Harry Potter: 10 Best Double Acts

The Harry Potter movies are special, not just because we get to see Hogwarts on the big screen but because of the iconic characters. Chemistry is the key to every good movie and, thankfully, this franchise has many double acts who help not only build the story but make it so special.

With that in mind, we now look at the top 10 partnerships from the entire series. Whether they be siblings, work colleagues, or bonded through their stupidity, JK Rowling’s creation was brought to life and left a lasting impression in the years since the final movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

10 Harry Potter & Ron Weasley

We know that Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were often joined by Hermione Granger on their adventures but the two boys were a double act, make no mistake about it. This became apparent as early as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and, in the years that followed, they did many things together, often not even including Hermione.

For example, it was they who tackled a fully-grown troll while Hermione cowered. They who stumbled across a solution to the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets, and they who took down the Horcrux residing in Voldemort’s locket. Hermione certainly was the cleverer of the trio but it was Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe who arguably had the best chemistry on-screen.

9 Fred & George Weasley

You knew this one was coming right? Fred and George Weasley were mischievous in the books and just as much on-screen, with the duo sharing nearly every scene together. While this prevented the movies from expanding on them as individuals, it didn’t matter because they still guaranteed laughs in every single outing.

Who can forget how they tricked their Mom in the Sorcerer’s Stone? Or how they mischievously gave Harry the Marauder’s Map in the Prisoner of Azkaban? They also sang songs of celebration after Ireland beat Bulgaria to win the Quidditch World Cup, terrorized Dolores Umbridge during her stint as Hogwarts headmistress, and opened up their joke shop together. As double acts go, these two twins were pretty special.

8 Crabbe & Goyle

Let’s face it, Crabbe and Goyle don’t exactly have much going for them in either the books or the movies. For all intent and purposes, they’re two gormless individuals who spend the majority of their time grunting at anybody who crosses them and hanging out with Draco Malfoy, who they appear to idolize.

But prior to the Deathly Hallows Part 2, where they had to drop Goyle following issues in the actor’s personal life, they were always seen together. You never saw one without the other and they stayed as a unit even when Draco became a Death Eater and spent much of his time trying to find a way to get Lord Voldemort’s allies into Hogwarts. The double act would eventually be ended in the books when Crabbe’s attempt at burning Harry, Ron, and Hermione to death backfires spectacularly.

7 Albus Dumbledore & Minerva McGonagall

While Albus Dumbledore is a rather relaxed figure – and given he’s the great wizard ever, that’s quite an achievement – Minerva McGonagall is the chalk to his cheese by being a strict and authoritative figure. This becomes apparent in the very first scene of the Sorcerer’s Stone where, despite McGonagall’s protests, the Hogwarts headmaster is content to allow Harry Potter to live with the Dursley family, despite them being ‘the worst muggles imaginable.’

Throughout the series, McGonagall is always standing by Dumbledore’s side and, while they bicker, clash, and disagree on certain things, they always find a way to work through their differences together. They make the perfect duo to run any establishment, someone with authority and the other with a far softer approach.

6 Sirius Black & Remus Lupin

In both the books and movies, it’s established that Sirius Black and James Potter were a double act during their time at Hogwarts, using their charm to woo both pupils and teachers alike. With James no longer around, though, the movies choose to place emphasis on Black’s relationship with Remus Lupin instead.

Together, they help uncover the truth that Scabbers the Rat is actually Peter Pettigrew, before shackling him in order to hand him over to the Dementors. In the Order of the Phoenix, they’re similarly close despite Sirius letting on more than he should about Lord Voldemort and his ‘weapon he didn’t have last time.’ It is, therefore, genuinely heartbreaking looking at Lupin’s pained facial expression when Sirius falls via the hand of Bellatrix Lestrange during the battle at the Ministry of Magic.

5 Dolores Umbridge & Argus Filch

Admittedly, the relationship between Dolores Umbridge and Argus Filch is expanded upon far more in the Harry Potter books than it is the movies. Despite that being the case, The Order of the Phoenix blockbuster presented them as a double act in the sense that, through law and order, they try and make Hogwarts as miserable a place as possible.

Umbridge relies on Filch to snoop on Dumbledore’s Army and the Hogwarts caretaker is left to rue that role, suffering some painful-looking boils on his face when the students contaminate some chocolates. They also take great pleasure in inflicting painful punishments on pupils found of wrong-doing and it’s left to Filch to put up every single ‘decree’ written by Umbridge.

4 Lucius & Draco Malfoy

While it’s questionable to call Lucius and Draco Malfoy a double act because of the fact they’re father and son, we’re doing it anyway. Because the duo is similar in so many ways, from looks to viewpoints, shopping tastes to appearances. And that’s why they make this list.

In Harry Potter and theChamber of Secrets, they both terrorize the Weasley family in Borgin and Burkes, and can’t resist making digs at the same family’s financial situation in the Goblet of Fire. When Voldemort’s rule of terror begins to implode in the second part of the Deathly Hallows, they’re among the first scrambling to escape. Like father, like son.

3 Luna Lovegood & Neville Longbottom

Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom both have so much in common it’s actually quite surprising that, in the books, they don’t end up together. Instead, Neville takes up the post of Herbology teacher and Luna marries Rolf Scamander, the grandson of Fantastic Beasts’ Newt Scamander, who is played by Eddie Redmayne.

Both Neville and Luna have lost family members (either through death or madness), are both shunned by the majority of their peers, and both fight by Harry’s side not just in the Order of the Phoenix, but the battle of Hogwarts in Deathly Hallows Part 2. Seriously, JK Rowling, we’re still not happy they didn’t even give the whole relationship thing a go – particularly when they seem so close.

2 Hagrid & Buckbeak

We could have gone for Madame Maxine in this one, particularly as Rubeus Hagrid is extremely fond of the Beauxbatons headmistress and half-giant. However, in the movies, we never see this relationship expanded on like in the books. Instead, the bigwigs over at Warner Brothers gave Hagrid a closer relationship with a Hippogriff, Buckbeak.

Throughout the Prisoner of Azkaban, we see Hagrid experience nearly every emotion possible when talking to the creature. He speaks lovingly when introducing Buckbeak to the pupils of Hogwarts, expresses delight when Harry flies on him, and then fear when Draco Malfoy reports the Hippogriff. Finally, we also witness Hagrid have a full-on breakdown when he learns he would be sentenced to death. Unfortunately, though, we never learn of his reaction after Harry and Hermione Granger save Buckbeak from his fate.

1 Voldemort & Bellatrix Lestrange

Voldemort may like to think of himself as superior to everybody else, but that doesn’t stop him from being one part of a double act himself. The Dark Lord is, for the most part, a lone wolf but when it comes to the character of Bellatrix Lestrange he seems to show a fondness, a reverence, that he doesn’t with other characters.

For example, we don’t see him punishing Bellatrix on screen for her failure to acquire the prophecy at the Ministry of Magic. Furthermore, they both lead the assault on Hogwarts in the battle at the castle in Deathly Hallows Part 2. In the play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, it’s revealed that they gave birth to a daughter at the height of their power. While that’s rather disturbing when you take into account Voldemort’s personality and appearance at the time, it’s not at all that surprising.