The Harry Potter Companion

When James and Lily were killed by Voldemort, Harry Potter’s life took a dramatic turn in more ways than one. Most important for him was that, at just fifteen months old, he was shipped off to a horrible upbringing at the hands of the Dursleys. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to him, his eventual friends were also growing up all over Britain – themselves with experiences all over the map. Here’s a look at their lives, pre-Hogwarts.
 

Of course, before we even get to Harry, it’s interesting to reflect on what Lily’s death must have meant for Petunia. A sister who she had clearly once loved, but was never able to get over her jealousy toward, was suddenly gone – with her son a daily reminder in Petunia’s life. Surely her bitterness was tinged with *some* sadness and regret?
 
“Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that – that school…. I was the only one who saw her for what she was – a freak!” (PS4)

(by gerre)

 

Little Harry may have looked the same growing up with the Dursleys, but his life couldn’t have been more different from what it had been in Godric’s Hollow.
 
The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too…. (PS2)

(by Chantelle)

 

And the lengths to which the Dursleys went to mistreat Harry – forcing him to do things for Dudley that they denied him – are almost unfathomable.
 
Watching Harry being bullied by Uncle Vernon was Dudley’s favorite form of entertainment. (PA2)

(by Chantelle)

 

For ten years. It must have been too much to take at times.
 
When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were his only family. (PS2)

(by glockgal)

 

Meanwhile, in another part of the country, a little boy was growing up whose fate was intertwined with Harry’s – Neville Longbottom. He too grew up an orphan, his parents having been tortured to insanity by Voldemort’s followers.
 
“I believe Neville visits them, with his grandmother, during the holidays. They do not recognize him.” (GF30)

(by mneomosyne)

 

And while Neville at least had the love of his grandmother, her constant, unbearable pressure to match up to his father must have made Neville’s childhood a sad one in its own way, too.
 
“Hmph,” snorted Professor McGonagall. “It’s high time your grandmother learned to be proud of the grandson she’s got, rather than the one she thinks she ought to have.” (HBP9)

(by Caladan)

 

Meanwhile, there was Ron – another classmate of Harry’s – and the Weasley family, growing up with seven kids. Life wasn’t perfect, but the children in this household unmistakably knew they were cared for and loved.
 
But Harry, grinning widely, said, “This is the best house I’ve ever been in.” (CS3)

(by glockgal)

 

Ron and his little sister Ginny clearly grew up close.
 
“Ginny,” said Ron. “You don’t know how weird it is for her to be this shy. She never shuts up normally.” (CS3)

(by Marta T)

 

Speaking of Ginny, she was a little girl with some spunk, as Harry would one day (eventually) come to discover.
 
“She’s been breaking into your broom shed in the garden since the age of six and taking each of your brooms out in turn when you weren’t looking.” (OP26)

(by Cambryn)

 

And then there were the twins of course, who would never have ceased to make Ron and Ginny’s lives interesting….
 
“If you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my – my teddy bear into a great big filthy spider because I broke his toy broomstick….” (CS9)

(by lberghol)

 

And then of course, there was another child living a totally different life – a single child with the definition of privilege. That would be Draco Malfoy.
 
“You’ll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.” (PS6)

(by Heather Campbell)

 

And different still, Hermione Granger – growing up with dentists as parents and not the slightest idea the wizarding world might even exist.
 
“Nobody in my family’s magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course.” (PS6)

(by Sebastian Theilig)

 

The contrast among these kids – and their hopes, wishes, aspirations, and dreams – was incredible.
 
(Quotes from the drawing: “I dream of a world where magic is real;” “I dream of winning the Quidditch world cup… for the Canons;” & “I dream of a man, riding a flying motorbike, taking me far away from here”)

(by FrizzyHermione)

 

But deep down, it’s nice to think that each of them somehow knew what their lives might one day become. Perhaps even the types of lives that history books would one day be written about. All they needed first was that magical letter….
 
Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, [Harry] came up with a strange vision…. (PS2)

(by thepolestar)