The Astrology of Harry Potter

[danniperson]

 Harry Potter is….a main character.

Wait wait, that’s not a sign. Let’s see:

Harry Potter is….a Leo. 

Wait wait, I already made that joke in my Snape post. 

Oh eff it, check out Astrology Introduction and keep reading, please.

We know Harry was born 31 July 1980. Birth time: unknown. Birth place: Godric’s Hollow (probably.) And, I’m not going to lie, I didn’t even make a reasonable guess on the ascendant myself. There’s an article on Astrodeinst called “Harry Potter – a Hero’s Journey” that uses rectification to provide a birth time that I just stole. I do like the idea of Harry with Scorpio Rising. They gave a hypothetical time of 15:25, and we wind up with this beautiful chart:

Don’t worry if the chart (and my ramblings) don’t make much sense just yet. Hopefully we’ll fix that. 

So Harry, our Leo of a main character. Sun is our core, our vitality, and Leo is the King. Stripped of all else, Harry is a shining star. Passionate, creative, energetic, courageous. Consumed by his own importance, in some ways. Emboldened by it at times, and hindered by it others. He’s The Boy Who Lived. Can anyone blame him? 

His sun is also in the Ninth House: realm of philosophy, morality, spirituality, law, and higher learning. Generally associated with long distance travel. Think of this: how do we know things? By exploring and interacting with the world. Learn by doing. Learn from others. 

The Ninth House, to me, says adventure and wisdom. Isn’t that the perfect fit for any Main Character? 

At his core (Sun), Harry is king (Leo), and his kingdom is: Justice (9th house.)

 

For all of the fiery passion of the Sun, for all that it motivates him, there is more to our Harry than that. The energy most present in his chart is actually water. Emotional, intuitive water. 

The moon, center of our subconscious, in Pisces. Mercury, our means of sharing and receiving information, in Cancer. And the mask we wear, how others perceive us, our gut reactions: ascendant in Scorpio. 

Emotional, is water. Mysterious is another word associated with water. To be emotional, to feel so deeply, makes one vulnerable. And what do we do when we’re vulnerable? You either hide it, or armor it, or both. Swallow it down, bottle it up. Poison water trapped in glass and left to fester. 

Intensity is another word associated with water; and obsessiveness. Water signs are the deep feelers. They care a lot; at times, they care too much. 

Harry has plenty of reason to be all of these things. Pushed by his life circumstances, right over the edge and into the deep end. He can’t let it go. It matters too much. Sating his curiosity, saving the day, it hardly matters. All are worthy causes in his mind. So he throws more of himself into the noble quest of seeking truth and justice. 

No one else gets Harry, not really. How much he feels. What all he’s gone through. Or even the destiny looming overhead. 

 

But it isn’t all beauty and grace offered by water. 

Take a look at his moon, there in the Fourth house. The house of home and family. History and roots. It’s where you come from. Harry knows so little of it, but it plays such a vital role in his life. Lily’s sacrifice. James’ Cloak. The connection to the Peverelles. The horror scene of Godric’s Hollow. Grandparents dead on both sides.

And what is he left with? Privet Drive and the Dursleys. Not home, not really. A roof over his head. Food in his belly, if he’s lucky. The craving of the heart for love and family and home is never quenched, not while there. He learns more while at Hogwarts. Scraps of information of where he came from. Who his parents were. 

He is the spitting image of James. He has Lily’s eyes. His Patronus is Prongs. A photo album from Hagrid. Memories of Lily. 

Hogwarts is home for a while. It tells us many things, that. How desperately he craved a home, when he never had a real one. And how much joy and peace he felt there, in spite of the chaos and danger around. Better than what he had, surely. So, too, do I think the wilderness of Hogwarts appeals to the curiosities of water, and the adventuresome spirit of fire. 

Besides, Harry found true family while at Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione. Ginny, Neville, and Luna. With him to the bitter end. A grandfatherly figure in Dumbledore. An uncle figure in Hagrid. People he can rely on. People who teach him, and guide him…however pure their intentions were, or weren’t. 

Harry doesn’t know what a stable, functional family looks like. He doesn’t know how he should be treated by others. He doesn’t know life that isn’t being used and abused in one form or another. 

That’s home. That’s family. 

No wonder his head is such a tangled mess. No wonder he can’t unwind the knot in his chest, in his gut. 

 

Then there’s air: Venus in Gemini and Mars in Libra. Air signs are more social in nature. More outwardly focused and seeking connection. 

Gemini Venus is playful flirtation and endless curiosity. Gemini likes variety. Gemini needs to connect on an intellectual and social level. He likes witty banter. He needs to be intrigued. Harry enjoys new places, new people, new experiences. And when it comes to relationships, he needs to be mentally stimulated. 

Challenged, even, if you note that Venus is in the 8th house. Death, sexuality, secrets, taboo, crisis, change, growth. That’s an intense place to be. There is a yearning for passion and devotion here. A partner to see him through all of life’s seasons. A partner who can stand at his side, whatever life throws at them. A teammate for all of life’s adventures. 

(And if you know me, you know what direction his Venus is pointing me in, but that’s a discussion for another day.)

Harry’s Mars I find to be especially fascinating. Mars is detriment in Libra. Libra is soft and passive; an energy ill-made for the planet of aggression and sex. His center of action would struggle were it not for one very important factor: the Libran ideals of fairness and justice. 

His Mars is also in the 11th House: the House of Friendship. The house of organizations, the collective, ideals, and goals. This speaks to a drive to accomplish, an ability to work with others, and, more importantly, the skill to lead. In times of peace, this would be a charming placement; an easy-going, sociable nature that might draw others in. In times of war, Harry takes the lead himself, driven by the need to make the world right. Selfless, in some ways; self-righteous in others. 

Another interesting note: Mars squaring Mercury. Think of it as those planets are squaring up to each other: the two planets have a challenging relationship. In expressing himself, Harry can be reactive, defensive, impulsive. Tactless, and temperamental. Do and speak first, think later. His brain is in hyperdrive which might be fine in life or death situations, when you do or die. When not on the battlefield, however…well…“There’s no need to call me sir, Professor.” 

 

Imagine who Harry might be without Voldemort, if James and Lily lived, with a happy family and no war. Spoiled, perhaps, but also generous. Secure and self-assured. Playful, charming, sociable. All of his passion could be balanced in a variety of areas. He’d be involved in extra-curriculars: Quidditch, perhaps other sports and activities. He’d be a bit bored and aimless without a cause. More likely to find trouble, perhaps, but less likely for it to be dangerous. He might rub people the wrong way: a bit too thoughtless, a bit too privileged, a bit too hot-headed. No harm meant, and willing to make amends and to learn.

As an aside, Jupiter and Saturn are in the earth sign Virgo. Fortune and discipline powered by practicality and perfectionism. It speaks to an ability to buckle down and get to work, when needed. They are places where he is more grounded. More importantly, this makes his chart fairly balanced among the elements. 

In better circumstances, he might be well-adjusted. A healthy, balanced nature with a variety of interests and skillsets. 

If only fate had been kinder to dear Harry.

 

Our Harry was born for greatness.

Scorpio on the ascendant makes his chart ruled by Pluto: death, and transformation. 

His life was touched by Death from the start. His parents slain on Halloween, of all days. He was meant to die himself; he was literally touched by Death. Hit by the Killing Curse. Death Marked him (the scar.) Death saved him (Lily’s protection; the Blood Wards.) 

His world was rocked by death time and again. 

Hagrid coming to tell him he was a wizard marked the end of his days as a Muggle. He journeyed into a new world, and found himself a new person: not the scrawny target of Dudley’s torments, but the famous Boy Who Lived. There was the death of Quirrell his first year, and the sign of Voldemort’s survival. Killing the basilisk his second year. His fourth year brought the Death Eaters, Cedric’s demise, and Voldemort’s resurrection. Thestrals in fifth year. Sirius’ death. Dumbledore’s the following year. And even more death and destruction to follow.

Finding the Deathly Hallows. Becoming Master of Death. Dying, and returning once more to finish the war. One, final death. The death of Voldemort; the death of the war. 

A life touched by loss. He was changed, time and again. Thrust into the fire to emerge stronger than before. His potential shaped by each blow until he was, at last, the hero he needed to be.