Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | Chapter 1 Summary

Chapter One:  Owl Post

Back at the Dursley’s house for the summer, Harry Potter is miserable as always. Harry is forced to do his wizard homework under his blanket by flashlight in the dead of night so as not to disturb anyone. The Dursleys are angry because of Ronald Weasley’s loud and inexperienced phone call, the likes of which are rarely made by a wizard. Otherwise, Harry has had no word from anyone all summer which adds to his misery. The reader is fully reminded of Harry Potter’s unique lighting-shaped scar and his encounter with Voldemort as a baby which left Voldemort all but bereft of power. Suddenly, Harry receives all sorts of birthday gifts via Owl Post (the wizard way of getting mail): a broomstick servicing kit from his friend Hermione, a pocket sneakscope from his friend Ron (that lights up and spins when someone present is untrustworthy), and a living monster book from his friend Hagrid that would prove later to be quite useful for Harry’s new Care of Magical Creatures class. Meanwhile, Ron and his family have gone to Egypt because Mr. Weasley won the Grand Prize Galleon Draw. Harry looks admiringly at the newspaper article Ron sends him of the entire Weasley family happy in Egypt with Ron waving back at him, his pet rat, Scabbers, in his pocket. In addition, a letter from Hogwarts says that third-year students are allowed to visit the town of Hogsmeade; however, each student needs a signed permission slip from family member in order to attend the outings.