For those who know me, it’s no secret that I’m slightly obsessed with the Harry Potter franchise. Ever since I read the books as a child, I fell in love. I grew up watching the film adaptations on repeat, and to this day, still, watch them over and over again. It is a series that I could never get bored of. I resonated with some of the characters in the books and films, and I just loved how certain characters were developed throughout the series.

I wanted to write a Harry Potter-themed post as this blog would not be complete without it. I have been thinking a lot about what I wanted to write and what better place to start than with the characters that make the story? 

When I was younger, all of my female friends loved Hermione, and all of my male friends liked Harry. Whilst the central trio of Harry, Hermione, and Ron are at the focus of the story; I found myself drawn to the supporting characters in both the books and the film.

So, here it is, the breakdown of my absolute favourite characters from Harry Potter.

10. Minerva McGonagall

Where do I even start? Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house, is just brilliant. She’s a witty character that has some great one-liners and even through her sometimes tough exterior; you can tell that she’s caring and loyal. McGonagall is a stern yet fair professor that ultimately wants what is best for her students. When Harry comes back to Hogwarts, and she defends him in front of Snape, my heart just melts a little every time.

Maggie Smith was the perfect casting choice for this character in the film adaptations, and I honestly couldn’t imagine anyone would have been able to top her performance. 

Best quote – ‘I’ve always wanted to use that spell’.

9. Molly Weasley

Molly Weasley is the definition of a badass. She’s kind and caring, but I, for one, wouldn’t want to get on her bad side. Her fiery temper is definitely something to witness. I love the way that she takes Harry into her home and treats him the same as any of her other sons. Harry essentially becomes an honorary Weasley. Molly Weasley is a very protective mother who will do anything to keep her children are safe, and I think she is one of the best characters for providing a break from the chaos.

One of my favourite moments is in The Deathly Hallows is when she defends Ginny, who is battling the evil Bellatrix Lestrange. 

Best quote – ‘Not my daughter, you bitch!’

8. Sirius Black 

I can’t even tell you how devastated I was that Bellatrix murders Sirius black in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. We finally see the potential for Harry to be happy, and it is ripped away from him. It was so unexpected too. I often wonder how differently the story would have been if Sirius hadn’t have died. I think it would have been epic. 

Sirius’s introduction to the story was brilliant. We were all convinced that he is this super-evil villain that betrayed Harry’s parents, but he was, in fact, the opposite. As soon as he revealed who he truly was, I fell in love with the character. I also loved the way that he treated Harry as an adult and never wanted to hide the truth from him. He would have been a great addition to the storyline.

Best quote – ‘It’s cruel that I got to spend so much time with James and Lily, and you so little. But know this; the ones that love us never really leave us. And you can always find them in here.’

7. Ron Weasley

Ron Weasley is a purely iconic character. He brings so much fun and humour to the story, and I don’t think it would have been the same without him. Even though he can be overdramatic and insensitive at times, he makes up for it in other ways. His aversion to spiders never fails to amuse me, and he has some of the best one-liners in the franchise. 

He’s a loyal and logical friend and later on in the series he really comes into himself. I was so happy when Hermione and Ron got together; I’d been shipping them as a couple from the very beginning. I think Ron is an underrated hero.

Best quote – ‘Follow the spiders! If Hagrid ever gets out of Askaban, I’ll kill him! Why spiders? Why couldn’t it be ‘’follow the butterflies’’?’

6. Fred and George Weasley

I am counting this iconic duo as one character in this list because they are mostly always together and I feel like you can’t like one without the other. These two are just absolutely hilarious, and their inappropriate timing with their humour never fails to make me laugh. 

These mischievous twins are probably the most comical characters in the series. I also love how they speak in harmony sometimes as it just cements their relationship with one another. Their bond is unbreakable, and it’s clear how much they need each other to keep balanced. I also love that they were able to make a career out causing trouble when they opened Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes.

Best quote – ‘Oh and Harry, don’t forget. When you’re done, just give it a tap and say mischief managed. Otherwise, anyone can read it.’

5. Rubeus Hagrid

Surely there can’t be a single person in this world that dislikes Hagrid. He’s just one of those characters that everybody loves because he’s so genuine and awesome. This half-giant’s habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time is great. I sometimes wonder if he really gives the children the information they need accidentally, or if he is telling them on purpose and covering it up as accidental. Either way, it is clear that he wants the best for them. 

The most upsetting scene for me to watch that included Hagrid, was when he finds out that Harry is ‘dead’ and then he carries his body back to the school. This scene, in particular, makes it clear that the trio isn’t only friends with Hagrid, but they are all family. This relationship is present with many characters in the series, but with Hagrid, I think it’s different. There are no expectations; he just wants what is best for them.

Best quote – ‘I should not have said that.’

4. Neville Longbottom

My heart has a special place for Neville. I feel like he’s such an underrated character and deserved a lot more spotlight time. This is why I loved that he was the one to kill the basilisk in The Deathly Hallows because he deserved to be the hero of the story for a moment.

I related a lot to Neville growing up because I’m also incredibly clumsy and always seem to find trouble accidentally or end up in a tricky situation that I didn’t intend to be in. Maybe not in the epic and magical kind of way, but I was able to relate to his character traits a lot. The amount of times in life that I found myself saying ‘why is it always me?’ is ironic.

Does anyone else think that Neville and Luna are just the most perfect pairing that there has ever been in literature? Okay maybe a slight exaggeration, but I would have loved to see how their future would have panned out together. They are both secondary characters that perhaps deserved a little more attention. 

Best quote – ‘He’s still with us, in here. So’s Fred, Reemus, Tonks, all of them.’

3. Reemus Lupin

I feel like Reemus is the kind of character that is always level-headed. He’s clearly intelligent and thinks through situations whilst remaining calm and collected. He says a lot of wise things that have always stuck in my head. 

Even though he has had a tough life, especially with his lycanthropy condition, he’s always compassionate and willing to help others succeed. He doesn’t use his hardship as an excuse and just gets on with it.

The Prisoner of Askaban is one of my favourite books/films because it is just so different from the others. The dark and looming twist focusses on werewolves, murder, and time travel, which is always a great combination. When I was younger, I didn’t really understand what was going on. But I remember having a moment growing up where I suddenly realised what the plot of the movie was.

Reemus Lupin is a great mentor, and it is a shame that he had to resign as a professor at Hogwarts because of his condition as he made an excellent teacher. The way that he helps Harry throughout the series is admirable. I also love his relationship with Tonks and was so sad when we find out that little Teddy is going to grow up without both of his parents. But I was also glad when Tonks came to Reemus’ side during the final battle at Hogwarts as it just showed the nature of their relationship. This ending for these characters really brought the story full-circle.

2. Dobby

Where does one even start with this character? The lovable house-elf has a tragic story having to serve the Malfoy’s. Of all the households to end up in, this is probably one of the worst. Dobby is abused and poorly treated, but even though he risks the consequence of further punishment, he still tries to look out for Harry Potter and his friends.

The scene where Lucious Malfoy unknowingly gives Dobby a sock, therefore freeing him from servitude, is one of my favourites. It’s so satisfying! Upon his freedom, Dobby essentially makes it his full-time mission to help protect Harry. 

His obsession with socks is the cutest thing, and his loyalty and braveness just prove how selfless he is. Harry and Dobby become good friends, and this just makes Dobby’s death even more tragic. This was one death that I’m definitely still not over, and to this day, I still cry every single time I watch it.

1. Severus Snape

Severus Snape is portrayed as a villain throughout the majority of the Harry Potter series. Even when we think he’s the bad guy, I still liked his character. I think this is because of the endless insults that he throws at people and the fact that he has very different methods of teaching. The mystery surrounding this character had me hooked.

The first scene that made me love Snape was in The Prisoner of Askaban when Lupin turns into a werewolf, and he jumps in front of Harry, Ron, and Hermione to shield them from danger. This just shows the audience that through his strict and uncaring facade, he really does care about the safety and well being of his students. He didn’t hesitate for a moment and immediately jumped in to defend them.

After Snape’s death, when Harry took his tears to the pensive to see his memories, all of Snape’s truth is revealed. The story is truly heartbreaking, and I still find it hard to watch. It even made me hate James Potter, and I still don’t like the character. All of Snape’s hardship was due to love, and it was a completely unexpected turn for the story to take, which made me love it even more. 

Snape was a good, brave, and talented wizard, despite his complexities and Harry comes to realise this in the end. I just wish we were able to see Snape and Harry have a conversation after Harry finds out all of this information. If I could bring back one character from the dead in the series, it would probably be Snape. 

Other Characters

There are definitely other characters in Harry Potter that I adore, but didn’t make it into this list. I thought I would make a little list here to show you some of the characters that I loved that I didn’t have room to include. 

• Hermione Granger
• Luna Lovegood
• Draco Malfoy
• Nymphadora Tonks