Attack on Harry Potter in Hogsmeade

Part of Second Wizarding War
Date	1 May 1998
Location	Hogsmeade, Scotland
Cause	Death Eaters found Harry Potter
Combatants
Harry Potter Ron Weasley Hermione Granger Aberforth Dumbledore
Death Eaters (c. 5) Dementors

"The air was rent by a scream that sounded like Voldemort's when he had realised the cup had been stolen: It tore at every nerve in Harry's body, and he knew that their appearance had caused it. Even as he looked at the other two beneath the Cloak, the door of the Three Broomsticks burst open and a dozen cloaked and hooded Death Eaters dashed into the streets, their wands aloft. Harry seized Ron's wrist as he raised his wand; there were too many of them to run."

— Death Eaters trying to apprehend the trio

This attempted attack occurred on 1 May 1998 in Hogsmeade after Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger Apparated into Hogsmeade, unintentionally triggering a Caterwauling Charm. They were narrowly rescued from receiving the Dementor's Kiss by Aberforth Dumbledore.

History

Background information

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger had just successfully broken into Gringotts Wizarding Bank, in order to steal one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes. This Horcrux was inside the vault belonging to the Lestrange family. The trio were assisted by Griphook (a former employee of Gringotts) who agreed to help them in exchange for Godric Gryffindor's Sword, but double-crossed them.

The trio broke into the bank with Hermione disguised as Bellatrix Lestrange, Ron given a fake identity as a disguise, while Harry and Griphook under the Cloak of Invisibility. They found their way into the vault and acquired Helga Hufflepuff's Cup, and in their attempt to escape ended up flying a half-blind dragon out of the bank in what would become a famous escape.

The attack

Arrival in Hogsmeade

Hermione Granger: "But how are we going to get in?"

Harry Potter: "We'll go to Hogsmeade, and try to work something out once we see what the protection around the school's like."

— The trio planning to get into Hogwarts

Death Eaters searching for Harry after the Caterwauling Charm was set off

Deciding to look for the next of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes in the Death Eater-controlled Hogwarts Castle, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley Apparated into Hogsmeade village. Their arrival set off a Caterwauling Charm, alerting the Death Eaters of their arrival. As they were hidden under the invisibility cloak, the Death Eaters decided to send Dementors to find Harry.

The Dementors, sensing fear, rapidly closed in, and Harry (fearing for his soul and the souls of his friends) cast a Patronus Charm to repel them. A door creaked open behind, and Aberforth waved the trio in. Aberforth then convinced the Death Eaters that he set off the alarm by letting his cat out, and it was his goat Patronus, not Harry's stag, that they actually saw.

Aberforth Dumbledore

Death Eater 1: "What about dementors? Let'em have free rein, they'd find him quick enough!"

Death Eater 2: "The Dark Lord wants Potter dead by no hands but his —"

Death Eater 1: "an dementors won't kill him! The Dark Lord wants Potter's life, nor his soul. He'll be easier to kill if he's been Kissed first!"

— Death Eaters deciding how to capture Harry

The trio talking with Aberforth before the Battle of Hogwarts

Harry recognised the man as Aberforth Dumbledore, Albus's younger brother. Aberforth wanted them to escape the village the next morning, believing the Order of the Phoenix finished, Voldemort had already won the war, and those still fighting were only deluding themselves. When Harry refused, saying he must complete Dumbledore's mission, Aberforth berated Harry for following his brother, and asked if he knew the entire truth about him.

Harry, already doubting Dumbledore's intentions, was unable to respond. With little prodding, Aberforth indicated he knew Rita Skeeter's book, and related the true story about their childhood and was shocked when Harry told him afterwards of Albus taking the Drink of Despair, which revealed how much he still suffered great remorse for his past actions.

Despite hearing of Dumbledore's past, Harry intended to complete Dumbledore's mission, with or without Aberforth's help to get inside Hogwarts. While slowly forgiving his late brother after learning of Albus's remorse from Harry, Aberforth bowed to the inevitable and addressed Ariana's portrait, and she disappeared down a long, dark tunnel, soon returning with another figure; Neville Longbottom.

Neville Longbottom arriving in the Hog's Head

Neville led the three back to the Room of Requirement, and alerted the Order of the Phoenix that Harry had arrived at the school. The Hog's Head then became the main transportation hub for the outgoing students and the incoming Order members prior to the Battle of Hogwarts through a secret passageway behind a portrait of Aberforth's sister Ariana. Neville lead them to the Room of Requirement, where D.A. members were hiding from the Carrows.

Aftermath

"Hogwarts is threatened! Man the boundaries, protect us, do your duty to our school!"

— The battle was about to commence

The Battle of Hogwarts was a direct result of the trio's arrival in Hogsmeade and their infiltration of the school. The battle was the final conflict of the Second Wizarding War. It took place in the early hours of 2 May 1998, within the castle and on the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the mountainous region of Scotland.

The Battle of Hogwarts

When the Dark wizard Lord Voldemort learned that his archenemy Harry Potter had secretly ventured into the castle to locate and destroy one of his final Horcruxes, he ordered every single Death Eater and dark creature that had ever pledged loyalty to him to launch a massive attack on the school.

Dumbledore's Army then communicated the need to fight to the Order of the Phoenix and their other allies within the British Ministry of Magic, leading to a large-scale battle. Voldemort led his forces from the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade; while Harry Potter, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Minerva McGonagall led the defenders of Hogwarts. Voldemort also announced that he wanted Harry Potter to surrender himself by midnight.

The battle ended with a decisive victory for the Order and the D.A., with many Death Eaters killed or captured and Voldemort himself dead. It was the most devastating battle of the war, with casualties including: Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Severus Snape, Fred Weasley, Colin Creevey, Lavender Brown, and at least fifty more who fought against Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7