The name the D.A. selects for itself, “Dumbledore’s Army,”
is very significant, since with it the students manage to lodge
a sly and private dig at a paranoid Cornelius Fudge. Fudge stubbornly
continues to insist that Dumbledore is actively recruiting Wizards
for some kind of secret army. Most of his paranoia is selfish, as
he seems to fervently believe that Dumbledore is after his job.
But even though the D.A.’s name is mostly facetious and not known
outside of the group, it still contains an element of truth. Most
of the students who signed their names to Hermione’s parchment are
extraordinarily loyal to their Headmaster and would certainly fight
on his behalf if asked to. For most of the student body at Hogwarts, Dumbledore
is a wise, grandfatherly figure, representing the antithesis of
the Dark Arts—he uses his incredible powers only for good, never
evil. Naming a Defense Against the Dark Arts group after Dumbledore
seems fitting.
At the first Quidditch match of the season, between Gryffindor and
Slytherin, the two Houses seem more divided than ever, and each
House’s characteristics are sharply pronounced. As Hermione will
later note, Quidditch often seems to magnify hostility between Houses.
Slytherin and Gryffindor have always enjoyed a particularly healthy
competition, but the Slytherin team’s homemade badges, which read
“Weasley is our King,” are an especially ruthless tactic to take
against the Gryffindor team, effectively embarrassing and horrifying
its newest player. As the Sorting Hat noted at the beginning of
the novel, Slytherins are “cunning folk” who will happily “use any
means to achieve their ends.” The “Weasley is our King” badges and
the accompanying song are perfect examples of the Slytherin House
going to any means necessary, even cruel and unfair humiliation,
to achieve its goals. The Gryffindor team, on the other hand, does
its best to ignore the Slytherin team, reaffirming the House characteristics
of bravery, courage, and stoicism.
