The Harry Potter series features a variety of locations including some that are rather dreary and scary and others that are bright and warm. While there are many places in the series that you’d never want to visit, there are also some that sound wonderful to inhabit. In the series, there is a range of different homes and living spaces that are featured, and some of these are more inviting than others.
We’ve ranked the homes in the Harry Potter series and ranked them based on coziest to lead up to the warmest and welcoming of them all.
Malfoy Manor
When you think of a centuries-old manor, you likely think of things like mysteries and secrets, but not exactly a welcoming environment. This is definitely the case with Malfoy Manor. While it might be a place full of expensive items, it’s large and stuffy. Also, the fact that it’s been owned by Death Eaters and dark wizards makes it extremely uninviting.
This isn’t a place anyone would want to relax and enjoy a cup of tea. You’d likely always feel on edge here and being raised here as a child, like Draco, wouldn't be fun.
Number 4 Privet Drive
If the inhabitants of Privet Drive were more kind and homey, this home might not be too bad to live in. It’s just an average middle-class home in England, but the fact that the Dursleys are such awful people makes it a rather dismal place to be. There is very little warmth or love in this house, but instead is a place of judgment and almost sterile.
Petunia kept a spotless home with modern styles, but it definitely wasn’t a place you’d ever feel you could relax.
Grimmauld Place
Grimmauld Place is an interesting location in the series because it is extremely not cozy or beautiful, but it’s still slightly better because of the people who inhabit it when Harry spends time there.
While it’s another house owned by people obsessed with the Dark Arts, the Order of the Phoenix takes it over and provides as much warmth and energy to the place as possible. While the efforts to clean up the house are nearly futile, there was definitely an attempt made.
Beauxbatons Academy of Magic
There are many places in Harry Potter that are briefly mentioned but that we don’t really see at all. One of these places is Beauxbatons, the wizarding school in France.
While we never really see this location, what we hear of it makes it seem rather cozy or at least beautiful. It was a warmer location than Hogwarts and clearly a place that served many delicious dishes native to the country. While it might not sound as homey as Hogwarts, it definitely wouldn’t be a bad place to live.
The Leaky Cauldron
The Leaky Cauldron isn’t exactly a home as it’s more of an inn, but it is a place where many people stay for either short or long stays. While it might be a little dingy, there is something inviting about the place. It’s located at the entrance to Diagon Alley and has a rather comforting presence.
When Harry stays there during part of his summer before his third year, he really enjoys his stay.
Harry’s childhood home
Harry never really gets to see or hear about his childhood home in Godric’s Hollow except in brief images or descriptions. However, the glimpses he and readers get of the place paint a picture of a welcoming, loving home.
The letter Harry finds that his mother wrote to Sirius mentions that they had a pet cat and that Harry had a toy broom. It’s truly tragic what happened at the home and that it was destroyed how it was.
Shell Cottage
Shell Cottage is an extremely cozy and inviting place to live, but it’s, unfortunately, a place where Harry never really gets to enjoy its comfort. When Harry and his friends stay at Shell Cottage, they’ve recently been prisoners and are dealing with Dobby’s death.
However, the cottage itself is clearly a charming place that Bill and Fleur have made into a lovely home. With the location on the beach and the seaside motifs, it’s definitely a place that under better circumstances would be great to stay.
Hagrid’s Hut
Hagrid’s Hut might be a small home considering that Hagrid is bigger than an average human, but it’s got a lot of heart. While the entire home is only made up of one giant room, it’s an extremely cozy place.
It features things like a fireplace, a large wooden table, Fang the dog, and a big quilt. It would definitely be a super welcoming place to sit and talk and enjoy Hagrid’s attempts at cooking.
Hogwarts
Hogwarts might be a school, but it’s a place that many consider home at least for a time in their lives. Harry always considers Hogwarts his true home. While Hogwarts is large and full of mysteries and sometimes scary things, it’s also got some truly cozy places. The common rooms of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff all seem particularly warm and homey.
Other places such as the Great Hall and the Herbology greenhouses are also warm and soft.
The Burrow
While Hogwarts might be cozy sometimes, it could never replace the Burrow. There’s nowhere in the Harry Potter series that’s as homey as the Weasley’s abode. With the mismatch of rooms and the bustle of people coming and going, there’s great familial energy in the space. The kitchen is often full of people and the living room features unique items such as the Weasley clock.
While the house might be older and not very swanky, it’s the place it’s easiest to imagine being able to relax and enjoy yourself, and this is thanks in large part to all of the domestic work and skill that Molly puts into her home.