Four “Harry Potter” Moments That Make Me Weep Like a Baby Mandrake
There are many, many moments throughout the Harry Potter series where I find myself saying, “You stop that. You stop that right now, JKR.” Here are just a few scenes that leave me weepier than a baby mandrake being repotted against its will:
1. Hagrid Returning from Azkaban
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Hagrid is wrongfully imprisoned for the attacks on the Muggle-borns at Hogwarts. In the very last scene of the movie, a recently released Hagrid arrives late to the feast. Most of the school gives him a standing ovation, and Harry simply states, “Well, there’s no Hogwarts without you, Hagrid.” I immediately start blubbering when this scene comes on. Hagrid, who has traditionally been underestimated and underappreciated, receives well-deserved applause from the majority of the Hogwarts students. He hugs Harry and thanks the golden trio for helping get him out of Azkaban.
2. Pretty Much Anything with Lupin and Harry
Just about any interaction between Harry and Lupin during Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban makes me weepy. Remus woke up in a cabin on the Hogwarts Express with his best friend’s son sitting right there? Tears. He had tea with Harry – who wasn’t allowed to go to Hogsmeade – on his parents’ death anniversary? I’m crying. Lupin saw Harry cast the same Patronus as James had? I’m dead.
3. Neville Keeping the Candy Wrapper from His Mother
One of the tenderest moments in the entire series was not even included in the movies. After Arthur Weasley is attacked in the Department of Mysteries in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione run into Neville and his grandmother visiting his parents at St. Mungo’s. Harry was already aware that they had been tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange, but he had never told any of his friends since Neville had chosen not to either.
‘Again?’ said Mrs. Longbottom, sounding slightly weary. ‘Very well, Alice dear, very well – Neville, take it, whatever it is…’
But Neville had already stretched out his hand, into which his mother dropped an empty Drooble’s Blowing Gum wrapper.
[…]‘Well, we’d better get back,’ sighed Mrs. Longbottom, drawing on long green gloves. ‘Very nice to have met you all. Neville, put that wrapper in the bin, she must have given you enough of them to paper your bedroom by now…’
But as they left, Harry was sure he saw Neville slip the wrapper into his pocket.” (OotP, ch. 23)
4. Mrs. Weasley Taking on Bellatrix Lestrange
Perhaps Molly Weasley’s finest hour was when she took on Bellatrix Lestrange, who had just fired a Killing Curse an inch from her daughter, Ginny. The iconic line “NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!” gave me chills the first time I read it (DH, ch. 36). With every reread, I get teary-eyed thinking of how Molly – who has often been pegged as “just” a stay-at-home mom – showed how powerful the bond of motherhood is. You do not want to get between a strong lady and her children. JKR showed us that women can be nurturing and protect their families – what a profound moment in the series. I can’t help but get emotional anytime I relive this moment.
What moments in the Harry Potter series – whether in the books or the movies – make you emotional? Did I cover any that initially came to mind for you? Tell us in the comments!
