Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore again demonstrated to audiences just how powerful Albus Dumbledore was. His battles with Credence and Grindelwald were breathtaking and featured magic in a way audiences of the Harry Potter series had never seen. While it is easy to criticize the Fantastic Beasts movies, the displays of power are enjoyable.
Of course, the Fantastic Beasts franchise includes several more of these powerful moments than Harry Potter, likely because the latter revolves so much around school children with developing magical abilities. But that is not to say that the original books and movies were completely lacking in jaw-dropping moments. Several characters showed that they were a force to be reconned with. Whether it was breathtaking battles or displays of a mysterious power within, many characters from Harry Potter had moments in which their true strength really showed through.
Neville Killing Nagini
While Neville Longbottom didn't use magic to defeat Nagini in Deathly Hallows, it was still a truly great moment. Neville had struggled throughout the series to develop his own sense of self-worth, and constantly getting compared to his talented parents didn't help.
That all changed when Neville took part in destroying the last Horcrux and proved that he was one of the best wizards in the Harry Potter series. It took immeasurable bravery and strength to take Nagini by surprise, and it was hard for audiences not to cheer when the underdog finally got his big moment.
The Marauders Transfiguration
When James, Sirius, and Peter were in school, they went through the grueling process of turning themselves into Animagi. They did this to keep Remus company when he transformed into a wolf, but the magic took several years to get right.
Professor McGonagall herself required the help of Dumbledore to successfully complete the task. The Wizarding World website explains that the magic requires several complicated steps, one even being holding a mandrake leaf in the mouth for a month without swallowing it. The Marauders managed to do it all on their own, without ever getting caught — certainly not an easy feat.
Voldemort's Return Potion
Lord Voldemort boasted that he had explored types of magic that most wizards could never dream of. Most of these revolved around the idea of immortality, as Voldemort wished above anything else to never die. This was how he learned about the Philosopher's Stone, Horcruxes, and likely, the potion to regain a body.
Since Voldemort's body was destroyed and his soul left vulnerable, he had to create a new form. This was certainly not any magic that would have been taught in Potions class and included several Dark elements to be successful. Of course, it all backfired in the end, but the magic itself was still quite a spectacle.
Dumbledore's Escape
While Harry had always heard that Albus Dumbledore was powerful, it wasn't until several years into school that he saw it firsthand. While the headmaster might have looked like an old man, there was no denying that he was a powerful force, and as Kingsley Shacklebolt pointed out, his brand of magic had a rather flashy style.
When Cornelius Fudge and Dolores Umbridge thought they had finally pinned Dumbledore down, he surprised them by disappearing in a dramatic burst of flames (and with the help of Fawkes). It left everyone in the room completely shocked and was a great reminder of who the Ministry was dealing with.
Molly's Battle With Bellatrix
Molly Weasley had demonstrated over the years that she was no novice regarding domestic magic. She could run a household full of children with relative ease, all with the flick of her wand. However, when her family was threatened, she clarified that her magical ability went much further.
Bellatrix Lestrange thought Molly would be an easy opponent to take down, but her smile quickly fell when she saw that the grieving mother was fighting to kill. The moment that Molly's spell landed was one of the most satisfying in the entire franchise and a great demonstration of her secret power.
McGonagall's Battle With Snape
Minerva McGonagall was another character whose dueling skills took Harry by surprise. She had always shown that she was an expert in Transfiguration, but the remorseless way she fought was another matter entirely.
While Deathly Hallows Part 2 included the battle between the two professors, it left out several of McGonagall's most powerful moments from the Harry Potter books. Not only did she keep Snape at a distance, but McGonagall quickly turned flames into daggers, animated suits of armor, and parried attacks like the true expert she was.
Snape's Occlumency
Severus Snape was a genius and prodigy and repeatedly demonstrated throughout the Harry Potter series that his skill was near that of Voldemort's. Dumbledore himself depended on Snape's abilities and expertise. In the end, however, it was his skill in Occlumency that made him powerful.
Voldemort was one of the most skilled Legilimens the wizarding world had ever seen, which made him a challenging person to deceive. However, using Occlumency, Snape concealed his status as a double agent for several years. This meant not only withholding the truth but planting thoughts of false loyalty toward Voldemort in his own mind — a dangerous game. In the end, Snape proved that Dumbledore had been right to trust him, and his efforts helped defeat Voldemort.
Voldemort's Horcrux Protections
Perhaps the most terrifying moment in the Harry Potter series was the retrieval of the locket Horcrux from Voldemort's Inferi-infested cave. The protections surrounding the fragment of Voldemort's soul were genius and rendered even the likes of Dumbledore completely helpless.
The Half-Blood Prince book described how Voldemort had likely invented the deadly potion himself, which would significantly harm the drinker without immediately killing him. If the drinker managed to force their way through the entire brew, they would succumb to the need for water, which would awake the deadly Inferi. Overall, it was lucky that Harry was there because even Dumbledore would have been no match for this magic alone.
Dumbledore's Battle With Voldemort At The Ministry
Dumbledore's battle with Voldemort in Order of the Phoenix was the first time audiences saw two adult wizards in a real fight, and it did not disappoint. In the book, Dumbledore animated the Ministry statues to fight Voldemort, to terrifying effect, but the movies did it even better.
Between giant orbs of water, billowing flames, and shattering glass, Dumbledore and Voldemort used everything at their disposal to try to put an end to each other. The scene was an exciting surprise for those who had been desperate for a little more magical action and brought Voldemort one step closer to losing his victory.
Harry's Survival
With the fantastic magic demonstrated by the adults of Harry Potter, audiences have often questioned how the Death Eaters struggled so much to defeat the Boy Who Lived. Harry had never shown the ability to entrap his enemy in an orb of water or turn flames into deadly daggers. However, movie after movie, he still survived.
Dumbledore often tried to impress on others the power of more subtle types of magic. While Voldemort had studied ways to make himself the most powerful wizard in history, he neglected to explore the magical properties of love and destiny. Thanks to Lily's sacrifice, Harry had access to magic that even Dumbledore did not. Love protected him from both external attacks and the influence of the fragment of Voldemort's soul that lived within him. Others might have said it was cheesy, but the Harry Potter series proved that love was the most powerful magic that wizards had access to, and destiny had assured that Harry had it in plentiful supply.