Heartbreaking Moments from "Harry Potter"

Harry’s first adventure under his Invisibility Cloak led him to the Mirror of Erised, in which he saw his family. Since the Dursleys did not keep any photos of Lily and James, this was the first time that Harry laid eyes on his family. Later, Dumbledore would tell him that the mirror “shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desires of our hearts” (SS 12). The juxtaposition between the empty classroom and the mirror filled with his family shows just how alone Harry feels.

In “Prisoner of Azkaban” when Sirius says, “Once my name’s cleared… if you wanted a… a different home,” Harry’s eyes light up (PoA 20).

This moment was emotional for two reasons. Firstly, it gave Harry hope that he could finally leave the Dursleys. Secondly, the way that Harry accepted his offer made Sirius feel the happiest he had in years. The subsequent events of the series — with Sirius being forced to go on the run again, being locked up at Grimmauld Place, and ultimately falling through the veil at the Ministry — make this moment excruciatingly sad.

Dumbledore’s speech commemorating Cedric Diggory, “Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right, and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort," at the end-of-term feast in “Goblet of Fire” was a particularly touching moment because Cedric’s death was one of the more relatable deaths described in the novels (GoF 37). Cedric’s death was that of the everyman. He didn’t die a hero’s death and was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. This allows us to identify with him because what happened to Cedric could have happened to any of us.

This, for me, was the most heartbreaking death from all the novels. Harry’s response to Dobby bleeding in front of him is gut-wrenching. He cries for help from anyone, not caring “whether they were wizards or Muggles, friends or foes” (DH 23). The epitaph on Dobby’s grave, “Here lies Dobby, a free elf,” is tear-jerking because it illustrates just how brave Dobby was (DH 24).

Like Dumbledore said many moons ago, “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities” (CoS 18).

This was a wizard’s fight, and given the way non-human entities are treated by the wizarding community, the fact that Dobby chose to use his freedom to sacrifice himself for his friend, Harry Potter, was such a moving moment. Griphook’s interpretation of Harry’s reaction to Dobby’s death also provides us with more insight into human and non-human relations in the wizarding world. Griphook tells Harry, “Goblins and elves are not used to the protection, or the respect, that you have shown this night. Not from wand-carriers” (DH 24).

The anguish from the deaths of these characters was accentuated by Harry’s traumatic reaction. The series also comes full circle, with Teddy Lupin becoming an orphan like Harry.

“He could not draw breath. He could not bear to look at any of the other bodies, to see who else had died for him. He could not bear to join the Weasleys, could not look into their eyes, when if he had given himself up in the first place, Fred might never have died… He turned away and ran up the marble staircase. Lupin, Tonks… he yearned not to feel… he wished he could rip out his heart, his innards, everything that was screaming inside him…” (DH 33).