Mugglecast: The Harry Potter Podcast

Welcome Slug Club member Chloe! Wizards Unite is out and we discuss what we like about the game so far! Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is dealing with some launch pains Chapter-by-Chapter returns with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 29 The Phoenix Lament 7-Word Summary: After Dumbledore's death, Harry regroups with friends Harry breaks the news of Dumbledore's death and reveals the truth about Snape and Draco Lupin's loses control when learning of Dumbledore's death in a way Harry has never seen. Is this because of everything Dumbledore has done for Lupin? We discuss the healing impact of Fawkes' phoenix song on the Order Why did Lupin or Sirius never tell Harry about Snape and Lily? Given Harry had been right about Draco all year, if you were Ron and Hermione, how would you feel? The Vanishing Cabinet and Hand of Glory have strong threads connecting them back to Chamber of Secrets When Flitwick comes to get Snape and is mysteriously unconscious, why aren't Hermione

Universal Orlando's Wizarding World of Harry Potter has just opened its latest coaster, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, and we review it! We're joined by The Insider's Kirsten Acuna, who rode the Motorbike Adventure with Andrew. Check out Kirsten's review of the ride and her report on the queue's easter eggs! And here's Andrew's review on Hypable. The ride's queue is intriguing: It's the ruins of Hogwarts, with inscriptions and art from students over the decades. It's here where Hagrid also birthed a Blast-Ended Skrewt. Soooo about this Blast-Ended Skrewt: What large hole is spraying us while we're on the Motorbike Adventure???  Andrew and Kirsten review the ride, which is a thrilling technological marvel. And riding it at night is a whole different experience!  The fandom has a new debate on their hands: Is the Motorbike or Sidecar the better vehicle to ride in? We take questions from Patreon supporters: How does this ride compare to the others? How intense is it? In this week's Bonu

Unplug your Alexa's: Our Slug Club guest this week had her name stolen from Amazon! Vans' new line of Harry Potter shoes is causing some ripples amongst fans -- how'd Hufflepuff gets the short end of the stick? Andrew is in Orlando for the opening of Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. Follow us on Instagram to get looks at the new ride! MuggleMail: What would've happened if the Death Eaters weren't waiting for Dumbledore back at Hogwarts? And the best DVD/Blu-ray collection question gets answered. Chapter by Chapter: Half-Blood Prince Chapter 28, Flight of the Prince. Have we ever felt like Harry did in the opening of this scene, as if we're hurling through space because of a life-changing event? Hogwarts Is A Security Nightmare Example #9134891: Kids running around while hearing ruckus. Where's the lock-down? Warning: Never light Laura's house is on fire while her dog is inside. She will be enraged. Harry has to remind Hagrid to put out his burning home. He ALSO has to remind him how to

We're joined by Slug Club member Alicia, who wants to know: How does Ollivander's stay in business? Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is coming to Canada -- it's the sixth production! MuggleMail: Horcruxes probably can't be made via assisted suicide; what's the best DVD/Blu-ray set available?; thank goodness the Trio didn't have to go into The Cave; in defense of Harry Potter. We've passed 1,000 Patrons, an amazing milestone! Thank you to everyone for their support. Chapter by Chapter: Half-Blood Prince Chapter 27, The Lightning Struck Tower. Harry has to face one of the worst situations for a child to be in. Dumbledore once again experiences The Surge: He's damn good on a broom. Dumbledore speaks to Draco in a way that's reminiscent of how he'd speak to Tom. Harry needs a cloak that deflects spells -- he's been frozen under the cloak twice in one book. Why is Draco incapable of killing Dumbledore? Would this have been a different situation if Draco were a few years older? Severus... Please: This l

We're live from Andrew's living room in Chicago! The new WizardingWorld.com website (sort of) goes live and we get our official passports! Question is… what do we do with them? Wizarding World Gold: what is it and how much is it going to cost fans? Following Crimes of Grindelwald and a Fantastic Beasts 3 delay, is this news breaking at the wrong time? What benefits would we like to see from a premium Wizarding World service? Muggle Mail covers where people listen, politics, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore, security at Hogwarts and "good" Horcruxes Why did Voldemort put so little protection around his other Horcruxes? Did Dumbledore experience a "surge" before his inevitable fate on the Lightening-Struck Tower? Why didn't we talk more about the fact that Draco was crying when Harry found him in the bathroom? Did Snape create Sectumsempra for James Potter and Sirius Black? Quizzitch: Where do Harry and Dumbledore apparate to upon their return from The Cave? We're off ne

Welcome Slug Club member Natalie! News: we get our first look at animatronic Hagrid and discuss the changes coming to Pottermore! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Chapter 26, The Cave 7-Word Summary: Together they enter the mysterious boat ride The perfect breaststroke: what do we make of Dumbledore's new-found agility? Is it pure adrenaline? His eagerness to find the Horcrux? Next level magic: it leaves traces and can be felt! Might J.K. Rowling explain this further in the Fantastic Beasts series? Why does this Horcrux have the highest level of protection? Is it because it once belonged to Voldemort's mother?   Has Voldemort visited the cave since he placed the Horcrux here?  Why is Harry's blood more valuable upon entering the cave but not for exiting? The simple approach: even in the most dangerous of situations, Dumbledore is still teaching Harry Is it possible that because part of Voldemort resides within Harry, that the magic within t

For the first time in five years, J.K. Rowling stays quiet on the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts Fantastic Beasts 3 filming is delayed until 2021! How will this impact the fandom? Will people lose interest in the series? This Week in MuggleCast History returns! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Chapter 25 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, The Seer Overheard 7-Word Summary: Harry discovers who listened to the prophecy Harry and Ginny: why did Rowling gloss over some of the happiest moments of Harry's life? Hermione begins to unravel the identity of the Half-Blood Prince... and Harry "just knows" it isn't a woman! Is he being sexist? Why is Harry still so defensive of the Half-Blood Prince? Truth is, we've seen him behave this way before! The Room of Requirement: easier to access than previously thought - you just need to be drunk! Why has Dumbledore been so reluctant to see Trelawney lately? Harry learns Snape was the one who overheard the prophecy! Would Dumbledor

Which character, if any, will JKR pay tribute to on May 2? MuggleMail covers the power of love, Felix Felicis and interesting listening locations Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Chapter 24 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Sectumsempra 7-Word Summary: Harry almost gets discovered by Snape bathroom Breakup Central: Ron and Lavender and Dean and Ginny are splitsville! Charms Class and Quidditch: we reflect on how Harry's time at Hogwarts is coming to an end Katie Bell has finally returned and Harry remains convinced Draco was behind her attack Harry is hung up on Felix Felicis and Hermione draws an interesting conclusion about the effects on the potion Ravenclaws and Gryffindors: how Quidditch championship matches bring out their wild side! Let's go to the bathroom… because it's where all the important shi*t happens in the Potter series Sectumsempra: Why would Harry use a spell on Draco when he has no clue of its effect? Why doesn't Harry argue that he was defending h

Universal reveals the beasts we can expect to see on Hagrid's motorbike adventure including one never seen in the films! We take voicemails in defense of Slughorn, on the Room of Requirement, Harry's daydreaming and Hufflepuffs ability to find things Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Chapter 23 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Horcruxes 7-Word Summary: Secrets are discovered inside the Slughorn office Compromised security: what's up with the Fat Lady denying Harry entrance to Gryffindor Tower? Could Felix have still been at work? Dumbledore is initially shocked that Harry has acquired the memory. Did he really think Harry could do it? Do we actually know where Tom first learned about Horcruxes? We contrast Tom and Harry's approach to extracting information from Slughorn Wizards of a certain caliber have always been drawn to Horcruxes... really?!?! Like who? We learn Dumbledore is particularly fierce about Horcruxes. Why is that? Could Grindelwald have made one? Horcrux

Slug Club member Sara joins the show! Muggle Mail covers Bunty The Spy, Snape The Protector and Snape The Bully Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Chapter 22 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, After The Burial 7-Word Summary: Aragog causes Harry no issues with Slughorn Despite its dark undertones, is this one of the funniest chapters of the series? Eric tells us why Hagrid's letter defined his Potter reading experience Aragog is one of our biggest (literally) connecting threads between Half-Blood Prince and Chamber of Secrets Will we see Aragog make an appearance in the Fantastic Beasts series? Thanks to Ron... it's time for Harry to GET LUCKY! Thoughts of Ginny... are they romantic or a bit disgusting? If the placebo Felix Felicis effect worked on Ron, do we think it could have done the same for Harry? Is Slughorn so elusive because he considered Harry would eventually use Felix Felicis? Venomous tentacula, acromantula venom, unicorn hair... Slughorn has a side-huss

The latest on JKR's assistant's credit card fraud Quidditch Through The Ages is getting an illustrated edition! Team StarKid is turning 10 and they're planning an event in LA! Muggle Mail covers the cursed DADA position, Dumbledore lecturing Harry and the powers of Hufflepuff's Cup Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Chapter 21 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, The Unknowable Room 7-Word Summary: Harry searches for Draco unsuccessfully but determinedly JKR drops yet another subtle hint to the identity of the Half-Blood Prince Dobby and Kreacher report back their findings on Malfoy!  Despite the result, should Harry have been more explicit with his instructions? Why does Harry never consider that Draco could be entering the Room of Requirement? What combination of words would we use to try and enter the room? Given her persistence, should Hermione have offered Harry suggestions on how to acquire the Slughorn's memory? Snape is having a really bad day (again), but shou

We're now on Instagram! Follow us: @MuggleCastPod! A first edition Potter book sells for $90,000! Have any hosts ever been tempted to buy a rare piece of Potter memorabilia? Patreon update: Get ready! Signed album art and our 2019 gift are coming! Pledge now to become eligible to receive the goods. We take feedback on last week's J.K. Rowling discussion Voicemails cover a listener who doesn't like JKR (but is nice about it), Fawkes, Horcruxes and Cursed Child San Francisco Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Chapter 20 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Lord Voldemort's Request 7-Word Summary: Voldemort tries again to obtain Dumbledore’s allowance Just how is Draco getting the "ingredients" he needs for Polyjuice Potion? Hogwarts staffing problem: what's the deal with Trelawney and Firenze? Dumbledore calmly shames Harry for not retrieving Slughorn's memory. Have we ever experienced anything like this in real life? Given everything Harry has been through recently, is this a

Welcome Slug Club member Kayla! The cover for Goblet of Fire: The Illustrated Edition is here -- could it be the best one yet? Micah may've discovered a Cursed Child reference on the cover.... Details concerning Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure are revealed. Micah was on the scene for an event. What mysterious beast will we encounter that never made it into the films? The man behind Fantastic Beasts is out at Warner Brothers -- will JKR say anything? Main Discussion: J.K. Rowling and The Fans Who Now Attack Her The hosts react to the recent misleading headlines about Dumbledore and Grindelwald's "intense sexual" relationship How far apart are the headlines from what J.K. Rowling actually said?  Do fans of the Potter series owe it to themselves to fact check before reacting? The Complex History of JKR and Controversy: outing Dumbledore, Ron and Hermione's relationship, Cursed Child, Native Americans and more Is there a very real possibility that we have

Join the MuggleCasters as they watch Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald together! This is a commentary track in which we watch the entire movie and discuss everything that's going on. Don't stop once the credits start rolling -- we end up talking all the way through them, and after. We're those people in the theater who refuse to leave! This is a movie commentary track meant to be played in sync with your own copy of the film. This commentary is designed to work with American DVDs (which are in NTSC format) and all digital and Blu-ray copies of the movie. At the beginning of the commentary we help you sync up with us. ENJOY! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

News on Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is coming!  MuggleMail covers the Goldstein last name, Accio-ing bullfrogs and the Deathly Hallows Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Chapter 19 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Elf Tales 7-Word Summary: Quidditch takes a backseat to Draco’s activities Horace Slughorn: Death Eater or Target? Is Dumbledore being reckless again? Hermione's voice of reason: is anyone listening? Harry has saved most of the Weasley family. Where was he when Fred needed him most? Hagrid's conversation with Harry and Hermione has strong ties to Chamber of Secrets Why is Dumbledore angry with Snape? Hagrid displays a side of him we haven't seen before!  What does it say about Ron that more people aren't concerned about what happened to him? A "rogue" bludger lands Harry in the hospital... sounds familiar! Harry takes his stalking of Draco to a new level with Kreacher and Dobby Connecting The Threads, Rename The Chapter and MVP of th

News: WB CEO speaks out on the Crimes of Grindelwald  Harry Potter Wizards Unite will be released this summer! JKR returns to Twitter… sort of… MuggleMail: One listener surprises her daughter in a very cool way on her 9 3/4 birthday Chapter-by-Chapter returns with Chapter 18 of Half-Blood Prince, Birthday Surprises 7-Word Summary: Ron doesn't really love Romilda Vane wholeheartedly  Harry must juggle telling Ron and Hermione about Dumbledore's task Why aren't more questions about Horcruxes being asked? Harry once again masters Potions Class: is it foretelling of what's to come later in the chapter? JKR drops another subtle hint that Snape is the Half-Blood Prince Do we feel bad that Hermione is working her butt off while Harry is essentially cheating his way through Potions? Harry and his mother: A deep discussion about Lily, Snape, Potions and Slughorn Would the Internet have helped Hermione's Horcrux search? The hosts debate which mode of transport is better: flying or

Slug Club member Jac joins the show all the way from Australia! Fantastic Beasts 3 is seemingly delayed! When can we expect it in theaters? Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is set to open this June! We dive deep in the Crimes of Grindelwald deleted scenes & featurettes Credence and Nagini: why was their budding romance left on the cutting room floor? There was a completely different opening to this film and we discuss why it would have worked!  Dumbledore reveals the truth behind why he sent Newt to New York! Who is the man Grindelwald fears above all others? Is it truly Dumbledore? The Romance That Will Never Be: Dumbledore & McGonagall Hello, Yaxley! Leta's mysterious ballroom dance: Can she hear other people's thoughts just like Queenie? What does “her brother will lead us from the shadows…” mean? Newt's Basement gives us more Augurey screen time and another look at those Baby Nifflers We geek out with Ezra & Evanna as they watch select scenes from Crimes o

News covers Cursed Child in San Fran, Fantastic Worlds and Crimes of Grindelwald Uh oh! Dan Fogler says Fantastic Beasts 3 is bigger than the first two films combined! Voicemails cover a furry little correction, mother in-laws and unbreakable vows  Chapter-by-Chapter continues with A Sluggish Memory 7-Word Summary: Young wizards can make Horcruxes from murders What is the Fat Lady getting at by making the common room password “abstinence”? Is Hermione too harsh to Ron when she returns, ignoring his existence entirely? Is it time for Hermione to put a little more stock in Harry's theory about Draco? Harry is Dumbledore's man through and through. Based on the headmaster's reaction, is this his final happy moment? Were we surprised by Dumbledore’s reaction to Harry’s story about Snape & Draco? Is it fair for him to tell Harry to just cast his thoughts aside?  Is it impressive how advanced Tom Riddle is at this young age? Given his ability to change the memory of his uncle

What’s up with JKR’s Twitter? Larry Potter gets nixed from the latest LEGO movie Chapter-by-Chapter continues with A Very Frosty Christmas 7-Word Summary: Rufus tries to convince Harry by persuasion Do the words unbreakable vow finally make Ron a believer? Harry’s Draco argument has been rejected so many times he can hear Hermione’s response to the latest development in his head Arrests for the sake of arrests. Perception vs. reality. We dive deep into the Ministry under Rufus Scrimgeour. Does Lupin’s current state make him more sympathetic to Snape? Lupin may unknowingly provide some hints to the identity of the Half-Blood Prince How is Lupin able to go undercover without other werewolves knowing who he is? Could the Ministry take a page out of Voldemort’s book - playing to the underserved and underrepresented? We discuss how Scrimgeour goes about his conversation with Harry all wrong. Why, why would the Minister use Umbridge’s name to try and strengthen any ar

Welcome Slug Club member Kristy to the show! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with The Unbreakable Vow  7-Word Summary: Harry parties hard when with Luna Partygood Harry has taken to secret passageways to avoid his admirers - is he overreacting? Ron's behavior toward Hermione: toxic masculinity or teenage immaturity? Hermione cautions Harry about being a target for Love Potions. Are Fred and George creating a security risk at Hogwarts? Argus Filch and Madam Pince? OTP or a casual Harry joke? What would Mrs. Norris say? Why Luna is a better friend to Hermione and Harry than we may realize Why does Harry immediately regret asking her? Why didn't he ask Hermione? Why didn't he go stag? Hermione announcing her date for all to hear - over-the-top or perfectly justified? Slughorn's Christmas party: vampires, drunk seers and the Rotfang Conspiracy The hosts and patrons take a crack at titling Harry's biography Draco gatecrashes and we discuss why Snape shows a hint of fear