“Daddy, look — one of the gnomes actually bit me!”

“Bidding the wizard farewell, he turned to his daughter, who held up her fingerand said, “Daddy, look — one of the gnomes actually bit me!”“How wonderful! Gnome saliva is enormously beneficial!” said Mr. Lovegood, seizing Luna’s outstretched finger and examining the bleeding puncture marks. “Luna, my love, if you should feel any burgeoning talent today — perhaps an unexpected urge to sing opera or to declaim in Mermish — do not repress it! You may have been gifted by the Gernumblies!”Ron, passing them in the opposite direction, let out a loud snort.”

“Muggles have garden gnomes, too, you know," Harry told Ron as they crossed the lawn."Yeah, I've seen those things they think are gnomes," said Ron, bent double with his head in a peony bush, "like fat little Santa Clauses with fishing rods...”

“Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?”

“Do I look stupid?" snarled Uncle Vernon, a bit of fried egg dangling from his bushy mustache.”

“Xenophilius Lovegood," he said, extending a hand to Harry. "My daughter and I live over the hill, so kind of the Weasleys to invite us. I think you know my Luna?" he added to Ron."Yes" said Ron. "Isn't she with you?""She lingered in that charming little garden to say hello to the gnomes, such a glorious infestation! How few wizards realize just how much we can learn from the wise little gnomes — or, to give then their correct names, the Gernumbli gardensi.""Ours do know a lot of excellent swear words," said Ron, "but I think Fred and George taught them those.”

“If only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for him.”