Witches of the Wizarding World
Harry Potter may have a boy wizard at its center, but some of its strongest characters are the ladies surrounding him. Okay, not all of them are good guys, but that doesn’t negate the fact that they’re some of the most interesting stories of the franchise! From professors who controlled classrooms to teenagers willing to take a stand, these 20 women get some of the books' best scenes.
1. Hermione Granger
Hermione caught a lot of flak when she first entered the scene, but she quickly proved there was much more to her than being the smartest in the room. She solves tough puzzles, helps create Dumbledore's Army, and constantly gets the boys around her out of jams. Plenty of characters are brave when danger finds them, but Hermione walks right into it.
2. Minerva McGonagall
Professor McGonagall somehow manages to be strict, intimidating, funny, and protective all at once. It’s not like she’s a stick in the mud, either. Her delighted reaction when Peeves causes trouble for Umbridge also proves that even Hogwarts' sternest professor knows when rules deserve to be broken.
3. Luna Lovegood
Luna gets mocked for her personality, but she never allows others to make her ashamed. She’s also quite useful along the way, acting as the perfect unassuming heroine. Just as importantly, she understands grief in a way many characters don't, which is why her friendship with Harry feels especially genuine.
Andrea Francesco Berni from Milan, Italy on Wikimedia
4. Ginny Weasley
Readers who only remember movie Ginny are missing one of the best characters in the books. After surviving Tom Riddle's diary as an 11-year-old, she grows into a gifted Quidditch player, joins Dumbledore's Army, fights at the Department of Mysteries, and helps resist the Carrows during Harry's final year away from Hogwarts. Long story short, she deserves more credit.
5. Molly Weasley
Molly's greatest strength isn't a secret spell or prestigious Ministry position—it’s her commitment to the people she loves. She welcomes Harry into the Burrow and becomes the closest thing he has to a mother after Lily's death. She also whooped Bellatrix, which allowed everyone to see exactly how dangerous she can be.
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6. Nymphadora Tonks
Tonks is one of the few adult characters who immediately seems like she'd actually be fun to spend time with. Her abilities let her change her appearance at will, and even despite having a newborn son at home, she ultimately returns to Hogwarts to fight beside Lupin. Of course, that makes her ending one of the series' most painful losses, but we don’t talk about that.
7. Fleur Delacour
Fleur is initially presented through assumptions about her beauty and haughty personality, but those impressions don't last very long, do they? Most notably, she joins the Order's wider resistance efforts and refuses to abandon Bill after Fenrir wounds him. Her declaration that she's attractive enough for both of them is also one of the best responses anyone gives Mrs. Weasley in the whole series.
Karen Roe from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK on Wikimedia
8. Lily Potter
We know that Lily appears in memories and stories, but nearly everything in Harry's life traces back to her. We all know that her bravery and that final act triggers the magical protection that allows Harry to survive a curse no one else had.
9. Narcissa Malfoy
Narcissa never becomes a conventional hero, but that’s what makes her decisive moment during the Battle of Hogwarts so interesting. When ordered to check whether Harry’s dead, she realizes he's alive and then deliberately lies to Voldemort after confirmation that her son is okay. One little lie from a woman Voldemort considers beneath his notice helps bring his entire crusade down.
10. Bellatrix Lestrange
Being incredible doesn't mean being good. Sometimes, it’s enough to be an interesting villain! We’re not saying we support her torturing Neville's parents into insanity or killing Sirius Black, but few villains in the series feel as unpredictable.
11. Professor Sprout
Pomona Sprout rarely gets the attention given to Hogwarts' flashier professors, despite being one of its most competent teachers. That’s odd, too, especially since her knowledge of Mandrakes becomes crucial when the matured plants are used to restore petrified students. She even joins the Battle of Hogwarts and uses dangerous plants against the attacking Death Eaters!
12. Madam Pomfrey
You know, with Harry at Hogwarts, Poppy has one of the most demanding jobs in Britain. We’re talking vanished bones, dragon injuries, cursed students, Quidditch accidents, Hermione becoming part cat, and whatever other disaster arrives in the hospital wing that week. Better still, she rarely wastes time and just quietly goes about her job.
13. Angelina Johnson
Angelina earns her reputation long before becoming Gryffindor's Quidditch captain. Once she takes over from Oliver, she has to lead the team while Umbridge is banning players and turning Hogwarts into an even bigger nightmare. She also returns for the Battle of Hogwarts, showing that her loyalty extends well beyond the pitch.
14. Cho Chang
Cho deserves way more sympathy than she gets from either Harry or readers. She's grieving Cedric while returning to the school where he died, yet she still joins Dumbledore's army and learns defensive magic. Her disastrous date with Harry is awkward, sure, but considering what both are carrying emotionally, let’s also cut her some slack.
15. Parvati Patil
Parvati is easy to remember as Harry's disappointed Yule Ball date, but her story doesn't end there. Let’s not forget that she becomes part of Dumbledore's Army, trains in defensive spells, and is actually among the students who return to fight during the Battle of Hogwarts. Even her enthusiasm for Divination gives Hogwarts something it needs: students who enjoy subjects Hermione writes off.
16. Lavender Brown
Lavender is the butt of plenty of jokes (no thanks to Ron), but the later books show more courage than her "Won-Won" era. She joins Dumbledore's army, and during the final battle, she's attacked by Fenrir, turning a character often used for comic relief into another reminder of how much the students risked.
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17. Katie Bell
We hate to break it to you, but Katie spends years playing Chaser alongside Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet, making her part of one of Gryffindor's strongest lineups. Even after touching the cursed opal necklace, she recovers and later comes back to Hogwarts to fight, despite already knowing exactly how dangerous Voldemort's supporters are.
18. Madam Hooch
Rolanda Hooch doesn't appear often, but the flying instructor makes an immediate impression. She also referees Hogwarts Quidditch matches and seems entirely unimpressed by the chaos surrounding the sport. Considering Bludgers regularly chase children through the air at high speed, treating Quidditch as a normal activity might be her greatest talent.
Karen Roe from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK on Wikimedia
19. Helena Ravenclaw
It doesn’t seem like it, but the Grey Lady spends centuries haunting Hogwarts while keeping a secret that’s actually vital to defeating Voldemort. She stole her mother’s diadem, fled to Albania, and was murdered there by the Bloody Baron after refusing to return with him. Harry eventually persuades her to reveal it all, allowing him to locate the Horcrux Voldemort squirreled away.
20. Rowena Ravenclaw
Speaking of Rowena, she’s one of Hogwarts' four founders, helping establish a school that would shape wizarding society for years. Her brain inspired Ravenclaw House, while her enchanted diadem was said to increase the wisdom of whoever wore it. We know a good story when we hear it.
