Top 10 Best Harry Potter Characters

Harry Potter is a bestselling series of seven fantasy novels that chronicles the lives of wizards Harry Potter and his friends as they attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and fight Lord Voldemort. It was adapted into an equally successful film series.
The Top Ten
1 Harry Potter Harry James Potter is the title character of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. The majority of the books' plot covers seven years in the life of the orphan Potter, who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard.

He is the most relatable character in the series, showing us that even an ordinary-looking boy is capable of doing things that can change the world. It taught us not to judge by looks. Yes, Harry was not the best-looking character in the book, nor the movies, but we should look within the heart. He had many flaws and many good qualities too. The perfect blend of these made him one of the most complex and lifelike characters in the series.

Whenever I see Harry, I feel like I am seeing a mirror image of myself. Many people feel that he is a boring character not suitable as a hero. Guess what? The simplicity of Harry makes me think that he is the perfect hero of the series. I am sure many girls would have been happier to see Malfoy as a hero than Harry, which is a sorry state of affairs.

2 Hermione Granger

Omg, how is she second? I demand justice! Hermione went through so much, from getting petrified to erasing her parents' memories of her. I can't believe it.

I absolutely LOVE Hermione! She is so much like me and has inspired me to be fearless, hardworking, and cool. She is the girl all girls should follow, and I can't think of anyone more amazing!

A person once called me a nerd, even though I was SO NOT! Well, that person was a sassy, bossy, rude diva, so I didn't really care. But Hermione showed me that it doesn't matter what other people think if they are just the sort of people who think the worst of everyone.

I learned from Hermione that I should just care about my friends and not the people who hate everyone. Now, I work harder than ever to be even more like Hermione than I already am. In my opinion, Hermione Granger should be every girl's role model. Hermione rocks!

3 Albus Dumbledore Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.

I see everything I want in a favorite character in Dumbledore. He made it through a not-so-happy past and became the greatest wizard of all. His wisdom is unlike anyone else's. He always has the best advice and can cheer anyone up.

Also, he is the bravest character in the books. Whereas Harry was always thrown into situations, forced to be brave, Dumbledore did everything without being forced, simply because he has such a good heart. He cares for other people, no matter who they are. He even cared for Tom Riddle before he realized how bad he truly was.

I just love him. He is such a thoroughly good soul.

4 Severus Snape Severus Snape is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is characterised as a person of great complexity, whose coldly sarcastic and controlled exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish.

Severus Snape is the man that every mother should teach her little boy to be. Yes, he made mistakes - a lot of them, actually. And yes, most of the time, you wanted to punch the living daylights out of him and watch him writhe in pain on the floor, but all that was a ruse. He was tough as nails and wasn't the most socially graced person to walk the Earth, but he was loyal to what he loved.

The only thing he loved, truly loved, was Lily Evans. His only friend and confidant. Until the day of his death, he lived his life in a manner that (he hoped) would make Lily proud of him. I kind of think that he did. He defended the last remnant of her flesh and blood and borderline cared for him with every last drop of blood in his body. He was fierce, fearless, and brilliant.

I could only wish that every man would do that for the woman they loved. I sure do hope that my kids do.

5 Ron Weasley Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. His first appearance was in the first book of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the best friend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.

Wow, fifth place? I can't believe that people voted Snape above him. "Snape is the man that every mother should teach their boy to be." You mean a Death Eater who murdered and tortured until he became too cowardly because his crush was killed by his hero? And then begging his enemy for forgiveness before bullying and relentlessly being a biased and horrible teacher towards all his students, except the ones in his own house?

Severus Snape is a horrible, horrible man who did improve himself in a way, but a good ending doesn't make up for a lifetime of torture and being horrible. For the person who said that, get some help.

6 Sirius Black

The reason Sirius Black is the most important character is his journey. He was born into an evil family and still managed to become a loving, brave, funny, and loyal young man. What I possibly like most about him is that he arrived at Hogwarts, found three friends who were the first people he ever loved, and decided to live his life to the fullest.

Yes, Sirius has done bad things, and he sometimes was a bad person. But I believe at the end of the day, he realized he would not be like his family and tried to be the best he could be. What I love (love, love, love) about Sirius is that he wasn't perfect at all.

His most famous quote was that everyone has a dark and a light side, but what matters is the part you choose to act on, and he did. He chose his light side and gave his life for the people he wanted to protect and those he loved. Like Harry and Snape, he didn't grow up with love, and it made him even stronger. So, Sirius is definitely one of the best, if not the best, characters in the Harry Potter books because he taught us to never stop working on ourselves and always believe that you can be good.

Sirius should be an idol, not only for young people but also for the whole world. His death was by far the saddest one because there were so many emotions. Sadness because Harry lost his only family member, and Lupin his best friend, but also happiness because Sirius finally got to see his brother James again. He will always be remembered.

7 Luna Lovegood Luna Lovegood was a witch from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. She was the only child of Xenophilius and Pandora Lovegood. Her mother accidentally died while experimenting with spells when Luna was nine and Luna was raised by her father, who was the editor of the magazine The Quibbler, in a... read more

Luna Lovegood. I absolutely love her. She's funny, sweet, friendly, and a little wacky, but in the most lovable way possible. She taught me how to be positive in situations.

And I just love that despite her constant dreamlike state, she's still very intelligent (she's in Ravenclaw, hello). She cares about her friends and supports them, can see what's going on in people's minds, and who wouldn't want to be friends with her? She would never ditch you or say bad things about you. She's the perfect friend. Forever. Plus, I love that Harry names his daughter after her (and his mum).

8 Remus Lupin

I love Remus Lupin. He is always so kind to the trio and other people, and he cares more for others than himself. It's really sad that he dies. He and Tonks made such a lovely couple. He is extremely calm and quiet for a werewolf. He was the one who realized Sirius was innocent, and he saved Harry's life at the Department of Mysteries.

I was glad to see that he found some happiness with Tonks and Teddy. It was sweet to see him so excited at Shell Cottage. Most people think that Remus and Tonks's ending was really sad. However, aside from the fact that he is not with Teddy and other loved ones, it really means that he can eternally be with Tonks, Sirius, James, and Lily without fear of a second war. I just wish that he had gotten to spend more time with his family before he died.

9 George Weasley

He and his brother have such a strong relationship that will never be forgotten. Easily my third favorite after Hermione and Draco.

Fred and George are possibly my second and third favorite characters, right after Luna. They are like the comic relief of the whole series. During my visit to Universal Studios, I was able to visit their shop and buy my own purple Pygmy Puff! That was probably the happiest moment of my entire life.

Anyway, they are incredible characters. They stood up to Umbridge, a feat people would fear to attempt (I mean, she makes kids write with their own blood). They did their own thing, despite people warning them not to. I bawled my eyes out when Fred died. George must have been traumatized!

10 Lord Voldemort Lord Voldemort is a fictional character and the central main antagonist in J. K. Rowling's series of Harry Potter novels. Voldemort first appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which was released in 1997.

A very interesting character. As Tom Riddle, he wasn't necessarily evil, but rather ambitious and devious enough to undergo a death-defying transformation. This transformation allowed his existing cruelty to manifest into an inhuman incarnation of evil. His discrimination against half-bloods is sophisticated, especially considering that he himself is half-blooded.

When choosing to kill either Harry or Neville, he chose the half-blooded Harry. A particularly fascinating part, in my opinion, was when Harry gave Voldemort the choice to become "a man" instead of remaining the shriveled baby at the platform of death. Go reread the very end of Deathly Hallows, especially Harry and Riddle's duel.

The Contenders
11 Neville Longbottom

Neville Longbottom is the most underrated Harry Potter character in the entire franchise. He went from zero to hero throughout the series. In the Philosopher's Stone, he was constantly bullied by Slytherins for no reason.

Neville, we love him. I love him, and you love him. Neville is a character who is treated in a way that makes us all love him. He doesn't get enough credit because he is a very talented wizard.

He was constantly mistreated by his family. He was even dropped out of a window to prove he was a wizard. He has a constant bad luck streak! Severus Snape always scares him. Despite being the victim in the movies, he has the biggest heart and will fight alongside his friends and stand up to evil, such as Bellatrix Lestrange, Draco Malfoy, and even Voldemort. He is the one who stood up to Voldemort and gave the greatest speech in Harry Potter history!

Plus, Neville has changed throughout the years, going from shy, mistreated, and innocent to strong, independent, and awesome! Lastly, what I like most about Neville is how much I relate to him.

12 Ginny Weasley Ginny Weasley is a prominent character in the "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling. She is the youngest child and only daughter of the Weasley family. Initially introduced as a shy girl with a crush on Harry Potter, Ginny develops into a strong, independent young woman. Skilled in magic and Quidditch,... read more

Ginny Weasley is definitely the best character! People say that she was totally nonexistent in the first few books and then suddenly turned into a magnificent, beautiful diva in the fifth and sixth books. That's wrong. If you read closely, you could see Ginny's progression. Being possessed at the age of 11? Honestly, that's difficult. She slowly went from a shy, nervous girl to becoming more confident and strong. She turned into an awesome young woman.

I absolutely love Hermione. She's my second favorite. But I loved Ginny more for another reason: she was so easy to laugh with. I'm more like Hermione, honestly - a bossy schoolgirl - and I utterly adored Ginny's sense of humor and bravery. I think the order should be Hermione first because, even if she's my second favorite, more people love her. Then it should be Ginny, followed by Luna, who's my third favorite. Stop shunning Ginny and realize how AMAZING she is!

13 Dobby

Lots of people died for Harry, but Dobby has something special in him. Sure, only an elf could perform that kind of Apparition. Pitiful isn't the same as good, but surely we all pity the fact that Dobby gets death threats five times a day? Unlike Kreacher or Winky, who just sat there crying, Dobby defied his masters because they were cruel to him, which sets him apart. He seeks what an elf typically does not understand: revenge and justice.

Dobby defies Lucius, Narcissa, Bellatrix, and a few others, mostly his old masters, because he cares about elf rights and is angry about how they treated him. I like Hermione in this context, but back to Dobby. He's repaying Harry for freeing him by freeing Harry in return. Let's see, Severus Snape is on here too. Dobby was fair to those fair to him, sought revenge on those who were not, and was unafraid of death. Why aren't elves Sorted? He's a sure Gryffindor.

People say Snape had reasons for his actions, as did Neville because of the prophecy, and Harry because of James, but what about Hermione and Ron? Snape might have saved Harry, but things might have turned out differently if the prophecy had never been made. Dumbledore probably couldn't have come up with his brilliant, yet flawed, plan. So, who ranks above Dobby?

Lord Voldemort is above Dobby. Voldemort is a powerful wizard, but he relies on his wand. If Dobby had a wand, you couldn't underestimate him. Voldemort underestimates all elves. Kreacher's story is an example, as is Dobby's.

14 Draco Malfoy Draco Lucius Malfoy is a character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is a student in Harry Potter's year belonging in the Slytherin house.

Okay, first of all, Draco is not a villain, despite all the haters out there who dismiss him as a stupid villain and bully. When Draco is supposed to kill Dumbledore, he stalls for time. He also lets slip in the book that he didn't want the other Death Eaters to come to Hogwarts. Sure, he's a bully sometimes, but that doesn't make him a bad person.

His bullying comes from his mom and dad, and his mom only wants the best for Draco. She only threatens Harry and Ron because they were kind of being jerks to Draco. So that's where the good in him comes from. He's not exactly a hero or a villain. He's just trying to survive. I really understand Draco's storyline. But if you ask me, Draco is anything but a villain.

15 Rubeus Hagrid Rubeus Hagrid is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. Hagrid is introduced in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as a half-giant and half-human who is the gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts, the primary setting for the first six novels... read more

As a character, Hagrid provides comic relief and an uplifting side to an otherwise dark story. The way Rowling embedded his character into the story is fantastic, as the narrative called for a simple character who was there for Harry from the beginning to the end. With his parents having been killed and Sirius imprisoned, Harry still needed a character he could rely on, even if he didn't realize it until he was 13 years old.

Dumbledore and McGonagall are both far too busy and in positions of direct superiority in the school to allow for this kind of relationship. And Snape, although he did care for Harry more than once, had too many childhood issues with Harry's parents to warrant a comparable relationship. So Hagrid fills this void by being a groundskeeper who is simple-minded enough to be on the main three characters' mindset level and still old enough to take care of them in times of need.

16 Minerva McGonagall

She would have made a much better headmistress than Dumbledore. I know some people love him, but to be honest, he was a morally grey old man who was willing to risk the safety of many people in favor of his plans. And let's not forget he possibly killed his sister. So what if it was an accident? She's dead!

Meanwhile, McGonagall was sharp, smart, and fair. Sometimes, she was a bit in the way, but that was only because she didn't know Harry was doing it to be HEROIC.

She is such an amazing character! I love how she stands up to Umbridge. I also love the line, "Have a biscuit, Potter," when Harry gets sent to her office after he yells at Umbridge. Or even when she tells Harry (and indirectly Umbridge), "I will assist you to become an Auror if it is the last thing I do! If I have to coach you nightly, I will make sure you achieve the required results!"

She is a wonderful mentor to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, especially when Dumbledore wasn't there for them. Another passage I loved was, "I should have made my meaning plainer," said Professor McGonagall, turning at last to look Umbridge directly in the eyes. "He has achieved high marks in all Defense Against the Dark Arts tests set by a competent teacher."

17 Bellatrix Lestrange A psychotic death eater who escaped from Azkaban, and is fiercely loyal to Voldemort. Murderer of many people such as Sirius Black, and also a sadist who drove the Longbottoms mad.

My absolute favorite, and the best. She's just sadistic and evil and absolutely loves it. On the other hand, she is insanely loyal to those she cares about. She stays loyal to the Dark Lord no matter what, and even more so with her family. She protects her sister with her life and would do anything for her.

The reason she killed Sirius was that he left the family and turned his back on them. You can't change my mind on the fact that she's the best. She is totally crazy, but that's one of the reasons I love Bella!

18 Nymphadora Tonks

Nymphadora is a funny, kind, and sweet character. (Her clumsiness definitely relates.) When I first saw this queen at number 18, I was blown away. No offense to the people who ranked her here, but are you serious? She deserves to be ranked higher, everyone!

She is by far my favorite, and I feel like she should have had more scenes in the movies and the books. Her personality is just amazing. She has flaws, of course, which is what I like about her.

Unlike Harry, who thinks he has to do everything, I love her punk style. However, her death is so tragic, especially since it was after she had Teddy Lupin.

19 Molly Weasley

Harry. Sirius. Fred and George. Neville. Ginny. Hermione. These are all people whom I considered voting for first. But... Molly Weasley. Mrs. Weasley sent a boy she had met for half a minute a home-knitted sweater and fudge.

Mrs. Weasley decided to spend the money her husband won on a trip to see family. Mrs. Weasley accepted Harry into the house when he walked in with no warning whatsoever. And Mrs. Weasley duels and defeats the greatest Death Eater of all time.

She is not only the mother of all the Weasley children, but she also takes in Harry as one of her own in every sense. She is very likable, has a great sense of humor, and is a brilliant wizard, being the person to finally kill Bellatrix Lestrange. She definitely belongs in the top ten.

20 Fred Weasley

I will admit he is not my favorite. However, he does not deserve to be this low on the list! I am going to be honest here. I didn't cry when Dumbledore died, or when Moody died, or when Hedwig died (though I almost did).

I had never cried for any character death in any book, movie, or TV show. But then Fred died, and finally, I cried. It was only two tears, but that's more than any other character death. Fred was a hilarious and awesome character and didn't deserve to be this low down.

I was reading Deathly Hallows at school, and once I heard Percy say "No! Fred, no!" I knew it had happened. I sobbed uncontrollably at school, then went to the field to dig a grave for him. I couldn't believe this was happening. I couldn't even bear to think of George.

My stages of crying:

1. I just realized it and started softly crying.
2. I read on and started sobbing. My teacher asked me what was happening, and I blurted out, "NO, FRED DIED!" She read the page I was on and tried to calm me down.
3. Hysterics.

21 Alastor Mad-Eye Moody

Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody is always a very cranky character. He is an extremely talented wizard, capable of performing non-verbal and wandless magic, as well as capturing dozens of dark wizards. Despite being cranky, Moody is a really bold Auror and is known as the most famous Auror of his time.

Also, his extra "Magical Eye" makes him even more interesting. He can look through stuff and see all around without turning his head. Overall, I really like this character. His "crankiness," his magical abilities, his record of dark wizard captures, and also his extra eye make him one of my favorite characters in the Harry Potter franchise.

22 Horace Slughorn

He was so sweet, and I wish he was in more of the movies. It made me feel so bad for him when he quit his job because of Tom Riddle.

He should be higher. Definitely in the morally gray area.

23 Hedwig

I still stand by my opinion that she did not need to die. I get that it was to mark the end of Harry's childhood, killing the very first companion he ever had, the pet that marked his debut to the magic world. But I mean, if you're going to do this, don't make her so lovable!

I was crying so hard when she died. And like, no one paid attention to her either. She died for Harry. Harry would be dead if it weren't for her. And everyone was just like, "Aw, Harry, that's so sad! Now get on with saving the world! We don't have time for lifesaving owls!" AAAAGGGGHHHH.

She is so awesome and has a great personality. She's just so great! I love her so much.

24 Cho Chang

I LOVE HER! She deserves better than #27. She is my favorite. And stop hating on her for movie #5. In the book, her friend gets the DA caught.

Think about the Yule Ball: it's not her fault she didn't go with Harry. Cedric asked her first, and why say no? He was her boyfriend at the time, and she couldn't say yes to Harry after that.

Cho is underrated and hated on way too much. Harry liked Cho, so you should, too! Plus, Harry and Ginny weren't even thinking much about each other then.

I like Cho. I liked her throughout the whole fourth book, even though she didn't go with Harry to the Yule Ball. But in the fifth book, she started going crazy. She went on a date with Harry and sobbed about Cedric? Oh, come on. Who does that normally?

25 Kreacher

He's not my favorite character (I love Snivellus), but he deserves the top 20. He's so complex and underrated! That might be because of the movies, which completely eclipsed him from the main plot: getting the locket. But he, like Bellatrix, appeared only in the fifth book, and what an appearance for both of them! They both killed Sirius, but while Bella did it to "cut off the bad branches on her family tree," Kreacher actually had a good reason.

Not just that, his relationship with Regulus was so deep. Seeing Sirius say, "Yeah, my brother, total loser!" revealed so much compressed anger inside of him. You see him in Deathly Hallows, when they're planning the assault on the Ministry. He's so happy just because Harry, Ron, and Hermione treated him decently and gave him Regulus's locket. His motivations are really complex, which makes him a complex character that not so many people can enjoy.

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