James Potter was a pure-blood wizard, the husband of Lily Potter, and the father of Harry Potter. A key member of the original Order of the Phoenix, he fought bravely against Lord Voldemort during the First Wizarding War. He was murdered by Voldemort on 31 October 1981 while defending his infant son. Posthumously, James is a significant figure in the series, primarily seen through memories and the accounts of others. His legacy is complex; he is remembered as a heroic, brilliant, and loyal friend, but also as an arrogant and cruel bully during his youth, a duality that his son Harry Potter must confront and understand.
James was born on 27 March 1960, the only child of wealthy, elderly pure-blood parents. He was much doted on, which some, like Severus Snape, believed contributed to his arrogance. His family was affluent enough to take in his best friend, Sirius Black, after Sirius ran away from his own family at age sixteen. James's parents died of dragon pox sometime between his graduation from Hogwarts in 1978 and his own death in 1981.
James attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1971 to 1978 and was sorted into Gryffindor house. He quickly became best friends with Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. The four friends became known as the Marauders and were notorious for their rule-breaking and talent for mischief. James was an exceptionally bright student and a gifted Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. To support their friend Remus Lupin, who was a werewolf, James, Sirius, and Peter secretly and illegally became Animagi. James's Animagus form was a stag, earning him the nickname “Prongs.” Together, the four created the Marauder's Map, a highly advanced magical document that showed the location of everyone within Hogwarts castle. Throughout his school years, James harbored a deep animosity towards his Slytherin contemporary, Severus Snape, frequently hexing and bullying him. He also relentlessly pursued Lily Evans, who initially rebuffed his advances due to his arrogance. By their seventh year, James had matured considerably, stopped hexing Snape, and was made Head Boy. He and Lily began dating and fell in love.
After graduating from Hogwarts, James married Lily and joined the Order of the Phoenix to fight against Lord Voldemort. He and Lily defied Voldemort on three separate occasions. Upon learning of a prophecy that foretold their son could vanquish the Dark Lord, the Potters went into hiding in Godric's Hollow under the protection of the Fidelius Charm. On the advice of Sirius Black, they made Peter Pettigrew their Secret-Keeper, believing he would be an unsuspected choice. However, Pettigrew was a spy for Voldemort and betrayed their location. On Hallowe'en night in 1981, Voldemort arrived at their home. James, caught without his wand, urged Lily to take Harry and run, before confronting Voldemort himself. He was killed instantly by the Killing Curse. His spirit later appeared from Voldemort's wand during Priori Incantatem in the Little Hangleton graveyard, offering encouragement to Harry. He appeared a final time, alongside Lily, Sirius, and Remus, when Harry used the Resurrection Stone before his own walk into the Forbidden Forest.
James was described as tall and thin, with the same untidy black hair as his son that stuck up at the back. He had hazel eyes and wore glasses. His personality was multifaceted. To his friends, he was fiercely loyal, brave, and deeply charismatic. He was willing to break major rules and undertake advanced magic to help Remus Lupin with his lycanthropy. As an adult, he was a courageous fighter against Voldemort and a loving husband and father. However, during his school years, he was also undeniably arrogant, a show-off, and often cruel, particularly in his relentless bullying of Severus Snape. This flawed aspect of his character is a source of great internal conflict for Harry when he witnesses “Snape's Worst Memory” in the Pensieve.