Dumbledore’s Army featured heavily in both the book and movie versions of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. While the movies showed most of the key moments from the books, there wasn’t enough time to portray all the details. So, while the movies hit all of the essential scenes, there are many smaller moments and interesting things about Dumbledore’s Army that didn’t make the cut.
For those who haven’t read the books (it’s not a crime, you know), here are some background facts and extra tidbits about Dumbledore’s Army that the movies left out.
HERMIONE WAS THE TRUE MASTERMIND
While Harry Potter might have been the leader of Dumbledore’s Army in the fact that he taught everyone the spells, it was really Hermione’s idea all along. In the books, it’s made clear that Hermione thought they needed to create a way for students to learn to defend themselves, while Harry was reluctant to get involved at first.
When Umbridge was given the title of High Inquisitor, however, he agreed. All of the planning and work of forming the organization, nevertheless, still went to Hermione. She definitely deserves more credit than she gets.
MANY OF THE MEMBERS FIRST SHOWED UP JUST TO HEAR MORE ABOUT CEDRIC DIGGORY
When the D.A. had their first meeting at the Hog’s Head Inn, more people showed up than Harry was expecting. The students were from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor. However, a couple of the students (such as Zacharias Smith) only showed up at first to learn details about what had happened to Cedric Diggory, and how he had died at the end of the last school year.
This line of questioning was shut down, however, and even all of the Hufflepuffs came around to the goal of the organization.
HERMIONE MADE FAKE GALLEONS TO ALERT MEMBERS OF MEETINGS
Since Dumbledore’s Army was a secret group that had to hide from Umbridge, they had to figure out a way to plan meetings without getting caught. Hermione came up with the idea to create fake galleons and bewitched them with a Protean Charm.
This would allow Harry to set the numbers on his coin for the date and time of the next meeting, and all of the other coins would change numbers to reflect this. This is just one of the many ways that Hermione planned and organized Dumbledore’s Army and made sure that everything ran smoothly.
SHE GOT THIS IDEA FROM DARK MARKS
The idea to bewitch the fake galleons was an excellent one, but Hermione didn’t just come up with it out of thin air. When asked where she’d gotten the idea, Hermione admitted to Harry and Ron that she had been inspired by the Death Eaters’ Dark Marks.
However, a fake gold coin that changes numbers is a lot different than a tattoo that causes physical pain. So, while she may have gotten the idea from the Death Eaters, her version was much less sinister.
GINNY WEASLEY GAVE THE GROUP ITS NAME
When forming the group, the name “Dumbledore’s Army” wasn’t decided on right there and then. The members of the group discussed name choices, and Cho Chang suggested the name Defence Association. Ginny then took the acronym, DA, and suggested the name Dumbledore’s Army.
Her idea was based on the fact that the Ministry was afraid Dumbledore was creating his own army, so Ginny thought it was a clever play on words (even though Dumbledore was never really associated with this student organization at all).
A MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN SPURRED THEIR EFFORTS
Harry, Ron, and Hermione led Dumbledore’s Army meetings consistently as the school year went on. Then, after the start of the new term in 1996, there was a mass breakout of Azkaban. Many Death Eaters, including the infamous Bellatrix Lestrange, escaped.
This caused the students to feel even more passionate about learning to defend themselves. Neville Longbottom was particularly inspired to work even harder since the Death Eaters who tortured his parents were now on the loose.
SEAMUS FINNIGAN JOINED AFTER HAVING A CHANGE OF HEART ABOUT HARRY
While many of the members of the D.A. were Gryffindors, not all of the Gryffindors believed Harry’s version of events about the Triwizard Tournament’s tragic conclusion and Voldemort’s return. While most of the Gryffindors were on Harry’s side and believed his story, Seamus Finnigan did not. Seamus and Harry got into an argument at one point because Seamus’ mother believed the lies the Daily Prophet was telling about Harry.
Eventually, however, Seamus came around after reading Harry’s interview with The Quibbler. This lead to Seamus apologizing to Harry and then joining the DA with the help of his friend Dean Thomas.
THE STUDENTS LEARNED A WIDE ARRAY OF SPELLS
In the movie version of Order of the Phoenix, audiences see the DA working on spells, and many of the spells written about in the book are featured. However, the movies aren’t able to go into specific details about every charm and spell that Harry taught the group.
To start with, Harry taught everyone Expelliarmus. Then, the group learned the Impediment Jinx, Reductor Curse, Stunning Spell, and more. Lastly, Harry taught the group the Shield Charm and the complex Patronus Charm. By the time Umbridge found out about the DA, the group had learned a wide range of advanced defensive spells.
MARIETTA EDGECOMBE IS THE ONE WHO BETRAYS THEM
To save time, in the movie version of Order of the Phoenix, it’s Cho Chang who betrays the existence of the group to Umbridge. This is not how things happen in the books. In the novel, it’s Cho’s friend Marietta Edgecombe who tells Umbridge.
Marietta’s mother’s job was to monitor the Floo Network, so Marietta told Umbridge after worrying her mother’s job was in jeopardy. When she did so, the word “SNEAK” appeared in pimples all over Marietta’s face, courtesy of the hex Hermione had placed on the parchment all of the members signed.
KINGSLEY SHACKLEBOLT USES A MEMORY CHARM ON MARIETTA
After Dumbledore’s Army is discovered by Umbridge, Dumbledore takes the fall for organizing it in order to spare Harry and the others.
Kingsley Shacklebolt, who is there from the Ministry, places a memory charm on Marietta so she will tell the same story as Dumbledore. While Kingsley himself appears in the movie series, this vital little detail is left out.
