The Ultimate Book Companion

Events

• ▶  Mr and Mrs Dursley wake up^p.7–8
  • It is a dull, grey Tuesday^p.7 and the sky is cloudy^p.7
  • Strange and mysterious things will soon happen all over the country^p.7
  • Mr Dursley hums while picking out his most boring tie for work^p.7
  • Mrs Dursley happily gossips and wrestles a screaming Dudley into his high chair^p.8
  • None of them notice a large tawny owl flutter past the window^p.8
• ▶  Mr Dursley drives to work^p.8
  • Mr Dursley picks up his briefcase at half past eight^p.8
  • Mr Dursley pecks Mrs Dursley on the cheek and tries to kiss Dudley goodbye, but misses^p.8
  • Dudley has a tantrum and throws his cereal at the walls^p.8
  • Mr Dursley chortles ‘Little tyke’, as he leaves the house^p.8
  • Mr Dursley gets into his car and backs out of number four’s drive^p.8
  • On the corner of the street he sees a cat reading a map^p.8, the first sign of something peculiar^p.8
  • He stares at the cat and the cat stares back at him^p.8
  • Mr Dursley sees the cat reading the street sign that says Privet Drive in his mirror^p.8, as he drives around the corner and up the road^p.8
  • He puts the cat out of his mind^p.8 and thinks of nothing except a large order of drills he hopes to get that day as he drives towards town^p.8
  • There is a traffic jam on the edge of town^p.8, this is usual^p.8
  • Mr Dursley sees a lot of strangely dressed people^p.8 while in the traffic jam. People in cloaks^p.8. A huddle of these weirdos stand quite close by, and a couple of them are not young at all: a man in an emerald-green cloak has to be older than Mr Dursley^p.8
  • Traffic moves after Mr Dursley tells himself the strangely dressed people are collecting for something^p.8, and a few minutes later he arrives in the Grunnings car park, his mind back on drills^p.8
• ▶  Mr Dursley’s workday^p.8–9
  • Mr Dursley sits with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor, as always^p.8, which is why he doesn’t see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did^p.9
  • Mr Dursley yells at five different people and makes several important telephone calls. He is in a very good mood^p.9
  • At lunchtime, Mr Dursley goes to stretch his legs and buys a large doughnut from the baker’s opposite^p.9
  • Mr Dursley had forgotten about the people in cloaks until he sees them next to the baker’s^p.9. He does not see collecting tins, and on the way back he hears them whispering about the Potters and a son called Harry. He is afraid and dashes back to his office^p.9
  • Mr Dursley snaps at his secretary not to disturb him and has almost finished dialling his home number when he reasons himself out of telling his wife and worrying her; she gets very upset at any mention of her sister^p.9
  • Mr Dursley has trouble concentrating on drills for the rest of the afternoon, because he is too worried about the people in cloaks^p.9
• ▶  Mr Dursley goes back home^p.9–10
  • Mr Dursley leaves grunnings at five o’clock, and is still very worried about all the strange people in cloaks^p.9. He walks straight into a tiny old man in a violet cloak, just outside the door, and grunts an apology^p.9
  • The man has a squeaky voice that makes passers-by stare, is not at all upset about nearly being knocked to the ground, calls Mr Dursley a Muggle and hugs him around the middle before walking off^p.9–10
  • Mr Dursley is rattled. He hurries to his car, hoping he is imagining things, which he has never hoped before, because he doesn’t approve of imagination^p.10
  • Mr Dursley sees the tabby cat sitting on his garden wall as he pulls into the driveway of number four. He is sure it is the same one; it has the same markings around the eyes. The cat gives him a stern look and Vernon wonders whether this is normal cat behaviour or not^p.10
  • Mr Dursley pulls himself together and lets himself into the house, determined not to mention anything to his wife^p.10
• ▶  The Dursleys’ evening^p.10–12
  • Mrs Dursley had a nice, normal day. She tells Mr Dursley about it over dinner. Gossips about neighbours. Dudley learnt a new word (‘Shan’t!’)^p.10. Mr Dursley tries to act normally^p.10
  • Mr Dursley goes into the living-room after Dudley has been put to bed^p.10. He is in time to catch the last report on the evening news: there have been hundreds of sightings of owls flying in every direction since sunrise^p.10
  • Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire and Dundee have been phoning in to report a downpour of shooting stars^p.10
  • Bonfire Night is not until ‘next week’^p.11
  • When Mrs Dursley enters the living-room with two cups of tea, Mr Dursley clears his throat nervously and asks her if she has heard from her sister. Mrs Dursley looks shocked and angry, and sharply asks him why^p.11. Mr Dursley mumbles about owls and shooting stars on the evening news, and funny-looking people in town. Mrs Dursley snaps at him and sips tea through pursed lips^p.11. Mr Dursley doesn’t dare tell her outright he heard the names Harry or Potter, so he instead asks if their nephew is called Harold. After Petunia stiffly confirms their nephew is called Harry Potter, they go upstairs to bed^p.11
  • While Petunia is in the bathroom, Mr Dursley looks out the bedroom window, and sees the cat staring down Privet Drive as though waiting for something^p.11
  • The Dursleys get into bed. Petunia falls asleep quickly^p.11. Mr Dursley tells himself that even if it has to do with their nephew, it would never affect them: the Potters know better than to involve the Dursleys, he reasons. Then he drifts into an uneasy sleep^p.11–12
• ▶  Dumbledore and McGonagall talk^p.12–16
  • It’s nearly midnight when Dumbledore appears silently on the corner the cat had been watching unmovingly. The cat's tail twitches and its eyes narrow^p.12. The man rummages in his cloak and then sees the cat. It amuses him. He chuckles and mutters he should have known^p.12
  • Dumbledore finds the Put-Outer and clicks it twelve times, until it is completely dark save for the cat’s eyes. Nobody in the houses will be able to see a thing of what happens on the pavement now^p.12
  • Dumbledore sits down on the wall next to the cat and calls it Professor McGonagall, and smiles at it/her^p.13. McGonagall (now a distinctly ruffled-looking woman) asks how he knew it was her, and he says he has never seen a cat sit so stiffly. She has been sitting on the wall all day when she could have been celebrating; Dumbledore passed a dozen feasts and parties on his way there^p.13
  • McGonagall sniffs angrily and complains people aren’t being careful, being out in daylight and not even dressed in Muggle clothes^p.13. Dumbledore says gently that she cannot blame them, because they’ve had precious little to celebrate in eleven years^p.13. McGonagall replies irritably and fishes for the truth in the rumours, throwing Dumbledore a sharp, sideways glance^p.13
  • Dumbledore agrees Voldemort seems to be gone (and that they have much to be thankful for), and offers her a sherbet lemon, a kind of Muggle sweet he’s rather fond of. McGonagall doesn’t know what it is, and declines coldly^p.13–14
  • McGonagall asks more explicitly about what happened. Dumbledore and tells her to call him Voldemort, as he has been trying to get people to do for eleven years^p.14. McGonagall goes on to say Dumbledore is the only one Voldemort is frightened of, and that is why he has no trouble saying the name, but she still uses it in her next sentence^p.14. She presses Dumbledore for the truth of what happened last night. Dumbledore confirms Lily and James Potter are dead. McGonagall gasps, Dumbledore pats her on the shoulder and says ‘I know … I know …’ heavily^p.14–15. McGonagall’s voice trembles as she asks if it’s true Voldemort is gone because his power broke after he couldn’t kill Harry Potter.^p.15 Again, Dumbledore confirms, nodding glumly. McGonagall falters; she cannot believe it, after all he has done. Dumbledore says he does not know how it happened: ‘We can only guess,’ said Dumbledore. ‘We may never know.’^p.15
  • Dumbledore sniffs and gets out his watch. He says Hagrid is late. He asks McGonagall if Hagrid was the one who told her where he’d be tonight, and McGonagall confirms, then asks why he is here, ‘of all places’^p.15
  • Dumbledore says he is taking Harry to his aunt and uncle: the only family he has left. McGonagall feels strongly about this (‘You don’t mean – you can’t mean the people who live here?’ cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. ‘Dumbledore – you can’t. I’ve been watching them all day. You couldn’t find two people who are less like us.’)^p.15. She says Harry is famous and wouldn’t be surprised if today became known as Harry Potter Day in the future^p.15. But Dumbledore seems certain of himself. He has written the Dursleys a letter. McGonagall sits back down again at that, almost argues her case further, then changes her mind and says: ‘Yes – yes, you’re right, of course.’ and instead asks how Harry will get there^p.15–16
• ▶  Hagrid delivers Harry Potter^p.16–18
  • Hagrid is bringing harry Potter on a huge motorbike^p.16. Dumbledore sounds relieved Hagrid has arrived and asks where Hagrid got the motorbike. Hagrid says he got it from Sirius Black, and Dumbledore asks if there were any problems^p.16
  • Hagrid says there were no problems. The house was almost destroyed but he got Harry out ‘before the Muggles started swarmin’ around’. Harry fell asleep as they were flying over Bristol^p.16
  • Dumbledore and McGonagall look at Harry inside his blankets^p.16. McGonagall sees the cut on his forehead and asks if Dumbledore could do something about it. Dumbledore says that even if he could, he wouldn’t; scars can come in useful^p.17
  • Hagrid gives Harry a ‘very scratchy, whiskery kiss’ goodbye, then lets out ‘a howl like a wounded dog’, and McGonagall hisses at him to get a grip on himself or he’ll wake the Muggles. She pats him gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore steps over the wall and lays Harry gently on the doorstep, tucking his letter inside the blankets^p.17
  • They stand for a full minute, looking at Harry. Hagrid’s shoulders are shaking, McGonagall is blinking furiously, and Dumbledore’s eyes have stopped twinkling^p.17. Then Dumbledore speaks up and says they should leave and join the celebrations. Hagrid swings back onto the motorbike and leaves. Dumbledore tells McGonagall he expects to see her soon^p.17
  • Dumbledore walks to the corner of the street^p.17 and takes out the Put-Outer again, clicking it once. twelve balls of light go back to their lamps. Privet Drive glowed orange. McGonagall, as a tabby cat, slinks around the corner on the other end of the street^p.17. The bundle of blankets is visble to Dumbledore from where he stands. He murmurs ‘Good luck, Harry’, turns on his heel and is gone with a swish of his cloak^p.18

Characters

• ▶  Mr Dursley^p.7
  • Lives on number four, Privet Drive^p.7
  • Is proud to say that he is perfectly normal, thank you very much^p.7
  • Is the director of a firm called Grunnings^p.7, which makes drills^p.7
  • Is a big, beefy man with hardly any neck^p.7
  • Has a very large moustache^p.7
  • Has a small son called Dudley^p.7. In his opinion there is no finer boy anywhere^p.7
  • Has everything he wants^p.7
  • Has a secret: the Potters.^p.7 His greatest fear is that somebody finds out about them^p.7
  • Knows the Potters have a son, but has never seen this boy, his nephew^p.7
  • Doesn’t want Dudley mixing with a child like the Potters’^p.7
  • Always sits with his back to the window in his office at the ninth floor^p.8
  • Is flooded with fear at the mention of Harry/the Potters^p.9
  • Strokes his moustache while thinking^p.9
  • Doesn’t approve of imagination^p.10
  • Is nervous to bring up the subject of the Potters to Mrs Dursley, and doesn’t dare mention the name^p.11
  • Normally pretends Petunia Dursley doesn’t have a sister^p.11
  • Dialogue tags (other than plain said/asked/etc):
    chortled^p.8,
    grunted^p.9,
    said loudly^p.10,
    mumbled^p.11,
    said, casually as he could^p.11
• ▶  Mrs (Petunia^p.11) Dursley^p.7
  • Lives on number four, Privet Drive^p.7
  • Is proud to say that she is perfectly normal, thank you very much^p.7
  • Is thin and blonde and has nearly twice the usual amount of neck^p.7
  • Spends much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbours^p.7
  • Has a small son called Dudley^p.7. In her opinion there is no finer boy anywhere^p.7
  • Has everything he wants^p.7
  • Has a secret: the Potters^p.7. Her greatest fear is that somebody finds out about them^p.7
  • Has a sister, Mrs potter, but they haven’t met for several years^p.7
  • Pretends she doesn’t have a sister^p.7
  • Knows the Potters have a son, but has never seen this boy, her nephew^p.7
  • Doesn’t want Dudley mixing with a child like the Potters’^p.7
  • Gets upset at any mention of her sister^p.9
  • Is called Petunia^p.11
  • Beady-eyed^p.13
  • Will put the milk bottles out and scream at the sight of Harry, waking him^p.18
  • Dialogue tags (other than plain said/asked/etc):
    said sharply^p.11,
    snapped^p.11,
    said stiffly^p.11
• ▶  Dudley Dursley^p.7
  • Lives on number four, Privet Drive^p.7
  • Is the small son of Mr and Mrs (Petunia^p.11) Dursley^p.7
  • Has a tantrum and throws cereal at the walls^p.8
  • Learns the word ‘Shan’t!’^p.10
  • McGonagall saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, sceaming for sweets^p.15
  • Will spend the next few weeks prodding and poking his nephew^p.18
• ▶  Mrs (Lily^p.14) Potter^p.7
  • Is Mrs Dursley’s sister^p.7, whom she hasn’t met for several years^p.7
  • Is married to Mr Potter^p.7
  • Is as unDursleyish as it is possible to be^p.7
  • Has a small son^p.7, named Harry^p.9/11/15
  • Is called Lily^p.14
• ▶  Mr (James^p.14) Potter^p.7
  • Is married to Mrs Potter^p.7
  • Is good for nothing, according to the Dursleys^p.7
  • Is as unDursleyish as it is possible to be^p.7
  • Has a small son^p.7, named Harry^p.9/11/15
  • Is called James^p.14
• ▶  Harry^p.9/11/15 Potter^p.7
  • Is the small son of Mr and Mrs Potter^p.7
  • Is called Harry^p.9/11/15
  • Wrapped in blankets; a bundle. He is just visible inside them^p.17
  • Has a tuft of jet-black hair^p.16
  • Has a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning on his forehead, visible under his hair. He’ll have the scar for ever^p.17
  • Will spend the next few weeks being prodded and poked by his nephew^p.18
• ▶  Professor McGonagall^p.13 (first appears as a tabby cat^p.8)
  • Is a tabby cat who can read maps and street signs^p.8
  • As a cat, stares at people^p.8 and gives stern looks^p.10
  • As a cat, has (square^p.13) markings around the eyes^p.10, exactly like the glasses she wears as a woman^p.13
  • Is a severe-looking woman wearing square glasses and an emerald cloak^p.13
  • Has black hair drawn into a tight bun^p.13
  • Says even the Muggles have noticed something is going on, and that they're 'not completely stupid’^p.13
  • Flinches at the first time Voldemort’s name is mentioned^p.14, but uses it without problems after Dumbledore tells her to^p.14
  • Uses the idioms 'how in the name of heaven’, 'of all places’,^p.15
  • Has a lace handkerchief^p.15
  • Dialogue tags (other than plain said/asked/etc):
    said impatiently^p.13,
    said irritably^p.13,
    said coldly^p.14,
    said, sounding half-exasperated, half-admiring^p.14,
    pressed on^p.14,
    faltered^p.15,
    cried^p.15,
    repeated faintly^p.15,
    said grudgingly^p.16,
    whispered^{p.16, x2},
    hissed^p.17
• ▶  A lot of strangely dressed people^p.8
  • They wear cloaks^p.8/9
  • A huddle of them stand close to Mr Dursley while he is in his usual morning traffic jam^p.8
  • They whisper excitedly^p.8/9
  • A couple of them are not young at all^p.8. One man, in an emerald-green cloak, has to be older than Mr Dursley^p.8
  • A group of them stand next to the baker’s across the road from Grunnings at lunch-time^p.9. They say: ‘The Potters, that’s right, that’s what I heard –’, ‘– yes, their son, Harry –’^p.9
• ▶  People down in the street, who spot owls^p.9
  • The people down in the street outside Grunnings point and gaze open-mouthed as owl after owl speeds overhead^p.9
  • Most of them have never seen an owl even at night-time^p.9
• ▶  People who interact with Mr Dursley for work^p.9
  • Five different people who are yelled at by Mr Dursley. He also makes several important telephone calls^p.9
  • A secretary, whom Mr Dursley snaps at not to disturb him^p.9
• ▶  Tiny old man in a violet cloak^p.9
  • Mr Dursley walks straight into him as he leaves Grunnings at five o’clock^p.9. He stumbles and almost falls^p.9
  • Wears a violet cloak^p.9
  • Is not at all upset about almost being knocked to the ground^p.9. His face splits into a wide smile and he says: ‘Don’t be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!’^p.10
  • Has a squeaky voice that makes passers-by stare^p.10
  • Hugs Mr Dursley around the middle before walking off^p.10
  • Dialogue tags (other than plain said/asked/etc):
    said in a squeaky voice that made passers-by stare^p.10
• ▶  Voldemort^p.14 (first appears as You-Know-Who^p.10)
  • First mentioned: ‘Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!’^p.10
  • Is the reason they've had 'precious little to celebrate for eleven years'^p.13
  • Last night, he has gone/disappeared at last^p.10/13 on that very day^p.13
  • Dumbledore has been trying to get people to say Voldemort for eleven years^p.14
  • According to Dumbledore, Voldemort has powers he will never have. According to McGonagall, this is only because Dumbledore is to noble to use them^p.14
  • It ‘certainly seems’ that Voldemort really has gone^p.13, after eleven years^.13
  • Is only frightened of Dumbledore^p.14
  • They say that 'last night', Voldemort went to Godric's Hollow to find the Potters. Lily and James Potter are dead^p.14. He tried to kill Harry Potter, but couldn't. When he tried to kill the little boy, Voldemort's power broke, and that’s why he’s gone^p.15
• ▶  Mrs Next Door and her daughter^p.10
  • Has trouble with her daughter^p.10
• ▶  The news reader and weatherman^p.10
  • The weatherman is called Jim McGuffin^p.10
  • The news reader is called Ted^p.10. First introduced: ‘Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern.’ The news reader allowed himself a grin. ‘Most mysterious.’^p.10
• ▶  Albus Dumbledore^p.12
  • Nothing like him has ever been seen in Privet Drive^p.12
  • Is very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard (both long enough to tuck into his belt)^p.12
  • Is tall and thin. Has light, bight, sparkling blue eyes and a very long and crooked nose, as though it has been broken at least twice^p.12
  • Wears long robes, a purple cloak that sweeps the ground and high-heeled buckled boots^p.12. His cloak has an inside pocket^p.13: he rummages in his cloak for the Put-Outer and also puts it back in his cloak^p.12–13. He later takes a golden watch ‘from his pocket’^p.15
  • Wears half-moon spectacles^p.12
  • Is named Albus Dumbledore, and doesn't seem to realise he has just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots is unwelcome^p.12
  • Uses the idiom: 'Fancy seeing you here'^p.13
  • According to Dumbledore, Voldemort has powers he will never have. According to McGonagall, this is only because Dumbledore is to noble to use them^p.14
  • Is the only one Voldemort is frightened of^p.14
  • Has a scar above his left knee which is a perfect map of the London Underground^p.17
  • Dialogue tags (other than plain said/asked/etc):
    muttered^p.12,
    said gently^p.13,
    said calmly^p.14,
    said heavily^p.15,
    said firmly^p.15,
    said, sounding relieved^p.16,
    said finally^p.17,
    murmured^p.18
sobbed, said in a very muffled voice p17 saying in hushed voices p18
• ▶  Dedalus Diggle^p.13
  • McGonagall thinks he is responsible for the shooting stars down in Kent^p.13
  • McGonagall thinks he never had much sense^p.13
• ▶  Madam Pomfrey^p.14
  • Alledgedly told Dumbledore she likes his new earmuffs, causing him to blush^p.14
• ▶  The people Voldemort has killed^p.15
  • This includes Lily and James Potter, but not Harry^p.14–15
  • Includes many more people: 'After all the people he's killed'^p.15
• ▶  Hagrid^p.16
  • Is bringing Harry Potter to Privet Drive^p.16
  • McGonagall thinks he is careless, and doesn’t think it wise to rust Hagrid with something as important as this, though she isn’t saying his heart isn’t in the right place^p.16
  • Dumbledore would trust Hagrid with his life^p.16
  • Is almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. His hands arwe the size of dustbin lids and his feet are like baby dolphins. Has vast, muscular arms^p.16
  • Wears leather boots^p.16
  • Long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hide most of his face^p.16
  • Great, shaggy head^p.17
  • Has a large, spotted handkerchief^p.17
  • Wears a jacket^p.17
• ▶  Sirius Black^p.16
  • Lent Hagrid the motorbike^p.16
• ▶  People meeting in secret^p.18
  • All over the country, at around midnight, people meet in secret, holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: ‘To Harry Potter – the boy who lived!’^p.18

Places

• ▶  (number four), Privet Drive^p.7
  • Mr, Mrs and Dudley Dursley live on numebr four, Privet Drive^p.7
  • The gardens have fences^p.7 Mrs Dursley cranes over^p.7
  • Number four has a drive(way)^p.8/10
  • The corner of the street has a sign that says Privet Drive^p.8
  • The front^p.11 garden of number four has a (low^p.17) wall^p.10. Dumbledore steps over it^p.17
  • Number four has a living-room with a television^p.10,. It also has an armchair^p.11
  • Number four has at least one upstairs bedroom^p.11, with a window overlooking the front garden^p.11
  • Number four has an upstairs bathroom^p.11
  • There is a street next to it^p.12
  • Number four has a doorstep^p.17
  • Privet Drive has two corners^p.18
  • There are neat hedges^p.18
• ▶  Grunnings^p.7
  • A firm that makes drills^p.7
  • Mr Dursley is the director^p.7
  • Has a car park^p.8
  • Mr Dursley’s office is on the ninth floor^p.8
  • There is a baker’s across the road from Grunnings^p.9
• ▶  Godric’s Hollow^p.14
  • Mentioned as the place Voldemort turned up in to find the Potters^p.14 The Potters’ house was almost destroyed^p.16

Other

• ▶  Put-Outer^p.7
  • Seems to be a silver cigarette lighter^p.12
  • Flicks open. Dumbledore holds it up in the air and clicks it. The nearst street lamp goes out with a little pop^p.12
  • When he clicks it before leaving, the lights go back to the street lamps they came from^p.18
• ▶  Sherbet lemons^p.13
  • A Muggle sweet Dumbledore is rather fond of^p.13
  • McGonagall doesn’t know what it is^p.13
• ▶  Dumbledore’s watch^p.15
  • A golden watch. Very odd. Twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets move around the edge^p.15
  • Makes sense to Dumbledore^p.15
• ▶  Sirius Black’s motorbike^p.16
  • Produces a low, rumbling sound that swells to a roar^p.16
  • Is huge, falls out of the air as it lands on the road^p.16
  • Hagrid borrowed it from Sirius^p.16

Events

• ▶  Harry Potter wakes up^p.19
  • It is nearly ten years later^p.19. It is Dudley’s Birthday^p.20
  • Petunia raps on the door to wake him up^p.19. She wants him to look after the bacon^p.19
  • Harry had a dream about a flying motorbike^p.19
  • He gets out of bed and looks for socks. Finds a pair under his bed and pulls off a spider^p.20
• ▶  Breakfast and presents^p.20
  • The kitchen table is almost hidden beneath presents: new computer, racing bike, second television^p.20
  • Harry is turning the bacon as Vernon enters and tells him to comb his hair^p.21
  • Harry is frying eggs by the time Dudley and Petunia enter the kitchen^p.21
  • Dudley counts his presents as Harry puts the plates of egg and bacon in the table, which is difficult because there isn’t much room^p.21
  • Dudley goes red in the face because there are only thirty-seven presents. Harry begins wolfing down his bacon in case Dudley overturns the table^p.21
  • Petunia promises to buy Dudley two more presents later that day, making it thirty-nine^p.21
  • The telephone rings. Petunia answers it while Vernon and Harry watch Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a cine-camera, a remote-control aeroplane, sixteen new computer games, a video recorder and a gold wristwatch^p.21. Petunia comes back with the news that Mrs Figg has broken her leg and can’t take Harry. She is angry and worried^p.21
  • Harry is excited at the prospect of it being a full year before he has to look at Mrs Figg’s cats again: Tibbles, Snowy, Mr Paws, and Tufty^p.22
  • Petunia and Vernon discuss options for Harry (Marge, Yvonne)^p.22 Harry suggests they leave him at home, hoping he can watch what he wants on the television or have a go on Dudley’s computer^p.22
  • Petunia won’t have him stay at home, afraid she’ll find the house in ruins upon return^p.22, Vernon won’t have him in the car unsupervised; the car is new^p.22
  • Dudley fake-cries because he knows Petunia will give him what he wants if he does that^p.22 and he doesn’t want Harry to come^p.22
• ▶  The zoo^p.22–27
  • The doorbell rings. Piers Polkiss and his mother come in^p.22. Dudley stops pretending to cry^p.23
  • Half an hour later, Harry sits in the back of the car with Dudley and Piers^p.23
  • Vernon took Harry aside before leaving, warning him not to do any funny business, or he’d be in his cupboard until Christmas^p.23
  • Vernon complains about motorbikes to Petunia while driving^p.24. Harry mentions his dream, and Vernon nearly crashes into the car in front^p.24, yelling that motorbikes don’t fly^p.24
  • It’s a very sunny Saturday and the zoo is crowded with families^p.24. The Dursleys buy Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice-creams and Harry gets a cheap lemon ice lolly^p.24. They see a gorilla scratching its head; Harry thinks it looks remarkably like Dudley, except that it isn’t blond^p.24
  • Harry has the best morning in a long time. He walks a little way away from Dudley and Piers so they wouldn’t fall back on hitting him when they got bored of the animals by lunch-tme^p.24
  • They eat in the zoo restaurant. Dudley throws a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory isn’t big enough. Harry gets to finish it while the Dursleys get Dudley a new one^p.24–25
  • They go to the reptile house after lunch. It is cool and dark, with lit windows along the walls. Behind the glass are lizards and snakes, crawling and slithering over wood and stone. Dudley and Piers want to see man-crushing pythons and poisonous cobras and Dudley quickly found the largest snake: 'It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon’s car and crushed it into a dust-bin’^p.25. It is asleep, and doesn’t budge when Vernon raps on the glass^p.25
  • Harry looks intently at the snake, and thinks bout how he, at least, gets to visit the rest of the house. The snake opens its beady eyes and raises its head slowly until it is level with Harry’s. It winks. Harry winks back. The snake nonverbally complains about the Dursleys, and Harry sympathises with it out loud^p.25. Harry asks where the snake comes from. The snake points at the sign: Boa Constrictor, Brazil. Harry asks if it was nice there, but the snake was bred in captivity^p.26
  • Piers sees the snake and Harry talking and interrupts, calling Vernon and Dudley over. Dudley punches Harry out of the way, and Harry falls on the concrete floor. Piers and Dudley lean right up close to the glass, then leap back with howls of horror: the glass has vanished^p.26. The boa constrictor uncoils itself quickly ans slithers out onto the floor. People scream and run for the exits. The snake hisses: ‘Brazil, here I come … Thanksss, amigo,’ as it passes Harry^p.26. It snapped playfully at Dudley and Piers’ heels but the story has grown into them being nearly crushed to death by the time they get back to the car. Piers notes that Harry was talking to it^p.26
  • After Piers has left, Vernon starts on Harry, too angry to speak. He sends him to his cupboard and collapses into a chair, Petunia running to get him a brandy^p.26
  • Harry cannot risk sneaking into the kitchen to get some food until the Dursleys are asleep. He wishes he has a watch to check the time^p.27. He thinks about his parents’ deaths, and the strangers in the street that seemed to know him sometimes^p.27

Recurring Characters

• ▶  Mr Dursley^p.7
  • Is called Vernon^p.20
  • Barks at Harry to comb his hair, which he does about once a week (looking over the top of his newspaper and saying Harry needs a haircut)^p.20
  • Looks like Dudley^p.21
  • Has a new car^p.22
  • When angry, his large face is purple^p.23, or 'a gigantic beetroot with a moustache’^p.24
• ▶  Mrs (Petunia^p.11) Dursley^p.7
  • Has a shrill voice, screeches^p.19
  • Tells Harry his parents died in a car crash, which gave him his scar, and tells him not to ask questions^p.20
  • Uses the idiom 'Oh, Good Lord’^p.22
• ▶  Dudley Dursley^p.7
  • Looked like a large pink beach ball as a baby^p.19
  • Large, blond^p.19
  • Is very fat and hates exercise, unless it involves punching someone^p.20
  • Is about four times bigger than Harry^p.20
  • Looks a lot like Venron: large, pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, thick, blond hair that lies smoothly on his thick, fat head^p.21
  • Petunia says he looks like a baby angel. Harry says he looks like a pig in a wig^p.20
  • Is called Duddy^p.20, Darling^p.21, Popkin^p.21, Sweetums^p.21 and Dinky Duddydums^p.22 by his mother
  • On his birthday, his parents take him and a friend out for the day, for example to an adventure park, hamburger bar, or the cinema^p.22
• ▶  Harry^p.9/11/15 Potter^p.7
  • Sleeps in the cupboard under the stairs^p.20
  • Is Dudley’s favourite punch-bag^p.20
  • Is very fast, though he doesn’t look it^p.20
  • Has always been small and skinny for his age^p.20
  • Looks even smaller and skinnier than he really is because he wears Dudley’s hand-me-downs, and Dudley is about four times bigger than he is^p.20
  • Has a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair and bright-green eyes^p.20
  • Wears round glasses held together with Sellotape because of all the times Dudley punched him on the nose^p.20
  • Harry only likes the very thin scar on his forehead, shaped like a bolt of lightning^p.20
  • Must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together^p.21
  • His hair grows all over the place^p.21
  • His aunt and uncle often talk about him as though he were something very nasty that can’t understand them, like a slug^p.22
  • Has never been to the zoo before in his life^p.23
  • Once, tired that he came back from the barber’s looking as though he hadn’t been at all, cut his hair with kitchen scissors. She cut it so short he was almost bald except for a fringe to hide that horrible scar. The Dursleys laughed at him, but by morning it looked the same as before Petunia started. He got a week in his cupboard for this^p.23
  • He is laughed at at school for his baggy clothes and Sellotaped glasses^p.23. Everyone knows Dudley’s gang hated him and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley’s gang, so Harry has no friends^p.27
  • Once, Petunia tried to put him in 'a revolting old jumper of Dudley’s (brown withorange bobbles)’, and it shrunk as she tried to pull it over his head. Petunia decided it must have shrunk in the wash and Harry wasn’t punished^p.23
  • Once, he tried to escape Dudley’s gang and wanted to jump behind the bins outside the kitchen doors^p.24, but found himself on top of the roof instead. Harry thinks it must have been the wind, the Dursleys got an angry letter from Harry’s headmistress saying he’d been climbing school buildings. Harry got into terrible trouble for this^p.23.
  • His aunt and uncle hate it when Harry talks about anything acting in a way it shouldn’t, even in dreams or cartoons, as if they think it would give him dangerous ideas^p.24
  • Hasn’t got a watch^p.27
  • Can see a blinnding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead if he strains his memory^p.27
  • Cannot remember his parents at all. There are no photographs of them in the house and he is forbidden to ask questions, so cannot ask about them either. The Dursleys never talk about them^p.27
  • Strangers in the street seem to recognise him sometimes: A tiny man in a violet top hat, who bowed at him in a shop. A wild-looking old woman dressed in all green, waving merrily at him on a bus. A bald man in a long purple coat shook his hand in the street 'the other day’ and walked away without a word. They all vanish the second Harry tries to get a better look^p.27
• ▶  Mrs (Lily^p.14) Potter^p.7
  • Supposedly died in a car crash^p.20
• ▶  Mr (James^p.14) Potter^p.7
  • Supposedly died in a car crash^p.20
• ▶  Dedalus Diggle^p.13 (appears as 'tiny man in a violet top hat’^p.27)
  • Bows to Harry in a shop. Petunia rushes Harry out of the shop without buying anything^p.27

New Characters

• ▶  Mrs Figg^p.21
  • Has broken her leg^p.21
  • Is a 'mad old lady’, watches over Harry while the Dursleys go out for Dudley’s birthday^p.21/22. Makes Harry look at pictures of all the cats she’s ever owned^p.22
  • Lives two streets away. The house (living-room^p.24) smells of cabbage^p.22
  • Sees Harry once a year^p.22
  • Her cats are called Tibbles, Snowy, Mr Paws, and Tufty^p.22
• ▶  (Auntie) Marge^p.21
  • Dudley’s aunt^p.21
  • Hates Harry^p.22
• ▶  Yvonne^p.22
  • Petunia’s friend^p.22
  • Is on holiday in Majorca^p.22
• ▶  Piers Polkiss^p.22
  • Is Dudley’s best friend^p.22
  • Comes into number four with his mother^p.22
  • Is scrawny and has a face like a rat^p.22
  • Is usually the one who holds people’s arms behind their backs as Dudley hit them^p.22–23)
• ▶  The headmistress^p.23
  • Headmistress of the priomary school Harry and Dudley go to^p.23
  • Wrote an angry letter to the Dursleys, thinking Harry had been climbing school buildings^p.23
• ▶  Dudley’s gang^p.23
  • Dudley and his friends^p.23. Nobody likes to disagree with them^p.27
• ▶  'Hoodlum’ on a motorbike^p.24
  • Overtakes the Dursleys, causing Vernon to complain about motorbikes^p.24
• ▶  People at the zoo^p.24
  • The zoo is crowded with families^p.24
  • A smiling lady in the ice-cream van asks Harry what he’d like^p.24
  • Visitors at the reptile house scream and run when the boa constrictor leaves the tank^p.26
  • The keeper of the reptile house is in shock and doesn’t understand where the glass has gone^p.26
  • The zoo director makes Petunia a cup of strong tea and apologises over and over^p.26
• ▶  Strange strangers that seem to know Harry^p.27
  • A wild-looking old woman dressed in all green. Waved merrily at Harry on a bus^p.27
  • A bald man in a very long purple coat. Shook Harry’s hand in the street and walked away without a word^p.27
  • All seem to vanish the second Harry tries to get a second look^p.27

Recurring Places

• ▶  (number four), Privet Drive^p.7
  • Privet Drive has hardly changed^p.19
  • The front gardens are (still) tiny^p.19
  • Number four has a brass number four on the front door^p.19
  • The living-room of number four is at the front of the house^p.19
  • There are many photographs in the living-room of number four^p.19, ten years ago of 'what looked like a large pink beachball wearing different-coloured bobble hats’^p.19, now of Dudley riding his first bicycle, on a roundabout at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother^p.19
  • Number four shows no sign Harry Potter lives there^p.19
  • Has a kitchen^p.19 with a table in it^p.19
  • Has a hall which leads to the kitchen^p.20. Kitchen is near enough to the stairs for the sound of the frying pan being put on the cooker to be audible from the cupboard under the stairs^p.19/20

New Places

• ▶  Mrs Figg’s house^p.22
  • Her house (living-room^p.) smells of cabbage^p.22
  • There are a lot of photographs of all the cats she’s ever owned^p.22
• ▶  Primary school^p.23
  • has kitchens with a roof and a chimney Harry was found sitting on^p.23
  • There are big bins outside the kitchen doors. Harry intended to jump behind them when he ended up on the roof^p.24
• ▶  The zoo^p.14
  • There is an ice-cream van at the entrance, selling at least large chocolate ice-creams and cheap lemon ice lollies^p.24
  • Near the entrance is a gorilla^p.24
  • There is a restaurant at the zoo, which sells at least knickerbocker glories^p.24
  • There is a reptile house. It is cool and dark in there, with lit windows along the walls. All sorts of lizards and snakes crawl and slither over bits of stone and wood behind the glass in their tanks. The largest snake in the reptile house is the boa constrictor Harry sets free. The snake has glistening brown coils^p.25
  • The floor in the reptile house is concrete^p.26. The reptile house has exits, plural^p.26

Other

• ▶  Dudley’s presents^p.20–21
  • It looks like Dudley got the new computer he wanted, and a second television^p.20>. He also got a racing bike, a cine-camera, a remote-control aeroplane, sixteen new computer games, a video recorder and a gold wristwatch^p.21
  • There are thirty-seven presents in the kitchen, one less than last year. Petunia promises to buy two more when they are out^p.21
• ▶  Vernon’s new car^p.23
  • Seats at least five people^p.23

Events

• ▶  The summer holidays^p.28–32
  • Harry only is allowed out of his cupboard by the time the summer holidays have started. It was his longest-ever punishment^p.28
  • Dudley has already broken his new cine-camera, crashed his remote-control aeroplane and knocked down Mrs Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches^p.28
  • Dudley's friends visit the house every day. Harry spends as much time as possible outside. He looks forward to going to Stonewall High, because he'll be without Dudley^p.28
  • One day in July, Petunia and Dudley go to London to buy Dudley's Smeltings uniform^p.28. Harry stays at Mrs Figg's, who lets him watch television and gave him stale chocolate cake. She isn't as fond of her cats as before because she broke her leg tripping over one of them^p.28
  • Dudley parades around the living-room that evening, showing off his new uniform: maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, flat straw hats (boaters), and a knobbly stick for hitting each other^p.29
  • The next morning, when Harry goes into the kitchen for breakfast, there is a horrible smell coming from a large metal tub in the sink; Petunia is dying some of Dudley's old things grey to make up Harry's new school uniform^p.29
  • Harry sits down at the table. Vernon and Dudley enter and also sit down. Dudley bangs his Smeltings stick on the table; Vernon reads the newspaper. Then the post arrives^p.29
  • Harry gets the post. Three things lie on the doormat: a postcard from Marge, a bill, and a thick, heavy envelope made of yellowish parchment, addressed in emerald-green ink:
    Mr H. Potter
    The Cupboard under the Stairs
    4 Privet Drive
    Little Whinging
    Surrey
    At the back of the envelope is a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms: a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter ‘H’^p.30
  • Harry goes back to the kitchen, still staring at his letter. He hands Vernon the bill and postcard, sits down, and slowly begins opening the envelope. He is about to unfold the letter, which is written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when Dudley tells Vernon that Harry has a letter. Vernon jerks it out of Harry's hand^p.30
  • Vernon's face goes from red to green to the greyish white of old porridge as he looks at the letter^p.30–31. Vernon calls Petunia. Dudley tries to look at the letter but Venon holds it out of reach. Petunia reads the first line, then looks as though she might faint. Dudley gives Vernon a sharp tap on the head with his Smeltings stick; he wants to read it. So does Harry. But Vernon throws them both out of the kitchen by the scruffs of their necks^p.31
  • Harry and Dudley fight over who gets to listen at the keyhole. Dudley wins, Harry lies flat on his stomach, his glasses dangling from one ear, to listen at the crack between the door and the floor^p.31
  • Vernon and Petunia discuss the possibility they're being watched, followed, based on Harry's sleeping place on the address. Petunia suggests writing back to decline the Hogwarts placement, but Vernon says it's better to do nothing^p.31
  • Vernon visits Harry in his cupboard after work that evening, telling Harry he burnt the letter and that it was addressed to him by mistake^p.32. Harry argues that it couldn't be; it had his cupboard on it, to which Vernon says it's time he moves out of the cupboard and into Dudley's second bedroom because he's 'getting a bit big' for the cupboard. He has to move his stuff upstairs immediately^p.32
  • It only takes Harry one trip to bring all his things up to Dudley's second bedroom, where Dudley keeps all his broken things^p.32. Dudley is bawling at his mother downstairs, saying he needs the bedroom and doesn't want Harry in there. Harry doesn't either. He just wants that letter^p.32
• ▶  The letter situation escalates^p.32–35
  • The next morning, at breakfast, everyone is quiet^p.32. Dudley is in shock because he has done everything but still didn't get his bedroom back (whacked his father with his Smeltings stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother, threw his tortoise through the greenhouse roof). Harry wishes he opened the letter in the hall yesterday^p.33
  • Dudley has to get the post when it arrives. He bangs things with his Smeltings stick the entire way, then shouts that there's another letter: Mr H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive^p.33. Harry and Vernon both run to the hall. Vernon wrestles Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, and Harry grabs Vernon by the neck from behind to try and get the letter himself. Vernon wins the fight, and sends Harry to his bedroom, and tell Dudley to 'just go'^p.33
  • Harry paces his room, and has a plan. The next morning, the repaired alarm clock rang at six in the morning. Harry quickly turns it off and quietly gets dressed, then goes downstairs without turning on the lights. he intends to wait on the corner for the postman, but as he creeps across the hall to the front door, he steps on something big ans squashy on the dorrmat: Vernon's face^p.33
  • Vernon shouts at Harry for half an hour then tells harry to make him a cup of tea. By the time Harry comes back from the kitchen, the post arrived, into Vernon's lap: three letters in green ink. Vernon tears them into pieces^p.34
  • Vernon doesn't go to work. He stays at home, nailing up the letter-box, telling Petunia that they'll give up if they can't deliver the letters. Petunia doesn't think that'll work, but Vernon is losing it and says it will, because 'these people's minds work in strange ways. They're not like you and me', and tries to knock in a nail with Petunia's fruit cake^p.34
  • Twelve letters arrive on Friday, pushed under the door, slotted through the sides, even a few forced through the small window in the downstairs toilet^p.34. Uncle Vernon again stays at home, burning all the letters and boarding up the cracks around the front and back doors. No one can get out. He hums ‘Tiptoe through the Tulips’ as he works and jumps at small noises^p.34
  • Things 'begin to get out of hand' on Saturday, with twenty-four letters rolled up and hidden inside each of the two-dozen eggs that the very confused milkman handed Petunia through the living-room window^p.34. Vernon makes angry telephone calls the post office and diary, trying to find someone to complain to. Petunia shreds the letters in the food mixer. Dudley is amazed someone would want to talk to Harry this badly^p.34
  • Vernon looks tired and ill, but happy, on Sunday, reminding everyone happily that there is no post on Sundays^p.34 as the spreads marmelade on his newspapers. Then something comes whizzing down the kitchen chimney, catching him on the back of his head. Thirty or forty letters pelt out of the fireplace. The Dudleys duck, but Harry leaps into the air to try and catch one^p.35
  • Vernon seizes HArry around the waist, throwing him into the hall^p.35 Dudley and Petunia also run into the hall, their arms over their faces, and Vernon slams the kitchen door shut. More and more letters still stream into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor^p.34
  • Vernon pulls tufts out of his moustache and tells everyone to go pack some clothes and be back in five minutes. they're leaving^p.35. No one dares argue, so they're in the car ten minutes later, having wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors. they're speeding towards the motorway. Dudley is sniffling in the back seat because Vernon hit him round the head for trying to pack his television, video and computer in his sports bag^p.35
• ▶  the Dursleys flee Privet Drive^p.35–38
  • They drive and even Petunia doesn't dare ask whereto. Vernon takes a sharp turn every once in a while and drives in the opposite direction for a bit, muttering ‘Shake ’em off … shake ’em off,’^p.35. they don't stop to eat or drink all day. Dudley is howling by nightfall, hungry and having missed five television programmes. He never went so long without playing computer games either^p.35
  • They stop outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Harry and Dudley share a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Dudley snores, but Harry stays up, sitting on the window-sill, staring down at the lights of passing cars^p.35p.23
  • They eat stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast next morning. They just finish eating when the owner of the hotel comes to their table, holding up a letter addressed in green ink:
    Mr H. Potter
    Room 17
    Railview Hotel
    Cokeworth^p.36
  • Harry tries to take the letter but Vernon knocks his hand out of the way. The woman stares. Vernon says he'll take the letters and follows her out of the dining-room^p.36
  • Hours later, Petunia suggests going home^p.36. Vernon doesn't seem to hear her, looking for something, driving them into the middle of a forest and getting out of the car, looking around, shaking his head, and driving them off again.^p.36. He does this again in the middle of a ploughed field and at the top of a multi-storey car park^p.36
  • ‘Daddy’s gone mad, hasn’t he?’ asks Dudley dully late that afternoon, when Vernon parks at the coast, locking them all inside the car, and disappears. It's raining and Dudley is sniffling: it's Monday and the Great Humberto is on that night. He wants to stay somewhere with a television^p.36. Harry realises it's Tuesday tomorrow because of that: his eleventh birthday^p.36. Then Vernon comes back, carrying a long, thin package. he doesn't answer Petunia when she asks what he's bought^p.36–37
  • Vernon says he's found the perfect place and tells them all to get out. It is cold out. Vernon points at what looks like a large rock way out at sea, with the most miserable little shack perched atop it^p.37
  • There is a storm forecast for the night^p.37. They reach the stack with an old rowing-boat. The way to the rock seems to take hours and is very cold, with icy sea spray and rain creeping down their necks. Chilly wind whips their faces^p.37
  • Vernon slips and slides as he shows them the way to the broken-down house on the rock^p.37. The house smells like seaweed. The wind whistles through the gaps in the wooden walls. The fireplace is damp and empty. There are only two rooms^p.37
  • They eat a packet of crisps each. Vernon also brought four bananas. Vernon tries to start a fire with the crisp packages but they just smoked and shrivelled up^p.37. TVernon jokes they could do with some letters^p.37. He is in a very good mood, thinking nobody stood a chance of going through the storm to deliver post to them here. Harry agrees, but it doesn't cheer him up at all^p.37
  • Night falls and the promised storm blows up all around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls and a fierce wind rattles the windows. Petunia found a few mouldy blankets in the second room and makes a bed with them on the moth-eaten sofa for Dudley. Vernon and Petunia sleep in the lumpy bed in the second room. Harry is left to the softest bit of floor and the thinnest, most ragged blanket^p.37
  • The storm rages more and more ferociously as night goes on. Harry can't sleep. He can't get comfortable and his stomach rumbles with hunger^p.37–38. Dudley snores and thunder starts near midnight. Harry can see the lightest dial of Dudley's watch, which dangles over the edge of the sofa. It's Harry's birthday in ten minutes. Harry watches his birthday approach, wondering if the Dursleys remember it, and where the letter-writer is^p.38. Something creaks outside at five minutes to midnight, and Harry hopes the roof won't fall in. At four minutes to go, he hopes number four, Privet Drive will be full enough with letters when they get back that he can steal one. At three minutes to go, Harry wonders if it is the sea slapping against rock. At two minutes to go, he hears a funny crunching noise and thinks it might be the rock crumbling into the sea. At exactly midnight there is a huge BOOM, the shack shivers, and Harry sits bolt upright: someone is outside, knocking to come in^p.38

Recurring Characters

• ▶  Mr Dursley^p.7
  • Is called Vernon^p.20
  • Barks at Harry to comb his hair, which he does about once a week (looking over the top of his newspaper and saying Harry needs a haircut)^p.20
  • Looks like Dudley^p.21
  • Has a new car^p.22
  • When angry, his large face is purple^p.23, or 'a gigantic beetroot with a moustache'^p.24
  • ^p.22p.22
  • ^p.29
  • ^p.29
  • ^p.29
• ▶  Mrs (Petunia^p.11) Dursley^p.7
  • Has a shrill voice, screeches^p.19
  • Tells Harry his parents died in a car crash, which gave him his scar, and tells him not to ask questions^p.20
  • Uses the idiom 'Oh, Good Lord'^p.22
• ▶  Dudley Dursley^p.7
  • Looked like a large pink beach ball as a baby^p.19
  • Large, blond^p.19
  • Is very fat and hates exercise, unless it involves punching someone^p.20
  • Is about four times bigger than Harry^p.20
  • Looks a lot like Venron: large, pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, thick, blond hair that lies smoothly on his thick, fat head^p.21
  • Petunia says he looks like a baby angel. Harry says he looks like a pig in a wig^p.20
  • Is called Duddy^p.20, Darling^p.21, Popkin^p.21, Sweetums^p.21 and Dinky Duddydums^p.22 by his mother
  • On his birthday, his parents take him and a friend out for the day, for example to an adventure park, hamburger bar, or the cinema^p.22
• ▶  Harry^p.9/11/15 Potter^p.7
  • Sleeps in the cupboard under the stairs^p.20
  • Is Dudley's favourite punch-bag^p.20
  • Is very fast, though he doesn't look it^p.20
  • Has always been small and skinny for his age^p.20
  • Looks even smaller and skinnier than he really is because he wears Dudley's hand-me-downs, and Dudley is about four times bigger than he is^p.20
  • Has a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair and bright-green eyes^p.20
  • Wears round glasses held together with Sellotape because of all the times Dudley punched him on the nose^p.20
  • Harry only likes the very thin scar on his forehead, shaped like a bolt of lightning^p.20
  • Must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together^p.21
  • His hair grows all over the place^p.21
  • His aunt and uncle often talk about him as though he were something very nasty that can't understand them, like a slug^p.22
  • Has never been to the zoo before in his life^p.23
  • Once, tired that he came back from the barber's looking as though he hadn't been at all, cut his hair with kitchen scissors. She cut it so short he was almost bald except for a fringe to hide that horrible scar. The Dursleys laughed at him, but by morning it looked the same as before Petunia started. He got a week in his cupboard for this^p.23
  • He is laughed at at school for his baggy clothes and Sellotaped glasses^p.23. Everyone knows Dudley's gang hated him and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang, so Harry has no friends^p.27
  • Once, Petunia tried to put him in a 'revolting old jumper of Dudley's (brown withorange bobbles)', and it shrunk as she tried to pull it over his head. Petunia decided it must have shrunk in the wash and Harry wasn't punished^p.23
  • Once, he tried to escape Dudley's gang and wanted to jump behind the bins outside the kitchen doors^p.24, but found himself on top of the roof instead. Harry thinks it must have been the wind, the Dursleys got an angry letter from Harry's headmistress saying he'd been climbing school buildings. Harry got into terrible trouble for this^p.23.
  • His aunt and uncle hate it when Harry talks about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, even in dreams or cartoons, as if they think it would give him dangerous ideas^p.24
  • Hasn't got a watch^p.27
  • Can see a blinnding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead if he strains his memory^p.27
  • Cannot remember his parents at all. There are no photographs of them in the house and he is forbidden to ask questions, so cannot ask about them either. The Dursleys never talk about them^p.27
  • Strangers in the street seem to recognise him sometimes: A tiny man in a violet top hat, who bowed at him in a shop. A wild-looking old woman dressed in all green, waving merrily at him on a bus. A bald man in a long purple coat shook his hand in the street 'the other day' and walked away without a word. They all vanish the second Harry tries to get a better look^p.27
• ▶  Mrs (Lily^p.14) Potter^p.7
  • Supposedly died in a car crash^p.20
• ▶  Mr (James^p.14) Potter^p.7
  • Supposedly died in a car crash^p.20
• ▶  Dedalus Diggle^p.13 (appears as 'tiny man in a violet top hat'^p.27)
  • Bows to Harry in a shop. Petunia rushes Harry out of the shop without buying anything^p.27

New Characters

• ▶  Mrs Figg^p.21
  • Has broken her leg^p.21
  • Is a 'mad old lady', watches over Harry while the Dursleys go out for Dudley's birthday^p.21/22. Makes Harry look at pictures of all the cats she's ever owned^p.22
  • Lives two streets away. The house (living-room^p.24) smells of cabbage^p.22
  • Sees Harry once a year^p.22
  • Her cats are called Tibbles, Snowy, Mr Paws, and Tufty^p.22
• ▶  (Auntie) Marge^p.21
  • Dudley's aunt^p.21
  • Hates Harry^p.22
• ▶  Yvonne^p.22
  • Petunia's friend^p.22
  • Is on holiday in Majorca^p.22
• ▶  Piers Polkiss^p.22
  • Is Dudley's best friend^p.22
  • Comes into number four with his mother^p.22
  • Is scrawny and has a face like a rat^p.22
  • Is usually the one who holds people's arms behind their backs as Dudley hit them^p.22–23)
• ▶  The headmistress^p.23
  • Headmistress of the priomary school Harry and Dudley go to^p.23
  • Wrote an angry letter to the Dursleys, thinking Harry had been climbing school buildings^p.23
• ▶  Dudley's gang^p.23
  • Dudley and his friends^p.23. Nobody likes to disagree with them^p.27
• ▶  'hoodlum' on a motorbike^p.24
  • Overtakes the Dursleys, causing Vernon to complain about motorbikes^p.24
• ▶  People at the zoo^p.24
  • The zoo is crowded with families^p.24
  • A smiling lady in the ice-cream van asks Harry what he'd like^p.24
  • Visitors at the reptile house scream and run when the boa constrictor leaves the tank^p.26
  • The keeper of the reptile house is in shock and doesn't understand where the glass has gone^p.26
  • The zoo director makes Petunia a cup of strong tea and apologises over and over^p.26
• ▶  Strange strangers that seem to know Harry^p.27
  • A wild-looking old woman dressed in all green. Waved merrily at Harry on a bus^p.27
  • A bald man in a very long purple coat. Shook Harry's hand in the street and walked away without a word^p.27
  • All seem to vanish the second Harry tries to get a second look^p.27

Recurring Places

• ▶  (number four), Privet Drive^p.7
  • Privet Drive has hardly changed^p.19
  • The front gardens are (still) tiny^p.19
  • Number four has a brass number four on the front door^p.19
  • The living-room of number four is at the front of the house^p.19
  • There are many photographs in the living-room of number four^p.19, ten years ago of 'what looked like a large pink beachball wearing different-coloured bobble hats'^p.19, now of Dudley riding his first bicycle, on a roundabout at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother^p.19
  • Number four shows no sign Harry Potter lives there^p.19
  • Has a kitchen^p.19 with a table in it^p.19
  • Has a hall which leads to the kitchen^p.20. Kitchen is near enough to the stairs for the sound of the frying pan being put on the cooker to be audible from the cupboard under the stairs^p.19/20

New Places

• ▶  Mrs Figg's house^p.22
  • Her house (living-room^p.) smells of cabbage^p.22
  • There are a lot of photographs of all the cats she's ever owned^p.22
• ▶  Primary school^p.23
  • has kitchens with a roof and a chimney Harry was found sitting on^p.23
  • There are big bins outside the kitchen doors. Harry intended to jump behind them when he ended up on the roof^p.24
• ▶  The zoo^p.14
  • There is an ice-cream van at the entrance, selling at least large chocolate ice-creams and cheap lemon ice lollies^p.24
  • Near the entrance is a gorilla^p.24
  • There is a restaurant at the zoo, which sells at least knickerbocker glories^p.24
  • There is a reptile house. It is cool and dark in there, with lit windows along the walls. All sorts of lizards and snakes crawl and slither over bits of stone and wood behind the glass in their tanks. The largest snake in the reptile house is the boa constrictor Harry sets free. The snake has glistening brown coils^p.25
  • The floor in the reptile house is concrete^p.26. The reptile house has exits, plural^p.26

Other

• ▶  Dudley's presents^p.20–21
  • It looks like Dudley got the new computer he wanted, and a second television^p.20>. He also got a racing bike, a cine-camera, a remote-control aeroplane, sixteen new computer games, a video recorder and a gold wristwatch^p.21
  • There are thirty-seven presents in the kitchen, one less than last year. Petunia promises to buy two more when they are out^p.21
• ▶  Vernon's new car^p.23
  • Seats at least five people^p.23