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Both the motion picture and book were released in the United States under the name Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, as the publishers were concerned that most Americans were not familiar enough with the term " philosopher's stone" to gain the correct impression from the title. (The renaming of books for international distribution is a common practice, even for highly known and internationally recognised authors.)
Whatever the reasons for the change, it had no effect on the sales figures, and the Harry Potter series rapidly became one of the most-in-demand among young readers, who seemed to be undaunted by the ever-increasing length and complexity of the volumes.
When Harry Potter was 15 months old, the evil Lord Voldemort killed his parents and tried to kill Harry as well. Harry survived, but a scar remained on his forehead. He was sent to live with his abusive Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. They forced him to live in a cupboard under the stairs, while they spoiled their son Dudley with constant toys and treats. On the week of his 11th birthday, Harry started to get letters, delivered by owls, inviting him to come and study at a Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After an intervention by the gigantic Hagrid, Hogwarts' groundskeeper, he is finally permitted to attend, although his aunt and uncle tell everyone that he is attending St. Brutus' School for Incurably Criminal Boys.
Hagrid gives Harry a ticket to the Hogwarts Express, a magical train found at London's King Cross Station. He boards the train for the first time, traveling to Hogwarts.
At Hogwarts, he befriends Ron WeasleyRonald "Ron" Bilius Weasley is a fictional character in J. Rowling's Harry Potter series of children's books. Ron and Hermione Granger are Harry Potter's two best friends at Hogwarts. All characters (except Luna Lovegood) call him "Ron" rather than "Ronal, the youngest son of a poor wizarding family, and Hermione GrangerHermione Jane Granger is a fictional character of the Harry Potter book series. She is a young female student at Hogwarts and, with Ron, one of Harry Potter's two best friends there. She is slightly bossy, and bookish. Her thirst for knowledge comes in us, a muggleA Muggle is a term from the fictional Harry Potter series of books which refers to a human person with no magical abilities who doesn't belong to a wizarding family. See Magic (Harry Potter) for more information. The term has found its way into more commo-born girl (not of a wizarding family) who is the smartest witch of her age, and develops a rivalry with brat-prince Draco MalfoyDraco Malfoy is a fictional character in J. Rowling's Harry Potter books. He was born c. 1980 to Lucius Malfoy and his wife Narcissa (cousin of Sirius Black). The Malfoy family is described as old, aristocratic and clannish, very affluent and proud of bei. During the first-year initiation, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are sorted into the house of Gryffindor, Malfoy is admitted into Slytherin.
The main plot revolves around the philosopher's stone. Though guarded carefully by the teachers of Hogwarts, Harry and friends uncover a plot to steal the stone, suspecting their Potions teacher, Severus SnapeSeverus Snape is a fictional character in the Harry Potter series of novels. He is the Potions Master and Head of Slytherin house at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a principal setting of the novels. He seems to hate Harry Potter, and his chec. Pooling their individual strengths, the three manage to get past the various defences which guard the stone, until Harry has to go forward alone to face not Snape, as expected, but Professor Quirrell, who has been acting as host for Lord Voldemort. Voldemort attempts to use Harry to find the stone—the final defense is the Mirror of Erised, which shows the viewer their heart's one true desire, charmed to show the stone only to those who wish to find, but not use it. Voldemort is vanquished, and Quirrell killed, while trying to attack Harry; because of a remnant of his mother's sacrifice.