An Examination of Harry’s Frenemies, Part 1

The Wizarding world of Harry Potter’s day is populated with a wide range of loveable heroes and detestable villains. But many of them don’t fit squarely into one category or the other, and their relationships with Harry, Ron, and Hermione often reflect that ambiguity. Here are some of the most exasperating characters of the Harry Potter universe, by turns allies whom we want to applaud and foes whom we want to shake some sense into.

Rufus Scrimgeour

I start this list with Scrimgeour because I am of the belief that he gets a bum rap. To be clear, I don’t like Scrimgeour. He is too much of a politician to be an effective leader, and he has no qualms about throwing innocent people in prison for appearance’s sake. He and Harry clash on multiple occasions about his methods and policies, and Scrimgeour nearly physically attacks Harry at one point in an attempt to entrap and arrest him.

But, at his heart, Scrimgeour is an Auror, a very good one, who does want to defeat evildoers and protect the upright. He’s presumably lost sight of that after years of glad-handing at the Ministry to eventually be in a position to become Minister, but he proves his true priorities with his final act. He refuses to give in to the Death Eaters’ torture and divulge Harry’s location, only one day after the two have a shouting match. He doesn’t like Harry, but protecting him is the right thing to do and the only way left by which he can protect his citizenry. His sacrifice buys enough time for Kingsley to send a warning, and Harry lives to fight another day.

Xenophilius Lovegood

Another character whose negative actions eclipse his nobler ones is Xenophilius Lovegood, the father of Harry’s friend Luna. We only meet him twice, and the second time he betrays the Trio and tries to hand them over to the Death Eaters in order to save his 17-year-old daughter’s life.

Because of these misguided actions, we often forget that Lovegood has spent the previous months vocally and publicly supporting Harry in his magazine The Quibbler, at great risk to himself. The climate is no less dangerous before Luna is taken, but he is not cowed by the peril he puts himself in and continues to print what he believes is right. His heart is in the right place, and he shows considerable courage to a point. But he doesn’t have the emotional constitution to see his resolution through to the end when his daughter’s life is threatened. And really, who could blame him?

Draco Malfoy

Draco and Harry are enemies from Day 1, and they do some fairly terrible things to each other over the years. (At one point, Draco comes dangerously close to torturing Harry in a fit of anger, and Harry comes dangerously close to killing Draco in response). But Draco has always been more of an annoyance and pest than a real threat, when weighed against people like Voldemort, Bellatrix, Umbridge, and even Lucius Malfoy. Draco is petty and mean, but he’s not truly evil, not capable of the atrocities we see others commit. That distinction begins to show in Book 6 and carries over into Book 7.

It becomes clear that he follows Voldemort only under duress, and he tries to protect Harry and buy him time when he is kidnapped and brought to Malfoy Manor. True, he proves to be wishy-washy in his allegiances during the Battle of Hogwarts, but he and Harry eventually make their peace and become cordial acquaintances.

Narcissa Malfoy

Unlike her son, Narcissa Malfoy has little to no history with Harry or any of his friends (with the exception of her cousin Sirius). In fact, she barely even speaks to any of them throughout the whole series. But there’s an understood animosity there just the same, a dislike by association, if you will. We always see her as being on Voldemort’s side, if on the fringes of it.

Until, that is, the Battle of Hogwarts, when she becomes a reluctant ally to Harry and lies to Voldemort’s face for the chance of saving her son. Both she and her husband then run frantically through the resumed fighting, wandless, yelling for their lost son. Presumably this also softens Harry’s view of her. (Harry is, after all, a strong believer in sticking with one’s family no matter what.)

After all is said and done, Harry speaks up on Narcissa’s behalf before the Wizengamot, which ensures her own and her family’s freedom.

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Stay tuned for Part 2 to discover who else makes the list!

Written by Taylor, Co-Host of Dwelling on Dreams