Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter Eleven:
The Sorting Hat's New Song

Synopsis by Maureen Knight
Notes and links by Steve Vander Ark and Michele Worley

U.S. hardcover edition: pages 200 - 220
U.K. hardcover edition: pages 181 - 199
U.K. paperback edition: pages 223 - 245
Timeframe: the evening of 1 September, 1995 [Y15]

In which the start-of-term feast takes place, the Sorting Hat gives warning in its new song, Harry recognizes Dolores Umbridge as she is introduced as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and Harry learns that not everyone believes that Voldemort is back.

Interesting facts and notes about the text of this chapter:

'What is going on?'
Ron had appeared in the doorway. His wide eyes travelled from Harry, who was kneeling on his bed with his wand pointing at Seamus, to Seamus, who was standing there with his fists raised.

Characters introduced in this chapter:

• Abercrombie, Euan

• Zeller, Rose

• first-year who points Harry out to Euan Abercrombie

Characters returning in this chapter:

• Brown, Lavender

• Chang, Cho

• de Mimsy Porpington, Sir Nicholas (Nearly Headless Nick)

• Dumbledore, Albus

• Fat Lady

• Finnigan, Seamus

• Granger, Hermione

• Grubbly-Plank, Wilhelmina

• Longbottom, Neville

• Lovegood, Luna

• Macmillan, Ernie

• McGonagall, Minerva

• Patil, Parvati

• Potter, Harry

• Sorting Hat

• Sprout, Pomona

• Thomas, Dean

• Umbridge, Dolores

• Weasley, Fred

• Weasley, George

• Weasley, Ginny

• Weasley, Ron

• Hogwarts ghosts

• (unnamed) Hogwarts students who whisper and point at Harry as he passes

• (unnamed) Ginny's fourth-year friends

Characters mentioned in this chapter:

• Bloody Baron, the

• Creevey, Colin

• Creevey, Dennis

• Diggory, Cedric

• Dursleys, the

• Filch, Argus

• Finnigan, Mrs.

• Fudge, Cornelius

• Gryffindor, Godric

• Hagrid, Rubeus

• Hufflepuff, Helga

• Longbottom, Augusta (Gran)

• Malfoy, Draco

• Ravenclaw, Rowena

• Riddle, Tom Marvolo (as Voldemort)

• Slytherin, Salazar

• Weasley, Percy

Settings and locations introduced or returning in this chapter:

• Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

  • Entrance Hall

  • Great Hall

  • Gryffindor Tower: Harry's dormitory

  • Hogwarts front steps

  • carriages, Hogwarts

Settings and locations mentioned in this chapter:

• Forbidden Forest

• Dumbledore's Office

• Kenmare

• West Ham

Exceptional character moments:

• Still to come....

Spells:

• food appears on the tables in the Great Hall

• spell Seamus uses to restore his bed curtains - perhaps Reparo

Links and Resources:

• Bestiary: thestral

• four founders of Hogwarts

• Mimbulus mimbletonia

• Ministry of Magic, the

• passwords

• prefects

• Sorting Hat Songs

Memorable lines:

• "Ow kunnit nofe skusin danger ifzat?" said Ron. His mouth was so full Harry thought it was quite an achievement for him to make any noise at all.

• "I'll be her friend as long as I don't have to borrow that cardigan."

• "I'll tell you what it means," said Hermione through gritted teeth. "It means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts."

• "Ron, we're supposed to show the first years where to go!"
  "Oh yeah," said Ron, who had obviously forgotten. "Hey- hey you lot! Midgets!"
  "Ron!"
  "Well they are, they're titchy...."

Strictly British:

• first-year

• prefect

• steak-and-kidney pie

• titchy

• treacle tart

Timelines/Calendar:

The entire chapter takes place the evening Harry arrives at school for the start of his fifth year, which we know from his Hogwarts letter is 1 September. Since classes start the next morning, it must be a Sunday, though there is a discrepency regarding the day of the week.