Harry Potter series: These supporting characters could play a bigger role

Whether HBO’s adaptation of the Harry Potter books will turn out well remains to be seen, but it is already doing one thing: breathing new life into the Wizarding World by giving fans plenty of room for speculation and wishful thinking. In addition to speculation about the cast, fans are also discussing which scenes they most want to see. A current Reddit thread focuses on supporting characters who were either absent from the films or only had very minor roles. The series is likely to have far more room to bring these lesser-known figures into focus.

The Weasley brother who stands out

Alongside the poltergeist Peeves, whose live-action debut has already been hinted at, many Reddit users currently see the greatest story potential in Percy Weasley, the goody-two-shoes who stands out among the Weasley brothers. In the films, most viewers likely remember him mainly as a prefect. In the books, however, Percy plays a much larger role. He later works at the Ministry of Magic and at times even turns against his own family because he trusts the Ministry more than Harry and Dumbledore. This conflict was heavily condensed in the films, but could be explored in far greater detail in the series.

Dean Thomas, Winky and more

In addition to Percy Weasley, several other characters could lend themselves to potential subplots in the Harry Potter series. The Reddit thread, for example, starts with Dean Thomas. The original poster argues that Dean is overshadowed by Seamus Finnigan, the character known for regularly blowing things up. In the books, however, the focus is more on the two as a duo.

Winky could also emerge as a stronger counterpart to Dobby. In the books, she is closely tied to the storyline surrounding Barty Crouch and the Triwizard Tournament, but was cut from the films. The same applies to former Quidditch star Ludo Bagman. Both characters could give a potential fourth season more narrative depth.

Another character worth mentioning is Firenze, the centaur from the Forbidden Forest. Although he appears in the films, his later role as a Divination teacher in book five was omitted. Since he first appears in book one, however, fans can likely expect to see him in the first season of the series. If you can think of other characters who deserve a bigger role in the HBO adaptation, feel free to leave a comment.