Harry Potter has been a huge part of my life growing up. The franchise has been with me through some of the toughest parts of my life, and the movies have been my comfort movies since I was about 10 years old. Harry Potter isn’t just a magical school filled with spells and sorcery; it’s a way to escape reality and be a kid a little longer and forget your troubles and worries. Below are my 10 favorite quotes from the series and why. Some of them are truly heartbreaking and will get you to think about life a little deeper.
1.”The ones that love us never truly leave us. You can always find them, in here.”-Sirius Black
I love this quote for so many reasons. There is so much heartbreak in Harry Potter. Countless characters have perished due to Lord Voldemort or other evil forces, and this quote serves as a reminder that those who are gone remain with us in our hearts. It is a sad but hopeful quote, and the fact that it is said by Sirius Black, who is Harry’s only remaining living relative (for two books at least), is impactful because he has lost the same people Harry has. Growing up and getting older, this quote hits hard as more and more people leave us.
2. “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light”-Albus Dumbledore
One of my top quotes of all time. Not only is it from my favorite Potter movie, but it also provides such a spark of hope and happiness. Harry experiences a lot of sorrow during his time at Hogwarts, so to be reminded that one can always find happiness even when it seems unlikely is important.
3. “Always”- Severus Snape
I still have not fully figured out how I feel about Snape. This one-word quote defined Snape as a redeemable character, and it has such a lasting effect on viewers. To be able to do that through one simple word is incredible. It shows Snape’s undying love for Lily and encapsulates his thoughts for his entire life. It explains why he turned to the light side and why he fought so hard in the war and ended up being the factor that saved the wizarding world. If Snape hadn’t loved Lily, I don’t think Harry would have succeeded.
4. “We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on” -Sirius Black
Sirius is one of my favorite characters so naturally, he has several quotes on my list. This is so imperative for everyone to understand. Nobody is perfect. Each and every one of us has good parts and bad parts. It doesn’t matter that each person is made up of positive and negative bits. The only thing that matters is how people choose to act and if they act on the bad parts or the good parts. This ties into the next quote that I have on the list.
6. “It is not our abilities that define who we are. It is our choices”- Albus Dumbledore
Dumbledore is very wise, as we all know. This is another important life lesson that everyone should hear at least once. What you can do matters nowhere near as much as what you decide to do, how you choose to act, and what you choose to say. You might be the best player on the team, but how you decide to play matters more than how good you are at scoring goals. You could shove and push and take all the spotlight, and that defines you more than how many goals you score.
7. “Books and cleverness. There are more important things, like friendship and bravery” -Hermione Granger
A lot of people tend to get lost in intellect and smarts, searching for only the superficial aspects of a person. They tend to forget that what’s more important than how smart you are is how much you are willing to fight for those you love and the bonds and relationships that you make. Being smart will only get you so far. Having good friends and taking risks is more important in life than being well-read and knowing a bunch of vocabulary words.
8. “If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals” -Sirius Black
Yet again, another quote from the beloved Sirius Black. I think this is one of the most important life lessons. It is painfully obvious when people who are above others make that blatant. I have always lived by the golden rule, and I believe others should as well. To recognize that you can get a true measure of a man by seeing how he treats those who are allegedly less than him is an important thing. Our true personalities tend to come out when we think we are superior or have the advantage over someone. It is easy to treat people of a similar background well, it is a whole different thing to treat someone who is less privileged than you well. One’s ability to do so reflects on one’s character immensely, whether for good or for bad.
9. “Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy”- Albus Dumbledore
I love this quote because oftentimes people will choose what is easy. I was always told growing up, “always do the right thing, even when no one is watching”. It’s a hard thing to decide to do what is right, especially when nobody else is doing what is right. It can feel lonely to do what is right, but at the end of the day, this quote reminds us that in the end, we have no one to impress but ourselves. Don’t toil over what others think of you, do what you know is right.
10. “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live”- Albus Dumbledore
Once again, Dumbledore gives us another quote that sticks with us for generations. This quote serves as a reminder that we cannot stay in our fantasies forever. Dawdling in our dreams won’t do us any good when we could be out in the world, living life to the fullest. That is not to say that dreams are bad or that we should not follow our dreams. Merely when our dreams get too unrealistic or inhibit us, we must abandon them and live. So many people get caught up in what could happen, or the “what-ifs” of life. How about instead of daydreaming about them, you go out and do them? Don’t waste time sitting idly by and casting longing glances out your window, go!
50 Most Famous Harry Potter Quotes of All Time – Discover Walks Blog