“First sign of madness, talking to your own head.”

“Three hand-painted signs had been tacked to a broken-down gate. The first read,THE QUIBBLER. EDITOR: X. LOVEGOODThe second,PICK YOUR OWN MISTLETOEThe third,KEEP OFF THE DIRIGIBLE PLUMS”

“They don’t need walls and water to keep the prisoners in, not when they’re trapped inside their own heads, incapable of a single cheerful thought. Most go mad within weeks.”

“You can have a very intense relationship with fictional characters because they are in your own head.”

“Well, usually when a person shakes their head,” said McGonagall coldly, “they mean ‘no.’ So unless Miss Edgecombe is using a form of sign language as yet unknown to humans...”

“Silence fell between the four of them as they looked up at the sky. There was no sign of movement, the stars stared back, unblinking, indifferent, unobscured by flying friends. Where was Ron? Where were Fred and Mr Weasley? Where were Bill, Fleur, Tonks, Mad Eye, Mundungus?”

“They stuff people’s heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall,” he told Harry. “Want to come upstairs and practice?”“No, thanks,” said Harry. “The poor toilet’s never had anything as horrible as your head down it — it might be sick.” Then he ran, before Dudley could work out what he’d said.”