13 Quotes From Harry Potter About Working Hard

As much as the characters in Harry Potter get to enjoy plenty of mischief, excitement, and adventure, it’s easy to forget the reason they’re at Hogwarts in the first place. Because the truth is, Hogwarts is school.

Sure, it’s a school where you get to learn charms and jinxes and potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts. It’s a school where staircases move and there are secret passageways and you’re sorted into a house based on your personal strengths. It’s a school where the sport is played on broomsticks and the ceiling is bewitched to look like the sky. But that doesn’t mean the students get to escape having homework.

A good portion of the series consists of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and fellow students attending class and completing parchment-long homework assignments. They have ambitions of becoming Aurors, or healers, or house-elf liberation workers.

Not to mention that, in addition to homework, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are also usually working out ways to defeat Voldemort. Between completing assignments for McGonagall and destroying horcruxes, life isn’t all Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley for the young witch or wizard. Hogwarts is a lot of hard work, and there are plenty of quotes from the series to inspire you to have the same ethic.

1. "I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough."

—Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

2. Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right?"Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty ... thirty..." "Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia. "Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then."

—J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

3. "He seems like a very good teacher," said Hermione approvingly. "But I wish I could have had a turn with the boggart —""What would it have been for you?" said Ron, sniggering. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?"

—J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

4. "You want fame, you have to be prepared for a long hard slog."

—Gilderoy Lockhart, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

5. “What are you two up to?” said Mrs. Weasley sharply, her eyes on the twins. “Homework,” said Fred vaguely. “Don’t be ridiculous, you’re still on holiday,” said Mrs. Weasley. “Yeah, we’ve left it a bit late,” said George.

—J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

6. Perhaps it was because he was now so busy, what with Quidditch practice three evenings a week on top of all his homework, but Harry could hardly believe it when he realized that he'd already been at Hogwarts two months. The castle felt more like home than Privet Drive ever had.

—J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

7. Hermione was checking Harry and Ron's Charms homework for them. She would never let them copy ("How will you learn?"), but by asking her to read it through, they got the right answers anyway.

—J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

8. "For Hufflepuff, hard workers were Most worthy of admission."

—The Sorting Hat, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

9. Wood was working the team harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow couldn't dampen his spirits. The Weasleys complained that Wood was becoming a fanatic, but Harry was on Wood's side. If they won their next match, against Hufflepuff, they would overtake Slytherin in the house championship for the first time in seven years.

—J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

10. “If I’d sprouted whiskers, I’d take a break from work,” said Ron, tipping a stack of books onto Hermione’s bedside table one evening. “Don’t be silly, Ron, I’ve got to keep up,” said Hermione briskly.

—J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

11. "Hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me."

—Argus Filch, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

12. “Hermione, when are you going to give up on this spew stuff?”

“When house-elves have decent wages and working conditions!”

—Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

13. "I can't see any hope.... Nothing will have changed." "Oh, Ron!" Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. Ron, looking quite terrified, patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head.

"Yeah, it will," said Ron fiercely. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help."

—J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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