OOTP should be renamed “Harry Potter and the lack of communication”

It’s my favorite book and now reading it as an adult I can see the underlying themes of a lack of communication.

1. The ministry refuses to communicate the danger of Voldemort to the public letting him work in secret.

2. Everyone refuses to communicate with Harry during the summer.

3. Harry refuses to communicate with anyone over what he’s going through almost leading him to run away and eventually leading to disaster.

4. Dumbledoor refuses to communicate with Harry over Voldy’s plans leading to him being entirely unprepared for the trap he sets.

If done poorly this could have been what’s referred to as an “idiot plot” but all of it was well justified by Rowling: Harry is a teenager, teenagers are stupid and reckless; Dumbledoor is an old man overburdened with responsibility and he made several costly mistakes; the ministry are panicked bureaucrats desperate to avoid having to make a decision.

Best book of a very good series!