• Year 5 of the MuggleCast Collectors Club is here! You can receive SIX exclusive stickers by joining us on Patreon. These stickers can go on the custom Collectors Club Card we released a few years ago, or you can put them wherever else you like!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Chapter 25 of Half-Blood Prince, The Seer Overheard
• Harry is contemplating retrieving the Prince’s book from the Room of Requirement. Hasn't Harry learned anything from trusting mysterious books?
• Hermione discovers an old newspaper clipping featuring Eileen Prince, Captain of the Hogwarts Gobstones Team. But the Prince can't be a woman, right?!
• Connecting the Threads: much like Hermione discovers the monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a basilisk, she begins to unravel the identity of the Half-Blood Prince.
• Trelawney seems pretty miffed at Dumbledore these days. Now that's she served her purpose, is Sybill old news? Or is Albus just too busy for anyone not named Horcrux?
• Could Snape overhearing the prophecy be the biggest secret that Dumbledore has kept from Harry? Does Dumbledore downplay the impact of this revelation? Was he ever planning to tell Harry?
• The Lightening-Struck Tower: we recall the first time we read this chapter... and not feeling good about Dumbledore’s chances.
• Hunting Horcruxes: does Dumbledore sacrifice the safety of the school to go on an adventure with Harry?
• Lynx Line: You’re Harry and you run into Snape on your way to Dumbledore’s office after just learning he overheard the prophecy… What happens?
• Quizzitch: What is the more common name of the ailment known as pertussis?

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• This week we're discussing Half-Blood Prince Chapter 24, “Sectumsempra”
• What did Harry hope to achieve in barging in on Draco? Would it have been smarter for him to have waited and developed a plan?
• Given the escalation in severity of the spells cast, was Harry right to use Sectumsempra on Draco?
• What made Harry’s casting of the spell so successful the very first time he tried? Was it his being in imminent danger?
• Was Snape tailing Draco and therefore able to get to the bathroom so quickly? Why else might he have been nearby?
• Snape calls Harry a liar. Does he KNOW from which source Harry learned that particular spell?
• We notice that the Prince’s diary is hidden right next to a Horcrux, and feel it fits.
• Is the Room of Requirement more, or less, secure becoming the same room for everyone that wants to hide or dispose of their valuables?
• Is Harry’s punishment of weekly detentions fitting for the circumstance, or too much?
• Ginny and Dean split up! She’s single. Harry is free!
• Andrew asks: would the hosts ever date the sibling of a friend?
• Lynx Line: What would you hide in the Room of Requirement and why?
• Quizzitch: In this chapter Gryffindor has to succeed over Ravenclaw by at least 300 points, which they do. In US College Football, a record-holding October 1916 match ended in Georgia Tech scoring 222-0 over their opponent. Who was that match against?
• In Bonus MuggleCast, we discuss the state of MuggleNet.com, which has removed all of its volunteer-generated content and is the subject of new litigation from its former staff members. Topics such as these arend others relevant to Harry Potter fans can always be found on our Patreon, located at Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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• Welcome Slug Club member and host of The Menuscript, Rachel!
• This week we're discussing Half-Blood Prince Chapter 23, "Horcruxes"
• The Slughorn Files: UNREDACTED
• What do we make of Slughorn's interest in Tom becoming Minister of Magic?
• Did Tom learn some of his less-than-wholesome skills from observing Slughorn?
• What was the inciting event that made Dumbledore so “fierce” about a no-Horcrux curriculum?  And should Horcruxes be a banned topic at Hogwarts?
• Why was Voldemort willing to risk part of his soul to reopen the Chamber of Secrets?
• Hallows Happy Dumbledore: with both the Elder Wand and Resurrection Stone in his possession, why didn't Albus ask Harry for his Invisibility Cloak and just dip?
• When Dumbledore suggests the possibility of a living Horcrux in Nagini, should this not have been MAJOR confirmation that Harry was a Horcrux as well?
• Why does Harry’s capacity for love give him power the Dark Lord knows not?
• Lynx Line: If Horcruxes were a subscription service, what would their tagline be?
• Quizzitch: On July 7th, 2007, the “New 7 Wonders of the Modern World” were unveiled by the New 7 Wonders Committee in Switzerland, with input from around the world. Of the NEW 7 Wonders of the Modern world, which one is the MOST modern?
  
• In Bonus MuggleCast, we're keeping with the Horcrux theme… and giving the Harry Potter TV show license to change one major character death. Find out what the hosts came up with at Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 22: After the Burial
• Is Hagrid being a bad friend by asking the trio to break curfew?
• This isn't the first time Hagrid has put Harry in danger re: Aragog; we recall moments in Chamber of Secrets which connect.
• Hermione and Ron's reactions to Harry taking liquid luck still make us giggle.
• How did Hagrid actually fend off all of Aragog's family to get him to his hut?
• Is Harry being a bad friend to Hagrid by inviting Slughorn to the funeral, knowing Slughorn wants to turn a profit?
• Could Harry have gotten Horace's memory without using Felix Felicis?
• We go through why Harry is successful and what steps are taken which ensure his victory with the memory.
• Does Horace Slughorn appear again in this book? Does he avoid Harry after this?
• Odds and Ends discuss the first Potions lesson of the year, which was an important one for both Harry and Draco.
• Lynx Line: When did you successfully persuade someone to do something they didn’t want to do, and how did you do it?
• Quizzitch: 1 On which Earth continent would you find the world’s biggest spider, Theraposa blondi aka “The Goliath Birdeater”?

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• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 21: The Unknowable Room
• Main Discussion #1: Distracted by Draco
• Fudge Flashback: We reflect on the Minister's comments in the very first chapter of this book: "The other side can do magic too."
• As Hermione consistently reminds Harry throughout the chapter, he is taking his eyes off the prize. Why is Harry not more focused given how testy Dumbledore was with him during their last lesson?
• We debate whether or not Dumbledore should have offered Harry more guidance
• Snitch Report: Given how Dobby behaves after tailing Draco, should Harry have been more mindful of what he was asking the former Malfoy house-elf to do?
• Why did it take Harry (and Hermione) 452 pages to realize Draco was using the Room of Requirement?
• Main Discussion #2: EMO Slytherins
• Snape is in rare form. Do we attribute his more-than-sassy nature to Draco? Dumbledore? Or did he just not have his coffee?
• Draco is in over his head. Do we have any sympathy for him?
• Lynx Line: What would you say to make the Room of Requirement open for you to reveal what Draco is up to? [Wrong answers only]
• Quizzitch: In Chapter 21, Harry is searching for a phrase that’ll get him into the Room of Requirement… kind of like a password. WHO was the host of the United States television game show called “Password,” from 1961 to 1975?

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We react to this new documentary called Finding Harry and how it leaves us feeling about the new Harry Potter TV show. The thought and detail that is going into this series is nothing short of incredible, and we explain why we're feeling reassured about rebooting this story. From the numerous animatronics to an earthy Hogwarts to making illogical magic logical, we go moment by moment through this documentary.

Your Harry Potter friends at MuggleCast are continuing to cover the TV show now through the December 2026 premiere and beyond. Be sure to follow us in your favorite podcast app and tell a fellow Muggle about our TV show analysis!

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Heads up! For one week only: Celebrate the TV show coming out THIS YEAR by using code '2026' from now through April 1 to receive 26% off your first month of our Patreon! Visit Patreon.com/mugglecast and pledge now! Your support helps us cover the TV show.

Before we can even analyze the trailer, we have to talk about that title (RIP "Sorcerer"), and the equally surprising release date: Christmas 2026! How many episodes will they release at the launch, and do we expect more episodes on New Years? I guess we won't be taking a break over the holidays...

After discussing those developments, we go scene-by-scene through the trailer. One of our big takeaways is that this TV adaptation is being more loyal than the movies ever were! From Petunia cutting Harry's hair to Hagrid knocking three times on the entry doors to Hogwarts, no detail seems to be overlooked.

We also discuss the slew of character reveals (Laura thirsts over the new Snape, Eric celebrates the confirmation of Peeves), discuss the familiar-yet-different changes to the look and feel of the Wizarding World,  and point out the little things you may have missed. For example, WTH are Ron and Harry doing running on tables!?

Heads up! For one week only: Celebrate the TV show coming out THIS YEAR by using code '2026' from now through April 1 to receive 26% off your first month of our Patreon! Visit Patreon.com/mugglecast and pledge now! Your support helps us cover the TV show.

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• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 20: Lord Voldemort's Request
• Memory #1: Hepzibah, Hokey & Helga Hufflepuff
• We debate whether or not Tom Riddle should have been given a post at Hogwarts vs. allowing him to dabble in dark artifacts at Borgin and Burkes
• Hokey The Scapegoat: we compare how Tom Riddle used her much like he used Morfin and Hagrid!
• Hepzibah Smith displays some of Hufflepuff's less-than-flattering character traits. Do we agree she is Slughorn "lite" in her behavior?
• What do we make of the “young, attractive man charming the older, wealthy woman” trope?
• Memory #2: Awkward Job Interview
• Given how his appearance has begun to change, does Dumbledore already suspect Horcruxes during Voldemort's trip to Hogwarts?
• Do we agree with Dumbledore that Voldemort didn’t actually come to Hogwarts to get the Defense Against The Dark Arts (DADA) post?
• Doesn’t the Ministry, school governors, and other faculty notice the turnover rate for the DADA position? Why isn’t anything done to break the curse?
• Lynx Line: In an alternate universe where Dumbledore decided to give Tom a second chance, what Hogwarts position should he have offered Tom instead of DADA Professor [wrong answers only]?
• Quizzitch: In Chapter 20, we learn why Hogwarts cannot have a DADA teacher for more than year. In United States history, which two American Presidents served less than one year in office?

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• Welcome to the show Slug Club member Stef!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 19: Elf Tails
• How is it that Kreacher can speak ill of his master, Harry? When Dobby struggled hard to do so?
• Has Kreacher been bending the rules due to technicality?
• Does Peeves operate an underground House-Elf fight club? How is he so tuned in to Dobby and Kreacher's fight?... And how does he follow them?
• Ethically, is Harry asking the elves to follow Draco sound? Should there be limits to what you can ask your House-Elf to do?
• What alternatives might Harry have used to track Draco - how about a magical AirTag?
• Is Draco's plan too convoluted to work?
• Where do we stand on the Dumbledore vs Snape argument that Hagrid overhears?
• This week's Lynx Line: Have we ever felt in danger of becoming replaced? How did we handle it?
• MVP of the week has us creating new Quidditch nicknames for Harry, inspired by Draco's.
• Our weekly Quizzitch segment returns (now with 800% more 14-year-olds.) Which 1950's BBC Radio programme first coined the term, meaning a nonfatal, unspecified illness such as a cold or flu, and called it "The Dreaded Lurgi"?

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• News: Warner Bros. Discovery has a new home in Paramount; plus several dozen young actors have been cast as various Hogwarts students
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 18: Birthday Surprises
• We analyze Golpalott’s Third Law: could this Potions class teach Harry something about how to ultimately destroy Voldemort? Does the creation of a Horcrux have an alchemical element to it?
• How does alchemy present in other book series, such as The Secrets of the Immortal Nicolas Flamel?
• Can we expect to learn more about Dumbledore and Flamel's partnership in the new Harry Potter TV Show?
• Apparition: Just put your mind to it! Does this class pass our sniff test?
• Bezoar! Hermione is upset (again) with Harry’s success in Potions.
• Does Harry's cheek make him a bit to overconfident when trying to acquire Slughorn’s unredacted memory?
• When Harry can't locate Malfoy on the Marauder's Map, why does overlook the Room of Requirement?
• MVP: Destination. Determination. Deliberation. Which is the of the Three D’s?
• Lynx Line: Name a time in school where you found yourself totally out of your depth subject-wise. Did you overcome your knowledge gap? If so, was it due to hard work and determination? A good teacher or tutor? Or did you merely squeak by in class and never take up the subject again?
• Quizzitch: In this chapter, a bezoar from the stomach of a goat is used as a cure for poison. In reality, bezoars can appear in humans as ailments. What popular soft drink brand is used to treat bezoars in humans? Answer next week's question via the Quizzitch Form!

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• The Fat Lady seems to be telling herself to practice abstinence after the holidays. Sounds like it was a party in the portraits over Christmas!
• How do students end up missing the new Common Room passwords? Is it the school's fault, or is it the students?
• It's time for the students to learn how to apparate! ... For a price. We look at why Hogwarts and the Ministry might be charging for these additional lessons.
• Dismissive Dumby: Albus' ego is on full display as he plays off Harry's questions about Snape and Draco. As expected, Andrew comes in with a #DumbleDefense. 
• Back in the memories, Dumbledore shows Harry more about Tom Riddle's time at Hogwarts.
• Why didn't Dumbledore do more when Tom Riddle was at school and clearing causing trouble?
• We learn the real reason Dumbledore asked Slughorn back to teach, and we hear that certain H-word a first time (No, it's not 'Hufflepuff' or 'Horace')
• Connecting the Threads: There are some big parallels between Chapter 17 of Chamber of Secrets, and this Chapter of Half-Blood Prince!
• MVP: Which memory truly is THE most important memory Dumbledore has collected?
• Lynx Line: You've just learned to Apparate. Where are you going first?
• Quizzitch: While Lord Voldemort commits patricide by killing Tom Riddle Sr., what is the broader term used when someone kills a near-relative of theirs such as a grandparent?

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• Set photos of the TV Show's Hogwarts Courtyard have leaked: will these new House Sigil Hedges come to life?
• Laura and Micah react to Ravenclaw’s sigil finally being an eagle!
• How much are the show's creators taking inspiration from Hogwarts Legacy?
• Beyond The Books: Lox Pratt, the actor playing Young Draco, says we’ll be seeing Draco at Malfoy Manor in the first season!
• Nick Frost manifested getting the role of Hagrid by writing Hagrid 7,000 times while watching the movies. He also took up knitting!
• MAX That: Can we expect to see more Vampires in this version of the Wizarding World?
• The hosts test their Harry Potter knowledge: Was This Line in the Sorcerer’s Stone Book AND Movie?
• Our Lynx Line asked our patrons: Who will be the first character to appear on screen?
• When can we expect our first trailer?
• In Bonus MuggleCast, available exclusively on Patreon: We make our official predictions for the new TV show and even throw down a few knuts to keep things interesting! Will we see Voldemort on screen in Episode 1? Will the Sorting Hat sing the full song? Over the series, will we ever get a full episode without Harry present?

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• New Throwback Content: Be sure you’re following us Lon our Twitch where we are currently streaming the Chamber of Secrets PC game as part of our lookback content this year. All videos will eventually be posted also on our YouTube channel.
• Welcome Alice and Martha of the Real Weird Sisters! They have been podcasting for 10+ years and are awesome.
• Chapter by Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 16: A Very Frosty Christmas
• The MC Pensive segment takes us back to an episode we recorded seven years ago.
• Are we surprised that people still aren't believing Harry about Draco, even Ron?
• What's with all the rough housing going on in the Burrow between Ron and his brothers? Is this a dangerous escalation or par for the course?
• Should Bill be stepping in between Fleur and Mrs. Weasley's feud?
• The hosts analyze Remus Lupin's story and his backstory.
• What is Lavender expecting from Ron, as indicated by her flashy piece of jewelry for him?
• Does anyone buy Scrimgeour's story that he and Percy were "just in the area"?
• Is Scrimgeour any more smooth than Cornelius Fudge was?
• Did Percy give Scrimgeour advice on tips for how to appeal to Harry? It kinda feels like he did, which is why Rufus failed so badly.
• Our MVP segment asks what Harry’s sassiest line in the chapter is.
• Our Lynx Line topic this week for Slug Club patrons: What did Fred and George try to make Ron do with the Unbreakavable Vow?
• Coming up on Bonus MuggleCast for Slug Club patrons, we analyze our personal romantic histories broken down by the Hogwarts houses of our partners. It's a not-to-miss discussion!
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!

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• New Throwback Content: This Saturday, February 14 at 11am ET, MuggleCast will stream the Chamber of Secrets PC Game LIVE on our Twitch! It will later be available on our YouTube channel.
• A listener recently reviewed us being “as cozy as a warm blanket on a cold day.” We’re very touched! If you feel similarly, be sure to tell us by leaving a review.
• Chapter by Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 15: The Unbreakable Vow
• The MC Pensive segment takes us back to an episode we recorded seven years ago.
• Hermione decides to take Cormac McLaggen to Slughorn's Christmas Party, just as Ron feared she would. Is this revenge satisfying for the readers? Do we feel bad when it doesn't work out for Hermione?
• Should love potions be taken more seriously than they are, by everyone? Harry is (rightly) worried.
• Eric asks, how does Cormac not know how to show someone a good time?
• Harry says that he kinda always thought Filch and Madame Prince were a thing. The hosts pick apart that offhand comment...
• ...and then we speculate. COULD that be a thing? Filch and Madame Prince? What do they have in common? How does Mrs. Norris feel?
• Is Snape's attempt to detect Draco's lying ethical? We know there's more in it at stake for him.
• Should Draco have been suspicious that Snape was working for Dumbledore, based on Snape's emphasis on the importance of DADA for Crabbe and Goyle?
• What If?: Harry overheard that Draco's mission was to kill Dumbledore? What if it was said aloud? What would Harry do?
• Odds and Ends include the Number 12 (our favorite), and vampires.
• Our MVP segment asks who is the best character to take to Slughorn's Christmas party?
• Our Lynx Line topic this week for Slug Club patrons: Who should Snape and Trelawney have invited as their dates to Slughorn's party? And, what would their pick-up lines have been?
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!

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• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 14: Felix Felicis
• Slug Club invite: was Hermione making a romantic push towards Ron?
• Does Harry have legitimate concerns about becoming The Third Wheel?
• What would happen to the Trio if it all went wrong with Ron and Hermione?
• Ron is looking for fight, but picks the WRONG opponent in Ginny!
• Should Hermione have had more confidence in Ron's Quidditch abilities?
• Did Harry do more harm than help by giving Ron a Felix Felicis placebo?
• Was Ron intentionally trying to make Hermione jealous with Lavender?
• Could Harry's raging chest monster be partially influenced by the Horcrux?
• Our MVP segment asks who is the most chaotic character of the chapter?
• Our Lynx Line topic this week for Slug Club patrons: Have you ever started dating someone that you knew for years first, or were friends with, and if so, how did it turn out?
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!
• Throwback Content includes a video game playthrough  with Eric, Meg and Martha of the “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone PC Game” over on our MuggleCast YouTube.

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• News: We discuss two new castings for the recent Prisoner of Azkaban full cast audiobook release. Stay tuned for a review of these new audiobooks!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 13: The Secret Riddle
• Is Harry treating Dumbledore differently at the start of the chapter than Young Tom Riddle treats him during the memory?
• What changes in Dumbledore's response to Harry if he already knows what Harry is saying about Draco is true?
• The Pensieve memory with Burke might seem different - but we've actually seen something like it before!
• A listener email asks, could Dumbledore have sent Mundungus to raid Grimmauld Place for Aberforth?
• How is what Dumbledore does to Mrs. Cole different than what Young Tom does to his fellow orphans?
• What made Merope still honor her father when naming Tom?
• We discuss Tom Riddle's mental state and one possibly identifiable diagnosis for his behavior.
• How come Harry didn't turn out like Tom Riddle given their similar trajectories?
• Was Dumbledore intentionally trying to impress Tom by making fire? Is he therefore playing with fire?
• Our MVP segment asks what the creepiest thing Young Tom Riddle does in this chapter?
• Our Lynx Line topic this week for Slug Club patrons: Which character would you most like to Confund and get to spill all the tea?
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!
• Coming up in Bonus MuggleCast: it's another edition of Harry Potter Hot Takes, NSFW! Pledge to MuggleCast on Patreon to listen to this and all of our bonus episodes.

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• Welcome, Slug Club member Channell!
• Music to our ears! Hans Zimmer will score the new Harry Potter TV Show!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 12: Silver and Opals
• Where the hell is Dumbledore and what is he doing? Harry is asking, not us!
• What is it about the Prince that endears Harry to him?
• How are spells created in the Wizarding World? We explore this question in great detail in this week's Bonus MuggleCast and Andrew even challenges the hosts with some creations of his own!
• Reckless Harry! Why is he casting spells with no clue what they do?
• Should Harry use the Prince's work to help curry Slughorn's favor?
• Hot Take: Snape would have been a great teacher if he taught with the same enthusiasm he has when writing his notes!
• Do we think Slughorn is even more interested in Harry given it’s been so hard to get him to come to the Slug Club?
• Connecting The Threads to Chamber of Secrets: More bathroom problems!
• Why doesn't anybody believe Harry? The evidence is starting to pile up against Draco!
• Our MVP segment asks what would have happened if Dumbledore had received the cursed necklace?
• Our Lynx Line topic this week for Slug Club patrons: how could Hogsmeade do a better job of protecting visitors and residents from security nightmares?
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!

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• What did the hosts get from Santa this year? And is Andrew about to reveal more than ever before?
• Chapter by Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince Chapter 11, “Hermione’s Helping Hand.”
• Nonverbal spells are now standard in several classes, but does the trio ever learn them?
• Should teachers be required to eat meals in the Great Hall? Some appear to be skipping out.
• A comment from Hermione makes Harry warm, and may ignite some fires in the shipping community.
• Do we pity Ron for his need to show off and overcompensate?
• What Hermione does at Quidditch practice is highly risky. Why does she take the chance when she could be exposed?
• Should Harry have made another decision once he discovers Hermione’s actions? Despite his friendship with Ron?
• An email asks: should Hermione have kept Care of Magical Creatures given her established future career trajectory?
• It turns out Hagrid is dealing with more than just the kids not taking his class.
• Should the kids have to lie about another teacher just to make Hagrid feel better about himself?
• Our MVP segment has us ranking the beasts that Hagrid introduced the trio to.
• Our Lynx Line topic this week for Slug Club patrons: “Have you ever stacked the odds in favor of a friend for something that they wanted? And did you cheat to do it?”
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!

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In it, we reminisce over the greatest month in Harry Potter fandom history: July 2007, when the Deathly Hallows book and Order of the Phoenix movie were released. We look at what we were doing while working for MuggleNet / MuggleCast, and share some unforgettable stories.

Get two bonus episodes of MuggleCast every month by becoming a member at Patreon.com/mugglecast today! Your support helps us run this show.

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• Looking ahead: what news will we get about a Hogwarts Legacy sequel? How about the HBO TV series? Will more series be green lit?
• Andrew leads the group in making unhinged predictions including genderbent books and a line of adults-only official merchandise.
• Our own 2026 plans for MuggleCast include content that looks ahead as well as back, including more talks on the TV show and classic components of HP fandom history.
• Voicemails sent in include a Hermione Granger impression, and ask the question, "how do children learn Voldemort's name?"
• Was Arthur Weasley's originally-planned death hinted at in the text of Book 5 and before?
• Spotify listeners want to know: is Snape projecting? What is the general skill level of your average every day wizard? And will Micah tell more dad jokes?
• Is Severus Snape a good teacher? What about his old Potions book? Why doesn't Dumbledore ever tell Harry exactly how to destroy the Horcruxes? And, does Hermione belong in Ravenclaw?
• Additionally, folks tell us their feelings on the Full Cast Harry Potter Audiobooks as well as the Tonks and Lupin romantic subplot.
• Our Lynx Line segment asks our most dedicated listeners for recommendations of books they've read this year and enjoyed. See the full list of suggestions here!
• Bonus MuggleCast, available over on our Patreon, will have the hosts discussing their behind-the-scenes stories of contributing to MuggleNet.com
• MuggleCast will return January 12, 2026!

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• It’s the holiday season and you can get 20% off your Patreon membership at Patreon.com/MuggleCast. Just use code HOLIDAY at checkout and receive a slew of great benefits instantly! And don’t forget, Patreon memberships can be gifted!
• Get cozy this winter with a MuggleCast hoodie, Laura’s pants, or a long-sleeve tee! And if you’re Down Under, stay cool this summer with a short sleeve tee or crop top. Get 20% off all official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com when using code HOLIDAY at checkout!
• Pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com!

This week, we're taking a trip down Gaunt memory lane. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah, Laura, Bob, Harry and Dumbledore as they visit the outskirts of Little Hangleton for a mighty Morfin good time!

• The new Chamber of Secrets audiobook is now out, featuring Game of Thrones star Kit Harington as Gilderoy Lockhart.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 10: The House of Gaunt. The MuggleCast Pensieve segment highlights our last discussion of this chapter back on MuggleCast #390!
• With Harry continuing to use the Half-Blood Prince's Potions book, the hosts revisit their original positions about the ethics of Harry’s work.
• Does the Half-Blood Prince's handwriting provide any clues to their true identity?
• What conclusions can be drawn from the cards Harry overhears Trelawney reading?
• Dumbledore claims that much of his lesson time with Harry will be based on the wildest of guesswork. We beg to differ!
• Marvolo, Morfin and Merope: we analyze the Gaunt family dynamic and their connection to Salazar Slytherin
• What is the main reason Dumbledore chose to show Harry this memory?
• MVP: Best Bob Ogden Moment
• The Lynx Line asks our patrons what Salazar Slytherin would have thought about the Gaunts as his direct descendants.
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!

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• It's the holiday season and you can get 20% off your Patreon membership at Patreon.com/MuggleCast. Just use code HOLIDAY at checkout and receive a slew of great benefits instantly! And don't forget, Patreon memberships can be gifted!
• Get cozy this winter with a MuggleCast hoodie, Laura’s pants, or a long-sleeve tee! And if you’re Down Under, stay cool this summer with a short sleeve tee or crop top. Get 20% off all official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com when using code HOLIDAY at checkout!
• Pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com!

This week, explore the various teaching competencies of Hogwarts staff, and join the MuggleCasters as Harry dusts off an old potions book to find a cramped surprise within! With Slug Club member Audrey joining the discussion, it’s a can’t-miss episode covering the ethics of letting someone else do all the work.

• Welcome to the show Slug Club member Audrey!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 9: The Half-Blood Prince The MuggleCast Pensieve segment highlights our last discussion of this chapter back on MuggleCast #389!
• How does McGonagall’s attentiveness, which makes her a great teacher, compare with Slughorn’s incentivizing students to achieve their best work yet? Do less successful teachers (cough, Trelawney, cough, Snape) have something to learn from other teaching styles?
• Does the arrangement between Firenze and Trelawney to both teach Divination make sense?
• Was Snape really going to attack Harry? (All signs point to yes!)
• Crackpot Theory: Is Snape only being as awful as ever to Harry because Malfoy, now a Death Eater, is watching?
• Is Horace Slughorn... a good teacher?! His first lesson seems amazing. What would he be like with younger students?
• What are the pros and cons of Harry coming clean, and is what he chooses to do ethical? Is Hermione or Ginny closer to being right?
• Connections between this chapter and books 2 and 1 are plentiful! We discuss all the ones we found.
• MVP: Top sassy Harry lines that AREN’T “There’s no need to call me sir, professor.”
• Lynx Line: Have you ever had a school subject that you loved be taught by someone that you didn’t? How did it go?
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!

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To celebrate Back to Hogwarts month, the MuggleCasters are creating their own Hogwarts Houses from scratch! We share the name of each of our Houses, the sigil, how to get into the Common Room, what each of these new Houses stands for, and so much more!

Which of these Houses would you join?

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• It's the holiday season and you can get 20% off your Patreon membership at Patreon.com/MuggleCast. Just use code HOLIDAY at checkout and receive a slew of great benefits instantly! And don't forget, Patreon memberships can be gifted!
• Get cozy this winter with a MuggleCast hoodie, Laura’s pants, or a long-sleeve tee! And if you’re Down Under, stay cool this summer with a short sleeve tee or crop top. Get 20% off all official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com when using code HOLIDAY at checkout!
• Pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com!

This week, make sure you're on time for the start of term feast, lest you want to be berated by your (least) favorite Hogwarts professor! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah for an angst-ridden stroll up to the castle.

• TV Show Update: Daniel Radcliffe pens letter to  Dominic McLaughlin
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 8: Snape Victorious. The MuggleCast Pensieve segment highlights our last discussion of this chapter back on MuggleCast #388!
• What if… no one had discovered Harry was missing before the train left Hogsmeade? Why doesn’t Hogwarts staff or the conductor perform a sweep? Micah doesn't see an issue, but others on the panel see a big nightmare.
• Why isn’t Dumbledore searching for Harry the moment he doesn’t show up?
• What causes one’s Patronus to change? The hosts retake the quiz!
• Oh hell, Doe! Snape is in no position to criticize someone else's Patronus!
• Do we think Snape is projecting his bitterness toward James onto Harry?
• Could Snape’s taunting be an attempt to get Harry to reveal what happened?
• We connect Harry's "grand entrance" back to Chamber of Secrets
• Slughorn is the new... POTIONS MASTER?!? Which means...
• Snape is the new... Defense Against The Darks Arts Professor?!?! NOOOOO!
• MVP: Who wore their injury better? Harry or Dumbledore?
• Lynx Line: If Snape had never met Lily, what form do you think his Patronus would take?
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!

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• Join us at Patreon.com/mugglecast, and receive a slew of great benefits instantly, including bonus episodes, recording studio access, ad-free episodes, and much more!
• Listeners can browse our official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com and pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com, now more affordable than ever!

This week, MuggleCast discusses a surprise invitation for Harry to the inaugural meeting of this year’s Slug Club. And one of our own Slug Club members, Nicole, joins us to chat! Plus, she and Andrew just met up in the new Wizarding World - Ministry of Magic themed land at Epic Universe, and are reviewing the latest park!

• Welcome back Nicole! She last co-hosted the show with us on MuggleCast 391.
• Andrew and Nicole recently met up inside Universal Orlando's Epic Universe, and give their take on the new Wizarding World land.
• How does the new Ministry of Magic ride stack up against the other Harry Potter rides, and why did 1920's Paris leave Andrew's jaw on the floor?
• Nicole discusses the Circus Arcanus-themed attraction which she was very impressed by.
• Despite the glowing review, Andrew still recommends waiting to visit Epic Universe while they work out the kinks.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince Chapter 7: The Slug Club
• The MuggleCast Pensieve segment highlights our last discussion of this chapter on MuggleCast #387
• Why don’t Ron and Hermione believe Harry about Draco?
• Are Ron and Hermione basing their agreeability on the recent fiasco at the Ministry, where Harry bungled things?
• What would an alternate explanation be for what Draco is up to, that the trio saw?
• Does Harry have a sixth sense about Draco because of his Horcrux connection to Voldemort?
• We analyze and pick apart the incredulity around Voldemort recruiting Draco, Age 16 for his followers. There is series precedent!
• Micah makes several brilliant comparisons between Slughorn and slugs.
• Why aren’t there any Hufflepuffs at this Slug Club meeting?
• Harry underestimates Draco, in a huge way, and pays the price. Oops.
• Lynx Line: Patrons invent their own version of the Slug Club based on their strengths, and tell us who would be in it!
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!

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• Join us at Patreon.com/mugglecast, and receive a slew of great benefits instantly, including bonus episodes, recording studio access, ad-free episodes, and much more!
• Listeners can browse our official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com and pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com, now more affordable than ever!

This week, don’t get distracted by the WonderWitch product line; a love potion is captivating but Draco Malfoy sneaking off is gonna have longer-lasting implications! Join Micah, Eric and Julian as they wind their way through the twists and turns of an otherwise dark and desolate Diagon Alley.

• Welcome back Professor Julian Wamble, PhD - host of Critical Magic Theory podcast! We first spoke with Julian on MuggleCast 619 (Professor Trelawney’s Prediction) and then recently on MuggleCast 708 (Snape’s Worst Memory). You can also find him on Instagram and TikTok! 
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince Chapter 6: Draco's Detour
• The MuggleCast Pensieve segment, highlighting our last discussion of this chapter on MuggleCast #384, features a deep analysis of U-No-Poo!
• The Ice Cream Man: Florean Fortescue had a ghost plot?
• How is Bill able to take Harry's money out of Gringotts without his permission?
• Why did Dumbledore refuse Auror protection for Harry in Diagon Alley? And is Hagrid really the best alternative?
• We discuss Weasley's Wizard Wheezes being a beacon of light in an otherwise very dark time
• Does Molly's concern for Fred and George stem from the loss of her brothers Gideon and Fabian in the First Wizarding War?
• Inside Madam Malkin's: who was worse, Narcissa or Harry? We compare the this confrontation to the one inside Flourish & Blott's in Chamber of Secrets.
• Why is Draco trying to operate in secrecy from his mother? And what in the world was Hermione thinking at the end of the chapter?
• Lynx Line: Patrons tell us what's really on Malfoy’s forearm (wrong answers only!)
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!

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• Join us at Patreon.com/mugglecast, and receive a slew of great benefits instantly, including bonus episodes, recording studio access, ad-free episodes, and much more!
• Listeners can browse our official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com and pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com, now more affordable than ever!

This week, get ready for Veela kisses on both of your cheeks, as Andrew, Eric, Micah, Laura, and special guest Kathlyn, discuss "An Excess of Phlegm" from our Book 6 chapter-by-chapter re-read!

• Andrew and Micah review Audible's brand-new, full cast Sorcerer's Stone audiobooks, which is available now. It's an amazing addition to the world of Harry Potter, and we can't wait for the remaining books!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince Chapter 5: An Excess of Phlegm
• The MuggleCast Pensieve segment, highlighting our last discussion of this chapter on MuggleCast #383, features questions about that special clock.
• SEVERAL people tell Harry he wasn't expected for many more hours. Just what was Dumbledore's backup plan if Slughorn were not so easily persuaded?
• Does Dumbledore have a "dropping in on people" problem?
• Arthur is the only one following the Ministry's guidelines around security... and we stan him for it.
• Molly's opinions of Bill and Flaur's engagement spark a real life discussion about marriage in tough times.
• The hosts sympathize with Fleur Delacour and understand why she was excited to see Harry after waht must have been a tumultuous week.
• Eric questions Bill's intentions in leaving Fleur to "the wolves" of the Weasleys. Was there a better alternative to them getting to know her?
• Slug Club guest Kathlyn talks about the differences between UK culture and the other European countries, which provides insight into the Wealseys' reactions to Fleur.
• Harry's confiding in Ron and Hermione warms his heart... and ours, too.
• Hosts rate the most surprising grade of Harry's for O.W.L.'s.
• Lynx Line: Patrons tell us adorable pet names that they have for their loved ones, and the stories behind them!
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!

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• Join us at Patreon.com/mugglecast, and receive a slew of great benefits instantly, including bonus episodes, recording studio access, ad-free episodes, and much more!
• Listeners can browse our official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com and pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com, now more affordable than ever!

This week, get ready to apparate to the charming village of Budleigh Babberton - but keep your wands at the ready because something is afoot! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they attempt to find... and recruit an old friend out of retirement!

• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince Chapter 4: Horace Slughorn
• The MuggleCast Pensieve segment, highlighting our last discussion of this chapter on MuggleCast #381, features some raspberry jam analysis!
• Why don’t Dumbledore and Harry simply Apparate into Slughorn’s home?
• Should Harry have so willingly trusted that Dumbledore was, in fact, Dumbledore, given the danger and uncertainty of the times?
• What do we think of Dumbledore’s plan to use Harry to lure Slughorn back to Hogwarts—is it clever strategy or subtle manipulation?
• What does it say about Slughorn that he isn’t aligned with Voldemort, yet refuses to take a stand against him?
• Slughorn “The Collector” is one of the most morally gray Slytherins of the series
• How does Slughorn’s casual bigotry—his need to say “You musn't think I'm prejudiced!”—reveal a subtler form of bias in the wizarding world?
• Does Slughorn’s “collector” mentality mirror real-world networking culture? Isn't the Slug Club just Hogwarts’ version of a professional society?
• MVP: What's the best perk Slughorn gets from his Slug Club alumni?
• Lynx Line: Patreons tell us about a talent/accomplishment that would get them recruited to the Slug Club!
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!

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This week, join us as we witness Albus Dumbledore welcoming himself into the Dursley's perfect kept home. It's the depants-ing we've been waiting for! Plus, we look at why Dumbledore decided to take care of the Kreacher business in front of the Dursleys, if Albus had any right criticizing the parenting of Dudley, and more.

• Welcome back to the show, Meg!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince Chapter 3: Will and Won't
• The MuggleCast Pensieve segment, highlighting our last discussion of this chapter on MuggleCast #380, features a Kreacher possibility.
• Harry's back! And he's ever more undignified than ever. From flower beds to pigstys, is our hero losing his cool factor?
• What's the beef between Albus Dumbledore and Rufus Scrimgeour that the Prophet is eluding to? It may have been hinted at already.
• Do we approve of the Ministry's guidebook for protecting oneself during the current era?
• Why didn't Harry believe Dumbledore was going to show? Does this has to do with Dumbledore's treatment of Harry in the last book?
• Why are the Dursleys awake and cleaning at 11pm?
• Dumbledore goes hard against the Dursleys. Finally! But why did it take this long for them to meet, and for Albus to depants them?
• MVP: What is the most effective guideline from the Ministry?
• Lynx Line: If Dumbledore could’ve left a Yelp review for the Dursleys, what would it say?
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!

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• Join us as our patron at Patreon.com/mugglecast, and receive a slew of great benefits instantly, including more than 60 hours of bonus recordings, 30 hours of chapter readings, and much, much more!
• Listeners can browse our official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com and pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com!

This week, join us as we wind our way to Spinner's End and throw ourselves at the mercy of everyone's (least) favorite Potions Master. Grab a tall glass of elf-made bloodred wine and toast the Dark Lord because its unlikely you'll make it out of this chapter without making an Unbreakable Vow.

• Welcome back, Irvin! Check out his new book Malfoy: The Most Treacherous Family, which is available now!
• Potter TV Show News: Our first look at John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince Chapter 2: Spinner's End
• We analyze Snape's decision to remain in his childhood home. Could it be because of Lily? And why is it such bad shape?
• The Sisterhood of Bellatrix and Narcissa: do the two actually care for each other?
• Would Bellatrix rather be right or wrong about Snape's loyalty? 
• Snape vs. Bellatrix: we're here for snarky, sassy Severus Snape!
• Snape’s allegiance: do we recall how we felt when first reading this chapter?
• Could there be trouble in paradise with Voldemort and Bellatrix?
• Did Narcissa manipulate Snape during the final step of the Unbreakable Vow?
• MVP: Who’s the better chess master - Snape or Dumbledore?
• Lynx Line: Snape’s childhood home is clearly a little drab - if Snape’s home were the subject of a home makeover show, what would it be called?
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!

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• Join us as our patron at Patreon.com/mugglecast, and receive a slew of great benefits instantly, including more than 60 hours of bonus recordings, 30 hours of chapter readings, and much, much more!
• Listeners can browse our official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com and pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com!

That new assistant named Kingsley is a high performer! This week we're starting our Chapter by Chapter re-read of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and discussing all the problems that Cornelius Fudge has just dumped on the British Prime Minister's doorstep. It's a rare Harry-less chapter this week, titled "The Other Minister."

• News: Congratulations to SIR Gary Oldman! (He really puts the Sir in Sirius)
• Chapter by Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince Chapter 1: The Other Minister
• Where were the hosts when the sixth Potter book came out? It was only 3 weeks shy of MuggleCast's first episode!
• The MuggleCast Time-Turner segment is now the MuggleCast Pensieve! It's Book-6-themed and, this week, flashing back to MuggleCast #376, from July 16, 2018!
• The hosts compare favorite chapters and discuss this is one of them.
• The poor British PM believes the chaos was his to own, only to find out that the wizards are at fault for all of it!
• Do wizards have a superiority complex? It sure seems like it, around the Muggle PM.
• Is this chapter tied to a particular politician or administration from years past, when the book was set? Or perhaps when it was written? The hosts speculate.
• Is the portrait of the "frog-like" man (Umbridge's dad?) a privacy concern for the Muggles?
• MVP of the Week: Who was the best working man in this chapter?
• Lynx Line: What event from human history was magical in origin, but was covered up between the two governments?
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week's Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch! 
• On Bonus MuggleCast, we discuss the newly released album art for the upcoming full cast production audiobooks.

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• Listeners can browse our official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com and pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com!

On this week's episode, we're as excited as Dedalus Diggle bumping into Vernon Dursley after Voldemort's downfall, as we bust open our Muggle Mailbag to hear directly from YOU - our listeners!

• Filming News: We react to new behind-the-scenes footage from around Little Whinging before and after the first downfall of Voldemort.
• It's our Order of the Phoenix Muggle Mail episode!
• How will HBO adapt lengthy books like Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince for the new Harry Potter TV show? Is eight episodes truly enough?
• Why didn't Voldemort choose to become a ghost?
• Were Arthur Weasley's early career ambitions derailed by the Imperius Curse?
• We Declare Canon: Crookshanks is the Potter's cat!
• Listeners make the case for and against ♥️ Voldemort & Bellatrix ♥️
• How did the Diary Horcrux have knowledge of Voldemort's future self?
• And by the way... does the basilisk ever eat? We're concerned about its diet.
• Lynx Line:  With the new Harry Potter audiobooks on the horizon, we asked supporters on Patreon to take a line from one of their favorite characters in Order of the Phoenix or Half-Blood Prince and submit their best impression! AND THEY DO NOT DISAPPOINT!
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week's Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch! 

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This week it’s time to wrap our Order of the Phoenix re-read with Quizzitch Live, to test your knowledge of the fifth book! Special guest Barry of the Harry Potter podcast Retold joins us to host this Harry Potter trivia night.

Listeners competed live against one another across seven rounds of Order of the Phoenix questions. Do you remember the book and movie as well as your fellow Muggles do? Play along and find out!

Thanks again to Barry and to all of our listeners for joining in our live event, and a special thank you to those who support us on Patreon. Without you, we couldn't host trivia nights like this! Next week, we'll catch up on MuggleMail before proceeding onward to our Half-Blood Prince read-through in October!

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• You have until September 18 to become a member at the Slug Club level to receive this year's incredible physical gift: The MuggleCast 20th Anniversary Yearbook! Pledge now at Patreon.com/mugglecast, and receive a slew of other great benefits instantly!
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Another book, gone! This week we're wrapping up our Chapter by Chapter re-read of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It's a feel-good chapter that ties up a lot of loose ends and teases what's to come in the final two Harry Potter books!

To celebrate the end of this re-read, we'll be hosting a Quizzitch LIVE themed around Order of the Phoenix this Thursday, September 18 at 7:30 PM ET! Don't miss it! A link will be available on social media.

• Welcome Slug Club guest Ivana!
• In the news: Harry Potter production designer Stuart Craig has passed away, so we look at the legacy he left on the franchise. Meanwhile, the upcoming Harry Potter audiobooks have announced several more big name starts joining its ranks. Game of Thrones fans will be pleased!
• Chapter by Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix Chapter 38: The Second War Begins.
• Tying up loose ends: Fudge immediately fumbles how the Ministry is handling the return of Voldemort. What could they have done differently?
• We're impressed by how Dumbledore got Umbridge out of the forest, but how exactly did he do it? And should Ron have responded to Umbridge's attack in the way that he did?
• Harry is looking for some Sirius comfort, and finds some in Hagrid and Luna. There's also one line from Harry that is extremely relatable, especially as we age: “Whenever he was in company he wanted to get away, and whenever he was alone he wanted company.”
• Nearly-Headless Nick offers Harry some disappointing information, but it has us wondering why wizards choose not to return as a ghost after they pass.
• The Order decides to greet Harry at King's Cross... but why haven't they been there for Harry's previous journeys to and from Hogwarts?
• MVP of the Week: Who had the most meaningful moment with Harry in this chapter?
• Lynx Line: What would happen if the Order had to pay a visit the Dursleys because Vernon and Petunia were mistreating Harry?
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week's Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch! 
• On Bonus MuggleCast, we celebrate Back to Hogwarts season by creating our OWN Hogwarts Houses! Let us know which of these new five are your favorite!

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• Our 2025 physical gift is here! The MuggleCast Yearbook includes writing by each of the four hosts, telling the story of the podcast across the last 20 years, and featuring tons of colorful images and jam-packed with enough nostalgia to make your eyes water. So visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast and pledge at the Slug Club level by September 15 to get yours!
• Listeners can browse our official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com and pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com!

Grab the nearest expensive-looking trinket and hurl it at Dumbledore because  Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah are treating the headmaster's office like a modern-day rage room! On this week's episode, all the feelings are bubbling up to the surface as Albus finally comes clean with Harry!

• Casting news abounds for the new Harry Potter TV Show, including one character never cast before and the return of Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 37: The Lost Prophecy. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 473 - There's Something About Harry.
• Should Harry feel guilty about what's happened to Sirius?
• The hosts grade Dumbledore's handling of Harry using the O.W.L. system
• Does the loss of his sister Ariana inform Dumbledore's overall treatment of Harry?
• “Old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young” hits home!
• Dumbledore is exhausted and frankly, we don't blame him!
• YOU LIAR! Dumbledore claims he is going to tell Harry "everything"!
• Connecting The Threads between Trelawney's prophecies
• MVP: What was the most damning Dumbledore quote from this chapter?
• Over on our Lynx Line, our patrons answer this week's question: At what moment in the series should Dumbledore actually have told Harry everything?
• Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week's Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch! 
• On Bonus MuggleCast, we discuss the possibility of a Harry Potter Hotel. Does Disney’s recent Star Wars flop have Universal rethinking the idea?

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Visit Patreon.com/mugglecast for two new Bonus MuggleCast episodes every month, plus boat loads more benefits like a new physical gift each year! Pledge now at the Slug Club level to receive this year's 20th Anniversary Yearbook!

Chapter by Chapter will continue next week!

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• Our 2025 physical gift is here! The MuggleCast Yearbook includes writing by each of the four hosts, telling the story of the podcast across the last 20 years, and featuring tons of colorful images and jam-packed with enough nostalgia to make your eyes water. It’s got personal reflections, anecdotes, never-before-seen photos and even a full compendium of British Jokes as told only on MuggleCast. So visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast and pledge today!
• To celebrate MuggleCast turning 20 this month, listeners can get 20% off an annual subscription to our Patreon with promo code 20YEARS. We’ve never offered this large a discount before, but this large of an anniversary calls for a very special deal. So visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast and pledge today!
• Patrons can also get a 20% discount on official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com!
• Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com

On this week's episode, we’re lifting Bellatrix off her feet both romantically and murderously! Is Voldemort revealing more about his affectionate side? Is Dumbledore again letting Harry put himself in danger and doing nothing to prevent serious injury? Does the M.O.M. have accessibility features or is Harry super powerful? All that and more.

• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 36: The Only One He Ever Feared. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 473 of MuggleCast, lazily titled “Dumbledore v Voldemort”
• Harry asks the rotunda a question and it answers him. Could anyone have done this the whole time?
• A moment of consideration for Lupin’s loss and how well he handles it by protecting Harry.
• Would Harry be forgiven and not prosecuted for using an Unforgivable Curse successfully under these circumstances?
• Just HOW does Harry get up to the atrium before Dumbledore?
• Did Voldemort tutor Bellatrix “personally” like her statement would seem to indicate?
• Why does Voldy call Bellatrix “Bella,” and is it a term of endearment?
• Noting that the only reason Voldemort is seen by the Minister is because he shows up to rescue Bellatrix at the end and take her with him. AN ACT OF LOVE?!?!?!
• Laura takes us through some symbolism with the fountain of magical brethren, and what happens to its members.
• Do the statues have a bit of Dumbledore’s personality in them? They certainly approve of Dumbledore.
• Apologies to Pokemon enthusiasts for our criticism, it turns out the fight scene in the book is just like in the movie after all. I choose you, Blastoise!
• We praise Dumbledore for mastering Fudge.
• MVP: Who is the most valuable player during the Dumbledore/Voldemort fight in the atrium?
• Over on our Lynx Line, our patrons answer this week's question: What is the most MAX THAT moment in the chapter? Ie, which scene do you most want to see adapted for TV that wasn’t done justice in the movie?
• Quizzitch: In this chapter, the statues of the Fountain of Magical Brethren spring to life to help save the day. But in the summer of 1985, widespread panic occurred when statues in County Cork, Ireland began to seemingly move on their own. What were they statues of? Send us your answers at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch! 

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• Our 2025 physical gift is here! The MuggleCast Yearbook includes writing by each of the four hosts, telling the story of the podcast across the last 20 years, and featuring tons of colorful images and jam-packed with enough nostalgia to make your eyes water. It’s got personal reflections, anecdotes, never-before-seen photos and even a full compendium of British Jokes as told only on MuggleCast. So visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast and pledge today!
• To celebrate MuggleCast turning 20 this month, listeners can get 20% off an annual subscription to our Patreon with promo code 20YEARS. We’ve never offered this large a discount before, but this large of an anniversary calls for a very special deal. So visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast and pledge today!
• Patrons can also get a 20% discount on official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com!
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On this week's episode, draw your wand and get ready to battle some Death Eaters, because it's ON inside the Department of Mysteries. Just be sure to mind the brains, the baby-headed Death Eater and don't drop that proph...e...cy. Oh no!

• Welcome Slug Club Member, Shelby!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 35: Beyond The Veil. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 472 of MuggleCast, titled “DUBBLEDORE!”
• Harry has been duped! He incessantly asks Lucius Malfoy about Sirius, only to come to the stark realization that he’s nowhere to be found.
• Could this whole situation have been avoided if Dumbledore just let Harry in on the prophecy?
• Despite his major misstep, Harry remains calm and is able to match wit-for-wit with the Death Eaters. Ex: Voldemort is a half-blood, didn’t ya know?
• The fact that Dumbledore's Army can work their way through the Department of Mysteries battle with spells like Stupefy is hard for some of us to swallow.
• Why do the Death Eaters hold back? Were they not anticipating Harry & company fighting back?
• The members of Dumbledore's Army are thrown into a real battle for the first time. How do we think their performances reflect their strengths and weaknesses that we’ve seen throughout the year?
• The Evolution of Neville Longbottom
• The Order is here! How does the shift in battle highlight the gap between student-level dueling and experienced adult combat?
• Do we think if Sirius didn’t taunt his cousin Bellatrix, the outcome would have been different?
• We try our best to decipher the "Summer Solstice" and "None will come after" prophecies!
• MVP: What’s Dumbledore’s entrance music to the Department of Mysteries?
• Over on our Lynx Line, our patrons answer this week's question: Which Death Eater would you most like to team up with for this battle and why?
• Quizzitch: In this chapter, Ron gets up close and personal with a human brain when he catches one in his hands. How much does the human brain weigh, on average, in pounds? Is it a) seven pounds, b) five pounds, c) three pounds, d) one pound? Send us your answers at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch! 

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• To celebrate MuggleCast turning 20 years old (!!!) listeners can get 20% off an annual subscription to our Patreon with promo code 20YEARS. We’ve never offered this large a discount before, but this large of an anniversary calls for a very special deal. So visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast and pledge today!
• Patrons can also get a 20% discount on official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com!
• Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com

On this special edition of MuggleCast, we look back at twenty years of Harry Potter podcasting, revisit some of our earliest book predictions, and look ahead to the next two decades in the Wizarding World!

• Happy 20th Birthday, MuggleCast! Let’s settle once and for all the pressing question on everyone’s mind: what do we talk about after all this time?!
• Audible’s Harry Potter audiobooks with a full cast have revealed their seven release dates and some casting! The hosts weigh in.
• Arabella Stanton (Hermione Granger) is pulling double duty between this and the upcoming HBO series.
• There is another Dumbledore, and he’s the old pal of UK audiobook narrator Stephen Fry. Listen as we break down Hugh Laurie’s statement on accepting the role.
• To celebrate our 20th anniversary, we look back over the earliest episodes at predictions made by the hosts which later came true! Thanks to listener Kim for compiling.
• Are there things we would change about MuggleCast’s earliest days or in general? The hosts reflect.
• This week's Lynx Line: “What long-dormant MuggleCast topics would you like to see revisited?”
• Predicting the future: what will MuggleCast be talking about 20 years from NOW?
• It’s a triple serving of Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul! We are always moved by hearing from listeners on the topic.

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• To celebrate MuggleCast turning 20 this month, listeners can get 20% off an annual subscription to our Patreon with promo code 20YEARS. We’ve never offered this large a discount before, but this large of an anniversary calls for a very special deal. So visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast and pledge today!
• Patrons can also get a 20% discount on official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com!
• Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com

On this week’s episode, we're headed to the Ministry to save Sirius! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Meg as we cram into a telephone booth, descend below the streets of London and explore our way through the Department of Mysteries!

• Happy Birthday, Harry! Don't miss our birthday wishes to our favorite Boy Wizard.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 34: The Department of Mysteries. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 471 of MuggleCast, titled “Punk’d.”
• Should Harry have considered alternative transportation to the Ministry of Magic given half the traveling party can't see their ride? Could they have doubled up?
• So cold! Do thestrals have seat warmers? Did anybody bother to ask them?
• Where do thestrals rank among the modes of magical transportation?
• Why didn't Harry notice his Voldemort meter was on low?
• Inside the Ministry of Magic - another security nightmare!
• The Brain Room: what exactly is being studied here? And why do these brains seemingly have minds of their own?
• The Love Room aka The Break Room! Apparently, it's an Amortentia rager!
• The Death Room: was the Ministry of Magic built around The Veil? Meg offers a theory that will blow your mind! And we analyze why each of the characters present react so differently.
• Our Lynx Line patrons answer the question, “What other rooms should be represented at the Ministry of Magic / Department of Mysteries?”
• Quizzitch: When entering the Dept. of Mysteries, Harry and friends first encounter a room with many unmarked doors. Similarly, the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA (USA) has over 2,000 doors in its mansion, which contains 160 rooms. How many windows are present in the Winchester Mystery House? a) 2,001 b) 10,000, c) 665, or d) 4,000? Join in on the fun!

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On this week’s episode, we discuss the events of Chapter 33 of Order of the Phoenix, “Fight “and Flight Join Andrew, Eric, Micah, and Laura as they cover the removal of Professor Umbridge from the equation of the greater Sirius rescue mission.

• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 33: Fight and Flight. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 471 of MuggleCast, titled “Punk’d.”
• Does the Ministry really value Umbridge’s life over Harry’s, as she claims?
• Could Hermione have reasonably predicted to run into the Centaurs, and what was her plan exactly?
• Overall how brilliant is Hermione’s attempt to be free of Umbridge? It works, doesn’t it?
• Does Hermione’s talk with Bane show us that she’s prejudiced, when compared to her earlier comment on Firenze to Lavender and Parvati?
• Do we feel bad for Grawp?
• A number of threads can be connected between this moment in Book 5 and the end of Book 3. Micah and Laura find a few.
• Is it right for Harry to allow Ginny, Neville and Luna to tag along to London? Could he have stopped them?
• Who SHOULD Harry have taken with him to London instead? The hosts discuss.
• Our Lynx Line patrons answer the question, “Hermione obviously chose the wrong thing to say to the Centaurs explaining why they led Umbridge into the Forest. What should she have said instead? [Wrong answers only]”
• Quizzitch: Psychologically, human beings respond to threats in one of four ways, all starting with the letter F. TWO of them are “fight” and “flight,” what are the other two? Join in on the fun!

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On this week’s episode, news continues to roll in on the new Harry Potter TV Show. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they talk the latest casting news and first looks before busting open the MuggleMail bag to take your feedback on the last few chapters of Order of the Phoenix!

• News: Our first look at Dominic McLaughlin as The Boy Who Lived and Nick Frost as Hagrid! Plus, four new casting announcements: Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley, Louise Brealey as Madam Rolanda Hooch, and Anton Lesser as Garrick Ollivander. And those Dursleys are looking mighty 90s in these behind-the-scenes photos!
• Voicemails cover Snape's Worst Memory, Harry's Career Aspirations, Grawp and how the Pensieve could have altered the end of Order of the Phoenix!
• Why is Harry so obsessed with Dumbledore? He barely knows the guy!
• How exactly did Tom Riddle's curse on the Defense Against The Darks Arts position work?
• Old habits die hard! Did Rita Skeeter actually turn over a new leaf?
• One listener questions if there really was a binding magical contract with the Goblet of Fire or if it was all secretly part of Dumbledore's larger plan!
• Put your memories away! Did Snape bait Harry to look in the Pensieve?
• Were Hermione's comments about Firenze really a commentary on Lavender and Parvati's fawning over their new Divination teacher?
• Comparing the Marauder's treatment of Snape to the Death Eaters treatment of the Roberts family
• Reducto! Why couldn't Voldemort just shrink himself to gain access to the Ministry and get the prophecy himself?
• Chicken Soup For The MuggleCast Soul
• Chapter-by-Chapter returns next week with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 33: Fight and Flight
• Quizzitch: In this chapter Umbridge placed Stealth Sensor Spells around her office door. Founded by Edward Calahan over 150 years ago, the company which currently holds at least 15% of the market share for home security systems, is called ADT. What does ADT stand for? Join in on the fun!
• In this week's Bonus MuggleCast, we look back at the Summer of Potter - 2007 saw the release of both Deathly Hallows and the Order of the Phoenix movie!

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On this week’s episode, we discuss the events of Chapter 32 of Order of the Phoenix, "Out of the Fire." Join Andrew, Eric, Micah, and Pam as they cover the second attempted break-in to Professor Umbridge's office, and the fallout.

• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 32: Out of the Fire Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 470 of MuggleCast, titled “Silky Smooth Snape.”
• Should Harry have known that his vision was a ruse? The hosts go all-in on listing several signs, and whether they alone reveal the truth.
• Micah connects the threads between Sirius and Harry in books 3 and 5.
• What is Hermione getting at by mentioning Harry's 'saving people thing'?
• Often times, Harry has legitimately been left to fix the Hogwarts problem and save people. Can we blame him?
• We discuss the power lust present in both Umbridge and Draco, and how they need each other at this time.
• Umbridge's treatment of Snape is interesting, since she does trust he's as horrible as she is.
• What Hermione does works perfectly on Umbridge. Why?
• Why aren't the two other heads of House, Flitwick and Sprout, also members of the Order? Is Dumbledore skeptical of their loyalty, or is he just giving them a break??
• The hosts have differing ideas about what being a 'bad mofo' means, when rating who the baddest was in this chapter.
• Our Lynx Line patrons answer the question, when was a time that you successfully thought on your feet the way Hermione does with Umbridge?
• Quizzitch: In this chapter Umbridge placed Stealth Sensor Spells around her office door. Founded by Edward Calahan over 150 years ago, the company which currently holds at least 15% of the market share for home security systems, is called ADT. What does ADT stand for? Join in on the fun!

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In it, Laura leads a discussion on the Order of the Phoenix scenes in the book that didn't make the movie, but absolutely SHOULD be in the TV Show! #MAXThat

Laura has us break down our adaptation ideas with the "MAGIC Method" that she developed for this episode. We're joined by Slug Club member Nicole, who was a co-host in Episode 703.

What scenes do YOU want to see adapted from Order of the Phoenix in the Harry Potter TV Show? Let us know!

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On this week’s episode, break out the scantrons and No. 2 pencils because Harry, Ron and Hermione are finally sitting their O.W.L.s. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah, Laura and Slug Club member Stacy for the stress-inducing conclusion to Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts. And if exams weren't enough, Hagrid's been sacked and Voldemort has Sirius!

• Welcome Slug Club member, Stacy!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 31: O.W.L.s. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 468 of MuggleCast, titled “Rubeus Hagrid's Punch Out.”
•  Ron cannot stop talking about his big Quidditch win! Did we ever have a friend who just wouldn't shut it about a big accomplishment?
• Magical Moment: Ron reminds Harry of his father James
• After learning about Grawp, Ron raises a fantastic point: “Have we ever come off better for mixing with one of Hagrid’s monster mates?”
• How do the O.W.L. exams reflect real-world academic pressures?
• Draco drops some real world knowledge: "It’s not what you know, but who you know!"
• Why do the students have to wait until July for their scores? Shouldn't magic allow for instant results?
• Wingardium Leviosa, Polyjuice Potion & Patronuses! During Harry's O.W.L.s, we get several throwbacks to the first three books!
• Speaking of Patronuses, is Professor Tofty playing favorites? Does he offer the other students bonus points?
• What does the nighttime ambush of Hagrid suggest about the Ministry’s tactics?
• Sirius Problem: Voldemort has Harry's godfather in the Department of Mysteries!
• What would Harry’s post-exam life look like if he didn’t have a Dark Lord inside of his head?
• The hosts share which O.W.L. they would most like to sit!
• Harry overhears Professor Marchbanks tell Professor Umbridge that Dumbledore “Did things with a wand I’d never seen before!” In our Lynx Line segment for the week, we ask our Patrons what kind of things do you imagine Dumbledore doing to impress the examiners?
• Quizzitch: Harry struggles to name all of the moons of Jupiter for his Astronomy O.W.L. WHICH of the FOLLOWING is NOT one of Jupiter’s moons? Io, Metis, Europa, Ganymede, Calypso, Themisto, Pandia, and S/2003 J 2. Join in on the fun!
• Tilda Swinton? Peter O'Toole? James McAvoy? Michael Cera!? On this week's Bonus MuggleCast, we discuss the actors who turned down Harry Potter roles!

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This week we find Hogwarts in a state of open rebellion with many students (and professors) practicing the subtle art of malicious compliance, a thing which Laura knows something about, as we will learn! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as they discuss Hagrid's awful plan for the trio to put themselves at even greater risk for next to no obvious reward, because it's time to cover Chapter 30 of Order of the Phoenix, Grawp!

• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 30: Grawp. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 467 of MuggleCast, titled “Stranger Danger.”
• How Fred and George's departure sparked an uprising. Was it the 'permission' everyone needed to misbehave?
• Does Filch have buyers' remorse for backing Umbridge? Weren't things better for him (and his cat) under Dumbledore?
• Forgetting who really put the Niffler in Umrbidge's office, the hosts choose their favorite culprits (and then get the correct answer from Micah.)
• A connection between Bubble Head Charms that would make them useful to this day.
• Laura explains how to expertly hobble the willpower of a malicious HOA.
• McGonagall forms an unexpected alliance, and the hosts chat about Montague's situation.
• Why doesn't Harry care about pursuing Occlumency when everybody has told him how important it is?
• Is desperation the leading cause of Hagrid's unbelievable request?
• Could Hagrid simply retire somehwere with Grawp, instead of leaving him behind with the kids?I/li>
• Micah's name origins return!
• The hosts decide on their favorite resistance strategies for Umbridge.
• In our Lynx Line segment for the week, we ask our Patrons whether Hagrid is really in the right to bring Grawp back with him to the UK?
• Quizzitch: What wrestler, who stood at a giant height of 7 feet 4 inches, was also an actor, starring in a film that featured not a Forbidden Forest, but a Fire Swamp?

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This week’s episode dives into some serious daddy drama as Harry throws caution to the wind and breaks into Umbridge’s office to have a heart-to-heart with Sirius about his father. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah, and Laura for career advice, a few cough drops, and plenty of laughs. Plus, things get slightly unhinged as we're upping the sexy factor for every character in the new Harry Potter TV show!

• News: Hogwarts? More like HOTwarts! The new Harry Potter TV Show announces nine new actors, including Draco, Molly, and the Dursleys! And the internet has feelings about the Vernon and Petunia actors.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 29: Career Advice. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 466 of MuggleCast, titled “Weasleys Victorious.”
• Harry feels betrayed and disillusioned after witnessing James's behavior. Is it fair to let this one memory define James as a character?
• Should Harry have shared the contents of the memory with Ron and Hermione? Could McGonagall or Hagrid have helped to ground him a bit?
• Snape's Worst Memory explains quite a bit, but it doesn't validate his treatment of Harry! Should Harry feel bad for Snape?
• Despite the author's commentary, some of us are still befuddled as to how memories viewed in the Pensieve are unbiased.
• Mirror, Mirror: why didn't Harry remember Sirius' gift? And why didn't Sirius point this out to Harry during their Floo conversation?
• Super Petty Snape: the symbolism of him smashing Harry’s Invigoration Draught
• MAX THAT entire Career Advice scene between McGonagall and Umbridge!
• It’s nice to see McGonagall balance encouragement with realism when giving Harry advice. But is too much emphasis being put on O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s?
• Make the Real Life Connection: Did the hosts ever have career conversations like Harry  when we were in school?
• Should Umbridge even be present for Harry’s career consultation?
• We discuss the "sirius" risk(s) Harry took by breaking into Umbridge's office!
• Does the conversation with Sirius & Lupin actually do anything to reassure Harry?
• The Great Weasley Escape and... Hot Peeves?!
• The hosts share the best advice Harry actually receives in this chapter!
• In our Lynx Line segment for the week, we ask our Patrons what’s really going through McGonagall’s head as she is constantly interrupted by Umbridge?
• Quizzitch: Filch seeks approval for whipping from Umbridge. The sound of a bullwhip cracking is caused by what specific thing occurring with the whip?

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This week Chapter-by-Chapter returns, and so does our guest! Professor Julian Wamble, who we first had on our show back in 2023 on MuggleCast #619, once more graces us with his presence as we discuss Chapter 28 of Order of the Phoenix, "Snape's Worst Memory." Julian teaches Political Science at George Washington University, and his podcast Critical Magic Theory as well as Instagram and TikTok content are worth checking out!

• Welcome back to the show, Professor Julian Wamble!
• News: Tom Felton to reprise his role as Draco Malfoy, in New York's production of Cursed Child!
• Chapter-by-Chapter returns with Chapter 28 of Order of the Phoenix, "Snape's Worst Memory."
• Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 465 of MuggleCast, titled "How I Met Your Mother." How are we going to top that title on *this* re-read? (Speaking of reading, here is that episode's transcript.)
• Umbridge's ascent to headmistress of Hogwarts has some classic authoritarian playbook strategies. The hosts dissect.
• Is the appointment of the Inquisitorial Squad merely a natural response to the thought that Dumbledore was raising an army? Andrew explains.
• We look at what Umbridge promised Filch, and consider whether she intends to keep those promises.
• Harry would've been poisoned, if it weren't for a singularly interesting cat... that reminds us of a scene from Deathly Hallows...
• Would Snape have actually given truth serum to Umbridge, and why not? The hosts discuss his loyalties.
• Fred and George have a perfect tonic for Umbridge's control, and it perfectly exploits her vulnerabilities.
• It's a good thing Harry's Occlumency lesson is interrupted... because he didn't do the homework!
• What makes Harry enter the pensieve despite how dangerous the threat of being caught is?
• What Marauders' personality traits did the hosts most enjoy on this readthrough?
• How will the Harry Potter TV show handle Snape's Worst Memory? Professor Wamble has thoughts.
• Are there more traits between Harry and his dad, or Harry and his mom, and what are they?
• The hosts pick a favorite moment of mayhem from this chapter.
• In our Lynx Line segment for the week, we ask our Patrons to build their own Inquisitorial Squad to serve a purpose at Hogwarts that is currently underserved, and ask what the team would do.
• Quizzitch: What band had a song at the top of the UK music charts for every week of May, 1976? A] ABBA, B] Billy Joel, C] Aerosmith, D] David Bowie

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On this week's episode, we’re starting Pride Month 2025 off by revisiting the topic of Potter series author J.K. Rowling, whose recent actions along with the continued assault on the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals worldwide, warrant further discussion. We are joined by a guest who is an ethicist, philosopher and college instructor, and all of our hosts dive head-first into sharing their feelings on what is happening. And to lead off our discussion, we cover the topic of the casting of the new trio for HBO’s upcoming TV series.

• This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Receive 10% off your first month of therapy at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast
• News: Harry, Ron and Hermione have now been cast in HBO’s Harry Potter TV series! The hosts react.
• Welcome to the podcast, Sunny Williams! Sunny’s roots in fandom and wizard rock, and her impressive academic career, make her a perfect fit for our episode today.
• We revisit the topic of J.K. Rowling, whose new ’Women’s Fund’ will help advance anti-trans legal cases.
• Our previous episodes that addressed the author were Episode 447b and Episode 469, both worth a re-listen.
• The hosts share their thoughts on the last 5 years of disappointment, from infinite double-downs to behavior that is antithetical to the works which we celebrate.
• Eric takes us through the most recent year in anti-trans legislation, featuring two huge pseudoscientific reports, not peer reviewed and forcefully discredited by major medical organizations, which are nevertheless being used to strip transgender people from accessing healthcare through legislation.
• The actual science is so in-favor of trans people receiving healthcare, that its opponents have suggested other ways of measuring its efficiency, like whether receivers currently have a job.
• Rowling’s astonishing cruelty is on display daily on X, and her initiatives and gender-policing have been shown to affect ALL women, as the rise on assaults of women in rest areas has grown around hostility towards anyone seen as gender non-conforming by strangers empowered to act.
• The hosts use scenarios from the Potter books to illustrate what’s presently happening.
• Sunny guides us through the ethics of financially supporting problematic creators, with thoughts from Socrates, Hannah Arendt, Henry David Thoreau, and others!
• To wrap, we discuss our continued strategy for keeping the fandom progressive and inclusive.
• Next week, a return to Chapter-by-Chapter will see us introduced to another bully, as it’s time to experience Chapter 28, “Snape’s Worst Memory.”

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On this week's episode, we’re aspiring to become friends with Firenze! His cozy indoor forest classroom is really the bee’s knees, and the rest we obtain there helps us stay sharp when having to suddenly exit the Room of Requirement! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah for the next Book 5 chapter discussion.

• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 27: The Centaur and the Sneak. MuggleCast last discussed this chapter on Episode 464!
• What is the main force behind Hermione’s comments to Lavender and Parvati?
• Is Firenze gearing the children up to prepare for war?
• What are the benefits of a non-human-centric approach to Divination?
• Firenze also ups Harry’s cool factor considerably.
• Two members of the DA can now produce full Patronuses! We examine their meaning, including bringing back a revelation from Micah that’s nearly 20 years old (our minds are still blown.)
• What’s the deal with Dobby’s loyalties? Why can Umbridge command him not to speak?
• We examine Draco’s choice to apprehend Harry versus later choices he makes in the books.
• What is the timeline of events surrounding Umbrage, and “the sneak”’s confession? How does Fudge get to Hogwarts so quickly?!
• What makes Marietta cave? And why is it a million times better than in the movie?
• The Dumbledore Lie Count (tm) returns!!!
• Odds & Ends cover one of Harry’s forgotten schoolbooks.
• MVP: Dumbledore’s most Slytherin moments from the chapter
• Lynx Line: Our patrons re-name Dumbledore’s Army!
• Quizzitch: The fourth planet in our Solar System is Mars, named for the Roman god of war. What did the Ancient Greeks call their god of war?

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On this week's episode, get your copy of The Quibbler (and quickly transfigure it) before Umbridge bans it! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as they enjoy a brief compliment from Snape and finally get through *that* door at the Department of Mysteries!

• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 26: Seen and Unforseen. MuggleCast last discussed this chapter on Episode 463!
• Could Hermione have been a little softer on Harry concerning Cho? Does she share any blame for double-booking him in Hogsmeade?
• Hermione criticizes her friends reactions to the outcome of the Quidditch match. Does she have any fun outlets?
• Harry is having FOMO watching Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor. But let's face it, it's not easy watching from the sidelines!
• Shockingly, Snape comes the closest he ever has to actually caring about teaching Harry Occlumency, but... of course... has to have the last laugh!
• We draw comparisons between Lupin teaching Harry the Patronus Charm and Snape teaching Harry Occlumency. Should Harry be farther along given he's been at this for two months?
• How did Harry get through the Department of Mysteries door during his Occlumency lesson when he's never been there in his dreams?
• The hosts agree that Dumbledore had Firenze in his back pocket to take over for Trelawney. Who did Dumbledore have on tap as a replacement for Hagrid?
• Voldemort finally learns only he or Harry can retrieve the prophecy. How is this not more common knowledge in the Wizarding World? How would’ve things been different if Voldemort never wasted time with this plan?
• Harry has direct line of sight into Voldemort's plan with Lucius Malfoy, Sturgis Podmore, Broderick Bode and Avery. Why not leak this info to The Quibbler?
• Odds & Ends cover The Streisand Effect and The Astronomy Tower
• MVP: Best All-Time Trelawney Moments (before she was fired)
• Lynx Line: Our patrons write Harry a short piece of fan-mail OR hate-mail to be delivered via Owl Post to the Great Hall at breakfast!
• Quizzitch: In banning The Quibbler, Umbridge only raises more interest in it. The concept of banning something only making it more popular is colloquially known as The Streisand Effect, after actress Barbara Streisand sued a photographer for publishing a photo in 2003. What was the photo of?

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On this week's episode, listen during Chapter-by-Chapter as the MuggleCasters discuss Harry juggling TWO dates in Hogsmeade. One which may have been doomed from the start (with Cho), and another which likely changes the course of Wizarding history (with Rita). Andrew, Eric, Laura, Micah, and Slug Club guest Katie dig in, because it's time for Chapter 25 of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

• Welcome Slug Club member, Katie!
• The hosts wish to reassert their disavowal of J.K. Rowling for her role in making women less safe in the U.K. Please visit GLAAD's amazing page for links including FAQs, resources, and tips for allies.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 25: The Beetle at Bay. MuggleCast last discussed this chapter on Episode 462!
• Harry's feelings toward his fellow students in light of the Azkaban breakout headlines have us once more feeling like we are living in the books today.
• The Ministry's control of information and issuance of propaganda, the extent which is confirmed in this chapter, is massive but not perfect. Some who look deeper are beginning to see the cracks in the facade.
• Umbridge's power grabs are becoming unenforceable. The hosts discuss how her main goal appears to be to frighten and dissuade dissenters, even among the staff.
• Harry and students are impressed by Neville's recent hard work in the D.A. This reminds us about when we made the "Neville Gets Swole" Spotify playlist, perfect for your summertime runs and workouts!
• Is Hermione single-handedly changing the course of the Wizarding world? We think so.
• Is there anything the students can/should be doing about Hagrid and his probation? Or is his behavior just too weird, and the students too buried in coursework?
• Ron has a fair idea, but Hermione shuts him down cold. We hold a memorial service for Ron's strategical aptitude subplot from Book 1.
• In what ways was "Madame Puddifoot's" NOT the perfect Valentine's spot, and whose fault is it that Harry and Cho's date is a disaster? Was it doomed from the start?
• Is Rita Skeeter looking for redemption, or just some hot goss?
• Odds & Ends asks why Ron, Fred or George do not seem to know about Antonin Dolohov's connection with their uncles, nor do they mention it.
• Most #RealTalk moment of the week? Hosts weigh in.
• Lynx Line: we asked our Patrons to submit a one-sentence headline sure to grab all of the attention.
• Quizzitch: What prison was the site of the largest jailbreak in British history - when 38 inmates, members of the Irish Republican Army, overpowered guards in 1983?

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• Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! On this week's edition we discuss the best use of 8 hours to tell the story of the first season of the upcoming TV show! Patreon.com/MuggleCast 
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On this week's episode, clear your minds because you don't want Professor Snape seeing *that* memory! Am I right? Join Andrew, Micah, Laura and Nicole as they say goodbye to Sirius, ride The Knight Bus back to Hogwarts and endure one of Harry's most grueling lessons in the entire Potter series.

• Welcome Slug Club member, Nicole!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 24: Occlumency. MuggleCast last discussed this chapter on Episode 461!
• For the first time ever, Harry is not looking forward to going back to Hogwarts. And he’s about to get another reason to dread it even more!
• Harry seems to have a sixth sense as it relates to Kreacher. Should he have shared his suspicions with someone else in the Order?
• Showdown at Grimmauld Place: Snape and Sirius are bickering like exes!
• Why does Sirius refer to Snape as Lucius’ lapdog?
• Foreshadow Alert: Sirius' Grim Goodbye & The Two-Way Mirror
• We discuss how there is SO MUCH wrong with Harry's Occlumency lessons!
• Given that Snape has spent years closing off his mind to Voldemort, is he the most qualified to teach Harry Occlumency? Should there have been a third party mediator?
• Ruh Roh! What if Voldemort penetrated Harry’s mind and saw Snape teaching him Occlumency?
• Exactly which memories does Snape removing from his mind?
• Do these lessons actually weaken Harry's mental and physical state of being?
• We compare the mental capacity needed to cast a Patronus to that required to perform Occlumency
• The Big Snape Reveal: did he just show the reader his true colors?
• What does Voldemort actually know about his connection Harry?
• Odds & Ends cover Connecting The Threads between Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix, The Knight Bus, Madam Marsh, the Department of Mysteries and more!
• Most Impressive Dig of the Week: Snape or Sirius?
• Lynx Line: What could possibly make Voldemort the happiest he’s ever been? Wrong answers only.
• Quizzitch: What part of the human brain, in addition to aiding cognitive functions like attention and planning, is also involved with the storing of long-term memories? 
• On Bonus MuggleCast, it's time to MAX THAT! The hosts deep dive into some of the scenes they'd most like to see adapted for the new TV show that didn't make it into the Order of the Phoenix movie!

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On this week's episode, we're trying our best to keep morale high as Harry is having a complete meltdown! Join Andrew, Eric and Micah as they debate Dumbledore's hands-off approach and navigate the highs and lows of Christmas on The Closed Ward.

• News: Warner Bros. finally confirms six actors for the new Harry Potter TV series
• Chapter by Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 23: Christmas on The Closed Ward. MuggleCast last discussed this chapter on Episode 460!
• Harry feels violated and is completely spiraling! Who is going to save him?
• Why should Harry listen to or even trust Phineas Nigellus Black?
• The Power of Connection: Hermione & Ginny's Breakthrough
• Do we feel Harry is even capable of asking for help given his upbringing?
• Buckbeak: The Emotional Support Hippogriff
• The Lighter Side of Remus Lupin
• Santa Sirius has forgotten all about his Christmas elf Kreacher
• Should we feel sorry for Lockhart?
• The Longbottoms & The Harsh Realities of War
• Bubblegum Wrapper Theories Galore!
• Most Valuable Gift: What was the best Christmas gift someone received in this chapter?
• Lynx Line: What is something someone gave you that has no (or little) monetary value, but which you hold absolutely dear and would be devastated to part with? What’s the story associated with it?
• Quizzitch: What actor/comedian once eschewed autographs in favor handing out cards reading “This certifies that you have had a personal encounter with me and that you found me warm, polite, intelligent, and funny”?
• On Bonus MuggleCast, the hosts try their hands (literally) at a game of Skribbl!

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On this week’s episode of MuggleCast, Chapter by Chapter returns as the hosts discuss Order of the Phoenix Chapter 22, “St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.” Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as they bring their particular brand of magic to your ears.

• This chapter was last discussed on two MuggleCast episodes! Episode 458 and Episode 459.
• OOTP Chapter 22 was almost entirely omitted from the fifth movie. We want the MAX show to cover all of it!
• How much does Dumbledore already know about Harry and Voldemort’s connection, and what does his mysterious silver instrument tell him?
• Did the Order of the Phoenix have the same tools for communication at their disposal during the first Wizarding War?
• In order for Arthur to live in this book, another character had to die in Book 7. Hosts discuss.
• What is Ron feeling during this entire chapter?
• Why isn’t Sirius able to comfort Harry correctly?
• Are wizards able to heal most their problems without visiting St Mungo’s?
• Is every maledictus venomous? Or is nagini a special case?
• Harry receives some unpleasant news while eavesdropping.
• Our Lynx Line question: if you were a Healer at St Mungo’s, which department would you work in? Our patrons respond.
• Quizzitch: The London entrance to St. Mungo’s features a mannequin that moves and articulates. What is the name given to the ambulatory mannequins in the first episode of the 2005 “Doctor Who” revival? (That episode is called “Rose”)

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Having recently finished the Harry Potter series herself, we welcome back friend of the show, Kierra Lewis! Plus, we bust open the Muggle Mailbag to hear directly from you on all things Order of the Phoenix!

• We're older than Nicolas Flamel! Cheers to 700 episodes of MuggleCast!
• Who Said It?! How good are the hosts at recalling the things they've said over the last 699 episodes?
• Welcome back, Kierra Lewis! Having recently finished the Harry Potter series, Kierra joins MuggleCast to discuss her favorite Potter book, if her perspective has changed on characters like Dumbledore and Snape, what it was like visiting the Wizarding World in Orlando and if she's ever gotten a noise complaint! You can find Kierra on TikTok at @kierralewis75 and on Instagram at @kierra_lewis1.
• MuggleMail covers Being Too Hard on Draco, Hermione The Ravenclaw, The Floo Network And How To Use It, Alternate Professions for Professor Snape, Pumping the Breaks on All The Hogwarts Professor Hate and more!
• Chicken Soup For The MuggleCast Soul returns with a special note from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Our patrons chimed in on the Lynx Line to answer the question: How  should MuggleCast celebrate 700 episodes in the Wizarding World?
• Quizzitch: What is the nearest prime number to 700?
• Don't forget you can help MuggleCast grow!
• Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! Patreon.com/MuggleCast 
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On this week's episode, grab your tissues because we're discussing Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 21: The Eye of the Snake. And speaking of Hagrid-centric chapters, it looks like the Harry Potter TV Show has found its Rubeus! 

• Harry Potter TV Show News: Nick Frost is reportedly up for the role of Hagrid! We discuss if he can pull off this pivotal role and what we know him from.
• Chapter by Chapter resumes with Order of the Phoenix Chapter 21, The Eye of the Snake (gulp).
• Despite Hermione's best efforts, Hagrid decides to teach a class on Thestrals. We break down the pro's and con's of this decision.
• If most of the class can't see a creature, does that make it a bad lesson? Not necessarily! But Hagrid could've designed this class better.
• What did Hagrid's 'shrieking cry' sound like?
• Shouldn't there be some magic that allows those who haven't seen death to be able to see Thestrals? At least for research purposes it would make sense!
• Speaking of seeing death, is it strange that Umbridge herself can't see Thestrals? 
• Should Dumbledore have warned Hagrid about what Umbridge has been up to at the school? Or DID they talk once Hagrid returned?
• The second half of this chapter has a big Life Moment for Harry: His first kiss!
• Was it Cho or Harry who made the first move? And how should Harry have reacted when she was crying?
• We recount our First Kiss stories, and this week's Lynx Line asks Patrons if they had a bad first kiss themselves!
• Quizzitch: Capable of reaching a length of roughly 19 feet and weighing around 28 lbs, what is the largest known venomous snake species in the world?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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On this week's episode, don't forget when sneaking out of the house to cover your footprints in the snow!  We're getting the lowdown from Hagrid on what he's been up to for the last few months, until, of course, we're interrupted by one, giant b*tch!

• Chapter by Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 20: Hagrid's Tale. MuggleCast last discussed the chapter on Episode 456!
• Upon his return to Hogwarts, do readers and the trio experience a different side to Hagrid?
• Honestly, can Harry, Ron and Hermione give Hagrid a minute to get settled in?
• It seems like Hagrid is simultaneously annoyed and proud of the trio for being able to put two and two together about his journey.
• Could Umbridge have been responsible for putting a tail on Hagrid and Maxime?
• Our first and only real exposure to Giant Culture in the Wizarding world: a fascinating dynamic to another marginalized community.
• How is Dumbledore recruiting the giants any different than Voldemort?
• Did Hagrid and Maxime's gifts to Karkus ultimately get him killed?
• What does it say about the giants that some are closed off to new ideas, but others can be open to them?
• Mommy Issues: Hagrid doesn't speak too kindly about his mother. Fridwulfa
• Does Umbridge spend all her time spying? Is this what Petunia would have been like at Hogwarts?
• Did Harry, Ron and Hermione visiting Hagrid open the door for Umbridge's visit?
• The hosts share their Best Hagrid Moment from this chapter they want to see get the MAX treatment!
• Lynx Line: If you could go on a magical adventure with any wizarding world character to do Dumbledore’s bidding, who would it be and why?
• Quizzitch:  In the English fairy tale “Jack and the Beanstalk,” Jack, who later meets a husband and wife that are giants, trades WHAT to obtain a handful of magic beans?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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This week, Draco goes so hard against the Gryffindor Team, and Umbridge awards herself total control over student lives in our latest Chapter by Chapter series. Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as they discuss the line between bullying and fair play, and analyze whether Umbridge is making enemies of the whole school.

• News: The Harry Potter TV show on HBO has cast its Snape and McGonagall, and the HP illustrated editions now have their new illustrator.
• Chapter by Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 19: The Lion and the Serpent. MuggleCast last discussed the chapter on Episode 455!
• Hermione reveals the dark origins of her idea for the enchanted Galleons. Why wasn’t she sorted into Ravenclaw, we also wonder?
• Andrew says coins are easy to lose, and the other hosts weigh in.
• Where is the line between sportsmanship and bullying? We feel for Ron, but wonder if any of the Slytherins’ behavior is okay.
• What makes Draco SO extra? Is he compensating for being an unskilled Quidditch player?
• Did Umbridge put Draco up to the taunting, in order to get Harry & co. expelled??
• is McGonagall’s punishment more fitting than Umbridge’s? And hey! It looks like Dumbledore has been doing something after all!
• in banning Harry from Quidditch, does she give Harry more free time to plot against her?
• Lynx Line: If you had to chant something at Malfoy to distract him while playing Quidditch, what would it be?
• Quizzitch: What ice hockey player had a rule named after him after he displayed unsportsmanlike tactics in an attempt to intimidate goalie Martin Brodeur, by waving his hands and hockey stick in his face?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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On this week's episode, put on your ballet shoes and meet us on the Seventh Floor of Hogwarts, because we're holding secret meetings, breaking rules and firing defensive spells at each other. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Pam for the first official meeting of Dumbledore's Army!

• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with  Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 18: Dumbledore's Army. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 454 for our prior Chapter 18 analysis!
• Should Umbridge be thrown in jail for opening Harry's mail?
• Connecting the Threads between Vernon Dursley, Dobby and Umbridge! 🤯
• Why does Hermione have buyer's remorse about Dumbledore's Army?
• Horcrux Alert: Harry ponders the weird connection between himself and Voldemort that Dumbledore has (still) failed to explain!
• Did House-Elves use their magic to help build the Room of Requirement?
• The Tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy: is it more than just trolls trying to do ballet?
• How do we rate Harry on his first lesson as the new Defense Against The Dark Arts professor?
• Lynx Line: What do the House-Elves use the Room of Requirement for?
• Quizzitch: The abbreviation D.A. may most commonly refer to this position as chief prosecutor in a United States criminal case. What is the position, with those initials, that has a history stretching back to 1813?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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On this week's episode, sit tight. Because the overreach by Professor Umbridge interfering with the everyday lives of Hogwarts students is just beginning! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as they continue Chapter-by-Chapter with Chapter 17 of Order of the Phoenix.

• This week’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp, receive 10% off your first month of therapy at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast, and by Factor, for 50% off your first meal box plus free shipping (code: FACTORPODCAST)
• TV Show News: John Lithgow confirms he will be playing Dumbledore for HBO!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with  Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 17: Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 453 for our prior Chapter 17 analysis!
• The walls of freedom are closing in around Harry and his friends. Once again the hosts reflect on how the chapter, and Umbridge, applies to modern day US politics.
• Since Hermione has revealed that she jinxed the DA sign-up sheet, do we now think her actions were untoward? Do we feel bad for Marietta?
• Laura asks: Were we ever part of a student group that got disbanded?
• Umbridge unfairly allows Slytherin to continue playing Quidditch, while keeping Gryffindor in review. Is this in effort to control Harry?
• Hedwig’s injury causes a stir, and McGonagall tries again to warn Harry what is happening at Hogwarts.
• Should magical animals be able to better communicate with humans? Is there a spell for that?
• Neville snaps. Is he justified in going after Draco? Will Draco ever learn?
• Umbridge v. Snape leaves us short of needing a mop or shovel. What did we learn from their encounter in Potions?
• Sirius delivers Molly’s message. Is it fair for her to ask Ron not to participate in the DA? Is she living in the same world as everyone else?
• Odds and Ends covers Fred and George’s latest (successful) attempt to obey school rules, and Crookshanks’ love for Sirius.
• The Lynx Line: What did Mundungus do to get banned from the Hogs Head 20 years ago?
• Quizzitch: What bird did the Ancient Greeks, Ancient Romans, and Genghis Khan all use to send their messages?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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On this week's episode, grab a dirty bottle of Butterbeer from the bartender who kind of looks familiar and pull up a seat or two, because Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura are hosting underground meetings in Hogsmeade's most iconic dive bar!

• News covers the recently announced interactive edition of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and new Cursed Child city and tour dates
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with  Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 16: In The Hog's Head. Our Time Turner segment has us spinning an old recording from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 452 for our prior Chapter 16 analysis!
• The Hog's Head: site of many an important event in the Harry Potter series
• We give our initial reactions to Hogsmeade's most iconic dive bar!
• Given it is quiet and off-the-beaten-path, was the Hog's Head the best choice for the first, unofficial meeting of Dumbledore's Army?
• FINALLY! Some inter-House unity! Well, kind of...
• Do we fault Cedric's housemates for wanting to know more about his death?
• Should Hermione have prepared Harry more for this moment?
• What would it have taken to convince each of us to sign up for Dumbledore’s Army?
• Luna vs. Hermione: our favorite Ravenclaw does not back down!
• Odds & Ends cover a pair of eavesdroppers in Mundungus Fletcher and Willy Widdershins
• Micah plays bartender, whipping up some Hog's Head cocktails for Andrew, Eric and Laura
• Lynx Line: If you had to disguise yourself as someone in the Hog’s Head, what would you dress up as and how would you avoid detection?
• Quizzitch: In the mid-20th century United Kingdom, pint glasses replaced what type of drinking vessel, commonly made of glass, ceramic, or pewter?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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On this week's episode, we're preparing to be inspected as the new High Inquisitor of Hogwarts sets her eyes on some easy prey. Chapter-by-Chapter covers OotP 15, and we also discuss the latest (huge) Dumbledore casting rumor for the HP TV series!.

• Welcome to the show, Slug Club guest host Jordan!
• The latest HP TV Show news is that actor John Lithgow is close to finalizing talks to play Albus Dumbledore. The hosts react!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with  Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 15: The Hogwarts High Inquisitor. Our Time Turner segment has us spinning an old recording from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 451 for our prior Chapter 15 analysis!
• Laura takes us back through the history of various “inquisitors.”
• How clued-in is Percy to the inner workings of Umbridge and Fudge’s plot?
• Did Dumbledore know the Ministry would pass midnight legislation if he did not fill the DADA vacancy? Did he choose not to act?
• Do we think the Ministry SHOULD have greater oversight into Hogwarts?
• Snape gets a T for Tool. Or, is that Troll?
• Have any of the hosts ever been inspected while doing their job?
• Where does Hermione err in her confrontation with Umbridge?
• What was Dean Thomas doing to his mouse in Transfiguration?
• Lynx Line: What educational decree would YOU pass / what rule would YOU enforce at Hogwarts? Our Patrons were asked!
• Quizzitch: in the USA, the College Board administers the SAT, which has a possible perfect score of 1600. What is the lowest score possible to receive on the SAT?
• Don’t forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/Mugglecast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• Visit MuggleCast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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On this week's episode, we're taking deep breaths and going through Percy's letter to Ron, as Chapter-by-Chapter tackles Chapter 14 of Order of the Phoenix.

• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with  Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 14: Percy and Padfoot. Our Time Turner segment has us spinning an old recording from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 450 for our prior Chapter 14 analysis!
• Despite lots of folks being divided, we focus on examples of residents at Hogwarts helping fellow students out! Including: Nearly-Headless Nick saving Harry's life (probably).
• What is the meaning behind Filch's baseless claims against Harry?
• Ron Weasley, a smart character, has an idea that even Hermione agrees with!
• When Percy's letter arrives, Harry and Ron are shocked. We go through what the worst parts are about what he wrote to his brother and why.
• Andrew asks: Have we ever been asked by a family member to 'sever ties' with another? And what were the consequences?
• The chapter ends with Sirius's conversation, and a few Odds and Ends.
• MVP: What should Ron have said (or written) back to Percy?
• Lynx Line: Our patrons have drafted their coded messages to Sirius, describing the plot of their favorite movie in a way that Umbridge would not understand.
• Quizzitch: First discovered in the year 1610, the four largest moons of the planet Jupiter are called Io, Europa, Ganymede, and… __what?
• Don’t forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/Mugglecast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
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This week's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Learn how to identify red and green flags with a therapist at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast.

• Welcome Quizzitch master and winner, James!
• In the middle of this winter season our Comfy Cozy Combo Pack is nearly sold out! Containing our MuggleCast show beanie and our specialty throwback socks, grab these soft and warming items before it's too late at the MuggleMillennial Etsy store!
• Chapter-by-Chapter returns with  Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 13: Detention with Dolores. Our Time Turner segment has us spinning an old recording from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 449 for our prior Chapter 13 analysis!
• Could there be a common theme running through the Chapter 13s of the Harry Potter series?
• Main Discussion #1: Radical Hermione
• Spin Cycle: Have the hosts ever gotten caught up in the news and believed something that turned out to be false?
• Why is Umbridge allowed to teach the students during their O.W.L.s year?
• Could Hermione be working smarter, not harder, by threatening to write to Mrs. Weasley about Fred & George? We debate the ethics of them testing products on first years! And did the Twins drug Hermione later in the chapter?
• Should Hermione be tricking House-Elves into freedom by hiding knitted hats beneath bits of rubbish? Would she even have the authority to free the Hogwarts House-Elves?
• Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff Unite: Luna and Ernie show support for Harry!
• Main Discussion #2: Detention
• Our initial reactions to one of the most cringe-worthy moments in the Harry Potter series!
• How is The Black Quill legal? Does it have any relation to the Quick Quotes Quill?
• Why is Harry suffering in silence? Could past abuse and trauma be at play?
• How much is Dumbledore to blame for Harry's resistance to go to an authority figure?
• We discuss the significance of Umbridge giving Harry his second permanent scar!
• Quidditch Tryouts: is Ron a nepo baby?
• When Umbridge touches Harry, his scar burns. Should we assume she's connected to Voldemort or was this pure coincidence?
• Odds & Ends cover Hagrid's absence, McGonagall's confidence in Neville, angry bowtruckles and more!
• MVP: What would we have thought if we’d been onlookers at the Third Task in Goblet of Fire and seen Harry return from the maze clutching Cedric’s dead body?
• Lynx Line: Our patrons weigh in on what they would do to resist the Umbridge regime at Hogwarts.
• Quizzitch: In this chapter, Harry is tasked with completing an illustration of a Bowtruckle. What English children's book author started out as a biological illustrator, a subject matter which certainly influenced the animal characters of their books?
• Don’t forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/Mugglecast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• On this week's Bonus MuggleCast, we have a blast re-sorting the Weasley family! Percy to Slytherin? Ron to Hufflepuff? Splitting up the Twins?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• Welcome to the show Slug Club guest Evalynda!
• In the middle of this Winter season our Comfy Coz Combo Pack is nearly sold out! Containing our MuggleCast show beanie and our specialty throwback socks, grab these soft and warming items before it's too late over at the MuggleMillennial Etsy store!
• In our first voicemail of 2025, a listener points out something very interesting about the Triwizard competitors and their Hogwarts house affiliations.
• We look back on our Books 4 and 3 discussions with a round of MuggleMail regarding Karkaroff and Remus Lupin.
• Given the importance to Dumbledore of his appearing on the Famous Witch and Wizard Cards, could he be using them to spy on unsuspecting kids like Harry?!
• On the upcoming TV show, what changes to Snape might be concerning, and which ones wouldn't?
• Petunia and Vernon's relationship to each other and to the Potters is examined in depth!
• Are all of the adults in the Order just disorganized? Does Arthur Weasley deserve a pass for not scouting the route?
• Are Muggle primary schools looking for the M.I.A. Hogwarts students?
• Why doesn't Sirius ever seek out his favorite cousin, Andromeda?
• Should the role of Hogwarts Prefect come with a set of clear instructions?
• The Lynx Line segment asks for everyone's takeaways regarding our Book 5 read-through so far.
• Quizzitch: Which US fast-food chain was the first to add savory biscuits to their menu, in the 1970s?
• Don’t forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/Mugglecast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• Visit MuggleCast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 12: Professor Umbridge. Our Time Turner segment has us spinning an old recording from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 448 for our prior Chapter 12 analysis!
• Main Discussion #1 The Worst Monday Ron Has Ever Seen
• Hermione remarks that she wishes there could be better House unity. But what does Hogwarts actually do to promote this?
• As prefect, Ron struggles to reprimand his brothers. Should Harry have said something to Fred and George in private about their "extracurricular activities"?
• Have Ron and Harry become too reliant on Hermione for academic support? Or has she enabled them too much over the years?
• Why does Ron behave so rudley towards Cho? Could he be jealous of her?
• Why are there seemingly no decent teachers at Hogwarts? Binns, Snape and Umbridge have Harry's fifth year off to a rough start!
• We rank the previous Defense Against The Dark Arts Professors
• Main Discussion #2: Hermione the Rebel
• Did Hermione's raised hand in Umbridge's class land Harry in detention?
• Does Umbridge have a point in criticizing the very fragmented nature of the students DADA education?
• Did the Ministry ever release a detailed account of what happened to Cedric?
• We analyze McGonagall and Harry's conversation about Umbridge
• MVP: What's the greatest zinger that Gryffindor students use against Umbridge in this chapter?
• Lynx Line: What is a wild dream that you have had which either came true shortly after, or was just very weird?
• Quizzitch: Which US fast-food chain was the first to add savory biscuits to their menu, in the 1970s?
• Bonus MuggleCast: It's Part 2 of Would you date a wizard? Who specifically would we invite out on a date? What appeals to us? What would appeal to them? And what's our bedroom life look like?
• Don’t forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/Mugglecast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• The MuggleCast Merch Store is open year-round for all your gifting needs! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and more! And don’t forget, you can now also gift a Patreon subscription!
• Visit MuggleCast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• But first, a reminder! Still rolling from the holidays? The MuggleCast Merch Store is open year-round for all your gifting needs! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and more! And don’t forget, you can now also gift a Patreon subscription!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 11: The Sorting Hat’s New Song. Our Time Turner segment has us spinning an old recording from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 446 for our prior Chapter 11 analysis!
• Harry sometimes sees things others don’t, but how often is death involved in the process? Laura connects some threads for us.
• How fair or unfair is Luna’s assertion that Hagrid is not well-loved by the Ravenclaws?
• According to the Sorting Hat, Godric and Salazar were BEST FRIENDS!
• The Hat could use some career advice right about now, it’s second guessing its own mission.
• Someone interrupts Nick talking about previous times the Hat has given a warning. So, we guess at when that might have occurred.
• Enter Umbridge, an Orwellian villain who talks way too much to bury her sinister intent.
• Fortunately, HermioneGPT can explain the speech to Ron, Harry, and anyone who accidentally fell asleep.
• Harry’s own House mates are on their way toward believing the lies of the Daily Prophet. But Neville is coming into his own, and defends Harry. You love to see it.
• Our What If? segment covers: What If Seamus moved out?
• Lynx Line: Which Hogwarts teachers and lessons could use the most reform, and how would you reform them?
• Quizzitch:In light of Umbridge’s long and boring speech, what is the length of the longest speech ever given in the UK, presented by Henry Peter Brougham in 1828?
• Don’t forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/Mugglecast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• Visit mugglecast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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And before looking ahead, we look back at the fandoms we adored in 2024, with the goal being to share the ones we haven't spoken about on the show. We were addicted to games like Balatro and WWE 2k24, and were grooving to music from Maggie Rogers. We also loved the Sonic film franchise and TV shows like Arcane and English Teacher.

2025 topics include the next Hunger Games spinoff Sunrise on the Reaping, Grand Theft Auto 6, Yellowjackets Season 3 , the Stranger Things finale, and so much more!

Thank you to everyone for joining What the Hype?! this year! Make sure to follow us in your favorite podcast app and on YouTube. We'd also deeply appreciate a review!

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We've only been able to podcast for 20 years thanks to support from listeners like you. Visit Patreon.com/mugglecast to help us out, and enjoy dozens more Bonus MuggleCast installments immediately!

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Even though this was recorded earlier in December, you get to play along as we read each of the questions and possible answers. Thank you to everyone who has supported us this year - The show is one of the great joys of our life, and we absolutely love being your Harry Potter besties.

For more Quizzitch Live episodes, visit our YouTube page!

Listener support is the only reason we can conjure this show and Quizzitch Live events. Please consider supporting us on Patreon today, and in return you'll receive many magical benefits! For example, you'll receive two new Bonus MuggleCast episodes each month. In our latest, we discuss what a trivia night would look like within the Wizarding World.

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• It’s the holiday season and the MuggleCast Merch Store is open for all your gifting needs! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and more! And don’t forget, you can now also gift a Patreon subscription!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 10: Luna Lovegood. Our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 241 and Episode 445 for prior Chapter 10 analysis!
• Harry is dreaming again. What can we make of this latest barrage of symbolism and metaphor?
• Why does Harry’s security entourage keep changing? Is it a mark of safety, or dwindling numbers in the Order?
• Sirius makes an unfortunate move. Bad dog, Snuffles!
• Should we be concerned for Sturgis Podmore?
• Hogwarts’ practice of prefects in place of real security might fall short. But at least their carriage is probably nice!
• Will the upcoming HP tv series have the most trouble re-casting Luna?
• Can Ginny be considered Luna’s friend? Can Neville?
• Hermione’s foot enters her mouth regarding the Quibbler. Should she know better than to pick a fight about something a stranger is reading in front of her?
• Unfortunately Harry’s arrival at Hogwarts reveals that not a lot has stayed the same how he wanted it. Sad.
• Lynx Line: the Best made up Quibbler headlines
• Quizzitch: Which UK tabloid, known for its sensationalist journalism, was founded in the year 1896 by a man who would later become 1st Viscount Northcliffe?
• Don’t forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/Mugglecast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• Visit mugglecast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• Welcome, Slug Club Member Rex!
•  It's the holiday season and the MuggleCast Merch Store is open for all your gifting needs! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and more! And don't forget, you can now gift a Patreon subscription!
• Mark your calendars! A special holiday edition of Quizzitch Live is headed your way Sunday, December 15 at 12 PM ET. Stay tuned for more details!
• We discuss some exciting Harry Potter TV Show news: Paapa Essiedu is rumoured as the favorite for Snape, while we get confirmation that filming is set for Summer 2025.
• David Holmes, the stuntman for Daniel Radcliffe, who was injured on the set of Deathly Hallows: Part 1 has released a new book called The Boy Who Lived.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 9: The Woes of Mrs. Weasley. Our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 443 and Episode 241 for prior Chapter 9 analysis!
• Why was Dumbledore in such a rush to exit the trial chamber? And why didn't he bother to give Arthur the good news about Harry?
• What was Lucius Malfoy doing down on Level 9? How does he know enough about Harry's situation to call him "Patronus Potter"? We analyze his level of (financial) influence over Ministry officials.
• What does it say about Fudge that despite being surrounded by Death Eaters, Dumbledore believes he's acting of his own free will?
• Arthur explains Muggle Baiting to Harry. Do Fred and George’s actions from last summer with ton-tongue toffee fall into this category?
• Why doesn't Sirius seem to be happy for Harry? When is he going to grow up?
• Are we surprised that everyone was surprised that Ron was made Prefect? Who would have made a better choice? Neville? Dean? Seamus?
• What are the pros and cons if Dumbledore had made Harry a Prefect?
• Molly's Greatest Fear and the many lessons it teaches us as readers
• What would each of our boggarts be (within the context of Grimmauld Place)?
• Lynx Line: Should Dumbledore have made Harry a Prefect instead of Ron? Why or why not?
• Quizzitch: What fountain gets the most money thrown into it per year, in the real world?
• Don’t forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• On this week's Bonus MuggleCast, we debate whether or not the Harry Potter Movies are Christmas movies?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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In this Bonus MuggleCast, we discuss the topic of being a muggle and dating a wizard. What would that be like? What pro’s and con’s are there? Our Patrons told us this was a favorite Bonus MuggleCast of theirs!

That said, we do discuss mature topics in this episode, so listener discretion is advised. We occasionally record more adult-themed Bonus MuggleCast episodes since we’re behind a paywall on Patreon, and — we’re adults who want to discuss adult topics. We know listeners love it too.

Patrons and paid Apple Podcast subscribers get TWO new Bonus MuggleCast installments every month, plus a cornucopia of other benefits, like ad-free episodes, early releases, a new physical gift every year, and so much more! Check it out, go to Patreon.com/mugglecast

And you can now GIFT a Patreon membership! Ask your loved one to go to Patreon.com/mugglecast/gift and they can get you anywhere from 1 to 12 months of Patreon access! It’s the perfect gift idea if you’ve been wanting to support us and get hooked up with many magical MuggleCast perks.

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• Welcome to the show, Slug Club guest Monet!
• Just like Monet, YOU can guest-host the show if you pledge to our Patreon at the Slug Club level. In addition, you can now gift a Patreon subscription to a friend!
• Additionally, we’re hosting a Black Friday sale (use code: SIRIUS, get it?!) on our MuggleCastMerch.com online store! Get 15% off your order now through Cyber Monday (December 1st).
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 8: The Hearing. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 441 and Episode 240 for prior Chapter 8 analysis!
• How does this chapter hit differently for us now, versus in 2003? Laura says the trial seems a lot more believable.
• Eric lists the ways that the trial impugns on Harry’s rights and is designed to be cruel and throw him off of his game.
• Monet points out a direct parallel between this trial, and the one we see for Mary Cattermole in Deathly Hallows.
• Andrew admires Dumbledore’s show of force, his preparedness too, and for once we all agree with him!
• Had Dumbledore not arrived, would Harry have been convicted? Would his wand have been smashed before anyone could do anything about it?
• Dumbledore’s calm and even tone, and his humility - allowing the Minister and co. to save face - is critical to his success, Laura says.
• The connection between a know-it-all headmaster, the ignorant Minister, and the country’s slow descent into Voldemort’s rule is analyzed.
• Does Dumbledore’s interference here cause the Ministry to retaliate later in the year?
• Lynx Line: What crime would listeners have to face a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry over? And, who would we want as our defense?
• Quizzitch: The UK judicial system established a Supreme Court in 2009. Prior to that, what was the highest court in the UK??
• Don't forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• Show announcements including what’s going on over at #Millennial and What the Hype?! as well as a unique gift idea for the upcoming Holidays.
• HP TV Show news! Actor Mark Rylance is reportedly a top pick for Dumbledore by the creators of the show. We can see it.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 7: The Ministry of Magic. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 440 and Episode 240 for prior Chapter 7 analysis!
• For their journey to the Ministry, why does Arthur go it alone? Does it put Harry at undue risk?
• How come Arthur didn’t know where he was going, and why wouldn’t he plan it in advance?
• Micah comes for Arthur including his job title versus his lack of demonstrated competence with Muggle things. We are shook.
• How would a wizard react to public transit apps?
• Do we think the Muggle entrance to the M.O.M. has been updated since the 1990s?
• The hosts compare the Ministry fountains between books 5 and 7, with keen insight.
• Somebody get everyone some coffee! It’s just another day at work for most people.
• Seeing Arthur’s office in person, we cannot help but feel like Percy may have had a point.
• We adore the many layers of Arthur and Kingsley’s work conversation.
• Odds and Ends include the first mention of Scrimgeour, the Quibbler, and more!
• Lynx Line: What floor of the Ministry of Magic would our Patrons most like to party on?
• Quizzitch: What is Amelia Bones’ middle name?
• Reminder! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and more!
• And don't forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• News Alert: Hogwarts Legacy 2 to crossover with the new Harry Potter TV Show! Plus, get in the holiday spirit as Hogwarts: Wizards of Baking premieres on Food Network and MAX on Nov. 14!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 6: The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 439 and Episode 230 for prior Chapter 6 analysis!
• Have we ever been in a situation where an adult forbade us from talking to our friends after hearing something they deemed inappropriate?
• Does Molly not understand how kids work? Forbidding them from staying up to talk is the best way to ensure they absolutely do that! 
• Your putting those doxies WHERE?! What happens to these immobilized creatures? Are they permanently paralyzed?
• STOP RINGING THAT DAMN DOORBELL!!!
• Has Mundungus ever proven his value to the Order?
• Foreshadow alert: The locket no one could open
• What do we make of Sirius's behavior in this chapter? Harry is clearly trying to relate to him, but is Sirius brooding so much on his own misfortune?
• The Black Family Tapestry, Regulus Black and the meaning of Toujours Pur
• Did Kreacher predict the ending of Order of the Phoenix?
• Comparing Kreacher and Gollum from Lord of the Rings
• Did Lupin and Tonks have secret sleepovers?
• Lynx Line: Our patrons pick one item from the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black to display in their home.
• Which Skiving Snackbox candy would each of the hosts be willing to try to get out of something we didn't want to do?
• Quizzitch: In the Sorcerer’s Stone PC game, what spell do you primarily use to deal with doxies?’
• Reminder! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and more!
• And don't forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• Visit our new online store for can’t-miss items that are one of a kind! MuggleCastMerch.com
• Voicemails cover what Hermione would be like in grad school, and a theory as to why the Cursed Child runtime keeps being shortened in America.
• An astute listener writes in about the historical name origins of the wizengamot! We are all impressed.
• Ron wearing the locket in Book 7 has the same exact feelings we see Harry have in early Book 5.
• Other topics include: Why Salazar Slytherin may have chosen emeralds as a house gem, whether we should feel sorry for Petunia Dursley, why Nearly Headless Nick should still be frozen, and Harry’s sparse security detail.
• A fun What If… segment and Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul round out the discussion.
• Finally, our Lynx Line benefit exclusively for Patrons has them sharing their overall thoughts on Book 5 so far.
• Next week’s Quizzitch question: How many Halloween feasts do we see Harry attend during his time at Hogwarts?
• This episode is brought to you by Better Help. Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast

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• Welcome to our Slug Club guest Katie!
• The hosts reflect on the amazing life of Dame Maggie Smith, who has passed away.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 3: The Advance Guard. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Check out Episode 435 and Episode 229!
• Harry interrupts Hedwig’s dinner. Is this one step too far on making his friends’ lives miserable?
• Andrew loves Harry’s plan to ensure his friends give him answers, but it may remind us all of Professor Umbridge.
• Does the delay between the last chapter and the night the Advance Guard arrives exist because Dumbledore needed time to implement the escape route?
• Is the real Moody overcompensating on security?
• The Dursleys are back to their old tricks, of abusing Harry… and Harry is back to his old tricks of appearing indifferent to them.
• The hosts rank this rescue effort against all the other times Harry was saved from Privet Drive.
• Should Harry have been more aggressive about intruders in his home?
• Doesn’t everybody at this point know Harry’s Patronus? How secure is Lupin’s question exactly?
• If this is the Advance Guard, who is in the Rear Guard?
• Lynx Line: What five Potter characters would our patrons have in their Advance Guard?
• Where’s Dumbledore?, the segment, returns!
• Our Most Trustworthy Advance Guard Member of the Week: the hosts explain.
• Quizzitch: “What well-kept lawn in London has been home to a zebra, an elephant, and a helicopter landing pad?”
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• Welcome back, Meg!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 2: A Peck of Owls. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Check out Episode 434 and Episode 228!
• Did Dumbledore suspect that Harry would be attacked on Privet Drive? If so, why was more (competent) manpower not invested in Harry’s protection?
• Why is Harry facing criminal charges for doing a bit of simple, defensive magic?
• Given how fast the owls show up, are they using some form of magic themselves?
• Say what?! Petunia knows about Dementors... and Azkaban!
• When Petunia references that awful boy, does she mean James... or Snape?
• Remember My Last! Was Petunia actually excited to receive a letter from the Wizarding World? Has she ever heard Dumbledore's voice in person?
• Do Petunia and Snape share a similar love for Lily and disdain for Harry?
• Shouldn't Vernon have every right to want to protect his family? Especially, after he learns of Voldemort's return?
• Lynx Line: How would we improve on the Ministry of Magic's disciplinary process for Harry?
• Our Most Wicked Figg Line of the Week: the hosts do their best impressions!
• Quizzitch: In Scotland, the peck was used as a dry measure until the introduction of imperial units as a result of the Weights and Measures Act of what year?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• News: There is an open casting call for children to become the next Potter trio for the HBO series. We’ll be talking more about it in Bonus MuggleCast, available on Apple Podcasts and our Patreon.
• Chapter-by-Chapter begins again with Book 5, and our brand new MuggleCast Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions. This week, Episode 433 and Episode 228.
• Harry’s mood has soured significantly! Were we repelled by the book’s immediately sadder protagonist?
• How much of Harry’s rage is justified? How much is due to his horcrux connection?
•  Could Harry have been removed from Privet Drive after just 24 hours? If so, why wasn’t he? Is Dumbledore to blame for all of harry’s problems?
• Feeling disconnected, Harry hears a loud noise but it makes him feel more desperate. The noise was the sound of our breaking hearts.
• Dudley’s attempts to de-escalate the situation with Harry are applaudable, but unsuccessful.
• Has Dudley already grown most of the way to a mature person?
• Are we laughing at Harry’s jokes?
• Lynx Line question: how could Dumbledore improve Harry’s protection?
• New segments: Where’s Dumbledore?! And Make the Personal Connection
• This week’s MVP award category is: Most Fake Character
• Quizzitch: In honor of the drought that’s happening in the beginning of Book 5, what is the hottest temperature ever recorded in the United Kingdom? Guesses within 3 degrees Fahrenheit will be accepted. You may answer in Fahrenheit or Celsius.
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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Bring your own copy of the Order of the Phoenix movie and watch the film with us. We offer commentary, behind-the-scenes info, wonder why there are so many montages, and fun facts about the production.

To sync up with us, pause the movie right after the camera fully sweeps through the 'WB' logo, about 20 seconds into the movie. In the commentary track, we then tell you when to hit Play. (This is also explained on the episode)

To listen to more of our Harry Potter movie commentaries, check out our Must Listens page.

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• Next week we will be hosting an Order of the Phoenix movie watch commentary and on the following show we'll begin Book 5 chapter-by-chapter with new segments!
• Micah is back from a visit to Scotland! He tells us what he did over there.
• Andrew and Micah interview actor Joel Meyers, who currently plays Albus Severus Potter in Broadway's Cursed Child!
• Revisiting our Goblet of Fire 7 Word Chapter Summaries.
• Book Four 7-Word Summary: Resurrection for Voldemort awakens old echoes past.
• Two listeners point out that the return Portkey mystery is not a plot-hole, but was part of Voldemort's plan to stay hidden while alive.
• Is the Dark Mark on the arms of Death Eaters the best kept secret on the part of the dark side from the Ministry?
• A listener compares Voldemort's return ritual with Barty Crouch Jr.'s specific method for his father's end, and underscores BCJr's daddy issues.
• Do the Death Eaters keep their D.E. robes nearby in case Voldemort returns? Do they ever wash them?
• A listener asks, which characters will be the hardest to replace on the HBO Max show, given their film adaptation counterparts?
• Shakespeare references, snakelike features, and low-security portraits are the topics of more Muggle Mail!
• Quizzitch: in the United States, Harry Potter and the order of the phoenix movie was the 5th highest grossing film of 2007 domestically. name at least 2 films that year which earned more money.
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• Coming up on Bonus MuggleCast, we react to the release of Harry Potter: Quidditch World Champions after playing it this week!
• For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, including the chance to co-host the show, a new physical gift every year, and a video message from one of the four of us visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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Questions answered include:

• How does recording in person differ from recording on-line?
• Are the hosts as tall and as short as they each remember / expected?
• What city would we all live in if we could live together?
• What piece of HP merchandise would we never get rid of?
• How do each of the hosts take their coffee?
• If we went to karaoke, what would be the songs we would sing?
• Have any of us read books in foreign languages?
• Which HP character’s life would we want to swap ours with?
• Which HP book would we re-write if given the chance?
• What plot lines do we wish would have paid off more in the series?
• …and more!

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This week's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Explore your curiosity with a therapist, today! Visit BetterHelp.com/mugglecast for 10% off your first month.

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• 7-Word Summary: Relationships blossom when the trio parts ways
• Chapter-by-Chapter concludes with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 37: The Beginning
• Could there be a less creative title for this chapter?
• What?! There was still a bit of term left after the Third Task?
• Harry & The Diggorys: examining another example of a mother's love
• Why is the real Mad-Eye Moody still hanging around Hogwarts?
• Tea Time with Hagrid is what we all need right now
• Dumbledore tells the student body Voldemort has returned. Smart or reckless move on his part?
• Should Dumbledore's have toasted Harry? Did any Slytherins stand for him?
• Do we think the Triwizard Tournament was successful in breeding international magical cooperation? 
• Hermione & Rita: how long has she been in that jar?!
• Showdown on the Hogwarts Express
• Quizzitch: What does Harry ask Viktor Krum, when they shake hands before going to the Hogwarts Express?
• What's Coming Up on MuggleCast: Next week, we’ll be recording a special, laid back episode all together in Washington D.C. (releasing August 27); the following week, MuggleCast Live at LeakyCon (releasing September 3); MuggleMail (releasing September 10); Order of the Phoenix Movie Commentary (releasing September 17); Order of the Phoenix Chapter-by-Chapter Begins (releasing September 24).
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, including the chance to co-host the show, a new physical gift every year, and a video message from one of the four of us visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast

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• News: MinaLima will not be releasing further editions of their illustrated books (we'll discuss this story in more detail in Bonus MuggleCast)
• 7-Word Summary: Fudge makes disastrous decisions about Lord Voldemort
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 36: The Parting of the Ways
• Sympathetic Grandfatherly Figure or Master Manipulator: Is what Dumbledore says to Harry truly heartfelt and genuine?
• Does Fawkes know what went down in the graveyard?
• Should Harry tell his story without other Ministry officials present?
• The Gleam of Triumph and its connection to Deathly Hallows
• Why, specifically, did Voldemort and Harry’s wand cores come from Dumbledore’s pet phoenix?
• Ollivander has Dumbledore on speed dial!
• Comparing parental figures: Sirus and Molly's love for Harry is on full display, foreshadowing things to come in Order of the Phoenix
• Why did Fudge feel the need to bring a Dementor to Hogwarts to face Barty Crouch Jr.? Where are all the Aurors?
• COMPLETE DENIAL: Can Fudge find anyone in the Hospital Wing he believes?
• Why does nobody force Fudge to see the truth? Why doesn’t Dumbledore go get the Pensieve or Veritaserum?
• Snape takes a major risk in showing Fudge his Dark Mark tattoo!
• Dementors & Giants: Does Dumbledore overstep his bounds? Does he go too far? Or is Fudge already lost?
• With Fudge a lost cause, Dumbledore begins moving his chess pieces against Voldemort
• Quizzitch: What does Harry ask Viktor Krum, when they shake hands before going to the Hogwarts Express?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, including the chance to co-host the show, a new physical gift every year, and a video message from one of the four of us visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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• A reveal trailer for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic theme park has been released! We discuss it in a new edition of Bonus MuggleCast, and now non-Patrons can listen for a one-time purchase of just $3!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 35: Veritaserum
• Secrets are revealed by truth telling serum
• With Harry back at Hogwarts but his world turned upside down, how does Dumbledore let him out of his sight?
• Should we have predicted that ANOTHER Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was a baddie?
• We review Barty Crouch, Jr.’s history of acts throughout the book so far.
• …but what Barty really wants, is a father figure! We discuss his possibly unique relationship with Voldemort.
• Dumbledore has “a look.” What does it look like?
• Should the Foe Glass have told us definitively where Snape’s loyalties lay?
• How exactly did Mrs. Crouch continue to evade the Dementors and fellow prisoners while in Azkaban?
• Given Crouch Jr.’s confession, was Winky culpable for any of his actions? She’s pretty rude about Bertha.
• How do we feel about Barty Crouch, Sr. using the Imperius Curse on his son?
• Should Wormtail receive more credit for helping to subdue the real Mad-Eye? How much danger was Arthur Weasley in unbeknownst to him?
• Quizzitch: What six Death Eater names does Harry give directly to Fudge?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, including the chance to co-host the show, a new physical gift every year, and a video message from one of the four of us visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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• Welcome Slug Club member, Elizabeth!
• Chapter-by-Chapter returns with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 34: Priori Incantatem
• 7-Word Summary: Echoes confront the dark past and spells
• Upon seeing Harry's ability to resist the Imperius Curse, do the Death Eaters now view him as a true and worthy adversary?
• Did the Horcrux aid Harry in his resistance to Voldemort's Imperius Curse?
• From Name Origin to effectiveness, we analyze Priori Incantatem
• To what extent do Harry's instincts allow him to "win" the Priori Incantatem battle? Is it a mark of a true Gryffindor?
• Was Fawkes at all impacted by this encounter between brother wands?
• Oh no, not again!!! What was going through Voldemort's mind?
• How do the echoes know that the Cup will take Harry back to Hogwarts?
• WHAT IF… Voldemort had been successful in making Harry’s wand spit out echoes of recent magic he had performed?
• Oopsie Doodle: In early versions of Goblet of Fire, James came out of Voldemort's wand before Lily!
• Did we enjoy how Priori Incantatem came to life in the films? Why did they use its effect for every other spell battle in the series?
• Should the Death Eaters have intervened even though Voldemort told them not to? What would have happened if they did?
• Fun Segment: Echoes Said WHAT?! (To Voldemort) While it's clear what each of the echoes say to Harry, we're told they also say some not-so-nice things to Voldemort. But we can't hear them... until now!
• Quizzitch: Which 3 individuals appear in Mad-Eye Fakey’s Foe Glass when he takes Harry up there to kill him?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, including the chance to co-host the show, a new physical gift every year, and a video message from one of the four of us visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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• New episodes of MuggleCast will now be released in full video on our YouTube channel, right when they are released on our podcast feed!
• For today’s Main Discussion, Eric has compiled a PDF of sources from the late 90’s to 2007 news media. The polished PDF is available via this link.
• By July of 2000, Harry Potter had gained massive popularity in the US, and raise alarm bells with some concerned parents.
• Were any of the hosts told not to read the HP books on religious grounds?
• The controversy may be categorized as a moral panic, not unlike the Satanic Panic phenomenon of the 80’s/90’s, which unfortunately had large ramifications.
• Why was HP targeted? And why were evangelicals in particular caught up in it?
• We discuss four main arguments against the Potter books: that they will make children want to do witchcraft or join the occult; that they make children susceptible to evil by downplaying the danger of magic; that the books themselves are intentionally demonic; that the books are just plain immoral! (We find it hard to disagree with the last point).
• Is there any evidence that kids joined the occult after reading the books?
• Years later in 2005, what did Georgia parent Laura Mallory add to the discussion surrounding the books?
• We review our own attempts on MuggleCast to get a hold of Mrs. Mallory.
• As late as 2019, the argument was still being used to ban books. What lessons can we learn from these events?
• Be sure to subscribe to MuggleCast Gold via Apple Podcasts, or join our Patreon for access to Bonus MuggleCast segments.
• Visit mugglecast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, favorite episodes and more!
• A very special thank you to Connie Neal, Judy Bloom, Rainbow Rowell and others for extolling the virtues of the Harry Potter series when we were all children and too young to do so in print media.

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LAST CHANCE to grab this year’s physical gift... The MuggleCast 19 Years Later t-shirt! If you aren’t a Patron, now’s a great time to join! Pledge today at the Slug Club level and fill out the form by July 19 to be eligible. Note: you will only receive your shirt after you’ve been a Patron at this level for a minimum of three months. In addition, you’ll get other great benefits such as twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, the chance to co-host the show, a video message from one of the four of us and much more! Visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast today!

• Thanks to everyone who came out to see us at LeakyCon Portland!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 31: Flesh, Blood and Bone and Chapter 32: The Death Eaters
• 7-Word Summary #1: Cedric falls to his untimely, sad demise
• Main Discussion #1: The Death of Cedric Diggory
• In such a frantic state, how can Wormtail muster the ability to cast the Killing Curse? Would Cedric have a had chance at survival if not for helping Harry?
• Does Harry have any time to process what's just happened to Cedric?
• Kill The Spare: Voldemort shows his complete disregard for human life
• Main Discussion #2: The Dark Lord’s Return
• We walk through the steps one must take in order to recreate a Dark Lord and analyze the symbolism of Voldemort in baby form
• Bone of the Father, Unknowingly Given. Why is it necessary for Voldemort to use his father’s bone given the magic comes from his mother’s side of the family?
• Flesh of the Servant, Willingly Given. How can one hand regenerate an entire body?
• By severing his right hand, has Wormtail eliminated any hope of Sirius' innocence?
• Blood of the Enemy, Forcibly Taken. Why did Voldemort have to wait for Harry?
• 7-Word Summary #2: Loyalists arrive and worship Voldemort’s triumphant revival
• Main Discussion #3: Voldemort Is Feeling “Chatty”
• How much does Voldemort know about his mother and father's relationship?
• Should Voldemort really be giving lessons on Chosen Family? Are any of his Death Eaters truly loyal to him?
• If Voldemort knew of Wormtail's debt to Harry, would he have killed him right there?
• Roll Call: We analyze the Death Eaters who are and are not present in the graveyard
• Main Discussion #4: How Did Voldemort Do It?
• Horcrux Tease! How much do the Death Eaters know about the lengths Voldemort went to in order to avoid death?
• Did Nagini's venom help Voldemort resume a more human form because Nagini herself used to be human?
• Quizzitch: What does the shadow of James Potter tell Harry he must do?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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Reminder: This year's physical gift for Slug Club patrons is here...  The MuggleCast 19 Years Later t-shirt (Shirt Model 1, Shirt Model 2)! If you aren’t a Patron, now’s a great time to join! Pledge today at the Slug Club level and fill out the form by July 19 to be eligible. Note: you will only receive your shirt after you’ve been a Patron at this level for a minimum of three months. In addition, you'll get other great benefits such as twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, the chance to co-host the show, a video message from one of the four of us and much more! Visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast today!

• News: the Harry Potter TV show has found its showrunner and director
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 30: The Pensieve
• 7-Word Summary: Riddles guard the misleading way to victory
• Main Discussion #1: Family Matters
• Hermione, Ron and Harry are all becoming quite adept at useful spells. They're such good friends!
• Rita Skeeter's awful latest article is setting up the exact tone that the Ministry uses next year to discredit Harry Potter.
• Could Fudge have ushered along the publication of Rita's hit piece on Harry, in retaliation for embarrassing him in the previous chapter?
• How can Molly Weasley tell Amos Diggory he's overreacting, only to then go and treat Hermione poorly for Rita's earlier article?
• What If?: The Dursleys actually did show up at Hogwarts for Harry's Third Task?
• Main Discussion #2: The Maze
• Are there a sufficient amount of obstacles in The Maze for the champions to face? Is Mad-Eye Fakey removing some of them to make Harry's job easier?
• Harry's performance during the Third Task underscores how much he cares about other people.
• We examine each of the creatures and puzzles Harry faces in the maze.
• Micah, as a throwback to his own former section on MuggleNet, gets really into the origins of the sphinx.
• Could the sphinx's riddle actually be pertaining to Snape?
• is Harry's latest casting of Expelliarmus his most egregious yet?
• Would Fakey have allowed Cedric to take the cup on his own?
• Odds and Ends cover a future romance for Bill Weasley, as well as one in his past...?!
• Quizzitch: What are Voldemort’s first words after he climbs out of the cauldron, fully grown?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• Reminder: Micah and Eric will be at LeakyCon! Visit LeakyCon.com to check out the latest guests, the full con schedule and use code ‘MUGGLE’ while registering for a discount! For a list of MuggleCast appearances at the con, visit MuggleCast dot com/live.

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Reminder: This year's physical gift for Slug Club patrons is here... The MuggleCast 19 Years Later t-shirt (Shirt Model 1, Shirt Model 2)! If you aren’t a Patron, now’s a great time to join! Pledge today at the Slug Club level and fill out the form by July 19 to be eligible. Note: you will only receive your shirt after you’ve been a Patron at this level for a minimum of three months. In addition, you'll get other great benefits such as twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, the chance to co-host the show, a video message from one of the four of us and much more! Visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast today!

• Welcome, Slug Club guest Morgan of That Nerd Thing podcast!
• News: Dan Radcliffe wins his first Tony Award
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 30: The Pensieve
• 7-Word Summary: Dumbledore craftily leaves exposed memories inside basin
• Main Discussion #1: The Trials & The Pensieve
• Dumbledore intentionally left the Pensieve cabinet door open for Harry, right?
• Why are there constant references to Dumbledore looking old?
• YUCK! It's our first taste of the wizarding world justice system!
• Karkaroff the Canary: the hosts react to Snape's Death Eater reveal!
• Ludo's celebrity status bends the rules of justice! Can we make any real world compairsons? Should there have been any consequences for his actions?
• Hi, Bellatrix! ;)
• How was it determined that Barty Crouch Jr. actually took part in the torture of the Longbottoms? Could it be guilt by association?
• Looking at the memories all together, where is Dumbledore’s mind right now?
• Main Discussion #2: Dream Recap
• While still baffled by what's happening at Hogwarts, Dumbledore is starting to put the pieces of Horcruxgate together!
• What does Dumbledore make of both Frank Bryce and Bertha Jorkins disappearing?
•  Why is Barty Crouch Sr. vanishing at Hogwarts not a huge red flag?
• The truth about Neville's parents is revealed!
• Quizzitch: Which Weasley family members are not present for the Third Task? (you must list them all)
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

Reminder: Micah and Eric will be at LeakyCon! Visit LeakyCon.com to check out the latest guests, the full con schedule and use code ‘MUGGLE’ while registering for a discount!

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This year's physical gift for Slug Club patrons is here... The MuggleCast 19 Years Later t-shirt (Shirt Model 1, Shirt Model 2)! If you aren’t a Patron, now’s a great time to join! Pledge today at the Slug Club level and fill out the form by July 19 to be eligible. Note: you will only receive your shirt after you’ve been a Patron at this level for a minimum of three months. In addition, you'll get other great benefits such as twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, the chance to co-host the show, a video message from one of the four of us and much more! Visit Patreon.com/MugglecCast today!

• Welcome, Slug Club guest Feryal!
• News: Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown fancies himself a Harry Potter fan
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 29: The Dream
• 7-Word Summary: Sirius grounds Harry because he is naughty
• Main Discussion #1: Grounded for His Own Good
• Why wasn't the Ministry called to investigate immediately?
• Did Harry, Ron and Hermione's experiences with Mad-Eye Moody (Fakey) and Barty Crouch Sr. feed the Ministry distrust we see develop in Order of the Phoenix?
• How many more "perfect cover" situations does Mad-Eye Moody (Fakey) have left in his arsenal? Are there signs he is starting to crack under the weight of it all?
• Does Harry's lack of a true parental figure inform his reaction to Sirius' letter?
• Main Discussion #2: The Dream and its Aftermath
• Why does Harry get regularly triggered inside of Trelawney's classroom?
• Why is Harry's perspective during the dream so erratic?
• While not mentioned by name, should Harry have picked up on the letter (he helped deliver) being about Barty Crouch Sr.?
• Could this be THE moment when Voldemort realizes the connection between himself and Harry?
• Why is Dumbledore's office password-protected? Shouldn't he at least have a doorbell? Or an assistant?
• Fudge begins to reveal his true colors! How delicious of a moment is the Dumbledore's office scene for Barty Crouch Jr.?
• Odds & Ends cover Fred and George's private business matters, Mars, humming insects, Snape the Bat and Cockroach Clusters!
• What If?! Barty Crouch Sr. had not fired Winky? Could she have saved him (and Cedric) from a horrible fate?
• Quizzitch: After Ludo Bagman’s trial, what Quidditch match does a jury member congratulate him on?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• Reminder: Micah and Eric will be at LeakyCon! Visit LeakyCon.com to check out the latest guests, the full con schedule and use code ‘MUGGLE’ while registering for a discount!

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• Welcome back Nicole and Lexi of the Fantasy Fangirls podcast!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 28: The Madness of Mr. Crouch
• 7-Word Summary: Harry finds Crouch disturbed inside the forest
• Main Discussion #1: Drinky has a winking problem
• Down in the kitchens, Harry and Hermione uncover more clues at the expense of making every situation worse.
• Laura has calculated Winky's BAC, and it's not good.
• Is Crouch Sr. careless to not have taken Winky back, and does he rely on House-Elf magic to feel confident that she'll keep his secrets, which she does?
• Main Discussion #2: a wild Mr. Crouch appears!
• Down on the pitch, we learn that the points so far haven't mattered... much.
• Nicole explains why she would quit the Triwizard Tournament at this point.
• Krum pulls Harry aside... to talk about girls!
• Has Crouch Sr. traveled all this way on FOOT? Or by magic?
• Should Harry have asked Crocuh Sr. more direct follow-up questions before leaving Krum alone with him?
• Does Dumbledore fear Krum, or fear for Krum in this moment?
• Does Igor Karkaroff kind of have a point about fairness?
• Is Hagrid about to be revealed to be Uncle Vernon in disguise?
• Odds & Ends include the principality of Andorra! Cornelius Fudge's wife! Christmas Nifflers, Barty Crouch Jr.'s test scores, and more.
• Quizzitch: Who is the second person Mad-Eye Fakey tells should become an Auror as a career?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, including the chance to co-host the show, a new physical gift every year, and a video message from one of the four of us visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!
• Reminder: Micah and Eric will be at LeakyCon! Visit LeakyCon.com to check out the latest guests, the full con schedule and use code ‘MUGGLE’ while registering for a discount!

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• Eric has an announcement to kick off this Pride Month!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 27: Padfoot Returns
• 7-Word Summary: Crouch is not innocent of any crimes
• Main Discussion #1: Second Task Hangover
• Does Snape behave any differently from a teacher catching students talking or passing a note in class?
• Snape calls Harry a “nasty little boy”... do we think he’s projecting here?
• Boomslang Skin & Gillyweed: Snape’s stores have been broken into, but what evidence does Snape have that it was Harry?
• Did Harry effectively use Occlumency without even realizing it?
• Should Harry have challenged Snape to give him Veritaserum?
• What's up with Karkaroff's arm?
• Main Discussion #2: Cave Crouching
• Why is Sirius the only real parental figure that shows up for Harry?
• Oh, Peter! Sirius is eating rats? Do we think that’s a coincidence?
• Sirius paints a harrowing picture of the First War and Azkaban Prison
• Good People & Death Eaters: After Sirius reveals the true Barty Crouch Sr., we analyze Harry’s inclination to label him a Death Eater
• If Barty had spent some more time with his son, what would have happened?
• How is it possible during his time in Azkaban, Sirius never got confirmation Barty Crouch Jr. was a Death Eater, learned Snape was a Death Eater, heard of the Dark Mark tattoo?
• Ron jokingly solves everything at the end of the chapter!
• Odds & Ends cover Ludo Bagman, Bertha Jorkins and Second Task safety protocols!
• Quizzitch: What food does Harry send to Sirius in his cave, that Pigwidgeon isn’t suitable for?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, including the chance to co-host the show, a new physical gift every year, and a video message from one of the four of us visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!
• Reminder: Micah and Eric will be at LeakyCon! Visit LeakyCon.com to check out the latest guests, the full con schedule and use code ‘MUGGLE’ while registering for a discount!

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A new article from the Wall Street Journal has been published which offers a rare insight into the relationship between Warner Bros Pictures and Potter author, J.K. Rowling, describing how WB's current C.E.O. David Zaslav has worked to secure a profitable future for the HP property under unusually restrictive guidelines set up long ago. Your MuggleCast hosts read from excerpts of the article and offer their thoughts on some of the many revelations, including what may be changes made to upcoming video game titles. Thanks, as always, to our Patrons and those subscribed to us on Apple for their support.

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• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 26: The Second Task
• 7-Word Summary: The merpeople mock Harry incessantly under water
• Main Discussion #1: Leading up to the task
• Hagrid’s back teaching. Do we miss Professor Grubbly-Plank?
• Could Harry be reaching out to Lupin or other folks for help?
• Have we ever overslept on the day of an exam and had to wing it?
• Main Discussion #2: The Task and Immediate Aftermath
• Why are the other headmasters so visibly annoyed at Harry? Could they tone it down a bit?
• What does the Second Task look like, for the audience and spectators? Even Dumbledore has to ask the merpeople what happened at the end of it.
• Micah’s Hot Take: Hermione is not meaningful enough to Krum for her to be his hostage.
• The hosts debate: were the ‘hostages’ ever really in danger? We also polled our Patrons... twice.
• Are we disappointed by the writing’s handling of Fleur’s performance?
• Do we agree with the final results of the Second Task?
• Odds and Ends touches on a Skeeter sighting, and another mention of their school hats!
• Quizzitch: Who authorized Aurors to use the Unforgivable Curses during the first Wizarding war?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, including the chance to co-host the show, a new physical gift every year, and a video message from one of the four of us visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!
• Reminder: Micah and Eric and Chloé will be at LeakyCon! Visit LeakyCon.com to check out the latest guests, and use code 'MUGGLE' while registering for a discount!

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• Welcome Slug Club member, Geoff!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 25: The Egg & The Eye
• 7-Word Summary: Mermaids sing to a bathroom of children
• Main Discussion #1: Harry’s First Bath in 14 Years
• Is the Prefects Bathroom everything we’ve ever wanted?
• Moaning Myrtle is back!
• Why is Myrtle confined to the Hogwarts plumbing? Who is monitoring her?
• How do feel about Myrtle's bathroom behavior?
• Soooo... Hogwarts is dumping all of its waste into the Black Lake?
• Geoff gives us a beautiful rendition of The Second Task Clue
• Main Discussion #2: Curiosity Killed the Cat
• Could the Horcrux be behind Harry's pursuit of Barty Crouch Jr.?
• Security Nightmare: Why has Hogwarts not fixed that trick step?
• We dare you to name another wizard who could tell Snape to go to bed (and live)!
• Should Moody's eye be able to see through a Deathly Hallow?
• What if... Harry's foot didn't get trapped?
• Do we think Moody's recommendation that Harry become an Auror is sincere?
• Quizzitch: According to Hagrid, at what age do unicorns become pure white?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, including the chance to co-host the show, a new physical gift every year, and a video message from one of the four of us visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!
• Reminder: Micah and Eric will be at LeakyCon! Visit LeakyCon.com to check out the latest guests, and use code 'MUGGLE' while registering for a discount!

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• Voicemails cover House-Elf evolution, Cedric's clue, judges at professional sporting events, and Barty Crouch, Sr.
• The Hungarian Horntail may NOT have been the last addition to the First Task, multiple listeners posit.
• Quidditch could easily have fit in between the 3 year-long tasks, couldn't it?
• One listener defends Ron Weasley's recent actions on the basis of his youth. Do we let him off the hook?
• Do Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students have classes with Hogwarts professors?
• Working backwards from the Portkey, does the plot of Book 4 even work?
• Do Aurors have the same damage to their souls as Death Eaters if they both kill to survive?
• Feminism in Harry Potter has some pitfalls from the onset, one listener opines.
• What did Sirius Black's family members think upon receiving word of his incarceration?
• The hosts take turns choosing one wizarding profession that they would have in the Wizarding world.
• Quizzitch: Where specifically does Moaning Myrtle mention haunting Olive Hornby?
• This week's episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• Reminder: Micah and Eric will be at LeakyCon! Visit LeakyCon.com to check out the latest guests, and use code 'MUGGLE' while registering for a discount!!

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• Welcome Patreon member, Liza! Check out her book club by following her on Twitter and Instagram
• We discuss the recent news that all seven Harry Potter audiobooks will be transformed into new full-cast ensemble productions!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 24: Rita Skeeter's Scoop
• 7-Word Summary: Rita ignites rumors in The Three Broomsticks
• Do we think Cedric gave Harry a good clue about the egg?
• Main Discussion #1: Dumbledore's Giant Mistake
• Draco Malfoy... the 1950’s cartoon villain?!
• Why does Hermione fail to grasp certain larger wizarding world dynamics?
• Micah's Hot Take: While definitely scathing, Rita's article about Hagrid is... TRUE!
• Should Dumbledore sack Hagrid as Care of Magical Creatures professor?
• Why didn't Hagrid start as an assistant and receive proper training?
• How do we feel about the students getting a proper Care of Magical Creatures lesson? 
• Lupin and Hagrid have drastically different reactions to being outed! Why did Dumbledore accept Lupin’s resignation but not Hagrid’s?
• Main Discussion #2: A Bagman In The Pub. Why is Ludo really meeting with the goblins? Is he trying to plant a story about his boss with Rita? How concerned should we be about Barty Crouch Sr.'s absence?
• Should Hermione have been more careful calling out Rita in a crowded pub?
• Main Discussion #3: Justice for Hagrid. Dumbledore shows up for Hagrid on a whole new level!
• Do the letters of support Hagrid receives actually support his role as professor?
• Does Dumbledore's trust in people and belief in second chances stem from his own family situation and relationship with Grindelwald?
• Odds and Ends cover Krum practicing for The Second Task, Sleakeazy’s Hair Potion, goblin rebellions and Aberforth's lust for goats!
• Next week: We're busting open the Muggle Mail bag, so send us your feedback!
• Quizzitch question: The tub in the Prefects’ Bathroom features roughly how many golden taps? Submit your answer at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch!
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• Check out the MuggleCast Overstock Store to grab MuggleCast t-shirts, signed album art, and so much more! Supplies are limited, so act fast and help us support the show!
• For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, including the chance to co-host the show, a new physical gift every year, and a video message from one of the four of us visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 23: The Yule Ball
• 7-Word Summary: Hormones fly amok at Hogwarts’ Big Holiday
• Main Discussion #1: Hermione’s Chapter
• Would anyone that Hermione took to the ball have been free of Ron’s criticism?
• The Courting of Hermione Granger
• What do we think of Viktor Krum's approach... and sheer vulnerability?
• We react to Hermione's decision to have Madam Pomfrey shrink her teeth
• Main Discussion #2: Hurricane Ron
• Animal Magnetism, baby! What makes Ron suddenly so full of himself?
• Sour face, sour mood: Ron casts a massive black cloud over the entire Yule Ball
• Could Ron be jealous his two besties are a part of the Elite Champions date club?
• Low Blow, Ron! Does Hermione truly not have Harry's best interests at heart?
• We debate if Harry did enough to defuse the tension between Ron and Hermione
• Odds and Ends cover Sirius' knife, Dobby's Christmas gift, Barty Crouch Jr.'s mysterious absence, Snape and Karkaroff's odd relationship, Beetle Rita and more!
• Next week: Goblet of Fire, Chapter 24: Rita Skeeter's Scoop
• Quizzitch question: According to Rita Skeeter, what department at the Ministry would be particularly interested in Hagrid’s Blast-Ended Skrewts?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• Check out the MuggleCast Overstock Store to grab MuggleCast t-shirts, signed album art, and so much more! Supplies are limited, so act fast and help us support the show!
• For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, including the chance to co-host the show, a new physical gift every year, and a video message from one of the four of us visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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• This week's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast!
• Check out the MuggleCast Overstock Store to grab MuggleCast t-shirts, signed album art, and so much more! Supplies are limited, so act fast and help us support the show!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 22: The Unexpected Task
• 7-Word Summary: Cho regrets not saying ‘yes’ to Greatness
• Main Discussion #1: McGonagall's announcement
• Is Professor McGonagall not being sensitive to Harry's youth?
• How long have the teachers known about the Yule Ball this year, and why would they announce it a week before Christmas?
• Laura asks what our high school dances were like and the hosts try to remember.
• Fred Weasley has the Cha(rizz)ma to win The Unexpected Task of Asking Girls Out
• Would it be so wrong if Harry, a champion, went stag to the ball?
• Harry turns on Cedric Diggory after learning he's Cho's date
• Cho lets Harry down easy, and we compare her character here vs Book 5
• Ginny wins at playing the long game; Ron and Harry both mess up at romance
• This chapter represents the last time Harry will forget about bezoars
• Next week: Goblet of Fire, Chapter 23: The Yule Ball
• Quizzitch question: What gift does Harry get Ron for Christmas in 1994?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, including the chance to co-host the show, a new physical gift every year, and a video message from one of the four of us visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 21: The House-Elf Liberation Front
• 7-Word Summary: Shrieks and panic erupt from Gryffindor base
• Main Discussion #1: Blast-Ended Rita
• Ron or Hermione? Who has the better perspective after The First Task?
• Anxiety or Relief? How do feel about the The Second Task being three months away?
• We analyze the different student reactions to Harry opening his egg
• Sneaky Skeeter: Why is Rita so interested in speaking with Hagrid? What do we make of her tactics?
• Main Discussion #2: Tea Time With Dobby
• Who wore it better? Dobby or Mr. Weasley?
• What is it in Dobby’s character that makes him enjoy being free?
• What do we make of Winky’s current situation? Her perception of Dobby?
• Why did it take Dobby two years to come back to Hogwarts?
• Dobby is gettin' paid and time off! Does this offer stand for all House-Elves working at Hogwarts?
• Keep The Secrets: Are we to believe Dobby is doing additional work for Dumbledore that makes him “in the know"?
• We deep dive into the conditioning of House-Elves, their generational trauma, physical treatment and more
• Next week: Goblet of Fire, Chapter 22: The Unexpected Task
• Quizzitch question: How many girls ask Harry Potter to the Yule Ball?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, including the chance to co-host the show, a new physical gift every year, and a video message from one of the four of us visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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• Welcome to the show, Slug Club guest Catherine, who is a college professor of psychology!
• In the news: Helena Bonham Carter was asked about Miriam Margolyes’ recent, controversial remarks about adult Harry Potter fans! We discuss Helena's response.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 20: The First Task
• 7-Word Summary: Dragons are afoot inside Hogwarts’ grounds AHHHHHHH
• Harry “does the right thing” with Cedric. What does this tell us about his character?
• Mad-Eye Fakey’s dark detectors are going off, but not for the reason he says!
• Professor McGonagall is a mother figure to Harry, and we get an inkling of it in this chapter.
• Should the Triwizard Tournament feature four of the same dragon?
• Why does Ludo Bagman keep asking Harry to cheat?
• Harry and Ron are friends again, and we discuss what was missing in Harry’s life while he was gone.
• Who do we think had the best solution for the First Task?
• Karkaroff gives Harry a FOUR. Isn’t there a rubric or a better way to prevent against this absurd favoritism?!
• Odds and Ends touch on Poor Poppy Pomfrey, pointed caps, Trelawney nonsense, and a cool connection between books 1, 4 and 7.
• Quizzitch question: What is the pattern of Dobby's tie when Harry first encounters him in the Hogwarts kitchens?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• Coming up in Bonus MuggleCast, we play a quiz where we try to name all the Harry Potter characters mentioned more times than Seamus Finnigan. For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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• This week, we dive deeper into the roles of women as mothers we didn’t get to dig as deep into on our last installment. 
• We spend time ruminating on the show’s current position in Goblet of Fire, and give Hermione props for being the friend Harry needs, even if it’s not necessarily what Harry wants. 
• Did Merope Gaunt make the ultimate sacrifice out of love for her son? 
• Is Narcissa a good mother? We examine how being a good mother and being a good person are not mutually exclusive. 
• No matter the role examined, we continue to find that for the women in Harry Potter, motherhood is a core theme. Even women who don’t have children, they still serve mother-like roles in some capacity. 
• That’s right, even Umbridge represents a particular flavor of motherhood (ugh). 
• We also examine the roles of women and fandom, and reflect on our tenure as Potterheads, and what our fandom engagement looks like outside of the podcast these days. 
• Demographics for leaders in the Harry Potter fandom has evolved in the last 20 years: a fandom where many of the site runners, content creators, and podcasters were men has seen a dramatic shift towards more women and non-binary people leading in the fandom space. 
• We look to organizations like Fandom Forward, MuggleNet, and LeakyCon as organizations that are heavily woman-led making efforts to create better inclusivity and representation in the wizarding world fan space. 
• Did you enjoy this installment of Girls Takeover? Keep an eye out for our next installment, where we’ll be taking on an installment of Chapter by Chapter! 
• This week's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast

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• Controversy! Miriam Margolyes roasted Harry Potter fans in recent interview! The hosts react! 
• Voicemails cover Security at Gringotts, Portraits & Horcruxes, Rita Skeeter, Viktor Krum, Veelas and their ability to effect Voldemort and much more!
• A fantastic connection is made between Harry and Ron's divination homework and the three Triwizards Tasks!
• How do we feel about the way Rita Skeeter's character is first described?
• Did Dumbledoree see the name of the school Harry Potter was entered under for the Triwizard Tournament? If so, what was it?
• Could Dumbledore have used a tracking spell (Appare Vestigium) to find who placed Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire, much like how Newt was able to follow Tina in Crimes of Grindelwald?
• Why doesn't Barty Crouch Jr. (emphasis on the Jr.) show up on the Marauder's Map?
• Do the first three Harry Potter books mirror the three Triwizard Tasks?
• Would the Sorting Hat have done a better job than the Goblet of Fire?
• Who does the laundry at Hogwarts?
• One mom makes the case for why Hogwarts students are generally ignorant to how their food is made!
• Did Barty Crouch Jr. teach the students the Imperius Curse as a means of protection, having experienced the curse himself?
• What if Percy told Barty Crouch Sr. his name was Weatherby so as not to be associated with his father while working at the Ministry?
• Quizzitch: What is the first bit of Professor Moody’s advice to Harry about the First Task?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• Coming up in Bonus MuggleCast, we discuss the final three candidates chosen to write the new Harry Potter TV series! And its upcoming 2026 release date! For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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• Welcome to the show, TikTok icon Kierra Lewis! Harry Potter reaction videos from Kierra are reminding us how fun it was to read the Potter series for the first time! (Find her on Instagram and YouTube, too)
• Kierra tells us what it's like having hundreds of thousands and people following her reading the Harry Potter books, and how she has successfully avoided spoilers.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 19: The Hungarian Horntail
• 7-Word Summary: Karkaroff sneaks around Hogwarts suspiciously one night
• Hagrid invites Harry to a clandestine meeting in the woods, but it turns out that he's a third wheel.
• Harry watches as 8 grown wizards stun a dragon into submission. Is any ONE Triwizard champion in grave danger?
• Charlie Weasley warns Hagrid that he's counted the eggs of the dragons. So, he definitely knows his old mentor well!
• Harry discovers Karkaroff trying to cheat. Is some level of cheating to be expected across all Houses? Does Dumbledore know what the tasks are, and if so, is that fair?
• Harry finally gets quality time with Sirius, and Sirius is his sounding board for everything that's been bothering him. Aw.
• The clues multiply that Karkaroff may be the one who put Harry's name in the Goblet.
• Why wouldn't Sirius be sharing everything he knows about Snape, to Harry here?
• If Dumbledore knows Karkaroff's history (he does), and suspects him, would he have suggested a replacement representative from Durmstrang for the tournament?
• Sirius is just about to tell Harry how to defeat a dragon, when Ron ruins everything.
• Ron and Harry have their first real confrontation and it breaks all of our hearts (while feeling sort of good).
• Quizzitch question: What class does Cedric Diggory have next, when Harry catches up with him?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• Coming up in Bonus MuggleCast, we discuss a recent Wall-Street Journal article describing the tempestuous relationship between Warner Bros and JKR. For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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• Welcome back, Pam! She co-hosts #Millennial Podcast with Andrew and Laura every Tuesday. Check it out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 18: The Weighing of the Wands
• 7-Word Summary: Rita hijacks Harry’s innocence by broom closet
• Main Discussion #1: POTTERSTINKS
• Why is nothing being done about the mass-scale bullying towards Harry?
• We get the hate from Hufflepuff and Slytherin, but what's up with Ravenclaw?
• Why does Harry fail to recognize the effect his fame has on his friends?
• Would Harry actually have been able to cast the Cruciatus Curse on Snape?
• Main Discussion #2: The Beetle Has Landed
• How does the Quick Quotes Quill Work?
• Rita corners Harry in a closet! Where are the adults?
• What does Rita's character say about the media in general?
• How did Dumbledore know where to find Harry in the broom closet?
• Welcome back, Ollivander! Get ready for some wandmaker shade!
• Do we think Dumbledore gave Ollivander instructions not to mention Harry’s wand history?
• Odds & Ends cover Fleur & Cedric, Gregorovitch and Harry's toast!
• Next week: Goblet of Fire, Chapter 19: The Hungarian Horntail
• Quizzitch: What is the Capital of Hungary?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!
• Coming up in Bonus MuggleCast, we discuss the popular Draco/Hermione fan fiction “Manacled” and how it is getting the “50 Shades” treatment. For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 17: The Four Champions
• 7-Word Summary: Cedric fails to be the only Champion
• Main Discussion #1: WHO PUT YA NAME IN DA GOBLET OF FIYAH?!
• The hosts do their best Dumbledore impersonations
• Our primary suspects: Ludo Bagman, Igor Karkaroff and Mad-Eye Moody
• Why is Ludo behaving so mysteriously? Could Karkaroff be using the power of deflection? How is nobody picking up on what Moody/Crouch Jr.'s is putting down?
• Dumbledore asks Harry if he had another student put his name in on his behalf… WHAT?! Talk about the easiest way ever to break the rules!
• Other suspects include: Barty Crouch Sr, Severus Snape and... Madam Maxime?!
• How delicious is this moment for Barty Crouch Jr.?
• Mini Discussion: The Magical Contract
• Do we think it's fair Harry has to compete in this tournament? What does a magical contract with the Goblet of Fire actually entail?
• Are we to assume some level of sentience for the Goblet of Fire, similar to The Sorting Hat? Is the Goblet of Fire tracking performance in every task?
• What’s the penalty for failing to compete? Would Harry die? Was this the precursor to The Unbreakable Vow?
• Main Discussion 2: The Backlash
• Should Karkaroff and Maxime really “fear” Harry’s inclusion in the Triwizard Tournament?
• Snape continues to take shots at Harry's expense. Why is he even in the room?
• How do we feel about Ron’s response? 
• Next week: Goblet of Fire, Chapter 18: The Weighing of the Wands
• Quizzitch: Rita Skeeter’s Quick Quotes Quill first describes her by using which adjective?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• Welcome to our very special musical guest James Durbin, whose new single "Hallows" excites us in all the right ways! Also check out his website and follow him on Instagram
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 16: The Goblet of Fire
• 7-Word Summary: Poliakoff wants eternal wine because Krum’s better
• Mini Discussion #1: Cultural differences at Hogwarts
• While Ron turns his nose up at French cuisine, the hosts discuss which foreign foods they most enjoy since growing up.
• The Beauxbatons students are laughed at for standin when Madame Maxime does. But isn't it just showing respect and discipline?
• Mini Discussion #2: Karkaroff and his favoritism
• What exactly is headmaster Igor's game? Is he gunning for a career in the celebrity entourage industry?
• Why bring 19 other students to Hogwarts when it is so clear that Karkaroff detests the other kids?
• What is Karkaroff really thinking when he bumps into Harry Potter?
• Mini Discussion #3: Fred and George's whimsy
• Mini Discussion #4: Hagrid and His Crush
• Odds and Ends: Despite Ron feeling cheated by Harry later, Harry never says out loud that he would love to enter the Tournament.
• Quizzitch: What was the birthday present that Mad-Eye Moody received and smashed, thinking it was a basilisk egg?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• Welcome Slug Club guest Katie to the show!
• Did our host predictions from last week net any accurate results? We check in.
• Spotify now lets users review individual episodes! Be kind to us and let us know what you liked!
• Coming up in Bonus MuggleCast, we play MuggleCast's first ever edition of The Snogging Club!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 15: Beauxbatons and Durmstrang
• 7-Word Summary: Foreigners arrive at the clean, squeaky school
• Main Discussion #1: Mad-Eye Fakey's never-ending Imperius Curses
• Is there any way Dumbledore actually knows what's going on?
• Is Moody's lesson tailored for Harry and, thus, only for this one class of Fourth Years?
• Is Moody chewing with his food before he eats it, or is he actually helping Harry to resist Voldemort?
• Why do NONE of the students say anything to other professors about these illegal happenings?
• Inside Imperius: Does the description in the book meet what we would expect for such a curse?
• Is Harry's Horcrux helping him to do what no other student can, and resist?
• Main Discussion #2: Tournament Anticipation
• Ron insults Cedric Diggory. What's the beef?
• Teachers get the school in tip-top shape. But, it's a centuries-old castle. How successful are they?
• Odds and Ends touches on Hermione's continuing efforts with S.P.E.W., and Snape's threat to poison the students. Is Snape trying to out-do Mad-Eye Fakey?
• Quizzitch: Which Durmstrang student asks Igor karkaroff to have some wine?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• News covers: Details about the third Wizarding World land coming to Epic Universe and and some updates to Hogwarts Legacy!
• Bonus MuggleCast Alert: In May 2023, we spoke about what major ride we can expect in the Epic Universe land. And last month, we shared what we want to see Hogwarts Legacy add to the game. So, be sure to check them out at Patreon.com/MuggleCast!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 14: The Unforgiveable Curses
• 7-Word Summary: Neville reacts in a panic ....
• Main Discussion #1: Mad-Eye Fakey's First Lesson
•  Do the hosts recall ever being so excited for a class because the professor’s reputation preceded them?
• We compare and constrast Mad-Eye and Umbridge's first lessons
• Does REAL Mad-Eye Moody know or suspect the Defense Against The Darks Arts post is cursed? What about Barty Crouch Jr.?
• Why is Barty Crouch Jr. so invested in teaching students how to recognize and combat dark curses? 
• Do we think that the real Moody would have been able to cast these curses so seamlessly?
• Imperio: Was this practical demonstration the best way to drive home the severity of mind control?
• Crucio: Neville's bravery, his parents and Moody's second attempt to build currency with Harry
• Only at Hogwarts, would something as dark as the Killing Curse be taught to a class of fourth-years in their first lesson!
• Main Discussion #2: The Aftermath
• Do we think Mad-Eye is grooming Neville?
• What can we learn from Harry and Ron's Divination homework? The hosts take a crack at predictions for each other!
• Did the author set Hermione up for success with a name like S.P.E.W.?
• What does Ron's reaction to S.P.E.W. say about his upbringing, his character and the wizarding world as a whole?
• Quizzitch: What are the first two words of Sirius’ second letter back to Harry this year?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• In this week’s news, Deadline reports that the Harry Potter TV series is looking for its head writers. The hosts briefly speculate - Stay tuned for a Bonus MuggleCast in which we take a closer look at the writers under consideration.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire Chapter 13: Mad-Eye Moody
• 7-Word Summary: Karma comes full ferret for Draco Malfoy
• Back in school, it’s time to rank the first lessons of the year and assess teachers’ competence!
• Micah asks: given the usefulness of Bubotuber pus, does Professor Sprout have a side hustle?
• What makes Sprout’s gross lesson soar, and Hagrid’s gross lesson fail? One of the teachers prepared the students better.
• Is it okay to ask “what is the point” when discussing magical Beasts?
• Would Hagrid be better off as a teacher’s assistant, or outside of teaching at all?
• Trelawney, the most competent Divination teacher Harry has had so far, gets his birthday wrong. Couldn’t she have looked it up?
• Rita Skeeter’s new article shades Mr. Weasley, but wasn’t he just doing his job? How was the event with Moody’s rubbish bins any different than his day-to-day?
• How is Rita getting her information? Does she have inside sources, or is she using her Animagus secret to its advantage this early?
• Draco can dish, but not take, criticism about mothers.
• Is it right for “Moody” to teach Draco a lesson?
• Laura points out that Barty Crouch Jr.’s comments about Lucius work on multiple levels.
• What would Barty Crouch, Jr. have to say to Snape?
• Andrew recaps Ron’s funniest moments of the chapter.
• Next week’s Quizzitch question: What is Lavender showing Parvati in DADA that gets her scolded by Mad-Eye?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• Welcome back, Micah! We hear about his recent European travels to Paris and London, including a tease of an upcoming Bonus MuggleCast on the Harry Potter Studio Tour!
• Our official Etsy store now contains some special discount and bundled items, such as the Comfy Cozy Combo Pack! Fancy yourself some socks and a warm beanie? Check out the full assortment of items available now!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire Chapter 12: The Triwizard Tournament
• 7-Word Summary: Thunderstorms announce the arrival of Mad-Eye Fakey
• Main Discussion #1: The Teachers’ Precautions For The 1994 School Year
• Debating the First Years' arrival: safety vs. rite of passage
• Do we think the weather is foreshadowing the year ahead?
• If it weren’t for the intervention of The Giant Squid, would Dennis Creevey have drowned before Hagrid could reach him? Can Hagrid even swim?
• Does The Giant Squid serve any other purpose? Does Dumbledore let him stay as a safety measure?
• Peeves: The Indestructible Spirit of Chaos
• Can Peeves actually be removed from Hogwarts? Why does he even bother listening to The Ghost Council?
• Main Discussion #2: Excitement in the Great Hall
• We hear The Sorting Hat song for the first time since Sorcerer's Stone!
• What does The Sorting Hat do the rest of the year? Does he have a side hustle?
• Hermione's Hunger Strike: who does she think was making her food all of these years?
• The Triwizard Tournament is officially announced and Mad-Eye makes his grand entrance!
• Odds & Ends cover Natalie Macdonald, Cho Chang and the return of the Dumbledore Lie Count!
• Next week's Quizzitch question: What is the trio's first class of their 4th Hogwarts Year?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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• Our official Etsy store now contains some special discount and bundled items, such as the Comfy Cozy Combo Pack! Fancy yourself some socks and a warm beanie? Check out the full assortment of items available now!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire Chapter 11: Aboard the Hogwarts Express
• 7-Word Summary: Traveling by train proves informative for Harry
• Amos Diggory appears at the Burrow! In... the fireplace? Why!?
• What makes (and doesn't make) the Floo Network a fitting medium for the equivalent of telephone communications? The hosts all examine.
• The toast Molly offers is Eric's "I love magic" moment.
• Mad-Eyes and misdirection abound. Does the fact that Arthur and Dumbledore like Alastor Moody make us more likely, or less, to believe that he is overly paranoid?
• What would the function of real Muggle "Please-men" actually be? We speculate.
• On the train to Hogwarts, Draco boasts that Durmstrang School does not let Muggleborns in. But, is that REALLY possible given the Statute of Secrecy?
• How would a school that teaches Dark Arts, not just Defense Against the Dark Arts, actually operate?
• Are the locations of the Wizarding schools hidden from the parents of the students who attend? Or just not known to Hermione in particular?
• Should Arthur have told Ron, Harry et al about the Triwizard Tournament, which would have prevented Draco from bullying them for not knowing?
• Shout-out to Barty Crouch Jr. who is actually pretty darn good at what he does. We'll... be keeping track of that.
• In Bonus MuggleCast this week over on MuggleCast's Patreon, we review the recently announced sales figures for Hogwarts Legacy and discusswhat the future for Wizarding world video games may be given the game's success.
• Next week's Quizzitch question: Name 2 of the 3 items that Filch has added to the list of forbidden objects (at the start of Harry's year 4)
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us

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• Welcome officially to MuggleCast: 19 years later!
• The MuggleCast Overstock Store is open again! This is where you can buy MuggleCast merch and help support the show! And we have an update: It’s cold in the Northern Hemisphere, so MuggleCast is helping you out this winter with the MuggleCast Beanie and Socks Comfy Cozy Combo Pack: Purchase this new combo set for $25 – it’s cheaper than buying the socks and beanie separate, and you’ll be warm on both ends of your muggle body for winter!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 10: Mayhem At The Ministry
• 7-Word Summary: Arthur laments over a problematic news cycle
• Main Discussion #1: The Aftermath
• Security Nightmare! Why did any witch or wizard hang around after the Death Eater attack? Evacuation plans should’ve been in place and activated!
• We examine the exploitation of Mr. Roberts by both the Death Eaters and The Ministry. Why was he not taken to St. Mungo's? Could they have used a Pensieve to remove the memory of the attack?
• Freaking Out Molly: Had the author not conceptualized Patronus messaging yet? And not ONE Weasley could have gone home early?
• Main Discussion #2: Rita Skeeter, Unethical Journalism & Ministry Blunders
• We discuss Rita’s ability to acquire information being aided significantly by her being an unregistered animagus
• Just WHAT do beetles represent?
• Does Rita’s journalism, unethical at times though it is, do an actual public service in the case of both of the Quidditch World Cup and the disappearance of Bertha Jorkins?
• Molly clearly recognizes that Rita is a hack, but later on in Goblet of Fire she laps up every lie printed about Hermione. Why?
• Obviously, we’re familiar with the real-world consequences of this brand of journalism. Have any of the hosts ever been caught up in following salacious, gossip-based reporting?
• Have we ever caught ourselves pulling a Mrs. Weasley: either dismissing or assigning merit to a piece of reporting based on whether it reinforced our personal beliefs?
• Odds & Ends cover Mundungus Fletcher, Ron's dress robes, Trelawney's prophecy and more!
• Quizzitch: What spell does Hermione start learning on the Hogwarts Express (in Harry's fourth year)?
• And don’t forget you can join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including early access to the show, Bonus MuggleCast, physical gifts and more!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices