Character Profiles (Main Characters)

Harry Potter: The protagonist of the story, who changes from weakling to powerful hero by the end. Marked on the forehead with a lightning-shaped scar, Harry is marked also by the confrontation between good and bad magic that caused that scar: the standoff between the evil Voldemort and his parents who died to save their son.  As he progresses, he shows himself to be caring and shrewd, a loyal friend, and an excellent Quidditch player.

 




Ron Weasley: From the moment they met on the train in the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry and Ron have been friends. If Harry's running into trouble, Ron will be right there with him. There have been moments of friction, though, since Harry has more fame and more money, Ron can get a bit jealous. There's romantic tension between Ron and Hermione, but the road to true love has some bumps.

 



 
Hermione Granger: Harry's other best friend, she is by far the smartest student in their class, and extremely gifted in magic. Born to non-magical parents, Hermione is usually the voice of caution, and tries to keep Harry out of trouble -- not that she's successful! But in the end, she's right there in the thick of things. She and Ron have promised Harry that they will be 
 with him on his quest to kill Voldemort.

 






Hagrid: An oafish giant who works as a groundskeeper at Hogwarts. Rubeus Hagrid is a kind creature with more kindness than brains. He cares deeply for Harry. (Eg. by the tears he sheds upon having to leave the infant Harry with the Dursleys). Hagrid symbolizes the importance of generosity and human warmth in a world menaced by conniving villains. (Also part of teachers).

 





Albus Dumbledore: The kind, wise head of Hogwarts. Though he is a famous wizard, Dumbledore is a humble and adorable person as his name suggests. While other school teachers, such as Professor McGonagall, are obsessed with the rules, Dumbledore respects them (as his warnings against entering the Forbidden Forest remind us) but does not exaggerate their importance as much (I wish most teachers were like this). He appears to have an almost superhuman level of wisdom, knowledge, and personal understanding, and it seems that he may have set up the whole quest for the Sorcerer’s Stone so that Harry could prove himself. (Also part of Teachers).