Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry writes a coded letter to Sirius, telling him about his scar hurting and asking whether he knows the whereabouts of Hagrid. He takes it to the owlery and instructs Hedwig to deliver it. Harry sees another of the skeletal, winged leathery horses and is spooked by it. Cho Chang arrives, and Harry nervously talks to her. Cho tells him that she thinks him brave for standing up to Umbridge. Filch interrupts, wondering if Harry is ordering Dungbombs and asking for his letter. Triumphantly, Harry explains that it was already sent; Cho confirms his story.

The Daily Prophet reveals that Sirius is thought to be hiding in London; Harry, Hermione, and Ron worry that his trip to Kings Cross in his dog form exposed him. They also read that Sturgis Podmore—a member of the order—was arrested trying to break into a top-security section of the Ministry of Magic.

Harry and Ron practice Quidditch together before Gryffindor’s training, and Ron is playing well. Some Slytherins arrive for the actual training session. Ron is intimidated by their mockery and plays badly.

Percy writes to Ron, congratulating him on becoming a prefect. He also advises him to avoid associating with Harry and alludes to further Ministry intervention at Hogwarts, which Percy believes is positive. Percy advises Ron to align himself with Umbridge and criticizes their parents for siding with the wrong kinds of wizards, such as Dumbledore. Ron is disgusted, ripping Percy’s letter and burning it.

Sirius appears in the common room fireplace after everyone except Ron, Hermione, and Harry have gone to bed. They tell him about Umbridge’s lessons; Sirius explains that Umbridge’s insistence that Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons should be only theoretical is due to Fudge’s worry that Dumbledore is building an army at Hogwarts. Sirius tells them that Hagrid is on a special assignment for Dumbledore and not to worry. He suggests meeting them in dog form during their next Hogsmeade excursion; all three protest, indicating that it’s too dangerous. Sirius disappointedly says Harry is not as much like James as he had thought because James would relish the danger.

Over breakfast, Hermione reads in the Daily Prophet that Umbridge has been appointed as High Inquisitor at Hogwarts, allowing her unprecedented rights to evaluate the school and its staff. Harry, Hermione, and Ron are furious.

In Potions class, Snape returns the class’s homework essays. Hermione is relieved with her grade, while Ron and Harry are disappointed. In Divination class, Umbridge is present to assess Professor Trelawney’s performance. Trelawney is angry and indignant about her presence. Unimpressed with Trelawney’s teaching, Umbridge asks probing questions and demands that Trelawney make a prediction. In Defense Against the Dark Arts, Hermione attracts Umbridge’s ire by expressing an opinion not shared by their textbook writer. Harry receives another week of detentions after angrily pointing out that Professor Quirrell, who Umbridge praises as their best teacher of the subject in previous years, was secretly harboring Voldemort on the back of his head. Angelina is furious that Harry will miss more training. Harry is angered further when Professor McGonagall takes more points from Gryffindor after learning that Harry lost his temper with Umbridge again. In Transfiguration class, the students are delighted with Professor McGonagall’s tart indifference toward Umbridge, whom she tells to stop interrupting her class, which is practicing a vanishing spell. During Care of Magical Creatures, Harry is distressed when Umbridge seems to be gathering evidence of Professor Grubbly-Plank’s superiority to Hagrid as a teacher.

Ron and Hermione suggest to Harry that he should teach a practical, rather than theoretical, Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Harry becomes unexpectedly angry, shouting that they don’t understand the trauma of his experiences with Voldemort or the level of luck involved.

Two weeks after their conversation, Hermione broaches the subject again. Harry begrudgingly admits that he has given it some thought and is interested in the idea. Hermione decides to arrange for anyone interested to meet at Hog’s Head pub in Hogsmeade. Harry is shocked when 25 students arrive. Zacharias Smith, a student from Hufflepuff, demands proof that Voldemort is alive. Concerned that people merely came to hear his version of events about the Triwizard Tournament, Harry angrily tells the group that he will not speak about Cedric’s death. He is surprised when all of the students stay.

The group discusses Harry’s impressive record of casting Defensive spells and overcoming adversity and the class logistics, which would occur weekly. Hermione insists that everyone record their name on parchment; some are concerned about this, but Hermione communicates that she appreciates the danger and will keep the list safe.

Ron is shocked to discover that Ginny is dating Michael Corner and that she used to like Harry. Harry is thrilled when Hermione tells him that Cho was gazing at him throughout the meeting.

Harry feels excited that they have taken action to resist Umbridge and the Ministry. Signs posted around the school articulate a new educational decree by Umbridge: Students are no longer permitted to gather in organizations, teams, or groups. Harry and Ron worry that someone has reported their Defense Against the Dark Arts organization, but Hermione reassures them that she placed a jinx on the parchment that the group signed, which would allow them to know the offending member who had reported them. Distressed, Angelina tells Harry and Ron that the ban applies to Quidditch teams, and she has to apply for permission to reform the team. She begs Harry to keep his temper under control.

Hedwig arrives at their History of Magic class window, and Harry notices she is injured. He feigns illness to leave class and take her to Professor Grubbly-Plank, who assures Harry that she will be able to fix Hedwig. Professor McGonagall, also present in the staff room, infers that Harry was writing to Sirius and warns him that the Owl Post may be being monitored. Hedwig’s note was from Sirius, advising that he will speak to him via the fire “today, same time, same place” (322).

Draco loudly taunts Harry and Ron, saying that the Ministry will likely fire Mr. Weasley and that Harry will be taken to St. Mungo’s hospital due to his brain being affected by magic. Neville tries to attack Draco and is held off by Harry and Ron. In Potions class, Umbridge observes Snape, who is clearly angry when Umbridge asks him about his repeated, rejected requests to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. Snape mocks Harry for his unsuccessful attempt at the assigned potion and assigns him an extra essay. In Divination class, Trelawney is angry and upset about Umbridge’s negative comments on her observation. In Defense Against the Dark Arts, the class again reads in silence from their textbooks. Angelina is angry that the Gryffindor Quidditch team still has not been permitted to reform, and thus they cannot practice.

Sirius appears in the fireplace. He reveals that Mundungus—assigned to guard Harry—was secretly spying on the group in Hog’s Head. Sirius is proud of the group’s decision to organize a resistance group; however, he passes on Mrs. Weasley’s warning that it is inadvisable to do anything that may get them expelled. Suddenly, Sirius looks around, and his head vanishes. Umbridge’s hand appears in the flames, groping around as if attempting to grab Sirius.

In Charms, the group works on a silencing charm with ravens and toads. Hermione’s suspicion that Umbridge has been intercepting Harry’s mail is seemingly confirmed by Umbridge’s attempt to capture Sirius in the fire. Filch’s accusation of Dungbombs was a ruse to allow Umbridge to monitor his mail. Angelina, Ron, Harry, and the other players are thrilled to receive permission to reform the Quidditch team. However, their first practice occurs in the driving rain and is not a success.

Hermione gets cold feet over the Defense Against the Dark Arts group. Sirius’s support makes her worry that it is a reckless choice; she believes that Sirius’s isolation has made him reckless and increases his desire to live vicariously through the group.

Harry’s scar hurts suddenly. He senses that Voldemort is angry and realizes that the last time he felt a connection, Voldemort was happy.

Later, Harry falls asleep while doing homework in the common room and dreams again of a corridor of locked rooms; he feels a sense of yearning toward one door. He wakes up when he is greeted by Dobby, the house elf, who has mended Hedwig on Professor Grubbly-Plank’s behalf. Dobby is wearing many hats and explains that none of the other elves will clean the Gryffindor common room as they don’t want to pick up one of Hermione’s hats accidentally. Dobby tells Harry he wishes he could find more ways to repay Harry for his choice to free him. Harry asks for Dobby’s help in finding an appropriate space for their Defense Against the Dark Arts classes; Dobby knows the perfect space, the Room of Requirement.

Following Dobby’s instructions, Harry, Ron, and Hermione summon the room into existence by passing the space three times while concentrating on their need. A door to a large room filled with helpful props and books appears. All the students who signed up arrive, and they name their group Dumbledore’s Army.

Harry instructs the group to start with the Disarming Charm: Expelliarmus. Zacharias is derisive about the simplicity of the spell; Harry silences him when he tells him that he used it successfully against Voldemort. The group starts practicing the spell in pairs. Cho makes a mistake when Harry walks by; she explains that Harry makes her nervous, and Harry is flattered. At the end of the class, Harry sends the students in groups, carefully monitoring their progress on the Marauder’s Map to ensure they reach their dormitories safely.