Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the last book in the 'Harry Potter' series by J. K. Rowling. It was released at 00:01 BST in the United Kingdom and other English speaking countries. It was released July 21st, 2007 at 12:01am local time in the United States and Canada.

The title was first released to the public through a hangman game posted by J. K. Rowling on her official website on 21 December 2006. Shortly afterwards, it was confirmed by the publishers. Rowling left a note, written on a bust of Hermes in her room at the Balmoral hotel in Edinburgh that 'JK Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in this room (652) on 11th Jan 2007'. On her website she said While each of the previous Potter books has strong claims on my affections, 'Deathly Hallows' is my favourite, and that is the most wonderful way to finish the series'. She has previously said that although all the books carry on the story, Deathly Hallows is more a continuation of the story in the previous book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, than has been the case with any other book in the series. On 20 March 2007, Scholastic, the U.S. Publishers of the book revealed that the U.S. version of Deathly Hallows would have 784 pages, printed on recycled paper.

Plot
The final book begins with Voldemort and his Death Eaters at the home of Lucius Malfoy, Malfoy Manor. They are beginning to plan out how to kill Harry Potter before he hides again after he leaves 4 Privet Drive. After "borrowing" Lucius's wand - Voldemort does so in a way that indicates Lucius has no choice - Voldemort kills his captive, Hogwarts Professor Charity Burbage, teacher of Muggle Studies, for teaching the subject and for suggesting that the end of pure-blood wizard family lines would be beneficial to society.

Harry Potter, meanwhile, is reading some articles about Albus Dumbledore. One is sympathetic, the other is critical of him. In those obituaries, it is revealed that his father, Percival Dumbledore, supposedly hated Muggles and had attacked several of them. Percival died in Azkaban for his crimes. It is also suggested that Dumbledore was responsible for the death of his younger sister Ariana, and that he was, at one time, a Blood purity supremacist.

Harry regrets not having asked Dumbledore more about his past, but this is soon forgotten as he leaves his home that night. He convinces his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and cousin Dudley that they need to leave as well to avoid being captured by the Death Eaters. Eventually Order of the Phoenix members and Ministry of Magic Aurors, Dedalus Diggle and Hestia Jones, arrive to escort them to an undisclosed location. Before leaving, Dudley admits that he cares about Harry and thanks him for saving his soul during the Dementor attack of 1995.

Soon after, the Order of the Phoenix arrives with a plan to sneak Harry away from his house and avoid being captured by Voldemort. Ron Weasley, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Hermione Granger, Fleur Delacour, and Mundungus Fletcher take Polyjuice Potion to make themselves look like Harry, in order to act as decoys for him. Each depart with a different Order member. Harry leaves with Hagrid in a sidecar attached to Sirius's motorcycle. However, the plan goes badly wrong as the group are attacked by Death Eaters almost immediately after taking off. Harry fights off Death Eaters by firing curses and hexes at them, while Hagrid uses a number of gadgets the motorcycle is now equipped with: a deployable solid brick wall, a net and a dragon fire booster.

The Death Eaters discover the real Harry after he attempts to disarm an imperiused Stan Shunpike. Moments later, Voldemort joins in the pursuit. Hagrid leaps off the bike at another Death Eater, and as Voldemort is about to kill Harry, Harry's wand acts on its own accord and shoots a curse at Voldemort and breaks Lucius's wand. Voldemort attempts to strike again, but at that moment, Harry goes into the protective charms of the Tonks' house and Voldemort and the Death Eaters are unable to follow him.

Both Harry and Hagrid survive, and take a Portkey which transfers them straight to the Burrow. There, the casualties are counted: Hedwig was struck by a killing curse; George's ear was slashed off by Severus Snape; Mad-Eye Moody was killed by Voldemort himself. Harry later has a vision regarding his escape, as a result of a connection between his and Voldemort's minds, in which Voldemort questions Ollivander, who crafted the wands, about why it happened. Ollivander is unable to explain.

During their time at the Burrow, Harry, Hermione and Ron are kept busy with preparations for Bill (the Weasleys oldest son) and Fleur's wedding, which Harry suspects is an attempt by Mrs. Weasley, Ron's mother, to stop them planning and delay them from leaving. Nevertheless, they manage to get together, and discuss their plans for completing the quest Dumbledore left them; to find and destroy Voldemort's horcruxes.

On Harry's 17th birthday he receives a number of gifts, the most useful being a new sneakoscope. He also spends a short romantic moment with his ex-girlfriend Ginny Weasley in her bedroom when she kisses him as something to remember her by, which Ron interrupts. Later in the day, Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour arrives at The Burrow to give Harry, Ron, and Hermione the personal effects of Albus Dumbledore, which had been left to them in his will: To Ron, the Deluminator (known as a "Put-Outer" in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone), with the power to douse all lights in the surrounding area; to Hermione, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a book of wizard-culture fairy tales; and to Harry, Godric Gryffindor's sword, and the first Golden Snitch Harry had ever caught in a Hogwarts Quidditch match. The sword was withheld because, Scrimgeour claimed, it was not Dumbledore's to give. The three try to discover the purpose of the objects given to them, but are forced to give their attention to other matters: Fleur and Bill's wedding is on tomorrow.

Harry disguises himself as "Ron's cousin" Barny Weasley for the wedding to avoid causing an uproar. During the wedding celebration, Kingsley Shacklebolt's patronus arrives to warn the attendants: Voldemort has taken over the Ministry of Magic and Rufus Scrimgeour was dead. Harry, Ron, and Hermione flee the wedding, first arriving in a Muggle café in Tottenham court road.

Though they think themselves safe for the moment, two Death Eaters suddenly locate them, almost immediately upon their arrival, and attack them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione manage to defeat the Death Eaters, but thinking themselves in danger in public, flee to Number 12 Grimmauld Place, former Order headquarters, where they hide.

The group realizes that Regulus Arcturus Black was the R.A.B. from the fake Horcrux locket Harry found with Dumbledore, and begin searching the house for the real one. Kreacher, after a bit of persuasion, tells the trio that he had helped Voldemort place the real Horcrux in the cave. After Regulus learned of this, however, he had ordered Kreacher to return with him to the cave in order to substitute a fake locket for the real one. Regulus was killed in the process. Kreacher also tells them that Mundungus Fletcher stole the amulet and they send him to find Fletcher.

While waiting for Kreacher, the trio are visited by Order member Remus Lupin. He explains more of the situation: the Voldemort-controlled Ministry and Death Eaters are searching for Harry, claiming that he had a part in Dumbledore's death, and the Ministry is now openly persecuting muggle-born wizards and witches. He then offers to join the trio in their quest, not wanting to remain with his wife Nymphadora Tonks, who is pregnant with their child, because he fears the child will be a werewolf like him. Harry calls him a coward for abandoning his son, and Lupin angrily storms off. Later, Kreacher brings Fletcher back to Number 12 Grimmauld Place, but he has already given away the amulet to Dolores Umbridge.

After a month of spying on the Ministry of Magic, the trio infiltrate it in order to retrieve the Horcrux from Dolores Umbridge. They ambush three employees, and use Polyjuice Potion to impersonate them. After being separated, Harry discovers Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody’s magical eye has been taken by Umbridge, and he takes it back. Harry and Hermione knock Umbridge out and take the Horcrux from her, freeing a number of Muggle-born wizards and witches in the process and encouraging them to flee the country. However, in the process, their hiding place is discovered, Ron is injured, and they are forced to flee to the countryside. They move from place to place, never staying anywhere for more than a night.

After several months of travelling, they overhear a conversation between Ted Tonks, Dirk Cresswell, Dean Thomas, Griphook, and Gornuk wherein it is revealed that Godric Gryffindor’s sword, which was in Dumbledore's possession, is actually a copy, and someone took away the real sword. Harry hears this and is heartened, and after questioning the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black, he discovers that the sword had last been used by Dumbledore to destroy another Horcrux, Gaunt’s Ring.

Ron is discouraged, feeling that with the sword now necessary as well, and out of reach, their quest is becoming hopeless. Ron argues with Harry and angrily departs, leaving Harry and Hermione together; it is later revealed that he relented almost at once but was unable to find them thanks to the protection spells Hermione had laid. The two, full of sorrow, fear they will never see Ron again, but eventually realize they have to continue without him. They make their way to Godric's Hollow on the off-chance Dumbledore left the sword there for them.

Arriving in Godric's Hollow, the two first visit the graveyard where both Harry and Dumbledore’s families are buried. After laying a wreath on Harry’s parents’ grave, they visit the memorial to Harry’s family, they encounter the historian Bathilda Bagshot, an old family friend of Dumbledore’s who authored A History of Magic. Thinking she may have been entrusted with the sword, they follow her to her house, where they find a picture of the Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald. He was Bagshot’s relative and, long ago, Dumbledore’s childhood friend. However, it is actually a trap; “Bagshot” is actually Nagini, Voldemort’s snake familiar, and Harry and Hermione only narrowly escape from Voldemort. Harry's wand is accidentally broken by Hermione in the chaos.

After running for days, a Patronus in the shape of a silvery doe appears on the edge of their camp and leads Harry to Godric Gryffindor’s sword, hidden in a frozen forest pool. Harry strips down to his underwear and dives down after the sword, but the locket Horcrux on his neck tries to strangle Harry.

Ron returns in time to save Harry from drowning and pulls the sword out of the pool, as Harry puts his many layers of clothes back on. Then Harry suggests that is Ron who must destroy the Horcrux with the sword. Inside the Horcrux is Tom Riddle's eye from which a distorted version of Harry and Hermione appear, the pair then speak to Ron with Voldemort's cruel voice. Riddle/Hermione taunts Ron asking "Who could love you next to the great Harry Potter?". Riddle/Harry and Riddle/Hermione then kiss tormenting Ron until he stabs the locket. Afterwards Harry tells Ron he has absolutely no romantic feeling for Hermione, and that she was very upset when Ron left, and the two return to camp. Ron was able to find Harry with the aid of Dumbledore's gift, the Deluminator, which has more powers than they originally thought. He reveals that Voldemort's name has been "made Taboo": anybody saying it can be traced and located, which is how they were found in the café and at Grimmauld Place.

Hermione is furious at Ron for leaving, and takes some time to mollify. She realizes their next necessary step: to speak to Xenophilius Lovegood and ask him about Grindelwald's mark, a symbol which has shown up time and again during their journey.

At Lovegood’s home, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are told that the symbol actually represents the Deathly Hallows. He then introduces them to The Tale of the Three Brothers, a fairy tale about three men who bested Death, and each received a magical item for it: An unbeatable wand (called the Elder Wand), a stone which could bring back the dead (the Resurrection Stone), and an Invisibility Cloak that can hide the wearer from Death itself and never failed with age, unlike most cloaks of that nature. Lovegood tells them that the three items are collectively represented by the symbol, and whoever owns all three sacred items is the "Master of Death." Harry believes that his own cloak is the legendary Invisibility Cloak, and is very excited.

They discover that Lovegood has betrayed them to the Ministry; Luna, his daughter, was taken captive earlier in the year because of his encouraging support for Harry and he believes that giving them Harry will win her freedom. The trio barely escape from the Death Eaters sent to fetch them, but Harry is emboldened and believes that they need to collect all the Deathly Hallows to defeat Voldemort.

A few weeks later, the three are still no closer to finding the Deathly Hallows or more Horcruxes. They finally manage to tune into a rogue wizard radio broadcast called "Potterwatch", run by people they know, which reports on what is really happening. However, Harry accidentally says Voldemort’s name and a group of Snatchers find Harry, Ron, and Hermione and capture them, taking them to Malfoy Manor.

There, Hermione is tortured and interrogated by Bellatrix Lestrange to find how she acquired Godric Gryffindor’s sword. Harry and Ron are imprisoned in the basement with Dean Thomas, Griphook the goblin, Ollivander, and Luna Lovegood. Harry locates his broken shard of mirror and in desperation begs for help. Dobby appears to help him, and frees them. Dobby saves Dean, Luna and Ollivander, but they have made too much noise and Wormtail is sent to check on the prisoners.

Harry and Ron attack him, and Wormtail resists, losing his wand to Ron, but grabbing Harry's neck with his artificial hand. Harry calls in the debt of life that Wormtail owes him, and Wormtail hesitates. Wormtail’s artificial hand, made by Voldemort, immediately strangles Wormtail to death instead for the mercy he’s shown. Ron and Harry, helpless to aid him, rush upstairs to save Hermione with the help of Dobby. They escape as Voldemort is close to arriving, but Dobby is slain by Bellatrix Lestrange as they flee.

The group go to Bill and Fleur's home, Shell Cottage. After burying Dobby, Harry and his friends begin planning anew, and Harry loses his obsession with the Hallows. Harry questions Griphook about how to break into Gringotts Wizarding Bank, believing that a Horcrux is hidden in Bellatrix's vault. Harry questions Ollivander about the Elder Wand, during the questioning Harry has a vision in which Voldemort successfully steals the Elder Wand from the tomb of Dumbledore.

Griphook eventually agrees to help the trio, in return for Gryffindor's sword. Harry reluctantly agrees, planning to give him the sword after all the Horcruxes have been destroyed. Later, Lupin visits them again. He had returned to Tonks a while ago, and tells everyone that she's given birth to a son who doesn't have his werewolf tendencies, instead possessing Tonks's Metamorphmagus abilities.

After extensive planning, the group goes to Gringott’s to see if they can find the Horcrux. Hermione poses as Bellatrix with some hair that had been left on her after the attack at Malfoy Manor. Ron is disguised as a foreign wizard, and Griphook and Harry go in under the Invisibility Cloak. They manage to evade traps and find the Horcrux, Helga Hufflepuff’s cup, but Griphook betrays their presence and flees with the sword. Harry, Ron, and Hermione narrowly escape on the back of a captive half-blind dragon. Gryffindor's sword is kept by Griphook.

Harry has a vision shortly after the escape; he can see through Voldemort’s eyes and hear his thoughts. Voldemort lists off all the locations of the Horcruxes, realizing now they are being sought after and destroyed. Voldemort inadvertently reveals that the unknown Horcrux, which Harry suspects to be a relic of Rowena Ravenclaw, founder of Ravenclaw, is safe within Hogwarts. Harry realizes that if they want to get the Horcrux within Hogwarts, they need to do so immediately, before Voldemort finds his other Horcruxes missing. They immediately head to Hogsmeade to find a way to sneak into the school.

At Hogsmeade, Harry and friends are cornered by Death Eaters and saved by Aberforth Dumbledore, Albus's brother. After revealing the history between him and his brother, Aberforth opens a secret passageway to Hogwarts, where Neville Longbottom greets them. The trio learn that Neville, Ginny and Luna have restarted Dumbledore's Army to resist the regime of Severus Snape, who was made headmaster following Voldemort's takeover of the ministry.

Neville summons members of the D.A. who have been forced to leave the school, including Ginny, Luna and Dean or had graduated previously, such as Fred and George, Harry's old Quidditch team and his first girlfriend, Cho Chang. Harry asks them what they know about an object of Ravenclaw's, which Dumbledore believed to be a horcrux. However, the only known one is Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem, which has been lost for centuries.

Shortly after Harry's arrival, Voldemort discovers that 2 more of his horcruxes have disappeared, and gathers an army of Death Eaters, Dementors, Acromantula and Giants, in order to assault the school and kill Harry once and for all. Hogwarts sends Snape fleeing and raises its own army consisting of teachers, students, the D.A., the Order of the Phoenix and enchanted statues and suits of armor. At midnight, the Battle of Hogwarts begins.

Shortly after the battle begins, Harry recalls seeing the diadem in the Room of Requirement and meets up with Ron and Hermione, who had disappeared to get Basilisk fangs from the Chamber of Secrets to destroy the next two horcruxes. The trio re-enter the Room of Requirement, and are confronted by Malfoy and his cronies Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. After a short duel, Crabbe mishandles the Fiendfyre spell, causing a huge inferno. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Malfoy and Goyle escape, and the diadem is destroyed by the fire.

With the cup and diadem destroyed, only one horcrux remains: Nagini. The trio fight their way through the castle, as the two armies battle it out furiously, to The Shrieking Shack, where Voldemort is waiting. They discover him talking to Snape, who wishes to participate in the battle to find Harry, but Voldemort has other concerns: the elder wand doesn't seem to work properly for him. He murders Snape, believing that the death of its current master will transfer the wand's allegiance to him.

As he dies, Snape gives up memories to Harry. Voldemort then gives an ultimatum; if Harry does not surrender himself in an hour, he will join the battle, and all in Hogwarts will be destroyed. After reaching the castle Ron and Hermione enter the Great Hall and stand next to the Weasley family. Harry sees people looking for loved ones and counting up the dead, Lupin and Tonks laying next to Colin Creevey and Fred. After seeing this, Harry makes his way up to Dumbledore's office to see the memories Snape left him. They revealed that Snape was always on Dumbledore's side, motivated by his lifelong love of Lily Evans. Dumbledore had Snape promise to kill him if the situation demanded it; the curse placed on the Gaunt's ring had limited Dumbledore's life, regardless.

Harry also learns from these memories that Dumbledore believed Harry a Horcrux, and that Voldemort cannot be killed until Harry himself is killed by Voldemort. Now resigned to his fate, Harry tells Neville to kill Nagini (the other remaining Horcrux) at all costs. Then, before he sacrifices himself to Voldemort, he opens the Golden Snitch left to him by Dumbledore to reveal the Resurrection Stone. He uses it to bring back the spirits of his parents, Sirius, and Remus Lupin, who provide emotional support as Harry walks to his death. He enters Voldemort's camp, and allows himself to be hit with the killing curse.

However, Harry finds himself in a sort of dream (later finding out it was real), and meets the deceased Albus Dumbledore in what appears to be a deserted King's Cross Station. Here, it is explained he cannot be killed by Voldemort whilst Voldemort lives, since Voldemort used Harry's blood to recreate his body. Also, Lily's protection over Harry binds the two. He appears to be in a near-death state in which he can speak to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore then gives Harry a theory on why his wand acted of its own accord: as a result of their encounter in Little Hangleton 3 years ago, Harry's wand imbued some of the qualities of Voldemort's wand, and regurgitated some of his own magic back at him. He also discovers that the part of Voldemort's soul he had had inside himself has been separated by the attempted murder and is represented in his vision by a flayed naked child, whimpering in agony, and abandoned under a bench.

He also learns that Dumbledore himself had sought the Hallows, with Grindelwald, for less than noble reasons. The death of his sister resulted from their association. In Dumbledore's opinion, only Harry is worthy of possessing the Hallows. Harry is given the choice of dying or of returning to try to stop Voldemort. Harry chooses to return and fight.

Back in the forest, Voldemort orders Narcissa Malfoy to check and see if Harry is dead, and after being subtly notified that her son, Draco Malfoy, is alive and well inside Hogwarts, she tells Voldemort and the Death Eaters that Harry is indeed dead, (in order to be able to enter the castle to find Draco). Afterward Voldemort orders Hagrid to carry Harry back to Hogwarts. Voldemort challenges Hogwarts to surrender, but is faced down by Neville. Voldemort proceeds to torture Neville, who is wearing the Sorting Hat. At that moment, Hogwarts reinforcements appear near the school boundaries and run towards Hogwarts, the centaurs join the side of Hogwarts in the battle, and the battle recommences.

In the confusion, Harry covers himself with the Invisibility Cloak. Nagini, the last Horcrux, is killed by Neville using Gryffindor's sword, pulled from the Sorting Hat. Harry fights his way into the great hall, where a huge battle is taking place as Hogwarts fighters, Dumbledore's Army, the Order of the Phoenix and other forces battle the remnants of Voldemort's army. At the height of the battle, Voldemort fights Minerva McGonagall, his old mentor Horace Slughorn and Kingsley, while nearby Bellatrix battles Ginny, Luna and Hermione. After Ginny narrowly avoids a killing curse, Mrs Weasley takes over. Bellatrix greatly underestimates her skill, and is killed as a result. With Voldemort about to kill her in retaliation, Harry reveals himself.

Coming face to face with Voldemort in the Great Hall, Harry is seemingly faced with impossible odds - with Voldemort possessing the Elder Wand and having killed its previous master, Snape, he cannot be beaten in a duel. However, Harry wagers correctly that Malfoy, by means of Disarming Dumbledore on the Astronomy Tower last year, was the wand's true master. Since Harry had took Malfoy's wand at Malfoy Manor, the mastership of the wand passed to Harry, not Voldemort. Harry also attempts to save Voldemort from himself by daring him to feel remorse, calls him by the name Tom, and warns him of the fate that awaits him if he cannot feel remorse. This shocks Voldemort more than anything Harry has said to him up to this point.

Harry explains all of this to Voldemort, who chooses not to believe him. Voldemort attacks Harry. When Voldemort strikes Harry with the Killing Curse from the Elder Wand, opposed by Expelliarmus from Harry, the Killing Curse rebounds on Voldemort. Harry's theory has been proven correct - the Elder Wand refused to kill its true master. Voldemort, bereft of all his Horcruxes, finally dies.

Harry is now master of all 3 Deathly Hallows, but chooses to deliberately lose the Stone of Resurrection and hopes to deactivate the Elder Wand as well. Dumbledore's portrait applauds his decision.

In the story's epilogue, taking place 19 years (2017) after the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry and Ginny are married and have 3 children named James Sirius, Albus Severus, and Lily Luna. Neville Longbottom is the Herbology professor at Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione are married and have 2 children named Rose and Hugo. Draco Malfoy is married to a woman who is later disclosed as Astoria Greengrass, and has a boy named Scorpius. He has been spared an imprisonment in Azkaban.

They all meet at King's Cross, prepared to send their children to Hogwarts at the beginning of term. Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks' son Teddy is revealed to be kissing Fleur Delacour and Bill Weasley's daughter, Victoire.

It is revealed that Harry's scar has not hurt since the Dark Lord's defeat, and there, the story ends.

Book chapters
Epilogue: Nineteen Years Later
 * 1) The Dark Lord Ascending
 * 2) In Memoriam
 * 3) The Dursleys Departing
 * 4) The Seven Potters
 * 5) Fallen Warrior
 * 6) The Ghoul in Pajamas
 * 7) The Will of Albus Dumbledore
 * 8) The Wedding
 * 9) A Place to Hide
 * 10) Kreacher's Tale
 * 11) The Bribe
 * 12) Magic is Might
 * 13) The Muggle-Born Registration Commission
 * 14) The Thief
 * 15) The Goblin's Revenge
 * 16) Godric's Hollow
 * 17) Bathilda's Secret
 * 18) The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore
 * 19) The Silver Doe
 * 20) Xenophilius Lovegood
 * 21) The Tale of the Three Brothers
 * 22) The Deathly Hallows
 * 23) Malfoy Manor
 * 24) The Wandmaker
 * 25) Shell Cottage
 * 26) Gringotts
 * 27) The Final Hiding Place
 * 28) The Missing Mirror
 * 29) The Lost Diadem
 * 30) The Sacking of Severus Snape
 * 31) The Battle of Hogwarts
 * 32) The Elder Wand
 * 33) The Prince's Tale
 * 34) The Forest Again
 * 35) King's Cross
 * 36) The Flaw in the Plan

List of characters killed
This book has the most named casualties of any book in the series. In all, more than 53 people were killed in The Battle of Hogwarts

Background to the series
The books concern the adventures of Harry Potter at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and his struggle against the evil villain of the books, Lord Voldemort. Harry is aided in this by his school friends, notably Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, and by various adults including the school's headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Harry, by accident of birth and a prophecy foretelling his importance, has become the centre of all attention by both sides in the long running war between Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix and Ministry of Magic on one side, and Voldemort's Death Eaters on the other.

The series of books was originally published as a children's book by UK publishers Bloomsbury, and US publishers Scholastic. However, it rapidly became a phenomenal success both amongst children and amongst adults. The books each chronicle one year at school for the characters concerned and follows a long tradition of children serial books about life in schools. Perhaps unlike some of the traditional series of this format, each book has matured and expanded in complexity and scope compared to the last, approximately developing with the age of the principal characters. Although it is reported that the author had comprehensively plotted the entire series of books before the first was published, and that this plot remains unchanged, she has also stated that it has undergone a number of revisions as it has progressed. This may in part reflect the extraordinary success of the book and a need to direct its content more towards the adult market. The books started as relatively slim volumes of 300 pages, but have grown towards 700 pages as the series progressed.

Choice of title and Symbolism


Rowling first announced that she had a particular title in mind in the latter part of 2006. However, she also announced that she had a final choice of three possible titles, before choosing this one. She has declined to explain the meaning of the title, or say what the other two possibilities were, on the grounds that doing so would reveal information about the book. The other titles she had in mind were Harry Potter and the Elder Wand, which became a chapter title, Harry Potter and the Peverell Quest, and Harry Potter and the Hallows of Hogwarts. There were also fan rumours of titles such as "Harry Potter and the Green Flame Torch," "The New Beginning," the "Pyramids of Furmat," "The Forest of Shadows," the "Fortress of Shadows," and others.

Hallows is a word which has fallen into disuse in modern English except as part of some names. It is popular to name churches after saints, and there are a number of 'Church of all Hallows' in Britain, as well as some schools. Similarly the holiday of Halloween is derived from "All Hallows' Eve." This usage of the word refers to saints, relics of saints, or the places where saints have lived or their remains have rested (making those places holy). Part of the mythology of hallows is that the spirit of the saint remains in his relics, and may come to the aid of those who seek it. Thus pilgrims venture to see holy relics or visit shrines hallowed by the saints.

Rowling has chosen to use the word 'deathly' in the title, rather than deadly. These two are similar in sound, and sometimes confused in meaning, but are different. A 'deathly hallow' need not be dangerous, but rather in some way is related to death.

The word 'hallows' has been used in a number of legends to represent important and powerful objects. The Tuatha de Danaan in Ireland possessed six hallows: Manannan’s house, Goibniu's shirt and tools, Lochlan's helmet, Alba's shears, a fishskin belt and Asal's pig bones. These were guarded by four Guardians of the Hallows: Manannan, Lugh, Cumhal and Fionn. As the legend changed, the hallows became four objects: The spear of Lugh, Stone of Fal, Sword of Nuada and Dagda's Cauldron. These became the four suits in a pack of Tarot cards and took on the representation of the four magical elements, earth, air, fire and water.

The symbolism of four hallowed objects extends into the suits which now appear on tarot cards. These are wands, coins, cups and swords. In particular the picture card, the Magician, shows a man waving a wand, with a sword, cup and engraved metal disc on a table in front of him. Sources suggest that the figure depicted may represent Hermes, the same ancient god as the bust which Rowling used to announce completion of the book. Hermes is also considered a messenger in older legends.

The coronation ceremony for monarchs still contains four ritual objects, now represented as the sceptre, sword, ampulla of oil and crown. Similar objects also appear in Arthurian legends where the Fisher King is the guardian of four hallows; the sword, spear, dish and holy grail. Earlier Arthurian legends also refer to a set of thirteen treasures of Britain.

The symbolism in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows does not follow any particular legend, but there are clearly four Hogwarts founders, and Voldemort indicated that he intended to make six Horcruxes.

The moment just before Severus Snape dies, he says 'look..at..me' to Harry. He does this to see Harry's eyes, which are 'exactly' like Lily's. Thus, Snape wanted Lily's eyes to be the last thing he saw before his death.

Future Books
Rowling has said that she will not write any more books about Harry. However, she has also said that she may publish some of the 'background' information which she has created during the 17 years she has been writing the books. When questioned about possible future books about Harry, she jokingly suggested Harry Potter and the Mid-Life Crisis. Rowling may also write a book about Dumbledore's life.

Film Adaptation
It has been confirmed that there will be a film adaption for the seventh book. The movie will be split into two parts, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I and II. Part I is due out November 19, 2010 and Part II is due out July 15, 2011. David Yates will be directing both parts.

Notes and references
Harry Potter und die Heiligtümer des Todes Harry Potter et les Reliques de la Mort