If Someone Asked For My Recipe For Happiness, Step One Would Be Finding Out What You Love Most In The World And Step Two Would Be Finding Someone To Pay You To Do It. I Consider Myself Very Lucky Indeed To Be Able To Support Myself By Writing.

-J. K. Rowling

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If Someone Asked For

J. K. Rowling

Topic

Motivation

Writing

Two

More From J. K. Rowling

It Seemed To Take Sirius An Age To Fall: His Body Curved In A Graceful Arc As He Sank Backwards Through The Ragged Veil Hanging From The Arch.

Fall

Age

Veils

A Dream Is Where A Boy Can Swim In The Deepest Oceans And Fly Over The Highest Clouds.

Dream

Ocean

Boys

You Can Laugh! But People Used To Believe There Were No Such Things As The Blibbering Humdinger Or The Crumple-horned Snorkack!

Believe

People

Laughing

Well?" Ron Said Finally, Looking Up At Harry. "how Was It?" Harry Considered It For A Moment. "wet," He Said Truthfully. Ron Made A Noise That Might Have Indicated Jubilation Or Disgust, It Was Hard To Tell. "because She Was Crying," Harry Continued Heavily. "oh," Said Ron, His Smile Faded Slightly. "are You That Bad At Kissing?" "dunno," Said Harry, Who Hadn't Considered This, And Immediately Felt Rather Worried. "maybe I Am.

Love

Kissing

Dating

Running At Ron, She Flung Them Around His Neck And Kissed Him Full On The Mouth. Ron Threw Away The Fangs And Broomstick He Was Holding And Responded With Such Enthusiasm That He Lifted Hermione Off Her Feet.

Running

Feet

Mouths

It's Lucky It's Dark. I Haven't Blushed So Much Since Madam Pomfrey Told Me She Liked My New Earmuffs.

Dark

Lucky

Havens

Wow, We're Identical!

Wow

Identical

Weasley

There Are Plenty Of Eyewitness Accounts, Just Because You're So Narrow-minded You Need To Have Everything Shoved Under Your Nose Before You-

Needs

Noses

Eyewitnesses

Yes, Alive,” Said Fudge. “that Is — I Don’t Know — Is A Man Alive If He Can’t Be Killed? I Don’t Really Understand It, And Dumbledore Won’t Explain Properly — But Anyway, He’s Certainly Got A Body And Is Walking And Talking And Killing, So I Suppose, For The Purposes Of Our Discussion, Yes, He’s Alive.

Men

Talking

Purpose

Tell Me, How Is Lucius Malfoy These Days? I Expect He's Delighted His Lapdog's Working At Hogwarts, Isn't He?" "speaking Of Dogs," Said Snape Softly, "did You Know That Lucius Malfoy Recognized You Last Time You Risked A Little Jaunt Outside? Clever Idea, Black, Getting Yourself Seen On A Safe Station Platform. Gave You A Cast-iron Excuse Not To Leave Your Hidey-hole In Future, Didn't It?

Dog

Clever

Ideas

It Was His Own Grief Turned Magically To Song.

Song

Grief

I Don't Think There's Any Harm At All In Allowing A Kid To Fantasize. In Fact, I Think To Stop People From Fantasizing Is A Very Destructive Thing Indeed.

Wise

Witty

Kids

Only One Pair Was Still Battling, Apparently Unaware Of The New Arrival. Harry Saw Sirius Duck Bellatrix's Jet Of Red Light: He Was Laughing At Her. 'come On, You Can Do Better Than That!' He Yelled, His Voice Echoing Around The Cavernous Room. The Second Jet Of Light Hit Him Squarely In The Chest. The Laughter Had Not Quite Died From His Face, But His Eyes Widened In Shock.

Laughter

Eye

Light

During The First Five Years That I Was Writing The Series, I Made Plans And Wrote Small Pieces Of All The Books. I Concentrate On One Book At A Time, Though Occasionally I Will Get An Idea For A Future Book And Scribble It Down For Future Reference.

Book

Writing

Years

We Slytherins Are Brave, Yes, But Not Stupid. For Instance, Given The Choice, We Will Always Choose To Save Our Own Necks.

Stupid

Choices

Brave

For Instance, This New Idea That You-know-who Can Kill With A Single Glance From His Eyes. That’s A Basilisk, Listeners. One Simple Test: Check Whether The Thing That’s Glaring At You Has Got Legs. If It Has, It’s Safe To Look Into Its Eyes, Although If It Really Is You-know-who, That’s Still Likely To Be The Last Thing You Ever Do.

Eye

Simple

Ideas

No, I'm Fine,' Said Harry, Wondering Why He Kept Telling People This, And Wondering Whether He Had Ever Been Less Fine.

People

Wonder

Said

Yeah, Well, Food's One Of The Five Exceptions To Gamp's Law Of Elemental Transfigurations," Said Ron, To General Astonishment.

Law

Astonishment

Yeah

Ron's Eyebrows Rose So High That They Were In Danger Of Disappearing Into His Hair.

Hair

Eyebrows

Rose

It Is Our Choices... That Show What We Truly Are, Far More Than Our Abilities.

Inspirational

Life

Motivational

I Believe That Lack Of Empathy Is Behind Many Problems, And I Believe That It's Disrupting Our Society. In Great Britain, There Is A Steady Decline In The Willingness To Be Truly Generous, And By That I Don't Mean Monetary Generosity, But Friendship And Sympathy For Others.

Believe

Mean

Generosity

Your Hair Is Much Too Long, Ronald, For A Moment I Thought You Were Ginevra.

Hair

Long

Moments

You Are The True Master Of Death, Because The True Master Does Not Seek To Run Away From Death. He Accepts That Be Must Die, And Understands That There Are Far, Far Worse Things In The Living World Than Dying.

Running

Dying

Doe

Montague's Just Been Found In A Toilet, Sir.

Toilets

Draco Malfoy

Found

I Always Have A Basic Plot Outline, But I Like To Leave Some Things To Be Decided While I Write.

Writing

Plot

Outlining

Depression Is The Most Unpleasant Thing I Have Ever Experienced. . . . It Is That Absence Of Being Able To Envisage That You Will Ever Be Cheerful Again. The Absence Of Hope. That Very Deadened Feeling, Which Is So Very Different From Feeling Sad. Sad Hurts But It's A Healthy Feeling. It Is A Necessary Thing To Feel. Depression Is Very Different.

Sad

Depression

Hurt

Finding Out What You’re Good At, And Doing It To The Best Of Your Ability, Is The Route To Self-respect.

Self

Ability

Findings

Here Lies Dobby, A Free Elf.

Lying

Dobby

Deathly Hallows

As For The Fact That Malfoy, Crabbe, And Goyle Apeared To Be Going Their Different Ways When They Were Usually Inseparable, These Things Happened As People Got Older--ron And Hermione, Harry Reflected Sadly, Were Living Proof.

People

Different

Way

I Know [umbridge] By Reputation And I'm Sure She's No Death Eater-" "she's Foul Enough To Be One..." "yes, But The World Isn't Split Into Good People And Death Eaters.

Death Eaters

People

World

Harry, Don't Go Picking A Row With Malfoy, Don't Forget, He's A Prefect Now, He Could Make Life Difficult For You..." "wow, I Wonder What It'd Be Like To Have A Difficult Life?" Said Harry Sarcastically.

Wow

Wonder

Forget

The World Isn't Split Into Good People And Death Eaters.

Death Eaters

People

Inspirational Harry Potter

Books Are Like Mirrors: If A Fool Looks In, You Cannot Expect A Genius To Look Out.

Inspirational

Book

Reading

Are — You — Insane?” Said Hermione In A Hushed Voice. 'i Don't Think So,' Said Harry, Shrugging.

Thinking

Voice

Insane

You Care So Much You Feel As Though You Will Bleed To Death With The Pain Of It.

Pain

Grief

Sorrow

Fred And George Turned To Each Other And Said Together, "wow, We're Identical!" "i Dunno Though, I Think I'm Still Better Looking," Said Fred, Examining His Reflection In The Kettle.

Thinking

Reflection

Together

Pagford, Which By Night Was No More Than A Cluster Of Twinkling Lights In A Dark Hollow Far Below, Was Emerging Into Chilly Sunlight.

Dark

Night

Light

So Top Grade's O For 'outstanding,'" Hermione Was Saying, "and Then There's A-" "no, E," George Corrected Her, "e For 'exceeds Expectations.' And I've Always Thought Fred And I Should've Got E In Everything, Because We Exceeded Expectations Just By Turning Up For The Exams.

Expectations

Hermione

Exam

Krystal Flung Herself Violently Off The Chair, Away From Her Mother. She Was Surprised To Feel Warm Liquid Flowing Down Her Cheeks, And Thought Confusedly Of Blood, But It Was Tears, Only Tears, Clear And Shining On Her Fingertips When She Wiped Them Away.

Mother

Blood

Shining

The Wand Chooses The Wizard.

Potters

Wizards

Harry Potter Movie

How Thick Can You Get?

Thick

Your Great Puddin' Of A Son Don' Need Fattin' Anymore Dursley, Don't Worry

Son

Worry

Needs

But As He Reached The Ground And Sprinted Towards The Dais, Lupin Grabbed Harry Around The Chest, Holding Him Back. There's Nothing You Can Do, Harry -' Get Him, Save Him, He's Only Just Gone Through!' - It's Too Late, Harry.' We Can Still Reach Him -' Harry Struggled Hard And Viciously, But Lupin Would Not Let Go... There's Nothing You Can Do, Harry...nothing...he's Gone.

Letting Go

Too Late

Gone

Your Qualifications, Your Cv, Are Not Your Life, Though You Will Meet Many People Of My Age And Older Who Confuse The Two. Life Is Difficult, And Complicated, And Beyond Anyone's Control, And The Humility To Know That Will Enable You To Survive Its Vicissitudes.

Humility

Two

People

I Think That Perhaps If I Had Had To Slow Down The Ideas So That I Could Capture Them On Paper I Might Have Stifled Some Of Them.

Writing

Thinking

Ideas

The Stories We Love Best Do Live In Us Forever.

Life

Wise

Witty

Don’ You Worry, Harry. You’ll Learn Fast Enough. Everyone Starts At The Beginning At Hogwarts, You’ll Be Just Fine. Just Be Yerself. I Know It’s Hard. Yeh’ve Been Singled Out, An’ That’s Always Hard. But Yeh’ll Have A Great Time At Hogwarts — I Did — Still Do, ’smatter Of Fact.

Worry

Facts

Hogwarts

The Presence Of Hundreds Of Books Had Finally Convinced Hermione That What They Were Doing Was Right.

Book

Hermione

Convinced

The Happiest Man On Earth Would Be Able To Use The Mirror Of Erised Like A Normal Mirror, That Is, He Would Look Into It And See Himself Exactly As He Is. Does That Help?

Men

Mirrors

Doe

Everything That Fails Brings You Closer To What Works.

Failing

Sometimes You Remind Me A Lot Of James. He Called It My 'furry Little Problem' In Company. Many People Were Under The Impression That I Owned A Badly Behaved Rabbit.

People

Rabbits

Littles

I've Decided To Call Him Norbert,' Said Hagrid, Looking At The Dragon With Misty Eyes. 'he Really Knows Me Now, Watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mummy?' 'he's Lost His Marbles,' Ron Muttered In Harry's Ear. 'hagrid,' Said Harry Loudly, 'give It A Fortnight And Norbert's Going To Be As Big As Your House. Malfoy Could Go To Dumbledore At Any Moment. Hagrid Bit His Lip. 'i- I Know I Can't Jus' Dump Him, I Can't.' Harry Suddenly Turned To Ron. 'charlie,' He Said. 'you're Losing It Too,' Said Ron. 'i'm Ron, Remember?

Eye

Dragons

Giving

I've Been Writing My Entire Life, And I'll Always Write. But At Times I Have Told Myself That I Don't Necessarily Have To Publish Anything Else.

Writing

Publish

Which Came First, The Phoenix Or The Flame?” "...i Think The Answer Is That A Circle Has No Beginning." "well Reasoned.

Thinking

Flames

Circles

I'm Happy To Talk In General Themes, But When We Get Down To Specifics About My Family, For Me That's Always Been Off-limits.

Limits

My Family

Theme

They Don't Know We're Not Allowed To Use Magic At Home. I'm Going To Have A Lot Of Fun With Dudley This Summer.

Summer

Fun

Home

He’ll Accept Anyone At Hogwarts, S’long As They’ve Got The Talent. Knows People Can Turn Out Okay Even If Their Families Weren’ . . .well . . . All Tha’ Respectable.

Long

People

Hogwarts

My Daughter Jessica Said To Me Recently, Who Wasn't Sorted Into Hufflepuff, 'i Think We Should All Want To Be Hufflepuffs.' I Can Only Say To You, I Would Not Be Disappointed At All To Be In Hufflepuff. I'm A Little Upset Anyone Does Feel That Way.

Daughter

Thinking

Upset

I Can Write Anywhere. I Made Up The Names Of The Characters On A Sick Bag While I Was On An Airplane. I Told This To A Group Of Kids And A Boy Said, "ah, No, That's Disgusting." And I Said, "well, I Hadn't Used The Sick Bag."

Writing

Airplane

Character

Dumbledore Watched Her Fly Away, And As Her Silvery Glow Faded He Turned Back To Snape, And His Eyes Were Full Of Tears. "after All This Time?" "always," Said Snape.

Love

Eye

Tears

A Tiny Little Wooden Man [was] Slowly Ascending The Steps To A Real Set Of Gallows, Both Perched On A Box That Read: Reusable Hangman — Spell It Or He’ll Swing!

Real

Men

Swings

I'm Not Going To Be Murdered," Harry Said Out Loud. "that's The Spirit, Dear," Said His Mirror Sleepily.

Mirrors

Spirit

Loud

Yeah, But Coming From Dudley That's Like "i Love You.

Love You

Yeah

Dudley Dursley

Potter Is Mocked By A Faculty Member For The Idea That There Is Evil In The World From Which Even Children Need To Learn To Defend Themselves By The Actual Practice Of Doing So Rather Than Familiarity With Theory.

Children

Practice

Ideas

We Did It, We Bashed Them Wee Potter's The One, And Voldy's Gone Moldy, So Now Let's Have Fun!

Fun

Gone

Potters

Don't Be Silly, Dawlish. I'm Sure You Are An Excellent Auror, I Seem To Remember You Achieved 'outstanding' In All Your N.e.w.t.s, But If You Attempt To — Er — 'bring Me In' By Force, I Will Have To Hurt You.

Hurt

Silly

Remember You

I'm A Very Distracted Person.

Distracted

Persons

Then You Should Have Died! Died, Rather Than Betray Your Friends, As We Would Have Done For You!

Betrayal

Should Have

Done

Power Was My Weakness And My Temptation. And Miguel Sano Is Very Tempting. But He Is Not Weak. He Is Very, Very Strong.

Strong

Temptation

Weakness

Hope Springs Forever.

Spring

Forever

How Come The Muggles Don’t Hear The Bus?” Said Harry. “them!” Said Stan Contemptuously. “don’ Listen Properly, Do They? Don’ Look Properly Either. Never Notice Nuffink, They Don’.

Muggles

Looks

Said

Fame Is A Fickle Friend, Harry. Celebrity Is As Celebrity Does. Remember That.

Doe

Fickle

Remember

You Sometimes Have To Join Forces With Those You'd Rather Avoid.

Sometimes

Force

Play To Your Strengths." "i Haven’t Got Any," Said Harry, Before He Could Stop Himself. "excuse Me," Growled Moody, "you’ve Got Strengths If I Say You’ve Got Them. Think Now. What Are You Best At?

Thinking

Play

Excuse

Parents Shouldn't Leave Their Kids Unless —unless They've Got To.

Kids

Parent

Ooh, You Look Much Tastier Than Crabbe And Goyle, Harry" Said Hermione, Before Catching Sight Of Ron's Raised Eyebrows, Blushing Slightly And Saying "oh You Know What I Mean - Goyle's Potion Looked Like Bogies.

Mean

Sight

Eyebrows

Magic Causes As Much Trouble As It Cures.

Magic

Causes

Trouble

Parry Otter, The Chosen Boy Who - Well - Something Of That Sort.

Boys

Otters

Wells

Dobby Is A Free Elf, And Dobby Has Come To Save Harry Potter And His Friends!

Dobby

Potters

Memorable Harry Potter

There's A Time And A Place For Getting A Smart Mouth.

Smart

Freedom Of Speech

Mouths

I've Never Wanted To Be A Witch, But An Alchemist, Now That's A Different Matter. To Invent This Wizard World, I've Learned A Ridiculous Amount About Alchemy. Perhaps Much Of It I'll Never Use In The Books, But I Have To Know In Detail What Magic Can And Cannot Do In Order To Set The Parameters And Establish The Stories' Internal Logic.

Book

Order

Magic

Don't Let The Muggles Get You Down.

Muggles

Hogwarts

Magic Harry Potter

You've Got To Appreciate What The Worst Is. You Don't Want To Find Yourself In A Situation Where You're Facing It.

Appreciate

Finding Yourself

Want

Oh, Honestly, Don't You Two Read?

Two

Harry Potter Movie

Hermione

Do You Remember Me Telling You We Are Practicing Non-verbal Spells, Potter?" "yes," Said Harry Stiffly. "yes, Sir." "there's No Need To Call Me "sir" Professor." The Words Had Escaped Him Before He Knew What He Was Saying.

Needs

Potters

Remember

Why Had He Never Appreciated The Miracle That He Was, Brain And Nerve And Bounding Heart?

Heart

Miracle

Brain

It’s Your One Last Chance,” Said Harry, “it’s All You’ve Got Left. . . .i’ve Seen What You’ll Be Otherwise. . . . Be A Man . . . Try . . . Try For Some Remorse. . . .

Men

Trying

Lasts

Yes, Harry, Blessed As I Am With Extraordinary Brainpower, I Understood Everything You Told Me. I Think You Might Even Consider The Possibility That I Understood More Than You Did.

Blessed

Thinking

Might

The Idea Of Dumbledore's Corpse Frightened Harry Much Less Than The Possibility That He Might Have Misunderstood The Living Dumbledore's Intentions.

Ideas

Misunderstood

Might

Poverty Is A Lot Like Childbirth - You Know It Is Going To Hurt Before It Happens, But You'll Never Know How Much Until You Experience It.

Hurt

Poverty

Childbirth

The Spells Are Made Up. I Have Met People Who Assure Me, Very Seriously, That They Are Trying To Do Them, And I Can Assure Them, Just As Seriously, That They Don’t Work.

People

Trying

Made

Magic Has Universal Appeal. I Don't Believe In Magic In The Way That I Describe In My Books, But I'd Love It To Be Real.

Real

Believe

Book

There Was A Horrible Smell In The Kitchen The Next Morning When Harry Went In For Breakfast. It Seemed To Be Coming From A Large Metal Tub In The Sink. He Went To Have A Look. The Tub Was Full Of What Looked Like Dirty Rags Swimming In Gray Water. "what's This?" He Asked Aunt Petunia. "your New School Uniform," She Said. Harry Looked In The Bowl Again. "oh," He Said, "i Didn't Realize It Had To Be So Wet.

Morning

Dirty

School

He Did Not Know Or Care Whether They Were Wizards Or Muggles, Friends Or Foes; All He Cared About Was That A Dark Stain Was Spreading Across Dobby's Front, And That He Had Stretched Out His Thin Arms To Harry With A Look Of Supplication. Harry Caught Him And Laid Him Sideways On The Cool Grass. "dobby, No, Don't Die, Don't Die -" The Elf's Eyes Found Him, And His Lips Trembled With The Effort To Form Words. "harry...potter..." And Then With A Little Shudder The Elf Became Quite Still, And His Eyes Were Nothing More Than Great Glassy Orbs, Sprinkled With Light From The Stars They Could Not See.

Stars

Eye

Dark

Years Ago Someone Wrote [about Me]: 'she Characterizes Molly Weasley As A Mother Who Is Only At Home Looking After The Children.' I Was Deeply Offended, Because I Until A Year Before That Had Also Been Such A Mother Who Was At Home All The Time Taking Care Of Her Child [...] What Has Lesser Status And Is More Difficult Than Raising A Child? And What Is More Important?

Wise

Mother

Witty

Hello, Harry" Said George, Beaming At Him. "we Thought We Heard Your Dulcet Tones." "you Don't Want To Bottle Up Your Anger Like That, Harry, Let It All Out," Said Fred, Also Beaming. "there Might Be A Couple Of People Fifty Miles Away Who Didn't Hear You.

Couple

People

Bottles

Oh, He Knows How To Play, Little Bitty Baby Potter.

Baby

Play

Potters

You Cheating Scum!” Lee Jordan Was Howling Into The Megaphone, Dancing Out Of Professor Mcgonagall’s Reach. “you Filthy, Cheating B —” Professor Mcgonagall Didn’t Even Bother To Tell Him Off. She Was Actually Shaking Her Finger In Malfoy’s Direction, Her Hat Had Fallen Off, And She Too Was Shouting Furiously.

Cheating

Dancing

Scum

And What In The Name Of Merlin’s Most Baggy Y Fronts Was That About?

Names

Weasley

Fronts

Ah! Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans! I Was Unfortunate Enough In My Youth To Come Across A Vomit-flavored One, And Since Then I’m Afraid I’ve Rather Lost My Liking For Them — But I Think I’ll Be Safe With A Nice Toffee, Don’t You?” He Smiled And Popped The Golden-brown Bean Into His Mouth. “alas! Ear Wax!

Nice

Thinking

Toffee

The Owls Are Gathering; Find Out Why Soon.

Owl

Gathering

It Was Important, Dumbledore Said, To Fight, And Fight Again, And Keep Fighting, For Only Then Could Evil Be Kept At Bay, Though Never Quite Eradicated. . . .

Fighting

Evil

Important

I Just Wondered Where You —” Ron Broke Off, Shrugging. “nothing. I’m Going Back To Bed.” “just Thought You’d Come Nosing Around, Did You?” Harry Shouted. He Knew That Ron Had No Idea What He’d Walked In On, Knew He Hadn’t Done It On Purpose, But He Didn’t Care — At This Moment He Hated Everything About Ron, Right Down To The Several Inches Of Bare Ankle Showing Beneath His Pajama Trousers.

Ideas

Bed

Purpose

Dark Times Lie Ahead Of Us And There Will Be A Time When We Must Choose Between What Is Easy And What Is Right. -albus Dumbledore

Lying

Dark

Easy

I Am The Freest Author In The World.

World

Gringotts Was The Safest Place In The World For Something You Wanted To Hide — Except Perhaps Hogwarts.

World

Hogwarts

Places In The World

Would You Like A Cough Drop Dolores?

Cough Drops

But Death Was Cunning.

Cunning

I'll Be In My Bedroom, Making No Noise And Pretending I'm Not There.

Muggles

Noise

Bedroom

Yes, Well, Principles Are Sometimes The Problem, If You Ask Me,' Said Miles. 'often What's Needed Is A Bit Of Common Sense.' 'which Is The Name People Usually Give To Their Prejudices,' Rejoined Kay.

Names

People

Common Sense

I Love Inventing Names, But I Also Collect Unusual Names, So That I Can Look Through My Notebook And Choose One That Suits A New Character.

Notebook

Character

Names

You Could Be Great, You Know, It’s All Here In Your Head, And Slytherin Will Help You On The Way To Greatness, No Doubt About That.

Greatness

Doubt

Way

You Can Exist Without Your Soul, You Know, As Long As Your Brain And Heart Are Still Working. But You’ll Have No Sense Of Self Anymore, No Memory, No . . . Anything. There’s No Chance At All Of Recovery. You’ll Just — Exist. As An Empty Shell. And Your Soul Is Gone Forever . . . Lost.

Memories

Heart

Recovery

I'd Always Said Never Say Never, Because I Knew That Warner Brothers Wanted To Do Something With "fantastic Beasts," And I Did Have Kind Of A Yen To Do That.

Brother

Kind

Beast

I Would Rather Die Than Betray His Trust." "that's Not Saying Much, Seeing As You're Already Dead," Ron Observed. "once Again, You Show All The Sensitivity Of A Blunt Axe," Said Nearly Headless Nick In Affronted Tones.

Tone

Blunt

Said

It Is One Of The Most Hauntingly Beautiful Places In The World, The History Is Fascinating, The Men Are Handsome And The Whisky Is Delicious. But Don't Eat The Macaroni Pies.

Beautiful

Wise

Witty

Although People Rarely Died Playing Quidditch, Referees Had Been Known To Vanish And Turn Up Months Later In The Sahara Desert.

People

Desert

Sahara

Did You Know— Then?” Asked Harry. “did I Know That I Had Just Met The Most Dangerous Dark Wizard Of All Time? No.

Dark

Wizards

Lord

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, Teach Us Something Please, Whether We Be Old And Bald, Or Young With Scabby Knees, Our Heads Could Do With Filling With Some Interesting Stuff, For Now They're Bare And Full Of Air, Dead Flies And Bits Of Fluff, So Teach Us Something Worth Knowing, Bring Us Back What We've Forgot, Just Do Your Best, We'll Do The Rest, And Learn Until Our Brains All Rot.

Knowing

Air

Interesting

[about His Dress Robes...] I’m Never Wearing Them," Ron Was Saying Stubbornly. "never." "fine," Snapped Mrs. Weasley. "go Naked. And, Harry, Make Sure You Get A Picture Of Him. Goodness Knows I Could Do With A Laugh.

Laughing

Dresses

Naked

Dumbledore Will Only Leave From Hogwarts When There Are None Loyal To Him!

Inspirational

Hogwarts

Loyal

I Received Free Health Care.

Health

Care

Health Care

Let Muggles Manage Without Us!

Muggles

Manage

Instead (harry) Contented Himself With Scrawling A Note To Ron: Let's Do It Tonight.

Tonight

Notes

I See A Light In The Kitchen. Let Us Not Deprive Molly Any Longer Of The Chance To Deplore How Thin You Are.

Light

Kitchen

Chance

Holey? You Have The The Whole World Of Ear-related Humor Before You, You Go For Holey?

Humor

Funny Harry Potter

Ears

In The End, Love Wins. It Does Win. We Know It Wins. When A Person Dies, Love Isn’t Turned Off Like A Faucet. It Is An Amazingly Resilient Part Of Us.

Winning

Doe

Resilient

He Never Seemed To Grasp The Immense Mutability Of Human Nature, Nor To Appreciate That Behind Every Nondescript Face Lay A Wild And Unique Hinterland Like His Own.

Unique

Appreciate

Faces

Muggles Have Garden Gnomes, Too, You Know," Harry Told Ron As They Crossed The Lawn. "yeah, I've Seen Those Things They Think Are Gnomes," Said Ron, Bent Double With His Head In A Peony Bush, "like Fat Little Santa Clauses With Fishing Rods.

Garden

Thinking

Fishing

I Hope That Even If You Remember Not A Single Word Of Mine, You Remember Those Of Seneca, Another Of Those Old Romans I Met When I Fled Down The Classics Corridor, In Retreat From Career Ladders, In Search Of Ancient Wisdom: As Is A Tale, So Is Life: Not How Long It Is, But How Good It Is, Is What Matters.

What Matters

Careers

Long

I Love Being A Writer. I Am Very Lucky My Life's Ambition Turned Out To Be Just As Much Fun As I Thought It Would Be.

Fun

Ambition

Love Is

No, Harry, You Listen," Said Hermione. "we're Coming With You. That Was Decided Months Ago - Years, Really.

Years

Months

Hermione

I’m Not A Freak. That’s A Horrible Thing To Say." "that’s Where You’re Going. A Special School For Freaks. You And That Snape Boy ... Weirdos, That’s What You Two Are..." "you Didn’t Think It Was Such A Freak’s School When You Wrote The Headmaster And Begged Him To Take You.

School

Boys

Thinking

Happiness Can Be Found, Even In The Darkest Of Times, If One Only Remembers To Turn On The Light.

Inspiring

Happiness

Happy

Life, For Colin, Was One Long Brace Against Pain And Disappointment, And Everybody Apart From His Wife Was An Enemy Until Proven Otherwise.

Pain

Disappointment

Long

But The Idea Of The Dark Lord In Possesion Of The Deathstick Is, I Must Admit, Formidable.

Dark

Ideas

Lord

Whatever Happens To Your Body, Your Soul Will Survive, Untouched.

Soul

Body

Whatever Happens

When We Come Face-to-face With One Down A Dark Alley, We're Going To Be Having A Shufti To See If It's Solid, Aren't We, We're Not Going To Be Asking, 'excuse Me, Are You The Imprint Of A Departed Soul?

Dark

Soul

Departed

But Before He Went Loopy He Was The Life And Soul Of The Party," Said Fred. "he Used To Down An Entire Bottle Of Firewhiskey, Then Run Onto The Dance Floor, Hoist Up His Robes, And Start Pulling Bunches Of Flowers Out Of His--" Yes, He Sounds Like A Real Charmer," Said Hermione, While Harry Roared With Laughter. Never Married, For Some Reason," Said Ron.

Running

Laughter

Real

Hagrid. You Live In A Wooden House!

House

Hagrid

Wooden House

I Hope There's Pudding!

Pudding

It Was As If Snape Had Started Handing Out Sweets.

Sweet

Ifs

Snape

Once Again You've Put Your Keen And Penetrating Mind To The Task And As Usual Come To The Wrong Conclusion!

Mind

Usual

Tasks

I Just Wish I’d Asked You Sooner. We Could’ve Had Ages . . . Months . . . Years Maybe. . . .

Years

Wish

Age

If It's A Good Book, Anyone Will Read It. I'm Totally Unashamed About Still Reading Things I Loved In My Childhood.

Wise

Witty

Book

It Was Only When He Was Back In Bed That It Struck Harry That Dumbledore Might Not Have Been Quite Truthful. But Then, It Had Been A Quite Personal Question.

Bed

Personal Question

Might

Many Parts Of My Life Are Perfectly Ordinary, If That's What You Mean. One Could Even Call It Boring, But That's What I Like About It.

Mean

Ordinary

Boring

You Can Choose, You Can Go One Of Two Ways. You Can Be The Person I Probably Admire More And Say 'well I Don't Care And I'll Continue Not To Bother To Brush My Hair.' Or You Can Be A Weak-willed Person Like Me And Think 'oh I'd Better Get My Act Together. And Maybe My Mother Was Right And I Do Need To Put My Hair Back And Tidy Myself Up A Bit.' So I Did Tidy Myself Up A Bit. But I Do Often Resent The Amount Of Time That It Takes To Pull Yourself Together To Go On Tv, I Really Do. If I Sound Bitter, Then That Accurately Reflects How I Feel About The Subject.

Wise

Mother

Witty

He Had Been So Busy Getting Away From The Library, He Hadn't Paid Attention To Where He Was Going.

Book

Reading

Library

Whatever House I'm In, I Hope She's Not In It.

House

The Prophet Is Bound To Report The Truth Occasionally," Said Dumbledore, "if Only Accidentally.

Prophet

Said

Reports

How In The Name Of Merlin's Pants Have You Managed To Get Your Hands On Those Horcrux Books?

Book

Hands

Names

I Won't Blast People Out Of My Way Just Because They're There' Said Harry. 'that's Voldemort's Job.

Jobs

People

Way

She Can't Keep Writing About What A Tragic Little Hero I Am, It'll Get Boring.

Hero

Writing

Littles

They May Not Look Dangerous, But If Angered [bowtruckles] Will Gouge Out Human Eyes With Their Fingers, Which, As You Can See, Are Very Sharp And Not At All Desirable Near The Eyeballs.

Eye

Looks

May

Shut Your Mouth! You Dare Speak His Name With Your Unworthy Lips, You Dare Besmirch It With Your Half-blood's Tongue, You Dare —

Blood

Names

Half

Would It Hurt To Die?

Hurt

It Hurts

Dies

She Navigated Away From The Parish Council Message Board And Dropped Into Her Favorite Medical Website, Where She Painstakingly Entered The Words "brain" And "death" In The Search Box. The Suggestions Were Endless. Shirley Scrolled Through The Possibilities, Her Mild Eyes Rolling Up And Down, Wondering To Which Of These Deadly Conditions, Some Of Them Unpronounceable, She Owed Her Present Happiness.

Eye

Brain

Suggestions

Abundance Is The Quality Of Life You Live And Quality Of Life You Give To Others.

Giving

Quality

Abundance

One More Lesson Like That And I Might Just Do A Weasley.

Might

Lessons

Weasley

Assuming I Survive Our Hunt For The Horcruxes, I’ll Find Mum And Dad And Lift The Enchantment. If I Don’t – Well, I Think I’ve Cast A Good Enough Charm To Keep Them Safe And Happy. Wendell And Monica Wilkins Don’t Know That They’ve Got A Daughter, You See.

Daughter

Dad

Thinking

Read As Much As You Possibly Can. Nothing Will Help You As Much As Reading And You'll Go Through A Phase Where You Will Imitate Your Favorite Writers And That's Fine Because That's A Learning Experience Too.

Reading

Phases

Helping

For Some To Love You, Some Must Loathe You.

Love You

Loathe

I Tell You, That Dragon's The Most Horrible Animal I've Ever Met, But The Way Hagrid Goes On About It, You'd Think It Was A Fluffy Little Bunny Rabbit.

Thinking

Animal

Dragons

Ron's Ears Turned Bright Red And He Become Engrossed In A Tuft Of Grass At His Feet, Which He Prodded With His Toe 'he Must've Known I'd Run Out On You'. 'no', Harry Corrected Him, 'he Must've Known You'd Always Want To Come Back

Running

Feet

Ears

A Lemon Drop. They're A Kind Of Muggle Sweet I'm Rather Fond Of.

Sweet

Muggles

Kind

Harry, Guess What?" Said Tonks From Her Perch On Top Of The Washing Machine, And She Wiggled Her Left Hand At Him; A Ring Glittered There.

Hands

Left Hand

Machines

Rock Bottom Can Be A Solid Foundation From Which You Can Rebuild Your Life On.

Rocks

Foundation

Solid Foundation

Dumbledore Had Not Raised His Voice, He Did Not Even Sound Angry, But Harry Would Have Preferred Him To Yell; This Cold Disappointment Was Worse Than Anything.

Disappointment

Voice

Sound

I Didn't Write With A Target Audience In Mind. What Excited Me Was How Much I Would Enjoy Writing About Harry. I Never Thought About Writing For Children - Children's Books Chose Me. I Think If It Is A Good Book Anyone Will Read It.

Children

Book

Writing

Just Think How Many Books I Could've Sold If Harry Had Been A Bit More Creative With His Wand." -[on The Success Of 50 Shades Of Grey]

Book

Thinking

Creative

Okay, Men,” He Said. “and Women,” Said Chaser Angelina Johnson. “and Women,” Wood Agreed. “this Is It.” “the Big One,” Said Fred Weasley. “the One We’ve All Been Waiting For,” Said George. “we Know Oliver’s Speech By Heart,” Fred Told Harry, “we Were On The Team Last Year.” “shut Up, You Two,” Said Wood. “this Is The Best Team Gryffindor’s Had In Years. We’re Going To Win. I Know It.” He Glared At Them All As If To Say, “or Else.” “right. It’s Time. Good Luck, All Of You.

Team

Heart

Good Luck

Why Do They Have To Move In Packs?" Harry Asked Ron As A Dozen Or So Girls Walked Past Them, Sniggering And Staring At Harry. "how're You Supposed To Get One On Their Own To Ask Them?" "lasso One?" Ron Suggested.

Girl

Moving

Past

Someone's Dead," Said Malfoy, And His Voice Seemed To Go Up An Octave As He Said It. "one Of Your People...i Don't Know Who, It Was Dark...i Stepped Over The Body...i Was Supposed To Be Waiting Up Here When You Got Back, Only Your Phoenix Lot Got In The Way.

Dark

Phoenix

Voice

I Can't Give A Professor Love!

Giving

Professors

I Can

There,” She Said Softly. “now He Could Be Sleeping.

Sleep

Dobby

Hermione

If Anyone Wanted Ter Find Out Some Stuff, All They’d Have Ter Do Would Be Ter Follow The Spiders. That’d Lead ‘em Right! That’s All I’m Sayin’.

Would Be

Spiders

Ems

It Is The Unknown We Fear When We Look Upon Death And Darkness, Nothing More.

Fear

Funeral

Darkness

What's Most Important In A Friendship? Tolerance And Loyalty.

Loyalty

Tolerance

Important

Makes A Diff'rence, Havin' A Decent Family,' He Said. 'me Dad Was Decent. An' Your Mum An' Dad Were Decent. If They'd Lived, Life Woulda Bin Diff'rent, Eh?' 'yeah, I S'pose,' Said Harry Cautiously. Hagrid Seemed To Be In A Very Strange Mood. 'family,' Said Hagrid Gloomily. 'whatever Yeh Say, Blood's Important.

Dad

Blood

Important

... You Could Claim That Anything's Real If The Only Basis For Believing In It Is That Nobody's Proved It Doesn't Exist!

Real

Believe

Silly

Nothing Like A Nighttime Stroll To Give You Ideas.

Ideas

Giving

Most Inspiring

Dudley Had Reached Roughly The Size And Weight Of A Young Killer Whale.

Whales

Weight

Killers

Dumbledore Says People Find It Far Easier To Forgive Others For Being Wrong Than Being Right.

Forgiveness

People

Forgiving

He Couldn't Know That At This Very Moment, People Meeting Up In Secret All Over The Country Were Holding Up Their Glasses And Saying In Hushed Voices: 'to Harry Potter - The Boy Who Lived!

Country

Boys

Glasses

Er — Have The Bludgers Ever Killed Anyone?” Harry Asked, Hoping He Sounded Offhand. “never At Hogwarts. We’ve Had A Couple Of Broken Jaws But Nothing Worse Than That. You Don’t Have To Worry About The Quaffle Or The Bludgers —” “— Unless They Crack My Head Open.” “don’t Worry, The Weasleys Are More Than A Match For The Bludgers — I Mean, They’re Like A Pair Of Human Bludgers Themselves.

Couple

Mean

Broken

Even You-know-who Can't Split Himself Into Seven.

Splits

Seven

Mad Eye Moody

Love Is The Most Powerful Thing Of All And I Remember Thinking That - God, I'm About To Make Myself Cry But, I Remember Thinking That When 9/11 Happened Because Those Last Phone Calls Were About - The Last Thing Knowingly, That I'm Going To Say On This Earth Is "i Love You". What's More Powerful Than That? What's More Proof Than That? Beyond Fear, Beyond Death.

Powerful

Love You

Love Is

We Must Try Not To Sink Beneath Our Anguish, Harry, But Battle On.

Life

Encouraging

Battle

But People Only Die In Proper Duels, You Know, With Real Wizards. The Most You And Malfoy’ll Be Able To Do Is Send Sparks At Each Other. Neither Of You Knows Enough Magic To Do Any Real Damage. I Bet He Expected You To Refuse, Anyway.” “and What If I Wave My Wand And Nothing Happens?” “throw It Away And Punch Him On The Nose,” Ron Suggested.

Real

People

What If

The Silence Was Unbearable To Him. If The Pictures Could Have Reflected The Feelings Inside Him, They Would Have Been Screaming In Pain.

Pain

Silence

Feelings

It Is My Baby And If I Want To Bring It Out To Play Again, I Will.

Baby

Play

Want

Half An Hour Later, Each Of Them Had Been Given A Complicated Circular Chart, And Was Attempting To Fill In The Position Of The Planets At Their Moment Of Birth. It Was Dull Work, Requiring Much Consultation Of Timetables And Calculation Of Angles. “i’ve Got Two Neptunes Here,” Said Harry After A While, Frowning Down At His Piece Of Parchment, “that Can’t Be Right, Can It?” “aaaaah,” Said Ron, Imitating Professor Trelawney’s Mystical Whisper, “when Two Neptunes Appear In The Sky, It Is A Sure Sign That A Midget In Glasses Is Being Born, Harry . . .

Sky

Two

Glasses

Being Fed, And Having A Soft Bed, And Other People Being In Charge, Seemed The Most Wonderful Prospect In The World At That Moment.

People

Bed

World

His Priority Did Not Seem To Be To Teach Them What He Knew, But Rather To Impress Upon Them That Nothing, Not Even... Knowledge, Was Foolproof.

Learning

Priorities

Literature

Power Was My Weakness And My Temptation.

Temptation

Weakness

Deathly Hallows

Tut, Tut — Fame Clearly Isn't Everything.

Fame

So Light A Fire!" Harry Choked. "yes...of Course...but There's No Wood!" ... "have You Gone Mad!" Ron Bellowed. "are You A Witch Or Not!

Light

Fire

Mad

Twitchy Little Ferret, Aren't You, Malfoy?

Littles

Ferrets

Draco Malfoy

Yeah, Size Is No Guarantee Of Power,” Said George. “look At Ginny.” “what D’you Mean?” Said Harry. “you’ve Never Been On The Receiving End Of One Of Her Bat-bogey Hexes, Have You?

Mean

Receiving

Bats

Understanding Quotes: Their Essence and Application

Quotes, or quotations, are powerful tools in communication, encapsulating ideas, emotions, and wisdom in concise expressions. They serve various purposes across different contexts, from academic writing to everyday conversation.

1. Defining Quotes

A quote is a repetition of someone else's statement or thoughts. It can be a direct replication of words spoken or written by another individual, often used to support arguments, provide evidence, or convey profound insights.

2. The Importance of Quotes

2.1. Enhancing Credibility

Incorporating quotes from authoritative sources can bolster the credibility of your work. By referencing experts or primary sources, you demonstrate thorough research and a solid foundation for your arguments.

2.2. Providing Evidence

Quotes serve as concrete evidence to support claims. In academic and professional writing, they validate points made, offering readers a basis to trust the information presented.

2.3. Conveying Emotions and Perspectives

Quotes can encapsulate emotions and perspectives succinctly. They allow writers to express complex feelings or viewpoints through the words of others, often more eloquently than paraphrasing.

3. Types of Quotes

3.1. Direct Quotes

Direct quotes involve copying the exact words from a source, enclosed in quotation marks. They are used when the original wording is significant or particularly well-expressed.

3.2. Indirect Quotes (Paraphrasing)

Indirect quotes restate the original message in your own words. While not enclosed in quotation marks, they still require proper attribution to the original source.

3.3. Block Quotes

Block quotes are lengthy direct quotations, formatted as a separate block of text. They are typically used for quotes exceeding a certain length, varying by citation style. For instance, in APA style, quotes longer than 40 words are formatted as block quotes.

4. Proper Usage of Quotes

4.1. Contextual Relevance

Ensure that the quote you choose is relevant to the topic and adds value to your content. Avoid inserting quotes solely for decorative purposes.

4.2. Integration into Your Writing

Seamlessly integrate quotes into your writing. Introduce them appropriately and follow up with analysis or commentary to connect them to your main points.

4.3. Attribution and Citation

Always attribute quotes to their original authors and provide proper citations according to the required style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

5.1. Overusing Quotes

Relying too heavily on quotes can overshadow your voice. Use them sparingly to support your arguments, not replace them.

5.2. Lack of Analysis

Presenting a quote without analysis or explanation can leave readers questioning its relevance. Always follow up with your interpretation or discussion.

5.3. Misquoting or Taking Out of Context

Ensure that quotes are accurate and not taken out of context, as this can mislead readers and undermine your credibility.

6. Quotes in Different Contexts

6.1. Academic Writing

In academic writing, quotes are used to support arguments, provide evidence, and engage with existing literature. Proper citation is crucial to avoid plagiarism.

6.2. Journalism

Journalists use quotes to provide firsthand accounts, add authenticity, and present multiple perspectives within a story.

6.3. Literature and Creative Writing

In literature, quotes can be used to convey character voices, themes, and stylistic elements. They enrich narratives and provide depth to storytelling.

7. Punctuation and Formatting

Understanding the correct punctuation and formatting of quotes is essential:

Quotation Marks: Always enclose direct quotes within quotation marks.

Punctuation Placement: In American English, periods and commas are placed inside quotation marks, while colons and semicolons are placed outside.

Block Quotes: For longer quotes, format them as block quotes without quotation marks, and indent the entire block.

8. Ethical Considerations

Ethical use of quotes involves accurate representation, proper attribution, and respect for intellectual property. Misuse can lead to plagiarism, which carries serious academic and professional consequences.

9. Tools for Managing Quotes

Utilize tools like citation generators and plagiarism checkers to manage quotes effectively. These tools help ensure proper formatting and originality in your writing.

Conclusion

Quotes are invaluable in enriching content, providing evidence, and conveying complex ideas succinctly. When used appropriately, they enhance the quality and credibility of your writing. Always ensure relevance, proper integration, and ethical usage to maximize their impact.

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