There is plenty of ambitious competition and hypocrisy in the middle class, which makes it a rather fertile environment for a writer.

Abundance is the quality of life you live and quality of life you give to others.

On and on they flew, over the countryside parceled out in patches of green and brown, over roads and rivers winding through the landscapes like strips of matte and glossy ribbon.

You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. . . I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.

I just write what I wanted to write. I write what amuses me. It's totally for myself. I never in my wildest dreams expected this popularity.

I say there are spots that don't come off.... Spots that never come off, d'you know what I mean?

I just wish I’d asked you sooner. We could’ve had ages . . . months . . . years maybe. . . .