Order of the Phoenix photograph

Order of the Phoenix photograph
Object information
Made	Before July 1981
Usage	Displaying the members of the original Order of the Phoenix
Owners	Alastor Moody

"Come here, I've got something that might interest you. Original Order of the Phoenix. Found it last night when I was looking for my spare Invisibility Cloak, seeing as Podmore hasn't had the manners to return my best one.... Thought people might like to see it."

— Alastor Moody showing Harry Potter the photograph

This photograph of the original Order of the Phoenix was taken at some point in the summer of 1981. It displayed all of the members at that time, arranged into two rows. By 1995, the photo had become rather tattered and old-looking.

History

1981

In July of 1981, the Order of the Phoenix took this group photo. Exactly who took it is uncertain, but it could have been taken by an unknown member of the Order, a third-party photographer, or a camera with a self-timer. Alastor Moody had a copy of the photograph, perhaps the only one in existence. He would hold on it for many years afterward, even after the original Order disbanded, to the point where it became temporarily lost among his possessions.

1995

"He did not know why it had been such a shock; he had seen pictures of his parents before, after all, and he had met Wormtail but to have them sprung on him like that, when he was least expecting it... no one would like that, he thought angrily... And then, to see them surrounded by all those other happy faces.. Benjy Fenwick, who had been found in bits, and Gideon Prewett, who had died like a hero, and the Longbottoms, who had been tortured into madness... all waving happily out of the photograph forever more, not knowing that they were doomed... well, Moody might find that interesting... he, Harry, found it disturbing..."

— Harry Potter's internal thoughts after viewing this photograph

On 30 August 1995, Moody relocated this photograph after an uncertain time of it being lost during a survey of his possessions in hunt of his spare Invisibility Cloak. The next day, he took it with him to 12 Grimmauld Place for a small party that was being held there to celebrate the last day of the Hogwarts summer holidays and Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger's appointment as prefects.

Thinking that Harry Potter might have some interest in seeing his parents in the photo, Moody took him aside when the party was winding down and showed it to him, explaining the various gruesome fates that had befallen many of the photograph's subjects in the years since it was taken. Rather than interest Harry, however, the photograph disturbed him; both seeing his parents in close proximity to the man that would betray them and seeing so many smiling faces coupled with descriptions of their demise put Harry off. He attempted to make up an object he had not yet packed in order to escape from Moody and avoid giving his opinion on the photo, and was allowed to leave when Sirius Black appeared and showed interest in seeing the photograph as well.

2019

A foundable of this photograph

In 2019, the photograph was captured by the Calamity and began to appear around the world as a Foundable.

Members depicted

• Front row
  • Alastor Moody
  • Albus Dumbledore
  • Dedalus Diggle
  • Marlene McKinnon
  • Frank and Alice Longbottom
  • Emmeline Vance
  • Remus Lupin
  • Benjy Fenwick
• Middle row
  • Edgar Bones
  • Sturgis Podmore
  • Caradoc Dearborn
  • Rubeus Hagrid
  • Elphias Doge
  • Gideon Prewett
• Back row
  • Aberforth Dumbledore
  • Dorcas Meadowes
  • Sirius Black
  • James Potter
  • Peter Pettigrew
  • Lily Potter

Behind the scenes

• This photograph as seen in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix bears several changes as opposed to the novel:
  • Rather than being showed it by Moody at the end of the summer holidays, Harry is shown it by Sirius during the Christmas holidays.
  • Harry seems to enjoy seeing the photo much more in the film than he did in the book.
  • The members of the Order are slightly different, fitting in only two rows, and appearing as follows: Fabian and Gideon Prewett, Remus Lupin, Lily Evans, Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, Edgar Bones, Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Rubeus Hagrid, Alice Longbottom, Frank Longbottom, Alastor Moody, Dorcas Meadowes, Marlene McKinnon, Elphias Doge, Emmeline Vance, and two other, unidentified men (possibly Benjy Fenwick and Caradoc Dearborn).
  • Minerva McGonagall and Fabian Prewett were present in the photograph, though they were absent in the one seen in the novel.
• In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Moody says that the McKinnons were killed two weeks after the photograph was taken, and in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry finds a letter in which Lily Potter discusses their deaths as a recent event soon after his first birthday. The photograph must have, therefore, been taken in the summer of 1981.
• Not every member of the original Order were present for this photograph. Mundungus Fletcher, Arabella Figg, and Fabian Prewett were absent despite being members. It's most likely there were other members not present for the photo.
• In the photograph (see parts 1, 2, 3, & 4) found at the Warner Bros. Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour, London, it appears that several of the Order members have gone for a walk out of frame, changed their stances, or even altered their appearances.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Harry Potter: The Character Vault (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite