Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.

It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.

Ultimately, we all have to decide for ourselves what constitutes failure. But the world is quite eager to give you a set of criteria if you let it.

“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”

“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default.”

“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

“It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.”

“Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.”

“The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.”

“Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory.”

“Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn't mean we all have.”

“Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it.”

“We're all human, aren't we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving.”

“Wit beyond measure is man’s greatest treasure.”

“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.”

“Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike.”

“He can run faster than Severus Snape confronted with shampoo.”

“You're a prefect? Oh Ronnie! That's everyone in the family!"

“It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more.”

“Not my daughter, you bitch!”

“Percy wouldn't notice a joke if it danced naked in front of him wearing one of Dobby's hats.”

“Books are like mirrors: if a fool looks in, you cannot expect a genius to look out.”

“You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid-we know we're called Gred and Forge.”

“You know, Minister, I disagree with Dumbledore on many counts...but you cannot deny he's got style...”

“We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already.”

“Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.”

“Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.”

“Dumbledore says people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right.”

“Cinderella? Snow White? What's that? An illness?”

“I don't believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book.”

“The thing about growing up with Fred and George," said Ginny thoughtfully, "is that you sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve.”

“Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.”

“Is 'fat' really the worst thing a human being can be? Is 'fat' worse than 'vindictive', 'jealous', 'shallow', 'vain', 'boring' or 'cruel'? Not to me.”

“Oh well... I'd just been thinking, if you had died, you'd have been welcome to share my toilet.”

“Yeah, Quirrell was a great teacher. There was just that minor drawback of him having Lord Voldemort sticking out of the back of his head!”

“Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery.”

“One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books.”

“It is my belief... that the truth is generally preferable to lies.”

“Of all the trees we could've hit, we had to get one that hits back.”

“It was, he thought, the difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high. Some people, perhaps, would say that there was little to choose between the two ways, but Dumbledore knew - and so do I, thought Harry, with a rush of fierce pride, and so did my parents - that there was all the difference in the world.”

“Of all the trees we could've hit, we had to get one that hits back.”

“He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though...keep up with my news...check if I'm happy...”

“There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.”

“Youth can not know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young.”

“Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!”