10 Characters Wasted By The Harry Potter Books

10 Characters Wasted By The Harry Potter Books


J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series was a worldwide phenomenon, but the books wasted some of their most interesting characters. The Harry Potter books launched to critical acclaim in 1997 and introduced the Golden Trio, alongside a host of other great characters. Harry, Ron, and Hermione proved compelling leads, with the three protagonists going through their own coming-of-age stories as they saved the Wizarding World. Naturally, this made them feel fleshed out and relatable. Unfortunately, not all of Harry Potter‘s characters came off so well.

While major players like Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape received a level of attention befitting their roles, a decent number of supporting characters could have played bigger parts in Harry Potter and its ending. Some of them were set up for grander storylines, which were then dropped or ignored, while others never got the time they deserved to begin with. The Harry Potter movies played up certain roles while downplaying others. However, it remained evident that certain fan-favorites needed bigger parts in the source material.

10

Bill Weasley

The Eldest Weasley Sibling

Despite being one of the coolest Weasley siblings, Bill Weasley was underused in the Harry Potter books. Bill was introduced in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and he continued to appear as an Order of the Phoenix member in the later books. Prior to Voldemort’s second rise to power, he worked as a curse-breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank, and this job could have been expanded into some interesting storylines. With Bill working in Egypt, it wouldn’t have been easy to utilize his expertise in breaking into tombs — but this fascinating tidbit demanded more attention.

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Unfortunately, the early Harry Potter books barely used Bill Weasley at all, and even his tenure in the later installments was limited compared to what it could have been. Although Bill exhibited bravery and loyalty that made him a likable character, he was often portrayed through the lens of his relationship with Fleur Delacour. Even his injuries during Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince‘s Battle of the Astronomy Tower came back to their romance, leaving a lot to be desired when it came to his individual characterization.

9

Andromeda Tonks

Nymphadora Tonks’ Mother

Andromeda Tonks.

Nymphadora Tonks’ mother was worthy of more attention in the Harry Potter books, especially after the role she played in getting Harry to the Burrow in Deathly Hallows. Although Tonks was not one of Harry Potter‘s main characters, her mother’s backstory was intriguing enough to expand on. Tonks’ mother was a free spirit like her daughter, and she was bold enough to marry Muggle-born Ted Tonks, even if it meant being disowned by her family.

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter and David Thewlis as Remus Lupin

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The Black family were notorious for many reasons, while the odd upstart managed to make a life for themselves away from a dark allegiance to Voldemort. Like Sirius, Andromeda Black was one of these upstarts, and her presence was scratched from the Black family tree as a result. Andromeda raised Lupin and Tonks’ grandson after they died in the Battle of Hogwarts, so she really could have received a bit more exploration on the page.

8

Regulus Black

Younger Brother To Sirius Black

The ever-fascinating Black family yielded Regulus, another Voldemort-defying wizard. Sirius Black’s younger brother, Regulus was adored and preferred by the family for upholding their traditions. The Blacks were pure-blood supremacists, and Regulus was “soft enough to believe them,” according to Sirius. However, when Regulus found out how far Voldemort went to achieve his goals, he turned against him. This heroic act cost Regulus his life.

Given that the identity of R.A.B. was such a big mystery after Harry found Regulus’ fake Horcrux, Sirius’ brother really should have had a bigger part in the story, even posthumously.

In turning from Voldemort, Regulus made a plan to destroy one of his Horcruxes and start chipping away at the Dark Lord’s immortality. The plan failed, but Regulus managed to steal the locket from the same cave Harry and Dumbledore visit in Half-Blood Prince. Given that the identity of R.A.B. was such a big mystery after Harry found Regulus’ fake Horcrux, Sirius’ brother really should have had a bigger part in the story, even posthumously. His story is compelling enough that fans have tirelessly dreamcast Timothée Chalamet for the role, proving how much more Rowling could’ve gotten out of it.

7

Draco Malfoy

The Redeemed Hero That Never Was

The Harry Potter books seemed to be on the fence about Draco Malfoy, and they never made a satisfactory decision about the character. Harry Potter’s Malfoy family were Wizarding World nobility with problematic beliefs. Draco’s prejudice against Muggles and Muggle-borns was portrayed as the result of his upbringing and his parents. Narcissa was the sister of Voldemort’s most loyal supporter and lover, Bellatrix Lestrange. Meanwhile, Lucius was a Death Eater approved by the Black family.

Draco Malfoy’s redemption finally came full circle in the 2016 play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Like Regulus Black, Draco Malfoy went along with his family’s beliefs out of indoctrination but couldn’t deal with the reality of his service. When faced with killing Dumbledore, Draco had to confront how he wasn’t cut out to be a Death Eater. The books portrayed Draco’s failure to kill Dumbledore as a sniveling act of cowardice. However, in reality, this was a brave act that risked his life and that of his family. The books teased Draco’s redemption but never quite delivered on it, totally wasting his more nuanced moments in Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows.

6

Peter Pettigrew

The Most-Hated Marauder

Peter Pettigrew had huge significance in the narrative but was phased out at points where he had just started to seem important. Although Pettigrew was not one of the most powerful Harry Potter characters, he was one of the most memorable. Peter Pettigrew is the most-hated Marauder, but the traitor, who spent years disguised as a rat, had some of the biggest potential in the story. The ex-Marauder spent much of his adult life posing as Ron’s pet rat, Scabbers, biding his time until he could reunite with Voldemort after betraying his closest friends.

Pettigrew stalled the sorting hat for a full five minutes before being sorted into Gryffindor, proving how morally conflicted and complex this character was.

Sadly, Pettigrew’s motivations and feelings about everything that happened in his past weren’t explored in enough depth. The books suggested he was afraid of Voldemort, but he waited years to bring the Dark Lord back to life. Pettigrew even stalled the sorting hat for a full five minutes before being sorted into Gryffindor, proving how morally conflicted and complex his character was. He needed a bigger role in the series’ ending, whether it was a redemption arc or a huge act of loyalty to Voldemort. He also should have seen Sirius or Lupin again after Prisoner of Azkaban.

5

Charlie Weasley

The Dragon Tamer Weasley

The Weasley family in Egypt.

Charlie Weasley was an adventurous soul, like Bill, who deserved more time on the page in the Harry Potter books. Of all the Weasleys, Charlie may have been the most foolhardy, and that is saying something. There was so much to love about the russet-haired dragon-tamer of a Weasley living his dreams in Romania. To a certain extent, it made the Weasleys more dynamic, fleshed-out, and realistic that they weren’t all overly present in the plot.

Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley in Harry Potter

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However, Charlie clearly had a huge story to tell, and many book readers would have loved to hear more about him. Charlie was a Quidditch expert. He was also instrumental in the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, although it wasn’t immediately obvious. Charlie helped out in the Triwizard Tournament as one of the dragon tamers on-site. This extraordinary lifestyle could get its own spinoff, but it goes underused in the original source material.

4

Remus Lupin

One Of Fantasy’s Greatest Werewolves

Remus Lupin was one of the Harry Potter series’ best characters, and it’s a shame the books didn’t allow readers to spend more time with him. Lupin was a fan-favorite because he was one of the fantasy genre’s best werewolves in a long line of portrayals. The werewolf is a literary and mythological institution, and Remus Lupin helped confirm that anyone, even a werewolf, could be a real hero. This message was important for anyone struggling against their nature in some way.

Remus Lupin helped confirm that anyone, even a werewolf, could be a real hero.

This lycanthropic Marauder was Harry Potter’s werewolf avatar, with only Fenrir Greyback standing out to represent the mythical beast. He also had a tortured and difficult life, making his ultimate sacrifice in the Battle of Hogwarts all the more tragic. His time at Hogwarts with James and Sirius was criminally under-explored in the books, and he was given very little time with Tonks and their child. On the bright side, the Harry Potter TV show could launch a Marauders spinoff and expand on Lupin’s character.

3

Neville Longbottom

Harry Potter’s Most Underrated Hero

Neville Longbottom was Harry Potter’s least-investigated hero, and Rowling could have done more with him. Neville had some of the best character development in the books, to be fair to the author. He was an amazing character, starting off as a seemingly pathetic ally to Harry and friends, there mostly for comedic value. Neville’s arc took a turn in the later books, however, with him coming into his own as a more heroic and admirable wizard.

Neville had a remarkably similar life to Harry, being orphaned by Voldemort and a potential candidate for the prophecy that shaped Harry’s future. His parents were horrifically tortured by Bellatrix, her husband, her brother-in-law, and Barty Crouch Jr. Rowling’s plot enjoyed the circularity of Neville finally avenging his parents by slaying Nagini with the Sword of Gryffindor. Neville could have been built up from an earlier point and helped the Golden Trio more, considering his later importance. The books also fail to utilize his connection to Harry and the prophecy as much as they should.

2

Ginny Weasley

Harry’s Underused Love Interest

Ginny Weasley could have been inserted into Harry Potter’s storyline a lot more over the course of the seven books. Ginny played a huge role in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, but her perspective felt quite limited, something necessitated by the book’s ending twist. She only resurfaced as a more prominent character during the later Harry Potter books, and even then, her role didn’t grow as much as it should have. Despite becoming Harry’s love interest, Ginny was often relegated to the sidelines. She didn’t even fight during the Battle of Hogwarts.

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Additionally, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows fumbled the obvious Ginny story set up in Half-Blood Prince. The series established that Ginny could be used against Harry, but it never delivered on this tease. Instead, it removed her from the majority of the final book, wasting the development of her character and relationship with Harry. Giving her more time to shine would have made her romance with him feel more important, and it would have given her arc a proper conclusion.

1

Sirius Black

Harry Potter’s Most Tragic Marauder

A huge portion of Harry Potter fans would love to hear more about Sirius Black. Sirius may be Harry Potter’s most tragic Marauder. Although James died to save his son, readers never got to know him the way they got to know Sirius. This character belonged to what felt like a mystical era of Hogwarts, enshrined in wonder, joy and mystery. While J.K. Rowling never wrote the Marauder spinoff, there are Marauders fanfics that provide the prequel story many desire.

HBO’s Harry Potter TV show is expected to debut in 2026.

This subsection of the Harry Potter fandom proves how much more life there was in the character of Sirius Black before his untimely death. It was bad enough for Harry to lose his parents, let alone his godfather. While Sirius’ death did serve a purpose in Harry’s arc, it would have been nice to see more of him before he perished. Ultimately, it would have made his Harry Potter fate even more tragic. However, Sirius was gone too soon and after too few scenes unpacking his backstory.

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