The Death of Albus Dumbledore

The death of Albus Dumbledore was a pivotal event in the Second Wizarding War, occurring on an evening in late June of 1997. Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the leader of the Order of the Phoenix, was killed by Severus Snape atop the Astronomy Tower. The act was performed with the Killing Curse, Avada Kedavra. While witnessed by a hidden Harry Potter and members of the Death Eaters, the death was not a simple act of betrayal. It was, in fact, a pre-arranged mercy killing planned by Dumbledore himself. The event sent shockwaves through the wizarding world, marking the end of an era and forcing Harry Potter to proceed on his mission to destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes without his mentor's direct guidance.

The plan for Dumbledore's death was conceived after he located and destroyed one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, Marvolo Gaunt's Ring, during the summer of 1996. The ring was protected by a powerful and deadly curse. While Dumbledore successfully destroyed the Horcrux with the Sword of Godric Gryffindor, the curse afflicted his right hand, causing it to become blackened and dead-looking.

• A Terminal Diagnosis: Severus Snape, a master of the Dark Arts and Potions, was able to contain the curse's spread to Dumbledore's hand and arm. However, he informed Dumbledore that he had, at most, a year to live.
• Protecting Draco Malfoy: Knowing his time was limited, Dumbledore formulated a plan that would serve multiple purposes. He was aware that Voldemort had ordered a young and vulnerable Draco Malfoy to kill him, a task designed to fail and result in Draco's death as punishment for his father's failures. Dumbledore sought to protect Draco's soul by preventing him from becoming a murderer.
• Cementing Snape's Loyalty: By having Snape kill him, Dumbledore would unequivocally cement Snape's position as Voldemort's most trusted servant. This would allow Snape to continue his work as a spy for the Order of the Phoenix, feeding them critical information and protecting Hogwarts students from within. This act also fulfilled the Unbreakable Vow Snape had made to Narcissa Malfoy to protect her son.
• Mastery of the Elder Wand: Dumbledore, the current master of the Elder Wand, planned for his death to be a non-violent submission to an ally. He believed that if Snape, his willing accomplice, killed him, the wand's immense power would be broken, as its master would die undefeated in a duel. This part of the plan ultimately failed, as Draco Malfoy had disarmed Dumbledore moments before Snape's arrival, unknowingly becoming the new master of the Elder Wand.

The plan was set in motion on the night Dumbledore took Harry Potter to a sea cave to retrieve another suspected Horcrux, the Locket of Salazar Slytherin.

1. The Infiltration: While Dumbledore was away, Draco Malfoy used a pair of linked Vanishing Cabinets—one in the Room of Requirement and one at Borgin and Burkes—to allow a group of Death Eaters to infiltrate Hogwarts. They cast the Dark Mark over the Astronomy Tower to lure Dumbledore there.
2. A Weakened Headmaster: Dumbledore was severely weakened from the ordeal in the cave, having been forced to drink the Emerald Potion protecting the locket. Upon seeing the Dark Mark, he and Harry used borrowed broomsticks to fly directly to the tower.
3. The Standoff: On the tower parapet, Dumbledore sensed Draco's presence and, just before Draco appeared, used a nonverbal Body-Bind Curse to immobilize Harry under his Invisibility Cloak. This was done to protect Harry and ensure he would remain a silent witness to the events. Draco confronted Dumbledore and disarmed him, making Dumbledore's wand fly from his hand.
4. The Killing Curse: Despite Draco's threats, Dumbledore reasoned with him, offering him and his mother protection. Before Draco could act, other Death Eaters, including Amycus Carrow, Alecto Carrow, and Fenrir Greyback, arrived. Finally, Severus Snape made his way to the top of the tower. Seeing Snape, a visibly weakened Dumbledore made a final, quiet plea: “Severus… please…”. While appearing to be a plea for his life, it was in fact the final instruction for Snape to carry out their plan. Snape raised his wand and cast Avada Kedavra. The jet of green light struck Dumbledore, and he fell from the tower to his death on the grounds below.

Dumbledore's death had immediate and far-reaching consequences for the entire wizarding world and the war against Voldemort.

• The Battle of the Astronomy Tower: The Body-Bind Curse on Harry lifted the moment Dumbledore died, freeing him to pursue Snape. This led to a brief but fierce battle between members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, and the invading Death Eaters.
• Snape's Escape: Snape successfully fled the Hogwarts grounds with Draco and the other Death Eaters, solidifying his cover as a loyal servant of Voldemort.
• Mourning and Funeral: The wizarding world was plunged into grief. A grand funeral was held on the grounds of Hogwarts, where Dumbledore was laid to rest in a magnificent white tomb by the shore of the Great Lake, making him the only Headmaster to be buried on school grounds.
• The Horcrux Hunt: Believing Snape to be a traitor, Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger resolved not to return to Hogwarts for their final year. They dedicated themselves fully to the mission Dumbledore had left them: to find and destroy all of Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes.
• Shift in Power: With Dumbledore gone, the Ministry of Magic quickly fell, and Snape was installed as Headmaster of a Voldemort-controlled Hogwarts. The truth of his allegiance and the nature of Dumbledore's death was not revealed until Snape's own death at the hands of Voldemort.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry is not immobilized by a spell. Dumbledore instead orders him to hide on the level below the parapet, from which Harry witnesses the entire event. (film)
• J.K. Rowling has stated in interviews that Dumbledore's death was planned from very early in the writing process and was an essential part of Harry's character arc, forcing him to face his destiny without his greatest protector. (J.K. Rowling interview)