That evening, Dudley paraded around the living room for the family in his brand new uniform...As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that if was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins, he looked so handsome and grown-up. Harry didn't trust himself to speak. He thought two of his ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh.

I think that emotionally, I've probably felt a little bit more balanced when I started writing again.

How’s Norbert doin’?” Norbert?” Charlie laughed. “The Norwegian Ridgeback? We call her Norberta now.” Wha—Norbert’s a girl?

He sounds exactly like Moody," said Harry quietly, tucking the letter away again inside his robes. "'Constant vigilance!' You'd think I walk around with my eyes shut, banging off the walls.

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.

No, Harry, you listen," said Hermione. "We're coming with you. That was decided months ago - years, really.

This was their first encounter with the fact that a full stomach meant good spirits; an empty one, bickering and gloom.