Harry Dresden , whose full name is Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden , [1] is a male human wizard with a talent for thaumaturgy , [14] evocation [15] , alchemy , [16] and necromancy , [17] working as a private investigator out of Chicago. He's the titular and viewpoint character of The Dresden Files series. As of Cold Days , he is 37 years old.
His mother died in childbirth, so Malcolm took care of him while traveling across the country trying to make a career as a stage magician. When Dresden was six, his father died of a brain aneurysm. Dresden, orphaned, became a ward of the state. He first manifested his powers at age ten, during a running long jump at school Olympics in the spring. Desperate to win, he magically pushed himself about ten feet farther than he would have jumped on his own.
Though he landed badly and sprained his wrist, he won a blue ribbon that he keeps to this day. At thirteen, Dresden was given his first shielding lesson by DuMorne, who used baseballs as projectiles.
When Dresden was sixteen, DuMorne tried to enthrall both him and his girlfriend, fellow adoptee Elaine Mallory , succeeding with Elaine, but not with Dresden.
Dresden made a bargain with the Leanansidhe in which he received power enough to defeat Justin DuMorne, a debt he would owe his godmother for years to come. Dresden faced DuMorne in a duel to the death and won. He stole Bob, the air spirit of knowledge, and left, thinking Elaine died in the fire. Dresden was then found by the White Council to his surprise - as far as he knew, there were no other wizards besides himself, DuMorne, and Elaine and was put on trial for breaking the First Law of Magic.
