Harry Potter became a household name in the Wizarding world when he was just a baby, after successfully warding off an attack by the infamous Lord Voldemort. Unfortunately, this same attack killed Harry’s parents, James and Lily Potter, who were members of an anti-Voldemort league called the Order of the Phoenix. No one knows exactly how or why Harry survived Voldemort’s attack, and many of his fellow Wizards are simultaneously impressed by and suspicious of Harry’s mysterious powers. Despite all this special attention, Harry is a kind and humble teenager, instinctually averse to flattery and excessive praise. He is loyal to his friends and to Dumbledore, and his placement in Gryffindor ensures that he’ll exhibit extreme bravery. Harry spends much of his time at Hogwarts trying to live up to his widespread reputation, and he often wishes that his life at school could be more normal. Now fifteen years old, Harry is experiencing the same emotions as any other fifteen-year-old boy. He gets angry and frustrated with his friends, is confused by girls, and often reacts unhappily to authority figures that try to impose limits on his behavior. Although Harry always has good, noble intentions, he can be impatient and overeager. Dumbledore continually stresses that education is achieved over time, and Harry does not always want to wait.

In Book V, we learn that Harry is the subject of a prophecy that claims Harry will eventually need to either destroy Voldemort or be destroyed by him. Harry’s connection to Voldemort is complex and often enigmatic. Harry’s infant encounter with Voldemort left him with a lightning-shaped scar, which he tries to conceal under his shaggy brown hair, and the scar burns whenever Voldemort is feeling any kind of powerful emotion. At various points in Book V, Voldemort uses this connection to invade Harry’s mind, appearing in his dreams and lending Harry his terrible impulses. Harry now must deal with Voldemort more intimately than he ever has before.