The Book of Prophecies: How “Order of the Phoenix” Predicts the Plot of “Deathly Hallows” – Part 1

The Harry Potter series is masterfully plotted, both as individual books and across the series as a whole. Within the fandom, there is a large focus on ring theory for understanding how the series is structured. In ring theory, each book has its mirrored parallel: books 1 and 7, 2 and 6, and 3 and 5 parallel each other, with book 4 as the lynchpin of the series as a whole. 

Although there are certainly many connections between these pairs, there are an equal number of parallels between books 5 and 7. This does not invalidate ring theory, but instead suggests that there is another structural metaphor at play, specifically for these two books. The focus of Order of the Phoenix is the prophecy which tells of Harry’s ability to defeat Lord Voldemort, the prophecy that comes true at the end of Deathly Hallows. However, I would argue that Order of the Phoenix is the book not only of “The Prophecy,” but of prophecies plural— it foreshadows the themes, characters, and plot points that Rowling wanted to include in her epic conclusion of Deathly Hallows. Unlike in ring theory, the connection between books 5 and 7 isn’t only one of parallel, but of prediction— and it is a pattern that could only fit these two books. 

Chapter Comparisons

“Dudley Demented” and “The Dursleys Departing”

Book 5 begins with a Dementor attack on Harry and Dudley, which awakens a fear in Uncle Vernon that Voldemort will come for him and his family. He threatens to kick Harry out of the house until Aunt Petunia puts her foot down after a threatening Howler from Dumbledore. 

Two years later, Vernon’s fear that Voldemort will target his family is shown to have been valid—the Order of the Phoenix takes it upon themselves to bring the Dursleys into hiding to protect them from the possibility of Voldemort using them as bait. Uncle Vernon, ironically, seems to have lost sight of the danger his family is in over the intervening time and is extremely resistant to this move. He had no problem kicking Harry out of his house, but the idea of his own life being disrupted is a lot harder to swallow. Dudley, on the other hand, has gone through a dramatic change in character, expressing gratitude toward Harry for saving his life.

“The Advance Guard” and “The Seven Potters”

In Order of the Phoenix, The Order arrives at Privet Drive to spirit Harry away to safety. Present among the advance guard are Mad-Eye Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, Hestia Jones, Dedalus Diggle, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Sturgis Podmore, Elphias Doge, and Emmeline Vance. Harry and the Order fly to safety and, despite Moody’s paranoia and constant predictions of disaster, everything goes entirely according to plan. Six of these nine Order members return to Privet Drive in Deathly Hallows (Hestia and Dedalus arriving the previous chapter to protect the Dursleys). In Deathly Hallows, Harry is yet again spirited away by flight, but this time, Mad-Eye’s previous fears come true: The Order’s plan is thrown into utter and deadly chaos within moments of entering the air. 

“The Hearing” and “The Muggle-Born Registration Commission”:

When Harry is brought to the Ministry of Magic for a disciplinary hearing in Order of the Phoenix, he walks by the Fountain of Magical Brethren. Harry understands the subtle prejudice it perpetuates by showing other magical creatures as adoringly subservient to the witch and wizard. As a show of power and intimidation, Harry is then tried in front of the entire Wizengamot, in a courtroom previously used mainly for dark and dangerous wizards. Here he meets Dolores Umbridge, whom he later learns orchestrated this entire plot, sending the Dementors to Little Whinging to get him kicked out of Hogwarts. 

The seeds of the Ministry’s corruption are revealed in Book 5, and in Book 7 we see how they have spread and taken root under Voldemort’s new regime. A belief in wizard superiority is no longer subtle in the new statue that the trio passes when they enter the ministry again. A witch and wizard sit on thrones made out of the bodies of Muggles “in their rightful place” (DH12, p 242). Harry again visits a courtroom presided over by Dolores Umbridge, the new head of the Muggle-born Registration Commission. No longer simply attempting to kick Harry out of wizarding society, Umbridge widens her focus to removing the wands of all Muggle-borns and throwing them into prison. 

The false information the Ministry spreads about Harry also grows and mutates between Book 5 and Book 7. In Order of the Phoenix, the Ministry uses The Daily Prophet to make Harry out as a liar and a show off. In Deathly Hallows, The Daily Prophet is employed as a way to disseminate descriptions of Harry as “Undesirable No.1,” wanted for questioning about Dumbledore’s death. 

“Luna Lovegood” or “The Centaur and the Sneak” vs. “Xenophilius Lovegood”

Luna and her father are both important enough to have chapters named in their honor in both books. In Order of the Phoenix, Luna is introduced as the odd girl who spouts her father’s ridiculous beliefs. However, she also reassures Harry that he is right to believe he can see thestrals even though none of his other friends can. She is one of the few who believes his story about Voldemort’s return, and The Quibbler is the only newspaper willing to run an interview with him.  Fast forward two years, and Xenophilius, at least originally, is one of the few to support Harry and publishes true news about Voldemort’s regime in his newspaper. He also introduces Harry to a concept that his peers don’t believe in: the Deathly Hallows. Unlike Luna, however who is unfailingly supportive and loyal, Xenophilius betrays the trio out of fear for what the Death Eaters will do with his daughter. 

On a chapter-to-chapter comparison, perhaps an even more compelling parallel to “Xenophilius Lovegood” is the Order of the Phoenix chapter “The Centaur and the Sneak.” Marietta Edgecombe is believed to be part of Dumbledore’s Army and therefore on Harry’s side, but she betrays the organization to Umbridge. Family loyalties are used as an excuse— Marietta’s mother, we’re told, works in the Ministry. The stakes of this betrayal are not quite as high as they are in Xenophilius’s case, but they foreshadow what is to come. 

“The Eye of the Snake” and “Bathilda’s Secret”

Right before Christmas in book 5, Arthur Weasley survives an attack by Nagini while keeping watch outside the Department of Mysteries. On Christmas Eve in Deathly Hallows, Harry and Hermione are attacked by Nagini in Godric’s Hollow. In both attacks, Harry goes inside Voldemort’s head— in the first, this is a dream, but in the second, Harry enters so deeply into Voldemort’s experience and memories that he passes out for three full days. Both attacks serve to emphasize the Horcrux connection Harry has with Voldemort. 

“Snape’s Worst Memory” vs. “The Prince’s Tale”

In book 5, Harry enters the Pensieve to view Snape’s memory of being tormented by James and calling Lily a Mudblood. This is the first time that Harry feels some pity for Snape: “he knew how it felt to be humiliated in the middle of a circle of onlookers, knew exactly how Snape had felt as his father had taunted him” (OP28, p. 650). In book 7, he re-enters the same memory, this time with Snape’s permission, and, after this foray, we see that Harry develops a more full understanding of Snape’s life and personality. In later years, he calls Snape one of the bravest men he ever knew, and even names one of his sons after him. 

These chapters in Order of the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows are clearly linked to each other, likely meant to be analyzed side-by-side. Deathly Hallows often serves to show a progression of themes or plot points that are introduced in Order of the Phoenix, generally in a way that illustrates how life has changed for the worse in wizarding society. In Part II of this series, I will discuss a broader comparison of plot points that don’t fit neatly in chapter categorization, ending with how Order of the Phoenix serves to foreshadow the deaths of five major characters.