15 Harry Potter Quotes About Courage

You don't have to be a Gryffindor to know the value of courage (but it probably does help). If Harry Potter taught us anything, it's that true bravery can come from almost anywhere. I mean, look at Neville. Or Luna, Tonks, and Regulus Black. They weren't all Gryffindors, but they were as nervy as anyone. And say what you want about Snape, but you can't argue that he wasn't brave in the end (and maybe just a little bit creepy).

But whether you're a courageous lion or just a very daring badger, the Harry Potter books have a lot to offer all of us when it comes to courage. Those books taught us to always keeping hoping, even when things look grim. They taught us that even 11-year-olds can take down a mountain troll (or evil wizard) if they're brave enough. And they taught us that courage isn't the absence of fear: it's forging ahead despite your fear (or, in Neville's case, standing your ground, even against your friends).

Most of us don't see a lot of wizard fights in our day-to-day lives, and many of us will never have to face off against a Hungarian Horntail or even a Blast-End Skrewt. But still, we all need an extra dose of courage now and then, and these Harry Potter quotes are here to give you that bravery boost:

1. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."

— Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

2. Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running leap and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind.

— J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

3. "The thing about growing up with Fred and George," said Ginny thoughtfully, "is that you sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve.

— J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

4. It was, he thought, the difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high. Some people, perhaps, would say that there was little to choose between the two ways, but Dumbledore knew — and so do I, thought Harry, with a rush of fierce pride, and so did my parents — that there was all the difference in the world.

— J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

5. “I am not worried, Harry,” said Dumbledore, his voice a little stronger despite the freezing water. “I am with you.”

— J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

6. “Harry — you're a great wizard, you know.""I'm not as good as you," said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him."Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things — friendship and bravery and — oh Harry — be careful!”

— J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

7. “I’m not going to be murdered,” Harry said out loud. “That’s the spirit, dear,” said his mirror sleepily.

— J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

8. "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

— Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

9. “Albus Severus," Harry said quietly, so that nobody but Ginny could hear, and she was tactful enough to pretend to be waving to Rose, who was now on the train, "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew.”

— J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

10. "Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."

— Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

11. "I'm going to keep going until I succeed — or die. Don't think I don't know how this might end. I've known it for years."

— Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

12. "You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve, and chivalry, Set Gryffindors apart"

— The Sorting Hat, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

13. It is a strange thing, but when you are dreading something, and would give anything to slow down time, it has a disobliging habit of speeding up.

— J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

14. "We’re all going to keep fighting, Harry. You know that?"

— Neville Longbottom, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

15. "You said it once before," said Hermione quickly, "that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We've had time, haven't we? We're with you whatever happens.”

— J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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