MuggleCast: The Harry Potter Re-Read Podcast

On this week's episode, we take another trip down memory lane. Be sure to hide your valuable family heirlooms because there is a thieving Dark Lord lurking. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they do the Hokey Pokey and they turn themselves around... because that's what it's all about!

Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 20: Lord Voldemort's Request

Memory #1: Hepzibah, Hokey & Helga Hufflepuff

We debate whether or not Tom Riddle should have been given a post at Hogwarts vs. allowing him to dabble in dark artifacts at Borgin and Burkes

Hokey The Scapegoat: we compare how Tom Riddle used her much like he used Morfin and Hagrid!

Hepzibah Smith displays some of Hufflepuff's less-than-flattering character traits. Do we agree she is Slughorn "lite" in her behavior?

What do we make of the “young, attractive man charming the older, wealthy woman” trope?

Memory #2: Awkward Job Interview

Given how his appearance has begun to change, does Dumbledore already suspect Horcruxes during Voldemort's trip to Hogwarts?

Do we agree with Dumbledore that Voldemort didn’t actually come to Hogwarts to get the Defense Against The Dark Arts (DADA) post?

Doesn’t the Ministry, school governors, and other faculty notice the turnover rate for the DADA position? Why isn’t anything done to break the curse?

Lynx Line: In an alternate universe where Dumbledore decided to give Tom a second chance, what Hogwarts position should he have offered Tom instead of DADA Professor [wrong answers only]?


Quizzitch: In Chapter 20, we learn why Hogwarts cannot have a DADA teacher for more than year. In United States history, which two American Presidents served less than one year in office?

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This week, the hosts discuss the ethics of commanding your House-Elf to tail your enemy. Why isn't Kreacher punishing himself for being so rude to Harry, when Dobby couldn't do the same about his masters? And, have any of us ever worried about being replaced like Ron does after missing out on the Quidditch match due to being poisoned? All these discussion points and more on the latest episode of our Chapter-by-Chapter analysis for Half-Blood Prince.

Welcome to the show Slug Club member Stef!

Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 19: Elf Tails

How is it that Kreacher can speak ill of his master, Harry? When Dobby struggled hard to do so?

Has Kreacher been bending the rules due to technicality?

Does Peeves operate an underground House-Elf fight club? How is he so tuned in to Dobby and Kreacher's fight?... And how does he follow them?

Ethically, is Harry asking the elves to follow Draco sound? Should there be limits to what you can ask your House-Elf to do?

What alternatives might Harry have used to track Draco - how about a magical AirTag?

Is Draco's plan too convoluted to work?

Where do we stand on the Dumbledore vs Snape argument that Hagrid overhears?

This week's Lynx Line: Have we ever felt in danger of becoming replaced? How did we handle it?

MVP of the week has us creating new Quidditch nicknames for Harry, inspired by Draco's.

Our weekly Quizzitch segment returns (now with 800% more 14-year-olds.) Which 1950's BBC Radio programme first coined the term, meaning a nonfatal, unspecified illness such as a cold or flu, and called it "The Dreaded Lurgi"?

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On this week's episode, unless you have a bezoar (and a bit of cheek) handy, we highly recommend you brush up on on all of Golpalott’s laws! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura for a show full of alchemy, apparition and plenty of teenage angst!

News: Warner Bros. Discovery has a new home in Paramount; plus several dozen young actors have been cast as various Hogwarts students

Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 18: Birthday Surprises

We analyze Golpalott’s Third Law: could this Potions class teach Harry something about how to ultimately destroy Voldemort? Does the creation of a Horcrux have an alchemical element to it?

How does alchemy present in other book series, such as The Secrets of the Immortal Nicolas Flamel?

Can we expect to learn more about Dumbledore and Flamel's partnership in the new Harry Potter TV Show?

Apparition: Just put your mind to it! Does this class pass our sniff test?

Bezoar! Hermione is upset (again) with Harry’s success in Potions.

Does Harry's cheek make him a bit to overconfident when trying to acquire Slughorn’s unredacted memory?

When Harry can't locate Malfoy on the Marauder's Map, why does overlook the Room of Requirement?

MVP: Destination. Determination. Deliberation. Which is the of the Three D’s?

Lynx Line: Name a time in school where you found yourself totally out of your depth subject-wise. Did you overcome your knowledge gap? If so, was it due to hard work and determination? A good teacher or tutor? Or did you merely squeak by in class and never take up the subject again?

Quizzitch: In this chapter, a bezoar from the stomach of a goat is used as a cure for poison. In reality, bezoars can appear in humans as ailments. What popular soft drink brand is used to treat bezoars in humans? Answer next week's question via the Quizzitch Form!

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It's time for a very important H-word to be introduced to Harry. No, Fat Lady, it's not the one you experienced over your holiday break! Join the MuggleCasters as we discuss Chapter 17 of Half-Blood Prince, in which Dumbledore introduces Harry to 'A Sluggish Memory'.

The Fat Lady seems to be telling herself to practice abstinence after the holidays. Sounds like it was a party in the portraits over Christmas!

How do students end up missing the new Common Room passwords? Is it the school's fault, or is it the students?

It's time for the students to learn how to apparate! ... For a price. We look at why Hogwarts and the Ministry might be charging for these additional lessons.

Dismissive Dumby: Albus' ego is on full display as he plays off Harry's questions about Snape and Draco. As expected, Andrew comes in with a #DumbleDefense. 

Back in the memories, Dumbledore shows Harry more about Tom Riddle's time at Hogwarts.

Why didn't Dumbledore do more when Tom Riddle was at school and clearing causing trouble?

We learn the real reason Dumbledore asked Slughorn back to teach, and we hear that certain H-word a first time (No, it's not 'Hufflepuff' or 'Horace')

Connecting the Threads: There are some big parallels between Chapter 17 of Chamber of Secrets, and this Chapter of Half-Blood Prince!

MVP: Which memory truly is THE most important memory Dumbledore has collected?

Lynx Line: You've just learned to Apparate. Where are you going first?

Quizzitch: While Lord Voldemort commits patricide by killing Tom Riddle Sr., what is the broader term used when someone kills a near-relative of theirs such as a grandparent?

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This week, Andrew, Micah and Laura enter a new era of MuggleCast, as we kick off the first in a series of monthly episodes focused on the new Harry Potter TV Show. The Trio talk about the latest news, lay down some predictions and play some new games!

Set photos of the TV Show's Hogwarts Courtyard have leaked: will these new House Sigil Hedges come to life?

Laura and Micah react to Ravenclaw’s sigil finally being an eagle!

How much are the show's creators taking inspiration from Hogwarts Legacy?

Beyond The Books: Lox Pratt, the actor playing Young Draco, says we’ll be seeing Draco at Malfoy Manor in the first season!

Nick Frost manifested getting the role of Hagrid by writing Hagrid 7,000 times while watching the movies. He also took up knitting!

MAX That: Can we expect to see more Vampires in this version of the Wizarding World?

The hosts test their Harry Potter knowledge: Was This Line in the Sorcerer’s Stone Book AND Movie?


Our Lynx Line asked our patrons: Who will be the first character to appear on screen?

When can we expect our first trailer?

In Bonus MuggleCast, available exclusively on Patreon: We make our official predictions for the new TV show and even throw down a few knuts to keep things interesting! Will we see Voldemort on screen in Episode 1? Will the Sorting Hat sing the full song? Over the series, will we ever get a full episode without Harry present?

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