ new D.A.D.A. teacher), and Hermione’s most recent social justice cause (rights for house elves, naturally). And as anyone who’s read it will know, the GoF finale is unprecedented in terms of dark, difficult material, signaling a definitive shift for the series in a more mature direction.

Indeed, for all those wondering whether Rowling could change gears from the relatively lighthearted adventures of the previous three books into a darker and even more elaborate fantasy-thriller, this book proved her undeniably capable. But once again, GoF is not devoid of laughs and simple charm. The Yule Ball is a hilarious glimpse into the all-too-familiar teenage angst of dating and school dances, and the subplot with Ron being jealous of Harry’s constant spotlight is particularly well done. Yes, even in all the grandeur, Rowling never loses sight of what’s true to life — Goblet of Fire demonstrates this most aptly.

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix gets political in big way: despite Voldemort’s revival at the end of GoF , the Ministry of Magic continues to deny all rumors and refuse to take action, worried that they’ll upset the public. This means the real adults have to take a leaf out of Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s book and start fighting him themselves, through an underground vigilante group called the Order of the Phoenix.

But the Order can’t do much about Dolores Umbridge, the newly instated and highly sadistic Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts, who perpetuates the Ministry’s lies about Voldemort. When Harry openly defies her in class, she retaliates by giving him chronic detention — during which he must write lines with a “blood quill” that carves the words into the back of his hand. Despite this torment, he and the rest of the class do not acquiesce to Umbridge, and establish a secret defense organization for themselves called “Dumbledore’s Army.”

On top of all that, Harry keeps having frequent, harrowing visions of Voldemort when he’s asleep, and must take Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape to prevent them. This is a different kind of torture, with Snape forcing entry into Harry’s private memories at every lesson and relishing the opportunity to cause him pain. Of course, Snape’s own twisted motivations are revealed when Harry gains access to his memories — one of which is a bitter altercation with Harry’s father.

Even the most diehard HP fan will admit that Order of the Phoenix is a hard one to get through. From watching Harry suffer in such a myriad of ways, to that devastating climax in which he loses one of the few people he’s come to love and trust, OotP is no walk in the park. Yet it’s this strife and despair that makes it such an authentic, powerful narrative — and, trite as it sounds, Harry’s pain ultimately makes him stronger and more determined to defeat Voldemort than ever.

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Things take a turn for the expository in this penultimate installment, which sees Harry learn all about Voldemort’s family and “origin story,” so to speak. Dumbledore gives Harry these lessons to prepare him for a grand future battle with Voldemort, presumably in the vein of keeping his enemies closer. What Harry doesn’t know is that Dumbledore is planning something even bigger — a plan that he, Harry, becomes more inexorably entangled in with each passing day.

At the same time, Harry suspects Malfoy (always a nefarious character) to be colluding with Voldemort, and begins obsessively tracking him on the Marauder’s Map. But each new lead just seems to be a wrong turn, and Harry grows increasingly frustrated with the lack of evidence when he knows that Malfoy is guilty. His only good luck, funnily enough, is in potions class. After receiving a secondhand textbook filled with tips and tricks from the mysterious “Half-Blood Prince,” Harry shines under the tutelage of their new potions professor Slughorn. Hermione, meanwhile, is jealous of Harry’s newfound academic success, and attempts to uncover the Prince’s identity to prove he’s crooked.

Speaking of petty drama, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince also gives the fun, silly sixteen-year-old stuff its due. Ron and Hermione’s chemistry amps up to eleven, with constant bickering over their respective romances. (Ron memorably snogs Lavender Brown with such gusto that it “looks like he’s eating her face.”) Meanwhile Harry’s falling for Ginny, Ron’s sister, and battling his inner demons about whether to ask her out. All this falls to the wayside after yet another epic finale, but it’s another nice reminder of how human and relatable the characters are .

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

To be fair, the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows aren’t as quotidianly miserable as the events of OotP — at least we know the characters are suffering for a greater purpose. But that doesn’t stop this from being, as you might expect, the darkest book in the series. From the corrupting influence of a locket that causes Ron to abandon his friends, to the tragic prophecy that Harry uncovers through more of Snape’s past memories, this book truly tests the reader’s tolerance for beloved characters in distress. (Don’t even get us started on the Battle of Hogwarts bloodbath .)

But Deathly Hallows is also a masterpiece, wrapping up thousands of pages’ worth of deeply intricate story plotting, character development, and booming thematic resonance in a satisfying manner. Indeed, J.K. Rowling has said she wrote the last pages of Deathly Hallows before Sorcerer’s Stone was even completed — evidence of just how carefully the series was planned.

8. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

While not part of the original seven-book series, Cursed Child and the accompanying stage play have become a generally accepted addition to the Harry Potter canon. This 336-page text picks up where the Deathly Hallows epilogue left off, with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Malfoy sending their unfortunately named kids off to Hogwarts — Harry’s son Albus and Malfoy’s son Scorpius serve as our protagonists this time around. Upon arrival at Hogwarts, the boys are both sorted into Slytherin and forge an unlikely friendship, which naturally causes tension between Albus and Harry over the next few years.

After a fight with his father, Albus overhears Cedric Diggory’s father Amos asking Harry to use a more powerful version of a Time Turner (which features prominently in PoA ) to go back in time and rescue his son. When Harry refuses, Albus enlists Scorpius to help him save Cedric, with the aid of Diggory’s niece Delphi. However, as anyone who’s seen Back to the Future can attest, messing with timelines is never a good idea… especially in the wizarding world. Things are further complicated by the fact that Delphi is not who she says she is, and may have sinister ulterior motives when it comes to rewriting history.

Between the multiple timelines and various versions of the same characters, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child can definitely be a bit confusing at times — and its somewhat far-fetched plot twists and questionable consistency with Rowling’s established world have led some Potter fans to decry it. But at the end of the day, it’s still another piece of the magical puzzle that we’ve all enjoyed putting together so much: this once-in-a-lifetime literary experience that transcends culture and generations.

The “Hogwarts library” texts

Fantastic beasts and where to find them.

Can't get enough of the fantastical creatures that fill Harry Potter 's pages? You're in luck. As detailed by J.K. Rowling (who writes as famed Magizoologist Newt Scamander), Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the definitive compendium to the magical beasts that roam the wizarding world. You'll find some familiar companions — such as the Hippogriff, the Basilisk, the Hungarian Horntail — but you'll also discover many, many new creatures to befriend. This is the text that inspired the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie trilogy, so if you're looking to catch up on the source, this is where to start!

Quidditch Through the Ages

Or maybe it's J.K. Rowling's smash-hit sport, Quidditch, that tickles your fancy. Today, Quidditch is an actual sport played at over 100 colleges in the United States — such is the strength of the grip that it's exerted on our public imagination. But if you're interested in the academic side of Quidditch, Rowling's got you covered with Quidditch Through the Ages , which will tell you all that you ever wanted to know about the history and rules behind Quidditch.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard

The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a collection of five fairy wizarding tales, told by, well, Beedle the Bard! Professor Dumbledore bequeathed these age-old tales to Hermione Granger, and they (particularly "The Tale of Three Brothers") turned out to be instrumental in helping Harry Potter crack the clues given to him in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now it's your chance to read them for yourself. Though the stories in this book all have a magical twist, the themes at their cores still resonate with what we associate with fairy tales: friendship, the everlasting strength of love, and the magic that each one of us possesses.

Even more Wizarding World extras 🎁

Hogwarts: an incomplete and unreliable guide.

Sourced from the short reads on Pottermore.com and gathered into one book for easy reading, Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide gives you all of the background information that you might want to know about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardly. Ever been curious about what the Hufflepuff common room looks like (it was never described in the books themselves)? Did you ever wonder about the origins of Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters? Here's the book that will provide all of the answers.

Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists

Not everything about Hogwarts and the Wizarding World is bright and shiny — indeed, the series has birthed some of most memorable villains in literature, from Dolores Umbridge to Lord Voldemort himself. Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Potergeists (also collected from JK Rowling's writings on Pottermore.com) delves deeper into this darker side of Harry's universe: in particular, it'll walk you through the politics of wizards and the backstories of Hogwart's villains, like Profess Umbridge.

Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies

Now let's go to the flip side and read about some of the most heroic figures who stand tall in the Wizarding World! In Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroisim, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies , we get the pleasure of revisiting our favorite professors (especially Minerva McGonagall and Remus Lupin) and discovering their backstories.

The Fantastic Beasts screenplays

Unless you've been living under a rock this entire time, you've probably heard of the two new Wizarding World movies that have hit Hollywood in the past few years. Led by actor Eddie Redmayne and an all-star ensemble cast, the Fantastic Beasts films tell the story of Newt Scamander, Albus Dumbledore, and the dark battle against Gellert Grindelward in the blackened days before Lord Voldemort entered the scene.

Of course, you can choose to simply watch the continuation of the Wizarding World on-screen — but reading the screenplays of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: the Original Screenplay and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald — The Original Screenplay  will undoubtedly give you that extra level of depth and insight into the characters.

So what's the recommended reading order (versus the chronological reading order)?

Fortunately, Harry Potter isn't one of those series like Star Wars has a sprawling number of canon novels, film novelizations, reference books, and comics to read. Instead, it's a finite universe — which makes catching up on it much easier. We recommend reading the main series chronologically so that you can see Harry and his friends grow up. Then — if you're still thirsting for more of the Wizarding World — you can see where your interests most strongly lie (whether it's in magizoology or Quidditch, for instance), and start again there.

If you still haven’t read Harry Potter , just know that it’s never too late to start — and even for those who have, you’re never too old to go back and relive the magic. ⚡

Can't get enough? Check out our list of the 20 best books like Harry Potter , or 60 best fantasy books for kids ! (Naturally, HP makes the list.)

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Harry Potter by Joanne Rowling series

Imagine a school in a chateau loaded with moving staircases, a game played on flying brooms, a shrewd wizard purpose on mastery, a normal kid who's the saint of an entire world he doesn't have even an inkling. This is the story that wakes up in the grand Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling.

The Dark Lord, Voldemort, attempted to murder Harry when he was only an infant—yet he fizzled, slaughtering Harry's guardians yet abandoning him with a lightning-jolt scar. After Voldemort's vanishing, Harry is sent to live with his dreadful auntie and uncle, far from any insight of enchantment. Be that as it may, at eleven years old, he is welcome to go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and an otherworldly world opens before him.

Each of the seven books in the arrangement describes one year in Harry's undertakings at Hogwarts and his fight against Lord Voldemort. Harry makes two magnificent closest companions named Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. He thinks about themes like Transfiguration and Potions under insightful superintendent Albus Dumbledore and the vindictive Severus Snape. He gets to be master at a diversion called Quidditch; experiences fantastic animals like phoenixes and mythical beasts; and finds a whole Wizarding universe concealed simply outside of anyone's ability to see, as inclined to the darker parts of human experience as our own, however lit up by an eccentric unique enchantment.

Also, gradually, Harry disentangles the puzzles of his unique meeting with Voldemort: why the Dark Lord attempted to execute him, how he lived… and what he must do to survive another experience.

The principal Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, was distributed in the United Kingdom in 1997; after 10 years, the last novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, broke all records to wind up the quickest offering book ever. The seven books have been deciphered into sixty-eight dialects, offering more than four hundred million duplicates in more than two hundred counties.

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The 10 Most Magical Books to Read If You Love Harry Potter

R ereading the entirety of the Harry Potter series is never a bad idea. But if you’re looking to branch out from J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world into other enchanted literary universes , there’s no shortage of books like Harry Potter ; stories that will soon have you saying “Accio more!”

These tales may not have Hogwarts or Dumbledore, but from talking polar bears to bewitched manuscripts, they each feature unique spellbinding elements that are sure to get you hooked.

Here’s TIME’s take on the 10 most magical books to read if you love Harry Potter .

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

Harry Potter: The Complete Collection (1-7‪)‬

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All seven eBooks in the multi-award winning, internationally bestselling Harry Potter series, available as one download with stunning cover art by Olly Moss. Enjoy the stories that have captured the imagination of millions worldwide. Please note: this is the standard edition of Harry Potter Books 1-7.  The Apple Enhanced Editions are also available as standalone ebooks.

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, Book 3) (MinaLima Edition) Hardcover – October 3, 2023

• Hardcover $31.99 1 New from $31.99

Return to Hogwarts in this stunning edition of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban . J.K. Rowling’s complete and unabridged text is accompanied by full-color illustrations on nearly every page and eight paper-engineered interactive elements: Readers will explore the Knight Bus, reveal the Grim in a teacup, spin the Time-Turner, and more.

Designed and illustrated by MinaLima ― the award-winning studio behind the graphic style of the Harry Potter films ― this keepsake edition is the perfect gift for Harry Potter fans of all ages, a beautiful addition to any collector’s bookshelf, and an enchanting way to share this beloved series with a new generation of readers.

• Reading age 8 years and up
• Book 3 of 3 Harry Potter MinaLima Editions
• Print length 480 pages
• Language English
• Grade level 3 - 6
• Publisher Scholastic Inc.
• Publication date October 3, 2023
• ISBN-10 1338815288
• ISBN-13 978-1338815283
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About the author.

J.K. ROWLING is the author of the enduringly popular, era-defining Harry Potter seven-book series, which have sold over 600 million copies in 85 languages, been listened to as audiobooks for over one billion hours and made into eight smash hit movies. To accompany the series, she wrote three short companion volumes for charity, including Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , which went on to inspire a new series of films featuring Magizoologist Newt Scamander. Harry’s story as a grown-up was continued in a stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , which J.K. Rowling wrote with playwright Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany.

In 2020, she returned to publishing for younger children with the fairy tale The Ickabog , the royalties for which she donated to her charitable trust, Volant, to help charities working to alleviate the social effects of the Covid 19 pandemic. Her latest children’s novel, The Christmas Pig , was published in 2021.

J.K. Rowling has received many awards and honours for her writing, including for her detective series written under the name Robert Galbraith. She supports a wide number of humanitarian causes through Volant, and is the founder of the international children’s care reform charity Lumos. J.K. Rowling lives in Scotland with her family.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scholastic Inc. (October 3, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1338815288
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1338815283
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 years and up
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 6
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.03 pounds
• #9 in Children's Action & Adventure Books (Books)
• #11 in Children's Fantasy & Magic Books
• #12 in Children's Friendship Books

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About the author

Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima started working together in 2001 to imagine and create the entire graphic universe of all the Harry Potter™ movies.

Motivated by a shared artistic vision, in 2009 they founded a graphic design studio, with the objective of creating distinctive and unconventional design and illustration for the entertainment and publishing industries. They named it MinaLima.

As MinaLima Studio, they designed graphic props for films such as Sweeney Todd, The Golden Compass and The Imitation Game; created their Collective Nouns art print collection; and crafted MinaLima Classics, the bestselling series of illustrated books.

Miraphora and Eduardo have continued their involvement in the Wizarding World franchise with numerous design commissions, from theme park design to marketing and publishing. A new chapter of imagining this world came in 2015, designing the graphic props for the Fantastic Beasts™ film series.

In 2016 House of MinaLima opened its doors in London: an immersive gallery and shop showcasing their treasury of graphic works. Since then, the experiential narrative space has also welcomed visitors in Osaka, New York and Paju, globally celebrating the idiosyncrasies of Miraphora and Eduardo's ideas and their passion for storytelling through design.

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Harry Potter Books In Order

Publication order of harry potter books, publication order of harry potter companion books, publication order of harry potter: a journey through... books, publication order of pottermore presents books, publication order of fantastic beasts the original screenplay books, publication order of harry potter short stories/novellas, about harry potter:.

Harry Potter has been called the greatest childrens book series ever to have been printed. The series combines a sense of wonder, adventure, and magic that matures with its audience, against a backdrop of one of the greatest stories of good and evil ever told. Comprised of seven novels, eight movies, and a slew of add ons and tie-ins including video games, toys, and clothing, it is a classical coming of age story, a bildungsroman that transcends age and generations to tell a sometimes funny, oftentimes sad, yet always entertaining. The story centers around the trials and lessens of a young wizard named Harry Potter, the victim of an unspeakable tragedy and unlikely hero at his school, Hogwarts.

Written by J.K. Rowling, a native of the U.K., Harry Potter is far from the classical idea of the hero. Riddled with all the feelings of angst and inadequacies of childhood, and saddled with the uncertainties of a world on the cusp, he goes from being an average eleven year old boy to a wizard, and not only a wizard, but a famous wizard. The series captures all the mystery and romanticism of a much more mature author, but makes it accessible and easy for young adult readers to comprehend and enjoy.

The books primarily take place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a school for magic that children are preselected to attend, somewhere on the Scotland/England border. It is described as a fantastical and wondrous castle, filled with talking portraiture, moving staircases, ghosts and of course, normal, everyday children going to school. Except that instead of learning their letters and arithmetic, they attend Potions class and Transfiguration lectures. They practice dueling with magic wands and play their very own wizarding sport, Quidditch, on flying broomsticks. Harry Potter has shown himself adept however, at getting into all the hijinks that normal, growing boys are expected to indulge in, being caught out of bed, out-of-bounds, and generally being a teenager.

Harry Potter himself is a wiry youth, with knock knees and messy, jet-black hair. He wears round glasses, and, when not in the school uniform of black robes and a pointed wizards cap, wears clothes that are to large for him, secondhand items that are given to him by his horrible and magic fearing family, the Dursleys. His most distinguishing feature is his small, lightening-shaped scar that is streaked across his forehead, a souvenir from his encounter with the most powerful Dark Wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort, or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. This relationship between Harry Potter and the Dark Lord is a main theme of the series, and is explored in every installment of the series, either directly or circumspectly.

Why He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named killed Harry’s parents and tried to kill Harry, yet failed spectacularly, is still a mystery at the beginning of the series, and is a source of continual speculation for everyone in the wizarding world. As the series progresses, more and more information comes to light about Harry’s parents, James and Lily Potter, and the love that Harry feels for them and the sacrifice that they made on his behalf are a continual source of both pain and pride for Harry Potter.

Harry Potter goes from being universally unlike and unloved at his foster families home, whom he lives with after the murder of his parents by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, to being known far and wide as the wizard that defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, almost a household name. He has two great friends through the series, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Ronald Weasley is from a family of pure-bloods, or people who are almost exclusively wizards, all with bright red hair and freckles, and for the most part accepting and affectionate. Ron is described as being tall and lanky, with the red hair and freckles that characterize his whole family, and being very ashamed that his family, though ancient

and respected, are very poor. He acts as comic relief throughout the books and films, but has shown genuine feelings for both Harry and Hermione, being fiercely protective of both them and his family. Hermione Granger is from a Muggle family, or a non-magic family. Her parents are both dentists, and she got the invitation to attend Hogwarts in the same way as Harry Potter, out of the blue. She is described as being pretty, but with overly large front teeth and very bushy brunette hair. Hermione is also a bit of a know it all, and is the first in class at ever subject she takes, except Divination, or fortune-telling. With these two compatriots, Harry winds his way through the wonderful and dangerous world of magic, encountering fantastic beasts and spectacular sorcery along the way.

When he first begins to attend Hogwarts, Harry is known for his so called defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and everyone in the wizarding world knows his name. This gives him a little bit of discomfort, however, as he dislikes being known far and wide for something that he can’t remember. He spends a lot of time in the series not only dealing with all of the regular problems that regular boys deal with, but also the issues that are forced on him due to his connection to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He is not spectacular in school, but is above average in the classes that he likes, and passes even the ones he finds difficult or dislikes. His main antagonist, outside of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is Professor Severus Snape, the Potions Master at Hogwarts, who has a grudge against Harry for something that happened between him Harry’s parents and himself a long time ago.

The Harry Potter series gained worldwide popularity, and all seven books in the series ranked on international bestseller list across the planet. Harry Potter has had his story translated into more than 60 languages, and is the best selling book series of all time. Not without his share of controversy, Harry Potter is more often lauded for encouraging children to read more often, especially at the dawn of the internet age, and with telling such an accessible and entertaining story filled with concepts and ideas to stimulate a child’s imagination. Not limited to children or young adult readers, people of all ages can fall in love with the charming story of the boy wizard, Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived.

2 Responses to “Harry Potter”

I think you should write at least a stand-alone about Luna Lovegood before she attended Hogwarts, because she is such an interesting character, and a worldwide favorite [perhaps Sirius], so I think you would get many, many fans for said Luna book. – Me

R.K. Rowling you should really make a movie for the Cursed Child book. Also you should do a whole series on their kids cause people were really interested in the Cursed Child. Also the reason why you should do a movie is because there is already a script written out and your letting many Harry Potter fans down including myself. Sincerely Rylan Strong p.s: please think about this and please a movie on the cursed child. Also please write a whole series on their kids and the cursed child please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please and thank you

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• Ultra-Rare Proof Copy Of JK Rowling’s First ‘Harry Potter’ Book Auctioned For Up To $25,000 After Being Discovered At UK School

By Jake Kanter

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It’s a magical discovery that could be worth up to £20,000 ($25,000).

A school close to Oxford has found a proof copy of JK Rowling ’s first Harry Potter novel after fearing that the ultra-rare book had been lost. Only 200 copies were believed to have been printed by Bloomsbury.

The book, which even spells Rowling’s name as JA Rowling at one point, was purchased in 1997 for £1 by St Kenelm’s Primary School in the English village of Minster Lovell.

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The school removed it from the library in 2002 after recognizing that the book may be valuable, but it went missing in 2015 and there were concerns it had been trashed with other old paperbacks. It was then rediscovered this year during a spring clean.

The uncorrected edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the U.S.) is now being auctioned by Hansons Auctioneers on Tuesday. St Kenelm’s Primary School will use the money to help local children embrace literature.

Bob Alder, St Kenelm’s School’s retired headteacher, said: “It was quite by luck that the Harry Potter was spotted in the sale. It had none of the attractiveness of a typical child’s paperback.

“It cost £1. It was not thought to have any value. However, it was known from press coverage that the story was something special, and to read extracts to the children would encourage them to own their own copy.”

Jim Spencer, head of books at Hansons, said: “This book is where it all began. This is the very first appearance in print of the first Harry Potter novel.

“I have made several important Harry Potter discoveries but this is extra special, and a first for me. Since 2017 Hansons has sourced and sold 16 super rare hardback first editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone which were published in the very first 500-book print run.

“This find is even more scarce. Not only that, it takes us back a stage further in the evolution of the multi-million-pound Potter phenomenon. This is an original proof copy of a book which went on to take the world by storm.”

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All The Young Dudes Book: Everything You Need To Know About The Harry Potter Marauders Fan-Fiction

• The Harry Potter series has a complicated relationship with fans due to J.K. Rowling's controversial anti-trans comments, making fan-fiction like "All the Young Dudes" valuable for fans looking to engage with the series without grappling with Rowling's involvement.
• "All the Young Dudes" is a popular fan-fiction centered around Remus Lupin's youth and time at Hogwarts, exploring his friendships with Sirius Black, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew who form the Marauders before the events of Harry Potter.
• A major storyline in "All the Young Dudes" focuses on Remus Lupin's sexuality and his romantic relationship with Sirius Black, providing LGBTQ+ readers and writers representation while allowing fans to engage with desired character relationships.

The wildly popular Harry Potter books and movies are a staple of pop culture, and have resulted in hundreds of fan-fiction works, including the All the Young Dudes book. The book series by J.K. Rowling chronicles the adventures of Harry Potter, a young wizard who attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and faces off against the evil Lord Voldemort. Becoming the best-selling book series in history (via Scholastic ), the Harry Potter franchise spawned a hit movie franchise, a spinoff movie franchise in Fantastic Beasts , a stageplay called Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , various video games, and streaming service Max will release a Harry Potter reboot TV series .

While fans have embraced Harry Potter 's themes of celebrating individuality and standing up against bullies and oppression, many have a complicated relationship with the series due to Rowling's controversial anti-trans comments, which has become an even more sensitive issue because of Rowling's involvement in the upcoming Max Harry Potter show . This makes Harry Potter fan-fiction even more valuable, as it's an artistic space fans can inhabit without having to grapple with Rowling's involvement. And the All the Young Dudes book perfectly represents what makes the Harry Potter series so beloved.

RELATED: Lupin's Death In Harry Potter Ruined His Best Character Arc

All The Young Dudes Is The Much-Desired Prequel Of The Marauders

The All the Young Dudes fan-fiction was written from March 2017 to November 18 on popular fan-ficition source website Archive of Our Own (aka AO3) by user MsKingBean89, and consists of 188 chapters, with the entire work being over 500,000 words long. The title is a reference to the David Bowie-written song of the same name that is performed by the English band Mott the Hopple. MsKingBean89's All the Young Dudes book centers around Remus Lupin, particularly his time at Hogwarts as he befriends Sirius Black, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew, who together become the Marauders before the events of Harry Potter .

All the Young Dudes became so popular because MsKingBean89 delivered an incredibly detailed character study about one of the most popular figures in the Harry Potter fandom. Young Remus Lupin is of particular interest not only because he has to hide his werewolf identity, but also has a complex relationship with his friends, disapproving of James and Sirius' cruel antics. The All the Young Dudes story chronicles not only Remus' Hogwarts days but also his childhood and becoming a werewolf, his fight in the First Wizarding War and werewolf advocacy, and his finding love in adulthood.

Remus Lupin & Sirius Black Have A Romantic Relationship In All The Young Dudes

A major storyline in All the Young Dudes revolves around Remus' sexuality. Remus has his first experience with a roommate named Grant Chapman, whom he later reconciles with, but Sirius Black is his true love, and the two carry on a relationship at Hogwarts, eventually coming out to the other Marauders. Though they're torn apart in adulthood when Sirius is sentenced to Azkaban for James and Lily Potter's murders, Remus and Sirius reconcile after the events of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , when Sirius' name has been cleared.

Much like Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black are one of the most popular Harry Potter fan-fiction ships , as many have pointed to the sexual tension between the Marauders, particularly in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix when Remus stares at Sirius for 40 lines of text. Fan-fiction ships not only allow fans to play matchmaker, but also for LGBTQ+ readers and writers to feel represented, as many popular movie franchises don't have characters from that community. And with the conflict regarding Rowling's controversial views, stories like All the Young Dudes can make under-represented fans feel better about their favorite Harry Potter characters.

Ranking the 'Harry Potter' Books from Best to Worst

Accio list!

The Harry Potter series was a formative phenomena for a generation. These books opened doors to other fantasy series, and encouraged kids who had very little interest in reading to pick up a book and give this one a try. And, as for the addicted reader, they had a very important thing in common with people that typically don’t know what they’re talking about in terms of books. That shared interest opened doors to all sorts of unusual friendships. All that passion and excitement to read made this series what it is. And it is because of that we need to take a look at the books themselves and see which ones are genuinely superior, either in style, form, plot or any connection therein. And what is more fundamental than ranking the books that started a worldwide craze (also, we're not including Cursed Child since J.K. Rowling isn't the author of that book, which is also a stage play rather than a novel)

1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

The absolute best of the best, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is not only the pivotal story in the saga for the Harry/Voldemort dynamic, but it represents a turning point for just about every character. This is the book where Harry meets those who want Voldemort to return to his evil ways and the entire world is thrown off its axis. Prior to Goblet of Fire Harry mostly knew that Voldemort was evil, killed his parents, and was trying to return to the land of the living. At most, he was aware that Professor Quirrell and maybe a few others wanted Voldemort to return, but not that there was a powerful and motivated group of people who not only want Voldemort to return to power, but that have been doing their part in secret to keep his cause alive. Throughout the pages of Goblet of Fire , Harry also has to confront the horrors of growing up. Not only does he have to compete against the other Triwizard champions who are all at least 3 years of magical education ahead of him, but he asks Cho Chang to the Yule Ball, he has a pretty epic fight with his very best friend, and grieves a new, but no less true, friend. This book represents a substantial pivot from Harry and his friends wreaking havoc in the castle as they try to right wrongs and protect loved ones, to seeing what challenges the magical world outside of Hogwarts has in store for Harry, and resultingly Ron and Hermione as well.

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

By the time we arrived at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows we were all more than a little invested in this magical tale. The burden this story had to carry was dense, moving us from the end of Half-Blood Prince with Dumbledore’s death and Snape’s defection to an ending that would feel justified, satisfactory, and make reading the previous 6 books in this series worth it. We knew that Harry was going to have to face Voldemort mano a mano, yes, but there is a lot of road left to travel before that final confrontation can and will be possible.

This book faced a task so monumental in finishing this saga, but Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows does it with incredible flare and in remarkably satisfying ways. Not only do we get the ultimate showdown in a place that means so much to both of these great men, but we finally have the chance to watch equals battle it out for the survival of not only themselves, but for the fate of the wizarding world.

3, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

The only task harder than that of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is introducing us to the magical world itself, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone does that with gusto. Harry leaps into the unknown at the first opportunity, leaving every horror he’s ever experienced under the Dursleys’ roof and stepping into a world of magic he didn’t know existed. And he did so alongside the biggest man he’d ever laid eyes on.

Opening not only Harry’s eyes, but all of ours to the magic surrounding us was a gargantuan task to undertake, but Sorcerer’s Stone does it, and does it pretty freaking well. We see Platform 9 & 3/4, the Hogwarts Express, Diagon Alley, and Hogwarts all for the first time, and each and every new place is better than the last. We meet new characters, eat new treats, experience new commonplace things (like your meal magically appearing on the table in front of you or fixing broken glasses with the touch of a wand), and start off an adventure that will change not only Harry’s world, but our world, too.

RELATED: ‘Harry Potter’ Cast Heading Back to Hogwarts for 20th Anniversary Special

4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

The halfway point is exactly where Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix belongs, because after the massive shift in Harry’s world at the end of Goblet of Fire , it seems impossible to move on. While we were all clamoring for the next step in Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s journey, the magical world was debating whether or not our hero was a traumatized young fool that should be ignored and discredited.

The journey that Harry takes throughout this book, from learning the difference between his own emotions and those of his rival, to the magical world admitting he’s not a nutter, is quite possibly the most insane trek any book in this series has to manage. The first read of Order of the Phoenix stands out in just about any Potter fan’s mind, because the angsty, angry bitterness that Harry is trying to survive in the beginning of this book is so different from the boy we’ve been hanging out with in the four previous ones. The remarkable tonal shift near the end when our hero discovers just how far his friends will go to protect him, no matter who else believes any of them, is one of the most incredible moments in the entire series.

5. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The penultimate book in the series was met with some mixed reviews. We all knew the kinds of things that lay ahead for Harry after the events of Order of the Phoenix , but we didn’t think Harry’s personal life would play such an important role. Book Six is important, because we learn more than we ever wanted to know about how far Voldemort has strayed from a normal wizard’s path. We follow along as Harry and Dumbledore adventure into the mind of Voldemort and look for proof that he has truly fallen into the deepest end of dark magic.

And that is exactly what we find. Horcruxes and death litter Voldemorts post-Hogwarts days, and learning that history prepares us to enjoy The Deathly Hallows in all its glory. Without Half-Blood Prince , we would have no hope of enjoying the final story, but it does suffer a bit from penultimate syndrome, in that it is somewhat satisfying, but leaves you with more questions than answers stepping into the final chapter of this saga. Yes, watching Harry embrace his feelings for Ginny is great fun, but knowing that a showdown between Harry and Voldemort looms lessens the heartening impact of their teenage love story.

6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

While a lot of people have come to love the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban movie, the book still just doesn’t rank as highly. This is the book with the time turner, where we meet Sirius Black for the first time, where the Malfoys exert a little power to get Buckbeak sentenced to death, and, most importantly, the book where we learn about the Marauders. While its importance to the series cannot be debated, it ranks second to last purely because the other 5 books have so much more to offer.

Whether they’re introducing us to the magical world, moving this grand tale to its next great plateau, or providing a more-than-satisfactory conclusion, the other five stories ahead of Prisoner of Azkaban on this list are just better stories. The events of Prisoner of Azkaban are important, and life-changing for Harry at the time, but are simply precursors to the next four books worth of change and heartache and joy that have yet to come.

7. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Despite its significance to one of the biggest plot twists in the series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is definitely the bottom of the barrel when it comes to the books. And it’s still a good book, so that’s saying something. But, Chamber of Secrets just leaves something to be desired, even with all the secret-chamber-in-a-giant-magical-castle energy going on, it just doesn’t quite measure up to all the other insanely important plot twists and character developments in the other six books in this series once you’ve read them all.

Along the way, though, Chamber of Secrets is a wholly entertaining story. There’s just an entire universe of craziness unfolding in the next 5 books, and this book as no hope of matching that energy after the fact. It was fun, however, after reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince , to dig back through this story and examine every moment for details we may have missed. Ultimately, a good story, but just another step into the unknown that was the Harry Potter series before it exploded into the worldwide-notoriety kind of popularity a few years later.

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All Harry Potter Books, Ranked Best to Worst

The best Harry Potter books are those favorite books from J.K. Rowling that chronicle the story of the young wizard Harry Potter and his crew of friends at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It’s hard to pick a favorite among the seven books in the best-selling book series in history but that won’t stop us from ranking all the best Harry Potter books below.

Starting with the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone  (or Sorcerer's Stone , in the U.S.) released in 1997, the Harry Potter franchise has become more than a household name. It quickly became one of the most profitable empires in history. Between the hundreds of millions of books sold to the immensely popular film series and all of the tie-in merchandise and even a theme park that followed, Harry Potter is quite the big deal international phenomenon.

So how do we rank the best to worst Harry Potter books? That’s a really good question. Some may adore the final book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , while others might be more in favor of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince , which sold nine million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

• # 71 of 1,237 The Best Novels Ever Written
• # 19 of 330 Books That Changed Your Life
• # 37 of 117 The Most Heartbreaking Novels Ever Written

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

• # 8 of 271 The Top Must-Read Books of All Time
• # 4 of 100 35+ Books Everybody Lies About Having Read
• # 1 of 72 The Best Children's Book Series

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

• # 28 of 111 The Best Overall Books for Kids
• # 3 of 63 The Best Books for Fourth Graders
• # 5 of 102 102 Books Recommended By Stephen King
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Rare proof copy of first Harry Potter book bought for £1 found in school clear out

The copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is such an early example that it even gets the author’s name wrong, stating ‘J A Rowling’ instead of J K Rowling

• 11:58, 5 Sep 2023 Updated 12:34, 5 Sep 2023

A first proof of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone which is so unedited that the author’s name is spelled wrong has been found in a primary school .

St Kenelm’s Primary School in Oxfordshire found the book, which it bought for £1 in 1997, during a summer tidy-up. The ‘Uncorrected Proof Copy’ is one of only 200 printed by Bloomsbury in 1997.

The school feared it had been accidentally thrown away after it had been missing for eight years but it turned up, to the delight of pupils and staff. The book is such an early example that it even gets the author’s name wrong, stating ‘J A Rowling’ instead of J K Rowling .

It went under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers with a guide price of £15,000-£20,000 on Tuesday.

Jim Spencer, head of books at Hansons said: “This book is where it all began. This is the very first appearance in print of the first Harry Potter novel. The title page states the author’s name as as ‘J A Rowling’, and, on the other side, ‘Joanne Rowling’.

“It’s believed just 200 copies of this book were printed by Bloomsbury. This modest little paperback is the beginning of it all. The author’s signing tours, the midnight queues outside bookshops, the movies, the merchandise – it all stems from this.

"This copy bears a stamp for St Kenelm’s School. It has decided to sell the book, which was originally put on the shelves of the library for pupils to read. The plain cover evidently didn’t inspire many, if any, takers, and so it has survived remarkably well. As soon as Harry Potter mania developed, the school wisely removed it from the borrowing shelves.”

He added: "Hansons has sold hardback Philosopher’s Stone first editions for prices ranging from £15,500 to £69,000 dependant on condition. I’m guiding this Uncorrected Proof Copy at £15,000-20,000. However, bearing in mind its place in history, it could surprise us all.”

Bob Alder, 75, the school's retired headteacher, added: “The book was purchased by St Kenelm’s Primary School in 1997 from Red House Books Ltd, which held an annual sale of books from its warehouse in Witney. Local schools, nurseries and play groups had the first choice of books in the sale.

"Books were usually about half price, some even less, and the school would purchase something like 50 books in each of the annual sales. It was quite by luck that the Harry Potter was spotted in the sale. It had none of the attractiveness of a typical child’s paperback. It cost £1.

"Consequently, it was removed from the shelves, packaged, and put somewhere safe. In 2015 it went missing and there was concern it had been thrown away in a clear out of old and damaged paperbacks.

“The book was rediscovered in 2023 during a tidy up, and knowing there were only 200 copies issued, it seemed time for it to find a new owner who would properly value it as the beginning of what has become an international phenomenon and also know that he or she will be helping fund children in St Kenelm’s School to further develop their own love of literature.

Despite the rarity of the book it failed to sell at auction.

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Harry Potter Events by Side Characters -- Book 1

Can you put these events in order which do not mention the most common characters (see quiz notes).

• Characters not mentioned: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, Snape, Dumbledore, Vernon, Dudley, Petunia, Draco, Neville, and Quirrell

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