Chapter 13: Nicolas Flamel

This week, I’m going back to my regular format. I enjoyed taking the time to try something different last week, but frankly, it was a lot of time. I don’t think I could manage that every week. I would like to bring other writers into the conversation in the future, but it’ll be an occasional thing.

In this chapter, Neville has an encounter with Malfoy that leaves him with a Leg-Locker Curse. The three kids comfort him, and Harry gives him his last chocolate frog, which has a card that mentions Nicolas Flamel. That gives them enough information for Hermione to look him up in a book, leading them to the realization that the sorcerer’s stone must be what Fluffy is guarding. Meanwhile, Harry has found out that Snape is going to be refereeing the next Quidditch game, for the first time ever. Harry manages to end the game quickly, and afterwards, he follows Snape and finds him grilling Quirrell for information on getting past Fluffy.

I can’t resist a brief nerdy aside here: Nicolas Flamel and the philosopher’s stone (renamed the sorcerer’s stone for the US release of the book) both come out of real-world history. Nicolas Flamel wasn’t actually an alchemist, as far as anyone can tell, but a rich man rumored to have become rich with the philosopher’s stone, which turns metals to gold as well as granting immortality. I highly recommend the videos on Nicolas Flamel and on the philosopher’s stone on the Esoterica YouTube channel.

That aside, this chapter sets up a sharp contrast between Neville and Harry. Neville is mopey and sad, but he has good reason to be; he’s struggling with schoolwork and being bullied as well. Harry, on the other hand, is still grieving and having nightmares about his parents dying, but he seems to be keeping it to himself. He mentions the dreams to Ron, and the mirror to Hermione, but these are only brief asides. He doesn’t talk about it otherwise, and doesn’t show signs of being affected.

Instead, Harry puts his energy into Quidditch, noticing that he has fewer nightmares when he’s physically tired. That’s a valid tactic for dealing with stress, but I also think that Harry would benefit from some kind of emotional support. This is highlighted when, at the end of the Quidditch game, Dumbledore congratulates him and says, “Nice to see you haven’t been brooding about that mirror.” But as far as we know, Dumbledore left that entirely to chance; there’s no one supporting Harry or giving him guidance.

With that in mind, Neville’s bullying starts to look more like neglect as well. Neville runs into Malfoy outside the library, who uses the Leg-Locker Curse, forcing Neville to hop all the way up to Gryffindor Tower. (Why do they even teach curses?) Evidently, there were no adults anywhere in the castle keeping an eye out.

Once Neville reaches the Gryffindor common room, everyone just laughs at him—presumably, even Harry and Ron—except for Hermione, who immediately jumps in to help. Hermione has always been kind to Neville, offering him magic advice, but I wonder if she’s more compassionate for having been bullied herself (by Harry and Ron). After Hermione breaks the ice to support Neville, the two boys follow her lead.

Neville shows his emotions openly: he speaks “shakily” and he “chokes out” his words, and looks “as though he might cry.” Hermione and Ron try to give helpful advice, and Harry gives Neville his last chocolate frog, saying, “You’re worth twelve of Malfoy.” That seems to do the trick, because Neville repeats Harry’s words when confronted by Malfoy at the Quidditch game, even though he’s “bright red” as he does it. Ron encourages him, and when Ron snaps and tackles Malfoy, Neville joins in the fight.

Neville’s vulnerability gets him laughed at, but it also gets him support. That enables him to grow as a person, and even though it lands him in the infirmary, it’s a lesson he needed. On the other hand, Harry is a bit emotionally closed-off, which limits the amount of support he’s able to receive. Their personal tendencies will follow them through the rest of the books.