Flying Lesson and The Midnight Duel

Hi everyone :) These days, there has been a lot of rain, so I feel depressed. I hope the rainy season will over immediately!

Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday - and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together. Harry had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else, but  he was fed up with Draco Malfoy who was Sytherin's student.

At breakfast on Thursday, a barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke. It was Remembrall which told a person if there was something he had forgotten to do. Neville was trying to remember what he had forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand. Harry and Ron jumped to their feet. They were half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, but Professor MacGonagall appeared, so Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.

At three-thirty that afternoon, Harry, Ron and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front step into the grounds for their first flying lesson. The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Their teacher, Madam Hooch arrived and started to teach them how to fly off the ground. However, Neville had an accident and broke his wrist. Madam Hooch took Neville to the hospital wing, telling everyone to stay on the ground while she was away. Malfoy picked up the Remembrall which Neville left. Then, He had leapt on to his broomstick and taken off. Harry also grabbed his broom and flew after Malfoy, who threw the glass ball high into the air. Harry catched it spectacularly and landed safely. Just then, Professor McGonagall was running towards them and told Harry to follow her. Instead of punishing him, Professor McGonagall introduced Harry to Oliver Wood, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and told them that Harry would be an excellent Quidditch player like his father.

At dinner, Harry told Ron that he was chosen Seeker. Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry. Harry added that Wood wanted to keep it a secret. Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle came over and teased Harry about getting in trouble earlier. The tension grew and Malfoy challenged Harry to a wizard’s duel. Harry accepted, in spite of Hermione’s attempt to dissuade them from breaking the school rules. As Harry and Ron sneaked out later that night, Hermione tried to stop them but got locked out of the dorm, so she decided to go with them. Neville, wandering around lost, also joined them. They arrived at the trophy room, the site of the duel, but Malfoy and Crabbe were not there yet.

Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Harry had only just raised his wand when they heard someone speak - and it was not Malfoy. It was Argus Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts, speaking to his cat called Mrs Norris. Hermione said to Harry that Malfoy tricked Harry and Malfoy was never going to meet Harry - Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off. Harry thought Hermione was probably right, but he was not going to tell her that. Then, they began to run away. Not sure where they were going, they accidentally ended up in the forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden. They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog which filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville managed to get back to their dorm safely, though they were terrified. Hermione reprimanded Harry but stirred his curiosity by pointing out that the dog was standing on a trapdoor and they were obviously guarding something.

Many strange things and creatures appear in this book!! I like dogs, but if I look a three-headed dog, I will probably faint…

Read More

The Sorting Hat and The Potions Master

Hi everyone :) Last week, I went to Nara Park. There were a herd of deer, so I gave Shika Senbei, a kind of cookies, to deer. I took a lot of pictures because they were so cute!! I had an awesome time with deer♩

The first-yaers were greeted at the castle door by Professor McGonagall. She told them that before they took their seats in the Great Hall, they would be sorted into their houses. There were the four houses called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Professor McGonagall added while the students are at Hogwarts, their triumphs would earn their house points, while any rule-breaking would be lose house points. Also, she said that at the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor.

The first-years students were led to the Great Hall by Professor McGonagall. Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was a lit by thousands and thousands of candles which were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the student were sitting. There tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the Hall was another log table where the teacher were sitting. Professor McGonagell led the first-years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. She silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. She said that when she calls the first-years' name, they would put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. Harry became very nervous. Most students including Hermione and Malfoy were called and sorted. Finally, it was Harry’s turn to wear the hat. After a brief mental discussion with the hat in which it tried to suggest Slytherin to him, the hat placed Harry in Gryffindor. Harry was pleased to find that Ron and Hermione also were sorted in Gryffindor.

Albus Dumbledore, the head of Hogwarts, made his welcome speech, and a banquet was began. Harry's mouth fell open because the dishes in front of him were now piled with food. Nearly Headless Nick called Sir Nicolas de Mimsy-Porpington, the resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower, introduced himself to the first-year students and told them he hoped they would win the house championship this year. Harry glanced around the room and noticed teachers talking to one another. It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Professor Quirrell's turban straight into Harry's eyes - and a sharp , hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead. The pain had gone as quickly as it had come, but Harry knew the man was Professor Snape, who taught Potions. After banquet, Albus Dumbledore warned that the forest in the grounds was forbidden to all pupils and the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death. Then, everyone sang the school song and went off to his or her house.

Harry found life at Hogwarts unfamiliar and strange, but he thought all the classes except History of Magic were interesting. At breakfast on Friday, Harry’s owl called Hedwig delivered a letter written about a tea invitation from Hagrid. Later, in his Potions class, Harry discovered that Professor Snape really did not like him because Snape mocked Harry as “our new celebrity” and humiliated him for his ignorance of herbs. At five to three they left the castle and went to Hagrid's house. Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson, but he told Harry not worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie who was Ron's brother, Harry picked up an article from the wizard newspaper. The article was written about a break-in that occurred at Gringotts bank in a vault that had been emptied earlier in the day. He realized that it happened on his birthday, the day he and Hagrid went to Gringotts. Furthermore, he remembered that Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen, taking out that grubby little package. Harry left Hagrid’s house, his mind filled with questions.

Harry's life at Hogwarts started!!! If I were the student of Hogwarts, I would like to join Gryffindor. How about you?;)

Read More

The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

Hi everyone :) I am pretty busy recently because I have to do a lot of homework. I want to spend it slow and easy♩

Harry bought books and things for school, then he went to a wand store called Qllivanders with Hagrid. A magic wand… this was what Harry had been really looking forward to. The store owner called Ollivander made Harry try a number of magic wands, telling him that it would be clear when he had the right one. Harry tried many wands out. Finally, Mr Ollivander gave him a wand which was made of holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple. Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Ollivander told Harry that it so happened that the phoenix whose tail feather is in Harry's wand, gave another feather - just one other. Ollivander added that it was very curious indeed that Harry should be destined for this wand when its brother - why, its brother gave him that scar.

Harry’s last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun because they didn't speak to Harry at all. Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to call her Hedwig, a name he had found in "A History of Magic." On the last day of August, Harry asked Uncle Vernon to take hime to King's Cross station next day. Uncle Vernon agreed but ridiculed Harry because he said he would take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock. The following day, Harry arrived at the station at half past ten, but he had to find the train from platform nine and three-quarters. At that moment a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying about Hogwarts. Harry asked the woman for help, and she told him that all he has to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Harry did so, and he could find the train called Hogwarts Express.

On the train, Harry met Fred and George Weasley who were the red-haired twins. He also met Ron who was the twins' brother. Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the trolley, dears?" What she did have were many strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the money. Ron who came from a poor family could not afford, so Harry shared them with Ron. Ron told Harry about details of wizard life such as Quidditch, Famous Witches and Wizards cards and Every-Flavor Beans. One of the cards that Harry got was the picture of Albus Dumbledore. Then, Harry met a somewhat annoying, overachieving girl called Hermione Granger. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth. Harry also met again the boy called Draco Malfoy. He and Draco had met in Diagon Alley before. Harry and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Arriving at the station, there was Hagrid and the first years including Harry and Ron were followed into boats in which they sailed to the castle of Hogwarts.

Ron, Hermione and Malfoy finally appeared in the chapter!! Their life at Hogwarts will start form next chapter, so I'm looking forward to it;)

Read More

The Keeper of the Keys and Diagon Alley

Hi everyone :) Do you remember that I gave you a question in the previous blog? The question seemed to be very very easy for you! And thank you for answering it;) There is the answer in the following sentence, so I hope you find it by reading♩

BOOM! The thump was heard again. Dudley jerked awake. There was a clash and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room and held a rifle in his hands. Then - SMASH! The door was hit and a giant of a man appeared in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all his hair. The giant gave Harry a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in green icing. Then he introduced himself as Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Hagrid was shocked to find out that the Dursleys had never told Harry what Hogwarts was. Uncle Vernon tried to stop Hagrid from telling Harry about Hogwarts, but to no avail. Hagrid told Harry that Harry was a wizard and gave him a letter of acceptance to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Uncle Vernon protested that he would not allow Harry to enter Hogwarts, However, the Dursleys had been telling a lie that Harry's parents died in a car crush, so they made Hagrid so angry.Therefore, Hagrid told the truth that a evil wizard called Voldemort killed Harry's parents, and he also tried to kill Harry. Hagrid added that no one ever lived after Voldemort decided to kill them, no one except Harry, so Harry was only a baby who lived. Harry did not believe that he was a wizard, but Hagrid told him that he would be right famous at Hogwarts. Then Hagrid and Harry left the shack.

Harry woke early the next morning. Although he could tell it was daylight, he kept his eyes shut tight. Harry told himself firmly that he dreamed a giant called Hagrid came to tell him he was going to a school for wizards. However, there was suddenly a loud tapping noise. Tap. Tap. Tap. Harry got up and found it wasn't a dream. Hagrid told Harry that they had to go to London and buy all his stuff for school. Harry was concerned about money, but Hagrid assured him that his parents left behind plenty of funds for him at Gringotts, the wizards’ bank run by goblins.

Harry had never been to London before. At first, Hagrid took him to Leaky Cauldron which was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. Harry was honored and shook hands with everyone there. Also, Harry met Professor Quirrell who would be one of his teachers at Hogwarts. They headed out to the street, where Hagrid tapped on a brick wall three times with the point of his umbrella. Then an archway called Diagon Alley opened before them. Hagrid explained that Harry would buy what he needed for school here. They went to Gringotts, where they were escorted down to Harry’s safe. Inside were mounds of gold coins, columns of silver and heaps of little bronze knuts. Hagrid told Harry that they all were Harry's and the money his parents left for him. Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag and explained the complex wizard monetary system, which was composed of Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts. Then, Hagrid took Harry to another Vault seven hundred and thirteen which was empty except for a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask.

Where will they go next? I am crazy about reading this book!!!

Read More

The Vanishing Glass and The Letters from No One

Hi everyone :) Recently, I went to see a 3D movie The Amazing Spider-Man 2 with my friend. It was very thrilling and exciting. I felt like I got on the attraction in Universal Studios Japan. I think this movie is the best of all series of Spider-Man. If you don't see it yet, I'd like to recommend you to see!!

Nearly ten years had passed. Harry was awakened by His Aunt Petunia and told to look after the bacon, because today was Dudley’s birthday. However, Dudley went red in his face because he had only thirty-seven presents, one fewer than the previous year. Aunt Petunia suggested that she would buy him another two presents while they're out. Then, the Dursleys, Dudley and Harry went to the zoo.

It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. In the reptile house, Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at a snake. The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry's. It winked. Harry stared. Then he looked quicky around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and started to communicate with the snake. Noticing what Harry was doing, Mr Dursley and Dudley who pushed Harry aside to get a better look at the snake. At this moment, the glass front of the boa had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out on to the floor. Dudley claimed that the snake attacked him. The Dursleys were in shock. At home, Harry was punished for the snake incident and sent to his cupboard with no meals.

The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-evr punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holidays started. One day, Uncle Vernon told Harry to get the post. Harry noticed a letter that was addressed to him in “The Cupboard under the Stairs.” However, the envelope was jerked sharply out of his hand by Uncle Vernon. Uncle Vernon glanced at it, and his face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. Aunt Petunia also read the letter and was shocked. They forced Dudley and Harry to leave the kitchen. The next day, Uncle Vernon visited Harry in his cupboard. He refused to talk about the letter, but he told Harry to move into Dudley’s second bedroom.

Next morning at breakfast, another letter arrived for Harry, this time addressed to him in “The Smallest Bedroom.” Harry tried to get the letter, but Uncle Vernon kept it from him. Though Uncle Vernon nailed up the letter-box, twelve letters arrived for Harry the next day, pushed under the door or slotted through the sides. Soon letters flooded the house, entering in impossible ways. Uncle Vernon decided to take everyone away from the house, but at the hotel where they stayed, a hundred letters are delivered for Harry. Uncle Vernon decided on even greater isolation. On a dark, stormy night, he took the family out to an island with only one shack on it. At midnight, as Harry was going to be eleven, the whole shack shivered and someone was outside, knocking to come in.

Do you know who knocks to come in?? It it a easy question, right?:) In next blog, I will write the answer, so look forward to it!!

Read More

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Hi everyone :) This semester, we have to read at 500 pages in a book and write what we are reading in our blog, right? I think it will be a very hard for us, but I want to enjoy reading various kind of western books!!

A book that I chose is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowlling. I love Harry Potter and saw all series of the movie at a cinema. When I went to see the first movie, I was still six years old, so I was very scared of the man with two faces. Do you know who he is? … Yes, he is "You-Know-Who", Voldemort. He has a horrible face, doesn't he? Although all series concluded, I watch the DVD over and over again at home. Also, I want to visit the location of the movie sometime.

Mr and Ms Dursley lived in 4 Private Drive along with their small son called Dudley. The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret. Mrs Potter was Mrs Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister.On his way to work one ordinary morning, Mr Dursley noticed a cat reading a map. He was unsettled, but told himself that he had only imagined it. Then, as Mr Dursley sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing a lot of people in cloaks. Walking past a bakery later that day, he overheard people talking about the Potters and their son called Harry. He was upset, but he decided not to mention anything to his wife. Meanwhile, the news was full of unusual reports of flocks of owls, shooting stars, people in cloaks.

That night, as the Dursleys were falling asleep, a man called Albus Dumbledore appeared on the corner the cat had been watching. He shut off all the streetlights and approached the cat that is soon revealed to be a woman called Professor McGonagall. They discussed the disappearance of "You-Know-Who", Voldemort. Dumbledore told Professor McGonagall they Lily and James Potter were killed by Voldemort, and he also tried to kill their son, Harry, but he couldn't. Dumbledore added that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke - and that's why he's gone.

Dumbledore said that he came to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle, the Dursleys because they were the only family ha had left. Professor McGonagall protested that Harry couldn't be brought up by the Dursleys. But Dumbledore insisted that it was the best place for Harry. For a while, a huge motorbike fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them. A giant called Hagrid was holding a bundle of blankets with the sleeping baby, Harry inside. Dumbledore took Harry in his arm, laid him gently on the Dursley's doorstep and he tucked a letter inside Harry's blankets. Then, the three part ways. Harry Potter couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!"

I was surprised to read the story of the Dursleys because there wasn't such a scene in the movie. I think there are many scenes which aren't in the movie in this book, so I'm very excited to read them;)

Read More

Self-Introduction

Hi everyone :) I'm Yurina Yamada. I'm from Shizuoka prefecture, but I live in Kyoto now. We are a family of four: my parents, my older brother and I. I also have a black toy poodle called Loe. Loe is a sweet, one-year-old girl. I like to play with her, and when I am depressed, she encourages me.  She always stays with me and gives me peace of mind, so she is very precious to me. Isn't my profile image so cute?

I love watching Western movies. Last year, I watched more than 100 movies. My favorite movies are Star Wars and Les miserables. I'm also interested in Historical movies including Schindler's List, Platoon, Gladiator and the Help. I'm a big fan of Steven Spilberg, so I watched most of his works. I started to have strong interests on Western movies after watching Back to the future when I was twelve years old. Thus, I admire Steven Spilberg because he taught me a pleasure of watching movies.

My other hobby is going to an art museum. Last month, I went to Mori Art Museum in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo, in order to see exhibitions of Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and Andy Warhol. There were many great works, but what impressed me the most was Ophelia by John Everett Millais. The painting was so spiritual, and Ophelia who is painted as a character from Shakespeare's play Hamlet was so beautiful. I also admired the exhibition of Andy Warhol. And, it was fun for me to look around there because his works were modern. To appreciate paintings provides me with an emotional richness, so I'll visit art museums around the world.

At the end, I will write about the tittle of my new blog. The title of my old blog "Tomorrow is a new day" was quoted from Anne of Green Gables. But this time, I quoted Lewis Carroll's words "The love-gift of a fairy-tale" because the words remind me of the importance of reading a book. It is still hard for me to read Western books, but through this blog, I want to make my English skills including Reading and Writing improve. Thank you.

Read More