Harry Potter

Real Name: Harry Potter

Identity/Class: Wizard

Occupation: Student

Affiliations: Ron Weasley; Hermione Granger; Hagrid; Professor Dumbledore; Professor McGonagall; Professor Snape; Sirius Black; Lupin; The Order of the Phoenix; Dobby

Enemies: Lord Voldemort; Draco Malfoy; Lucius Malfoy

Known Relatives: James Potter (father, deceased); Lily Evans Potter (mother, deceased); Sirius Black (godfather)

Aliases: The Boy Who Lived, Chosen One

Base of Operations: Hogwarts School

First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Powers/Abilities: Harry Potter is a powerful magician, albeit a young one still in training. He is capable of a number of feats of magic, and as he matures and continues his studies, his abilities will grow. He can speak Parseltongue, the language of snakes. An accomplished broom flyer, he is the youngest seeker for a house Qwidditch team in a hundred years.

History: Harry Potter is a wizard, the son of James Potter and Lily Evans, both themselves Wizards. When he was only a year old his parents were killed by the evil wizard Voldemort, who had been terrorising the magical community of Britain. Both of Harry's parents had been important participants in the battle against him, and they had gone into hiding when Harry had been born; unfortunately their hiding place was betrayed by someone they had thought a friend. Voldemort attempted to kill young Harry too, but it appears his mother's love for him allowed her to grant him protection from Voldemort's death spell, and it rebounded, apparently destroying him. Harry was left with a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on his forehead.

The infant Harry was delivered to his closest living relatives, his mother's sister and her husband, the Dursleys. As Lily's parents and her sister Petunia are "Muggles" (non-magic users), and Petunia hated her sister for her magical powers; as a result Harry is treated terribly and brought up without knowledge of his background. But when he turned eleven, letters start to arrive, inviting Harry to school at Hogwarts, the magical academy where his parents learned their craft. Try as they might, the Dursleys could not prevent Harry from finding out the truth about who and what his parents were: and what he is himself. When the Dursleys attempted to flee to a remote lighthouse to escape the constant stream of letters for Harry, Hagrid, the half-giant groundskeeper at the school, turned up to deliver the message in person.

And so Harry goes to school at Hogwarts. He soon makes strong friendships with both Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, two other pupils who end up in the same House as him (Gryffindor) at the institution. During their first year the three friends are involved in unravelling a mystery regarding the "Philosopher's Stone" which can grant immortality. They discover that one of their teachers has been possessed by Voldemort's dying spirit, and is trying to locate the stone, hidden in the school, in order to return to health and full power. The three students, and in particular Harry, manage to thwart this plan, and Voldemort flees.

Three more years have passed for Harry at Hogwarts, and Harry has gradually discovered more about his heritage. Now Voldemort has achieved his desire to regain his powers and vitality, and the future is uncertain.

Things have become darker for young Harry in recent years. In his fourth year, he was briefly abducted and his blood used in a ritual to ressurect Voldemort... which succeeded. And in his fifth year, he discovered he was prophesised to have to fight Voldemort and one would have to die.

Comments: Created by J.K.Rowling.

Harry is played by Daniel Radcliffe in the movie versions of the books.

Thanks to Charles Ellis and Aimee Perrin for providing additional information on this character, and Michelle Tao for corrections.

CLARIFICATIONS: Not to be confused with

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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