The 20 best secondary ‘Harry Potter’ characters, ranked

A fellow Gryffindor and roommate of Harry’s, Seamus Finnigan provides much comedic relief in his minimal screen time throughout the Potter films. As Professor McGonagall puts it during the Battle of Hogwarts, Seamus has a "particular proclivity for pyrotechnics," referring to the multiple times he accidentally blows himself up throughout the series. Despite his hesitancy surrounding Voldemort’s return during Order of the Phoenix, Seamus remains a loyal friend to Harry in the end.

As the caretaker at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Filch is usually seen lurking about the corridors and trying to catch children out of bed and breaking the rules. Cruel, creepy, and sometimes scary, he makes for an effective antagonist within the school grounds — not quite at Voldemort’s level, but he certainly makes life difficult for Harry and his friends. His faithful cat Mrs. Norris is always by his side and seems to be the only creature Filch has ever cared for. 

The eldest of the Weasley children, Bill does not properly appear in the Potter films until Deathly Hallows, only previously seen in a family vacation snap during Prisoner of Azkaban. Once he makes his official debut before marrying Fleur Delacour, he oozes coolness, amplified by the fact that he survived a werewolf attack from Fenrir Greyback. As it wasn’t a full moon, Bill did not become a werewolf but was left with some pretty awesome facial scars.

Fleur Delacour is the sophisticated and elegant French witch who participates as the Beauxbatons champion during the Triwizard Tournament. Enchanting the male demographic of Hogwarts during the tournament (particularly Ron Weasley), Fleur proves there is more to her than her looks as she competes fiercely and nobly during the tournament. Eventually marrying Bill Weasley, she becomes a loyal partner and fights alongside Harry during the Battle of Hogwarts.

Both a member of the Order of the Phoenix and a powerful Auror, Tonks is certainly the coolest Hufflepuff out there. With her funky purple hair, punk clothing style, and humorous charm, she leaves an impression despite a reduced role in the films compared to the books. She can change her appearance at will due to being a Metamorphmagus and is married to everyone’s favorite werewolf, Remus Lupin. Just don’t call her Nymphadora.

Horace Slughorn is living proof that not all Slytherins are evil. When Slughorn takes the position of Potions Master in Half-Blood Prince, Harry becomes close with him and learns of his time as a mentor to Tom Riddle. The professor holds much regret and remorse, being the one who taught Voldemort about horcruxes and how to create them. Despite his mistakes and flaws, Slughorn is always on the right side of the battlefield.

As the youngest sibling and only daughter of Molly and Arthur Weasley, Ginny has no problem proving herself amongst her older brothers. Ginny would have had to work harder to be heard in a male-dominated family. Luckily, she is tough as nails and a particularly gifted witch. Confident, brave, and feisty, she’s not someone you want to mess with. She’s not only Harry Potter’s true love but a knockout Quidditch player in her own right. 

When it comes to Alastor Moody, the rugged Auror with a sphere glass eye and peg leg, there are two versions of him worth discussing. There’s the real Moody — prolific Auror and member of the Order of the Phoenix — and the Moody employed at Hogwarts, who turns out to be Death Eater Barty Crouch Jr. in disguise. Both iterations of Moody present the wizard as tough, wary, and of course a little bit mad. There's obviously a reason for the nickname.

Cedric Diggory leaves a lasting impression throughout the Potter series despite only appearing in one movie. Popular, talented, and brave, Cedric’s best quality is his kindness. When the school turns against Harry after they think he cheated his way into the Triwizard Tournament, Cedric doesn’t turn his back on him, instead offering camaraderie and support to his fellow champion. His pure decency makes his ending all the more tragic.

Father to Draco Malfoy and Death Eater, Lucius Malfoy is one of the series' most memorable antagonists. Despite being generally awful and cruel, Lucius believes himself to be superior to other wizards due to his pure-blood status and wealth. Despite his allegiance to Voldemort, he is also terrified of the Dark Lord, fitting within his cowardly nature. It’s no surprise Draco turned out to be such a bully. He didn’t have the best role model growing up.

If a ray of sunshine were personified, it would be Molly Weasley. The matriarch of everyone’s favorite wizard family is one of the warmest and kind-hearted characters in the series, Molly steps in as a surrogate mother figure for Harry, always welcoming him into her home. However, Molly is extremely tough and runs a tight ship within her household. She’s also not afraid to go to war for her children or curse at Bellatrix Lestrange, for that matter.

Both the patriarch of the Weasley family and Muggle enthusiast, Arthur Weasley is the best dad in the Wizarding World. He’s the father Harry never had and is always there for him, whether giving Harry advice, inviting him on family trips, or accompanying him to his hearing at the Ministry. Despite being pure-blood, Arthur is incredibly humble and believes in the equality of all wizards and witches. He just wants to discover the function of a rubber duck.

Unhinged, sadistic, and totally evil, Bellatrix Lestrange is the worst of the worst. Fanatical in her loyalty to Voldemort, she has no problem murdering and torturing the innocent and even seems to enjoy it. After escaping from Azkaban in Order of the Phoenix, Bellatrix causes all kinds of chaos and kills off some of the series’s most beloved characters, which fans won’t soon forget. With her unstable and dangerous temperament, she’s even worse than Voldemort.

With their practical jokes and mischievous sense of humor, Fred and George Weasley instantly won Potter fans over from the beginning of the series. Whether it’s at Hogwarts or home, these twins are known for their jokester personas and for bringing light and levity to dark situations. It’s only fitting that the pair eventually open up their joke shop after school, which provides much happiness and laughter to the wizarding community during the Second Wizarding War. 

One-fourth of the Marauders and ultimately Harry’s best Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Remus Lupin is one of the most interesting characters to appear in the franchise. Despite his good heart and strong bond with Harry while teaching at Hogwarts, Lupin is tormented by his Werewolf persona, which wreaks much havoc during the third film. When he’s not in wolf form, Lupin is calm, intelligent, and extremely compassionate.

Eccentric, dreamy, and extremely sweet-natured, Luna Lovegood is a character that has connected with many Potter fans over the years. Despite being referred to as "Loony Lovegood" by some of her unkind peers, Luna is a strong and talented witch who is confident within herself. She teaches us that it’s okay and even wonderful to be different and unique, and when Voldemort returns, she shows Harry kindness and support where many others don’t.

Albus Dumbledore may be the Headmaster of Hogwarts, but everyone knows Professor McGonagall should be running things. McGonagall can be strict and authoritative, but she’s fair and deeply caring, as seen when she remains at Hogwarts to look after the students when the Death Eaters take over. If fans didn’t already love her, she proves herself as the ultimate girl boss when taking charge and leading the Battle of Hogwarts.

Despite only appearing in two films, Dobby is everyone’s favorite house-elf and one of the most beloved Harry Potter characters. His friendship with Harry starts rough, but the pair form an endearing bond as Dobby tries to save Harry’s life multiple times. With his small stature and big eyes, he’s simply adorable and admirably selfless. One of the most satisfying Potter moments is when Dobby becomes a free elf and no longer has to serve the cruel Malfoys.

When we first meet Sirius Black, he’s a scary and disheveled criminal, but we soon learn he was wrongly accused and imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. As Harry’s godfather and close friend to James and Lily Potter, Sirius is the closest thing Harry has to a father, and the two share a touching relationship. With his rugged looks, endless charm, and rebellious spirit, he’s incredibly likable, and his complex family history makes his arc all the more intriguing. 

Harry may be the hero of the series, but it’s Neville who is the hero in everyone’s hearts. He starts off as a timid and clumsy student with very little confidence but proves himself as he develops into a loyal and brave wizard throughout the series. It all comes to a glorious climax in the final film when Neville takes the reins during the Battle of Hogwarts, his transformation from awkward kid to sword-wielding warrior coming full circle.