The ages of the characters in Harry Potter are an important aspect of their identity and play a significant role in the plot of the story. From the young age of Harry Potter when he first discovers he is a wizard, to the various ages of the characters that he meets along the way, it’s helpful to understand the ages of the characters in order to follow their growth and development throughout the series. In this article, we’ll provide you with the ages of some of the major and minor characters in the Harry Potter series, so you can better understand the timeline of events and the significance of each character’s age.
Harry Potter
Born on July 31, 1980, so he turned 11 years old in 1991 when he first started attending Hogwarts. He was 17 years old at the end of the series in 1998.
Ron Weasley
Born on March 1, 1980, so he turned 11 years old in 1991 when he started at Hogwarts. He was also 17 years old at the end of the series.
Hermione Granger
Born on September 19, 1979, so she turned 11 years old in 1991 when she started at Hogwarts. She was one year older than Harry and Ron, so she was 18 years old at the end of the series.
Albus Dumbledore
Born in 1881, he was 115 years old when he died in 1996.
Severus Snape
Born on January 9, 1960, he was 31 years old when Harry started at Hogwarts in 1991. He died at the age of 38 in 1998.
Lord Voldemort (Tom Riddle)
Born on December 31, 1926, he was 71 years old when he was killed by Harry in 1998.
When Tom Riddle attended Hogwarts, he was in the same year as Hagrid and was born in 1927. This means that Riddle started Hogwarts in 1938 at the age of 11.
When Voldemort returns to a physical form in the fourth book, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” it is said that he has been “gone for thirteen years,” which means that he disappeared in 1981. At this point, Voldemort would have been 54 years old.
Ginny Weasley
Born on August 11, 1981, so she turned 10 years old in 1991 when Harry started at Hogwarts. She was one year younger than Harry, so she was 16 years old at the end of the series.
Fred and George Weasley
Born on April 1, 1978, they turned 13 years old in 1991 when they started at Hogwarts. They were both 20 years old at the end of the series.
Neville Longbottom
Born on July 30, 1980, he turned 11 years old in 1991 when he started at Hogwarts. He was also 17 years old at the end of the series.
Luna Lovegood
Born on February 13, 1981, she turned 11 years old in 1992 when she started at Hogwarts. She was 16 years old at the end of the series.
Draco Malfoy
Born on June 5, 1980, he turned 11 years old in 1991 when he started at Hogwarts. He was also 17 years old at the end of the series.
Rubeus Hagrid
Born on December 6, 1928, he was 63 years old at the beginning of the series and 71 years old at the end.
Filius Flitwick
Born on October 17 prior to 1958—we don’t have an exact year. But we do know he was old enough to teach Harry’s parents at Hogwarts.
Minerva McGonagall
Born on October 4, 1935.
When Harry Potter starts at Hogwarts in 1991, McGonagall is 56 years old. McGonagall becomes the Headmistress of Hogwarts in 1998, when she is 63 years old. At the end of the Harry Potter series, which takes place in 1998, McGonagall is 63 years old.
It’s worth noting that McGonagall’s age is also given as 70 in the “Cursed Child” play, which takes place in the future. However, it’s important to remember that the “Cursed Child” is not considered to be canon by some fans, and there are some inconsistencies with the ages of other characters in the play as well.
In “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” which is set in 1927, a young Minerva McGonagall is seen teaching at Hogwarts. However, according to the Harry Potter books, McGonagall was not born until 1935, which means she would not have been old enough to be teaching at Hogwarts in 1927.
Arthur Weasley
Born on February 6, 1950. This means that he was 41 years old when Harry Potter started at Hogwarts in 1991, and he would have been 48 years old at the end of the series in 1998.
Molly Weasley
Born on October 30, 1949. This means that she was 42 years old when Harry Potter started at Hogwarts in 1991, and she would have been 49 years old at the end of the series in 1998.
Dobby the house-elf
Most likely born sometime in the 1970s. Since house-elves do not age in the same way that humans do, it’s difficult to assign a specific age to Dobby. However, based on the timeline of the books, he would have been a young adult when he first met Harry and likely remained at a similar age throughout the series.
Dudley Dursley
Born on June 23, 1980, which means that he is roughly the same age as Harry Potter—a little over one month older to be exact.
James and Lily Potter
James was born on March 27, 1960.
Lily was born on January 30, 1960, which means she was the same age as her future husband.
Both James and Lily were killed by Voldemort on October 31, 1981. At the time of their deaths, they would have been 21 years old.
So, what do you think about the ages of the characters in Harry Potter? Did any of the ages surprise you? Did learning about the ages of the characters give you a new perspective on the story? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
