Reliving The Greatest Month in Potter Fandom History

MuggleCast is off from releasing new episodes until 2026, but we wanted to share this Bonus episode recorded for Patreon earlier in the year! In it, we reminisce over the greatest month in Harry Potter fandom history: July 2007, when the Deathly Hallows book and Order of the Phoenix movie were released. We look at what we were doing while working for MuggleNet / MuggleCast, and share some unforgettable stories. Get two bonus episodes of MuggleCast every month by becoming a member at Patreon.com/mugglecast today! Your support helps us run this show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we make a few end-of-year predictions for what 2026 will hold in store for Harry Potter fans, and open up the MuggleMail bag further than ever, as we read recent comments from YouTube and Spotify in addition to Discord, voicemails and e-mail! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura for our final episode of 2025! Looking ahead: what news will we get about a Hogwarts Legacy sequel? How about the HBO TV series? Will more series be green lit? Andrew leads the group in making unhinged predictions including genderbent books and a line of adults-only official merchandise. Our own 2026 plans for MuggleCast include content that looks ahead as well as back, including more talks on the TV show and classic components of HP fandom history. Voicemails sent in include a Hermione Granger impression, and ask the question, "how do children learn Voldemort's name?" Was Arthur Weasley's originally-planned death hinted at in the text of Book 5 and before? Spotify listeners want to know: is Snape projecting? What is the general skill level of your average every day wizard? And will Micah tell more dad jokes? Is Severus Snape a good teacher? What about his old Potions book? Why doesn't Dumbledore ever tell Harry exactly how to destroy the Horcruxes? And, does Hermione belong in Ravenclaw? Additionally, folks tell us their feelings on the Full Cast Harry Potter Audiobooks as well as the Tonks and Lupin romantic subplot. Our Lynx Line segment asks our most dedicated listeners for recommendations of books they've read this year and enjoyed. See the full list of suggestions here! Bonus MuggleCast, available over on our Patreon, will have the hosts discussing their behind-the-scenes stories of contributing to MuggleNet.com MuggleCast will return January 12, 2026! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! It’s the holiday season and you can get 20% off your Patreon membership at Patreon.com/MuggleCast. Just use code HOLIDAY at checkout and receive a slew of great benefits instantly! And don’t forget, Patreon memberships can be gifted! Get cozy this winter with a MuggleCast hoodie, Laura’s pants, or a long-sleeve tee! And if you’re Down Under, stay cool this summer with a short sleeve tee or crop top. Get 20% off all official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com when using code HOLIDAY at checkout! Pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com! This week, we're taking a trip down Gaunt memory lane. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah, Laura, Bob, Harry and Dumbledore as they visit the outskirts of Little Hangleton for a mighty Morfin good time! The new Chamber of Secrets audiobook is now out, featuring Game of Thrones star Kit Harington as Gilderoy Lockhart. Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 10: The House of Gaunt. The MuggleCast Pensieve segment highlights our last discussion of this chapter back on MuggleCast #390! With Harry continuing to use the Half-Blood Prince's Potions book, the hosts revisit their original positions about the ethics of Harry’s work. Does the Half-Blood Prince's handwriting provide any clues to their true identity? What conclusions can be drawn from the cards Harry overhears Trelawney reading? Dumbledore claims that much of his lesson time with Harry will be based on the wildest of guesswork. We beg to differ! Marvolo, Morfin and Merope: we analyze the Gaunt family dynamic and their connection to Salazar Slytherin What is the main reason Dumbledore chose to show Harry this memory? MVP: Best Bob Ogden Moment The Lynx Line asks our patrons what Salazar Slytherin would have thought about the Gaunts as his direct descendants. Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! It's the holiday season and you can get 20% off your Patreon membership at Patreon.com/MuggleCast. Just use code HOLIDAY at checkout and receive a slew of great benefits instantly! And don't forget, Patreon memberships can be gifted! Get cozy this winter with a MuggleCast hoodie, Laura’s pants, or a long-sleeve tee! And if you’re Down Under, stay cool this summer with a short sleeve tee or crop top. Get 20% off all official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com when using code HOLIDAY at checkout! Pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com! This week, explore the various teaching competencies of Hogwarts staff, and join the MuggleCasters as Harry dusts off an old potions book to find a cramped surprise within! With Slug Club member Audrey joining the discussion, it’s a can’t-miss episode covering the ethics of letting someone else do all the work. Welcome to the show Slug Club member Audrey! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 9: The Half-Blood Prince The MuggleCast Pensieve segment highlights our last discussion of this chapter back on MuggleCast #389! How does McGonagall’s attentiveness, which makes her a great teacher, compare with Slughorn’s incentivizing students to achieve their best work yet? Do less successful teachers (cough, Trelawney, cough, Snape) have something to learn from other teaching styles? Does the arrangement between Firenze and Trelawney to both teach Divination make sense? Was Snape really going to attack Harry? (All signs point to yes!) Crackpot Theory: Is Snape only being as awful as ever to Harry because Malfoy, now a Death Eater, is watching? Is Horace Slughorn... a good teacher?! His first lesson seems amazing. What would he be like with younger students? What are the pros and cons of Harry coming clean, and is what he chooses to do ethical? Is Hermione or Ginny closer to being right? Connections between this chapter and books 2 and 1 are plentiful! We discuss all the ones we found. MVP: Top sassy Harry lines that AREN’T “There’s no need to call me sir, professor.” Lynx Line: Have you ever had a school subject that you loved be taught by someone that you didn’t? How did it go? Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holy Horcrux! WB is selling Harry Potter to Netflix! What does Netflix's acquisition of Warner Bros mean for the future of the Wizarding World franchise?  How will it impact the new Harry Potter TV Show? What does it mean for potential spin-offs? Join Andrew and Micah as they react to the breaking news.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're off for Thanksgiving, but here's a look at the fun you can experience in Bonus MuggleCast on our Patreon! To celebrate Back to Hogwarts month, the MuggleCasters are creating their own Hogwarts Houses from scratch! We share the name of each of our Houses, the sigil, how to get into the Common Room, what each of these new Houses stands for, and so much more! Which of these Houses would you join? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! It's the holiday season and you can get 20% off your Patreon membership at Patreon.com/MuggleCast. Just use code HOLIDAY at checkout and receive a slew of great benefits instantly! And don't forget, Patreon memberships can be gifted! Get cozy this winter with a MuggleCast hoodie, Laura’s pants, or a long-sleeve tee! And if you’re Down Under, stay cool this summer with a short sleeve tee or crop top. Get 20% off all official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com when using code HOLIDAY at checkout! Pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com! This week, make sure you're on time for the start of term feast, lest you want to be berated by your (least) favorite Hogwarts professor! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah for an angst-ridden stroll up to the castle. TV Show Update: Daniel Radcliffe pens letter to  Dominic McLaughlin Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 8: Snape Victorious. The MuggleCast Pensieve segment highlights our last discussion of this chapter back on MuggleCast #388! What if… no one had discovered Harry was missing before the train left Hogsmeade? Why doesn’t Hogwarts staff or the conductor perform a sweep? Micah doesn't see an issue, but others on the panel see a big nightmare. Why isn’t Dumbledore searching for Harry the moment he doesn’t show up? What causes one’s Patronus to change? The hosts retake the quiz! Oh hell, Doe! Snape is in no position to criticize someone else's Patronus! Do we think Snape is projecting his bitterness toward James onto Harry? Could Snape’s taunting be an attempt to get Harry to reveal what happened? We connect Harry's "grand entrance" back to Chamber of Secrets Slughorn is the new... POTIONS MASTER?!? Which means... Snape is the new... Defense Against The Darks Arts Professor?!?! NOOOOO! MVP: Who wore their injury better? Harry or Dumbledore? Lynx Line: If Snape had never met Lily, what form do you think his Patronus would take? Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Join us at Patreon.com/mugglecast, and receive a slew of great benefits instantly, including bonus episodes, recording studio access, ad-free episodes, and much more! Listeners can browse our official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com and pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com, now more affordable than ever! This week, MuggleCast discusses a surprise invitation for Harry to the inaugural meeting of this year’s Slug Club. And one of our own Slug Club members, Nicole, joins us to chat! Plus, she and Andrew just met up in the new Wizarding World - Ministry of Magic themed land at Epic Universe, and are reviewing the latest park! Welcome back Nicole! She last co-hosted the show with us on MuggleCast 391. Andrew and Nicole recently met up inside Universal Orlando's Epic Universe, and give their take on the new Wizarding World land. How does the new Ministry of Magic ride stack up against the other Harry Potter rides, and why did 1920's Paris leave Andrew's jaw on the floor? Nicole discusses the Circus Arcanus-themed attraction which she was very impressed by. Despite the glowing review, Andrew still recommends waiting to visit Epic Universe while they work out the kinks. Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince Chapter 7: The Slug Club The MuggleCast Pensieve segment highlights our last discussion of this chapter on MuggleCast #387 Why don’t Ron and Hermione believe Harry about Draco? Are Ron and Hermione basing their agreeability on the recent fiasco at the Ministry, where Harry bungled things? What would an alternate explanation be for what Draco is up to, that the trio saw? Does Harry have a sixth sense about Draco because of his Horcrux connection to Voldemort? We analyze and pick apart the incredulity around Voldemort recruiting Draco, Age 16 for his followers. There is series precedent! Micah makes several brilliant comparisons between Slughorn and slugs. Why aren’t there any Hufflepuffs at this Slug Club meeting? Harry underestimates Draco, in a huge way, and pays the price. Oops. Lynx Line: Patrons invent their own version of the Slug Club based on their strengths, and tell us who would be in it! Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Join us at Patreon.com/mugglecast, and receive a slew of great benefits instantly, including bonus episodes, recording studio access, ad-free episodes, and much more! Listeners can browse our official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com and pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com, now more affordable than ever! This week, don’t get distracted by the WonderWitch product line; a love potion is captivating but Draco Malfoy sneaking off is gonna have longer-lasting implications! Join Micah, Eric and Julian as they wind their way through the twists and turns of an otherwise dark and desolate Diagon Alley. Welcome back Professor Julian Wamble, PhD - host of Critical Magic Theory podcast! We first spoke with Julian on MuggleCast 619 (Professor Trelawney’s Prediction) and then recently on MuggleCast 708 (Snape’s Worst Memory). You can also find him on Instagram and TikTok!  Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince Chapter 6: Draco's Detour The MuggleCast Pensieve segment, highlighting our last discussion of this chapter on MuggleCast #384, features a deep analysis of U-No-Poo! The Ice Cream Man: Florean Fortescue had a ghost plot? How is Bill able to take Harry's money out of Gringotts without his permission? Why did Dumbledore refuse Auror protection for Harry in Diagon Alley? And is Hagrid really the best alternative? We discuss Weasley's Wizard Wheezes being a beacon of light in an otherwise very dark time Does Molly's concern for Fred and George stem from the loss of her brothers Gideon and Fabian in the First Wizarding War? Inside Madam Malkin's: who was worse, Narcissa or Harry? We compare the this confrontation to the one inside Flourish & Blott's in Chamber of Secrets. Why is Draco trying to operate in secrecy from his mother? And what in the world was Hermione thinking at the end of the chapter? Lynx Line: Patrons tell us what's really on Malfoy’s forearm (wrong answers only!) Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Help MuggleCast grow! Join us at Patreon.com/mugglecast, and receive a slew of great benefits instantly, including bonus episodes, recording studio access, ad-free episodes, and much more! Listeners can browse our official merch at MuggleCastMerch.com and pick up overstock items from years past at MuggleMillennial.Etsy.com, now more affordable than ever! This week, get ready for Veela kisses on both of your cheeks, as Andrew, Eric, Micah, Laura, and special guest Kathlyn, discuss "An Excess of Phlegm" from our Book 6 chapter-by-chapter re-read! Andrew and Micah review Audible's brand-new, full cast Sorcerer's Stone audiobooks, which is available now. It's an amazing addition to the world of Harry Potter, and we can't wait for the remaining books! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Half-Blood Prince Chapter 5: An Excess of Phlegm The MuggleCast Pensieve segment, highlighting our last discussion of this chapter on MuggleCast #383, features questions about that special clock. SEVERAL people tell Harry he wasn't expected for many more hours. Just what was Dumbledore's backup plan if Slughorn were not so easily persuaded? Does Dumbledore have a "dropping in on people" problem? Arthur is the only one following the Ministry's guidelines around security... and we stan him for it. Molly's opinions of Bill and Flaur's engagement spark a real life discussion about marriage in tough times. The hosts sympathize with Fleur Delacour and understand why she was excited to see Harry after waht must have been a tumultuous week. Eric questions Bill's intentions in leaving Fleur to "the wolves" of the Weasleys. Was there a better alternative to them getting to know her? Slug Club guest Kathlyn talks about the differences between UK culture and the other European countries, which provides insight into the Wealseys' reactions to Fleur. Harry's confiding in Ron and Hermione warms his heart... and ours, too. Hosts rate the most surprising grade of Harry's for O.W.L.'s. Lynx Line: Patrons tell us adorable pet names that they have for their loved ones, and the stories behind them! Participate in our weekly trivia segment by answering this week’s Quizzitch question at MuggleCast.com/Quizzitch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices