Should We Feel Sorry for Petunia Dursley? And more MuggleMail

This week, grab your doxy spray and settle in because we're deep cleaning the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Join Eric, Micah and Laura as they dodge possessed music boxes, coughing wastebaskets, and mysterious lockets all while fighting with a deranged House-Elf and learning about pureblood wizarding families! News Alert: Hogwarts Legacy 2 to crossover with the new Harry Potter TV Show! Plus, get in the holiday spirit as Hogwarts: Wizards of Baking premieres on Food Network and MAX on Nov. 14! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 6: The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 439 and Episode 230 for prior Chapter 6 analysis! Have we ever been in a situation where an adult forbade us from talking to our friends after hearing something they deemed inappropriate? Does Molly not understand how kids work? Forbidding them from staying up to talk is the best way to ensure they absolutely do that!  Your putting those doxies WHERE?! What happens to these immobilized creatures? Are they permanently paralyzed? STOP RINGING THAT DAMN DOORBELL!!! Has Mundungus ever proven his value to the Order? Foreshadow alert: The locket no one could open What do we make of Sirius's behavior in this chapter? Harry is clearly trying to relate to him, but is Sirius brooding so much on his own misfortune? The Black Family Tapestry, Regulus Black and the meaning of Toujours Pur Did Kreacher predict the ending of Order of the Phoenix? Comparing Kreacher and Gollum from Lord of the Rings Did Lupin and Tonks have secret sleepovers? Lynx Line: Our patrons pick one item from the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black to display in their home. Which Skiving Snackbox candy would each of the hosts be willing to try to get out of something we didn't want to do? Quizzitch: In the Sorcerer’s Stone PC game, what spell do you primarily use to deal with doxies?’ Reminder! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and more! And don't forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more! Visit MuggleCast.com for episode 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

Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as we dive into the Muggle Mailbag and respond to listener feedback from the first five chapters of our Order of the Phoenix reread! Visit our new online store for can’t-miss items that are one of a kind! MuggleCastMerch.com Voicemails cover what Hermione would be like in grad school, and a theory as to why the Cursed Child runtime keeps being shortened in America. An astute listener writes in about the historical name origins of the wizengamot! We are all impressed. Ron wearing the locket in Book 7 has the same exact feelings we see Harry have in early Book 5. Other topics include: Why Salazar Slytherin may have chosen emeralds as a house gem, whether we should feel sorry for Petunia Dursley, why Nearly Headless Nick should still be frozen, and Harry’s sparse security detail. A fun What If… segment and Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul round out the discussion. Finally, our Lynx Line benefit exclusively for Patrons has them sharing their overall thoughts on Book 5 so far. Next week’s Quizzitch question: How many Halloween feasts do we see Harry attend during his time at Hogwarts? This episode is brought to you by Better Help. Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Halloween! Welcome to Harry Potter and the Graveyard of Goods! Join us as we discuss the official projects by Wizarding World Inc. that’ve perished over the decades. These’ve been rejected by the Sorting Hat. They're on display in Diagon Fail-ey. You get the point. Our Time Turner segment takes us back to the echoes of Halloween episodes past! Be sure to check out Episode 633: Quizzitch Live - Halloween Edition (2023); Episode 535: Halloween Extravaganza (2021); Episode 487: The Scariest Moments in Harry Potter (2020); Episode 343: Fantastic Beasts And The Not 2 (2017); Episode 161: Larger Than Life (2008) and Episode 61: Ghosts (2006). Reminder! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and more! So what names are on the headstones in the Graveyard of Goods? Fantastic Beasts... more like Fantastic Busts! Who really axed the MinaLima Illustrated Editions? Potter-NO-more Who pulled the plug on Wizards Unite & Magic Awakened? What happened to the Original Version of the Harry Potter Stage Play? Will Jim Kay's Illustrated Editions get a sixth and seventh installment? Why was there only one 10th Anniversary Edition of a Harry Potter book? Wizarding World Festival... oh, you never heard of that either? Is the Official Harry Potter Encyclopedia the biggest bogeyman of the Wizarding World! Who scratched up all of the Ultimate Edition DVDs? Plus, if each of the hosts could pick one item, what would each of them revive? On this week's Bonus MuggleCast, we discuss how Harry Potter characters would (or wouldn't) survive famous horror movies! You can get Bonus MuggleCast and other great benefits at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! Visit MuggleCast.com for episode 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

More like DISorder, are we right? The cracks against Dumbledore keep coming as the MuggleCasters discuss the events of Book 5, Chapter 5 in our continuing re-read. Join Andrew, Eric, Pam and Micah as they discuss Sirius’ godfatherliness and Molly’s intentions. And more! Reminder! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and we’ll be rolling out more in the months ahead! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 5: The Order of the Phoenix. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Check out Episode 437 and Episode 230! We learn just how underground this “underground” organization really is! (Positively subterranean) Why Sirius is good for Harry Interrupting!Molly interrupts a would-be apology from Mundungus to Harry, and in general is trying to do too much all at once. Has nobody checked in with Dumbledore on his definition of “need to know” for Harry? This debate is ugly, but it would have been less stressful if Dumbledore were around to ask. Why do Fred and George pick now to fight for their own right to know what’s going on? Can’t they read the room? The Order members detail just how bad their uphill struggle is, thanks to Fudge. We examine the harm that Fudge’s lean on the Daily Prophet is causing for getting the word out to the public, and how the unsuspecting public is being placed in great danger by the leaders sworn to potect it. Andrew gives props to Dumbledore for sticking up to the Wizengamot. Odds and Ends include Crookshanks’ friendship with Sirius, the Vanishing Charm, and more Horcrux evidence. Lynx Line: Our patrons share which non-Order members should be in the Order! What do we each think is the Most Over-the-Top Molly Moment of the Week? Quizzitch:  Name a nation within the United Kingdom where the legal voting age is 16 years? Visit MuggleCast.com for episode 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

This week, just let it all out! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they listen in to Harry unloading on his best friends and get the latest Order of the Phoenix goss. But be sure to tiptoe down the hall quietly because we don’t want to wake up any maniacal pureblood portraits! BIG NEWS! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and we’ll be rolling out more in the months ahead! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 4: Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Check out Episode 436 and Episode 229! Foreshadow Alert: Grim-Old-Place, "house of a dying person"... OH NO, SIRIUS! We break down Harry, Ron and Hermione's reunion with a fun new edition of "Horcrux or Harry?" The hosts try their hands at impersonating ALL CAPS HARRY! One host is SCARY good! Does Harry feel better about being left in the dark after learning what Ron and Hermione have been up to all summer? Do we agree with Mrs. Weasley not letting the kids attend the Order of the Phoenix meetings? Do her previous losses and the size of her family impact her decision-making? Guard Duty Misdirect: was the Order talking about watching Harry or something else entirely? PompASS Percy: what do we make of this new Weasley family dynamic? The chapter wraps with Ginny, Kreacher, Snape, Mrs. Black and more! Lynx Line: Our patrons share who they wish they had a living portrait of in their home and why! Who gets our picks for Worst Weasley of the Week? Quizzitch:  In honor of the portrait of Walburga Black, what famous artist and sculptor was given an exclusive license in 2014 to use a material known as “Blackest Black”? Visit MuggleCast.com for episode 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

On this week's episode, Harry is rude to his owl. Then someone breaks into his home. It's very exciting to be leaving Privet Drive! Join us for a chapter of highs and lows as Chapter-by-Chapter covers Chapter 3 of "Order of the Phoenix," and the hosts as well as Slug Club member Katie discuss the recent passing of Maggie Smith, take answers from our Lynx Line, and generally have a nice time as usual. Welcome to our Slug Club guest Katie! The hosts reflect on the amazing life of Dame Maggie Smith, who has passed away. Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 3: The Advance Guard. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Check out Episode 435 and Episode 229! Harry interrupts Hedwig’s dinner. Is this one step too far on making his friends’ lives miserable? Andrew loves Harry’s plan to ensure his friends give him answers, but it may remind us all of Professor Umbridge. Does the delay between the last chapter and the night the Advance Guard arrives exist because Dumbledore needed time to implement the escape route? Is the real Moody overcompensating on security? The Dursleys are back to their old tricks, of abusing Harry… and Harry is back to his old tricks of appearing indifferent to them. The hosts rank this rescue effort against all the other times Harry was saved from Privet Drive. Should Harry have been more aggressive about intruders in his home? Doesn’t everybody at this point know Harry’s Patronus? How secure is Lupin’s question exactly? If this is the Advance Guard, who is in the Rear Guard? Lynx Line: What five Potter characters would our patrons have in their Advance Guard? Where’s Dumbledore?, the segment, returns! Our Most Trustworthy Advance Guard Member of the Week: the hosts explain. Quizzitch: “What well-kept lawn in London has been home to a zebra, an elephant, and a helicopter landing pad?” Visit MuggleCast.com for episode 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

On this week's episode, we learn things are never as they appear to be as Ms. Figg reveals herself as a Dumbledore informant and Petunia recalls her last correspondence with the Wizarding World! Plus, there are owls... EVERYWHERE! Welcome back, Meg! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 2: A Peck of Owls. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Check out Episode 434 and Episode 228! Did Dumbledore suspect that Harry would be attacked on Privet Drive? If so, why was more (competent) manpower not invested in Harry’s protection? Why is Harry facing criminal charges for doing a bit of simple, defensive magic? Given how fast the owls show up, are they using some form of magic themselves? Say what?! Petunia knows about Dementors... and Azkaban! When Petunia references that awful boy, does she mean James... or Snape? Remember My Last! Was Petunia actually excited to receive a letter from the Wizarding World? Has she ever heard Dumbledore's voice in person? Do Petunia and Snape share a similar love for Lily and disdain for Harry? Shouldn't Vernon have every right to want to protect his family? Especially, after he learns of Voldemort's return? Lynx Line: How would we improve on the Ministry of Magic's disciplinary process for Harry? Our Most Wicked Figg Line of the Week: the hosts do their best impressions! Quizzitch: In Scotland, the peck was used as a dry measure until the introduction of imperial units as a result of the Weights and Measures Act of what year? Visit MuggleCast.com for episode 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

This week, our Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix re-read begins! We examine the protections surrounding Harry now that Voldemort is back, and ask whether Dudley Dursley is a good boy now. News: There is an open casting call for children to become the next Potter trio for the HBO series. We’ll be talking more about it in Bonus MuggleCast, available on Apple Podcasts and our Patreon. Chapter-by-Chapter begins again with Book 5, and our brand new MuggleCast Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions. This week, Episode 433 and Episode 228. Harry’s mood has soured significantly! Were we repelled by the book’s immediately sadder protagonist? How much of Harry’s rage is justified? How much is due to his horcrux connection?  Could Harry have been removed from Privet Drive after just 24 hours? If so, why wasn’t he? Is Dumbledore to blame for all of harry’s problems? Feeling disconnected, Harry hears a loud noise but it makes him feel more desperate. The noise was the sound of our breaking hearts. Dudley’s attempts to de-escalate the situation with Harry are applaudable, but unsuccessful. Has Dudley already grown most of the way to a mature person? Are we laughing at Harry’s jokes? Lynx Line question: how could Dumbledore improve Harry’s protection? New segments: Where’s Dumbledore?! And Make the Personal Connection This week’s MVP award category is: Most Fake Character Quizzitch: In honor of the drought that’s happening in the beginning of Book 5, what is the hottest temperature ever recorded in the United Kingdom? Guesses within 3 degrees Fahrenheit will be accepted. You may answer in Fahrenheit or Celsius. Visit MuggleCast.com for episode 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

Before we start our Chapter by Chapter re-read of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, this week we're watching the fifth Harry Potter movie together! Bring your own copy of the Order of the Phoenix movie and watch the film with us. We offer commentary, behind-the-scenes info, wonder why there are so many montages, and fun facts about the production. To sync up with us, pause the movie right after the camera fully sweeps through the 'WB' logo, about 20 seconds into the movie. In the commentary track, we then tell you when to hit Play. (This is also explained on the episode) To listen to more of our Harry Potter movie commentaries, check out our Must Listens page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time to put Goblet of Fire in the rear-view mirror as we conduct our ceremonial book wrap episode, featuring our 7-Word Chapter Summary redo, 7 Word Book Summary, and more MuggleMail than you can shake a non-plot-holed Portkey at! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah for this fun-filled episode catching up with all that our listeners have had to say recently. Next week we will be hosting an Order of the Phoenix movie watch commentary and on the following show we'll begin Book 5 chapter-by-chapter with new segments! Micah is back from a visit to Scotland! He tells us what he did over there. Andrew and Micah interview actor Joel Meyers, who currently plays Albus Severus Potter in Broadway's Cursed Child! Revisiting our Goblet of Fire 7 Word Chapter Summaries. Book Four 7-Word Summary: Resurrection for Voldemort awakens old echoes past. Two listeners point out that the return Portkey mystery is not a plot-hole, but was part of Voldemort's plan to stay hidden while alive. Is the Dark Mark on the arms of Death Eaters the best kept secret on the part of the dark side from the Ministry? A listener compares Voldemort's return ritual with Barty Crouch Jr.'s specific method for his father's end, and underscores BCJr's daddy issues. Do the Death Eaters keep their D.E. robes nearby in case Voldemort returns? Do they ever wash them? A listener asks, which characters will be the hardest to replace on the HBO Max show, given their film adaptation counterparts? Shakespeare references, snakelike features, and low-security portraits are the topics of more Muggle Mail! Quizzitch: in the United States, Harry Potter and the order of the phoenix movie was the 5th highest grossing film of 2007 domestically. name at least 2 films that year which earned more money. Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us! Coming up on Bonus MuggleCast, we react to the release of Harry Potter: Quidditch World Champions after playing it this week! For twice-monthly Bonus MuggleCast, as well as other great benefits, including the chance to co-host the show, a new physical gift every year, and a video message from one of the four of us visit Patreon.com/MuggleCast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices