In the story of Harry Potter, fans are taken on a magical journey with the main character. Fans meet all kinds of secondary characters who help Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) in his quest. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter wouldn't be the same without all of these characters. In the fifth book/movie, J.K. Rowling introduces fans to two new groups who help Harry fight Voldemort.
The Order of the Phoenix is obviously one, as they're in the fifth book/movie title. But the other, possibly even more crucial to Harry himself, is Dumbledore's Army. During the events of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry and his friends decide to take their Defense Against the Dark Arts training into their own hands. Professor Dolores Umbridge is their teacher that year but she doesn't allow them to actually perform any spells.
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Instead, the students simply learn the theory behind them. There's only one problem with that. Voldemort is back, and theory won't help the Hogwarts students defend themselves against the Dark Lord. Luckily, Harry comes to the rescue. With some support from Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), Harry begins to recruit students to learn Defense Against The Dark Arts from him. They decide to call themselves Dumbledore's Army because that's what Umbridge and the Ministry of Magic really fear. It also connects them to one of the only people Voldemort actually fears. Dumbledore is also a member of the original Order of the Phoenix, one of the inspirations for Dumbledore's Army. And the DA, as they're called often, becomes a rather popular group.
Students from most of the Hogwarts houses join and learn from Harry. Members range from people who are already friends with Harry such as Ron, Fred (James Phelps), George (Oliver Phelps), and Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright) to newer friends such as Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch). Many members of Dumbledore's Army, such as Harry and Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis), are related to the members of the original Order of the Phoenix.
Yet the importance of Dumbledore's Army is not only in their connection to the titular Order. The story of Harry Potter would be drastically different without Dumbledore's Army. Harry himself would be a different person. At the end of the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, several members of Dumbledore's Army, including Neville, Luna, and Ginny, help Harry go to the Ministry of Magic to rescue his godfather Sirius Black (Gary Oldman).
Luna suggests that they go on thestrals, the winged horses that can only be seen by those who have witnessed a death. They arrive at the Ministry's Department of Mysteries only to find that Sirius isn't there at all. Instead, Death Eaters attack them. They're after a prophecy in the Department that Voldemort wants. The members of Dumbledore's Army help Harry fight the Death Eaters. In the movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, they also help in another way. At one point, Voldemort possesses Harry. However, the love Harry feels for his friends and his godfather makes it unbearable for Voldemort to stay in his body. At the end of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry mentions that they have something Voldemort doesn't. They have love and friendship and both of those things are worth the fight.
The members of Dumbledore's Army are also crucial in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts I and II. They continue to fight against Voldemort and resist him and his Death Eaters. They support Harry, no matter the risks. Luna even gets kidnapped at one point before Harry, Ron, and Hermione, rescue her. Even though Harry is no longer at Hogwarts, the members of Dumbledore's Army remain loyal to him. When he does return, they help him sneak into the castle. Neville destroys the final Horcrux. And perhaps more importantly, Dumbledore's Army gives Harry hope when he needs it the most. Without the bonds of friendship that started in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry wouldn't have survived. He wouldn't have gotten to the Ministry of Magic without his friends. Without their help fighting the Death Eaters, Voldemort would have defeated Harry.
Sure, Harry can always count on Ron and Hermione. Yet there are limits to even Ron's bravery and Hermione's cleverness. Without the members of Dumbledore's Army, Harry would have felt too isolated in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. He wouldn't have gotten back into Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. He wouldn't have been able to defeat Voldemort without Neville's help in the end. In the books, the importance of Dumbledore's Army is even clearer. At one point during the battle, Harry struggles to produce a Patronus. Luna then reminds him that they're all with him and are still fighting. It is then that Harry succeeds.
The hope that the members of Dumbledore's Army give Harry in the Harry Potter series is critical. Without it, Harry might not have triumphed. And wouldn't that have been a shame? Of course, not every Harry Potter fan will agree. Some might prefer the Golden Trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They might not see the importance of the rest of Dumbledore's Army. Yet considering these characters' roles in the story, they seem to be important. Hope is crucial in real life, and certainly when fighting the Dark Lord Voldemort. And without the members of Dumbledore's Army, Harry wouldn't have had as much hope.
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