Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 15
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Chapter 15 of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: The Hogwarts High Inquisitor
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[edit] Synopsis
The next day at breakfast, Hermione reads in the Daily Prophet that the Ministry of Magic has appointed Dolores Umbridge "High Inquisitor." Umbridge now has extensive power over Hogwarts and can arbitrarily impose new rules and regulations. She apparently intends to evaluate all teachers and classes. At lunch, after Harry receives a D (for Dreadful) on his Potions homework, he asks Fred and George about inspected classes. Fred says when Umbridge inspected Charms class, Flitwick just ignored her. Harry arrives at Divination to find Umbridge there with a clipboard. She begins taking notes as a nervous Professor Trelawney teaches. Umbridge demands that she make some predictions during class, and is apparently unimpressed with the result.
During Defence Against the Dark Arts class, Umbridge claims that Professor Quirrell was the only other Defensive Arts teacher likely to have received Ministry approval. Harry retorts that there was only the small matter of Voldemort being stuck on the back of his head, thus earning himself another week's detention. The next morning, Angelina Johnson is so angered over Harry receiving another detention that she begins berating him, bringing Professor McGonagall down from head table; McGonagall penalizes Harry five House points for provoking Umbridge despite her earlier warning.
In Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall rudely ignores Umbridge's inspection and slaps her down like a student when Umbridge tries to ask a question during class. Umbridge, however, is delighted with Professor Grubbly-Plank's Care of Magical Creatures class, although Grubbly-Plank is only substituting for the still-absent Hagrid. Harry, however, loses his temper when Draco says he was injured in Hagrid's class by a Hippogriff, earning him another day's detention.
Hermione is also fed up with Umbridge's ineffective teaching. When Harry returns to the common room after this final detention, she suggests that he teach Defence Against the Dark Arts to students. Harry is reluctant, feeling he is unqualified, but Hermione and Ron point out that he already knows much that he could teach to others about defensive magic, and he has always earned top marks, even beating Hermione. Harry is angered at the thought. Although they may think he knows all this, he believes he has just winged it, it was luck, and had other people's help. Hermione, abashed, says that Harry is the only one who knows what it is like to actually face Voldemort. Harry grudgingly agrees to consider it. He goes to bed, where he again dreams about long corridors and locked doors.
[edit] Analysis
Umbridge's promotion allows her to abuse power, and she immediately begins imposing her will on Hogwarts. That she is evaluating teachers far more competent than herself shows she has an ulterior motive, possibly to weed out those she considers unworthy to teach at Hogwarts, mainly anyone non-human. However, she has apparently also targeted the thoroughly human Professor Trelawney, and probably Professor McGonagall, who openly opposes her. It seems the only teacher Umbridge approves of is Professor Grubbly-Plank, a competent teacher who is substituting for the still-absent Hagrid, although Umbridge's enthusiasm may have less to do with Grubbly-Plank's abilities than with finding a reason for sacking Hagrid as the Care of Magical Creatures instructor.
It is perhaps a point of interest that we here see what may be the only time in the entire story that we sympathize with Umbridge even a little. Umbridge quite clearly sees that Divination class is pure nonsense, and is not at all taken in by Professor Trelawney's fortune-telling. Harry, of course, is of the same opinion, and probably privately wishes he had left the course when Hermione had. However, readers, like Harry, probably cringe at Umbridge's technique.
Harry, meanwhile, continues to provoke Umbridge, stubbornly disregarding McGonagall's warning, which causes her to deduct House points. He is also unhappy again with what his fame and exploits have brought him when Hermione and Ron urge him to secretly teach Defensive Magic. Although Harry believes he lacks the necessary skills, Ron enumerates Harry's accomplishment from each year he has been at Hogwarts, and it is an impressive list. In the face of this, Harry tries to repudiate every one, claiming it was just luck or other people's help, rather than anything innate in him. Harry's reluctance to teach others may stem from several factors, such as lack of self-esteem; he may simply believe he is unqualified. Also, being a somewhat lazy student, he would have to put in extra work to prepare lessons. However, there may be some false modesty involved here, as he has always excelled in this subject and his abilities are more advanced than most other students. There is also Harry's ever-present need to "go it alone", and by organizing and teaching other students, he essentially becomes their leader in the fight against Umbridge and also Voldemort.
Readers may discern a slight plot hole. Presumably, the sixth and particularly the seventh-year students should be fairly well trained in basic defensive magic by now and capable of performing many of the same spells and curses that Harry has prematurely learned independently. Harry even comments that Cedric Diggory, who was an older student, already knew much of what he is teaching. However, the other students have never been in combat with Death Eaters or Voldemort; only Harry can share that experience.
[edit] Questions
[edit] Review
- Why does Hermione, who always follows rules, want Harry to secretly teach defensive magic?
- Why is Harry reluctant to teach Defensive Arts to other students?
- Why would the Ministry of Magic appoint a High Inquisitor at Hogwarts?
- Why is Umbridge evaluating teachers and their classes? What is the teachers' reaction to her?
- Why does Malfoy tell Umbridge he was once attacked by a Hippogriff? What is Harry's reaction, and why?
[edit] Further Study
- Why is Umbridge particularly pleased with Professor Grubbly-Plank, the substitute teacher for the Care of Magical Creatures class? Is it because Grubbly-Plank is such a great instructor, or is there another reason?
- Why does Harry continually provoke Umbridge, knowing the consequences and despite McGonagall's stern warning?
[edit] Greater Picture
Although Trelawney is hardly an exceptional teacher, Umbridge may be targeting her for other reasons. Trelawney is tied to a Prophecy regarding Harry and Voldemort, a fact Umbridge probably knows about since a copy is stored within the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic, though Umbridge likely does not know the contents of the Prophecy. Dumbledore knows that Trelawney is vulnerable, and, despite her meager talents, hired her as the Divination teacher to protect her and the prophecy. If she were ever outside Hogwarts' protective walls, it is likely Voldemort would have her captured and use any means possible to extract the prophecy from her memory before killing her. Umbridge may want to eliminate the prophecy's source by dismissing Trelawney and ejecting her from the castle (probably knowing she would be in danger by surviving Death Eaters) to remove credence to Harry's claims that Voldemort has returned.
While Hermione is making this sound as if it is just herself and Ron who are interested in the possibility of Harry teaching Defence, she will later mention this to several other people, and the word will spread to other Houses. As a result, and rather to Harry's dismay, the idea "will prove to be quite popular," in Hermione's words, and about 28 students will arrive at the Hog's Head for the organizational meeting. Despite his initial reluctance to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts, Harry will prove to be an excellent and inspiring instructor, and the classes help him learn to rely on and trust others. Teaching becomes something he will truly enjoy and look forward to.
Harry continually insists that he has accomplished less than people claim he has, a belief that is not fully understood by Ron until the seventh book. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry talks about how Ron saved his life and used the Sword of Gryffindor to destroy one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. Ron claims that Harry makes it sound more impressive than it actually was, to which Harry responds that that is what he (Harry) has been saying about himself for years. Regardless of whether or not it was luck or other people who had helped him, Harry has gained considerable skills and knowledge through these experiences, which is how he learns best.
Harry's dreams about corridors and locked doors are actually real scenes of Voldemort's deepest desires, played back through a telepathic link between him and Harry. Voldemort is still unaware that this link exists or that Harry can see what he is thinking. This will change near Christmas when Harry experiences an attack on Arthur Weasley through Voldemort's eyes. Following this, Harry's dreams become sharper and more directed. At the book's end, it will be learned that once Voldemort learned the link existed, the visions were actually being deliberately directed into Harry's mind.
An interesting little circle starts here. Hermione recommends Essence of Murtlap tentacles to soothe Harry's injured hand after his final detention night. When Lee Jordan later receives detention from Umbridge, Harry suggests Essence of Murtlap to ease the pain. Lee apparently suggests Essence of Murtlap to Fred and George when they mention a side effect of one of their Skiving Snackboxes. The Murtlap cures the boils that appear on a rather private anatomy part when the Snackbox is used. So, Hermione is indirectly helping the Twins with one of their products, which would probably anger her if she knew.
