Harry Potter's scars

Harry Potter has obtained a number of scars over his lifetime, as well as a few injuries that may have resulted in scarring. The one he is most well known for, and the first he received, is on his forehead and is shaped like a lightning bolt; it is the result of a Killing Curse striking him when he was an infant and played a role in his conflict with, and eventual defeat of, Lord Voldemort.



A scar on Harry Potter's forehead in the shape of a lightning bolt is the result of failed murder attempt by Lord Voldemort on October 31, 1981, when he struck 15-month-old Harry with the Killing Curse. Harry is the only person to survive the curse because his mother's loving sacrifice protected him. Unbeknownst to Voldemort, the incident also inadvertantly made Harry into a Horcrux, as a piece of the Dark Lord's soul embedded itself in Harry.

Harry Potter Scar

Lightning has rarely been this hot. Potter-heads are buzzing over the new trailer for this fall's film version of ''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.'' One reason: In the clip, Harry's signature lightning-bolt scar has been relocated. Instead of falling between Harry's eyes, as on the book covers, it's taken a right turn and landed above actor Daniel Radcliffe's eye. Hollywood black magic? No, a directive from Potter creator J.K. Rowling, who never pinpoints the scar's exact location in her writing. According to a Warner Bros. source, Rowling discussed the facial blemish at length with director Chris Columbus, requesting that it be ''razor sharp, just off center.'' As for the books, illustrator Mary GrandPré says its placement was left up to her: ''I guess everybody has their own interpretation.''