1981

The following events occurred in the year 1981:

Events

 * 31 October:
 * Lord Voldemort kills James and Lily Potter, but his Killing Curse rebounds off infant Harry Potter, causing the Dark Lord to lose physical form and Harry to gain a lightning-shaped scar and become a Horcrux.
 * The First Wizarding War ends.
 * Horace Slughorn's fish dies.
 * 1 November:
 * Sirius Black is arrested for the murder of Peter Pettigrew and twelve Muggles. In reality, Pettigrew faked his death and went into hiding. Black is sentenced to Azkaban, without a trial.
 * Vernon and Petunia Dursley (née Evans) reluctantly become Harry James Potter's guardians when he is brought to 4 Privet Drive by Albus Dumbledore, Rubeus Hagrid, and Minerva McGonagall.
 * Horace Slughorn retires from his post at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
 * Severus Snape is appointed the new Potions Master at Hogwarts.
 * Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan Lestrange, and Barty Crouch Jr. are arrested for the torture of Alice and Frank Longbottom. The Longbottoms are committed to St. Mungo's and their infant son Neville is taken into the care of his paternal grandmother, Augusta Longbottom.

Births

 * 11 August: Ginny Weasley to Arthur and Molly Weasley.
 * Colin Creevey to Muggle parents Mr. and Mrs. Creevey
 * Luna Lovegood to Xenophilius Lovegood and Mrs. Lovegood (presumably)
 * Zacharias Smith (uncertain)

Deaths

 * July - Marlene McKinnon and her family
 * 31 October: James and Lily Potter, Francis the fish.
 * Edgar Bones, his wife, and their children
 * Dorcas Meadowes
 * Caradoc Dearborn
 * Fabian and Gideon Prewett
 * Adalbert Waffling
 * Twelve Muggles, murdered by Peter Pettigrew
 * Benjy Fenwick

Behind the scenes

 * Paul Davies, a British actor who portrayed a Death Eater in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, is born on July 4