Breaking down picks for Harry Potter popularity poll

There hasn’t been much to bet on when it comes to sports, but DraftKings Sportsbook has continued to pump out free pools to give people a chance to win some cash during the drought. This time there’s a pool centered around Harry Potter. If you think you know what people love most about the wizarding world, you might want to participate. I’ll break down my train of thought for what picks seem like the most popular options.

Which are better?

• The movies
• The books

Most Harry Potter aficianados fell in love with the series on paper. While the films complement J.K. Rowling’s written work, the books leave more room for the imagination and include all the details that are more crucial to the plot. Harry Potter wouldn’t have been nearly as successful on the big screen if it hadn’t captivated readers everywhere first. The books are my pick.

Best Movie

• The Sorcerer’s Stone
• The Chamber of Secrets
• The Prisoner of Azkaban
• The Goblet of Fire
• The Half Blood Prince
• The Deathly Hallows — Part 1
• The Deathly Hallow — Part 2

There’s a lot to sort through when it comes to choosing the best movie of the series. First off, neither of the Deathly Hallows movies are in the running. While part two generated the most money, other options were much more essential to character and plot development. The Goblet of Fire is a close second because of the introduction of the other wizarding schools and exciting scenes we got to witness throughout the contest, But The Prisoner of Azkaban wins out in the end. The third movie of the series marked the beginning of a darker Harry Potter, and the main characters transitioned from being bumbling kids to young adults. The characters gain real depth while we’re introduced to the dementors, the patronus charm, and Sirius Black. It set the tone for movies like it for years to come. I think most people will see things the same way.

Best Book

• The Sorcerer’s Stone
• The Chamber of Secrets
• The Prisoner of Azkaban
• The Goblet of Fire
• The Half Blood Prince
• The Deathly Hallows

I have to go with the Prisoner of Azkaban for the clean sweep here. There was too much dynamic change that took place in that book. It could receiver some competition from Deathly Hallows because of the sentimental value. Half Blood Prince also isn’t far off though.

Best House at Hogwarts

• Gryffindor
• Ravenclaw
• Hufflepuff
• Slytherin

This one is a no brainer. Everyone wants to be in Gryffindor like the main characters. Ravenclaw is the trendy sleeper picker, but none of the other options should come close to Gryffindor.

Best Hogwarts Teacher

• Filius Flitwick
• Horace Slughorn
• Minerva McGonagall
• Pomona Sprout
• Remus Lupin
• Rubeus Hagrid
• Severus Snape
• Sybill Trelawney

This one is tricky. It’ll be between Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, and Rubeus Hagrid. McGonagall taught transfiguration, one of the most complex types of magic, before becoming the Hogwarts’ headmistress. She did her job well, but she wasn’t nearly as liked as some of the other options. Lupin was a defense against the dark arts teacher who was actually useful, but he didn’t last long enough to be considered. Hagrid is the least competent of the bunch, but was the most relevant to the audience — aside from Severus Snape. Snape was knowledgeable as a potions professor, but everyone hated his guts for a majority of the series. I’m rolling with Hagrid here.

Best Villain (besides Voldemort)

• Bellatrix Lestrange
• Dolores Umbridge
• Draco Malfoy
• Lucius Malfoy
• Peter Pettigrew
• The Dursley’s

These characters were just pawns in the grand scheme of things, but I’ll say Lestrange and Umbridge are the finalists. Lestrange might’ve killed Sirius Black, but few people Umbridge being hauled off by centaurs. The devil of the Ministry of Magic gets the win.

Best Class at Hogwarts

• Ancient Runes
• Astronomy
• Care of Magical Creatures
• Charms
• Defense Against the Dark Arts
• Herbology
• History of Magic
• Potions
• Transfiguration

Defense Against the Dark Arts was always the most intriguing class because of the rapid turnover rate of professors. There was always an interesting, new dynamic to look forward too. Plus we got some cool attack spells out of it. It was significantly more engaging than every class but Care of Magical Creatures in most cases.

Saddest Death

• Albus Dumbledore
• Dobby
• Fred Weasley
• Nymphadora Tonks
• Remus Lupin
• Sirius Black

This one is a toss up between Dumbledore and Black. I’ll go with Dumbledore though, as his death made it seem like everything was over for the good guys. Black’s death was meaningful, but Dumbledore’s made it feel like Harry and the gang had no shot at winning.

Best Quidditch position

• Seeker
• Keeper
• Beater
• Chaser

One thing’s for certain. Nobody ever wants to be the keeper. People like the most glorified positions, and that’s the seeker position Harry filled on Gryffindor’s team.

Best Weasley (Besides Ron)

• Arthur
• Charlie
• Fred
• George
• Ginny
• Molly

Fred and George will receive some love here, but there’s not much to distinguish the two from one another. Harry’s old flame Ginny became a favorite down the road, but she pales in comparison to her mother. Molly served as a mother to here one million kids and their friends. Also, she took down Bellatrix Letrange. She gets my vote and should get a lot of others as well.

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