The Battle of the Seven Potters, also known as the Flight from Privet Drive, was an aerial battle that took place on the evening of 27 July, 1997. It was a critical operation devised by the Order of the Phoenix to move Harry Potter from the home of his relatives at Number Four, Privet Drive to the safety of The Burrow shortly before his seventeenth birthday. The plan involved using six decoys disguised as Harry through the use of Polyjuice Potion to mislead Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. The operation was ultimately compromised, leading to a fierce confrontation in the skies over southern England. While Harry was successfully transported, the battle resulted in the death of Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody and the severe injury of George Weasley.
As Harry Potter's seventeenth birthday approached, the powerful protective enchantment cast by his mother, Lily Potter, which had kept him safe at the Dursleys' home, was set to expire. Recognizing this vulnerability, Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters planned to ambush Harry the moment he left Privet Drive. The Order of the Phoenix, aware of the danger, formulated a plan to move Harry to a secure location before the protection failed. The initial plan to use the Floo Network was deemed too risky as the Ministry of Magic had fallen under Death Eater influence, making every fireplace connected to the network monitored.
The strategy, masterminded by Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, was based on deception and creating confusion. The core elements of the plan were as follows:
The pairs were assigned as follows:
Despite the Order's secrecy, the plan had been leaked to Lord Voldemort by Severus Snape (on Albus Dumbledore's prior instructions). As soon as the seven Potters and their protectors took to the sky, they were ambushed by approximately thirty Death Eaters.
The survivors of the battle gathered at The Burrow. They used security questions to confirm each other's identities, such as asking Lupin what creature had been in his office on the first day Harry met him. The Order suffered two major casualties: the permanent loss of George Weasley's ear and the death of their leader, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody. Harry was overcome with guilt, believing the plan's failure and the casualties were his fault. The group debated how Voldemort had been able to identify the real Harry, with Lupin correctly deducing it was his use of Expelliarmus, a spell associated with saving people rather than killing them.