J.K. Rowling

"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters."

Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.

Enter, stranger, but take heed

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

'You want to be more careful,' said Snape. 'Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can they? … Be warned, Potter — any more night-time wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you.'

"Yes, him - Quirrell said he hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?"

"Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."

"What?"

"He saved his life."

"What?"

"Yes ..." said Dumbledore dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it?"

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.

'Ah, yes,' he said softly, 'Harry Potter. Our new — celebrity.'

'And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?'

'Throw it away and punch him on the nose,' Ron suggested.

'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.'

What would we want to be prefects for? It'd take all the fun out of life.

"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?"

shortly after

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Harry as he joined her by the wall, wiping sweat from his face.

"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis - "there's no wood", honestly."