10 Best Minor Characters In Harry Potter Movies

The Harry Potter movies are packed full of great characters, and even those who stick to the sidelines contribute to the depth and detail of Hogwarts.

•  The Harry Potter movies include a wide range of minor characters who contribute to the details of the Wizarding World.
•  Even background characters have rich detail and add depth to the immersive experience of the movies.
•  These minor characters, such as Oliver Wood and Colin Creevey, leave a lasting impact despite their minimal screen time.

The Harry Potter movies follow Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they study at Hogwarts, but there are dozens of great minor characters who all contribute to fleshing out the Wizarding World. Throughout eight movies, there were a huge number of memorable students and professors at Hogwarts and many more characters who weren't even directly connected to the school. All of them left their mark, even those with minimal screen time. One of the most impressive aspects of the movie adaptations is the way they managed to include so many beloved characters from J.K. Rowling's books.

There are a lot of major characters with important roles to play in the eight Harry Potter movies. Some characters stick by Harry for his entire journey, while others become hugely important for just a film or two. What makes the movies so immersive, however, is the fact that even background characters with nothing much to add to the plot are richly detailed. Whether they are there for comic relief or to provide an obstacle in Harry's path, these minor characters always seem to have a lot more going on beneath the surface than what is shown on screen.

10 PHOTOS

10 Argus Filch
The put-upon caretaker of Hogwarts just wants some peace

Argus Filch is a squib, meaning that he was born into a wizarding family, but he doesn't possess any magical abilities himself. He holds a similar place within the Hogwarts hierarchy to Hagrid, except Hagrid adores the magical world and Filch mostly sees it as a nuisance. He trudges around the halls of Hogwarts with his beloved cat, Mrs. Norris, scowling at the students who get in his way or cause a mess. He's the one character at Hogwarts who appears to have an open disdain for magic, which is probably why he supports Professor Umbridge's restrictive regime.

9 Colin Creevey
Harry's number-one fan treats him like a hero

When Harry Potter discovers that he's a wizard and a famous one too, he enters a world where everyone treats him a little differently. He is met with hushed reverence in some corners, but nobody approaches him with as much celebrity-worshiping enthusiasm as young Colin Creevey. Colin probably has posters of Harry hanging in his bedroom, and he isn't shy about the fact that he admires him, lugging a comically large camera around to flash in his face. Harry isn't sure how to treat Colin, because he doesn't feel famous. He feels more similar to Colin; just a student.

8 Oliver Wood
The Gryffindor Quidditch Team's Captain is like an older brother to Harry

Oliver Wood teaches Harry the ins and outs of Quidditch when he first gets to Hogwarts, and he guides him as the Captain of the Gryffindor team. Harry is a prodigiously talented seeker, but he still needs his teammates to look out for him on the Quidditch pitch. Quidditch helps Harry master his flying skills, which become vital in multiple movies. Quidditch is much more important in the books than in the movies, and it would make an interesting subject for a Harry Potter spinoff show if Warner Bros. wanted to expand the Wizarding World.

7 Seamus Finnigan
The accidental explosives expert eventually finds a use for his special talents

Seamus Finnigan's magic needs a lot of refining when he first arrives at Hogwarts, as all of his spells end up quite literally backfiring. Professor McGonagall always has to keep an eye on him to stop him from destroying himself or the school, even as he gets older. Seamus' flair for pyrotechnics is reflected in his fiery personality. He's quick to accuse Harry of lying about Voldemort's return, although he admits fault just as quickly. Seamus' explosive magic comes in handy at the Battle of Hogwarts, where McGonagall finally permits him to blow something up, much to his delight.

6 Buckbeak
Hagrid's hippogriff is a great addition to the world of fantastic beasts

One of Hagrid's most endearing qualities is his affectionate care for a plethora of magical creatures, and Buckbeak is one of the most memorable. Buckbeak is introduced in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban when Hagrid brings a Care of Magical Creatures class to study Buckbeak. Harry quickly gains the hippogriff's trust, and his flight around Hogwarts is one of the best scenes in the Harry Potter movies. Despite only being on-screen for a short time, it's a heartbreaking moment when Buckbeak is sentenced to death, and Harry and Hermione's mission to save him is an exciting subplot.

5 Madam Pomfrey
Hogwarts' matron has a cabinet full of potions and tonics

Madam Pomfrey is kept busy as the matron at Hogwarts. The Hospital Wing sees students who are petrified, missing bones, or recovering from altercations with Dementors, and Madam Pomfrey treats them all. Harry is probably her most frequent visitor in the entire school, but she doesn't try to dissuade him from his dangerous activities. Madam Pomfrey understands that students are going to get hurt fairly often, and she sees it as her duty to care for them, and to enforce her strict visiting rules. She always prescribes rest, but she's the one who needs to take some time off.

4 Nearly Headless Nick
The ghosts at Hogwarts are surprisingly lively for a group of dead people

Played by British comedy legend John Cleese, Nearly Headless Nick is one of the many ghosts floating around Hogwarts who greet Harry and his friends when they first arrive. He only appears briefly, but he provides one of the most shocking scenes in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone when he pulls his head until it almost comes clean off, showing where he gets his unique nickname. The upcoming remake series of Harry Potter could do more with Nearly Headless Nick and the rest of the ghosts at Hogwarts, emphasizing how incredible they are to Harry.

3 Errol
Ron's useless owl is a hilarious illustration of his bad luck

The Wizarding World's aversion to using Muggle technology means that they are still using owls to deliver messages. This is fine when the messenger is a competent owl like Hedwig, but the Weasley family owl, Errol, is not so effective. In keeping with how Ron has hand-me-down robes and textbooks, his owl has outlived his usefulness. Errol's poor eyesight and balance mean that he slams into closed windows and crashes down onto tables rather than landing gracefully like Hedwig. To be fair to him, he gets the job done, but it would probably be kindest for the Weasleys to retire him.

2 Viktor Krum
Durmstrang's Quidditch prodigy is a man among boys when he comes to Hogwarts

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire introduces two other wizarding schools from different countries, expanding the scope of Harry Potter. The women of Beauxbatons Academy come from France, and although Durmstrang is less definitively placed, Viktor Krum comes from Bulgaria. At just 18 years old, Viktor is the seeker for the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team and someone who Ron idolizes. Viktor's brief relationship with Hermione is a huge turning point in how Ron sees her, although this is one detail in the Harry Potter books that could be explored in more detail in the remake series.

1 Rita Skeeter
Rita is the worst kind of journalist, only interested in attaching her name to shocking headlines

Rita Skeeter is the salacious gossip columnist with a poison pen who is sent to cover the Triwizard Tournament for the Daily Prophet. She seems far more interested in teen drama than the sporting side of things, writing what she believes people want to read instead of what is factually correct. Rita's character is a satirical take-down of sensationalist news media outlets. Her journalistic ethics are nonexistent, but she knows a good headline when she hears one. Minor characters like Rita Skeeter are a big part of what makes Harry Potter feel so detailed.