80 Fun Facts About Harry Potter Book 1 Trivia: Sorcerer's Stone

For the American edition, the word "Philosopher's" in the title was replaced with what?

Scholastic's Arthur Levine thought "philosopher" sounded too archaic; "School of Magic" was actually floated before Rowling suggested the final title.

Which publisher released Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in the UK on 26 June 1997?

Editor Barry Cunningham championed it, helped by the publisher's chief executive's eight-year-old daughter, who loved the sample chapters.

How many hardback copies were in the book's first UK print run?

Three hundred of them went to libraries, which is why surviving first editions are so valuable.

How much was the advance Rowling received for her debut novel?

A later £8,000 grant from the Scottish Arts Council helped her plan the sequels.

Scholastic bought the American rights at the Bologna Book Fair in 1997 for how much?

It was an unusually high sum for a children's book at the time.

Between which cities was Rowling on the delayed 1990 train when the Harry Potter idea 'fell into her head'?

She had been flat-hunting in Manchester and was heading back to London alone.

Who painted the cover of the first UK edition?

Mary GrandPré did the American covers, and Cliff Wright painted the next two UK jackets.

Which children's-choice award gave the novel a gold medal in 1997 and made it famous within six months?

Most children's books wait years for that kind of recognition.

The UK publisher has released the first book in which two classical languages?

The Greek version was praised as one of the most important pieces of Ancient Greek prose written in centuries.

Roughly how many copies has the first Harry Potter book sold worldwide?

That makes it the fourth best-selling book of all time.

Which artist illustrated the full-colour illustrated edition of the book released in 2015?

It carries more than 100 illustrations, and Kay went on to illustrate the later books too.

In the book, Harry lives with the Dursleys in which fictional English town?

The town is in Surrey, south-west of London, and Harry's neighbour Mrs Figg is secretly watching over him.

What is the Dursleys' house number on Privet Drive?

Harry sleeps in the cupboard under the stairs until his Hogwarts letters start arriving.

On which birthday does Harry learn that he is a wizard?

Rowling gave Harry her own birthday, 31 July.

What is the name of the snowy owl Harry buys in Diagon Alley?

Her theme became the musical signature of the whole film series.

The Leaky Cauldron, the pub that hides the entrance to Diagon Alley, stands on which real London street?

To get through, you tap a particular brick in the rear courtyard three times.

How many times must the brick behind the Leaky Cauldron be tapped to open the way to Diagon Alley?

Knockturn Alley, the seedy side street, runs diagonally off the main shopping street.

From which platform does the Hogwarts Express leave King's Cross?

The real station now has a plaque and a luggage trolley disappearing into the wall.

Which House does the Sorting Hat seriously consider putting Harry in before choosing Gryffindor?

Harry's plea of "not Slytherin" is one of the book's turning points.

Which position does Harry play on the Gryffindor Quidditch team?

He is the first player in a century to make a House team in his first year.

How many points does catching the Golden Snitch earn in Quidditch?

Catching it also ends the match, which is why that one player matters so much.

How many players are on a Quidditch team?

Three Chasers, two Beaters, a Keeper and one player who hunts the Snitch.

Which magical object does Neville's grandmother send him because he is so forgetful?

It glows red when its holder has forgotten something, though it never says what.

Harry and Ron become friends with Hermione after saving her from what?

Until then she had been the bossy girl who had memorised the textbooks before term began.

What does the Mirror of Erised show the person looking into it?

"Erised" is "desire" spelled backwards, and its inscription reads the same way.

When read backwards, the inscription on the Mirror of Erised says what?

Dumbledore warns Harry that men have wasted away in front of it.

What is the name of the three-headed dog guarding the trapdoor on the third floor?

Hagrid lets slip that music sends the beast straight to sleep.

How do the trio get past the three-headed dog?

Hagrid had carved the flute for Harry as a Christmas present.

What does Hagrid trade to a hooded stranger in exchange for a dragon egg?

The stranger was a disguised professor working for Voldemort.

What is the baby dragon that hatches in Hagrid's hut called?

The dragon ends up at a sanctuary abroad, where Ron's brother Charlie works.

To which country is Hagrid's baby dragon sent?

Norwegian Ridgebacks are notoriously aggressive, and Hagrid's hut is made of wood.

Which magical creature warns Harry in the Forbidden Forest that Voldemort wants the Stone?

Firenze later becomes a Divination teacher at Hogwarts.

Which alchemist owns the Philosopher's Stone in the book?

Flamel was a real 14th-century Parisian scribe whom legend later credited with the elixir of life.

Besides granting immortality through the Elixir of Life, what else can the Philosopher's Stone do?

Both powers come straight from the medieval alchemists' idea of the stone.

Which obstacle on the way to the Stone does Ron get the trio through?

He sacrifices himself as a knight, and Dumbledore later awards him fifty House points for it.

Which plant does Hermione defeat on the way to the Stone?

It hates light, which she remembers just in time.

How many House points does Dumbledore give Ron for his chess game at the end-of-year feast?

The last-minute points swing the House Cup to Gryffindor.

Which teacher turns out to be hiding Voldemort under his turban?

He teaches Defence Against the Dark Arts, and it was he who jinxed Harry's broom.

Why can't the villain touch Harry in the final confrontation?

Voldemort abandons his host to die once the plan collapses.

Which teacher seems to hate Harry throughout the first book but secretly protects him during the Quidditch match?

He was muttering a counter-curse while Hermione assumed he was jinxing the broom.

Rowling wanted Neville to do something brave in the first book. What was it?

She has called it "a very important moment for me too in the first book".

Who directed the 2001 film adaptation?

He was chosen from a shortlist that included Steven Spielberg and Rob Reiner.

The first director attached to the film reportedly wanted which studio to make it as a cartoon?

He wanted an animated adaptation that folded in elements from later books, with Haley Joel Osment as the voice of Harry.

Which actor was the original choice to play the Potions master but turned it down for Planet of the Apes?

Alan Rickman was confirmed in August 2000 instead.

Which American star was barred from playing Hagrid by the British-and-Irish-only rule?

Rosie O'Donnell was turned away from the role of Molly Weasley for the same reason.

Which two historic buildings were the principal filming locations for Hogwarts?

Durham Cathedral supplied corridors and classrooms, and Oxford's Bodleian became the library.

Which London building stood in for Gringotts Wizarding Bank in the film?

The Reptile House at London Zoo was used for the scene where Harry frees the snake.

Which real steam locomotive played the Hogwarts Express in the films?

Taw Valley had been repainted to promote the books but the director rejected it as too modern.

Who composed the film's score, including the owl-named theme that recurs through the whole series?

He had already worked with the director on Home Alone and Stepmom.

Who voices the Sorting Hat in the film?

Warwick Davis, who plays Flitwick, also dubbed the voice of the goblin Griphook.

Which Monty Python member plays Nearly Headless Nick?

He joined the cast in November 2000 alongside Julie Walters as Molly Weasley.

Which Irish actor played Dumbledore in the first film?

Rowling allowed Irish casting; Michael Gambon took over after Harris died in 2002.

Roughly how much did the film gross worldwide on its original release?

It was the highest-grossing film of 2001 and later passed $1 billion with re-releases.

For how much did Rowling sell the film rights to the first two books to Warner Bros. in 1999?

She insisted the principal cast be kept British, with room for Irish actors.

Where did the film hold its world premiere on 4 November 2001?

It opened in UK and US cinemas twelve days later.

Where did the BBC's 2003 Big Read survey of favourite books place the first Harry Potter?

Fans might be surprised it wasn't higher; The Lord of the Rings took the top spot.

Until September 1999, British copies carried the author's real first name on the copyright page. What is it?

The "K" was added at the publisher's request; the 1998 American edition dropped "Joanne" entirely.

Who directed the 2001 film adaptation of the first book?

Rowling's first choice was Terry Gilliam; the studio picked the Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire director, who wrote a 130-page annotated script to win the job.

Under what title was the film released in the United States?

Every scene naming the stone was shot twice, once with 'philosopher's' and once with 'sorcerer's'.

Which director wanted to make the film as an animated feature with Haley Joel Osment voicing Harry?

He left to make A.I. Artificial Intelligence and later called the project 'shooting ducks in a barrel'.

What condition did J. K. Rowling place on the casting?

It cost a famous American comedian a shot at Hagrid and Rosie O'Donnell a shot at Molly Weasley.

Which comedian wanted to play Hagrid but was ruled out by the British-and-Irish rule?

Robbie Coltrane got the part and earned a BAFTA nomination for it.

Which actor turned down Severus Snape to make Planet of the Apes?

Alan Rickman was confirmed in August 2000, the same month as the three child leads.

Which actor declined Dumbledore in favour of The Fellowship of the Ring?

Sean Connery and Patrick McGoohan also passed before Richard Harris took the role.

Which future Draco Malfoy auditioned for both Harry and Ron?

Hoult, Bower and Moseley also tried for Harry; the part went to Daniel Radcliffe on 21 August 2000.

Why does the film's Harry have blue eyes rather than the book's colour?

Rowling agreed to the change; Radcliffe said the glasses set off his allergies the first time he wore them.

Which famous church turned down the chance to be Hogwarts because of the film's 'pagan' theme?

Alnwick Castle and Gloucester Cathedral became the main Hogwarts locations, with Durham Cathedral for corridors and classrooms.

Which London building stood in for Gringotts bank?

Privet Drive was a real street in Bracknell for this film only; a Leavesden set was cheaper for the sequels.

Which character was cast, filmed, and then cut entirely from the film?

Rik Mayall played him; the scenes have never been released.

Which composer was first approached to score the film before the eventual composer signed on?

Williams, a Columbus collaborator on Home Alone, wrote 'Hedwig's Theme', which ran through all eight films.

What was the film's record-breaking opening weekend in the U.S. and Canada?

It broke The Lost World's record and held it until Spider-Man the following May.

Which steam locomotive played the Hogwarts Express?

Taw Valley had been repainted to promote the books but Columbus rejected it as looking too modern.

Rowling herself was considered for which role in the first film before turning it down?

Geraldine Somerville was cast as Harry's mother instead.

Which comedian met Chris Columbus about playing Molly Weasley but was turned away by the British-only rule?

Julie Walters got the part in 2000, joining alongside John Cleese as Nearly Headless Nick.

Which North Yorkshire railway station was used for filming on 2 October 2000, days after production began?

Principal photography had started on 29 September 2000 at Leavesden Film Studios.

Which Southern Railway engine, repainted to promote the books, did Columbus reject as 'too modern'?

Chris Columbus turned it down; GWR 5972 Olton Hall took the role through Deathly Hallows – Part 2.

Judianna Makovsky's Quidditch kit paired preppie sweaters with legwear borrowed from which sport?

She had planned to copy the robes on the American book cover but decided they were 'a mess'.

Which effects company animated Norbert, Hagrid's baby dragon, in the first film?

ILM built Voldemort's face on the back of Quirrell's head, while Imageworks handled Quidditch and the troll.

Roughly how many special effects shots does the first Harry Potter film contain?

Jim Henson's Creature Shop provided creature effects, and actor Michael Q. Schmidt served as body reference for the troll.

The first film was nominated for three Oscars: Original Score, Costume Design and which other?

It cost $125 million and became the highest-grossing film of 2001, but won none of the three.