First Time Readers

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Ch 16-18

Episode Summary

"Here's an idea,ʹ said Ron loudly before Harry could speak, ʹwhy donʹt you shut your mouth?ʹ So join Jon, Jenn, Danny, and Kristen as they talk over chapters 16-18 of Order of the Phoenix. They talk over some theories about what will happen, their impressions of the characters, and how the twins were the rats because of the boils on their butts.

Episode Notes

Chapter 16 - In the Hog’s Head

Q1 - What was the deal with Filch and the dungbombs and Hermione thinking through that story?

• A battered wooden sign hung from a rusty bracket over the door, with a picture on it of a wild boarʹs severed head, leaking blood on to the white cloth around it. The sign creaked in the wind as they approached. All three of them hesitated outside the door…The Hogʹs Head bar comprised one small, dingy and very dirty room that smelled strongly of something that might have been goats.

Q2 - If you owned a Wizard Brewery, what would you call it?

• The barman sidled towards them out of a back room. He was a grumpy-looking old man with a great deal of long grey hair and beard. He was tall and thin and looked vaguely familiar to Harry.

Q3 - Have we met this barman before?

• ʹWhereʹs the proof You-Know-Whoʹs back?ʹ said the blond Hufflepuff player in a rather aggressive voice. ʹWell, Dumbledore believes it,” Hermione began. ʹYou mean, Dumbledore believes him,ʹ said the blond boy, nodding at Harry. ʹWho are you?ʹ said Ron, rather rudely. ʹZacharias Smith,ʹ said the boy, ʹand I think weʹve got the right to know exactly what makes him say You-Know-Whoʹs back.ʹ  

Q4 - Is this an unreasonable request from Smith?

• ʹAre you trying to weasel out of showing us any of this stuff?ʹ said Zacharias Smith. ʹHereʹs an idea,ʹ said Ron loudly, before Harry could speak, ʹwhy donʹt you shut your mouth?ʹ 

Q5 - Who is the better friend to Harry?

• ʹWhat are Heliopaths?ʹ asked Neville, looking blank. Theyʹre spirits of fire,ʹ said Luna, her protuberant eyes widening so that she looked madder than ever, ʹgreat tall flaming creatures that gallop across the ground burning everything in front of—”They donʹt exist, Neville,ʹ said Hermione tartly. ʹOh, yes, they do!ʹ said Luna angrily. ʹIʹm sorry, but whereʹs the proof of that?ʹ snapped Hermione. There are plenty of eye-witness accounts. Just because youʹre so narrow‐minded you need to have everything shoved under your nose before you.”

Q6 - Do Heliopaths exist?

• ʹWell,ʹ said Hermione, smiling slightly, ʹshe just couldnʹt keep her eyes off you, could she?ʹ  Harry had never before appreciated just how beautiful the village of Hogsmeade was.

Q7 - What do you think about all these people wanting to joining this group?

Q8 - What is a moment you were on cloud 9 from a crush?

Chapter 17 - Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four

Q1 - What is the nicest thing anyone has ever told you?

• ʹNo, they canʹt have done, because I put a jinx on that piece of parchment we all signed,ʹ said Hermione grimly. ʹBelieve me, if anyoneʹs run off and told Umbridge, weʹll know exactly who they are and they will really regret it.ʹ 

Q2 - Was Hermione right to do this?

• ʹLooks like somethingʹs attacked her. Canʹt think what would have done it, though. Thestrals will sometimes go for birds, of course, but Hagridʹs got the Hogwarts Thestrals well-trained not to touch owls.ʹ 

Q3 - What do you think Thestrals are?

Q4 - What happened to Hedwig?

• “My father says itʹs a matter of time before the Ministry has him carted off to St Mungoʹs… apparently theyʹve got a special ward for people whose brains have been addled by magic.ʹ  Malfoy made a grotesque face, his mouth sagging open and his eyes rolling. Crabbe and Goyle gave their usual grunts of laughter; Pansy Parkinson shrieked with glee. Something collided hard with Harryʹs shoulder, knocking him sideways. A split second later he realized that Neville had just charged past him, heading straight for Malfoy.

Q5 - Do you think Neville would have won this fight?

Q6 - Danny, what's the significance of Snape being a teacher for 14 years!?

Q7 - What is Molly Weasley on duty for?

• A hand had appeared amongst the flames, groping as though to catch hold of something; a stubby, short-fingered hand covered in ugly old-fashioned rings. The three of them ran for it. At the door of the boysʹ dormitory Harry looked back. Umbridgeʹs hand was still making snatching movements amongst the flames, as though she knew exactly where Sirius’s hair had been moments before and was determined to seize it.

Chapter 18 - Dumbledore’s Army

Q1 - Harry’s scar hurts during quidditch and he guesses Voldermort is angry…what is he angry about?

Q2 - Any further thoughts about what the weapon might be?

• ʹDobby knows the perfect place, sir!ʹ he said happily. ʹDobby heard tell of it from the other house‐elves when he came to Hogwarts, sir. It is known by us as the Come and Go Room, sir, or else as the Room of Requirement!ʹ  ʹWhy?ʹ said Harry curiously. ʹBecause it is a room that a person can only enter,ʹ said Dobby seriously, ʹwhen they have real need of it. Sometimes it is there, and sometimes it is not, but when it appears, it is always equipped for the seekerʹs needs. Dobby has used it, sir,ʹ  said the elf, dropping his voice and looking guilty, ʹwhen Winky has been very drunk; he has hidden her in the Room of Requirement and he has found antidotes to Butterbeer there, and a nice elf‐sized bed to settle her on while she sleeps it off, sir… and Dobby knows Mr Filch has found extra cleaning materials there when he has run short, sir, and ʹAnd if you really needed a bathroom,ʹ said Harry, suddenly remembering something Dumbledore had said at the Yule Ball the previous Christmas, ʹwould it fill itself with chamber pots?ʹ  ʹDobby expects so, sir,ʹ said Dobby, nodding earnestly. ʹIt is a most amazing room, sir.ʹ 

Q3 - What do you think about the Room of Requirement?

Q4 - What would you have the room change into for you?

Q5 - How did Dumbledore tell Harry about the room at the Yule Ball?

Q6 - Do you agree that Harry should be the leader of the group? Who else would be a good leader?

• Harry moved off into the middle of the room. Something very odd was happening to Zacharias Smith. Every time he opened his mouth to disarm Anthony Goldstein, his own wand would fly out of his hand, yet Anthony did not seem to be making a sound. Harry did not have to look far to solve the mystery: Fred and George were several feet from Smith and taking it in turns to point their wands at his back.

Q7 - How was the first meeting of the DA?

Q8 - What would you call the group?