One of the common tropes that the Harry Potter saga explores is the capacity of people to become a better version of themselves. Some of the most beloved characters in the Potterverse struggle with their own abilities in the beginning, but, as time passed by, they evolved and achieved greatness.
Whether it is on an emotional, physical, or even magical level, these characters changed for the better. They stopped being insecure, weak, and sometimes mocked and became smarter, stronger, and way more powerful than they were before. Some even became better people, turning them into inspirational roles for the fans of the saga.
10 Arthur Weasley Went From Good-Hearted Office Guy To Rebellion Leader
When Harry first met Mr. Weasley, he was just a quirky and affable wizard who worked for the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office. In addition to having what many consider one of the most boring jobs in the Ministry of Magic, he was a regular loving dad to his seven children and a loving husband to Molly, his wife.
Once the Second Wizarding War ended, Arthur was promoted to Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement where he took it upon himself to de-corrupt the Ministry after it was obvious the whole government was full of Lord Voldemort supporters.
9 Nymphadora Tonks Isn’t Just A Clumsy Woman
From the moment readers first met Nymphadora Tonks in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, it was common to see moments where other characters underestimated her. Tonks displays an unusual clumsiness which constantly puts her and other people’s lives in danger.
Despite this, Tonks soon proves she’s a strong talented wizard once she shows her skills in battle. She’s not only a metamorphmagus, which grants her the ability to change her appearance at any given time, but she’s also a great duelist and enchanter. All in all, she’s a very powerful member of The Order of the Phoenix.
8 Dobby Grew As A Character After He Became A Free Elf
The house-elf Dobby grew up as a slave to the Malfoy family, who never allowed him the freedom to act according to his own beliefs. For example, after he helped Harry in The Chamber of Secrets in an attempt to protect him from the Malfoys and Voldemort, he had to punish himself by burning his own hands.
However, after Harry freed him from this family, Dobby’s attitude changed. He was no longer a helpless creature, but a confident, brave, and loyal house-elf. Although he started as a fearful creature, Dobby died like a hero, protecting Harry Potter until the very end.
7 Luna Lovegood Is Smarter Than Everyone Believed
When Harry first met Luna Lovegood, she was Hogwarts’ resident “Loony Lovegood.” Luna was an eccentric Ravenclaw student who was constantly bullied by her peers due to her strange ideas and her father’s tabloid, The Quibbler. Although she didn’t make a good first impression, Luna soon showed she was way more than what prejudice dictated.
Granted, she remained a bit eccentric until the end of the saga, but Luna also grew up to be one of the strongest characters in the Potterverse. For instance, she’s one of the few students who managed to perform non-verbal spells. Over the years, Harry discovered how smart, loyal, and talented she was. All these traits make her a valuable ally.
6 Remus Lupin’s Lycanthropy Was Depicted As A Handicap
When he was a young boy, Remus Lupin was bitten by the lycanthrope Fenrir Greyback, which turned him into a werewolf. This condition made it hard for him to live a proper life. It affected his self-esteem, his social life, and even his financial stability because it made him unable to keep a job.
Although he was one of the smartest wizards of his time, his peers considered him weak. Lupin didn’t reach his untapped potential until he learned to accept himself, but at this point, he became one of the best fighters on Harry’s side. Ultimately, he died fighting to free the Magical World from Voldemort alongside his wife, Tonks.
5 Molly Weasley Was More Than A Caring Mother
At the beginning of the saga, Molly Weasley was only a housewife, a nurturing and protective woman who’s always cooking, cleaning, and yelling at her children to stay away from trouble. Although she’s a member of The Order of the Phoenix, Molly doesn’t put her life at risk in battle nor goes on missions, so people don’t see her true potential.
However, Molly displays great power in the Battle of Hogwarts. One of her most memorable moments occurs during combat against one of Voldemort’s most impressive allies. After Bellatrix Lestrange attacks Ginny, Molly’s youngest daughter, the Weasley matriarch curses her, killing her immediately with a curse.
4 Regulus Arcturus Black Is A Hero
Sirius Black’s younger brother, Regulus Arcturus, was the Golden Child of the Black family. Unfortunately, this was just because he followed their pure-blood values. Regardless, according to his brother, he was really a weak-minded and timid man who worked for Voldemort but was too afraid of the Dark Lord himself.
This turned out to be very far from the truth. After retrieving the fake Slytherin’s locket, Harry discovers Regulus was a smart and brave wizard, whose final moments in life were devoted to killing Voldemort. Unfortunately, he died in his attempt before anyone could know what he was doing, so his true strength was never appreciated in his time.
3 Ginny Weasley Grew Up To Become An Amazing Athlete
When the fans first met Ginny, she was just a timid 10-year-old girl. Her weakness turned her into the perfect victim for Tom Riddle, who manipulated her into becoming a vessel for his evil energy. After this, Harry had to save her from the Chamber of Secrets.
Although she seemed to be the weakest Weasley family member, Ginny grew up to become an extroverted and independent girl, very difficult to intimidate. Additionally, she became a powerful duelist, especially talented in curses, as well as an accomplished Quidditch chaser for the Holyhead Harpies, an important all-female Quidditch team.
2 Severus Snape Became Stronger With The Years
Slytherin’s head of house, former Death Eater, and Dumbledore’s right arm, Severus Snape embodies the biggest plot twist of the Harry Potter saga. After he killed Dumbledore, he became Voldemort’s ally publicly. However, he revealed his true nature to Harry through his own memories, showing The Boy Who Lived that he was always on his side. A powerful wizard and a master of Dark Arts, Occlumency, and potions, he wasn’t always such a capable sorcerer.
Snape was raised in a violent and poor family and bullied by the Marauders throughout his time at Hogwarts. Even though he was always smart, there was a time when he was weak-minded due to his own resentments. Regardless, although he grew up stronger for the wrong reasons, Snape changed, and, without him, it would have been impossible to win the war against Lord Voldemort.
1 Neville Longbottom Went From Zero To Hero
Probably the best example of character development in the whole Potterverse, Neville Longbottom started as a clumsy, forgetful kid with terrible luck and performance anxiety who spent way too much time in the school’s infirmary. However, he never stopped training until he improved and became more self-confident.
By the end of the saga, Neville was one of the strongest fighters in Dumbledore’s Army. In fact, he killed Nagini, Voldemort’s serpent and one of his sentient Horcruxes. His change was so obvious physically and mentally that the fandom created the verb “Neville Longbottoming” to refer to the act of drastically getting better.
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