MuggleCast: The Harry Potter Re-Read Podcast

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 Bonus MuggleCast, available exclusively on Patreon, we analyze the connection between Fawkes and Dumbledore, and what makes it so special. This week's episode is sponsored by HelloFresh (For $80 off your first month, go to HelloFresh.com/MuggleCast80 and use promo code MuggleCast80) and the Harry Potter Figurine Collection (Visit HeroCollector.com/Wizards to get two figurines for $9.95, and free shipping). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 conjure one of earth's core elements: WTF? Even while working for the Greater Good, Snape still takes the opportunity to besmirch James. Why so mean? The Half-Blood Prince is revealed, and Snape can't stand being called a coward. What's going through his mind in this moment? The movie version of this chapter is different to say the least. We compare and contrast. Dumbledore's pockets are now available for everyone to peruse, and the locket presents itself. Uh oh. Quizzitch: From whom does Lupin learn that Dumbledore has died? Thank you to this week's sponsors: The Harry Potter Figurine Collection (HeroCollector.com/Wizards), Scentbird (Scentbird.com/MUGGLECAST for 50% off), and ThirdLove (Thirdlove.com/MuggleCast for 15% off). Support the show by supporting supporting our advertisers! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 line was an amazing bit of work from Rowling. Snape's Avada Kedavra isn't written like the Killing Curse typically is. Is it because Snape was also trying to A) Prove he meant it, and B) move the body away from further harm? To say goodbye to Dumbledore, we read Patrons' favorite Dumbledore lines in Dumbledore (and Micah) voices. In light of analyzing this scene, we revisit Andrew's Astronomy Tower of Terror ride idea. This time it has exciting new twists! Quizzitch: Who did Draco mistake for being dead? This week's episode is brought to you by The Wizarding World Figurine Collection from Eaglemoss Hero Collector (get two figurines for the price of one, plus free shipping, at HeroCollector.com/Wizards) and OpenFit (text MuggleCast to 303030 for a FREE month trial)! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 next week! Bonus MuggleCast (available on Patreon): What if… Dumbledore had told Harry the truth about Snape in that moment of hesitation? This week's episode is brought to you by Scentbird (visit Scentbird.com/MuggleCast and use code MUGGLECAST for perfume or cologne for $7.50!) and ThirdLove (visit ThirdLove.com/MuggleCast for 15% off your first purchase!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 the cave is mistaking him for Voldemort? Magical weight vs. human weight and how Voldemort's tends to overlook those he considers to be "less than himself" Does Dumbledore's reaction to the bodies in the lake reflect the fact that he's resigned himself to his fate? What do we think Dumbledore is seeing when he drinks the potion? We recall we didn't have the context of Ariana when we first theorized about this in 2005! Dumbledore's Ring of Fire: what spell does he cast to ward off the Inferi? Despite her absence Laura does an amazing job Connecting The Threads (and planning the discussion)! The hosts reveal their Horcrux Hidey Hole, MVPs of the Week and Rename The Chapter! Quizzitch: Which Death Eater calls Dumbledore "Dumby"?  We've finally got @mugglecast on Instagram! Thanks for the help, Amy and Amanda! This week's episode is sponsored by AWAY. Get $20 off a suitcase by going to AwayTravel.com/mugglecast20 and using promo code MUGGLECAST20. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Dumbledore have ever told him? What does it say about Snape's character that despite playing a role in Harry's father's death, he still continues to insult James? Is Albus and Aberforth's relationship as contentious as we're led to believe in Deathly Hallows? Lax security: is there any reason to think the school will be safe with Harry and Dumbledore headed to The Cave? The hosts Rename The Chapter and give their MVPs of the Week Quizzitch: What is the first spell Harry casts at the Inferi? Bonus MuggleCast (available on Patreon): what if Hermione had discovered the identity of the Half-Blood Prince in this chapter? Would it have been too much for Harry to deal with? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 himself against an Unforgivable Curse? Was Snape also keeping tabs on Draco? Was Moaning Myrtle assisting him? Should a professor be able to use Legilimency on a student to find out the truth? Does Harry's punishment fit the crime? Shouldn't it have been more severe? The Room of Requirement: we get brief glimpses of the Vanishing Cabinet and the Diadem Horcrux The Half-Blood Prince's book has done a lot of good for Harry and he lets Hermione know it! Ginny rushes to Harry's defense and SLAMS Hermione not once, but twice! Snape detention has an interesting twist to it!The hosts believe it's important that Gryffindor wins the Quidditch Cup without Harry Harry and Ginny: did it feel rushed? Forced? Or about damn time?!?! We Rename The Chapter and give our MVPs of the Week! Quizzitch: What unlikely companion does Harry find outside the Room of Requirement? This week's episode is brought to you by OpenFit! Text MuggleCast to 303030 to receive full access to all the workouts and nutrition info for a month! In Bonus MuggleCast, available exclusively on Patreon, we discuss what would have happened if Draco had died as a result of the Sectumsempra attack! [podcoin] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Breakdown: the diary, the ring, the locket, the cup, Nagini and something of either Gryffindor's or Ravenclaw's Did part of Dumbledore's prophecy explanation reveal that Harry is a Horcrux? Can Voldemort feel when one of his Horcruxes is destroyed? Not in the books, but it works in the films! Does Dumbledore's rant about tyrants creating self-fulfilling prophecies mean even more now that we know more about Grindelwald? The hosts rename the chapter and give their MVPs Quizzitch: How long does it take to make Felix Felicis? In celebration of recording on 4/20, we offer thoughts on which characters in the wizarding world like the ganga! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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-hussle! House-Elves as poison taste-testers! What does this reveal about Slughorn's character? I Will Remember You: our patrons pay tribute to Aragog Let's get drunk! Is this becoming a recurring theme in Half-Blood Prince? Does Slughorn feel guilty, maybe even responsible, for what happened to Lily? Francis The Fish is possibly the best addition the filmmakers made to the series Rename The Chapter and MVP of the Week Quizzitch: Who tells Nearly-Headless Nick about Dumbledore's whereabouts? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 should he be taking it out on his students? Why was Tonks in this chapter? What did she need to see Dumbledore about? We draw connections between Moaning Myrtle, Draco and Tom Riddle The hosts Rename The Chapter and give their MVPs of the Week! Quizzitch: When Professor Slughorn gets plant leaves from Professor Sprout, what group of students does he say they are for? In Bonus MuggleCast (available on Patreon): The creators of the amazing graphic art within the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film series visit Chicago, and Eric recaps their event. Don't forget to follow @MuggleCastPod on Instagram! This week's episode is brought to you by Robinhood, the easiest way to invest in stocks, ETFs, cryptos and more. Get a free stock like Apple, Ford, or Sprint at MuggleCast.Robinhood.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices