Top 10 Inspirational Harry Potter Moments

Harry and Ron’s friendship has been tried and tested more than most, with Ron routinely forced to take a back-seat behind his ‘Boy Who Lived’ best mate. But Ron’s an inspiration in his own right, especially here, when he has to swallow his pride, admit he was wrong and re-join his friends. Hermione’s not best pleased at first, but then she sees the destroyed locket. It just didn’t feel right without all three together, and Ron’s rousing speech is a heart-on-sleeve moment of greatness.

Links between the living and the dead are a running theme in “Harry Potter”, from the Mirror of Erised to the Resurrection Stone. But Harry and Voldemort’s first face-to-face duel triggers an especially emotional connection with the afterlife, particularly because Harry’s one wrong move from being hit with the killing curse. Through Priori Incantatem, Harry sees the ghostly apparitions of his parents and Cedric, who offer much-need encouragement. And, despite all the odds, Harry lives to fight another day, by escaping the graveyard. It’s spine-tingling stuff.

It’s probably pretty difficult to stay positive when you’re splashing through a secret chamber trying to escape the Dark Lord and a giant snake. But when Fawkes flies in to save the day, bringing the Sorting Hat which eventually yields the Sword of Gryffindor - Harry’s heroic credentials are put beyond doubt. But, even once he, Ginny and everyone else is safe, the boy wizard brings a crisis of confidence to Dumbledore’s desk – which prompts the headmaster into a particularly insightful assessment. These are wise words, indeed!

Set up in Harry’s fifth year at Hogwarts, Dumbledore’s Army would ultimately become a crucial force in defending the castle from a resurgent Voldemort. But it took a lot of work to get to there, and this montage charts the rise and rise of Harry’s students. Given that Harry himself had held initial doubts that the group would work, this scene sees everybody improve with various charms and spells – and all while Umbridge and Filch try (and fail) to sabotage their efforts. The comedy cameo by Nigel Wolpert is one to remember, too.

OK, so Dobby’s entire story is basically one long source of top notch inspiration, but we’ve highlighted perhaps the house-elf’s happiest hour, as Harry frees him from the Malfoys’ control. An extremely anxious creature when he initially (and unexpectedly) appears in Harry’s bedroom at the Dursleys, here’s when the weight lifts from Dobby’s shoulders, and his unfaltering dedication to Harry begins. Of course, Dobby’s fierce loyalty brings about one of the saga’s saddest moments too, but he’s his own elf thanks to this single sock.

Here’s where it all begins for Harry, at the ultimate ‘fork in the road’ moment. Before Hagrid broke down the door on his eleventh birthday, Harry had been cooped up in the cupboard under the stairs, wondering if his life would ever improve. But now, his whole existence has exciting new meaning. With four immortal words, Hagrid offers Harry an incredible escape from his aunt, uncle and cousin – and Potter promptly follows his half-giant guardian into the magical unknown. By the time they get to Diagon Alley, the smile seems permanently stuck to his face.

Harry and Sirius rarely get a great deal of one-on-one time – for one reason or another – but when they are together, Potter’s godfather usually proves a fountain of wisdom. Here, Harry’s adolescent anger has increased tenfold thanks to a mysterious connection between him and Voldemort, but Sirius soothes his worries with a spot-on summary of human character. A pep-talk which echoes Dumbledore’s ‘choices’ speech in “The Chamber of Secrets”, it’s exactly what Harry needed at this precise moment.

The end is almost upon us, and the Wizarding World is at a precipice between good and evil. It’s only right that Albus should have a say on the matter, really. Dumbledore appears to Harry when all seems lost, for some last-minute guidance, some trademark ambiguity, and more incisive thoughts on love and the ‘choices’ we make. The former Hogwarts Head saves all his best lines for last, with parting words to shine new light on the story. To quote Kingsley Shacklebolt, the guy’s got style.

A definitive spell for Harry, and one which proves tricky to master, the Patronus Charm requires piles of positive thinking. And given Harry’s backstory, he struggles for source material at first. However, Potter’s plight only makes this moment more momentous. Stood across the lake as Dementors threaten to defeat Sirius and his past self, Harry digs deep for a seismic spell, summoning the wispy white stag which he had thought was his father’s. A euphoric scene, we’d take a time-turner just to watch it all over again.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honourable mentions.

Ron Rules at Quidditch (Without Liquid Luck)
“Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” (2009)

Snape’s Love for Lily
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” (2011)

The First Sight of Hogwarts
“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (2001)

We finish with the final act of a sensational underdog story. Neville starts life at Hogwarts as a clumsy, self-conscious student who tries his best but usually fails. However, his confidence and influence increases across the series, with various displays of bravery and surprising intelligence. But this is his crowning moment, as he refuses to give up on Harry – even when the worst seems to have happened. Neville’s loyalty never runs out, and he reminds everyone else that theirs shouldn’t, either. Voldemort doesn’t stand a chance.