May 2nd is a special day for fans of J.K. Rowling’s saga. International Harry Potter Day marks the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, the event that ended the Second Wizarding War. We take a closer look at one of the most important events in the series.

Why is International Harry Potter Day celebrated on May 2?

Part of the community celebrates the entire saga on July 31, the day Harry Potter was born into the magical universe. However, May 2nd is also a day for fans to celebrate. As we said at the beginning, it was on this day in 1998 that the Battle of Hogwarts took place, where Lord Voldemort and the forces of Dumbledore’s Army clashed in a confrontation that would shape the future of the story forever.

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The Dark Lord decided to attack the place after discovering the plans of Potter, who had found one of the last Horcruxes. The battle, one of the bloodiest in the history of the universe, was a decisive victory for the forces of good. Voldemort, Bellatrix, Pius Thicknesse, and Scabior, among other antagonists, perished, but not before leaving a trail of casualties in the wake of the Death Eaters’ bloody assault.

The end of the Second Wizarding War freed Potter from the prophecy that marked him as the only one who could defeat the Dark Lord. Having achieved the goal that had haunted him throughout his childhood and teenage years, the protagonist made a drastic decision with the Elder Wand. In the movie, he broke it into pieces and threw it off a cliff, while in the books, he tried to return it “back where it came from.” If you’re a Harry Potter fan, congratulations: today is your day.

2023 has been a big year for fans of Harry Potter and the Wizarding World. In just the first 4 months of the year, we’ve seen the release of Hogwarts Legacy for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series (remember, it’s coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One this week), as well as the announcement of a MAX series that will retell the story of the Boy Who Lived for television.

References | Harry Potter Fandom [1, 2]