Highlights
- The deaths of beloved characters in Harry Potter, such as Hedwig and Fred Weasley, deeply affected many fans and symbolized the end of Harry's childhood and innocence.
- Dumbledore's death left fans feeling hopeless, but his sacrifice was all part of a greater plan and the eventual revelation of this helped to soften the blow in retrospect.
- The deaths of Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, and Sirius Black were all tragic, and their untimely demise left a lasting impact on both the series and its fans.
Just as it does in life, death plays an important role in the Harry Potter franchise, with countless characters drawing their last breaths throughout the course of the young wizard's story. The likes of Voldemort and Wormtail arguably got what they deserved, but there were a handful of Harry Potter deaths that cut fans right down to their cores.
Having to watch or read about a beloved character's untimely demise can be incredibly difficult, particularly if that character has been around for a significant chunk of the story. As a result, the very saddest Harry Potter deaths left a lasting impression on the fan base, forcing them to face the sad reality that - like all good things - life must eventually come to an end.
7 Hedwig
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Harry appears to get over the loss of his beloved pet Hedwig remarkably quickly. In the books though, her sacrifice has a profound effect on him, with the young wizard mourning her loss for quite some time. It's easy to understand why really, as, aside from Hagrid, she was his oldest and most loyal friend in the world.
According to J.K. Rowling, Hedwig's death was supposed to signify the end of Harry's childhood. However, many argue that his childhood ended the moment Voldemort returned, thus making Hedwig's death as unnecessary as it was tragic. It did help to set the tone for the final book though, and gave additional meaning to a life that would likely have ended naturally anyway within the next three or four years.
6 Fred Weasley
The Weasley family has plenty of close calls throughout the Harry Potter franchise, from Ginny being lured down into the Chamber of Secrets to Arthur getting viciously attacked by Nagini in the Department of Mysteries. With this in mind, it always seemed likely that at least one of them would perish before the story came to a close.
The final book begins with George losing his ear after being hit with one of Snape's Sectumsempra curses, but it ends up being George's twin brother Fred who pays the ultimate price during the Barrle of Hogwarts. It's not clear who exactly caused the explosion that killed Fred, nor does the movie really do his death justice, but it's a bitter blow for the Weasley family nonetheless.
5 Dumbledore
Dumbledore's death had a profound effect on the wizarding world, not to mention fans of the popular movie and book franchise. Many saw him as the only wizard strong enough to stand up to the might of Lord Voldemort, so when he fell from the astronomy tower it felt as though all hope was lost. The fact that the locket he died to obtain was a fake made things even worse.
However, Dumbledore did not die for nothing. In fact, it's soon revealed that dying at the hands of Snape was all part of Dumbledore's plan. This, and the fact that fans later learn that Dumbledore lied to Harry for his entire life really helps to soften the blow in retrospect, even if it was an incredibly painful one at the time.
4 Severus Snape
Severus Snape was not a good person. He certainly wanted to be, but his was a life that was drenched in so much darkness that it was almost impossible to see the light. Even so, it's hard not to feel just a little bit sorry for the former Potions master by the time his story ends, with his final chapter helping to redeem many of his past misgivings.
To be clear, Snape could never make up for his role in James and Lilly's death. One suspects that had Voldemort murdered James and Harry as originally planned, he would have continued down his dark path without giving it a second thought. However, killing Dumbledore and destroying what little was left of his reputation must have been difficult, as too must learning that the child he'd spent years trying to protect was being raised like a lamb for slaughter.
3 Remus Lupin & Nymphadora Tonks
There were probably countless children orphaned by Lord Voldemort and his followers during the first Wizarding War, but besides Harry (and, to a certain extent, Neville), their stories are largely left untold. The same could be said for that of Teddy Tonks, really, though having spent so much time getting to know his parents, knowing that the story ends with yet another parentless child is no less of a tragedy.
Whether or not Lupin and Tonks really had to die is debatable and the fact that they'd only been together for a relatively short amount of time perhaps lightens the weight of their deaths just a little. Even so, of all of the familiar faces who died at the Battle of Hogwarts, the fact that they'd just had a child made Lupin and Tonks' two of the saddest Harry Potter deaths.
2 Sirius Black
In the grand scheme of things, Sirius' time in the spotlight is incredibly brief. Harry only learns of his existence during the third book and then he's gone before the end of the sixth. This arguably makes Sirius' death all the more tragic though, as Harry is given barely any time at all to get to know his godfather before he is tragically taken away from him in front of his very eyes.
Having grown up with the Dursleys, Harry never got a chance to experience true happiness away from Hogwarts. Sirius represented his best chance of that, but, just like his parents, Sirius was torn away from him following yet another cruel twist of fate. Harry does get a chance to speak with him again before the close, but the initial loss of Sirius has a deep and profound effect on both him and series fans.
1 Dobby
Dobby is perhaps one of the most divisive characters in the Harry Potter series. It didn't help that he was cut from four of the movies, making both the character and his bond with Harry seem a lot less important to those who never read the books. He was a brave and loyal friend though and was willing to lay down his life to ensure that Harry survived.
Some people have criticized J.K. Rowling's writing style for its simplicity, but the way that the author handled Dobby's death deserves a lot of credit. What's more, his is one of the few deaths that the movies actually do justice to, with the scene serving as one of the saddest moments in either of the Deathly Hallows movies and the Harry Potter franchise in general.