Horcruxes. Hallows. Death Eaters. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The Boy Who Lived.
Remember them all? Sure, it's been eight months since "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1" was released. And you've slept since then, right?
Unless re-reading all the "Harry Potter" books has been a priority lately (or you were at one of midnight shows in full costume), some of the names and elements from the series may be as cloudy as a Professor Trelawney crystal ball.
Here's our little review of Part 1 and some of the plot points to help prepare for seeing the fast-paced conclusion to the "Harry Potter" film series, which opens in theaters today.
So to review:
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1"
It's to be a time of celebration at Bill Wesley and Fleur Delacour's wedding. But the party is crashed by Death Eaters as the Ministry of Magic falls and Lord Voldemort becomes more powerful. Harry Potter and friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley are forced into hiding as they try to carry out Dumbledore's last mission for them to find all of the horcruxes and destroy them. The trio break into the Ministry of Magic, return to Godric's Hollow, where Harry's parents lived when he was born, and encounter more than a few run-ins with Death Eaters, including being brought back to the Malfoy Manor. Voldemort is in search of a wand rumored to be the most powerful wand in wizarding history and believes he has found it in Albus Dumbledore's possession.
People:
Harry Potter: "The Boy Who Lived" was orphaned when Lord Voldemort killed his parents and attempted to off baby Harry. The Dark Lord was trying to thwart a prophecy about a boy born at the end of July who would interfere with his power-hungry plan to become immortal. His spell backfired, giving Harry the lightning bolt scar. Harry was raised by his Muggle (non-magical) aunt, uncle and cousin until Hagrid came and got him to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at 11 years old. Since then, Harry has been studying to be a wizard and has been under headmaster Albus Dumbledore's tutelage to bring Voldemort down. His last assignment from Dumbledore was to find horcruxes and destroy them.
Hermione Granger: A Muggle-born witch who is the smartest of their class and one of Harry Potter's best friends. She has helped get them out of many tight spots. She and Ron have become a bit more than friends, although neither is quite ready to admit it. In Part 1 of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," she erases her parents' memory of her to protect them.
Ron Weasley: One in a family full of red-headed children, Ron is a friend to Harry and Hermione. It's at the Weasley home where Harry has spent some of the holidays. Ron got angry and left during Part 1 but found his way back using the deluminator left to him in Dumbledore's will. He destroyed one of the horcruxes after rescuing Harry.
Lord Voldemort: Also known as "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," "You-Know-Who," the "Dark Lord" and "Tom Riddle." Orphaned as a boy, he thrived at Hogwarts. But his hunger for power and immortality caused him to look into deep, dark magic to preserve parts of his soul as horcruxes. His attempt to kill Harry Potter as a baby backfired and Voldemort all but died. He regained a body in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (the fourth book/movie) and has since been regaining power and followers throughout the Magical World. The evil, merciless wizard keeps his pet snake, Nagini, close and tends to kill without reason.
Death Eaters: Voldemort's gang of followers all bear a tattoo-like "Dark Mark" on their arm and touch it with their wands as a means of communication. Known Death Eaters include Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange and Severus Snape, among others.
Albus Dumbledore: Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and one of the most powerful wizards in memory. He has actively fought against Lord Voldemort and taught him at Hogwarts when he was known as Tom Riddle. Not much is known about Dumbledore's family, including his brother, Aberforth. He died at end of the sixth book, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by Severus Snape's killing curse after being disarmed by Draco Malfoy, who was ordered by Voldemort to kill the headmaster.
Order of the Phoenix: The contingent of wizards and witches led by Albus Dumbledore to fight against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. They included the Weasleys, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt.
Severus Snape: The potions master and defense against the dark arts teacher was appointed the headmaster at Hogwarts after Dumbledore's death. He's never liked Harry, in part due to Harry's father. But Snape did like Harry's mother, Lily. Dumbledore trusted him explicitly, but he is a known Death Eater and promised Draco Malfoy's mother he would help him kill Dumbledore.
Plot:
Horcrux: Very dark magic that involves splitting one's soul by killing people and preserving the soul pieces in objects or other living creatures as a means of immortality. A horcrux can only be destroyed by equally powerful magically means, like basilisk venom or cursed fire.
It's believed that Voldemort created seven of these horcruxes and used valuable objects linked to the Hogwarts founders for his horcruxes. Known horcruxes include the diary of Tom Riddle, destroyed in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"; the Gaunt ring, destroyed by Dumbledore in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"; and the Slytherin locket, destroyed by Ron Weasley in Part 1 of "Hallows." Harry, Ron and Hermione are searching for something from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw houses that could be horcruxes.
Deathly Hallows: The story of three brothers' attempts to cheat death. Each of their encounters with death reveals an object: the resurrection stone designed to bring back the dead in a ghostly form, an invisibility cloak and an all-powerful wand, known as the Death Stick or the Elder Wand. The wand's allegiance would change as its new master would win a duel or kill the previous one. It was last known to be in Dumbledore's possession. Voldemort seeks this wand to become more powerful.
An invisibility cloak has been in Harry's possession since "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and belonged to his father.
Patronus: The patronus charm works as a shield against dementors (the black-shrouded soul- and happiness-sucking prison guards introduced in "Harry Potter and the Prisioner of Azkaban"). A patronus generally takes an animal shape and doesn't change unless there has been a significant life event. Members of the Order of the Phoenix used patronuses as communication devices. Harry's patronus is a stag.
Email: rappleye@desnews.com