Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix



"Well, he [Harry] has obviously been through a lot since book one, and book five was the book when he cracked up a little."

- J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth book in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter book series. It was one of the most widely-anticipated books of the series, since there was a wait of three years between it and the previous book, Goblet of Fire. At 38 chapters, it is also the longest book in the series, having jokingly been labelled as heavier than a refrigerator (by Stephen Fry at the Royal Albert Hall event) and used as a benchmark for the size of the next two books.

Dedication
To Neil, Jessica and David, who make my world magical

Book description
Harry is in his fifth year at Hogwarts School as the adventures continue. There is a door at the end of a silent corridor. And it's haunting Harry Potter's dreams. Why else would he be waking in the middle of the night, screaming in terror? Harry has a lot on his mind for this, his fifth year at Hogwarts: a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher with a personality like poisoned honey; a big surprise on the Gryffindor Quidditch team; and the looming terror of the Ordinary Wizarding Level exams. But all these things pale next to the growing threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, one that neither the magical government nor the authorities at Hogwarts can stop. As the grasp of darkness tightens, Harry must discover the true depth and strength of his friends, the importance of boundless loyalty, and the shocking price of unbearable sacrifice. His fate depends on them all. The book that took the world by storm. In his fifth year at Hogwarts, Harry faces challenges at every turn, from the dark threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and the unreliability of the government of the magical world to the rise of Ron Weasley as the Keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. Along the way he learns about the strength of his friends, the fierceness of his enemies, and the meaning of sacrifice.

Chapter 1: Dudley Demented
"If it hadn't been for him, nobody would even have known Voldemort was back! And his reward was to be stuck in Little Whinging for four solid weeks, completely cut off from the magical world...""

- Harry furious with his isolation.

Harry Potter remains at his house 4 Privet Drive, living with his Muggle Aunt, Uncle and cousin and severely cut off from the rest of the wizarding world. The neighbourhood is suffering from an exhausting heat wave and due to this, Harry spends the majority of his summer out of the house, going on walks and trying to avoid his Aunt and Uncle as much as possible. He is constantly rummaging through bins for old newspapers, searching for front-page news about the return of Lord Voldemort in The Daily Prophet. However, nothing unusual is reported so Harry assumes that the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge is still as oblivious and in denial of Lord Voldemort's return as he was before.

After running into his cousin, Dudley Dursley and his street gang (a group of monstrous boys Dudley hangs out with when torturing little kids), on a walk, Harry confronts Dudley after his gang leaves which turns into an argument, where Dudley mocks Harry on Cedric's death, having heard Harry use that name in his sleep. Harry immediately denies it, being embarrassed and when Harry takes out his wand and pretends to curse Dudley with it a cold chill comes onto the duo and Harry and Dudley are then attacked by Dementors. Harry attempts the Patronus Charm three times and is successful on the last try, and is surprised to find Mrs. Figg, his old, cat-loving neighbour, storming up the road towards the two teenagers. He tries to hide his wand, but she tells him to keep it out in case more of them show up. She was furious about Mundungus Fletcher, who was supposed to be watching Harry and Disapparated from the front of 4 Privet Drive only moments earlier.

Chapter 2: A Peck of Owls
"Ministry of Magic? People like you in government? Oh, this explains everything, everything, no wonder the country's going to the dogs -"

- Uncle Vernon, about the Ministry.

While angry over the situation, Mrs. Figg explains to a surprised Harry she is actually a Squib. The two take a very ill Dudley back to Privet Drive, where Mrs. Figg mentions she was sent by Dumbledore to watch over Harry and also kept his visits to her house boring so the Dursleys would not send Harry elsewhere if he were happy. After Mundungus Fletcher shows up, Mrs. Figg scolds him for his foolish actions before sending him to inform Dumbledore of this situation so he can quickly act. Just before they part, Harry learns that Dumbledore has been keeping him under observation in order to protect him after what had happened with Voldemort last month. When Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon notice Dudley in his sickly state they fawn over him and Harry attempts to slip away, but Dudley speaks and assumes that Harry attacked him with some sort of spell since Muggles cannot see Dementors.

Before Harry can explain himself, the Ministry of Magic sends Harry a letter telling him that he's been expelled from Hogwarts for underage magic. Before Harry attempts to run away before Ministry officials would come by to destroy his wand, another letter from Arthur Weasley arrives telling Harry that Dumbledore is trying to sort this out and to stay put in his house, not surrender his wand and not to perform any more magic. As Harry is explaining that the Dementors were responsible, Petunia surprisingly shows she has some knowledge of the Dementors. A second letter from the Ministry arrives stating that Dumbledore has convinced them to set up a hearing on 12 August to decide whether or not to break Harry's wand and Harry is being placed on suspension instead of being expelled.

After Harry explains to the Dursleys about the Dementor's abilities, Vernon blames Harry and is ready to throw Harry out, as he has always yearned to do so since receiving Harry, when Petunia receives a Howler. Before she has an opportunity to open the letter, it bursts into flames, and a menacing voice says, "Remember my last, Petunia". Petunia then immediately convinces her husband to let Harry remain at Privet Drive and tells Harry that he needs to stay in his room. Harry has no idea of what's going on.

Chapter 3: The Advance Guard
"A surprising amount of people volunteered to come and get you."

- Remus Lupin

Harry immediately writes letters to Sirius, Hermione, and Ron. After four days of being locked in his room, while dealing with his anger from the lack of response, Uncle Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley leave to attend an award ceremony for the best kept lawn in England (which was a hoax set up by Tonks to lure the Durselys away from their house) and a number of witches and wizards (auto denominated the "Advance Guard") come to rescue Harry from the Dursleys' home. They are members of the Order of the Phoenix, an elite group whose members fight Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Among them were the real Mad-Eye Moody and Remus Lupin, along with some newcomers such as Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt. Lupin reveals that their destination is a hidden place that is much safer than The Burrow. Lupin leaves a note for the Dursleys, then the entire group begins a long flight on broomsticks. After flying through the cold night, they land at their destination and Moody gives Harry a piece of parchment that mentions their headquarters 12 Grimmauld Place.

Chapter 4: Number Twelve Grimmauld Place
They bring Harry to their headquarters 12 Grimmauld Place (London). The Weasleys, Hermione Granger, and Harry’s godfather Sirius Black are there. While the Order of the Phoenix are having a meeting, Mrs. Weasley takes Harry to the room where Ron and Hermione are before heading back. Harry converses with Hermione and Ron and learns to his ire that Dumbledore was the reason he had no contact from his friends all summer, though Ron and Hermione were uncomfortable with this knowing how Harry would feel. They comfort Harry by explaining that they haven't been let in on everything that has been going on either since they are too young and have mostly been working on cleaning up the house as no one has lived there for years. Fred and George then appear magically through Apparition, revealing to Harry they passed their test, followed by Ginny walking into the room and tells the twins it is now pointless for them to spy on the meetings anymore. The Weasley children reveal that -- besides Severus Snape who has joined the Order -- Bill and Charlie have also joined. Also that Bill has moved back to England to be closer to the family and has been teaching the former Triwizard champion Fleur Delacour who has also been working at Gringotts proper English, while Charlie has been given the task of recruiting foreign wizards to their cause.

As for Percy, the Weasley children sadly reveal he has deserted their family after he and Arthur had a fight over Percy's recent promotion to Cornelius Fudge's Junior Assistant. Having denied his father's claims that Fudge is using him, with his unwavering loyalty to the Ministry, Percy has moved away breaking off contact in the process, even after a depressed Molly Weasley tried to straighten things out. Harry also learns that the Ministry has been using the Daily Prophet to build on what Rita Skeeter started and is portraying Harry as some "Attention-seeking liar". Hermione also reveals there has been no articles on the Dementor attack or Harry's hearing, since the Ministry is likely waiting until the hearing is over before reporting on the likelihood of Harry being expelled. After being called down for dinner, Tonks accidentally trips on an umbrella stand which causes too much noise, and the portrait of a woman responds with strong cursing. While helping on closing the curtains, Sirius shows up and reveals the woman in the portrait is his mother.

Chapter 5: The Order of the Phoenix
"'The Order is comprised only of overage wizards. Wizards who have left school,' he added, as Fred and George opened their mouths. 'There are dangers involved of which you can have no idea, any of you…'"

- Remus Lupin Sirius explains to Harry that Number 12, Grimmauld Place is the Black Family's ancestral home and that he inherited it upon his mother's death. While they are setting up for dinner, Sirius reveals that compared to Harry, he has been confined in the house for a month since he is still a wanted criminal and that Voldemort and the Death Eaters would know he is an Animagus by now due to Wormtail informing them, which makes him almost useless to the Order. Fred and George almost stab Sirius' hand when they sent a cauldron of stew, an iron flagon of butterbeer and a breadboard with a knife to the table and the knife slipped off, which infuriates their parents as they have been using their magic irresponsibly ever since they came of age. They then have dinner, and numerous conversations go around, with Bill mentioning to his father and Lupin that the Goblins won't join their side due to what happened with Ludo Bagman and Mundungus Fletcher mentioning his business dealings before Molly asks him to stop. After dinner, Sirius tries to tell Harry about the last events and about their plans, but Molly keeps saying that Harry is too young and that Dumbledore told them not to tell Harry "more than he needs to know". After the two argue about it, Molly reluctantly allows Harry and everyone but Ginny to stay and listen.

Harry learns that Voldemort is keeping a low profile and is building an army. Though Harry managed to escape during Voldemort's rebirth, allowing for Dumbledore to reactivate the Order of the Phoenix, it is difficult for them to convince as many people on what has happened because of the Ministry and Fudge's position, since Fudge believes that Dumbledore is after his job since his fears make it easier for him to believe that, rather than admit Voldemort is back which would end the last 14 years of peace. Another reason the Order is having trouble with finding allies is the issue of their credibility. Sirius is a wanted murderer, Lupin is a werewolf, and the members that work for the Ministry would lose their jobs since Fudge is willing to sack anyone who are not loyal to him. Fudge has also been trying to discredit Dumbledore's reputation to prevent him from spreading the information and is having the Daily Prophet cover up any news related to this. Sirius attempts to mention that Voldemort is trying to retrieve a "weapon...something he didn't have last time", before Molly and Lupin ask him to stop and they then send the kids off to bed.

Chapter 6: The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black


"He got in so far, then panicked about what he was being asked to do and tried to back out."

- Sirius, about his brother, Regulus Black.

After Harry and Ron head into their room, Fred and George apparate inside where the four briefly discuss their speculation on what Voldemort might be seeking before Molly's footsteps convince the twins they have to get back to their own room. The next day while helping with the cleaning of the house with the Mrs. Weasley and the other children, Harry talks in secret with Fred and George and learns their Joke Shop plans are booming thanks to the money he gave them and while Molly is busy arguing with Mundungus Fletcher in another room, Harry meets Kreacher, the domestic-elf of the House of Black. He is always cursing and muttering bad words, on occasion calling Hermione a mudblood and then insulting Sirius for betraying his mother's trust after Sirius arrives before Kreacher heads to another room. Harry notices an old tapestry, that Sirius sarcastically explains is the family tree of the "Noble and Most Ancient House of Black". Sirius reveals that he was disowned by his family at the age of 16 and lived with Harry's father James and his parents before his uncle, who was disowned as well, left Sirius some money to live on his own.

Sirius mentions to Harry that his younger brother Regulus Black, who was more obedient to their parents wishes had been a Death Eater. Sirius explains that his family was all for the purification of the wizarding race, getting rid of Muggle-borns and having pure-bloods in charge, and while not all of them were Death Eaters, they agreed with Voldemort's ideals. Sirius mentions that his brother was killed, presumably for attempting to abandon the Death Eaters. After Molly calls them down for lunch, Harry stays with Sirius and Sirius explains more about his family. Harry then is surprised to learn that Sirius is related to the Malfoys through Lucius's wife Narcissa. He also learns that Tonks' mother Andromeda is Sirius's cousin and that she was also disowned. Both she and Narcissa had a sister, Bellatrix, who was sent to Azkaban. She was the woman Harry saw in Dumbledore's Pensieve during Barty Crouch Jr.'s trial.

Sirius then mentions his parents home is only being used as the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters due to the protective enchantments his father put on it years ago and the additional security measures that Dumbledore set up which is why he had to put up with moving back in. After several days of more cleaning, on the night before Harry's hearing, Molly mentions that Arthur will be escorting him to the Ministry on his way to work.



Chapter 7: The Ministry of Magic
"If I'm not expelled from Hogwarts, I'll put in ten Galleons"

- Harry, promising to put coins on the Fountain of Magical Brethren.

The next day Harry heads down to breakfast and learns that Amelia Bones will be in charge of his hearing and Tonks assures him that she is fair. Sirius reminds Harry not to lose his temper during the hearing. Harry was nervous over the possibility of being expelled from Hogwarts, but Lupin assures Harry that Underage Wizards are allowed to use magic in life-threatening situations. Arthur Weasley then escorts Harry to the Ministry for his disciplinary hearing using the train in the London Underground to get there (since Harry can't Apparate). After spending time on the lift getting to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and then putting on an act with Kingsley about Sirius Black (due to the need to keep their affiliation secret). Shortly after arriving in Mr. Weasley's office, Mr. Weasley's co-worker, Perkins, runs in announcing that the hearing's time and location has been changed, and Harry is already late. The new location is in old Courtroom Ten in the Ministry's basement. Since the lift does not descend that far, Harry and Mr. Weasley race down the stairs the rest of the way after getting off. Just outside the courtroom, Mr. Weasley stops, telling Harry that he must face the hearing alone.



Chapter 8: The Hearing
"Oh, I don't think any of us believe the Dementors were there by coincidence."

- Dumbledore, at Harry's hearing.

Harry recognises the courtroom is the same one he saw in Dumbledore's Pensieve during his last school year. Cornelius Fudge is acting as the head of the Wizengamot, and Harry is also surprised to see Percy Weasley acting as scribe, although Percy refuses to look at Harry. After Dumbledore arrives, Fudge starts the trial without giving Harry a chance to defend himself. Once Harry gets the chance to explain about the Dementors, Fudge labels his statement a convenient lie, but Dumbledore is able to produce a reliable witness: Mrs. Figg, whom Percy brings in. Mrs. Figg is able to describe the attack and confirms that the Dementors attacked Harry and Dudley.

When Fudge points out the unlikelihood of Dementors in Little Whinging, Dumbledore suggests that someone within the Ministry ordered them there. Fudge however, refuses to accept any of this as evidence and while Dumbledore reminds him that magic can be used in these extraordinary circumstances. Fudge dismisses this, given Harry's past issues, reminding them of the illegal use of a Hover Charm three years ago. While this was Dobby's fault, Fudge refuses Dumbledore's suggestion to bring him in and also brings up the fact that Harry inflated his aunt a year later even though no charges were pressed.

Fudge also tries to bring up Harry's rule-breaking at Hogwarts, but Dumbledore reminds Fudge that the Ministry does not have the authority to punish students for what they do at school. He points out the irregularity of the hastiness for this trial and attempt to destroy Harry's wand without successfully proving these charges and also the use of the full Wizengamot for a simple case of under-age magic. When the Wizengamot takes a vote, Harry is cleared of all charges with more than half of the Wizengamot raising their hands to clear him, though Fudge is slightly angry when he casts the verdict. Dumbledore leaves before Harry can thank him.



Chapter 9: The Woes of Mrs Weasley
Harry is puzzled by Dumbledore's actions before he leaves the courtroom and tells Mr. Weasley, who was waiting outside, that he had been cleared of all charges. Mr. Weasley is surprised that Harry was tried before the entire Wizengamot as they are also leaving the courtroom, with some showing them recognition, while others like Fudge and Percy completely ignore them. Arthur decides to take Harry back to Grimmauld Place before he heads out on an assignment. On their way they see Fudge meeting with Lucius Malfoy. While Harry believes that Fudge may have been put under the Imperius Curse, Mr. Weasley states that Dumbledore has doubted this, believing Fudge is acting on his own accord. Back at Grimmauld Place, everybody celebrated the acquittal of Harry.

A few days later, on the last day of the holidays, the children receive their Hogwarts letters and Ron and Hermione are named prefects. Molly Weasley is so pleased with Ron's appointment as a prefect that she agrees to Ron's request to get a new broomstick (though an inexpensive one) when she goes to Diagon Alley to pick up their new books. Harry feels some resentment that Ron was chosen over him as prefect given all he had done at Hogwarts over the years. Later that night, Mrs. Weasley prepared a dinner party for the new prefects. During the party, Harry feels better when he learns from Sirius that he and Harry's father James were not made prefects either during their fifth year at Hogwarts, since Lupin was selected for that position instead.

After the party, Mrs. Weasley goes upstairs to get rid of the Boggart Alastor Moody identified for her earlier. Moody shows Harry an old photograph of the original Order of the Phoenix and identifies the people in the photograph, though hearing Moody describe the terrible fates of some of the members in the photograph makes Harry feel uncomfortable. After going upstairs Harry finds that the sight of her worst fears (all her family members and Harry dead) was too much for Mrs. Weasley; she started to cry before Lupin gets rid of the Boggart after arriving upstairs with Sirius and Moody. As they help calm her down, Mrs. Weasley wonders about the future of her loved ones.

Chapter 10: Luna Lovegood
"The girl gave off an aura of distinct dottiness. Perhaps it was the fact that she had stuck her wand behind her left ear for safekeeping, or that she had chosen to wear a necklace of butterbeer caps, or that she was reading a magazine upside down."

- Description of Luna.



On the day of departure to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, the group is rushing to get ready as the children will be taken there under guard per Moody's recommendation. Mrs. Weasley is angry with Fred and George for bewitching their trunks instead of trying to carry them downstairs and knocking Ginny off-balance. Harry is assigned to go with Molly and Tonks. Sirius accompanies them in his Animagus form. After the Hogwarts Express departs, with Ron and Hermione having to go to the prefects carriage, Harry shares a compartment with Ginny, Neville Longbottom, and a girl from Ginny's year named Luna Lovegood, who is a Ravenclaw student. Later Ron and Hermione show up and tell them who the new prefects are for the other houses, including Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson for Slytherin. Luna is reading a tabloid magazine called The Quibbler of which, she tells them, her father is the editor after Hermione made an insensitive comment towards the magazine.

Draco and his cronies then show up briefly and Draco makes fun of the fact that Ron was chosen over Harry for the position of prefect and his comment "dogging around" causes Harry to worry that Draco might know now that Sirius is an animagus. After arriving at Hogsmeade station Harry notices that instead of Hagrid, Professor Grubbly-Plank who previous substituted for Hagrid during their last school year is there to direct the first years to their boats. When boarding their carriage Harry notices that the carriages are being pulled by some sort of winged horses. He points them out to Ron and Hermione, but they cannot see them, and act worried when he insists that they are right there. Luna, says that she can see them, and in fact could see them ever since she first came to Hogwarts. Harry is mystified, since he couldn't see them when he first came, but he can see them now.



Chapter 11: The Sorting Hat's New Song
"I'll tell you what it means. It means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts."

- Hermione, about Dolores Umbridge.

The group arrives at the school but not before Harry wonders about the winged-horses as well as Hagrid's whereabouts. Ron gets into an argument with Luna over Hagrid's disappearance. At the Start-of-Term Feast, the Sorting Hat gives a warning in its new song. After their meal, the students are surprised to hear that Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister (who had been present at Harry's hearing) is the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher (besides the announcement that Grubbly-Plank is once again taking over Hagrid's teaching duties). Umbridge interrupts Dumbledore's start-of-term notices and gives a speech which easily dulls the audience and Hermione realises through the hidden messages within the speech that the Ministry intends to meddle at Hogwarts. After the feast Harry goes to Gryffindor Tower with Neville (who knew the new password) and when he goes to his dormitory, learns that not everyone believes that Voldemort is back. He argues with Seamus Finnigan and insults Seamus's mother for believing in the Daily Prophet before Ron arrives and breaks it up. Afterwards, Dean Thomas reveals his parents don't get the Daily Prophet since they are Muggles, while Neville reveals that he and his grandmother cancelled their subscription since they support Harry and Dumbledore. Before going to sleep, Harry wonders how many fights he will have to have before people realise that Voldemort is truly back.



Chapter 12: Professor Umbridge
"As I was saying, you have been informed that a certain Dark wizard is at large once again. This is a lie"

- Professor Umbridge, about Voldemort's Return.

The next morning the trio meet in the common room and, after taking down one of Fred and George's advertising posters, Hermione learns of the argument with Seamus and reveals that she was having the same problem with Lavender Brown about whether Harry was telling the truth about Voldemort's return. That morning at breakfast, Harry learns from Angelina Johnson that she has replaced Oliver Wood as the captain for their Quidditch team and will be holding tryouts on Friday to recruit a new player to fill Oliver's old position as Keeper. The trio then meet with Fred and George and Hermione insists they cannot advertise to test their joke products on students. The twins bring up the fact that this year is important for the three of them since they will be taking their O.W.L.s. When the twins reveal they weren't sure if they wanted to attend their seventh year for their N.E.W.T.s, George almost lets it slip on why they don't need to take them, though they and Harry cover this up as the twins leave.

Ron then remembers that besides their O.W.L.s, they will also have Career Advice sessions to help determine what classes they'll need to take next year for their N.E.W.T.s on what career they'll pursue. After going through most of their classes and getting a lot of homework, as well as Harry briefly meeting up with Cho Chang, they head to their first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. There they discover that Umbridge refuses to teach real defence methods and that they will not be performing any spells, only learning Ministry-approved theory (learning in a "risk-free way"). When various students start raising questions regarding this, Umbridge immediately contradicts them and also critcises the teachings of their previous two teachers, including identifying Lupin as a "dangerous half-breed".

Harry disagrees with Umbridge about Voldemort, costing Gryffindor house points and getting him a detention. Harry then has an outburst after she rebuts his attempts to convince her that this is not a lie and sends Harry to McGonagall's office with a note. Upon learning what happened, McGonagall urges Harry to keep his temper under control because he could end up in even worse trouble due to Umbridge's position. McGonagall then reveals the note Umbridge sent to her states that Umbridge has assigned him detention for a week.



Chapter 13: Detention with Dolores
"This is your punishment for spreading evil, nasty, attention‐seeking stories, Mr Potter."

- Umbride about Harry's detention. Word quickly spreads amongst the students about Harry's behaviour in Umbridge's class that night at dinner creating more snide remarks. After they leave the Great Hall, Hermione explains to an irritated Harry that despite Dumbledore's speech at the end of the last school term about Voldemort's return, the Ministry's interference over the last two months prevented the truth from sinking in. When they return to their common room, the trio talk about Umbridge and her class. Hermione points out Umbridge was obviously sent by Fudge as a spy. When the other students return from dinner, Hermione catches Fred and George once again testing their joke products on first-year students. Though Fred and George mean no harm as they tested their products on themselves first, Hermione threatens to write to their mother if they continue to test them on first-years. Hermione then goes to bed and also mentions the woolly hats she brought are for the house-elves, confirming she is still doing her S.P.E.W. work.

The next day, Teachers brief their fifth-year students about their upcoming Ordinary Wizarding Levels exams and give them a lot of homework. Hagrid is still missing, and his class is taken over by Professor Grubbly-Plank. During Care of Magical Creatures, Harry has difficulty keeping his temper under control when he hears Draco Malfoy make some rude comments about Hagrid, including that it is likely that Hagrid will be sacked even if he did return to Hogwarts based on what his father told him. Once he returns to Hogwarts Castle, Angelina Johnson mentions to Harry that she is unhappy that Harry's detention on Friday will prevent from attending the tryouts for their Quidditch team, as she wanted the whole team to be there.

Due to Harry's telling the truth about Lord Voldemort's return in Professor Umbridge's first DADA lesson, she gives him detention every day for a week. Umbridge refuses Harry's suggestion to modify the punishment so he could attend Quidditch tryouts on Friday, believing it is the most effective punishment to make him miss out on something he likes. She makes him write out "I must not tell lies" many times in his own blood, though Harry makes sure to keep his temper under control to avoid another outburst in front of Umbridge. With Umbridge's detentions and his busy schedule, Harry has difficulty with keeping up on his homework. Ron is busy with something, causing him to also fall behind in his homework. He later mentions to Harry that he wants to try out for the Quidditch team now that he has a decent broom. Ron becomes concerned when he learns about Harry's detentions, but Harry refuses to go to McGonagall or Dumbledore, knowing there is nothing they could do.

After Harry's final detention on Friday, he learns that Ron was chosen as their teams' new Keeper. Angelina Johnson also apologises for the cold way she criticised Harry earlier due to the pressure of having to lead their Quidditch team. He then meets with Hermione who is exhausted after making more hats for the house-elves. When Harry mentions his scar recently hurting again, he refuses her advice to see Dumbledore. Harry decides to immediately write to Sirius, but Hermione talks him out of it by pointing out the chances his letter could be intercepted.

Chapter 14: Percy and Padfoot
"That's exactly what [Fudge] thinks you're doing or rather, that's exactly what he's afraid Dumbledore's doing - forming his own private army, with which he will be able to take on the Ministry of Magic."

- Sirius, about the Minister of Magic.

On Saturday morning, despite Hermione's warning, Harry decides to write a letter to Sirius. Harry writes about his detention and asks about Hagrid's whereabouts though he carefully codes the words and phrases in case the letter was intercepted. After sending Hedwig with the letter, Harry notices the same mysterious winged horses he saw before outside. Cho Chang arrives and praises Harry for standing up to Umbridge in her class before Argus Filch arrives. He claims that he heard from a source that Harry was sending an order for Dungbombs but Harry states that he already sent his letter which Cho confirms. After Harry arrives at breakfast, Hermione reads through the Daily Prophet. She discovers that the Ministry has received a tip that Sirius Black is hiding in London. Harry worries that Lucius Malfoy may be the source, as he may have recognised Sirius in his animagus form at King's Cross Station.

Harry also notices an article where Sturgis Podmore, secretly a member of the Order of the Phoenix, has been arrested for breaking into a top-secret room at the Ministry. This causes some concern as Harry recalls that Podmore did not show up for guard duty on the day they left for Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Harry then helps Ron practise before their actual Quidditch training session begins. During the training session, Draco and his gang are there to insult the members of the Gryffindor team, and a nervous Ron isn't able to play at his best. When an accident Ron caused injured Katie Bell's nose, which Fred unintentionally made worse, Katie has to be taken to the Hospital wing. The remainder of the training session is then called off. After he and Harry spend over the next day trying to catch up on homework, on Sunday evening, Ron receives a letter from Percy.

His brother congratulates him on becoming a prefect and urges him to stop associating with Harry, whom he feels is a bad influence, as well as believing that his family would one day realise their mistake for believing Dumbledore and apologise to him. He also mentions an important article is being released in the Daily Prophet tomorrow. Ron found the letter extremely offensive. He tore it up and threw it into the fire. After reading the letter Harry thought he had never felt more like his godfather Sirius Black whom the wizarding world at large still considered a mass murderer. Hermione then agrees to help Harry and Ron catch up on their homework. After midnight, they and Crookshanks are the only ones left in the Common Room. Sirius contacts them through the Floo Network as he wishes to respond to Harry's letter this way in case his response was intercepted and the code was broken. After talking about Harry's scar, Sirius mentions that while Umbridge is no Death Eater, she possesses a strong racial hatred for Half-breeds. Sirus also reveals she is the reason why Lupin cannot find a job due to an Anti-werewolf legislation she proposed in the Ministry.

Once the trio mentions Umbridge's classes only allow defensive theory and textbook reading, Sirius explains based on their information, Fudge does not want them trained in combat. Fudge believes Dumbledore intends to use the Defence Against the Dark Arts class to raise the students as an army to take on the Ministry, and wants to prevent this possibility with the new curriculum. Sirus knows that with Fudge's growing paranoia, it is only a matter of time before he finds an excuse to arrest Dumbledore with. Sirius then asks Harry not to worry about Hagrid. Sirius reveals while Olympe Maxime mentioned in her message they got separated on the way home, he knows Hagrids tough and asks Harry not to raise too many questions about Hagrid or they will attract the Ministry's attention. When Sirius suggests about meeting them in disguise at their next Hogsmeade trip, Harry advises him not to given the Daily Prophet article and that Draco might recognise him if Sirius were to show up in his animagus form. Sirus then leaves but mentions he will send a letter when he feels it is safe to communicate by the Floo Network again.



Chapter 15: The Hogwarts High Inquisitor
It becomes clear Umbridge is really there to spy on and take control of the school and is soon appointed High Inquisitor, arbitrarily imposing rules and regulations (known as "Educational Decrees"). She also harbours racial hatred for "half-breeds", such as centaurs, werewolves and similar creatures. Umbridge starts to observe the professors in class, where she apparently intends to evaluate all teachers.



Chapter 16: In The Hog's Head
"..but you know, this is rather important, weʹre talking about learning to defend ourselves against V‐Voldemortʹs Death Eaters."

- Hermione Granger, about the meetings.

Hermione convinces Harry to secretly teach students Defense Against the Dark Arts. Though at first reluctant, Harry finally accepts. They hold a meeting at the Hog's Head to discuss with other students the possibility of Harry giving them Defense lessons. Harry is stunned at how many there are: Neville, Dean, Lavender, Parvati and Padma Patil, Cho and her friend who Harry did not recognise, Luna Lovegood, Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, Colin and Dennis Creevey, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, Terry Boot, Ginny, a Hufflepuff Quidditch team member (later identified as Zacharias Smith), Fred and George, and Lee Jordan. Harry has only agreed to teach defensive magic. At the end of the meeting Hermione has everyone sign a piece of parchment, which is an agreement to keep the group secret.



Chapter 17: Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four
""Does this mean they're going to shut down the Gobstones club?""

- Second year, upon seeing the decree.

After hearing about the defensive magic organisation, Dolores Umbridge used her power as Hogwarts High Inquisitor to pass this Educational Decree, which forbade the regular meeting of three or more students, like Student Organisations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs, without the High Inquisitor's consent. Any student found to be in noncompliance of the Decree was to be expelled immediately.

Chapter 18: Dumbledore's Army
"Yeah, the DA's good. Only let's make it stand for Dumbledore's Army, because that's the Ministry's worst fear, isn't it?"

- Ginny, about the name of the group.

Despite the prohibition, they name their clandestine group "Dumbledore's Army", or D.A. for short, to mock the Ministry of Magic, which fears Dumbledore is creating a secret wizard army. Harry assured all the 25 members that the meetings would go ahead once an ideal location was found. They would just need to be careful. Soon, Harry was told about the Room of Requirement by the house-elf Dobby. For the safety of the group, Hermione bewitched some coins with a Protean Charm, one for each member of the D.A. When activated by Harry, the numbers on each coin would change to inform the bearer of the time and date of the next meeting. In the D.A. meetings, Harry started them off slowly, practicing the Disarming Charm. The class progressed at a fair rate, practicing the Impediment Jinx, the Reductor Curse , and the Stunning Spell.

Chapter 19: The Lion and the Serpent
"Even Fred had said that Ron might yet make him and George proud, and that they were seriously considering admitting that he was related to them, something he assured Ron they had been trying to deny for years."

- Fred and George about Ron.

Gryffindor Quidditch team began their season with a victory against Slytherin, despite the fact that Ron was very nervous and didn't play well. The Slytherins composed a song mocking his performance. Shortly after the match, Draco Malfoy insulted and provoked Fred and George Weasley and Harry Potter. Harry and George attacked him, but all three had their broomsticks confiscated and were banned from Quidditch for life by Dolores Umbridge, then-High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. They were replaced by Andrew Kirke, Jack Sloper, and Ginny Weasley, respectively.



Chapter 20: Hagrid's Tale
About halfway through the school year, Hagrid returned from his mission for Dumbledore badly injured. Harry, Ron and Hermione visit him and Hagrid tells them about his unlucky negotiations with the giants. Hagrid resumed his teaching post, beginning with a lesson about Thestrals.



Chapter 21: The Eye of the Snake
Hagrid returns to his class and he is observed by Umbridge while teaching about Thestrals. Harry is expelled from Quidditch by Umbridge and Ginny Weasley replaces him as Gryffindor's Seeker.

Harry has disturbing dreams about running down a hallway and attempting to open a door in the Ministry of Magic's Department of Mysteries, but being unable to do so. Then one night he dreams that he is a snake attacking Ron's father. He awakens in a panic and tells others, who indeed find Mr. Weasley at the Ministry, suffering from severe venomous snake bites.



Chapter 22: St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries
"Your father knew what he was getting into, and he won't thank you for messing things up for the Order!" said Sirius angrily in his turn. "This is how it is - this is why you're not in the Order - you don't understand - there are things worth dying for!"

- Sirius, to Fred and George.

Critically injured, Arthur was taken to St Mungo's. He survived the attack, but was required to take a Blood-Replenishing Potion at regular intervals. He shared the ward with a man who had been bitten by a werewolf and a woman with a massive chunk out of her leg who refused to tell the Healers what had bitten her arousing suspicions she had been handling something illegal.

Chapter 23: Christmas on the Closed Ward


Hermione joins Harry and the Weasleys at Grimmauld Place for Christmas, and Percy sends back his Weasley sweater, which makes his mother very sad. Hermione, Ron and Ginny Weasley discover that Neville Longbottom's parents are insane and living at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. They also see their former DADA professor Gilderoy Lockhart. Harry finally says that he knew what happened to Neville's parents.



Chapter 24: Occlumency
"You have no subtlety, Potter. You do not understand fine distinctions. It is one of the shortcomings that makes you such a lamentable potion-maker."

- Snape, to Harry.

After the holidays, Harry and the Weasleys return to Hogwarts. Harry fears he is being possessed by Voldemort. In response, Dumbledore has Snape teach Harry Occlumency to block his mind from intrusion. During the class Harry sees the dark corridor in the Department of Mysteries that he often dreams about.



Chapter 25: The Beetle at Bay
Due to high number of students who are sceptical of Voldemort's return, Hermione blackmails journalist (and unregistered Animagus) Rita Skeeter into writing a favourable article about Harry witnessing Voldemort's return. Luna Lovegood arranges with her father to publish the story in his paper, The Quibbler. Furious, Umbridge bans the tabloid from the school and strips Harry of his Hogsmeade visitation rights, but the story spreads rapidly, gathering support for Harry. Many in the wizarding community also now begin to believe Harry.



Chapter 26: Seen and Unforeseen
"You are quite right, of course, Professor Umbridge. As High Inquisitor you have every right to dismiss my teachers. You do not, however, have the authority to send them away from the castle. I am afraid,ʹ he went on, with a courteous little bow, that the power to do that still resides with the Headmaster, and it is my wish that Professor Trelawney continue to live at Hogwarts."

- Dumbledore, to Umbridge.

Umbridge considers Rubeus Hagrid (a half-giant ) and Sybill Trelawney incompetent, and sacks Trelawney. Although Dumbledore is unable to prevent Trelawney's dismissal, he invokes his authority to allow her to remain in the castle and appoints a new Divination teacher - a centaur, Firenze, much to Umbridge's disgust due to her hatred for half-breeds.



Chapter 27: The Centaur and the Sneak
"You seem to be labouring under the delusion that I am going to - what is the phrase? 'Come quietly.' I am afraid I am not going to come quietly at all, Cornelius. I have absolutely no intention of being sent to Azkaban. I could break out, of course - but what a waste of time, and frankly, I can think of a whole host of things I would rather be doing."

- Dumbledore, about going to Azkaban

When Umbridge learns of the meetings of the DA through Cho Chang's friend Marietta Edgecombe, Dumbledore claims that he organised it. Confronted by two Aurors John Dawlish and Kingsley Shacklebolt (who was not loyal to the Ministry, but to Dumbledore), Minister Fudge, and Umbridge, Dumbledore easily disables them and is spectacularly whisked away by his phoenix, Fawkes.



Chapter 28: Snape's Worst Memory
"What was making Harry feel so horrified and unhappy was not being shouted at or having jars thrown at him - it was that he knew how it felt to be humiliated in the middle of a circle of onlookers, knew exactly how Snape had felt as his father had taunted him, and that judging from what he had just seen, his father had been every bit as arrogant as Snape had always told him."

- Harry, about Snape's memories.

Umbridge is appointed Headmistress and imposes even tighter control. Fed up, the Weasley twins instigate a revolt, causing mayhem throughout the school while the staff pointedly do nothing to help Umbridge regain control.

During one of the Occlumency lessons Harry uncovered the source behind Snape's hatred for his father, when he went into Dumbledore's Pensieve (borrowed by Snape) and saw both Snape's memories of being bullied by James and the breaking up of Snape and his mother's friendship. Snape ended the lesson abruptly after this.



Chapter 29: Careers Advice
"Potter. I will assist you to become an Auror if it is the last thing I do! If I have to coach you nightly I will make sure you achieve the required results!"

- McGonagall, to Harry and Umbridge.

Harry and the other 5th years are getting ready to begin the sessions on the advice of what they'll need to do to prepare for the careers they'll pursue after graduation. Before that, Harry wishes to learn more about what happened at Hogwarts during his father's time and decides to contact Sirius and Lupin at Grimmauld Place to talk about their treatment of Snape. After going through an interrogation with Umbridge regarding Dumbledore and Sirius Black's whereabouts, Harry learns the Floo Network connection in her fireplace is not being monitored like the others are by the Ministry.

Under Fred and George's advice, Harry decides to sneak into Umbridge's office and use her fireplace while they'll distract her. Harry is able to talk with Lupin and Sirius abit before he has to pull back due to the twins being caught. This marks the end of Fred and George's magical education, who now opt to move into their magical tricks and joke shop in Diagon Alley, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and fly away from Hogwarts.

During Harry Potter's career advice session with Professor McGonagall, he tells her that he wants to be an Auror. Suddenly they were rudely interrupted by the then-headmistress, Dolores Umbridge, she remarks against Harry's ambition of being an Auror. The meeting ended up with Professor McGonagall supporting Harry, and having a screaming argument against Umbridge.



Chapter 30: Grawp
As Ron Weasley is playing in Gryffindor's championship Quidditch match, Harry and Hermione are whisked away by Hagrid to introduce his half-brother Grawp. Reasoning that it is only a matter of time before he is driven out of Hogwarts by Umbridge now that Dumbledore is gone, Hagrid wants them to take care of Grawp in his stead once this happens. When the centaurs show up, Harry and Hermione learn that due to Firenze becoming the Divination teacher as well as Grawp's presence in the Forbidden Forest, this has made them very angry and they make it clear to Hagrid that their patience is running thin to where they wouldn't hesitate to attack any human that enters their forest.



Chapter 31: O.W.L.s
"[Ron] made Harry feel rather better by telling him how he told the examiner in detail about the ugly man with a wart on his nose in his crystal ball, only to look up and realise he had been describing his examiner's reflection."

- Ron's Divination O.W.L exam.

Harry and his fellow 5th years begin going through their O.W.L. examination. During the night, Umbridge orders several Aurors to evict Hagrid from Hogwarts. She acts, this time, under the cover of darkness to avoid what happened with Sybill Trelawney. Hagrid resists their spells and Minerva McGonagall is injured when protesting against the use of excessive force against Hagrid. Hagrid is able to escape and McGonagall is sent to St. Mungo's.



Chapter 32: Out of the Fire
"The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue."

- Umbridge, to Harry.

Harry receives a vision that Sirius is being tortured at the Department of Mysteries, although Hermione suspects it may be a trap. Harry desperately attempts to contact Sirius at Grimmauld Place via the Floo Network in Umbridge's office fireplace once again, but this time he is caught.



Chapter 33: Fight and Flight
""The Ministry places a rather higher value on my life than yours, I'm afraid, Potter."

- Umbridge, to Harry.

Umbridge reveals it was she who sent the Dementors to attack Harry during the summer. As she is about to use the Cruciatus Curse on him, Hermione claims that Dumbledore had hidden a powerful weapon in the Forbidden Forest. She leads Harry and Umbridge into the forest where they encounter centaurs. The Skirmish in the Forbidden Forest ensues, and Umbridge foolishly insults them and an angry centaur picks up Umbridge and carries her off screaming into the woods. When Hagrid's giant half-brother, Grawp crashes onto the scene, Hermione and Harry escape amid the chaos.

Harry, Ron and Hermione, along with Luna, Ginny and Neville fly to the Ministry of Magic on the school's Thestrals, unaware they are being lured into a trap.



Chapter 34: The Department of Mysteries
"Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me."

- Lucius Malfoy, to Harry.

When they arrive at the Department of Mysteries, they are ambushed by Death Eaters. Voldemort seeks a prophecy contained in a glass sphere there and needs Harry to retrieve it for him. All of the six students heroically fight the many Death Eaters, but they are dangerously outmatched.



Chapter 35: Beyond the Veil
"And Harry saw the look of mingled fear and surprise on his godfather's wasted, once-handsome face as he fell through the ancient doorway and disappeared behind the veil, which fluttered for a moment as though in a high wind and then fell back into place."

- Sirius death.

The group is nearly defeated, but Order members suddenly arrive to help them. During the ensuing battle, the glass sphere is shattered and the prophecy lost. Sirius is blasted with a spell by his Death Eater cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, and falling backwards, disappears through a mysterious veiled archway. Remus Lupin restrains Harry, who wants to follow and rescue Sirius, telling him that Sirius is dead.



Chapter 36: The Only One He Ever Feared
"Indeed, your failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness"

- Dumbledore, to Voldemort.

Dumbledore arrives and the Death Eaters, except for Bellatrix Lestrange, are captured. Lord Voldemort appears and duels with Dumbledore. After fighting the old hero to a stalemate, he attempts to possess Harry in the hope that Dumbledore will kill Harry, seeking to drive Voldemort out. However, Harry is too full of grief for the death of Sirius, or love, and Voldemort cannot reside in Harry's soul without suffering unendurable pain. Ministry of Magic employees arrive in time to see the Dark Lord before he disapparates, taking Bellatrix with him. Cornelius Fudge finally admits Voldemort has returned and Harry's interview with Rita Skeeter is reprinted in the Daily Prophet.

Chapter 37: The Lost Prophecy
"Because you are not nearly as angry with me as you ought to be. If you are to attack me, as I know you are close to doing, I would like to have thoroughly earned it."

- Dumbledore, to Harry.

Later, Dumbledore apologises to Harry for withholding information over the past year. He reveals the lost prophecy, for it was to him that it was first told:

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..."

Dumbledore also reveals that, due to when the boy was predicted to be born, Neville Longbottom could also have been the child in the prophecy. Dumbledore believes Voldemort chose to attack Harry because he is a half-blood like himself; Neville is a pureblood. In so doing, the Dark Lord marked Harry as his equal; therefore, there is no doubt that the prophecy relates to anyone but Harry. Dumbledore also reveals to Harry that he never chose him as a prefect because Dumbledore thought that Harry "had enough responsibility to be going on with (in other words, Dumbledore felt that Harry already had too much on his mind)."



Chapter 38: The Second War Begins
While packing, Harry sees the Two-way mirror that Sirius gave him, and try to call his godfather, but he sees nothing. Then suddenly he has the idea to talk to Nearly Headless Nick, and ask him if Sirius could come back as a ghost. Nick says that Sirius is not the kind of wizard who would do that, which leaves Harry disappointed and sad. Later, at King's Cross Station, Harry is surprised to find that Mad-Eye Moody, Tonks and Lupin were at King's Cross Station to greet him and talk with the Dursleys to treat him better this summer. Ron and Hermione say goodbye to Harry with the promise that they will meet very soon.

Behind the scenes/errors

 * In the chapter 6, a nest of dead puffskeins is discovered in 12 Grimmauld Place under a sofa. But, according to some information, it's impossible because the puffskeins are too big for going under a sofa, and making nests.
 * The phone number to get into the Ministry of Magic is 62442 which can be used to spell "magic" on a mobile phone.
 * When the group of students arrive at the Hog's Head for the first Dumbledore's Army meeting, Fred and George Weasley arrive last, but then Fred jumps to the front of the group to reach the barman first.
 * Harry and Cho have a date on Valentine's Day to Hogsmeade, where the students are allowed to go on certain weekends. February 14th, 1996 was a Wednesday, however. There should not have been a Hogsmeade visit on Valentine's Day.
 * When Cho is talking about Quidditch to Harry, she says something like "Remember the first time we played together, in the third year?" However, Cho is one year older than Harry, and therefore could not have been in the same year. She however could have been referring to how it was their third year of playing Quidditch for their respective teams. Wood also mentions to Harry (during his third year) that Cho is "a fourth-year and... pretty good."
 * When Umbridge is inspecting Snape and Harry's potion is ruined, Snape gives him a zero and an essay to write on what he did wrong. Harry then says that he had Quidditch practice, however just that morning Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four had been enforced and the Gryffindor Quidditch team had not been approved yet, although he hadn't realised that Quidditch teams were included in the Decree too.
 * When Umbridge first puts Harry in detention she says at five o'clock, in her office. On the following day, when Harry goes to detention, the book says that he went to dinner before then, which means that dinner at Hogwarts starts at least at half past four, which is unlikely. However, dinner isn't always referred to as the 'last meal of the day.'
 * When Harry meets the potential D.A. members in the Hog's Head, Dennis Creevey is present. He would have only been in second year at the time, however, and thus forbidden from coming to Hogsmeade. Dennis may have sneaked in against the rules, however.
 * In an error unique to the U.S. audiobook editions of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, when Harry first arrives at 12 Grimmauld Place following his vision of the attack on Arthur Weasley, the line "Back again, the blood-traitor brats! Is it true their father's dying?" is rendered in the loud, screechy voice of Sirius Black's mother. Based on context clues, however, particularly the fact that this line is immediately followed by Sirius shouting "Out!" and Kreacher shuffling out of the room, it seems clear that it was actually Kreacher that uttered the insults and not Mrs. Black.
 * When Malfoy joins the Inquisitorial Squad he docks points from Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ernie Macmillan. Not knowing that Malfoy is on the Inquisitorial Squad, Ernie says "It's only teachers who can dock points from houses," but in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Percy, as prefect, takes five points from Gryffindor, but he may have just been bluffing. (This was fixed in later editions - Ernie then says that only teachers can dock points from prefects.)
 * It is the first book in the series to be released while the movies were being produced.
 * In the book, classes begin the day after the Start-of-Term Feast. However, September 1st 1995 was on a Friday, which would mean that classes started on the weekend, which is unlikely.

Film adaptation
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was released on Wednesday 11 July, 2007. It was 2 hours and 18 minutes long and marked as one of the shortest Harry Potter film released, even though it is the longest book in the series.