On JK Rowling’s birthday, 5 female characters from the Harry Potter series we love
JK Rowling’s unputdownable series may have focussed on Harry Potter, but it also gave us some extremely unforgettable female characters.
As J.K. Rowling celebrates her birthday today, us Potterheads and Pottermaniacs wonder where we would be without our beloved Harry Potter series. What would life have been without her characters to enrich it?
From Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to the Deathly Hallows, this is a series that has enthralled every generation with its mix of magic, intrigue, friendship, and the triumph of good over evil.
And while the Boy Who Lived may have stolen our hearts and made us root for him till the very end, there are a number of female characters in the books that continue to inspire us. Without them, Harry wouldn’t have brought the fight to the right conclusion.
Here’s a list of the inspirational women from the Harry Potter series:
Lily Potter
As the saying goes, let’s begin at the very beginning. Harry’s mother, Lily Potter, though mostly celebrated through a series of flashbacks or in the form of reminiscences from friends is humble, just, loyal, and the epitome of a mother’s love.
Right from her childhood friendship with Severus Snape, berating James Potter for his foolish antics in school to protecting her newborn from Voldemort’s curse, this Muggle-born witch is one of the most lovable characters in the series. And of course, as almost everyone tells Harry, “You have your mother’s eyes.”
Hermione Granger
This Muggle-born made her appearance on the Hogwarts Express as an insufferable know-it-all in the first book, and there can be no other character like Hermione Granger. Remember the rogue mountain troll in the bathroom and how Harry, Ron, and Hermione formed an unbreakable bond of friendship?
There are so many moments in the series that rely on Hermione’s intelligence, quick thinking, and the ability to face any situation. She taught us how to say her name, Herm-my-knee in the Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, struggled with Divination as a subject though she aced every other one.
And - to our pleasant surprise and contrary to her good girl image - broke every rule when Dolores Umbridge became headmistress. Everyone would love to have a friend like Hermione. The idiosyncrasies and slightly dominating nature are parts of her that we love!
Minerva McGonagall
The formidable Transfiguration professor and head of Gryffindor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry constantly reminds us that beneath a tough exterior, women are soft and caring. Nothing but the best (remember the “I only take Exceeds Expectations in my NEWT class”) works for McGonagall as she puts students through the paces and brooks no nonsense from anyone.
She is strict but fair, and extremely protective. She supported Neville Longbottom and stood up to Umbridge in her own way. Her sharp tongue and the moments where she showed her emotions proved that she is as human as the rest of us. McGonagall is a Harry Potter character we have loved right from the first book.
Luna Lovegood
Luna Lovegood was mercilessly teased for her quirky sense of fashion and as a slightly out-of-step character who as JK Rowling herself put it “a girl who would believe 10 things before breakfast”. As a Ravenclaw, she was highly intelligent but in contrast to Hermione Granger, she had an air of dottiness around her that made her special.
Perhaps that’s what makes her endearing till the very end. Also, she would do anything for her friends. Remember the room in her house, lit up with Friends? Luna knew just the right thing to say when the situation warranted it – consoling Harry in her own way when Dobby was killed, when she was invited to a party at Professor Slughorn’s, or when Harry saw Thestrals for the first time. Luna grew on us and we’d have it no other way.
Molly Weasley
Mother to Bill, Charlie, Percy, Ginny, Ron and the twins Fred and George, the formidable matriarch of The Burrow and a staunch member of the Order of The Phoenix, Molly Weasley endeared us with her charm and her ability to envelop everyone into her fold.
She looked after Harry like a mother and gave him the family he never had. Her special clock kept her updated on where her family was until it changed to one position: Mortal Peril. She was firm with her children’s misdemeanours (that unforgettable Howler at the breakfast table) but also enveloped them in her love.
And when the war against Lord Voldemort began, she joined forces, displaying strength, grit, and determination as she killed Bellatrix Lestrange who was after her daughter Ginny.
(Edited by Teja Lele Desai)
