Mugglecast: The Harry Potter Podcast

This week's episode is sponsored by Puffs the Play! Receive a special discount on ticketsto see Puffs at New York City's New World Stages. Slug Club member Matt joins the show! Back to Hogwarts: Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law surprise fans at King's Cross Potter movies return to theaters this September Get your velvet Slytherin bath robe! Pottery Barn releases an amazing new line up of Potter stuff! It's the 20th anniversary of Sorcerer's Stone - the hosts and patrons share their memories of picking up the first book! Main Discussion: Crimes of Grindelwald Set Report (spoiler alert) We explore Paris' version of Diagon Alley... and their sewer system! Credence has drawn everyone to Paris and is himself in search of someone important Grindelwald escapes! Who will he be able to rally to his cause? Will we see Nurmengard? Magic lungs, ministerial hearing parchments and sorcerer's stones What interesting information could be found inside the French Min

Pat joins the show and shares his Wizarding World experience and why he still plays Hogwarts Mystery The hosts review two recent interviews with Eddie Redmayne and David Heyman Newt's apartment, his relationship with Theseus, Dumbledore's manipulation and more Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Chapter 4 of Half-Blood Prince The hosts recap the chapter in 7 words with a new Group Summary game! Harry is allowed to use magic outside of school, but is it his first time truly Apparating? We learn that Voldemort is now on the defensive (against Harry's mind) Dumbledore continues to put his final plan in motion by recruiting Slughorn References two and three - what's up with Dumbledore's blackened hand? Why does Harry never check that Dumbledore... is in fact Dumbledore? How does Dumbledore know where Slughorn is living - has he been tracking him? Does Slughorn recognize what's truly happened to Dumbledore's hand? Is Horace correct that he would

Hypable.com writer Kendra joins the show! Eric recaps a great LeakyCon weekend in Dallas! We meet a brand-new Fantastic Beast - the chupacabra - and get our first glimpse at baby nifflers Newt is headed to Paris to "track" Credence, but how does he even know he's alive? Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Chapter 3 of Half-Blood Prince Are the media headlines meant to make readers and the wizarding community feel safe despite Voldemort's known return to power? Why has Dumbledore been reinstated as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot? Our first (passing) mention of Inferi Is Harry's lack of trust in Dumbledore showing up at Privet Drive a result of their relationship from Order of the Phoenix? Why didn't Harry tell the Dursleys that Dumbledore would be visiting? How would they have reacted if he did? We discuss Dumbledore and Petunia's prior correspondence. Was Dumbledore ready to play that hand if necessary? Privet Drive Payoff: Dumbledore puts the Dursleys in their right

… Did that work? Is he listening to this episode? With Micah gone this week, we're joined by two of our listeners, Alex and Stefanie, who do their best impressions of the NY News Anchor. Patrons in the U.S. have received their mugs, but we need to know if they arrived okay! And if yours arrived broken (rare but possible), let us know. This week's episode is sponsored by Puffs the Play! Receive a special discount on tickets to see Puffs at New York City's New World Stages. Chapter by Chapter continues with Chapter 2 of Half-Blood Prince: Spinner's End. The brilliance of this chapter is how Snape is playing Bellatrix and Naricissa simultaneously but in different ways. How much does Voldemort know about Dumbledore's injury? He can't know about the Horcrux… right? Does one line from Bellatrix help make Delphi's existence canon? Why would Bellatrix have such a hard time trusting Snape's word when Voldemort is content with his reasoning? And what should she do if she had ever learned the tru

Happy Birthday Harry & Jo! We rank Harry's birthdays from worst to best MuggleCast turns 13 years old on August 7! We break down the details of two new Crimes of Grindelwald posters ZouWu? JKR reveals the mysterious beast in the recent Crimes of Grindelwald trailer! Ezra Miller talks about Credence's character development The biggest Harry Potter LEGO set ever hits store shelves August 15 Patrons share their thoughts and questions on the latest trailer Does Dumbledore see Grindelwald in the Mirror of Erised because he desires him to be captured? What role exactly will Nicolas Flamel play in The Crimes of Grindelwald? How will Jacob find himself with Newt? Will Credence be reunited with his true family? Will he ever get the chance to go to wizarding school? Was Abernathy working for Grindelwald the whole time? Did he help him capture Graves? We compare Grindewald's populist movement and Dumbledore's timid response to that of the U.S.

Andrew and Eric reminisce on their latest trivia night battle, which leaves Andrew and friends with a huge prize. The new Crimes of Grindelwald trailer is here and we go scene-by-scene! There is some mixed reaction to Dumbledore's DADA lesson with Newt What interests Credence so much about Circus Arcanus? Who is Grindelwald addressing when he says hiding in the shadows serves us no longer? A flying black curtain - is this a new obscurial effect or perhaps a Lethifold? Dumbledore's deepest desire is not socks - he sees Grindelwald in the Mirror of Erised! Newt, Tina and Leta team up to escape the French Ministry of Magic! The Niffler is back! What's up with those cats? And is Newt trying to rescue the Oni Oni? Is Leta referring to herself when she tells Newt he never met a monster he couldn't love? Could Grindelwald be referring to his own failed relationship with Dumbledore when he asks Newt if Dumbledore will mourn for him? Could it be a reference to Ariana? Does A

Slug Club member Chris joins the show David Heyman says Grindelwald is scarier than Voldemort! Why is Dumbledore teaching a young Newt Defense Against the Dark Arts? "After all this time," Chapter-by-Chapter returns! And just in time for HBP's birthday! We analyze the chapter that had been brewing in JKR's mind for more than 13 years Would The Other Minister have worked earlier in the series? Where's Harry? Our first Potter book that doesn't begin with the boy wizard! Voldemort is on the rise and its clear the tone of the series has shifted Fireplace entrances, shady portraits, secret staff - do wizards have a superiority complex? Should the Ministry have considered lifting the International Statute of Secrecy?  Does Fudge ever consider enlisting the help of the Muggle Prime Minister? Do other heads of state have similar relationships with their Muggle counterparts? Rufus Scrimgeour: our thoughts on the new Minister and do we have cause t

Cursed Child is coming to two new cities... San Francisco (2019) and Hamburg, Germany (2020). Could a Midwest location be next? Chamber of Secrets turns 20 years old! We begin our Half-Blood Prince discussion looking back at some popular fan theories Patrons share their midnight release party memories! We discuss how parts of Half-Blood Prince were originally written for Chamber of Secrets and that it was Book 2’s working title The hosts revisit some of MuggleCast’s theories following the release of the sixth book Who is the Half-Blood Prince? Harry? Voldemort? Felix Felicis? We dive deep into The Underground Lake, one of MuggleNet’s notorious series of editorials What did Dumbledore mean by Remember My Last, Petunia? Who will take over the DADA vacancy? Why does Dumbledore trust Snape? Voicemails cover a Deathly Hallows symbol in Goblet of Fire, deluminators, Cho Chang and more! Quizzitch: What two Order members does Harry bump into (in

Slug Club member Sarah joins the show! Warner Brothers cracks down on unofficial fan events Main Discussion: The Department of Mysteries & The Prophecy Who are The Unspeakables? The Brain Room: just what are they studying in there? What does each of us think is beyond The Veil? Does the Veil have magical properties to draw one in? Was the Ministry built around the amphitheater that houses the Veil? How is security so lax around such a dangerous room? The Love Room: why is it locked? The Planet Room: what can you do in here that makes it worthy of the Department of Mysteries?  Are there alien wizards? The Time Room: do we believe this is where Time Turners were invented? The Hall of Prophecies: why are they kept locked away?  Should who the Prophecy concerns be able to hold onto the prophecy? Do we forgive Dumbledore for withholding this information until now? Patreon Question of the Week: What other rooms could be

Slug Club member Karen joins the show Listeners share their Order of the Phoenix release party memories Cursed Child cleans up at the Tony Awards Universal Orlando adds Harry Potter to their nighttime water show Main Discussion: Major Events of the Phoenix Grimmauld Place: Was this truly the safest place for the Order to be headquartered? Do Sirius and the Order underestimate the threats within the Black Family home? Ministry Interference at Hogwarts: What are Umbridge's credentials for becoming DADA professor? Was it always Fudge's intention for Umbridge to become Headmistress? Do the Educational Decrees expose weaknesses in Dumbledore's leadership? The Formation of Dumbledore's Army: we discuss the Hog's Head, the Room of Requirement and the importance of unifying (almost) all of the Houses Welcome to St. Mungo's: why was it cut from the film? Augusta Longbottom, Neville's parents, Lockhart and Harry's connection to Nagini We remi

Paris, London, New York: Pottermore offers fans the chance to attend the Fantastic Beasts 2 premieres for charity Cursed Child is up for 10 Tony Awards Main Discussion: Fresh Faces of the Phoenix What would have happened to Harry without the support of Luna and her father? We discuss Bellatrix exposing Harry's ignorance and her unwavering loyalty to Voldemort Does Tonks make the Order of the Phoenix cool? Dolores Umbridge has one redeeming quality - she's the reason for Dumbledore's Army! Do we overlook the importance of Ms. Figg? Was she best equipped to keep Harry safe? What's up with the relationship between Squibs and cats? Mundungus Fletcher... enough said! What if these characters were introduced earlier in the series? What if they never were? This episode's lone voicemail asks about a Hermione-based movie with Emma Watson Quizzitch: Who did JKR say would win in a fight: Crookshanks or Mrs. Norris? MuggleCast Vault: Luna Loveg

Slug Club member Amy joins the show! The Crimes of Grindelwald screenplay cover is revealed... And we analyze every beast, symbol and little detail Did Alan Rickman feel Snape was an underutilized character in the films? JKR reveals her next project will be a children's book! We start June off with our first Order of the Phoenix discussion What were the biggest theories prior to Order of the Phoenix being released?  Like: What exactly is the Order of the Phoenix? Will Snape ever teach DADA? Is he a spy? Is Lupin really James Potter in disguise? What is the gleam of triumph and what does it mean? What's up with Ms. Figg? Which character(s) won't make it through Book 5? Quizzitch: A witch or wizard who is gifted at reading minds is called a what? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summer is here - we reflect on some favorite Potter memories J.K. Rowling reveals the toughest chapter for her to write in the Potter series Main Discussion: Whose origin story would we like to see brought to life on the big screen? Aren't Potter fans already getting that with Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts? Quirrell, McGonagall, Slughorn, Hagrid… who has the best backstory and who would end up on Lifetime? Patrons give their top choices: Helena & Rowena Ravenclaw, Molly Weasley, Tom Riddle, Remus Lupin and Kingsley Shacklebolt Voicemails cover Cursed Child, Percy being sorted into Gryffindor and the hosts roles at MuggleNet and in the fan community overall We'll be celebrating the 15th anniversary of Order of the Phoenix in June with some Book 5-themed discussions And don't forget we'll see you in Dallas this summer for LeakyCon 2018! Quizzitch: What is the form of Kingsley Shacklebolt’s Patronus? Bonus MuggleCast, available on Patreon: The Elder Wand's Allegiance in F

With Micah out for the week, MuggleCast welcomes our friend Nasim and one of our Patreon supporters Andy to the show! The MuggleCast community lost a listener and friend this week. Hug your loved ones. The Beedle the Bard Illustrated Edition covers are out now, and they're gorgeous! We forgot to discuss Tonks on last week's Mother's Day episode, so this week we share some thoughts about her decision to head to the Battle of Hogwarts as newborn Teddy stayed at home. Annnd that leads perfectly into our main discussion this week: The Battle of Hogwarts turns 20 (fictional) years old! We share our feelings reading the iconic scenes again 11 years after it was originally published. Do our feelings on it change now that we're adults? Was it responsible to allow students who were 'of age' to fight? What role would we have taken in defending the school? What GOOD came out of the battle (besides Voldemort's downfall)? Eric quizzes us on the Battle of Hogwarts. And of course, Quizzitch wraps

Slug Club member and mom Cherise returns for a Mother's Day discussion How would raising a young witch/wizard differ from raising a child in the Muggle world? What would be the most difficult part of parenting? No schooling until Hogwarts? What do working parents do? What happens when your child begins exhibiting signs of magic? Would you be comfortable sending your child off to boarding school? We discuss notable mothers and mother-like figures in the Potter series From Lily and Molly to Narcissa and Petunia Patrons vote on who they think is the best mother in the wizarding world Listeners tweet their thoughts on the biggest parenting challenges Quizzitch: Which mother in the Harry Potter series is named after a Roman Catholic saint, whose Feast Day is famously preceded by a gathering of Witches? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cursed Child wrap up: Andrew sees it again, Hogwarts merch and Tony nominations JKR confirms Jessica Williams will play Ilvermorny professor Eulalie Hicks What's up with Dumbledore teaching DADA in a recent Crimes of Grindelwald clip? On the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, JKR apologies for killing Dobby Main Discussion: Hogwarts Mystery The hosts give their initial reactions to the new Potter mobile game How far have we each advanced? Are we sold on the story? Do stories differ depending on which House your were sorted into? Is Merula the antagonist even if you were sorted into Slytherin? Time and energy issues! Patrons shared their mixed reactions to the game. Voicemails cover Hogwarts memorials, Teddy Lupin in Cursed Child, Puffs The Movie and more Quizzitch: In the trio's third year, what is the Care of Magical Creatures exam? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Moments after seeing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway, Andrew, Micah, and Eric are back in their hotel room to share their thoughts on the show. Have Micah and Eric changed their stances on Cursed Child? Did Andrew notice anything different? Did Micah buy an owl? This and more is discussed in this week's episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slug Club member Molly joins the show! The votes are in for the most evil character in the Potter series (besides Voldemort)! Main Discussion: Predicting Cursed Child JKR checks out the newly refurbished Lyric Theatre What character are the hosts most looking forward to seeing? What scene? Will Part 1 or Part 2 be better? How much will be spent on merchandise? Will we keep an open mind about seeing the show despite our thoughts on the plot? Check out Episodes 295, 298 and 299 for prior Cursed Child discussions If there were to be an eighth Potter story, what would we want it to be about? Quizzitch: Where in Britain is the Railview Hotel? Don't forget Hogwarts Mystery hits your mobile phones this week! We'll be live on Patreon from NYC this Wednesday with our initial thoughts on Cursed Child! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slug Club member Stephen joins the show The Quidditch World Cup is underway in Round Rock, Texas The hosts share their Quidditch World Cup experiences  We get our first look at the Tales of Beedle the Bard Illustrated Edition The Goblet of Fire Illustrated Edition won't hit bookstores until 2019. Can we expect it to be published in two parts? The Harry Potter 20th Anniversary Edition covers get mixed reactions from the hosts Cursed Child sets a Broadway sales record Main Discussion: Who, besides Voldemort, is the most evil character in the series? Each host makes and defends their pick: Rita Skeeter, Bellatrix, Umbridge or Fudge? Patrons weigh in with their thoughts from the Dursleys to Peter Pettigrew to Salazar Slytherin MuggleMail covers wand allegiance and Voldemort and Bellatrix's relationship Quizzitch: What is Professor Quirrell's first name? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome Slug Club member Laura! Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Warwick Davis lend voices to Hogwarts Mystery Main Discussion: Did Dumbledore & Grindelwald make an unbreakable vow? Since Voldemort is incapable of love, how was he able to father a child? Does Moody know what a boggart looks like because of his magical eye? How do wizards watch Quidditch matches? Do all the professors have permanent residences at Hogwarts? What about their families? Did the Shrieking Shack exists prior to Remus Lupin coming to school? How come Hermione's parents are cool with her never being home for the holidays? How did Voldemort acquire a rudimentary body? What happened to the chambers connected to Fluffy's bedroom? Did Credence ever get an Ilvermorny acceptance letter? Plus, plenty more emails, voicemails and text messages PO BOX Update! Quizzitch: For Harry's 17th birthday, what color did Hermione turn the leaves of the Weasley's crabapple tree