After a tumultuous summer, it’s time to go back to Hogwarts! Harry is still navigating his feelings of Ron and Hermione being made prefects, and he’s about to meet an entirely new character who might refresh his perspective, all in the latest Chapter-by-Chapter segment from the MuggleCasters, covering Chapter 10 of Order of the Phoenix, Luna Lovegood.

• It’s the holiday season and the MuggleCast Merch Store is open for all your gifting needs! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and more! And don’t forget, you can now also gift a Patreon subscription!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 10: Luna Lovegood. Our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 241 and Episode 445 for prior Chapter 10 analysis!
• Harry is dreaming again. What can we make of this latest barrage of symbolism and metaphor?
• Why does Harry’s security entourage keep changing? Is it a mark of safety, or dwindling numbers in the Order?
• Sirius makes an unfortunate move. Bad dog, Snuffles!
• Should we be concerned for Sturgis Podmore?
• Hogwarts’ practice of prefects in place of real security might fall short. But at least their carriage is probably nice!
• Will the upcoming HP tv series have the most trouble re-casting Luna?
• Can Ginny be considered Luna’s friend? Can Neville?
• Hermione’s foot enters her mouth regarding the Quibbler. Should she know better than to pick a fight about something a stranger is reading in front of her?
• Unfortunately Harry’s arrival at Hogwarts reveals that not a lot has stayed the same how he wanted it. Sad.
• Lynx Line: the Best made up Quibbler headlines
• Quizzitch: Which UK tabloid, known for its sensationalist journalism, was founded in the year 1896 by a man who would later become 1st Viscount Northcliffe?
• Don’t forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/Mugglecast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• Visit mugglecast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

Download now

Harry has been cleared of all charges! Ron and Hermione have been made Prefects! We’re throwing a banger of a party at Grimmauld Place! Come join us as we discuss The Woes of Mrs. Weasley, just leave the boggart at home, please!

• Welcome, Slug Club Member Rex!
•  It’s the holiday season and the MuggleCast Merch Store is open for all your gifting needs! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and more! And don’t forget, you can now gift a Patreon subscription!
• Mark your calendars! A special holiday edition of Quizzitch Live is headed your way Sunday, December 15 at 12 PM ET. Stay tuned for more details!
• We discuss some exciting Harry Potter TV Show news: Paapa Essiedou is rumoured as the favorite for Snape, while we get confirmation that filming is set for Summer 2025.
• David Holmes, the stuntman for Daniel Radcliffe, who was injured on the set of Deathly Hallows: Part 1 has released a new book called The Boy Who Lived.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 9: The Woes of Mrs. Weasley. Our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 443 and Episode 241 for prior Chapter 9 analysis!
• Why was Dumbledore in such a rush to exit the trial chamber? And why didn’t he bother to give Arthur the good news about Harry?
• What was Lucius Malfoy doing down on Level 9? How does he know enough about Harry’s situation to call him “Patronus Potter”? We analyze  his level of (financial) influence over Ministry officials.
• What does it say about Fudge that despite being surrounded by Death Eaters, Dumbledore believes he’s acting of his own free will?
• Arthur explains Muggle Baiting to Harry. Do Fred and George’s actions from last summer with ton-tongue toffee fall into this category?
• Why doesn’t Sirius seem to be happy for Harry? When is he going to grow up?
• Are we surprised that everyone was surprised that Ron was made Prefect? Who would have made a better choice?  Neville? Dean? Seamus?
• What are the pros and cons if Dumbledore had made Harry a Prefect?
• Molly’s Greatest Fear and the many lessons it teaches us as readers
• What would each of our boggarts be (within the context of Grimmauld Place)?
• Lynx Line: Should Dumbledore have made Harry a Prefect instead of Ron? Why or why not?
• Quizzitch: What fountain gets the most money thrown into it per year, in the real world?
• Don’t forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• On this week’s Bonus MuggleCast, we debate whether or not the Harry Potter Movies are Christmas movies?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

Download now OR, now read the Episode 685 Transcript!

It’s the day of Harry’s hearing in our Chapter-by-Chapter re-read of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and we wouldn’t blame you if you lost sleep over it. While the odds are stacked firmly against Harry in several ways, Dumbledore decides to save Harry and us all by standing up against the increasingly-fascist Ministry of Magic. Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and our Slug Club guest Monet as they tackle Chapter 8, “The Hearing.”

• Welcome to the show, Slug Club guest Monet!
• Just like Monet, YOU can guest-host the show if you pledge to our Patreon at the Slug Club level. In addition, you can now gift a Patreon subscription to a friend!
• Additionally, we’re hosting a Black Friday sale (use code: SIRIUS, get it?!) on our MuggleCastMerch.com online store! Get 15% off your order now through Cyber Monday (December 1st).
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 8: The Hearing. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 441 and Episode 240 for prior Chapter 8 analysis!
• How does this chapter hit differently for us now, versus in 2003? Laura says the trial seems a lot more believable.
• Eric lists the ways that the trial impugns on Harry’s rights and is designed to be cruel and throw him off of his game.
• Monet points out a direct parallel between this trial, and the one we see for Mary Cattermole in Deathly Hallows.
• Andrew admires Dumbledore’s show of force, his preparedness too, and for once we all agree with him!
• Had Dumbledore not arrived, would Harry have been convicted? Would his wand have been smashed before anyone could do anything about it?
• Dumbledore’s calm and even tone, and his humility – allowing the Minister and co. to save face – is critical to his success, Laura says.
• The connection between a know-it-all headmaster, the ignorant Minister, and the country’s slow descent into Voldemort’s rule is analyzed.
• Does Dumbledore’s interference here cause the Ministry to retaliate later in the year?
• Lynx Line: What crime would listeners have to face a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry over? And, who would we want as our defense?
• Quizzitch: The UK judicial system established a Supreme Court in 2009. Prior to that, what was the highest court in the UK??
• Don’t forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

Download now OR, now read the Episode 684 Transcript!

Aren’t government buildings exciting? This week, the MuggleCasters jog their memories of how to do public transit because it’s time to go to the Ministry for Harry’s disciplinary hearing! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they discuss Chapter 7 of Order of the Phoenix, “The Ministry of Magic.”

• Show announcements including what’s going on over at #Millennial and What the Hype?! as well as a unique gift idea for the upcoming Holidays.
• HP TV Show news! Actor Mark Rylance is reportedly a top pick for Dumbledore by the creators of the show. We can see it.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 7: The Ministry of Magic. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 440 and Episode 240 for prior Chapter 7 analysis!
• For their journey to the Ministry, why does Arthur go it alone? Does it put Harry at undue risk?
• How come Arthur didn’t know where he was going, and why wouldn’t he plan it in advance?
• Micah comes for Arthur including his job title versus his lack of demonstrated competence with Muggle things. We are shook.
• How would a wizard react to public transit apps?
• Do we think the Muggle entrance to the M.O.M. has been updated since the 1990s?
• The hosts compare the Ministry fountains between books 5 and 7, with keen insight.
• Somebody get everyone some coffee! It’s just another day at work for most people.
• Seeing Arthur’s office in person, we cannot help but feel like Percy may have had a point.
• We adore the many layers of Arthur and Kingsley’s work conversation.
• Odds and Ends include the first mention of Scrimgeour, the Quibbler, and more!
• Lynx Line: What floor of the Ministry of Magic would our Patrons most like to party on?
• Quizzitch: What is Amelia Bones’ middle name?
• Reminder! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and more!
• And don’t forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

Download now OR, now read the Episode 683 Transcript!

This week, grab your doxy spray and settle in because we’re deep cleaning the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Join Eric, Micah and Laura as they dodge possessed music boxes, coughing wastebaskets, and mysterious lockets all while fighting with a deranged House-Elf and learning about pureblood wizarding families!

• News Alert: Hogwarts Legacy 2 to crossover with the new Harry Potter TV Show! Plus, get in the holiday spirit as Hogwarts: Wizards of Baking premieres on Food Network and MAX on Nov. 14!
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 6: The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Be sure to check out Episode 439 and Episode 230 for prior Chapter 6 analysis!
• Have we ever been in a situation where an adult forbade us from talking to our friends after hearing something they deemed inappropriate?
• Does Molly not understand how kids work? Forbidding them from staying up to talk is the best way to ensure they absolutely do that! 
• Your putting those doxies WHERE?! What happens to these immobilized creatures? Are they permanently paralyzed?
• STOP RINGING THAT DAMN DOORBELL!!!
• Has Mundungus ever proven his value to the Order?
• Foreshadow alert: The locket no one could open
• What do we make of Sirius’s behavior in this chapter? Harry is clearly trying to relate to him, but is Sirius brooding so much on his own misfortune?
• The Black Family Tapestry, Regulus Black and the meaning of Toujours Pur
• Did Kreacher predict the ending of Order of the Phoenix?
• Comparing Kreacher and Gollum from Lord of the Rings
• Did Lupin and Tonks have secret sleepovers?
• Lynx Line: Our patrons pick one item from the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black to display in their home.
• Which Skiving Snackbox candy would each of the hosts be willing to try to get out of something we didn’t want to do?
• Quizzitch: In the Sorcerer’s Stone PC game, what spell do you primarily use to deal with doxies?’
• Reminder! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and more!
• And don’t forget you can support the show over at Patreon.com/MuggleCast! You’ll get great benefits such as Bonus MuggleCast, live streams, yearly stickers, Lynx Line participation, a physical gift, a video message from one of the four of us made just for you, our private Facebook and Discord groups where you can hang out with fellow Potter fans, and so much more!
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

Download now OR, now read the Episode 682 Transcript!

Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as we dive into the Muggle Mailbag and respond to listener feedback from the first five chapters of our Order of the Phoenix reread!

• Visit our new online store for can’t-miss items that are one of a kind! MuggleCastMerch.com. And don’t miss our Overstock Store for our Cozy Comfy Combo Pack!
• Voicemails cover what Hermione would be like in grad school, and a theory as to why the Cursed Child runtime keeps being shortened in America.
• An astute listener writes in about the historical name origins of the wizengamot! We are all impressed.
• Ron wearing the locket in Book 7 has the same exact feelings we see Harry have in early Book 5.
• Other topics include: Why Salazar Slytherin may have chosen emeralds as a house gem, whether we should feel sorry for Petunia Dursley, why Nearly Headless Nick should still be frozen, and Harry’s sparse security detail.
• A fun What If… segment and Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul round out the discussion.
• Finally, our Lynx Line benefit exclusively for Patrons has them sharing their overall thoughts on Book 5 so far.
• Next week’s Quizzitch question: How many Halloween feasts do we see Harry attend during his time at Hogwarts?
• This episode is brought to you by Better Help. Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast

Download now OR, now read the Episode 681 Transcript!

Happy Halloween! Welcome to Harry Potter and the Graveyard of Goods! Join us as we discuss the official projects by Wizarding World Inc. that’ve perished over the decades. These’ve been rejected by the Sorting Hat. They’re on display in Diagon Fail-ey. You get the point.

• Our Time Turner segment takes us back to the echoes of Halloween episodes past! Be sure to check out Episode 633: Quizzitch Live – Halloween Edition (2023); Episode 535: Halloween Extravaganza (2021); Episode 487: The Scariest Moments in Harry Potter (2020); Episode 343: Fantastic Beasts And The Not 2 (2017); Episode 161: Larger Than Life (2008) and Episode 61: Ghosts (2006).
• Reminder! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and more!
• So what names are on the headstones in the Graveyard of Goods?
• Fantastic Beasts… more like Fantastic Busts!
• Who really axed the MinaLima Illustrated Editions?
• Potter-NO-more
• Who pulled the plug on Wizards Unite & Magic Awakened?
• What happened to the Original Version of the Harry Potter Stage Play?
• Will Jim Kay’s Illustrated Editions get a sixth and seventh installment?
• Why was there only one 10th Anniversary Edition of a Harry Potter book?
• Wizarding World Festival… oh, you never heard of that either?
• Is the Official Harry Potter Encyclopedia the biggest bogeyman of the Wizarding World!
• Who scratched up all of the Ultimate Edition DVDs?
• Plus, if each of the hosts could pick one item, what would each of them revive?
• On this week’s Bonus MuggleCast, we discuss how Harry Potter characters would (or wouldn’t) survive famous horror movies! You can get Bonus MuggleCast and other great benefits at Patreon.com/MuggleCast!
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

Download now OR, now read the Episode 680 Transcript!

More like DISorder, are we right? The cracks against Dumbledore keep coming as the MuggleCasters discuss the events of Book 5, Chapter 5 in our continuing re-read. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah, and Pam as they discuss Sirius’ godfatherliness and Molly’s intentions.

• Reminder! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and we’ll be rolling out more in the months ahead!
  
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 5: The Order of the Phoenix. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Check out Episode 437 and Episode 230!
• We learn just how underground this “underground” organization really is! (Positively subterranean)
• Why Sirius is good for Harry
• Interrupting!Molly interrupts a would-be apology from Mundungus to Harry, and in general is trying to do too much all at once.
• Has nobody checked in with Dumbledore on his definition of “need to know” for Harry?
• This debate is ugly, but it would have been less stressful if Dumbledore were around to ask.
• Why do Fred and George pick now to fight for their own right to know what’s going on? Can’t they read the room?
• The Order members detail just how bad their uphill struggle is, thanks to Fudge.
• We examine the harm that Fudge’s lean on the Daily Prophet is causing for getting the word out to the public, and how the unsuspecting public is being placed in great danger by the leaders sworn to potect it.
• Andrew gives props to Dumbledore for sticking up to the Wizengamot.
• Odds and Ends include Crookshanks’ friendship with Sirius, the Vanishing Charm, and more Horcrux evidence.
• Lynx Line: Our patrons share which non-Order members should be in the Order!
• What do we each think is the Most Over-the-Top Molly Moment of the Week?
• Quizzitch:  Name a nation within the United Kingdom where the legal voting age is 16 years?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

Download now OR, now read the Episode 679 Transcript!

This week, just let it all out! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they listen in to Harry unloading on his best friends and get the latest Order of the Phoenix goss. But be sure to tiptoe down the hall quietly because we don’t want to wake up any maniacal pureblood portraits!

• BIG NEWS! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and we’ll be rolling out more in the months ahead!
  
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 4: Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Check out Episode 436 and Episode 229!
• Foreshadow Alert: Grim-Old-Place, “house of a dying person”… OH NO, SIRIUS!
• We break down Harry, Ron and Hermione’s reunion with a fun new edition of “Horcrux or Harry?”
• The hosts try their hands at impersonating ALL CAPS HARRY! One host is SCARY good!
• Does Harry feel better about being left in the dark after learning what Ron and Hermione have been up to all summer?
• Do we agree with Mrs. Weasley not letting the kids attend the Order of the Phoenix meetings? Do her previous losses and the size of her family impact her decision-making?
• Guard Duty Misdirect: was the Order talking about watching Harry or something else entirely?
• PompASS Percy: what do we make of this new Weasley family dynamic?
• The chapter wraps with Ginny, Kreacher, Snape, Mrs. Black and more!
• Lynx Line: Our patrons share who they wish they had a living portrait of in their home and why!
• Who gets our picks for Worst Weasley of the Week?
• Quizzitch:  In honor of the portrait of Walburga Black, what famous artist and sculptor was given an exclusive license in 2014 to use a material known as “Blackest Black”?
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

Download now OR, now read the Episode 678 Transcript!

On this week’s episode, Harry is rude to his owl. Then someone breaks into his home. It’s very exciting to be leaving Privet Drive! Join us for a chapter of highs and lows as Chapter-by-Chapter covers Chapter 3 of “Order of the Phoenix,” and the hosts as well as Slug Club member Katie discuss the recent passing of Maggie Smith, take answers from our Lynx Line, and generally have a nice time as usual.

• Welcome to our Slug Club guest Katie!
• The hosts reflect on the amazing life of Dame Maggie Smith, who has passed away.
• Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 3: The Advance Guard. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Check out Episode 435 and Episode 229!
• Harry interrupts Hedwig’s dinner. Is this one step too far on making his friends’ lives miserable?
• Andrew loves Harry’s plan to ensure his friends give him answers, but it may remind us all of Professor Umbridge.
• Does the delay between the last chapter and the night the Advance Guard arrives exist because Dumbledore needed time to implement the escape route?
• Is the real Moody overcompensating on security?
• The Dursleys are back to their old tricks, of abusing Harry… and Harry is back to his old tricks of appearing indifferent to them.
• The hosts rank this rescue effort against all the other times Harry was saved from Privet Drive.
• Should Harry have been more aggressive about intruders in his home?
• Doesn’t everybody at this point know Harry’s Patronus? How secure is Lupin’s question exactly?
• If this is the Advance Guard, who is in the Rear Guard?
• Lynx Line: What five Potter characters would our patrons have in their Advance Guard?
• Where’s Dumbledore?, the segment, returns!
• Our Most Trustworthy Advance Guard Member of the Week: the hosts explain.
• Quizzitch: “What well-kept lawn in London has been home to a zebra, an elephant, and a helicopter landing pad?”
• Visit MuggleCast.com for episode transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, our favorite episodes, and to contact us!

Download now OR, now read the Episode 677 Transcript!