Attack on London

Attack on London
Part of the Second Wizarding War
Date	24 June, 1996
Location	London, England, Great Britain
Result	Florean Fortescue is murdered. Garrick Ollivander is kidnapped. Death Eaters destroy the Millennium Bridge, kill and cause panic on unsuspecting Muggles.
Combatants
Fenrir Greyback Death Eaters (2)
Florean Fortescue
Casualties
None
Florean Fortescue Unspecified Muggles traversing the Millennium Bridge

The attack on London was a minor conflict that took place on 24 June, 1996, during the Second Wizarding War, in which a small group of Death Eaters led by Fenrir Greyback Apparated into London, stormed into Diagon Alley and destroyed several establishments, and then proceeded to tear the Millennium Bridge down.

The attack

Diagon Alley

Garrick Ollivander is kidnapped

On the day of the attack, the Dark Mark appeared over London and, moments later, the small group of Death Eaters stormed through Charing Cross Road and the Leaky Cauldron, and broke into Diagon Alley. For as of yet unknown reasons, they ransacked Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, killing Florean Fortescue himself. They also assaulted Ollivanders and the wandmaker chose to come with them quietly; no signs of struggle were left to be found. Taking stacks of wands to arm their fast growing legions with them, the Death Eaters proceeded to quickly Disapparate.

Millennium Bridge

The destruction of the Millennium Bridge

They Apparated back into Muggle London, heading to Millennium Bridge. They flew around the bridge in a spiral motion to create a twisting and buckling movement on the bridge walkway. The cables snapping, the bridge undulated and twisted intensely, pulling free of its piers, ultimately splitting in half and crashing violently into the Thames below, killing some Muggles who were crossing the bridge at the time.

Behind the scenes

• While the bridge to be destroyed is the Brockdale Bridge in the book, the Millennium Bridge in the film and games, a picture in the Daily Prophet shows the Dark Mark hovering in the air above the Tower Bridge.
• The prop depicting an issue of The Guardian used in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (visible and readable on Harry Potter Limited Edition - A Guide to the Graphic Arts Department: Posters, Prints, and Publications from the Harry Potter Films) has this event taking place on 24 June, 1996. This particular date was the one-year anniversary of the Rebirth of Tom Riddle.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Harry Potter: The Creature Vault (mentioned only)