From BookJive
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| Name: | Harry James Potter | |||
| Description: | Harry is described as sporting his father's perpetually untidy black hair, his mother's bright green eyes, and a lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead. He is further described as "small and skinny for his age" with "a thin face" and "knobbly knees", | |||
Harry James Potter is a fictional character and the main protagonist of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter fantasy series of books.
The novels concern events at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where Harry's best friends are Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. His most intriguing physical characteristic is his lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead, which he gained when the Dark wizard Lord Voldemort attempted to murder Harry as a baby with Avada Kedavra, the Killing Curse. Voldemort also killed Harry's parents and destroyed their home in the village of Godric's Hollow on 31 October, 1981. Harry is famous throughout the wizarding world for being the only known person to have survived the Killing Curse and, in doing so, brought about Lord Voldemort's downfall.
In the novels, Harry, the only child of James and Lily Potter, is often told that he resembles his father, with similar perpetually untidy jet-black hair. He later discovers, however, that he is more like his mother in personality and character. He has also inherited his mother's bright green eyes. Harry is described as being small and skinny for his age in the first few novels, but by the fifth he is described as tall. He also has a thin face and a rather quiet voice, except when he's angry. His appearance is often characterised by his round glasses.
In 2002, Harry Potter was voted No. 85 among the "100 Best Fictional Characters" by Book magazine and also voted the 35th "Worst Briton" in Channel 4's "100 Worst Britons We Love to Hate" program.
Harry shares his birthday, July 31, with author J. K. Rowling. The books generally avoid giving exact dates for events, but it has been gathered that Harry was born in 1980 because that was given as the birth year of Harry's classmate, Draco Malfoy, as part of the Black family tree, written by Rowling for a charity auction. For a detailed discussion of dates within the series see Dates in Harry Potter. You can also work this out with the dates given off Sir Nicolas De Mimsy-Porpington's death date at the Deathday Party (or Nearly headless Nick).
In the Harry Potter film adaptations, Harry has been portrayed by British actor Daniel Radcliffe.
Heritage and other family
Harry is categorized as a "half-blood" wizard in the series. Although both his parents were magical, his mother, Lily Evans, was "Muggle-born" and, according to Rowling, to the characters whom blood purity matters, she is therefore considered the equivalent of a Muggle (non-magical person) — and derogatively referred to as a "Mudblood." Little is known about Harry's other relations.
Harry's father, James Potter, was born into a "pure-blood" wizarding family as the only child of somewhat elderly parents. It is likely Harry is distantly related to other pure-blood families through his father, since according to Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, all the old pure-blood families are related through intermarriage. Harry inherited his parents' wealth, which is stored at Gringotts Wizarding Bank in Diagon Alley, London. He later inherits Sirius' property, Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, after Sirius dies.
Harry may also be related to his godfather. According to the Black family tree, Charlus Potter married Dorea Black, granddaughter of Phineas Nigellus Black, with the result that James and Sirius may have been first cousins, once removed. This seems to contradict Rowling's statements that James's parents were "old in wizarding terms" when they died, because she has also said that wizards have "a much longer life expectancy than Muggles" — Dorea died at only 57. However, Charlus and Dorea were born into the same generation as Sirius's grandparents, so it is possible they might be James' parents. Regardless, since no living Potter relatives or any unrelated wizards named Potter have yet appeared in the series, it is possible that Charlus Potter, and thus Sirius, were somehow related to Harry.
In the books
In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, eleven-year-old Harry Potter learns that he is a wizard when Rubeus Hagrid, the half-giant Keeper of the Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and aide to Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, hand-delivers his invitation to attend the school. Hagrid tells Harry about his magical background and his fame in the wizarding community. He also learns that his parents, James and Lily, have left him a small fortune. Harry's first introduction to the wizarding world is in his trip to the Diagon Alley, a hidden wizarding shopping street in London. There he buys a magic wand at Ollivanders. On the Hogwarts Express, the train that takes students from London's King's Cross station to the school, he meets Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, who later become his closest friends in school. At Hogwarts, Harry is sorted into Gryffindor, one of four school Houses. Also sorted in Gryffindor are Ron and Hermione. He also joins the Gryffindor Quidditch team, becoming the youngest Seeker in over a century. Harry also gains enemies succh as Draco Malfoy. Lord Voldemort (long presumed dead) has secretly returned. Using the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Quirrell as a host body, he searches Hogwarts for the Philosopher's Stone, that he believes will restore his body and make him immortal. Voldemort is thwarted by Harry, with help from Ron and Hermione.
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry faces more challenges. Harry is revealed to be a parselmouth (the ability to speak with snakes) and there is a growing suspicion that he may be the Heir of Slytherin. The Heir is believed responsible for a series of attacks on Muggle-borns throughout the school. Harry’s toughest challenge, however, is posed by Tom Riddle, the "memory" of a younger Voldemort hidden within his old diary, which has mysteriously fallen into Ginny Weasley's possession. Controlling Ginny through the diary, Riddle uses her to release a deadly basilisk from the Chamber of Secrets. Harry proves his mettle in the book's climax by rescuing Ginny from the Chamber and killing the Basilisk with Godric Gryffindor's sword. Harry also tricks Lucius Malfoy into freeing his house elf, Dobby, who has helped Harry.
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry becomes the supposed target of Sirius Black, a murderous wizard who has escaped from Azkaban, Britain's wizarding prison. Hunting Black are terrifying, hooded creatures called Dementors, the guards of Azkaban. Lacking his guardians' written permission, Harry is unable to join student outings to Hogsmeade, the nearby wizarding village. Fred and George Weasley give him their Marauder's Map, a magical document showing secret passageways in and out of Hogwarts, as well as every person's location within the castle. Harry uses a tunnel to slip into Hogsmeade wearing his Invisibility Cloak. At Christmas, Harry receives a brand new professional-standard Firebolt racing broom from an anonymous benefactor after his Nimbus 2000 is destroyed during a Quidditch match. Harry learns Black is believed to have divulged his parents secret whereabouts to Lord Voldemort and murdered their friend, Peter Pettigrew and twelve Muggle bystanders. Harry vows to find and kill Black only to discover that he never actually betrayed his parents — it was Peter Pettigrew, who faked his own death and framed Black for the crimes. Harry is delighted to find a new guardian in Sirius, his godfather.
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Hogwarts hosts an inter-school competition called the Triwizard Tournament. Two other wizarding schools, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang Institute, are the other participants. After one champion from each school is selected, Harry is mysteriously chosen as a fourth competitor, even though he is underage and never entered his name into the Goblet of Fire. The school champions face three dangerous challenges on their way to the Triwizard Cup. During the final challenge, Cedric and Harry help each other and agree to grab the Cup simultaneously, unaware it is actually a Portkey. They are transported to a graveyard where Lord Voldemort awaits. On Voldemort's order, his servant Peter Pettigrew kills Cedric with the Avada Kedavra curse. Harry is bound to a tombstone and forced to witness a ritual (which uses his blood) that restores Lord Voldemort to his former body. When Voldemort engages Harry, he is saved by the Priori Incantatem, since their wands are brothers. Back at Hogwarts, a traumatized Harry discovers that Voldemort's servant, Barty Crouch Jr, has been impersonating Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, "Mad-Eye" Moody using polyjuice potion. Few believe Harry's claim that Voldemort has returned.
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix begins with Harry being attacked by Dementors and using a Patronus Charm to defend himself and his Muggle cousin, Dudley, although underage wizards are forbidden to use magic outside school. For safety, Harry is taken to Number 12, Grimmauld Place, a dilapidated house in London owned by his godfather Sirius Black that now serves as headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. Thanks to testimony from Dumbledore and Arabella Figg, Harry is cleared of illegally using magic. In retaliation against Dumbledore, Fudge appoints Dolores Umbridge as the new Hogwarts Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher so she can spy on the school. She is also appointed High Inquisitor, empowered to arbitrarily change and impose school rules. Urged by Hermione, Harry secretly trains students in real Defence Against the Dark Arts. Voldemort implants a false vision in Harry's mind that Sirius is being tortured at the Ministry office in London. Harry and DA members Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood rush to Sirius' rescue. Lured into the Department of Mysteries, the students are ambushed by Voldemort's Death Eaters. Order of the Phoenix reinforcements arrive in time. Sirius is killed by his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange. Voldemort suddenly appears and attempts to fatally curse Harry, but Dumbledore arrives, and the two fiercely duel. Voldemort grabs Bellatrix and disapparates, but not before being seen by the Minister and Ministry employees.
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the wizarding population now calls Harry "The Chosen One". Harry learns he has inherited Sirius Black's entire estate, including the house at Grimmauld Place that is currently being used as the Order of the Phoenix headquarters; he also inherits Kreacher, the Black family's half-crazed House Elf, and the Hippogriff, Buckbeak (renamed Witherwings). Back at Hogwarts, Harry is stunned when Professor Snape is announced as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. His vacant position has been filled by former Potions Master, Horace Slughorn. Slughorn lends Harry an old potions textbook once belonging to a student identified only as "The Half-Blood Prince." The book's copious handwritten notes help Harry excel in Potions class. Dumbledore begins giving Harry private lessons which are actually trips into various individuals' memories concerning Voldemort. In these memories Harry and Dumbledore find evidence that Voldemort has made a Horcrux.This means that he has split his soul into mulitple parts so he is close to immortal. Harry and Dumbledore retrieve a Horcrux, a locket, hidden inside a secret cave, although Dumbledore is seriously weakened in the effort. They return to find the school invaded by Death Eaters. Dumbledore is killed by Snape as Harry looks on. Later Harry pursues Snape, who identifies himself as the Half-Blood Prince, and escapes. Harry recovers the locket from Dumbledore's body, but a note inside reveals it is a fake; the real Horcrux has been stolen by someone whose initials are R.A.B..
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry, Ron, and Hermione leave Hogwarts to complete Dumbledore's task: to search for and destroy Voldemort's remaining four Horcruxes, and then find and kill the Dark Lord. The three pit themselves against Voldemort's newly formed totalitarian police state, an action that tests Harry's courage and moral character. According to J. K. Rowling, a telling scene in which Harry uses Cruciatus and Imperius (unforgivable curses for torture and mind-control) on Voldemort's servants shows a side to Harry that is "flawed and mortal." However, she explains that, "He is also in an extreme situation and attempting to defend somebody very good against a violent and murderous opponent".[15]
Harry experiences occasional disturbing visions of Draco being forced to perform the Death Eaters' bidding and feels "...sickened...by the use to which Draco was now being put by Voldemort", again showing his compassion for an enemy.
Harry comes to recognize that his own single-mindedness makes him predictable to his enemies and often clouds his perceptions. When Voldemort kills Snape later in the story, Harry realises that Snape was not the traitorous murderer he believed him to be, but a tragic anti-hero who was loyal to Dumbledore. In Chapter 33 ("The Prince's Tale") Snape's memories reveal that he loved Harry's mother, Lily Evans, but their friendship ended over his association with future Death Eaters and "blood purity" beliefs. When Voldemort killed the Potters, a grieving Snape vowed to protect Lily's child, although he loathed young Harry for being James Potter's son. It is also revealed that Snape did not murder Dumbledore, but carried out Dumbledore's prearranged plan. Dumbledore, who was dying from a slow-spreading curse, wanted to protect Snape's position within the Death Eaters and spare Draco from completing Voldemort's task to murder him.
To defeat Harry, Voldemort steals the Elder Wand from Dumbledore's tomb. It is the most powerful wand ever created, and he twice casts the Killing Curse on Harry with it. The first attempt merely stuns Harry into a death-like state. In the chapter "King's Cross", Dumbledore's spirit tells Harry that when Voldemort failed to kill baby Harry and disembodied himself, Harry became an unintentional Horcrux; Harry could not kill Voldemort while the Dark Lord's soul shard was within Harry's body. Voldemort's soul shard within Harry was destroyed because Harry willingly faced death. But Voldemort's Killing Curse fails because Voldemort used Harry's blood in his resurrection. In the book's climax, Voldemort's second Killing Curse also fails and rebounds upon himself, as the result of Harry's Expelliarmus spell, finally killing him, because Harry, not Voldemort, had become the Elder Wand's true master. Harry also becomes the worthy possessor of the remaining Deathly Hallows: the Invisibility Cloak and the Resurrection Stone, hence becoming the true Master of Death. J. K. Rowling said, the difference between Harry and Voldemort is that Harry willingly accepts mortality, making him stronger than his nemesis. "The real master of Death accepts that he must die, and that there are much worse things in the world of the living".
At the very end Harry decides to leave the Stone and Elder Wand but keeps the Invisibility Cloak because it belonged to his father.
