Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 16
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Chapter 16 of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: In the Hog's Head
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[edit] Synopsis
Only after Harry's detention with Umbridge has ended a fortnight later does Hermione dare ask if Harry has considered teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts. Harry admits he has, and Ron is relieved that Harry has not started shouting again. Hermione recommends opening the class to anyone wanting to learn, although Harry believes only a few will attend. He is, after all, "a nutter." Hermione suggests the first meeting take place during the next Hogsmeade weekend to avoid Umbridge. Harry is concerned that Sirius might show up in Hogsmeade, but Hermione says he has enough worry about, and Sirius listens to Dumbledore.
As Harry, Ron, and Hermione head for Hogsmeade, Filch sniffs at Harry before allowing him to leave. Harry relates the incident in the Owlery and says someone told Filch he was ordering Dungbombs. Hermione wonders who tipped Filch off. In Hogsmeade, Hermione steers them to a side street leading to the Hog's Head Inn, a small and rather unsavoury establishment, which Hermione confirms is not off limits to Hogwarts students. Only four patrons are there, a much-bandaged wizard, a witch under a veil, and two wizards hooded and caped like Dementors. Harry notes that the bartender looks familiar and has a distinct goat odor. When the "couple of people" Hermione invited arrive, Harry is stunned at how many there are: Neville, Dean, Lavender, Parvati and Padma Patil, Cho and a friend of hers that Harry did not recognize, Luna Lovegood, Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, Colin and Dennis Creevey, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbott, a Hufflepuff girl Harry did not recognize, who later identifies herself as Susan Bones, Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, Terry Boot, Ginny, a member of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team (later identified as Zacharias Smith), Fred and George, and Lee Jordan. Curiously, there are no Slytherins.
Hermione starts off by reminding everyone why they are there, then Harry says that if they have come to hear what happened to Cedric Diggory, then too bad, he will not discuss it. Harry has only agreed to teach defensive magic. Zacharias Smith seems skeptical, but the other students list Harry's accomplishments, and Zacharias, under half-joking threats from Fred and George, subsides. They agree to meet when a location is found. Hermione has everyone sign a piece of parchment, an agreement to keep the group secret. The meeting then breaks up.
As they continue shopping, Hermione mentions that Michael Corner probably attended because Ginny was there. She and Michael met at the Yule Ball the previous year. While Ginny had her sights on Harry, she has since given up. Ron is incensed that Michael Corner dares to go out with his sister, although Harry is less concerned. Hermione says that Cho never took her eyes off Harry throughout the meeting, and Harry suddenly realizes that Hogsmeade is a truly beautiful place.
[edit] Analysis
The strong turnout for the Defensive Arts meeting may be motivated as much or even more by the students' curiosity about Cedric Diggory's death, than by an interest in learning proper defensive magic. Harry's comment that most consider him a "nutter" is probably true, but he has done little to help overcome that perception, preferring to withhold details about his confrontation with Voldemort and internalize his emotions—an action reflecting his constant need to face adversity alone. Regardless, the students agree to give the lessons a try, although many probably still doubt Harry's claim about Voldemort's resurrection.
While Harry may still be reluctant to teach the class, it has provided one benefit—an opportunity to get closer to Cho Chang, who Harry now knows is interested in him. Ron, meanwhile, is upset that Michael Corner is interested in Ginny, although it seems that this has little to do with Michael himself and more to do with Ron being the protective older brother. He may feel that no one is suitable to date his little sister. It is certainly suggestive that Ron does not comment on his distrust of Corner until after Hermione mentions the attachment.
[edit] Questions
[edit] Review
- Why does Hermione choose the Hog's Head Inn to have the meeting at? Was this effective?
- Why does Harry think few students will be interested in attending the meeting?
- What seems to be the main reason students want to join Harry's defensive arts class? What does Harry tell them?
- Why is Zacharias Smith skeptical about Harry teaching defensive magic?
- What is Harry's reaction when Hermione mentions Cho Chang? Why?
[edit] Further Study
- Does Hermione deliberately omit Slytherin students from the Defense Against the Dark Arts group? If so, why? If not, why are none included?
- Why is Ron upset that Michael Corner wants to date his sister, Ginny?
- Hermione has everyone sign the parchment containing a vow of secrecy. How can she trust them to keep their word? Does she trust them?
[edit] Greater Picture
Of the four customers in the Hog's Head Inn, two were rather more interested in the students' meeting than perhaps Harry would have liked. The veiled witch in the corner is Mundungus Fletcher, who was watching over Hogsmeade for the Order of the Phoenix; he was disguised because he had evidently been barred from the Hog's Head, at least according to Sirius in the next chapter. And the much-bandaged wizard drinking Firewhisky at the bar is Willy Widdershins, who is in some trouble with the Ministry for charming toilets to make them regurgitate on Muggles. It is likely that he is in disguise because he is evading arrest. Hoping to beat the penalties for the charges, he reports the meeting to Umbridge, as is discovered in Chapter 27.
Although Hermione requires each student to sign a parchment bearing an oath of secrecy, she does not trust everyone and secretly insures that any "snitches" will be revealed. Unknown to the students who join this Defensive Arts teaching group, soon to be known as Dumbledore's Army, Hermione secretly jinxed the parchment that they signed to reveal the identity of anyone who divulges information about the group. When Marietta Edgecombe later tells Umbridge about the secret meetings, she is horrified when purple pimples spelling "snitch" break out across her face.
Associated with that, we here see the beginnings of an interesting bit of misdirection. The eventual betrayer of the group, Edgecombe, is deliberately kept to the periphery of the group, saying nothing apart from the occasional sigh or fidget. Zacharias Smith, with his obvious skepticism, is being presented to us as the most likely to betray the group; his attitude will continue at least into the first actual meeting of the group, which takes place in the Room of Requirement. Willy Widdershins' report to Umbridge following the initial meeting will result in a ban on student organizations. This in turn will cause Harry and Ron, at least initially, to believe that the group has been betrayed by one of the members there present; while the readers' suspicions will fall immediately on Smith, Ron will jump to the conclusion that it was Michael Corner, based apparently on Corner's relationship with Ginny. Edgecombe's betrayal of the group will come as a surprise to us.
The innkeeper at the Hog's Head looks familiar for a reason—he is Aberforth Dumbledore, Professor Dumbledore's younger brother, as many readers guessed instantly. An extremely large clue is the odour of goat that Harry notices as he enters; readers will remember that in the previous book, Professor Dumbledore had mentioned that his brother had been convicted of practicing inappropriate charms on a goat. Aberforth will play an important role in the final book.
