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Harry didn't have to do his homework by flashlight anymore; now he could sit in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlous, finishing his essays with the occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself, who, apart from knowing a great deal about medieval witch burnings, gave Harry free sundaes every half an hour.

This scene, at the beginning of chapter four once Harry is safely situated in Diagon Alley awaiting the start of school, illustrates the ultimate idyllic freedom of being back in the wizard element. Suddenly secrets, like Harry's Hogwarts homework assignments, are allowed into open air; he may roam free under the sun, instead of being quarantined under the Dursleys' roof. He is given all the food he wants, and he is treated kindly and respectfully. He is independent and enjoying life. This passage contrasts the Dursleys' Muggle life, with all of its limitations and concerns. Much of the description of Hogwarts and the wizard world is inherently cozy, as it is a small but complete world, supplying everything for life. Yet this world fosters a greater understanding between its people, as the shared sense of magic provides a community blanket for wizards everywhere.

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