Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are the beating heart of the Harry Potter franchise. The Golden Trio appears in every movie, with Harry featuring in almost every scene. The three friends are the stars of the show, but that doesn't mean they don't share the spotlight with other important characters.
Indeed, the series features a large ensemble of supporting characters who add complexity to the Wizarding World. These figures, friends and foes alike, play crucial roles in Harry's story, appearing throughout the series' eight movies and adding even more magic to the already enchanting world.
10 Lord Voldemort
Every franchise needs a Big Bad, and Harry Potter's is Lord Voldemort, the most powerful Dark Wizard of all time and Harry and Dumbledore's archenemy.
Despite being the series' primary antagonist, the Dark Lord doesn't appear in every movie. He is completely absent from Prisoner of Azkaban and Half-Blood Prince and barely appears in Deathly Hallows: Part 1. Voldemort shows up in Philosopher's Stone as an angry face and in Chamber of Secrets as a memory of his younger self, Tom Riddle. It's not until Goblet of Fire that he properly appears, played by two-time Oscar nominee and English institution Ralph Fiennes.
9 Minerva McGonagall
Ans peaking of English institutions, Dame Maggie Smith also graced the Harry Potter series with her distinguished presence. The revered and two-time Oscar winner played Minerva McGonagall, the head of Gryffindor House and Transfiguration professor, who has a soft spot for the Boy Who Lived. McGonagall eventually becomes Hogwarts' headmaster after Snape's death.
McGonagall appears in every Harry Potter movie except for Deathly Hallows Part 1. She is a crucial figure in the Hogwarts scenes, meaning she hardly ever steps outside the castle's walls. However, McGonagall does play an active part in the series' climatic battle, being one of the most powerful duelists in the Wizarding World.
8 Seamus Finnigan
It might be surprising to realize Seamus Finnigan appears in every single Potter film, but he does. An Irish half-blood wizard, Seamus is one of Harry's fellow Gryffindors. The two share a cordial relationship, even if they're never the best of friends.
Seamus is perhaps best remembered for his proclivity to blow things up, especially in the first movie. His affinity for pyrotechnics becomes a running gag in the series, finally paying off during the Battle of Hogwarts, where he and Neville Longbottom blow up the bridge that connects the forest with the castle.
7 Fred And George Weasley
The Weasley twins are absolutely hilarious, being the stars of some of the funniest scenes in the Harry Potter franchise. Fred and George are Ron's older brothers, who quit school during their sixth year and later open a massively successful joke shop in Diagon Alley.
The twins appear in every movie, always as supporting but scene-stealing characters. They get at least one moment to shine in every film, whether it's giving Harry the Marauder's map in Prisoner of Azkaban or blowing up the Great Hall during their triumphant escape in Order of the Phoenix.
6 Ginny Weasley
The youngest member of the Weasley family, Ginny, plays a crucial role in Harry Potter, serving as Harry's love interest. She starts the series as a shy girl who can't even look Harry in the eye before eventually turning into a confident young woman. Ginny is also a gifted witch, capable of performing powerful spells and curses, impressing everyone around her.
Like the twins, Ginny appears in every Potter film. Her role becomes increasingly important with each new entry, even if she never becomes part of the Golden Trio.
5 Neville Longbottom
Neville might be the series' most unexpectedly heroic character. He is one of Harry's first acquaintances in Hogwarts, a shy and forgetful young boy who's terrified of almost everything. Still, Neville gets continuously pushed into new and increasingly dangerous circumstances, forcing him to step up and show his significant courage. In the end, he even kills Nagini, one of Voldemort's evilest Horcruxes.
Although his appearances vary in importance, Neville nonetheless takes part in every film in the saga. He is mainly a supporting figure in the Hogwarts scenes for most of the franchise but plays his most prominent role in Philosopher's Stone, Order of the Phoenix, and Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
4 Draco Malfoy
For all intents and purposes, Draco Malfoy is the series' secondary antagonist. Draco is Harry's main rival at Hogwarts, a snobbish pure-blooded Slytherin with a superiority complex. As the series progresses, he becomes a more complex and tragic character, pushed to the edge by his father and Voldemort himself.
Draco shows up in every movie, with Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets including some of his most memorable moments. However, he plays his most significant role in Half-Blood Prince, acting as the story's de-facto antagonist.
3 Rubeus Hagrid
Hagrid is the personification of the gentle giant trope. He is Hogwarts' groundkeeper and one of Harry's first friends in the Wizarding World. Played by Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, Hagrid is responsible for introducing Harry into the Wizarding World.
Coltrane appeared in all eight Potter movies, although his most significant participations occurred during the first two entries, Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets. Hagrid became less prominent as the series advanced, but he remained one of Harry's closest friends and allies.
2 Albus Dumbledore
Albus Dumbledore might very well be the series' fourth main character. He plays a crucial role in every film in the Harry Potter franchise, although he barely appears in Deathly Hallows: Part 1. Played by two revered English actors, Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, Dumbledore is the wisest character in the Harry Potter series and a mentor and father figure to Harry.
Although he mainly takes a passive role, the headmaster plays a pivotal role throughout all eight movies. His most active part comes in Order of the Phoenix, where he fights Lord Voldemort at the Ministry of Magic, and Half-Blood Prince, where he and Harry spend considerable time together discovering more about Voldemort's past.
1 Severus Snape
Played to perfection by the late Alan Rickman, Severus Snape is arguably the most tragic character in the Harry Potter series. He is Hogwarts' Potion Master and the Head of Slytherin House who has a contentious relationship with Harry from the start, mainly thanks to his unrequited love for Harry's mother, Lily. Snape remains an elusive and mysterious figure until the very end when his true motivations are revealed via memories.
By far the most complex character in the franchise, Snape appears in every Harry Potter movie. He plays a major supporting role in each entry, although his two more significant participation might be in Philosopher's Stone and Half-Blood Prince.
