What makes Harry Potter a Hero?

When it comes to movies, popular TV shows and even best-selling novels, knobbly knees and a scar on the protaginist's forehead is what rarely marks the prominent physical feature of the "hero". Usually, you would get to see a tall, James-Bond look alike with a personality that bespokes confidence, high self esteem (sometimes even more than needed), a strut that pulls the audience to the edge of their seat trying to wonder what the scene is about to unfold next and a voice that is so like music to your ears that your mind often ignores the lyrics.

But, for anyone who has read Harry Potter and well there are many of those, believe me! They will know that this is not what makes Harry Potter a hero. In fact, if he was in your school right now you would be considered a loser if you take as much as a second glance at him (for that's exactly how high schools work). At the outset, Harry Potter is just an average kid (Yes, I actually said that) with an unimpressionable height and a broomstick with a very fancy name.

However, what makes millions of people around the globe scramble to book stores and throng cineplexes whenever Harry Potter books and movies come out is something that goes beyond the depth of Harry's skin. For them, Harry is a hero because he is relatable. Sure, he talks to snakes, looks at moving pictures and doesn't flinch, flies in the air only to dive later to catch the Snitch, loses his bones and regains them through Skele-Gro (Trust me, you don't want details) and does a lot of other things that (let's get real guys) we don't.

But despite all the fantasy that revolves around Harry's life there are a lot of things that are very much real. Dudley, the bully, Ron, the over-awed best friend, Snape, the discriminating professor, Dumbledore, the voice of reason outside your family, Cho, the girl he can never work it out with, Dobby, who causes more harm than good while meaning well - these are all real life characters. They are all around us at every point in time. And despite how intertwined with fantasy Harry's life is, it is the reality that sucks you in. It is the reality in the books that makes you feel for him for you have been there and done that (well, almost). It is the reality which makes you want to scream on top of your lungs to whoever will listen that Harry Potter belongs in the Non Fiction section.

And it is the reality which makes Harry Potter a hero.