The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed.

There had been no more attacks since those on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, and Madam Pomfrey was pleased to report that the Mandrakes were becoming moody and secretive, meaning that they were fast leaving childhood.

One more lesson like that and I might just do a Weasley.

It seemed impossible that there could be people in the world who still desired food, who laughed, who neither knew nor cared that Sirius Black was gone forever.

Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison.

I look at the effect that an individual's fame has on their family, for example, and the limitations that places upon your life to an extent - of course, it brings marvelous things too, but it brings them mainly to the individual. The people around the famous person often pay a price without reaping many of the rewards.

But Colin's only understanding of love was of limitless loyalty, boundless tolerance.