Reading has been a passion of mine for years, and I credit the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling with helping me develop my love for reading. Becoming a writer myself has given me a unique insight into characterization, plot, and audience appeal. So, without further ado, this is my take on which chapter from each of the seven Harry Potter books is the best:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: Chapter Twelve, "The Mirror of Erised"
The first book in the series is meant to enchant the reader, to entice them to take the journey ahead. However, if you can’t vibe with any of the characters, making it to a second book is unlikely. This chapter in particular does such an incredible job of developing the characters so that you want to come back for more.
When we see the Weasleys at Hogwarts during Christmas with Harry, it’s evident that this is the closest he’s ever been to having a family. Later, Harry dons his invisibility cloak to go exploring and accidentally finds himself before the Mirror of Erised, and he loses himself for hours observing his lost loved ones in the reflection. Readers are left with a sense of sympathy and pity for Harry; all this poor kid wants is a connection and to feel like he really belongs somewhere.
After we find out what the mirror actually does — show whoever looks into it what they desire — it puts what Ron saw in it (himself winning all kinds of accolades) into perspective. Ron just wants to be appreciated and loved for his own accomplishments rather than feeling lost in the shuffle of his many siblings. He doesn't want to feel like he has to compete to be noticed.
I love all of this because it makes these characters more relatable and helps readers connect with them. Although the writing is very Harry-centric, we also get some deep meaningful bits about other characters that help readers connect with them more.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Chapter Seventeen: "The Heir of Slytherin"
First of all, the descriptions in this chapter are awesome and create a thick atmosphere of anxiety and anticipation. At this point in the series, we know very little about Voldemort, but everything about that changes in this segment. We learn about Tom Riddle’s history and his proud, manipulative, and deceitful nature. The seeds for the eventual relationship between Harry and Ginny are planted through Tom’s exposition of how his plan was enacted. We get an impressive fight scene involving the basilisk, during which Fawkes the phoenix becomes one of the coolest creatures in the entire series. It’s actually really impressive how details are conveyed in meaningful ways without beating the reader over the head, like how Tom mentions phoenix tears to remind readers of their healing properties. The finale of the fight, when Harry destroys Tom Riddle's enchanted diary with a basilisk fang, leaves readers feeling like things are just getting going.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Chapter Twenty-One, "Hermione’s Secret"
When all hope seems lost and there’s no solution in sight, this chapter reveals an epic tool and leads readers on the quest to set the future right: the Time-Turner. Hermione had been using this time travel device to take extra classes, but it gets a new purpose after Dumbledore suggests they use it in order to save both Harry's uncle Sirius Black and Buckbeak the griffin.
The sense of urgency is nearly palpable as Harry and Hermione stealthily retrace their steps. Being able to re-experience a series of events we were already familiar with through a different perspective is surreal and exciting. Everything now has an extra layer of emotion on top of it. For example, earlier, Harry was convinced that his late father had somehow appeared to save himself and Hermione from a group of Dementors by summoning a Patronus, only to later realize that the person who had saved him was...himself, after going back in time. We get a deeper appreciation for Harry’s love for the father he never knew, as his Patronus takes the form of a stag, just like his dad. The exhale of relief is immense when, at the end, we see the puzzle pieces rearrange themselves into the most satisfying and victorious outcome possible.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Chapter Nine, "The Dark Mark"
This chapter sets the tone for not only the rest of the book, but the remainder of the series. After the Quidditch World Cup, it’s nice to see the characters interacting briefly and just enjoying themselves. That is, until Death Eaters appear and lead a march of torture and intimidation, suspending innocents above their heads while cheering and leering. The author makes it clear that danger is near and could be around any corner, and raises questions of loyalty and trust. It shatters the peace Harry and his friends had been living in, viciously reminding readers and characters alike that there is darkness in the world, accompanied by never-ending chaos and catastrophe. This is a powerful and crucial segment which signals that the Harry Potter books are about to grow up along with Harry himself.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Chapter Thirty-Five, "Beyond the Veil"
The fight inside the Department of Mysteries is one of the most thrilling and creative passages in any novel I’ve ever read. By this point, I was deeply invested in every member of Dumbledore’s Army and was on edge wondering how they could possibly stand against a bunch of Death Eaters, all of whom were adults.
We get some excellent character development for some of the Death Eaters, including Bellatrix Lestrange, who shows off her twisted personality when she mocks Neville, whose parents she's responsible for putting in St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. The tension remains very high throughout the entire encounter; there's dialogue to drive the plot followed by running, hiding, chasing, fighting, and ultimately death.
The demise of Sirius Black is such a tragic, unexpected moment. It happens so quickly, much like it can in reality, and seems impossible. Finally, Harry had an adult that he felt was almost like a father to him, only to have this man added to the list of those who have been removed from his life by Voldemort and his followers. Harry’s cries of anguish and denial as he tries to follow Sirius beyond the veil hit hard. It's one of the most intense chapters of the books thus far.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Chapter Twenty-Seven, "The Lightning-Struck Tower"
The buildup for this chapter is amazing. Harry and Dumbledore have just been through a brutal ordeal destroying one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, and they deserve a break. Instead, they are ambushed by a group of Death Eaters in Hogwarts, and we Snape betrays Dumbledore (or appears to) in a shocking turn.
The Death Eaters taunt Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy clearly feels anguished and trapped in his circumstances (an oddly poignant moment that helps us develop sympathy for him), and Dumbledore starts opening pleading with Snape, who kills him. As a reader, you feel as powerless to intervene as Harry is, trapped under the invisibility cloak.
Snape’s act is the most jaw-dropping and controversial moment in the entire book. This is a prime example of how audience appeal is so important to a story. There were so many layers to this event that readers only learn the truth about in Deathly Hallows, which meant that in the two years between this book and the next, fanfictions and blog posts went wild with theories and questions, keeping the interest and intrigue going (Fun fact: I still have my “Trust Snape” sticker from Borders). Overall, this blew everything out of the water and shit got real. Even re-reading it years later, it still strikes me (no pun intended, sorry, Dumbledore) as one of the strongest chapters in the entire series.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Chapter Thirty-Five, "King’s Cross"
Why it’s the best: I know that this may be a divisive choice, but hear me out. This chapter has stayed with me ever since I read it in 2007 because of how incredibly steeped in symbolism and meaning it is.
This chapter happens after Harry is "killed" by Voldemort. King’s Cross Station presents itself as a holding space between life and death. Harry awakens and finds himself nude, a rebirth, after the death of a piece of himself he never asked for, and finds himself with a choice to make. Does he get on a train and depart, or return to the land of the living? After Dumbledore appears, readers get explanations for many of their previously unanswered questions. Dumbledore tells us about his backstory, which is very touching and human, fully humanizing this character who began the series as an unknowable giant. Afterwards, Harry resolves to go back, even though he knows that pain and conflict are ahead.
This is a powerful and inspiring portion of the story that shows us the value of strength, healing, determination, and seeing things through to the end. I feel that many of us, as readers and writers, experience deep connections with characters and can be so moved in our realities by things we read on a page. Things are so real to us, even if they’re not happening. Dumbledore’s final line says it all, and lends validity to all of our experiences: “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
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