Throughout the six previous novels in the series, the titular character Harry Potter has struggled with the difficulties of adolescence along with being famous as the only wizard to survive the Killing Curse. The curse was cast by the evil Tom Riddle, better known as Lord Voldemort, a powerful evil wizard, who had murdered Harry's parents and attempted to kill Harry as a baby, in the belief this would frustrate a prophecy that Harry would become his equal. As an orphan, Harry was placed in the care of his Muggle (non-magical) relatives Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon.
