“she’s not as pretty as you,” I said“But she’s a simpler girl,” my mother whispered.”

“She’s pretty,” Zethes mumbled. “I mean, she’s right.”

“But this girl...she doesn’t feel pointless. She’s real and she’s beautiful and she fits perfectly when she’s in my arms. She makes me want to feel.”

“Necessity is the mother of invention. She’s also my mother, though Invention and I have different dads.”

“Wow,” I said. “That story is disturbing on so many different levels. One thing that’s mystifying about Indian mythology is how often the names change. The skin color changes – she’s golden, she’s black, she’s pink. Her name changes – she’s Durga, Kali, Parvati. Her personality changes – she’s a loving mother, she’s a fierce warrior, she’s terrible in her wrath, she’s a lover, she’s vengeful, she’s weak and mortal, then she’s powerful and can’t be defeated. Then there’s her marital status – she’s sometimes single, sometimes married. It’s hard to keep all the stories straight.”Ren snickered. “Sounds like a normal woman to me.”

“You know your mother, Malfoy?” said Harry “That expression she’s got, like she’s got dung under her nose? Has she always looked like that, or was it just because you were with her?”