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Friday, July 07, 2000
By Karen MacPherson, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Correction/Clarification: (Published July 8, 2000) In a short primer on the Harry Potter children’s books yesterday, the first name of a character was not provided. The groundskeeper at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is Rubeus Hagrid.
Three volumes have been published so far in the "Harry Potter" series, which author J.K. Rowling (rhymes with "bowling") says will eventually comprise seven books.
The first three volumes are "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," and "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."
At the beginning of the series, Harry is 11 years old. He ages one year in each book, so in the about-to-be-released fourth volume, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," he is 14 years old. In this latest book, Rowling says, Harry will begin to show real interest in girls and experience various signs of adolescent angst.
Each book seems to get progressively darker and more frightening. Of the "Goblet of Fire," Rowling says, "This is the book in which the deaths start."
Here's a primer on the main people and places in Harry's world:
HARRY POTTER Harry was orphaned as a baby when his wizard parents were murdered. The bespectacled, tousled-haired Harry is being raised by his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, who openly loathe him and favor their spoiled brat of a son, Dudley. LORD VOLDEMORT The head of the evil forces of the wizard world, Voldemort (usually referred to as "You-Know-Who") murdered Harry's parents in his quest to defeat the forces of good. The attack left Harry with a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead, but otherwise unscathed. Voldemort's evil powers, however, were mysteriously weakened by the encounter with the baby Harry, and his struggle to regain his magical might provides the backbone of the plotline for the entire Potter series. HOGWARTS On Harry's 11th birthday, his life takes a dramatic change for the better when he receives an invitation to begin his schooling at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The school offers a seven-year course in such basics as Potions, Transfiguration, Magical Theory and Spells. At Hogwarts, Harry discovers that he is a legend in the wizard world because he survived Voldemort's attack on his parents. RON WEASLEY and HERMIONE GRANGER These are Harry's best friends at Hogwarts. The red-haired, freckle-faced Ron has a quick temper but offers Harry courage and loyalty. Hermione can be a know-it-all, but her intelligence and cool head are some of the most potent weapons in Harry's battle against Voldemort. DRACO MALFOY Harry's enemy at Hogwarts. The son of a wizard rumored to have been a close aide to Voldemort, Malfoy is jealous of Harry's legend status and constantly tries to make trouble for him. RUBEUS HAGRID Enormous in size and a little too fond of strong drink, Hagrid is the groundskeeper for Hogwarts and a friend to all animals, especially dangerous ones. Hagrid helps Harry settle into Hogwarts, and develops a close friendship with him, Ron and Hermione. ALBUS DUMBLEDORE The head of Hogwarts, he is legendary for his wizard powers and reportedly is the only one who can ward off Voldemort's evil. Dumbledore helps protect Harry. MUGGLES Humans who aren't born with wizarding genes are called "muggles." Harry's aunt and uncle are muggles, as are Hermione's parents. SIRIUS BLACK A close friend of James and Lily Potter, Harry's dead parents, Sirius is Harry's godfather. But he has been wrongly charged with being Voldemort's confidante and killing 13 muggles, and is in hiding until he can be cleared. QUIDDITCH Played on flying broomsticks, Quidditch is a wildly-exciting, cricket-type game that is a favorite among wizards.