Harry Potter and the First Time Readers

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Ch 25-29

Episode Summary

Jon and Lizzy talk about the showdown between Umbridge and McGonagall

Episode Notes

Chapter 25 - The Beetle at Bay

Q1 - What do you think of this mass breakout at Azkaban?

Q2 - Why was Bode assassinated? And who killed him?

• This latest Decree had been the subject of a great number of jokes among the students. Lee Jordan had pointed out to Umbridge that by the terms of the new rule she was not allowed to tell Fred and George off for playing Exploding Snap in the back of the class. ʹExploding Snapʹs got nothing to do with Defence Against the Dark Arts, Professor! Thatʹs not information relating to your subject!ʹ  When Harry next saw Lee, the back of his hand was bleeding rather badly. Harry recommended essence of Murtlap.

Q3 - Do you think Umbridge should be in prison for this?

• ʹWell, maybe Snape isnʹt really trying to help Harry…ʹ  Harry and Hermione stared at him. Ron looked darkly and meaningfully from one to the other. ʹMaybe,ʹ he said again, in a lower voice, ʹheʹs actually trying to open Harryʹs mind a bit wider… make it easier for You‐Know—ʹ  ʹShut up, Ron,ʹ said Hermione angrily. ʹHow many times have you suspected Snape, and when have you ever been right? Dumbledore trusts him, he works for the Order, that ought to be enough.ʹ  ʹHe used to be a Death Eater,ʹ said Ron stubbornly. ʹAnd weʹve never seen proof that he really swapped sides.ʹ  ʹDumbledore trusts him,ʹ Hermione repeated. ʹAnd if we canʹt trust Dumbledore, we canʹt trust anyone.ʹ 

Q4 - Whose side are you taking here?

Q5 - Life advice: After Pancy says, “At least Cedric was good-looking” and the conversation between Harry and Cho stops, what should Harry’s response be?

Q6 - Do you think the date is going well?

• In the time it took for their coffees to arrive, Roger Davies and his girlfriend had started kissing over their sugar bowl. Harry wished they wouldnʹt; he felt that Davies was setting a standard with which Cho would soon expect him to compete. He felt his face growing hot and tried staring out of the window, but it was so steamed up he couldnʹt see the street outside. To postpone the moment when he would have to look at Cho, he stared up at the ceiling as though examining the paintwork and received a handful of confetti in the face from their hovering cherub.

Q7 - Does Harry actually like Cho…because why wouldn’t he wanna makeout with her?

Q8 - Is Cho right to be angry at Harry here?

Q9 - Can guys and girls be actual friends? 

Q10 - What is going on with Hagrid?

Q11 - Is Hermione slightly abusive to be controlling Rita like this?

Q12 - Is Harry smart to be telling his story?

Chapter 26 - Seen and Unforeseen

• ’You should have told her differently,ʹ said Hermione, still with that maddeningly patient air. ʹYou should have said it was really annoying, but Iʹd made you promise to come along to the Three Broomsticks, and you really didnʹt want to go, youʹd much rather spend the whole day with her, but unfortunately you thought you really ought to meet me and would she please, please come along with you and hopefully youʹd be able to get away more quickly. And it might have been a good idea to mention how ugly you think I am, too,ʹ  Hermione added as an afterthought. ʹBut I donʹt think youʹre ugly,ʹ said Harry, bemused. Hermione laughed. ʹHarry youʹre worse than Ron… well, no, youʹre not,ʹ she sighed, as Ron himself came stumping into the Hall splattered with mud and looking grumpy.

Q1 - How do you know if a person likes you or not?

Q2 - Is it good that Harry’s story is published? Do we feel like Harry finally beat Umbridge?

• The teachers were of course forbidden from mentioning the interview by Educational Decree Number Twenty‐six, but they found ways to express their feelings about it all the same. Professor Sprout awarded Gryffindor twenty points when Harry passed her a watering can; a beaming Professor Flitwick pressed a box of squeaking sugar mice on him at the end of Charms, said, ʹShh!ʹ  and hurried away; and Professor Trelawney broke into hysterical sobs during Divination and announced to the startled class, and a very disapproving Umbridge, that Harry was not going to suffer an early death after all, but would live to a ripe old age, become Minister for Magic and have twelve children.

Q3 - What’s your favorite time a teacher praised you?

Q4 - What’s the deal with Avery and Rookwood? What information are they giving to Voldy?

• ʹI was You-Know-Who,ʹ said Harry, and he stretched out his hands in the darkness and held them up to his face, to check that they were no longer deathly white and long‐fingered.

Q5 - Why is Harry now becoming Voldemort?

• ʹSturgis Podmore—’ said Hermione breathlessly, ʹarrested for trying to get through a door! Lucius Malfoy must have got him too! I bet he did it the day you saw him there, Harry. Sturgis had Moodyʹs Invisibility Cloak, right? So, what if he was standing guard by the door, invisible, and Malfoy heard him move ‐ or guessed someone was there ‐ or just did the Imperius Curse on the off‐chance thereʹd be a guard there? So, when Sturgis next had an opportunity ‐ probably when it was his turn on guard duty again—he tried to get into the Department to steal the weapon for Voldemort—Ron, be quiet—but he got caught and sent to Azkaban…ʺ 

Q6 - Is Hermione right here?

• Snape staggered ‐ his wand flew upwards, away from Harry ‐and suddenly Harryʹs mind was teeming with memories that were not his: a hook‐nosed man was shouting at a cowering woman, while a small dark‐haired boy cried in a corner… a greasy‐haired teenager sat alone in a dark bedroom, pointing his wand at the ceiling, shooting down flies… a girl was laughing as a scrawny boy tried to mount a bucking broomstick.

Q7 - Do any of these memories mean anything?

• ʹCan you tell me something, sir?ʹ said Harry, firing up again. ʹWhy do you call Voldemort the Dark Lord? Iʹve only ever heard Death Eaters call him that.ʹ  Snape opened his mouth in a snarl ‐ and a woman screamed from somewhere outside the room. Snapes head jerked upwards; he was gazing at the ceiling.
• There, there, Sybill… calm down… blow your nose on this… itʹs not as bad as you think, now… you are not going to have to leave Hogwarts…ʺ  ʹOh really, Professor McGonagall?ʹ said Umbridge in a deadly voice, taking a few steps forward. ʹAnd your authority for that statement is… ?ʹ  That would be mine,ʹ said a deep voice. The oaken front doors had swung open. Students beside them scuttled out of the way as Dumbledore appeared in the entrance. What he had been doing out in the grounds Harry could not imagine, but there was something impressive about the sight of him framed in the doorway against an oddly misty night.

Q8 - What was Dumbledore doing outside the castle at this hour?

Q9 - Thoughts on Trelawney sack, Dumbledore’s attitude, and Firenze hire?

Chapter 27 - The Centaur and the Sneak

• ʹNot reallyʹ said Hermione indifferently, who was reading the Daily Prophet. ʹIʹve never really liked horses.ʹ  She turned a page of the newspaper and scanned its columns. ʹHeʹs not a horse, heʹs a centaur!ʹ said Lavender, sounding shocked. ʹA gorgeous centaur…ʹ sighed Parvati.

Q1 - Is it weird to be attracted to a centaur? (or the horse from Spirit?)

• ʹDid Hagrid breed you, like the Thestrals?ʹ asked Dean eagerly.

Q2 - Did Dean just unseat Ron as the dumbest student in Hogwarts?

• ʹIn the past decade, the indications have been that wizardkind is living through nothing more than a brief calm between two wars. Mars, bringer of battle, shines brightly above us, suggesting that the fight must soon break out again.

Q3 - Is he right here?

Q4 - What is Hagrid attempting?

Q5 - Did you think they were going to ever get caught?

• Potter was the leader, was he not, Potter organized it, Potter ‐ why are you shaking your head, girl?ʹ  ʹWell, usually when a person shakes their head,ʹ said McGonagall coldly, ʹthey mean ʺnoʺ. So unless Miss Edgecombe is using a form of sign‐language as yet unknown to humans ‐ʹ  Professor Umbridge seized Marietta, pulled her round to face her and began shaking her very hard. A split second later Dumbledore was on his feet, his wand raised; Kingsley started forwards and Umbridge leapt back from Marietta, waving her hands in the air as though they had been burned. ʹI cannot allow you to manhandle my students, Dolores,ʹ said Dumbledore and, for the first time, he looked angry.
• ʹYou will now be escorted back to the Ministry, where you will be formally charged, then sent to Azkaban to await trial!ʹ  ʹAh,ʹ said Dumbledore gently, ʹyes. Yes, I thought we might hit that little snag.ʹ  ʹSnag?ʹ said Fudge, his voice still vibrating with joy. ʹI see no snag, Dumbledore!ʹ  ʹWell,ʹ said Dumbledore apologetically, ʹIʹm afraid I do.ʹ  ʹOh, really?ʹ  ʹWell ‐ itʹs just that you seem to be laboring under the delusion that I am going to ‐ what is the phrase? ‐ come quietly. I am afraid I am not going to come quietly at all, Cornelius. I have absolutely no intention of being sent to Azkaban. I could break out, of course ‐ but what a waste of time, and frankly, I can think of a whole host of things I would rather be doing.ʹ 

Q6 - What are your thoughts on Dumbledore here?

• ʹI am not leaving to go into hiding. Fudge will soon wish heʹd never dislodged me from Hogwarts, I promise you.ʹ 

Q7 - What is Dumbledore going to do now?

• Professor McGonagall said nothing, but marched Harry and Marietta to the door. As it swung closed behind them, Harry heard Phineas Nigellusʹs voice. ʹYou know, Minister, I disagree with Dumbledore on many counts… but you cannot deny heʹs got style…ʹ 

Q8 - What do you think about everything that just happened?

Chapter 28 - Snape’s Worst Memory

• “Umbridge tried to get back into his office last night after theyʹd searched the castle and grounds for him. Couldnʹt get past the gargoyle. The Headʹs office has sealed itself against her.ʹ Ernie smirked. ʹApparently, she had a right little tantrum.”

Q1 - Do you think Dumbledore did this or is this just the magic of the castle?

• ʹMalfoy just docked us all about fifty points,ʹ said Harry furiously, as they watched several more stones fly upwards from the Gryffindor hour‐glass. ʹYeah, Montague tried to do us during break,ʹ said George. ʹWhat do you mean, ʺtriedʺ?ʹ said Ron quickly. ʹHe never managed to get all the words out,ʹ said Fred, ʹdue to the fact that we forced him head‐first into that Vanishing Cabinet on the first floor.ʹ 

Q2 - Where do you think Montague vanished to?

Q3 - What do you think about the new point system?

• The upshot of it all was that Professor Umbridge spent her first afternoon as Headmistress running all over the school answering the summonses of the other teachers, none of whom seemed able to rid their rooms of the fireworks without her. When the final bell rang and they were heading back to Gryffindor Tower with their bags, Harry saw, with immense satisfaction, a dishevelled and soot-blackened Umbridge tottering sweaty‐faced from Professor Flitwickʹs classroom.
• And now he was in a dimly lit room as high and wide as a church, full of nothing but rows and rows of towering shelves, each laden with small, dusty, spun‐glass spheres… now Harrys heart was beating fast with excitement… he knew where to go… he ran forwards, but his footsteps made no noise in the enormous, deserted room… There was something in this room he wanted very, very much…

Q4 - What is Harry looking at here?

• Sheʹs a lovely person really,ʹ said Cho. ʹShe just made a mistake ‐ʹ  Harry looked at her incredulously. ʹA lovely person who made a mistake? She sold us all out, including you!ʹ  ʹWell… we all got away, didnʹt we?ʹ said Cho pleadingly. ʹYou know, her mum works for the Ministry, itʹs really difficult for her ‐ʹ  ʹRonʹs dad works for the Ministry too!ʹ Harry said furiously. ʹAnd in case you hadnʹt noticed, he hasnʹt got sneak written across his face ‐ʹ  That was a really horrible trick of Hermione Grangerʹs,ʹ said Cho fiercely. ʹShe should have told us sheʹd jinxed that list ‐ʹ  ʹI think it was a brilliant idea,ʹ said Harry coldly. Cho flushed and her eyes grew brighter. ʹOh yes, I forgot ‐ of course, if it was darling Hermioneʹs idea ‐ʹ  ʹDonʹt start crying again,ʹ said Harry warningly. ʹI wasnʹt going to!ʹ she shouted. ʹYeah… well… good,ʹ he said. Iʹve got enough to cope with at the moment.ʹ  ʹGo and cope with it then!ʹ Cho said furiously, turning on her heel and stalking off.

Q5 - Who is right in this debate?

Q6 - Should Harry have looked into Snape’s memories?

• ʹLeave him ALONE!ʹ  James and Sirius looked round. Jamesʹs free hand immediately jumped to his hair. It was one of the girls from the lake edge. She had thick, dark red hair that fell to her shoulders, and startlingly green almond-shaped eyes—Harryʹs eyes. Harryʹs mother.

Q7 - Jenn and Danny, what do you think about the color and shape of the eyes?

Q8 - What do you think of the young marauders and of Lily and Snape?

• ʹYou think youʹre funny,ʹ she said coldly. ʹBut youʹre just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone.ʹ  ʹI will if you go out with me, Evans,ʹ said James quickly. ʹGo on… go out with me and Iʹll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again.ʹ 

Q9 - Were James and Lily married because of this bet?

Q10 - Is James Potter a jerk?

Chapter 29 - Careers Advice

Q1 - What is going on with Harry at the start of this chapter? (Is he only depressed because of the memory he saw?)

Q2 - Is Harry an idiot to be breaking into Umbridge’s office to talk with Sirius?

Q3 - What would the trio be good at for their jobs?

Q4 - What would you want to do in the wizarding world?

• Professor Umbridge gave her most pronounced cough yet. ʹMay I offer you a cough drop, Dolores?ʹ Professor McGonagall asked curtly, without looking at Professor Umbridge.
• ʹI should have made my meaning plainer,ʹ said Professor McGonagall, turning at last to look Umbridge directly in the eyes. ʹHe has achieved high marks in all Defence Against the Dark Arts tests set by a competent teacher.ʹ  Professor Umbridgeʹs smile vanished as suddenly as a light bulb blowing.
• ʹPotter,ʹ she said in ringing tones, ʹI will assist you to become an Auror if it is the last thing I do! If I have to coach you nightly, I will make sure you achieve the required results!ʹ

Q5 - Thoughts on the showdown with McG and Umbridge?

• ʹHe kept messing up his hair,ʹ said Harry in a pained voice. Sirius and Lupin laughed. ʹIʹd forgotten he used to do that,ʹ said Sirius affectionately. ʹWas he playing with the Snitch?ʹ said Lupin eagerly. ʹYeah,ʹ said Harry, watching uncomprehendingly as Sirius and Lupin beamed reminiscently. ʹWell… I thought he was a bit of an idiot.ʹ 

Q6 - How do you look at your past self?

Q7 - Are Sirius and Lupin right to laugh it off like this?

• ʹSTOP THEM!ʹ shrieked Umbridge, but it was too late. As the Inquisitorial Squad closed in, Fred and George kicked off from the floor, shooting fifteen feet into the air, the iron peg swinging dangerously below. Fred looked across the hall at the poltergeist bobbing on his level above the crowd. ʹGive her hell from us, Peeves.ʹ  And Peeves, who Harry had never seen take an order from a student before, swept his belled hat from his head and sprang to a salute as Fred and George wheeled about to tumultuous applause from the students below and sped out of the open front doors into the glorious sunset.

Q8 - What do you think about this?