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James Potter

James Potter

James Potter is a young wizard who fought against Voldemort in the 1970s, only to be killed along with his wife Lily while trying to protect their 15-month-old son Harry.

James is the father of Harry Potter, and nearly identical to him in appearance except with hazel eyes (OP28). He was a descendant of Ignotus Peverell and the only child of wealthy, elderly parents, who were very kind and who both died shortly after he left Hogwarts (OP6, TLC, AOL, Pm). James was a “pampered” child (TLC), and could be cocky and somewhat cruel in his childhood (OP28). He “deflated his head a bit” his seventh year, was named Head Boy, and started dating Lily Evans, who he later married (PS4, OP9, OP30). He was twenty when his son, Harry, was born on July 31, 1980.

MaraudersAt Hogwarts, James was very popular; he was on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team as a Chaser (Sch2) and rather liked to show off (OP28). He was best friends with Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew; they were known for mischief (PA10) and dubbed themselves the “Marauders” (PA17). When they learned that Lupin was a werewolf, James, Sirius, and Peter set out to become Animagi so they could join him; they succeeded in their fifth year (PA18); James earned the nickname “Prongs” because his Animagus form was a stag (PA22).

As popular as he was, James also had a bitter enemy at Hogwarts: Severus Snape. Sirius and Lupin attributed Snape’s attitude toward James to jealousy (OP29) though it was true that James started bullying Snape from the moment they met, mocking him and calling him “Snivellus” (DH33). However, when Sirius played a joke on Snape and sent him toward Lupin in his werewolf form, James stepped up and saved his life (PA19). Snape’s resulting life debt to James only made him hate James all the more (PA17), and when James ended up dating and marrying Lily – who Snape had loved his entire life – it sealed Snape’s hatred for good (DH33).

A lifelong despiser of the Dark Arts, James was extremely loyal to Dumbledore and fought full time for the Order of the Phoenix against Voldemort (OP9, OP30). Together he and Lily defied Voldemort three times, but a prophecy made by Sybill Trelawney marked Harry for death, and Voldemort came after the Potters (OP37). They were tipped off and used the Fidelius Charm to hide, but James put his faith in the wrong person – his old friend Peter Pettigrew – and was betrayed (PA19). Voldemort killed him and Lily on October 31, 1981, in their borrowed cottage at Godric’s Hollow (DH17).

Family

Ancestry: Both his mother and father were wizards. His  father was a fairly direct descendent of Ignotus Peverell, the original owner of the Invisibility Cloak Deathly Hallow.
Mother: Euphemia Potter. She died between 1978 and 1981. She was elderly, even by wizarding standards, and died from a wizarding illness. There is “nothing sinister” about her death (TLC).
Father: Fleamont Potter, a potioneer. He died between 1978 and 1981. He was elderly, even by wizarding standards, and died from a wizarding illness. There is “nothing sinister” about his death (TLC).
Wife: Lily (Evans) Potter; killed 31 Oct 1981 by Lord Voldemort at Godric's Hollow. Lily and James were married very quietly sometime between summer of 1978 and fall of 1979. Sirius Black was their best man.
Siblings: None, though Sirius Black ran away from home and moved in with the Potters after his sixth year at Hogwarts (OP6) .
Childhood: According to JKR, James was "very pampered." His elderly parents "had him late in life so he's an extra treasure, as often happens, I think." (TLC)
Family circumstances: The Potters were extremely wealthy; James did not need to have a well-paying job (AOL).

Skills

Devices: Invisibility cloak; Marauder's Map, created in last 2 years at Hogwarts (PA18).
Organizations & affiliations: Order of the Phoenix; Gryffindor Quidditch team Chaser (JKR).
Career: According to JKR, "James inherited plenty of money, so he didn't need a well-paid profession." (AOL). Both he and Lily defied Voldemort (he wanted them to be Death Eaters - PC/JKR1) and became fulltime members of the Order of the Phoenix after they finished school (OBT/CH).
Field: Transfiguration (PS5, PA22).
Animagus: Stag (unregistered Animagus) since his fifth year at Hogwarts (PA18, PA22).
Gringotts' Vault: 687 (PS/f).

James Potter
Gender Male
Species / Race Wizard
Blood Status Pure blood
Other Names Prongs
Hair Black, untidy, sticks up in the back; at 15, he had a habit of deliberately messing it up even further to make it look windswept, as though he'd just gotten off his broom (OP28).
Eyes Hazel; wore glasses
Distinguishing Features Tall, thin, bold, and confident.
Wand Mahogany, 11 inches, pliable (excellent for transfiguration)
Patronus Stag
School Hogwarts - Gryffindor
Profession Fought with the Order against Voldemort
Family Groups Potter family
First Introduced PS1: The Boy Who Lived

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