LIST OF CHARACTERS

Major Characters

Draco Malfoy

A Slytherin student at Hogwarts who is a first-year like Harry. Harry first meets the pale, blond, pointy-faced Draco in Diagon Alley and dislikes Draco from the moment he makes a disparaging comment about the ragged Hagrid. Draco is a foil for Harry: his richness, egotism, and desire for power contrast with HarryÂ’s poverty (Harry is poor in the Muggle world), thoughtfulness, and modesty. DracoÂ’s dislike for those of lesser blood and Muggles ties into the theme of racism.

Dumbledore

White-bearded, spectacled Albus Dumbledore is the Headmaster at Hogwarts and is the most powerful wizard in the world. He is a child at heart, patient and sympathetic with his students, and he harbors no ill will against Muggles. He is HarryÂ’s informal mentor, a Merlin or Gandalf in his own right.

Dursleys

The Dursleys are painfully normal and are intolerant of anyone who is not. They represent the worst aspects of the Muggle world, the kind of intolerance that forces wizards to stay secret. They stand in direct contrast to the kind Potters and to the majority of the Wizarding community.

Dudley

Like Draco, the pudgy, pig-faced Dudley serves as a foil to Harry. Dudley is ungrateful for being so spoiled and rarely thinks of others. Harry is mistreated yet considerate.

Vernon

HarryÂ’s Uncle Vernon canÂ’t stand it when people dress funny or when strangers hug him. When he loses his temper, as he often does, he looks like a beet with a moustache. He is obsessed about his boring drill job, his status, and money. He is very close-minded and reprimands Harry for dreaming about flying motorcycles and sympathizing with zoo animals.

HarryÂ’s Aunt Petunia is as skinny as Uncle Vernon is fat. And whereas Vernon has nearly no neck, PetuniaÂ’s neck is long--perfect for her spying on the neighbors to get gossip.

Hagrid

The giant, friendly, rag-tag, bearded Hogwarts groundskeeper who befriends Harry and introduces him into the Wizarding world. He has a bit of a drinking problem, and heÂ’s too fond of dangerous creatures, but he means well and is very dedicated to Dumbledore.

Harry

The hero of the story, Harry finds out on his eleventh birthday that his parents were killed by the evil wizard Voldemort, that he is a wizard of some fame, and that he is to attend Hogwarts School of Wizardry. Harry leaves his materialistic and cold- hearted Aunt and Uncle, whom he was living with, to go to the boarding school. Harry is skinny, with unmanageable black hair, bright green eyes, and a lightening bolt scar on his forehead from when Voldemort tried to kill him. He is a modest hero, a boy surprised at his own abilities.

Hermione

HarryÂ’s bushy-haired, buck-toothed friend who is the smartest girl in their class. A know-it-all from a Muggle family, she bonds with Harry and Ron after the three of them survive their Halloween encounter with the troll. Gradually, Hermione transforms from a teacherÂ’s pet to a nerdy adventuress.

McGonagall

HarryÂ’s strict transfiguration teacher who is also the headmaster of HarryÂ’s Gryffindor House.

Neville

The accident-prone, shy boy in HarryÂ’s class who gradually learns to stick up for himself.

Quirrell

The twitchy, turbaned Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who just returned from a trip abroad. Harry believes that Quirrell is the only hope for keeping the Stone out of SnapeÂ’s hands.

Ron

HarryÂ’s gangly, red-haired, freckled friend who introduces Harry to some of the oddities of the Wizarding world (such as Quidditch, Chocolate Frogs, and WizardsÂ’ Chess). Ron feels outshone by his older brothers and yearns to be as famous as Harry.

Snape

HarryÂ’s greasy-haired Potions teacher who is also headmaster of Slytherin. Harry suspects him of trying to steal the SorcererÂ’s Stone.

Voldemort

The evil wizard who killed HarryÂ’s parents and tried to kill Harry ten years before the bulk of the story takes place. VoldemortÂ’s curse was turned back on him when it bounced off of Harry, and he was reduced to a form-less, power-hungry spirit. Voldemort seeks to return to power and to avenge himself on Harry. Like Draco Malfoy, Voldemort hates Muggles.

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