Considering the extraordinary things that happen to Harry during his eleventh year of life, the actual changes to his character are pretty ordinary. At the beginning of the novel, right up until his eleventh birthday, Harry is the hated cousin and nephew of a thoroughly unpleasant family, with no friends, no love, and no hope for the future. He also, obviously, has no magic.
When his circumstances change and he discovers that he is a wizard and will be boarding at a school where everyone knows his name and he'll be learning magic, he is daunted but thrilled to be embarking on his new life. Over the course of the school year, Harry changes from a lonely boy without a single friend or even a place he could accurately call "home" to a boy with a strong circle of loyal friends and friendly acquaintances and a school/home that he cannot wait to return to. Harry overcomes the loneliness and friendlessness that has plagued him his entire life in just a few months away from the Dursleys and these friendships strengthen throughout the book, even throughout the series. The climax of the book, when he, Ron, and Hermione work together to rescue the sorcerer's stone and protect the world of magic demonstrates both the strength of Harry's new friendships and his commitment to protecting his new, magical home.
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