Battle of Hogwarts

"We did it! We bashed them, wee Potter's the one. And Voldy's gone moldy so now let's have fun!"

- Peeves

The Second Battle of Hogwarts was the final battle of Voldemort's second rise to power and took place around 23 May 1998. It was the most devastating battle of the war and the many deaths included Lord Voldemort, Bellatrix Lestrange, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Severus Snape and Fred Weasley. It is also assumed to be the final battle the Elder Wand took part in.

Horcruxes
At the climax of the Battle of Hogwarts the previous year, Albus Dumbledore was murdered by then DADA professor Severus Snape (though, as revealed in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, they had planned this months in advance.) Dumbledore, however, had left Harry Potter with a final task; to find, and destroy the remaining Horcruxes that Lord Voldemort had created several decades before. So, Potter and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, dropped out of school to find the remaining five Horcruxes and destroy them. By the time they had returned to Hogwarts, four Horcruxes (the diary, destroyed by Harry in the second book, the ring, destroyed by Dumbledore sometime between July 1 and July 26, 1996, the locket, destroyed by Ron in December of 1997, and the cup, destroyed in late May, 1998) having been destroyed, two (Nagini, Voldemort's pet snake, and Ravenclaw's headress) been determined to be Horcruxes, and one(unbeknowest to the trio, Harry himself) left undetermined, though originaly thought to be Voldemort himself.

Hogwarts
At the end of July to beginning of August 1997, the current Minister for Magic, Scrimegeour, was captured by Voldemort and interrogated for the whereabouts of Harry Potter, but, in one last brave act for Harry, had told them nothing, and was killed by Voldemort, thus gaining the Ministry of Magic for the Death Eaters. And thus, Hogwarts was now under the control of Voldemort, the heir of Slytherin. The Dark Lord then appointed Severus Snape as new headmaster (ironically, Snape had killed the previous headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, just a few months before.) Many subjects were revisioned in the will of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, (i.e. Defence Against the Dark Arts more or less began to teach the Dark Arts, Muggle studies had begun to tell that Muggles and Muggle-borns were animals, etc.). A band of students had begun to stand up, however very early on in the 1997-98 school year, led by Neville Longbottom, a seventh-year. They were pretty much a successor to Dumbledore's Army, founded by Harry Potter in his fifth year.

Arrival at Hogwarts
When Harry, Hermione and Ron wanted to search Hogwarts for Ravenclaw's diadem, they encountered Neville and Aberforth Dumbledore in the Hog's Head who told them that the only way in or out of Hogwarts was a secret passage between the Hog's Head, which Aberforth owned, and the Room of Requirement, which is where this band of rebels where hiding for the year. Their arrival triggered the arrival of many other former Hogwarts students, many original members of the covert organazation Dumbledore's Army.

Uprising
The trio split up on entering Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione go to the Chamber of Secrets to destroy Hufflepuff's cup and Harry goes to the Ravenclaw Common Room to find Ravenclaw's diadem. Luna lets him in. However, Alecto Carrow, the Muggle studies teacher, appeares and Harry neutralises her but the diamem is not there. Mineva McGonagall arrives and summones the other Head of Houses. The students and staff gather in the Great Hall. Severus Snape leaves and the Death Eaters arrive.

Ultimatum
Given the chance to hand over Harry, the school refused and Pansy Parkinson, who suggested Harry be sent out, was insructed to leave. Those not willing to fight or not of age are sent out of the school

Room of Requirement
Harry remembered seeing it in the Room of Requirement and together with Ron and Hermione, they found it but before they could remove it, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle arrived and Crabbe accidentally destroyed it with Fiendfyre. Meanwhile, Snape was killed by Voldemort. His dying act was to pass his memories on the Harry.

Sacrifice
After viewing the memories, Harry headed into the Forbidden Forest to sacrifice himself but due to the fact that Voldemort had Harry's blood he survived.

Fall of the Dark Lord
Molly Weasley defeated Bellatrix Lestrange with an unknown curse. Voldemort then turned on Mrs. Weasley which enraged the famous Harry Potter who, at this point, was believed dead by all onlookers. He threw off his Invisibility Cloak and began a fierce argument with the Dark Lord, trying and failing to get him to feel guilt for his crimes. Both Potter and Voldemort claimed at the time that they were the true master of the Elder Wand. Both cast curses Potter, Expelliarmus, Voldemort, Avada Kedavra. However, Potter was the true master of the Wand. Thus, the Dark Lord's curse rebounded upon himself and he fell.

Casualties
"Fred, Tonks, Lupin, Colin Creevey, and fifty others who had died fighting him"

- Description There are many causalities in this epic battle such as the elder twin brother of Ron Weasley, Fred who was killed in an explosion cause by an unknown spell. The first one to die was Vincent Crabbe who tried to use the Fiendfyre spell on Harry Potter which backfired and killed him. Severus Snape was killed by Nagini on Lord Voldemort's orders since he killed Dumbledore and according to Voldemort the Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. Neville Longbottom killed the great Nagini with Godric Gryffindor's sword and later on when the battle really erupts, more are killed on both sides such as Fenrir Greyback who gets killed by Ron and Neville. Professor Flitwick kills Antonin Dolohov. Bellatrix Lestrange dueling with Hermione, Ginny and Luna comes very close to killing Ginny with a killing curse which misses and sends Molly Weasley in a rage killing Bellatrix Lestrange and the final match saw Harry Potter fighting with Lord Voldemort and when Voldermort tried to use the Avada Kedavra spell Harry replied with the Expelliarmus spell which caused a bang which saw Voldemort's spell backfiring and killing him instantly. There were 54 lives lost on the Order of the Phoenix side of the battle that day as stated:

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows