While the wizarding world might have magic involved, and Sex Education is certainly far less PG than the Harry Potter franchise, there are actually a lot of similarities between them. After all, these stories are all based around a school setting, and while Hogwarts might be slightly more impressive with its floating staircases and its ghosts, they're all just young teenagers trying to find their way.
That is certainly the case with the characters in Sex Education as well. Both shows are all about big personalities and relationships, and because of that, it is easy to make some easy comparisons between the characters in these two very different worlds.
Maeve Wiley - Hermione Granger
These two characters generally don't fit in and are often bullied and picked on for various reasons, normally due to others being jealous. Maeve Wiley and Hermione Granger are two very strong female lead characters, and they have a lot of similarities together.
Maeve is incredibly intelligent and, while she often keeps that under wraps, it is something that makes her similar to Hermione, who is equally as smart. Both women are also very funny, coming out with some great one-liners at points, while they also being very protective of the people they care for.
Adam Groff - Draco Malfoy
Adam Groff and Draco Malfoy have so many similarities they really are the perfect parallels of each other. Each character is the classic school bully, happy to mock others and pick on people that they view as weaker than themselves, yet under the surface, each of them is suffering massively.
Neither character has a good relationship with their father, and that is something that becomes more evident as each story gets told. Eventually, both Adam and Draco prove themselves to be better people than they first showcase, and their emotional journeys really are true highlights.
Michael Groff - Dolores Umbridge
Obviously, Michael Groff and Dolores Umbridge have a lot of similarities due to the roles that they take up as headteachers. However, it is the manner in which they act within that position of power that makes them very similar characters.
Both of them demand a high level of perfection, and anything that isn't done in their exact manner isn't good enough. They're incredibly strict, and they don't like to be seen as anything but perfect.
Otis Milburn - Harry Potter
There's no doubt that Otis Milburn is very much like the boy wonder himself, Harry Potter. Both characters are thrust into positions they're not entirely comfortable or skilled enough to do.
Each character is incredibly awkward and shy within social settings. They both have a core male and female friend, and outside of that, they typically keep to themselves. However, both of them develop and become much more confident as time passes, making huge strides throughout their journeys.
Vivienne Odesanya - Ginny Weasley
Vivienne Odesanya was a new character in the show for season two and was someone that most of the school didn't even seem to be aware of. Being quiet and keeping herself to herself, Viv just gets on with things. However, once you get to know her, she is very intelligent, funny, and kind, and that's something she showcased as she opened up.
This is very similar to Ginny Weasley. She comes from a family of huge personalities, but she is actually very shy. However, Ginny is incredibly skilled at magic, and she becomes a lot more confident as the franchise develops.
Jackson Marchetti - Cedric Diggory
Jackson Marchetti is the most popular person within the school in Sex Education, as the best member of the swim team and someone who has a real way with the ladies, Jackson has no shortage of confidence. This just so happens to be the same for Cedric Diggory, minus the swim team.
Cedric is very popular in Hogwarts, but similarly to Jackson, he isn't actually a very arrogant person in reality. While not everyone gets to know him close enough to understand the real personality behind him, Cedric is a kind person, deep down, just as Jackson is.
Colin Hendricks - Arthur Weasley
Colin Hendricks is one of the teachers within Sex Education, and he is certainly a very funny character. He comes out with some of the best lines and his romance with Miss. Sands is a very entertaining storyline. He tries to appear cool to everyone, and that is why he's very similar to Arthur Weasley.
Mr. Weasley is desperate to know what is going on with the world all of the time, constantly asking his children for advice. They're both a little geeky, yet they both just want what is best for the children they're close to, which is what makes them so great.
Lily Iglehart - Luna Lovegood
Lily Iglehart is one of the most popular characters in Sex Education, which is largely down to how eccentric and comedic she is. Lily is very over the top with pushing her feelings about sex to others, with her unique interests certainly making her stand out.
While there are no conversations about sex in Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood is certainly a very eccentric character as well. Others may find her strange, but Luna simply embraces what she loves and is passionate about, and that's something that makes her a brilliant character overall.
Jean Milburn - Professor McGonagall
Strong and powerful female characters are something that both Sex Education and Harry Potter do very well. Jean Milburn and Professor McGonagall are the best examples of that, with each of them being incredibly confident within themselves and their knowledge.
While Jean Milburn is certainly more out there in her approach, Professor McGonagall proves time and time again that she is not somebody to take lightly. She has a sharp tongue and is happy to let people know her thoughts, while also being warm and caring to her students, just as Jean is to those she interacts with.
Eric Effiong - Neville Longbottom
Eric and Neville are two characters that are seen as a joke to most people around them. They get bullied and aren't exactly treated well by others, often being used as comedic elements within their respective shows/movies. However, they're two very loyal characters, who are incredibly trustworthy and kind.
Although they don't have many stories in the beginning, they really do develop as people as their arc progresses. Neville turns out to be one of the biggest heroes in Harry Potter, standing up to those who did him wrong, which is exactly what Eric does as well.