J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter is a series stuffed full of characters, so it’s really no surprise that some just don’t get the recognition they deserve. It’s easy to spot the antagonists of a series. What is sometimes much more difficult is spotting the heroes in the background. The unsung heroes, if you will.
Trust us when we say that Harry Potter is a series full of unsung heroes. These are the characters without whom the victory could have never happened, though sometimes their contributions may seem quite insignificant. But we’re here to shine a light on all their achievements and what they did to make sure the series continued through to the end.
Madam Pomfrey
Madam Pomfrey is arguably one of the most overlooked characters in the series. She’s the sole medical provider for Hogwarts, which is something that should get your attention, given how many students are there — and how much trouble (read: injuries and the like) that they can create.
Without Madam Pomfrey, it’s highly likely that Harry would have found himself in the hospital — or worse — on more than one occasion. Seriously, think about it: how many times has Harry ended up in the hospital wing?
So thank you, Madam Pomfrey, for keeping the stubborn main character that is Harry alive. We know that this was far from an easy task.
Crookshanks
Speaking of easily overlooked characters, let’s talk about the shortest character on this list. Though perhaps that isn’t saying all that much. We’re talking about Crookshanks. Crookshanks got a bit of a bad rep early on in his introduction. He was seen as the villain that was hunting the poor and weak Scabbers.
But we all know the truth of it now. Crookshanks knew right away that there was something not right about Scabbers, and sought to do something about it. Hermione’s cat even went so far as to ally with Sirius in order to get the job done. It’s actually pretty impressive when you think about it. Without Crookshanks, Sirius would never have gotten so close to Scabbers (a.k.a. Wormtail) or the Golden Trio.
Kreacher
Kreacher is another hero that deserves a whole lot more credit. His role was significantly cut for the sake of the movies, and they left out some of his best parts, such as the time he rallied the Hogwarts house-elves during the Battle of Hogwarts.
Kreacher is a classic example of an enemy turned ally. By treating him kindly, one was able to see his true colors. He adored his masters, but none more than Regulus Black, and thus he was more than willing to fight in Regulus’ name.
Professor Slughorn
It’s so easy and tempting to look at Slughorn like he’s a coward and a joke. After all, he was on the run when Dumbledore talked him into becoming a professor, and later he was too ashamed of his past to tell the truth.
But there’s more to him than that. He stuck with Hogwarts even when it became clear that it was no longer a safe place to stay. He saw Dumbledore murdered, and yet he stayed in the very building where that death occurred. He protected his students as best he could, and even stayed on during the Battle of Hogwarts — which was arguably the most dangerous place to be at that time.
Fleur Delacour
Fleur Delacour is yet another unsung hero on our list. Fleur’s introduction was perhaps not the kindest — during the Triwizard Tournament she seemed shallow and uncaring, but her later appearances showed her true depth.
Fleur was willing to fight for a school that was not her own, showing up for the Battle of Hogwarts. She also took in multiple injured people and creatures without any hesitation — even when some of them were less than kind to her (you know who we’re talking about here).
She was a fighter, yes. But she was also a healer in a time of war, and that is something that should never be overlooked.
Professor Flitwick
Professor Flitwick is perhaps one of the more overlooked Hogwarts Professors, which just doesn’t seem fair to us. He may be small but he certainly is fierce. Flitwick’s charms are not something you want to face, especially when he’s angry.
It was Flitwick’s presence that stopped the duel between McGonagall and Snape (in the books), and with good reason. That is a wizard who knows plenty of attacking spells, and Snape was smart enough to run from him. Flitwick was also responsible for holding the barrier around Hogwarts for so long, on top of actually fighting in the battle itself. Realistically, that list of feats has only barely begun to scratch the surface.
Firenze
Firenze is another character who deserves more credit than he gets. During his first introduction, he risked trouble with his people in order to bring Harry to safety. He even went so far as to allow Harry to ride on his back, which is something not typically done with centaurs.
He allied so strongly with Dumbledore and Hogwarts that the rest of the centaurs banished him, putting him at risk of death should he ever go near the Forbidden Forest. And yet he continued on with his actions, supporting the fight he believed to be vital. Losing your entire family in such a manner is no laughing matter, so we’re going to give Firenze the credit he deserves here.
Kingsley Shacklebolt
Let’s just say it: Kingsley Shacklebolt is a badass. He’s an excellent fighter, adept at blending in with muggle society, and he knows how to play the game of politics. That made him essential to the Order of the Phoenix, as he was sent off on mission after mission without anybody ever suspecting his true alliance.
He’s also a brilliant fighter and is endlessly loyal. We can only imagine the risk he took with warning the Weasley wedding party of the danger heading their way. Yet he didn’t hesitate then, nor did he hesitate any of the times that the Order asked him to take up arms. He was always there for them.
Regulus Black
Oh, Regulus Black. He’s the proof that a character can truly switch sides, and all because they realized which side was the right side. He didn’t have any dramatic loss to cope with; instead, he simply realized that he had made a mistake with his allies.
That mistake ultimately cost him his life — but he went out on his own terms. He sacrificed himself so that Kreacher could live, escaping with the Horcrux (with orders to destroy it). This was an action that would have stayed buried forever, if not for Harry and his friends. The fact that Regulus was okay with that fact speaks volumes about his actions.
Aberforth Dumbledore
Last on our list is Aberforth Dumbledore. It’s easy to forget that Dumbledore had two siblings, though only one lived to the start (and end) of the series. Aberforth was a man destroyed by grief, thanks to the loss of his sister. Admittedly he also faced a lot of rage and anger (directed at Dumbledore). But that rage never stopped him from doing what was right.
When the fight came, Aberforth helped evacuate the students (though that part might not have been so willing). Before that, he was the reason Harry and crew were able to get through Hogsmeade safely, risking his own neck by screaming at Death Eaters. Later, he joined the Battle of Hogwarts, and there’s no doubt in our minds that he took out a Death Eater or two all on his own.
