Protection targets are... weird.

[shroudb]

So, if you heighten the Protection spell:

You can target any willing creature, including youself, to get the bonus, and the bonus extends to all OF YOUR* allies 10ft from the aura.

so, if you target yourself, everyone gets the buff, if you target the fighter next to you, you won't get the buff, since you are neither the target, nor do you consider youself an "ally".

Wonder if that's intended or oversight of the fact that you are not your own ally when they wrote the heighten effect...

*I feel like it should have said to all of the target's allies instead of all of your allies to function properly.

[Gisher]

I haven't checked the new rules on this, but I think I recall that (at least in PF1) you did count as your own ally.

Edit: I checked the new rules.

PC1, pg. 452 wrote:

ally An ally is someone on your side. You are not counted as your own ally. 426

So you're correct that Protection can lead to that odd case.

[SuperBidi]

I also think it's a typo.