Misteri Keberadaan Alien

Alien adalah istilah untuk menyebut makhluk luar angkasa selain manusia. Makhluk yang satu ini sering kali disebut sebagai makhluk yang memiliki tingkat teknologi yang tinggi. Hal ini karena alien digambarkan memiliki pesawat terbang yang super canggih yaitu Unidentified Flying Object (UFO).

Makhluk ini hingga sekarang masih belum jelas diketahui keberadaannya. Ada yang mengatakan pernah melihat lansung keberadaan makhluk aneh ini. Ada juga yang mengaku telah bersentuhan dengan makhluk tersebut.

Seorang Perempuan di Russia yang bernama Marta Yegorovnam, mengklaim memiliki jasad Alien yang disimpan dilemari es-nya selama dua tahun. Ia mengaku mayat tersebut ditemukannya saat terjadi tabrakan UFO didekat rumahnya pada tahun 2009.

Pada Tahun 1953, Angkatan Udara Amerika Serikat (USAF) melakukan penelitian terhadap sebuah benda terbang asing yang jatuh di gurun pasir Arizona. Saksi mata menyebutkan, mereka melakukan identifikasi terhadap lima jasad alien.

Diceritakan bahwa makhluk tersebut mirip manusia, tetapi berlengan panjang, bermata besar, serta bentuk kepala yang agak memanjang serta mempunyai empat jari berselaput. Kemudian pada tahun 1965, dikabarkan ada pendaratan UFO didaerah Pretoria, Afrika Selatan.

Disebutkan bahwa benda tersebut berukuran sembilan meter. Namun, ketika benda tersebut menyadari keberadaan manusia disekitar lokasi tersebut, pesawat aneh itu lansung terbang dalam hitungan detik dan menhilang.

Dari hasil penelitian, ditemukan lubang berukuran 90 cm yang disebut merupakan bekas roda pendaratan. Juga ditemukan ada area yang terbakar akibat bekas mesin pendorong sekitar 1,8 meter. Selain beberapa penemuan diatas, masih banyak lagi temuan lain yang pernah dikisahkan.

Namun, hingga kini belum ada kepastian yang menunjukkan bahwa makhluk tersebut benar-benar ada dan bisa diajak berkomunikasi. Sehingga makhluk tersebut sampai saat ini masih menjadi misteri bagi kalangan peneliti.

Apakah Alien dengan UFO-nya memang benar-benar ada ? Terlepas dari ada atau tidaknya bukti yang konkrit dari keberadaan makhluk tersebut, pernahkah kita bayangkan, bahwa dari miliaran planet, galaksi dan sebagainya yang diciptakan Tuhan, hanya manusia yang berada didalamnya ? Manusia diciptakan Tuhan sebagai seorang khalifa dimuka Bumi, bukan diseluruh jagat raya.

Ini memungkinkan ada makhluk yang diptakan sebagai pemimpin ditempat lain. Ingat bahwa sesuatu yang mubazir itu tidak bagus di mata Tuhan. Hal ini mencerminkan bahwa tidak mungkin planet atau benda-benda luar angkasa lain diciptakan hanya untuk pajangan atau tidak ada penghuninya.

Alien dan kaitannya Dengan Al-Qur’an Berikut akan coba dikaitkan keberadaan alien dengan kitab suci yang saya anut yaitu Al-Qur’an. An’Nuur Ayat 42 : Dan kepunyaan Allah-lah kerajaan langit dan bumi, dan kepada Allah-lah semua makhluk kembal (An’Nuur : 42).

Dalam ayat tersebut disebutkan bahwa kerajaan langit dan bumi dan semua makhluknya. Ini menjelaskan bahwa Allah SWT tidak hanya menciptakan manusia di kerajaan yang bernama bumi saja, tetapi juga kerajaan langit.

Asy’Syuura Ayat 29 : Di antara (ayat-ayat) tanda-tanda-Nya ialah menciptakan langit dan bumi dan makhluk-makhluk yang melata (dobbah), yang Dia sebarkan pada keduanya. Dan Dia maha Kuasa mengumpulkan semuanya apabila dikehendaki-Nya.

Dalam ayat tersebut dijelaskan bahwa Allah SWT menciptakan langit dan bumi serta makhluk-makhluk yang disebarkan pada keduanya. Hal ini menjelaskan bahwa penyebaran makhluk bukan hanya di bum, tetapi dilangit dan belahan dunia lainnya.

Dari dua ayat yang disebutkan diatas, menunjukkan bahwa Tuhan menciptakan makhluk bukan hanya manusia dan lainnya di Bumi. Dengan begitu, ada kemungkinan alien merupakan salah satu makhluk ciptaan Tuhan yang mendiami kerajaan langit yang berada di salah satu dari miliaran planet yang ada.

Bukti Alien Telah Ada Zaman Dulu

Alien Pada Peradaban Mesir Sebagian orang percaya bahwa Mesir pada zaman dulu pernah berkontak lansung dengan alien. Ini dibuktikan dengan temuan-temuan relief pada dinding piramida. Pada lukisan tersebut digambarkan tentang keberadaan makhluk luar angkasa itu dengan pesawatnya.

Alien Pada Sebuah Uang Logam Dari Prancis

Pada sebuah uang logam yaitu Jeton yang berasal dari prancis tahun 1680, memperlihatkan tentang gambar alien dengan UFO yang terbang di udara.

Alien pada Peradaban India

UFO dipercaya telah ada dalam mitologi India seperti Mahabharata dan Ramayana. Itu dibuktikan dengan relief koni yang pernah ditemukan. Disitu juga disebutkan, pada zaman itu telah dikenal teknologi canggih lannya seperti nuklir.

 

Fakta penemuan	Foto
bukti dengan temuan-temuan relief pada dinding piramida
Alien Pada Sebuah Uang Logam Dari Prancis
Alien pada Peradaban India
Teknologi canggih lannya seperti nuklir.

 

5 Restoran Paling Seram Di Dunia
5 Restoran Paling Seram Di Dunia - Anda keluar untuk menyantap makan malam di sebuah tempat baru yang direkomendasikan teman A5 Restoran Paling Seram Di Dunia
5 Restoran Paling Seram Di Dunia - Anda keluar untuk menyantap makan malam di sebuah tempat baru yang direkomendasikan teman Anda, sewaktu menikmati makanan Anda, suasana sekeliling Anda terasa aneh, ketika tiba-tiba Anda merasa merinding sampai bulu kuduk Anda berdiri. Rambut di belakang tengkuk Anda mulai berdiri. Apakah itu karena daging rusa berkulit abu-abu dengan sedikit ceri kering, atau karena pelayan berwajah pucat dengan tingkah laku menyeramkan? Zinfandel (varian anggur merah) tampaknya sedikit mengerikan, tapi mengapa pelayan anggurnya agak sedikit transparan? Apakah pelayannya memang bertingkah aneh atau apakah tidak ada seorang pun yang berbicara? Dan bukankah beberapa hari lalu tempat ini, yang terletak di jalan keluar di pinggir kota, hanyalah bangunan bekas kebakaran? Kemungkinan Anda tidak hanya melihat hal-hal aneh, namun restoran itu sendiri (musik menyeramkan)... BERHANTU!
Jika Anda makan di salah satu dari beberapa restoran berikut ini, kemungkinan itulah yang akan terjadi. Tapi berhati-hatilah! Ada beberapa hantu yang lebih ramah daripada yang lainnya
1. One if by Land, Two if by Sea, NYC

One if by Land, Two if by Sea, NYC

One if by Land, Two if by Sea di New York adalah salah satu restoran paling romantis di kota itu. Lampu gantung raksasa di ruang makan, tangga kayu yang berderit, lukisan minyak raksasa dan bata yang terbuka merupakan beberapa faktor pemikat hantu.
Menurut Eater, beberapa karyawan pernah menyaksikan mesin yang tiba-tiba menyala dan perangkat makan melayang. Terkadang, para pramusaji bahkan pernah melayani beberapa hantu, yang duduk di atas meja, tak diragukan lagi mereka sudah tidak sabar untuk menyantap ikan cod rebus.
Karena restoran itu terletak di New York, tentu saja beberapa hantunya terkenal: Seorang parapsikolog (ahli kejiwaan yg menitikberatkan pada hal-hal tidak kasatmata) pernah menegaskan bahwa ada 20 hantu berbeda yang mendiami restoran itu, salah satunya Aaron Burr, yang pernah memiliki rumah kayu di tempat tersebut.
2. The Melting Pot, Littleton, Colorado

The Melting Pot, Littleton, Colorado
Di Littleton, Colorado, bekas Carnegie Library disulap menjadi restoran mungil dan cantik bernama The Melting Pot. Setiap meja di bagian atas ditata dalam bentuk kubah bata atau batu, sehingga memungkinkan pengunjung untuk mengobrol dan mencelupkan makanan mereka ke dalam lelehan keju atau cokelat. Namun, bangunan tua itu sempat dijadikan sebagai penjara kota, dan ada beberapa kabar berhembus bahwa setidaknya satu usaha melarikan diri menyebabkan kematian seorang tahanan dan seorang sipir.
Menurut Haunted Colorado, para karyawan sering sekali menyaksikan lilin mati yang tiba-tiba menyala, mesin espresso berat yang bergerak sendiri dan yang paling menyeramkan, suara ratapan dari tangga belakang yang ditutup.
3. Middleton Tavern, Annapolis, Maryland

Middleton Taern, Annapolis, Maryland
Middleton Tavern didirikan pada 1750, dan pernah menjamu banyak Bapak Bangsa: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson dan Ben Franklin menyatakan diri mereka sebagai penggemar masakan di restoran itu, dan baik tokoh-tokoh tersebut maupun penduduk lokal suka makan dan menghabiskan waktu di sana.
Rupanya, masih ada beberapa orang melakukan itu. Menurut situs Ghost Eyes, yang dikelola sekelompok penyelidik paranormal di Central Virginia, ada tentara Perang Revolusi yang membuat para pelayan kembali bekerja dengan menggulingkan meja dan melemparkan beberapa piring jika mereka berdiam diri terlalu lama. Hantu lainnya suka membalikkan lampu dinding, dan satu pelaut tua dari abad ke-18 dikenal suka berdiri di luar gedung restoran itu dan menatap ke arah laut dengan sedih.
4. Steward House, County Cork, Irlandia

Steward House, County Cork, Irlandia
Kemungkinan salah satu gagasan restoran paling nahas yang diluncurkan pada pertengahan 1990-an adalah di Steward's House, tempat pertemuan bagi anggota politikus dari abad ke-19, Hell Fire Club milik William Conolly.
Saat restoran tersebut direnovasi pada akhir 1960-an dan awal 1970-an ditemukanlah sebuah kuburan dengan kerangka yang kecil (kemungkinan seorang anak kecil atau kurcaci, dan seorang korban persembahan) dan para karyawan terus-menerus melaporkan bahwa kucing hitam raksasa dengan mata merah menyala dan sepasang biarawati yang ikut serta dalam “upacara pemujaan setan” berkeliaran di tempat itu. Restoran tersebut ditutup pada 2001.
5. Milanos Bar and Tavern, Melbourne, Australia

Milanos Bar and Tavern, Melbourne, Australia
Salah satu hantu yang paling tidak ramah di restoran pasti ada di Milanos Tavern. Restoran yang terletak di tepi laut itu rasanya bukan tempat yang cocok untuk para hantu, apalagi dengan interior yang sejuk dan modis, serta desain modern. Tapi menurut Shadowlands dan The Paranormal Guide, bangunan berusia 170 tahun itu memiliki banyak sejarah kelam. Pemilik asli gedung itu katanya pernah memerkosa dan membunuh seorang gadis muda.
Seseorang bernama Mr. Charles Edward Broome pernah melakukan aksi bunuh diri ketika tempat tersebut masih berupa hotel. Dan kabarnya ada sebuah perkelahian yang menyebabkan kematian salah seorang yang terlibat.
Sekarang, di tempat itu terdapat sesosok hantu bernama Tilly. Hantu perempuan itu sering menyerang karyawan laki-laki, benda di restoran tersebut juga sering sekali hancur secara misterius, kadang-kadang terlihat bayangan aneh dan terdengar suara ratapan tangis padahal tak ada seorang pun di sana. Jika Anda pergi ke sana, jangan sampai luput memperhatikan pisau yang beterbangan, dan lebih baik bawa seorang teman Anda untuk memperingatkan kalau-kalau ada potensi bahaya.

Nama Restaurant	Negara Restaurant	Foto
One if by Land, Two if by Sea	NYC
The Melting Pot	Colorado
Middleton Taern	Annapolis, Maryland
Steward House	County Cork, Irlandia
Milanos Bar and Tavern	Melbourne Australia

Hai guys buat kalian yang pencinta kuliner disini gue bakal ngerecommanded tempat makan-makanan yang sesuai dengan kantong kalian dengan view yang gak kalah menarik, dan kalian disini bakal ke bantu banget deh buat nyari tempat-tempat makan yang seru-seru banget....

1) SUNTIANG

Yang pertama Ahaaa, unik banget kan, pasti kalian penasaran! Nah, resto dengan konsep unik yang baru buka November lalu ini punya menu seru, diantaranya, mulai dari menu Sushi-nya yaitu Rendang Roll (Rp 33.000) dan Ayam Pop Roll (Rp 33.000). Lalu ada Gyoza Duo Raso (Rp 39.000) yang diisi dengan rendang dan ayam, kemudian disajikan dengan tiga jenis sauce, yaitu Rendang Mayo, Gulai Mayo, dan Balado Mayo. Yum! Edamame Balado (Rp 21.000) yang di atasnya dibaluri sambel balado juga nggak boleh dilewatin. Kemudian untuk hidangan berat,gue saranin pesen Gulai Ramen (58.000) berupa Japanese Ramen yang dikasih sentuhan gulai khas Sumatera, plus tersaji dengan Chicken Karage and Egg. Lalu ada Nasi Goreng Rendang (Rp 47.000) dan Lidah Sapi Suntiang (Rp 74.000) yang disajikan dengan Cabe Ijo dan Asem Pade. 

Untuk penyegar tenggorokan, coba pilih Green Suntiang (Rp 33.000) danStrawberry Mint Tea (Rp 27.000) yang seger, terus lanjut ke dessert Laman Katan Sarikayo (Rp 32.000). Aaah, dessertnya bikin nagih! 
Kalo mau hemat makan siang, juga bisa loh. Ada Lunch Promo (Rp 49.000) yang dimulai dari jam 11.00-14.00, yaitu Rice Set with the choice of Chicken, Beef Curry, or Beef Rinds with Ice Tea. ayoo guys buat kalian yang pencinta makan segera kunjungin suntiang yang di PIM maupun GI yaaa :) 

universitas terbagus

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows plays thoughtfully upon the standard Harry Potter formula that we've all gotten used to over the course of the last six books – we begin with a menacing taste of what's to come (this time with a glimpse of what Voldemort and his Death Eaters are up to), find ourselves at Privet Drive at the end of the summer, and then make our way to Hogwarts. However, this version of the trajectory is thwarted at every point, as Rowling throws in curveball after curveball, shaking up all of our expectations.

The central struggle of this book is established right away: Voldemort is gathering his forces to eliminate Harry once and for all (yikes). The Death Eaters are in the midst of infiltrating the Ministry of Magic, and it seems like they'll succeed soon (yikes). Meanwhile, their enemies, the Order of the Phoenix, are making plans to move Harry from Privet Drive, which will cease to be a safe place for him as soon as he turns seventeen. Snape betrays the Order's plans to Voldemort (dangit). Harry himself is making plans for his mission to destroy Voldemort, left to him by Dumbledore; speaking of whom, the former Headmaster's reputation has fallen into question, due to a new exposé biography by notorious journalist Rita Skeeter. Yes, this is going to be a turbulent one.

The night of the big move, Death Eaters ambush the Order. So, right from the get-go, casualties include Harry's owl Hedwig and George Weasley (who's alive, but seriously injured). Worst of all, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody is killed. Harry is now seriously full of rage – he can't wait to get going on his quest for Voldemort's Horcruxes, but must hold off until his birthday, and then wait for Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding to take place.

On Harry's birthday, Harry, Ron, and Hermione find that they've been left certain mysterious objects in Dumbledore's will – Ron receives the Deluminator (which eliminates light – we're guessing it gets more interesting than this as the book progresses), Hermione a copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, and Harry receives the first Golden Snitch he ever caught and the sword of Godric Gryffindor (which the Ministry refuses to surrender to him). Dumbledore's motives seem more mysterious than ever.

Bill and Fleur's wedding falls right on the heels of Harry's birthday and the event, a disguised Harry encounters two intriguing things: first, a strange symbol that Viktor Krum says is the symbol of the evil, Hitler-esque wizard Grindelwald (defeated many years ago by Dumbledore); and second, Elphias Doge, an old friend of Dumbledore's, whose defense of the dead man only eggs Harry on more to find out the truth about his old mentor.

The wedding gets derailed by the arrival of Death Eaters – the Ministry has officially fallen. Harry, Ron, and Hermione make a quick escape, but are immediately found by Death Eaters. They escape once more, and flee to the former Order of the Phoenix headquarters at Sirius's house, 12 Grimmauld Place. There, they discover the secret of who R.A.B. is (the mystery man who stole the locket Horcrux before Harry and Dumbledore in Book 6) – it was Sirius's brother Regulus Arcturus Black, who was a Death Eater, but turned against Voldemort. They learn all about Regulus from Kreacher, the Black family house-elf; Harry makes friends with Kreacher through this ordeal.

They discover that the real Horcrux locket is in the possession of Dolores Umbridge, now a high-up Ministry official – and to get it, they have to secretly infiltrate the Ministry. Things go fairly smoothly until they're discovered by a Death Eater called Yaxley, who manages to follow them to Grimmauld Place after they get the locket; their safe haven is no longer safe. After this point, our trio of heroes is on the run for real. They travel around, living in a tent and subsisting on horribly cooked, scavenged mushrooms, which doesn't do any favors for anyone's mood. Furthermore, since they don't have Gryffindor's sword, which is capable of destroying Horcruxes, they've got nothing to break the locket with – and it seems to spread Voldemort's pernicious influence to whoever's wearing it. (Not what they need right about now.)

The tensions rise so high that Ron storms off in a huff, leaving Harry and Hermione on their own. To make things even more depressing, it's Christmas; they're lonely, cold, and disgruntled. They decide to go to Godric's Hollow, which was the home of both the Potters and the Dumbledores, to see Bathilda Bagshot, an old friend of Dumbledore's. While there, they visit Harry's parents' grave, as well as the ruins of the Potters' old house – the house Lily and James died in.

Bathilda Bagshot seems to be a creepy old lady, but turns out to be a creepy giant snake – turns out that "she" was a trap crafted by Voldemort to lure Harry in. The poor woman died, and was used as a kind of human puppet for Nagini, Voldemort's terrible serpent. Harry and Hermione narrowly escape as Voldemort approaches, but Harry's beloved holly and phoenix feather wand is broken in their flight. Nothing can fix it, and he's in despair – what if he's not strong enough to face Voldemort without it? Furthermore, Harry and Hermione have been reading Skeeter's biography of Dumbledore, and have learned that he and the evil Grindelwald guy were friends in their youth – what does this say about their former idol?

Through mysterious means, Harry discovers the sword of Gryffindor waiting for him in an icy pond – but as he leaps in to fetch it, the Horcrux locket tries to strangle him. Luckily, Ron comes back just in time to save him, and they destroy the Horcrux with the sword. Now that the boys are reunited, the next thing to do is visit Luna Lovegood's father – it seems like an odd choice, but Hermione's noticed that the same weird symbol Mr. Lovegood was wearing at Bill and Fleur's wedding was written in a lot of Dumbledore's things. Turns out that the symbol, according to Mr. Lovegood, is the mark of the Deathly Hallows, a kind of wizarding Holy Grail. The Hallows are three objects – the Cloak of Invisibility, the Resurrection Stone (which brings the dead back), and the Elder Wand (a kind of all-powerful, undefeated wand). But Mr. Lovegood betrays them, and another very narrow escape follows.

Back at camp, Harry is all worked up – based on his glimpses into Voldemort's mind, he's sure that the Dark Lord is looking for the Elder Wand. In his excitement, he accidentally says Voldemort's name (there's been a taboo set on it by the Death Eaters, so anyone who says "Voldemort" can be tracked), and they're beset by captors. The Death Eaters take the trio to Malfoy Manor, where they're thrown in with a bunch of other captives – Luna, their old friend Dean Thomas, Mr. Ollivander the wandmaker, and a Gringotts goblin, Griphook. At the Manor, evil standby Bellatrix Lestrange is in charge – she's alarmed that they have Gryffindor's sword, which she thought was hidden in her Gringotts vault. However, Hermione and Griphook tell her it's a fake so, satisfied, she calls Voldemort. As he's on his way, though, Harry desperately calls for help through a shard of magic mirror, and lo and behold, Dobby the house-elf shows up. He helps them escape to Bill and Fleur's home, Shell Cottage, but gets killed in the process. Sigh.

Dobby's death reaffirms Harry's burning need to conquer Voldemort. He's sure that Bellatrix is hiding a Horcrux in her Gringotts vault, so he makes a deal with Griphook to get into the notoriously impenetrable bank – he'll give the goblin the (goblin-made) sword of Gryffindor if he helps them. The bank break is successful (if you count a narrow escape on dragonback successful), and they have another Horcrux, Hufflepuff's cup. However, Griphook made off with the sword right away, so there's nothing to destroy the Horcrux with. Meanwhile, Harry figures out that the last Horcrux they need to find (other than Nagini, Voldemort's constant companion) is hidden somewhere at Hogwarts. It's time to return to school.

They Apparate to Hogsmeade, and are saved from roving Death Eaters by Aberforth Dumbledore, Albus's brother – he's gruff and unwilling to admit that the Order has a chance this time around (he was an Order member last time), but he still helps them get into Hogwarts. There, they discover that Neville Longbottom has organized an army of rebels based on their old Defense group, and the squad is hiding out in the Room of Requirement, where the Death Eaters running Hogwarts, Alecto and Amycus Carrow, can't find them.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione initially won't let Neville's group help them, but they find that Dumbledore's Army is raring to go – they all assumed that when Harry showed up, they would stage a rebellion. Ron convinces Harry to let everyone help. More supporters show up; Neville's already spread the word that Harry's at Hogwarts, and old members of the DA, as well as members of the Order of the Phoenix, come to support him.

With the help of the Ravenclaw students, Harry figures out that the last Horcrux must be Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem – Luna, who's arrived with Dean from Shell Cottage, takes him to Ravenclaw Tower to get a look at the statue of the founder. While they're up there, they're discovered by evil Alecto Carrow; Luna stuns her, but it's too late, and her equally evil brother, Amycus, is already outside trying to get in. Professor McGonagall, irritated, lets him in to the tower, where Luna and Harry are hidden under the Cloak, and she and the conscious Carrow get into a fight. When Amycus spits on Professor McGonagall, Harry can't take it anymore; he throws off the Cloak and uses the Crucio Curse for the first time ever, rendering the Death Eater unconscious. Whoa, Harry!

Professor McGonagall is shocked by Harry's appearance, but quickly recovers her senses and agrees to rally the teachers of Hogwarts to buy Harry some time to find the Horcrux before Voldemort arrives. In the hallway, they run into Snape; he and McGonagall get into a showdown, but he's soon outnumbered when professors Flitwick, Sprout, and Slughorn show up in support. They immediately spring into action and start evacuating students and preparing the school for battle. The whole school gathers in the Great Hall, and younger students are evacuated through the passage into the Hog's Head, while students of age are allowed to stay and fight if they choose. Meanwhile, Voldemort announces that he's just there for Harry – he will only fight if they won't surrender him. Needless to say, they won't.

Harry dashes off to find the Horcrux, and runs into the missing Ron and Hermione, who have done something quite clever – using basilisk fangs from the Chamber of Secrets, they've destroyed Hufflepuff's cup. Nice! Next up is Ravenclaw's diadem, which, Harry remembers, he's seen before in the Room of Requirement, in one of its configurations where hidden things are stored. They make it in there, but as Harry's right about to get the diadem, Draco Malfoy and his two thugs, Crabbe and Goyle, ambush them – classic. Malfoy isn't exactly in charge of his gang anymore – Crabbe has gotten some ideas from their new Death Eater teachers, and he's eager to use them. He hurls curses everywhere, and unintentionally sets an unstoppable Fiendfyre (a kind of magical flame that destroys everything). He doesn't make it out of the room, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione manage to save Malfoy and Goyle and make it out alive. As one stroke of luck, the diadem is destroyed by the Fiendfyre – another Horcrux down!

The fight is really on at the castle now, and there are invaders trying to get in from all sides. Battles are being fought everywhere, and our first tragic casualty happens: Fred Weasley is killed instantly in an explosion. Before there's time to mourn, Harry figures out that Voldemort is in the Shrieking Shack, and he, Ron, and Hermione fight through the fray to get there.

In the Shrieking Shack, we indeed find Voldemort, who's awaiting Snape; he coldly informs Snape that he needs to do one thing to truly become master of the Elder Wand… kill its last master, who was not Dumbledore, according to him, but Snape himself. He mercilessly sets Nagini upon Snape, and leaves as the man lies dying. Harry goes over to the dying Snape, and Snape gives him a final gift – his memories. Harry's totally confused and dazed. Before he can process anything, though, Voldemort makes another magical loudspeaker announcement, saying that Harry has one hour to meet him in the Forbidden Forest, or everyone dies. No time for mourning, indeed.

Ron and Hermione don't want Harry to go, but he doesn't listen to them. He walks through the castle and sees terrible things on his way – Fred's body, next to those of Lupin and Tonks. He somehow nimbly makes his way up to Dumbledore's office and dumps Snape's memories in the Pensieve.

What he sees there is shocking. Snape, we learn, was close friends with Harry's mother, Lily, when they were kids, even though she was Muggle-born. He was in love with her from the moment he saw her, and even though their paths took them in opposite directions – him to Voldemort, her to the Order – he never stopped loving Lily. When he found out that Voldemort meant to kill her and her family because of Professor Trelawney's prophecy, Snape went to Dumbledore to beg him to save them, to no avail.

Since then, he's been working for Dumbledore all the way – Dumbledore is the one who engineered Snape's "betrayal" of the Order, and made sure that Snape would remain close to Voldemort all along, in order to save Harry for his destiny. The crafty Headmaster even planned his own so-called "murder" by Snape – it turns out that his injury from the ring Horcrux (the Resurrection Stone) was going to kill him eventually anyway. The last thing we learn is that Harry's ultimate destiny is to sacrifice himself in order to kill Voldemort, since a part of Voldemort lives on in him. Snape did all of what Dumbledore asked – all out of love for Lily.

Harry leaves Dumbledore's office, shell-shocked. So this is what he's been saved for all along? He knows that there's no choice – he must go. He heads slowly to the Forbidden Forest, clad in his Invisibility Cloak, observing his friends and loved ones on the way. Before he goes in, he stops and interrupts Neville to tell him that Voldemort's snake has to be killed, no matter what – just in case Ron and Hermione can't get to it themselves.

Walking to the Forest, Harry also figures out that it's time to open the Golden Snitch – this is the "close" Dumbledore wrote about. He holds it to his lips and, as he predicted, the Resurrection Stone falls out. He turns it, and the people he longs for the most are there beside him to go with him on this last walk – his mother, his father, Sirius, and Lupin. They give him love and support as he goes to his death. Deep in the Forest, Harry finds Voldemort and reveals himself – he doesn't even put up a struggle as Voldemort aims the Killing Curse at him.

However, this isn't the end (much to the betterment of our blood pressure): Harry awakens in a strange, bright place, accompanied by a strange, mewling, repellent infant, and none other than Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore explains gleefully to Harry that he hasn't actually died – rather, Voldemort has killed the small part of his own soul that lived on in Harry… that is, unwittingly Voldemort has undone his own Horcrux (which is what Harry was). (Man, that J.K. Rowling can sure write a story.)

Dumbledore also reveals more about himself and his quest for the Hallows; he admits that he was, in his time, too selfish and ambitious for his own good – or for anyone's good, maybe. Harry, however, has proven himself to be a worthy possessor of the Hallows. The time comes for Harry to go back, if he so desires – and, knowing that his job is unfinished, he does. Before he leaves, he asks Dumbledore if this is real, or just in his head… and Dumbledore, with characteristic playfulness, asks why it can't be both.

Harry finds himself facedown in the woods, surrounded by Death Eaters. Voldemort has also apparently passed out from whatever happened between them. Harry plays dead, but then Voldemort, conscious again, sends Narcissa Malfoy over to confirm his death. To our surprise (and wonder), she plays along because Harry oh-so-quietly tells her that Draco is still alive and in the castle.

Voldemort triumphantly parades Harry's body to the castle, where he shows it to all of his opponents, who are heartbroken. However, the Order and the students stand strong – and Neville stands up to Voldemort. Voldemort mockingly announces that there will no longer be Sorting at Hogwarts, and that all students from how on will be Slytherins. He jams the Sorting Hat on Neville's head and lights it ablaze. In this moment, though, chaos breaks out. Neville breaks free of the flaming hat, and draws an unexpected object from the hat: the sword of Gryffindor (dude, how'd that get there? These questions are not for us to ask). Neville does Harry proud and takes the sword to cut off the head of Nagini, the huge creepy snake Horcrux – snakerux? – and her head flies off dramatically. Assuming everyone's plenty distracted, Harry flings the Invisibility Cloak over himself and slinks off as a huge battle breaks out.

It seems like everyone's fighting everyone. All the good guys we know are engaged in dramatic duels with all of the bad guys. Well, all except for the Malfoy parents, who have given up on the whole good vs. evil thing, and are just looking out for family – they're searching frantically for Draco. All of our peeps keep putting down the bad guys and getting away with miraculous near-misses; when one of Bellatrix's curses narrowly misses Ginny, Molly Weasley rushes in with a mother's vengeance (here, we hear the first swear word in Harry Potter history – wow, Mrs. Weasley really means it!). Bellatrix and Molly duel viciously, and in the end, Bellatrix falls under one of Mrs. Weasley's curses. Voldemort, fighting next to Bellatrix, sees this and turns on Mrs. Weasley.

However, before the Dark Lord can do anything, Harry shoots a Shield Charm between them and reveals himself. It's down to him and Voldemort now, just as we always knew it would be. Harry tells Voldemort the truth about Snape and his love for Lily Evans; Voldemort is unfazed and doesn't care, as long as victory is still just a wandstroke away for him. However, there's one thing he wasn't counting on – the fact that Severus Snape wasn't actually the master of the Elder Wand, since he killed Dumbledore with the latter's consent, and therefore didn't defeat him in a duel. Huh. OK – so who is? Well, we have to go back to the events of Book 6, in which Draco Malfoy disarmed Dumbledore, but didn't kill him. Voldemort is still unfazed – he can take care of Draco later, no prob.

But Harry's not done yet. Draco wasn't the last master of the Elder Wand – because someone bested Draco and took his wand, which means that Voldemort better hope that the Elder Wand hasn't felt this change. The new master of the Elder Wand, and the possessor of the Deathly Hallows, and thus the Master of Death is… drumroll please…Harry Potter.

Voldemort and Harry both shoot spells at one another simultaneously, each sending their signature spell – Voldemort's Avada Kedavra and Harry's Expelliarmus(Disarming spell). The beams meet in the middle with golden flames, and the Elder Wand goes spinning through the air. Harry catches it as Voldemort flies back, hit by his own rebounding curse. Slam! He crumples to the ground, finally really absolutely 100% genuinely dead.

And the rest is history. Harry is cheered by everyone, and sneaks away with Ron and Hermione to calm down and talk things through (and maybe go find a therapist, while he's at it). They end up in Dumbledore's office, where the portraits of the Headmasters and Headmistresses applaud him, even pompous Phineas Nigellus. Dumbledore is proudest of all – Harry did just what he'd hoped he would. One last matter of business is the Hallows; Harry decides to let the Resurrection Stone stay where it fell, lost in the forest, and intends to put the Elder Wand back where it belongs, in Dumbledore's tomb. First, though, he uses it to repair his old holly and phoenix wand, which feels just about right when it's fixed. The Invisibility Cloak, he'll keep, since it's his birthright – at least, until he has a son to pass it on to.

Speaking of which, it's Harry's children that carry us into the brief epilogue, which closes this long book, this long saga, and this loooong summary: we find Harry and Ginny nineteen years later, married and sending two sons, James and Albus Severus, off to Hogwarts (their daughter, Lily, is too young to go just yet). It's Al's first year, and he's afraid he'll get Sorted into Slytherin, but Harry reassures him that one of the bravest men he ever knew – Snape – was a Slytherin, and no matter what house he's in, they'll be proud of him. All is well in the wizarding world.