The writing inHarry Potteris rich and memorable, producingtons of great quotes. Some of these are lighthearted (“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good”), others are profound (“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies but a great deal more to stand up to your friends”). Several phrases have become iconic, like “the boy who lived” and “You’re a wizard, Harry”.
However, some of the less famous lines are just as good.They reveal something about a character, neatly express a thought, or are simply charming and well-phrased.They’re yet proof of the depth and wonder of the wizarding world; a fantasy universe that’s sure to keep viewers and readers spellbound for generations. Here are the most underrated quotes from theHarry Pottermovies, ranked.
10"Will you stop eating? Your best friend is missing!"
Hermione, ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ (2009)
Fans like to gripe about the movies' portrayal of the main characters' romantic relationships (Harry/Ginny, in particular, was not well-received by most viewers). However, a notable exception is the love/hate friendship-turned-romance between Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint). The pair had a fun and endearing dynamic from the get-go; constantly bickering, being brutally honest with each other, occasionally falling out, but bonding through their shared loyalty to Harry (Daniel Radcliffe).
The two of them have many wonderful and funny moments throughout the series, especially when Hermione scolds Ron for his behavior. During this scene, Hermione is worried about Harry, while Ron is unbothered, happily stuffing his face with dinner. The exchange is one of the few lighthearted moments in an otherwise dark movie, butit also conveys so much about both Hermione and Ron’s personalities.They’re polar opposites in a lot of ways, but this is also why they make such a good match.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
9"To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."
Dumbledore, ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ (2001)
Dumbledore (Richard Harrisand, later,Michael Gambon) is the franchise’s font of wisdom, sohe gets most of the best lines. The Headmaster is always ready with a well-turned phrase, from the incisive ("‘It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live) to the practically Churchillian (“We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy”. Indeed,Dumbledore even says that language is more powerful than spells and charms.
“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic,” he tells Harry. Many of his best quotes refer to death; facing it, accepting it, and living despite it. With this one, he stresses that death need not be something to fear. The line sounds almost religious, insisting that if your priorities are in order, and you live properly, then death can be embraced with equanimity. The line also rings literally true in Harry’s case, as he willingly ‘dies’ inThe Deathly Hallowsbut lives to tell the tale.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
8"I’m sorry, professor. I must not tell lies."
Harry, ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ (2007)
Goblet of Fireends with Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) returning to full power, butOrder of the Phoenixsubverts expectations bymaking the Ministry of Magic the real antagonists. The government ought to be protecting the wizarding community, but instead, they deny the Dark Lord’s return and clamp down on dissent with an iron fist. At Hogwarts, their tyranny arrives in the form of the pink-wearing, sickly-sweet Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton).
She’s like a villain straight out of1984’s Ministry of Truth.She insists that Harry is lying about Voldemort and makes him carve “I must not tell lies” into his flesh with a cursed quill. (It’s notable that the only other character to leave a permanent scar on Harry’s body is Voldemort himself.) Fortunately, Harry gets payback later in the movie when the centaurs accost Umbridge. She begs him to tell them that she means no harm, but he responds with the phrase that she forced him to learn. Bravo.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Dumbledore, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2’ (2011)
Yet more advice about death from Dumbledore. Here,he’s encouraging Harry to channel his emotions in a productive direction.Rather than dwelling in sorrow for lost loved ones, he says, one should rather focus one’s energies on those who are still alive. After all, the dead do not suffer, but living people do. And, in any case, the dead are beyond our help, while those around us can still benefit from it. Dumbledore himself struggles with his lesson. For example, he admits to Harry that he almost used the Resurrection Stone to bring back his dead sister Ariana.
With this quote, Dumbledore also once again emphasizes the importance of love. This is a recurring theme in the series, with love portrayed as the most powerful force in the world, capable even of stopping Killing Curses. It’s also something that Voldemort sorely lacks. The series tells the viewer not to fear cruel and evil people but rather to pity them for their small lives and inner emptiness.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2
6"You’re more like them than you know, Harry. In time, you’ll come to see just how much."
Lupin, ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ (2004)
Harry’s defining trauma is the death of his parents. This loss haunts him and, as the Mirror of Erised reveals, the return of his parents is what he longs for most, at least during the first few films. He is frustrated that he never knew them and has only a secondhand understanding of what they were like. The first character who really gives Harry in-depth and honest information about them is Remus Lupin (David Thewlis), who had been one of their closest friends.
Lupin and Harry have an especially touching scenein the third film. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher tells Harry about his parents' personalities, especially what James was like as a kid.He helps allay Harry’s concerns over whether his parents would be proud of him by insisting that Harry is very much like them.Lupin sees all the good in Harry, even if the boy wizard doesn’t always see it himself, and he knows that these qualities will only become more evident as Harry grows up and faces greater challenges.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
5"What if after everything that I’ve been through, something’s gone wrong inside me?"
Harry’s fears over his own goodness resurface in the fifth film. In this movie, the Chosen One is at his angriest and most volatile. He feels ignored and rejected, most of all by Dumbledore. He’s frustrated that the Order won’t tell him much about what they believe the Death Eaters are planning. He doesn’t understand why Hermione and Ron were made prefects but he wasn’t. In short,Order of the Phoenixfleshes out Harry’s character by delving into his more unpleasant emotions.
Harry tells Sirius (Gary Oldman) that he feels furious all the time, and he’s worried that he might be a bad person. He thinks that all his traumas may have screwed him up.Most children’s fantasy stories don’t portray their heroes in such flawed, realistic ways, so this is refreshing to see.It’s an example ofHarry Pottertaking its protagonists seriously and complexly, despite the fantastic setting. This is one ofthe franchise’s core strengths.
4"Why don’t you run along and play with your chemistry set?"
Sirius, ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ (2004)
One of the many great things about Sirius Black is that he’s always ready with a sharp word for those who deserve it. Twelve years in prison for a crime that he didn’t commit have eroded his patience for suffering fools. In this scene, Sirius snaps at Snape (Alan Rickman) when the Potions Master tries to stop him from catching and killing Wormtail (Timothy Spall). He lobs this brutal burn at Snape, mocking his work with potions and his nerdiness while they were at school.
Snape is notorious for his meanness, so it’s enjoyable to see him on the receiving end of an insult for a change.Sirius’s jape is also interesting in th fact that it speaks to the dynamic between the characters during their school days. After all, the Marauders bullied Snape harshly, explaining much of his residual dislike for Harry. In other words, during this exchange, the viewer gets a glimpse of Sirius and Severus as their younger selves.
Draco, ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ (2002)
InChamber of Secrets, Harry and Ron memorably drink Polyjuice Potion, disguising themselves as Draco Malfoy’s (Tom Felton) henchmen Crabbe (Jamie Waylett) and Goyle (Josh Herdman). Masquerading as the Slytherins, they sneak into the common room and try to extract information from Draco. When Draco asks ‘Goyle’ why he’s wearing glasses, Harry panics and replies that they’re for reading. Draco responds with genuine surprise. It’s a silly but hilarious little moment.
Felton actually improvised this line when he forgot what he was supposed to say, but inadvertently made the scene better. It ranks up there withother great adlibbed lines, like when Lucius Malfoy (Jason Isaacs) sneers, “Let us hope Mr Potter will always be around to save the day”, and Harry replies, “Don’t worry, I will be”. In the same film, when the House-elf Dobby is freed thanks to Harry’s intervention, Isaacs also improvised his response, in which he can be faintly heard beginning to say “Avada Kedavra!” before Dobby jinxes him.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
2"Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
Dumbledore delivers many intense, weighty lines throughout the series, but he can also be lighthearted, jokey, and a bit absurd. As Percy Weasley (Chris Rankin) says of him, “He’s a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes.” One of the Headmaster’s silliest moments comesduring a deleted scenefrom the first film which is included among the DVD and Blu-ray bonus features.
During the start of year feast, Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith) announces that Dumbledore would like to say a few words. Once he has everyone’s attention, Dumbledore announces solemnly, “Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!” - a few literal words.It’s a goofy dad joke that’s so bad that it can’t help but be endearing.Some fans have speculated that each of the words is a joke about a different one of the houses. The line also results in a poignant callback later on. At Dumbledore’s funeral, feeling that no euology could truly capture the essence of the man, Harry recalls this memorable four-word speech.
1"Nice one, James."
Sirius, ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ (2007)
The introduction of Sirius as Harry’s godfather in the third movie is a welcome blessing to Harry, who has always longed for family and a connection to his parents. This makes it all the more heartbreaking that Sirius’s fugitive status means that Harry cannot live with him. As if this wasn’t cruel enough, Sirius is then ripped away from Harry barely two years later thanks to a killing curse from Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham-Carter).
Moments before his death, Sirius sees Harry skillfully parry an incoming spell, and unthinkingly replies, “Nice one, James!“It’s a devastating line.It conveys so much: that Sirius is impressed with Harry’s abilities, that he believes that Harry and his father are similar, and that he still keenly feels the absence of his lost friend. Sirius hates being cooped up in hiding, and being in the heat of battle in this scene reconnects him with the young man he once was, but the scene ends in tragedy seconds later. It’s one of the hardest-hitting events in the whole series.
