Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)

by J.K. Rowling

The cat didn’t move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behaviour, Mr Dursley wondered.

Albus Dumbledore didn’t seem to realise that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.

Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig.

The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn’t there – or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn’t understand them, like a slug.

Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn’t have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself – no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long.

Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to call her Hedwig, a name he had found in A History of Magic.

You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart; You might belong in Hufflepuff, Where they are just and loyal, Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid of toil; Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, If you’ve a ready mind, Where those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind; Or perhaps in Slytherin You’ll make your real friends, Those cunning folk use any means To achieve their ends.

Harry had never believed he would meet a boy he hated more than Dudley, but that was before he met Draco Malfoy.

‘Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?’ Wood? thought Harry, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on him?

But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.

‘I – I didn’t see you, sir.’ ‘Strange how short-sighted being invisible can make you,’ said Dumbledore, and Harry was relieved to see that he was smiling.

It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.

‘What do you see when you look in the Mirror?’ ‘I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woollen socks.’ Harry stared. ‘One can never have enough socks,’ said Dumbledore.

‘But if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too.’ ‘Not if I can help it,’ said Hermione grimly. ‘Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve per cent on his exam. They’re not throwing me out after that.’

‘Devil’s Snare, Devil’s Snare … What did Professor Sprout say? It likes the dark and the damp –’ ‘So light a fire!’ Harry choked. ‘Yes – of course – but there’s no wood!’ Hermione cried, wringing her hands. ‘HAVE YOU GONE MAD?’ Ron bellowed. ‘ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?’

‘Harry – you’re a great wizard, you know.’ ‘I’m not as good as you,’ said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him. ‘Me!’ said Hermione. ‘Books! And cleverness! There are more important things – friendship and bravery and – oh Harry – be careful!’

After all, to the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure.

the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things which are worst for them.’

Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.’

‘The truth.’ Dumbledore sighed. ‘It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.

But why would he want to kill me in the first place?’ Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time. ‘Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day … put it from your mind for now, Harry. When you are older … I know you hate to hear this … when you are ready, you will know.’