Harry Potter has lived in quite a few places over his lifetime. Due to becoming an orphan at a young age, he has been moved from place to place repeatedly. We’ve seen many of these locations in the books, on stage or on the big screen.
It’s fair to say that some of these locations are far more welcoming to the chosen one than others. Some could definitely be called home and other places that he has lived are probably hated by the young wizard. Here are all of the locations that Harry has ever lived at ranked from worst to best!
GODRIC’S HOLLOW
Godric’s Hollow has the distinction of being the first house that Harry ever lived in. The location had been revisited in the final Harry Potter book, although it was merely a shell of what it used to be. The neighborhood the house is set in is actually really nice, with a lot of magical folk living there. Of course, it is named after Godric Gryffindor, one of the founders of Hogwarts.
However, the house has a really dark past. This is the very home that Harry’s parents were killed in. While Harry survived, only with a scare as evidence of this violence, this could no longer be a safe place for him to live. When revisiting the house years later, the pain of that loss is still very much on show. It could have been a lovely family home for Harry to grow up in but because of those awful events, it’s at the bottom of this list.
PRIVET DRIVE
The only good thing about Privet Drive is that Harry was given a roof over his head. Unfortunately, the way he was treated while living there was close to neglect or child abuse. In fact, the Dursleys would probably deserve to go to Azkaban for their awful behavior.
The house could have been really nice, but Harry was forced to live in the cupboard under the stairs for most of his childhood. Eventually, after the first two books, he was allowed to have his own room, but it’s fair to say that he was never really welcome in this house. While he was mostly safe, he certainly wasn’t loved or cared for and often given the worst room and terrible chores.
TENT
During their travels to destroy the Horcruxes, Hermione, Ron and Harry bring with them a tent to stay in. We first saw this tent during the Quidditch World Cup and it has served the Weasley family well for some time. This isn’t just a standard tent though; it contains a magical secret.
Much like the TARDIS, the Harry Potter tent is much bigger on the inside. It’s protected by a series of enchantments that the talented Hermione has created and it has quite a few luxuries. It’s certainly not as comfortable as some of the other locations on this list, but it’s safe, secure, somewhat homely, and Harry got to live there with his friends. It was also incredibly useful for this dark time period.
12 GRIMMAULD PLACE
Sirius Black never much cared for his own childhood home. However, the location was eventually left to Harry and he even managed to spend some time there while Sirius was alive. The former Lestrange household obviously had many dark secrets and there was an uneasy atmosphere.
When full of friends and family though, it suddenly became very homely. Even the Weasleys spent some time there when the Order of the Phoenix convened. It’s a location that is incredibly well protected due to how it’s hidden amongst the other buildings in London. Perhaps sometime in the future, Harry will return to Grimmauld Place in order to renovate the house and inject some life back into it.
FAMILY HOME
Harry and Ginny create a loving family in the future of this franchise. With three children between them, the story of the Cursed Child, which you can read the script of or watch the stage production, showcases what a supportive family they have built.
Of course, the Potters have their difficulties and troubles across the play; however, by the end, the family is closer than ever. Therefore, it makes sense that they’ve also built a family home fit for all of them. We don’t know much about this household, but we know it’s going to be a great environment and certainly more welcoming than other locations on this list.
HOGWARTS
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is one of the most magical locations in the wizarding world. It’s been the home of countless famous sorcerers and was one of the best places that Harry could possibly live. Because of Hogwarts’ boarding school set up, Harry could spend most of the year there.
Everything from Christmas to his birthday was a far more loving occasion at Hogwarts. Although the school wasn’t always the safest place, we know that Harry would definitely call it home, not least because of the friends he has made there. The teachers are somewhat like family too and the chosen one certainly left the school with a heavy heart.
THE BURROW
There is no more loving or welcoming location in all of Harry Potter than the Burrow. The Weasley household is chaotic and built so strangely, yet it is without a doubt the best place that Harry could have ever lived. It’s a shame he could not stay there permanently.
The Weasleys treated Harry as if they were his own family and, considering he married Ginny, they were. The house itself has everything you could possibly want and was constantly amazing the young wizard. He absolutely got into some trouble there but he also had some of the best moments of his life within those odd walls.
