What happened?
Quick synopsis.
OK, so I made that up. Check on page 604...
Harry is taken away from the Dursleys and sets off on his quest for Voldemort’s Horcruxes after Bill and Fleur’s wedding. By this time, there have already been three deaths, one we care about. The locket horcrux was, as suspected, taken by Regulus Black, but is not destroyed but in the possession of Dolores Umbridge. H, R, & H sneak into the MoM and steal it, freeing a crowd of Muggleborns waiting to be hauled off the Azkaban in the process.
They discover the Horcrus is extremely hard to destroy. Ron eventually quarrels and storms off into the night. Harry and Hermione continue alone. They visit Godric’s Hollow, where Harry was born and where Dumbledore’s family lived. They are discovering disturbing truths about Dumbledore and his family, including that he was once friends with Grindelwald, the second most evil wizard either. They also recieve tantalizing hints about the Deathly Hallows, three magical objects which allow the user to be MAster of Death...
They are led to Godric Gryffindor’s sword by a mysterious doe patronus, and Ron rejoins them. They are captured by Death Eaters and taken to the Malfoy Estate, escape, and rob Gringotts for the cup Horcrux which is stored there. Harry realizes that the final Horcrux is at Hogwarts. They return with help from Dumbledore’s brother, the innkeeper at the Hog’s Head, and Neville leads them into the school. Neville has been leading the resistance movement at Hogwarts.
Harry has the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore’s army, and his old Quidditch team secure the school against Voldemort while he finds the final Horcrux, a diadem which belonged to Ravenclaw. Voldemort arrives. He demands Harry. Dumbledore kills Snape, who he believes has been a faithful servant. Snape’s dying act is to give Harry his memories, which reveal that Snape loved Lily Potter from childhood, that Dumbledore asked him to kill him (Dumbledore was dying already), and that Harry must face Voldemort - and die.
Harry goes to face Voldemort, has a near death experience, revives. Neville kills Nagini the snake. Harry faces Voldemort - and wins.
The epilogue is 19 years later, as he and Ginny, and Ron and Hermione, are seeing their children off to Hogwarts...
Death toll that we care about: Mad-Eye Moody, Dobby, Fred Weasley (sob), Remus Lupin (sob) and Nymphadora Tonks, who are married and leave behind a son, Colin Creevey, Snape. Crabbe or Goyle, I forget. A bunch of random people like Scrimgeour and the Muggle Studies tacher.
TEST your knowledge of HP Books at
http://www.parade.com/features/harry-potter-quiz/01/question.html
If your an avid fan and have read all
7 books, you should get a score of 41-50.
Good Luck!