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{{Spoiler|HM|PAS|MA|HL}}
{{Spell infobox
 
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{{Real world subject}}
|name=Love
 
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{{Quote|There is [[Love Room|a room]] in the [[Department of Mysteries]] that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]] has not at all.|The power of love and its magical properties|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
|image=[[File:Harry_and_Ginny_3.jpg|250px]]
 
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[[File:Unbreakable vow.gif|thumb|245x245px|Narcissa Malfoy's maternal love for her son causes her to make an [[Unbreakable Vow]]]]
|effect=Full extent is uncertain but is known to allow incredible magical feats to be performed, such as [[Shield Charm|reflecting]] an [[Unforgivable Curse]].
 
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'''Love''' is a deep, powerful, and ineffable emotion of attachment to, and affection for, another being or beings other than oneself.<ref>{{Wikilink|Love}}</ref> It gives those who experience it the ability to do very great things as a result of it.
}}
 
{{Quote|There is a room in the [[Department of Mysteries]] that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]] has not at all.|[[Albus Dumbledore]] to [[Harry Potter]] about love.|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
 
   
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[[Harry Potter]] in particular had such great love for his friends that he decided to sacrifice himself to Voldemort. This sacrifice conferred Harry's allies a certain amount of protection, thus the spells Voldemort tried to place on them wouldn't hold.<ref name="DH" /> Someone full of hate (such as Voldemort himself, [[Tom Riddle]]), who had never known love couldn't begin to understand its full [[magic]]al properties.
'''Love''' is a deep, powerful, and ineffable emotion of attachment to, and affection for, another being or beings.<ref>[[Wikipedia:Love|Love]] at [[Wikipedia:Main Page|Wikipedia]]</ref> It gives those who experience it the ability to do very great things. Someone full of hate, such as [[Tom Riddle]], who has never known it even once in their entire life, cannot understand love's full magical properties. Love is one of the hardest and strongest kinds of [[magic]] and as such, there is a room devoted to the study of it in the [[Department of Mysteries]]. Love is also quite possibly the most mysterious branch of magic and is extremely difficult to comprehend.
 
   
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Love was one of the hardest and strongest kinds of [[magic]] and as such, provided the only [[Sacrificial protection|defence]] for the [[Killing Curse]]. Love was also quite possibly the most mysterious branch of magic and was extremely difficult to comprehend. There was a room devoted to the study of it in the [[Department of Mysteries]].
There is a difference between true love and a simple, short-term infatuation, such as a crush, as [[Harry Potter]] developed a crush on [[Cho Chang]], but their relationship broke apart from various misunderstandings and quarrels, and Harry losing interest in Cho altogether.
 
   
 
==History==
 
==History==
 
===[[11th century]]===
 
===[[11th century]]===
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{{Quote|He tracked me to the forest where I was hiding. When I refused to return with him, he became violent. The baron was always a hot-tempered man. Furious at my refusal, jealous of my freedom, he stabbed me... When he saw what he had done, he was overcome with remorse. He took the weapon that had claimed my life, and used it to kill himself.|Helena tells [[Harry Potter|Harry]] the story of her and the Baron's death|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows}}
The [[Bloody Baron]] had fallen in love with [[Helena Ravenclaw]], but she did not reciprocate, and rejected his many advances, the last one which led to him impulsively killing her, and then himself out of regret.<ref name="DH">''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]''</ref> Helena never found true love due to never having found a man worthy of her standards.<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2]]'' - Author's comments</ref>
 
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The [[Bloody Baron]] had fallen in love with [[Helena Ravenclaw]], but she did not reciprocate and rejected his many advances, the last rejection leading to his impulsively killing her, then killing himself out of regret.<ref name="DH31">{{DH|B|31}}</ref> Throughout Helena's life, she never found true love due to never having found a man worthy of her standards.<ref name="DHF2">{{DH|F2}} - Author's comments</ref>
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[[Rowena Ravenclaw]] loved her daughter Helena greatly, as she never revealed her daughter's betrayal and desertion to others, and fell fatally ill from what legends describe as a "broken heart". Even in her deathbed, Rowena disregarded Helena's betrayal and her last wish was to simply see her daughter one more time.<ref name="DH31" />
   
 
===[[12th century]]===
 
===[[12th century]]===
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[[File:Cadmus Peverell's resurrected fiancée vanishing.gif|250px|thumb|left|Cadmus being briefly reuinted with his fiancée]]
[[Cadmus Peverell]] fell in love with a [[Cadmus Peverell's fiancée|woman]], but she died before the two could be wed. After creating the [[Resurrection Stone]] (though in the [[Tale of Three Brothers|story version]], [[Death (The Tale of the Three Brothers)|Death]] gave it to him), he used it in an attempt to bring his late lover back to him, but this "revival" was incomplete and she was sad and cold, giving off the feeling of the two were still separated. Cadmus was driven mad by being unable to be with his love in this life, so he committed suicide to be truly reunited with her.
 
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[[Cadmus Peverell]] fell in love with a [[Cadmus Peverell's fiancée|woman]], but she died of unknown causes before the two could be wed. After either creating or been given the [[Resurrection Stone]] by [[Death (The Tale of the Three Brothers)|Death]], he used it in an attempt to bring his late lover back to him, but this "revival" was incomplete and she was always sad and cold, giving off the feeling of the two were still separated.<ref name="DH21">{{DH|B|21}}</ref><ref name="TBBT">{{TBB|T}}</ref>
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Cadmus was driven mad by being unable to be with his love in this life, so he committed suicide by hanging himself from rafters to be truly reunited with her in the next life.<ref name="DH21"/><ref name="TBBT"/>
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===[[17th century]]===
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{{Quote|Rage and magic could not wake them, but the terrified screams of their daughters broke the curse Gormlaith had laid upon them, which, like Gormlaith herself, took no account of the power of love.|The power of love awakens Isolt and James Steward|Pottermore}}
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[[File:Isolt wand.jpg|250px|thumb|Isolt prepares to duel Gormlaith in defence of her family]]
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Around [[1634]], [[Gormlaith Gaunt]] tracked down [[Isolt Sayre]] (her niece who had escaped her) and placed her and her husband, the Muggle [[James Steward]], under a powerful curse that kept them in a deep sleep. Though it seemed nothing could wake them, the screams of their daughters broke through the enchantment, as they loved their daughters very deeply.<ref name="ilvermorny">{{WW|ilvermorny}}</ref>
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Also during this time, [[Webster Boot]] fell in love with a Scottish witch and the two married, settled in [[Great Britain|Britain]], and had children together. Webster’s descendants would be educated at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]], such as descendant [[Terry Boot]].
   
 
===[[1890s]]===
 
===[[1890s]]===
In [[1890s|1899]], [[Albus Dumbledore]]'s love for his [[Aberforth Dumbledore|brother]] and [[Ariana Dumbledore|sister]] pushed him to turn against his old friend [[Gellert Grindelwald]] and attack him, finally defeating him in [[1940s|1945]].<ref name="DH"/>
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In [[1899]], [[Albus Dumbledore]]'s love for his [[Aberforth Dumbledore|brother]] and [[Ariana Dumbledore|sister]] pushed him to turn against his new friend and lover [[Gellert Grindelwald]] and attack him, [[Duel between Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald|finally defeating]] him in [[1945]].<ref name="DH28">{{DH|B|28}}</ref>
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===[[1910s]]===
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In [[1913]], [[Newton Scamander|Newt Scamander]], out of love for [[Leta Lestrange]], took the blame for one of her experiments. This experiment involved a [[Jarvey]] and it went wrong, endangering the life of another student. Rather than see his good friend expelled, Newt took the blame and was expelled from Hogwarts in her place.<ref>[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Magical Movie Handbook]]</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/FBAWTFTmovie/status/799629285657079808 Twitter - Fantastic Beasts Fan]</ref><ref>{{CB}} {{see image|File:Newt's Explusion.jpg}}</ref> This left him slightly bitter, but still much in love with Leta.<ref name="bustle">[https://www.bustle.com/articles/194563-who-is-leda-lestrange-fantastic-beasts-is-only-the-start-for-the-new-character-says-director Bustle - "Who is Leda Lestrange? 'Fantastic Beasts' Is Only The Start For The New Character, Says Director David Yates"] 18 November 2016</ref>
   
 
===[[1920s]]===
 
===[[1920s]]===
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{{Quote|I believe that Merope, who was deeply in love with her husband, could not bear to continue enslaving him by [[magic]]al means. I believe that she made the choice to stop giving him the [[Love Potion|potion]]. Perhaps, besotted as she was, she had convinced herself that he would by now have fallen in love with her in return. If so, she was wrong on both counts. He left her, never saw her again, and never troubled to discover what became of his son.|Merope Gaunt's tragic relationship with Tom Riddle Snr|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince}}
In [[1920s|1925]], [[Merope Gaunt]] had fallen deeply in love with [[Tom Riddle Sr.|Tom Riddle]], and betrayed her [[House of Gaunt|family's]] beliefs in [[blood purity]] to be with her love. She used a [[Love Potion]] in order to attract Riddle to her, but ceased feeding him it once she was pregnant, thinking that Tom would finally love her in return or at least stay for their unborn child out of love for it, of which Tom did neither. The usage of a love potion for Tom Marvolo Riddle's conception is symbolic for his inability to understand love for his entire life as it was due to coercion rather than true love.<ref>[http://the-leaky-cauldron.org/2007/7/30/j-k-rowling-web-chat-transcript 30 July, 2007 Bloomsbury webchat]</ref>
 
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[[File:Gaunt riddle.png|250px|thumb|left|[[Merope Riddle|Merope Gaunt]] staring longingly at Tom Riddle]]
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In [[1925]], Merope Gaunt had developed an attraction with [[Tom Riddle Senior|Tom Riddle Snr]], and betrayed her family's beliefs in [[Blood status|blood purity]] to be with the man she desired. Riddle, however, was not interested in her, and thus she either controlled him with the Imperius Curse or gave him a [[Love Potion]], the latter more likely, thereby forcing him to marry her. After she fell pregnant, she stopped dosing Riddle with Love Potions, thinking that he would finally love her in return or at least stay to help raise their child.
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However, after regaining his free will, Riddle fled from Merope and returned to [[Riddle family|his family]]. Realising the abandonment is the confirmation that Riddle did not love her made Merope lose her will to live, to the point that she would not (or could not) perform magic any further. Her son, also named [[Tom Riddle]], was unable to feel love for anyone partly due to his parents not truly loving each other.
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In [[1927]], [[Leta Lestrange]] sacrificed herself in an attempt to fight against [[Gellert Grindelwald]] in order to protect [[Newton Scamander|Newt]] and [[Theseus Scamander|Theseus]], whom she both loved dearly as she declared moments before she died. Leta's death profoundly devastated the brothers, enraging Theseus, who was going to marry her, and prompting Newton to get more involved in the war against Grindelwald in order to avenge Leta's demise.
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[[File:Queenie and Jacob 2 FBF.jpg|thumb|250x250px|Jacob and Queenie embracing]]
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[[Queenie Goldstein]], who was deeply in love with the [[Non-magic people|No-Maj]] [[Jacob Kowalski]], enchanted him so that he would accept to marry her. Indeed, although Jacob really did love Queenie as well, he refused to marry her since it could cause her to be sent into prison due to the laws preventing Wizards from marrying No-Majs. Once the enchantment was lifted by [[Newton Scamander]], Queenie, in a drastic and desperate attempt to be able to freely live with Jacob, joined the ranks of [[Alliance|Gellert Grindelwald's army]], believing that [[Gellert Grindelwald]] would tear down the old system and allow her to be with Jacob. Jacob, however, refused to follow her on that path.
   
 
===[[1970s]]===
 
===[[1970s]]===
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{{Quote|No, Andromeda's not on here either, look. Andromeda's sisters are still here because they made lovely, respectable pure-blood marriages, but Andromeda married a Muggle-born, Ted Tonks, so —|Andromeda married out of love and was disowned by her family|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
Around [[1977]], [[James Potter I|James Potter]]'s love for [[Lily Evans]] changed his character a little by the fact that he stopped [[Levicorpus|hexing]] [[Severus Snape|people]] just for fun.<ref name="OTP">''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]''</ref>
 
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During the early 1970s, [[Severus Snape]] met [[Lily J. Potter|Lily Evans]] and fell deeply in love with her as a child, becoming a close friend of hers. Over the course of their school years at Hogwarts, his love for only continued to grow stronger, with Snape sinking into incandescent jealousy when he learnt that his archenemy James Potter had feelings for Lily in their fifth year. Despite ending her friendship with him later on, however, Snape continued to feel nothing but deep, unconditional love for Lily until the end of his life.
   
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[[File:Andromeda and Ted.jpg|left|thumb|240px|[[Andromeda Tonks|Andromeda Black]] married Muggle-born Ted Tonks out of love]]
[[Bellatrix Lestrange|Bellatrix]] may have married [[Rodolphus Lestrange]] out of obligation for her [[House of Black|her family's]] [[Blood purity|beliefs]], but her true love is [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]].<ref>[www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2007/7/30/j-k-rowling-web-chat-transcript Leaky Cauldron: J.K. Rowling Webchat 30 July 2007]</ref> Voldemort, on the other hand, did not reciprocate, as he cannot understand love due to his upbringing, although he does value Bellatrix's talents and loyalty. Unlike their eldest sister, [[Andromeda Tonks|Andromeda]] and [[Narcissa Malfoy|Narcissa]] married their respective spouses out of true love, and in Andromeda's case, went against her family's beliefs, which led her to be disinherited.
 
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Around [[1977]], [[James Potter I|James Potter]] himself, who was very mischievous, was truly in love with Lily to the point where it changed his character a little by the fact that he stopped [[Dangling Jinx|hexing]] people just for fun.<ref name="OTP">{{OOTP}}</ref>
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[[Bellatrix Lestrange|Bellatrix]] may have married [[Rodolphus Lestrange]] out of obligation for her family's beliefs, but her true love is [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]].<ref>[http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2007/7/30/j-k-rowling-web-chat-transcript Leaky Cauldron: J.K. Rowling Webchat 30 July 2007]</ref> Voldemort, on the other hand, did not reciprocate, as he cannot understand love due to his upbringing, although he does value Bellatrix's talents and loyalty. Unlike their eldest sister, Andromeda and [[Narcissa Malfoy|Narcissa]] married their respective spouses out of love and in Andromeda's case went against her family's beliefs, which led her to be disinherited.
   
 
===[[1980s]]===
 
===[[1980s]]===
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{{Quote|You know, of course, that they have called this boy my downfall? You all know that on the night I lost my powers and my body, I tried to kill him. His mother died in the attempt to save him — and unwittingly provided him with a protection I admit I had not foreseen.... I could not touch the boy. His mother left upon him the traces of her sacrifice.... This is old magic, I should have remembered it, I was foolish to overlook it ... but no matter. I can touch him now.|Lord Voldemort reflecting on his first defeat|Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire}}
[[File:The Potters.gif|thumb|left|200px|[[James Potter I|James]] and [[Lily Evans|Lily Potter]] with their infant son [[Harry Potter|Harry]].]]
 
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In [[1981]], [[Severus Snape]]'s love for Lily Evans pushed him to join the [[Order of the Phoenix]], even though he hated her husband, and then Snape desperately begged Lord Voldemort to promise to spare her when he went to murder her infant son [[Harry Potter]].<ref name="DH33">{{DH|B|33}}</ref>
{{quote|The Boy Who Lived. How lies have fed your legend Harry. Shall I reveal what really happened that night thirteen years ago? Shall I divulge how I truly lost my powers? Yes, shall I? It was love. You see, when dear sweet Lily Potter gave her life for her only son...she provided the ultimate protection. I could not touch him. It was old magic. Something I should have foreseen. But no matter, no matter. Things have changed. I can touch you...now!|[[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]] reflecting on his first defeat|Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)}}
 
   
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[[File:Lily protecting Harry from Voldemort.gif|alt=|thumb|250px|Lily Potter being murdered by [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]], after she refuses to stop shielding her son]]
In [[1981]], [[Severus Snape]]'s love of [[Lily Evans]] pushed him to join the [[Order of the Phoenix]], even though he hated her [[James Potter I|husband]], and then Snape begged [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]] to promise to spare her when he went to kill her son [[Harry Potter|Harry]].<ref name="DH"/> In that same year, Lily's love for her son [[Harry Potter|Harry]] protected him against [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]]. He became the only known person in history to survive the [[Killing Curse]] because of the power of her loving sacrifice.<ref name="PS">''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]''</ref> However, it could be that while love was the motive, the cause of Harry's protection was that Lily had lured Voldemort into a [[binding magical contract]] so that having killed her, he would be unable to kill Harry, because he had already promised to spare Lily, and only her offer allowed him to kill her.<ref name="DH">''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]''</ref>
 
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In that same year on [[Hallowe'en]], James' love for his wife and son caused him to stand face to face with the darkest wizard in a century (Lord Voldemort) on his own in an effort to give them time to escape. Also in the same night, Lily's love for her son Harry protected him from Lord Voldemort. He became the only known person in history to survive the [[Killing Curse]], because of the power of [[Sacrificial protection|Lily's loving sacrifice]].<ref name="PS17">{{PS|B|17}}</ref><ref name="DH35"/> However, it could be that while love was the motive, the cause of Harry's protection was that Lily had lured Voldemort into a binding [[binding magical contract|magical contract]] so that having killed her, he would be unable to kill Harry, because he had already promised to spare Lily, and only her offer allowed him to kill her.<ref name="DH35">{{DH|B|35}}</ref>
   
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[[Sirius Black]]'s grief over James and Lily's deaths made him track down [[Peter Pettigrew]] and attempt to kill him in retaliation after realising he betrayed James and Lily to Voldemort, an act which resulted in his 12-year imprisonment in [[Azkaban]] after Pettigrew faked his own death and framed him for his crimes. Most notably, however, Lily's death would leave Snape phenomenally devastated, causing him to suffer terrible remorse for his unintentional part in her demise, but, in turn, it would drive him to officially join the Order of the Phoenix as a double agent and spy on the Death Eaters at Dumbledore's behest, so as to protect Harry in anticipation of Voldemort's return and to ultimately defeat the most dangerous Dark wizard of all time, with his change in allegiances also gradually turning Snape into a better man.
After [[Bartemius Crouch Jr.|Barty Crouch Jr.]] was imprisoned in [[Azkaban]], [[Bartemius Crouch Jr.'s mother|his mother]] persuaded his father to help [[Azkaban escapes#1982|break him out]]. [[Bartemius Crouch Sr.|Crouch Sr.]] agreed out of love for his wife, even though he did not love his son at the very least. [[Winky]] the [[house-elf]], who also loved Barty Jr., cared for him with a sense of motherly affections, though Barty believed that it was pity and duty.<ref name="GOF"/>
 
   
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[[File:Albus harry godricshollow.jpg|240px|thumb|left|Albus stays by Harry's side while witnessing the murders of James and Lily Potter]]
===[[1990s]]===
 
[[File:Trio_after_battle.jpg|thumb|200px|Harry, Ron and Hermione after [[Tom Riddle| Voldemort]]'s defeat]]{{dialogue a-b-a|Albus Dumbledore|Harry, do you know why...Professor Quirrell couldn't bear to have you touch him?...It was because of your [[Lily Evans|mother]]. She sacrificed herself for you. And that kind of act leaves a mark... This kind of mark cannot be seen. It lives in your very skin.|Harry Potter|What is it?|Love, Harry. Love.|[[Albus Dumbledore]] to [[Harry Potter]].|Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)}}
 
   
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Also, on Hallowe'en in 1981 (after travelling back in time), [[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny Potter]]'s love for her husband was shown when she argued against Harry being the one to disguise himself as Voldemort in an attempt to lure Delphi into a trap.<ref name="CC"/> She even offered to be the one disguised instead, but eventually conceded as both her and Harry agreed that it must be him, seeing as it was the only way.<ref name="CC"/> Ginny was also unable to bear looking at Harry when he was wearing Voldemort's form, as it hurt her to see the man she loved dearly disguised as the man both she and Harry hated.
   
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On the same night, the love that [[Albus Potter]] felt for his father Harry caused him to risk his own life in order to save him from [[Delphini|Delphi]], during the latter's duel in a church. This love was returned when [[Harry Potter|Harry]] jumps in front of his son when a [[Killing Curse]] is aimed at him. Harry is later found after the confrontation to be furious at Delphi for attempting to murder his child.<ref name="CC"/>
In [[1992]], because of the protection that [[Lily Evans]]'s death created for [[Harry Potter]], [[Professor]] [[Quirinus Quirrell]] could not touch Harry without serious harm to his physical well-being. In doing so, this led to [[Professor]] [[Quirinus Quirrell]]'s death and [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]] was once again without a body to possess.<ref name="PS"/>
 
   
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The [[Weasley family]] was not wealthy at all, compared to other wizarding families. Many other [[pure-blood]] families, particularly the [[Malfoy family|Malfoys]], disdained them for their "''[[blood traitor]]''" beliefs and lack of wealth. Molly and Arthur tried their best to make up for this by sustaining their children with their love.<ref name="COS">{{COS}}</ref>
In [[1993]], the love for [[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny]] and [[Hermione Granger]] caused [[Ronald Weasley|Ron Weasley]] and Harry Potter to head down to the [[Chamber of Secrets]] to rescue Ginny.<ref name="CS">''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]''</ref>
 
   
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After [[Bartemius Crouch Junior|Barty Crouch Jnr]] was imprisoned in Azkaban, his mother persuaded his father to help break him out. [[Bartemius Crouch Senior|Crouch Snr]] agreed out of love for his wife and some love for his son, even though his neglect of Barty Jnr for his Ministry duty and public image made his son claim he never loved him at the very least. [[Winky]] the [[house-elf]], who also loved Barty Jnr, cared for him with a sense of motherly affections, though Barty believed that it was pity and duty. He instead let their sacrifices be in vain by returning to the Dark Arts, and as a result, suffered the [[Dementor's Kiss]].<ref name="GOF" />
In [[1994]], the love for his [[Sirius Black|godfather]] and the prospect of living with him gave Harry a powerful and happy enough memory to perform a Patronus Charm and drive away the [[Dementor]]s.<ref name="POA">''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]''</ref>
 
   
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Throughout the decade, the love [[Jacob's sibling]] felt for [[Jacob (Hogwarts student)|their brother]] caused them to obsessively seek out the [[Cursed Vaults]]. The platonic love between them, [[Rowan Khanna]], [[Penny Haywood]], and [[Ben Copper]] along with friends they would make throughout their education would make this quest possible.<ref>{{HM}}</ref>
In [[1995]], Harry managed to escape [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]] when his loved ones came to him through [[Priori Incantatem]].<ref name="GOF">''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
 
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[[File:Penny and Beatrice Haywood HM51.png|thumb|250x250px|The Haywood sisters have a deep love for each other ]]
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During the [[1988–1989 school year]], after the [[portrait curse]] trapped [[Beatrice Haywood]], her older sister, [[Penny Haywood]], spent every moment she could trying to free her; in the next year after she was freed, the sister came into conflict as Beatrice wanted more space and made friends with the often considered disreputable [[Ismelda Murk]], while Penny wished that Beatrice could be back to her old cheerful self and they could be close again.<ref>{{HM|6|4}}</ref> However, after [[Jacob's sibling]] asked Penny to help brew a [[love potion]] for an unrelated matter, Penny reflected on the nature of love and realised she could not change her sister and that the best way to express her love for her is respect her wishes.<ref>{{HM|6|11}}</ref> As a friend to both Penny and Beatrice, Jacob's sibling would discuss and contrast the love and strife within the relationships they have with their once-close siblings multiple times.
   
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During the [[1989–1990 school year]] at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]], Rowan Khanna's love for their friends caused them to intercept the [[Killing Curse]] aimed at Ben Copper by the Dark witch [[Patricia Rakepick]] and selflessly sacrifice their own life for him. Their heroic death would inspire [[Jacob's sibling]], [[Ben Copper]] and [[Merula Snyde]] to establish the [[Circle of Khanna]] in honour of them.<ref>{{HM|6|18}}</ref>
In [[1996]], his love for Sirius again helped him, when his grief over his godfather's death overcame Voldemort's attempt to possess him and forced him out of his mind. In that same year Dumbledore ignored Harry, thinking that this would prevent Voldemort from using the connection with [[Harry Potter]] to gain insight into his own mind because Voldemort would sense he cared "too much" about Harry and would be eager to use their relationship to gain access to Dumbledore's mind and knowledge of the activities of the [[Order of the Phoenix]].<ref name="OTP"/>
 
   
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====1991–1992====
In [[1997]] it is revealed that the pain inflicted upon Voldemort when Harry forced him out of his mind scared him away from attempting the same tactic again. [[Harry Potter]]'s love for [[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny Weasley]] was shown when he entered into the common room after the Quidditch match that took place during his detention with [[Severus Snape|Professor Snape]] and ended up kissing her and it also drove him to leave her in fear of her being a target of Lord Voldemort. In that same year, Harry's love for Professor [[Albus Dumbledore]] pushed him to attack [[Severus Snape]] with [[Sectumsempra|one of his own spells]]. [[Draco Malfoy]]'s love for his [[Malfoy family|family]] pushed him to attempt to [[Killing Curse|kill]] Dumbledore, even though he really did not want to. [[Fleur Delacour]] asserted her love for [[William Weasley|Bill Weasley]] even after he was horribly scarred in [[Battle of the Astronomy Tower|battle]] by [[Fenrir Greyback]]. Her declarations prompted [[Nymphadora Tonks|Tonks]] to once again impress upon [[Remus Lupin]] she did not care about his being a full werewolf, older than her, or that he was poor and that she loved and wanted to be with him anyway.
 
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{{Dialogue a-b|Harry Potter|But why couldn’t Quirrell touch me?|Albus Dumbledore|Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realise that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign ... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good.|Discussion of the power of love|Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone}}
   
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[[File:Harry Potter touches Quirrel face.gif|250px|thumb|Quirrel's inability to touch Harry in [[1991]] because of Lily's loving sacrifice|left]]
Their love for Harry motivated [[Hermione Granger]] and [[Ronald Weasley|Ron Weasley]] to accompany him on the [[Horcrux hunt]], leaving their families and risking their lives.<ref name="HBP">''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''</ref> When the Harry, Ron and Hermione were taken to [[Malfoy Manor]], Ron begged [[Bellatrix Lestrange|Bellatrix]] to interrogate him instead of Hermione because he deeply loved her.
 
   
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On [[4 June]] [[1992]], because of the protection that [[Lily J. Potter|Lily Potter]]'s loving sacrifice created for [[Harry Potter]] Professor [[Quirinus Quirrell]] could not touch Harry without serious harm to his physical well-being, his body started to burn when he came into contact with Harry's skin.<ref name="PS17"/> In doing so, this led to Professor Quirinus Quirrell's death and [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]] was once again without a body to possess<ref name="PS17" /> and was unable to return to power without a corporeal form of his own, bringing him back to being less than a [[ghost]],<ref name="GOF33">{{GOF|B|33}}</ref> Lily's love for Harry pushing back his return.<ref name="PS17"/>
{{quote|...Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love.|[[Albus Dumbledore]].|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows}}
 
   
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====1992–1993====
During the [[Battle of Hogwarts]], [[Lucius Malfoy|Lucius]] and [[Narcissa Malfoy]]'s love for their [[Draco Malfoy|son]] motivated them to look for him instead of fighting. [[Molly Weasley]]'s love for her daughter [[Ginny Weasley]] made her face [[Bellatrix Lestrange]] herself and said that no student should help [[Molly Weasley|her]]. Ron and Hermione began in the battle one of the most powerful relationships in wizardkind. In the end, Harry's love finally [[Killing Curse|destroyed]] [[Lord Voldemort]] once and for all.<ref name="DH"/> Harry's love for his friends and love ones caused him to sacrifice himself to Voldemort. This love was what made Harry different from the powerful Voldemort. He had something worth fighting for while Voldemort could never understand the power of love. Harry's love for people even made him offer Voldemort a final chance of [[Horcrux#Reconciliation|redemption]]. [[File:Ron_827342.jpeg|thumb|Ron and Hermione (future husband and wife.)]]
 
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Some time around [[31 July]] [[1992]], [[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny Weasley]]'s romantic feelings for Harry drove her into hiding in his presence during his first visit to the[[the Burrow| Burrow]]. She later stood up for him against [[Draco Malfoy]]. Her love also prompted her to send Harry a [[Valentine's Day]] card, and later attempt to reveal to him and [[Ronald Weasley|Ron]] that she was responsible for opening the Chamber of Secrets.
   
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[[File:Harry-potter2-harry&ginny.jpg|250px|thumb|A worried Harry checks on Ginny in the Chamber of Secrets]]
Harry Potter's love for Ginny Weasley (his future wife) made her the last person he thought about before facing his own death.
 
   
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On [[29 May]] [[1993]], the love Ron had for his sister Ginny, and the love Harry felt for Ron as his best friend, caused them to go to the [[Chamber of Secrets]] to rescue her from the [[Basilisk]] and the Heir of Slytherin. Harry also stated that it was the worst day of his life.<ref name="COS"/> Harry's love for Ginny also caused him to panic when he saw her unmoving form laying on the Chamber floor, scared that she might have been dead.
==Love in literature==
 
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{{Quote|Now you are healed and will know true love!|The [[Maiden (The Warlock's Hairy Heart)|maiden]].|The Tales of Beedle the Bard (real)}}
 
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It is also revealed that after the events in the Chamber of Secrets, people shut Ginny out of their lives, but Harry came to her and played a game of [[Exploding Snap]]. Although Harry did not have romantic feelings for Ginny at the time, Ginny claimed that she felt specific love from Harry since that day and that his love for her always made her feel stronger.<ref name="CC"/>
* [[Amata]] in ''[[The Fountain of Fair Fortune]]'' fell in love with a [[Muggle]] named [[Sir Luckless]].
 
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* The [[Warlock (The Warlock's Hairy Heart)|Warlock]] in ''[[The Warlock's Hairy Heart]]'' regarded love as a sickness and used Dark Arts to prevent it from happening to him, therefore he paid dearly for it.
 
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====1993–1994====
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{{Quote|With a patronus? I heard Snape telling Dumbledore. According to him, only a really powerful wizard could've conjured it.|Harry Potter's powerful Patronus|Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban}}
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Some time around [[31 July]], [[1993]], [[Sirius Black]]'s protective feelings for Harry drove him into escaping from Azkaban unaided after learning [[Peter Pettigrew]] was in the possession of the Weasley family and potentially a threat to Harry. His affection for Harry also led him to [[Privet Drive]] in order to catch a glimpse of him. Sirius even ventured out into a rainstorm in order to watch Harry play Seeker during a [[Quidditch]] match.
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On [[6 June]] [[1994]], [[Remus Lupin]]'s love for Sirius made him believe of Sirius's innocence immediately after discovering Pettigrew was still alive, despite initially believing Sirius was the traitor and then reveal the truth to Harry, Ron and Hermione. Remus' love for Sirius also led to him preventing Harry from causing any more harm to him, as Harry was previously debating killing Black.<ref name="POA"/>
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[[File:Stag Patronus.png|250px|thumb|Harry Potter's stag [[Patronus Charm|Patronus]] fends of hundreds of Dementors|left]]
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The love Harry Potter felt for his godfather Sirius after discovering his innocence caused him and his other best friend [[Hermione Granger|Hermoine Granger]] to head back in [[time]] via a [[Time-Turner]] to rescue him from the [[Dementor]]s. The prospect of living with him instead of the Dursleys gave him a powerful and happy enough memory to conjure an incredibly powerful corporal Patronus that drove away hundreds of Dementors, thus saving his past self, the past Hermione, and Sirius from the Dementor's Kiss.<ref name="POA">{{POA}}</ref>
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====1994–1995====
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{{Quote|Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Is she alive? Is she ’urt?|Fleur's love for her sister|Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire}}
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[[File:B4C27M1 fugitives in the cave near Hogsmeade.png|thumb|250px|[[Sirius Black]] putting his safety in jeopardy by visiting Harry Potter in Hogsmeade]]
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[[Sirius Black]]'s love for Harry caused him to put his own safety in jeopardy when he journeyed to [[Hogsmeade]] in order to visit Harry during his stint as [[Triwizard Tournament|Triwizard]] champion. Sirius spent this period in time living in a cave and eating rats as a source of food. Sirius's love for Harry also caused him to risk exposure in several other instances as well, such as contacting Harry while he was in the [[Gryffindor]] common room.
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[[Fleur Delacour]]'s love for her little sister Gabrielle was what lead to [[Gabrielle Delacour|Gabrielle]] being taken into the lake as the thing Fleur would sorely miss during the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament. During the Task, Fleur was attacked by [[Grindylow]]s and was forced to retreat. Unaware that the hostages were not in any real danger, she was quite hysterical. She fought so hard to return to the water that even half-giant [[Olympe Maxime|Madame Maxime]] had difficulty restraining her, until Gabrielle finally reached the surface.
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On [[20 May]] [[1995]], the love [[Dave Monk|Dave]] and [[Tilly Monk]] felt for their fledgling newborn children caused them to provide them immediate medical care through an "amazing" neonatal team. The twins were quickly taken to the [[Neonatal Intensive Care Unit]], where they were kept in incubators, receiving vital fluids through intravenous lines and breathing with the help of mechanical ventilators. Five days after his birth, [[Tom Monk|Tom]]'s condition was stable enough for Tilly to hold him in her arms for the first time, which gave her a "huge boost." Dave was also over the [[moon]] and wrote an article about their miraculous birth, which was featured on the front page of the [[12 August]], [[1995]] issue of ''[[Metro]]'', under the title "''Miracle babies make it''".<ref name="HPLE">{{HPLE|G}} {{see image|File:Metro.png}}</ref>
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[[File:Priori Incantatem Pottermore.png|250px|thumb|The effects of [[Reverse Spell|Priori Incantatem]]|alt=|left]]
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On [[24 June]] [[1995]], Harry managed to escape from the [[Little Hangleton graveyard]] and [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]] when the echoes of some of his loved ones came to his aid through the effect of [[Reverse Spell|Priori Incantatem]].<ref name="GOF">{{GOF}}</ref> This was the first time Harry communicated with his parents in some form. Later that night, when [[Amos Diggory]] spotted the deceased Cedric's body, the love he had for his son caused him to break down in grief and let out an cry of anguish.
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====1995–1996====
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{{Quote|I cared about you too much. I cared more for your happiness than your knowing the truth, more for your peace of mind than my plan, more for your life than the lives that might be lost if the plan failed. In other words, I acted exactly as Voldemort expects we fools who love to act.|Dumbledore regarding his affection for Harry|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
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[[File:WB F5 MollyWeasleyGrimmauldPlace CupsHarrysFaceInHands HP5D-10744.jpg|240px|thumb|[[Molly Weasley]]'s motherly love and affection for Harry Potter|alt=]]
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Molly Weasley's love for Harry lead her to be overprotective of him and it angered her that [[Sirius Black]] and Remus Lupin went against her wishes and gave Harry the general picture of what the Order was doing in the fight against Voldemort. This in turn lead to an intense row between Molly and Sirius involving Harry's welfare. Also the form of Molly's [[boggart]], which reflected her greatest fear of seeing her family dead by appearing as their dead bodies, included Harry's own corpse. In return Harry saw her as the mother he never had, because she gave him the love and protection he needed and wanted.
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In [[1996]], [[Rubeus Hagrid]]'s love for his giant half brother [[Grawp]] made him bring Grawp with him back to Hogwarts after learning of the bullying he received from the other giants due to his smaller size and presumably to protect him from Voldemort's enslavement of the giants. This was done despite Grawp attempting to remain with the giant colony and attacking Hagrid as a result, and concerns that his attempts to earn Grawp's trust were fruitless. The concern which Harry, Ron, and Hermione had for their friends after Voldemort's return made them form [[Dumbledore's Army]] to oppose [[Dolores Umbridge]] and teach [[Defence Against the Dark Arts|practical defence]] against Voldemort, when Umbridge refused to teach defensive magic.
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[[File:Sirius duelling.gif|thumb|245px|Sirius protecting Harry Potter during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries|left]]
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The love Harry, Ron, and Hermione had for Sirius Black made them go to the [[Ministry of Magic]] in a vain attempt to rescue him from Voldemort, unaware it was a false vision Voldemort planted on Harry. On the other hand, the loyalty which [[Neville Longbottom]], [[Luna Lovegood]], and [[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny Weasley]] had for Harry, Ron, and Hermione made them accompany the trio to the Ministry. Sirius's love for Harry in turn made him leave the protection of his house to rescue Harry and his friends from Voldemort's Death Eaters at the cost of his own life, despite Dumbledore's order for him to remain in his house for his own safety. [[Remus Lupin]]'s love for Harry made him restrain Harry from running through the [[veil]] after Sirius's death, despite being devastated over losing his last surviving Marauder friend.
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[[File:Voldemort possessing Harry's mind.gif|250px|thumb|Harry's love for others helped him overcome Voldemort's possession]]
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Harry's love for his parents and Sirius again helped him, when his grief over their deaths overcame Voldemort's attempt to possess him and forced him out of his mind. [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]] couldn't stand to be exposed to the emotions Harry felt and couldn't maintain control over him and left his body.
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In that same year, [[Albus Dumbledore|Dumbledore]] ignored Harry, thinking that this would prevent Voldemort from using the connection with [[Harry Potter]] to gain insight into his own mind because Voldemort would sense he cared "too much" about Harry and would be eager to use their relationship to gain access to Dumbledore's mind and knowledge of the activities of the [[Order of the Phoenix]].<ref name="OTP" />
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====1996–1997====
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{{Quote|Harry looked around; there was Ginny running toward him; she had a hard, blazing look in her face as she threw her arms around him. And without thinking, without planning it, without worrying about the fact that fifty people were watching, Harry kissed her. After several long moments — or it might have been half an hour — or possibly several sunlit days — they broke apart.|Harry finally expressing his feelings for Ginny|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince}}
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[[File:Harry&Ginny.gif|250px|thumb|[[Harry Potter]] and Ginny Weasley kiss for the first time|left]]
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In [[1997]], it is revealed that the pain inflicted upon Voldemort when Harry forced him out of his mind scared him away from attempting the same tactic again. The time Harry and [[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny Weasley]] spent together in the Burrow along with Ginny opening herself up more to him finally made Harry mutually return her romantic feelings for him, to the point that he became jealous of her temporary relationship with [[Dean Thomas]]. Their mutual love later lead to their first kiss when he entered into the common room after the Quidditch match that took place during his detention with [[Severus Snape|Professor Snape]]. It also drove him to leave her in fear of her being a target of Lord Voldemort and end their direct relationship in order to protect her. Ginny's love for Harry led her to declare that she did not care what kind of danger she would be in, because to her it would be worth the risk.
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[[File:Snape vs Harry.gif|thumb|250px|Harry Potter duels Severus Snape after the latter "kills" Dumbledore]]
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In that same year, Harry's love for Professor [[Albus Dumbledore]] and grief over his death pushed him to attack Severus Snape with one of his own spells. He did this even though Snape was a more experienced [[Duelling|dueller]] and had extensive knowledge of the Dark Arts. [[Draco Malfoy]]'s love for his family pushed him to attempt to murder Dumbledore, even though he really did not want to in order to spare his parents and himself from Voldemort's wrath, when he decided to use Draco in order to punish [[Lucius Malfoy|Lucius]] for his failure to retrieve the [[Sybill Trelawney's first prophecy|prophecy]], believing that Draco would fail his mission. This also made [[Narcissa Malfoy|Narcissa]] approach Severus Snape out of love for her son and make him do an [[Unbreakable Vow]] so that he would kill Dumbledore himself and ensure Draco's protection if he failed his mission, which eventually happened towards the end of the year.
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[[Fleur Delacour]] asserted her love for [[William Weasley|Bill Weasley]] even after he was horribly scarred in battle by [[Fenrir Greyback]], stating that she did not care how he looked and that all the scars proved was that Bill was brave. Her declarations prompted [[Nymphadora Tonks|Tonks]] to once again impress upon [[Remus Lupin]] she did not care about his being a full werewolf, older than her, or that he was poor and that she loved and wanted to be with him anyway.
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====1997–1998====
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{{Dialogue a-b-a|Harry Potter|I was ready to die to stop you from hurting these people —|Lord Voldemort|But you did not!|— I meant to, and that's what did it. I've done what my mother did. They're protected from you. Haven't you noticed how none of the spells you put on them ''aren't'' binding? You can't torture them. You can't touch them.|Harry and Voldemort face each other for the last time|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows}}
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For Harry's seventeenth birthday, Molly's love for him caused her to gave him a watch that had belonged to her brother [[Fabian Prewett]]. In the middle of explaining the watch-giving tradition, Molly's speech was interrupted by a hug from Harry with which he hoped to convey his deep feelings of gratitude and care, which worked; Molly was taken-aback, but very touched.
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[[File:Ginny&Harry2.gif|250px|thumb|The romantic love felt by [[Harry Potter]] and [[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny Weasley]] manifests in a kiss|left]]
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During Harry's stay at [[The Burrow]] before his hunt for the Horcruxes, his love for Ginny motivated him to stay away from her, as anyone he came in contact with was a target of [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]]. In return, Ginny's love for Harry motivated her to insure that he remembered her while on his [[Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter's Horcrux Hunt|Horcrux hunt]], by kissing him as she had never done so before. Also, the knowledge that Harry was leaving for an indiscriminate amount time and the fact that she did not know when she would see him next, finally brought her to tears.
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Their love and caring for Harry motivated [[Hermione Granger]] and [[Ronald Weasley|Ron Weasley]] to accompany him on the [[Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter's Horcrux Hunt|Horcrux hunt]], leaving their families and risking their lives.<ref name="HBP">{{HBP}}</ref> When Harry, Ron, and Hermione were taken to [[Malfoy Manor]], Ron begged and pleaded with Bellatrix to interrogate him instead of Hermione, because he deeply loved her. The love and loyalty which [[Neville Longbottom]], [[Luna Lovegood]], and [[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny Weasley]] had for Harry, Ron and Hermione motivated them to reform [[Dumbledore's Army]] and oppose both the [[Alecto and Amycus Carrow|Carrow's]] and spy on [[Severus Snape]] during Voldemort's control of Hogwarts. [[Xenophilius Lovegood]]'s love for his daughter Luna drove him to abandon his public support of Harry and caused him to attempt to turn him, Ron, and Hermione over to the Death Eaters in order to get Luna back when she was abducted by them. After escaping Malfoy Manor, Harry's love for Dobby was important, when his grief over his friend's deaths finally allowed him to block out his visions of Voldemort.
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[[File:Hermione and Ron kissing in the Chamber of Secrets.gif|thumb|245x245px|Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger kiss for the first time]]
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During the [[Battle of Hogwarts]], [[Lucius Malfoy|Lucius]] and [[Narcissa Malfoy]]'s love for [[Draco Malfoy|their son]] motivated them to look for him and desert Voldemort instead of fighting. [[Molly Weasley]]'s love for her daughter Ginny made her face Bellatrix Lestrange herself and said that no student should help her. The battle also marked the moment Ron and Hermione officially started their romantic relationship. The pair shared their first kiss after Ron showed concern for the safety of the [[Hogwarts house-elves]]. This kiss came as no surprise to Harry, as he had witnessed Ron's and Hermione's feelings for each other grow over the past few years.
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[[File:Resurrection1.gif|250px|thumb|"''Less substantial than living bodies, but much more than ghosts, they moved toward him, and on each face, there was the same loving smile''"|alt=|left]]
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In the forest before Harry confronted Voldemort, he used the [[Resurrection Stone]] to bring back his loved ones. He was immediately joined by the shades of his [[James and Lily Potter|parents]], [[Sirius Black]], and [[Remus Lupin]]. Both James' and Lily's spirits had "''loving smiles on their faces''", Lily's smile was widest of all and her spirit was described as looking at Harry as if she couldn't do so enough. Lily and James also told their son that they were tremendously proud of him, for being so brave and strong despite all the suffering and pain that he had been forced to endure. The presence of his loved ones was enough to give Harry the courage to keep going, and they remained with him until he made his way to where Voldemort was. At this point, Harry discarded the Stone, with the intention that it would be lost in the forest forever.
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[[File:Harry Potter being "killed".gif|250px|thumb|Harry Potter willingly lets Voldemort hit him with the [[Killing Curse]] in order to protect his friends and allies]]
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In the end, Harry's love for his friends caused him to sacrifice himself to Voldemort. This conferred a certain amount of protection on Harry's allies, making it so that the spells Voldemort tried to place on them, including [[Silencing Charm]]s and a [[Full Body-Bind Curse]] quickly wore off.<ref name="DH36">{{DH|B|36}}</ref> This love was what made Harry different from Voldemort. He had something worth fighting for while Voldemort could never understand the power of love. Harry's love for people even made him offer Voldemort a final chance of [[Horcrux#Reconciliation|redemption]].
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Harry Potter's love for Ginny Weasley (his future wife) made her the last person he thought about before facing his own death. Also when it seemed that Harry had been murdered by Voldemort, Ginny was beyond heartbroken and screamed louder than anyone else, alongside Ron and Hermione.<ref name="DH36">{{DH|B|36}}</ref> The supposed death of her one love was enough to drive her to attack the incredibly powerful [[Bellatrix Lestrange]] alongside Luna, and Hermione.<ref name="DH36">{{DH|B|36}}</ref> [[Minerva McGonagall]]'s love and concern for Harry made her grief and reaction over Harry's supposed death rival that of Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, and push her to duel Voldemort head on alongside [[Horace Slughorn]] and [[Kingsley Shacklebolt]].
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[[File:Neville kills Nagini.gif|left|thumb|250px|Neville Longbottom kills Nagini on Harry's orders]]
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Neville's strong loyalty and friendship for Harry gave him the courage to stand up to Voldemort himself, refuse his offer to join him as a Death Eater, and then destroy his last remaining Horcrux, [[Nagini]], to render Voldemort mortal, even when it seemed all was lost with Harry's supposed death. This strong display of courage by Neville was what enabled Harry to defeat Voldemort for the final time and end the Second Wizarding War.
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===[[2020s]]===
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[[Scorpius Malfoy]]'s desperation to restore [[Rose Granger-Weasley]]'s existence to the timeline that he and Albus Potter accidentally altered by the use of a [[Time-Turner]] showed that his interest in her was more than just a simple schoolboy crush and indicated that he was truly and deeply in love with her.<ref name="CC">{{CC}}</ref>
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Also, in [[2020]], the love [[Harry Potter|Harry]] and [[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny Potter]] felt for their son [[Albus Potter|Albus]] and the love [[Draco Malfoy]] felt for his son Scorpius caused them to travel back in time in order to save them from [[Delphini|Delphi]]. Indeed, Draco expressed his love for his [[Astoria Malfoy|late wife]] and son in that he was willing to let his family's bloodline die for the sake of his wife's health, and that he raised their son to be a better person, away from their families' ancient prejudice, despite [[Lucius Malfoy|Lucius]] and [[Narcissa Malfoy]]'s displeasure with their son's change. He was also greatly tempted to use the illegal "true" Time-Turner he inherited from Lucius to see Astoria one more time, and knowing the catastrophic effects that may occur for messing with time, he resisted.<ref name="CC"/>
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In an alternate timeline where Scorpius and Albus accidentally created, in which Voldemort killed Harry and successfully conquered the world, Snape continued to lament his failure to uphold protecting Lily's son. Upon Scorpius relaying the truth of this deviated timeline to Snape, the latter agreed to help restore everything back to the way it was supposed to be, knowing that the original timeline is where he died, showing his love for Lily was still strong as ever.<ref name="CC"/>
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==Nature==
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{{Quote|And you know, again, there's this thread running through the books, what love does, and it raises people to the heights of absolute heroism, as in Lily, Harry, Neville. And it also leads them into acts of foolishness and even evil, which is Bellatrix and also Dumbledore. He became foolish. He lost his centre, his moral centre, when he became infatuated. So that's what it does, that's what makes it dangerous.|[[J. K. Rowling]] regarding love and its influence|The Leaky Cauldron (website)}}
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There was a difference between true love and a simple, short-term infatuation, such as a crush. Harry Potter developed a crush on [[Cho Chang]] and their relationship broke apart from various misunderstandings and quarrels. Harry eventually lost interest in Cho altogether though he remained friends with her. [[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny Weasley]] had a crush on Harry since she was 11 which prompted her to send him a love letter on Valentine's day. This crush slowly turned to love. True love had the power to change the form a [[Patronus Charm|Patronus]] takes, as it can change a person's character (as seen with Lily and James Potter) as proven with [[Nymphadora Tonks]] when she fell in love with [[Remus Lupin]].
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There was also a difference between true love and obsession as true love meant someone doing everything for their beloved's happiness. On the other hand, obsessive love meant desperately attempting to be loved even though their true loves did not reciprocate their love, either through enchanting their lovers, or doing dangerous acts to please their lovers. This was the case with [[Merope Riddle]] for [[Tom Riddle Senior|Tom Riddle]], and [[Bellatrix Lestrange]] for [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]].
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[[File:Neville confronts Voldemort.jpg|thumb|249x249px|Love giving [[Neville Longbottom]] the courage to stand up to Voldemort]]
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Love was also an incredibly dangerous emotion. It caused people to act in extreme ways, both bad and good. For example it gave [[Harry Potter]] and [[Lily J. Potter|Lily Potter]] the strength needed to sacrifice themselves and gave Neville Longbottom the courage required to stand up to Lord Voldemort. It was also a motivator that drove Bellatrix Lestrange to commit all the heinous acts she had performed over the years. Bellatrix did this in the name of her obsessive love for the Dark Lord.
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It also caused foolishness in Dumbledore, when he momentarily forgot that Marvolo Gaunt's ring containing the [[Resurrection Stone]] was a Horcrux. In his haste to see his deceased loved ones again he put the ring on, this caused him to become infected with a lethal curse. Although [[Bartemius Crouch Junior's mother]] meant well when she rescued her beloved [[Bartemius Crouch Junior|son]] from a life-sentence in [[Azkaban]], she effectively released a mentally unstable, psychopathic criminal who would go onto commit patricide and assist Lord Voldemort's revival that plunged the world into the [[Second Wizarding War]].
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[[File:B3C8M2 Fat Lady portrait slashed.png|left|thumb|251x251px|[[Sirius Black]]'s love for Harry causes him to destroy the Fat Lady's portrait in his desperation to protect Harry from Pettigrew]]
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Other dangers of love were that it made [[Sirius Black]] act more recklessly and violently in his desperation to protect Harry from [[Peter Pettigrew]] after escaping [[Azkaban]], and pushed [[Draco Malfoy]] to attempt to kill Dumbledore while attempting to spare his parents and himself from Voldemort's wrath. This was also shown when Voldemort, in his mission to uncover the [[Sybill Trelawney's first prophecy|prophecy]], took advantage of Harry's love for Sirius by planting a false vision of him torturing Sirius in Harry's mind, making Harry and his friends go to the [[Department of Mysteries]] in a vain attempt to rescue him, without realising it was a trap. These dangerous aspects of love were the main reason why the [[Love Room]] within the Department of Mysteries was always locked.<ref name="OTP"/>
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While true love was a powerful emotion, it was not infallible. Originally, Barty Crouch Junior loved his mother, crying for her when he was sentenced to Azkaban and for the first week there.<ref>{{GOF|B|30}}</ref> However, after suffering mental decline in the horrid prison, and his hatred for his father for sending him there, Barty seemed to have forgotten about his love for his mother, as he devoted the rest of his life to serving Voldemort, abusing the freedom his once-beloved mother died to give him without remorse.<ref>{{GOF|B|35}}</ref>
   
 
==Love and magic==
 
==Love and magic==
{{dialogue a-b-a|Albus Dumbledore|...you have never been seduced by the [[Dark Arts]], never, even for a second, shown the slightest desire to become one of [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort's]] followers!|Harry Potter|Of course I haven't! He killed my [[Lily Evans|mum]] and [[James Potter I|dad]]!|You are protected, in short, by your ability to love! The only protection that can possibly work against the lure of power like Voldemort's! In spite of all the temptation you have endured, all the suffering, you remain pure of heart, as pure as you were five years ago, when you looked into a [[Mirror of Erised|mirror that reflected your heart's desire]]. Harry, do you have any idea how few [[wizards]] could see what you saw in that mirror?|[[Albus Dumbledore]] and [[Harry Potter]] in [[1996]].|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince}}
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{{Quote|You are protected, in short, by your ability to love! The only protection that can possibly work against the lure of power like Voldemort's! In spite of all the temptation you have endured, all the suffering, you remain pure of heart, as pure as you were five years ago, when you looked into a [[Mirror of Erised|mirror that reflected your heart's desire]]. Harry, do you have any idea how few wizards could see what you saw in that mirror?|Description of Harry Potter's rare nature|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince}}
   
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[[File:Tumblr mm80qqESfG1rmesz7o8 250.gif|250px|thumb|[[Harry Potter]] can conjure an incredibly powerful Patronus, in part due to his ability to feel love]]
[[File:Tonks-Patronus.jpg|thumb|left|170px|[[Nymphadora Tonks]]'s werewolf [[Patronus Charm|Patronus]].]]
 
Love has a profound effect on [[magic]]. [[Lily Evans|Lily Evans's]] love for her son made her willing to die for him, and because of [[Sacrificial protection|that sacrifice]], [[Harry Potter|Harry]] was protected from the most powerful [[Dark Arts|Dark magic]] of all — the [[Killing Curse]].<ref name="DH"/> Love is the only protection against the lure and power of the [[Dark Arts]], which are fueled by hateful emotions.<ref name="HBP"/> Harry failed to learn [[Occlumency]] in order to block his connection to [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort's]] mind, but he managed to block the link when he focused on his feelings for his loved ones, such as when he felt grief over his [[Sirius Black|godfather's]] death,<ref name="OTP"/> and when he was frantic with worry about [[Hermione Granger]] when she was being [[Cruciatus Curse|tortured]] by [[Bellatrix Lestrange]].<ref name="DH"/> Those who are filled with hatred, such as [[Tom Riddle]] and [[Quirinus Quirrell]], can be inflicted great pain and even death by the power of love.
 
   
  +
Love had an incredibly profound effect on magic. [[Lily J. Potter|Lily Potter]]'s love for her son made her willing to die for him. Because of her loving [[Sacrificial protection|sacrifice]], Harry Potter was protected from very powerful dark magic — the [[Killing Curse]].<ref name="DH">{{DH}}</ref> This protection was later strengthened when Voldemort arrogantly used Harry's blood to reinvigorate his body, to the point that Harry could not be killed while Voldemort was still alive, making it possible for Harry to survive another hit from the Killing Curse, when he found out when he was one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. By doing the same thing as his mother did, everyone that Harry sacrificed for was shielded from Voldemort.
{{Quote|Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realise that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign ... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. (...) It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good.|Dumbledore on why [[Quirinus Quirrell]] could not touch Harry|Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone}}
 
   
  +
Love was the only protection against the lure and power of the [[Dark Arts]], which came from hateful and spiteful emotions.<ref name="HBP" /> Harry failed to learn [[Occlumency]] in order to block his connection to [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort's]] mind, but he managed to block the link when he focused on his feelings for his loved ones, such as when he felt grief over his godfather's death,<ref name="OTP" /> and when he was frantically worried about [[Hermione Granger]] when she was being brutally tortured by [[Bellatrix Lestrange]].<ref name="DH" /> Those who were filled with hate, such as Tom Riddle and [[Quirinus Quirrell]], could be inflicted great pain and even death by the power of love.
Love can also affect other types of magic, notably the [[Patronus Charm|Patronus]]. Harry's Patronus is the same as the Patronus and [[Animagus]] form of his [[James Potter I|father]], a [[Deer|stag]].<ref name="POA"/> James' [[Lily Evans|wife]] had a doe [[Patronus]] to match her husband's, and [[Severus Snape|Severus Snape's]] mimicked [[Lily Evans|hers]] because of his love for her.<ref name="DH"/> [[Nymphadora Tonks]]'s Patronus changed to a [[werewolf]] when she fell in love with [[Remus Lupin]].<ref name="HBP"/>
 
   
  +
[[File:Nymphadora Tonks casting the Patronus Charm.jpg|200px|thumb|left|[[Nymphadora Tonks]]'s wolf Patronus, once a rabbit]]
{{quote|Hermione was screaming again: The sound went through Harry like physical pain. Barely conscious of the fierce prickling of his scar, he too started to run around the cellar, feeling the walls for he hardly knew what, knowing in his heart that it was useless.... He felt Voldemort’s fury, but as Hermione screamed again he shut it out, returning to the cellar and the horror of his own present.|[[Harry Potter]] cutting off his connection to [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]].|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows}}
 
  +
  +
Love could also affect other types of magic, notably the [[Patronus Charm|Patronus]]. Harry's Patronus was the same as the Patronus and [[Animagus]] form of his father's, a stag.<ref name="POA" /> James's wife, [[Lily J. Potter|Lily Evans]], had a doe Patronus to match her husband's stag. [[Severus Snape]]'s mimicked Lily's doe Patronus because of his love for her.<ref name="DH33"/> Nymphadora Tonks's Patronus changed to a wolf when she fell in love with [[Remus Lupin]].<ref name="HBP" /> Love could also enhance the power of a Patronus, as Harry's love for Sirius made him produce a Patronus so powerful that it could drive hundreds of [[Dementor|Dementors]] away.
  +
  +
[[Love Potion]]s and [[Entrancing Enchantments]] were meant to artificially create love, but they couldn't; nothing could reproduce real love. Instead, they could at most produce an intense infatuation or obsession. Should these powers become undone, the victim would most likely lose all infatuation for the caster, and even become embarrassed or horrified, as Ron Weasley and Tom Riddle Snr both experienced once the love potion they were administered were cancelled, the latter even fleeing without a hint of care for the one who tried to captivate him. When a person smelt [[Amortentia]], they would smell things that reminded them of what and whom they loved.<ref name="HBP" /> Within the Love Room of the [[Department of Mysteries]] was where love was studied, and a large fountain of Amortentia was kept. This fountain was the centre of the room and the Amortentia within it was very powerful.<ref>[http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2008/01/02/pottercast-131-j-k-rowling-interview-transcript/ PotterCast 131 J.K. Rowling Interview Transcript, 2 January 2008] from LeakyCauldron.com</ref>
  +
  +
It appeared that those who abused the power of love, or applied it for the sake of those who had an affinity for the Dark Arts, usually suffered some severe backlash, based on the First Law of the [[Fundamental Laws of Magic]]. A prime example was seen when [[Merope Riddle|Merope Gaunt]] used enchantments to subjugate the man she genuinely loved. This subjugation led to her being abandoned and left to die in despair (along with her magical powers being drained from the sorrow), when she lifted the control off her besotted.
  +
  +
She later gave birth to [[Tom Riddle|a loveless being]] who would create a campaign of hatred for many decades, and would eventually be left to suffer a terrible after-death, due to his lack of understanding of love. Also, despite Mrs Crouch and [[Winky]] truly loving [[Bartemius Crouch Junior|Barty Crouch Jnr]] and making much selfless sacrifices for his sake, he was utterly ungrateful and instead wasted their efforts. Since he abused their affections and returned to the [[Dark Arts]], he suffered [[Dementor's Kiss|a fate worse than death]].
  +
  +
==Love in literature==
  +
{{Quote|Now you are healed and will know true love!|The [[Maiden]]|The Tales of Beedle the Bard (real)}}[[Amata]] in ''[[The Fountain of Fair Fortune]]'' fell in love with a [[Non-magic people|Muggle]] named [[Sir Luckless]].<ref name="TBBF">{{TBB|F}}</ref>
   
  +
The [[Warlock (The Warlock's Hairy Heart)|Warlock]] in ''[[The Warlock's Hairy Heart]]'' regarded love as a sickness and used the [[Dark Arts]] to prevent it from happening to him, which led to him paying dearly for it.<ref name="TBBH">{{TBB|H}}</ref>
[[Love Potion]]s, like [[Amortentia]], and [[Entrancing Enchantments]], are meant to artificially create love, but they cannot; nothing can reproduce love. Instead, they can at most produce an intense infatuation. When a person smells [[Amortentia]], they will smell things that remind them of what and who they love.<ref name="HBP"/> Within the love room of the [[Department of Mysteries]] is where love is being studied, and a large fountain of Amortentia is kept.
 
   
  +
There were some non-fictional books about love, such as ''[[First Love, First Loss]]'' by [[Amorette Deneuve]],<ref>{{WU}} (see [https://wizardsunite.gamepress.gg/guide/mysteries-chapter-1-foundables-spell this])</ref> ''[[Love Potions]]'' by [[Salamander (author)|Dr Salamander]], ''[[Charms for attraction]]'' by [[Griselda Gogh]], as well as ''[[Magic Heart]]'' and ''[[Love and Other Demons]]''.<ref>{{HM}} {{See image|File:HM Love Story trailer books.png}}</ref>
It appears that those who abuse the power of love, or apply it for the sake of those who have an affinity for the Dark Arts, usually suffer some severe backlash, based on the First Law of the [[Fundamental Laws of Magic]]. A prime example is seen when Merope Gaunt used enchantments to subjugate the man she genuinely loved, only to be abandoned and left to die in despair (along with her magical powers being drained from the sorrow) when she lifted the control out of her besotted believe, and giving birth to a loveless being who would create a campaign of hatred for many decades before that being is left to suffer a terrible after-death fate due to his lack of understanding of love. Also, despite Mrs. Crouch and Winky truly loving Barty Crouch Jr. and forfeited many of their own benefits for his sake, he was utterly ungrateful, and instead let their sacrifices be in vain (if not for the worse) as he abused their affections and returned to the Dark Arts, which led to his worse-than-death fate.
 
   
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
* {{Wikilink|Love}}
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*{{Wikilink|Love}}
   
 
==Appearances==
 
==Appearances==
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*{{PS}} {{1st}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]'' {{1st}}
 
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*{{PS|F}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)]]''
 
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*{{PS|G}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]''
 
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*{{COS}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)]]''
 
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*{{COS|F}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]''
 
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*{{COS|G}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)]]''
 
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*{{POA}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''
 
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*{{POA|F}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)]]''
 
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*{{POA|G}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]''
 
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*{{GOF}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)]]''
 
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*{{GOF|F}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''
 
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*{{GOF|G}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)]]''
 
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*{{OOTP}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)]]''
 
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*{{OOTP|F}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]''
 
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*{{OOTP|G}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1]]''
 
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*{{HBP}}
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2]]''
 
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*{{HBP|F}}
* ''[[The Tales of Beedle the Bard (real)]]''
 
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*{{HBP|G}}
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*{{DH}}
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*{{DH|F1}}
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*{{DH|G1}}
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*{{DH|F2}}
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*{{DH|G2}}
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*{{CC}}
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*{{CC|P}}
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*{{FB|R}} {{Mention}}
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*{{FB|S}}
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*{{FB|F}}
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*{{COG|S}}
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*{{COG}}
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*{{SOD|S}}
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*{{SOD}}
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*{{TBB|R}}
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*{{PM}}
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*{{WW}}
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*{{DP}} {{Mention}}
  +
*{{HPV|CH}} {{Mention}}
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*{{LEGO|Y1}}
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*{{LEGO|Y2}}
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*{{TCG}}
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*{{HPLE}} {{Mention}}
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*{{HPFW}} {{Mention}}
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*{{HPK}}
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*{{WBS}}
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*{{WBP}}
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*{{HM}}
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*{{WU}}
  +
*{{PAS}} {{Mention}}
  +
*{{MA}}
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*{{HL}} {{Mention}}
   
 
==Notes and references==
 
==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}
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{{Reflist}}
  +
[[de:Liebe]]
 
  +
[[es:Amor]]
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[[pt-br:Amor]]
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[[pl:Miłość]]
 
[[ru:Любовь]]
 
[[ru:Любовь]]
[[Category:Psychology]]
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[[Category:Laws of magic]]
[[Category:Love Magic]]
+
[[Category:Love magic]]
[[Category:Laws of Magic]]
 

Latest revision as of 20:55, 17 March 2024

"There is a room in the Department of Mysteries that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all."
— The power of love and its magical properties[src]
Unbreakable vow

Narcissa Malfoy's maternal love for her son causes her to make an Unbreakable Vow

Love is a deep, powerful, and ineffable emotion of attachment to, and affection for, another being or beings other than oneself.[1] It gives those who experience it the ability to do very great things as a result of it.

Harry Potter in particular had such great love for his friends that he decided to sacrifice himself to Voldemort. This sacrifice conferred Harry's allies a certain amount of protection, thus the spells Voldemort tried to place on them wouldn't hold.[2] Someone full of hate (such as Voldemort himself, Tom Riddle), who had never known love couldn't begin to understand its full magical properties.

Love was one of the hardest and strongest kinds of magic and as such, provided the only defence for the Killing Curse. Love was also quite possibly the most mysterious branch of magic and was extremely difficult to comprehend. There was a room devoted to the study of it in the Department of Mysteries.

History

11th century

"He tracked me to the forest where I was hiding. When I refused to return with him, he became violent. The baron was always a hot-tempered man. Furious at my refusal, jealous of my freedom, he stabbed me... When he saw what he had done, he was overcome with remorse. He took the weapon that had claimed my life, and used it to kill himself."
— Helena tells Harry the story of her and the Baron's death[src]

The Bloody Baron had fallen in love with Helena Ravenclaw, but she did not reciprocate and rejected his many advances, the last rejection leading to his impulsively killing her, then killing himself out of regret.[3] Throughout Helena's life, she never found true love due to never having found a man worthy of her standards.[4]

Rowena Ravenclaw loved her daughter Helena greatly, as she never revealed her daughter's betrayal and desertion to others, and fell fatally ill from what legends describe as a "broken heart". Even in her deathbed, Rowena disregarded Helena's betrayal and her last wish was to simply see her daughter one more time.[3]

12th century

Cadmus Peverell's resurrected fiancée vanishing

Cadmus being briefly reuinted with his fiancée

Cadmus Peverell fell in love with a woman, but she died of unknown causes before the two could be wed. After either creating or been given the Resurrection Stone by Death, he used it in an attempt to bring his late lover back to him, but this "revival" was incomplete and she was always sad and cold, giving off the feeling of the two were still separated.[5][6]

Cadmus was driven mad by being unable to be with his love in this life, so he committed suicide by hanging himself from rafters to be truly reunited with her in the next life.[5][6]

17th century

"Rage and magic could not wake them, but the terrified screams of their daughters broke the curse Gormlaith had laid upon them, which, like Gormlaith herself, took no account of the power of love."
— The power of love awakens Isolt and James Steward[src]
Isolt wand

Isolt prepares to duel Gormlaith in defence of her family

Around 1634, Gormlaith Gaunt tracked down Isolt Sayre (her niece who had escaped her) and placed her and her husband, the Muggle James Steward, under a powerful curse that kept them in a deep sleep. Though it seemed nothing could wake them, the screams of their daughters broke through the enchantment, as they loved their daughters very deeply.[7]

Also during this time, Webster Boot fell in love with a Scottish witch and the two married, settled in Britain, and had children together. Webster’s descendants would be educated at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, such as descendant Terry Boot.

1890s

In 1899, Albus Dumbledore's love for his brother and sister pushed him to turn against his new friend and lover Gellert Grindelwald and attack him, finally defeating him in 1945.[8]

1910s

In 1913, Newt Scamander, out of love for Leta Lestrange, took the blame for one of her experiments. This experiment involved a Jarvey and it went wrong, endangering the life of another student. Rather than see his good friend expelled, Newt took the blame and was expelled from Hogwarts in her place.[9][10][11] This left him slightly bitter, but still much in love with Leta.[12]

1920s

"I believe that Merope, who was deeply in love with her husband, could not bear to continue enslaving him by magical means. I believe that she made the choice to stop giving him the potion. Perhaps, besotted as she was, she had convinced herself that he would by now have fallen in love with her in return. If so, she was wrong on both counts. He left her, never saw her again, and never troubled to discover what became of his son."
— Merope Gaunt's tragic relationship with Tom Riddle Snr[src]
Gaunt riddle

Merope Gaunt staring longingly at Tom Riddle

In 1925, Merope Gaunt had developed an attraction with Tom Riddle Snr, and betrayed her family's beliefs in blood purity to be with the man she desired. Riddle, however, was not interested in her, and thus she either controlled him with the Imperius Curse or gave him a Love Potion, the latter more likely, thereby forcing him to marry her. After she fell pregnant, she stopped dosing Riddle with Love Potions, thinking that he would finally love her in return or at least stay to help raise their child.

However, after regaining his free will, Riddle fled from Merope and returned to his family. Realising the abandonment is the confirmation that Riddle did not love her made Merope lose her will to live, to the point that she would not (or could not) perform magic any further. Her son, also named Tom Riddle, was unable to feel love for anyone partly due to his parents not truly loving each other.

In 1927, Leta Lestrange sacrificed herself in an attempt to fight against Gellert Grindelwald in order to protect Newt and Theseus, whom she both loved dearly as she declared moments before she died. Leta's death profoundly devastated the brothers, enraging Theseus, who was going to marry her, and prompting Newton to get more involved in the war against Grindelwald in order to avenge Leta's demise.

Queenie and Jacob 2 FBF

Jacob and Queenie embracing

Queenie Goldstein, who was deeply in love with the No-Maj Jacob Kowalski, enchanted him so that he would accept to marry her. Indeed, although Jacob really did love Queenie as well, he refused to marry her since it could cause her to be sent into prison due to the laws preventing Wizards from marrying No-Majs. Once the enchantment was lifted by Newton Scamander, Queenie, in a drastic and desperate attempt to be able to freely live with Jacob, joined the ranks of Gellert Grindelwald's army, believing that Gellert Grindelwald would tear down the old system and allow her to be with Jacob. Jacob, however, refused to follow her on that path.

1970s

"No, Andromeda's not on here either, look. Andromeda's sisters are still here because they made lovely, respectable pure-blood marriages, but Andromeda married a Muggle-born, Ted Tonks, so —"
— Andromeda married out of love and was disowned by her family[src]

During the early 1970s, Severus Snape met Lily Evans and fell deeply in love with her as a child, becoming a close friend of hers. Over the course of their school years at Hogwarts, his love for only continued to grow stronger, with Snape sinking into incandescent jealousy when he learnt that his archenemy James Potter had feelings for Lily in their fifth year. Despite ending her friendship with him later on, however, Snape continued to feel nothing but deep, unconditional love for Lily until the end of his life.

Andromeda and Ted

Andromeda Black married Muggle-born Ted Tonks out of love

Around 1977, James Potter himself, who was very mischievous, was truly in love with Lily to the point where it changed his character a little by the fact that he stopped hexing people just for fun.[13]

Bellatrix may have married Rodolphus Lestrange out of obligation for her family's beliefs, but her true love is Lord Voldemort.[14] Voldemort, on the other hand, did not reciprocate, as he cannot understand love due to his upbringing, although he does value Bellatrix's talents and loyalty. Unlike their eldest sister, Andromeda and Narcissa married their respective spouses out of love and in Andromeda's case went against her family's beliefs, which led her to be disinherited.

1980s

"You know, of course, that they have called this boy my downfall? You all know that on the night I lost my powers and my body, I tried to kill him. His mother died in the attempt to save him — and unwittingly provided him with a protection I admit I had not foreseen.... I could not touch the boy. His mother left upon him the traces of her sacrifice.... This is old magic, I should have remembered it, I was foolish to overlook it ... but no matter. I can touch him now."
— Lord Voldemort reflecting on his first defeat[src]

In 1981, Severus Snape's love for Lily Evans pushed him to join the Order of the Phoenix, even though he hated her husband, and then Snape desperately begged Lord Voldemort to promise to spare her when he went to murder her infant son Harry Potter.[15]

Lily protecting Harry from Voldemort

Lily Potter being murdered by Lord Voldemort, after she refuses to stop shielding her son

In that same year on Hallowe'en, James' love for his wife and son caused him to stand face to face with the darkest wizard in a century (Lord Voldemort) on his own in an effort to give them time to escape. Also in the same night, Lily's love for her son Harry protected him from Lord Voldemort. He became the only known person in history to survive the Killing Curse, because of the power of Lily's loving sacrifice.[16][17] However, it could be that while love was the motive, the cause of Harry's protection was that Lily had lured Voldemort into a binding magical contract so that having killed her, he would be unable to kill Harry, because he had already promised to spare Lily, and only her offer allowed him to kill her.[17]

Sirius Black's grief over James and Lily's deaths made him track down Peter Pettigrew and attempt to kill him in retaliation after realising he betrayed James and Lily to Voldemort, an act which resulted in his 12-year imprisonment in Azkaban after Pettigrew faked his own death and framed him for his crimes. Most notably, however, Lily's death would leave Snape phenomenally devastated, causing him to suffer terrible remorse for his unintentional part in her demise, but, in turn, it would drive him to officially join the Order of the Phoenix as a double agent and spy on the Death Eaters at Dumbledore's behest, so as to protect Harry in anticipation of Voldemort's return and to ultimately defeat the most dangerous Dark wizard of all time, with his change in allegiances also gradually turning Snape into a better man.

Albus harry godricshollow

Albus stays by Harry's side while witnessing the murders of James and Lily Potter

Also, on Hallowe'en in 1981 (after travelling back in time), Ginny Potter's love for her husband was shown when she argued against Harry being the one to disguise himself as Voldemort in an attempt to lure Delphi into a trap.[18] She even offered to be the one disguised instead, but eventually conceded as both her and Harry agreed that it must be him, seeing as it was the only way.[18] Ginny was also unable to bear looking at Harry when he was wearing Voldemort's form, as it hurt her to see the man she loved dearly disguised as the man both she and Harry hated.

On the same night, the love that Albus Potter felt for his father Harry caused him to risk his own life in order to save him from Delphi, during the latter's duel in a church. This love was returned when Harry jumps in front of his son when a Killing Curse is aimed at him. Harry is later found after the confrontation to be furious at Delphi for attempting to murder his child.[18]

The Weasley family was not wealthy at all, compared to other wizarding families. Many other pure-blood families, particularly the Malfoys, disdained them for their "blood traitor" beliefs and lack of wealth. Molly and Arthur tried their best to make up for this by sustaining their children with their love.[19]

After Barty Crouch Jnr was imprisoned in Azkaban, his mother persuaded his father to help break him out. Crouch Snr agreed out of love for his wife and some love for his son, even though his neglect of Barty Jnr for his Ministry duty and public image made his son claim he never loved him at the very least. Winky the house-elf, who also loved Barty Jnr, cared for him with a sense of motherly affections, though Barty believed that it was pity and duty. He instead let their sacrifices be in vain by returning to the Dark Arts, and as a result, suffered the Dementor's Kiss.[20]

Throughout the decade, the love Jacob's sibling felt for their brother caused them to obsessively seek out the Cursed Vaults. The platonic love between them, Rowan Khanna, Penny Haywood, and Ben Copper along with friends they would make throughout their education would make this quest possible.[21]

Penny and Beatrice Haywood HM51

The Haywood sisters have a deep love for each other

During the 1988–1989 school year, after the portrait curse trapped Beatrice Haywood, her older sister, Penny Haywood, spent every moment she could trying to free her; in the next year after she was freed, the sister came into conflict as Beatrice wanted more space and made friends with the often considered disreputable Ismelda Murk, while Penny wished that Beatrice could be back to her old cheerful self and they could be close again.[22] However, after Jacob's sibling asked Penny to help brew a love potion for an unrelated matter, Penny reflected on the nature of love and realised she could not change her sister and that the best way to express her love for her is respect her wishes.[23] As a friend to both Penny and Beatrice, Jacob's sibling would discuss and contrast the love and strife within the relationships they have with their once-close siblings multiple times.

During the 1989–1990 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Rowan Khanna's love for their friends caused them to intercept the Killing Curse aimed at Ben Copper by the Dark witch Patricia Rakepick and selflessly sacrifice their own life for him. Their heroic death would inspire Jacob's sibling, Ben Copper and Merula Snyde to establish the Circle of Khanna in honour of them.[24]

1991–1992

Harry Potter: "But why couldn’t Quirrell touch me?"
Albus Dumbledore: "Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realise that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign ... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."
— Discussion of the power of love[src]
Harry Potter touches Quirrel face

Quirrel's inability to touch Harry in 1991 because of Lily's loving sacrifice

On 4 June 1992, because of the protection that Lily Potter's loving sacrifice created for Harry Potter Professor Quirinus Quirrell could not touch Harry without serious harm to his physical well-being, his body started to burn when he came into contact with Harry's skin.[16] In doing so, this led to Professor Quirinus Quirrell's death and Voldemort was once again without a body to possess[16] and was unable to return to power without a corporeal form of his own, bringing him back to being less than a ghost,[25] Lily's love for Harry pushing back his return.[16]

1992–1993

Some time around 31 July 1992, Ginny Weasley's romantic feelings for Harry drove her into hiding in his presence during his first visit to the Burrow. She later stood up for him against Draco Malfoy. Her love also prompted her to send Harry a Valentine's Day card, and later attempt to reveal to him and Ron that she was responsible for opening the Chamber of Secrets.

Harry-potter2-harry&ginny

A worried Harry checks on Ginny in the Chamber of Secrets

On 29 May 1993, the love Ron had for his sister Ginny, and the love Harry felt for Ron as his best friend, caused them to go to the Chamber of Secrets to rescue her from the Basilisk and the Heir of Slytherin. Harry also stated that it was the worst day of his life.[19] Harry's love for Ginny also caused him to panic when he saw her unmoving form laying on the Chamber floor, scared that she might have been dead.

It is also revealed that after the events in the Chamber of Secrets, people shut Ginny out of their lives, but Harry came to her and played a game of Exploding Snap. Although Harry did not have romantic feelings for Ginny at the time, Ginny claimed that she felt specific love from Harry since that day and that his love for her always made her feel stronger.[18]

1993–1994

"With a patronus? I heard Snape telling Dumbledore. According to him, only a really powerful wizard could've conjured it."
— Harry Potter's powerful Patronus[src]

Some time around 31 July, 1993, Sirius Black's protective feelings for Harry drove him into escaping from Azkaban unaided after learning Peter Pettigrew was in the possession of the Weasley family and potentially a threat to Harry. His affection for Harry also led him to Privet Drive in order to catch a glimpse of him. Sirius even ventured out into a rainstorm in order to watch Harry play Seeker during a Quidditch match.

On 6 June 1994, Remus Lupin's love for Sirius made him believe of Sirius's innocence immediately after discovering Pettigrew was still alive, despite initially believing Sirius was the traitor and then reveal the truth to Harry, Ron and Hermione. Remus' love for Sirius also led to him preventing Harry from causing any more harm to him, as Harry was previously debating killing Black.[26]

Stag Patronus

Harry Potter's stag Patronus fends of hundreds of Dementors

The love Harry Potter felt for his godfather Sirius after discovering his innocence caused him and his other best friend Hermoine Granger to head back in time via a Time-Turner to rescue him from the Dementors. The prospect of living with him instead of the Dursleys gave him a powerful and happy enough memory to conjure an incredibly powerful corporal Patronus that drove away hundreds of Dementors, thus saving his past self, the past Hermione, and Sirius from the Dementor's Kiss.[26]

1994–1995

"Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Is she alive? Is she ’urt?"
— Fleur's love for her sister[src]
B4C27M1 fugitives in the cave near Hogsmeade

Sirius Black putting his safety in jeopardy by visiting Harry Potter in Hogsmeade

Sirius Black's love for Harry caused him to put his own safety in jeopardy when he journeyed to Hogsmeade in order to visit Harry during his stint as Triwizard champion. Sirius spent this period in time living in a cave and eating rats as a source of food. Sirius's love for Harry also caused him to risk exposure in several other instances as well, such as contacting Harry while he was in the Gryffindor common room.

Fleur Delacour's love for her little sister Gabrielle was what lead to Gabrielle being taken into the lake as the thing Fleur would sorely miss during the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament. During the Task, Fleur was attacked by Grindylows and was forced to retreat. Unaware that the hostages were not in any real danger, she was quite hysterical. She fought so hard to return to the water that even half-giant Madame Maxime had difficulty restraining her, until Gabrielle finally reached the surface.

On 20 May 1995, the love Dave and Tilly Monk felt for their fledgling newborn children caused them to provide them immediate medical care through an "amazing" neonatal team. The twins were quickly taken to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where they were kept in incubators, receiving vital fluids through intravenous lines and breathing with the help of mechanical ventilators. Five days after his birth, Tom's condition was stable enough for Tilly to hold him in her arms for the first time, which gave her a "huge boost." Dave was also over the moon and wrote an article about their miraculous birth, which was featured on the front page of the 12 August, 1995 issue of Metro, under the title "Miracle babies make it".[27]

Priori Incantatem Pottermore

The effects of Priori Incantatem

On 24 June 1995, Harry managed to escape from the Little Hangleton graveyard and Lord Voldemort when the echoes of some of his loved ones came to his aid through the effect of Priori Incantatem.[20] This was the first time Harry communicated with his parents in some form. Later that night, when Amos Diggory spotted the deceased Cedric's body, the love he had for his son caused him to break down in grief and let out an cry of anguish.

1995–1996

"I cared about you too much. I cared more for your happiness than your knowing the truth, more for your peace of mind than my plan, more for your life than the lives that might be lost if the plan failed. In other words, I acted exactly as Voldemort expects we fools who love to act."
— Dumbledore regarding his affection for Harry[src]
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Molly Weasley's motherly love and affection for Harry Potter

Molly Weasley's love for Harry lead her to be overprotective of him and it angered her that Sirius Black and Remus Lupin went against her wishes and gave Harry the general picture of what the Order was doing in the fight against Voldemort. This in turn lead to an intense row between Molly and Sirius involving Harry's welfare. Also the form of Molly's boggart, which reflected her greatest fear of seeing her family dead by appearing as their dead bodies, included Harry's own corpse. In return Harry saw her as the mother he never had, because she gave him the love and protection he needed and wanted.

In 1996, Rubeus Hagrid's love for his giant half brother Grawp made him bring Grawp with him back to Hogwarts after learning of the bullying he received from the other giants due to his smaller size and presumably to protect him from Voldemort's enslavement of the giants. This was done despite Grawp attempting to remain with the giant colony and attacking Hagrid as a result, and concerns that his attempts to earn Grawp's trust were fruitless. The concern which Harry, Ron, and Hermione had for their friends after Voldemort's return made them form Dumbledore's Army to oppose Dolores Umbridge and teach practical defence against Voldemort, when Umbridge refused to teach defensive magic.

Sirius duelling

Sirius protecting Harry Potter during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries

The love Harry, Ron, and Hermione had for Sirius Black made them go to the Ministry of Magic in a vain attempt to rescue him from Voldemort, unaware it was a false vision Voldemort planted on Harry. On the other hand, the loyalty which Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and Ginny Weasley had for Harry, Ron, and Hermione made them accompany the trio to the Ministry. Sirius's love for Harry in turn made him leave the protection of his house to rescue Harry and his friends from Voldemort's Death Eaters at the cost of his own life, despite Dumbledore's order for him to remain in his house for his own safety. Remus Lupin's love for Harry made him restrain Harry from running through the veil after Sirius's death, despite being devastated over losing his last surviving Marauder friend.

Voldemort possessing Harry's mind

Harry's love for others helped him overcome Voldemort's possession

Harry's love for his parents and Sirius again helped him, when his grief over their deaths overcame Voldemort's attempt to possess him and forced him out of his mind. Voldemort couldn't stand to be exposed to the emotions Harry felt and couldn't maintain control over him and left his body.

In that same year, Dumbledore ignored Harry, thinking that this would prevent Voldemort from using the connection with Harry Potter to gain insight into his own mind because Voldemort would sense he cared "too much" about Harry and would be eager to use their relationship to gain access to Dumbledore's mind and knowledge of the activities of the Order of the Phoenix.[13]

1996–1997

"Harry looked around; there was Ginny running toward him; she had a hard, blazing look in her face as she threw her arms around him. And without thinking, without planning it, without worrying about the fact that fifty people were watching, Harry kissed her. After several long moments — or it might have been half an hour — or possibly several sunlit days — they broke apart."
— Harry finally expressing his feelings for Ginny[src]
Harry&Ginny

Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley kiss for the first time

In 1997, it is revealed that the pain inflicted upon Voldemort when Harry forced him out of his mind scared him away from attempting the same tactic again. The time Harry and Ginny Weasley spent together in the Burrow along with Ginny opening herself up more to him finally made Harry mutually return her romantic feelings for him, to the point that he became jealous of her temporary relationship with Dean Thomas. Their mutual love later lead to their first kiss when he entered into the common room after the Quidditch match that took place during his detention with Professor Snape. It also drove him to leave her in fear of her being a target of Lord Voldemort and end their direct relationship in order to protect her. Ginny's love for Harry led her to declare that she did not care what kind of danger she would be in, because to her it would be worth the risk.

Snape vs Harry

Harry Potter duels Severus Snape after the latter "kills" Dumbledore

In that same year, Harry's love for Professor Albus Dumbledore and grief over his death pushed him to attack Severus Snape with one of his own spells. He did this even though Snape was a more experienced dueller and had extensive knowledge of the Dark Arts. Draco Malfoy's love for his family pushed him to attempt to murder Dumbledore, even though he really did not want to in order to spare his parents and himself from Voldemort's wrath, when he decided to use Draco in order to punish Lucius for his failure to retrieve the prophecy, believing that Draco would fail his mission. This also made Narcissa approach Severus Snape out of love for her son and make him do an Unbreakable Vow so that he would kill Dumbledore himself and ensure Draco's protection if he failed his mission, which eventually happened towards the end of the year.

Fleur Delacour asserted her love for Bill Weasley even after he was horribly scarred in battle by Fenrir Greyback, stating that she did not care how he looked and that all the scars proved was that Bill was brave. Her declarations prompted Tonks to once again impress upon Remus Lupin she did not care about his being a full werewolf, older than her, or that he was poor and that she loved and wanted to be with him anyway.

1997–1998

Harry Potter: "I was ready to die to stop you from hurting these people —"
Lord Voldemort: "But you did not!"
Harry Potter: "— I meant to, and that's what did it. I've done what my mother did. They're protected from you. Haven't you noticed how none of the spells you put on them aren't binding? You can't torture them. You can't touch them."
— Harry and Voldemort face each other for the last time[src]

For Harry's seventeenth birthday, Molly's love for him caused her to gave him a watch that had belonged to her brother Fabian Prewett. In the middle of explaining the watch-giving tradition, Molly's speech was interrupted by a hug from Harry with which he hoped to convey his deep feelings of gratitude and care, which worked; Molly was taken-aback, but very touched.

Ginny&Harry2

The romantic love felt by Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley manifests in a kiss

During Harry's stay at The Burrow before his hunt for the Horcruxes, his love for Ginny motivated him to stay away from her, as anyone he came in contact with was a target of Voldemort. In return, Ginny's love for Harry motivated her to insure that he remembered her while on his Horcrux hunt, by kissing him as she had never done so before. Also, the knowledge that Harry was leaving for an indiscriminate amount time and the fact that she did not know when she would see him next, finally brought her to tears.

Their love and caring for Harry motivated Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley to accompany him on the Horcrux hunt, leaving their families and risking their lives.[28] When Harry, Ron, and Hermione were taken to Malfoy Manor, Ron begged and pleaded with Bellatrix to interrogate him instead of Hermione, because he deeply loved her. The love and loyalty which Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and Ginny Weasley had for Harry, Ron and Hermione motivated them to reform Dumbledore's Army and oppose both the Carrow's and spy on Severus Snape during Voldemort's control of Hogwarts. Xenophilius Lovegood's love for his daughter Luna drove him to abandon his public support of Harry and caused him to attempt to turn him, Ron, and Hermione over to the Death Eaters in order to get Luna back when she was abducted by them. After escaping Malfoy Manor, Harry's love for Dobby was important, when his grief over his friend's deaths finally allowed him to block out his visions of Voldemort.

Hermione and Ron kissing in the Chamber of Secrets

Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger kiss for the first time

During the Battle of Hogwarts, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy's love for their son motivated them to look for him and desert Voldemort instead of fighting. Molly Weasley's love for her daughter Ginny made her face Bellatrix Lestrange herself and said that no student should help her. The battle also marked the moment Ron and Hermione officially started their romantic relationship. The pair shared their first kiss after Ron showed concern for the safety of the Hogwarts house-elves. This kiss came as no surprise to Harry, as he had witnessed Ron's and Hermione's feelings for each other grow over the past few years.

Resurrection1

"Less substantial than living bodies, but much more than ghosts, they moved toward him, and on each face, there was the same loving smile"

In the forest before Harry confronted Voldemort, he used the Resurrection Stone to bring back his loved ones. He was immediately joined by the shades of his parents, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. Both James' and Lily's spirits had "loving smiles on their faces", Lily's smile was widest of all and her spirit was described as looking at Harry as if she couldn't do so enough. Lily and James also told their son that they were tremendously proud of him, for being so brave and strong despite all the suffering and pain that he had been forced to endure. The presence of his loved ones was enough to give Harry the courage to keep going, and they remained with him until he made his way to where Voldemort was. At this point, Harry discarded the Stone, with the intention that it would be lost in the forest forever.

Harry Potter being "killed"

Harry Potter willingly lets Voldemort hit him with the Killing Curse in order to protect his friends and allies

In the end, Harry's love for his friends caused him to sacrifice himself to Voldemort. This conferred a certain amount of protection on Harry's allies, making it so that the spells Voldemort tried to place on them, including Silencing Charms and a Full Body-Bind Curse quickly wore off.[29] This love was what made Harry different from Voldemort. He had something worth fighting for while Voldemort could never understand the power of love. Harry's love for people even made him offer Voldemort a final chance of redemption.

Harry Potter's love for Ginny Weasley (his future wife) made her the last person he thought about before facing his own death. Also when it seemed that Harry had been murdered by Voldemort, Ginny was beyond heartbroken and screamed louder than anyone else, alongside Ron and Hermione.[29] The supposed death of her one love was enough to drive her to attack the incredibly powerful Bellatrix Lestrange alongside Luna, and Hermione.[29] Minerva McGonagall's love and concern for Harry made her grief and reaction over Harry's supposed death rival that of Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, and push her to duel Voldemort head on alongside Horace Slughorn and Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Neville kills Nagini

Neville Longbottom kills Nagini on Harry's orders

Neville's strong loyalty and friendship for Harry gave him the courage to stand up to Voldemort himself, refuse his offer to join him as a Death Eater, and then destroy his last remaining Horcrux, Nagini, to render Voldemort mortal, even when it seemed all was lost with Harry's supposed death. This strong display of courage by Neville was what enabled Harry to defeat Voldemort for the final time and end the Second Wizarding War.

2020s

Scorpius Malfoy's desperation to restore Rose Granger-Weasley's existence to the timeline that he and Albus Potter accidentally altered by the use of a Time-Turner showed that his interest in her was more than just a simple schoolboy crush and indicated that he was truly and deeply in love with her.[18]

Also, in 2020, the love Harry and Ginny Potter felt for their son Albus and the love Draco Malfoy felt for his son Scorpius caused them to travel back in time in order to save them from Delphi. Indeed, Draco expressed his love for his late wife and son in that he was willing to let his family's bloodline die for the sake of his wife's health, and that he raised their son to be a better person, away from their families' ancient prejudice, despite Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy's displeasure with their son's change. He was also greatly tempted to use the illegal "true" Time-Turner he inherited from Lucius to see Astoria one more time, and knowing the catastrophic effects that may occur for messing with time, he resisted.[18]

In an alternate timeline where Scorpius and Albus accidentally created, in which Voldemort killed Harry and successfully conquered the world, Snape continued to lament his failure to uphold protecting Lily's son. Upon Scorpius relaying the truth of this deviated timeline to Snape, the latter agreed to help restore everything back to the way it was supposed to be, knowing that the original timeline is where he died, showing his love for Lily was still strong as ever.[18]

Nature

"And you know, again, there's this thread running through the books, what love does, and it raises people to the heights of absolute heroism, as in Lily, Harry, Neville. And it also leads them into acts of foolishness and even evil, which is Bellatrix and also Dumbledore. He became foolish. He lost his centre, his moral centre, when he became infatuated. So that's what it does, that's what makes it dangerous."
J. K. Rowling regarding love and its influence[src]

There was a difference between true love and a simple, short-term infatuation, such as a crush. Harry Potter developed a crush on Cho Chang and their relationship broke apart from various misunderstandings and quarrels. Harry eventually lost interest in Cho altogether though he remained friends with her. Ginny Weasley had a crush on Harry since she was 11 which prompted her to send him a love letter on Valentine's day. This crush slowly turned to love. True love had the power to change the form a Patronus takes, as it can change a person's character (as seen with Lily and James Potter) as proven with Nymphadora Tonks when she fell in love with Remus Lupin.

There was also a difference between true love and obsession as true love meant someone doing everything for their beloved's happiness. On the other hand, obsessive love meant desperately attempting to be loved even though their true loves did not reciprocate their love, either through enchanting their lovers, or doing dangerous acts to please their lovers. This was the case with Merope Riddle for Tom Riddle, and Bellatrix Lestrange for Voldemort.

Neville confronts Voldemort

Love giving Neville Longbottom the courage to stand up to Voldemort

Love was also an incredibly dangerous emotion. It caused people to act in extreme ways, both bad and good. For example it gave Harry Potter and Lily Potter the strength needed to sacrifice themselves and gave Neville Longbottom the courage required to stand up to Lord Voldemort. It was also a motivator that drove Bellatrix Lestrange to commit all the heinous acts she had performed over the years. Bellatrix did this in the name of her obsessive love for the Dark Lord.

It also caused foolishness in Dumbledore, when he momentarily forgot that Marvolo Gaunt's ring containing the Resurrection Stone was a Horcrux. In his haste to see his deceased loved ones again he put the ring on, this caused him to become infected with a lethal curse. Although Bartemius Crouch Junior's mother meant well when she rescued her beloved son from a life-sentence in Azkaban, she effectively released a mentally unstable, psychopathic criminal who would go onto commit patricide and assist Lord Voldemort's revival that plunged the world into the Second Wizarding War.

B3C8M2 Fat Lady portrait slashed

Sirius Black's love for Harry causes him to destroy the Fat Lady's portrait in his desperation to protect Harry from Pettigrew

Other dangers of love were that it made Sirius Black act more recklessly and violently in his desperation to protect Harry from Peter Pettigrew after escaping Azkaban, and pushed Draco Malfoy to attempt to kill Dumbledore while attempting to spare his parents and himself from Voldemort's wrath. This was also shown when Voldemort, in his mission to uncover the prophecy, took advantage of Harry's love for Sirius by planting a false vision of him torturing Sirius in Harry's mind, making Harry and his friends go to the Department of Mysteries in a vain attempt to rescue him, without realising it was a trap. These dangerous aspects of love were the main reason why the Love Room within the Department of Mysteries was always locked.[13]

While true love was a powerful emotion, it was not infallible. Originally, Barty Crouch Junior loved his mother, crying for her when he was sentenced to Azkaban and for the first week there.[30] However, after suffering mental decline in the horrid prison, and his hatred for his father for sending him there, Barty seemed to have forgotten about his love for his mother, as he devoted the rest of his life to serving Voldemort, abusing the freedom his once-beloved mother died to give him without remorse.[31]

Love and magic

"You are protected, in short, by your ability to love! The only protection that can possibly work against the lure of power like Voldemort's! In spite of all the temptation you have endured, all the suffering, you remain pure of heart, as pure as you were five years ago, when you looked into a mirror that reflected your heart's desire. Harry, do you have any idea how few wizards could see what you saw in that mirror?"
— Description of Harry Potter's rare nature[src]
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Harry Potter can conjure an incredibly powerful Patronus, in part due to his ability to feel love

Love had an incredibly profound effect on magic. Lily Potter's love for her son made her willing to die for him. Because of her loving sacrifice, Harry Potter was protected from very powerful dark magic — the Killing Curse.[2] This protection was later strengthened when Voldemort arrogantly used Harry's blood to reinvigorate his body, to the point that Harry could not be killed while Voldemort was still alive, making it possible for Harry to survive another hit from the Killing Curse, when he found out when he was one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. By doing the same thing as his mother did, everyone that Harry sacrificed for was shielded from Voldemort.

Love was the only protection against the lure and power of the Dark Arts, which came from hateful and spiteful emotions.[28] Harry failed to learn Occlumency in order to block his connection to Lord Voldemort's mind, but he managed to block the link when he focused on his feelings for his loved ones, such as when he felt grief over his godfather's death,[13] and when he was frantically worried about Hermione Granger when she was being brutally tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange.[2] Those who were filled with hate, such as Tom Riddle and Quirinus Quirrell, could be inflicted great pain and even death by the power of love.

Nymphadora Tonks casting the Patronus Charm

Nymphadora Tonks's wolf Patronus, once a rabbit

Love could also affect other types of magic, notably the Patronus. Harry's Patronus was the same as the Patronus and Animagus form of his father's, a stag.[26] James's wife, Lily Evans, had a doe Patronus to match her husband's stag. Severus Snape's mimicked Lily's doe Patronus because of his love for her.[15] Nymphadora Tonks's Patronus changed to a wolf when she fell in love with Remus Lupin.[28] Love could also enhance the power of a Patronus, as Harry's love for Sirius made him produce a Patronus so powerful that it could drive hundreds of Dementors away.

Love Potions and Entrancing Enchantments were meant to artificially create love, but they couldn't; nothing could reproduce real love. Instead, they could at most produce an intense infatuation or obsession. Should these powers become undone, the victim would most likely lose all infatuation for the caster, and even become embarrassed or horrified, as Ron Weasley and Tom Riddle Snr both experienced once the love potion they were administered were cancelled, the latter even fleeing without a hint of care for the one who tried to captivate him. When a person smelt Amortentia, they would smell things that reminded them of what and whom they loved.[28] Within the Love Room of the Department of Mysteries was where love was studied, and a large fountain of Amortentia was kept. This fountain was the centre of the room and the Amortentia within it was very powerful.[32]

It appeared that those who abused the power of love, or applied it for the sake of those who had an affinity for the Dark Arts, usually suffered some severe backlash, based on the First Law of the Fundamental Laws of Magic. A prime example was seen when Merope Gaunt used enchantments to subjugate the man she genuinely loved. This subjugation led to her being abandoned and left to die in despair (along with her magical powers being drained from the sorrow), when she lifted the control off her besotted.

She later gave birth to a loveless being who would create a campaign of hatred for many decades, and would eventually be left to suffer a terrible after-death, due to his lack of understanding of love. Also, despite Mrs Crouch and Winky truly loving Barty Crouch Jnr and making much selfless sacrifices for his sake, he was utterly ungrateful and instead wasted their efforts. Since he abused their affections and returned to the Dark Arts, he suffered a fate worse than death.

Love in literature

"Now you are healed and will know true love!"
— The Maiden[src]

Amata in The Fountain of Fair Fortune fell in love with a Muggle named Sir Luckless.[33]

The Warlock in The Warlock's Hairy Heart regarded love as a sickness and used the Dark Arts to prevent it from happening to him, which led to him paying dearly for it.[34]

There were some non-fictional books about love, such as First Love, First Loss by Amorette Deneuve,[35] Love Potions by Dr Salamander, Charms for attraction by Griselda Gogh, as well as Magic Heart and Love and Other Demons.[36]

External links

Appearances

Notes and references

  1. WP favicon Love on Wikipedia
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  3. 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 31 (The Battle of Hogwarts)
  4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - Author's comments
  5. 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 21 (The Tale of the Three Brothers)
  6. 6.0 6.1 The Tales of Beedle the Bard, "The Tale of the Three Brothers"
  7. Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" at Wizarding World
  8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 28 (The Missing Mirror)
  9. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Magical Movie Handbook
  10. Twitter - Fantastic Beasts Fan
  11. The Case of Beasts: Explore the Film Wizardry of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (see this image)
  12. Bustle - "Who is Leda Lestrange? 'Fantastic Beasts' Is Only The Start For The New Character, Says Director David Yates" 18 November 2016
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  14. Leaky Cauldron: J.K. Rowling Webchat 30 July 2007
  15. 15.0 15.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 33 (The Prince's Tale)
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 17 (The Man with Two Faces)
  17. 17.0 17.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 35 (King's Cross)
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
  19. 19.0 19.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  20. 20.0 20.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  21. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
  22. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 4 (Friends in Low Places)
  23. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 11 (Love in a Bottle)
  24. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 18 (Into the Forest)
  25. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 33 (The Death Eaters)
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
  27. Harry Potter Limited Edition - A Guide to the Graphic Arts Department: Posters, Prints, and Publications from the Harry Potter Films (see this image)
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 36 (The Flaw in the Plan)
  30. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 30 (The Pensieve)
  31. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 35 (Veritaserum)
  32. PotterCast 131 J.K. Rowling Interview Transcript, 2 January 2008 from LeakyCauldron.com
  33. The Tales of Beedle the Bard, "The Fountain of Fair Fortune"
  34. The Tales of Beedle the Bard, "The Warlock's Hairy Heart"
  35. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (see this)
  36. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (see this image)