The Order of the Phoenix Re-Read: Chapter 27

[slowfox]

Hermione certainly seems to have sussed Umbridge's game plan:

"I've got a feeling Umbridge has only just started being horrible," said Hermione darkly.

"Impossible," said Ron, who was tucking into a plate of eggs and bacon. "She can't get any worse than she's been already."

"You mark my words, she's going to want revenge on Dumbledore for appointing a teacher without consulting her," said Hermione. "Especially another part-human. You saw the look on her face when she saw Firenze."

Note, too, that again JKR insists on demonstrating that Ron's busy stuffing his face :-/

Again it's not clear how many students there are in Divination Studies:

Harry noticed thre was the shadow of a hoof-shaped bruise on Firenze's chest. As he turned to join the rest of the class on the ground, he saw that they were all looking at him in awe...

Given that Hermione's not taking Divination Studies, and that Harry's the one being looked at, there can be at most six other people in the room, if it's only Gryffindor fifth years in the lesson. No other names get mentioned, yet the way the lesson's described, it sounds as though there are more people present than just Harry, Ron, Dean, Seamus, Neville, Lavender and Parvati, and it's only those last two who've ever treated Trelawney with anything approaching respect:

Harry turned his head very slightly to look at Parvati. She looked very offended, as did several of the people surrounding her.

The DA are definitely progressing, as evidenced by the fact that Harry's now teaching them Patronuses. Cho's patronus is a swan, Hermione's is an otter, and the text implies that several other members have managed this trick. So that's some going - Harry's definitely good at this.

This is where we learn that Malfoy's teamed up with Umbridge, in the sort of Umbridge Youth thing she's got going.

Anyway, Harry gets hauled off by Umbridge to Dumbledore's office, where... the Minister of Magic, of all people, is there waiting for him! As we know, Marietta (Cho's friend) eventually broke and told Umbridge about the DA. Again we have JKR's rather frustrating insistence that behaviour patterns are hereditary (Sirius, it seems, excepted), since Marietta's mum is responsible for policing Hogwarts' fireplaces.

Umbridge learnt, it transpires, about that initial meeting in the Hog's Head via Willy Widdershins:

"Oh, so that's why he wasn't prosecuted for setting up all those regurgitating toilets!" said Professor McGonagall, raising her eyebrows. "What an interesting insight into our justice system!"

Well, it's all very well for McGonagall to play high and mighty, but barely a page later, this happens:

As Dumbledore spoke, Harry heard a rustle behind him and rather thought Kingsley whispered something. He could have sworn, too, that he felt something brush against his side, a gentle something like a draught or bird wings, but looking down he saw nothing there.

Shacklebolt memory charms Marietta, solely, it seems, to prevent Harry from being expelled. This being the Harry whose expulsion would probably result in him being sent to... Grimmauld Place, unplottable and operating headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Wouldn't this be better than him staying at Hogwarts, under the intense scrutiny of Umbridge??

And speaking of inconsistencies:

"I cannot allow you to manhandle my students, Dolores," said Dumbledore and, for the first time, he looked angry.

Oh, but allowing her to get them to inflict injury upon themselves for five hours straight in 'detention' is acceptable, is it? And given that we know that Lee had 'lines' set for his detention too, a couple of chapters back, we can take it as read that Umbridge's punishment wasn't specific to Harry alone.

However, I'll forgive Dumbledore his selective protectionism for this next bit, just after his 'confession' about scheming to bring down the Ministry with his army. Y'know, the army of schoolchildren. Taking on the Ministry of Magic, that place staffed by Aurors and Unmentionables. No wonder Fudge is quaking in his boots:

"Ah," said Dumbledore gently, "yes. Yes, I thought we might hit that little snag."

"Snag?" said Fudge, his voice still vibrating with joy. "I see no snag, Dumbledore!"

"Well," said Dumbledore apologetically, "I'm afraid I do."

"Oh, really?"

"Well - it's just that you seem to be labouring under the delusion that I am going to - what is the phrase? - come quietly. I am afraid I am not going to come quietly at all, Cornelius. I have absolutely no intention of being sent to Azkaban. I could break out, of course - but what a waste of time, and frankly, I can think of a whole host of things I would rather be doing."

We have evidence that some part of Voldemort is still resident within Harry's mind, since he gets the urge to attack Dumbledore when the headmaster takes hold of him, but more interesting right at this point is a) Dumbledore's faith in Snape, because it's really not clear that Snape's helping at all, and b) that although he can't Disapparate, he can certainly vanish (with Fawkes' help) from within the castle grounds.

So the DA is disbanded, with Marietta proving to be the sneak. Malfoy and Pansy are confirmed members of the Umbridge Youth, and Dumbledore's chosen to take the blame for the DA himself to ensure that Harry can remain at Hogwarts and thus enjoy the benefits of Snape's Occlumency lessons.

Comments

[carolanne5]

you seem to be labouring under the delusion that I am going to - what is the phrase? - come quietly ...

One of my favourite moments in the book.

[slowfox]

Yes, I do like the Action!Dumbledore sequence - he feigns being a doddery old fool past his best, but can still demonstrate, when it's required, that there's a reason Voldemort still fears him :-)

[aome]

Keep in mind, though, that not only is Shacklebolt's underhanded Memory charm keeping Harry from being expelled, it's protecting all thirty other members as well. Not that it's really fair to say that the "good" side can resort to such tricks because they ARE the "good" side, but I suppose the figure since Umbridge has (many of) her own underhanded methods, they can give as good as she can? Those murky ethical situations - you should do a panel at Infinitus on this.

Btw, yes, Harry would have been expelled to 12 G, but he would have been expelled. Umbridge is only there 1 year (as per the curse), but Harry would NEVER have been able to come back. It's not like he would have been receiving a temporary suspension, and even though Dumbledore would, I'm sure, be pleased to take him back - I'm just as sure he would have been pleased to take Hagrid back, and yet you notice he only employs Hagrid, rather than furthering his education. So - expulsions do seem to remain permanent, and having Harry properly educated, in order to face Voldemort, is really a "greater good" sort of goal.

Your reference to Draco, Pansy et all as "Umbridge Youth" is downright creepy. Of course, they already were disposed to her way of thinking and have no need to be brainwashed. :P

You did not comment - at least, I think it's this chapter? - on Hermione, who has been such a champion of Elf Rights as if they were human, to treat Firenze so basely by calling him a "horse".

[slowfox]

Keep in mind, though, that not only is Shacklebolt's underhanded Memory charm keeping Harry from being expelled, it's protecting all thirty other members as well.

That's a tough one... the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. But what if it had been 20 students that Shacklebolt was protecting? Or 15? Or 10? Or 3 (the number decreed by Umbridge to constitute a meeting)?

I like Shacklebolt, I think he's seriously cool, but I definitely do not like inflicting a memory charm on even someone as unlikeable as Marietta just to get Harry (and co) out of a tight spot. I'm quite sure that they could have cut a deal that said 'look, we'll expel Harry as long as you let the rest stay in Hogwarts' if it had come to that.

Furthermore, what knowledge, exactly, does Harry gain in his fifth and sixth years that prove crucial to his fight against Voldemort? I'm not too clear in my recollection of Snape's DADA classes, but Potions tended mainly to reinforce in Harry the idea that he could solve most problems by reading the appropriate commentary in a book :-P

Also, expelling Harry to 12 GP, where he'd have personal tutelage from Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and any number of Aurors would surely have its attractions, would it not?

Your reference to Draco, Pansy et all as "Umbridge Youth" is downright creepy. Of course, they already were disposed to her way of thinking and have no need to be brainwashed. :P

Oddly enough, this stance would appear to ally Percy with the Slytherins, wouldn't it? I wonder if Perce was given the choice by the Sorting Hat, and if so, what he thought of the offer? (remembering him reading 'Prefects Who Gained Power' in Diagon Alley at the start of third year)

Hermione, who has been such a champion of Elf Rights as if they were human, to treat Firenze so basely by calling him a "horse".

I missed that! Good point, indeed - but then, I think Hermione's dismissive more because it's Divination Studies than because Firenze is a centaur. I'm sure Dumbledore could've appointed the Prodigal Seeker for the Bulgarian Quidditch Team and she'd still have been unimpressed :-P

[aome]

Furthermore, what knowledge, exactly, does Harry gain in his fifth and sixth years that prove crucial to his fight against Voldemort?

He gains time, and experience. He participates in another battle, learns about Voldemort's background and, of course, he learns about the Horcruxes. It's not so much what he learns in official lessons, but what he learns, collectively, in that time period.

Also, expelling Harry to 12 GP, where he'd have personal tutelage from Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and any number of Aurors would surely have its attractions, would it not?

But how good are they at Occlumancy? Everyone has their strengths and weakeness, after all. Surely, if they were expert Occlumans, one of them could have instructed Harry over the holidays.

[cynthia_black]

I *like* this chapter - particularly the Hitler Umbridge Youth, the lesson with Firenze and Dumbledore not going quietly. So pretty much all of it :-)

In terms of the lessons, they're now taking options, aren't they? Hermione took Arithmancy instead of Divination in PoA, I seem to remember. So the chances of any class being for students of just one house is very, very slim (JKR's poor timetabling notwithstanding)

Fawkes has been used for quite a lot of interesting stuff over the course of the series: healing Harry and carrying them out of the Chamber of Secrets in Book 2, sending warning feathers as look-out against Umbridge, and now a Phoenix version of Apparition. Mind you, House Elves have always managed to appear and disappear even within Hogwarts, so it's not that much of a surprise that Phoenixes can too. It's a sign of Wizard blinkered 'superiority' that they've only protected Hogwarts from their own sort of magic :-/

[slowfox]

It's a sign of Wizard blinkered 'superiority' that they've only protected Hogwarts from their own sort of magic :-/

Excellent point! Even the good side in HP seem remarkably prejudiced against anything that isn't a witch or wizard :-/