Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
by J.K. Rowling
Grades 6-12; Genre - Fantasy; GRL W; AR pts. 44.0
Fifteen-year-old wizard Harry Potter struggles with a threatening teacher, a problematic house-elf, the dread of upcoming final exams, and haunting dreams that hint toward his mysterious past. The plot contains mild profanity and violence.
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1
- Why is Harry so anxious at the beginning of this story? Now that he knows that Voldemort is back, he’s waiting for something bad to happen p.10
- Who attacked Harry and Dudley? Two dementors p.16
Chapter 2
- Why did Uncle Vernon want Harry to leave and not come back? Voldemort is after him and Harry’s uncle doesn’t want his family to get hurt p.38
- Who changed Uncle Vernon’s mind to let Harry stay? Why? Aunt Petunia; She got a howler from an owl that made her feel like Harry should stay p.40
Chapter 3
- Who visited Harry at his aunt and uncle's house? Why? 8-9 wizards; to take Harry to safety p.56
- Where did they take him? London; the house where the Order of the Phoenix is meeting p.58
Chapter 4
- What’s the Order of the Phoenix? A secret society of wizards who previously fought against Voldemort p.67
- Why is a portrait of Sirius’ mother in the house? It’s the home Sirius’ grew up in p.78
Chapter 5
- What did Harry learn in this chapter? Harry thwarted Voldemort’s plans; Voldemort is secretly recruiting Death Eaters and working on a weapon; the Ministry doesn't believe that Voldemort is back p.92
Chapter 6
- Describe Sirius’ family? Share two examples. They’re Voldemort supporters; don’t like anyone who’s not a pureblood; Sirius’s brother was a Death Eater and Draco’s dad is married to Sirius’s cousin p.113
- What hearing is Harry worryied about and why? He’s on trial for using magic in the muggle world; he could be expelled from Hogwarts and be forced to return to live at the Dursley’s p.119
Chapter 7
- Summarize this chapter. Describes the Ministry of Magic building and Harry and Mr. Weasley's travels; the location and time of the hearing changed and Harry and Mr. Weasley run to get there p.121
- Why do you think the hearing was changed to the new location? Listen to your child's answer
Chapter 8
- How do we know Fudge didn’t expect Dumbledor at the hearing? He was surprised and flustered when Dumbledor arrived; didn’t set out a chair; changed the time and location of the hearing intentionally so Dumbledor wouldn’t be there p.139
- Who do you think told Dumbledor of the change? Listen to your child’s answer
- Why doesn’t Fudge want to believe dementors attacked Harry? It would prove that Voldemort is back p.148
Chapter 9
- What was Harry feeling when he didn’t make Prefect? Jealous and selfish p.166
- Why was Mrs. Weasley so upset when she saw the bogart? She’s scared someone in her family is going to die p.176
Chapter 10
- What did Draco Malfoy say to unnerve Harry in this chapter? Why? “I’ll be dogging your footsteps in case you step out of line"; Draco’s dad might have noticed Sirius dropping off Harry at the train station and know where he's hiding out p.194
- Why was Harry alarmed his friends couldn’t see the creatures pulling the carriages? He’s not been able to see them until now; Luna has been able to see them as well, which concerned him p.199
Chapter 11
- What did the Sorting Hat sing about? The different houses; warnings; advice p.207
- Why was that strange? The Hat hasn't given advice or warnings since Harry's been at Hogwarts p.207
- Why is Harry frustrated and grateful at the end of this chapter? Seamus’ mom doesn't believe Harry and Dumbledor and doesn't want him at the school; Neville believes Harry and stood up for him p.220
Chapter 12
- What’s Harry’s Divination class about? Predicting the future p.237
- Why isn’t Harry happy about keeping a dream journal? His dreams are about Voldemort and come true p.238
- Describe Professor Umbridge. Very short; sweet voice and but very strict; determined to put Harry’s accusations about Voldemort to rest and called them lies p.239
Chapter 13
- What pun did Professor Umbridge use on page 266? “Oh, as long as it takes the message to sink in” p.266
- Why is it a pun? When Harry used the quill, it actually carved the words into his flesh p.267
- Why doesn’t Harry want to talk to Dumbledor about his detention or his scar? Dumbledor hasn’t talked to him since the summer p.277
Chapter 14
- What concerns did Sirius calm when Harry spoke with him? Harry’s scar isn’t anything to worry about; Professor Umbridge isn’t a Death Eater; Hagrid's away on a mission and is fine p.302
Chapter 15
- Why did Hermione suggest Harry teach the Defense against the Dark Arts class? Why? Harry; he’s been successful in using the spells against Voldemort p.326
- What’s Harry’s reaction? He didn’t feel qualified p.328
Chapter 16
- Which houses are the students from who came to the Dark Arts meeting? Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffondor p.338
- Why were the students hesitant to sign their names? They didn’t want to be found out p.346
- Why was Harry noticing how beautiful the village is now? Cho likes him p.349
Chapter 17
- Why did Professor Umbridge ban student organizations, societies, teams, groups and clubs? To prevent the secret Dark Arts class p.351
- Why are the teachers upset with Umbridge? She has the power to get rid of them, is questioning how they teach and putting them on probation p.364
- What caused Sirius to vanish? Umbridge came looking for him in the chimney floo p.372
Chapter 18
- Why weren’t the other elves picking up Hermione’s hats and socks? They were insulted p.385
- Describe the first lesson Harry taught. Harry was voted their leader; they call themselves the D.A., Dumbledor’s Army; they learned the Expelliarmus spell p.396
Chapter 19
- Describe the Quidditch match and what happened after. Ron missed three goals, Harry caught the snitch so they won; during the match Slytherin sang a mean song about Ron; Draco taunted Ron, Harry and George hit him; Umbridge banned Harry, George and Fred from playing Quidditch again; Ron left the field very discouraged p.406
Chapter 20
- Summarize this chapter. Harry and his friends went to see Hagrid; he told them how he went to the giants to gain their favor against Voldemort; the chief who liked them was killed and a new chief was put in, he was siding with the Death Eaters; Hagrid and Madame Maxine weren’t successful in convincing the other giants to join; Umbridge came to see Hagrid while the kids were there, but couldn’t see them due to the invisibility cloak; Hermione is worried Umbridge going to get rid of Hagrid p.424
Chapter 21
- Why was Harry so confused by Cho’s kiss? She cried about missing Cedric just before p.458
- What and who was Harry in his dream? A snake; Voldemort p.462
Chapter 22
- Why did Dumbledor remove Harry and the Weasley’s from Hogwarts? He didn’t want Umbridge to get involved; he wanted them to be able to see their father p.476
- Why didn’t Harry want to hear the conversation in the hospital room? He was disturbed Voldemort is possessing him p.491
Chapter 23
- Why was Harry so upset at the beginning of this chapter? He thought Voldemort was using him as a weapon p.493
- What helped Harry feel better? Talking to his friends; Ginny reminded him she’d been possessed by Voldemort too p.499
- Who did Harry and his friends see on the closed ward of the hospital? Why? Neville Longbottom; his mom and dad were cursed by Bellatrix Lestrange p.515
Chapter 24
- Why did Dumbledor want Harry to learn Occlumency? It would teach him to control and protect his mind from Voldemort p.518
- Why was Harry so sick at the end of this chapter? He’d had his first lesson with Snape and his mind was weakened and tired p.542
Chapter 25
- Why did Harry’s date with Cho go poorly? Harry didn’t want to talk about Cedric and then said he was meeting Hermione and that made Cho jealous p.562
- Why did Hermione want Harry to meet her? To tell Rita Skeeter the truth about Voldemort p.567
- How did Hermione convince Rita to do the story about Harry for free? She blackmailed Rita since she’s not a registered Animagus p.569
Chapter 26
- What was the reaction to the article written about Harry and Voldemort? Umbridge was angry and put up a new decree that students were forbidden to read it; the students believed Harry; Harry received lots of fan mail p.579
- How does Snape know that Harry dreamt of Voldemort? He can see Harry’s memories as they practice Occlumency p.593
Chapter 27
- Why was Harry taken to Dumbledor’s office? Umbridge caught him doing the D.A. Class p.611
- Why did Dumbledor take the blame for organizing the class? He didn’t want Harry to get expelled; he knew he could handle the consequences p.618
- What advice did Dumbledor give Harry before he left? To study Occlumency as hard as he could and close his mind p.623
Chapter 28
- Why was Snape so enraged to find Harry watching his memory? It was humiliating to him; it was about how Harry’s dad treated him when they were younger p.645
- Should Harry have looked into the Pensieve? Why, or why not? No; Snape’s memories were personal like a journal
Chapter 29
- What did Sirius tell Harry about his father? That he was 15 years old and an idiot; that his father was a show off when Lily was around; he was his best friend and a good person p.671
- What diversion did Fred and George do so Harry to talk to Sirius? Made a swamp in the school p.675
Chapter 30
- What was Hagrid hiding in the Forbidden Forest? His brother, a giant p.690
- Why did Hagrid need Harry and his friends to visit his brother? He was worried Umbridge was going to fire him p.701
- Why did Harry and Hermione decide to wait to tell Ron about Hagrid's brother? Ron had just won the Quidditch Cup p.702
Chapter 31
- What event interrupted the astronomy test? Umbridge telling Hagrid to leave Hogwarts p.719
- Who was Voldemort torturing in Harry’s dream and why? Sirius; Voldemort wanted Sirius to fetch something p.728
Chapter 32
- Do you think Snape got Harry's message? Listen to your child’s answer p.745
- Predict the weapon Hermione and Harry are taking Umbridge to? Listen to your child’s answer p.748
Chapter 33
- How did Luna, Neville, Ginny and Ron escape? They used spells Harry taught them p.761
- Why were they so determined to go with Harry? They wanted to use the skills Harry taught them against Voldemort p.761
Chapter 34
- Why wasn’t Sirius where Harry saw him in his dream? It was a trap Voldemort planned to get Harry into the room with the orb p.780
Chapter 35
- Summarize this chapter. The kids were all fighting for their lives running from the Death Eaters when members of the Order of the Phoenix arrived to help them; Sirius fell through the veil and died p.781
Chapter 36
- What did Fudge finally admit? That Voldemort’s back p.817
Chapter 37
- Who took the blame for Sirius’s death? Why? Dumbledor; he should have told Harry everything long before p.826
- Who lied to Harry and betrayed the Order? Kreacher p.829
- Why did Dumbledor wait to tell Harry the prophecy? He would need to one day kill Voldemort or be killed by him p.844
Chapter 38
- What was Nicks response when Harry asked him about Sirius? Sirius moved on and wouldn’t come back as a ghost p.860
- What did Luna say that helped Harry feel better? That those who have died are just behind the veil, they’re not gone p.863
- Why was Harry confident going home with the Dursley’s? The Order stood up for him and told the Dursley’s they’d better be nice to Harry; Harry knew he had support from his friends p.870