After All This Time: 10 Harry Potter Quotes That Will Break Fans’ Hearts

Out of all of the book and movie franchises in history, Harry Potter is one that has proven to be timeless. The world of wizards and witches that J.K. Rowling created remains a staple of literature, and the movies are beloved to even those who have not read the original book series.

While the universe is full of magic, Harry Potter’s adolescence is anything but. He was raised by his abusive aunt and uncle and bullied by his cousin throughout his entire childhood. He found happiness at Hogwarts as well as people who love him, but the fight against Voldemort was no easy feat. The characters suffered massive losses, and there are too many heartbreaking quotes which reflect that.

10 “If You Want To Kill Harry, You’ll Have To Kill Us Too.”

Harry went from having no one who loved him to friends who would die for him. Hermione and Ron stood by Harry’s side through thick and thin, even if it meant putting their own lives at risk.

After meeting them, Harry was never alone again, even if it took him a while to adapt. Hermione even offered to die beside Harry more than once and wanted to go with him when he turned himself over to Voldemort towards the end of the series.

9 “You Have Your Mother’s Eyes.”

Snape was the most morally grey character in Harry Potter, as while he was cruel and unkind, he also sacrificed himself to save the wizarding world. Contrary to Harry’s beliefs, Snape was capable of love, even if his feelings for Lily were a bit obsessive.

But, like Harry, Snape had felt alone his entire life, and Lily was the only friend he ever had. Snape may have hated Harry because he was James’ son, but this quote revealed that he also cared about him as Lily’s child.

8 “Harry’s Heart Did Beat For Us! For All Of Us! It’s Not Over!”

Neville was often the butt of the joke at Hogwarts. Many even questioned why Neville was sorted into Gryffindor if he was so quiet and fearful. But Neville displayed that courage isn’t the absence of fear, but persevering in spite of it. Neville exhibited his bravery on several occasions throughout the series, but his speech to Voldemort and his army of Death Eaters remains his most inspirational moment.

When Harry was presumed dead and all hope was lost, Neville was the only one who stood up and refused to let Harry’s death be in vain. He was ready to single-handily continue the fight and pulled the sword of Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat, further proving that he is a “true Gryffindor.”

7 “The Ones That Love Us Never Really Leave Us.”

Sirius’ death was a different kind of heartbreak. Harry was reunited with his godfather and watched him die only feet away from him. Harry’s pain turned to rage, and there was a moment where it seemed as if he wouldn’t recover from losing what he never thought he’d find.

The words Sirius had once told him rang true, as Sirius would always be with him even if it wouldn’t be the same. The handful of years Harry got with his godfather left him changed for the better.

6 “I Never Wanted Any Of You To Die For Me.”

Harry was always crushed by guilt because of all the people who had died to keep him safe. While they would gladly sacrifice themselves for him in a heartbeat, Harry wasn’t the only reason they put themselves on the line.

They all made the choice to fight for a better world, and doing what’s right isn’t always doing what’s easy. As Lupin said himself, one day his son would understand what his parents died for.

5 “Numbing The Pain For A While Will Make It Worse When You Finally Feel It.”

Most fans agree that Dumbledore wasn’t the saint he was painted out to be, but there’s no denying that he offered good life advice. After a tragedy, it’s only natural to try and repress feelings of grief to make it through the aftermath.

It was exactly what Harry tried to do when Cedric was killed in front of him, and Dumbledore was right to tell him to embrace the pain. The longer it built up inside of him with no release, the worse it would be when it all came pouring out. Having people to lean on might have been new to Harry, but he no longer had to face the world alone.

4 “How Does It Feel, Harry? When You See Dean With Ginny?”

Romance wasn’t a huge part of the Harry Potter series, but there were still couples who were dearly beloved by readers and viewers alike. Hermione had never openly admitted her feelings for Ron, but when she saw him kissing Lavender Brown she fled the post-Quidditch festivities.

Her confession to Harry was tear-jerking, and the two took comfort in their shared heartbreak. Harry and Hermione’s friendship was arguably the deepest out of everyone’s, and there are plenty of fans who feel they should have ended up together.

3 “Do Not Pity The Dead, Harry. Pity The Living. And, Above All, Pity Those Who Live Without Love.”

Dumbledore makes a good point when he tells Harry to pity the living. The living are the ones who have to deal with loss and heartbreak, while the dead have moved on.

Death affects the living more than the dead, and Harry spent his entire childhood suffering and wishing he could be with his parents. Dumbledore’s final words of wisdom ring true, as those like Voldemort who live without ever knowing love, are the ones who should be pitied the most.

2 “Cedric…He Asked Me To Bring His Body Back. I Couldn’t Leave Him! Not There!”

There are too many heartbreaking deaths in Harry Potter to count, but Cedric’s was among the worst. Cedric wasn’t heavily featured until The Goblet of Fire, but all it took was one book for fans to become attached to him.

But it wasn’t just his death that made the scene so heartbreaking, as Harry’s reaction to it was like a knife to the heart. Harry refused to leave his friend and was completely traumatized by his death. He sobbed as he held onto him, and had to be physically dragged away from Cedric’s body.

1 “Always.”

Snape’s Patronus was a symbol of his everlasting love for Lily, even after her death. Dumbledore was surprised to discover that she was still Snape’s happiest moment after all the time that had passed, but Snape simply replied, “always.”

The word “always” was also said by Lily later in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, when Harry asked if the ghosts of his loved ones would stay with him. It was a heartwarming, yet heartbreaking parallel between Snape and Lily.

About The Author

Rachel Foertsch
(358 Articles Published)

Rachel Foertsch is a production intern and lover of all things television. Her TV reviews are featured on Rotten Tomatoes and she is currently a Staff Writer at ScreenRant. Additionally, Rachel has written for TV Fanatic, where she conducted onscreen celebrity interviews. You can follow her Twitter: @realrayrays for more content.

More From Rachel Foertsch