Changes: Dumbledore's Army parchment

Revision as of 16:02, 18 October 2009

"I – I think everybody should write their name down, just so we know who was here. But I also think that we all ought to agree not to shout about what we're doing. So if you sign, you're agreeing not to tell Umbridge or anybody else what we're up to."

— Hermione Granger presenting the parchment to the newly-established Dumbledore's Army^[src]

A parchment was signed by most members of Dumbledore's Army when the organisation was founded in October of 1995. It served largely as a security measure designed by Hermione Granger, who secretly placed a jinx on it that would detect and identify anyone who betrayed the D.A.

History

Signing

"Fred reached out for the parchment and cheerfully wrote his signature, but Harry noticed at once that several people looked less than happy at the prospect of putting their names on the list… When the last person – Zacharias – had signed, Hermione took the parchment back and slipped it carefully into her bag. There was an odd feeling in the group now. It was as though they had just signed some kind of contract."

— Description of the parchment being signed^[src]

In October of 1995, Dumbledore's Army was founded by Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley in order to learn practical Defence Against the Dark Arts, oppose Dolores Umbridge’s dictatorial rule of Hogwarts, and prepare to fight Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

Hhmeeting — The meeting of Dumbledore's Army in the Hog's Head.

Although student organisations had not been banned by Umbridge when the D.A. was initially formed, it was expected that she would oppose the group’s existence, thus secrecy was paramount. Hermione informed the group that gathered in Hog's Head of this, and presented them with a parchment to sign. She told them that it meant they had to keep the group secret^[1], but did not inform them that she had placed a jinx on the parchment that would cause anyone who signed the parchment and betrayed the D.A. to break out in boils that spelled “SNEAK” across his or her face^[2].

DA Parchment 1 — Fred Weasley signs his name on the parchment.

Fred Weasley signed first and without hesitation, followed by George, but the others were more reluctant. Ernie Macmillan was the only one to voice his objection, arguing that the list would be incriminating if it were found and worried for his Prefect position. Harry reminded Ernie that he had previously argued that the D.A. was the most important thing they could do that year, and Hermione assured him that she would protect the parchment. Ernie finally signed, and everybody else followed; Marietta Edgecombe gave Cho Chang a scornful look before signing, and Zacharias Smith was the last.^[1]

Breach

Cho: "That was a really horrible trick of Hermione Granger's. She should've told us she'd jinxed that list -"

Harry: "I think it was a brilliant idea."

— Cho Chang and Harry Potter arguing about the jinxed parchment^[src]

Later in the school year, Marietta Edgecombe betrayed the D.A. to Umbridge, triggering the jinx on the parchment. The Inquisitorial Squad raided the Room of Requirement, and Pansy Parkinson found the parchment, and Umbridge attempted to use it as evidence and to weed out all members. However, most D.A. members managed to escape punishment, since Albus Dumbledore took the blame and secret Order of the Phoenix member Kingsley Shacklebolt used a Memory Charm on Marietta, preventing her from confessing truthfully.^[2]

Signatures

Most of the members of Dumbledore's Army in the Room of Requirement.

Behind the scenes

Seamus Finnigan did not sign the parchment because he did not attend the original meeting of Dumbledore's Army at the Hog's Head, but became a member of the D.A. eventually.
In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, it was Cho Chang who betrayed the organisation, under the influence of Veritaserum. However, her betrayal did not trigger the jinx, nor did Hermione ever mention that she placed one on the parchment in the first place.

Appearances

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First appearance)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)

Notes and references

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Ch. 16
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Order of the Phoenix, Ch. 27

[OP16-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Ch. 16

[OP27-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Order of the Phoenix, Ch. 27

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 {{quote|I – I think everybody should write their name down, just so we know who was here. But I also think that we all ought to agree not to shout about what we're doing. So if you sign, you're agreeing not to tell Umbridge or anybody else what we're up to.|[[Hermione Granger]] presenting the parchment to the newly-established [[Dumbledore's Army]]|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
-A '''parchment''' was signed by most members of [[Dumbledore's Army]] when the organisation was founded in [[October]] of [[1995]]. It served largely as a security measure designed by [[Hermione Granger]], who secretly placed a [[Hermione Granger's jinx|jinx]] on it that would detect and identify anyone who betrayed the D.A.
+A '''parchment''' was signed by most members of [[Dumbledore's Army]] when the organisation was founded in [[October]] of [[1995]]. It served largely as a security measure designed by [[Hermione Granger]], who secretly placed a [[Dumbledore's Army parchment jinx|jinx]] on it that would detect and identify anyone who betrayed the D.A.
 ==History==
@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 {{quote|Fred reached out for the parchment and cheerfully wrote his signature, but Harry noticed at once that several people looked less than happy at the prospect of putting their names on the list… When the last person – Zacharias – had signed, Hermione took the parchment back and slipped it carefully into her bag. There was an odd feeling in the group now. It was as though they had just signed some kind of contract.|Description of the parchment being signed|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
-In [[October]] of [[1995]], [[Dumbledore's Army]] was founded by [[Harry Potter]], [[Hermione Granger]], and [[Ron Weasley]] in order to learn practical [[Defence Against the Dark Arts]], oppose [[Dolores Umbridge]]’s dictatorial rule of [[Hogwarts]], and prepare to fight [[Lord Voldemort]] and his [[Death Eaters]].
+In [[October]] of [[1995]], [[Dumbledore's Army]] was founded by [[Harry Potter]], [[Hermione Granger]], and [[Ronald Weasley|Ron Weasley]] in order to learn practical [[Defence Against the Dark Arts]], oppose [[Dolores Umbridge]]’s dictatorial rule of [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry|Hogwarts]], and prepare to fight [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]] and his [[Death Eaters]].
 [[File:Hhmeeting.jpg|thumb|left|370px|The meeting of [[Dumbledore's Army]] in the [[Hog's Head]].]]
-Although student organisations had not been banned by Umbridge when the D.A. was initially formed, it was expected that she would oppose the group’s existence, thus secrecy was paramount. Hermione informed the group that gathered in [[Hog's Head]] of this, and presented them with a parchment to sign. She told them that it meant they had to keep the group secret<ref name="OP16">''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]'', Ch. 16</ref>, but did not inform them that she had placed a [[Hermione Granger's jinx|jinx]] on the parchment that would cause anyone who signed the parchment and betrayed the D.A. to break out in boils that spelled “SNEAK” across his or her face<ref name="OP27">''Order of the Phoenix'', Ch. 27</ref>.
+Although student organisations had not been banned by Umbridge when the D.A. was initially formed, it was expected that she would oppose the group’s existence, thus secrecy was paramount. Hermione informed the group that gathered in [[Hog's Head]] of this, and presented them with a parchment to sign. She told them that it meant they had to keep the group secret<ref name="OP16">''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]'', Ch. 16</ref>, but did not inform them that she had placed a [[Dumbledore's Army parchment jinx|jinx]] on the parchment that would cause anyone who signed the parchment and betrayed the D.A. to break out in boils that spelled “SNEAK” across his or her face<ref name="OP27">''Order of the Phoenix'', Ch. 27</ref>.
 [[File:DA_Parchment_1.jpg|250px|thumb|right|[[Fred Weasley]] signs his name on the parchment.]]
@@ Line 26: / Line 27: @@
 ===Breach===
-{{dialogue a-b|Cho|That was a really horrible trick of Hermione Granger's. She should've told us she'd jinxed that list -|Harry|I think it was a brilliant idea.|[[Cho Chang]] and [[Harry Potter]] arguing about the jinxed parchment|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
+{{dialogue a-b|Cho|That was a really horrible trick of Hermione Granger's. She should've told us she'd jinxed that list -|Harry|I think it was a brilliant idea.|[[Cho Chang]] and [[Harry Potter]] arguing about the [[Dumbledore's Army parchment jinx|jinx]]ed parchment|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
-Later in the school year, [[Marietta Edgecombe]] betrayed the D.A. to Umbridge, triggering the [[Hermione Granger's jinx|jinx]] on the parchment. The [[Inquisitorial Squad]] raided the [[Room of Requirement]], and [[Pansy Parkinson]] found the parchment, and Umbridge attempted to use it as evidence and to weed out all members. However, most D.A. members managed to escape punishment, since [[Albus Dumbledore]] took the blame and secret [[Order of the Phoenix]] member [[Kingsley Shacklebolt]] used a [[Memory Charm]] on Marietta, preventing her from confessing truthfully.<ref name="OP27"/>
+Later in the school year, [[Marietta Edgecombe]] betrayed the D.A. to Umbridge, triggering the [[Dumbledore's Army parchment jinx|jinx]] on the parchment. The [[Inquisitorial Squad]] raided the [[Room of Requirement]], and [[Pansy Parkinson]] found the parchment, and Umbridge attempted to use it as evidence and to weed out all members. However, most D.A. members managed to escape punishment, since [[Albus Dumbledore]] took the blame and secret [[Order of the Phoenix]] member [[Kingsley Shacklebolt]] used a [[Memory Charm]] on Marietta, preventing her from confessing truthfully.<ref name="OP27"/>
 ==Signatures==
 [[File:Dumbledore's_Army.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Most of the members of [[Dumbledore's Army]] in the [[Room of Requirement]].]]
 *[[Hannah Abbott]]
@@ Line 66: / Line 68: @@
 ==Behind the scenes==
 *[[Seamus Finnigan]] did not sign the parchment because he did not attend the original meeting of [[Dumbledore's Army]] at the [[Hog's Head]], but became a member of the D.A. eventually.
-*In the [[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)|film adaptation]] of ''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]'', it was [[Cho Chang]] who betrayed the organisation, under the influence of [[Veritaserum]]. However, her betrayal did not trigger the [[Hermione Granger's jinx|jinx]], nor did Hermione ever mention that she placed one on the parchment in the first place.
+*In the [[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)|film adaptation]] of ''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]'', it was [[Cho Chang]] who betrayed the organisation, under the influence of [[Veritaserum]]. However, her betrayal did not trigger the [[Dumbledore's Army parchment jinx|jinx]], nor did Hermione ever mention that she placed one on the parchment in the first place.
 ==Appearances==