Unity in Harry Potter

The subject of unity has been a major theme throughout the Harry Potter series. Unity—or the lack thereof—appears in many if not all of the major arenas of Harry’s world. At the Dursley’s house, Harry experiences the foul effects of a family united by their hatred of him. In the Ministry of Magic, readers see a united front against all rumors of Voldemort’s reappearance, even though multiple sources point towards his apparent return. Perhaps the best focal point for unity, however, can be found at Hogwarts, the school that Harry attends.

            In Hogwarts, a Sorting Hat sorts students into four possible Houses, with each house revering different qualities in its students. Each House has a distinct flavor and personality, which contributes to a slight partition between students of different Houses. While healthy competition can usually be considered a good thing, some of the Houses take their competitions too far, creating rifts in school unity. Voldemort seeks to exploit this rift between the students of Hogwarts in his pursuit of power in the magical world and beyond, and it is in this setting that Harry Potter does his part in bringing his fellow students together.

            Dissatisfied with the subpar instruction they’ve received in their Defense Against the Dark Arts courses, Harry and his friends secretly meet in Hogsmeade to discuss their options. Harry’s friend Hermoine comments that Harry’s previous exploits certainly qualify him to teach other students how to defend themselves against the Dark Arts, and Harry reluctantly agrees to lead the group. They call themselves Dumbledore’s Army in an attempt to rally around the school’s headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. Perhaps the most unifying aspect of this clandestine group, however, its that it is composed of students from all four Houses; students that are united under the banner of fighting evil. It is through leading this group that Harry starts to truly realize the importance of unity in the fight against Voldemort.