Highlights

  • Some Harry Potter characters suffer unimaginable fates, such as Amos losing his son Cedric and spending the rest of his life mourning him.
  • Luna Lovegood witnessed her mother's death and became a source of comfort for Harry, who struggled with the death of Cedric Diggory.
  • Characters like Hagrid and Moaning Myrtle face significant hardships, including being framed and expelled, and being killed by a basilisk, respectively.

The Harry Potter series introduced the world to some of the greatest witches and wizards in literary history. While these magical people could do almost anything with a wand, some of them were luckier than others. As a war raged between the Order of the Phoenix and Death Eaters, not everyone got out unscathed.

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Some Harry Potter characters wound up suffering horrible fates that left them permanently injured or disfigured. Some were unfortunate survivors of traumatic events that led to unimaginable suffering. While these characters may have lived long lives or died young, they still wound up being very unlucky in the grand scheme of things.

1 Amos Diggory

Lost His Son

cedric and amos
  • First Appearance:Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

While a bit arrogant in the books, Amos Diggory was a proud father who always wanted to boast about his son, Cedric. Amos loved Cedric more than anything. He was proud of Cedric leading Hufflepuff to victory over Gryffindor in Quidditch and Cedric's recognition as the initial Hogwarts Champion in the Triwizard Tournament.

Amos loses everything when his son Cedric is murdered by Peter Pettigrew in the Little Hangleton graveyard. In the film, when Harry returns Cedric's body, Amos screams in agony at the loss of his son. Supplemental material reveals he spent the rest of his life mourning Cedric.

2 Luna Lovegood

Watched Her Mother Die & Was Bullied

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  • First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Everyone knows someone who is eccentric and believes in things that seem to be unreal. That's the definition of Luna Lovegood. The Ravenclaw who was a year behind Harry in school was the daughter of the Editor of the Quibbler who often dressed weirdly and spoke about imaginary creatures.

However, she and Harry form a bond when she reveals she's able to see the threstrals pulling the school's carriages. She witnessed her mother die due to a backfiring charm before she started school. This gave Harry someone to talk to when he didn't feel like he could open up to anyone else about seeing the death of Cedric Diggory.

3 Rubeus Hagrid

Framed & Expelled

Hagrid tries to hatch a dragon egg in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
  • First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Rubeus Hagrid was known for his love of all magical creatures. The half-giant adopted a baby acromantula that he tried to hide in the castle. This led to him being an easy target when Tom Riddle was seeking someone to blame for the death of a fellow student at the hands of the basilisk.

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Hagrid was framed for the girl's death and expelled from Hogwarts. Both of his parents were dead, so he was allowed to live at Hogwarts and train to be a groundskeeper. While he was never fully trained as a wizard, he was able to learn some magic and find a home. However, the Chamber of Secrets framing would come back to haunt him as he was briefly imprisoned when students were being petrified.

4 Moaning Myrtle

Killed By Basilisk

Moaning Myrtle from Harry Potter
  • First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

While being one of the less pleasant ghosts at Hogwarts, Moaning Myrtle is still the poster child for unlucky ghosts. When Tom Riddle learned he was the Heir of Slytherin, he worked on controlling the beast in the chamber. The basilisk made it to the girl's bathroom where Moaning Myrtle was crying after being mocked by a classmate.

Moaning Myrtle exited the bathroom stall to die from the basilisk's stare. She would then haunt that same bathroom. However, her death was instrumental in helping Harry figure out where the Chamber of Secrets was and save Ginny.

5 Colin Creevey

Petrified & Later Murdered

colin-creevey
  • First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter's biggest fan, Colin Creevey did everything he could to learn more about the Boy Who Lived. The Muggle-born student constantly annoyed Harry by trying to take photos of him. Colin was the second victim to be petrified by the basilisk when Tom Riddle found a way to possess Ginny and free the beast.

After being awakened, he slipped into the background until his sixth year at Hogwarts. The Death Eaters took over the school and made it illegal to be Muggle-born. Creevey was sent home at the Battle of Hogwarts for being underage but snuck back in to fight. Unfortunately, he was killed in the battle.

6 Dobby

Enslaved, Ostracized, Murdered

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  • First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

House Elves are one of the unluckiest magical races. They are essentially slaves to wizards, but they also seem to love it. However, Dobby hated working for the Malfoys and wanted to be a free elf. It took a trick from Harry to get Lucius Malfoy to accidentally free Dobby.

After being freed, Dobby struggles to find work until Dumbledore hires him at Hogwarts. However, the other House Elves don't like Dobby, because they don't believe in being paid. Dobby eventually dies a hero when he is killed by a knife while rescuing Harry and his friends from Malfoy Manor.

7 Neville Longbottom

Death Eaters Tortured His Parents

Neville Longbottom In Harry Potter
  • First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Neville Longbottom is one of the characters who struggled from the very beginning of his life. The clumsy Gryffindor almost never knew his parents. Frank and Alice Longbottom were members of the Order of the Phoenix who were tortured into insanity by four Death Eaters following the fall of Voldemort.

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Neville grew up with his grandmother, and for the first four years at Hogwarts, was viewed as someone who was sorted into the wrong house. He was tortured by Cornish Pixie and passed out after hearing Mandrake plants. He was often injured but found his footing as part of Dumbledore's Army. While unlucky, he proved to be one of the most crucial characters in the series.

8 Sirius Black

Framed For Murder

Sirius Black in Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix with part of his family tree behind him
  • First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Sirius Black was one of the Marauders who thought he had a group of friends for life. But when Peter Pettigrew betrayed the Order of the Phoenix, it led to the death of James Potter, as well as years of guilt for Sirius, who suggested Peter to be the Potters's secret keeper.

Sirius was then framed for Peter's murder and spent thirteen years in prison before breaking free when he found where Pettigrew was hiding. Two years after escaping prison, Sirius is killed by his cousin while protecting Harry in the Department of Mysteries.

9 Remus Lupin

Unlucky Since Birth

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  • First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Did any character suffer more bad luck than Remus Lupin? One of the most lovable characters begins his life unlucky when Fenrir Greyback turns him into a werewolf due to a grudge against his father. After getting to go to Hogwarts and meeting friends, he loses it all. James Potter is murdered, Peter Pettigrew is believed murdered, and Sirius Black is imprisoned as a Death Eater.

In later years, Lupin becomes a teacher, meets Tonks, gets married, and welcomes a young son named Teddy. Unfortunately, when it seems like Lupin is finally going to be happy, he dies in the Battle of Hogwarts trying to make the world a better place for his son.

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Harry Potter

Cast
Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , Rupert Grint , Alan Rickman , Michael Gambon , Ralph Fiennes , Maggie Smith , Robbie Coltrane
Where to watch
HBO Max
Created by
J.K. Rowling