8 Things "Harry Potter" Taught Us About Love

Lily was the first in the series to show us that love protects—in more ways than we could have imagined.

"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realise that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever." ~ SS

Fawkes came to Harry and healed him because of his extreme loyalty to Dumbledore, even in the face of certain death.

"First of all, Harry, I want to thank you," say Dumbledore, eyes twinkling again. "You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you." ~ CoS

The Killing Curse is strong but not as strong as the most powerful magic—love.

"There is a room in the Department of Mysteries that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all." ~ Dumbledore, OotP

As Luna points out, Ron can be rather cruel at times. But, as Dumbledore knows, he'll always come around and want a way to restore his friendships. Thankfully, Harry and Hermione forgive him over and over again because that is what love does.

"I'm sorry," he said in a thick voice. "I'm sorry I left. I know I was a—a—"
He look around at the darkness, as if hoping a bad enough word would swoop down upon him and claim him.
"You've sort of made up for it tonight," said Harry. "Getting the sword. Finishing off the Horcrux. Saving my life." ~ DHs

Love can't contain itself to just friends or family. Love has a saving all people thing. Even Draco Malfoy.

"This isn't a criticism, Harry! But you do ... sort of ... I mean—don't you think you've got a bit of a—a—saving people thing?" ~ Hermione, OotP

"IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I'LL KILL YOU, HARRY!" ~ Ron, DH

Sometimes you've got to watch the person you love fall for someone else. Ron watched Hermione with Victor. Hermione watched Ron with Lavender. Ginny watched Harry with Cho. Harry watched Ginny with, well, quite a few guys. But, despite their broken hearts, they endured because of their love.

"How does it feel, Harry? When you see Dean with Ginny?"
"Oh. Um…"
"I know. I've seen the way you look at her. You're my best friend." ~ Hermione, HBP (the movie)

Love does not having anything to fear in death, and, so, when the time comes, welcomes Death like an old friend.

"Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love." ~ DHs

"But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life." ~ DHs

Love will have its up and down moments, but true love never ends, as we see most profoundly in Snape's love for Lily.

"After all this time?"
"Always," said Snape. ~ DHs