Meaning of OoP (was Re: Egypt, the Bible, and Harry's right arm)

[aja_1991]

No: HPFGUIDX 46325

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Beth Loubet" <bloubet at i...> wrote:
> ...And, possibly, in so doing, become a member of the "Order of the
> Phoenix", an order that Voldemort desperately wants to join.

You've just triggered an idea in my head, regarding the meaning 
of "Order of the Phoenix."  Speculation that I've read tends to 
center around it being some sort of group, ostensibly lead by 
Dumbledore, which in the past fights against any serious uprisings of 
Dark Wizards (e.g. "the old crowd" mentioned in GoF).  Other 
speculation, more recent, is that it refers actually to the [new] 
name of Voldemort and his crew, since Voldemort was reborn in GoF, 
just as the phoenix is.  [the above is a disclaimer to summarize the 
theories I've read, in case what I'm about to propose is already 
there in the archives and I've missed it... :-) ]

In the first four books, we've seen different honors/titles that can 
be bestowed upon wizards.  I don't have the books in front of me, so 
this is from memory....  On the trading card for Dumbledore in SS/PS, 
I believe he is "Order of Merlin, First Class" and "Supreme 
Mugwump."  Lockhart was "Order of Merlin, Third Class" [no comment!] 
and "Honorary Member, Dark Force Defense League."  Snape was going to 
be awarded some level of "Order of Merlin" (forget which) for 
catching Sirius in PoA.  Presumably, these are awarded by the 
Ministry of Magic for certain tasks.  First Class=capture/defeat of 
dangerous Dark Wizard (Dumbledore for Grindewald, Snape for Black).  
Third Class=well, since it's Lockhart, no description necessary.  
Supreme Mugwump... maybe figuring out something significnt for 
wizards (Dumbledore with the 12 uses of dragon's blood).

So perhaps, "Order of the Phoenix" is some very, very rare honor that 
gets handed out when someone accomplishes something extraordinary, 
like dying in some specific way.  (Didn't they give some title to 
Pettigrew when he was presumably blown up by Sirius?)  Maybe dying 
and... coming back to life?

Here's where the quote above comes in.  Now, I doubt Voldemort or 
Dumbledore really cares about some MoM honorific.  But keep in mind 
that Dumbledore does tell Harry that there are ways Voldemort can 
return -- that tells me that Dumbledore does know how to resurrect 
himself if he so chooses.  (Perhaps he has long conversations with 
Fawkes?)  If there's an Order of the Phoenix reserved for rare 
individuals who overcome death, it must be possible, so presumably 
those who look hard enough will find the answers.

So based on this, Dumbledore dies in Book 5 and vanishes (perhaps to 
Egypt?).  But at some point, the Daily Prophet runs the first article 
from Rita Skeeter in almost a year, stating that the late Albus 
Dumbledore has been awarded the Order of the Phoenix.  Naturally, 
nobody knows what this is, but Hermione finds it in the library and 
learns in means Dumbledore is alive -- somewhere -- and the Ministry 
has confirmed both his death and that he's alive again, hence the 
award.  I daresay such an article would be highly useful to spook 
Voldemort and the Death Eaters.  Even if it were... not true? 

(Of course, this would trash the Hermione-dies-in-OotP theory.  
Rats...)

"Aja"