Book #139: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

J.K. Rowling

 Released: July 21st, 2003

My 5th book for 2026 was J.K. Rowling’s "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix".  

[Blogger's Notes: I'm going to do this series a little bit different than I normally do.  My sister, Megan Perry, is a diehard Harry Potter fan.  Since she also does some blogging, I figured I would incorporate her thoughts on this one as well.  You can check her blog "Between The Pages" at Megan Perry Writes.  ***FAIR WARNING SPOILERS HEAD***

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Bryan Shades: I F*cking hate Delores Umbridge.  *inhale* *exhale*.  Ok, now that that's out of the way.

The book starts off with a bang.  Harry is outside with Dudley, and they are both attacked by the Dementors.  After conjuring his Patronous, Harry is charged with using magic underage and in front of a Muggle.  He is sentenced to a court hearing at the Ministry of Magic.  Later, he is broken out of the Dursley's house by the Order of the Phoenix, a group organized by Dumbledore to fight off Voldemort and the Death Eaters.  He is taken to the old Black residence at 12 Grimmauld Place, where the Order has set up headquarters, and use it to protect Harry.  As the Ministry and Dumbledore battle over whether or not Voldemort has truly returned, Harry also has to contend with the fact that Ron and Hermione have been promoted to Prefects at Hogwarts.  Delores Umbridge has been named the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.  By doing so, it allows the Ministry of Magic to have some eyes and ears into what's going on at Hogwarts.  Hagrid is mysteriously missing.  Straight from the get-go, Umbright makes her presence felt by interrupting Dumbledore.  Then in the first Defense class, she gives Harry a week's worth of detentions for "telling people Voldemort has returned.'  This is something the Ministry wants to keep under wraps and prevent word from getting out.  As the book goes on, Umbridge is appointed the Hogwarts High Inquisitor.  This allows her to make rules that cannot be overruled, not even by Dumbledore.  As the school gets more and more strict punishment, Harry learns his mind is connected to Voldemort, causing him to see actual events in what he believes were dreams.  One of them includes Arthur Weasley getting bitten by a venomous snake.  He is encouraged by Dumbledore to conduct Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape.  This will enable his to close his mind to the Dark Lord.  As the year goes on, more and more issues are caused by Umbridge leading to Dumbledore's dismissal and her taking over as Headmistress.  Hagrid returns with an astonishing surprise -- his half brother Grawp.  Harry later has a vision of Voldemort attacking Sirius in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic.  He gathers a group of friends to contact Sirius but is thwarted by Umbridge, who admits she set the Dementors on Harry and Dudley.  Umbridge is led into the Forbidden Forest by Hermione who sets a trap of her own.  Umbridge is attacked after insulting the prideful Centaurs and Grawp  This gives Harry the time to set off to save Sirius, not aware that he is falling into a trap.  Once there, he realizes that he was tricked into going there as Sirius was never in any danger but was forced into it once Harry has gone off.  In the Ministry, the Order of the Phoenix arrives to do battle with the Death Eaters.  Sirius Black is killed by his cousin Bellatrix La Strange.  The Order fights off Voldemort and the Death Eaters with a returning Dumbledore.  Later, Ministry officials arrive to witness the final showdown, and are forced to admit they were wrong and that Voldemort has returned.  Once back at Hogwarts, Harry melts down in Dumbledore's office but is then told why he survived, and how the prophecy endures on.  Harry feels remorse over Sirius' death but slowly works on healing.  Before heading home for the summer with the Dursleys, the Order has some words with Vernon on treating Harry respectfully or else face backlash.

There is a ton to take in here.  

First, Harry and Dudley are attack by Dementors.  A shocking occurrence when forces Harry to use magic illegally.  This sets the suspense as it seems Harry is no longer safe in the Muggle world.

We see the Ministry of Magic for the first time, and learn more about what wizards such as Arthur Weasley, Lucius Malfoy, and Minister Fudge do on a daily basis, and how the wizarding government works.

We see the famous Black house for the first time, where the Order of the Phoenix gathers, and Sirius has taken up residence.  It's a bit run down, but has help from the house elf Kreacher who is loyal to the Black family.

Now to the biggest problem Order of the Phoenix has within its pages...Dolores Umbridge.  Quite possibly the most hated character in any work of fiction.  She abuses her power to no end, conducts horrific punishments, and forces her will and authority to all students and teachers alike.  Just the mere fact that her punishment for Harry telling the truth is to write with a bewitched quill that carves the words into the back of his hand until it is seeping with blood is outrageous.  It's amazing Harry doesn't go to Dumbledore from the start.  Next, as she is named High Inquisitor and eventually Headmistress, the power continues to go to her head more and more.  She bans Harry for life from Quidditch.  She eliminates the ability for teachers and students to talk to one another outside class subjects.  She gets on McGonagall's last nerve.  You literally end up just being angry as the story continues because of the treachery of this woman.  Her comeuppance is acceptable, but you wish a far greater fate for her as she is evil, unfair, and dismissive of honesty and integrity.  I hate her with everything I am.  And she's a fictional character in a book written 20+ years ago.

Hagrid is missing from half the book.  We later learn he has been looking for the Giants in Europe with Madam Maxime.  He is badly beaten up from his quests, and looks worse every time the group sees him.  He has brought back his brother Grawp, and kept him tied and hidden in the Forbidden Forest as he attempts to calm him down, teach him English, and make him an ally.

Harry's visions are initially seen as dreams.  He later learns that he is connected with Voldemort and is creeping into his mind.  Dumbledore arranges for Snape to teach Harry Occlumency lessons, but Harry has little to no interest in spending more time with Snape.  Voldemort discovers Harry can see his mind when he warns the Order of the snake attack on Arthur Weasley.  He then sets a trap for our hero by making him believe that he has Sirius trapped in the Department of Mysteries and needs help.  Harry, always seeking to save others is hellbent on rescuing his godfather.  This leads to a confrontation with the Death Eaters leading to Sirius' unfortunate death at the hands of his cousin Bellatrix Le Strange.  Bellatrix is a sinister Death Eater, who shows little remorse at the onslaught of the innocent. 

Luna Lovegood has arrived to the story.  She is an odd but fascinating character with strange beliefs, and ways to go about life, but is endearing all the same.  I swore I was having a Mandela Effect moment when I discovered that Luna is not introduced in the series until Book 5.  I could have sworn she had popped up several times prior.  Nonetheless, she arrives with this story and plays a huge impact despite keeping a quiet profile the previous 3 years at Hogwarts.

This is the one where the side characters step up the most.  We see characters like Ginny, Neville, and Luna join the ranks of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, as they set out to take on danger within the Ministry, and combat Lord Voldemort and his supporters.  It is a sort of new-generation Order of the Phoenix that arises in the D.A. (Dumbledore's Army).  With the exception of Luna, we have seen each character grow up in the previous 4 novels, and we know their strengths and weaknesses.  It's nice to see them develop along well.

Harry's love life is an interesting one.  We see him mingle with Cho Chang in parts of this book.  There also seems to be interest from Ginny and Hermione.  It has often left fans wondering who truly matches Harry's heart.  Ginny has always had a crush on him, but Hermione's gestures such as random hugs and kisses, along with subtle gestures imply she has stronger feelings for Harry than she allows.

There's a lot more to add, but I'll leave it at this for now.  Not my favorite novel, but certainly an important one, and one that all Potter fans must read to continue the story.  This one will leave you upset, angry, and confused, but you understand why later one.

Megan Perry:

Here is what I learned.

—————

• To Neil, Jessica, and David, who make my world magical.
• Dudley has convinced his parents that he has been having tea with a different friend each night.
• In reality, he is vandalizing play parks, smoking on street corners, and throwing stones at passing cars and children.
• Dudley has become the Junior Heavyweight Inter-School Boxing Champion of the Southeast.
• Harry saves Dudley from a Dementor.
• Mrs. Figg is a squib.
• Mrs. Figg was asked by Dumbledore to keep an eye on Harry as he grew up on Privat Drive.
• Harry is expelled from Hogwarts for performing magic underage.
• Aunt Petunia knows what dementors are.
• Harry has a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic on August 12th at 9:00am.
• Aunt Petunia executed a Howler.
• Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Elphias Doge, Dedalus Digfle, Emmeline Vance, Sturgis Podmore, Hestia Jones and Lupin come to take Harry from Privat Drive.
• The Dursleys believe they have been short-listed for the Best-Kept Suburban Lawn Competition.
• Nymphadora prefers her surname Tonks.
• Tonks is a Meramorphmagus.
• Kingsley and To is are Aurors.
• Harry is given a Disillusionment charm by Moody.
• Tonks rides a Comet 260.
• The headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix is Number 12, Grimmauld Place, London.
• The Order of the Phoenix has been tailing Harry all summer.
• Dumbledore founded the Order of the Phoenix.
• Voldemort’s return backfired when Harry survived again.
• Fudge doesn’t believe Voldemort has returned.
• Dumbledore has been voted out of the Chairmanship of the International Confederation of Wizards.
• Dumbledore was demoted from Chief Warlock on the Wizengamot.
• Wizengamot is the wizarding high court.
• Mrs. Weasley used Dozxycide to get rid of Doxies.
• Fred and George want to experiment with doxy venom for their Skiving Snackboxes.
• Skiving Snackboxes make you ill.
• Kreacher doesn’t care for Mudbloods.
• Sirius ran away from home at age 16.
• Sirius’s brother joined the Death Eaters.
• Phineas Nigellus was Sirius’ great-great grandfather.
• Nigellus was Hogwarts least popular headmaster.
• Sirius’s mother’s cousin Araminta Meliflua wanted to make Muggle-hunting legal.
• Aunt Elladora would behead house elves when they got too old.
• Tonks’ mother Andromeda is Sirius’ favorite cousin.
• Andromeda married a muggle Ted Tonks.
• Sirius is related to Narcissa Black, who is Lucius Malfoy’s wife.
• Her other sister is Bellatrix Lestrange.
• Molly and Sirius are cousins by marriage.
• Arthur and Sirius are second-cousins.
• The pure-blood families are all interrelated.
• Bellatrix Black married Rodolphus Lestrange.
• The password to the Ministry of Magic is 6-2-4-4-2.
• “All proceeds from the Fountain of Magical Brethern will be given to St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
• Fred and George have invented Extendable Ears.
• Fred and George passed their Apparation tests.
• “Time is Galleons, little brother.”
• Bill got a desk job to be closer to home.
• Fleur Delacour got a job at Gringotts to improve her English.
• Percy has been promoted to Junior Assistant to the Minister.
• Percy is living in London now after a falling out with his father.
• Percy takes the Daily Prophet seriously.
• Kreacher is the house-elf of Grimmauld Place.
• Sirius’ mother lives in a portrait.
• Grimmauld is Sirius’ childhood home.
• Kingsley calls firearms “firelegs”.
• The Ministey has changed the date and venue of Harry’s hearing on short notice.

Harry’s hearing is interrogated by:

• Cornelius Oswald Fudge
• Amelia Susan Bones
• Dolores Jane Umbridge
• Percy Ignatius Weasley

• Dumbledore is Harry’s defense witness.
• Dumbledore’s full name is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.
• Mrs. Figg’s full name is Arabella Doreen Figg.
• The dementor attack was on August 2nd, 1995 around 9pm.
• Harry is cleared of all charges.

Books required for 5th Years:

• The Standard Book Of Spells, Grade 5, by Miranda Goshawk.
• Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard.

• Ron and Hermione have been chosen as Prefects.
• Hermione is disappointed to see Ron was given the position and not Harry.
• Fred and George are the only two Weasley’s to never become Prefects.
• There is a boggart in the writing desk in the drawing room.
• Lupin was a Prefect.
• Venomous Tentacula Seeds are a Class C Non-Tradeable Substance.
• Moody has a picture of the original Order of the Phoenix including himself, Dumbledore, Dedalus Diggle, Marlene McKinnon, Frank & Alice Longbottom, Emmeline Vance, Lupin, Benjy Fenwick, Edgar Bones, Sturgis Podmore, Caradoc Dearborn, Hagrid, Elphias Doge, Gideon & Fabian Prewett, Aberforth Dumbledore, Dorcas Meadowes, Sirius, Lily & James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew.
• Benjy Fenwick was blown to pieces.
• The Hogwarts Express has a Prefect Carriage.
• Luna Lovegood is nicknamed “Loony”.
• Luna reads the Quibbler magazine.
• For his birthday, Neville received a Mimbulus Mimbletonia, a rare cactus from his great-uncle Algie in Assyria.
• Neville is gifted at Herbology
• The cactus emits Stinksap.
• Stinksap is not poisonous.
• Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson are the Slytherin Prefects.
• Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott are the Hufflepuff Prefects.
• Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil are the Ravenclaw Prefects.
• “Scourgify” gets rid of Stinksap.
• Doris Purkiss believes Sirius Black is secretly a retired rock star named Stubby Boardman of The Hobgoblins.
• Luna’s father is the editor of the Quibbler.
• Professor Grubbly-Plank handles First Year duties instead of Hagrid this year.
• Harry notices the horseless stagecoaches suddenly have horses.
• Luna can also see the horses.
• The sorting hat gives warnings to the school when it sees fit.
• Euan Abercrombie goes to Gryffindor.
• Rose Zeller goes to Hufflepuff.
• The hat always suggests “Stand together, be strong from within.”
• Professor Delores Umbridge is the new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher.
• Professor Grubbly-Plank is the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher.
• No new teacher had ever interrupted Dumbledore before Umbridge.
• Hermione deduces that the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts.
• The new Gryffindor Tower password is “Mimbulus Mimbletonia”.
• Seamus’ mom did not want him to return to Hogwarts.
• Dean Thomas’ parents are Muggles.
• Neville’s grandmother cancelled her subscription to the Daily Prophet.
• Fred and George are hiring out.
• “His gift for spreading discord and enmity is quite great.  We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust.”
• Angelina is the new Gryffindor Quidditch Team Captain.
• Fifth Year is O.W.L. Year.
• Fred and George received 3 O.W.L.s each.
• Cho has supported the Tornados Quidditch team since she was 6.
• Snape teaches the Draught of Peace potion.
• Divination Year 5 studies from “The Dream Oracle” by Inigo Imago.
• Professor McGonagall keeps Ginger Newt Biscuits in a tin on her desk.
• Wizards debate the existence of Blibbering Humdingers and Crumple-Horned Snorkacks.
• Umbridge’s quill burns the lines into the writer’s hand.
• Harry hates Umbridge more than Snape.
• Ron tries out for Keeper on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
• Ron got the position over Vicky Frobisher and Geoffrey Hooper.
• Hooper tends to whine.
• Vicky is involved in too many activities and puts her Charms club over Quidditch.
• Harry develops stronger feelings for Cho.
• The bass player in The Weird Sisters got married.
• Sturgis Podmore is 38.
• Podmore is charged with trespassing and attempted robbery at the Ministry of Magic.
• He was caught by watch-wizard Eric Munch.
• Fred accidentally gave Katie a Blood Blisterpod instead of an anti-nosebleed medication.
• Jupiter’s biggest moon is Ganymede not Callisto.
• Percy is aligned with Delores Umbridge and the Ministry.
• He believes Dumbledore will soon lose his post as Headmaster.
• He encourages Ron to end his friendship with Harry.
• Umbridge once drafted anti-werewolf legislation.
• Umbridge is appointed the first-ever High Inquisitor of Hogwarts.
• The August 30th Educational Decree 22 states that in the event of the current headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person.
• This is how Umbridge became a teacher.
• The Ministry also passed Educational Decree 23 creating the position of Hogwarts High Inquisitor.
• Lucius Malfoy is 41, and lives in a mansion in Wiltshire.
• Wizengamot elders Griselda Marchbanks and Tiberius Ogden have resigned in protest at the creation of the new position.

O.W.L. Grading 

• O for Outstanding
• E for Exceeds Expectations 
• A for Acceptable
• P for Poor
• D for Dreadful

• Professor Trelawney has been teaching for 16 years.
• Professor McGonagall has been teaching for 39 years.
• Ron and Hermione suggest Harry teach Defense Against the Dark Arts.
• Viktor Krum told Hermione that Harry can do magic that even he couldn’t do and he was in his final year at Durmstrang.
• Harry, Ron, and Hermione check out the Hog’s Head pub.
• Ron has always wanted to try firewhiskey.
• Minister Fudge has his own private army of Heliopaths.
• A Heliopath is a spirit of fire.
• Ginny is dating Michael Corner.
• Umbridge disband all Hogwarts student organizations, societies, teams, groups, and clubs.
• The Gryffindor girls stairwell is bewitched to melt into a slide if a male attempts to enter.
• The Hogwarts founders thought boys were less trustworthy than girls.
• Someone has injured Hedwig.
• Hagrid trained the Hogwarts thestrals not to touch owls.
• Professor Grubbly-Plank’s first name is Wilhelmina.
• In Potions, the students read “One Thousand Magical Herbs And Fungi”.
• Mundungus was banned from Hog’s Head 20 years prior.
• In addition to a rising body temperature, Fred and George’s Fever Fudge produces boils on rectal regions.
• The Room of Requirement is also known as the Come and Go Room.
• It is a room a person can only enter when in true need of it.
• Cho wants revenge on Voldemort for killing Cedric.
• A Protean Charm causes an object to mimic another.
• The Sorting Hat debated on putting Hermione into Ravenclaw based on her intelligence.
• 14 people saw Slytherin Keeper Miles Bletchley hit Alicia Spinner with a Hair-Thickening Jinx.
• The Slytherins wear “Weasley is Our King” badges to mock Ron.
• Crabbe and Goyle are the new Slytherin Beaters.
• Derrick and Bole were the former Slytherin Beaters.

The Slytherins sing a song to mock Ron:




Weasley cannot save a thing, 

He cannot block a single ring, 

That's why Slytherins all sing:

Weasley is our King.

Weasley was born in a bin, 

He always lets the Quaffle in, 

Weasley will make sure we win, 

Weasley is our King.

Weasley is our King, 

Weasley is our King,

He always lets the Quaffle in, 

Weasley is our King.

• Educational Decree number 25 states that the High Inquisitor has the power to strip pupils or common teachers of privileges.
• Harry and George are banned from Quidditch for fighting Malfoy.
• Fred is banned for being George’s twin.
• Crabbe only received lines for hitting the Quaffle at Harry.
• Muggles have encountered Giants but their deaths are always listed as mountaineering accidents.
• Hagrid offers the Giants a branch of Gubraithian fire.
• Guveaithian fire is everlasting fire.
• The Death Eater Macnair has made an association with the Giants.
• Hagrid learns his mother died years prior.
• It is difficult to obtain Chimaera eggs.
• Hogwarts has a whole herd of Thestrals in the Forbidden Forest.
• “The only people who can see Thestrals are people who have seen death.”
• Tenebrus was the first Thestral born in the forest.
• Mistletoe is often infested with nargles.
• Ginny Weasley replaces Harry as the Gryffindor Seeker.
• Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper replace Fred and George Weasley as Beaters.
• Cho admits her feelings for Harry.
• Cho kissed Harry under the mistletoe.
• Dumbledore’s office password is “Fizzing Whizbee”.
• Everard and Dilys are two of Hogwarts’s most celebrated heads.
• They have multiple portraits and can move freely between them.
• Harry has a vision that Mr. Weasley is attack by a snake.
• Mr. Weasley is take to St. Mungo’s.
• Armando Dippet was Dumbledore’s predecessor.
• Phineas’ other portrait is at Grimmauld Place.
• Purge and Dowse Ltd. is the location of St. Mungo’s.
• Dilys Derwent was a St Mungo’s Healer from 1722-1741.
• Dilys was Headmistress of Hogwarts from 1741-1768.

St Mungo’s Departments & Floors

- Ground Floor - Artifact Accidents

- 1st Floor - Creature-Induced Injuries

- 2nd Floor - Magical Bugs

- 3rd Floor - Potion and Plant Poisoning.

- 4th Floor - Spell Damage

- 5th Floor - Visitors’ Tearoom and Hospital Shop.

• Broderick Bode is in Ward 49.
• Mr. Weasley is in the Dai Llewellyn ward.
• The Healer-In-Charge of the Dai Llewellyn ward is Hippocrates Smethwyck.
• The Trainee Healer is Augustus Pye.
• There is a portrait of Urquhart Rackharrow in Arthur’s room.
• Urquhart Rackharrow invented the Entrail-Expelling Curse.
• Rackharrow lived from 1612-1697.
• The poison in the fangs that bit Arthur keeps wounds open.
• Arthur has to take a Blood-Replenishing Potion every hour.
• Willy Widdershins was arrested for jinxing toilets to explode.
• He got off on charges with some gold.
• He was recently caught for selling biting doorknobs to Muggles.
• Voldemort is possessing Harry.
• Ron receives a broom compass from Harry for Christmas.
• Harry and Ron receive homework planners from Hermione.
• “Do it today, or later you’ll pay.”
• Harry receives a set of book entitled “Practical Defensive Magic and Its Use Against The Dark Arts from Sirius and Lupin.
• Harry receives a hairy brown wallet with fangs from Hagrid.
• Harry receives a small model Firebolt from Tonks.
• Harry receives a huge box of Every-Flavor Beans from Ron.
• Harry receives a horrid-looking painting by Dobby.
• Hermione receives the book New Theory of Numerology from Harry.
• Hermione receives perfume from Ron.
• Kreacher sleeps under the boiler in the cupboard off the kitchen.
• Arthur Weasley receives fuse-wire and a screwdriver from Harry.
• Arthur receives stitches for his wounds.
• Professor Gilderoy Lockhart has been taken to St. Mungo’s since his accident.
• Lockhart has never gotten a visitor.
• Bellatrix Lestrange was sent to Azkaban for using the Cruciatus Curse on Neville’s parents.
• Occlumency is the magical defense of the mind against external penetration.
• Harry, Ron, and Hermione ride the Knight Bus back to Hogwarts.
• Snape is a superb Occlumens.
• Cho Chang wants to spread Valentine’s Day with Harry.
• Voldemort is highly skilled at Legilimency.
• Legilimency is the ability to extract feelings and memories from another person’s mind.
• Legilimens is the Legilimency Curse.
• “"Fools who wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves, who cannot control their emotions, who wallow in sad memories and allow themselves to be provoked this easily — weak people, in other words — they stand no chance against his powers.”
• Voldemort wants to break into the Department of Mysteries.
• Fred and George are selling Headless Hats for 2 Galleons each.
• Antonin Dolohov was convicted of the brutal murders of Gideon and Fabian Prewett.
• Augustus Rookwood was convicted of leaking Ministry of Magic secrets to Voldemort.
• Broderick Bode was found dead at St Mungo’s.
• He was strangled by a potted plant with Devil’s Snare.
• The Devil’s Snare was mistaken for Flitterbloom, a safer plant.
• Hagrid had been placed on probation.
• Educational Decree Number 26 states that Teachers are banned from giving students information that is not strictly related to the subjects they teach.
• Madam Puddifoot’s serves coffee.
• Hermione has completely domination of Rita Skeeter.
• Hufflepuff defeats Gryffindor 240-230, despite Ginny catching the Snitch.
• Rita Skeeter writes Harry’s version of Voldemort’s return in the Quibbler.
• Education Decree Nunber 27 states that any student found with a copy of the Quibbler will be expelled.
• Professor Trelawney predicts Harry will live to an old age, become Minister of Magic and have 12 children.
• The copy of the Quibbler with Harry’s interview sold out the fastest.
• Firenze the centaur is the new Divination teacher.
• Divination is now in classroom 11 on the ground floor.
• Firenze has been banished from his herd.
• Cho has a swan Patronus.
• Hermione has an otter Patronus.
• Marietta Edgecomb betrayed the D.A. to save her mother’s job at the Ministry.
• Educational Decree Number 28 replaces Albus Dumbledore with Dolores Umbridge as Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
• The Castle has sealed the Headmaster’s office against Umbridge.
• Umbridge has set up an Inquisitorial Squad with Malfoy.
• Montague is Captain of the Slytherin team.
• James and Sirius bullied Snape in their youth.
• Lily was appalled by James abusing Snape.
• Professor McGonagall once described James and Sirius as the forerunners of the Weasley twins.
• “The thing about growing up with Fred and George is that you sort of start thinking anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.”
• Ginny gets kicked out of the library for having chocolate.
• All fifty years are required to attend a short meeting with their Head of House to discuss future careers.
• To be a Healer, you need at least an E level N.E.W.T. in Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts.
• Hermione doesn’t fancy banking.
• “A lot of people are idiots at the age of fifteen.”
• Umbridge gives out approvals for whipping.
• “George, I think we’ve outgrown full-time education.”
• Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes is located at 93 Diagon Alley.
• They offer a special discount to anyone who used their products to get Umbridge dismissed from Hogwarts.
• Fred and George left the swamp on the 5th floor of the East Wing.
• Hufflepuff defeated Slytherin in their Quidditch match.
• Hagrid saved his half-brother Grawp and brought his to the Forbidden Forest.
• Grawp is 16-ft tall — short for a Giant.
• Ron helped Gryffindor win the Quidditch House Cup.
• It is very difficult to stun a Giant because of their blood.
• Hagrid is fired from his job as a teacher.
• Professor McGonagall has been transferred to St Mungo’s.
• The room is 97, which is the year Harry Potter was first published.
• The only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophecy from the Department of Ministries are about whom it was made.
• Bellatrix Le Strange kills her cousin Sirius Black.
• Voldemort and Dumbledore duel at the Ministry of Magic.
• Kreacher betrayed Harry & Sirius with Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy.
• Dumbledore charmed Harry when he dropped them off at the Dursley’s.  Petunia’s acceptance of Blood Bond sealed the charm.
• “I have watched you struggling under more burdens than any student who has ever passed through this school, and I could not bring myself to add another — the greatest one of all."
• "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 HIS 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....
• “Neither can live…while the other survives.”
• Dumbledore never chose Harry as a prefect because he felt he had too much to deal with.
• Luna’s father received. Huge commission to sell Harry’s Quibbler interview to the Daily Prophet.
• Luna’s father is taking her to Sweden this summer to attempt to catch a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.
• Flitwick removed the swamp, but left a small patch by the window in tribute to their magic ability.
• Harry finds a magic two-way mirror from Sirius that would have allowed them to communicate, too late.
• Wizards have a choice once they die to leave an imprint in ghostly form upon the world or continue completely on to the greater beyond.
• Luna Lovegood watcher her mom die when she was nine from an errant spell her mom was performing.
• Ginny and Michael Corner broke up over Gryffindor beating Ravenclaw in Quidditch.
• Michael is now dating Cho Chang.
• Ron encourages Ginny to date Harry.
• Ginny reveals she is dating Dean Thomas.
• Fred and George now sport dragon skin jackets since their business is booming.
• The book was written in 11.5-point Adobe Garamond font.  This typeface is based on sixteenth-century designs of Claude Garamond which were redrawn by Robert Slimbach in 1989.

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Overall, this is arguably my least favorite Harry Potter novel.  If Goblet of Fire is about Harry transforming from a child to a young man, Order of the Phoenix is where his young man story begins.  At 870 pages, it is the longest Harry Potter novel to date.  Still a very good read with satisfying wizard action sequences, and more of a temperment to Harry than previously seen.  We begin to see a very confident and even dangerous Harry Potter.  However, the new challenges he faces bring great frustration to the read

Highly Recommended.

On to Book #140: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling.

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Need to catch up?  See previous blog post: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.