Harry Potter: Biography, Courage and Secrets

Harry Potter survived the killing curse at one year old and spent the next ten sleeping in a cupboard under the stairs. Nobody told him who he was until he turned eleven. His story is not about an invincible chosen one. It is about a kid who refuses to give up, even when he is scared nearly every time.

Who he is

Son of James and Lily Potter, he was born on July 31, 1980. He grew up at 4 Privet Drive with his aunt and uncle, who treated him like a nuisance. Hagrid delivers his Hogwarts letter and the news that he is a wizard (Philosopher's Stone, ch. 4). His wand is holly with a phoenix feather, and the phoenix that gave that feather gave exactly one other, for Voldemort's wand (ch. 5).

At Hogwarts he is a Gryffindor, a Seeker from first year and an ordinary student. Hermione beats him at nearly everything. What sets him apart is that he acts the moment someone is in danger, plan or no plan.

Key moments

• Philosopher's Stone, ch. 7: the Sorting Hat weighs Gryffindor against Slytherin. Harry silently begs not to be put in Slytherin, and the Hat listens.
• Philosopher's Stone, ch. 17: he gets the Stone out of the Mirror of Erised because he wants to find it, not use it. Dumbledore explains that his mother's love protects him.
• Chamber of Secrets, ch. 17: he goes down into the Chamber, kills the basilisk and destroys Riddle's diary. In ch. 18 Dumbledore tells him it is our choices that show who we are, far more than our abilities.
• Goblet of Fire, ch. 32: in the graveyard he watches Voldemort return and brings Cedric's body back.
• Order of the Phoenix, ch. 35: he sees Sirius fall through the Veil and tries to run after him.
• Deathly Hallows, ch. 34: he walks alone into the Forbidden Forest, knowing Voldemort will kill him.

Relationships

Ron and Hermione are his chosen family. He fights with Ron and makes up more than once. His friendship with Hermione is the steadiest of the three. The Weasleys, Mrs. Weasley most of all, give him the home he never had. With Ginny he goes from awkward admiration to a partnership between equals.

Sirius is his godfather and the closest thing to a father he ever knows, for barely two years. Dumbledore guides him and keeps things from him, and Harry resents both. His feud with Snape only makes sense at the very end. With Voldemort he shares a scar and a mental link that costs him dearly.

What almost nobody notices

In Deathly Hallows (ch. 36), the last spell Harry casts at Voldemort is Expelliarmus, not a killing curse. Across seven books, disarming has been his first instinct, and he stays true to it in the final duel.

After mending his old wand with the Elder Wand, he decides to return the Elder Wand to Dumbledore's tomb. He picks his familiar holly wand over the most powerful weapon in existence.

Curious which house the Hat would pick for you? Take the house quiz, or read how close Harry came to Slytherin in The Sorting Hat Almost Put Harry in Slytherin: What Happened.