Harry Potter lives under the stairs in his aunt and uncle's suburban semi. They seem slightly scared of him and keep him apart from their family. Their spoilt son Dudley makes Harry's life unpleasant.
Harry learns he is actually a wizard and must attend Hogwarts, a magical school for witches and wizards.
Harry is befriended by the headmaster, Dumbledore.
His parents were actually killed by Voldemort, an evil wizard. Harry bears a zigzag scar on his forehead where Voldemort's spell hit him. His mother died protecting him.
He meets Hagrid, the school gamekeeper, and fellow Gryffyndor House pupils Ron Weasley, a pure blood wizard, and Hermione Grainger, a witch born to normal parents (a "mudblood").
He makes an enemy in Slytherin House's Draco Malfoy, from a pure blooded wizard supremacist family.
Harry has a talent for magic, although Hermione is often more resourceful.
Severus Snape, one of the schoolmasters is particularly unpleasant to Harry.
Snape and Draco Malfoy's father are members of the Death Eaters, a group of wizards that seem to back Voldemort's plans.
Harry finds out from Hagrid that the school is secretly guarding the Philosopher's Stone, which can confer immortality. Voldemort could steal it to recover the strength he lost when he was defeated by Harry's mother. The weakened Voldemort is living like a parasite on schoolmaster Quirrel. He kills and drinks the blood of a unicorn in the forest to help restore his body fully.
Quirrel tries to steal the Stone from its secret hiding place..
Harry, by his sheer innocence, prevents Voldemort from taking the stone. Quirrel disintegrates, Voldemort's spirit escapes.
Harry knows that Voldemort has sworn to kill him, but he is the only person who has the power to defeat him.
Over the series the events continue with new characters on both Harry and Voldemort's side. Voldemort grows stronger. Voldemort is Tom Riddle, an ex Hogwarts' pupil who has been corrupted by circumstances in his youth. Their two minds are linked!
Voldemort has returned and is gathering strength to form an army to defeat the good wizards and the human race ("muggles"), The official line of the Ministry of Magic, which liaises between wizards and humans, is to deny this.
Harry tries to make the Ministry aware of Voldemort's return. He is branded a liar. An oppressive, militant regime is introduced by the Ministry which makes the pupils of Hogwarts' lives unbearable. Genocide is planned by the evil pure blooded wizards who wish to dispose of muggles and mudbloods.. Harry becomes an outlaw.
The pupils form a secret army to back him.
Is Snape working for Voldemort? He kills Dumbledore!
It is obvious that Voldemort has returned. The Ministry cannot deny it. The forces of Good and Evil prepare to face each other.
Voldemort has placed parts of his soul into objects. Harry, Ron and Hermione must destroy them to make Voldemort vulnerable.
These "Horcruxes" take some finding. A fierce battle ensues with Draco and his cronies, Draco is trapped and threatened with death by magical fire. Harry saves him. Eventually all but one Horcrux, Nagini, a python that accompanies Voldemort, are destroyed.
Snape is fatally injured by Voldemort Harry learns that Snape was a double agent who had protected and prepared Harry due to his undying love for Harry's mother Lily. Dumbledore was already dying, but Draco was being forced into killing him. Killing Dumbledore would have given Voldemort power over Draco.
The final battle ensues at Hogwarts. Harry is called to meet Voldemort in the forest..
Harry knows he will be killed by Voldemort. He strikes Harry with a death spell.
He finds himself with Dumbledore.
Part of Voldemort's soul passed into Harry when his mother died. He was a living Horcrux.
Harry comes to in the arms of Hagrid who is being forced to take his body to Hogwarts.
Harry locks wands with Voldemort.
Ron and Hermione are trying to kill Nagini to unlock Voldemort's soul. Just when all seems lost the school wimp, Nigel Longbottom, the leader of the army, kills Nagini with the Sword of Gryffyndor,
Voldemort is now mortal and succumbs to Harry's spells. he crumbles to dust.
The story ends later with the children grown up. Ron, Harry and Hermione are now friendly with Draco and they are at the station sending their children off to Hogwarts. Harry has married Ron's sister and Hermione has married Ronand they are in a new world free of the threat of Voldemort.