From the age of eleven, Harry Potter attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But, Hogwarts was always more than just a school to Harry. It also became his home as well as the center of many of his conquests. From the Sorcerer’s Stone to the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry, Ron, and Hermione made Hogwarts their battleground. Unfortunately, not everything Harry did was beneficial to his ability to continue attending school. Harry’s determination to stop Voldemort, the Death Eaters, or anyone else trumped everything, leading to many moments in the series where Harry should have been expelled from school. Even though that would’ve been an unlikely route, there were many times throughout the series where Harry barely survived an encounter. Hermione said it best when she told Harry that he could have gotten them “killed-or worse, expelled.”
KILLED: THE GRAVEYARD
The Tri-wizard Tournament takes a turn for the worst when Harry and Cedric appear in a graveyard with Peter Pettigrew and Lord Voldemort. While Cedric does not survive the confrontation, Harry barely escapes with his life. Except, he probably shouldn’t have. At the age of fourteen, Harry was alone and surrounded by Voldemort and his Death Eaters, all of whom were more skilled and practiced wizards compared to him. Had Voldemort not been arrogant enough to tell all of his followers not to interfere in the duel, the chances of Harry’s survival would have been far less. Instead, it is quite ironic that Harry survives.
EXPELLED: EXPOSING WIZARDRY
Arthur Weasley’s flying car gets its second grand use in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets when Harry and Ron use it to fly behind the Hogwarts Express. While they may have made it to school, they were seen by muggles as they flew away from the station. Since Ron and Harry failed to make the car invisible before leaving, Snape has proof that they were seen in a newspaper. Exposing wizardry is a high offense, and Harry and Ron already believe they are going to be expelled when Dumbledore and McGonagall intervene. Instead, they are given detentions. Perhaps, if Harry had not been destined to defeat Voldemort, then maybe the boys would have received a more severe punishment.
KILLED: FIGHTING THE BASILISK
Harry was in the midst of dying when Fawkes arrives to save his life. Basilisk venom is poisonous, and Harry has just enough strength in him to destroy Tom Riddle’s diary before he realizes that he is getting worse. The battle between Harry and the Basilisk is bloody and dangerous, especially since Harry can’t risk looking into the basilisk’s eyes until Fawkes appears in the Chamber of Secrets to blind the massive snake. Harry was not prepared to fight such an opponent and gets by on his wits, quick thinking, and Fawkes saving him.
EXPELLED: DUMBLEDORE’S ARMY
Dolores Umbridge may have been the series’ worst villain. She was a whole new level of cruelty that was brought into the fold and quickly became the number one most despised character in the franchise. Harry, Hermione, and Ron had every right to create Dumbledore’s Army behind her back to teach the Hogwarts students how to defend themselves against threats. In fact, creating the group was the right thing to do. Unfortunately, it directly goes against the school rules at the time. While for all intents and purposes, Harry did nothing wrong, the act contradicts the rules Umbridge had put in place. Given the amount of power she has throughout Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, it is surprising that she doesn’t expel Harry.
KILLED: DEMENTOR ATTACK
During Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry gets attacked by Dementors multiple times. However, there were two in particular that were more likely to kill him. One occurred during a Quidditch match as Harry soared amongst the clouds trying to catch the snitch. The Dementors interfere with the game, attacking Harry while he is on his broom. Harry falls out of the sky, unconscious, and later wakes up in the hospital wing. He was only saved by Dumbeldore slowing the momentum of his fall. Then, Harry and Sirius are surrounded by over one-hundred Dementors. While Sirius barely survives with his last breath, Harry once again falls unconscious, not realizing that another version of himself had saved them. Due to the amount of Dementors around, Harry probably should have died that night.
EXPELLED: ATTACKING DRACO MALFOY
Harry’s obsession with Draco gets kicked up a notch during Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. He takes to following Draco underneath his invisibility cloak, watching and waiting to prove that his adversary is up to something. As the year continues, tensions are running high as stress is taking its toll on everyone, from school assignments to worrying about a war to come. Harry’s infatuation with the Half-Blood Prince’s potions textbook becomes the turning point when he uses a spell he found in it, not knowing what it can do on Draco during a fight. Harry is horrified to discover what the spell is capable of as Draco lies on the floor covered in his own blood.
KILLED: BATTLE AT THE MINISTRY
When Harry sees images in his head of Voldemort interrogating Sirius Black, he knows the only thing to do is rush to save his godfather. Although his friends attempt to suggest contacting someone else first or asking for backup, Harry insists there is no time and that he needs to get there now. With a small team of young wizards and witches, Harry races into the Ministry searching for Sirius. The devastating blow comes when Harry discovers Sirius is not there and that he had run into a trap. Harry and his friends have learned a vast amount of defensive magic during Dumbledore’s Army, but he is once again in a scenario where his opponents are more well versed in dark spells and magic than he is. While Harry and all his friends make it out alive, Sirius died amid the fighting.
EXPELLED: LEAVING UMBRIDGE IN THE FOREST
Again, Dolores Umbridge is no one’s favorite character. In fact, this may have been one of the more amusing and satisfying moments in the series. Umbridge being dragged away into the Forbidden Forest by centaurs after cruelly attacking Hagrid as well as other creatures and characters is a beautiful revenge for her actions. However, it may have been too cruel of an act for Harry and Hermione to perform. Sirius is the apparent priority at the moment, and while they are in a rush to save him, leaving Umbridge out there alone was not the best choice.
KILLED: SEARCHING FOR HORCRUXES
With everyone searching for Harry, it was a miracle he survived until the Battle of Hogwarts. The magical world divided gave Harry no idea who he could trust and who would turn him in. Various times while on the run, Harry should have been killed by Death Eaters or Snatchers. Instead, Harry, Hermione, and Ron manage to survive everything and everyone they come across. By the end of the series, Harry finally proves himself victorious as he walks away from the final battle, and Voldemort lay dead on the ground.
EXPELLED: ATTACKING VARIOUS PROFESSORS
Harry is direct with attacks on Snape and Lockhart. After Ginny has been taken into the Chamber of Secrets, Harry and Ron go to tell Lockhart where the Chamber is. However, Lockhart is already packing to leave. Harry and Ron don’t let that slide and disarm him, then bring him along to the Chamber. Then, in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry wants to hear what Sirius and Remus have to say about their history with Voldemort, James, and Lily. Not wanting to be interrupted, Harry removed Snape from the equation by using a spell to send him back and unconscious while he, Hermione, and Ron listen to the Marauders.
