I was recently reviewing what wikipedia had listed for the Deathly Hallows and was impressed enough with their discussion of the book and the series that I thought it would be worthwile to share on the forum. Additionally, to anyone that just finished the book, please read this first before making new threads with questions as loads of the common questions are answered here. If you read through this and would like to further discuss sections from the book, by all means post away. Included in the plot discusssion and analysis is some additional information from JKR's post book release interviews. Enjoy.

Mods: If you feel this is worthwile, please make it a sticky so new posters will see it.


SPOILER ALERT!!! If you have not read HP Book 7, do not read further.





Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series of novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The book was released on July 21, 2007, bringing to a close the series that started with the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 10 years previously in 1997. This last book chronicles the events directly following the previous book in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005), leading to the long-awaited final struggle between Harry Potter and his allies, and the ever-more-powerful and influential Lord Voldemort and his servants, the Death Eaters.

Deathly Hallows is published in the UK by Bloomsbury Publishing, in the USA by Scholastic Press, and in Canada by Raincoast Books. It was released globally in 93 countries. The book broke sales records becoming the fastest-selling book ever, selling more than eleven million copies in the first twenty-four hours following its release. The previous record, nine million in its first day, had been held by Half-Blood Prince.
Before settling on "Deathly Hallows" as the title, Rowling also considered the titles "Harry Potter and the Elder Wand" and "Harry Potter and the Peverell Quest".

Epigraph

All the books in the Harry Potter series have dedications, but Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the only book in the series to also have an epigraph. The epigraph consists of two quotes on the themes of death and friendship. The first quotation is a translation of a passage from The Libation Bearers by the 5th century BC Ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus. The second quotation is from the work More Fruits of Solitude (1682) by William Penn, the Quaker author and founder of Pennsylvania.

Plot

Leaving the Dursleys

The book opens with Lord Voldemort and his followers plotting to ambush Harry Potter, who is about to leave Privet Drive for the last time. Shortly before his protection at the Dursleys' home expires on his 17th birthday, the Order of the Phoenix move Harry and the Dursleys to separate safe locations. Before leaving, Dudley uncharacteristically expresses his gratitude to Harry for saving him from the Dementors. Order members escort Harry, but despite using six Harry-lookalike decoys, the real Harry is identified en route and ambushed by Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Harry and the others narrowly escape to The Burrow, although Hedwig and Mad-Eye Moody are killed, and George Weasley's ear is severed by a glancing spell.

A few days later, the Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour arrives to give Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger bequests from Albus Dumbledore's will: Ron is given Dumbledore's Deluminator, Hermione receives a book of fairy tales, and Harry inherits Godric Gryffindor's sword and the Snitch he caught in his first ever Quidditch match. The sword is withheld, however; Scrimgeour claims it is a historical artefact belonging to the Ministry.

Search for the Horcruxes

During Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding reception, Kingsley Shacklebolt sends a Patronus warning that, "The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming." Death Eaters soon arrive. Harry, Ron, and Hermione escape by Disapparating and eventually take refuge at the deserted Black family home. While there, Harry notices that Sirius Black's late brother (and former Death Eater) Regulus has the same initials as the "R.A.B." who removed the locket Horcrux from the hidden sea cave.[HP6] Hermione recalls once seeing a locket at Grimmauld Place, and Harry sends Kreacher the House Elf to fetch Mundungus Fletcher, who admits he stole the locket and bribed Dolores Umbridge with it. Positive this is the Horcrux, they infiltrate the newly anti-muggle-born Ministry of Magic, which has been taken over by the Death Eaters, using Polyjuice Potion. They escape with the locket but are unable to destroy it.

When their hiding place at Grimmauld Place is discovered, the trio go on the run. After several months, they overhear that Gryffindor's sword has been secured in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault at Gringotts Bank, although the Ministry is unaware it is a replica; the real sword's whereabouts is unknown. Harry knows the sword can destroy Horcruxes and wants to search for it. Emotionally affected by carrying the locket, Ron fears for his family's safety and is frustrated that Harry has no real plan for finding either the sword or the Horcruxes, and he decides to leave. Harry and Hermione go to Godric's Hollow, hoping that Dumbledore hid the sword there. However, they are ambushed by Voldemort and his snake Nagini. During their escape, Hermione accidentally breaks Harry's wand.

One night, a doe-shaped Patronus appears near their camp and leads Harry to Gryffindor's real sword. As Harry tries to retrieve it from an icy pond, the locket Horcrux tightens around his neck, nearly strangling him. Aided by the Deluminator, Ron returns and rescues Harry and destroys the Horcrux with the sword. Ron warns them that Voldemort's name is now magically Tabooed: anyone uttering it breaks any magic protecting their location.

The Deathly Hallows

The trio go to Xenophilius Lovegood, Luna's father, to ask him about a symbol they have encountered several times. He tells them it represents the Deathly Hallows, three legendary objects that conquer death: the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone, and Invisibility Cloak. Harry is convinced that his Invisibility Cloak is one of the Hallows. When the trio become suspicious about Luna's absense, Lovegood admits she was abducted by Death Eaters. Hoping she will be returned if he cooperates, he has alerted the Ministry that the trio are there, but they escape just as Death Eaters arrive.

Snatchers, people searching for muggle-borns to turn in to the ministry for gold, capture the trio at their camp after Harry inadvertently speaks Voldemort's name. They are imprisoned at Malfoy Manor, along with Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas, Ollivander the wandmaker, and Griphook the goblin. Finding the sword among the trio's possessions, Bellatrix Lestrange suspects they have broken into her vault at Gringrotts Bank and tortures Hermione for information. Dobby apparates into the cellar to rescue the prisoners. Peter Pettigrew enters to investigate the noise. As Ron and Harry attack him, Pettrigrew chokes Harry. When Harry demands he repay his life debt, Pettigrew loosens his grip, but is then murdered by his own silver hand in retribution. Harry and Ron rush upstairs to rescue Hermione, and Harry captures Bellatrix and Draco's wands. The group escapes by apparating with Dobby to Shell Cottage, Bill and Fleur Weasley's home, but Dobby has been fatally stabbed by Bellatrix.

While at the cottage, Ollivander confirms the Elder Wand's existence and says that wands can change their allegiance if the previous owners are defeated or disarmed. The trio plot with Griphook to infiltrate Gringotts, convinced another Horcrux is hidden in the Lestrange vault. Disguised with Polyjuice potion and aided by Griphook, the trio gain entry into the vault and retrieve Helga Hufflepuff's cup Horcrux; Griphook takes the sword, and the trio barely escape with the Cup. Voldemort now realises that his Horcruxes are being destroyed, and through his mental link with Harry, he unintentionally reveals that one is hidden at Hogwarts. Harry soon learns that Ravenclaw's Diadem is the Horcrux.

The Battle of Hogwarts

The trio arrive in Hogsmeade. Aberforth Dumbledore, Albus' brother, helps them secretly enter Hogwarts. Harry alerts the staff to Voldemort's impending invasion. The Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, and former Hogwarts students arrive as Voldemort's forces attack; as the fierce battle ensues, casualties mount, including Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, Tonks and Colin Creevey. Harry remembers seeing the Diadem in the Room of Requirement and goes there to search for it. Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione enter the Chamber of Secrets to retrieve basilisk fangs to eliminate Horcruxes with; Hermione destroys Hufflepuff's Cup. In the Room of Requirement, the three are assaulted by Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle. But Crabbe mishandles the powerful Fiendfyre spell, killing himself and inadvertently destroying the Diadem.

Continued in 2nd thread.

Harry glimpses Voldemort's thoughts again. The trio sneak into the Shrieking Shack where they overhear Voldemort telling Snape that he believes Snape became the Elder Wand's master when he killed its former owner, Dumbledore. Convinced that Snape's death will cause the wand's allegiance to pass to him, Voldemort orders Nagini to kill Snape, then leaves. As he is dying, Snape gives Harry his memories; they reveal that Snape was loyal to Dumbledore, motivated by his lifelong love for Harry's mother, Lily. Dumbledore, doomed to die after being cursed by Gaunt's ring Horcrux, had ordered Snape to kill him, if necessary, to spare Draco from fulfilling Voldemort's task. It was Snape who sent the doe Patronus to lead Harry to Gryffindor's sword. The memories also expose that Harry himself is a Horcrux; Voldemort cannot die while Harry lives.

Resigned to his fate, Harry goes alone to the Forbidden Forest where Voldemort awaits. The Snitch opens to reveal the Resurrection Stone. Harry summons the spirits of his parents, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin, who provide comfort and accompany him Voldemort's camp. He then willingly allows Voldemort to strike him with the Avada Kedavra curse. Awakening in an otherworldly place, Harry is uncertain whether he is alive or dead. Albus Dumbledore appears and explains that, just as Voldemort cannot die while his soul fragment remains in Harry, Harry cannot be killed while his blood resides in Voldemort's body; however, Voldemort's soul fragment within Harry has been destroyed by the killing curse. Harry is given the choice to "go on" or return to the living world.

Harry revives, although he pretends to be dead and is carried to Hogwarts as a trophy by Voldemort's army. As the fighting breaks out again, Harry covers himself with the Invisibility Cloak. Neville pulls Gryffindor's sword from the Sorting Hat and beheads Nagini, destroying the final Horcrux. In the continuing battle, Molly Weasley fatally curses Bellatrix Lestrange to protect Ginny. As Harry and the Dark Lord confront one another, Harry knows that Voldemort does not command the Elder Wand. When Draco Malfoy disarmed Dumbledore on the Astronomy Tower, Draco unknowingly won the Elder Wand's allegiance; when Harry later captured Draco's own wand, he became the Elder Wand's new master. Voldemort casts Avada Kedavra as Harry simultaneously conjures Expelliarmus, but protecting its master, the Elder Wand rebounds Voldemort's curse, killing him.

After the battle, Harry visits Dumbledore's portrait. He tells the professor that he will keep the Invisibility Cloak, but to prevent anyone from reuniting the Deathly Hallows, the Resurrection Stone will be left where it was dropped in the Forbidden Forest, and the Elder Wand is to be returned to Dumbledore's tomb. If Harry dies undefeated, the Elder Wand's power will be extinguished with his death. Dumbledore nods his approval. Before placing the Elder Wand into the tomb, Harry uses it to repair his own wand.

Epilogue

Nineteen years later, Harry and Ginny Weasley have three children: James, Albus Severus and Lily. Ron and Hermione have two children named Rose and Hugo. The families meet at King's Cross station, where a nervous Albus is departing for his first year at Hogwarts. James is the eldest and already familiar with school while Lily will start in two years' time. Harry's nineteen-year-old godson, Teddy Lupin, is found kissing Victoire Weasley (Bill and Fleur's daughter) in a train compartment. Teddy is apparently very close to the Potters, with Harry remarking, "He already comes round for dinner about four times a week." Harry spots Draco Malfoy and his unnamed wife with their son Scorpius at the station; Malfoy acknowledges Harry with a curt nod, then turns away. Harry comforts Albus, who is worried he will be sorted into Slytherin, by telling him that his namesake, Severus Snape, was a Slytherin and probably the bravest man he ever met. Neville Longbottom is now the Hogwarts Herbology professor and is close friends with Harry. The book concludes with the words: "His scar had not hurt in nineteen years. All was well."

Rowling's commentary and supplement

In an interview and online chat, Rowling gave additional information on the futures of the main characters that she chose not to include in the epilogue of the book.

• Harry became an Auror and later head of the Aurors' department, under Kingsley's recommendation. He owns Sirius's bike, which Arthur Weasley fixed up for him. He is married to Ginny. Due to the destruction of the piece of Voldemort's soul that resided in him, Harry can no longer speak Parseltongue.

• Ron worked for a time with George at their store, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and eventually became an Auror. He is married to Hermione.

• Hermione began a career at the Ministry of Magic at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and greatly improved life for house-elves and their ilk, but later moved to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; she helped ensure the eradication of oppressive, pro-pureblood laws. She is married to Ron. She also found her parents and undid the memory modification she put upon them.

• Luna Lovegood has become a naturalist of sorts, searching the world for odd and unique creatures. She eventually marries Rolf, the grandson of Newt Scamander.

• Ginny Weasley played for the Holyhead Harpies Quidditch team for a while and then left behind her athletic career for marriage and family with Harry. She eventually becomes the lead Quidditch correspondent for the Daily Prophet.

• George Weasley names his first child Fred.

• Slytherin had become more diluted, and is no longer the pureblood bastion it once was. Nevertheless, its dark reputation lingers.

• Voldemort's jinx on the Defence Against the Dark Arts position was broken with his death. The subject has a permanent new, unnamed teacher, while Harry comes to lecture the class every so often.

• Firenze was welcomed back into the herd, as the rest of the herd was forced to acknowledge that Firenze’s "pro-human leanings were not shameful, but honourable".

• Kingsley Shacklebolt permanently became Minister of Magic, with Percy working under him as a high official.

• Azkaban no longer uses Dementors, as part of the changes introduced by Kingsley.

• Umbridge was arrested, interrogated and imprisoned for crimes against Muggleborns.

• The Quibbler has returned to its usual condition of "advanced lunacy", and is appreciated for its unintentional humour.

Pre-release history

Choice of title

Shortly before the release of the title, J. K. Rowling announced that she had considered three different titles for the book. The final title "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" was released to the public on December 21, 2006 via a special Christmas-themed hangman puzzle on Rowling's website, confirmed shortly afterwards by the book's publishers. The particular date has given rise to some interest, due to two prophecies included in Order of the Phoenix, that state "...at the solstice will come a new... and none will come after..."

When asked "What does 'Deathly Hallows' mean?" J.K. Rowling responded, "Any clarification of the meaning of 'Hallows' would give away too much of the story – well, it would, wouldn't it? Being the title and all. So I'm afraid I'm not answering." She also declined to say what her other shortlisted title had been, at least until after publication. The phrase "Deathly Hallows" was trademarked under the name "Stone Connect (UK) Limited" on December 5, 2006, along with 5 other phrases. It was later denied that any of the others had ever been contenders for the actual title. The word "hallows" had already appeared in phrases registered by representatives of Warner Brothers before publication of Half-Blood Prince. "Hallows of Hogwarts" and "Hogwarts Hallows" were registered as trademarks by Seabottom Productions Ltd in 2003-2004, amongst a number of fake titles. Asked during a live chat as to the other titles she had been considering, Rowling mentioned Harry Potter and the Elder Wand and Harry Potter and the Peverell Quest.

Rowling on finishing the book

Rowling has said that she had written the last chapter of the book "in something like 1990". As of 1999, she revealed that the last word was to be "scar". But she noted that she constantly rewrote; in the event "scar" appeared in the last line of text, but was not the last word. The final version of the book contains "scar" in the second-to-last sentence, the last being "All was well." Rowling finished the book in January 2007, and in a statement on her website, she said, "I've never felt such a mixture of extreme emotions in my life, never dreamed I could feel simultaneously heartbroken and euphoric." She compared her mixed feelings to those expressed by Charles Dickens in the preface of the 1850 edition of David Copperfield, "a two-years' imaginative task." "To which," she added, "I can only sigh, try seventeen years, Charles..." She ended her message, "Deathly Hallows is my favourite, and that is the most wonderful way to finish the series.

Very Very Interesting.. I Cant Wait To Tell My Mates

Thanks

__________________

S L Y T H E R I N

yeh i heard of it, my friend wanted to know what happend [shes not a major hp fan, she just likes the story] and she read this wiki thing. its pretty good, v. awsum

__________________

I didn't realise how much trademarking went on with possible titles.

__________________

I don't think it was the best book out of the lot..
I think Prisoner of Azkaban was..
I think the ending wasnt eexplained enough tbh,
but it was a good reead and I'm just bummed there's no more to come

i like the halfblood-prince most...
yeah, i'm also so sad, that this was the last book...

__________________
After all, to the well- organized mind death is but the next great adventure...
(Albus Dumbledore)

REST IN PEACE, ALBUS DUMBLEDORE...

__________________

George had a kid? Did he adopt him or did he marry with someone?

Did he? I never knew that! Who?

__________________

S L Y T H E R I N