Decades later,Harry Potter’s beloved cast of characters help the story continue to endure. Unlike many other popular franchises, where the protagonist is the main draw,Harry Potter is only one of many compelling characters in his story, with some of the characters surrounding him proving at times to be even more intriguing than him. This begins inHarry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, as most of the characters it introduces are fascinating to begin with and given further depth as the series continues.
As the magicalHarry Potteruniverseexpands in the sequels, each installment introduces new characters who become integral to the series, despite being absent from the previous books. While there are many characters to choose from, the best new characters introduced in each book are the ones who are most entertaining, well-developed, and influential to the overarching series. Many of these characters are just as central to the narrative as Harry proves to be.
Harry Potter: Every Owner Of The Elder Wand
The Elder Wand has had several owners throughout the Harry Potter franchise. Here’s every wizard who has owned or possessed the famed Deathstick.
7Hermione Granger
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
The Sorcerer’s Stoneintroduces many essential characters other than Harry, but none are quite as compelling as Hermione. As a fiercely intelligent, compassionate, loyal, and brave individual, Hermione easily could have been the protagonist of her own series.She is the glue that holds the main trio of Harry, Ron Weasley, and herself together, and without her, Harry and Ron would not have gotten very far, with Hermione being responsible for many of the group’s greatest discoveries and achievements.
Even with her ambition and penchant for overachieving, Hermione never loses sight of what matters most as she remains loyal to her loved ones and consistently demonstrates kindness to others.
Despite Harry and Ron’s close friendship, Hermione proves to be a better friend than Ron as she stays by Harry’s side inGoblet of FireandDeathly Hallows,whereas Ron’s jealousy and insecurities cause him to temporarily abandon his friends. Even with her ambition and penchant for overachieving, Hermione never loses sight of what matters most, as she remains loyal to her loved ones and consistently demonstrates kindness to others. Even as an 11-year-old in the first book, Hermione is already an inspiring character who is wise beyond her years.
6Dobby
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The Chamber of Secretsexpands the magical universe with the introduction of house-elves. While Dobby is mischievous and brings humor to the story, Dobby has valid reasons behind his actions that provide greater insight into the dynamic of wizarding families like the Malfoys and their dark connections.Dobby winning his freedom and the relationship he forms with Harry is a deeply satisfying arcand one of the best parts of theChamber of Secretsending.
Dobby’s story could have ended there, but he instead becomes a recurring character throughout the series, appearing in every book that followed, except forPrisoner of Azkaban. He becomes a delightful source of assistance for Harry, from telling him about the Room of Requirement, the perfect place for Dumbledore’s Army to practice, to freeing Harry and his friends from Malfoy Manor. All this time spent with Dobby makes his eventual death all the more heartbreaking.
5Sirius Black
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The Prisoner of Azkabandives further into the story of what happened to Harry’s parents, James and Lily, and who betrayed them to Voldemort. Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew all bring something unique to the story and their own connection to Harry’s parents, but none of them are as captivating as Sirius. From believing he betrayed James and Lily and was Voldemort’s right-hand man to learning that he was framed for crimes he did not commit,Sirius’Prisoner of Azkabanstory is an emotional roller coaster.
Sirius Black spent 12 years imprisoned in Azkaban.
His impact goes beyondPrisoner of Azkaban, as he takes his responsibilities as Harry’s godfather seriously and becomes a paternal figure in Harry’s life. This makesSirius' deathinOrder of the Phoenixall the more devastating, as Harry loses the man who was his godfather and his parents' best friend. Other than Cedric Diggory inGoblet of Fire, no other prominent and likable characters had unexpectedly died up to this point in the series, making Sirius' death all the more shocking and impactful.
4Barty Crouch Jr.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Barty Crouch Jr. impersonating Mad-Eye Moody is one of theHarry Potterbooks' best plot twists, a genuinely surprising and sinister revelation that completely recontextualizes Moody’s actions throughout the story. While there are many Death Eaters in the series, Barty Crouch Jr. feels more unique than most of them. Nothing in the series can rival his journey as a ruthless teenage Death Eater, an Azkaban prisoner, secretly escaping and living under his father’s Imperius Curse, and spending a year in disguise as part of an elaborate scheme to bring Voldemort’s return to fruition.
Part of what makes Crouch such an interesting character is the mystique that surrounds him, as much about him remains a mystery after being given the Dementor’s Kiss. Most of the time spent with him in the story is in the guise of Moody, who, despite being rough around the edges, seems like an ultimately well-intentioned ally of Harry’s. Crouch manages to be resourceful and even likable through this disguise, all while manipulating events to bring back Voldemort, which completely changes the entire series.
3Luna Lovegood
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
As memorable asOrder of the Phoenix’svillainous Dolores Umbridgeis, the best character this book introduces is Luna Lovegood.Despite entering the series at a relatively late stage, Luna quickly feels like a natural extension to the core groupthat includes Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny Weasley, and Neville Longbottom. Luna’s eccentricities, her kindness, and her knack for saying uncomfortable truths make her a wonderful and valuable character to have in the story.
With the majority of prominent Hogwarts student characters being from Gryffindor or Slytherin, it is a refreshing change of pace for Luna to be a Ravenclaw, and her belonging to this house helps with finding Ravenclaw’s lost diadem, one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes.
The connections Luna makes with these characters and as a member of Dumbledore’s Army extends intoHalf-Blood PrinceandDeathly Hallows, where she remains a vital character. With the majority of prominent Hogwarts student characters being from Gryffindor or Slytherin, it is a refreshing change of pace for Luna to be a Ravenclaw, and her belonging to this house helps with finding Ravenclaw’s lost diadem, one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes. Luna also provides much of the comedy and heart during the final books.
2Horace Slughorn
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Instead of introducing a newDefense Against the Dark Arts professor, Severus Snape takes the position inHalf-Blood Prince, with Horace Slughorn replacing Snape as the Potions professor. While many characters who knew Harry’s parents were more so associated with James, Slughorn’s connection was to Lily, who had been one of his favorite students, giving Slughorn and Harry a distinct connection. Slughorn’s past with Tom Riddle was even more important, though.
Both Lily and Harry were members of the Slug Club, an exclusive club for Slughorn’s favorite students who were talented or famous.
Slughorn being the one to tell a young Riddle about Horcruxes was a game-changing revelationthat clarified a great deal about Voldemort and finally exposed the way to defeat him for good. This set up the plot of the final book and moved the story into its endgame stages. Beyond his importance to the plot, Slughorn has a satisfying arc of his own as he divulges the information he regrets sharing all those years ago, and fights alongside his colleagues and students during the Battle of Hogwarts, even dueling Voldemort at one point.
1Gellert Grindelwald
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Gellert Grindelwald is first mentioned on the back of Albus Dumbledore’s chocolate frog card in the first book, but he does not appear until the last book in the series. Grindelwald proves to be integral to Dumbledore’s backstory and to the discovery of the Elder Wand. As a powerful dark wizard decades before Voldemort’s rise to power, Grindelwald adds new dimensions to the history of dark magic, which was later explored in theFantastic Beastsfilms.
Much of the mystery and intrigue inDeathly Hallowsties back to Grindelwald, as Harry gradually learns more about the dark wizard’s role in Dumbledore’s past and why he is the key to what Voldemort seeks. Grindelwald is one of many ways thatDeathly Hallowspays off small details from earlier in the series in a surprising and satisfying fashion. He is the best new character introduced inDeathly Hallowswho shaped the trajectory of theHarry Potterfranchise in later years.
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a multimedia franchise about an orphaned boy who enrolls at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family, and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. Adapted from the novels, Harry Potter is an eight-episode film saga that follows the journey of Harry Potter and his friends, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley, as they navigate the tricky world of growing up, school life, and magic. Starting from year one and moving to their seventh year, the films chronicle the students' time at Hogwarts while unfurling a sinister plot that centers around the unsuspecting Harry. With the return of the dark wizard, Voldemort, the students and professors at Hogwarts will fight to carry on as the world around them may change forever. Harry Potter has expanded beyond the world of its films and novels with several video games, a spin-off film series titled Fantastic Beasts, and even attractions at Universal Studios.
