Harry Potter is pretty much a perfect hero. He’s a leader on the Quidditch pitch, a model student who is always kind and considerate to his peers, and, to top it all, he’s also the Chosen One. But, despite that, the Boy Who Lived is often looked down on by others. Some of it is his own doing, but, other times, that’s not really the case.
Let’s take a look at 10 times Harry was really unpopular, either within the magical community as a whole, within Number Four Private Drive, or at Hogwarts.
Losing All The House Points
In his first year at Hogwarts, Harry immediately forges a name for himself as an accomplished Quidditch player, helping boost their chances of pipping Slytherin to the House Cup in the process. He ensures his house secures a significant lead over their rivals with some stellar sporting displays, but, unfortunately, all that hard work is undone.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron—in the movie, it’s actually Neville in the books—all lose 150 house points between them for sneaking out to Hagrid’s hut. Not only are Gryffindors rather angry, but pupils from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are livid, as well. He’s able to redeem himself in the end, picking up house points after stopping Lord Voldemort from securing the sorcerer’s stone.
Heir Of Slytherin
In The Chamber of Secrets, Hogwarts comes under attack from somebody claiming to be the heir of Slytherin. Despite being a hero from his antics in his first year at the school, everybody blames Harry, especially after he’s spotted at the crime scene following assaults on the likes of Mrs. Norris, Justin Flinch-Fletchley, and Nearly-headless Nick.
Just about everybody shuns him, but Harry is backed by Albus Dumbledore in his hour of need and manages to stop the true culprit, Lord Voldemort, or Tom Riddle, as he was once known.
Blowing up Aunt Marge
Harry was never popular in Number Four Private Drive, with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley Dursley all hating him for the majority of his life. But, his stock within his own household falls even lower when he blows up Aunt Marge after losing his temper.
Marge makes too many digs at Harry and his parents, and he retaliates by inflating her. It’s not mentioned in the movie, but Albus Dumbledore actually had to intervene after this incident and insist that the Dursely’s keep Harry under their roof. Best not to invite her round to dinner next time, though…
Triwizard Tournament Entry
When the Triwizard Tournament comes to Hogwarts, just about every student dreams of competing. The prospect of becoming champion and earning 1000 galleons is too good for many to resist, but, unfortunately for the majority, they’re not eligible due to the fact they’re under the age of 17.
Yet, everybody is stunned when Harry’s name emerges from the Goblet of Fire. Their shock soon turns to jealousy, and even Ron Weasley, the Boy Who Lived’s closest friend, treats him badly as a result. Badges are created to mock him and he received very little backing from his fellow students. In the end, it’s revealed Death Eater Barty Crouch Jr. was behind the surprise development.
Returning To Hogwarts
Harry returns to Hogwarts in the Order of the Phoenix to find himself extremely unpopular, and that’s because, after revealing how Cedric Diggory died and that Lord Voldemort was back again at the end of his previous year, the Ministry of Magic chose to denounce him as a liar and a boy with an overzealous imagination.
Even close friends like Seamus Finnigan, who he’d shared a dormitory with for many years, didn’t believe him. Everybody changes their tune come the end of the school year, though, after the Ministry admitted they were wrong. We still don’t think Harry got the apology he deserved…
Snake Attack
While Harry suffers, he relies on the support of his closest friends to get him through his fifth year at Hogwarts. Even they, though, keep their distance from him following the attack on Arthur Weasley at the Ministry of Magic.
That the Boy Who Lived witnesses it happen while sleeping is enough to creep anyone out, and even Ron and Hermione struggle to stand by him during this time. It’s eventually revealed that Harry is able to see it because of the connection between both himself and Lord Voldemort and that, much to his relief, he wasn’t actually involved in the attack.
Getting Kicked Off The Quidditch Team
Harry’s fifth year at Hogwarts really was rough. He begins to make small inroads when it comes to winning people around when he goes and gets himself banned from the Gryffindor Quidditch team by Dolores Umbridge after fighting Draco Malfoy, who had been saying insulting things to him.
Gryffindor students are furious when their best and most-important player is banned for the rest of the school year. Ginny Weasley takes his place, though, and manages to propel the house to the Quidditch cup in Harry’s absence, much to everybody’s delight.
Using The Half-Blood Prince
Harry has always been a good student, but he always found Potions difficult—mostly because of the way he was treated by Severus Snape. However, with Horace Slughorn in charge of the subject in the Half-Blood Prince book and movie, things suddenly change.
The Boy Who Lived becomes gifted thanks to a mysterious textbook full of shortcuts and little tricks to speed things up. His improved grades come at a cost, though, with his fellow students becoming frustrated—Hermione Granger included. Slughorn’s preferential treatment of Harry also riles pupils, and he only bins the textbook after using a dodgy spell…
Sectumsempra
The Order of the Phoenix isn’t the only time Harry becomes unpopular after losing his place on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. That also happens in the Half-Blood Prince when he’s kicked off the side after nearly killing Draco Malfoy with the spell Sectumsempra.
The spell is a horrendous one, leaving Draco with serious injuries. Everybody is furious, especially given their fierce desire to stop Slytherin winning the Quidditch Cup. Ginny ends up replacing him, and, again, steers them to victory with a fine display on her broom.
Accused Of Murder
After Albus Dumbledore’s death in the Half-Blood Prince, Harry is blamed for it. With the Death Eaters taking control of the Ministry of Magic, they decide to pin the Hogwarts headmaster’s passing on the most unlikely of all potential murder suspects.
Thankfully, Harry’s inner circle back him, but those at the Ministry do not when he goes there undercover. Fortunately, he’s able to get away before being delivered to Lord Voldemort, and, in the end, everybody finds out the truth: that it was Severus Snape who killed Dumbledore, albeit with the wizard’s backing and support.
