Harry Potter

Harry James Potter is the titular main protagonist from the Harry Potter franchise.

Harry was an English half-blood wizard, one of the most famous wizards of modern times. He was the only child and son of James and Lily Potter (née Evans), both members of the original Order of the Phoenix. Harry's birth was overshadowed by a prophecy, naming either himself or Neville Longbottom as the one with the power to vanquish Lord Voldemort. After half of the prophecy was reported to Voldemort courtesy of Severus Snape, Harry was chosen as the target due to his many similarities with the Dark Lord. This caused the Potter family to go into hiding. Voldemort made his first vain attempt to circumvent the prophecy when Harry was a year and three months old. During this attempt he murdered Harry's parents as they tried to protect him, but this unsuccessful attempt to kill Harry led to Voldemort's first downfall. This downfall marked the end of the First Wizarding War, and to Harry henceforth being known as the "Boy Who Lived".

Appearance
Harry was a near-spitting image of his father, having inherited his untidy jet-black hair. However, his almond-shaped startlingly green eyes were identical to those of his mother. Harry's physique as a boy was described as "small and skinny", with a thin face and knobbly knees. This skinniness was due to his poor quality of life in his childhood. Despite the neglect he suffered, Harry seems to have grown at the same rate as James. When he was fifteen he was within an inch of James at the same age, and when he was seventeen he was exactly the same height his father was, and James was often described as tall.

Harry wore round-rimmed glasses, peculiarly similar to his father's glasses. During his time hunting Voldemort's Horcruxes, Harry's black hair grew shoulder length as was described when he saw his reflection in Malfoy Manor. This was due to his preoccupation with the hunt for the Horcruxes and his lack of interest in his physical appearance, it is the longest his hair has ever been.

Upon Harry's forehead, covered by his unruly black hair, was a scar shaped like a lightning bolt. The scar was a result of the failed (and famed) Killing Curse cast on him by Lord Voldemort when he was an infant. It burned painfully whenever Voldemort was near Harry or feeling particularly strong emotions, but this stopped after Voldemort's death and was reduced into an ordinary scar.

Harry also had a faint scar on the back of his right hand which said, "I must not tell lies". This scar was caused while Harry spent detentions with Dolores Umbridge, who forced him to use the Black Quill that carved the words into the back of his hand. In addition, Harry has an oval-shaped scar over his heart where the locket-Horcrux seared his skin during the confrontation with Nagini in Bathilda Bagshot's house, Godric's Hollow.

When possessed by Lord Voldemort at the end of the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Harry's eyes became somewhat glassy green in appearance, and his voice became a mixture of his own and Voldemort's.

Personality
Upon Harry's forehead, covered by his unruly black hair, was a scar shaped like a lightning bolt. The scar was a result of the failed (and famed) Killing Curse cast on him by Lord Voldemort when he was an infant. It burned painfully whenever Voldemort was near Harry or feeling particularly strong emotions, but this stopped after Voldemort's death and was reduced into an ordinary scar.

Harry also had a faint scar on the back of his right hand which said, "I must not tell lies". This scar was caused while Harry spent detentions with Dolores Umbridge, who forced him to use the Black Quill that carved the words into the back of his hand. In addition, Harry has an oval-shaped scar over his heart where the locket-Horcrux seared his skin during the confrontation with Nagini in Bathilda Bagshot's house, Godric's Hollow.

When possessed by Lord Voldemort at the end of the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Harry's eyes became somewhat glassy green in appearance, and his voice became a mixture of his own and Voldemort's.

Harry was perfectly prepared to put his friends' needs and best interests first, shown by how he ended his relationship with Ginny Weasley, due to his concern for her well being (even though being with her was one of the best things that ever happened to him). The amount of trust that Harry put into his friends was so strong that he absolutely refused to consider that any of them would betray him to Voldemort. Considering that Harry knew a person (Peter Pettigrew) who had betrayed all of his closest friends to Voldemort, this proves Harry's ability to love so unequivocally.

The closeness that Harry felt for many was great enough for him to behave violently if any of them were harmed. When his godfather was murdered by Bellatrix Lestrange, Harry attacked her in a grief-stricken rage of righteous anger and attempted to use the Cruciatus Curse on her. He also attacked Severus Snape after the latter murdered Albus Dumbledore. Ironically, the only people with whom Harry ever initiated a duel were Snape and Bellatrix and he only desired to do so right after they killed someone he loved. This highlights Harry's bravery even further because Harry was fully aware that Snape and Bellatrix were two very skilled and experienced duellists, but did not hesitate to harm them as soon as he was pushed into it.

However, Harry was also accused of being arrogant, in particular by Severus Snape (although in fairness, Snape was extremely biassed, and Harry often found being famous and admired very difficult), and could be hot-tempered and impulsive. This could sometimes make him rude to authority figures such as Professor Snape and Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour. In contrast, Dumbledore stated that "many teachers report that [Harry's] modest, likeable, and reasonably talented".

Harry was prone to moodiness and unkind remarks towards even his friends during his adolescence, though this is likely the result of the great emotional stress and trials he endured during this period. Harry was also not one to let bygones be bygones. He had at best a vengeful and at worst a spiteful streak towards those who did him wrong. This varied from wanting to murder/torture those whom had performed unforgivable acts like: Bellatrix, Voldemort, and Dolores Umbridge to a desire for pettiness towards: Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Snape, and the Dursley's. Harry even wanted Sirius (before learning of his innocence) and Pettigrew to suffer the Dementor's kiss for their crimes and spent the entirety of the Horcrux hunt angry at Dumbledore for the latter's lack of trust.

Harry possessed an instinctual, intuitive intelligence. This intelligence allowed him to make intellectual leaps, as opposed to the logical intelligence of Hermione. For example, Harry divined the truth about the Deathly Hallowswell before Hermione would accept it. And although he was clever, Harry lacked intellectual curiosity. He rarely put forth effort into school work; for instance, he relied on the notes of the Half-Blood Prince to get ahead in his sixth year Potions class rather than devoting time to studying. Although he did study reasonably hard for his Ordinary Wizarding Levels, the only set of wizarding qualifications he sat at Hogwarts. Harry generally did his best magical work when tackling practical exams rather than theoretical ones. This could be a result of the lack of confidence that Harry developed from growing up with the Dursleys.

Barty Crouch Jr (disguised as Alastor Moody) remarked that Harry possessed a streak of pride and independence that almost cost him the Triwizard Tournament. His pride didn't allow him to ask for help regarding the problem of breathing underwater for an hour, which was required for the Second task that took place in the Black Lake, was what almost cost him the competition. Harry was also known for wanting to tackle challenges and obstacles on his own, without the aid or interference of others. His friends had to frequently remind him that he needed their assistance and that he "did not always have to go it alone".

Harry also seemed to have a bit of an obsessive personality, a trait he shared with his arch enemy Lord Voldemort. He could be somewhat nosy and was known for sleuthing around and getting involved in things that did not concern him. For instance, during his sixth year Harry became intensely preoccupied with finding out what Malfoy was doing in his free time. He also developed on unhealthy obsession with the Deathly Hallows, to the point where he was listless with longing for the three artefacts. This period of listlessness lasted for many weeks during the hunt for Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes.

Harry's greatest strength was his ability to feel love, despite having a miserable childhood of neglect. Harry was extremely loyal to and protective of his loved ones and that love was what allowed him to overcome Voldemort. Dumbledore noted that Harry's strength of will at resisting the temptation of the Dark Arts, even when granted a direct insight into Voldemort's mind and methods was due to Harry's ability to love. Harry even claimed that he felt sorry for Voldemort because of his inability to feel or understand love. Ginny, his wife, commented that he was the kindest and most loving man anyone would ever meet.

Albus Dumbledore noted that Harry was unfailingly kind and compassionate. This is shown by how he freed Dobby from the Malfoys and by standing up for Muggle-borns, half-bloods, and half-breeds (like Hagrid). This is likely attributable to his childhood, during which the Dursleys deprived him of compassion and discriminated against him due to his magical abilities. His compassionate led him to spare the life of Delphi, the daughter of Lord Voldemort, despite the history between himself and the Dark Lord. Also, Harry was not a cruel person and he never wished anyone harm. He rarely initiated duels, instead fighting in self-defence. Even after Bellatrix Lestrange had murdered his godfather, Harry failed to cast the Cruciatus Curse on her. Bellatrix noted the he had failed to cast the curse properly because he had cast it out of righteous anger and not malicious intent. However, he did use the Cruciatus Curse more effectively on Amycus Carrow after he spat at and insulted Minerva McGonagall. In addition, he saved Peter Pettigrew from being killed by his (Pettigrew's) former friends Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, though this was not done for humanitarian reasons but for the memory of his father.

Remus Lupin once noted that Harry had very good and nearly always right instincts. Harry had a strong awareness of the incalculable power of certain acts, which is never more apparent than when he refused to allow Lupin to accompany him and leave his wife and child at home and realised that Ron Weasley was meant to destroy Slytherin's locket.

In some ways, Harry can become extremely intimidating toward people such as: Gilderoy Lockhart, Mundungus Fletcher, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. It is seen that Harry can become extremely frightening when pushed to the point of anger or extreme annoyance. When in a bad mood and argumentative, even Harry's closest friends have been shown to be wary of him, usually replying to his angry tone in a calm and appeasing voice. The only person who does not appear to be afraid of him when he is angry (other than his teachers and other authority figures in his life) is Ginny Weasley. Dumbledore is a special case, as he acts fatherly towards Harry.

Harry seems to have good and long memory, as he remembers the motorbike ride to Privet Drive with Hagrid when he was eleven and could remember the deaths of his mother and Voldemort's laughter when the events occurred ten years earlier. Despite needing glasses, Harry possessed a tremendous eyesight as well, he was able to locate the Golden Snitch (which was approximately the size of a golf ball) in a massive Quidditch field. Harry also cared very much for his children. He comforted his daughter, Lily Potter when she was upset about not going to Hogwarts. He also made sure his younger son Albus Potter would not be teased a lot by Harry's older son, James Potter.

Although never as given to sarcasm or humour as his best friend Ron, Harry often displayed a dry wit. For instance, on finding out that Hermione Granger intended to take twelve O.W.Ls, he asked her if she planned to eat or sleep at all that year. This humour often became more cutting when applied to people Harry disliked. When threatened by Draco Malfoy and his cronies after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Harry remarked that he supposed that "Lord Voldemort's just a warm-up act compared to you three?", responding to Malfoy's threat that he was dead by casually commenting "funny, you'd think I'd have stopped walking around". Harry also displayed wittiness when he first encountered Crookshanks, remarking that he was either "a very large cat or quite a small tiger".

He was also known to apply his cutting wit to Severus Snape and Dudley Dursley as well. During his first Potions lesson, Snape antagonised Harry with question after question. This was until Harry responded with "I don't know. I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?" He also commented that he was surprised that Dudley was intelligent enough to know the days of the week, after Dudley stated he knew what day it was. When Harry was eleven, Dudley suggested that he and Harry should do upstairs and practise shoving heads down toilets. Harry then stated that the toilet had never had something as disgusting as Dudley's head down it.

Although he never sought power himself and would be content with a normal life, when a situation required him to step up he would do so. Such as when he, Ron, and Hermione discovered Voldemort and Quirrell's attempt to steal the Philosopher's Stone and his time as teacher/leader of Dumbledore's Army. Harry has shown not-inconsiderable leadership abilities, to the point that Dumbledore reflected that Harry was a better leader than him as he never sought power for himself but simply had to assume the mantle of leadership due to circumstances beyond his control and found in the process that he did it well.

During his youth, Harry tended to see things in a rather stark, absolute manner, particularly when it came to the Hogwarts Houses. Harry generally regarded members of Slytherin House as evil and therefore his enemies, while Gryffindors, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuffs were allies. The former part could be due to his own status as a Gryffindor and that many of the Slytherins he encountered, such as Lord Voldemort, Draco Malfoy, and Severus Snape, were significant enemies of his during this period. In addition, many of his friends and allies, such as: Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, and Hagrid, were fellow Gryffindors. However, this mentality eroded as he aged, since he encountered both allies among Slytherin, such as Horace Slughorn (and later, Snape) and enemies among the other three Houses, such as Peter Pettigrew (a fellow Gryffindor) and Quirinus Quirrell (a Ravenclaw). By 2017, Harry had adopted a more moderate attitude on the Houses, telling his younger son Albus Potter that "it doesn't matter to us" if Albus was Sorted in Slytherin or Gryffindor. In addition, Harry named that same son after Severus Snape, whom he recounted as "the bravest man [he] ever knew".

In the aftermath of the Secondary Wizarding War, Harry is shown to suffer from survivors guilt and also Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. These two symptoms extend into his childhood and throughout his life at Hogwarts. Because of his depression he also claims that he was supposed to die and everyone knew it, but he survived it all. He also claims that too many people died for the "Boy Who Lived" and that he wasn't worth dying for at all. Harry's depression and trauma are caused by not having removed Voldemort completely from his life. He fears that he will always allow Voldemort to have some mental and emotional control over him.

Harry also has shown signs of suffering from recurring clinical depression, such as his sullen and withdrawn demeanour during his mid-to-late teens as a result of the tragedies in his life. A particular symptom of this is his outrageous temper during his bouts of depression, which frighten all but Ginny by their sheer force and magnitude alone. Overall, Harry is much the same as any other soldier, struggling to carry on despite the horrors of his past and the brutality he has been a part of for so long.

Harry does have some fears, though he hides them extremely well from his family. In fact he hide them so well that his younger son considered his father to be utterly fearless. These fears include the dark, pigeons, small spaces, and seeing his family in danger.

It is commented by his son that Harry's personality is complicated and this is furthered by Ron, who calls him intense in terms of his traits and past experiences.

Abilities
Harry was seen and had proven himself to be a very powerful and talented wizard. His power was evident from the start: he demonstrated immediate command of a broomstick, was able to conjure a corporeal Patronus at an exceptionally young age (a mark of superior magical ability), and even survived numerous encounters with Lord Voldemort. He mastered a wand made of hawthorn, which one should only ever consider placing in the hands of a witch or wizard of proven talent. Harry was also a very gifted flyer and Quidditch player, the youngest Seeker in a century.
 * Love: Harry's greatest power of all was his ability to love. In spite of being raised by a family that treated him with anything but affection, Harry remarkably turned out capable of very strong love. For example, Harry's love for his friends caused him to sacrifice himself to Lord Voldemort. This loving sacrifice conferred a certain amount of protectiononto his allies, making it so that spells Voldemort tried to place on them quickly wore off. Harry's ability to love has also protected and helped him on several occasions. Those occasions are: when he produced a Patronus that could drive hundreds of Dementors away, repelled Voldemort when he possessed him, and the times he was able to close the connection between himself and Voldemort. His love was strongest when directed at Ginny Weasley, who was the driving force that kept him going until Voldemort was defeated. Harry also felt strong love toward his three children, such as when he deliberately placed himself between his son Albus and a Killing Curse. Harry even felt compassion and pity for his enemies, offering Voldemort a chance to feel remorse for his actions.


 * Auror skills: Harry was extremely young for an Auror, which spoke highly of his magical abilities. He became Head of the Auror Office at the age of 26, presumably the youngest Head appointed. During his time in the department, he gained skills in various areas of magic such as: Concealment and Disguise, Stealth and Tracking, and poisons and antidotes. Being a fully qualified Auror meant three additional years of study, all of these areas of magic were essential. He also had high skill in Transfiguration, as Aurors had to frequently transfigure and untransfigure things in their line of work. Harry also possessed a great instinct for the right thing to do, especially when faced with stressful and difficult situations. This instinct contributed to him becoming a fantastic Auror. Harry has also been stated as being a consummate expert in his line of work.


 * Defence Against the Dark Arts: Harry was extremely adept at Defence Against the Dark Arts, having mastered all manners of spells. Some of the spells include: Stunning Spell, Disarming Charm, Impediment Jinx, Full Body-Bind Curse, and Reductor Curse. In fact, his Stunning Spell was so strong that opponents would get knocked out if they were hit directly. He was also skilled at defending himself against Dark creatures such as: Grindylows, Red Caps, Hinkypunks, Boggarts, Erklings, and Dementors. In his third year, he was the only student who flawlessly made it through the end-of-the-year exam (an obstacle course containing some of the said creatures.) In his fifth year, Professor McGonagall stated that Professor Lupin said he showed a "pronounced aptitude" for the subject and that he had "achieved high marks on all his Defence Against the Dark Arts tests". In fact, Harry had beaten Hermione in two of the three Defence Against the Dark Arts exams they had taken together. The only exam she beat him in was their first year exam and Hermione later reflected that it did not count, as Quirrell "wasn't a particularly good teacher". During his O.W.L. examination, Professor Tofty (Wizarding Examinations Authority) expressed pleasure at Harry's performance of Defence Against the Dark Arts, calling it "excellent". This statement was later proven true when he achieved an 'Outstanding' Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L.(something that not even Hermione achieved), a testament of his extraordinary talent in defensive magic. In 1996, Ron stated that it came as no surprise that Harry was top of the class at Defence Against the Dark Arts. Indeed, Harry was so good at DADA that when the Ministry of Magic prevented the subject from being taught effectively in 1995, he set up his own DADA club and successfully taught members how to defend themselves against the Dark Arts. He immediately became an Auror after the Second Wizarding War, which also required considerable skill in both defensive and offensive magic. Harry also developed a high level of resistance towards the Imperius Curse, demonstrated when it was cast upon him by Barty Crouch Jr (disguised as Alastor Moody) in 1994 and by Lord Voldemort himself in 1995.
 * Duelling: Despite his young age, Harry was an accomplished and skilful duellist. He was able to single-handedly defeat some of the most formidable Death Eaters and even survive numerous encounters with Lord Voldemort himself. He eventually defeated Voldemort by becoming the master of the Elder Wand. In many battles of the Second Wizarding War, he was able to incapacitate much more experienced Death Eaters. During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries; he, Albus Dumbledore, and Remus Lupin were the only fighters on the Order's side to emerge from the battle physically unscathed. In that time, he had held off Lucius Malfoy and Antonin Dolohov twice and was able to hold his own against the extremely powerful Bellatrix Lestrange. In 1997 Harry defeated Yaxley, Fenrir Greyback, and one of the two Carrows. He fought off several Death Eaters in the Battle of the Seven Potters. During the Skirmish at Malfoy Manor he overpowered Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, and Fenrir Greyback and avoided direct conflict damage all throughout the Battle of Hogwarts. Harry was known to be very quick off the draw and had an aggressive duelling style, even incorporating Unforgivable Curses. He was also known to taunt his opponents and would get them to talk at length, angering them and throwing them mentally off-balance. He did this in order to buy himself time to strategise or to lull them into lowering their guard. Harry was especially skilled in the Disarming Charm and used it so much that it was seen as his "signature spell" by many Death Eaters. His most notable uses of the Disarming Charm were when he formed Priori Incantatem with Voldemort and when he finally killed the Dark Lord. At the remarkably young age of seventeen, Harry became an Auror and was promoted to Head of the Auror Office at the age of 26. He defeated a skilled Theodore Nott in a duel during a raid on Nott's home and was able to duel Draco to a standstill. Harry was even able to hold is own against Delphini for a short while, they "fired bolts mercilessly at each other" during their church duel.
 * Dark Arts: Harry was one of the few non-Dark Wizards who was highly proficient in the Dark Arts at all levels. On top of being able to cast simple curses and jinxes like the Leg-Locker Curse, Furnunculus Curse, Knockback Jinx, Revulsion Jinx, and Melofors Jinx, he could cast more powerful spells such as the Blasting Curse. He was also able to flawlessly cast the jinxes and curses in the Half-Blood Prince's copy of Advanced Potion-Making. Harry even used two of the three Unforgivable Curses, the Imperius Curse on Travers and a goblin called Bogrod during the 1998 Break-in of Gringotts Wizarding Bank, as well as the Cruciatus Curse on several occasions. However, his first successful attempt was in 1998 against Amycus Carrow, but it did not result in the prolonged, excruciating pain that the curse was famous for — instead, Carrow screamed and was incapacitated. He has never used the Killing Curse for obvious reasons, even in his final battle with Voldemort.


 * Flying: Harry had inherited his father's talent for flying and for Quidditch. Harry showed immediate command of a broomstickin his first year, which made him a naturally good Seeker. This was the first magical skill for which he discovered an aptitude, as he found in 1991. In fact, at the mere age of eleven, Harry became the youngest Seeker in a century. His extraordinary flying skills aided him when he had to capture Winged Keys, to get past Professor Flitwick's challenge in the Philosopher's Stone Chambers. It also helped him in the Triwizard Tournament (where he had to steal a golden egg from a Hungarian Horntail). During the Battle of Hogwarts he also managed to escape a Fiendfyre inferno in the Room of Requirement, via broomstick.
 * Parselmouth: Because he carried a piece of Voldemort's soul within himself, Harry was able to speak and understand Parseltongue from 1981 to 1998. After that soul fragment was destroyed, Harry lost this ability. However, in 2020, Harry had somehow regained the ability to speak Parseltongue again, although it was possible he never lost to begin with or that the ability simply became temporarily suppressed after the Horcrux was destroyed.
 * Insight into Voldemort's mind: Also due to the piece of Voldemort's soul, Harry was able to look into Voldemort's mind and see through his senses from time to time. He sometimes used this ability to monitor what Voldemort was doing. However, it was a dangerous ability to have as well; Voldemort once used it, along with Legilimency, to plant a false vision in Harry's mind of Sirius Black being tortured, which he used to lure Harry to the Department of Mysteries.[128] Additionally, because of their connection, Harry felt a burning pain in his scar whenever he and Voldemort were in close proximity or whenever Voldemort felt strong negative emotions. Harry lost this ability as well when the soul fragment within him was destroyed. Harry also possessed a non-magical insight into Voldemort's mind from the information Dumbledore shared with him during their lessons. This insight allowed Harry to figure out that a Horcrux was stored at Gringotts Wizarding Bank after which Ron and Hermoine noted Harry's understanding of Voldemort causing to Harry admit that he did understand parts of Voldemort.
 * Master of Death: Harry mastered all three Deathly Hallows and accepted his own death.[45] First, he inherited the Cloak of Invisibility from his father, James. Then, he inherited the Resurrection Stone from Dumbledore, which was inside a snitch. Finally, he won the Elder Wand from Draco Malfoy during the Skirmish at Malfoy Manor. All three were directly or indirectly employed by Harry in the Forbidden Forest: he was wearing the Cloak, using the Stone, and was preparing to be killed by the Wand, which he had already won. The only Hallow he choose to keep was the cloak as it was a priceless family heirloom; the stone was lost in the forest and the wand returned to Dumbledore's tomb.


 * Potions: Harry's Potions ability was apparently better than it appeared. He achieved an 'Exceeds Expectations' on his O.W.L. exam — proof of his proficiency in the subject. He was one of only twelve students able to reach the required level to take N.E.W.T. potions. He improved greatly during his sixth year when he came into possession of the Half-Blood Prince's copy of Advanced Potion-Making, that had revised versions of potions curtsey of the Half-Blood Prince (Severus Snape). However, the usage of this textbook was noted by both Hermione and Snape to be cheating. When forced to hide the book Harry's potion skills suffered. But it was revealed, that even without the Prince's book, Harry was still able to do a decent enough job at potion-making that Slughorn's suspicions were not raised. Apparently Harry had no problems with potions at all as long as Snape was not around.


 * Transfiguration: Harry achieved an 'Exceeds Expectations' on his O.W.L. exam, showing proficiency in the subject and advanced to N.E.W.T.-level. He was able to perform Conjuration, an advanced type of Transfiguration. Harry demonstrated this at various points by conjuring ropes, water, and fire. He could also vanish objects, which is one of the most complicated spells taught at Ordinary Wizarding Level. In 1996, Harry vanished the whole of an iguana and in 1997 a snake that crossed his path. He could also transform objects into other objects, for example he can cast the Avifors Spell. Harry is also skilled enough to perform human Transfiguration, which is noted to be "immensely difficult". He accomplished this during a 1996 Transfiguration lesson, were he succeeded in turning his eyebrow bright yellow. Minerva McGonagall herself complimented him on his Transfiguration ability.


 * Charms: Harry achieved an 'Exceeds Expectations' on his O.W.L. exam and advanced to N.E.W.T.-level. He proved to be particularly talented in this subject. Harry frequently used the Summoning Charm successfully, would occasionally cast the protective enchantments that Hermione used during the Horcrux hunt, and was able to cast the Confundus Charm. He displayed an impressive mastery of the Shield Charm, surpassing that of many Ministry employees: his Shield Charms were so powerful that they were able to deflect curses from Lord Voldemort himself. During the Battle of the Seven Potters, he was able to levitate a side-car with himself in it for a long stretch of time. He could also cast simpler charms such as the: Wand-Lighting Charm, Colour Change Charm, Banishing Charm, Refilling Charm, Freezing Charm, and various others. Under the teaching of Remus Lupin, Harry was able to conjure an extremely powerful corporeal stag Patronus in his third year. This was a remarkable feat and yet another proof of his talent, given that many adult witches and wizards were unable to cast the difficult charm successfully.


 * Healing magic: Harry was able to effectively cast healing spells. He could perform the Reparifors spell in his third year. After he saw Nymphadora Tonks perform Episkey on his own broken nose he fixed Demelza Robins' broken lip in 1996 with the same spell, which is used to treat mild to moderate injuries. He can also perform the healing spell for clearing up dried blood from a bleeding wound.


 * Apparition: Harry had not earned a licence to apparate, but he used the ability frequently during 1997 and 1998 to great success, even when forced to apparate with only a few seconds' notice or while guiding others. He also used apparition in his sixth year to a very impressive degree, to get himself and a weakened Albus Dumbledore over an incredibly vast distance even though he was inexperienced.


 * Nonverbal magic: During 1997 and 1998, Harry began using spells nonverbally and became quite proficient at it when Snape was not harassing him. On July 31, 1997 Harry was able to light a lamb in the Weasley's sitting room with no words and a flick of his wand. As an adult, Harry displays the ability to consciously use nonverbal magic; shown when he straightened his work-space with the simple wave of his wand. He also demonstrated the use of nonverbal magic during his church duel with Delphini, the two were mercilessly firing spells at each other.
 * Wandless magic: In 1995 when Dementors attacked in Little Whinging, Dudley had knocked Harry's wandout of his hand when he punched him moments before. In desperation, Harry called out "Lumos!" Although his wand was not in his hand, the wand tip lit up. When enraged he was able to inflate his Aunt Mrage without a wand, possibly though unconscious use of an Inflating Charm. Few other wizards have exhibited this power, although Dumbledore and Voldemort were among them. This further testifies to Harry's skill, as only some of the most powerful wizards of his time were able to do so.


 * Care of Magical Creatures: Harry achieved an 'Exceeds Expectations' on his O.W.L. exam and has shown on more than one occasion to have good skill in handling numerous sorts of magical creatures. For example, he was the first in his class to tame a hippogriff, which he did very excellently. He befriended the hippogriff, to such an extent that Buckbeak defended him when he was in danger. Harry has also shown on three occasions that he is quite competent at dealing with dragons. This is shown when he was able to help Hagrid take care of baby Norbert the dragon, outsmart the Hungarian Horntail in the Triwizard Tournament, and tame a half-blind dragon into helping the trio escape Gringotts by flying out on its back. He was also one of very few in his class who was able to see Thestrals, and had no trouble mounting his in June 1996. Harry was also good with House-elves, befriending the house-elf Dobby and eventually freeing him. This act of kindness made the little elf so loyal to him that he gave his life to save him. He also earned the respect and loyalty of Kreacher, a very difficult task.
 * Herbology: Harry attended N.E.W.T. Herbology classes. He achieved an 'Exceeds Expectations' on his O.W.L. exam, showing aptitude in the subject. In 1998, Harry was able to recognise a Snargaluff plant at the Lovegood House and knew to gave it a wide berth of space. He also had knowledge of plants such as: Devil's Snare, Gillyweed, Venomous Tentacula, and Fanged Geranium from hands on experience. He could cast plant-related spells such as the Fire-Making Spell and Herbivicus Charm.
 * Astronomy: Though not excellent at Astronomy, Harry was able to pass his O.W.L. exam with an 'Acceptable'. Although it was stated that he didn't finish his exam. This was due to the fact that he was distracted by Dolores Umbridge's attempt to arrest Hagrid, during the time the exam was being taken. It is not known if he was able to advance to the N.E.W.T class or not, seeing as he did not apply for advancement.
 * Wand versatility: Harry was able to use Hermione's wand after his was broken during the Attack at Godric's Hollow in 1997. He was able to use spells such as: the Wand-Lighting Charm, the Shield Charm, and the Severing Charm at full strength, despite not having won the wand's allegiance. He also gained the allegiance of Draco Malfoy's wand, the Elder Wand, and quite possibly Voldemort's wand by defeating the previous masters.
 * Expert detective skills: Harry was also a formidably talented investigator. While in school, the trio had a knack for solving difficult mysteries and discovering the truth despite all attempts by others to conceal it. Hermione generally finding the background information, while Harry put the pieces together to make a coherent picture. In his first year, Harry uncovered the truth about the Philosopher's Stone and saved it from Voldemort. Over the next six years, he would solve the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets, find the truth about the prophecy, and hunt down and destroy all of Voldemort's Horcruxes using his amazing deductive skills. Harry's deductive skills also allowed him to uncover the mystery of the Deathly Hallows. He discovered that he mastered the three of them, when even Ron and Hermione were initially sceptical of their existence. Harry also had a knack for spotting things that others did not, and had a sharp eye for details. He was able to tell that Luna Lovegood had not been home in weeks by the state of her room, and he became suspicious when Dobby revealed that he had known that Harry was not getting any letters in 1992. His intelligence also allowed him to intuitively know that Draco Malfoy had been branded with the Dark Mark despite no solid proof, that Malfoy was using the Room of Requirement as a work shop, and that he was having Crabbe and Goyle use Polyjuice Potion in order to disguise themselves as girls while keeping watch outside the room.


 * Resourcefulness: Harry showed resourcefulness in many different situations. In his first year he impersonated the Bloody Baron. Harry did this in order to warn Peeves to stay away from the third floor that night so he wouldn't inconvenience the trio on their quest to save the Philosopher's Stone. In his second year, when encountering Professor McGonagall after hours, he lied and said that he and Ron were on their way to see Hermione in the hospital wing. Also in his second year, he used a basilisk fang to destroy Riddle's Diary. In his fifth year, while under interrogation from Umbridge, he relayed a coded message to Snape. He did this in an attempt to warn Snape and by extension the Order, that Voldemort had Sirius. In the same year, while surrounded by Death Eaters Harry came up with the plan to smash the shelves in the Hall of Prophecy. This was a distraction so that he and the D.A. could try and escape. During the hunt for Horcruxes, he used the Godric Gryffindor's Sword as a way of retrieving Helga Hufflepuff's cup from the mounds of burning treasure and used a half-blind dragon as a means to escape from Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Harry was also cunning enough that the Sorting Hat heavily considered Sorting him into Slytherinhouse.


 * Leadership skills: While Harry never deliberately set out to be a leader to others, he had often taken charge when the situation required it. This began with his impulsive decision to find and warn Hermione about the presence of a troll in the school during the 1991 Hallowe'en feast. It progressed to the point where over thirty students, some of them in their sixth and seventh years — respect him as a teacher in Dumbledore's Army, despite his being younger than they were. Dumbledore later noted that Harry was a superior leader to him. Dumbledore had deliberately sought power in his youth, and subsequently avoided anything more demanding than his role as Hogwartsheadmaster — while Harry had leadership thrust upon. Harry accepted the burden of command, acknowledging his responsibilities towards those who "followed" him. He did this regardless of how uncomfortable he might feel about the prospect and coordinating his efforts against his enemies well, when left with no other option but to take control. Harry's natural talents later served the rest of the wizarding community of Great Britain. In 2007 he was promoted to the Head of the Auror Office at age 26 and was later made the Head of Magical Law Enforcement. His promotion to these positions of power at relatively young ages demonstrate Harry's natural talent as a commander.
 * Indomitable will: Harry appears to possess an unbreakable spirit and though not above depression, he has never truly given up on any mission. He's been shown to rise from defeat and loss, such as the deaths of many loved ones, even stronger than before. Harry's indomitable will is exemplified by his ability to resist the Imperius Curse. It is also exemplified by the fact that he had never begged for mercy (even in life-and-death situations), he would fought back in defiance of himself, as well as perform non-verbal spellsflawlessly. His inability to perform Occlumency (despite possessing the required willpower) is due to his inability to keep his emotions under control.


 * Teaching skills: Harry has shown tremendous skill in teaching others. Having mastered many spells at a young age, Harry successfully passed them onto others even when he was still a student himself. He would give proper instructions and corrections on how to perform many fields of magic, ranging from the relatively simplistic Disarming Charm to the highly advanced Patronus Charm. Harry's effectiveness as a teacher led many, some even older than him, to choose him over the Ministry-installed professional Dolores Umbridge. He even returned to Hogwarts to give occasional Defence Against the Dark Arts lectures.

Trivia

 * Harry is the Middle English form of the name Henry, derived from the Germanic name Heinrich,from the words heim, meaning "home", and ric, meaning "power, ruler". It has been a very popular name in the English-speaking world for centuries.
 * Harry can also be a diminutive form of the name Harold, from the Old English name Hereweald, meaning "leader of the army". It has been the name of five kings of Norway, three kings of Denmark, and two kings of England.
 * In an interview J. K. Rowling stated that 'Harry' had always been one of her favourite boy's names and that if her daughter had been a son she would have named him 'Harry', although then she would have to have come up with a different name for the books as it "would have been too cruel to name him after my own son".


 * James is derived from the same Hebrew name as Jacob, meaning “holds the heel” (in the Genesis narrative, Jacob was born grasping Esau′s heel and later bought his birthright).
 * The name came into English language from the French variation of the Late Latin name Iacomus, a dialect variant of Iacobus, from the New Testament Greek Ἰάκωβος (Iakōbos), from Hebrew word יעקב (Yaʻaqov). James is Harry's middle name, James was the name of his father and is also the name of his first son.


 * Potter is a very common surname of English origin. It traditionally refers to the occupation of making pottery. Beatrix Potter was a well-known English children's author. Potter's Field is the name for a burial ground for the unknown or unclaimed dead, particularly soldiers and orphans; the Potter family had many members that fit that description. The Potter Box is a model for making ethical decisions developed at Harvard University.
 * J. K. Rowlinghas also commented that she has liked the name since childhood, as a family that had lived near her carried this surname.
 * The last name "Potter" was also carried by the first successful magician in 1811 in America named Richard Potter whom also happened to be African-American, the land that was bought by the magician and where Potter lived was called "Potter Place".