The following is derived from Dan Harmon’s Story Circle. Below, the  “Circle” is applied to the book “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”

Harry Potter, Book 1, Story Circle:

1. A Character’s Zone of Comfort or Familiarity:
   • Harry Potter is an ordinary boy, living a miserable life with his cruel aunt, uncle, and cousin in the Dursley’s house.
2. They Desire / Want Something:
   • Harry yearns for escape and to know more about his deceased parents, whom he barely remembers.
3. They Enter an Unfamiliar Situation:
   • On his 11th birthday, Harry discovers he’s a wizard and enters the magical world, going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
4. They Adapt to the Situation:
   • Harry learns to navigate the magical world and Hogwarts. He makes friends with Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, and starts studying magic.
5. Character Gets what they wanted but…
   • Harry feels at home in Hogwarts and enjoys learning magic. However, he uncovers a dark plot revolving around a mysterious object – the Sorcerer’s Stone – being hidden in the school.
6. They Pay a Heavy Price for It:
   • Harry and his friends face several life-threatening situations as they try to prevent the Stone from falling into the wrong hands. They battle a troll, play a deadly chess game, and Harry comes face-to-face with Lord Voldemort.
7. Returning to Their Familiar Situation:
   • Harry successfully stops Voldemort from getting the Stone, and the school year ends. He has to go back to live with the Dursleys for the summer vacation.
8. New Normal – Changes as a Result of the Journey:
   • Harry is no longer just an ordinary boy. He is now a wizard, has found a place he can call home (Hogwarts), made true friends, and knows more about his parents. He also realizes that he will play a critical role in the battle against Voldemort.

The Three Act Outline

From this Basic “outline” you can flesh out the story. Understand that your wheel points will vary, and the transitions between each point will blend or mesh together. Applied to the 3 Act outline:

• Act 1: Points 1, 2 (~25%)
• Act 2: Points 3, 4, 5, 6 (~50% or more)
• Act 3: Points 7, 8 (~25% or less)

Act 1:

• Introduction: Harry lives a miserable life with the Dursleys. He begins receiving letters from Hogwarts.
• Trigger: Hagrid finds Harry and reveals to him that he is a wizard and has been accepted into Hogwarts.
• New Situation: Harry enters the magical world, goes shopping in Diagon Alley for his school supplies, and boards the Hogwarts Express.

Act 2:

• First Half: Harry settles into Hogwarts, making friends and learning about magic. He becomes a Seeker in the Quidditch team.
• Midpoint: Harry, Ron, and Hermione discover the mystery of the Sorcerer’s Stone and decide to protect it.
• Second Half: The trio faces several challenges: they serve detention in the Forbidden Forest, play a life-threatening game of chess, and confront a series of magical obstacles to reach the Stone.

Act 3:

• Climax: Harry confronts Quirrell, who is hosting Lord Voldemort. Harry manages to secure the Stone and Voldemort is temporarily defeated.
• Resolution: Harry is celebrated as a hero. The school year ends, and Harry must return to the Dursleys, but he is no longer the same boy he was before his journey into the magical world.

Story Circle: Scene-by-Scene

BOOK: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1998)

1. OPENING: Life at the Dursleys’

• 1. Living under the stairs
  2. Disturbance with the letters
  3. Escape to the Hut on the Rock

2. Hagrid’s Arrival (DESIRE / WANT)

1. 1. “You’re a wizard, Harry.”
   2. Harry’s birthday cake
   3. Mention of Harry’s parents

3. Diagon Alley (UNFAMILIAR SITUATION)

1. 1. The Leaky Cauldron and meeting Quirrell
   2. Gringotts Bank
   3. Purchasing school supplies
   4. Ollivanders Wand Shop

4. Platform 9 ¾ (ADAPT)

1. 1. Meeting the Weasleys
   2. Boarding the Hogwarts Express
   3. Meeting Ron and Hermione

5. Life at Hogwarts

1. 1. The Sorting Hat Ceremony
   2. First Potions Class with Snape
   3. Flying Lessons and Harry becomes a Seeker

6. The Trio Forms

1. 1. Fighting the Troll on Halloween
   2. Quidditch Match against Slytherin
   3. Christmas at Hogwarts and the Invisibility Cloak

7. Discovering the Sorcerer’s Stone (WANT ACHIEVED)

1. 1. The Mirror of Erised
   2. Nicolas Flamel and the Sorcerer’s Stone
   3. Forbidden Forest detention
   4. Through the trapdoor

8. Confronting Quirrell/Voldemort (PAY A HEAVY PRICE)

1. 1. Devil’s Snare and the Flying Keys
   2. Wizard’s Chess
   3. The Mirror of Erised and the Sorcerer’s Stone
   4. Harry’s confrontation with Quirrell/Voldemort

9. Return to the Dursleys’

1. 1. Leaving Hogwarts
   2. Back to the Dursleys for the summer
   3. A changed Harry

This breakdown follows the overall flow of the movie, with some variations due to the different pacing and additional subplots in the book.