Why did snape kill Dumbledore?

Dumbledore was fatally wounded by attempting to use Marvolo's ring, which held a powerful curse and blackened his arm. Snape managed to postpone Dumbledore's death with magic and his potions, but for no more than one year. Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him to:

• Save Draco Malfoy
• Prove his loyalty to Voldemort
• Spare Dumbledore the wasting slow death that the curse would cause

What notable cameos are there?

• Aberforth Dumbledore: Saves Harry Potter twice; opens the secret passage to Hogwarts.
• Neville's Grandmother: Overpowers the death eaters who come for her. Comes to fight in the battle of Hogwarts.
• Dobby: Rescues Harry, Ron, Hermione, Olivander, Luna and a Goblin from the Malfoy Mansion.
• Kreacher: Helps solve the mystery of the locket. Leads the house elves in the battle of Hogwarts.
• Percy: Makes amends with his family and fights in the battle of Hogwarts.
• Bathilda Bagshot: Possessed by Nagini; tries to kill Harry.
• Grindlewald:Tries to atone for his past by keeping secret the location of the Elder Wand from Voldemort.
• Olivander: Captured by Voldemort in an effort to try to learn how to destroy Harry Potter.
• Stan Turnpike: Now a Death Eater trying to kill Harry Potter.
• Victor Krum: Guest at Fleur's Wedding.
• Professor Trelawney: Drops crystal balls on the invaders in the battle of Hogwarts.
• Dolores Umbridge: Undersecretary to the minister of Magic. Interrogates muggle born wizards and punishes those who are not pureblood.
• Dudley Dursely: Goes into hidding with Petunia and Vernon, but not before thanking Harry for saving him from the dementors.
• Minerva Mc Gonagall: Organizes the rebellion in Hogwarts, ousts Severus Snape.
• Flitwick, Slughorn, Sprout: Help evacuate the students and oust Serverus Snape.
• Narcissa Malfoy: Betrays Voldemort and helps Harry Potter play dead to end the battle of Hogwarts and save Draco Malfoy.
• Crabbe and Goyle: enter Hogwarts through the room of requirement to find Harry Potter, but end up accidentally destroying the Diadum of Rowena Ravenclaw.
• Xenophilus Lovegood:explains the Deathly Hallows and betrays Harry Potter to the death eaters in exchange for Luna's freedom.
• Neville Longbottom: Leader of Dumbledore's army. Banished from Hogwarts to hiding in the room of requirement. Summons the order of the pheonix to the battle of Hogwarts. Kills Nagini with the sword of Goddoric Gryffindor.
• Gwap: Joins the battle of Hogwarts.
• Hagrid: Helps Harry escape from the Dursely's on Sirrius' motorcycle. Joins the battle of Hogwarts. Kidnapped by Voldemort and forced to carry the "dead" body of Harry Potter back to the castle.
  
• Hedwig dies in chapter 3.
• Hermione's parents: she erases their memory of her and makes them move to Australia to keep then safe.
  

Who has the sword of Godoric Gryffindor?

Albus Dumbledore wills the sword of Godoric Gryffindor to Harry Potter, but Minister Scrimgower refuses to give it to Potter, stating the sword belongs to the school and it remains in the possesion of the new headmaster, Severus Snape.

After the Neville, Luna and Ginny try to steal the sword from Snape's office, Snape sends the sword to Gringots to be held in the Lastrange vault. In fact this sword is a fake. The true sword remains hidden in Snapes office behind the portrait of Dumbledore.

Snape leaves the real sword for Harry to find (and in fact leads it to him with his Patronus (the dear of Lily Evans Potter). The sword is later stolen by the golbin in Gringots, who maintains it was forged by goblins and so belongs to goblins.

The sword makes a final appearance when it is pulled from the sorting hat by Neville Longbottom and used to kill Nagini.

What are the horcruxes in this story?

1) Diary of Tom Riddle: Destroyed by Harry Potter with a Balisk fang in book 2.

2)The ring of Marvolo: Destroyed by Albus Dumbledore with the sword of Goddoric Gryffindore, but not before he was fatal wounded by attempting to use the ring. It is given to Harry by Dumbledore hidden inside the golden snitch. It also happens to be the second of the Deathly Hallows.

3)The Locket: Stonlen by Regulas Arcturus Black and given to Kreacher to destroy. Stolen from Kreacher by Mundungus Fletcher. Stolen from Mundungus Fletcher by Dolores Umbridge. Stolen from Dolores Umbridge by Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, and destroyed by Ron Weasly with the sword of Goddoric Gryffindore.

4)The cup of Helga Hufflepuff: Hidden in the Lestrange vault by Bellatrix Lestrange. Stolen from Gringots by Harry Potter. Destroyed by Hermione with a Balisk fang from the chamber of secrets.

5)The Diadim of Rowena Ravenclaw: Hidden in the room of requirement. Destroyed by Crabbe's Fiendfyre (accidentally, which happens to kill Crabbe too).

6)Nagini, the snake: Beheaded by Neville Longbottom with the sword of Godoric Gryffindor, pulled from the sorting hat after Voldemort summons that hat onto Nelville's head and sets in on fire as an example.

7)Harry Potter: Destroyed unwittingly by Voldemort with the Avada Kedrava curse when he "kills" Harry Potter.

How does the book end?

Well, not counting the 19 years later epilogue, the book ends with Harry returning to Hogwarts to find the Horcrux hidden there. Professor Mc Gonagall leads the rebellion of Hogwarts to buy Harry time to find and destroy the Horcrux, and the students are evacuated while the order of the pheonix and members of Dumbledore's army are summoned by Neville Longbottom to help, as the Death Eaters, giants, spiders and Voldemort come to attack the castle. The long battle ends up having a cameo for just about every major and minor character on both sides (except a few who wouldn't make sense, like Umbridge and Olivander). The battle ends with Voldemort "killing" Harry, Neville killing Nagini, the centaurs attacking the death eaters and Harry killing Voldemort.

How does Harry Potter Die, but not really?

Harry takes Snape's memories and views them in the pensive after Snape is killed by Voldemort / Nagini and learns that Dumbledore told Snape Harry he is the final accidental Horcrux of Voldemort. Harry must let Voldemort "kill" him in order to destroy the Horcrux. Thats what he does and after he is killed he goes to some sort of limbo where he chats with Dumbledore, who tells Harry its his choice to return to life or move on. Harry decides to come back. He feigns death and is aided by Narcissa Malfoy, who is eager to end the battle because Draco is trapped inside Hogwarts. Harry reveals himself to be alive when Voldemort tries to kill Neville by setting the burning sorting hat on his head.

Is snape evil?

No. Snape is working for Dumbledore the whole time, including when he kills him (Dumbledore was already fatally wounded by using the ring of Marvolo). Snape was in love with Lily Evans (Potter) and turned on Voldemort when he found out he has going to kill her.