======The Bible======
=====Object Information=====
  * **Type:** [[Muggle]] Religious Text, [[Book]]
  * **Owners:** Known to be possessed by certain wizarding families, including the [[Dumbledore Family|Dumbledores]] and the [[Potter Family|Potters]], likely as family heirlooms.
=====Description and Appearance=====
The physical appearance of the [[Bible]] is not described in detail in the novels. As a [[Muggle]] religious text, it is presumed to be a standard printed version of the book. Its significance in the wizarding world is not in its physical form but in the passages quoted from it.
=====Magical Properties and Usage=====
The [[Bible]] is a purely [[Muggle]] text and possesses no inherent magical properties. Its usage within the wizarding world, as observed in the story, is for providing thematic and meaningful epitaphs for gravestones, reflecting the personal beliefs and values of certain wizarding families. It serves a cultural and spiritual purpose rather than a magical one.
=====History=====
The [[Bible]]'s presence in the wizarding world indicates that despite the general separation of magical and [[Muggle]] societies, some wizards and witches retained or were influenced by Christian traditions. This is particularly evident in the historic village of [[Godric's Hollow]], where both the [[Dumbledore Family|Dumbledore]] and [[Potter Family|Potter]] families chose biblical inscriptions for the tombstones of their loved ones. This suggests that for these families, the book was a source of comfort and wisdom, used to commemorate the dead and articulate profound beliefs about life, love, and [[death]].
=====Role in the Story=====
The [[Bible]] plays a significant, though indirect, role in //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows//, primarily through two key inscriptions found by [[Harry Potter]] and [[Hermione Granger]] in the [[Godric's Hollow]] graveyard.
  * **Dumbledore Family Gravestone:** The tombstone of [[Kendra Dumbledore]] and [[Ariana Dumbledore]] bears the epitaph: **"Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."** [[Hermione Granger]] immediately identifies this as a quote from the [[Bible]] (Matthew 6:21). This inscription provides [[Harry]] with a crucial insight into [[Albus Dumbledore]]'s character, alluding to his youthful, ambitious search for the [[Deathly Hallows]] (his "treasure") and the tragic family history that ultimately reshaped his understanding of what was truly valuable.
  * **Potter Family Gravestone:** The gravestone of [[James Potter|James]] and [[Lily Potter]] is inscribed with: **"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."** This quote, which [[Hermione]] later confirms is also from the [[Bible]] (1 Corinthians 15:26), is central to the series' overarching theme of accepting mortality. It stands in stark contrast to [[Lord Voldemort]]'s obsession with achieving immortality at any cost. The phrase encapsulates the profound understanding that true mastery of [[death]] is not about evading it, but about facing it without fear, a lesson [[Harry Potter]] must ultimately learn to defeat [[Voldemort]]. It also serves as a thematic counterpoint to the [[Deathly Hallows]]' motto, "The Tale of the Three Brothers."
These biblical quotes guide [[Harry]]'s understanding of [[Dumbledore]]'s past and the complex philosophy surrounding [[death]] and the [[Deathly Hallows]], pushing him toward his final destiny.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * J.K. Rowling has stated that she is a person of faith and that the biblical quotes were deliberately chosen as they are "the key" to the themes of the entire series. She explained that she saved these explicit religious references for the final book because she felt that revealing them earlier might have made the story's ultimate direction too obvious. (J.K. Rowling interview, 2007)
  * The inclusion of these quotes suggests that the wizarding world is not entirely secular and that some characters, even those deeply immersed in [[magic]], adhere to or are influenced by [[Muggle]] religions.