We wouldn’t describe ourselves as fans of Harry Potter… it’s more of a way of life.

 

So, I’m sure you’ll understand how difficult this is going to be for us to narrow down the Harry Potter films and books into a top 20 moments for the 20th birthday of Harry Potter. But, we’re going to try and do it! And if you’re reading this, we must have been successful!


This is of course, subject to opinion. A mixture of funny, heart-warming and sometimes just a moment we’ve been waiting for years.

 

 

20) How excited Neville gets when Mad Eye Moody gives him the book of plants. The first teacher to pay attention and show a real interest in Neville and it shows in his expression. Even if the interest was really just to send Harry to Voldemort.

 

 

19) When Quirrell runs into the great hall and faints.
Dumbledore gets up from his seat and it causes the professor to pass out, along with his ‘SILENCE’ shout, this is the first time we see how powerful and intimidating Albus can be.

 

 

18) Molly Weasley standing up for her family like the bad-ass she is. “Not my daughter you bitch” was so satisfying to read. Yes Molly! And also, the awful Bellatrix is finally gone thanks to this wonderfully strong lady.

 

 

17) The book’s kiss between Ron and Hermione was far better than the films, in our opinion. Yes, it was fine and dandy in the film,  they just destroyed a horcrux, something we never even see in the books. But, we expected it. In the books, Ron makes a comment that the house elves in the kitchen need saving, showing to Hermione that he finally cares about what she has been so passionate about for years. And the kiss comes out of no-where, it was definitely in our top 20.

 

 

16) When Lupin turns into a werewolf and goes for the three friends, Snape holds his hands out to shield them, something that is often missed when watching The Prisoner of Azkaban.

 

 

15) Ron’s “bloody hell”. The many. We love them all. They are all up there in our top moments. His funny phrases are some of our favourites. Our personal favourite is his bloody hell when he is looking in the Mirror of Erised and likewise looking in the mirror at himself in dress robes. Or when he has his ‘spider’ related nightmare.

 

 

14) The dance scene in the part 1 of The Deathly Hallows film. A controversial scene. Personally, we love it and not just because we love Nick Cave’s music. It shows the raw emotions of how the tow characters are feeling. Exhausted, running out of hope, heart broken, tired, lonely and scared so a small moment where their worries fade with the music was welcomed. A tiny happy moment in a very bleak time. And when it finished, it went back to the sad reality again.  It was very heart-warming and emotional to watch. We’ve put it at 14 because a lot of people wasn’t overly fond of it. But, it may be one of our favourite moments.

 

 

13) When Luna is Luna at Slughorn’s party. Harry struggles to find a date, so decides to invite Luna to ease off any romantic tension. She arrives in a wonderfully wacky dress that only Luna would wear and we loved it.

 

 

12) When Umbridge gets carried away by Centaurs. It’s pretty common knowledge that dear old Delores wasn’t the most popular Harry Potter character; some may even argue that she’s hated more than the dark lord himself. So when she enraged the Centaurs in the Forbidden forest it was a truly satisfying moment. When I saw it at the cinema, the audience actually applauded.

 

 

11) When Sirius and Lupin reunite.

It’s the first time the two best friends have met in 13 years, 13 years of hate and worry. Their hug was truly something to remember. In their heads at the time a fair amount of relief and the first true embrace between the two since the horrible events happened.

 

 

10) “Have a biscuit, Potter.”

When Harry shouts at Umbridge and calls her a liar he is sent to McGonagall’s office. When she finds out what he did, she doesn’t shout, rather, offers him a ginger snap. How very McGonagall.

 

 

9) Hermione’s face when Ron refers to her as his girlfriend for the first time. The scene where Malfoy, Crabb and Goyle have a fire fight in The Room of Requirement. Ron chases after them shouting “not my girlfriend you numpties”. Hermione’s proud grin was adorable.

 

 

8) McGonagall telling Peeves that the chandelier unscrews the other way. She is one of the sassiest characters, and we love her for that. We also grew to love Peeves! Such a shame they cut Rik Mayall out of the film, he would have been great.

 

 

7) Flitwick leaving a small patch of swamp as a tribute to Fred and George after they dramatically fly out of the castle on their brooms, throwing fireworks and creating a huge forest. It was a lovely little sign that those at Hogwarts really were a family.

 

 

6) When the dragon escapes Gringotts. That first breath of fresh air as it emerges out of the top of the building was wonderful, after all those years trapped underground, tortured in a barbaric way, it is finally free. And we were so glad. And we could certainly tell it was too.

 

 

5) Harry’s loyalty to Dumbledore. After a conversation with Rufus, Harry reports back to Albus:

 

“He accused me of being Dumbledore’s man through and through”

 

“How very rude”

 

“I told him I was”…

 

Dumbledore’s teary reaction made it all the more beautiful.

 

 

4) Minerva’s booming comments. When Hogwarts is under attack, McGonagall is walking down the staircase and instructs Seamus to do them proud “Boom” – in her own words. And then proceeds to bring all the statues to life to fight. Afterwards, she sweetly says “I always wanted to use that spell” * McGonagall giggle*

 

 

3) When Harry fixes his old Phoenix feather wand with the elder wand. Rather than, you know, snapping the elder wand in half so he’s left wand-less. We really wish he didn’t do that.

 

 

2) Another big difference in the films was, what could arguable be, the most defining moment out of all 7 books and 8 films. Voldemort’s death.

A weak shell being talked down to in the room he was once sorted in all those years ago. Called Tom in front of everyone. It was unbelievably satisfying to read the moment he died like the weak creature he had turned into. Crumpled on the floor in front of the entire school. In the film they have a little fly around the castle and then he just disintegrates. Not nearly as satisfying.

 

 

1) And finally, our favourite moment. It made us very sad, let’s not pretend it’s a happy moment. But, it is certainly our favourite moment. The line that shows us that Snape is the good egg, I mean, the signs all pointed that way if you just looked – saving harry in the first film being a big red arrow pointing Snape to the good side. Seeing the true Snape for the first time was amazing and tear-jerking. “You have your mother’s eyes” being his final line. Of course, we couldn’t choose between that and “Always”, so you’re having both. In the end it was all about the dark horse not the dark lord.