Harry Potter is all about the people. For all the wonderful witchcraft and wizardry, it's really the characters who make it work. It just seems like, whoever you are, there's a magical individual Rowling wrote-in just for little-old you.
Some of us love Harry P himself, who embodies strength, loyalty, and the difficulties of wearing glasses.
Others admire a lady like McGonnegal because she's incredibly brave and because she's also a cat.
Some of us like Grawp.
But whoever it is that floats your boat, there's no denying it: J.K. Rowling put together a cast of characters that's almost unmatched in fiction. Few authors succeed in creating such a diverse host of three-dimensional people to inhabit the world they've built-- let alone so many who resonate so deeply in our hearts. If the Harry Potter series is read 100-years from now, it'll be because characters like Ron, Grawp, and Hermoine still make the reader fall in love.
So let's take this opportunity to dive deep into the many characters of Harry Potter.
Especially Grawp.
Characters of Harry Potter Facts
1. A Natural
Let's kick things off with a fact about everyone's favourite Prophetic Hero!
... Neville Longbottom.
Neville gets a lot of flak throughout the series, but The Boy Who Also Lived is an interesting guy. Beyond playing the part of poetic parallel to Harry throughout the series, Neville's a genuinely deep and engaging character in his own right.
Here's an example: although he isn't widely known for his magical prowess, Neville actually showed signs of serious magical power very shortly after his birth. As a baby, his magic stirred when he tucked himself more tightly into his blankets after he was born. The stroke of bedtime bewitchment led Hogwarts to enrol him immediately... as a seconds-old baby! The school keeps a magic quill that notes the names of underage witches and wizards who show magical abilities, which registered Neville as a wizard the moment his bedsheets rustled.
2. The Meringue Incident
Neville's family, however, didn't see the small signs of magic he exhibited as a baby. For years they were afraid that Neville was a squib.
Until, that is, the Meringue Incident.
When Neville was eight, his Uncle Algie dangled him outside a window for a laugh (as you do). The game turned sour, though, when Algie was distracted by a meringue, and dropped his nephew. That's when Neville's powers suddenly activated. He bounced safely into the family's bed of petunias, like the world's most magical tennis ball.
And with that a legend was born.
3. An Unlikely Witch
Of course, not all young witches and wizards grow up in a magical family.
Hermione Granger’s parents were Muggles who worked as dentists. So when they got the letter saying she'd been admitted to Hogwarts, it came as an absolute surprise!
Imagine you received a letter from an enthusiastic parrot, saying your 11-year-old daughter has been admitted to elf-spotting school in Finland. If you don't know about Hogwarts, an owl with a scroll from Hogwarts would seem just as strange. So it's only fair that Hermione's utterly non-magical mum and dad were a little bit worried for their child. In the end though, they were completely supportive of their uniquely talented daughter.
4. Muggle Interests
Speaking of muggledom...
According to Pottermore (J.K. Rowling's website for fans of the series), Dumbeldore’s favorite hobbies included 10-pin bowling and chamber music.
Apparently, being the most powerful wizard in existence can get a little boring. But the real question is, do we think he cheated a bit at bowling? And how did the muggles react when "I'm Totally Not A Wizard" Albus showed up for bowling night in a purple gown and 3-foot long beard?
5. A Pack of Proud Blood-Traitors
The tension between so-called "pureblood" families, and the rest of the magical (and non-magical) world is something that ramps up for the duration of the Potter series. In a way, it's the clearest signal of how the story matured with its audience. What was all fun and games in a magical castle, became a struggle against the kind of ignorance we sometimes see in our own world as well.
But in the universe that J.K. Rowling created, that conflict was always there.
In the 1930s, a book called The Pureblood Directory cataloged the "Sacred Twenty-Eight" wizarding families who could still claim pureblood status. That is to say, they were related to no one with muggle blood. These families included the Malfoys, the Blacks, and, yes, the Weasleys.
It's a marvelous detail, and one that sets up our loveable red-heads in direct contrast with the shadier elements of the wizarding world. While some families are proud of their inclusion in the directory, the Weasleys scoff at the classification and instead offer friendship to Muggles and wizards with no magical heritage.
6. The Grass is Always Greener
Harry envies Ron for having a large, supportive family... but at times it seems like Ron would trade it all for just a taste of Harry’s wealth.
After all, the Weasleys may be a loving gang, but they're faaaar from rich. And Ron, as one of the youngest, feels the pinch: he cannot afford a new wand when his is broken by the Whomping Willow, he has a substandard broomstick, and he has to wear embarrassing thrift shop dress robes to his first school dance. For a long time, there's some serious bitterness in the kid over all those second-hand belongings.
In the end, though, Ron’s attitude about money improves as he faces life-or-death struggles that have nothing to do with material possessions.
7. Lineage
Another "pureblood" magical family is the Longbottoms.
That means Neville is likely related to the Potters, the Weasleys, the Crouches, and the Blacks. At the very least in distant sense.
8. Half-Blood
Speaking of pure-blood pride... Mr. "Half-Bloods Are So Much Worse" himself, Tom Marvolo Riddle, is actually a half-blood too.
That's right-- despite his hatred for the muggles, Voldemort himself was born to a witch, Merope Gaunt, and a Muggle father, Tom Riddle Sr.
And it wasn't even genuine. Gaunt seduced Riddle Sr. with a love potion.
9. Romance Gone Wrong
Tom Riddle Sr. left Gaunt once she stopped using the love potion on him. She had stopped because she was now pregnant, and had hoped that he was genuinely in love with her. No such luck.
Later, Riddle's abandonment at the hands of his Muggle father, influenced his transition to Voldemort', and his absolute hatred for Muggles.
It's too bad. If it wasn't for his horrific evil and wizard-racism, you'd almost feel bad for the kid, given everything he went through. Too bad he chose the path of skull tattoos and noselessness.
10. Inheritance
Through the Gaunt family, Voldemort is actually a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin, which is likely where he gets his Parseltongue abilities.
11. Snake Tongue
Shockingly, Dumbledore could understand Parseltongue as well.
...
I know, right?
The evidence shows up in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, when Dumbledore shows Harry a memory from Bob Ogden, an employee of the Ministry of Magic. In it, Ogden visits the house of the Gaunts, Voldemort’s relatives, all of whom speak in Parseltongue to each other. And yet Dumbledore appears to understand every word of the conversation the family members had.
I'm not saying Dumbledore might literally be Voldemort... but Dumbledore might literally be Voldemort.
12. Deep Roots
On the topic of snakes...
Draco's family is powerful, rich, and influential in the wizarding community—and its members have had a lot of time to cement their position. The Malfoys have been in England since 1066, the time of William the Conquerer.
13. Muggle Lovers
The Malfoys, although they show them such disgust, actually used to have ties to the Muggle world, in particular wealthy Muggles. Before the Statute of Secrecy, they would interact with Muggles when it benefitted them, and often collected Muggle artwork.
14. Cruel and Unusual
At one point in history, one of the Malfoys tortured his Muggle tenants so harshly that their injuries looked like the Black Death.
15. Half-Blood
It’s no wonder that whenever the word “Mudblood” is uttered, she gets cross. McGonagall’s mother, Isobel Ross, was a witch, but her father, Robert, was a Muggle minister; her parents met and fell in love in the same village they both grew up in. The whole village, Robert included, thought Isobel went to a "select ladies' boarding school" when in actuality she was attending Hogwarts. The two ended up eloping, and Isobel continued to keep her magical secret from Robert.
16. Menacing Laugh
Though the newspapers of the wizarding world got a lot wrong about the arrest of Sirius Black, they did get one thing right. Black was indeed found laughing hysterically at the scene of the crime. In a 2005 interview, Rowling stated, “Yes, he laughed. He knew what he’d lost. It was a humorless laugh. Pettigrew...it turned out that he was a better wizard than they knew. Turned out he was better at hiding secrets than they knew.”
17. Black Shuck
The name Padfoot has an interesting backstory. In English folklore, Padfoot actually refers to a Hellhound known as Black Shuck that had glowing red eyes and haunted the moors surrounding Leeds in Northern England. In essence, it is a myth centered on a black dog, which was likely why it was chosen as a nickname for Black’s character.
18. Nasty
But Sirius isn't the only one with a cool nickname!
Throughout the series, Snape gets all sorts of fun monikers from the characters around him. Like, "Overgrown bat" by Professor Quirrell, and "Slimeball" by Peter Pettigrew, who is one to talk.
OK maybe they're not super fun. Even Sirius himself calls Snape "Snivellus". Not nice! Then again, when you're name is Severus Snape, there's really nowhere to go but up.
It's hard being an unsung hero.
19. Wonderful Wizard
Dumbledore's talent was recognized all over the wizarding world.
He won a whole host of awars in his lifetime, including the Order of Merlin First Class. The award is given to witches/wizards who performs an outstanding act of bravery or distinction in magic. He recieved the honour for defeating the dark wizard Grindelwald.
The events of Grindelwald's reign of terror (and his eventual downfall) are at the heart of the new Potter movies, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Young Dumbledore with Grindelwald, pictured left.
20. Rowling’s Number One
You might assume that Rowling’s favorite character in the series would be the hero, right? After all, the books are called the Harry Potter series, not the Hagrid series or even the Hermione Granger series (although that would be awesome, right?). Rowling’s favorite character, however, isn’t the obvious choice. She admitted that she “hated killing” Lupin, because he was one of her most beloved characters in the whole series.
21. What’s in a Name?
Remus’ name is a clue to his identity: Roman mythology claims that the founders of Rome were two boys—Remus and Romulus—raised by a wolf. His surname is also hints at his true nature: “Lupin” is a play on the Latin word for wolf, “Lupus.” His middle name, “John,” refers to a wolf’s…. kidding! There’s no hidden wolf symbolism in “John.”
22. Family Names
The Lupin family sure was committed to heavy symbolism in their family tree. In an article published on Pottermore, J.K. Rowling revealed that Lupin’s father’s name was “Lyall Lupin.” The word “Lyall” comes from “Liulfr,” the Old Norse word for wolf, but Lyall Lupin was not a werewolf.
23. A Tough Childhood
Although the heavy symbolism of name might suggest that Lupin had always had lycanthropic tendencies, he was not born a werewolf. He was bitten and transformed into one at the tender age of four. This was no random attack: it was revenge. Lupin’s father Lyall, who worked at the Ministry of Magic, angered a werewolf named Fenrir Greyback when Lyall disagreed with lenient treatment Greyback received in questioning. Greyback retaliated by climbing through Remus’ window and biting the sleeping child.
24. Secretly a Werewolf ?
For a while, there was a fan theory circulating that Draco had been bitten by Fenrir Greyback as punishment from Voldemort, and that he was really a werewolf. The theory notes Draco's sickly qualities at the end of the series' run, and his connection to Greyback. Rowling, however, officially nixed the theory on Twitter in 2015.
25. Perfect Nomenclature
Back to symbolism for a moment: Snape, like Lupin, has a lot going on for him as well.
According to the English etymology dictionary, Snape means “to be hard upon, rebuke, revile, snub.” All of these words describe things Snape's lived experience, as one of the saga's most tragic heroes.
26. Birthday Doubles
Rowling shares a birthday with her protagonist. Both Harry and Jo were born on July 31 in England. It’s worth noting this date makes them each Leos, the astrological symbol marked by a lion, and therefore…destined for the leonine house of Gryffindor? Coincidence, or not?
27. The Tongue that Slithered Off
Since Harry got his Parseltongue ability from the piece of Voldemort’s soul he held, it makes sense that his special linguistic ability died with the evil wizard. Considering Harry’s reluctant embrace of all-things-Dark-Lord throughout the series, he may not have missed the ability much.
28. Searching For Harry
Over a seven-month period, around 300 young hopefuls auditioned for the role of Harry James Potter in the films. Among the considerations for the part were Haley Joel Osment of The Sixth Sense and Jonathan Lipnicki of Jerry Maguire.
29. An Eye for Detail
Harry’s green eyes were compared to his mother Lily’s throughout the series. It was a piece of detail Rowling made sure to comment on in seemingly almost every chapter.
It’s not surprising then that fans noticed the movie’s Harry sported a pair of non-canon baby blues. But apparently the inaccuracy was not for lack of trying: Actor Daniel Radcliffe tried to don a pair of green contact lenses, but suffered an allergic reaction.
So much for faithful adaption, AM I RIGHT FOLKS? I say they ought to remake every single movie. This time we're using Haley Joel Osment.
30. Big Shoes to Fill
Rowling admitted to having another literary hero in mind when she created the scene where Harry extracts the sword of Gryffindor from a pool of water.
In Arthurian legend, King Arthur is granted the famous sword, Excalibur, by the Lady of the Lake. (Only in the case, Harry ultimately had a less romantically-cut figure, Snape, to thank for his dive into freezing waters.)
31. Rebalancing the Scales
Harry's whole character arc is rife with symbolism.
Harry’s parents are killed on Halloween. 10 years later to the day, an 11-year-old Harry, Ron, and Hermione defeat a troll in the Hogwarts bathroom. Although Hermione was previously not friends with Harry and Ron, this event forms a strong bond between the trio. On the same day Harry’s family once fell apart, he later finds a makeshift family. That's a nice bit of poetic symmetry there, Rowling. Well played.
32. A Slight Wrinkle in Time
Although Rowling’s text doesn’t give precise years from the outset, calculating events in the magical realm lands Harry’s birth at 1980. This means that he arrived at Hogwarts in 1991, placing the timeline of the books slightly behind the series’ real-world publication.
33. A Well-Cast Ensemble
Beyond his skill at Defense Against the Dark Arts, Harry was a relatable, average student. Some might even say a bit of a slacker. According to the film cast, Harry’s laissez-faire approach to assignments was reflected by Radcliffe as well. Given the task to write an essay about his character from director Alfonso Cuarón, Radcliffe wrote a single page. (Comparatively, Hermione’s Emma Watson delivered 16 pages, and Ron’s Rupert Grint skirted the assignment altogether).
34. Graduation Day
Like all most of the student characters, Hermione's studies were disrupted by the Second Wizarding War (1995-1998). However, unlike most of the others, she returned to Hogwarts to complete her NEWT (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test) exams in 1998. She was the only one of her trio of friends to take the tests.
Classic Granger.
35. The Son She Never Had
Rowling has stated that if she had a son, she would have named him Harry, as it’s her favorite boy name. Considering Rowling has a daughter, it’s unsurprising she took the opportunity to still use the name in her fictional world.
36. Quite a Pair
For fans keen on Harry’s parents’ backstory, their patronuses seem to symbolize a union that was meant to be. James' patronus was a stag, and Lily’s was a doe. In true orphan Bambi-like form, their surviving son grows throughout the books to form a stag patronus as well.
37. Fawkesy Patronus
According to J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore website for Harry Potter fans, Dumbledore’s patronus was a Phoenix. This makes sense as Dumbledore keeps a pet phoenix named Fawkes which saves Harry’s life in the Chamber of Secrets.
38. Hasn't He Been Through Enough?
Rowling revealed a heartbreaking truth about Hagrid when she admitted that he couldn’t cast a Patronus, as it is a type of spell that would be too difficult for him, since he was expelled from Hogwarts.
39. Good Guy Grawp
We know Hagrid has a giant half brother named Grawp. However, it was also rumored that Hagrid had an evil twin named Dirgah who hid out in the forbidden corridor, which was why the corridor was off limits to students. It was all a ruse, however, to keep students away from the philosopher's stone; "Dirgah" is "Hagrid" spelled backwards!
Also, while we're on the topic of Grawp, it's important to note that Hagrid's half-brother only stood a mere 16-feet high. That's minuscule for a giant. The poor guy really suffered for it too, being bullied by the other giants throughout his entire childhood. Grawp persevered though, and was eventually rescued by Hagrid and Madame Maxime.
In a way, Grawp's struggles mirror those of Harry himself. Both led difficult childhoods, abused by their families. And both were eventually "rescued" when they moved to Hogwarts. Perhaps it's no wonder, then, that Grawp played such a pivotal role in the final Battle of Hogwarts, where he helped to defeat Voldemort's giants. Like Harry and the other students, Grawp was defending his adopted home.
All hail Grawp, The Giant Who Learned To Talk.
40. Taking One for the Literary Team
In good writing fashion, Rowling realized that her brave protagonist may be viewed by readers as a little overly perfect. She decided to give Harry a vulnerable, "human" side, exemplified by his need for glasses. Poor Harry took one for the fans every time Dudley broke his glasses or they fell off is face.
41. The Case of the Missing Grandparents
Ever wonder what happened to Harry’s magical grandparents? According to Rowling, “Fleamont and Euphemia lived long enough to see James marry a Muggle-born girl called Lily Evans, but not to meet their grandson, Harry.” The elderly couple succumbed to a deadly case of dragon pox just a few days apart. From there, James Potter inherited the invisibility cloak. So, while they weren’t present in the series, Harry’s grandparents were responsible for his possession of a lifesaving (and convenient) magical item. His maternal grandparents also died of natural causes before he was born.
42. Go, Go Gryffindor!
When Dumbledore was a student at Hogwarts he was a member of Gryffindor house, and who can blame him? He was a clever and courageous wizard who was loyal to those he cared about.
43. Stalling Out
It’s how every Hogwarts’ student begins their school career: the Sorting Ceremony. McGonagall's sorting took an astonishing five and half minutes, resulting in was is known as a "Hatstall." The Sorting Hat could not decide whether to put her in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw (she eventually became a member of Gryffindor). In later years, she and Professor Flitwick would joke about this; he was also a Hatstall between the two houses, but was placed in Ravenclaw instead.
44. Classic Longbottom
Another tought sort was Neville Longbottom. We now all clearly see Neville's bravery, but when he first started at Hogwarts, he wasn't so sure of himself. When he first went to the Sorting Hat and was sorted in Gryffindor, he argued with the Hat and begged to be put in Hufflepuff; he was afraid he could never be as brave as his parents, and was worried he'd never live up to the Gryffindor name. Eventually, however, he was of course sorted into Gryffindor.
45. Finding Her Place
Just like her friend Harry Potter, the Sorting Hat struggled to decide which Hogwarts house Granger best belonged in: Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. The clever witch almost found herself in with the bookish, wise Ravenclaw cohort, but after four minutes of thought, the Hat eventually decided she was a better fit with Gryffindor’s traits–daring, nerve, and chivalry.
46. Dark Creatures
When confronted with a Boggart, a shape shifting creatures that transforms into someone’s worst fear, Dumbledore would see the corpse of his dead sister Ariana. Dark Stuff. And you thought Ron Weasley’s fear of spiders was bad…
Ariana Dumbledore.
47. A Living Nightmare
Granger’s very worst fear is getting poor grades in school. After she entered a trunk with a boggart—a magical creature that shapeshifts into a person’s worst fear—as part of her Defence Against the Dark Arts exam, she ran out screaming. The boggart had transformed into Professor McGonagall and told her she’d failed everything.
48. That’s a Neat Trick!
Avid book readers and film fans know McGonagall is an Animagus: She can transform into a cat at will. What fans may not know is that she is only one of seven Animagi who registered with the Ministry of Magic in the 20th century. It’s no easy feat learning how to turn into an animal—just look how long it took James Potter and Sirius Black! It was McGonagall’s passion for Transfiguration that made her want to become an Animagus, and she even asked Dubmledore for help in her final year.
49. First to Appear
Long before Harry finds out he’s a wizard, readers get their first glimpse of the magical world through McGonagall in her tabby cat form. When Vernon Dursley is leaving for work one day, he sees a cat reading a map. Soon after that, with the arrival of Dumbledore and Hagrid, we learn that cat is actually a witch. She is also the first female character to be introduced in both the book and film.
50. No Cats!
Speaking of cats...
Even though Hagrid has an extreme fondness for most magical creatures, there is one animal you will never find him keeping as a pet: Hagrid is allergic to cats, and tells Harry in The Philosopher's Stone that the animals make him sneeze.
So much for the McGonagall-Hagrid romance we were all waiting for. Hagrid would need a Claritan IV.
51. Casting
Evanna Lynch beat 15,000 girls for the role of Luna, she was 9th in line of 29 finalists, and when it came to viewing the audition videos, one of the producers, David Barron, stopped viewing after Evanna's audition and said, "She is Luna.” We couldn’t agree more, David.
52. Setting the Facts Straight
Apparently, Harry was never a real Horcrux, at least not by magical textbook definition. According to Rowling, a Horcrux must be intentionally created, and it’s clear in the books that Voldemort wasn’t exactly skipping around in joy over having a piece of his soul housed in the body of a kid. Especially a kid that ended up foiling his plans to take over the world again as a snotty teen.
53. “Always…”
When Rickman first took the role of Snape, the ending of the book series had not yet been revealed. The late Alan Rickman actually took one of Snape's secrets to the grave. To help Rickman understand the depth of Snape’s role in the series, J.K. Rowling let him in on key information behind an important word she associated with the character: “Always.” That is, that Snape would actually always love Lily and would protect Harry for her. Rickman never revealed what Rowling told him—even after the conclusion of the movies. We only know now, after Rickman’s death, because Rowling let fans in on the secret.
54. The Best of Enemies
Dumbledore and Grindelwald were friends when they first met. After finishing school at Hogwarts Dumbledore was introduced to Grindelwald by the latter’s great aunt, Bathilda Bagshot. Both were the best wizards of their age and quickly became friends.
55. Murder?
Dumbledore may have killed his own sister, Ariana while dueling with his younger brother, Aberforth and his friend at the time, Grindelwald. The three wizards had an argument, which escalated into a full-scale duel and Ariana was killed in the crossfire.
Aberforth Dumbledore (left).
addicted to eddie
56. The Groundhog of the Wizarding World
Nifflers stole our hearts onscreen as the funniest and most adorable beasts in 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. What fans of the book and film may not have realized is that Nifflers are known for their ability to burrow. In fact, they live in burrows that can be as much as 20 feet below the ground. They’re so good at burrowing, the goblins used Nifflers to burrow underground for treasure.
57. A Major Player
Severus Snape is mentioned exactly 1,849 times throughout the run of the series. That's a lot of mentions!
58. Slug Club
Despite Dumbledore's misgivings about the orphan boy, Riddle was popular with many teachers. He was even a part of Professor Slughorn's "Slug Club" of promising students. Of course, Riddle was just using Slughorn in order to find out more about magical secrets—including Horcruxes.
59. A True Dark Arts Master
So much of the series focuses on Snape’s ties to Voldemort and his disdain for Harry Potter, but this guy also has some serious magical skills. Snape invented (to just name a few) a nonverbal spell, Levicorpus, that can lift people up by their ankles, a counter curse spell to Levicorpus, and a violent spell that can slash through opponents called Sectumsempra. Uh, those definitely sound like dark arts to me.
60. Adept Mind Reader
Although Snape tried to teach Harry how to block his mind from Voldemort using Occlumemency, our great hero pretty much flunked those lessons. Draco, however, had no such trouble, and is shown throughout the series to be good at shielding his thoughts. He had an advantage: Slytherins are often good Occlumens, and he was also taught by his aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange.
61. Cold Reading
Apparently, Felton had not read a single Harry Potter book when he read for the part. Was he living under a rock?
62. Wolves That Look Like Humans
The special effects team on the Harry Potter movies wanted to create a vision of Lupin’s werewolf transformation that would reflect the uniqueness of Lupin’s character, rather than relying on cinema stereotypes of bloodthirsty lycanthropes. After all, a major plot point for Lupin’s character is that he wants to combat stereotypes about werewolves! The movie version of Remus Lupin was thin, emaciated, and nearly hairless, which echoed the sad living situation and social alienation of human Lupin.
63. Sorry, Tonks!
Actor David Thewlis, who played Remus Lupin in the movie adaptations of the Harry Potter books, revealed a surprising motivation for his character: without consulting Rowling, the director of the third movie, Alfonso Cuaron, told Thewlis to play Lupin as though the werewolf were gay. Thewlis explains that he had to adjust his understanding of his character once it was revealed that Lupin would marry Nymphadora Tonks: “So I’d been playing a part like a gay man for quite a long time. Until it turned out that I indeed got married to Tonks. I changed my whole performance after that.”
64. Unusual Addresses
In the books, Lupin spent a lot of time in the Shrieking Shack, which was built under the Whomping Willow for him to hide in during the full moon. In real life, the actor David Thewlis lived in a similarly unusual location: a Victorian ballroom in London, complete with a mezzanine gallery.
65. Smarty Pants
Besides being an incredibly powerful wizard, Dumbledore was also very smart. He is credited with discovering the twelve uses of dragon’s blood. He also dabbled in alchemy with his friend Nicholas Flamel, who went on to invent the Philosopher’s Stone.
66. Hagrid Gets Revenge
We first meet Walden MacNair in Prisoner of Azkaban when he is sent to execute Hagrid’s beloved pet hippogriff Buckbeak. This secret Death Eater is enraged when Buckbeak disappears and he is robbed of his chance to kill the creature, revealing a bloodthirsty and cruel nature. During the Battle of Hogwarts, we see MacNair one more time—when Hagrid throws him clear across a room.
67. Child Prodigy
Voldemort was only 16 when he created his first Horcrux.
68. Soft and Greasy
The two words used most often to describe Snape throughout the books are "Cold" and "Dark." Runners up include "Soft" and Greasy."
69. A Jinxed Position
Snape, as we know from The Half-Blood Prince, was half Muggle. His mother, Eileen Prince, was a witch, but his father, Tobias Snape, was a regular, non-magical person.
70. The Home of A Hero
Pottermore is the home base of Potter fans everywhere, and it continues to reveal fantastic tidbits about characters even now that the series has ended. One riddle contest revealed details of Snape and Lily Potter’s hometown, Cokeworth.
71. Serving the School
Becoming headmaster at Hogwarts takes a lot of time and experience. That's why it's impressive that Snape held the title of headmaster at Hogwarts. His tenure was incredibly short, but his portrait still graces the grand office of historical Headmasters.
72. Inspiration behind Hermione
Rowling was an avid reader as a child and based the character of Hermione Granger on her 11-year-old self.
Albeit, the name is a little more difficult to say... Victor Krum calls her ‘Herm – own – ninny.’ Meanwhile Grawp simplifies, and just calls her "Hermy".
sfz
73. On The Otter Hand…
Ever wonder why Granger’s patronus is an otter? It’s not because she’s cute or buoyant: turns out the otter is Rowling’s favourite animal.
74. Not Quite Right
Granger’s last name was originally going to be “Puckle,” but it wasn’t the right fit for her character.
75. What’s in a Name?
Rowling gets tons of inspiration for her characters' names from literature, animals, and places: the names Hagrid and Dumbledore show up in a novel by Thomas Hardy. Also, Hagrid's first name, "Rubeus," comes from the Latin "rubinius," or "red." "Albus" (as in Albus Dumbledore) comes from "alba" meaning "white." As Rowling as said, "Rubeus (red) Hagrid and Albus (white) Dumbledore…both hugely important to Harry, seem to me to represent two sides of the ideal father figure he seeks; the former is warm, practical and wild, the latter impressive, intellectual, and somewhat detached.”
76. Scot's Honor
Some Harry Potter fans may not know this, but McGonagall is actually Scottish. She was born the child of a Presbyterian Minister. Growing up in the Highlands in the early twentieth century, she would start to figure out she was not just an ordinary girl.
77. Half-Blood
It’s no wonder that whenever the word “Mudblood” is uttered, she gets cross. McGonagall’s mother, Isobel Ross, was a witch, but her father, Robert, was a Muggle minister; her parents met and fell in love in the same village they both grew up in. The whole village, Robert included, thought Isobel went to a "select ladies' boarding school" when in actuality she was attending Hogwarts. The two ended up eloping, and Isobel continued to keep her magical secret from Robert.
78. The Brightest Star
Fans of the Harry Potter series know that author J.K. Rowling liked to make many astronomical connections. Case in point: Sirius Black. Black’s name is also the name of a star found in the constellation Canis Major, which means “Great Dog” (a rather fitting name given his animagus, don’t you think?). In addition, Sirius, also called the "Dog Star," is the brightest star in the sky and is 26 times bright than the sun.
79. Constellation Connection
Sirius wasn’t the only member of the Black clan named after a constellation. Andromeda and Cassiopeia also earned their monikers from famous stars in the sky (which are both also mythical figures).
80. The Dark Birthplace of the Dementors
In her late 20s, Rowling was struggling being an unemployed single mum coming out of a divorce. She went through a rough period of clinical depression. The soul-sucking Dementors were created from that experience and later introduced in the third Harry Potter book.
81. A Long Life
While we all feel that Dumbledore died too soon he was 115-years-old when he was killed. According to J.K. Rowling’s website, Pottermore, he was born in 1881 and died in 1997.
82. Defeated
When he was killed in his final battle with Harry Potter on May 2, 1998, Lord Voldemort was 71 years old.
83. Not Like His Old Man
Dumbledore’s father, who’s name was Percival, was sent to Azkaban for attacking boys who had injured Dumbledore’s sister Ariana. His father was never released and spent the remainder of his life in the wizard prison.
Concept art for Azkaban, which in the end wasn’t featured in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
84. Where We’re Going We Don’t Need Wands
Dumbledore had the ability to do magic without the use of a wand. For example, in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Dumbledore saves Harry without his wand when Harry falls off his broom in a game of Quidditch. He could also change the colors of the banners in the Great Hall without a wand.
85. Ominous Wand
Dumbledore’s wand had a Thestral core. On her old website J.K. Rowling revealed that the core of the Elder Wand is that of a Thestral, a creature that is invisible to those who have not seen someone die.
86. Unique Wand
Neville's first wand, inherited from his father, is snapped by Dolohov in the Department of Mysteries, and he has to get a new one. His second wand, 13 inches and made of cherry and unicorn hair, is thought to be the last wand Ollivander ever sold.
87. Not a Nice Gradma
Neville's grandmother, Augusta Longbottom, is one tough cookie, and raised Neville after his parents were tortured into insanity by Death Eaters. Even so, her overbearing presence likely contributed to Neville's lack of magical aptitude; Dumbledore has said that a lack of confidence can block a witch or wizard's powers.
88. Resting Place
Albus Dumbledore's grave is the only one at Hogwarts. Dumbledore wanted to be buried at Hogwarts because he considered the castle his real home.
89. Small World
Dumbledore’s family was from the town of Godric’s Hallow. The same place as the founder of Gryffindor, Godric Gryffindor, and Harry Potter. There must be something in the water there…
90. Magic Swag
Remember when we all wanted to collect those moving chocolate frog cards after their introduction in the first book? J.K. Rowling revealed that after Harry, Ron, and Hermione became household names following the Battle of Hogwarts, they were further immortalized on these iconic collectible cards.
91. Who Needs a Cloak?
Dumbledore was such a powerful wizard that he had no need for an Invisiblity Cloak. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Dumbledore tells Harry that he does not need one of those fancy cloaks if he wishes to be invisible. Dumblodore most likely could perform such a powerful Disillusionment Charm that it made him impossible to see.
92. Forewarned
Before Harry was born, there was a prophecy made about the boy who would be able to bring down Lord Voldemort. Professor Trelawney gave Dumbeldore the prophecy at the end of her job interview for a position at Hogwarts. That certainly got her the job!
93. Handy Scars
In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Dumbledore claims that he has a scar on his left knee that is a perfect map of London’s Underground system.
94. He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not
As previously mentioned in this article, Dumbledore was gay and it is thought that he may have had a crush on his friend Grindelwald. There is no proof that Grindelwald ever reciprocated Albus’ feelings though.
95. The Power of Friendship
Lupin admitted to Harry that it was difficult to remember his humanity once he had transformed into a werewolf. However, once the other Marauders became Animagi, their presence not only allowed James, Sirius, and Peter to keep Lupin company, it also helped him stay more grounded in his human self throughout the full moon. In the third book of the series, Lupin says to Harry that “Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them.”
96. 22 Year Old Inmate
Black was just 22 years old when he was imprisoned in Azkaban. It’s easy to forget, but the Marauders were barely out of school when Sirius was best man at James and Lily’s wedding.
97. Not Husband Material
According to Rowling, marriage was never in the cards for Sirius. Despite being the best man at James and Lily’s wedding, Black himself was “too busy being a big rebel to get married.”
98. Arrested Development
Though brave and extremely loyal, Black’s traits weren’t all good. Rowling described Sirius as “slightly unbalanced, a “bit of a loose cannon,” and claimed he had a “case of arrested development” due to his long stay in Azkaban.
99. The Inventor
Dumbeldore invented the Deluminator, a device that can turn out lights from a distance. After his death he leaves it to Ron Weasley in his will. The Deluminator helps Ron find Harry and Hermione after he leaves them following an argument in the Deathly Hallows book and movie.
100. Underwater Languages
Dumbledore also spoke the language of Mermish. This is shown in the book of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire after the second task when Dumbeldore confers with the leader of the Merpeople about what Harry did to save Ron and Fluer Delacour’s younger sister. Wonder where he learned that!
101. Bonus Secret Death Eater
In the early drafts of the series, Rowling wrote a character named Pyrites who was part of Voldemort’s inner circle. He was a Death Eater with impeccably-styled clothes, including silk white gloves that were often stained with blood. Pyrites was one of the oldest Death Eaters and was apparently present at the death of Harry’s parents. Anyone else wish that this chic chap hadn’t been cut from the final draft?
102. Post-Traumatic Stress
When forced to drink the potion in the cave to get the locket Horcrux in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore begins to weep and say ‘it’s all my fault’ over and over. This is believed to be because the potion made him relive the death of his sister.
103. Mad-Eye? More Like Dad-Eye
Brendan Gleeson first appeared in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as the slightly-unhinged Mad-Eye Moody. Soon after, his real-life son Domhnall Gleeson was cast as Bill Weasley. This fact brings special significance to the scene in Deathly Hallows where Bill is the one to break the news to the Order of the Phoenix of Moody’s murder by Voldemort.
104. A Mouthful of Names
Dumbledore's full name was Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Which begs the question, who needs three middle names? The best wizard ever, that’s who.
105. What’s In A Name?
The name “Hermione” is rooted in Greek mythology: it derives from Hermes, the messenger god, who was able to live between the world of both humans and gods. Likewise, Granger is able to transition between the Muggle and wizarding worlds.
106. Family Man
We all think of Dumbledore as an honest character who would never decisive his friends. Except that he lies to Harry about what he sees in the Mirror of Erised. Dumbledore tells Harry he sees himself with a new pair of socks. In a 2007 interview, Rowling revealed what Dumbledore really saw was, “his family alive, whole and happy.”
107. Little of Column A, Little of Column B
Some of the worst things Snape has done? He tried to have Harry and Ron expelled after the flying car incident in The Chamber of Secrets and he also, well, killed Dumbledore. But he did do good things: that killing thing was on the Headmaster's orders, and he did once save Draco Malfoy's life in The Half-Blood Prince.
108. Kind Words
Snape might not get much credit in life, but after his passing he eventually got some acknowledgement for all the good works he did.
Harry eventually describes Snape as "The bravest man I ever knew."
109. Patronus
Snape is the only Death Eater who can conjure a Patronus, which is (of course) a doe, just like his love Lily Potter.
110. Crabby
Although Harry names his son Albus Severus after both Dumbledore and Snape, that's not the only being named for Snape: In 2017, researchers discovered a new species of crab and called it Harryplax severus. Well, he is a pretty crabby guy.
111. Getting Into Character
The late and great Alan Rickman had a hand in how Snape was portrayed on the big screen. Rickman determined the tightness of the sleeves, the number of buttons, and other critical features of Snape's costume.
112. Something Is Missing
Despite Rickman's involvement in Snape's character design in the movies, there is one thing missing from the book: a goatee. In the series, Snape is always illustrated with some kind of beard, which is mysteriously absent from the films. Maybe Alan Rickman is follicly-challenged.
113. Starting to Teach
You’d think that before becoming Headmaster of Hogwarts, Dumbledore might have taught Defence Against the Dark arts, but you’d be wrong. He taught transfiguration.
114. Looks Are Deceiving
Tom Riddle was Head Boy during his time at Hogwarts, and received the medal for Magical Merit.
115. Rejected
After he graduated, Riddle approached the Headmaster to ask if he could stay on and teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. He was turned down; he was too young, and was told he could be considered for the role at a later date. Dumbledore, however, recognized Riddle as a threat, and convinced the Headmaster never to hire him.
116. Personal Invitation
Remember the rush in book one when Harry receives his letter to Hogwarts? Remus Lupin got something even better: a personal visit from Albus Dumbledore. As wise as ever, Dumbledore did not agree with the discrimination werewolves faced in the wizarding community, and so he made specific accommodations, such as building the Shrieking Shack, that made it possible for Lupin to attend Hogwarts. Later on, Dumbledore would do Lupin a similar favor by offering the younger man the job of teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts.
117. Family Connection
Though you may have thought Sirius Black and Nymphadora Tonks’ only connection was their love of Remus Lupin, it turns out the two are actually related by blood. Sirius’ cousin, Andromeda Black, is actually Tonks’ mother, making them first cousins once removed.
118. Carrying on the Line
While Remus and Nymphadora’s son Teddy did not inherit his father’s lycanthropy, he did inherit Tonks’ shapeshifting abilities. He was also sorted into Hufflepuff (like his mom) and made Head Boy in his seventh year.
119. The Godfather
Neville is actually Albus Severus Potter's godfather.
120. Reading Fifty Shades of Grey
The Harry Potter author promised her editor she would never read Fifty Shades of Grey and she has stayed true to her word.
121. Trifecta!
Dumbledore was the first wizard to have possession of all three of Deathly Hallows. He never had all three at once, but he was the first to encounter all of them. He had the Invisibility Cloak after Harry’s parents were killed, the Resurrection Stone when he tracked Voldemort’s ring Horcrux, and the Elder Wand when he defeated Grindelwald.
122. Cursed
The history of the Black family involves quite a bit of doom and gloom. Despite their sharp minds, the average life expectancy within the Black clan isn’t very high, which is why Rowling said it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to fans when Black himself died. According to the family tapestry, the average life expectancy is 59 years old, with only a few members living past this age.
123. Fan Theory
There is a fan theory circulating that Snape is actually transgender. Once more, bring on the fanfic!
124. Losing out to Putin
J.K. Rowling was the runner-up for Time’s title of Person of the Year in 2007 – losing to Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
125. Marriage in disguise
Rowling has previously revealed that she bought the wedding dress for her second marriage in disguise, because she didn’t want to be recognized.
We've all been there, right folks?
126. Name mispronunciation
J.K. Rowling says she no longer minds if people mispronounce her name. But just to be clear, her name rhymes with “bowling” not “howling”.
127. Active Twitter user
Rowling has over 5 million followers on Twitter. She posts regularly and engages in discussions with her fans, sometimes she even argues with them over statements she disagrees with.
128. She’s Just a Witch, Standing in Front of a Wizard, Asking Him to call Her ‘Mollywobbles’
Although she spends most of the series trying to rein in her unruly brood and keep things running smoothly, Molly gets to have her silly moments. Readers discover through Harry’s overhearing that she likes Arthur to call her “Mollywobbles” in private, harbors a huge crush on Gilderoy Lockhart, and loves the music of old-fashioned singer Celestina Warbeck because she and Arthur used to dance to her songs when they were young.
129. Mrs. Weasley's Sorrow
Molly Weasley gained her extreme hatred of the Death Eaters years before the novels when a group of them brutally murdered her two brothers, Fabian and Gideon, during the First Wizarding War, a tragedy of which she rarely speaks. In Order of the Phoenix, a boggart overpowers Molly and readers see that her greatest fear is the death of any more family members. In the Second Wizarding War, she loses her beloved son Fred, but thankfully the rest of her family survives.
130. Their Hearts Weren’t in It
Prisoner of Azkaban introduces the character of Stan Shunpike, conductor of The Knight Bus, as a prying yet harmless young man who just wants to gossip with passengers and impress girls. Harry is shocked when Stan’s face is revealed under a Death Eater hood, but poor Stan didn’t suddenly turn to the dark side; Death Eaters used the Imperius Curse to take control of his mind and force him to do their bidding. Pius Thicknesse underwent the same fate and became a puppet for the dark side.
131. Quidditch Player? Must be a Weasley
Could Hogwarts Quidditch even survive without the talent of the Weasley family? In their years at Hogwarts, a Weasley child has played in every position: Charlie as Seeker, Fred and George as Beaters, Ron as Keeper, and Ginny as Chaser and Seeker. While it is unknown if Bill ever played for the team, Percy definitely did not stir from his studies to hit the pitch.
132. Better Go to Gringotts
When he was cast in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Radcliffe was paid $110,000 for his role, but that changed quickly. Radcliffe earned seven figure salaries for the next seven Harry Potter films, nearly all of which was managed and invested by his parents until he came of age. As of 2013, Radcliffe was allegedly worth $87 million!
133. Busy
Daniel Radcliffe took time out of filming to take part in a stage production of Equus. Alan Rickman, who Radcliffe had previously found intimidating, cut his holiday short to go and see Radcliffe on stage. Aww, Snape!
134. Cut Short
Severus Snape was born on January 9, 1960, making him a Capricorn. He died on May 2, 1998; he was only 38 years old.
135. Kissing Harry
Katie Leung (who played Cho Chang) was nervous about kissing Daniel Radcliffe on screen that she had sleepless nights over it. On the planned day for the shooting of the scene, Daniel came down with an illness and filming had to be postponed while he recovered. What a tease!
Reflecting on the kiss with Daniel, she said her one regret is her haircut!
Radcliffe also commented on the kiss in an interview and said, “People imagine, when you watch these sex scenes or kissing scenes, they always look sexy and romantic and passionate, and it isn't. It's actually quite clinical. You're standing there like that, and her head's right there, and they say, ‘Can you move to the right, no, the left, and tilt your head a bit,’ and it becomes like walking up the stairs or doing any other action.”
136. A Fair Question About Muggles
In Chamber of Secrets when Harry first meets Arthur Weasley, the Weasley patriarch grills Harry about various aspects of Muggle life. In the film version, actor Mark Williams completely improvised the “What exactly is the function of a rubber duck?” line, coining an instantly classic bit of dialogue that sums up Arthur’s characterization—and that had his fellow cast mates in hysterics.
137. Real-Life Influence
It’s not unusual for authors to base their characters on real people, and J.K. Rowling is no different. Hagrid was inspired by a very big West Country biker. Robbie Coltrane, who plays Hagrid and has met the man, has said in Harry Potter Page to Screen that the real-life biker is “Just huge and terrifying, And then he would sit down and talk about his garden and how his petunias had been very bad that year.” The real Hagrid is just as much a softie as the book Hagrid!
138. She Knows What She Wants
Rowling insisted that Robbie Coltrane play Hagrid and said that if he hadn’t signed on it would have been a deal breaker.
139. He’s No Coltrane
Despite being willing to work for free, Robin Williams was turned down for the role of Hagrid.
140. Top Chef?
So Hagrid isn't very good at cooking, but Pottermore still lists the activity among his hobbies, alongside gardening and care for magical creatures. He's genuinely great at those last two, but dinner guests soon learn to politely decline his concoctions. But they're made with love!
141. Saving the World While Looking Fierce
Many members of the magical community lose their fashion sense when trying to pass in the Muggle world. In Goblet of Fire, the campsite manager Mr. Roberts complains about “a bloke walking ‘round in a kilt and a poncho.” One character without these sartorial issues is Bill Weasley, who is basically the epitome of cool. He has long hair tied back in a ponytail, boots made of dragon skin (not sure his brother Charlie would approve), and jewellery made from fangs. The scars given to him by Fenrir Greyback in Half-Blood Prince surely add to his bad-boy aesthetic.
142. A Style All His Own
Furry brown suits, yellow spotted ties and large brown overcoats: It’s safe to say that while Hagrid will never win any fashion awards, he rocked whatever he put on. It also certainly set him apart from others! The only time we see Hagrid being self-conscious about his appearance is when a certain fellow half-giant named Madame Maxime comes onto the scene in The Goblet of Fire .
143. A Pair of April Fools
Throughout the Harry Potter novels and films, characters go through many changes and moods, but the Weasley twins remain consistently riotous and fun-loving. Fittingly, Fred and Geroge were born on April Fools’ Day.
144. Art Imitates Life
Author J.K. Rowling revealed that the character of Dolores Umbridge was based on a real person whom she “disliked intensely on sight”, and whom “returned [her] antipathy with interest”, even though she honestly could not explain why they hated each other so much. Maybe it was all that pink?
145. Snape’s POV
Pottermore is the gift that keeps on giving. On the site, there's a feature article that includes a summary of the Harry Potter books from Snape’s perspective, offering a differing view of the story about The Boy Who Lived.
Makes you think.
146. Can’t Do It!
In the original outline for the novel, the character of Arthur Weasley was to be killed off by Voldemort to entice Harry to the Department of Mysteries. J.K. Rowling couldn’t go through with killing off such a beloved character, so Weasley was allowed to survive, albeit gravely injured. Interestingly, Arthur Weasley was again considered to be killed off in the final novel (later adapted as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2), but Rowling again changed her mind.
147. Inaccurate
Many fans were critical of the scene where Harry sees Voldemort at the train station dressed in a Muggle suit, saying it was out of character for Voldemort to do such a thing. Director David Yates and producer David Heyman both defended the scene, though each had different takes on it. Yates explained that it was Voldemort’s way of taunting Harry, that Voldemort could appear in plain sight in a crowd of Muggles who would not realize how dangerous he is. Heyman, on the other hand, said that it’s a figment of Harry’s imagination, symbolizing Voldemort taking control of Harry’s mind.
148. That’s A Lot of Voldemorts!
The Half-Blood Prince marked the fifth and sixth actors to play Voldemort. In the first film Philosopher's Stone, he was played by Richard Bremmer and Ian Hart; in Chamber of Secrets he was portrayed by Christian Coulson; Ralph Fiennes plays the adult Voldemort, and Hero Fiennes-Tiffin and Frank Dillane play young and teen Voldemort in the sixth film.
149. Legacy
Everysingle one of the Marauders die resisting Voldemort (even Peter Pettigrew).
150. Brothers
When Dumbledore’s Army first meets at the Hog’s Head Inn, there is a bartender accompanied by a goat, played by Jim McManus, and credited as “Barman.” This character is later identified as Aberforth Dumbledore, the Professor’s younger brother. This character returns in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, and is played by Ciarán Hinds. Some people change over time.
151. Blast to the Past
Harry’s days in the DA (Dumbledore’s Army) foreshadowed his future career as head Auror and, even bigger, his eventual role as head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Later on, Harry even gives lectures at Hogwarts for Defense Against the Dark Arts students.
152. Tracking Down the Baddies
Following the war, Neville joined Harry and Ron at the Ministry working in the Auror office. He only stayed long enough to reform the Ministry of Magic, and then went on to work as the Herbology professor at Hogwarts.
153. Life Imitates Art
Matthew Lewis signed up to a load of Harry Potter fan sites before filming Order of the Phoenix started so that he could try to understand the mentality of being totally obsessed with something. He thought it would help him understand Neville's obsession with herbology. We’re thinking this strategy definitely paid off.
154. Echoes of the Past
Lupin’s wife Nymphadora Tonks dies in the same battle as Lupin, leaving their infant son Teddy an orphan. This deliberately echoes Harry’s own story and was intended as a commentary on how often war destroys families. Rowling said in 2007 that"[a]s happened in the first war when Harry's left behind, I wanted us to see another child left behind. And it made it very poignant that it was their newborn son."
155. Carrying on the Line
While Remus and Nymphadora’s son Teddy did not inherit his father’s lycanthropy, he did inherit Tonks’ shapeshifting abilities. He was also sorted into Hufflepuff (like his mom) and made Head Boy in his seventh year.
156. Ron Weasley is a Time Lord?
There are many fan theories about the Harry Potter universe, some more legitimate than others. One of the fringe theories is that Headmaster Albus Dumbledore is actually—wait for it—a time-traveling Ron Weasley. The evidence? Amongst the more abstract reasoning behind the theory are these gems: the two both have long noses, Albus had auburn hair in his youth, and the scar on Dumbledore’s leg is a result of Ron’s broken leg in Prisoner of Azkaban. Molly Weasley would definitely not approve of her son time traveling in this manner.
157. But Maybe He Can Glimpse the Future?
Another theory is that Ron can predict the future. He and Harry treat divination class as a joke and make up their predictions seemingly at random…but many of Ron’s forecasts into the beyond end up coming true. Ron predicts that Harry will come into some money unexpectedly, and the next year Harry wins one thousand galleons in the TriWizard Tournament. Amongst other fulfilled prophesies, Ron muses aloud that maybe Tom Riddle was honored with his special services award for murdering Moaning Myrtle (he did murder her).
158. Therapeutic
Author J.K. Rowling based the Dementors on her struggle with depression.
159. Grandfathered
The portrait in Dumbledore's office is Phineas Nigellus Black, he is great-grandfather of Sirius Black, Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy. He's also great-great-grandfather to Draco Malfoy and Tonks. Phineas was a busy man.
160. Heroes
Daniel Radcliffe came up with a suggestion of respect to a teacher that Harry most certainly looked up to, he would wear certain types of clothes that resembled the outfit worn by Professor Lupin in his lessons from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, during his teachings. the director liked the suggestion that it became the basis for his look during those scenes in The Room of Requirement.
161. Breasts
Helena Bonham Carter who played Bellatrix Lestrange, wore chicken fillets to make her breasts look bigger.
162. To The Rescue
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, when Ron, Fred and George are rescuing Harry from the Dursley's, Ron says, "Rescuing you, of course", in this film, Moody says the same thing to Harry. Here’s a thought, stop getting into trouble and you won’t need rescuing, guys!
163. Cut
Even though it was the longest book in the series, Order of the Phoenix is the 2nd shortest movie in the Harry Potter film Series. Something must have been lost in translation.
164. Thief
Riddle likely suffers from some form of kleptomania: When Dumbledore meets him at the orphanage, he regularly steals and hides the possessions of his fellow orphans, and Dumbledore has to remind him that this sort of behavior is not condoned at Hogwarts. Indeed, two of Voldemort's Horcruxes, Slytherin's locket and Hufflepuff's Cup, are stolen from Hepzibah Smith, and a third Horcrux, the Gaunt signet ring, is stolen from his uncle Morfin Gaunt. Uh, he also killed both Hepzibah and Morin to get these trophies.
165. Full Name
Ron's full name is Ronald Bilius Weasley.
166. Chance Encounter
Ron’s first mention comes in Chapter 6 of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, when Mrs. Weasley is telling Harry how to reach Platform Nine and Three Quarters: “All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten…Best do it at a bit of a run if you’re nervous. Go on, go now before Ron.”
167. Sirius the Bear
In the books, Sirius Black is described as being able to transform into a dog that is roughly the size of a bear. However, in the film version, Black’s transformation is into a fairly average-sized dog.
168. Furry Friends
While Gary Oldman played Black in human form, three different dogs played Black in animal form. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, dogs Fern and Cleod played the escaped prisoner, and in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, a dog named Quinn took the lead.
169. Not as Big as You Think
On film, Hagrid is actually smaller than his book counterpart. In the film version, he is (based on visual comparisons) about eight feet, six inches; on the page, he is described as 11 feet, six inches. If Hagrid were actually depicted at over 11 feet, filming would have been way more complicated, while making him only slightly bigger than the average wizard made filming group scenes easier, and reduced alterations on sets and angles. Talk about a tall tale!
170. Raised by a Single Parent
Hagrid mentions his dad a lot in both the films and books. Hagrid's father, a wizard, is never named, and was married to a giantess named Fridwulfa, who left his father to raise his son alone when Hagrid was only around three years old. Hagrid's father was even short by regular wizard standards, and Hagrid tells Madame Maxime, "Tiny little bloke, my dad was. By the time I was six I could lift him up an’put him on top o’ the dresser if he annoyed me.”
171. Just the Two of Us
Hagrid's father died in 1940, leaving Hagrid virtually an orphan, like Harry. Nonetheless, Hagrid was glad his father didn't live to see his son expelled from Hogwarts.
172. Like Mother, Like Son
Though he takes after his dad when it comes to his personality, his size definitely comes from his mother. The wizarding world is unfortunately very prejudiced against giants (and half-giants), which didn’t make Hagrid’s life any easier. He's also too big to ride a broomstick like other wizards, and can only ride a magical motorbike. On the bright side, he gets to ride a magical motorbike.
173. The Boy Who Lived
For those who haven’t re-read the first book since the series ended, you may not have noticed that Black’s name is actually mentioned in the very first chapter of the series, “The Boy Who Lived.” However, in an earlier draft of the story, Rowling revealed that Black was actually going to make an appearance in that first chapter. Supposedly, Black was going to encounter a wizard name Pyrites. Pyrites was a follower of Voldemort, but the character was later scrapped and Black only received a brief mention as a motorbike donor in “The Boy Who Lived.”
174. Thanks for the Memories
Harry had nothing of his real, immediate family; no pictures or tokens. It was Hagrid who called upon Lily and James’ friends to create a photo album for Harry. Talk about dedication, and making sure Harry had some kind of way to remember his family!
Sources: 1, 2, 3 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1 2 3 4 5 6, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 1, 2