Chapter 9: The Midnight Duel
“Harry had never believed he would meet a boy he hated more than Dudley, but that was before he met Draco Malfoy.”
The enormity of this statement has always struck me, because we’ve met the Dursley’s, and we know they are currently as of book 1 human waste in the vague form of human beings and yet Harry says Draco Malfoy is even worse then Dudley. It’s the kind of ominous beginning that foretells an incoming painful situation for our hero. In chapter nine of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Neville is sent a Remembrall which seems like a spectacularly horrible invention for a forgetful person. “You’ve forgotten something, but we won’t tell you what! Suffer all day worrying about it!”
(Please be advised that this is a reread and I will be discussing book and movie spoilers.)
Harry and co continue on to a flying lesson, which turns into a disaster when Neville breaks his wrist and Malfoy acts like a jerkface. Harry showing us once again he’s really anti bullying and is completely unwilling to take Draco Malfoy’s shit is one of his better qualities and he takes off after Malfoy’s broom to get back Neville’s Remembrall. McGonagall sees Harry catch the Remembrall and gives an Oscar worthy performance of outrage, when really she’s about to break into a merry jig over finally having a competent seeker for Gryffindor’s Quidditch team.
Once we find out McGonagall’s subterfuge we come across two of my favorite ongoing character traits: McGonagall’s ability to be a lovable hardass who occasionally breaks the rules at the most amazing times and Oliver Wood’s crazed obsession with winning at Quidditch.
Malfoy shows up to be a richer Dudley some more, and Ron sets up a wizarding duel between Harry and Malfoy while giving him entirely ineffectual advice.
“What if I wave my wand and nothing happens?” –Harry
“Throw it away and punch him on the nose.” –Ron
On their way to what is promising to be a hilarious duel
they run into a nagging Hermione and Neville, who has been locked out of Gryffindor tower. However, Draco isn’t there, we’re deprived of what was probably going to be a priceless fight between Malfoy and Harry
and we meet Fluffy, Hagrid’s three headed dog when the trio hides from Filch.
Our heroes flee, Hermione gives an iconic line
Ron responds with a line that’s actually better in the movies
and Harry figures out where that hidden package from Gringotts is being stored.
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Do you prefer Ron’s response to Hermione in the books or the movies?
Did you like how the book portrayed flying as something that takes practice to excel at and also can be an innate skill?
Were you surprised that McGongagall didn’t expell Harry?
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