There can be no better nickname for Harry in “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” than that, since for most of the book, he spends his time anguished, shouting at his friends and classmates alike.
I just reviewed the film last week, so I can just link you to the review and be done. But then, there are certain plot-points the movie did not cover, so I might as well go for it. For plot, see the movie review, here I am just going to dive a bit deeper in the book.
Separated from news of wizarding world, Harry spends most of his summer looking for the news of Lord Voldemort. Of course, what he gets is a Dementor attack and expulsion from the school, which is later turned into a hearing. But in an interesting twist, Harry’s aunt Petunia (his mother’s sister) shows uncanny knowledge about who the dementors are, and receives a howler from somebody which makes her reverse the decision of uncle Vernon to throw Harry out of the house.
All in all, it is understandable that Harry (being a teenager and overwhelmed by the lack of communication) finds himself shouting at the top of his lungs at Ron and Hermione when he finally meets them at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.
The headquarters is his godfather’s (Sirius’) family home, and he finally meets and starts bonding with Sirius. Sirius is unhappy that he is unable to go outside the house as he is still taken by majority to be a mass murderer, and hence with the help of kids, he and Mrs. Weasley wage a war on the house. Sirius’ parents turn out to be muggle- and muggleborn-haters, and the house contains dark magic artifacts everywhere. They cross paths in the quest with Kreacher, the Black family house elf. Turns out the house elf is very loyal to his late mistress (Sirius’ darling mother) and hates Sirius since the time he ran out of the house, and will do anything in his power to harm Sirius and others his mistress would hate.
The tapestry in the house shows the Black family tree, which shows how almost all pureblood wizard families are interconnected (Draco Malfoy is nephew of Sirius, Tonks is niece). And Sirius’ younger brother (Regulus) was a Death Eater, who wanted out and was killed by Voldemort’s followers. This information may be important, as may some items found in the house, particularly a locket nobody could open.
Going to Hogwarts, Harry clashes with Prof. Umbridge (shown beautifully in the movie). And although Prof. Dumbeldore is distant from him, Prof. Mcgonagall tries to make stop flouting the Ministry’s authority so openly. All this and the distrust of his classmates is not exactly nourishing environment for romance, and although Harry gets his first kiss and his first date, his relationship with Cho Chang deteriorates after that, not exactly helped when her friend tells Umbridge about the “Dumbledore’s Army” and the aftermath is dire for Harry and his friends and the entire school (except Slytherins and the caretaker).
Harry’s close friends continue to support him, but life is not very good for them too. Ron is made Prefect and finally gets on the Gryffindor Quiddich team as a keeper, but his lack of confidence and the Slytherins’ attempts to sabotage his confidence get to him. But then, we all know that Ron never lets his team down when it matters (not in the movie but definitely in the book).
We see a lot more Ginny in this book, and once she gives up on Harry liking her, she is turned from a bashful young girl into a powerful witch (you don’t want to get in the way of her Bat Bogey Hex). She also shows some other “prowess” which turns Ron into Ross. Weasley twins cause a lot of mayhem in the school (aided by the teachers against Umbridge), and are the makers of what will the best exit ever from the school in the known literature.
But surprisingly, the boy who stands up most is Neville. An indifferent wizard (except in herbology) at best given to severe lack of confidence, When his parents’ torturers get out of Azkaban, his efforts and his improvement is noted by all. And when Prof. Dumbeldore finally shows Harry the prophesy and tells him about its meaning, we know Neville’s true worth.
A kiss and a heartbreak, Dumbeldore’s Army and the Inquisitorial Squad, Education decrees by the dozen, each worse than the earlier one, death of an important character… Yes, this book is one of the darkest in the series. And though Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes make the day lighter, at the end of it, Harry learns of his history and his destiny.
Quote of The Day:
You don’t want to bottle up your anger like that, Harry, let it all out. There might be a couple of people fifty miles away who didn’t hear you.
– Fred Weasley
How do you do it?!
I was just patting myself on the back (Hurray! 5 posts this month) and then I come here and you’ve done 9 already?!
WPrincess: Oh well, Determination, Destination and damnation… I forgot the last one 😉
Draco is a nephew of Sirius Black?! oh i didnt know that.
nice to read what movie didnt cover 🙂