Harry Potter: 10 Most Hated Characters
The wizarding world's characters you love to hate. Or maybe hate to love?
There are few series of kids' books that have left a bigger cultural footprint than J K Rowling's Potter saga. The classics that precede it - The Famous Five, Narnia, Roald Dahl's many creations - took a backseat when the boy wizard made an appearance in 1997. And all that came after, however decent - Hunger Games, Maze Runner - haven't quite lived up to the Potter hype.
Why is it, then, that the so called Wizarding World has stuck around so long after the books and films ended? There has been a play on the West End, a couple of theme parks across the globe, and we're still in the middle of a spin-off franchise.
We can only speculate. It could be that the universe she created, a magical world existing in secret alongside our own, will forever be appealing. It could just be the terrific quality of the books and, well, most of the films.
Or, to look a little further into said quality, it could be the fantastically realised three-dimensional characters. They're the ones who bring the story to life. Were it not for them, why would we even bother? While it might be fun to talk about the heroes, we're going to take a different path here, because who doesn't love hating characters that deserve it?
10. Severus Snape
He barely makes it onto this list because, to many, he's the hero of the whole story. The double agent, whose love for Harry's mother was his drive from the very beginning. Let's not forget he was a victim of severe bullying and humiliation as a student at Hogwarts, from none other than James Potter. It's no wonder he behaves the way he does when he teaches Harry; the spitting image of his tormentor.
All that being said, however, let's have another look at those potions lessons. Is it really okay to let a personal grudge get in the way of a teacher's duty to be fair and just? It's often true that the bullied becomes the bully, but Snape, I'll repeat, is a teacher.
Even with the harrowing backstory, it's often impossible not to hate Snape. Remember that teacher you had (or maybe still have) in school, who made your life hell, and sent you home crying? Do you care about the tragic past that made them this way? I doubt it.