While J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books and movies were filled with so many amazing, talented, and badass characters, a lot of people forget to give credit to the badass women holding it down in the series. Whether it's Molly Weasley joining The Order of the Phoenix, Ginny Weasley fighting Bellatrix Lestrange, or Hermione Granger organizing a slew of students to join Dumbledore's Army and convincing Harry to teach them, the men weren't the only ones making things happen in the series.
Without these amazing women, most of the battles could not have been won. Check out this list of the most badass women in the series, ranked.
Bellatrix Lestrange
Bellatrix Lestrange is the character we love to hate. If the creators of the Harry Potter franchise didn't want us to love her, they made it really hard in choosing the fabulous Helena Bonham Carter to play the evil sister of Narcissa, and one of Lord Voldermont's main death eaters. While she is evil, and none of her behaviors should be condoned, Carter adds a flare to Bellatrix that isn't so present in the books. She's a badasss who knows what she wants, but given her evil nature, she's number 10 on the list.
Narcissa Malfoy
While Narcissa, like her sister Bellatrix, was on the side of the Dark Lord, she eventually switches over to the right side with her horrible husband Lucius Malfoy, who has proven himself less redeemed. Narcissa, like a lot of the Death Eaters, joined Voldemort's ranks when she was younger. Many like her, now with families and other concerns, have lost sight of why they joined Voldemort's ranks in the first place.
When Narcissa sees Harry's body in the field and Voldemort asks her to check if he's alive, she crouches, clearly hearing him breathe, and asks "Is Draco alive?" When Harry answers yes, she thanks him by pretending he's dead. Later on, she also grabs hold of Draco and leaves Voldemort, Lucius trailing behind her.
Nymphadora Tonks
Tonks is a Metamorphmagus which gives her a lot of badass points. Unline other wizards, she doesn't have to use Polyjuice potion or a spell to change appearance, she can just do it on her own. She was one of the youngest Aurors around and joined The Order of the Phoenix in order to fight alongside Dumbledore and Harry against Voldemort. During the battle at Hogwarts, Tonks fought hard and sadly lost her life, having decided she would rather fight evil than stay safely at home. Having that much loyalty and dedication to the good side makes Tonks a really badass woman.
Luna Lovegood
One of the most badass things about Luna Lovegood is that despite knowing how people see her, with many calling her "Cooky" Lovegood and other demeaning names, Luna is confident in who she is and doesn't let anyone bother her. When her mother died, Luna became a comfort for her father, and in some ways, parented him more than he fathered her.
Luna, despite being a Ravenclaw, has always been fiercely loyal, and because of her father, she grew up counter-culturally. These qualities, among many others, made Luna the badass she is, fighting alongside The Order of the Phoenix and other members of Dumbledore's Army against Tom Riddle.
Madame Pomfrey
What is more badass than being a magical healer and getting to set and regrow people's bones? During the busy years when Harry was at Hogwart's and people were constantly trying to kill him, Madame Pomfrey was always there to get him back to good health. With great boundaries and a no-nonsense attitude, she didn't favor anyone and made sure to put people in their place, particularly Draco Malfoy and the other Slytherins. She was often upset at all the visitors her patients got as she was rather protective of them, usually ordering them to leave so her patients could rest and heal.
Ginny Weasley
Whether she's rounding up the troops of Dumbledore's Army who have remained at Hogwarts during The Deathly Hallows or she's keeping her brothers in line, Ginny Weasley is one of the most badass characters. The movies didn't show much of Ginny and her relationship with Harry seemed unequal and bizarre. But in the books, they spend much more time together and Ginny Weasley can definitely hold her own.
She isn't just the little girl who had a crush on Harry and couldn't talk in front of him. She was also an amazing Quidditch teacher, to Ron's surprise, and played Chaser and Seeker at different moments. After Voldemort's defeat, she even became a professional Quidditch player for the Holyhead Harpies.
Lilly (Evans) Potter
What is more badass than stepping in front of the darkest and most powerful wizard in living history to protect your son? And that protection creates a spell so powerful, so filled with love, that it protects him that evening from Avada Kedavra, the Killing Curse, but also for years to come when harnessed by Dumbledore? Lilly Potter was a talented witch who cared a lot about other people. No one had a bad thing to say about her, even after she died. Even Professor Slughorn, who seemed to not care about his students except to collect them, actually seemed to care a lot about Lilly, crying when talking to Harry about her.
Molly Weasley
Molly Weasley is a fierce and loyal mom and a total badass with ferocity and sass to spare, making her the perfect Gryffindor. While she's a great mom who is constantly worried about her children, she's also an epic fighter. She proves as much when she duels with Bellatrix Lestrange at the end of The Deathly Hollows, screaming at the woman who was just trying to kill Ginny, "Not my daughter you b***h," taking her out with three powerful strokes of her wand.
Plus, taking care of six kids is not a joke. Mrs. Weasley kept everyone in line, including her husband, making her a woman of many talents.
Professor Minerva McGonagall
Professor Minerva McGonagall truly deserves to be on this list as one of the most badass women in Hogwarts' history. Succeeding Dumbledore as Headmistress of Hogwarts after his untimely death, McGonagall stayed true to Dumbledore through and through. As a Gryffindor, McGonagall is fiercely loyal and protective of her students, and despite being a bit of a tough lady, she's also a soft cookie who cares about her students tremendously, particularly Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who she tries to keep safe as the series goes on. When the Battle at Hogwarts is happening, McGonagall puts a spell over the castle, performing one of the most impressive pieces of magic we've ever seen in the movies, with the help of others of course. She then animates the stone guards of the castle, who protect Hogwarts from the Death Eaters and Voldemort.
Hermione Granger
Harry Potter probably would never have lived through the books/movies and defeated Lord Voldemort at the end if it wasn't for his friends, but especially, if it wasn't for Hermione. Hermione is the smartest witch of her peer group (or maybe ever) and is kind, thoughtful, and loyal. She helped Harry countless times during the series, putting herself on the line for the greater good and for her friends. When they think Snape is trying to kill Harry during a Quidditch match in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone, Hermione is the one that sets Snape's robes on fire to distract him from Harry. And let's not forget that Hermione was one of the biggest reasons the trio survived in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, having pre-packed and pre-planned everything for their escape. She doesn't get enough credit for being the most badass out of all three main characters, that's for certain.