Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone: Chapter 2 Summary.
The Vanishing Glass
In the second chapter of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, titled “The Vanishing Glass,” ten years have passed since Harry was left to live with the Dursleys.
Harry’s Life at the Dursleys
Harry Potter is now almost eleven years old and lives a miserable life with his aunt, uncle, and cousin.
The Dursleys treat him poorly, forcing him to wear old hand-me-downs and do numerous chores every day. Harry is frequently bullied by Dudley and his gang of friends.
He doesn’t have a room of his own and is forced to live in a cupboard under the stairs. The cupboard is small, and filled with bugs and spiders.
Dudley’s Eleventh Birthday
The chapter begins on Dudley’s eleventh birthday.
The Dursleys plan to take Dudley and his friend to the zoo, but when Mrs. Figg, the elderly neighbor who usually babysits Harry, breaks her leg, the Dursleys reluctantly take Harry along.
At the zoo, Harry is astonished by the exotic animals, but the visit takes an unexpected turn when they reach the reptile house.
The Boa Constrictor
Dudley tries to interact with a large boa constrictor, then quickly loses interest when he finds it unresponsive. However, when Harry looks at the snake, it appears to acknowledge him. Harry speaks to it, and to his amazement, the snake seems to understand him, responding with a nod.
Suddenly, the glass of the snake’s enclosure vanishes, causing the boa constrictor to slither out and escape. The snake expresses gratitude to Harry as it leaves, causing panic among the zoo visitors. Dudley and his friend, Piers, are terrified, and the Dursleys are furious with Harry, blaming him for the incident even though he is not sure how it happened.
Back at Privet Drive, Uncle Vernon punishes Harry by locking him in his cupboard for several days.
Harry contemplates the odd occurrences in his life, such as his hair growing back overnight after a bad haircut and him somehow ending up on the school roof while being chased by Dudley’s gang.
He realizes that strange things happen around him, though he cannot explain why.
The chapter ends with Harry feeling isolated and longing for a life different from the one he has with the Dursleys. This sets the stage for the extraordinary changes that are about to occur in his life.
