Breaking Point

Can you try to extrapolate on what scars Harry would have, please? Or what he'd look like if they're healed or in the process of healing.

He gets injured many times, so it's hard to believe we won't see any marks/proof of those on his skin.

Ohh, this is fun. Okay, so we have the canon scars we know of, and then there are injuries I think are likely to have scared, but not outright stated in the text to have done so. But this is actually a great catalog for writing purposes.

So this list is injuries we see in the books that we are explicitly told left a scar or I think are likely to leave a scar (both due to the injury itself and magic being involved):

First thing first, we got his infamous lightning scar that remained from the killing curse, forehead - Oct 1981

The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightning.

(PS)

2. A puncture wound from the basilisk fang located on his right arm, above his elbow - June 1993

But as warm blood drenched Harry’s arms, he felt a searing pain just above his elbow. One long, poisonous fang was sinking deeper and deeper into his arm and it splintered as the basilisk keeled over sideways and fell, twitching, to the floor.

(CoS)

3. Cut from Hungarian Horntail, arm - Nov 1994

Harry plummeted just as the Horntail opened its mouth, but this time he was less lucky — he missed the flames, but the tail came whipping up to meet him instead, and as he swerved to the left, one of the long spikes grazed his shoulder, ripping his robes [...] And with a huge spurt of speed, he was off, he was soaring out over the stands, the heavy egg safely under his uninjured arm

(GoF)

*Charlie is mentioned to have a burn scar from a dragon so it's unknown how well magic could heal a dragon-made cut. It's possible the above would not leave a scar.

4. A small cut in the crook of his right elbow - June 1995

He felt its point penetrate the crook of his right arm and blood seeping down the sleeve of his torn robes.

(GoF)

5. "I must not tell lies" scar on the back of his right hand - Sep 1995

At the same time, the words had appeared on the back of Harry’s right hand, cut into his skin as though traced there by a scalpel 

(OotP)

6. Nagini's bite, forearm - Dec 1997

7. Burn mark over his heart from the locket Horcrux - Dec 1997

“I couldn’t get the Horcrux off you,” Hermione said, and he knew she wanted to change the subject. “It was stuck, stuck to your chest. You’ve got a mark; I’m sorry, I had to use a Severing Charm to get it away. The snake bit you too, but I’ve cleaned the wound and put some dittany on it. ...” He pulled the sweaty T-shirt he was wearing away from himself and looked down. There was a scarlet oval over his heart where the locket had burned him. He could also see the half-healed puncture marks to his forearm.

(DH)

Now we have Harry's abuse at the Dursleys, which might've left scars:

Harry mentions having to duck out of Vernon's way:

“You don’t seem to need many qualifications to liaise with Muggles. . . . All they want is an O.W.L. in Muggle Studies. . . . ‘Much more important is your enthusiasm, patience, and a good sense of fun!’ ” “You’d need more than a good sense of fun to liaise with my uncle,” said Harry darkly. “Good sense of when to duck, more like . . .”

(OotP)

Vernon also manhandles Harry roughly (i.e. drags him away, pushes him aside, outright strangles him, etc.) throughout the books a lot. And Petunia tries to hit him with a frying pan:

but he still had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at his head with the soapy frying pan.

(CoS)

So it's clear Harry was beaten but he doesn't really mention how bad, how often, or even how he was beaten so it's hard to tell what kind of scars (if any) it would result in. Vernon doesn't seem to use weapons and only ever uses his hands to harm Harry, Petunia might've bashed him on the head with various household items, but we don't really know if any of it left scars. So, there is a place for headcanon here.

I think it's safe to assume some marks remained, but nothing too glaringly noticeable or out of the ordinary as other characters don't comment on it. Similarly, his face only has the one lightning scar so all other scars would be elsewhere on his body or hidden by his hair (if he was hit on top of his head and it scared, his hair would hide the scar).

2. His nose broke at least once but probably more than once:

He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose.

(PS)

From the above, I take it Harry's nose probably broke but no one really noticed. So, his nose might be slightly crooked depending on how it healed. It's not exactly a scar, but still, something to note if you want to add it to how you headcanon Harry's appearance.

It's likely that Harry broke other bones in his years with the Dursleys, especially fingers which can be broken pretty easily (I broke mine like 3 times as a child). So, it's possible his pinkies (for example) don't match each other because one broke and healed in a different shape than before.

3. Welts from Marge's walking stick:

Aunt Marge had whacked Harry around the shins with her walking stick to stop him from beating Dudley at musical statues

(PoA)

It's possible this happened more than this one time and we don't know how bad it was. So, he might have welts on his shins and potentially other places depending on how bad/often you think Marge beat him during her various visits.

4. Now, I assume Harry suffered many scraps, bruises, and scratches throughout the years. Especially since he ran away from Dudley and his gang and climbed trees to get away from Aunt Marg's dog:

He was nine, and Ripper the bulldog was chasing him up a tree and the Dursleys were laughing below on the lawn. . . 

(OotP)

But I think it's unlikely they left scars. Sometimes they do if you scratch the scab, for example. But as wizards tend to heal faster and better than muggles, I think small scraps like these are less likely to leave scars on wizards or witches in general, but it's possible they did.

5. Potentially other scraps and cuts that scared throughout the books themselves. Such as from Quidditch injuries, Crashing with the Ford Anglia, Blast-Ended Skrewts, running through forests, etc. But as I said above, less likely to leave scars on wizards, probably.

I might've missed something, but I tired to include all the ones I think are likely to have left some kind of mark.

*I'm aware Draco broke Harry's nose in HBP, unmentioned since Tonks magically healed it so I doubt it left a mark. Similarly, losing all the bones in his arm wouldn't leave a mark. Other non-magical injuries (like a Bludger to the head or falling off his broom or the ankle he sprained in GoF) that were treated by Pomphery are similarly unlikely to scar.

She gave the unmistakable impression of girlish innocence unconscious of its own beauty. Her hair was tied with a white ribbon and she wore a pearl necklace, and her lips slightly parted like the petals of an exotic flower before the rains come.

Yukio Mishima, Spring Snow (1969)

#Happy Labor Day to Shrek I guess

couple goals

Hermione was wrapped in a borrowed dressing gown, pale and unsteady on her feet; Ron put an arm around her when she reached him.

Deathly Hallows

10 Flaws to Give Your Perfect Characters to Make Them Human

If you're tired of the usual vices like arrogance or impatience, here are some unique (or at least less basic) character flaws to give your perfect characters: 

Pathological Altruism

A character so obsessed with helping others that they end up doing more harm than good. Their inability to let others grow or face consequences creates tension.

2. Moral Narcissism

A character who sees themselves as morally superior to others, constantly justifying selfish or harmful actions because they believe they have the moral high ground.

3. Chronic Self-Sabotage

A character who intentionally undermines their own success, perhaps due to deep-seated feelings of unworthiness, pushing them into frustrating, cyclical failures.

4. Emotional Numbness

Rather than feeling too much, this character feels too little. Their lack of emotional response to critical moments creates isolation and makes it difficult for them to connect with others.

5. Fixation on Legacy

This character is obsessed with how they’ll be remembered after death, often sacrificing present relationships and happiness for a future that’s uncertain.

6. Fear of Irrelevance

A character-driven by the fear that they no longer matter, constantly seeking validation or pursuing extreme measures to stay important in their social or professional circles.

7. Addiction to Novelty

Someone who needs constant newness in their life, whether it’s experiences, relationships, or goals. They may abandon projects, people, or causes once the excitement fades, leaving destruction in their wake.

8. Compulsive Truth-Telling

A character who refuses to lie, even in situations where a lie or omission would be the kinder or more pragmatic choice. This flaw causes unnecessary conflict and social alienation.

9. Over-Identification with Others' Pain

Instead of empathy, this character feels others' pain too intensely, to the point that they can’t function properly in their own life. They’re paralyzed by the suffering of others and fail to act effectively.

10. Reluctant Power

A character who fears their own strength, talent, or influence and is constantly trying to shrink themselves to avoid the responsibility or consequences of wielding it.

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COBRA KAI YOUNG MAIN 6 + POWER RANGERS IN HONOR OF COBRA KAI ENDING SOON.

4 months left of 2024 moodboard

I think Peter Pan (2003) did the best version of George Darling, especially with regards to the dual-casting tradition.

Not only did it let Jason show off his acting range but the explorations of masculinity were really fascinating to watch. George Darling is a nervous wreck who is constantly trying to prove himself as a 'proper' gentleman. "I must become a man that children fear and adults respect!" While he certainly scared the hell out of Wendy then, she still responded "Father? Brave?" to her mother's claims.

So, when Wendy goes to Neverland, she meets a man who is, as Jason Isaacs said, "strangely alluring yet repulsive at the same time, and looks like her dad". Captain Hook is the nightmare version of Wendy father. He's confident, he's aggressive, and he is a cruel, selfish asshole. But the sad thing is, he'd probably be more respected in Edwardian society than George.

Going back to George, when he finds out his kids are missing he literally sprints home out of pure fear and desperation to bring them back. He ran! That is a HUGE 'proper gentleman' no-no! Then when the kids do come home, he practically knocks himself out sprinting into the nursery and smashing his body against the door frame! He tries to put on the gentlemanly persona. Stiff upper lip, manly-man handshake, keep your emotions buried deep inside... but he can't do that. But that's a good thing! He breaks down, embraces his children, and their family is whole again. Rejecting Edwardian social norms was the right thing to do.

So, what I love about this version of George Darling and Captain Hook is how effectively they portray the best and worst forms of masculinity.