Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone By J. K. Rowling chapter one the Boy Who Lived

some
things,” he said. “I can, you know, do math and stuff.” 
But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, “About 
our
world, I mean. 
Your
world. 
My
world. 
Yer parents’ world
.” 
“What world?” 
Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode. 
“DURSLEY!” he boomed. 
Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like 
“Mimblewimble.” Hagrid stared wildly at Harry. 

---

“But yeh must know about yer mom and dad,” he said. “I mean, they’re 
famous
. You’re 
famous
.” 
“What? My — my mom and dad weren’t famous, were they?” 
“Yeh don’ know… yeh don’ know…” Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with 
a bewildered stare. 
“Yeh don’ know what yeh 
are
?” he said finally. 
Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice. 
“Stop!” he commanded. “Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!” 
A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave 
him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage. 
“You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was 
there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An’ you’ve kept it from him all these years?” 
“Kept 
what
from me?” said Harry eagerly. 
“STOP! I FORBID YOU!” yelled Uncle Vernon in panic. 
Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror. 
“Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh,” said Hagrid. “Harry — yer a wizard.” 
There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard. 
“I’m a 
what
?” gasped Harry. 
“A wizard, o’ course,” said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even 
lower, “an’ a thumpin’ good ‘un, I’d say, once yeh’ve been trained up a bit. With a mum an’ dad 
like yours, what else would yeh be? An’ I reckon it’s abou’ time yeh read yer letter.” 
Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to 
Mr. H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea.
He pulled out the letter and read: 
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY 


Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE 

 
 
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International 
Confed. of Wizards) 

 

---

Dear Mr. Potter, 
 
 
 We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft 
and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. 
 

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. 
 

Yours sincerely, 
 

Minerva McGonagall, 
 

Deputy Headmistress 
Questions exploded inside Harry’s head like fireworks and he couldn’t decide which to ask first. 
After a few minutes he stammered, “What does it mean, they await my owl?” 
“Gallopin’ Gorgons, that reminds me,” said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough 
force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an 
owl — a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl — a long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his 
tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could read upside down: 
Dear Professor Dumbledore,