harry_potter_and_the_deathly_hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Publication Information

Plot Summary

The final novel in the series begins with Lord Voldemort taking Lucius Malfoy's wand and the Order of the Phoenix preparing to move Harry Potter from Number 4, Privet Drive for the last time. The plan goes awry during the Battle of the Seven Potters, resulting in the death of Mad-Eye Moody and the injury of George Weasley. Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger take refuge at The Burrow, where they receive items bequeathed to them by Albus Dumbledore: the Deluminator for Ron, The Tales of Beedle the Bard for Hermione, and the first Golden Snitch Harry ever caught. The sword of Godric Gryffindor was also left to Harry, but the Ministry of Magic confiscates it. During the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour, the Ministry of Magic falls to Voldemort's control, and the trio is forced to flee. They go on the run, dedicated to the mission Dumbledore left them: to find and destroy Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes. Their first success comes after infiltrating the Ministry, now run by Pius Thicknesse under the control of Death Eaters, and retrieving Salazar Slytherin's Locket from Dolores Umbridge. Unable to destroy the locket and worn down by its dark influence, the trio's friendship is strained, leading to Ron's temporary departure. Harry and Hermione travel to Godric's Hollow, hoping to find the sword of Gryffindor and information from the historian Bathilda Bagshot. They are instead ambushed by Voldemort's snake, Nagini, and narrowly escape, but Harry's wand is broken in the process. Ron returns, guided by the Deluminator, and rescues Harry from a frozen pond where a mysterious silver doe Patronus had led him to the sword of Gryffindor. Ron then uses the sword to destroy the locket Horcrux. The trio learns about the Deathly Hallows—the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak—from Xenophilius Lovegood. They are soon captured by Snatchers and taken to Malfoy Manor. There, Hermione is tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange, but they are saved by the house-elf Dobby, who dies during the escape. With help from the goblin Griphook, they break into the Lestrange vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank and retrieve another Horcrux: Helga Hufflepuff's Cup. Their search for the final known Horcrux, something belonging to Rowena Ravenclaw, leads them back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This triggers the Battle of Hogwarts, where the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, and the staff and students of Hogwarts fight against Voldemort and his army of Death Eaters. During the battle, the Cup is destroyed by Hermione and Ron with a basilisk fang, and Vincent Crabbe unwittingly destroys the Diadem of Ravenclaw with Fiendfyre. Harry witnesses the murder of Severus Snape by Voldemort and collects his memories. In the Pensieve, Harry learns the truth: Snape's unwavering love for his mother, Lily Potter, drove him to protect Harry all along, and Harry himself is an unintentional seventh Horcrux who must die at Voldemort's hand. Accepting his fate, Harry goes to the Forbidden Forest, using the Resurrection Stone found inside the Snitch to briefly reunite with the spirits of his parents, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. Voldemort strikes him with the Killing Curse. Harry awakens in a limbo-like state resembling King's Cross Station, where Dumbledore's spirit explains that the Horcrux inside him was destroyed, and Harry can choose to go on or return. He returns to his body and, in the final confrontation, reveals that he is the true master of the Elder Wand. Voldemort's Killing Curse rebounds, killing him for good. The Epilogue, set nineteen years later, shows Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny Weasley at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, sending their own children off to Hogwarts.

Major Themes and Motifs

  • Death and Acceptance: The novel is deeply concerned with mortality. The Deathly Hallows represent three different approaches to death (conquering, recalling, and accepting), with Harry's ultimate victory coming from his willingness to accept his own death for the greater good.
  • Love as a Powerful Magic: This theme culminates in the story's climax. Lily Potter's sacrificial love continues to protect Harry, Severus Snape's enduring love for Lily is revealed as his core motivation, and Harry's own love for his friends fuels his journey and eventual sacrifice.
  • The Corrupting Nature of Power: The pursuit of power is shown to be destructive. Voldemort's obsession with immortality through Horcruxes and his quest for the Elder Wand ultimately lead to his downfall. In contrast, Harry's willingness to relinquish power—specifically the Elder Wand—proves his worthiness.
  • Choice and Free Will: Dumbledore's final words to Harry—“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities“—are proven true. Characters like Snape, Ron, and Draco Malfoy make pivotal choices that define their allegiances and morality.

Development and Publication History

J.K. Rowling announced the completion of the manuscript on 11 January 2007, having finished it in the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh. The title was revealed on 21 December 2006 on J.K. Rowling's website via a special hangman-style puzzle. Rowling stated that she had considered two other titles: Harry Potter and the Elder Wand and Harry Potter and the Peverell Quest. The publication was preceded by a massive marketing and security campaign by its publishers, Bloomsbury and Scholastic, to prevent the book's plot from leaking before the official release date.

Significance in the Series

As the final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows serves as the grand conclusion to the entire saga. It resolves the central conflict between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort that spanned all seven books. The novel provides definitive answers to the series' most significant mysteries, including the true nature of the Deathly Hallows, the history of the Horcruxes, and the complex allegiance and backstory of Severus Snape. The story brings the character arcs of Harry, Ron, and Hermione to a close, solidifying their transition from children to adults who shape the fate of the wizarding world. The Epilogue offers a sense of finality and peace, assuring readers that the world Harry fought to save has endured.

Behind the Scenes

  • Film Adaptations: The novel was adapted into two feature films: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011). This decision was made to allow for a more faithful and complete adaptation of the dense and complex plot (film).
  • Notable Film Changes: Key changes from the book include the addition of a wordless dance scene between Harry and Hermione in their tent, the omission of the full backstory of the Dumbledore family, and a more cinematic, drawn-out final duel between Harry and Voldemort that takes place throughout the Hogwarts grounds rather than solely in the Great Hall (film). In the film, Harry snaps the Elder Wand in two rather than returning it to Dumbledore's tomb.
  • Sales Records: Upon its release, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows shattered sales records, becoming the fastest-selling book in history. It sold an estimated 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of release in the United Kingdom and the United States alone.