Make up Order of the Phoenix Quiz: The Women of Harry Potter

I chose to focus on the scene in Order of the Phoenix in the Department of Mysteries. I explored the interactions of the female characters and how they contributed to Harry eventually facing off with Voldemort.  In my opinion, without Ginny, Hermione, and Luna, Harry would not have had a chance to pull off this mission. It's apparent in this scene that Ginny is very talented when it comes to combative spells. She uses the bat bogey hex to protect her friends from the Death Eaters. Her hex was so strong that it ended up shaking the entire department of mysteries which gave Harry a diversion in the chaos. Hermione has repeatedly up to this point displayed her ability to think on her feet and always puts Harry and Ron above herself, which is indicative of her selflessness. Luna too provides balance to the group, bringing an extra female presence since there are three guys (Harry, Ron, and Neville).

I also appreciated the strength of these female characters and others such as Mrs. Weasley and Tonks, as they combine intelligence with resourcefulness, a certain fierceness of character, and courage. Mrs. Weasley is sort of like the "Den Mother" of the Order. She becomes a mother figure to Harry Potter and will protect him just as much as she will her own children. Tonks, as the only adult female auror, is another dominant figure in the Order who will relentlessly fight for the Good.

Umbridge, while she she is utterly evil, is a powerful fixture within the Ministry of Magic. When she takes over Hogwarts, she implements various rules and regulations that end up permeating the once harmonious school environment. the students are intimidated by her despite her frilly pink exterior. She proves to be a force to be reckoned with.

Bellatrix Lestrange is also formally introduced in this novel. She, like Umbridge, is pure evil. She stops at nothing to carry out Voldemort's bidding. She viciously attacks all those who would challenge the Dark Lord, killing Sirius (a rather formidable opponent) at the battle at the Department of Mysteries.

Obviously, Rowling does not follow typical feminine conventions in the Harry Potter series. With each book, she continues to introduce female characters that work on all spectrum of womanhood, defining what it means to be a woman through all channels.