Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Chapters 18–22

by J.K. Rowling
As he begins his third year at Hogwarts, Harry learns that the notorious Sirius Black has escaped from prison — and might be after Harry. Learn these words from the third novel in J.K. Rowling's wildly popular fantasy series.

Here are links to our other lists for the book: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–9, Chapters 10–13, Chapters 14–17, Chapters 18–22

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. imprison
    lock up or confine, in or as in a jail
    “Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for...”
  2. savagely
    in a vicious manner
    “They didn’t see what they thought they saw!” said Black savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron’s hands.
  3. transformation
    the act of changing in form or shape or appearance
    Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong—one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it.
  4. derisive
    expressing contempt or ridicule
    Black made a derisive noise.
    “It served him right,” he sneered.
  5. grudge
    a resentment strong enough to justify retaliation
    “Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?”
  6. suspension
    a temporary debarment from a privilege or position
    “Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school,” Snape spat. “You, Potter, and Weasley are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf.
  7. vengeance
    harming someone in retaliation for something they have done
    “Vengeance is very sweet,” Snape breathed at Black. “How I hoped I would be the one to catch you...”
  8. snarl
    utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
    “The joke’s on you again, Severus,” Black snarled. “As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle”—he jerked his head at Ron—“I’ll come quietly...”
  9. fathom
    come to understand
    “Don’t ask me to fathom the way a werewolf’s mind works,” hissed Snape.
  10. persuade
    cause somebody to adopt a certain position or belief
    “Harry...I as good as killed them,” he croaked. “I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me.
  11. brandish
    exhibit aggressively
    Pettigrew flinched as though Black had brandished a whip at him.
  12. venomous
    marked by deep ill will; deliberately harmful
    “Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it,” Black hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backward.
  13. bluff
    pretense that your position is stronger than it really is
    I thought it was the perfect plan...a bluff...Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they’d use a weak, talentless thing like you.
  14. innocent
    free from evil or guilt
    I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn’t a happy thought, so the dementors couldn’t suck it out of me.
  15. complex
    complicated in structure
    They could tell that my feelings were less—less human, less complex when I was a dog...but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn’t trouble them.
  16. mercy
    leniency and compassion shown toward offenders
    “Harry,” whispered Pettigrew, shuffling toward him, hands outstretched. “Harry, James wouldn’t have wanted me killed...James would have understood, Harry...he would have shown me mercy...”
  17. vermin
    any of various small animals or insects that are pests
    “Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents,” Black snarled. “This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family.”
  18. manacle
    shackle that can be locked around the wrist
    Black conjured heavy manacles from thin air; soon Pettigrew was upright again, left arm chained to Lupin’s right, right arm to Ron’s left.
  19. appoint
    assign a duty, responsibility, or obligation to
    “Well...your parents appointed me your guardian,” said Black stiffly. “If anything happened to them...”
  20. protruding
    extending out above or beyond a surface or boundary
    “What—live with you?” he said, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling.
  21. penetrate
    make one's way deeper into or through
    He spun around, the familiar, icy cold penetrating his insides, fog starting to obscure his vision; more were appearing out of the darkness on every side; they were encircling them...
  22. chant
    utter monotonously and repetitively and rhythmically
    He forced himself to think of Black, and only Black, and began to chant: “Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!”
  23. grope
    feel about uncertainly or blindly
    He had to fight...expecto patronum...he couldn’t see...and in the distance, he heard the familiar screaming...expecto patronum...he groped in the mist for Sirius, and found his arm...
  24. putrid
    in an advanced state of decomposition and having a foul odor
    They were forcing his face upward...He could feel its breath...It was going to get rid of him first...He could feel its putrid breath...
  25. interference
    the act of hindering or obstructing or impeding
    They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren’t responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape.
  26. precaution
    a measure taken in advance to ward off impending danger
    Consider, Minister—against all school rules—after all the precautions put in place for his protection—out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer—
  27. ordeal
    a severe or trying experience
    Harry, Harry, you’re very confused, you’ve been through a dreadful ordeal
  28. meddle
    intrude in other people's affairs or business
    Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time...Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!
  29. irresolute
    uncertain how to act or proceed
    For a fraction of a second he stood, irresolute, in front of Hagrid’s door.
  30. sleek
    well-groomed and neatly tailored
    “Get on—there’s not much time,” said Harry, gripping Buckbeak firmly on either side of his sleek neck to hold him steady.
  31. administer
    give or apply, as a medication
    Never dreamed they’d attempt to administer the Kiss on an innocent boy.
  32. debt
    the state of owing something, especially money
    “Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt...When one wizard saves another wizard’s life, it creates a certain bond between them...and I’m much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter.”
  33. atmosphere
    a particular environment or surrounding influence
    Though the weather was perfect, though the atmosphere was so cheerful, though he knew they had achieved the near impossible in helping Sirius to freedom, Harry had never approached the end of a school year in worse spirits.
  34. glorious
    having great beauty and splendor
    But the thing that was lowering Harry’s spirits most of all was the prospect of returning to the Dursleys. For maybe half an hour, a glorious half hour, he had believed he would be living with Sirius from now on...his parents’ best friend...It would have been the next best thing to having his own father back.
  35. clutch
    hold firmly, usually with one's hands
    Harry read and reread the letter from Sirius all the way back into King’s Cross station. It was still clutched tightly in his hand as he, Ron, and Hermione stepped back through the barrier of platform nine and three-quarters.
Created on Fri Aug 04 11:17:32 EDT 2017 (updated Tue Aug 01 14:41:08 EDT 2023)

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