by Kit Bowen

Sure, the Harry Potter movies are about a boy wizard and his archenemy, but the series has featured some of today's hottest young actors. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have been there from the start, now grown up from the cute tykes who began the saga over a decade ago into the eye candy they are today. See who else from the franchise joins them on our list.

Daniel Radcliffe

When you first saw Radcliffe as the adorable, bespectacled 11-year-old Harry Potter, was there any doubt he'd turn out to be the strapping young gent he is today? Radcliffe's bright blue eyes and dark hair have always drawn us in. At 22, he is stretching as an actor in Broadway plays such as How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Equus, in which he did the full monty on stage. Gutsy, but clearly he’s dedicated to his craft -- as in acting, not witch.

Emma Watson

As a precocious 9-year-old newcomer in Sorcerer’s Stone, Watson fit her alter ego, Hermione Granger, to a tee. As Hermione grew into a lovely young woman, so did Watson – right before our eyes. Once this Brown University student was done with filming the last Potter movie, she did something drastic; she cut her hair short. The pixie cut turned out to be very flattering – and as burgeoning fashionista, Watson at 21 stands to be one of the Harry Potter alums with the most hottie potential.

Rupert Grint

As the befuddled Ron Weasley, Grint definitely had an awkward stage--but by the time Goblet of Fire rolled around, Grint started to fill out into a red-haired hunk. Starting with his make-out scenes with Jessie Cave as Lavender Brown in Half-Blood Prince, it's hard to deny that Grint, now 22, has an irresistible sort of charm. Ron and Hermione will finally admit their undying love in the last installment – and we cannot WAIT for the kiss.

Bonnie Wright

As one of the other comely redheads in the Harry Potter movies, Wright has definitely jumped a few notches on the hottie scale since she first starred as the bright-eyed Ginny Weasley who idolizes Harry in Chamber of Secrets. Now Wright plays the beautiful grown-up Ginny who has finally claimed Harry's heart, just as their relationship goes through its toughest challenge yet. In real life, she's engaged to costar Jamie Campbell Bower.

Jamie Campbell Bower

Speaking of Campbell Bower, this newcomer makes the list, too. He plays the younger Gellert Grindelwald, a powerful and evil wizard and a key player in Albus Dumbledore's past, which is revealed in Deathly Hallows: Part I and II. The sinewy and handsome former model is no stranger to franchises, either. He also stars as one of the Volturi in the Twilight Saga, and recently played King Arthur in the original Starz series Camelot.

James and Oliver Phelps

The Phelps boys, 25, have not only made us laugh as Fred and George Weasley, but they've also grown into two dashing young gentlemen. Oliver was born about 13 minutes before his twin brother James, and although it's difficult to tell them apart, there is one way: Oliver has a mole on his neck and James doesn't. These two tall drinks of water prove good looks and a great sense of humor can go a long way.

Tom Felton

When Sorcerer's Stone opened in theaters, there was no way you could tell the tow-headed boy behind that brat Draco Malfoy would turn into one of the sexiest Harry Potter stars. At 23, Felton is not only gorgeous but one of the series' nicest young men. He shows his acting chops in Half-Blood Prince when we find out Draco is more vulnerable than we thought. Too bad Draco's fate is already sealed.

Clemence Poesy

It's not a big stretch to add the 28-year-old Poesy to the list. This French beauty came on the Harry Potter scene in Goblet of Fire as Fleur Delacour, the Triwizard Tournament participant who mesmerizes all the boys in her path. Later, she reappears in Deathly Hallows: Part I as the fiancée of the older Weasley brother, Bill, and will fight alongside Harry and the gang when it comes time to defeat Lord Voldemort.

Matthew Lewis

Just like Rupert Grint, Matthew Lewis' early portrayal of geeky, clumsy, kind-hearted Neville Longbottom belied the true hunk that was waiting to come out. By The Order of the Phoenix, Neville emerges as a strong, confident wizard, especially when he masters the art of conjuring a Patronus. Now at 22, Lewis the actor has done the same... well, maybe not the Patronus part. In fact, when you take off the nebbish Neville makeup, you’re faced with a remarkably handsome young man.

Freddie Stroma

Cormac McLaggen might not be the nicest person on the Quidditch team – or the best suitor for Hermione – but he sure is pretty to look at. That's all due to 24-year-old Stroma, who joined the Potter clan in The Half-Blood Prince as the arrogant McLaggen, a Hogwarts student who desperately wants to the Gryffindor's Quidditch Keeper AND has the major hots for Hermione. Too bad she really only has eyes for Ron, who, in turn, has been nabbed by the clingy Lavender.

Katie Leung

Ah, Harry's first kiss was with the lovely and sweet Cho Chang in The Order of the Phoenix, played by the equally lovely Leung. The Scottish newcomer, 23, beat out over 3,000 girls to make her acting debut in The Goblet of Fire, in which she falls for the handsome Hogwarts Triwizard Tournament participant Cedric Diggory. When Cedric is killed, Cho never quite gets over it. Poor Harry, breaks his heart – good thing Ginny is there to pick up the pieces.

Robert Pattinson

Last, but certainly not least, we have RPattz, who clearly has to be mentioned in Potter hottie talk. Who knew the boy who played the kind yet doomed Cedric in Goblet of Fire would turn into this megastar heartthrob vampire in that other hugely popular fantasy franchise known as the Twilight Saga? But if you have to compare the brooding, sexy Edward Cullen to Cedric, the romantic bloodsucker will probably win out.

Weigh in…who’s the hottest one of all?