Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was published on June 21, 2003 — that’s 13 years ago today. Do you remember where you were?
The Harry Potter fandom will be feeling a collective sense of nostalgia today, on the 13-year publication anniversary of J.K. Rowling’s Order of the Phoenix.
The fifth book in the Harry Potter saga marked a big shift in the series: Not only was OotP longer and more emotionally involving than previous books, but it also featured the most gut-wrenching character death yet.
While we’re sure Cedric Diggory had his mourners (and his death certainly went on to affect Harry for a long time to come), no one was expecting the emotional devastation that was the sudden, senseless death of Sirius Black.
After spending a tense, and not altogether enjoyable, year with Harry at Hogwarts (which suffered from the absence of Albus Dumbledore, and the appointment of Dolores Umbridge as the Headmistress — although we did see the rise of Dumbledore’s Army, which was amazing), readers followed Harry, Ron, Hermione, and extended lightning squad members Luna, Neville and Ginny, into the Ministry of Magic.
Here, we weaved our way through the Department of Mysteries — a sequence that would prove the foundation for a staggering number of unresolved fan theories — arriving finally at the fateful confrontation in the Veil Room.
Voldemort himself had arrived with his Death Eaters to take down Harry and get possession of Professor Trelawney’s prophecy, but the Order of the Phoenix showed up just in time. Unfortunately, Sirius was hit by a curse fired by Bellatrix Lestrange, falling backwards into the veil and disappearing forever. Just like that, he was gone.
Credit: Tumblr
Order of the Phoenix came after a three-year fandom drought (Goblet of Fire was published in 2000), and a lot of new fans had joined the ranks of online fan forums during that time. Fandom was truly thriving, with new theories, metas and fanfics arriving daily for eager fans to consume and discuss.
By the time Order of the Phoenix finally hit shelves on June 21, 2003, Harry Potter was truly a worldwide sensation, with the movie series well under way — and, in this writer’s opinion, the book did not disappoint in the slightest. (In fact, it’s my favorite book in the series!)
All the o.g. Harry Potter fans remember where they were when a copy of OotP finally found its way into our sweaty, excited little hands. In my case, it was my first ever midnight release party, and the first Harry Potter book I ever read in English (a necessity since the Danish translation wouldn’t come out for months!).
It took me two days and two nights to read it, during which the book hardly left my hands for a second. I’ve never been quite as present in a fictional world as I was while reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix for the first time, and my love for Harry Potter was cemented forever. 13 years later, and nothing has changed.
We asked Harry Potter fans to share their Order of the Phoenix memories on Twitter, and here’s what some of you had to say:
@Hypable I bought it at Costco in the morning then had to go to a baseball game….did not watch the game sat and read lol #OoTP
— Andrew Carver⚓️ (@andrewcarver87) June 21, 2016
My first midnight release party! I was 8 years old at the time. My mom was (and still is) the coolest. https://t.co/2abyWzWOHd
— Maddie Gudenkauf (@Maddness22) June 21, 2016
@Hypable awe I remember I thought I wouldn't be able to get it right away, and my dad ended up me up super early to go get a copy :)
— Caitlin (@caitlinyeah1) June 21, 2016
I was at camp. My sister was halfway done when I got home but I took it and hid it in my pillowcase. https://t.co/3v05BNQRvk
— Amber Jane (@ambyjane) June 21, 2016
@Hypable family was camping, so I had to get mine at a grocery store the next day instead of at midnight. ? But read until I finished it. ?
— Beth Marie (@bethmarie003) June 21, 2016
@Hypable Got the first 4 books as a gift so it was the first one I had to wait for. I spent the week after just complaining about Umbridge.
— Aislynn Price (@ashcriesalot) June 21, 2016
@Hypable they wouldn't do parties yet in Chile for when the books came out.I had to wait for my copy to arrive and it was HELL. Fun times :p
— natalia h (@mellafe) June 21, 2016
@Hypable I went to a midnight release and then had to be at girl scout camp at 9am the next morning #worthit
— Megan Utterback (@MeganUtterback) June 21, 2016
@Hypable stayed up all night even though I had to wait for my brother to buy it for me the next morning. Fell asleep after the first chapter
— Nicole Outlaw (@mrsnicoleoutlaw) June 21, 2016
@Hypable I got it in the morning before I went to a bar mitzvah and my mom spoiled the death for me after I got out! ?
— Husbands for life. (@hpcharmed) June 21, 2016
@Hypable experiencing my first bout of Post Potter Depression 12 hours later when I finished the book and Sirius was dead.
— Nick Rantuccio (@Rantuch) June 21, 2016
. @Hypable it was only the greatest night of my 13 years on earth pic.twitter.com/f1vYEINz30
— Sarah Keeler (@SarahKeelerB) June 21, 2016
@Hypable got the translation in January 2004. Sitting in front of the bookstore until it was open. Pretty sure people saw me as a hobo.
— Wachid Pratama-Oemar (@Waheath) June 21, 2016
Still my favorite book of the series and the 1st I read in English because I just couldn't wait for the translation https://t.co/0UL2Xk4L6R
— Tamara (@ChildOfTime88) June 21, 2016
@Hypable #OotP was the first book release I attended. My friends and I went to @booksamillion for the release party, dressed in house colors
— Anna @ Hamacon (@Angeldrkfire) June 21, 2016
And here’s a few from your friendly neighborhood Hypable staffers:
@Hypable I couldn't read it all in one sitting. Had to study for my Regents chemistry test, while listening to my sister's gasps and cries.
— ((( Michal ))) (@inkasrain) June 21, 2016
@Hypable I delayed a family trip by a day to get it at midnight saying it'd be "good for the car"… And finished it before we left.
— Brittany Lovely (@britlovely237) June 21, 2016
Fun Fact: #OrderOfThePhoenix is my favorite? Mom bought ONE copy & my brother & I had to share. Talk about torture! https://t.co/ggDpfkqrzv
— Pamela Gocobachi (@pamelagocobachi) June 21, 2016
@Hypable I went to Barnes & Noble for a midnight release party with friends! And I still have pics! pic.twitter.com/8MnU8elOOL
— Andrew Sims (@sims) June 21, 2016
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