Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

The score for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was written by the same composer for Part 1--Alexandre Desplat. His usage of "Hedwig's Theme" is sparse, but specific, and it only comes in on moments that have an element of triumph or familiarity. 

In this movie, "Hedwig's Theme" first appears very briefly within the first twenty-five minutes of the film; it's so short that I almost missed it upon first listen. In this scene (at 22:03), Harry, Ron, and Hermione are escaping Gringotts Wizarding Bank on the back of a dragon that had been kept in cruel captivity for years. As the beast bursts from the domed ceiling, the first phrase of the theme makes a short appearance as the dragon begins to take flight before disappearing. The theme literally only appears for a couple short seconds and is only played in the melody in the strings. 

The second usage of "Hedwig's Theme" is at 32:30, when Harry returns to Hogwarts and greets his peers, who are hiding from the school authorities. With his arrival, he brings obvious hope and raises morale. The music in this section is nearly identical to the original arrangement of "Hedwig's Theme" by John Williams, except that it's transposed to a different key (to make transitions smoother), and there are no virtuosic string ostinatos underneath the melody. 

Not much later at 34:50, the theme appears once more when the students are gathered in the Great Hall so Snape, the new headmaster, can confront the students about the sudden reappearance of Harry Potter. There is a short confrontation between Snape and Harry (plus additional resistance) followed by a brief wizard duel between Professor McGonagall and Snape. Snape flees, and as he does so, "Hedwig's Theme" comes in. With the Death Eaters gone, it's as if the protagonists had won a small battle, making the usage of the theme appropriate, due to its representation of something triumphant or victorious. Instrumentation and arrangement of the theme is virtually identical to the one used just before at 32:30 (see above). 

The theme does not appear after that until the very end of the movie with the time skip of 19 years into Harry, Ron, and Hermione's futures. "Hedwig's Theme" dips in and out until the credits roll. At 1:55:43, the theme slips in, much slower than what we're used to, and the instrumentation is more minimal, with a trumpet solo playing the part. At this point, Harry and his son have arrived on Platform 9 3/4, and the parents are saying goodbye to their children. At 1:57:03, Albus Severus Potter boards the train, and the theme appears again, with a simple flute solo. Finally, at 1:57:52, the theme appears for the last time as Harry is watching the train leave and the screen fades out. It is the last thing you hear, and after playing the [do me re do sol fa me] motif, the music ends on a major chord, finishing out the series with a sense of hope and closure. 

It's also fun to note that during this final scene, the composer utilizes snippets from the original score from the first movie, particularly the piece "Leaving Hogwarts," which seems very appropriate for the ending of the franchise. He weaves back and forth from using "Leaving Hogwarts" and "Hedwig's Theme." 

The closing credits end on the original score for "Hedwig's Theme," bringing the audience full circle.