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

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
2. Who attacked Harry and Dudley? Two dementors p.16

Chapter 2

1. 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
2. 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

1. Who visited Harry at his aunt and uncle's house? Why? 8-9 wizards; to take Harry to safety p.56
2. Where did they take him? London; the house where the Order of the Phoenix is meeting p.58

Chapter 4

1. What’s the Order of the Phoenix? A secret society of wizards who previously fought against Voldemort p.67
2. Why is a portrait of Sirius’ mother in the house? It’s the home Sirius’ grew up in p.78

Chapter 5

1. 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

1. 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
2. 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

1. 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
2. Why do you think the hearing was changed to the new location? Listen to your child's answer

Chapter 8

1. 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
2. Who do you think told Dumbledor of the change? Listen to your child’s answer
3. Why doesn’t Fudge want to believe dementors attacked Harry? It would prove that Voldemort is back p.148

Chapter 9

1. What was Harry feeling when he didn’t make Prefect? Jealous and selfish p.166
2. 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

1. 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
2. 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

1. What did the Sorting Hat sing about? The different houses; warnings; advice p.207
2. Why was that strange? The Hat hasn't given advice or warnings since Harry's been at Hogwarts p.207
3. 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

1. What’s Harry’s Divination class about? Predicting the future p.237
2. Why isn’t Harry happy about keeping a dream journal? His dreams are about Voldemort and come true p.238
3. 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

1. What pun did Professor Umbridge use on page 266? “Oh, as long as it takes the message to sink in” p.266
2. Why is it a pun? When Harry used the quill, it actually carved the words into his flesh p.267
3. 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

1. 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

1. 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
2. What’s Harry’s reaction? He didn’t feel qualified p.328

Chapter 16

1. Which houses are the students from who came to the Dark Arts meeting? Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffondor p.338
2. Why were the students hesitant to sign their names? They didn’t want to be found out p.346
3. Why was Harry noticing how beautiful the village is now? Cho likes him p.349

Chapter 17

1. Why did Professor Umbridge ban student organizations, societies, teams, groups and clubs? To prevent the secret Dark Arts class p.351
2. 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
3. What caused Sirius to vanish? Umbridge came looking for him in the chimney floo p.372

Chapter 18

1. Why weren’t the other elves picking up Hermione’s hats and socks? They were insulted p.385
2. 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

1. 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

1. 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

1. Why was Harry so confused by Cho’s kiss? She cried about missing Cedric just before p.458
2. What and who was Harry in his dream? A snake; Voldemort p.462

Chapter 22

1. 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
2. Why didn’t Harry want to hear the conversation in the hospital room? He was disturbed Voldemort is possessing him p.491

Chapter 23

1. Why was Harry so upset at the beginning of this chapter? He thought Voldemort was using him as a weapon p.493
2. What helped Harry feel better? Talking to his friends; Ginny reminded him she’d been possessed by Voldemort too p.499
3. 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

1. Why did Dumbledor want Harry to learn Occlumency? It would teach him to control and protect his mind from Voldemort p.518
2. 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

1. 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
2. Why did Hermione want Harry to meet her? To tell Rita Skeeter the truth about Voldemort p.567
3. 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

1. 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
2. How does Snape know that Harry dreamt of Voldemort? He can see Harry’s memories as they practice Occlumency p.593

Chapter 27

1. Why was Harry taken to Dumbledor’s office? Umbridge caught him doing the D.A. Class p.611
2. 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
3. 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

1. 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
2. Should Harry have looked into the Pensieve? Why, or why not? No; Snape’s memories were personal like a journal 

Chapter 29

1. 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
2. What diversion did Fred and George do so Harry to talk to Sirius? Made a swamp in the school p.675

Chapter 30

1. What was Hagrid hiding in the Forbidden Forest? His brother, a giant p.690
2. Why did Hagrid need Harry and his friends to visit his brother? He was worried Umbridge was going to fire him p.701
3. 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

1. What event interrupted the astronomy test? Umbridge telling Hagrid to leave Hogwarts p.719
2. Who was Voldemort torturing in Harry’s dream and why? Sirius; Voldemort wanted Sirius to fetch something p.728

Chapter 32

1. Do you think Snape got Harry's message? Listen to your child’s answer p.745
2. Predict the weapon Hermione and Harry are taking Umbridge to? Listen to your child’s answer p.748

Chapter 33

1. How did Luna, Neville, Ginny and Ron escape? They used spells Harry taught them p.761
2. Why were they so determined to go with Harry? They wanted to use the skills Harry taught them against Voldemort p.761

Chapter 34

1. 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

1. 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

1. What did Fudge finally admit? That Voldemort’s back p.817

Chapter 37

1. Who took the blame for Sirius’s death? Why? Dumbledor; he should have told Harry everything long before p.826
2. Who lied to Harry and betrayed the Order? Kreacher p.829
3. 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

1. What was Nicks response when Harry asked him about Sirius? Sirius moved on and wouldn’t come back as a ghost p.860
2. 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
3. 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