Unlocking Magic: Ranking the Top 20 Twists in the ‘Harry Potter’ Movies
The Harry Potter series is one of the biggest and most enduring franchises of all time and is just as popular today as it was ten or twenty years ago. Aside from the magic Wizarding World and beloved characters, one of the series’ best strengths is its storytelling, with twists and turns from every corner. There are many memorable twists in the Harry Potter movies, with big reveals that will surprise audiences and take the story in a completely new direction.
1 of 20
Sirius Black is innocent
Warner Bros.
The plot of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban predominantly revolves around the threat of Sirius Black, who is introduced as a murderous wizard who intends to kill Harry after he escapes from prison. For most of the film, viewers are led to believe that Sirius gave up his friends, James and Lily Potter, to Voldemort until it is revealed that he is innocent and was framed by Peter Pettigrew. After this, Sirius becomes Harry’s father figure and a fan favorite.
2 of 20
Harry Potter is a Horcrux
Warner Bros.
In the Deathly Hallows movies, Harry, Ron, and Hermione hunt for Horcruxes, which are parts of Voldemort’s soul that he split into seven pieces to perpetuate immortality because someone would have to find and destroy all of them to finally kill him. After all but one Horcrux is left, Harry learns that when Voldemort tried to kill him as a baby, a part of his soul latched onto him, meaning Harry is a Horcrux. It’s a shocking revelation that implies that the only way to defeat Voldemort is for Harry to also die, forcing Harry to give up himself to Voldemort.
3 of 20
Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets
Warner Bros.
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the titular chamber is opened at Hogwarts, leading to students and staff being petrified by the Basilisk. As more victims are targeted and threatening messages are left on the wall, Harry tries to work out who opened the chamber, momentarily believing that it was Hagrid. When Harry enters the chamber and meets up with Tom Riddle, he reveals that he possessed Ginny Weasley through his diary and made her open the chamber.
4 of 20
Severus Snape kills Albus Dumbledore
Warner Bros.
It remains unclear where Severus Snape’s loyalties lie until the final two Harry Potter movies. He works at Hogwarts and seemingly respects Dumbledore, yet he is also working with the Death Eaters, making an unbreakable vow to protect Draco Malfoy. Voldemort orders Draco to kill Dumbledore, holding him at wand point in the Astronomy Tower. When Draco cannot go through with it, Snape steps in and shockingly kills Dumbledore in cold blood.
5 of 20
Professor Quirrell is helping Lord Voldemort
Warner Bros.
In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone), Harry suspects that Snape is trying to get his hands on the titular stone to help Voldemort return. After passing a number of barriers, Harry surprisingly encounters the quivering Professor Quirrell, who is really the one after the stone and helping Voldemort. Under his turban, Quirell reveals Voldemort’s face on the back of his head, who aims to return to full power and his physical form using the stone.
6 of 20
Scabbers is Peter Pettigrew
Warner Bros.
Scabbers is Ron Weasley’s beloved pet rat, or so we thought. When Sirius Black is proven innocent, it is revealed that Peter Pettigrew sold Lily and James Potter to Voldemort, betraying his own friends. Sirius was sent to Azkaban for reportedly murdering Pettigrew, who was actually alive the entire time and lived in animagus form as Ron’s rat Scabbers. He’d been in the family for twelve years, the exact amount of time that Sirius had been in prison.
7 of 20
Harry Potter saves himself
Warner Bros.
Prisoner of Azkaban is full of trippy time travel, which plays a big part in the film’s climax. When Harry and Sirius are rescued from the dementors, Harry swears that he saw his dad conjure the Patronus charm. Later, when Harry and Hermione travel back in time to save Buckbeak, they go to the very scene where Harry and Sirius are in trouble. When it becomes clear nobody is coming to the rescue, Harry conjures the patronus charm himself, his future self saving his past self.
8 of 20
Professor Slughorn introduced Tom Riddle to Horcruxes
Warner Bros.
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry is tasked with earning the trust of Professor Slughorn per Dumbledore’s request. Dumbledore is after a pivotal memory that could help take down Voldemort and asks Harry to retrieve it. Slughorn repeatedly refuses to give Harry the memory but is eventually convinced. The memory shows a young Tom Riddle asking Slughorn about Horcruxes, and Slughorn explains how they work. It is a memory full of shame and one that Slughorn regrets.
9 of 20
Mad-Eye Moody is Barty Crouch Jr.
Warner Bros.
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody is hired as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Mad-Eye helps Harry progress in the Triwizard Tournament until he gets to the final task and is sent to a graveyard through a portkey to confront Voldemort. Afterward, when Mad-Eye mentions the graveyard, Harry realizes he never actually told him about the graveyard. This is when it is revealed that he is not Mad-Eye but Death Eater Barty Crouch Jr.
10 of 20
James Potter was a bully
Warner Bros.
Harry never knew his father, James, but everybody who knew him always told him he was a great man. Everybody except Severus Snape, that is. Snape has always hated James, but it is unclear why until Harry enters Snape’s mind while practicing Occlumency. Harry sees Snape’s memories, including a young Snape being bullied and ridiculed by an arrogant James Potter when both were students at Hogwarts. It’s an ugly side of James Harry has never seen.
11 of 20
The Triwizard Cup is a Portkey
Warner Bros.
When Harry and Cedric Diggory reach the Triwizard Cup at the end of the maze in the final task, they both grab onto it, assuming they will be brought back to Hogwarts and deemed winners of the Triwizard Tournament. Instead, they are taken to a graveyard, where Peter Pettigrew kills Cedric on Voldemort’s orders and uses Harry’s blood to bring Voldemort back to his physical form. The cup was portkey enchanted by Barty Crouch Jr, who was pretending to be Alastor Moody.
12 of 20
Narcissa Malfoy spares Harry Potter
Warner Bros.
In Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Voldemort “kills” Harry in the Forbidden Forest but unknowingly only kills the Horcrux inside him. Death Eater Narcissa Malfoy goes to Harry’s body to check if he is alive but instead asks Harry if her son Draco is alive, whispering into his ear. Harry gives the slightest nod, leading to Narcissa’s claim that Harry is dead, sparing his life in return for saving Draco. By doing this, Narcissa gives Harry the opportunity to escape while Voldemort thinks he has won.
13 of 20
Albus Dumbledore knew more than he shared
Warner Bros.
Albus Dumbledore is Harry’s mentor and one of the greatest wizards of all time, but even he has his secrets. In Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore isolates himself from Harry, leaving him angry and confused. It is revealed that this is because Dumbledore was trying to protect Harry from the prophecy claiming he or Voldemort must die. Furthermore, when Harry sees Snape’s memories in the pensive, he learns that Dumbledore knew he was a Horcrux and would have to die in the end.
14 of 20
Severus Snape is the Half-Blood Prince
Warner Bros.
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry discovers an old potions textbook filled with helpful notes and spells in a cupboard. The textbook belongs to someone who calls themselves “The Half-Blood Prince,” and Harry uses it to his advantage, becoming the top student in his potions class. While the book is helpful, it also features extremely dangerous spells. When Harry tries to use one of these on Snape, it backfires, with Snape revealing that he is the Half-Blood Prince.
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Tom Riddle is Lord Voldemort
Warner Bros.
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry discovers an old diary belonging to former Hogwarts student Tom Riddle. Through the diary, Harry exchanges with Tom and is shown the past, where the chamber was opened fifty years earlier. When Harry finally enters the chamber in the present, he is confronted by Riddle, who spells out his full name, “Tom Marvolo Riddle.” This is revealed to be an anagram of “I Am Lord Voldemort,” blindsiding Harry.
16 of 20
Severus Snape was a good guy
Warner Bros.
Arguably, the biggest twist in the entire Harry Potter series is when Severus Snape’s true colors are revealed. While looking through Snape’s memories in the pensive after his death, Harry discovers that Snape was a double agent working for Dumbledore and was trying to protect Harry the entire time. He also learns of Snape’s love for his mother, Lily, which is why he cares so much. Dumbledore ordered Snape to kill him to gain Voldemort’s trust, which Snape bravely carried out.
17 of 20
Remus Lupin is a werewolf
Warner Bros.
In Prisoner of Azkaban, Remus Lupin, an old friend of James and Lily Potter, is hired to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. Lupin forms a strong bond with Harry and teaches him how to cast the Patronus charm. Later in the film, he is noticeably absent from teaching class, and the reason is revealed in front of everybody. Lupin is a werewolf who transforms into a monstrous beast when he forgets to take his potion, no longer remembering who he is.
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Harry Potter is alive
Warner Bros.
When Voldemort tries to kill Harry in Deathly Hallows: Part 2, he doesn’t kill Harry, but the Horcrux inside of him, unknowingly contributing to his own downfall. Full of pride and arrogance, Voldemort marches into Hogwarts with his army, celebrating Harry’s death and claiming victory. While Harry lies still in Hagrid’s arms, Voldemort calls for the opposite side to join him until Harry rolls onto the floor and springs back to life. The look on Voldemort’s face is one of utter disbelief.
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Bathilda Bagshot is Nagini
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When Harry and Hermione go to Godric’s Hollow to find the Sword of Gryffindor in aid of destroying Horcruxes, they encounter historian Bathilda Bagshot, who invites them into her cottage. They search the house for books and photographs, but something doesn’t seem right. When Hermione begins to put the pieces together, Bathilda reveals that she is not actually Bathilda and transforms into Nagini, Voldemort’s beloved snake, with the intention of killing Harry.
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Xenophilius Lovegood betrays Harry Potter
Harry Potter
When Harry, Ron, and Hermione keep coming across a strange symbol, they visit Xenophilius Lovegood, who was wearing it on a necklace at Bill and Fleur’s wedding. He tells them that it is the symbol of the Deathly Hallows, made up of the Resurrection Stone, the Cloak of Invisibility, and the Elder Wand. Xenophilius’s erratic behavior is explained when he summons Death Eaters to his home, giving up Harry in exchange for his daughter Luna, who has been kidnapped.
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