The Year 1991: Harry Potter's Introduction to the Wizarding World

The year 1991 is a pivotal period in the history of the Wizarding World, primarily marking the re-emergence of Harry Potter into magical society and the beginning of his education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is the year that sets in motion the main events of the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. During this year, Lord Voldemort, in a weakened state, inhabited the body of Professor Quirrell and made his first significant attempt since his initial downfall to regain power by trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone. This year is also foundational for the formation of the central trio of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.

• Early Year: Professor Quirrell, the Muggle Studies teacher at Hogwarts, takes a sabbatical year for a “grand tour”. During his travels in the forests of Albania, he encounters the disembodied spirit of Lord Voldemort. Voldemort subjugates Quirrell, taking possession of his body and forcing him to wear a turban to hide Voldemort's face on the back of his head.
• June 23: For Dudley Dursley's eleventh birthday, the Dursleys take him and Harry Potter to the zoo. There, Harry discovers he can communicate with a Boa Constrictor via Parseltongue and inadvertently causes the glass of its enclosure to vanish, allowing it to escape.

• July 24: The first of many Hogwarts acceptance letters for Harry Potter arrives at Number 4, Privet Drive. Vernon Dursley confiscates it, leading to an increasing flood of letters delivered by owls.
• Late July: In a desperate attempt to escape the letters, Vernon Dursley relocates his family, culminating in them taking refuge in the Hut-on-the-Rock.
• July 31: On Harry's eleventh birthday, Rubeus Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, arrives at the hut at midnight. He reveals Harry's identity as a wizard, explains that his parents were murdered by Lord Voldemort, and presents him with his official Hogwarts letter. Hagrid also gives Dudley Dursley a pig's tail after finding him eating Harry's birthday cake.

• August 1: Hagrid escorts Harry to Diagon Alley to purchase his school supplies.
  • They visit Gringotts Wizarding Bank, where Harry sees the fortune his parents left him. Hagrid also retrieves the Philosopher's Stone from the high-security Vault 713 on Albus Dumbledore's orders.
  • At Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Harry has his first, though at the time unknown, meeting with Draco Malfoy.
  • At Ollivanders, Harry purchases his wand: eleven inches, holly, with a phoenix feather core. Mr. Ollivander reveals that its core feather came from the same phoenix, Fawkes, as the feather in Lord Voldemort's wand.
  • Hagrid buys Harry a snowy owl, whom Harry names Hedwig.

• September 1: Harry travels to King's Cross Station and, with the help of the Weasley family, finds his way onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters and boards the Hogwarts Express.
  • On the train, he befriends Ron Weasley and meets Hermione Granger for the first time.
  • Upon arrival at Hogwarts, the Sorting Hat places Harry, Ron, and Hermione into Gryffindor house.
• First Week of Term: Harry begins his classes, including a difficult first Potions lesson where Professor Snape shows an immediate and profound dislike for him. He also has his first flying lesson with Madam Hooch, where his natural talent on a broomstick leads Professor McGonagall to recruit him as the youngest Gryffindor Seeker in a century.

• October 31: On Hallowe'en, Professor Flitwick teaches the first-years the Levitation Charm, Wingardium Leviosa. Ron's insensitive comments about her performance cause Hermione Granger to spend the afternoon crying in the girls' bathroom.
  • During the Hallowe'en Feast, Professor Quirrell bursts into the Great Hall to announce that a Mountain Troll is in the dungeons. This is a diversion, allowing him to go after the Philosopher's Stone.
  • Realizing Hermione is unaware of the troll, Harry and Ron rush to warn her. They end up locked in the bathroom with the creature and manage to knock it out. When confronted by the professors, Hermione takes the blame to protect Harry and Ron, an act which solidifies their friendship.

• November: Harry plays in his first Quidditch match, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. During the game, his Nimbus 2000 is jinxed and tries to throw him off. Believing Snape is responsible, Hermione sets fire to Snape's robes, inadvertently knocking over Professor Quirrell and breaking the curse. Snape was, in fact, muttering a counter-curse to save Harry. Later, Hagrid accidentally reveals to the trio that the Philosopher's Stone is being protected at Hogwarts by a Three-Headed Dog named Fluffy.

• December 25: For Christmas, Harry receives an Invisibility Cloak as an anonymous gift. A note explains it belonged to his father, James Potter. The gift is later revealed to be from Albus Dumbledore.
• Late December: Using the cloak, Harry explores the restricted section of the Hogwarts Library and, while fleeing from Argus Filch, stumbles upon the Mirror of Erised. He is captivated by its ability to show him his deceased parents and other relatives. He is later found there by Albus Dumbledore, who explains the mirror's nature and arranges for its removal.