Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

by

J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter Character Analysis

The protagonist of the novel; a thirteen-year-old wizard who attends Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. He lives with his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon during the summer. Because the Dursleys are muggles and hate magic, Harry's summers are horrendous. When Vernon's sister Marge visits, Harry loses his temper because she insults his parents. He inadvertently does magic and is surprised when he doesn't get expelled for his transgression, but he discovers that this is because the escaped criminal Sirius Black is on the loose and wants to kill him. Third-years at Hogwarts get to take elective classes and Harry chooses to take Care of Magical Creatures, where he does his best to make Hagrid's lessons successes, and Divination, which proves trying. Harry sees a hulking dog when he first runs away from the Dursleys and Professor Trelawney makes Harry concerned when she continually sees the Grim, a dog-shaped death omen, in his tealeaves and crystal ball. He finds himself caught between Ron and Hermione for much of the school year, as Hermione's cat Crookshanks makes constant attempts at the life of Ron's rat, Scabbers. Harry himself struggles to forgive Hermione when she tells McGonagall about the mysterious Firebolt broomstick he receives for Christmas, which results in the broom being confiscated. To add to Harry's misery, his horrific experiences as a baby mean that the dementors that guard the school affect him more than other students and he hears Lily screaming whenever they're close to him. Fortunately, Harry forms a close relationship with the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Lupin, and Lupin works with him to learn the Patronus Charm. Right before Christmas Harry discovers that Sirius Black betrayed his parents to Voldemort, knowledge that fills him with rage. After a tense conversation in the Shrieking Shack with Black, Lupin, Harry, and Ron, Harry finally learns the truth: Black didn't betray his parents, Peter Pettigrew did and then framed Black. Harry spares Pettigrew's life but must go back in time to save Sirius from the dementors. During this trip back, Harry also conjures his first truly effective Patronus.

Harry Potter Quotes in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban quotes below are all either spoken by Harry Potter or refer to Harry Potter. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Justice Theme Icon
).
Chapter One Quotes

Non-magic people (more commonly known as Muggles) were particularly afraid of magic in medieval times, but not very good at recognizing it. On the rare occasion that they did catch a real witch or wizard, burning had no effect whatsoever.

Related Characters: Harry Potter, Sirius Black
Related Symbols: Witch Hunts
Page Number: 2
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Two Quotes

"No need to tell us he's no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his paper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!"

Related Characters: Uncle Vernon (speaker), Harry Potter, Sirius Black
Page Number: 17
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Three Quotes

But this didn't tally at all with Harry's past dealings with the Ministry of Magic. "Last year, I got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in my uncle's house!" he told Fudge, frowning. "The Ministry of Magic said I'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there!"

Related Characters: Harry Potter (speaker), Cornelius Fudge, Aunt Marge
Page Number: 45
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Four Quotes

"The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts.' Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry's dead. If you ask me, he thinks murdering Harry will bring You-Know-Who back to power. Black lost everything the night Harry stopped You-Know-Who, and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that."

Related Characters: Mr. Weasley (speaker), Harry Potter, Sirius Black, Cornelius Fudge, Mrs. Weasley
Related Symbols: Dementors
Page Number: 66
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Six Quotes

"We're witnesses," said Harry. "You said hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."

"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron.

Related Characters: Harry Potter (speaker), Ron Weasley (speaker), Rubeus Hagrid, Draco Malfoy, Buckbeak
Page Number: 121
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Eight Quotes

"Why didn't you let me fight it? said Harry abruptly.

Lupin raised his eyebrows.

"I would have thought that was obvious, Harry," he said, sounding surprised.

Harry, who had expected Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing, was taken aback.

Related Characters: Harry Potter (speaker), Professor Lupin (speaker), Voldemort
Page Number: 155
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Nine Quotes

"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," said Hermione as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves onto their elbows to talk. "The one night we weren't in the tower..."

"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron. "Didn't realize it was Halloween. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."

Related Characters: Ron Weasley (speaker), Hermione Granger (speaker), Harry Potter, Sirius Black
Page Number: 163
Explanation and Analysis:

"Didn't they want to help, sir?" said Percy.

"Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am headmaster."

Related Characters: Albus Dumbledore (speaker), Percy Weasley (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Sirius Black
Related Symbols: Dementors
Page Number: 165
Explanation and Analysis:

"Anyone?" Snape said, ignoring Hermione. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between--"

"We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on--"

"Silence!" snarled Snape.

Related Characters: Professor Snape (speaker), Parvati Patil (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Professor Lupin
Page Number: 171
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Eleven Quotes

"But you were innocent!" said Hermione.

Hagrid snorted.

"Think that matters to them? They don' care. Long as they've got a couple o' hundred humans stuck there with 'em, so they can leech all the happiness out of 'em, they don' give a damn who's guilty an' who's not."

Related Characters: Hermione Granger (speaker), Rubeus Hagrid (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley
Related Symbols: Dementors
Page Number: 221
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Twelve Quotes

"Well, isn't it obvious?" said Hermione, with a look of maddening superiority.

"If you don't want to tell us, don't," snapped Ron.

"Fine," said Hermione haughtily, and she marched off.

"She doesn't know," said Ron, staring resentfully after Hermione. "She's just trying to get us to talk to her again."

Related Characters: Ron Weasley (speaker), Hermione Granger (speaker), Harry Potter, Professor Lupin
Page Number: 236
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Thirteen Quotes

Hermione burst into tears. Before Harry could say or do anything, she tucked the enormous book under her arm, and, still sobbing, ran toward the staircase to the girls' dormitories and out of sight.

"Can't you give her a break?" Harry asked Ron quietly.

"No," said Ron flatly. "If she just acted like she was sorry--but she'll never admit she's wrong, Hermione. She's still acting like Scabbers has gone on vacation or something."

Related Characters: Harry Potter (speaker), Ron Weasley (speaker), Hermione Granger, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew, Crookshanks
Page Number: 265
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Fourteen Quotes

"I'm not blamin' yeh!" said Hagrid, waving Harry's apology aside. "Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be gettin' on with. I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch ev'ry hour o' the day an' night--but I gotta tell yeh, I thought you two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks or rats. Tha's all."

Related Characters: Rubeus Hagrid (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew
Page Number: 274
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Fifteen Quotes

"Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it," said Hermione, wiping her eyes. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope....Nothing will have changed."

Related Characters: Hermione Granger (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Rubeus Hagrid, Buckbeak, Lucius Malfoy
Page Number: 292
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Sixteen Quotes

"THE DARK LORD LIES ALONE AND FRIENDLESS, ABANDONED BY HIS FOLLOWERS. HIS SERVANT HAS BEEN CHAINED THESE TWELVE YEARS. TONIGHT, BEFORE MIDNIGHT...THE SERVANT WILL BREAK FREE AND SET OUT TO REJOIN HIS MASTER. THE DARK LORD WILL RISE AGAIN WITH HIS SERVANT'S AID, GREATER AND MORE TERRIBLE THAN EVER BEFORE."

Related Characters: Professor Trelawney (speaker), Harry Potter, Sirius Black, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew, Voldemort
Page Number: 324
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Seventeen Quotes

"Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful... it will make everything much easier..."

The taunt about his father rang in Harry's ears as though Black had bellowed it.

Related Characters: Sirius Black (speaker), Harry Potter, James Potter
Page Number: 339
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Eighteen Quotes

"I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth...

"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."

Related Characters: Professor Lupin (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Sirius Black, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew, James Potter
Page Number: 354
Explanation and Analysis:

"That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"

"A thought that still haunts me," said Lupin heavily. "And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless--carried away with our own cleverness."

Related Characters: Hermione Granger (speaker), Professor Lupin (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Sirius Black, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew, James Potter
Page Number: 355
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Nineteen Quotes

"But if--if there was a mistake--"

"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

Related Characters: Hermione Granger (speaker), Professor Snape (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Professor Lupin, Sirius Black, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew
Page Number: 360
Explanation and Analysis:

"Of course," Lupin breathed. "So simple...so brilliant...he cut if off himself?"

"Just before he transformed," said Black. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself--and sped down into the sewer with the other rats..."

Related Characters: Professor Lupin (speaker), Sirius Black (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Professor Lupin, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, Lily Potter
Page Number: 363
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Twenty-One Quotes

"Yes, I do," said Dumbledore quietly. "But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic..."

Harry stared up into the grave face and felt as though the ground beneath him were falling sharply away. He had grown used to the idea that Dumbledore could solve anything. He had expected Dumbledore to pull some amazing solution out of thin air. But no...their last hope was gone."

Related Characters: Albus Dumbledore (speaker), Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Sirius Black, Cornelius Fudge
Page Number: 393
Explanation and Analysis:

"Did anyone see you?"

"Yes, haven't you been listening? I saw me but I thought I was my dad! It's okay!"

Related Characters: Harry Potter (speaker), Hermione Granger (speaker), Sirius Black, James Potter
Related Symbols: Dementors
Page Number: 393
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Twenty-Two Quotes

"It didn't make any difference," said Harry bitterly. "Pettigrew got away."

"Didn't make any difference?" said Dumbledore quietly. "It made all the difference in the world, Harry. You helped uncover the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate."

Related Characters: Harry Potter (speaker), Albus Dumbledore (speaker), Sirius Black, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew
Page Number: 425
Explanation and Analysis:
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Harry Potter Quotes in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban quotes below are all either spoken by Harry Potter or refer to Harry Potter. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Justice Theme Icon
).
Chapter One Quotes

Non-magic people (more commonly known as Muggles) were particularly afraid of magic in medieval times, but not very good at recognizing it. On the rare occasion that they did catch a real witch or wizard, burning had no effect whatsoever.

Related Characters: Harry Potter, Sirius Black
Related Symbols: Witch Hunts
Page Number: 2
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Two Quotes

"No need to tell us he's no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his paper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!"

Related Characters: Uncle Vernon (speaker), Harry Potter, Sirius Black
Page Number: 17
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Three Quotes

But this didn't tally at all with Harry's past dealings with the Ministry of Magic. "Last year, I got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in my uncle's house!" he told Fudge, frowning. "The Ministry of Magic said I'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there!"

Related Characters: Harry Potter (speaker), Cornelius Fudge, Aunt Marge
Page Number: 45
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Four Quotes

"The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts.' Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry's dead. If you ask me, he thinks murdering Harry will bring You-Know-Who back to power. Black lost everything the night Harry stopped You-Know-Who, and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that."

Related Characters: Mr. Weasley (speaker), Harry Potter, Sirius Black, Cornelius Fudge, Mrs. Weasley
Related Symbols: Dementors
Page Number: 66
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Six Quotes

"We're witnesses," said Harry. "You said hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."

"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron.

Related Characters: Harry Potter (speaker), Ron Weasley (speaker), Rubeus Hagrid, Draco Malfoy, Buckbeak
Page Number: 121
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Eight Quotes

"Why didn't you let me fight it? said Harry abruptly.

Lupin raised his eyebrows.

"I would have thought that was obvious, Harry," he said, sounding surprised.

Harry, who had expected Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing, was taken aback.

Related Characters: Harry Potter (speaker), Professor Lupin (speaker), Voldemort
Page Number: 155
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Nine Quotes

"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," said Hermione as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves onto their elbows to talk. "The one night we weren't in the tower..."

"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron. "Didn't realize it was Halloween. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."

Related Characters: Ron Weasley (speaker), Hermione Granger (speaker), Harry Potter, Sirius Black
Page Number: 163
Explanation and Analysis:

"Didn't they want to help, sir?" said Percy.

"Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am headmaster."

Related Characters: Albus Dumbledore (speaker), Percy Weasley (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Sirius Black
Related Symbols: Dementors
Page Number: 165
Explanation and Analysis:

"Anyone?" Snape said, ignoring Hermione. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between--"

"We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on--"

"Silence!" snarled Snape.

Related Characters: Professor Snape (speaker), Parvati Patil (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Professor Lupin
Page Number: 171
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Eleven Quotes

"But you were innocent!" said Hermione.

Hagrid snorted.

"Think that matters to them? They don' care. Long as they've got a couple o' hundred humans stuck there with 'em, so they can leech all the happiness out of 'em, they don' give a damn who's guilty an' who's not."

Related Characters: Hermione Granger (speaker), Rubeus Hagrid (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley
Related Symbols: Dementors
Page Number: 221
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Twelve Quotes

"Well, isn't it obvious?" said Hermione, with a look of maddening superiority.

"If you don't want to tell us, don't," snapped Ron.

"Fine," said Hermione haughtily, and she marched off.

"She doesn't know," said Ron, staring resentfully after Hermione. "She's just trying to get us to talk to her again."

Related Characters: Ron Weasley (speaker), Hermione Granger (speaker), Harry Potter, Professor Lupin
Page Number: 236
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Thirteen Quotes

Hermione burst into tears. Before Harry could say or do anything, she tucked the enormous book under her arm, and, still sobbing, ran toward the staircase to the girls' dormitories and out of sight.

"Can't you give her a break?" Harry asked Ron quietly.

"No," said Ron flatly. "If she just acted like she was sorry--but she'll never admit she's wrong, Hermione. She's still acting like Scabbers has gone on vacation or something."

Related Characters: Harry Potter (speaker), Ron Weasley (speaker), Hermione Granger, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew, Crookshanks
Page Number: 265
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Fourteen Quotes

"I'm not blamin' yeh!" said Hagrid, waving Harry's apology aside. "Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be gettin' on with. I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch ev'ry hour o' the day an' night--but I gotta tell yeh, I thought you two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks or rats. Tha's all."

Related Characters: Rubeus Hagrid (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew
Page Number: 274
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Fifteen Quotes

"Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it," said Hermione, wiping her eyes. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope....Nothing will have changed."

Related Characters: Hermione Granger (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Rubeus Hagrid, Buckbeak, Lucius Malfoy
Page Number: 292
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Sixteen Quotes

"THE DARK LORD LIES ALONE AND FRIENDLESS, ABANDONED BY HIS FOLLOWERS. HIS SERVANT HAS BEEN CHAINED THESE TWELVE YEARS. TONIGHT, BEFORE MIDNIGHT...THE SERVANT WILL BREAK FREE AND SET OUT TO REJOIN HIS MASTER. THE DARK LORD WILL RISE AGAIN WITH HIS SERVANT'S AID, GREATER AND MORE TERRIBLE THAN EVER BEFORE."

Related Characters: Professor Trelawney (speaker), Harry Potter, Sirius Black, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew, Voldemort
Page Number: 324
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Seventeen Quotes

"Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful... it will make everything much easier..."

The taunt about his father rang in Harry's ears as though Black had bellowed it.

Related Characters: Sirius Black (speaker), Harry Potter, James Potter
Page Number: 339
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Eighteen Quotes

"I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth...

"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."

Related Characters: Professor Lupin (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Sirius Black, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew, James Potter
Page Number: 354
Explanation and Analysis:

"That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"

"A thought that still haunts me," said Lupin heavily. "And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless--carried away with our own cleverness."

Related Characters: Hermione Granger (speaker), Professor Lupin (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Sirius Black, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew, James Potter
Page Number: 355
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Nineteen Quotes

"But if--if there was a mistake--"

"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

Related Characters: Hermione Granger (speaker), Professor Snape (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Professor Lupin, Sirius Black, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew
Page Number: 360
Explanation and Analysis:

"Of course," Lupin breathed. "So simple...so brilliant...he cut if off himself?"

"Just before he transformed," said Black. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself--and sped down into the sewer with the other rats..."

Related Characters: Professor Lupin (speaker), Sirius Black (speaker), Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Professor Lupin, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, Lily Potter
Page Number: 363
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Twenty-One Quotes

"Yes, I do," said Dumbledore quietly. "But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic..."

Harry stared up into the grave face and felt as though the ground beneath him were falling sharply away. He had grown used to the idea that Dumbledore could solve anything. He had expected Dumbledore to pull some amazing solution out of thin air. But no...their last hope was gone."

Related Characters: Albus Dumbledore (speaker), Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Sirius Black, Cornelius Fudge
Page Number: 393
Explanation and Analysis:

"Did anyone see you?"

"Yes, haven't you been listening? I saw me but I thought I was my dad! It's okay!"

Related Characters: Harry Potter (speaker), Hermione Granger (speaker), Sirius Black, James Potter
Related Symbols: Dementors
Page Number: 393
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Twenty-Two Quotes

"It didn't make any difference," said Harry bitterly. "Pettigrew got away."

"Didn't make any difference?" said Dumbledore quietly. "It made all the difference in the world, Harry. You helped uncover the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate."

Related Characters: Harry Potter (speaker), Albus Dumbledore (speaker), Sirius Black, Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew
Page Number: 425
Explanation and Analysis: