On this week’s episode, get ready to broaden your minds and see past the mundane as we take our first Divination class! And remember to bow and blink while listening to this episode or your may be attacked by a hippogriff! 

• News covers a new Quidditch video game is coming soon… for consoles! We’ll discuss it in this week’s Bonus MuggleCast, which is available exclusively on our Patreon!
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 6: Talons and Tea Leaves
• 7-Word Summary: McGonagall shades Trelawney during Transfiguration class, ooooooo!
• We meet Professor Trelawney, who we later learn made the prophecy about Voldemort and Harry/Neville.
• From Neville’s grandmother to Parvati’s stalker to an Easter departure, we keep track of Trelawney’s predictions and see if they come true!
• Have any of the hosts ever seen a fortune teller or tarot card reader? What did we make of the experience?
  
• Do we think Hermione is too quick to judge Trelawney? Does McGonagall influence her opinion?
• Professor Hagrid… Micah argues Dumbledore set him up for failure from the start!
• Name Origins: The Grim & Hippogriff
• Does Harry offer to approach Buckbeak to test the validity of his death omen?
• Odds & Ends cover paying attention in Transfiguration class (cough, animagi), Hermione’s busy class schedule, Sir Cadogan and more!
• Quizzitch: What form does Parvati Patil’s Boggart take?
• Next Week: It’s a MuggleMail bag covering Prisoner of Azkaban and the new Harry Potter TV show announcement
• This week’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast today to get 10% off your first month).
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! This week, we discuss more breaking news… a brand-new Quidditch video game! Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast!  As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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CHOO CHOO! On this week’s episode, we’re on the Hogwarts Express for what is sure to be another lovely… enchanting… peaceful… safe….. ride to Hogwarts. As they say, the third time’s the charm, and this year everything’s gonna be A-OK!

• News covers the recently confirmed Harry Potter television series! Be sure to check out Episode 606, where we dive deep into the initial news leak and this week’s Bonus MuggleCast, where we discuss all the new details!
• And… check out MuggleCast Episode 483, where we fan-casted a Harry Potter television show, and Episode 566, where the hosts developed ideas for an all-new Harry Potter television series!
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 5: The Dementor
• 7-Word Summary: Fear about the murderer abounds on trains
• We contrast Harry’s trips to King’s Cross in Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix
• How much information do we think Arthur would have offered to Harry about Sirius Black if Harry didn’t tell him he was already “in the know”?
• Welcome, Remus Lupin! Check out the full Pottermore article on him and his family!
• How did Dumbledore convince Lupin to take the post of Defense Against The Dark Arts?
• Laura offers some interesting insight on the Wolfsbane Potion, lyncathropy and the AIDS epidemic of the 1990s
• Why is Snape so angry with Lupin being named to the Defense Against The Dark Arts post?
• We analyze the effect the Dementor had on Harry, Ginny and Neville
• Could a Dementor have removed the Horcrux from Harry? What if it took Harry’s soul and left Voldemort’s?
• Could anything have been done to prevent the Dementors from boarding the train? Did Dumbledore intentionally place Lupin on the train for this very reason?
• With McGonagall tending to Harry and Hermione, just who the hell hosted the Sorting Ceremony?
• Odds & Ends cover Sneakoscopes, Hogsmeade, the Shrieking Shack, secret passages, thestrals, forgetting passwords and more!
• Quizzitch: Who guides the trio to their first Divination class?
• Next Week: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 6: Talons and Tea Leaves
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now) and MeUndies (get 25% off your first order, plus free standard shipping at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast).
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! This week, we discuss breaking news… a brand-new Harry Potter TV show is coming to HBO!
• Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast!  As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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This week saw news of a Harry Potter television series cascading across the interwebs as it seems like Warner Bros and HBO are in final talks to develop a straight adaptation of the original 7-book series, this time for TV! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as they discuss the news, read a ton of listener feedback, and provide their must-haves for any live action Potter TV adaptation.

• According to Bloomberg, a new Harry Potter television series which follows the storyline of the 7 books is nearing final talks over at Warner Bros. Discovery.
• Given that the TV show would adapt the 7 books, whose final film adaptation was released in 2011, Micah asks “is it too soon?”
• What steps would the television show take to distance itself from the HP films?
• Would they ever adapt The Missing 24 hours?
• Could we ever see new actors actually taking the place in our hearts of the actors who originated the role?
• What role will the book series’ author have in the development of the show?
• Laura senses a real opportunity for bringing fresh voices and more diversity into the Potter universe.
• Check out MuggleCast Episode 483 in which we fan-cast an HP television show, and also Episode 566 where the hosts develop ideas for all new HP television series.
• Eric gives his must-haves for the would-be TV adaptation. Number one: the color yellow?
• Twitter feedback on this news includes: would we ever see an animated version?; problematic politics and the struggle to find joy with the series in 2023; is a Peeves backstory on the table?; what can the show learn from HBO’s House of the Dragon?
• Facebook feedback includes: the stories we’d rather see told in the Wizarding World; embracing new cast members so soon after the films; and a cry for justice for Ron Weasley
• IG feedback includes places we still want to see, and differing perspectives of characters.
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now) and BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast today to get 10% off your first month)!
• Become a patron of ours today at Patreon.com/MuggleCast!  As always, we appreciate your support of the show!

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OR, now read the Episode 606 Transcript!

On this week’s episode, we kick back, relax and enjoy some ice cream every half hour from our pal Florean Fortescue! Join us for some delicious sundaes as we bum around Diagon Alley, meet up with our best friends and get some surprising news about a recently escaped convict!

• In celebration of April Fool’s Day, check out Episode #508: How To Tell Fred and George Weasley Apart, and More Twin Talk
• News covers Daniel Radcliffe expecting his first child and his Moderating A Trans and Nonbinary Youth Roundtable for The Trevor Project, which you can watch in full right here!
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 4: The Leaky Cauldron
• 7-Word Summary: Discoveries are everywhere around this Leaky Cauldron
• Harry is free to roam all of Diagon Alley by himself! How old were we when our parents started letting us venture out on our own?
• Do we think that this is foolish of Molly and Arthur, to just let Ron roam around Diagon Alley given he is Harry’s best friend?
• Ron gets a his own wand! We analyze what the core and wand wood mean for his character!
• Something is definitely up with Scabbers! We start putting the pieces of the puzzle together!
• Molly and Arthur get into a heated argument about Harry. Which parent do the hosts ultimately side with?
• Connecting the Threads to Order of the Phoenix: Molly’s protection of Harry, the safety of the larger wizarding community and Harry’s escort to King’s Cross
• Odds & Ends cover the Grim, the Firebolt, Dementors, the No. 12, Percy and more!
• Quizzitch: What is Professor R.J. Lupin’s middle name?
  
• 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)!
• 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, Harry is saved by a (violently purple) knight in shining car wax as the Knight Bus whisks him away to London, where Uncle Cornelius pats him on the back and tells him everything is fine. Join Andrew, Laura, Eric and Micah as they dive into Chapter 3 of Prisoner of Azkaban, The Knight Bus!

• This week the hosts provide alternative identities to help them escape detection…
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 3: The Knight Bus
• 7-Word Summary: Help arrives for Harry after an encounter
• Harry’s frustration and short-sightedness mirrors our own in times of stress. Do we relate to Harry following his incident with Aunt Marge?
• Andrew has a full tally of all the times Harry thinks he is about to be expelled. It’s higher than our Dumbledore Lie Count :'(
• We ask again, just why was Sirius Black not given a full trial? Is Dumbledore, or the government, to blame?
• Laura reminisces about an old campaign asking readers if they spotted The Grim.
• We ask, What If? Sirius had introduced himself to Harry? Would Harry believe him then and there?
• Why can’t the Knight Bus go underwater, if it can do all the other things that it does?
• Not one but TWO Name Origins segments help us appreciate the details on display.
• Why did Harry choose a pureblood wizard that Stan might have known as his alias?
• Why didn’t Harry know about the Knight Bus sooner?
• Fudge being described like an ‘uncle with a favorite nephew’ raises our interest.
• Why can Fudge trust Harry to follow his orders?
• Quizzitch: In Chapter 4 of POA, a hag orders what from the Leaky Cauldron?
• Next week: We continue with Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 4: The Leaky Cauldron
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! Last week, we discussed the recent Harry Potter Almanac news and reflect back on the history of all the times we were promised a Harry Potter Encyclopedia!
• 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 get a visit from one of Harry’s favorite relatives, Aunt Marge! They share wine, brandy and have so much fun that she even let’s Harry perform magic on her at the end of the chapter! Oh wait…

• Welcome Slug Club member, Sherry! Sherry, who is blind, shares her story of finding the Harry Potter series! Be sure to check out her fan fiction: Sirius Black and Becoming a Father and her book: Haven!
• Andrew and Laura will be discussing the potential ban of TikTok in the U.S. on their podcast, #Millennial. Follow the show for free in your favorite podcast app!
• Main Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 2: Aunt Marge’s Big Mistake
• 7-Word Summary: Aunt Marge enjoys abusing Harry every minute
• What do we make of Vernon’s assessment of Sirius Black?
• What do muggle relations offices look like at the Ministry?
• Hogsmeade Permission Slip: Harry learns how to play on Vernon’s prejudices
• Aunt Marge was based on J.K. Rowling’s grandmother, who preferred her dogs to human relatives
• While Marge is generally nasty to Harry, the gloves really come off when she starts to drink; is this an indictment on abuse levels rising (both verbal and physical) when family members have a drinking problem?
• Did Harry have to sit with Marge on multiple occasions during her visit? Is it actually to protect Vernon?
• Why doesn’t Petunia stand up more for her sister?
• Is Colonel Fubster, Marge’s boo?
• Quizzitch: What name does Harry give to Stan Shunpike when he boards The Knight Bus?
• Next week: We continue with Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 3: The Knight Bus
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (visit Indeed.com/MuggleCast to start hiring now) and BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast today to get 10% off your first month)!
• And don’t forget! There’s much more MuggleCast waiting for you on Patreon, including Bonus MuggleCast segments! This week, we discuss the recent Harry Potter Almanac news and reflect back on the history of all the times we were promised a Harry Potter Encyclopedia!
• 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 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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