What Must Strike Any Intelligent Witch Or Wizard On Studying The So-called History Of The Elder Wand Is That Every Man Who Claims To Have Owned It Has Insisted That It Is "unbeatable," When The Known Facts Of Its Passage Through Many Owners' Hands Demonstrate That Has It Not Only Been Beaten Hundreds Of Times, But That It Also Attracts Trouble As Grumble The Grubby Goat Attracted Flies.

-J. K. Rowling

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What Must Strike Any

J. K. Rowling

Topic

Intelligent

Men

Hands

More From J. K. Rowling

Why Do I Talk About The Benefits Of Failure? Simply Because Failure Meant A Stripping Away Of The Inessential. I Stopped Pretending To Myself That I Was Anything Other Than What I Was, And Began To Direct All My Energy Into Finishing The Only Work That Mattered To Me.

Failure

Energy

Finishing

It Was, He Thought, The Difference Between Being Dragged Into The Arena To Face A Battle To The Death And Walking Into The Arena With Your Head Held High. Some People, Perhaps, Would Say That There Was Little To Choose Between The Two Ways, But Dumbledore Knew - And So Do I, Thought Harry, With A Rush Of Fierce Pride, And So Did My Parents - That There Was All The Difference In The World.

Inspirational

Life Lesson

Pride

But I Was Willing To Embrace Mortal Life Again, Before Chasing Immortality.

Immortality

Embrace

Chasing

I’m Very Busy With Schoolwork, Of Course." "how Can She Be?" Said Ron In Horror. "we’re On Vacation!

Vacation

Horror

Busy

Voldemort Himself Created His Worst Enemy, Just As Tyrants Everywhere Do! Have You Any Idea How Much Tyrants Fear The People They Oppress? All Of Them Realize That, One Day, Amongst Their Many Victims, There Is Sure To Be One Who Rises Against Them And Strikes Back!

Worst Enemy

Tyrants

Ideas

If Ever I Expected To Come Face To Face With An Angry Christian Fundamentalist, It Wasn't In Fao Schwarz.

Christian

Faces

Expected

Where's The Fun Without A Bit Of Risk?

Fun

Risk

Weasley

Harry Potter Has Kindly Joined Us For My Rebirthing Party. One Might Go So Far As To Call Him My Guest Of Honor.

Party

Honor

Potters

What Was There To Be Gained By Fighting The Most Evil Wizard Who Has Ever Existed?" Said Black, With A Terrible Fury In His Face. "only Innocent Lives, Peter!" "you Don't Understand!" Whined Pettigrew. "he Would Have Killed Me, Sirius!" "then You Should Have Died!" Roared Black. "died Rather Than Betray Your Friends, As We Would Have Done For You!

Fighting

Should Have

Evil

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

People

Desert

Sahara

Which Way Did They Go, Peeves?" Filch Was Saying. "quick, Tell Me." "say 'please.'" "don't Mess With Me, Peeves, Now Where Did They Go?" "shan't Say Nothing If You Don't Say Please," Said Peeves In His Annoying Singsong Voice. "all Right- Please." "nothing! Ha Haaa! Told You I Wouldn't Say Nothing If You Didn't Say Please! Ha Ha! Haaaaaa!" And They Heard The Sound Of Peeves Whooshing Away And Filch Cursing In Rage.

Voice

Sound

Way

'it Only Put Me In Gryffindor,' Said Harry In A Defeated Voice, 'because I Asked Not To Go In Slytherin...' 'exactly' Said Dumbledore, Beaming Once More. 'which Makes You Very Different From Tom Riddle. It Is Our Choices, Harry, That Show What We Truly Are, Far More Than Our Abilities.'

Life Lesson

Voice

Choices

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

You Have To Be Free To Fail In This World.

World

Failing

This World

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

On Harry Dug, Deeper And Deeper Into The Hard, Cold Earth, Subsuming His Grief In Sweat, Denying The Pain In His Scar.

Pain

Grief

Sweat

Hermione Drew Herself To Her Full Height; Her Eyes Were Narrowed And Her Hair Seemed To Crackle With Electricity. "no," She Said, Her Voice Quivering With Anger, "but I Will Write To Your Mother.

Mother

Writing

Eye

Where Do Vanished Objects Go?" "into Nonbeing, Which Is To Say, Everything," Replied Professor Mcgonagall. "nicely Phrased," Replied The Eagle Door Knocker, And The Door Swung Open.

Doors

Eagles

Professor Mcgonagall

I Have Gone Temporarily Deaf And Haven't Any Idea What You Said, Harry.

Ideas

Gone

Deaf

The Most Important Thing Is To Read As Much As You Can, Like I Did. It Will Give You An Understanding Of What Makes Good Writing And It Will Enlarge Your Vocabulary.

Writing

Vocabulary

Giving

The Opportunity Was Too Perfect To Miss. Harry Crept Silently Around Behind Malfoy, Crabbe, And Goyle, Bent Down, And Scooped A Large Handful Of Mud Out Of The Path. 'we Were Just Talking About Your Friend Hagrid,' Malfoy Said To Ron. 'just Trying To Imagine What He's Saying To The Committee For The Disposal Of Dangerous Creatures. D'you Think He'll Cry When They Cut Off His Hippogriff's—' Splat. Malfoy's Head Jerked Back As The Mud Hit Him; His Silverblond Hair Was Suddenly Dripping In Muck.

Cutting

Opportunity

Thinking

I Was A Fool!" Percy Roared, So Loudly That Lupin Nearly Dropped His Photograph. "i Was An Idiot, I Was A Pompous Prat, I Was A - A -" "ministry-loving, Family-disowning, Power-hungry Moron," Said Fred. Percy Swallowed. "yes, I Was!" "well, You Can't Say Fairer Than That," Said Fred, Holding Out His Hand To Percy.

Hands

Ministry

Fool

You Can Try, But You Seem Cleverer Than Fudge, So I'd Have Thought You'd Have Learned From His Mistakes. He Tried Intervening At Hogwarts. You Might Have Noticed He's Not Minister Anymore, But Dumbledore's Still Headmaster. I'd Leave Dumbledore Alone, If I Were You.

Mistake

Trying

Fudge

Enemies Of The Heir, Beware! You'll Be Next, Mudbloods!

Enemy

Heirs

Ah, Go Boil Yer Heads, Both Of Yeh", Said Hagrid. “harry — Yer A Wizard.

Wizards

Hagrid

Said

He Was Slumped In The Back, Gazing Out Of The Window, As Though His Parents Were Two People Who Had Picked Him Up Hitchhiking, Connected To Him Merely By Chance And Proximity.

Two

People

Parent

How D’you Spell ‘belligerent’?” Said Ron, Shaking His Quill Very Hard While Staring At His Parchment. “it Can’t Be B — U — M —” “no, It Isn’t,” Said Hermione. “and ‘augury’ Doesn’t Begin O — R — G Either.

Hermione

Quills

Said

I've Been Writing My Entire Life, And I'll Always Write.

Writing

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

Silence Fell Between The Four Of Them As They Looked Up At The Sky. There Was No Sign Of Movement, The Stars Stared Back, Unblinking, Indifferent, Unobscured By Flying Friends. Where Was Ron? Where Were Fred And Mr Weasley? Where Were Bill, Fleur, Tonks, Mad Eye, Mundungus?

Stars

Eye

Sky

Cinderella? Snow White? What's That? An Illness?

White

Snow

Snow White

Writing And Cafes Are Strongly Linked In My Brain.

Writing

Brain

Cafes

Am I About To Discover Where You, Ron, And Hermione Disappeared To While You Were Supposed To Be In The Back Room Of Fred And George's Shop?" How Did You...?" Harry, Please. You're Talking To The Man Who Raised Fred And George.

Men

Talking

Rooms

The Success Of Harry Potter Has Given Me Lots Of Freedom. I Can Pay My Bills, And I Don't Have To Prove Anything To Anyone Anymore.

Potters

Pay

Bills

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

Fawkes Is A Phoenix, Harry. Phoenixes Burst Into Flame When It Is Time For Them To Die And Are Reborn From The Ashes.

Flames

Phoenix

Ashes

Ginny Came In To Visit While You Were Unconscious", He Said, After A Long Pause, And Harry's Imagination Zoomed Into Overdrive, Rapidly Constructing A Scene In Which Ginny, Weeking Over His Lifeless Form, Confessed Her Feelings Of Deep Attraction To Him While Ron Gave Them His Blessing.

Blessing

Imagination

Long

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

Writing

Plot

Outlining

Would You Like A Cough Drop Dolores?

Cough Drops

I've Been Asked This Question So Many Times, Do You Feel You Need To Write A Book For Adults? No, I Don't Need To Write A Book For Adults.

Book

Writing

Adults

I'm A What?" Gasped Harry. "a Wizard, O' Course," Said Hagrid, Sitting Back Down On The Sofa, Which Groaned And Sank Even Lower, "an' A Thumpin' Good'un I'd Say, Once Yeh've Been Trained Up A Bit. With A Mum An' Dad Like Yours, What Else Would Yeh Be?

Dad

Sitting

Wizards

Hang On. This Lord Voldything's Back You Say?... And Now He's Sending Dismembers After You?... I See. Well That Settles It, You Can Get Out Of This House Boy!

Boys

House

Lord

Sword? Haven't Got A Sword. That Boy Has, Though. He'll Lend You One.

Boys

Havens

Bigotry Is Probably The Thing I Detest Most.

Detest

Bigotry

Stone Dead," Said Howard, As Though There Were Degrees Of Deadness, And The Kind That Barry Fairbrother Had Contracted Was Particularly Sordid.

Degrees

Stones

Kind

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

As Ginny And Hermione Moved Closer To The Rest Of The Family, Harry Had A Clear View Of The Bodies Lying Next To Fred: Remus And Tonks, Pale And Still And Peaceful-looking, Apparently Asleep Beneath The Dark, Enchanted Ceiling.

Lying

Dark

Views

There Is Plenty Of Ambitious Competition And Hypocrisy In The Middle Class, Which Makes It A Rather Fertile Environment For A Writer.

Class

Hypocrisy

Competition

It Is My Belief... That The Truth Is Generally Preferable To Lies.

Lying

Inspirational Harry Potter

Deceit

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

Death Is Just Life's Next Big Adventure.

Death

Travel

Adventure

I'm Serious, Harry, Don't Go." But Harry Only Had One Thought In His Head, Which Was To Get Back In Front Of The Mirror, And Ron Wasn't Going To Stop Him. That Third Night He Found His Way More Quickly Than Before. He Was Walking So Fast He Knew He Was Making More Noise Than Was Wise, But He Didn't Meet Anyone. And There Were His Mother And Father Smiling At Him Again, And One Of His Grandfathers Nodding Happily. Harry Sank Down To Sit On The Floor In Front Of The Mirror. There Was Nothing To Stop Him From Staying Here All Night With His Family. Nothing At All.

Wise

Mother

Father

In March Several Of The Mandrakes Threw A Loud And Raucous Party In Greenhouse Three. This Made Professor Sprout Very Happy. “the Moment They Start Trying To Move Into Each Other’s Pots, We’ll Know They’re Fully Mature,” She Told Harry.

Moving

Party

Trying

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

Curiosity Is Not A Sin.... But We Should Exercise Caution With Our Curiosity... Yes, Indeed.

Exercise

Curiosity

Inspirational Harry Potter

You Could Tie My Hands To My Sides, I Suppose, But I Have To Write. For My Own Mental Health, I Need To Write.

Writing

Hands

Ties

Anyone Can Speak Troll. All You Have To Do Is Point And Grunt.

Funny Harry Potter

Troll

Speak

Things We Lose Have A Way Of Coming Back To Us In The End, If Not Always In The Way We Expect.

Love

Death

Inspirational Harry Potter

The Wand Chooses The Wizard.

Potters

Wizards

Harry Potter Movie

His Eyes Are As Green As A Fresh Pickled Toad, His Hair Is As Dark As A Blackboard. I Wish He Was Mine, He's Really Divine, The Hero Who Conquered The Dark Lord.

Hero

Eye

Dark

Said Hufflepuff, "i'll Teach The Lot, And Treat Them Just The Same.

Treats

Said

Hufflepuff

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

Dumbledore Paused, And Although His Voice Remained Light And Calm, And He Gave No Obvious Sign Of Anger, Harry Felt A Kind Of Chill Emanating From Him And Noticed That The Dursleys Drew Very Slightly Closer Together. “you Did Not Do As I Asked. You Have Never Treated Harry As A Son. He Has Known Nothing But Neglect And Often Cruelty At Your Hands. The Best That Can Be Said Is That He Has At Least Escaped The Appalling Damage You Have Inflicted Upon The Unfortunate Boy Sitting Between You.

Son

Boys

Hands

Odd Words Floated Back To Them Over The Hundreds Of Heads. "nobility Of Spirit"..."intellectual Contribution"..."greatness Of Heart"...it Did Not Mean Very Much. It Had Little To Do With Dumbledore As Harry Had Known Him. He Suddenly Remembered Dumbledore's Idea Of A Few Words, "nitwit," "oddment," "blubber," And "tweak," And Again Had To Suppress A Grin.

Heart

Mean

Greatness

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

But Dobby Shouted, "you Shall Not Harm Harry Potter! ... He Got Up, Face Livid, And Pulled Out His Wand, But Dobby Raised A Long, Threatening Finger. "you Shall Go Now," He Said Fiercely, Pointing Down At Mr. Malfoy. "you Shall Not Touch Harry Potter. You Shall Go Now.

Long

Dobby

Potters

It Is Not About Striving For Immortality, But About Accepting Mortality.

Immortality

Strive

Mortality

Time Is Making Fools Of Us Again.

Time

Fool

I Don't Take Any Responsibility For The Lunatic Fringes Of My Own Religion.

Responsibility

Fringe

Lunatic

When You Have Seen As Much Of Life As I Have, You Will Not Underestimate The Power Of Obsessive Love.

Love

Life

Underestimate

Celebrity Is As Celebrity Does.

Doe

Chess Was The Only Thing Hermione Ever Lost At, Something Harry And Ron Thought Was Very Good For Her.

Chess

Hermione

Lost

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

Humor

Funny Harry Potter

Ears

The Exceptions Were Two Men A Little Ahead Of Them, Standing Just Outside The Three Broomsticks. One Was Very Tall And Thin; Squinting Through His Rain-washed Glasses Harry Recognized The Barman Who Worked In The Other Hogsmeade Pub, The Hog’s Head. As Harry, Ron, And Hermione Drew Closer, The Barman Drew His Cloak More Tightly Around His Neck And Walked Away, Leaving The Shorter Man To Fumble With Something In His Arms. They Were Barely Feet From Him When Harry Realized Who The Man Was. “mundungus!

Rain

Men

Glasses

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

The Castle Grounds Were Gleaming In The Sunlight As Though Freshly Painted; The Cloudless Sky Smiled At Itself In The Smoothly Sparkling Lake, The Satin-green Lawns Rippled Occasionally In A Gentle Breeze: June Had Arrived.

Summer

Lakes

June

My Readers Have To Work With Me To Create The Experience. They Have To Bring Their Imaginations To The Story. No One Sees A Book In The Same Way, No One Sees The Characters The Same Way. As A Reader You Imagine Them In Your Own Mind. So, Together, As Author And Reader, We Have Both Created The Story.

Book

Character

Imagination

The Fame Thing Is Interesting Because I Never Wanted To Be Famous, And I Never Dreamt I Would Be Famous.

Interesting

Would Be

Fame

My Head Of House Said I Lacked Certain Necessary Qualities...like The Ability To Behave Myself.

House

Quality

Said

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

If She Could Have Done One Thing To Make Absolutely Sure That Every Single Person In This School Will Read Your Interview, It Was Banning It!

School

Done

Interviews

Love Wins. It Does Win. We Know It Wins.

Winning

Doe

Knows

Braggarts And Rogues, Dogs And Scoundrels, Drive Them Out, Harry Potter, See Them Off!

Dog

Potters

Rogues

To Harry Potter — The Boy Who Lived!

Boys

Potters

Deathly Hallows

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

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

Why Are They All Staring?" Demanded Albus As He And Rose Craned Around To Look At The Other Students. "don’t Let It Worry You," Said Ron. "it’s Me. I’m Extremely Famous.

Humor

Worry

Rose

Scared?" Malfoy Muttered, So That Lockhart Couldn't Hear Him. "you Wish." Said Harry Out Of The Corner Of His Mouth.

Wish

Mouths

Scared

I Kept Arguing That 'love Is The Most Important Force, Love Is The Most Important Force.' So I Wanted To Show Him Loving. Sometimes It's Dramatic: It Means You Lay Down Your Life. But Sometimes It Means Making Sure Someone's Trunk Is Packed And Hoping They'll Be O.k. At School.

School

Mean

Love Is

Failure Means A Stripping Away Of The Inessential.

Failure

Mean

Stripping

Sport Is A Very Important Subject At School, That's Why I Gave Quidditch Such An Important Place At Hogwarts. I Was Very Bad In Sports, So I Gave Harry A Talent I Would Really Loved To Have. Who Wouldn't Want To Fly?

Sports

School

Important

You Saved Dad's Life. If Anyone's Got The Right To Eavesdrop On Him, It's You.

Dad

Saved

Ifs

I Think That I've Had A Very Strange Life.

Thinking

Strange

That Old Berk," Muttered Aberforth, Taking Another Swig Of Mead. "thought The Sun Shone Out Of My Brother's Every Orifice, He Did.

Brother

Sun

My Brother

He Tried To Give His Wife Pleasure In Little Ways, Because He Had Come To Realize, After Nearly Two Decades Together, How Often He Disappointed Her In The Big Things. It Was Never Intentional. They Simply Had Very Different Notions Of What Ought To Take Up Most Space In Life.

Two

Space

Wife

I Don't Feel Quite Normal If I Haven't Written For A While. I Doubt I Will Ever Again Write Anything As Popular As The "harry" Books, But I Can Live With That Thought Quite Easily. By The Time I Stop Writing About Harry, I Will Have Lived With Him For 13 Years, And I Know It's Going To Feel Like A Bereavement. So I'll Probably Take Some Time Off To Grieve, And Then On With The Next Book!

Book

Writing

Grieving

Professor Kettleburn, Our Care Of Magical Creatures Teacher, Retired At The End Of Last Year In Order To Enjoy More Time With His Remaining Limbs.

Teacher

Order

Years

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

Rocks

Foundation

Solid Foundation

Seven Years After Becoming A Lone Parent, I Feel Qualified To Look Anyone In The Eye And Say That People Bringing Up Children Single-handedly Deserve, Not Condemnation, But Congratulation.

Children

Congratulations

Eye

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

Giving

Quality

Abundance

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

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

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

Jobs

People

Way

The Ministry Places A Rather Higher Value On My Life Than Yours, I’m Afraid.

Ministry

Umbridge

Higher

They Heard The Click Of The Mail Slot And Flop Of Letters On The Doormat. "get The Mail, Dudley," Said Uncle Vernon From Behind His Paper. "make Harry Get It." "get The Mail, Harry." "make Dudley Get It." "poke Him With Your Smelting Stick, Dudley.

Uncles

Paper

Letters

Humans Have A Knack For Choosing Precisely The Things That Are Worst For Them.

Inspirational

Knack

Literature

I Loved Writing For Kids, I Loved Talking To Children About What I'd Written, I Don't Want To Leave That Behind.

Children

Writing

Kids

Failure Is Not Fun. It Can Be Awful. But Living So Cautiously That You Never Fail Is Worse.

Fun

Awful

Failing

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

Muggles

Noise

Bedroom

'tell Me One Last Thing,' Said Harry. 'is This Real? Or Has This Been Happening Inside My Head?' Dumbledore Beamed At Him, And His Voice Sounded Loud And Strong In Harry's Ears Even Though The Bright Mist Was Descending Again, Obscuring His Figure. 'of Course It Is Happening Inside Your Head, Harry, But Why On Earth Should That Mean It Is Not Real?'

Strong

Real

Life Lesson

I Haven’t Got The Heart To Take The Mickey Out Of Him, Even,” Said Fred, Looking Over At Ron’s Crumpled Figure. “mind You . . . When He Missed The Fourteenth . . .” He Made Wild Motions With His Arms As Though Doing An Upright Doggy-paddle. “well, I’ll Save It For Parties, Eh?

Party

Heart

Mind

People Ask Me If There Are Going To Be Stories Of Harry Potter As An Adult. Frankly, If I Wanted To, I Could Keep Writing Stories Until Harry Is A Senior Citizen, But I Don't Know How Many People Would Actually Want To Read About A 65 Year Old Harry Still At Hogwarts Playing Bingo With Ron And Hermione.

Senior

Writing

Years

Fear Of A Name Increases Fear Of The Thing Itself.

Fear

Names

Inspirational Harry Potter

Yeah, She Shows Signs Of Life If You Do This," Said Ron, And With His Tongue He Made Soft Clip-flopping Noises. Umbridge Sat Bolt Upright, Looking Wildly Around.

Noise

Tongue

Yeah

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

Sometimes

Force

I Would Never Recommend My Novel As A Parenting Guide. But We Happen To Live At A Very Hectic And Hurried Time, And I Believe That Many Parents Are Too Wrapped Up In Themselves.

Believe

Parent

Guides

Some Failure In Life Is Inevitable. It Is Impossible To Live Without Failing At Something, Unless You Live So Cautiously, That You Might As Well Not Have Lived At All. In Which Case You Have Failed By Default. Failure Gave Me An Inner Security That I Had Never Obtained By Passing Examinations. Failure Taught Me Things That I Could Not Have Learned Any Other Way. I Discovered I Had A Strong Will And More Discipline Than I Had Suspected.

Strong

Discipline

Examination

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

The Thing About The 600 Words, I Mean Some Day, You Can Do A Very, Very, Very Hard Day's Work And Not Write A Word, Just Revising, Or You Would Scribble A Few Words.

Writing

Mean

Few Words

Things Denied, Things Untold, Things Hidden And Disguised.

Denied

Don't Be Sorry, My Dear Sir, For Nothing Could Upset Me Today! Rejoice, For You-know-who Is Gone At Last! Even Muggles Like Yourself Should Be Celebrating This Happy, Happy Day.

Sorry

Upset

Muggles

Everythin' Seems Ter Happen Ter You, Doesn' It?

Happens

Seems

What Are Fred And I? Next Door Neighbors?

Doors

Funny Harry Potter

Only The Difference Between Truth And Lies, Courage And Cowardice.

Lying

Differences

Deceit

Failure, Failure Is So Important, It Doesn’t Get Spoken About Enough, We Speak About Success All The Time.

Important

Speak

Enough

... There Are Far, Far Worse Things In The Living World Than Dying.

Silly

Dying

Potters

I Dreamed I Was Buying New Shoes Last Night," Said Ron. "what D'ya Think That's Gonna Mean?" "probably That You're Going To Be Eaten By A Giant Marshmallow Or Something," Said Harry.

Mean

Night

Thinking

Many Prefer Not To Exercise Their Imaginations At All. They Choose To Remain Comfortably Within The Bounds Of Their Own Experience, Never Troubling To Wonder How It Would Feel To Have Been Born Other Than They Are. They Can Refuse To Hear Screams Or To Peer Inside Cages; They Can Close Their Minds And Hearts To Any Suffering That Does Not Touch Them Personally; They Can Refuse To Know. I Might Be Tempted To Envy People Who Can Live That Way, Except That I Do Not Think They Have Any Fewer Nightmares Than I Do. The Wilfully Unimaginative See More Monsters. They Are Often More Afraid.

Heart

Exercise

Thinking

She Had A Way Of Seeing The Beauty In Others, Even, And Perhaps Most Especially, When That Person Couldn't See It In Themselves.

Dementors

Way

Remus Lupin

Harry Moved The Tip Of His Eagle-feather Quill Down The Page, Frowning As He Looked For Something That Would Help Him Write His Essay, “witch Burning In The Fourteenth Century Was Completely Pointless — Discuss.

Writing

Eagles

Burning

I Know What You Are Known As . . . But To Me, You Will Always Be Tom Riddle. It Is One Of The Irritating Things About Old Teachers. I Am Afraid That They Never Quite Forget Their Charges’ Youthful Beginnings.

Teacher

Forget

Riddle

Just Because You Have The Emotional Range Of A Teaspoon Doesn't Mean We All Have.

Mean

Emotional

Funny Harry Potter

It Was His Own Grief Turned Magically To Song.

Song

Grief

Like The Fact That The Person Sirius Cared For The Most About In The World Was You," Said Dumbledore Quietly.

World

Facts

Said

Somewhere Out In The Darkness, A Phoenix Was Singing In A Way Harry Had Never Heard Before: A Stricken Lament Of Terrible Beauty. And Harry Felt, As He Had Felt About Phoenix Song Before, That The Music Was Inside Him, Not Without: It Was His Own Grief Turned Magically To Song.

Song

Grief

Phoenix

And It's Gryfindor In Possession Again, As Johnson Takes The Quaffle - Flint Alongside Her - Poke Him In The Eye, Angelina - It Was A Joke, Professor, It Was A Joke.

Eye

Professors

Possession

Mr. And Mrs. Dursley, Of Number Four Privet Drive, Were Proud To Say That They Were Perfectly Normal, Thank You Very Much.

Perfectly Normal

Numbers

Four

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

He Might Have Been Encased In A Thick Glass Bubble, So Separate Did He Feel From His Three Dining Companions. It Was A Sensation With Which He Was Only Too Familiar, That Of Walking In A Giant Sphere Of Worry, Enclosed By It, Watching His Own Terrors Roll By, Obscuring The Outside World.

Glasses

Worry

Dining

You Think The Dead We Loved Ever Truly Leave Us?

Thinking

Potters

Harry Potter Birthday

Personally, I'd Have Welcomed A Dementor Attack. A Deadly Struggle For My Soul Would Have Broken The Monotony Nicely.

Struggle

Broken

Soul

I've Often Met People Who Are Terrified, You Know, In A Straight Jacket Of Their Own Making Because They'd Rather Do Anything That Fail. They Don't Want To Try For Fear Of Failing.

People

Trying

Want

Hide Them All, Then. Keep Her – Them – Safe. Please.' And What Will You Give Me In Return, Severus?' In – In Return? Anything.

Giving

Safe

Return

Everything That Fails Brings You Closer To What Works.

Failing

Hagrid, Look What I’ve Got For Relatives!” Harry Said Furiously. “look At The Dursleys!” “an Excellent Point,” Said Professor Dumbledore. “my Own Brother, Aberforth, Was Prosecuted For Practicing Inappropriate Charms On A Goat. It Was All Over The Papers, But Did Aberforth Hide? No, He Did Not! He Held His Head High And Went About His Business As Usual! Of Course, I’m Not Entirely Sure He Can Read, So That May Not Have Been Bravery. . . .

Brother

Bravery

Usual

Howard Was Almost As Fond Of This Hall As He Was Of His Own Shop. The Brownies Used It On Tuesdays, And The Women's Institute On Wednesdays. It Had Hosted Jumble Sales And Jubilee Celebrations, Wedding Receptions And Wakes, And It Smelled Of All Of These Things: Of Stale Clothes And Coffee Urns, And The Ghosts Of Home-baked Cakes And Meat Salads; Of Dust And Human Bodies; But Primarily Of Aged Wood And Stone.

Coffee

Home

Dust

If Harry Potter Taught Us Anything, It's That No One Should Have To Live In The Closet

Should Have

Taught Us

Potters

Such Loyalty Is Admirable, Of Course,” Said Scrimgeour, Who Seemed To Be Restraining His Irritation With Difficulty, “but Dumbledore Is Gone, Harry. He’s Gone.” “he Will Only Be Gone From The School When None Here Are Loyal To Him,” Said Harry, Smiling In Spite Of Himself.

Loyalty

School

Irritation

Well, Wouldn't It Have Been Easier If She'd Just Asked Me Whether I Liked Her Better Than You?" "girls Don't Often Ask Questions Like That," Said Hermione. "well, They Should!" Said Harry Forcefully.

Girl

Hermione

Easier

Personal Happiness Lies In Knowing That Life Is Not A Checklist Of Acquisition. Your Qualifications Are Not Your Life.

Lying

Knowing

Acquisition

Your Devotion Is Nothing More Than Cowardice. You Would Not Be Here If You Had Anywhere Else To Go.

Devotion

Cowardice

Ifs

Xenophilius Lovegood," He Said, Extending A Hand To Harry. "my Daughter And I Live Over The Hill, So Kind Of The Weasleys To Invite Us. I Think You Know My Luna?" He Added To Ron."yes" Said Ron. "isn't She With You?""she Lingered In That Charming Little Garden To Say Hello To The Gnomes, Such A Glorious Infestation! How Few Wizards Realize Just How Much We Can Learn From The Wise Little Gnomes - Or, To Give Then Their Correct Names, The Gernumbli Gardensi.""ours Do Know A Lot Of Excellent Swear Words," Said Ron, "but I Think Fred And George Taught Them Those.

Wise

Daughter

Garden

Curious Indeed How These Things Happen. The Wand Chooses The Wizard, Remember...i Think We Must Expect Great Things From You, Mr. Potter... After All, He-who-must-not-be-named Did Great Things — Terrible, Yes, But Great.

Thinking

Potters

Wizards

I Feel 80% Of My Life Is Completely Normal.

Normal

Life Is

Feels

He Chanced A Glance At Her. She Was Not Tearful; That Was One Of The Many Wonderful Things About Ginny, She Was Rarely Weepy. He Had Sometimes Thought That Having Six Brothers Must Have Toughened Her Up.

Brother

Six

Sometimes

For That Was The Terrible Power Of The Dementors: To Force Their Victims To Relive The Worst Memories Of Their Lives, And Drown, Powerless, In Theirown Despair. . . .

Memories

Mentor

Despair

He Chose The Boy He Thought Most Likely To Be A Danger To Him," Said Dumbledore. And Notice This, Harry. He Chose, Not The Pureblood (which, According To His Creed, Is The Only Kind Of Wizard Worth Being Or Knowing), But The Half-blood, Like Himself. He Saw Himself In You Before He Had Ever Seen You, And In Marking You With That Scar, He Did Not Kill You, As He Intended, But Gave You Powers, And A Future, Which Have Fitted You To Escape Him Not Once, But Four Times So Far — Something That Neither Your Parents, Nor Neville’s Parents, Ever Achieved.

Boys

Blood

Knowing

Welcome To A New Year At Hogwarts! Before We Begin Our Banquet, I Would Like To Say A Few Words. And Here They Are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

New Year

Years

Few Words

The Scar Had Not Pained Harry For Nineteen Years. All Was Well.

Years

Nineteen

Scar

Now, I Don’t Want Any Of You Youngsters To Worry — You’ll Still Have Your Potions Master When I’m Through With Him, Never Fear!” “wouldn’t It Be Good If They Finished Each Other Off?” Ron Muttered In Harry’s Ear.

Worry

Want

Ears

Harry Was Left To Ponder In Silence The Depths To Which Girls Would Sink To Get Revenge.

Girl

Revenge

Silence

Talent And Intelligence Never Yet Inoculated Anyone Against The Caprice Of The Fates.

Fate

Talent

Caprice

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

Some People Do Not Seem To Grasp That I Still Have To Sit Down In Peace And Write The Books, Apparently Believing That They Pop Up Like Mushrooms Without My Connivance.

Believe

Book

Writing

Krystal’s Slow Passage Up The School Had Resembled The Passage Of A Goat Through The Body Of A Boa Constrictor, Being Highly Visible And Uncomfortable For Both Parties Concerned.

Witty

Party

School

As Our Listeners Will Know, Unless They've Taken Refuge At The Bottom Of A Garden Pond Or Somewhere Similar, You-know-who's Strategy Of Remaining In The Shadows Is Creating A Nice Little Climate Of Panic.

Nice

Taken

Garden

That Is The Second Time You Have Spoken Out Of Turn, Miss Granger,” Said Snape Coolly. “five More Points From Gryffindor For Being An Insufferable Know-it-all.

Missing

Gryffindor

Know It All

The Fame Thing Is Interesting Because I Never Wanted To Be Famous, And I Never Dreamt I Would Be Famous....you Know I Didn't Think They'd Rake Through My Bins, I Didn't Expect To Be Photographed On The Beach Through Long Lens. I Never Dreamt It Would Impact My Daughter's Life Negatively, Which At Times It Has. It Would Be Churlish To Say There's Nothing Good About Being Famous; To Have A Total Stranger Walk Up To You As You're Walking Around Safeways, And Say A Number Of Nice Things That They Might Say About Your Work.

Daughter

Beach

Nice

But You're Dead,' Said Harry. 'oh, Yes,' Said Dumbledore Matter-of-factly. 'then... Am I Dead Too?' 'ah,' Said Dumbledore, Smiling Still More Broadly. 'that Is The Question, Isn't It? On The Whole, Dear Boy, I Think Not.

Boys

Thinking

Matter

Did You See Me Disarm Hermione, Harry?" "only Once" Said Hermione Stung. "i Got You Loads More Then You Got Me—" "i Did Not Only Get You Once, I Got You At Least Three Times—" "well If You're Counting The One Where You Tripped Over Your Own Feet And Knocked The Wand Out Of My Hand—

Hands

Feet

Three

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

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

Perfection Is Not Necessary To Make A Real And Lasting Difference To Other People's Lives.

Real

Differences

People

Hermione Turned And Beamed At Harry; Her Eyes, Too, Were Full Of Tears. ‘…then I Declare You Bonded For Life.

Eye

Tears

Her Eyes

Gilderoy Lockhart Is Also A Lot Like Someone I Once Knew, But I Don't Think I'd Better Elaborate!

Thinking

Ron And Hermione Were Still Smirking And Harry Felt His Temper Rise; He Wasn’t Even Sure Why He Was Feeling So Angry. “don’t Sit There Grinning Like You Know Better Than I Do, I Was There, Wasn’t I?” He Said Heatedly. “i Know What Went On, All Right? And I Didn’t Get Through Any Of That Because I Was Brilliant At Defense Against The Dark Arts, I Got Through It All Because — Because Help Came At The Right Time, Or Because I Guessed Right — But I Just Blundered Through It All, I Didn’t Have A Clue What I Was Doing — Stop Laughing!

Art

Dark

Laughing

But Who Could Bear To Know Which Stars Were Already Dead, She Thought, Blinking Up At The Night Sky; Could Anybody Stand To Know That They All Were?

Stars

Night

Sky

Dumbledore Lowered His Hands And Surveyed Harry Through His Half-moon Glasses. 'it Is Time,’ He Said, ‘for Me To Tell You What I Should Have Told You Five Years Ago, Harry. Please Sit Down. I Am Going To Tell You Everything.

Moon

Glasses

Hands

Shh! Listen! Someone’s Coming! I Think — I Think It Might Be Us!

Thinking

Shh

Might

They Run Off Eckeltricity, Do They?" He Said Knowledgeably. "ah Yes, I Can See The Plugs. I Collect Plugs," He Added To Uncle Vernon. "and Batteries. Got A Large Collection Of Batteries.

Running

Uncles

Yes I Can

The World Is My Oyster. I Can Do Whatever I Like.

Oysters

World

Can Do

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

Ron: Why Spiders? Why Couldn't It Be "follow The Butterflies?

Butterfly

Funny Harry Potter

Spiders

He Might Have Crawled Up Into The Airing Cupboard And Died, But I Mustn't Get My Hopes Up.

Might

Cupboards

Sirius

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

I've Never Managed To Keep A Journal Longer Than Two Weeks.

Two

Week

Journal

She Was On Edge, Feeling That She Might Snap Or Cry At The Smallest Provocation.

Feelings

Might

Cry

The Death Eaters Can't All Be Pure-blood, There Aren't Enough Pure-blood Wizards Left," Said Hermione Stubbornly. "i Expect Most Of Them Are Half-bloods Pretending To Be Pure. It's Only Muggle-borns They Hate, They'd Be Quite Happy To Let You And Ron Join Up" "there Is No Way They'd Let Me Be A Death Eater!" Said Ron Indignantly...."my Whole Family Are Blood Traitors! That's As Bad As Muggle-borns To Death Eaters!" "and They'd Love To Have Me," Said Harry Sarcastically. "we'd Be Best Pals If They Didn't Keep Trying To Do Me In.

Hate

Death Eaters

Blood

Ron's Indignation On His Behalf Was Worth About A Hundred Points To Him.

Hundred

Behalf

Indignation

Strange How Short-sighted Being Invisible Can Make You.

Strange

Invisible

Short Sighted

Excuse Me, Are You The Imprint Of A Departed Soul?

Soul

Departed

Funny Harry Potter

Next Time There’s A Ball, Ask Me Before Someone Else Does, And Not As A Last Resort!

Doe

Balls

Lasts

Whoops - My Wand Is A Little Over Excited!

Littles

Excited

Wands

Well, Hello, Peter,” Said Lupin Pleasantly, As Though Rats Frequently Erupted Into Old School Friends Around Him. “long Time, No See.

School

Long

Rats

You Must Accept The Reality Of Other People. You Think That Reality Is Up For Negotiation, That We Think It's Whatever You Say It Is. You Must Accept That We Are As Real As You Are; You Must Accept That You Are Not God.

Life

Real

Thinking

There Appears To Be Something To Do With Vehicles And Movement That Stimulates My Writing.

Writing

Movement

Vehicle

Another Ten Points From Gryffindor,” Said Snape. “i Would Expect Nothing More Sophisticated From You, Ronald Weasley, The Boy So Solid He Cannot Apparate Half An Inch Across A Room.

Boys

Half

Gryffindor

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

Light

Your Mother Died To Save You. If There Is One Thing Voldemort Cannot Understand, It Is Love. Love As Powerful As Your Mother's For You Leaves It's Own Mark. To Have Been Loved So Deeply, Even Though The Person Who Loved Us Is Gone, Will Give Us Some Protection Forever.

Love

Death

Mother

I Scared Stephen King.

Kings

Scared

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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