After looking at whether Harry Potter would have been worse off being raised by his parents, it’s clear that he was actually the best balance of the two personalities.
Harry Potter inherited his mother’s eyes and his Patronus was the stag his father. However, these aren’t the only similarities Harry Potter inherited. While some of the elements may have been linked to Harry’s upbringing, it’s highly likely that most would have occurred anyway.
Mild-mannered but strong-willed
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc
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One of the reasons I questioned whether Harry would have been worse off if raised by his parents was because of James Potter’s bullying nature. When he was at Hogwarts, he was cruel towards those he didn’t like; specifically Severus Snape. Lily was disgusted by James during this point in her life, so it suggests that he matured as he grew up.
However, he never lost his confidence and strong-willed personality. Meanwhile, Lily never lost her mild-mannered and caring nature. Harry Potter had both.
When he needed to be, he was brave, confident, smart, and a fighter. Yet, he was kind-hearted to those around him. He called Draco out now and then, stood up for Ron, Hermione, Neville, and others, and wasn’t afraid to be away from the popular crowd. There were times he was cocky and arrogant like his father, but the most important moment that would tell us about his personality saw Lily shine through.
When he saw the memory of Snape being bullied by James, Harry Potter was ashamed. It wasn’t that he felt sorry for Snape (well, he may have done) but he felt ashamed of the father he never knew; the man who would bully another teenager the way he had been bullied in the past.
Sacrificial but supportive
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc
Harry Potter would never have succeeded if it wasn’t for his friends. While Hermione was the brains, Ron was the backup. The trio were necessary to make sure plans played out, clues were unearthed, and Horcruxes were found. They were the James, Sirius, and Lupin of their time—always looking out for each other.
Yet, Harry didn’t just inherit this supportive nature from his dad. He also inherited the sacrificial nature of his mother. Lily made the ultimate sacrifice that would lead to Voldemort disappearing for more than a decade. Despite knowing that Voldemort would kill Harry next, she protected her son with everything she had. It helped the curse on Harry rebound and hit Voldemort instead.
Harry would sacrifice himself for love. This time a different love. He protected his friends, his school, and the entire world from Voldemort. He gave up the chance of life to make sure everyone else could, something only Lily would have done.
Even if Harry had been raised by his parents, he would have still been the kind, caring, and wonderful young wizard he was. Sure, he had his cocky and questionable moments (even when not controlled by a Horcrux) but he was a teenager. The personalities of both his parents shined through in a balance any child would be honored to have.
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