Main characters who died in Harry Potter – 7 Deadly Sins theory

Seven Deadly Sins

• Greed – Albus Dumbledore
• Pride – Sirius Black
• Sloth – Fred, Nagini
• Wrath – Lupin
• Gluttony – Crabbe
• Envy – Snape, Peter Pettigrew
• Lust – Lavander Brown, Bellatrix Lestrange

Okay, take a sip of your mud and hear me out on this… Some of these are maybe a bit of a long shot, and some don’t fit as I initially thought, but some are a clean bullseye.

Perhaps J.K. Rowling wanted to give us a message on living a sinful life and the consequences, or perhaps it is just an inclusion of the biblical concept in her work, as so many writers have done before. Or maybe it is just my own imagination, but the magical number is 7, so here we go…

Spoilers for those who have not watched the movies.
Even more spoilers for those who haven’t read the books.

Greed – Albus Dumbledore

Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of his age. The very title implies this, although not inherently. He could have simply earned the title through his brilliance, which he undoubtedly did, but that is not the sole reason.

In the books, as a young man, Dumbledore is described several times as someone who had grand plans, chased after glory, and we also know he had a collection of powerful objects in his possession.

It is only in the later stages of his life that he finally surpasses this sin and absolves himself, just before he dies. He lets Harry toss and break many of the valuable items in his office and he also specifically tells him in the cave that “Your blood is far more precious than mine”.

This could all be the signs that he’s finally beaten his one weakness, the sin of greed, and that he is ready for his absolution, which comes at the moment of passion on to the afterlife.

Pride – Sirius Black

I like the character of Sirius very much and Gary Oldman’s interpretation of it is downright excellent.

Through multiple memories Harry sees throughout the books, but also during some interactions with Sirius, he always struck me as a prideful man. With his nice hair and head held up high.

Also, several moments after his death, Bellatrix Lestrange hits him with a curse, she misses him with one. It was a close shave and Sirius actually mocks her for the miss, a moment which Bellatrix did not waste.

Now, this doesn’t show absolution for the sin of pride in any way, which should precede the character’s death. But it fits to me because, according to some fan theories, Sirius Black was actually hit with a stunning spell and knocked back into the veil, a different dimension, where he is trapped.

If that is true, then we can imagine that he’s had time to reflect on his sin of pride quite a lot.

Sloth – Fred Weasley or Nagini

Now, this one I still didn’t figure out and perhaps you can help me.

I am having a hard time finding a slothful character in the entire Harry Potter story. The Weasley twins came to mind because they did not study very hard and they generally always goof around. But that is not exactly being a sloth.

Also, they turn out to be successful entrepreneurs and they do fight on the side of good multiple times, so maybe this is not true.  On the other hand, the snake Nagini does have the bearings of sloth, so it could be that it is it.

Fred Weasley is killed during the battle of Hogwarts by an explosion of unknown origin, most likely caused by the deatheaters, and Nagini was, as we know, killed by Nevil Longbottom when he decapitated it with the sword of Godric Gryffindor.

Wrath – Professor R. J. Lupin

This one is obvious to me. Not just because Lupin transforms into a werewolf and loses his mind and himself to anger. This is beside the point.

Fenrir bit lupin when he was 5 years old, and the werewolf curse is not his fault. But the character’s behavior when he is a man is what is in question here. Lupin is unusually calm all the time, as though he is suppressing anger constantly.

This has given him a higher level of restraint than his friends, which he demonstrates many times, like when Sirius and James bully Snape and Lupin doesn’t Participate nor supports their actions in any way.

However, when Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks are married and they have a baby, he goes away from his wife and child and comes to Harry, claiming that he wants to fight with him. Harry sees through this immediately, knowing he wants to get away from putting his wife and child in danger of his curse, and calls him a coward.

This hits Harry particularly hard because he lost his parents and when he tells Rimus he is a coward, he does it in a tone that is perhaps a bit too much. In this moment, Lupin displays anger like never before seen in the story. His fury is described as something surpassing even Voldemort’s.

However, he again suppresses it, just barely, and leaves. Later in the story, he thanks Harry for telling him the truth and overcomes his sin finally, just before dying in battle alongside his wife, leaving their child an orphan, but in a better world without Voldemort.

Gluttony – Crabbe

This one doesn’t even need an explanation as you are all with me, I’m sure.

The only thing possibly off about Crabbe being responsible for a deadly sin is the fact that he is a schoolboy. But, in the final book, they are all 18 years old, of age, and he has chosen his side clearly.

Of course, much of it is undoubtedly the fault of his father, the sinister Death Eater Crabbe Snr. Be that as it may, Crabbe Jr. learned many dark curses and he even used Fiendfyre on Harry in the Room of Requirement.

This was his downfall as he died in it, but not before Harry and the others tried to save him. So, perhaps he felt some friendship in the end and known that he was on the wrong side. Envy – Severus Snape or Peter Pettigrew