Harry Potter
Jul 17, 2010 20:51:47 GMT -6
Post by Harry Potter on Jul 17, 2010 20:51:47 GMT -6
POTTER, HARRY JAMES
"Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them." – William Shakespeare
Your name/alias: Kori
Age: 22
Experience roleplaying: 7 years; Characters on HOTW and FY
Other characters: None yet
How did you find us: HOTW and FY banners, plus knowing Tonks and Hermione
Character Name: Harry James Potter
Nickname(s): Harry
Sex: Male
Age: 14
Birthdate: July 31, 1980
House: Gryffindor
Blood Type: Half-Blood
Occupation: Student
Appearance: Harry is a bit small for his age, comically so next to his cousin Dudley. His size works to his advantage in quidditch, lending to more speed as he flies and make it easier to catch the snitch. He is shorter than his friend Ron Weasley, which is also useful as the trio are growing up and making trips under the invisibility cloak is getting quite snug.
Harry’s facial features are distinct for reasons he doesn’t quite remember. Everyone in the magical world knows of his parents’ murder, knows that his is the only one to ever survive the Killing Curse, and knows that as a result of that night there is a lightning bolt scar on his forehead. The scar isn’t an ordinary mark and often brings him great pain in the presence of Lord Voldemort, a fact that he was unfortunately made aware of during his first and second year.
Not all of his features have such a depressing history. Harry is often told how much he looked like his father, same mop of black hair and round glasses, but the startling difference between Harry and James are their eyes – Harry has Lily’s eyes, a brilliant green in color.
Play-By: Daniel Radcliffe
Likes: Mrs. Weasley’s annual Christmas sweaters, Butterbeer, Defense Against the Dark Arts, the book of old photographs that Hagrid gave him, quidditch, wizard’s chess, exploding snap, chocolate frogs, visiting the Burrow over summer holidays, flying, treacle tart
Dislikes: Mrs. Figg’s cats, the smell of boiled cabbage, most if not all Slytherins (Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape are not really the most friendly of blokes), three headed dogs as pets, Aragog’s family, having to spend time at Number 4 Privet Drive, de-gnoming the Burrow’s garden
Strengths: Harry has the courage to look at a challenge and do it, even if he’s afraid. He’s fiercely loyal and protective of his friends, even when Hermione nags or Ron’s being thick – he would stick up for them before anything could possibly happen to them. He is determined, a trait that can be traced back to his first quidditch game where he dove toward the ground after the snitch longer than was safe.
Weaknesses: His friends make him weak, because there is nothing that he wouldn’t do to save them. If he thought anything could happen to one of them, Harry would risk his own life to save them. He doesn’t seem to think he’s important because he’s unattached to his family; Harry realizes that they are important to him, but doesn’t quite get that he’s important to them. He has a brashness to his bravery and courage that tends to send him to the front line without really thinking about the danger. Harry also has a sarcastic side that sometimes shows at the worst moments, like when House Points are on the line.
Pet Peeves: bigotry over blood purity, Hermione forcing him to study before he really needs to worry about it, the slave treatment of house elves, Dudley’s greed and selfishness, when Ron chomps his food too loudly
Mirror of Erised: When he looks into the mirror, he sees the family he will never know – the family outside of the Dursley’s. But what drives Harry, the things he desires that are attainable are: a world without headaches from his scar, becoming an auror, and to see Sirius declared innocent of his parents’ murder.
Fears: losing his friends, losing his wand and no longer being allowed to practice magic, squirrels - they are just creepy
Boggart: a dementor - they plague anyone near with their worst memory and fears, something that Harry has far too many of.
Dementor: Harry was too young to really remember his worse memory, though he knows what it is without much hint other than a woman’s scream in the darkness. It was a night that changed so many lives for the better; the magical world was released from the fear that had been the result of Lord Voldemort’s reign. Only Harry’s life felt the incredible loss of that night and that loss, even though he barely remembers it, haunts him.
Patronus: The night he actually met Sirius Black and learned that the man had not betrayed his parents or murdered Peter Pettigrew. That he actually broke out of Azkaban to protect Harry from Peter in his animagus form and wanted to take Harry away from the Dursley house once freed. It didn’t happen, but he was able to successfully cast the patronus that night, which took the form of a stag, and save Sirius from the Dementors.
Amortentia: Treacle tart, a broomstick handle, Mrs. Weasley’s cooking, the collection of flowers in the Weasley garden
Relationship status: single
Turn ons: Harry’s ideal girl would be able to take care of herself, the girls that giggle and cluster together kind of freak him out. Cleverness and wit because he likes the idea of holding a conversation with her. Being good at quidditch isn’t necessary, but as he does like quidditch – some familiarity with the sport would be nice. Harry also hates being treated as a celebrity, so someone who could look past the scar and see him as Harry Potter not Harry Potter, the Boy who Lived.
Turn offs: The type of girls that giggle, fuss too much over their appearance, cluster in groups with other giggling girls, and are just shallow intimidate and annoy him. Harry tries to be friendly and understanding, but these girls just make themselves undesirable when they try to do the opposite.
Personality: Contrary to belief, Harry Potter is just a normal teenage boy that wants to spend time with his friends and blow off essays. He doesn’t strive to be an excellent student, doesn’t strive to be brave, and doesn’t strive to get in trouble – in fact, he’s pretty sure that the phrase ‘wrong place at the wrong time’ should be his epitaph. Harry just tries to survive everything he has been put through at such a young age and that has been confused for bravery or courage. Just because he has faced Voldemort twice (three if one includes that horrible night) doesn’t mean he wasn’t afraid, just that he was too foolish to not walk away.
Every trial that Harry seems to face, he tries to do what is best and fair – the most difficult of these situations was at the end of the last year when he forced himself to listen to the side of a man believed to be the reason his parents were dead and Harry got a God-father for his trouble. He has a lot to prove, so many people think he’s the savior of the magical world, so many people know who he is and seem to expect great things from him, and the simplest charms in school still impress him and sometimes even stump him. Harry does have a lot of natural talent, thankfully, and manages to go through school with slightly higher than average grades.
His tongue is his worst trait and he is able to say the worst things the moment his temper gets the better of him. For the most part, Harry doesn’t fly off the handle without good reason or provoking from some Slytherin. He is fairly emotional and love for his friends or annoyance at Malfoy always seems to get the better of him. Harry tries to let his loyalty and protectiveness define him, not bravery because bravery is fleeting and changes with every moment.
Mother: Lily Potter (née Evans), deceased at 21, member of the first Order of the Pheonix, Muggleborn
Father: James Potter, deceased at 21, member of the first Order of the Pheonix, Pure-Blood
Siblings: only child
Other important figures: Petunia Dursley (née Evans), 36, housewife, aunt, Muggle
Vernon Dursley, 38, director of Grunnings, a drill manufacturer, uncle, Muggle
Dudley Dursley, 14, student of Smeltings, cousin, Muggle
Sirius Black, 35, convicted criminal, Godfather, Pure-Blood
Remus Lupin, 34, former professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts (1993-1994), friend of his father and mother, Half-Blood
Pets: Hedwig, snowy barn owl
Birth place: Godric’s Hollow, England
Overall history: James Potter was in love with Lily Evans long before she returned even the slightest of feeling toward him. She found the boy in the same year and house as her to be annoying, self-absorbed, and a bully. James was all of these things to an extent, but he was also clever, fiercely loyal to his friends, and a star quidditch player for Gryffindor. When they were both named Head Boy and Girl, much to James’ horror, the two were practically forced together. Lily had started to see James in a better light as James rose to the duty of Head Boy better than either really expected.
James would always joke that Lily’s feelings for him had been there all along, she was just stubborn, which Lily would argue against only not as loudly. Their relationship grew past graduation, Lily even finding herself amused by James’ antics and getting closer to his group of friends, becoming a part of their secrets. It almost seemed natural for James to blurt out at her that they should get married, a snicker from Sirius and him telling her that she should find someone better for herself more than expected. Really, James shouldn’t have asked during a dinner party she was hosting for his friends – they would never let him live it down.
There was a ceremony, small with only their closest friends and family, and planned entirely by Lily as James thought they should have lilies as their flower and just wouldn’t accept that they were traditionally a funeral flower. Sirius was best man with absolutely no complaint as the strange events of Lily’s life had made her fond of the boy that used to make her want to tear her hair out. In the midst of war, of fear, the ceremony went on without a hitch – a bright day in dark times. Lily became pregnant shortly after the wedding, which had James more annoying than ever – offering to fluff her pillows, rub her feet, and on only one occasion offered to brush her hair. Lily lamenting that it was a shame her child should be an only child as their father had lost some essential equipment was all she needed to get James to stop.
Harry James Potter was born on July 31, 1980 and fawned over by not just his parents, but the three men that Lily had somehow managed to marry along with James Potter. Sirius Black was a sucker for his godson, offering to babysit without ever being asked. Unfortunately, the happiness of a new child in their life was short lived when Albus Dumbledore came for a visit. He told them of a prophecy that could stop Voldemort, but put young Harry at great risk. The family moved to James’ hometown, went into hiding for just over a year. They tried to remain happy, tried to look forward to every visit given by their friends, but living in hiding was stressful.
Lily suggested that they get out of the house on the Halloween of 1981, prevent themselves from going stir-crazy. Dressing Harry up in the Muggle tradition of trick-or-treating piqued James’ interest and often inquired if they could trick the house when the owners didn’t answer. The small family retired back to their house in better spirits, Lily making her way upstairs to put Harry to bed and James throwing his wand away to relax after a long evening. It was then that it became apparent that one of their closest friends betrayed them as the door was blown off its hinges. James didn’t have time to get to his wand and warn Lily, so he made the decision he could never regret and shouted out his warning before lunging toward Voldemort.
He landed at his feet, already dead, and Lord Voldemort climbed the stairs toward the nursery, there was no escape and he knew he would be victorious. Lily pleaded for Harry’s life, protected him with everything she knew before Lord Voldemort’s curse took her life. Harry survived that night because of her and the wizarding world was free from Lord Voldemort as he was presumed dead. Rubeus Hagrid came on strict orders from Dumbledore to collect Harry only to run into Sirius Black in the crumbling house. As Sirius was the suspect secret keeper for the Potter’s, Hagrid refused to allow Sirius custody of Harry. Sirius accepted this, allowed Hagrid to take his flying motorbike to take Harry back to Dumbledore, and went after Peter Pettigrew – the man he knew responsible.
Eleven years later, Harry found himself being raised by the Dursley’s with no knowledge of who he was, how his parents really died, or his godfather sent to Azkaban wrongfully and without a trial. He thought he was just an average boy that had strange things happen to him, like talking to snakes in the London zoo or ending up on the roof of his school when he needed to hide. It wasn’t until the strange occurrences with owls delivering him letters, a madness taking over Uncle Vernon, and being taken away by an incredibly large man with a magical pink umbrella, birthday cake, and answers did Harry discover the truth. He was a wizard.
Hogwarts was better than any home the Dursley’s claimed to have. It was there that he met his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger – their friendship wasn’t always easy, in fact Hermione annoyed both boys for the first couple months of their first year, but perfect things are rarely easy. Harry cherished his friends, cherished having friends, and learning magic was something that even his wildest dreams found a little hard to believe. With the help of his friends, he was able to protect the Philosopher’s Stone from Voldemort which prevented his return. With the help of his friends, he was able to find the Chamber of Secrets and protect the school from the basilisk that had been terrorizing the students that claimed he was the cause. He prevented Voldemort from returning again that year and Harry was starting to realize that an average year at Hogwarts wasn’t all that average.
His friends were by his side that night in the Shrieking Shack the year before, Hermione helping him save his godfather escape without question. Harry knew he was incredibly lucky to have such friends, sometimes wondered where the luck came from as he frequently considered himself unlucky. As his fourth year approached, full of quidditch and weeks at the Burrow, Harry could consider what might wait for him once back at Hogwarts, could even dread it, but he didn’t. Ron and Hermione were as loyal as he was, managed to stick by his side through the worse possible things and never blame him for it. Another year at Hogwarts never seemed daunting as he had them by his side.
Roleplay sample: The sting of hot grease popping up and hitting his hand created a chain reaction of unfortunate events. First was that Harry with drew his hand in such a haste that it sent the pan of bacon crashing into the kettle, second was him shaking his hand vigorously to rid himself of the painful sting caused the spatula to fly out of his hand and hit Aunt Petunia’s cup of tea, and third was the yelling for it all like Harry had control over what happened. Harry had hoped that his aunt and uncle would take the terrible incident of Aunt Marge blowing up to a seemingly impossible larger size as a warning to leave him alone, make him stop preparing their breakfasts. It was an unrealistic hope.
Dudley had stopped watching the television in favor of the more interesting developments in the kitchen as his mother yelled at Harry. The insults were the usual ones and Harry barely even noticed the difference from being told off and a friendly hello with them. He busied himself by cleaning up Aunt Petunia’s tea and thinking of how in a week, Mrs. Weasley would be preparing his breakfast with a warm smile and a ‘how are you, dear?’ Ron had sent a letter about him spending the rest of his holiday with him at the Burrow that for once he was being invited instead of abducted late one night, and there were also tickets to some quidditch match involved.
Aunt Petunia was still speaking at him, but soon gave up with a roll of her eyes as Harry continued to dab the same spot in a vague attempt to remove the tea that had already been soaked up into the towel. Dudley had become bored again, turning back to the show he had been watching and stuffing his face with poorly aimed food. Petunia went to the bacon that Harry had left on the stove, trying to salvage some and serving him the burned pieces. A week until he was back at the Burrow, he tried to remind himself, seven days, a large amount of hours, an enormous amount of minutes, a great big uncountable number of seconds. Hermione probably had the answer to all of these things, Harry was paranoid enough to call it a sixth sense and half expected an unexplained letter from her overnight with the correct numbers to all he had just tried to think up.
The burned bacon wasn’t such a terrible punishment; Harry actually preferred his bacon crispy though he would never actually voice it. While the Dursley’s had gotten better once they realized they couldn’t neglect the wizard out of him, they did seem to enjoy taking away things that he might like. So Harry ate with a scowl, like he learned his lesson for causing such a mess and loathed the delicious bacon. If magic didn’t work out, Harry could try acting.
While popping grease was a common risk with frying up bacon, Harry hadn’t been paying attention and he suspected that he even began to doze off as he stood there cooking it. His sleep had been plagued with the same dream recently: an old groundskeeper by the name of Frank was settling in his little house for the night when he noticed a light in the empty house he had looked after for so many years. Frank, though old and tired, took a lot of pride in his work and went to investigate. Harry willed the dream to stop there, willed Frank to turn around and continue making his tea as he knew what would happen next – even the first time he had the dream, Harry knew what was waiting for Frank.
Frank continued into the house, climbing the stairs until he found a room with voices drifting into the hall. Two of the voices were distinct and Harry wished he didn’t know who they were. Peter Pettigrew and Voldemort were in that house, planning something, when suddenly Frank is discovered. The next moments move quickly as Voldemort kills Frank before the man could even plead for his life. There is a blinding green light and then Harry is awake with a pain so severe in his forehead that he sees double for the first few minutes he was awake. Harry hadn’t had a full night’s sleep for a couple nights now and was practically dead on his feet during the day. He wasn’t really sure what to do about it.
The corners of his mouth quirked into a small smile as he thought about writing Sirius, about having an adult that was practically family and asking for advice. Having a godfather was still a new concept to him and having anyone that he could consider family care about him was so completely foreign and exciting that it was easy to ignore that he was a convict on the run from the law. There was nothing about Harry’s life that had ever been simple and he had learned that while he’s far from having a happy home life, he had something hope for.
”What are you smiling at?” Harry blinked; his mind had been wandering so much since he had started eating that Aunt Petunia’s voice sounded like nails on a chalk board as it broke him from his reverie. His shoulders raised and fell in a complacent shrug, a frown replacing the smile that had formed. That wasn’t the answer that Aunt Petunia had been looking for and her mouth twisted like she had just popped in one of Dumbledore’s lemon drops. ”You should speak when an adult asks you a question.”
Seven days, a large amount of hours, an enormous amount of minutes, a great big uncountable number of seconds and Harry would be back at the Burrow. “Yes, but you do such a good job at talking for everyone.” Taking his plate to the sink, Harry escaped the kitchen before Petunia had time to catch up with his backhanded compliment. The back garden was one of the few places at Number 4, Privet Drive that he found even slightly peaceful. Harry walked the small plots of flowers and knew he wouldn’t be sending a letter to Sirius about his dreams just yet; the man had enough to worry about in order to keep his freedom. The thought was nice though, the knowledge that he now had the ability to do so was enough to alleviate his mind from the worry about poor old Frank who didn’t even exist.
Approved!