It's between 1st and 3rd for me 'cause in the 3rd he got his firebolt, found out his godfather was innocent, found out much more about his dad, and no voldy! while in the 1st, he found friends and it wasn't too much trouble
First- it’s when he got the most joy. Finding friends, riding a broomstick, learning more about his parents, etc. Voldy was but a footnote in that story.