Owl Post
chapter one of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Late at night, Harry is doing his homework and hiding from the Dursleys when he suddenly realizes it’s his birthday – and soon presents come in from Ron, Hermione, and Hagrid.
It was nearly midnight, and [Harry] was in bed… a flashlight in one hand and a large leather-bound book (A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot) propped open against the pillow.
(by Ditraveler)
“HELLO? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I – WANT – TO – TALK – TO – HARRY – POTTER!”
(by gerre)
So Harry had had no word from any of his wizarding friends for five long weeks, and this summer was turning out to be almost as bad as the last one.
(by salamandersoup)
Harry scanned the moving photograph, and a grin spread across his face.
(by Helene Sirois)
Extremely unusual though he was, at that moment Harry Potter felt just like everyone else – glad, for the first time in his life, that it was his birthday.
(by Amanda Grazini)
about the chapter
Something You May Not Have Noticed
I love that Harry’s using an eagle-feather quill to do his homework under the covers. Wouldn’t those be huge? And therefore be constantly brushing against the covers overhead and splattering ink all over the place?
The Wizarding World
It’s really amazing what wizarding post owls are capable of. Hedwig knew Harry’s birthday was coming up, realized that Hermione wouldn’t be able to send him her present, figured out that she was on vacation in France, found her to pick up the present, and then found Errol on her way back and helped carry him to Privet Drive (along with the Hogwarts owl which was coming from the other direction and also found both of them) – and she was only gone from Privet Drive for two days! Somehow the birds just seem to *know* things. I wonder how that all works.
The Boy Who Lived
Hermione will later get exasperated with Harry for never having “opened” A History of Magic, but here we see him not only with the book open, but diligently doing his homework out of it a month before it’s due. This is not remotely like the Harry we know and love during the school year, who has to copy Hermione’s homework last minute. It seems he’s really, really missing the wizarding world, and as his homework is his only link to it, he spends the summer working on it. Still not to the point of Hermione though, of course (two rolls of parchment more than Binns asked for?!?!?).
YAY!! POA is here! I can’t wait for the next chapter. Thanks!
Alyssa said this on May 31, 2009 at 11:31 am
This is one of the best chapters in PoA. :)
Michael said this on August 6, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Followup: Then again, they’re really all amazing!
Michael said this on August 6, 2009 at 7:45 pm
I always enjoyed reading this chapter. It’s such a nice change to see Harry having a nice birthday. He certainly deserves it!
Maggie said this on August 15, 2009 at 1:29 am
I thought it was “Hogwarts, A History” that he never read, not “History of Magic”? Of course there was no need for him to read about the history of Hogwarts, as Hermione could just tell them anything they might want to know.
Pam said this on August 22, 2009 at 12:54 am
No, it was ‘A History of Magic’ – Hermione gets frustrated when Harry doesn’t know that Godric’s Hollow is named for Godric Gryffindor when they’re planning to go there in DH16.
John Kearns said this on August 22, 2009 at 7:42 am
He also found the name Hedwig in A History of Magic, so he must have at least opened it twice ;)
Alex said this on August 31, 2009 at 11:46 am
I believe that Hermione also gets on Harry and Ron for not opening Hogwarts, A History as well as A History of Magic.
Thomas said this on September 15, 2009 at 1:00 am
This book it’s great. I do not dare to say the best, but until HBP this book was my favourite of them all. Thank you!
Paula said this on October 27, 2009 at 8:59 am
I never stopped to ask why Harry does his homework so diligently when he’s on holiday. I like the idea that it’s his only link to the wizarding world, but I think there’s a bit of rebellion going on here as well. At Hogwarts, where his teachers and Hermone are contsantly on at him to get his work done, he doesn’t do it. But at Privet Drive, where anything magical is forbidden, he does his work religiously – it seems like he’s just doing the opposite of whatever the people around him want him to do! Also, I think it’s worth pointing out that at Hogwarts there’s always something going on whereas at Privet Drive he must be bored out of his mind.
Caitlin said this on December 2, 2009 at 7:59 am
I wonder if the eagle-feather quill Harry uses in this chapter is the same one that Hermione gave him for Christmas in Chamber of Secrets. If so, the friend connection helps explain why he would use a quill that would be burdensome under the covers.
Andrea said this on February 19, 2010 at 7:18 am