1996

The following events occurred in the year 1996:

Events

 * January:
 * Broderick Bode is strangled to death by a Devil's Snare while in St Mungo's.
 * Ten Death Eaters, including Bellatrix Lestrange, escape from Azkaban prison in a mass breakout.
 * February 14: Harry Potter and Cho Chang have their first date in Hogsmeade. Afterwards, Harry is interviewed by Rita Skeeter for The Quibbler, as arranged by Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood.
 * April:
 * Dumbledore's Army is discovered after Marietta Edgecombe informs Dolores Umbridge about the organisation. Albus Dumbledore takes the fall and leaves Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
 * Fred and George Weasley depart from Hogwarts, jinxing Inquisitorial Squad members on their way and leaving a Portable Swamp behind, and open Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley.
 * May:
 * Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw at the last Quidditch match of the school year.
 * June 17:
 * Dolores Umbridge is attacked in the Forbidden Forest by centaurs when she calls them "filthy half-breeds."
 * Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood thwart Lord Voldemort's plans to steal the prophecy and the Battle of the Department of Mysteries ensues.
 * The Order of the Phoenix comes to their assistance; various Death Eaters are captured and Sirius Black is murdered by Bellatrix Lestrange.
 * Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge is forced to accept Voldemort has returned and Umbridge is removed from Hogwarts.
 * The Second Wizarding War officially begins.
 * July:
 * Mr. Ollivander mysteriously disappears. The Brockdale Bridge and the Millennium Bridge are brought down by Death Eaters.
 * Rufus Scrimgeour replaces Fudge as Minister for Magic.
 * Draco Malfoy begins his duties as a Death Eater.
 * Narcissa Malfoy has Severus Snape take an Unbreakable Vow to help her son with the task Lord Voldemort assigned him: to kill Albus Dumbledore.
 * December 20: Horace Slughorn, new Potions professor at Hogwarts, holds a Christmas party for his favourite students and other associates.
 * Christmas holidays: Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour tries to convince Harry Potter to work with the Ministry of Magic, but Harry confirms his loyalty to Albus Dumbledore.

Deaths

 * Mrs. Abbott
 * Broderick Bode
 * Amelia Bones
 * Sirius Black
 * Igor Karkaroff
 * Emmeline Vance
 * Florean Fortescue

Muggle events

 * 1996 at Wikipedia