At the end of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter not only survived the final confrontation with Lord Voldemort but also successfully defeated him, leading to the end of the Second Wizarding War and a peaceful future for the wizarding world.
Harry's Sacrifice and Unforeseen Survival
The climax of the series saw Harry willingly face Lord Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest during the Battle of Hogwarts. Harry knew that he carried a piece of Voldemort's soul within him, making him an accidental Horcrux. To ensure Voldemort's ultimate defeat, Harry understood he had to allow this piece of soul to be destroyed.
When Voldemort cast the Killing Curse (Avada Kedavra) at Harry, an extraordinary magical event occurred, allowing Harry to survive. This survival was due to a crucial, often misunderstood, magical protection:
- Lily Potter's Protection: Harry was initially protected by his mother, Lily Potter's, sacrificial love when Voldemort first tried to kill him as a baby. This magic continued to run in Harry's veins.
- Voldemort's Unwitting Link: During Voldemort's resurrection in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, he used Harry's blood to regain his full form. By doing so, Voldemort unwittingly incorporated Lily's protective enchantment into his own being. This meant that as long as Voldemort lived, a part of Lily's magic, tied to Harry, resided within him. This unique connection made it impossible for Voldemort to truly kill Harry. The Killing Curse, therefore, only destroyed the Horcrux part of Harry's soul, leaving Harry himself alive.
Following this, Harry found himself in a limbo-like state resembling King's Cross Station, where he encountered Albus Dumbledore and had the choice to return to the living world.
The Final Confrontation and Victory
Harry returned to the Battle of Hogwarts, feigning death before revealing himself. The ultimate duel between Harry and Voldemort took place in the Great Hall. The key to Harry's final victory lay with the Elder Wand, one of the Deathly Hallows.
- Elder Wand's Allegiance: The Elder Wand's true allegiance had passed to Harry when he disarmed Draco Malfoy, who had previously disarmed its previous owner, Albus Dumbledore. Though Snape killed Dumbledore, Snape never truly conquered Dumbledore and the Elder Wand's allegiance never passed to Snape.
- The Rebounding Curse: When Voldemort cast the Killing Curse at Harry using the Elder Wand, the wand refused to harm its true master. Instead, the curse rebounded, striking and killing Voldemort, who had exhausted all his Horcruxes and had no magical anchors left to life.
Harry's Life After the War
After Voldemort's defeat, Harry ensured that the Elder Wand's power was ended by fixing his own wand with it and then returning the Elder Wand to Dumbledore's tomb, intending for its power to die with him.
Harry went on to live a fulfilling life.
| Aspect | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Career | Became an Auror (dark wizard catcher) at the Ministry of Magic. |
| Family | Married Ginny Weasley and had three children: James Sirius, Albus Severus, and Lily Luna. |
| Legacy | Helped establish a new, more just era for the wizarding world. |
Harry, along with his friends Ron and Hermione, played a crucial role in shaping the Ministry of Magic and ensuring that the dark forces like Voldemort would never rise to power again.
