When J.K. Rowling sat down in a little cafe to write a story about a boy who did not know he was born to be a wizard, did she imagine that he would become the most popular fantasy hero of the early 21st century? Most likely not. But Harry Potter has swept through the popular imagination more than any Balrog of Moria or other fantastic creature.
With his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, Harry Potter takes on the evil wizard Voldemort, who has used his dark powers to make himself nearly immortal, breaking many natural laws and corrupting many wizards who call him their "dark lord".
The fantastic imagery of Harry Potter's world has been brought to life through several movies based on the books written by J.K. Rowling. She plans to write a seventh and final novel, in which two major characters will die. Three more movies are yet to be released in the series. The Harry Potter franchise is, to date, the largest fantasy franchise ever created.
