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

What is the name of caretaker Argus Filch's cat?

Mrs Norris is Argus Filch's scrawny, dust-coloured cat; she prowls the corridors and fetches the caretaker whenever she catches students breaking the rules.

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

Bloomsbury published the book after editor Barry Cunningham backed it; chairman Nigel Newton's eight-year-old daughter Alice had loved the sample chapter.

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

The first UK hardback print run was just 500 copies, about 300 of which went to libraries, which is why surviving first editions sell for huge sums.

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

Bloomsbury paid Rowling an advance of £2,500; a later £8,000 grant from the Scottish Arts Council helped her keep writing the sequels.

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

Scholastic's Arthur Levine paid US$105,000 for the American rights, an unusually high sum for a children's book by a first-time author.

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?

Thomas Taylor painted the first UK cover, showing Harry beside the Hogwarts Express; Mary GrandPré did the American jackets and Cliff Wright the next two UK ones.

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

The Nestlé Smarties Book Prize, voted on by children, gave the novel its 9-11 years gold award in 1997, the first of many children's-choice prizes it collected.

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

Bloomsbury issued Peter Needham's Latin translation in 2003 and Andrew Wilson's Ancient Greek version in 2004, the latter hailed as a landmark of modern Ancient Greek prose.

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

The first Harry Potter book has sold about 120 million copies worldwide, putting it among the best-selling single novels ever published.

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?

Little Whinging is a fictional town in Surrey, south-west of London; its cat-loving old neighbour Mrs Figg minds Harry whenever the Dursleys go out without him.

What is the Dursleys' house number on Privet Drive?

The Dursleys live at number 4, Privet Drive, where Harry sleeps in the cupboard under the stairs until the 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 Hagrid gives Harry in Diagon Alley?

Hedwig is the snowy owl Hagrid buys Harry at Eeylops Owl Emporium for his eleventh birthday; Harry picks her name out of A History of Magic.

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

The Leaky Cauldron sits on Charing Cross Road, a tiny grubby pub that Muggles' eyes slide past; its back courtyard hides the archway into Diagon Alley.

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?

Platform Nine and Three-Quarters is reached by walking through the barrier between platforms nine and ten; the real King's Cross marks it with a plaque and a half-vanished luggage trolley.

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?

Harry is made Gryffindor's Seeker after Professor McGonagall watches him pull off a fifty-foot dive on a school broom, becoming the youngest House player in a century.

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

Catching the Golden Snitch earns 150 points and ends the match, which is why the Seeker so often decides the result single-handed.

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?

The Remembrall is a glass ball full of white smoke that turns red when its holder has forgotten something, though it never says what.

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

On Hallowe'en the boys knock out a twelve-foot mountain troll in the girls' toilets with its own club; Hermione lies to cover for them and the three become friends.

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?

The carved line 'Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi' reverses to 'I show not your face but your heart's desire'; Dumbledore warns that men have wasted away before it.

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

Fluffy is Hagrid's three-headed dog, bought from 'a Greek chappie' in a pub and lent to Dumbledore to guard the trapdoor on the third-floor corridor.

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?

Hagrid names the Norwegian Ridgeback Norbert; Charlie Weasley's friends collect him from the tallest tower at midnight to fly him to a dragon reserve abroad.

To which country is Hagrid's baby dragon sent?

Norbert goes to Romania, where Charlie Weasley works with dragons; Hagrid is heartbroken to part with him and packs a teddy bear into the crate.

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?

Devil's Snare loosens its coils when Hermione conjures her bluebell flames, once Ron has shouted at her to stop panicking; the plant hates light and warmth.

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?

Professor Quirrell, the stammering Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, carries Voldemort's face on the back of his head beneath the turban, and he was the one jinxing 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?

Snape was muttering a counter-curse to keep Harry on his broom while Hermione, sure he was the jinxer, set his robes alight; he was repaying a life debt to James Potter.

Which studio, a former Rolls-Royce aero-engine works, was the film's production base?

Leavesden Studios, a converted Rolls-Royce aero-engine factory in Hertfordshire, was the film's base; the Great Hall and the other Hogwarts interiors were built there.

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?

Alnwick Castle and Gloucester Cathedral provided the main Hogwarts exteriors and cloisters; Durham Cathedral supplied corridors and a classroom, 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?

John Williams wrote the score and 'Hedwig's Theme', the celesta motif heard in all eight films; he had already scored Chris Columbus's Home Alone and Stepmom.

Who voices the Sorting Hat in the film?

Leslie Phillips, the Carry On veteran, voices the Sorting Hat; Warwick Davis plays Flitwick and also dubbed Griphook, whom Verne Troyer played on screen.

Which Monty Python member plays Nearly Headless Nick?

John Cleese plays the Gryffindor ghost Nearly Headless Nick, whose head hangs by a strip of skin after a botched beheading; he reprised the role in Chamber of Secrets.

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?

The film took about $974 million worldwide on its first run, the highest gross of 2001; re-releases later lifted it past $1 billion.

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

The world premiere was at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on 4 November 2001; the film opened in UK and US cinemas on 16 November.

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

The Big Read ranked Philosopher's Stone 22nd, while Goblet of Fire reached number 5; The Lord of the Rings took the top spot.

What real first name did British copies print on the copyright page until September 1999?

Joanne Rowling is her real name; Bloomsbury asked for initials so boys would not be put off, and she borrowed the K from her grandmother Kathleen.

Which actress made her screen debut as Hermione Granger in the film?

Emma Watson, then ten, was cast as Hermione after her Oxford drama teacher put her forward; the film was her first professional acting job.

Who plays Professor McGonagall in the film?

Maggie Smith plays Professor McGonagall, the stern Transfiguration teacher who heads Gryffindor; Smith already had two Oscars, for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and California Suite.

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

Steven Spielberg pitched an animated version voiced by Haley Joel Osment, then left to make A.I. Artificial Intelligence, calling Potter 'shooting ducks in a barrel'.

Who plays Ron Weasley in the film?

Rupert Grint won the part of Ron Weasley after sending in a video audition in which he rapped about why he should be chosen; it was his first film.

Which Diagon Alley shop sells Harry his wand?

Ollivanders, 'Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC', sells Harry a holly and phoenix-feather wand whose twin core sits in the wand that gave him his scar.

Which piece does Harry play in the giant chess game beneath the trapdoor?

Harry takes the place of a bishop, Hermione a castle and Ron a knight; Ron's sacrifice lets Harry step three squares to the left and checkmate the white king.

Which future Draco Malfoy auditioned for both Harry and Ron?

Tom Felton read for Harry and Ron before being cast as Draco Malfoy; Daniel Radcliffe was announced as Harry on 21 August 2000 alongside the other two child leads.

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?

Canterbury Cathedral's dean refused the filmmakers because of the story's pagan themes; Gloucester Cathedral took the cloister scenes instead.

In which Berkshire town was the real Privet Drive street filmed?

Picket Post Close in Martins Heron, Bracknell, played Privet Drive in the first film; a cheaper studio set replaced it for the sequels.

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

Rik Mayall was cast as Peeves the poltergeist and shot his scenes, but every one of them was cut before the film's release.

Who is the Hogwarts librarian who chases Harry out of the library?

Madam Pince, the librarian, is a thin, irritable woman 'like an underfed vulture' who shoos Harry out when he cannot say what he is looking for.

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

The film opened to $90.3 million in the U.S. and Canada, beating The Lost World's $72.1 million record and holding it until Spider-Man the following May.

Who plays Professor Quirrell in the film?

Ian Hart plays the stammering Professor Quirrell and also supplied the voice of Voldemort's face beneath the turban; Richard Bremmer played Voldemort's body in the flashback.

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

Rowling was asked to play Lily Potter for the Mirror of Erised scene but declined; 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?

Rosie O'Donnell met Columbus about Molly Weasley but, as an American, fell foul of Rowling's casting rule; Julie Walters got the part.

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

Goathland station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway played Hogsmeade station, shot on 2 October 2000, three days after principal photography began at Leavesden.

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

Makovsky gave the Quidditch kit preppie sweaters, 19th-century fencing breeches and arm guards, after judging the robes on the American cover 'a mess'.

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

Rhythm & Hues animated the baby dragon Norbert; ILM built Voldemort's face on the back of Quirrell's head, and Sony Pictures Imageworks handled the Quidditch match.

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

The first film has nearly 600 special effects shots, from the Quidditch match to the troll in the girls' toilets, spread across several effects houses including ILM.

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

The third nomination was Art Direction, for Stuart Craig's sets and Stephenie McMillan's set decoration; the film won none of its three Oscars.

Which animal's tail does Hagrid give Harry Potter's cousin Dudley after Uncle Vernon insults Dumbledore?

A pig's tail is what Hagrid's umbrella produces, and Dudley later needs a surgeon to have it removed.

On a zoo trip, Harry Potter chats with which animal just before the glass of its enclosure vanishes?

A boa constrictor slithers out of the reptile house, thanking Harry and announcing that it is off to Brazil.

Which sleeping place at the Dursleys' appears in the address on Harry Potter's first Hogwarts letter?

Cupboard under the stairs is written on the envelope, which so alarms Uncle Vernon that he moves Harry into Dudley's second bedroom.

What profession do both of Hermione Granger's non-magical parents share in the Harry Potter books?

Dentists, both of them: Rowling has said the Grangers are somewhat bemused by their odd daughter but proud of her all the same.

How does Harry Potter end up catching the Golden Snitch to win his very first Quidditch match?

He nearly swallows it, running into the ball as he dives for the pitch once his jinxed broom stops trying to buck him off.

Which creature's blood does a hooded figure drink in the Forbidden Forest to keep Voldemort alive?

Unicorn blood will keep a drinker alive even an inch from death, but only as a cursed half-life.

Which newspaper gave children's books their own bestseller list after Sorcerer's Stone lingered near the top?

The New York Times made the split under pressure from rival publishers, who were eager to see their own books placed higher.

Which anonymous Christmas present reaches Harry Potter with a note saying it once belonged to his father?

An Invisibility Cloak arrives with the advice to "use it well", and Dumbledore later admits that he was the one who sent it.

Hermione Granger annoys Ron Weasley by correcting the way he says which spell in Charms class?

Wingardium Leviosa works first for Hermione, who becomes the first in Professor Flitwick's class to levitate her feather after Ron dares her to show him.

What does Albus Dumbledore claim to be holding in his own reflection in the Mirror of Erised?

A pair of socks is all the headmaster admits to seeing when Harry asks him, an answer Harry suspects is not the truth.

What is the name of Ron Weasley's pet rat, later unmasked as the wizard Peter Pettigrew in disguise?

Scabbers shows rare courage on the first Hogwarts Express ride, attacking one of Draco Malfoy's friends as they try to steal Harry's sweets.

Which broomstick does Harry Potter receive in his first year so that he can play Quidditch for Gryffindor?

Nimbus 2000 it is, delivered with a note from Professor McGonagall after the rule barring first-years from owning broomsticks is waived for Harry.

Which creatures run Gringotts, the wizarding bank where Harry Potter rides a cart down to his family vault?

Goblins run the bank and speak a language of their own, known as Gobbledegook.

Which two friends flank Draco Malfoy when he visits Harry Potter's compartment on the Hogwarts Express?

Crabbe and Goyle back Malfoy as he tries to coerce Harry into an alliance, which fails partly because he bad-mouths the Weasley family.

Which sweets does Harry Potter buy on the Hogwarts Express that come with a collectible Famous Wizard card?

Chocolate Frogs each hide a card, and Harry's haul on the train includes one showing Albus Dumbledore.

On which night of the year did Voldemort kill Harry Potter's parents and lose his own powers?

Halloween it was, and the following night Dumbledore left the orphaned baby on the Dursleys' doorstep with a letter for his aunt.

Which pet does Neville Longbottom lose on the Hogwarts Express, with Hermione Granger joining the search?

A toad named Trevor is the missing pet, and the search for him is how Hermione first meets Harry and Ron.

Into which animal can Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher in Harry Potter, turn herself?

A cat is her other shape: she is first seen in that form on Privet Drive, apparently studying a map, before Dumbledore arrives and she changes back.

Where does the Sorcerer's Stone turn up after Harry Potter looks into the Mirror of Erised?

In his own pocket: the enchantment hands the Stone only to someone who wants to find it but has no wish to use it.

What does Albus Dumbledore tell Harry Potter in the hospital wing has become of the Sorcerer's Stone?

It has been destroyed, which means its maker and his wife will die, though they have enough time left to put their affairs in order.

Which Gryffindor Quidditch captain teaches Harry Potter the rules of the sport before his first match?

Oliver Wood explains the rules in a private evening session, then has the whole team practising three evenings a week.

Whose portrait guards the entrance to Gryffindor Tower in Sorcerer's Stone, opening only for the right password?

The Fat Lady lets the new first-years in on their first night once prefect Percy Weasley gives the password, Caput Draconis.

What is the name of Hagrid's boarhound, who bolts when a hooded figure appears in the Forbidden Forest?

Fang runs off with Draco Malfoy, leaving Harry to face the figure alone during a late-night detention with Hagrid.

Which Hogwarts subject is taught by Professor Binns, a ghost who seems not to have noticed his own death?

History of Magic is his subject, and the soporific Binns is the only ghost on the Hogwarts teaching staff.

In which wizarding publication does Harry Potter find a clipping about the Gringotts break-in while visiting Hagrid?

The Daily Prophet story leads Harry to conclude that the burgled vault is the very one Hagrid emptied on their trip to Diagon Alley.

How do first-years, led by Hagrid, make the last leg of their journey to Hogwarts in Harry Potter?

By boat across the lake is the newcomers' route: small boats carry them over from Hogsmeade Station, where the train stops.

What does Harry Potter chase on a broomstick in one of the chambers guarding the Sorcerer's Stone?

Enchanted keys fill the chamber, flying about like a flock of birds, and Harry catches the right one with help from Ron and Hermione.

Which obstacle before the Sorcerer's Stone does Hermione Granger say would leave many great wizards stuck forever?

A logic puzzle tests reasoning rather than magical power, and once Hermione cracks it only one person can go on, so Harry continues alone.

Which gold coin tops the wizarding currency in Harry Potter, ranking above the silver Sickle and bronze Knut?

Galleon is the name: wizards use no paper money at all, and Harry finds mounds of the gold coins in his family vault.

What does Ron Weasley see himself wearing in the Mirror of Erised while holding the Quidditch Cup?

A Head Boy's badge gleams on Ron's reflection, while Harry, looking into the same glass, sees a crowd of his own lost relations.

Which Hogwarts teacher gives Harry Potter's class its first flying lesson and referees Quidditch matches?

Madam Hooch has to abandon that first lesson to take an injured Neville Longbottom to the hospital wing, which is when Harry's talent comes to light.

Albus Dumbledore tells Harry Potter that 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great' what?

Adventure is the word, spoken at Harry's bedside in the hospital wing after the headmaster arrives just in time to save him.

Which actor narrates the UK audiobook of the first Harry Potter novel, while Jim Dale reads the American one?

Stephen Fry reads the British edition, and in 2020 he also read its fourth chapter for Harry Potter at Home, a Spotify podcast of celebrity readings.

In which country was J. K. Rowling teaching English at night while working on Harry Potter by day?

Portugal was the place: Rowling moved to Porto in 1991 to teach English as a foreign language at night, which left her days free to write.

To which city did J. K. Rowling move with her young daughter and a Harry Potter draft in her suitcase?

Edinburgh became home in late 1993, when she planned to stay with her sister only until Christmas, and she often wrote in its cafés.

Which breed of dragon hatches from the illegal egg Hagrid nurtures in his wooden hut in Sorcerer's Stone?

Norwegian Ridgeback is the breed, and once Draco Malfoy has spied it through the window, Ron's brother Charlie arranges for friends to take it away.

From which tree is Harry Potter's wand made, its phoenix-feather core a twin of the one in Voldemort's wand?

Holly is the wand that finally sends up sparks, after Harry has tried many others in the shop of a wandmaker who remembers every one he has sold.

Which wizard, named only in passing in Sorcerer's Stone, lends Hagrid a flying motorbike?

Sirius Black's bike carries baby Harry to Privet Drive, and its owner gets only this brief mention two books before he becomes the title character of Prisoner of Azkaban.

In which Diagon Alley shop does Harry Potter first meet Draco Malfoy, before either boy has reached Hogwarts?

Madam Malkin's robe shop is where the two are fitted side by side, and Harry leaves before they have even exchanged names.

From which Hogwarts tower do Harry Potter and Hermione Granger send Hagrid's baby dragon to safety?

Astronomy Tower is the handover point, and on the way back down the caretaker, Argus Filch, catches them both out of bed.

What does Grunnings make, the firm where Harry Potter's uncle Vernon Dursley works as a director?

Drills are the product, one of the very first things the book reveals, before Harry himself has even been mentioned.

The Hogwarts motto in Harry Potter, 'Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus', warns you never to do what?

Tickle a sleeping dragon is the thing to avoid, sound advice at a school whose gamekeeper hatches one in his wooden hut.

In which West Country village were Harry Potter's parents living when Voldemort came to kill them?

Godric's Hollow takes its name from Godric Gryffindor, the Hogwarts founder, and was once home to Albus Dumbledore as well.

Which dark wizard's 1945 defeat is credited to Albus Dumbledore on a collectible card in Sorcerer's Stone?

Grindelwald is named on the same card that credits Dumbledore with discovering the twelve uses of dragon's blood.

Which American artist drew the cover and chapter illustrations for the first US edition of Sorcerer's Stone?

Mary GrandPré at first turned the job down because of her schedule, then went on to illustrate the American editions of all the later books too.

Which children's editor accepted the first Harry Potter book after an agent spent a year trying to sell it?

Barry Cunningham also believed boys preferred books by male authors, which is why the cover carries initials rather than a woman's first name.

Which language received the eightieth translation of the first Harry Potter book, published in 2017?

Scots, in its Lowland form, was number eighty on a list that had stood at sixty-seven languages less than a decade earlier.

What does Sorcerer's Stone call the silver, lighter-like gadget Albus Dumbledore clicks twelve times on Privet Drive?

A Put-Outer is its name in the opening chapter; later books call the same light-stealing gadget, Dumbledore's own invention, the Deluminator.

Which neighbour usually minds Harry Potter for the Dursleys but has broken her leg on the day of the zoo trip?

Mrs Figg being laid up is the only reason Harry gets to go at all, since the Dursleys can find nobody else to take him.

Which Hogwarts teacher in Harry Potter is head of Hufflepuff House, as Filius Flitwick is of Ravenclaw?

Professor Sprout teaches Herbology, and she is among the staff whose enchantments help to guard the Stone beneath the trapdoor.