Between 1991 and 1998, wizarding Britain underwent an extraordinary series of political and technological changes in response to conflict between Tom Riddle and Albus Dumbledore. Until recently, those changes were understood primarily through the remarkable achievements of Harry James Potter, the so-called ‘Boy Who Lived’. Recent information, made public through Department of Mysteries memory leaks and the release of the Dumbledore ‘Pensieve Papers’, reveal the popular narrative – that, guided by the wisdom of Dumbledore, Potter defeated Riddle in a duel at Hogwarts School on 2 May 1998 – to be carefully orchestrated plot, if not an outright deceit. This archive, compiling evidence from official sources, first-hand testimony, and Potter’s celebrated memoirs, attempts to create a comprehensive history of the covert operations that laid the groundwork for not only the Shacklebolt administration but the 21st-century wizarding and non-magical worlds alike.
how to use this site
This is an interactive archive. Due to the nature of its content, there is no beginning or conclusion, but rather a collection of varied entry points. Files continue to be processed and will be released in a series of seven ‘tranches’; each tranche is sorted into a series of folders arranged chronologically and thematically for readability. We’ve also provided a strictly chronological timeline with links to relevant files for those seeking a historical overview of the events of the so-called ‘Second Wizarding War’. Glossaries, searches, summaries, and other means of sorting will be made available as the archive grows, and as our understanding of the circumstances surrounding the education of H.J. Potter expands.
where to start
For the chronologically minded, we recommend the timeline.
For the narratively minded, we recommend this opening scene from an unmade motion picture.
For the impatient, we recommend this interview with historian Lee Jordan.
For those seeking novelty, read Tranche 2 now.
THE PENSIEVE PAPERS 