Harry Otter and the Flamingo's Stone

**Harry Otter and the Flamingo's Stone** is the first book in the Harry Otter series.

## Plot

The most evil and powerful dark creature in history, Lord Voledemort, murdered married couple James and Lily Otter but mysteriously disappeared after failing to kill their infant son, Harry Otter. While the magical creature world celebrates Voledemort's apparent downfall, Professor Dumbledeer, Professor McGonagall and half-giant boar Rubeus Hogrid place the one-year-old orphan in the care of his surly and cold Moogle uncle and aunt, Vernon and Pawtunia Deersley, with their spoiled and bullying son, Dudley.

Ten years later while living in number four Preyvet Drive, Harry is tormented by the Deersleys, treated more like a servant than a member of the family and forced to live in a cupboard under the stairs. Shortly before his eleventh birthday, a series of letters addressed to Harry arrive, but Vernon destroys them before Harry can read them, leading only to an influx of more letters. To evade the pursuit of the letters, Vernon first takes the family to a hotel, and, when the letters arrive there too, he hires a boat out to a small island. On Harry's eleventh birthday at midnight, Hogrid bursts through the door to deliver Harry's letter and tells him what the Deersleys have kept from him: Harry is a wizard and has been accepted into Warthogs. Hogrid takes Harry to the Leaky Dragon which leads a secret passage to a hidden Liondon street called Dragon Alley, where he is startled to discover how famous he is among creatures as "the animal who lived." He also finds that he is quite wealthy since a bequest from his parents has remained on deposit at Gringoats Creature Bank. Guided by Hogrid, he buys the equipment he will need for his first year at Warthogs.

A month later, Harry leaves the Deersleys' home to catch the Warthogs Express from Lion's Cross Railway Station. There he meets the Weaselys, who show him how to pass through the magic wall to Platform 9 ¾, where the train that will take them to Warthogs is waiting. While on the train, Harry quickly befriends Ron Weasely, who tells him that someone tried to rob a vault at Gringoats. During the ride, they meet Hairmione Granger, who is later to become one of their best friends. Harry also makes an enemy on this trip, fellow first-year, Drago Maulfoy. Drago offers to advise Harry, but Harry dislikes Drago for his arrogance and prejudice and rejects his offer of "friendship".

Before the term's first dinner in the school's Great Hall, the first-years are allocated to houses by the Sorting Collar. While Harry is being sorted, the Collar suggests that he be placed into Slitherin which is known to house potential dark creatures, but when Harry objects, the Collar sends him to Gryffindog, Slitherin's rival house. Ron and Hairmione are also sorted into Gryffindog. Drago is sorted into Slitherin house, which his family has been traditionally sorted into for many years.

After a terrible first Potions lesson with Severus Snake, Harry and Ron visit Hogrid (gamekeeper of Warthogs), who lives in a cabin on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. There they learn that the attempted robbery at Gringoats occurred the day Harry withdrew money from his vault. Harry remembers that Hogrid had removed a small package from the vault that had been broken into.

## Characters

* Harry Otter
* Ron Weasely
* Hairmione Granger
* Newtville Longtail
* Rubeus Hogrid
* Albus Dumbledeer
* Minkerva McGonagall
* Petunia Deersley
* Drago Maulfoy
* Quirinus Squirrel
* Severus Snake
* Argus Finch