[HPforGrownups] Favorite Lines; Defining Lines

[Beth]

No: HPFGUIDX 51335

Lilac has my favorite line as her sig:

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"Professor, can you show me that blocking thing again?"

Lockhart cuffed Harry merrily on the shoulder.  "Just do what I did, Harry!"

"What, drop my wand?"

  --Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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Priceless.

I also like, "I'll be in my room, making no noise and pretending that I 
don't exist." (Possibly paraphrased; I don't have the book here.)

"Nice socks, Potter." Mad-Eye Moody in GoF.

And, of course,
"Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
<grin>

I've also thought about character-defining lines, or lines that show the 
characters stepping over a boundary that isn't easy for them to cross. I've 
only considered PS/SS so far, and the three main characters:

Hermione: "Please, Professor McGonagall -- they were looking for me."
Taking the blame for the troll incident was OOC for Hermione up to that 
point, but she knows that she owes the boys. They DID come looking for her 
when they could have gone straight to the common room. She does the right 
thing in helping them get out of trouble, even though she's lying to do it. 
And losing some of the teachers' goodwill must be very painful for her. But 
she still does the right thing, not the easy thing.

Ron: He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced.
Ron has always wanted to be the bravest, the hero, first at something, 
anything. Yet here he realizes that he has to be the sacrifice so that 
Harry can go on to the end of the quest. He knows it will be painful, both 
physically and emotionally, but he still does the right thing, rather than 
the easy thing. I think that Ron probably had choices earlier in the match 
that would have won him the game by sacrificing Harry, or possibly 
Hermione. But he chooses to sacrifice himself instead and let Harry take 
the glory.

Harry: "I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he 
said coolly.
Harry is starting over, finally without Dudley. He may not particularly 
like Draco, but he's gotten the impression that he's got status, he's 
probably got money, he's probably got influence in this brand new world 
he's entering. Being Draco's friend could get him places, and Draco is 
offering him his friendship and guidance. And all he has to do is deny Ron 
a place in his life. He's just met Ron -- he doesn't really owe him 
anything at this point. But Ron and Harry have bonded, Ron seems nice, his 
family seems nice, and Draco is a snob who's shown his prejudice against 
both Ron and Hagrid. It's not easy to be the new kid in town and place 
yourself firmly in opposition to someone with high status and influence. 
But Harry does it. He does the right thing, not the easy thing.

They don't always pass the test, but they pass often enough on the 
important issues that these kids will go far. <grin>

bel