7 Great Harry Potter Plot Twists That Don’t Get Enough Credit

Dolores Jane Umbridge is the most hated villain in the Harry Potter franchise, and with good reason. As well as her falsely-sweet persona, she’s also fond of twisted punishments and is fiercely loyal to the corrupt Ministry.

Throughout The Order of the Phoenix, Umbridge proves to be a strong adversary for Harry and his friends, and after catching them inside her office, she reveals that it was she who sent the dementors after Harry the previous summer.

Furious at Harry’s claims about Voldemort’s return, she had sent the dementors to Little Whinging with the hope of silencing him.

Interestingly, at Harry’s hearing, Dumbledore suggests the dementors are outside of Ministry control – which is why they attacked Harry in the first place. Although this is partly true, this suggestion is actually a red herring planted by Rowling to mask the truth.

As such, Umbridge’s confession is not something that is easy to predict. Yet it makes sense. Given her prestigious position at the Ministry, she has both the power and the authority to give orders to the dementors of Azkaban.