Harry Potter had a small fortune in wizard gold. But despite his heaps of money, he very rarely shared his wealth with others.
It’s no secret that Harry had a tidy little fortune after inheriting some SERIOUS wizarding cash from his parents. This is something fans of the series learned early on in The Philosopher’s Stone, when an 11-year-old Harry visited his family vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank for the first time.
With a small mountain of Galleons at his disposal, it’s impossible to argue that Harry wasn’t a well-off wizard. And yet, despite his wealth, there are very few examples of him sharing his gold with the people in his life.
Why didn’t Harry ever share his good fortune with those he was closest with? Continue reading to find out!
All Your Questions About Harry Potter’s Gold Answered
Where Did Harry Potter’s Fortune Come From?
Harry’s fortune was the result of one of his distant relatives’ success as the inventor of Skele-gro, the potion that grows bones back.
Evidently, throughout the years, Harry’s lineage took a great deal of care in maintaining this initial fortune, as well as growing their wealth.
How Often Did Harry Potter Share His Gold?
Although it may be difficult to believe, Harry did not share his gold very often. Aside from a few Galleons every once in awhile, there’s just one instance of Harry giving away a substantial amount of money.
Who Did Harry Share His Money With?
The people who benefitted the most from Harry Potter’s wealth were the Weasleys. However, there’s actually only one time that we can truly say that Harry GAVE them his money.
Fred and George Weasley: The Triwizard Winnings
After winning The Triwizard Tournament in The Goblet of Fire, Harry was incredibly keen on getting rid of the award money. This was due to the dark circumstances surrounding his win—mainly the death of Hufflepuff student, Cedric Diggory—and the overwhelming guilt Harry felt about the entire thing. Add to that the fact that he already had SO MUCH gold, and not only did he not want it, he didn’t need it.
And so, upon receiving the 1,000 Galleon reward, Harry managed to convince Fred and George Weasley to accept the money to fund their dream of opening up a joke shop.
Of course, Harry always WANTED to give more of his gold to members of the Weasley family—primarily Ron and Ron’s parents, Molly and Arthur. But the family was all together too proud to accept it.
A few other examples of Harry sharing his gold include:
Ron Weasley: Treats on the Hogwarts Express
During his first journey to Hogwarts in The Philosopher’s Stone, Harry shared his new-found wealth with his train-compartment companion, Ron Weasley. As Ron was unable to afford any sweets off the snack trolley, Harry decided to buy the whole cart for the two of them to enjoy.
Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger: Omnioculars at the Quidditch World Cup
At the beginning of The Goblet of Fire, Harry purchased Omnioculars for himself, Ron and Hermione at the Quidditch World Cup.
Each pair of Omnioculars set him back 10 Galleons, which is roughly about 50 British pounds, meaning Harry dropped about 150 pounds on these things for himself and his friends.
Why Didn’t Harry Share More of His Money?
Despite there only being a few instances of Harry sharing his gold, it seems as though he wasn’t against it. Perhaps if the Weasleys had been more open to the idea of taking Harry’s money, there would be more examples of him being generous with his wealth.
Are there any other instances of Harry giving away his money? Why do you think there aren’t more examples of him sharing his gold? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!