In the Harry Potter series, families and friendships both feature prominently. Family is an important backdrop of the series especially for Harry who lost his parents as a child. The series has some truly inspiring and loving families that fans adore as well as families that are cruel and riddled with issues.
The series explores in many ways how families impact us and how important love and connection are for all people. We’ve put together a list of the five best families from the series as well as the five worst.
Worst: The Dumbledores
For most of the series, Dumbledore seems like an inspiring figure who is one of the best characters. However, his family situation is rather mysterious and doesn’t seem like it will play too much of a role. However, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, it’s revealed that the Dumbledore family had plenty of secrets.
What happened to Ariana was a tragedy, and things seemed to spiral from there. Dumbledore himself played a role in Ariana’s death while dueling with Grindelwald, and the entire family seems like a mess.
Best: The Grangers
Hermione’s family doesn’t get featured a lot in the series. This is because her parents are Muggles, so they aren’t really in the wizarding world like the other families are. However, from what we do see of them, they seem like overall good people. Hermione seems to have been raised to be overall healthy, happy and taken care of.
Her parents care about her and her, and she is devastated when she has to Obliviate their memories to protect them.
Worst: The Blacks
There are many pure-blood wizarding families that are mentioned in the series, and the Blacks are one of the worst. While they weren’t outright Death Eaters, except for Regulus who ed Voldemort before betraying him, they were people who believed in pure-blooded ideology.
Sirius hated his family, and they would have been awful to live with. The portrait of Sirius’ mother at Grimmauld Place gives a good glimpse into the kind of people the Blacks were.
Best: The Bones
Unfortunately, there aren’t many wizarding families who have fought against Voldemort who made it out unscathed. The Bones family is another that went through many tragedies.
While the first introduction to the family is through Susan Bones, Harry's fellow Hogwarts student, we also meet her aunt Amelia. Amelia Bones was a member of the Wizengamot and Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Her brother, Edgar, was a member of the original Order of the Phoenix and he and his entire family were killed by Voldemort. Amelia also lost her life at Voldemort’s hands. This is a family that fought to do the right thing and then suffered greatly for this.
Worst: The Malfoys
The Malfoys start out being one of the worst families from the series, but they aren’t the worst of the worst.
They do at least seem to have some bonds of love toward one another, but this does not’ excuse the fact that Lucius and Narcissa are awful people and Death Eaters. While Draco grows up and tries to create a much better family unit, the family he grew up with was toxic and cruel.
Best: The Longbottoms
The Longbottoms are one of the more prominent wizarding families who have fought against Voldemort. Frank and Alice seemed to be extremely lovely, caring, and brave people. The fact that they were tortured to the point of insanity is extremely tragic.
While some of Neville’s extended family seem to have issues with being comionate and caring, his own parents seemed like some of the best people around. Neville is also one of the bravest characters from the series who was always trying to do what was right.
Worst: The Dursleys
The Dursleys are the only worst family on this list that isn’t a wizarding family. While many of the worst families from these series are Death Eaters or Death Eater-adjacent, the Dursleys are cruel people even though they seem like normal Muggles.
The way they treated Harry was truly appalling, and they are extremely judgemental and mean. They are mostly selfish, and they don’t have comion for other people. While Dudley seems to somehow grow up to be a little more comionate, his parents never learn.
Best: The Potters
Not much is known about James’ parents, but they seemed to be good, decent people as they happily took Sirius in. But, the family unit of James, Lily, and Harry is one of the most beloved of the series. Lily and James were both committed of the Order of the Phoenix, and they lost their lives because of this.
It’s really sad what happened to them and that Harry Lost his parents so young. They clearly loved each other and Harry very much.
Worst: The Gaunts/Riddles
Two of the worst families from the series merged into one family unit for a time to create Lord Voldemort. The Gaunts were cruel, backward people who hated Muggles. The Riddles were rich, haughty people who were cruel, too. Merope herself was a villain who forced Tom Riddle to marry her using a love potion.
The entire family history of Voldemort’s lineage is disturbing, and there is nothing redeeming about any of these people.
Best: The Weasleys
By far the most prominent and beloved family from Harry Potter is the Weasleys. They become the strongest family unit that offers a safe place for Harry and many others to find solace and care.
They are also some of the most important of the Order of the Phoenix, and almost their entire family does everything they can to fight against Voldemort and his followers. They are really relatable, and while they’re not perfect, they love each other fiercely.
