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.