Harry Potter's adventures are built upon a rich tapestry of historical events dating back as far as the first century, during which an ancient Greek wizard known only as Herpo the Foul created the first usable Horcrux. It was this successful venture nearly two millennia ago that enabled the evil wizard Voldemort to create one Horcrux for each piece of his splintered soul. In The Ultimate Wizarding World History of Magic, the editors of MuggleNet document all of the significant historical events the shaped the wizarding world, from Herpo's first breakthrough through the final adventures of Harry Potter and his friends. Readers will learn about the founding of Hogwarts, the beginnings of Quidditch and its rules, the creation of the sword of Gryffindor and much more. It's the only book of its kind to delve so deep into the history and mysteries of the world of witches and wizards. Topics covered include: * The creation of the Chamber of Secrets * The beginnings of the Triwizard Tournament * Incidents related to Muggle 'magic,' such as the Salem witch trials, and their impact upon the wizarding world * The founding of Gringotts Bank * Important historical figures, including those shared with the Muggle world such as Merlin * The birth of Albus Dumbledore * World War I and its impact upon the wizarding world * The Battle of Hogwarts * The installment of Harry Potter as Head of the Auror Department * And much more Informed by dozens of different official sources, and supplemented with family trees and informative timelines, The Ultimate Wizarding World History of Magic provides all the information fans could want to fill in the holes of the Harry Potter narrative, while shining a light on everything that makes the wizarding world feel so complex, deep and infused with a sense of mythic grandeur.