Harry Potter: 5 Characters Who Were Smarter Than They Seemed (& Vice Versa)
Throughout the Harry Potter franchise, a real variety of characters are shown, and there is a big range in intelligence within those. Because of the magic involved, the movie and its setting lend to the characters seeming intelligent. However, those who struggle with the magic can often surprise in other ways, and vice versa.
Ultimately, this story is told during a school setting, with the vast majority of the characters learning and developing their magic as they go. Just like any school, some people are incredibly clever and others aren't, but that is what makes all of them so relatable, although some of the smartest characters certainly aren't who people might think.
10 Smarter Than They Seem: Luna Lovegood
Luna Lovegood is the most obvious example of a witch that is a lot smarter than they seem. Luna is one of the most intelligent students in Hogwarts, but because she is seen as eccentric and someone who is more interested in doing things that no other students want to, people don't think she's intelligent.
However, Luna is not only brilliant at doing the same magic the rest of her peers can do, but she is also able to really think outside of the box and look at things from a totally different perspective. This allows her to help Harry a lot, providing good ideas for him throughout the story.
9 Not As Smart As They Seem: Viktor Krum
Viktor Krum arrives at Hogwarts with an awful lot of hype surrounding him, with everyone making out he's one of the best wizards around. However, he isn't as intelligent as people make out, despite the fact he likes to march around reading.
Krum's more equipped in other ways, being quite powerful and an excellent flyer. But when it comes to the Triwizard Cup and the different rounds within that tournament, he often gets help and advice from other characters, and he isn't quite as smart as he may seem at first.
8 Smarter Than They Seem: Rubeus Hagrid
Because Rubeus Hagrid brings a lot of comedy to the movies, he is often not seen as one of the most intelligent characters, which is also helped by the fact he doesn't do any magic. However, Hagrid's intelligence is actually very underappreciated.
Hagrid may not be the ultimate character when it comes to intelligence, but his knowledge of magical creatures and how to train and look after them is incredible. He is also one of the smartest characters when it comes to reading the emotions of people, and being able to judge what is needed to help a situation.
7 Not As Smart As They Seem: Lucius Malfoy
Lucius Malfoy likes to present himself as an elite wizard, and he often believes that he is better than everybody else around him. However, that isn't actually the case. In reality, he is a very scared man who is firmly under Lord Voldemort's control, not having the ability or power to stand up to him or express an opinion.
Even Voldemort himself becomes very tired and annoyed with Lucius Malfoy because of the constant mistakes that he makes. Malfoy ends up spending time in Azkaban due to his poor mistakes, which only turns him into a shell of himself when he returns.
6 Smarter Than They Seem: Nymphadora Tonks
Nymphadora Tonks is one of the characters who really wasn't represented as well as she deserved to be in the movies in comparison to the book version of her character. She's often shown as one of the jokier members of The Order, but that doesn't take away from how smart she is.
Tonks has an answer for everyone, no matter the situation, and she is happy and confident enough to ensure that her voice is heard, no matter what. She is great at creating plans and giving suggestions, and she is certainly a lot smarter than she may seem.
5 Not As Smart As They Seem: Dolores Umbridge
Dolores Umbridge is someone who comes across as an incredibly intelligent character, but that isn't necessarily the case. While she's certainly smart, her intelligence isn't at the level she puts across, and instead, a lot of her knowledge comes from others doing her bidding for her.
Dolores also enforces tons of rules, which makes it seem like she is in complete control of Hogwarts when in actual fact there is just a rule for every little situation. However, she is completely oblivious that Harry is building Dumbledore's Army underneath her nose, showcasing she doesn't have the control or the knowledge she thinks she does.
4 Smarter Than They Seem: Neville Longbottom
Neville Longbottom is often showcased as a joker early on in the franchise, and someone who often isn't taken seriously by other characters. However, Neville is actually a lot smarter than he seems, and he provides some crucial moments of knowledge throughout the story which helps Harry Potter.
Neville has an incredible knowledge of all things herbology-related. He takes a particular interest in that subject, and he really studies hard for it. Neville often pops up with some advice and knowledge for Harry when anything herbology-related is needed, showcasing his smartness.
3 Not As Smart As They Seem: Gilderoy Lockhart
Gilderoy Lockhart is someone who appears to have the answers for everything, and he likes to make out that he has been around the world and experienced everything. However, the truth of the matter is that Gilderoy Lockhart is actually a fraud.
He simply uses a memory charm to make other people forget about the things that they've done so he can claim them for himself. Because of that, he is not the skilled wizard that everybody initially thinks that he will be, which is purely down to the manner in which he presents himself, which makes him seem a lot smarter.
2 Smarter Than They Seem: Fred & George Weasley
Fred and George Weasley are always seen together and have very similar levels of intelligence. Because each of them likes to have a joke and often play pranks and tricks on others, they aren't seen as some of the smarter characters within the franchise.
However, Fred and George are incredibly clever. Their ability to create a real range of different jokes and other tricks to sell, and the fact they create their own shop is a testament to their knowledge and intelligence, proving that they're quite underrated in this regard.
1 Not As Smart As They Seem: Harry Potter
He's the lead character and the most famous wizard of all, which all lends itself to people thinking that Harry is incredibly intelligent. However, that isn't really the case. While he certainly has his strengths, such as flying, and he is able to become a powerful wizard by the end, Harry isn't anywhere near as intelligent as he may seem.
Because he grows up as a muggle, Harry is constantly playing catch up as he knows nothing about the world he is thrown into. He is also very dependent on other people to help him too, as he isn't the smartest when it comes to his general knowledge of magic.
from ScreenRant - Feed
Join Our Email Newsletter Now!
Join over 1,897 people who get free and fresh content delivered automatically each time we publish.
