Harry Potter, #5
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
by J.K. Rowling
Contents
Luna Lovegood
Overview
Escorted to King’s Cross, Harry departs with Sirius in Animagus form. On the train he meets Luna Lovegood, witnesses Neville’s stinksap mishap, and sees The Quibbler’s odd claims. Malfoy flaunts his prefect badge. Arriving at Hogsmeade, Hagrid is missing and Professor Grubbly-Plank takes first years. Harry alone, besides Luna, sees eerie winged horses pulling the carriages, unsettling him.
Summary
Harry wakes from troubling dreams to Weasley household chaos and learns he will be escorted to King’s Cross. Despite Molly’s protests, Sirius accompanies them as a dog, reveling in brief freedom, while Moody, Tonks, Lupin, and Mr. Weasley help the group reach the Hogwarts Express without incident.
At the platform, goodbyes are hurried. Onboard, Ron and Hermione head to the prefects’ carriage, leaving Harry to find seats with Ginny and Neville. They join Luna Lovegood, whose odd manner and upside-down Quibbler mark her as eccentric. Neville proudly demonstrates his rare Mimbulus mimbletonia, which erupts stinksap over everyone just as Cho Chang drops by, mortifying Harry until Ginny cleans them up.
Ron and Hermione return with prefect news: Malfoy and Pansy have Slytherin badges. Luna bluntly mentions Ron’s Yule Ball behavior. Malfoy arrives to gloat about his authority and to taunt Harry, hinting he will watch him closely, which unsettles Harry about Sirius’s risky appearance at the station.
As night falls, The Quibbler’s bizarre stories—including a claim that Sirius is a retired singer—cause friction when Hermione derides the magazine and Luna defends it as her father’s work. The train reaches Hogsmeade, but instead of Hagrid, Professor Grubbly-Plank summons the first years, alarming Harry who had looked forward to seeing Hagrid.
Outside, Harry notices the once “horseless” carriages are drawn by skeletal, bat-winged horses that Ron cannot see. Confused and worried about his sanity, Harry learns from Luna that she can see them too and has since her first day. She calmly assures him he is “just as sane” as she is, and they ride up to the castle.
Who Appears
- Harry PotterProtagonist; travels to Hogwarts, meets Luna, worries about Sirius’s risk, and uniquely sees winged skeletal horses.
- Luna LovegoodEccentric Ravenclaw; reads The Quibbler, laughs at Ron, and reassures Harry by also seeing the carriage-drawing creatures.
- Ron WeasleyNew prefect; patrols train, jokes about Goyle, fails to see the horses, and misses Pigwidgeon briefly.
- Hermione GrangerNew prefect; disapproves of abuse of power, derides The Quibbler, and is alarmed by Malfoy’s threats.
- Neville LongbottomShows his rare Mimbulus mimbletonia, accidentally sprays stinksap over the compartment, and travels with Harry’s group.
- Sirius BlackIn Animagus dog form; escorts Harry to the station against Molly’s wishes, briefly reveling in freedom.
- Draco MalfoyNew Slytherin prefect; taunts Harry and threatens to monitor him, bullying younger students for a coach.
- Ginny WeasleyFinds seats with Harry, defends Neville, helps with pets, and travels in the same carriage to the castle.
- Nymphadora TonksOrder escort to King’s Cross; bids the students farewell at the train.
- Alastor MoodyOrder escort; brings luggage, warns students about letters, and notes Sturgis Podmore’s absence.
- Remus LupinOrder escort; sees the group off and urges caution.
- Molly WeasleyManages chaotic departure, objects to Sirius accompanying them, and hustles students onto the train.
- Arthur WeasleyArrives with Ron and Hermione; limited Ministry support noted; sees the students off.
- Professor Grubbly-PlankStands in for absent Hagrid at Hogsmeade, organizing first years upon arrival.
- Cho ChangStops by to greet Harry, catching him mid-stinksap embarrassment, flustering him.