Harry Potter has a great storyline, no doubt.  But when you look into the series, you see that there’s a lot more to it than a young wizard and his friends fighting the bad guys.  Here are 6 times Harry and his friends taught us a serious life lesson.

1. Talk about things

Throughout the Harry Potter series, Voldemort is nearly always referred to as “he who shall not be named.” Voldemort serves as a metaphor for those things in life we’re too afraid to speak about. Dumbledore said it best:  “Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.”  Whether you’re struggling with relationship issues, addiction or a mental health issue, don’t be afraid to talk about things. Especially if you feel like something might not be right.

2. Friendship is important

Seriously, Harry would have died in the first book if he didn’t have Hermione and Ron by his side.  Friendship was life or death for Harry, but it’s important to get through life even if you aren’t the Chosen One.  Friends give you a support network that you can lean on when you’re going through a tough time.

3. It’s okay to turn to your parents for help

Draco did.  You might feel like your parents won’t understand what you’re going through, but remember that they always want what’s best for you.  Your parents can be a bigger help than you may anticipate.  Give them a chance to help, and you might be surprised.

4. The importance of community

Let’s be honest. Hogwarts would have fallen to the Dark Arts if it wasn’t for Dumbledore’s Army. Where would Harry – or anyone in the magic world – be without them? He never could’ve fought that final battle alone, but he had an amazing community of badass wizards to back him up. You might not have a community of wizards, but you can always reach out to your community if you need help.

5. Face your fears

Sometimes you have to venture into the Forbidden Forest to find a gigantic spider when you’re absolutely terrified of spiders.  Okay, so you probably don’t have to do that; but Ron did. He was petrified, but he went into the forest with Harry anyway, and Harry probably wouldn’t have made it out alive if Ron didn’t face his fear.  Great things can come from facing your fears, big and small.

6. You’re strong, and you can do things on your own

Harry might have had a lot of help along the way, but in the last moments of the final battle between good and evil, Harry stood alone.  He had to fight the most powerful dark lord all alone, and he still came out on top.  Channel your inner Harry Potter, and you can definitely get shit done by yourself.