Harry Potter is a small, scrawny, bespectacled boy with vibrant green eyes and jet black hair which is never quite tidy. He would be quite unremarkable if it weren't for the thin, lightning-shaped scar across his forehead, making him perhaps the most famous wizard alive, though he would trade that fame in an instant to undo the tragic circumstances surrounding it.
 

Harry had spent ten years of his life with the Dursleys. Mrs. Dursley is Harry's Mum's sister. Harry was left as a child on their doorstep by Professor Dumbledore, when his parents were killed by Lord Voldemort. Harry spent eleven years with the Dursleys, in complete ignorance of his fame, the true fate of his parents and even that he and his parents were wizards. Those eleven years were the most difficult of his life. The Dursleys kept his as downtrodden as possible. He was not given a proper room - he first slept in the cupboard under the stairs and only later in Dudley's (his cousin) spare bedroom; he had no proper clothes - he had to wear Dudley's old clothes and so on. Under such miserable circumstances, with no chance of deliverance, Harry grew up to his eleven years. But he was no common boy and nothing common seemed to happen around him. He had dreams with flying motorcycles in it (much Uncle Dursley's dismay), vanished the glass of the cage of a boa constrictor at the zoo, regrew all his hair back in a night etc. Though poor Harry never knew how he managed to do such things.

On his eleventh birthday he was informed by Hagrid that he was a Wizard and was whisked off to learn magic at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But even his years at Hogwarts were not common, even by wizard standards of 'common'. He is extremely brave, rashly perhaps. In his very first year, he managed to stop Lord Voldemort from acquiring the Sorcerer's Stone. Later in his second year he battled a Basilisk! The third year was no less eventful where he met his Godfather - Sirius Black who was accused of betraying Harry's parents to Voldemort. In his fourth year, Harry is partly responsible for Voldemort's return and this is the time when poor Cedric Diggory is murdered by Wormtail, on orders from Voldemort.

Harry is a wonderful protagonist: he is not blonde, handsome or otherwise suave. He worries about the same things we all do, gets embarrassed, angry, frustrated with class and his friends, and is definitely not perfect. But he is an endearing, sympathetic character. The Sorting Hat said that Harry has a definite need to prove himself, though to who I'm not quite sure. The world, I suppose. He is tremendously talented on the Quidditch field, is a fairly good student (though no one can compare to Hermione...), and doesn't let his fame go to his head. On the contrary, he tries to be as normal as he can. He occasionally gets cocky, and I do agree with Professor Snape that he gets away with far more than other students ever would...but in return for that freedom, he always ends up in more perilous situations (and with more injuries) than any other students (not counting Cedric).

It has been prophesized that Harry is destined to combat Voldemort, much to Harry's rage. It seems that all the hurt, loss, anger and general crappiness that Harry has endured in his young life is finally starting to catch up with him. He's grown into a very angry young man, but with good reason. He has lost everyone dear to him except Ron and Hermione, and I hope they're not next. I also hope Harry remembers to stay close to his friends to help him through the next 2 years, which are sure to be his most taxing yet. Poor Harry.....