Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Chapter 11 Summary
The Firebolt
Chapter 11 of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, titled The Firebolt, deals with Harry’s emotional turmoil after learning the truth about Sirius Black’s betrayal, and a mysterious gift that causes some problems.
Harry’s Emotional Turmoil
Harry returns from Hogsmeade in a daze, his mind racing with the new, painful information about Sirius Black. He wonders why Dumbledore, Hagrid, or anyone else never told him that his parents died because of their best friend’s betrayal.
At dinner, everyone avoids the topic because Percy is nearby. Later, Harry sneaks away to his dormitory, wanting to be alone. He pulls out the photo album Hagrid had given him two years ago, and finds a picture of his parents’ wedding. Sirius Black is standing beside his father, smiling and happy. He wonders if Black was already working for Voldemort when this picture was taken.
Harry imagines Black telling Voldemort about becoming the Potters’ Secret Keeper. Even with his eyes open, he can see Sirius Black laughing at him. He tries to sleep but is unable to do so until daybreak.
Ron and Hermione’s Concern
The next morning, Harry wakes up late. The Gryffindor Common Room is nearly empty, with most students gone for the holidays. Only a few remain, including Ron and Hermione, who stayed behind to support Harry. They try to talk to him, asking him not to go after Black and insisting that he isn’t worth dying for.
Harry, still filled with rage, shares his experience of hearing his mother’s screams every time a Dementor comes near him. Moreover, the Dementors don’t even affect Black. Even if he was caught and sent back to Azkaban, it wouldn’t be an appropriate punishment for him.
He realizes that Malfoy knows everything, judging from his taunt earlier. Since Draco’s father Lucius was a high-ranking Death Eater, he would have had all the information from the start. Ron asks Harry if he wants to kill Black, but Harry doesn’t have an answer.
Hagrid’s Troubles
In an attempt to distract Harry, Ron suggests visiting Hagrid. Harry agrees but Hermione protests, since Harry shouldn’t leave the castle. Harry, wanting to question why Hagrid never told him the truth about Black, doesn’t listen to her and gets up to leave.
The trio makes their way through the snowy grounds to Hagrid’s hut. When they arrive, they hear a strange noise from inside. Hagrid opens the door, his eyes red and swollen, and collapses onto Harry, sobbing uncontrollably.
He points towards a letter from the Ministry. Harry picks it up and reads it out loud. It says that Hagrid holds no responsibility regarding Buckbeak’s attack on Malfoy. However, due to Lucius Malfoy’s complaint, a hearing with the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures must be arranged, which would decide the fate of the Hippogriff.
The hearing is set for April. Hagrid is devastated, fearing that the committee, influenced by Lucius Malfoy, will sentence Buckbeak to death.
Hermione suggests gathering evidence and preparing a strong defense. Harry and Ron agree to stand as witnesses. Hagrid, though grateful, doubts they’ll be able to convince the committee, but he agrees to try. He expresses further grief, admitting how he hasn’t been himself lately, and that nobody likes his classes. Ron insists that it isn’t true, and asks how the flobberworms are. Hagrid replies that they all died due to too much lettuce.
Hagrid shares how he hates walking past the Dementors since they remind him of Azkaban. He recollects his time in the prison and remembers all the horrors he experienced.
Even though far from fun, the trip to Hagrid’s hut succeeds in getting Harry’s mind off Black. It wasn’t like he had forgotten about it, but now that he needed to help Hagrid, he couldn’t waste time plotting revenge. The next day, the trio heads to the library and starts preparing a defence for Buckbeak.
Christmas Morning and the Firebolt
On Christmas morning, Ron throws a pillow at Harry to wake him up. He puts on his glasses and squints at the small heap of presents at the foot of his bed. Harry starts unwrapping presents and comes across a mysteriously long, thin package without any cards. He rips apart the packaging and discovers that he has been gifted a Firebolt.
The Firebolt is an international standard broom, costing hundreds of galleons. Harry wonders who might have spent that much on him, but cannot come to any solid conclusion.
Ron is thrilled, but Hermione’s reaction is different. She points out that they don’t know who sent it, and suggests that Harry shouldn’t ride the broom. Ron tries to argue, but at that very moment, Crookshanks leaps at his pocket, where Scabbers is resting. Ron screams at Hermione and tries to kick Crookshanks off, but misjudges it and kicks Harry’s trunk instead. The trunk falls open, and Harry’s Sneakoscope starts whirling.
As Harry puts the Sneakoscope away, he realizes that Scabbers has gotten very thin and weak. He remembers the words of the woman at the Magical Menagerie, that Scabbers being a garden rat, is nearing the end of his life. He wonders how Ron would react to the loss of his beloved pet.
The Christmas Dinner
At lunchtime, the trio heads down to the Great Hall. They discover that the House Tables had been pushed towards the walls, and a single table for twelve was set up in the middle of the room. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout and Flitwick were all there. Filch the caretaker, two first years, and a fifth-year Slytherin were also present at the table.
Dumbledore fires some crackers as the trio settles, and asks everyone to dig in. A few moments later, Professor Trelawney enters the Great Hall, saying she saw herself eating with them while crystal-gazing. Dumbledore draws her a chair, but Trelawney refuses to sit. She declares that if thirteen people dine together, the first to get up would die. Professor McGonagall impatiently asks her to join in anyway, and she reluctantly complies.
Two hours later, Harry and Ron both get up from the table at the same time. Trelawney panics and asks who got up first, but Professor McGonagall lightens the mood.
With this, they leave, but Hermione stays behind to have a quick word with Professor McGonagall.
Firebolt Confiscated
Ron and Harry sit in the common room, admiring Harry’s firebolt. A few minutes later, the door flings open. It is Hermione, accompanied by Professor McGonagall. Professor McGonagall reveals that Hermione told her about Harry’s Firebolt, and asks to see it.
She examines it, then announces it will have to be confiscated for now, and stripped down to check for jinxes, since it could have been sent by Sirius Black. Harry and Ron are both horrified and try to protest, but Professor McGonagall pays no heed to them.
The chapter ends with McGonagall leaving the common room with the broom. Hermione tries to explain that she meant well, but Harry and Ron both end up getting mad at her.
