Sponsored by
Being called Harry Potter can be a bit tricky
LIFE can be wizard when you're called Harry Potter. Not the famous JK Rowling hero, mind - Sheffield's very own real life teenager.
"It does have its good side, having such a famous name," says the 16-year-old from Thornsett Road, Nether Edge.
"People always remember you, and it's the perfect conversation starter when you meet someone for the first time."
There's another advantage too, very important for any lad who may be looking out for new friends.
"Yes, it is a plus when you meet a girl," Harry admits. "Usually they don't believe you - they ask you to prove it so I have to show them my bank card or something like that."
Harry is more or less the same age as his fictional counterpart - who, records show, has actually just turned 17.
He first became aware of the other Harry Potter when he was eight, not long after the first instalment of the saga, Philosopher's Stone, was published in 1997.
"At first I felt quite flattered. For my birthday that year I was bought about 13 copies of the book - it seemed every member of my family, and my friends too, thought it would make the perfect present!" he said.
"I've read the first few in the series and I've seen most of the films, but I can't say I'm a huge fan. They have their good parts but Harry is always stuck at school."
The trainee wizard is, of course, a pupil at the elite academy Hogwarts, a boarding school housed in a rather impressive castle.
The Sheffield Harry can't quite match that - but he is a student at the pretty posh Birkdale School, where he is due to start sixth form studies next month.
"It's a good school but, yes, the teachers can't resist making comments about me from time to time," Harry admitted.
"Still, I am proud of my name and I wouldn't change it."
Sheffield Harry is currently making a bit of a name for himself in quite a different field to one of myths and magic.
He's one of the city's first patient governors at Sheffield Children's Hospital, on a body giving advice to managers on how services to poorly youngsters can be improved.
It isn't long of course before the fictional Harry Potter saga will come to a conclusion - the next blockbuster, the seventh in the series, will be the last and is due out next summer.
There are even rumours that Harry will meet a sticky end and be killed off in an heroic blaze of glory.
But that won't bother our Harry.
"In some ways I'll be glad to see the back of him really," he admits. "Though he's hardly likely to fade away, is he?"
Harry Potter - schoolboy
Age: 16
Address: Thornsett Road, Nether Edge, Sheffield
School: Birkdale School, Broomhill
Closest friends: Tim Murphy and Matt Gaines
Favourite sport: Rugby union
Mother and father: Su and Phil
Personal characteristics: Scar on hand, caused by a fall
Harry Potter - trainee wizard
Age 17:
Address: 4, Privet Drive, Sussex
School: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Closest friends: Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley
Favourite sport: Quidditch
Mum and dad: James and Lily
Personal characteristics: Scar on forehead
Email to a friend
Print this page- SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: ‘Anything possible’ for promoted Wednesday
- Queues overnight for Sheffield United Wembley tickets
- SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Owls withdraw interest in Joel Ward
- Breaking: Son accused of killing his mum in Sheffield appears at court
- SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Dave Jones already has a touch of attacking Klas
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sheffield
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
