Before unleashing his
army, Voldemort gave the teachers and students at Hogwarts an ultimatum: give
Harry up, and the school would be untouched. Of course, they didn't. The
midnight deadline passed, and the school was attacked by Death Eaters, werewolves, giants and
Acromantulas, with Voldemort commanding from the Shrieking Shack. Harry sought
him there and witnessed Voldemort’s cold-blooded murder of Severus Snape simply
for the reason that he thought it would give him a stronger connection with his
new wand. While Voldemort left to deliver another ultimatum to Hogwarts, Harry
collected Snape’s seeping memories and took them to Dumbledore’s Pensieve to
experience them.

Finally, Harry knew why
Snape hated James, why Voldemort initially tried to spare Lily, and
how well Snape had protected Harry’s life. He also learned that he himself
contained a Horcrux and that his life had to be sacrificed if Voldemort was to
truly die. Harry put on his Cloak of Invisibility, invoked the Resurrection
Stone, and walked with the shades of his dead family and friends to Voldemort,
who quickly killed him.

In reality, Voldemort
only killed the Horcrux inside Harry, and Harry was sent to a place between
life and death. There, he was able to speak with Dumbledore and see what
remained of Voldemort’s soul – a horrible, flayed infant-like creature
whimpering in pain. Harry made the decision to go back into battle to see if he
could weaken Voldemort further, or kill him. He was aided by a surprising
ally: Narcissa Malfoy was told to make sure Harry was indeed dead –
which she confirmed even though she could feel his heart beating – once Harry
whispered to her that Draco was still alive and safe.

Even the display of
Harry’s apparently dead body could not bring the valiant forces inside Hogwarts
to surrender. Molly Weasley defiantly slew Bellatrix, Neville
Longbottom beheaded Nagini, Voldemort’s last Horcrux, and Harry
revealed himself and slew Voldemort. Voldemort died once and for all. He was
the last surviving descendent of Salazar Slytherin.

Students of the subtle
science of wandlore will discuss the final duel between Harry Potter and
Voldemort for years to come. After Dumbledore’s death, the true master of the
Elder Wand was not Snape, but Draco, who disarmed Dumbledore in the tower at
Hogwarts. Then, once Harry disarmed Draco while at the Malfoy mansion, Harry
became the true master and it would not harm him. When Harry used the Expelliarmus during
the duel, it called the Elder Wand to its true master, and bounced Voldemort’s
Avada Kedavra back and killed him.

Nothing remains of Tom
Riddle’s soul. He was finished once and for all thanks to one boy who could
never be killed. We thank the Boy Who Lived.