32 Times A Harry Potter Side Character Really Came Through

While the movies are named after Harry Potter, it took a village to defeat Voldemort, and The Boy Who Lived didn’t find success without help from his friends. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look back at the side characters from the Harry Potter cast and some moments where they really came through. 

Neville Stands Up To His Friends And Gets 10 Points For Gryffindor In Sorcerer’s Stone 

When Harry, Ron and Hermione sneak out of their house at the end of Sorcerer’s Stone, Neville stands up to them and tells them not to go. While he gets stunned, and they go anyway, his small act of bravery earns Gryffindor the final ten house points they need to beat Slytherin, and it’s a sign of the brave man he’ll grow into throughout the Harry Potter movies. 

Lupin Makes The Dementors Go Away On The Hogwarts Express In Prisoner Of Azkaban

There’s a reason why Remus Lupin is the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and it’s because he not only teaches his students how to defend themselves, but he’s also ready to help them whenever he can. This was made immediately clear at the beginning of Prisoner of Azkaban when he used a Patronus to get the dementors away from Harry on the Hogwarts Express.  

Mrs. Weasley Kills Bellatrix In Deathly Hallows 

Molly Weasley is a Harry Potter character who didn’t get enough screen time. However, she did get one of the most memorable moments in Deathly Hallows when she really comes through and saves her daughter by killing Bellatrix Lestrange and yelling “not my daughter…” 

Fred And George Help Harry Escape The Dursley’s In Chamber Of Secrets 

Ever since Ron was 12 years old, since obviously he couldn’t drive the flying car, he employed his mischievous brothers Fred and George to help him. The three Weasleys flew to Private Drive to save Harry from those dastardly Dursleys, and while they got in trouble, their mission was successful.

Cedric Helps Harry Open The Egg In Goblet Of Fire 

After Harry tipped Cedric off about the dragons in Goblet of Fire, he returned the favor by telling his competitor to bring his egg to the bathroom and take a bath to figure out the clue hidden inside of it. 

Snape Kills Dumbledore In Half-Blood Prince 

This moment among Snape’s biggest and best may seem like an odd entry because it’s such a sad one. However, Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him so Draco Malfoy wouldn’t have to. Not only did this save Draco, but it also saved the beloved headmaster from suffering more because he was very ill at the time of his death. 

The Sorting Hat Listened To Harry, And Put Him In Gryffindor In Sorcerer’s Stone 

You know who came in super clutch, and low-key decided Harry’s trajectory? The Sorting Hat. That talking hat listened to The Boy Who Lived, and instead of putting him in Slytherin, where he might have turned sinister, he went into Gryffindor, where he flourished into the hero we know him to be. 

Neville Kills Nagini In Deathly Hallows 

Neville really came through when he helped Harry beat Voldemort during the Battle of Hogwarts by defeating one of the Horcruxes when he killed He Who Shall Not Be Named’s snake Nagini. 

Professor McGonagall Calls Out Umbridge And Defends The Students In Order Of The Pheonix  

Umbridge is the worst, and she’s really mean to her students in Order of the Phoenix. Luckily, Professor McGonagall was there to help them out, stand up for them, and question the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher’s “medieval methods.”  

Mrs. Weasley Welcomes Harry Into Their Home In Chamber Of Secrets 

While Molly Weasley was rightfully mad at her boys for stealing the flying car, she was also thrilled to see Harry. So, when she warmly welcomed him into The Burrow, it was abundantly clear that he had a home with the Weasleys whenever he needed somewhere to go. 

Lupin Teaches Harry How To Cast A Patronus In Prisoner Of Azkaban 

A throughline of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is Harry learning how to cast a patronus. The spell ends up saving the life of Sirius Black at the end of the third film, and it’s a vital tool in Harry’s kit to defeat the Dark Lord. So, Professor Lupin really came through when he decided to teach his pupil about this life-saving spell. 

Mad-Eye Moody Leads The Mission To Transport Harry In Deathly Hallows 

While many were involved with the plan to transport Harry from the Dursleys, Mad-Eye Moody led the operation. The auror developed the plan to get The Boy Who Lived away from the Death Eaters and Voldemort. While he sadly died during this mission, it ultimately worked. 

The Order Of The Pheonix Saves Harry By Drinking Polyjuice Potion To Look Like Him In Deathly Hallows  

In the execution of Mad-Eye Moody’s plan to save Harry, Hermione, Ron, Fleur, Fred, George, and Mundungus drink Polyjuice potion to transform into Harry. Meanwhile, Mr. Weasley, Bill, Lupin, Hagrid, Kingsley, Tonks, Moody, and Hedwig helped transport the seven Harrys. 

Fred And George Give Harry The Marauder’s Map In Prisoner Of Azkaban 

In this Harry Potter movie, which is one of the best, Fred and George have one of their best moments. They are the two who gave Harry the Marauder’s Map, a tool that allows him to track anyone moving about the castle. This gift, which was actually co-created by James Potter, ends up being an invaluable tool to help the titular character get around without being caught in Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix specifically. 

Snape Saves Harry During Quidditch Match In Sorcerer’s Stone  

While Harry thinks Snape was behind his jinxed broom in Sorcerer’s Stone, in actuality, it was the Potions Master who saved him during the Quidditch match.  

Moody (But Actually Barty Crouch Jr.) Turns Draco Into A Ferret In Goblet Of Fire 

While Barty Crouch Jr. is a quite maniacal character, he actually helps out on one occasion. During Goblet of Fire, he did Harry a solid by turning Draco into a ferret when Malfoy tried to pick on Harry. 

Dobby Saves Harry In Malfoy Manor In Deathly Hallows  

While Dobby was always trying to help Harry, a lot of the time it just caused more chaos. However, in Deathly Hallows, when the elf is sent by Aberforth Dumbledore to Malfoy Manner to help our main character, he really comes through and saves the day. 

Luna Lovegood Explains Thestrals To Harry In Order Of The Pheonix 

It’s really hard for Harry to find someone to truly relate to, especially in terms of the extreme loss he faced at such a young age. However, Luna Lovegood ends up being someone he can truly count on and relate to, as she’s experienced a similar kind of grief, and she lets Harry know that when she explains that they can both see Thestrals because they’ve seen death.

Hagrid Brings Harry Cake And Saves Him From The Dursleys In Sorcerer’s Stone 

 Up until Harry’s 11th birthday, his special day had always been neglected. However, when he turns 11, and after receiving countless Hogwarts acceptance letters, Hagrid comes to save him, lets him know that he’s “a wizard,” and takes him to school. And to top it off, he brought Harry a birthday cake too. 

Sirius Sent Harry The Firebolt In Prisoner Of Azkaban 

After it’s firmly established that Sirius Black is not a bad guy, and he escapes Hogwarts, he sends his godson a present. That gift, of course, is a Firebolt broomstick, which he sent to sweetly show Harry his love after not being able to while he was in Azkaban. 

Hagrid Carries Harry Out Of The Woods In Deathly Hallows 

While there are some big differences between the Deathly Hallows book and the films, one thing that remained the same was the heroic moment when Hagrid carried Harry out of the woods after his near-death experience. 

Moaning Myrtle Tells Harry To Put The Egg In The Water In Goblet Of Fire 

While Moaning Myrtle can be quite a pain – and who can blame her she’s a ghost in a bathroom – she’s quite useful in Goblet of Fire when she tells Harry to put the egg in the water so he can get the clue for the next challenge.  

Sirius Allowed The Order To Use 12 Grimmauld Place As Their Headquarters Order Of The Pheonix 

When Voldemort came back at the end of Goblet of Fire, not everyone believed he had returned. So, the Order of the Phoenix gathered at Sirius Black’s home at 12 Grimmauld Place to figure out a way to defeat the Dark Lord and protect Harry. 

McGonagall Gets Harry Onto the Quidditch Team In Sorcerer’s Stone 

First years don’t typically make the Quidditch team, however, McGonagall had faith in Harry. She helped him get on the Gryffindor team by introducing him to Wood. Eventually, he ended up becoming a seeker. 

Narcissa Malfoy Pretends Harry Is Dead In Deathly Hallows 

A mother’s love prevailed in this moment. In an effort to save her own son, Draco, Narcissa Malfoy pretended that Harry was dead after Voldemort tried to kill him a second time, when in actuality he was alive. 

Luna Lovegood Finds Harry Stunned On The Hogwarts Express In Half-Blood Prince 

Thank goodness Luna Lovegood was in the right place at the right time and was wearing her Spectrespecs. This is because if she wasn’t, Harry would not have been found nearly as quickly after being stunned by Malfoy and Co. on the Hogwarts Express. 

Neville Gives Harry Gillyweed In Goblet Of Fire 

During the second challenge in Goblet of Fire, the competitors had to find ways to breathe underwater. Luckily, Neville knows his plants, and he helps Harry out by giving him Gillyweed, which gives him gils, making it so he can go underwater for an hour without coming up for air. 

Fawkes The Pheonix Delivers The Sorting Hat To Harry In Chamber Of Secrets 

In a major moment of need in Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore’s phoenix Fawkes helps Harry out. He delivers the Sorting Hat to the hidden chamber, which holds the sword of Gryffindor. It’s because of this delivery that Harry can defeat the Basilisk and Tom Riddle.

Seamus Blows Up The Bridge In Deathly Hallows  

While his “proclivity for pyrotechnics” doesn’t do Seamus any favors most of the time, it comes in handy in Deathly Hallows. During the Battle of Hogwarts, the Gryffindor member’s explosive tendencies are put to use when he helps make the bridge go “boom” so the Death Eaters can’t get over it.

Neville Finds The Room Of Requirement In Order Of The Pheonix 

When Dumbledore’s Army is formed, they need a place to practice where they won’t be found. Luckily, Neville happens upon the Room of Requirement, a space that transforms itself to fit the needs of its users. 

Garrick Ollivander Knows Exactly Which Wand To Give Harry In Sorcerer’s Stone 

One of Harry’s first magical encounters happens with Ollivander when he finds the perfect wand. The wand shop owner locates the perfect wand for every young wizard, however, he truly helps Harry get started in an impactful way by giving him one of two wands with a special phoenix tail feather core.

Hagrid Tips Harry Off About The Dragons In Goblet Of Fire  

As the first challenge of the Triwizard Tournament approaches, Hagrid takes Harry into the forest to show him what it will be. There it’s revealed to the young wizard that he’ll be facing off against a dragon.

Truly, there are so many moments where Harry Potter side characters really come through to help out our titular hero. So, when you go back and rewatch the Harry Potter movies, make sure to pay extra attention to these little moments to see how they ultimately play a big role in the Boy Who Lived’s heroic journey.