Beautiful Words

Hamartia

Noun- a flaw that causes the downfall of a hero.

Everyone, in some way, shape, or form, has a weak spot. For some people, it is their family, the thought of losing their entire family enough to get them to back down. For others, it was losing their identity, to not know who they really are. Some individuals' weak spots are having a powerful, dark secret revealed, which could cause their world to spiral downwards. Of course, those are just a couple of the more generic, basic weak spots. But no matter how hard you try, you'll always have an Achilles's heel.

In a similar sense, everyone is flawed. People just seem to be unable to help it, unable to find a way to not be flawed. There are liars, of course, that look you in the eyes and say, without wavering, that they are flawless. This is untrue, of course. Some flaws are more drastic than others, but that doesn't necessarily make a person evil or unworthy of gentle, soft hugs filled with love. No persons' flaws are exactly the same- they can be very similar, but not exactly the same. And people usually have multiple flaws, flaws that they don't even realize that they have.

Some people consider skin blemishes a flaw, although it's more a physical flaw than one that leaves a mark upon the soul. Scarring, some people say, is another physical flaw- that doesn't make you good or bad, the scarring is just there, reminding you that you're not perfect. All the little imperfections that litters one's skin could be considered a flaw, but that doesn't hinder one's beauty, nor their ability to love another.

Harry James Potter wasn't an exception to those rules, despite the fact that he was able to defy so many other rules. He had emotions and loved others, which is exactly where his flaw was born.

As a child, he hadn't really experienced any form of love, not even an ounce of it. To the Dursleys, he was like flea, a parasite that would be better off dead. The detached way they spoke to him said enough, much less the way they could hit him without guilt. No demon needed to tempt them into mistreating Harry, for they thought up the idea of ruining the boy's life back when he arrived on the doorstep- or maybe the morning when Vernon went to get the milk and discovered the boy swaddled in blankets, but that's not what's important.

But as a preteen, he met a friend who loved him deeply. He'd introduced himself Ronald Weasley, a poor redhead with too many siblings to count. Ron changed the way Harry's heart work, imprinting himself upon Harry's heart permanently. It was truly overwhelming for Harry at first, all of the sweet gestures that Ron did to show Harry how much he loved him. It was almost like their souls had been designed for each other, to become each other's best friends. It was a permanent friendship, one that would run deeper than anyone thought it would.

The feelings was so powerful that it swept Harry off his feet. It caused the Savior of the Wizarding World to question what he thought was love, to question the treatment of the muggles that raised him. The feeling was so powerful, so deeply amazing that it seemed to rewrite his soul.

And Lord Voldemort knew it, if only because Lucius Malfoy constantly ran his mouth about how unnaturally close Harry and Ron were. The man didn't know what love felt like, nor did he want to, but he did understand the theory of love. He understood the basics of loving another person- the willingness to die for love, the unwavering loyalty, the passionate kisses shared in the rain, and the constant confessions of love.

But Voldemort knew Harry didn't love Ron Weasley in a romantic way. That would not stop Harry from sacrificing himself for the said redhead, but Lord Voldemort decided early on that it would be much easier to get Harry to sacrifice himself for his romantic partner. There was always a chance that Ron could get a romantic partner that was willing to sacrifice themselves for him.

It was then that Voldemort realized that he should look through the Death Eater's children. After all, many of them had children or grandchildren that could be a compatible love interest for Harry. And if those children knew what was good for them, they'd play along in loving Harry- even if they detested him greatly. Voldemort made a list and checked off reasons they weren't compatible or why they were.