History books Quote by Eliezer Yudkowsky
““You're mine now, Harry thought at the walls of Diagon Alley, and all the shops and items, and all the shopkeepers and customers; and all the lands and people of wizarding Britain, and all the wider wizarding world; and the entire greater universe of which Muggle scientists understood so much less than they believed. I, Harry James Potter-Evans-Verres, do now claim this territory in the name of Science. Lightning and thunder completely failed to flash and boom in the cloudless skies. "What are you smiling about?" inquired Professor McGonagall, warily and wearily. "I'm wondering if there's a spell to make lightning flash in the background whenever I make an ominous resolution," explained Harry. He was carefully memorising the exact words of his ominous resolution so that future history books would get it right.””
About This Quote
Source Fiction: Harry Potter fanfic, 2020
Harry declares ownership of the wizarding world in the name of science, mixing absurdity with a desire for control over reality.
In simple terms: Harry claims the magical world for science, joking about making lightning appear.
Key Takeaway
Question the limits of scientific authority over magic.
Themes
absurdity
science
power
magic
authority
Mood
playful
ironic
critical
Type
satirical
fictional
When to use this quote
- role‑playing games
- creative writing
- fan conventions
- academic satire
Key Concepts
philosophy of science
meta‑fiction
ownership
Questions to Reflect On
- What responsibilities come with claiming authority over a culture?
- How does humor reveal anxieties about scientific overreach?
A Different Perspective
The claim is humorous but ignores ethical implications of imposing science on culture.
![“But the participants [in war] never forgot the details of their experience, and like the Wandering Jew, they were condemned to remain their own history books, each containing a story they could not pass on to others and from which no one would learn anything of value.” quote by James Lee Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/320/james-lee-burke-2289_book_but-the-participants-in-war-never-forgot_31146.jpg)
