Life at the Dursleys is the usual merry-hell, accentuated this time around by the presence of Aunt Marge (horrible sister to the terrible Mr.D). Constant barbs make Harry lose his temper and unknowingly inflate Aunt Marge; a serious bit of non-permissive underage magic. Resigned to the fact that he will be expelled from Hogwarts, Harry sets off on his own and unfortunately ends up meeting the Minister of Magic himself (talk ‘bout bad luck!). But he gets off scot-free. Why? Because a spot of underage magic is nothing compared to the more pressing matter of an escaped convict, Sirius Black. A follower of Voldemort, Black has broken out of the wizard prison Azkaban for the apparently express purpose of getting to Harry.
So another year at Hogwarts starts... Finally there’s a new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher who seems to know his parchments: Remus Lupin. There are much-awaited trips into the glorious Hogsmeade. But there is also a wee bit of puzzlement for Harry as to why people keep telling him NOT to go looking for Sirius Black. After all, you don’t go looking for your prospective-murderer! But Black’s past is entwined with Harry’s and there’s serious evil underfoot.
Adding to the joyous proceedings are the shudder-worthy Dementors. This was Rowling’s imagination at it’s scariest best. Faceless, cloaked figures with decaying hands who feed on human happiness, they leave despair and depression in their wake.
Infact,Rowling introduced some of her most innovative creations in this book: The Knight-Bus, Dementors, Boggarts, Hogsmeade, The Marauder’s Map, Patronuses, Hippogriffs, Animagi and Time-Turners. She also created two extremely memorable characters in Remus Lupin and Sirius Black.
The book was perfect in every way: narration, build-up and unexpected surprises …all woven together with the trademark British humour.
