“Failures of nerve and energy are not permitted. That's what it means to be an object.”

“repotting means accepting that the way is forward, not back. it means realizing that we won't again fit into our old shells. but that's not failure. that's living. ”

“One should never regret one's excesses, only one's failures of nerve.”

“With magic almost anything was possible; all objects had energy, and energy could be manipulated.”

“We are Craiglockhart's success stories. Look at us. We don't remember, we don't feel, we don't think - at least beyond the confines of what's needed to do the job. By any proper civilized standard (but what does that mean now?) we are objects of horror. But our nerves are completely steady. And we are still alive.”

“...what I mean is that we simply may not have the same meaning as God for the word 'failure.' To me, failure means it doesn't turn out the way I wanted it to. To God, it means I didn't pick up the brush.”