The many wonderful romantic relationships

Well, we can’t talk about love without mentioning all the brilliant couples in the wizarding world. There were Molly and Arthur who’d had a strong and loving partnership since their days at Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione whose relationship had been a slow burn from best friends into something more. Tonks and Remus who had to break down barriers, including Remus’ low self-esteem stemming from being a werewolf, to eventually be together. And Bill and Fleur, whose powerful connection eventually managed to change his family’s preconceived notions about her. And these are just a handful of the strong pairings found in the wizarding world – there are so many other excellent illustrations of romantic love. Many of these couples (if not all) also had to overcome forces that were trying to keep them apart – whether those obstacles were external like the rise of Voldemort, or internal such as their own stubbornness. Yet ultimately, they all demonstrated the enduring power of love.

The love between families

If there is one example of love that really stands out, it is that of the families of the wizarding world. Whether they’re those related by blood or those that have chosen to be each other’s family. The Weasley clan definitely had a strong bond – even when it was tested by Percy’s estrangement. What made them doubly special, was how they were willing to welcome others into the fold with open arms (with the brief hesitation when it came to Fleur). Harry was welcomed as a bonus Weasley from when he was in first-year and Molly sent him one of her signature hand-knitted jumper for Christmas. And they weren’t the only family who truly demonstrated what love means – the Lovegoods also cared deeply for one another. When Luna was taken by the Death Eaters, Xenophilius would have done anything to get ger back, including going against all his principles and turning Harry over to the Death Eaters. There were also the Longbottoms who stuck together through adversity. There was Sirius who took his role as godfather to Harry incredibly seriously... we could go on and on. Though one thing is for certain, and that is family (in whatever form it took) was a powerful example of love in the wizarding world.

The strong friendships in the magical world

The power of friendship is something that should not be overlooked. After all, if it wasn’t for Harry Ron and Hermione’s bond, you could argue that Harry would not have been able to defeat Voldemort. Each of them brought something unique to their friendship, such as Harry’s bravery, Hermione’s cleverness and Ron’s loyalty. There is no doubt in our minds that they were always strongest when together. And they were by no means the only fantastic friendship to be found in the wizarding world. Seamus and Dean were rarely without one another for instance. Fred, George and Lee were the perfect pranking trio. Lily and Snape demonstrated you could be friends with someone from a different house. And without the four Marauders (yes, even Wormtail at one point), there would never have been the Marauder’s Map, which proved to be vital on more than one occasion. Platonic love can be just as strong as romantic love.

Witches, wizards and magical creatures

One form of the love in the wizarding world, that we want to shine a light on, is the bond between humans and magical creatures. Hagrid was someone who perfectly encapsulated this. He adored creatures of all kinds and always saw the good in them – even when many others could not. It took a certain kind of person to be doe-eyed over an Acromantula, three-headed dog, baby dragon or a Blast-Ended Skrewt and happily raise them – yet Hagrid managed to. Another person who had a deep affection for all fantastic beasts was Newt Scamander. As a Magizoologist his whole life was dedicated to creatures, and he always showed them respect and kindness. From the beasts he kept in his case, to the menagerie in his basement, you know that every single one of them was cared for and valued. We think that the love Hagrid and Newt had for every creature was incredibly pure and other people in the wizarding world could have learnt a lot from them.

The many sacrifices characters made

When Lily Potter was killed by Voldemort, she invoked an ancient and incredibly powerful magic… love. It was the love she had for her son that made her willing to sacrifice her own life to save his. And it was that love that not only saved Harry from the Killing Curse when he was an infant, but also protected him from Voldemort until he was seventeen years old.

And Lily wasn’t the only one prepared to sacrifice themselves for those they cared about, this was something Harry did too. At the end of the Battle of Hogwarts he willingly went to meet Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest – knowing he was walking to his death. He knew that if he surrendered, he would save his friends, chosen family and those that were fighting with him. Luckily, we know he survived a second time – but at that moment he certainly didn’t.

Finally, another quieter sacrifice that we have to mention was when Hermione erased her parents’ memories of her and sent them to Australia. It was her love for them that drove her to do this. She knew that it was the only way to keep them safe from Voldemort while she embarked on the hunt for Horcruxes. Though it must have been unbearably painful for her, it was also a very brave and selfless thing for her to do.

Love for the wizarding world

Both times when Voldemort tried to make a grab for power, there were plenty of people who decided to stand against him and tried to defend the wizarding world. Whether they were in the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore’s Army, or just opposed Voldemort’s abhorrent views, they did what they could to protect the world that they cherished. They didn’t want it to become something that was rooted in hatred, fear and disdain for those who weren’t pure-bloods. And while the magical world had its faults and was in no way perfect, there were many that loved it because it was their home, and worth defending from evil.