Happy holidays, everyone! We don’t have a regular episode for you this week because of the Thanksgiving holiday, but we DO have a special release for you today!

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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It’s the day of Harry’s hearing in our Chapter-by-Chapter re-read of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and we wouldn’t blame you if you lost sleep over it. While the odds are stacked firmly against Harry in several ways, Dumbledore decides to save Harry and us all by standing up against the increasingly-fascist Ministry of Magic. Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and our Slug Club guest Monet as they tackle Chapter 8, “The Hearing.”

• 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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Aren’t government buildings exciting? This week, the MuggleCasters jog their memories of how to do public transit because it’s time to go to the Ministry for Harry’s disciplinary hearing! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they discuss Chapter 7 of Order of the Phoenix, “The Ministry of Magic.”

• 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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This week, grab your doxy spray and settle in because we're deep cleaning the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Join Eric, Micah and Laura as they dodge possessed music boxes, coughing wastebaskets, and mysterious lockets all while fighting with a deranged House-Elf and learning about pureblood wizarding families!

• 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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Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as we dive into the Muggle Mailbag and respond to listener feedback from the first five chapters of our Order of the Phoenix reread!

• 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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Happy Halloween! Welcome to Harry Potter and the Graveyard of Goods! Join us as we discuss the official projects by Wizarding World Inc. that’ve perished over the decades. These’ve been rejected by the Sorting Hat. They're on display in Diagon Fail-ey. You get the point.

• Our Time Turner segment takes us back to the echoes of Halloween episodes past! Be sure to check out Episode 633: Quizzitch Live - Halloween Edition (2023); Episode 535: Halloween Extravaganza (2021); Episode 487: The Scariest Moments in Harry Potter (2020); Episode 343: Fantastic Beasts And The Not 2 (2017); Episode 161: Larger Than Life (2008) and Episode 61: Ghosts (2006).
• Reminder! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and more!
• So what names are on the headstones in the Graveyard of Goods?
• Fantastic Beasts... more like Fantastic Busts!
• Who really axed the MinaLima Illustrated Editions?
• Potter-NO-more
• Who pulled the plug on Wizards Unite & Magic Awakened?
• What happened to the Original Version of the Harry Potter Stage Play?
• Will Jim Kay's Illustrated Editions get a sixth and seventh installment?
• Why was there only one 10th Anniversary Edition of a Harry Potter book?
• Wizarding World Festival... oh, you never heard of that either?
• Is the Official Harry Potter Encyclopedia the biggest bogeyman of the Wizarding World!
• Who scratched up all of the Ultimate Edition DVDs?
• Plus, if each of the hosts could pick one item, what would each of them revive?
• On this week's Bonus MuggleCast, we discuss how Harry Potter characters would (or wouldn't) survive famous horror movies! You can get Bonus MuggleCast and other great benefits at Patreon.com/MuggleCast!
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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More like DISorder, are we right? The cracks against Dumbledore keep coming as the MuggleCasters discuss the events of Book 5, Chapter 5 in our continuing re-read. Join Andrew, Eric, Pam and Micah as they discuss Sirius’ godfatherliness and Molly’s intentions. And more!

• Reminder! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and we’ll be rolling out more in the months ahead!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 5: The Order of the Phoenix. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Check out Episode 437 and Episode 230!
• We learn just how underground this “underground” organization really is! (Positively subterranean)
• Why Sirius is good for Harry
• Interrupting!Molly interrupts a would-be apology from Mundungus to Harry, and in general is trying to do too much all at once.
• Has nobody checked in with Dumbledore on his definition of “need to know” for Harry?
• This debate is ugly, but it would have been less stressful if Dumbledore were around to ask.
• Why do Fred and George pick now to fight for their own right to know what’s going on? Can’t they read the room?
• The Order members detail just how bad their uphill struggle is, thanks to Fudge.
• We examine the harm that Fudge’s lean on the Daily Prophet is causing for getting the word out to the public, and how the unsuspecting public is being placed in great danger by the leaders sworn to potect it.
• Andrew gives props to Dumbledore for sticking up to the Wizengamot.
• Odds and Ends include Crookshanks’ friendship with Sirius, the Vanishing Charm, and more Horcrux evidence.
• Lynx Line: Our patrons share which non-Order members should be in the Order!
• What do we each think is the Most Over-the-Top Molly Moment of the Week?
• Quizzitch:  Name a nation within the United Kingdom where the legal voting age is 16 years?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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This week, just let it all out! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they listen in to Harry unloading on his best friends and get the latest Order of the Phoenix goss. But be sure to tiptoe down the hall quietly because we don’t want to wake up any maniacal pureblood portraits!

• BIG NEWS! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and we’ll be rolling out more in the months ahead!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 4: Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Check out Episode 436 and Episode 229!
• Foreshadow Alert: Grim-Old-Place, "house of a dying person"... OH NO, SIRIUS!
• We break down Harry, Ron and Hermione's reunion with a fun new edition of "Horcrux or Harry?"
• The hosts try their hands at impersonating ALL CAPS HARRY! One host is SCARY good!
• Does Harry feel better about being left in the dark after learning what Ron and Hermione have been up to all summer?
• Do we agree with Mrs. Weasley not letting the kids attend the Order of the Phoenix meetings? Do her previous losses and the size of her family impact her decision-making?
• Guard Duty Misdirect: was the Order talking about watching Harry or something else entirely?
• PompASS Percy: what do we make of this new Weasley family dynamic?
• The chapter wraps with Ginny, Kreacher, Snape, Mrs. Black and more!
• Lynx Line: Our patrons share who they wish they had a living portrait of in their home and why!
• Who gets our picks for Worst Weasley of the Week?
• Quizzitch:  In honor of the portrait of Walburga Black, what famous artist and sculptor was given an exclusive license in 2014 to use a material known as “Blackest Black”?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

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On this week's episode, Harry is rude to his owl. Then someone breaks into his home. It's very exciting to be leaving Privet Drive! Join us for a chapter of highs and lows as Chapter-by-Chapter covers Chapter 3 of "Order of the Phoenix," and the hosts as well as Slug Club member Katie discuss the recent passing of Maggie Smith, take answers from our Lynx Line, and generally have a nice time as usual.

• 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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On this week's episode, we learn things are never as they appear to be as Ms. Figg reveals herself as a Dumbledore informant and Petunia recalls her last correspondence with the Wizarding World! Plus, there are owls... EVERYWHERE!

• 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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This week, our Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix re-read begins! We examine the protections surrounding Harry now that Voldemort is back, and ask whether Dudley Dursley is a good boy now.

• 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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Before we start our Chapter by Chapter re-read of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, this week we're watching the fifth Harry Potter movie together!

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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It's time to put Goblet of Fire in the rear-view mirror as we conduct our ceremonial book wrap episode, featuring our 7-Word Chapter Summary redo, 7 Word Book Summary, and more MuggleMail than you can shake a non-plot-holed Portkey at! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah for this fun-filled episode catching up with all that our listeners have had to say recently.

• 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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This week, the four MuggleCasters are all under one roof for the first time since 2010! While attending Podcast Movement in Washington, D.C., we held a listener meet-up and later gathered around a single hotel room desk to answer questions about the show and each other. The entire experience was relaxing and fun, which you can hear for yourself now! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah IN PERSON while we celebrate 19 years of MuggleCast.

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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Eric, Micah, and Chloé record a special, 19 years later-themed episode of MuggleCast live from LeakyCon in Portland, Oregon! We reflect on the show's journey so far, revisit the epilogue in Deathly Hallows, and play two of our show's games (Make the Connection and What If...) with listeners!

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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This week, we wrap up our fourth year at Hogwarts, say goodbye to some new friends and prepare for what's to come! Join Andrew, Micah and Laura as we raise a glass to Cedric, Harry and our journey through Goblet of Fire!

• 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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This week, the battlelines are officially drawn between Dumbledore and Fudge! Join us as we try our very best to convince the Minister for Magic that Voldemort has indeed returned!

• 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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On this week's episode, hard truths are revealed… by force! The culprit is finally revealed in our Chapter by Chapter discussion for Goblet of Fire Chapter 35, ‘Veritaserum.’ And, there’s been news about the new Universal theme park!

• 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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On this week's episode, we're causing chaos in Little Hangleton, striking fear into the heart of the Dark Lord himself. Join us as we face the echoes of Voldemort's past trangressions! Someone should have studied Priori Incantatem at Hogwarts, Voldy!

• 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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In this week’s MuggleCast, we’re setting book 4 down and picking up on real world controversy that was happening RIGHT as Goblet of Fire was first published, in July of 2000. At issue was whether the series, quickly gaining national publicity in the US, was instructing young readers to take up witchcraft, join the devil and abandon God. It’s HP vs Christianity on MuggleCast 666!

• 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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This week, witness the return of Lord Voldemort himself after 13 years without a proper body! To celebrate this ‘rebirthing party’, we’ll be discussing two chapters of Goblet of Fire!

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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Get ready for an A-MAZE-ING episode as we take on the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as they discuss Chapter 31 of Goblet of Fire, "The Third Task."

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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This week, we're diving headfirst into Dumbledore’s memories that he definitely didn’t leave accessible on purpose. So get ready to stand trial with Andrew, Micah, Laura and Morgan as we try to piece it all together before The Third Task begins!

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 week, get ready to be undoubtedly stimulated by the extraordinary clairvoyant vibrations of Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as your hosts deal with being grounded by not one, but two adults, processing wild dreams and battling Voldemort-inducing headaches!

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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What's that in the bushes? It's another introduction into the horrors of true crime as we follow Harry and Viktor Krum into the woods of the Forbidden Forest! Joining us for this episode are Nicole and Lexi of Fantasy Fangirls podcast! With plenty of laughs and deep coverage of another massive chapter of Book 4, listen now as we discuss "The Madness of Mr. Crouch!"

• 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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This week, TAKE NOTE! No, we mean it, TAKE NOTES! Because everything you need to know about the plot of Goblet of Fire is revealed as Padfoot Returns!

• 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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We are off this week due to the Memorial Day holiday in the United States, but we are releasing a recent Bonus MuggleCast installment to give you a taste of the great benefits available at Patreon.com/mugglecast! Please join us there to receive two Bonus MC episodes every month and so much more! We couldn't do this show without support from Muggles like you, so thank you!

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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Grab your House-themed pennants and something to do for an hour, because today we’re heading down to the Black Lake and celebrating a Triwizard Task that nobody above ground can see or appreciate! Join Eric, Laura, Micah and special guest Chloé as they discuss Chapter 26 of Goblet of Fire, “The Second Task.”

• 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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Crank up the hot water and pour the bubbles, because this week we’re soaking in the Prefects bathroom with, eh, Moaning Myrtle! Then grab your Invisibility Cloak and head downstairs because Moody and Snape are must-see TV! 

• 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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This week, we revisit the ever-exciting MuggleMail bag and listen to your voicemails on all things Goblet of Fire. The debate about Cedric's clue to Harry rages on, and listeners have opinions on everything from House-Elf rights to defending Ron Weasley's youth.

• 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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This week, open up your copy of The Daily Prophet and settle in for some hot goss as the hosts break down Rita Skeeter's Scoop on Rebeus Hagrid and his qualifications as a Hogwarts professor! Plus, between Ludo and some goblins and Rita and Hermione, were we moments away from a good ole fashioned pub brawl at The Three Broomsticks? Join us and find out!

• 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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Can YOU dance like a Hippogriff? Nananananananana! It's Yule Ball season and this week, we’re fraternizing with the enemy, proving our emotional span is greater than a teaspoon and dodging Moody's creepy eye, all while trying our best to keep our dates happy and turn it up on the dance floor!

• 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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On this week's episode, we interrupt your regularly scheduled schoolwork to announce (quite last minute) that there will be a Yule Ball this year! Grab your dress robes and find a dance partner before all the "good ones" are taken!

• 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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On this week's episode, the band is back together! So grab your golden eggs and bring ‘em to the Gryffindor Common Room, because it’s a PAR-TAY and even the House-Elves are invited!

• 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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This week Chapter by Chapter returns as Harry faces off against the CLEARLY most-dangerous dragon. Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah and special Slug Club guest Catherine as they tackle Chapter 20 of Goblet of Fire, “The First Task.”

• 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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The ladies of MuggleCast are back for Part 2 of our Girls Takeover Series! This week we’re diving deeper into the roles of women as mothers, teachers, care givers, and warriors. We’re joined by our social media manager Chloé, transcriber manager Meg, and sister-podcast host Pam. 

• 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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This week, we're busting open the MuggleMail bag and listening to your voicemails on all things Goblet of Fire! So grab your (stuffed) Hungarian Horntail and Quick Quotes Quill and settle up for our latest installment, where we hear direct from you, our listeners!

• 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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This week it's into the woods we go as the MuggleCasters read and discuss Chapter 19 of Goblet of Fire, the Hungarian Horntail. And they are joined by someone who is reading the books for the very first time!

• 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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It's a tough week being The Chosen One! Join the hosts as they avoid insults from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, stumble through Hogwarts classes, and hunker down in the nearest broom cupboard for an uncomfortable interview with Rita Skeeter!

• 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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This week, join your Harry Potter friends by putting on your detective caps and trying to figure out who put Harry’s name in the Goblet of Fire. And while you’re at it, can you call Ron a WAMBULANCE, please?

• 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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Arriving with the foreign visitors to Hogwarts is a whole new set of cuisine options in the Great Hall, and - like some of the MuggleCast hosts - Ron is having none of it! Fred and George attempt to hoodwink a 700-year-old cup and a 150-year-old headmaster, failing spectacularly. And the trio learn that Hagrid has a crush! Join us as we deep dive into Chaper 16 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, "Goblet of Fire"!

• 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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This week, we find out which of our co-hosts should switch to Divination as their primary hobby as we check back in on our predictions about one another. In Chapter-by-Chapter, Harry develops a resistance to the Imperius Curse cast upon him repeatedly by Mad-Eye Fakey, who is TOTALLY casting those curses with the full knowledge and approval of Dumbledore... right? And, everybody's getting ready for the arrival of more students! Listen as Andrew, Eric, Micah and special Slug Club guest Katie tackle Chapter 15 of Goblet of Fire, "Beauxbatons and Durmstrang"

• 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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CONSTANT VIGILANCE! On this week's episode of MuggleCast, you must be prepared for what awaits outside the walls of Hogwarts! Join us as we level up by learning the Unforgiveable Curses from a Death Eater-in-disguise, try our hand at Divination homework, and debate the rights of House-Elves!

• 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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This week, it’s a competence competition between several Hogwarts professors. As Harry attends his first day of his fourth year, we follow along and rank each class and its teacher. Finally, Draco bites off more than he can chew, and we remember that we love Barty Crouch, Jr. when he cosplays an ex-Auror. Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as Chapter-by-Chapter covers Chapter 13 from Goblet of Fire, “Mad-Eye Moody.”

• 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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On this week's episode, the security nightmare meter is off the charts! Grab your galoshes and some treacle tart, and treat yourself to the rainy Sorting Ceremony of the 1994 school year at Hogwarts!

• 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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Choo Choo! It's time to return to Hogwarts as our Chapter-by-Chapter series continues with Goblet of Fire Chapter 11, "Aboard the Hogwarts Express." Join Andrew, Laura, Eric and Slug Club member Ning Xi as they dive deep into the topics that stand out on our latest reread.

• 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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Happy New Year! It's our first episode of 2024 and we’ll be watching our words carefully, lest Rita Skeeter twists any of our statements to create some hot goss for The Daily Prophet!

• 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!

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MuggleCast is your weekly ride into the Harry Potter fandom! Join us every Tuesday as we discuss each book in the series. We are currently hosting a fascinating Chapter-by-Chapter re-read in which we dive deep into the characters, plot, themes, and foreshadowing.

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We'll be back to normal episodes next week! In the mean time, enjoy this Bonus MuggleCast installment from our Patreon! In this installment, we discuss all that happened in 2023 (it's more than we remembered!) and what we have to look forward to in 2024 and beyond for Harry Potter fans! We are thrilled always to make it through another year with our listeners and look forward to what exciting developments are in store for the future. Thank you for an EXCELLENT 2023!

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• Happy Holidays and New Year to all of our listeners! It’s our final episode of 2023, but don't fret because we'll be releasing a couple of bonus segments over the break!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 9: The Dark Mark
• 7-Word Summary: Winky struggles to explain herself to Crouch
• Main Discussion #1: Death Eaters & The Dark Mark
• Death Eaters & Terrorism: Voldemort's followers use the Quidditch World Cup celebration to cause mass hysteria
• The Death Eaters are dressed in hooded cloaks with masks, and are marching in a clan-like formation. We discuss similarities to the KKK here in the United States.
• We react to the torture of the Roberts family and exactly what Draco suggested be done to Hermione
• The Dark Mark & the Swastika: Both marks inspire fear and convey hatred. As an adult that lived through Voldemort’s reign, what must it have been like to see the Dark Mark return?
• Hermione is the only one of the trio who understands the gravity of the Dark Mark. What does this say about the wizarding world’s ability to insulate their children from the terror that Voldemort inflicted on the wizarding world?
• Was the Dark Mark cast to inspire fear in those at the Quidditch World Cup or in the Death Eaters themselves?
• Main Discussion #2: The Conviction of Winky & The Treatment of House-Elves
• Winky is found at the scene of the crime and is unjustly accused (and convicted). 
• Similar to other situations we’ve experienced with Ministry justice, much of the real evidence is ignored!
• Our eyes are opened even further to the treatment of House-Elves by the larger wizarding world
• How has Hermione growing up in the Muggle world informed her views on House-Elves? Do we attribute Ron’s views to immaturity or his own upbringing?
• Hermione begins her outspoken criticism of the Ministry!
• Evanesco That returns as Andrew lays waste to all of the  he-said-she-said-elf-said back-and-forth, blah, blah, blah in this chapter!
• Odds & Ends cover Fred & George's winnings, Beauxbatons, Madam Maxime, Stan Shunpike, Priori Incantato and more!
• Quizzitch: What did Rita Skeeter once call Bill Weasley in an interview with Gringotts curse-breakers?
• And don’t forget you can join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast! We have two brand-new ones for you in December, including our recap of the biggest events in fandom of 2023 and a look ahead to 2024! And, we celebrate with some of our favorite holiday Headcannons!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by MasterClass! This holiday season, give the gift of one annual membership and get one free at MasterClass.com/MuggleCast!

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• Thanks to all who listen to our podcast on Spotify! You made our Wrapped something special.
• Reminder to check out The MuggleCast Overstock Store for any last-minute holiday gifts you may be seeking! Give the gift of MuggleCast merch to you and yours!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 8: The Quidditch World Cup
• 7-Word Summary: Athletes compete vigorously against their formidable opponents
• Main Discussion #1: House-Elves return!
• Harry thinks he sees Dobby. But how exactly does Winky know Dobby?
• Are Dobby's ideas of being paid for his work too radical, or is Winky too conservative or downtrodden? And why is it a bad thing that Dobby remains free?
• We also get a reunion of sorts between Lucius and Arthur. What is this chapter trying to tell us about class differences in the Wizarding World?
• Main Discussion #2: The Veela are DANGEROUS!
• Right after first seeing them, Harry almost jumps out of the Top Box! How are they allowed?
• The Veela are of Slavic origin and may have roots in Greek myths; we explore.
• Are the Veela more like modern cheerleaders in their purpose, or are they emblematic of something else?
• Both team's mascots should be banned in the future, we consider.
• Quizzitch: From which book does Hermione learn about Beauxbatons Academy of Magic?
• Coming up in Bonus MuggleCast, we review the biggest events in fandom of 2023 and look ahead to 2024!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (claim your $75 credit at Indeed.com/MuggleCast) and MeUndies (get 25% off your first order, plus free standard shipping at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast)!

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• Welcome, the hosts of Fantasy Fangirls, Nicole and Lexi! Fantasy Fangirls is currently covering Fourth Wing / Iron Flame, which has been one of the most popular book series this year! Follow them for hours of entertainment on Instagram and TikTok!
• Lexi leaves everyone in awe as she rattles off every Goblet of Fire chapter from memory! And yes, she can do the entire series from Sorcerer's Stone to Deathly Hallows - a fantastic holiday party trick!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 7: Bagman and Crouch
• 7-Word Summary: Arriving at the campsite makes much happen 
• Main Discussion #1: Hiding the Quidditch World Cup from Muggles
• How does Arthur Weasley not know how Muggle money works?
• What is the lasting impact of wiping Mr. Roberts' memory 10 times per day?
• Prohibiting witches and wizards from doing magic at the Quidditch World Cup is ABSURD! Why hasn't a better plan been devised after all these years?
• Just Hhw many witches and wizards are there in the world?
• Why should Harry and Hermione have to put the tent together? Could it be foreshadowing to Deathly Hallows?
• Brother and sister? Former lovers? Could there be a secret connection between Perkins and Mrs. Figg?
• Main Discussion #2: Bagman and Crouch (our initial impressions)
• We examine the ethics of Ludo Bagman placing and collecting bets on the Quidditch World Cup
• What sticky situation did Arthur get Ludo out of that awarded him 10 VIP tickets?
• What does it say about Barty Crouch Sr. that he completely botches Percy's name?
• Odds & Ends cover Ron fangirling over Krum, other wizarding schools, Bode The Unspeakable, magic carpets, water taps, Seamus Finnegan's mom and more!
• Quizzitch: What broomstick does Harry see advertised as being, "for All the Family" at the Quidditch World Cup?
• The MuggleCast Overstock Store is STILL OPEN! Ever wanted one of our cool physical gifts that we send to Patrons, but didn’t want to subscribe to our Patreon? WELL, for the first time ever, we are selling leftover physical gifts from years past! Only while supplies last!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Uncommon Goods (get 15% off your first order at UncommonGoods.com/MUGGLECAST) & Indeed (claim your $75 credit at Indeed.com/MuggleCast)!

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• We would like to wish a happy Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating this week. We are honored to be part of your Harry Potter family.
• The MuggleCast Overstock Store is NOW OPEN! Ever wanted one of our cool physical gifts that we send to Patrons, but didn’t want to subscribe to our Patreon? WELL, for the first time ever, we are selling leftover physical gifts from years past! Only while supplies last!
• Chapter-by-Chapter returns with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 6: The Portkey
• 7-Word Summary: The Quidditch World is excited regarding Voldemort 
• Main Discussion 1: Magical modes of transport for Wizards
• Does it make sense for folks with cheaper tickets to have to arrive sooner? Isn't it more likely that the rich could afford staying on site for longer?
• Which governments are involved here protecting the Statute of Secrecy and are they all working in tandem for the game?
• Is a Portkey really the best / safest form of transportation? Why not Apparate?
• Percy is made fun of by the Weasley Twins for Apparating downstairs, but each MuggleCaster comes to his defense separately.
• We ask: would you rather Apparate or use a Portkey? The hosts make their decisions.
• Would taking Muggle transport really be so bad in 2023?
• Main Discussion 2: Amos "Cringe Dad" Diggory
• We reflect on Amos' love for his boy and how sad it is reading this chapter knowing how the book ends, but also how awkward this conversation with Amos must be for Harry in the moment.
• Could Arthur have not gotten better tickets through his Ministry connections?
• Quizzitch: According to Percy, about how many languages does Mr Crouch speak?
• Transcripts are now available for our most recent episodes of MuggleCast, with more coming each week!
• This week's episode is brought to you by MasterClass. Give one annual membership and get one FREE at MasterClass.com/MuggleCast)
• Coming up on Bonus MuggleCast on Patreon.com/MuggleCast, we discuss the alternate titles for Goblet of Fire and reflect on how the series and story may have been different with a different title! Subscribe now and receive all of our magical benefits.

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• Welcome Slug Club member, Katie!
• The MuggleCast Overstock Store is NOW OPEN! Ever wanted one of our cool physical gifts that we send to Patrons, but didn’t want to subscribe to our Patreon? WELL, for the first time ever, we are selling leftover physical gifts from years past! Only while supplies last!
• Chapter-by-Chapter returns with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 5: Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes
• 7-Word Summary: Harry visits the burrow and EATS satisfactorily
• Main Discussion 1: Wizarding World Family Dynamics & Life After Hogwarts
• What can we expect from the members of the Weasley as the series moves forward? This chapter lays the groundwork!
• Bill & Charlie: Have we ever been in Harry’s situation when we meet someone for the first time and they totally defy our expectations? Whether because of their physical appearance or because of their personality?
• Given everything that happened to Arthur in Harry’s second year, shouldn’t Fred & George have been more aware of pranking Dudley?
• How fair is Molly's assessment of Fred & George at this point in their lives? She claims that the Twins have “no ambition” and they are “wasting their brains”. We beg to differ!
• The hosts analyze how Percy's behavior is very reflective of Western corporate culture
• Does Percy not want to come home because he loves his job or because he dislikes his family?
• Given what we witnessed in the first chapter, should we as readers expect that Voldemort has something planned for the Quidditch World Cup?
• Percy goes hard on Bertha! Could this be a larger commentary on how women are perceived in certain work environments? 
• Odds & Ends cover Ginny, Pigwidgeon, Viktor Krum, the Quidditch World Cup and Harry neglecting tell Ron & Hermione about his scar
• Quizzitch: According to Amos Diggory, what family couldn't get tickets to Quidditch World Cup?
• Transcripts are now available for our most recent episodes of MuggleCast, with more coming each week!
• This week's episode is brought to you by Indeed (claim your $75 credit at Indeed.com/MuggleCast)  and MeUndies (get 25% off your first order, plus free standard shipping at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast).
• And don’t forget you can join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast! We have two brand-new ones headed your way this November, including our discussion of what good characters did in the Harry Potter series that really rubbed us the wrong way!

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• Quizzitch Live is returning! October 28th at 11 AM ET will see the latest Halloween edition of our trivia game where listeners can participate live and win prizes! Study up on your O.W.L. level Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, Defense Against The Dark Arts and more!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 4: Back to the Burrow
• 7-Word Summary: Arthur attempts to help with Dudley’s tongue 
• We all know that the Weasleys cause some good old-fashioned havoc on Privet Drive, but was it all quite necessary?
• Offenses include: Sending multiple delegates - did Ron, Fred and George need to be there? Why didn't Molly accompany Arthur? Being insensitive to Dudley’s trauma - who, if anybody is aware of the pig tail situation? And baiting Dudley - we debate the actions of Fred and George toward Harry's cousin. Were they intentionally feeding his addiction to sweets?
• With all the magic going on at Privet Drive, why doesn't the Ministry show up?
• Despite all of the chaos, Arthur still calls the Dursleys manners into question!
• What Muggle items do we think Arthur would have enjoyed most at the Dursely home?
• WHAT IF... only Arthur and Molly came to pick up Harry? Would it have improved relations between Harry’s surrogate parents and his guardians?
• Odds & Ends cover the relentless fat shaming of both Dudley and Vernon
• Quizzitch: How many times did Harry physically visit The Burrow during the 7-book series?
• Transcripts are now available for our most recent episodes of MuggleCast, with more coming each week!
• This week's episode is brought to you by MasterClass (get 15% off an annual membership at MasterClass.com/MuggleCast) and BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/mugglecast today to get 10% off your first month)!
• And don’t forget you can join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast! We have two brand-new ones headed your way this October, including a Halloween costume special and another edition of Favorite Headcannons!

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• A MuggleCast Girls' Takeover is coming! Patrons have two chances to catch Laura, Chloe, and friends of the show Pam and Meg hanging out and talking all things girly. Celebrations begin October 19! For more info, check our social channels.
• Transcripts are now available for our most recent episodes of MuggleCast, with more coming each week!
• Quizzitch Live is returning! October 28th will see our latest Halloween edition of the live trivia game where listeners can participate live!
• Main Discussion 1: Chapter 2 of Goblet of Fire, "The Scar."
• 7-Word Summary for Chapter 2: Dumbledore sometimes is on the beach relaxing
• We review the stresses that went in to crafting such a large book in less time for its author.
• Whose POV was Harry's dream actually from, and how does it work? Did the rules surrounding H*rcr*xes change?
• How would things be different if Harry had chosen to write Dumbledore? Would he care?
• We review Dudley's choice in video games.
• Main Discussion 2: Chapter 3 of Goblet of Fire, "The Invitation."
• 7-Word Summary for Chapter 3: Molly tries to save Harry’s summer funnily
• Is Vernon's behavior and his intolerance for magic similar to that of folks who are anti-LGBT?
• We review how Harry always miraculously escapes Privet Drive with a bang.
• Finally, we ask the most important question: how is Harry preserving all that birthday cake under his floorboards?
• Quizzitch: what does Arthur Weasley ask Dudley Dursley?
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (claim your $75 credit at Indeed.com/MuggleCast), and Better Help (Visit BetterHelp.com/mugglecast today to get 10% off your first month) and MeUndies (get 25% off your first order, plus free standard shipping at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast).

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• Welcome Slug Club member, Summer!
• We pay tribute to Michael Gambon, who played Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films
• For the first time since 2010, we're diving into Chapter-by-Chapter for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with Chapter 1: The Riddle House!
• We reflect on the fourth book's midnight release and the last time we actually read it!
• 7-Word Summary: Voldemort decides to plan an amazing murder
• The history of the Riddle House... is it cursed? Is Voldemort secretly bankrolling his family's home?
• Comparisons are drawn between The Riddles and The Dursleys
• Why is Tom Riddle Sr. depicted as worse than his parents? Is Merope to blame?
• The Significance of The Hanged Man
• The Scapegoating of Frank Bryce: do the townsfolk in Little Hangleton effectively "cancel" him? Can we draw comparisons to Harry later on in this book and in Order of the Phoenix?
• Wormtail The Snake Milker - yes, it's a real profession!
• Peter shows a resistance to using Harry in Voldemort's plan. Is it based solely on the effort required? Or does he have feelings of guilt? 
• Right hands and faithful servants: Voldemort hints about the ritual to come at the end of the book!
• Pure Evil: How is Voldemort strong enough to use a wand and cast Avada Kedavra if he’s in need of a body and constant nurturing from Nagini?
• Horcuxes! Horcruxes! Horcruxes!
• Quizzitch: In opposition of his new diet, what did Dudley throw out the window?
• Next week: Chapter 2 of Goblet of Fire: The Scar
• Plus, Quizzitch Live returns in time for Halloween on October 28 - mark your calendars now!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (claim your $75 credit at Indeed.com/MuggleCast), and Better Help (Visit BetterHelp.com/mugglecast today to get 10% off your first month)!
• Transcripts are BACK! Thank you, Meg!
• And don't forget you can join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast! Following our Goblet of Fire movie commentary, we discussed many of the things from the book we would have liked to see adapted in the fourth film!

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• The MuggleCast 2023 Listener Survey is HERE and is open to all listeners through October 6th! We want to know what you love about the show, what you think could improve it, and what other content you’d be interested in us making.
• Check out Parts 1 and 2 of Belated Binge Podcast's "Harry Potter: A History" and "Harry Potter: A Fandom" series with Eric!
• We begin our Book 3 wrap-up by revisiting our 7 Word Summaries and voting on which one should get a re-do!
• 7-Word Summary of Book 3: Sirius prevails over Ministry officials and Snape
• Voicemails include: Is there a connection between the Deathly Hallows and the gifts Harry receives from the Dursleys?
• Does the prophecy's existence explain why Snape picks on Neville? Is there another reason why Voldemort doesn't have hair?
• Lupin's werewolf depiction may be referenced elsewhere, and the phases of the moon are more gradual than you may think!
• A listener writes in about Micah's criticism of Time-Turning.
• Why are Lupin's lesson plans so creature-centric?
• Is there a reason behind the many strained paternal relationships in HP?
• Would Veritaserum help crack a Fidelius Charm? And, is being someone's Godfather a special magical bond?
• Listeners also point out: McGonagall's anti-Divination stance goes back to Book One. And, how does Professor Binns grade papers?
• One 13-year-old listener made her parents detour around Mount Greylock (we 100% support this).
• Quizzitch: Who found the Riddle family dead?
• Next week: Goblet of Fire movie commentary!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Better Help (Visit BetterHelp.com/mugglecast today to get 10% off your first month.)!
• And don't forget you can join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast! This week, we discuss moments that were cut from Book 4 for the movie!

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• Welcome Slug Club member, Melissa!
• LAST CHANCE! Time is running out to subscribe to this year's MuggleCast Collectors Club over on Patreon. Be sure to opt-in to this special benefit by September 22nd!
• The MuggleCast 2023 Listener Survey is HERE and is open to all listeners through October 6th! We want to know what you love about the show, what you think could improve it, and what other content you’d be interested in us making.
• Chapter-by-Chapter for Prisoner of Azkaban concludes with Chapter 22: Owl Post Again
• 7-Word Summary: Justice is served by Hermione and Harry
• Snape claims he knows how Sirius escaped! Does he really KNOW it was Harry & Hermione? How secret is Hermione's Time-Turner?
• The hosts (and Fudge) react to Snape's unhinged behavior
• Dumbledore The Drama Queen is stoking the flames!
• Lupin regifts Harry the Marauder's Map forever connecting him with his father
• How did Dumbledore manage to convince Fudge that Lupin didn't aid Sirius?
• Harry is upset that Pettigrew got away, but Dumbledore tells him his choices made all of the difference. Does this moment feel authentically Dumbledore? Does it make more sense that they gave these lines to Lupin in the movie?
• By gifting Pigwidgeon to Ron, is Sirius trying to further endear himself to Harry?
• We analyze the book coming full circle and the balance of power shifting at Privet Drive
• Prophecies & Animagi - there ARE some things Dumbledore doesn't know!
• Could Trelawney be deep-linked to Harry and Voldemort? 
• How did the Marauder's keep their situation secret from Dumbledore?
• Odds & Ends cover The Quidditch World Cup, the Grindylow tank, Percy's Ministry ambitions, Harry sititng by the lake and more!
• Quizzitch: Who gives Pigwidgeon his name?
• Next week: We start Goblet of Fire with a special movie commentary track!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (claim your $75 credit at Indeed.com/MuggleCast), and Better Help (Visit BetterHelp.com/mugglecast today to get 10% off your first month.)!
• And don't forget you can join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast! This week, we discuss several news stories surrounding the Fantastic Beasts film franchise and Harry Potter television reboot!

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• Time is running out to subscribe to this year's MuggleCast Collectors Club over on Patreon. Be sure to opt-in to this special benefit by September 22nd.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 21: Hermione's Secret
• 7-Word Summary: Hermione saves Buckbeak with a time turner
• Somebody Call the WAMBULANCE for Snape!
• We unleash our new "Severus Lie Count" right in the nick of time!
• Is Snape pointing out the uneven leniency given to Harry helpful or harmful to his cause? He sure knows how to play Fudge.
• Could Snape actually secretly believe Harry and Hermione's side of events?
• Once Hermione busts out the Time-Turner to save the day we must ask: is traveling in time morally correct?
• What alternatives must there have been to giving Hermione a Time-Turner at age 13?
• What gives Dumbledore the authority to play God in this situation?
• What If: The Time-turning sequence all went wrong?
• We review why Time Turners may have been more hassle for the author than a help, and ask if it was worth it.
• Quizzitch: At the end of term, who arrives to see Lupin after Harry does?
• Next week: Chapter 22: Owl Post Again, the FINAL CHAPTER of POA! And two weeks from now, we'll record a Goblet of Fire movie commentary track!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (claim your $75 credit at Indeed.com/MuggleCast), and Better Help (Visit BetterHelp.com/mugglecast today to get 10% off your first month.)!

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• Welcome to LeakyCon 2023! We're old but we brought a cake... for Micah.
• How did we each get started with MuggleCast? The hosts reflect.
• Game: Is MuggleCast Older Than...? Rounds include "Taylor Swift's debut album" and "The iPhone."
• What have been some of our favorite moments in MuggleCast history?
• Game: The Dueling Club. Nonhumans edition, DADA professors, and Weasley family members!
• What moments in fandom were the most surprising and unbelievable when they happened in the moment?
• Game: Make the Connection returns! This one you have to hear to believe. (Chloé crushes it.)
• Thanks to all who came out to see us in Chicago!

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• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 20: The Dementor's Kiss
• 7-Word Summary: Chaos ensues on Hogwarts grounds under moonlight
• WHAT IF... Peter hadn’t escaped and Sirius’ innocence had been proven? Would Dumbledore have been forced to explain Harry’s blood protection sooner? Would the Ministry have allowed Harry to live with Sirius?
• Do we think Sirius is mature enough or in the right state of mind to care for Harry?
• Does it cross Lupin's mind at all that if the moon comes out, they’re screwed? 
• Why is Pettigrew not completely immobilized? 
• We rate Lupin's transformation: did the book vs. the movie do it better?
• Lupin can be controlled by his Animagus friends, but Sirius doesn’t have much luck - is he out of practice? 
• Soooo, Harry and Hermione are totally cool leaving Ron and Snape helpless with a werewolf running around while they go tend to Sirius?
• Why doesn't Harry's thought of living with Sirius work on the Dementors?
• Connecting The Threads: Harry attempts to save Sirius in both Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix
• Quizzitch: How old was Sirius Black when he played the trick on Snape with Lupin?
• Next week: We're off, but we'll be releasing our live show from LeakyCon in Chicago!
• Don't forget! Year 2 of the MuggleCast Collectors Club is here!  Each year between now and 2026, we’re sending 4-5 exclusive, new stickers that celebrate the show’s past and present. We’re also giving you the Collector’s Club Card, on which you can place the stickers. It’s a beautiful backing card showing our MuggleCast listeners heading to Hogwarts. Pledge at the $5 or $10 level by September 22 to receive this year’s stickers and the Club Card at Patreon.com/MuggleCast!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (claim your $75 credit at Indeed.com/MuggleCast)!

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• The MuggleCast Collectors Club stickers for 2023 have now been revealed!
• Pledge on Patreon at the $5 or $10 level by September 22 to receive this year’s stickers and the Club Card!
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 19: The Servant of Lord Voldemort
• 7-Word Summary: Pettigrew begs Harry for forgiveness for murder
• Snape enters in full Prosecute Mode! Why can he not be swayed to consider alternate views?
• Do the Marauders know more than they indicate about Snape's feelings toward Lily?
• Would Snape have used an Unforgivable Curse in this moment? Would it have worked?
• What If? the Trio did not knock out Snape? How would events have unfolded differently?
• Micah has a theory on what Pettigrew's missing toe might signify.
• Should Crookshanks see punishment for stealing the Gryffindor password sheet for Sirius?
• Was Sirius selfish to push the Secret Keeping on to Peter? The hosts discuss.
• The real reason Pettigrew was in hiding is revealed and there's an unexpected connection to Book 6
• Are the others Marauders to blame for Peter's poor choices?
• Harry comes into his own, and sparing Peter will have repercussions in Book 7...
• Quizzitch:  Who leads the group first out of the Shrieking Shack?
• This week's MuggleCast is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now), BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast today to get 10% off your first month) and MeUndies (get 25% off your first order, plus free standard shipping at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast).

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• Welcome Slug Club Member, Jason!
• Eric and Micah attended LeakyCon this past weekend in Chicago and they recap their favorite moments!
• Chapter-by-Chapter returns with Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 18: Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
• 7-Word Summary: Lupin reveals backstory to many children, tada!
• Sirius seemingly has no intentions to clear his own name. He’s waited all year to catch Peter and now he’s just going to kill him?  Why does he have so little regard for himself on this matter?
• Scabbers is a serious flight risk! Why didn't the adults or even Hermione come up with a way to neutralize Pettigrew? 
• Main Discussion #1: Lupin’s Tragic Backstory and The Shrieking Shack Origin
• The Wizarding World has done little in the way of "normalizing" werewolves and their condition. Should there be a school for werewolves and other wizarding world beings/creatures? Or does that defeat the purpose of an integrated magical society?
• Main Discussion #2: The Greatest Hoax Ever Perpetrated in Hogsmeade Village
• What EXACTLY went down with the Shrieking Shack, historically? Who else was in on the hoax?
• The Dumbledore lie count is FINALLY going up!
• Amato Animo Animato Animagus! We take listeners step-by-step through the process of becoming an Animagus
• What Animagus would each of the hosts transform into?
• Why did Lupin feel more normal during his transformations with Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail around?
• Odds & Ends cover the Marauder's Map legitimacy, Harry's mental state, Snape the Sneak and more!
• Quizzitch:  Who casts "Expelliarmus" against Snape inside the Shrieking Shack?
• This week's episode is brought to you by Indeed (claim your $75 credit at Indeed.com/MuggleCast) and HelloFresh (visit HelloFresh.com/50muggle and use code 50muggle for 50% off plus free shipping)!

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• Happy birthday, Neville and Harry! While we may not be covering those characters today, Episode 523 and Episode 481 both have excellent discussion of Neville and Harry and the prophecy.
• Speaking of birthdays, MuggleCast is about to turn 18! We will be releasing a special birthday episode on August 7th in conjunction with our Patreon where we release Bonus MuggleCasts twice monthly to patrons.
• The MuggleCast Live at LeakyCon schedule is now available on our web site! In addition to our Live MuggleCast show, all panels and events with us participating will be listed there in one place for attendees to reference. We hope to see you there!
• Main Discussion: MuggleMail returns!
• How does dropping a Hogwarts class work? Wouldn't more students beside Hermione have class times that conflict?
• Was Scabbers / Pettigrew present during the table of 13, and does that doom Dumbledore?
• A listener draws the comparison between Quidditch broom model discrepancies between teams and professional Boblsleigh racing and Formula One. We love it.
• Is Divination maligned on purpose in the books, and does the issue largely resolve when Firenze is brought in?
• Harry's Helping Horcrux is debated by a listener who thinks it would hinder Harry's Patronus-making skills.
• Did Snape know about the DADA job being cursed? Was Professor Lupin searching Filch's office for the Marauder's Map?
• Quizzitch: Who did Snape see Lupin traveling with on the grounds of Hogwarts, toward the Whomping Willow, in the 1970s?
• Micah, Eric and Chloe will be at LeakyCon 2023 in Chicago from August 4-6!  Listeners interested in registering for the con can visit LeakyCon.com and enter code Muggle during checkout for a $10 discount. Our live panel will be on Saturday, August 5 at 1:15 p.m. Check the full list of our panels on our web site!

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• Welcome back, Meg!
• Our birthday is just a couple weeks away! To celebrate, we’ll be recording a special episode that looks back on 18 years of podcasting! AND WE WANT YOU INVOLVED! Submit a voice message to [email protected] by Friday, July 28 and we just might include it on our birthday episode!
• Last chance! There’s less than a week left to become a Patron and order the Exclusive MuggleCast Beanie! Learn more about how you can get yours by clicking here!
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 17: Cat, Rat and Dog
• 7-Word Summary: Sirius attacks Ron viciously when Scabbers appears 
• Do we think the attack was premeditated? Was Crookshanks actively shadowing Harry, Ron and Hermione waiting for Scabbers to reappear? 
• Animagus Sirius is really strong! Despite his weak, ragged human condition, how does he drag a (nearly) fully grown person, pulling so hard he breaks Ron’s leg? 
• Why doesn't Sirius come clean immediately with Harry, Ron and Hermione?
• What must Hermione be thinking when Crookshanks protectively leaps on Sirius's chest? And just how have Sirius and Crookshanks been communicating?
• Harry is too young to know the Unforgivable Curses. How is he planning to kill Sirius? Could the Horcrux be influencing his emotional state?
• Why would Sirius not have told Lupin the truth about the Secret Keeper Switch? 
• Hermione and Ron SOUND OFF on Lupin! We examine their biases in depth!
• Strong threads are connected between lycanthropy and the HIV/AIDS epidemic
• Hagrid, Trelawney, Lupin: how do we feel about Dumbledore’s hires?
• When time turning, would Harry and Hermione appear twice on the Marauder's Map?
• Quizzitch: According to the Animagus registrar Hermione looks at, how many registered Animagi have there been this century?
• Micah, Eric and Chloe will be at LeakyCon 2023 in Chicago from August 4-6!  Listeners interested in registering for the con can visit LeakyCon.com and enter code Muggle during checkout for a $10 discount. Our live panel will be on Saturday, August 5 at 1:15 p.m.
• This week's episode is brought to you by BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast today to get 10% off your first month)!

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• Our 2023 Patreon Physical Gift is here! We're so excited to debut our MuggleCast Beanie, perfect for those outdoor winter and indoor air conditioned months! Let's face it, it'll look great on you anytime of the year! This knitted, high quality beanie features colors inspired by our current album art (which, conveniently, are also the four hosts' Hogwarts Houses) and a MuggleCast patch on the front with the MicBolt built in! Learn more about how you can get yours by clicking here!
• There will be a live MuggleCast meet up in downtown Chicago next month! Please RSVP to let us know if you can make it! The event is during LeakyCon but open to the public regardless of your ticket status.
• Welcome to the show Professor Julian Wample, PhD.!
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 16: Professor Trelawney's Prediction
• 7-Word Summary: Exams consume clairvoyance and shocking revelations, executions
• Hermione's exam schedule is the biggest example yet of her secretive methods, why do Ron and Harry not say something?
• Buckbeak's appeal looms, but the executioner is coming. Should Ron have spoken his mind to Fudge?
• Some hosts believe that Hagrid gives Dumbledore WAY too much credit. Should Dumbledore have put a stop to the whole Buckbeak incident?
• What did Parvati Patil do to impress Trelawney so much? Why does Ron fail but Harry skate by on his?
• Andrew catches something amazing about the circumstances surrounding both Trelawney predictions.
• Harry feels "unreal." Would this have something to do with there being *two* of him, we wonder?
• Odds and Ends features a particular pair of footsteps...
• Quizzitch: What spell does Sirius Black use on Harry and Hermione?
• Next Week: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 16: Professor Trelawney's Prediction
• This week's MuggleCast is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now), ZocDoc (visit ZocDoc.com/MuggleCast, download the app, and schedule your next health appointment today!) and Factor (visit FactorMeals.com/MuggleCast50 and use code mugglecast50 to get 50% off your first box.)

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• Our 2023 Patreon Physical Gift is here! We're so excited to debut our MuggleCast Beanie, perfect for those outdoor winter and indoor air conditioned months! Let's face it, it'll look great on you anytime of the year! This knitted, high quality beanie features colors inspired by our current album art (which, conveniently, are also the four hosts' Hogwarts Houses) and a MuggleCast patch on the front with the MicBolt built in! Learn more about how you can get yours by clicking here!
• TikTok star Chanel Williams has graced us with her talents by the record machine. Her new collab with MuggleCast is the Gryffindor Glory playlist! Sure to meet all of your Gryffindor representation needs.
• There will be a live MuggleCast meet up in downtown Chicago next month! Please RSVP to let us know if you can make it! The event is during LeakyCon but open to the public regardless of your ticket status.
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 15: The Quidditch Final
• 7-Word Summary: Fatigue sets in for Hermione intensely whoa
• From sleeping in the Common Room, slapping Malfoy and quitting Divination, just what is going on with Hermione?!
• The hosts examine the consequences of Hermione's overpacked class schedule.
• Is Professor Trelawney a bully?
• A listener e-mail responds to common criticisms of Divination and defends the real-world practices, and we discuss our favorite types to use in real life.
• We contrast the Quidditch play style of Cho Chang versus this game's Slytherin players.
• The age-old house rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin heats up once again. Entire groups must walk with Harry to keep their Seeker safe. Is this overkiil?
• Lee Jordan is at his peak best, while the whole school apart from Slytherins is cheering for the red team.
• We contrast the Quidditch play style of Cho Chang versus this game's Slytherin players.
• Odds and Ends include Harry's dreams, Crookshank's friend and Draco's name origin.
• Quizzitch: What is the first line of Professor Trelawney's PETTIGREW prophecy?
• Next Week: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 16: Professor Trelawney's Prediction
• This week's MuggleCast is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now), BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast today to get 10% off your first month) and MeUndies (get 25% off your first order, plus free standard shipping at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast).

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• Our 2023 Patreon Physical Gift is here! We're so excited to debut our MuggleCast Beanie, perfect for those outdoor winter and indoor air conditioned months! Let's face it, it'll look great on you anytime of the year! This knitted, high quality beanie features colors inspired by our current album art (which, conveniently, are also the four hosts' Hogwarts Houses) and a MuggleCast patch on the front with the MicBolt built in! Learn more about how you can get yours by clicking here!
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 14: Snape's Grudge
• 4-Word Summary: Mud finds its recipient 
• Security is ramping up at Hogwarts! Why weren’t these measures taken after the Fat Lady was attacked? And, as we’ve asked many times before in this book, WHERE is the Ministry?
• Neville takes the fall for Hogwarts being a security nightmare! Is his punishment fair or just downright humiliating?
• DAD-GRID: Hagrid gives his best lesson of the year, but it’s not in Care of Magical Creatures, it’s in FRIENDSHIP! Does he get through to both Harry and Ron?
• Do we agree with Hermione's threat to turn in the Marauder's Map?
• Snape has DADDY -- and bullying -- issues!
• Is it a crime for Harry and Neville to be walking around the castle while the other students are in Hogsmeade? 
• Why doesn’t Harry wait in the passageway until the area is free of Snape? 
• Does Snape use Legilimency on Harry or does he just sense a student being up to no good?
• Connecting The Threads: Snape’s Worst Memory (Order of the Phoenix) is an extension of Snape’s Grudge (Prisoner of Azkaban)
• We reveal never-before-heard audio from the 30-year-old conversation between Snape and Harry!
• Should a teacher really talk to a student the way Snape talks to Harry?
• How much does Snape truly know about the Marauders Map and its manufacturers?
• Much like in the beginning of the chapter, Harry feels as if he’s let someone else he cares about down! In this case, it's Lupin!
• Odds & Ends cover Sirius Black's knife, Ron's popularity, Snape's ego, the Shrieking Shack and more!
• Quizzitch: Which class with the Gryffindors does Hermione forget to attend?
• Next Week: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 15: The Quidditch Final

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• The MuggleCast Patreon is now offering free trials for 7 days as a way of promoting our amazing bonus content, as well as the upcoming physical gift. Join our Patreon today!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 13: Gryffindor Versus Ravenclaw
• Seven Word Summary: Cho distracts Harry with her amazing looooooooooooks
• Is Ron being overdramatic about Scabbers' disappearance? Do we side with Ron or Hermione now that the worst has presumably happened?
• Expert thread-connector Laura details moments when the trio argues with each other in the future.
• Did we ever argue with our friends when we were 13 and are we still mad about it today?
• On the Quidditch field, Cho has a strategy that gets Harry's attention. We examine whether it's fair to play in this way and whether Hogwarts should give everybody the same broom.
• Harry succeeds in casting his first full Patronus, but is it really an accomplishment given the circumstances?
• Does McGonagall go easy on Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Flint?
• The hosts examine Harry's latest dream and connect it to future books.
• Did nobody show Sir Cadogan a picture of Sirius Black? How secure is Hogwarts anyway?
• Quizzitch: What does Flitwick do to the front doors of Hogwarts?
• Next Week: Chapter 14 of Prisoner of Azkaban, "Snape's Grudge"
• This week's episode is brought to you by Indeed. Visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now.
• In Bonus MuggleCast, Laura takes us through stories that seem to be full-on Harry Potter rip-offs, worldwide. Join our Patreon at Patreon.com/MuggleCast today to listen!

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• Happy 20th anniversary to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix! On this week's bonus MuggleCast on Patreon, we celebrate 20 years of the fifth book!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 12: The Patronus
• Seven Word Summary: Lupin teaches Harry how to fight Dementors 
• How does the faculty feel about Lupin searching their personal spaces for a boggart?
• Why is it that a boggart Dementor has the same effect on Harry as a real Dementor?
• Harry struggles to find a powerful enough memory to conjure a Patronus. If we were in Harry’s position, what would we choose?
• Harry's internal struggle: for as much as he wants to fight the Dementor, he also wants to hear his parents
• How much is the Horcrux influencing Harry at certain moments throughout this chapter?
• Lupin is the first adult figure to really believe in Harry!
• We examine Lupin's reactions to the mentions of both James and Sirius
• What if the dementor’s kiss was your FIRST (and only) kiss? ::vomit::
• Lupin challenges Harry on Sirius receiving the Dementor's Kiss. Is this as a friend, a compassionate human being or a bit of both?
• Anywayyyyyyy, back to the Firebolt Fiasco!
• Wouldn’t a teacher have found out eventually that Harry had a super cool new broom, and wonder where it came from? Which begs the question... shouldn't there be standardized equipment for school-based Quidditch?
• Did Oliver Wood plan to bench Harry? Is there nothing he wouldn't do to win?
• Odds & Ends cover Lupin's condition, Neville's password problem, Hermione's favorite subject, and more!
• Quizzitch: What does Percy win from his girlfriend Penelope when Gryffindor beats Ravenclaw?
• Next Week: Chapter 13 of Prisoner of Azkaban, Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw
• This week's episode is brought to you by Factor (visit FactorMeals.com/MuggleCast50 and use code mugglecast50 to get 50% off your first box)and BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast today to get 10% off your first month).
• Our Patreon is now offering 7-day free trials: Get full access to Bonus MuggleCasts and behind-the-scenes extras for a limited time! 

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• Welcome Slug Club member, Jason!
• Our Patreon is now offering 7-day free trials! Get full access to Bonus MuggleCasts and behind-the-scenes extras for a limited time!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 11: The Firebolt
• Seven Word Summary: Somebody sends a Firebolt mysteriously to Harry
• “A hatred such as he had never known before was coursing through Harry like poison." Harry quickly grows obsessive over hating Sirius Black. How much could his Horcrux be fueling these emotions?
• Why didn't anyone ever tell Harry that the reason James and Lily Potter died was because their best friend Sirius had betrayed them?
• We discuss how in both Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix, Harry not being given information negatively impacts his mental health and leads to reckless decision-making!
• We analyze Harry's treatment of Ron and Hermione in this  chapter
• Comparing Gryffindors: Peter Pettigrew and Neville Longbottom
• Comforting Hagrid: Lucius Malfoy’s influence rear its ugly head again! Did they not learn from the previous year when he threatened the Board of Governors?
• Hagrid goes into grim detail about his time in Azkaban. Should Azkaban just be for maximum security prisoners?
• Fan Fic Alert: “The Other Prisoner of Azkaban” by Jack Ichijouji
• The Firebolt: Does Hogwarts not have a security measure in place for packages delivered to the school? Why, just now, are they “evaluating” the broom?
• When 13 dine, the first to rise is the first to die: did Trelawney get it right after all?
• What crawled up McGonagall's @$$?
• Hermione's Most Gryffindor Moment
• Odds & Ends cover Manticores, Lupin's condition, Pettigrew's finger and more!
• Quizzitch: In which location does Harry’s first Patronus lesson take place?
• Next Week: Chapter 12 of Prisoner of Azkaban, The Patronus
• This week's episode is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now)  and ZocDoc (visit ZocDoc.com/MuggleCast, download the app, and schedule your next health appointment today)!

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• Our Patreon is now offering 7 day free trials! Get full access to Bonus MuggleCasts and behind the scenes extras for a limited time!
• This week, we read through Prisoner of Azkaban Chapter 10, “The Marauder’s Map”!
• Seven Word Summary: Secrets are divulged via Professors drinking Butterbeer
• The hosts reflect on Harry’s attachment to his broken Nimbus 2000 and their own attachment to inanimate objects from their youth.
• Harry’s isolation is hard to watch as with Book Five, but why doesn’t he reach out to Hermione and Ron? And, is Dumbledore to blame for all of it?
• When Lupin reaches for Harry, should we have intuited more about his relationship to the boy? What about when he drops his briefcase?
• Just how hard is it to learn the Patronus Charm and why isn’t it more widely taught?
• Is the Marauder’s Map a dangerous magical item? Are Fred and George reckless for giving it to Harry?
• How did Fred and George learn to use the map? Did the map itself help?
• What impressive magic is involved in the function of the map?
• Secrets are revealed and we wonder how the teachers could have kept this from Harry.
• Quizzitch: What date is set for the Ministry hearing of Hagrid and Buckbeak?
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now) and BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast today to get 10% off your first month).

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• Harry Potter: The Exhibition is now open in NYC’s Herald Square!
• Micah speaks with Tom Zaller, the President & CEO of Imagine Exhibitions
• Eric and Micah discuss how this exhibition differs from previous ones, what to expect as you make your way through, favorite moments, exclusive merchandise and more!
• Next week: Chapter-by-Chapter returns with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 10: The Marauder's Map
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! Most recently we discussed if HBO Max should gear the new Harry Potter TV show towards adults and the next Wizarding World park coming to Universal Orlando! Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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• Harry Potter: The Exhibition is now open in NYC’s Herald Square! Micah got a chance to preview the experience, so keep an eye out for a Muggle MiniCast set to be released Memorial Day Weekend, which includes an interview with Tom Zaller, the President & CEO of Imagine Exhibitions.
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 9: Grim Defeat
• 7-Word Summary: Suspicions rock the Hogwarts student body tonight
• With Sirius Black running around Hogwarts, shouldn’t at least one professor have stayed WITH the students in The Great Hall? 
• How did Sirius Black break into Hogwarts? Could Crookshanks have been involved? Has Sirius formed a connection with him at this point? 
• Why isn’t the Ministry alerted? This is now TWICE that Sirius has gotten past the Dementors!
• What was the conversation like between Sirius Black and the Fat Lady?
• We analyze Snape's conduct in teaching Defense Against The Dark Arts, his great joy in criticizing the students’ lack of knowledge on the subject, and his attempt to sow seeds of doubt amongst about Lupin’s effectiveness as a teacher!
• Snape is trying to OUT Lupin! Is Snape more vicious in Prisoner of Azkaban than he is at any other point in the series? 
• Do we think Sirius knows Lupin is at Hogwarts? Did he use Lupin’s "time of the month" to his advantage as well?
• Could Lupin be “sick” because of the guilt of knowing that Sirius broke into the castle? 
• Quidditch Controversy: What's up with the Slytherin favoritism?
• Did the dementors come onto the Quidditch pitch because of Sirius? 
• Odds & Ends cover Cedric Diggory, Harry's worst memory, Hermione's bloodshot eyes and more!
• Quizzitch: In what school year of theirs did the Weasley Twins obtain the Marauder's map?
• Next Week: Reminder, we’re off BUT you will get a very cool MuggleMiniCast all about the new Harry Potter: The Exhibition!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast today to get 10% off your first month)!
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! This week, we’ll have a new look at the next Wizarding World park coming to Universal Orlando! Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 8: Flight of the Fat Lady
• Welcome Slug Club guest Ashley! Host the show just like Ashley by joining us at Patreon.com/MuggleCast
• 7-Word Summary, Justice for Micah Edition: Teachers forbid Harry from going to Hogsmeade
• Snape picks on Neville worse than ever because he's Snape. But does Trelawney pick on Harry due to her prophecy?
• Did we ever have a teacher we were close with in the way that Parvati and Lavender are with Trelawney?
• Is Oliver Wood justified in feeling desperate about this year's Quidditch Cup?
• Is McGonagall mean for not signing Harry's permission slip? She knows about the Dursleys after all.
• Hosts connect some great threads between Book 3 and Book 5.
• Harry's Hogsmeade FOMO hits us in the feels.
• What makes Remus Lupin able and willing to say Voldemort's name?
• What If: Harry told Lupin about seeing the black dog off Privet Drive?
• Is Hermione wrong to point out the evidence against Trelawney's prediction about Binky? Could her doing so point to neurodivergent behavior?
• Rename the Chapter returns! And hosts assign MVP of the Week.
• Quzzitch: What does Hannah Abbott tell the students that Sirius Black can transform into?
• Next week: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 9: Grim Defeat
• This week's show is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now) and HelloFresh (use code "muggle16" for 16 free meals at HelloFresh.com/Muggle16), and by ZocDoc. Visit Zocdoc dot com slash mugglecast, download the app, and schedule your next health appointment today.
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! This week, we discuss how the Harry Potter TV show could appeal more to adults! Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 7: The Boggart in The Wardrobe
• 7-Word Summary: Neville fears rebuke when Snape “poisons” Trevor
• We compare and contrast Harry's worst class to date (Potions) with his best class to date (Defense Against The Dark Arts)
• What do we make of Snape's treatment of any student that is not in Slytherin?
• We analyze the effects of bullying vs. collaboration in a classroom setting
• What types of emotions does Snape elicit from Harry? Neville? Hermione?
• Snape The Enabler creates an unsafe learning environment for his students
• Micah plays devil's advocate and rationalizes Snape's actions toward both Neville (paying attention to detail) and Hermione (listening to the teacher)
• What is the world is up with the Shrinking Solution?
• Do Lupin and Peeves the Poltergeist share a history?
• We contrast Snape's treatment of Neville with Lupin's desire to instill confidence in him (very reminiscent of how Harry works with Neville in Order of the Phoenix)
• Does Lupin's past with Snape inform his instruction to Neville about his Boggart?
• Should Lupin have explained to Harry why he didn't let him have a turn at the Boggart?
• Connecting The Threads includes taking a look at the non-practical nature of Harry's first class in Order of the Phoenix and a very important Boggart scene with Mrs. Weasley
• Odds & Ends cover the origin of Boggarts, Draco's knowledge of Sirius Black, Hermione's secret, rat references and more!
• Quzzitch: What is the name of the Fat Lady's close friend?
• Next week: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 8: Flight of The Fat Lady
• This week's show is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now) and HelloFresh (use code "muggle16" for 16 free meals at HelloFresh.com/Muggle16).
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! This week, we discuss how the Harry Potter TV show could appeal more to adults! Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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• Main Discussion: It's a MuggleMail bag episode!
• Voicemails ask if the WWOHP theme park will adjust itself to accommodate the new TV series, a potential Cursed Child adaptation featuring the original trio, and an HP cartoon.
• More ideas for the HP TV series abound, with one listener asking how far the creators will stray from the look and feel of Hogwarts and surrounding areas.
• Will members of the HP movies be brought into new roles as a nod to their original performances? Who do we think would be most likely?
• One listener fan-casts the HP TV series for an actor from the Sandman series.
• Could the TV show flesh out the moments when Hermione and Ron learned that they would be attending Hogwarts?
• An eagle-eyed listener points out the use of the term 'Azkaban guards' disappears once we are introduced to Dementors.
• We hear a tragic story of school bullying where the school covered it up, and comparisons are made to Hogwarts
• The hosts reveal that double decker buses are not as prominent in the US as in the UK, in response to an email. And, the Sneakoscope was always right when Peter was around.
• Our latest "Legacy" E-mail from 2006 asks us if we think Draco and Harry will work together to defeat Voldemort. We offer our theories 17 years too late.
• Quizzitch: What animal causes the death of Lavender Brown's rabbit?
• Next Week: We return to Prisoner of Azkaban Chapter By Chapter with Chapter 7, "The Boggart in the Wardrobe"!!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast today to get 10% off your first month), and also Indeed. Visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now.
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! Most recently, we discussed more breaking news... a brand-new Quidditch video game! Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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• News covers a new Quidditch video game is coming soon… for consoles! We’ll discuss it in this week's Bonus MuggleCast, which is available exclusively on our Patreon!
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 6: Talons and Tea Leaves
• 7-Word Summary: McGonagall shades Trelawney during Transfiguration class, ooooooo!
• We meet Professor Trelawney, who we later learn made the prophecy about Voldemort and Harry/Neville. 
• From Neville's grandmother to Parvati's stalker to an Easter departure, we keep track of Trelawney’s predictions and see if they come true!
• Have any of the hosts ever seen a fortune teller or tarot card reader? What did we make of the experience?
• Do we think Hermione is too quick to judge Trelawney? Does McGonagall influence her opinion?
• Professor Hagrid... Micah argues Dumbledore set him up for failure from the start!
• Name Origins: The Grim & Hippogriff
• Does Harry offer to approach Buckbeak to test the validity of his death omen?
• Odds & Ends cover paying attention in Transfiguration class (cough, animagi), Hermione's busy class schedule, Sir Cadogan and more!
• Quizzitch: What form does Parvati Patil's Boggart take?
• Next Week: It's a MuggleMail bag covering Prisoner of Azkaban and the new Harry Potter TV show announcement
• This week’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast today to get 10% off your first month).
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! This week, we discuss more breaking news... a brand-new Quidditch video game! Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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• News covers the recently confirmed Harry Potter television series! Be sure to check out Episode 606, where we dive deep into the initial news leak and this week's Bonus MuggleCast, where we discuss all the new details!
• And... check out MuggleCast Episode 483, where we fan-casted a Harry Potter television show, and Episode 566, where the hosts developed ideas for an all-new Harry Potter television series!
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 5: The Dementor
• 7-Word Summary: Fear about the murderer abounds on trains
• We contrast Harry's trips to King's Cross in Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix
• How much information do we think Arthur would have offered to Harry about Sirius Black if Harry didn't tell him he was already "in the know"?
• Welcome, Remus Lupin! Check out the full Pottermore article on him and his family!
• How did Dumbledore convince Lupin to take the post of Defense Against The Dark Arts?
• Laura offers some interesting insight on the Wolfsbane Potion, lyncathropy and the AIDS epidemic of the 1990s
• Why is Snape so angry with Lupin being named to the Defense Against The Dark Arts post?
• We analyze the effect the Dementor had on Harry, Ginny and Neville
• Could a Dementor have removed the Horcrux from Harry? What if it took Harry’s soul and left Voldemort’s?
• Could anything have been done to prevent the Dementors from boarding the train? Did Dumbledore intentionally place Lupin on the train for this very reason?
• With McGonagall tending to Harry and Hermione, just who the hell hosted the Sorting Ceremony?
• Odds & Ends cover Sneakoscopes, Hogsmeade, the Shrieking Shack, secret passages, thestrals, forgetting passwords and more!
• Quizzitch: Who guides the trio to their first Divination class?
• Next Week: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 6: Talons and Tea Leaves
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now) and MeUndies (get 25% off your first order, plus free standard shipping at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast).
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! This week, we discuss breaking news... a brand-new Harry Potter TV show is coming to HBO!
• Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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• According to Bloomberg, a new Harry Potter television series which follows the storyline of the 7 books is nearing final talks over at Warner Bros. Discovery.
• Given that the TV show would adapt the 7 books, whose final film adaptation was released in 2011, Micah asks "is it too soon?"
• What steps would the television show take to distance itself from the HP films?
• Would they ever adapt The Missing 24 hours?
• Could we ever see new actors actually taking the place in our hearts of the actors who originated the role?
• What role will the book series' author have in the development of the show?
• Laura senses a real opportunity for bringing fresh voices and more diversity into the Potter universe.
• Check out MuggleCast Episode 483 in which we fan-cast an HP television show, and also Episode 566 where the hosts develop ideas for all new HP television series.
• Eric gives his must-haves for the would-be TV adaptation. Number one: the color yellow?
• Twitter feedback on this news includes: would we ever see an animated version?; problematic politics and the struggle to find joy with the series in 2023; is a Peeves backstory on the table?; what can the show learn from HBO's House of the Dragon?
• Facebook feedback includes: the stories we'd rather see told in the Wizarding World; embracing new cast members so soon after the films; and a cry for justice for Ron Weasley
• IG feedback includes places we still want to see, and differing perspectives of characters.
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now) and BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast today to get 10% off your first month)!
• Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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• In celebration of April Fool's Day, check out Episode #508: How To Tell Fred and George Weasley Apart, and More Twin Talk 
• News covers Daniel Radcliffe expecting his first child and his Moderating A Trans and Nonbinary Youth Roundtable for The Trevor Project, which you can watch in full right here!
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 4: The Leaky Cauldron
• 7-Word Summary: Discoveries are everywhere around this Leaky Cauldron
• Harry is free to roam all of Diagon Alley by himself! How old were we when our parents started letting us venture out on our own?
• Do we think that this is foolish of Molly and Arthur, to just let Ron roam around Diagon Alley given he is Harry’s best friend?
• Ron gets a his own wand! We analyze what the core and wand wood mean for his character!
• Something is definitely up with Scabbers! We start putting the pieces of the puzzle together!
• Molly and Arthur get into a heated argument about Harry. Which parent do the hosts ultimately side with?
• Connecting the Threads to Order of the Phoenix: Molly's protection of Harry, the safety of the larger wizarding community and Harry's escort to King's Cross
• Odds & Ends cover the Grim, the Firebolt, Dementors, the No. 12, Percy and more!
• Quizzitch: What is Professor R.J. Lupin’s middle name?
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now) and Zocdoc (go to Zocdoc.com/MuggleCast and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Then find and book a top-rated doctor)!
• Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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• This week the hosts provide alternative identities to help them escape detection...
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 3: The Knight Bus
• 7-Word Summary: Help arrives for Harry after an encounter
• Harry's frustration and short-sightedness mirrors our own in times of stress. Do we relate to Harry following his incident with Aunt Marge?
• Andrew has a full tally of all the times Harry thinks he is about to be expelled. It's higher than our Dumbledore Lie Count :'(
• We ask again, just why was Sirius Black not given a full trial? Is Dumbledore, or the government, to blame?
• Laura reminisces about an old campaign asking readers if they spotted The Grim.
• We ask, What If? Sirius had introduced himself to Harry? Would Harry believe him then and there?
• Why can't the Knight Bus go underwater, if it can do all the other things that it does?
• Not one but TWO Name Origins segments help us appreciate the details on display.
• Why did Harry choose a pureblood wizard that Stan might have known as his alias?
• Why didn't Harry know about the Knight Bus sooner?
• Fudge being described like an 'uncle with a favorite nephew' raises our interest.
• Why can Fudge trust Harry to follow his orders?
• Quizzitch: In Chapter 4 of POA, a hag orders what from the Leaky Cauldron?
• Next week: We continue with Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 4: The Leaky Cauldron
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! Last week, we discussed the recent Harry Potter Almanac news and reflect back on the history of all the times we were promised a Harry Potter Encyclopedia!
• Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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• Welcome Slug Club member, Sherry! Sherry, who is blind, shares her story of finding the Harry Potter series! Be sure to check out her fan fiction: Sirius Black and Becoming a Father and her book: Haven!
• Andrew and Laura will be discussing the potential ban of TikTok in the U.S. on their podcast, #Millennial. Follow the show for free in your favorite podcast app!
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 2: Aunt Marge's Big Mistake
• 7-Word Summary: Aunt Marge enjoys abusing Harry every minute
• What do we make of Vernon's assessment of Sirius Black?
• What do muggle relations offices look like at the Ministry?
• Hogsmeade Permission Slip: Harry learns how to play on Vernon's prejudices
• Aunt Marge was based on J.K. Rowling's grandmother, who preferred her dogs to human relatives
• While Marge is generally nasty to Harry, the gloves really come off when she starts to drink; is this an indictment on abuse levels rising (both verbal and physical) when family members have a drinking problem?
• Did Harry have to sit with Marge on multiple occasions during her visit? Is it actually to protect Vernon?
• Why doesn’t Petunia stand up more for her sister?
• Is Colonel Fubster, Marge’s boo?
• Quizzitch: What name does Harry give to Stan Shunpike when he boards The Knight Bus?
• Next week: We continue with Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 3: The Knight Bus
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now) and BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast today to get 10% off your first month)!
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! This week, we discuss the recent Harry Potter Almanac news and reflect back on the history of all the times we were promised a Harry Potter Encyclopedia!
• Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 1: Owl Post
• The hosts reflect on when they read Prisoner of Azkaban for the first time!
• 7-Word Summary: Owls deliver presents to Harry’s bedroom window 
• Is this the last time we get the big “previously on Harry Potter” info dump?
• Should Ron have known how to use a telephone given his father's job?
• What are some other examples of common muggle technology that would vex unknowing wizards?
• Vacation Time: the Weasleys head to Egypt, Hermione is off to France! Why did nobody ask Harry to tag along?
• What do we think Ginny’s summer has been like post-Chamber of Secrets? 
• Harry receives gifts from Ron, Hermione, and Hagrid that all pertain to events that will occur later in this book!
• If the Sneakoscope works to detect untrustworthy people, is there a case to be made that it should have gone off constantly around Harrym, since he’s a Horcrux?
• Harry, why didn't you just forge your Hogsmeade permission slip?
• The hosts agree to disagree about Percy's Head Boy braggadocio!
• Quizzitch; How much does Dudley get paid to hug Aunt Marge?
• Next week: We continue with Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 2: Aunt Marge's Big Mistake
• This week's episode is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now) and Zocdoc (go to Zocdoc.com/MuggleCast and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Then find and book a top-rated doctor)!
• And don't forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! This week, March Madness takes over as the hosts compare their brackets pitting wizarding world items against each other! What item will emerge supreme? Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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• First, our vintage segment "What's Buggin' Micah?" makes its triumphant return to the show.
• MuggleMail starts with Hogwarts Legacy feedback. On PC, there's a mod to mute the Floo Lady. Eric learns the composer of his first ever PlayStation game also scored Hogwarts Legacy. Is there an Easy Mode in Hogwarts Legacy? And which common room would the hosts party in?
• Chamber of Secrets comes to a close with MuggleMail feedback.
• Did the Weasleys go to Egypt TWICE in one year?
• More name origins for Gilderoy Lockhart
• One listener's thoughts on criminal justice in the Wizarding world.
• There's more to Hermione's 2nd Year class signup sheet than we realize.
• Did Tom Riddle spend more time making the diary so it could be more than just a Horcrux?
• Was Dumbledore REALLY absent from COS? Did Hagrid ever find out who really opened the Chamber?
• We choose a 7 Word Summary to redo, vroom vroom.
• Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul features an OG listener who now listens with her 8-year-old son.
• Quizzitch: How long did Harry go without hearing from his friends until his thirteenth birthday? Submit your answer on the MuggleCast web site.
• Next week:  We begin our Chapter By Chapter reread of Prisoner of Azkaban!
• This week's episode is brought to you by BetterHelp, Indeed, and MeUndies! Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast. Visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now! For 20% off your first MeUndies order and free US shipping, visit MeUndies.com/MuggleCast
• And don't forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments. Become a patron of ours today at Patreon dot com slash mugglecast.
• As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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• Welcome back, original MuggleCast co-host, Kevin!
• Main Discussion: Our Hogwarts Legacy Review
• How far have each of us made it in the game? Are we playing as ourselves? Or did we create an original character?
• Does the game live up to all of the expectations? What are we most enjoying? What are some of the little things that make us smile?
• What don't we like? What's really grinding our gear slots? And how is Laura making all that coin?
• Does the plot work for us? Have there been any story moments that we didn’t see coming?!
• Would we recommend the game to people who don’t usually play video games but want to experience the Wizarding World?
• Next week:  We’ll catch up on MuggleMail we’ve received over the last couple months, and we’ll wrap up our re-read of Chamber of Secrets!
• And don't forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast! On this week's edition we make good on our Valentine's Day promise with dirty Harry Potter pick-up lines and a spicy fan-fiction reading! (Please note: this specific bonus segment is not kid-appropriate).
• As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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• We revisit last week's topic of inter-Horcrux communication, with quotes from the later books.
• Main Discussion: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 18: Dobby's Reward
• 7-Word Summary: Harry accepts Dumbledore’s comforting advice on Voldemort
• Dumbledore is back! But unlike last year, he did not save Harry beneath the school.
• How much does the headmaster really know about the events of the past year? Who are his sources regarding Voldemort's current location?
• Is what happened in the Chamber a perfect recruiting opportunity for DD of Molly and Arthur?
• Dumbledore pays Voldemort a compliment. The hosts cringe.
• Examining Harry's ability to speak Parseltongue
• Dumbledore pays Voldemort a compliment. The hosts cringe.
• Lucius finds himself out of his depth when confronting Albus directly.
• Connecting the Threads: In books 2 and 6, a Malfoy is Voldemort's prime connection to events at Hogwarts.
• Quizzitch: What witch performed a Flame Freezing Charm, allowing herself to be burned at the stake at least 47 separate times?
• Next week: It's Episode #600! We will be reviewing Hogwarts Legacy..
• This week's episode is brought to you by BetterHelp, Indeed, and ZocDoc! Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast. Visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now! Go to ZocDoc.com/MuggleCast to download the Zocdoc app for FREE; then find and book a top-rated doctor today.
• Support the show! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon! Benefits include Bonus MuggleCast, early access to each episode of the show, ad-free episodes, access to our recording studio, an exclusive Discord and Facebook group, you’ll become a member of the MuggleCast Collectors Club, and at the Slug Club level you’ll receive a physical gift every year!

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• Welcome, Voldemort enthusiast and friend of the show, Tylor Starr! Be sure to follow him on social media and check out his Unofficial Harry Potter Vegan Cookbook!
• Main Discussion: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 17: The Heir of Slytherin
• 7-Word Summary: Memories reveal answers about Tom’s legacy fulfillment 
• Are Horcruxes self-aware? Do they have a hivemind? Does the diary-version of Tom Riddle know he’s a Horcrux? 
• How does a Horcrux work when another form still exists? If Tom Riddle weren’t killed here, would there have been a current Voldemort and a Tom Riddle, or would they have merged together?
• What if… Ginny had found fulfillment and happiness instead of being teased by her brothers, feeling like she didn’t fit in, and harboring unrequited feelings for Harry? Would Riddle have been able to manipulate her otherwise?
• Should Harry have told Tom Riddle what he knew about Voldemort's downfall? Did it inform Voldemort's future actions?
• We explore Signs that Tom Riddle is Voldemort: did we suspect this when we first read the book?
• If he didn’t have the brains or the power, why was Hagrid a good person to frame?
• Connecting The Threads to Half-Blood Prince: Fawkes, teenage Tom Riddle, the charming manipulation of others and the similarities between Harry and Tom
• Connecting The Threads to Deathly Hallows: The Sword of Gryffindor and Basilisk Fangs
• Ever wondered what other anagrams come from Tom Marvolo Riddle? Check out this great list from Katie Rose! And we have few international versions that will make you laugh out loud!
• Quizzitch: What does Fred drop on George’s head after he learns Percy has a girlfriend?
• Next week: We wrap up our chapter-by-chapter discussion of Chamber of Secrets with Chapter 18.
• This week's episode is brought to you by MasterClass (get unlimited access to EVERY class, and as a MuggleCast listener, you get 15% off an annual membership at MasterClass.com/MuggleCast) and Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to starting hiring now)!
• Support the show! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon! Benefits include Bonus MuggleCast, early access to each episode of the show, ad-free episodes, access to our recording studio, an exclusive Discord and Facebook group, you’ll become a member of the MuggleCast Collectors Club, and at the Slug Club level you’ll receive a physical gift every year!

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• Welcome to the show Slug Club guest Kimberly!
• Is it really Valentine's Day without some Harry-Potter-themed greetings? The hosts are delighted to hear something new.
• Main Discussion #1: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 15: Aragog
• 7-Word Summary: Andrew and Micah devise, "Spiders spiders spiders spiders vroom vroom vroom"
• Parallels abound between life at Hogwarts without Dumbledore in Book 2, and a similar time for students in Year 7.
• Should Hogwarts lock its front door at night to prevent students leaving so easily as Harry and Ron do?
• Harry and Ron are up to their eyes in spiders, and is Dumbledore responsible for their Anglia-driven rescue?
• Aragog's origins and his tale are explored in depth.
• In Odds and Ends for Chapter 15, Draco jokes prophetically, the Hufflepuffs come around, Fang gets some relief, and Percy is caught fooling around.
• Main Discussion #2: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 16: The Chamber of Secrets
• 7-Word Summary: Laura and Eric come up with, "Gilderoy is revealed to have no integrity."
• Is it fair that Hogwarts doesn't (yet) cancel exams for the 1992 school year?
• Hermione provides Ron and Harry the key to solving the whole puzzle, while unconscious. Her most impressive feat yet!
• Ginny tries to tell Ron and Harry something, but is interrupted...
• ...and Lockhart reveals himself to be every bit as incompetent as everybody feared.
• For once, Ron and Harry brought a teacher into their circle, but it came at a cost.
• What are the teachers all doing the entire day while Ginny is gone?
• Would the person who put Hogwarts' plumbing in have discovered the Chamber of Secrets, and (literally) covered it up? Wouldn't it have been better if the tap on the sink had actually functioned?
• Next week: We dive into Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 17, The Heir of Slytherin!
• Quizzitch: Who really opened the Chamber of Secrets 50 years ago?
• Support the show! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon! Benefits include Bonus MuggleCast, early access to each episode of the show, ad-free episodes, access to our recording studio, an exclusive Discord and Facebook group, you’ll become a member of the MuggleCast Collectors Club, and at the Slug Club level you’ll receive a physical gift every year!
• This week's episode is brought to you by HelloFresh. Use code muggle65 for 65% off plus free shipping at HelloFresh.com/Muggle65. Also, by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast

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• Main Discussion #1: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 13: The Very Secret Diary
• 7-Word Summary: Memories are misleading within Riddle’s secret diary 
• Don't touch that book! Ron provides some important wizarding world advice to his best friend.
• Harry, Ron and Hermione begin to connect the dots between The Chamber of Secrets opening 50 years ago and Tom Riddle being at Hogwarts 50 years ago... they just draw the wrong conclusion!
• Harry notes it was "almost as though Riddle was a friend he’d had when he was very small, and had half-forgotten.” Is this our first introduction to the Horcrux connection?
• Could Tom Riddle have killed Harry by trapping him inside the diary?
• Connecting The Threads: memory alteration and manipulation are integral plot points in Half-Blood Prince!
• Main Discussion #2: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 14: Cornelis Fudge
• 7-Word Summary: Hagrid receives terrible news about leaving Hogwarts
• Harry, Ron and Hermione are surprised to learn it was Hagrid who opened the Chamber of Secrets, but they’re not really surprised, are they?
• As Hermione begins to piece things together, why doesn't she seek out a professor?
• Hermione is petrified and Tom Riddle's Diary is stolen! But whose the culprit?
• Checkout “A Very Secret Diary” by Arabella, which details Ginny Weasley’s interactions with the diary for her entire first year! Note: this is intended for a mature audience.
• Would the Invisibility Cloak prevented Harry & Ron from being killed by the basilisk?
• So many questions surround Hagrid's arrest, first and foremost... WHERE'S THE ACTUAL EVIDENCE? Do any alternatives exist for Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge?
• Much like Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore leaves the school (in absolute chaos), with Harry shouldering the burden of solving the mystery!
• Next week: We dive into Chamber of Secrets, Chapters 15 & 16!
• Quizzitch: Who escorts the Gryffindors to their Herbology lesson?
• Support the show! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon! Benefits include Bonus MuggleCast, early access to each episode of the show, ad-free episodes, access to our recording studio, an exclusive Discord and Facebook group, you’ll become a member of the MuggleCast Collectors Club, and at the Slug Club level you’ll receive a physical gift every year!

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• News: Eddie Redmayne says he's not aware of a 4th Fantastic Beasts movie. Is this the end?
• Main Discussion #1: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 11: The Dueling Club
• 7-Word Summary: Students get ready for their dueling club
• We rank the trio's plans to break into Snape's personal potions storage and their successful execution!
• Would Harry have been less suspected by Snape if he sabotaged a fellow Gryffindor?
• After being discovered as a Parselmouth, the whole school suspects Harry is opening Slytherin's chamber. We examine ALL the evidence against Harry and see if we are convinced.
• When people are petrified, are they conscious or unconscious until they get cured?
• Main Discussion #2: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 12: The Polyjuice Potion
• 7-Word Summary: Draco confirms that he isn’t Slytherin’s baddie
• Dumbledore lets Harry leave his office without any explanation or follow-up questions. Why?
• Could Dumbledore have probed Harry's mind deeper than we realize and gotten all the answers? If so, what did he do with that information?
• Despite Hermione's amazing planning, Ron and Harry stumble through their Polyjuice adventure. They don't even know where the other common room is!
• Does Harry ever visit Hedwig?
• We rank Harry's Christmas presents!!
• Next week: We dive into Chamber of Secrets, Chapters 13 & 14!
• Quizzitch: What Spell does Hermione use on T.M. Riddle's diary?
• This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast

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• Welcome Slug Club member, Alyssa!
• Main Discussion #1: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 9: The Writing on The Wall
• 7-Word Summary: Filch scares Harry because he’s acting accusatory
• Was the attack on Mrs. Norris a trial run? Was Filch the intended target? Or is Mrs. Norris too meddlesome for her own good?
• What do we make of Ron's reaction to Filch being a Squib? How is it possible that no other students were aware?
• Why is Snape seemingly trying to implicate Harry? At this early stage, might Snape suspect Harry’s susceptibility to having his mind infiltrated by Voldemort? 
• Do we think students actually checked out all copies of Hogwarts: A History, or was it a strategic choice by Madam Pince to remove them from the library?
• Harry struggles internally with almost having been sorted into Slytherin. Could he in fact be the heir?
• Main Discussion #2: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 10: The Rogue Bludger
• 7-Word Summary: Broken bones consume Lockhart’s reputation at Quidditch
• Lockhart continues to draw suspicion with his questionable actions
• Do Muggle schools have restricted sections?
• Rule-breaking Hermione: let's brew some Polyjuice Potion!
• Why didn’t Madam Hooch notice the tampered bludger? And... where are the adults? The decision to continue play is not Harry's to make!
• Why is there no medical personnel present at Quidditch matches?
• Did Lockhart ever get in trouble for removing Harry's bones?
• Welcome back, Dobby! But... why are you trying to kill Harry?
• Colin Creevey becomes the first human casualty of the basilisk!
• Next week: We dive into Chamber of Secrets, Chapters 11 & 12!
• Quizzitch: During the Dueling Club, who does Snape pair Hermione with?
• This episode is brought to you by MeUndies (get 20% off your first order and free US shipping at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast) and ZocDoc (go to ZocDoc.com/MuggleCast to download the Zocdoc app for FREE; then find and book a top-rated doctor today).

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• Main Discussion #1: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 7: Murmurs & Mudbloods
• 7-Word Summary: Nepotism reigns supreme when Draco receives brooms
• We begin to see the influence of the Malfoy family’s wealth and the impact it has at Hogwarts and in the larger wizarding community!
• Is it fair to assume Draco made the Slytherin Quidditch team on money alone?
• Unconscious bias: Why were we okay with McGonagall giving Harry a Nimbus 2000 in Sorcerer's Stone but against Lucius giving the Slytherins Nimbus 2001s in Chamber of Secrets?
• Why isn't there greater punishment for Malfoy using the term mudblood?
• Why do the male characters seem to be onto Lockhart, but most of the female characters come across as hoodwinked by his charm and good looks?
• Laying the Groundwork: Blood purity, Hagrid's expulsion, Ginny's strange behavior, Riddle's trophy, the cursed DADA position and more!
• Main Discussion #2: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 8: The Deathday Party
• 7-Word Summary: Nick helps Harry out with Peeves’ assistance 
• What does it say about Filch that he’s working while he has the flu? Is he trying to prove himself given he is a Squib?
• Peeves drops an important piece of furniture with strong ties to Half-Blood Prince!
• Would the Deathday Party have been a good film adaptation?
• The hosts make some interesting observations about Moaning Myrtle and The Bloody Baron.
• The Chamber of Secrets is opened! What does it say about Harry that he runs toward an  issue rather than away from it? Or better yet, that he doesn’t go and get a teacher to help investigate?
• Next week: We dive into Chamber of Secrets, Chapters 9 & 10!
• Quizzitch: What curse does Lockhart say was probably performed on Mrs Norris?
• This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp (get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast) and MasterClass (get 15% off an annual membership at MasterClass.com/MuggleCast).
• On Bonus MuggleCast, we discuss Pottermore's sales dropping 40% in 2022! Bonus MuggleCast, which we now release twice per month, is just one of many great benefits of becoming a patron of the show!

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• Our top 5 Social Media Moments
  • Why do you wish you were a teenager in the early 2000s? MuggleCast #tbt! 
  • Black Harry Potter content creators you should follow this Black History Month! 
  • Dan Fogler’s Cameo to celebrate Micah’s Birthday!
  • MuggleCast Through the Years Timeline 
  • Last-minute MuggleCast Halloween Costumes!
• Each host shares their favorite episodes of the year:
  • Andrew: Episode #566: WB is Planning HBO Max Harry Potter Shows — We Pitch Lots of New Ideas! and Episode #555: ’98-’99 Hogwarts School Year Deep Dive
  • Eric: Episode #567: ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ Illustrator Thomas Taylor Reveals the Secrets Behind the Cover and #573: ‘MuggleCast, A History’ Trivia Game!
  • Laura: Episode #576: How Are Spells Created? Discussing the Physics of Harry Potter and Episode #551: The Importance of Black Representation in Harry Potter
  • Micah: Episode #580: Sorting Too Soon (Sorcerer’s Stone, Chapters 7 – 8) and Episode #548: Will There Ever Be Another Harry Potter-Level Book Series?
• Muggle Mail covers HBO Max's Hogwarts Holidays: Fireplace feature, Lucius Malfoy's Ministry job status, crackpot theories, thread connecting and more!
• What can Harry Potter fans expect in 2023?
• Hogwarts Legacy hits store shelves in February!
• Does the Discovery/Warner Brothers merger mean good things ahead? A Harry Potter television show, perhaps?
• We'll celebrate the 25th anniversary of Chamber of Secrets!
• Quizzitch: What does Oliver Wood say the Nimbus 2001 brooms do in comparison to the Cleansweep series?
• This week's episode is brought to you by MeUndies (get 20% off your first order, free shipping, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast), BetterHelp (save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast) and MasterClass (give the perfect gift of an annual MasterClass membership and get one free at MasterClass.com/MuggleCast).
• Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Our next episode is headed your way January 10, 2023! In the meantime, be sure to visit our Wall of Fame and keep your eyes out for a Bonus MuggleCast available to all in the coming weeks!

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• Welcome Slug Club guest Miranda!
• Announcement! Slug Club members of our Patreon will be able to participate in our holiday year-end MuggleCast AMA this coming Saturday, December 17 at 1pm ET. The event will be viewable by ALL when it goes live, and Slug Club members can submit their Q's! Stay tuned to our social for reminders.
• Main Discussion #1: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 5: The Whomping Willow
• 7-Word Summary: The tree captures the Ford toughly, rawr!
• Are there further investigations into why the Kings Cross barrier didn't let Harry through, after his and Ron's story come out?
• What makes Ron leap right to taking the car, instead of waiting for one of the many parents on the platform to come find them?
• Which other ways of transport can someone take to get to Hogwarts? Portkeys? Floo powder?
• The hosts discuss the prevalence of herbology-related mentions in this book as foreshadowing.
• Does the Anglia's arrival at Hogwarts prove that Hogwarts is a Security Nightmare?
• Do Ron and Harry get off a little easy for their world-exposing stunt?
• Main Discussion #2: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 6: Gilderoy Lockhart
• 7-Word Summary: Chaos ensues when Lockhart takes over class
• Mrs. Weasley's Howler to Ron may have consequences that she doesn't intend. Could she have been more discreet with her reprimand, and even shown up in person?
• For all things Professor Sprout, whose introduction occurs in this chapter, check out MuggleCast #513 which covers her presence throughout all 7 books!
• Has the Whomping Willow injured Sprout, or has she deftly applied the bandages? Words in the book are hard.
• Micah makes a piercing connection between the Mandrakes and the Basilisk.
• The hosts review Gilderoy Lockhart's early life, full of interesting tidbits from his extended canon backstory.
• Was Dumbledore really trying to expose Lockhart during the events of Harry's Year Two?
• The subtle way in which Colin and Justin are introduced to Harry as Muggle-born is sending us.
• Write this down! The students at Hogwarts have washed themselves!
• We award our standard MVP of the week to chapters and characters.
• Next week, MuggleCast does our annual Year in Review / MuggleMail extravaganza, after which we break for the holidays.
• Quizzitch question: Which potion makes Madam Z. Nettles of Topsham, patron of Kwikspell, the center of attention at parties?
• This episode is brought to you by MeUndies (Get 20% off your first order and free shipping at MeUndies.com/mugglecast) and BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast)

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• Micah visits Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience in New York!
• Main Discussion #1: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 3: The Burrow
• 7-Word Summary: Weasley’s House Features New Magic And... Gnomes
• Fred & George are truly their father's sons (be sure to check out our Weasley Twins episode from April 2021)
• Right family, wrong motive - Dobby DOES belong to the Malfoys!
• What if... Molly and Arthur had gone to pickup Harry at Privet Drive?
• Comparing and contrasting Harry and Ron's view of The Burrow
• Main Discussion #2: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 4: At Flourish & Blotts
• 7-Word Summary: Lucius takes Ginny’s father in a fight
• Should the Weasleys have given Harry a bit more assistance with Floo Powder?
• Inside Borgin and Burkes: vanishing cabinets, necklaces and hands of glory, oh my!
• What is Lucius Malfoy's true motive in getting Tom Riddle's diary to Hogwarts?
• Several characters are exhibiting odd behavior, Percy and Hagrid included!
• What are our first impressions of Gilderoy Lockhart?
• 7 BOOKS?!?! Why is Hogwarts bankrolling Gilderoy's bad habits?
• Bookstore Throwdown: Lucius and Arthur get into it!
• Next Week: Chapters 5 & 6 of Chamber of Secrets
• This week's episode is brought to you by Stamps.com (visit Stamps.com, click on the microphone, and enter code MUGGLECAST for a special offer that includes a 4-week trial, plus free postage, and a free digital scale), BetterHelp (save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast) and MeUndies (get 20% off your first order, free shipping, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast)!
• On Bonus MuggleCast, we uncover and discuss some exciting new info about what Harry Potter attraction is coming to Epic Universe! Bonus MuggleCast is just one of many great benefits of becoming a patron of the show!
• And special thank you to those who have shared that MuggleCast appeared in their Spotify Wrapped’s this year! The show was the top podcast for 1,500 listeners, in the Top 5 for 4,600 listeners, and in the Top 10 for 6,700 listeners

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• This year's holiday gift guide episode features largely Harry Potter-adjacent items for the HP-obsessed friend who has everything, or so they think!
• We'd like to draw attention to BookShop.org, where with their special Store Locator page you can support your local bookstore through the purchase of books mentioned on this episode, and all books in general. Check it out!
• This year's fiction recommendations include 'The Magicians' by Lev Grossman, the 'Percy Jackson' series by Rick Riordan, the 'Simon Snow' trilogy of books by Rainbow Rowell, Michael Scott's 'Immortal Nicholas Flamel' series, and the 'Eerie-on-Sea' mystery books by the delightful Thomas Taylor.
• MuggleCast Patrons chime in with their favorite fiction recommendations, including a series by a familiar name for some of us.
• In our "From the Stars" category, Evanna Lynch's Kinder Beauty Box subscription service, her deeply personal autobiography, Bonnie Wright's how-to book 'Go Gently', the posthumously released diaries of Alan Rickman, and Tom Felton's hilarious memoir.
• Friend of the show Tylor Starr has recently released The Unofficial Harry Potter Vegan Cookbook, with over 75 mouth-watering recipes we can't wait to try.
• Our fanmade recommendations include Heartwood Wands on Etsy, customized HP Bobbleheads for you or your friends, Expedition Roasters' 'Accio Coffee', Frostbeard Studio's magical assorted candle line, and even these flameless floating candles for your home decoration.
• Finally, we go truly wild with celebrity prayer candles, celebrity Cameo videos, toilet decals, vintage HP merch from eBay, and more favorites from The New York Puzzle Co.!
• If you want even more gift ideas, check out our previous gift guides on Episode 444, Episode 493, and Episode 540.
• If you want to support us, consider asking someone to gift you a subscription to our Patreon!
• Next week: We return with Chapters 3 and 4 of Chamber of Secrets Chapter-by-Chapter!
• This week's episode is brought to you by MeUndies! Visit MeUndies.com MuggleCast for 20% off your first order, and free shipping, with a 100% moneyback guarantee!

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• We reflect on reading Chamber of Secrets for the first time and what we're expecting to get out of our re-read
• Main Discussion #1: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 1: The Worst Birthday
• 7-Word Summary: The Day Harry Was Beaten By Family
• We deeply analyze the Dursley's mistreatment of Harry and add animal cruelty to the list of offenses
• Wouldn’t Petunia know that Harry can’t do magic outside of school? Perhaps she does not want to reveal her knowledge of the wizarding world to Vernon?
• How could Harry overcome the Dursleys’ restrictions except for the rescue from the Weasleys?
• How does Dumbledore allow for this level of abuse to go on for so long?
• Don't use THAT word (MAGIC)... are the Dursleys the Death Eater equivalent in the Muggle world?
• Can we glean anything positive from Dudley remembering Harry's birthday?
• Main Discussion #2: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 2: Dobby's Warning
• 7-Word Summary: Surprises await Harry in his bedroom tonight 
• We analyze the Mystery of Dobby's Ownership
• When would Lucius Malfoy have begun planning to unleash the Diary Horcrux?
• Connecting the Threads: we compare the behavior of Dobby in this book to Kreacher in Order of the Phoenix
• What is our general consensus on Dobby? Helpful or super, super annoying?
• Harry and Dobby: both are servants in their respective households, both are bound by magical contracts and both are treated horribly!
• Next week: we're off for Thanksgiving... (or are we)?
• Quizzitch: In Chapter 3 of Chamber of Secrets, what is the last of Harry's possessions to leave Privet Drive?
• This week's episode is brought to you by BetterHelp (get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast)!

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• News: Leslie Phillips, voice of the Sorting Hat passes away at 98 
• The 6th Annual MuggleCast Patreon Holiday Gift Exchange is now live!
• Chapter-by-Chapter for Sorcerer's Stone concludes with Chapter 17: The Man With Two Faces
• 7-Word Summary: Dumbledore comes at the situation with lies
• Main Discussion 1: Dumbledore’s Task - we draw some strong parallels between Sorcerer's Stone and Deathly Hallows
• Does Voldemort read Harry’s mind, is it the Horcrux connection or just a lucky guess? 
• What made Dumbledore initially move the stone from Gringotts? What tipped him off? Do we know how Quirrell found out about its location?
• Could Dumbledore not trust himself enough to keep the Stone in his own possession?
• We analyze Snape's "protection" of Harry throughout his first year
• Main Discussion #2: YOU LIAR!
• We dissect the conversation Harry and Dumbledore have in the hospital wing
• “Humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them.” How much is Dumbledore referring to himself in this moment?
• Does Dumbledore's refuse to tell Harry the truth for his own protection or to serve Dumbledore's own selfish purposes?
• How much is Dumbledore himself a Security Nightmare?
• Odds & Ends cover iconic quotes, Quirrell's twitching, Hagrid's drinking and more
• The Dumbledore Liar count finishes Sorcerer's Stone at 8 while we revisit all of our 7-Word Summaries
• Next Week: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets begins!
• Quizzitch: What color are Dobby the House-Elf’s eyes?
• Bonus MuggleCast covers a new Hogwarts Legacy video, Dobby's gravesite in Wales and Harry Potter book sales being up 35% in 2022! Become a patron today and receive great benefits just like Bonus MuggleCast!
• This week's episode is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now), BetterHelp (save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast) and MeUndies (get 20% off your first order, free shipping, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast)!

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• Welcome Slug Club guest Michele! If you would like the chance to guest-host on our show, visit our Patreon
• News: New Warner CEO David Zaslav wants "More Harry Potter movies!" What does that mean?!
• Main Discussion #1: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 15: The Forbidden Forest
• 7-Word Summary: Mars might tell of future conflicts forthcoming 
• Harry experiences exclusion like never before, after Gryffindor is down so many points. Have we ever disappointed our classmates in this way?
• What If? Harry told McGonagall the truth about Hagrid and the dragon. Would things have turned out the same?
• This detention in the Forbidden Forest is WAY too dangerous! And Hagrid even wants to split up!
• What are the Centaurs seeing in the sky, and why are they so hesitant to interfere?
• Main Discussion #2: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 16: Through the Trapdoor
• 7-Word Summary: Voldemort is hiding behind Quirrell’s incompetence – keys 
• Would it have made more sense for Ron to impersonate the Bloody Baron? Still, props to Harry for pulling it off!
• Hermione has a tendency to freeze up under pressure. When else has this occurred?
• Why wasn't Snape's logic puzzle included in the movie?
• We close out the chapter with our MVPs of the Week
• Next Week: we finish our Chapter by Chapter re-read of Book One!
• Quizzitch: What does Voldemort tell Harry that he will do once he has the Elixir of Life?
• This week's episode is brought to you by MeUndies (Get 20% off your first order and free shipping at MeUndies.com/mugglecast), MasterClass (Get 15% off an annual membership at MasterClass.com/mugglecast), and BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast)

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• We review the Order of the Phoenix Illustrated Illustrated Edition. There's SO much to love in this one!
• Speaking of books, don't forget to check out The Magic of MinaLima, which is an exhaustive look at MinaLima's work for the Harry Potter movies.
• Voicemails cover magic's origin, a Harry Potter first date, a Draco-focused Harry Potter TV show and more
• Several listeners write in about Christmas gifts and Quidditch rules
• Why doesn’t Hermione use her own wand to stop the troll? 
• Why did Hagrid really go to get Harry from the Dursleys?
• Should Ron be allowed to have a rat at Hogwarts?
• Is it the job of the Sorting Hat to equally divide the first year students?
• One listener presents a strong defense of Petunia Dursley
• Is the Hogwarts Express super inconvenient for students who already live close to Hogwarts?
• Troll in the Dungeon:  is Dumbledore sending the Slytherins to their doom?
• Quizzitch: When McGonagall gives detentions to the trio and Neville in Book 1, she says she's "never heard of such a thing before." What is the "thing" to which she is referring?
• Next week: Chapter-by-Chapter returns with Chapters 15 (The Forbidden Forest) & 16 (Through The Trapdoor) of Sorcerer's Stone
• This week's episode is brought to you by MasterClass ( get 15% off an annual membership at MasterClass.com/MuggleCast).

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• Welcome back, Andy! Check out Harry Potter Fan Zone, the top Australian HP fan site.
• News: Many new books are now available including Tom Felton's autobiography, Alan Rickman's posthumous diary, and Order of the Phoenix illustrated by Jim Kay. The hosts discuss which ones they'll be checking out.
• Main Discussion #1: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 13: Nicolas Flamel
• 7-Word Summary: Secrets are revealed when chocolate is eaten.
• We never did find out what work Dumbledore and Nicolas did on alchemy. Did Fantastic Beasts reveal more?
• We review an old fan theory that we love about Credence's origins.
• In talking about the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, Andrew explains who was responsible for the title change.
• Which is better, saying "Sorcerer's Stone" (snappy, alliterative) or "Philosopher's Stone" (boring)? Andy and the American hosts all debate.
• The hosts review some early Mary GrandPré artwork including an alternate cover that Andy shares with the title "Harry Potter and the School of Magic".
• In fact, Harry Potter Fan Zone has the most impressive gallery of official artwork, exhaustingly sourced and categorized by Andy. Worth your time to check out!
• Main Discussion #2: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 14: Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback
• 7-Word Summary: Hagrid reveals illegal practices inside his hut
• This rare chapter is, in many ways, completely self-contained. The conflict presented is resolved at the end.
• Life lessons from HP #???: Flattery will get you ev-erywhere!
• Andrew's new proposal of an HBO Max television show features Hagrid and his pet dragon. We're in love.
• Hagrid clearly has a soft spot for clearly dangerous creatures. Is this intentional foreshadowing to his plotline in Chamber of Secrets?
• Is it reckless for Ron not to be honest with Madame Pomfrey about his bite? What if it's magically infected?
• The scene with Charlie's friends is unspoilt by adaptation. What do we see when we see it in our heads?
• We close out the chapter with our MVPs of the Week
• Next Week: It's a MuggleMail episode! Send us your thoughts on our recent chapters or tell us what's on your mind!
• Quizzitch: Which real-life Wizard Rock artist wrote a classic spurned love ballad titled "1991 - Charlie Weasley"
• This week's episode is brought to by Stamps.com (Get a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at https://www.stamps.com/mugglecast. Thanks to
  Stamps.com for sponsoring the show!), BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast), and Shudder (Get your first 30 days free by using code 'mugglecast')!

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• We remember Robbie Coltrane, the beloved actor who played Hagrid in the Harry Potter series
• Main Discussion #1: Sorcerer’s Stone, Chapter 11: Quidditch
• 7-Word Summary: Gryffindor surprises Hogwarts with winning very tastily 
• Why does Snape choose to confide in Filch after being attacked by Fluffy? Why does he not go to Madam Pomfrey? Or heal himself?
• What is going through Snape's mind when Harry sees him in this vulnerable situation?
• Does Professor Quirrell’s attack on Harry during the Quidditch match do Quirrell more harm (for him) than good?
• Security Nightmare: Why are there not more protections in place during Quidditch matches?
• Main Discussion #2: Sorcerer’s Stone, Chapter 12: The Mirror of Erised
• 7-Word Summary: Dumbledore gives Harry some advice about life
• The hosts rank Harry's Christmas gifts from best to worst, using math
• How does this new information on The Mirror of Erised influence our thoughts on the magical device?
• We discuss Harry’s (reckless) tendency of using gifts from anonymous sources
• Laura connects the threads between several Mirror of Erised and Resurrection Stone passages
• Why is Nicolas Flamel not more well-known?
• Who did the hosts select as their Most Valuable Character/Chapter of the Week?
• Next week: Chapter-By-Chapter continues for Sorcerer’s Stone with Chapters 13 and 14!
• Quizzitch: In Sorcerer's Stone, how old is Nicolas Flamel at the time of Harry’s first year at Hogwarts?
• This week's episode is brought to you by: the Audible Original The Sandman: Act III, MeUndies (Go to MeUndies.com/MuggleCast for 20% off your first order and free shipping) and Indeed

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• News: Jim Kay has announced he will be stepping down from making the illustrated edition Potter books. We thank him for his work.
• Main Discussion #1: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 9: The Midnight Duel
• 7-Word Summary: Draco challenges Harry to a Midnight Fakeout
• After Neville's injury, the students leap to his defense. Have the hosts had similar moments at school, or were we all too scared to speak up?
• In what is clearly another security nightmare, Madame Hooch abandons her class of 11-year-olds who 5 minutes ago were handed a very fast and dangerous broomstick for each of them. No wonder something bad happens next!
• Laura asks what (specifically) makes Harry a natural at flying? Maybe abuse from Dudley made his reflexes better?
• How blatant is what McGonagall does 'favoritism' toward Gryffindor House, and why does the First Years rule exist to begin with?
• After narrowly avoiding trouble during the day, Harry and Ron immediately go wandering the castle at night. Shouldn't they be more careful?
• Should Harry have known that Malfoy was planning a trap? How does Malfoy have an inside line to Filch?
• Did NOBODY walk Neville home from the hospital wing to make sure he could get in the Common Room?
• Fluffy's origins and comments on the movie adaptation are covered in 'Odds and Ends'
• Main Discussion #2: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 10: Halloween
• 7-Word Summary: Dinner is interrupted by a massive disturbance 
• Major things almost always happen to Harry on Halloween. Micah recounts some of the big ones.
• Are Ron's choice of words against Hermione a bit too much?
• It is Hermione's pronunciation advice which helps Ron successfully tackle the troll!
• Have any of the hosts befriended people they were not expecting to like?
• Examining Hermione's motivations to lie, the act which solidifies her friendship with Harry and Ron.
• HOW is it that Quirrell is not caught or at least hugely suspected for letting in the troll? Should Voldemort have used someone else instead?
• The students of Hogwarts do not seem to dress up for Halloween, but if they DID, Andrew has ideas as to what they would be.
• Harry and the Golden Snitch meet for the first time. Our hearts are all aflutter
• If McGonagall had not discovered Harry's talent during the first flying lesson, when would there be another chance?
• Next Week: Chapter-By-Chapter for Sorcerer's Stone, Chapters 11 and 12!
• Quizzitch: In Chapter 9 of Book 1, Which secret passage out of Hogwarts do the Weasley Twins suspect Lee Jordan has found?
• This week's episode is brought to by the Audible Original The Sandman: Act III, Masterclass (go to Masterclass.com/mugglecast for 15% off an annual subscription), and BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast)

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• Hey, Apple Podcast users! You can now subscribe to the show right within the Apple Podcasts app. For $2.99/month, you'll receive early episode releases and ad-free MuggleCast! Thanks in advance for your support.
• We're opening up our Chapter-by-Chapter MuggleMail bag!
• Why was Hagrid sent for Harry?
• How big is the student body at Hogwarts?
• What happened to both sets of Harry's grandparents?
• How did Dudley's pigtail finally get removed?
• Did Harry's Horcrux impact the Dursley's treatment of him?
• What if... Petunia had magical ability and had been accepted at Hogwarts?
• What if... Dudley was a wizard? Would Vernon have disowned him?
• Could House-Elves be responsible for sending the Hogwarts letters?
• Other MuggleMail covers Leta Lestrange, The Elder Wand, Narcissa Malfoy and Remus Lupin
• Should Dumbledore have been sorted into Slytherin?
• Why wasn't Dobby asked to be in The Order?
• Quizzitch: In one of their very first History of Magic classes, which two famous wizards do the students in Harry's class get mixed up?
• On next week's episode: Chapters 9 & 10 of Sorcerer’s Stone: The Midnight Duel and Halloween
• In this week’s Bonus MuggleCast available exclusively to Patrons, we discuss excerpts from Alan Rickman's recently released diary, Truly Madly!
• This week's episode is brought to you by The Happiness Lab Podcast, BetterHelp (get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast) and HelloFresh (use code muggle65 for 65% off plus free shipping at HelloFresh.com/Muggle65)!

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• Welcome to the show, film and theater actor Rohan Gotobed, who you might recognize from playing Young Sirius Black in DH2!
• Main Discussion #1: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat
• 7-Word Summary: Students arrive into the Great Hall nervously
• Is the Sorting Ceremony too much pressure for First Years? Should there be something easier or a private ceremony?
• Why is the hat kept a secret from all students and possibly not even mentioned in Hogwarts, a History? We know Hermione checked...
• Americans struggle with British terms example 4,723, as McGonagall tells the students to 'smarten themselves up.'
• New Segment Alert: The hosts play "MAX That!" bringing an element from the chapter to life as a new Harry Potter streaming series
• Harry has a dream that the hosts find to be VERY illuminating.
• Was it right for Seamus' mom to keep her magical secret from his dad?
• Rohan pays tribute to all of Harry's peers who made it to the Sorting Ceremony but were never seen again...
• Main Discussion #2: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 8: The Potions Master
• 7-Word Summary: Eagerly Harry begins classes with angry teacher 
• What were our first impressions of McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick and Snape?
• New Segment: Mini Origin, where we dive into the name Quirinus and Quirrell in an effort to understand him better.
• Snape speaks of potions very romantically, but is he overcompensating for the lost romance of Harry's mom?
• The ability to spot exactly where a potion went wrong is impressive, but Snape should not be teaching students.
• Harry seeks refuge at Hagrid's hut, and the hosts describe their in-school hideout locations.
• The hosts reveal their coveted 'Most Valuable Character/Chapter of the Week' award nominees.
• Next Week: it's our first Muggle Mailbag episode since starting our Chapter-By-Chapter!
• Quizzitch: According to Book 1, if you’re in the Great Hall facing the staff table, from LEFT to RIGHT what is the order in which the houses are seated?
• This week's episode is brought to by The Happiness Lab Project, Stamps.com (
  Get a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at https://www.stamps.com/MUGGLECAST. Thanks to Stamps.com for sponsoring the show!), and BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast)

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• It's been a big week in the UK. Andrew and Laura covered the good and bad that comes with The Queen and the new Prime Minister in their latest episode of #Millennial! Follow the show for free in your favorite podcast app for more fun like we have on MuggleCast!
• Main Discussion #1: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 4: Keeper of the Keys
• 7-Word Summary: Suddenly, Hagrid bursts through the door... BAM!
• You're a wizard, Harry! 
• Does Petunia’s angry response hint at her own desire to have become a wizard?
• Do we find Hagrid to be convincing in his claims about Harry and his parents?
• Main Discussion #2: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 5: Diagon Alley
• 7-Word Summary: Magic is being shown in the shops 
• Harry enters the Wizarding World for the first time!
• Irresponsible Hagrid: is he the right person for this job?
• What is with all of the Hufflepuff hatred?
• Inside Ollivander's: Does Harry's wand foreshadow his Hogwarts House? This scene also explains Harry's scarf colors on the U.K. cover!
• What do we make of Harry's Impostor Syndrome towards the end of the chapter?
• Main Discussion #3: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 6: The Journey From Platform 9 3/4
• 7-Word Summary: Aboard the train Harry meets the Weasleys 
• Worst to First: From The Dursleys to The Weasleys
• Ron & Harry: Bros forever at first sight
• What are Harry's first impressions of Hermione?
• The hosts give their Most Valuable Chapter or Wizard of the Week
• Next Week: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapters 7-9
• Quizzitch: From which vault number does Hagrid retrieve the philosopher's/sorcerer's stone?
• This week's episode is brought to you by Backbone (visit PlayBackbone.com/MuggleCast to order your Backbone, for a limited time, and get FREE access to over 350 console games and perks), Masterclass (get 15% off an annual membership at Masterclass.com/MuggleCast) and Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now).

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• Chapter by Chapter is rebooted! We first started the segment March 19, 2006 on Episode 31 (transcript here).
• What to expect from CbyC includes: 7 Word Summaries, the same (but older) hosts, and brand new segments and games.
• Main Discussion Part 1: Sorcerer's Stone Chapter One, "The Boy Who Lived."
• 7 Word Summary: Vernon thinks that people are behaving oddly
• Eric asks, "What are the wizards and witches thinking?! The Statute of Secrecy is at stake here!"
• Laura makes an excellent point about what humans do after being cooped up and being afraid for long.
• Was it safe for Dumbledore to leave Harry unattended on a doorstep overnight?
• Despite the magical protection, we ask, WERE the Dursleys the best option for Dumbledore to choose? Why didn't Albus raise Harry himself?
• Main Discussion Part 2: Chapter Two, "The Vanishing Glass."
• 7 Word Summary: Dudley can’t understand why he sucks badly
• Having read the whole series, how do we account for the magic that Harry did when he was young?
• Where exactly did the "Vanished" glass go? In the book, it is not put back.
• Would the zoo be able to stay in business after such an incident?
• The hosts get depressed about the Dursleys' abuse of Harry, which hits differently now!
• Main Discussion Part 3: Chapter Three, "The Letters From No One."
• 7 Word Summary: Chaos awaits the Dursleys everywhere and above
• How is it exactly that the letters change addresses for Harry? Is Vernon right, and are the Dursleys being watched?
• Why don't Petunia and Vernon just tell Harry who/what he is? Why are they SO resistant?
• The hosts play What If? regarding Harry opening his Hogwarts letter while in the foyer.
• Most Valuable Chapter/Character of the Week returns
• Next week's Quizzitch question: Who are the four known members of Dudley’s Gang, from Chapter 3 of Book 1?
• On next week's episode: Chapters 4-6 of Harry Potter Book One
• This week's episode is brought to you by Indeed (Go to Indeed.com/mugglecast to start hiring now), BetterHelp (Go to BetterHelp.com/mugglecast and get 10% off your first month), and MeUndies (Go to MeUndies.com/mugglecast for 20% off your first order)

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• Welcome Slug Club member, Robbie! Check out his wand collection on Instagram!
• Main Discussion: Build Your Own Hogwarts Lesson as a new year at the school kicks off.
• Professor Andrew teaches about the Hogwarts Express in History of Magic.
• Spend Muggle Studies with Professor Eric
• Professor Laura introduces us to Proper Spell Enunciation
• Explore International Wizarding Cultures with Professor Micah
• Professor Robbie drops some serious Wandlore knowledge on us all!
• Beware of pop quizzes, homework and security nightmares!
• Quizzitch:  From what neighborhood does Harry first (accidentally) hail the Knight Bus?
• On next week's episode: Chapter-by-Chapter returns with Chapters 1-3 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone!
• This week's episode is brought to you by Upside (download the FREE Upside App and use promo code mugglecast to get $5 or more cash back on your first purchase of $10 or more) and BetterHelp (get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast)

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• Welcome to this week's special guest, Laura's boyfriend Marc!
• Marc is a game designer with a passion for physics.
• A new trailer for Hogwarts Legacy has debuted, and we now know what all versions of the game will cost us. You might need to break into Gringotts to be able to afford the Collectors Edition!?
• Main Discussion: The physics of Harry Potter
• Just what is 'physics' and what answers does the study of physics seek to find?
• In the Wizarding World, is there a cost for doing magic? What kind of magic seems limitless, and what kind does not?
• Where does magical ability come from and how does it work?
• Are new magical spells created, or discovered?
• Next the MuggleCasters ask: where does the food come from, and where does your sh** go?
• What do our known laws (such as conservation of mass) have in common with Gamp's known laws of Elemental Transfiguration? We go point by point.
• Does the Vanishing Charm break down an object's atoms, or teleport it to a different dimension?
• In this week's Bonus MuggleCast available exclusively to Patrons, the hosts examine the physics of some magical objects including Invisibility Cloaks, Time Turners and Dumbledore's Deluminator.
• Quizzitch: In Year 4, What does Ron smush in anger after Draco taunts him about having inside-Ministry information regarding the TriWizard Tournament?
• Next week's episode: The hosts are building their own Hogwarts lesson! Come prepared for lectures and a pop quiz!
• This week's episode is brought to you by Backbone! Go to PlayBackbone.com/mugglecast NOW to order your Backbone. For a limited 
  time, and get FREE access to over 350 console games and perks.

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• Welcome back, Pat!
• Happy Birthday, Micah! We share the very special video he received from Dan Fogler and react to it.
• Hogwarts Legacy has been pushed to February 2023! What do we make of the announcement and this very cool A Hot Summer Day ASMR Video?
• Main Discussion: Indefensible Characters in Harry Potter, Round 2
• What did Lucius Malfoy, Mundungus Fletcher, Horace Slughorn and Merope Gaunt do to put themselves in our cross-hairs?
• What characters do we love to hate? Professor Binns, Vernon Dursley and Cornelius Fudge make the cut!
• Can the hosts actually defend the indefensible? We try our best with Narcissa Malfoy and Barty Crouch Jr.
• New game alert: One Gotta Go
• Quizzitch: What did the Muggle, Mr. Roberts, say to the Weasley family as they left the Quidditch World Cup?
• Next week's episode: The Physics of the Wizarding World
• This week's episode is brought to you by: Audible's Genesis, BetterHelp (get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast) and Indeed (start hiring now with a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post at Indeed.com/MuggleCast)

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• As we announced last week, Chapter By Chapter will be returning soon with Book One! Now that we are all grown-up. Look for it in September!
• Our hosts have recently appeared on each other's other podcasts, including Eric appearing on #Millennial, and Micah appearing on Thank You for Spieling!
• This week's main discussion was inspired by this great Reddit thread. Shout-out to Pamela G.'s brother for suggesting!
• Each host picks a supposedly 'good' Harry Potter character and lists their most heinous offenses.
• Molly Wealsey may be the motherly type, but her love is not evenly spread. What did Hermione or Fleur ever do to receive her ire?
• Albus Dumbledore may be the series' biggest 'good guy' after Harry, but his reckless endangerment of students via his choices for DADA staffers are preposterous.
• Remus Lupin was our very favorite teacher, but when it comes to being a dad or a romantic partner, his skills are somewhat lacking.
• Hermione's activism might win her some points, but she's much colder to anything that is somebody else's idea. Especially if she hasn't read about it in a book!
• Consulting the Reddit thread, the MuggleCast hosts pick a few more of their favorite examples.
• Why did EVERY adult let Ron use his broken and unsafe wand? Did Dobby go too far when stopping Harry's mail? Did the Weasley Twins go too far trying their products on students?
• August's Bonus MuggleCast will cover personal secrets from the hosts' early days podcasting and working on the Web. The latest Trelawney Tea Edition will be available exclusively via our Patreon.
• Quizzitch: in book canon, what color hair does Firenze have?
• This week's episode is brought to you by MeUndies (Get 20% off your first order and 100% satisfaction guarantee at MeUndies.com/mugglecast), Shudder (Stream 30 days free by using code mugglecast), and Masterclass (Get 15% off an annual subscription at Masterclass.com/mugglecast)!

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• Watch the full episode of Quizzitch Live: MuggleCast, A History!
• It's official! Chapter-by-Chapter returns this September!
• This week's episode is brought to you by MeUndies (get 20% off your first order and free shipping at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast), MintMobile (get your new wireless plan for just 15 bucks per month, and have the plan shipped to your door for FREE at MintMobile.com/MuggleCast) and BetterHelp (get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast)!
• On next week's episode we're talking about things that "good" characters did that rubbed us the wrong way in the Harry Potter series!

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• What revelations do we have from the new Fantastic Beasts 3 screenplay?
• The MuggleCasters are hosting an Instagram Live event this Wednesday, August 3rd at 8:30 PM ET to celebrate our birthday!
• More birthday fun:  MuggleCast is hosting a LIVE Quizzitch game about ourselves this Saturday at 11 AM ET! Stay tuned to our social media for links.
• Don't miss our 2022 Patreon Gifts - The MuggleCast Collectors Club and the MuggleCast Wand! Pledge to our Patreon by August 7, 2022 and fill out the form(s) to receive your gifts! We are so proud of this year's items and hope you check them out!
• The Secrets of Dumbledore screenplay offers some very tiny moments that did not make it to the movie, but no deleted scenes.
• Dumbledore and Grindelwald's tea time was likely a flashback, the Qilin comes from China, and Jacob's bakery has some vermin trouble!
• Concept art provided with the screenplay includes Lally's Charms book, and Whiskey the Goat!
• Was Yusuf Kama passing secret messages to Queenie?
• Mirror World confirmed! Albus and Credence's battle takes place within the Deluminator. The visual effects department points out a fun fact.
• SUPREME MUGWUMP CONFIRMED! Posters for the candidates reveal the use of word that was omitted from all the dialogue in the movie. Eric cries with joy.
• The 'little lobster creatures' and the giant manticore at the bottom of the pit are the same creature, the screenplay confirms.
• Dumbledore's fist fight is detailed on his family tree, with a mysterious page number we'll be speculating about for years to come.
• MuggleMail includes Sorting Madame Pomfrey, James and Lily's love, whether Squibs can talk to cats, Jedi in Harry Potter, Percy's motives, and a new Marvel version of Voldemort!
• Quizzitch: Who succeeded Albus Dumbledore as Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards?
• This week's episode is brought to you by Indeed (Claim your $75 credit now at Indeed.com/mugglecast), BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast), and MeUndies (Get 20% off your first order and free shipping at MeUndies.com/mugglecast)!

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• Welcome back Sequoia, from Fanatical Fics and Where to Find Them podcast!
• Don't miss our 2022 Patreon Gifts - The MuggleCast Collectors Club and the MuggleCast Wand! Pledge to our Patreon by August 7, 2022 and fill out the form(s) to receive your gifts! We are so proud of this year's items and hope you check them out!
• News: Quidditch is changing its name to Quadball
• We continue our Deathly Hallows 15th Anniversary Celebration!
• Main Discussion: What if... Deathly Hallows Edition
• What if... Harry had been sorted into Slytherin?
• What if... Harry had not inadvertently destroyed the Diary Horcrux in Chamber of Secrets?
• What if... Lily and James had kept Sirius as their Secret Keeper?
• What if... Cedric Diggory didn't die in Goblet of Fire?
• What if... Draco had changed allegiances and served as double agent for Dumbledore's Army? What if... he was a double agent all along?
• What if... Rita Skeeter never published The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore?
• What if... Dumbledore got it all wrong and Harry died? How would the Epilogue be different?
• What if... Snape never shared his memories with Harry?
• What if... Harry didn't disarm Draco at Malfoy Manor? What if... Draco had given up the Trio to Voldemort?
• What if... Ron or Hermione had died?
• Listener What Ifs cover Hermione leaving instead of Ron, Narcissa's confirmation of Harry's death, Dobby and more!
• Next Week: We will be reviewing the Secrets of Dumbledore script book and see if we can gleam any new details from it!
• Quizzitch: What resident of Little Hangleton is quoted as saying that Frank Bryce definitely killed the Riddles no matter what the police think?
• This week's episode is brought to you by Upside (Download the free Upside app
  and use promo code 'mugglecast' to get $5 or more cash back on your first purchase of $10 or more), Shudder (stream your first 30 days of Shudder for FREE at Shudder.com/MuggleCast) and BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month of therapy at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast)!

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• We've just announced our 2022 Patreon Gifts - The MuggleCast Collectors Club and the MuggleCast Wand! Pledge to our Patreon by August 7, 2022 and fill out the form(s) to receive your gifts! We are so proud of this year's items and hope you check them out!
• Main Discussion: Revisiting MuggleCast #101, our first Deathly Hallows reactions episode
• Why did we start off Episode 101 talking about Lord of the Rings? Eric reminds us of how things have changed since 2007.
• Laura and the hosts lament the lack of return to the Department of Mysteries, across two time periods!
• Podcasting had made all the hosts cold, hard people. Did the deaths in Book 7 really even affect them?
• Did any of the deaths feel 'unnecessary' to us then, and do they now?
• 15 years later... does the epilogue feel satisfying? And what about those names for the kids?
• The hosts listen to themselves predicting what the Deathly Hallows movie will entail.
• We read some of the most dramatic reactions to the book, found in the MuggleNet Comments Section on July 21, 2007.
• Listener e-mails include: Who was the late-blooming Hogwarts student? What was it about Lily's eyes? And, what happened to Kreacher?
• Quizzitch: Who witnessed Dumbledore using the Sword of Gryffindor to destroy the Gaunt Ring?
• This week's episode is brought to you by BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month of therapy at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast) and HelloFresh (Get up to 16 free meals and three free gifts by going to HelloFresh.com/muggle16 and using code muggle16 at checkout!)

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• We're excited to announce our 2022 Patreon Gifts - The MuggleCast Collectors Club and the MuggleCast Wand! Pledge to our Patreon by August 7, 2022 and fill out the form(s) to receive your gifts! We are so proud of this year's items and hope you check them out!
• Main Discussion: Burning Questions Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Didn’t Answer
• Did Deathly Hallows provide the conclusion we all wanted?
• Which character(s) got the most disappointing Deathly Hallows resolution?
• Lavender Brown: dead or alive?
• What retributions (if any) were there for Death Eaters and Voldemort sympathizers after the second war?
• Did Kreacher live through the Battle of Hogwarts, and did he ever find out that the locket was destroyed?
• Gringotts, The Room of Requirement & Grimmauld Place: what happened to some of our favorite wizarding world locations?
• Listeners share their questions on everything from The Veil to Snape's Boggart to Fawkes and more!
• How did Harry figure out so much during his time at Shell Cottage?
• Did the snake Harry set free in Sorcerer's Stone ever make it to Brazil?
• Nagini & Bathilda Bagshot... HOW?!?
• What was the relationship like between Harry and Ginny? Luckily, Eric's filling in the gaps in his fan-fiction!
• Was the taboo on Voldemort's name a copout?
• Was Azkaban absolutely PACKED after the Battle of Hogwarts?
• On next week's episode, we'll revisit our reactions to Deathly Hallows after reading the book for the first time, and read old e-mails from the days just after the book was released! 
• Quizzitch: In Deathly Hallows, during the camping scenes, after complaining about their meal to Harry and Hermione and saying his mom can conjure food from thin air, what does Ron Summon for dinner?
• This week's episode is brought to you by MasterClass (get 15% off an annual membership at MasterClass.com/MuggleCast) and BetterHelp (get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast)!

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• For Pride month, MuggleCast is participating in The Hogwarts Hunt, a fundraiser and scavenger hunt to benefit LGBT charities. We're team Hufflepuff! Visit our social media for more info.
• Who are the most indefensible characters in Harry Potter? Why do we say that they can't they be redeemed?
• The hosts unexpectedly discuss a few Ravenclaws and Micah and Laura get nervous.
• Micah says the Death Eaters would actually approve of the Dursleys' treatment of Harry if they knew.
• Among the irredeemable characters, which ones do we LOVE to hate and why?
• Characters like Snape or Umbridge have scenes that are greatly written as to illustrate their motives clearly, and we are shook.
• Could anything or anyone humanize Bellatrix Lestrange?
• What allow us to defend some characters, but not others? Their upbringing? Their intelligence and skill? Where do we draw the line?
• Is Argus Filch a character we understand? Would a Squib living at a magic school always have his attitude?
• Is James Potter a defensible character, since we see so little of him and when we do he is still that teenage bully of Snape?
• Do we believe that James would have made a good father and raised Harry without prejudice, had he lived?
• Debate: Umbridge, Nature vs Nurture?
• Quizzitch: Which of Umbridge's Educational Decrees (what number) barred teachers from giving the students any information that was not related to the subjects they were hired to teach?
• Andrew was on Swish & Flick podcast discussing the history of Dumbledore's sexuality! Check it out here or wherever you listen to podcasts!
• This week's episode is brought to you by BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast) and Warby Parker (Try 5 pairs of glasses at home for free at WarbyParker.com/mugglecast)

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• Welcome Thomas Taylor, illustrator of the very first Harry Potter book in the UK!
• Thomas shares what it was like to get the job at just 23-years-old!
• How did he decide to illustrate the iconic Hogwarts Express scene?
• Did he ever speak with J.K. Rowling?
• What was it like to be one of the first people to ever read Harry Potter?
• Was he ever asked to work on the remainder of the series?
• Who is the mysterious gentleman on the original back cover, and what's in his pocket?
• Did you know there is a connection between Dumbledore and The Hobbit?
• Thomas shares his thoughts on the first Harry Potter movie, his favorite characters and his Hogwarts House!
• What was it like for him to transition from illustrator to author?
• Be sure to check out Taylor's other works, including The Legends of Eerie-on-Sea and follow him on Twitter and Instagram! 
• Quizzitch: Dumbledore’s nose appeared as though it had been broken how many times, according to the first chapter of Philosopher’s Stone?
• This week's episode is brought to you by MeUndies (get 15% off your first order, 25% off your first Membership item, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast) and Shudder (stream your first 30 days of Shudder for FREE by going to Shudder.com and entering code MuggleCast)!
• Bonus MuggleCast, available later this week: In celebration of Pride Month, we had fun whipping up some gay Harry Potter pick-ups lines (parental advisory warning: these pick-up lines are of an adult nature and not suitable for children). Become a supporter of the show today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast!

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• Welcome Slug Club guest Neil, who's joining us from South Korea in the middle of the night.
• What CEO David Zaslav might do with Fantastic Beasts, Harry Potter, and his upcoming meeting with JKR.
• While Secrets of Dumbledore is the lowest performing Wizarding World film of all time, it still technically has broken even, reaching $400M globally. Is the future secure for its remaining announced sequels?
• Hypothetically, what scripted Harry Potter TV shows could we see coming if not a direct reboot of the original Potter books?
• The hosts all provide an idea for a television series that fills in canon and explores plot holes from the series.
• Laura wants an episode dedicated to "The Missing 24 Hours", while Micah wants a series focused on Tom Riddle's ascent to power.
• Is a Marauders series anybody's second choice for new TV content? How about one that shows the events of Deathly Hallows from the students' perspective in Hogwarts? And finally, Andrew's idea for an Auror Dept. police procedural is intriguing!
• Next, the hosts "Star Wars-ify" a Wizarding World story, pairing an adult and child character together in the style of Disney+'s The Mandalorian and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
• Would Salazar Slytherin look good boasting a gray area? Are outcasts Hagrid and Luna the perfect pair for an exploration of Wizarding World secrets? Would Tonks and Mad-Eye see eye to eye if placed together for long? How about Snape and Draco? And would a time-traveling Neville Longbottom learn a few things from Professor Sprout?
• Finally, falling in line with Discovery Channel's past offerings, the hosts predict which educational and/or questionable reality programming we might get from the content creators.
• Ideas include space-faring wizards, Charms disasters, a travel show, and "Trelawney Truckers"!
• Quizzitch: Who illustrated the first book cover for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, published in 1997 by Bloomsbury in UK?
• This week's episode is brought to you by MeUndies (visit MeUndies.com/MuggleCast for 15% off your first order and 25% off your first membership item), Framebridge (Use promo code 'muggle' for 15% off your first order), and BetterHelp (Go to BetterHelp.com/mugglecast for 10% off your first month)

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• Main Mini-Discussion: What does Fantastic Beasts 4 need to do in order to be a satisfying story for fans?
• With where Secrets of Dumbledore left us, what more story is there to tell? 
• Can the franchise continue to hang its hooks on Potter nostalgia, but then fail to deliver?
• Do we feel there is enough meat for five Fantastic Beasts films? Could a flashback movie work?
• It's time to bust open the Muggle Mailbag!
• What did Grindelwald know about Dumbledore's future when he said: "Who's going to love you now?"
• Will Jude Law's Dumbledore ever reenact the Half-Blood Prince potion scene?
• Is Secrets of Dumbledore too gay?
• Did Dumbledore plan for Jacob to be an "assassin" all along?
• Why did Leta choose Theseus? Is Newt to blame?
• Which characters are the best examples from each Hogwarts House?
• Can you use spoons to do magic?
• Quizzitch: In Half-Blood Prince, during the cave scene, what does Dumbledore toast before drinking the potion?
• On next week's episode: we're off for the Memorial Day Holiday, but back the following week with our Secrets of Dumbledore movie commentary!
• This week's episode is brought to you by Mint Mobile (to get your new wireless plan for just $15 bucks/month and get the plan shipped to your door for FREE, visit MintMobile.com/MuggleCast) and BetterHelp (get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast)!

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• Main Discussion: Professor Eulalie "Lally" Hicks in Secrets of Dumbledore
• Going back to the first section he ever headed on MuggleNet, Micah starts us off with Lally's Name Origin
• Jessica Williams, who portrays Lally, was herself a big Harry Potter fan, and even shares his birthday!
• The announcement of Jessica's casting likely took place at the next table over from Andrew, Eric and Micah when they saw Cursed Child on Broadway.
• What makes Eulalie a member of Thunderbird house? It's been a while since the hosts had a chance to talk about Ilvermorny canon.
• As a Charms professor, Eulalie's surely competent in some of our favorite Charms, which we recap.
• Lally, like Newt, wrote a book which is widely circulated. She also has a unique-looking wand.
• Professor Hicks and Professor Hagrid both share a job title in common! But... what does it mean?
• We received some insightful e-mails regarding Lally's "Transatlantic" accent, a relic of Old Hollywood in the 1930's and 40's.
• Lally's friendhsip with Jacob is a reason to see the film, even if it got off to a rocky (problematic?) start. The hosts discuss.
• What do we see happening between Theseus and Lally romantically, if anything, and why?
• Andrew's idea for a Eulalie Hicks spinoff TV show will have you ready and waiting for the first season.
• Quizzitch: What did students have to do in their end of year exam for Charms class in Harry’s year one?
• This week's episode is brought to you by Framebridge (Use promo code MUGGLE for 15% off your first order), Warby Parker (Go to WarbyParker.com/mugglecast and try five pairs for free right at home), and AMC Shudder (Use code MUGGLECAST for 30 days of Shudder for free)

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• Main Discussion: Can our knowledge of book canon help us explain the events of Fantastic Beasts 3?
• In what YEAR is the third movie set? Some title cards would have been helpful! Are there clues in the props?
• What became of Nagini? Andrew, Laura and Micah provide a tragic outcome while Eric imagines a spa day.
• Where is Tina Goldstein, really? The "she's busy" explanation does not hold any giggle water for us!
• Was Newt ever allowed back to Hogwarts after his expulsion, and did he complete his schooling there?
• What makes Dumbledore "more than a teacher" to Newt, in his own words?
• How and under what circumstances did Dumbledore and Eulalie Hicks first meet?
• What is the little drop of "water" that Albus blew onto Credence? And is it connected with the Deluminator or an alternate dimension?
• The Predictions of Tycho Dodonus... did they come true, and might they still? How about our predictions of Nostradamus?
• Exactly when did Aberforth find out about Credence and when did they establish their mirror chats?
• Regarding romances, where do Jacob and Queenie honeymoon, and is anything happening with Lally and Theseus?
• The hosts wrap up discussing the most pressing questions that the next movie MUST answer.
• Who Got it Right?! Laura and Micah sweep The Bunties (tm) with Price is Right rules applying, on our various FB3 guesses.
• Next week, a character discussion on Eulalie Hicks! Submit your questions and thoughts on the character!
• Quizzitch: Who was the headmaster of Hogwarts school immediately before Dumbledore?
• This week's episode is brought to you by NordVPN (Go to NordVPN.com/muggle and receive a huge discount) and BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast)

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• Twitter Polls Galore! Which host would the Qilin bow to? What was the best Secrets of Dumbledore ship? And overall, what did listeners think of the movie?
• What did Yusuf Kama have to help fight Grindelwald?
• The hosts celebrate Eulalie Hicks after leaving her hanging in our initial review!
• Why did Grindelwald's followers not kill Theseus when they captured him?
• Why did Theseus not question Queenie after her return to the good side?
• Did Dumbledore and Grindelwald's fight scene fail to deliver?
• Why did the Qilin bow to Dumbledore? Why not Newt? Or Jacob?
• Did the producers tie up loose ends enough so that this could be the last film?
• Where are Graves and Nagini?
• How did Jacob and Queenie get permission to marry?
• Prediction Time: Which host was closest to the box office number and what does this number mean for the future of the franchise?
• On next week's episode: What questions should’ve Secrets of Dumbledore answered, and what questions must Fantastic Beasts 4 answer?
• Quizzitch: What book hits Lucius Malloy in the eye during his tussle with Arthur Weasley in Flourish and Blotts?
• Later this week on Bonus MuggleCast: Why has J.K. Rowling been completely silent about Fantastic Beasts 3? You can get Bonus MuggleCast and other great benefits by becoming a patron at Patreon.com/MuggleCast!
• This week's episode is brought to you by Framebridge (visit Framebridge.com and use promo code MUGGLE to save an additional 15% off your first order) and BetterHelp (MuggleCast listeners get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast).

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• The "Bunty" award for our Favorite New Character, Favorite New Beast, etc
• What was the one stand-out scene of the film?
• Was the movie poster for the film misleading? (YES)
• Eric took a stopwatch into his Secrets of Dumbledore screening... for a very specific experiment.
• We, like Jacob, were confused by the plot to confuse Grindelwald.
• What about Grindelwald's visions in the puddles and mirrors, what do they mean?
• Was Credence made to sound more like Aberforth at the start of the film? And was anyone else thinking he would have a romance with Queenie from their early interaction?
• The re-use of classic Harry Potter lines is scrutinized by Micah.
• Was the Anton Vogel actor too similar in appearance to Mads as Grindelwald, and did that lead to confusion about the plot and characters?
• Could Credence be conceivably written out of the franchise at this point? And why can't the phoenix intervene to save him from his condition? It's... right there.
• How do we feel about all the Aberforth and goat stuff now after seeing this movie?
• Why doesn't anyone in the film call the head of the International Confederation of Wizards by its book-given title?
• Revisiting some 'Crackpot Theories,' could Leta still live?
• Quizzitch: According to The Secrets of Dumbledore, What is Bunty’s given surname? Submit your answer!
• This week's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast) and Masterclass (get 15% off an annual membership at Masterclass.com/mugglecast!)

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• Welcome Slug Club member, Jemima!
• Main Discussion: Our review of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
• The hosts given their spoiler-free initial reactions to the third Fantastic Beasts film before jumping into all the details and spoilers
• Did this movie course-correct like we hoped it would?
• The Top 7 Moments from The Secrets of Dumbledore...
• Say what, kid?!? Aurelius is Aberforth's lovechild?!?
• Ariana WAS an obscurus! Were we satisfied with the reveal?
• Tea time with Albus and Gellert
• Is Mads the Grindelwald we've been waiting for?
• The Brothers Scamander take on the Manticore
• Could any of us make sense of The Election?
• The Blood Pact: Explained & Destroyed
• Queenie & Jacob: Going to the bakery andddd gonna get marrrried!
• Next week: More on The Secrets of Dumbledore, including our favorite characters, scenes, and beasts
• Be sure to check out Micah on Everyone's A Reel Critic (where they discuss movies with at least a 20% differential between the critic and audience rating) to talk about Crimes of Grindelwald!
• This week's episode is brought to you by AMC Shudder (stream your first 30 days of Shudder for FREE by going to Shudder.com and using code mugglecast) & MeUndies (get 25% off your first Membership item or 15% off your first order and a 100% satisfaction guarantee by visiting MeUndies.com/MuggleCast)!

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• Are you new to MuggleCast? Be sure to subscribe to us on your favorite podcast app, and check out our Patreon for additional benefits!
• Our next Quizzitch Live is Saturday, April 9th, at 11 AM ET! Winners will receive $40 to a charity of their choice and tickets to see the next Beasts film.
• Main Discussion: The hosts make their final predictions and theories about The Secrets of Dumbledore
• ...but Eric has just come back from an early screening! He gives a quick, spoiler-free review of the movie.
• What will the film's Tomatometer score end up being? How much money will it gross on opening weekend in the U.S.?
• Andrew, Micah and Laura guess  how gay the Dumbledore and Grindelwald relationship will be?
• On the subject of relationships, will Queenie and Jacob get back together in this movie? Will Newt and Tina finally start dating by its end?
• Will we hear about other characters from Potter history? Will the Order of the Phoenix get a shout-out?
• How many times will Harry Potter soundtrack music play during the movie?
• About Ariana, will we get a full flashback to the day she died? And does she share an Obscurus with Credence?
• Will this be the last movie for "the Scamander Six"? How about for Credence? Who will be the MVP of the movie, and what's the deal with Jacob's wand?
• Finally, the hosts share their thoughts on the blood pact, Credence's origins and any additional crackpot theories.
• Patrons weigh in with their predictions, as we close the box of guesses with a lock and key.
• Quizzitch: James Newton Howard, composer of the Fantastic Beasts series, also composed the music for the film adaptations of THIS, young-adult post-apocalyptic fiction book series, once marketed as "The Next Harry Potter."  Submit your answer!
• This week's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast) and Framebridge (Get 15% off your first order by going to Framebridge.com and using promo code MUGGLE)

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• News roundup covers Hogwarts Legacy for Nintendo Switch, early Fantastic Beasts fan screenings and The Secrets of Dumbledore screenplay
• Main Discussion: The Latest Secrets of Dumbledore Clips & Featurettes
• Dumbledore attempts to destroy the blood pact! Why does this scene feel oddly familiar?
• Dumbledore confesses his love for Grindelwald!
• How will Newt and team bring down Grindelwald... it's all about CONFUSION?!?!
• Does David Heyman's Dean Thomas reference seem out of place?
• Are the Fantastic Beasts producers relying too heavily on Harry Potter nostalgia?
• Magic upgrade: How will Secrets of Dumbledore improve upon battle magic?
• Aberforth and His Mirror: who is he trying to communicate with?
• All aboard, The Great Wizarding Express!
• SAY WHAT, Dumbledore? “The fact that that everything didn’t go precisely to plan was precisely the plan!” 
• Quizzitch: Why doesn't Bellatrix intervene in Dumbledore's fight against Voldemort in the Ministry?  Submit your answer!
• This week's episode is sponsored by Nord VPN. Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/muggle. Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!
• This week's episode is sponsored by AMC Shudder. Stream your first 30 days of Shudder for FREE! Visit Shudder.com and enter CODE mugglecast!
• Next week's episode: We'll lock in our Secrets of Dumbledore predictions!

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• Playstation's 'State of Play' event gives Potter fans an in-depth look at Hogwarts Legacy. The hosts discuss what interests them about it as gamers.
• Main Discussion: Annette asks us, what do we think the 1998/1999 school year would have looked like at Hogwarts?
• September 1 is only 4 months after the Battle of Hogwarts! Is that enough time to repair the school and memorialize the fallen?
• What would the Sorting Hat's song be like? More calls for unity, amid Slytherin's recent walkout?
• If McGonagall was now headmistress, who would take her spot as head of Gryffindor House and professor of Transfiguration? Is Oliver Wood too young / too obvious?
• What would Hogwarts' graduation ceremony look like, and why did we never see one?
• Would Ron and Harry pop by on the weekends to visit their girlfriends Hermione and Ginny?
• Will Hogwarts FINALLY, finally, get some grief counselors? And did Dumbledore put an unnecessary target on Hogwarts when he was headmaster?
• The hosts discuss tributes that occurred to students who died during their own educational history.
• Listeners provide their questions, such as: will rebuilding Hogwarts add elevators and unisex bathrooms? What happens to the statues of the knights that defended the school?
• Quizzitch: This Week's CURRENT Quizzitch Question: Finish this line: "Minister, the evidence of the Dark Lord's return is _______." A) Incomparable B) Inconvenient C) Inconceivable! D) Incontrovertible  Submit your answer!
• This week's episode is sponsored by MasterClass (go to Masterclass.com/mugglecast for 15% off an annual membership) and BetterHelp  (go to BetterHelp.com/mugglecast for 10% off your first month)

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