Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter Six:
The Noble and Most
Ancient House of Black

Synopses by Maureen Knight
Notes and links by Steve Vander Ark and Michele L. Worley

U.S. hardcover edition: pages 98 - 120
U.K. hardcover edition: pages 92 - 111
U.K. paperback edition: pages 113 - 137
Timeframe: 6-11 August, 1995 [Y15]

In which Harry, Sirius, and the Weasleys clean the Black house; Kreacher, the Black family house-elf, shows another darker side to house-elves; Harry is shown the Black family tree; and we learn that Sirius is not only related to the Weasleys and Tonks, but to the Malfoys and the Lestranges.

Interesting facts and notes about the text of this chapter:

Still to come....

Characters introduced in this chapter:

• Kreacher (makes his first appearance, though he's been discussed before)

Characters returning in this chapter:

• Black, Sirius (as Snuffles)

• Crookshanks

• Fletcher, Mundungus

• Granger, Hermione

• Hedwig

• Pigwidgeon

• Potter, Harry

• Shacklebolt, Kingsley

• Weasley, Arthur

• Weasley, Fred

• Weasley, George

• Weasley, Ginny

• Weasley, Molly

• Weasley, Ron

Characters mentioned in this chapter:

• Black, Mr. (Sirius's father)

• Black, Mrs. (Sirius's mother)

• Black, Regulus

• Buckbeak

• Crouch, Bartemius (junior)

• Dumbledore, Albus

• Dursleys, the

• Hagrid, Rubeus

• Jones, Hestia

• Lestrange, Bellatrix Black

• Lestrange, Rabastan

• Lestrange, Rodolphus

• Lockhart, Gilderoy

• Lupin, Remus

• Malfoy, Draco

• Malfoy, Lucius

• Malfoy, Narcissa Black

• McGonagall, Minerva

• Meliflua, Araminta

• Moody, Alastor (Mad-Eye)

• Black, Nigellus, Phineas

• Potter, James

• Potters (James's parents)

• Riddle, Tom Marvolo (as Voldemort, Dark Lord)

• Tonks, Andromeda Black

• Tonks, Nymphadora

• Tonks, Ted

• (no surname) Sirius's uncle Alphard

• (no surname) Sirius's aunt Elladora

• (unnamed) Sirius's grandfather, who was awarded an Order of Merlin, first class

Settings and locations introduced or returning in this chapter:

• number twelve, Grimmauld Place

  • dining room

  • drawing room

  • Harry and Ron's bedroom

Settings and locations mentioned in this chapter:

• number four, Privet Drive

Exceptional character moments:

• Still to come....

Spells:

• Avada Kedavra

• Bat-Bogey Hex

• Cruciatus Curse

• Fidelius Charm

• Permanent Sticking Charm

• Unforgivable Curses

Links and Resources:

• Aurors

• Bestiary

  • boggart

  • doxy

  • ghoul

  • house-elves

  • puffskein

• Black Family tree

• blood status

• Death Eaters

• Harry's Dreams

• items and devices, magical

  • Extendable Ears

  • Wartcap Powder

  • Other Dark Magic Items found at twelve Grimmauld Place

• International Statute of Secrecy

• Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, the

• Order of Merlin, first class

• Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

Memorable lines:

• "Size is no guarantee of power. Look at Ginny. You've never been on the receiving end of one of her Bat-Bogey hexes, have you?"

• They moved from the drawing room to a dining room on the ground floor where they found spiders large as saucers lurking in the dresser (Ron left the room hurriedly to make a cup of tea and did not return for an hour and a half).

Strictly British:

• dodgy

• fancies

• pastille

• shifty

• skiving

• snog

Timelines/Calendar:

The chapter begins late the night Harry arrives at twelve Grimmauld Place and continues through the night before his hearing. The chapter tells us the hearing is on 12 August, and we know he arrived at Grimmauld on 6 August, we know it covers roughly 5 days.