What sets Harry apart from the rest of the wizarding world is his selfless nature. He is willing to carry the torch and go on. He continues to fight a battle when all seems lost and finds hope when there doesn’t seem to be any. Harry Potter was “chosen” by Lord Voldemort, but despite the life he was born into, he made the active choice to take up the title of “The Chosen One” and live with the responsibility that came along with it.
In the Half-Blood Prince, after the death of Albus Dumbledore, the entire wizarding world who once sought protection from him turns toward Harry to be their new protector. Harry has been through hell and back – he has lost more than a young boy should have ever lost and yet it is this loss that gives him a cause worth fighting for – be it the love for everyone he has lost, or a burning rage against the cause of pain (Voldemort), his loss is essential to help him overcome his fears. And in overcoming his fear and accepting that he has to battle Voldemort for the sake of not only himself but the entire wizarding world, he graciously steps into the role of “the Chosen One.”
Harry displays true courage when he decides to fight the losing battle against Lord Voldemort. He assumes responsibility to find and destroy all of Voldemort’s Horcruxes and in the end, Voldemort himself. Even before the final battle, Harry continues to show that he truly is “The Chosen One.” In several instances, he risks his own life to save someone else. His selfless, brave nature causes him to lose a lot in the short run but works in his favor in the long run. What Voldemort calls “Harry’s love to play hero” is his love and feeling of responsibility that overpowers his fear and causes him to take action against evil.
We also see the difference in the reaction to the fears of Harry and Voldemort. Both are wizards who could be considered extraordinary and they both take up their respective roles. But Harry’s role is fulfilled in a way Voldemort’s could never be, all because Harry decided to let love guide him instead of fear – again we see how our choices help us control our fates. Voldemort’s fear of Dumbledore makes him send Draco to kill Dumbledore rather than do it himself. Harry on the other hand knows that it is only him who will have to stand up to Voldemort and unlike Voldemort, he is no coward and is willing to fight his battles – battles that may seem to be rigged against him, but he fights them anyway. We also see the stark difference between Harry and Voldemort when it comes to their use of fear – while Voldemort uses fear as a weapon to get support and gather a following, Harry uses love to go up against Voldemort and garner his own team.
Harry could have easily shrugged off his responsibility as the Chosen One and found someone else to shoulder it for him, but Harry knew the difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high. His courage and commitment to a worthy purpose are what drives him and in doing so he protects the wizarding world from the Dark Lord.