The term "social status" doesn't have much meaning for Harry Potter and his allies, but the rest of the Wizarding World clearly relies on class distinctions that separate magic-users according to wealth, blood purity, muggle-bias, and other such irrelevant factors.
What's important to consider, however, is the fact that social status in Harry Potter works both positively and negatively; that is, it applies to protagonists and antagonists in equal but opposite ways. For instance, Draco Malfoy constantly makes arrogant references to his family's privilege while scorning the Weasleys and the Longbottoms.
10 Luna Lovegood
Luna Lovegood spends most of her early childhood being mocked and teased by her peers, if not for her wildly unbelievable stories then for her vegetable-themed jewelry.
As the daughter of Xenophilius Lovegood, the editor of The Quibbler, Luna has inherited two things from her father, those being a penchant for the bizarre and a total lack of care for what anyone else thinks of her. The Lovegoods are far from prestigious in the Wizarding World, but they're quite happy with themselves.
9 Neville Longbottom
The Longbottoms were once a famous family, but their reputation has waned ever since Frank and Alice Longbottom are admitted to St. Mungo's. Neville's apparent feeble nature doesn't make it any easier for him at Hogwarts, and, although he bravely takes a stand against the Golden Trio in the first year, he is outclassed by Hermione.
Neville is given the chance, over and over again, to switch over to Lord Voldemort's side, with the Dark Lord himself handing the invitation on a silver platter. The hero of Gryffindor knows where he stands, though.
8 Sirius Black
Sirius is born, unfortunately by his own admission, into the elite Black family, so focused on their lineage that their motto is "Toujours Pur," French for "Forever Pure." He discards the name as soon as he is humanly able, for which he is burnt off the family tree.
After spending a dozen years in Azkaban, Sirius becomes the lowest of the low, believed by the entire world to be the reason for James and Lily Potter's deaths. He later frees himself and returns to Grimmauld Place, where he can at least order Kreacher around.
7 Severus Snape
As a Hogwarts professor, Snape is respected throughout the Wizarding World, who simultaneously watch him with a wary eye—nobody's sure where the Potions Master's allegiance truly belongs, except for the person it belongs to.
Snape's community standing utterly collapses after he "murders" Albus Dumbledore, at which point the only group where he has any dignity remaining are the Death Eaters. Snape's honor is eventually restored and taken to incredible heights, but this occurs only posthumously.
6 Ron Weasley
As one of the Golden Trio, arguably the weakest in magical aptitude, Ron Weasley's potential explodes the day he meets Harry Potter on the Hogwarts Express.
However, it is crucial to note that there isn't any kind of nepotism involved; whatever Ron earns is his alone and not due to either Harry's or Hermione's grave. He makes the Weasleys prouder than they have ever been, and magical society, in general, has celebrated Ron's role in Lord Voldemort's ultimate defeat.
5 Draco Malfoy
The Malfoy family is more of a dynasty than anything else, considering how far its powers extend. Draco's grandfather, Abraxas, is politically well-connected, as is his father Lucius. In fact, the latter is the Chairman of the Hogwarts Board of Governors, a group of powerful witches and wizards in charge of the school's administrative and bureaucratic functions.
Draco's status is an extension of his ancestors, as this is what draws Crabbe and Goyle to him at Hogwarts. At least he's matured into something a lot less arrogant.
4 Hermione Granger
It can be argued that Hermione's existence is as important to Dumbledore's plan as Harry, something the Headmaster did not consider when Voldemort is destroyed by Lily's sacrifice.
She isn't a firecracker as much as a nuclear bomb of energy, intelligence, and hope; she's the team glue that holds fast against all odds. Of course, Hermione's societal position is magnified when she becomes the Minister for Magic.
3 Albus Dumbledore
Albus Dumbledore is, without the shadow of a doubt, the most powerful magic-user in the Harry Potter universe bar none. Lord Voldemort is petrified of the old man and has been so since his time as a pupil in the 1930s and 40s.
The Headmaster of Hogwarts commands the ultimate admiration from every corner of the globe and has even been offered political power by the Ministry of Magic. Dumbledore's popularity is eclipsed only by his peerless intellect.
2 Harry Potter
Harry Potter, The Chosen One, The Boy Who Lived, is more famous than anyone else in existence, having been the sole survivor during Lord Voldemort's first reign of terror.
His prominence takes a dip over his last few years at Hogwarts, but Harry's subsequent defeat of the Dark Lord cements his name among the annals of history. Nobody in the Wizarding World is going to forget Harry Potter for decades, if not centuries.
1 Lord Voldemort
If social status is a measure of how much influence someone has on others, Tom Riddle, Jr. wins hands down. Not only is he eerily dominant while studying at Hogwarts, but his rise to power also makes him far more threatening.
Voldemort's strength derives from his secrecy, but there is no magic-user who does not know his name, a name which carries enough terror to silence those who might utter it. There hasn't been a single entity in over a hundred years who has caused as much terror, anguish, and havoc as Lord Voldemort.
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April 24, 2021 at 05:30AM
