tawny
/ˈtɔːni $ ˈtɒː-/
brownish-yellow in color
None of them noticed a large tawny owl flutter past the window.
peck
if a bird pecks something or pecks at something, it makes quick repeated movements with its beak to try to eat part of it, make a hole in it etc
peck somebody on the cheek/ forehead etc
to kiss someone quickly and lightly
Mr Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs Dursley on the cheek and tried to kiss Dudley goodbye but missed
tantrum
/ˈtæntrəm/
a sudden short period when someone, especially a child, behaves very angrily and unreasonable
Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.
back out of
He got into his car and backed out of number four’s drive.
on the corner
peculiar
/pɪˈkjuːliə $ -ər/
It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar.
jerk
to move or to make something move with a sudden short sharp movement
jerk one's head around
Mr Dursley didn’t realise what he had seen – then he jerked his head around to look again.
tabby
a cat with light and dark lines on its fur
There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive.
倒裝：What could he have been thinking of?
a trick of light
If you say that something is a trick of the light, you mean that what you are seeing is an effect caused by the way that the light falls on things, and does not really exist in the way that it appears.
What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light.
give a little shake
give someone a shake - (coll.)
1. shake a sleeper to rouse him: She thought he might fall asleep standing there and grabbed his arm to give him a shake.
2. rouse a person to action: Danny was not playing as well as he is now at the start of the season. We needed some way to give him a shake and he has responded really well.
3. make smb. suffer a nervous shock: It gave me such a shake as I never had before; I haven't felt like myself ever since.
Note: The expression is not related in meaning to: give (someone) a fair shake – (coll.) give someone fair treatment: The man did not believe that the judge would give him a fair shake at his trial.
give someone the shake – (coll.) show distaste for smb.'s company; evade a person: Although I give her all my affection, she will probably give me the shake.
( https://www.englishforums.com/English/ToGiveSomebodyAShake/bbvgzb/post.htm)
Mr Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind.
be hoping to
As he drove towards town he thought of nothing except a large of drills he was hoping to get that day.