I've seen this so often and even putting aside Jowling Kowling Rowling's disgusting views, it's a dogshit first line. A first line, ideally, should tell you something about the world, the tone, or the characters. Take 1984 for instance
It was a bright cold day in april, and the clocks were striking thirteen
Immediately the tone is established, and theres a sense of unease with the clocks striking 13. Also with 13 being an unlucky number, so it's not exactly going to be positive.
What about something a bit more... realistic, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Thurston
Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board
A book written during the height of the Harlem Renaissance by a prominent black female author, with the deliberate choice of the words "every man", and not "everyone", setting the stage for a mixed race woman navigating a world not meant for her.
Even classic literature does better
Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
Tone?✅ (civil blood makes civil hands unclean)
Characters? Eh, we get the "two households" and "ancient grudge" but nothing about Romeo or Juliet
Mr and Mrs Dursley of number 4 Privet Drive were proud to say they were perfectly normal, thank you very much
Putting aside the clunky prose, this doesn't actually *tell* you anything. It introduces the Dursleys, a pair of minor characters that have very little bearing on the overall story, and says they're normal. I can only assume it's to contrast with the weirdness of the wizarding world, but it doesn't achieve that, because they're already super normal.
It's probably one of the worst opening lines because it doesn't DO anything, but because she's "being oppressed" and "a feminist icon", people like to think the sun's shining out of her ass
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