text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 2

Synopsis
As Harry struggles to comprehend the Dementor attack and Mrs. Figg's enigmatic announcement, Mrs. Figg reveals she is a Squib and has long been in contact with Albus Dumbledore. Harry has been watched ever since he was left at the Dursley household, and especially this summer. Mundungus Fletcher was supposed to be on duty but left early — the cracking noise Harry had heard was him Disapparating. As they struggle to move Dudley to the house, Mundungus reappears. Mrs. Figg chastises him before sending him to update Dumbledore. Mrs. Figg and Harry reach the Dursleys front door behind the cupboard. Mrs. Figg now leaves to await Dumbledore's orders, leaving Harry to face the Dursleys alone.

While Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia berate him about Dudley, an owl letter from the Ministry of Magic arrives, expelling Harry from Hogwarts forever, and demanding that he await the arrival of a Ministry representative who will destroy his wand. Harry decides his only option is to become a fugitive, but before he can get past Uncle Vernon, another owl letter arrives from Mr. Weasley, telling him to remain in the house while Dumbledore sorts things out. Harry, accepting this instruction, tries to explain what happened to his aunt and uncle, insisting it was Dementors that attacked Dudley. When Uncle Vernon asks what "Dementoids" are, Aunt Petunia responds, "they are the guards of the Wizard prison, Azkaban." Petunia's shocking revelation stuns everyone, including herself. Petunia says that she heard "that awful boy" telling "her" about dementors years ago.

As Harry answers questions about the Wizarding world, more owls arrive. A Ministry of Magic owl arrives revoking his expulsion. Harry's fate now rests on a hearing scheduled for "9 A.M. on August 12th." Another one is from his godfather, Sirius Black, telling Harry not to leave the house.

After hearing that Lord Voldemort has returned, Uncle Vernon, recognizing the danger of continuing to house Harry, demands he leave immediately. However, a Howler arrives—surprisingly, for Petunia. A menacing voice reverberates: "Remember my last, Petunia!" Petunia quickly overrides her husband, insisting that Harry remain at their house.

Analysis
Even the casual reader will be left with questions after this chapter. The largest unanswered ones are: How did Petunia learn about Dementors, and given that she knows that much, what other knowledge does she possess about the Wizarding world she has never shared? And, someone who was reasonably aware of what was happening in the house probably sent the Howler, possibly because they knew Petunia and Vernon's likely reactions. That person must hold some power over Petunia, considering how quickly she reversed her decision after the Howler uttered its four words; who could that person be? While we can speculate, the true answers are withheld until later in the series.

Petunia's explanation about Dementors and Azkaban not only shocks her family, but shows she knows far more about the Wizarding world than she has ever let on. Her own reaction to her utterance seems to indicate that she has hidden this knowledge even from herself. Based largely on this, Harry leaps to the conclusion that Dumbledore sent her the Howler; this is fueled largely by wishful thinking, as Harry has been unsuccessfully hoping for a communication from Dumbledore all summer. However, if the Howler is from Dumbledore, it implies that he and Petunia have had more contact than has been previously revealed: "Remember my last" implies that there has been more than one previous communication, and the letter left with Harry at the very start of the series is the only message we are aware of that Dumbledore had sent to Petunia. (We note that Dumbledore had said, in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, that he would be writing to Harry and Ron's families concerning the episode of the flying car. Later evidence suggests that this letter is not the "last" that this Howler refers to. We do not know whether the author didn't count it as being to Petunia as it was to be addressed to Harry's family, or whether the author simply forgot this letter, as it had no effect on Harry's story.) And though Harry may be unaware of such messages, this is hardly surprising as Petunia, having been Harry's guardian, would need to be informed regarding anything affecting her nephew, regardless what her personal feelings are toward him. Though that does beg the question: why Petunia, and not Vernon, who as head of the household would presumably also need that information? The answer to this question is also withheld until much later in the series.

That Harry would be expelled from school and have his wand broken, without an official inquiry and for such a minor offense, indicates the Ministry of Magic must have some ulterior motive in moving so quickly against him. Obviously, others (apparently including Dumbledore) have intervened on his behalf, and a hearing is scheduled so Harry can defend himself. As is so often the case with Harry, his first response to a difficult situation is to run away or isolate himself, rather than attempt to find a solution or seek help from others. Luckily, he is overridden by Arthur Weasley. We are left to wonder whether Arthur's response is simply instinctive, making sure Harry stays where he can be found and reassuring him that things are being done; or whether Arthur has noticed Harry's tendency to flee this sort of problem.

While Harry has been protected from Voldemort with the magic created by his mother's death, Dumbledore has, as we learned earlier, cast additional protective spells over the house as an extra precaution; this is likely part of why Arthur directed him to stay there. Also, Arabella Figg, a Squib, has apparently been watching Harry ever since he was left at the Dursleys. She explains that her rather mean behavior to him was because she knew if his aunt and uncle suspected he had a friend, she never would have been allowed to occasionally watch him. No doubt others also guard Harry whenever he stays with the Dursleys.

Petunia's rationalization of the need to keep Harry at home, to keep up appearances, is in character, of course. The Dursley family's need to keep up appearances is foremost in her mind at that point, and is probably the only thing she could use that would have any chance of reversing Vernon's decision to throw Harry out.

For reasons revealed later, the reader should particularly note Mrs. Figg's first statement in this chapter.

Review

 * 1) Who or what are 'Squibs'?
 * 2) How does Petunia know about Dementors and Azkaban prison?
 * 3) Why does Uncle Vernon order Harry to leave the house? Who overrules him and why?

Further Study

 * 1) Why would the Ministry of Magic want to break Harry's wand and expel him from Hogwarts without an official inquiry?
 * 2) Who sent Petunia the Howler? What does its message say and what might it mean?
 * 3) Why does Petunia react so strongly to the Howler?
 * 4) How does Petunia know so much about the Wizarding World when she has claimed all these years she knows nothing? What more could she know?

Greater Picture
Dumbledore mentions later in the book that the Howler was, as Harry surmised, from him. This, in association with comments Dumbledore makes in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, would indicate he has kept a closer eye on the Dursley household than we have, to date, realized. Mrs. Figg's revelation that the house is being watched, at Dumbledore's instructions, would account for some of the knowledge he has of the Dursleys, but the sort of observation that Mrs. Figg would be capable of likely would not include sufficient detail to allow Dumbledore to understand the need for a Howler at that specific time.

It is interesting that Dumbledore's Howler says "Remember my last" instead of "Remember my letter." The implication here is that there have been more letters than the single one which we have seen, left with Harry on the doorstep at the beginning of the series. It is not until the final book of the series that we learn that Dumbledore had written a letter to Petunia earlier, refusing her entry into Hogwarts. We learn at the same time that much of Petunia's understanding of the Wizarding world actually comes, not from Harry's father, as we would expect given her apparent dislike of "that awful boy", but Severus Snape, who at the time was telling Lily Evans, Petunia's sister and later Harry's mother, what to expect in the Wizarding world. In retrospect this makes sense: we will find out later in this book that Lily spurned James Potter late in their fifth year, so cannot have taken up with him until, at the earliest, their sixth year. By that time, Petunia no doubt has done as much as she could to distance herself from Lily and her magical abilities, and would not care to speak with James in any event.

We never do learn if there has been any ongoing communication between Dumbledore and Petunia, but given the surprise she shows when Harry's Hogwarts letter arrives in the first book, we can safely assume that there has been no communication in the intervening years. As mentioned in the Analysis section above, there is apparently a letter that Dumbledore sends to "Harry's family" following the episode of the flying car in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. That letter, concerned as it must be with disciplinary matters, is unlikely to be the one the Howler here refers to: whatever "last" communication the Howler is talking about, reminding Petunia of its contents is enough to make her change her mind about Harry's eviction quite suddenly, and a letter threatening him with expulsion is unlikely to have such an effect. It is possible that this is a "flint", one of the small errors that have crept into the series; it is also possible that the author felt that a letter addressed to the family (and thus Vernon) does not count towards correspondence with Petunia.

Connections

 * The letters from the Ministry are signed by one Mafalda Hopkirk. Ms. Hopkirk also penned the letter sent to Harry in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets following Dobby's use of the Hover Charm. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Ms. Hopkirk will be one of the Ministry workers that the Trio overpower as they prepare to infiltrate the Ministry.
 * This is very nearly the last time we hear from Mrs. Figg, who has been a background presence at the Dursleys' through all the preceding books. We will see her once more, when she is summoned to give evidence at Harry's Ministry hearing.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 3

Synopsis
Locked in his room by Uncle Vernon, Harry immediately writes letters to Sirius, Hermione, and Ron. He instructs Hedwig to get detailed replies from each, pecking at them if necessary until they write. Frustration overwhelms him: he has no idea what is happening in the Wizarding world and, cut off, feels he is being treated like a "naughty child" by Mr. Weasley, Dumbledore, and Sirius, all of whom sent instructions but no explanations.

Harry remains locked in his room for the next three days, without even the company of Hedwig, who has not returned. On the third day, Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley leave for the evening. Harry is ordered to stay in his room and not steal food or touch their possessions. Uncle Vernon locks the door behind them. Later, Harry hears a crash in the kitchen, and finds his door has unlocked itself. Grabbing his wand, he cautiously advances to the stairs where nine witches and wizards, including the real Mad-Eye Moody and Remus Lupin greet him.

Harry is being taken from the Dursleys'. While he is packing, Nymphadora Tonks curiously changes her appearance, explaining that she is a Metamorphmagus and (impressing Harry) an Auror.

Lupin leaves a note for the Dursleys, then the entire group heads outside. Because Harry cannot yet Apparate, they mount broomsticks and begin a long, cold flight. They finally descend in what appears to be a lower-class neighborhood. Moody shows Harry a scrap of paper which reads: "The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, London."

Analysis
Harry has become increasingly upset and frustrated at being isolated, both physically and mentally, from his friends and the Wizarding world. Clearly, someone is preventing detailed information from reaching him, leaving Harry feeling that he is being treated as a small, untrustworthy child. This is especially galling as, having fought Lord Voldemort twice successfully, and certainly being able to understand the overall situation, he feels he should be treated as an adult. However, even though Harry is on the verge of adulthood, we have seen him sometimes acting immaturely and impulsively, often reacting in anger and frustration rather than logically evaluating what the actual circumstances may be and taking appropriate action. In particular, we note how, when being informed he was in trouble for performing magic when under age in the previous chapter, his first impulse again was to run away.

The Advance Guard's arrival reveals several things. First, so many wizards collecting Harry is yet another indication of Harry's fame and importance in the Wizarding world: Harry is surprised by the large number because he has not internalized his own celebrity status. Here we meet the true Mad-Eye Moody and witness the paranoia he operates under. Even the other Aurors find his planned precautions excessive. Finally, their appearance is a clear indicator that Harry was never forgotten, nor was he ignored, but had simply been "put on ice," until another safe-house was ready. We are unable to speculate why Harry was never told about the plan to move him, or why he has been kept in the dark on all Wizarding matters since leaving Hogwarts. It may be a matter of the less he knows about the Order's plans, the safer he is. Clearly, Harry is relieved and excited to rejoin the Magical world, even if, as Moody suspects, it puts him in more danger.

Review

 * 1) Why is Harry so frustrated? Is his reaction reasonable?  Explain.
 * 2) What is a Metamorphmagus?
 * 3) Why did so many people come to get Harry?

Further Study

 * 1) Why might Harry have been denied information about Voldemort and what is happening in the Wizarding world?

Greater Picture
We learn shortly that it is at Dumbledore's orders that Harry has been kept uninformed. This is partly due to Dumbledore knowing about the link between Harry and Voldemort. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore learned that Voldemort created at least one Horcrux, and was alarmed that this Horcrux was also a weapon, and used as one, rather than being kept safely hidden. From this, Dumbledore suspected that Voldemort had created multiple Horcruxes, a suspicion confirmed when Voldemort claims, in Harry's hearing, that he had "gone further along the road to immortality than any other wizard." Eventually, Dumbledore guesses that the link between Harry and Voldemort is a soul fragment that was sheared off from Voldemort and adhered to Harry's soul. Whether he already has guessed this, or simply knows the link exists, is uncertain at this point. In any event, Dumbledore keeps Harry uninformed largely to prevent Voldemort from gaining any knowledge through that link, while he determines how that link works.

Additionally, the adult wizards, notably Dumbledore and, to a lesser extent, Mrs. Weasley, may have withheld information from Harry because they believe it could put him, and also his peers, in jeopardy by making them valuable, and easy, targets for Death Eaters. Mrs. Weasley, in particular, will be portrayed as believing that Harry is too young for the sort of knowledge he is looking for; she has, perhaps, mentally adopted him and is being maternally over-protective.

It is also interesting that magic is used in this chapter, yet Harry does not receive correspondence from the Ministry of Magic, which would have seemed likely following his recent Dementor attack during which he performed magic. Although Tonks, who performed the magic is a Ministry employee, she is not working for the Ministry on this occasion, but rather against it. One possibility, of course, is that the Trace disables itself if it detects an adult witch or wizard in the immediate vicinity of the underage wizard, to prevent false alarms in a Wizarding home. There is more information on this in the article on the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery.

Connections
This chapter is almost entirely concerned with events within this book. There is very little here that could be seen as an important connection to other books, though Grimmauld Place will be important throughout the remainder of the series, and Tonks does comment on Harry's Firebolt broom.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 4

Synopsis
As he destroys the note, Mad-Eye Moody instructs Harry to concentrate on what had been written on it. When he does, a dilapidated-looking house materializes, and the Advance Guard ushers him in. The dark interior is as rundown and shabby as the outside. They are welcomed by Molly Weasley, who sends Harry upstairs to where Ron and Hermione are waiting, while the adults conduct a meeting. Harry's friends greet him warmly, though he does not reciprocate fully as he is still upset that they withheld information; seeing Hedwig's peck marks on their hands pacifies him somewhat. Ron and Hermione insist Dumbledore swore them to secrecy, but that does not stop Harry from shouting his frustration. When he finally calms down, he begins asking questions.

Ron and Hermione identify the house as the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix, a secret society founded by Dumbledore to combat Lord Voldemort. As they have been barred from any meetings, Ron and Hermione have little more information to offer. Instead, they have been busy cleaning the house. George, Fred, and Ginny Weasley enter the room. During the conversation, they reveal that Percy Weasley has become estranged from the family. He was promoted to a prestigious position in the Ministry of Magic, which is surprising considering his involvement in the events concerning his former boss, Mr. Crouch (in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). When Arthur Weasley suggested he was promoted so he could spy on the Weasley family, a fight erupted, ending with Percy moving to London. Also, despite the absence of Rita Skeeter, The Daily Prophet has been using Harry as a "standing joke." Harry believes that this is part of a campaign to discredit his claims that Lord Voldemort has returned.

Finally, the meeting ends, and Mrs. Weasley announces dinner. In the hallway, Tonks knocks over an umbrella stand. The noise apparently disturbs something in the hall: curtains covering a woman's portrait fly open, and the woman revealed begins screaming: "Half-breeds, mutants, freaks, begone from this place! How dare you befoul the house of my fathers . . ." Mrs. Weasley and Tonks try ineffectually to close the curtains. Sirius Black enters and wrenches them shut. Greeting Harry, he comments that Harry has just met his mother.

Analysis
Harry, relieved to return to the Wizarding world, and glad to be reunited with Sirius, is still angry. He reacts by lashing out at Ron and Hermione for withholding information, unconcerned that they were under strict orders to divulge nothing in their letters to him. Though Harry is perversely pleased that Hedwig has painfully pecked Ron and Hermione's hands, they actually have little news to share. Being at Grimmauld Place has given them little access to the Order's business as they, like Harry, are deemed still too young to significantly participate in these very dangerous and adult matters. That hardly mollifies Harry, who continues to feel frustrated and angry at being denied knowledge regarding events in which he plays an integral part. Now, however, he has others he can vent his ire on, however undeserved. Harry's frustration and emotional outbursts are probably exacerbated by puberty, and no doubt the usual teenage angst he probably suffers from is enhanced, if not supplanted, by his isolation, and post-traumatic stress regarding Cedric Diggory's recent death and Voldemort's return. Harry could learn much from Fred and George's example, however. Despite being legal age, they are still students and are also excluded from the Order's affairs. But rather than childishly ranting and raving like Harry, they instead employ their ingenuity to devise unique magical methods for gathering information, which they then share with Harry and the others.

Another point should be raised about the twins, in passing. As noted, they are of legal age, and yet they report being routinely excluded from Order of the Phoenix deliberations. Why? It is safe to assume that the decision would have been influenced by their mother, who, having reared them, no doubt still sees them as children, particularly because they are still living in the family home. It is also likely that their light-hearted approach to life would influence this decision; as they don't seem to take anything seriously, it is possible that their elders feel that they are not ready yet for the serious business of battling Voldemort.

The boundary between adults and youths is clearly defined here, and though Harry and the others have continually proved their worth in fighting Voldemort, and Harry has personally faced the Dark Lord three times, they are still underage and unqualified wizards. Entrusting youths with the Order's secrets would be irresponsible and make them more tempting targets for Death Eaters to capture and torture for that information. Harry and the others fail to consider that, or that Harry just barely escaped Voldemort's trap that cost Cedric his life. The less they all know, the safer they are, at least for now, though they will continue to do whatever they can to uncover the Order's business.

Meanwhile, the rift between Percy and the Weasley clan continues to grow, and causes Ron and his family additional stress and anguish. While Percy has always been rather pompous and self-serving, his ambition has blinded him to what is truly happening within the Ministry of Magic and the Wizarding world at large. He also discounts that Voldemort has returned. Regarding his sudden promotion, two factors make it logical. First, as the other Weasleys suggest, the Ministry recruited him to spy upon his own family, who are known Harry and Dumbledore supporters. The promotion by design has made Percy more loyal to the Ministry, which would have made him a better source of information on the Weasley family if it had not caused this estrangement. Second, the Ministry was covering up Percy's severe blunder. Percy, as his family is aware, seriously erred by failing to recognize that Mr. Crouch had fallen under Voldemort's and Wormtail's control. The official Ministry of Magic stance continues to be that Voldemort is still dead and Wormtail was murdered by Sirius Black thirteen years ago. Therefore, they must deny Harry's explanation regarding Mr. Crouch, no matter how well it explains what has been happening. Percy's only official misstep was that he never realized how "sick" Crouch was, for which he can be forgiven because Crouch apparently hid this well, and Percy's promotion simply aids the fiction that the Ministry must fabricate to explain what happened to Crouch. Percy, having whole-heartedly bought into the Ministry mindset, never questions his promotion, apparently believing it is solely in recognition of his abilities.

Review

 * 1) Why is Harry so angry with Ron and Hermione? How else could he have expressed his frustration?
 * 2) What is the Order of the Phoenix and why was it established? Who founded it?
 * 3) What has caused Percy's estrangement from the Weasley family? Did he react appropriately?
 * 4) Why does the Daily Prophet continually ridicule Harry? Who might be responsible for projecting this image?

Further Study

 * 1) Why does Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place resemble a Dark wizard's residence? What is its current purpose?
 * 2) Why was so much information withheld from Harry until now? Was this wise?

Greater Picture
Percy will continue, oblivious to the changes in the Ministry, until very near the end of our story. Finally recognizing that the Ministry has changed, fundamentally, into Voldemort's instrument of evil, Percy will return to his family as the Battle of Hogwarts begins. Until he reaches that realization, though, there will be friction between himself and his father, as they both continue to work at the Ministry.

Fred and George, along with a number of other magical items intended for their joke shop, have invented Extendable Ears, which they have tried to use to listen in on the Order meetings. While they have of late been unsuccessful due to charms being placed on the door of the kitchen, these devices, with their ability to eavesdrop on other wizards, will prove useful in this and both future books.

The house's appearance will give the reader some concern, as with its snake-head door handle, display of preserved House Elf heads, and screaming portraits, it is clearly the residence of Dark wizards, probably with some kinship to Slytherin, who almost certainly share Voldemort's views on Wizarding racial purity. We will learn that the Black family's male line has nearly died out, leaving Sirius as the sole surviving male Black. In an attempt to reject his family's values, which are repugnant to him, he is trying to eliminate the house's Dark magic. This process will continue throughout this book, and the place will be almost cheerful when Harry visits at Christmas. As Sirius has no children of his own, but takes his duties as Harry's godfather very seriously, we suspect that he may bequeath the house to Harry upon his death. We can also suppose that Harry will continue to clean up the house once his schooling is complete.

Connections

 * The house at Grimmauld Place will pass to Harry when Sirius dies; Dumbledore will confirm that it is not entailed to a Black daughter by having Harry give Kreacher an order, at the beginning of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. This house will be a sanctuary for Harry in the early parts of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 5

Synopsis
Sirius Black explains to a bewildered Harry that the portrait is his mother, the late Mrs. Black. Number 12, Grimmauld Place, the Blacks' ancestral home, was inherited by Sirius while he was in Azkaban. He adds gloomily that providing the house as the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix is one of the few useful contributions he has been able to make.

In the kitchen, the Weasleys and several Order members are busy preparing dinner. Bill Weasley is there, and he and Mr. Weasley are studying numerous parchment rolls at the kitchen table, apparently Order of the Phoenix business. Bill quickly gathers everything up when Harry enters. Fred and George attempt to magically serve the meal, sending a chopping board and knife, a pitcher of Butterbeer, and a pot of stew careening through the air and onto the table. The stew barely stays on the table's edge, half the Butterbeer is spilled, and the knife barely misses Sirius' hand. Mrs. Weasley scolds them: just because they are now old enough to be allowed to do magic does not mean that they have to.

During dinner, Harry catches conversation snippets around the room: Tonks taking requests for different-shaped noses, Bill discussing the Goblins' stance on Lord Voldemort and how it was affected by their dealings with Ludo Bagman the previous year, and the thief Mundungus Fletcher's comical business dealings.

Following dinner, Sirius suggests Harry might have some questions about the Order and Voldemort. Mrs. Weasley, feeling he is too young, disagrees over how much Harry should know. She claims Sirius treats Harry like he was James Potter, rather than as his godson. Lupin and Mr. Weasley side with Sirius, however. After some disagreement over who among the younger set can stay, Mrs. Weasley drags a fiercely-protesting Ginny off to bed. Sirius, Lupin, and Mr. Weasley begin answering Harry's questions, as Fred, George, Ron, and Hermione listen. No murders have been committed because Voldemort is keeping a low profile. The Ministry of Magic fervently denies Albus Dumbledore's claims that Voldemort has returned, and has engineered his dismissal as head of several important Wizarding institutions. Dumbledore says he does not mind, so long as they do not take his image off the Chocolate Frog cards. The Order is recruiting new members, including foreign ones. Order members working inside the Ministry must be cautious, as the Minister threatens to fire anyone friendly with Dumbledore. The Minister is apparently paranoid that Dumbledore is building a private army, with the intent of taking over the Ministry of Magic. Sirius also lets slip that the Order is guarding a weapon, at which point Molly Weasley interrupts and sends the children to bed.

After lights out, the Twins, having previously eavesdropped using their Extendable Ears, tell Harry and Ron that the only new revelation was the weapon being guarded, but their conversation is cut short when Mrs. Weasley stops outside the door of the room, apparently to check that they have all gone to bed. Harry falls asleep, only to have nightmares about weapons.

Analysis
Harry is updated on recent events and how Voldemort's return has caused significant changes in the Wizarding world; this, of course, also serves to bring the reader up to speed. As noted in earlier chapters, Harry has been worried throughout the summer: despite Voldemort's return, the expected evil has yet to materialize. In this meeting, we learn why, but it still seems little is happening, and that Dumbledore, the only high authority who apparently believes Harry, is doing little about it. More is also learned about some important adult characters, notably Sirius and Lupin, and we are offered more insight into Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's relationship.

Although Sirius has escaped after twelve years in Azkaban prison for a crime he never committed, he is as much a prisoner as ever. Being a hunted fugitive, he must remain in hiding, and is effectively incarcerated in the dreary Black home that has always been an unhappy place for him. And though he is an Order of the Phoenix member, he is unable to actively participate in the war against Voldemort. As a result, he is becoming increasingly depressed, irritable, and reckless. We also suspect a certain mental instability caused partly by his incarceration, and partly inherited. The long sojourn in Azkaban also will have hindered his development; we will see that he is somewhat less mature than we would expect of a man of Sirius' age (about 36). As Mrs. Weasley notes, Sirius tends to view Harry more as a replacement for James Potter, rather than as his godson, likely because his emotional development was stalled by Azkaban when both he and James were about 20 years of age. That is not to say Sirius does not love Harry or have his best interest in mind, but he is not as good an adult role model as he should be, and his judgment is sometimes faulty.

Mrs. Weasley's character is also becoming more defined here. While she is a strong-willed, powerful witch and a valuable Order of the Phoenix member, her maternal instincts often take precedence over all other matters. By wanting to withhold all information from the youngsters, she is trying to protect, not only her own children, but also Harry, who she has come to love like a son, for as long as possible. She cannot, however, continue to keep him and the younger Weasley children sequestered in childhood innocence. Providing too little information can be as dangerous as giving them too much.

We note in passing that Mrs. Weasley seems to be holding two separate ideas in her mind at the same time. Having lost the battle to keep Harry from learning anything about Order business, she tries to pack the Twins off to bed, saying that they are too young for the knowledge. She has earlier noted that the Twins are of age, as she admits that they are allowed to do magic when they attempt to serve the meal magically. Of course, Mrs. Weasley suffers the usual concern of mothers everywhere, being quite visibly overprotective of her own children, even the ones who are nominally old enough to take care of themselves. However, the twins' lighthearted treatment of life and events, harmless though it may be, cannot help anyone to accept that they are now "of age."

We also learn more about Mundungus Fletcher in this chapter. We have, of course, heard the name before: in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, we hear that he had tried to jinx Mr. Weasley while his back was turned; in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, he reportedly makes a fraudulent claim for damages, and earlier in this book, we see he has deserted his duty for some underhanded scheme. In this chapter, we see his nature revealed through his conversation with others, and learn that, engaging as he may be, he is at heart an unrepentant petty crook. We are led to believe that it was Dumbledore's influence that resulted in Mundungus' inclusion in the Order. It may be worth considering exactly why Dumbledore had chosen to befriend him, and how this reflects on Dumbledore; and how the other Order members react to what could be considered an edict from Dumbledore.

It is uncertain why the author chose the name she did for Mundungus Fletcher. One suspects that the name was chosen so that the nickname, being scatological, would be amusing to children of a certain age. Fletcher's name was selected in the second book of the series, and the intended age group for that book might have found the nickname humorous; however, the nickname is first mentioned in this book, which has a target audience old enough that scatological humour has faded.

It is interesting to note the roles the various adult characters take on, in relation to Harry, during the argument after dinner and the discussion that follows. Mrs. Weasley quite clearly takes the motherly role in protecting Harry. Surprisingly, perhaps, Mr. Weasley does not act as Harry's father, but more like an uncle: always having Harry's best interests at heart, but somewhat emotionally detached. For all that he is Harry's godfather, Sirius also seems less like a father to Harry, possibly due to his emotional immaturity. Instead, Sirius seems more like an older brother, supporting but also encouraging, perhaps somewhat unwisely, Harry's attempts to uncover what is going on. It is Remus Lupin, Harry's former teacher, who maintains a strong authoritarian role to Harry. Lupin, while understanding Mrs. Weasley's protectiveness, seems to be the principal adult championing Harry's need to know, though in a more guarded and careful way than Sirius, about what he is up against and what the Order is doing.

Review

 * 1) Why has Dumbledore been demoted from important Wizarding posts, and by whom?
 * 2) Why is Mrs. Weasley angry with Fred and George? Should she be?
 * 3) What are some of the tasks the Order of the Phoenix is trying to accomplish?
 * 4) What does Sirius mean when he says offering the Black family house to the Order of the Phoenix is one of the few useful things he can do? Is that an accurate statement? What more could he do?

Further Study

 * 1) What could the weapon be that Sirius mentions? Where might it be?
 * 2) Why might the Order have to be kept secret?
 * 3) Why do the adults disagree over how much information Harry should be allowed to know? What should he be told?
 * 4) Why does Molly Weasley accuse Sirius of treating Harry more like a friend than a godson? Is she right? If so, why do Lupin and the others side with Sirius?
 * 5) What accounts for Sirius' performance as Harry's godfather?

Greater Picture
What Voldemort seeks is not actually a weapon, but rather a prophecy relating to Harry and Voldemort. However, the idea of a supremely powerful weapon will so fill Harry's, Hermione's, and Ron's thoughts, that when they need to lure Professor Umbridge away from the school, Hermione fabricates a story about a secret weapon that Dumbledore supposedly left behind. When Ron had previously overheard Order members talking about guard duty, Harry sourly suggested that they were guarding him, but we learn that the Order is also guarding the prophecy. At least two Order members, Mr. Weasley and Sturgis Podmore, will run into trouble while on guard duty.

The prophecy, which is not actually heard until the penultimate chapter of this book, could only be considered a weapon in that it tells what power Harry has that will be Voldemort's undoing, and that it will be the Dark Lord's marking Harry as an equal that gives him that power over the Dark Lord. Voldemort previously only heard the prophecy's first half, which predicts Harry's birth and parentage, and that he will have power the Dark Lord knows not; Voldemort spends much of this book attempting to recapture that prophecy, hoping it can reveal how he might defeat Harry. Like so many prophecies, if Voldemort actually had retrieved it, its most essential part for him would have already been foregone. What Voldemort has yet to hear is that the Dark Lord will "mark him as an equal." In fact, that mark, the scar on Harry's forehead that resulted from Voldemort's attempt to murder Harry, is the visible indicator of that attack. We will discover that the attack also left a shard of Voldemort's soul within Harry, which gives him insight into Voldemort's plans throughout the series' last book. The final part, about "the power that the Dark Lord knows not", is by this time an open secret, though Voldemort still discounts it. By the time he returned, Voldemort knew that it was Lily's sacrifice that protected Harry, and thus that the magic set to oppose him was based on love; not knowing love himself, Voldemort could never truly comprehend its power.

However, a more conventional weapon does exist, and it plays an important part later in the series. In the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as Voldemort's wand has been proven ineffective against Harry's, he will seek the legendary Elder Wand. It is supposedly the most powerful wand ever crafted, and Voldemort, if he can obtain it, hopes it will empower him to defeat Harry.

One other point should be raised about the roles of the adults that we see set out so plainly in this chapter. We mentioned in the Analysis section that Sirius does not fit the role of a father figure, no matter how much he fancies himself to be one. Like Hagrid, Sirius is somewhat stalled in his maturation, though for different reasons. A subtle pointer in this direction is visible in the way Sirius is addressed; all other adults are referred to by their last names, either alone ("Lupin") or with an honorific ("Mr. Weasley", "Professor Dumbledore"), while Sirius is referred to always by his first name, just as Harry's fellow students are. That lack of maturity seems to prevent Harry from seeing him as a father figure, though it certainly doesn't stop Harry's affection for him. It is possible that the author may have intended Sirius to be a father figure, but the character could not be forced into that mold successfully. By the same token, Dumbledore is similarly largely unwilling to be forced into that role; especially in this book, he determines that he must keep his emotional distance from Harry, a decision that Harry will not understand and possibly never fully accepts. Of all the adults in Harry's life, it seems, especially in this chapter, that it is Remus Lupin who most closely fits the role that should have been filled by James Potter. It is because Harry sees Lupin as something of a father figure that Lupin's willingness, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, to abandon his wife and unborn child to help Harry, who feels abandoned by his own father, feels to Harry like a betrayal rather than an offer of assistance.

Connections

 * In this chapter we find, in the discussion of the "weapon" that Voldemort seeks, the first mention of the prophecy that drives the entire series. The prophecy will be retrieved, destroyed, and revealed (in that order) in the final chapters of this book. We will learn in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that the half of the prophecy that was carried to Voldemort was overheard by Snape.
 * We get the impression that only Sirius can manage his mother's portrait. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, it seems Harry has inherited this ability along with the house.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 6

Synopsis
Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys spend the next morning ridding the parlour of Doxies. When Harry catches Fred pocketing a paralyzed Doxy, he explains that he and George can experiment with its venom for new joke products (Skiving Snackboxes). Mundungus Fletcher arrives with a load of stolen cauldrons to store at the house, sending Mrs. Weasley into a rage. While she furiously prepares lunch in the kitchen below, a wizened House-elf wanders into the parlour, muttering obscenities about "mudbloods," evidently meaning Hermione. The elf, Kreacher, apparently devoted to Mrs. Black, has been taking orders from her portrait for the past ten years. Hermione's attempts to be kind to him are thwarted by the Twins and Sirius, who has just entered the room.

Harry notices an old tapestry that Sirius describes as the "Noble and Most Ancient House of Black" family tree. Mrs. Black has blasted off various members for "sins" against the family—namely, associating with, marrying, or sympathizing with Half-bloods and Muggles. Sirius points out that pure-blood Wizarding families like the Blacks are almost all interrelated. Notable Black family connections include the Malfoys, the Lestranges, the Weasleys, the Prewetts, the Tonks, and former Hogwarts Headmaster Phineas Nigellus. In addition, his brother, Regulus, was once a Death Eater. According to Sirius, "He got in so far, then panicked about what he was being asked to do and tried to back out." This led to his death.

The next few days are filled with cleaning tasks, often interrupted by Kreacher's rescuing discarded family heirlooms and Dark objects, and with visits from Order members. Finally, Mrs. Weasley reminds Harry that his Ministry of Magic hearing is the next day. Mr. Weasley will escort him, as requested by Professor Dumbledore when he visited Grimmauld Place the night before. Harry, already worried about the hearing, is vexed that Dumbledore had visited without stopping to talk to Harry, on top of having apparently avoided him all summer.

Analysis
Despite Voldemort, the upcoming hearing, Sirius' increasing depression, and Harry's frustration, Grimmauld Place offers rare snippets of domestic bliss that Harry and his godfather enjoy with the Weasleys. Neither Sirius nor Harry has ever experienced a happy family life, and Harry relishes these brief interludes. Harry and Sirius actually share much in common, growing up isolated and miserable in loveless households: Grimmauld Place and Privet Drive. And while Harry only has to endure his unhappy home for the summer, Sirius is now trapped inside a house containing many unpleasant (and, in some cases, magically permanent) reminders of his difficult youth—among them, his mad mother's screaming portrait, a sullen House-elf, and the family-tree tapestry bearing scorch marks where he and his other "blood traitor" relatives were blasted away by Mrs. Black. But a house can only reflect the people living in it, and Harry and Sirius have taken the first steps in creating their own happy family there. The pleasant time they share together will be short-lived, however. Classes at Hogwarts will start soon, and Sirius and Harry must then part company; for the time being, Sirius must endure being even more lonely and miserable, which possibly will affect his mental stability.

Harry also learns more about Sirius' ancestry and how interrelated wizard families are. It is quite possible that Harry and Sirius are distant blood relatives as well as godfather and godson. Harry may even be related to the Weasleys. It is also revealed that Tonks is related to Sirius; her mother, Andromeda, is Sirius' cousin, and sister to both Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange. While this means that Tonks is cousins with Draco, neither seems to acknowledge this relationship.

Some readers have thought, and Mundungus Fletcher in the story has seemed to suggest, that Sirius is being hasty in discarding so many family heirlooms. While Kreacher seems to be attempting to reclaim and hide much of the Black valuables, that seems to be out of a perhaps misplaced loyalty to the Black family matriarch, or her insane portrait alter ego. Fletcher, on the other hand, notes a silver goblet with the Black crest on it, commenting "that would come off", apparently assessing it for grey-market resale value. Some readers have suggested that the more valuable proceeds of the house could be sold to fund Sirius' continuing expenses. Against this one must weigh the fact that Sirius, as revealed in the closing chapter of the third book, was able to buy Harry a very expensive racing broom while on the run. From this, we can deduce two things: one, the author has made Sirius, as sole heir to the Black family fortune, quite rich; and two, the Gringotts goblins care little, if any, for the legal affairs of wizards. Relative to this, the potential return from sale of the heirlooms must be quite trivial, particularly weighed against the joy of making a clean break with his family's Dark past and the potential risk of Sirius' discovery should a large number of Black family artifacts suddenly appear on the market.

Hermione looking out the drawing room window and down at the front steps may be somewhat confusing for US readers. The house at Grimmauld Place is built to the London pattern, very much vertical, and apparently has four stories above the ground floor. The drawing room or parlour is apparently located one floor above ground level, on what U.S. readers would call the second floor, and European readers call the first floor. More information is available here.

Review

 * 1) Why does Kreacher continually retrieve discarded items?
 * 2) What was Sirius' relationship with his family?

Further Study

 * 1) Why doesn't Sirius directly answer Harry when he asks if he can live at Grimmauld Place if he is expelled?
 * 2) Why would Dumbledore ignore Harry while he was at 12 Grimmauld Place?
 * 3) What exactly is Kreacher's relationship with the Black family?
 * 4) With Kreacher's name, Rowling is obviously playing with words here; she is directing us to infer a certain connotation in Kreacher's name. What might this be? Is there only one?

Greater Picture
This chapter marks the first time Sirius' brother, Regulus, is mentioned. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, a note is found that is signed only with the initials R.A.B. This R.A.B. is Regulus Arcturus Black, as confirmed by Kreacher in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Also, amongst the miscellaneous stuff being tossed out is "a heavy locket that none of them could open". We discover later that a locket, which can be traced back to Salazar Slytherin, plays a major part in the story. Dumbledore believes that Voldemort had hidden a Horcrux in a cavern by the sea, where he had first consciously exerted his power over Muggles. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, he and Harry journey to the cave to retrieve it, only to discover the Horcrux had been replaced with a fake locket and the above-mentioned note. The replacement being a locket, and Dumbledore's belief that Voldemort had preferentially been seeking relics of the Founders to store his Horcruxes, leads Harry to believe that the missing Horcrux is within a locket owned by Slytherin. Ironically, this locket had been at Headquarters all this time. As a Slytherin relic, Kreacher would likely have squirreled it away for safe-keeping, along with other discarded Black family heirlooms and photos, including those of Bellatrix Lestrange. Kreacher and Mundungus Fletcher explain the locket's history in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and we will see its eventual destruction in that book as well.

It is actually this locket that caused Regulus' death. It is true that Regulus, as we will find out in the final book, had rebelled against Voldemort, but much more effectively than Sirius supposes. Voldemort had borrowed Kreacher to assist him in placing the Horcrux in the cave. Kreacher had reported back to Regulus, and Regulus had then tried to retrieve the Horcrux, instructing Kreacher to destroy it. Regulus then fell to the traps surrounding that Horcrux, but Kreacher, as mentioned above, escaped with the locket.

Dumbledore will continue to avoid Harry throughout this book. We will only find out why in the final chapters of this book: that this was a conscious policy adopted by Dumbledore to try to protect himself and Harry. At this point, Dumbledore suspects some mental connection between Harry and Voldemort, and is aware that Voldemort, believing love a weakness, would try to use any perceived affection between Harry and Dumbledore as a weapon against one or both of them. By isolating himself, Dumbledore hopes to prevent any knowledge of his feelings for Harry, or Harry's for him, from reaching Voldemort. This will, to a certain extent, backfire, as Harry, retaliating for what he perceives as a slight, will at several points in this book fail to forward information about Voldemort that Dumbledore could have used.

Connections

 * This is the first we hear of living Black relatives, notably Andromeda, Narcissa, and Bellatrix. When Sirius dies, it will develop that he has left his house to Harry; there is some concern, however, that it may be entailed, so that it would stay in the Black family. This will be a minor plot point in the sixth book. Additionally, Harry will be briefly alarmed in the final book by a strong facial resemblance between Bellatrix and Andromeda.
 * We see, in passing, a "heavy metal locket that none of them could open." This will turn out to be a Horcrux; in fact, it will be the Horcrux that Regulus Black had retrieved from the sea cave. Kreacher has brought it back to Grimmauld Place at Regulus' orders, and will be distraught that he was unable to complete his master's final instructions, to destroy it. This will prove a major plot point once it is discovered in the final book, and will also be a lynch-pin on which Harry is able to win Kreacher's loyalty. Hermione will recover the locket, and Ron will destroy it, in the final book.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Goblet of Fire/Chapter 7

Synopsis
Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, the Twins, Mr. Weasley, Cedric Diggory, and Amos Diggory have arrived at a deserted, misty moor, where they are met by two wizards. Mr. Weasley hands one the Portkey, which is tossed into a large box. The group then heads to their campsite; the Diggorys are at a different site. When the Muggle camp ground owner mentions that the campers seem odd, a harassed-looking wizard pops in and modifies his memory. He comments that Mr. Roberts needs to be charmed ten times a day, and that Ludo Bagman, who heads Magical Games and Sports, is hardly helping by talking about Bludgers and Quaffles.

Heading to the campsite, Ginny mentions that Bagman should be more discreet around Muggles. Bagman's indiscretion seems to be a common failing, as nearly everyone at the site seems to have made use of magic in decorating or creating their tents. At their campsite, Mr. Weasley asks Harry's advice on how to proceed. Harry has never been camping, but figures things out, eventually setting up two small shabby tents. He wonders how they will all fit, but when he enters their tent, it opens into a large, three-room apartment, complete with a kitchen, and furnished like Mrs. Figg's house, right down to the smell.

While fetching water, Ron, Harry, and Hermione meet some fellow Hogwarts students, and also Oliver Wood, who has just been signed to the Puddlemere United Quidditch team. Ernie Macmillan and Cho Chang are also there. Harry notices some unknown teens that Ron thinks are from another Wizarding school. There are several in Europe. Back at the campsite, Percy, Charlie, and Bill walk in from the woods where they just Apparated.

Mr. Weasley flags down Ludo Bagman, a blond, fat wizard wearing brightly colored (and over-tight) Quidditch robes. Bagman offers a little wager on the game's outcome, and Mr. Weasley puts a Galleon on Ireland. Fred and George bet all their savings (thirty-seven Galleons, fifteen Sickles, and three Knuts) on Ireland to win, but Viktor Krum (the Seeker for Bulgaria) will get the Snitch. Over Mr. Weasley's protests, Bagman accepts the bet. Ludo tells Mr. Weasley there has been no word about Bertha Jorkins yet, but expects she will probably appear in October. Mr. Crouch arrives, looking for Bagman, and much to the amusement of the Twins, he has forgotten Percy's name. Shortly, Crouch and Bagman depart to attend to a crisis, but before leaving, Bagman mentions that something will be happening at Hogwarts. Fred asks what, but Mr. Weasley and Percy only say that they will find out when the time is right.

Evening brings the souvenir vendors, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione wander out. Harry purchases Omnioculars for himself, Ron, and Hermione, at ten Galleons each. Ron, upset because Harry has money and he is always poor, protests, but when Harry says it will be his Christmas present for the next ten years, Ron accepts. Finally, as dusk falls, a deep, booming gong sounds in the nearby wood; it is time to enter the stadium.

Analysis
To date, Harry's interaction with the Wizarding community has been rather limited, mostly confined to Hogwarts and short trips to Hogsmeade Village and Diagon Alley. Now Harry meets foreign wizards in an international setting for the first time, though it seems he has given little consideration to magical realms outside Britain. Indeed, Harry seems surprised to encounter teen-aged wizards unknown to him, or that other Wizarding schools even exist. Harry lacking knowledge about other magical communities beyond Britain may seem surprising to us and make it appear he is disinterested in events beyond his own limited sphere, but it is in character for a child that age, coming from a difficult upbringing, and having limited exposure to this world. Harry is on another threshold here, about to step outside a still-new existence that has only just grown familiar and comfortable to him and into an even larger and as-yet unknown universe. Also, although the Quidditch World Cup is a global competition among rival teams, we can also see here that it is meant to serve another function: to help build solidarity and cooperation among the world's wizards. Mentioning the existence of other Wizarding schools here may also foreshadow events to occur later in this book.

The rather flamboyant Ludo Bagman and the bureaucratic Barty Crouch, Sr. are highlighted and contrasted here. Their personalities, personal interactions, and mannerisms could not be more dissimilar, though both work for the Ministry of Magic and are heavily involved in running the Quidditch World Cup. Bagman is not averse to what the English call "having a little flutter," and he is apparently engaging in a sideline (and presumably illegal) gambling racket. Readers probably know that a "bagman" is a dishonest official, someone who collects racketeering money. It is also a traveling salesman who makes calls to his customers. The name certainly fits, though Bagman appears to be a small-time operator when it comes to his sideline activities. From his reaction when the Twins place their bet, it can be seen that Ludo is perhaps not making as good odds as he expected and may even have doubts regarding his own abilities. It is possible that this will get him into trouble shortly. And where Bagman is overly open and friendly, though it is mostly a façade for his clients' benefit, Crouch remains tense, aloof, and guarded, always interacting with others in a professional but brusque and detached manner. Crouch is so lacking in interpersonal skills that he repeatedly addresses his own employee, Percy Weasley, as "Weatherby." Crouch appears to be concealing much about his personal self, while Bagman seems to hide little, though perhaps he should. Even Ginny Weasley notices that Bagman freely dispenses too much information to too many people.

In the interaction between Arthur Weasley and the campground owner, we see plainly that despite the adjuration from the Ministry for wizards to behave like Muggles, much magic is leaking through the seams. The Ministry's need to frequently modify the poor man's memory, even in the match's early stages, might lead one to wonder as to just how he will remember this episode and what the long-term affects might be. Also, Mr. Weasley's difficulty using Muggle camping gear is played largely for entertainment value; however, it also contrasts the differences between Ron's purely magical family and Harry's entirely Muggle home. Interestingly, when Mr. Weasley has a question about how to do Muggle things, he asks Harry, rather than Hermione. Perhaps he fails to realize that Harry's home life could possibly be as constricted as the Dursleys have made it. On the other hand, there is a common Muggle bias that girls are less interested or capable in recreational activities like camping. If this same belief is present in the Wizarding world, this may explain why Mr. Weasley assumes Harry to be the outdoors expert, rather than Hermione, who may have camping experience.

Meanwhile, Ron's reaction to Harry buying the Omnioculars seems minor but is actually revealing. Even though Harry is his closest friend, Ron struggles with occasional jealousy and resentment towards him. The constant attention and celebrity surrounding Harry often pushes Ron into the shadows, though Harry has never relished or sought the spotlight, and his fame has also caused Harry anguish. The Weasleys' financial difficulties also take a toll on Ron's psyche, causing him to feel menial and an object of scorn among some Wizarding families, particularly the Malfoys. He resents his brothers' hand-me-downs, having to buy everything second-hand, or going without altogether—Harry's wealth only reinforces how deprived and socially inferior he feels.

Bertha Jorkins' continued absence supports the suspicion that Harry's "dream" in Chapter 1 was a true vision. It also establishes her association with the Department of Magical Games and Sports, and this could be a means that Voldemort uses to tune in to upcoming events throughout the book.

Bagman's mentioning upcoming events at Hogwarts finally provides Percy an opportunity to show off his own self-perceived importance by withholding the secret he so obviously knows. It is safe to assume that the secret will not remain concealed for long, and that it probably is related to this book's main plot line, and its title.

As an interesting side note unrelated to this book's storyline, among the magical attendees at the World Cup are American wizards from Salem, Massachusetts, the site of the infamous 1692 Witch trials in which nineteen men and women were condemned and hanged for witchcraft.

Review

 * 1) Why does Mr. Weasley ask Harry for advice about Muggle camping, but not Hermione?
 * 2) Why can't Mr. Crouch ever remember Percy's name?
 * 3) Why does Mr. Weasley permit the Twins to bet all their savings on the World Cup, even though he disapproves of what they're doing?
 * 4) Why does Ron object to Harry buying him the Omnioculars as a gift?

Further Study

 * 1) Why might the tent smell like Mrs. Figg's house?
 * 2) Harry has heard Bertha Jorkins' name before—she was mentioned by Voldemort in what Harry thought was a dream as someone who had been killed, and again in a conversation at the Weasley's house as being missing. Ludo Bagman also mentions that Bertha Jorkins is still missing. Why didn't Harry draw an obvious connection?
 * 3) Ludo Bagman mentions something that might be happening at Hogwarts. What might that be?
 * 4) Why does Ludo Bagman openly talk about Wizarding matters when Muggles can overhear, especially when he knows he should not? What results from his carelessness?
 * 5) Why is Harry so surprised to learn that there are students from other Wizarding schools?
 * 6) Compare and contrast Mr. Crouch and Ludo Bagman's personalities and how they each handle their World Cup duties.

Greater Picture
Harry noticing that the tent's interior looks and smells much like Mrs. Figg's house may or may not be incidental. There is a peculiar odour that seems common to some older peoples' homes, particularly those owning cats, so despite the similarity in furnishing, it is unlikely that the author is dropping hints that Mrs. Figg was the tent's former owner. We are told that it previously belonged to a Ministry wizard who gave up camping due to his lumbago. Mrs. Figg, however, is later revealed to be a Squib, a non-magical offspring born to wizards. In a later book, we will find that in Professor Dumbledore's youth, Squibs were shunned, hidden from the Wizarding world as being a shameful reflection on their families. Mrs. Figg, being of Dumbledore's generation, and a Squib, is unlikely to have been able to marry a wizard with Ministry ambitions. However, being that Mrs. Figg was raised among wizards, she will know their ways and likely uses the same goods, merchandise, and decorations in her own home that are common in many Wizarding households, but not in Muggles. Harry had previously noticed that odd smell while inside Mrs. Figg's house, and the familiar scent in the tent may be a subtle clue to readers that Mrs. Figg is somehow tied to the magical community and could play a more significant role later in the series. In fact, readers should take note, though Harry will not, when Dumbledore later mentions someone named Arabella Figg.

Mr. Crouch's continual failure to recognize Percy Weasley, his nominal assistant, while seemingly odd, is probably simple absent-mindedness coupled with arrogance and a total disregard for subordinates; Crouch simply fails to notice his underlings, in this case "Weatherby". Though this may be his usual behavior, Crouch may also be affected by his preoccupation with guarding a family secret that would result in his being arrested should it be exposed. Crouch's usual crotchety absent-mindedness will prevent, to a large extent, notice of any change in his behaviour when he falls to the Imperius curse.

Ludo's "little flutter" will, indeed, turn out to be ill-advised. Ludo will end up owing more than he has, and later tries to recoup his losses by making more bets with the Goblins, who are his major creditors. That bet will be on Harry to win the Triwizard Tournament, and throughout the book, Ludo, a Tournament judge, unethically attempts to better his chances of winning by secretly offering Harry hints. Harry, believing that accepting assistance from a Tournament judge is cheating, steadfastly refuses Ludo's proffered advice, though he does accept help from others.

Mr. Weasley's asking Harry, rather than Hermione, for help with the camping gear will be even less well-advised than we had previously expected. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Hermione mentions that the places she takes the Trio to are actually camping sites she and her parents visited. Of course, Harry has never been camping, as the Dursleys would dislike the untidiness of an unmanicured outdoors, nor would Harry likely have been included, even if they did engage in such activities. Due to Hermione's previous outdoor experience, it is she who packs the gear they will need while hunting Voldemort's Horcruxes and chooses suitable campsites, notably the Forest of Dean.

The Quidditch World Cup is a means for wizards from multiple countries to gather together, establishing communication and cooperation among the various nations' magical communities. This same opportunity is soon brought to Hogwarts on a much smaller scale with the Triwizard Tournament, though we, Harry, and most other students, are as yet unaware. The secret that Percy so archly refuses to reveal will be this tournament, of course. We will discover shortly that the Weasley elders know about the Tournament plans. It is interesting how Mr. Weasley handles this knowledge compared to Percy. Likely the secret will have reached Bill, Charlie, and Molly Weasley through Mr. Weasley; Percy may have learned it through Mr. Weasley as well, or through Mr. Crouch. Whatever its source, Percy continually alludes to the secret, apparently hoping he will be able to refuse to divulge it. Mr. Weasley, though privy to the secret, never mentions it, nor does he respond when Percy does. Mrs. Weasley, Charlie, and Bill do eventually mention it, but only when it is too late for questions; we must assume that this is a deliberate revelation by the author, intended to heighten anticipation for the events.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 7

Synopsis
Harry wakes early in the morning, too nervous to eat breakfast. He and Mr. Weasley depart for the Ministry of Magic, commuting in a "thoroughly non-magical fashion," as Mr. Weasley believes this will make a better impression. Upon arriving, Mr. Weasley and Harry cram into a broken telephone booth and are transported underground. They enter a huge, brightly lit atrium with a large fountain at its center (a wizard and witch surrounded by various magical creatures wearing servile expressions).

Harry passes through the security screening, then follows Mr. Weasley into a lift (elevator). Harry notices that underground windows in the hallway have sunlight streaming through them. Mr. Weasley explains that they are controlled by Magical Maintenance, who, among other Ministry maintenance tasks, determine the apparent weather effect. Passing the Auror offices, Harry sees they are plastered with Sirius Black photos, along with others. Kingsley Shacklebolt approaches, acting as though he and Mr. Weasley are on poor terms.

Shortly after they reach Mr. Weasley's noticeably tiny office, Perkins, a co-worker, runs in. The hearing's time and place have been changed, making Harry late. The new location is in the basement, but because the lift does not descend that far, Harry and Mr. Weasley race down the stairs. Just outside the courtroom, Mr. Weasley stops; Harry must face the hearing alone.

Analysis
This is Harry's first visit to the Ministry of Magic. Until now, he has had relatively little exposure to the adult Wizarding society, having only been to Hogwarts, and a few trips to Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade village, all while being supervised. The Ministry is the hub of the Wizarding community in the U.K., and it governs nearly all its activities. Unfortunately, Harry's first visit here is an unpleasant one.

The Fountain of Magical Brethren in the Ministry atrium is particularly noteworthy, as it represents that the Ministry's power is wielded only by wizards, with all other magical beings under their domain. Harry notes that the syrupy, subservient expressions seem out of place on all the sculpted magical races except the House-elf.

The relative size of Arthur Weasley's office also quite plainly shows us the Ministry's opinion of the usefulness of his division. Arthur, as we learned earlier, is in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts division. Here we find that he effectively is that division, having one dithering assistant, and working out of an office overfilled with files, which had been converted from a broom closet. Apparently he is also brought in to assist on sweeps for Dark Magic artifacts, as mentioned in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which would indicate that the Ministry's need of his abilities as a wizard outweigh their desire to have his job actually fulfilled. It is something of a revelation to us that Lucius Malfoy's opinion of Arthur's chosen work is to a large extent shared by the Ministry.

The hearing's sudden time and location switch is an obvious ploy by certain Ministry officials to prevent Harry from testifying and to convict him in absentia. Whether or not Harry violated the law, the Ministry seems intent on preventing his making further claims that Voldemort has returned, and will use any means to censure and exile him from the Wizarding world. Whether Voldemort's Death Eaters are behind this, or it is merely corrupt and/or inept Ministry officials who refuse to believe that Voldemort has returned or prefer that the general population remain ignorant to real events, is still unclear. The author here, in her portrayal of the Ministry and allusion to its motives, is reinforcing what we have already been told. Hermione has told Harry that the Daily Prophet is making both Harry and Dumbledore into laughing stocks so they can "spin" their warnings about Voldemort's return into oblivion. This has little impact on readers because it does not happen directly to the viewpoint character (Harry); this is a deliberate violation of the "show, don't tell" rule of writing. The author has chosen to delay full understanding of the Ministry's treatment of Harry and Dumbledore, initially revealed when Harry arrived at Headquarters three chapters earlier. With the hearing's sudden rescheduling, we are actually shown that there may be some ill-feeling against Harry, and that some machinations within the Ministry may be underway to permanently rid them of him.

The byplay between Kingsley Shacklebolt and Arthur Weasley is also used to highlight something that we have only been told. Hermione, Ron, and the Twins had previously told us that Percy had moved to London and cut contact with his family because association with Dumbledore, or with those who publicly agree with him like Arthur, are at risk of losing their Ministry jobs. In this chapter we see that Shacklebolt and Arthur are pretending to an interdepartmental friction, specifically to hide their friendship. This is clearly intended to preserve Shacklebolt's status within the Ministry, as an Auror sympathetic to Dumbledore could not be allowed to retain his job in the current Ministry climate.

Review

 * 1) Why would the time and location for Harry's hearing have been changed so suddenly?
 * 2) Why might Mr. Weasley be prevented from attending the hearing?

Further Study

 * 1) How might the Fountain of Magical Brethren represent both an accurate and inaccurate picture of the Wizarding world?
 * 2) Why does Harry think the House-elf's expression in the statue is the only accurate one?
 * 3) What is the significance of holding a full hearing for using underage magic in this particular courtroom (Courtroom 10)?
 * 4) This is Harry's first visit to the Ministry of Magic. We know of its bureaucracy, of course, and now of its refusal to face facts (the Ministry denies Voldemort's existence), but entering the ministry we - and Harry - see some of the corruption within. What insight does this provide for us into the Ministry of Magic? Can we really trust them anymore? Could we ever? Explain.

Greater Picture
Whether the Ministry's ongoing denigration of Harry and Dumbledore is being driven by Voldemort, or simply by the Ministry following Fudge's orders as he attempts to retain his power, is never completely resolved. Fudge's struggle to stay in control, though, would likely explain why Harry and Dumbledore are constantly discredited. After Fudge is ousted in favour of Rufus Scrimgeour, Harry is suddenly elevated to the position of "Chosen One", the one wizard who could defeat Voldemort; this would suggest strongly that the current anti-Harry campaign is purely Fudge-inspired.

Harry learns here where the Ministry's Visitor's Entrance is located and how to access the main Atrium. This information, plus the general Ministry layout that he observes during this visit, will prove vital at the book's end when Harry urgently attempts to rescue Sirius Black there. Information on the Ministry layout will be useful also in the final book, as the Trio infiltrate the Ministry in search of a Horcrux.

The Fountain of Magical Brethren depicts, with almost uncanny realism, how the Ministry expects non-human Magical races to regard Wizards. Though never officially stated, Ministry policy has always treated most Magical races as second-class citizens, while others are nearly disenfranchised. This fountain will be destroyed at this book's end; Harry will again need to re-enter the Ministry in the final book, at which time we shall see the replacement. That statue, showing a Wizarding family seated upon thrones made of writhing, tormented Muggles, will echo the now Death Eater-controlled Ministry's new policy. Clearly the statuary in the Ministry is being used by the author as a way of highlighting the guiding policy of the Ministry at each visit. We do not see the form this statue takes when Scrimgeour is Minister for Magic, possibly because the militant stand of the Ministry in his time is quite plain from other parts of the story.

Connections

 * We heard of "Unspeakables" as Ministry employees working in the Department of Mysteries in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; in this chapter we hear more of them. The Department of Mysteries will play a large part later in this book.
 * The physical layout of the Ministry, and the use of the visitor's entrance, both of which Harry learns in this chapter, will be useful to him at the climax of this book, and the layout also will be useful in the later infiltration of the Ministry by the Trio in the final book.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 8

Synopsis
Upon entering the room where the hearing is being held, Harry recognizes this as the same courtroom the Death Eaters were tried in — the place he had seen in Dumbledore's Pensieve during his previous year at Hogwarts. Cornelius Fudge is presiding over the Wizengamot (wizard high court); Harry is mildly surprised that Percy Weasley is the scribe. Dumbledore suddenly sweeps in, to several court members' evident discomfiture, and announces himself as witness for the defence. Fudge begins the questioning, giving Harry little time to answer completely.

Frustrated, Harry exclaims, "I did it because of the Dementors!" The Wizengamot seem stunned. Amelia Bones questions him further about the Dementors' presence. Dumbledore steps in, noting that they have a witness, Arabella Figg. Summoned, she seems particularly batty and frightened and begins her testimony as though she has memorized it. There is doubt as to whether Squibs can see Dementors, but Mrs. Figg describes them accurately.

After Mrs. Figg is excused, Fudge struggles to regain the courtroom's flow, insisting Harry's actions have little to do with the Dementors' presence. He is further angered when Dumbledore implies that Voldemort himself ordered the attack on Harry, reasserting that the Dementors remain under Ministry control. A few court members aid Fudge, notably Dolores Umbridge, who obviously remains convinced Harry is guilty. Dumbledore asserts that Harry has broken no laws if he was protecting himself and Dudley from a life-threatening danger, as is noted in the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery. Fudge quickly brings up other instances where Harry has broken the Decree, but Dumbledore nullifies each one in turn. The council votes, and Harry is cleared of all charges, much to Fudge's dismay. Harry turns to thank Dumbledore, only to find the Headmaster already leaving the courtroom.

Analysis
That Harry would be subjected to a full hearing before the entire Wizengamot for a simple matter involving underage magic indicates that someone in the bureaucracy, almost certainly Fudge, is trying to eliminate him. Abruptly changing the hearing's time and location without prior notification is yet another despicable tactic by the Ministry of Magic to discredit Harry and also to prevent Dumbledore from testifying, though, fortunately, this scheme failed. The attempt to prevent Harry from giving a complete explanation about the events at Privet Drive makes it seem certain that Fudge was trying to force the Wizengamot to rule against him. More than anything that has gone before, this shows that Fudge will do whatever is necessary to invalidate Dumbledore's and Harry's claims concerning Voldemort, including ousting Harry from the wizard world. That the hearing was relocated to the same courtroom where Death Eaters were previously tried and convicted is significant—an obvious ploy to implant the impression in the minds of the Wizengamot that Harry is likewise guilty of equally serious crimes. Dumbledore's intervention saves Harry, though his abrupt departure without speaking to him is puzzling, as well as upsetting to Harry, who has already been feeling abandoned.

Mrs. Figg's testimony was also crucial, though, as she is a Squib, the Wizengamot probably suspected it was unlikely she actually saw the Dementors and had been coached prior to testifying. Mrs. Figg had, however, identified the Dementors while talking to Harry, before he mentioned them, and prior to Mundungus Fletcher's return. Against this, the author stated in a post-publication interview that Mrs. Figg was unable to see Dementors. Presumably, Mrs. Figg, though perhaps unable to see Dementors, had been coached about their effects, and could have known that Dementors were present by recognizing their emotional effects on her (and perhaps on Dudley). Dumbledore, as we saw at the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, suspected both the Dementors and the Giants would rally to Voldemort, and may have briefed Mrs. Figg on their effects. Also, having grown up in the Wizarding world, she may have had some prior knowledge regarding their appearance and behavior.

Review

 * 1) Can Squibs really see Dementors? If not, how and why could Mrs. Figg provide such convincing testimony?
 * 2) Why would Fudge want Harry to be found guilty, even if he is not?

Further Study

 * 1) Why would Dumbledore avoid looking at or talking to Harry?
 * 2) Why would Harry's hearing be held in the same courtroom where Death Eaters were tried and convicted?
 * 3) Why would the full Wizengamot be present for a hearing on a simple case of underage magic? How could Fudge have arranged to convene the entire Wizengamot for such a simple case?
 * 4) Compare Dolores Umbridge's and Fudge's behavior to Amelia Bones'. Is either side behaving fairly? If so, which? How? What could Rowling's underlying message about justice be here?

Greater Picture
Harry has been upset by Dumbledore's failure to contact him throughout the summer or while he was at Headquarters. He was particularly dismayed when Dumbledore left Headquarters the night before the hearing without visiting Harry. Here, Dumbledore arrives, defends Harry successfully, then departs quickly and without a word to Harry, not even making eye contact. This, it will turn out, is Dumbledore's deliberate policy during this year. Knowing that Harry occasionally perceives what is happening inside Voldemort's mind, Dumbledore concludes that, if and when Voldemort learns the connection exists, he will use it against Harry and his associates. Dumbledore attempts to shield Harry and himself by maintaining a relationship no greater than Headmaster to student. Harry, uninformed of the rationale behind the behaviour, will be confused and resentful, and will retaliate (though perhaps being unaware that it is retaliation) by withholding important information.

We see a curious, but possibly intentional, oddity of the Wizarding justice system here. Rather than having prosecuting and defending representatives before a neutral party, the defending party in the dispute is questioned directly by the nominal head of the Wizengamot, and the Wizengamot members then confer and vote on the innocence or guilt of the defending party. This tallies with the view of the Wizengamot that Dumbledore's Pensieve previously allowed us to see. This can lead to abuses of justice, as the prosecution is generally going to be better prepared for trial than the defence, particularly if the defendant has just been released from Azkaban, and as the prosecutor will be a member of the same group as the judges. Most committees seem to be reflections of one powerful individual, who pulls the other committee members along with his or her views by main force; Harry's great fortune in this case seems to be that while Fudge is apparently the official head of the Wizengamot, the actual leader seems to be Amelia Bones, who, perhaps inspired by Dumbledore's presence, is more interested in justice than in toeing the Ministry party line.

We should note that this simplification of the justice system seems to make the courtroom drama better suited to a children's book. Very few children of this book's targeted age group will be fully aware of the normal judicial system's structure, and this adversarial form of court is better suited to their understanding. Additionally, Harry's victory over such a court is all the sweeter, as the deck is so clearly stacked against him.

It should be noted, perhaps, that the source of the Dementors in this instance will be a surprise. It will turn out that it was Umbridge herself who sent the Dementors, because "somebody had to do something." No further explanation is ever granted the reader, as to why something had to be done, or why Dementors could be considered as a means of doing it. As mentioned in the Analysis, Dumbledore likely coached Mrs. Figg on the possibility of Dementors, but it was almost certain that he would have expected Voldemort to send them, not someone associated with the Ministry.

Connections

 * Fudge refers back to two other instances of Harry's using unauthorized magic: an illegal Hover Charm three years before, which Dumbledore counters by naming the perpetrator, Dobby, mentioning that he is available to testify; and the inflation of Aunt Marge, against which Dumbledore thanks Fudge for having personally pardoned Harry.
 * The room in which Harry is tried is one of the courtrooms that Harry had seen in Dumbledore's Pensieve the previous year. Harry will visit them again in the final book when he needs to retrieve Hermione from her masquerade with the Muggle-Born Registration Commission.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Goblet of Fire/Chapter 8

Synopsis
Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, the Twins, Percy, Charlie, Bill, and Mr. Weasley head to the stadium. Their seats are in the highest box, which is empty except for Winky, a female House-elf belonging to the Crouch family. Winky knows Dobby, and says he is having difficulty finding paid work. Winky is holding a seat for Mr. Crouch, though she is plainly afraid of heights.

People are filing into the Top Box: the Bulgarian dignitaries, the Minister for Magic, and finally Lucius Malfoy, his wife Narcissa, and their son Draco. Mr. Malfoy, who has recently made a large donation to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, is Cornelius Fudge's guest.

The team mascots perform. First up are the Bulgarians. Beautiful Veela, infinitely alluring women, dance on the pitch. Nearly every male is seized by a temptation to show off. Harry wants to do a swan dive from the Top Box. Luckily, Hermione and Mr. Weasley restrain him and Ron, who presumably has been inspired to an equivalent feat. Irish Leprechauns fly in next, showering the stands with gold coins. Ron grabs a fistful and gives them to Harry to pay for the Omnioculars.

The Irish and Bulgarian teams play. Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker, is one of Ron's heroes. The game's action is so fast that the announcer, Ludo Bagman, can barely keep up. Even Harry finds it difficult to follow the action with his Omnioculars. Krum beats the Irish Seeker to grab the Snitch, making the final score Ireland 170, Bulgaria 160. After the win, the Twins brace Ludo Bagman for their winnings.

Analysis
Harry and Ron's budding sexuality is hinted at here when both become deeply affected by the beautiful and alluring Veela women. The two boys' initial interest in the opposite sex, as well as that of their Hogwarts peers, continually develops throughout the series with both humorous and poignant outcomes. Though both are now interested in girls, Harry and Ron have yet to learn the difference between true love and mere infatuation, or how jealousy and sexual politics further complicate relationships. And while Harry, Ron, and virtually every other male in the stands are deeply intoxicated by the seductive Veela, Harry is shocked when he later sees their true, unattractive appearance, as they reveal angular bird-like facial features and scaly wings when angered. Gradually, Harry is learning that outer beauty can mask an uglier reality.

Ron's insistence on paying Harry for the Omnioculars, even though Harry gave them as a gift, is a matter of deep pride to Ron, whose family can barely afford minimal necessities. Ron must often do without even the smallest luxuries or extras that most take for granted. Now he feels somewhat vindicated that, for once, he is able to pay his own way with the gold the Leprechauns tossed into the stands. But even though Ron is often resentful that he must frequently go without, it has shaped his character in a positive way. As Ron matures, he will never feel that life owes him anything; instead, he will accept that what he wants must be earned. This is a stark contrast to many Slytherins whose belief that they are entitled to whatever they desire is based solely on what they consider is their superior lineage, social rank, and wealth, rather than talent, ability, and hard work. Readers will recall that Draco Malfoy became the Slytherin Seeker (in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) only after his father, Lucius Malfoy, bought the team new broomsticks, and apparently not because Draco earned the position by his own abilities. And even though Draco is likely talented enough to have achieved this on his own, he opted for the easiest method to obtain what he wanted.

Readers might note Mr. Crouch's empty seat during the game, and should perhaps wonder where he is, what is keeping him away, and, if his absence was planned, why he had sent Winky to hold a seat for him.

Review

 * 1) Why does Ron insist on paying Harry for the Omnioculars, even though Harry gave them as a gift?
 * 2) How did Harry's freeing Dobby from the Malfoys' service (in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) change Dobby's life, and is he better or worse off than before?
 * 3) Why are Harry, Ron, and many other males so affected by the Veela women?

Further Study

 * 1) How are Fred and George able to correctly (and so precisely) predict the World Cup's final outcome?
 * 2) Being that Mr. Crouch is a Ministry official who is helping present the World Cup, why does his saved seat in the grandstand remain empty?
 * 3) What is Harry's reaction when he sees the Veelas' true appearance? What does that indicate about how beauty is so highly valued in most societies?

Greater Picture
The gold Ron pays Harry for the Omnioculars with is actually Leprechaun gold, which, unnoticed by either Ron and Harry, soon vanishes. In Chapter 28, Ron becomes upset when he learns it disappeared, and angry that Harry never even noticed it was gone, showing, from Ron's perspective at least, how few concerns Harry seems to have regarding money while Ron has many. The Weasley family's strained financial situation is an ongoing embarrassment and hardship to Ron, especially when compared to Harry's affluence, though Harry spends relatively little on himself and collects few material possessions. Ron's comparisons are rather faulty, albeit all too human. While Harry has money, which he cares little about, he lacks the loving, supportive family life Ron takes for granted, and which Harry would probably gladly give up his fortune in exchange for.

Quidditch champion Viktor Krum is introduced here. Krum will take part in the upcoming Triwizard Tournament, and though Krum is Ron's "hero", Ron will feel quite differently about him in upcoming chapters, for reasons that he possibly doesn't completely understand himself.

Winky plays a large role in the next few chapters. Mr. Crouch has been hiding a secret, with Winky's active help, for some years, and that secret nearly escaped; the empty seat Winky had been saving had not been entirely empty. That near-getaway will result in Crouch dismissing Winky from his service. Winky's dismissal will actually prove instrumental in that secret's final and complete flight. Much of the book's remainder involves the aftermath of that escape.

Shortly Harry will realize that his wand is missing, stolen from him during the events of this chapter. Exactly when the theft occurred is unknown, but it may have happened during the Veela song; Harry would have been preoccupied then and would not have noticed his wand going missing. This relates to the secret Winky is hiding, mentioned in the previous paragraph.

The Veela episodes in this and the following chapters highlight Harry's and Ron's budding sexuality, as noted above. Ron will be more susceptible to the Veela's charms than Harry; this will also result in his becoming infatuated with Fleur Delacour, a character who is later revealed to be one-quarter Veela.

The series' strong writing is reflected in the realistic romantic entanglements our heroes experience. Ron, clearly less emotionally mature than either Harry or Hermione, has difficulty distinguishing love from infatuation, even after the effects of Fleur's close proximity are shaken off. Harry shows almost equal immaturity after a crush that ignites in this book blossoms into romance in the next; he becomes infatuated with Cho Chang, a relationship that will ultimately be doomed by Harry's youthful inexperience and his inability to comprehend Cho's fragile emotional state. Most readers have either undergone similar toils, or know someone who has. In a book or series that emphasizes adventure and conflict, it is easy to expect that romance and the characters' similar maturation will be secondary to the plot and only hinted at, rather than written about. To the author's great credit, she realizes just how central romance is to a young man's life, whether wizard or Muggle. By showing Harry's romantic life, along with Ron's and Hermione's, the author brings the characters properly alive, causing us to care about and relate to them even more.

Ludo Bagman's wagers have gone disastrously wrong, though like any good bookmaker he puts on a good face to placate his clients. He comments that the game's outcome was totally unexpected and one that will be talked about for years. That outcome seems to have been less surprising to the Twins, however, who precisely predict the game's winner and Krum's catching the Snitch. Finding himself deeply in the red, Ludo uses extreme measures to pay off the winning bettors. It is revealed in Chapter 37 that he pays the Twins with Leprechaun gold, which, as noted above, soon vanishes. He also owes a large sum to high-ranking Goblins. In the next chapter, as Harry wanders through the forest, he passes Goblins who are counting their gold and chuckling; this is presumably their winnings from Bagman. It turns out that Bagman's debt to the Goblins was also at least partially paid off in Leprechaun gold. Throughout the book, Bagman can often be seen negotiating with Goblins about this debt while also avoiding Fred and George, who are attempting to collect their winnings.