Am I More Like Harry or Draco?

In the Harry Potter series, Harry and Draco are often presented as rivals and opposites. As a member of Gryffindor house, Harry is associated with bravery, chivalry, and a strong sense of justice. On the flip side, Draco is a Slytherin associated with arrogance, wealth, and sometimes even cruelty. But are the differences between these two characters really that clear-cut? Do they share any commonalities? Let’s explore below.

Harry Potter

• Personality: Harry is the “Chosen One” and the protagonist of the story, and as such, he’s known for being courageous, determined, and self-sacrificing. He’s loyal and protective of his loved ones, and he’s willing to put himself in harm’s way for the greater good.
• Talents: Harry is a talented Quidditch player, and over the course of the series, he also develops impressive abilities when it comes to fighting dark wizards and scary creatures (like dragons and dementors).
• Family: Harry’s parents died when he was a baby, so he was raised by his cruel Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. Although Harry starts out with an unhappy family life, he creates a found family in the wizarding world, made up of his best friends Ron and Hermione, as well as Ron’s extended family.
• Moral Compass: As the hero of the story, Harry is associated with goodness and justice. On a larger scale, he fights against Lord Voldemort and his followers, and on a smaller scale, he stands up to bullies and protects his friends.
  
  

Draco Malfoy

• Personality: Draco is one of Harry’s early protagonists, and he’s initially presented as a snobby, prejudiced bully, though his character does become more nuanced over the course of the story.
• Talents: Like Harry, Draco is a good Quidditch player, and he becomes a skilled wizard throughout the series. He’s skilled at gaining power and popularity at school, and he knows how to get his way.
• Family: Draco comes from a wealthy, aristocratic wizarding family with associations to Lord Voldemort. Draco’s father, Lucius Malfoy, is a cruel and exacting parent who puts a lot of pressure on his son.
• Moral Compass: At the start of the series, Draco is presented as a stereotypical bully with many moral faults, including cruelty, snobbishness, and arrogance. Over time, however, it becomes clear that many of Draco’s actions are driven by his desire to impress his father and his family, rather than his own personal sense of right and wrong.
  
  
  

Similarities and Differences

Draco and Harry have pretty different personalities on the surface. Draco is a wealthy aristocrat who seems to buy into his family’s prejudiced ideals, while Harry is a humble, down-to-earth person who fights against injustice. They carry themselves in different ways, and they value different things.

Underneath these differences, however, Harry and Draco have a few surprising similarities. Harry’s aunt and uncle and Draco’s father are similarly cruel, so both characters grew up in stressful, cold environments. Draco faces intense pressure from his family to carry on their legacy as supporters of Voldemort, and similarly, Harry faces intense pressure from the wizarding world to fight against Voldemort and be their hero.

At the end of the day, Harry and Draco are very different characters who walk diverging paths, but they face surprisingly similar pressures and challenges.