The first trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore has finally arrived, and we’re here to discuss everything in it! What’s up with Jacob and his wand? Hey there, Aberforth Dumbledore! New Year, New Doo for Credence! And thank goodness that there are still magical beasts in this thing!

Send us your feedback about the Secrets of Dumbledore trailer, and we may include it in the next episode, which we’re recording later this week! We want your theories and feelings.

This week’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast) and MeUndies (get 15% off your first order and free shipping at MeUndies.com/mugglecast)

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• Welcome Slug Club member, Sam!
• We review our magical stats from this year’s Spotify Wrapped! Welcome to our new listeners in Cameroon, Mongolia, Brunei, Russia and Kenya!
• Eric and Micah will be doing an Instagram Live on Tuesday, December 7 at 7 p.m. ET!
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses debuts! We offer our initial thoughts!
• Our Fantastic Beasts Character Discussions return with Queenie Goldstein 
• What happened to Queenie between the first and second films? Have we seen a complete devolution of her character? Or is it just bad writing?
• Do Jacob and Queenie have a healthy relationship?
• What do we make of Queenie using a Love Potion on Jacob? Does it give us Merope Gaunt vibes?
• Is Queenie’s power of Legilimency a blessing or a curse?
• Why does it always rain during Queenie’s major scenes?
• Should we be suspicious of the tea in Grindelwald’s flat?
• What does the future look like for Queenie? What will make her leave Grindelwald’s side?  Could Queenie already be a double agent and will she become one?
• Who is Quentin Kowalski?
• Quizzitch: What day of the year does Professor McGonagall say she wouldn’t be surprised if it were known as “Harry Potter Day” in the future? Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Quip (visit Quip.com/Muggle for your first refill free and up to 40% off bundles for the holiday ) and Thirdlove (get 20% off at Thirdlove.com/mugglecast)!

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On this week’s episode, major news hits the fandom! We discuss the upcoming reunion of cast and crew from Harry Potter to celebrate the first film’s 20th anniversary. In addition, the new, shorter version of Cursed Child is reportedly a lot more heavy on an Albus/Scorpius relationship! And finally we bring you our 2021 Holiday Gift Guide! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as they reveal what awesome fan-crafted finds they’ve discovered this year.

• Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint will all take part in a 20th Anniversary Special for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone‘s release
• Even actors from later films, such as Gary Oldman and Mark Williams, will be joining in as well as SS/COS director Chris Columbus
• There have been no reports of J.K. Rowling in attendance. The hosts weigh in on what involvement she’ll have, if any.
• A Cursed Child fan has passionately revealed that the new, shorter version of Cursed Child on Broadway has a lot more direct references to Albus and Scorpius being interested in one another, and fewer references to girls like Rose and Polly Chapman!
• The hosts guess at why the play would make changes now, and for only half of its current productions.
• Main Discussion: Our 2021 Holiday Gift Guide episode is here! Each host has two recommendations of fan-made items to check out.
• From Andrew’s list: A custom Hogwarts acceptance letter and a really awesome personalized lenticular Chocolate Frog card!
• Eric just loves the super-crafty, miniature Book Nooks that can be found on Etsy, as well as Etsy seller Clever Badger designs, who make many hand-crafted gifts for book lovers.
• Additionally, MuggleNet’s 2022 fandom calendar is donating part of its proceeds to Fandom Forward (formerly the HP Alliance)
• Micah has found Wine Goblets from Ravenclaw house and themed soy candles from Frostbeart Studio!
• And Laura has found a way to get The Grim in your teacup every day, as well as these neat custom Apple Watch bands
• In addition to their fan-made recommendations, the hosts discuss where to go for vintage Harry Potter merchandise (eBay!)
• We also ask: if money weren’t an object, which piece of official Harry Potter merchandise would we buy?
• Lastly, what newly-released official merchandise are we eyeing at the end of this year?
• Quizzitch: What 14th Century witch enjoyed being burnt at the stake so many times that she did so at least 47 times under different guises?
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Beam (Visit BeamOrganics.com/mugglecast for 40% off the first 3 months of any Beam sunscription, plus a free mug and frother — OR 20% off any one time purchase) and BetterHelp (get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast)

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On this week’s episode, we’re celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone hitting movie theaters, and kicking off an incredible film series! Where were we on opening night? How did movie critics react to the first Potter film? Who would we cast in some of our favorite Potter roles?  Plus, Eric as the Sorting Hat? Join us for the first of several episodes celebrating this epic movie anniversary! 

• Good news: ALL episodes of MuggleCast are now available in our RSS feed! Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the podcast feed to relive the old days.
• What did we do for the film’s release on November 16, 2001?
• Thumbs up or thumbs down? We read some initial critical reviews of the movie!
• Quidditch hype! John Williams slander?!? No liberties taken?!?
• What were some of the more notable scenes that didn’t make it to the screen?
• Box Office Breakdown: how did Sorcerer’s Stone measure up?
• Recasting the first Potter film – our listeners weigh in with great suggestions!
• The hosts give their best Sorcerer’s Stone movie impersonations!
• Quizzitch: Eventually released in 2017, what is the name of the song Bruce Springsteen wrote for Harry Potter between 1998-2001 and offered to Chris Columbus for use in the first Harry Potter film? Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by MeUndies (get 15% off your first order at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast), HelloFresh (Get 14 free meals and 3 free gifts at HelloFresh.com/muggle14) and Quip (get your first refill of any refillable product free at GetQuip.com/Muggle).

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On this week’s episode, long time friend of the show Evanna Lynch joins us to discuss her new book, The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting. She talks about the challenges in writing her memoir and the hosts ask her about her experiences as a newly published author. Her book chronicles a struggle with mental illness and an eating disorder, as well as her correspondence with JK Rowling via letters, years before she was cast as Luna Lovegood. Evanna was kind to answer all of our questions and give us her time. This is one episode you won’t want to miss!

• Evanna Lynch returns to MuggleCast, a newly published author!
• Her book, The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting is a deeply moving, at times comical and mostly challenging tale of her struggles with an eating disorder while she was growing up.
• The hosts take turns asking Evanna questions both about her book, and some of the surprising stories found within.
• Evanna details why she was inspired to write Butterfly Hunting… and how she managed to remember so many details from when she was eleven.
• What lessons and messages can readers hope to get from the book?
• Laura asks Evanna what she would say to her younger self, and Evanna replies gravely and honestly.
• The interview touches on Evanna’s early correspondence with J.K. Rowling via letter. What made her reach out?
• The reasons Evanna is connected to the character of Luna.
• Evanna recounts her transition from everyday Harry Potter super-fan to friend and colleague of the cast, and how strange it was to get used to.
• Finally, what does the title of the book mean? And how did becoming a vegan change Evanna’s way of seeing the world?
• MuggleCast recently was on Evanna’s The ChickPeeps podcast, and we had a great time.
• Evanna leaves us with a story of walking into bookstores to sign copies of her book, and what it was like to record the audiobook.
• Quizzitch: What is Aragog’s wife’s name?? Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month of therapy at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast!

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OR, now read the Episode 536 Transcript!

On this week’s episode, it’s our annual Halloween extravaganza! We invent some of our own wizarding world candy, discuss what treats Potter characters would hand out for Halloween and Potter-ize your favorite Halloween movies! Plus, some new and exciting info about The Secrets of Dumbledore following a test screening in Los Angeles last week!

• A new behind-the-scenes look at Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore sheds light on where the film will pick up and what countries we will be visiting! But what happened to Rio?
• We have a small, exciting, and spoiler-free tidbit about The Secrets of Dumbledore from someone who attended a test screening in Los Angeles last week.
• It’s our annual Halloween episode!
• Have any of the hosts ever dressed up as Harry Potter characters for Halloween? (Here’s Andrew’s Morning Show appearance as Harry Potter)
• Laura has a great costume recommendation for Micah this year!
• We try our hand at inventing Wizarding World candy
• What kinds of goodies would Snape, Molly, Mad-Eye and McGonagall give trick-or treaters? How about Remus, Sirius, Arabella Figg and Xenophilus Lovegood?
• Ron as Carrot Top? Dumbledore as a Lemon Drop Martini? We discuss what Potter characters would dress up as for Halloween!
• Night of the Living Fred! Horcrux Pocus! Who has the best Potter-ized Halloween movie title?
• Quizzitch: What sweet treat does Professor Flitwick give to Harry after his interview is published in The Quibbler? Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is brought to you  BetterHelp – get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast!

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On this week’s episode of MuggleCast, we follow up on our original character discussion on Credence Barebone, aka Corvus Lestrange, aka “Aurelius Dumbledore”? Wading deep into prophecy, including forming one of our own using Nostradamus, the hosts try to answer the question: “Just what is going on with Credence?” Listen as we find some answers by reviewing the scenes and subplots of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

• We heard from the creator behind Harry Potter Database and its astonishing collection of deleted and unreleased movie scenes!
• The surprise main character in Crimes of Grindelwald is Credence Barebone! Micah points out why this is more usual than unusual.
• Filmmakers chose twice not to include a scene where Credence survives his bout with MACUSA, both the end of the first film and the start of the second. Would such a scene have been an improvement?
• What brought Credence to “Circus Arcanus,” and is it all one master manipulation from Grindelwald that has set Credence on his path to find his ‘family’?
• What do Credence’s name origins tell us about the character, for his various names?
• We revisit an old e-mail which explains how Greek mythology may influence the future of the character.
• The hosts read aloud the predictions of Tycho Dodonus… and try to identify characters within.
• Could the “son cruelly banished” be somebody else, like Albus Dumbledore?
• Eric reads key passages from the script book which lends a little insight into that humongous shipwreck. Does the script book quietly reveal an important element?
• We revisit major theories about Credence including, is he Ariana’s twin? Does he have her Obscurus? Is he really Corvus Lestrange, or a science experiment made by Dumbledore and Grindelwald?
• The hosts pick some numbers at random, and consult Nostradamus himself for a prediction of the future!
• Quizzitch: What was Leta Lestrange’s mother’s name? Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Quip (get your first refill free at GetQuip.com/muggle) and Thirdlove (Get 20% off your first order at Thirdlove.com/mugglecast)

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On this week’s episode of MuggleCast, we get back to our Harry Potter character discussions with the brightest witch of her age, Hermione Jean Granger.  We discuss her personality traits, her academic prowess, and her overall perceptiveness. Plus, on Bonus MuggleCast on our Patreon, the hosts try to figure out if Hermione has a female best friend and debate which member of the trio is the “third wheel”?

• The Secrets of Dumbledore will hit theaters a week earlier in the UK. Why, just days after the franchise’s big announcement, are they making this change?
• Unimpressed by the The Secrets of Dumbledore official movie synopsis, Micah writes his own!
• Wizarding World Gold is coming to an end this month! Does this news have larger implications for other endeavors of the Wizarding World franchise?
• Character Discussion: Hermione Jean Granger
• Much like Hermes, messenger of the gods, does Hermione serve as messenger between the Muggle and wizarding worlds?
• Why we, as readers, should identify more with Hermione than Harry!
• What do we make of Hermione’s decision to return to Hogwarts after the war?
• How does she balance personal achievement with what is necessary and urgent?
• The hosts recall their initial impressions of Hermione. Is she really an “insufferable know-it-all”?
• Where does Hermione’s academic drive come from? Her parents? Pressure to fit into a new school? Pressure to fit into a new society?
• HER-MEE-OWN! How long did it take us to the proper pronunciation?
• Emma Watson and Noma Dumezweni: how each made their own profound impact 
• We share Our Top 7 Hermione Moments and give our Best Hermione Impressions
• Quizzitch: These ‘splintery’ treats were considered by Hermione for her parents while in Honeydukes? Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Greenchef – the #1 meal kit for eating well (visit GreenChef.com/MuggleCast100 and use code mugglecast100 to get $100 off, including free shipping)!
• Coming up  on Bonus MuggleCast (available on Patreon), the hosts discuss if Hermione has a female best friend. And, just who is the true third wheel of the Harry, Ron and Hermione trio?

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