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Looking back, Warner Bros pulled off something incredible when it adapted the entire Harry Potter series to the big screen over the matter of a decade. The books introduced fans to the Wizarding World, rich with detail and packed with a ton of intriguing Harry Potter characters that surround its seven novels. As the studio has moved on to the Fantastic Beasts movies, we're still talking about the characters that defined the era of Harry Potter’s success, but let’s take a look at some of the additions to the cast that are just not highlighted enough. Time to dive in:
Sybill Trelawney
We’re always talking our calling our favorite mentors of Harry Potter by naming Severus Snape, Hagrid or Minerva McGonagall, but let’s not forget Emma Thompson’s scene-stealing portrayal of Divination professor Sybill Trelawney in Prisoner of Azkaban, Order of the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows Part 2. I bet every time you rewatch Harry Potter you’re surprised to see her! Why is that? Perhaps, because the Divination professor is kind of this bumbling and hilarious addition to the series, she is passed off. But she also made some major contributions to the story – including making accurate predictions about the big threats to Hogwarts. Oh, and throwing crystal balls on Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts? Genius.
Aberforth Dumbledore
It’s a classic dynamic that one sibling would overshadow the other in a school setting. When it comes to Harry Potter, there’s a lot of talk about lineage to go around but not enough concerning Albus Dumbledore’s poor brother Aberforth, played by Ciarán Hinds in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. At the end of the series, there’s certainly a ton going on, so its understandable Aberforth gets lost in the mix. But this article is here to remind you Dumbledore’s brother assisted Harry, Ron and Hermoine in their dire moments, fought in the Battle of Hogwarts and just really cared about goats enough to create a charm in their honor!
Nymphadora Tonks
Until Newt Scamander came along, Hufflepuffs were seriously underrepresented in the movies and the use of Nymphadora Tonks in the movies is a prime example of this. Natalia Tena’s Nymphadora was in four of the eight movies, but she was highly underutilized and underloved. She not only does she have badass purple hair, she’s a Metamorphmagus – which means she can change her appearance at will. She has a really interesting story involving her and Remus Lupin falling in love and having a child that Remus feared would pass on his werewolf condition. She sadly was killed in the Battle of Hogwarts. Tonks is one of the most interesting Harry Potter characters no one talks about.
Cedric Diggory
In Goblet of Fire, another Hufflepuff character takes a more prominent role for the Triwizard Tournament when Cedric Diggory (played by Robert Pattinson in the film) is part of the competition alongside Harry Potter, Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum. The character is often remembered as this punk kid who stole away Harry’s glory during the tournament, but take a look back, he was probably a lot more good-natured than you remember. His role in the series ends in a significant way that marks a turning point for Harry and the series as a whole. When he and Harry attempt to complete the final task, they work together, Cedric even allowing Harry to take the glory for himself. When Cedric is murdered, the death marks Harry’s transition into the series’ more mature second half as he experiences the more serious stakes at play.
Filius Flitwick
Another vastly underrated professor in the Harry Potter series is Filius Flitwick, played by the famous Warwick Davis in the films (the actor also played two other makeup-heavy roles in the movies too). Filius Flitwick is a massively skilled Charms master, Head of the Ravenclaw House and one of the few adults at Hogwarts who never really worked against the trio at the center of the series. Not only is he one of the most cheerful characters in the series, he was also an extremely valuable asset to the Battle of Hogwarts. Flitwick worked his advanced magic during the biggest event of the story by casting protective charms on the school, survived and kept teaching more students his skills.
Narcissa Malfoy
The Malfoy’s get a serious bad reputation in Harry Potter, but one shouldn’t lump Draco’s mother Narcissa (portrayed by Helen McCrory in the movies) into the mix. Fans sometimes forget how key this Slytherin was in Harry Potter defeating Voldemort. Yes, she initially supports her husband Lucius’ allegiance to Lord Voldemort but in the end she cares the most about the safety of her son. She ends up lying to Voldemort and has him thinking Harry Potter is dead. Narcissa was never a Death Eater and her true motivations had everything to do with protecting her family. Perhaps she’s thought so lowly due to her associations, but this pivotal moment of defiance against Voldemort redeems her.
Barty Crouch Junior
Oh yeah, David Tennant was in Harry Potter! The Doctor Who actor portrayed the Death Eater Bartemius Crouch Junior in Goblet Of Fire. This character is underrated in the Harry Potter franchise not because he’s redeemed in any way, but because he is an awesome and menacing villain that just doesn’t get enough credit in the series. It may have something to do with the way the film’s treatment of him in the movies but he had an incredibly clever way he went about executing Voldemort’s plans against Harry. His spell was powerful enough to fool the Goblet of Fire and he fooled everyone into thinking he was Mad-Eye for a sizable segment of the story.
Dudley Dursley
Surprised? Ok, me too. But it’s true. The cousin of Harry Potter who starts off by terrorizing the poor orphaned child throughout the series is obviously the worst for most of the series, he has one of the most underrated arcs when Harry Potter reaches its conclusion. Unfortunately his most important scene in the books was ultimately deleted from the movie, but it was an inspired indication of J.K. Rowling’s exploration of the grey areas of good vs. evil. After years of bullying, Dudley matured and said the line “I don’t think you’re a waste of space” to Harry and recognized his cousin had saved his life. Dudley’s final moments in the series serves as closure for Harry and shows not all villains stay that way.
Oh there’s so many more! We kinda wish HBO Max could make a television show about the books to allow more of the characters to shine. Right now you can rewatch all eight of the Harry Potter movies on the streaming service, you can use this link to start your 7-day free trial. Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more from the Wizarding World.
