The 25 Best Harry Potter Characters From the Movies and Books

It's 2024, and Harry Potter is still just as relevant as it was when it first came out. To celebrate one of the longest running movie frachises of all time, we took a hard look at the wonderful Harry Potter film series with our picks for the 25 best characters.

Before we reveal our choices, a quick word about the selection process... These are based on overall fan reaction, impact on the franchise (novels and films weighed equally), character relevance to the best moments in the series, and significance in the Potter mythos. If you're surprised that your own faves didn't make the list, that's what the comments are for!

Now, join us in the Great Hall for this special assembly as we look at the top 25 Harry Potter characters...

Note: This list does not include any characters from Hogwarts Legacy and will remain unaffected by the upcoming Harry Potter series.

25. Dobby

"Such a beautiful place... to be with friends." It's difficult to not get a bit misty-eyed recalling the moment when Dobby the house-elf said those words in Deathly Hallows Part 1, which were among his last. When we met Dobby, admittedly, he was pretty annoying. He was a strange, little creature with a habit of hurting himself, who made things very difficult for Harry Potter as he began his second year at Hogwarts. But Dobby's intentions were always noble, and his determination to help Harry, despite the short term consequences, was commendable.

Dobby's role in the film series is far smaller than in the books, where he made frequent appearances in-between Chamber of Secrets and Deathly Hallows. In the books, we saw more of how kind-hearted and loyal Dobby was, particularly towards Harry Potter, to whom he was indebted for his freedom. But even those who only knew Dobby from The Chamber of Secrets film were probably affected by his sacrifice in The Deathly Hallows Part 1, where he proved crucial in freeing Harry and his friends from a horrific scenario, only to fall victim to Bellatrix Lestrange in the process. The fact that Dobby, in his dying moments, clearly had no regrets about literally giving his all for his friend Harry resulted in one of the most touching moments in the series.

24. Gellert Grindelwald

His reputation may have eventually been overshadowed by Voldemort, but there was a time when Grindelwald was the most feared villain in all the wizarding world. He only has one brief appearance in the main Harry Potter series, though one where he manages to stymie even Voldemort himself.

It's the Fantastic Beasts movies where Grindelwald is truly coming into his own as a villain. These prequels are showcasing Grindelwald's reign of terror in the early 20th Century and his troubled relationship with close friend-turned-rival Albus Dumbledore. It's not every villain that can manage to hide in plain sight for an entire movie before finally revealing himself.

23. Ginny Weasley

On hand in Chamber of Secrets as a lovesick little girl/vessel for Tom Riddle's madness (following her cameo in The Sorcerer's Stone), Ginny and Harry's eventual romance captivated us. It seemed to both spring up out of nowhere and feel like it was meant to be all along. It was only natural that Harry should wind up finding love in the same family where he found…well, family. It was refreshing to finally see someone in Hogwarts see Harry as the proud and pensive catch that he was.

While it wasn't really captured in the films, Ginny becomes a true leader of rebel forces like no other. She's a strong, determined and alluring young woman who is always there to fight the forces of evil as a member of Dumbledore's Army. Ginny is the quintessential "girl who got her guy" – and we wouldn't have it any other way.

22. Gilderoy Lockhart

Gilderoy Lockhart is a real charmer. It's through sheer charisma (and the occasional memory charm) that he established himself in society as one of the most accomplished wizards of all time, without actually performing any of the heroic acts he claims to have done in numerous best-selling books.

The vain and self-aggrandizing Lockhart's habit of exaggerating his own deeds would backfire when he was hired as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He would at first relish the position as yet another avenue of self-promotion, but his buffoonery and incompetence soon got the best of Lockhart. His false claims are revealed by Harry Potter and his friends after Lockhart cowardly attempted to flee the school upon being ordered to confront the monster in the Chamber of Secrets.

21. Albus Severus Potter

Harry Potter may have faced a difficult childhood being known as "The Boy Who Lived," but that's nothing compared to growing up with the biggest celebrity in the wizarding world for a father. Making matters worse is that Albus Severus is named after two of the other most important wizards in history. His central conflict is right there in his name. He feels the pull between fame and anonymity, good and evil, and Gryffindor and Slytherin.

To date, the Potter movies have only given us a small glimpse of Harry and Ginny's troubled son. To get the full story behind Albus Severus' time at Hogwarts and the adventures he faces, you have to be lucky enough to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on stage. But we're hopeful that it'll only be a matter of time before this young wizard gets his time in the cinematic spotlight.

20. Molly Weasley

Imagine the perfect, loving, giving mother – and then add magic. That's Molly Weasley for you. We love her husband Arthur as well, but Molly's treatment of Harry has always been a particularly wonderful part of the series. Harry is an orphan, treated horribly by his aunt and uncle – and his relationship with his godfather, Sirius, was tragically short. But since the day Harry met Molly, she's treated him like another son and given him the love, support, and yes, Christmas presents, he'd been lacking in his life.

While we're used to Molly as a lovably concerned (or amusingly chastising, if you're Fred and George), classic mother figure, she also has her own courage and strength to call upon – willingly risking herself as a member of the Order of the Phoenix. And when her children are threatened, well… Let's just say, Bellatrix learned her lesson the hard way.

19. Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody

Grizzled. If there's one word that could describe Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody in a nutshell, it's "grizzled." One of the most renowned Aurors of all time, Moody was a fierce fighter for good in the First and Second Wizarding Wars. He'd lost an eye, which was replaced with a magical one, he has a wooden leg, and his face is covered with scars. His experiences in battle left him emotionally damaged as well -- paranoid, bitter, and eccentric.

In spite of his seemingly fragile mental state, the veteran Moody was convinced to come out of retirement by Dumbledore to serve as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. But Moody was shortly attacked by Barty Crouch Jr., who would trap and subsequently impersonate him using polyjuice potion in service of Voldemort. The real Moody would go on to serve in the reformed Order of the Phoenix, faithfully protecting Harry Potter from Voldemort and his forces until he died in the line of duty in The Deathly Hallows Part 1.

18. Minerva McGonagall

As the head of Gryffindor house and Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall can be a strict disciplinarian. She is quick to kick misbehaving students out of her class, and deduct house points when the situation warrants. But she can also be kind of like that cool aunt of yours -- the one who sometimes lets you get away with a bit of mischief. And that's what's so endearing about McGonagall.

She grew up attending Hogwarts and returned to the school as an adult to teach Transfiguration, under Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, who would later entrust her with the Deputy Headmistress position and serve with her in the Order of the Phoenix during the First Wizarding War. After the infant Harry Potter's defeat of Voldemort, McGonagall was one of the members of the Order who traveled to Privet Drive to leave the child in the care of the Dursley family whom she viewed as the "worst kind" of Muggles. She would later take Potter into her own house at Hogwarts and watch over him throughout his time there.

17. Delores Umbridge

Oh, how we hate this woman... which is why she belongs on this list. J.K. Rowling really outdid herself when she created Dolores Umbridge. Voldemort is a terrific villain to be sure – but it could be argued that he never got under our skin like Umbridge did. Perhaps it's because Voldemort came in and out of Harry's life. His threat was ongoing, but he wasn't walking around the hallways of Hogwarts. But Umbridge? For one miserable year, she was a constant, miserable presence in Harry's life.

This is a woman who thinks the appropriate way to punish a student involves making him perform a ritual which, thanks to magic, causes him to bleed over and over again – one of many despicable acts. The fact that she spoke in a blatantly forced sing-song voice and wore gaudy pink clothing only added to her hideousness. Imelda Staunton does a great job playing this character, but it should be noted that as nasty as Umbridge is in the film, in the book, she's even worse – causing many a Harry Potter reader to feel true hate for this fictional character. Stephen King referred to Umbridge as "the greatest make-believe villain to come along since Hannibal Lecter."

16. Lucius Malfoy

Draco Malfoy was trouble from the second we met him, so it was no shock to discover his dear old dad was cut from the same cloth. A man of power and influence in the wizarding world, Lucius hides behind a shield of wealth, while plotting some very dark things. A longtime supporter of Voldemort, it was his actions that set into motion the entire plotline of The Chamber of Secrets, as he slid Tom Riddle's old diary into Ginny Weasley's cauldron. His unwarranted, biting comments about the Weasley family are enough to make us hate him, but on top of that, Lucius has shown he is willing to do anything in support of his Dark Lord, including one-on-one confrontations with Harry.

Lucius is brought to life in the films by the great Jason Isaacs, who gives the character just the right arrogant, smug attitude – you can feel Lucius' absolute conviction in his actions, and his anger that a boy like Potter would dare attempt to stop Voldemort and those, like Lucius, who follow his lead. Watching Lucius' fall from grace in The Deathly Hallows Part 1, as he now had much more to prove to his Dark Lord, only added to our fascination with the character.

15. Newt Scamander

It wouldn't do for a Harry Potter spinoff series to feature a Harry Potter clone in the lead role. Thankfully, Newt Scamander has quickly established himself as a very different sort of wizard hero. Nerdy, awkward and obsessed with his work, Newt is sort of like if Hermione had been the main protagonist of the Harry Potter movies.

Thanks to the Fantastic Beasts prequels, Newt has become our gateway into the weird and wonderful creatures of the Harry Potter universe. We do wish the first two movies had done more to truly flesh out Newt as a character and not just Dumbledore's soft-spoken errand boy, but at least Newt still has several more movies in which to find himself. The character currently scores an N for "Needs Improvenewt."

14. Remus Lupin

Harry Potter had good reason to distrust Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, given his experiences in his first two years. Lucky for him, Remus Lupin was cut from very different cloth than Quirrell or Lockhart. Lupin is a kind, caring presence in Harry's life, and while Dumbledore certainly was already looking out for Harry, Lupin was a much more available source of comfort and support for the orphaned boy, during the single year he taught him – at least when it wasn't a full moon. An old friend of Harry's parents, he was able to give Harry personal, intimate insight into who they were that no one else had been able to provide.

All that, and he's a werewolf! Lupin doesn't see that as a plus of course, but it's a very cool extra component to the character, as we see this thoughtful, warm man work to control the monster he turns into. And while Lupin's role is lessened after The Prisoner of Azkaban, he remains a dependable figure in Harry's life and a valiant member of the Order of the Phoenix – and eventually, for Tonks, something even more important.

13. Luna Lovegood

"I know she's insane, but it's in a good way." Ron Weasley's characterization of Luna Lovegood is precisely what makes this "Looney" Ravenclaw girl such a delight. She's an offbeat type with an interest in the macabre. And really, it's not surprising that she's a little strange when you consider that her mother died in a tragic magical accident when she was young and her father, Xenophilius, publishes the outrageous wizarding tabloid The Quibbler.

While Luna is often shunned for her oddball ways, things change when she meets Harry Potter and friends on the Hogwarts Express on the way to their fifth year at school. Luna joins the cadre of heroic students in Dumbledore's Army and plays a critical role within the group.

12. Rubeus Hagrid

For a boy like Harry, who grew up without any friends, a big warm and fuzzy brute like Hagrid couldn't have busted down the door at a better time. And a true friend he was. When others among the staff at Hogwarts were quick to skewer Harry with insults or shrug off his queries with mysterious glares, Hagrid was always there as a true confidant. It's always helpful to have a big lug on the payroll who's got your back, even if he is a bit of a well-intentioned klutz.

Hagrid's most powerful and emotional moments still resonate because of his history with Harry, Hermione and Ron. He's the surrogate for us, the audience, as we watch our favorite students mature and develop into young warriors. The short scene in Goblet of Fire, when he walks through the woods with our heroes, recollecting favorable times with the three of them, gave us all a cherished memory.

11. George Weasley

While our three heroes fumbled and stumbled about at Hogwarts, trying to decide what their futures held, the Weasley twins had the luxury of knowing their passion: pranks, gags and gaffes. While everyone else fretted over their exams, Ron's older brothers had an entrepreneur's eye and a magician's mirth. Having always been on hand to help Harry out in tough situations, the brave brothers were auspiciously born on April Fool's.

The more they pestered and prodded at Ron, the more we realized that they were the kind of older brothers that we all would have wanted to grow up with. Taking umbrage at Umbridge and leaving Hogwarts with a bang in Order of the Phoenix showed us that these two weren't just goofy side-splitters; they were brave and valiant freedom fighters. And Fred would pay the ultimate price for that spirit eventually.

10. Bellatrix Lestrange

Some people just enjoy being evil. If you're looking for proof, let us introduce you to Bellatrix Lestrange – and suggest you pray that you survive the encounter. Bellatrix has little of the cold, calculating nature of Voldemort or Lucius Malfoy. She simply relishes doing wicked, wicked things – and laughing all the while. Her villainy would have been cemented simply by her backstory, as we discovered she had tortured poor Neville Longbottom's parents so horrifically, it left them insane.

But after she escaped from Azkaban, Bellatrix proved she was far from done. She murdered her own cousin, Sirius Black, and, per usual, seemed more entertained than anything by what she'd done – which left Harry Potter without someone he'd come to love like a family member. She then went on to sadistically torture Hermione and murdered Dobby, giving this woman a stunning list of horrific "accomplishments." Considering all the destruction she was responsible for, her ultimate fate seemed well earned.

9. Draco Malfoy

As we follow Harry Potter's path of righteous adventure during his years at Hogwarts, it only makes sense that we follow his cracked mirror reflection. As someone that grew up totally opposite to Harry, the Aryan, aristocratic puke known as Draco Malfoy was privileged, pompous and prejudiced. While the threat of Voldemort's return loomed outside the walls of Hogwarts, Harry needed a lesser evil to keep him occupied when school was in session. And Draco did his absolute best to make Harry's life as harried and horrible as possible.

But just when we were beginning to think that Draco was nothing more than a nuisance, he got charged, by the Dark Lord, with killing Dumbledore himself. And suddenly, we were witnesses to Draco's initiation into the ranks of true evil and found ourselves actually invested in his choices - particularly when we saw, as Dumbledore did, that Draco Malfoy, as nasty as he is, was not a murderer.

8. Sirius Black

"Have you seen this wizard?" "Approach with extreme caution!" "Notify immediately by owl the Ministry of Magic." So read the wanted posters plastered everywhere in the wizarding world upon Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban prison, where he'd been sent years earlier for the murder of 12 Muggles and aiding Lord Voldemort. But Sirius is an innocent man. And it's after he is vindicated that the character truly comes alive.

Sirius was a close friend of James and Lily Potter, so much so that they named him as Harry's godfather. And while he maintains a sort of edgy, rebellious appeal -- emitting a truly badass vibe at times -- it's the father/son relationship that begins to develop between Sirius and Harry that endears the character to us. Sadly, however, Sirius meets his untimely demise before he can truly become the full-fledged father figure that Harry so craves.

7. Voldemort

The greatest thing about Lord Voldemort (AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle) was that he was rotten to his very core. There would be no redemption for such a wicked spirit. There was never any "good" lying dormant underneath Voldemort's dark exterior. He was never corrupted as a child; he was the corrupter. When other powerful sorcerers don't even have the cajones to speak your name, then you know you've truly arrived as the ultimate master of malice.

As the most sinisterly popularized villain since Darth Vader, Voldemort was truly frightening. In book after book, Harry managed to evade certain death only by the skinny skin of his teeth. We literally could not figure out a way that Harry, as cunning as he was, could ever defeat such a powerfully evil force. Voldemort might not have been able to comprehend love or friendship, but that certainly didn't stop us from taking delight in such a devilishly dreadful dude.

6. Neville Longbottom

Neville Longbottom is the quintessential dimwit-turned-hero. When we first meet him at Hogwarts, Neville is a shy introvert who is simply not that good at magic. In fact, those close to Neville quietly wondered if he might nearly be a Squib, someone born into a wizarding family without magic powers. He's lovable, sure, but his early misadventures don't explicitly foreshadow the valiant defender of Hogwarts that he would ultimately become.

While he begins to show loyalty and signs of bravery early on, it isn't until Neville's fifth year and his participation in Dumbledore's Army that we see him truly come into his own. Neville accompanies his friends on their mission to the Department of Mysteries where he comes face to face with Bellatrix Lestrange, the twisted servant of Voldemort who cruelly tortured his parents years before using the Cruciatus Curse. This would mark a turning point for Neville, leading to some truly awesome moments of bravery in the final Battle of Hogwarts.

5. Albus Dumbledore

For a character that was introduced into popular culture only in recent years, it speaks volumes that Professor Dumbledore has already taken his place among the great mentor figures in literature and film. Like Gandalf and Yoda before him, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore plays the role of wise sage, guide, and pseudo-grandfather in the story.

There's a whimsical eccentricity to Dumbledore that might mislead some into thinking he's a kind of absent-minded professor. That would be a mistake as he's proven to be one of the most skilled wizards that ever lived. In the films, we loved Richard Harris' more soft-spoken approach early on, but have to admit that Michael Gambon felt right at home showing Dumbledore at his most impressive – from taking on Voldemort in a one-on-one battle, to single-handedly thwarting off a horde of zombie-like Inferi. His absence in Harry's life, after he was killed by Snape on the astronomy tower on a fateful and tragic night, was powerful… even as Harry had begun to learn new, and potentially troubling, information about his mentor - before finally accepting him for the great man he was, even amongst flaws he readily admitted to.

4. Severus Snape

Whether you love him, or hate him, or love to hate him, Severus Snape makes quite an impact in the Harry Potter series. If you're Harry, Snape is a nightmare of a teacher – picking on the boy from the moment he stepped into Potions class, and showing clear favoritism toward Draco Malfoy and other Slytherin students. And yet… When Harry and his friends thought Snape was the one trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone, it turned out he was trying to protect it, and every now and again, Snape actually seemed like he was trying to help these kids.

Snape turned into one of the most discussed and debated characters from Harry Potter. Is he an evil man with moments of good, or a good man who has some very ugly characteristics? Or something more complicated all together? When Snape killed Dumbledore, it was a defining moment for Harry, who couldn't fathom Dumbledore being betrayed by a man who his mentor had -- for whatever reason -- chosen to trust so much. We couldn't ask for a better actor than Alan Rickman to portray Snape, bringing the same charisma he's given to so many screen villains, from Die Hard on.

3. Ron Weasley

Ron Weasley is Harry Potter's best friend and ever-present sidekick. But unlike most sidekicks, Ron isn't a coward or a simpleton, nor is he content to live in Harry's shadow. Of the three friends that make up the main cast of characters, Ron is the comic relief -- not an uncommon trait for sidekicks of his ilk -- a characteristic that makes him instantly endearing. And while he lacks Harry's natural magical talent, or Hermione's smarts, Ron overcomes his shortcomings with faithfulness and perseverance.

In spite of his fear of spiders, Ron follows Harry loyally into the Forbidden Forest, and mixes it up with the bad guys more than a few times in the series. He goes from bumbling Gryffindor keeper to Quidditch hero and works undercover at Hogwarts to co-found the vigilante student group Dumbledore's Army. Ron's flirtation/frustration with Hermione is also a highlight of the series. After all they'd been through, it was therefore difficult to see Ron abandon Harry and Hermione in Deathly Hallows Part 1 - but oh-so gratifying when he returned, facing some very personal, nightmarish visions (forget those spiders - he saw Harry and Hermione naked and getting it on!) and conquering them with the bravery of a true Gryffindor.

2. Hermione Granger

Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley's best girl-pal, is so much more than just a token throw-in for female readers/viewers to identify with. In fact, she narrowly edges out Ron for second place on our list. Why? We're glad you asked... Potter author J.K. Rowling describes her as "very logical, upright, and good." And while she's at first painted as a brainy do-gooder who always plays by the rules, it's fun to watch Hermione develop into so much more over the course of the series.

Throughout the novels and films, Hermione remains the voice of reason, but she'll break the law without hesitation if it's for the greater good. And her Spock-like logic is no help at all when hormones come into play -- completely fracturing, in fact, when it comes to her playfully love-hate relationship with Ron. You'll find no better friend or magical ally than "the brightest witch of her age."

1. Harry Potter

Perhaps it's a given that Harry Potter himself tops our list, but it's important to still reflect on why the character has been so universally accepted. He's a sympathetic figure; a kid plucked from unfortunate circumstances and thrust into a magical reality. He realizes he has been gifted with great power. And then he's pitted against the ultimate evil in the wizarding world, Lord Voldemort, who years ago killed his mother and father . Everybody loves an underdog story of good vs. evil and we've watched Harry grow up in this fantastic setting -- forming friendships, fighting foes, and finding love.

While Harry only partially realizes his deepest desire, to see his dead parents again, he is fathered and mothered by the care-taking adults who surround him -- Albus Dumbledore, Hagrid, Molly and Arthur Weasley, and Sirius Black to name a few. His faithful friends Ron and Hermione are an extension of this ad hoc family -- as close as any real brother and sister. And Harry needed all the support he could get in his battle against those who would do him harm -- from school bully Draco Malfoy, to soul sucking Dementors, the terrible Death Eaters, and ultimately the Dark Lord himself.

J.K. Rowling was careful to not make Harry perfect. His temper got the better of him at times and he made some crucial mistakes along the way, ignoring his friends in the process. But Harry's defects only help to endear us to him, as he feels so very real and part of both our world and the magical one he spent the first 10 years of his life ignorant of. The weight of the world is upon his shoulders, as he's said to be "The Chosen One," on top of processing being famous simply because he didn't die when someone tried to kill him – the same someone who killed his parents. That's a lot to deal with, but Harry Potter somehow is able to stand strong, even when faced with tremendous loss and being asked to make terrible sacrifices of his own.

Looking for more Harry Potter? Take a look at our guide to LEGO Harry Potter sets and more Harry Potter gift ideas. We've also gathered a list of the best books like Harry Potter if you're looking to dive further into the genre.