h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The Harry Potter Entry, A307900, is way out of date. Would someone like to write short summaries of the last three books? They should be about a paragraph each and not contain any spoilers.

Just post them here and I'll put them into the Entry and add your name to the author list.

Give me 10 minutes or so and I'll have something for you...

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

If you thought the previous one was long, JK Rowling extends this fifth Potter book to a whopping 766 pages. After the events of ...Goblet of Fire, it is clear to Harry that Voldemort is growing in power. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Magic refuse to believe him, believing the whole story to be a plot by Dumbledore to seize political power. As a result, the Ministry instigates measures to discredit Harry as an attention-seeking storyteller. To make matters worse, they install the appalling Dolores Umbridge as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, who gradually increases her power over the whole of Hogwarts. While all this is going on, the eponymous Order - a collection of anti-Voldemort wizards gathered together by Dumbledore - are doing their best to fight the rising dark army. With Harry's dreams increasingly being invaded by Voldemort, it seems that he's the only one who can really see what's happening and is determined to do something about it. But at what cost..?

Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince

Dolores Umbridge may have been removed from Hogwarts, but Harry's troubles are far from over. To make up for being rather distant last year, Dumbledore finally takes Harry into his confidence and gradually tells him the story of how Voldemort originally came to power. At the same time, Harry becomes obsessed with an old Potions textbook he finds, which has annotations by someone calling themselves the 'Half-blood Prince'. As the novel nears its climax, Harry and Dumbledore set out on the first part of a critical mission that could see the end of Voldemort once and for all. When they return, however, Hogwarts has become a battlefield. By the time the battle is over, the Prince has revealed himself and there is another tragedy for Harry to face, as a major character leaves the series for good.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

The final book in the series sees Harry trying to complete the mission that he and Dumbledore started in the previous book. Along the way he gets sidetracked by the Deathly Hallows: three magical items with the power to give their owner mastery over death. This last episode sees an explosive return to a location from the very first book, a chance for Harry to visit his parents' graves, and a final epic showdown with Voldemort himself. JK Rowling doesn't hold back this time, and ...Deathly Hallows sees the untimely end of several major and minor characters. Does that include Harry? You'll have to read it to find out...

I think the last section also needs changing. I'd change the header 'The Future' for 'The Films' and replace the last two paragraphs with:

The Harry Potter franchise has been successfully transferred to the big screen and, the time of writing, the film adaptation of the sixth book - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - is in production. The previous five films, starting with 2001's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, have all been major box office successes, and there is no reason to think that the last threeHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is scheduled to be released in two parts, in 2010 and 2011. won't follow in their footsteps.

Thanks, Danny. I changed a word or two of those, but otherwise they're as you wrote them.

I wonder should I ask the Eds to promote this on the front page?

It could perhaps be added to the 'recently updated' list, I suppose..?

Good summaries!