In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, witches and wizards slide under the Hogwarts Sorting Hat and are sorted into four different categories of people—the brave, the cunning, the loyal, and the knowledgeable. Reality isn’t quite so clear-cut. The characters of Harry Potter are complex people, making complex decisions that aren’t always straightforward.
Everyone has secrets, and it is in fact not unusual for even well-meaning people to hide important aspects of themselves. Young and old, wizards or muggles, poeple can be far more than meets the eye, and not seeing past their deceptive appearance can occasionally be dangerous.
10 Tom Riddle Hides His Voldemort Persona Under The Veneer Of A Perfect Prefect
The antagonist of Harry Potter, Lord Voldemort may be quite openly terrifying, but that wasn’t always the case. During his Hogwarts years, Tom Riddle was seemingly a model student. By his own admittance, he managed to charm everyone with his natural charisma, work ethic, and magical talent. Even the teachers are fooled, and only Albus Dumbledore doubts him, familiar with Tom’s background and potential for destruction.
When Tom opens the Chamber of Secrets and releases Salazar Slytherin’s basilisk, he gets away with killing Myrtle Warren. He even wins an award after handing in Hagrid and accusing his Acromantula of being the culprit behind the petrifications. Tom may have been more dangerous while hiding under the veneer of being a perfect prefect than he was as a Dark Lord.
9 Albus Dumbledore Pretends To Be Just An Eccentric Grandfatherly Headmaster
While ostensibly on the side of good, Hogwarts’ headmaster Albus Dumbledore is just as duplicitous as the Dark Lord he fights against. He displays a grandfatherly facade, complete with oddly-colored robes and occasional nonsensical speeches that make him seem eccentric.
In reality, he is a keen strategist and nowhere near as kind-hearted as he seems. He always prioritizes the overall success of the war and is willing to condemn Harry to a childhood of abuse to accomplish his goals. He manipulates the course of Harry’s life, even making sure Harry will eventually face his own early death. Even his own demise, at Severus Snape’s hands, is a fate he chooses instead of something that is forced on him.
8 The Dursleys Like To Pretend That They’re A Perfectly Normal Family
Harry Potter’s muggle family, the Dursleys, hate magic with a passion and always like to emphasize that they are a normal family. They refer to magical people as freaks, and it is an insult Harry grows up with, not even knowing the reason behind it.
In reality, Number 4 Privet Drive is the furthest thing from normal, and not just because the Chosen One is living there. The Dursleys’ actions make them the true ‘freaks,’ their bigotry making them abuse an innocent child just for being different.
7 Peter Pettigrew Masquerades As A Rat For A Decade
Originally part of James Potter’s group of Hogwarts friends, Peter Pettigrew is sorted into Gryffindor alongside the other Marauders. There’s very little about him that is brave or chivalrous. On the contrary, upon becoming the Potters’ Secret Keeper, he betrays them to Voldemort, signing their death sentence.
Pettigrew frames Sirius Black as the culprit, then takes refuge in his rat animagus form. He continues to use that shape for ten years, becoming Ron Weasleys’ pet. No one could have guessed that Scabbers was in fact a Death Eater, and the real traitor behind the Potters’ deaths.
6 Severus Snape Is A Master At Working On Both Sides Of The War
Potions teacher Severus Snape is the most feared instructor at Hogwarts, his bitter jibes often targeting the students of Gryffindor House. But if there’s one character that best emphasizes the complex nature of man, it is him. Originally Lily Potter’s childhood friend, Severus is sorted into Slytherin at Hogwarts. With Lily a Gryffindor and the Marauders constantly targeting him, their friendship falls apart under the burden of house rivalries. Severus focuses on his love for the Dark Arts and becomes a Death Eater.
Severus is the one to deliver Sybill Trelawney’s prophecy to Voldemort, sealing Lily and James’ fate. Crushed by his own involvement in Lily’s death, he swears to protect Lily’s son. Severus ends up a double agent, acting as a Death Eater while feeding information to the Order of the Phoenix. Ironically, when Voldemort kills Snape, it is not because he is a traitor, but rather due to believing Snape is the master of the Elder Wand. In the end, Snape is among the few people who can claim having bested Voldemort at anything.
5 Professor Quirrell’s Turban Conceals Voldemort’s Presence
After his failed attempt to kill Harry, Voldemort is reduced to a wraith, saved from complete death only by his Horcruxes. Ten years later, in Harry’s first year, he returns, attempting to steal the Philosopher’s Stone. Harry and his friends realize someone is after the priceless artifact but they suspect the vicious Professor Snape.
It is only when they decide to save the stone that Harry learns Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher Quirinus Quirrell is the one behind the plot. He is possessed by Voldemort, and his eccentric turban was hiding Voldemort’s hideous face all along. He tries to kill Harry, but Lily’s protection proves too much for him. Harry burns him to a crisp with his bare hands.
4 Remus Lupin’s Mild-Mannered Personality Hides A Fearsome Secret
Most of Harry’s DADA teachers want to hurt him in some way, but Remus Lupin is a special case. Also a part of the Marauders, he is genuinely fond of Harry and teaches him the Patronus Charm when Harry shows an extreme reaction to the Dementors’ presence.
As the story advances, however, it is revealed that Remus is actually a werewolf. He usually controls his affliction using the wolfsbane potion, but one fateful night at Hogwarts, he forgets to take it. This leads to him transforming into a rampaging werewolf, placing Harry and his friends at risk and facilitating Peter Pettigrew’s escape.
3 Harry’s Fourth Year DADA Teacher Is Barty Crouch Jr. Not Mad-Eye Moody
Remus’s werewolf form may have been dangerous, but Harry’s fourth-year teacher hides an even darker secret. Grizzled Auror Mad-Eye Moody actually seems like a competent, if somewhat brutal, instructor. Considering Harry’s history, it’s not a huge surprise that he is the one who places Harry’s name in the Goblet of Fire and arranges for Harry to participate in the dangerous tournament.
What is surprising is that he turns out to not be Mad-Eye Moody at all. Instead, Harry’s teacher is Death Eater Barty Crouch Jr., working under Voldemort’s command to facilitate Harry’s kidnapping. The plan works, but Barty pays a dire price for it, as he is captured and kissed by a Dementor.
2 Neville Longbottom Was Always A Lion At Heart
While younger characters may seem somewhat more straightforward, that isn’t always the case. For much of the Harry Potter series, Neville Longbottom seems like a nervous, timid boy, with a love for herbology but unremarkable magical talent.
It is later revealed that he could have in fact been the prophecy child. His inability to channel his magic properly stems in part from Augusta Longbottom’s insistence to make him use his father Frank’s wand. In the end, Neville was always a lion at heart, and he proves his bravery while protecting Hogwarts from the Carrows, then later, when he kills Nagini.
1 Harry Potter Is Actually Lord Voldemort’s Horcrux
The protagonist of the series, Harry may often seem like a reckless and temperamental kid, but he’s not quite what he seems either. His temper can occasionally manifest dangerously, and he has been known to cast Unforgivables. But the secrets Harry is hiding aren’t even known to himself.
Harry isn’t just the Chosen One who can defeat Voldemort. He is also a living Horcrux, one of the things keeping the Dark Lord alive. It’s a good thing that Voldemort isn’t able to sense his Horcruxes, because otherwise, defeating him may have proven to be impossible.
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