The Golden Trio and their legacy

With the tragic passing of Dame Maggie Smith, we have lost the last of the arguably real Golden Trio. However, like Michael Gambon's Albus Dumbledore and Alan Rickman's Severus Snape before her, their teachings and lessons imparted shall live on for generations to come. As we grew up reading about the adventures of young Harry Potter and his friends, so shall our children and their children after them. Thus, the characters of Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall shall live on in the days long after we are gone.

Albus Dumbledore

The greatest flawed wizard in the wizarding world, Albus' story is the tale of masking the bad with the good and then being destroyed by it. Despite all the good he did, he ran from acknowledging his past with Grindelwald and his desire to acquire the Hallows, which cost the life of his sister.

The fallibility of Dumbledore made him more human than before, showing that one's ability to learn, grow, and become better is the most important thing that can be done, regardless of the situation. To own up to one's errors is a noble and necessary step toward gaining wisdom, understanding, and inner peace.

As seen in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, he was ready to die by Snape's hand, if only to save Malfoy's soul in the process. Even in his last moments, he never stopped being a teacher and only wanted the best for Draco. This speaks to his moral integrity and compass. Even when he was confronted about his past with Gellert, he chose to accept it, having learnt to silence his ego and pride.

Severus Snape

The hero we never knew about. Severus Snape stands tall as one of the most complex characters ever put to page. Despite our collective hatred for him in the first 6 books. he completely won us over in the 7th book, proving his loyalty to not only Albus, but Lily Potter as well, the woman he loved. Despite his righteous hatred for James Potter, he never stopped protecting Harry, knowing that that was what Lily would have wanted.

Snape's character development highlights the nuances of human nature and how we all have layers upon layers. People can have both good and bad qualities, and what they choose to work on is what defines them and their lives. Thus, Snape's legacy as a hero is solidified by Harry naming his son after him.

Minerva McGonagall

A brave heart with a blazing fire within her, Minerva stood out from the very first day Harry set foot in Hogwarts. With her stern demeanour and attitude, she seemed to be a no-nonsense kind of Professor. However, that tough facade masked her warmth and compassion for Harry and his friends. This is evidenced as when she praises Harry for making James proud by being a talented Quidditch player or when she stood up to Umbridge and passionately stood by Harry, vowing to make him an Auror, no matter what. She exemplified the courage and determination to always do right by the people, even when they don't expect her to do so. Despite her initial impression, she showed her true self to be a brave, compassionate and supportive person, despite all odds.

Conclusion

While the grief felt by the departed can never be fully vanquished, we can find solace in the fact that they inspired a whole generation of not only kids, but adults as well. They inspired us all to strive to be better each day and to never lose our way, despite whatever we may face. In doing so, they taught us the right way to live is to live life by being true to oneself.