With just a few days before the release of Secrets of Dumbledore, we host our 7th installment of Quizzitch Live to test your knowledge to-date on the Fantastic Beasts series. Are you up on your fantastic casting? Can you guess who said these memorable quotes? Is your knowledge of beasts at the Magizoologist level? Just how well do you know Gellert Grindelwald ? Join us for Quizzitch Live: Fantastics Beasts and the Suitcase of Fun! Prizes benefit Lambda Legal, The Trevor Project, Trans Lifeline and GLSEN!

Next week will be part 1 of our big Secrets of Dumbledore review! After you see the movie, be sure to send in your feedback and theories, and we may include it on air!

This week’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (Go to BetterHelp.com/mugglecast and get 10% off your first month) and HelloFresh (Go to HelloFresh.com/muggle16 and use code muggle16 for up to 16 free meals AND 3 free gifts!)

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With this being our final episode before The Secrets of Dumbledore hits theaters (in the U.K., at least), we set our predictions and theories for the third Fantastic Beasts movie in stone. Plus, one of us has already seen the movie and offers a positive spoiler-free review!

• Are you new to MuggleCast? Be sure to subscribe to us on your favorite podcast app, and check out our Patreon for additional benefits!
• Our next Quizzitch Live is Saturday, April 9th, at 11 AM ET! Winners will receive $40 to a charity of their choice and tickets to see the next Beasts film.
• Main Discussion: The hosts make their final predictions and theories about The Secrets of Dumbledore
• …but Eric has just come back from an early screening! He gives a quick, spoiler-free review of the movie.
• What will the film’s Tomatometer score end up being? How much money will it gross on opening weekend in the U.S.?
• Andrew, Micah and Laura guess  how gay the Dumbledore and Grindelwald relationship will be?
• On the subject of relationships, will Queenie and Jacob get back together in this movie? Will Newt and Tina finally start dating by its end?
• Will we hear about other characters from Potter history? Will the Order of the Phoenix get a shout-out?
• How many times will Harry Potter soundtrack music play during the movie?
• About Ariana, will we get a full flashback to the day she died? And does she share an Obscurus with Credence?
• Will this be the last movie for “the Scamander Six”? How about for Credence? Who will be the MVP of the movie, and what’s the deal with Jacob’s wand?
• Finally, the hosts share their thoughts on the blood pact, Credence’s origins and any additional crackpot theories.
• Patrons weigh in with their predictions, as we close the box of guesses with a lock and key.
• Quizzitch: James Newton Howard, composer of the Fantastic Beasts series, also composed the music for the film adaptations of THIS, young-adult post-apocalyptic fiction book series, once marketed as “The Next Harry Potter.”  Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast) and Framebridge (Get 15% off your first order by going to Framebridge.com and using promo code MUGGLE)

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With just a few weeks to go until the release of The Secrets of Dumbledore, the hosts review some recently released clips and featurettes. Why did Dumbledore create the blood pact and what happens if he tries to destroy it? Will Dumbledore’s love for Grindelwald continue to cloud his judgment? And, are the Fantastic Beasts producers relying too much on Harry Potter nostalgia? Plus next week, don’t miss our Secrets of Dumbledore predictions episode!

• News roundup covers Hogwarts Legacy for Nintendo Switch, early Fantastic Beasts fan screenings and The Secrets of Dumbledore screenplay
• Main Discussion: The Latest Secrets of Dumbledore Clips & Featurettes
• Dumbledore attempts to destroy the blood pact! Why does this scene feel oddly familiar?
• Dumbledore confesses his love for Grindelwald!
• How will Newt and team bring down Grindelwald… it’s all about CONFUSION?!?!
• Does David Heyman’s Dean Thomas reference seem out of place?
• Are the Fantastic Beasts producers relying too heavily on Harry Potter nostalgia?
• Magic upgrade: How will Secrets of Dumbledore improve upon battle magic?
• Aberforth and His Mirror: who is he trying to communicate with?
• All aboard, The Great Wizarding Express!
• SAY WHAT, Dumbledore? “The fact that that everything didn’t go precisely to plan was precisely the plan!” 
• Quizzitch: Why doesn’t Bellatrix intervene in Dumbledore’s fight against Voldemort in the Ministry?  Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is sponsored by Nord VPN. Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/muggle. Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!
• This week’s episode is sponsored by AMC Shudder. Stream your first 30 days of Shudder for FREE! Visit Shudder.com and enter CODE mugglecast!
• Next week’s episode: We’ll lock in our Secrets of Dumbledore predictions!

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On this week’s MuggleCast, we return to an e-mail that we received that asks us what the 1998-1999 Hogwarts school year would have been like, when Hermione returned to complete her Hogwarts education and when Ginny and Luna were her classmates. The hosts think critically and speculate which accommodations might be made in wake of the destruction of the school and considering the mental health and well-being of students and staff! Plus, a recent Hogwarts Legacy trailer gives us the first real look inside the much-anticipated Wizarding World game. All this and more can be found inside the episode!

• Playstation’s ‘State of Play’ event gives Potter fans an in-depth look at Hogwarts Legacy. The hosts discuss what interests them about it as gamers.
• Main Discussion: Annette asks us, what do we think the 1998/1999 school year would have looked like at Hogwarts?
• September 1 is only 4 months after the Battle of Hogwarts! Is that enough time to repair the school and memorialize the fallen?
• What would the Sorting Hat’s song be like? More calls for unity, amid Slytherin’s recent walkout?
• If McGonagall was now headmistress, who would take her spot as head of Gryffindor House and professor of Transfiguration? Is Oliver Wood too young / too obvious?
• What would Hogwarts’ graduation ceremony look like, and why did we never see one?
• Would Ron and Harry pop by on the weekends to visit their girlfriends Hermione and Ginny?
• Will Hogwarts FINALLY, finally, get some grief counselors? And did Dumbledore put an unnecessary target on Hogwarts when he was headmaster?
• The hosts discuss tributes that occurred to students who died during their own educational history.
• Listeners provide their questions, such as: will rebuilding Hogwarts add elevators and unisex bathrooms? What happens to the statues of the knights that defended the school?
• Quizzitch: This Week’s CURRENT Quizzitch Question: Finish this line: “Minister, the evidence of the Dark Lord’s return is _______.” A) Incomparable B) Inconvenient C) Inconceivable! D) Incontrovertible  Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is sponsored by MasterClass (go to Masterclass.com/mugglecast for 15% off an annual membership) and BetterHelp  (go to BetterHelp.com/mugglecast for 10% off your first month)

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On this week’s episode, our Fantastic Beasts character discussions return to focus on the one-and-only Newt Scamander. With about a month to go before the release of Secrets of Dumbledore, we analyze all of Newt’s relationships from the last film and debate what the future holds for our favorite magizoologist. Plus, its Newt’s birthday, so just will the hosts gift him? A niffler fanny pack may be in his future!

• Welcome to our social media manager, Chloe!
• The cover of the Order of the Phoenix Illustrated Edition has been revealed!
• Fantastic Beasts Character Discussion: Newt Scamander
• We last talked about Newt back on Episode 326 with Evanna Lynch!
• Horoscope Check: Newt is the perfect Pisces!
• The hosts break down Newt’s relationships in Crimes of Grindelwald
• What exactly is the dynamic between the brothers Scamander?
• Does Newt still love Leta?
• Why does Dumbledore trust Newt so much?
• Are there more comparisons between Newt and Snape than meet the eye?
• The Newt and Jacob BROMANCE continues!
• Did the writers do the Newt & Tina relationship an injustice?
• What does the future hold for Newt in Secrets of Dumbledore?
• Given we recorded on Newt’s birthday, the hosts share what presents they would get him.
• Quizzitch: What is Yusuf Kama’s mother’s name?  Submit your answer!
• On Bonus MuggleCast (available on our Patreon), we discuss the recently revealed Alternative Titles for Crimes of Grindelwald. Yes, Fantastic Beasts: The Statute of Secrecy was an option…
• This week’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast) and Indeed (Go to Indeed.com/mugglecast to claim your $75 job credit before March 31st!)

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On this week’s episode of MuggleCast, we break down new scenes from the recently released Japanese Secrets of Dumbledore trailer, take listener feedback and talk about the 18 new character posters. Plus, we’re joined by a special guest to review Cursed Child in San Francisco, which is joined by one part instead of two!

• #Millennial co-host Pam joins the show to review the new-and-improved one-part Cursed Child in San Francisco! Check out new episodes of Andrew, Laura, and Pam’s #Millennial every Wednesday. Subscribe via Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen!
• The hosts analyze the new Japanese Secrets of Dumbledore trailer, which includes even more exciting footage!
• Oh brother! Did Theseus and Newt successfully defeat the Manticore?
• Professor McGonagall namedrop!
• Dumbledore comes face-to-face with the portrait of Ariana
• Newt: “To save our world, each of us has a role to play.” What exactly are the roles that Theseus, Eulalie, Jacob, Yusuf and Bunty will play in the third Fantastic Beasts film?
• Tina is inside Newt’s suitcase (kind of)!
• Dumbledore: “I drew my wand, which was even more foolish.” Will this be how we’re going to get Ariana’s backstory? Not via flashback, but from Dumbledore himself?
• Listener feedback covers Tina as Bunty, Dumbledore and Grindelwald’s duel, Tina possibly being pregnant and more!
• We analyze The Secrets of Dumbledore character posters (Dumbledore’s First Army, Grindelwald’s Followers, and Global Wizards).
• The Secrets of Dumbledore screenplay will be published July 19. We debate whether or not this big gap between the film and the screenplay is to push fans to go to theaters?
• This week’s episode is brought to you by HelloFresh (visit HelloFresh.com/Muggle16 and use code “muggle16” for up to 16 free meals AND 3 free gifts) and BetterHelp (MuggleCast listeners get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast)!
• On next week’s episode, we bring back our Fantastic Beasts character discussions featuring the one-and-only Newt Scamander!

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The latest (and final?) trailer for Fantastic Beasts: the Secrets of Dumbledore is here! Overall the trailer is very Dumbledore-and Grindelwald-focused and we are here to pick it apart, scene by scene! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they discuss that interesting Michael Gambon cameo, long-haired Credence, Jacob’s wand, Dark Queenie, new locations, mysterious writings, and more. Plus, is Theseus in trouble? Do we know some of the “new” beasts? And did Bunty get a promotion? Listen now!

• First, we stand with the people of Ukraine and encourage everyone to keep an eye on the news coming out of the country.
• It’s time to talk about the new Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore trailer! This time the hosts will all be on the same page… YouTube page, that is! We use this video when referencing all timestamps during our discussion.
• Laura is optimistic that the Michael Gambon Pensieve appearance foreshadows memory being a crucial part of the plot for this film…
• …and Eric thinks it’s another desperate attempt to market the film to old-school Potter fans. Fan-service, if you will!
• The Blood Pact is shown prominently and the hosts discuss similarities with the Unbreakable Vow in visual style.
• Is that McGonagall visiting Dumbledore at the Hog’s Head?!
• Grindelwald declares war, Credence has longer hair, and Eulally Hicks apparates around Jacob’s shop — and we love it.
• An important title card which has been missing from some marketing materials is back in the trailer, and the hosts discuss.
• What is with this mysterious message on the back of Aberforth’s bar? We use our Wordle experience to try and figure it out.
• Are Albus and Gellert meeting in person? Is this an Applebees? Or merely a memory?
• Micah thinks he can identify several of the beasts shown throughout the trailer, and Theseus does some interesting magic.
• Is Theseus doomed? Some sleuthing reveals it may be his tie and wand that are shown with Teddy and Pickett.
• Is Tina Polyjuiced into someone else, like Bunty? Does that explain why Katherine Waterston is missing from all promotional material in this film?
• The Deluminator is back! And who’s that group resting on the stairs at the theorized end of the movie?
• Next week, we’ll be reading YOUR submissions on theories and trailer thoughts. Be sure to send us an e-mail or voicemail using our regular channels for inclusion on the show!
• This week’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online therapy. Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast

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This week we’re talking about black characters as well as people of color in the core Harry Potter books, the movie adaptations of those books, and the media that has come out since! Joining us as our honored guest is the amazing Adriana Redding, who led Hufflepuff Team to victory on Harry Potter: Tournament of Houses! Together she, Andrew, Eric and Laura discuss the reasons why black characters are so few and far between, and what their diversity hopes are for future releases set in the Wizarding World.

• Our guest Adriana Redding talks about her time on Harry Potter: Tournament of Houses as well as black representation in the Harry Potter series!
• Adriana recounts how she got into Harry Potter a bit later than others, and how this affected her take on diversity in the series.
• The panel discuss the importance of seeing somebody like yourself in the stories you consume.
• Was the statistical diversity of England and Wales in the 1990’s a factor in the lack of black and POC characters in Harry Potter? We explain why this excuse doesn’t hold water.
• Dean Thomas’ backstory was omitted by the author in favor of Neville’s, but old writing exists describing what it would have been. We analyze it.
• Did you know two black actresses played Lavender Brown in COS and POA? The third actress to play her was white… and she’s the one who had lines and got to date Ron in Movie 6.
• We discuss the gradual increase in diversity since the films wrapped up, including a black MACUSA President, Hermione in The Cursed Child, and more.
• Adriana details a recent trip to the Wizarding World theme park, and asks the hosts what their ideal hope is for future installments of Potter.
• Eric can’t resist the urge to quiz Adriana on last week’s Quizzitch Question, on the spot, and she does pretty well!
• Quizzitch: How many Quidditch matches does Lee Jordan commentate that Harry participates in, in the books?  Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is sponsored by AMC Shudder (Go to Shudder.com and use code ‘mugglecast’ for 30 days free!) and Indeed (Go to Indeed.com/mugglecast to claim your $75 credit before March 31st).

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OR, now read the Episode 551 Transcript!

Our mailbag is overflowing with feedback from our recent Snape and Lily episode, and people want to talk about Jacob in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts film. We hear from another one of our youngest fans, and even dig up a classic e-mail from 2006. All on this latest milestone episode of MuggleCast!

Important Note: Next week, we’re celebrating Black History Month by talking about how the books handle representation. If you’re a listener of color and have feedback on this topic, please send us your owls!

• Previously unseen photos of Ariana Dumbledore have leaked online, and Andrew and Micah did an IG Live about it. View that now on our Instagram.
• Last week, Eric attended Albion School, a live action roleplay, and had a blast.
• The results of our listener house survey are in! Find out what Hogwarts house the majority of our listeners are in! (It’s very close, but not as close as O.G. Pottermore said they were.)
• Voicemails kick off from an Aquarius listener who brings even more insight into Lily’s character from her horoscope.
• More voicemails cover bagel flavorings of the 1930’s, Narcissa’s love for Draco (What if Harry had told Narcissa that Draco was dead?), and something misunderstood about Harry Potter.
• Two listeners e-mail us with theories on how Jacob remembered Queenie, and whether his account of it to Newt can be trusted.
• Is Draco’s future wife linked to Nagini? And could Jacob’s wand help get him in to wizarding spaces?
• Is Cursed Child and other Potter missteps giving outside spectators a very bad impression of the Harry Potter franchise on a whole?
• What memory does Snape use to summon a Patronus? And why exactly did Lily choose James?
• In an email from 2006, one listener guesses at what Dumbledore is really seeing when he takes Riddle’s potion.
• Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast soul returns and this time it’s from a teenager who found us last year.
• Quizzitch: What two solutions does Hermione offer Ron to help it stop raining in Yaxley’s office?  Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is sponsored by MasterClass (go to Masterclass.com/mugglecast for 15% off an annual membership) and BetterHelp  (go to BetterHelp.com/mugglecast for 10% off your first month)

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It’s our annual Valentine’s Day episode and this year we’re switching things up to talk about the female friendships in the Harry Potter series!  So… Happy GALENTINE’s Day! Hermione & Ginny, Ginny & Luna, and Lavender & Parvati are just a few of the pairings we dive deep into! Also, don’t miss our Top 7 Moments Male Characters Were Emotionally Vulnerable! Next week, we’re opening up our Muggle Mail bag, so don’t forget to send us your owls!

• Don’t forget to follow us on our new TikTok!
• It’s Galentine’s Day and we talk about the importance of female friendships in the Harry Potter series!
• Hermione and Ginny: are they best friends?
• Why are the two so mean towards Fleur?
• Sisterhood in Friendship: Ginny and Luna
• Why did these two characters bond so closely with each other?
• Support and Compassion: Lavender and Parvati & Tonks and Molly
• The Top 7 Moments Male Characters Were Emotionally Vulnerable in Harry Potter
• Harry, Ron, Draco, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Sirius and Dudley all make the list!
• Quizzitch: In Deathly Hallows, where are the trio camping while Ron leaves?  Submit your answer!
• Eric and Micah appeared on the most recent episode of SpeakBeasty, talking about the character pairings in the latest Secrets of Dumbledore trailer – check it out!
• This week’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (Go to BetterHelp.com/mugglecast for 10% off your first month) and MeUndies (get 25% off Matching Pairs for Valentine’s Day, 15% off your first order, and free shipping at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast ).

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OR, now read the Episode 549 Transcript!