Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth installment of the series, is action packed and full of suspense. The ministry has interfered at Hogwarts, and those who believe in fighting for themselves stand up against the government and rally behind Harry. So, whether you’re here to refresh your memory while waiting for more news about the Harry Potter reboot, or simply want to relive some of your favorite scenes, let’s dive right into the top ten best scenes of the fifth movie. 

10. Dementor Attack

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | Full Movie Preview | Warner Bros. Entertainment

“Dementors, in Little Whinging?”

Unexpectedly, at the start of the movie, dementors make an appearance in the muggle town Harry grew up in. While Harry is confronting Dudley and his friends, the sky darkens and the tell-tail cold the dementors bring with them settles over the area. Harry and Dudley run for cover, but not soon enough.

The dementors attack, and Harry is forced to use the patronus charm to fend them off and save Dudley. But Harry is still only fifteen, and casting magic while underage, no less in front of a muggle, is highly illegal. 

This is one of the best starts to the franchise. The stakes are high, now that Voldemort has returned, and this goes to show that Harry isn’t safe, even in the muggle world. The muggles are not safe either, since the dementors are attacking them as well. 

Harry being attacked by a dementor.

9. Grimmauld Place  

Hermione Hugs Harry - Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

Harry is reunited with his friends and Sirius at Grimmauld Place. After the dementor attack, Harry gets to escape his life at the Dursleys and be with the people that matter to him. Most importantly, he is in a place where people believe him and they are planning on doing something to stop Voldemort. 

This scene is heartwarming, which is why it’s one of the best. The look on Harry and Sirius’s face whenever they get to see each other after being separated for so long is enough to make a grown man cry. While Harry has a found family, Sirius is the father he never got to have. 

Harry and Sirius reuniting at Grimmauld Place.

8. Harry’s Hearing

Harry's Hearing | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry has to face the consequences of his actions. You know, the part where he saved his and Dudley’s life? 

While the stakes are high, since Voldemort has returned, the Ministry of Magic still doesn’t believe him. They hold a hearing to convict him of using magic and Dumbledore swoops in to save the day. He defends Harry and brings in a witness to convince the jury that Harry isn’t lying.

While there hasn’t been much about politics in the series, we are finally introduced to the political wizarding world, which adds a level of depth to the world and to the conflict. Politics, wherever you go, remain the same, and people are always ruled by fear. Even if some characters are frustrating, this scene does a great job at establishing those characters and making the internal political struggle very real. 

Dumbledore defending Harry during his hearing.

7. Harry vs Umbridge

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Dolores Umbridge v.s. Harry Potter (HD)

Everyone loves a sassy Harry almost as much as they hate Umbridge.

Umbridge, one of the people who voted to convict Harry, is now teaching at Hogwarts and won’t let students use magic. Despite the threat of the Dark Lord, those living in fear and disbelief decide to interfere at Hogwarts. Harry argues against Umbridge, telling her that Voldemort has returned and has already killed a Hogwarts student, Cedric Digory.     

While Umbridge is one of the most infuriating characters in the entire series, it is done so well by the writers and the actress. This scene is one of the best because we get to see Harry argue for what he believes in, in a sarcastic manner akin to his personality in the book.

Umbridge teaching her version of Defense Against the Dark Arts. 

6. Dumbledore’s Army Formation

Joining Dumbledore's Army - Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

The Ministry has taken steps to prevent students from learning how to defend themselves during a time where learning to fight is most important. 

Harry, Ron, and Hermione plan a meeting with a mixture of students from other houses to form a plan. Gathering at the Hog’s Head Inn with other students, Harry tells them that they don’t know what it’s like to be an inch from death, that he is no hero, and that he just got lucky. The others are hesitant at first, but once they see how honest and humble Harry is, they decide he is the leader for them.

This scene is powerful and moving. We finally get a glimpse at how Harry really feels about everything that has happened to him, and how the other students perceive his actions. Harry has been going around saving the school and other people for years, and it’s about time other people see that. 

The first DA meeting at Hog’s Head, where Harry convinces the members to join.

5. Dumbledore’s Got Style

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Albus Dumbledore's big escape (HD)

After the students get caught learning how to defend themselves, the Minister goes after Dumbledore, believing he is creating an army to take him down. Of course, he seems to have forgotten that there is a threat bigger than him, and that Dumbledore is not some meek old wizard. Dumbledore refuses to go quietly to Azkaban and, with the help of Fawkes, makes a grand and fiery exit. 

While it is known that Dumbledore is one of the most powerful wizards, seeing him in action, and defying the government, is pretty awesome. He takes the blame for Harry’s actions, protecting him once again, and makes an escape so spectacular that the enemy can’t stop themselves from being impressed too. 

Dumbledore using Fawkes to escape being arrested. 

4. Snape’s Memories

Occlumency | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

While we know a bit about Snape’s past, and his distaste for Harry, we don’t know much until we get to see it for ourselves. 

Snape has been trying to teach Harry how to protect his mind from invaders. Now that they know Voldemort and Harry’s minds are connected, it is highly possible for Voldemort to control and manipulate Harry. But, after Harry and Snape argue, Harry casts a protection spell and Snape’s mind reading spell backfires. 

Harry then gets to see one of Snape’s worst memories during his time at Hogwarts, and why he hates Harry’s father so much. Harry’s father and friends, Sirius, Lupin, and Petigrew, bullied Snape relentlessly.

This scene is one of the best because we finally get to know more about Snape’s character and Harry’s father. We have always seen Snape as the bad guy because of his attitude, but now our perspectives have been challenged. We see that James, Harry’s father, wasn’t necessarily a good guy either.

Snape angry after Harry infiltrated his memories. 

3. Fred and George’s Exit

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - OWL's Examinations

Justice has never tasted so sweet. 

After an entire school year of Umbridge’s oppressive reign, she finally gets what she deserves. During the fifth year’s OWLs, Fred and George barge in on broomsticks, using fireworks to put on a fantastic display. Umbridge is chased by a fiery dragon, and all the rules posted in the foyer are destroyed.

The entire school celebrates. 

This scene is one of the best ones in the movie, because nothing has ever felt so satisfying. Fred and George’s pranks have always been hilarious, but they finally use it for a greater good by driving out one of the most hated characters in the series and ending their final year at Hogwarts with a bang.

A dragon shaped firework Fred and George set off chasing Umbridge. 

2. Death Eater Attack

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Death Eaters v.s. Order Battle (HD)

With Dumbledore on the run, and the Ministry refusing to do anything about Voldemort, Harry and his friends must act on their own.

Led to believe Sirius is in danger due to Voldemort’s manipulation, Harry and his friends make their way to the Department of Mysteries to save him. They are greeted by Death Eaters, Voldemort’s followers, and the woman who tortured Neville’s parents, Bellatrix Lastrange. 

After the students battle the Death Eaters and flee, the original members of the Order of the Phoenix arrive to save them.

This scene is intense, and everything leading up to a certain character’s death, is full of action. After a certain someone’s death, Harry’s reaction is heart wrenching and we see him nearly lose it to the dark side, even going so far as to cast one of the unforgivable curses on Bellatrix. This entire sequence amazing because of how powerful, moving, and heartbreaking it is. 

Bellatrix Lastrange holding Neville hostage. 

1. Dumbledore vs Voldemort

Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix (Dumbledore's Return) 4K

Dumbledore fighting against Voldemort is one of the best showdowns and displays of magic in the entire series. 

Coming to Harry’s defense once again, Dumbledore battles Voldemort in a display of power unlike anything we’ve seen before. Dumbledore is one of the only wizards Voldemort fears, and now we know why. They counter one anothers attacks perfectly, matching one another in strength, and ending the battle with no injuries.

This scene is epic. The CGI, the action, and what follows is amazing and it’s the battle we’ve been waiting for. Five movies worth of build up led to this moment, where good and evil collide. And finally, after all this time, the Minister of Magic sees Voldemort and learns he has been a fool this entire time.

Dumbledore and Voldemort fighting in the Ministry of Magic. 

You may be interested in:

• Top 10 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Best Scenes
• Top 10 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Best Scenes
• Top 10 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Best Scenes