One of the sad but unavoidable aspects of growing older is seeing some of your childhood heroes pass away.
Whether they were figures in sports, movies, or television, it is an unfortunate certainty.
For many, the Harry Potter series holds a dear place in our childhood memories.
While an HBO reboot series is on the horizon, the original films remain iconic, and sadly, several of the beloved actors from these films have passed away.
The series saw its first significant loss with the passing of Richard Harris in 2002.
Though he wasn’t Dumbledore for the majority of the films, his whimsical charm was essential to the first two movies.
Robert Knox, who played Marcus Belby in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, died tragically in 2008.
The young actor was fatally stabbed outside a London bar while protecting his brother during a fight.
A documentary, titled (K)nox: The Rob Knox Story, was later made about his life and untimely death. The Robert Knox Film Festival, founded in 2009, channels all proceeds to the Rob Knox Foundation, established by his parents to educate young people on street violence.
Michael Gambon, who succeeded Harris as Dumbledore, passed away last year from pneumonia, according to his family’s statement.
Gambon was a beloved cast member, portraying Dumbledore from the third film onward. He also had a distinguished career with roles such as in The King’s Speech.
Elizabeth Spriggs, who portrayed The Fat Lady, the portrait that guarded the Gryffindor common room, passed away in 2008.
A seasoned Shakespearean actor, she had an impressive career in West End theatre. Her funeral took place in Oxfordshire.
Timothy Bateson, who voiced Kreacher the house elf in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, passed away in 2009 at the age of 83.
He also appeared in numerous films and TV movies, including The Italian Job and Les Misérables.
Jimmy Gardner, a WWII veteran and actor who played Knight Bus driver Ernie Prang in The Prisoner of Azkaban, also passed away.
He served in the Royal Air Force and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for his bravery. Gardner passed away at 85.
Alfred Burke, known for his role as Armando Dippett, Dumbledore’s predecessor, died at the age of 92 in February 2011.
Outside of Harry Potter, he was best known for his role in the British TV drama Public Eye, which aired from 1965 to 1975.
Eric Sykes, who played Frank Bryce, the Muggle gardener of the Riddle family, passed away in 2012.
He was killed by Peter Pettigrew, and his ghost later helped Harry fight Voldemort. Sykes also appeared alongside Nicole Kidman in The Others.
Richard Griffiths, who portrayed Uncle Vernon, was a highly respected British actor known for roles in The History Boys and Withnail and I.
He died at 65 following heart surgery. Daniel Radcliffe remembered him fondly, saying, “Any room he walked into was made twice as funny and twice as clever just by his presence.”
Peter Cartwright played Elphias Doge before his death in 2013, and was later replaced by David Ryall.
Roger Lloyd Pack, known for his roles in Only Fools and Horses and as Barty Crouch Senior in Harry Potter, died of pancreatic cancer at 69.
Tributes were paid to him in the Sport Relief episode of Only Fools and Horses and the final lockdown episode of The Vicar of Dibley.
Dave Legeno, who played the werewolf and Death Eater Fenrir Greyback, was found dead in Death Valley, California, in 2014. He appeared in three Harry Potter films.