Godric's Hollow is a village in the West Country of England. It is a small community, which centers on a village square with only a church, a post office, a pub, and a few retail shops. The residential streets are lined with quaint cottages. According to A History of Magic, the graveyard was rumoured to be haunted.
History
In 1689, witches and wizards went into hiding on account of the signature of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. The town was renamed Godric's Hollow in presumed honor of the famous Hogwarts founder who once lived there. It was one of many small communities of magical people, and was home to many famous residents.
Residents
Godric's Hollow is one of the places where magical families have come to live alongside Muggles. Over the centuries, it has been home to many wizards and witches of note, including Godric Gryffindor, who was born there.
Another famous resident of Godric's Hollow was Bowman Wright. He forged the first Golden Snitch there in the Middle Ages.
Others who called the village home were the Dumbledore family, the family of Lily and James Potter, and Bathilda Bagshot. Ignotus Peverell, pure-blood ancestor of Harry Potter, was born and subsequently buried at Godric's Hollow.
Events
Lord Voldemort in Godric's Hollow in 1981.
In 1899, a three-way duel broke out between Gellert Grindelwald, Albus Dumbledore, and Aberforth Dumbledore. Ariana Dumbledore, aged about 14 at the time, tried to stop it, and was inadvertently killed.
On October 31, 1981, James and Lily Potter were murdered by Lord Voldemort in their home at Godric's Hollow, at which time Voldemort lost his powers and physical form when he tried to kill the couple's infant son, Harry, due to Lily's sacrifice. James and Lily's bodies were laid to rest in the Godric's Hollow graveyard.
Statue of James, Lily, and Harry Potter
A statue was later erected in the village square in memory of the Potter family. From a distance, it appears as an obelisk carved with names, but transforms into a statue of the Potters when a wizard or witch gets closer to it.
Harry Potter and Hermione Granger visited Godric's Hollow in 1997 to find Bathilda Bagshot, in the hope that she had Godric Gryffindor's Sword, which they needed to destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes. While there, Harry visited both his parents' graves and their former home, which, according to the sign that had been set in the ground outside of the house, had been preserved in "its ruined state as a monument to the Potters and as a reminder of the violence that tore apart their family". This sign had been graffitied over the years with names and messages of support for Harry. The house, like the statue, had been made invisible to Muggles.
Harry and Hermione visit the cemetary in Godric's Hollow.
The former Potter home in 1997.
During the same visit, they were attacked by Nagini, disguised as Bathilda Bagshot. Lord Voldemort had previously killed Bathilda and used Dark Magic to conceal Nagini within her corpse. She could not speak, however, except in Parseltongue, and communicated mainly through gesturing. After Nagini lured Harry away from Hermione, she mentally contacted Voldemort, who he told her to hold him. However, Hermione intervened, blasting the snake away and disapparating with Harry just as Voldemort arrived. In the struggle, Harry's wand was accidentally broken.
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First mentioned)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film) (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
- Quidditch Through the Ages