Harry

Biodata

Background / History

Harry grew up with his aunt in the Dursley household, where he suffered considerable abuse. Before entering the wizarding world, he had received no magical education and did not even know who his parents were. His upbringing left him visibly insecure when he first met Argus Grindelwald and Draco Malfoy 7 43.

As a newborn, Harry survived the confrontation in which Voldemort’s Killing Curse rebounded upon its caster. Voldemort survived as a remnant soul, while Harry became famous as the Boy Who Lived. Argus knows that Harry is also Voldemort’s Horcrux and that his residence with his aunt is connected to his mother’s spell; he withholds both facts when reporting on Harry to Voldemort 7 36 43.

Appearance

• Emerald-green eyes: Dumbledore explicitly identifies them as the same color as Lily’s 30.

Personality

Harry initially lacks confidence and is uncomfortable with the attention attached to his fame. Argus earns his immediate affection partly by treating him normally rather than staring at him as a curiosity. Harry eagerly seeks reassurance that they are friends and asks permission to write to him after returning home 7.

He is protective of people he considers friends. He leaves Madam Malkin’s with Hagrid after Draco insults him, but accepts Draco’s subsequent apology. Later, his sympathy for Ron leads him to overlook Ron’s responsibility for conflicts, repeatedly asking Argus and Draco to show leniency 7 27 40.

Harry is also susceptible to others’ influence. Although he doubts Ron’s accusation against Draco over Trevor’s disappearance, he cannot bring himself to object. He later recognizes this failure and questions his own courage. His continued support for Ron eventually damages his friendships with both Argus and Draco 11 27 39 40.

Abilities & Skills

Flying and Quidditch

Harry’s flying talent exceeds Draco’s, making him the strongest flyer among their year in the comparison given 26.

• Team selection: Oliver Wood accepts him onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a reserve Seeker after Draco’s recruitment establishes a precedent for a first-year joining a house team 39.
• Limited opportunity to demonstrate his talent: The altered events of the first Flying lesson leave Harry less room to distinguish himself than in the original story known to Argus 39.

Magical Knowledge and Dueling

Harry enters Hogwarts with almost no foundation in magical theory. His fame does not translate into advanced spellcasting or classroom knowledge 23 36.

• Transfiguration: He and Ron finish the first lesson without the progress achieved by most classmates after receiving Argus’s help; Ron discourages Harry from seeking that assistance 21.
• Potions: He cannot answer Snape’s questions about asphodel and wormwood, bezoars, or monkshood and wolfsbane 23.
• Defence Against the Dark Arts: He cannot identify the Unforgivable Curses or answer basic questions about dark magic, spell categories, and casting requirements 35 36.
• Dueling: Having cast very few spells, he is overwhelmed by Draco’s attacks during the Trophy Room confrontation 40.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Meeting Argus and Draco

• Harry meets Argus and Draco while buying school robes at Madam Malkin’s. He prefers Argus’s considerate manner to Draco’s intrusive questions and superior tone 7.
• Draco’s insult toward Hagrid briefly alienates him. After Argus corrects Draco’s behavior, Harry accepts Draco’s apology and parts from both boys on friendly terms 7.
• Meeting Harry earns Argus the system achievement “Meeting with The Chosen One” and 50 achievement points 7.

Questioning Gryffindor and the Sorting

• Following the dispute over Neville’s missing toad, Harry admits that he failed to defend his friend. Argus reassures him that courage takes different forms and suggests that Slytherin might suit him 11.
• Harry’s uncertainty disrupts Dumbledore’s carefully arranged introduction to Hogwarts, which had encouraged him to regard Gryffindor as the best house 13.
• His Sorting lasts more than five minutes as he weighs Gryffindor against Slytherin. The Sorting Hat ultimately chooses Gryffindor for him 13.
• Argus observes that Harry smiles at the Gryffindor table without showing the enthusiasm or sense of belonging he expected 13.

Difficult First Lessons

• Snape singles Harry out in his first Potions lesson, mocks his inability to answer advanced questions, and deducts five points for “ignorance and insolence” 23.
• After Ron and Seamus explode their cauldron, Snape takes another five points from Harry for failing to stop them. Harry postpones arguing in order to escort the injured boys to the Hospital Wing 24.
• Voldemort, teaching through Quirrell, questions Harry in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Harry’s lack of basic knowledge astonishes and enrages him, resulting in another five-point deduction 35 36.

Rift with Argus and Draco

• Harry keeps Ron company in the Hospital Wing after the Flying lesson incident. When other students mock Ron, Harry asks Argus to intervene and argues that Ron did not mean to cause harm 27.
• Argus refuses, pointing to Ron’s theft of his book and collision with Draco. Draco is disappointed by Harry’s priorities, while Pansy notes that Ron has not apologized to either injured party 27.
• Harry later accompanies Ron to the Trophy Room and promises to help him against Draco. Argus and Draco regard this as Harry choosing Ron’s side against them 39.
• When Argus suspends Ron with Levicorpus, Harry again attempts to plead for him. Draco challenges Harry directly and overwhelms him with spells 40.

Dumbledore’s Intervention

• Dumbledore concludes that Ron is no longer suitable as Harry’s closest companion and asks Argus to provide guidance at important moments 41.
• Argus initially refuses to “babysit” Harry, then agrees to consider the limited role in exchange for Dumbledore’s help protecting his planned Diagon Alley shops from pure-blood interference 41.
• Separately, Voldemort orders Argus to continue gathering information about Harry. Argus supplies details of Harry’s upbringing and personality while concealing crucial information about his Horcrux status and maternal protection 43.

Relationships

• Argus Grindelwald — Initially a trusted friend whose kindness wins Harry’s admiration. Their relationship deteriorates over Harry’s repeated defense of Ron. Argus’s interest is also strategic: Harry offers leverage in his contest with Dumbledore 7 11 27 41.
• Ron Weasley — A close friend whom Harry supports despite misgivings about his conduct. Dumbledore originally selected Ron as a future source of support for Harry, but later judges his influence harmful 11 30 39 41.
• Draco Malfoy — An early friend after their reconciliation at Madam Malkin’s. Harry’s decision to support Ron against him leads to an angry confrontation and duel 7 39 40.
• Hagrid — A trusted friend and early guide to the magical world. Harry reacts coldly when Draco insults him and initially accepts his assurance that he belongs in Gryffindor 7 11.
• Albus Dumbledore — Regards Harry as his hope against Voldemort and carefully arranges his upbringing, school entry, and prospective friendships. He asks Snape to watch Argus because of Argus’s influence over Harry 30.
• Severus Snape — Treats Harry harshly in Potions. Dumbledore invokes Harry’s connection to Lily when seeking Snape’s cooperation in safeguarding his development 23 24 30.
• Voldemort — The enemy whose curse rebounded when Harry was an infant. He is humiliated by Harry’s elementary ignorance and later commissions further intelligence about him 36 43.
• Molly Weasley — Treats Harry affectionately, invites him to the Burrow, and regards him as having been drawn into Ron’s misconduct 27 41.

Notable Quotes

“Argus, am I really useless?” 11

“You... you're all my friends.” 40