Getting to Know Your Inner Harry
by Lady Norbert

A/N: It's a take on the concept of getting to know your inner child. We all have a little of the Harry Potter characters inside us, don't we? Of course, JKR owns all and I am a worthless peon. The basic format of the story (if it can be called a story) was ripped off of an article about inner children by Pamela Brockman, and can be found at

The inner Harry Potter refers to that part of each of us which is innocent, unassuming, loyal, courageous, and shy. Without really knowing, J.K. Rowling helped create this inner Harry. The book publishing industry also helped with the creation. Most of us are only too happy to learn that there even exists such a part of us. If this inner Harry is not allowed to be heard or even acknowledged as being real, a more Draco Malfoy-type of personality is exhibited. We begin to live our lives as Slytherins. Then we have situations that arise in our lives in which we keep getting turned into ferrets (metaphorically speaking, of course). The gradual accumulation of Slytherin tendencies can lead to social isolation and the ability to only attract thick-headed dopes as friends.

Denial of the inner Harry is particularly common among children and adults who haven't read the books. It is, of course, difficult to nurture and encourage an inner character whom we don't know. Yet, there is a way out. There is a way to discover and to cultivate our inner Harry. Short of being allowed to look into the Mirror of Erised, your best bet is to visit a bookstore.

So this is one of the most important concepts for us to understand: we all have an inner Harry, and we have many more inner characters inside of us as well. Most people are aware of some of their inner characters. I encourage and invite you to be open to recognizing and realizing all of these various inner characters. This process of opening to the world of the inner characters enhances your life and your personal library in many ways.

There are dozens of ways you can connect with your inner Harry and help him to grow and flourish. Start by reading the books and learning the true personality of Harry. Recognize and accept that you have similar traits inside yourself. Perhaps you aren't a brilliant broomstick flier or ready to face a murderous snake-man, but you undoubtedly have some degrees of loyalty and courage -- on the inside, even if only to a small degree, you too have a Gryffindor spirit.

There are ways to talk to the inner Harry. When facing a decision, stop and think to yourself: What would Harry Potter do in a situation like this? Even if the only thing you're trying to decide is which breakfast cereal to buy at the supermarket, try asking the question and see if you can figure out what Harry would eat. It is recommended, of course, that this questioning take place solely inside your head, as speaking the questions aloud can result in strange looks from passers-by.

Your inner Harry may respond well to outside stimulus. Try wearing a garment in the Gryffindor colors of red and/or gold. Purchase some Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans at the candy store, now that they actually exist. Play the Harry Potter games on your preferred platform (PC, Playstation, etc.) and allow your inner Harry to enjoy, to the fullest extent permitted by the Decree for Underage Wizardry, a recap of his Hogwarts adventures. Although there are no Exploding Snap decks available on the open market, you might try learning to play regular Snap and just pretend that the cards can explode. Collecting the trading cards is not recommended unless you have a lot of extra money and are willing to develop an obsessive new hobby. The author speaks from experience on that one. Attempting to ride a broomstick is, of course, inadvisable, though tempting.

Besides the inner Harry, we have many other selves that are trying to take control, without us really hearing the voices until we make an effort to do so. Should you find that you also possess an inner Ron, he'll be able to keep the inner Harry company and you can have lots of crazy adventures, inside your own head if nowhere else. It is very important to tame the inner Snape. That cranky, hypercritical voice from the dungeon often keeps picking on the inner Gryffindors. Through the use of an inner dialogue technique, the wise nurturing Dumbledore self can stand as a protector self for the inner Gryffindors. It’s the job of the inner Dumbledore to be kindly and reassuring. This part of us can also teach the inner Snape a new job of spying on the inner Voldemort, instead of beating the Harry self up.

I'm only kidding. Very few of us actually have an inner Voldemort.

External Voldemorts are more common. This is often where the battle begins. The inner Harry has a very keen sense of right and wrong, and always wants to fight on the side of justice. As there are currently no evil wizards roaming the planet in search of immortality and world domination, the inner Harry needs to find other outlets for his do-gooder inclinations. Keep him content by standing up to the bullies in the world, and give him leave to fulfill his desire to protect the downtrodden by participating in food drives for the homeless and other helpful activities. But he's far from perfect, often neglecting his own physical well-being and responsibilities; it may be in your best interest to cultivate an inner Hermione, who can provide stabilization.

I hope this article will support you toward a journey of profound entertainment. There aren't any books to assist you in doing more work on reaching your inner Harry, nor can professional therapists be of much use in this matter. (If you're looking to purge yourself of a Harry Potter fixation, however, they might have some ideas.) Now you can get to know new friends inside. Remember these words of wisdom: "It's never too late to have a happy seven years at Hogwarts."

About the author: Lady Norbert has been obsessed with the Harry Potter universe for nigh onto six years. She is not a licensed therapist, just a fan fiction writer with a little too much empty space in her brain. Consult a librarian before beginning any kind of literary diet.