“Everything went pitch-black and the next thing I knew, I was being hurled headfirst out of the room!”“And you didn’t see that coming?” said Harry, unable to help himself.“No, I did not, as I say, it was pitch —” Professor Trelawny stopped and glared at him suspiciously.”

“Merlin’s beard, Harry, you made me jump,” said Slughorn, stopping dead in his tracks and looking wary. “How did you get out of the castle?”“I think Filch must’ve forgotten to lock the doors,” said Harry cheerfully, and was delighted to see Slughorn scowl.”

“You are the Chosen One?”“Of course I am,” said Harry calmly.“But then . . . my dear boy . . . you’re asking a great deal . . .you’re asking me, in fact, to aid you in your attempt to destroy —”“You don’t want to get rid of the wizard who killed Lily Evans?”“Harry, Harry, of course I do, but —”“You’re scared he’ll find out you helped me?”Slughorn said nothing; he looked terrified.“Be brave like my mother, Professor. . . .”

“Play to your strengths.""I haven’t got any," said Harry, before he could stop himself."Excuse me," growled Moody, "you’ve got strengths if I say you’ve got them. Think now. What are you best at?”

“I knew it! I knew it! ”“Are we allowed to speak yet?” said Ron grumpily. Hermione ignored him.“Nicolas Flamel,” she whispered dramatically, “is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!”This didn’t have quite the effect she’d expected.“The what?” said Harry and Ron.“Oh, honestly, don’t you two read? Look — read that, there.”

“Ron and Hermione were still smirking and Harry felt his temper rise; he wasn’t even sure why he was feeling so angry.“Don’t sit there grinning like you know better than I do, I was there, wasn’t I?” he said heatedly. “I know what went on, all right? And I didn’t get through any of that because I was brilliant at Defense Against the Dark Arts, I got through it all because — because help came at the right time, or because I guessed right — but I just blundered through it all, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing — STOP LAUGHING!”

“Third - to Mr. Harry Potter,' said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. '...for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points.”