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Again Harry noticed people putting their heads together to whisper as he passed; he gritted his teeth and tried to act as though he neither noticed nor cared.

When Harry arrives back at Hogwarts after a summer spent in relative seclusion, he finds that many of his classmates are whispering frantically behind his back and stealing nervous glances at him as he walks down the hallway. This quote, from Chapter 11, illustrates just how difficult it has become for Harry to live up to his enormous, ever-growing reputation. Whenever Harry meets or is introduced to a new Wizard, he must contend with their preconceived notions about his abilities, integrity, and honesty. Even Wizards who firmly believe Harry’s stories about Voldemort and are impressed by his courage and strength seem to expect Harry to do something spectacular in person in order to prove his accomplishments. Most of the time, Harry just wishes that he could be treated like a regular student, without all of the added attention and pressure.

Unsurprisingly, Harry is often singled out at Hogwarts, whether for his scar, his Quidditch skills, his friendship with Dumbledore, or his awe-inspiring stories about meeting Voldemort face to face. To make matters worse, Harry was receiving this treatment even before the Daily Prophet began a ruthless smear campaign against him. For nearly all of Harry’s life, he has been the subject of ridicule and disdain—first by his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and wretched cousin Dudley, and now by his peers. As Harry expresses over and over again, Hogwarts is the only place he has ever really felt at home, and he is disappointed to have to contend with the same kind of bad treatment at what was once a safe haven of sorts. He continually wishes that he could just be treated as a normal Wizard, the same as everyone else.

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