Harry begins the novel at Privet Drive out of touch with the Wizarding world. It is revealed that his mentor Albus Dumbledore has ordered Harry cut off from news, and is having him watched over for his own safety. Unfortunately, this does not prevent Harry and his cousin Dudley from being attacked by a pair of Dementors, whom Harry must drive off by magical means. Shortly thereafter, Harry is rescued by members of the re-convened Order of the Phoenix, the anti-Voldemort resistance group founded by Dumbledore during You-Know-Who's original reign, and is brought to the Order's secret headquarters at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place in London. Although the minors are kept out of the Order's affairs, Harry is told that the Order believes Voldemort is attempting to get his hands on a weapon of some sort.
Because Harry performed magic in the sight of Muggles, in violation of the International Statute of Secrecy, he receives a letter from the Ministry of Magic that he must attend a disciplinary hearing. Harry discovers that the Daily Prophet, a major Wizarding newspaper, has been engaging in a smear campaign against Harry and Dumbledore because Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge would rather believe that their claims of Voldemort's return are false. The hearing itself becomes a show trial with a full criminal jury. Dumbledore is able to provide conclusive evidence that Harry was defending himself against dementors, thus satisfying the self-defense clause of the Statue of Secrecy resulting in Harry being cleared of all charges.
Upon Harry's return to Hogwarts, two teaching changes have been made. Hagrid, Harry's friend and Care of Magical Creatures teacher, is conspicuously missing, and a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher has been appointed. This new teacher is Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. As a teacher, Umbridge forces the students to study magical theory out of textbooks, rather than practical defence methods because Fudge believes Dumbledore is recruiting students into a private army. A short time later, she is appointed as High Inquisitor, with the power to evaluate and dismiss other teachers, and impose strict rules and regulations on students. With her new power, Umbridge dismisses Sybill Trelawney, the Divination teacher, as incompetent, places Hagrid on probation, and bans Harry, Fred, and George Weasley from the Gryffindor Quidditch team for life.
In response to Umbridge's poor teaching methods, Harry, Ron, and Hermione start a secret student group to study practical Defense Against the Dark Arts. This "Defense Association," eventually re-branded "Dumbledore's Army," chooses Harry as their leader.
Halfway through the year, Hagrid returns to school, revealing that he was on a mission to persuade the giants to fight against Voldemort. His mission was a failure, but he also reveals that he secretly brought one of the giants back - his half-brother Grawp, whom he has been keeping tied up in the Forbidden Forest and trying to "civilise."
Throughout the year, Harry has been having dreams of a long corridor with a door at the end, and a few weeks before Christmas break, Harry has a vision of a snake attacking Arthur Weasley. Mr. Weasley is gravely injured, and only quick action on the part of the Order saves his life. Harry's vision has deeper implications: Dumbledore realizes that there is a mental connection between Harry and Voldemort, and (furthermore) that the connection might be two-way. As such, he has Professor Snape begin to instruct Harry in the art of Occlumency, a magical discipline that allows the wielder to shield their thoughts from penetration. The lessons are largely unsuccessful and end after Harry views Snape's worst memory in a pensieve.
The D.A. is dissolved when Marietta Edgecombe confesses to the entire operation. However, to keep Harry safe at school, Dumbledore takes the blame for the "army" and submits his guilt—though he is able to overpower Fudge and his retinue and escape. Umbridge becomes Headmistress, enacting even stricter rules and firing Hagrid. The disenchanted Weasley twins revolt, unleashing relentless magical chaos throughout the school, while the staff purposely do nothing to help Umbridge regain control. The twins are caught and leave Hogwarts to open their own joke shop.
In the middle of his last O.W.L. exam, Harry has a vision of Sirius being tortured at the Department of Mysteries. Hermione suspects it may be a trap so Harry attempts to contact Sirius at Grimmauld Place via the Floo Network in Umbridge's office fireplace. He is caught, and, reaching the end of her patience, Umbridge announces that she plans to use the illegal torture curse on Harry to discover his reason for using her fire. In response, Hermione pretends to lose her nerve, and falsely confesses that Dumbledore has hidden a weapon in the Forbidden Forest. She leads Harry and Umbridge into the forest where they encounter the local centaur herd. Umbridge insults the centaurs and is carried off by them. Running back to the castle, Harry and Hermione encounter Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna, who insist on accompanying them to the Ministry. The students fly to London on the school's thestrals.
Reaching the room in his dreams, The Hall of Prophecy, Harry sees that Sirius is not there, but notices a glass ball, labeled with his name, containing some kind of record. As soon as he takes it down from the shelf, a squad of Death Eaters surrounds them, led by Lucius Malfoy. The prophecy is the "weapon" Voldemort has been after the entire year. Malfoy demands the prophecy, but Harry and his friends are able to delay capture. They are are outnumbered and overmatched, but members of the Order, including Sirius, arrive after being mobilized by Snape, followed by Dumbledore himself. Most of the Death Eaters are apprehended, but Bellatrix gets away after slaying Sirius.
Harry pursues Bellatrix her into the Ministry’s atrium. Voldemort appears in person and attacks Harry, but is confronted by Dumbledore. The two duel inconclusively. To break the stalemate, Voldemort possesses Harry, inviting Dumbledore to kill them both. However, in the midst of his possession, Harry re-visits his grief for Sirius, and Voldemort is unexpectedly repelled by the emotion. Fudge and the Aurors arrive in time to see the Dark Lord before he Disapparates, taking Bellatrix with him. Fudge finally admits that Voldemort has returned, and Harry and Dumbledore are exonerated.
Speaking alone to Harry in his office, Dumbledore reveals that the prophecy was made to him, and that the prophecy states that "neither can live while the other survives," meaning that either Harry or Voldemort must kill each other in the end. At King's Cross station, several Order members are there to greet Harry and the Dursleys. Alastor Moody warns Uncle Vernon that if Harry is maltreated, they will intervene. Harry leaves the wizarding world to head back to 4 Privet Drive with the Dursleys.
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