Periodically a reader of fan fiction will come across the idea that Harry has been bespelled in some way that affects his appearance.1 Most typically, once the magic, whatever its form, has been removed, Harry is said to look “more feminine,” although occasionally a slightly more realistic author will instead simply say “more like his mother.” I get that many readers react very strongly to, and against, the way we see James and Sirius behaving as bullies in the Snape’s Worst Memory and some of the other flash-back scenes. The choice that Mrs. Rowling made to demonise James as part of her redemption of Snape is one of the things that I most dislike about a series that I otherwise like, (and obviously enjoy nit-picking). I would that she had chosen a different direction for James’ character. That does not, however, excuse making a mockery of genetics.
There are several things wrong with the premise these authors are working from.
- Children do sometimes look remarkably like one parent. I have seen pictures where, without the context to know what year it the picture is from, context in the form of other people in the picture, the clothing, or the situation, you cannot tell if it is me or my dad in the picture. I know that others have remarked on that resemblance as well. I have seen the same phenomena between other close relatives a few times. It is not incredibly common, but it does happen.
- While children are frequently in some way a mix of traits from both parents, that does not mean that the (depending on the year the story takes place in) 11 to 15 year old boy should (if not for magic) appear “more feminine.” Boys appear … boyish even if they have their mother’s hair colour, inherited from her some facial structure (perhaps a pointy chin, a prominent nose, or the shape of the eyes among other possible examples), or her height (or lack there of). Girls appear girlish even if they inherit from their father some physical traits. This gender difference would be accentuated as the boy, or girl, enters their teens with the physical changes that happen during those years. The denial of this is way too mixed up with the modern gender delusions to be acceptable.
- Even if Harry should show a more mixed genetic heritage than he canonically does, he would not have “black hair with red tips” That is a product of hair dye, not of natural hair colouring. I have heard of people having natural “highlights” in their hair. That is not at all the same. That happens when the hair itself grows inconsistently coloured on the person’s head, that is one in every so many strands is ‘highlighted’ a different colour. I am unsure why it is so much less common to read of a Harry with highlights than “red tips.”
That being said, I will admit that the books are more than a bit absurd themselves. They emphasise over and over again that Harry “has Lily’s eyes” and yet he inherited is father’s near-sightedness. This is … illogical. Sure, near-sightedness is often hereditary, but then he would have his father’s eyes (at least in shape, colour clearly has no impact on focal distance). Two wrongs (or more) wrongs do not make a right.
Works including, but not limited to,
- Labgasod. Three Hours. Published: 2023-10-23. Completed: 2023-10-25.
- Labgasod. Padfoot Saves the Day. Published: 2024-03-25 Completed: 2024-05-16.