On this week’s episode, we begin our third year at Hogwarts as we open up the pages of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban! Harry celebrates his birthday, Ron can’t figure out how to use the telephone, Hermione is enjoying France and Hagrid is still, well… Hagrid!

• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 1: Owl Post
• The hosts reflect on when they read Prisoner of Azkaban for the first time!
• 7-Word Summary: Owls deliver presents to Harry’s bedroom window
• Is this the last time we get the big “previously on Harry Potter” info dump?
• Should Ron have known how to use a telephone given his father’s job?
• What are some other examples of common muggle technology that would vex unknowing wizards?
• Vacation Time: the Weasleys head to Egypt, Hermione is off to France! Why did nobody ask Harry to tag along?
• What do we think Ginny’s summer has been like post-Chamber of Secrets?
• Harry receives gifts from Ron, Hermione, and Hagrid that all pertain to events that will occur later in this book!
• If the Sneakoscope works to detect untrustworthy people, is there a case to be made that it should have gone off constantly around Harrym, since he’s a Horcrux?
• Harry, why didn’t you just forge your Hogsmeade permission slip?
• The hosts agree to disagree about Percy’s Head Boy braggadocio!
• Quizzitch; How much does Dudley get paid to hug Aunt Marge?
• Next week: We continue with Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 2: Aunt Marge’s Big Mistake
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now) and Zocdoc (go to Zocdoc.com/MuggleCast and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Then find and book a top-rated doctor)!
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! This week, March Madness takes over as the hosts compare their brackets pitting wizarding world items against each other! What item will emerge supreme? Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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On this week’s episode, we delve into our MuggleMailbag for the first time in 2023! Coming off our recent review episode of Hogwarts Legacy, listeners share their thoughts and discoveries about the game. And we properly wrap up our Chamber of Secrets Chapter By Chapter series by choosing ONE 7-Word Summary to redo, based on patron feedback. Join Andrew, Eric and Micah as they get caught up on their inbox this week!

• First, our vintage segment “What’s Buggin’ Micah?” makes its triumphant return to the show.
• MuggleMail starts with Hogwarts Legacy feedback. On PC, there’s a mod to mute the Floo Lady. Eric learns the composer of his first ever PlayStation game also scored Hogwarts Legacy. Can you get far in the game if you can’t do combat? And which common room would the hosts party in?
• Chamber of Secrets comes to a close with MuggleMail feedback.
• Did the Weasleys go to Egypt TWICE in one year?
• More name origins for Gilderoy Lockhart
• One listener’s thoughts on criminal justice in the Wizarding world.
• There’s more to Hermione’s 2nd Year class signup sheet than we realize.
• Did Tom Riddle spend more time making the diary so it could be more than just a Horcrux?
• Was Dumbledore REALLY absent from COS? Did Hagrid ever find out who really opened the Chamber?
• We choose a 7 Word Summary to redo, vroom vroom.
• Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul features an OG listener who now listens with her 8-year-old son.
• Quizzitch: How long did Harry go without hearing from his friends until his thirteenth birthday? Submit your answer on the MuggleCast web site.
• Next week:  We begin our Chapter By Chapter reread of Prisoner of Azkaban!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp, Indeed, and MeUndies! Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast. Visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now! For 20% off your first MeUndies order and free US shipping, visit MeUndies.com/MuggleCast
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments. Become a patron of ours today at Patreon dot com slash mugglecast.
• As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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On this week’s episode, we immerse ourselves into the Wizarding World in a completely different way! Our 600th installment welcomes back an old favorite as we review the highly-anticipated Hogwarts Legacy video game! The game has blown us away in a lot of ways, but it’s not without issues.

Please note: We acknowledge the conflict many in the fandom feel about supporting this game and address this at the top of show. For past episodes discussing the author’s position on trans issues please see  Episode 469 and this episode from January 2020. Fans can join us in supporting and volunteering with organizations such as Trans Lifeline, Lambda Legal, The Trevor Project, Transgender Law Center, and the Marsha P Johnson Institute. 

• Welcome back, original MuggleCast co-host, Kevin!
• Main Discussion: Our Hogwarts Legacy Review
• How far have each of us made it in the game? Are we playing as ourselves? Or did we create an original character?
• Does the game live up to all of the expectations? What are we most enjoying? What are some of the little things that make us smile?
• What don’t we like? What’s really grinding our gear slots? And how is Laura making all that coin?
• Does the plot work for us? Have there been any story moments that we didn’t see coming?!
• Would we recommend the game to people who don’t usually play video games but want to experience the Wizarding World?
• Next week:  We’ll catch up on MuggleMail we’ve received over the last couple months, and we’ll wrap up our re-read of Chamber of Secrets!
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast! On this week’s edition we make good on our Valentine’s Day promise with dirty Harry Potter pick-up lines and a spicy fan-fiction reading! (Please note: this specific bonus segment is not kid-appropriate).
• As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

Download now OR, now read the Episode 600 Transcript!

In this week’s episode, Harry and Ron rack up substantial points for Gryffindor, and Dobby is freed! It’s the final Chapter-by-Chapter segment of our read-through of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets with Andrew, Eric, Laura and our social media manager Chloé! Eric tries desperately to up Dumbledore’s Lie Count, but Andrew isn’t having it. Finally, Quizzitch looks ahead to the third book, which we will be starting in a few weeks’ time!

• We revisit last week’s topic of inter-Horcrux communication, with quotes from the later books.
• Main Discussion: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 18: Dobby’s Reward
• 7-Word Summary: Harry accepts Dumbledore’s comforting advice on Voldemort
• Dumbledore is back! But unlike last year, he did not save Harry beneath the school.
• How much does the headmaster really know about the events of the past year? Who are his sources regarding Voldemort’s current location?
• Is what happened in the Chamber a perfect recruiting opportunity for DD of Molly and Arthur?
• Dumbledore pays Voldemort a compliment. The hosts cringe.
• Examining Harry’s ability to speak Parseltongue
• Dumbledore pays Voldemort a compliment. The hosts cringe.
• Lucius finds himself out of his depth when confronting Albus directly.
• Connecting the Threads: In books 2 and 6, a Malfoy is Voldemort’s prime connection to events at Hogwarts.
• Quizzitch: What witch performed a Flame Freezing Charm, allowing herself to be burned at the stake at least 47 separate times?
• Next week: It’s Episode #600! We will be reviewing Hogwarts Legacy..
• This week’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp, Indeed, and ZocDoc! Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast. Visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now! Go to ZocDoc.com/MuggleCast to download the Zocdoc app for FREE; then find and book a top-rated doctor today.
• Support the show! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon! Benefits include Bonus MuggleCast, early access to each episode of the show, ad-free episodes, access to our recording studio, an exclusive Discord and Facebook group, you’ll become a member of the MuggleCast Collectors Club, and at the Slug Club level you’ll receive a physical gift every year!

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In this week’s episode, Harry finally enters the Chamber of Secrets! But does he leave with more questions than he had coming in? And, knowing what the diary truly represents, the hosts dive deep into the world of Horcruxes! Join us as we discuss the penultimate chapter of Chamber of Secrets!

• Welcome, Voldemort enthusiast and friend of the show, Tylor Starr! Be sure to follow him on social media and check out his Unofficial Harry Potter Vegan Cookbook!
• Main Discussion: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 17: The Heir of Slytherin
• 7-Word Summary: Memories reveal answers about Tom’s legacy fulfillment
• Are Horcruxes self-aware? Do they have a hivemind? Does the diary-version of Tom Riddle know he’s a Horcrux?
• How does a Horcrux work when another form still exists? If Tom Riddle weren’t killed here, would there have been a current Voldemort and a Tom Riddle, or would they have merged together?
• What if… Ginny had found fulfillment and happiness instead of being teased by her brothers, feeling like she didn’t fit in, and harboring unrequited feelings for Harry? Would Riddle have been able to manipulate her otherwise?
• Should Harry have told Tom Riddle what he knew about Voldemort’s downfall? Did it inform Voldemort’s future actions?
• We explore Signs that Tom Riddle is Voldemort: did we suspect this when we first read the book?
• If he didn’t have the brains or the power, why was Hagrid a good person to frame?
• Connecting The Threads to Half-Blood Prince: Fawkes, teenage Tom Riddle, the charming manipulation of others and the similarities between Harry and Tom
• Connecting The Threads to Deathly Hallows: The Sword of Gryffindor and Basilisk Fangs
• Ever wondered what other anagrams come from Tom Marvolo Riddle? Check out this great list from Katie Rose! And we have few international versions that will make you laugh out loud!
• Quizzitch: What does Fred drop on George’s head after he learns Percy has a girlfriend?
• Next week: We wrap up our chapter-by-chapter discussion of Chamber of Secrets with Chapter 18.
• This week’s episode is brought to you by MasterClass (get unlimited access to EVERY class, and as a MuggleCast listener, you get 15% off an annual membership at MasterClass.com/MuggleCast) and Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to starting hiring now)!
• Support the show! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon! Benefits include Bonus MuggleCast, early access to each episode of the show, ad-free episodes, access to our recording studio, an exclusive Discord and Facebook group, you’ll become a member of the MuggleCast Collectors Club, and at the Slug Club level you’ll receive a physical gift every year!

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What exactly did the Forbidden Forest do to the Flying Ford Anglia? What did the teachers do all day when Ginny Weasley was discovered missing? And, should Hogwarts lock its front door? These questions and more are asked as your MuggleCast hosts delve into Chapters 15 and 16 of Chamber of Secrets on this week’s jam-packed Chapter-by-Chapter episode of MuggleCast! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura, Micah, and Slug Club guest Kimberly (who came prepared with some fun HP-themed Valentines greetings) as we near the final chapters of Book 2.

• Welcome to the show Slug Club guest Kimberly!
• Is it really Valentine’s Day without some Harry-Potter-themed greetings? The hosts are delighted to hear something new.
• Main Discussion #1: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 15: Aragog
• 7-Word Summary: Andrew and Micah devise, “Spiders spiders spiders spiders vroom vroom vroom“
• Parallels abound between life at Hogwarts without Dumbledore in Book 2, and a similar time for students in Year 7.
• Should Hogwarts lock its front door at night to prevent students leaving so easily as Harry and Ron do?
• Harry and Ron are up to their eyes in spiders, and is Dumbledore responsible for their Anglia-driven rescue?
• Aragog’s origins and his tale are explored in depth.
• In Odds and Ends for Chapter 15, Draco jokes prophetically, the Hufflepuffs come around, Fang gets some relief, and Percy is caught fooling around.
• Main Discussion #2: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 16: The Chamber of Secrets
• 7-Word Summary: Laura and Eric come up with, “Gilderoy is revealed to have no integrity.”
• Is it fair that Hogwarts doesn’t (yet) cancel exams for the 1992 school year?
• Hermione provides Ron and Harry the key to solving the whole puzzle, while unconscious. Her most impressive feat yet!
• Ginny tries to tell Ron and Harry something, but is interrupted…
• …and Lockhart reveals himself to be every bit as incompetent as everybody feared.
• For once, Ron and Harry brought a teacher into their circle, but it came at a cost.
• What are the teachers all doing the entire day while Ginny is gone?
• Would the person who put Hogwarts’ plumbing in have discovered the Chamber of Secrets, and (literally) covered it up? Wouldn’t it have been better if the tap on the sink had actually functioned?
• Next week: We dive into Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 17, The Heir of Slytherin!
• Quizzitch: Who really opened the Chamber of Secrets 50 years ago?
• Support the show! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon! Benefits include Bonus MuggleCast, early access to each episode of the show, ad-free episodes, access to our recording studio, an exclusive Discord and Facebook group, you’ll become a member of the MuggleCast Collectors Club, and at the Slug Club level you’ll receive a physical gift every year!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by HelloFresh. Use code muggle65 for 65% off plus free shipping at HelloFresh.com/Muggle65. Also, by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast

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Another episode, another attack at Hogwarts! Join us as we enter the pages of a secret diary, get treated to a special Valentine’s Day by Professor Lockhart and witness an epic showdown in Hagrid’s Hut between Dumbledore, Lucius Malfoy and Cornelius Fudge! All as the threads between Chamber of Secrets and Half-Blood Prince continue to grow stronger!

• Main Discussion #1: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 13: The Very Secret Diary
• 7-Word Summary: Memories are misleading within Riddle’s secret diary
• Don’t touch that book! Ron provides some important wizarding world advice to his best friend.
• Harry, Ron and Hermione begin to connect the dots between The Chamber of Secrets opening 50 years ago and Tom Riddle being at Hogwarts 50 years ago… they just draw the wrong conclusion!
• Harry notes it was “almost as though Riddle was a friend he’d had when he was very small, and had half-forgotten.” Is this our first introduction to the Horcrux connection?
• Could Tom Riddle have killed Harry by trapping him inside the diary?
• Connecting The Threads: memory alteration and manipulation are integral plot points in Half-Blood Prince!
• Main Discussion #2: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 14: Cornelis Fudge
• 7-Word Summary: Hagrid receives terrible news about leaving Hogwarts
• Harry, Ron and Hermione are surprised to learn it was Hagrid who opened the Chamber of Secrets, but they’re not really surprised, are they?
• As Hermione begins to piece things together, why doesn’t she seek out a professor?
• Hermione is petrified and Tom Riddle’s Diary is stolen! But whose the culprit?
• Checkout “A Very Secret Diary” by Arabella, which details Ginny Weasley’s interactions with the diary for her entire first year! Note: this is intended for a mature audience.
• Would the Invisibility Cloak prevented Harry & Ron from being killed by the basilisk?
• So many questions surround Hagrid’s arrest, first and foremost… WHERE’S THE ACTUAL EVIDENCE? Do any alternatives exist for Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge?
• Much like Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore leaves the school (in absolute chaos), with Harry shouldering the burden of solving the mystery!
• Next week: We dive into Chamber of Secrets, Chapters 15 & 16!
• Quizzitch: Who escorts the Gryffindors to their Herbology lesson?
• Support the show! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon! Benefits include Bonus MuggleCast, early access to each episode of the show, ad-free episodes, access to our recording studio, an exclusive Discord and Facebook group, you’ll become a member of the MuggleCast Collectors Club, and at the Slug Club level you’ll receive a physical gift every year!

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This week Snape demonstrates the famous Disarm Charm to a clearly impressionable Harry. Harry, meanwhile, throws a well-placed firework into Goyle’s cauldron. And it’s pandemonium when Harry is revealed to be a Parselmouth, leading the entire school to suspect him of being Slytherin’s heir (except Dumbledore, who weirdly lets Harry leave without interrogation.) Tons to talk about as the hosts cover chapters 11 and 12 of Chamber of Secrets during Chapter-by-Chapter!

• News: Eddie Redmayne says he’s not aware of a 4th Fantastic Beasts movie. Is this the end?
• Main Discussion #1: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 11: The Dueling Club
• 7-Word Summary: Students get ready for their dueling club
• We rank the trio’s plans to break into Snape’s personal potions storage and their successful execution!
• Would Harry have been less suspected by Snape if he sabotaged a fellow Gryffindor?
• After being discovered as a Parselmouth, the whole school suspects Harry is opening Slytherin’s chamber. We examine ALL the evidence against Harry and see if we are convinced.
• When people are petrified, are they conscious or unconscious until they get cured?
• Main Discussion #2: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 12: The Polyjuice Potion
• 7-Word Summary: Draco confirms that he isn’t Slytherin’s baddie
• Dumbledore lets Harry leave his office without any explanation or follow-up questions. Why?
• Could Dumbledore have probed Harry’s mind deeper than we realize and gotten all the answers? If so, what did he do with that information?
• Despite Hermione’s amazing planning, Ron and Harry stumble through their Polyjuice adventure. They don’t even know where the other common room is!
• Does Harry ever visit Hedwig?
• We rank Harry’s Christmas presents!!
• Next week: We dive into Chamber of Secrets, Chapters 13 & 14!
• Quizzitch: What Spell does Hermione use on T.M. Riddle’s diary?
• This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast

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The Chamber of Secrets is officially opened! But as Dumbledore says, the question is not who, but how? Join us as we learn more about the Chamber’s legend, check books out from the Restricted Section, evade Rogue bludgers and handle (un)helpful House-Elves. Plus, we continue to connect some major threads to events of Half-Blood Prince!

• Welcome Slug Club member, Alyssa!
• Main Discussion #1: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 9: The Writing on The Wall
• 7-Word Summary: Filch scares Harry because he’s acting accusatory
• Was the attack on Mrs. Norris a trial run? Was Filch the intended target? Or is Mrs. Norris too meddlesome for her own good?
• What do we make of Ron’s reaction to Filch being a Squib? How is it possible that no other students were aware?
• Why is Snape seemingly trying to implicate Harry? At this early stage, might Snape suspect Harry’s susceptibility to having his mind infiltrated by Voldemort?
• Do we think students actually checked out all copies of Hogwarts: A History, or was it a strategic choice by Madam Pince to remove them from the library?
• Harry struggles internally with almost having been sorted into Slytherin. Could he in fact be the heir?
• Main Discussion #2: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 10: The Rogue Bludger
• 7-Word Summary: Broken bones consume Lockhart’s reputation at Quidditch
• Lockhart continues to draw suspicion with his questionable actions
• Do Muggle schools have restricted sections?
• Rule-breaking Hermione: let’s brew some Polyjuice Potion!
• Why didn’t Madam Hooch notice the tampered bludger? And… where are the adults? The decision to continue play is not Harry’s to make!
• Why is there no medical personnel present at Quidditch matches?
• Did Lockhart ever get in trouble for removing Harry’s bones?
• Welcome back, Dobby! But… why are you trying to kill Harry?
• Colin Creevey becomes the first human casualty of the basilisk!
• Next week: We dive into Chamber of Secrets, Chapters 11 & 12!
• Quizzitch: During the Dueling Club, who does Snape pair Hermione with?
• This episode is brought to you by MeUndies (get 20% off your first order and free US shipping at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast) and ZocDoc (go to ZocDoc.com/MuggleCast to download the Zocdoc app for FREE; then find and book a top-rated doctor today).

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Happy New Year! As we begin 2023, and celebrate the 25th anniversary of Chamber of Secrets, we examine the some of the book’s and series’ biggest themes! Join us as we hit the Quidditch pitch, visit Hagrid’s hut, spend detention with Lockhart and celebrate Halloween with Nearly-Headless Nick on our latest episode of MuggleCast!

• Main Discussion #1: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 7: Murmurs & Mudbloods
• 7-Word Summary: Nepotism reigns supreme when Draco receives brooms
• We begin to see the influence of the Malfoy family’s wealth and the impact it has at Hogwarts and in the larger wizarding community!
• Is it fair to assume Draco made the Slytherin Quidditch team on money alone?
• Unconscious bias: Why were we okay with McGonagall giving Harry a Nimbus 2000 in Sorcerer’s Stone but against Lucius giving the Slytherins Nimbus 2001s in Chamber of Secrets?
• Why isn’t there greater punishment for Malfoy using the term mudblood?
• Why do the male characters seem to be onto Lockhart, but most of the female characters come across as hoodwinked by his charm and good looks?
• Laying the Groundwork: Blood purity, Hagrid’s expulsion, Ginny’s strange behavior, Riddle’s trophy, the cursed DADA position and more!
• Main Discussion #2: Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 8: The Deathday Party
• 7-Word Summary: Nick helps Harry out with Peeves’ assistance
• What does it say about Filch that he’s working while he has the flu? Is he trying to prove himself given he is a Squib?
• Peeves drops an important piece of furniture with strong ties to Half-Blood Prince!
• Would the Deathday Party have been a good film adaptation?
• The hosts make some interesting observations about Moaning Myrtle and The Bloody Baron.
• The Chamber of Secrets is opened! What does it say about Harry that he runs toward an  issue rather than away from it? Or better yet, that he doesn’t go and get a teacher to help investigate?
• Next week: We dive into Chamber of Secrets, Chapters 9 & 10!
• Quizzitch: What curse does Lockhart say was probably performed on Mrs Norris?
• This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp (get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast) and MasterClass (get 15% off an annual membership at MasterClass.com/MuggleCast).
• On Bonus MuggleCast, we discuss Pottermore’s sales dropping 40% in 2022! Bonus MuggleCast, which we now release twice per month, is just one of many great benefits of becoming a patron of the show!

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