MuggleCast: The Harry Potter Re-Read Podcast

News covers Cormoran Strike Book 5 "Troubled Blood," Cursed Child Japan and Fantastic Beasts 3 Muggle Mail: Harry's post-Hogwarts career, a sibling rivalry, and Dumbledore's boggart Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix – Chapter 18: Dumbledore's Army 7-Word Summary: Hogwarts is holding a group defense meeting Harry can Accio a bullfrog? J.K. Rowling has said you can't accio inanimate objects Are the Hogwarts professors secretly teaching DADA in their own classes? How exactly did that conversation go between Dumbledore and Umbridge about the Gryffindor Quidditch Team? Is Hermione right to reconsider forming Dumbledore's Army? Is Sirius truly “reckless” and “living through” the trio? Harry's connection with Voldemort strengthens! Why doesn't Harry consult an adult ? Dobby, Winky, Hedwig and the Room of Requirement We compare the Room of Requirement's use in Order of the Phoenix to it's use in Half-Blood Prince We rate the the proposed names for Dumbledore's Army Professor Potter The Umbridge Suck Count climbs to 35! Connecting The Threads, MVP of the Week and Rename The Chapter return! Quizzitch: What does Hermione use to bewitch the golden coins for DA members? Join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast! MuggleCast has launched a listener survey so we can hear what you think of the show. Please take a couple minutes to fill it out! This week's episode is sponsored by Openfit (texted 'MuggleCast' to 505050 for a free trial), Quip (visit GetQuip.com/muggle to get your first refill free) and ThirdLove (Visit ThirdLove.com/MuggleCast for 15% off your perfect fitting bra). This  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We offer our thoughts on the recent Johnny Depp / Amber Heard case Another Illustrated Edition: MinaLima joins the party! Muggle Mail covers Harry's battle with Dementors and his post-Hogwarts career Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix – Chapter 17: Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four 7-Word Summary: Sirius is in trouble with Umbridge’s reach Harry's finally HAPPY! It lasts for two pages... We discuss the symbolism of the educational decree covering everything else on the Common Room notice board! Hogwarts is becoming a police state! Umbridge is monitoring all non-class student activity as well as the lines of communication Is it possible Umbridge was planning this decree prior to the formation of Dumbledore’s Army? Shouldn’t students be able to complain to their heads of House about this? To their parents? Hedwig, Thestrals, McGonagall and Grubbly-Plank Neville and Draco:  always be mindful of thinking before you speak Snape and Umbridge Trelawney is on probation - are we surprised? Do we feel bad for her? Sirius has some advice for Hermione, reveals Dung has been trailing Harry and shares news from Molly Hogwarts is a Security Nightmare! Is Umbridge right to be watching the Floo Network? The Umbridge Suck Count climbs to 32! Connecting The Threads, MVP of the Week and Rename The Chapter return! Quizzitch: What spell does Gryffindor use to help them practice quidditch? Join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast! MuggleCast has launched a listener survey so we can hear what you think of the show. Please take a couple minutes to fill it out! Bonus MuggleCast, coming later this week to Patreon: We take a look at the life of Dolores Jane Umbridge! Was she always this sadistic? What was her childhood like? Did she ever marry? Where did J.K. Rowling get the inspiration for this character? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MuggleCast has launched a listener survey so we can hear what you think of the show. Please take a couple minutes to fill it out This week's episode is sponsored by ThirdLove, makers of the perfect fitting bra. Visit ThirdLove.com/MuggleCast for 15% off! J.K. Rowling announces the next Cormoran Strike novel is finished! Kobe Bryant: how Harry Potter inspired his Wizenard Series Muggle Mail covers some clever questions from a 10-year-old listener! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix - Chapter 16: In The Hog's Head 7-Word Summary: Shady happenings occur within Aberforth's dingy bar What in the world is up with the chapter art? Harry's internal struggle: to teach or not to teach Defense Against Dark Arts? A mummy, two Yorkshire dementors and a shifty-looking witch walk into a bar... Undercover thief! Is it pure coincidence or on Dumbledore's orders that Mundungus is in the Hog's Head? Aberforth looks familiar to Harry. Oh, really? Is the Hog's Head really that dirty and grimy or is a bit of magic at play? The bar smells of goats... what?!? What do goats even smell like? How does the Hog's Head stay in business? We break down Aberforth's relationship with his goat Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff... The Formation of Dumbledore's Army! Would any of members of Slytherin House worked well? Does Hermione not fully consider the consequences of putting Harry in an awkward position? From Quirrellmort to the Riddle Graveyard, the hosts rate Harry's accomplishments with O.W.L. grades! Zacharias Smith, Luna Lovegood, Ernie MacMillan and more! Fudge and Heliopaths? No way! But Luna's observations about Hermione are spot on! Would we have signed our names to the Dumbledore's Army parchment? Quizzitch: Who visits Harry during History of Magic? Join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ember Sirius or Flaming Sirius - our listeners settle the debate! Muggle Mail covers Gary Oldman, Hermione, Fred & George's true intentions and more! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix - Chapter 15: The Hogwarts High Inquisitor 7-Word Summary: Umbridge oversees the Hogwarts professors teaching classes The Daily Prophet announces Umbridge as Hogwarts High Inquisitor! Fair and balanced reporting? YEAH, RIGHT! What level of credibility does Percy have to be quoted in The Daily Prophet? Are there really THAT MANY concerned parents? What were the first 21 Educational Decrees? We offer some our thoughts! Umbridge visits each teacher's classroom: Is there not already a system in place to evaluate teachers? Is Umbridge qualified to evaluate these subjects? Poor Trelawney! Umbridge vs. McGonagall - has Dolores met her match? Should Hermione have considered the consequences of her actions in Umbridge's class? Harry, Hermione and the birth of Dumbledore’s Army The power of self-doubt We discuss the importance of Hermione saying Voldemort's name for the first time The Umbridge Suck Count climbs to 27! Connecting The Threads, MVP of the Week and Rename The Chapter return! Quizzitch: What does Luna say Fudge’s Army is made of? Join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast! January's Bonus MuggleCast: The hosts sound off on Trelawney's prediction for Professor Umbridge and what would have happened if Harry told McGonagall the truth about his detentions! This week's episode is sponsored by Quip, our favorite toothbrush! Get your first refill free by visiting GetQuip.com/MUGGLE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Micah's back and FINALLY received a Wizarding World Gold pin! Muggle Mail covers Founder wands, House points, SPEW and Harry Potter tattoos Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix - Chapter 14: Percy and Padfoot 7-Word Summary: Saturday begins with letter sending from Harry Harry does a really good job of hiding the truth when writing to Sirius. Do we think this a quality that Harry possesses or just JKR’s clever writing? The hosts take a shot at cryptically describing each other Thestrals Alert! If we were Harry, would we be concerned we’re seeing ominous creatures randomly around Hogwarts? We compare it to the grim in Book 3 and the basilisk in Book 2! The hosts discuss what it means for Cho to believe in Harry The Daily Prophet: Padfoot and Podmore Why was Slytherin allowed to watch Gryffindor’s Quidditch practice? Shouldn’t it be closed, especially to opposing teams? Percy's letter: what does it reveal about the Ministry? About his true character? We read several of Percy's passages in our best Dr. Evil voices! Does Percy truly believe Dolores Umbridge is a nice person? Do we think he is really concerned about Ron? Or is this an attempt by Fudge and Umbridge to sow discord between Ron and Harry? Which Fireplace Sirius was better: Goblet of Fire or Order of the Phoenix? The world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters The Ministry believes Dumbledore is forming an Army! Reckless and bitter Sirius: do his comments about James hurt Harry? Umbridge Suck Count, Connecting The Threads, MVP of the Week and Rename The Chapter Quizzitch: Professor McGonagall has been teaching at Hogwarts for how many years (at the time of Order of the Phoenix)? This week's episode is sponsored by OpenFit, a fantastic way to workout at home at great prices! Text 'mugglecast' to 505050 to get a free two-week trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reminder: MuggleCast is moving to Tuesdays! Each week we'll have a new episode available bright and early. A 'flagship' Harry Potter store has been announced, where we'll be able to grab coffee, Butterbeer, and... 'House Wands'?! Chapter by Chapter: Order of the Phoenix Chapter 13, Detention with Dolores This chapter is very unlucky for Harry. Are all Chapter 13's in the Harry Potter series the same way? Theory: Every chapter ever is unlucky for Harry. Fred and George are getting away with their testing -- until Hermione steps in. Why this moment was truly 'below the belt' for the twins. What's going on with Hermione and her crusade to free the elves? We don't see her doing any work that the elves do. We learn that Bowtruckles can actually be quite evil. How could Newt keep one so close to his eye balls? It's Security Nightmare: Pickett Edition! Then again, they have leafy hands. How peaceful! What an enigma. Malfoy drops some information that's of interest to Harry, while Luna sticks up for The Chosen One in a big way. Detention with Dolores: It's in this scene where Umbridge goes from being an annoying teacher to a truly evil one. Did Dumbledore or McGonagall know that this type of thing was going on? Should Harry have ratted Umbridge out? And did this ever happen again? Quizzitch: What does Cho refer to Ron as? Answer on Twitter by tweeting @MuggleCast! This week's episode is sponsored by Care/Of! Get 50% off your first order of personalized vitamins by visiting TakeCareOf.com and using promo code 'mugglecast50' at checkout. Support MuggleCast by supporting our sponsors! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andy from Harry Potter Fan Zone joins the show and shares the history of his website and how he received the prestigious J.K. Rowling Fan Site Award The hosts share the Harry Potter gifts they received during the holidays Chapter-by-Chapter returns with Order of the Phoenix - Chapter 12: Professor Umbridge Seven Word Summary: Classes begin for the term despite attitudes Harry’s troubles continue: Seamus bolts early in the morning, Dean is at a loss for words and Lavender isn’t buying Harry’s story either. Hermione once again raises the importance of House unity. But is Hogwarts set up well for such a thing? Does Dumbledore, in fact, not want to draw attention to Hagrid's absence? Fred & George are in search of test subjects! Why couldn’t the Gryffindor Head Boy or Head Girl handle them? Why doesn't Harry own up to giving the Weasley twins their money for the joke shop? Kissy Kissy! Cho is back. Enter Ron - Master Wandblocker!  Is J.K. Rowling trying to tell the reader something about jumping on bandwagons? Harry has his worst day of classes: History of Magic, Potions, Divination, DADA What classes when we were kids could we just not get through? With Hagrid gone and Umbridge teaching DADA, Harry really has no classes he enjoys!  Does Snape ride Harry hard because he sees potential in him or because he's an ass? Umbridge raises the point that Defense Against The Dark Arts at Hogwarts has been rather disrupted and fragmented. She's not wrong, is she? So, we’re going back to basics? We could see doing this for one or two lessons, but the entire year? What does Umbridge having a short wand mean? Do we believe this new DADA class was really carefully devised by experts at the Ministry? Is Umbridge wrong about Lupin? Parvati raises a great point about the practical nature of their O.W.L.s. So, the students should just show up and perform a spell? Isn’t Umbridge setting the students up for failure? Wouldn’t it be a poor reflection on her if all of her students fail their O.W.L.s? Have a biscuit, Potter! Umbridge Suck Count, Connecting The Threads, MVP of the Week, Rename The Chapter return Quizzitch: What has Hermione been making over the summer? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special installment, Rori Porter, a transfemme member of the Harry Potter fandom, joins the MuggleCasters to discuss why J.K. Rowling's December 19th tweet was transphobic and hurtful. Rori explains the court battle the tweet is in reference to, what Rowling's doing by saying this, and how it affects trans people. We also discuss the role inclusion and acceptance has played in the Harry Potter fandom, and where we go from here. Check out TransStudent.org to learn more about the trans community, and click here to read Rori's piece published to Medium. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please note: This episode was recorded prior to J.K. Rowling's controversial tweet, which was harmful to the transgender community and allies. As we stated on Twitter, trans rights are human rights. We see you, we love you. You are valid. We will always welcome you! We'll share additional thoughts on the situation in Episode 448. In our final episode of 2019, we take a look back at another Decade of Harry Potter by reliving the biggest moments and surprises of the past 10 years. What were we feeling then, how do we feel now, and what does it all mean for the decade ahead? Events discussed include:  June 18, 2010: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter officially opens in Orlando (and basically saves Universal theme parks)! November 19, 2010: Deathly Hallows: Part 1 hits theaters. It sets a trend for a single book to be split into two films, but this trend may've died this decade too. July 15, 2011: The final Harry Potter film, Deathly Hallows: Part 2, is released worldwide! The hosts share their feelings after the final movie, taking into consideration the number of years spent in the fandom. April 12, 2012: J.K. Rowling announces her first post-Potter novel, The Casual Vacancy. Only one person on the panel has finished it. April 14, 2012: Pottermore launches at a time when people truly craved more from J.K. Rowling. April 2013: In one of the most shocking moments of the decade, J.K. Rowling secretly publishes The Cuckoo’s Calling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. We discuss how word leaked. August 27, 2013: MuggleCast ends... and then... two weeks later... Warner Bros. announces the Fantastic Beasts film series. December 19, 2013: We hear rumblings that a Harry Potter play is in development, and it looks nothing like what it became.  January 14, 2016: Wands raised! Alan Rickman, the actor who brilliantly portrayed Professor Severus Snape passes away at 69. November 18, 2016: Magic returns to the silver screen as Fantastic Beasts hits theaters November 19, 2018: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald opens in theaters Spring 2019: J.K. Rowling leaves Twitter. Will she ever get back to her usual daily tweeting?  October 2, 2019: Pottermore officially shuts down. What do we expect in the decade ahead for Potter?  Quizzitch: What characters from the original Harry Potter series have also been in both Cursed Child and the Fantastic Beasts series? Bonus MuggleCast: We discuss the things we think will definitely NOT happen in the next decade in Potter! Join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our first ‘new’ Chapter-by-Chapter for Order of the Phoenix since October 2011! Remember when we started this book then stopped for some reason? Good times.  Micah shares his convo with an inspiring 8-year-old Harry Potter fan! Potter booze cruise... Yes, please! Eric's Book Corner: Law Made Fun Through Harry Potter & Pod Life: Podcaster Stories Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix - Chapter 11: The Sorting Hat's New Song 7-Word Summary: Umbridge takes Dumbledore’s spotlight down during dinner  Loyalty vs. judgment: We debate whether or not Hagrid is a "joke" of a teacher Welcome to Hogwarts, Professor Umbridge (not really)! What other times in history has the Sorting Hat given advice? We compare Slytherin and Gryffindor's falling out to that of Grindelwald and Dumbledore How the importance of unity at Hogwarts is a microcosm for that of the larger Wizarding World House unifiers: Narcissa Malfoy and Horace Slughorn Does Umbridge interrupt Dumbledore as payback for the Ministry hearing? Happy little faces = #FakeNews Is the Ministry infiltrating Hogwarts or just filling a high turnover position? Is Hogwarts self-sustaining or does it receive government funding? Discord amongst Gryffindors! What's up with Seamus? Would Harry telling Seamus what happened in the Graveyard have changed anything? True friendship: Ron and Neville's defense of Harry Harry finally realizes Dumbledore and him are in this together! The Umbridge Sucks Count climbs all the way to 11! On next week's episode we look back on the past decade in Potter! We Connect The Threads, give our MVPs of the Week and Rename The Chapter! Join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices