How to Create Your Own Harry Potter Character
J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" books are a literary phenomenon, with millions of loyal fans worldwide. She developed an incredibly rich universe for Harry and his friends to occupy---one of the reasons the books were so successful---and creative fans may wish to create a character of their own within that world. You can then tell your own stories around your character---exploring the Potterverse beyond Rowling's writings---or just enjoy a little personal addition to its confines.
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Instructions
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Read up on the Harry Potter universe, starting with the seven core books and branching out into auxiliary texts like "The Harry Potter Schoolbooks." Fan sites such as www.the-leaky-cauldron.org are invaluable sources of information, too. Instead of focusing on the plot, examine the details of the world itself, and what kind of character interests you.
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Decide what type of person or creature your character should be. The default character in the Potterverse is a witch or wizard, but many other types exist. You may want to create a Muggle---a non-magical person, unaware of the wizarding world until happenstance reveals it to him. You could also create a centaur---wise astronomers in the forest around Hogwarts---or a pesky house elf working for a wizard family as a servant. You may even want to create a scary monster such as a Dementor. The selection will determine what kind of role he plays in the Potterverse and the sorts of experiences he might have.
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Determine where in the Potterverse your character lives and works. For most people, that means being a student or a teacher at Hogwarts---the magical school where Harry and his friends learn their craft. But your character might live and work elsewhere---in the Auror's Office hunting down Death Eaters, for example, or in Gringotts bank handling goblin gold. Someone interested in the dark side of the world could create a character dwelling in Azkaban, either as a prisoner or some kind of administrator.
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Write a background for your new character: her past, her upbringing, her skills and abilities, and her personality. It provides the character with a sense of weight and depth. Make sure you include things particular to the Potterverse; for example, if your character goes to Hogwarts, determine what house she's in and which professors are her favorites.
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Draw a picture of your character if you're so inclined. It helps cement his image in your head. If you don't have a talent for drawing, use other methods for determining his looks: such as deciding which actor should play him in a movie version of his adventures.
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Tips & Warnings
You may want to think about placing your character earlier or later in the Potterverse timeline than the period covered by Rowling's books. Harry and his friends are really the star of the show at this point, but if your character came along at another time---say, during the original rise of Lord Voldemort---then she can be the hero of the story without being stuck in Harry's shadow.
When telling stories with your character, make sure they don't contradict established Potter canon. For instance, your character shouldn't kill Draco Malfoy before he gets to Hogwarts, or prevent Sirius Black from escaping Azkaban.
