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My answer to a separate question on Hogwarts gifts states that Harry received gifts from Hagrid, Mrs Weasley, Hermione and Dumbledore on his first Christmas at Hogwarts. Harry isn't recorded as giving anything at all.

Harry is hardly poor. He has piles of wizarding gold hauled up in his Gringotts vaults. He was often quite generous in the later books; for example, on one occasion he gave his entire Triwizard Tournament winnings to the Weasley twins.

Did he ever give anybody anything in the earlier books, however? What was the first gift he gave?

By 'gift' I mean an object bought for somebody else or a possession of Harry's that he valued and gave away.

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  • 10
    The biggest and priceless gift he ever gave anyone was love.
    – user931
    Oct 26, 2017 at 18:18
  • 120
    @Discovery I don't understand love. Next. Oct 26, 2017 at 18:25
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    It doesn't quite answer the question as asked, but JK Rowling did mention in an interview that Harry did buy Ron and Hermione birthday presents, but that she couldn't make it fit into the books.
    – Toast
    Oct 26, 2017 at 20:42
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    Actually the first gift Harry gave is freedom to a snake, right?
    – Varun Nair
    Oct 27, 2017 at 11:32
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    @TheDarkLord You're the world's greatest Legilimens and you can't find this out yourself? The best part is you could torture Potter while you're searching his brain (or even before, during and after). What a gift.
    – Pryftan
    Oct 27, 2017 at 15:53

3 Answers 3

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The first thing he ever gives is a Pumpkin Pasty.

It's not quite a present, but Harry shares his sweets with Ron when he meets him on the Hogwarts Express.

“Go on, have a pasty,’ said Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry’s pasties and cakes (the sandwiches lay forgotten).”
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 6 (The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

Also not quite a gift, but he gives Ginny Lockhart's books.

When Harry got Lockhart's books for free from him, he gives them to Ginny and decides he'll buy his own. I'm not sure whether this would count as a gift, since despite Harry needing them for school, Lockhart giving them to him made him feel awkward and he wasn't happy about the situation. Him giving them to Ginny was not just out of kindness, but also of a desire to be rid of Lockhart's unwanted gift himself.

“Staggering slightly under their weight, he managed to make his way out of the limelight to the edge of the room, where Ginny was standing next to her new cauldron. ‘You have these,’ Harry mumbled to her, tipping the books into the cauldron. ‘I’ll buy my own –”
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 4 (At Flourish and Blotts)

Harry buys Ron and Hermione Omnioculars at the World Cup.

Harry buys both of his friends Omnioculars at the Quidditch World Cup, when he sees Ron's disappointment at not being able to afford anything.

“Wish I hadn’t bought this now,’ said Ron, gesturing at his dancing shamrock hat and gazing longingly at the Omnioculars.

‘Three pairs,’ said Harry firmly to the wizard.

‘No – don’t bother,’ said Ron, going red. He was always touchy about the fact that Harry, who had inherited a small fortune from his parents, had much more money than he did.

‘You won’t be getting anything for Christmas,’ Harry told him, thrusting Omnioculars into his and Hermione’s hands. ‘For about ten years, mind.”
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 7 (Bagman and Crouch)

Harry actually buys Ron a gift for their fourth-year Christmas.

Harry's first preplanned gift to someone is when he buys a gift specifically for Ron for Christmas during their fourth year.

“They’re only socks,’ said Ron, who had gone slightly pink around the ears, though looking rather pleased all the same. ‘Wow, Harry –’ he had just opened Harry’s present, a Chudley Cannon hat. ‘Cool!’ He jammed it onto his head, where it clashed horribly with his hair.”
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 23 (The Yule Ball)

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    Harry bought Ron and Hermione Omnioculars in their 4th year the QWC (prior to christmas) in lieu of future gifts for the next 10 years
    – NKCampbell
    Oct 26, 2017 at 19:02
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    Does giving Dobby a sock count?
    – kojiro
    Oct 27, 2017 at 2:17
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    @kojiro If giving Dobby a sock counts, then probably him giving sweets to Ron or books to Ginny would also count - meaning one of them would be his first gift instead.
    – Obsidia
    Oct 27, 2017 at 6:37
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    @kojiro He doesn't give Dobby a sock. He gives Lucius Malfoy a sock (along with the empty notebook that Lucius had so carelessly misplaced almost a year earlier). Then Lucius passes the sock on to Dobby.
    – Arthur
    Oct 27, 2017 at 7:44
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    @Bellatrix 'Also not quite a gift, but he gives Ginny Lockhart's books.' Yes, you're quite right. Not quite a gift; after all who would consider receiving books by a fraud to be a gift? And you're a formidable witch so I know you understand this all too well. But..maybe you don't understand gifts? That's possible too I guess. In which case good work! Maybe you have some hope after all. Humour or no I would say actually that it does count as a gift esp since 1. the Weasleys are poor; 2) he didn't actually know that Lockhart was a fraud; and 3) He selflessly gave them away with a good heart.
    – Pryftan
    Oct 27, 2017 at 15:48
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+100

The first gift that Harry gave was the second greatest gift anyone can bestow, the gift of freedom.

Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor’s tank had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out on to the floor – people throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.

As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, ‘Brazil, here I come … Thanksss, amigo.’

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  • Sadly, the snake probably didn't get very far. What do you consider the first greatest gift?
    – Tim
    Oct 26, 2017 at 19:09
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    @Tim - youtube.com/watch?v=BTQKp9AK7RM
    – Valorum
    Oct 26, 2017 at 19:11
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    Take another look at the final paragraph of my question. I'm interested in objects, not generic concepts. Oct 26, 2017 at 19:30
  • Does it really count though if he didn't consciously intend it? Oct 27, 2017 at 14:12
  • Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. Please use this chatroom for discussion, and the comments section here only for constructive commentary on Valorum's answer.
    – Rand al'Thor
    Oct 27, 2017 at 23:33
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In addition to the other answers here:

  1. Triwizard winnings to Fred and George in year 4
  2. He gives Ron a broom compass in year 5, and
  3. a pair of Quidditch keeper's gloves in year 6.
  4. He gives Hermione a book New Theory of Numerology in year 5.

Source

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