1996-1997 School Year

This article lists the general events of the 1996-1997 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which had been witnessed by the majority of the students and teachers. It leaves out those events which were only known to Harry Potter and the people close to him.

## Events

The following are events which occurred at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, during this school year, that the average Hogwarts student knew about.

### Students Being Withdrawn

Due to the increasingly dangerous events of the Second Wizarding War, many students were being withdrawn from school by their families throughout the year. Eloise Midgen was withdrawn by her father shortly after the year began. Hannah Abbott was told during one Herbology lecture that her mother was found dead, and she was subsequently withdrawn from school for the rest of the year.

### The Cursing of Katie Bell

Whilst on a trip to Hogsmeade, Katie Bell accidentally touched a cursed Opal Necklace and became very ill. She was sent away from school for a while to be cured at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

It was known by a few that Katie was actually put under the Imperius Curse by Madam Rosmerta, innkeeper of the Three Broomsticks, who had also been put under the Imperius Curse. She was ordered to give the then-packaged necklace to Albus Dumbledore, but in an argument with her friend Leanne the package tore open and Katie was cursed.

### The Slug Club

Horace Slughorn created a group of his favourite students to get together during this year. They were informally known as the Slug Club.

#### First Meeting on the Hogwarts Express

On the train from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, some students were invited to join the Slug Club for the first time in Horace Slughorn's compartment. They were all chosen due to impressive family connections, except for Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley, who got in on their own merits. Food and drink was provided for the club on the train, and it was there that Slughorn decided who was good enough to remain in the club. Marcus Belby and Neville Longbottom were decided as not being interesting enough.

#### Regular Meetings

Throughout the term, many club meetings were held. These mainly consisted of the so-called "lucky" students sitting around and eating Slughorn's expensive food and drink. Harry Potter never attended these meetings, due to a combination of detentions, lessons with Albus Dumbledore, and a lack of interest.

#### Christmas Party

In 1996, the Slug Club hosted a Christmas Party. Members were allowed to invite a guest of their choice. Horace Slughorn also invited other well-known members of the wizarding community who were also once members of the club. These included a pair of vampires.

* Note: this was the only Slug Club meeting Harry attended, albeit because Slughorn told Flick and Hermione to check Harry's schedule to assure he could attend.

#### Members

The following is a list of known members of the 1996-1997 Slug Club and the reason for their having gained entry.

* Blaise Zabini - his mother is a beautiful witch who has been married and widowed at least seven times and has thus inherited a great deal of gold from her former husbands
* Cormac McLaggen - Uncle Tiberius is well connected within the Ministry of Magic
* Flora and Hestia Carrow - unknown
* Felicity Black - one of few remaining living relatives of Harry Potter and a member of the House of Black
* Ginny Weasley - talented in casting the Bat-Bogey Hex
* Harry Potter - the "Chosen One"
* Hermione Granger - the top student in her class
* Melinda Bobbin - family owns a large chain of apothecaries

### Quidditch Cup

The Gryffindor Quidditch Team, captained by Harry Potter, won the house Quidditch Cup this year. A lot of this was due to Ron Weasley's extraordinary performance as Keeper - albeit because he thought Harry had slipped some Felix Felicis into his pumpkin juice - and the return of Katie Bell as Chaser. Gryffindor won the last match against Ravenclaw 450-140. Felicity Black was temporary Captain and Ginny Weasley played Seeker in this match because Harry was in detention.

#### Known Game Outcomes

* Gryffindor defeated Slytherin
* Hufflepuff defeated Gryffindor (320:60)
* Gryffindor defeated Ravenclaw (450:140)

#### Final Standings

1. Gryffindor
2. Ravenclaw (-20)
3. Hufflepuff (-400)
4. Slytherin (-410)

### The Death Eaters' Attack

Some Death Eaters, including Alecto and Amycus Carrow and the werewolf known as Fenrir Greyback, stole into the school using a Vanishing Cabinet set up in the Room of Requirement by Draco Malfoy. They promptly set the Dark Mark over the school, and began defending themselves against members of the Order of the Phoenix and of Dumbledore's Army.

#### Dumbledore's Death

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore died upon being struck by Severus Snape's Killing Curse. His body was jetted off into the air and landed on he grass near the castle, where students were able to see it.

#### Snape's Flight

Severus Snape, along with Draco Malfoy and the other Death Eaters fled the school after fighting against members of Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix. They did not gain control over the school, and it was soon revealed that Snape was (seemingly) a Death Eater and that he was the one responsible for the killing of Albus Dumbledore. He performed the Killing Curse that killed him.

#### Battles and Injuries

Due to the Order of the Phoenix's good defence of the school, and the contribution of Dumbledore's Army, not a single Hogwarts student sustained serious injury. Neville Longbottom and Filius Flitwick sustained minor injuries. One Death Eater died, however, and Bill Weasley was bitten by Fenrir Greyback, who was not in werewolf form at the time. So, Bill never became a werewolf. He instead sustained some horrible scars on his face.

### Dumbledore's Funeral

On the last day of the school year, all Hogwarts students attended Albus Dumbledore's burial and funeral. Many other guests were there, mainly witches and wizards from Hogsmeade and the Ministry of Magic. All students were sad on this grave day.