Vocabulary drill

At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.

• a very strong headache

• a display of bad temper

• 

“Little tyke,” chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house.

to chortle

• laugh quietly or with restraint

• to speak or say something in a quiet voice in a way that is not clear

• to consider somebody/something when you are doing or planning something

“I’m not saying his heart isn’t in the right place,” said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, “but you can’t pretend he’s not careless."

grudging

• petty or reluctant in giving or spending

• with a lot of attention or thought

• without wanting to do or be something, but forced to by other people

A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen.

• severe

• that you would like to have or do

• surprising greatly

Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat.

• unpleasant

• inferior in size or quality

• rude

Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone.

• to make a sound like a long ‘s’

• pass or move unobtrusively or smoothly

• to look at somebody/something for a long time

Dudley and Harry shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets.

• stale and unclean smelling

• to have a strong, unpleasant smell

• not wet or sticky; without water or moisture

Hagrid almost had to drag Harry away from Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian.

• o try very hard not to meet somebody

• be aware of something

• be confusing or perplexing to