Wizarding Top Ten

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 187932



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "potioncat" <willsonkmom at ...> wrote:
>
> Football is up and running in the US. Everyday there's a new list showing which teams are in the top ten; which players are the best at what they do. The ranking changes week to week--and depends on who writes the list!
> 
> So, I'd like to see what a HP ranking might look like.
> 
> Name the 10 most noteworthy good guys and the 10 most despicable bad guys from the Harry Potter series. It's not necessary to rank the 10 (unless you particularly want to), just decide who belongs in those 2 top ten lists.
> 
> 
> Potioncat
>
Carol responds:

I doubt that I can come up with ten for either side unless, as Alla said, I randomly name Death Eaters.

However, I'll give it a shot.

Good Guys

1. Snape, without whom Harry could not have defeated Voldemort (or even survived Quirrell's attack) and DD would have had no reliable source of information regarding Voldemort and the DEs. (He also taught them about Polyjuice Potion and bezoars, deliberately taught them Expelliarmus, and inadvertently taught them Muffliato and Levicorpus.) He epitomizes courage in the face of near-universal hatred and the power of love and remorse.

2. Dumbledore, who for all his faults did prepare Harry for his task and give Snape a new direction

3. HRH as a team or unit (both of them saved Harry's life in DH--or prevented him from becoming Vapor!Boy--and Hermione, of course, cast all those protective spells)

4. Regulus, whose courage and devotion to Kreacher breaks my heart

5. Neville, the ultimate "little guy" hero who finds his courage and becomes a leader and a hero when the need arises (loved it when he slew Nagini)

6. Cedric, who stood for fair play and innocence, who was "good and kind and brave" and exemplified the virtues of Hufflepuff

7. Phineas Nigellus, whose delightfully snide remarks provide an accurate and unsentimentalized view of teenagers and who is Snape's number one fan, helping him much more eagerly than he helped Dumbledore

8. Luna, whose ability to endure suffering and humiliation with grace is exemplary (and, besides, she's funny)

Bad guys

1. Nagini. I hate her more than I hate Voldemort. She ate his victims, she sustained him through her venomous "milk" when he was Baby!mort (and her venom was an ingredient in the potion that created that repulsive form), she killed Snape, and she viciously attacked both Harry and Mr. Weasley. The scene where she comes out of Bathilda's body may be the most horrific moment in the series, simultaneously revolting and terrifying.

2. Umbridge, who is altogether loathsome and seems to have no redeeming qualities

3. Dolohov, apparently the most sadistic and twisted of the DEs next to Bellatrix

4. Bellatrix, whose demented worship of Voldemort causes her to seek out her own niece as a murder victim and who is shown at her demented and savage worst in "Malfoy Manor"

5. Wormtail, the cowardly traitor (who neverthless is more talented than others give him credit for)

6. Voldemort himself, especially in the form of scaly, reptilian child, screaming "Kill the spare!"

Carol, for whom the most surprising seriously bad guy is DH Crabbe

5.