As Harry Potter's seventeenth birthday approaches, the Order of the Phoenix must make a plan. When Harry turns seventeen or when he no longer calls his aunt and uncle's house “home,” the charm of protection Dumbledore worked when Harry was only a year old will break. Harry will be even more vulnerable to Voldemort and the Death Eaters.

A few days before Harry's birthday, six of Harry's friends volunteer to drink Polyjuice Potion and turn themselves into exact replicas of Harry. Then each of the seven Potters flees to safety with a member of the Order in hopes of confusing the Death Eaters.

Legendary Auror Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody is one of the Order members on hand that night. Mundungus Fletcher, one of the Polyjuice Potion Potters, escapes with Moody by broom. But as Moody and Mundungus are flying over Surrey, things go terribly wrong. Voldemort himself heads straight for them. Mundungus panics and disapparates in midair, leaving Moody alone. Voldemort's curse hits Moody right in the face, and he falls from his broom. Bill and Fleur Weasley are near enough to see the whole incident, but there is nothing they can do. Moody falls to his death in the line of duty, fighting evil until the very end.