Number Second-Wizarding War

> This isn't like last time. The Order is better prepared, we've got a head start, we know what Voldemort's up to —
>
> Remus Lupin regarding the upcoming Second Wizarding War in August 1995 to Molly Weasley, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

The **Second Wizarding War** referred to the conflicts stemming from the Dark wizard Lord Voldemort's second rise to power after his return in 1995. Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters, waged a violent campaign across both the wizarding and Muggle communities.Template:Battle
The Death Eaters strived to topple the Ministry of Magic and subjugate ***Muggle-born***s, with the eventual goal of conquering the entire wizarding world, in addition to the Muggle world. Harry Potter, prophesied as the *"Chosen One"* capable of bringing an end to Voldemort's power, took an active role in this war, alongside his peers in Dumbledore's Army and the members of the Order of the Phoenix.

## History

### Prelude Template:C

#### First Wizarding War

Main article: First Wizarding War

> Imagine that Voldemort's powerful now. You don't know who his supporters are, you don't know who's working for him and who isn't; you know he can control people so that they do terrible things without being able to stop themselves. You're scared for yourself, and your family, and your friends. Every week, news comes of more deaths, more disappearances, more torturing ... the Ministry of Magic's in disarray, they don't know what to do, they're trying to keep everything hidden from the Muggles, but meanwhile, Muggles are dying too. Terror everywhere ... panic ... confusion ... that's how it used to be.
>
> Sirius Black explaining the First Wizarding War to the trio, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

The First Wizarding War was fought for approximately eleven years, from 1970 to 1981. It included Lord Voldemort's rise to power, the induction of the Death Eaters, and the mass chaos that resulted in his reign of terror.
Several great wizards were murdered in this time; brothers Fabian and Gideon Prewett, the McKinnons, the Boneses, and James and Lily Potter. Others, such as Alice and Frank Longbottom, were left permanently injured, both physically and/or mentally, to the extent that they could no longer perform magic.

   On 31 October 1981, Voldemort attacked the home of James and Lily Potter in hopes of preventing the prophecy regarding his downfall from ever coming to fruition. However, his Killing Curse on their son, Harry, backfired due to the sacrifice Harry's mother made for him. Voldemort, having lost his physical body and magical powers, fled to a forest in Albania as a wisp of a shattered soul.
The fragments of his soul stored in his Horcruxes prevented his actual death, which should have occurred when the Killing Curse backfired. Death Eaters were arrested by the Ministry of Magic; others such as Lucius Malfoy, Corban Yaxley, Walden Macnair, Amycus Carrow, Alecto Carrow, Avery, Crabbe, Nott, and Goyle claimed they had been enslaved by the Imperius Curse. The First Wizarding War ended and peace was temporarily restored to the wizarding world.

   There was much speculation afterward concerning Voldemort's survival. Only Albus Dumbledore had any confirmation he was in Albania. However, some, including Rubeus Hagrid, believed he was still alive, as he "wasn't human enough to die". As Dumbledore strongly suspected that the worst was not over, Harry Potter was taken into the care of his Muggle relatives, the Dursleys. Dumbledore placed a protective charm on their home which would break on either:

1. The day Harry came of age, or
2. The day Harry stopped calling 4 Privet Drive home (the day he left and never returned).

#### Attempted theft of the Philosopher's Stone

> KILL HIM! KILL HIM!
>
> Voldemort ordering Quirrell to murder Harry, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Lord Voldemort waited for his followers to find him, but he was instead located by Quirinus Quirrell. Quirrell helped him infiltrate Hogwarts so they could steal the Philosopher's Stone. Voldemort first attempted to steal the stone from Gringotts Wizarding Bank, but the vault was emptied before he had the chance.

 File:B1C17M1 Quirrell and Harry by the Mirror of Erised.png  This attempt resulted in a skirmish, which took place on 4 June 1992. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger battled through a set of obstacles in the underground chambers. Most eleven-year-old children would find it near impossible to pass through these chambers, but they succeeded anyway. In the last chamber, Harry defeated Voldemort and kept the stone safe, with Quirrell dying in the process. This forced Voldemort back into hiding.

#### Second opening of the Chamber of Secrets

> Now, Harry, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against famous Harry Potter, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give him...
>
> Tom Riddle to Harry Potter during the battle in the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

 File:Ginny writing in the diary.jpg  Before his first downfall, Voldemort had split his soul into six fragments which he embedded into Horcruxes. He did this out of his terror and paranoia of death. One such Horcrux was his diary, which Voldemort, through his servant Lucius Malfoy (who was ignorant of the diary's true form, not recognising it as a Horcrux, but thinking it was some obscure Dark object his master had created), tried to use to regain a physical form in 1992.
This time his unsuspecting victim was Ginny Weasley, who unwittingly allowed the diary to siphon life from her to the preserved memory of Tom Marvolo Riddle, Voldemort's former self However, this plot was foiled once again by Harry Potter, Ron, and Hermione, along with Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes.

 File:Diary fang.jpg  Harry slayed Salazar Slytherin's Basilisk with Godric Gryffindor's Sword, which was acquired from the Sorting Hat. After slaying the Basilisk, he unknowingly destroyed the Horcrux with one of the serpent's fangs. The Basilisk venom destroyed the diary completely, putting it beyond the realm of magical repair. Harry was bitten by the Basilisk in the process and was an inch from death. However, Fawkes' tears healed his wound and saved his life. This also led to Dumbledore having some proof of his belief that Voldemort had Horcruxes though not fully certain of how many.

## Behind the scenes

* Although the deaths of Quirinus Quirrell, Bertha Jorkins, Frank Bryce, and Barty Crouch Snr can all be directly attributed to either Lord Voldemort himself or his Death Eaters, they all died before the Second Wizarding War officially began with Voldemort's rebirth.

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Template:OOTP
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Template:GOF
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7. ↑ Template:PS
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Template:HBP
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Template:COS
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11. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `DH1`
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15. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `DH24`
16. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `DH31`
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `DH33`
18. ↑ "A transcript of a web chat with J.K. Rowling" from The Leaky Cauldron
19. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `DH32`
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `DH36`