Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows opens in the Malfoy Manor, where Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters plan to ambush Harry Potter when he leaves the Dursley home with the Order of the Phoenix for the final time. Voldemort takes Lucius Malfoy's wand, in the hope that it will be able to kill Harry.

Meanwhile, Harry disposes of things he would not need, as he does not plan to go back to study at Hogwarts  notably, his Quidditch robes. Indeed, Harry would not have this year an occasion to play Quidditch; however, on three key occasions  getting hold of the Hufflepuff Cup and the Ravenclaw Diadem, and during the final fight with Voldemort the "unerring skill of the Seeker" would be vitally useful to him in snatching an object out of the air.