Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | Chapter 11 Summary

Chapter Eleven:  The Firebolt

Harry’s mind spins with his newfound knowledge. Sirius Black had betrayed his parents, causing their deaths!?! Sirius Black had been his parents’ Secret-Keeper as well as Harry’s own godfather!?! Swelling with hatred for Black, Harry considers going after his enemy himself (against everyone else’s advice). Harry, Ron, and Hermione decide to ask Hagrid to reveal more about the situation, and vow to go ask him. However, when they arrive at Hagrid’s hut, they discover Hagrid sick with grief over the fact that Buckbeak, the hippogriff, has been sentenced to death as a result of Malfoy’s (mostly fake) injury. The three decide to help Hagrid plead his case for Buckbeak, which gets Harry’s mind of Sirius Black for the moment.  Christmas morning arrives with Harry ogling his fabulous present given anonymously:  a Firebolt (the very broom he had admired in Diagon Alley before school began that is known as the fastest broom in the world). Hermione puts a small damper on things by doting on her cat.  Crookshanks is obsessed with chasing Ron’s rat, a very ragged-looking Scabbers.  Hermione and Ron remain at odds over these events. After the Christmas feast, McGonagall confiscates Harry’s new broom “to be checked for jinxes” compliments of Hermione, who suspects that it was given to Harry by Sirius Black. All of the Gryffindor’s hopes for the Quidditch Cup seem to be dashed at the confiscation of Harry’s broom. Harry and Ron are unable to forgive Hermione for this; therefore, their friendship hits an all-time low.