10 Things That Happen In Every Harry Potter Book

May 20, 2024, 12:20 a.m.

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10 Things That Happen In Every Harry Potter Book

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Summary Harry Potter's struggles at the Dursleys' house are crucial to his survival and character development.

Harry's love of flying on magical objects plays a significant role in each book of the series.

The power of love over hate is a foundational theme throughout the Harry Potter books.

J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter book series is one of the most iconic fantasy series of all time, and interestingly, there are 10 things that happen in each one of Rowling's books. Harry Potter began as a children's book series before blossoming into the multimedia franchise it is now, which includes a full 8-film adaptation of the books, several video games, and an upcoming Harry Potter TV show. By the end of Harry Potter's last movie, the franchise had also become one of the highest-grossing film series ever.

Harry Potter's cast and crew did an excellent job adapting the books, but there are plenty of things left out from the books. Ultimately, the Harry Potter books are what started this mega-franchise, which makes reflecting on them a useful pastime for big fans of the series. One thing fans may notice when reflecting on these iconic books is that there are 10 events or tropes that occur in every single one of the Harry Potter books.

10 Harry Potter Stays At The Dursleys

Harry Lives With His Aunt And Uncle Over The Summers

One of the more unfortunate recurring aspects of the Harry Potter timeline is Harry's time staying at the Dursleys. Harry's aunt and uncle, Vernon and Petunia Dursley, raise Harry for the first eleven years of his life until he leaves to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Though Hogwarts quickly becomes the place Harry thinks of as his true home, he spends at least a couple of weeks at the Dursleys' house in every single Harry Potter book.

The Harry Potter movies are available to stream on Peacock and Max.

The Dursleys never treat Harry particularly well, but unbeknownst to them, Harry's ability to call the Dursleys' residence home kept him protected from Voldemort until his 17th birthday, making his stays at the Dursleys' crucial to his survival throughout the series. Harry might loathe every moment he's forced to spend with his abusive relatives, but his time there in each Harry Potter book is quietly very important to the series.

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9 Harry Potter Flies On A Broomstick (Or Another Magical Object)

Harry Is An Excellent Flier

One thing that Harry himself does in each of the Harry Potter books is fly on a broomstick or another magical object. In the first three Harry Potter books, the titular wizard takes to the skies as the Gryffindor quidditch team's seeker, leading his house to its first quidditch championship in years. In The Goblet of Fire, Harry uses his broomstick to win the first task in the Triwizard Tournament before returning to the quidditch pitch in books five and six.

Harry also flies on several other magical creatures or objects throughout the book series, including several trips in Arthur Weasley's enchanted car, flights on Buckbeak the hippogriff, and a thrilling flight to London on the back of a thestral.

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry flies several times, including a ride on Hagrid's flying motorcycle and an epic escape from Gringott's bank astride a dragon. Harry also flies on several other magical creatures or objects throughout the book series, including several trips in Arthur Weasley's enchanted car, flights on Buckbeak the hippogriff, and a thrilling flight to London on the back of a thestral.

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8 Harry Potter Foils Voldemort's Plans

Harry Always Finds A Way To Beat His Rival

Although Voldemort has plenty of victories before the end of the Harry Potter series, Harry manages to foil the villain's plans at some point during each of the books. The extent to which Harry disrupts Voldermort's bid for supremacy varies from book to book, but it happens to some degree in each of them. Even in The Goblet of Fire, which sees Voldemort return to power after 14 years, Harry manages to escape and warn the world about his return, even if most people don't believe him.

He also prevents the Dark Lord from getting his hands on the prophecy in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, representing another massive blow to Voldemort's evil plans.

In other instances, like Harry Potter books one and two, Harry directly prevents Voldemort from returning to power, setting the evil wizard back years each time. He also prevents the Dark Lord from getting his hands on the prophecy in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, representing another massive blow to Voldemort's evil plans. Ultimately, Harry's wits and profound friendships always give him what he needs to foil his nemesis.

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7 Harry Potter Struggles To Find His Identity Without His Parents

Harry's Parents Are Killed By Voldemort When He Is Only 1 Year Old

Harry's struggle with his identity is another theme that shows up in every single Harry Potter book. Harry's lack of parents or loving guardians makes it difficult for him to feel the love he needs to build his self-esteem, and his introduction to the magical world forces him to grapple with an entirely new side of himself and the world. Further, as the contest between him and Voldemort begins to heat up, Harry is forced to confront his inextricable connection to the Dark Lord.

Ultimately, Harry is able to extricate himself from Voldemort and build his identity around himself and his loved ones, but it takes him the entire series to do so.

Voldemort's mental connection to Harry also plays a huge role in Harry's identity issues, as he is forced to share some of the villain's memories and emotions. Harry also becomes unsure of how much of Voldemort lives within him, making it difficult to know which impulses or thoughts are his own and which ones come from their mysterious mental connection. Ultimately, Harry is able to extricate himself from Voldemort and build his identity around himself and his loved ones, but it takes him the entire series to do so.

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6 The Love Conquers Hate Trope

One Of The Most Common Themes In Harry Potter

One of the most prominent themes in the Harry Potter series is the idea of love being more powerful than hate. Indeed, Harry's eventual defeat of Voldemort comes from the love and compassion that give Harry the strength to overcome the Dark Lord in The Deathly Hallows. Further, it's Lily Potter's sacrifice that saves Harry's life and destroys Voldemort, proving once again that love can stand in the way of hatred and ignorance.

This theme is littered across each of the Harry Potter books, and the power of love over hate is clearly one of the foundational themes in the iconic series.

Further, Voldemort's lack of ability to feel love or compassion causes him to critically misinterpret the nature of the Elder Wand, as he assumes that it belongs to whoever killed its previous master, rather than the person who disarmed them. This theme is littered across each of the Harry Potter books, and the power of love over hate is clearly one of the foundational themes in the iconic series.

5 Harry Potter Goes To Hogwarts

Harry Even Visits The School After Voldemort Takes It Over

Another thing that happens in each of the Harry Potter books is Harry visiting Hogwarts, at least for a short time. In the first six books of the series, Harry attends the wizarding school for the entire year, but in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, he only returns near the end of the book to hunt down the final two of Voldemort's horcruxes and take on the army of Deatheaters.

As the one place that both Harry and Voldemort ever felt at home, it's fitting that their final showdown should take place there.

Although Hogwarts features much less heavily in that final novel, the school becomes the battleground for the final conflict with Voldemort and his Deatheaters, so it still plays a huge role in the book. As the one place that both Harry and Voldemort ever felt at home, it's fitting that their final showdown should take place there. It also allows the series to visit Hogwarts one final time before wrapping things up.

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4 Ron And Hermione Help Harry Save The Day

Harry's Friends Are Integral To His Success

Harry achieves an incredible amount over the course of the Harry Potter books, but as he is always quick to admit, none of it would've been possible without his friends. A lot of people help Harry out in one way or another during the series, but Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are undoubtedly the most impactful of his friends. From The Sorcerer's Stone to The Deathly Hallows, Harry can always count on help from his two best friends.

In this sequence, each member of the Golden Trio has a task suited to them, and each one of them performs it with flying colors, allowing Harry to reach the final chamber and stop Professor Quirrell.

One particularly striking example of this comes in the first Harry Potter book, when Ron, Hermione, and Harry work their way through the various magical protections set up to protect the Sorcerer's Stone. In this sequence, each member of the Golden Trio has a task suited to them, and each one of them performs it with flying colors, allowing Harry to reach the final chamber and stop Professor Quirrell. This set the tone for six more books worth of teamwork between the beloved golden trio.

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3 The Weasleys Show Harry Potter Kindness

The Weasleys Become Harry's De Facto Family

Harry spends the first 11 years of his life with nobody really caring about him, so when he meets the Weasleys and they integrate him lovingly into their family, it's lifechanging for the young wizard. Harry's first experience with the Weasleys comes when Molly shows him how to run through the barrier that leads to Platform 9 3/4. This small act of kindness is the first of many the Weasleys show Harry over the years, including having him stay at the Burrow on several occasions.

Some of the other kindesses the Weasleys show Harry include taking him to the Quidditch World Cup, helping him find his way around Diagon Alley, and sending him loving Christmas and birthday gifts every year.

Harry also gets a mother-figure in his life from Mrs. Weasley, which proves to be hugely important to his psyche. Some of the other kindesses the Weasleys show Harry include taking him to the Quidditch World Cup, helping him find his way around Diagon Alley, and sending him loving Christmas and birthday gifts every year. It's safe to say that without the Weasleys' kindness, Harry would have been a much different person.

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2 Good Triumphs Over Evil

One Of The Primary Themes In Harry Potter

Good triumphing over evil is another theme that is omnipresent in the Harry Potter books. Each and every one of the novels enforces this trope, making it absolutely central to the series. Harry's eventual victory over Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the ultimate proof that this theme has always been at the heart of the story, but it can be found throughout every novel. Harry's way of constantly foiling Voldermort's plans, despite being a child up against the greatest dark wizard ever, also enforces this theme.

It's also commonly said that Dumbledore was the only wizard greater than Voldemort and, considering the headmaster's constant messages of love and togetherness, this dynamic also reinforces the trope.

Obviously, there are moments in the series where Voldemort and his minions gain small victories over the forces of good, but it's never really in doubt which side will win in the end. It's also commonly said that Dumbledore was the only wizard greater than Voldemort and, considering the headmaster's constant messages of love and togetherness, this dynamic also reinforces the trope.

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1 Harry Potter Learns Something New About The Magical World

The Magical World Expands In Each Harry Potter Book

Harry begins the Harry Potter book series completely ignorant of the magical world, and although he knows much more about it by the end of the story, he never ceases to learn new things about it. Whether it's a new spell, a magical creature, a tradition, or any number of other things, Harry is constantly learning more about the magical world he suddenly finds himself living in.

Accordingly, Rowling uses Harry's ignorance of the magical world to educate the reader about the Harry Potter universe.

One important aspect of this is that Harry's character is used to introduce new aspects of Rowling's world, which grows a bit larger in every novel. Accordingly, Rowling uses Harry's ignorance of the magical world to educate the reader about the Harry Potter universe. With that in mind, it's not surprising that Harry is constantly learning new things about magic, but it's worth noting, as it does occur in every single one of the Harry Potter books.