Harry Potter tells one of the most fantastic stories ever.
But it’s much more than a tale about magic.
The series is filled with lessons we can apply to our own lives.
And today, we’re highlighting the best and weirdest of them.
Read on to learn:
- 27 amazing Harry Potter life lessons.
- Why believing in yourself is essential.
- Why we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help.
- And more…
27 Harry Potter life lessons
#1: Believe in yourself
One of the most important lessons the series teaches us is to believe in ourselves.
No matter who you are or what you’re doing.
A quote from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix sums it up best:
‘‘Working hard is important. But there’s something that matters even more. Believing in yourself.’’
A study has shown us that believing in ourselves is essential if we want to succeed.
And many stories don’t highlight this fact as much as Harry Potter.
For example, just look at Harry’s odds.
He’s a teenager who’s still in school.
On top of that, he didn’t even know he was a wizard until he was 11.
Yet somehow, he can stand up against one of the most powerful wizards of all time.
Now, he did have some help along the way. But if Harry never believed in himself as much as he did, he wouldn’t have made it this far.
#2: The importance of friendship
It’s often said that we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with.
When you think of it that way, there’s nothing more important than picking the right people around us.
Since we spend a lot of time with friends, it’s essential you choose the correct ones.
They can seriously make or break the way we perform in life.
Now, Harry picked his friends somewhat by coincidence. He just happened to run into the Weasleys on Platform 9 ¾.
But throughout the story, he could always tell who would be a good friend.
During the 4th movie or book, he befriended Cedric. And together, they helped each other during the Triwizard Tournament.
This was a competition among 3 wizarding schools with 1 attendant each.
And they were put up with difficult tasks.
As a result of their friendship, they both managed to finish first. If it wasn’t for Voldemort intervening.
#3: Help can come from unexpected places
We can all use a little help now and then. But we’re often afraid to ask.
But for those who do, you’ll find that help from unexpected places.
When Harry had to fight the Basilisk, a giant serpent, Fawkes brought him the Sorting Hat.
Fawkes was Dumbledore’s Phoenix, and the Sorting Hat was, well, the Sorting Hat.
Up to this point, both were minor characters in the story.
But when Harry needed help, both came to his aid.
The Phoenix took out the serpent’s eyes and brought the Hat. And it gave Harry Godric’s Sword.
This ultimately helped him defeat the Basilisk.
#4: The importance of a great mentor
Throughout the story, Harry receives help from the very best.
It’s actually one of the reasons why he became such a powerful wizard.
The person we can consider his best mentor has to be Dumbledore.
And who better to have as your adviser than the most powerful wizard alive?
Throughout the years, Dumbledore constantly guides Harry. And like any great mentor, he never tells him directly what to do.
He simply says his piece and let Harry make his own decisions.
A study has shown that having a great mentor is associated with positive outcomes.
#5: Your parents are helpful
As kids, we sometimes feel ashamed of our parents. And as we grow up, we turn rebellious.
But they are more than a boxing ball.
Parents are arguably the most important people in our lives.
The Harry Potter story perfectly shows that.
Even though Harry’s parents are no longer here, they still play a significant role.
It was Lily’s love for her son that kept Harry safe all these years.
Many years later, his parents are still there for him.
For example, this scene in the last book/movie shows that nicely:
Just as he’s about to sacrifice himself, it’s his parents that show up. This quote shows best:
“You’ll stay with me?
Until the very end, said James.
They won’t be able to see you? asked Harry.
We are part of you, said Sirius.’’
#6: Determination
Harry is a determined young man.
He simply doesn’t back down.
A giant Basilisk is chasing you? No problem.
Need to fend off hundreds of Dementors? Okay.
But perhaps the best example of his determination is in the last book or movie.
I’m talking about Harry going to the forest to sacrifice himself. He knows it needs to happen, as he himself is a Horcrux.
What he doesn’t know, however, is that he would survive the Killing Curse the second time.
He still got back up to fight Voldemort. One last time.
He shows that no matter how hard things are, you can come out on top. If only you were determined enough.
#7: Not acting is harmful
It’s crucial to always take action because that’s when we learn. Even if you don’t know what to do or how to start.
For instance, I highly doubt Harry knew how to steal a dragon’s egg.
After all, he was just a 4th-year student.
Yet, he took the correct measures and came out on top.
Just imagine what would have happened if Harry had never responded to the situation. The dragon would make short work of him.
#8: Don’t be afraid to ask for help
As mentioned earlier, asking for help might be scary.
We often want to resolve things ourselves. Even if we know we’re out of our depths.
There’s nothing wrong with asking for assistance. Together, you’re much stronger than alone.
In the series, Harry often wanted to seek help but was unable to.
For this reason, he frequently ended up in dire situations.
For example, Harry wanted to inform Dumbledore about Snape stealing the Philosopher’s Stone.
But he has flown away and could not help.
In the following movie, though, Dumbledore said this:
‘’Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it’’.
And he made true to his word. He sent Fawkes and the Sorting Hat to Harry’s aid when he asked for it.
#9: The importance of family
The love of family is something Harry never really had.
What he did have was a lot of wealth.
In today’s world, we often consider money to be the most important thing.
But as Harry Potter shows, money does not make you happy.
It’s family that can genuinely make you rich.
Take the Weasleys, for example.
This family of redheads is extremely poor. But all of them are happy, bright, and funny.
Because they have each other.
#10: Confidence can get you a long way
This is a life lesson that can go both ways.
Confidence is extremely important. It can get you very far.
Just look at Gilderoy Lockhart. Perhaps one of the most inept teachers of Hogwarts.
But he still was a teacher at a renowned school.
And all of that was possible because he was full of confidence.
The phrase ‘’fake it till you make it’’ is applicable here.
But this is why this lesson goes both ways.
Yes, you can fake it till you make it. But along the way, you should actually make true to your words.
In Lockhart’s case, it was all talk. Nothing more. When he needed to step up, he couldn’t.
Just look at him teaching:
So while confidence can get you very far, it isn’t everything. You should make sure that your confidence is reasonable.
And learn to see through those that show incredible confidence but lack action.
#11: Focus on the future
We can look at our lives the same way as if they were a book.
The past is already written. It has happened, and there’s nothing you can change about it.
However, the future is still wide open. You can fill in the blank pages however you like.
As Dumbledore said wisely:
‘‘It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live.’’
Only this time, substitute ‘’dreams’’ for ‘’the past’’, and the quote still rings true.
During Harry’s 5th year at Hogwarts, the state of the school started to deteriorate.
#12: The importance of community
Professor Umbridge was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. And you really didn’t learn much, if anything.
See, she firmly believed in not having to use your wand. Even with the looming dangers, she flat-out refused to give in.
So Harry and his friends needed to step up. They created Dumbledore’s Army, a group of students under his care.
He taught them proper defense against the dark arts. And he was highly successful.
But so was Dumbledore’s Army. Without them, Harry wouldn’t stand a chance during the battle of Hogwarts.
He made sure a community of skilled wizards and witches was behind him. And together, they can defeat evil.
#13: Stand up for yourself
One of my most memorable scenes in Harry Potter is when Hermione punches Draco.
This happened right after Draco was laughing about Buckbeak getting executed.
The flying eagle-horse injured Draco during class, so he had his father take care of it. And the Malfoys’ ways of taking care of things often include murder.
Especially when someone or something cannot fight back.
Buckbeak was very dear to Hagrid. So seeing Draco make fun of someone losing his beloved pet made Hermione angry.
She put her wand in Draco’s face, but Ron said he wasn’t worth it.
Luckily, Hermione couldn’t let him get away with it and gave him an old-fashioned smack.
So, never let anyone get the better of you.
#14: Love is strong
Love is the overarching theme of the Harry Potter story.
It’s incredibly powerful, both in the wizarding and our own world.
While in ours, it may not shield us from Killing Curses, it makes us stronger.
Whether it’s your love for something that keeps you going…
Or someone’s love you can fall back on.
It’s not something to underestimate.
#15: Animals make great companions
This almost speaks for itself.
Who doesn’t love the company of a cat or dog?
It’s the perfect middle ground when you don’t want to be alone. But also not in the mood to socialize.
Animals are pure in their love. They don’t know if we’re good or bad. They just know you.
And something or someone who will never judge you makes an amazing friend and companion.
Hagrid and his many different beasts and animals are a perfect example of this.
He always finds joy in taking care of these creatures. Whether it’s a normal dog or a dragon, Hagrid always enjoys their company.
#16: Great power comes with great responsibility
Isn’t this a quote from another movie?
Oh well, it still rings true for Harry Potter.
With magic, even ordinary people become much more powerful.
And bear in mind that not every wizard or witch is created equally. Some are far stronger than others.
Two fantastic examples of these are Voldemort and Dumbledore. Both are pretty equal in terms of power but completely different otherwise.
While Voldemort abuses his strength to cause the world harm, Dumbledore doesn’t.
He most certainly can do the same horrible things as the Dark Lord. But that is unlike him. He is far more responsible with his powers.
#17: Be yourself
Being yourself is difficult, especially in modern times.
Everything needs to be spruced up for social media.
It’s almost as if nothing is real anymore.
And that makes being yourself all the more powerful.
A great example in the series is Luna Lovegood.
She’s goofy and sometimes even a strange character. But she’s always herself. And she’s constantly present when she’s needed.
#18: Facing your fears
To overcome your fears, you first need to face them.
This is something we can learn from Ron.
Remember in the second film or book when Ron and Harry had to go into the Forbidden Forest?
Well, they had to do that because they ‘had to follow the spiders’.
It was part of the mystery surrounding the Chamber of Secrets.
And would you have it?
Ron is terrified of spiders.
But he faced his fears. He came along.
And it was good that he did.
Otherwise, Harry may not have survived the ordeal.
#19: Sometimes you need to break the rules
Rules are set in place to keep order.
But sometimes, it makes sense to break them.
Just take Ron and Harry from the first book or series.
All students needed to go to their rooms, as there was a troll spotted.
But they refused and decided to break the rule, as Hermione was still in the bathroom.
Harry and Ron not going to their rooms saved her, as the troll also ended up there.
#20: Morality isn’t black and white
It’s almost as if a single person was dedicated to this lesson.
Draco Malfoy is one of the most conflicted characters in the series.
In the early books or movies, he mainly seems like your typical antagonist.
He’s always around making snarky remarks to someone.
But in the later parts of the series, it shows how truly conflicted he is.
On one side, he’s caught up in his family, who are loyal followers of Voldemort.
Clearly, that is not what Draco wants.
There’s even a fantastic deleted scene from the last movie that proves this.
It’s when Voldemort conquered Hogwarts. He thought Harry was dead and triumphantly showed it to everyone.
But then, in the courtyard, Harry jumped out of Hagrid’s arms to face the Dark Lord again.
The original movie goes straight into the action from here. But the deleted scene shows something else.
As Harry was revealed to be alive, Draco ran out of the crowd of Deatheaters and threw Harry his wand.
It goes to show that morality is not purely black and white. There’s a gray area in between that many can get caught up in.
#21: There are some things that you need to do alone
While we’ve talked about the importance of asking for help, there are some things you need to do on your own.
It takes courage to face things yourself…
And it’s often necessary to grow as a person.
Harry received a lot of help when trying to defeat Voldemort. But just the two of them fought in the final battle.
He confronted the Dark Lord and dueled him alone.
Harry’s quote during the battle sums it up nicely:
‘‘Let’s finish this how we started it. Just you and me…’’
#22: People can have different motives
Not everyone’s as they seem.
People can come across as extremely nice and caring, but be the opposite.
Just look at professor Quirrell. He seems like a nice and well-meaning professor. But he had Voldemort on the back of his head.
Plus, he tried to kill Harry.
On the other hand, you have people like Snape, who appear bad but actually aren’t.
You never know someone’s motives until they reveal them outright.
#23: Cherish what you have
Have you heard the saying ‘’The grass is always greener on the other side’’?
I’d like to propose an alternative:
‘’The grass is always greener where you water it.’’
What I mean is that you should cherish what you have.
After all, your current situation may be someone else’s dream.
This is perfect for Harry and Ron’s circumstances.
The latter grows up in a loving family. But they have financial difficulties.
Harry, on the other hand, enjoys massive wealth but has no family.
For someone like Ron, it may be easy to look at Harry and his money and feel envious. But what he doesn’t realize is that money doesn’t buy happiness.
Always believing that the grass is greener on the other side will do you no good. Instead, water your own grass and see just how green it becomes.
#24: Bad things happen
According to Worlddata.info, the average age expectancy in the U.S. is 75 years. And during those years, not everything will go according to plan.
Bad things happen. And as horrible as they may be, we need to be able to move on.
Everything can’t always go right.
And the best thing we can do is accept that.
Just look at Harry. He lost his parents when he was a little boy. Yet, he still managed to find his purpose at Hogwarts.
Remember, it’s nothing more than a temporary setback when something bad happens.
#25: Trust your gut feeling
Our gut feeling is almost like a mysterious compass.
It always shows us what we feel is the right path. Even if our mind doesn’t necessarily agree.
And you know what?
It tends to be correct most of the time.
The Harry Potter story shows us this in the very first installment.
When all the first-years are walking through the halls, Draco Malfoy approaches Harry.
He tells him he should pick his friends wisely so as not to end up with the wrong sort. Of course, he meant that Harry should befriend him.
While Draco wasn’t the best pick as a good friend, Harry’s response was priceless.
He said: ‘’I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself’’.
And he ended up being correct.
#26: Be happy
No matter how bad things get, you can always choose to be happy.
I know, it sounds easy to say, but it’s actually doable.
Even when things look bleak, try to keep your head up. Make the most of it. And be happy.
Harry does this at the start of the first book or movie.
Remember when Dudley Dursey had his birthday?
They went to the London Zoo. And we all know what happened there.
Dudley was behaving like a brat, and suddenly, the glass disappeared. This led to him falling into a snake’s cage.
And while Harry’s life has been pretty miserable to this point, we could see him burst into laughter.
Plus, we can always see Harry having a good time with his friends. Even when things aren’t looking good, he can find happiness with his mates.
#27: Not everything you see is real
Do you believe everything you see or hear?
Many people do.
But that isn’t always the right approach. Facts can easily be twisted. Especially by people in power.
Take Rita Skeeter, for example.
If ‘‘fake news’’ was a person, it would be her.
She is a journalist for the Daily Prophet, but she constantly twists her stories.
Every interview with Harry turns into a sad love story where he’s always left heartbroken.
Even if that’s not the case.
It just goes to show that not everything that’s written is also real.
Newsagents and the likes are out for eyeballs. And they’re best captured by captivating headlines. Even if they aren’t entirely true.