Voldemort returns
The former 1st floor Nicholson's Cafe now
renamed Spoon in Edinburgh where J. K. Rowling wrote the first few chapters of Harry Potter
and the Philosopher's Stone
In Harry's fourth year of school (detailed in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire),
Hogwarts hosts the Triwizard Tournament, a contest between Hogwarts and the
schools Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Harry is unwillingly entered into the contest,
becoming Hogwarts' second participant after Cedric Diggory, an unusual occurrence
that causes his friends to distance themselves from him. Harry claims the Triwizard Cup
with Cedric, but he is teleported to a graveyard where Pettigrew kills Cedric, then
resurrects Voldemort using Harry's blood. Voldemort convenes his supporters,
the Death Eaters, and Harry manages to escape after a duel with Voldemort. Upon
returning to Hogwarts, it is revealed that a Death Eater, Barty Crouch, Jr, in disguise as
the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody,
engineered Harry's entry into the tournament, secretly helped him, and had him
teleported to Voldemort.
In the fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the Ministry of
Magic refuses to believe that Voldemort has returned. Dumbledore re-activates
the Order of the Phoenix, a secret society to counter Voldemort; meanwhile, the Ministry
tightens control of Hogwarts by appointing Dolores Umbridge as High Inquisitor of
Hogwarts, and she gradually increases her powers. When Umbridge bans practical
teaching of Defence Against the Dark Arts, Harry, Ron and Hermione form
"Dumbledore's Army", a secret group to continue the teachings. Harry has recurring
dreams of a dark corridor in the Ministry of Magic, eventually dreaming that Sirius is
being tortured there. He races to the Ministry with his friends, but it is a trap, planted in
his head by Voldemort. The group are attacked by Death Eaters and saved by the
Order of the Phoenix, but Sirius is killed in the battle. A duel between Dumbledore and
Voldemort convinces the ministry of Voldemort's return. A prophecy concerning Harry
and Voldemort is revealed: one must die at the hands of the other.
In the sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Snape teaches Defence
Against the Dark Arts while Horace Slughorn becomes the Potions master. Harry finds
an old textbook with annotations by the Half-Blood Prince, due to which he achieves
success in Potions class. Harry also takes private sessions with Dumbledore, viewing
memories about the early life of Voldemort in a device called a Pensieve. Harry learns
from a drunken Slughorn that he used to teach Tom Riddle, and that Voldemort divided
his soul into pieces, creating a series of Horcruxes. Harry and Dumbledore travel to a
distant lake to destroy a Horcrux; they succeed, but Dumbledore weakens. On their
return, they find Draco Malfoy and Death Eaters attacking the school. The book ends
with the killing of Dumbledore by Professor Snape, the titular Half-Blood Prince.
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final novel in the series, Lord
Voldemort gains control of the Ministry of Magic. Harry, Ron and Hermione learn about
the Deathly Hallows, legendary items that lead to mastery over death. The group
infiltrates the ministry, where they steal a locket Horcrux, and visit Godric's Hollow,
where they are attacked by Nagini, Voldemort's snake. A silver doe Patronus leads
them to the Sword of Gryffindor, with which they destroy the locket. They steal a
Horcrux from Gringotts and travel to Hogwarts, culminating in a battle with the Death
Eaters. Snape is killed by Voldemort out of paranoia, but he lends Harry his memories
before he dies. Harry learns that Snape was always loyal to Dumbledore, and that Harry
is himself a Horcrux. Harry surrenders to Voldemort and is hit with the killing curse;
however he is not killed as the protection Lily gave him lives on within Voldemort since
he used Harry's blood to resurrect himself . The defenders of Hogwarts continue to fight
on; Harry comes back from limbo, faces Voldemort and kills him.
An epilogue titled "Nineteen Years Later" describes the lives of the surviving characters
and the impact of Voldemort's death. Harry and Ginny are married with three children,
and Ron and Hermione are married with two children.
