Summary
Every great hero story needs a multitude of great villains. That’s especially true in theHarry Potterseries. While every Potter-head knows Voldemort is the big bad, the first villain introduced to readers is Draco Malfoy. He serves as an age-appropriate rival for Harry when they are entering Hogwarts at the age of 11.
Draco Malfoy embodies everythingHarry Potterdoesn’t have. He is part of a nuclear family with access to wealth and power at his disposal. He is connected to every other villain in the series and has a quick wit that makes his snark incredibly quotable.
10"Famous Harry Potter. Can’t Even Go To A Book Shop Without Making The Front Page."
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter goes into Flourish and Blotts and is quickly recognized by fame-houndGilderoy Lockhart. This, of course, sparks Malfoy’s jealousy because he’s used to being the center of attention in his home and Slytherin House. But when Harry’s around, Malfoy doesn’t get the attention he desires.
Malfoy was also bitter at Harry for rejecting his offer to be friends the previous year. While Malfoy may have been the belle of the ball in his inner circle, interactions like this one reveal how unknown he is compared to certain others in the wizarding community.
9"Honestly, Goyle, If You Were Any Slower, You’d Be Going Backwards."
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Second year was one of the best for Draco Malfoy’s snark. While hanging out with his two henchmen, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, Malfoy would insult them almost as much as he would insult anyone not in the Slytherin inner circle. He delivered this quote when Harry wasusing polyjuice potionto pose as Goyle
Harry, unfamiliar with many things children who grew up in wizarding families took for granted, was confused at the mention of Azkaban. After asking about the wizard prison, Malfoy delivered this line, because Goyle, as a pure-blood wizard, should know about Azkaban.
8"Red Hair And A Hand-Me-Down Robe? You Must Be A Weasley."
Malfoy was unafraid to mock any pure-blood wizard he believed to be inferior to him. The Weasleys were known for being kind to all but not very wealthy. This led some of the more intolerant pure-blood wizards to call them things like “blood traitors” and “betrayal to the name of wizards.”
Malfoy identifies Ron right away in the first book when Ron sniggers at Malfoy’s name. It’s the start of a rivalry that lasted the entire time both were in school. This is also the moment where Harry decides he doesn’t want to be friends with Malfoy because he has found the Weasleys to be joyful and pleasant.
7"Longbottom, If Brains Were Gold, You’d Be Poorer Than Weasley, And That’s Saying Something."
Malfoy also refused to hold back when confronting other pure-blood members from Gryffindor House even if they weren’t struggling financially like the Weasleys. He delivered this line at a Quidditch match during their first year when he chose to sit near Ron Weasley andNeville Longbottomwhile they were cheering on Harry.
This attack on Neville’s character led to Neville standing up for himself verbally, then a fight between Malfoy, Ron, Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle. When it was all said and done, Ron hit Malfoy, and Neville got knocked out by both Crabbe and Goyle.
6"You’re Gonna Regret This! You And Your Bloody Chicken!"
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Malfoy wasn’t above trying to bully teachers when things weren’t going his way. After Harry proved to be handy at earning the respect of a hippogriff, Malfoy decided that he could say and do whatever he wanted. This led to Buckbeak the Hippogriff attacking him.
Malfoy was injured and Care of Magical Creaturesteacher Rubeus Hagridhad to carry him to the hospital wing. While he’s being carried for treatment, Malfoy threatens Hagrid, his job, and the hippogriff, whom Malfoy calls a chicken.
5"This Class Is Ridiculous…"
When someone sees themselves as superior, it will lead them to continue mocking people in positions of authority they believe to be inferior.Remus Lupinis a top-five teacher during Harry’s and Draco’s times at Hogwarts, but Draco would try to undermine the man.
When Lupin was teaching the Defense Against the Dark Arts spell to fend off a boggart, Malfoy called the class “ridiculous.” This is two-fold as it partially mocks the incantation “ridikulus” and also attacks the class of a man he believes is beneath him.
4"I Don’t Need Your Help! Don’t You Understand? I Have To Do This! I Have To Kill You, Or He’s Gonna Kill Me!"
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Despite every negative about Draco Malfoy presented in the books, this is the moment readers start feeling for the child. He was 16. He was still just a boy and had been given the task by Voldemort to kill Dumbledore. While he had been raised to be intolerant, he hadn’t been raised to kill.
It’s a mission that will test any person, and Draco Malfoy didn’t have it in him to be a killer. He had his faults, but he wasn’t evil. It was this moment where readers knew there was a chance for Draco to break free from Voldemort’s power. It wasn’t a redemption arc, but it was a step in the right direction.
3"No One Asked Your Opinion, You Filthy Little Mudblood!"
This quote introduced the worst slur in the wizarding world. Draco Malfoy called Hermione Granger this when she took a shot at his appointment to theSlytherin Quidditch team. Being from the purest of pure-blood families, Malfoy’s intolerance wouldn’t allow a Muggle-born witch to even speak to him.
This quote was also important for future developments within the series. Ron rushes to defend Hermione despite her not knowing why it’s supposed to be insulting. With his broken wand, he wound up coughing slugs, but it still showed how much he cared about the girl who would grow up to be his wife.
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
The best line from Draco Malfoy wasn’t in the books, but was featured in the movie,Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. However, it also wasn’t in the screenplay but was ad-libbed on the spot by Tom Felton. This is another classic from the scene where Harry and Ron use polyjuice potion to pose as Crabbe and Goyle.
For a visual gag in the film, Harry, as Goyle, was still wearing his glasses, so Malfoy asked him about them. When Goyle said reading, Felton, as Malfoy, delivered this in-character gem that describes his ability to mock his friends and still be charming.
1"My Father Will Hear About This!"
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Movie)
While his comment to Goyle may have been his best line, this is Draco Malfoy’s signature line. As someone who comes from a wealthy family, Malfoy’s father wields a lot of influence whether it’s with the Hogwarts Governors or at the Ministry of Magic. Draco knows this and is unafraid to use his father’s influence.
In almost every book, Malfoy delivers this line as he is trying to get his way. He threatens fellow students, teachers, and even Hagrid as a groundskeeper. While everyone knows he’ll make good on telling his father, everyone still treats him like the spoiled brat he is.
