For a character whose death triggered the beginning of the series, Lily Potter still found her way onto the pages and as a hero of the series time and time, again.
Muggle-born Lily Evans, later known as Lily Potter, was bright, fiery and kind. She was a Gryffindor, through and through – even standing up to her fellow Gryffindor Marauders when their behavior warranted it.
Lily was a mother, a wife, a sister, a friend, an avid student and above all else, a fighter.
She fought until her very last breath, and her courage, her love lived on in her son, and in every life she touched, from Harry to Professor Severus Snape and even Professor Slughorn. It was her love for Harry that kept him alive. Snape’s love for her that kept him alive, and put him back on the track of being good, and protecting Harry. It was her love for Potions and her heart that made Slughorn care for teaching at all, really. And it was even her love for her sister, Petunia, that made whatever kindness was buried in Petunia come through – which is why the Dursleys took in Harry at all.
The Lily We Will Never Know
We may never have known her when she was alive, and yet, she stole the pages. From the Mirror of Erised in The Sorcerer’s Stone, through flashbacks of Snape’s and stories of others, and even through the Resurrection Stone in The Deathly Hallows, Lily’s love and guidance shown through. She was with Harry, always, and a mother’s love that strong shapes a person.
Without that love, the heroic Harrys of the world, after all, can be lead astray like the Severus Snapes of the world.
We may have hardly known her. And she was certainly gone too soon and too tragically. But Lily Potter is without a doubt one of the best unsung heroes of the series.
We raise our wands to you, Lily.
Related Story: 50 Harry Potter Roles We Think Would be Fun to Recast
What do you think readers? Who are your favorite unsung heroes of the wizarding world? Sound off in the comments below!