Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard

Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The series follows the adventures of Harry Potter, who is 11 when the series begins. Harry is shocked to learn on his 11th birthday that he is a wizard, meaning that he is imbued with magical powers. He later learns that both his parents were wizards and were killed by the powerful dark wizard Lord Voldemort, information which his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Cousin Dudley kept from him. Harry is invited to the wizarding school Hogwarts; he is thrilled to leave the home of his aunt and uncle, who are cruel and neglectful to Harry, for the duration of the school year. Harry attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he meets his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Together, the three have many different adventures over the next seven years as they engage in their wizarding studies and attempt to overcome the various dark forces wielded by Lord Voldemort, a villainous wizard who killed Harry’s parents years ago and now wishes to subjugate the entire wizarding population. Within the context of their school activities, they also deal with a barrage of unpleasant encounters with their fellow student and declared nemesis, Draco Malfoy: the character that Tom Felton portrays in the films.