49 Fun Facts About Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

On what date was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows published?

21 July 2007 was release day, and Bloomsbury spent £10 million trying to keep the contents secret until then.

How many copies did the book sell in the United States within 24 hours, a Guinness World Record?

The US edition sold 8.3 million copies in its first 24 hours, a Guinness record for the fastest-selling book; another 2.65 million went in the UK the same day.

Which two members of the escort party die when the Order moves Harry from Privet Drive?

Mad-Eye Moody is killed by Voldemort during the Seven Potters flight, and Hedwig dies in her cage from a Killing Curse; George Weasley loses an ear in the same attack.

Which Ministry official is wearing the locket Horcrux when the trio infiltrate the Ministry of Magic?

They steal it but cannot destroy it, and its dark influence soon drives Ron away.

What guides Harry to the frozen pond where the Sword of Gryffindor lies?

A silver doe Patronus, cast by Snape, leads Harry through the Forest of Dean to the frozen pond; the locket Horcrux tightens around his neck when he dives for the sword.

Who destroys the locket Horcrux?

Ron destroys the locket with the Sword of Gryffindor after returning to pull Harry from the frozen pond; Harry opens it in Parseltongue so Ron can stab it.

Which three objects make up the Deathly Hallows?

The Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone and the Cloak of Invisibility are the Hallows of 'The Tale of the Three Brothers'; Xenophilius Lovegood explains them to the trio before Death Eaters arrive.

What are the bounty hunters who capture the trio and take them to Malfoy Manor called?

Snatchers, with Fenrir Greyback among them, seize the trio after Harry breaks the Taboo by saying Voldemort's name, and haul them to Malfoy Manor.

Which Gryffindor is locked in the Malfoy Manor cellar with Harry, Ron, Luna and Mr Ollivander?

Dean Thomas, captured by Snatchers while on the run from the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, shares the cellar with Harry, Ron, Luna and Ollivander and later fights in the Battle of Hogwarts.

Which house-elf dies rescuing the prisoners from Malfoy Manor?

Dobby is killed by Bellatrix's thrown knife as he Disapparates the prisoners to Shell Cottage, and Harry buries him by hand there; the film scene was shot at Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire.

Which goblin, imprisoned with the trio at Malfoy Manor in Deathly Hallows, later helps them break into Gringotts?

Griphook's price for helping with the Gringotts break-in is the Sword of Gryffindor.

Who smuggles the trio into Hogwarts through a secret passage before the final battle?

Aberforth Dumbledore, landlord of the Hog's Head, opens the passage behind Ariana's portrait that leads into the Room of Requirement; he spent years resenting his famous brother Albus.

Which Horcrux do the trio find in the Room of Requirement?

Ravenclaw's diadem, hidden by Voldemort in the Room of Hidden Things, is destroyed moments later when Fiendfyre cast by one of Draco's friends consumes the room.

In the novel, which of Draco's friends dies after casting Fiendfyre in the Room of Requirement?

In the film the death is given to Goyle instead, since Crabbe's actor had left the series.

Wrongly believing him to be the Elder Wand's master, Voldemort has whom killed by Nagini?

Severus Snape is killed by Nagini in the Shrieking Shack because Voldemort thinks Snape became the wand's master by killing Dumbledore; dying, Snape gives Harry memories revealing his love for Lily.

In what does Harry view Snape's memories?

Harry pours Snape's memories into the Pensieve in the headmaster's office; they reveal that Dumbledore arranged his own death and that Harry himself is a Horcrux.

Whom does Harry instruct to kill Nagini as he walks off to surrender himself?

Neville Longbottom is told to kill the snake if Ron and Hermione cannot; he later beheads Nagini with the Sword of Gryffindor, pulled from the Sorting Hat.

Who carries the apparently dead Harry back to Hogwarts on Voldemort's orders?

Hagrid, bound and weeping, is made to carry Harry's body from the Forbidden Forest to the castle; Harry is only feigning death after choosing to return from a dreamlike King's Cross.

Who kills Bellatrix Lestrange during the Battle of Hogwarts?

Molly Weasley kills Bellatrix in a duel after a Killing Curse narrowly misses Ginny; Molly's 'Not my daughter!' cry is one of the book's most quoted lines.

In Deathly Hallows' final duel, why does the Elder Wand refuse to kill Harry?

He is its true master: the wand passed to Draco when he disarmed Dumbledore, then to Harry when he disarmed Draco at Malfoy Manor.

The epilogue is set how many years after the Battle of Hogwarts?

Harry and Ginny have three children: James Sirius, Albus Severus and Lily Luna.

In the Deathly Hallows epilogue, what are the names of Ron and Hermione's daughter and son?

Rose and Hugo are Ron and Hermione's children; their cousin Albus Severus is the anxious one boarding the train.

What are the final three words of the novel?

The novel ends 'All was well.' Rowling said for years the planned last word was 'scar', in a line about only those he loved seeing it, before she added the final sentence.

In which Edinburgh hotel did J. K. Rowling finish writing the book in January 2007?

Rowling finished the book in Room 552 of the Balmoral Hotel on 11 January 2007 and signed a marble bust of Hermes there to mark the occasion.

Rowling said the final book and which earlier one were 'almost two halves of the same novel'?

Rowling called Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows 'almost like two halves of the same novel', since the sixth book sets up the Horcrux hunt that the seventh completes.

How did Rowling reveal the book's title in December 2006?

On 21 December 2006 Rowling unveiled the title through a hangman puzzle on her website, jkrowling.com, reached by opening a Christmas-themed door on the site.

Rowling said the book's final chapter was drafted around what year, among her earliest work?

Rowling said she wrote the final chapter 'in something like 1990', among the earliest material for the series, and kept it locked away until she finished the seventh book.

Where did Rowling hold the all-night launch reading and signing for 1,700 ballot-picked fans?

Rowling read and signed through the night of 20–21 July 2007 at London's Natural History Museum for 1,700 fans chosen by ballot, then toured the US that October, including Carnegie Hall.

Which UK supermarket triggered a price war by announcing it would sell the book for just £5?

Asda announced it would sell the £17.99 book for £5, setting off a price war among supermarkets; booksellers complained it was being treated as a loss leader.

Which US retailer was sued by Scholastic after mailing a copy to a Maryland reader four days early?

Scholastic sued online retailer DeepDiscount.com and its distributor after about 1,200 copies, roughly one ten-thousandth of the US supply, shipped early, one reaching a Maryland reader four days before release.

Who narrates the UK audiobook, which runs about 24 hours?

Stephen Fry narrates the UK Bloomsbury audiobook, about 24 hours long; Jim Dale's US recording won a 2008 Grammy and set a record with 146 distinct character voices.

The 2008 spin-off The Tales of Beedle the Bard contains which story that explains the Hallows?

'The Tale of the Three Brothers', which Hermione reads aloud at the Lovegoods', is one of five stories in Beedle the Bard; Rowling handwrote seven copies and Amazon bought the one sold at Sotheby's.

Which stage play, billed as the eighth story, picks up where the epilogue leaves off?

It premiered at London's Palace Theatre in 2016 and follows Harry's son Albus Severus.

Which was the first foreign-language translation of the book to appear, in September 2007?

The Ukrainian edition from publisher A-Ba-Ba-Ha-La-Ma-Ha, released in late September 2007, was the first translation; French and Swedish editions rendered the title as 'Relics of Death'.

Who directed both Deathly Hallows films?

David Yates directed both parts, having already made Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince, and went on to direct all three Fantastic Beasts films.

Which executive producer first suggested splitting the book into two films?

Heyman initially hated the idea until Wigram asked, 'No, David. How are we going to do it?'

Part 1 ends at which point in the story?

Voldemort takes the Elder Wand from Dumbledore's tomb in Chapter 24 of the book, and that is where Part 1 stops.

Which composer scored both Deathly Hallows films after Nicholas Hooper did not return?

Alexandre Desplat scored both parts after Nicholas Hooper stepped away following Half-Blood Prince; Yates had hoped John Williams would return for the finale, but Williams was unavailable.

Which Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds song do Harry and Hermione dance to in Deathly Hallows – Part 1?

'O Children' scores a dance that was not in the book and became one of the film's most discussed additions.

Which real English house inspired the exterior of Malfoy Manor in the films?

Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire, famous for having 'more glass than wall', was the model; production designer Stuart Craig had its huge windows blacked out digitally to make the manor feel ominous.

Which real-life route across the Thames was used for the Death Eater ambush on the flying motorbike?

The Dartford Crossing, where the A282 crosses the Thames east of London, was used for the chase in which Hagrid's motorbike, with Harry in the sidecar, weaves through traffic and the tunnel.

Costume designer Jany Temime was accused of copying Fleur's wedding dress from which fashion house?

Fleur's gown, with its phoenix motif, was said to resemble an Alexander McQueen design from his autumn 2008 collection; Temime said she wanted 'a witch wedding dress but not a Halloween dress'.

Which of the two Deathly Hallows movies was released in 3D?

Plans to convert Part 1 were scrapped weeks before release when the conversion couldn't be finished in time.

Roughly how much did Part 2 gross worldwide?

$1.3 billion made Part 2 the biggest Potter film and, briefly, the third-highest-grossing film ever.

Where was Part 2's world premiere held on 7 July 2011?

Part 1 had premiered in Leicester Square eight months earlier.

Why was the epilogue re-shot in December 2010?

The ageing make-up looked wrong: leaked images showed Radcliffe and Grint looking far older and Watson barely changed, so the scene was re-shot at Leavesden with subtler make-up.

Which station's facade stands in for King's Cross in the film's epilogue?

St Pancras supplies the opening shot of the epilogue, its facade standing in for the more famous station next door.

Which tagline ran on the US posters for Part 2?

'It All Ends 7.15' carried Part 2's US release date of 15 July 2011; 'Nowhere Is Safe', 'The End Begins' and 'Trust No One. The Hunt Begins' were Part 1 taglines.

What certificate did the BBFC give Part 2 for its cinema release?

The BBFC passed Part 2 as 12A for cinemas, like every Potter film from Goblet of Fire on; its midnight shows in about 3,800 US cinemas took a record $43.5 million.