So I have seen a lot of best(insert name here) in fanfiction coming up recently, so I thought I should start one for canon, I am not sure whether its been done before and if it has I am sure it was a long time ago.

I think once in awhile it would be refreshing to discuss what actually brought us all here and that is canon, to remind ourselves of why we liked it and we stuck with it for all those years.


My personal and most memorable moment was when Harry talked to Nearly Headless Nick about ghosts, I felt for him, it was the one moment in the whole series that I felt fully emotional and it was even sadder when he found the mirror, and I remember shouting in frustration because all of it wouldn't have happened if he had remembered it.

Also the "Kill the spare" line was just plain awesome in its mercilessness and just like that Cedric was dead, I was stunned speechless at that

side note: I am not sure whether this thread should be here or in the general discussion.

 

Hagrid: "Harry, yer a wizard"

Dumbledore: "Harry, suffering like this proves you are still a man! This pain is part of being human-"
Harry: "THEN-I-DON'T-WANT-TO-BE-HUMAN!"

Lily: "You’ve been so brave."
James: "You are nearly there. Very close. We are…so proud of you."
Harry: "Does it hurt?"

 

The first Quidditch match in Philosopher's Stone, I remember reading that for the first time when I was about six, and just thinking it was the coolest thing ever. Still do for that matter.

When Dumbledore died, I think that I might've actually shouted out "NOOOOOOOOOO" when I first read that.

 

Cedric dies. Voldemort comes back. Fourth book was and is by far my favorite.

 

When Harry shouts "Accio Firebolt" during the first task. I remember holding my breath as I read, wondering if it would work and wondering how he'd get by the dragon. It was the first time Harry had ever stepped up and done something that could be classified as "heroic" in front of a large audience (sure he'd gotten into adventures before, but his peers had mostly just heard about his various adventures through the rumor mill) and so it was a defining point in the books where I felt like Harry really started coming into his own.

Also really enjoyed the Dumbledore vs Voldemort duel

 

Snape getting blasted in the Shrieking Shack.

Harry driving off the Dementors at the end of PoA.

Harry dying after killing the basilisk.

Harry learning that Sirius Black betrayed his parents (and, in the film, swearing to kill him).

 

The graveyard at the end of GoF.

Most people tend to ignore the whole scenario and it's implications entirely, and by that I mean I've never read a story which presented this scene as terrifying as it is.

A 14 year old schoolkid gets kidnapped, sees an older friend murdered directly in front of him, gets chained to a headstone in this gloomy graveyard, meets his parent's murderer with his group of murdering cultists, is used in a ritual and has to fight in order to survive.

I read GoF when I was 14 and this was definitely scary. Everyone would be scared in this situation.

People tend to write a competent Harry, which is fine in and of itself, but they usually fail to adequately portray the whole setting. In addition to that Harry actually talks to shades of his parents, which neither canon nor fanfiction ever elaborates on. I'd like to read a story which has this result in some consequences and changes.

 

I have to second the Basilisk scene in the Chamber of Secrets. It's possibly my favorite scene from Rowling.

I also really liked the Time-Turner stuff in PoA.

 

I'll have to second the graveyard resurrection, as well as the Patronus scene at the end of Prisoner of Azkaban.

 

The graveyard scene in GoF is probably the most pivotal scene in the entire series, and it is my favorite book. But my favorite scene is when Harry tried the Cruciatus on Bella. That whole chapter is just -wtf, but that is WTF DID HE REALLY JUST DO THAT the first time reading.

 

There are only a few scenes from canon that I think really stuck with me, but holy hell they were excellent.

-The Mirror Of Erised chapter in PS

-The Duelling Club scene in CoS

-The scene where Sirius and Lupin finally convince Harry in PoA that Pettigrew was the one to betray Harry's parents, and Pettigrew starts crying and Sirius loses his fucking shit (honestly, this scene is fucking fantastic - I hold that chapter as one of the best in canon)

-There are a lot of great scenes in GoF (my favourite book of the series), but for me the best scenes are the class on Unforgivable Curses, the chapter with the introduction of the Pensieve (fucking fantastic chapter, easily one of my favourites in canon), the graveyard scene, and the final argument between Fudge and Dumbledore in the Hospital Wing

-In OOTP, the scenes that I've always liked were the very first chapter (holy hell, great way to start the book), every single Occlumency chapter (including Snape's worst memory), almost all the scenes where there is some sort of comeuppance for Umbridge (Dumbledore hiring Firenze, Dumbledore saving Harry when the DA is found, Fred and George making their dramatic exit), and finally the two chapters after Sirius was killed. Holy fuck, talk about potent chapters.

-Dumbledore's conversation with Malfoy at the end of HBP - as much as I dislike HBP, it's a great scene

-In DH, the chapter that stuck with me the most was 'The Prince's Tale'. Yeah, coming from me, I know it's cliche, but I don't fucking care. Snape was always one of my favourite characters, and those scenes added so much depth and additional context to him and Dumbledore. And as someone who has a fondness for complex plotting, I love the chapters that tie all the loose ends together, particularly as well as they did here.

 

I seem to be coming up with memorable quotes instead of moments.

Dudley: "They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall. Want to come upstairs and practice?"
Harry: "No, thanks. The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it -- it might be sick."

Snape: "Do you remember me telling you we are practicing non-verbal spells, Potter?"
Harry: "Yes"
Snape: "Yes, sir."
Harry: "There's no need to call me "sir" Professor."

Hermione: "Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... What did Professor Sprout say? It likes the dark and the damp-"
Harry: "So light a fire!"
Hermione: "Yes - of course - but there's no wood!"
Ron: "HAVE YOU GONE MAD? ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"
shortly after
Harry: "Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione"
Ron: "Yeah and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis - there's no wood, honestly."

 

I second the statements about GoF and the graveyard scene.

One of the most remarkable moments of the series was the way Harry was chosen as triwizard champion. I thought it was obvious that Harry would participate in the tournament, and then one by one the three champions had been chosen, with Cedric Diggory for Hogwarts. I remember that moment was a huge letdown, and just two paragraphs later came "Harry Potter".


The most annoying scene was the moment when Ron left the tent in DH. That's why I rated the last book just average.

 

I honestly don't remember Harry being this funny/witty I think the angst starting from OOTP kind of made me forget this.

I also second the Mirror of erised scene that was beautiful.

 

I'm just going to quote a small bit that I doubt will be mentioned in this thread, unlike the countless awesome/important scenes in the books. I always loved it way more than I should have, probably. From book 1:

He put the bottle down and walked forward; he braced himself, saw the black flames licking his body, but couldn't feel them -- for a moment he could see nothing but dark fire -- then he was on the other side, in the last chamber. There was already someone there -- but it wasn't Snape. It wasn't even Voldemort.

End of chapter

It was Quirrel.

My goodness, the end of chapter right there is ORGASMIC!

 

This is what got me hooked on Harry Potter. Until those scant few lines, I honestly didn't give a shit about the plot.

OT: My favorite scene out of the entire series is Harry's detention with Umbridge and her blood quill. Before OotP, never would I have imagined that a mundane detention could be so awesomely sinister.

 

Most of the set pieces from Deathly Hallows, although the big finale can feel a little cheesy. The dragon escape from Gringotts though, and the battle of the seven Harrys...fucking epic.

On a similar vein, pretty much all of OotP from the moment Harry has the vision of Sirius, especially Dumbledore vs Voldemort.

Dumbledore bursting through the door to confront Barty Crouch Jr in GoF - in fact, the twist that Moody was an imposter as well.

 

Seconded. It was a definitely a "Shit just got real" moment.

 

I’ve got to flat out disagree with Dark Minion on this point…
(even though he’s a moderator who could smite me into ten thousand pieces)

…Ron in canon, only ever does one thing in all the books which makes me want to break out the iodine and cheese grater. And that wasn’t being a prick during BK4 because the kid was only 14 and insecure. Nor was bailing during the Deathly Hallows, because I think that was supposed to be his Defining Character Moment, with the ‘oh shit I just walked away from my best friends’ thing coming through pretty strongly in later chapters, but was never properly followed through on.

And believe me, Ron is FAR from my favourite character!

The only thing the guy ever did which pissed me off, was cockblocking Harry on his 17th birthday… Harry fucking sacrifices his life during that book, a friggin’ virgin sacrifice, and that is all on Ron’s shoulders.

…

Which brings me to my favourite canon moment.

The Death March after he views Snape’s (probably spurious) memories. Reading it the first time I still remember the horrified, heart wrenching feeling I got from the imagery and the writing. I might take the piss out of JKR’s writing sometimes, but that scene had emotional impact.

…
also, I found Knight's quotathon pretty cool