Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Major Characters

Harry Potter: Harry Potter is the famous eleven year old child of Lily and James Potter, who is the only known wizard to have survived any attack from the evil Voldemort. A weak boy with glasses and brown messy hair, Harry has lived with his mean aunt and uncle Dursley in England since his parents were killed at age one. When he turns eleven, he is taken away to Hogwarts, the wizard's school, where he learns to fly, becomes friends with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and saves the school from Voldemort's evil schemes of stealing the Sorcerer's Stone. Although he returns to live with the Dursleys when school is out for summer, knows that he is a powerful and skilled wizard and looks forward to learning more magic and making more friends when he returns the following year.

Rubeus Hagrid: Hagrid is the gamekeeper of Hogwarts and one of Harry's friends. He rescues Harry from the Dursleys, introduces him to the wizards' world, Diagon Alley, and brings him to Hogwarts. A simpleminded, clumsy giant, Hagrid was once thrown out of Hogwarts and often blurts out secrets that should be kept silent.

Voldemort: Voldemort is the evil villain in the novel, the murderer of Harry's parents, and the creature who plans to kill Harry. His name is rarely uttered by wizards and causes fear among all who think of him. He was once a good wizard, however, his ideas and powers went to the dark side, and now he lives his life in different hosts, such as Quirrell, who keep him alive until he can steal the Sorcerer's Stone and achieve immortality.

Ron Weasley: Ron Weasley is the youngest son of the enormous Weasley clan of boys with red hair and freckles, and one of Harry Potter's friends. His family has little money, but still manage to send Ron to Hogwarts and give Harry Christmas presents. Ron is an expert at Wizard's Chest and initially abhors Hermione. As the three uncover the truth behind the Sorcerer's Stone, Ron is key in getting past the chess chamber, sacrificing his own power for Harry.

Hermione Granger: Hermione Granger is a proud, intelligent, bookish, girl who follows every rule to the tee. Although she initially keeps her nose in the air around everyone and reads too many books, she eventually becomes friends with Ron and Harry, and is instrumental in their plot to save Hogwarts and the Sorceror's Stone from Voldemort. Her wizard skills in Herbology are key in passing through one of the chambers. She is also one of the few wizards who come from a regular muggle family.

Professor Quirrell: Professor Quirrell is one of the teachers at Hogwarts and a shy man who stutters too much. Although he seems to be blackmailed and controlled by Snape, Quirrell is actually the evil one, the one who follows his master Voldemort instead of Dumbledore, and who ultimately tries to kill Harry. He wears a turban at all times, which covers the head of Voldemort living underneath.

Professor Snape: Professor Snape is the menacing Potions professor at Hogwarts who heads Slytherin and seems to abhor Harry Potter. Although Harry and his friends initially think that Snape is the evil professor following Voldemort, he is the man who attempts to protect Harry from Quirrell and the evil spirit. Snape does, in fact, hate Harry, but only because he and James Potter were rivals at Hogwarts a generation earlier.

Albus Dumbledore: Albus Dumbledore is the old, wise, and revered headmaster of Hogwarts and single best wizard currently alive. He is kind and generous, and slightly mad. He watches over Harry Potter from his birth to his revelation to his heroic deeds, and ultimately awards Gryffindor the House Cup at the conclusion of the novel.

Draco Malfoy: Draco Malfoy is the arch nemesis of Harry Potter and a boy with whom Harry must contend throughout the novel. Draco comes from a long line of spoiled wizards, and some who have followed Voldemort in the past. He is constantly teasing and taunting Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville, and tricks them into finding trouble often.

Minor Characters

Mr. Vernon Dursley: Vernon Dursley is Harry Potter's uncle and a large, stout typical man who works in a Drilling Factory. He despises Harry and does everything possible to ruin his life and keep his heritage from him. When the letters begin to pour into the house, he takes the family away from home, and eventually becomes mad. Despite such enmity, Vernon still picks Harry up from school and allows him to live at 4 Privet Drive.

Mrs. Petunia Dursley: Petunia Dursley is the sister of Lily Potter and an utterly normal wife in England. She, like her husband, dislikes Harry and tries to make his life miserable by making him live in the cupboard under the stairs. She has always been bitterly jealous of her seemingly perfect and strange sister and desperately keeps Harry's true identity a secret.

Dudley Dursley: Dudley is the only child of Vernon and Petunia Dursley. A fat, mean child, Dudley bullies and teases Harry at home and at school. He is spoiled and selfish, constantly wants attention and material possessions, and winds up with a pig's tail as part of his body after Hagrid becomes angry.

Professor McGonagall: Professor McGonagall is the head of Gryffindor dorm and one of the wizards who is intricately involved with Harry's well being. She transforms into a cat at the onset of the novel and works hard keeping Harry and his friends in shape and out of trouble. She catches them without the Invisibility Cloak after they gave away the dragon and dock each fifty points from Gryffindor.

Lily and James Potter: Lily and James Potter are Harry's parents, two successful and famous wizards. They were killed by Voldemort when Harry was just an infant, leaving him to live with Lily's sister, Petunia Dursley.

Dedalus Diggle: Customer of the Leaky Cauldron who is thrilled to meet Harry Potter in the store. He had previously seen Harry and bowed to him in town, before Harry knew who he was.

Griphook: A goblin in the bank of Gringotts who leads Harry and Hagrid to their respective accounts and safe personal rooms. Harry finds his wealth of gold, while Hagrid obtains the sorcerer's stone.

Hedwig: Hedwig is Harry's owl, a birthday present from Hagrid. It keeps him company while waiting out his time with the Dursleys and becomes Harry's messenger throughout his adventures at Hogwarts.

Wood: Wood is the captain of Gryffindor's Quidditch team and is thrilled to have Harry on the team as the Seeker. He leads the team to several victories and in numerous pep talks.

Scabbers: Scabbers is Ron Weasley's pet rat. He plays with it on the train to Hogwarts and keeps Ron and Harry company throughout their time at Hogwarts.

Madame Hooch: Madame Hooch is the flying instructor at Hogwarts who instructs the children in mounting their brooms and flying in the air to play Quidditch.

Neville: Neville is the young boy from the train who lost his toad. He is placed in Gryffindor with Ron, Hermione, and Harry, and is often injured because of magic or clumsiness. He warns the three friends of McGonagall when they escape to free the dragon and is ultimately the child who earns the points at the end of the year for Gryffindor to win the House Cup.

Ronan, Bane, and Firenze : The centaur who helps Hagrid, Harry, and Hermione in the forest. Firenze informs Harry of his greatness and offers to fly him out of the forest, much to the other centaur's chagrin.

Madame Pomfrey: The nurse in charge of the hospital ward at Hogwarts. She is extremely timely and overprotective of the injured and famous Harry Potter under her care and only allows his friends to visit him for fifteen minute increments.

Norbert: Norbert is Hagrid's Norwegian Ridgeback dragon. Hagrid wins him as an unhatched dragon egg and is ecstatic to raise him as a pet. Unfortunately, he grows into a larger dragon who bites Ron's hand and must be taken away. Since dragons are illegal at Hogwarts, Harry, Ron, and Hermione send it to Ron's brother Charlie, who works with dragons in Romania.

Nicholas Flamel: Nicholas Flamel is an old friend of Albus Dumbledore and the object of Harry, Ron, and Hermione's curiosity. He is the creator of the Sorcerer's Stone, and although he never makes a presence during the novel, becomes a powerful force. When the Stone is destroyed at the end of the novel, they realize that Nicholas Flamel will eventually die, for he no longer will have everlasting life.

Fluffy: Fluffy is the three headed monster dog that guards the Sorcerer's Stone in Hogwarts. It bites Snape and is soothed only by hearing music. Harry, Hermione, and Ron pass it in order to find the chamber, which safeguards the stone.

Filch: Filch is the custodian and keeper of Hogwarts. He also functions as a librarian of sorts, keeping a watch on all the kids coming in and leaving, and makes sure that they do not do anything they should not. He keeps a constant companion of his cat, Mrs. Norris, with whom he constantly speaks. The children are generally frightened of Filch and hope to pass by his ominous presence when they go into the library or pass through the halls.

Mrs. Norris: Mrs. Norris is Filch's cat and constant companion. He often speaks with her when sad or alone.

Piers Polkiss: Piers is Dudley's friend and fellow gang member who hates Harry. The two spend their time beating him up and devising schemes to destroy his life. Piers attends Dudley's birthday celebration at the zoo.