Age and the Order

[Geoff]

No: HPFGUIDX 188629

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "bboyminn" <bboyminn at ...> wrote:

bboyminn:

> Yes, but that tells us when the Order existed, but not
> necessarily when it was formed. Maybe Dumbledore formed it
> as a first step in fighting Grindelwald. Maybe he figured
> if he formed a small underground army that could transcend
> political borders, he could bring Grindelwald down without
> having to meeet him face-to-face.
> 
> Or, after facing Grindelwald, Dumbledore and friends may
> have formed this loosely knit organization to be ready in
> case another Dark Wizard came along. Consequently, Dumbledore
> was able to reform it very quickly when Voldemort appeared.  
> 
> I'm not saying that happened, only that the Order could have
> been formed at any point in Dumbledore's lifetime, and for 
> any reason. 
> 
> Maybe it started as a social club, that simply turned out
> to be very valuable in wartime. 
> 
> We just don't know. But certainly it was in place at some
> point during the first war with Voldemort and his supporters.
> It was there, but we still don't know if that is when it was
> formed.

Geoff:
Canon implies that it was formed after Grindelwald and not 
as a social club:

'"What is this place, anyway?" he (Harry) shot at Ron and 
Hermione.

"Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix." said Ron at 
once.

 "Is anyone going to bother telling me what the Order of 
the Phoenix- ?"

"It's a secret society." said Hermione quickly. "Dumbledore's 
in charge, he founded it. It's the people who fought against 
You-Know-Who last time."

"Who's in it?" said Harry coming to a halt with his hands in 
his pockets.

"Quite a few people-"

"We've met about twenty of them ." said Ron, "but we think 
there are more."'
(OOTP "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place" pp.64-65 UK 
edition)

I interpret this as saying that it was formed during Voldemort's 
first war.