Battle of Hogwarts: Encyclopedia II - Battle of Hogwarts - The Battle

Battle of Hogwarts - The Battle

Voldemort's supporters, including the werewolf Fenrir Greyback, are given the task of casting the Dark Mark over the school to lure Dumbledore to the Astronomy Tower. They are immediately intercepted by Ron, Neville, and Ginny, but Malfoy creates a smoke screen using Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder - a product of Fred and George Weasley's. As members of the Order of the Phoenix - Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin and Bill Weasley - and the teachers are alerted, the Death Eaters make their way to the Tower to cast the Mark. All the participants converge at the base of the tower.

Meanwhile, Harry and a gravely-injured Dumbledore recover a locket which they believe to be a Horcrux. They return to Hogsmeade, only to see the Dark Mark over the school. Madam Rosmerta, acting under the control of the Death Eaters, lends them two brooms, which they use to fly to the top of the tower. Severus Snape receives word of the Death Eater invasion from fellow professor Filius Flitwick, stuns him, and heads into the fray. As he leaves, he orders Hermione and Luna, patrolling nearby, to look after Flitwick - who, Snape claims, has "collapsed" - and stay well away from events upstairs.

When the Headmaster arrives, Malfoy is sent up to kill him as a test of his loyalty to Voldemort. Dumbledore immobilizes Harry under the Invisibility Cloak, but is then disarmed by Malfoy. The young Death Eater holds Dumbledore at his mercy, only to find that for all his defiance, he cannot bring himself to commit the murder. Dumbledore comes within moments of defusing the situation when additional attackers arrive. Snape rushes through the battle downstairs, both sides believing him an ally, and bursts onto the scene while Draco equivocates. Dumbledore and Snape exchange looks, as Dumbledore pleads "Severus, please". (The actual significance of these words - whether pleading with Snape not to kill him, or urging Snape to carry out some hitherto unrevealed plan - is, perhaps consciously, not made fully explicit in the text). Snape slays him with the Avada Kedavra killing curse.

The task complete, Snape signals an immediate retreat. As the Death Eaters scatter and head for the gates where they can Disapparate, those still able to give pursuit do so. Hagrid attacks the fleeing Dark wizards. Harry, freed from Dumbledore's spell, pursues Snape, finally coming to duel with him on the edge of the grounds. Snape orders Malfoy and the Death Eaters away on the grounds that Harry is to be left to the Dark Lord, and then deflects Harry's attacks while criticising his fighting style. Harry infuriates Snape by calling him a coward, and Snape retaliates by stunning Harry. The Hippogriff Buckbeak attacks, injuring Snape before he Disapparates.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "The Battle", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki