“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”

J.K. Rowling

Scholastic Press…

“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”

J.K. Rowling

Scholastic Press

For true Potter-heads, this review is too late. You’ve already devoured all 870 pages, you already know what happens and you’re already fiending for the next hit. But there are recreational users out there who haven’t already shot the moon, so I’ll go easy on the spoilers.

J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” follows the formula familiar to readers of the first four books. It begins at 4 Privet Drive in the home of the uber-muggle Dursleys – the family who very reluctantly took Harry in after the untimely demise of his parents. Harry’s in trouble – because he’s a wizard and can’t help it – just like every summer between terms at Hogwarts.

He’s pissed, predictably, to be away from best pals Ron and Hermione, and the wizard world in general. Life sucks, and all Harry wants is for the school term to start.

Cue Act Two of any Harry Potter book: Something’s Up and Harry Knows Without Being Told. This time, the first inklings of Something come in the form of Dementors – those nasty, soul-sucking, rogue guards of the wizard prison, Azkaban – showing up in the Dursley’s neck of the woods and attacking Harry’s porker cousin Dudley. Harry fights them off single-handedly, attracting the attention of his wizard contemporaries. The wizards whisk him off to the secret location of their secret Order, which is dedicated to fighting a secret foe.

That foe, of course, is Voldemort – bad-guy extraordinaire and sworn enemy of our hero. Harry’s been telling everyone since the end of last year’s Triwizard Cup that ol’ He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back in action and wants to kick some ass. And now that Moldy Voldy has assumed corporeal form again, Harry and company had better be seriously worried.

Harry is installed at the Order of the Phoenix headquarters – the home of his godfather Sirius Black – along with Ron, Hermione and assorted other main characters. He spends the rest of the summer awaiting his return to Hogwarts, away from the terrors of the Dursleys and further realizing Something’s Up.

After hundreds of pages, more than enough interference from the corrupt, Voldemort-denying Ministry of Magic, some Quidditch intrigue, teen despair, plenty of bad press and some romantic interludes for Harry, there’s the requisite showdown: Harry and the Good Guys versus Voldemort and his cronies. I’m not going to tell you who wins, but these books are cash cows, and it’s a safe bet there’ll be two more after this.

What sets this installment apart from previous ones, other than hundreds of pages, is the refreshing progression of the characters themselves. Harry’s grown into an angst-ridden, hormone-filled teenager who rages against authority, his friends, his fame and women. Hermione has taken to naming He-Who-Must-Not-Be, much to the consternation of tall, gawky Ron. Everyone’s swearing up a storm – even Ron’s little sister, Ginny, pops off a “damn” or two.

Other than that, “Order of the Phoenix” is nothing special – even the much-touted death of a “main” character was lukewarm, and didn’t occur until page 805. But alas, the nature of addiction guarantees that us Pott-heads will wait anxiously for our next three-day binge.