MuggleCast: The Harry Potter Re-Read Podcast

Slug Club member Nicole joins the show! Claudia Kim weighs in on the Nagini controversy  The hosts predict the U.S. opening weekend box office total for The Crimes of Grindelwald  MuggleMail covers obsessive love and Care of Magical Creatures Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Hermione’s Helping Hand 7-Word Summary: Harry tries to prune Buckbeak’s big lunch Hermione reveals why Harry is so appealing... and it definitely bothers Ron! Did people think this provided a window for Harry and Hermione? Or was it always Hermione and Ron? Stan Shunpike's comments land him in Azkaban. What does this tell us about the current state of wizarding affairs? Gryffindor tryouts - whose vetting these people?!?! Why is Hagrid letting Buckbeak just chill outside his hut? Couldn't he be recognized? Shouldn't Hagrid be more mature in his initial reactions to the Trio? Time Turners: were they really all destroyed? Cursed Child begs to differ! Did Hermione confunding Cormac help along the Ron/Lavender relationship? Is Harry to blame at all for not replacing Ron with Cormac after he found out the truth? Connecting The Threads: The Evening Prophet, Stan Shunpike & Aragog The hosts give their MVPs of the Week and Rename The Chapter Quizzitch: Who delivers the message to Harry about Dumbledore's second lesson? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome Slug Club member Sam! News: JKR shares why everyone is headed to Paris… Credence! Voicemails cover Book 1 and 7 connections, Hogwarts professors, Leta Lestrange and more Chapter-by-Chapter continues with 'The House of Gaunt' 7 Word Summary: A memory comes before another big reveal Sam shares why this chapter is one of her favorite in the series Why can't Hermione accept following alternate directions? Does Slughorn remember Snape as a student? Do Trelawney's mumblings shed insight on future Pensieve memories? Stepping inside Bob Ogden's memory Pureblood mania is alive and well inside the House of Gaunt Merope is part of a horrible family dynamic with Marvolo and Morfin. Is her family lineage at all to blame for her actions? Do we blame Tom Riddle Sr. for abandoning his son? What if he didn't? Horcrux alert: the ring and the locket As readers, what are we to make of all this guesswork by Dumbledore? Who is the worst character in this chapter? Merope? Marvolo? Morfin? Connecting the Threads: Parseltongue, snakes on doors and Bob Ogden The hosts give their MVPs of the Week and Rename The Chapter Quizzitch: How old is Stan Shunpike? In Bonus MuggleCast, available exclusively on Patreon for Dumbledore's Army members and above, we discuss news on Yusuf Kama, Queenie & Grindelwald, the Chupacabra and the French Ministry escape Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's episode is brought to you by ZipRecruiter and Bombas!  News covers Harry Potter: A History of Magic in NYC, Beedle The Bard Illustrated Edition and a cool Funko Advent Calendar The hosts try and guess the official runtime of the Crimes of Grindelwald and analyze recently released photos and posters Fans can see Crimes of Grindelwald early at your their AMC! We take voicemails on Nagini, Moody, Cursed Child, Hogwarts Mystery and more Chapter-by-Chapter continues with 'The Half-Blood Prince' 7 Word Summary: Potions is taught by a quirky walrus Harry is still trying to convince his friends Draco is a Death Eater Is Hagrid even qualified to teach a N.E.W.T. level course? Why do teachers accept certain O.W.L.s for N.E.W.T. level courses but others don't? Snape is again the focal point of the chapter. Are there any clues in this chapter to suggest that he is the Half-Blood Prince? What do we think of Snape's remodeling of the DADA classroom? The importance of non-verbal spells Do we think Hermione's DADA comparison of Snape and Harry is a fair one? Potions Class: should Harry really be using a mysterious book with mysterious handwriting? What if Ron had gotten the book instead? Patrons joint he hosts in sharing their MVPs of the Week and Rename the Chapter Quizzitch: What is the topic of Hermione's essay in Chapter 10? In Bonus MuggleCast, available exclusively on Patreon: Johnny Depp finally talks Fantastic Beasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's sponsor is BeachBody OnDemand! Text 'MuggleCast' to 303030 to try it for free! Welcome Slug Club member Lottie! Our first glimpse at the new ride coming to Wizarding World Orlando!  Is a new open world Harry Potter video game on the way? We discuss the recently leaked trailer! Lethal White is headed to the BBC in a four-part series! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Snape Victorious One listener writes in to reveal Slughorn's full name 7 Word Summary: Harry feels really frustrated by Snape's attitude Connecting The Threads: Late arrival to Hogwarts and a confrontation with Snape Tonks finds Harry on the train; much like the movie, would we have preferred Luna? Why aren't alarms going off and an official manhunt underway if Harry is missing? The security measures in place set a much darker tone at Hogwarts We discuss Snape's behavior towards Tonks, Harry and as a professor overall Did Dumbledore appointing Snape DADA professor seal his own fate? Why does Ron think Moody was a professor - does he not know the truth about Barty? Why won't Ron still not believe Harry about Draco being a Death Eater? Grawp's New Mountain Home - could it play a role in Fantastic Beasts? We give our MVPs of the Week and Rename The Chapter Quizzitch: What is Snape's first DADA arts lesson about? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We take listener feedback and voicemails on the latest Crimes of Grindelwald trailer Chapter-by-Chapter continues with The Slug Club 7 Word Summary goes off the rails: The tasty pheasant boards scrumptiously Belby’s mouth Connecting the Threads: this isn't the first time Harry has suspected Malfoy of something very serious! Why do Ron and Hermione have such a hard time believing Draco could be a Death Eater? Is his age a legitimate concern? Why does Arthur Weasley not take Harry seriously? Crushes and The Cool Kid's Table: the hosts share their experiences Harry acknowledges that Neville could have been The Chosen One Hugh "H.E.F." Slughorn... what does the E.F. in his name stand for? What are our initial impressions of the Slug Club? Elitist or a chance for house unity? If Draco were a true Death Eater, why didn't he just off Harry in the train compartment? We give our MVP of the Week and Rename The Chapter Quizzitch: Who comes to Harry’s rescue when he finds himself locked out of Hogwarts? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome Slug Club member Laura! Andrew and Eric recap their trivia party The final Crimes of Grindelwald trailer is released! Our reactions to the big Nagini reveal! Will this change how we think about Nagini in the Potter series? Why is she on Voldemort's side in later years?  Is it possible she's our first thread between Grindelwald and Voldemort? Could Credence be helping her try to control her power much like himself? Why is Nagini at Circus Arcanus? Is it by choice? Or is she being held captive? Do we really believe JKR has been keeping this secret for 20 years? Jamie Campbell Bower & Toby Regbo reprise their roles as young Grindelwald & Dumbledore What does this mean for future films? Will their relationship finally be explored? Why can't Dumbledore move against Grindelwald? Convenient excuse or something more magical? Is Nicolas Flamel's home the "safe house" Dumbledore tells Newt about? What's Tina doing in the Parisian sewer system? What's draping all of the buildings in Paris? New beasts, bomber jets, cool portkeys, Newt's basement and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You asked, we answered: Our latest movie commentary is for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince! This audio file features our commentary on the sixth Potter movie as we all watch it. The beginning of the file offers instructions on how to sync up with us so that you can watch along! (The movie's audio is not included in this commentary track.) Patrons were able to join us as we recorded the commentary, and we incorporate their feedback throughout the episode. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Special guest Kamilah joins the show! A plug for Alanna Bennett's excellent piece on what a Black Hermione represents Evanna Lynch is Dancing With The Stars! Eric has all of the info. Lethal White hits store shelves next week! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Draco's Detour Our seven word summary makes a little more sense this week: Diagon Alley looks really sad and desolate End of the Innocence: they kidnapped the ice cream guy and the wandmaker! JKR provides some insight on Fortescue‘s intended role Quidditch Captain = preferred bathroom access Why has Molly's perspective on security changed in one chapter? How is Hagrid a viable security guard? Harry and Narcissa face off in Madam Malkin's Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes provides some much needed levity in an otherwise dark chapter We’re all impressed by the twins’ level of magic Inside Borgin and Burkes: Vanishing cabinets, necklaces, dark marks and more Why does Hermione take such a uncalculated risk? The hosts given their MVPs of the Week and Rename The Chapter Quizzitch: Who is in the first train compartment that the trio run into on the Hogwarts Express? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

News: Back to Hogwarts featurette, JKR's old website returns and just when was SS released in the US? Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Chapter 5 of Half-Blood Prince We rename the chapter to... the best of our ability: Fleur was entering Harry’s room and existed Harry and Dumbledore arrived to The Burrow sooner than expected. What else did the Headmaster have up his sleeve to pursue Slughorn? What business does Dumbledore have with the Minister? Why is Tonks so visibly upset? Slughorn taught Molly and Arthur. Could there be a Fantastic Beasts cameo in the works? We discuss the themes of security, comedy and xenophobia  Harry lets Ron and Hermione in on the fact that he will be having lessons with Dumbledore and the truth about the prophecy OWL mayhem  Quizzitch returns! What classic childrens' game gets a magical upgrade in Chapter 6, Draco's Detour? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Ministry's Ancestral Archives? New Beasts are revealed as we are introduced to the Matagot, Zouwu, Firedrake and Leucrotta The latest on Yusuf Kama and the Maledictus, plus several of Grindelwald’s supporters have familiar names Voicemails cover owls, wizarding jobs and trivia night in Chicago Introducing our new Chapter by Chapter archive! Quizzitch and Chapter-by-Chapter return next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices