Help MuggleCast grow during our birthday month! To celebrate MuggleCast turning 20 years old (!!!) listeners can get 20% off an annual subscription to our Patreon with promo code 20YEARS. We’ve never offered this large a discount before, but this large of an anniversary calls for a very special deal. So visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast and pledge today! Patrons can also get a 20% discount on official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com! Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com On this special edition of MuggleCast, we look back at twenty years of Harry Potter podcasting, revisit some of our earliest book predictions, and look ahead to the next two decades in the Wizarding World! Happy 20th Birthday, MuggleCast! Let’s settle once and for all the pressing question on everyone’s mind: what do we talk about after all this time?! Audible’s Harry Potter audiobooks with a full cast have revealed their seven release dates and some casting! The hosts weigh in. Arabella Stanton (Hermione Granger) is pulling double duty between this and the upcoming HBO series. There is another Dumbledore, and he’s the old pal of UK audiobook narrator Stephen Fry. Listen as we break down Hugh Laurie’s statement on accepting the role. To celebrate our 20th anniversary, we look back over the earliest episodes at predictions made by the hosts which later came true! Thanks to listener Kim for compiling. Are there things we would change about MuggleCast’s earliest days or in general? The hosts reflect. This week's Lynx Line: “What long-dormant MuggleCast topics would you like to see revisited?” Predicting the future: what will MuggleCast be talking about 20 years from NOW? It’s a triple serving of Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul! We are always moved by hearing from listeners on the topic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow during our birthday month! To celebrate MuggleCast turning 20 this month, listeners can get 20% off an annual subscription to our Patreon with promo code 20YEARS. We’ve never offered this large a discount before, but this large of an anniversary calls for a very special deal. So visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast and pledge today! Patrons can also get a 20% discount on official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com! Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com On this week’s episode, we're headed to the Ministry to save Sirius! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Meg as we cram into a telephone booth, descend below the streets of London and explore our way through the Department of Mysteries! Happy Birthday, Harry! Don't miss our birthday wishes to our favorite Boy Wizard. Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 34: The Department of Mysteries. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 471 of MuggleCast, titled “Punk’d.” Should Harry have considered alternative transportation to the Ministry of Magic given half the traveling party can't see their ride? Could they have doubled up? So cold! Do thestrals have seat warmers? Did anybody bother to ask them? Where do thestrals rank among the modes of magical transportation? Why didn't Harry notice his Voldemort meter was on low? Inside the Ministry of Magic - another security nightmare! The Brain Room: what exactly is being studied here? And why do these brains seemingly have minds of their own? The Love Room aka The Break Room! Apparently, it's an Amortentia rager! The Death Room: was the Ministry of Magic built around The Veil? Meg offers a theory that will blow your mind! And we analyze why each of the characters present react so differently. Our Lynx Line patrons answer the question, “What other rooms should be represented at the Ministry of Magic / Department of Mysteries?” Quizzitch: When entering the Dept. of Mysteries, Harry and friends first encounter a room with many unmarked doors. Similarly, the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA (USA) has over 2,000 doors in its mansion, which contains 160 rooms. How many windows are present in the Winchester Mystery House? a) 2,001 b) 10,000, c) 665, or d) 4,000? Join in on the fun! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com On this week’s episode, we discuss the events of Chapter 33 of Order of the Phoenix, “Fight “and Flight Join Andrew, Eric, Micah, and Laura as they cover the removal of Professor Umbridge from the equation of the greater Sirius rescue mission. Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 33: Fight and Flight. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 471 of MuggleCast, titled “Punk’d.” Does the Ministry really value Umbridge’s life over Harry’s, as she claims? Could Hermione have reasonably predicted to run into the Centaurs, and what was her plan exactly? Overall how brilliant is Hermione’s attempt to be free of Umbridge? It works, doesn’t it? Does Hermione’s talk with Bane show us that she’s prejudiced, when compared to her earlier comment on Firenze to Lavender and Parvati? Do we feel bad for Grawp? A number of threads can be connected between this moment in Book 5 and the end of Book 3. Micah and Laura find a few. Is it right for Harry to allow Ginny, Neville and Luna to tag along to London? Could he have stopped them? Who SHOULD Harry have taken with him to London instead? The hosts discuss. Our Lynx Line patrons answer the question, “Hermione obviously chose the wrong thing to say to the Centaurs explaining why they led Umbridge into the Forest. What should she have said instead? [Wrong answers only]” Quizzitch: Psychologically, human beings respond to threats in one of four ways, all starting with the letter F. TWO of them are “fight” and “flight,” what are the other two? Join in on the fun!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com On this week’s episode, news continues to roll in on the new Harry Potter TV Show. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they talk the latest casting news and first looks before busting open the MuggleMail bag to take your feedback on the last few chapters of Order of the Phoenix! News: Our first look at Dominic McLaughlin as The Boy Who Lived and Nick Frost as Hagrid! Plus, four new casting announcements: Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley, Louise Brealey as Madam Rolanda Hooch, and Anton Lesser as Garrick Ollivander. And those Dursleys are looking mighty 90s in these behind-the-scenes photos! Voicemails cover Snape's Worst Memory, Harry's Career Aspirations, Grawp and how the Pensieve could have altered the end of Order of the Phoenix! Why is Harry so obsessed with Dumbledore? He barely knows the guy! How exactly did Tom Riddle's curse on the Defense Against The Darks Arts position work? Old habits die hard! Did Rita Skeeter actually turn over a new leaf? One listener questions if there really was a binding magical contract with the Goblet of Fire or if it was all secretly part of Dumbledore's larger plan! Put your memories away! Did Snape bait Harry to look in the Pensieve? Were Hermione's comments about Firenze really a commentary on Lavender and Parvati's fawning over their new Divination teacher? Comparing the Marauder's treatment of Snape to the Death Eaters treatment of the Roberts family Reducto! Why couldn't Voldemort just shrink himself to gain access to the Ministry and get the prophecy himself? Chicken Soup For The MuggleCast Soul Chapter-by-Chapter returns next week with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 33: Fight and Flight Quizzitch: In this chapter Umbridge placed Stealth Sensor Spells around her office door. Founded by Edward Calahan over 150 years ago, the company which currently holds at least 15% of the market share for home security systems, is called ADT. What does ADT stand for? Join in on the fun! In this week's Bonus MuggleCast, we look back at the Summer of Potter - 2007 saw the release of both Deathly Hallows and the Order of the Phoenix movie! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com On this week’s episode, we discuss the events of Chapter 32 of Order of the Phoenix, "Out of the Fire." Join Andrew, Eric, Micah, and Pam as they cover the second attempted break-in to Professor Umbridge's office, and the fallout. Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 32: Out of the Fire Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 470 of MuggleCast, titled “Silky Smooth Snape.” Should Harry have known that his vision was a ruse? The hosts go all-in on listing several signs, and whether they alone reveal the truth. Micah connects the threads between Sirius and Harry in books 3 and 5. What is Hermione getting at by mentioning Harry's 'saving people thing'? Often times, Harry has legitimately been left to fix the Hogwarts problem and save people. Can we blame him? We discuss the power lust present in both Umbridge and Draco, and how they need each other at this time. Umbridge's treatment of Snape is interesting, since she does trust he's as horrible as she is. What Hermione does works perfectly on Umbridge. Why? Why aren't the two other heads of House, Flitwick and Sprout, also members of the Order? Is Dumbledore skeptical of their loyalty, or is he just giving them a break?? The hosts have differing ideas about what being a 'bad mofo' means, when rating who the baddest was in this chapter. Our Lynx Line patrons answer the question, when was a time that you successfully thought on your feet the way Hermione does with Umbridge? Quizzitch: In this chapter Umbridge placed Stealth Sensor Spells around her office door. Founded by Edward Calahan over 150 years ago, the company which currently holds at least 15% of the market share for home security systems, is called ADT. What does ADT stand for? Join in on the fun! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're off from a regular episode this week due to the 4th of July holiday at Ilvermorny and around America. But as we approach the end of our Order of the Phoenix re-release, we have a Bonus MuggleCast to share with you from our Patreon! In it, Laura leads a discussion on the Order of the Phoenix scenes in the book that didn't make the movie, but absolutely SHOULD be in the TV Show! #MAXThat Laura has us break down our adaptation ideas with the "MAGIC Method" that she developed for this episode. We're joined by Slug Club member Nicole, who was a co-host in Episode 703. What scenes do YOU want to see adapted from Order of the Phoenix in the Harry Potter TV Show? Let us know! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com On this week’s episode, break out the scantrons and No. 2 pencils because Harry, Ron and Hermione are finally sitting their O.W.L.s. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah, Laura and Slug Club member Stacy for the stress-inducing conclusion to Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts. And if exams weren't enough, Hagrid's been sacked and Voldemort has Sirius! Welcome Slug Club member, Stacy! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 31: O.W.L.s. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 468 of MuggleCast, titled “Rubeus Hagrid's Punch Out.”  Ron cannot stop talking about his big Quidditch win! Did we ever have a friend who just wouldn't shut it about a big accomplishment? Magical Moment: Ron reminds Harry of his father James After learning about Grawp, Ron raises a fantastic point: “Have we ever come off better for mixing with one of Hagrid’s monster mates?” How do the O.W.L. exams reflect real-world academic pressures? Draco drops some real world knowledge: "It’s not what you know, but who you know!" Why do the students have to wait until July for their scores? Shouldn't magic allow for instant results? Wingardium Leviosa, Polyjuice Potion & Patronuses! During Harry's O.W.L.s, we get several throwbacks to the first three books! Speaking of Patronuses, is Professor Tofty playing favorites? Does he offer the other students bonus points? What does the nighttime ambush of Hagrid suggest about the Ministry’s tactics? Sirius Problem: Voldemort has Harry's godfather in the Department of Mysteries! What would Harry’s post-exam life look like if he didn’t have a Dark Lord inside of his head? The hosts share which O.W.L. they would most like to sit! Harry overhears Professor Marchbanks tell Professor Umbridge that Dumbledore “Did things with a wand I’d never seen before!” In our Lynx Line segment for the week, we ask our Patrons what kind of things do you imagine Dumbledore doing to impress the examiners? Quizzitch: Harry struggles to name all of the moons of Jupiter for his Astronomy O.W.L. WHICH of the FOLLOWING is NOT one of Jupiter’s moons? Io, Metis, Europa, Ganymede, Calypso, Themisto, Pandia, and S/2003 J 2. Join in on the fun! Tilda Swinton? Peter O'Toole? James McAvoy? Michael Cera!? On this week's Bonus MuggleCast, we discuss the actors who turned down Harry Potter roles!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com This week we find Hogwarts in a state of open rebellion with many students (and professors) practicing the subtle art of malicious compliance, a thing which Laura knows something about, as we will learn! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as they discuss Hagrid's awful plan for the trio to put themselves at even greater risk for next to no obvious reward, because it's time to cover Chapter 30 of Order of the Phoenix, Grawp! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 30: Grawp. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 467 of MuggleCast, titled “Stranger Danger.” How Fred and George's departure sparked an uprising. Was it the 'permission' everyone needed to misbehave? Does Filch have buyers' remorse for backing Umbridge? Weren't things better for him (and his cat) under Dumbledore? Forgetting who really put the Niffler in Umrbidge's office, the hosts choose their favorite culprits (and then get the correct answer from Micah.) A connection between Bubble Head Charms that would make them useful to this day. Laura explains how to expertly hobble the willpower of a malicious HOA. McGonagall forms an unexpected alliance, and the hosts chat about Montague's situation. Why doesn't Harry care about pursuing Occlumency when everybody has told him how important it is? Is desperation the leading cause of Hagrid's unbelievable request? Could Hagrid simply retire somehwere with Grawp, instead of leaving him behind with the kids?I/li> Micah's name origins return! The hosts decide on their favorite resistance strategies for Umbridge. In our Lynx Line segment for the week, we ask our Patrons whether Hagrid is really in the right to bring Grawp back with him to the UK? Quizzitch: What wrestler, who stood at a giant height of 7 feet 4 inches, was also an actor, starring in a film that featured not a Forbidden Forest, but a Fire Swamp? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com This week’s episode dives into some serious daddy drama as Harry throws caution to the wind and breaks into Umbridge’s office to have a heart-to-heart with Sirius about his father. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah, and Laura for career advice, a few cough drops, and plenty of laughs. Plus, things get slightly unhinged as we're upping the sexy factor for every character in the new Harry Potter TV show! News: Hogwarts? More like HOTwarts! The new Harry Potter TV Show announces nine new actors, including Draco, Molly, and the Dursleys! And the internet has feelings about the Vernon and Petunia actors. Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 29: Career Advice. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 466 of MuggleCast, titled “Weasleys Victorious.” Harry feels betrayed and disillusioned after witnessing James's behavior. Is it fair to let this one memory define James as a character? Should Harry have shared the contents of the memory with Ron and Hermione? Could McGonagall or Hagrid have helped to ground him a bit? Snape's Worst Memory explains quite a bit, but it doesn't validate his treatment of Harry! Should Harry feel bad for Snape? Despite the author's commentary, some of us are still befuddled as to how memories viewed in the Pensieve are unbiased. Mirror, Mirror: why didn't Harry remember Sirius' gift? And why didn't Sirius point this out to Harry during their Floo conversation? Super Petty Snape: the symbolism of him smashing Harry’s Invigoration Draught MAX THAT entire Career Advice scene between McGonagall and Umbridge! It’s nice to see McGonagall balance encouragement with realism when giving Harry advice. But is too much emphasis being put on O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s? Make the Real Life Connection: Did the hosts ever have career conversations like Harry  when we were in school? Should Umbridge even be present for Harry’s career consultation? We discuss the "sirius" risk(s) Harry took by breaking into Umbridge's office! Does the conversation with Sirius & Lupin actually do anything to reassure Harry? The Great Weasley Escape and... Hot Peeves?! The hosts share the best advice Harry actually receives in this chapter! In our Lynx Line segment for the week, we ask our Patrons what’s really going through McGonagall’s head as she is constantly interrupted by Umbridge? Quizzitch: Filch seeks approval for whipping from Umbridge. The sound of a bullwhip cracking is caused by what specific thing occurring with the whip?   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com This week Chapter-by-Chapter returns, and so does our guest! Professor Julian Wamble, who we first had on our show back in 2023 on MuggleCast #619, once more graces us with his presence as we discuss Chapter 28 of Order of the Phoenix, "Snape's Worst Memory." Julian teaches Political Science at George Washington University, and his podcast Critical Magic Theory as well as Instagram and TikTok content are worth checking out! Welcome back to the show, Professor Julian Wamble! News: Tom Felton to reprise his role as Draco Malfoy, in New York's production of Cursed Child! Chapter-by-Chapter returns with Chapter 28 of Order of the Phoenix, "Snape's Worst Memory." Our Time Turner segment takes us back to Episode 465 of MuggleCast, titled "How I Met Your Mother." How are we going to top that title on *this* re-read? (Speaking of reading, here is that episode's transcript.) Umbridge's ascent to headmistress of Hogwarts has some classic authoritarian playbook strategies. The hosts dissect. Is the appointment of the Inquisitorial Squad merely a natural response to the thought that Dumbledore was raising an army? Andrew explains. We look at what Umbridge promised Filch, and consider whether she intends to keep those promises. Harry would've been poisoned, if it weren't for a singularly interesting cat... that reminds us of a scene from Deathly Hallows... Would Snape have actually given truth serum to Umbridge, and why not? The hosts discuss his loyalties. Fred and George have a perfect tonic for Umbridge's control, and it perfectly exploits her vulnerabilities. It's a good thing Harry's Occlumency lesson is interrupted... because he didn't do the homework! What makes Harry enter the pensieve despite how dangerous the threat of being caught is? What Marauders' personality traits did the hosts most enjoy on this readthrough? How will the Harry Potter TV show handle Snape's Worst Memory? Professor Wamble has thoughts. Are there more traits between Harry and his dad, or Harry and his mom, and what are they? The hosts pick a favorite moment of mayhem from this chapter. In our Lynx Line segment for the week, we ask our Patrons to build their own Inquisitorial Squad to serve a purpose at Hogwarts that is currently underserved, and ask what the team would do. Quizzitch: What band had a song at the top of the UK music charts for every week of May, 1976? A] ABBA, B] Billy Joel, C] Aerosmith, D] David Bowie   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com On this week's episode, we’re starting Pride Month 2025 off by revisiting the topic of Potter series author J.K. Rowling, whose recent actions along with the continued assault on the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals worldwide, warrant further discussion. We are joined by a guest who is an ethicist, philosopher and college instructor, and all of our hosts dive head-first into sharing their feelings on what is happening. And to lead off our discussion, we cover the topic of the casting of the new trio for HBO’s upcoming TV series. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Receive 10% off your first month of therapy at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast News: Harry, Ron and Hermione have now been cast in HBO’s Harry Potter TV series! The hosts react. Welcome to the podcast, Sunny Williams! Sunny’s roots in fandom and wizard rock, and her impressive academic career, make her a perfect fit for our episode today. We revisit the topic of J.K. Rowling, whose new ’Women’s Fund’ will help advance anti-trans legal cases. Our previous episodes that addressed the author were Episode 447b and Episode 469, both worth a re-listen. The hosts share their thoughts on the last 5 years of disappointment, from infinite double-downs to behavior that is antithetical to the works which we celebrate. Eric takes us through the most recent year in anti-trans legislation, featuring two huge pseudoscientific reports, not peer reviewed and forcefully discredited by major medical organizations, which are nevertheless being used to strip transgender people from accessing healthcare through legislation. The actual science is so in-favor of trans people receiving healthcare, that its opponents have suggested other ways of measuring its efficiency, like whether receivers currently have a job. Rowling’s astonishing cruelty is on display daily on X, and her initiatives and gender-policing have been shown to affect ALL women, as the rise on assaults of women in rest areas has grown around hostility towards anyone seen as gender non-conforming by strangers empowered to act. The hosts use scenarios from the Potter books to illustrate what’s presently happening. Sunny guides us through the ethics of financially supporting problematic creators, with thoughts from Socrates, Hannah Arendt, Henry David Thoreau, and others! To wrap, we discuss our continued strategy for keeping the fandom progressive and inclusive. Next week, a return to Chapter-by-Chapter will see us introduced to another bully, as it’s time to experience Chapter 28, “Snape’s Worst Memory.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the Harry Potter TV show beginning to film this summer, Andrew conjures an episode-by-episode (Marauder's) map of Harry Potter: Season 1! What will each episode of Season 1 depict from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and what can they do to please longtime fans of the series? HBO has to prove that there's a reason to reboot Harry Potter, and we have some ideas for how they can do just that! This is a Bonus MuggleCast episode that was released in March for those who support us at Patreon.com/mugglecast. As an independent podcast, we could really use your support while we continue re-reading the books and covering the upcoming TV show! Pledge TODAY to receive access to over 100 more bonus episodes, ad-free episodes of our Chapter by Chapter discussions, and so much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com On this week's episode, we’re aspiring to become friends with Firenze! His cozy indoor forest classroom is really the bee’s knees, and the rest we obtain there helps us stay sharp when having to suddenly exit the Room of Requirement! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah for the next Book 5 chapter discussion. Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 27: The Centaur and the Sneak. MuggleCast last discussed this chapter on Episode 464! What is the main force behind Hermione’s comments to Lavender and Parvati? Is Firenze gearing the children up to prepare for war? What are the benefits of a non-human-centric approach to Divination? Firenze also ups Harry’s cool factor considerably. Two members of the DA can now produce full Patronuses! We examine their meaning, including bringing back a revelation from Micah that’s nearly 20 years old (our minds are still blown.) What’s the deal with Dobby’s loyalties? Why can Umbridge command him not to speak? We examine Draco’s choice to apprehend Harry versus later choices he makes in the books. What is the timeline of events surrounding Umbrage, and “the sneak”’s confession? How does Fudge get to Hogwarts so quickly?! What makes Marietta cave? And why is it a million times better than in the movie? The Dumbledore Lie Count (tm) returns!!! Odds & Ends cover one of Harry’s forgotten schoolbooks. MVP: Dumbledore’s most Slytherin moments from the chapter Lynx Line: Our patrons re-name Dumbledore’s Army! Quizzitch: The fourth planet in our Solar System is Mars, named for the Roman god of war. What did the Ancient Greeks call their god of war? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com On this week's episode, get your copy of The Quibbler (and quickly transfigure it) before Umbridge bans it! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as they enjoy a brief compliment from Snape and finally get through *that* door at the Department of Mysteries! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 26: Seen and Unforseen. MuggleCast last discussed this chapter on Episode 463! Could Hermione have been a little softer on Harry concerning Cho? Does she share any blame for double-booking him in Hogsmeade? Hermione criticizes her friends reactions to the outcome of the Quidditch match. Does she have any fun outlets? Harry is having FOMO watching Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor. But let's face it, it's not easy watching from the sidelines! Shockingly, Snape comes the closest he ever has to actually caring about teaching Harry Occlumency, but... of course... has to have the last laugh! We draw comparisons between Lupin teaching Harry the Patronus Charm and Snape teaching Harry Occlumency. Should Harry be farther along given he's been at this for two months? How did Harry get through the Department of Mysteries door during his Occlumency lesson when he's never been there in his dreams? The hosts agree that Dumbledore had Firenze in his back pocket to take over for Trelawney. Who did Dumbledore have on tap as a replacement for Hagrid? Voldemort finally learns only he or Harry can retrieve the prophecy. How is this not more common knowledge in the Wizarding World? How would’ve things been different if Voldemort never wasted time with this plan? Harry has direct line of sight into Voldemort's plan with Lucius Malfoy, Sturgis Podmore, Broderick Bode and Avery. Why not leak this info to The Quibbler? Odds & Ends cover The Streisand Effect and The Astronomy Tower MVP: Best All-Time Trelawney Moments (before she was fired) Lynx Line: Our patrons write Harry a short piece of fan-mail OR hate-mail to be delivered via Owl Post to the Great Hall at breakfast! Quizzitch: In banning The Quibbler, Umbridge only raises more interest in it. The concept of banning something only making it more popular is colloquially known as The Streisand Effect, after actress Barbara Streisand sued a photographer for publishing a photo in 2003. What was the photo of?   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com On this week's episode, listen during Chapter-by-Chapter as the MuggleCasters discuss Harry juggling TWO dates in Hogsmeade. One which may have been doomed from the start (with Cho), and another which likely changes the course of Wizarding history (with Rita). Andrew, Eric, Laura, Micah, and Slug Club guest Katie dig in, because it's time for Chapter 25 of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Welcome Slug Club member, Katie! The hosts wish to reassert their disavowal of J.K. Rowling for her role in making women less safe in the U.K. Please visit GLAAD's amazing page for links including FAQs, resources, and tips for allies. Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 25: The Beetle at Bay. MuggleCast last discussed this chapter on Episode 462! Harry's feelings toward his fellow students in light of the Azkaban breakout headlines have us once more feeling like we are living in the books today. The Ministry's control of information and issuance of propaganda, the extent which is confirmed in this chapter, is massive but not perfect. Some who look deeper are beginning to see the cracks in the facade. Umbridge's power grabs are becoming unenforceable. The hosts discuss how her main goal appears to be to frighten and dissuade dissenters, even among the staff. Harry and students are impressed by Neville's recent hard work in the D.A. This reminds us about when we made the "Neville Gets Swole" Spotify playlist, perfect for your summertime runs and workouts! Is Hermione single-handedly changing the course of the Wizarding world? We think so. Is there anything the students can/should be doing about Hagrid and his probation? Or is his behavior just too weird, and the students too buried in coursework? Ron has a fair idea, but Hermione shuts him down cold. We hold a memorial service for Ron's strategical aptitude subplot from Book 1. In what ways was "Madame Puddifoot's" NOT the perfect Valentine's spot, and whose fault is it that Harry and Cho's date is a disaster? Was it doomed from the start? Is Rita Skeeter looking for redemption, or just some hot goss? Odds & Ends asks why Ron, Fred or George do not seem to know about Antonin Dolohov's connection with their uncles, nor do they mention it. Most #RealTalk moment of the week? Hosts weigh in. Lynx Line: we asked our Patrons to submit a one-sentence headline sure to grab all of the attention. Quizzitch: What prison was the site of the largest jailbreak in British history - when 38 inmates, members of the Irish Republican Army, overpowered guards in 1983? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! On this week's edition we discuss the best use of 8 hours to tell the story of the first season of the upcoming TV show! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com On this week's episode, clear your minds because you don't want Professor Snape seeing *that* memory! Am I right? Join Andrew, Micah, Laura and Nicole as they say goodbye to Sirius, ride The Knight Bus back to Hogwarts and endure one of Harry's most grueling lessons in the entire Potter series. Welcome Slug Club member, Nicole! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 24: Occlumency. MuggleCast last discussed this chapter on Episode 461! For the first time ever, Harry is not looking forward to going back to Hogwarts. And he’s about to get another reason to dread it even more! Harry seems to have a sixth sense as it relates to Kreacher. Should he have shared his suspicions with someone else in the Order? Showdown at Grimmauld Place: Snape and Sirius are bickering like exes! Why does Sirius refer to Snape as Lucius’ lapdog? Foreshadow Alert: Sirius' Grim Goodbye & The Two-Way Mirror We discuss how there is SO MUCH wrong with Harry's Occlumency lessons! Given that Snape has spent years closing off his mind to Voldemort, is he the most qualified to teach Harry Occlumency? Should there have been a third party mediator? Ruh Roh! What if Voldemort penetrated Harry’s mind and saw Snape teaching him Occlumency? Exactly which memories does Snape removing from his mind? Do these lessons actually weaken Harry's mental and physical state of being? We compare the mental capacity needed to cast a Patronus to that required to perform Occlumency The Big Snape Reveal: did he just show the reader his true colors? What does Voldemort actually know about his connection Harry? Odds & Ends cover Connecting The Threads between Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix, The Knight Bus, Madam Marsh, the Department of Mysteries and more! Most Impressive Dig of the Week: Snape or Sirius? Lynx Line: What could possibly make Voldemort the happiest he’s ever been? Wrong answers only. Quizzitch: What part of the human brain, in addition to aiding cognitive functions like attention and planning, is also involved with the storing of long-term memories?  On Bonus MuggleCast, it's time to MAX THAT! The hosts deep dive into some of the scenes they'd most like to see adapted for the new TV show that didn't make it into the Order of the Phoenix movie! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! On this week's edition we discuss the best use of 8 hours to tell the story of the first season of the upcoming TV show! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com On this week's episode, we're trying our best to keep morale high as Harry is having a complete meltdown! Join Andrew, Eric and Micah as they debate Dumbledore's hands-off approach and navigate the highs and lows of Christmas on The Closed Ward. News: Warner Bros. finally confirms six actors for the new Harry Potter TV series Chapter by Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 23: Christmas on The Closed Ward. MuggleCast last discussed this chapter on Episode 460! Harry feels violated and is completely spiraling! Who is going to save him? Why should Harry listen to or even trust Phineas Nigellus Black? The Power of Connection: Hermione & Ginny's Breakthrough Do we feel Harry is even capable of asking for help given his upbringing? Buckbeak: The Emotional Support Hippogriff The Lighter Side of Remus Lupin Santa Sirius has forgotten all about his Christmas elf Kreacher Should we feel sorry for Lockhart? The Longbottoms & The Harsh Realities of War Bubblegum Wrapper Theories Galore! Most Valuable Gift: What was the best Christmas gift someone received in this chapter? Lynx Line: What is something someone gave you that has no (or little) monetary value, but which you hold absolutely dear and would be devastated to part with? What’s the story associated with it? Quizzitch: What actor/comedian once eschewed autographs in favor handing out cards reading “This certifies that you have had a personal encounter with me and that you found me warm, polite, intelligent, and funny”? On Bonus MuggleCast, the hosts try their hands (literally) at a game of Skribbl! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! On this week's edition we discuss the best use of 8 hours to tell the story of the first season of the upcoming TV show! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including our 19th Anniversary Shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com On this week’s episode of MuggleCast, Chapter by Chapter returns as the hosts discuss Order of the Phoenix Chapter 22, “St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.” Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as they bring their particular brand of magic to your ears. This chapter was last discussed on two MuggleCast episodes! Episode 458 and Episode 459. OOTP Chapter 22 was almost entirely omitted from the fifth movie. We want the MAX show to cover all of it! How much does Dumbledore already know about Harry and Voldemort’s connection, and what does his mysterious silver instrument tell him? Did the Order of the Phoenix have the same tools for communication at their disposal during the first Wizarding War? In order for Arthur to live in this book, another character had to die in Book 7. Hosts discuss. What is Ron feeling during this entire chapter? Why isn’t Sirius able to comfort Harry correctly? Are wizards able to heal most their problems without visiting St Mungo’s? Is every maledictus venomous? Or is nagini a special case? Harry receives some unpleasant news while eavesdropping. Our Lynx Line question: if you were a Healer at St Mungo’s, which department would you work in? Our patrons respond. Quizzitch: The London entrance to St. Mungo’s features a mannequin that moves and articulates. What is the name given to the ambulatory mannequins in the first episode of the 2005 “Doctor Who” revival? (That episode is called “Rose”)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode of MuggleCast, we celebrate 700 episodes of Potter podcasting! Thanks to everyone who has been with us on this magical journey! Having recently finished the Harry Potter series herself, we welcome back friend of the show, Kierra Lewis! Plus, we bust open the Muggle Mailbag to hear directly from you on all things Order of the Phoenix! We're older than Nicolas Flamel! Cheers to 700 episodes of MuggleCast! Who Said It?! How good are the hosts at recalling the things they've said over the last 699 episodes? Welcome back, Kierra Lewis! Having recently finished the Harry Potter series, Kierra joins MuggleCast to discuss her favorite Potter book, if her perspective has changed on characters like Dumbledore and Snape, what it was like visiting the Wizarding World in Orlando and if she's ever gotten a noise complaint! You can find Kierra on TikTok at @kierralewis75 and on Instagram at @kierra_lewis1. MuggleMail covers Being Too Hard on Draco, Hermione The Ravenclaw, The Floo Network And How To Use It, Alternate Professions for Professor Snape, Pumping the Breaks on All The Hogwarts Professor Hate and more! Chicken Soup For The MuggleCast Soul returns with a special note from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Our patrons chimed in on the Lynx Line to answer the question: How  should MuggleCast celebrate 700 episodes in the Wizarding World? Quizzitch: What is the nearest prime number to 700? Don't forget you can help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past, including the most recently added Nineteen Years Later t-shirt! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Become a MuggleCast Member and get great benefits like Bonus MuggleCast! Patreon.com/MuggleCast  Grab official merch! MuggleCastMerch.com Pick up overstock merch from years past! MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com On this week's episode, grab your tissues because we're discussing Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 21: The Eye of the Snake. And speaking of Hagrid-centric chapters, it looks like the Harry Potter TV Show has found its Rubeus!  Harry Potter TV Show News: Nick Frost is reportedly up for the role of Hagrid! We discuss if he can pull off this pivotal role and what we know him from. Chapter by Chapter resumes with Order of the Phoenix Chapter 21, The Eye of the Snake (gulp). Despite Hermione's best efforts, Hagrid decides to teach a class on Thestrals. We break down the pro's and con's of this decision. If most of the class can't see a creature, does that make it a bad lesson? Not necessarily! But Hagrid could've designed this class better. What did Hagrid's 'shrieking cry' sound like? Shouldn't there be some magic that allows those who haven't seen death to be able to see Thestrals? At least for research purposes it would make sense! Speaking of seeing death, is it strange that Umbridge herself can't see Thestrals?  Should Dumbledore have warned Hagrid about what Umbridge has been up to at the school? Or DID they talk once Hagrid returned? The second half of this chapter has a big Life Moment for Harry: His first kiss! Was it Cho or Harry who made the first move? And how should Harry have reacted when she was crying? We recount our First Kiss stories, and this week's Lynx Line asks Patrons if they had a bad first kiss themselves! Quizzitch: Capable of reaching a length of roughly 19 feet and weighing around 28 lbs, what is the largest known venomous snake species in the world? Visit MuggleCast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices