In the memory of Padfoot (Sirius Black): Harry Potter And the Order Of The Phoenix, A Review

 

 "Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike."

J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 2003

       When I first laid my hands on this book it was right four days before my final exams in school and I was amazed at how I could finish a 766 paged book before I have even started studying for my exams. I had to read it by hiding it underneath my course books which was a tough job, considering even none of my course book then surpassed even 300 pages. The point is, this book like the other Potter series is so addictive that even when you are not

reading it, your mind is out there reasoning, drawing out

conclusions as to what things have happened and what might happen. But well what happens when you reread it and in my case...actually this would be the third time I have gone through the entire book once again and to say I have enjoyed like the first time would actually be misleading but to say I was not surprised at the twists and turns and completely glued to the book till the end would

actually be an understatement ;)

What makes this book different from the other Potter books is that first of all the characters here much more matured than they appeared in the earlier books which makes it a better read. This can be seen very well in the way they interpret the ministry's move, it would have been really hard to imagine the first or second year Harry and Hermoine's interpretations about certain events (like the ones related to Bode and Sturgis.) Well in case of Ron's, I would have to say, his opinions are still the same, but that instead of spoiling the read makes it kind of fun.

Other than that, even in a world full of fiction and magic this

book still manages to have the reader in an illusion of reality and logic by facing the issues of how to interfere at Hogwarts by introducing Umbridge as 'The High Inquisitor' meanwhile how the students are coping up with all the issues including the ones that are outside the castle i.e. whether to believe the Ministry or

Dumbledore/Harry and the issues inside the castle like their OWL exams and their illegal practical Defence Against Dark Arts Lessons from Harry Potter which they have decided to take right under the nose of Umbridge.

         But if the normal students at Hogwarts are in such distress than how much more of it would have been on Harry Potter's plate?

         When Harry arrives Hogwarts in his fifth year out of the many things he is gonna face the first thing of which he realize, is hardly any of them believes him about the fact that Voldemort has returned ,and they believe Harry to be some kind of attention-seeker freak, which at least he was a bit prepared to deal with then comes the first week of school with which he realises the amount of burden (homework) every teacher keep on heaping on them is never going to end, which of course is not a big deal, then he comes across Professor Umbridge,(an evil sickly sweet woman whom the ministry has sent to teach Defence Against Dark Arts at Hogwarts) and finds himself facing a week of detention with her for telling her the truth about You-Know-Who.

     Not only this, apart from making every effort to make Harry's life in Hogwarts hell, Umbridge also puts a life time ban of Quidditich on him. Not to forget all this time Harry keeps having dreams and visions of Voldemort and the Department of Mysteries and his scar keeps hurting, after a few visions, one of which has been particularly helpful in saving Mr. Weasley he has been asked to practice Occlumency with his least favourite teacher Professor Snape. And when he not dealing with all these Hagrid has asked him to give a

few English lessons to his little brother GRAWP who is a 16 feet tall giant. And like other other students, He has his OWL exams too by the end to worry about which he has to excel by any means because he wants to become to become an Auror and also because Professor McGonagall has said to him very confidently in front of a very raging Umbridge that 

“I 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!'

Which actually made him wondered later after his performance in exams that he should have chosen a more achievable goal :)

phew.....

Only Harry Potter can deal with all of these without cracking.

Level Of Humor:

All the credit for humor in this book is in the hands of Fred and George Weasley. In the times when Hogwarts was facing such difficult times, it was them who made the situations even with Umbridge in it hilarious at times. Fred and George were the only

one who could make Umbridge's newly reinforced laws on Hogwarts look funny. The outstanding fireworks and mayhem that they created for Umbridge before leaving Hogwarts was definitely some of their best works. And some of their lines are used as

quotes here:

Mrs. Weasley let out a shriek just like Hermione's.
"I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!"
"What are Fred and I, next-door neighbours?" said George indignantly, as his mother pushed him aside and flung her arms around her youngest son.

                                                     ______________ 

"Hello, Harry" said George, beaming at him. "We thought we heard your dulcet tones." 
"You don't want to bottle up your anger like that, Harry, let it all out," said Fred, also beaming. "There might be a couple of people fifty miles away who didn't hear you." 

                                              _________________

"Has Ron saved a goal yet?" asked Hermione. 
"Well, he can do it if he thinks no one is watching him," said Fred, rolling his eyes. "So all we have to do is ask the crowd to turn their backs and talk among themselves every time the Quaffle goes up on his end Saturday." 

                                                       _________________

"The thing about growing up with Fred and George is that you sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve."
    -- Ginny Weasley

                                      _________________

   Fred:"Give her hell, Peeves." 

The Mystery Of Prophecy:

Everything apart this book is more about the prophecy than about anything else, it has been focused on from the start, from the dreams about the closed door of the department of mystery to the final confession of Dumbledore where he tells Harry about it, the

whole story revolves about the prophecy, also what makes it more frightening is the fact that Voldemort's only plan in the book is to get to the prophecy, not to kill anyone,not even harry, just to get the prophecy, which really makes it kind of important. The whole 'Order of the Phoenix' has been made to stop voldemort from succeeding in his plans.

The prophecy says 

“The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives …”

And is therefore very clearly states why it would have been important :)

                                           The End :

              Then we come to the end of the book where we face the demise of Harry's God Father and my favorite character 'Sirius Black'. The character described in the book is much more audacious and handsome than the one in the movie and the one in the movie does not do justice to the real Sirius Black. I really wanted to read more of him and his demise was definitely shattering not to harry alone. Also one of the reasons why it comes as a shock is because he is the only one who is left as a family to Harry and then his death really seems unfair. I can't help feeling angry at Kreacher and also at Dumbledore who in the end mentions that Kreacher should have been treated with respect.

         

This post is dedicated to Padfoot also known as Sirius Black, Harry Potter's Godfather, one my favorite character in the Potter Series.