Good Expressions from Harry Potter 1
Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to last.
Wind and Spray
It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house.
It smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls, and the fireplace was damp and empty.
Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows.
The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on.
Building
Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.
Passageway & Railway
They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them.
Harry saw the boys’ mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved. Harry watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window.
Lawn & Clearing & Mountain & Lake
It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.
The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost.
Time
The next morning dawned very bright and cold.
Midnight ticked nearer as they heaved Norbert up the marble staircase in the entrance hall and along the dark corridors.
Sun
The sun blazed overhead, burning the back of his neck.
Figure
His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.
Hagrid’s big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.
Air & Glide
Air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him.
He leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down — next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball — wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of people watching — he stretched out his hand — a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist.
Coins
The bag of gold, silver, and bronze jangling cheerfully in Harry’s pocket was clamoring to be spent, so he bought three large strawberry-and-peanut-butter ice creams, which they slurped happily as they wandered up the alley, examining the fascinating shop windows.
Light
But as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight.
Quote
After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.
“The truth.” Dumbledore sighed. “It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.
Feeling
[ hungry ]
Harry couldn’t sleep. He shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, his stomach rumbling with hunger.
[ warm ]
It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Harry felt the warmth wash over him as though he’d sunk into a hot bath.
[ confused ]
Questions exploded inside Harry’s head like fireworks and he couldn’t decide which to ask first.
Harry went to bed with his head buzzing with the same question. Neville was snoring loudly, but Harry couldn’t sleep. He tried to empty his mind.
Yet something had been nagging at the back of his mind all day.
Exhausted, stomach rumbling, mind spinning over the same unanswerable questions, Harry fell into an uneasy sleep.
[ disappointed ]
He had just thought of something that made him feel as though the happy balloon inside him had got a puncture.
[ excited ]
Blood was pounding in his ears.
[ unforgettable ]
On the other hand, Malfoy’s sneering face kept looming up out of the darkness — this was his big chance to beat Malfoy face-to-face.
[ shocked ]
Harry’s heart did a somersault.
[ frightened ]
Harry kept waking in the night, drenched in cold sweat.
Mouth dry, stomach lurching, Harry sprang after him, trying not to make a sound.
Expression
[ confused ]
“Yeh don’ know . . . yeh don’ know . . .” Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare.
Harry and Ron barely had time to exchange mystified looks before she was dashing back.
[ sneering ]
Snape’s lips curled into a sneer.
[ sad ]
Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.
[ furious ]
Snape’s face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. Harry gulped.
[ nervous ]
As Gryffindors came spilling onto the field, he saw Snape land nearby, white-faced and tight-lipped.
[ stunned ]
Harry, still cheering, nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn’t have looked more stunned and horrified if he’d just had the Body-Bind Curse put on him.
For a split second, Uncle Vernon stood framed in the doorway; then he let out a bellow like an angry bull and dived at Harry, grabbing him by the ankle.
[ adoring ]
At last he managed to control himself, and sat with his great eyes fixed on Harry in an expression of watery adoration.
[ shy ]
She dived under the table to retrieve the bowl and emerged with her face glowing like the setting sun.
Act
BOOM. The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door.
Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little.
The Dursleys were cowering against the wall.
He couldn’t stop stammering his thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell.
He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.
Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path.
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song.
As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.
Wheeling around, they sprinted back to the door and turned the key, fumbling in their panic.
Harry watched Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to Harry’s amazement, giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided.
They walked straight past, and Harry leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away.
skim through books
They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound.
Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered. . . . Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed.
Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try to break.
Slowly, the dog’s growls ceased — it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.
bombard him with questions
Dizzy and bruised, covered in soot, he got gingerly to his feet, holding his broken glasses up to his eyes.
He tried to sidle back over to the Weasleys, but Lockhart threw an arm around his shoulders and clamped him tightly to his side.