Seven Christ Figures in the “Potter” Series
While Harry Potter is the obvious Christ figure of the Potter series, he is not the only Christ figure. In fact, if not for some of the other characters on this list, Harry would have never made his Via Dolorosa into the Forbidden Forest.
What makes a character a symbol of Christ? Choosing to die to save someone else. Below is a list of seven characters who gave their lives, or some aspect of their lives, in order that someone else might live.
1. James Potter — Before Lily cast the most powerful spell of Love, James sent her away with baby Harry. He chose to throw himself in front of the first Killing Curse in hopes that Lily and Harry would escape.
2. Lily Potter — They did not escape because Lily didn’t have her wand. So she cast the only spell that needed no magic. Given the chance to save herself, she choose to stand between Voldemort and Harry to take the Killing Curse on herself so that her son would be bathed in the protective charm of Love.
3. Hermione Granger — While not as obvious as Lily’s sacrifice, Hermione sacrifices herself in Sorcerer’s Stone by giving up what is most dear to her—following the rules—to take on Harry and Ron’s blame when they are caught in the bathroom with the troll. She doesn’t physically die, but she performs a spiritual death by sacrificing her ego on the altar of friendship.
4. Ron Weasley — Though Ron does not die, as the knight on the chessboard he sacrifices himself—getting knocked unconscious—so that Harry can go on and stop Quirrelldemort from obtaining the Stone (though they think it is Snape they are after at the time).
5. Fawkes — In Order of the Phoenix, Voldemort shoots a Killing Curse at Dumbledore. Fawkes swoops down and swallows it.
6. Dumbledore — Though he could have taken Draco out at any time throughout the year, Dumbledore lets Draco try to kill him and doesn’t defend himself. And then, Dumbledore chooses to die rather than to break Snape’s cover so that Snape can help Harry finish his mission. He does not fear death, especially not a death that means others will survive.
7. Harry Potter — Harry dies many symbolic deaths, but his most Christ-like is when he voluntarily walks to his death to save the lives of his friends and all those battling Voldemort. In doing so, without his wand, he casts the most powerful spell—Love—which grants the same protection to his friends as Lily’s spell granted him.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” ~ Jesus, John 15:13 ESV.
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 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. That power took you to save Sirius tonight. That power also saved you from possession by Voldemort, because he could not bear to reside in a body so full of the force he detests. In the end, it mattered not that you could not close your mind. It was your heart that saved you.” ~ Dumbledore, Order of the Phoenix
As a Potter fan, it is my great hope that my body is so filled with Love that Voldemort can’t stand me. And that if I should face a moment where I, too, can cast the spell of Love, that I will not hesitate.
