The Top 50 Harry Potter Characters
Harry Potter is not just my favorite fan fiction series ever, it's something that truly defined and encapsulated my childhood. I fell in love with these books, these movies, these characters and loved getting immersed in the wizarding world. I remember staying up late at night with a flash light so I could continue reading even after my bed time. From the moment Dumbledore's using the deluminator on Privet Drive to Harry watching Albus Severus Potter depart on the Hogwarts express, this series had my whole heart. As an adult, I've come to find a new appreciation for how well written the characters and their arcs are. But not all characters and arcs are created equal. In this article, we rank the top 50, based on a wide variety of things from character development to importance in driving the plot to likeability and personal preference. So without further to do.
#50. Viktor Krum
My final spot on the list does have a small hint of personal preference, as he is the GOAT Quidditch seeker and just a cool badass character. He was someone the other Triwizard competitors were intimidated by and Hermione's date to the Yule Ball. He ends up being a pawn in a bigger game when he's bewitched in an effort to help Harry reach the portkey that will transport him to the Graveyard. But it's the coolness effect of the Wronski Feint and captaining Bulgaria in the Quidditch World Cup that helps him just barely crack the list.
#49. Dean Thomas
He serves one main purpose and that's to be Ginny's first boyfriend and someone Harry becomes jealous of in Book 6. There's not much else to say about him but every good love interest has to start with the wrong person before eventually getting to the right one.
#48. Aragog
He creeped me the heck out as an 8 year old seeing this in theaters but he's a key component in exonerating Hagrid as the one who reopened the Chamber of Secrets. Farwell Aragog, king of the arachnids!
#47. Buckbeak
Simply one of the coolest magical creatures in the series and without him they don't prison break Sirius from Azkaban.
#46. Cornelius Fudge
Fudge gave Harry Potter a political presence and embodies much of what we dislike about real life political leaders. He made Harry's life quite difficult in Order of the Phoenix by continuously dismissing and refuting Voldemort's revival because he simply did not want it to be true.
#45. Olivander
His appearances may be minimal but he's an important player in wizarding history and he delivers some memorable quotes in Sorcerer's Stone such as "The Wand Chooses the Wizard" and "He who must not be named did great things. Terrible, yes. But great". Additionally he identifies, rather quickly, that Harry will need a wand similar to Voldemort's due to their connection, and the connected wands are an important theme as the series progresses.
#44. Fawkes
I enjoy the theme of pets in the wizarding world and it's only fitting the Dumbledore has one of the coolest and most unique: a phoenix that can be reborn from ashes and heal others with its tears. It's always enjoyable to see in Dumbledore's office but it's shining moment will always be coming to Harry's rescue in the Chamber of Secrets by bringing the Sorting Hat/Sword of Gryffindor, plucking the Basalisk's eyes out, and healing Harry from the venom with his tears.
#43. Seamus Finnegan
I love that in a London based story JK Rowling still found room for a super Irish character. He's someone who was often in the Gryffindor common room with Harry, Ron, and Neville and was a good ally sans his not believing Harry about the Dark Lord's return in Book 5. Still, love the accent and he provides some good comical relief like blowing up his feather in charms class and trying to water into rum as a 10 year old.
#42. Pomona Sprout
The head of Hufflepuff house, she doesn't get much time but one important purpose she does serve is that the mandrakes are used to create the antidote for students paralyzed by the Basalisk. She's also the one who grooms Neville into a great future Herbologist, which helps him know to give Harry the Gillyweed in Book 4.
#41. The Sorting Hat
Yes it counts! It's responsible for the very important task of sorting students into houses but it's most important task is correctly deciphering Harry as a true Gryffindor when he was a rare Gryffindor/Slytherin hybrid. This is a monumental choice the Hat gets correct as it helped Harry make the right friends and allies and shaped his qualities of bravery and nobility, and the theme of Harry being a Gryffindor with some Slytherin qualities is one that carries throughout the series.
#40. Filius Flitwick
He's not a character who gets much time in the movies but in the books he's head of Ravenclaw house and someone who is passionate about magic and treats the students with kindness. I had to do some research, but he defeats Dolohov in the Battle of Hogwarts and he preserves the portable swamp Fred & George created because he thinks it's a piece of remarkable magic. I also love the scene where he gives a subtle fist pump when no one is looking when Fred & George ruin Umbridge's OWL exams in the fifth movie.
#39. Kingsley Shackelbolt
He's a leader amongst the Aurors, a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and a character that just had some serious swagger in the way he dressed and carried himself. He was a strong ally of Dumbledore and helped the good guys in some big time battles late in the series like the showdown at the Ministry and the final battle.
#38. Argus Filch
An interesting character because when the films switch directors his character transitions from creepy and almost a villain to comic relief. And honestly he's great at both. But I have more fond memories from the latter like him inadvertently firing the cannon at the wrong time for each task in Goblet, or all the failed attempts/things gone wrong when trying to bust the students for using the Room of Requirement, or him dancing with Mrs. Norris at the Yule Ball.
#37. Sybil Trelawney
She helps drive the plot because she correctly prophesizes Harry as the Chosen One who will defeat Voldemort in the final battle and her prophecy causes the Death Eaters to infiltrate the Ministry in Book 5 in search of it. She had many doubters and Umbridge even attempts to fire her but she proves them all wrong in the end.
#36. Rita Skeeter
The Daily Prophet and the newspapers with the moving images are a Harry Potter staple and Skeeter is often the one behind the articles. Similar to Fudge, Rowling uses her effectively to illustrate what's wrong with media bias and "fake news". She's particularly annoying to Harry in Goblet of Fire and she loves stirring the pot but she's well written for her particular role.
#35. Nagini
The Fantastic Beasts series gives more background that enhances her character, but this is based solely on the original series. But it's the one human or creature that Voldemort felt any hint of kinship towards, so much so that he bound part of his soul to her and made her into a Horcrux. The snake plays a pivotal role in the final two films as well as nearly killing Arthur Weasley in book 5.
#34. Hedwig
Of course we have to include the adorable snowy owl that served as the main character's pet! Hedwig doesn't do much in the first 6 books other than deliver mail. But in the end, Hedwig loved his owner so much that he made the ultimate sacrifice and thrust himself in front of a killing curse so that Harry could live on.
#33. Narcissa Malfoy
Like Hedwig, doesn't do much until the end but it's her moment of humanity that ultimately saves Harry's life in the Forbidden Forest. But she's never someone who seemed truly Evil, but moreso a wife just supporting her husband and a mother just protecting her son.
#32. Tonks
Last name only here because she hates being called Nymphadora. But she was a cool alternative character, a member of the Order, and a great love interest for Lupin. And we love the purple hair and the Jack Rabbit is one of the cooler patronuses in the series.
#31. James and Lily Potter
They may be dead the entirety of the series but they still play a critical role. They're what Harry sees upon looking in the Mirror of Erised, they appear and help him escape Voldemort in the graveyard, and they join him when he possesses the Resurrection Stone as he accepts and prepares for his (apparent) death. Harry's love for them is prevalent throughout the series despite never really having had the opportunity to meet them and it's Lily's charm that saves him as an infant and allows to become what he becomes.
#30. Cedric Diggory
Baby Robert Pattinson may only appear in one film, but he plays a pivotal role in it. He and Harry assist one another in the tasks as fellow classmates in the Triwizard Tournament, he's a love interest of Harry's love interest (Cho), and they conquer the maze together before "the spare" is murdered in cold blood at the graveyard. He's one of the most important characters in Goblet of Fire and maybe the most well known Hufflepuff in the series.
#29. Cho Chang
She's not my favorite in the movies but Harry needed an initial crush and love interest before Ginny and Cho filled that role. She broke his heart by rejecting him in Book 4 before kindling a brief romance with him in Book 5. She's the reason Umbridge finds the Room of Requirement, though it really isn't her fault as a truth-telling potion is used on her and she's then forced to lead them to it. But the later books began to focus on dating and relationships and she was a key part of the equation.
#28. Barrrrrrrrty Crouch!...Junior
Another one film wonder but he was one of Voldermort's most loyal and most ruthless followers. Long did he wait for the Dark Lord's return and he wasted no time acting once it happened. He used a Pollyjuice Potion to impison a Hogwarts professor whom he imprisoned and was solely responsible for Harry's selection into the Triwizard Tournament and assisted him in winning and reaching the Portkey. Oh and he murdered his own father too. This was a fearless follower, unlike many of the others like the Malfoys, Quirrell, and Wormtail whom Voldemort manipulated through fear.
#27. Horace Slughorn
Slughorn was one of my favorite professors but one that also played a major role in many events of film 6 and one who built a relationship with Harry much moreso than some of the aforementioned ones. He gifts Harry liquid luck, he organized the Slug Club meetings, he's there to help cure Ron of a love potion and present when he needs a Bezoar as an antidote to poison. But his biggest role is allowing Harry to see the memory where he teaches Tom Riddle about Horcruxes. Slughorn ultimately does the right thing, despite how much he may not want to knowing it will harm others opinion of him, but this piece of information allows Harry and Dumbledore to learn of the Horcruxes and how many exist.
#26. Gilderoy Lockhart
It's a little personal preference but I love the movie portrayal of this narcissistic and fraudulent dumbass. Lockhart used the combination of memory charms and sheer charisma to establish himself in the wizarding society, but ultimately the buffoonery catches up with him in his time at Hogwarts as Harry and fellow students uncover the truth. Several acts of incompetence clue the students in, my personal favorite is when he "heals" Harry's arm from the rogue bludger by making the bone completely disappear. But it's the final one, attempting to use Ron's broken wand, that ultimately does him in.
#25. Arthur Weasley
What makes Arthur endearing is the comedy behind his fascination with muggles. "Tell me Harry, what exactly is the function of a rubber duck" is one of my favorite lines from the second movie. As reader's we're fascinated with the wizarding world so I love irony behind a wizard being so enamored in muggle studies. But Arthur is also a good husband and dad. He doesn't come from much, but he's rich in what matters: a wife he loves and a big family. He and his family are a great compliment to the Malfoy's rich snooty behavior and the reminder that sometimes a humble lifestyle is the secret to true happiness.
#24. Quirrel
In a series filled with great plot twists, the one at the end of book 1 is the best of all of them. Through the entirety of Sorceror's Stone, the reader is led to believe Snape is the one trying to steal it. Never suspected is the awkward stuttering DADA professor whose flaws actually make him a pretty likeable character until the big revelation. Quirrel was a loyal Death Eater, so much so that he was willing to share his own flesh with Voldemort to help him survive and conceal the secret under a turban all year. He's a solid first villain for Harry to face and he's nearly successful in his quest to restore Voldemort with the Elixir of Life, but it's the beautifully enacted plot twist from left field that propels him this high on the list.
#23. The Dursleys
We're grouping them together because one is rarely in a scene without the others. Similar to Filch, the films kind of transition them from villains to comic relief. But this ranking is moreso a result of the books. What makes Hogwarts such a love and safe space for Harry is how shitty these 3 made his home life. Without this, Harry doesn't develop the affinity for Hogwarts that he does. And almost every book they're the focal point of the first few chapters along with Harry. I also think one of the better moments in the book, which I wish made it to the movie, was in the final goodbye when Dudley, struggling to articulate his emotions to Harry, basically tries to tell him he didn't think he was a waste of space and that he will miss him. As readers we waited 7 whole books for Harry's adopted family to show him some semblance of love and while Vernon and Petunia never could, there was a care there for Dudley deep down. They also are in some of the most iconic scenes like the Boa escaping the zoo exhibit and trapping Dudley in it and of course all of the Hogwarts letters.
#22. Lucious Malfoy
Until the end, Lucious is one of the series' better villains. It's he who plants the Diary in Ginny's bag, and he's the one who leads the Death Eaters in the infiltration of the Ministry. Money and power are what motivates Lucious and he's just interested in being on whatever side comes out on top. But his allegiances to the Death Eaters ultimately becomes harmful to him as by the final film he just appears exhausted and drained and Voldemort has punted him to the bottom of the totem pole. Fortunately for him, his son and mother had slightly better moral compasses than he and ultimately this rubs off on him as he decides enough is enough and flees to safety to protect his family. Also Jason Isaacs is perfect casting for this role as he brings the perfect amount of sneer and snobbiness to it.
#21. Mad Eye Moody
Once we finally got to know the REAL him, Mad Eye was a character readers came to enjoy. He was a member of the Order and it was he who developed the plan of all the Harry doppelgangers in Book 7. Sure he was a grizzled old fellow, the wizarding equivalent of a long time war vet who lost an eye and hobbled around a wooden leg, but he was devout in his duty to protect Harry and served faithfully until Mundungus betrayed him in the line of duty.
#20. Wormtail
We've alluded to villains being revealed through plot twists earlier in the article with Quirrel and Crouch Jr., and the same is true for Wormtail, an animagus who disguised himself as a pet rat while awaiting the Dark Lord's return. But what made Wormtail such a hateable character was the honorless betrayal of his best friends by revealing their location to Voldemort that ultimately resulted in James and Lilly's death and Sirius' framing. Many of us in life have been in those situations where we believe we're in a tight-knit never disbanding friend group and then some individual begins to act selfishly and goes down a very different path. The Marauder's needed a traitor, to set all the events of the story into motion, and Wormtail was their Judas Escariot. He would then go on to betray Ron, kill Cedric, and Voldemort realized he was useful, but a coward and someone he could manipulate through fear.
#19. Dobby
Boy, of all the deaths in the series, this one of the hardest. But what's funny is that Harry and Dobby got very much off on the wrong foot. With Dobby intending to "not kill, but moreso harm or seriously injure" Harry. The intentions were good, the rationale was horrible. But ultimately Harry's kindness prevails and he is able to see that Dobby is a good Elf with bad owners. Dobby feels forever indebted to Harry when Harry tricks Lucious into freeing him from the horrible servant life he lived, and that debt is repaid when Dobby gives his life to help his friends escape Malfoy Manor. One of the realest moments of the entire series is when Harry buries Dobby, insisting they not use magic, but do it the old school way and honor him with a proper burial. There was something so raw and heartfelt about Harry opting to not do things the easy way and instead pick up the shovel and begin digging the hole for his friend. RIP Dobby, we are happy you died a free Elf in the company of your friends.
#18. Molly Weasley
Her moment of calling Belatrix a B****h and then dominating and destroying her in a duel helped her have a meteoric rise up the list, that's one of the biggest applauses I've ever heard in a theater. But she's also here because she's the closest thing Harry had to a real mother and she looked after him as one of her own. Molly was a strong maternal presence in a house full of boys and she embodied that mom we all loved growing up, one whose home was open to any who needed it and one whose mama bear instincts kicked into gear when needed. Her and Arthur built a beautiful family and life together at the Burrow and were one of the best wizarding families.
#17. Dolores Umbridge
Look, we all hated this bitch, arguably more than we hated Voldemort. And that's what made her one of the best villains of the series. As readers we could not stand that pink wearing, toad faced, piece of crap with the stupid annoying high pitched giggle and sing-song voice. It made us want to chuck the book across the room at times. She was awful to pretty much everyone: giving Harry the enchanted quill to carve "I must not tell lies" into his hand at detention, forcing a truth telling potion upon Cho, attempting to fire Trelawney, torturing Hermione, and imposing the Ministry's will with all her stupid decrees that Filch would hammer onto the walls. She got under everyone's skin, including the readers, and for one year made everyone's life a living Hell. And that's exactly why she belongs here. She was someone we loved to hate and it was so satisfying when she finally met her demise.
#16. Luna Lovegood
I think Luna is a fan favorite because she was a character so many readers related to. She reminded us it was okay to be different, it was okay to be "weird", and it didn't matter what others thought of you, because what was most important was being true to yourself, not following the crowd. She owned the weird glasses and silly outfits and strange hobbies and the Quibbler because she was comfortable in her own skin and didn't need the validation of others. But one of her best moments comes in the final battle when she stands up to Harry and raises her voice and demands he listen to her right then and there. And the friendship works because Harry and his friends don't shun Luna for her oddball ways. I think Ron puts it best in saying "I know she's insane, but in a good way".
#15. Fred & George Weasley
They belong together in this list. They came into this world together and did everything together across all 7 books. They gave the series it's best comic relief and in the dark and more serious moments they were always there to crack a joke and uplift the readers through humor. They didn't finish school, but they used their talents to become a success story through their joke shop, because grades didn't define them, but bringing joy and laughter to others did. It was the best example of sibling love we had in the entire series as these were truly two inseparable peas in a pod. They won us over through their pranks, gags, and gaffes and the more they pestered Ron, the more we found it endearing and realized they were the older brothers we secretly always wanted. Humor aside, they were also valliant fighters who fought bravely alongside Harry and his friend and sadly Fred paid the ultimate price for that in the end. But his spirt lives on through George and the business they built together.
#14. Ginny Weasley
It's not just because she's the love interest of the protagonist, it's because she's one of the better developed characters of the entire series. We watch Ginny go from this shy timid girl who can't talk to boys and has social anxiety into a woman with great self-confidence and a bit of a badass. She succeeded Harry as the Gryffindor seeker, was one of the stronger members of Dumbledore's army, and started pulling the boys. Growing up with 6 older brothers made her a bit of a tom boy, one who was athletic and strong and didn't take crap from people. And she proved to be a loyal partner who stood by Harry's side through the toughest moments. In the earlier stages of the series, many hypothesized Harry and Hermione may end up together, but Ginny proved to be the right compliment to Harry in the end.
#13. Bellatrix Lestrange
Helena Bonham Carter was one of the best castings in the entire series. She perfectly depicted how truly evil and heartless Bellatrix was but also brought so much life and humor to the role through the various facial expressions and little moments of improv. Bellatrix was someone who truly just enjoyed being evil. It wasn't in a cool calculated way like Voldemort or Lucious and wasn't in a fearful way like Wormtail or Quirrel. She just wanted to watch the world burn. Killing is bad, but torturing Neville's parents so horrifically and leaving them alive and insane may have been even worse. Need we go down the rest of the resume? Killed Sirius, killed Dobby, attempted to kill Ginny, and tortured Hermione pretty sadistically. Given how much damage she did, her end fate seemed more than appropriate.
#12. Minerva McGonagall
What made McGonagall great as a professor was that she was the perfect balance of stern and disciplinary while simultaneously having a big heart and caring for her students. There's a reason Dumbledore made this woman head of Gryffindor house and deputy headmistress. She was strict when she needed to be, quick to deduct housepoints and assess punishments, but yet somehow she still had that cool aunt vibe about her. She had her reservations about leaving Harry at the Dursley house, so it was poetic justice that eventually she would welcome Harry into her own house at Hogwarts. We all had that high school teacher that resembled McGonagall, someone who made you work hard and really earn things but in a way the students greatly respected in the end. Maggie Smith was another perfect casting as well and McGonagall was an endearing character.
#11. Remus Lupin
Easily the best DADA teacher Harry had in 6 years. Lupin's class largely helped kickstart Harry's interest in becoming an Auror, and the two formed a strong bond beyond the classroom as well. It certainly helped that Lupin was so close with James and Sirius, but he loved and cared for Harry in a way that James would have been very proud of. And he greatly helped Harry's development in fighting dark wizards, teaching him how to fend off Dementors and deal with his fears and conjure strong charms pulling from sentimental memories. Oh and then he's also a Werewolf! He wish he weren't but it gave his character another cool component. Prisoner of Azakaban was his biggest role but he remained a dependable character in Harry's life and a fan favorite.
#10. Sirius Black
Sirius is the highest ranking Marauder on the list because he gave Harry the most father/son like presence he ever had. He had such a great relationship with James and Lily that he was appointed Harry's godfather, a role he didn't take lightly but one that prison restricted him from doing fully for a while. In a series where many plot twists revealed villains, Rowling does the inverse here leading you believe Sirius to be a villain and ruthless killer in the beginning only to turn out to be one of the best heroes. It's once he's vindicated that his character truly comes to life. And this makes his death one of the most heartbreaking, having to watch Harry lose that father figure he had craved for so long and finally found. But much like with Remus, I believe James and Lily would have been incredibly proud of how well Sirius loved and cared for Harry in their absence.
#9. Draco Malfoy
Another one of the best developed characters in the series. What makes him amazing to follow as a reader, is that through the series you go from absolutely despising him to feeling actually somewhat bad and sorry for him. As a kid he's mean-spirited and a spoiled prick, which ties back to the parenting and lifestyle, but he's the class rival and lesser evil that Harry needs throughout the school year. But then Rowling sprinkles in those little moments where the moral compass kicks in. In the end, he can't go through with the orders to kill Dumbledore and he deals with quite a bit of trauma in the year leading up to the moment. We get so much more depth to Draco beyond the stuck up rich kid. We see the life he was forced into and we take great interest in his decisions. And as a reader, I was happy that deep down there was some good and integrity in there after all, and we learn in the epilogue and in Cursed Child that he did better his life, married, and had a son that befriended Harry's son.
#8 Rubeus Hagrid
This giant was one of the most loveable characters in the series. He wasn't the fatherly figure of a Sirius or Remus, but he loved Harry dearly and felt a special kinship to him having been the one to deliver him to number 4 privet drive. He was more than just a professor or groundskeeper or keeper of keys. He befriended Harry and his friends and often had them over to his hut for tea. He was the one who showed Harry around Diagon Alley and helped him get started with supplies. He loved his work and caring for magical creatures, even having the ability to tame the ones that were potentially dangerous. At times he said too much, at times he was a klutz, and at times he was falsely a suspect, but you knew deep down as a reader/viewer that he was well intentioned and his heart was good. He was the warm fuzzy teddy bear the trio needed whose heart was even bigger than his stature. The ending to the second movie is among my favorite endings because I think it's one of the best emotionally charged scenes when Hagrid returns from Azkaban to a roaring applause and hugs.
#7. Neville Longbottom
Another one of the best developments and arcs of the whole series. Over 7 books, we watch the shy, introverted, clumsy, good at nothing, and always full of bad luck boy transform into the one of the bravest and most loyal wizards in the series. The participation in Dumbledore's Army and coming face to face with his parents torturer at the Ministry helps begin this transition and by the Battle of Hogwarts he's a leader full of valiant and heroic moments and ends up destroying horcrux with the Sword of Gryffindor. And Neville interestingly was the one other boy who could have fulfilled the prophecy as the boy who lived had Voldemort and his followers not targeted Harry first. No one came further from start to finish in the series than Neville did and that made him a fan favorite.
#6. Lord Voldemort
Any great series needs a frightening and formidable villain to push the heroes to the brink, and Lord Voldemort lived up to the hype. He was 100% devilish, there would be no redemption arc, there was not a single ounce of good in him. I remember the goosebumps from reading of his resurrection in the graveyard, or of seeing him possess the elder wand in DH part 1. He was powerful beyond belief and year after year Harry evaded death by the skin of his teeth, and until the end, it was hard for us to envision a scenario where Harry and his friends could defeat such an unstoppable dark force. The duel between him and Dumbledore at the Ministry is one of the best sequences across all 8 films just watching the two most powerful wizards that ever lived go punch for punch in some cinematically amazing spells. But even though none of us were rooting for him, he was a character we took such fascination in as readers. The 6th book especially gives so much background and insight to his character, his childhood, his motivations. He was truly sinister, that's why no one could ever speak his name and why Rowling took four whole books to build up his rise. The most iconic villain since Darth Vader. In the end, his inability to comprehend love and friendship led to his defeat. But he was the powerful sorcerer and master of evil and the perfect villain that the perfect series needed.
#5. Albus Dumbledore
Plain and simply the greatest sorcerer that ever lived. None of the heroes, including Harry, succeed without Dumbledore's infinite wisdom and amazing mentorship. Just as Luke Skywalker needed Yoda and the Fellowship of the Ring needed Gandalf, Harry needed Dumbledore's guidance to ultimately figure out how Voldemort could be beaten. He was always one step ahead, even planning his own death at Snape's hands as part of the end game. And in the end, his careful planning helped see that the good guys prevailed. He did it all: he fought the Dark Lord one on one, destroyed a Horcrux, fought off an army of Inferi, mastered the Elder Wand. Yet despite how physically powerful he truly was, he had this gentleness and peaceful grandfather like demeanor about him. Voldemort could match his strength physically, but he was blinded by his hunger for power and autonomy, while Dumbledore could see that such things were pitfalls. He is one of the most well written and great mentor figures in literature and film.
#4. Severus Snape
This is the most well written character in the entire series. For 6 books, Snape tip toes the tight rope between hero and villain, leaving us guessing throughout and truly not figuring out until the end where his true allegiances lie. It's blindfolded perfectly in the end of book 6. He killed Dumbledore. That settles it. He was a Voldemort supporter all along. But in the end we learn that isn't in fact true, and that Dumbledore needed this chess move to happen and that Snape was serving his purpose as a brave double agent. Voldemort never truly learns this, but decides to off him anyways since he believes Snape is the true owner of the Elder wand. The chapter where Harry uses the pensive/Snape's tears to reveal his memories and true intentions is my favorite in all of literature. Because we learn that all along Snape loved and protected Harry and had his best interest in mind. But really we knew all along, because despite him picking on Harry and has friends and the clear favoritism towards Malfoy and the Slytherins, every now and then something happened where we believed Snape was actually trying to protect these kids. He saved him from Quirrel's curse in his first Quidditch match. He was there to protect them in the Shrieking Shack. It was he who contacted the Order to go help Dumbledore's Army at the Minstry. It was he who sent a patronus to lead Harry to the Sword of Gryffindor and back to Ron. It was he who sent a counter curse to protect the group from a killing curse that rebounded and took out George's ear. He helped protect the Sorcerer's Stone. And he's an incredible actor who has Voldemort and his followers believing the whole time that he's on their side. Alan Rickman is maybe the best casting of the entire series, right up there with Daniel Ratcliffe and Emma Watson. He brought the dark mysterious aura the character needed, while also perfecting the mannerisms in a comical and endearing way. Like I said, the BEST written character in the series.
#3. Ron Weasley
There are better written characters ranked behind him but the Golden Trio needs to be the top 3. They're the focal point of the story. There are no losers in this trinity, but Ron is just a hair less strong of a character than his best friend and wife. Still, he's an incredible sidekick and loyal best friend. This is clear in countless moments. He sacrifices himself in Wizard Chess so Harry can win and go secure the stone. He follows Harry into the Forbidden Forrest despite his severe phobia of spiders. It's hard to watch him abandon Harry and Hermione in Book 7 after all they've been through, although it's largely the poisoning of the Lockett, but in the end he returns to save Harry and destroy it. He stands up for Harry when others mistreat him and he's by his side through thick and thin. And even when they have their little tiffs as all best friends do, they work it out and come together in the end. He may not possess Harry's natural magical talent or Hermione's intelligence, but his gift is his undying faithfulness and loyalty and bravery. A true Gryffindor through and through.
#2. Hermione Granger
Hermione gets the nod over Ron because there's so much more depth and development to her character. She goes from a goody two-shoes, rule following, know it all to something so much more. She's always the voice of reason, but she learned to be okay with breaking with rules when it was for the greater good. But these boys would have died 100 times over without her intelligence, resourcefulness, and logical reason. The book smarts and perserverance are always present for this engine that never stops, but we see Hermione develop bravery and nurturing and true kindness and compassion as the series progresses, and the fact that she's born to muggle parents makes her a little more relatable of a character. One of the hardest and most heartbreaking scenes is watching her obliviate them and wipe their memory of her. But it shows her love and loyalty to her friends. She's one of the most influential female characters ever written and one who provided such an amazing role model to young women, which was further enhanced by Emma Watson's portrayal. I would want my daughter to strive to be just like Hermione.
#1. Harry Potter
I'm sure it doesn't come as a surprise, but it's still important to reflect on why he's here. Let's start with how real and imperfect of a character he is. He's weak in the beginning, he loses his temper, he makes mistakes, he does things that strain his friendships and relationships, there are times inexperience gets the best of him, there are times he acts rashly and out of emotion without thinking things through. And even though he's this prophesized Chosen One, we feel sympathy towards him and his circumstances. Because he didn't ask for this and he'd trade it all to have two loving parents and has those moments frequently of just wishing he had a normal life instead of having the weight of the world on his shoulders. And while he's in this amazing setting, he still goes through those same struggles we all resonate with: forming friendships, passing classes, playing on a sports team, difficult family members, tough professors, finding love. But he's able to fall back on the support his loved ones, all of whom are already mentioned above, who have different gifts and strengths that offset his weaknesses and flaws. Because that's the reoccurring theme of the series. Harry isn't strong enough to defeat Voldemort on his own, but there's strength in numbers and Harry's ability to make genuine connections and fall on that support system gives him just enough to win in the end. And he needed all of them, from the close friends to the mentors to the parental figures to the professors, to the pets and loyal creatures. He's a true underdog and one we root for as readers wanting to see good triumph over evil. But Harry's loyalty and bravery are his greatest qualities, consistently putting himself in sacrificial and unimaginable situations, even from a very young age where it would be extremely daunting to face such trials and terrors. And emotionally his story is filled with tremendous heartbreak, from being an orphan to the amount of additional loved ones he loses along the way. It's so much to deal with, but Harry is consistently finding ways to stand strong and keep pushing forward and displays great humility throughout the process. Now matter how hard things got, he always chose to do the right thing and displayed integrity and loyalty to his people. As a reader I was rooting for him every step of the way and he's one of the greatest literary and film heroes of all time.
Comments
Post a Comment