Minister Rufus Scrimgeour addresses the wizarding media stating that the Ministry of Magic will remain strong as Lord Voldemort gains power throughout the Wizarding and Muggle worlds. Severus Snape arrives at Malfoy Manor to inform Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters of Harry's departure from No. 4 Privet Drive. Voldemort commandeers Lucius Malfoy's wand, as Voldemort's own wand cannot be used to kill Harry. Meanwhile, the Order of the Phoenix arrive at Privet Drive and escort Harry to safety using Polyjuice Potion to create six decoy Harrys. During their flight to the Burrow they are ambushed by Death Eaters, resulting in the deaths of Mad-Eye Moody and Hedwig. Voldemort attempts to kill Harry with Malfoy's wand, but fails. At the Burrow, Harry has a vision of Ollivander being tormented by Voldemort, who claims that the wand-maker had lied to him by informing him of the only way to kill Harry: obtaining another's wand.
Scrimgeour arrives at the Burrow and distributes items from Albus Dumbledore's will to Ron, Hermione and Harry. Ron receives Dumbledore's Deluminator; Hermione, The Tales of Beedle the Bard; and Harry is given the Golden Snitch. It's revealed that Harry was also willed to receive the Sword of Godric Gryffindor, however Scrimgeour states that the sword is an important historical artifact and is not eligible to be given away.
Later, the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour is disrupted by Death Eaters, who have infiltrated the Ministry and are using its authority to persecute Muggle-born witches and wizards. The trio disapparate to London and find sanctuary at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. There they discover that the "R.A.B." from the false Horcrux locket is Regulus Arcturus Black, the younger brother of Sirius Black. From Kreacher, the Black's house-elf, they learn that Mundungus Fletcher stole the real locket. Kreacher and Dobby apprehend Fletcher, who reveals that the locket is in the possession of Dolores Umbridge. Under the disguise of Polyjuice Potion, the trio infiltrate the Ministry and successfully retrieve the locket, escaping into the wilderness.
Unable to destroy the Horcrux, they take turns wearing it in order to dilute its negative psychological effects. Harry sees a vision of Voldemort interrogating Gregorovitch, a renowned wand-maker who claims that a teenage boy had once stolen the legendary Elder Wand from his shop. Voldemort then begins a search for the thief. While Ron wears the locket, he is overcome with the suspicion that Harry and Hermione are forming a romantic relationship. As a result, under the mistaken assumption that Hermione has rejected him, he abandons them in anger. Harry and Hermione then visit Godric's Hollow where they seek Bathilda Bagshot, the historian who may have the Sword of Gryffindor, which they believe will destroy Horcruxes. However, they are instead cornered by Voldemort's snake, Nagini, and barely escape. Harry's wand is broken. Hermione identifies the mysterious thief seen in Harry's vision as Gellert Grindelwald.
When evening falls, Harry sees a doe patronus which leads him to a frozen pond. Gryffindor's sword is beneath the ice. Harry enters the pool through the ice to reach the sword. The locket around his neck attempts to strangle him, but Ron returns to rescue him. Ron eventually overcomes the locket's power, smashing it with the sword.
The trio then visit Xenophilius Lovegood to learn about a symbol seen several times on their journey. They learn that the symbol represents the quest for the Deathly Hallows: the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone and the Cloak of Invisibility. Lovegood betrays them to the Death Eaters in an effort to have his kidnapped daughter returned. Harry envisions Voldemort learning from Grindelwald that the Elder Wand lies with Dumbledore. The trio are captured and taken to Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix Lestrange imprisons Harry and Ron in a cellar in which they discover Luna, Ollivander, and Griphook the goblin. She tortures Hermione for information on how they found the sword, which was supposedly in her vault at Gringotts. After Dobby apparates to save them, a short battle ensues, and Harry duels with Draco and defeats him. Dobby is killed by Bellatrix as the protagonists escape. Voldemort breaks into Dumbledore's tomb and takes the Elder Wand.
