Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)

Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)

Author: J.K. Rowling

Published in: 1999

Date read: 30th June 2003

Score: 5/5

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Childrens' fiction

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling marks a darker, more complex turn in Harry's adventures, delving deeper into his family history and introducing key characters who will shape his future.

The story begins with Harry Potter enduring another unpleasant summer with the Dursleys. After accidentally inflating his Aunt Marge in a fit of anger, Harry flees, expecting expulsion from Hogwarts. Instead, he is picked up by the Knight Bus and eventually learns that his uncontrolled magic won't lead to punishment. However, he soon hears terrifying news: Sirius Black, a notorious mass murderer and alleged supporter of Lord Voldemort, has escaped from Azkaban, the wizarding prison, and is rumoured to be after Harry.

Upon returning to Hogwarts for his third year, the school is placed under heavy guard by Dementors, soul-sucking creatures from Azkaban, whose presence drains happiness and severely affects Harry, triggering flashbacks to his parents' death. The new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Remus Lupin, quickly proves to be an exceptionally talented and understanding instructor, teaching Harry how to defend himself against Dementors using the Patronus Charm.

The threat of Sirius Black looms large over the school. Reports suggest he has managed to breach the supposedly impenetrable Hogwarts defenses, leading to increased paranoia. Ron's pet rat, Scabbers, also behaves strangely and eventually disappears, leading to a bitter feud between Ron and Hermione, who suspects Ron's new cat, Crookshanks, of eating him.

As Harry, Ron, and Hermione investigate, they uncover a complex web of deceit and betrayal. Harry learns that Sirius Black was his godfather and a close friend of his parents, but was believed to have betrayed them to Voldemort and then murdered another friend, Peter Pettigrew, along with twelve Muggles. Harry, fueled by vengeance, vows to kill Black.

The climax of the novel takes place in the Shrieking Shack, where Harry, Ron, and Hermione finally confront Sirius Black. With the sudden arrival of Professor Lupin, the truth is dramatically revealed: Sirius Black is innocent. He was framed by Peter Pettigrew, who was not killed but instead transformed into an Animagus (a wizard who can transform into an animal) and has been living for twelve years as Ron's rat, Scabbers. Lupin, too, is revealed to be a werewolf, a secret he had been hiding.

Pettigrew, forced into human form, confesses his treachery. Black and Lupin plan to hand Pettigrew over to the Dementors and clear Black's name. However, a series of unfortunate events, including Lupin's transformation into a werewolf under the full moon and a misjudgment on the part of the Ministry of Magic, allows Pettigrew to escape, and Sirius is captured and sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss (a fate worse than death).

Desperate to save his innocent godfather, Harry, with Hermione's help and the use of her secretly obtained Time-Turner, travels back in time. They relive the night's events, saving the hippogriff Buckbeak (who had been unjustly sentenced to execution earlier) and successfully helping Sirius Black escape on Buckbeak's back, thus setting him free, albeit as a fugitive.

Harry ends his third year at Hogwarts having cleared his godfather's name, faced his deepest fears (the Dementors), and gained a crucial understanding of the complexities of good and evil, realizing that appearances can be deceiving.

Comments:
Best one yet because of the darker side.

Books that we've read by J.K. Rowling (7):
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter, #1) (1997), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2) (1998), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3) (1999), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4) (2000), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5) (2003), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6) (2005), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7) (2007)