The story in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was perfectly configured by Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabanwith various elements of one book running parallel to the other. Although a detailed analysis of each portion of the Harry Potter franchise reveals unique adventures for Harry and his friends, taking an expanded look at the series as a whole paints a different picture. Several of the books have a parallel counterpart, with common themes and character focuses from one to the next. This allows for an exciting balance within the overarching series.
THE Harry Potter Books that reflect each other in this way mean that the series follows a chiastic structure, where the elements of a story begin to repeat themselves in reverse order at a certain point. In Harry’s story, things start to go wrong after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This means that Order of the Phoenix reflects Prisoner of Azkaban, Half-Blood Prince reflects Chamber of Secretsand Deathly Hallows reflects Philosopher’s Stone. In the case of the third and fifth Harry Potter books, the elements and stories of the first are offset by those of the second.
Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix mirror each other perfectly
Harry Potter books 3 and 5 are brothers
Significantly, Order of the Phoenix is the brother romance to Prisoner of Azkaban. The third Harry Potter The book is when Harry finds out about Sirius Black for the first time, and the fifth is when he has to say goodbye to the man forever. Prisoner of Azkaban is when Harry learns more about his father, James Potter, and begins to revere the man, while Order of the Phoenix This is when he learns about the darker side of his character. Cornelius Fudge and the Ministry of Magic were an important feature of both, as were Professor Trelawney’s only two actual prophecies. So let’s take a deeper look.
Sirius Black’s main story is at the center of Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix
These are Sirius Black’s standout moments
Sirius Black’s character arc began in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and ended with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. In the third Harry Potter book, Harry was thrilled to learn he had someone close to his family (once he learned Sirius wasn’t a murderer). He imagined a life with Sirius in his home, but things, of course, didn’t work out that way. Yet, during the climax of Prisoner of AzkabanHarry triumphantly saves Sirius’ lifeand from there, they are linked. Sirius was something between father and brother to Harry.
The third Harry Potter book was much more idealized, while the fifth revealed a much darker reality.
Harry and Sirius’ relationship became much more complicated in Order of the Phoenix. The third Harry Potter the book was much more idealized, while the fifth revealed a much darker reality. Sirius had escaped Azkaban, but being locked up in Grimmauld Place represented a reversal of his freedom. This brought out the worst in the man, and he began attacking Harry. This contrast between Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix is emphasized by the end of the latter when Harry tries to save Sirius Black again, but this time, it’s a cruel trick that ends up causing Sirius’ death..
Taking the parallels between Sirius’ character in one book and another even further, it is interesting to consider the irony of his story. In addition to Harry’s efforts to save Sirius causing the man’s death, Sirius himself played a large role in the tragedy. The whole point of Prisoner of Azkaban was that Sirius wasn’t actually evil, but Order of the Phoenix put this in reverse, revealing the inadvertent prejudices he developed growing up in a family of dark wizards. Sirius wouldn’t have died if he hadn’t treated his house elf, Kreacher, so cruelly. He was a good man, but his hidden prejudices doomed him.
Prisoner of Azkaban created the Ministry of Magic Conflict in Order of the Phoenix
These books bring themes of government control and intervention
Another point of parallel and significant contrast between Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix it is the role of the Ministry of Magic and Cornelius Fudge. In Harry Potter 3Harry accidentally blew up his aunt, ran away from home and was found by Fudge himself, who was all too willing to look the other way and let it all go. The Minister and Dumbledore agreed that Harry’s safety was a priority, but it was then that Fudge introduced the Dementors to Hogwarts – a fact that Dumbledore resented but was unable to prevent.
Each of these factors was inverted to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. This time, Harry did magic outside of school for a good reason (not just anger), but Fudge was much less forgiving. He forced Harry to go through a full criminal trial, and any kindness or fatherhood the man had shown was completely gone. Instead of sending Dementors to Hogwarts, Fudge put something even worse in the castle – Dolores Umbridge. Although Fudge’s actions were much more extreme Order of the Phoenixthe general idea that the government sticks its nose where it doesn’t belong remains the same.
Harry glorified James and Sirius at the end of book 3 (but this fell apart in book 5)
These books were important for Harry to learn about his father’s complex morality
Another common focus among Order of the Phoenix and Prisoner of Azkaban It’s the generation of Marauders. Harry learned all about Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs in his third year when he acquired the Marauder’s Map from Fred and George Weasley. At the end of Prisoner of Azkabanhe discovered that these four were actually Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black, and James Potter. Additionally, Harry discovered more about the Marauders’ rivalry with Severus Snape, something he could relate to. After Prisoner of Azkabanthere were few Harry admired more than James and Sirius.
Order of the Phoenix was when Harry realized that the picture he had painted in his mind of James and Sirius was not entirely accurate.
Order of the Phoenix That was when Harry realized that the picture he had painted in his mind of James and Sirius wasn’t entirely accurate. This all started with his trip to the Pensieve during his lessons with Snape – he saw James and Sirius treat Snape with terrible cruelty and was deeply disturbed. He had to accept that these two men were real people with flaws. Harry could love and respect them, but he chose to be different from them. It was a difficult lesson to learn, especially considering the contrast between how he saw them in their third and fifth years at Hogwarts.
Trelawney’s only real prophecies played major roles in Harry Potter 3 and 5
Professor Trelawney is another highlight in Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix
Trelawney was basically a fake, but she made two genuine prophecies during her lifetime, and both were a significant focus of Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix. After Harry’s third year exams, his Divination teacher made a startling prophecy that Voldemort would reunite with a former servant, who would eventually help his master return. Of course, this foreshadowed Prisoner of Azkabanis ending. What Harry didn’t know at the time that Trelawney had already made an accurate prophecy and that this would be at the center of his Order of the Phoenix adventure.
Professor Trelawney’s first prophecy was made 16 years earlier Order of the Phoenix and detailed how a boy the Dark Lord would mark as his equal would be born in late July. Voldemort heard part of this prophecy before killing Lily and James Potter, but after his resurrection, he made it his goal to hear the rest before facing Harry again. This led to the battle in the Department of Mysteries, and at the end of Order of the PhoenixHarry finally heard the entire prophecy for the first time in Dumbledore’s office. It’s just one of the many ways this Harry Potter the story is reflected by the first introduction of Sirius.