Harry Potter, #5

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

by J.K. Rowling

Genre

Fantasy, Young Adult, Children's

Year

2003

Pages

870

Contents

Seen and Unforeseen

Previous: The Beetle at Bay Next: The Centaur and the Sneak

Overview

Harry’s Quibbler interview is published; Umbridge bans it, ensuring everyone reads it. Cho reconciles and Seamus believes Harry, but Gryffindor suffers a humiliating Quidditch loss.

Harry dreams as Voldemort, learning Rookwood’s guidance about a protected weapon; Hermione deduces Bode and Sturgis’s roles. In Occlumency, Harry repels Snape and briefly opens the Department of Mysteries door. Umbridge sacks Trelawney, but Dumbledore retains her and appoints the centaur Firenze as Divination teacher.

Summary

Harry frets over how his Quibbler interview will be received and recounts his failed date with Cho to Hermione, who explains Cho’s jealousy. Gryffindor’s Quidditch practice looks dire, and the match ends in a swift defeat despite Ginny catching the Snitch. Harry broods over Umbridge’s gloating presence and struggles to clear his mind before sleep, again dreaming of the black door in the Department of Mysteries.

The next morning, owls flood Harry with mail as The Quibbler publishes his interview. Umbridge bans the magazine, but the ban backfires, spreading Harry’s account throughout Hogwarts. Students discreetly read bewitched copies; supportive gestures from teachers slip past Decree 26. Cho apologizes and kisses Harry’s cheek; Seamus declares his belief, while Slytherins simmer after Harry named their fathers as Death Eaters.

That night Harry dreams as Voldemort: Rookwood reveals that Bode could never remove a certain protected object and that Avery misled them; Voldemort pivots plans. Harry wakes in pain and tells Ron. The trio later analyze the vision; Hermione deduces Bode’s damage came from defensive spells, his murder silenced him, and Sturgis Podmore was likely Imperiused by Lucius Malfoy to breach the same door.

In Occlumency, Snape presses Harry about the vision. Under pressure Harry uses Protego, momentarily rebounding Legilimency and glimpsing Snape’s childhood memories. On the next attempt Harry is propelled through the long-sought black door into a circular, blue-lit room before being yanked back; Snape rages at his lack of discipline.

Screams in the castle interrupt them: Umbridge publicly sacks Trelawney. As the sobbing seer is humiliated, Dumbledore arrives, asserts that while Umbridge may dismiss staff, she cannot evict them, and orders Trelawney to remain at Hogwarts. Preempting Ministry appointment rights, Dumbledore announces Firenze the centaur as the new Divination teacher.

Who Appears

Harry Potter

Gives a Quibbler interview; receives widespread student support; dreams as Voldemort about a protected weapon; struggles in Occlumency, repels Snape, and glimpses the Department of Mysteries.
Dolores Umbridge

Bans The Quibbler, punishes Harry, intensifies searches, and publicly sacks Professor Trelawney.
Hermione Granger

Explains Cho’s behavior; predicts the ban will spread the interview; deduces Bode’s fate and Sturgis’s Imperius link; urges Harry to improve Occlumency.
Ron Weasley

Performs poorly in Quidditch loss; supports Harry after the vision; urges telling others about Voldemort’s plan.
Cho Chang

Avoids Harry initially, then apologizes after the interview and briefly reconciles with him.
Severus Snape

Conducts Occlumency; is repelled by Harry’s Shield Charm; has childhood memories briefly exposed; grows furious after Harry’s door vision.
Sybill Trelawney

Publicly dismissed by Umbridge; breaks down; allowed by Dumbledore to remain at Hogwarts.
Albus Dumbledore

Overrules Trelawney’s eviction and appoints Firenze as the new Divination teacher.
Luna Lovegood

Confirms the interview’s release; reports record Quibbler sales.
Ginny Weasley

Catches the Snitch in a losing match; plans to try Chaser when Harry returns.
Rookwood

In Harry’s vision, informs Voldemort Bode couldn’t remove the protected object, redirecting Voldemort’s plans.
Avery

In Harry’s vision, blamed by Voldemort for giving wrong information and is punished.
Minerva McGonagall

Comforts Trelawney and helps escort her back to her rooms.
Firenze

Centaur appointed by Dumbledore as the new Divination teacher.
Lucius Malfoy

Implicated by Hermione as Imperiusing Bode and likely Sturgis to breach the Department of Mysteries.