Comic artist Kate Knudson is truly doing God’s work. On her Tumblr, Loquacious Literature, Knudson illustrates memorable moments from the Harry Potter series that didn’t make the final cut in the film adaptations. She even draws Harry and Hermione as people of color, challenging the film’s decision to cast a primarily oatmeal-colored cast and adding a necessary and diverse twist to the Harry Potter universe. What stood out to me most while scrolling through her artwork was her depictions of underrated female characters. Characters who, in my opinion, did not get enough screen time in the movies. Here are a few of my favorite comics, featuring a range of badass and complex witches:
Luna Lovegood
Luna is Hogwarts’ lovable resident space cadet. Every school has one — someone a bit too dreamy, a bit too out of touch with reality, a bit too kooky. Someone who sports radishes as earrings and goes to bed wearing shoes because she sleepwalks. In my opinion, Lovegood deserves her own spin-off series, but until that happens I’ll settle for these beautiful comics. In this one, she proves her dedication and passion for the continued unity of Dumbledore’s Army, a quality that later puts her on the front lines of the epic battle of Hogwarts. Also, she low-key admits to being a friendless outcast. Relatable.
Images via Loquacious Literature
Hermione Granger
Hermione is a driven hardworking badass magical genius and Ron and Harry did not deserve her. But Hagrid did.
Minevera McGonagall and Dolores Umbridge
Okay, call me crazy, but both of these ladies were badass in their own way. McGonagall is a powerful, loyal, stone-cold witch. She’s one of the good guys, but that doesn’t mean she’s warm and fuzzy. She’s protective of her students without babying them. Umbridge is obviously the most evil witch since Bellatrix Lestrange, but I appreciate her weird juxtaposition of pink sugary kitten aesthetics and sadistic torture of her students.
Alice and Augusta Longbottom
This is easily the most heartbreaking scene in the books. Neville’s mother, Alice Longbottom, was a badass Auror (“Dark wizard catcher”) who fought in the first war against Voldemort. She was subsequently tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange and ends up in St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. She’s untreatable and can no longer care for Neville, so he is raised by his grandmother, Augusta. Both women are featured in this comic, in which Neville and friends visit St. Mungo’s. Alice, who can no longer recognize her son, hands him a gum wrapper and walks away. He thanks her quietly and slips it into his pocket. Like, okay, J.K. Rowling, put my heart in a blender, why don’t you.
Check out this incredible artist on Etsy, Society6, and Tumblr.
Featured image via Kate Knudson.