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{{MagicAwakenedSpoiler}}
 
{{Location infobox
  
{{Location infobox
 
|bgcolor1=
  
|bgcolor1=
 
|bgcolor2=
  
|bgcolor2=
 
|imageBG=
  
|imageBG=
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|image=The Potters' House.png
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|image=[[File:Harry potter 23 470x350.jpg|250px]]
  
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|name=Potters' Cottage
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|name=Potter cottage
  +
|location=[[Godric's Hollow]],<ref>{{DH|B|16}} - "Harry did not want to admit that he had not been thinking about the sword at all when he suggested they go to Godric’s Hol-low. For him, the lure of the village lay in his parents’ graves, the house where he had narrowly escaped death, and in the person of Bathilda Bagshot."</ref> [[West Country]],<ref>{{DH|B|16}} - "Most celebrated of these half-magical dwelling places is, perhaps, Godric’s Hollow, the West Country village where the great wizard Godric Gryffindor was born, and where Bowman Wright, Wizarding smith, forged the first Golden Snitch."</ref> [[England]], [[Great Britain]]
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|location=[[Godric's Hollow]], [[West Country]], [[England]]
  
−
|owner=*[[James Potter I|James Potter]]
 +
|owner=[[Potter family]] (formerly)
  +
|residents=*[[Potter family]] (formerly)
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*[[Lily Evans|Lily Potter née Evans]]
  
−
|residents=*[[James Potter I|James Potter]]
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**[[James Potter I]] †
−
*[[Lily Evans|Lily Potter née Evans]]
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**[[Lily J. Potter]] {{comment|née [[Evans family|Evans]]}} †
−
*[[Harry Potter]]
 +
**[[Harry Potter]]
−
*[[Potters' cat|A pet cat]]
 +
**[[Potters' cat|A pet cat]]<ref name="DH10"/> †
−
|affiliation=*[[Potter Family]]
 +
|affiliation=*[[Potter family]]
 
*[[Order of the Phoenix]]
  
*[[Order of the Phoenix]]
 
}}
  
}}
  +
{{Quote|The hedge had grown wild in the sixteen years since [[Rubeus Hagrid|Hagrid]] had taken Harry from the rubble that lay scattered amongst the waist-high grass. Most of the cottage was still standing, though entirely covered in the dark ivy and snow, but the right side of the top floor had been blown apart; that, [[Harry Potter|Harry]] was sure, was where the [[Killing Curse|curse]] had backfired. |Description|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows}}
−
The '''Potters' Cottage''' was the home of [[James Potter I|James]], [[Lily Evans|Lily]], and [[Harry Potter]] from the late [[1970s]] to [[31 October]], [[1981]] when [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]] murdered Harry's parents and destroyed a large portion of the house.
  
  +
The '''Potter cottage''' was the home of the [[Potter family]] until the final months of the [[First Wizarding War]]. It was a deselect little cottage located in the village of [[Godric's Hollow]] in [[West Country]].<ref name="DH16"/> [[Bathilda Bagshot]]'s [[Bathilda Bagshot's home|cottage]] was located nearby.
   
  +
When a [[Sybill Trelawney's first prophecy|prophecy]] concerning [[Harry Potter|Harry]]'s defeat of [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]] was foretold, a [[Fidelius Charm]] was placed on the home by [[Albus Dumbledore]] when the Dark Lord marked the family for [[death]] as a result.<ref name="OOTP37" />
−
==After the Prophecy is made==
  
⚫
After a [[Sybill Trelawney's first prophecy|prophecy]] was made by [[Sybill Trelawney]] concerning the birth of one who would be able to defeat [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]], [[Albus Dumbledore]] had the Potters go into hiding after being warned of Voldemort's intentions by then-Death Eater [[Severus Snape]]. A [[Fidelius Charm]] was placed on the house, with [[Sirius Black]] chosen as [[Secret-Keeper]]. However, a last-minute decision was made to make [[Peter Pettigrew]] Secret-Keeper instead, as it was believed he would be less obvious to the Death Eaters. Unfortunately, neither the Potters nor Sirius knew that Pettigrew had in fact betrayed the [[Order of the Phoenix]] and turned spy for Voldemort.
  
   
  +
On the night of [[31 October]] [[1981]], Voldemort showed up to [[Attack at Godric's Hollow (1981)|murder]] them, but was defeated when his [[Killing Curse]] meant for Harry rebounded on him and a large portion of the cottage was destroyed. The cottage has thenceforth been undisturbed and left in its ruined state.<ref name="DH33"/>
−
==Lord Voldemort==
  
⚫
[[File:Harrypotter.JPG|thumb|right|250px|[[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]] attempting to kill infant [[Harry Potter]]]]
  
−
On [[31 October]], [[1981]], Voldemort travelled to [[Godric's Hollow]] and entered the Potter home, catching its inhabitants off-guard. James was murdered quickly, while Lily fled upstairs with Harry. Cornered in the nursery, Lily refused to step aside for Voldemort, and was killed as well. When the Dark Lord then attempted to murder the one prophesised to defeat him, the [[Sacrificial protection|protection]] laid down by his mother's sacrifice caused the [[Killing Curse]] to rebound, resulting in an explosion that destroyed Voldemort's body.
  
   
  +
==Description==
−
==Rubeus Hagrid and 4 Privet Drive==
  
  +
It was known to be a comfortably sized, two story building with a small gate and hedges surrounding the front yard. Harry's bedroom was located on the top floor, close to the staircase to the living room. Harry's bedroom had a [[Magic Alphabet]] hanging on the wall.
−
Dumbledore had placed a charm on the house that alerted him immediately to James and Lily's deaths<ref>[http://pottercast.the-leaky-cauldron.org/transcript/show/166?ordernum=3 http://pottercast.the-leaky-cauldron.org/transcript/show/166?ordernum=3]</ref>. [[Sirius Black]] and [[Rubeus Hagrid]] discovered Harry still alive inside the ruined house. Hagrid used Sirius' [[Sirius Black's motorcycle|flying motorcycle]] to deliver the infant to Dumbledore at [[4 Privet Drive]], while Black went after Pettigrew.
  
   
  +
Following Voldemort's attack on the cottage, Harry's room was blown apart by Voldemort's backfiring killing curse. The cottage was left in its ruined state as a testament to the violence of the First Wizarding War, and to the lives lost there.<ref name="DH33" />
−
==1997-1998==
  
  +
⚫
[[File:Potter cottage.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Harry Potter|Harry]] and [[Hermione Granger|Hermione]] outside the ruined Potter Cottage in [[1997]].]]
  
  +
==Inhabitants==
⚫
This house was visited again by Harry on Christmas Eve, [[1997]], along with [[Hermione Granger]]. It had been left in its ruined state and made invisible to [[Muggle]]s, as a monument to the Potters and to Voldemort's first downfall. After the [[Second Wizarding War]], it is unknown what happened to it.
  
  +
[[Pure-blood]] [[James Potter I|James]] and his [[Muggle-born]] wife [[Lily J. Potter|Lily]] [[Evans family|Evans]] used the house as a hiding place from Lord Voldemort when he marked them and their infant son [[Harry Potter|Harry]] for death.
  +
  +
The small family also had a [[Potters' cat|cat]] that lived with them at the time. It is unknown what happened to the cat.<ref name="DH10">{{DH|B|10}}</ref> After James and Lily were murdered the cottage remained empty, with no one else living in it.<ref name="DH16" />
  +
  +
==History==
  +
===First Wizarding War===
  +
{{Quote|The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies....|[[Sybill Trelawney's first prophecy]]|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
  +
[[File:Baby harry.jpeg|250px|thumb|left|Infant Harry riding [[Toy broomstick|a toy broomstick]] inside the cottage]]
  +
After a prophecy was made by [[Sybill Trelawney]] concerning the birth of one who would be able to defeat [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]], [[Albus Dumbledore]] had the Potters go into hiding after being warned of Voldemort's intentions by then-[[Death Eaters|Death Eater]] [[Severus Snape]].<ref name="OOTP37">{{OOTP|B|37}}</ref>
  +
  ⚫
A [[Fidelius Charm]] was placed on the house, with [[Sirius Black]] chosen as [[Secret-Keeper]]; this meant that the house and its occupants couldn't be found even if Voldemort "had his nose pressed against their sitting-room window". However, a last-minute decision was made to make [[Peter Pettigrew]] Secret-Keeper instead, as it was believed he would be less obvious to the Death Eaters. Unfortunately, neither the Potters nor Sirius knew that Pettigrew would actually in fact betray the [[Order of the Phoenix]] and turn spy for Voldemort.<ref name="POA19"/>
  +
  +
====Murder of the Potters====
  +
{{Quote|All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on [[Hallowe'en]] ten years ago. You was just a year old. |Overview of Voldemort entering Godric's Hallow|Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone}}
  +
[[File:Potter family murder.gif|250px|thumb|right|Voldemort arriving at Godric's Hollow and murdering Lily and James Potter]]
  +
After learning the whereabouts of the Potter family from Pettigrew, Voldemort immediately travelled to [[Godric's Hollow]] on the night of [[31 October]] [[1981]]. With all of its magical protections broken, Voldemort was able to find it easily and blasted the front door open, catching its inhabitants off-guard. [[James Potter I|James]], whom had left his wand on the sofa was [[Killing Curse|murdered]] quickly, trying to defend his family. After Voldemort murdered James he preceded up the stairs to infant Harry's nursery where [[Lily J. Potter|Lily]] and Harry were trapped inside.<ref name="DH33">{{DH|B|33}}</ref>
  +
  ⚫
[[File:Harry Voldemort 1981.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Voldemort attempting to murder infant Harry Potter]]
  +
Cornered in the nursery, Lily refused to step aside for Voldemort (despite Voldemort giving her the choice to live), and was murdered as well, the green light from this act actually lighting up the entire upper floor. When the Dark Lord then attempted to murder the one prophesied to defeat him, the [[Sacrificial protection|protection]] laid down by his mother's loving sacrifice caused the [[Killing Curse]] to rebound, destroying Voldemort's corporeal body but unfortunately also taking out a significant chunk of the cottage's upper floor.
  +
  +
Harry was left with nothing but a [[lightning-bolt scar]] on his forehead, while Lord Voldemort's powers were temporarily destroyed. Henceforth, Harry was known as "The Boy Who Lived" and was also marked as Lord Voldemort's equal, thus sealing his fate.<ref name="DH33" /> Harry's title as "The Boy Who Lived" would affect his life for many years to come.
  +
  +
====Aftermath====
  +
{{Quote|She may have taken you grudgingly, furiously, unwillingly, bitterly, yet still she took you, and in doing so, she sealed [[Bond of blood charm|the charm]] I placed upon you. Your mother's sacrifice made the bond of blood the strongest shield I could give you.|Dumbledore explaining the Bond of blood charm|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
  +
[[File:Hagrid riding flying motorbike PM.png|250px|thumb|right|Hagrid delivering infant Harry to the Dursleys]]
  +
Dumbledore had placed a charm on the house that alerted him immediately to James and Lily's deaths.<ref>http://pottercast.the-leaky-cauldron.org/transcript/show/166?ordernum=3</ref> [[Sirius Black]] and [[Rubeus Hagrid]] discovered Harry still alive inside the ruined house within his crib. Harry was taken by [[Rubeus Hagrid]] by the request of Dumbledore, to the care of his maternal relatives, the [[Dursley family]].<ref name="POA19">{{POA|B|19}}</ref> He spent the next ten years without any knowledge of his wizarding heritage and was treated very poorly by his aunt, uncle, and cousin''':''' [[Petunia Dursley|Petunia]], [[Vernon Dursley|Vernon]], and [[Dudley Dursley]].
  +
  +
Dumbledore believed Harry would benefit from being with blood relatives in order to preserve the protection his mother gave him with her death. While Hagrid took Harry to the Dursleys, Black went after Pettigrew with the intention of killing him.<ref name="POA19" /> Pettigrew outsmarted Sirius, cut off his own finger, falsely framed Black for murder, and killed twelve Muggles when he blew up a street during his escape.<ref name="POA19" />
  +
  +
===Second Wizarding War===
  +
{{Quote|On this spot, on this night of 31 October 1981, Lily and James Potter lost their lives. Their son, Harry, remains the only wizard ever to have survived the Killing Curse. This house, invisible to Muggles, has been left in its ruined state as a monument to the Potters and as a reminder of the violence that tore apart their family.|Harry Potter reading the sign outside the cottage|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows}}
  ⚫
[[File:00dh1 screencaps 1071.jpg|250px|thumb|left|[[Harry Potter|Harry]] and Hermione outside the ruined Potter cottage in 1997]]
  ⚫
This house was visited again by Harry on Christmas Eve, [[1997]], along with [[Hermione Granger]]. It had been left in its ruined state and made invisible to [[Non-magic people|Muggles]], as a monument to the Potters and to Voldemort's first downfall. By this time, nature had largely reclaimed it with ivy covering most of the surviving portions and the lawn having grown out of control.<ref name="DH16">{{DH|B|16}}</ref>
  +
  +
[[Wizardkind|Wizard]] visitors could observe a memorial sign with a message in golden letters explaining this fact. A number of visitors had written on the sign, either signing their names in [[Everlasting Ink]], carving their initials, or leaving messages, including a number addressed directly to Harry Potter expressing their support for him. Some of these messages included: "''long live Harry Potter''", "''if you read this, Harry, we're all behind you!"'', and "''good luck, Harry, wherever you are''". Hermione initially expressed her discomfort with the graffiti, though Harry found the sixteen years' worth of supportive messages comforting.<ref name="DH16"/>
  +
  +
It is probable that the house remained in its ruined state after the [[Second Wizarding War]]. It is known that [[Harry Potter]] and his wife [[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny Weasley]] did not live in Godric's Hollow after their marriage.<ref name="CC4">{{CC|4}}</ref>
  +
  +
==Media==
  +
<gallery width="200" position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
  +
File:Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone Voldemort|Voldemort's First Defeat
  +
</gallery>
   
 
==Behind the scenes==
  
==Behind the scenes==
−
* The Potter cottage that appears in [[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)|the film version of ''Philosopher's Stone'']] during Hagrid's conversation with Harry in the [[Leaky Cauldron]], and the Potter cottage that appears in [[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1|''Deathly Hallows: Part 1'']] during Harry and Hermione's visit to [[Godric's Hollow]] appear to have different styles and designs. One possible reason for this is that a lot of the first film was shot on location, whereas a lot of the subsequent instalments were created on sound stages. Another reason may be that the cottage shown in the first film was in Harry's imagination when he was listening the story from Hagrid, and the cottage from the last films was the actual one. It is interesting to note, however, that the first cottage bears similarities to Church Cottage, where Rowling grew up.
 +
*The Potter cottage that appears in {{PS|FA}} during Hagrid's conversation with Harry in the [[Leaky Cauldron]], and the Potter cottage that appears in [[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1|''Deathly Hallows: Part 1'']] during Harry and Hermione's visit to [[Godric's Hollow]] appear to have different styles and designs. One possible reason for this is that a lot of the first film was shot on location, whereas a lot of the subsequent instalments were created on sound stages. Another reason may be that the cottage shown in the first film was in Harry's imagination when he was listening to the story from Hagrid, and the cottage from the last films was the actual one. It is interesting to note, however, that the first cottage bears similarities to Church Cottage, where [[J. K. Rowling|Rowling]] grew up.
−
* Since Harry was born in the village of Godric's Hollow, it is very possible that he was born in his parents' home.
 +
*Since Harry was born in the village of Godric's Hollow, it is very possible that he was born in his parents' home.
−
* In the first film version, Voldemort is seen creeping up to the house and nobody is seen through the windows. He opens the door, by possibly using Alohomora. Lily is seen slamming Harry's nursery door, as a cloaked man is seen going down the stairs. The nursery door is blasted open and Voldemort casts the Killing Curse on Lily. As she falls, she screams, and mouths the word: James. Green light is then seen flashing through the cottage windows, and Voldemort points his wand in Harry's face.
 +
*In the first film version, Voldemort is seen creeping up to the house and nobody is seen through the windows. He opens the door, by possibly using Alohomora. Lily is seen slamming Harry's nursery door and mouths the word: James, as a cloaked man is seen going down the stairs. The nursery door is blasted open and Voldemort casts the [[Killing Curse]] on Lily. Green light is then seen flashing through the cottage windows, and Voldemort points his wand in Harry's face.
  +
*In [[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2|''Deathly Hallows: Part 2'']], [[Severus Snape]] was seen entering the household after Voldemort's attack, mourning over Lily's corpse, just before Hagrid arrived to retrieve Harry.
−
* It is unknown how Harry Potter and Hermione Granger found the [[Potters' Cottage]], as Pettigrew was still the Secret Keeper, and he did not tell either of them the house's whereabouts. Likely the charm was removed, because after a spell was placed so muggles couldn't see it, although if the charm was still in place then muggles wouldn't be able to see it anyway.
  
−
* In [[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2|''Deathly Hallows: Part 2'']], [[Severus Snape]] was seen entering the household after Voldemort's attack, mourning over Lily's corpse, just before Hagrid arrived to retrieve Harry.
 +
*In ''[[Harry Potter and the Cursed Child|Cursed Child]]'', Harry was found by Hagrid in his cot which was shown to be lit with pure white light.
   
 
==Appearances==
  
==Appearances==
  +
*{{PS}} {{1st Mention}}
−
*''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]'' {{Mention}}
  
−
*''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)]]'' {{Flashback}}
 +
*{{PS|F}} {{1st}} {{Flashback}}
−
*''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]'' {{Mention}}
 +
*{{POA}} {{Mention}}
  +
*{{DH}}
−
*''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]'' {{1st}}
  
  +
*{{DH|F1}}
−
*''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1]]''
  
  +
*{{DH|G1}}
−
*''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)]]''
  
−
*''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2]]'' {{Flashback}}
 +
*{{DH|F2}} {{Flashback}}
  +
*{{CC}}
  +
*{{CC|P}}
  +
*{{PM}}
  +
*{{WW}}
  +
*{{LEGO|Y1}}
  +
*{{LEGO|Y2}}
  +
*{{MA}} {{Spell card}}
   
 
==Notes and references==
  
==Notes and references==
 
{{Reflist}}
  
{{Reflist}}
  +
[[es:Casa de los Potter]]
−  
 
[[fr:Maison des Potter]]
  
[[fr:Maison des Potter]]
  +
[[pl:Dom Potterów]]
  +
[[Category:Concealment]]
  +
[[Category:Godric's Hollow]]
 
[[Category:Houses]]
  
[[Category:Houses]]
−
[[Category:Potter family possessions]]
 +
[[Category:James Potter I's possessions]]
  +
[[Category:Lily J. Potter's possessions]]

Latest revision as of 10:34, 5 April 2024

Harry Potter Magic Awakend Warning!

At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Harry Potter: Magic Awakened. As such, spoilers will be present within the article.

"The hedge had grown wild in the sixteen years since Hagrid had taken Harry from the rubble that lay scattered amongst the waist-high grass. Most of the cottage was still standing, though entirely covered in the dark ivy and snow, but the right side of the top floor had been blown apart; that, Harry was sure, was where the curse had backfired. "
— Description[src]

The Potter cottage was the home of the Potter family until the final months of the First Wizarding War. It was a deselect little cottage located in the village of Godric's Hollow in West Country.[4] Bathilda Bagshot's cottage was located nearby.

When a prophecy concerning Harry's defeat of Lord Voldemort was foretold, a Fidelius Charm was placed on the home by Albus Dumbledore when the Dark Lord marked the family for death as a result.[5]

On the night of 31 October 1981, Voldemort showed up to murder them, but was defeated when his Killing Curse meant for Harry rebounded on him and a large portion of the cottage was destroyed. The cottage has thenceforth been undisturbed and left in its ruined state.[6]

Description

It was known to be a comfortably sized, two story building with a small gate and hedges surrounding the front yard. Harry's bedroom was located on the top floor, close to the staircase to the living room. Harry's bedroom had a Magic Alphabet hanging on the wall.

Following Voldemort's attack on the cottage, Harry's room was blown apart by Voldemort's backfiring killing curse. The cottage was left in its ruined state as a testament to the violence of the First Wizarding War, and to the lives lost there.[6]

Inhabitants

Pure-blood James and his Muggle-born wife Lily Evans used the house as a hiding place from Lord Voldemort when he marked them and their infant son Harry for death.

The small family also had a cat that lived with them at the time. It is unknown what happened to the cat.[3] After James and Lily were murdered the cottage remained empty, with no one else living in it.[4]

History

First Wizarding War

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...."
— Sybill Trelawney's first prophecy[src]
Baby harry

Infant Harry riding a toy broomstick inside the cottage

After a prophecy was made by Sybill Trelawney concerning the birth of one who would be able to defeat Lord Voldemort, Albus Dumbledore had the Potters go into hiding after being warned of Voldemort's intentions by then-Death Eater Severus Snape.[5]

A Fidelius Charm was placed on the house, with Sirius Black chosen as Secret-Keeper; this meant that the house and its occupants couldn't be found even if Voldemort "had his nose pressed against their sitting-room window". However, a last-minute decision was made to make Peter Pettigrew Secret-Keeper instead, as it was believed he would be less obvious to the Death Eaters. Unfortunately, neither the Potters nor Sirius knew that Pettigrew would actually in fact betray the Order of the Phoenix and turn spy for Voldemort.[7]

Murder of the Potters

"All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Hallowe'en ten years ago. You was just a year old. "
— Overview of Voldemort entering Godric's Hallow[src]
Potter family murder

Voldemort arriving at Godric's Hollow and murdering Lily and James Potter

After learning the whereabouts of the Potter family from Pettigrew, Voldemort immediately travelled to Godric's Hollow on the night of 31 October 1981. With all of its magical protections broken, Voldemort was able to find it easily and blasted the front door open, catching its inhabitants off-guard. James, whom had left his wand on the sofa was murdered quickly, trying to defend his family. After Voldemort murdered James he preceded up the stairs to infant Harry's nursery where Lily and Harry were trapped inside.[6]

Harry Voldemort 1981

Voldemort attempting to murder infant Harry Potter

Cornered in the nursery, Lily refused to step aside for Voldemort (despite Voldemort giving her the choice to live), and was murdered as well, the green light from this act actually lighting up the entire upper floor. When the Dark Lord then attempted to murder the one prophesied to defeat him, the protection laid down by his mother's loving sacrifice caused the Killing Curse to rebound, destroying Voldemort's corporeal body but unfortunately also taking out a significant chunk of the cottage's upper floor.

Harry was left with nothing but a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, while Lord Voldemort's powers were temporarily destroyed. Henceforth, Harry was known as "The Boy Who Lived" and was also marked as Lord Voldemort's equal, thus sealing his fate.[6] Harry's title as "The Boy Who Lived" would affect his life for many years to come.

Aftermath

"She may have taken you grudgingly, furiously, unwillingly, bitterly, yet still she took you, and in doing so, she sealed the charm I placed upon you. Your mother's sacrifice made the bond of blood the strongest shield I could give you."
— Dumbledore explaining the Bond of blood charm[src]
Hagrid riding flying motorbike PM

Hagrid delivering infant Harry to the Dursleys

Dumbledore had placed a charm on the house that alerted him immediately to James and Lily's deaths.[8] Sirius Black and Rubeus Hagrid discovered Harry still alive inside the ruined house within his crib. Harry was taken by Rubeus Hagrid by the request of Dumbledore, to the care of his maternal relatives, the Dursley family.[7] He spent the next ten years without any knowledge of his wizarding heritage and was treated very poorly by his aunt, uncle, and cousin: Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley Dursley.

Dumbledore believed Harry would benefit from being with blood relatives in order to preserve the protection his mother gave him with her death. While Hagrid took Harry to the Dursleys, Black went after Pettigrew with the intention of killing him.[7] Pettigrew outsmarted Sirius, cut off his own finger, falsely framed Black for murder, and killed twelve Muggles when he blew up a street during his escape.[7]

Second Wizarding War

"On this spot, on this night of 31 October 1981, Lily and James Potter lost their lives. Their son, Harry, remains the only wizard ever to have survived the Killing Curse. This house, invisible to Muggles, has been left in its ruined state as a monument to the Potters and as a reminder of the violence that tore apart their family."
— Harry Potter reading the sign outside the cottage[src]
00dh1 screencaps 1071

Harry and Hermione outside the ruined Potter cottage in 1997

This house was visited again by Harry on Christmas Eve, 1997, along with Hermione Granger. It had been left in its ruined state and made invisible to Muggles, as a monument to the Potters and to Voldemort's first downfall. By this time, nature had largely reclaimed it with ivy covering most of the surviving portions and the lawn having grown out of control.[4]

Wizard visitors could observe a memorial sign with a message in golden letters explaining this fact. A number of visitors had written on the sign, either signing their names in Everlasting Ink, carving their initials, or leaving messages, including a number addressed directly to Harry Potter expressing their support for him. Some of these messages included: "long live Harry Potter", "if you read this, Harry, we're all behind you!", and "good luck, Harry, wherever you are". Hermione initially expressed her discomfort with the graffiti, though Harry found the sixteen years' worth of supportive messages comforting.[4]

It is probable that the house remained in its ruined state after the Second Wizarding War. It is known that Harry Potter and his wife Ginny Weasley did not live in Godric's Hollow after their marriage.[9]

Media

Behind the scenes

  • The Potter cottage that appears in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone during Hagrid's conversation with Harry in the Leaky Cauldron, and the Potter cottage that appears in Deathly Hallows: Part 1 during Harry and Hermione's visit to Godric's Hollow appear to have different styles and designs. One possible reason for this is that a lot of the first film was shot on location, whereas a lot of the subsequent instalments were created on sound stages. Another reason may be that the cottage shown in the first film was in Harry's imagination when he was listening to the story from Hagrid, and the cottage from the last films was the actual one. It is interesting to note, however, that the first cottage bears similarities to Church Cottage, where Rowling grew up.
  • Since Harry was born in the village of Godric's Hollow, it is very possible that he was born in his parents' home.
  • In the first film version, Voldemort is seen creeping up to the house and nobody is seen through the windows. He opens the door, by possibly using Alohomora. Lily is seen slamming Harry's nursery door and mouths the word: James, as a cloaked man is seen going down the stairs. The nursery door is blasted open and Voldemort casts the Killing Curse on Lily. Green light is then seen flashing through the cottage windows, and Voldemort points his wand in Harry's face.
  • In Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Severus Snape was seen entering the household after Voldemort's attack, mourning over Lily's corpse, just before Hagrid arrived to retrieve Harry.
  • In Cursed Child, Harry was found by Hagrid in his cot which was shown to be lit with pure white light.

Appearances

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 16 (Godric's Hollow) - "Harry did not want to admit that he had not been thinking about the sword at all when he suggested they go to Godric’s Hol-low. For him, the lure of the village lay in his parents’ graves, the house where he had narrowly escaped death, and in the person of Bathilda Bagshot."
  2. ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 16 (Godric's Hollow) - "Most celebrated of these half-magical dwelling places is, perhaps, Godric’s Hollow, the West Country village where the great wizard Godric Gryffindor was born, and where Bowman Wright, Wizarding smith, forged the first Golden Snitch."
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 10 (Kreacher's Tale)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 16 (Godric's Hollow)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 37 (The Lost Prophecy)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 33 (The Prince's Tale)
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 19 (The Servant of Lord Voldemort)
  8. ↑ http://pottercast.the-leaky-cauldron.org/transcript/show/166?ordernum=3
  9. ↑ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, page 4
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