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The Harry Potter franchise found many takers because it transported the audience to an exciting wizarding world containing powerful spells, mythical creatures, and endearing characters. Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, the Harry Potter adaptations follow the life of a young wizard who has to find a way to defeat a dark wizard who wants to rule over all magical and non-magical people.
Apart from the detailed world-building and memorable characters, the franchise featured several impactful quotes that resonate with fans. The fact that they don't only make sense in the context of the situations at hand but can also be applied in several real-life situations adds to their universal appeal.
The franchise delivered many memorable Harry Potter quotes but the ones mentioned on this list continue to come up in conversations among ardent fans, even after all these years.
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Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's opinion. Individual opinions may vary.
10 compelling Harry Potter quotes that fans will always keep close to their hearts
1) "It does not do well to dwell on dreams" - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Albus Dumbledore says,
"It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live."
In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry learns the truth about his parents for the first time, which is very different from what the Dursleys had told him. Upon entering Hogwarts, Harry finally feels at home, even though he and his friends are prone to misadventures.
In the adaptation, Harry comes across the Mirror of Erised, a magical mirror that tends to show a person's deepest desires. Harry sees his deceased parents in his reflection and spends most of his time in front of it, forgetting all else. But Dumbledore's wise words help him see that becoming obsessed with an illusion is not what his parents would have wanted.
The line is particularly impactful because it acknowledges the grief people feel when they lose their loved ones and also helps them remember that life is more than reminiscing about what-ifs.
2) "Fear of a name" - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Hermoine Granger says,
"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself."
Hermione Granger is one of the most brilliant students to attend Hogwarts. The boys wouldn't have much luck in most of their missions without her quick wit and resourcefulness.
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets movie, she finally leans into her rebellious phase wherein she feels compelled to break rules to save students from the wrath of the menacing Basilisk.
However, her most memorable line is from the first half of the movie wherein she confronts Lucius Malfoy who tries to bully Harry and the gang during their time in the Leaky Cauldron. Her powerful words not only reflect her courageous personality but also reiterate how some fears are meant to be overcome.
3) "Fame is a fickle friend" - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Gilderoy Lockhart says,
"Fame is a fickle friend, Harry. Celebrity is as celebrity does. Remember that."
Anyone who has seen the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets adaptation will agree that most of what Gilderoy Lockhart says cannot to be taken seriously. Even though he has plenty of fans who adore him, including Molly Weasley much to Ron's chagrin, Lockhart's fame is rooted in all the amazing things he claims to have done in his accounts but they all turn out to be false in the end.
When Lockhart joins as the new Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts, he automatically sets his sights on Harry because he knows that fans, and the press, cannot resist the sight of them together. Even though Harry is disinterested in his so-called life lessons, Lockhart regularly showers him with plenty whenever he can.
However, amidst all his vain lectures, this line stands out because it really does hold up. Fame is certainly fickle as is evident from the dip in Lockhart's popularity after he loses his memory thanks to a spell backfire.
4) "I am up to no good" - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter says,
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, when the news of Sirius Black escaping Azkaban breaks out, the Ministry of Magic officials feel that Black will come after Harry and ask him to be on alert.
When Harry wants to go to Hogsmeade, he doesn't have a signed permission sheet from his guardians and the extra security protocols in place make it hard to sneak out. But Fred and George come to his rescue by providing him with the Marauder's Map that shows him all the secret passageways.
The fact that "I solemnly swear I am up to no good" is the map's activating phrase is not only fitting for a map created by the troublemaker gang consisting of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs but also reflects the Weasley twins' motto of living life in the moment.
5) "Keep your friends close"- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Sirius Black says,
"Keep your friends close, Harry."
Sirius does not get to spend a whole lot of time with Harry and the gang but he still leaves an impact with his wise words. Fans who wanted Harry to have a father figure in his life were delighted to have someone as upfront and courageous as Sirius to help guide Harry on the right path.
They also liked interacting with Sirius because he was willing to be honest with them when the other adults focused on sheltering them from the harsh realities of life.
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire movie, Black finds a way to communicate with Harry via the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. He shares his concerns about Harry's participation in the games and advises him to keep his friends close. In hindsight, this line rings true because Harry did in fact overcome the gruelling challenges only with the help of his friends.
6) "I am what I am, an' I'm not ashamed" - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Rubeus Hagrid says,
"I am what I am, an' I'm not ashamed. 'Never be ashamed,' my ol' dad used ter say, 'there's some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth botherin' with."
Throughout the books and movies, Hagrid has a major influence on the popular trio. He genuinely cares for all of them and always goes out of his way to help them.
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, he shows Harry the dragons before the first round of the tournament to help him come up with a strategy to stay alive. He also strikes up an endearing connection with the Headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy.
Hagrid was always a sort of outcast and people often exploited his good-hearted nature. But when he says these powerful words, he showcases a sense of confidence and reminds fans that it is okay to be different.
7) "The mind is not a book, to be opened at will" - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Severus Snape says,
"The mind is not a book, to be opened at will and examined at leisure. Thoughts are not etched on the inside of skulls, to be perused by an invader. The mind is a complex and many-layered thing."
In the adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the occlumency classes didn't take up too much of the runtime. But in the books, it was a laborious ordeal for Harry to turn up to these classes mandated by Dumbledore and taught by Snape.
Harry knew that the Dark Lord shouldn't gain control of his mind, but he thought about quitting more than once because Snape didn't make it easy. At this point, fans didn't really know of Snape's real intentions, which means that there was a concern that he was making Harry weak on purpose.
But when Snape makes this comment, Harry feels that despite his hatred for Snape, his Potions teacher knew what was at stake and why Harry needed to get good at occlumency, fast.
8) "Anything's possible if you've got enough nerve" - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Ginny Weasley says,
"The thing about growing up with Fred and George is that you sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve."
When fans of the franchise first meet Ginny, she is shy and timid. In fact, in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, she is easily manipulated by Tom Riddle because of her naive persona. Over the years, she grows into a confident woman who is not afraid to speak her mind.
Of course, she has a lot of witty lines but the most memorable one has to be this one from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, wherein she admits that growing up with Fred and George helped her realize that no task is impossible if one has the right attitude.
Fred and George are often seen as the jokester, but the twins indeed lived life to the fullest. Their way of looking at every new challenge with a sense of unrelenting conviction is something that fans can certainly learn from.
9) "It is the quality of one’s convictions that determines success" - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Remus Lupin says,
"It is the quality of one’s convictions that determines success, not the number of followers."
Like Sirius Black, Remus is another adult figure in Harry's life who knew just what to say in difficult times. The fact that Lupin's own life was rife with struggles made his optimistic way of looking at situations even more endearing.
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, when Hogwarts is surrounded by Voldemort's supporters, Lupin and the others spread out in order to cover all entry points. Given their smaller numbers, they are concerned about keeping the Death Eaters at bay long enough for Harry to find what he is looking for.
When he and Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived at a tower that is not too far away from a massive horde of Death Eaters waiting for the shield to break, Remus says this famous line to reassure Shacklebolt. Not only does it assert that dedication and hard work can lead to success, but it is also a clever way to break the tension.
10) "Those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it" - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Albus Dumbledore says,
"It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well."
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry has a long thought-provoking conversation with Dumbledore about power and leadership. The late Hogwarts headmaster opined that those who never go looking for power always tend to wear the crown of responsibility well when they do eventually come into power.
The fact that one of the greatest wizards in the world believed in Harry's abilities to lead everyone against the Dark Lord created a powerful image that was hard to ignore. Not to forget, this impactful Albus Dumbledore line also has many real-world applications that make it relevant even today.
These unforgettable quotes prove that the franchise didn't only entertain but also left fans with meaningful messages that they will remember for a long time to come.
