"Order of the Phoenix": Sequencing Quiz

The Order of the Phoenix was the secret society that had been formed to fight against Lord Voldemort's first rise to power. Original members of the group included the likes of Albus Dumbledore, the group's founder, Remus Lupin, James Potter, Lily Evans Potter, and Sirius Black.

Many members of the group lost their lives during the First Wizarding War (1970-1981), as they were vastly outnumbered and considered to be traitors by Voldemort's Death Eaters. After Voldemort's defeat by the infant Harry Potter, the group was disbanded.

Harry's parents, James and Lily, as members of the Order of the Phoenix, had been given as much protection as possible. After learning that Harry would likely be one of Voldemort's targets, they been placed under the concealment of a Fidelius Charm. In addition they also were guarded by a Secret-Keeper, Peter Pettigrew.

Making the choice of who their Secret-Keeper would be was difficult, as members of the Order of the Phoenix did think there was a spy among them, and, unfortunately, Pettigrew did turn out to be the spy. Voldemort killed James first, and then gave Lily a chance to survive in exchange for the life of her son, who he believed was the child from Sybill Trelawney's first prophecy
regarding Voldemort's own defeat.

Lily refused his offer, and he killed her using one of the Unforgivable Curses, the Killing Curse. Lily died instantly, however, the Killing Curse did not work on her young son, Harry. Dumbledore believed that Lily's love for Harry worked as a sort of magical protection, causing the curse to bounce off him and damage Voldemort instead. Harry's only outward consequence suffered from the Killing Curse was the lightening bolt on his forehead. The curse, however, when rebounded on Voldemort, destroyed his body.

This event, which really occurred in the fourth book, "The Goblet of Fire" (2000), is very pivotal to the story that is continued in the "Order of the Phoenix" (2003). Harry found out too late that the Triwizard Trophy was a portkey; it transported him and Cedric (since they decided they would be co-winners) to Lord Voldemort as soon as they touched it.

Afterwards Harry had to deal with Cedric's death, as well as his own role in Voldemort's resurrection. Tied to a tombstone in a cemetery, Harry found himself helpless as Voldemort extracted Harry's blood, which had the power to once again give Voldemort a body. It happened at the end of the fourth school term, after which Harry found himself once again at the miserable Dursley home.

Harry's summer with his aunt, uncle, and cousin, Dudley, after completing his fourth year at Hogwarts, was more miserable than usual. He was desperate for news of Voldemort's return, but had not even heard from his best friends, Ron and Hermione. Harry had taken to watching the news, thinking something as big as this would be on Muggle channels, But he had to watch outside the house, as his uncle wouldn't tolerate him sitting in the living room.

Dudley, still a spoiled brat, had taken to roaming about in a gang, smoking and tormenting people. On his way home from such an escapade, Dudley was attacked by accident by two Dementors, who had been sent to Little Whinging by Delores Umbridge of the Ministry of Magic. She wanted to silence Harry's claims about the return of Lord Voldemort; she believed that Harry had made up the story. During the attack Harry produced his Patronus, saving himself and Dudley, however, as an underage wizard using magic over summer break, he was once again in trouble with the Ministry.

Harry is understandably angry when he first arrived at 12 Grimmauld Place. His best friends were there, along with adults he trusted. So why had he been forced to suffer at the Dursley house? And why hadn't he been told about the events that occurred after he had left Hogwarts that summer?

Ron and Hermione were able to fill in some information for Harry, and it was at this time that he learned about the existence of the Order of the Phoenix. It had been necessary to revive the group after Harry's report regarding the return of Voldemort. The adults in the Order, however, believed that Harry, Ron, and Hermione are too young to know too much about what is taking place.

Harry was summoned to appear before the Ministry of Magic because he had used magic to protect himself and Dudley after they were attacked by Dementors. That, of course, was Umbridge's goal - she wanted to discredit the underage wizard Harry and have him use his magic. This could result in his being expelled from Hogwarts.

Ron's father, Arthur, accompanied Harry to his court date, but Harry had to face the group alone. The charge, that he had used his magic in the presence of a Muggle, was thoroughly discussed. Many members of the jury were impressed that a fifteen-year-old wizard could produce a Patronus, but were unsure of Harry's story about the Dementors. Why would the Ministry of Magic send Dementors to Harry's home? The opinion at the Ministry was that Harry was lying.

Dumbledore, who has not communicated with Harry much since the Triwizard Tournament, was instrumental in Harry's acquittal. He testified on Harry's behalf and pointed out that the use of magic by an underage wizard was not an offense that the Ministry could use to expel Harry from Hogwarts, and, even if it was, they did not have the power to do so.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were so impertinent as to criticize Professor Umbridge about her instructional goals for the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. While she planned to only teach theory from the textbook, they thought that students should practice ways to defend themselves.

Harry's first detention turned into one of many. He was forced to use a magical quill to write on parchment, "I must not tell lies". Every time he wrote on the parchment, the words were also etched upon the back of his hand. He left the first detention with a very sore hand. Although the wound healed over after every sentence, as time passed and Harry could not control his anger at the Ministry of Magic, he was given more detentions, and his hand became a bleeding mess.

After Professor Umbridge became High Inquisitor at Hogwarts, Ron and Hermione decided that some action needed to be taken. While they were the co-founders of Dumbeldore's Army, Harry was its leader. He took the job rather reluctantly, as he believed that much of his wizarding success up to that point at been sheer luck, but he recognized the need for the group.

The purpose of Dumbeldore's Army was for the students to practice Defense of the Dark Arts techniques that were not being taught in their class at Hogwarts. Ginny Weasley suggested the name for the group, which met in the Room of Requirement and had about twenty-eight members. It was a member of the group, Marietta Edgecombe, who eventually betrayed the group to Professor Umbridge.

Needless to say, Dumbledore was on the outs with the Ministry of Magic because of his defense of Harry, and when the activities of Dumbledore's Army were discovered, he took the blame. In addition the Ministry found it easy to blame Dumbledore and Hogwarts for what they believed were Harry's lies and rants, rather than deal with the fact that Voldemort had returned, something that they were ill-prepared to handle.

When Dumbledore learned that Fudge wanted to put him in Azkaban while he awaited his trial, he left Hogwarts and, in doing so, left the school without a Headmaster. Umbridge took his position, but interestingly enough, the headmaster's office would not let her in! Dumbledore returned to his post after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.

Sirius Black was best friends with James and Lily, best man at their wedding, and Harry's godfather. After meeting Black in "The Prisoner of Azkaban" (1999), Harry felt for the first time that he had family, someone who he could trust to give advice and just be there when needed.

After Volemort's return, Sirius moved back to his family home at 12 Grimmauld Place, and it became the headquarters of the newly revived Order of the Phoenix. Sirius was unhappy to live there; he was safe, but his desire to be part of the action led to his death.

Sirius was killed by his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. She sent a spell, which caused him to fall backward through the Veil in the Death Chamber. Harry witnessed the death, blamed himself for it, and felt a deep loss. Sirius was the closest person to a parent that Harry could remember. Harry was Black's heir, and became the owner of 12 Grimmauld Place and Black's other possessions.