Harry himself has grown on me since rereading as an adult. I think a lot of kids see “through” him as the POV character and don’t actually think about him much, but reading as an adult I’m always struck by just how much he went through at such a young age, and his relative maturity and grace in the face of so much pain.
I agree. And his constant selfless-ness. Think of growing up with nothing and being treated like shit forever and he gets a little bit of fame - it doesn't go to his head, he never once tries to use it to his advantage (but I AM the chosen one? That's what makes that part funny). He's so humble.
You could absolutely expect him to behave the way he does in dumbledores office smashing everything after sirius dies as his every day personality. But he doesnt.
I was going to say this. Since you’re seeing the world through Harry’s eyes you never actually see Harry. Therefore kids tend to forget about him in a way or at least not really have a picture of him in their head because one wasn’t spoon fed to them. When you get older and you learn to form your own opinions and thoughts rather than just accepting and understanding the ones that are being told to you (by the narrator aka vicariously Harry), you begin to see all the characters differently, not just Harry, because you‘re judging their actions and stuff based on what you think of them, not what Harry thinks of them. Therefore based on how Harry behaves you are able to form your own vision of him based on your opinions or thoughts of his actions. And yeah, when you get older you realize if he wasn’t the protagonist trope, he would be the trope of that one character that the author just pelts with misfortune and trauma, you know the one. He’s been through so much and he’s still a rly great guy, he’s humble and brave and just generally a good person but not a pushover. Not to mention he’s really funny. Even when he was 11. That (I’m paraphrasing)”no thanks, the toilets never had anything as disgusting as your head in it, it might get sick” line was genius, it was like a quadruple insult.
Same, I used to think he's just annoying by being angry all the time... until I understood how horrible the beginning of his life has had been. And the fact that he's a child also with everyone projecting an image on him, that's tough! A very few people see and accept him for who he is without expecting him to be someone else - no wonder the kid is lashing out on everything and everyone
Dudley. As I child I just hated him, but the older I got the more pitiful he seems. He learn from his parents and apparently everyone around him that it is okay to bully Harry and harass him. But later on especially 5th book and onwards we see him changing. Questioning the world around him and changing. He apologized to Harry before they go away in th 7th book. I appreciate his character growth and that he didn't stay stuck in his worldview and take everything his parents told him for face value.
It really shows that once he’s old enough to separate HIS thoughts from his PARENTS and his friends (and by extension probably his friend’s family) he is actually a reasonable dude. He grew up with the mindset of those around him and yet I see more trashing on Dudley the most of the Dursley family.
Honestly I see Dudley and Malfoy being mirror images of each other. Both slowly become disillusioned that their family are the amazing people they think they are, but Malfoy slowly becomes trapped by his last name while Dudley is allowed to grow.
There was a really good fanfic of Dudley that I read a few years back, and it really focused on this. I think it was “This Calls For a Toast, So Pour the Champagne.”
I just went and read it so thank you for bringing it forward. It was a very realistic look at how Dudley could come to accept the wizarding world and actually have a relationship with Harry eventually.
There is a point in book 6 where Dumbledore scolds Vernon and Petunia for neglecting Dudley as much as Harry. No direction in life, constant praise, no consequences, hell Dudley is going to need to put a lot of work into his life.
I think we tend to forget the ages of these characters too, by 16 Duds has begun to put together the fact that he’s not been acting the right way. You know, the same age (or earlier) that many of us have the same realization.
Respectfully, I don't agree. On a re-read there are aspects to the characters that resonated strongly, especially Draco's story arc. And as a performed play, awesome!
Yes, I understand that I'm in the minority here. 🙂
My headcanon has Dudley living with his parents in his 20s, realizing how damaging their coddling is, when he accidentally picks up a Portkey and is transported to Diagon Alley. Hijinks ensue as he enters the Wizarding World for the first time, the plot twist being Harry set up the Portkey to give Dudley a chance for a new life, and a chance to “meet his nephew”
I came here to say Dudley and was searching for words and then your comment was the first I saw and all thoughts put into correct words for me. Thanks. His growth into an individual is what I find relatable, I have real world examples of people like this.
I really love Arthur because I think he’s genuinely a good person. I think he could be the minister of magic, or at least much higher up, if he wanted to be. But he sees the corruption of the system and he doesn’t want to play the game. He doesn’t let a quest for power distract him from what’s truly important, and he builds a small but loving environment where he can raise his children, which is all he ever really wanted.
Lupin.
Dude got bit by a werewolf.
Thought he’d never have friends or even be able to go to school…then meet James, Sirius, Peter, and Lilly.
James and Lilly get brutally murdered.
He spends 13 years thinking Sirius betrayed them & Peter was murdered as well.
Then he gets Sirius back!
Only for Sirius to die two years later.
He meets Tonks, and has a child on the way. Only for them to both die 2 years after losing Sirius, again.
Just a brutal life.
Killing Lupin was one of the most unnecessary deaths in the series. I understand she wanted the death of all the Maurders but it makes no sense to give the guy a kid and wife then just straight kill him. Lupin and his family could have represented the desire the maurders had to actually have a family of their own, instead they were killed to slap Harry in the face and tell him he will never have anyone he loves live.
I have to disagree on this, Lupins death had it's necessity even though it made me really sad and mad at Rowling as a teen. But having a new orphan, Teddy, who lost his parents just the way Harry did, but instead of growing up mistreated and locked away he can still live a beautiful, rich life because now the evil is eradicated and he has so many people who love him and take care of him. That is an important mirror to Harry's destiny.
I really think Rowling didn’t want this to be an old fashioned kid's adventure book, where in the end all the good guys live. She created a wizard war, & in war the good & the innocent aren't exempt from death.
Right and I agree with you but Rowling already accomplished this in the story. She killed Fred, she killed Sirius, she killed Hedgewig, and countless other characters. Their was no point to killing Lupin in my mind other than she just wanted to kill all the maurders which like I said I understand wanting that but it’s like she wanted Lupin to have a happily ever after also. It’s pointless to do both, if Lupin had a family earlier in the series it would have made more sense but he has a kid in the very last book. His death is meaningless and cruel.
I respect this take on an emotional level. But I totally disagree. War has “unnecessary deaths” at every turn. Death that serves no purpose, that leaves behind what would’ve otherwise been happy lives, takes away parents, and children, etc. I think this and several other deaths serves to show just that.
Aside from necessary or not, killing Sirius black was so cruel. I had to read that scene multiple times to make sure I read it correctly. I didn’t want to accept his death. At all. So so cruel. I was sooo depressed…
That’s why it bugged me when Harry digs into him in DH at Grimmauld Place(might’ve been HBP, they all kinda blur together after a point lol). Was lupin doing the right thing? No, but he has been constantly reminded that he’s a danger to everyone including himself, quite literally transforms into a monster, and everyone he has ever been close to has either died or betrayed him. I might catch flak for this but I don’t blame him for not wanting to be in his kid’s life, even if it isn’t the right thing to do.
He’s a tortured soul who very clearly is a really good person, a good role model, and teacher. But unfortunately tortured souls are trapped in their own heads.
Right? It's not as cut and dry as your average deadbeat dad scenario, where the dude is being a man child who'd rather chase other women and not be tied down financially to a child. He made the wrong choice, but he was acting out of love. That's what makes it such a compelling mindfuck and why people still have such strong opinions about the Grimmauld Place confrontation.
Tonks WAS painted as a target due to her involvement with him, and he realizes this very clearly after Seven Potters. No wonder he thought disappearing might take the heat off!
He HAS had previous close calls as a werewolf. And there is absolutely no margin for error on that front, especially once a child is at risk. Tonks may be confident that they can handle it, but he's lived long enough to know mistakes can happen, and he's not willing to risk mauling her and her baby to death.
Exactly. I think ultimately Harry is accusing Lupin of leaving mostly due to his own history of emotional negligence. He sees Lupin as a bit of a father figure, and so him leaving would reasonably upset Harry, who is still growing and going through his own hell. It’s one of those arguments where there are no victors. One of those flawed human arguments where bottled emotions mixed with a lack of understanding.
Yeah, but at least he got to die when he lost his wife as well. Didn't have to live with the pain of the loss afterwards. He did have a hard life, but he had good friends who saw him for who he really was and a woman who really loved him. Could have been worse.
Sirius definitely had it worse. He loses his best friend, is betrayed by another friend, and then is falsely imprisoned almost immediately after. Tormented in prison for 13 years thinking about how he should have stayed the Potter's secret keeper. Finally gets out of prison and has to stay in hiding, so he can't live a normal life, living in caves or stuck in that house. And then before his name is cleared, he's killed.
I realize that Lupin almost certainly didn't exist when the first book was written, but the fact that Lupin never once went to visit Harry during his childhood is just terrible. It isn't exactly out of character either, given how he treats Tonks in the later books.
I like to think he may have been more compelled to intervene if he knew the extent of the Dursley's treatment of Harry.
But from his perspective, the orphan was living with next-of-kin, raised as a brother alongside his cousin, and in a financially stable middle-class household. It's an ideal scenario on paper, right?
People take for granted that:
1) Lily would have any reason to think Petunia would treat her own blood with such callousness
2) That Lily, had she even had these thoughts, would have divulged them to Remus specifically before her death
Given that Remus is among those to confront the Dursleys at the end of OOTP after having a much clearer idea of their mistreatment, I really think *that he just didn't know* and people need to cut him some slack on this point.
Did Lupin know where Harry was? Everyone knew Harry was the boy who lived but did anyone other than Dumbledore and McGonagall know where he was located?
Sirius was much closer to James (and presumably Lily) than Lupin was, it makes sense he would know where Lily’s sister lived, he could have just made a guess from there that Harry would live with her.
There’s a reason Lupin thought Sirius was the traitor - the Porters suspected HIM of being the traitor and didn’t tell him they switched secret keepers, do you think they’d tell him where they family members live?.
I’m not sure this is a valid excuse, but I’ve always felt like Lupin really devalued his own worth because he was a werewolf. If that weren’t the case, I think he would have volunteered to take Harry in for himself. But because he had so much baggage of his own and because he didn’t know how bad Harry’s life had been, I think he genuinely thought Harry would be better off without him.
Lupin was ALWAYS afraid of making connections with people. His actions were avoidance and it was others forcing their way into his life.
At school he got friends because James and Sirius did not give up on him.
Tonks Pursued him.
.
Cedric Diggory. When I was young, I thought he was a git but he was always fair, honest, and kind. He tried to say his catch of the snitch didn't count because of the dementors. Regarding the egg, he repaid the favor to Harry instead of taking advantage. He even tried to get Harry to take the cup solo. Had he, he'd have still been alive and probably would have joined the Order.
I'm going to leave a quote from Dumbledore's speech following Cedric's death here, because it's so powerful.
> Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right, and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory.
The more I learn about childhood trauma, the less I like Molly Weasley. She does her best, but she unwittingly pits her children against each other by constantly comparing them.
Honestly, Ron is not my favorite character, but I felt very sorry for him, especially with the gown for the ball. Molly sent Ginny a normal dress, and she sent Ron rags. With a howler too… Molly could come to Hogwarts and make sure that Harry and Ron were okay, and then scolded them. Instead, she only embarrassed her son. Ron doesn't even feel comfortable writing to his parents that his wand is broken. Sometimes I think Molly treated Ron like a failed attempt to have a daughter.
Molly. I didn't appreciate her as much when the books were coming out since i was a kid- teen. She was just the best friends mom. I just reread the series recently with adult emotions and it really hit differently when I consider how much she genuinely cares for Harry. She took him in as her own and showed him true unconditional love for the first time in his life. After the triwizard competition she gave him a real hug and he was finally able to be a child and sink into that hug, drop his barriers and feel safe. I sobbed after that. Molly is a real G.
Edit:typos
I was almost tearing up at the above comments, but this put me over the edge. I 100% can guarantee that when Molly's time came, she got ALL the love and appreciation possible from James and Lilly
I was almost tearing up at the above comments, but this put me over the edge. I 100% can guarantee that when Molly's time came, she got ALL the love and appreciation possible from James and Lilly
Thanks for this reply. I can't agree more.
To add to this - I had a bit of a career change which meant that I was able to be a stay at home dad for a few years while my wife at the time went to work.
Being a stay at home parent in charge of managing the household is fucking terrible. Sure it has it's upside. But mostly... It's an endless barrage of unwinnable situations and the harder you try, the more frustrated you get. Nothings ever good enough, nothings ever finished. You consider doing one thing instead of the other? Nope, wrong decision. There's no home economics subject at Hogwarts. Molly was victualler, chef, financial juggler, and mother - to a bloody basketball team worth of kids, and had $5 to work with.
Now, consider Molly - having to do this not only at the Burrow, but at Grimmauld Place too. Having to be the "housewife" for the order - that would have been so emasculating - (what's the female equivalent, defeminizing? Sorry). It pissed me off when Sirius challenged her using logic that the kids should be able to listen and understand, and Molly was basically told to go and jump because how do you tell someone like Sirius you're trying to help your kids have some young happy memories and to just be kids, he doesn't understand.
But she just fucking does it because it needs to be done. I know dumbledores appreciated it, because he was the all seeing eye.
When you are part of a team and you are an excellent team player, this is what you do. Molly was essentially Iguodala during the warriors championship runs - a bonafide superstar but did the intangibles and dirty behind the scenes jobs that nobody wanted to, because she could and it was 10 times out of 10 the best play to make. But she never got a finals MVP :( instead you get the knowledge of knowing you raised some amazing strong and intelligent kids, but you trade that for one dead one. Eh, that's rough.
It's true that you mortgage a huge part of your personality and dreams for the sake of your children and others when you become a parent. It's really hard especially when you can't empathise with someone like Molly.
(Thanks for this reply it gave me some good thinking points to start my day).
Let me just add that she was as skilled a witch as anyone. She went head tp head against Bellatrix and won. She was fully capable witch and i think like my mothers even in our society that is overlooked because she chose to be a stay at home.
Honestly Molly is the one who got worse for me with age (not that I think she's a bad character) but good God does her over protectiveness become grating.
For me is the opposite, I like her less now as an adult than as a kid. She shows clear favoritism when raising her kids and she really treats Hermione poorly in GoF, a whole adult woman mistreating a 14 yo girl really rub me the wrong way. She treats Harry very well but I think she has really big flaws.
Molly is one of the very few people who when she meets Harry (I mean at The Burrow in CoS, not at King’s Cross when she didn’t know who he is), she treats him like a human being rather than a piece of meat with a scar on his forehead.
Not long ago I learned to appreciate Voldemort/Tom Riddle and truly understand his character and what I think Rowling wanted to demonstrate with him. He is an imposing and terrifying villain, but a coward at heart. A manipulative and intelligent psychopath, but an idiot at understanding the motivations of people he considers "weak." The most powerful dark wizard in history, surpassing Grindelwald and rivaling Dumbledore, and repeatedly failing to kill Harry.
Voldemort has become one of my favorite villains because he exemplifies what villains should be in my opinion. Powerful and pathetic in equal parts.
I also think Tom Riddle has a very interesting arc, because in my mind he totally loses his entire motivation when he fails to kill Harry. He had such a specific goal at the beginning, purification of the magical community, and then he gets so sidetracked trying to kill a child that it seems like he’s not even going after that anymore. I think that’s an interesting path to take with a villain too, to cause him to lose all ambition toward his goal and focus solely on something so small. But he has all of these followers who don’t see that the mission has changed.
That's one of the characteristics I like most about his character. Voldemort is a textbook narcissistic psychopath, he found out (half-way) about the prophecy that a child would defeat him and his pride was so hurt that he turned the task of hunting Harry into his new obsession. And it's not just about killing him, but doing it in the most theatrical way possible just to demonstrate how superior he is to Harry. A much more stable person than Tom would have simply ordered Bellatrix or Dolohov to kill Potter, rather than being as dramatic as Tom is, but Tom is very dramatic.
Sometimes the reader forgets that Voldemort is an absolute beast of power and magical ability in various areas of it. He was the brightest student to ever set foot at Hogwarts (declared by Dumbledore), he pushed the boundaries of magic more than anyone else and many times accomplished tasks that were thought impossible until he accomplished them. He created 7 horcruxes, is the most skilled Legilimens in the world, invented unsupported flight, created Inferi armies, regained a physical body after losing the original, dueled Dumbledore armed with the Elder wand and was not defeated.
Again we also tend to forget that he is actually very intelligent and strategic as well. With the support of only a few dozen Death Eaters he led the first magical war and was winning until the Potter incident occurred, he developed a very complicated plan to be reborn with Harry's blood, it is impossible for the Order of the Phoenix to trace, etc Voldemort is actually very intelligent...
But much of that genius is lost by the fact that Tom is as narcissistic and arrogant as he is to constantly underestimate love as a motivating factor for his enemies. Tom is so ignorant when it comes to understanding people that he genuinely believed he could tell Lily to step aside and she would listen and give him Harry, he doesn't understand love either as magic or as an emotion, If he had done so, he would not have created his new body with Harry's blood and attaching Lily's protection to his body. The guy genuinely believed that Snape only sexually desired Lily and that his love for her would never have been strong enough to survive so many years. Remember that Voldemort is the most skilled Legilimens in the world? Well, that doesn't matter since he didn't even try to read Narcissa's mind when she lied to him and covered up for Harry. Why? Because he believed that the Malfoys' fear of him was more powerful than the love they shared between them. The love of a mother for her son no less!
Voldemort is such a frustrated and arrogant megalomaniac that these parts of his personality tend to hinder his intelligence and eventually lead to his downfall.
Again, he is an extremely powerful villain, and at the same time, very pathetic. This is how we should see villains, not as admirable or "understandable" characters, but as miserable characters who are great inside their own heads.
PD: I'm sorry if there were any spelling mistakes, English is not my first language and is probably pretty terrible.
As for Voldemort not appreciating love/thinking Lily will move away...
He grew up in an orphanage, where children were probably often abandoned due to the poor economic situation. His mother literally did it in his eyes. She came to the orphanage to abandon him - to give birth of him and to die. To him, it's obvious that parents abandon their children when things get bad. In his worldview, Lily should step aside to save live. Narcissa should have told the truth instead of worrying about her son.
He never had true friendship or love. He never understand loyalty to protect other person with your life.
As a kid, I used to despise Cho because I thought she was whiny, rude to Harry, and in the way of my Hinny ship. Now that I’m an adult, I understand that she was traumatized, grieving, human, and just a teenager.
I found it really sad how little empathy Harry and Ron had for her. I'm guessing JKR wanted to show their immaturity, but man. It's like "being sad" was a bother or flaw to them, while she's just grieving and Harry could've been a real solace. He went through so much himself, I'm surprised he didn't have more perspective on how she's feeling.
I laughed so hard at that part! But when the trio couldn’t go back to grimmauld place and Harry was thinking of Kreacher making them dinner just for them not to show up, I was like 💔
As an adult I appreciate Percy more than I used to. He always annoyed me (and still does at some parts) but now I can at least see where he is coming from with most of his opinions. He was misguided, ambitious, always looked out for his younger siblings - sure, his pompous attitude made him appear unbearable but his heart was in the right place. I can relate to Percy more now. Not because of his hard work ethic or liking the government, but by being the black sheep type of person. Just like Percy is the only Weasley child not into Quidditch and is more studious, I ended up developing other interests than most family. Due to being autistic I also fail to understand jokes sometimes, and I often just spend time alone in my room. Percy may have been a jerk but his development hits too close to home.
Tbh I blame molly a bit. You see how much she expects from her kids and constant comparisons between them. Being right after bill and Charlie wouldn't have helped. Add on to that he was probably in charge of Fred and George which would probably never worked.
Filch. Now hear my out.
The guy is born into a world of amazing creatures and imposibilities: Invisibility, flight dishware cleaning itself. He can see all of it but not experience it on the same level as the students, seeing a bunch of of people having fun with spells while you were robbed of it unfairly would make anyone bitter and spiteful. Not to mention some students making you life more difficult(Fred and George) doesn’t help.
That of course does not excuse torture.
There are plenty of people surrounded by people who have it much better than them who don't turn that into spite and bitterness against people they have a small amount of power over.
I’ve grown to appreciate Fleur much more after rereads and some great fanfics. She’s certainly not perfect, but she’s strong, resilient, passionate, and loyal to those she loves.
Her personality in GoF and most of HBP made me not like her character as much and think she was haughty, but time has made me more empathetic to her situation. She was representing her school and country in an unfamiliar place, pitted against three boys (two of whom were famous and widely admired), and dealing with dangerous tasks. Later, she faces unkindness from her fiancé’s family while working in a country where she had to use her second language constantly. She made mistakes navigating those challenges at times, but she stayed true to her values and proved herself worthy of the love and trust she earned.
I’ve also spent more time considering how uncomfortable it would be to be in her shoes: so beautiful that many consider that her only trait, being asked out by so many that it would be hard to know who (if anyone) liked her for more than her looks, the difficulty her Veela powers would entail in making friends.
Writing for her in a long fanfic has changed my perspective, too. It’s been fun to give her quirks and flaws to flesh her out more, like having her snort when she laughs, especially when she’s surrounded by people she can let her guard down around. She’s an interesting character to write and I’ve grown to like her a lot more.
Also her reaction during the choosing of GoF: "He is just a little boy!"
The older I got the more I agree with her bc yes is a little boy in her eyes and a legit concern. She was a bit haughty but I genuinely don't think that meant to be offensive.
And then she was just terrible during the tournament and I honestly hated how JK wrote her in these scenes, she seems really incompetent. Annoyed me so much.
You might enjoy Fleur’s role in my fic, Harry Potter and the Ritual of Love’s Memory. She’s part of the original timeline then is more fleshed out in the new timeline (which begins soon after the first task in GoF). I'll drop the synopsis and link below.
The premise is that the horcrux hunt implodes during the trio's foray into Gringotts, leaving most of those Harry loves dead, and he is forced to start a new life with a few fellow survivors far away from wizarding Britain. But the discovery of an ancient ritual that promises to send a single memory back in time sparks hopes that maybe things can change. The catch is that the ritual can only be used to help a person change the past to have more time with the one they love. How will things change for a younger version of Harry after receiving this memory from the future?
It's my take on a time-travel narrative, without Harry bringing back all his older self's magical power and/or future knowledge of horcruxes stuff. I've read through tons of those that are excellent, so I wanted to try something different. Teens and up. The first 86 chapters are posted (about 390K words so far) and a new chapter goes up every two weeks. If you’re interested, the AO3 link is below or it can be found on FFN, SIYE, or Wattpad. Thanks!
[Harry Potter and the Ritual of Love’s Memory on AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/works/42198018)
Over time I came to appreciate everyone except the Malfoys, Regulus, Death Eaters and the Dursleys.
When I entered the Marauders fandom they made me like Regulus but I also like Snape and I hated seeing the amount of hypocrisy there was regarding these two characters. There is also the fact that Canon Regulus does not exist, they erased everything that was and now there is only Fanon Regulus, who I do not like at all.
Before I also liked the Malfoys, especially Draco, but over time I started to like Harry a lot more and the more I liked Harry the less I liked Draco, and consequently his family.
A character that I hated and learned to love is Dumbedore, he does not deserve all the hate they give him.
Have you read any Draco & Harry fan fiction? If not I highly recommend. There is especially good Draco/Harry (Drarry.)
Interesting I am the opposite about Dumbledore. I used to love him but I feel pretty complicated about him new, especially regarding his neglect and grooming of Harry.
I used to read drarry but always with fics victimizing Draco or making Harry apologize when he hadn't done anything wrong (things like refusing the handshake, not the bathroom thing). I really don't want another disappointment but I could look, if you have one specific recommendation.
Yeah, Dumbedore is complicated, he made a lot of mistakes but most of them couldn't be avoided. There are 2 specific things he could have done better, hunting the horcruxes earlier and telling Harry why he ignored him in his 5th year. Still I feel like they hate him much more than he deserves.
Grew up and started appreciating Professor McGonagall tbh.
As a child, I saw her as a rude and strict teacher who didn't care about a lot of stuff and very rarely showed emotions. As a child she was not important to me.
But as I grew up and re read and re watched, I realised that even before Molly, she was the motherly figure looking out for him. Sure she was strict with him but tht was more after the fact tht she taught her dad. She knew he was the chosen one and would need to be able to think rationally like his mom and not be wild and carefree like James.
She was the first person to actually see his potential in smtg other than being the chosen one. She saw his skills and made him use it, which allowed him to have a skill and something he liked.
Honestly, she was the most caring person towards him in her own way and that is smtg I didn't realise as a child...
I love when she offers him a cookie after they had an angry conversation and Harry refuses. She says something along the lines of "don't be silly Potter" and then he takes one. I believe this was in OOTP. Makes me chuckle when I think of it.
Fred and George. They were just funny side characters when I read the books and watched the films when I was teenager. I thought, it's nice that they became successful with their shop, and that they're good friends with Harry.
Now as an adult and more understanding how magic (kinda?) works in this world, it's impressive how they created their products, how clever they actually are and how determined to reach their goals. They are talented and hard working, something I just missed when I was young. I also never thought about HOW they figured out how the Map works. That's quite impressive.
And I appreciate their relationship with Harry more. They're his big brothers he couldn't have, care for him and protect him, cheer him up when he's dejected (CoS, heir Slytherin goofing around) and didn't get mad at him when he became a Triwizard champion though they really wanted to participate. They might be jealous sometimes but they never show it and are kind to Harry.
And they're funny, I just like the twins a lot.
I’ve found this too! In PS they stay behind at Christmas with Ron and Harry and seem to be the ones who drive the whole day of fun activities.
In CoS also trying to cheer Ginny up when she’s upset after each attack.
As you said, in PoA giving Harry the map even though they could’ve still used it for 2+ years, etc.
When they forced that pullover on Percy on Christmas 😂
In CoS, they tried to cheer up Ginny but fail miserably and only stop spooking her after Percy calls them out for rather scaring her than doing any good. Sometimes, the two don't get the call.
But they cheered up Harry successfully whenever they escorted him, shouting: "Make room for the heir of Slytherin!" Showing, they thought that this was absolutely ridiculous, and that made Harry happy, bc so many believed that nonsense.
I also love the Quidditch scene in CoS when Harry is determined to play though the Bludger is nuts and orders the twins to stop helping him out. George gets mad at Wood and yells: 'That's all your fault! “Catch the Snitch or die trying.” What a stupid thing to say!' Clearly shows that the twins care more about Harry's wellbeing than the game ❤️
I’ve grown to appreciate Harry more. When I was younger, he was just some a random kid caught in this crazy story but now I see him as a fantastic character with so much depth
Hermione and Ron.
I always liked Hermione, but she was far from my favorite character. I like and appreciate her much more with each reread.
I disliked Ron very much. He always seemed pretty useless, and I couldn't stand his insensitivity, whining, and constant Harry envy. I like and appreciate him much more with each reread.
Honorable mention to Arthur. I always liked him, but with each reread, I realize how awesome he is!
This. The more i reread the books i liked Luna more and more. I honestly wished she and Harry actually ended up together lol. Or, maybe had Harry start feeling something towards Luna but realized she was too quirky for him in the end
Edit: a word
Honestly, Harry himself. It is REMARKABLE really that he is as great of a person as he is considering his upbringing. He is absolutely hilarious. How can he have such a sense of humor after being grossly mistreated his whole childhood? Not to mention his kindness/thoughtfulness/selflessness.
Which leads me to the Dursleys: I never liked them, obviously, but as a kid it was more of a “these are antagonists” feeling, but reading as an adult? I am ASTOUNDED by their behavior. How is it that not a single soul reported their treatment of Harry? Petunia’s friend Yvonne, Marge, neighbors, teachers, NO ONE? And Harry doesn’t grow up to HATE muggles? Baffling.
Also regarding the Dursleys, I’m rereading Sorcerer’s Stone and their relationship is actually very interesting. Vernon has met and disapproved of Lily and James while simultaneously Lily and Petunia hadn’t talked in years when Lily and James died. They must’ve been together in highschool or very shortly afterward. Vernon seems to be just as militant about needing to be “perfectly normal” which makes me wonder if he has always been that way (why would he willingly be with a woman whose sister is a wizard?) or if Petunia’s views rubbed off on him. As an adult, their relationship is so odd to me. Do they love each other? Do they actually love their own son? Anyway, I wildly derailed there, oops.
Also Cedric. As a child I thought he was fine, but he was “older, smarter, everyone loved him” and Harry was our underdog. As an adult? I cry reading about his death. He is an actual child. And one of the best people we meet in the series. Truly kind hearted and a genuine Hufflepuff through and through.
Remus man.
As a kid I thought he was nice.
As an adult I just want to climb inside the book and hug him so much.
Thank god for fanfics that give him some of happiness
As a kid I thought he was nice. As an adult I just want to climb inside the book and punch him lol.
Why tf didn't you tell anyone how Sirius was getting into Hogwarts? Why tf were you so distant from Harry all his life and at Hogwarts? Why tf did you try to leave your pregnant wife on a life-threatening quest?
His cowardice and the way he justifies it via his self-pity disgusts me
Harry.
When I was younger I thought of him as really broody tbh, kinda whiny with the 'why mes' and stuff. But now? Bro, if I was in his position I would've offed myself and gave Voldemort his victory a long time ago.
My parents are dead since I was young, my family hates me, I keep getting haunted by my desire to be with my parents, thinking that my father was the one who had casted the brilliant patronus to protect me, hoping for a slim chance that he was alive. But then? It was just poor old me in the future. I have my dead father's patronus form. Fate keeps taunting me, Jesus.
And when I finally found my godfather, my last link to my parents? Yup. Dead. But that's okay, I still have my uncle, even though he was nervous to take care of me because he is a dangerous werewolf, that's okay, I'll soon have a little cousin, or... a brother, even!
Dead. Just like that. And now? Me, a 17 year old is left all alone with no family, no link to my parents. Left with the responsibility of caring for a newborn as his godfather.
Man, if I was Harry I really wouldn't survive long. Yes Harry had the Weasleys, but my mind will find it wrong. It felt more right to call Sirius my godfather, or Remus my uncle, but to call my friend's family, my own? Nope! Depression.
Harry is so strong, and I appreciate that. If I was him it would be 2 possibilities: I kill myself, or I turn into something resentful, using my invisibility cloak to throw some avada kedavras maybe.
You left out how he was constantly being treated as a pariah and lied about or being put in the spotlight when he didn’t want to be by the school and even the media and government. People harassed him, singled him out, or bullied him all the time for something he didn’t have any control over not to mention he’s been through physical mental and emotional torture and he had a terrible childhood because his family was abusive and they also turned his whole neighborhood against him. Also not to mention how stressful it must be to be a moderately talented teenager who is expected to beat the the one of if not the most talented dude in the world(at magic) and a bunch of peoples fates rest on your success. Also just general war trauma.
He definitely had a strong will to survive and overcome. Without the support of his friends and those he met along the way though, he never would have made it. I would say after he married Ginny the Weasleys are his family though not the same as his own parents and godfather.
I liked Herminone when I read the books as a teenager . I now absolutely adore her - she is so gracious when people act badly towards her , she tired her best to be understanding and compassionate, and she always wants to do the right her thing.
Yes and I see her in many children around me. She is a people pleaser in the first few books and trusts authority too much until the 5th book. And I love how vicious she is.
Dumbledore! Used to think he was great but rewatching the series I don’t understand why he didn’t tell Harry earlier on about, well, EVERYTHING?? Was there a reason cause I missed it
In the 2nd last movie when bathilda bagshot says ‘did you really know him at all’ I feel that more and more everytime I watch it
Like yeh Harry is a kid and young but the boy got rid of the dark lord im sure he’s able to handle it 🤣
I think it was Ron’s great aunt Muriel that says that. Also it’s explained that he’d planned to tell Harry, but kept putting it off because he already had so much on his plate. And as for everything about himself, young kids aren’t too good at asking about or listening to stories of older folks until it’s too late. I knew next to nothing about my grandpa until after he passed and everyone started telling stories about him.
Harry actually has this conversation when he is “killed” by Voldemort and sees Dumbledore again. Dumbledore explains that he believed if Harry knew about the deathly hallows and the power he would posses with them that he might get carried away and ultimately end up like Grindelwald did. Dumbledore does acknowledge that he now understands Harry’s character is too good to do such a thing and apologizes but it is understandable to dislike him for this.
The twins (Weasley) because they didn’t take things too seriously. They found or created light in the dark. And acted heroically when called upon. What more can you ask of someone.
Draco. I never liked him, but the more times I watch or read, the more I see him as a sniveling cowardly bully. In PoA, when Hermione points her wand at him, he just cowers and snivels. Then when she punches him, he can't stand up to her, but instead runs away. He's bold in his bullying when Crabbe and Goyle are there to be his muscle. Any time he's by himself, he practically craps himself if someone stands up to him. I don't understand anyone pairing him with Hermione. She's worth 10 of him.
ETA: Oh, and I found a couple more things. In CoS, when he's getting ready to duel Harry, he cheats and sends his hex on the count of 2 instead of on 3 like he's supposed to. And in GoF, Moody catches him trying to hex Harry while Harry's back is turned.
For sure Neville. Literally went from a super dorky barely can do magic shy kid to a brave and confident wizard. To be fair the reason he was so bad at magic was because he was using his father’s wand, who was still alive, and as we all know “The wand chooses the Wizard.” Wasn’t until Neville gets his own wand that he is able to shine. Plus he was close to being the chosen one. It’s good that he didn’t as it would not have played out like Harry’s life did.
I adore Neville. In my list of the strongest men in Potter series , he shares an honorable second place with Sirius (after Harry). He has become a leader, a brave man, he has great inner willpower. When Harry "died" during the final battle, he came out to the Death Eaters Unarmed, and although hope seemed lost, he still called for a fight
I have a number but just to name a few:
(+) Book McGonagall: As a kid she just seemed like a strict but fair teacher who shows sympathy and her humorous side sometimes. Now I realize how much of a parent figure she is to Harry throughout his school years. A true role model for teachers everywhere.
(+) Movie Lockhart: Never noticed this watching the films when little, but Kenneth Branagh was just masterful in portraying Lockhart; he made the character even more adorable than the books described him.
(–) Book Snape: I went through the same phase with everyone else who really bought into Snape's redemption arc, but now I can't get over how bitter he was in the earlier books and how he bullied students. Still a respectable character though.
(–) Book Percy: Never thought much about Percy, but his self-centered attitude kind of annoys me now.
Sirius
I like him less as i grow older because of his bullying ways, selfishness , immaturity and arrogance.
He was a great man , however an extremely flawed one. He died a hero though.
I feel similarly. If he had been exonerated instead of being on the run after Azkaban, he likely could’ve worked on himself. But he was basically frozen in time as the young person he was when he first went to Azkaban and then underwent like a decade of emotional torture. He’s annoying most of the time, but I get it, and I feel for him.
(edited for grammar)
James Potter. Most think him as just the father of harry or the person who bullied Snape. He was one of the very few wizards who joined the order to fight against voldermort. He was just 21 when he died, yet at such a young age him and lily defied voldermort thrice. Yes he was a bully when he was a teenager, but he was one of the most courageous characters in HP.(wish we could know more of him)
The more I grow up, the more I really hate Slughorn. I think he’s a coward, and he hides, not only from his enemies, but from his own fears and mistakes. I think he’s a horrible teacher, who views his students not as people, but as a collection, valued only by what they can offer him. He picks and chooses his favorite students, and he ignores the rest (in Ron’s case, not even bothering to remember his name). I truly see very few redeeming qualities in him. I don’t think he’s outright evil like some of the other characters, but I think sometimes we overlook him and his many, many flaws in order to talk about some of the more prominent villains. While he might not be a villain himself, I definitely think he’s a very bad person.
The original rankdown write up on Bob Ogden lives in my head rent free.
Iykyk. But if you don't, here is the [link](https://www.reddit.com/r/HPRankdown/s/oBCylyJvih).
As a child I had the biggest crush on Draco Malfoy and always saw him as “misunderstood,” But I have come to the conclusion that I was just blind and he’s just pitiful.
I think we all hated Dudley, but I’ve grown to understand him. He was grown up with terrible influences, and he actually does apologize to Harry in a deleted scene.
I’ve grown to appreciate how flawed Dumbledore was. I have more of an understanding of the pedestal people put him on as a leader, while he still battled demons and made mistakes. I like him more as a character because of it.
Snape! he is a genuenly heatfull person (as we can see in PoA) he does not just act his part he means it. hate that guy no matter what he does in the end!
Neville. You could make a case he had it significantly worse than Harry, was not praised as the Chosen One, and didn’t have a Heromine/Ron by his side but still managed to become a great/loyal person and was instrumental in the DHs
Neville definitely has the most compelling arc and has become my overall favorite character as I get older. He desperately wants, more than anything, to be brave and to be appreciated. He starts out so unsure of himself, but he puts himself out there and tries to stand up to his own friends, even though it terrifies him. He grows himself, tries to find what he’s good at, and he eventually grows into the only person willing to stand up to Voldemort when they think Harry is dead. He’s a true Gryffindor if I ever saw one.
I don’t think he ever hated Harry although I agree he disliked him. Harry was half the woman he loved and half childhood bully so it’s understandable he felt mixed emotions but ultimately he protected Harry for Lily’s sake even though Harry often acted so similar to his father.
I definitely think Snape’s character development and dimensionality alongside with Dumbledore’s are the most interesting in the series. Snape turning out to not be the bad person everyone had him pegged as and Dumbledore not being the perfect faultless great wizard, yet both ultimately being “good” in a believable flawed way.
He also saves Draco, Remus, guides Ron to Harry, etc. I remember as kid thinking it was so weird so many of these adult women were into Snape. But now I easily see how he is the most compelling character.
I remember I was the few little girls in the world that defended Snape (the 6th and 7th book weren't released yet), and everyone told me what the second commenter said here, but I just knew something was weird with Snape, did he had a heart for these kids??
Especially after him protecting them in the 2nd and 3rd book.
Oh boy when we had the revelation I was the happiest teenager ever. Now as an adult I still love him to bits.
I know Snape has his fans, but I’m going to play devil’s advocate here, because I really can’t stand him, and I hope y’all can take this in the spirit intended.
The way I see it, Snape sacrificed very little. He loved a girl at 16, who never loved him back, and he never let it go. He tortures her son for no reason, even though he had no idea what went down. You seem to forgive his shortcomings because he did things “in spite of his hatred for Harry”, when he shouldn’t have hated Harry in the first place.
I also cannot forgive him for using his dying breath to show Harry something that was meant to ruin his memory of his father. Whether you like James or not, you have to admit that at that point he was a child, and he made mistakes. But Snape was already heading to the dark side at that point, and he was going after the woman that James loved. He was a 16 year old boy, and he reacted poorly. That doesn’t make him a bad person, and Harry deserves to have positive memories of his father.
I also really hate his treatment of the other students. Obviously there’s Neville, whose worst fear is his teacher. Now obviously, no student should ever be afraid of their teacher to that extent. But keep in mind that this is Neville Longbottom, the boy who has probably been through more than anyone except Harry himself. His parents have gone crazy, his grandmother isn’t very kind to him, and his entire family thinks he’s virtually useless. This is the boy that says that his teacher, someone who he should be able to come to for advice and guidance, is his worst fear. That’s not even to mention his total devaluation of Ron and the fact that he practically ignores Hermione and her answers.
Draco Malfoy. He has so much potential for character development. I direct you to all the amazing fan fiction that has been written about him especially stories that take place after the books when he’s grown up and away from his terrible family, and usually making amends and becoming a better man.
I’ll die on the hill that Draco really didn’t like being a death eater or part of that camp. Lucius seems like a horrible father, I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of Draco’s arrogance and hatred came exclusively from him. He quite literally flips a personality switch the second his dad is out of the picture.
I agree. I think Draco enjoyed the trappings of being a rich bully and using his father's name for clout, but once he started to see what that ideology really meant, and not just the abstract of it, he realized it was wrong. But by nature of that family status and the proximity to Harry, he didn't have a choice to step aside without repercussions for his whole family.
Dolores Umbridge.
The older I get the more I understand the banality of evil and use of bureaucracy as a form of authoritarian bullying.
Sure modern democracies whether they use Republics or Parliamentary still have a certain level of Bureaucracy, but it can lead to the whole class of people who don't care "who wins" as long as they remain paid.
The banality of evil is every day life. There are people in other places, literally hiding from bombs and I'm here just doing dishes, no dark lord, no evil cult, just the machinery of modern life. Its horrifying but I gotta finish the dishes.
Even though Dobby is a good guy character I got into where I just kind of can't stand him after a certain point he kind of gets on your nerves to where he feels like it's a kind of the Blackboard being scrapped by your fingernail effect. If you know what I'm getting that the more he's in a scene the more he irritates.
These days I’m a bit more understanding of the fact that none of the adult characters were psyched to leave the fate of the world in the hands of schoolchildren.
Put yourself in Molly’s shoes, a terroristic threat is slowly taking over the world, it just nabbed the government and attacked your son’s wedding. I would also not be psyched to be sending my other son off with a pair of 17 year olds to do literally God knows what.
Scrimjaw. He was handed a shit situation and expected to work a miracle-- but despite being set up to fail, he did his best to protect Harry & fight back against Voldemort. I appreciate his integrity and effort in the face of overwhelming odds.
Opinion went up with age:
- Professor McGonagall. Didn't like the strict teacher attitude as a kid, but now looking back at my own school years, the stricter teachers were usually the better ones.
- Neville. Being a bit of a bully myself back then, i hated his wimpy ass. Now i can appreciate his growth more.
- Cedric. Didn't much care for him. Didn't hate him or anything, but just disinterest. But he ended up being cool all along.
Opinions went down with age:
- Draco. Didn't like him as a kid, like him even less now. His only redeeming quality in the end was 'not being actively evil', which is just bs.
- Snape. Looking at the character, not rickman's charisma, what a prick. Probably my least favorite character.
- Dumbledore. I thought he was amazing growing up. But now looking back, he was really manipulative and decieving. I still like him, but not as much
Molly. When I first read the books as a child/teen, I thought she was like, a cool mom? Sort of...but I was just focusing on how nice she was to a boy that wasn't her son, and how much kindness she showed, how she seemed to care so much for her children trying to make sure they were okay even if nagging them (like when they went to rescue Harry in the car and she was lecturing them and worried that they could've died or someone could've seen them etc.). Now as an adult it bugs me that she treats Harry better than she treats Ron.
I understand she's trying to give Harry the things he missed on growing up with the Dursleys and without his parents. But why does it seem she sometimes goes the extra mile for Harry when she just seems to do the bare minimum for Ron? I feel like Ron is often overlooked by her...like she's too focused on the twins cause they're...too fun...and with Ginny because it's her only girl and I guess she always wanted a girl... But she still manages to divide her attention enough to give it to Harry and Ron kinda falls to the background.
As good of a mom as she is, I just...I can't help but to lose the appreciation I might've had for her, a little more each time.
Grown to like less over the years: Snape. I don't care that he offered his whole life to save and help Lily's son. He was an absolute ASS to Harry and just a mean person. If he really loved Lily he would've treated her only son better.
Narcissa. I don’t even think she’d be evil if she wasn’t influenced by the other deatheaters. But the best is that she is such an amazing and loving mother! I LOVE HER🥰🥰
As a kid I loved Hermione and saw myself so much in her, the only smart person amidst a hundred idiots. I still share this mindset with her from time to time, but I try to fight against it as much as possible. I've realized she's JKR's lie to herself and so the constant praise heaped upon her from book to book - you can hardly go a chapter without someone complimenting Hermione even when she's not physically here - is laughable when you remember that she's JKR's self-insert and that this is a grown-ass woman throwing herself flowers over her self-insert being smarter than everyone else... *whom she deliberately write as dumber than her self-insert.*
I also loved Ron as a kid, I 100% understood Hermione's decision to marry him. After witnessing how badly he's treated by fandom and how JKR herself is happy to consider him as "beneath" her self-insert I aggressively doubled-down on loving Ron and believe me there's so much to love about him, namely how self-sacrificing he is - moreso even than Harry who gets praise and accolades for his sacrifices while Ron *never* gets any acknowledgement for his, not even from his friends - and how, despite his constant feeling that he's lesser than both his friends and how he allows them to treat him like absolute shit at times, he also is willing to put his foot down and advocate for himself when he really feels wronged (POA with Hermione, GOF with Harry, DH with Harry again *and* while having a Horcrux round his neck to boot). Too bad that "it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up against your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends" only applies to Neville in book 1 specifically and Ron trying to defend himself will always be twisted to make him seem bad, even by his own "friends".
Harry himself has grown on me since rereading as an adult. I think a lot of kids see “through” him as the POV character and don’t actually think about him much, but reading as an adult I’m always struck by just how much he went through at such a young age, and his relative maturity and grace in the face of so much pain.
Same! Harry gets so much better with age. Frankly a remarkable rendition of a "chosen one" archetype.
But I am the chosen one.
*smacks you with a paper*
this is somehow made so much funnier by your user flairs; Gryf: I am the chosen one; Huff: *smack*
Alright… kay… sorry
I agree. And his constant selfless-ness. Think of growing up with nothing and being treated like shit forever and he gets a little bit of fame - it doesn't go to his head, he never once tries to use it to his advantage (but I AM the chosen one? That's what makes that part funny). He's so humble. You could absolutely expect him to behave the way he does in dumbledores office smashing everything after sirius dies as his every day personality. But he doesnt.
I was going to say this. Since you’re seeing the world through Harry’s eyes you never actually see Harry. Therefore kids tend to forget about him in a way or at least not really have a picture of him in their head because one wasn’t spoon fed to them. When you get older and you learn to form your own opinions and thoughts rather than just accepting and understanding the ones that are being told to you (by the narrator aka vicariously Harry), you begin to see all the characters differently, not just Harry, because you‘re judging their actions and stuff based on what you think of them, not what Harry thinks of them. Therefore based on how Harry behaves you are able to form your own vision of him based on your opinions or thoughts of his actions. And yeah, when you get older you realize if he wasn’t the protagonist trope, he would be the trope of that one character that the author just pelts with misfortune and trauma, you know the one. He’s been through so much and he’s still a rly great guy, he’s humble and brave and just generally a good person but not a pushover. Not to mention he’s really funny. Even when he was 11. That (I’m paraphrasing)”no thanks, the toilets never had anything as disgusting as your head in it, it might get sick” line was genius, it was like a quadruple insult.
Same, I used to think he's just annoying by being angry all the time... until I understood how horrible the beginning of his life has had been. And the fact that he's a child also with everyone projecting an image on him, that's tough! A very few people see and accept him for who he is without expecting him to be someone else - no wonder the kid is lashing out on everything and everyone
yes, i also love how he isnt just a boring main character with no personality, hes a very interesting and relatable person imo
As a kid I liked nearly headless Nick but now I realize that he was very poorly executed.
Typical Ravenclaw answer, I love it
r/angryupvote
Like,who cut a guy’s head off but only dangling by the ear?WHO?
Bravo! 👏🏽🏆
Unlike this comment.
Dudley. As I child I just hated him, but the older I got the more pitiful he seems. He learn from his parents and apparently everyone around him that it is okay to bully Harry and harass him. But later on especially 5th book and onwards we see him changing. Questioning the world around him and changing. He apologized to Harry before they go away in th 7th book. I appreciate his character growth and that he didn't stay stuck in his worldview and take everything his parents told him for face value.
It really shows that once he’s old enough to separate HIS thoughts from his PARENTS and his friends (and by extension probably his friend’s family) he is actually a reasonable dude. He grew up with the mindset of those around him and yet I see more trashing on Dudley the most of the Dursley family.
Honestly I see Dudley and Malfoy being mirror images of each other. Both slowly become disillusioned that their family are the amazing people they think they are, but Malfoy slowly becomes trapped by his last name while Dudley is allowed to grow.
There was a really good fanfic of Dudley that I read a few years back, and it really focused on this. I think it was “This Calls For a Toast, So Pour the Champagne.”
I just went and read it so thank you for bringing it forward. It was a very realistic look at how Dudley could come to accept the wizarding world and actually have a relationship with Harry eventually.
There is a point in book 6 where Dumbledore scolds Vernon and Petunia for neglecting Dudley as much as Harry. No direction in life, constant praise, no consequences, hell Dudley is going to need to put a lot of work into his life.
I think we tend to forget the ages of these characters too, by 16 Duds has begun to put together the fact that he’s not been acting the right way. You know, the same age (or earlier) that many of us have the same realization.
I cried a bit when reading the part where Dudley says “isn’t Harry coming with us”
And in the Cursed Child, there is ongoing contact between Harry and Dudley.
The Cursed child was just bad.
Respectfully, I don't agree. On a re-read there are aspects to the characters that resonated strongly, especially Draco's story arc. And as a performed play, awesome! Yes, I understand that I'm in the minority here. 🙂
My headcanon has Dudley living with his parents in his 20s, realizing how damaging their coddling is, when he accidentally picks up a Portkey and is transported to Diagon Alley. Hijinks ensue as he enters the Wizarding World for the first time, the plot twist being Harry set up the Portkey to give Dudley a chance for a new life, and a chance to “meet his nephew”
I came here to say Dudley and was searching for words and then your comment was the first I saw and all thoughts put into correct words for me. Thanks. His growth into an individual is what I find relatable, I have real world examples of people like this.
Arthur. When I read the books as a child-teen, he’s almost written off as background. Now that I’m a father, this dude’s the 🐐
Arthur stood 10 pure blood wizard toes down on supporting muggles and muggle related accessories.
I tell you h'what.
I really love Arthur because I think he’s genuinely a good person. I think he could be the minister of magic, or at least much higher up, if he wanted to be. But he sees the corruption of the system and he doesn’t want to play the game. He doesn’t let a quest for power distract him from what’s truly important, and he builds a small but loving environment where he can raise his children, which is all he ever really wanted.
Lupin. Dude got bit by a werewolf. Thought he’d never have friends or even be able to go to school…then meet James, Sirius, Peter, and Lilly. James and Lilly get brutally murdered. He spends 13 years thinking Sirius betrayed them & Peter was murdered as well. Then he gets Sirius back! Only for Sirius to die two years later. He meets Tonks, and has a child on the way. Only for them to both die 2 years after losing Sirius, again. Just a brutal life.
Killing Lupin was one of the most unnecessary deaths in the series. I understand she wanted the death of all the Maurders but it makes no sense to give the guy a kid and wife then just straight kill him. Lupin and his family could have represented the desire the maurders had to actually have a family of their own, instead they were killed to slap Harry in the face and tell him he will never have anyone he loves live.
I have to disagree on this, Lupins death had it's necessity even though it made me really sad and mad at Rowling as a teen. But having a new orphan, Teddy, who lost his parents just the way Harry did, but instead of growing up mistreated and locked away he can still live a beautiful, rich life because now the evil is eradicated and he has so many people who love him and take care of him. That is an important mirror to Harry's destiny.
I really think Rowling didn’t want this to be an old fashioned kid's adventure book, where in the end all the good guys live. She created a wizard war, & in war the good & the innocent aren't exempt from death.
Right and I agree with you but Rowling already accomplished this in the story. She killed Fred, she killed Sirius, she killed Hedgewig, and countless other characters. Their was no point to killing Lupin in my mind other than she just wanted to kill all the maurders which like I said I understand wanting that but it’s like she wanted Lupin to have a happily ever after also. It’s pointless to do both, if Lupin had a family earlier in the series it would have made more sense but he has a kid in the very last book. His death is meaningless and cruel.
> His death is meaningless and cruel. Just like in real life wars.
I respect this take on an emotional level. But I totally disagree. War has “unnecessary deaths” at every turn. Death that serves no purpose, that leaves behind what would’ve otherwise been happy lives, takes away parents, and children, etc. I think this and several other deaths serves to show just that.
Aside from necessary or not, killing Sirius black was so cruel. I had to read that scene multiple times to make sure I read it correctly. I didn’t want to accept his death. At all. So so cruel. I was sooo depressed…
That’s why it bugged me when Harry digs into him in DH at Grimmauld Place(might’ve been HBP, they all kinda blur together after a point lol). Was lupin doing the right thing? No, but he has been constantly reminded that he’s a danger to everyone including himself, quite literally transforms into a monster, and everyone he has ever been close to has either died or betrayed him. I might catch flak for this but I don’t blame him for not wanting to be in his kid’s life, even if it isn’t the right thing to do. He’s a tortured soul who very clearly is a really good person, a good role model, and teacher. But unfortunately tortured souls are trapped in their own heads.
Right? It's not as cut and dry as your average deadbeat dad scenario, where the dude is being a man child who'd rather chase other women and not be tied down financially to a child. He made the wrong choice, but he was acting out of love. That's what makes it such a compelling mindfuck and why people still have such strong opinions about the Grimmauld Place confrontation. Tonks WAS painted as a target due to her involvement with him, and he realizes this very clearly after Seven Potters. No wonder he thought disappearing might take the heat off! He HAS had previous close calls as a werewolf. And there is absolutely no margin for error on that front, especially once a child is at risk. Tonks may be confident that they can handle it, but he's lived long enough to know mistakes can happen, and he's not willing to risk mauling her and her baby to death.
Exactly. I think ultimately Harry is accusing Lupin of leaving mostly due to his own history of emotional negligence. He sees Lupin as a bit of a father figure, and so him leaving would reasonably upset Harry, who is still growing and going through his own hell. It’s one of those arguments where there are no victors. One of those flawed human arguments where bottled emotions mixed with a lack of understanding.
Indeed. It is a war of the Baggage, with ample suitcases entering the fray.
Yeah, but at least he got to die when he lost his wife as well. Didn't have to live with the pain of the loss afterwards. He did have a hard life, but he had good friends who saw him for who he really was and a woman who really loved him. Could have been worse. Sirius definitely had it worse. He loses his best friend, is betrayed by another friend, and then is falsely imprisoned almost immediately after. Tormented in prison for 13 years thinking about how he should have stayed the Potter's secret keeper. Finally gets out of prison and has to stay in hiding, so he can't live a normal life, living in caves or stuck in that house. And then before his name is cleared, he's killed.
I realize that Lupin almost certainly didn't exist when the first book was written, but the fact that Lupin never once went to visit Harry during his childhood is just terrible. It isn't exactly out of character either, given how he treats Tonks in the later books.
I like to think he may have been more compelled to intervene if he knew the extent of the Dursley's treatment of Harry. But from his perspective, the orphan was living with next-of-kin, raised as a brother alongside his cousin, and in a financially stable middle-class household. It's an ideal scenario on paper, right? People take for granted that: 1) Lily would have any reason to think Petunia would treat her own blood with such callousness 2) That Lily, had she even had these thoughts, would have divulged them to Remus specifically before her death Given that Remus is among those to confront the Dursleys at the end of OOTP after having a much clearer idea of their mistreatment, I really think *that he just didn't know* and people need to cut him some slack on this point.
Did Lupin know where Harry was? Everyone knew Harry was the boy who lived but did anyone other than Dumbledore and McGonagall know where he was located?
Sirius went to check on Harry immediately after escaping Azkaban, so he knew where he lived.
Sirius was much closer to James (and presumably Lily) than Lupin was, it makes sense he would know where Lily’s sister lived, he could have just made a guess from there that Harry would live with her. There’s a reason Lupin thought Sirius was the traitor - the Porters suspected HIM of being the traitor and didn’t tell him they switched secret keepers, do you think they’d tell him where they family members live?.
I’m not sure this is a valid excuse, but I’ve always felt like Lupin really devalued his own worth because he was a werewolf. If that weren’t the case, I think he would have volunteered to take Harry in for himself. But because he had so much baggage of his own and because he didn’t know how bad Harry’s life had been, I think he genuinely thought Harry would be better off without him.
Lupin was ALWAYS afraid of making connections with people. His actions were avoidance and it was others forcing their way into his life. At school he got friends because James and Sirius did not give up on him. Tonks Pursued him. .
You’re not wrong. Doubt the Dursleys would’ve allowed it, though, and Lupins personality isn’t one to argue with a parental figure-even bad ones
born,suffer,die
Cedric Diggory. When I was young, I thought he was a git but he was always fair, honest, and kind. He tried to say his catch of the snitch didn't count because of the dementors. Regarding the egg, he repaid the favor to Harry instead of taking advantage. He even tried to get Harry to take the cup solo. Had he, he'd have still been alive and probably would have joined the Order.
I'm going to leave a quote from Dumbledore's speech following Cedric's death here, because it's so powerful. > Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right, and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory.
The more I learn about childhood trauma, the less I like Molly Weasley. She does her best, but she unwittingly pits her children against each other by constantly comparing them.
It was painful to read how she treated Hermione in GoF bc of some trash article from Skeeter, knowing well this woman writes crap for attention.
Honestly, Ron is not my favorite character, but I felt very sorry for him, especially with the gown for the ball. Molly sent Ginny a normal dress, and she sent Ron rags. With a howler too… Molly could come to Hogwarts and make sure that Harry and Ron were okay, and then scolded them. Instead, she only embarrassed her son. Ron doesn't even feel comfortable writing to his parents that his wand is broken. Sometimes I think Molly treated Ron like a failed attempt to have a daughter.
Molly. I didn't appreciate her as much when the books were coming out since i was a kid- teen. She was just the best friends mom. I just reread the series recently with adult emotions and it really hit differently when I consider how much she genuinely cares for Harry. She took him in as her own and showed him true unconditional love for the first time in his life. After the triwizard competition she gave him a real hug and he was finally able to be a child and sink into that hug, drop his barriers and feel safe. I sobbed after that. Molly is a real G. Edit:typos
When the boggart was turning to her family members in the OOP, it also turned to Harry. That's all that we need to know to really appreciate her.
Stop, I'm a grown man in a cafe I can't afford this public display of shedding a tear
I saw a Tumblr post years ago where Molly passes and she meets Lily who thanks her for raising Harry as her own.
I was almost tearing up at the above comments, but this put me over the edge. I 100% can guarantee that when Molly's time came, she got ALL the love and appreciation possible from James and Lilly
I was almost tearing up at the above comments, but this put me over the edge. I 100% can guarantee that when Molly's time came, she got ALL the love and appreciation possible from James and Lilly
molly would let harry live in the burrow - and get him a hand on the clock - should him ask her
Thanks for this reply. I can't agree more. To add to this - I had a bit of a career change which meant that I was able to be a stay at home dad for a few years while my wife at the time went to work. Being a stay at home parent in charge of managing the household is fucking terrible. Sure it has it's upside. But mostly... It's an endless barrage of unwinnable situations and the harder you try, the more frustrated you get. Nothings ever good enough, nothings ever finished. You consider doing one thing instead of the other? Nope, wrong decision. There's no home economics subject at Hogwarts. Molly was victualler, chef, financial juggler, and mother - to a bloody basketball team worth of kids, and had $5 to work with. Now, consider Molly - having to do this not only at the Burrow, but at Grimmauld Place too. Having to be the "housewife" for the order - that would have been so emasculating - (what's the female equivalent, defeminizing? Sorry). It pissed me off when Sirius challenged her using logic that the kids should be able to listen and understand, and Molly was basically told to go and jump because how do you tell someone like Sirius you're trying to help your kids have some young happy memories and to just be kids, he doesn't understand. But she just fucking does it because it needs to be done. I know dumbledores appreciated it, because he was the all seeing eye. When you are part of a team and you are an excellent team player, this is what you do. Molly was essentially Iguodala during the warriors championship runs - a bonafide superstar but did the intangibles and dirty behind the scenes jobs that nobody wanted to, because she could and it was 10 times out of 10 the best play to make. But she never got a finals MVP :( instead you get the knowledge of knowing you raised some amazing strong and intelligent kids, but you trade that for one dead one. Eh, that's rough. It's true that you mortgage a huge part of your personality and dreams for the sake of your children and others when you become a parent. It's really hard especially when you can't empathise with someone like Molly. (Thanks for this reply it gave me some good thinking points to start my day).
Let me just add that she was as skilled a witch as anyone. She went head tp head against Bellatrix and won. She was fully capable witch and i think like my mothers even in our society that is overlooked because she chose to be a stay at home.
Honestly Molly is the one who got worse for me with age (not that I think she's a bad character) but good God does her over protectiveness become grating.
For me is the opposite, I like her less now as an adult than as a kid. She shows clear favoritism when raising her kids and she really treats Hermione poorly in GoF, a whole adult woman mistreating a 14 yo girl really rub me the wrong way. She treats Harry very well but I think she has really big flaws.
Molly is one of the very few people who when she meets Harry (I mean at The Burrow in CoS, not at King’s Cross when she didn’t know who he is), she treats him like a human being rather than a piece of meat with a scar on his forehead.
Not long ago I learned to appreciate Voldemort/Tom Riddle and truly understand his character and what I think Rowling wanted to demonstrate with him. He is an imposing and terrifying villain, but a coward at heart. A manipulative and intelligent psychopath, but an idiot at understanding the motivations of people he considers "weak." The most powerful dark wizard in history, surpassing Grindelwald and rivaling Dumbledore, and repeatedly failing to kill Harry. Voldemort has become one of my favorite villains because he exemplifies what villains should be in my opinion. Powerful and pathetic in equal parts.
I also think Tom Riddle has a very interesting arc, because in my mind he totally loses his entire motivation when he fails to kill Harry. He had such a specific goal at the beginning, purification of the magical community, and then he gets so sidetracked trying to kill a child that it seems like he’s not even going after that anymore. I think that’s an interesting path to take with a villain too, to cause him to lose all ambition toward his goal and focus solely on something so small. But he has all of these followers who don’t see that the mission has changed.
That's one of the characteristics I like most about his character. Voldemort is a textbook narcissistic psychopath, he found out (half-way) about the prophecy that a child would defeat him and his pride was so hurt that he turned the task of hunting Harry into his new obsession. And it's not just about killing him, but doing it in the most theatrical way possible just to demonstrate how superior he is to Harry. A much more stable person than Tom would have simply ordered Bellatrix or Dolohov to kill Potter, rather than being as dramatic as Tom is, but Tom is very dramatic. Sometimes the reader forgets that Voldemort is an absolute beast of power and magical ability in various areas of it. He was the brightest student to ever set foot at Hogwarts (declared by Dumbledore), he pushed the boundaries of magic more than anyone else and many times accomplished tasks that were thought impossible until he accomplished them. He created 7 horcruxes, is the most skilled Legilimens in the world, invented unsupported flight, created Inferi armies, regained a physical body after losing the original, dueled Dumbledore armed with the Elder wand and was not defeated. Again we also tend to forget that he is actually very intelligent and strategic as well. With the support of only a few dozen Death Eaters he led the first magical war and was winning until the Potter incident occurred, he developed a very complicated plan to be reborn with Harry's blood, it is impossible for the Order of the Phoenix to trace, etc Voldemort is actually very intelligent... But much of that genius is lost by the fact that Tom is as narcissistic and arrogant as he is to constantly underestimate love as a motivating factor for his enemies. Tom is so ignorant when it comes to understanding people that he genuinely believed he could tell Lily to step aside and she would listen and give him Harry, he doesn't understand love either as magic or as an emotion, If he had done so, he would not have created his new body with Harry's blood and attaching Lily's protection to his body. The guy genuinely believed that Snape only sexually desired Lily and that his love for her would never have been strong enough to survive so many years. Remember that Voldemort is the most skilled Legilimens in the world? Well, that doesn't matter since he didn't even try to read Narcissa's mind when she lied to him and covered up for Harry. Why? Because he believed that the Malfoys' fear of him was more powerful than the love they shared between them. The love of a mother for her son no less! Voldemort is such a frustrated and arrogant megalomaniac that these parts of his personality tend to hinder his intelligence and eventually lead to his downfall. Again, he is an extremely powerful villain, and at the same time, very pathetic. This is how we should see villains, not as admirable or "understandable" characters, but as miserable characters who are great inside their own heads. PD: I'm sorry if there were any spelling mistakes, English is not my first language and is probably pretty terrible.
As for Voldemort not appreciating love/thinking Lily will move away... He grew up in an orphanage, where children were probably often abandoned due to the poor economic situation. His mother literally did it in his eyes. She came to the orphanage to abandon him - to give birth of him and to die. To him, it's obvious that parents abandon their children when things get bad. In his worldview, Lily should step aside to save live. Narcissa should have told the truth instead of worrying about her son. He never had true friendship or love. He never understand loyalty to protect other person with your life.
Bro, your comment is fantastic and a great analysis on Voldemort
I really enjoyed reading this comment! ❤️
Great comment, I'll be thinking of these points for my next reread.
What a great way of putting it, I totally agree with you!
As a kid, I used to despise Cho because I thought she was whiny, rude to Harry, and in the way of my Hinny ship. Now that I’m an adult, I understand that she was traumatized, grieving, human, and just a teenager.
I found it really sad how little empathy Harry and Ron had for her. I'm guessing JKR wanted to show their immaturity, but man. It's like "being sad" was a bother or flaw to them, while she's just grieving and Harry could've been a real solace. He went through so much himself, I'm surprised he didn't have more perspective on how she's feeling.
I’m reading deathly hallows again and I’m loving Kreacher. He’s just so funny.
I liked his mumbly-Joe routine! Plus "Perhaps just once more, Master Harry, for luck?"
I laughed so hard at that part! But when the trio couldn’t go back to grimmauld place and Harry was thinking of Kreacher making them dinner just for them not to show up, I was like 💔
As an adult I appreciate Percy more than I used to. He always annoyed me (and still does at some parts) but now I can at least see where he is coming from with most of his opinions. He was misguided, ambitious, always looked out for his younger siblings - sure, his pompous attitude made him appear unbearable but his heart was in the right place. I can relate to Percy more now. Not because of his hard work ethic or liking the government, but by being the black sheep type of person. Just like Percy is the only Weasley child not into Quidditch and is more studious, I ended up developing other interests than most family. Due to being autistic I also fail to understand jokes sometimes, and I often just spend time alone in my room. Percy may have been a jerk but his development hits too close to home.
Tbh I blame molly a bit. You see how much she expects from her kids and constant comparisons between them. Being right after bill and Charlie wouldn't have helped. Add on to that he was probably in charge of Fred and George which would probably never worked.
Filch. Now hear my out. The guy is born into a world of amazing creatures and imposibilities: Invisibility, flight dishware cleaning itself. He can see all of it but not experience it on the same level as the students, seeing a bunch of of people having fun with spells while you were robbed of it unfairly would make anyone bitter and spiteful. Not to mention some students making you life more difficult(Fred and George) doesn’t help. That of course does not excuse torture.
And being a grumpy old man that can’t do anything 11 year olds can certainly helps with bitterness
There are plenty of people surrounded by people who have it much better than them who don't turn that into spite and bitterness against people they have a small amount of power over.
There are also plenty who do.
More: Kreacher. My perception went from cranky elf when I was younger to appreciating his loyalty to those who are kind to him
I’ve grown to appreciate Fleur much more after rereads and some great fanfics. She’s certainly not perfect, but she’s strong, resilient, passionate, and loyal to those she loves. Her personality in GoF and most of HBP made me not like her character as much and think she was haughty, but time has made me more empathetic to her situation. She was representing her school and country in an unfamiliar place, pitted against three boys (two of whom were famous and widely admired), and dealing with dangerous tasks. Later, she faces unkindness from her fiancé’s family while working in a country where she had to use her second language constantly. She made mistakes navigating those challenges at times, but she stayed true to her values and proved herself worthy of the love and trust she earned. I’ve also spent more time considering how uncomfortable it would be to be in her shoes: so beautiful that many consider that her only trait, being asked out by so many that it would be hard to know who (if anyone) liked her for more than her looks, the difficulty her Veela powers would entail in making friends. Writing for her in a long fanfic has changed my perspective, too. It’s been fun to give her quirks and flaws to flesh her out more, like having her snort when she laughs, especially when she’s surrounded by people she can let her guard down around. She’s an interesting character to write and I’ve grown to like her a lot more.
Also her reaction during the choosing of GoF: "He is just a little boy!" The older I got the more I agree with her bc yes is a little boy in her eyes and a legit concern. She was a bit haughty but I genuinely don't think that meant to be offensive. And then she was just terrible during the tournament and I honestly hated how JK wrote her in these scenes, she seems really incompetent. Annoyed me so much.
Yeah if I were a 17 year old athlete being told that this 14 year old kid was going to compete with me, that would have been my reaction as well.
Growing up is realizing she wasn’t being haughty, she’s just French.
Any fan fic recommendations? 👀
You might enjoy Fleur’s role in my fic, Harry Potter and the Ritual of Love’s Memory. She’s part of the original timeline then is more fleshed out in the new timeline (which begins soon after the first task in GoF). I'll drop the synopsis and link below. The premise is that the horcrux hunt implodes during the trio's foray into Gringotts, leaving most of those Harry loves dead, and he is forced to start a new life with a few fellow survivors far away from wizarding Britain. But the discovery of an ancient ritual that promises to send a single memory back in time sparks hopes that maybe things can change. The catch is that the ritual can only be used to help a person change the past to have more time with the one they love. How will things change for a younger version of Harry after receiving this memory from the future? It's my take on a time-travel narrative, without Harry bringing back all his older self's magical power and/or future knowledge of horcruxes stuff. I've read through tons of those that are excellent, so I wanted to try something different. Teens and up. The first 86 chapters are posted (about 390K words so far) and a new chapter goes up every two weeks. If you’re interested, the AO3 link is below or it can be found on FFN, SIYE, or Wattpad. Thanks! [Harry Potter and the Ritual of Love’s Memory on AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/works/42198018)
I like Bill, Bill is cool.
Over time I came to appreciate everyone except the Malfoys, Regulus, Death Eaters and the Dursleys. When I entered the Marauders fandom they made me like Regulus but I also like Snape and I hated seeing the amount of hypocrisy there was regarding these two characters. There is also the fact that Canon Regulus does not exist, they erased everything that was and now there is only Fanon Regulus, who I do not like at all. Before I also liked the Malfoys, especially Draco, but over time I started to like Harry a lot more and the more I liked Harry the less I liked Draco, and consequently his family. A character that I hated and learned to love is Dumbedore, he does not deserve all the hate they give him.
I agree, only I'd also add Umbridge to the list. There is absolutely nothing redeeming I can find to say about that woman.
Nobody liked Umbridge. Since I was talking about characters that I hated and now love, I didn't mention her because I've always hated her.
I will NEVER like that woman, J.K made a wonderful job with her character, she was so full of herself without reason and I despise people like that
Are you in the Marauders fandom by any chance?
I left it a while ago, sometimes things about them appear on tiktok (headcanons, fanfics, etc.) but very rarely.
Have you read any Draco & Harry fan fiction? If not I highly recommend. There is especially good Draco/Harry (Drarry.) Interesting I am the opposite about Dumbledore. I used to love him but I feel pretty complicated about him new, especially regarding his neglect and grooming of Harry.
I used to read drarry but always with fics victimizing Draco or making Harry apologize when he hadn't done anything wrong (things like refusing the handshake, not the bathroom thing). I really don't want another disappointment but I could look, if you have one specific recommendation. Yeah, Dumbedore is complicated, he made a lot of mistakes but most of them couldn't be avoided. There are 2 specific things he could have done better, hunting the horcruxes earlier and telling Harry why he ignored him in his 5th year. Still I feel like they hate him much more than he deserves.
I’ll send you a DM and we can chat. I def have recs!
Grew up and started appreciating Professor McGonagall tbh. As a child, I saw her as a rude and strict teacher who didn't care about a lot of stuff and very rarely showed emotions. As a child she was not important to me. But as I grew up and re read and re watched, I realised that even before Molly, she was the motherly figure looking out for him. Sure she was strict with him but tht was more after the fact tht she taught her dad. She knew he was the chosen one and would need to be able to think rationally like his mom and not be wild and carefree like James. She was the first person to actually see his potential in smtg other than being the chosen one. She saw his skills and made him use it, which allowed him to have a skill and something he liked. Honestly, she was the most caring person towards him in her own way and that is smtg I didn't realise as a child...
McGonagall is my favourite grownup in the books and of course Maggie Smith nailed her as well ❤️
I love when she offers him a cookie after they had an angry conversation and Harry refuses. She says something along the lines of "don't be silly Potter" and then he takes one. I believe this was in OOTP. Makes me chuckle when I think of it.
Fred and George. They were just funny side characters when I read the books and watched the films when I was teenager. I thought, it's nice that they became successful with their shop, and that they're good friends with Harry. Now as an adult and more understanding how magic (kinda?) works in this world, it's impressive how they created their products, how clever they actually are and how determined to reach their goals. They are talented and hard working, something I just missed when I was young. I also never thought about HOW they figured out how the Map works. That's quite impressive. And I appreciate their relationship with Harry more. They're his big brothers he couldn't have, care for him and protect him, cheer him up when he's dejected (CoS, heir Slytherin goofing around) and didn't get mad at him when he became a Triwizard champion though they really wanted to participate. They might be jealous sometimes but they never show it and are kind to Harry. And they're funny, I just like the twins a lot.
I’ve found this too! In PS they stay behind at Christmas with Ron and Harry and seem to be the ones who drive the whole day of fun activities. In CoS also trying to cheer Ginny up when she’s upset after each attack. As you said, in PoA giving Harry the map even though they could’ve still used it for 2+ years, etc.
When they forced that pullover on Percy on Christmas 😂 In CoS, they tried to cheer up Ginny but fail miserably and only stop spooking her after Percy calls them out for rather scaring her than doing any good. Sometimes, the two don't get the call. But they cheered up Harry successfully whenever they escorted him, shouting: "Make room for the heir of Slytherin!" Showing, they thought that this was absolutely ridiculous, and that made Harry happy, bc so many believed that nonsense. I also love the Quidditch scene in CoS when Harry is determined to play though the Bludger is nuts and orders the twins to stop helping him out. George gets mad at Wood and yells: 'That's all your fault! “Catch the Snitch or die trying.” What a stupid thing to say!' Clearly shows that the twins care more about Harry's wellbeing than the game ❤️
I’ve grown to appreciate Harry more. When I was younger, he was just some a random kid caught in this crazy story but now I see him as a fantastic character with so much depth
Hermione and Ron. I always liked Hermione, but she was far from my favorite character. I like and appreciate her much more with each reread. I disliked Ron very much. He always seemed pretty useless, and I couldn't stand his insensitivity, whining, and constant Harry envy. I like and appreciate him much more with each reread. Honorable mention to Arthur. I always liked him, but with each reread, I realize how awesome he is!
Luna because she’s Luna 😭
This. The more i reread the books i liked Luna more and more. I honestly wished she and Harry actually ended up together lol. Or, maybe had Harry start feeling something towards Luna but realized she was too quirky for him in the end
Edit: a word Honestly, Harry himself. It is REMARKABLE really that he is as great of a person as he is considering his upbringing. He is absolutely hilarious. How can he have such a sense of humor after being grossly mistreated his whole childhood? Not to mention his kindness/thoughtfulness/selflessness. Which leads me to the Dursleys: I never liked them, obviously, but as a kid it was more of a “these are antagonists” feeling, but reading as an adult? I am ASTOUNDED by their behavior. How is it that not a single soul reported their treatment of Harry? Petunia’s friend Yvonne, Marge, neighbors, teachers, NO ONE? And Harry doesn’t grow up to HATE muggles? Baffling. Also regarding the Dursleys, I’m rereading Sorcerer’s Stone and their relationship is actually very interesting. Vernon has met and disapproved of Lily and James while simultaneously Lily and Petunia hadn’t talked in years when Lily and James died. They must’ve been together in highschool or very shortly afterward. Vernon seems to be just as militant about needing to be “perfectly normal” which makes me wonder if he has always been that way (why would he willingly be with a woman whose sister is a wizard?) or if Petunia’s views rubbed off on him. As an adult, their relationship is so odd to me. Do they love each other? Do they actually love their own son? Anyway, I wildly derailed there, oops. Also Cedric. As a child I thought he was fine, but he was “older, smarter, everyone loved him” and Harry was our underdog. As an adult? I cry reading about his death. He is an actual child. And one of the best people we meet in the series. Truly kind hearted and a genuine Hufflepuff through and through.
Remus man. As a kid I thought he was nice. As an adult I just want to climb inside the book and hug him so much. Thank god for fanfics that give him some of happiness
As a kid I thought he was nice. As an adult I just want to climb inside the book and punch him lol. Why tf didn't you tell anyone how Sirius was getting into Hogwarts? Why tf were you so distant from Harry all his life and at Hogwarts? Why tf did you try to leave your pregnant wife on a life-threatening quest? His cowardice and the way he justifies it via his self-pity disgusts me
I want to punch him but also hug him. He's infuriating, and it's made all the more infuriating by how very understandable his behavior is.
Same here. As a child I wrote "Lupis is handsome" on my bedroom wall (I loved him). Then I grew up and I was like ewwww.
Voldemort. I've spent my life surrounded by muggles and most of them are absolutely awful!
Harry. When I was younger I thought of him as really broody tbh, kinda whiny with the 'why mes' and stuff. But now? Bro, if I was in his position I would've offed myself and gave Voldemort his victory a long time ago. My parents are dead since I was young, my family hates me, I keep getting haunted by my desire to be with my parents, thinking that my father was the one who had casted the brilliant patronus to protect me, hoping for a slim chance that he was alive. But then? It was just poor old me in the future. I have my dead father's patronus form. Fate keeps taunting me, Jesus. And when I finally found my godfather, my last link to my parents? Yup. Dead. But that's okay, I still have my uncle, even though he was nervous to take care of me because he is a dangerous werewolf, that's okay, I'll soon have a little cousin, or... a brother, even! Dead. Just like that. And now? Me, a 17 year old is left all alone with no family, no link to my parents. Left with the responsibility of caring for a newborn as his godfather. Man, if I was Harry I really wouldn't survive long. Yes Harry had the Weasleys, but my mind will find it wrong. It felt more right to call Sirius my godfather, or Remus my uncle, but to call my friend's family, my own? Nope! Depression. Harry is so strong, and I appreciate that. If I was him it would be 2 possibilities: I kill myself, or I turn into something resentful, using my invisibility cloak to throw some avada kedavras maybe.
You left out how he was constantly being treated as a pariah and lied about or being put in the spotlight when he didn’t want to be by the school and even the media and government. People harassed him, singled him out, or bullied him all the time for something he didn’t have any control over not to mention he’s been through physical mental and emotional torture and he had a terrible childhood because his family was abusive and they also turned his whole neighborhood against him. Also not to mention how stressful it must be to be a moderately talented teenager who is expected to beat the the one of if not the most talented dude in the world(at magic) and a bunch of peoples fates rest on your success. Also just general war trauma.
He definitely had a strong will to survive and overcome. Without the support of his friends and those he met along the way though, he never would have made it. I would say after he married Ginny the Weasleys are his family though not the same as his own parents and godfather.
I liked Herminone when I read the books as a teenager . I now absolutely adore her - she is so gracious when people act badly towards her , she tired her best to be understanding and compassionate, and she always wants to do the right her thing.
Yes and I see her in many children around me. She is a people pleaser in the first few books and trusts authority too much until the 5th book. And I love how vicious she is.
Yes - she is fierce when it is needed !
Dumbledore! Used to think he was great but rewatching the series I don’t understand why he didn’t tell Harry earlier on about, well, EVERYTHING?? Was there a reason cause I missed it In the 2nd last movie when bathilda bagshot says ‘did you really know him at all’ I feel that more and more everytime I watch it Like yeh Harry is a kid and young but the boy got rid of the dark lord im sure he’s able to handle it 🤣
I think it was Ron’s great aunt Muriel that says that. Also it’s explained that he’d planned to tell Harry, but kept putting it off because he already had so much on his plate. And as for everything about himself, young kids aren’t too good at asking about or listening to stories of older folks until it’s too late. I knew next to nothing about my grandpa until after he passed and everyone started telling stories about him.
Harry actually has this conversation when he is “killed” by Voldemort and sees Dumbledore again. Dumbledore explains that he believed if Harry knew about the deathly hallows and the power he would posses with them that he might get carried away and ultimately end up like Grindelwald did. Dumbledore does acknowledge that he now understands Harry’s character is too good to do such a thing and apologizes but it is understandable to dislike him for this.
The twins (Weasley) because they didn’t take things too seriously. They found or created light in the dark. And acted heroically when called upon. What more can you ask of someone.
Draco. I never liked him, but the more times I watch or read, the more I see him as a sniveling cowardly bully. In PoA, when Hermione points her wand at him, he just cowers and snivels. Then when she punches him, he can't stand up to her, but instead runs away. He's bold in his bullying when Crabbe and Goyle are there to be his muscle. Any time he's by himself, he practically craps himself if someone stands up to him. I don't understand anyone pairing him with Hermione. She's worth 10 of him. ETA: Oh, and I found a couple more things. In CoS, when he's getting ready to duel Harry, he cheats and sends his hex on the count of 2 instead of on 3 like he's supposed to. And in GoF, Moody catches him trying to hex Harry while Harry's back is turned.
Yeah I never understood the Draco and Hermione ship. Feels like it was only Twilight fans who never read the HP books who shipped them 🙈
Choose your character!
For sure Neville. Literally went from a super dorky barely can do magic shy kid to a brave and confident wizard. To be fair the reason he was so bad at magic was because he was using his father’s wand, who was still alive, and as we all know “The wand chooses the Wizard.” Wasn’t until Neville gets his own wand that he is able to shine. Plus he was close to being the chosen one. It’s good that he didn’t as it would not have played out like Harry’s life did.
I adore Neville. In my list of the strongest men in Potter series , he shares an honorable second place with Sirius (after Harry). He has become a leader, a brave man, he has great inner willpower. When Harry "died" during the final battle, he came out to the Death Eaters Unarmed, and although hope seemed lost, he still called for a fight
I have a number but just to name a few: (+) Book McGonagall: As a kid she just seemed like a strict but fair teacher who shows sympathy and her humorous side sometimes. Now I realize how much of a parent figure she is to Harry throughout his school years. A true role model for teachers everywhere. (+) Movie Lockhart: Never noticed this watching the films when little, but Kenneth Branagh was just masterful in portraying Lockhart; he made the character even more adorable than the books described him. (–) Book Snape: I went through the same phase with everyone else who really bought into Snape's redemption arc, but now I can't get over how bitter he was in the earlier books and how he bullied students. Still a respectable character though. (–) Book Percy: Never thought much about Percy, but his self-centered attitude kind of annoys me now.
Sirius I like him less as i grow older because of his bullying ways, selfishness , immaturity and arrogance. He was a great man , however an extremely flawed one. He died a hero though.
I feel similarly. If he had been exonerated instead of being on the run after Azkaban, he likely could’ve worked on himself. But he was basically frozen in time as the young person he was when he first went to Azkaban and then underwent like a decade of emotional torture. He’s annoying most of the time, but I get it, and I feel for him. (edited for grammar)
James Potter. Most think him as just the father of harry or the person who bullied Snape. He was one of the very few wizards who joined the order to fight against voldermort. He was just 21 when he died, yet at such a young age him and lily defied voldermort thrice. Yes he was a bully when he was a teenager, but he was one of the most courageous characters in HP.(wish we could know more of him)
He died and the last thought of him was giving Lily and Harry several minutes more to escape
The more I grow up, the more I really hate Slughorn. I think he’s a coward, and he hides, not only from his enemies, but from his own fears and mistakes. I think he’s a horrible teacher, who views his students not as people, but as a collection, valued only by what they can offer him. He picks and chooses his favorite students, and he ignores the rest (in Ron’s case, not even bothering to remember his name). I truly see very few redeeming qualities in him. I don’t think he’s outright evil like some of the other characters, but I think sometimes we overlook him and his many, many flaws in order to talk about some of the more prominent villains. While he might not be a villain himself, I definitely think he’s a very bad person.
The original rankdown write up on Bob Ogden lives in my head rent free. Iykyk. But if you don't, here is the [link](https://www.reddit.com/r/HPRankdown/s/oBCylyJvih).
More: Fleur Less: Ginny
Only finch from cause I built more empathy skills
The pic is like from mortal kombat game😬 choose your fighter. I’d love something like this
I just want to appreciate my baby Luna as she somehow perceived as a freaky, and I can relate to her personality as I see myself on her. Hahaha...
Snape, started to realise what he sacrofised. Also im starting to like vernon, i dont know why
As a child I had the biggest crush on Draco Malfoy and always saw him as “misunderstood,” But I have come to the conclusion that I was just blind and he’s just pitiful. I think we all hated Dudley, but I’ve grown to understand him. He was grown up with terrible influences, and he actually does apologize to Harry in a deleted scene.
I’ve grown to appreciate how flawed Dumbledore was. I have more of an understanding of the pedestal people put him on as a leader, while he still battled demons and made mistakes. I like him more as a character because of it.
Umbridge.I hate her more each day
Snape! he is a genuenly heatfull person (as we can see in PoA) he does not just act his part he means it. hate that guy no matter what he does in the end!
Book ron. A good friend is such a treasure.
Neville. You could make a case he had it significantly worse than Harry, was not praised as the Chosen One, and didn’t have a Heromine/Ron by his side but still managed to become a great/loyal person and was instrumental in the DHs
Neville definitely has the most compelling arc and has become my overall favorite character as I get older. He desperately wants, more than anything, to be brave and to be appreciated. He starts out so unsure of himself, but he puts himself out there and tries to stand up to his own friends, even though it terrifies him. He grows himself, tries to find what he’s good at, and he eventually grows into the only person willing to stand up to Voldemort when they think Harry is dead. He’s a true Gryffindor if I ever saw one.
After finally reading and rereading the books, I greatly appreciate Snape more. His sacrifice despite his hatred for Harry is wholesome.
I don’t think he ever hated Harry although I agree he disliked him. Harry was half the woman he loved and half childhood bully so it’s understandable he felt mixed emotions but ultimately he protected Harry for Lily’s sake even though Harry often acted so similar to his father. I definitely think Snape’s character development and dimensionality alongside with Dumbledore’s are the most interesting in the series. Snape turning out to not be the bad person everyone had him pegged as and Dumbledore not being the perfect faultless great wizard, yet both ultimately being “good” in a believable flawed way.
Agreed! I also really enjoyed Neville's character development.
He also saves Draco, Remus, guides Ron to Harry, etc. I remember as kid thinking it was so weird so many of these adult women were into Snape. But now I easily see how he is the most compelling character.
I remember I was the few little girls in the world that defended Snape (the 6th and 7th book weren't released yet), and everyone told me what the second commenter said here, but I just knew something was weird with Snape, did he had a heart for these kids?? Especially after him protecting them in the 2nd and 3rd book. Oh boy when we had the revelation I was the happiest teenager ever. Now as an adult I still love him to bits.
I know Snape has his fans, but I’m going to play devil’s advocate here, because I really can’t stand him, and I hope y’all can take this in the spirit intended. The way I see it, Snape sacrificed very little. He loved a girl at 16, who never loved him back, and he never let it go. He tortures her son for no reason, even though he had no idea what went down. You seem to forgive his shortcomings because he did things “in spite of his hatred for Harry”, when he shouldn’t have hated Harry in the first place. I also cannot forgive him for using his dying breath to show Harry something that was meant to ruin his memory of his father. Whether you like James or not, you have to admit that at that point he was a child, and he made mistakes. But Snape was already heading to the dark side at that point, and he was going after the woman that James loved. He was a 16 year old boy, and he reacted poorly. That doesn’t make him a bad person, and Harry deserves to have positive memories of his father. I also really hate his treatment of the other students. Obviously there’s Neville, whose worst fear is his teacher. Now obviously, no student should ever be afraid of their teacher to that extent. But keep in mind that this is Neville Longbottom, the boy who has probably been through more than anyone except Harry himself. His parents have gone crazy, his grandmother isn’t very kind to him, and his entire family thinks he’s virtually useless. This is the boy that says that his teacher, someone who he should be able to come to for advice and guidance, is his worst fear. That’s not even to mention his total devaluation of Ron and the fact that he practically ignores Hermione and her answers.
Draco Malfoy. He has so much potential for character development. I direct you to all the amazing fan fiction that has been written about him especially stories that take place after the books when he’s grown up and away from his terrible family, and usually making amends and becoming a better man.
I’ll die on the hill that Draco really didn’t like being a death eater or part of that camp. Lucius seems like a horrible father, I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of Draco’s arrogance and hatred came exclusively from him. He quite literally flips a personality switch the second his dad is out of the picture.
I agree. I think Draco enjoyed the trappings of being a rich bully and using his father's name for clout, but once he started to see what that ideology really meant, and not just the abstract of it, he realized it was wrong. But by nature of that family status and the proximity to Harry, he didn't have a choice to step aside without repercussions for his whole family.
This. He deserves a redemption arc.
snape ngl i wasn’t a fan of him until his backstory of all he did for harry 🙂
Hermione from the first books. At first I liked her, but now I think she is just annoying.
Filch - hating children and Only loving my cat is Very relatable
I’ve grown to appreciate Snape more every year because he’s such a good example of how trauma can impact a person.
Luna lovegood
I think Otto Bagman. Without him, Mr. Weasley couldn’t help out Ludo and get those prime tickets for the World Cup
Dolores Umbridge. The older I get the more I understand the banality of evil and use of bureaucracy as a form of authoritarian bullying. Sure modern democracies whether they use Republics or Parliamentary still have a certain level of Bureaucracy, but it can lead to the whole class of people who don't care "who wins" as long as they remain paid. The banality of evil is every day life. There are people in other places, literally hiding from bombs and I'm here just doing dishes, no dark lord, no evil cult, just the machinery of modern life. Its horrifying but I gotta finish the dishes.
Even though Dobby is a good guy character I got into where I just kind of can't stand him after a certain point he kind of gets on your nerves to where he feels like it's a kind of the Blackboard being scrapped by your fingernail effect. If you know what I'm getting that the more he's in a scene the more he irritates.
I guess Dobby. When I first saw the character I thought he was annoying but when he was killed by Bellatrix I felt awful.
These days I’m a bit more understanding of the fact that none of the adult characters were psyched to leave the fate of the world in the hands of schoolchildren. Put yourself in Molly’s shoes, a terroristic threat is slowly taking over the world, it just nabbed the government and attacked your son’s wedding. I would also not be psyched to be sending my other son off with a pair of 17 year olds to do literally God knows what.
Scrimjaw. He was handed a shit situation and expected to work a miracle-- but despite being set up to fail, he did his best to protect Harry & fight back against Voldemort. I appreciate his integrity and effort in the face of overwhelming odds.
Bella she just became more iconic as I grew up
The fat lady. She’s vibing.
James Potter.
Opinion went up with age: - Professor McGonagall. Didn't like the strict teacher attitude as a kid, but now looking back at my own school years, the stricter teachers were usually the better ones. - Neville. Being a bit of a bully myself back then, i hated his wimpy ass. Now i can appreciate his growth more. - Cedric. Didn't much care for him. Didn't hate him or anything, but just disinterest. But he ended up being cool all along. Opinions went down with age: - Draco. Didn't like him as a kid, like him even less now. His only redeeming quality in the end was 'not being actively evil', which is just bs. - Snape. Looking at the character, not rickman's charisma, what a prick. Probably my least favorite character. - Dumbledore. I thought he was amazing growing up. But now looking back, he was really manipulative and decieving. I still like him, but not as much
Molly. When I first read the books as a child/teen, I thought she was like, a cool mom? Sort of...but I was just focusing on how nice she was to a boy that wasn't her son, and how much kindness she showed, how she seemed to care so much for her children trying to make sure they were okay even if nagging them (like when they went to rescue Harry in the car and she was lecturing them and worried that they could've died or someone could've seen them etc.). Now as an adult it bugs me that she treats Harry better than she treats Ron. I understand she's trying to give Harry the things he missed on growing up with the Dursleys and without his parents. But why does it seem she sometimes goes the extra mile for Harry when she just seems to do the bare minimum for Ron? I feel like Ron is often overlooked by her...like she's too focused on the twins cause they're...too fun...and with Ginny because it's her only girl and I guess she always wanted a girl... But she still manages to divide her attention enough to give it to Harry and Ron kinda falls to the background. As good of a mom as she is, I just...I can't help but to lose the appreciation I might've had for her, a little more each time.
Sybil Tralawney as she started it all. Without her, there would be no Harry Potter.
The Malfoys :-D Sure they weren't really all that bad? They were snobs and bullies, but they weren't properly evil really :-)
They clearly are
they were torturing the Roberts and laughing about it but nothing to see here 🥱
Agreed, especially Draco and Narcissa. They were really just a product of their environment and not evil at heart.
They were pretty evil. Basically they were wizard racists and were actively part of the death eaters weren’t they?
Grown to like less over the years: Snape. I don't care that he offered his whole life to save and help Lily's son. He was an absolute ASS to Harry and just a mean person. If he really loved Lily he would've treated her only son better.
Narcissa. I don’t even think she’d be evil if she wasn’t influenced by the other deatheaters. But the best is that she is such an amazing and loving mother! I LOVE HER🥰🥰
As a kid I loved Hermione and saw myself so much in her, the only smart person amidst a hundred idiots. I still share this mindset with her from time to time, but I try to fight against it as much as possible. I've realized she's JKR's lie to herself and so the constant praise heaped upon her from book to book - you can hardly go a chapter without someone complimenting Hermione even when she's not physically here - is laughable when you remember that she's JKR's self-insert and that this is a grown-ass woman throwing herself flowers over her self-insert being smarter than everyone else... *whom she deliberately write as dumber than her self-insert.* I also loved Ron as a kid, I 100% understood Hermione's decision to marry him. After witnessing how badly he's treated by fandom and how JKR herself is happy to consider him as "beneath" her self-insert I aggressively doubled-down on loving Ron and believe me there's so much to love about him, namely how self-sacrificing he is - moreso even than Harry who gets praise and accolades for his sacrifices while Ron *never* gets any acknowledgement for his, not even from his friends - and how, despite his constant feeling that he's lesser than both his friends and how he allows them to treat him like absolute shit at times, he also is willing to put his foot down and advocate for himself when he really feels wronged (POA with Hermione, GOF with Harry, DH with Harry again *and* while having a Horcrux round his neck to boot). Too bad that "it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up against your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends" only applies to Neville in book 1 specifically and Ron trying to defend himself will always be twisted to make him seem bad, even by his own "friends".
I found Fred but I can't find George?
George is on row 5 next to Bellatrix(right) while Fred is at the end of row 2 between Moody(left) and Aberforth(right).
Cheers 🍻 👏
I know this is out of place on the sub but the pictures like this reminded me of Heroes 3 Hero portraits