Transcript #86

MuggleCast 86 Transcript


Show Intro


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Andrew: This week’s MuggleCast is also brought to you by Borders. Prepare for the upcoming release of Book 7 by catching a glimpse of where it all began. During the month of April, you can purchase Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on DVD for only $14.99 at Borders. Also be sure to reserve Book 7 at Borders at 40 percent off and get a free sticker. Choose from “Trust Snape” or “Snape is a very bad man.”

[Intro music begins to play]

Andrew: Because Jamie still continues to be a waste of space for one more week, this is MuggleCast Episode 86 for April 11, 2007.

[Intro music continues to play]

Jamie: Hello, and welcome to MuggleCast Episode 86. This is our live call-in show. It’s the second of our special shows because I am a waste of space, and I missed the train, as you all well know. And before we get to our live call-ins today, I’m joined today by Andrew and Micah. Say hello, guys.

Andrew: Hi.

Micah: Yo.

Jamie: And Kevin – Kevin is supposed to be here but he’ll be joining us soon.


Announcements


Jamie: Before we start our live calls, we have a few announcements to make. Podcast Alley – please vote for us. You all know the drill by now. Blah, blah, blah, I can’t do this as well as Andrew, but yeah, you should know by now. And Andrew has an announcement as well.

Andrew: Jamie, I just wanted to say that you did excellent on the show.

Jamie: Oh, really? I think that’s very kind of you to say so.

Andrew: When you hosted without me. It was fantastic. Also, I just wanted to point out, as we announced on Episode 85 this past Sunday, we have a brand new website along with our brand new album art. We’ve been getting a lot of good feedback about it and we just want to thank Greg Porter over at XalerStudios.com. If you want a great website design, definitely head over to his site because as you can see from MuggleCast.com he can do some really fantastic websites. Alright, I think we’re ready to start the calls. Jamie?


Call: U.S. Cover Harry Beckoning Something?


Jamie: Okay then. Let’s go to our first call.

[Sound of phone ringing]

Richard: Hello?

Jamie: Hey.

Richard: Yeah. Hey, listen, I just have a theory about the cover art.

Andrew: Wait, first of all, say what’s your name and where you’re from.

Jamie: And where you come from. And also, one question before you start. Do you watch “Prison Break”?

Richard: No. [laughs]

Andrew: Aww. [laughs]

Jamie: Oh. Well, you should. [laughs] Okay, then go ahead.

Richard: I’m Richard and I’m from New York, New York. And I just have a theory about the Death Hallows American cover. And my theory is, instead of Harry being happy about the thing that’s coming down from the heavens, he’s actually beckoning toward it because he wants it to destroy himself and the Horcrux, therefore effectively destroying himself, Voldemort, and the Horcrux so that way he can kill him.

Jamie: What do you think it could be, this thing?

Richard: I’m not sure, but it’s just a theory so I’m still working the kinks out of it.

Andrew: [laughs] What are some of the kinks? Are there any? I think that’s a pretty good idea.

Jamie: Well, it’s interesting because everyone so far has been thinking that he’s looking towards the sky for something to bring down, but go ahead.

Richard: Yeah. It also sort of explains the orange sky like it could be something reminiscent of doomsday.

Andrew: Hm.

Jamie: Very interesting.

Andrew: That’s not a bad idea.

Jamie: Thank you very much.

Andrew: I don’t know though. Hold on. Wait a second before we wrap that up. I don’t know if Harry would sacrifice himself though.

Jamie: Oh, well, that’s not that…

Andrew: I think if Harry’s going to die it’s going to be by accident.

Richard: Well, you’re you.

Andrew: Well, I am me. [laughs]

[Micah laughs]

Jamie: That’s a whole other story, though.

Micah: Yeah, it really, really is.

Jamie: He’s going to sacrifice himself.

Micah: No, but Andrew, you and I were talking about this earlier in the week, and somebody else had proposed a theory that was similar to what he’s saying. And that is, Voldemort seems to be backing away from what’s going on, whereas Harry is sort of more so beckoning it. So is this possible that this is the final confrontation in the book and both of them going to die, it’s just Harry is more accepting of it?

Andrew: Yeah.

Richard: Also, just a quick note, there seems to be wooden planks on the ground, so it could be that wood is falling from the sky. [laughs]

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Well, I mentioned this in a previous show. They look very broken up, sort of like Harry’s destroyed something, or perhaps the thing in the sky is a result of it being destroyed.

Richard: Well, maybe Voldemort destroyed it.

Jamie: Yeah, or perhaps Voldemort did. I don’t know. Interesting theory though.

Andrew: Whatever’s going on, it’s very messy.

[Richard laughs]

Jamie: It is very messy. Okay, thank you very much for your call.

Richard: Thank you.

Andrew: Thank you, Richard.

Jamie: Bye, bye.

Micah: Thanks.


Call: Final Battle At The Coliseum


[Sound of phone ringing]

Jamie: Hello, caller, you need to state your name, where you come from and your theory, please.

Peter: Hi, this is Peter Pickles and I’m from Saint Louis.

Andrew: Peter Pi – is that your real name? Peter Pickles?

Jamie: Yeah, I was going to say, is that your real name?

Peter: No, it’s just my name online.

Andrew: Is your – is Peter real?

Peter: Yeah.

Andrew: Oh, okay. [laughs]

Jamie: Interesting choice of name. What’s your theory?

Peter: To me, it looks like they’re in the Coliseum in the background.

Andrew: Coliseum.

Jamie: What? Like the Roman Coliseum?

Peter: Yes. Yeah.

Jamie: Oh, so Jo’s sort of introducing history and Rome into her books?

Peter: Yes.

Jamie: That’s pretty interesting, I like that. What, they’re sort of in the Ministry of Magic and they apparate to the Coliseum and have the final battle there?

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: I’d like that. I’d like that.

Peter: It’s certainly possible.

Jamie: It is definitely possible, and it would make a very interesting ending. Andrew?

Andrew: Wait. Do you think Jo would really put a real world landmark into the books?

Jamie: I don’t know. Well, wouldn’t it show that both worlds are completely intertwined and you can’t have something affecting one thing if it doesn’t affect the other. And you could have a huge crowd there as well, and right at the end, the emperor could do like a thumbs up or a thumbs down on whether Voldemort should live or die.

[Andrew and Peter laugh]

Jamie: So, I love that theory. Thank you very much.

Andrew: Do you really?

Micah: Do you get lions? Do the lions come into play at all?

Jamie: Yes, exactly. The lions could be there, and they tie Voldemort to a stake, and he’d come in and they’d tell his crimes against Rome and how he’d insulted the emperor’s wife and mother and then the lions would be set loose and he’d be gone.

Peter: Or maybe the lions retrieved the Horcrux.

Jamie: Or perhaps they did, and then they ate it.

Andrew: [laughs] And afterwards, Harry’s just like “I guess might as well go say ‘Hi,’ to the Pope, since I’m here.”

Jamie: Yeah. Well, exactly. Yeah. Alright, thank you very much, Peter. Bye, bye.

Peter: Bye.

Andrew: Thanks, Peter.


Call: The Hanging Man


[Sound of phone ringing]

Jamie: Hi, can you state your name, where you’re from and your theory please?

Kyle: My name is Kyle, from Gibbsboro, New Jersey.

Andrew: New Jersey? Aw, man.

Jamie: Close to you, Andrew? I wonder why you picked this one.

Andrew: Yeah. Exactly.

Jamie: Can I just ask, before you state your theory, can I ask you a very important question? Do you watch “Prison Break”?

Kyle: Uh, no.

Jamie: Okay well, you should.

Kyle: Okay.

Jamie: That’s all I’ll say on this.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Go on. What’s your theory, please?

Kyle: Well, what I want to say really quick is great show. Andrew, I live like 15 minutes away from you.

Andrew: Not going to lie, I’m a little freaked out by that.

[Kyle laughs]

Andrew: Just kidding. [laughs]

[Jamie laughs]

Kyle: And…

Jamie: Wait, is that your theory? That you live 15 minutes away from Andrew, or is that true?

Kyle: No, that’s true. Here’s my theory: I was re-reading Harry Potter 4, Goblet of Fire, the other day, and on page two – I think it is – they’re in the bar and talking about the caretaker of the Riddles’ house and that he murdered them. And the bar’s name is called the “Hanging Man.”

Jamie: It is, it is.

Kyle: And Deathly Hallows is supposed to be about the hang man or something like that.

Jamie: It is. This is very interesting idea. People have talked about that, I think, and how it sort of like – that relates to the title, as you say. And whether we are going to see anything else happen in that pub, or if it’s going to be a central location in Book 7, but I don’t know. Micah?

Micah: Yeah, I think all the shows that we did, that’s a great reference. We tried to catch as many as we possibly could throughout the series referencing the Hang Man. So I think it’s a good catch, and people are probably going to find more and more things as they re-read the books.

Jamie: Kyle, do you think there is going to be action in the Hang Man in Book 7?

Kyle: I don’t know, I hope so. I think Harry is going to have to go back probably to the Riddles’ house because I think that maybe there’s a Horcrux there because he murdered his parents that day. So, possibly.

Andrew: Good point.


“The Office” And U2


Jamie: That’s pretty interesting, but going back to the “Prison Break” thing, sorry. What TV series do you watch?

[Andrew laughs]

Kyle: My favorite is “Office” and “Heroes.”

Andrew: Oh, I’m an “Office” fan, too.

Jamie: Do you watch the American “Office,” though, or the British one?

Kyle: I watch the American “Office,” but I’ve also seen clips of the U.K. one, and it’s pretty funny.

Jamie: I’m a kind of, you know, original British “Office” person. I don’t think the American one…

Andrew: Oh, it’s hilarious.

Jamie: …owns up to it.

Andrew: Steve Carell, man, am I right, Kyle? Steve Carell?

Kyle: Definitely. Did you watch it last night, Andrew?

Andrew: No, I haven’t seen it in so long. Was it new?

Kyle: Yeah. Dwight says…

Andrew: Oh. Don’t ruin it for me! I got to watch it. [laughs] Okay, what does he say, what does he say? Tell me.

Kyle: At the end, he says, “I’m not a hero. The person who’s a hero is Hero Nakamura from ‘Heroes.'”

[Andrew laughs]

Kyle: And then he also goes…

Jamie: Nice.

Kyle: …And Bono.

Andrew: Does he really? Oh man. He wins in my book.

Kyle: Yeah, and…

Jamie: Isn’t he the guy from Bruce Almighty?

Kyle: U2…

Andrew: No. U2, what?

Kyle: …Is like my favorite band. Me and my two friends last night had a sleepover and all week my friend brought over the Elevation Tour on DVD.

Andrew: Awesome.

Kyle: And all we did for three hours was watch that over and over.

Andrew: Hey, man. I’m only 15 minutes away. Give me a call next time you’re watching the U2 DVD. I’ll be there.

Jamie: Yeah, you can have a kind of party.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: In New Jersey. Light the town up.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah. Alright, Kyle.

Jamie: Thank you very much, Kyle. See you later.

Kyle: Thank you, guys. Bye.


Call: Reaching For A Horcrux?


[Sound of phone ringing]

Jamie: Hey, can you state your name, where you come from and your theory please?

Chloe: My name is Chloe, I’m from New Jersey and my theory is that maybe, possibly that the cover art is not the final battle between him and Voldemort, but maybe Voldemort finds out about his search for the Horcruxes and that they are both reaching for the Horcrux and that possibly…

Jamie: Oh, so you mean that Voldemort is trying to save it before Harry can get to it.

Chloe: Yeah.

Jamie: Micah? What do you think about that?

Micah: I don’t know. I mean, I think when you look at Voldemort that he’s sort of falling back a little bit. And I don’t know if he was trying to stop Harry from getting whatever that is that he’d be falling back. He’d be a little bit more aggressive. Whereas Harry has his palm open for it, almost welcoming whatever it is. So, I think whatever that is that he’s reaching for, Voldemort’s afraid of it, more than anything else.

Andrew: Yeah.


Cover: The Building


Jamie: Chloe, Chloe, what do you think that building is? Because we’ve just had a call that talks about that it could be the Coliseum from Rome because it looks like it. What do you think that building is? Where do you think they are?

Chloe: I was pretty convinced that it might be part of the Ministry of Magic that we haven’t introduced to yet.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: And what do you think the shadows are around the edge? Because didn’t Scholastic say that they were definitely figures; shadows of people? Do you think that they are people who Voldemort just killed, or a kind of Priori Incantatem thing where they’ve come back to watch Harry take a Horcrux or something like that?

Chloe: I actually thought that it might be Death Eaters and other followers.

Jamie: Yeah. That’s pretty interesting.

Micah: Well, what do you think, Chloe, about them being the Deathly Hallows? The spirits of those that Voldemort has killed? They’re sort of watching what’s going on.

Chloe: Yeah, I think it’s, for me, definitely one or the other.

Micah: Yeah.

Jamie: I agree.

Micah: What…

Jamie: I agree.

Micah: Sorry.

Jamie: No, go on.

Micah: I was going to say everyone has all these theories about it being the Ministry, but what if it’s Hogwarts? We have stone on the ground; we have wood on the ground. Perhaps wooden doors…

Andrew: Well, we thought about the Coliseum before, unless they’re going to build on by Book 7.

Jamie: Well, yeah. They could well do that.

Andrew: We’ve pretty much seen all of Hogwarts now, haven’t we? There’s no place that we haven’t been to.

Jamie: No, that’s very good. Can we just take this moment to intro Kevin, who was supposed to be here on time, but thanks to Windows Vista, which he now uses, he’s about 10 minutes late.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Hey, Kevin.

Kevin: Hello. How’s it going?

Jamie: Very well. Very well, Andrew…

Andrew: We’re speaking with Chloe.

Jamie: Yeah, we are speaking with Chloe here. Okay, thank you very much, Chloe. See you later.

Chloe: Thanks. Bye.


Call: The Full Moon


[Sounds of phone ringing]

Abby: Hi, MuggleCast.

Jamie: Hi. Please state your name, where you’re from and your theory please?

Abby: I’m Abby, 13, from North Carolina.

Andrew: Hi, Abby!

Abby: Hi!

Jamie: Hey, how’re you doing?

Abby: I’m good.

Kevin: Hi, Abby.

Andrew: How’s the weather in Arizona? What was it?

Abby: North Carolina.

Jamie: North Carolina.

Micah: North Carolina.

Jamie: Pretty easy to confuse them, Andrew.

Andrew: Oh, North Carolina! [laughs]

Kevin: Yeah.

Andrew: [laughs] Sorry, Skype broke up. It was a little…

Jamie: Abby, can I just ask you one question before you state your theory?

Abby: Yeah, go ahead.

Jamie: I was wondering, do you watch “Prison Break” by any chance?

Abby: I do not.

Jamie: Every person who phoned up has said that they don’t. I think it’s a travesty. You should. Really. It’s so good. It’s unbelievable.

Abby: I’ll keep that in mind.

Andrew: One other thing…

Jamie: You should. You really should.

Andrew: I’m going to be driving to South Carolina tomorrow. So, when I pass through North Carolina, I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for you.

Jamie: Yeah.

Abby: Okay.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Because it’s a very small place. You’ll probably see her. I can guarantee it.

[Kevin laughs]

Andrew: Not that you’d know, Jamie.

Jamie: No.

Andrew: I have a map to prove it.

Jamie: That’s very true.

[Abby and Jamie laugh]

Kevin: What are you going to do when you go through Arizona?

Andrew: [laughs] I said North Carolina.

Jamie: Keep driving, probably.

[Andrew and Kevin laugh]

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: What’s your theory, Abby?

Abby: Well, I was going to talk about the full moon on the back of the British children’s edition of the cover.

Andrew: Ooh.

Jamie: Yeah.

Abby: And you guys talked about this for a little while in Episode 83, but you never really mentioned the moon. And full moons are often associated with insanity and insomnia as well as magic.

Jamie: Yeah.

Abby: So, I think this could be a symbol of the final battle ending in, like, a whole mess of just magic and things. But the castle is icy, as you said, but I think it’s Hogwarts.

Jamie: Oh, really?

Abby: Yeah. I thought that it might have something to do with all the magical stuff going on in it. And that it might show that it’s, like closing down. The final battle takes place there.

Jamie: Why do you think the castle is silvery? That it’s due to the moon, or…

Abby: I don’t really know. I think it just might have something to do with all the magic that’s going on with it.

Andrew: Hmm.

Jamie: And you’re sure that it’s not Aladdin’s Palace?

[Abby and Andrew laugh]

Jamie: From Aladdin? Because I’m 110 percent sure it is. Honestly.

Abby: Well, as much as I would love to think that Disney would meet Harry Potter, I think it’s Hogwarts.

Jamie: They have – No, no, no, no, they have really. They signed a deal. Warner Brothers and Disney have signed this huge multi-million pound deal.

[Abby and Andrew laugh]

Jamie: And they’re fusing the two together. Isn’t that right, Micah?

Micah: Umm.

Jamie: Yes. I’m glad you agree.

[Everyone laughs]

Micah: I agree. Sure.

Andrew: You didn’t pick that up in the News Center, Micah?

Jamie: Yeah.

Micah: No, no, I didn’t catch that story.

Jamie: Oh, that’s bad. You’re fired then.

Micah: Okay.

Jamie: If you can’t even work that out. What did you think about that theory then? The moon?

Abby: Well, I also just wanted to say that, by the US edition, it kind of shows that the – or well, that I think that the final battle will take place in the Death Chamber in the Ministry. And I was just wondering whether you guys had any ideas why they would show separate places on the covers.

Jamie: Andrew?

Andrew: Oh. I don’t know. For the covers, you mean? Like, why they’re both set on different, you know…

Abby: Yeah.

Andrew: Well, I really think it’s just up to the illustrator to decide what they want to do. I know Mary GrandPre reads the whole book, so I assume the UK illustrator does too.

Jamie: Well, I think they change them. The illustrators. I don’t think it’s the same person who does it.

Andrew: No, but it’s still definitely Mary GrandPre.

Jamie: Oh, what, for the US?

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Oh, yeah. Yeah, definitely. Well, I think it’s just a creative license. You know, they draw what they feel personally what is the best illustration for the book. I mean, I’m sure they put it through Jo, but I guess it’s just a creative license type thing. Kevin?

Kevin: Well, I was just going to say that, going back to the full moon, it’s interesting that she – he or she, I’m not sure who illustrates the UK cover, decides…

Andrew: I’m pretty sure it was a dude.

Kevin: Was it?

Andrew: Sorry. Go ahead.

Kevin: Well, just the fact that they put a full moon on the cover has some implications as to what we can expect from the seventh book. I mean, it’s not an arbitrary choice, so you…

Jamie: No, it’s not.

Kevin: Wouldn’t expect that a full moon would come up. And with a full moon you’d know of, you know, werewolves and Lupin and, you know, all the implications behind that.

Jamie: Well, that’s exactly what I thought. I thought it was the, you know, whole werewolf reference. It’s obviously a huge full moon. Slap. Bang on the back of the cover, you know. I assumed that either Lupin would figure or Greyback would figure pretty heavily.

Kevin: Yeah, that’s what I thought of when I saw it.

Jamie: I don’t know. Micah?

Micah: Well, what was I going to say? I think what’s interesting is that…

Jamie: Only you know that.

Micah: [laughs] No. Yes, that’s very true. I think the British illustrator actually, for the children’s edition, is told what to draw. Not necessarily reads the book. At least that’s what I remember.

Jamie: Really?

Micah: Yeah. So, that’s kind of interesting. With the full moon, again, I agree with what you guys were saying as far as Lupin, werewolves, that sort. But what’s interesting to me about this is that the castle looks very calm.

Andrew: It does.

Micah: It’s very relaxed. Whereas everything around it looks like it’s in complete disarray and destruction.

Jamie: Yeah.

Micah: If you look at the tree, everything seems to be off of it. There’s smoke or clouds rising in the distance. You don’t really have any look at the Forbidden Forest. At all.

Jamie: But, Abby, do you think that sort of calmness isn’t really calmness, but is more hostility and problems within Hogwarts? Or do you think it is calm over the castle?

Abby: I think does kind of show calm a little bit. But if you actually look behind it, there’s some clouds. And there’s kind of a face in one of the clouds. I don’t know whether that’s just – it looks like – I don’t know, you kind of see a face and two teeth. I don’t know if that’s just me imagining things, but…

[Jamie laughs]

Abby: And you also see a tree which I think might be the Whomping Willow. So, I don’t know whether that could resemble a return of the Marauders, because…

Jamie: That’s interesting. Yeah.

Abby: Because they used that.

Jamie: Well, do you know, isn’t Prongs on the cover as well?

Abby: Yeah, he’s on the inside flap.

Jamie: Well, that’s very interesting.

Kevin: I was going to say that it looks like a large amount of trees. And the first thing I thought of when I saw it was the Forbidden Forest that had been destroyed but was being, you know, covered by smoke or some cloud of some sort.

Jamie: Yeah.

Kevin: Like sort of the battle right on their doorstep.

Micah: I mean, could it be the oncoming, the ensuing battle? The clouds rolling towards Hogwarts.

Kevin: Right.

Abby: Yeah, the calm before the storm.

Micah: Right.

Kevin: And I also saw what you mean by the face in the clouds. It looks like they meant to put, like wispy faces in the cloud. I don’t know if they did.

Jamie: Yeah.

Abby: Yeah, like the spirits returning.

Kevin: Right.

Jamie: I think that’s pretty right. But that reminds me of – I don’t know why or how I remembered this. But I saw some photos of the Twin Towers after September the 11th. And there was a conspiracy theory that you could see the face of the devil in them.

Kevin: The face, yeah.

Jamie: I saw these photos and I thought they looked pretty real, but I didn’t know if they’d been doctored or if they were the real thing or if my mind was just being, you know.

Andrew: Everyone sees something different in clouds, I believe. So.

Jamie: That’s true.

Andrew: I mean, you know, it all depends on how kinked your neck is when you’re looking at it.

Jamie: That’s true.

Micah: Andrew saw Flipper.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah. We got some other callers to get to. But thanks, Abby, for calling.

Jamie: Thanks. Abby. See you later.

Kevin: Thanks, Abby.

Abby: Alright, bye.

Micah: Bye.

Andrew: Bye.


Call: Book Title Trends


[Sound of phone ringing]

Jamie: Do you think you could state your name, where you come from, and your theory, please?

Lena: Yeah. My name is Lena. I’m from Silver Spring, Maryland, sixteen years old.

Andrew: Everyone is on the east coast today. It’s awesome.

Jamie: Yeah, it’s true. Although we’ve had somebody from – oh no, wait. North Carolina is on the east coast, isn’t it?

Andrew: [laughs] Yes, it is.

Jamie: I was thinking of a Californian. Lena, before you give us your theory, could I just ask you one quick question?

Lena: Sure.

Jamie: I was wondering, do you – Do you know who Michael Scofield is?

Lena: No. [laughs]

Jamie: Oh, okay.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie; Because, you see, the question I’ve been asking everyone is, “Do you watch ‘Prison Break’?” And he’s a character from “Prison Break,” but everyone hasn’t heard of him and no one watches “Prison Break.” It’s very, very depressing. I think you should start, definitely. Trust me.

Lena: Is that the name of the actor or, like, the character on the show?

Jamie: That’s the character.

Lena: Oh.

Jamie: He’s played by Wentworth Miller. You should definitely watch. Promise me. Please, please.

[Everyone laughs]

Lena: I’ll try.

Jamie: It will make my year. It will make my year if you do. Please. Okay, go on. What’s your theory?

Andrew: That is hilarious.

Lena: Not really a theory, but I was thinking about how all of the other books were titled. And it seems to be something tangible each time. Like the Sorcerer’s Stone, and even like, the Half-Blood Prince is a person.

Jamie: Yeah.

Lena: So, I think that the Deathly Hallows is going to be something very specific.

Jamie: Yeah.

Lena: Like, people think it’s like, I don’t know, the final battle and whatnot. But I feel it’s going to be a place, or, yeah. Do you know what I’m saying?

Jamie: Well…

Kevin: Yeah, I totally agree, yeah.

Jamie: We talked about this a while ago, and we said that, as you say, you know, the Philosopher’s Stone was a specific thing, Chamber of Secrets a specific thing, Prisoner of Azkaban a person, Goblet of Fire an object…

Lena: Well, yeah.

Jamie: Order of the Phoenix a group. But then Deathly Hallows just seems like, at the moment it could mean anything, but…

Lena: It could be anything, but I don’t think that Jo would deteriorate from the kind of…

Jamie: The theme, yeah.

Lena: Yeah, which she’s already set up.

Jamie: Well, I mean. But, when you first heard Half-Blood Prince you knew it was either a prince that was half-blood or the prince of the half-bloods. But with this book it just seems that there is so much that it could be. I mean, I agree with you, it is probably going to be something specific. But right now, do you think she just wants to build up the mysticism by sort of, you know, not telling everyone exactly what it is? Or…

Andrew: I think that’s exactly it. Because, I mean…

Lena: I don’t know.

Andrew: We are going to be so short on details about this book that if she keeps it open with this title then we’re going to have much more to speculate about. Because I really don’t think, like, the summary in the – we talked about this last week. The summary inside the flap of the book, it’s very broad. It doesn’t really name anything new in Book 7. It just says that Harry has got to fight this final battle, you know…

Jamie: Exactly, yeah.

Andrew: …and he’s all on his own. And just the whole – so by making the title very broad, very, there’s much to speculate about, you know, it sort of makes up for it I guess. If that makes sense.

Lena: That is true. I do know, though, that we will be very sure what it is. At least we always find out what it is. It’s not going to be like this, you know, we’re going to finish reading the book and then we’re going to go, “Wait, what was the Deathly Hallows?” [laughs] We are going to find out what exactly it is.

Kevin: Yeah, it’s going to be more tangible and less a theme of the book.

Jamie: Yeah.

Kevin: Is what you’re saying.

Lena: Mhm. Yeah.

Kevin: Yeah, I agree. I definitely agree.

Andrew: It seems as if the locket is going to be the theme of the book based on…

Kevin: Yeah. [laughs]

Andrew: …where we’re seeing it. I mean, it’s on the main cover.

Kevin: Everywhere, yeah.

Andrew: Yeah. It’s – I don’t know. I wanted something big and new [laughs] to be the theme of the book.

Jamie: I wanted that too.

Kevin: Yeah, but for all we know they’re putting the locket on there just to put a piece of the old books in the new book just to catch your interest. You know?

Micah: Very true.

Kevin: Just to, yeah. It’s sort of like, you know, twenty years down the line for someone newly reading the books. You know, seeing the locket may spark some interest in them, so. I just think…

Jamie: I think so.

Micah: Lena, what do you think…

Kevin: I don’t think…

Micah: …the Deathly Hallows are?

Lena: Well, I was recently re-reading Order of the Phoenix, and I came across an interesting line – and I’m going to misquote this – but, Ron said something like [laughs] maybe Sirius’ brother – oh, what was it? Something like, maybe – they were talking about the weapon. They kept saying, you know, the weapon. The weapon was a big theme in Order of the Phoenix.

Jamie: Yeah.

Lena: And they said maybe Sirius’s brother knew something about the weapon…

Jamie: Yeah.

Lena: …and he told Sirius. And I thought that was kind of interesting because, you know, everyone thinks that the locket’s in Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

Jamie: Yeah.

Lena: So, if Sirius was, I don’t know, there for the Order meetings I just – I just found that quote really interesting. Because maybe Sirius did know something that he didn’t tell Harry.

Jamie: I think that’s interesting. Especially because, you know, R.A.B. is clearly, you know, an important character in it. Not least because he’s got the Horcrux. But there has to be more to him, you know. Because, that note, she clearly meant to show everyone that note. So, I agree. I think. And Sirius as well. I have the – Laura completely disagrees with me on this – but I don’t think Sirius has completely, you know, used up his role, so.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: I’d like to think that he can talk to us from beyond the grave, or, you know…

Lena: Well, I feel like we’re going to find more about the past, about James and Lily and Snape and Sirius in the past because I feel that it is very important. And we need to find out about the moment when James saved Snape’s life. And I think Sirius might be involved with that.

Jamie: That’s pretty cool. Yeah.

Andrew: Probably, yeah.

Jamie: I like that.

Andrew: So, do you think we’re just going to see him in a flashback sort of thing, or…

Lena: That’s the problem. Either – I don’t think we can use a Pensieve again, just because we already saw Snape’s worst memory that way.

Andrew: Yeah.

Lena: And Dumbledore wouldn’t be keeping, you know, Snape’s memories in his office.

Andrew: Right.

Lena: So, I think that Harry is going to use time travel.

Andrew: Hmmm.

Lena: I know, that theory is kind of common that he is going to go back and stuff.

[Andrew laughs]

Lena: [laughs] But there’s not many other ways for us to find out.

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: Well, I would say a flashback. I mean, I’m one of those people who think that a lot of these characters, including Dumbledore and Sirius, left a trail of bread crumbs. In the sense that they…

Andrew: [laughs] What kind of bread?

Kevin: Well. [laughs] Well, in the…

[Jamie and Lena laugh]

Kevin: …sense that they knew that they were in grave danger, and they knew that that there was a high possibility that they were actually going to end up dead. And I just don’t see them not leaving something behind to help the people they love.

Jamie: I agree, yeah.

Kevin: And I think that may contribute to the overall flashback thing because something can be explained in a letter that Sirius hid for Harry, or a memory that Dumbledore left in a Pensieve only for Harry and stuff like that.

Andrew: Alright, well, Lena – it’s Lena, right?

Lena: Yeah.

Andrew: Thank you for calling. We’ve got some other people to get to now, so we’re going to let you go.

Lena: Yeah. Thank you!

Andrew: Thanks for calling. Bye bye!

Jamie: Thank you.

Andrew: Pickles!


Call: Beyond The Veil


[Sound of phone ringing]

Andrew: [in a fake accent] Hello, Dunkin’ Donuts!

Johnny: Hey, Andrew. This is Johnny, 13, from Boston, Mass., and I heard that you guys were doing a theory submission?

Jamie: Hey, Johnny.

Andrew: [in a fake accent] I’m sorry, we only sell – ah, I screwed it up. Alright.

Jamie: Alright, it worked pretty well. Johnny, before you get to your theory, can I just ask you a question quickly?

Johnny: Yes.

Jamie: Okay, do you know who Michael Scofield is?

Johnny: I do, actually. Yes.

Jamie: You do!

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: You do, excellent. Excellent. Who is he? Just to prove it.

Johnny: Scanfield?

Jamie: He’s what, sorry?

Johnny: Scanfield, you said?

Jamie: No, Scofield. Michael Scofield.

Johnny: Scofield. Oh, the…

Jamie: Do I hear Google?

[Andrew laughs]

Johnny: No. The “Prison Break” guy.

Jamie: Yeah, the “Prison Break” guy.

Johnny: The main character – or the brother.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, yeah. The main guy. Do you watch “Prison Break”?

Johnny: No, but I’ve heard of it.

Jamie: Oh, okay. Awesome, awesome. You’re the best guy so far. I’ve been asking every single person if they watch “Prison Break.” I’ve just finished watching the second season and it’s so good, so now I have to find out who else watches it, but you’re the first guy who’s heard of it, so well done.

Johnny: I don’t want to spoil anything for you.

Andrew: So, you’ve seen a couple?

Johnny: I’ve seen some of it, yeah.

Andrew: Oh, okay.

Jamie: Oh, that’s cool. Okay then.

Andrew: So, what’s your theory, Johnny?

Johnny: Well, about the cover, it’s – I think that the stadium or coliseum in the background is actually what is behind the veil or where the veil leads to, and it’s where Voldemort and Harry are going to have their final showdown.

Andrew: Hm.

Jamie: Well, you know, it’s extremely interesting that you call it the coliseum because we had a caller before that actually said he thinks it is the Roman coliseum, and that they’re going to have a battle there. Do you think it’s a real life place? Or is it just something beyond the veil.

Johnny: Well, as real as it could be. I mean, it’s – I don’t think it’s a place in London or anything. I think it’s more fictional, more kind of not reality. It’s more behind the veil. I think that’s where Harry is going to meet up with the…

Jamie: That’s actually a pretty good theory, I think, because the veil has been built up so much, there has to be something dramatic happening with it. What do you think they’re reaching up for? Because we also had a caller who said that the thing that Harry’s reaching for – it looks like he wants to get it, but they think it could be a Horcrux that both Harry and Voldemort are reaching for. Voldemort wants to take it so Harry can’t get it, and Harry obviously wants to take it first so he can destroy it. What do you think about that?


Slytherin’s Locket


Johnny: I think that’s a pretty good idea, since the British version – since the British cover art is the Slytherin locket, and that could be the Horcrux they’re reaching for.

Jamie: That’s very interesting.

Andrew: But isn’t that what is hanging on Harry’s neck?

Micah: That’s what I thought.

Johnny: I thought it was his iPod when he’s listening to MuggleCast that’s hanging on his neck.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: It is, it is.

Andrew: Alright, fine. [laughs] No, but seriously. You think it’s a locket, don’t you?

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: I think it’s a locket because it seems to be such a central part of the book now.

Jamie: I think it probably is, but why – obviously, it can’t be a Horcrux, then, because why would he wear it? Bringing a Horcrux to Voldemort, you know?

Andrew: Oh, that’s a good point.

Jamie: He must have destroyed it, and now he just keeps a photo of Ginny in there or something.

[Andrew and Johnny laugh]

Andrew: Maybe it really is an iPod.

Jamie: It could be. Micah?


Is Harry Reaching For Something?


Micah: I was going to ask Johnny because we talked about this earlier with a couple of callers; sort of the hand motions where Harry seems to have his hand open welcoming or trying to draw to him something, where Voldemort seems to be sort of having his hand pushing whatever it is away. I wanted to know what you thought about that.

Johnny: Well, it could just be Mary – the artist is trying to – he kind of just could be reaching up just for the sake of it. He might not actually be – I don’t know, I don’t think that he’s – Actually, well, I don’t think he’s actually reaching for anything, no.

Andrew: Mhm.

Johnny: And do we know that definitely is Voldemort? The snake in the robe? I don’t know who else it would be.

Andrew: Oh, absolutely. Wouldn’t that be terrible if it wasn’t really Voldemort?

Jamie: It’s Sirius. He’s been deformed from being behind the veil so he puts that cloak on.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

Johnny: And I know you guys probably talked about this, but isn’t the British children’s Deathly Hallows just terrible?

Andrew: Well, you mean the cover?

Jamie: Oh, the cover?

Johnny: Yeah.

Jamie: You didn’t like it?

Andrew: Have you listened to our discussion on the show?

Johnny: I have, but that’s why I know you don’t like it.

Micah: Which one, the children’s?

Johnny: Yes.

Andrew: I was a bit taken aback. I was like, “Wait, why is it so colorful?”

Jamie: It’s very fairytale-ish.

Andrew: Yeah, exactly.

Jamie: It is very fairytale-ish. I think that’s kind of the theme of the children’s Harry Potter ones. I mean, Philosopher’s Stone had the train, Chamber of Secrets – I shouldn’t have said that because I can’t remember what Chamber of Secrets was.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: All of them were pretty fairytale-ish. I think it’s just – I just like it because there’s treasure, and, you know, I know not all treasure is gold and everything, but I don’t know. I see what you mean, though. I can understand why people wouldn’t like it because of how serious the book is.

Johnny: Do you guys think that that has to do with Deathly Hallows? The treasure?

Jamie: I don’t know. Kevin?

Kevin: Oh, the – I don’t think so. I think that it may come up in the sense of the location that they’re fighting in or a location they’re brought to, but I don’t think it’s directly involved in the title of the book.

Andrew: I’m very intrigued by all this treasure because we’ve never seen so much treasure in the books before, except for going to Gringotts.

Johnny: Is that Harry’s vault, do you think?

Andrew: Well, do you have a quick theory about that? Do you have any ideas? It could be Harry’s vault. I mean – well, I don’t think it can be Harry’s vault because there’s all that armor too.

Jamie: Yeah.

Kevin: Yeah, see, that’s what I didn’t understand. They were pretty deliberate about showing a false suit of armor.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: You know, they have the chest piece, the shield, the sword.

Andrew: Yeah. It was very prominent. It was front and center.

Kevin: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah, that’s true.

Kevin: And it’s a different color from all the other pieces.

Andrew: Right, right. Well, thank you for calling in, Johnny. We’ve got some other callers to get to.

Johnny: Okay, sorry. Thank you for having me.

Andrew: No problem. Thanks for coming on.

Jamie: See you later, Johnny.

Johnny: Long live MuggleCast and have Ben back on the show.

Andrew: Woo! Well, you know what? You can yell at Ben. You want his phone number? I got it.

Jamie: E-mail him. E-mail him and tell him.

Andrew: E-mail him, yeah. And trust me…

Johnny: I have.

Andrew: …he had an open invitation to be on the show today, but apparently, he couldn’t. So, whatever. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah. Oh well.

Johnny: Alright, well.

Jamie: Thanks, Johnny.

Andrew: If you don’t like us, Johnny, you know, whatever. We’ll just…

Jamie: Yeah.

Johnny: No, I – [laughs].

Andrew: I don’t know why I answered your call to begin with.

Johnny: No, you’re my favorite, Andrew.

Andrew: Okay.

Johnny: You and Jamie are my favorites.

Andrew: Whatever. Still, it’s too late.

Jamie: Aw, see you later.

Kevin: Aw, thanks a lot, Johnny.

Andrew: [laughs] Oh, and by the way, Kevin and Micah are here too.

[Micah and Kevin laugh]

Micah: Yeah.

Johnny: Oh, yeah.

Andrew: [laughs] Alright.

Johnny: Yeah. Alright, thank you.

Andrew: Thank you, Johnny.

Kevin: Thank you.

Johnny: Alright, bye.

Andrew: That’s weird. He didn’t try to clean it up and say, “Yeah, I love you guys.”

[Andrew and Kevin laugh]

Andrew: Hey, whatever, it’s cool. Alright.


Call: Voldemort’s Vault?


[Sound of phone ringing]

Andrew: Hello, Katya? How do you say your name?

Katya: [pronounces name] Katya.

Andrew: Katya. Sorry about that. Katya.

Katya: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: Where are you from?

Katya: Philadelphia.

Andrew: Alright! Representing! Everyone is in the area today. I should have just had a live podcast. Why are we doing this over Skype? We just had someone call over from Gibbsboro, New Jersey. Do you know where that is?

Katya: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah, it’s not too far from…

Katya: It’s close to…

Jamie: It’s pretty cool.

Andrew: Yeah. Alright, what’s your theory today?

Katya: Well, I was thinking that Voldemort has a vault or something at Gringotts, so that’s why that on the cover there’s all the coins and everything. So, maybe they went to Hogwarts, got Dobby and the sword, and then went looking for his vault, maybe?

Jamie: That’s very interesting. We just had a caller who wondered what the treasure was on the children’s cover, and he said it could be his fortune. But we thought it probably wasn’t because the armor on the front is so prominent, and Jo clearly wants us to see what that armor is.

Andrew: Right.

Jamie: I’m not sure though.

Katya: Well, it could be in his vault. Maybe it might be a Horcrux that he hides in there. Because…

Andrew: That Harry hides in there?

Katya: No, that Voldemort hides in there.

Andrew: Oh.

Jamie: It’s extremely funny that you should say that as well because I was thinking the other day that when Hagrid says that Gringotts is the safest place to hide a Horcrux, you know, except – sorry, to hide an object except Hogwarts. I would think if you were Voldemort, wouldn’t you get a vault – I mean, I would…

Andrew: Store them all in there, yeah.

Jamie: …think about putting all of the Horcruxes in there. Or one at least. Because they have to have some kind of secrecy clause. You know, you can’t give a key to somebody who is – whose vault is – who doesn’t own it. The goblins don’t seem to have any allegiance, so even if the Ministry of Magic came and said, “You have to open this vault because we think that Voldemort’s Horcrux is in there.” That seems to be an idea. What do you think about that?

Andrew: I wonder if the Ministry of Magic does have that power to open up a vault, to look inside it if they think someone might be trying to hide something in there. Not even Voldemort could say…

Jamie: It’s a private bank, isn’t it? It’s a private bank.

Andrew: It is, but that would be a big plot hole, wouldn’t it? It’s one of those things where you’re just like, “Oh, couldn’t you just put it in Gringotts and then…”

Jamie: If I was a goblin, I’d be a tough one though and – you know?

Andrew: Yeah.

Katya: Well, maybe the goblins are working for Voldemort now. Maybe they’re on his side.

Andrew: Well, yeah.

Jamie: They could well be.

Andrew: Yeah, he could just possess one and…

Kevin: Either that or he has them under some sort of spell that requires that they can’t give up that information. Like…

Andrew: Yeah.

Katya: Yeah.

Kevin: …Unbreakable Vows or something of the sort.


Goblin Or House Elf?


Micah: Speaking of goblins, what if that’s a goblin on Harry’s back? Why does it have to be a house elf?

Andrew: Because of the ears, I thought.

Jamie: Because it looks like one?

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Why does it have to be Harry? Because it looks like him.

Andrew: Well, you know, he’s…

Jamie: But I agree, though.

Andrew: …got a point, yeah.

Jamie: It’s interesting. You do have a point.

Micah: The face is hidden. I mean, it’s just a thought.

Andrew: That might be because they don’t want us to know if it is Kreacher or…

Kevin: Dobby.

Andrew: …Dobby, yeah.

Micah: Yeah, to be honest with you, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference, though [laughs].

Andrew: Yeah, that is – No, no Kreacher is a heck of a lot older.

Kevin: You could. Yeah.

Andrew: And grumpier.

Jamie: Yeah, he is a lot grumpier.

Micah: That, and he’s got a little pot belly.

Andrew: Yeah, yeah. Okay, so you could tell. [laughs]

Micah: I don’t know.

Jamie: There’s that theory gone.

Katya: Do you think that maybe he went back to Hogwarts and stuff because of the sword? Maybe?

Jamie: Gryffindor’s sword?

Katya: Yeah.

Jamie: You mean.

Andrew: Didn’t we talk about this on the show? I think we said it was, wasn’t it?

Jamie: I don’t know. What, that his sword was up? But do you know, it’s so dangerous, though, because he must – Gryffindor, I don’t want to say that Gryffindor was close to Dumbledore and everyone’s hearts, but it seems to be more so than the other Houses. And he must realize the risk that he’s getting into by making the Horcrux – sorry, by making the sword a Horcrux when it obviously has a greater connection to Hogwarts and in Hogwarts now than the cup and the locket and things like that, so I don’t know. What do you guys think?

Kevin: I thought originally, when I saw the sword, that he definitely went back to Hogwarts, and I still sort of think that. I mean, it’s hard to believe that she’s going to not have him go back to Hogwarts at least once during the book, you know?

Jamie: What, you mean…

Kevin: We’ve been there all six years and…

Jamie: That is very true. And…

Kevin: It’s just hard to believe that…

Jamie: And just how important the seventh book was as well if they did that.

Kevin: And she set up Hogwarts through six books, I mean, why would she not…

Andrew: Yeah. Hogwarts is as integral as Harry is to the story, if you ask me.

Kevin: Exactly.

Andrew: So.

Kevin: Yeah.

Andrew: Exactly. Alright, well, thank you for calling in today.

Katya: No problem.

Andrew: And we hope you keep on listening.

Katya: Thank you. Bye.

Jamie: Thank you. See you later.

Katya: Bye.

Andrew: Bye.

Kevin: Thanks for calling.


Call: Harry’s Life After Voldemort


[Sound of phone ringing]

Andrew: What’s up, Nick?

Jamie: Hey.

Nick: Hey, how’s it going?

Andrew: Pretty good. How about you?

Jamie: Not bad, how about you? Where are you from?

Nick: I am in Idaho at college.

Andrew: Oh, very cool.

Micah: Idaho.

Jamie: Is that east coast?

Andrew: No.

Nick: Yep.

Jamie: Oh.

[Andrew laughs]

Nick: Not.

Jamie: Nick, can I ask you a quick question?

Nick: Yeah, Jamie.

Jamie: Okay, well, I’ve been asking everyone who’s been calling in and I am sure when people listen to this show, it’s going to annoy them a lot, but I am sorry. But do you know who Michael Scofield is?

Nick: No, I have no idea.

Jamie: Oh, okay, well [laughs] he’s the main guy from “Prison Break,” the series, and I’ve been asking everyone if they watch it and so far no one watches it. So, I’d like to encourage you to watch it if you can because it’s awesome. Okay, I’m done. [laughs]

Andrew: Alright. [laughs]

Micah: Jamie, did you sign a contract with Fox recently or something?

Andrew: It’s heavy promotion going on.

Jamie: Yeah, I did – I did. My check’s in the post now, so I need to start getting people watching it or they won’t send me any more money.

Micah: Because clearly you need to do that now that the season is over.

[Andrew and Kevin laugh]

Jamie: Yeah, exactly. Yeah. It’s a weird deal, Micah.

Andrew: So, what’s your theory, Nick?

Jamie: It’s a weird deal. Yeah, what’s your theory?

Nick: I wanted to know if you guys thought that Harry could truly live a happy and fulfilling life if he ends up defeating Voldemort? You know, because of what he has gone through and what he is going to go through in the next book. Could he really truly live a happy and fulfilling life after?

Andrew: That’s a good question.

Jamie: That’s interesting.

Andrew: He’s going to be so mentally unstable, I think, after he kills Voldemort.

Nick: Right. You can see all the emotion that he’s gone through in the last two books…

Andrew: Exactly.

Nick: …that’s affected him psychologically.

Andrew: Yeah. He’s going to need some sort of counseling going on.

[Nick laughs]

Andrew: But – I don’t know.

Kevin: I think he could be alright.

Andrew: I think if anything’s going to stable him it’s going to be…

Kevin: His friends.

Andrew: It’s going to be Ginny. Well, and his friends, but more importantly Ginny. Like, continuing a relationship with her.

Jamie: Will his friends still be there at the end? This is the question.

Nick: Yeah.

Jamie: Is he going to finish the series completely alone with Voldemort killed, or is he going to end it with Voldemort done but still with his friends?


Harry’s Future Job


Jamie: But Nick, if he does survive, and he can lead a normal life, what job do you think he’s going to do? Because we were talking about this…

Nick: In the last episode, yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Nick: Oh gosh, I have no idea. [laughs]

Jamie: Really?

Andrew: I mean…

Jamie: We focused on him being a hot dog seller.

[Nick laughs]

Jamie: Which we thought was pretty surefire.

Andrew: Yeah, I think that’s weak.

Jamie: He needs, you know – Why, why is it weak? What do you think he’s going to do?

Andrew: Well, I, well – Okay, [laughs] come on, [laughs] he’s not going to be a hot dog vender.

Nick: He should be a model.

Andrew: He should be a – yeah, he should be a model, there you go.

Nick: He should be a model.

Andrew: Yeah, or a podcaster. The possibilities are endless.

[Jamie and Nick laugh]

Nick: Oh, yeah. Wow.

Andrew: And just think that Harry needs to – Harry’s definitely…

Jamie: What he’s…

Andrew: …going to need to find something to – I hate – I guess, stabilize his life because he’s going to be…

Jamie: He does, sure.

Andrew: He’s going to be coming out of school, out of this mayhem that he’s being going through for really the past seven years – the past eighteen years of his life, really. So…

Kevin: His whole life, you mean?

Andrew: Yeah, his whole life. And he’s got to…

[Kevin laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, his whole life.

Andrew: His parents left him with enough money where I don’t think he’d really immediately need a job. He wouldn’t immediately need a job right out of school.

Jamie: He wouldn’t. He wouldn’t need one.

Andrew: So…

Kevin: He wouldn’t need one. No.

Andrew: But…

Kevin: Yeah.

Andrew: Is he the kind of person who would get bored if he didn’t have a job? You know, something to do.

Kevin: Definitely.

Jamie: Because it seems like…

Kevin: I think so. Yeah.

Andrew: Because he lives on the edge, he wouldn’t… [laughs]

Kevin: Well, it’s not only living on the edge. It’s after coming off of so much excitement.

[Andrew laughs]

Kevin: You would think that he would get so used to it, that he’d have to do something.

Andrew: Yeah, that’s true. Any ideas?


Too Psychologically Damaged To Move On?


Jamie: Nick, do you think he’d need to – he’ll need to do something to, you know, live his life properly, or do you think he can just relax and, you know end his life having a nice time?

Nick: My theory is that he’s more going to be psychologically damaged and that he’s not going to be able to live a fulfilling life, so that kind of edges towards I want him to die, but I really don’t.

[Andrew laughs]

Nick: I don’t know.

Jamie: The thing is…

Nick: It’s still too early.

Jamie: The thing is though if he’s, you know, psychologically damaged, which psychiatrist is going to believe him when he goes in and says, “I’ve just had a huge battle with this wizard, and I killed him, but I’m scarred for life.” You know, you’d think he was mad. You wouldn’t think he was telling the truth. So, [laughs] he’s going to go to like an insane asylum or something if that happens. He shouldn’t go and tell a therapist because they wouldn’t believe him in like a million years.

Andrew: Good point.

Jamie: But I mean I can see what you mean but – and you think if it happened to somebody who is older, as well, they’d have more chance. But if you think, you know, because he’s got one more book effectively to do all this stuff, he’s going to be eighteen, possibly nineteen, when he’s killed Voldemort, and his life as Harry Potter in the series is ended. And that’s an extremely young age to have that responsibility and background. So, I see what you mean. I think he could…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: He could be too damaged.

Andrew: That’s a good point. Yeah, nothing – he’s always going to be – not messed up, but just honestly – I know I keep…

Kevin: He’s got to be affected by it.

Andrew: Yes. [laughs]

Kevin: I wouldn’t call it – I wouldn’t call it unstable, though. I mean, you can be stable and have traumatic things happened.

Andrew: I’m just saying…

Kevin: It’s just how you handle it.

Andrew: I’m just thinking he’s going to keep having nightmares about it and, who knows, his scar might still continue to hurt because of the Death Eaters, you know.

Jamie: Yeah, so…

Andrew: So, there’s lots of possibilities.

Micah: I think it may depend on the structure that’s around him. I mean, who survives, as Jamie said…

Jamie: That’s true, yeah.

Micah: …just before. That’s going to have a huge impact on how stable or unstable he’s going to be after Book 7…

Nick: With his friends.

Micah: …assuming that he does survive. You know, if he loses those closest to him, maybe he’d rather be dead.

Jamie: That’s the thing, yeah.

Micah: In all likelihood, that might be the solution.


Harry’s Missing Scar


Jamie: Here’s a question for you, Nick. Somebody emailed about this. On the children’s cover – the U.K. edition children’s cover, you can’t really see his scar. Some people are saying, “Well, his hair is covering it.” But some people are saying that his scar isn’t actually there. What do you think about that?

Andrew: Sorry, on which cover?

Jamie: The U.K. children’s cover.

Nick: I’ve never seen that.

Andrew: It’s on the…

Nick: I’ll have to look at that.

Andrew: It doesn’t – you don’t see it on the U.S. one either, actually.

Jamie: Well, this is the thing; people are saying, is it left out on purpose? Is it just, you know, because of the light there? Because it’s extremely interesting if you see him with Voldemort without his scar, because you think something would’ve had to have happened. Like, perhaps, if Harry’s a Horcrux and he’s found a way to, you know, get rid of it without killing himself, but I’m not sure about that.

Andrew: I don’t see how scar can be the last word of the book, though, if it’s already gone for the final battle.

Jamie: Yeah, that is very true. That is very true.

[Andrew laughs]

Andrew: You know, I don’t know. Or maybe his scar reappears. “And reappeared…

Kevin: Yeah, but…

Andrew: [whispers] “…the scar.”

Kevin: It – No, it definitely could be the last word of the book. I mean, there’s always those wrapping up sentences where they, you know, she could do something like, “And that’s the story of Harry Potter, the boy who…”

Jamie: “And his scar.”

Kevin: “And his scar.” Or something like that.

Jamie: “The boy who had a scar.”

Kevin: Exactly.

Micah: “The boy with the lightening bolt scar.”

Jamie: I guess. [laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] “I cut myself last week, and I have a scar. The end.”

[Kevin laughs]

Jamie: Yeah. “On my head.”

Andrew: Alright. Well, Nick, thanks for calling in. We’re going to get to some other calls right now.

Jamie: Thanks, Nick.

Nick: Alright, sounds good. Thank you very much.

Andrew: No problem, thanks.

Jamie: See you later, Nick.

Andrew: See ya.

Kevin: Bye.


Call: Draco On The U.K. Cover


[Sound of phone ringing]

Andrew: Hi.

Jamie: Hey. Do you think you could state you name and where you’re from, please?

Emily: Okay, I’m Emily from Maryland. I – you’ve probably heard this, or maybe not, about – I know on your last show you kept calling the three people on the cover of the U.K. album art Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but I could have sworn who you were referring to as Ron was really Draco.

Jamie: You think Ron is Draco?

Emily: Yeah, because…

Jamie: Oh, interesting.

Emily: …if you look at it, he’s – it’s blonde. He’s blonde, and he’s wearing green robes. So Slytherin, you know, green. And obviously, Draco is blonde.

Jamie: But wait, his hair’s still ginger, isn’t it?

Emily: Not really. It’s kind of the lighting, though.

Andrew: It looks kind of ginger to me. I don’t – I mean, that’s interesting.

Jamie: Well, they do like to hide, you know, very small things in there, but do you think that that means that Draco is going to be there working with Harry right at the end?

Emily: Yeah, that’s kind of what I was thinking about it. Because the first thing I thought when I saw that was that it’s Draco, because even though it looks kind of red, ginger, it’s very blonde looking, which – It could be just because of the lighting, you know, the sky’s orange and all. I don’t know, but – I don’t know, that’s what I was thinking.

Jamie: Well, it really is an interesting thing because everyone’s been wondering, you know, will A. Draco be with Harry? Will he be with Harry to be bad, you know, to hinder his path, or will he be there to redeem himself? And that, I think, is going to be a big theme in the final book: redemption. So, I agree, I wouldn’t be surprised if, you know, Draco was there at the end. Kevin?

Kevin: I mean, it’s a possibility, but I really think that they wouldn’t put Harry and Hermione on the book without Ron. I think it’s just the trio, you know what I mean? I just think that being the trio, one isn’t without the other, in the sense of, you know…

Emily: Well, you don’t know what actually happens. [laughs] Something could…

Kevin: Right.

Emily: …happen, so the trio’s not really the trio.

Kevin: It – That’s true, but I don’t think for – One, they’re – One, I don’t see Draco playing – I don’t see Draco making that expression, honestly. It sounds somewhat stupid, but it just seems as though they wouldn’t represent Harry Potter, the last book, with Harry…

Jamie: That’s a fair point.

Kevin: …Hermione, and Draco. I think they…

Jamie: What do you think, Micah?

Kevin: …have to represent it with the trio.

Micah: Well, one listener actually wrote in over the week, and, particularly about the clothing that Ron – who I think is Ron, and Hermione seem to be wearing. If you go back to Goblet of Fire, they actually, at the Yule Ball, Ron had on a green robe, I believe, and Hermione had on something that was purple, so perhaps this is…

Jamie: Yeah.

Micah: …after the wedding. Are they coming from the wedding dressed up?

Jamie: That’s interesting.

Andrew: Oh!

Emily: Well…

Jamie: Didn’t even consider that.

Kevin: Well, that’s…

Emily: Hm.

Micah: And Harry actually had on some sort of black tuxedo, and he has on a black something there.

Andrew: It doesn’t look like a tuxedo.

Micah: I don’t know what to call it, but – Yeah, it doesn’t really look like a tuxedo, but overall…

Jamie: You’d think they’d bring a change of clothes as well, if you were going to fight Voldemort afterwards.

Micah: Well, Harry actually looks like he’s wearing his Hogwarts….

Andrew: It does, yeah.

Micah: …clothing, whereas the other two look like they may have come from the wedding.

Jamie: Yeah.

Micah: Maybe Harry doesn’t go.

Andrew: Do you think this scene is that early in the book, though? Oh, well, actually, I’m assuming that – the wedding’s over the summer, right? It’s got to be.

Emily: Well, I’m thinking that it could be towards the end, because I mean, usually they illustrate that – well, not usually, but you always think that they would illustrate the bottom, like the last scene, the final battle. So, if Draco’s there, actually defending Harry, or he’s being killed in the photo.

Kevin: Do you think it would be the coliseum?

Andrew: Well, previously…

Emily: Drawing.

Andrew: Well, I was just going to say, I mean, like, the U.K. covers – I know Chamber of Secrets was the Ford Angela. And what were the others, Jamie?

Jamie: Yeah, sorry, that was the what? Anglia, Anglia. It’s Anglia.

Andrew: Anglia, sorry. Ford Anglia.

Jamie: Angela’s a girl’s name, Andrew. [laughs]

Andrew: Yeah, sorry.

[Emily laughs]

Andrew: What are some of the other covers? What do they have on them? I mean, the phoenix is on Order of the Phoenix

Jamie: Yeah, Prisoner of Azkaban was the – God, oh, wow. I can’t remember.

Emily: So, like the significant things.

Andrew: Alright, well…

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah, they were all the significant ones, definitely.

Andrew: Well, how – Okay, yeah, I guess so. Alright. Well, thank you for calling in today.

Emily: Thank you.

Andrew: And we’re going to get to some other calls now, so thank you for calling.

Jamie: Thank you very much. See you later.

Emily: Okay.

Andrew: Bye.

Emily: Bye.

Jamie: Bye bye.

Micah: Thank you.


Dropped Call


[Sound of phone ringing]

Andrew: Hey, Jack.

Jamie: Hey, Jack. Where are you from?

Andrew: Ah, he hung up.

Jamie: Aw, he hung up. That’s a shame.

Kevin: We lost Jack.

Jamie: Jack Sparrow.

Andrew: Jack is not back. [laughs]

Jamie: It was actually Jack Sparrow.

Andrew: Alright, here comes another one.


Call: Snape Is Good


[Sound of phone ringing]

Michelle: Hello?

Andrew: Hi.

Jamie: Hey. Where are you from?

Michelle: Hi, I’m from Oregon, USA.

Andrew: Woo! Have we had any foreign callers…

Micah: Nice.

Andrew: …today? You know why? It’s the time zones thing, I bet.

Jamie: It is – it is the time zone thing. It’s half twelve here. People are in bed.

Andrew: Why are you still up, dude?

Jamie: Most people are in bed. Oh, well, after I called the show thingy – you know, all my friends are in the U.S., so they get to do it at a nice, reasonable time, while I have to stay up and talk…

[Andrew and Micah laugh]

Andrew: What a loser.

Micah: Very creative last name for the show.

Andrew: You guys are losers.

Micah: Great life, Jamie.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Andrew: Is that your real last name?

Michelle: Me?

Andrew: Yeah.

Michelle: No, but I just go by Michelle Potter because…

Andrew: Oh.

Jamie: Oh.

Michelle: …it – Harry Potter fan, of course.

Andrew: Hey, we know this guy who goes by Pickle – Peter Pickle.

[Michelle laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, we asked him if it was his real name, but no. He said no.

Andrew: [laughs] I was – Go ahead, sorry.

Jamie: I have a quick question for you: Do you know who Michael Scofield is?

Michelle: No.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Oh. I’m going to have to stop asking this.

Andrew: Do you know who Jack Bauer is?

Michelle: Yeah, some actor who…

Andrew: Yeah, the guy on “24.” Yeah. Everyone…

Jamie: Okay, Jack Bauer is not as cool as Michael Scofield.

Michelle: I don’t even watch “24,” but I know him.

Jamie: Well, Michael Scofield is the lead guy from “Prison Break,” the TV series, and he can kick Jack Bauer’s thing anytime.

Andrew: No, Jack Bauer is so bad, but that – Chuck Norris jokes…

Jamie: He is not. He takes 24 hours to do things.

Andrew: There are Jack Bauer jokes like Chuck Norris ones.

Jamie: There are loads of Jack Bauer ones. But, Andrew, Andrew…

Andrew: Yeah, there’s no Michael Scofield.

Jamie: Michael Scofield could do what Jack Bauer does in 12 hours.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: He could cut each episode in half. He’s that cool. And do you have a theory, Michelle?

Michelle: Well, kind of. Well, for one thing, I’m positive that Snape is good because he has to know the entire prophecy. Because how could Dumbledore know the entire prophecy if he was interrupted by Snape? So, I think that Snape only told Voldemort part of it, and that was also another reason why Dumbledore trusts him. I’m not, like, the inventor of this theory, but it just makes a lot of sense.

Jamie: Oh, so are you saying that Snape heard the entire thing, but he was working for Dumbledore, so he deliberately fed Voldemort only half the information?

Michelle: Well, he must have – something like that. He must’ve realized that it meant that Voldemort was going to kill someone. He probably didn’t know it was the Potters, but I think he was teaching at Hogwarts at the time, or something like that. It’s just that…

Jamie: Wouldn’t it be easier – sorry, go on.

Michelle: Sorry. I’m messing myself up.

Jamie: Sorry. Go on, go on.

Michelle: But Dumbledore wouldn’t know the whole thing if he was interrupted by Snape, because when Trelawney goes into her trance, when she’s giving a prophecy, Harry couldn’t figure out what was going on, and she doesn’t remember it. And so, it’s not very likely that Dumbledore could be doing two things at once. But then again, he is Dumbledore, and he can do anything.

Jamie: [laughs] That is true, he can multi-task. He’s the only man alive who can multi-task. Because the rest of us can’t. Seriously, we’re absolutely useless.

[Andrew and Kevin laugh]

Jamie: But you’d think that if Snape was completely good, wouldn’t he feed Voldemort completely false information? Because, you know, half the prophecy is more dangerous than no record of the prophecy at all.

Andrew: That’s true, yeah.

Michelle: True.

Andrew: I mean, if I was Snape, I’d be feeding them the wrong information.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Weak theory, I know, but…

Micah: Well, I think this gets into the whole area about, if he had any type of feelings for Lily, then he felt remorse for telling Voldemort anything in the first place.

Andrew: Yeah.

Michelle: Yeah.

Micah: And so that’s why he went to Hogwarts, that’s why he let Dumbledore take him in, and do all those sorts of things. I think, even at the end of the sixth book, one of the things that may prove even more so that’s he’s good is, he can do anything he wants to Harry at that time. When he’s running away, he could have stunned him, he could have killed him, he could’ve done anything he possibly wanted to do. So, why didn’t he? He teaches him. He tells Harry to close his mind. He stops a Death Eater from putting the Cruciatus Curse on him. And he tells him to leave him alone because Harry belongs to Voldemort. So, I just found that interesting. I think – Even as Snape was fleeing Hogwarts he was still teaching Harry. Why would he do that if he’s completely evil?

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: Yeah.

Jamie: No, yeah, definitely. I agree. And he’s clearly a very clever character, Snape. I don’t care what people say about him being stupid. Even if he is out for himself, he’s clearly very, very, very intelligent. And I think he could play both sides, so it does remain to be seen.


Snape’s Involvement In Book 7


Andrew: We talked about this last week, just a real little bit, I think. It’s kind of disappointing he’s not on any of the covers, because, you know, the big question is: Is Snape good or bad? And yet he doesn’t play that big of a role in the final battle, so – I don’t know.

Michelle: Yeah.

Andrew: I was sort of hoping that he was going to be the X factor in the final battle. Where it’s like between Harry and Voldemort…

Jamie: He could be.

Andrew: …and then Snape shows up…

Micah: Yeah, he could be.

Andrew: …and they’re both living on a prayer that he’s, in Voldemort’s case, bad, and Harry’s case, good.

Jamie: Like Ryan Adams. No, sorry, Jon Bon Jovi. He was living on a prayer.

[Micah and Michelle laugh]

Andrew: Yeah, exactly. That’s what I was going for. Yeah. He will be. They’ll both be living on a prayer. Or a spell. Ha ha ha ha.

Jamie: [laughs] Living on a spell. That would be the best music…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: …to put to the final battle, “Living on a Prayer.” I would love that in the movie.

Andrew: I was just thinking about Bon Jovi jumping into the, what everyone’s calling the Coliseum, and starting to rock out.

Jamie: Yeah, playing his guitar.

Andrew: [sings] Woooah! Livin’…

Jamie: [laughs] That would awesome.

Andrew: [laughs] Alright. Well, thank you, Michelle, for calling today.

Jamie: Thanks, Michelle.

Michelle: Thank you. I’ll see you at Enlightening.

Andrew: Oh, will you be at Enlightening?

Michelle: Yeah.

Andrew: Oh, wonderful, we will, too.

Michelle: Doing the whole camp thing.

Andrew: Oh, cool. Excellent. So we’ll teach you how to podcast.

Jamie: See you later.

Michelle: Alright.

Andrew: See ya.

Micah: Bye.

Michelle: Bye.


Call: Death Eaters Or Dementors?


[Sound of phone ringing]

Andrew: Phil!

Jamie: Hey, Phil. Where are you from?

[Pause of silence]

Jamie: Phil?

Andrew: Outside space, apparently. [laughs] Phil, you there?

Jamie: Yeah, takes a long time for the signal to get down.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs] Born June 13th, 19…

Phil: Hey, sorry about that. I had my mic off.

Andrew: There you go. No problem, dude.

Jamie: Oh, hey, Phil. No problem. Where are you from?

Phil: I’m from Orange County, California.

Andrew: Awesome, man!

Jamie: Ah, a west coast. You’re a first west coast.

Andrew: Hailing from Mikey’s hometown area. Sort of.

Phil: Yeah.

Andrew: Cool.

Jamie: State, it’s called, Andrew. State. [laughs]

Andrew: No, actually, I was going for hometown, Jamie, thanks for calling me out there.

Jamie: Oh, does he live in Orange County?

Andrew: Yeah, he does, actually.

Jamie: I’ve been completely wrong, I’ve been completely wrong. Phil?

Andrew: Yeah, that’s where he is right now.

Jamie: Can I ask you a quick question before you say your theory?

Phil: Sure, sure.

Jamie: Do you know who Michael Scofield is?

Phil: Uh, no.

Jamie: Oh, what a shame. He’s…

Andrew: Jamie, I just think…

Jamie: Yeah?

Andrew: Maybe it’s just not a big thing among Harry Potter fans to watch “Prison Break.”

Jamie: It must be. He’s the lead guy from “Prison Break,” and I’ve just seen the season finale, and I’ve trying to find out who else watches it for intense “Prison Break” discussion, but no one does. Every single caller doesn’t watch it, so it’s a shame.

Phil: Oh.

Jamie: But do you have a theory, Phil?

Phil: Yeah. Actually, I thought that the figures around Harry and Voldemort on the cover weren’t Death Eaters, but Dementors, and the smoke that’s coming from Harry’s hand is actually a premature Patronus.

Jamie: Aah.

Andrew: Ooh.

Kevin: Oh, that’s good.

Jamie: I haven’t heard anything like that before. I like that. And I like that because it – Everyone assumes they’re Death Eaters because they’re dark figures and they’re in shadow, but I like that a lot. But I hadn’t even considered Dementors. But do you think that Harry can make a Patronus strong enough to ward off all those dementors while still battling against anything that Voldemort sends?

Phil: Oh, yeah. That’s why I think that it’s premature and silvery wisps of smoke, like an incomplete Patronus. Because he doesn’t have a wand, and he’s also trying to fight Voldemort.

Jamie: Yeah.

Phil: So, he might not have enough magical energy, or anything left.

Andrew: Hm.

Phil: Whatever it’s called.

Jamie: It’s interesting, though, that because the Dementors are, obviously, you know, exceptionally powerful creatures. And you’d think if Voldemort had them at his beck and call…

Phil: Yeah.

Jamie: …that they’re more powerful to have than Death Eaters, because you need a specific charm to get rid of them, they make you unhappy and can stop you using your powers effectively. But I guess to a trained wizard, a Patronus is an easy thing to create, so that could be why they don’t use them.

Phil: Yeah.

Jamie: I don’t know. Micah?

Micah: I think it’s an interesting idea. I’m looking at it right now. I had to take another look at it to know what he was talking about, but – I actually asked this to another caller. If there’s some object maybe out there that you can’t see – what does it look like to you? I mean, Harry’s hand is open almost like he’s welcoming it. Maybe if he’s not doing the Patronus charm, is he trying to draw whatever it is to him in a welcoming way, whereas Voldemort seems to be pushing back against it. He has his hands…

Jamie: Yeah.

Micah: …sort of forced out, almost looking like he’s pushing it away. What do you think about that?

Andrew: He’s leaning back, too. Huh!

Micah: Yeah, he is leaning back.

Jamie: What about a phoenix? Do you think it could be Fawkes, because I think that Harry would welcome Fawkes, and Voldemort would push his hand away because it strikes fear in the heart of the impure, so it could be that. But I really like the Patronus idea. Those figures – it’s too easy to just assume and accept that they’re Death Eaters when they could be so many things.

Andrew: I’m just trying to think, though, would he be able to do it without a wand? Conjure one?

Jamie: Well – what, a Patronus?

Andrew: A Patronus, yeah.

Jamie: I think it’s probably possible, despite – wand only channels your stuff, your inner power. So, if you’re powerful enough to create something without a wand, then you must be able to do that powerful magic without – I bet that Dumbledore could.

Andrew: But, I mean, he was just learning how to do it, how to conjure a Patronus with a wand. Not just, that was in Book 3, but…

Jamie: I know. Yeah.

Andrew: Now, could he do it without a wand? Is he that good at wandless magic at this point?

Jamie: What do you think, Phil?

Phil: Um.

Andrew: I’m not shooting it down, though. I think that’s a very good idea, it’s a clever theory.

Phil: Yeah. And also…

Jamie: Do you think he could…

Phil: What?

Jamie: Do you think he can conjure a Patronus without a wand, or…

Phil: Well, he’s Harry Potter, so…

[Andrew laughs]

Phil: …he must be able to without practice.

Jamie: That’s true. I like that answer. That’s very good.

Phil: He’s supposed to be learning a lot more in Deathly Hallows, so maybe he’s going to be focusing on wandless magic.

Andrew: Yeah. Alright.

Jamie: That’s very interesting.

Andrew: Very good theory. Thank you, Phil, for calling in today.

Phil: Thanks for having me on the show.

Andrew: No problem, dude.

Jamie: Thanks. See you later.

Andrew: See you later.

Phil: Bye!

Jamie: Bye.

Kevin: Bye.


Show Close


Jamie: Okay, guys, that wraps up our call-in show. And I’d just like to apologize very briefly for asking absolutely ever caller who – if they knew who Michael Scofield was, or if they watch “Prison Break.” I’m sure it got tedious. But if you are a watcher and if you’ve watched the season finale…

[Show music in background]

Jamie: …then you’ll know how absolutely incredible and exciting and fantastic and brilliant the show is, and you’ll be wanting to know who else is watching it, too. So, it’s like a paradox. You’ll have to watch to realize how important a question it is.

Andrew: I also want to say that I think that went pretty well, for – I guess that’s pretty much our first…

Jamie: Yeah, I agree with you.

Andrew: …call-in show. So I think it’d be a good idea if we did a couple more of those in the future.

Jamie: That’s a good idea.

Andrew: So, if you tried to call in today and you didn’t get on, do not worry. We will try to get you next time. We took all Skype calls this time because Skype – the quality on a Skype call compared to a regular landline is a thousand times better, so…

Jamie: It really is, yeah.

Andrew: …we recommend using Skype for any of those – for any of you out there who tried to use your phone. But yeah, overall very good. I think we’ll definitely do that again whenever we don’t feel like coming up with a normal show. [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Thanks, guys, for calling in. I am Michael Scofield.

Andrew: I’m Andrew Sims. [whispers] Toots.

Kevin: I’m Kevin Steck.

Micah: And I’m Micah Tannenbaum.

[Show music ends]


Bloopers


Jamie: So, Andrew, do you have any thoughts on that?

Andrew: Well, no. I think the theories presented were pretty good. I think it was pretty good. I don’t know.

Jamie: I think it’s good. Okay, thank you very much, Chloe. See you later.

Chloe: Thanks. Bye.

Andrew: Bye.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Andrew: My bad! [laughs]

Jamie: I know! [laughs] I know you would. I know you would. Sorry. I’m so sorry. I finally realized afterwards that you weren’t listening. [laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] I thought – I was just trying to get Kevin in here, so I wasn’t paying attention.

Jamie: I was like, “Andrew, what did you think of that?” “Yeah, I thought it was pretty solid!”

Andrew: [laughs] Sorry.

[Kevin laughs]

Jamie: “Pretty…”

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: I started laughing, as well. So, okay.

———————–

Written by: Micah, Adrienne, Allison, Briana, Cindy, Jessica, Laura, Leah, Margaret, Matt, Samantha, Sapna, Sarah, Shannon, Shelly, and Tina

Transcript #85

MuggleCast 85 Transcript


Show Intro


[Audio]: What’s up MuggleCast listeners? If you want to make an impact online, GoDaddy.com has what you need. Get your own dot-com domain name for as low as $1.99. Plus world class hosting, fast and easy website builders and much more. Plus as a listener of MuggleCast, enter code Muggle, that’s M-U-G-G-L-E, when you check out and save an additional 10 percent on any order. Some restrictions apply, see site for details. Get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy.com.

Andrew: This week’s MuggleCast is also brought to you by Borders. Prepare for the upcoming release of Book 7 by catching a glimpse of where it all began. During the month of April, you can purchase Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on DVD for only $14.99 at Borders. Also be sure to reserve Book 7 at Borders at 40 percent off and get a free sticker. Choose from “Trust Snape” or “Snape is a very bad man.”

[Intro music begins to play]

Andrew: Because some people quit listening to our show because of what we said about what happens in Book 7, this is MuggleCast Episode 85 for April 8, 2007.

[Intro music continues to play]

Andrew: Got a few e-mails here this week I thought we could read to kick off the show. First one comes from Donna, 36, of Missouri. She writes:

I cannot believe you have ruined MuggleCast for me. I will no longer be able to listen until after the seventh book comes out. You were making the wait until then bearable because I had you guys every week giving me something to think about before the next book comes out. Now that you guys have read it, I will be afraid to listen just in case you let slip with a big spoiler and ruin the book for me. I guess I will have to start listening to the “other” Harry Potter podcast even though I never enjoyed it as much. I wish you the best. Loved your podcast.

Donna wasn’t too happy, guys, about our little review of the book.

Laura: And you know what I found funny about it is that so many people thought it was an April Fools joke…

Andrew: Yeah, that’s what gets me.

Laura: …and I guess now would be a really bad time for us to tell Donna that it wasn’t.

Andrew: Yeah. I mean that’s what gets me, Laura. That’s what gets me. Another e-mail from Stella Rooney, 8-years-old from Glasgow, UK. She writes – her subject is April Foul:

Dear MuggleCasters, what a nice little joke about the manuscript. Not! How could you do something like that? I’m sure I’m not speaking for myself when I say that there are people out there that took that seriously and didn’t think about it when it was released. It really was an April Foul. I’m lucky that my mum pointed out to me that if it was for real, it would be all over the newspapers. You didn’t think about that, did you?

Again, not sure why it didn’t make it to the press, but it was real.

Mikey: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: Everyone got it, right? Everyone can say that they got the book, right?

Kevin: Yep.

Mikey: Yeah I just got mine the other day.

Laura: Yeah.

Mikey: So I just finished reading it.

Andrew: Oh Mikey how did you enjoy it, by the way?

Mikey: Oh it’s wonderful.

Andrew: Yeah?

Mikey: Yeah I was a little surprised. I was left out but I got it finally, so I’m happy.

Andrew: Yeah, well, sorry about that. I mean, this US mail. You try to do like the confirmation sending, where they swear it’s going to be there by a certain day and then, you know, it doesn’t show up.

Mikey: It’s alright.

Micah: Well I mean there’s no guarantee that the post person wouldn’t want to read it themselves. I mean, come on.

Andrew: That’s true, that’s true. I forgot to wrap it up so they didn’t know what it was inside. Anyway, welcome everybody to the show, and we got some more cover coverage to talk about this week. But before we do anything else, I’m Andrew Sims.

Kevin: I’m Kevin Steck.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Micah: I’m Micah Tannenbaum.

Mikey: And I’m Mikey Bouchereau.

[Intro music continues to play]


News


Andrew: Micah Tannenbaum is standing by in the MuggleCast news center with the past week’s top Harry Potter news stories. Micah?

Micah: Thanks, Andrew.

The US Potter publisher, Scholastic, has introduced unbending rules for libraries handling Deathly Hallows this summer. According to the contract which Scholastic is having the libraries sign, the number of employees handling the novel must be limited. Oh, time to put in my application to work in the library.

Furthermore, those libraries that breach the contract could be blacklisted from future book releases. Well guys, I mean, this is your last shot. This is the last Harry Potter book, so who cares about any releases after this? The contract states that “We acknowledge and agree that any such violation will cause irreparable harm to Scholastic and the author, J.K. Rowling, and that monetary damages will be inadequate to compensate for violations.”

Last Saturday, the Harry Potter series won in the category of “Favorite Book” at the 20th Anniversary of the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. Always a favorite at this slime-filled ceremony, Harry has also won in the category of “Favorite Movie” in past years. The series beat out How to Eat Fried Worms, Island of the Blue Dolphins and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Bloomsbury has updated their “21 Great Reads for the 21st Century” with news that over the next year, “two or three authors will be featured each month, giving details of their careers, forthcoming books and events and suggestions of similar Bloomsbury authors you might be interested in.” We’re unsure as to whether JK Rowling will be featured but we will keep you updated.

Dan Radcliffe, the Harry Potter actor, previously recorded a video to raise awareness and funds for children in extreme poverty in America and Africa. This video, along with those of Helena Bonham Carter, who plays Bellatrix Lestrange, and a number of other celebrities, will be broadcast on “American Idol Gives Back,” April 25th.

Finally, a new report states that Harry Potter is the most searched fan fiction on Yahoo!.

That’s all the news for this April 8th, 2007, edition of MuggleCast. Back to the show.

Andrew: Okay, thank you Micah.

Micah: Yo, yo.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Is that your new thing now?

Mikey: What’s up Micah?

Andrew: Yeah what’s up, yo?

Mikey: Yo what’s up, G?

Andrew: You want to do your own rap, Micah, for the show?

Laura: Mhm.

Micah: Yeah. Yeah, why not? The news rap.

Andrew: Yeah, yeah, there you go. We have a…

Micah: Don’t sound so excited about that. Really.


Announcements


Andrew: Well, you know. We have a couple of announcements this week. Of course, a big one for the show: we have changed our cover art and we have a brand new website over at MuggleCast.com. Does everyone like it?

Kevin: I think it’s awesome, yeah.

Mikey: It’s awesome, yeah. I like it.

Micah: I like it.

Laura: I love it.

Andrew: Yeah I’m really happy with how it turned out. Basically, I want to talk about a few things here, but the website was made by Greg Porter. He’s been on the show a couple of times, of XalerStudios.com. He does fantastic website designs, so head over to his website today and you can use the code ‘MCMUGGLE’ to get a special discount on your design created by Greg. We highly recommend him. He made that website in a day, guys, and coded it for us. He did a fantastic job.

Mikey: Wow.

Laura: Wow.

Andrew: Yeah, and of course we have the new album art, if you haven’t checked the Myspace, or the Facebook, or anywhere else lately. But the reason we did this change – and I don’t want to get sentimental – but the reason we did this change is because, really, it’s a new era of MuggleCast where all we are talking about now is the seventh and final Harry Potter book and that’s what we’re focused on now, so it only makes sense to change over our visual. Our one and only visual for the show, which is the cover art and the website. S,o I guess that’s two, but I know what most of you are asking right now. [mimicking]‘Why do you guys do this just like the other Harry Potter podcast?! You guys ripped them off!’ Two things about that: one, last time I checked…

Micah: [Makes buzzer sound] Wrong.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew: Last time I checked…

Mikey: We have a black iPod.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: We got the black iPod! I like that, we got a black one!

Andrew: Yeah, yeah. My favorite part of this new album art is that we still have the MuggleCast album art, the old one- the Half-Blood Prince one-inside the iPod. But anyway, first of all, we’ve said publicly on this show multiple times that we were going to be probably switching over to the new cover as our album art, once it came out. Second of all, we can’t hear any complaints about people saying, ‘Oh, you guys copied the other Harry Potter podcast.’ When in fact we were doing the whole book-cover-as-the-album-art thing with an iPod on it for, what, a-year-and-a-half now? So whatever. But we hope everyone does enjoy it a lot and we know we do. So that’s that.

Also, bad news about the suitcase video, I’m not going to make a big deal about this. Long story short, I can’t bring it into school. There’s all this nonsense going on about filming in school. That doesn’t involve MuggleCast itself, but doing it in school. So, I do apologize for that. The winners are going to be getting the pieces of the suitcase. Maybe I’ll take some pictures of the destroyed suitcase. It is still sitting here in my room and the dead body in there is still rotting, so I do want to get rid of it as soon as possible.

Also, don’t forget to vote for us on Podcast Alley. We thank everyone for their vote, and don’t forget me, Micah…

Micah: Yo.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Ben and Jamie will be at Enlightening 2007 in Philadelphia, PA, at the University of Penn., from July 12th to the 15th. We’re going to be going to the movie premiere, hosting a podcast and we are also going to be doing a seminar on how to make your own podcast. We’re going to teach you all the ropes. We have an update on the live podcast. It’s going to be in the Irvine… Irvin, or Irvine Auditorium. Over 800 seats, a beauuuuuuutiful theater to host the podcast in, so we are really looking forward to that and more details could be found on Enlightening2007.org.


Kevin and Mikey’s Thoughts on the Covers


Andrew: So, we are going to get right into our main discussion this week. Guys? I want to start off with Kevin and Mikey’s thoughts. Kevin, do you want to go first? Your general thoughts about the cover? So we can kick off our session…

Kevin: Well, I’ve heard a lot of people don’t like it because it seemed too colorful but I like it. I think it’s a little…

Andrew: You’re talking about the UK cover, children’s edition?

Kevin: Yeah. I like it. I think it’s unique.

Andrew: What was your initial thought about the US cover?

Kevin: Well I was very interested to see the little silhouettes in the background. That along with Harry and Voldemort grasping out towards something. I think I said it to – or Micah brought it up to me- it looks almost like they are trying to cast wandless magic, which I think is pretty cool.

Andrew: Yeah. We brought it up on the show that on, I think it was at least four of the covers, Harry is holding his wand, along with at least one, or two other people. And in this case neither Harry nor Voldemort are holding their wands…

Kevin: Yeah. Not too mention it’s the first time we actually saw
Voldemort illustrated.

Andrew: Yeah, that’s true. I really think it only makes sense that he only shows up on the final cover…

Kevin: The final cover, yeah.

Andrew: Because it’s sort of like – granted, though it’s not on the front cover- he’s on the back cover. Nonetheless, though, it’s still very cool. How about the UK adult edition with R.A.B.’s locket?

Kevin: I think that’s really interesting because it showed up in – or at least we think it’s in the children’s edition in the US version around Harry’s neck…

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: I’m very surprised they’re giving so much focus to it.

Andrew: Yeah. Well, I mean we were talking about the fact that last time it was it was Snape’s diary right there on the cover and now it’s the locket. So, it’s like, is that going to play a semi-important role? Or is it going to be a huge role or what…

Kevin: Well, what I was thinking was maybe perhaps it’s the last Horcrux to be found and that’s why they’re giving so much, you know, attention to it.

Andrew: Well, are we all in agreement that the locket is a very crucial Horcrux for one reason or another?

Kevin: Yeah, absolutely…

Laura: Yeah, definitely.

Mikey: Yeah, definitely. It has to be…

Laura: It wouldn’t be featured on the cover if it wasn’t.

Kevin: And I think it is because of the fact that it’s now potentially hidden beyond where it was hidden originally. So, it’s not like the other Horcruxes which could be found in their original spots. This has, you know, been moved.

Mikey: Well, I also think that it has so much more meaning because it’s been alluded to so many times…

Kevin: Yeah, that’s true…

Mikey: We think we see it in Order of the Phoenix. We saw it, or we thought we could have seen it in Half-Blood Prince, and now it’s – like you said, it could be moved, we might find out more about R.A.B. – we will – but it’s all these different things surrounding that locket. So…

Micah: But now I mean, are we under the impression that it’s not destroyed? Because…

Andrew: No, it can’t be…

Micah: …based on the note I thought R.A.B. destroyed it, or did he just take it?

Kevin: I think everyone…

Mikey: Or we hoped he destroyed it.

Kevin: Right. And I think everyone thinks that it’s the locket that it showed in Grimmauld Place. So…

Andrew: Right. So Mikey, what are your general thoughts on the covers. Are you happy with them?

Mikey: Yeah, I like the US edition. The children’s UK edition kind of freaks me out a little. It looks weird. It’s got a lot of information on there, but I’m not too found of the artwork. It just kind of – maybe too much is going on, I guess? I don’t know…

Andrew: Yeah. I’ve never been found of any of the UK covers.

Mikey: Yeah.

Andrew: This one, honestly, I would have to say that this one is my favorite just because of how much detail is in it. I kind of like how colorful it is. I love Hogwarts on the back. If that is Hogwarts, which…

Mikey: I know. It’s a different color. It’s got some really cool stuff. What’s with Prongs on the right-hand side and the snake globe on the left?

Andrew: I don’t – I… [laughs]

Mikey: You know, it just brings up too many questions. And I like simple things, you know, art. Simplistic. I like the US cover. I like the adult cover. It’s nice. Very simple, again. It’s the locket. But I like it, you know?

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: I had some inside information when it was coming out. So, I woke up to see it right when it was released.

[Andrew and Micah laugh]

Andrew: Mikey, you’re just…

[Micah laughs]

Mikey: I was up at four in the morning. [laughs]

Andrew: You’re just on top of the ball, man.

Mikey: Yeah, what can I say?


Mysterious Symbol


Andrew: I wonder – do you know anything about what that little – I don’t even know what to call it. The triangle with the circle inside of it and the line going through the triangle on the UK children’s cover spine. It’s Legend of Zelda-ish. And me and Micah were talking about this earlier this week.

Micah: [laughs] Yeah.

Kevin: Oh, I know what you’re talking about.

Micah: The Triforce of Wisdom.

Andrew: It’s like a Triforce thing.

Mikey: It’s like a Triforce – it’s like the Eye of the Illuminati. You know, where the triangle is above it all and the eye inside of it.

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: But I don’t know what it is.

Andrew: I think that has to be – that has nothing to do with Bloomsbury. I don’t think.

Mikey: I don’t.

Micah: No. No. Because I think somebody else brought up a couple of shows ago or something like that. That usually whatever’s in that area, and it may have been you, Andrew, is critical to the book. Is critical to that particular book of the series. Whatever little object shows up there.

Mikey: Oh, you know what? I just Google-searched it and I found it. It’s the equilateral triangle. And that’s what it means. It’s because it’s a perfect circle inside a perfect triangle.

Andrew: Oh. And…

Mikey: That’s what it, you know…

[Kevin laughs]

Mikey: Harmonic ratios of the regular polygons. That’s what I found.

[Kevin laughs]

Mikey: I Google-searched, “circle triangle,” and that’s what popped up.

Andrew: Are there going to be parallel universes in the seventh novel?

Mikey: Actually I just found a religious site relating to this triangle. So give me a second, if I can find it.

Andrew: Oh.

[Kevin laughs]

Laura: Maybe it means they’re doing geometry in this book.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

Micah: Yes.

Mikey: Who knows.

Andrew: Seventh year students need to take geometry classes.

[Laura laughs]

Micah: Well, a couple listeners wrote in with creative ideas that perhaps it’s an ancient rune.

Andrew: Oh, it could relate to runes. Hm.

Micah: We know Hermione likes that subject a lot.

Andrew: Yeah.

Micah: Maybe it comes into play. I think somebody even went as far to go to J.K. Rowling’s website and into that Ancient Runes book that she has.

Andrew: Mhm.

Micah: And to see if it had any relevance. But, of course, there was nothing there.

Mikey: Oh, you know what? Actually, hold on, I found a religious site. It says, “Circle and triangle combines the symbol for eternity with the symbol for trinity.”

Andrew: What? Eternity?

[Laura laughs]

Mikey: Symbol for eternity with the symbol for trinity. I don’t know if that means, you know, religious trinity or – eternity is circle, you know, that’s cool.

Andrew: Well, you’re looking on a religious site, right? So.

Mikey: No, no. It’s some Greek – hold on, let me see what the name is. Christian Symbols Glossary Forums, Feeds, Religions Forums. So yeah, it is a religious forum.

Micah: Is that by Laura Mallory?

[Laura laughs]

Mikey: I don’t know. But here’s the link, so you guys can take a look yourself. I got it off Google.

Andrew: Well, I’m looking at a definition of “trinity,” and it can also mean, “three people considered as a unit.”

Kevin: Whoa.

Andrew: The trio.

Mikey: Harry, Ron, Hermione.

Andrew: There you go. And the trio happened to be…

Mikey: Eternity. Eternity. Eternity. Those three will be forever together.

Andrew: Nooo.

Laura: In life or death.

Mikey: They will destroy Voldemort!

Andrew: I don’t want to… [laughs]

Mikey: They will destroy Voldemort! They will win! Yeah!

[Andrew and Kevin laugh]

Andrew: Oh, Mikey.

Mikey: Alright!

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: What’s interested about that there, Mikey, is usually when people refer to eternity that means death.

Mikey: But they will…

[Laura laughs]

Mikey: Quiet down! I don’t want them to die, okay?

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: You’re going to make me cry here. I don’t want to cry. No, I won’t cry. Not on recording. No. I don’t know.

Andrew: So we have the trinity, the trio, in eternity.

Micah: This is groundbreaking stuff right here.

Kevin: This is on the spot.

Andrew: This is just thinking live on the show.

[Mikey laughs]

Andrew: This is called, “We didn’t prep beforehand, so let’s do it on the show.” [laughs]

Mikey: I’m showing my Google searches skills right now.

Andrew: Interesting.

Mikey: As I’m bringing this up.

Andrew: I don’t know. Well, that’s very interesting. If anyone has any thoughts, e-mail them in to mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com. I’m sure we’ve got some people out there who could come up with some interesting theories for that. But I mean, you know, the trio’s on the cover too.

Kevin: Well, we definitely want to see what the other covers have in that location, as well.

Andrew: Well, we can…

Kevin: Because we could link it, somewhere.

Laura: Where exactly – hang on, I’ve got my UK editions. Where exactly is it?

Mikey: It’s at the very top.

Kevin: It’s at the spine at the top.

Laura: There’s nothing on…

Kevin: On any of them?

Laura: There is nothing like that. Like, they have little pictures on the top that continue from the back cover. But there’s no symbol or anything like that.

Andrew: Interesting.

Laura: Like on the Goblet of Fire one…

Mikey: Laura, are you going to make me look online?

Laura: It’s just like a little owl at the top of it.

Andrew: Oh, you know what? Yeah, I think I remember seeing that owl on the books before. But…

Mikey: I don’t know, maybe I have.

Andrew: Yeah, there’s so much more information on those UK books. You got Prongs. And you got that, like, prophecy thing with the snake in it. And then the back cover’s pretty – I love the back cover.

Mikey: I love Hogwarts.

Micah: Yeah.

Kevin: Yeah, definitely. Especially the full moon.

Andrew: It’s definitely moon-lit.

Kevin: Yeah.

Mikey: Hey, what’s the Bloomsbury logo? Is it a dog?

Laura: It’s a dog.

Andrew: It’s a dog.

Mikey: Or is it something else?

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: No, it’s a triangle with a circle in the middle.

Mikey: I love how it’s a black dog.

[Kevin and Laura laugh]

Mikey: Well no, because you know what? That black dog reminds me of Sirius. I’m just saying. [laughs]

Andrew: Oh, yeah. [laughs]

Mikey: [laughs] I’m sorry. I’m screeching at limbs here.

[Andrew laughs]

Mikey: But, I’m trying to make myself sound a little bit better, but yeah. Alright.


Hogwarts Description Debate


Laura: You know what’s interesting? You know how last week we were kind of debating about whether the castle on the back of the Deathly Hallows UK Edition is Hogwarts? And I’m looking at the Goblet of Fire edition, and it has an inside view of, like one of the staircases and one of the archways. And it doesn’t match. At least in my opinion. Like, the inside of the castle does not match the outside of the castle that we’re seeing on the back of the new cover.

Andrew: Does it say the cover illustrator on the inside flap?

Laura: I’m sure it does.

Andrew: Because on this one, it says Jason Cockcroft.

Laura: This one has a bunch of blurbs on it.

Andrew: Because it’s been a different illustrator for each, you know. I mean, that’s interesting, what you bring up, but…

Laura: It’s a different illustrator?

Andrew: For each book, yeah.

Laura: Are you serious? That’s stupid.

Andrew: That’s what Jamie said, yeah.

Mikey: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah. So, that’s interesting.

Mikey: But in the US we all got the same illustrator, so it’s cool.

Laura: Yeah, this guy was Gils Greenfield.

Andrew: Hmmmm.

Laura: So, I mean, it could just be lack of continuity.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: But, it’s so weird. You would think that they would want to, kind of, have them all make sense, but.

Andrew: Yeah. Did we talk about this last week? On the front cover of the UK edition, Harry Potter; it’s white on black. Black sort of representing the end, death. I mean, it’s nothing really big, but…

Laura: I don’t think so.

Andrew: It’s just kind of interesting. Just a little side note there.

Mikey: It’s not that…


Listener Rebuttal: Kreacher


Andrew: Let’s move on to some emails. We’ve been getting lots of emails this week, of course, with everyone sending their theories. We love reading them all. We have a couple here. We are going to start off with one from Matt, he’s 18, of Western Australia. Perth, Western Australia. He writes:

“I just wanted to note to you guys that, although it would be the more likely the situation for Dobby to be on Harry’s back, I believe it’s Kreacher. Why? Because Jo made sure Kreacher was kept in the Order of the Phoenix film, whereas Dobby is long gone. You would expect that the house elf on Harry’s back is, at that moment, playing an important role in the book, and as such couldn’t possibly be Dobby as I take Jo’s insistence to mean that Dobby has no further part to play. Just a theory, I have millions more, but this will do for now. Adios, Matt.”

I like that. That is an interesting point. I mean, Dobby is gone now. He’s not going to be in the fifth film, and if she pushed for Kreacher to be in the film, and I know we’ve heard that there has been argument – that there was actually an argument over whether – not an argument, but there was a discussion to decide whether or not Kreacher would be kept in or not. I think that just says right there that he plays an important role that we haven’t seen yet.

Laura: I mean, I think it’s plausible, but I think we also need to remember that he played a pretty important role in the fifth book. I mean, he’s essentially the reason that everyone went to the Department of Mysteries.

Andrew: Well, that is true.

Kevin: Yeah.

Andrew: That’s actually – that’s a good point.

Laura: And how do you explain that? I mean…

Kevin: Well, I think…

Mikey: Yeah.

Laura: What lame justification could…

Kevin: She – what she…

Laura: …they use, really?

Andrew: Well, trust me. They could come up with…

[Andrew, Laura, and Mikey laugh]

Laura: Well, I mean, I’m saying it would be really bad.

Micah: Well, I was listening to what you guys were saying on Episode 80 because I was working on the transcript for it earlier. I think that…

Andrew: Mugglenet.com/tran… Actually, not at all. Never mind, go ahead.

Micah: [laughs] No, they can explain away a lot of things if they really, really wanted to. And – but in this case I agree with what Laura is saying. I think that Kreacher in particular was much more important to Book 5. So, his inclusion in the movie is probably a little bit more important than Dobby.

Kevin: Well, don’t you think that she’s just giving them pointers for vital points in the plot that they will have to include in the movie? And not necessarily what’s going to happen in the book? Because Dobby can play a part in, like, Book 5, but they can explain away that particular part that he played. Whereas maybe Kreacher plays such a large part they won’t be able to just simply explain it away. Because these are large books and they have to cut a lot of…

Micah: Yeah.

Kevin: …you know, stuff from it. And maybe her saying that is just…

Laura: Yeah.

Kevin: …her saying that Kreacher is going to play a role that you can’t cut out from the movie. Not saying that Dobby doesn’t play a role in the book, it is just that…

Micah; Yeah, but I think that at the same time…

Kevin: ….Dobby’s part in the book could be, you know, swept to the side whereas Kreacher’s couldn’t.

Micah: Yeah. No, I agree with that.

Laura: Well, we actually do have a voicemail about what else that thing on Harry’s back could be. So, I mean, we’ll get to that in a few minutes, but.

Micah: Oh, so, basically what you’re saying is…

Kevin: I think we know where it’s going.

Micah: Okay, I won’t say anything.

Laura: Yeah.

Kevin: How about a goblin?

Laura: I don’t want to spoil it or anything.

Kevin: We already – oh okay. Yeah.

Laura: Yeah. [laughs] That would be it. But yeah.

Kevin: Yes. [laughs]

Micah: [laughs] We mention that on a future episode.


Listener Rebuttal: Format of Book 7


Andrew: [laughs] Yeah. Alright, we have another email now. Natalie, 14, of Utah. She writes:

“Hi, MuggleCasters! I was just wondering what you think the format of Deathly Hallows will be in comparison to the other books. In this final book, Jo has things to tie up, not more plot lines to formulate. Do you think that this book will differ from her trademark writing style? Just wanted to hear your comments. Thanks, and love the show.”

I don’t know what the – it’s going to be following the same format, I think. He’s going to start off in the Burrow, we know that much. And…

Mikey: The Burrow? I thought he was going to start of at Number 4, Privet Drive.

Andrew: Well, where does – why did I think that?

Kevin: Yeah, he’s going to. Yeah.

Laura: Well, he will go to the Burrow.

Micah: Because the cover is sort of…

Laura: He will…

Mikey: He will go to the Burrow, but…

Andrew: Oh, sorry. Alright, yeah.

Mikey: [laughs] Just correcting you now, Andrew. Just so you know.

Andrew: I thought the cover said Harry is waiting in the Burrow. Nevermind. This says Privet Drive.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: Carry on.

Laura: I think that Deathly Hallows will definitely stay consistent with the same kind of theme that Books 4 through 6 had. Because if you look at the series, Books 1 through 3 kind of tend to be focused more on the future and learning things about what will happen. But as you got into the Goblet of Fire and moved onward, we saw a lot more memories and diving into pensieves, and, you know, all that kind of stuff. So, I think we are definitely going to learn a lot more about the past in this book as well.

Kevin: Yeah, and 1 through 3 were really used for a lot of character development.

Laura: Yeah, it was a lot of setup.

Kevin: And…

Mikey: Yeah.

Kevin: Yeah. After Book 3 it became – you know, there was character development, but not nearly to the extent that we saw in the first books. So, I agree, I think it’s going to be just like Books 4 through 6.

Mikey: Well, as I reread her email, it says “no more plotlines will be formulated.” I think it is more of the fact there is still going to be new plotlines that we don’t know about, you know. We are going on an adventure…

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: …that we don’t know anything about. So, it’s not that she is going to just be giving us answers to stuff that we’ve been questioning, but, you know, we still are going to be finding new stuff out. So, I definitely think it’s going to be the same to what we’ve read. Definitely the last few books. Same there.

Andrew: The ending of course is going to probably like nothing we’ve ever seen before. And of course the epilogue. So…

Mikey: Yeah.


Listener Rebuttal: Final Battle at the Graveyard


Andrew: Then we have another email from Mike, 15 of St. Louis. He says:

“Hey, guys. I remember J.K. Rowling saying that we would see the Hogwarts graveyard before the series is over. To me, the US cover seems to be set outside and all of the dark shadows that look like people are also in the shape of gravestones. This leads me to believe that this may be the scene of a battle; final, is my guess since he is wearing the locket. This could make for some interesting happenings since Dumbledore is buried there. Okay, that’s all. Keep up the good work.”

I don’t – it doesn’t really look like a graveyard to me.

Kevin: No.

Andrew: Does it to you guys?

Kevin: Not really.

Laura: No, it doesn’t look like a graveyard to me – at all.

Mikey: It looks like the Coliseum.

Kevin: That’s what everyone…

Mikey: A stadium.

Kevin: Yeah, the Coliseum.

Laura: Yeah, it really does.

Mikey: Not the Coliseum. It actually looks like – someone actually hunted and told me the exact place that it looks like and showed me comparison pictures.

Kevin: Oh, geez.

Mikey: I said, “That’s cool.” But I don’t remember.

[Andrew laughs]

Mikey: But I give props to that person, whoever you were. I don’t even remember who it was.

[Keivn laughs]

Mikey: But, yeah. Not the Coliseum, somewhere else.

Micah: Didn’t somebody confirm that they weren’t graves?

Laura: I don’t know.

Mikey: I don’t know.

Andrew: Even so…

Micah: I thought I read an e-mail that…

Laura: Something that I find kind of interesting – and this is kind of what Mike was addressing – if the final battle takes place at a graveyard or at Hogwarts or anywhere like that, that would mean that the final showdown would be at Hogwarts, and this is something that I’ve always been kind of firmly against. Like, I’ve always thought that it would never happen at Hogwarts, because so much has already happened there, and I feel like if Harry’s going on a journey, it’s going to end somewhere different then where it began, and I don’t think it will be at Hogwarts. Do you guys think it will be? Do you think this is Hogwarts, or what?

Andrew: I think this is through the veil in the Ministry of Magic.

Mikey: That’s what I think. I agree with Andrew.

Laura: I think that, too!

Andrew: [laughs] That’s what I’m hoping for.

Laura: But somebody pointed out something very interesting, and this really crushed my theory and it made me really upset: the death chamber that the veil’s located in is rectangular-shaped, this room is circular.

Andrew: Well, who says this has to be the death chamber?

Laura: But that’s where the veil is. [laughs]

Andrew: But what if – it, it could be something…

Laura: What if it turned circular? Like, the other side is circular?

Mikey: What if we’re in the locked door?

Laura: Oh, interesting…interesting moment.

Mikey: The love room.

Kevin: Yeah.

Mikey: The love room. What if we’re in there, you know?! Guys, who knows?

Andrew: That does not look like a love room.

[Laura laughs]

Mikey: I don’t know, man. It’s nice and orange. Can you – I can imagine some hearts in there, maybe.

Andrew: That’s the sky!

[Kevin laughs]

Mikey: Quiet!

Andrew: See, I mean. Then you can say it is the death chamber, or it is the love room, but there’s a sky right above us. That’s, like, the biggest clue! Maybe we’re over-thinking this.

Laura: It’s a window in the sky.

Andrew: It is a window in the sky.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: And to love, Harry’s rhapsodize – ing.

Mikey: I remember another room. Something like the Great Hall, it’s magically enhanced to see…

Andrew: No way.

Laura: No!

Mikey: Who knows? Who knows? Oh man!

Laura: What’s interesting about this, though, – we were talking about the circle meaning eternity, and if Harry is on the other side of the veil where death is, and that room is circular, it’s just kind of a cool connection to eternity.

Andrew: Oh, yeah, yeah.

Mikey: Ahhh.

Andrew: But I don’t think it looks circular. I think it looks more oval.

Laura: Oblong.

Mikey: Actually, I found an e-mail for where that was sent to me: someone said it looks like the Istanbul Amphitheatre, and actually, as I’m looking at it…

Andrew: What is that?

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Mikey: It’s an amphitheatre where we’re looking at it like it’s a stage. That’s why there’s curtains and everything. It’s round like that, and there’s even seating and people sitting there and everything.

Laura: so Harry’s going to go from Istanbul to Constantinople, right, Mikey?

Mikey: Why not?

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Micah: [sarcastically] Oh, Laura. You’re so funny.

Andrew: It doesn’t look to me, though, that…

Mikey: High five, Laura. I like that joke.

Micah: What do you guys think about it being Hogwarts? I mean, it’s not that crazy of an idea. You look around the rubble. It’s a stone rubble, there’s wood rubble there too, which could be the front door of the school. Is that such a far-fetched idea?

Laura: It’s not…

Andrew: Yeah, but look at the coliseum thing. What would that be?

Micah: So maybe that’s the remnants of the school?

Andrew: No way!

Mikey: Oooh!

Andrew: No way! I mean, unless this thing is going to be built in the seventh book, I don’t think there is any way that this is Hogwarts.

Mikey: Really? There’s Hogwarts on the other cover, too.

Andrew: There is, but on the back cover. It’s just an exterior shot. I mean, that illustrator could have been thinking, “Hmmm. What could I put on the back cover? Hogwarts would be cool. Moonlit.”

[Laura and Kevin laugh]

Andrew: I don’t know. That’s a stretch, but…

Mikey: I’m sure that’s exactly what he was thinking.

[Everyone laughs]

Micah: They had to get the right side of Hogwarts.

Andrew; Yeah…

Mikey: Because the other side is all rubble. It looks just like the US cover.

Micah: Exactly.

Andrew: Is it just me, or – enough mocking me.

Laura: I just – I just feel like…

Mikey: It’s alright, Simsy.

[Andrew laughs]

Laura: … the hunt for the Horcruxes is going to end with the location of the final battle, and it just seems so implausible to me that Harry would go off looking, and he would find the last one at Hogwarts, and then end up having a showdown with Voldemort.

Mikey: Well, the last one’s Nagini, so we’re going to – he’s going to go hunt Voldemort eventually. I don’t think the last Horcrux that’s not the snake is going to be there. I don’t know.

Micah: I’m going to take this completely off-topic now. You know that little ball that Nagini is in? What if Harry catches him in a Pokéball?

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: Oh my god.

Mikey: I choose you, Nagini! That’s actually pretty awesome.

Andrew: That’s it. There it is.

Mikey: That’s it. And then Fawkes is going to come by and eat him.

Micah: [laughs] What?

Laura: You know what someone pointed out? I don’t know if you guys talked about this on a future show…

[Andrew laughs]

Laura: … but somebody pointed out that that little sphere thing looks a lot like the way the prophecy spheres were described in Order of the Phoenix. What if Harry somehow uses prophecies to his advantage to find the remaining Horcruxes? It almost looks like he captured a snake within that.

Mikey: Hmmm.

Andrew: Yeah. Yeah. But like we were saying last week, there’s that window.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: And its presence makes me think that it’s supposed to be offering some sort of clue.

Micah: What if it’s outside Harry’s window? what if it’s the initial prophecy, and Voldemort is sort of depicted as a snake?

Laura: That’s interesting.

Micah: No?

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: I like that, Micah. Well thought out.

Micah: Thanks. Almost as good as the Pokéball.

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: I don’t know. That Pokéball is just amazing.


What’s With Voldemort’s Hand?


Andrew: Looking at the US cover again, and maybe you guys have given this some thought, but Voldemort’s right hand – if you’re holding out your hand like that, you can’t physically hold your hand out like that unless your arm is twisted all the way around. So, I’m not saying that’s a hint for the book, but see how his thumb is on our right?

Micah: Wrong side? [laughs]

Andrew: Exactly. It’s on the wrong side.

Laura: Okay, everybody hold out your arms and see… [laughs]

Andrew: That’s what I’m – I’m doing it.

Mikey: That’s what I did.

[Kevin sighs]

Andrew: His forehand is facing us.

Laura: So, wait, are his palms facing us, both of them?

Andrew: His palms are facing us. Right.

Laura: Well, no, you can do that.

Mikey: Andrew?

Andrew: If you can twist your arm all the way around.

Laura: I’m not doing…

Mikey: Andrew, Andrew, Andrew. This is what you’re going to do. Put your arm out in front of you.

Andrew: Yeah?

Mikey: And point your thumb…

Andrew: Yeah?

Mikey: … away from you and your thumb and your hand is now turned…

[Laura laughs]

Mikey: …and the perspective of the reader your thumb is on the other side. And I’m doing it right now. [laughs]

Andrew: I don’t think you understand what I’m saying, though.

Mikey: I see what you’re saying, man. It’s not that difficult to do.

Kevin: No, it isn’t.

Andrew: But does anyone hold their hand out like that?

Laura: If you are trying to…

Andrew: My arm is aching holding it like this.

Laura: Well, you would – obviously, he’s not holding it like that for a minute. He’s reaching… [laughs]

Andrew: Laura, he’s been holding it like that for the past two weeks.

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: He’s pushing – he’s using wandless magic to push things away.

Micah: I think what Andrew is trying to say is perhaps that this is a reflection.

Andrew: A reflection? No, no.

Micah: Through the veil.

Andrew: Well, yes, Micah, that’s exactly what I was trying to say. Thank you, Micah.

Micah: Exactly, see.

[Andrew laughs]

Laura: But if you look at it as if it’s a reflection, it would be – you would be holding your arms in the same type of position, just the opposite way, you know what I’m saying?

Micah: No, but it does look weird. It looks weird. If you tried to hold your hand out…

Andrew: Thank you, Micah, thank you.

Micah: … it doesn’t work the same way.

Laura: But here’s the thing, though. When I think of this, I think of somebody trying to catch – like, my brother pays soccer and when I hear you guys talking about this, I think about him leaping to the side to catch balls and the way he throws out his arms that way. And obviously, you don’t hold out your arms like that forever, but if it’s just a quick moment in time captured, of course it’s going to look funny.

Kevin: Well, Laura, soccer is typically played with the feet.

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: When you’re a goalie it’s not, Kevin. [laughs]

Mikey: Well, I like to call it football.


Listener Rebuttal: Hand Position


Andrew: Yeah. To start off that little discussion we have another e-mail: Kathryn T, 16, of New York. She writes:

In Episode 83 you were discussing Harry and Voldemort’s hands on the Book 7 cover and someone stated that both Harry and Voldemort seemed to be reaching out towards something. Although I agree that Harry, based on the position of his hand, is grasping for something in the air above him, the position of Voldemort’s hand seems to suggest that he is either shielding himself or trying to push something away. It makes sense that Harry would be grasping or reaching for something based on the position of his hand. When you reach for something your hand has a slight curve to it and your thumb goes forward, almost as if you were trying to wrap your hand around whatever you are reaching for, and that is exactly what Harry’s hand is doing. Voldemort on the other hand, no pun intended, appears to have his hand more flat than Harry’s, although it might just be the angle.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: I don’t think we ever really talked about this. In general.

Laura: It does look like he’s…

Andrew: On what is going on here.

Laura: It does look like he’s trying to push it away, instead of trying to catch it or trying to keep Harry from catching it.

Micah: Mhm. Yeah, we do talk about it on a future show.

Andrew: What if…

Mikey: Oh. [laughs]

Andrew: Yeah. I think, and I didn’t say this on a future show, Voldemort seems to be leaning back.

Mikey: I was going to say, what if they tripped and fell and they’re just trying to grab something just to keep themselves from falling?

[Micahlaughs]

Mikey: Because you said that Voldemort looks like he’s falling back…

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: … and he’s reaching out to Harry, to try and grab him. I don’t know.

Andrew: It’s almost symbolic because he’s sort of, like, falling behind the curtain.

Mikey: A curtain.

Micah: Well, Andrew.

Andrew: Yeah. Yes.

Micah: After I read this e-mail, I talked to you and I said, “Now, I am 100 percent convinced that Harry is going to die in this final book.”

Andrew: I don’t remember you saying that, Micah, but go on.

Micah: I really think that that’s what going to happen, though. And I know it’s terrible, but I am really convinced and now I’m preparing myself for it because then it will be a nice little surprise if he doesn’t.

Andrew: Emotionally?

Micah: Yeah, because if you look at what’s happening, to me, what it suggests is Harry is welcoming whatever that is, like – let me get her name right.

Laura: Like “Welcome, death?”

Micah: Yeah, exactly. He’s not afraid of it, though.

Laura: Yeah.

Micah: And kind of what Kathryn’s saying is he’s holding it out – his palm wide open and it may not be death – it may be something that resembles death or something that causes death, whereas Voldemort is in a position holding out his hand where, like she said, he’s almost shielding himself. So, that suggests to me that this is the final battle and…

Andrew: Well, it’s got to be the final battle. Yeah.

Mikey: Well…

Micah: Something’s coming for both of them and Voldemort doesn’t want any part of it.

Andrew: That’s a good point.

Mikey: What if it’s love?

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: There’s the opposite of that. Love and death, man. It’s – Voldemort doesn’t like either of them. So, I don’t know. Maybe it’s Ginny coming after him.

[Mikey and Micah laugh]

Mikey: She’s mad. I don’t know.


Listener Rebuttal: The Castle IS Hogwarts


Andrew: Well, Micah, you brought up a good point. Voldemort doesn’t want any part of it, whatever’s going on there. I like that idea. Let’s move onto one more e-mail, and then we’ll head to voicemails. It comes from Daphne, 20, of Los Angeles. Mikey, you live near Los Angeles, don’t you?

Mikey: I do, I live in Orange County.

Andrew:

First, I would like to say that you had a lot of interesting theories about the covers and I enjoy listening very much. The castle on the children’s U.K. version, I think, is Hogwarts, because I know it looks sort of curved in places but you need to take into consideration the angle that the picture is being drawn from and then picture it standing from a distance, where you aren’t looking up at it but rather straight at it. Also, Harry does look like he’s being sucked in along with Ron and Hermione and just like Hermione by his feet.

Daphne is talking about the U.K. children’s cover.

The look on his face suggests that maybe he’s been taken by surprise and it’s not a good surprise and Dobby (assuming it is) is holding onto his shoulder because if he doesn’t, then he’ll get sucked in first just because he’s too small.

Well, whichever house-elf it is – that’s an interesting perspective about the Hogwarts castle. Does anyone still think it’s not the Hogwarts castle?

Laura: I mean, I guess it is. I guess it just doesn’t really look like how…

Andrew: It just looks different.

Laura: …I imagine Hogwarts. I mean, even if you’re standing far away from something – if it’s a castle, it’s not really going to have circular shapes to it. I mean it’s going to have towers, and I mean, we’re talking angles, not – I don’t know, it just doesn’t seem…

Micah: Understand though too that our perception of Hogwarts really comes from the movies.

Andrew: Mmm, yeah.

Micah: You know, just because it doesn’t look the way it does in the movies, doesn’t mean it’s not the castle.

Laura: No, I’m not saying that it’s just that, even disregarding the movies, when you think of an ancient castle, you don’t think of rounded towers.

Mikey: Ehhh, I don’t know – I don’t know. [laughs]

Laura: I mean, I guess it’s just – I mean, honestly, it’s just probably just an artist’s perception.

Andrew: Mhm.

Laura: And it probably is Hogwarts, but it just doesn’t quite look like the way it’s always been described. It doesn’t look as old.

Micah: It just looks like it’s reflecting in the moonlight, really.

Mikey: Yeah…

Kevin: I think it’s hard…

Mikey: There’s that cloud coming in and…

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: Yeah. I think it’s hard to tell because of the moonlight. It sort of…

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: …skews the image, so…

Andrew: Yeah, if there wasn’t that moonlight on there, what would the color underneath be? Probably the…

Kevin: Exactly.

Andrew: If there was the brown Hogwarts that we’ve always seen it would probably look more like what we’re used to seeing.

Laura: Mmhmm.

Andrew: Right?

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: And then what else? Yeah, this Daphne also pointed out about Ron, Hermione, and Harry falling into whatever that is there. Mikey and Kevin, you guys have any ideas about that? We discussed it on Episode 83.

Mikey: I don’t know…

Kevin: What…

Mikey: …what did you guys come up with?

Kevin: …what…

Andrew: Well, I mean, what were we saying? That it could have been a Gringotts vault. You know, it can’t be the veil.

Mikey: I like the vault idea.

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: I’m going with that.

Andrew: There’s just so much treasure.

Kevin: Yeah, me too.

Andrew: It’s very interesting. So, I thinkyou guys ready for some voicemails?


Voicemail: Dragon in Gringotts


[Audio]: Hey MuggleCast. This is Cheryl from Santa Clarita, and I was listening to your last podcast and I was just thinking two things on the U.K. edition cover. If you look in the lens of Harry’s glasses you can see something. It looks like it’s spewing flames, like it’s a dragon, and could they be in Gringotts? So, just wanted to know what you thought.

Andrew: I don’t get it. Why would that confirm…?

Laura: Because, what was – I forget his name, was Griphook the goblin, I believe, told Harry in the first book, or Hagrid did, that dragons guarded Gringotts.

Andrew: Oh! So – oh!

Kevin: Oh.

Andrew: That’s interesting. Yeah because…

Kevin: That is interesting.

Andrew: …we were wondering what the – what on earth was in the reflection on Harry’s glasses, last week. Hmmm.

Laura: So, I mean – maybe their actually falling towards a dragon, or maybe their trying to escape one and, I mean…

Andrew: Hmmm…

Laura: I mean, does this mean that Voldemort like has a Horcrux locked up in a vault there? That would be kind of cheesy.

Andrew: Yeah, well we were talking about…

Kevin: On a future episode we…

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: All right…

Laura: I’m not liking this future episode stuff.

Andrew: Yeah, no. Yeah, I know, I know. We do talk about…

Kevin: Oh, the possibility that Voldemort put – had an item of consequence like…

Andrew: Oh, yeah.

Kevin: …that he put in a vault, that he created – he used to make a Horcrux.

Andrew: Yeah, we were asking why he would do that. But…

Kevin: Which is why some – in this future episode…

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: [laughs] …we were considering that that house-elf may not be a house elf and may be one of the Gringotts Goblins.

Andrew: Right.

Laura: Yeah

Andrew: More on the future episode.

Kevin: Yes.

Andrew: Next voicemail.


Voicemail: Proof the Trio Survives?


[Audio]: Hi, this is Andy from Tennessee. I have a theory on – well, almost proof that the trio will survive. Not proof – I’m not sure. If you look at the U.S. cover, Harry doesn’t seem to be scratched up, and keep in mind that the sky is still the same color as it is in the U.K. cover. If you look at – what I am saying is that they’re in the veil or wherever they are fighting, Voldemort and him, and I think they’re actually exiting the veil because they’re all stopped the U.K. cover, going down that weird tunnel with all the rubies and the treasure, and the skies still orange. They’re exiting the veil, or wherever they are. So, while he’s fighting Voldemort, he’s not scratched up in the U.S. cover, so I’m saying the U.S. cover chronologically happens before the U.K. cover. The U.K. cover is the end – well, towards the end, assuming that it’s toward the end of the book. And the trio comes out all scratched up, but Harry’s not scratched up when he’s fighting Voldemort in the U.S. cover. So, tell me what you think. Thanks.

Andrew: That’s interesting.

Laura: That is interesting.

Andrew: The sky covers thing has good…merit, I guess you could say.

Laura: Well, it almost…

Mikey: And now that…

Kevin: I…

Mikey: That looks like an archway now. We’re talking about the veil earlier.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: On the U.K. cover. Huh…

Kevin: You mean on the U.K. cover, it looks like an archway?

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: Yep.

Laura: It does.

Mikey: It doesn’t look like a circle any more.

Laura: Well, yeah, that looks like an archway and the room look – I mean, did we think that – did we used to think it looked circular?

Andrew: Well, heck, I mean, you could almost think – you could almost say that…

Kevin: Well, you can see a…

Andrew: …that archway is the same as all the archways circling Harry and Voldemort in the coliseum. It’s…

Laura: Oh, that’s true.

Andrew: …probably not, but they…

Laura: But it’s similar, yeah.

Andrew: Yeah. And honestly, the same sky colors are on the other side, through the archway.

Kevin: And you can see a piece of the – on the U.K. cover, if you look below Hermione’s arm, you can see a piece of it, so it does confirm that it’s not perfectly circular.

Laura: Yeah, I mean, it almost…

Kevin: Otherwise it would be curving back.

Laura: …looks like, if they’re falling forward, it almost looks like they’re escaping from whatever room we see depicted on the U.S. cover.

Kevin: Yeah, but – but look at…

Mikey: But why would Ron…

Kevin: …Ron’s position.

Mikey: Yeah, it’s like Ron.

Kevin: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah, I guess.

Kevin: That’s what’s confusing about it.

Mikey: You know, if you look hard enough, I think you can see the…

Kevin: Oh.

Mikey: …US cover hidden in the background…

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: …of the UK cover. I think I zoomed in enough and I can kind of see it.

[Andrew laughs]

Mikey: I don’t know. I’m sorry.

Kevin: Although, actually, if you look at the position of Ron’s foot, it’s possible that he’s coming out…

Andrew: It’s so confusing how…

Kevin: …feet first. It really is.

Andrew: …this is setup, because like, there’s a dragon right in front of them, it seems, so like, you know, you wouldn’t be going towards that, would you? And…

Laura: Well, I mean…

Mikey: Unless it’s Norbert.

Laura: …the Death Room, or dragon? I mean… [laughs]

Andrew: Hermione and Ron are definitely falling back because of their hair. Definitely Hermione…

Laura: Well…

Andrew: …because her hair’s in front of her.

Micah: What do you guys think about him being pulled, because if you look at the left side of Ron’s cloak…

Andrew: Oh, it looks like he’s being tugged, yeah.

Micah: …up by his shoulder, it looks like he’s being pulled down, and that would…

Kevin: Oh, you’re right.

Micah: …kind of go with what’s going on with Hermione. She looks like she’s being pulled back, also.

Mikey: And Harry’s got this guy pulling him back with a sword.

Kevin: But Harry looks like he’s resisting it a bit more than the others.

Micah: He looks like he’s determined.

Mikey: We don’t see his feet.

Andrew: We don’t see his feet.

Kevin: Yeah.

Andrew: And Hermione also looks like she’s trying to grab onto something, but…

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: …Harry, on the other hand, is just blocking himself, or at least with his left arm and hand, he is. Hmm, well.

Laura: There seems to be a running theme with this, like, blocking, catching type thing going on with the covers.

Kevin: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

[Laura laughs]

Mikey: Again, no wands – no wands.

Laura: Yeah.

Mikey: It’s all windless magic. We’re not going to see a single magic wand in this entire book.

[Micah laughs]

Andrew: Oh, we better.

Mikey: Oh, no.

Andrew: I miss the spells. Flippendo!

[Laura and Mikey laugh]

Andrew: Sorry, that was the video game.

Laura: Yeah. [laughs] My god.

Mikey: That was a fun spell.

Andrew: Flippendo! Flippendo! Flippendo! Over and over! Overused!

Laura: That used to piss my parents off all the time.

[Andrew and Kevin laugh]

Laura: I would play that to like, three in the morning, and my dad would come out and be like, “Shut the hell up.”

Kevin: Oh god.


Voicemail: Hogwarts and the Forbidden Forest


[Audio]: Hi guys, on the last episode of MuggleCast, you were talking about the back of the U.K. children edition and the castle, and what I thought was the castle is Hogwarts and the tree-type thing is maybe the Forbidden Forest, and because the Forbidden Forest is a lot darker, that that’s where the Death Eaters and bad guys are hiding, and as Hogwarts is illuminated, that’s where the good side are, and the way the clouds are heading towards Hogwarts, maybe it’s some sort of foreshadowing of a battle that will take place there. Love to hear your thoughts. Thanks, guys. Bye!

Kevin: Well, it looks – there’s two possibilities: that the clouds are like, fog, or like, something generated from a spell, or it’s just smoke and the woods are like the, you know…

Laura: On fire.

Kevin: …Forbidden Forest on fire.

[Laura laughs]

Kevin: It’s quite possible.

Laura: Yeah. Oh, yeah, it is.

Kevin: If you’re going…

Laura: Forest fire.

Kevin: If you’re going to siege a castle, you’re going to want to, you know, get rid of any cover that people could use to go in and out of the castle.

Laura: That’s true.

Kevin: Not to mention, clear a path, you know, a nice clear path to the castle, and what better way than just destroy a path right through the forest?

Micah: Clearly they need to listen to Smokey the Bear.

Laura: Yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Kevin: I was going to say, although what’s interesting about the cover is that if you look, all this is going on, but look at that door on the bottom.

Andrew: What door?

Kevin: The bottom right.

Andrew: What door? What are you talking about?

Kevin: Well, well look at the back of the U.K. cover.

Andrew: Oh, oh, the back.

Kevin: It’s open.

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: I mean, light is coming out of it, so why, if you know, the castle is being attacked or something, why…

Laura: Well, maybe this is like…

Kevin: …is the door open?

Laura: …the calm before the storm.

Kevin: That’s – that’s true.

Micah: Mhm. Yeah, I agree with that.

Andrew: It’s an awfully bright light. It’s – I mean, it’s casting a…

Kevin: The moon?

Andrew: Well, no, no, no.

[Kevin laughs]

Andrew: What’s coming out of the door. See how it’s sort of…

Kevin: Yeah, yeah.


Listener Rebuttal: Meaning of the Color Orange


Andrew: …the light is like, spreading across the grounds. That’s interesting. I just got an interesting e-mail from Phil, 15, of right there in Orange County.

Mikey: The OC, represent.

Andrew: The OC. [sings The OC theme song]

“I just thought it would be good to let you know that the color orange means strength, honor, generosity, and prosperity. I was wondering if this could mean the opposite of a black cover for Book 7.”

And, I mean, the spine of the U.K. children’s cover is orange…

Kevin: It’s orange, yes.

Andrew: …and the sky is orange, and the curtains are orange. So, I thought that was kind of…

Kevin: And right below the ISBN is orange on the U.K. edition.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: There you go, yeah. So, I thought that was kind of interesting.

Mikey: Nothing rhymes with the word orange.

Andrew: I know! It’s such a problem when I play the rhyme game.

[Kevin laughs]

Mikey: [laughs] Or purple.

Andrew: Or purple. Slurple?

[Kevin laughs]

Micah: No.


Voicemail: Locket on UK Cover


[Audio]: Hey, this is Kitty from Georgia. I was calling because I was listening to MuggleCast number 83, and the locket on the U.K. adult edition – you were saying it’s not quite as extravagant as we would think Slytherin’slocket would be, and I was actually thinking that it might possibly be the one that Dumbledore and Harry found. The one that replaced there after they got the real Horcrux. All right, I love your show, bye.

Kevin: It could be. I mean…

Laura: See, my thing was…

Kevin: I don’t think the locket has to be extravagant in any way. You know what I mean?

Laura: It was Slytherin’s locket, though.

Kevin: Right.

Laura: …and the way that Voldemort kind of treasures very extravagant things…

Kevin: Right. If you look at that locket on the adult cover, those are gem stones laid into the…

Laura: Mardi Gras beads.

Kevin: Yeah, exactly. Do you think they’d actually be Mardi Gras beads. If it was Slytherin’s, I’m quite sure they’d be emeralds or something precious.

Laura: I’m sure they would be, but I think what – something I kind of wondered about…

Kevin: I didn’t see…

Laura: …was, if Harry is wearing the locket around his neck, I don’t think it would be safe to wear a Horcrux around your neck. It almost seems like he would wear the fake one as some sort of homage to Dumbledore.

Kevin: No, what I was thinking was…

Mikey: Dumbledore wore the ring.

Kevin: And what I was thinking…

Laura: Yeah, and look what happened to him.

[Laura and Mikey laugh]

Micah: Nice, Laura. Way to show respect.

[Mikey laughs]

Kevin: Well, what I was thinking was this: If Harry had destroyed the Horcrux – right?

Laura: Mhm.

Kevin: Like Dumbledore had destroyed the ring and now it was just a useless object – not useless, but you know what I mean.

Laura: Yeah, that’s an option, too.

Kevin: What a better way to psych out Voldemort than pull out the locket that Voldemort knows is a Horcrux, but is no longer a Horcrux.

Laura: Or what a better way to just walk up and be wearing it.

Kevin: Right. In a fight with Voldemort – I mean, if Voldemort is expecting to go into a battle with Harry and thinking that he has the upper hand because of the Horcruxes, and, all of a sudden, Harry pulls out a Horcrux, or is wearing a Horcrux that he knows is a Horcrux, he’s got to assume that Harry has done his job. And that’s a perfect way to psych…you know?

Mikey: Yeah. And he fears death, and that means he’s just one step closer to actual death, because Harry knows his secret.

Kevin: Right. Not to mention, I didn’t see, like – when I imagined the locket I didn’t imagine this gaudy piece of, you know, purely gem-encrusted jewelry. This is a locket that a man wore, you know, it was probably simple. It was not flashy.

Laura: Well, there’s not – I mean, there is a description of it. I forget what it was.

Mikey: But you’ve got to understand, the cover – the adult cover is not something to really take to heart.

Laura: Yeah, that’s true.

Kevin: Yeah, that’s true.

Mikey: I’m looking at the Chamber of Secrets one and you see the door, and it’s got like, glowing emeralds in the eyes; the philosopher’s stone’s like this glowing red stone and…you know? I think those are just made to, kind of, get the idea across, but they’re made to look more like an adult book. And I think it comes off really, really nice the way it is, but I don’t think it’s really meant to give us a perfect description of what the locket’s really supposed to be. That’s just me.

Laura: Hang on, I’m finding the description of the one at Grimmauld Place.

Mikey: Oh, it’s just like a heavy, unopenable locket. I remember reading it recently.

Laura: Yeah, “also a heavy locket that none of them could open.” So, we know it’s heavy.

Mikey: Yeah, see, very simple.

Kevin: That tells us a lot about the appearance of it. [laughs]

[Mikey laughs]

Laura: Well, no, it tells us that it is kind of a nondescript type thing, because if there was anything interesting about it, it would’ve been noted.

Kevin: They would’ve mentioned it, that’s true.

Micah: So, it wasn’t described at all in Half-Blood Prince?

Mikey: Also..yeah.

Laura: Well, not the real one.

Mikey: Well, also the “S.”

Micah: Well, it would have to be pretty close to the real one to make Voldemort think that when he opened it…

Laura: Well, how do we know that Voldemort actually made trips back to visit his Horcruxes, though?

Micah: No, but I’m saying, if R.A.B. found it in the first place, the replicate…

Kevin: He was intending that letter for Voldemort.

Micah: Yeah, the replicate would have to look…

Kevin: At least something like it.

Micah: …enough like the original…

Laura: Well, not necessarily, because he was trying to wig Voldemort out by saying, “I destroyed your Horcrux,” and what better way than for him to go and look and see something that’s very obviously not his, and then to open it and find that note.


How Did The Note Stay Dry?


Mikey: Question. Question. How did the note stay dry when it was inside that potion?

Kevin: [laughs] I would assume the locket was sealed…

Laura: Sealed.

Kevin: …with a gasket.

Mikey: Was it that sealed, you know, sitting there for years, you know, no water, no solution would get in?

Kevin: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah. Well, no, I own several lockets and if they’re well-made, they can be air-tight.

Kevin: And they said even on the Titanic and stuff, they found lockets and stuff like that with photos in them still.

Laura: Mhm.

Mikey: Yeah, but, when Dumbledore hit the ground the locket bumped open, so I’m assuming it’s not that good of a locket that they replaced it with.

Andrew: You could just hit it at the right angle.

Kevin: Yeah, if you hit it at the right angle, plus he’s dropping…

Mikey: [laughs] Okay. I’m sorry, you’re right.

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: Susepnd your disbelief disbelief…

Mikey: [laughs] I’m trying to cause problems here.

Andrew: No, no, no, no. I respect your opinion, but…stop talking.

Kevin: No. [laughs]

Mikey: All right, I’ll stop talking.

Andrew: I’m kidding, I’m kidding.


Eric’s Editing and Andrew in Disneyworld


Andrew: All right, so that does it for our voicemails and our cover coverage for now. Ha, ha, ha, ha. By the way, I just want to – Round of applause for Mr. Eric Scull last week for editing the show.

[Someone claps]

Andrew: Did a good job.

Micah: Oh, yeah.

Laura: Yay.

Micah: He did do a good job.

Andrew: If you recognize who – didn’t get the excellent editing that you always get, it was because of Eric. I’m just kidding. He actually did a…

[Kevin laughs]

Andrew: He did a really good job for his first time. Because I was down in Disneyworld!

[Pause of awkward silence]

Andrew: Okay, so…

[Everyone laughs]

Kevin: Okay.

Andrew: Don’t feel free, anyone, to participate.

Mikey: I was at Disneyland.

Andrew: [laughs] Were you?

Mikey: Yeah.

Andrew: Tell us more!

Mikey: I went with John Noe.

Andrew: Oh! That’s right, you went with John! Who is that guy? I don’t know. [laughs]

Mikey: Oh, I don’t know. Some guy.


Micah Wants an Update


Andrew: [laughs] Micah, the other day you were saying to me that you – Well, something was bugging you the other day.

Micah: Yeah, just a little bit. Nothing too, too much, but…

Andrew: Yeah.

Micah: When I asked for Jo to update her site not too long ago, it was great that we did get the cover art and everything.

Andrew: Uh-huh.

Micah: But she still didn’t update her site! And…

Andrew: That’s a good point. You…

Micah: I might…

Andrew: I think she tried to trick you out!

Micah: I would just like to see something. She did try to trick me, and I don’t appreciate that, either.

Andrew: Uh-huh.

Micah: So, Jo, you don’t – don’t play games with a New Yorker like that.

Andrew: Ooo…

Kevin: Ooo…

Micah: Anyway…

Kevin: He has a family!

Mikey: I’m just saying…

[Andrew and Micah laugh]

Micah: Maybe Easter. I think it would be nice if it sort of coordinated, since they call those things Easter eggs on her site.

Andrew: Mhm.

Micah: If she did something along those lines. Maybe a little update. Maybe she’s celebrating with her family on Sunday, so I don’t want to interrupt that. But Monday – in that time frame. That would be interesting to get something from her. Even a diary post! I’m not asking for big things here, okay? Just something nice; nice and simple.

Andrew: Yeah Alright. Very good, very good. I think that was a fair request, so we’ll see what you can make of it.


Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul


Andrew: I thought it’d be fun to play Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul…

Kevin: [laughs] Play?

Andrew: …NCAA edition. That’s why I said play.

Mikey: All right!

Kevin: Oh, I see.

Andrew: We have an email here from Paul Crookston, 14, of Tampa, Florida. He writes:

Hey, guys! I would just like to say that a liberal dose of MuggleCast and World of Warcraft…

[Makes mocking noise]

…kept me from extreme depression. After seeing Ohio State lose to the Florida Gators in basketball after Florida previously beat us (with great help from lady luck)…

[Makes mocking noise]

…in football as well, I was ready to ax-murder the next person I saw with gators swag on.

[laughs]

But MuggleCast and Warcrafting…

[Makes mocking noise]

…calmed me down enough to already have my mind on next year! Go MuggleCast and go Buckeyes!

Mikey: Go Buckeyes.

Andrew: I don’t support that statement, though. So, thanks, Paul, for that.


Listener Rebuttal: Manuscript Complaints


Andrew: And before we close out the show today, a couple more e-mails. I don’t understand why people are so upset that we revealed what happens in the final book. Another e-mail came from Rachel, 21 – she’s 21. She’s from the U.S.A.:

I can’t believe how immature you all are. I used to love you guys, and then I listened to Episode 83. If this was all a joke, I need to know, otherwise you’ll have lost one very faithful listener. With that, I spread the word. So far I have three people who will not listen to your broadcast, and the number will grow. Not a threat…

I don’t know how that’s not a threat.

[Laura and Kevin laugh]

Andrew: Continuing on:

…but you might want to change how you act. I can’t believe none of you thought it was wrong. Sigh. I think I’ve ranted enough. You guys are still a great group of people. I just think Episode 83 should have been more planned out, as in cutting out the part where you ruin my enjoyment of waiting to find out about the book when I read it. So long, and thanks for all the spoilers!

Anytime, Rachel! Anytime. One more e-mail…

Micah: [laughs] It was a joke! I mean, come on! We said they used MySpace and Facebook.

Laura: Well, here’s what I don’t get. All these people complaining about not wanting to know what happens in Book 7, but then you look – you look at the sales of MuggleNet.com’s What Will Happen, and it’s like…

Andrew: Exactly! [laughs]

Laura: …you did too want to know! You bought the book! You obviously want to know.

Mikey: They don’t want to know any definitive answers. They don’t want to know that Hermione and Ron die.

Laura: But, Mikey, it’s what will happen. No question marks.

Mikey: [laughs] But it’s still speculation. It’s still speculation.

Laura: That’s what you think!

Andrew: It’s not speculation if you’re telling the truth! You read the manuscript, didn’t you?

Mikey: Yeah, well, I did.


Listener Rebuttal: More on the Manuscript


Andrew: One more e-mail – I thought this was very cool – David and Mary, aged 12 and 15 of Ohio. They write:

Hey, MuggleCasters. We would just like to add some comments regarding the seventh book. To begin, our mother works for Scholastic. She also discovered a loophole in the system, allowing her to inform us of the events that occurred in the latest installment of Harry Potter. We were extremely shocked to discover Lord Voldemort made Luna’s radish earrings into a Horcrux! We also felt astonished that Voldemort possessed Arnold, the Pygmy Puff, thus infiltrating the ranks of the Order of the Phoenix. We love the show, but we’re disappointed you forgot to mention these vital plot details. Thanks! David and Mary.

David and Mary…

Micah: Another Pokemon reference.

Andrew: …well, I just…

Mikey: We didn’t want to give everything away.

Andrew: Yeah, exactly.

Laura: Besides, now there’s two more people for everybody to yell at for spoiling Book 7!

Andrew: Yeah!

Micah: E-mail them, e-mail them.

Andrew: Okay, you want their IP address? They didn’t give me their email, but do you want their IP address?

[Kevin and Laura laugh]

Andrew: I’ll send it to everyone.

Micah: But I was just going to point out another Pokemon-Harry Potter connection. [laughs]

Andrew: Oh, what’s that?

Micah: Arnold the Pygmy Puff is just like Jigglypuff.

Andrew: Good point, good point!


Show Close


Andrew: [Show music in the background] All right! So I think that wraps up today’s show. We thank everyone for listening.

To contact us, you can just head over to our brand new MuggleCast website. You can send us some parcel mail with the MuggleCast – to the MuggleCast PO box:

PO Box 223

Moundrige, Kansas

67107

You can also call the MuggleCast hotline: if you’re in the United States, you can dial 1-218-20-MAGIC (62442). If you’re in the United Kingdom, you can dial 020-8144-0677. And if you’re in Australia, you can dial 02-8003-5668.

You can also Skype the username “MuggleCast,” and try to keep your message under a minute and eliminate as much background noise as possible. You can also go to MuggleCast.com for a handy feedback form to contact any one of us, or our first name at staff dot mugglenet dot com.

Also, don’t forget to visit all of our community outlets – the Myspace, Facebook, Youtube, Frappr, Last.fm, and the Fanlisting and Forums.

You can also Digg the show at Digg.com, vote for us once a month at Podcast Alley, and rate and review at Yahoo! Podcasts. I’m really tongue-twisted right now.

Also, one last note, coming up on Wednesday or Thursday, not sure which, we have another special midweek “Jamie is a Waste of Space” show! And that is a live call-in show that we did a little earlier today, hence the reason we kept referencing the future show. So, that about does it! Once again, I’m Andrew Sims.

Kevin: I’m Kevin Steck.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Micah: I’m Micah Tannenbaum.

Mikey: And I’m Mikey B.

Andrew: We’ll see everyone next week – actually, Wednesday – for Episode 86! Bye, everyone!

Kevin: Goodbye!

Laura: Bye!

———————–

Written by: Micah, Adrienne, Allison, Briana, Cindy, Jessica, Laura, Leah, Margaret, Matt, Samantha, Sapna, Sarah, Shannon, Shelly, and Tina

Transcript #84

MuggleCast 84 Transcript


Show Intro


[Audio]: What’s up, MuggleCast listeners? If you want to make an impact online, GoDaddy.com has what you need. Get your own dot-com domain name for as low as $1.99. Plus world class hosting, fast and easy website builders and much more. Plus, as a listener of MuggleCast enter code Ron, that’s R-O-N, when you check out and get your dot-com domain name for just $6.95 a year. Some restrictions apply, see site for details. Get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy.com.

Andrew: This week’s MuggleCast is also brought to you by Borders. Prepare for the upcoming release of Book 7 by catching a glimpse of where it all began. During the month of April, you can purchase Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on DVD for only $14.99 at Borders. Also be sure to reserve Book 7 at Borders at 40 percent off and get a free sticker. Choose from “Trust Snape” or “Snape is a very bad man.”

[Intro music begins to play]

Andrew: Because Jamie is special, this is MuggleCast Episode 84 for April 5th, 2007.

[Intro music continues to play]

Jamie: Okay, hello, everyone. Welcome to MuggleCast Episode 84. This is a special episode due to me being an absolute idiot and missing my train. What do you all think of that?

Mikey: [laughs] I donated.

[Laura laughs]

Kevin: Did you donate? I wouldn’t donate to that.

Ben: I think we should tell the full story. Explain what happened, Jamie.

Mikey: Hold on. I donated.

Jamie: We’ve already told the full story. I know you did, Mikey.

Mikey: But no one knows how much I donated, Jamie.

Jamie: Well, it was a very generous donation. You helped a lot with that, thank you.

Mikey: I donated $0.01, and Paypal let them know how much I sent them and everything.

Jamie: He did.

Kevin: Did that cost you money?

Jamie: And we were just overjoyed, Mikey, with that obviously very generous donation.

Mikey: Of course. I was not laughing at you at all.

Kevin: I hear static.

Ben: So, basically, since Jamie…

Jamie: We’ve told the story, Ben.

Ben: Hold on, hold on. Since Jamie can’t drive, they had to take the train into London. How many times have you ridden the train? That’s the real question.

Jamie: Well, let me count. There was that time five years ago when I jumped on it for twenty minutes quickly. There was that time – how am I supposed to know how many times I’ve ridden the train?

Ben: Well, I don’t know. You’ve ridden it plenty haven’t you?

Jamie: Loads of times, yeah.

Ben: Well then how could you screw up this big? Like, seven hundred, you know.

Jamie: Well, I’m sorry Ben, I completely forgot that…

Ben: You did it on purpose, didn’t you? You did it on purpose.

[Kevin laughs]

Jamie: Yes, that’s exactly – you see, I love wasting four hundred pounds. It’s my favorite thing in the world, so I thought I’d, you know, waste four hundred more.

Ben: The cat’s out of the bag now, Jamie.

Jamie: It is, I know. It’s terrible. But since it’s to celebrate – this show is to celebrate an extremely funny and silly event, I thought that we’d make it a very funny and silly show. So what we’re going to do is we’re going to go through all the segments that we used to have on the show and we’re going to do something for all of them. Well, most of them. We aren’t going to do Chapter-by-Chapter.

Kevin:

[laughs] I wonder why.

Jamie: I wonder why as well.

Ben: That’s my favorite.

Jamie: Well, mine too, but you know, I was just too excited so we couldn’t get it on.

[Laura laughs}

[Intro music continues to play]


Announcements


Jamie: Now we have a few announcements. You know, I’m reading this right off the show plans, and I’m trying to sound like Andrew to try and do as well as him, but it’s actually quite hard. I have a newfound respect for the guy.

Kevin: Don’t respect Andrew.

Jamie: Okay.

Kevin: Don’t respect…

Jamie: What? Don’t respect Toots?

Kevin: Exactly.

Jamie: I respect Toots.

Mikey: You know, I think we should call him Simsy because I was calling him that in New York City.

Jamie: I think we should call him Simsy. But you know, I thought everyone had called him Andrew, but when I went to his school for the day, everyone just calls him Sims. Everyone calls him Sims; “Alright, Sims?” “Hey, Sims.”

Ben: That’s weird. I couldn’t…

Jamie: I think we should just call him that.

Mikey: Well, I think we should call him Simsy because it’s a little bit further.

Jamie: Simsy, yeah.

Mikey: It’s like, “What’s up, Simsy.”

Jamie: It’s a cute name, as well.

Ben: Well, I usually call him other names. But I can’t…

Jamie: You can’t really say them on the show.

Ben: Yeah, I can’t really say them on air. First of all, Enlightening 2007; Jamie, Andrew, and myself are going to be there – and Micah, are going to be there. There’s going to be a podcast open to the public. We’re going to be talking all about the movie, the book…

Jamie: Harry Potter?

Ben: …Our excitement, all that good stuff. There’s 350 spaces for registered guests, and 250 for the public. So, yeah, you can – most likely, if you show up there, you’re going to get a space. Philadelphia’s really a – it’s a really high – the per capita of Harry Potter fans I was pretty impressed with because when I was there this past – you know, it was on this book tour with Emerson…

Jamie: Ooh.

Ben: …And there was a surprising amount of people at the Philadelphia event. There were more people there than there were at any of the other events, and there were close to 250. So, it was pretty impressive.

Jamie: Wow.

Ben: Particularly for a weeknight event, too. So, yep. And the podcast is going to be held on July 13 after dinner. Podcast Alley – go vote for us. We want to be number one. We want to be the best. We want to be the top Harry Potter podcast because we know you guys think we’re the best, so show some love, yo.

Jamie: Where is the love?

Ben: Where is the love?

Jamie: The Black Eyed Peas had a similar sentiment.


MuggleNet Book Tour


Ben: And also, Emerson and I have some more tour dates that I am pleased to announce for everybody right now. We don’t have any times yet – we don’t have any specific times yet, so those will be announced at a later date. But in Encinitas in the San Diego area; we’ll be there on May 25th. Then we’re going to be at Otay Ranch in the San Diego area on May 26th. Then we’re going to be at Newport Beach on May 27th. Then we are going to be in Torrance, California, on May 31st.

Jamie: Cool.

Ben: So these are all going to be at Barnes & Noble locations. There will be a website – excuse me, we already have the website, MuggleNet.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: It will have a page with all of this information on it and the times to be there. Of course, we’ll be giving away prizes from Alivan’s. You know, talking about Harry Potter and having a good time with you fans. So come out and see us, and then later June we’ll have somewhere around 12 to 13 stops in June. So yeah, get excited. We’re coming to a town near you. That’s all through the Midwest and east coast again.

Jamie: Thank you, Ben.


Make the Connection


Jamie: And now we go to our first segment today, which is a new one. Sort of extremely silly to celebrate the stupidness of the event. This is “Make the Connection” in which the hosts have to make a connection between Harry Potter and a random book, film, movie, or whatever that I tell them to. This should be quite exciting. So Laura, your connection is Harry Potter and Pride and Prejudice, the book.

Laura: Okay.

Jamie: Go.

Laura: Well, I think that big themes in both with Harry Potter and Pride and Prejudice are love, and… [laughs]

Jamie: Good. Very good.

Laura: …Overcoming pride and prejudice. So, I mean, obviously I know that the main character in Pride and Prejudice comes from a poor family which is kind of like Ginny, and I know that…

Kevin: [laughs] Oh, geez.

Laura: Actually, I haven’t read the book, so I don’t know any of this, [laughs] but I know that the leading male does not like her first, and Harry kind of didn’t like Ginny. He didn’t dislike her, but he didn’t have romantic feelings towards her in the beginning, and…

Jamie: Not bad, not bad at all. Very good.

Laura: And he did overcome it, so.

Jamie: Ben, you have to make a connection between Harry Potter and Saving Private Ryan.

Ben: I’ve never seen Saving Private Ryan.

Jamie: That doesn’t matter, come on.

Ben: I don’t know. There’s a lot of war. There we go.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: There’s tons of war in both of them.

Jamie: Two out of ten. Kevin, you have to make a connection between Harry Potter and Windows Vista.

Kevin: Okay. Well, this one is easy.

[Everyone laughs]

Kevin: You know how – have any of you ever re-read Goblet of Fire?

Jamie: Yeah. [laughs]

Kevin: You know how it goes really, really slow at certain points? And then speeds itself up? Exactly like Windows Vista.

[Laura and Mikey laugh]

Jamie: Wow. [laughs] That’s very good. You’re the winner so far, but Mikey, I’ve got quite a difficult one for you.

Mikey: Oh, no.

Jamie: You have to make a connection between Harry Potter and elephant gestation periods. So, come on.

Mikey: laughs I’m going to say both are pretty awesome, and…

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: Right there, right there. That’s a connection that the two have.

Jamie: Anything else to add?

Mikey: Both are kind of graphic. Harry Potter is not really a children’s book, but it is at the same time. But that’s as much I can think of off the top of my head. Thank you for that one, Jamie.

Jamie: Okay. That’s a pretty good job.

Kevin: How about you, Jamie?

Jamie: Very good.

Kevin: How about Harry Potter and making a train on time?

Jamie: Well, I think this is very, very important because Harry Potter is all about responsibility and caring for your friends, which I failed at completely because I was suppose to get Andrew and Sam to London and I completely failed, unlike Harry. He’s going to – actually, that’s a kind of anti-connection.

[Kevin laughs]

Jamie: Completely different; Harry Potter and missing your train.

Laura: Yeah, Jamie. Geez, at least when Harry and Ron miss the train in Chamber of Secrets, Ron got him a car.

Kevin: [laughs] Yeah.

Jamie: Got him a flying car, yeah. Damn! There was a flying car outside.

Ben: Yeah, it didn’t cost them 10 million pounds.

Jamie: I just didn’t think of them. Yeah, exactly. [laughs]


What If?


Jamie: Okay, let’s go on to our next segment. This hasn’t been done for a while now. It’s “What If.” So, we ask a question, “What if something in the books or movies completely changed, how would the series develop as a whole from there?” Our question today is, “What if Harry and Hermione had seen themselves when they had gone back in time in Prisoner of Azkaban?” Laura?

Laura: Hermione would have said, [imitating a British accent] “Does my hair really look like that from the back?”

Jamie: And Harry would have been…

[Kevin and Laura laugh]

Jamie: “You have your mother’s eyes.”

Laura: I don’t know. I mean, obviously it wouldn’t have been very good because they talked about the consequences of that in the chapter. They would have thought there was really, really dark magic going on. They would have gone insane. Knowing the way Harry is, he might have gotten kind of crazy and killed himself.

Jamie: You see? You say that, but don’t you think they’re extremely accepting?

Laura: “It’s okay if there’s another me. That’s okay.”

Jamie: If I saw – [laughs] exactly, exactly. But if I saw myself, and myself explained, “Look, I’ve come back in time to save a few people and stuff,” would you believe them?

Laura: No. [laughs]

Jamie: I think I’d be tempted. I would challenge myself to an arm wrestle to see who won.

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: I don’t know, what do you think?

Mikey: Myself from an hour ago.

Jamie: [laughs] Exactly.

Ben: I don’t think anything would happen. I don’t know.

Mikey: I think Harry would’ve flipped out and, “Oh my gosh. My dad’s alive.”

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: “Dad, Dad.”

Jamie: It’s a good idea.

Mikey: And…

Ben: “It’s him. I can see him. I want to see him.”

[Jamie laughs]

Mikey: He thought his dad saved him, so, you know, he did see himself, and…

Jamie: That is true.

Mikey: And Hermione, in the movie; “Does my hair really look like that?” That’s what would have happened.

Laura: Well, I don’t think it matters if – Oh gosh, this is so hard to explain. I don’t think it matters if the person who is actually traveling back in time sees the past self because they already know that’s what happened. I think it’s if the past self sees the future self that you have the problem.

Kevin: Yeah, without knowing that they were actually going to go back in time. Yeah, that would be a little confusing.

Mikey: Well, I think for Harry it’s the biggest one. Because, one, he didn’t know about the Time-Turner. But again, he still thought his dad was alive and his dad saved him. You know what I mean? And then he worked it out himself. He was waiting for his dad to show up and then he realized it wasn’t his dad, it was himself.

Kevin: Yeah, but if you saw yourself close up you would know it’s you and not your dad. [laughs]

Jamie: You would think so, yeah.

Mikey: Well, fine! Just destroy my theory there. Okay.

[Kevin and Jamie laugh]

Laura: Do you really think that he thought James was alive? I kind of took it that as him thinking it was his spirit or something like that.

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: Yeah, who knows. I know, but…

Jamie: I don’t know, though. I don’t know if Harry would accept, you know, hearing from himself. Is Harry trusting or is he not trusting? Because I think he’s a bit of both. He’s sort of trusts people easily, just like Dumbledore. But then, because of all he’s been through, perhaps he doesn’t trust people as well. What do you think?

Laura: Hm, I don’t know. I mean, I think especially after a couple of years at Hogwarts and learning about the Dark Arts and stuff, I think that Harry would be very suspicious of seeing himself.

[Jamie laughs]

Laura: You know, walk…

Jamie: It must be weird, though. Seeing yourself. I don’t know.


Spy On Spartz


Jamie: Anyway, Ben, you’re going to be the main guy on this. Now, we haven’t done this for a long, long time. We’re going to Spy on Spartz. So, you’ve been doing the book tour with him for awhile. Where is he now? What has he been doing? What’s he up to?

Mikey: Eating McDonalds.

Ben: I don’t know…

Kevin: Five.

Ben: Going to school. He has five tests tomorrow.

Jamie: [laughs] Five? In one day?

Ben: Or three. My bad.

Jamie: That’s still quite a lot in one day. Has he studied for them?

Ben: Probably not. [laughs]

Mikey: Well, what went on during the book tour?

Ben: What went on during the book tour? He forced me to drive the van because he’s a jerk. His dad’s van. His dad’s big conversion van.

Jamie: Why couldn’t he drive it?

Ben: Because he wanted to sit in the back and play Nintendo 64 with his roommate.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: I was like, “Okay, whatever.”


Dueling Club


Jamie: Right, let’s do our Dueling Club now because it hasn’t been done for awhile. We’re going to continue the Pokemon references and do: What would happen if Dumbledore faced off against MewTwo?

Ben: MewTwo? I’ve never heard of MewTwo. You’re saying all these things I don’t even know, dude, like Saving Private Ryan.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: Lots of wars. Tons of wars. [laughs]

Jamie: I thought it was a good connection. You know, there’s a big war in both. I think that’s fine. Who knows who MewTwo is?

Mikey: Isn’t he a Pokemon?

Jamie: He is a Pokemon.

Laura: Um, yeah. [laughs]

Mikey: I’m Google searching it and…

Laura: Wasn’t he in the first movie? He was, like, the messed up version of another one or something?

Jamie: Of Mew. Yeah, yeah. Okay, Mikey, let’s do one for you here. Instead of Dumbledore versus MewTwo, I want to do Dumbledore versus Darth Sidius.

Mikey: Oh, wow. It’s good versus dark right there. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: Well, Darth Sidius, he was very cunning. Very Slytherin-like. He manipulated a lot people, you know? He was the dark master in the new trilogy of Star Wars. I’m going way too serious into this. [laughs]

Jamie: No, no, no. It’s good. It’s good. Good stuff.

Mikey: Dumbledore, you know, he started the Order of the Phoenix. He’s the protector of the light. I definitely think – I’m going to say it. I think Dumbledore would win. You know, come on, if Luke Skywalker eventually wins. That whiny little Mark Hamill.

Kevin: Yeah, that is definitely true.

Jamie: Yeah, that’s very true.

Mikey: [laughing] That – You know, if Mark Hamill can eventually beat, you know, the Emperor, I definitely think Dumbledore could with just…

Jamie: Easily.

Mikey: With a couple of wand flicks here and there. Yeah.

Jamie: Here’s a question, though. Here’s a question. Does a light saber absorb spells?

Mikey: Yes, it would. Because we know for a fact – Okay, so this is my Star Wars geek side coming out. Part of the Dark Side…

[Ben and Kevin laugh]

Mikey: They can use Force Lightening. And there’s also another planet where they’re considered witches, people who use the Force. And a light saber can absorb Force Lightening and other Force-thrown items. So, just like a spell, a light saber would be able to block it and absorb it. So, yes.

Jamie: And here’s a – For ten extra points, what substances – this is going to turn into a Star Wars podcast.

[Mikey laughs]

Jamie: Now, what substances can a light saber not cut through?

Mikey: Only another light saber.

Jamie: No, no, no. There’s more, there’s more.

Mikey: No. Only another…

Jamie: There’s more.

Mikey: Well, I don’t know.

Jamie: No. I saw it on Wikipedia. And that’s the utmost, you know…

Kevin: Source of information?

Mikey: Well, it…

Jamie: Legitimate resource.

Mikey: There’s other things it can’t cut through. Like, you know…

Jamie: Is it Krick? No, no, not Krick. It’s got, like, a word.

Mikey: No, no. For other – no, no.

Kevin: Okay, guys.

Mikey: No, there’s been a comic book where…

Jamie: I’m looking now.

Mikey: A Jedi master fought with his cane, but it was a Force-enhanced, you know, cane.

Jamie: Oh, really?

Mikey: Yeah, so it’s like, it can’t cut through everything. But like, it can cut through any material. But the only other material it can’t cut through is another light saber.

Kevin: There’s always “Wookiepedia,” guys.

Jamie: It’s not – I’m sure there’s something else. Perhaps I’m wrong.

Kevin: “Wookiepedia,” anyone?

Mikey: Well, I Google searched, “What can’t a light saber cut through?” And the question is close.

[Ben laughs]

Mikey: Can a light saber cut through Captain America’s shield? I don’t know. [laughs]

[Kevin laughs]

Jamie: Can it?

Ben: I’ve never, I…

Mikey: I would assume so. But, okay, let’s go back to Harry Potter because that’s what we’re talking about here.

Ben: It’s not a Star Wars podcast.

Jamie: Mikey, Mikey. Cortosis ore, is one of them. And Frick alloy.

Mikey: Huh.

Jamie: According to Wikipedia.

Mikey: According to Wikipedia?

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: See, now I’m not going to pay attention to this, guys. I’m going to end up looking up Star Wars facts online.

[Kevin laughs]

Mikey: And I’m supposed to be…

Jamie: Oh, sorry, Mikey. I mean – Mikey, I mean, you’re absolutely right. The only thing in the entire world that a light saber can’t cut through is one more light saber. So yeah, well done. Right. Harry Potter.

Mikey: Good. Alright.

Jamie: Harry Potter. Right.


Favorite Book 7 Ending


Jamie: We’re going to go on to one more segment that hasn’t been done in ages: Favorites. And we are going to have what would be your favorite Book 7 ending? And this isn’t just if Harry dies or not, this is what, in total, do you want to happen? So what happens to each of the major characters, what do you want the final outcome of the war to be? I hope everyone says that they hope Voldemort wins, but you know, each to his own. So, Ben?

Ben: Hm, favorite Book 7 ending. I want to see Harry die because that would be the coolest thing ever. Hate me.

Jamie: Wouldn’t you cry, for weeks and weeks and weeks?

Kevin: Ooh.

Ben: No, I would never cry over a book.

Jamie: Oh, hard man. Hard man.

Ben: Oh, okay. I will cry when it’s over, like when it’s done, but I wouldn’t cry over what happened in it. You know what I mean? I’ll cry when it is all said and done, like, “Oh my God! No more Harry Potter!” Because the other day I was sitting there thinking about it. This is crazy. We only have 784 pages of Harry Potter left. [whispers] Ever.

Jamie: I know. Ever. Unless she writes a bit more. She’s like, “I want to buy a new house.” [laughs] Bit too expensive. I better write one more book. That’ll do.”

[Kevin laughs]

Jamie: Kevin, what do you think? What do you want?

Kevin: I agree. I like the idea of Harry dying.

Jamie: You want to cry at the end as well?

Kevin: Yeah. Ron and Hermione living on but Harry dying.

Jamie; Why? Why, though? I mean, come on…

Kevin: I don’t know.

Jamie: Come on, people. Substantiate your reasons.

Kevin: No, I think it would be fitting with, you know, the way his life has been going. I think it would be actually a relief for him. I don’t know.

Jamie: Laura?

Laura: To die?

Kevin: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah, to die. [laughs]

Kevin: Well, I mean, he lost all his friends and he lost his family, so.

Laura: I mean, there was that one episode, Jamie, where you talked about Harry opening up a hot dog stand. I think that would be pretty cool.

[Jamie laughs]

Laura: But, I don’t know.

Jamie: Yeah, but people would go just to buy a hot dog from Harry Potter.

[Ben and Laura laugh]

Kevin: I have this horrible vision of Ginny dying.

Jamie: “Can you sign my hot dog?”

Laura: [laughs] Well, okay, honestly though? What would I like so see – I think I would like to see more than anything justice done to the different characters. You know, characters like Malfoy.

Jamie: So, you want to see Voldemort dead?

Laura: Yeah, like Voldemort dead. Harry getting what he deserves, which is a happy life with Ginny and lots of kids.

Jamie: Is Jo that kind of author?

Laura: No, she’s not.

Jamie: It would seem, I mean…

Laura: You would like to see that kind of thing. As for what we will see, well…

Jamie: You would.

Kevin: Do you see Ginny dying? I have this horrible…

Laura: I’ve thought about it…

Jamie: What?

Kevin: Ginny dying.

Laura: …and I used to think it a lot more than I do now.

Jamie: Well, you see, over here, soaps, sitcom things, like, if one person kills another character, you know, and everyone’s like, “Well, are they going to get caught? Are they not going to get caught?” You always know they are going to get caught because TV producers over here can’t show that crime pays. I don’t know if it’s the same over…

Ben: Yeah, it’s pretty much the same here too.

Jamie: It’s the same. But, you know, the book is a different thing. She doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone. It isn’t like it’s a role model for future books, you know. So, do you think that justice is going to get served?

Laura: Probably not. I mean, not to everybody.

Jamie: Because her world works that way.

Ben: I don’t think it will. Because, I don’t think – Not necessarily everybody, but – Well, I guess it will to some people. But I just don’t think, I mean, something that Jo has made clear, I think, is that this is not a…

Jamie: It isn’t a fairy tale.

Ben: A dream world. Yeah, it’s not a fairy tale. There is no happily ever after. And…

Jamie: No, there’s not.

Ben: Honestly, I would be disappointed if she turned it into, “Oh, everyone lived – yeah, everyone. Harry and Ginny went off and had a perfect life together.”

Jamie: Exactly.

Laura: I think that…

Ben: And all those things.

Laura: What I mean by – When I say “justice,” I mean characters like Bellatrix Lestrange who deserve to be blown into a million pieces for what she did. Obviously, it’s not going to happen to everybody. But I think that the perfect Book 7 is going to leave me – Well, first of all, it will leave me in tears. I’ll be crying the whole way through. But it will leave me wishing there was more, but, at the same time, thankful for what all I’ve gotten. And that’s what I really want. I want something that really closes up all of the years, you know, and all of the experiences I’ve had out of Harry Potter.

Jamie: I think that’s fair enough. Mikey?

Mikey: I do want Harry to live. I would really be sad if Harry died.

Jamie: Same here. I would be as well, I just…

Mikey: The reason is if Harry died, I would have very – I really wouldn’t want to reread the series because he dies in the end. I would hate to be jaded, with as much as I love Harry Potter, so.

Ben: [sings] J-J-Jaded.

Jamie: [laughs] Thank you, Ben.

Mikey: Really, I think you know… [laughs] Really, I’d be happy with whatever outcome. But I really want Harry to live, not to die.

Jamie: I just – he’s a person who just lives, that’s the thing. He just soldiers on. He can’t die.

Mikey: He’s the Boy Who Lived. He’s got to live, you know.

Jamie: He is, yeah.

Laura: I have to ask you guys a question.

Mikey: But I…

Jamie: The Boy Who Lived for seven books and then died.

Mikey: [laughs] Died.

Ben: The Boy Who Died doesn’t make sense.

Jamie: [laughs] The Boy Who Died.

Laura: I honestly don’t care either way.

Mikey: You know what, Laura, it’s because you’re a bad person.

Laura: Well, okay…

Mikey: He is supposed to live.

Laura: It’s not that I don’t love Harry because I do. But for something like…

Mikey: No, no, no, no, no. You’re a bad person. For saying that.

Laura: I’ve thought about this for ages. Because everybody talks about how if Harry dies it would just be horrible. If Harry lives, he shouldn’t live because it isn’t realistic. I think it could go either way, and it honestly doesn’t bother me to think about which outcome we get. I’m more bothered about characters like Ron and Neville because I love them and I’m terrified that they’ll die. That’ll just, like, break my heart.

Jamie: Oh, so you love them, but you don’t…

Jamie and

Mikey: Care about Harry?

Laura: Of course I care about Harry. Otherwise…

Jamie: No, Laura. No.

Mikey: Laura, you just, you know what Laura, is this Laura Mallory or Laura Thompson we’re talking to?

Jamie: Yeah.

[Everyone but Laura laughs]

Laura: Hey.

Jamie: Damn, I dialed the wrong number on Skype.

Ben: Yeah.

Mikey: Sorry, Laura. I had to. I had to put that out there. That really…

Laura: No, I do love Harry. I think, I mean it will be sad if he does, I’m not saying it won’t be.

Jamie: It will be.

Laura: But I don’t have a preference either way, I guess.

Ben: How do you know it’s going to be sad, though.

Laura: I don’t think he should die, I don’t think he should live.

Ben: Okay, I don’t get this. How – Why would it be sad?

Laura: Because!

Ben: That’s what I don’t get.

Laura: It would be sad.

Jamie: Ben, Ben…

Ben: No, listen, listen. In many cultures, in many cultures…

Jamie: If someone dies, why would it be sad? I don’t know.

Ben: Okay, in many cultures in the world people celebrate death, okay?

Laura: Yeah, but…

Ben: They say, “Oh my gosh, they’re…” It’s not because – I mean, sure, they don’t like it that they’re dead, but they…

Jamie: No, they don’t celebrate death, it’s a celebration of their life.

Laura: Life, yeah.

Jamie: You mourn their death by remembering their life.

Ben: No, you celebrate them going on to the next thing. Because would it be such a bad thing if Harry was reunited with his parents, with Sirius, and with Dumbledore?

Jamie: Well, if you believe in that.

Laura: If you believe in that.

Jamie: The afterlife. He could just go into a – you know. I don’t know, though.

Mikey: But Dumbledore said death is not something to a person who is well prepared for it, and again, it’s not the worst thing.

Jamie: But it is – it is, clearly.

Mikey: Well, that’s what Voldemort fears, so definitely. It has to be the worst.

Ben: I think Voldemort’s actually Jamie, ha ha ha. [Mockingly laughs]

Jamie: Yes. Damn, you’ve told my second secret of the show.

Mikey: Was that Micah or was that Ben?

Ben: That was me being an idiot – doing an idiot voice.

Kevin: It did, yeah.

Ben: That, incidentally, sounded like Micah.

Mikey: [laughs] Yeah.

Jamie: It did happen to.

Mikey: I know. [laughs] That’s why I looked up, like, did someone else get added?

Ben: [Imitating Micah] Yeah.

Jamie: Okay. Second favorite.

Ben: [Imitating Micah] Welcome to the show. I’m Micah Tannenbaum.


Favorite Job For Harry


Jamie: Okay, favorite job for Harry. Now, Laura, you’ve already mentioned you’d love him to work as a hot dog vendor. Okay, so really, if Harry survives and all evil is vanquished, and everyone lives happily ever after, what job do we want Harry to do?

Kevin: I would say teacher.

Laura: Well…

Kevin: Like, everyone says Auror and stuff like that because that’s what he wants to do, but I don’t see him wanting to go back to the whole fighting dark wizards after all of this.

Jamie: Well, I’m sorry to say that I’ve read Book 7, and he’s a grave digger after he finishes.

Kevin: I think he would be great if he lived at Hogwarts.

Mikey: I agree with Kevin.

Laura: I don’t think Harry will have a job if he lives.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: Actually, he’s going to write a book called…

Jamie: What happens after my life and who lives with me.

Ben: Harry Potter’s What Happened in Harry Potter 7.

Mikey: Who Lived, Who Died[laughs]

Ben:and How the Adventure Finally Ended.

Mikey: How I finally got old. No, I agree with Kevin. I think it would be cool if Harry was a teacher. I can totally see him being, eventually, headmaster.

Jamie: Isn’t that too obvious, though?

Ben: I think he’s going to become all washed up.

Laura: Didn’t Jo say that none of the trio would be teachers, though?

Ben: Yeah, she did.

Mikey: No. I thought she said one of them, but it wouldn’t be Harry, so I always assumed it would be Hermione.

Laura: Oh, okay.

Mikey: I’m pretty sure it was something like that.

Ben: I think…

Laura: I thought she said one character. I don’t think she specified it was a trio member.

Mikey: Oh, maybe.

Ben: I think he’s going to become head of the Auror department. I don’t know. I think what’s going to happen is…

Mikey: Maybe he should become Minister of Magic.

Ben: You know, he saved the world and all that stuff, but eventually I think he’s going to get washed up, you know what I mean?

Jamie: Yeah, he will.

Mikey: [Imitating Harry]“Do you remember what I did for you!? Do you remember what I did?! I saved the world!”

Ben: Yeah, he’s going to be a has-been.

Kevin: Hanging out in the Hog’s Head.

Jamie: [laughs]

Mikey: [Imitating Harry] “Give me another Firewhiskey!”

Ben: He’s going to become a has-been.

Jamie: He’s going to hang out in bars. Yeah, exactly. He’ll smoke sixty a day, hang out in all the poky bars, and say, “Oh, one day people respected me. Look at me now.” I can see that.

Ben: Talking about the old days.

Jamie: I’m depressed now talking about that. The old days, yeah. Exactly.


Huh? Of The Week


Jamie: Laura, I believe – now, since Andrew can’t be here, we have a “Huh?” email of – I can’t say it properly.

Ben: Huh?

Laura: Yeah, how do you do it? It’s like [Imitating Andrew] Huh?! I can’t quite do it. [laughs]

Mikey: [Imitating Andrew] Huh?! Huh?!

Jamie: [laughs] Yes, that’s brilliant. So, Andrew isn’t here, so he can’t do his – as you just said – that email of the week. So, Laura, I believe you have one to rant about – rave about.

Laura: Yeah. [laughs] I was actually – laugh about, more like.

Jamie: Laugh about, yeah.

Laura: I was going through my inbox today, and I found this because I hadn’t – sometimes, whenever you get tons of emails, you’ll get some that are all about the same thing, so you’ll just read one or two of them to kind of get the gist, and then if there’s anything important, you go back and read the rest of it. But I found this one that had my name in the subject line, and it says:

Hey, guys. I love the show. Jamie’s awesome. Pickle! Okay, so I have something I’d like to say. You know what? I’m just going to be blunt: I hate Laura.

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: I just don’t like her. She shoots down every theory that the guys put out.

Ben: I like this person already.

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: I love Laura.

Kevin: We all replied to this email.

Laura: Yeah, I’m sure you did.

Yeah, I’m sure it’s hard being the only girl, but I think MuggleCast is better off without her. Could Mikey B. possibly take her place? Permanently, I mean.

Ben: Even better suggestion!

Laura: Yeah. [laughs]

Mikey: [laughs] But I love Laura.

Laura: I like Mikey. He’s cool. Oh, I think the GoDaddy ads, etcetera, at the beginning of the podcast are too long. Could you just stick them in the show notes or something?

Jamie: Yes, of course. Anything else you want? Anything else you want? Do you want the show moved two minutes later on Sundays, or…

Laura: [laughs] Well, wait, wait, wait. Jamie, Jamie.

Jamie: Okay.

Laura: I appreciate your time and effort that goes into this awesome podcast. Keep up the good work.

Jamie: Aw. Isn’t that nice?

Laura: Well, see, my favorite…

Jamie: So, Laura, what do you feel towards this person?

Ben: Time? Effort? [laughs]

Laura: Well, see, I think that…

[Jamie and Mikey laugh]

Jamie: What did you say those words were?

Laura: I think that just because she asked so nicely, I’m just going to leave.

Jamie: Oh, yeah, well, you’ve been planning it, haven’t you, Laura? So, you’re going.

Laura: Yup. I’m going.

Jamie: I hope you got what you wanted! She’s gone! She’s gone! She’s off! Out! Vamoose! Disappeared!

Laura: Not really.

Mikey: Vamoose?

[Jamie laughs]

Laura: One of my favorite things, though, is can we move the GoDaddy ads so we can start charging listeners to listen to the show? That way…

Jamie: Yeah, that would be the problem.

Laura: That would be the only way we could pay for it, so yeah, sure. If you want to pay, that’s fine.

Jamie: But Laura, I think you should thank her for sending in this email because she took the time and effort to send this email in.

Laura: Yeah, tell me how much she hates me.

Jamie: You shouldn’t be too mean. [laughs]

Laura: Oh, no, no, no, no. I appreciate all feedback.

Jamie: There you go.

Laura: No matter how ridiculous.


Voicemails: The Longbottoms’ Information


Jamie: And let’s go to some voicemails now. Laura?

[Audio]: Hey, MuggleCasters. This is Tanya from the freezing cold Montreal, Canada right now. Last night, I was re-reading Goblet of Fire and I noticed that at the trial of Bellatrix and Mr. Crouch’s son, Mr. Crouch says that they tortured the Longbottoms into insanity, but particularly Frank Longbottom because he had information of where Voldemort was. Do you think that he was the only Auror that really knew where Voldemort was, and do you think that he still has information that Harry needs to know? Thanks, I love the show.

Jamie: Well, he is clearly a senior Auror.

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: Frank Longbottom.

Mikey: Well, I doubt that he remembers it.

Jamie: He and his wife. Well, no, I doubt he remembers much, but no, I think he and his wife are good senior Aurors in the Auror hierarchy. I don’t know, I just think that – I don’t know if you can say that he knew solely, you know, about Voldemort. But I think he was probably entrusted with more information, and so they went for the top guy and girl rather than aiming lower. But I don’t know.

Laura: Well, I mean – I don’t know. I think what she is asking is, is there any way that Harry can get any information from him at this point or is he too damaged?

Ben: I think he’s too damaged. The memories and stuff still may be there but we saw with Voldemort – he completely destroyed Bertha Jorkins when he got that information out of her. So, I mean, I don’t know if you can destroy them anymore. I know that sounds really bad, but I don’t know if it’s possible to destroy them any more, but you may have to leave them for dead, probably, if you broke their minds any more than they are already broken.

Jamie: But they are basically dead already. Are they worse than dead or not?

Laura: I would say so.

Ben: I’d say so. Yeah, I would say so.

Laura: Especially because of the way that Neville has to see them.

Ben: Well, to him, especially.

Jamie: Well, that’s true.

Kevin: Yeah, it’s a pretty horrible existence.

Ben: To him, especially.

Mikey: Yeah, that’s kind of harsh.

Ben: To his parents, they’re not aware of their surroundings. So, honestly, they might as well be dead.

Mikey: Are they not aware? Because Alice always gives Neville the gum wrapper, so they know it’s – something is different about this person coming to visit them.

Laura: She knows, but…

Jamie: [laughs] Can I just say…?

Laura: Yeah, go ahead, Jamie.

Jamie: I love that theory that people came up with – to be fair, I was an advocate of this as well until I found out that it was complete rubbish – that she was passing him information in these gum wrappers.

Laura: I thought that was kind of cool too.

Jamie: Well, the evidence to this theory was, I think…

Laura: It was an anagram? [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, yeah. What’s the…

Laura: “Gold bribe beneath St. Mungo’s” or something?

Jamie: Yeah, “Gold bribe below St. Mungo’s” was an anagram of the gum name, you know, the – and I thought that…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: How do you find an anagram? I just – I don’t…

Laura: If you’re good at puzzles, I guess.

Ben: You have way too much time on your hands.

Laura: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: Perhaps.

Laura: Kind of like us. [laughs]

Mikey: You’re Ben Schoen.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah. Ben figures out so many anagrams, it’s unbelievable.

Ben: [laughs] Yeah, it’s – I know.

Mikey: [laughs] It’s because he’s a genius.

Jamie: Yeah, he is.

Mikey: We just don’t know that part of Ben.

Jamie: I.Q. of 230, isn’t it, Ben? Since the last time you had it tested.

Ben: Well, isn’t it true, like, with people with I.Q.’s of 230 can’t, like, walk? [laughs]

Jamie: I don’t know if you can make…

[Kevin laughs]

Jamie: …that blatant claim, but I think yeah, they…

Ben: They have other types of disabilities once they’re that smart. [laughs]

Kevin: Yeah, a lot. Yeah, a lot of smart people have some issues.

Jamie: That’s ridiculous how you can have…

Kevin: Not everyone.

Ben: Like you, Kevin. Like you, Kevin. [laughs]

Kevin: Yeah, it’s true.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: Yeah, he lacks basic social skills. Just kidding.

Jamie: He has like an I.Q. of 3497. It’s huge. He knows absolutely everything.

Ben: Actually, it’s 1024. Right, Kevin? [Mockingly laughs]

Jamie: No, Ben, it used to be that. Oh, I see. Sorry, I get it now. [laughs]


Voicemail: Last Chapter Or Epilogue?


Jamie: Okay, Laura, next voicemail?

[Audio]: Hi, this is Lizzie from Melbourne, Australia. I was just thinking about when J.K.R. said the last word “scar” was going to be in the last chapter, or the last word of the non-epilogue chapter. That could make quite a difference because it could end, “The son was born with a scar.” I’m not sure. I don’t know. But if you guys could tell me what you think, that’d be great. Okay, bye.

Jamie: Last chapter, I thought – I think she wouldn’t talk about the epilogue.

Kevin: Well, didn’t she say the last word in the book will be “scar?” Or…

Laura: It would be “scar,” yeah.

Kevin: Because…

Jamie: You don’t talk about…

Kevin: Yes.

Laura: The epilogue is part of the book.

Kevin: Absolutely, you need both.

Ben: Maybe it’s both.

[Jamie laughs]

Mikey: Maybe she put them in both. It makes sense, Ben.

Ben: Maybe every chapter is going to end with “scar.”

Jamie: No, every word is.

Mikey: Every sentence. [laughs] It’s like, “Harry scar went scar to scar the…” You know.

Jamie: Mikey, she couldn’t think of anything to write, so she just put ten thousand words of “scar,” and you have to try and figure it out the meaning just from that. That could be fun.

Mikey: Well, I thought it was only seven hundred and eighty four and it was one word per page…

Jamie: Oh, yeah, it is.

Mikey: …that just said “scar” written over and over again.

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: Because that’s what I was told.

Ben: Wouldn’t that be funny? Seriously, wouldn’t you buy a copy if it had that? I would. You know what I mean? She…

Mikey: I still would.

Jamie: I’d buy two.

Ben: Just to say you had…

Jamie: Would you read it? Just to say you’ve read it.

Ben: Every single page. Yeah. Every single page.

[Laura laughs]

Mikey: Yeah, of course.

Jamie: You couldn’t say that you read it.

Mikey: Dude, I can speed-read it. It just goes “scarrr.” In just one big flip-through real quick. You can say the word slow.

Jamie: How many people – If she hid, like, a load of details on page 340, how many people would actually read all the way through it and then go – and then get to 340 and then realize or did they just skip through it and say, “Oh, yeah, it says ‘scar’ on this page.”

Mikey: I would say that most likely, MuggleNet would end up posting that information, and I’d jump straight into that page.

Jamie: Well, it is your number one Harry Potter resource for top news, so.

Mikey: Of course it is. It’s my favorite site.

Jamie: Aw. Thank you, Mikey. [laughs]


Voicemail: S.P.E.W.


Jamie: Okay, Laura, next voicemail.

[Audio]: Hey. I was just listening to Episode 784, and it reminded me that I have been having this theory for awhile. I have just gotten a new jacket since my old one had worn out, and so I got it from the WB shop and it’s a S.P.E.W. jacket. And so I was wondering if this means that S.P.E.W. might actually be in the movie. Because, I mean, it’s just such a great part of the books, and so I think it would be great if they included it. So, could you tell me what you think? Thanks, love the show. Bye.

Jamie: Didn’t they say it wasn’t?

Laura: It wasn’t. Yeah. I’m pretty sure that they said it wasn’t. Yeah, I really don’t think that that means anything because I know that WB puts out a lot of merchandise, and some of it is just stuff from the books.

Kevin: In general, they’re just trying to sell stuff. So, if they think people are going to like it, they’re going to sell it.

Jamie: And it’s a cool jacket, with S.P.E.W. on it.

Laura: Yeah, I remember whenever – Well, before the first movie came out, my friend and I were in the WB store, and there was a whole bunch of stuff in there with a bunch of different characters and stuff. They had a shirt that had Peeves on it.

[Jamie laughs]

Laura: laughs And so we thought Peeves was going to be in the movie, and he wasn’t. And we bought…

Mikey: Well, no, he was. Didn’t you see him.

Laura: No, he wasn’t.

Mikey: I saw Peeves. He’s in every movie.

Jamie: Yeah, he is, Laura. You just aren’t watching them closely enough.

Mikey: [laughs] You’re just missing it, Laura.

[Kevin laughs]

Jamie: She blanks out just as he comes on. It’s like a subliminal Peeves.

Mikey: You know what, I think most fans blank out and don’t see Peeves.

Kevin: Yup.

Mikey: I see him every time. He’s always right there.

Jamie: It’s only one frame, isn’t it Mikey? So, you know, it’s quite hard to see him.

Mikey: [laughs] Yeah. Exactly.

Kevin: [laughs] So, it’s like Fight Club?

Mikey: But as a film student, I tend to view it one frame at a time for almost all my movies, so.

Jamie: Mikey watches every single movie one frame at a time.

Mikey: One frame at a time.

Jamie: So it takes you four weeks per movie, but you get every single detail. Every single thing.

Mikey: Oh, of course. I absorb all the detail. I’m like, “Ooh, look at the cinematography for this for this frame.” And there’s Peeves.

[Jamie laughs]

Mikey: He’s always just pops up in one frame. [laughs]

Jamie: He does.

Kevin: So, it’s like Fight Club.

Jamie. Yeah, well, exactly. He…

Mikey: Exactly.

Jamie: …pops up and has his arm around Harry’s shoulder and, you know, it’s awesome. It’s awesome. Everyone re-watch Philosopher’s Stone. You’ll see Peeves.

Mikey: You’ll see Peeves in that.

[Jamie and Mikey laugh]

Jamie: Okay, next one.


Voicemail: Sirius’s Attempt To Kill Snape


[Audio]: Hi, MuggleCasters. This is Kristin Stapleton, 15, from Seattle, Washington, and I was just re-reading in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. And I noticed something that I hadn’t heard properly explained or mentioned throughout the rest of the series. In the chapter “Hermione the Great,” Sirius has just gotten captured and Harry and Ron and Hermione are in the hospital wing – this is before they go back in time, by the way – and Harry awakes and hears Snape and Dumbledore arguing. On page 286 of the U.K. Prisoner of Azkaban hardback edition, Snape says, “Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of 16. You haven’t forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven’t forgotten that he once tried to kill me.” I immediately associated this with the Marauder scene in Order of the Phoenix, but then I realized that Snape didn’t really get harmed in that disagreement so I’m guessing he isn’t referring to that. What do you guys think he is talking about here? Could Sirius not be as innocent as we all think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this and I love you all, but Eric and Andrew are my favorite. Bye.

Jamie: Interesting.

Laura: I don’t think so. Honestly.

Jamie: No, I don’t think so.

Laura: I mean it’s an interesting theory because we know that, especially between Sirius and Snape, there was a huge amount of animosity, but I think that he was talking about the werewolf thing, just because if he had come upon Lupin…

Jamie: He would’ve been killed, yeah.

Laura: …he most likely would have died.

Jamie: But he just thought that Sirius meant to kill him.

Laura: Kill him.

Jamie: But perhaps Sirius didn’t realize the implications of….

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: [unintelligible] or two.

Laura: I think it’s exactly – it’s completely, one hundred percent, something that Sirius would do, and he wouldn’t do it with any intention of killing him.

Jamie: No.

Laura: He was most likely just thinking, you know – scare the crap out of him, mainly. I think.

Jamie: I agree.

Laura: Yep. Does anyone else have anything to say?

Jamie: And, well it’s just Snape…

Kevin: I agree as well.

Jamie: …thinking that everyone is terrible and that because he tricked him, he wanted to kill him. I don’t think he’s, you know.

Ben: Bad.

Mikey: Sirius is a nice guy.

Laura: Was.

Jamie: Well, actually – he was a nice guy, yeah.

[Kevin laughs]

Laura: Oh, no, wait. I hear…

Mikey: Oh, no – no.

Laura: …that if you read between the lines in the books, he pops up every now and then, right?

Kevin: That’s true.

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: If you read, if you read…

Mikey: [laughs] Yeah – well, you know…

Jamie: …one letter at a time.

Mikey: He only went through that veil.

Jamie: Exactly.

Mikey: And that veil doesn’t mean he’s dead. So, he’s still around.

Jamie: Laura.

Mikey: We just have to, you know.

Jamie: Laura, if you go back to the Ministry of Magic you can see his…

Kevin: Well…

Jamie: …fingernails just over the edge of the veil, and he’s hanging on for dear life.

[Laura and Mikey laugh]

Jamie: And he’s hoping someone’s going to come back and pick him over the edge, but no luck so far.

Mikey: But they won’t let Harry back, so.

Kevin: But Laura – Laura, you know those flip books?

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: Mhm.

Kevin: Where you have to flip the pages really fast.

Jamie: Oh, yeah.

Laura: Yeah.

Kevin: You have to flip the pages really fast in order to see him.

Jamie: Oh, I thought you meant those ones…

Laura: He pops up – you know, waves.

Jamie: …where it’s like – Kevin, I think you meant those ones where it’s like you come face-to-face with the monster, to turn and run turn to page 161.

Laura: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: But – but, you know.

[Kevin laughs]

Jamie: But to stand and fight…

Laura: Did you guys ever read those, the Goosebumps make-your-own-ending books?

Jamie: Yeah.

Ben and

Kevin:

Oh.

Laura: I loved those.

Kevin: Ah.

Laura: It’s my favorite thing.

Mikey: Me and Andrew had a whole conversation about if R.L. Stine and J.K. Rowling got in a fight.

Jamie: That would be awesome.

[Laura laughs]

Mikey: Who would win? It would be amazing.

Jamie: That would be awesome.

Mikey: Because like, come on.

Kevin: Oh, geez.


Goosebumps And “Are You Afraid Of The Dark?”


Mikey: Do you remember the T.V. show on Fox?

Laura: Yeah.

Mikey: “Hi, I’m R.L. Stine.”

Ben: That used to freak me out – that show did.

Mikey: That would be amazing. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, but…

[Mikey laughs]

Mikey: Back to Goosebumps – I mean, Harry Potter.

Laura: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: “Are You Afraid of the Dark” was scarier.

Laura: That show was awesome.

Mikey: That was – I own every episode.

Laura: I love that show.

Ben: Do you really?

Jamie: Mikey, do you remember the one where…

Mikey: Yeah, I bought it for a hundred bucks on DVD off eBay.

Jamie: Oh my god.

Mikey: 19 DVD’s.

Jamie: 19?

Mikey: Every episode of “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” Yeah.

Jamie: Do you remember the one where there’s that creature that’s hidden in the wall of the house, and they recite and incantation and it comes out of the wall?

Mikey: Oh, “Quicksilver.”

Jamie: “Quicksilver,” yeah. That – I have never been so scared of anything, I don’t think, in my entire life.

[Kevin laughs]

Mikey: That’s one of my favorite episodes, and the guy is getting sick because…

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: …he’s trying to do the incantation read back…

Jamie: I’ve never – it’s…

Mikey: …but he wasn’t using real silver…

Jamie: Yeah, he was…

Mikey: …they were using a spoon…

Jamie: Steel.

Mikey: …that wasn’t silver.

Jamie: It’s like, “Arabarious, the creature of darkness.” Oh, no.

Ben: So…

Jamie: I expected a thing to come on my wall here, and the thing to come out to get me, just like in the books. [laughs]

Ben: So, how many episodes are there per disc?

Mikey: It’s like five per disc. It’s not a real version because Nickelodeon has never released the real version, but it’s – some guy ended up downloading them all or recording them, and I saw it on eBay…

Jamie: Did you buy pirated [pronounced “pi-RATE-ed”] material, Mikey? Mikey.

Mikey: Um, no, I didn’t.

Ben: You bought – you bought…

Mikey: But somehow I stumbled across it.

Ben: He bought pirated [pronounced “PI-rut-ed”]

Jamie: You just stumbled across it.

Ben: …not pirated [pronounced “pi-RATE-ed”] – he bought pirated material.

Jamie: No, it’s not. It’s pirated [pronounced “pi-RATE-ed”].

Mikey: I bought – I bought burned…

Jamie: I say pirated [pronounced “pi-RATED”].

Mikey: …DVD discs. I bought burned discs. I thought they were blank when I purchased them for an – a lot of money. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, a hundred dollars for five DVDs. [laughs]

Mikey: [laughs] And they happened to have some wonderful, wonderful old…

Jamie: And you were like, “Damn!”

Mikey: …Nickelodeon shows that I – “Oh, well, I guess I’ll have to watch these.”

[Jamie laughs]

Mikey: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah, well.

Mikey: It’s from Canada, so.

Jamie: Well, perhaps William Shatner sent them to you. [laughs]

[Kevin laughs]

Mikey: [laughs] I know. Oh, how I love William Shatner and Canada. We’re going to be in Canada soon, aren’t we?

Jamie: We are, yeah. Well, perhaps he’ll be at Prophecy.

Laura: Oh, yay.

Jamie: Hopefully.

Mikey: Aw, that would be amazing.

Jamie: Go on, Laura. Next one.


Voicemail: Harry’s Protection In Little Whinging


[Audio]: Hey, MuggleCasters. This is Stephanie from Illinois and I was just re-reading Book 5, and on page 143 in Chapter 8, called “The Hearing,” I found something kind of interesting. When Mrs. Figg is brought in to testify on Harry’s behalf, she says that she lives in Little Whinging, and Madame Bones replies, “There is no record of any witch or wizard living in Little Whinging other than Harry Potter. This situation has always been closely monitored given past events.” I’m not really sure what this means, but could it possibly imply that someone has – someone of the wizarding community has tried to attack Harry while he was staying at Privet Drive, but Dumbledore’s magic that he invoked could have prevented it? Thanks, love the show. Bye.

Jamie: Well, it depends on what type of ancient magic it is. Do you think it’s ancient magic that stops people knowing he’s there, or stops you coming…

Laura: Yeah, I don’t know.

Jamie: …to get him.

Laura: I think it’s the ancient magic that kind of continues the love that he has protecting him. Like, it kind of renews it, I suppose, like when he goes back there. He gets another year of love protection.

Jamie: That’s – [laughs] Of love, yeah.

[Mikey laughs]

Kevin: His dose of love.

Jamie: That’s pretty cool.

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: But, I mean…

Jamie: No, I’ve always thought of it as kind of weird, all these ancient magic things that only Dumbledore seems to be able to do, you know. He seems to know all these ancient magical spells that protect Harry. I wish that Jo would tell us more about them because I think they’re pretty interesting.

Laura: Yeah, but, I mean, do you think that means…

Mikey: I want to know more.

Laura: …that at one point, you know – or you know, multiple points, maybe Death Eaters, other followers of Voldemort showed up at Privet Drive, tried to do something?

Jamie: Tried to do Harry in. They could – they had to have tried, you know, it’s…

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: You know, it’s…

Laura: It’s just weird that Harry wouldn’t know about it. It’s kind of creepy, if you think about it.

Jamie: It is.

Mikey: I don’t think they’ve ever been. I honestly don’t think they know where Harry goes over the summer.

Jamie: He disguised himself as a postman, the Death Eater.

[Ben laughs]

Laura: Yeah, but it’s not that hard to figure out that…

Jamie: It didn’t work, though.

Laura: …that’s where Harry goes. I mean, pretty much everyone knows that he lives with his aunt and uncle.

Mikey: I know, and a lot of people know, but the thing is, what if one of the spells that are cast on there, because of the blood – because, like, one, now that Voldemort has Harry’s blood running through him, that blood magic technically doesn’t matter anymore.

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: You know what I mean? But why does he still have to go back? It’s some type of protection, and maybe that protection has kept the Death Eaters from actually finding out because they, you know, kind of like how, think about the, you know – Dumbledore came up with the Mirror of Erised. Only if someone wanted to get the Stone, but not use it, you know what I mean?

Jamie: So if somebody wanted to just talk to Harry, but not kill him? [laughs]

[Laura laughs]

Mikey: But not kill him, or harm him, it would be okay. You know, something like that – we just don’t know.

Laura: Well, do you think it means that maybe Privet Drive is unplottable, or only certain people…

Mikey: Possibly.

Laura: …can see it?

Kevin: Yeah, that’s possible.

Mikey: Again, only, you know, if you want to just contact Harry for the sake of contacting Harry, not to be a…

Jamie: That’s interesting, yeah.

Mikey: Not to be a – you know what I mean? Something that – there’s something there that I know we don’t know.

Jamie: Oh, completely, yeah.

Mikey: And that’s why there’s never been, you know, that’s why there’s never been a, you know, a Death Eater attack there.

Jamie: She has been, you know, especially secretive about the advanced magic that protects Harry, the advanced magic that – sorry, ancient magic that protects Hogwarts, you know – all these kinds of things that only Dumbledore knows about and perhaps that’s been built up, but now he’s gone, and all these things collapse, and it really does come to Harry.

Mikey: Well, also, she’s also been very tight-lipped about the whole Grindelwald and Dumbledore battle also because the first thing you do when you go, you know, into any battle, is you research the past. You find out what’s worked, what hasn’t worked, so you have some type of an idea, and that’s like the only one that we really know about that took place, you know, previously with another dark wizard, and it was, of course, Dumbledore that was the one that fought against – so, it’s like, if we knew something there, maybe we’d know what to expect between Harry and Voldemort’s battle, but we don’t know anything there, we don’t know. There’s a lot that we’re missing, and I don’t know if we’re going to get all the answers, I really don’t.


Can Anyone Kill Voldemort?


Jamie: That’s just reminded me about something, and I wanted to get your guys’ opinion on this. I put out our show, and I wanted to ask, if Voldemort is tied to a chair, okay? Completely tied up. He can’t reach his wand, he can’t do any magic at all. Could Dumbledore, or Snape, or any other wizard, come in and kill him, or does the prophecy…

Mikey: This was your Minority Report thing, huh?

Laura: You know what’s interesting?

Jamie: It was, it was Minority Report, yeah.

Mikey: I actually just listened to that today.

Jamie: Oh, cool.

Mikey: I was stuck in traffic and I had my iPod. I was like, “I’ll listen to Jamie rant today.”

[Jamie laughs]

Mikey: [laughs] Um, I don’t know. Laura, you can go first.

Laura: I was just saying, our next voicemail is actually about that.

Jamie: Oh! What do you know?

[Ben laughs]


Voicemail: Who Else Can Kill Voldemort?


Mikey: Well, why don’t you read it because I have a response to that because I wasn’t on that show, so I have a response. But why don’t you read your voicemail first?

[Audio]: Hey, this is Amanda from California, and I was listening to MuggleCast 82. You were talking about could somebody else kill Voldemort, once all the Horcruxes are destroyed? And what you guys overlooked was, in the sixth book, when Dumbledore is talking about the prophecy – visionary – he says that it will still take a wizard with uncommon skill. And he says that Harry has that uncommon skill because it’s the love that he still has, no matter how much he suffered. And it’s that love that will help him destroy Voldemort. And I don’t believe anybody else has that special sort of love that Voldemort couldn’t touch beforehand. And that that love will be what enables Harry to be the only person who can kill Voldemort. I love the show. Thanks, bye!

Jamie: But doesn’t that kind of preclude everyone else who has lost people? The reason Harry – I think I’ve drawn this reference before, but I’ve got to draw it again. Like in “Prison Break” – which you should all watch, by the way, because it’s awesome – Michael Scofield, the lead character…

Mikey: I don’t watch that.

Jamie: You should, Mikey, it’s – oh, oh, oh my god. It’s brilliant.

[Laura and Mikey laugh]

Jamie: The lead character, he – because of his abused childhood, he is extremely empathetic towards people, and he can’t stand other people’s suffering. And it’s like Harry, and that’s born out of all the people close to him dying and seeing all these bad things happening. He feels empathetic towards people, and that’s why he has his power of love. But you can’t say that it’s only Harry in the whole wizarding world who has that power.

Laura: Well, I think…

Jamie: Other people have lost people, too. So, you know, – and hate Voldemort for that same reason.

Laura: Well, Jamie, I think that…

Ben: But Harry’s special.

Laura: …there’s something – there’s something unique about Harry’s situation that we don’t know yet. I think that there’s something about the Potters, maybe, that makes Harry’s case unique. I think that there’s more of a connection than just, Harry has the power of love to defeat Voldemort. I think there’s definitely something else that Harry has that he’s going to use against him. We just don’t know what it is yet.

Mikey: Well, you know what? Actually, because of that, I actually wasn’t sure about Jamie’s theory. Because the whole, like, predetermination, you know, if you knew your future, could you change it? Stuff like that. I actually just went back to the prophecy right now. I actually pulled it up. I have the book open. And it says, you know – the key words in there are “vanquish,” and I went and looked in the dictionary for it. It’s “to defeat thoroughly,” which could be – You know, he could defeat Voldemort thoroughly just by destroying the Horcruxes and someone else can off him, so you know…

[Jamie and Laura laugh]

Mikey: So, Ron can come by and just take the Gryffindor sword and chop his head off.

Jamie: That’s absolutely right.

Mikey: Here’s the part right here: “But either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives.” “…at the hand of the other.” That kind of says, whoever that Voldemort marked, which is Harry, has to be the one to off him, basically. So, I’m sorry, Jamie.

Jamie: Oh, that sucks.

Mikey: “…the hand of the other.” It’s that right there.

Jamie: But, Mikey, couldn’t Ron be about to kill him, and Harry goes, “Go on, Ron, you can do it, you can do it.” And then he’s died at Harry’s hand because Harry’s encouraged him to do it. There you go. [laughs]

Mikey: I guess, if that’s how you – that’s what this thing is. It’s the interpretation, it’s a prophecy.

Jamie: It is.

Mikey: I definitely think Harry’s…

Kevin: Oh, yeah, without a doubt.

Mikey: …the only one that would be able to destroy the Horcruxes.

Jamie: Oh, definitely. Yeah, yeah.

Mikey: But that final strike blow, I think anyone could do it if Voldemort was tied to a chair, broken wand, and unconscious.

Jamie: Yeah. [laughs] And dead.

Mikey: I think anyone could do it, but again, I don’t think anyone would do it unless Harry flat out gave a command, order to, or Harry did it himself.

Jamie: But you know about these Horcruxes. The thing that gets me is that Dumbledore, when they went to the cave, Harry had no idea what was going on. He was oblivious. He didn’t know anything. He couldn’t have found the boat, he couldn’t have worked out to give blood to get into the inside, he couldn’t have worked out to drink the thing. And even if he had, what would have happened? I know it’s going to be him who deals with the Horcruxes, but I think it’s going to have to be the problem-solving minds of all of them put together that solves it, rather than…

Kevin: Yeah.

Laura: Oh, yeah, of course.


Importance Of The Locket


Mikey: Yeah. Actually, that locket has started to give me a lot of questions. You guys have seen all the artwork for the different books, right? If you take a look at the U.S. artwork, he’s wearing that locket around his neck. I was just saying – also, the adult book cover has the locket on it, so I’m thinking that locket is a very significant Horcrux.

Jamie: Yeah, definitely.

Mikey: Just for that sake. Just for that sake. Because why would it be a cover – why would it be a picture of the locket versus a picture of Nagini, or – why is that the Horcrux? And, of course, when you go back, he’s wearing that locket there.

Kevin: It is, it really is.

Mikey: You know what I mean?

Jamie: It’s so Lord of the Rings, it’s unbelievable.

Mikey: It is.

Jamie: He’s going to throw it into Godric’s Hollow…

Mikey: Yes.

Jamie: …where the adventure started and it’s going to melt down.


Voicemail: Did Dumbledore Make A Horcrux?


[Audio]: Hey, MuggleCast. [message sped up] …Episode 74 or Episode 82, whichever one you prefer. I thought of two ideas. One was that when Dumbledore was talking to Malfoy, Snape used Occlumency to read Dumbledore’s mind or get in there, and Dumbledore was telling Snape what to do, and get here fast. And my second one was when Jo said that Dumbledore’s death was more complex than it really was, she meant maybe that Dumbledore in a higher duel might have killed someone and created a Horcrux then. Only one, maybe, and he’s still out there somehow. Dumbledore is alive! Thank you.

Jamie: Ummm…

Ben: No.

Jamie: Wow, that was very profound.

Ben: No, no, no.

Jamie: He’s not – you can’t question…

Ben: Why would J.K. Rowling say, “He’s dead, Dumbledore is dead.”

Laura: [laughs] Exactly.

Ben: Unless, you know…

Jamie: He’s definitely dead. And also, creating a Horcrux, it’s – it was a banned subject inside Hogwarts. He didn’t want people talking about it. It’s clearly an evil thing, and he’d never bring himself to do that. And he’d have to – he would have to kill someone. He just – I could never see him ever doing it. Ever. Ever. Ever!

Mikey: No.

Laura: Yeah, I don’t think he would, either.

Mikey: Yeah, Dumbledore would never do that.

Laura: Just to get that part of the question out of the way: I don’t think Dumbledore killed anybody, I don’t think he has a Horcrux. He’s dead. Sorry.

Mikey: Oh. I think Dumbledore’s…

Ben: I think he’s killed somebody.

Mikey: But not…

Ben: He doesn’t kill for pleasure like Voldemort does.

Mikey: Yeah.

Laura: Not to use them as a Horcrux.

Ben: Right, right.

Laura: I mean, maybe in self defense.

Mikey: Yeah. He did it out of…

Ben: He did it out of necessity.

Jamie: Justifiable homicide.

Mikey: It’s like killing Hitler.

Jamie: Yeah. That’s pretty fair.

Mikey: Kill one person to save millions of lives.

Jamie: That’s pretty fair, to be honest.

Mikey: He didn’t – it was Grindelwald, you know, so…

Jamie: Yeah. Well, that’s a very interesting thing, but for another show. You know, the Grindelwald timeframe, Nazi Germany, Hitler thing. Very interesting. 1945. But would you…

Laura: Do you think that Snape and Dumbledore were communicating via Occlumency?

Jamie: That’s very interesting. They were staring at each other.

Laura: Yeah.

Mikey: Like Obi-Wan and Luke? “Run, Luke, run!” [laughs]

[Jamie laughs]

Mikey: You know, very. I really don’t – they could have been, but I highly doubt it.

Jamie: Mikey.

Mikey: [laughs] Why would – you know?

Jamie: Mikey.

Mikey: Yes?

Jamie: And then after he Avada Kedavra-ed him, Dumbledore’s cloak just fell to the ground and he completely disappeared, and he didn’t actually fly off the roof.

Mikey: [laughs] Exactly! And, “By destroying me now, I will become more powerful than you could ever imagine.” He’s going to be there. No, I really don’t think they were talking to each other via Occlumency.


Snape’s Stance


Jamie: But it says that – now, this is from memory, so I’m not sure. Doesn’t it say that, “Snape looked at Dumbledore with a look of utmost revulsion on his face”? And it actually says that he stared at him, I think.

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: So it could be that he was sending him mind bullets.

Mikey: But didn’t he also – with that look, didn’t he also – wasn’t Dumbledore also saying, “Please?” Saying, “Please, Severus.”

Laura: Yeah, he was saying, “Severus, please.” Yeah.

Mikey: Yeah. And so with that look, like – I would say Snape is just disgusted that he has to kill Dumbledore.

Jamie: Yeah, that’s true, because Snape is good.

Mikey: And that Dumbledore is pleading him to kill him.

Laura: I think that’s probably…

Mikey: Snape is good.

Jamie: Of course he is.

Mikey: I agree that Snape is good.

Jamie: Yes, he is. Snape’s very good.

Mikey: Snape has to be good. If he’s bad, it’s just like…

Jamie: It’s not fair.

Mikey: Even if he’s not good, he’s out for himself, so he’s going to end up helping Harry out regardless.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly, yeah.

Mikey: So even if he is bad or out for himself, he’s going to help Harry in the end.

Jamie: Yeah, he’s got to.

Mikey: He still owes him a life debt.

Jamie: Help the winner, help the winner. I think so.

Laura: I think that is a good bet.


Occlumency Versus Telepathy


Jamie: One last point about communicating with Occlumency: Can you actually – obviously, you can send if you think something and the other person picks up, but can you just talk telepathically? Can you have a conversation? You just walk into a room and you hear, “Hi, how are you?” “Yes, I’m fine, thank you.”

[Laura laughs]

Mikey: Well that’s what we did in Vegas, Jamie.

Laura: [laughs] Yeah.

Mikey: Me, you, and Ben were just talking like that.

Jamie: Yeah, we were.

[Show music begins]

Mikey: And Andrew had no clue what we were saying about him, so we were like, “Simsy! Geez! Come on! Join our conversation!”

[Jamie laughs]

Mikey: And he couldn’t figure it out!

Jamie: No. He’s been practicing, though, Mikey…

[Mikey laughs]

Jamie: …so hopefully he’ll have…

Mikey: So by Prophecy we’ll be able to talk about – we’ll be able to record our own podcast in our heads, talking back and forth.

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah, exactly.

Ben: [laughs] Yeah.

Mikey: Laura, you have to catch up with us if you’re going to want to be part of it.

Jamie: Yeah. Start learning now! [laughs] Go to after-school Occlumency classes.


Show Close


Jamie: And that wraps up our special edition of MuggleCast. Now I’m going to try and do an Andrew here and do it in his voice, so, [imitating Andrew] if you want to contact us, dial 1-218-20-MAGIC. If you want to write to us, write to P.O. Box something, something, something, Moundridge, California.

Ben: That’s me. He says, “Ben? What is it, Ben?”

Jamie: Oh, yeah. And then Ben goes, [imitating Ben] “Moundrige, California.”

Ben: It’s Kansas, actually.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: I mean Kansas.

Mikey: California!

Ben: P.O. Box 223
Moundridge, Kansas
67107

Jamie: If you want to contact us, go on our Facebook, that is the group MuggleCast. Or, you can go on Frappr Map and see – because we love seeing all you people there. Or you can go on MySpace, that is MuggleCastFan. I’m not actually quite sure. We’ve got 5,000 friends now, so go on there. If you want to call the Skype, use the username MuggleCast, but please keep your message under one minute and eliminate as much background noise as possible.

I’m Andrew Sims – I mean, I’m Jamie Lawrence. Wow, I got so into it there. It was unbelievable.

Ben: I am Ben Schoen.

Kevin: I’m Kevin Steck.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Mikey: And I’m Mikey B.

Jamie: See you guys next week.

Laura: Alright. Bye, bye.

Mikey: Bye.

———————–

Written by: Micah, Adrienne, Allison, Briana, Cindy, Jessica, Laura, Leah, Margaret, Matt, Samantha, Sapna, Sarah, Shannon, Shelly, and Tina

Transcript #83

MuggleCast 83 Transcript


Show Intro


[Audio]: What’s up, MuggleCast listeners? If you want to make an impact online GoDaddy.com has what you need. Get your own dot com domain name for as low as $1.99. Plus world class hosting, fast and easy website builders and much more. Plus, as a listener of MuggleCast, enter code Muggle, that’s M-U-G-G-L-E when you check out and save an additional 10 percent on any order. Some restrictions apply. See site for details. Get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy.com.

Andrew: This week’s MuggleCast is also brought to you by Borders. Prepare for the upcoming release of Book 7 by catching a glimpse of where it all began. During the month of April you can purchase Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on DVD for only $14.99 at Borders. Also be sure to reserve Book 7 at Borders at 40 percent off and get a free sticker. Choose from “Trust Snape” or “Snape is a very bad man.”

[Intro music begins to play]

Eric: Because, because, because, because, because of the magical things we do, this is MuggleCast Episode 83 for April 1st, 2007.

[Intro music continues to play]

Andrew: All right guys, this is the end of the beginning of the end.

Jamie: It is.

Andrew: Does that make sense to you?

Eric: Yep.

Jamie: yes.

Andrew: I mean when we were talking about the release date, I was like, “It’s the beginning of the end!” and now it’s the end of the beginning of the end. I guess you could also say it’s the end of the beginning of the end of the beginning of the end of the beginning of the end of the beginning of…

Jamie: And then all that in brackets, Andrew.

Laura: Yes.

Jamie: All that in brackets and then “of the end” at the end, because all that’s at the end. It’s that big.

[Andrew laughs]

Laura: Very prophetic.

Andrew: Welcome everyone, to the show. Micah, you got your wish.

Micah: I did.

Eric: Not his wish, it was his command.

Andrew: Command.

Eric: Micah’s got the certainty and he’s got the tools and the power to make things happen.

Jamie: And the uh-huh-huh?

Andrew: Micah you know, you know, every time you make one of these, I don’t have any faith in you, but then sure enough, not days, hours, days later, you get results. I’m impressed.

Jamie: Micah, Micah, I’m a bit broke at the moment, so do you think you can ask her if she can give us a few million?

[Everyone laughs]

Micah: Yeah, sure. I’ll put in that request.

Jamie: Because I need a new fridge. Thank you very much.

Micah: But I can’t do that on the show, though, that wouldn’t be right.

Jamie: Well, if you just send her an e-mail to her private e-mail address, that would be fine.

Micah: Off-air, off-air. Yeah.

Andrew: In case you guys forgot, today is April Fool’s Day, but unfortunately we have no time for games or jokes or pranks because we have the cover to discuss. We have a lot to discuss about the cover. We also have an exciting little news piece that we all received earlier this week, but we’ll get to that a little bit later.

Jamie: Are you sure you’re going to…

Andrew: Hmmm.

Jamie: …are we definitely talking about that, Andrew?

Andrew: We’re going to talk about it. I’ve gotten clearance from the right people, and…

Jamie: Have we got advice from our legal team?

Andrew: …we have nothing to lose at this point. I really don’t think. It’s the final book.

Jamie: You’re right. Yeah, it’s true. Yeah. Harry Potter’s almost over. You’re absolutely right. Let’s just go for it.

Andrew: Okay. All right, I’m Andrew Sims.

Jamie: I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Micah: and I’m Micah Tannenbaum.

[Intro music continues to play]


News


Andrew: All right, Micah Tannenbaum is standing by in the MuggleCast news center with the past week’s top Harry Potter news stories. Micah, what could possibly be on the news table today?

Micah: Thanks, Simsy. Of course, the big news this week a new portrait was released of Gary Oldman in the character of Sirius Black for the upcoming Order of the Phoenix movie. I’m just kidding. Back on Wednesday, Bloomsbury and Scholastic together released the cover art for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The full jacket for the US version shows both Harry and Voldemort apparently engaged in a bit of wand-less magic. The UK children’s edition, however, is a bit more descriptive. We’ll discuss all that later in the show and the British adult version of the book appears to have Slytherin’s locket on the cover.

Bloomsbury also announced today that the UK edition will be 608 pages long. As previously announced the US version of the book will have 784 pages, making it longer than Goblet of Fire. However, the UK page count makes Deathly Hallows shorter than the British Goblet of Fire. Who cares about the page count? We’re all going to read the book anyway.

On The Today Show, US Editor of the Harry Potter books, Arthur Levine, stated that “We’re seeing Harry in a very interesting situation. Readers will find out exactly what the situation is.” He was of course referring to the cover art. He also stated that this was a very emotional book for him to read.

And it was announced earlier this week that the US Deathly Hallows audiobook will be released on July 21st, the same day that the book comes out. The Listening Library (which creates the audiobooks) also said that the story will run over 21 hours and retail for $79.95.

Last September, Entertainment Weekly caught up with the actors on the Order of the Phoenix set where they were in the midst of shooting the climax Department-of-Mysteries sequences. Be sure to check out all of the interview over on Mugglenet.com.

And finally, a listing on Amazon.com has revealed that the Order of the Phoenix soundtrack will be released on July 10th at a price of $18.95. And I wasn’t joking earlier about the portrait of Sirius Black. You can check out all of the new photos from Order of the Phoenix that came out this past week over on Mugglenet.com.

That’s all the news for this April 1st, 2007 edition of MuggleCast, back to the show.

Andrew: All right, thank you, Micah.

[Intro music ends]

Micah: I don’t think there’s anything – no news this week, guys, right?

Jamie: Nothing, nothing.

Micah: Nothing big, nothing major.

Andrew: Actually, we’re going to discuss it all. You don’t even need a news segment. Guess it’s a little late now, because it just played. I mean – whoops.

Eric: Ha ha. Whoops.


Announcements


Andrew: But anyway, we have a few announcements to get to – actually we just have a couple quick announcements to get to first, and then we’ll move on to the main story this week, of course the three covers being released. We want to remind everyone to vote for us at Podcast Alley. We’re number two — we’re at the number two spot right now, actually- but it’s going to be a new month today, starting today, it’s a new month over at Podcast Alley so place your vote for us to keep us up top.

Jamie: Please.

Andrew: And we appreciate that very much. Also, a special programming note: Jamie your special episode is coming this Wednesday.

Jamie: It is.

Andrew: What do we have to look forward to?

Jamie: I thought I’d give them a – well, it’s a kind of – it is isn’t a totally normal show. It’s a special show. What we’ve done is we’ve recycled some of the old segments we used to use – albeit not too well in some cases, but we’ve recycled them and hopefully it will be a trip down memory lane for everyone who has been listening awhile. We’ve done such favorites as Spy on Spartz, What if, the Dueling Club and stuff like that, so look forward to that on Wednesday.


Cover Discussion Initial Reaction


Andrew: Yes, very much. So, we’ll look forward to that. All right, so let’s get right into our main discussion this week. Of course the covers were all released this past Wednesday, March 28, 7:00 A.M. in the morning. Were you guys up.

Jamie: I was up.

Andrew: You were, Jamie. It was noon your time, wasn’t it?

Laura: No.

Micah: Yes.

Jamie: Yes, it was. Actually, I lied. I actually wasn’t up. I had quite a lie-in today.

Andrew: Oh, did you?

Jamie: A 3:00 P.M. lie in.

Andrew: Oh, yeah.

Jamie: I went to bed extremely, extremely late, because, because the new Prison Break came out yesterday and I wanted to watch it and I couldn’t because it was taking a long time to, ummm…

Eric: Oooh.

Micah: Come through the TV across the Atlantic.

Jamie: Download? To come through the TV, yeah. And it was taking so long to do that I had to wait and wait and wait and wait and finally it did it and it was awesome, so I’m so glad I stayed up.

Andrew: So, we got the cover…

Jamie: So, yeah. We got the covers.

Andrew: [laughs] And gosh, I don’t even know where to start. There’s so much to talk about. I guess we’ll start with initial reactions because when I first saw the United States edition, I just thought it was a little too simplistic at first.

Jamie: What?

Andrew: The cover…

Jamie: It’s just a picture of Harry. [laughs]

Andrew: I mean compared to the previous books, I mean, I really think the first book had the most detail in it. There’s a lot going on the front cover and even on the back cover, and I don’t know – what do you think, Laura? The seventh one, it just – it was very bare, but I think there was a lot of meaning behind all of it.

Laura: Yeah, I think so too. Whenever I first saw it, in the initial thumbnail size, I was like ‘What is this? It’s just a picture of Harry?’ And when I pulled it up I was kind of disappointed with it at first. Because I just – like you said – it just seemed way too simple, but then the more and more I looked at it, I started noticing things like, in my humble opinion, they’re in the Death Chamber, and you notice the shadows of all the people standing around the edges of where they are. You notice that their standing up on rubble and all sorts of stuff. So you know there’s got to be something going down at the Ministry. And, you know, it kind of grew on me a little bit. I like the colors. I like the way Harry’s presented.

Jamie: See? I just could not get excited about it. I can’t put much thought by the book covers and I think they’re book covers because the first thing you look at when you enter the store is the book cover so they’re made to be attractive and you know, be colorful and to draw people’s attention. And they aren’t made to be true to the things. And although there will be hidden details, it’s extremely exciting to look for, that comes after your initial reaction. So first of all I didn’t really, I wasn’t too, I don’t want to say I wasn’t too bothered because I was extremely excited, but it wasn’t like the title I jumped up and down and broke six windows before I finally calmed down.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Jamie that surprises me though, Jamie, because…

Jamie: Why? Did you break seven?

Eric: I did.

[Everyone laugh]

Eric: But also because the UK covers and you’ll presumably be getting a UK book…

Jamie: Actually Eric I’m going to fly over…

Eric: Oh, right. Well, no, I figured you’d be here in July.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: So, I don’t know. You’ll be getting…what will be the first copy you
read?

Jamie: I’m going to get a British one. I must say I’ve always liked the British ones more than the US ones…

Laura: Me too.

Jamie: And this is no exception, I must say, I think this one’s amazing. Actually I can’t believe I just said after I said I wasn’t excited, but this one is pretty cool…

Eric: Right, you broke your own rule there. I’m actually pretty excited. But I was the opposite, Jamie. I actually preferred some of the US covers at least…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …for Order of the Phoenix, especially. Even though the phoenix is awesome, they kind of go hand in hand.

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Eric: It didn’t really show favoritism.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: But not that it’s that different with Book 7, but if you look at the UK cover, which is the one you’ll be getting and the one I’ll be getting here in New Zealand…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: It’s just absolutely…every book kind of has a color scheme as Alice was saying to me the other night, just last night, because we found out at 2 o’clock this morning. Thanks Andrew! And every book has kind of a color scheme but this one, this UK edition has every single color and every thing. It’s a variety of hues. All sorts of blues and gold, and I don’t even know what they are doing, but…

Andrew: It’s a very colorful book and I think that’s one of the things that struck me about this UK version was that how colorful it was. I just don’t see the book being – because when I think colorful, I think cheery and bright.

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: And this one’s very vibrant with very sharp colors…

Eric: Exactly.

Jamie: But…

Andrew: And it was sort of like this can’t represent the final book. The book’s going to be so dark.

Jamie; But…

Andrew: But…

Eric: It’s ironic.

Jamie: Didn’t you guys notice the background color, black, symbolizes death, mourning…

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: You know, that’s what I saw first of all. I thought, “Oh my god! It’s black.” You know, the back thing is black. And first impression was the castle on the back looked like a sort of Disney palace: Aladdin’s palace.


UK Edition: Hogwarts?


Laura: Yeah, you guys don’t think that’s Hogwarts, do you?

Andrew: Well, let’s start with that. Let’s try to move from one thing, to another.

Laura: Yeah.

Micah: Yeah.

Andrew: I mean, there’s tons of things to talk about…

Micah: I agree with that.

Andrew: Do you think it’s Hogwarts? I think it is! It’s got to be.

Laura: I don’t think so…

Jamie: I think it’s got to be as well.

Eric: It is. It’s that simple. It’s Hogwarts.

Jamie: I’m expecting too see Jafar come around the corner…

[Everyone laughs]

Micah: Yeah.

Andrew: It looks like it’s from Aladdin.

Micah: The tree is there.

Andrew: I mean…

Jamie: And the flying carpet.

Andrew: I think the castle’s lit up like that, like it’s being illuminated by the moonlight.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Because that moon is so huge that it’s sort of- But that wouldn’t explain why it would be completely- It’s almost like, I would say, it would be iced over.

Eric: Yeah…

Jamie: It does. An ice palace.

Laura: Well, it almost looks the way that it’s very rounded, like the towers and stuff.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: Have you noticed that? It almost has a very Arabian-type look to it.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Well…

Laura: It doesn’t look like it’s thousands of years old…

Eric: If you think about it…

Laura: It doesn’t look like it’s one thousand years old.

Micah: Well the Whomping Willow is there.

Andrew: Is that the Whomping Willow? It must be…

Eric: It’s a tree and it’s black. That’s actually the thing that I was going to
point out is even though there is a lot of color, if you look the far left on the back cover it’s – you know right near the ISBN…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …there’s the black kind of darkness, dark shroud that the cloud, the blue chilly icy moon light’ an almost ice palace. I’m going to go out on foreshadowing here and say the circular tower structures represent time being circular and everything coming full circle and the whole series is just… Bah, I think it’s Hogwarts.

Jamie: [singing] One step, ahead of the…Hogwarts

Eric: [singing] Breadline. [starts snapping his fingers] One step ahead of the mob. I…

Laura: I don’t know…you guys, I mean, Jamie…

Eric: Sorry.

Jamie: Has what? Sorry.

Micah: Jamie, has Hogwarts ever been displayed on the books before?

Laura: I think so because…

Jamie: Ah, you know what? I don’t know because…

Laura: In the…

Jamie: I’ve left my books at university and I’m home now. [laughs] And I can’t remember.

Laura: Well, in the Goblet of Fire version…

Jamie: Oh!

Laura: …I can’t remember if it shows up on the cover, but I know that on the inside flap it shows the inside of Hogwarts.

Jamie: Yeah, what clearly, I mean this is different. This moonlight think doesn’t…

Laura: Doesn’t look natural.

Jamie: The moonlight’s the big thing in this. Do you think it’s a werewolf reference? Or…

Andrew: I mean it could be, I mean those clouds are really eerie too. They’re not just up in the sky, they’re like rolling onto Hogwarts, it almost looks like.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: So, that’s kind of interesting.

Micah: It’s eerie, but it’s almost calming in a way. It looks like everything is very peaceful. Almost like a calm before the storm.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Well yeah, if that is Hogwarts what on earth is that symbolizing, the icy Hogwarts I’m just going to keep calling it.

Jamie: No, call it -I don’t know, Aladdin’s palace.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah I mean, just real quick…

Laura: Oh, go ahead.

Andrew: The Hogwarts ground is closest to you is perspective. The grounds are green and then the rest is all icy. It’s kind of weird. What were you thinking
Laura?

Jamie: Perhaps it’s a Dementor thing.

Andrew: Oh maybe.

Laura: Well what I was thinking was if you look at the front of that cover the trio, they are all sitting on this pile of gold and gold and rubies and all of this different…

Jamie: That’s really interestin.

Eric: It is.

Laura: All of this talisman-looking things, but those seem to match the palace looking thing a lot better than they would match Hogwarts.

Andrew: That’s a good point.

Laura: You know, because it seems like the whole theme of that cover is items of value, almost.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: I think it’s too late to introduce a whole ‘nother castle into the series, I mean I think it’s very…

Jamie: Perhaps it’s Beauxbatons?

Eric: It could be, maybe.

Jamie: That’s the kind of impression I got. The willowy air of…

Laura: Yeah, maybe.

Jamie: …of, you know, Fleur. That looks very Beauxbatonish.

Andrew: Oh yeah.


Duck Tales


Jamie: Very Beauxbatonish, but this treasure thing it really interested me because it actually reminds me of -and if anyone’s seen this please tell me because I don’t think I’ve heard of anyone who has ever seen this – there was a cartoon, Duck Tales, and they had…

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: …a special called Treasure of the Lost Land?

Eric: Yup.

Jamie: And there was this warlock who would – oh what was his name? I don’t remember his name. Morlock or something like that. And he stole this treasure. And this treasure just looks identical to that. And that has made no perceptive point about Harry Potter whatsoever, but I just thought I’d mention it.

Eric: [laughs] I remember Duck Tales, Jamie. I saw that too.

Jamie: Oh, good.


UK Edition: House Elf


Andrew: What I love about this cover is there is a lot talk about here. I mean, first of all, who…

Jamie: Yeah, there really is.

Andrew: Obviously, that must be a house elf behind Harry.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Dobby or Kreacher?

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: Dobby, yeah.

Andrew: I’m going to go for Dobby.

Laura: And why are they holding a sword?

Eric: It’s the Godric Gryffindor sword.

Andrew: Yeah, I was going to say, that’s Godric Gryffindor’s, isn’t it?

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: Well, if we…

Laura: Yeah, but, like, why?

Eric: And I didn’t even notice, until you said it, I didn’t even notice that it was a Dobby or a house elf holding Gryffindor’s sword.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: It looks like Ron.

Andrew: Well, yeah. At first I thought it was Ron. Yeah, but then you can see…

Eric: Small, clawed hands.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: The skin tone.

Laura: Yeah, the skin tone.


UK Edition: Trio’s Appearance


Jamie: But can I just say, what is Hermione wearing?

Andrew: [Laughs] Is it a nightgown?

Jamie: She clearly doesn’t shop at the decent places nowadays.

Andrew: See, now…

Jamie: She should have straightened her hair before going into battle.

Andrew: Hermione and Ron both look like they’re wearing something…

Jamie: Stupid.

Andrew: It’s not a Hogwarts robe. It’s not a…

Eric: It’s very billowing.

Andrew: It’s not something they would wear at Hogwarts, I don’t think. And Harry, you can’t really tell.

Jamie: I hate to point this out, but the clothes that Harry’s wearing are black. And we all know what black represents.

Andrew: Ah, yes.

Laura: No!

[Andrew laughs]

Micah: And Harry looks like he’s been through battle in that picture.

Jamie: He does.

Andrew: Oh, a lot of battle.

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: So does Hermione.

Jamie: What’s reflected in his eyes?

Laura: If you look at both of them, there are bruises…

Jamie: Yeah, and cuts. Yeah.

Laura: …all over Hermione’s arms.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: And Harry’s got them all over his face. But Ron doesn’t look like he’s been damaged at all.

Eric: Ron just looks scared.

Jamie: Can I just say – I love Harry’s hair. Harry’s hair looks awesome.

Eric: Yeah. Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: Well, it’s like Harry and Ron’s are both blowing in one direction, it almost looks like. But then Hermione’s is just like all over the place. I don’t want to get off topic, but Harry looks just…

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: What?

Jamie: Harry just looks a picture of elegance.

[Eric and Micah laugh]

Andrew: No, Harry looks like Waldo on this cover.

Jamie: He must tell us where he gets his hair done.

Eric: He does look like Waldo.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: He does, yeah.

Eric: Put him in a red, striped shirt.

[Jamie laughs]


UK Edition: The Treasure


Eric: No, guys, actually this reminds me, even though it’s treasure, I wasn’t quite sure what the blue was. If it was like glass or something.

Jamie: It looks it, doesn’t it?

Eric: What it reminded me of was all the shiny, fizzing things in Dumbledore’s office.

Jamie: Oooh.

Micah: Well, if you look…

Eric: Now, it’s clearly not because it’s treasure. It’s actual gold-like items. Like you can see like a goblet and things. It just…

Micah: Well no, they look like actual pieces of armor, though.

Jamie: It looks like pieces of what, sorry?

Micah: There’s a helmet there. There’s a shield there.

Eric: Where’s the helmet?

[Jamie laughs]

Micah: The helmet is right above J.K. Rowling. It’s got a dragon on top of it.

Andrew: Oh, yeah. Yeah, you’re right.

Eric: Oh, wow.

Jamie: Where is it?

Eric: Oh my gosh.

Jamie: Where is it?

Eric: You have to look to see it, though.

Andrew: The helmet right above Rowling.

Eric: It’s not very clear, but it’s a helmet because you…

Jamie: On what? On which one?

Andrew: The UK cover.

Eric: The UK cover.

Andrew: All right, everyone talk at once. I mean, nobody talk at once. [laughs]

Eric: UK cover.

Jamie: The adult one, you mean?

Andrew: No, no, no. US. No, I mean, UK children’s.

Jamie: Where?

Eric: Okay…

Andrew: Right above Rowling. Where it says Rowling at the bottom. J.K. Rowling.

Jamie: Yeah, what’s the…

Andrew: Right above it.

Eric: Look above the “L.” The “L” is where the nosepiece comes over it. And then, there’s kind of an eye.

Jamie: Yes, I see. Oh, I see. Okay, yeah.

Eric: That’s the helmet.

Jamie: The dragon one, yeah. Okay, cool.

Eric: A dragon helmet.

Andrew: And then, what’s that underneath Harry’s left arm? Is that like a shield?

Micah: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah, you think so?

Laura: Yeah, I think so.

Andrew: It doesn’t look very big.

Micah: Very King Arthur-like.

Jamie: What’s the thing underneath Ron’s foot? It’s like a…

Andrew: It’s armor.

Jamie: Baby-holder.

Eric: It’s a shield. It’s a chest plate. There’s arm holes.

Jamie: Oh, yes. Yeah.

Eric: Look, it’s arm holes. I didn’t notice this.

Andrew: And then who is on that? What kind of creature? It looks like a snake, doesn’t it?

Eric: It is.

Andrew: How it’s sort of wrapping up the…

Eric: Oh, no. No, it’s not a dragon thing.

Andrew: At the top it looks like a bird.

Eric: It’s the thing that guards Dumbledore’s office. What is that?

Jamie: The gargoyle-thing.

Eric: The gargoyle. No, the bird. The…

Jamie: Can I just ask, how many of you have your necks craned now?

Andrew: I am right now, actually. [laughs]

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: Same here, same here.

[Laura laughs]

Micah: Yeah.

Jamie: My neck actually hurts, I’m so close to it.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: I could almost kiss Harry.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Because you can see the bird beak and eye, but you can also see, like a wingspan. Like this incredible – wow. But that’s not necessarily on the chest plate. It could be reflected in the chest plate, maybe? Do you think?

Micah: Yeah, I was thinking that too.

Eric: Or something.


UK Edition: The Archway


Jamie: Haven’t we also have to point out that Ron and Hermione look pretty scared, but Harry just looks completely determined.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: Very much so, yeah.

Eric: Well, it looks like they’ve entered a chamber. Sorry, Andrew. It looks like they’ve just entered a chamber. If you look at the thing behind them. It looks like a circle, but it’s not. It’s actually just like a rounded doorway.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: It’s an archway.

Eric: It’s an archway, but it’s glowing.

Andrew: It sort of is.

Eric: Sort of.

Jamie: But what’s the stuff around it? Is that like a wall or is that like a substance? Because it doesn’t look a wall…

Andrew: You mean the color? The red color?

Jamie: Or very solid. Yeah, the red.

Eric: Oh.

Jamie: It doesn’t look like a wall. It just looks like…

Eric: Nothing.

Andrew: You know what’s interesting? What’s inside of this archway, it’s like the same color as the…

Micah: Yeah.

Andrew: …sky in the United States edition.

Jamie: Yes, it is. Very bloody type…

Andrew: Orange.

Laura: You know what I found interesting about the sky, not to take us too far off topic, but it looks like…

Andrew: Well, can we save it for the US part?

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: Because I think people…

Laura: Yeah, that’s fine.

Jamie: Can I…

Andrew: Go ahead, Jamie.


UK Edition: Prongs


Jamie: What about the unicorn?

Andrew: Huh?

Eric: Where’s the unicorn?

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: What about the stag?

Andrew: Oh, okay. Yeah.

Eric: What stag?

Andrew: The stag on…

Jamie: The stag on the bottom right-hand corner of the – Prongs, I see, obviously.

Andrew: Prongs?

Eric: I missed it. Where are we talking about?

Andrew: On the bottom right…

Jamie: The bottom right of the UK children’s where it says 17.99.

Andrew: Of the cover.

Eric: I’m looking, but I don’t see it.

Andrew: The fold. Past the fold. Keep going right, Eric. You’ve got to look at the full one with the back cover.

Eric: Oh, right. Sorry, I just didn’t scroll right. That’s my bad.

Jamie: Okay. I think it’s Prongs.

Laura: Oh, yeah.

Jamie: But, 18 pounds? Are they joking?

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Jamie: 36 dollars? Oh my – I’m not buying…

Andrew: You’re not going to buy it?

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Yeah, right. Well, that’s interesting that he’s on there. Because that sort of means that it’s emphasizing that Prongs might play more of a role.

Jamie: Make a reappearance.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: I mean, because I remember with the Half-Blood Prince UK edition, there was that ring. Gaunt’s ring. It was Gaunt’s ring, right?

Laura: Mhm.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: And I mean – I don’t know. I guess I don’t want to over-read into it, but…

Jamie: No, you do. You do.

Andrew: I guess. Well, what do you think? What do you think, Jamie?

Jamie: About Prongs? I think it just points out the importance of a Patronus. It has been shown that it isn’t just a charm to repel dementors. You know, it can do that. It can also, as shown in Fantastic Beasts, be a charm to repel the Lethifold, the mythical, tropical creature. It can be a method of communication, we think, between Order members. And when Harry is on the train and Draco Malfoy hurts him, and then he goes up to the college with Tonks. Yeah, I think it just points out the importance of that. And perhaps the love connection with his family and…

Eric: Psatronuses.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: You know, clearly these are all symbolic.

Eric: Patronuses are real reflections of your inner self, is all I wanted to say.

Jamie: What? Patronuses?

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: And we talked about this on a show a few months back about how beautiful it would be to see Harry use a Patronus to either defeat Voldemort or just play a big role because it’s Harry’s dad. It’s his inner self that is coming out to save the day.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Andrew: And it would be a beautiful ending.

Jamie: It would be amazing.

Andrew: Although, the US cover sort of contradicts that kind of ending. Because it looks like Harry and Voldemort are on, you know, that’s their final battle, but let’s finish…

Eric: Well, let’s not forget that there’s a battle up ahead.


UK Edition: Falling In or Coming Out


Andrew: Yeah, well let’s finish. I had one question about this UK cover here. Are they falling into it? Or are they coming out?

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: Because it looks like Ron’s falling in…

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: …but the other two are coming out. Or Hermione’s being pulled in and Ron’s falling in.

Jamie: What, do you mean being sucked in?

Eric: Oh, wait.

Jamie: Are they being sucked backwards?

Andrew: Maybe not just being – Are they being sucked in?

Eric: What if they’re being sucked backwards?

Andrew: Or are they coming out? I can’t tell.

Jamie: I think they’re being sucked backwards into it. Like, Hermione’s feet are going in first. Because if you look…

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: If you look at her hair it is flowing forwards, which gives us…

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: It’s not sucked backwards.

Laura: Yeah, all of their hair is flowing forwards really.

Jamie: Which, you know, it looks like they’re being sucked in, but then if you look at, if you look at…

Andrew: Harry’s…

Jamie: Ron, he’s – Harry’s face, you mean?

Andrew: Well, what were you going to say?

Jamie: I was going to say, Ron’s face. He’s looking in fear or something, and leaning backwards. So it could be that they are all going back into it because they’ve seen something.

Andrew: Yeah. Although…

Jamie: But then the coins are flying backwards, I think, as well. But…

Micah: Harry looks like he’s going forward, though, like he’s determined…

Andrew: Yeah, that’s what I was going to say.

Micah: Maybe he’s letting them go and going forward on his own.

Jamie: And Dobby’s hand seems to be placed forward as well.

Andrew: He’s in like a charging position almost.

Micah: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Micah: Yeah.

Jamie: Well, perhaps they are being sucked backwards and he is going forwards for the final battle.

Micah: Could be.


UK Edition: Dobby or Kreacher?


Andrew: Or like, is Dobby riding back? Is he riding on Harry’s back?

Jamie: Yes Andrew, he’s riding Harry “Brokeback” style.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Oh no, Jamie, that’s not what I meant. I meant, is he riding on Harry’s back, like, or is he sort of grasping Harry to pull him in, or…?

Jamie: I think it looks…

Andrew: I mean, there’s so many ways that this could be interpreted. I love it.

Jamie: Well, you wouldn’t think that Dobby would raise his sword if he was going backwards into it, you’d think he’d, you know, be flying forwards.

Jamie: Yeah, I think that. And also this – It could be that, perhaps, Dobby is pulling them backwards with his power, you know.

Andrew: Yeah.

Micah: Well, who says it’s Dobby?

Jamie: That kind of thing.

Micah: If it’s Kreacher, then…

Jamie: Wait.

Micah: It could be a betrayal.

Andrew: Why would it be Kreacher?

Eric: No, it’s not Kreacher.

Andrew: It can’t be Kreacher.

Laura: Well, Harry does own Kreacher.

Jamie: Dobby is going to be there. He’s proven himself.

Andrew: He does own Kreacher, but Dobby is willing to help.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: And Kreacher’s not.

Laura: But who says that that elf right there is helping?

Andrew: Well.

Micah: Right. That was my point.

Jamie: He could be evil…

Andrew: Well, he’s taking Gryffindor’s sword, so…

Eric: He’s actually taking Gryffindor’s sword to kill Harry. Yes.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: That makes sense to me.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Well, I mean, it could be another house elf, but just the fact…

Jamie: That would be ironic.

Eric: Just the fact that it’s wielding Gryffindor’s sword makes me think it’s Dobby because Dobby has been incredibly loyal to Harry.

Jamie: I agree. Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah. I just realized – you know what would be the ultimate cover? If it looked like the sword was upside down as if he was stabbing Harry.

[Laura laugh]

Andrew: The fans would go nuts these next three months.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Betrayal!

Andrew: Four months. It would be like, “Is Harry actually going to die?” But anyway, sorry.


UK Edition: In Essence Divided


Laura: I had one more question.

Micah: What do you think about…

Eric: Well, I think it is time to move on.

Andrew: Hold on one second.

Micah: No, Laura’s got a question.

Laura: I’ve got a question.

Andrew: Laura’s got a question.

Laura: What is this thing over here? It’s like an orb.

Jamie: Oh, yeah.

Micah: I have my theory.

Laura: On the other flap of the cover. And it has a snake in it.

Andrew: Oh yeah.

Micah: I have my theory. I talked to Jamie about this earlier, and I’m not sure…

Jamie: And I almost died from excitement.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: I flew across and kissed Micah on the forehead, it was so good.

Eric: What are we talking about?

Jamie: This is very good.

Eric: Oh.

Jamie: We are talking about – if you look at the UK edition…

Eric: Yep. Got it.

Jamie: On the far left, that thing.

Micah: Well…

Jamie: Go on Micah, you sexy beast, you.

[Everyone laughs]

Micah: Now, I’m not one hundred percent sure about this because when I went back and read it in Chamber of Secrets I wasn’t convinced that it was the same thing. But if you remember back in Dumbledore’s office there is that moment with Harry when those two snakes sort of come out of that instrument that he has.

Eric: Oh.

Laura: Oh, yeah.

Andrew: Hmmm.

Micah: And he makes that comment, “in essence divided.” So, I don’t know if that’s connected in any way.

Eric: You know what?

Micah: It may only be one snake in there. That’s my question.

Eric: Wait a minute.

Micah: There’s also – If you look in that orb, though, there is a window in there.

Laura: Yeah, I was just looking at that.

Micah: Which is kind of weird.

Eric: It’s a window in the reflection. In the reflection.

Jamie: It’s a window in the sky.

Andrew: [laughs] I’m not going to. Not today.

Jamie: That looks kind of like the window in Aladdin’s palace, right in the top, right…

[Micah laughs]

Eric: No, I’m sorry it doesn’t. It’s not doing it for me, Jamie.

Jamie: Oh, it’s not doing it for you?

Eric: [laughs] No.

Jamie: That’s a bit of a shame. But what is, I want to say Palantia, and I’m sure I’ve pronounced it wrong, the one in Lord of the Rings. It looks like that. Actually, it doesn’t look a bit like that. I don’t know why I’ve just said that. But it reminds me of that.

Micah: My other thought was, could it be a prophecy?

Laura: Oh, yeah.

Andrew: Well, that was my first thought.

Jamie: Oh.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: With a snake inside it?

Eric: I think due to…

Andrew: [laughs] That’s the one question.

Eric: Due to that it’s colored, it’s in color, it’s not completely blue, I would like to think it is not a prophecy. In essence. I mean…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: I don’t know why that makes sense to me, but I think because part of it is colored in, part of it – I think it is like an illusion inside the glass sphere. Like, exactly whatever Dumbledore, his instrument. And I said this reminded me of his office. So…

Jamie: But also, they look like real snakes.

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: I mean, in that – in Chamber of Secrets, didn’t he say that is was whispery snakes? Like, smoke snakes? Instead of real ones.

Micah: Yeah, that’s exactly what they were. They came out of his instrument.

Laura: Well, see, it’s weird because…

Jamie: But these are like actual snakes.

Eric: The danger is more real than it was in Book 2.

Jamie: Well, perhaps, yeah.

Laura: Kind of going along with the ice theme, if you look, one of them looks icy and the other one doesn’t. Which would sort of go along with, you know, Micah talking about “in essence divided.” Kind of to show the difference between the two of them.

Jamie: “In essence,” though, is that like a horcrux? Divided, in essence divided? Or are you talking about more figuratively.

Laura: Well, I was just kind of remarking that one of them is frozen, the other one is not.

Jamie: That is true, yeah.

Micah: Maybe neither can live while the other survives. I don’t know.

Jamie: Oh, I’ve just realized it’s another Aladdin reference. When he says, you know, “Come and fight you cowardly snake.” And he’s like, “Snake, am I?”

[Laura laughs]

Eric and Jamie: “Let’s see how snakelike I can be.”

Jamie: Yeah, that.

[Micah laughs]

Jamie: I think it’s that. I honestly think that J. K. Rowling thinks, “I can’t think of anything original, so I’m just going to borrow stuff from Disney, and this is it.”

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Seriously, watch this space.


UK Adult Cover


Andrew: All right, do you guys want to move on to the – We’ll get to the book summaries at the end. But do you want to get on to the UK adult cover first?

Jamie: Adult one. Sure. UK Adult.

Andrew: All right, I mean…

Jamie: Now, there’s a person on the back. I’ve seen her before.

Andrew: I couldn’t…

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Can’t quite place her face.

Andrew: It took me awhile to figure out.

Jamie: Yeah, she’s the queen.

Andrew: Oh, is that who it is?

Jamie: Yeah, the Queen of England. Famous author.

Andrew: I thought it was that lady I saw on Pop Idol while I was over there.

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah, it was, it was her. It was both actually. She’s the Queen of England, you see.

Andrew: No, But seriously. All right, go ahead, Laura.

Laura: Whenever I first saw this – this is the adult cover. The first thing I thought was that that locket looks like it came from the dollar store.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: It does.

Laura: It really does.

Jamie: It doesn’t fit.

Eric: It’s supposed to. It’s so you wouldn’t suspect that it actually has one seventh of Voldemort’s soul inside it.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: [laughs] I mean, it really doesn’t…

Jamie: You wouldn’t, would you?

Laura: …look remotely like…i

Eric: It says “S.” It’s got rubies. It’s got – It’s a locket.

Laura: They’re not even rubies. They’re like pulled-apart Mardi Gras beads.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Okay, okay.

Jamie: Well, he…

Andrew: I think it’s kind of cool.

Jamie: Well, you know Laura, Voldemort was tired. He didn’t know what to do. He just went to the dollar store and said, “Do you have any Slytherin lockets?”

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: What you don’t know…

Jamie: And they said, “Oh, you’re in luck, sir.”

Andrew: I think the design is pretty cool, actually. I kind of like how the – I don’t even know what you would want to call it, the Mardi Gras beads…

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Andrew: …are formed in the shape of the S. And then where they get smaller as they go further down the “S.”

Laura: I don’t think the locket itself looks bad. I think it is mostly the green beading That it just…

Jamie: Well, why is it on there, then?

Andrew: Well, Laura, why don’t you make a better one, and submit it to Bloomsbury?

Laura: Fine.

Andrew: Maybe they’ll replace it.

Jamie: Yeah, Laura.

Laura: I will.

Andrew: The book hasn’t gone to print yet.

Jamie: And you can put a horcrux in there as well.

Micah: Go out to…

Jamie: You try to put half your soul in there, Laura, then you’ll fail…

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: All right, so are we all in agreement that this is R.A.B.’s horcrux? I mean, or locket, there’s not really that much to…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah, there’s no question.

Andrew: …discuss with it.

Jamie: Clearly, it’s obviously of immense importance if it is on the thing.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: But is it symbolic of all the horcruxes as a whole? Or is it this specific item that is important?

Laura: Maybe it’s the last one.

Andrew: This one just has to play, really – well, I mean, if we look at the past adult covers, the Goblet of Fire one had the Goblet of Fire.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: The Order of the Phoenix one had, what, was it a phoenix? Or what was it?

Jamie: I can’t remember. Yeah, it was, I think. Yeah, it was a phoenix, yeah.

Andrew: And then Half-Blood Prince had the book, the diary, the potions book. And then this one just has straight up the locket.

Micah: Yeah. Yeah, I don’t…

Andrew: Which is interesting because this was in Book 6, you know, and so many people have been speculating about it, and now it’s on the cover.

Eric: Andrew, that’s exactly it. I think this symbolizes all the stuff that’s been pre-hinted at, and all the stuff that the series has been building up towards previously. And the locket itself – it might not be special significance except that it might be one of the remaining Horcruxes, but just that it is one of the things that has been introduced previously, and is going to play a really big part.

Jamie: Yeah. There’s a genie inside.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Harry rubs it and the genie come out and gives him three wishes.

Eric: Because he…

Jamie: And he says, “I want to wish for a million wishes…”

Micah: Voiced by Robin Williams.

Jamie: … and “I can’t bring anyone back from the dead. It’s not happy feelings; I don’t like doing it!”

[Andrew laughs]

Andrew: Micah, do you have any thoughts on this cover?

Micah: I think they’re always going to be a bit more – I don’t want to say mundane, but…

Jamie: Simplistic, though, but coolly simplistic.

Micah: Yeah, I mean they’re more adult-like, definitely. I guess there’s more of a mature look to them, but I definitely like – of all of them, I like the UK children’s version the best.

Andrew: I agree.

Laura: Yeah.

Micah: I don’t particularly like this one.

Jamie: It has no substance.

Eric: They look like J.D. Rob novels or something, I don’t know – the adult covers.

Jamie: What substance is the locket on? It looks very sort of…

Andrew: It looks sort of stone.

Eric: I actually don’t think that’s…

Jamie: It looks like a Voldemort substance, you know. It doesn’t look very Harry-like.

Micah: Like a cave rock.

Jamie: Do you think he comes back into possession of it? Yeah, yeah, it does. Perhaps it’s the –

Eric: Considering where I’d like to prefer to believe that the locket is, in Grimmauld place, I’d like to believe that this locket is actually just in nowhere, meaning it’s not really up against, say, rock, for instance, because it’s still in a cave.

Jamie: It’s in limbo.

Eric: It’s in limbo. I think the rock is just for lighting effect. You know, the terrain and the ruggedness. I don’t actually think that’s, like, a location where the locket would be, even though it was supposed to be in the cave.


US Cover: The Sky


Andrew: Mhm. Well, I guess we should move on now to the US cover, which we originally started off with. [laughs] And then we went full circle with everythin else.. That’s okay. There’s – I mean, okay I didn’t see it coming as an orange book.

Laura: Yeah, me neither, but, I mean…

Micah: It’s very ominous, though.

Laura: Yeah, I mean, I do like it.

Andrew: It is ominous, I guess.

Laura: What’s interesting about it – what I was going to mention earlier is that if you look at this, it looks like early in the morning.

Jamie: It does.

Andrew: Yeah, and you know, and I thought that, and then I realized that it would be so cool if the battle was just all night…

Laura: Yeah, all night long.

Andrew: …and then the setting. Yeah.

Jamie: And then at sunrise, they thought, well, we’ve been fighting all night, let’s just call it a day, go and get breakfast.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: Yeah, I hear McDonalds opens in another half hour, you want to get some McGriddles and then we’ll continue this? [laughs]

Eric: They’re sitting in IHOP, across from each other, and there’s very funny scenes that can be written about Harry and Voldemort at IHOP, but… [laughs]

Andrew: But seriously, I just thought that it would be a perfect sitting for the final battle, where they go into this final area and Jo sets it up as the sun was beginning to rise as Harry and Voldemort were doing whatever the heck they were doing all night.

Micah: Well, what do you guys think though…

Andrew: I think that would be so cool; it’s like the final morning.

Jamie: The color of the sky is pretty much identical to the one on the UK behind the thing.

Micah: Yeah.

Eric: Yeah.


US Cover: The Veil?


Jamie: And Ciaran came up with an interesting theory about this. I can’t remember exactly what he referred to, but he said in a different series, that color type thing is used to represent limbo, so is this beyond the veil? What happens beyond the veil? Is there some type of limbo-type thing?

Micah: Well, the curtains are drawn.

Jamie: And is this some sort of Limbo type thing?

Micah: The curtains are drawn.

Eric: The curtains are drawn, but they are often. There’s another cover in the U.S. where that’s actually Harry’s four-poster bed

Andrew: Are the curtains the four-poster bed on Sorcerer’s Stone?

Eric: Yeah, I think so. Of the hard cover. If you look at the hard cover, there’s…

Andrew: Are you sure about that?

Eric: I’m pretty sure about that.

Andrew: Why would they be the four-poster beds? There are curtains.

Eric: There are curtains.

Andrew: I don’t think it’s the four-poster bed, though.

Eric: Well, where you see Harry’s hand holding the candle…

Micah: Well, I’m saying that’s the veil. The veil is drawn back.

Andrew: What did you say, Micah?

Micah: I’m saying the veil is drawn back.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: Oh.

Micah: That was my initial impression looking at it, because – and I’m trying to look for the quote here from Order of the Phoenix. I think what Laura said earlier is definitely accurate, at least in my opinion, that they are in that room in the Department of Mysteries.

Andrew: Yeah.


US Cover: Who is Watching?


Micah: ecause it was said to look exactly like this, and to look like a coliseum that had seating all around it, and it looks like somebody is watching them.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: Not just somebody – a lot of people.

Eric: It’s the shadows.

Laura: I would take that as seeing shadows of the people beyond the veil.

Eric: Right.

Micah: The Deathly Hallows.

Andrew: That’s interesting!

Eric: Not just beyond the veil – beyond history, beyond time, beyond present day. The shadows of all the people of the past, all the people Voldemort killed, etcetera. All of Harry’s family looking over him.


US Cover: Back to the Sky


Eric: But back to the sky, I, too, don’t know what Ciaran was mentioning, but I do know that in…

Jamie: It was a very good point, I just can’t remember what it was…

Eric: Yeah, yeah, yeah, well the first Narnia book, there’s a – The Magician’s Nephew

Jamie: Oh, it was Narnia.

Eric: Was it?

Jamie: Yeah. I don’t know, now I can’t remember.

Eric: Well, whether or not it was, in The Magician’s Nephew, arguably the first – chronologically, anyway – Narnia book, the kids traveled or different kids traveled this kind of dead world which has been silent, not a single sound or anything, this destroyed city in tatters, and there’s like a red sky and sort of stone pillars and stuff, so that might have been the allusion. But either way, that’s so – even thought it’s traditionally a warm color, it would be thought of as death. It could also mean something very hallow or something.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Just a guess.

Laura: Well, isn’t it a red sky in the morning supposed to be symbolic of bad things?

Jamie: The shepherd’s warning! The shepherd’s warning! Yeah.

Eric: It could also be symbolic of a new dawn. A new dawn is approaching.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Is this room the room with the spinning doors, because you could…

Laura: No, I don’t think so.

Jamie: I guessed it’s that – there’s doors.

Eric: No, it actually – for a fleeting moment, I thought it was a highway, a Muggle highway, potentially? Like an over bridge of a highway?

Jamie: Like a viaduct, you mean.

Eric: Yeah, a viaduct. Or a viaduct.

Jamie: A train viaduct.

Eric: A train viaduct. Or for – for cars.

Jamie: Andrew, do you think that thing in Durham? It looked like that.

Andrew: Sorry, I went away for a second.

Eric: The viaduct that the Hogwarts Express goes over. That’s what crossed my mind.


US Cover: Harry’s Hand Motions


Jamie: Oh, never mind. Yeah, exactly, a viaduct. Why don’t we talk about the way his hand is, because it looks to me like he’s trying to draw some sort of power from the sky, like love, and, you know…

Andrew: Well, they’re both reaching for it, I think.

Micah: Yeah, whatever it is.

Andrew: It sort of seems like Voldemort is reaching in that same direction. Actually, someone on the MuggleNet comments on the news post about the book cover being released suggested that it sort of look like there’s something there right above Harry’s hand.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: And when you get in close, something he or she described it as, like, “whooshy,” and if you look close, there is something that looks different from the rest of the cloud patterns in the sky. Do you see that, Laura?

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: It looks like a dolphin on the left.

Andrew: A dolphin?

Laura: What?

Jamie: Yeah, that one on the left. That white pattern looks like a dolphin. Look, its flippers are…

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: You know, I’m…

Laura: It does!

Andrew: Oh, yeah, you’re right, actually. Yeah, that’s a little hidden message.

Jamie: It’s like that – what’s that dolphin movie called? Flipper? Is it Flipper?

Eric: No, it’s not Flipper with Elijah Wood; that’s a dolphin movie, but I think it looks like a whale like Free Willy.

Jamie: I said it’s a dolphin movie.

Andrew: Oh, Free Willy. Yeah.

Jamie: Oh, Free Willy, that’s it, yeah.

Andrew: You know, I’m looking at Harry’s hair and it almost looks like he has some streaks of – a couple grey hairs in there.

Laura: Yeah, it does.

Andrew: [laughs] Doesn’t he? Oh, that’s funny.

Laura: Yeah. I mean, it could just be the effect of light, you know.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Here’s the question.

Andrew: All right. So, all right, let’s stay on the hands. What do you think this means? Laura, did you have an idea?

Laura: It almost looked to me like…

Andrew: Well, not like “what it means,” but…

Laura: Whenever I first saw it, my initial reaction was they were trying to catch something, like something physical…

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: …that was flying through the air. But then of course, you know…

Micah: The snitch.

Laura: [laughs] Yeah. They’re playing Quidditch.

Micah: Whoever catches it wins. That’s it. Game over.

Laura: Final showdown. [laughs] No, but I was kind of thinking maybe something completely dramatic happens, like a Horcrux flies through the air or something, like, you know, Ron throws the locket or whatever.

Eric: I think…

Laura: But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like they were both doing wandless magic. Because they’re not holding wands.

Andrew: Well, you know what?! Yeah! They’re not holding wands!

Eric: I think they’re both summoning something. Yeah. That’s right.

Andrew: And – and I have all of the book covers open here. In Books Four, Five, and Six, Harry’s holding a wand. One, Two and Three, he’s not, but…

Eric: When he’s in battle…

Andrew: When he’s in battle, yeah.

Eric: This is actually Harry and Voldemort, presumably in battle…

Andrew: In battle…

Eric: …feet away from each other, you know, – not even a meter maybe, and they don’t have wands. So they both seem to be…

Micah: Could that be what they are going after?

Eric: Oh, that’s true. Maybe one wand but – it’s not like you don’t need wands.

Micah: Now… Okay, it’s crazy theory time. I’m going to throw something crazy out there.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: All right.

Micah: They almost look like they are working together.

Andrew: [whispers] No.

Eric: Never happen.

Andrew: See, they seem so close, though, that wouldn’t surprise me.

Jamie: They do, yeah.

Eric: Actually if you want to get crazy theory time, I think they are both wearing brown robes, so they both converted to Jedi.

Andrew: They are both… [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: They did.

Andrew: They are both wearing brown robes.

Jamie: Darth Voldemort

Eric: And Voldemort looks like – in, in – what’s his name? Ian Hart, Ian Ho… I’ll fix it.

Andrew: Harry’s not scratched up at all, though, like when he was on the U.K. cover.

Micah: Right.

Andrew: What – which is kind of interesting.

Micah: Why I brought that up, though, was because of what Arthur Levine said. He said that “we’re seeing Harry in a very interesting situation. Readers will find out exactly what the situation is.”

Andrew: I love when he said that, because I was like, oh, really? We’re going to find out this situation?

[Micah laughs]

Andrew: I didn‘t think we were going to know.

Micah: But…

Eric: But that’s interesting, yes.

Jamie: The sun is too bright and they are trying to shield their eyes. That’s it, look.

Laura: Yeah

Jamie: Both of them are. Oh and Eric, to continue your Star Wars reference Voldemort looks a bit like General Grievous from Revenge of the Sith. The face.

Eric: Yeah, well, he is more man than machine, now, really.

Jamie: Yeah, well that’s true.

Eric: More machine now than man.

Jamie: Machine than man, yeah.

Eric: I messed that up.


US Cover: Comparing Sorceror’s Stone and Deathly Hallows


Andrew: You know I am looking at – I have the Sorcerer’s Stone cover here. I have it all stretched out so I can compare the two, and it is kind of interesting. There is a couple of similarities here, one, Harry is reaching out for – I mean, on the Sorcerer’s Stone cover, we can see that he is reaching out for the Snitch. But he is almost in the same exact position where he is looking up with his mouth open, his eyes shooting up and he is reaching out for – in the Sorcerer’s Stone cover, the Snitch, but in this one, we can’t see that. And also on the Sorcerer’s Stone cover, it’s, like, dusk; the sun is setting, because we can see the stars in the sky, but also there is some sunlight closer to the ground.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: In this one it is sort of like, dawn so it’s the opposite. And also back to the curtains, the curtains are on the same – like, they are on the tail ends of the covers…

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: …and they are all like – I mean, the covers – the curtains on this Book 7 cover are all, like, tattered…

Laura: Tattered

Andrew: …and they are like – yeah, they are messed up at the bottom and the ones on the Sorcerer’s Stone cover are all like, they have stars on them and the ropes are tied back. It’s almost like they are the same curtains. Because we don’t really know what these curtains are in the Sorcerer’s Stone cover. So that was kind of interesting.

Laura: I always just kind of assumed they were almost kind of to look like a stage, in a way. Not like literally saying it was a performance but like…

Andrew: It was the opening?

Laura: … presenting it as such. Like a story. Yeah, well, kind of something along the lines of – I mean, I guess you can draw it as the opening and closing type connection between them because do you really see these curtains on any of the other covers?

Andrew: No, I don’t think so.

Eric: Yeah, they are. There are curtains on one of the hardback U.S. editions.

Laura: Yeah, but I’m asking if there are…

Andrew: Sorcerer’s Stone.

Laura: … on any of the other ones?

Eric: Yeah, okay.

Laura: Because I don’t recall seeing them.

Andrew: Right, no it’s not.

Laura: And it also seems like it’s set as a production. Not literally saying that, but saying the story is opening, the story’s closing.

Andrew: Yeah, so it’s…

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: I like that.

Eric: That’s cool.

Andrew: Go, Mary.

Eric: I like that.

Andrew: Go, Mary GrandPré and Laura for –

Eric: Laura, that’s awesome.

Jamie: That is very impressive.

Eric: But, Andrew! What you said also…

Jamie: Have a cookie.

Eric: …about it being dusk or rather – yeah, the end of the night, sunset, in Book 1, and sunrise in Book 7. I think it’s – you know, Harry’s world is getting darker and in the end, there is hope to see some light, you know, his light getting lighter whether or not is the light at the end of the tunnel, or not.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: Mhm.

Andrew: But, I am really liking this curtain thing, because it is almost like the same cover, only behind it, it’s seven years later. And the curtains are all worn out…

Laura: I know, it’s so cool.

Andrew: … because it’s the closing of the book.

Jamie: That’s really cool.

Andrew: I really like that. [Laughs] And you know that that’s Mary GrandPré at her best. Which is – I would love to think that she’s had that in mind this whole time, starting with the curtains how they are on the Sorcerer’s Stone cover and then on Book 7 being all tattered like that.

Laura: You know, I mean…

Jamie: What about the…

Laura: Sorry, Jamie, go ahead.

Jamie: Sorry, go on. [Pauses] Thank you.


US Cover: Broken Veil?


Jamie: I was going to say [laughs] what about the pieces of wood at the…

Andrew: What about them?

Jamie: … front? Yeah, they look broken to me as in man-broken, not supposed to be there. And…

Andrew: That one on the far right looks like a rock. Doesn’t it?

Laura: Well, yeah, there’s stone and stuff. It almost looks to me…

Eric: Yeah, it’s a tree stump.

Laura: …like they are broken, they’ve broken the veil or something like they’ve broken the archway?

Andrew: Oh.

Micah: Oh.

Jamie: Or perhaps the hands are there to shield them from what’s behind it. If we put ourselves in their positions what’s where they are looking now?

Andrew: It’s something in the sky.

Jamie: Window?

Andrew: [laughs] Maybe.

Eric: I was under the impression that…

Andrew: And to love I rhapsodize.

Eric: Wait, that’s the other thing, though. The Department of Mysteries presumably isn’t open air to the sky unless it’s got a sky similar to the Great Hall. But the fact that there is a sky kind of maybe rules out that they are in the Department of Mysteries stadium? Unless…

Micah: Unless the Ministry of Magic was destroyed.

Laura: Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking. It looks like they completely wrecked it.

Eric: That or the veil did something or they are in the land of limbo on the other side of the veil. And it might be a mirror image of what the actual colossus is.

Andrew: Wouldn’t they be on the other side of the veil as they stand right now because of all the people around them?

Laura: Yeah, it almost looks like they are on the other side.

Micah: Well…

Andrew: Yeah, because you can see the people.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: You wouldn’t be able to see the people if you were – you know?

Jamie: But, if you have noticed that the shadows get a lot, lot lighter as you go around…

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: … to the right. They start off pretty dark and then they get very, very, very sort of not dense if you go around to the other side.

Laura: What if you’ve gone through the veil and the reason you can’t come back through the veil is because it’s broken on the other side? Like, it’s set…

Jamie: The vanishing cabinet.

Laura: … so, like, you can’t come back, like you can’t come back through?

Eric: I would…

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: So you are saying that they’re stuck?

Micah: Yeah.

Eric: …say, Laura, that they need to repair the Stargate and get it up and running…

[Laura, Micah and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …so Kurt Russell and them can get back to they other – I’ve seen that movie.

Jamie: Guys, we’re at 46 minutes.

Eric: Yeah, what do you guys think…

Andrew: That’s it? [laughs] I feel like we’ve been going a whole lot longer.

Jamie: That’s loads.

Eric: No, it’s true, it’s…

Andrew: Let’s keep going.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: I mean.. Is there anything else any one wants to talk about with this cover? I mean…


US Cover: R.A.B.’s Locket?


Laura: What is that…?

Jamie: I think we’ve covered this very well to be honest.

Laura: …thing around his neck?

Andrew: That’s got to be the locket. Doesn’t it? Doesn’t it look – it’s the same…

Laura: It doesn’t

Andrew: …shape as the one…

Eric: Oh…

Andrew: …on the adult cover.

Eric: Oh jeezum! Harry in the US edition is wearing something…

Jamie: Maybe that’s what…

Laura: It almost looks like a pouch though.

Jamie: …protects you when you go through the thing.

Eric: It looks like a pouch. It doesn’t look like the Slytherin locket.

Jamie: Yeah, it has his pocket money,

[Andrew and Jamie laughs]

Laura: Well, I almost thinking – I mean…

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: It’s his iPod shuffle.

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: We know how damaged…

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: He’s listening to My Chemical Romance.

Eric: What would it be? Welcome to the Black Parade?

Andrew: You know – yeah, Laura, you’re right it does look like a pouch because there’s the oval shape…

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: …and then there’s something right above it.

Laura: Where it looks like there’s a drawstring…

Andrew: Is that what you’re talking about?

Laura: …type area to pull it closed.

Andrew: Right.

Eric: Yeah, in two seconds.

Micah: It looks like a Time-Turner.

Andrew: Really?

Eric: It’s Harry’s – no.

Laura: My immediate…

Micah: Well, from the movie anyway.

Eric: No, the Time-Turners…

Andrew: They are more circular, though. I think they would be more circular, wouldn’t they?

Eric: Or more hourglass-y, I think it’s a pouch though.

Laura: My immediate reaction to it that we knew how damaged Dumbledore’s hand got from the ring and whatever process he went through to destroy it, so what if Harry has the locket and he’s keeping it in the pouch? So it doesn’t come into direct contact with his body.

Andrew: Hmmm.

Micah: Interesting.

Eric: Maybe, in addition…

Andrew: To keep it clean…

Micah: What if he could…

Laura: To keep it clean? [laughs]

Andrew: Maybe it has to do – [laughs] to keep it clean. Maybe it has something to do with Voldemort not seeing it. I mean, obviously he was not hiding it, with it just sitting there around his neck, but…

Laura: That’s interesting.

Eric: I think it – a lot of times lockets themselves, and things, are supposed to protect against something. So, I’m not saying he has Slytherin’s locket, it doesn’t seem it’d be – but I think he has something in the pouch that might give him some protection in battle, or it’s just his bus fare to arrive at this field…

Laura: It’s Ginny’s heart.

Eric: …somewhere.

Laura: She cut it out and put it in a bag.

Eric: Oh!

Micah: Oh, Laura. Geez.

Eric: It is, Laura. It is.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: That’s pretty violent, actually.

Micah: I have one more theory.

Eric: Ummm…

MuggleCast 83 Transcript (continued)


US Cover: Fight For What?


Micah: What do you guys think about – now assuming it’s the veil or whatever they’re raising their hands to, what if they’re fighting each other? What if Voldemort’s trying to destroy something, and Harry’s trying to stop it from being…

Eric: Rescue it.

Micah: …destroyed? Or vice versa. What if it’s a Horcrux that Harry’s trying to destroy and Voldemort’s trying to prevent it from being destroyed.

Eric: It’s very resemblant of when Snape and Harry were fighting and Snape – and Harry tried to get something and Snape blocked it. Harry’s trying to get – you know they’re both fighting for – maybe, I think they’re both summoning something, really, you know. Accio whatever it might be. But what would it be that they both want? And also you said that they don’t have wands, obviously they can’t fight the same wands. And it’s just Harry and Voldemort.

Micah: But…

Eric: And I think that’s very symbolic and message-setting – tone-setting for the book. That it’s really just Harry and Voldemort on the US cover, and it’s really just their battle.

Andrew: Yeah, I was going to say, this must be the final battle. So we now know it’s just Harry and Voldemort.

Micah: But is it…

Eric: Well no, that’s the thing…

Andrew: Well, sort of.

Micah: Is it a battle?

Eric: There’s no Harry and Ron on the cover here and there’s also no Snape. Which upsets me a little bit, but his book was Six, I guess, but…

Micah: I was going to say is that…

Eric: If this truly is…

Micah: …they’re not facing each other, which is still what kind of bothers me in a way, because they don’t look like they’re going against each other. They don’t look like they’re battling each other and like…

Eric: They look like they’re both catching a football.

Micah: …somebody said before Harry is not even messed up. He looks fine.

Andrew: Yeah. You’re right.

Eric: They’re throwing a football.

[Eric laughs]

Micah: What’s that?

Andrew: Hey dad! It’s like Toy Story

Laura: Yeah. [laughs]

Andrew: When Mr. Potato Head – I have it backwards I haven’t seen that movie in so long.

Eric: You mean Buzz Lightyear…

Andrew: Buzz Lightyear.

Eric: …and Zorg.

Andrew: Yeah! And they throw a football after they realize that Zorg is Buzz’s…

Eric: Father!

Andrew: …dad. [laughs] Oh, it’s awesome. Um, one last thing. Voldemort’s hands look very big.

Laura: They remind me of the Grinch.

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: Honestly.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: They could totally crush Harry’s skull and like…

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: Well, Voldemort, I mean…

Andrew: I would almost…

Laura: Sorry. In the…

Andrew: Go ahead.

Laura: In other, you know, chapter art and stuff, Voldemort is always portrayed as being very big, in the US editions. Like, if you look at the cover art, or the chapter art for the one showdown in the Department of Mysteries, Voldemort is much bigger than Dumbledore. So… I don’t know if that’s just a Mary GrandPre thing or…

Andrew: Yeah, yeah. And I really think it symbolizes something with the big hands that he’s – he’s very commanding and powerful.

Laura: Mhm. I think so as well.

Andrew: So… I like it. Is Harry leaning on a rock?

Micah: Yeah. It looks like it.

Andrew: His right hand – is he like leaning on a rock?

Eric: Uh… No, no, no, that’s in the distance.

Andrew: It’s hard to tell. Yeah, I think so, too…

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: …because it’s sort of more faded than his hands.

Laura: Well, it looks he’s got his hand on something.

Andrew: Or he’s falling or…

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: …he’s doing a dance. [laughs] There’s so many ways you can interpret this.

Eric: There’s a dance off.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: They’re doing the musical, they’re staging the production of how they became friends.

Andrew: Yeah. All right, well…

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: They’re playing DDR.

[Everyone laugs]


Cover Summaries


Andrew: Let’s talk [laughs] – this cover actually, you could have a lot of fun in Photoshop with that. All right, so let’s talk about the book summaries real quick. We have here on both the US and the UK editions. From the UK adult edition, do they say the same thing? Let me look.

Laura: I don’t know. I haven’t looked.

Andrew: Yeah, it does.

Eric: No they don’t. Do it?

Andrew: Yeah they do.

Eric: Does it?

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Oh.

Andrew: So, on the UK edition it says: “Harry has been burdened with a dark, dangerous, and seemingly impossible task: that of locating and destroying Voldemort’s remaining Horcruxes. Never has Harry felt so alone, or faced a future so full of shadows.” Ooooh! “But Harry must somehow find within himself the strength to complete the task he has been given. He must leave the warmth, safety, and companionship of the Burrow and follow without fear or hesitation the inexorable path laid out for him.” It’s interesting that they refer to the Burrow specifically. So, I guess…

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: Well, it almost sounds like he leaves there directly to go on whatever quest…

Andrew: You would think…

Laura: …he needs to go on.

Andrew: that however, on the US edition they talk – it mentions Privet Drive.

Eric: Yeah, yeah, well

Andrew: It’s just like in the beginning Harry is up at Privet Drive.

Eric: Well no, it says – it mentions both of them on the UK cover. On the UK kid’s cover it says, on the back it says, “Harry is waiting at Privet Drive.”

Andrew: Oh.

Eric: “The Order of the Phoenix is coming to escort him safely away without Voldemort…”

Andrew: Oh yeah, you’re right.

Eric: “…and his supporters knowing – if they can. But what will Harry do then? How will he fulfill the momentous and seemingly impossible task that Professor Dumbledore has left him with?” I think it’s interesting that they mention Dumbledore.

Laura: Well, it could mean he doesn’t go back to Hogwarts.

Eric: Well, here’s Hogwarts on the back cover.

Andrew: Well, we don’t know that.

Laura: I don’t think it’s Hogwarts.

Andrew: You know I like Jamie’s idea that it’s the Beauxbatons – Beauxbatons.

Eric: Where did Jamie go by the way?

Andrew: Because it’s all icy. Yeah, where did he go? He’s quiet. I don’t know, but yeah, I think I’m in agreement with Jamie and Laura there. Ummm, let’s see, so what else is there to talk about?


UK Children’s Edition: The Triangle


Eric: What’s the triangle? Is that just the publisher?

Andrew: Yeah, I was thinking about that but then I realized it’s probably – it’s probably just the Bloomsbury symbol or something.

Eric: Logo, yeah.

Andrew: On the UK version there.

Eric: No, their logo’s the cat. The cat or whatever. The little thing sprinting across next to the ISBN.

Andrew: Wasn’t Gaunt’s ring on the spine?

Eric: Uhhh…

Laura: Yeah. It was on there somewhere.

Eric: Actually, it’s a…

Andrew: I mean…

Laura: It was, but…

Eric: It’s to show that AOL owns Time Warner…

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs] It’s subliminal advertising.

Eric: [laughs] …who produced the Harry Potter movies.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: AOL’s trying to come back and it will be big.


Back to Book Summaries


Andrew: Yeah. But one thing I noticed about these books summaries with this book is that they’re much more ominous then like – I remember with Book 5, the book summary was cool because it talked about – well, it didn’t say Umbridge specifically, but they said, I believe it was a teacher that was as sour as some sap or sappy or…

Eric: Blueberries, yeah.

Andrew: Yeah, it went…

Laura: It was like, “poisoned honey,” or something like that.

Andrew: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: It pointed out like a few different things in the book, and this is just very, like, Harry’s got to do it. He’s got to take Professor Dumbledore’s…

Eric: Yeah. Can he do it?

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Will he do it? Can he do it? Will he do it? Can he do it? Well, and the thing about Book 6 was that it didn’t seem to be ominous as much as it was, because they were talking about – like, Book Six’s summary was, at least in the US, I think it was, you know, people are dying left and right, they circle ads in The Daily Prophet for all the things, and they’re watching the… And it made it out to be something that the book wasn’t actually like, about…

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: …as far as things go. I mean, yeah, people were dying, but that wasn’t at all about what Harry’s journey was in that story. So…

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: It kind of just detracted from that, and then this is like, dead on, but very ominous all the same.

Andrew: Yeah. So, yeah, I think that’s pretty much the extent of our cover coverage, he he, now.

[Eric and Laura laugh]


British Page Count and Arthur Levine on Today Show


Andrew: I mean, we encourage everyone to send in their theories about the covers. I’m sure there’s going to be millions of them, and we’ll try to get to as many of them as possible. You can e-mail all of those into mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com. Some other smaller news that came out today: UK page counts confirmed – 608 pages. Not really big news. And Arthur Levine, the Scholastic editor, was on The Today Show today to formally reveal the cover. I give him props, though. Did anyone see the video? He was wearing a brown suit with a yellow tie and a green shirt. You know what that’s just like?

Eric: Alex of the Remus Lupins?

Andrew: No, what Harry’s wearing on the cover of the US cover.

Eric: Ohhh, right.

Andrew: Brown Jacket, green shirt.

Laura: Oh, yeah.

Andrew: I thought that was kind of cool, kind of clever of him to do there. So, I give him mad props for doing some color coordinating with Harry. And, you know, a couple of quotes from him, that he said on The Today Show. He says, “When I was reading it, I had both the excitement and the power of the book and the plot driving me forward, but I was also feeling a little sad it’s the last time.” Yeah, Laura?


US vs. UK Page Count


Laura: You know, I missed something. Something interesting that happened today. Ciaran and I were talking, and he had me check the…

Micah: Does that not happen often?

Eric: Wow!

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: No, we were talking, and he had me check the page counts in US editions because in the UK editions, apparently, and this is according to him, Deathly Hallows is the third longest book, not by much, but it still is somewhat shorter than – I forget which book it was, but then, in ours, Deathly Hallows is the second longest.

Eric: Oh, that’s weird. By like, quite a bit. By like 50 pages.

Laura: Yeah, it is weird. Yeah, so it’s, I mean, obviously – did you guys, I mean, this is what I thought, but whenever I got Half-Blood Prince, the typeset looked slightly larger than it had been before…

Eric: I think I felt that way.

Laura: …but it could also mean that there are some things that the US editors left in.

Eric: If there are, though, everybody in the UK will be pissed, especially because the UK should actually…

Laura: Yeah. [laughs]

Eric: …technically have the most, technically, maybe.

Laura: Why?

Eric: Because JKR is the one writing it, you know? Why would the US edition have something completely, I mean – I don’t know. It just makes sense that a lot of people would be pissed if Book 7…

Laura: But they should be loyal to the printers. [laughs]

Eric: No, I’m just saying it would be – if anything is omitted, I mean, I would think that it would be really freaking big deal, especially for the seventh book, when everything has to be exactly as it is.

Andrew: Right, right.

Laura: So, if it turns out that they left a bunch of stuff out of the UK version, are you going to come back, Eric?

Eric: Yeah, I will.

Andrew: All right, so I guess there’s nothing else to talk about there. Again, e-mail all your theories about the covers into mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com and we’ll get to them…

Jamie: Oh, are we still on the covers?

Andrew: …on show 85, 85 we’ll get on to them.

[Eric and Laura laugh]


Book 7 Manuscript


Andrew: Show 84, there’s no book cover discussion, so when you listen to it, don’t be surprised, but then 85 and onward we’ll have plenty of discussion about the covers. All right guys, it’s time to, time to announce what happened the other day.

Jamie: Are you sure? Andrew…

Laura: Oh, my gosh.

Jamie: To be – we can back out now if we need to.

Andrew: Well, I mean, that’s what editing is for, but I really think that since this is the final book, we have nothing to lose. Think about it.

Jamie: Okay, let’s do it. Let’s just do it now. Just do it.

Andrew: All right, so we’re all going to go around the table here to announce – to talk about what we experienced earlier this week because it’s big, and before we tell you, you guys should know that you’re going to be a little jealous and you’re going to hate us.

Eric: And there is an e-mail address set up specifically if you’d like to hate us.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: There are support groups, there’s a Facebook, and everything.

Andrew: All that, yes. All that discussion about the book covers, all that speculation we were doing, we made it all up.

Jamie: Yes.

Andrew: We actually know…

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: …what’s going to happen in…

Jamie: Andrew, don’t forget what the legal team said, choose your words carefully.

Andrew: Jamie, Jamie, can I just – can you let me do this?

Jamie: Yeah, okay. Sorry, sorry.

Andrew: We received the manuscript to the final Harry Potter book. All of us received it. All right, we made copies, and then I ran to the nearest Xerox, and we… All right, so, I haven’t told you guys the whole story yet…

Jamie: Oh.

Andrew: …but I guess we’ll start off with that and then you guys can go into, you know, the rest of it. So, basically what happened was, I was in New York City this past weekend, and I had passed the Scholastic store, and I thought, “Hmmm, wait a second, Book 7 is done.” The editors are all there; it was a weekday, it was a Friday mid-afternoon, so I decided to go in. I’m going to condense it all, because, you know, all the details are irrelevant. We – I went in, and I ran into the one and only Arthur Levine, who we just talked about, and I asked him, basically, straight up, “Is the manuscript here?” And he laughed at me, and he said, “Yes.” And then I, you know, sat there for a few minutes and I thought, “How can I get that manuscript out of his office?” He told me it was in his office [laughs], he told me, actually, exactly where it was.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: It was in his drawer, to the right.

Jamie: Yeah, but he knew you, Andrew.

Andrew: He knew me, he knew me, from MuggleCast, and so I thought for a few seconds, “How could I get into his office?”

Jamie: Let me do it, let me do it!

Andrew: All right. All right, so, Jamie, to be honest with you, I’m kind of…

Jamie: He’s recounted this story to me thousands of times, so…

Andrew: I’m getting a little choked up because this moment was very special, so [pretends to cry] can you just finish this, please… [sniffles]

Jamie: Yeah, so, Arthur went off and Andrew was sitting there in what he described as the nicest chair his bum has ever graced, so extremely nice, inside of Scholastic. And so he was just sitting there, waiting along, and I can’t remember her name, Rachel something…

Andrew: Fadden.

Jamie: …from Scholastic came out…

Andrew: Fadden.

Jamie: Huh? Oh, Fannon, okay, okay.

Andrew: Fadden.

Jamie: Sorry?

Andrew: Fadden!

Jamie: Fadden.

Eric: Fadden. Rachel Fadden.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Fadden, oh, okay, came out, and she said that they’re doing a – because, you know, it’s Book 7 and it’s the last big book, they’re doing a kind of online, sort of, what’s it called? What word did she use? Online circulation, just to see what, sort of, some certain people think of it…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: …”Do you wanted to be part of it?” Andrew says he acted all professional, but I don’t think he did at all, did you?

Andrew: I wet my pants a little bit, but it wasn’t enough so they could see.

Jamie: [laughs] No, yeah. So, he said yes of course, and it took four or five hours from there, and he went into the office, had to sign a million NDAs (non-disclosure agreements).

Andrew: Mhm.

Jamie: They said it was embargo for a few months, obviously, until the release. But, he found a loophole in it, which he’ll explain soon. So, yeah, he got the manuscript, brought it back, photocopied it. We each got a copy recently, and we obviously spent that night reading about it. And everyone has comments that I’m sure they want to share because it seriously is mind-blowing, but do you want to talk more about the NDAs, Andrew, and the loophole you found?

Andrew: Well, I was reading through all the papers, and it turns out that I have a good friend who is a lawyer, and I was reading through everything about how you can’t tell anyone about any details and how none of it can be published and everything and my lawyer friend pointed out to me – his name is Steven M. Capello.

Laura: Ohhh.

Andrew: And it’s capellolaw.com or capello-law or something like that. He told me that – Well, the document said that I could not directly tell anyone the details of the book. What it didn’t say, though, was anything about sort of like broadcasting it to a general public. Basically, I could do it indirectly. So, I was thinking about it, and I was like, “All right, indirectly, indirectly.

Jamie: Very good, very good.

Andrew: Well, directly would be straight to a person, but if I do a broadcast medium, I could talk about it.”

Andrew: That’s good.

Andrew: So, what did I do? I made my own podcast, and I sent all the URLs to my fellow staff members, at which point the other guys will be explaining what they got.

Eric: So, we have the audio broadcast of Andrew reading Book 7 to all of us.

Jamie: I thought he was mad to do it, but that’s, you know, dedication…

Eric: But this is how much Andrew cares about his friends.

Laura: I know, man

Eric: So, we all know what happens now.

Jamie: Well, should we tell them what we think? I’d be dying if…

Andrew: Well, what do you think, we should divulge some details about the book?

Jamie: Well, I just want to give away a few things.

Andrew: What did you have in mind?

Jamie: I wanted personally to talk about the death.

Eric: I was right!

Jamie: I don’t know what everyone else wants to talk about.

Eric: You mean the deaths. [longates the “s”]

Laura: Oh yeah, we should definitely talk about that.

Andrew: Should we do a quick spoiler warning?

Jamie: Oh, yeah. Okay, everyone who wants to read Book 7 – just seriously, don’t listen now.

Andrew: Forward ten minutes. We’ll probably be done in ten minutes.

Jamie: Yeah, 10 minutes?

Andrew: So, who dies?

Jamie: You’re sure I should say? Okay.

Andrew: Why not?

Jamie: It’s two deaths, actually.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Ronald and Hermione. And I know so many people didn’t want that to happen, but once you read it, you’ll realize it had to happen. And it had to happen.

Laura: I was shocked!

Jamie: I know! I was shocked, as well, but you know the point – I realized it was going to happen after they went into the Ministry. And I thought if they hadn’t had done it, Harry was in for it, and…

Laura: Mhm. Yeah, definitely.

Jamie: …after they revealed that piece about the prophecy, you knew Harry had to survive. So, I think they had to die for Harry to do it. So, I wasn’t surprised – I was very, very upset, but they had to go, I think.

Eric: Well, if you look at when they’re in the chamber…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …with the delicacies, as they’re called – if you want to know how it happens, there’s some hints on the U.K. cover.

Jamie: Yeah. If you take that gold to be literal, then it gives you a bit of a clue as to what’s happening. So yeah – just take it literally, and you get a clue. And also the shape of the arch, as well. If you look back at Goblet of Fire is it, Laura?

Laura: Yeah, that’s right. It completely, it really… You won’t believe you missed it. You’ll be smacking yourself. It’s crazy.

Jamie: Yeah, just look at that. The color, as well. It gives a huge clue. But, Micah, what did you think about the death?

Micah: Well, you’ve failed to mention not just people on the good side died; there are people on the bad side that kicked the bucket, as well.

Jamie: Yeah, I know. Go on.

Micah: Well, you know what I liked? Somebody got some sweet, sweet revenge, man. Do I want to talk about how Lucius died?

Jamie: You may as well mention it.

Andrew: Honestly, guys, we should just go all out. We already spilled the beans on…

Laura: Yeah, come on. Let’s do it.

Micah: Lucius – I mean, Dobby going hardcore with the sword into Lucius’ back, that was some serious scene.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah, that was…

Jamie: I don’t know how he got into Azkaban. Was it a spell or did someone bring him there? Because she didn’t explain it.

Eric: Well, it’s House-elf magic, really.

Jamie: Oh yeah. I suppose that’s true. He just had some powers.

Eric: What’s important, though, is that Dobby spared Draco, and that Draco was kind of like…

Jamie: Why did he do it, though? Why did he do that though?

Eric: I don’t know. But what was important to me was that when Snape came and it was the scene where at the – they were underneath – what is that underneath the hospital?

Jamie: Oh, the chamber underneath the hospital.

Laura: Mhm.

Andrew: The chamber.

Eric: No, there’s a tunnel.

Jamie: They didn’t…

Andrew: Oh…

Eric: That leads directly there.

Jamie: The tunnel to the chamber, yeah.

Eric: Okay, they’re in the chamber in the tunnel, but at the same time it was – Snape kicks ass in this book, basically.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: He’s good, by the way. He’s good.

Laura: He really does.

Jamie: He is good. Very good. But you’d think halfway through he wasn’t good, but there’s a huge revelation at the end.

Andrew: I didn’t understand why, out of the blue, he just starts making out with McGonagall.

[Micah laughs]

Jamie: How could you not understand that? It was built up.

Andrew: Well, it’s because…

Eric: Oh, come on, it was so bulit up!

Andrew: No. No. It came out of the blue to me.

Jamie: Andrew, did you completely miss the bit in the pensive right in the beginning when it showed their childhood? Were you asleep?

Andrew: Their childhood was nothing. Just because they’re playing with Barbie dolls together doesn’t mean they’re going to be making out 30, 50 years later!

Jamie: Are you kidding? Didn’t you spot the love between them?

Laura: She’s at least 30 years older than he is.

Andrew: Okay, listen, Laura, we don’t have to get all technical about it. Point is, they were making out.

Jamie: Okay.

Laura: That’s kind of creepy.

Jamie: They were. It’s true. But I thought that paled in comparison to Harry’s new job after he kills Voldemort. He kills Voldemort, by the way. Love comes into it in that he has a sort of blow up, inflatable heart, and he suffocates him, puts it over his face…

Eric: No, you shouldn’t them the specifics. You should not.. Don’t tell them the specifics.

Jamie: I want to mention the heart specifics.

Andrew: Do it, do it. I think it’s okay.

Eric: You can say love. You can say love.

Jamie: Yeah. So, he puts his heart over his face and suffocates him. So, that was the sort of – metaphorical love was going to kill him in the chamber of the heart, which I thought was very clever.

Eric: They didn’t use wands.

Jamie: Exactly. They didn’t use wands.

Eric: By the way, Jamie, do you want to tell them what they’re reaching for on the U.S. cover? Because we did that for a long time.

Jamie: You sure?

Andrew: Just do it. Just do it! I mean, we’re going all out.

Jamie: Okay, fine. Well, this heart that he suffocates Voldemort with – he doesn’t actually have it first of all, and Ginny comes along, and she puts this protective suit on that’s called an “anti-veil” thing. They bought it from Fred and George. And she puts this on and she reaches through the veil to where they’re fighting and hands him this thing. So, they’re reaching up because Voldemort at this point realizes that this thing is going to kill him. So they both reach up and Ginny manages somehow to throw it to Harry and he does it like that. But, his job. Come on. Did you know he was going to be a basketball coach?

Andrew: No, no. You know…

Laura: Yeah, that was really weird.

Andrew: Just these things – you would think at least Quidditch. That would be it. You wouldn’t go outside to real Muggle sports.

Jamie: No, you’d really think he would.

Laura: Well, I mean…

Eric: If it weren’t for the fact that the whole world – go on, Laura.

Laura: I was just going to say, the whole part where Neville ran over Bellatrix with Sirius’ motorbike, that was…

Jamie: Well, I did not think that was going to happen.

[Micah laughs]

Andrew: Wasn’t that accidental?

Micah: That was awesome.

Andrew: Was that accidental or was that…

Micah: No.

Jamie: He says it was. He says it was, Andrew. Come on.

Eric: Yeah, he says it was an accident, but that’s because…

Jamie: He says, “Oh, I didn’t realize…” – by the way, that was my favorite line of the book when he says, “Oh, I didn’t realize the gas tank was full.” It was brilliant, genius.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew: Yeah. Oh god.

Micah: Jamie…

Eric: I loved the description, “The face of flattened pancakes.”

Jamie: [laughs] That was brilliant!

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: I think Jo sort of let herself go there. I didn’t think that was very original. That’s been written before. That wasn’t very Jo-like.

Jamie: I know, yeah.

Andrew: Micah, what was…

Eric: But it was so enjoyable.

Jamie: What was your impression of Harry’s job, Micah?

Micah: I was going to say, how would you expect him to be anything else after he lost all his magical ability?

Jamie: I know.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: Oh, that’s right. Yeah.

Eric: To be fair, he might be a basketball coach, but at least it’s in the limbo world because of the eclipse and everything.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Pretty much, the world ends when Book 7 ends. And I don’t mean just Harry Potter’s world.

Jamie: Yeah. Oh, Eric, you shouldn’t have said that, though.

Eric: I know, but I have to say it because, actually, we thought, what would happen after? But that’s why J.K.R. couldn’t say that, “I don’t know if there’ll be more books after.”

Jamie: Yeah. Precisely, yeah.

Eric: Not only does Harry’s story end, but the whole world just ends. It’s not like Harry dies.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: But it’s that the world just stops.

Laura: The epilogue is one word, you guys.

Jamie: Are we going to talk about that?

Laura: Should I tell them what it is?

Andrew: Yeah, go ahead.

Jamie: Yeah, go on, yeah.

Laura: It’s one word. It’s just “End.” That’s all it is, “End.” And a period. That’s it.

Jamie: It is, yeah.

Eric: And “Scar,” and “Scar,” and “Scar.”

Jamie: Then if you turn the page it’s just, “Hahahahaha.”

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: Another thing…

Eric: Parentheses…

Andrew: …I wasn’t a fan of. The Sorting Hat song at the beginning.

Jamie: Oh.

Andrew: I mean, I know Jo’s been a Beatles fan for a while, but then he starts singing, Help.

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah, he really does.

Andrew: What? That’s pushing it. Isn’t there copyright issues? Did she really get permission from the Beatles to do that?

Jamie: Well, I think she must’ve spoken to them, yeah. Well, I’ve heard that Paul McCartney did actually go to Hogwarts when he was a child, but he failed and he bought a guitar with his failure money and started a band.

Andrew: Oh really? I didn’t know that.

Jamie: So there is a kind of connection there, but, yeah.

Andrew: Oh, I didn’t know that, Jamie, thank you.

Eric: We might be talking… Guys, we might be actually talking about this in a light tone, but this is actually – we have to emphasis this – this is not a children’s book.

Andrew: No.

Jamie: Yeah, I completely… Yeah.

Eric: Not only do you get to see Bill and Fleur’s wedding, but you get to hear about their honeymoon.

Andrew: See…

Jamie: I couldn’t believe…

Laura: Yeah, wow.

Eric: I just have to say…

Laura: That’s all I have to say. Woah.

Jamie: I was going to say, I couldn’t believe when that guy stood up in their wedding and shouted, “She’s already married! I married her four years go!”

Andrew: [laughs] I know! Can you believe that!? Right out of Maury. Right out of Maury. I swear.

Jamie: But I think we should stop there. Poor Bill, though. I think we should stop there.

Laura: [laughs] You can’t put that in.

Andrew: One last thing that really grinded my gears. I know we are in the 21st Century now and we are in this high-tech age where there’s computers and stuff.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: I know what everyone’s going to say: “Oh, there were computers?” No. But what really annoyed me was that they started using Facebook.

Jamie: No, but, Andrew, that was how he found out where the Horcux was.

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: Jo specifically writes in the Hogwarts network. I couldn’t believe it!

Jamie: Yeah, she does.

Laura: You see, what was stupid – what was stupid was that Harry was actually updating his status to say when he got the Horcrux. I was like, “What are you doing!?”

Jamie: It was so obvious.

Andrew: I know. Less Facebook time, more finding Voldemort time.

Eric: Oh, come on!

Jamie: Oh, it’s awful. But, that post on his wall was so provocative.

[Eric laughs]

Laura: Well, I mean, the poking war. The poking war…

Jamie: “Come and get me, Harry, you scrawny, scarry…” I just couldn’t take it.

Eric: Listen, guys, guys. What about Aberforth’s, what was it, alias. Like Goatman or something, that he was trying to pick up the little girls in the chatroom with?

Jamie: That’s just disgusting.

Andrew: I thought that was disgusting, really.

Eric: And it turned out that Ginny was almost swayed by – Oh my God.

Jamie: But also…

Andrew: What? Did you see those photos that Hermione tagged of Harry on his “view more photos” page with Voldemort?

Eric: They’re horrid!

Jamie: I can’t believe she tagged remaining Horcruxes, as well.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: I mean, you just don’t do that.

Andrew: Just try to keep it a secret.

Laura: I couldn’t believe that she actually had a picture of Harry and Voldemort. They had their arms around each other and their thumbs up in the air. I was like, “Woah.”

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Well, I couldn’t believe that Voldemort had time to make that MySpace picture. You know, he had his camera and his robes out, and he was looking into that mirror, and he had his make-up on and he took the camera, and you saw the flashes.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: I mean, it was beautiful photography, but isn’t he supposed to be killing Harry?

Andrew: It’s too MySpace. It’s too MySpace, if you ask me.

Jamie: It is. Way too MySpace. And why did he put his income at $250,000 and above? Because he doesn’t earn anything. He doesn’t have a job. And his song, as well.

Eric: I wish Kreacher and Winky would just stop poking each other on Facebook and just hook up. Seriously.

Andrew: And what on earth was with Harry joining the, “All I Need to Know I Learned fFom Watching The Magic School Bus” group on Facebook?

Eric: [laughs] Yeah!

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: You know…

Eric: But I got to tell you, those people were totally happy in the book, at least, when he did that.

Andrew: That’s true. That’s true.

Eric: Jo made some friends in that group.

Andrew: All right, I think we spilled enough.

Eric: We’re done, we’re done. It’s that simple.

Jamie: I think we spilled enough.

Eric: Everybody outro, we’re stopping.

Andrew: So, we hope we didn’t spill too much for you.

Jamie: But should we mention Jo’s reaction, Andrew…

Andrew: To what? Oh.

Jamie: …because I heard that it was terrible to behold.

Andrew: Well, you know, I think it’s just digging a deeper hole by talking about it, but she was not happy about it.

Eric: Jo will have no more dealings with Scholastic.

Andrew: I don’t want to go into details, Jamie. I mean, we’re running out of time.

Jamie: It was pretty…

Andrew: Jo wasn’t happy.

Laura: Maybe not with you, but me and Micah, she trusts us with her work.

Andrew: Why?

Laura: I don’t know.

Eric: Why you, Laura?

Laura: I don’t know.

Jamie: Laura, you think that. You should hear the stuff she said to me about you. Oh my god.

[Eric laughs]

Laura: She did not.

Jamie: She did, she did.

[Laura sighs]

Eric: So Andrew…

Jamie: Over a cup of tea. And a croissant.

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: She told me all this.


Show Close


Andrew: All right, well, I think that wraps up today’s show. We’ve been going for a while. We apologize for – I mean this is the Aprils Fool’s Day show, no jokes. But it was a big week. I mean, especially for us. Not only the cover, but we got the manuscript.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: So, I thank everyone for listening.

Jamie: I’m sorry we couldn’t do a real joke, Andrew. We should probably apologize. We didn’t do a proper joke. An April Fools joke.

Andrew: Well, it just… Sometimes we just don’t have time for it.

Jamie: It just didn’t feel right, you know.

Andrew: Yeah, yeah. Well, it didn’t feel right this week, what with getting the manuscript.

Andrew: We have to be very serious now.

Eric: Speaking of not enough time…

[Show music begins playing]

Andrew: To remind everyone about our contact information, you can send us parcel mail to the MuggleCast P.O. Box, which is:

P.O. Box 223
Moundridge, KS
67107

You can also call in your voicemails by using 1-218-20-MAGIC in the United States. If you’re in the U.K. you can dial 020-8144-0677. If you’re in Australia you can dial 02-8003-5668. And you can also Skype the username MuggleCast, just try to keep your message about 30 seconds in length and eliminate as much background noise as possible.

You can also visit MuggleCast.com for a feedback form and you could also contact any one of us at our first names at staff dot mugglenet…

Jamie: Shouldn’t we point out that, please don’t e-mail us for a request to read or view the manuscript. We think that’s pushing it a bit far because we haven’t actually revealed that much…

Laura: Yeah, there was a lot more that was…

Jamie: We don’t want to show anyone the real thing. Literally. We weren’t even scratching it. We were poking it very roughly. The surface didn’t even feel it.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: Just once again, that’s it for this week. Stay tuned on Wednesday for Jamie’s episode. And hopefully sometime in the future we’ll be seeing more of Ben, Mikey, and Ben, and everyone else.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Good night.

Jamie: Ben, Mikey, and Ben. [laughs] Ben, Mikey, and Ben? He appeared twice, Ben. Two Bens.

Andrew: [laughs] I’m Andrew Sims.

Jamie: I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Micah: And I’m Micah Tannenbaum.

Jamie: Couldn’t quite remember that, Laura.

Laura: Bye.

———————–

Written by: Micah, Adrienne, Allison, Briana, Cindy, Jessica, Laura, Leah, Margaret, Matt, Samantha, Sapna, Sarah, Shannon, Shelly, and Tina

Transcript #82

MuggleCast 82 Transcript


Show Intro


[Audio]: What’s up, MuggleCast listeners? If you want to make an impact online, GoDaddy.com has what you need. Get your own dot-com domain name for as low as $1.99, plus world class hosting, fast and easy website builders, and much more. Plus, as a listener of MuggleCast, enter code Muggle – that’s M-U-G-G-L-E – when you check out and save an additional ten percent on any order. Some restrictions apply. See site for details. Get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy.com.

Andrew: This week’s MuggleCast is also brought to you by Borders. Prepare for the upcoming release of Book 7 by catching a glimpse of where it all began. During the month of April you can purchase Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on DVD for only $14.99 at Borders. Also be sure to reserve Book 7 at Borders at forty percent off and get a free sticker. Choose from “Trust Snape” or “Snape is a very bad man.”

[Intro music begins to play]

Andrew: Because we’re jumping ahead a few episodes to coincide with the page count of Book 7, this is MuggleCast Episode 784 for March 25, 2007.

[Intro music continues to play]

Andrew: [clears his throat] Got an e-mail here this week, Jamie, I’d like to read on the show.

Jamie: Hmmm. Feel free.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: Okay, this comes from Carrie of Ann Arbor, Michigan. She writes:

Andrew (Toots) – I ponied up a hundred bucks to help bail out Jamie with his – quote unquote – “Waste of Space” campaign. I think that deserves some sort of service rendered, don’t you? I’d like to hear him refer to you as “Toots” exclusively for one episode of MuggleCast, referring to you at least ten times throughout the show.

Jamie: Hmmm.

Andrew: Ummm Jamie, now, Carrie, you might remember, donated a $100…

Jamie: I do.

Andrew: … as her message just said.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: That’s a lot of money. What do you think about this?

Jamie: Well, I have two answers for this question, the first of which is, thank you very much, Carrie, it was actually ridiculously generous of you, and thank you to everyone else who donated. It was an absolute success. But I just can’t bring myself to call Andrew, “Toots”…

Andrew: Jamie, Jamie.

Jamie: …so your 100 bucks will be back in your account soon.

Andrew: Jamie.

Jamie: Okay, I’m lying. Of course I will call you “Toots,” Andrew, for a show.

Andrew: Yes! Yes!

Eric: Dude, you can’t just give in because somebody donates.

Jamie: I can. I can and I will.

Eric: This is a lifelong commitment to not call Andrew by such a stupid name.

Andrew: I don’t believe it’s stupid, I think it’s a very nice name.

Jamie: Eric…

Eric: Oh, you’re British, you always back down.

Jamie: Eric.

Eric: Yeah, just surrender.

Jamie: I’ll just write a retraction after the show, it’s fine. Don’t worry. We’ll sort it out, we’ll sort it out.

Eric: All right.

Andrew: I’m acting like I didn’t hear that.

Jamie: But, yes Carrie, of course I will. So…

Andrew: Alright.

Jamie: …back to you, Toots.

Andrew: Ah, thank you, Jamie.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: That’s one, Jamie, I’m counting.

Andrew: Welcome to the show this week everyone. I’m glad we got that out of the way. We have a lot of news to discuss this week and we have a voicemail bonanza.

Jamie: Whoo-eee.

Andrew: I’m Andrew Sims.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull.

Jamie: I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Micah: And I’m Micah Tannenbaum.

Andrew: Why did I say Andrew Sims? I’m Toots.

[Intro music continues to play]


News


Andrew: Micah Tannenbaum is standing by in the MuggleCast News Center with the past week’s top Harry Potter news stories, Micah.

Micah: Thanks, Toots. Of course the big news Scholastic announced earlier this week that the US Edition of Deathly Hallows will contain 784 pages, making it the second longest book in the series behind Order of the Phoenix. The US version of the book will have an initial print run of twelve million, and for those concerned about the environment, the publisher has also revealed that each of these copies will be printed on paper that contains a minimum of thirty percent post-consumer waste fiber.

The big movie news, Warner Brothers announced in a press release on Friday that Dan Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are all officially signed on for the final two Potter films. Each of the three actors along with producer David Heyman were quoted in the release. Of particular concern for the final two films was actress Emma Watson, but she said, “I could never let Hermione go. She is my hero. I love her too much and love what playing her has meant to me. I’m excited and honored to be finishing what I started and playing her in all seven of the films.”

The Order of the Phoenix video game is slated for a release one week before the July 13th release of the movie. The game’s senior designer has said, “You’re going to see all of Hogwarts based on the blueprints from the movie. It’s all there and it streams without loading. We’re showing some places that have never been seen before, like Grimmauld Place.”

Finally, a group of six youngsters recently caused 50,000 pounds worth of damage to the Hogwarts Express used in the Potter films. The group members, some as young as 10, broke into the West Coast railway depot at the former Stevetown site in Conforth, England, and destroyed the train’s windows using its emergency hammers. Patricia Marshall, managing director of West Coast Railway, said it will take at least one month to repair because so much damage was caused.

That’s all the news for this March 25, 2007, edition of MuggleCast. Back to the show.

Andrew: Okay, thank you Micah.

Micah: Yo.


Micah Impersonations


Andrew: What did you think of the Micah Tannenbaum impressions on last week’s live show?

[Intro music stops playing]

Micah: I don’t know. You know they…

Jamie: Be brutally honest. No, no, be brutally honest. Go on.

Micah: They weren’t up to par. I’m not going to lie.

Jamie: They weren’t, were they?

Micah: Yeah.

Andrew: Well, Micah, nobody can replace you though.

Andrew: So you just got to give them a chance to try to be you.

Jamie: Yeah. Just because you’re so cool that other people can’t even get close there’s no need to…

Micah: I don’t believe those were the words I just used, but…


Live Show


Andrew: Speaking of the live show, Jamie and I would like to thank everyone for coming out who came out. It was a great success, I would say. Jamie?

Jamie: It was absolutely excellent. Our first live show in the UK, and although we were nervous before hand, we thought it went pretty well. And if anyone still has any feedback, please don’t hesitate to e-mail us and tell us. But yeah, thank you everyone for coming out.

Andrew: Yeah, and that format for the live MuggleCast show, strictly MuggleCast, is what we hope to do in the future here in the US, back again in the UK, so we’re looking forward to doing it again, and that show definitely made us confident that we could do some more live shows on our own.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: It was a lot of fun, and I didn’t – we apologize about the audio. Next time everyone will be coming up to a mic to speak. Some people didn’t think it was that bad. I thought it was bad, [laughs] but whatever. So…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: You’re such a perfectionist, Andrew.


Deathly Hallows Page Count


Andrew: So, we do have some news to discuss this week, and of course the big story is that we found out how long- how many pages, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows is going to be.

Eric: Hallows.

Andrew: Seven [mispronounces] hallows. [laughs] I’ll never get it right. Hallows. Never get it right.

Jamie: It’s such a weird piece of news because it’s good because you think, “Oh my god, this year, you know, it’s so many pages, think how many we’re going to have to get through, 784, that’s a load.” But then, you know, it’s less than Order of the Phoenix, so you think, even the biggest book that we’ve had… Book 7…the…you know….the sort of ultimate book is going to be smaller than Order of the Phoenix.

Laura: Yeah but it’s not…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: That sounded way too enthusiastic.

Laura: Like it’s the smallest book in the series.

Jamie: I know.

Laura: It’s not by a lot.

Eric: You seem really hurt by that, Jamie.

Andrew: By the way, let’s say how many pages it is. It’s 784 pages.

Jamie: I said that.

Andrew: You did?

Micah: Hey Andrew, do you know something?

Jamie: Yeah. Pay attention, Toots.

Andrew: Sorry. Okay. Sorry, Jamie.

Eric: Oh. Number two. All right.

Andrew: We got some numbers. I have some numbers here: Sorcerer’s Stone, 309 pages; COS, 352; Prisoner of Azkaban, 448; Goblet of Fire, 734; Order of the Phoenix, 896; Half-Blood Prince [in a strange, squeaky voice], 672; and now Deathly Hallows, 784.

Eric: So, actually…

Andrew: Hmm.

Eric: Seeing it as, what you said, 734 was Goblet of Fire in the US.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: And this is actually only 50 pages more than that? As opposed to, like, 90 pages more than that? So, I guess you can say it’s in between Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix. Not chronologically speaking, of course, but page numbers.

Jamie: Yeah, just in case you got confused there…

[Laura laughs]

Laura: Just in case you didn’t know that.

[Everyone laugh]

Andrew: You forgot the order the numbers come in.

Eric: No, no, no. But actually, I think it makes sense in a way. I mean, I would have liked it to be, maybe longer? I don’t know, I’m content with it. The thing to realize with Order of the Phoenix is that she had to keep so much rolling with it, you know…

Andrew: [laughs] No pun intended.

Eric: And you know she couldn’t really put an end to anything. So just the fact that this came close to being as long as something, if she was leading us on and continuing to throw storylines and subplots in there. I think it’s a good length because she’s not doing that and she has to add closure. So, it makes me think that she spent a good deal of time doing that.

Jamie: But do you think those 784 pages includes the epilogue that she’s planning on writing? Or is it not?

Micah: You think so?

Andrew: It will include the epilogue, though, because that’s part of the story…

Laura: Yeah, it will.

Eric: Well, part of the – one more thing I wanted to mention about the page counts is that it usually means, if they’re actually confirming this, if Scholastic is confirming this, it means that they have actually reached a final draft? You guys agree with that?

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah, definitely.

Eric: With all of the editing, all of the changing, all of the omitting has been cut out, and if anybody knows about publishing, the pages have been typeset and set into pages for publication.

Jamie: Mhm.

Andrew: Right.

Jamie: It must completely suck if they say it’s going to be 784 pages and then they have to take one word out or it doesn’t make sense and it brings it down to 783?

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Right, so…

Jamie: What do you do? What do you do then?

Eric: You sue Scholastic, Jamie. That’s exactly what you do. And you make a lot of money.

Jaime: I would definitely. You have a solid case there. You promised it would be 784, and it’s 783. I want 20 million dollars now. I want my page.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: Actually, I wanted to bring that up, Eric. I’m glad you did that. That blows me away, I can’t believe the book is actually finished already. It was just early, what was it? January… What? Tenth? Eleventh? Twelfth?

Eric: Twenty-first?

Andrew: Twenty-first? Oh, it was that late? Okay, it was two months ago. It was in January that she finished writing it and already they’ve edited the book? It’s done? I can’t believe that!

Eric: Well…

Andrew: It blows my mind.

Laura: Do we know for sure that she actually finished it then or she hadn’t finished it…

Jamie: No, no she handed it in when it was half finished, Laura.

[Andrew laughs]

Laura: No, no, no. I’m saying…

Andrew: She wrote the date in the hotel room when it was finished.

Laura: Yeah, that’s true.

Jamie: Vandalism.

Andrew: I don’t know much about the prior books, like how long it took them to edit that, but it just blows my mind that the book is actually finished and when you think about it, there’s more to the books than just the text. I mean because there is also the little, like, letters that are written by people that they include and it looks handwritten, and all that.

Eric: Well, for instance…

Andrew: You know what I’m saying?

Eric: Scholastic – and this doesn’t necessarily mean the chapter pictures are done, or anything like that. I mean, Mary Grandpre, because they know how big they’re going to be. To actually typeset the page for anybody who’s taken Publications and everything like that, it means all the indentations and all the text is fit to the page and that’s how they get the kind of page count and they officially released it, so nothing is pretty much changing.


What To Do With a Copy of Deathly Hallows?


Jamie: Can I go off on a slight tangent here and just ask…

Eric: Yes.

Jamie: I was just thinking that it’s actually finished and where is it now and…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: If you happen to get a copy of it- not that you would- and put it on Ebay, not that you would…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: And sell it, how much do you think? In all honesty…

Laura: What are you talking about, Jamie? I already did.

Jamie: Well, me too, but I’m trying to hide it.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: How much would it go for? I would guess… 10 mil.

Jamie: No, the problem… Actually it would…

Laura: Yeah, I would guess 50 million not that I would know, but…

Eric: Uh…

Jamie: Fine, I guess I’ll guess 100 million, 200 million, 300 million…

Eric: You guys are forgetting that JK would absolutely rip a new hole in eBay. It would be down and the people selling.

Jamie: We’re talking hypothetically, and this is a Harry Potter podcast so, uhhh…

Eric: Well hypothetically there’s a large-ass lawsuit between JKR and eBay right now.

Jamie: Okay…

Andrew: That already exists, yeah.

Jamie: Okay, imagine there was a special type of eBay that allowed illegal items to go on there. If you put it on this thing, how much do you think it will sell for?

Eric: Like a black market eBay.

Andrew: Like MuggleBay!

Jamie: Like BlackBay.com. How much do you think it would go for?

Eric: BlackBay?

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: See, it’s such a shame though, Jamie because things with eBay, etc., it’s all about who has the money to pay for it.


Awaiting The Cover


Andrew: So, all we’re waiting for now is the cover and one thing that we both pointed out in the live show is that since the marketing campaign is starting up on April 17th, the cover has got to be coming very, very soon.

Eric: Ehhh.

Andrew: I can’t wait for the cover! Because we’re sort of in a slow period right now, I mean we are and we aren’t. We have the trailer coming up…


Micah’s Request of Jo


Micah: You know, Andrew, we are in a slow period.

Andrew: We are, Micah.

Micah: We are.

Eric: [sings] We are, we are.

Micah: You know what that makes me feel like?

Andrew: What?

Micah: It feels like I need to request something of somebody…

Andrew: Oh, Micah. Not again. I mean, you know. Don’t you think you’re pushing your luck already?

Jamie: Come on. Yeah.

Micah: No, no. Why? Come on. People want to hear from Jo. People want her to go on the diary and to make a little entry. That’s all I’m saying.

Eric: No, no, no, no, no.

Micah: Nothing major.

Andrew: Well about what?

Micah: Just update us on how everything is.

Andrew: Oh Micah. [laughs]

Eric: Micah, Micah, Micah.

Micah: What, Eric? Come on.

Eric: I’ve always supported you. You know I’ve always supported you, but I just think if we’re finding out right now that the whole book is done editing, I think she was really pretty busy with that kind of stuff and I think maybe she spent a few nights without Neil, or something. Maybe there actually needs to be a little bit more time because they…

Andrew: More Neil time?

Eric: More Neil time because they actually – and her whole family because they actually just…

Jamie: Sounds like a Nickelodeon show.

Eric: They edited this whole book in two months. I think I would not be upset if we went another at least few weeks without a diary entry. Maybe in a month then I would complained because I want it for my birthday, April 23rd, but beyond that I think…

Micah: That was a very subtle way of…

Laura: Yeah, really.

Micah: …plugging your birthday right there.

Andrew: Yeah, really. [laughs] All right, well. Micah…

Micah: But Jo, Jo, you know. We have a connection. So, that’s all I can say.

Jamie: Micah, one day on the last show I want you to sing like [coughs] excuse me. I want you to… [coughs some more] Oh my god, sorry.

Micah: I can do that right now if you want me too. [pretends to cough]

Jamie: Yeah, I’m just so excited, I can’t get this out.

Eric: Just don’t die Jamie, or we’ll never figure out what going to want him to do!

Jamie: What I would love you to do is to serenade Jo. I want you to put on some violin music and start singing a very, very famous love song and see what she does.

Andrew: I think Micah has a little crush on Jo, if you ask me.

Jamie: I think he does. I think he does. So, let’s get some…


Book Length


Andrew: So, moving along. Is everyone happy about the length?

Laura: I am.

Andrew: I mean, I – Laura, why are you happy with the length? Tell me why, Laura.

Micah: And she didn’t even see Equus.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew: Hey! Okay, so Laura, what do you think about the length of the book?

Laura: I think it sounds really, really good because I don’t really expect the last book to be as long as Order of the Phoenix, because there’s so much that needs to be covered. And I think Jo knows that. And there’s really not much wiggle room in this book because there’s so much that needs to get done. And I think she knows that. And because she knows that, she probably centered the whole book essentially around what it’s supposed to be about; Harry finding the Horcruxes. Harry defeating Voldemort. That’s what it’s supposed to be about.

Jamie: Absolutely right.

Laura: His final journey. And the idea that 784 pages are going to be devoted to that, really, really…

Jamie: Right.

Laura: …gets me pumped. I’m so excited.

Micah: Yep.

Jamie: Absolutely right. And if you take Order of the Phoenix, everyone admits – and this isn’t to say it was a bad book, but there was stuff in there that could easily be taken out. And you could easily cut it down to like, I don’t know, a 700-600 page book.

Laura: Oh yeah. But see, as a fan, I loved it because there was so much extra stuff in there.

Jamie: Of course, but… Of course but, as you say, Deathly Hallows will probably – every single thing will be essential reading. So, in effect, it’s a book that’s a lot longer than Order of the Phoenix for canon information and tuff like that.

Eric: I kind of – I like that. I like that.

Andrew: Well, yeah. Personally, I think it’s a perfect length. It’s not too long.

Jamie: It’s not too short.

Andrew: But it’s not too short – 784. That’s a big number. That’s a lot of pages. And I think this week the episode number should be MuggleCast Episode 784.


The Number Seven


Laura: Micah, what did you think?

Micah: I thought it was good. I actually got a Miss Cleo-esque email.

Andrew: Yeah?

Micah: From somebody crunching the numbers. I mentioned this to Jamie earlier. It’s a very, very inspiring email, saying that the number 784 is just seven greater than 777.

Andrew: [laughing] Oh, wow.

Eric: Wow.

Andrew: [laughing] That’s, uh…

Laura: That’s amazing.

Eric: Seven more pages than 777.

Micah: That was from…

Eric: Whoa.

Micah: Linda, 15, of New York. So, I’ll give her credit.

Andrew: That is so weird. That is so weird.

Jamie: Also, if you add eight, four, and seven, you get nineteen.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: And, if you take twelve away from that, you get seven.

Andrew: Twelve, the number twelve Grimmauld Place. MuggleNet.com’s The Number Twelve.

Jamie: Guys, guys. Anyone listening now, you are listening to amazing stuff. History is happening here today on this show.

[Micah laughs]

Jamie: I can’t take this.

Andrew: And if you take the first two numbers, seven and eight. Multiply them together, you get 56. Divide that by four, and what do you get?

Jamie: I wish I’d taken maths.

[Laura laughs]

Micah: Fourteen.

Andrew: Fourteen. Divide that by two.

Micah: Half of fourteen.

Andrew: What do you get? Seven.

Micah: Seven.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Can I just make one last point? If you take the number seven, it is actually [laughs] the number seven. Oh my god.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew: Oooh. That’s my favorite one. Let’s leave it off there.


Announcements


Andrew: All right, well we have a few announcements now, and then we’ll move on to some rebuttals. We’d like to thank everyone for voting for us at Podcast Alley. We’re currently number two on their website right now. We like being high up there because it gets the word out that we’re a big podcast in the podcasting community. We owe everyone, Jamie, two videos.

Jamie: Of me.

Andrew: The first one is the McDonald’s video of you eating five Big Macs. And I have that here, and I’m going to edit it soon.

Jamie: Cool. Thank you.

Andrew: I’ve been kind of busy with school. So, that’ll be up on YouTube very soon.

Jamie: It will.

Andrew: And also the suitcase video. I’m sorry it’s not out now. I’m honestly – I hate to be the one to be like, “Oh, I’m so busy.”

Jamie: Come on, Toots.

Andrew: I’ve been really busy with school. I’m sorry, Jamie. I’m really – I’m busy with stuff from school right now. I’ve got people ready to help me out with it. And once – it’ll probably be sometime next week that I do put it online. I’m sorry.

Jamie: Andrew?

Andrew: I am a waste of space. I admit it.


Listener Rebuttal: Early Screen of OOTP


Andrew: All right, we’ve got some rebuttals now. Couple emails. These are some fun e-mails. They’re not theories. I like to call these f-e-mails? Fun e-mails.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: F-e-mails.

Micah: Wow!

Andrew: The first one comes from Marie, 23, of New York City. She writes about early screenings that we were talking about, I think, what, two weeks ago?

Hi Guys, love the show. You all brighten my commute every week. I just listened to the Toots episode of MuggleCast, in which you discuss the early screening of ‘The Order of the Phoenix.’ Early on you were wondering why the theater wasn’t packed with movie executives. I work in market research and we often show groups of people concepts for print or TV ads. The people who wrote the ads are never in the room with the people we’re showing the ads because their presence could skew results, even if they’re pretending to be regular people. They usually watch the reactions to the ads remotely on video. Just a fun fact. I’m sure all of the executives were watching, even if they didn’t trek out to the screening.

Good point. And what is also interesting about this, is that they do it in Chicago in America. They don’t do it in the UK. So, I guess it’s all about the American movie-goers.

Jamie: Must be. Must be. That’s all they care about.

Andrew: Yeah.


Listener Rebuttal: New York OOTP Premiere


Andrew: And then we have another email here. Brittany, 16, of Stoneybrook, NY. She has a question for us.

Hey guys, love the show. Just wondering if you know when the New York City premiere of Order of the Phoenix will be. Will you guys be there and will there be a Podcast? Love, Brittany.

And the reason we wanted to put this in this week is because it’s getting to that time of the year again where people start asking us over and over again when the premiere will be. We don’t know when the premiere will be.

Jamie: That was a bit harsh. That’s a bit harsh. People are just wondering.

Andrew: No, no. I mean that…

Eric: We don’t know.

Jamie: We’re extremely sorry, but we do not actually know, right now, when the podcast is going to be. But as soon as we do, we will let you know.

Andrew: The premiere.

Jamie: Sorry, the premiere.

Andrew: It will be posted on MuggleNet. And, of course, we’ll be raving about it here on the show. And as for a live podcast, yeah, we do have plans to do one. Along with the book release, too. We just don’t know when yet.

Jamie: Or where.

Andrew: We’ll let…

Jamie: When, where and how.

Andrew: Well, if the New York City premiere is in New York City, I’m going to guess the podcast will be in New York City.

[Eric and Laura laugh]

Jamie: We’re coming out with some crackers, this show. We really are.

Laura: Yeah, really.


Andrew and Jamie’s Equus Review


Andrew: All right, yeah so, Jamie?

Jamie: Yes.

Andrew: At the live podcast, we did a little Equus review.

Jamie: Yeah, but…

Andrew: But, unfortunately.

Jamie: …due to technical difficulties, beyond our control.

Andrew: Yes. Or, well, too much control. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah.

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Andrew: We accidentally – we missed – the Equus part of our show wasn’t recorded.

Jamie: We did. We did.

Andrew: So, you want to kick off a little review? Do it now for everyone?

Jamie: Yeah. Definitely.

Andrew: For everyone?

Jamie: I think we should sum it up, first of all, and just say…

Andrew: Okay.

Jamie: It was unbelievable.

Andrew: Really was.

Jamie: In so many words. It really was. And I think…

Eric: In a good or a bad way?

Jamie: In a good way. Completely. I can’t talk about Equus without thinking that – for those people who thought, “Oh my god. Is Dan, a.k.a Harry Potter, going to be able to do serious acting, then?” All those people can go watch it and just be completely relieved because he really, really, really can. And I was just amazed. I mean, his voice isn’t exactly theatrey yet, but, you know, that comes with time and practice and more and more shows. But he did an absolutely fantastic job. And…yeah.

Andrew: It really was a good job. And personally, I was impressed when he came out on the stage for the first time.

Jamie: Yeah. Complete confidence.

Andrew: I was just like, “Wow. It’s not Harry Potter. It’s a new Dan Radcliffe.”

Jamie: Yeha. And you realize that first rule, you don’t think, “Oh, it’s Dan. He looks a bit like Harry Potter here.” He doesn’t at all. You realize he’s a completely different actor. And you also realize that he takes his roles extremely seriously, you know. There’s no hint of Harry Potter in him, at all, as he comes out.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: It’s amazing.


Dan’s Performance


Andrew: Yeah. So, there are a couple of things about Dan that we wanted to talk about. He’s got the scenes nailed down perfectly at this point.

Jamie: Oh yeah, yeah. Completely.

Andrew: Clearly, he’s done a great job in the rehearsals and working with the other actors.

Jamie: Can I say, Andrew loves this scene that he is going to talk about now. He was raving about this for ages.

Andrew: Im just really impressed by it.

Jamie: I know. It was impressive.

Andrew: It was fantastic and I got all into it, and he timed it perfectly.

Jamie: Go on, go on.

Andrew: Theres this one scene where he starts to go mad and hes screaming and he says this thing, “Eck, eck, eck.” And the whole mystery through a good part of the play is why he keeps saying eck. And so basically all these lights start going around and the music is all – not the music, but the sound effects – are getting really loud and his voice starts echoing the eck, eck, eck. And then, with the snap of the finger he just shoots up – he was laying down – he just shoots up and just looks around and everything is quiet. It was perfect timing.

Jamie: And just as he sits up, yeah, and all the lights just stop as soon as he sits up. It’s absolutely brilliant.

Andrew: Beautiful timing.

Jamie: Can you think how embarrassing it would have been if everything had stopped and he was still lying there?

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

Jamie: Still going, “eck, eck, eck” at the end.

Andrew: And someone offstage is like, “Uh, Dan. Dan, get up.”

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: This sounds great, and Im not going to interrupt except to say, what is actually – if you give us a summary of what the play is actually about.

Jamie: Okay, it’s…

Eric: Like what happens to Dan, who he is?

Jamie: Daniel plays Alan Strang, who is a 17-year-old, completely normal boy who comes to a child psychologist having blinded six horses with a spike the night before. The play follows the psychiatrists struggle to tap into the boy and see why he blinded these horses. Thats the main plot, but it also focuses on the psychiatrists struggle with his own life; Alans parents struggle with their own life. And it is brilliantly done.

Eric: Well, thank you.


Richard Griffiths’ Performance


Andrew: Another person, the guy who plays the psychiatrist in the play.

Jamie: Ah, yeah.

Andrew: No one other than Richard Griffiths.

Jamie: A.k.a. Vernon Dursley.

Andrew: And he does a – I loved him in this play.

Jamie: He’s amazing. Amazing.

Andrew: I mean if – yeah. I mean, I really thought he was better than Dan just because he was more experienced.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: And I just really enjoyed his acting.

Jamie: But Andrew, in terms of lines, how many do you think he had? He must have had hundreds.

Andrew: He did have quite a few lines. And there is parts of the play where it’s just him talking. For a solid few minutes, too.

Jamie: It’s a complete monologue, yeah. Its, I…

Andrew: And I always wonder how actors can memorize so much.

Jamie: Yeah. It’s brilliant how he does it. He’ll just sit their and lose himself in his script. You wonder how he doesn’t just suddenly wake up and think, Oh, oh I was acting there. You know?

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: It was brilliant.

Andrew: And he is so calm and peaceful and serious. And he’s got a cigarette most of the time, he’s just smoking every once in a while. He coughed that smoke up a little, a few too many times.

Jamie: Which just added to the effect, though, I thought.

Andrew: Oh, I think so, but you could tell it wasn’t part of his role. [laughs]

Jamie: Well, yeah.

Andrew: But no. Hes a great actor and just really puts on a fantastic portrayal.

Eric: So, he has more screen time than the Dursleys?

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah, he has a lot more screen time in the play.

Jamie: A lot, a lot. Yeah, yeah. A lot, lot more.

Eric: Good.

Andrew: Him and Dan are on stage for probably 90…

Jamie: Ninety percent of it, probably?

Andrew: Yeah.


Set Design


Jamie: But I also think that we should mention the four boxes as I like to call them. Basically the set involved – It was a sort of a general, you know, standard set with a rotating floor. But on this floor there were four black boxes and everything, all the furniture, all of the, you know, stage furniture was constructed out of these four boxes. So, they’d form a bed, they’d form a seat, they’d form the interior of a shop, they’d form a stable. And even though they were just four boxes, Dans and Richards and all of the other actors movements around them made you think you were actually on these things. It was brilliantly done.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: And they had really practiced it. And they would transition scenes. So they’d walk around this box and suddenly the entire atmosphere would change. Like they’d, you know, walked into a different room, into a different studio. It was brilliant.

Andrew: Right, right. And they would move the boxes. There was no stage crew…

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: …to do it, they would do it for themselves. And during a couple points in the play I was like, well, what happens if someone forgets to move a box? [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Andrew: Improvise or something?

Jamie: I guess they mustve.

Andrew: So that was good.


The Horses


Andrew: Also, we wanted to talk about the horsemen.

Jamie: Oh my god.

Andrew: So, basically, these guys play the horses. They don’t have real horses on the stage, obviously. And, basically, they were fantastic.

Jamie: They were amazing.

Andrew: They wear these masks that are basically…

Jamie: They’re like cast iron.

Andrew: …like helmets, sort of.

Jamie: They’re like…

Andrew: Yeah, like cast iron. They look very heavy.

Jamie: They do look heavy. But these guys as well. Theyre like – these guys are six-foot-five, six-foot-six. You know? :ean, tall. And theyve got the horses actions down to – it’s just absolutely brilliant. Like…

Andrew: The neck movements.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah. The neck movements, the face movements, it’s just absolutely brilliant. You honestly think that you are on stage with these horsemen. And everything they do is just absolutely brilliant. I mean, for me they stole the show completely. I thought they were just absolutely brilliant.

Andrew: Yeah, they were very cool.

Jamie: But didn’t you think the masks were kind of, you know, creepy? They were very well done, but just a bit.

Andrew: I guess they were creepy if you were sleeping and you woke up and one was right over top of you. [laughs] I’d be freaked out a bit.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: Yeah, I mean, they were cool. I really thought that they were well done.

Jamie: Yeah, they really were.

Andrew: They also had hooves. They had hooves on the bottom, so when they walked they sounded like horses too.

Jamie: Yeah. It’s brilliant. The effects were just amazing, the sound effects.


The Final Scene


Andrew: Yeah, and then the best part. A little spoiler here. It’s at the end when Dan – everyone knows this – when Alan starts whipping the horses eyes out, and theyre eyes are actually lit up, but to illustrate that they’re…

Jamie: They’re blinded, yeah.

Andrew: Right. The lights in their eyes would go out. And that was very cool.

Jamie: And, can we say, the final scene was just amazing. Everything that has been done so far has built up to this final scene. And whilst there is some humor in the rest of the play, there is a cutoff point about two minutes before the final scene and you just know that there will be no more laughs. The entire audience sort of dies down a bit and, you know, falls back into their shells and just creeps over the edge of their seats in front just to see whats going on. It’s a scary last scene, but it is done so well. Absolutely brilliant.

Andrew: Yeah.


Sound, Lighting and Some Criticisms


Jamie: Criticisms? Should we do – or should we talk about…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: …the effects first, because you wanted to talk about the ocean and lighting.

Andrew: The effects are very well done. I mean, this isn’t like your typical musical, and I haven’t seen many other Broadway plays, but this is very bare-bones. You have the boxes, like we mentioned, but also they take advantage of a lot of stage lighting. Like when they transition to an ocean scene. These lights from above shine down on the floor, and it looks like the lights are moving so that it looks like there’s waves and then there is sand. Stuff like that. And then you hear music – or not music, but the beach ambience. It’s very nice.

Jamie: Yeah. “Every Time We Touch” comes on…

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: …right at the end.

Andrew: Lights start flashing and they start to do back flips.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: And then everyone just jumps onto the stage and starts dancing. It’s brilliant, it’s brilliant. Absolutely amazing. But, criticisms. One thing I mentioned already, Dans voice. It would just sort of break, rather than boom, occasionally. Which is just because he isn’t used to theatre, I guess.

Andrew: He’s 17. His voice isn’t even fully developed yet, I don’t think.


The Nude Scene


Jamie: A couple of things I’d say about the nude scene, and of course it’s what everyone waits for. It happens very slowly, and you can feel the intake of breath from the audience as it happens, but Dan does it with complete professionalism. There’s no, “Oh my god, I’m getting naked on stage.” He is an actor now, a complete actor, and yeah, it is extremely well done. He acts as though he isn’t naked. It’s brilliant.

Andrew: Yeah, and now that we’ve seen the play, it was really blow out of proportion, you know?

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: All the articles, “Harry Potter goes nude!” and stuff like that. It’s just uncalled for, and it’s really not true – I mean, it’s true that he’s nude…

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: But it’s not like…

Jamie: No, it’s one hundred percent true. Trust us.

Andrew: It’s unfortunate that it’s been blown out of proportion this much, especially with how serious this play has become, and now I understand why it’s so uncalled for.

Jamie: Oh yeah.


Seating


Andrew: But yeah, that scene was very good. That’s at the end. That whole ending scene was very good. [laughs] Our main problem was that our seats were not the best.

Jamie: I didn’t think that they were that – obviously, we said they were bad, but I just didn’t think they were that bad.

Andrew: They weren’t bad, it was an interesting angle, but we were on stage, up in the seats behind the stage, so basically you’re looking down at the play, like directly down.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: You have to lean over the banister thing. It was uncomfortable. It wasn’t the most…

Jamie: You have to rest your chin on your forearms because you can’t see over the edge.

Andrew: I wasn’t even sitting on the seat at some points; I was on my knees.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: So, I could get comfortable. [laughs] Yeah, it was an interesting angle, it was the fun way to watch a show. I mean, it was just uncomfortable. If we were sitting in real seats…

Jamie: It was a little bit uncomfortable, yeah. And also, because, obviously, the actors talked toward the stalls in the front. Occasionally, a word wasn’t heard.

Andrew: Yeah, exactly.

Jamie: Or a couple of words weren’t heard, but overall, I didn’t think it was that bad. We got so immersed into the play I thought that, you know,…

Andrew: We really did.

Jamie: I thought that wherever you were sitting didn’t really matter. The only problem is, they had booths along the edge of the stage area, and because you’re sitting above two of them, you can’t see what’s happening in them.

Andrew: Oh, right.

Jamie: So, at times, we had a blind spot where we couldn’t see stuff, which, obviously, would have been solved if we were sitting in the stalls. I, overall, didn’t think it was too bad.

Andrew: An enjoyable time.


Worth The Money


Eric: Sorry, final thing. How often does it show – does Equus show? Like, how often? Can you catch an every day matinee or what?

Jamie: Oh yeah. Oh, I think it’s every day at half seven in the evening, and Wednesday and Saturday matinees. And I think it’s showing until June, and it really is worth seeing. I know there is talk of them taking it to Broadway, but obviously Dan won’t be doing that due to the Potter films.

Andrew: Probably won’t, yeah.

Jamie: So, I would really suggest that if anyone can go and see it, go and see it because it’s really just well worth the money.

Eric: Because this is… Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah, and plus Richard Griffiths. He’s never done anything on Broadway, has he? In New York City?

Jamie: I don’t know.

Andrew: I doubt he’d come to America to do that play.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: I think he’d move on by then, but see it now while you can, and make sure you can see those two because they are fantastic.

Jamie: They really were good.

Eric: And that’s really the thing to realize, with theatre, is that they’re doing it everyday.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: They are in the character from beginning to end. It’s not just something you watch once. This is Dan going out everyday getting into that character and behaving the exact same way. And that’s what I love about theater.

Jamie: Oh yeah.

Eric: It’s just, Dan Radcliffe will be there, at that theatre, every night from now until June.

Jamie: Oh yeah, completely.

Andrew: Unless he’s got an understudy.

Jamie: Unless he’s got an understudy, yeah.

Eric: That’s another question I wanted to ask. If he can’t come out one night and he has an understudy, wouldn’t people be pissed?

Jamie: Well, perhaps.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Can he not get any breaks because of that, or…

Jamie: Well, that’s what happens. No, no, well, that’s just what happens. I think that’s what you accept when you go to the theatre. There’s a chance there will be an understudy playing, and we should bring up the story that John and Melissa from PotterCast. They went to see Equus a few days before we did.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: And they, unfortunately – Richard Griffiths had come down with flu, and they had his understudy. [laughs] In fact, it was a guy who normally has a relatively minor role in the play, and he had been elevated to the part of the psychiatrist. And of course he didn’t know the lines because he had only been told he was getting it a few days before, or a few hours before, so throughout the entire play he had a book open with the lines and he was reading through it. And they said that he was still good and very into the play, but I think that I would have been very disappointed if that happened.

Andrew: Yeah. I wouldn’t have been able to be as drawn into the play seeing him read from the script. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah, exactly.

Andrew: That’s unfortunate, but I guess it happens. Alright, so I think that’s our Equus review.

Jamie: Go see it.

Andrew: If any of you have feedback about your Equus experiences, please email them to mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com, and we’ll talk about it a little more next week, maybe.

Eric: I have to go, but the combined number of pages for the US edition is 4,195. Anyway, alright, peace out, people.

Jamie: See you later.

Andrew: See you.


Voicemail: Emotional Ties


Andrew: Okay, so this week, for everyone, we have lots of voicemails to get to, right, Laura?

Laura: That’s right. You guys ready?

[Audio]: Hey guys, this is Laura from Dallas. I was listening to MuggleCast 81 earlier today, and fans were debating about whether or not Harry should live or die. And on the death side, people never really seemed to bring up that Harry has less and less emotional ties to the Earth every book. And, you know, people are saying that he could die just because of J.K. Rowling not wanting the series to continue after Book 7 and any portrayal of her characters or anything, but I think one of the main reasons that Harry might die, from a literary context, is that he has less and less ties to the Earth because all of his loved ones that he’s lost. I mean, Sirius and Dumbledore and everybody and his parents. I mean, if there is a wizarding afterlife, then that might just be the best place for his character to go. So, yeah. Nobody really brings that up ever, so I thought I should call in. Bye!

Andrew: So, she’s saying that because he’s lost so many people to begin with, at this point he’d be happier dead.

Laura: He’d be happier dead. Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah, someone brought that up at the live show, actually.

Jamie: They did, but I mean she’s saying that he would basically die of a broken heart because I don’t think that’s Harry. I don’t know, I don’t think he’d ever give up.

Laura: I don’t think she’s saying he’d die of a broken heart. I think she was looking at it from more of a literary aspect, thinking that Harry has lost so many people that he loves, and at the end of the seventh book it’s very possible that the only people he could have worth living for would be Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, and she’s kind of wondering what sort of weight that holds against his parents and Sirius and Dumbledore and everybody. That’s assuming that those three don’t die.

Micah: I think that part of the reason that J.K. Rowling has written this character is to show how he perseveres through all of this kind of thing.

Jamie: Exactly. Yeah, I agree.

Micah: And for him to just sort of die because it’s the easy way out, in a sense, to be reunited with all those people, I don’t think that that’s necessarily the case.

Laura: Well, the thing is I don’t think that he’s going to die to be reunited with anybody, but, in her defense, I don’t think that’s what she’s saying. She’s not looking at it from kind of a weakness from Harry’s character, she’s looking at it from a literary point.

Jamie: But I don’t understand. So, is she just saying that in classical literature – in literary devices, people die when everyone close to them is – when they have nothing.

Laura: When they have nothing. Well, yeah, because the thing is, you know how on previous shows we talked about how certain characters, and I’m not sating this is true with every character because then Ben has a heart attack.

[Jamie laughs]

Laura: But certain characters in these books have died because they have served their purpose in the series. I think that is what she’s saying.

Jamie: Oh.

Laura: That maybe after Harry kills Voldemort there is really no point in him being around anymore. [laughs] It’s harsh, but…

Micah: But he is the series, though.

Jamie: A little harsh, but…

Andrew: Well, isn’t it the case that, in any fiction tale, that whenever somebody dies, they have finished or…

Laura: Yes.

Andrew: …served their purpose?

Laura: Thats kind of a literary…

Jamie: No, because people…

Andrew: So, but if we take it that way, then if Harry dies, will he have served his purpose?

Jamie: No, because Sirius didn’t completely serve his purpose, you could say.

Laura: Yes, he did.

Andrew: No, he doesnt…

Laura: Yes, he did.

Jamie: No, because you can say that his purpose was to be Harrys godfather.

Laura: He’s done.

Jamie: Why would…

Laura: He wasnt doing a very good job of it.

Jamie: Im sorry, Laura, that you think that…

[Micah laughs]

Jamie: Everyone should just die, and that would be the end of it.

Andrew: Yeah, we dont follow that attitude.

Laura: Im not Andrew, I dont think that everybody should die.

Jamie: Yeah, he does.

Andrew: When did I ever say that anybody should die?

Laura: I guess that was Ben.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

Laura: But you still think that Harry should die so I dont want to talk to you, but…

Andrew: I do think that Harry should die. He’s…

Jamie: You mean, mean, person.

Andrew: …gotten away with too many things. And this is the seventh book and seven equals everything.

Jamie: Yes, it does.

Andrew: According to everyone, so… [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: Seven equals death, right?

Micah: I dont know. I think…

Jamie: That’s a very logical argument.

Micah: It would depend…

Jamie: Toots.

Micah: …what happens [laughs] in the final book. I mean, I think it depends who else dies.

[Jamie laughs]

Micah: And that’s what I meant when I said that. I think it matters who else dies. I mean, if he has nothing left for him…

Jamie: Yeah.

Micah: …the people who are closest to him, then maybe. But that is not how his character is built. His character is not built to sort of die just because those who are the closest to him…

Jamie: I do understand what she means, the voicemail girl.

Laura: Yeah, me too.

Jamie: Because, if you think, if Voldemort had been killed the night it had rebounded off Harry, the whole plot of the books – you wouldn’t have a plot because everything that happens is to do with Voldemort. You know, when Harry learns a new spell…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: …it’s to help him in his fight against Voldemort. When they go down to see Hagrid it’s, you know, being friends with the people on the good side because there is a bad and good side because Voldemort is alive. So, I see what you mean. After Vodemort’s gone, what will Harry have to do apart from live a normal life, which he can’t, he can’t possible do that now. He’s had so upset – misfortune that…actually, that was too… Go on.

Andrew: Going back to Micah’s point, actually, Micah, a listener brought up that, at the live show last week, that Ginny can be a deciding factor in the seventh book.

Jamie: Oh, yeah.

Andrew: Because if she dies or – if she dies, that could bring Harry to either really want to kill Voldemort even more or feel like he has no purpose. He has no one left to live for. So it’s strange.

Micah: Well, I…

Jamie: Well, I think it comes down to – sorry, go on.

Micah: I was just going to say, you know, he could have done numerous things to himself throughout this entire series or put himself in even worse positions, I think, but regardless of who has died, and it started with his parents and obviously Sirius and Dumbledore, but he’s still gotten through it. And I know the reason why he has gotten through this has principally been to get to Voldemort. One of the other things that I think, and this may support what she is saying more than the position that I have been taking so far, is just that Dumbledore says that there are things far greater or far worse than death, and I think one of them for Harry would be living in world where he has lost everything.


Voicemail: Harry and Ginny


Andrew: All right, let’s move on.

[Audio]: Hi, MuggleCast. This is Jordan from Michigan. I am listening to Episode 81, I think it is. The “Live in London,” and you’re saying you want to know if Harry actually loves Ginny or what if he really loves Ginny because he liked Cho too. And what I think is he probably does because when Cho was dating Cedric, he never seemed to get extremely jealous and then you see him with Ginny and she’ll be kissing Dean, and the “creature in his chest” roared. Then, when he finally kissed her, it says that the “creature in his chest roaring with triumph,” he ran down to Ginny. And so I really dont think he could have liked Cho that much if he didn’t get as jealous when Cedric was dating her. So, that’s what I think about it. Love the show! Bye!

Jamie: Well, we compared Cho and Ginny saying exactly what – he liked both of them, but how far did that like extend? Did he just have a crush on Cho or has he liked Ginny the entire time, and his feelings have only manifested themselves after he smelled the Amortentia and he realized that he liked her and now he loves her, or is it just a crush like Cho? Thats what we are talking about.

Laura: Mhm. Well…

Andrew: So, what is she saying?

Laura: She is basically calling in in support that Harry actually loves Ginny, and it’s not just a crush, and that he didn’t actually love Cho. And yeah, I think that he does love Ginny. I think there is no doubt about it. I think in a way, he always has. Not to sound cliche, but I think, in a way, he has seen her as his, you know, kind of like his family.

Andrew: Yeah, I was just going to say.

Laura: Because the Weasleys are his family.

Andrew: Hes known Ginny for – since the beginning.

Laura: Since they were kids. I mean…

Andrew: He knows their entire family and he loves Mrs. Weasley and the rest of them, so – he sees Mrs. Weasley as a mother already.

Jamie: Ah, that really annoys me though when in – this is a complete deviation, Im sorry, but in Order of the Phoenix when Sirius and Mrs. Weasley are arguing in the kitchen and she is like – no, he is like, “Well, he isn’t your son,” and he’s like, “He’s as good as.” And that really annoyed me because – Id be really annoyed of I was Harry there because she has to act – she has to care for him because that is how the relationship is. But Sirius has tried his best and it isn’t his fault he got sent to Azkaban. He’s an innocent man and he has tried his best and to be told, he’s as good as my son when you’ve been away. Yeah, I could have punched her then.

Andrew: Yeah. Well, Mrs. Weasley tends to overreact sometimes. She gets caught up in the moment.

Jamie: Stuck in the moment.

Andrew: So, and she can’t get out of it.

[Jamie laughs]


Voicemail: Choices


Laura: All right, our next voicemail got a little messed up when I was downloading it off Skype. So, Chris from the U.K. wants to know:

“If Harry had to choose between sacrificing himself to save his friends, or defeating Voldemort, what would he do? Because, obviously if he sacrificed himself to save Ginny, Ron, or Hermione, there would be nobody around to kill Voldemort because nobody else can.”

So, what do you guys think?

Jamie: Doesn’t it come down to why does, sort of – I think he’d want to think that, you know, “I have a job here and I can’t let anything stand in my way.” But he’s, you know, he cares for people too much. He’s like Dumbledore. He…

Laura: Well, he said so himself, he has a saving people thing.

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah, he really does.

Laura: So, what would he do?

Jamie: Well, I think…

Laura: I mean what if somebody was, like, holding Ginny with a knife or whatever. And they said… [laughs] Oh my god, that’s so bad – they said, “Come here and let me kill you.” What would he do? [laughs] If he hadn’t defeated Voldemort yet?

Jamie: He’d say, he’d say, “Calm down.”

Andrew: “It’s alright. We’ll get through this together.”

Jamie: “It’s fine. We’ll get through this. What do you want?” “Five million dollars in used twenties.”

Andrew: I don’t think that’s how…

Jamie: “Okay. That’s fine. That’s fine.”

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: I don’t think that’s how Jo would end it, though, because…

Laura: No, I don’t think so either.

Andrew: It’s so, like… That’s what you see in the movies and TV shows. I just saw The Departed the other day, great film by the way, and that happens a few times in there. It’s too generic.

Micah: Yeah.

Laura: I’m not saying that’s something that would happen. He’s basically asking a question about Harry’s character. What would he do? Not saying it will happen. Not saying anything like that, even close.

Micah: It depends who it is, I think. I mean – maybe not, actually.

Laura: Yeah, like, I mean, for Ginny he would. Ron, you know, not so much.

Jamie: Ooooh!

Andrew: [laughs] You don’t think so?

Jamie: Laura, Laura…

Andrew: Maybe he would save Ron for Ginny, even if they got in a big fight.

Jamie: And, Laura, you just don’t understand boys’ relationships. We’re, you know, we’re brothers. All men are brothers. You know, we’re…

Andrew: Yeah. Brother from another mother.

Jamie: Brothers from another mother. Yeah.

[Andrew laughs]

Laura: So, if some psycho came up and, like, grabbed Andrew, right?

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah. Toots. Toots.

Laura: And had a knife. What would you do, Jamie?

Jamie: I’d say – Well, because I’m an expert in all forms of martial arts, I’d kick the beep out of him. And then Andrew and I would go and get McDonald’s.

Andrew: Yay!

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: Even if Ron had, like, you know – Laura, you say that he wouldn’t do it for Ron, but even if Ron was in that situation…

Laura: No, no, no. It was a joke. I was making fun of Micah. [laughs]

Andrew: Oh. Okay.

[Laura laughs]

Micah: How is she making fun of me?

Jamie: In all honesty, though, it’s…

Laura: Sorry, Micah.

Jamie: I don’t know [laughs] In all honesty, though, it’s – you’d hope that he’d see the wider, you know, cause. Because millions of people will die if he saves Ginny. It’s – what’s this parallel? Oh my god, there’s an awesome parallel. What is it? I can’t think of this – would you save? Oh, it’s Spiderman. That’s it. It’s Spiderman. When the Green Goblin holds up Mary Jane on one, sort of, hand. And that thing of school children on the other. So…

Andrew: Oh, yeah.

Jamie: And he manages to save both. I’m sure that Harry would just do the same. He’d just spin some web and kick Voldemort’s ass. And save Ginny.

Andrew: That was a very cool scene, by the way. I thought…

Laura: That was cool.

Andrew: I thought the kids were screwed, for sure.

Jamie: Yeah, I thought they were as well.

Micah: One question is that, how is anybody not able to defeat Voldemort? I mean, once his Horcruxes are gone…

Jamie: Well, exactly. That’s true, yeah.

Micah: Why does it have to be Harry? You know?

Jamie: It doesn’t.

Micah: To me, it doesn’t make any sense.

Laura: Because Harry’s the only that has the knowledge to do it.

Andrew: Because only one may live while the other survives.

Jamie: No, but, he’s absolutely right. Why does it – this is all very complex stuff. But, why does it have to be Harry?

Laura: Because Voldemort made it so.

Micah: I think that the prophecy has a lot more meaning.

Jamie: But why? Why is he the only one?

Laura: Because he’s an idiot.

Jamie: No, but, why is Harry the only one? Okay, after these Horcruxes…

Laura: Harry wasn’t the only one, though. It could have been Neville.

Jamie: But why now is it only him? Now, after his Horcruxes…

Laura: Because Voldemort marked Harry as his equal…

Jamie: But Laura, Laura…

Laura: Nobody else can defeat him.

Jamie: Laura, if Harry took away all of his Horcruxes. Then you tied Voldemort to a chair. And he took away his wand and Snape came along. Are you saying that Snape could not Avada Kedavra him? Because of course he could.

Andrew: He could, but I think – are you just playing…

Laura: I don’t know. I think there’s something…

Jamie: I’m not playing…

Laura: I think you’re just playing devil’s advocate.

Jamie: I’m not, I’m not. I’m not, because the prophecy…

Andrew: I think you are.

Jamie: OK, well, I’m not. Sorry.

Andrew: Because this is the story of Harry Potter. So it can’t be Snape who finally defeats Voldemort.

Laura: It would be stupid.

Jamie: But the prophecy is only – but if Harry turned around now and said, “That’s it. I’m not going to, you know, do it.” Then someone could still kill Voldemort. If someone had all of his Horcruxes.

Laura: I don’t think so.

Andrew: I guess it’s true.

Jamie: Harry…

Andrew: It is true.

Jamie: Of course he could. It’d be…

Laura: But how many people know about the Horcruxes? That’s the whole point.

Jamie: Ah well, yes. You’re absolutely right. But if Harry got rid of them, Voldemort would be a mortal man. Yes, he’d be an extremely powerful wizard, but any wizard could kill him if they managed to, you know? If they had the skill – the magical skill, then they could. This prophecy thing is a bunch of bulls, really. Because…

Laura: I don’t think so. I don’t think so, I think it’s a lot like…

Micah: It’s only as good as the people that believe in it. That’s the thing.

Jamie: Yeah. It’s true. It is really is true.

Laura: I think that’s true to an extent. But I also kind of feel like, it’s almost kind of like karma. You know? It comes back and it gets you…

Jamie: I know, yeah.

Laura: Whether you did something good or something bad. And it’s not necessarily the prophecy. It’s kind of along the lines of – I’ve completely forgot what they call it. The pact that they make.

Jamie: Oh, okay.

Laura: The Unbreakable Vow.

Jamie: Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Laura: It’s kind of along those lines. Like, you have to do it.

Jamie: But, Harry doesn’t have to, though. That’s the thing.

Laura: It’s just sort of ingrained. But the thing is, they can say he doesn’t have to all he wants, but who has more reason than Harry?

Jamie: To do it. Oh, of course he has reason. But don’t you think it comes down to you either view the prophecy as taking into account all the possible choices that Harry can make? So, like, it’s like the – let’s think. You can’t go back in time to kill your grandfather. Because you’d be dead now, you know? You see. That, you know, grandfather paradox. You can’t say that Harry would change his mind and not go and kill Voldemort. Because the prophecy, which is going to come true, already states that one will kill the other. So, they can’t not come into combat. Or you can take it to mean that that’s the prophecy, but if Harry chooses, he can choose his own fate. Which was…

Laura: Yeah, but I think that the point is…

Jamie: …recurring theme in Mortal Kombat.

[Laura and Micah laugh]

Laura: Great. I think the point is…

Micah: A lot of stories, it’s a recurring theme. I mean, because people choose to do – or it’s more of what people choose not to do. They choose to avoid what is being told to them.

Jamie: Issues. Yeah.

Micah: And it ends up happening as a result. I mean, in so many different things.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: But I think the point is, Voldemort is not making that choice. Harry could make that choice all day long…

Jamie: That’s true, yeah.

Laura: And Voldemort still wants to kill him. So, as long as one of them is still going along with the prophecy, they don’t have a choice.

Micah: However…

Jamie: Go on.

Micah: Voldemort doesn’t know the full prophecy.

Jamie: He doesn’t know.

Laura: Yeah, but he doesn’t know the full prophecy, but he’s still going to keep going after Harry.

Jamie: Can I draw my – I’ve just thought of the exact link I was thinking of. Those two different types. For people who have seen Minority Report, the woman in it who created Pre-crime has – for people who haven’t seen it, this is just going to go completely over your head. But, she said that – basically the premise is that these people, the Precognitives, can see into the future of what is going to happen. And they can see murders. And the protagonist – for those people haven’t seen it, again, let me just completely spoil it. The protagonist who works for Pre-crime and sees what the Precogs see and then acts on these and arrests the people who are about to cause these murders, he sees himself killing someone. And then he goes on the run. And then he goes to see the woman who created Pre-crime, and he says, basically, “Why can’t I just sit still here? And not go to the place where I’m supposed to kill the person?” And she says, “Because you are supposed to be at that place. And everything you do will lead up to you going to that place. So, even if you sit still, something will happen to get you to that place. Because every choice that you make now is already reflected in the future. So, there’s nothing you can do now to change your future.” So, either you take that, or you take the fact that you can change exactly. You can just say, “Right. Stop. I’m just going to lie here and completely alter my fate.”

Micah: But didn’t it turn out that that memory was planted?

Jamie: What? Sorry?

Micah: Wasn’t that planted?

Jamie: No, no, no. It actually happened. He actually went to the place where he was about to kill and he was about to kill the person…

Micah: But he didn’t kill him, did he?

Jamie: He did…

Micah: I can’t remember, I saw such it such a long time ago.

Jamie: No, well he… I think he… Actually, wait. Did he kill him? Yes, he did. He fell out the window…

Micah: The window.

Jamie: He shot him – yeah. But because he thought he kidnapped his son, but he actually hadn’t. Very interesting film, though…

Micah: Oh, yeah. Especially the refrigerator scene, that was disgusting. [laughs]

Jamie: What? Oh, yeah, that was awful, yeah.

Andrew: Jamie gives it two thumbs up.

Micah: Yeah.

Jamie: Huh? Yeah. [laughs]


Voicemail: R.A.B.’s Horcrux


[Audio]: Hi MuggleCast! My name is Hillary. I’m from New Zealand and I’m calling about R.A.B. Most of the time when I hear you talk about R.A.B, lets assume it’s a he, you seem to think he knew there were multiple Horcruxes. But whenever I read the books, it is the locket. Because he says “I have stolen the real Horcrux. To me it seems that if he knew there were multiple Horcruxes, he would have said “I have stolen this real Horcrux. I think it can be read both ways though. So, anyway, I would love to know your thoughts. Thank you!

Jamie: Ah, very interesting, very interesting.

Laura: So, what does that mean? I mean…

Andrew: Well, maybe it was just one that they were looking for.

Laura; Well, what if it was – and I kind of thought of this, but it seemed like it would be kind of anti-climactic, like it was the one big Horcrux, like there was something special about that one. But it would seem silly if Harry didn’t get a special one. You know what I’m saying?

Jamie: What? For his birthday?

Laura: [laughs] Yes, Jamie.

Andrew: I think – I think it’s just the Horcrux because it was the one that Regulus was looking for.

Micah: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah, but did he just split his soul once or did he…

Laura: But why that one particularly…

Andrew: It’s not like…

Jamie: Or did R.A.B think that Voldemort had just, you know, split his soul once…

Laura: Yeah, did he think…

Jamie: And got rid of it.

Laura: He only had one Horcrux?

Andrew: Well, what would be the point of that? I mean…

Laura: Well, it…

Andrew: That wouldn’t be very productive. [laughs]

Laura: Well, it would be if you think about how often people give R.A.B so much credit for…

Andrew: Finding a Horcrux?

Laura: Being a character that we’ve never really seen before. And if he honestly only thought that there was one Horcrux, that kind of just eliminates his character…

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: Out of being, really. I mean, he wouldn’t have any use in the seventh book.

Micah: Well, what do you guys think…

Laura: So, we’re essentially looking at him being a major player or not.

Micah: Well, I – you know, I’ve always wondered is it possible that Voldemort entrusted information about Horcruxes to different Death Eaters? So, not all of them knew necessarily about all of them, but individually maybe…

Laura: I think he would have been stupid to do that.

Jamie: I don’t think he told them anything…

Micah: Some of them knew.

Jamie: It’s just – he doesn’t take risks, it’s pointless doing something that weakens himself…

Micah: Well, then how would R.A.B have known about this in the first place?

Jamie: Well, there is always a way of finding out. Perhaps he, you know, used Legilimency…

Laura: He read his diary.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, he read his diary. [laughs]

Micah: Well, maybe he witnessed the killing. That’s a possibility…

Jamie: “Dearest diary, today I killed someone and split my soul. Have a good day.”

Laura: [laughs] Yeah.

Jamie: “From Voldemort.”

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: That must be a distressing diary to read. I mean, think of the stuff he has done. “Went to kill a young boy, backfired. Damn. From Voldemort.”

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Jamie: “Don’t worry, killed his parents.”


Voicemail: Is Ginny a Horcrux?


[Audio]: Hey MuggleCast. This is Lucy. I have this great theory that popped into my mind. When Ginny is down in the Chamber of Secrets with Voldemort’s memory of Tom Riddle, Tom Riddle was really making her a Horcrux. He was trying to put the Horcrux that was in the diary into Ginny. So, when Harry stabbed the diary, he wasn’t really killing the Horcrux and he is going to have to kill Ginny because she is the seventh Horcrux. I think this is a fabulous theory and really cool. So, thank you! Pickles!

Laura: Actually, if Ginny were a Horcrux it would mean that Voldemort actually removed his soul from the diary, and that Harry thinks that he has destroyed one, but he hasn’t, which ups the number…

Jamie: Very, very…

Laura: Of Horcruxes, so.

Jamie: But that would just, that would bring into play the “Can Harry kill…”

Laura: Okay…

Jamie: “…Ginny for a worthy cause.”

Laura: But lets discuss it. Yeah, that’s what… that’s what we’re doing.

Andrew: That sort of relates to an earlier voicemail.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: So, good work.

Laura: Well, I think that a lot of people really responded to your discussion on Ginny, I guess, at the live show.

Andrew: You know what’s so great about the live podcast?

Jamie: She is an important character…

Andrew: Yeah, but you know what was so great about the live podcast? Real quick, it’s the instant feedback…

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah, definitely.

Andrew: People were just going left and right with feedback, and now we have all these great new ideas because we were able to do it so well…

Jamie: Yeah, and out of all the stuff we talked about, I think Ginny was the most productive. You know, she – I don’t think people pay enough attention to her. Not only is she powerful, she’s powerful emotionally, she is the object of Harry’s affections, and she’s…you know? And that is a very interesting point, what would happen if Voldemort had turned her into a Horcrux? It would mean that Harry would have to kill her. Unless he only turned her [laughs] foot into one, in which case he could just cut that off and destroy it.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: Just cut off her foot.

Jamie: And then…

Andrew: “Ginny, I have good news and bad news.”

[Jamie and Laura laugh]

Andrew: “The bad news: you’re a Horcrux.”

[Laura laughing]

Andrew: “The good news: I’ve just got to amputate your foot.”

[Andrew, Jamie, Laura, and Micah laugh]

Jamie: Scalpel, wand.

Micah: I always thought that Horcruxes had to be inanimate objects though.

Jamie: No, no, no…

Laura: That’s what I kind of had the impression of…

Jamie: Nagini! [pronounces as na-genie]

Laura: But then you think about – yeah, Nagini.

Jamie: Sorry, Nagini.

Andrew: Well, [laughs] and not to mention according to Mugglenet.com’s What Will Happen In Harry Potter 7: Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Falls In Love…

Laura: Oh yeah, Harry is a Horcrux in that book, isn’t he?

Andrew: and How the Adventure Finally Ends, and Harry is a Horcrux.

Jamie: Exactly.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Micah: Was he a Horcrux or his scar a Horcrux?

Laura: Good job, Andrew. Wasn’t that you that wrote that?

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: Ummm…

Jamie: What? So, he has just got…

Andrew: Look, I have a pen name and then I don’t have a pen name and that one wasn’t written by me. That was the real Andy Gordon.

Jamie: You can’t say that – the thing is when you say that his scar is a Horcrux, if physically his scar is a Horcrux, then all he has to do is excise a centimeter of flesh…

Laura: [laughs] And just cut off…

Jamie: Yeah, and then he’s free from it…

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Jamie: Which obviously isn’t the case.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: [laughing] It’s too easy…

Jamie: It has to have an emotional – exactly.

Laura: [laughing] That’s too funny.

Jamie: It’s like in Saw II when he cuts the bit of flesh from behind his – ugh, that’s disgusting. But, uh…

Andrew: Yeah, he’d be getting one of these: [plays “That Was Easy” button].

Jamie: He would, yeah.

[Jamie, Laura, and Micah laugh]

Andrew: It would just be too easy.

[Andrew, Jamie, and Laura laugh]

Jamie: I would love – Andrew, I would love that. I would pay Jo…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Not that she needs the money, but. To have the final line…

Andrew: You’re going to pay her? Then hell yeah she is going to do it.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: To be like the final line. “And Voldemort said, ‘Actually, I’m tired of being mean. I’m going to be nice.’ And Harry pressed…”

Andrew: [laughing] Yeah.

Jamie: “His ‘That Was Easy’ button.”

[Andrew, Jamie, and Laura laugh]

Jamie: That was easy.

Andrew: Dun dun dun dun DUN! All right, uh…

Jamie: I would love Harry to have a “That Was Easy” button.

Laura: We’re so off topic.

Andrew: Back, back to our – what were we even saying here?

Jamie: Ginny being a Horcrux.

Andrew: Who had the last real thought?

Jamie: If she was…

Micah: Inanimate objects. [sighs]

Jamie: What would it mean? For the – for Harry? Would it mean he would have to kill her to defeat Voldemort?

Laura: Yes.

Jamie: But wouldn’t that completely ruin his life? You can’t…

Laura: Yep.

Jamie: But he shouldn’t…

[Laura and Andrew laugh]

Jamie: He can’t have a ruined life. Not that it’s too good at the moment.

Laura: He already does.

Jamie: Yeah, that’s what I was going to say.

Andrew: No, but it has to end on a positive note, you’re right.

Laura: No, but, see, here’s the thing…

Jamie: It has to end, yeah.

Laura: Jamie, I mean gosh, if Harry has to kill Ginny then that means that that other voicemail caller talking about Harry having to die, I mean that would fit in quite well. Andrew would be happy because then Harry would probably go jump off a cliff.

Jamie: Yeah…

Andrew: You bet.

Jamie: …and he would get his misery in the books that he loves.

Andrew: See, yeah, here’s the thing: if Ginny dies, like we were saying earlier, he really doesn’t have anything to live for. He’s got…

Laura: Ok, die Ginny.

Andrew: …Ron and Hermione. He’s got his friends. No, but what I’m saying is…

Laura: Yeah, that’s what you’re saying.

Andrew: He’s lost so many people how can he walk on?

Jamie: [sings] Walk on.

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: How did we know that was coming?

Andrew: Seriously.

Jamie: Andrew…

Andrew: Seriously though…

Micah: I don’t like it. I don’t like these theories.

Andrew: Why don’t you like this?

Micah: I don’t like these theories about people being Horcruxes, I don’t know, or parts of people being Horcruxes. I think that…

Jamie: I agree.

Micah: …Dumbledore laid it out pretty well. I think maybe with the exception of Nagini, he may be wrong there. It may just be another object of one of the founders that we didn’t know about. I just, I don’t really like the whole idea that Harry – I just don’t like the idea of people being Horcruxes. I think…

Jamie: Ir does.

Andrew: Yeah.

Micah: …it’s too easy to sort of say Harry’s a Horcrux or Ginny’s a Horcrux. I don’t think that adds any different elements…

Jamie: She could…

Micah: …to the story…

Jamie: She could kill herself as well.

Micah: …that people would be expecting.

Jamie: It’s like, Voldemort wants things that aren’t going to spoil his plan and putting it into a person who could potentially destroy his Horcrux. You know? It just seems, you know. But the reason they thought that Ginny was a Horcrux was she moved in mysterious ways.

Andrew: She really does that.

Jamie: She really does. It’s all right though, it’s all right.

Andrew: But then she was gone…

Micah: The one thing – because we talked about this on the other show. I just – I think there’s so much you have to go through and explain, if she’s a Horcrux, sort of the steps she’s taken throughout the series.


Voicemail: Draco and Dumbledore


[Audio]: Okay it’s Daniel Hinckey from Melbourne in Australia. I have three quotes that I wish you would actually discuss instead of some these recent topics, like whether Harry and Ginny should have chicken or fish at their wedding dinner or should Ron cut his hair. I’m relatively new to the podcast but particularly now you have new name for the book to fit into the possible outcome, so I have some possible discussion points I’m dying for you guys to delve into. Near the ending of Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore said to Malfoy, “Well, I certainly did have a drink…and I came back…after a fashion,” Why would he use those words, “after a fashion,” he seems to be implying that he was not whole, not all there, only partly returned. It follows after that Malfoy says, “We decided to put the Dark Mark over the tower and get you to hurry up here… And it worked.” Dumbledore answers, “Well …yes and no…” Again with the not really being there insinuation. Also, he says to Malfoy, “It is my mercy, and not yours, that matters now.” What does that mean? One last thing was, why was Dumbledore forcing Malfoy to keep talking? Surely it wasn’t so Harry could hear how he managed to get the Death Eaters in, or [unintelligible] until Snape arrived. Was it because of Snape? I don’t know, that confuses me. So for all that’s good and merciful please talk about the bigger issues again, even if you have in the past.

Jamie: So, Ron’s hair? Long, short? What do we think?

[Laura and Andrew laugh]

Jamie: Should he cut it?

Andrew: [uses a silly voice with a lisp] Personally, I think he should go for a buzz cut.

Jamie: [uses a silly voice] I think he looks so cute with short hair.

Micah: [uses a silly voice] What do you mean?

Jamie: Okay, I’ve always – I thought the last point was very interesting about when he said to Draco, “It is my mercy that matters now, not yours.” I think it comes down to the fact that Draco has got – or Dumbledore has got to die there to save Draco and, you know, continue, you know, continue keeping Snape close to Voldemort, because Snape’s good, obviously. So, he’s saying it’s my mercy because obviously Dumbledore there could get out of his predicament, let’s not fool around here. He may be wandless but he’s not powerless. So, I think easily he could’ve you know – if he can blast apart his office against Dawlish, Shacklebolt, you know, Umbridge, Fudge, all those people in there and come up smiling, then he could easily get out of that problem. So, I think he’s saying that it’s for me to go through with my plan and save you and make it look like you did everything, that’s my mercy and that’s what I’m going to put in to action.

Laura: Yeah, I think so too. As for the quotes about him saying “yes and no” and “after a fashion,” I’m really not 100 percent sure what to think of those. Because, when I read it at the time, I was just sort of taking it as Dumbledore kind of gently reminding Draco that he had an idea of what was going to happen. He wasn’t completely – he wasn’t walking into it completely blind.

Jamie: Isn’t it just a figure of speech. I had…

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: When you say, “I had a drink,” it implies an alcoholic drink, but he meant, you know, a potion drink, and he said, “Yes, I had a drink… a kind of drink…after a fashion.” I think it just means that. It’s just a…

Laura: I mean, I think – I think he’s kind of looking at this from the standpoint of we have seen specific things that characters have said in the books before that were seemingly meaningless and then…

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: ..they came into…

Jamie: I think it’s just…

Laura: …you know, a huge light…

Jamie: …a sense of humor though. It’s Dumbledore’s sense of humor.

Laura: Yeah, I think so as well.

Andrew: And Dumbledore’s not going to give Draco full answers anyway, so it’s going to be very mysterious. He’s going to talk in mysterious ways.

Laura: In any case. I don’t think that this supports any sort of Dumbledore is alive theory.

Jamie: No. Which he’s not, so what difference does it make?

Laura: Which is – yeah [laughs], exactly. A lot of people still maintain that he is.

Jamie: Although it comes down to the fact…

Micah: Because Jo didn’t say [laughs] that he’s not.

Laura: Yeah. [laughs]

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: We all just imagined it.

Jamie: And also when someone dies it, it normally means they aren’t alive, so you know…

[Laura giggles]

Andrew: Right. It usually means they’re… oh, what’s the word I’m looking for? Dead.

Laura: Deceased…

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Laura: …maybe.

[Andrew laughs]


Voicemail: What Are The Traits of Other Founders’ Descendants?


[Audio]: Hi MuggleCasters, my name is Ensica (SP?) from Chicago, Illinois, and I have a question for you. I was wondering, you know how all descendants of Salazar Slytherin; they have the noticeable characteristic of being able to talk to snakes. So what would you distinguishes being really smart or for Gryffindor being brave, but do you think there’s something that really makes them different, like how Salazar’s descendents can talk to snakes. Anyway, I was just wondering what you guys thought. Thanks so much! Bye!

Andrew: [in the cowardly lion’s voice] Courage.

Jamie: Yeah, I think it’s…

Laura: Well, yeah…

Jamie: I mean…

Laura: I mean, she mentioned that but…

Jamie: Obviously, they’re more traits than characteristics – I mean, rather then skills, but I think… I mean, obviously Gryffindor is – would be brave, you know, bravery and the ability to fight rather than the flight syndrome, you know?

Laura: Yeah. You know…

Jamie: Things like that.

Laura: When I listened to this, one thought that occurred to me was that Slytherin, his family would really be one of the only ones that would strive to remain pureblood…

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: …or as close to pureblood as they could, unless you were Merope Gaunt.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: But it just seems like that kind of trait would stay within their family just because they practically inbred.

Jamie: Yeah. They are inbred.

Laura: And that’s why – I mean that’s why so many of them have it and I think that any sort of talents that any of the other founders would have, they might appear every now and then, but I think they’d be pretty watered down, just because they’re not prejudiced.

Micah: I think it’s difficult because we don’t know for sure who would be a descendent or who is even a candidate to be a descendent of any of the other founders. So…

Laura: Use your imagination.

Jamie: Yeah.

Micah: Well, I think Hufflepuff, you know… Blast.

Jamie: Diggory?

Micah: Diggory, I mean, you know, I don’t know if there’s any relationship between Hepzibah Smith and Hufflepuff, even though she had the cup. I mean, maybe that puts Zacharias Smith in a position to be a descendant.

Jamie: Oh, that’s an idea, yeah. Or the ghosts.

Andrew: It’s just a really interesting question in general, because twaits [laughs] twaits – traits are – that’s a very cool question.

Jamie: It is.

Andrew: Too bad we don’t…

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: …know the descendants, so…

Laura: That we know of.

Andrew: Because, I mean, traits could be a lot of things. It could be physical traits…

Micah: Yeah.

Andrew: …it could be, well, in the case of Slytherin…

Jamie: Emotional traits.

Andrew: …speaking traits…

Jamie: …skills, yeah.

Andrew: …emotional.

Jamie: It could be anything.


British Joke of the Day


Jamie: Improvised British Joke of the Day here. What does dough and Merope Gaunt have in common?

Micah: Dough as in, like…

Andrew: What?

Jamie: Dough.

Andrew: Doe, a deer?

Jamie: No, no, no.

Andrew: A female deer?

Laura: No, dough as in like, cookie dough.

Jamie: Yeah. [laughs]

Andrew: Oh.

Jamie: They’re both inbred.

[Everyone laughs]


Laura and Andrew Go To College


Andrew: Good stuff. Well, hey, guys. I think that wraps up our voicemails for this week. We didn’t get to as many as we hoped to, because, I mean, we went – we answered quite a few of them in depth, so we’ll get to some more next week. I say, unless the cover comes out next week, or the trailer.

Micah: Or Jo updates her site.

Andrew: Yeah. Okay, so Laura, you and I – I just wanted to… We got another e-mail, or “f-e-mail,” Joanna, 22, of Jupiter, Florida. I wanted to include this e-mail this week because it’s very timely. She writes:

“Hey MuggleCasters, a few of you, Andrew, Ben, and Laura, I think, are getting ready to graduate high school and move onto college. Just wondering where you all are planning on going and what you would like to major in. Don’t worry, I’m not a stalker or anything (poor Emma), I was just curious and I’m sure many of the fans are also curious.”

So, Laura, within the past week or so, you and I have both found out…

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: …where we’re going to college.

Laura: Yeah, good news.

Andrew: Where are you going to college?

Laura: I got into McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland, and I’m pretty excited about that. It was my first choice, and I actually visited up there…

Jamie: Congratulations.

Laura: …in November. Really, really gorgeous.

Andrew: Awesome.

Laura: So, I’m excited.

Andrew: And just the other day, I got accepted into Rowan University, which is, was my top pick, too. So, we’re both…

Laura: Yay! [laughs]

Andrew: We’re both happy campers this week. And Ben was accepted to Miami University, and…

Laura: Was he?

Andrew: …at least one other. Yeah.

Laura: Oh, cool.

Jamie: I didn’t know that.

Andrew: So, he’s not too sure what he’s doing exactly yet. I didn’t know either, until I told him I was accepted…

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: …and he was like, “Oh, by the way.” [laughs] So, yeah. So, yeah, we’re all going to college, thank god. Micah, where are you going to college?

Micah: I don’t know yet, you know?

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Well…

Micah: I was talking to Jamie about it earlier.

Jamie: You have a few years to decide.

Micah: We’re still trying to figure it out.

Jamie: We’ve got no rush, so we thought we’d think about it for a bit, you know, and then decide in a few years where we’re going.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: I hear all the cool kids go to Notre Dame. Guess we’re not cool enough.

Laura: I disagree.

Jamie: Yeah, I didn’t hear that.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Jamie: I expressedly did not hear that. So…

Micah: No, no.


Chicken Soup For The MuggleCast Soul


Andrew: Okay, well, that’s that, and we’re going to wrap things up today with a Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul. This comes from Mark W., 22, of Indianapolis. He writes:

“First off, I love the show. My entire family are ‘Harry Potter’ fans and we make a habit out of listening to the show each week as a family.”

Jamie: That’s awesome.

Andrew: That’s nice.

Laura: Aww.

Andrew: Family listening, that’s very cool.

Jamie: We encourage that.

Andrew: Yeah. So, he writes:

“On a more serious note now, the reason I choose to contact you today: I have a simple request that I sincerely hope can be incorporated into a future episode of the show. My brother, Michael, was diagnosed with a rare cancer last year. He underwent chemotherapy and seemed to be getting better, but recently took a turn for the worse. His spirits have been down, but he still looks forward to each new episode of the show and listening to it always makes him smile.”

Jamie: And in that family, I think Michael’s listening, so, enjoy the show, Michael. Your brother tells us you really enjoy it, so…

Andrew: Yep, shout out to Michael. He’s 15, and lives out in Indianapolis, Indiana. So…

Micah: And thanks for listening.

Laura: Yeah, thank you.

Andrew: Definitely. And thanks to Mark for writing in.


Show Close


Andrew: So, before we completely wrap up the show today, I want to remind everyone about our contact information. So if you want to send us some parcel mail, you can always mail:

MuggleCast
PO Box 223
Moundridge, Kansas 67107

And if you have a voicemail, you can always call them in to 1-218-20-MAGIC in the United States, if you’re in the United Kingdom, you can dial 020-8144-0677, and if you’re in Australia, you can dial 80 – sorry, 02-8003-5668. You can also Skype the username MuggleCast, just try to keep your message about a minute. And we’ll get to some more voicemails next week. You can also contact us using the handy feedback form located on the contact page of MuggleCast.com, or you can e-mail us with our first name at staff dot mugglenet dot com.

[Show music begins to play]

Andrew: You know what, guys?

Jamie: What, Toots?

Andrew: I think I’m tired of the name Toots.

[Jamie laughs]

Laura: Thank god.

Jamie: I agree.

Andrew: I think I’m going to retire it. It was fun for a few shows, but I think it’s done.

Micah: Awww.

Andrew: And then, don’t forget, you can [laughs] use our community outlets: MySpace, YouTube, Facebook, Frappr, Last.FM, Fanlistings/Forums. Guys, we’ve reached 7,000 friends on MySpace.

Jamie: Wow.

Micah: And I’m not even one of them.

Andrew: Oh, you know, once we get to 7,777 friends, I think I’m just going to stop.

Jamie: Yeah, definitely, yeah.

Andrew: I’m just going to stop. No more friends.

Jamie: We’re going to stop adding people.

Andrew: So, get your friend request in now. [laughs]. And, of course, you can Digg us on Digg.com. Vote for us once a month on Podcast Alley, and rate and review us on Yahoo! Podcasts. Jamie, one last thing real quick. We owe people two additional shows.

Jamie: Oh, we do, yeah. I’m going to do something special for them. I don’t know what yet, though. I’ll think on it.

Andrew: Okay. Well, two very special shows will be coming out within, not this week, but the following week. We’re going to have the two extra shows on two Wednesdays.

Micah: Cool.

Andrew: I believe they’re going to be Episodes 84 and 86. All right, so that wraps up today’s show. Once again, I’m Andrew Sims.

Jamie: [saying goodbye for Eric] I’m Eric Scull.

Jamie: I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Micah: And I’m Micah Tannenbaum. Jo…

Andrew: Thank…

Micah: …I’m counting on you. Don’t let me down.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: Another request. And I feel, I feel it coming, “Miker.”

[Jamie and Laura laugh]

Andrew: So, we thank everyone for listening and we’ll see everyone next week for Episode 83. Bye bye.

Jamie: Bye, Toots. Bye, everyone.

Laura: Bye.

[Show music ends]


Bloopers


Jamie: Just because you’re so cool that other people can’t even get close, you know, there’s no need to rub it in.

Micah: I don’t believe those are the words…

Jamie: [sneezes] Excuse me.

Micah: …I just used, but…

Jamie: [sneezes] Excuse me.

Andrew: I couldn’t hear you [laughs] over Jamie’s sneezing.

Jamie: Sorry.

Micah: I said, I don’t think those are the words that I used, thank you, Jamie, for speaking for me there. [laughs]

Jamie: No, no.


Jamie: He’ll just be – his head’ll be spinning. He will just be in “vertigo.”

Andrew: [laughs] But listen – but sometimes you can’t make it on your own. Oh, there are so many.

[Jamie laughs]

Laura: Oh my god!

Jamie: I hear that the huge battle is going to be on a Saturday, so it’s going to be “Sunday, bloody Sunday.” [laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

Micah: So it won’t be a “beautiful day.”

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs] But even after all that he “still wouldn’t have found what he’s looking for.” [laughs] Terrible grammar.

Jamie: Looking for, yeah. But… Oh god. I can’t think of anymore. [laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] I’d have to bring up my iTunes to keep going on this.


[Music plays in background “Double Trouble (team rocket)”]

This is the boss, and I’m sick of waiting!
I want Pikachu and this time don’t screw it up!

Prepare for trouble
Make it double
Prepare for trouble
Make it double

We’ll be the richest rogues of all time
Creators of a grand design
I’ll be the king
I’ll be the queen

I’ll be the joker… of crime

Prepare for trouble
Make it double
Prepare for trouble
Make it double

To protect the world from devastation
To unite all people’s within our nation
To denounce the evils of truth and love
To extend our ach to the stars above
Jessie, James
Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light
Surrender now or prepare to fight.
That’s right!

Team Rocket’s rockin’
Talkin’ trouble, walkin’ trouble
Double trouble big trouble
And the trouble’s gonna follow you

Team Rocket’s rockin’
Talkin’ trouble, walkin’ trouble
Double trouble big trouble
And the trouble’s gonna follow you
We’re gonna capture Pikachu

Prepare for trouble
Make it double
Prepare for trouble
Make it double

We’re Team Rocket and we fight for what’s wrong,
For mayhem, and madness, and rare Pokemon
I’m so gorgeous
I’m always the man
You’re just the players in my master plan

Team Rocket’s rockin’
Talkin’ trouble, walkin’ trouble
Double trouble big trouble
And the troubles gonna follow you

Team Rocket’s rockin’
Talkin’ trouble, walkin’ trouble
Double trouble big trouble
And the troubles gonna follow you
We’re gonna capture Pikachu

We’re always gonna’ try it
No one can deny it
We can cause a riot in Sunday school
We’ll have you believing
Truth can be deceiving
‘Do unto others’ is our Golden Rule

Jesse: This is our most ingenious plan ever, if I do say so myself.

James: Even we couldn’t screw this one up, Jesse.

Meowth: Would you two stop yappin’! Here they come!

Prepare for trouble
Make it double
Prepare for trouble
Make it double

Team Rocket’s rockin’
Talkin’ trouble, walkin’ trouble
Double trouble big trouble
And the trouble’s gonna follow you

———————–

Written by: Micah, Adrienne, Allison, Amanda, Briana, Cindy, Jessica, Laura, Leah, Mandie, Margaret, Matt, Megan, Sapna, Sarah, Shannon, Shelly, and Tina

Transcript #81

MuggleCast 81 Transcript

Please note: Due to the nature of the show being live, there are some areas that were quite difficult to understand. These areas are marked as “unintelligible.” Other than that, enjoy our first live MuggleCast from England!


Show Intro


Andrew: Hey, everyone. This is Toots. And before we go to the live show that Jamie and I recorded on Saturday, March 17th, Saint Patty’s Day, I just wanted to point out that we did lose the first twenty to twenty-five minutes of the show. Basically, in the beginning of the show, we had a killer intro, and it killed. Trust me, the audience was on the floor. Just trust me. I know you won’t be able to hear it, but trust me. And also we did a Equus review.

The show is going to start off with a theory contest – halfway through a theory contest that we were doing during this live show. Apologies to everybody for the sound quality in some parts. It is a little bad because the audience did not have a microphone. We did really enjoy recording this event, however, and we hope everyone else enjoys it as well. And we’ll definitely consider doing more of these live events. MuggleCast-only live shows in the future. So, here it is now. We’re going to start it off twenty-five minutes into the show halfway through the theory contest.

And big thanks goes out to everyone who attended that day and Alivan’s at Alivan’s dot com. They make some great wands and they provided us with some great prizes for the event. So, here’s the show now. Enjoy.


Theory Contest


Jamie: Next person? There?

Andrew: Go ahead. This guy right here. Say your name, where you come from. Nice t-shirt, by the way.

Male Audience Member: Oh, thanks.

Jamie: I like it.

[Everyone laughs]

Male Audience Member: I’m [unintelligible], from Canada, originally.

Female Audience Member: Woo-hoo!

Andrew: Alright.

[Everyone laughs]


Theory One: Selfless Act Transfers Soul


Male Audience Member: Okay, anybody who doesn’t want Harry to die might not want to listen to my theory.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: That doesn’t want Harry to die.

Male Audience Member: Doesn’t want Harry to die.

Andrew: Okay.

Jamie: I’m going to go now.

[Everyone laughs]

Male Audience Member: Okay, a little while ago I heard a theory that if you do something so selfless for somebody that – and you end up dying, that perhaps part of your soul can be transferred to them. And theory is this is how Harry got the green eyes, and this is how his love protection works. I was thinking that, perhaps in the seventh book, Harry will end up sacrificing himself for Ginny or Hermione or Ron or somebody in the trio. And his soul with get transferred to Voldemort, and the love in it will destroy him. And that’s how love will destroy Voldemort.

Audience Members: Oooh!

[Audience applauds]

Jamie: I couldn’t help picturing a – for those of you who have seen The Matrix – I couldn’t help picturing Agent Smith flying into Voldemort.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: That would be awesome.

Andrew: Yeah, I remember talking about this on a recent show, too, that ultimately, love is what’s going to kill Voldemort; Harry’s love, Lily’s love.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: And…

Jamie: Could we just have a collective “aww.”

Audience Members: Aww.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Me and you were sort of debating this on the train yesterday whether or not to discuss whether Harry should live or die. Because we sort of have contrasting opinions.

Jamie: Yeah, we do.

Andrew: I went into a little rant on a recent show, too, just about Harry – And Ben seconded this. I think that Harry has gotten away with – He’s won all of his battles, and he keeps just nearly escaping death. And it sounds terrible, but I agree with that kid. It’s either going to be love or he’s just going to [unintelligible].

Jamie: It’s pointless, debating this.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Why?

Jamie: He’s just going to live.

Andrew: Tell me why Harry should live, though.

Jamie: Well, no, I shouldn’t say that because we have a debate coming up where we’re going to have two sides…

Andrew: Oh, oh. I completely forgot about that, actually.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: Those people with theories want to come down?

Andrew: You and then you? [pointing to kid with Superman shirt] Superman?

[Jamie laughs]


Theory Two: Sirius’s Mirror


Female Audience Member: Okay. [unintelligible], and this is kind of a weird theory, but I really want a wand, so.

[Everyone laughs]

Female Audience Member: There’s this big thing going on about the mirror that Sirius gave Harry, and – Okay, this is going to sound totally unrelated, but it will mix in the end. When Snape eventually kills Dumbledore in the end of the sixth book, you hear Dumbledore pleading. And a lot of people just read that and think he’s begging Severus not to kill him, but really I think it’s the opposite; he’s asking Severus to kill him because it’s [unintelligible] in his death to help Harry. But I was reading up on the next film they’re making and from the information there and from the information from J.K. Rowling, it turns out that Dumbledore’s brother, Aberforth, is actually the landlord of the Hog’s Head. So, and in the sixth book you see Mundungus selling some things that he stole from Grimmauld Place to Aberforth. And I think that, while Sirius wouldn’t have the left the mirror hidden somewhere because he needs it to contact Harry, so he would have left it out on display. So I reckon Mundungus has probably stolen that and the sold it to Aberforth. And through Dumbledore – I think he must have realized somehow that, well, he’s done his deed. He’s killed Grindelwald and done that kind of bit. But he’s never really said that much about his brother, apart from he kind of went of his different path and went away. And the name Aberforth does actually mean to just wander off. So, well I reckon he kind of knew that he was trying to make some kind of connection to Harry to his brother via the mirror that Sirius gave him; to kind of help – to get Aberforth to help Harry kill Voldemort. If that made any sense at all.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: I think so.

[Audience applauds]

Andrew: I just want to say, real quick, about that. Aberforth – I cannot wait to see Aberforth in Book 7 because I really think he’s going to give some sort of guidance to Harry, whether it involves just giving him some encouragement, saying, “Dumbledore wants you to do this.”

Jamie: Or goats because he’s famous…

[Everyone laughs]


Theory Three: The Locket And Grimmauld Place


Male Audience Member: Okay, my name’s Michael. I’m from London. I don’t know how I’m going to compete with that one. Or that one.

[Everyone laughs]

Male Audience Member: But basically, mine’s with the locket horcrux. Basically, it’s how it could be possibly linked with Sirius Black’s brother, Regulus, maybe taking the locket. And in Book 5 – as we know, J.K. Rowling loves to put little tasters in for us to then reflect back and be like, “How did we not see that?” Well, basically, when they’re cleaning out Grimmauld Place in the fifth book, Harry notices this locket that’s actually in the cabinet when they’re throwing stuff away. And I just think that’s something so J.K. Rowling to – suddenly she’s going to pull that back out, and that’s actually the link with Sirius’s brother actually taking the locket, it being in Grimmauld Place, and bringing Grimmauld Place back into the story for the final book, the final chapter.

Andrew: Ooh.

[Audience applauds]


Theory Contest Vote


Jamie: Now we’ll have a vote on it. I can’t actually what…

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: What? Who did the first one?

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: I think she did the first one.

Female Audience Member: Yeah. Don’t vote for me.

Andrew: Don’t vote for you?

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: Alright. [laughs]

Jamie: Then…

Andrew: She came second.

Jamie: And then three, four, and five. So should we have a vote for the first theory?

Andrew: It was like…

Female Audience Member: [unintelligible]

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: By the way, only clap for one.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Only your favorite one. So, what was yours, real quick? Summarize.

Female Audience Member: That someone else made a horcrux.

Jamie: Okay.

Andrew: Okay. Applause for that?

Jamie: Applause for that one?

[Moment of silence]

[Everyone laughs]

[Little applause]

Andrew: Everyone who did a theory gets a shirt, anyway. So…

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: I liked it. I liked it. [laughs] Yeah. This guy with the Harry…

Jamie: Do you want to summarize it quickly?

Male Audience Member: Yeah. Harry will sacrifice himself and his soul will get transferred to Voldemort and the love will kill Voldemort.

Jamie: Oh, the Agent Smith theory.

Andrew: Yeah.

[Audience loudly applauds]

Andrew: And then…

Jamie: [Matrix impersonation] Mr. Anderson.

Andrew: Then who else…

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: Sorry, who’s next?

Female Audience Member: That was the theory of Dumbledore, like, wanting to kill himself and then the mirror that Sirius gave Harry leading Harry to Aberforth, help him kill Voldemort.

Jamie: Applause for that?

[Audience applauds]

Jamie: [laughs] And, finally…

Male Audience Member: The locket being a marvelous J.K. Rowling conversion into the fifth book which will arise in the last book.

Jamie: That was beautiful.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: I think that’s clever.

Jamie: Applause for that one?

[Audience applauds]

Jamie: Bring the overwhelming winner over.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: Come up and get your wand.

[Audience applauds]

Andrew: Everyone else, you guys can come up and get your t-shirts.

Andrew: By the way, it’s a trick. There’s nothing in the box.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: Oh, it’s just a box. We’ve taken the wand out.

Andrew: We should plug Alivan’s.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: I mean, they are a good wand company, and…

Female Audience Member: Tell us the properties of the wand.

Jamie: Sorry?

Andrew: Oh, it’s – there’s a different wand for each. That’s, that’s probably – yeah.

[Loud crash]

Andrew: Oops.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: We didn’t see that in there.

Female Audience Member: Wow.

Andrew: You can just look down. What kind of wand is it? Right at the top.

Male Audience Member: Holly and ebony, twelve and a half inches.

Andrew: There you go.

Female Audience Member: Nice.

[Audience applauds]

Andrew: There’s – they’re all different, so every time someone wins one, we’ll open it up. It’s a surprise.

[Audience laughs]

Male Audience Member: Ooh.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: What’s coming next?

Andrew: Alright, so – oh, yeah, and by the way, everyone else who gave a theory, you can come up and pick a shirt.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: We’ve got tons of shirts. Actually, these are all leftover because WB won’t let us sell them anymore, so…

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: I had four boxes of t-shirts mailed to me. [laughs] I – this isn’t even all of them.

Jamie: Yeah, it’s like a tenth of them.

Andrew: Yeah, and I could honestly open up a store in my house with the amount of MuggleCast t-shirts [laughs], so – by the way, a lot of fun carrying that on the Underground.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: But anyway…

Jamie: It was – ugh, don’t even want to think about it.


Andrew and Jamie’s Trip To EA


Andrew: So yesterday, Jamie and I went to Electronic Arts here in the UK to check out the Harry Potter video game. We had an awesome time. We spent a few hours there yesterday. They have a brand new facility. Where is it, Guildford?

Jamie: Guildford in Surrey.

Andrew: Guildford, yeah.

Jamie: And it’s amazing. A sort of glass, you know, building with almost glass floors and…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: …elevators. They’re very, very cool.

Andrew: Brand new, very high-tech. When you go into the lobby there’s video games there. We were playing the Goblet of Fire while we were there. [laughs]

Jamie: There was a Wii, a PS3, and there were all these games on it.

Andrew: So then, the representative who works with the media, like the fan sites and EA, she came and picked us up at the lobby, took us upstairs, and she said, “Wait until the doors open up.” The whole floor…

Jamie: Is…

Andrew:Harry Potter.

Jamie:Harry Potter-based. It’s like they have a floor for each game.

Andrew: Mhm.

Jamie: So you’ll have like, I mean, I can’t name any of the games, but…

Andrew: I was…

Jamie: Yeah, that was like a floor and then we get up, and you go out, and there’s a huge gold-plated Harry Potter sign there, and it’s like a Diagon Alley thing…

Andrew: With a Sirius – there’s a Sirius “Wanted” poster as a hologram. So like, you would look at it, you would see Sirius and then move a little to the left, and…

Jamie: Very cool.

Andrew: But, it’s amazing because there’s 120 people all on this one floor, working on the Harry Potter video game, so it’s an amazing team of people who are dedicated.

Jamie: And they really are. They’re fans, as well. You know, they aren’t just programmers who work on the game. They’re fans as well. And, I mean, we can’t say that much, they told us all this – they told all the work that’s going into it. The game looks absolutely unbelievable.

Andrew: Amazing.

Jamie: It really does. I mean, I haven’t played a game before, I don’t know if anyone else has…

Andrew: Who has played the Harry Potter video games? And are a fan of them? They’re good, right? You guys like them?

Jamie: But this just blows everything else away. It’s absolutely – it’s just like a world, this thing. It’s amazing, absolutely amazing.

Andrew: It – yeah, even if you’re not a video game fan, I honestly think that anyone’s going to like this video game.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Because you can go through all of Hogwarts, everywhere, and in the beginning, I think it is, they have a big pan-through to show all the grounds and everything. It’s amazing.

Jamie: It’s very, very cool.

Andrew: The PS3 version, I mean, you know, that’s a very powerful game system. The graphics are unbelievable.

Jamie: It’s very gorgeous. You have a question?

Male Audience Member: Yeah, can you tell us anything about the Wii version?

Jamie: We – yeah, it’s unbelievable.

Andrew: The Wii version…

Jamie: Or it’s going to be. It really is.

Andrew: We haven’t actually played it, but they’re very excited for it. I mean, the Wii, for everyone who doesn’t know, it’s…

Jamie: Everyone knows what a Wii is.

Andrew: Does everyone know?

Audience Members: Yeah. [laughs]

Andrew: Alright, well, sorry. [laughs]

Jamie: He thinks we British people are so far behind on that.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: Sorry. By the way, is there any Americans here to support me in this little world? [laughs] Okay.

Female Audience Member: I lived there for four years.

Jamie: Oh, really?

Andrew: Oh, yeah? Cool. So, yeah, the Wii version, they’re very excited about, because you have the remote control, and you’re going to be doing spells with them, so, you know Wingardium Leviosa and stuff like that, I think there’s going to be like, twelve. When we had them on MuggleCast for an interview about two or three months ago, and we talked with the two guys who we met yesterday. They were very excited about it, and one guy, Matt, is a huge Harry Potter fan, so you know that the game is going to be…

Jamie: It really is.

Andrew: There’s so many insights. The game is – It’s actually unbelievable how good this game is going to be. It’s just great, it – really.

Jamie: Should we go onto our debate now?

Andrew: Yeah.


Debate: Should Harry Die?


Jamie: Okay, we’re going to have a “Should Harry Die” – not could – “Should Harry in the Final Book?” What we’re going to do is, we’re going to pick three people, one for the “for Harry should die,” one for the “against Harry should die,” and the winning team gets a wand each.

Andrew: Okay.

Jamie: So, who wants to argue for…?

Andrew: There’s three wands.

Jamie: Hm?

Andrew: Oh, oh! I get it now. Okay.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: Sorry.

Jamie: He’s had a long trip.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] Yes.

Jamie: So who wants to argue for “should Harry die?” Yeah?

Andrew: Of course, you’ve got…

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Alright, do we have three right there? Alright, so you guys have all seen how the debate segment works on MuggleCast, and it’s usually Ben’s thing, but we didn’t tell him, so…

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Usually he’ll run into all the technical terms. So yeah, you guys can come up and – how are we going to do this?

Jamie: Three on this side, three on that side, and you get three minutes each, a minute each to represent your case. A minute each to represent your case, and then we’ll have an audience clapping session again.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

Jamie: We like those now.

Andrew: Yeah, they’re fun.

Jamie: And so, yes, so who’s on for “should Harry die?” Or rather, “Harry should die.” Okay, you ready to come up? You?

Andrew: Okay.

Jamie: You, but if you win, you’re getting a scarf or something.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Yeah, you don’t get another wand.

Male Audience Member: I’ll fight for “shouldn’t.”

Andrew: “Shouldn’t?” Okay.

Jamie: Oh, you’re “shouldn’t.” Okay, yeah. Come up for “shouldn’t.”

Female Audience Member: “Shouldn’t.”

Andrew: We’ll get everyone. Everyone’s going to have a chance to participate.

Jamie: Yeah, we’re going to open it, open it up to the audience afterwards. Okay, so, do you want – do you want a couple of minutes to think about it?

Female Audience Member: Yeah, we need to, we need to huddle up right now.

Andrew: Okay.

Jamie: Group hugging.

Andrew: Group hug.

[Each team begins discussing amongst themselves]

Andrew: So, basically, we’ll just go over the rules, while we’re…

Jamie: Okay, yeah. Basically, each team gets three minutes to report their case. Then, we leave it up to the audience. You can then grill them and ask as many questions as you want, so yeah.

Andrew: On the show, usually Ben goes into all the technical terms.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: I don’t understand that nonsense.

Jamie: He thinks that because he does the debate thing that he’s amazing.

Andrew: Yeah. How much time are we giving this?

Jamie: Another minute or something?


Where Is Everyone From?


Andrew: So, who here is from – how many people actually live here in England?

[Majority of audience raises hands]

Andrew: Oh, wow. What’s your weirdest locations, or furthest?

Audience Member: [unintelligible]

Jamie: I don’t even know where that is, and I live here.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: No, name your country.

Female Audience Member: Canada!

Andrew: We’ve got Canada. We’ve got some people here from Canada. Visiting for Equus?

Andrew: [Continuing conversation with unheard audience member] What did you come for? Don’t say us. Oh, okay. Cool.

Jamie: Awesome. Okay, should we…


Debate Team #1: Harry Should Die


Andrew: Yeah. Alright, are you guys ready to start?

Female Debate Participant #1: Yeah, sure. I’m not doubting myself at all.

Andrew: Alright, so…

Jamie: Want to give them the mic?

Andrew: Yeah. Okay, so what you’re going to do – you’re going to have two minutes?

Jamie: Three.

Andrew: Three minutes to prove your case. So come over here to the side.

Female Debate Participant #1: Three minutes?

Andrew: Three minutes max. So, whenever you’re ready.

Jamie: One, two, three, and go.

Male Debate Participant #1: Okay, Harry has to die.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Good argument.

Female Debate Participant #1: Because we have the theory.

Male Debate Participant #1: Yeah, my theory. Harry has to die.

[Audience laughs]

Female Debate Participant #1: Oh man. [turns to other team member] What was your theory?

Female Debate Participant #2: Okay. From just a standpoint of people copying J.K. Rowling’s books and stuff, Harry has to die because then there would be sequels and those wouldn’t be as good as the original, and we just need – and what bigger way can the series end than Harry killing Voldemort? I mean, he won’t have a life after that. What is he going to do, something boring?

[Everyone laughs]

Female Debate Participant #2: It’s all exciting because he’s always trying to kill Voldemort, but once Voldemort’s dead…

Male Debate Participant #1: What can he do?

Female Debate Participant #2: Exactly.

Female Debate Participant #1: He can go to Career Finder…

[Everyone laughs]

Female Debate Participant #1: No, I just think that, obviously, one can’t live while the other survives, and it just seems, probability-wise, as far as – even wands and trying to killing each other, there’s going to be some sort of tussle in the mud…

[Everyone laughs]

Female Debate Participant #1: …and there is going to be an awkward slamming-faces-at-same-time – death. Or – it’s just too sad to think, really, that Harry is going to stay alive and we’re not going to be able to see him living.

[Everyone laughs]

Female Debate Participant #1: I’d rather he just went and we could go, “Okay, it’s fine.”

Jamie: And cry for a week.

[Everyone laughs]

Female Debate Participant #1: Yeah.

Jamie: And a half. Years.

[Everyone laughs]

Female Debate Participant #1: And the rest of our lives.

Male Debate Participant #1: Oh, everybody…

Jamie: Oh, I’ve got – Sorry. Carry on.

Male Debate Participant #1: Are we over?

Andrew: Yeah, you’re probably over.

Jamie: You’ve probably got about twenty seconds. Twenty seconds.

[Team looks to Female Debate Participant #1]

Female Debate Participant #1: Oh, thanks. Everyone points to me.

[Everyone laughs]

Female Debate Participant #1: I just – he has to fulfill the prophecy, obviously. I just think he should die, if only for everyone’s sanity, and so nobody pesters Jo to write any more books.

Jamie: Okay, thank you very much.

[Audience applauds]


Debate Team #2: Harry Shouldn’t Die


Jamie: Now, for Harry not dying. Three minutes and go.

Male Debate Participant #2: Okay, I’m going to go on with the idea of moral ethics, and the idea that in every good story, good triumphs over evil, so I’m just going to stick to those guidelines. Secondly, my idea for the name, Deathly Hallows is that it’s going to be fought on All Hallows Eve, or Halloween night, because that’s the day Voldemort tried to kill Harry in the first place, so I can see it being a repeat of destiny. So, Harry will win again, I think. And, as Andrew said, anyone who looks that good naked should deserve to live.

[Everyone laughs]

Male Debate Participant #2: That’s my idea.

Female Debate Participant #3: Basically, if Harry dies before he actually gets a chance to defeat Voldemort, then I think the wizarding world is going to die.

[Audience members laugh]

Female Debate Participant #3: Because he’d be the only person to be able to kill him, and if he doesn’t, then it’s just going to end up in ruins. Yeah, there would be nobody left to kill Voldemort, and if he defeats Voldemort, then he gets what he’s always wanted; to lead a normal life. And I think it’s better if Harry’s happy rather than all the ex-Death Eater people.

Jamie: One minute.

Female Debate Participant #4: Okay, I think that Harry shouldn’t die because the whole thing with J.K. Rowling is that she’s trying to say that death isn’t everything, like with Dumbledore saying there were things more evil than death or whatever, and so I don’t think he will die, but I think he will go into Azkaban and have his soul sucked out or something, but he won’t die.

[Everyone laughs]

Female Debate Participant #4: He will live. Yeah.

Jamie: Okay, we’ve got twenty seconds.

Female Audience Member #4: He should live.

[Everyone laughs]

Female Audience Member #3: If Harry dies, I will cry for years to come.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Okay, it’s about done.

Andrew: Would everyone cry if Harry did die?

[Mixed ‘yes’ and ‘no’ replies from audience]

Andrew: I think it would depend on how it was presented.

Jamie: If it just ends the book, and then it says, “Oh, yeah, and he dies at the end.” I wouldn’t cry.


Questions For Debate Teams


Andrew: What, you have some feedback? Alright.

Jamie: Okay, we have questions to that “Harry should die.”

Andrew: Grill them. Feel free to grill them.

Male Debate Participant #1: Yeah, grill us.

Female Debate Participant #1: Yeah, kill them now.

Jamie: Over there? Are you scratching your hair, or are you…

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Okay, sorry.

Female Audience Member: If Harry dies, then Voldemort will still live, and then people will still try to make sequels about Voldemort trying to kill people and them fighting back.

Female Debate Participant #1: Oh, I’m not trying to say that if Harry dies, then that means Voldemort lives. I’m just saying that Harry might, because J.K says there is nothing worse than whatever, but death isn’t the final thing. I think Harry can then go do something that Voldemort will never expect, which is kill himself to kill Voldemort. So Voldemort will die, but Harry will have to die to kill him.

Male Debate Participant #1: Like sacrificing.

Female Audience Member #2: Exactly.

Male Debate Participant #1: Just because Harry dies doesn’t mean Voldemort doesn’t also die.

Female Debate Participant #1: Exactly. I do think Voldemort will definitely die, but Harry will also.

Jamie: Okay, thank you. Question over there?

Female Audience Member: Well, it’s like – People were talking about similarities between Agatha Christie’s Poirot, and Harry – She killed off Poirot so she wouldn’t actually have to write any more books about him, and so she wouldn’t have to or be able to because he was dead. But then you think about Sherlock Holmes, and he killed off Sherlock Holmes so that he wouldn’t be able to come back. In the ultimate showdown between good and evil, Sherlock Holmes kills Moriarity, but then he brought back Sherlock Holmes, so I just don’t think it’s going to work. That’s all I have to say.

Female Debate Participant #1: That’s excellent.

Andrew: Okay, so one more question over here.

Female Audience Member: Because J.K. Rowling is writing a children’s book, generally in a children’s book, the main hero doesn’t die.

Male Debate Participant #1: She never said that it’s a children’s book.

Female Debate Participant #1: And there’s definitely been death.

Male Debate Participant #1: She never said she was writing it for children or for adults; she just said she was writing it, so good can win as easily as evil.

Jamie: Any other questions?

Female Audience Member: Can I just say that I think everybody is too caught up on what they think J.K. Rowling [unintelligible] and I just think, we’re Harry Potter fans; this is the Harry Potter world, okay? Think of it as if it’s real. Why won’t he live and why will he live? It’s got to do with the book, not with what J.K. Rowling says or whatever. She said about the forgotten prophecy, she said she worded that prophecy very well and there was a time, I don’t know, maybe it’s old enough, but she said that no one had actually picked up on exactly what Fawkes meant.

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Audience Member: I still think that no one has completely gotten it. How do we know that’s exactly what Fawkes’ singing means? It seems too straight forward for me, and I just think everybody keeps talking about yeah, “he’s not going to die because this is JK Rowling, because how can she kill off a main character?” But I mean, you can’t think that like the essence of the book and the theme of the book and what’s happening in the book and in the wizarding world.

Female Debate Participant #1: There’s only four options, isn’t there? It’s like they both live, they both die, one dies, and the other dies.

Male Debate Participant #1: The other dies.

Female Debate Participant #1: There’s only four options so everyone’s set.

Jamie: Or they all live happily every after.

Andrew: Yeah. [Laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Female Debate Participant #1: Or we have that Voldemort suddenly gets like a little…

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Debate Participant #1: He turns a new leaf.

Jamie: An epiphany. “I’ve been really mean, actually.”

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Let’s start – I’m starting, we’re on this side now.

Jamie: Any questions from the “Harry should not die?”

Male Audience Member: I have a couple.

Jamie: Okay, here.

Male Audience Member: Well, I’m not going – Well I’m probably going to get booed for this but, along the lines that Harry’s a Horcrux theory, Harry says to Dumbledore in the office, “So he put a bit of himself into me?” and Dumbledore says, “Yes, he did.” And that, in a way, implies that he could be. I’m not saying it is, but it’s a theory that could be true, and if that was true, Harry would have to die. But also, he had Priori Incantatem in Book 4, and there’s nothing to say that it couldn’t be something like that. Not necessarily Priori Incantatem but something similar to it that we don’t know about yet that happened between the two, which could result in both of them dying.

Jamie: On that thing, I’ve always wondered this, if they can’t fight with their wands because, as you say, Priori Incantatem happens, what is going to happen? It has to come down to love, you know, that she says Harry’s going to kill him with love, but…

Male Audience Member: A mortal death would be the ultimate insult to Voldemort.

Jamie: Yeah.

Male Audience Member: Not to be killed with a wand, be killed in a mortal way.

Jamie: Through something else.

Male Audience Member: Because he hates being part Muggle.

Female Audience Member: I think Harry’s not going to be able to kill off the horcruxes, like to destroy them. And what’s something would be quite ironic is if Voldemort were killed by Muggles because I believe that Muggles…

[Audience laughs]

Female Debate Participant #1: Drunk driving.

Jamie: Yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Female Audience Member: … so if Muggles got pitchforks or something and started…

[Audience laughs]

Female Audience Member: …chasing after Voldemort, it would be quite ironic.

Jamie: With burning torches and stuff.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: Anyone else? There?

Female Audience Member: You said that it was like all good stories have an ending where good triumphs over evil. Won’t that be a bit typical, that the best story every ends like every single other fairy tale? In real life, it’s not like some little person who doesn’t have any powers, so he beats the super powerful person, so it would be a bit unrealistic.

Male Audience Member: I think it would be quite ironic. Because here we all are thinking, “No, she’s not going to do that. She’ll do something completely off the record, something really new.” I think it would be just something like her to do something that we’re not expecting, so do the conventional rather than something out of the ordinary.

Jamie: And in the back row.

Female Audience Member: And all the way through the books it says that death isn’t the final thing. I think Harry’s earned the right to be happy and peaceful at the end of the books with his parents that he’s always wanted to meet in the books. So if Harry dies he’ll have that final reunion.

Male Audience Member: So long story short, dying’s a good thing then.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: That’s true. I like that point. I like that.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: And plus, whoever else dies in the final book, I don’t know if you said that, but I mean, they’ll be with Harry too.

Jamie: Yeah.

Audience Members: Awww.

[Everyone laughs]

Male Audience Member: They’re all going to die.

Andrew: This girl right here?

Female Audience Member: What’s he going to do if he lives? He’s going to be – go away from Hogwarts? Is he just going to, like, go around with Ron and Hermione and just…?

Female Audience Member: Quidditch.

Male Audience Member: I think a good reply for that would be, what would Voldemort do if Harry dies? What would he do?

Female Audience Member: He’ll kill more people.

Male Audience Member: I know, but no one wants to see that.

Female Audience Member: No, but their point is…

Male Audience Member: Harry is a tragic hero character. I think the sort of life he’d live after beating Voldemort is just the sort of life you would live. It’s like he’s never had a really good life, when you think about it, so it would suit it to carry on being a normal life, I think.

Jamie: Right at the back.

Female Audience Member: I think that one of the trio has to die, so wouldn’t it be better for Harry to die? Because Ron and Hermione are so sweet together.

[Everyone laughs]

Female Audience Member: Harry has had such a hard life. I just want him to die, really.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: This is depressing.

Male Audience Member: Yeah, I’m not really sure what to say to that except that he’s had a hard life, so therefore he deserves to die.

[Everyone laughs]

Male Audience Member: I’m sure there are a lot of people who wouldn’t agree with that. I think he deserves to be happy, but you know.

Female Debate Participant #1: He just needs a bit of a lie down.

Andrew: Just take a break for a while.


Lord of the Rings Comparison


Jamie: Can I just do this? I love making comparisons between different series and stuff like that, so the first person to make a Lord of the Rings comparison between this – should Harry die – and Lord of the Rings gets a free book. So, come on now. In the back, you first.

Female Audience Member: Well, it could be along the lines where he doesn’t actually get killed by Voldemort. He survives, but he’s scarred by the pain and so, you know, he’d be like Frodo when he died.

Male Audience Member: Like when Frodo got into the boat, Harry could just walk into the veil.

Jamie: Okay, you can have a book. That was very good.

[Audience applauds]

Jamie: We have two more questions. There.

Female Audience Member: One of the sacrifices Harry has to make is giving up his [Unintelligible].

Female Debate Participant #1: Oh, I like it. It was all a dream.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Isn’t there a series where that happens? Somebody gives up their powers.

Female Audience Member: Labyrinth. She goes and…

Jamie: I don’t know, could be. One more question. In the back.

Andrew: Did you have something you wanted to say?

Male Audience Member: I would say Book 7 has to end with a Little House on the Prairie kind of home.

[Audience laughs]

Male Audience Member: Harry with the kids, and Ginny [unintelligible].

Jamie: I like it.

Andrew: That’s what the prologue’s for. She said she’s going to have a prologue, so…

Audience Members: Epilogue.

Andrew: Epilogue, sorry.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: Again.

Jamie: It has been a long trip.

[Andrew laughs]


Debate Vote


Jamie: Okay, shall we take it to a vote?

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: All those in favor of that “Harry should die?”

[Audience applauds]

Jamie: And all those who think “Harry should not die?”

[Audience applauds and cheers]

Andrew: Sorry, guys.

Female Debate Participant #1: He shouldn’t, but he will.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: I suppose. So, pick up your wands there.

Jamie: Take a t-shirt, as well.

Male Audience Member: Thank you very much.

Andrew: By the way, today’s MuggleNet stickers are sponsored by Emerson Spartz. We can all have a…

[Audience cheers]

Andrew: …round of applause for Emerson, who…

Jamie: Who is currently with Ben, touring the U.S., signing these books.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Having a good time, apparently.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Oh, yeah, so I don’t forget to mention – those tickets there at the beginning, those raffle tickets. Soon we are going to auction off this Triwizard Cup, which is very nice.

Andrew: From the Noble Collection.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: W.B. sent it to me a couple – Back when we had to do a contest on MuggleNet, and…

Jamie: He forgot to mail it.

Andrew: I forgot to mail it. And so we’re going to give it away today.

Jamie: So, there is a fan somewhere around who doesn’t know where their Triwizard Cup is.

Andrew: It’s very heavy and a bit dangerous because it’s very sharp.

Jamie: Yeah, it is sharp. You have to be careful.

Andrew: I was afraid this wasn’t going to make it through the airport because that’s like a weapon.

Jamie: Yeah.

[Audience laughs]


Scholastic’s Promotional Campaign


Andrew: Okay, so what else do we want to talk about?

Jamie: I think we should talk about the news. The promotional campaign that – is it Scholastic?

Andrew: It’s Scholastic.

Jamie: Yeah. It’s massive. And…

Andrew: They…

Jamie: Go on, sorry.

Andrew: They – If you’ve been reading up on MuggleNet, I mean, one of the recent stories was that Scholastic announced their campaign to promote the book. Honestly, I don’t think that it needs to be promoted at all.

Jamie: Yeah, it really doesn’t.

Andrew: They could tell people, “Don’t buy it,” and it will still sell.

Jamie: I think one of the big things is that they are having a 12 million copy initial print run of Deathly Hallows and Half-Blood Prince was less.

Andrew: 10.8 million.

Jamie: 10.8.

Andrew: 10.8 [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Andrew: So, I mean, it’s really amazing. They keep boosting it up. I think they could do it for 20 million and sell every one.

Jamie: What is this – sorry – what is this “Seven Questions of Harry Potter Campaign?”

Andrew: Part of the campaign that they are doing. They’re having some interesting techniques. Bloomsbury hasn’t announced their plans, otherwise we’d be talking about them for you guys. But Scholastic is going to do seven questions, big questions leading up to July 20 – July 21st. I can’t believe I just forgot the date.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: And it’s an interesting way to gather hype, and I guess we’ll be talking about them on the show. They are going to be releasing one every other week, so…

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: I mean, I guess the questions could just be like “Snape: Good or bad?” “Will Harry find the horcruxes?”

Jamie: Yeah. Exactly.

Andrew: And…

Jamie: Sorry, go on.

Andrew: And I don’t really see the point, but okay.

Jamie: Yeah, and the campaign starts April 17th, so we’re wondering if we are going to have a cover by then. A U.K. cover and a U.S. cover, and what’s going to be on them.

Andrew: I think we would have to because this is a very serious promotional campaign.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: April 17th is not far off at all, and the manuscript has been finished. I’m sure that Mary GrandPre and – who’s the U.K. illustrator?

Jamie: You put me on the spot there.

Male Audience Member: It changes.

Andrew: Oh, it changes. Oh, okay.

Jamie: We knew that.

[Andrew and Audience laugh]

Andrew: Just quizzing you.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: It’s a shame it’s not out now. It would be great to talk about. Put it up on the projection screen and stuff.

Jamie: But it is going to be exciting, and I think this will completely underline the entire Harry Potter summer things. We have a campaign running to the book and have all the movie promotion stuff. So, Harry Potter is where you should be this summer. You really should.

Andrew: “The summer to remember,” in the words of Dylan Spartz. [laughs]

Jamie: It really is the summer to remember, yeah.


Time Between The Movie And Book


Andrew: Is anyone excited that the book and movie are only eight days apart?

Jamie: Yeah, we should talk about that.

Andrew: Excited? disappointed?

[Mixed answers from audience]

Andrew: We’ll start with excited. Is anyone excited?

Audience Members: Yes. Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah? I think it’s going to be crazy.

Jamie: It is going to be crazy.

Andrew: The site’s going to be huge.

Jamie: But there is going to be a down right after that that’s going to last forever. Whereas if you had…

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: But if we had the movie in July and then we had the book in November or early next year or something, see, then we could really hype it up. I was very sad, I must say, when they said it was July 21st.

Andrew: You told the story.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah. Let’s not talk about that then.

Andrew: [laughs] Basically Jamie was confident that, I don’t remember it exactly.

Jamie: So, confident that it wasn’t going to come out that I said I would eat fifty sausages, and then it did come out…

Andrew: No, I’m talking about your discussion with Ben the night before.

Jamie: Oh, yeah. I was going to bed the night before and I said to him, “Look, trust me on this, I know these things, it will not come out in July.”

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: And then the next day about ten hours later he said, “J.K.R. announces huge July release plans.” And Ben’s, you know…

Andrew: So alright, disappointment. You’ve got to be excited. There’s got to be excitement with you guys, right?

Female Audience Member: Excitement mixed with a bit of like – I mean, I thought it was going to come in 2008 and now it’s ending and I don’t want it to end.

Jamie: Yeah, and even though we have the movies afterwards, Harry Potter will be over. It’s like moving [unintelligible] again. That is a big [unintelligible].

Andrew: I try to look on the upside. Because people always ask me, “How long are you going to be able to keep doing this podcast for?” And I keep telling them, “Well, Movie 7 isn’t going to be out until – I think it’s projected to be 2011.”

Jamie: No, no.

Andrew: So, of course the podcast has a lot of time left in there.

Jamie: Yeah, so…

Andrew: Plus, we’ll just get bored of it and we’ll just cut it off, but…


Micah Impressions


Jamie: I want to do a game.

Andrew: Another game?

Jamie: Yeah, I want to do a game, I want to do – [impersonating Micah] Best Micah impressions.

Andrew: Oh, okay.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: [impersonating Micah] Does anyone like to come up here and talk like me. Come up now.

Andrew: Can anyone do a good Micah impression? We usually impersonate him.

Jamie: All the time, yeah.

Andrew: What you don’t see on the show is, I’ll go, “Let’s go to Micah for the past week’s top Harry Potter news. Micah.” And either Ben or Jamie will go…

Jamie: [impersonating Micah] “Thanks, Andrew.”

Andrew: [impersonating Micah] “Thanks, Andrew.”

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: [impersonating Micah] The latest Harry Potter news.

Andrew: And then we usually make some vulgar joke. And then they go…

Jamie: [impersonating Micah] “Back to you, Andrew.”

Andrew: Yeah, okay.

Jamie: So someone’s got to do a Micah impression. And what do we have for that? A tie and a scarf, and they’re very nice. The ties are very nice. So are the scarves.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: Over there.

Andrew: Just jump.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: Nice, nice.

Jamie: A Spiderman jump there.

Andrew: What does he…

Jamie: Say…

Andrew: “Thanks, Micah – Thanks, guys. In other Harry Potter news,” and then say a story.

Male Audience Member: [impersonating Micah] Thanks, Andrew.

[Audience applauds]

Andrew: I think Ben is very good at impersonating people. He can do you very well. I – he can’t really impersonate me. I just – or he just doesn’t, maybe that’s the answer.

Male Audience Member: Hi, everybody. My name really is Micah.

Andrew and Jamie: Really?

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: Wow. You win automatically.

Jamie: That’s nice.

Male Audience Member: That’s my Micah impression.

Andrew: What?

Jamie: Just being him. Saying that – being him. One in the back.

Female Audience Member: Oooh, a girl.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: [Hands over the microphone] There you go.

Female Audience Member: [impersonating Micah] Thanks, Andrew.

[Everyone laughs and applauds]


Vote On Micah Impressions


Jamie: Should we vote on that? The cheering thing’s going. Okay, first impression?

[Audience applauds and cheers]

Jamie: Second impression?

[Audience applauds]

Jamie: And third impression.

[Few audience members applaud]

Jamie: We have a winner over there.

Andrew: I don’t know if people would understand this one. Our Kevin impressions?

Jamie: They’re too hard.

Andrew: [impersonating Kevin] No, no, Windows 3.1.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: [impersonating Kevin] Vista.


Main Discussion: Harry and Ginny


Jamie: Okay. We are going to have a main discussion now because we think that – well, this is an issue that…

[Micah impersonation winner switches scarves]

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: What?

Andrew: He switched the colors he wanted to get.

Jamie: Oh, [laughs] sorry. Now, I think this is big. When we were planning this Andrew was like, “You can’t bring this up again, it’s been done to death.” It has been done to death, but everyone has views on this so: Should Harry and Ginny get back together? Obviously, it’s a huge thing in Half-Blood Prince. Ginny is like, “I knew you were going to say that,” and Harry’s, “I can’t take you with.” Some people think he’s being careless, he brings too much say in what he has to do. Other people think that he is being the perfect gentleman saying, “I can’t bring you with, I have this huge task to do.” What do people think?

Male Audience Member: He wasn’t going to take Ginny to the Ministry of Magic or any of that lot, but she still came along and still held her own and stuff so…

Jamie: Yeah, I mean – And you can’t ignore the fact that these people are helpful in this battle. Harry can’t, however he is, he can’t take on every single person, you know? In the back?

Female Audience Member: You can’t stop love.

Audience Members: Awww.

Jamie: Awww.

Female Audience Member: Because she’ll just end up dying.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: It’s a fair point, it really is.

Female Audience Member: I reckon like, you know, Lily sacrificed herself for Harry, I reckon Harry should save Ginny.

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Audience Member: And, sort of, Voldemort died the first time, he’ll die the second time.

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Audience Member: By that time Harry would, sort of, [unintelligible].

Jamie: And then Harry and Ginny will walk in to the sunset.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: Arm in arm.

Andrew: That’s not bad.

Jamie: I like that.

Male Audience Member: He said something like he didn’t want Hermione and Ron to come with him. He wasn’t as strong with it, but they’re still going to come along…

Jamie: Yeah they will now, yeah.

Male Audience Member: I don’t see why Ginny shouldn’t. I don’t see why Ginny – She’s forceful, she’s going to find another way.

Jamie: Yeah. You there?

Male Audience Member: I think if we think about it, I think Ginny is [unintelligible] Voldemort. And accompany that with the fact that she is a very good fighter and very, sort of, [unintelligible]. I would say even the first book that Harry is nothing without [unintelligible].

Jamie: But do you think it’s pushing her luck? She is – Obviously, Chamber of Secrets was huge. You know, when she – she could have easily have died there. Do you think her going again is pushing her luck and sort of, you know.

Male Audience Member: I don’t think so, I think I see it sort of a separate parts. One part it will be Harry and Ginny, and the other part will be the original three.

Jamie: Yeah.

Male Audience Member: That’s how I see it.

Jamie: Good. There?

Female Audience Member: And also, there’s something else that screams that Harry shouldn’t die. I mean, because I don’t think Ginny’s going to come along with them to find the horcruxes. But when he comes back, then they will get back together. And then they will have something to celebrate.

Jamie: Yeah. Thanks. Over there?

Female Audience Member: Well, I think Ginny wouldn’t only want to kill Voldemort because he tried to kill her, and the fact that he wants to kill her boyfriend. She also hates him for what he did to her because he wrecked her first year at school. [unintelligible].

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah.

Female Audience Member: So, she’s got the personal grudge against him. And also, how do you fathom [unintelligible] the seventh Horcrux or the end of this sort of thing. [unintelligible]

Jamie: Yeah, well he needs to love, you know, everything’s – [laughs] Yeah.

Female Audience Member: Well, the whole basis of Harry Potter is on love. So Harry should be around the people he loves. You know, to defeat Voldemort. The power of the people he loves who love him.

Jamie: Yeah, it’s been explored extensively, where the power that he has. I think it has to be explored. It has been Harry and Cho and, you know, Ron and Lavender, which was just disgusting.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, so I think Harry has to get something.

Female Audience Member: I think it’s going to be similar to that kind of thing. When Harry met Sirius he had this friendship with him and just as he got to know the bloke he died. That’s going to be pretty similar with Ginny. Just as he’s got this kind of relationship with her, I think she is going to die and it’s got that – There’s this huge deal made for her having red hair. And Lily has red hair. And Lily’s green eyes – and, correct me if I’m wrong, but I think Ginny’s got green eyes, doesn’t she?

Audience Members: Brown Eyes.

Female Audience Member: Anyway, she has red hair.

[Audience laughs]

Female Audience Member: It sounds freakishly like Ginny is going to do a Lily and die for Harry.

[Andrew laughs]


Trivia Question


Jamie: On the question of eyes, I have a trivia question. First one to shout out gets a book. What color are Sirius’s eyes?

Audience members: Gray!

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Oh, you have a wand, as well.

Andrew: Cleaning up.

Jamie: [Laughs] Cleaning out the prizes. Okay, back to the discussion. There?


Harry/Ginny And Hermione/Ron


Male Audience Member: [unintelligible] In Grimmauld Place, Molly and Sirius are arguing about what Harry should know. When she says Harry is as good as her son, if Harry and Ginny really did get married, he basically will be a son.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: Yeah.

Male Audience Member: Plus, if Ron and Hermione got married, they’d be a family.

Jamie: That kind of angered me, though, when she said that. “He’s basically my son.” I thought she was really undermining what Sirius did. Because it isn’t his fault he got thrown in Azkaban. He just wanted a chance to be Harry’s dad, really, because James is gone. I thought that that was a bit mean of her.

Female Audience Member: The whole, you know, “there is something worse than death,” is something that there has to have – that is going to be Ginny dying and he is going to do an Unforgivable Curse and be really, really evil and be able kill Voldemort.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: Force grip him thing.

Female Audience Member: I think if Harry got to [unintelligible] it would be far too predictable. And even if [unintelligible] books, it’s far too much of a cheesy ending to the Harry Potter books. I mean, I don’t think it’s that if Ginny dies and Harry goes to avenge her death, and using that love that he has for her, that’s a better use for that love than just going and be like “I’m going to kiss you, Voldemort,” and kill him.

[Everyone laughs]

Female Audience Member: And also, [unintelligible] that leaves so many opportunities for [unintelligible] and have such a good time. So…

Jamie: But how much does he actually like her? I mean, because he liked Cho as well, so he liked both of them, but to what extent does he love her?

Female Audience Member: This isn’t my theory, but my friend has a theory that it’s love potion because when – he doesn’t really start liking her until he smells her in Felix Felicis and she was thinking about buying that love potion in Fred and George’s shop, and she has this amazing love theory that took her about an hour and a half to explain. That’s Jaz.

[Everyone laughs]

Female Audience Member: It’s like in Pokemon when they have…

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Come get a t-shirt.

Andrew: I like where you’re going with this.

[Audience applauds]

Female Audience Member: Ash has black hair and Missy, the one that they think, not until after – it just – she has red hair.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: This is good.

Female Audience Member: I think that J.K. Rowling watches Pokemon. She watches a lot of it, so she obviously that the black-haired boy should be with the ginger girl and…

Andrew: [laughs] Do people like Pokemon references?

[Shouts from audience]

Andrew: No, you don’t? We got a couple complaints, but I find them amazing because they’re spot on.

Jamie: Who would have thought – Harry Potter and Pokemon?

Andrew: I know!

Female Audience Member: I think Harry has had feelings for Ginny from probably close to the beginning, but not necessarily noticed them. I mean, he’s – she’s been a part of his life as long as Ron has, so he met her right from the very beginning. She’s always been there sort of lurking in the background. Even when he was obsessed with Cho, he still – he always had this certain awareness of Ginny there, and it wasn’t until after he gets rid of his infatuation with Cho that he starts to finally realize the feelings that had been developing for years on end.

Jamie: For Ginny. Yeah. In the back?

Female Audience Member: I think that when Harry and Ginny first met, she was all shy and Harry couldn’t see it, it didn’t stop here from getting in the sixth book. So I think where Hermione [unintelligible] that Ginny has. I also don’t think it’s right that Harry should die a virgin.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Who could possibly come after that?

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: Right in the back.

Female Audience Member: It wouldn’t be J.K.R to mess around with Ginny. She’s part of the Weasley family. So, if Harry didn’t love Ginny, then they probably wouldn’t do that.

Jamie: Right. Far in the back.

Female Audience Member: I think that Ginny and Harry will get together, but then Harry will do the whole, “No, you can’t come with me,” and they’ll break up. But then she’ll go with him anyway. [unintelligible]

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: [laughs] Nice. Anyone else? There?

Female Audience Member: I think that Harry is really underestimating Ginny with, like, “Oh, you can’t come. It’s too dangerous,” and then they’ll meet at the wedding and it’s been building up for so long.

Andrew: Oh, the wedding, yeah. That’d be a good place to build it up a little bit more.

Jamie: They can link hands suddenly.

Andrew: Ginny can catch the bouquet.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: But do you think he loves her because he has to have someone to love?

Female Audience Member: No, I think he absolutely loves her, and it’s been going on for so long.

Jamie: There?

Female Audience Member: I think Voldemort doesn’t love. He’s only got everyone else because he summons them. I think Harry has the power to love – all his people, all his friends – they should kind of work together and that is what will defeat Voldemort in the end, whereas Voldemort is just alone and stuff.

Jamie: But isn’t the point that he can’t love – which is why love can be so deadly against him?

Male Audience Member: I can see a big frenzied battle between Harry and Voldemort, and they go so crazy at it and then Ginny’s the one that pulls Harry back and Voldemort – that kind of destroys him.

Jamie: Like the Witch King in Return of the King.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: She stabs a dagger into his leg. I would love to see that.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: Over there?

Andrew: Go ahead.

Female Audience Member: You know how in the first book when they save Hermione from the troll, and it says you can’t go through something like this without liking the person? Well, it’s kind of like in the second book when Harry saves Ginny from the Basilisk. Maybe they wouldn’t have wound up together – they couldn’t go through that together without there being some sort of connection. Maybe the fact he loves her so much – maybe he can use her wand to defeat Voldemort because their love enhances the power of the wand, and that’s how he can defeat him without using his wand.

Jamie: Ooh.

Andrew: That’s very nice. I like that.

Jamie: Nice. Over there?

Female Audience Member: [unintelligible] has the capacity to love her. So, I mean, they haven’t been going out for very long in the 6th book, and he breaks it off, and Snape knows they’ve been going out. [unintelligible] But it’s not that he doesn’t love her, it’s due to the love he could have for her.

Jamie: But is it him being selfless saying, you know, “You can’t come with him.” Or is he being, you know.

Andrew: Care?

Male Audience Member: He’ll still be alone. He’s still got a lot to learn. You can’t push someone away from you.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

Male Audience Member: If he does love her, then that’s going to overrule any of this [unintelligible] feelings. He can still protect her in some way.

Jamie: Also, Voldemort can still get to her. Just because she isn’t with him the entire way, you know. He knows now that they love each other.

Andrew: I just don’t see there being much time for a relationship to develop in the book. Maybe something could happen in the wedding to sort of tease everyone to think that something will happen, but when is there going to be time for that? Harry is so focused on the battle too, and I mean maybe the love could come from fighting and Ginny playing an integral role.

Jamie: Anyone else? There?

Female Audience Member: Pokemon reference – no, not really.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: Aw.

Female Audience Member: Lord of the Rings reference. You have Harry, Aragorn, Ginny – he goes off [unintelligible]. Something like that. Also, I think because of the whole [unintelligible] the people he’s saved the life of, like Arthur Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Ron and Hermione are going to be there for him when he needs them, even if he has to the last chamber on his own, kind of thing.

Jamie: Well, just another thought, do they now owe life debts to Harry?

Female Audience Member: Yeah, I don’t think it’s so much that. I just think it’s a joining of their soul. I don’t think it should be seen like, “You’ve got to save my life now.” But, I mean if he had a significant number of people around him, like – sorry, I’ve got the overzealous army. But if you think about the amount of people – if he needs to be strengthened in some way, he’s got all of these people who have this bond to his soul through him saving their life and Voldemort’s just got like a couple of people left over or something. I think he’s just going to be obviously, you know, weakened soul anyway that’s going to be broken up. But Harry has had these buttresses put over him by these people who he saved their lives to protect him.

Jamie: And do you think they are going to sort of psych him up for the final battle and he’ll think of all the people he’s got?

Female Audience Member: I think they’re going to become his shield.

Jamie: Yeah, they’re going to be touching shoulders. Yeah, nice. Anyone else? Are we done on theory discussion?

Female Audience Member: In the last one – I think both books have parallels with the fourth one versus the second one and [unintelligible]. The first one, it was Harry, Ron, and Hermione, just as the three. So, it kind of follows in the last one it would be just the three, but not enough to work to get to Voldemort.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Okay.

Andrew: Overall, what’s you’re final thought? We’ll do final thoughts.

Jamie: I don’t know.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: I don’t want to think that he’s so, you know, selfless that he’s going to die an unhappy man because of that because the only people he’d think about are everyone else and not himself. But they obviously want to be together, and I don’t know if Jo is so mean that she is going to keep them apart when they definitely want to be together. And, you know, she has a creative license on this. If she brings them together, she can still sort it out so they beat Voldemort. So, I’d like them to get back together.

Andrew: I just think how it’s going to play out in Book 7 is that maybe we’ll get some sort of tease in the beginning, and then throughout the entire book there’s going to be little hints of maybe like, they met eyes and, I don’t know, something happens. But I think what might ultimately happen is that Ginny will help Harry in the final battle or Ginny will come close to death and Harry will save her or maybe vise versa. Something like that.

Jamie: Fair enough.


Contest: British Joke of the Day


Jamie: Now, we have one more game: a best British joke of the day.

Andrew: Which we hinted at at the beginning.

Jamie: Yeah, we did. [laughs] So, does anyone have any jokes?

Andrew: I don’t know if you guys noticed, but Jamie’s sort of been lacking on the show when it comes to British jokes.

Jamie: They aren’t even British, though.

Andrew: [laughs] They’re just jokes. And we’ve sort of retired the Dumbledore/Norris facts for now because we sort of ran dry of those.

Jamie: Yeah, we did.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: Nice t-shirt.

Andrew: Yes, very nice.

Female Joke-Teller #1: Thank you!

Jamie: There you go.

Female Joke-Teller #1: Thanks. How much does it cost to go buy a ticket for the Quidditch World Cup?

Male Audience Member: How much?

Female Joke-Teller #1: Yeah, money.

Female Audience Member: A Quid each.

Audience Joke-Teller #1: We use documents, see. It doesn’t count. Yeah, that’s right.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Nice. Next one. Did you say you had one over there?

Female Joke-Teller #2: Does it have to be British?

Andrew: No. They’re never actually British.

Jamie: We call it that, but they never are. How do you define a British joke, anyway?

Andrew: They’re just in an English accent on the show. It came up in, you know, it’s a British guy.

Female Audience Member: It’s all kinds of things.

Jamie: Really?

Female Joke-Teller #2: Someone talked to me and I was helpless so I’m passing it on. What E.T. short for? Because he’s only got little legs.

[Everyone laughs]

Female Audience Member: Oh, I get it!

[Everyone laughs harder]

Andrew: Say it one more time.

Jamie: Say it one more time.

Female Joke-Teller #2: One more time?

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Joke-Teller #2: What’s E.T. short for?

Jamie: Oh, I get it.

Female Joke-Teller #2: Because he’s only got little legs.

Jamie: Nice.

[Audience applauds]

Jamie: One more?

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Oh, enthusiastic.

Female Joke-Teller #4: Okay. What’s round and sticky? A stick.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: Thank you.

Female Joke-Teller #4: It’s lame.

Jamie: Let’s all vote. Oh, should we have one more?

Andrew: Sure.

Female Joke-Teller #4: Can I shout it?

Andrew: Sure.

Female Joke-Teller #4: Okay. Leann Rimes. No, it doesn’t.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: I like that one.


British Joke Vote


Jamie: If you vote for the first one, clap.

Andrew: Yeah, what was it?

Jamie: It was…

Female Audience Member: Quidditch.

Jamie: Oh yeah, the Quidditch World Cup one.

[Weak applause]

Jamie: I liked the Harry Potter reference in it. Okay, the second one which was…

Andrew: The girl with ET.

Jamie: ET.

[Loud applause]

Jamie: And the third one, which was…

Male Audience Member: Stick.

Jamie: Yeah, the stick. [laughs]

[Weak applause]

Andrew: I like that, actually.

Jamie: And the Leann Rimes one. No, it doesn’t.

[Weak applause]

Jamie: ET. You prize is down here, if you want to come get them.


Question and Answer


Jamie: Okay, we’re just going to take some general questions now. Anything Harry Potter, show-related, and then we’re going to wrap the show up.

Andrew: News. If anyone wants to talk about some recent news. I mean, there’s really been a lot going on in the Harry Potter world.

Jamie: Yeah, so if you have any Harry Potter questions, any theory-related questions, any – what’s going to happen for the book release…

Andrew: Podcast.

Jamie: Podcast-related. Anything. You, over there?


What Weapon Will Destroy Voldemort?


Male Audience Member: I’ve always been wondering – Someone made a Star Wars reference earlier on, saying that Harry’s going to get darker in his quest to defeat Voldemort. Well, he has all these weapons, like Avada Kedavra and all these weird, powerful, and Harry [unintelligible]. So in the quest to kill Voldemort, do you think Harry will use [unintelligible] or spells?

Jamie: Well, is that why he has to have some power other than magic? Because Dumbledore says in Half-Blood Prince that it will take uncommon skill to kill Voldemort even after he’s got rid of all the horcruxes.

Andrew: Harry does have uncommon skill.

Jamie: But he doesn’t, though. He’s a 16-year old, unqualified wizard. The uncommon skill is the love.

Andrew: Alright. Alright. He has uncommon talent.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: It seems like. But I don’t think dark magic – That’s not Harry.

Jamie: He can use it, though. He’s used Sectumsempra.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Over there?

Male Audience Member: Sorry, I don’t think Sectumsempra really counts as dark magic in the same way as – because when he used it…

Jamie: He didn’t know what it was.

Male Audience Member: He didn’t know what it was, and it still worked. Whereas if he tried to use forbidden spells, it won’t work unless he…

Jamie: Which we see in the Ministry of Magic.

Female Audience Member: He couldn’t use Crucio. He hates Bellatrix, but he just couldn’t do it properly.

Jamie: Yeah, and doesn’t she say that it’s anger that he’s got, whereas you have to actually want to cause them pain to use it.

Female Audience Member: Yeah, and he’s more full of love than anger.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Audience Member: And he’s more of this love fighter-person.

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Audience Member: He can’t really…

Andrew: I don’t want to say – Yeah. I don’t want to say he’s too nice. He just doesn’t have the heart to kill.

Jamie: I don’t know if – Obviously, this is a big subject. Can he kill Voldemort? Can he? Does he have it in him or is it just going to happen because he has to do it?

Andrew: Yeah. I think enough anger has built up inside of him where it could lead to where just Harry and Voldemort are in wherever it’s going to be, the final battle. And he would just have enough anger and frustration and all those years of – all the pain and hardship he’s gone through to be able to kill Voldemort.

Jamie: Just there?

Female Audience Member: Maybe that’s where Ginny comes in.

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Audience Member: Voldemort kills Ginny, and that’s when he get the anger.

Andrew: Ooh! Ma’am, good point.

Jamie: I like that. But is it anger that’s going to bring him through?

Female Audience Member: Well, it’s likely that his love for Ginny…

Jamie: Turns into his anger. There?

Male Audience Member: It brings it back to when once Dumbledore was killed. Harry lost it completely, and chased after Snape as hard as he could.

Andrew: Yeah.

Male Audience Member: And that could be foreshadowing.

Jamie: And also, you have to take it in that all the people close to him have died. First it was Sirius, obviously, and then Dumbledore. They’ve killed his godfather, his protector, his father-figure. And then they kill his girlfriend as well. He must be one angry person.

[Audience laughs]

Andrew: Okay, you got a family relative, and you have your mentor, and then what would come next? I guess your love. Well, I know, but in the story. Of course, and his parents.

Jamie: In the back?

Female Audience Member: Didn’t Bellatrix say that being righteously angry wasn’t enough?

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Audience Member: So, he’s only angry because he has the right to be angry, [unintelligible].

Jamie: So you mean that it has to come from outside? It has to be love that forces the anger on him, and then he can kill him.

Andrew: Bellatrix called him out in that battle in Order of the Phoenix, didn’t she?

Jamie: There?

Female Audience Member: About the love causing the anger, Dumbledore was saying that Harry didn’t actually have to follow the prophecy, but as long as Voldemort does, he has to. Even if Harry didn’t want to kill Voldemort, he would in the end because of the anger and because he loved the people.

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Audience Member: It’s going to be the whole, love being the weapon that helps beat Avada Kedavra or whatever.

Jamie: And, also, going on from there, Dumbledore says that – Sorry, let me just get this point. I’ve forgotten it.

[Audience laughs]

Jamie: Anyway, go on. Go on.

[Everyone laughs]

Female Audience Member: I don’t think Harry’s going to kill him with Avada Kedavra or with any of the forbidden curses. I think that…

Jamie: He can’t end it…

Female Audience Member: He says he’s going to kill him with love. It doesn’t mean he’s necessarily going to kill him. He’s going to destroy him with love. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to have to get angry or use one of these killing curses. It could be something else about his love that is going to have to destroy Voldemort because it’s something he can’t help against, that he can’t bear to be near.

Jamie: But as you were saying, he can’t kill him with his wand, can he, with a curse?

Female Audience Member: Exactly.

Jamie: It’ll backfire against him. So, I mean, I think it has to be done with love.

Female Audience Member: I think it’s going to be something else that doesn’t have anything to do with the three killing curses.

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Audience Member: He’ll have to be angry for it.

Jamie: Over there?

Female Audience Member: He has the power that the Dark Lord knows not. Underlined, underlined.

[Audience laughs]

Female Audience Member: It’s not going to be dark magic or wand magic or anything so cliché as that because Voldemort knows all about that. It has to be like love and something from his heart.

Jamie: But…

Female Audience Member: And something Voldemort can’t do to be able to kill Voldemort.

Jamie: How can you kill someone with love, though? You can’t – It’s like, it has to project itself onto something else.

Andrew: That’s what Jo’s going to come up with, and it’s going to be beautiful. [laughs]

Female Audience Member: I have a Freaky Friday thing.

Andrew: Freaky Friday? What did you say?

Female Audience Member: Freaky Friday.

Andrew: The movie?

Female Audience Member: A reference.

Jamie: Well, we’re getting some comparisons here today.

[Everyone laughs]

Female Audience Member: Basically, they don’t know what it’s like to be each other. Harry doesn’t know what it’s like to be very, very powerful and dark, as Lord Voldemort doesn’t know what it’s like to love. So, what if they went to Japanese or Chinese restaurant somewhere…

[Everyone laughs]

Female Audience Member: Talked it over.

Jamie: Over dinner, over dinner. Candlelight.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: “So, why are you so mean?” “Why are you so nice?”

Andrew: Pure mediating. Nice one.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Pretty awesome.

Female Audience Member: You said – you know when Voldemort can’t possess Harry, or that Harry can’t possess Voldemort, he’s so concrete with that love.

Jamie: Oh, and then he explodes.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: I wouldn’t want that to happen.

Andrew: Yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: There?

Male Audience Member: And yet, to sort of follow along from that, I’ve heard a lot of people talk about the fact that the first book, if it stood on its own, it had to encompass the story that Jo wanted to tell. So, thinking about that, if Harry, in that book, defeated Voldemort just by touching him with all the love and he’s used that, how can you kill someone with love? Well, in that case, that’s that.

Jamie: Yeah.

Male Audience Member: And another point I wanted to make, actually, regarding the Sorting Hat, actually, there were a few key phrases that it uses in the first book and – Made some notes…

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: That’s awesome.

Male Audience Member: He says, “There’s nothing in your heads that I can’t see.” Now that, taken in context, has to do with sorting the students into their Houses.

Jamie: Yeah.

Male Audience Member: Taken out of context, it also could be an advantage for it to see through the thoughts. Maybe the Sorting Hat could be used to see some people guess back to Godric’s Hollow, you would see its memories from that. Also, it says – [laughs] Sorry, it says – “I can tell you where you should be.” I gave in context…

Jamie: It means the House, yeah.

Male Audience Member: But out of context, how much more can it help somebody. And then finally it says, “Slytherin will help you on your way to greatness” before it’s decided which House to put him in. And that seems it should be Slytherin would help you on the way to greatness if you were in Slytherin.

Jamie: Yeah.

Male Audience Member: But it said “will.”

Jamie: And also…

Male Audience Member: And it’s quite definite – Sorry.

Jamie: That’s okay. I was going to say, just from that, if you take, “Slytherin will help you on your way to greatness,” obviously in context it means the House, but it could be a metaphor for somebody from Slytherin. Draco, maybe. Something like that.

Male Audience Member: Or even just the power that he’s got from Slytherin through Voldemort.

Jamie: Yeah. Strange.

Female Audience Member: Right at the end of HBP, basically, Snape is, you know, running away. So he could say, or maybe Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him, or something, but I’m not going to go into that. But basically, at the end of it, instead of just sort of knocking Harry out and running way, which I think it would be kind of like required, Snape tells Harry to keep his head clear and not to use Unforgivable Curses. Maybe there’s something in that he should have used Crucio, or Avada Kedavra. He could find something else maybe he could use.

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Audience Member: I think maybe this has been discussed already, but is it at all possible that Harry just doesn’t kill him, but saves his life, and by that kills him in some way. Then it leaves Harry open because in the end, he has to be killed by Voldemort. Trying to kill him, actually, he can see himself, because he, himself, has had his own life saved by the love that he has inside him. And he can touch Harry.

Jamie: Yeah. But is it possible for Voldemort to turn back, or is he so far down the path of evil?

Female Audience Member: [unintelligible] He can’t be like, “Oh! Oh, Snape.”

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: I like it.

Female Audience Member: Is Snape really clever, or really stupid? Because we got Snape, which left one of his prized possessions, his book, in his potions cupboard. And anyone in the future could find it and take it and use the spells.

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Audience Member: So then you got Snape thinking, “Oh, I’m ready,” but that’s if Harry’s going to get it and he’s got the other teacher, and he won’t buy the book.

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Audience Member: So he’s going to need that book. There’s no reason to teach him those spells to defeat Voldemort.

Jamie: That is a very interesting point. If it’s what people want – I mean, after this, we’re going to wrap up the show – but if you want to have a “Is Snape good or bad?” discussion, we’d be happy to do that as well.

Female Audience Member: Oh, yeah!

Female Audience Member: No.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Some final – What was the original question? I don’t even remember. We just went off on different tangents.

Jamie: There?

Female Audience Member: And maybe Voldemort won’t die, but he’ll get his soul sucked up by a Dementor. Because I think it says that it is worse than death and Voldemort deserves something that’s worse than death and what’s worse to Voldemort than having his soul sucked out? He doesn’t have much of it left anyway.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: He doesn’t. That’s true.

Female Audience Member: So, I think he should have his soul sucked out by Dementors and they’re supposed to be working for him, but what if he can’t control them anymore and they just suck his soul out and that would be a way of getting the rest of the Horcruxes – is getting his soul out of objects and after Voldemort and that means Harry won’t have to resort any sort of love and he wouldn’t have to [unintelligible].

[Everyone laughs]

Female Audience Member: … And maybe he’ll just get his soul sucked straight out of his body and then he’ll just be a useless, snake-like…

Jamie: Thing. And also, as you say, Dumbledore has always said there are things worse than death, and Lupin, in Prisoner of Azkaban, when he’s talking to Harry about the Dementor’s Kiss, he actually says that they’re worse then death. It isn’t being killed. It’s a lot worse than that, so – Very interesting.

Female Audience Member: My friend has this theory about Inferius slash Dementor crossbreed thing.

Andrew: Inferi what?

[Audience laughs]

Female Audience Member: Inferius and Dementor crossbreed.

Andrew: Is there anything to back that up? Or is it…

Jaime: I mean, I’m not saying anything about your theory, but when people say, “My friend has a theory,” is it really you that has a theory?

Andrew: And you just don’t want to admit it, yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Jaime: There seems to be an awful lot of “friends” here coming up.

Andrew: Theoretically. Hypothetically.

Female Audience Member: Going with the Darth Vader idea, maybe Harry will lose all the wands. So, he’ll be like defenseless, so he’ll have to give himself up, and then Voldemort’s like, “I can’t do it, I’m your long-lost cousin.”

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: And he’ll pick him up and throw him down the thing.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Star Wars.

Andrew: Alright, we’ll take, what, a couple more?

Jamie: Two more questions. See?

Andrew: I got a question over here.

Female Audience Member: I know this is pretty random, but me and my friend were talking about the whole locket thing. And lockets are designed to keep pictures of people in. And the heart would symbolize someone you love in the locket. What if the actual locket had a picture of someone who has something to do with Voldemort in it? Someone he loves, or he loved? Maybe?

Jamie: What, and that’s like the big secret? That he has the capacity to love? That’s not bad.

Andrew: Well, one more question.

Jamie: Three more, because it’s…

Andrew: Alright, sure.


Character Redemption


Female Audience Member: Do you think Percy will redeem himself?

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Such a tough issue.

Andrew: We’ll see him at the wedding and it’ll be awkward. And he’ll be awkwardly over in the corner.

Female Audience Member: Do you think they’re going to use him to get to Rufus Scrimgeour in the Ministry?

Jamie: Well, I don’t think he’s evil. I just…

Andrew: No, he’s not evil.

Female Audience Member: No, no. I’m thinking that maybe they might, you know, use Polyjuice potion to impersonate him. I find it…

Andrew: I don’t know.

Jamie: I don’t know, what do people think?

Andrew: They would get caught, though. I don’t know.

Jamie: Is Percy a misguided soul or – he’s a nasty piece of work.

Female Audience Member: He’s really stubborn.

Jamie: He’s very stubborn, yeah.

Female Audience Member: He doesn’t want…

Andrew: He just needs to pull the stick out of his you-know-what.

Jamie: Yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: In the back?

Female Audience Member: I’m thinking that J.K.R. can’t actually redeem everyone in the books…

Jamie: Yeah.

Female Audience Member: Because it isn’t like it’s a fairy tale. Not everyone’s good. There are people in the world that are just nasty people. And indeed, they are just out for themselves. And maybe Percy’s just one of those people in the world that you don’t really like, but exist?

[Everyone laughs]

Female Audience Member: If Snape’s going to be redeemed, and they say that Draco’s going to be redeemed, then there’s not going to be enough time in that book to have a third person redeemed. When he’s not that important to the story.

Jamie: That’s true.

Female Audience Member: I think if it came down to it, if another member of his family was threatened by somebody else, Percy would step in and try and save them, like any of the Weasleys. Even if he is a bit of a…

[Everyone laughs]

Female Audience Member: Anyone close to me could hear me.

Jamie: One of those.

Female Audience Member: I was saying, I think that he would, even though he’s scared of being a bit – he’d step back in. He won’t necessarily – he won’t actually redeem himself. There’s no way he would.

Jamie: Yeah.

Jamie: Do you have a question?


Snape’s Potions Book


Female Audience Member: Yeah, I was just going to bring it back to Snape again because I just remembered this theory that I have, which I really should have said earlier. When someone mentioned the thing about Snape leaving the book. How much does that sound like Voldemort leaving the diary?

Jamie: It does, yeah.

Female Audience Member: I mean, he’s like created this name for himself. And he’s like – he just – I don’t know about the thing, about why he wouldn’t kill Harry. I know he said it’s for Voldemort and everything, but he’s up to something. He’s working for Voldemort and Dumbledore. And even though there’s that whole debate about whether Dumbledore’s begging to be killed or not to be killed, I think Snape’s kind of working for himself. I mean you’ve got Grindelwald and then Dumbledore killed him. Voldemort, Harry’s killing him. And now Snape’s rising up out of the ashes, you know? He’s going to take over.

Andrew: Okay.

Jamie: And he’s extremely clever, Snape, as well.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: I’m sure no one can deny that he’s one of the cleverest characters.

Female Audience Member: He made up his own spells when he was about 16.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: That’s true.

Jamie: How do you make up a spell? Do you just say words until something happens?

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Hold it out two years.

[Everyone laughs]


Snape Versus Machiavelli


Jamie: You, there?

Female Audience Member: There is that whole Machiavellian thing on MuggleNet? It was kind of like, the whole – there’s the guy, the general, Severus, in Machiavellian book thing…

Jamie: The Prince?

Female Audience Member: So he eventually overthrows, like, the good person and the bad person and becomes a sort of a [unintelligible] person.

Jamie: I mean…

Female Audience Member: I mean, maybe that’s what Snape is after. He wants to be, like, top officer and manipulating…

Jamie: He is a kind of general, as well, though.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: He’s high up. Whichever side he is on, he is high up. He’s either almost Dumbledore’s right-hand man or he’s Voldemort’s right-hand man. Whatever it is.


Poll: Is Snape Good Or Bad?


Andrew: Should we just take a poll? To say is Snape good or bad?

Jamie: Okay, yeah. Yeah.

Andrew: Because, I mean, I don’t know, you know this could be good.

Jamie: Hands up, is Snape good?

Female Audience Member: Can we have an in-between?

Jamie: Sorry?

Female Audience Member: Can we have an in-between?

Andrew: Alright.

Jamie: You can abstain – you can vote.

Andrew: Snape is good. Everyone for Snape is good.

Jamie: And bad?

Andrew: In between?

Jamie: Snape is good, overwhelmingly.

Andrew: Yeah. I don’t know.


Show Close


Jamie: Should we wrap it up?

Andrew: Yeah, I think we will.

Jamie: Okay. No, no, we’re going to move downstairs. Thank you everyone for coming. You’ve been absolutely brilliant. Hope you’ve enjoyed it. We’re going to take a five-minute break. We’re going to move downstairs. And hopefully see you all and meet you all. And, then at the end we’re going to raffle off this thing. Should be quite nice.

Andrew: And give away some t-shirts.

Jamie: Yeah, we have just so many…

Andrew: We have a ton of t-shirts.

Jamie: And we’ll meet you down there. It is – I don’t know.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: But you’ll find us. In about five minutes?

Andrew: It’s down on the ground floor.

[Show close]

———————–

Written by: Micah, Allison, Amanda, Briana, Eloise, Cindy, Jessica, Laura, Mandie, Margaret, Matt, Megan, Samantha, Sarah, Shannon, Shelly, and Tina

Transcript #80

MuggleCast 80 Transcript


Show Intro


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[Intro music plays]

Andrew: Because England finally has a professional podcaster in the country…

Jamie: Hey!

Andrew: This is MuggleCast Episode 80 for March 11th, 2007.

[Music continues to play]

Andrew: I don’t know if you guys checked out the new Wizard of the Month this month over at JKRowling.com. Anyone?

Jamie: Ummm…

Kevin: I saw it, yeah.

Jamie: I’m sure I saw a news post about it, but I can’t remember.

Eric: I agree with that statement, Andrew.

Laura: Clue us in.

Andrew: The new Wizard of the Month is Tilden Toots, born 1959 and still alive to this day. And JK Rowling describes this person as, “the wizard with three green thumbs,” and a celebrity herbologist and radio personality. So I was thinking, I kind of like this name, Toots, and since this guy is a radio personality, I’ve decided that I want my new name on the show to be Toots.

Eric: Okay.

Jamie: Do you know what I think?

Laura: Okay…

Jamie: I think that is possibly the worst idea I’ve ever heard, so we’re going to keep calling you Andrew, Andrew.

Andrew: But this person is a radio personality and I’m a radio personality, so, it’s close.

Jamie: Well, you’re a podcast personality, so…

Andrew: Well, if I don’t have a supportive co-host group, then I guess not.

Eric: Oh.

Jamie: Well, you know…

Andrew: Thought you guys would support me on that decision, but I guess not.

Jamie: Well, it would be cruel and inhumane for us to tell you that it was a good idea when it was possibly the worst idea since…

Andrew: What about Tootsims?

Jamie: No, even worse, in fact.

Andrew: Tootsims? Tootsims.

Jamie: It’s cringe-worthy.

Eric: Wait, I’ve got one, I’ve got one. Andrew Sims.

Jamie: It’s cring-worthy.

Andrew: No, Tootsims.

Jamie: Nooooo. Where did you get that name from, Eric? That’s good, I like it.

Andrew: I’m Toots!

Eric: I know, I know.

Jamie: No you’re not.

Andrew: Name intros.

[Silence]

Eric: Oh, you’re Toots?

Jamie: No, you have to say Andrew.

Andrew: Yeah. You’re Eric Scull, we all…you know…

[Laura laughs]

Eric: Right. Right, you’re Toots.

Andrew: I know this is new to everyone…

Eric: Guys, I don’t…

Andrew: What we do is we run through every one’s names, you guys.

Jamie: I’m refusing to say my name unless you say Andrew.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: It’s that bad.

Eric: Yeah. In protest…

Jamie: I feel that strongly about it.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: Lets just not do it.

Andrew: I’m sorry but I’m not moving on and this show – these drums will not stop until you guys say your names.

Jamie: Well, in that case…

Laura: All right. No name intros.

Jamie: In that case…

Andrew: I’m Toots.

[Silence]

Jamie: Well I hope to everyone listening that you can still remember my name in 30 episodes time…

[Kevin laughs]

Jamie: …because I’m not saying it until Andrew gives in.

Andrew: As the host and producer of this show, I refuse to go on until you guys say your names.

Jamie: Fine. Fine, let’s strike.

Andrew: No, we’ll start again…we’ll start again…

Jamie: Everyone, let’s strike.

Andrew: We’ll start again. I’m Toots.

[Silence]

Eric: Okay, Jamie and Laura and Kevin, how about you and I just go? We’ll all go off, and…

Kevin: I think that’s a great idea.

Eric: … talk about Movie 5 and all the reviews, and we’ll just leave…

Kevin: Our own devices.

Eric: Toots here…

Laura: Okay.

Eric: Because…yeah. Okay.

[Music continues to play]


News


Andrew: Micah Tannenbaum is standing by in the MuggleCast news center with the past weeks Harry Potter news stories. Micah!

Micah: Thanks, Toots. Ah, he better have a good explanation for that.

Jo Rowling has been nominated for the NCH Scotland Women of Influence awards, which will take place in Glasgow later today. She is one of five influential women in the category who recognizes those who have worked hard to improve the lifestyles and education of children.

A former winner of the title said, “These awards mark the significant contribution women from diverse communities make to our national life. In our mothers’ and grandmothers’ time women received very little recognition. Today, it is a very different story. The awards also highlights the vital work NCH does to support Scotland’s children and young people and raise an incredible amount of money to support that work.”

Speaking of Jo, after being named a billionaire last year by Forbes magazine, this year she makes the list yet again at #891. JKR has an estimated net worth of $1 billion and is the only career author billionaire.

As we reported previously, the Potter author is suing eBay for allowing illegal and fraudulent copies of her works to be sold on the auction site. Jo has managed to obtain an injunction which prevents eBay from listing illegal copies (namely e-versions of her books), which is binding until a May 23rd hearing. You can check out MuggleNet.com for more information on JK’s Army and sign a petition against eBay.

The Harry Potter series has received a nomination under “Favorite Book” at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. Be sure to head over and vote.

The actor who plays Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter series spoke in a brief new interview about his character, the Order of the Phoenix movie, and Deathly Hallows.

Speaking about the series he said, “I was into J.K. Rowling’s books about Harry Potter long before I was offered the part of Professor Flitwick and I’ve loved reading every one since then. So, yes, I’m really looking forward … like you … to the next book.”

Finally, speaking of the seventh book, partially due to the book’s high cost, over a quarter of independent booksellers in the UK have chosen not to stock Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The book’s sticker price, $34.99, is roughly twice the $17.99 cost of Sorcerer’s Stone when it was published by Scholastic in 1999.

That’s all the news for this March 11th, 2007 edition of MuggleCast. Back to the show.

Andrew: All right, thank you, Micah. And are you guys – you going to call me Toots now?

Jamie: No.

Kevin: Not a chance. No.

Andrew: I don’t see why you can’t be supportive of…

Jamie: I’d rather Harry died in…

Andrew: …your co-host.

Jamie: …the final book, Andrew, than to call you [laughs] that ridiculous name.

Eric: Andrew, I just contacted GoDaddy, and – I just contacted GoDaddy and I locked Toots.com and stuff, so you just can’t have it. It’s not good for you. I was looking out for your…

Andrew: Well, I already made toots at staff dot mugglenet dot com, so…

Eric: Ahhh.

Andrew: …I think…

Jamie: However, Andrew…

Andrew: …your plan backfired, there.

Jamie: Yes, but if you keep calling yourself that name, we’ll kill you.

[Eric and Kevin laugh]

Jamie: And then an e-mail address or a website isn’t going to do you any good, at all.

Andrew: Jamie, I’m not really afraid of you kidding me – killing me, because it’s not like I’m going to be seeing you in a couple of days, or anything…

Jamie: Oh, no. Yeah, exactly.

Andrew: …so it won’t be any problem. Yeah, so…

Jamie: Oh, wait!

Andrew: Transition!

Jamie: Whoa-ho.


Announcements


Andrew: Jamie, we have a podcast in England coming up.

Jamie: We do. We are going to be at the School of Oriental and African Studies at Vernon Square in London on March 17th, at 2:00 PM, doing a live podcast, and then a meet and greet type event with literally hundreds of prizes. We’ve gone all-out on the prizes, and we’ve got loads of fun activities happening, and stuff like that. All places are now filled, but people can drop out, so if you want more information, go on MuggleCast.com and read the latest news post. But for all those people…

Andrew: Very good.

Jamie: …who are attending, we look forward to seeing you all there.

Andrew: It’s going to be a lot of fun, and to anyone who might be a little bummed that they can’t show up, this is actually – this is going to be a little test for us to see how well these live podcasts/meetups will work out. And if it works out good, we’d definitely be interested in doing more of them here in the United States, or maybe over in England again, you know? Yeah, so and, of course, opening it up to more people, so hopefully that, all of that will go very well.

Also, there is a book door [laughs] – there is a book tour coming up with Ben and Emerson. They’re kind of a big thing, now, with their book release, and I know Laura and Micah contributed to that book, too. They’re going to be going on a little tour over their spring break and all of those dates can be found on MuggleNet.com. There’s a little tour ticker, as I like to call it, on the right side, there, with all the dates. You could find more details about their tour right there.

Jamie: What they’re doing is, they’re hiring out a VW camper van and painting it with flowers and they’re going to drive around…

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: …the continental US and just stop at random bookstores and talk about their book.

Andrew: Yeah, so you’ll have to be lucky and catch them, but…

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Anyway, I regret to inform everyone that I won’t be there. Yes, my pen name…

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: …Andy Gordon, is – you know, I would be there, but I’m going to be in England, so I apologize for that.

Another live event that we’re going to doing, coming up this summer, is at Enlightening 2007 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the University of Pennsylvania. That whole convention is from July 12th to the 15th, and it’s going to be a lot of fun. We encourage everyone to come out. We have an update on the podcast. The podcast is going to be open to the public. There’s going to be 600 seats total, so they’re really expecting a big turnout for this. So anyone who lives in the tri-state area, like Eric, if you still actually lived here in the United States, we encourage everyone to come out, whether you’re in New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, anywhere, it’s going to be a lot of fun. And then that night, we’re going to be seeing the movie. The movie details aren’t nailed down yet, but we’ll update you when they are. And, of course, we encourage everyone to actually sign up for the convention because they have a lot planned. It’s like Prophecy and Lumos, only it’s more family-oriented, and they’re going to have a lot of fun stuff going on, including a workshop on how to create your own podcast.

Eric: Woot.

Andrew: And that will be hosted by Jamie, Ben, and I. And of course…

Jamie: Well, I…

Andrew: …Micah’s going to be there…

Jamie: …I’m just going to be…

Andrew: …at the live podcast.

Jamie: …standing there, and you’re going to be doing it, because I couldn’t create a podcast if my life depended on it.

Andrew: [laughs] Well…

Jamie: I just sit here and talk with my feet up.

Andrew: …didn’t I say last week that you’re going to do a seminar on how to come up with British jokes?

Jamie: Yeah. [laughs] Yeah, yeah. All you need is – oh, wait. I’ve already made that joke, I can’t make it again.

Andrew: [laughs] So, you could find more information on Enlightening2007.org, and if you are not going to be signing up for the convention, but you plan on coming as part of the “public,” please email enlighten07 at gmail dot com, and mention – let us know how many people you plan on bringing with you so we can get a good handle on…

Jamie: Enlighten, is that?

Andrew: …how many extra people.

Jamie: Enlighten?

Andrew: Enlighten. Enlighten. Like, I’m going to enlighten you.

Jamie: Okay, so minus the “ing”?

Andrew: 07 at gmail dot com. Yes.

Jamie: There’s no “ing” on this. Okay.

Andrew: Yes, don’t ask me why I didn’t do it. I don’t know. [laughs] And then, finally, it – we’re getting into, we’re getting well into March, here. Don’t forget to vote for us at PodcastAlley.com to keep us up top of the rankings. It helps all those media sources find good podcasts out there, like us, of course. And, so, place your vote. All you have to do is leave it – place a vote once a month over at PodcastAlley.com, so thanks for that.


Listener Rebuttal: De Facto


We have our first rebuttal now.

Laura: This comes from Aggy [laughs] Aggy? Oh, god, I can’t even talk – Abby Stokley, 14, from Austin, Texas. She writes:

“Hi, I was just listening to Episode 79 and I heard you use the term “de facto”, which is Latin for “of fact”. You did use the term correctly within your comment, but your translation was a little off. It quite literally means “of fact”, and more correctly means that a subject is correct in the facts related to it, but is not correct by law or vote. Thanks for taking the time to listen to a picky Latin student. I love the show.”

Andrew: Our bad.

Jamie: And, no, she’s absolutely right.

Andrew: I think it might have been Ben.

Laura: Yeah, probably.

Andrew: It wasn’t me. I wasn’t on last week.

Jamie: I know.

Laura: I know it wasn’t me.

Jamie: Ooh, actually…

Eric: Yeah, Ben just totally whipped out that political term.

Jamie: It’s an extremely interesting…

Andrew: Was it?

Jamie: …concept. I’ve just been studying it recently in relation to sovereignty – you know, de jure, I think that’s how you pronounce it – sovereignty versus de facto sovereignty, legal versus real life sovereignty. Very, very interesting. Although…

Eric: That is quite cool.

Jamie: …actually, somebody else e-mailed in about the pronunciation of deus ex machina – I’m sure I’ve got it wrong again, because I cannot remember exactly what they said. But, yeah, I got that wrong. Ummm…

Laura: Okay, well we’ll beat Ben later.

Jamie: So, that’s cool…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Jamie: We’ll kill him.


SPOILER: Early OOTP Reviews


Andrew: Okay, we’re going to get right in to our main discussion this week, which is the – we’re going to talk about the first reviews of Order of the Phoenix, because a few people – a few very lucky people – got to see an early screening of Order of the Phoenix in Chicago over the past week. And, first off, I’ve got to say, can you imagine just going to the movie theater, and you get this little ticket saying, “Hey, come by next week for a movie,” and you’re a Harry Potter fan and then you go and it’s [laughs] Order of the Phoenix, already?

Jamie: But, Andrew, do you know…

Andrew: It’s nuts.

Laura: That would be great.

Jamie: Do you know, I read on Ain’t It Cool News where the guy who went to it – you know, he was there – and he was talking about how the movie was basically done, but it wasn’t very sort of – the effects weren’t complete, and so there were bits…

Andrew: Right.

Jamie: …that didn’t look real, like sort of – you know, Grawp would be – his – when he moves, he wouldn’t move properly, or he wouldn’t blend in with the background, and stuff like that, and I don’t think I’d like to watch it like that, though. I just want to see it when it’s completely done. I think it would spoil the magic for me, but…

Eric: Well…

Jamie: How about you?

Andrew: That is true.

Eric: It might spoil the magic, but again, a lot of the parts of the movie is the acting, Jamie, as well, not just special effects. So you would still get the acting.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: You would, but I don’t think Grawp is an actor. [laughs] To be honest.

Eric: Well, okay, okay. Yeah. Perhaps it might be actually…

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: …intentionally not really wanted, but they said Ralph Fiennes was basically himself, but with dots on his face?

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Eric: For them to – to mark the things. But that’s something I would be interested in seeing, because Ralph Fiennes is such a great actor…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …and stuff, so I would like to see him with a nose, pretending to be Voldemort who doesn’t have a nose.

Andrew: Right.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: So, yeah, that definitely would ruin the fun. I think one of the upsides, besides seeing it four months early…

Jamie: Yeah, apart from that. [laughs]

Andrew: …is that you would also see a lot that is probably going to end up getting cut.

Jamie: Yes. Exactly.

Andrew: Because this is a very rough cut of the movie…

Kevin: Yeah, that’s true. Yeah.

Andrew: …so you’re going to see a lot of good stuff. You’re going to see some special effects work that is not going to make the – even the bonus DVDs with how they actually…

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: …make the movie. So for a film nerd – I’m not really a film nerd, but a behind-the-scenes nerd like me, that likes that kind of stuff, I’d just be like, “Whoa! This is better than the real thing!”

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Which it probably wouldn’t be. I would just like to see Ralph Fines with a lot of dots on his face.

Jamie: Yeah.

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: I’ve been…

Andrew: What disappoints me is why…

Jamie: …wanting to see that for years.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs] What disappoints me is that with all the technology these days, with people, you know, got their cell phones, and everyone’s got a camera with them these days, always looking for a new MySpace picture…

Eric: Cough!

Andrew: …why didn’t anyone just take a quick shot of the screen? You know?

Eric: Oh, come on. They gave us enough, though. That’s what these people at Warner Brothers – that’s why I’m surprised they did these screenings so early, is should there happen to be a Harry Potter fan in the audience, they would be able to tell everything. I mean, if they had enough of a memory, or had enough of a will to be that kind of resource, they could tell us everything, and as we found from these three or four sources that we have on MuggleNet, they have. We found out pretty much a lot.

Andrew: Yeah. At least. Now…

Eric: As far as what went in and what didn’t.


Does Heyman Go to the Movies?


Andrew: Yeah. Now, sorry for not knowing, but I think I might have heard one time that David Heyman will sit in on these screenings to get the audience reaction. Is that true, or am I completely thinking about something else?

Laura: I haven’t heard about that.

Eric: No, I think it’s true.

Jamie: I wouldn’t be surprised.

Andrew: Is it true? Eric, are you up as an employee of a movie theater, [laughs] do you know how these things work?

Eric: Former employee…

Andrew: Former.

Eric: …but yeah. Sometimes we had Michael Opaque, the Pennsylvanian senator come into our movie theater a few times, and he had a guy with him who was a body guard type guy, and he handed out road maps…

Andrew: Yeah?

Jamie: As you do.

Eric: …of Pennsylvania – as you do. And so he would just be able to walk past and see whatever movie he wanted to, and hand out…

Jamie: [Laughs] “Here, have a road map!”

Eric: …road maps. [laughs] So I have a nice little Atlas of – or, a little road map of Pennsylvania. But I don’t…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Is it signed?

Andrew: I don’t know what that has to do with…

Eric: That’s all I pretty much…

Jamie: Is it signed, Eric? Along your street?

Eric: No, he did sign it, though, I think, actually.

Jamie: That’s pretty cool.

Eric: But, at any rate, no. As far as screenings go – we’re trying to talk about screenings. Yeah, no, I heard that David Heyman actually looked in and wanted to get audience reactions, because that helps him – also as you said, Andrew, determine what does go in the final cut of the film…

Jamie: Oh, completely, yeah.

Eric: …and, also, whereas the can cut stuff, they can also add stuff, and I think that is probably the reason, or one of the reasons why screenings have been so early, because if there is something that’s really upsetting, or really big of a problem, they might be able to do something with it. I mean, I’m not saying they’re going to re-shoot some scene if we all complain it’s not in it, but they might be able to cater to certain things like this. So, yeah, fan reactions – I would not be surprised if David Heyman went, or didn’t go to one of those screenings.

Jamie: You see, I’d think that there would be more than just David Heyman there. You’d think it would be completely…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: …lined with Warner Brothers executives. Potter is their baby, you’d think that everyone would be there, trying to get a – trying to gauge a reaction.

Eric: Well, the thing is too, though – I don’t know how big the theater is, and you want to fill it with as many hardcore people of different, diverse backgrounds as you can. I mean, it wouldn’t just be Heyman, I kind of agree with you, but it could be, you know, like a few executives, I guess.

Andrew: They are adjusting this movie down to – they will be fixing this movie down to like July – July 8th or 9th.

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: Because I remember last year, with each premiere, the movie was a tad different in some spots. Goblet of Fire – not last year – with Goblet of Fire. They keep changing the movie even in between premieres and stuff, so, you know, they’re – it’s good that they’re very picky about what they’re putting in.

Jamie: But then, don’t you think there’s a sort of a very, very fine line that needs to be drawn between giving people exactly what they want…

Kevin: And being somewhat creative.

Jamie: and for the hardcore fans which makes up a big part of the sort of general audience? It would be…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: …canon films. And I don’t think films should be canon. They should be films and they should be different to the books. Or – or it would be pointless to watch the films because they’d be exactly as the books come. So, I don’t think – I don’t personally think they should change the films and change and change and change them until, you know, they’re exactly as all the hardcore fans want them.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah. I agree with that.

Eric: There are more film representations of books that completely destroy the books than there are completely canon books. I mean there are, for instance, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, you know, the movie might have nothing at all to do with it…

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: …and so you know often, at least in Uni, you get books and you can’t just read the movie – watch the movie…

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: …because the movie’s completely different and complete crap. So, I think there does have to be a line drawn at least between…

Jamie: Yeah, there has to be.

Eric: …what you’re giving the fans and, you know? And even if it is perfectly canon, I think a movie’s still special and fun to watch even if it was perfectly canon, because it still is a visual representation with all the effects.

Jamie: It is, it is.

Eric: It’s just another way of looking at your favorite…

Jamie: No, no of course it is.

Eric: … medium or…

Jamie: Of course it is.

Eric: … your favorite thing – plot.

Jamie: But when Jo sells the rights to Warner Brothers, she doesn’t give them a right to produce her work completely as it should be. She gives them a creative license – it’s a creative license mandate that she’s giving them to produce a, you know – to not what they want but to their, sort of, you know, to their ideals.

Andrew: We’re going to be talking about some of those changes today. We have a list of stuff that we want to go over with some of the stuff we’ve read in the reviews, but, I mean, people have just got to realize now, we’re five movies in and these hardcore fans that are expecting the movies to mirror the books are just – they’ve just got to move past that, because, especially some of the stuff we’re going to talk about today, there’s some big changes that people have been complaining about but I, you know, I just read these changes and it immediately makes sense because you’ve got to realize that they make these changes for time…

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: … and they make it for continuity and all that so…however, some of the changes are just flat out stupid.

Eric: Yeah, I mean there are – there is a difference between paying homage to the books…

Laura: Yeah, there is a couple of them, that’s like…

Eric: … and completely – completely destroying fact of the…you know? And getting things wrong and actually doing things incorrectly.

Jamie: Shouldn’t we point out, Andrew, that there’s a huge spoiler warning for this main discussion?

Andrew: Right now, my editor self from the future is going to tell you what time on the podcast…

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: …to fast-forward to…

[Jamie coughs]

Andrew: … so you know exactly where to go to if you want to skip all of this. Okay, so the time you want to go to is:

Future Andrew: 51:19, back to you, Andrew.

Andrew: All right, thank you, Andrew.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Thank you, Toots.

[Laughter continues]

Andrew: No, thank you, Toots.

Jamie: That’s hilarious.


Most Detailed Film Yet


Andrew: I read a lot of good stuff here. Some stuff is really getting me excited. One reviewer described this film as the “most detailed film yet.” Most detailed film yet.

Jamie: Oooh.

Andrew: David Yates to thank for this? Perhaps. I mean, we don’t have much to go off of, but the opening scene, apparently, is just like the book.

Eric: Except for the dementors.

Andrew: Writes one reviewer, “The film opens as the book does with Harry sending the dementors fleeing with his Patronus curse and the Dursleys giving him a hard time. Both Fiona Shaw and Richard Griffiths are in top form although they are in it all too briefly.”

Kevin: Yeah.

Andrew: Which is a shame.

Eric: Again…

Andrew: Because I like the Dursleys.

Laura: Yeah.

Eric: The Dursleys just get shelved.


Dieting Dementors


Andrew: The dementors, being a little thinner.

Jamie: Well, they haven’t had any…

Andrew: Kind of interesting.

Jamie: … souls to eat, so, you know, they’re suffering from malnutrition.

Andrew: They’ve been on Slimfast.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: They’ve had a soulless meal.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: Oh!

Eric: Oh.

Laura: That’s okay they should be huge in the next movie then, Half-Blood Prince.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs] Oh, but…

Jamie: Do you think they speak to each other? I wonder if they’ve got names. “All right, John, how’s it going? Had any souls recently?”

[Laura and Andrew laugh]

Jamie: “No, it’s been a bit dry on my end. How about you?”

Andrew: Yeah. “What kind of Slimfast you been drinking?”

Eric: “Well, I’m feeling particularly…”

Andrew: [Speaks in a silly voice] “Oh, I’m a fan of strawberry.”

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: “I’m feeling particularly hallow today.”

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: But interesting that they would change it. Maybe they got some new graphic designers working on it so… Or maybe David Yates wanted to give them a new look.

Eric: Did they say thinner or did they say different, because the one I’m reading says different. Not just thinner.

Andrew: Well, I think one review said they were more like skeletal.

Eric: Oh, that’s, that’s not bad. I mean it’s not horrible…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Here’s a question I’ve been wondering ever since the movie came out. Now, it’s my opinion, I think that if the Lord of the Rings movies hadn’t happened, then the dementors would have looked a lot, lot more similar to the Nazgul, except floating. I think they’d be floating Nazgul.

Kevin: I don’t know about that.

Jamie: Rather than…

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: …the way they were in the…

Laura: That’s a lot how I imagined them, too.

Jamie: Yeah, same here.

Kevin: I always imagined them being…

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Kevin: …less solid. Like…

Jamie: I agree.

Kevin: I don’t know.

Andrew: More transparent?

Kevin: You know, like – exactly.

Eric: Oh, it’s true, it’s true.

Kevin: I mean, they’re always described as being very, like, wispy, kind of, but…

Laura: Yeah. I just kind of took that as meaning they were very frail-looking.

Jamie: Yeah.

Kevin: I don’t know. I think – I think them changing it isn’t that big of a deal. I mean, he could just be matching the setting. They all have their own style of…

Laura: Well, I think that, so long as there’s some sort of resemblance between these and the ones we saw in the third movie, it’s fine, because…

Jamie: But, yeah. Exactly.

Laura: …they’re still going to be –

Eric: Yeah, like, if there’s the opportunity to…

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: … think that they’re a different creature, that’s an issue.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: I don’t think there will be.

Eric: Oh, okay.

Jamie: But didn’t they make the choice earlier on in the movie sequence that there wasn’t going to be huge continuity between them?

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Because, if they wanted huge continuity…

Kevin: Throughout, yeah.

Jamie: … they would have kept the same director.

Kevin: That’s true.

Laura: There hasn’t been a large amount of continuity between the movies. [laughs]

Jamie: And, I mean, Movie Two and Movie Three are so different.

Eric: You know, they keep the same actors. They don’t re-cast every film.

Kevin: Yeah, but I think what –

Jamie: They don’t have to do that, though. That would be as silly as calling yourself “Toots!”

Laura: There have been a couple of re-casts, haven’t there, though?

Kevin: Well, what I was going to say is I think what Jamie said, is what – you know, the rule of thumb they’re using – I think it was Jamie. So long as the people are able to identify each element from the previous movie coming through to the current movie…

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: …it’s not going to be a problem.

Andrew: Yeah, although what I find interesting about this is that each reviewer seemed to point out – they all pointed out that the dementors looked different. So, I mean, it’s probably noticeable to a point where you might want to talk about it.

Laura: Well, what I think is really important to remember is that we did get these reviews from hardcore fans.

Andrew: That’s true.

Laura: Obviously, if they weren’t, they wouldn’t have sent them in to MuggleNet.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

Laura: So of course they’re going to notice differences in what the dementors look like in Movie Five and in Movie Three.

Jamie: Yeah.


Less Lupin and No. Mrs. Black


Andrew: Yeah. Moving along, though, “Lupin does not show up with the Advance Guard and receives very little screen time.” That’s disappointing, you know, that he doesn’t show up with the Advance Guard. [laughs] What’s going on with that?

Laura: Yeah, it is. I don’t – I don’t see why they couldn’t have him come. There’s no reason not to.

Eric: No, the fact that he doesn’t get any screen time – I wonder, though. They didn’t say specifically if Harry has to go into Umbridge’s office at all to talk to Lupin and Sirius through the fire? Like we don’t know if that happened or not.

Laura: I don’t think anyone said anything about that.

Jamie: No.

Eric: We just…

Andrew: Hm. Well, that would – that’s interesting that nobody pointed that out. I wonder if that means he did and it was just fine, or he didn’t and nobody cared.

Laura: You know what, though? Somebody did note that the movie put a lot into establishing the relationship between Harry and Sirius, so I’m betting they had at least one scene where he went and talked to him in the fire.

Andrew: That’s good.

Eric: But, despite the development between Harry and Sirius, there’s no – there is a Black family tree, apparently, but there’s no Mrs. Black and Grimmauld Place is smaller than imagined.

Andrew: Mhm.

Laura: You know what, though? That doesn’t bother me as much because Mrs. Black’s portrait, while it’s funny, it really doesn’t really contribute all that much to the plot, so I think that that’s…

Kevin: Yeah, and it could be very distracting.

Jamie: Exactly. It’s…

Laura: …an okay thing to cut.

Andrew: Did the reviews say it doesn’t show up at all?

Laura: Yeah, they said that it’s not in there at all.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Yeah, the portrait of Mrs. Black is gone – I think it’s because they already cast Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix, and they couldn’t re-cast her as Mrs. Black, because I…

Jamie: Probably, yeah.

Eric: … pictured her as Mrs. Black.


Grimmauld Place


Jamie: She’d have been perfect as her, but it’s this next point that really gets me is this one that “Grimmauld Place only appears because Moody hits his stick a few times.”

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: I think this is atrocious, because…

Laura: What is that?!

Jamie: That’s awful, because there are certain things – they’re of certain importance to the series as a whole that you have to put them in, and that’s – the Fidelius Charm…

Laura: That’s pretty cheap.

Jamie: …is so important, because that’s how the Potters got betrayed, and I’m sure it’s going to show up again, and I think that’s – that is just ridiculous.

Laura: Mhm.

Andrew: I was trying to think up an excuse for that one, like it would add too much time onto the film, but there’s just, like, no…

Kevin: They could get away with explaining that for, like, five minutes.

Andrew: No, no, yeah.

Laura: All they would have to do is do…

Jamie: Or five seconds.

Kevin: Yeah.

Laura: All they would have to do is do a close-up on a piece of parchment paper with the writing on there.

Andrew: Right.

Laura: And then… That’s all! That’s all they would have to do. They probably spent more time having Moody beating his staff.

Jamie: And then Dan goes, “What is this?”


No Prefect Subplot


Andrew: Another thing, no prefect subplot. Does anyone care about that, though? I mean, it’s a shame, but you got to cut something.

Laura: It’s another thing that could go.

Eric: It just gives Harry the opportunity to be…

Jamie: It’s the anger thing, as well. They’re taking out his anger.

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: Like, you know, the prefect subplot plays one thing that, you know – I bet they’ll take out the stuff when he and Neville – sorry, he and Seamus argue.

Eric: That’s true.

Laura: Yeah, they’ll probably lose all that, but…

Jamie: And it’s – you know, I mean, his anger’s important.

Laura: Yeah, it is.

Jamie: Again, it’s one of those things where – but I mean, his anger’s really important in that it’s, you know? Righteous anger isn’t the thing that carries him through, it’s his parents dying and his love and stuff like that.

Laura: But you know what? They’re probably…

Jamie: The anger’s only there to show that.

Laura: They’re going to use Umbridge as the figure for him to project his anger onto for the whole of the movie.

Kevin: Yeah.

Jamie: Oh yeah, completely.

Laura: Like, in the book, we saw everybody – he hated everyone, but he’ll probably just use Umbridge in the film, just because it keeps it a bit more manageable.

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah, I bet he will.

Andrew: Yeah. The O.W.Ls and Neville’s parents are put into the background. O.W.Ls – another thing. I mean I guess it’d be kind of cool to see them taking the O.W.Ls, but it’s not like…

Laura: But it doesn’t really bother me, honestly.

Kevin: Not that it’s going to matter.

Andrew: They’re not going to – yeah, and, like, Movie Six, I don’t think they’re really going to put in the scene where they get the results back. Like, who would even care?

Jamie: No, I don’t know.

Eric: “Oh, I got a W. Well, what does that mean?”

Jamie: But also…

Andrew: You know?

Jamie: Can I – last show, I used a movie term, a MacGuffin, which I, I think, used in incorrect context, and somebody wrote in and told me, so I’d like to point out that the O.W.Ls are a MacGuffin. Their only point is the move the plot forward.

Andrew: Oh.

Jamie: Like, because, you know, Harry gets bored of doing his thing and falls into his dream and then he collapses off the thig and, you know, blah blah blah.

Andrew: Right.

Jamie: Yeah. So, hopefully, I’ve used that in the right thing this time.


Kreacher and the Ministry


Andrew: Kreacher receives little screen time, which, I guess, is a shame.

Eric: If they’re going to…

Andre: I would have liked to see…

Laura: Well…

Eric: If they are going to design a new elf and they are going to, like, put him in the movie. [sighs]

Andrew: Well, we’ve heard that those house elves take a lot of money and time, too.

[Jamie laughs]

Laura: Yeah, but this is something I take kind of an issue with, because Kreacher was a huge part of the plot piece.

Eric: It doesn’t really explain…

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah. [laughs] And it kind of worries me when I hear that he receives little screen time because I wonder if they used some other cheap tactic…

Eric: Yeah, exactly, or…

Laura: …to get Harry to the Ministry, you know? Instead of him…

Eric: Well, we’ve already heard that…

Laura: …trying to contact Sirius in the fire and get Kreacher…

Eric: …we don’t know why the Death Eaters are at the prophecy hall.

Laura; Yeah, they just show up.

Eric: Yeah, they said they just kind of show up and you wouldn’t know who they were if you hadn’t seen or heard previous movies. So, that must mean that Harry is not having dreams of Voldemort, or that, you know, how does the Order…

Laura: No, I don’t think they’d leave that out.

Eric: But how does the Order get…

Laura: I think that…

Eric: …to the Ministry then, or how does Sirius get there, or how does, you know? That’s a serious issue. And they have Thestrals, I guess, but none of the reviewers actually talked about Thestrals.

Andrew: I still, I’m still kind of upset over no screaming portrait of Mrs. Black. It seems like she would be an awesome part of the film.

Laura: It’d be funny, but again…

Jamie: She would.

Laura: …that would be a lot of money…

Jamie: The fun stuff…

Laura: … to put into that.

Jamie: Yeah, and the fun stuff is tailing off now in these films, it has to be serious.

Kevin: Yeah.

Jamie: Although it has to be entertaining and it still has to get, it still has to you know, and impress the fans and be serious.

Kevin: And she would require an explanation and that takes time.

Andrew: Yeah. One reviewer actually said that it is not as serious as the book, which kind of surprised me because all of what Dan has…

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: … been saying and the director has been saying, Oh, it’s going to be the darkest movie yet.

Laura: They say that with every movie.

Kevin: Now, but just because it’s…

Andrew: They do. [laughs]

Eric: Yeah.

Kevin: Yeah.

Andrew: And then also the hatred between Sirius and Bellatrix is never explained.

Laura: And then she, but then she…

Eric: It should be.

Laura: …throws him through a veil and it’s like…

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: According to one of the reviewers it wasn’t very well explained what the veil meant.

Eric: Right, and Sirius kind of falls into it.

Laura: He just falls in and that’s it, and you don’t really…

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: If you haven’t read the books you don’t really understand. According to the reviewer.

Kevin: Yeah, but…

Jamie: They didn’t explain it in the book, did they? They didn’t actually say what it did.

Eric: Well they didn’t say what it was.

Kevin: Well, in the books…

Laura: Yeah, but…

Kevin: But I think that were referring to them explicitly stating, you know, he’s dead. But I think based on the other character’s reactions, you know, someone watching the movie who hasn’t read the book should be able to get that impression.

Jamie: Well, we’d hope, we’d hope that they leave that scene in where Lupin, you know, holds…

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Harry back and he’s like, he‘s dead…

Laura: That’s what I’m thinking.

Jamie: … there’s nothing you can do.

Laura: I’m kind of worried they left that out.

Kevin: Does it…

Jamie: Let’s just hope they don’t.

Andre: Yeah.


Putting Off Plot Elements


Kevin: Does it seem like the directors are sort of putting certain plot elements off for other directors?

Eric: Yeah, well, and what’s going to happen is they’re going to continue doing it for the next two movies and then oops.

Kevin: Right. It seems as though there are certain plot elements that [clears throat] excuse me – that they have to explain…

Eric: They’re just not going to.

Kevin: But they aren’t going to and they’re just going to let the other director that picks up the movies explain it.

Andrew: Well see…

Kevin: And they’re going to put it off. You know what I mean?

Andrew: That’s why I thought David Heyman has been on for all five films so far, and then definitely the last two. So he can sort of provide the continuity that the series needs.

Eric: But, I mean, just the fact that they did…

Laura: Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen.

Eric: Yeah, Snape’s worst memory. You know, they have the Potters as kids, but how does that even work? Because we didn’t even know, actually, if you follow the movies, that Sirius and Remus and James and Wormtail were all friends at school as children. I don’t even think they say…

Laura: Well…

Eric: …that in the PoA movie.

Laura: I think that was implied, because…

Eric: Well, maybe implied, but..

Laura: …in the Shrieking Shack scene though Sirius yelled at Peter that you should have died for your friends as they would have done for you.

Eric: Oh, one line. Whoop-dee-do. So now we get to have this really cool memory scene completely wasted.

Laura: Well, they established it.

Eric: Well, I know, I know. But it’s just, you know, that’s what Kevin was saying. It’s just they’re kind of putting things off. And things like the Fidelius Charm, you know, some of that stuff is not going to be in the movies and it‘s not going to make it there. And we’re going to end up seeing they have to change things…

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: …not just to fit time but to fit the previous movies.


Michael Gambon


Andrew: Michael Gambon, this is from one of the reviewers, Michael Gambon has calmed Dumbledore right down and it works. I’d go so far as to say it’s reminiscent of Richard Harris.

Eric: That made me…

Kevin: Yeah. [laughs]

Andrew: That makes me really excited. [laughs] Because, I mean, I really like angry Dumbledore, and I know we’ve had these discussions on the show already but it will be interesting to see how Michael Gambon can portray a calm Dumbledore and do it right.

Eric: I’m going to put myself out there and say that’s that most exciting thing I’m looking for.

Andrew: [laughs] I think I agree with you, actually.

Kevin: Yeah, yeah, definitely.

Laura: I don’t know, I think he’ll do a good job.

Eric: No, no, seriously. Not because like, it’s not like it’s a big deal. I mean we are getting to the point in the series where Dumbledore has to be powerful and strong and stuff, so… But it still will be nice if he can portray the, you know, the calmer side when he has to instead of being irate all the time. I mean, from what we hear the battle with Voldemort is freaking awesome. We actually haven’t heard anything…

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: …about the Wizengamot trial, and we’ve heard that the Ministry is really cool, but we haven’t heard anything about the Department of Mysteries. If they had the twelve-door room, if they had the brain room, the astronomy room, the big thing with the shell and the veil. We actually haven’t heard anything about that.

Laura: You know what? Eric, I’m putting, I’m just going to bet one this and say there is going to be a lot cut out of the Department of Mysteries. I don’t think that, I mean…

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: A lot to the rooms that they went into, especially like the planet room where Harry didn’t even go, that’s going to get cut, we’re not going to hear anything about that.

Eric: Well I think that is safe to say.

Laura: That’s automatically gone.

Kevin: But, I’m interested to see what they do put in. Because what they do put in is going to have to be either directly related to…

Eric: The future.

Kevin: …the plot, or directly related to the future plot.

Eric: Right, because J.K. does approve these things.

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: Right. So we may be be able to assert certain…

Andrew: [laughs] Assertions.

Eric: [laughs] Assert certain assertions.

Kevin: Assertions, yes.

Eric: Quiet, Toots

Laura: But, I mean, do you think – we’ll definitely see the Hall of Prophecy and of course we will see the Death Chamber, but do you think they are going to bother leaving in the Time Room or any of that?

Andrew: I don’t think – you see, the reason I think that these reviewers didn’t mention any of this because it’s not in there.

Laura: Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of.

Andrew: I think that would have been something to talk about. Either it is not in there or it’s not worth discussing.

Eric: Right. But there has to be a separate entity. It can’t just be the Ministry has a door in the lobby that goes into the Department of Prophecies – the Hall of Prophecy.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Do you know what I’m saying? Like, it has to be a separate…

Laura: I’m sure they’ll have all the doors and stuff, but we’re not going to see as much stuff as we did in the book.

Eric: But since there’s no hospital and no Neville’s parents, we should also infer that there’s no Arthur Weasley attack? Do you think? And then there’s no dream where Harry is the snake and there’s no… So, will they even separate the Department of Mysteries at all? Or will it just be like, “Welcome to the Ministry. To your right is the Hall of Prophecy where you can smash anything. Oh, by the way, hear the whole prophecy even if it wasn’t intended for you,” because, apparently, all the Death Eaters…”

Jamie: “Enjoy your stay.”

Eric: Yeah, “Enjoy your stay.”


The Prophecy


Laura: Yeah. Apparently, all of the kids hear the prophecy, don’t they?

Eric: Yeah. Uh-huh.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: And it’s changed! And it’s changed!

Jamie: Oh, that is ridiculous. That is absolutely outrageous.

Eric: It’s changed, it’s completely different.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah they like…

Kevin: Yeah, that… Oh1

Andrew: Wait, which one did they cut out? I forget now.

Eric: They cut out like the most important…

Andrew: They cut out the line in the prophecy. Yeah.

Jamie: Sorry. Are they all mad or something? That’s like cutting out…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: …something ridiculously big. It’s absolutely stupid.

Andrew: I just don’t understand why. They must have a really good reason.

Jamie: It’s like two seconds, as well. It’s two seconds that it takes.

Laura: And apparently they have Lucius drop the prophecy. Not Neville.

Andrew: Oh. What!?

Eric: Yeah, well…

Laura: Yeah, I read that.

Eric: …Lucius drops it and it smashes and everybody just listens. There must be a collective intake of breath as…

Andrew: See, Jason Isaacs is such a big fan. Why wouldn’t he protest that? Be like, “No I am not doing this.” [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Well, because he’s not in the sixth movie.

Laura: Well, if you think about it for one second, though…

Andrew: I was joking. [laughs] He’s an actor, that’s what he gets paid to do.

Laura: Well, I kind of – I mean, thinking about it, though, it kind of goes along with the plot that Voldemort is ticked off at Lucius in the sixth book.

Jamie: Yeah, it does. Yeah.

Andrew: Oh.

Laura: It gives more of a motivation if he is the one who broke it in the movie, I suppose.

Andrew: That’s true.

Laura: It makes more sense to people who haven’t read the books. Byt still…

Andrew: Yeah. I mean, that’s what they’re really doing it for. They’re doing it for the people who haven’t read the books. They have to gear towards people that way. I think.

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah, they do.


Snape


Eric: Well, they said also, moving on, Snape is not in this movie. Like, he’s in it but he’s not in it enough to appreciate. You know…

Andrew: But Snape’s worst memory is quote, “So perfect, the actors have nailed the performances. Alan Rickman is again great as Snape, but has so little screen time that it is hard to appreciate.”

Eric: Hard to appreciate, right.

Andrew: I can’t wait for that scene. That’s going to be so good. I love Alan Rickman!

Kevin: Yeah, me too.

Laura: That’s the one I am looking forward to most.

Eric: I am incredibly excited for that.


Draco


Eric: But at the same time also, Draco has about one line. He does the Umbridge thing…

Laura: What else is new? [laughs]

Eric: No, “what else is new” is exactly what I was pointing out, Laura. I mean, they have to change this. I mean, I understand…

Andrew: The problem I see with that…

Laura: They’re not going to.

Andrew: Go ahead, finish, Eric.

Eric: No, I mean for Book 6. I mean for Book 6.

Andrew: Exactly, yeah, that’s what I was going to say. The problem I see with that is that he plays such a big role in Book 6. He’s just going to come out of nowhere. He’s been sort of like…

Eric: Luckily, luckily…

Kevin: Yeah, in the shadows…

Eric: …even though he does play a big role in Book 6, this is kind of disappointing too, there might not be hope. Because even though Draco does play a big role in Book 6, he’s usually off sulking in a girl’s bathroom somewhere. And so, even though he’s a big character, Harry didn’t see him much at all, even in Book 6, besides being on the train, which is a great scene and I hope they keep it, where Harry’s spying on Draco and them. But later crying in the bathroom and then obviously the end where he is about to kill Dumbledore.


Back to Snape


Eric: But Snape, you know, Alan Rickman. I mean, he is constantly giving us this great performance consistently throughout each movie, but he is not in it long enough to really matter, so I really hope Movie 6 opens up with Snape, and I really hope they finally mend this because they kind of – if they continue to take out Alan Rickman even when…you know what I am saying, right?

Andrew: Yes. I do see what you are saying. You want to talk about a little casting right now? Since we’re sort of on the topic about characters.


Casting: Evanna Lynch


Andrew: One reviewer describes Evanna Lynch’s performance as, “The most perfect casting one could hope for. Her interaction with Harry and the others is straight out of the pages of the novel.” This really what we’ve been hearing since the beginning of her casting. And J.K. Rowling loved her and, you know, as I have met her, I can say that she is – she is great, she is really a great girl in general, but she is so perfect for the part. It’s really going to be great to see her in the film.


Casting: Imelda Staunton


Andrew: But, moving along. Imelda Staunton, as Umbridge, is described by another reviewer, “One of the most evil creations you will ever wish to see. Staunton has the mannerisms and the voice down to a tee. And I found myself feeling exactly how I felt whilst reading the book. A sense of sickening sweetness. To be blunt, you just want to slap the bleep, which is exactly how you should feel. Her detentions with Harry, which is, thankfully, are exactly like in the book are delightfully evil.” Now, that’s great. That’s another big part I am really looking forward to.

Laura: Yeah, I can’t wait to see Imelda Staunton. Ever since I saw her picture I thought she looked great.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: And I am really, really excited to see her.

Andrew: Yeah, and I don’t know if we’ve brought this up on the show before, but as the movie progresses, her outfit turns into a darker shade of pink. Or is it a lighter shade?

Laura: Does it?

Andrew: Yeah, she starts off in a light pink dress and with each scene, I think, it gets darker. It just progresses throughout the movie. It gets darker and darker.

Laura: Oh, that’s so cool.

Andrew: Yeah.


Plot Change: Cho Tattles on the D.A.


Andrew: Another big change: Jo is – Jo is the one who tattled on the D.A., not her friend and that’s the reason why her and Harry…

Eric: Cho.

Andrew: What did I say, Jo? [laughs]

Laura: Yes.

Kevin: Yeah.

Eric: Jo, Cho.

Andrew: Another big change. [laughs]

Eric: Jo Rowling just comes on the set.

Jamie: Jo, yeah.

Andrew: Another big change, Cho is the one who tattled on the D.A. not her friend and that’s the reason why her and Harry broke up. [laughs]

Jamie: But that’s so bad.

Andrew: Because Cho getting jealous, just falling apart thing like in the book, the scene with Rita Skeeter, wasn’t even in the movie. Rita Skeeter. That’s a shame because I like her, too.

Eric: But!

Andrew: I forget the actress who plays her.

Laura: Yeah, Miranda Richardson was very good.

Andrew: Yeah, Miranda Richardson.

Eric: But, but, but, even though Miranda Richardson was good… Sorry, mate.

Andrew: She wasn’t going to come back for the fifth film, anyway. She said that on the red carpet.

Eric: Oh, she said that already?

Andrew: She said she wanted to give someone else a chance. What? Forget her.

Jamie: Oh, I know. But shouldn’t we point out here that – sorry, I was going to say…

Andrew: The Cho thing.

Jamie: Well, yeah, yeah, the Cho thing. Ever since Cedric died she has been all for the battle against Voldemort: fighting for yourself, fighting against the Ministry if you have to, putting all your resources together and, you know…

Eric: Minor detail, Jamie.

Jamie: It’s like a personal fight. It’s like – no, no, no, no, it isn’t because she approves of what Harry does and that’s what the whole series is about, basically. That you fight for what’s right. You don’t fight for what’s easy. And with her tattling on the D.A., it just seems like she is completely against what she believes in in the book.

Kevin: Yeah, completely opposite.

Jamie: I mean, obviously it is a way of cutting out stuff and saving time and money, but it just seems that there are other things they can cut out without – and also, it is quite a big thing, and you can say that some relationships couldn’t recover from such a devastating blow.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: You know? So, even if we thought that they could get together, which obviously they won’t now because it’s Harry/Ginny, as everyone knows, you know? It’s still a thing.

Andrew: I think that was just a cheap way of…

Eric: It really is.

Andrew: …having Harry and Cho break up. Like it’s so…

Laura: You know what? It doesn’t bother me, though.

Andrew: Why?

Laura: Because in the book I felt like she – I don’t know. In the book I felt like she was just as bad by supporting her friend for doing it.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: And I think that this is a way to – It just seems like it’s another way to cut out a part of the plot that, honestly, isn’t going to have any bearing on what happens in the next two movies.

Andrew: That’s true. Yeah.

Laura: Because Cho’s character doesn’t play a big part. They might not even have her back in the sixth film, because you rarely saw her in the book. She and Harry didn’t even talk.

Andrew: Yeah. Well, yeah, it’s definitely a good way to cut down on time. But I just think it’s sort of a corny plot. That’s the reason that they break up. I mean, it make sense, I guess. No, it doesn’t make sense, because if Harry was really in love with her why would they break up just for tattling?

Eric: Well, from what we hear, the Room of Requirement isn’t exciting at all, anyway.

Laura: Well…if…

Andrew: It wasn’t just tattling, it was sort of big. [laughs] But, still…

Laura: Yeah, if someone ratted me out like that I would kick them to the curb like no other, so…

Andrew: Well, you need to sort out your priorities, Laura.

[Eric laughs]

Laura: Oh, I need to sort out my…

Andrew: Awkward.

Laura: Yeah. [laughs]

[Andrew laughs]


Movie Cuts: Rita Skeeter


Eric: Rita Skeeter… Rita Skeeter thing, just quickly. Rita Skeeter doesn’t really bother me because they didn’t really go into the Animagus, beetle-type Rita in Book 4. So they never established that, so through that they can’t established that Hermione kept her in a jar, or that Hermione has any kind of leverage over her, so it would actually be untrue to her character to actually give Harry an interview or anything. And not to mention, they don’t mention about the whole world being against Harry, either. So, that kind of all fits into a nice little package that they can just take out seamlessly, I think.

Laura: So, how are they suppose to, I don’t know. Without that article it just seems so…

Andrew: What article?

Laura: …difficult. Well, the whole article where…

Eric: Well, they have the educational decrees.

Andrew: Oh, you mean the one that – right.

Laura: That Rita wrote.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: But then, why will the whole – rhere’s going to be no unifying of the school on Harry’s side.

Eric: Oh, you know what, that’s true.

Laura: [laughs] Without the article it’s…

Eric: All of her decrees were just worded when Harry proved – or admitted to the world the entire story about what Umbridge was saying was a lie. What the Ministry was saying was a lie. In fact, we know there’s Ministry in here because there is the scene with Fudge and Shacklebolt, which according to one of the reviewers, is really good. So, there’s this whole Ministry thing and Ministry being against Harry and Dumbledore, but actually there’s no – now, I guess, I’m more bothered by it.


Complaining


Laura: We’re such complainers.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Yeah, we’re such whiners. I’m sorry.

Andrew: I can hear WB saying, [low mocking voice] “Well, we’ll just not give the movie to you at all.”

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: I still think it’s going to be really good.

Laura: [laughs] Yeah, I think so, too.

Andrew: You just got to forget about the book relations to enjoy these films. That’s all it comes down to. Really.


Favorite Movies


Laura: Yeah, I don’t have a problem with cuts that are necessary to be made. I think that, and I know that pretty much everyone here disagrees with me on this, but Prisoner of Azkaban was my favorite of all the movies so far.

Andrew: I don’t see why. [laughs]

Laura: Shut up. Because I felt like it captured the spirit of the story the most out of all the movies. It may not have stuck to every detail. There were certainly things in the movie I didn’t like, but I felt like out of all the films it really, really captured and encompassed what the story was about. And I think that’s what’s the most important thing to be focusing on.

Eric: Suicide.

Andrew: I really don’t – I really think Movie 1 captured the books the best because it was very magical and whimsical and a little Diagon Alley and Hogwarts.

Eric: Listen to this, listen to this, Andrew. It says – yeah, this says – along with what you were saying, I think it’s Zeenat’s review. No, hang on. It’s Triwizard’s review. He says, “As soon as the movie started, I realized that the magic was back.”

Andrew: I read that, yeah.

Eric: “To me it felt like the first two movies.”

Andrew: Oh.

Eric: “Remember the wonderment of seeing Harry and feeling what it would be like to fly on a broom, what the inside of Hogwarts looked like for the first time, all of that mystery was back when it came to the scenes in the Ministry and the Hall of Prophecy.” So, even though they might not have a lot of stuff, they treat it correctly, maybe?

Andrew: Maybe because it’s like new you’re seeing it for the first time in a movie format, so it’s like, “Wow! It’s real.”

Laura: Yeah.

Eric: But, no. Laura’s right. In addition to all of us disagreeing with her actually, Enyafreak does agree with her because at the end of EnyaFreak’s review they say that overall better than Goblet. “Order of the Phoenix was better than Goblet, slightly less good than Prisoner, but quite simply an amazing vision of the novel.” So, I guess their favorite is Prisoner as well. So, you have one person on your side Laura.

Andrew: [laughs] I’ve got a question for you guys. When you see the opening credits and you know you’re going through the clouds, like pretty much all the movies start out with, do you get that feeling of we’re back again? It’s another year?

Jamie: Yeah. It’s exciting.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Very exciting.

Laura: I get excited. Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah. Is that it? Anyone got anything else to discuss about the movie?

Laura: No. I think we pretty much…

Andrew: I mean I guess the last thing is…

Laura: Everyone…

Andrew: Huh?

Laura: Everyone seemed to like Helena Bonham Carter a lot.

Andrew: Yeah. That’s true.

Eric: And the big battle. The big battle seems cool. A lot of people said it was very true to the books, which is cool.

Kevin: And…

Laura: But, you know, another person said it was flat.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: I believe.

Andrew: I mean, honestly, we can’t really go off with their final reviews because everyone has their own different opinion on it. You know, even when the final movie comes out we’re going to be getting very contrasting reviews.

Kevin: And things could change. This is just – this is four months out. So…

Andrew: Yeah. Running time about two-and-a-half hours right now.

Eric: Which is…

Andrew: Why can’t they just go to three? I don’t understand!

[Laura laughs]

Eric: Well Andrew, it is still an amazing spectacle. Can you imagine we actually aren’t hearing that many bad things about this movie.

Andrew: No, we’re not. You’re right. You’re right.

Eric: 872 page book and they still made it a two and a half hour movie. This is the longest one. If they can do it with this movie, they can do it with the rest unless Book 7 is as long as I want it to be, which is like 900,000 pages.

Laura: We promise we won’t complain this much on this one.

[Kevin laughs]

Andrew: Yeah. Before we get the e-mails on us complaining, we’re not complaining. We’re just critiquing for the interest of our listeners.

Eric: Yeah. Once we get screencaps of these scenes that we’re hearing about, we will shut right up. I mean, it’s just that simple.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah. Yeah.

Eric: I will. I know I will.


Listener Rebuttal: Umbridge’s Hair


Andrew: Okay. Let’s move on to a couple more rebuttals now. This one concerns last week’s show. Caitlin, 20, of Ohio, she writes:

“Hey guys, love the show! During the discussion on Umbridge’s hair color Laura stated that she pictures her Umbridge as brown haired because, “That’s how it is in the books.” Well, I just wanted to point out that on page 642 of ‘Half-Blood Prince’, Umbridge is described as having “iron- colored curls.” This definitely rules her out as a brunette!”

I am not a girl…

Laura: I could have sworn, I could have sworn it said brown.

Jamie: Oooh.

Eric: Go ahead, swear. Go ahead and swear.

Laura: No. This – I am going to look this up right now because this is not right.

Andrew: I am not up on my…

Jamie: Laura, are you saying that you don’t trust a sort of trustworthy listener of the show to tell us the correct information?

Laura: [laughs] No. It’s not that. I think what happened was…

Jamie: Caitlin, you should feel sad. You should feel, you know…

Laura: No, I am not saying Caitlin is wrong. I’m saying that I think that after what happened with the centaurs her hair went gray.

Eric: Yeah. Yeah, out of fear because this listener states Half-Blood Prince, which is probably at Dumbledore’s funeral where she had iron-colored curls. So, her hair could have changed.

Andrew: Okay, I’m sorry. Hold on, hold up. I’m not a girl. I’m not up on my hair terms. Maybe Jamie or Eric or Kevin would be aware.

Jamie: Sorry?

Andrew: What are iron-colored curls?

Laura: It means grey!

Jamie: Curls that are iron-colored, Andrew.

Andrew: What is the color of iron?

Jamie: It’s not that difficult.

Andrew: Like silver?

Laura: Yeah, silvery-grey.

Jamie: Silvery-grey.

Andrew: Oh, I thought that sort of meant like, never mind.

Jamie: Like an iron that does clothes? Iron colored. [laughs]

Andrew: Yes. [laughs]

Laura: Shut up, Eric. I care.

Andrew: Yeah, remember that wonderful sale at Wal-Mart?

Laura: Order of the Phoenix, page 203.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: The red one.

Laura: “She looked, Harry thought, like somebody’s maiden aunt: squat, with short, curly mouse-brown hair, in which she had placed a horrible pink Alice band.”

Jamie: Okay, I take it back.

Laura: So, I think that…

Jamie: Caitlin, you liar.

[Andrew, Eric, Jamie, and Laura laugh]

Laura: No. No, I don’t think she’s wrong.

Jamie: No, I’m joking. Sorry.

Laura: I think that Umbridge’s hair went grey…

Andrew: You’re both right.

Laura: …after the centaur thing.

Andrew: You’re both right.

Laura: So, yeah. We’re both right.

Jamie: Everyone’s right. Everyone wins. Everyone wins on this show.

Andrew: Aw, I love when that happens. Yeah. [laughs] Except everyone who loses the competitions.

Jamie: Yeah. Then you don’t win.

Eric: Oh, there’s something we didn’t talk about, guys.

Andrew: What?


Firenze and the Weasley Twins


Eric: Firenze? Firenze – it was not mentioned that Firenze took over, but they do have Trelawney’s exit and the Weasley twins.

Andrew: Weasley twins what?

Eric: Exit. When they leave.

Andrew: Oh.

Eric: When they go bang and there’s fireworks over Umbridge’s head and stuff.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: But they probably still don’t have…

Jamie: Well perhaps – Ah! Well, perhaps those fireworks sort of ended up and all these sparks came down and took out the brownness of her hair and turned it iron-colored.

Laura: [laughs] Yeah.

Eric: Perhaps, Jamie. Perhaps, indeed.


Listener Rebuttal: Tiara and Ron’s Strength


Jamie: Right, okay. This is rebuttal number three from Janie, age it doesn’t say, location UK, subject tiara, episode third of the twelfth oh-six. I don’t know what that means.

Hi, MuggleCasters. Very late response but I’m listening to all past episodes at present. I’m not sure if this has been addressed but, in my opinion, the tiara that the voicemail caller was referring to was the one that Harry put on top of the bust in the Room of Requirement when he hid the Potions book and not Mrs. Weasley’s family heirloom. This was to help him find the book again if he needed to do so. Plus, I have to mention that Ron is not weak. In ‘Order of the Phoenix’ it is Ron who does most of the work. “Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm. Neville brought off a really nice little Impedimenta Jinx,” said Ron airily,” page 670 UK Edition. And later in the planet room Luna said,”Four of them chased us,” and that she was dealing with one Death Eater who was grabbing Ginny’s foot and that she “didn’t know what they had hit Ron with.” Therefore I take that to mean that Ron was fighting with the other three Death Eaters on his own. And also, Ron was fighting Death Eaters at the end of Book 6 and survived unscathed…

Wow, she’s written an essay.

…perhaps with the help of Felix Felicis. People seem to think that he is stupid, but he got 7 O.W.L.’s with the same grades…

Laura: You can skip some of it, her point is that…

Jamie: Oh, really?

…as Harry, apart from Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Laura: Yeah, just…

Jamie: Okay, this is – no, let me finish, let me finish.

Both he and Harry did minimal work compared with Hermione and both did really well, just think how well they could have done if they’d studied hard. He’s lazy at and uninterested in schoolwork, but he isn’t an idiot. Plus, it is Film Ron who is a coward; Book Ron is the first one to protect Harry and Hermione. Many examples: spewing up slugs for Hermione in ‘Chamber of Secrets,’ entering the Forest to confront his greatest fear to help Hermione in ‘Chamber of Secrets’…”

Oh, no, sorry, Prisoner of Azkaban.

…defending Hermione against Snape and getting a detention in ‘Prisoner of Azkaban’ and Harry against Seamus in ‘Order for the Phoenix,’ plus when there are only two Thestrals, it is Ron Harry…

Oh, god, I can’t even read this stuff. It’s, honestly, it’s like in short-hand.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: It’s actually – this is the hardest thing I’ve ever read in my life.

Andrew: Yeah, it is.

Jamie: It is Ron Harry chooses to accompany him to the Ministry of Magic.

I don’t understand what the means.

Sorry this is so long but it grinds my gears, Andrew, when I hear Ron being disregarded. Keep up the good work, love the show!

I agree. [takes a deep breath]

Andrew: [laughs] Great.

Eric: All right, Ron love, Ron love.

Andrew: What?

Jamie: Do you know, Janie, that was…

Laura: That’s mostly why I chose that, because you are so mean to Ron.

Jamie: But, Janie…

Andrew: Who, me? Who?

Laura: Yeah, you.

Andrew: How am I mean to Ron?

Laura: You call him weak.

Eric: You said he was kind of the comic relief, kind of not really worth anything, kind of not really…

Andrew: I said that like once.

Eric: Yeah, I know. But this fan faulted you for it.

Laura: Ummm…

Andrew: Sorry.

Jamie: But it is a fair point.

Laura: You should feel horrible.

Jamie: Ron is so close to Harry and Hermione that he’d do anything for them.

Eric: Yeah, it’s really interesting, too – especially to be J.K. Rowling, it must be very interesting – well, I guess for several reasons.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Eric: But it must be very interesting, but the fact that she’s not just writing about Harry’s life, kind of. I mean she is, but she’s also writing about Ron and Hermione’s life as well. I mean, it’s the course of how all the characters survive and live and grow over seven years, you know? I mean, so it’s not actually just Harry, necessarily. So you wonder if she feels strongly about Ron. And she felt strong enough about him to have him kind of sacrifice himself in the chess match in Book 1, you know, that that’s obviously a trait that she would like to either look back on or at least to have established to begin with. So, hopefully she hasn’t forgotten that courageous side of Ron, and we’ll be seeing a lot of stuff about him in the book, more, in Book 7. Or in the movies, at least.


Pokemon Comparisons


Andrew: Yeah. All right, well, everyone might remember that on episode 78 we got into a little Pokemon discussion. And unfortunately last week, I wasn’t on the show, so when I’m not on the show, apparently nothing gets done. We asked everyone to send in some Pokemon comparisons because, honestly, the Pokemon books basically mirror the Harry Potter series.

Jamie: All Harry Potter. It’s…

Andrew: And you don’t believe me? Well, we have some emails now to prove you all wrong. The first one comes from Ginger, 19 of Houston, Texas. She writes:

Pokemon, anyone? The flute Harry, Ron, and Hermione use to put Fluffy to sleep in Sorcerer’s Stone is without a doubt the whittled, wooden, instrumental form of Jigglypuff. And just for the sake of keeping things original, love the show, keep up the great work.

[Jamie sings the Jigglypuff song]

Andrew: Good point, Ginger.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: That’s very good, Jamie.

Jamie: Thank you very much and it also could relate to – it doesn’t really have anything to do with sleep – but in Pokemon: The Movie 2000 which is the story of the Pokemon Lugia…

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: …who is the God of the Sea, and the Prophecy…

Laura: Are you telling me that you actually saw this Jamie?

Jamie: I own this on DVD, Laura.  I got it for like 2 pounds.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: And it’s awesome. There’s like a Prophecy, in which when this girl plays this flute and they have these stones set in this thing, then this Beast of the Sea, Lugia, will arise and bring balance to the three legendary birds who are…

Andrew: Really?

Jamie: Yeah, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres…

Eric: Zapdos!

Jamie: Zapdos. But a bit interesting trivia here, they’re called the three legendary birds, yeah? And if you take the last bit of each of their names, Artic-uno, Zap-dos, Mol-tres, in Spanish…Uno…Dos…Tres.

Andrew: Oooh…

Eric: Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh!

Andrew: Catorce! Nice.

Jamie: Yeah, so, apart from, yes, so this flute thing, is it an extremely important thing.  The Prophecy, one more link – Prophecy.  Yeah, excellent email. I like it very much. 

Andrew: Alright, we got another one here, Ashley, Katherine, and Karen, 14 of Tallahassee, Florida.  They write:

First off, we wanted to say how we LOVE the show and how we were very excited to here about the idea about Harry Potter being compared to Pokemon.  Right away we began thinking and this is what we came up with… Pikachu’s tail is a lightening bolt, much like the scar Harry has on his forehead…

Jamie: Ah, nice…

Andrew: Hoot-Hoot resembles Hedwig since it is an owl, James a member of Team Rocket has the same name as Harry’s dad, Ash, Brock and Misty are like the famous trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione in the ‘Harry Potter’ series.

That’s a big one we got from a lot of people.

The Pokemon Fearow can be portrayed as Fawkes, Arbok is a large snake-like Pokemon that looks like the basilisk and lastly Harry Potter is mainly focused on magical powers.  Pokemon also posses magical powers for defense, etc. Hope you thought our comparisons are worth while.  We love Eric’s Pokemon singing skills, Andrew is a superfly rapper, and Jamie owns all.

[laughs]

Love Ashley, Kathryn, and Karen.

And Laura is…

Eric: Okay, but just quickly, Jamie, Team Rockets motto, their chant? Their surrender now, or…

Andrew: Or prepare to fight…

Jamie: They’ll be double, yeah…

Eric: To make it double…

Jamie: No, no, no.  To rid the world of devastation…

Eric: Devastation…

Jamie: Something, something…

Eric: To predict…

Jamie: To predict something…

Eric: To predict all… Or something within our nation.

Andrew: I used to know that, yeah…

Jamie: Jesse, James…

[Eric laughs]

Eric: Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light…

Jamie: She said it normally and then…

Andrew: Surrender now and prepare to fight…

Jamie: …he came in with his ‘James’…

Eric: Meowwwwth!

Andrew: By the way…

Eric: That’s right!

Andrew: By the way, the song version of that? Excellent.

Eric: Oh really?

Andrew:  That’s going to be at the end of today’s show.

Eric: Yes!

Andrew: The Team Rocket song. That will be at the end of today’s show.

Eric: All right.

Dear, MuggleCast…

Wait, this is from Cara Cunningham, age 16 from Georgia. Subject: Pokemon references. They heard of us from the MuggleNet main page…

Andrew: [laughs] Okay, come on.

[Everyone laugh]

Eric: Dear MuggleCast, my sister Anna and I came up with an even dozen different connections Pokemon and Harry Potter. Get to the end for an interesting surprise.  First both Ash and Harry have black hair and about the same style. Also the first vowel in both “Harry” and “Ash” is the letter “A” and there are two syllables in both “Potter” and “Ketchem”.  Second, Pokemon and Harry Potter both have trios consisting of two boys and one girl.

Which is true, even after Brock leaves, that other guy, that artist guy comes up. So…

Third, both Ash and Harry have to call out the name of an attack in order to use it. 

I thought that was cool. Fourth, both Brock and Ron come from large families.

Interesting.  Fifth, there is a Gandalf-type character in both – Dumbledore in Harry Potter and Professor Oak in Pokemon.

[imitating Professor Oak] Oooh! I’m Professor Oak!

Sixth, neither Harry nor Ash have siblings.  Seventh, both Ash and Harry are brave. Eighth, the Triwizard Tournament was comparable to the Pokemon World Championships.

Which is true…

Jamie: Not really, but okay.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Yeah, yeah. Okay. One of the competitions they were in.

Ninth, both Harry and Ash have a rival: Draco for Harry and Gary for Ash. Tenth…

Andrew: Now, that’s good.

Eric: No, this is good. This is probably, personally, my favorite.

Tenth, you could call Mr. Mime “Ash’s mom’s house elf.”

Jamie: [imitating Mime] Mime, mime, mime.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Mime! Mr. Mime!

Jamie: [imitating Mime] Mr. Mime!

Eric: Jamie beats me on that one people.

Andrew: Yeah, I used to do that all the time.

Eric: I admit it.

Eleventh, ‘Harry Potter’ has dragons while Pokemon has Pokemon like Charizard and Dragonite.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: They also have what was that ancient fossil Kabuto, Kabutops? I thought…

Andrew: Yeah… Something like that.

Jamie: Kabuto, yeah.

Eric: Wasn’t it…what was the…I guess it was… What was the dragon that came out of the cave?

Andrew: I don’t know.

Jamie: Dragonite, Dragonaire and Dragini were the three…

Andrew: Oh yeah. Yeah, those guys.

Jamie: Yeah

Eric:Twelve, Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket, is like Voldemort.

That kind of is cool.

Andrew: Sort of. Yeah.

Eric: Yeah, sort of. Yeah.

So, now for the surprise. I read on Wikipedia that Giovanni dies protecting his son from a fire. Now, if Voldemort really did accidentally have a son whom he most likely didn’t know about. And since Pokemon is so obviously going to be the key to the end of ‘Harry Potter,’ then it could be that Voldemort dies protecting his son or daughter.

Jamie: Yep, that’s it. We’ve solved it.

Eric: Of course this would mean that Harry Potter doesn’t kill Voldemort…

Andrew: Good point.

Eric: It would therefore undermine the entire Harry Potter series. So by insisting that ‘Harry Potter’ draws its references from Pokemon, you are undermining ‘Harry Potter.’

Jamie: Yeah, that’s absolutely correct.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Well, well… I… Yeah. Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah. And our last email today comes from Elizabeth, 16 of Wisconsin, she writes:

I’ve been thinking about Pokemon/Harry Potter parallels ever since you mentioned it a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve decided that the Pokemon Psyduck is scarily…

Jamie: He was awesome.

Andrew: …like Professor Trelawney. As you may know, Psyduck is viewed as a useless Pokemon that has no real attacks…

Jamie: [imitating Psyduck] Psy. Psy.

Andrew: …and runs around crazily instead of battling other Pokemon. Similarly, Professor Trelawney is considered a fraud and mostly makes random predictions that don’t come true or have any consequence. However, every once in awhile, Psyduck surprises everyone with a huge burst of power. This is just like the times when Professor Trelawney is “possessed” and actually makes a significant prediction.

That’s a really good one. I really like that.

Jamie: Absolutely. That’s really good, yeah.

Andrew: Good thinking, Elizabeth. She goes on to say: I’m looking forward to hearing more on this topic on future episodes. Love the show!

Andrew: I think we struck a good new segment on the show. With Pokemon Comparisons.

Eric: Pokemon Connections.

Andrew: Keep them coming: mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com.

Eric: What I don’t want to hear, though, is that Wormtail was lowering baby Tokepi into the cauldron…

Andrew: [laughing] Yeah.

Eric: …to make Voldemort. I don’t want to hear that one. I already thought of it. It’s mine, I’m claiming it now.

Jamie: [imitating Tokepi] Toki – Toki…

Eric: [imitating Tokepi] Toki – Toki – Tokepi!


Show Close


Andrew: I do believe that wraps up today’s show. I just want to remind everyone now about our contact information. Of course you can send parcel mail to the MuggleCast PO Box, located at:

PO Box 223
Moundridge, KS

67107

Also call on a question or comment for the show. Just dial, in the United States, 1-218-20-MAGIC. If you’re in the United Kingdom, you can dial 020-8144-0677. If you’re in Australia, you can dial 02-8003-5668. Just remember, keep your questions to about a minute. And we’ll get to some more voicemails within the next few weeks. You can also Skype the user name MuggleCast to leave a voicemail message as well.

[Show music begins playing]

Just remember to eliminate as much background noise as possible. You can also contact any one of us on the MuggleCast website. Just go to MuggleCast.com and click on Contact at the top for a handy Feedback Form. And you can email all of us at our first name at staff dot mugglenet dot com. That includes me at toots at staff dot mugglenet dot com…

Jamie: Oh no!

Andrew: And Jamie, just one final reminder. I want to let everyone know that it won’t be a normal show next week, because it’s going to be an out of the ordinary show next week. It’s going to be extraordinary.

Jamie: It will. I can’t wait.

Andrew: Yeah. We’re going to be doing a live Podcast in England next week, sponsored by Alivan’s. Also remember all of our community outlets. There’s the MySpace, the Facebook, YouTube, Frappr, Last.FM, and of course the Fanlisting and the Forums over at MuggleCastFan.net. You can also dig the show over at Digg.com/podcast. And you can vote, once a month, for us at Podcast Alley. And review us on Yahoo! Podcasts. See, ladies and gentlemen, by digging us, voting for us on Podcast Alley, reviewing us at Yahoo! Podcast, reviewing us at iTunes, and joining our MySpace and Facebook, it helps us grow. And we want to grow. And you guys can help us grow by doing all of that. So, we appreciate it very much. So with that, I am Toots.

Eric: And…

Jamie: And we’ll see you next week, because we’re not saying our names.

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: Bye, everybody.

Kevin: See you later.

Jamie: Bye, everybody.

[Show music ends]


Bloopers


Micah: Thanks, Toots. Oh, he better have a good explanation for that.


Laura: How about from now on we just randomly call you every – like we call you a name of a random radio personality. Like right now, I’ll go ahead and call you Rush Limbaugh. How do you like that?

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: I’ll call her Howard.

Jamie: See, Andrew? You see how these ideas can backfire on you so quickly when you don’t think them through?


Jamie: So, I was just going to say that the reason I haven’t been speaking much is that I’m trying to order a kebab and pizza with my housemate. So…

Andrew: Oh, okay.

Jamie: It’s a very, like, complicated process. So…

[Andrew laughs]

Andrew: Okay.

Eric: Which? The kebabs or the pizza?

Jamie: Well, both. They’re pretty complicated. We couldn’t decide whether to get a pizza or a kebab. And then we couldn’t decide which kebab to get. And then we couldn’t decide which place to order it from, because all of these places try to outdo with…

Andrew: Oh, man.

Jamie: Free garlic bread or free delivery and stuff like that. So, you need like a degree just to decide what you wanted. So, but yeah. It’s extremely exciting. The 30 minute wait until it arrives is one of the most exciting times of my life.

Andrew: Are you back now? Are you guys all done and decided.

Jamie: No, no. I’ve still got to order it. No…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: No, you see, I have to order it now. We’ve decided. Now, I just have to order it.

Andrew: Okay.

Jamie: So, I’ll be back in about five minutes, extremely excited.

Andrew: Okay. Ummm, what was I going to say?

———————–

Written by: Micah, Allison, Amanda, Briana, Cindy, Eloise, Jessica, Laura, Leah, Mandie, Margaret, Matt, Megan, Shannon, Shelly, and Tina

Transcript #79

MuggleCast 79 Transcript


Show Intro


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[Intro music plays]

Andrew: Because your two favorite co-hosts are not on the show this week – you can guess who – this is MuggleCast Episode 79 for March 4th, 2007.

[Music continues to play]

Laura: So, hey, did you guys hear that Michael Gambon is having a baby?

Ben: So he’s pregnant?

Laura: [laughs] Yeah, sure, Ben.

[Ben and Laura laugh]

Micah: Awww. Congratulations, Laura.

Laura: [laughs] Hey!

Ben: [laughs] Ohhh.

[Eric laughs]

Laura: [laughs] Uhh…

Ben: Laura and Dumbledore, whoo!

Laura: I hate you.

[Eric laughs]

Laura: No, I read on IMDB that he – his like 40 year old girlfriend is having a baby in May.

Ben: But what’s up with Michael Gambon, lately? He’s been saying some pretty, uh – some pretty crazy things. Did you hear what he said about Dan in Equus?

[Eric and Laura laugh]

Laura: Or more importantly about…

Eric: He’s said…

Laura: …something of Dan’s.

[Ben and Laura laugh]

Ben: Yeah. He said – here’s the exact quote. “He’s growing up. He’s a proper theater actor now. He’s naked in this thing, so all the girls will go out and see it. I’d be frightened running around the stage with nothing on at all. When you stop running, one thing keeps moving. I bet he didn’t think of that.”

[Ben, Eric, and Laura laugh]

Ben: Jeez.

Eric: I can’t – I don’t believe this guy!

Laura: No, I love Michael Gambon. I think he’s funny. I like him a lot.

Ben: [laughs] Yeah.

Laura: He’s very upfront and honest, and I think that’s cool.

Eric: He did so well to be such a kind, gentle father figure, especially in Goblet of Fire, that I think he should have a kid. Yes, that will be very lovely…

Ben: Yeah. [laughs]

Eric: Because he’s such a calm and kind old, old man. You just…

Ben: Yeah.

Eric: …he is not the kind of guy you imagine would just punch your face in, or something, but…

Ben: Yeah.

Laura: Now wait a second, Eric. Are you telling me that your parents didn’t throw you into the trophy case? Because mine always did.

[Everyone laughs]

Micah: Well, that actually explains a lot.

Ben: Okay, [laughs] welcome back to the show everybody. I’m Ben Schoen.

Eric: I am Eric Scull.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Micah: I’m Micah Tannenbaum.

Ben: And joining us this week, he’s a wizard rock all-star. We’re very, very lucky to have him here: Alex Carpenter from The Remus Lupins. Say, “Hi,” Alex…

Alex: Hey, what’s up?

Ben: [laughs] Yeah. Now, Alex, this is probably the number one question you get asked, but I want you to explain once and for all on our podcast…

Alex: Why do you love Ben Schoen? I know. I get it a lot…

Ben: Well, no, besides that one – I think the answer is pretty obvious, good looks, the charm.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: We don’t need to continue – we’ll stop – we’ll just stop there. [laughs]

Alex: What’s the question, Ben?

Laura: Yes, please.

Eric: Are we talking about the same Ben Schoen? What?

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Oh, shut up. Shut up.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: No, I’m just joking. So, Alex, why are you called The Remus Lupins? Why is it plural? The Remus Lupins. I mean, there is only one of you, right?

Alex: Because Remus Lupin is a bad name for a band, so I made it The Remus Lupins. No, I just like bands that are called “The Somethings,” so I decided to make fun of that by taking a singular character and making it plural. If I’d known…

Ben: So what are…

Alex: …I’d get this many questions about it, I wouldn’t have done it.

Ben: You wouldn’t have done it.

[Alex, Ben, and Eric laugh]

Ben: Well, that’s awesome. So, you’re on tour – you just got back from being on tour, right?

Alex: Yeah. I was just out on a week-long tour of the northeast, which was a lot of fun. I got back and immediately started planning my summer tour. So, I got tour on the brain, it’s exciting.

Ben: Hmmm. Yeah, I just kind of pulled Alex in here at the last second because you know Jamie, guys, he – he bailed on you. He didn’t have time for us this week, so…

Eric: Oh, that’s okay.

Ben: …Alex gracefully stepped in.

Alex: Well, since Jamie and I are basically the same person, anyway. So, I mean.

Ben: Yeah, I mean, practically…

[Eric laughs]

Ben: You’re British and…

Alex: Exactly.

Ben: And – yeah. [laughs]

Alex: He’s better at badminton than I am, but…

Ben: [laughs] Yeah.

[Music continues to play]


News


Ben: Without further ado, let’s go to Micah Tannenbaum for a look at this past week’s news stories.

Micah: A new report by Variety discusses what is expected to be the biggest summer in film history. Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, Warner Bros’ international prexy of distribution, talked about Order of the Phoenix, just one of the major flicks coming out this summer. She said:

“The opening date is not an obvious choice on the domestic side, but it really does put our best foot forward internationally. With ‘Harry Potter,’ we’re going day and date everywhere except in the Middle East and a few minor markets, because most are going to be in holidays at that point.”

With so many tentpoles, the battle for screens will be intense. She went on to say, “We’ll have between 6,000 and 7,000 on ‘Ocean’s’ and over 10,000 on ‘Harry’ but that’s going to be a challenge because there are so many incredible films coming.”

In other Harry Potter film news, Dame Maggie Smith, who plays Professor McGonagall, mentioned her return to West End stage in an interview, and also how the first Potter film is her favorite.

Daniel Radcliffe has signed on for the last two Potter films. A publicist for the Harry Potter actor has confirmed that he will reprise his role in both Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows. He is set to begin shooting Movie 6 in September. There is currently no word on whether Rupert Grint or Emma Watson will return for the last two films, but Rupert has already expressed a desire to do so.

March 1st was World Book Day, and a poll has been conducted to find the ten books readers can’t live without. Harry Potter made the fourth spot on the list, with 12% of the vote. The top three include Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen,Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien, and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

Equus opened earlier this week in London, where it was greeted with enormous enthusiasm and praise. Daniel Radcliffe in particular received a standing ovation at the end of the performance, and many celebrity guests commented positively on his role.

Finally, the Scottish Medicines Consortium will deny patients of a drug which combats an aggressive form of Multiple Sclerosis, ahead of a debate on the drug. The reason being that it’s too costly – £15,000 sterling a year per patient. The decision also means doctors must apply to the health board in each individual case for funding of the drug. Well, what does this have to do with Harry Potter? Jo Rowling, who lost her mother to the disease and is the patron of the MS Society of Scotland, has condemned the SMC’s decision. She said, “I know from personal experience that MS can have a devastating effect on everyone who comes in contact with it. My mother suffered terribly with MS and it was so frustrating that there was little or nothing doctors could do to help her.

“If a drug can help tackle MS – particularly the very aggressive type of relapsing MS we are talking about – it should not be ruled out because of cost alone.”

“Once again, decisions about treatment are being made by accountants rather than clinicians. I hope MSPs will speak up on behalf of the thousands of families affected by MS across Scotland.”

That’s all the news for this March 4th, 2007 edition of MuggleCast, back to the show.


New OOTP Photos


Ben: Thanks for that, Micah. So, before we – [laughs] so, before we move onto our announcements, there are a few things, new things we saw this week that Micah mentioned in his news. Like some new pics of Wormtail, the Thestrals, Grawp, and Harry in Umbridge’s class. Now, what did you guys think of the Thestrals? Were they what you imagined in – originally, what you envisioned?

Laura: No. To be perfectly honest, they weren’t. I always imagined them to be a lot darker and more skeletal-like. I almost sort of imagined that their ribcage was clearly visible and that wasn’t really what I saw in that picture. It was a lot different.

Eric: Wait a minute, Laura. Are we – have we seen the same pictures? Because I saw something that looked pretty much like a dragon, with like a really large ribcage.

Laura: Well, yeah, it looked like it – I don’t know. It looked, I thought too…

Eric: It was like an ostrich, like, bird-like.

Laura: Yeah, I thought it looked too reptilian.

Ben: I don’t know – I don’t know if we got a good enough look at it, because, you know, it’s a pretty small picture, so…

Laura: Yeah, I know. But…

Eric: It’s all these pictures that – what exactly, do we know what’s going on with that, as far as HarryLatino and DanLatino? Has Warner Brothers not put an end to their constant release of these low quality images? I mean, if…

Ben: Well, I don’t know what’s going on. I think – I think maybe they stole a copy of HP Scene-It off the back of a truck in – in Latin America, [laughs] I guess.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: In Mexico.

Eric: [laughs] In Mexico.

Ben: I mean, I don’t know how else they’re getting all these pictures, but…

Eric: And, and, and Warner Brothers usually like – sometimes, when smaller quality images are released, they’ll be like, “Okay, you know, we give. You caught us.” And then they’ll give us the high qualities, but we’ve only – we don’t have that many high qualities so far, but yet we keep seeing these, these scenes that are – of even – you know, even the new one of Tonks and it’s just, I’m waiting for a…

Ben: Right.

Eric: …for a high-res, you know? Because it’s just – and without ads.

Ben: Well, they’re not going to do that with everything.

Micah: Where do these Thestrals pictures come from, though? Because they look cartoonish, in a way.

Ben: Yeah, that – that’s – I don’t know. That’s interesting.

Micah: The same thing with Grawp; it was more cartoonish than things that we’ve seen in the past.

Laura: Almost like a concept picture?

Micah: Right, right.

Ben: Right, almost like a – yeah, a concept picture. Good name for it. [laughs] Now, did you guys see the Harry and the Weasley twins, and Umbridge? I mean, they can definitely tell that’s authentic.

Laura: Yeah.

Micah: Yeah.

Ben: What do you think? I think Imelda Staunton is going to be great. I mean…

Laura: Oh, I think so, too.

Eric: I can’t wait to see it.

Ben: She just has the look. She has the look, I think.

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: I think she definitely…

Ben: Like, when I…

Laura: …has it down.

Ben: When I used to think of Umbridge, I kind of used to think of Professor Sprout, for some reason, like that look…

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: …of the person in the movie, that’s what I used to think of, except like a mean version.

Eric: Yeah.

Ben: And I think Imelda is going to do really well. Alex, have you seen the photos?

Alex: I haven’t. I was actually just trying to find them right now because I felt bad…

Ben: Awww. [laughs]

Alex: …but I’m sure they’re awesome.

Ben: [laughs] You’re sure they’re awesome.

Alex: The Thestrals look a little conceptual, but I like the Umbridge look. She’s really got it down.

Ben: Yeah, I agree.

Alex: Nothing? Okay.

[Ben laughs]

Micah: Young, Wormtail looks good, too. I think that picture is really good.

Eric: Yeah, yeah. Micah, did you – uh, did your Umbridge have white hair? Did anybody’s Umbridge have white hair?

Laura: No.

Ben: Mine didn’t. Mine had darker hair.

Laura: Because in the book it said she had brown hair. So…

Eric: Oh.

Laura: …my Umbridge has brown hair.

Eric: Well, I’m a rebel of the books. [laughs]

Laura: Yeah. [laughs]

Eric: I read and I say, “That isn’t really how it is. She’s just fooling.”

Ben: But, as Micah said, the young Peter Pettigrew looks really good, too.

Eric: I don’t know, do you like that?

Ben: I mean – yeah. I think this is definitely a picture from HP Scene-It. The way [laughs] – the way that thing looks. But, yeah, I think it looks exactly – it looks, you know, the resemblance between young Peter and, you know, Timothy Spall is pretty much uncanny. It looks really, really good.

Laura: Yeah, I think it looks really good, but I’ve never been a fan of the way that they did Wormtail in the movies. I thought that while, yes, in the books it did say that he had some rat-like features, they practically made him…

Eric: They completely overemphasized.

Laura: …look like an overgrown rat. And that’s one thing…

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: …that I didn’t like about it.

Ben: Well, they kind of do that with everybody, though. You know what I mean?

Laura: Yeah, I know.

Ben: Like, with Voldemort. With Voldemort, they kind of took…

Laura: The snake thing.

Ben: …the snake imagery type thing to the max, so it seems like they did it with more than just Wormtail, but I think the Harry Potter movies have some of the best actors and actresses; there’s no denying that. Particularly the adults.

Laura: Mhm.

Ben: And the kids have really progressed, also.


Jo Sues eBay


Ben: Now in news besides the movie, J.K. Rowling – you know, her battle with eBay – continues, and she sued them. She sued them.

Laura: Good for her.

Eric: She did.

Ben: Good for – [laughs] Now is there anything to talk about here? About her suing eBay?

Eric: Well, what do you guys think about illegal copies on eBay? And how she’s standing up for it, and they don’t really – What does that mean for eBay? Does that mean you can never get a Harry Potter book on eBay? Or…

Micah: Well, what constitutes illegal copies of her books? That’s what I want to know.

Ben: Right. To me, it’s either an e-book, because those have never been officially released, or it’s that or I think it’s a fake signed copy. And I think that’s why a lot of celebrities aren’t apt to sign autographs anymore, because they’ll have someone who comes in and says – who gets an autographed copy, and then they sell it. They turn around and sell it, you know? And that’s why a lot of times they actually require personalization. Because if they don’t, then someone’s going to try to make a quick buck off of it. And that’s something Jo battles, too.

Alex: You just have them make it out to eBay. Just cut through the middleman.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Yeah, “Dear eBay.”

[Eric laughs]

Alex: “Dear eBay…”


Jo Speaks Out on Multiple Sclerosis


Ben: Yeah [laughs]. Yeah, in other news, J.K. Rowling also spoke out about Multiple Sclerosis, because there was a drug that’s really costly. And it’s about $30,000 a year…

Laura: 15,000.

Ben: …per patient. That’s £15,000, so…

Laura: Well…

Eric: Yeah.

Ben: …$30,000 or so a year per patient, and I guess they said that it can’t be sold anymore. Is this right?

Laura: I don’t think it ever was sold, at least not widely.

Ben: Well, I mean, I guess it won’t be given to patients anymore.

Laura: Yeah.

Micah: Right.

Ben: Despite its effect on MS, or anything like that, it’s just – because it’s so expensive.

Micah: Well…

Ben: I bet they have universal health care over there. That’s what the problem is.

Laura: What they’re going to have to do is appeal to whoever – I’m not sure who you have to appeal to, but doctors will have to…

Micah: They have to appeal to a health board.

Laura: Yeah, for specific cases, so not everybody who is going to need it is going to get it.

Ben: Yeah. And JK – and Jo said that, “I know from personal experience that MS can have a devastating effect on everyone who comes into contact with it. My mother suffered terribly with MS and it was so frustrating that there was little or nothing doctors could do to help her.

“If a drug can help tackle MS – particularly the very aggressive type of relapsing MS we are talking about – it should not be ruled out because of cost alone. Once again, decisions about treatment are being made by accountants rather than clinicians, and I hope MSPs will speak up on behalf of the thousands of families affected by MS across Scotland.”

Well said. I mean, personally, I’ve seen the effects of this disease, and it’s someone that’s sort of close to me. My high school History teacher – he has MS, and it’s just weird to see how much he’s deteriorated over the past few years. You know…

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: …and I mean, Jo has a – she likes to speak out for worthy causes, so I agree with her here. And particularly something that’s really close to her, like her mother having it, you know?

Eric: Yeah.

Ben: Hopefully she can have some impact down in Scotland. Because, you know, that’s really not fair; it’s just money. Well, that wraps up our news discussion.


Announcements


Ben: Now, we have some announcements this week. First of all, quickly, vote for us on Podcast Alley. We want to be number one. It’s always fun.

Micah: New month.

Ben: New month. Yeah, that’s right. It is a new month. It’s March now. So go ahead and vote for us on Podcast Alley. Now, also coming up in March – you know how we wrote that book? Mugglenet.Com’s What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7: Who Lives, Who Dies, and How the Adventure Will Finally End.

Eric and

Laura:

Who falls in love!

Ben: Sorry, sorry. That’s in there, too. “Who Falls in Love” is also in there, so don’t forget. We already did a few events. We did two in the Chicago area – actually, there have been three in the Chicago area, and we have more coming up. And so I have a few dates for you. For those of you near Woodmere, Ohio, Emerson and I will be there on Monday, March 12th. We don’t have a specific time yet, but if you call that store they will have a time very soon. For those of you near Exton, Pennsylvania on Wednesday, March 14th, we will be having an event there, so come out. We’ll – there’ll be MuggleNet stickers. That’s a promise. Everyone gets a MuggleNet sticker, and we’ll be giving away some free t-shirts, things like that. And, finally, on Saturday, March 17th, at Carle Place, New York. I believe that’s on Long Island. Micah, is that near you?

Micah: Yeah, it is.

Ben: How close is that to you?

Micah: Not too far, why? Who’s going to be there? Are you going to be there?

Ben: Yeah, we’re going to be there. Emerson and I…

Laura: Oh, well, then…

Ben: …are going to be there.

Laura: …Micah’s not going to go.

[Micah laughs]

Ben: Micah, you’re welcome to come out, man.

Micah: Yeah, sure. No, I’ll be there.

Ben: That would be great. Yeah, then we can go mess around in the city, or something, afterwards. But, anyways – yeah, so there’s three events that are confirmed at this time. We have two more. There’s going to be one in the Chicago area, or probably in the Chicago area, or Detroit, or somewhere in Ohio. We haven’t decided the locations, it’s all being worked out, so check back next week. Or check the websites sometime this week, because we’re going to be officially announcing dates. And then sometime between Ohio – excuse me. Sometime between the Pennsylvania event on the 14th, and the event in New York City on the 17th, there will be another event, probably in the Boston area, so keep your eye out on MuggleNet.com for an announcement regarding events. So, yeah, it’s going to be fun…

Eric: You guys came in number four, didn’t you? Yeah, on the New York Times.

Ben: Yeah, number four in the New York Times best seller list. So, it’s all because of you. [Whispers] All of you.

Alex: Wait, what? Number four – really?

Ben: Yeah.

Alex: Wow.

Ben: On the children’s best seller list.

Alex: Oh, okay. Children’s. Okay. Sorry. I’m surprised you…

Ben: Oh, now he’s disappointed.

Alex: I’m surprised that…

Eric: Oh! Oh!

Alex: …you haven’t bragged to me about that, yet.

Ben: Well – well, tell me, Alex. Where’s your album on the Billboard top 100?

Alex: On the Wizard Rock Billboard Charts?

Ben: Yeah, is it number one? That’s what I heard.

Alex: [laughs] Probably not.

Ben: Is it still called – is the one called Confessions from a Broken Wand?

Alex: It’s Spells From a Broken Wand, but close, yeah.

Ben: Oh, sorry.

[Eric, Alex, Ben and Micah laugh]

Alex: No, I’m not trying to up you, man. I’m not trying to outsell you.

Ben: Hey, yeah, speaking of which, go to Myspace.com/TheRemusLupins, is that right?

Alex: Yeah, it’s even easier. You can go to FightEvilReadBooks.com. It’ll direct you.

Ben: FightEvilReadBooks.com.

Eric: That’s such a good, you know, domain name to have.

Ben: So, go out and purchase Alex’s album, if you haven’t already. We want to support the guy; he’s a good wizard rocker, so go out and purchase Alex’s album. Also, another announcement we have. We have a project coming up soon; I’m just going to tease you about this. It’s for the fans. It’s going to be awesome. There’s some exclusive content involved, maybe some merchandise-type thing, so keep your eye out for that. It’s coming in the next few weeks. You’re going to love it. Finally…


Andrew and Jamie Announce Next Live Podcast


Andrew: Jamie and I have interrupted the show for a special…

Jamie: News bulletin.

Andrew: …announcement.

Jamie: No, a new bulletin. Because you have to say that, because, in America, they always say, “We interrupt this program for a special news bulletin.”

Andrew: No, you’re wrong. You’re wrong.

Jamie: No, no.

Andrew: They say either “Breaking news” or “Newsflash.”

Jamie: Well, I’m sorry, Andrew.

Andrew: We don’t use that silly word “bulletin.” That’s only on MySpace.

Jamie: Well, I’m sorry, Andrew, but I’ve seen Dexter’s Lab, and it says it all the time on their TV, so you’re wrong.

Andrew: Well, “Dexter’s Lab” is from the ’90s.

Jamie: Really?

Andrew: And we’re in the twentieth – 21st Century, so. Come on.

Jamie: Okay, sorry.

Andrew: Anyway, Jamie, we have a big announcement about England.

Jamie: A huge announcement. Yes. [pauses] Shall I do it? [laughs]

Andrew: Tell us more! [laughs]

Jamie: Well, I thought that pretty much summed it up, but…

Andrew: Yeah, that’s it.

Jamie: … with a couple more details, maybe.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Just a few. Okay.

Andrew: Well, a couple of weeks ago, we asked people to send in their RSVPs if they’d be interested in coming to some sort of meet-up in London on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th, and we got a lot of requests.

Jamie: Yep.

Andrew: Got a lot of RSVPs, and we’ve been looking into some details. We’ve been working on something, and we have a fun thing.

Jamie: We do. Well, first of all, we were thinking of having just a casual, you know, park meet-up, get some food, blah, blah, blah. But then we thought, “Well, what’s the point in that when we can make it even bigger, even better and stuff like that?” So, what we decided to do was look up elsewhere for a conference room or a meeting room or something like that, where we could have a live podcast, and then follow it up with a sort of Meet and Greet and giveaways and stuff like that. So, what we’ve come up with is, we’re going to have an afternoon of Harry Potter-filled fun at the School of Oriental and African Studies, which has two campuses and it’s going to have it on one of these campuses. And basically, we’re going to start off in the afternoon with a one-and-a-half-hour podcast in a lecture theatre, and then we’re going to move from there into a function room and we’re all going to stand around and chat and talk about Harry Potter and we’re going to have giveaways and fun and prizes and all that kind of thing until 6 p.m.

Andrew: And clowns.

Jamie: And clowns. Nice clowns, not…

Andrew: [scoffs] Jamie’s the clown! [mockingly laughs]

Jamie: …evil clowns, yeah, and all these kind of things and it’s going to be absolutely fantastic, and it’s strictly limited to 150 people. So, if you’d like to come, please e-mail mcmeetup at gmail dot com with your name, telephone number, address, and how many people you would like to come, up to a maximum of four people, please. Please note, only e-mail this if you definitely would like to come, because we need to know exact numbers. The cost per person is two pounds. Complete details will be posted on the site, including a map of how to get there and all the times and stuff like that, and it’s going to be absolutely brilliant, so – and we look forward to seeing all of you there. So, please think on it and only e-mail if you’re definitely coming, okay? Thank you very much.

Andrew: If you do have a question, don’t e-mail mcmeetup, e-mail jamie at staff dot mugglenet dot com, and then he can address your concerns. If you have to – we’ve gotten a couple of RSVPs saying you have to bring a parent; that’s fine. You know, bring a couple friends, limit four people as Jamie said. Seriously it’s going to be a lot of fun and if you live in the UK, we highly, highly recommend that you come on down for an [in an enthusiastic voice] afternoon of fun.

Jamie: Yep. Afternoon of fun. Sorry, I just said [in American accent] “afternoon of fun” following you, but, yeah, in addition to what he said, it’s an extremely central location over a nice, old building in London, and we’ve got a great podcast planned and all that kind of stuff. So, you know, please do come along, but, as Andrew says, do not e-mail questions to mcmeetup, because they wll be ignored. Please send them to jamie at staff and only e-mail mcmeetup if you are definitely coming, and all names with be checked against a list, so please don’t be naughty and turn up without e-mailing first.

Andrew: Naughty, naughty.

Jamie: Naughty.

Andrew: And again, get all the details on MuggleCast.com if you missed anything, and all you English chaps, we hope to see you there.

Jamie: Yup.

Andrew: Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Jamie: Bye bye.


Andrew in Equus


Ben: Speaking of Andrew, it’s weird not hearing his voice. He’s not here this week. Actually, he didn’t want anybody to know this, but he’s in his school’s production of Equus, playing Alan. Yeah. Isn’t that right, you guys? He’s playing Alan.

Laura: Yeah, I believe so.

Micah: Yeah.

Ben: So…

Alex: Hey, Ben, I heard he’s getting rave reviews also. So…

Ben: Yeah, I mean – I heard he got a standing ovation too. So…

Eric: So, what’s going to happens is he’s going to meet up with Dan and they’re going to have, like, a dance-off or, like, a standing-with-horse-off?

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: And it’s going to be amazing.

Ben: So yeah, so stop by Andrew’s high school – Shawnee High School, Friday, March 23rd, March 24th. You can see Andrew in the buff, and I mean in the buff, for those of you who already haven’t, of course.

Micah: I actually have a note from him here, Ben.

Ben: Oh, really?

Micah: Would you mind if I read it? Do you want to -?

Ben: Go ahead.

Micah: This is from Andrew to all of his loyal fans. He says, “I’m deeply sorry for not being on the show this week. I’m very busy pursuing my life-long dream of becoming an actor. Hopefully someday, you’ll all see my name in lights. Stay at a place called Vertigo. Andrew. P.S. Next week, I’ll have video up of the suitcase destruction.”

So, he really is…

Ben: Our fearless leader.

Micah: … pursuing the acting…

Laura: But much to the disappointment of the fangirls, there won’t be video up from his performance.

Ben: Well, I don’t know. I’m going to sneak some on YouTube. That’s for sure. [laughs]

Laura: [laughs] Are you going, Ben?

Ben: Yeah! Of course I’ll be there!

Laura: Front row, right? [laughs]

Ben: Front row. I mean, it’s nothing I haven’t already seen before, so [laughs] no big deal. I’m just kidding, people. Andrew is not really in Equus. We’ve got to end this now, before I get an e-mail saying, “I went to Andrew’s high school on the 23rd! There was nobody there!”

Eric: [laughs] And it was…

Ben: “Where was Andrew? I wanted to see him naked!” [laughs]

Eric: “It was Grease!” No. Okay.

Ben: [laughs] Yeah.


Listener Rebuttal: Voldemort’s Makeup


Ben: We – we have a few listener rebuttals this week. First of all, Roger Dering from Amsterdam writes:

“Hello, MuggleCasters. I love the show but I found something you forgot. In MuggleCast number 74, a fan sent an e-mail about the fact that the love in Harry’s blood will weaken Voldemort, and you started a small discussion about whether they have or didn’t have the same blood type. But I realized that this doesn’t matter because Voldemort’s body was forged from his father’s bone, Wormtail’s arm, and Harry’s blood instead of just Harry. I think that having flesh from the talentless Wormtail will contribute a lot to Voldemort’s potential weakening. Anyways, keep up the good work.”

Good point. I mean, yeah, the blood type wouldn’t matter because isn’t his blood – Voldemort’s blood, from Harry? Isn’t that…

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: That’s my understanding.

Laura: He has Harry’s blood.

Ben: Now, did you guys actually spend a while – a long time discussing that? I don’t know if I was even on that show.

Laura: I don’t remember ever talking about that, to be honest. I mean, I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that the…

Micah: Well, we definitely talked about the topic. I don’t know about blood type, though.

Laura: Well, I’m pretty sure that the blood type discussion happened on that other show.

Ben: Hmmm. I don’t know. But thanks – thanks for sending that rebuttal.


Listener Rebuttal: Fawkes’ Feather


Ben: We have another one here from Judy Freed from Israel. She writes:

“The significance of the Phoenix feather in the wands is the link to resurrection or immortality. Both Voldemort and Harry failed to be killed by the curse that backfired, despite being touched by it. It was deadly enough to deprive Voldemort of his body, which he later remade using a magical formula. Voldemort aspires to immortality; Harry appears to have achieved it. Wands don’t judge the character of a wizard. They merely reflect the wizard’s potential magical ability.”

Spells from a broken wand.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Just kidding. [laughs] End quote. Does anybody have any thoughts about that?

Micah: Yeah, I have something on that. I – she said both Harry and Voldemort failed to be killed by the curse that backfired, despite being touched by it. The only reason Voldemort didn’t die was because he had his Horcruxes, not because there was a phoenix feather in his wand.

Laura: Yeah, that’s true.

Ben: Yeah, that’s a good point. So, I mean, Harry – Harry always weasels his way out of everything, which is why I think he needs to die. I’m sorry, people. Get mad at me. Send me your hate mail.

[Eric sighs]

Ben: Harry needs to die. You know, Voldemort has had him under his thumb how many times now? Four times? Five times? He’s – it’s been a lot, okay? Now, you can only get lucky so many times, I think.

Laura: So will you eat 50 jumbo sausages if Harry lives?

Ben: Well, I think I said I was going to eat 72 inches of Subway if the book comes out this summer. I think that was a promise I made. Alex, you told me that. [laughs]

Alex: [laughs] Yeah, someone told me. I’m not sure, but…

Laura: So are we actually going to have a panel of this? Like, Ben eating his Subway and Jamie eating his 50 sausages all at once? That would be cool.

Ben: I think we should…

Alex: You’re going to have to.

Ben: Yeah.

Alex: And video-tape it. And put it on YouTube.

Ben: I think we should. That would be awesome. And then I guarantee you – let’s put some money on it here. I bet you 50 bucks that Andrew – that Jamie couldn’t make it past 20 sausages. No, not even that many. He couldn’t make it past fifteen. He’s a wimp.

Eric: I bet 30. I bet – no, I think Jamie could go all the way.

Ben: He – small stomach capacity. Well, actually, it depends on the size of the sausages.

Eric: Oh, wait, you’re right. You’re right.

Ben: I mean, I don’t know if Jamie likes bigger sausages or smaller sausages.

Alex: [laughs] This is dangerous territory.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Yeah, I know. So…

Alex: Dangerous territory.

Ben: I’m not entirely sure. So…

Alex: How about this: let’s cut it out. I will bet you, Ben Schoen, $150 that Harry Potter does not die. How about that?

Ben: $150.

Alex: American.

Ben: American. Okay. It’s a deal.

Alex: Yeah.

Ben: Wait a second, wait a second. No, you’re probably right…

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: So I’m just, I’m, like, pissing away 150 bucks. It’s a bad idea. I back out. [laughs]

Alex: Okay. Well, luckily, there were no witnesses.

Eric: With your – with your book at number four on New York Times bestseller, you certainly couldn’t afford to lose a bet like this.

Ben: Yeah. [laughs] Thanks for that e-mail, Judy.


Listener Rebuttal: Who Will Lead The Order?


Ben: Hollene, 17, from California writes:

“Hey, MuggleCasters! I was listening to episode number 78 and I was surprised when you were talking about Harry and inheriting the management of the Order of the Phoenix. Most of you felt that Mr. Weasley would take over the order. I, however, think that a good candidate would be Remus Lupin.”

Alex Carpenter.

Alex: Yes!

[Laura laughs]

Ben: You hear him. He’s right here.

Alex: I win.

Ben: “Until now, he has been silent but one of the most skilled members of the order and I think he has great potential to become the new leader. I think it is his time to shine. Mr. Weasley is also very busy with work at the Ministry, not to mention several kids at home. I love the show. It’s my favorite thing to do when I’m procrastinating on doing my homework.” [laughs]

Yeah, we’re just awesome.

“And I have to say, I have a bit of a crush on Eric. I know. Cheesy.”

Eric: You know, I have to say that…

Ben: “Keep up the great work. Hollene.”

[Eric laughs]

Ben: End quote. Now, [laughs] I was agreeing with her until the whole crush on Eric part, dude. [laughs]

Eric: No, no. And rightfully so.

[Ben laughs]

Eric: But I just think that’s probably the first rebuttal that’s actually said that. Everybody else is like, “Oh, by the way, Ben, you’re so cute,” or “Oh, by the way, Andrew is awesome,” or “Oh, by the way, Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!” And this has to be one of…

Laura: Pickles!

Eric: One of the first – and pickles! Exactly, Laura. Laura, you sort through this. You know this. So, I’m just feeling very…

[Ben laughs]

Eric: …loved right now. This is like…

Ben: You should.

Eric: This is the – one of the only public displays of Eric affection that I’ve gotten so far, so I appreciate that. [laughs]

Ben: Awww.

[Ben and Eric laugh]

Laura: So you get plenty of displays of private Eric affection?

Micah: Do you also go by the name Hollene, 17, of California?

[Alex and Ben laugh]

Eric: No, I used to go by Pauline, 18, of San Jose, but that’s another story.

Micah: Oh, okay.

Alex: Yeah…

Ben: [laughs] But anyways, back to what she was saying. She was saying that Remus Lupin could be able to take over the Order a lot better than Mr. Weasley. Not necessarily better, but it is his time to shine. Now, I think that’s an interesting point because, you know, since there is all this anti-werewolf discrimination, you know, then he can’t really go out and just get any job. So, it would make sense for him to take over something like managing the Order. But I guess, you know, during his time of the month he wouldn’t be able to help out very much.

Laura: Well, but it’s only for a few days.

Ben: That’s true.

Laura: I mean, I think that he…

Micah: But I thought…

Laura: …would be better than Mr. Weasley. I don’t know what you guys were talking about last week.

Micah: Well, I didn’t know if he would be the best candidate. I thought that he was still doing things for, well, at the time Dumbledore. He was sort of infiltrating the werewolf underground, as he put it. And I think that might serve his purpose a little bit more, and the Order’s purpose, if he’s out there, you know, trying to rally some of the werewolves to his cause. Somebody who I think would be a good Order leader would be Mad-Eye Moody.

Ben: I don’t know if he has – if he’s practical enough to do that.

Laura: I think he’s too paranoid.

Ben: Yeah, he turned someone into a rat – a ferret, dude, so I don’t know.

Alex: Well, that wasn’t him. This is actually something…

Laura: Yeah. laughs

Ben: Oh crap! That wasn’t, was it?

Eric: Yeah, yeah, that wasn’t him.

Alex: Yeah.

Ben: I’m so terrible. I’m quitting MuggleCast right now.

Eric: Okay, bye.

Laura: Yay!

Alex: I totally agree with Micah, actually. This is something that has come up a lot. People have asked me, “What do you think is going to happen to Remus in the last book?” And I want Remus to kind of take a, you know, take the reins because I think he’d be a really cool character to do that. But I think Mad-Eye Moody is going to be the character. He’s a veteran of the last war, he knows how to lead people, he knows how to defeat dark wizards.

Ben: Good point. And, I wasn’t there on 78, but I don’t think that Harry would really be qualified, I guess you could say, because… I mean, it’s kind of like people say, “Harry should become Headmaster of Hogwarts, Harry should become the Minister of Magic.” That just doesn’t work because it doesn’t fit into the storyline. He’s going to be too busy finding the Horcri to – Horcruxes to do any of that stuff, so…

Laura: Well, Jo said that seventeen is far too young of an age to enter the world of politics and I think the same applies to essentially leading…

Ben: A leadership position.

Laura: …a front in a war. So…

Ben: Well, in a way he’s going to be sort of a – what does “de facto” mean?

Eric: I used to know.

Alex: It means being something without actually being something.

Ben: Yeah, that’s what I meant. He’s going to be sort of a de facto leader in the war. Because he’s not going to be the official leader, but he’s going to be the – he’s going to be the one doing everything, you know? He doesn’t need to be involved in the organizing as much, but he needs to be, you know, he doesn’t need to be the go-to, the number one guy. If that makes any sense.

Laura: Yeah. Well, the point is, he can’t be in that kind of position of compromise because you have to – Harry has to be kept protected, in a way, and putting him at the front of an organization like the Order of the Phoenix would be a risk. So, I don’t think that would be a good idea.

Ben: Well, and I think he’s going to be to busy anyway, so. Okay, so thank you, Hollene, that’s a very good point you brought up and – yeah, so, Mad-Eye Moody. Go Moody! Lupin’s cool, too, right, Alex?

[Ben and Laura laugh]

Alex: That’s what I’m saying.


Main Discussion: Book Parallels


Ben: [laughs] Yeah. Now it is time to move on to this week’s main discussion. This week we are going to talk about book parallels, you know literary devices and all that jazz. Now this is a good week to have Alex on because Alex got a degree in English at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), so this is pretty much his forte. Wouldn’t you say so, Alex, in a way?

Alex: Yeah, hopefully I’ll know what I’m talking about.

Ben: So, awesome. Now, Laura, you got this together. Do you care to lead us in a little bit?

Laura: Yeah, sure. Kind of to provide some background information so that people don’t think I was pulling this out of my behind. If you look at the series and kind of view Book 4 as the centerpiece of the series, you can see that Books 2 and 6 and 3 and 5 draw parallels off of one another. For instance in Chamber of Secrets and Half-Blood Prince there was obvious Horcrux connection, the heavy references to a Harry/Ginny pairing. Harry also in both of those books puts his faith in a book, Tom Riddle’s diary and the Half-Blood Prince’s potion book, that shields the identity of its owner. Dumbledore leaves the school directly as a result of the action of a Death Eater: Lucius gets him sacked in Chamber of Secrets and Snape kills him in Half-Blood Prince. Harry suspects Draco as being behind the attacks in Chamber of Secrets and Draco does turn out to be behind attacks in Half-Blood Prince, such as Katie and Ron’s.

Now, in Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix there was a very strong presence of Sirius as a character. That didn’t appear in any of the other books in the series. Sirius also gets close to but never really gains his freedom because in Prisoner of Azkaban Peter escaped and in Order of the Phoenix he died less than an hour before Fudge admitted Voldemort was back. And places that are associated with death were prominent, like Azkaban and the death chamber. Not to mention Harry and his friends use flying magical creatures to save Sirius in both books, Buckbeak in Prisoner of Azkaban and the Thestrals in Order of the Phoenix. So, that just kind of gives you some clue as to, really, the strong parallels between books on opposite ends of the series, and I think that…

Ben: So, it’s sort of like everything is going to come full circle.

Laura: Yeah, it’s kind of like a full circle concept. And I think that because of that, it’s safe to assume that there’s going to be a lot of parallels between the first book and the seventh book.


Snape: Good or Bad?


Laura: So that said, I think we should start off with one of the most popular theories right now which is Snape: good or bad? And I know weÔve discussed this to death. But in Sorcerer’s Stone Harry believed that Snape was a bad guy but he turned out to be good. So, does that bode well for Snape’s character in the seventh book?

Ben: Well, okay. Do you guys think that there’s a double red herring going on here? Do you know what I mean? Like, there is the first one where, “Oh, we think he’s bad but he’s really good,” you know, and there is, “Oh, but if you think he is bad, but he’s still really good,” you know? I mean, to me, in my mind – I just did an interview with a person from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Laura: Did you really?

Ben: Do you get that, Laura?

Laura: The AJC? No way. That’s like the biggest newspaper in the southeast. [laughs]

Ben: Yeah, and they are talking about the book and, anyways, the guy who was doing the interview had read the books and we talked for about ten minutes just about Snape. And we both were pretty convinced that he’s on the good side, I mean – Alex, do you think that he’s bad at all?

Alex: Yeah, my line is that he’s a good guy but he’s a jerk.

[Eric laughs]

Ben: He’s a good guy but he’s a jerk. Yeah, I think that makes sense, too. And I think that it would definitely draw back to the parallel to the first book. This makes perfect sense because in the first book it looked like he was trying to, it looked he was trying to…

Laura: Kill Harry.

Ben: Yeah, it looked like he was trying to kill Harry, but in reality he was trying to save Harry’s life and he kept heading off Quirrell. For example, when the troll broke into the castle, you know, he went to head Quirrell off at the three-headed dog. You know, and when he disappeared it looked like a bad thing, but in reality it turned out to be a good thing.

Laura: Yeah.

Alex: Right.

Ben: So, it’s the looks can be deceiving type thing. And I think he’s going to turn out to be good.

Laura: Well, that also kind of goes back to that whole scene after Dumbledore was killed, where Snape could have easily killed Harry, captured Harry, done anything he wanted with Harry and he wouldn’t do it.

Ben: Right.

Laura: And I think that’s another strong parallel.

Micah: And he’s even teaching Harry…

Laura: Yeah.

Micah: …even in the last few seconds there before he leaves. Doesn’t he tell him to close his mind?

Laura: Mhm.

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah. He does.

Micah: I mean, he’s doing everything in his power to still find a way to teach him.

Eric: Right. Even when… Yeah.

Micah: Also – Sorry, Eric. But what Ben was saying before, you know, he used the troll as an example, but we also saw in the Quidditch match where he was actually chanting the counter curse and if it wasn’t for, sort of, Snape’s cape getting ignited on fire, Quirrell would have never been distracted. So, that’s just another example of Snape trying to help out Harry. The counter curse, yeah, that was what’s important.

Ben: Well, that is sort of incidental, but the fact that he was muttering the counter jinx – yeah, it really goes a long way to show his loyalty, because that could of killed Harry right there, you know? I mean, why wouldn’t he? And you know how at the beginning of Half-Blood Prince we hear Snape pretty much say, tell Bellatrix, “Oh yeah, I have been questioned by Voldemort. He’s fine with me, why shouldn’t you be?” I think Voldemort i sbeing fooled here.

Laura: I think that was a load of crap.

Ben: Yeah, right. Exactly. Don’t believe that. Do you honestly think that when he’s… [laughs] Just think about it. He’s out there, he’s had him under his watch for six years, why couldn’t he kill him? You know? He could, he just didn’t do it.

Laura: Well, I think that Snape is a good guy, but I think we still have something left to find out about him, something even more horrible than what he did by ultimately causing the Potters’ death by being a spy that night at the Hog’s Head.

Eric: Right.

Laura: I think that there is going to be something else that we find out about him and it’s going to be – Well, it already is a big conflict of interest for Harry, because if Snape really is on his side, he doesn’t want to kill him, but on the same hand he is the reason that Harry’s parents are dead.

Ben: Right, so…

Micah: Well, Pettigrew is the reason his parents are dead, in my opinion.

Laura: Well, he betrayed – well, he was part of it, but at the same time Voldemort wouldn’t have known about the prophecy if Snape hadn’t been a spy.

Ben: Right, so it’s sort of, one thing led to another type thing. And he sort of got the ball rolling, but, I mean, he didn’t pull the trigger, so to speak.

Micah: Right.

Laura: No he didn’t, but it still…

Micah: But I have a question for you guys.

Laura: Go ahead.


Does Snape Know the Whole Prophecy?


Micah: And I’ve always sort of wondered this. You know they say that Snape only relayed half the prophecy to Voldemort because that’s all he heard. But what I’m not understanding is, I don’t think Trelawney stopped in the middle of her prophecy.

Eric: Right.

Laura: He got thrown out of the pub.

Ben: Now, is that really true?

Micah: Yeah, see that’s what I wonder. Because if he barged in, it’s not like Dumbledore held up his hand and made Trelawney stop speaking. It almost seems to me that Snape knew the whole prophecy and only told Voldemort half of it.

Ben: Just only told half of it, right. Now, that would be interesting. That would sort of fit into what you’re saying that if he only chose to tell Voldemort half of it then he was obviously able to block Voldemort out of his mind in order to keep the rest of it from him. To prove that he wasn’t lying.

Laura: Well, it also kind of supports the theory that Snape’s actually a double agent, and he’s in this for himself, and he’s just playing both sides to his benefit.

Ben: Now, I don’t really buy that theory.

Micah: What does he obtain, though?

Laura: No, I don’t either. But he obtained – If he is someone who’s seeking power he’s playing the two sides of this war, and he’s getting all the benefits of it.

Micah: He doesn’t strike me as a power hungry person.

Ben: Yeah, he’s not – well, I don’t know.

Laura: He doesn’t strike me that way, either. But I’m saying that the theory that he would feed half of the prophecy to Voldemort, to get the ball rolling, kind of supports that.

Ben: Not really. I think it supports the good side that he gave them enough info, but he didn’t give him all of it. You know what I mean? He gave…

Laura: But if he was completely good, if his intentions were completely pure, why would he give him any of it at all?

Alex: And that – I think you’re describing a lot of foresight into Snape, also.

Eric: Yeah, right.

Alex: I mean, think how many years of planning which side he was going to trick that takes. I mean, it’s not like he could…

Eric: Yeah.

Alex: …play the good side and then play the bad side if he’s really on the good side the whole time. He’d have to have the whole thing planned out. Which would be…

Ben: That’s true.

Alex: …hard. [laughs] That’d be like Dumbledore level. I don’t think he’s quite there.

Ben: Now, I’m sorry to move on, but I think people might be a little tired of us discussing Snape because we’ve devoted…

Laura: Yeah. [laughs]

Ben: …this is show 78. I bet if you went and added up all the audio there’s probably enough for an entire show.

Laura: More than one entire show.

Micah: This is 79.

Ben: Oh, 79. Excuse me, yeah.

Eric: Probably a week of shows.

Ben: There’s probably four hours of Snape discussions.

Eric: Easily eight or twelve.

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: Yeah, so.


The Chess Match


Ben: Okay. Ron dies in the chess match in Book 1 – he didn’t really die but his…

Laura: His character.

Ben: Whatever – his rook, his pawn. I don’t play chess. I’m an idiot.

Laura: His knight.

Ben: His knight gets killed. So, is he going to die in Book 7? Because a lot of people talk about the chess match foreshadowing what happens in Book 7. If so, is he killed by the queen – or in this case Bellatrix?

Eric: Oooh.

Ben: Alex, I want to hear what you have to say.

Alex: Well, I’m going to pour cold water all over what you guys are saying. I think that – I agree with the fact that there are definitely parallels here, but they’re all parallels that you wouldn’t know until you read the next book. I know that sounds weird, but I don’t think these are parallels you can use to predict. You know, there are things that become evident after you’ve read the book – that Sirius was an important character in these two books. You couldn’t predict that Sirius was going to be an important character. I think that looking at that chess match and projecting it directly in terms of characters living or dying in a specific manner, is not going to really get us anywhere.

Laura: Well, wouldn’t you say that based on the pattern that we’ve seen of books on opposite ends of the series having some connections, that it’s logical to assume that Book 1 and Book 7 will have some strong parallels?

Alex: I totally agree with that, but I’m just saying it’s sort of like predicting the weather. It’ll be easier to see in hindsight.

Ben: Like what you choose to be a parallel.

Alex: Right.

Ben: But I don’t think it’s unlikely though, because everyone is like, “Yeah the trio has to make it through! The trio has to make it through!”

[Eric laughs]

Ben: Kill them all! I’m just kidding. Don’t hate me. [laughs]

Alex: [laughs] You’re out for blood today, man.

Ben: Yeah. I don’t know. I mean, I think it makes sense. Because we had a discussion X amount of episodes back about the chess match itself. How what goes on there can parallel something or foreshadow something in Book 7. Now, in terms of him being killed by Bellatrix, that would be interesting too. I don’t know. We’ll see what happens.

Alex: Maybe I just don’t want to have that happen, so I’m blocking it out.

[Ben laughs]

Laura: Well, the thing is, I feel it’s one of the only things that I don’t have a set opinion on is whether the trio will live or die. It’s like some days, I feel like, “Oh! I want them all to live! I want them all to live!” and other days I’m like, “That would be so unrealistic if at least one of them didn’t die.”

Ben: Right.

Laura: So, part of me wants one to die, and part of me wants them all to live. And I can’t really decide. It’s horrible, I know.

Ben: Now, Bellatrix I think she’s going to be killed by Neville. That’s what I’m talking about in the book –

Laura: Oh, I think so, too. That’s a given.


Bellatrix and Revenge


Ben: But do you – I don’t know about this whole revenge idea. Do you know what I mean?

Alex: It seems like it goes against every other thing that J.K. Rowling is saying in these books about love and forgiveness and all that.

Ben: Right. Right. So like…

Alex: This whole book is just going to be filled with killing people who are wronged.

Ben: Yeah, and I don’t think that’s right.

Alex: Just great.

Ben: Like you know – do two wrongs make a right? You’ve heard the saying “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” That type of thing.

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: And so, I don’t know if we’re going to see as many deaths as we think. It’s not going to be a complete blood bath. That’s for sure. But…

Laura: No, but I think we should also remember – and I don’t specifically remember where Jo said this, so don’t ask me for a source, but I seem to remember Jo saying that she wasn’t out to implant morals to people when she was writing these books. And so…

Ben: I think she means that in a religious sense.

Laura: But she wasn’t – they weren’t really talking about religion.

Ben: Oh really?

Laur: There was someone asking her, “Are you trying to instate the morals of friendship, loyalty…?” and she said, “I’m not trying to teach people morals by writing these books.” And I think that kind of applies to killing out of revenge because her characters are human. They’re not these perfect high-moral people all the time. So, they’re going to do things that aren’t necessarily right.

Ben: Right.

Laura: Even if it might seem right. You know what I’m saying?

Alex: No, I agree. I think it would be more realistic for this last book to be a blood bath, but I’m just saying, going off of what she’s shown in the first six books, it seems unlikely. As much as I’d love to see Bellatrix just get owned really hardcore…

Ben: Everyone being killed, yeah. [laughs] Yeah. [laughs]

Alex: By Neville.

Ben: But let’s be realistic here. Bellatrix is a trained dark wizard, okay. She knows she’s good, she knows all these things. Neville defeating her – isn’t that sort of like David versus Goliath type thing?

Eric: Yeah, well – Ben, who won that one?

Alex: Who won that?

Ben: [laughs] I know, I know.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: I just mean like the likely thing.

Eric: It’s exactly that.

Laura: I think something to remember was if you look at the opening chapters of Half-Blood Prince it was very clear that Bellatrix was starting to become unwound. You could see that she was starting to lose it. She didn’t really have the same coolness that she had when we saw her before, because Voldemort didn’t want as much to do with her anymore. She wasn’t as trusted. So, I think that she’s starting to lose her personality which made her so dangerous.

Ben: Right. I agree.

Alex: Also, in defense of Neville, we know that those specific curses (the ones he’d have to use to kill her), are based on how much you mean them and I can’t imagine a character meaning…

Ben: More than Neville.

Alex: …a curse more than Neville wanting revenge.

Ben: Because that’s how his parents were robbed away from them, too. So,efinitely.

Micah: Well, one thing I was going to say though is, is look at Order of the Phoenix and look at Half Blood Prince and you still had Neville, Luna, Ginny, and yes, I know there was the whole luck potion going on in Half Blood Prince but they still fought against the Death Eaters and still held their own.

Ben: Right.

Micah: In both books.

Ben: So, I think there comes a time when you reach a point where you’re a good solid wizard, and even though, I mean you’re not going to get completely stomped. You know what I mean? Like if a first-year went up against a grown wizard, they’re going to get killed because they don’t have the knowledge and all that stuff. And that’s why I thought the Dueling Club was really important, which I was kind of ticked off that they discontinued that.

Eric: Yeah, really.

Ben: Because that’s where a lot of them learned a lot of their spells and it’s where they were taught practical Defense Against the Dark Arts, you know, rather than the bunk they were being taught by Umbridge.

Eric: I agree.

Ben: So, yeah. So, I think that even though the Death Eaters may – I mean, the adult wizards may have more experience, I think the youths still have the skills necessary to – I mean, if it was a formal duel perhaps they wouldn’t win, but anything goes.

Laura: Yeah, exactly.

Ben: They can pull it off.

Laura: I don’t see the Death Eaters as doing formal duels.

Ben: Yeah, definitely.

Laura: It’s not going to happen.


Analyzing the Chambers From Book 1


Ben: Okay, another parallel. After Harry defeats the king in the chess match, he moves on to two more chambers: the potion and the stone one. Will there be more struggles after Harry kills Voldemort? Could this involve Snape or Bellatrix or even a betrayal? Now, I think the struggling thing with the multiple chambers could be, you know – because he got to Voldemort. He’s going to have all those struggles before getting to Voldemort, not after getting to Voldemort. Does that make sense?

Laura: Mhm. That’s true, but if you’re looking just solely at the chess match, what I was thinking was after whenever Harry check mates the king and the king drops his sword and Harry leaves he still has a couple more tasks that he has to do and coincidentally the one following the chess match was Snape’s room with the potion bottles. And so, I was wondering if possibly his confrontation with Snape will be after Voldemort’s fall.

Ben: Well, I think Snape is going to end up helping Harry in the end.

Laura: Yeah, possibly.

Micah: Well one thing that was mentioned, though, and I think it’s an editorial, I could be wrong, but they say that the seven tasks that Harry had to go through to finally get to the room, including the last room with the mirror and the stone and QuirrellMort or whatever you want to call him…

[Laura laughs]

Micah: …actually represents the seven books. So, that room right before the one with the mirror represents Half-Blood Prince, which would make sense when you think about it because of all the potions that were involved.

Laura: That’s interesting

Eric: Ahhh!

Laura: But how would Fluffy represent the first book? Like falling through a trap door?

Eric: Well, it’s the entrance into hell just like the first book was the entrance into the magical world.

Ben: What was the second room?

Eric: Not that the magical world is hell.

[Laura laughs]

Laura: The Devil’s Snare.

Ben: Devil’s Snare. How could that be related to Book 2?

Laura: It was down in a chamber.

Eric: It was a dark, damp place.

Ben: Yeah, that’s true.

Laura: Oh my gosh, that’s cool.

Ben: Now, what was the third chamber? I’m not familiar, I forget.

Eric: The brooms, flight. The brooms, and the keys, and flight, and the key to the past, and yep.

Ben: The Quidditch, Buckbeak? Buckbeak, Yeah. Now, what about the fourth room? What was it?

Eric: The troll. The fourth one was the troll. So, large obstacles, large animals to defeat but they were already defeated which is kind of what happened in the…

Laura: Which is like what Crouch Jr. did.

Eric: …with the maze.

Micah: Yeah, that’s true. He laid the way.

Eric: What I think happened, especially at the beginning of this episode, this is really cool but I think what happened at the beginning when we intro’d this discussion, Laura, I think you went a little bit too fast with all of the reasoning’s and stuff, like how this happened, and this happened, and this happened. I think it all went fast. I think we should have like, stopped and said, “Okay, wait.” That built up what we’re talking about now obviously that there are connections between books, but there are also connections between all seven books, you know.

Laura: Well yeah, of course.

Eric: It’s obviously sequels, but then there are some that kind of stick out more than others and stuff like that. But I like what we’re talking about, but I just think it went a little bit too fast, maybe. So, if we have topics about the third book or something we should just bring them up too.

Ben: Okay.

Eric: Because we just seem to jump to the conclusion that one is going to match up with seven. And it’s true there’s the two…

Laura: Well, no. That’s not what I am saying.

Ben: We’re just looking at the comparisons between each of them.

Laura: Yeah. Essentially, I’m taking this point of view because it’s a narrower perspective and I think that trying to draw parallels…

Ben: Between each book, yeah.

Laura: …between every book and the other six books would be far too broad.

Ben: Right. So…

Laura: It would take forever.

Eric: It’s true. It’s true. And just the fact that it’s the first book in the series and the last book in the series I think they’ll have a lot in common as far as at least storytelling goes. They’re almost opposites, but they’re also sequels. Book 7 is just so much. It’s really cool.

Alex: Back to what we were talking about before with the different rooms, and the two rooms after the chess match. I think just in terms of a storytelling literary device, that works really well also. The last page of Book 7 isn’t going to be Voldemort’s last words. There has to be the challenges that come after that.

Laura: Exactly.

Alex: And, sort of, the hero cycle, the going home aspect after you’ve defeated the bad guy.

Ben: It’s kind of like the winding down. I mean you beat the bad guy, what do you do then? You know retire, that type of thing? I don’t know. [laughs]

Alex: I can see, back to what we were talking about before about finding something…

Eric: Precisely.

Laura: No, Ben. He was completely energized.

Alex: …finding out something that we didn’t know about Snape that would hook up to the potions room there, that we found out something that Snape had done maybe in the last two books we didn’t know about, or something he just did to help Harry win.


Dumbledore and Dan’s Slip


Ben: Actually I bet Harry, when he gets done, he’s going to write a book. Harry Potter’s What Happened in my Life: Who Lived, Who Died, Who Fell in Love and How My Adventure Finally Ended.

[Everyone laughs]

Alex: There and Back Again.

Ben: There you have it. But he’s still…

Laura: “With my death.”

Ben: …not going to still outsell our book.

Alex: Of course not.

Eric: [laughs] “Who died.”

Ben: That’s for sure. [laughs] Okay, moving on here. Dumbledore is tricked into leaving the school, and it appears that he was tricked into his death. He does come back in Book 1. Does this mean we will here something about him in Book 7? Jo recently told Dan that Dumbledore is dead, but alluded that there will be something. What could it be? Her exact words were something along the lines of, “Dumbledore is giving me trouble.”

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: So, hm. Do you guys think Dan got in trouble for bringing – for saying that in public?

Alex: No way.

Laura: I don’t know, I don’t think so. He’s…

Alex: It smacks of an intentional leak all over the place. Because it got so much press.

Laura: He’s Dan. He’s allowed to run around naked, so he can do whatever he wants.

Alex: Also true.

Micah: He’s getting paid to run around naked, by the way.

[Everyone laughs]

Alex: Yeah.

Ben: Yeah, good point, good point. Very good point.

Alex: That’s like my life’s dream.

[Laura and Micah laugh]


Dumbledore’s Possible Return


Ben: Now, do you think that – what do you think that was talking about?

Eric: Hey, that’s theatre, Laura. [laughs]

Ben: Was it Dumbledore’s portrait? What was giving Jo trouble with that? We’ve discussed this before, but just to review briefly.

Laura: I don’t know, do you think maybe Dumbledore might have left something for Harry?

Ben: I think he’s – perhaps his pensieve, or something like that.

Laura: Yeah, I think so too. But I don’t know, I’m just trying to think of – I mean, Dumbledore’s one of the only characters who I could think of who could actually cause someone trouble after their death, because he’s Dumbledore.

Ben: Yeah. [laughs] He’s so complex.

Laura: And it’s like – this is the guy who caused trouble at a school that he wasn’t even at. So, I really don’t know what he could possibly do.

Ben: Yeah, Dumbledore’s definitely coming in Book 7 in some shape or form.

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: But I don’t know in terms of a parallel to Book 1, if that’s really – if she was intending for that to be there.

Laura: No, but…

Ben: But it’s just interesting to point out that Dumbledore never goes away for good. [laughs]

Laura: That even though it seems like he was not going to be there whenever Harry was being attacked by Voldemort, he came back right at the right time. And I think…

Micah: One thing we brought up…

Laura: …In some way. Go ahead.

Micah: …on last week’s show was the whole idea of him being tied so closely to Fawkes and being tied to a bird that was very closely associated with immortality, and it’s always said that the phoenix rises from its ashes. We know Dumbledore is dead, she said it, but I just can’t help feeling that there’s something more to it that we don’t know about, and we’ll find out.

Laura: Maybe, but I don’t think Dumbledore is going to come back from the dead, I don’t think we’re going to see a ghost, nothing like that.

Micah: No, but even if you look at what happened at his funeral, when the pyre shoots up into flames and Harry swears that he sees a phoenix take off. What did you guys make of that? Was that his Patronus delivering a message to the Order? What was it?

Laura: I kind of took it as him moving on.

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: His spirit, going wherever spirits go.

Ben: Interesting. Because you know, as he said, “It’s the next greatest adventure.”

Laura: Yeah.

Eric: His soul, his spirit going up. Yeah.


The Mirror of Erised in Book 7


Ben: Okay. The Mirror of Erised. Talked about it briefly. It played an important role in Book 1, now is there going to be a return of the two-way mirror? Jo has been very shady when asked questions about it, what’s going on with it, so what do you guys think? Is there going to be a return?

Laura: I think so. There has to be, because…

Alex: Absolutely.

Laura: …it was never explained, and Jo even said we would see it again. What I thought was interesting was the other night, whenever I was working on this, I was thinking about what could be some possible connections between these two books. And you think about the fact that in the first book Voldemort was trying to achieve immortality by using the Sorcerer’s Stone. And in the seventh book, he’s going to be – he’s been trying to achieve it, but Horcruxes will play a huge part in his attempt to be immortal in the seventh book. And Harry was – you were supposed to use the Mirror of Erised to find the stone, so what if the two-way mirrors have something to do with finding Horcruxes?

Eric: Well, one of them is broken.

[Micah laughs]

Eric: One of them is behind the veil.

Laura: We don’t know that for sure, though.

Eric: Oh, okay, we don’t, we don’t, we don’t. You’re right, but based on what we’ve said before on the show about two-way mirrors used as communication, I think they don’t have the same qualities. I would like to see the Mirror of Erised again and I think we will, but I don’t know about two-way mirrors being used to help him find the Horcruxes. Except…

Laura: You know what, though?

Eric: …except to say, we do know that the locket – if the locket is the Horcrux, that it’s at Grimmauld Place which is where Sirius’ two-way mirror could be, but I think it is a stretch. As far as two-way mirrors.

Laura: Actually, I doubt that the locket is at Grimmauld Place anymore.

Eric: Really?

Laura: I think that Mundungus Fletcher took it. And it’s gone.

Eric: Yeah, and he has to track down Dung.

Alex: Yeah.

Eric: He sold it to Lucius Malfoy.

Laura: The thing that I found…

Micah: Not discounting…

Laura: Go ahead.

Micah: …the importance of the two-way mirrors, but I liked the idea, sort of, of what you said with the Mirror of Erised in Book 1. Well, why don’t we take it to Book 7? If it shows you what you truly desire, can it show Harry where the Horcruxes are?

Laura: I – we’ve talked about this before…

Eric: Or test the limits, yeah.

Laura: …and we got into this whole debate as to how – as to what the limits of the Mirror of Erised are. And I believe it was Jamie, that thought that yes, you could find Horcruxes because the mirror of infinite and it knows all. But I thought that the mirror is limited based on what the person looking in it knows.

Ben: No… Yeah, it’s not only that, but it shows your desire. It’s going to show him with the Horcruxes or whatever.

Laura: Holding the Horcruxes.

Eric: Well…

Ben: Yeah, it’s not the same thing. Can you – could Harry walk by the Room of Requirement and be like, “Oh my gosh, I want 50 Horcruxes to be in there, so I can destroy them all, or all the rest of the Horcruxes.” It doesn’t work that way. It just can’t.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Yeah, but also, I think I had that same opinion when we talked about it before, but I think now, would you guys remember how Harry got the Stone to begin with? According to Dumbledore was because he wanted to get the Stone; to find it, but not to use it?

Laura: Yeah, but that was because Dumbledore…

Eric: To destroy it. To prevent Voldemort from using it?

Laura: Dumbledore specifically put a spell on the Mirror to make it work that way.

Eric: Why is it that the Mirror’s magic?

Laura: It doesn’t work that way with everything.

Eric: I thought it did.

Laura: Well, it’s just not.

Eric: I thought that’s why – No, I thought it did work that way with everyone because he said, “that’s one of my more brilliant…”

Laura: No, but it’s only that…

Eric: You know?

Laura: It’s only that way with the Stone, though. That’s what I’m saying. The Stone is the only thing you could actually get from the Mirror.

Eric: Really?

Laura: Because if it were the case where you could get whatever you wanted, Harry’s family would have been standing behind him in that room.

Eric: Well, one would not to use, wanted to destroy. If he wanted to individually…

Laura: Destroy his family when they popped up behind him? I don’t think so.

[Micah laughs]

Eric: Destroy his family, they might, you know they might – I don’t know. It’s not what you say you wanted to do, but what you actually want to do, your hearts deepest desire, but…

Laura: I think that the Mirror was specifically…

Micah: Enchanted?

Laura: Enchanted so that you could only get the Stone, not anything you wanted because that could be very dangerous [laughs] if you gave people anything they wanted.

Eric: Well, presumably only Harry and Dumbledore know how to use the Mirror.

Laura: Well…

Micah: I have something interesting, though…

Laura: Harry didn’t know how to use the Mirror when he first got the Stone, he didn’t figure it out until afterwards. So obviously anyone could do that if they didn’t want to use the Stone.

Eric: Yeah, it’s possible.

Ben: I don’t really know anymore.


Magical Device Parallels


Micah: Going along these lines with the whole, “Okay, it showed up in Book 1, it’ll show up in Book 7.” There is some strong evidence for that because if you look in Book 2, we first see the cabinet, and then the cabinet shows up again in Half-Blood Prince.

Eric: Precisely.

Micah: It has an enormous significance. I’m sure we can find other things that made an appearance in Book 3 that showed up in Book 5, and play along those lines, but I definitely think that there’s an opportunity for that in the last book.

Eric: And again, I mean there’s one opportunities for Book 1 to have similarities with 4, but these are actually main similarities. Like you said, the Vanishing Cabinet. You know, Gilderoy Lockhart, as well, but Gilderoy Lockhart is 2 to Book 5 thing. So, there are some that are, and some that aren’t, but it’s just – we are due, I mean according to JK said, as Laura said, I think we are due to see it, so it would be interesting, I think, to learn the past of it, the past history, because if you remember Dumbledore said, “Men have wasted away before it in the past.” So, I really wonder how long that Mirror has been around and if we’ll find out about the past, or maybe see it in a memory, or someone else’s memory, but now I’m thinking about Lost.

Laura: Oh geez.

Eric: And how they are going to show Libby, and so I have to actually get going. I have Theater class. I have University. I got to go.

Ben: Okay. Well, say goodbye, Eric.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull. See you later, everyone.

Ben: Bye, Eric.

Laura: Bye, Eric.

Eric: Okay, bye.

Micah: Bye.

Laura: I kind of like this – sorry. I kind of like this whole parallel of books on opposite ends of the series. So, this is what I think. You guys tell me if you disagree. I think that, listeners, if you discover anything that is major you should send it into mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com. We could maybe make a segment out of it. If someone sends in a really good one we could feature it, but I would honestly say, nothing lame. Like, “Oh my gosh, Harry was drinking pumpkin juice on pg. 300 and he was doing the same thing on pg. 300 of Book 6.” So…

Alex: How about this? Ron…

Laura: Just send in good stuff.

Alex: Ron is in Book 2, and also in Book 6.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Oh my gosh. Alex, you’re good. You’re good.

[Laura and Micah laugh]

Alex: And Here’s the crazy part, he has red hair in both books. That’s all I’m saying.

Ben: Oh my gosh. [laughs]

Alex: Check it out yourself. Go ahead.

Ben: So, that wraps up our main discussion. As Laura just said, send in your parallels between the books. And if you have any other main discussion ideas, something you’d like for us to discuss, we’re open to ideas. Email mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com. So go ahead and send that in.


What If…


Alex: So, since I’m on the show, I just have one request. Is it possible that we can do a “What If?” segment right now? I’ve always wanted to do one of those.

Ben: Geez, Alex! Funny you bring that up.

Laura: It’s funny you should mention that.

Ben: Now, What if – Here we go. What if Harry had shown Snape the Half-Blood Prince Potions book instead of Ron’s? Hm. What would have happened?

Laura: I don’t know. This is why I told you guys to come up with another one.

Alex: He would have gotten in a lot of trouble?

Micah: No, no. It’s fine.

Ben: Yeah, he would have gotten into a bunch of trouble. What do you think, Micah?

Micah: I think Snape would have fall… I think Snape would have fell over in shock because he knew what was up. He knew what was going on. He knew what book Harry had, in my opinion, and he did exactly what Snape expected him to do. He showed him Ron’s book instead of the book Snape really knew that he had somewhere. I mean, with how well Harry was doing, it’s just – Snape’s not a stupid guy, and not to mention Snape can read Harry’s mind.

Ben: Right.

Micah: Who knows if he was delving in there to get information.

Laura: Now, this is kind of…

Micah: He may have known the truth all along. Sorry.

Laura: Sorry, Micah. I didn’t mean to cut you off, but I can’t specifically remember the timeline events in their order. Did Harry – at that point, had Harry already gotten the memory from Slughorn about Horcruxes?

Ben: Um.

Laura: Because if he hadn’t and Snape had gone to Slughorn talking about how Harry wasn’t really good at Potions because he was just using some old book, Slughorn might not have trusted Harry and not given him the memory.

Ben: It’s true. So, maybe this is more important than we think. Who here has seen It’s A Wonderful Life?

Alex: Yeah.

Micah: Yeah.

Ben: Yeah, you know it’s sort of like everything – one thing leads to another, you know? Like, if you think about it, if Harry’s parents…

Alex: Well, if you think about – yeah, the whole end of that book wouldn’t have happened if Snape had busted him about the Potions book.

Ben: Right, and if Harry’s parents would have waited one more day, okay? Just one more day to conceive Harry, it wouldn’t have even…

[Laura laughs]

Ben: He wouldn’t even be in question. You know what I mean?

Laura: It wouldn’t…

Alex: It’s James’ fault.

Laura: It wouldn’t be Harry.

Ben: It’s all James’ fault.

Alex: Just calm down.

[Laura laughs]


Chicken Soup For The MuggleCast Soul


Ben: Now, to wrap up the show this week. My favorite segment. A Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul. I think I’m going to change the title of this. I’m formally changing the title. Since Andrew’s not here to argue with me, I’m doing whatever I want. This is now Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Listener’s Soul. So, there you have it.

Laura: What? That’s too long.

Ben: Too bad, the name is officially changed. I want to see…

Laura: No, it’s not.

Ben: I want to see this on the Wikipedia entry, please. Okay.

Laura: No, don’t do it.

Ben: From Kerry Hennebury, 30, from Portland, Maine. She writes,

I wanted to write and thank you guys for putting in so much effort. As funny and quirky as you all can be, the fact remains that the MuggleCast staff makes thousands of Harry Potter fans think deeper and laugh harder at ourselves on a weekly basis. I turned 30 on February 2nd and was in a reflective mood, which was magnified when finding out the book release was due out in July. I found myself contemplating where the time had gone. I got married and had three babies right along side of the ‘Harry Potter’ book releases. So the question remained, where has all the time gone? As I stared at the bust that announced Jo had finished writing ‘Deathly Hallows’, panic mingling with my pre-existing fear of turning 30 had caused me, as Mrs. Weasley said, to have a “fit of the sullens.” My husband asked me what was wrong. I explained about the series coming to an abrupt halt and asked him, “Where did the time go?” I felt like I was broadsided by a bus. Not only had I stepped over that invisible age line, but my beloved series was coming to an end. With an understanding smile he simply pointed at my three sons who were playing in their bedroom. It hit me suddenly why the two issues were so closely linked. ‘Harry Potter’ has been my refuge for over six years. My oldest son, Liam, was diagnosed with autism six years ago. Then four years ago my other son, Nicky, was diagnosed as well. My sons struggle daily to succeed in what comes as second nature to you and I. My family has their ups and downs, tears and laughter. But throughout this emotional rollercoaster I call my 20’s…

Laura: That’s it, Ben. You’re done, you’re done.

Ben: Whoops. No, no I’m not done!

[Laura laughs]

Ben: It’s really long!

But through

I just had the wrong inflection there.

But throughout this emotional rollercoaster I call my 20’s, I realized I had one constant thought brought me more laughter, sheer happiness, and blissful brain-cramped sleuthing that helped me turn off the stress. ‘Harry Potter’ and MuggleCast. So, when my family goes to bed at night and the lights go off, I slip on my iPod and try my darndest not to laugh out loud at your antics. I woke my son up laughing at, “Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.”

[Ben laughs]

Thank you very much, Ben. So, when the day is done and I’m ready to drop from exhaustion, you guys are always there to ebb away the stress and, for that, I can never thank you enough. Kerri Hennebury.

Ben: That is very sweet. Seriously, that’s awesome.

Laura: Mhm.

Micah: That’s nice. Very nice.

Ben: This whole – I can’t believe it’s coming to an end either, you know, that’s sort of the same sentiment that I reflected. Because I just realized, I can’t remember – like, last year? I don’t remember what happened. Like, in terms of my junior year of high school. Or my sophomore year of high school, or my freshman year of high school. I don’t remember it. I mean, I can remember some specific events. But, I don’t know. It’s just it’s all gone by in a blur. Last thing I knew I was meeting Alex at Lumos and now it’s almost seven months later. Getting all sentimental about it.

Alex: I’m going to cry.

[Ben pretends to cry]

Ben: You’re going to cry.

Alex: That really a sweet letter, though.

Laura: I probably will cry.

Alex: That’s amazing.

Laura: I admit that.


Alex’s Upcoming Song for MuggleCast


Ben: [sings] Here’s to Book 7, 2007. Right, Alex?

Alex: It’s the new song, right there.

Ben: Uh-huh. So Alex, are you going to write us an intro for a song for MuggleCast?

Alex: No, I’m not. But I am going to…

Ben: Will you, please?

Alex: I’m going to play a song that makes fun of Andrew because he’s not here. But I’ll do that in the future at some point.

Ben: Oooh. But, can you please do a MuggleCast song?

Alex: I’ll see what I can work up.

Ben: Like, an intro? Like, with lyrics?

Alex: I’ll call it “Muggle Antics.”

Ben:[sings] Will not soon be forgotten.


Show Close


Ben: Okay, everybody. We have a PO Box for you:

PO Box 223
Moundridge, KS

Send us anything, everything. Whatever. I mean, we’re open. You know, cookies…

Micah: [whispers] Don’t forget the zip code.

Ben: Don’t forget – oh yeah, 67107. Did I say that?

Micah: No. [laughs]

Ben: Sorry about that.

Moundridge, KS
67107

Now, I have some phone numbers here, too. In case you want to give us a buzz, if you know what I’m saying. Please keep your voicemails underneath 60 – 30 seconds, excuse me, 30 seconds. If you live in the United States, you can dial 1-218-20-MAGIC. Or if you live in the United Kingdom, you can dial 020-8144-0677. Or if you live in Australia, you can dial 02-8003-5668.

[Show music begins playing]

Ben: You can Skype the username MuggleCast. You can email us at staff dot mugglenet dot com. You can also email us on MuggleCast dot com. For more information, check out our website. Yeah. So, that’s pretty much it. That does it here for us this week. I’ve enjoyed this time. Yeah, Alex, thanks for coming out and having a good time with us.

Alex: Thanks. I’ve got to say one more thing. Because I haven’t had a chance to. I promised Paul from Harry and the Potters I would mention the fact that there is a Wizard Rock EP of the Month Club whose proceeds are all going to literacy promotion. So MuggleCast listeners should check out WizardRockClub.com and check it out.

Ben: Awesome. Now, quickly. Go ahead, Micah.

Micah: I’ll just run through them. MySpace, Facebook, YouTubeYouTube, Frappr, Last.FM, the Fanlisting Forums, Digg.com, Podcast Alley and Yahoo! Podcast.

Ben: Yeah, don’t forget all those. Good job, Micah. And one final thing. Oh yeah, check out MySpace.com/TheRemusLupins. Or FightEvilReadBooks.com for more. Thank you, Alex, for joining us. I’m Ben Schoen.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Micah: I’m Micah Tannenbaum.

Alex: And I’m Remus Lupin.

[Ben and Micah laugh]

Laura: Wow. I actually went second that time.

Micah: Can you believe this? Next week, you know what we are, Ben?

Ben: We’re 80, folks. We’re…

Micah: We’re old.

Ben: [mispronounces] Octogenarian…

Laura: We’re going to have dentures.

Ben: [mispronounces] Octogenarians. We’re [mispronounces] octogenarians. That’s how you say it. Good night.

[Show music ends]

———————–

Written by: Micah, Adrienne, Allison, Amanda, Briana, Cindy, Eloise, Jessica, Laura, Leah, Mandie, Margaret, Matt, Megan, Roni, Samantha, Sarah, Shannon, Shelly, and Tina

Transcript #78

MuggleCast 78 Transcript


Show Intro


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[Intro music begins to play]

Andrew: Because we’re more interesting than adding friends on Myspace, this is MuggleCast Episode 78 for February 24, 2007.

[Music continues to play]

Jamie: They did some car crash research, okay, into the causes of car crashes. And in most of the states, the final words of the people in the car were, “Oh no,” or something like that, but in Kansas – hello, Ben…

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: The final words of the people were, “Hold my beer, I’m going to try something.”

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Oh!

Jamie: May I say, may I say – I have to thank my housemate Tom on pain of death for that joke. So, thank you.

Andrew: You know, I actually heard Ben say that once, but I guess that’s for another time. Jamie, where have you been?

Jamie: I’ve been all over the place. America…

Andrew: The fans are not happy.

Jamie: England – well, I have, you know…

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: I’ve been extremely busy, I’ve been all over the place. However, I come back and I see a new person has arrived. One person who I haven’t done a show before with ever. Right, Mikey?

Andrew: Well, see…

Mikey: Yeah, right.

Andrew: You might remember that the last time you recorded was actually when you were here, and I don’t know if you remember, but after that show there was a little bit of a fall out with Ben. So, we actually fired him and this is his new replacement.

Jamie: I heard it was sort of a punch up more than a fall out. Didn’t he…

[Andrew and Mikey laugh]

Mikey: Yeah. Well, I think he left to go watch The OC actually, yeah.

Andrew: Ah, yes. The OC tonight, the big season finale is tonight.

Micah: No, series finale.

Andrew: That’s why – series?

Eric: Series.

Jamie: Series finale, isn’t it, because it’s all over?

Eric: Yes.

Andrew: Holy crap.

Mikey: Series, it’s done. There’s no more OC after it. I live in the OC, so I know.

Jamie: So you can just open your window, Mikey, can’t you?

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: Yeah. I’m looking out the window right now, you know, I see what’s going on.

Andrew: So, are you going to get kicked out of town tomorrow or what?

Eric: [over Andrew] You’re going to go outside tomorrow morning to get the paper… [trails off]

Mikey: Yeah.

Micah: Yeah, well.

Eric: There will just be a white line on the horizon. That’s tomorrow afternoon.

Andrew: I’m Andrew Sims.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull.

Jamie: I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Micah: I’m Micah Tannenbaum.

Mikey: And I’m Mikey Bouchereau.

[Music continues to play]


News


Andrew: Micah Tan the MuggleCast Anchor-Man is in the studio with the past weeks top Harry Potter news stories. Micah!

Micah: Thanks, Grand Master Andrew.

EA, the maker of the Harry Potter videogames, has released details on the production of the upcoming Order of the Phoenix videogame.

WB Interactive Entertainment stated, “Working with EA, we look forward to offering fans the most authentic Harry Potter game to date, one which captures the compelling story of the fiction and high visual quality of the movie.”

Last week we told you about LEGO’s plans for a new Hogwarts Castle set to coincide with the Order of the Phoenix film release. Our friends over at MillionairePlayboy.com have now informed us that this is the only set planned to be released in 2007.

This is the first time that LEGO has only created one set to go along with a Potter movie. Goblet of Fire saw four sets released alongside the film.

Speaking of Goblet of Fire, High-Definition TV News has a very positive review of the recently released Goblet of Fire High-Definition DVD. The review stated that “Goblet of Fire is possibly one of the best HD transfers to date, with clean crisp pictures looking stunning and at times almost 3D like in quality. The whole experience is an assault on the senses that will leave you demanding more of the same.”

New photos have surfaced from Daniel Radcliffe’s appearance in Equus, also new photos from Order of the Phoenix, you can take a look at Tonks, the Young Marauders, and Snape. All of them are available over on MuggleNet.com.

Michael Riedel of the New York Post recently posted his thoughts on Equus and notes that the production is already being considered for Broadway. Riedel says:

“The London revival of Peter Shaffer’s powerful drama about a teenage boy who takes off his clothes and blinds horses began previews on Friday, but it has caused so much buzz that producers already are planning to bring it to Broadway in the fall. One problem, however, tends to be the length of Equus. It clocks in at nearly three hours, which is a bit of a slog, according to London theater sources who sneaked in early because they couldn’t wait to get a look at John Napier’s stunning set.”

And as of late, many British tabloids have falsely reported that Warner Brothers was displeased with Daniel Radcliffe’s decision to perform in the play Equus. A WB spokesperson has in response to these claims issued the following statement:

“Daniel Radcliffe is an extremely talented actor, as well as a great collaborator and friend to Warner Brothers Pictures. We’ve had great experiences working with him on our films and fully support any artistic choices he makes as an actor.”

Finally, we’re thrilled to announce that MuggleNet.com’s What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7, written entirely by MuggleNet staff, has been selected as an Editors’ Choice by The New York Times Book Review! More than 100,000 copies of the book have been printed.

That’s all the news for this February 24, 2007 edition of MuggleCast. Back to the show!

Andrew: Thank you, Micah.

Micah: You’re welcome, Andrew.

Andrew: Micah, we have a few things to discuss this week concernig news.

Micah: Do we?

Andrew: But I wanted to point out… Yes, but I wanted to point out…


Jamie’s Thoughts on the Release Date


Andrew: We’ve been getting a lot of e-mails lately, saying, “Where can I get the links in the – to all the pictures that you guys talk about on the show?” Just go to MuggleNet.com and you’ll see all the past, like, 20 stories or so, and usually we’ll talk about everything on the MuggleNet main page, so you’ll be able to find the links there. But, Jamie, you have not been on for so long, that we have not heard your thoughts on the release date.

Jamie: Oh, okay.

Andrew: What do you think about – what do you think about it?

Jamie: Well, you know…

Andrew: A mere eight days!

Jamie: I think it’s, I think it’s extremely weird, but I was holding out for a 2008 release, so I’m kind of upset about it. I think it’s just weird for, you know, a few reasons. Like, putting them so close together. I know people say it’s going to up the hype for both of them, and it’s going to be a “Harry Potter summer,” but, you know, it’s the…

Andrew: “Summer to remember,” in the words of Dylan Spartz.

Jamie: Yeah. Oh, yes, it is going to be a summer to remember, but it’s the, sort of, high before the, you know, fall. It’s going to be a huge summer, and then it’s going to be nothing, whereas, I think I’d rather see it spread out with like, it next year. And also, I seem – I’ve had a few e-mails telling me that I said that if it was…

Andrew: [laughs] I was just going to bring that up.

Jamie: …released in 2007 – oh, right, I would have to eat…

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: …50 sausages, which I seem to remember, I actually said that if Harry died, I’d have to do that.

Andrew: Well, actually, I checked in the transcripts, and you said, you’ve said both. And…

Jamie: Well, Micah was wrong when he transcribed it, then. I’m sorry, Micah.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Do your job properly.

[Micah and Eric laugh]

Andrew: Jamie, I’m afraid you’re going to have to hold up your end of the deal, here…

Mikey: Hey, Jamie…

Andrew: …and, you know, eat 50 sausages. When do you want to do this?

Mikey: Jamie, what kind of sausages did you want?

Jamie: I want the huge ones, Mikey.

Mikey: [laughs] The Polish ones, or the…

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: We meant to eat for the bet, Jamie.

Jamie: I want the German five-footers.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: No, I don’t know. I’ll have to do it sometime, but I – do you know, I was going to ask if… Do you think – can I just go double or nothing? And then if Harry…

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: …dies, I’ll eat 100, and then if…

Andrew: I think that’s fair.

Jamie: …he lives, I’ll eat nothing.

Andrew: I think that’s fair.

Jamie: Because, to be fair, if I ate 50 sausages, I’d die and…

[Andrew and Micah laugh]

Jamie: …the book’s coming out now, but Harry isn’t going to die, so I’ve got a pretty safe bet there. And I shouldn’t…

Eric: You…

Jamie: …have said that, because now everyone’s going to say no. Sorry?

Eric: You should’ve thought about this before you say these things.

Jamie: Yeah, I should.

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: I don’t think…

Mikey: Jamie, I got your back, yo, but you’ve got to – because Harry’s eventually going to die, because we discussed this already, that he will die. So, if he dies in the context of the Voldemort-Harry fight, correct?

[Andrew and Mikey laugh]

Jamie: Yes.

Mikey: I’m just saying, man, because eventually, everybody dies. So…

Jamie: Yeah.

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: If he’s lying in his bed and has a heart attack, then no, I’m not eating those 50 sausages.

Micah: Well, Jamie.

Jamie: Not a single one. Yeah?

Micah: This is why you haven’t been on the show, right? Once she put out the release date, you just crawled into a corner and cried yourself…

Jamie: Yeah, I did. I did.

Micah: …for hours, days.

Jamie: I went to a sausage-free place for five weeks so I didn’t have to think of them.

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Andrew: How did you survive?

Jamie: I don’t know.

Eric: Sausagephobia.

Jamie: Yeah.


New OOTP Pictures


Andrew: So, anyway, moving along. We got a couple of new Order of the Phoenix photos this week from the film. Again, more from DanLatino.com and HarryLatino.com. These guys are getting some “unauthorized pictures,” in the words of WB.

Eric: Some serious love.

Andrew: I still don’t know where they’re getting them from, but anyway. We saw a picture of young Snape. You guys see this yet?

Micah: Yeah.

Mikey: Yeah.

Micah: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: What do you think? Maybe it’s the quality of the picture, but…

Jamie: It looks like…

Andrew: It looks fake. [laughs]

Jamie: He looks like a Snape with just a younger face. It doesn’t look like…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: …a young Snape, because if you take, sort of, you know, like an older person, take their face off, and put a younger face on it, they still look like the older person. You know, your hair doesn’t just remain the same. It’s just like – I think it shouldn’t, he shouldn’t have long, black hair. He should have, like, middle-length hair, or sort of, shorter hair, just to show that he’s, you know…

Andrew: Young.

Jamie: And, and, and – yeah. Don’t get started on how bad James looks.

Eric: Oh, yeah, yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Oh, god.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: That’s what I’d like to change it to. What is he, blond?

Andrew: What do you think of that, Eric? I know.

Jamie: Yeah, basically.

Eric: What, bleach it blond? I mean…

Andrew: There’s something to it. Young Sirius, though, I think is great, although again, it looks like he has the same exact hair…

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: …as Gary Oldman does.

Eric: Well, yeah, very similar from the Azkaban photo, anyway.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: I don’t know, James just…

Andrew: And…

Eric: Which one’s Pettigrew and which one’s Lupin? I guess Lupin’s like…

Andrew: Pettigrew’s the right, there.

Micah: I don’t know if Lupin’s in the picture.

Andrew: He’s the one with the mullet.

Mikey: Yeah, like, isn’t that James? That’s James, not Lupin, next to Sirius, right?

Eric: Yeah.

Mikey: Or is it Lupin? Do we know for sure?

Andrew: I’m guessing that…

Micah: I don’t think Lupin’s in that picture, unless he’s sort of in the background, there.

Andrew: In the back.

Mikey: Yeah. I assumed it was James, but people were telling me that it can’t be because he doesn’t have black hair.

Micah: He looks like he has glasses on, though, doesn’t he?

Eric: Yeah, I don’t know who else it would be. It looks like he has glasses.

Andrew: Who, Wormtail?

Mikey: Yeah, there are glasses on there. I’m zooming in like, really far, but they’re not really standing out.

Andrew: I don’t know, I’m more concerned about young Snape, I was sort of…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: I’m not worried about young Snape.

Andrew: …wanted one of Gary – Alan Rickman’s offspring to take the part. That’s what they needed to do.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: You want to do some good casting, take their kids.

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, I agree.

Eric: Not just take their kids.

Jamie: Although…

Eric: Cast their kids.

Jamie: Although…

Andrew: Who cares if they’re four years old, take them.

Jamie: But by that logic, Andrew, you’d have to take Daniel Radcliffe’s dad and shrink him down to when he was younger.

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Jamie: Or just have Daniel Radcliffe…

Andrew: Or just take Dan Radcliffe, exactly.

Mikey: With brown eyes, right?

Andrew: Exactly.

Jamie: With brown eyes, yeah. That’d be perfect.

Mikey: And no scar.

Jamie: And no scar. And no glasses, and – actually, no. Sorry, I didn’t mean that. Oh, my god. [laughs]

[Andrew laughs]

Mikey: Is there a horse involved?

Jamie: And a lot of messy hair.

Mikey: Is there a horse involved?

[Andrew laughs]


Order of the Phoenix LEGOs


Andrew: Any Lego fans here?

Mikey: I’m a Lego fan.

Eric: Did they – do we have a picture of that?

Andrew: Are you? Eric, are you? I picture you as – yes, Eric, but I picture you as a Lego fan.

Eric: You’re actually right.

[Jamie laughs]

Eric: I was a really, really large Lego fan, yes. I invented Star Wars LEGOs before they came out with Star Wars Legos.

Andrew: Of course you did.

Eric: I did, I’m dead serious.

Andrew: They’re – I used to be a Lego fan, too, and then I grew up. But we found out today that there won’t – there will only be one set related to Order of the Phoenix, which is a castle and it’s going to come with several different figurines, little Lego people, including Harry, Hermione, Ron, even Luna, Dumbledore, and a few others, Snape. So it’s going to be a good set, but it’s only, they’re only releasing one set. Seem a little weird to you, Mikey?

Jamie: What? What?

Mikey: Yeah, it does. I’m kind of sad, you know? Although, if you take a look at the book, you know, Order of the Phoenix does predominantly take place at Hogwarts, the castle, but I would love to get, you know, the Veil, or something like that, or maybe Grimmauld Place. That’d be kind of cool.

Andrew: Or how about the atrium?

Mikey: Yeah, the atrium.

Eric: Well, yeah.

Mikey: Personally, I think Grimmauld Place would be kind of cool. Grimmauld Place would be cool. I could imagine like, Sirius’s mom, like a little button you push, and her just yell like, obscenities little children can have.

Andrew: Yeah.

[Eric laughs]

Mikey: That would be amazing.

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: It’s just like one giant Lego piece. [laughs] Or you have to build her.

Jamie: Although, do you know something? There’s one thing about Lego, that some of the pictures, sorry, some of the pieces look a bit weird. Like I was watching a TV show, and they said the Gandalf figure – his beard – he looks like he’s eating a seal. I’m going to show you all the photo, and then put it into the show notes, alright, Andrew?

Andrew: [laughs] Oh, okay.

Jamie: Can we do that?

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Okay.

Andrew: [laughs] It kind of does!

Jamie: It actually looks like he’s either eating a seal or throwing it up.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: I can’t decide which one.

[Mikey laughs]

Eric: The Lego sets. You’re right, as far as – we need a veil room. I mean, that was what? A whole shell of stuff, and the atrium, the pictures we’ve seen…

Jamie: The Room of Requirement.

Eric: …would be so colorful. The Room of Requirement and stuff – it’s just so many opportunities. The reason I didn’t like the Harry Potter Lego sets before – I mean, even the Goblet of Fire ones; they were okay – was because they kind of repeat themselves. Even this, if you look at this, there are pictures of this new version of Hogwarts Castle, and it’s kind of like the same…

Andrew: Yeah, it’s nothing special. It’s a remake.

Eric: Yeah, it’s like the same pieces, obviously, just more of them and constructed to make this thing, so it’s like I would really like to see some of the other cool sets that they could make, but it seems like they’re just kind of repeating themselves with some of these sets. So, I don’t know.

Mikey: Yeah. It’s…

Andrew: Yeah. Now we do have a little interview with one of the guys who runs Millionaireplayboy.com. He actually got a chance to check out the Lego sets.


Equus to Broadway?


Andrew: That’s pretty much it for news this week. It was kind of a slow news week, you know, new pictures blah, blah, blah. What else? Equus under consideration for Broadway already.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: That’s a little goofy, isn’t it? Is that going to work out for Daniel Radcliffe if he’s going to be filming Half-Blood Prince later this year? I don’t think he’s going to have time for that, so he’d have to be re-casted.

Jamie: I agree.

Andrew: Especially if he doesn’t turn 18, he can’t do that scene in the United States. So, at least before his birthday. After his birthday, sure.


Announcements


Andrew: All right, now we have a few announcements to remind everyone about: Enlightening 2007 at the University of Pennsylvania in Philly, coming up July 12th to the 15th. It’s going to be a good time. Jamie, Ben, Micah, and I will all be there to do a live podcast, and also we’re going to do a workshop on podcasting and how to make your own podcast. Jamie, people want to know the secrets of podcasting, and you’re going to show them how you come up with your British jokes.

Jamie: Well it’s pretty – it’s quite a tough job…

Andrew: It’s complicated.

Jamie: …really. Yeah, you need a computer; you need Google, yes…

Andrew: I told the Enlightening people we’re going to need a whole day just for that part of the seminar.

Jamie: Yeah, I’d say – give it a day-and-a-half, Andrew, just to be on the safe side.

Andrew: All right. All right.

Jamie: It’s pretty complicated.

Andrew: Then, also, we want to thank everyone for voting for us over at Podcast Alley. I think right now – right now, we’re number two, underneath Free Talk Live. For some reason that podcast actually has listeners. So, thanks…

Jamie: What the hell is it about?

Andrew: Eh, it’s free talk, I guess. I don’t know. Sort of like our show.

Jamie: Well, so anyone can go on and talk about just anything?

Andrew: I guess.

Jamie: Sounds like ours…

Andrew: It’s live, and it’s free.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: It’s probably done tastefully though.

Andrew: So if you haven’t voted, just go to PodcastAlley.com and click on us on the right and place your vote. We appreciate that very much, because it gives us exposure in the podcasting community, of course.


Jamie’s Suitcase


Andrew: And Jamie, we never really talked about this to you – at least on the show – about giving away pieces of your suitcase.

Jamie: Oh, no.

Andrew: It’s still sitting here.

Jamie: Is it?

Andrew: Yeah. It’s starting to smell. Actually, it smelled when you brought it here.

[Mikey laughs]

Andrew: And the dead body, I don’t want to get rid of it yet. I don’t know what you were planning on doing with it.

Jamie: Why, is it still in your freezer?

Andrew: Well, I put it back in the suitcase. I didn’t – my mom didn’t appreciate it in the freezer with all the ice cream.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: But anyway, all the three winners from the Deathly Hallows theory contest winners – the three of them all claimed their prizes. One of them wants your flight ticket thing on there, and two of them want parts of the suitcase that have a part of your zipper.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: Get this: I haven’t told you this yet. I’m taking it into school either tomorrow or sometime next week. I’m going into the wood shop, and we’re going to cut this sucker up. It’s going to go on YouTube.

Jamie: Cool.

Andrew: I’ve hired Mr. Capello’s brother, who’s a wood shop teacher, to help me…

Jamie: Awesome.

Andrew: …and it’s going to be a big event. I don’t know what to do with the remaining pieces.

Jamie: Eat it.

Andrew: I’m thinking of just handing them out in school randomly, or I don’t know. I’m going to do something.

Eric: Save it. Sell it on eBay.

Andrew: You can have them if you want. You want them?

Jamie: No, it’s okay. Really, I don’t.

Andrew: As for the dead body…

Jamie: Eat it. Eat that as well.

Andrew: I will eat that. It smells good. [laughs]


UK Meetup


Andrew: Also, Jamie, we’re thinking about doing a little meet-up in London.

Jamie: Yes! It will be very nice. We’re going to be there on March 17th?

Andrew: Saint Patty’s day!

Jamie: Huh?

Andrew: Saint Patty’s day. Saint Patrick’s Day..

Jamie: Yes. Exactly. Saint Patty’s day. We’re probably going to do something some time in the afternoon whether it be, as I wrote on the website, “an extravagant, exciting, and hunger-curing day in London,” I think. Hopefully we can do that and get some food, or if something horribly goes wrong, we can just do a meet-up in a park somewhere, where surely it will rain, because it’s England, so we’ll have to find somewhere else, where surely we’ll get chucked out, because there will be quite a few of us. [laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] But then we’ll all go back to the hotel room.

Jamie: …on a street corner being bored, so yeah.

Andrew: Oh, that sounds like fun. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, definitely. I’d go. Okay, and if you’d like to attend this event, whether it be hunger-curing and exciting, or boring and raining…

Andrew: On a street corner.

Jamie: Yeah, or boring and street corner-ish, then e-mail mcmeetup at gmail dot com, and hopefully, if we get enough people e-mailing, we will sort something out, and book that street corner.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: So get your e-mails in soon.

Andrew: So, and then we’ll probably record a little something with the fans. I don’t know, fan interviews or I don’t know, something fun that we’ll put on the show. So, it will be a fun time, and we look forward to seeing everyone there. We’ll probably make the decision by sometime in the middle of this week, so get your RSVP in soon, including how many people you’re going to be bringing with you, so we can get a good handle on how many people to expect. And then we’ll e-mail everyone, Jamie, I guess? Or we’ll make a post on MuggleNet or something like that.

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah, something like that.


Listener Rebuttal: Daddy Voldy


Andrew: Okay, we have a few rebuttals now. Micah, you want to take the first one?

Micah: Sure. The first rebuttal comes from Sarah, 24, of Houston, Texas. She says:

“In the latest MuggleCast, someone called in and said she wondered why Voldemort didn’t consider fathering a child in order to achieve immortality. I think he never considered this, not only because he’s a loner, but because of his own parents.”

[Jamie laughs]

Micah: “In his eyes, his dad was a useless, gullible Muggle, and Merope, despite being of the house of Slytherin, died because she was weak. He is ashamed of where he comes from – notice that many Death Eaters don’t know he’s half and half – so why would he see someone from his own bloodline as important? I think a child would be useless to him because it would carry the blood of the parents who disgust him.”

Jamie: That’s a very good point.

Eric: An interesting take.

Mikey: That makes sense. Yeah, because he’s not pureblood and if his whole thing is the purebloodness, and…

Eric: Yeah.

Mikey: You know? He’s got the Muggle blood in – that he killed Mr. Tom Riddle, so…

Eric: Yeah, so I think he’s taken it upon himself to be the best of any of his – of his bloodline, you know, like, instead of furthering and seeing his children are better than him, he just basically made it so that he’d be the one, so he didn’t really father any children because he hates his bloodline to begin with. So, he just wants to be big and bad and…

Andrew: And end his family.

Jamie: And also he’d hate it…

Eric: …and not worry.

Jamie: Yeah, and also the idea that he was not reliant on something, but the idea that something could, you know, something would be that close to him. I don’t think he could stand it, and also, it doesn’t really, you know, continue his immortality because he doesn’t, as you’ve all just said, consider a bloodline to be immortality. It’s just him, regardless of, you know, offspring or ancestors or anything like that.

Micah: I like how she called him “half and half,” like he’s some sort of milk or something.

Andrew: Cream.

[Everyone laughs]

Micah: Yeah.

Andrew: Something you put in your coffee.

Eric: Voldemort cream.

Mikey: Also… Also, it’s kind of like the – Voldemort’s personality, I think he’s too much of an egomaniac in the sense that he wants the immortality himself.

Eric: Yeah.

Mikey: He wants to live forever. He doesn’t care about the kids.

Eric: Yeah, the…

Mikey: He’s not a friendly person.

Eric: The alternative methods of being immortal just simply don’t interest him. And…

Mikey: No, he wants to…

Eric: I don’t know, would you go to Starbucks and order a Marvolo Mocha?

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Zing!

Andrew: That was pretty good. But in the words of Freddie Mercury – no, I knew he was dead all along.

Jamie: No, okay, Andrew I’m going to put that…

Andrew: No, no…

Jamie: …into the show so…

Andrew: No, no. And you know what? Hold on.

Jamie: No, I am so…

Andrew: Queen, Queen is – there’s like – they’re touring again.

Jamie: Okay.

Andrew: Like they’re getting someone else…

Jamie: Whatever.

Andrew: …to tour with them.

Jamie: Whatever. Still…

Andrew: So, technically I was…

Eric: But Freddy is…

Andrew: So, let me finish my thought.

Jamie: Okay.

Andrew: In the words of Freddie Mercury, “Who wants to live forever?”


Listener Rebuttal: HP Sauce and Squibs


Andrew: Anyway, the next rebuttal comes from Victoria, 25, of Chicago, concerning HP sauce. I don’t have any recollection of bringing this up last week but, anyway.

“Micah, HP sauce is not Harry Potter sauce.”

Oh, this is why. [laughs]

“HP sauce is not ‘Harry Potter’ sauce as you said in the news, quoting Jason Isaacs on Episode 77. Instead, it’s a British condiment a bit like steak sauce over here. I thought you might like to know.”

Eric: Like A1 steak sauce?

Andrew: Is that true? You ever have HP sauce?

Jamie: Yeah, it is. Do you know that actually stands for Houses of Parliament, and I don’t know why. I can’t remember. But it does, and it’s yeah, it’s like, brown sauce or like spicy, sort of fruity, kind of thing.

Micah: Well…

Jamie: And yeah.

Micah: It worked out well. I mean – I thought he meant sauce…

Jamie: Well apart from the fact that…

Micah: …like some sort of gossip or whatever.

Eric: Yeah, sauce.

Micah: You know?

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Actually I’m looking that up, Jamie.

Andrew: And then she…

Eric: I’ve had HP sauce last night for…

Jamie: It worked out well apart from the fact that you had it completely wrong.

[Andrew laughs]

Micah: Yeah.

Andrew: She goes on to say also:

“Question: can a squib attend Hogwarts? You’d think an eleven year-old from a wizarding family that has showed no magical abilities would be sent to Hogwarts, in the hope that they’re a late bloomer. If not, do they have to stay at home and miss the opportunity to make friends, effectively becoming a social outcast? This does not seem fair either way and may explain a lot of Filch’s bitterness. I wondered what you thought.”

I don’t think they can attend Hogwarts.

Jamie: No…

Andrew: If you can’t do magic, you can’t do magic.

Jamie: It’s a magic school, yeah. It’s like a…

Andrew: It’s like what are you going to do in Transfiguration?

Jamie: Yeah, just sit there?

Andrew: Yeah.


Listener Rebuttal: Filchy


Jamie: This is from Fransisco, age 16, from Chile. Subject: Filchy.

“When I was hearing your podcast, I started thinking – couldn’t Voldemort make Filch perform magic if he does something for him? Probably getting him into Hogwarts or getting him something that is in Hogwarts, maybe another Horcrux? Well, anyway, love the show, bye!”

Isn’t that kind of Faust-esque, you know, selling your soul to the devil and then him…

Andrew: Basically…

Jamie: … giving you something in return?

Andrew: Yeah, plus, Filch cares for – Filch is not an evil person, so…

Jamie: Right.

Andrew: …I don’t think Filch would…

Jamie: And he’s loyal to Dumbledore and Hogwarts, even though he is bitter and moody and twisted.

Mikey: My question is, how could Voldemort make Filch perform magic?

Andrew: Well, that’s – yeah, a good question.

Mikey: Yeah, that right there…

Micah: Giving him the ability to, maybe?

Mikey: Yeah, well, that’s what it says, it says, “Voldemort – couldn’t Voldemort make Filch perform magic?” Meaning Filch is the one performing magic.

Eric: That’s interesting.

Mikey: Not like…

Andrew: Well, that’s what we were…

Mikey: Yeah, that right there confuses me.

Andrew: I mean, that’s what we were asking last week. What would let a squib do magic? Because we were saying maybe it’s Filch who practices magic later in life. So, maybe she’s suggesting Voldemort could make that something that we were talking about click.

Jamie: Well, doesn’t that bring up the point that, how does Quikspell teach you to do magic? Because that implies that being a squib is a temporary, acute, you know, thing. That it’s like a mental block; it sounds like writer’s block. You can’t do magic until that block is lifted. But in, you know, I can’t remember where else, it’s been suggested that being a squib is, you know, you do not – you do not inherit your parents’ magical ability.

Eric: Right, you’re just a dub.

Jamie: Which is chronic, yeah. You’re the black sheep of the family.

Andrew: Probably we’ll probably never know.

Micah: I was going to say, but what if it’s a trade-off though. Like, what if Voldemort gives him temporary magical ability and then…

Eric: Well, could you – could you do that? Could you give someone temporary magical ability? I mean.

Micah: Who knows? Maybe.

Eric: Yeah, well, I know you can bring dead bodies back to life, to – to at least movement. I would think, you know, you would have to be…

Micah: Yeah.

Eric: …innately magical, you know, to do it. Like…

Jamie: Agreed.

Eric: …it’s in your blood.

Micah: Another rebuttal that was kind of along this line was saying perhaps Harry teaches Filch because he was such a good teacher in Order of the Phoenix. Maybe he teaches him how to do magic in, you know…

Eric: I don’t think he has time to do that.

Jamie: No. “I’ve got ten minutes, so I’ll teach you a quick spell. Then I’ll go and find the other four Horcruxes.”

[Everyone laughs]


Main Discussion: Fawkes


Andrew: Yeah, well, anyway, we’re going to move on now to our main discussion this week. Actually a character discussion, a creature discussion, we’re going to talk about Fawkes.

Mikey: Yes.

Andrew: It could be a very important creature in Book 7.

Jamie: You think he would be.

Andrew: We’ve talked about him in the past, what did Fawkes’ song at the end of Half-Blood Prince possibly mean?

Eric: His cry.

Jamie: He was singing Bohemian Rhapsody, Andrew.

[Andrew laughs]

Andrew: Yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: So, Micah, take it away.

Micah: Sure… just a brief overview. The phoenix is a magical bird about the size of a swan. It has crimson feathers on its body and a golden tail as long as a peacock’s. It’s claws and beaks are gleaming gold and its eyes are black. These colors also happen to be the colors of Gryffindor house, interestingly enough. The scarlet body feathers glow faintly in darkness, while the golden tail feathers are hot to the touch. Phoenix tail feathers are a powerful magical substance according to Mr. Ollivander, and are suitable for use as wand cores, and that came from the Harry Potter Lexicon.


Harry First Sees Fawkes on a Burning Day


Micah: So, the first question all for up is that when Harry first sees Fawkes in Chamber of Secrets, it happens to be on a burning day. Now, do you guys think that this is a foreshadowing of something to come?

Jamie: Oooh.

Andrew: Like what? Bad timing? Bad coincidence?

Micah: A bad omen, perhaps?

Eric: Well, I think if you look in the movie at least – I know you shouldn’t base too much on the movies, but it was kind of comedic relief in a way. I mean, it was – you know – [in British accent] “Your bird, sir. He just died!” You know, Harry’s accused of committing all these crimes and stuff and then he goes into Dumbledore’s office and….

Jamie: Bird arson.

Eric: …his bird blows up! [laughs]

Jamie: Sorry.

Eric: So, I think it was just a matter of that – it’s more… I think it fit with the theme of the book. Harry being accused of something, he’s not but having self-doubt.

Jamie: Yeah. I think that about covers it.

Andrew: I mean, yeah. What I was trying to say was that Harry met him in bad timing, so perhaps the foreshadowing in Book 7 could be – he would make bad timing.

Jamie: The thing is tough, doesn’t the phoenix live for hundreds of years? So it’s pretty rare to have a burning day.

Micah: It’s immortal.

Jamie: Huh? No, but I mean, it lives until it’s reborn.

Eric: I guess so. Is it rare?

Jamie: It isn’t like two days and then – that would suck.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: What did Dumbledore say? It’s a certain period, isn’t it?

Jamie: No, yeah, but isn’t it a long time?

Andrew: That’s true.

Mikey: I don’t think, does it?

Eric: One wouldn’t think it would be every two days.

Jamie: He doesn’t burst into flame every two days. Yeah.

Eric: That’s a lot of rebirthing that is happening.

Jamie: And he has to grow as well, because he turns into a tiny baby.

Micah: Well, it only takes a couple of days. That’s what it said – for him to re-grow.

Jamie: Oh.

Andrew: Oh, that’s probably what I’m thinking of.

Mikey: Yeah. Also, I think we’re – we might be taking a little going a little too much into it because really – now we know that Fawkes can be…

Jamie: That’s what we do, Mikey.

Micah: Yeah, that’s what I was just going to say.

Mikey: Well, no, this also says that the phoenix is reborn from the ashes too, which we see Fawkes do lots of things where he gives his life up for Dumbledore by taking the Avada Kedavra curse.

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: But we know Fawkes is okay. You know what I mean?

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: I think it just sets us up to know that Fawkes is kind of this super bird. You know what I mean?

Micah: It’s an introduction to us.

Mikey: Yeah. It’s don’t think it’s anything major specific to the point of foreshadowing, because Harry first met him on a burning day. I think it kind of sets up that we know it’s okay, because Harry kind of freaks out.

Jamie: It’s cool.

Mikey: Again, even in the movie, Harry kind of freaks out. “Your bird! He just burst into flames!” He didn’t do anything.

[Eric laughs]

Mikey: [laughs] He freaks out, you know? But it’s the same thing. The bird bursts into flames. You’re kind of worried at first, but then you find out, “Oh, he’s going to be okay,” and every time you see that again, you know it’s going to be okay because he’s reborn.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Yeah.

Mikey: So, I think it’s more that.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: I think it was a plot message, a plot device, rather.

Mikey: Yeah, foreshadowing. Yeah, definitely. It’s a plot device.

Andrew: Yeah, it was a good way to meet him for both for Harry and us.

Eric: Yeah, to see what he is.

Jamie: He’s a kind of a – sorry.

Eric: No, go on.

Jamie: He’s a kind of a MacGuffin, isn’t he? Something that is there to save the day and can be brought in to save the day. Kind of like “god from the machine,” “deus ex.” I’ve pronounced that completely wrong, I’m sure. When there’s something that can come in and make everything right, like in Order of the Phoenix when he comes and swallows Dumbledore’s thing.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: It’s one thing that can save the day.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: He’s clearly ridiculously powerful. I’d like a phoenix.


Fawkes Encounters


Andrew: Let’s talk about the encounters we’ve had with Fawkes. There’s been five here that Micah brought up to us. First one, he saves Harry from when he was bitten by the Basilisk in Chamber of Secrets, and he also pokes out the Basilisk’s eyes…

Eric: You go, Fawkes! You go, girl!

Andrew: …and he brings the Sorting Hat and Gryffindor’s sword. Another time – now, this is a quote, Micah? This is what Dumbledore says to Harry in Chamber of Secrets after what happened down in the chamber. “You must have shown me real loyalty down in the chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you.” Foreshadowing, Micah, with calling Fawkes?


Loyalty


Micah: Well, yeah. I think maybe more so that than the first thing we took a look at on the burning day. You know? Could this be, in Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore talking to Harry saying, “You must have shown me real loyalty down there…” Could that be foreshadowing to something? I mean, could he show loyalty in some way to Dumbledore in Book 7 that may call Fawkes back to his side?

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Definitely.

Andrew: Oh, that’s true.

Mikey: I think that’s definitely more, because throughout Half-Blood Prince, he’s “Dumbledore’s man, through and through” against Scrimgeour.

Eric: Yeah.

Mikey: So, I think that is a little bit more.

Eric: Fawkes might become Harry’s bird. Maybe Hedwig and Fawkes will get together.

Jamie: Make babies.

Mikey: Make little owl-phoenixes.

Eric: [laughs] Owl-phoenixes.

Mikey: They’ll be pink. Red and white – pink.

Eric: No, I mean.

Jamie: Half of them will burst into flame and be reborn the next day.

Mikey: [laughs] Pink birds everywhere!

Eric: Fawkes will be… Fawkes will be… Fawkes is alone. He doesn’t really have an owner. I think what’s being foreshadowed in Book 2 especially is the loyalty. Like, Fawkes is Dumbledore’s phoenix. Dumbledore was always compared to being a phoenix and having those kinds of qualities. But Fawkes is Dumbledore’s phoenix and that’s how you call Fawkes is you show loyalty to Dumbledore. So, Harry will easily be able to – you know. Well, they hitched a ride on his tail feather to get out of the chamber to begin with. I mean, Fawkes has helped Harry plenty of times.

Jamie: Mhm.

Andrew: Yeah. Well – which we’re going to talk about in a second. Really, Harry’s going to be loyal to Dumbledore throughout all of Book 7, trying to get those Horcruxes.

Eric: Oh yeah.

Andrew: Because hat’s what Dumbledore wants him to do, so really that almost makes Fawkes Harry’s the entire book.

Jamie: But, he’s not doing it because Dumbledore wants him to.

Andrew: No, but that’s just part of his inspiration, I think. His influence.

Jamie: Yeah, but if it’s a case of showing loyalty, you can’t just speak out and say that Dumbledore’s awesome. I think it has to be a certain thing. It’s got to be from within you.

Micah: Right.

Jamie: You know?

Andrew: Yeah.

Micah: Yeah.

Micah: Well, think about the chamber, when Harry says to Tom Riddle…

Jamie: Yeah.

Micah: “Dumbledore will never be gone as long as people here are loyal to him.”

Jamie: Yeah, yeah. Oh yeah.

Micah: I think that’s what called Fawkes to him.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, but I’m sure he had to mean that. He couldn’t just say it to save himself.

Eric: Yeah.

Micah: Right, right.

Mikey: We don’t have any background how Dumbledore domesticated Fawkes, do we?

Jamie: No.

Mikey: Because I’m looking through the Fantastical Beasts one and it says they are given a high rating simply because the creature is not necessarily act ferocious…

Jamie: Impossible to…yeah.

Mikey: …but it’s the rarity of successfully attempting to domesticate it.

Jamie: But isn’t that just one more thing…

Micah: Well, we’re going to get to that.

Mikey: Oh, sorry. Jumping ahead.

Jamie: I was going to say, isn’t that just one more thing – not, that’s okay.

Micah: No, it’s all right.

Jamie: No, isn’t that just one more thing which sort of shows Dumbledore’s powers, you know?

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: It’s that and sort of like – And in Order of the Phoenix when Hagrid points out that he lit that fire – I don’t know how to pronounce it: Gabruthian [mispronounces Gubraithian] fire, or something like that, and only Dumbledore could do that and stuff like that. So, it’s just one more testament to Dumbledore’s power. But also, it’s the only Phoenix that we see, and obviously there are other creatures in that book that we don’t see, as well, but it’s just – it’s clearly a powerful creature.


Phoenixes Choose Their Owners


Micah: Yeah, the interesting thing about that, not jumping off too far ahead, was that Phoenixes choose their owners, not the other way around.

Jamie: Yeah.

Micah: So, the next question is…

Eric: Now, that’s quite interesting.

Micah: …obviously, is why did he choose Dumbledore?

Jamie: “I like his beard.”

Eric: That’s interesting, too. The wand chooses the wizard, and the Phoenix chooses its owner. So, I don’t know, that’s kind of cool.

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: And Harry’s wand has a Phoenix feather in it.

Jamie: Yeah. Fawkes’, in fact.


Picking Apart The “Pure of Heart”


Andrew: We’ll talk more about how Dumbledore got Fawkes later, but another encounter was in Goblet of Fire, when Harry claims he hears the Phoenix song in the graveyard, and it empowers him. “The Phoenix song strengthens the pure of heart and strikes fear in the heart of evil.” Maybe not so much for Fawkes – now, wait a second. Where did that come from, Micah? Was that something that was in the books?

Micah: Yeah.

Andrew: Strengthens – yeah. Hmmm. So…

Jamie: You sure it’s the “heart of evil”? Because you can be pure of heart and be morally vapid.

Micah: Purely evil, is that what you were going to say?

Jamie: No, no. It’s – I mean you don’t have to be evil to be… I don’t know how to say this, but you don’t have to be good to be pure of heart, because good’s a subjective concept, so you could be – I don’t know. Maybe Im – I could actually be completely wrong on that.

Micah: I know what you’re saying.

Eric: Yeah, I think I know what you’re saying, essentially.

Micah: I think that the context is that it’s supposed to be good.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Micah: You know?

Jamie: Yeah. I think you’re right. I’m just an idiot.


More Fawkes Encounters


Andrew: And then also in Goblet of Fire, when Harry encountered a spider bite, Fawkes healed it with one of his tears. And then the fifth attempt – the fifth encounter with Fawkes is when he absorbs the Killing Curse in Order of the Phoenix. Now, if he has already shown that he is willing and capable to hear and protect – heal and protect Dumbledore, why didn’t he show up on the Tower in Half-Blood Prince?

Jamie: Because Dumbledore told him not to.

Andrew: Really?

Jamie: Because – yeah.

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: Snape’s good, and…

Eric: It makes perfect sense.

Jamie: …Dumbledore wanted him to die, so he said, “Fawkes…”

Andrew: Oh. “Don’t save me.”

Jamie: “…don’t show up and save my ass.”

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: “I need to die.” So, yeah.

Eric: “Don’t save me this time, Fawkes.”

Jamie: So, yeah.

Micah: “Radio Fawkes, radio Fawkes.”

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: “Mayday. Mayday.”

Mikey: “Fawkes, this is Dumby. Dumby One.”

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: “I’m going to – I’m going to take a hit right now, just don’t worry.”

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: “Red bird! This isWhite Beard.”

Andrew: “Ten-four, Number One! Ten-four, Number One!”

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: “Over and out, Dumby One. Have a good life.”

Jamie: [laughs] “Over and out, forever.”

Eric: [laughs] Yeah!

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah. But anyway, guys, let’s stay focused, come on.

Mikey: Okay. Focused, focused.

Andrew: We’re a serious podcast. We don’t mess around.

Mikey: We do.

Jamie: Story of our lives.

Mikey: We need to be Sirius.


Fawkes’ Connection with the School


Micah: Sure. We mentioned Dumbledore’s quote before, saying, “I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me.” And still going along the foreshadowing lines, do you think maybe this means that Harry will return to Hogwarts in Book 7, in Deathly Hallows? And do you guys think that Fawkes may be connected to this statement?

Mikey: Possibly.

Andrew: I think that wherever Harry is going to be, Fawkes is going to be.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: And…

Jamie: Perhaps Fawkes is going to stay behind to look after the school.

Eric: Yeah, but what does Fawkes do that specifically looks after the school?

Andrew: But, Fawkes…

Eric: I think Fawkes…

Andrew: He needs someone else to – he needs – Harry – he’s an assistant. Fawkes is an assistant.

Eric: Well, I don’t think he assists…

Jamie: Yeah, he takes Harry’s memos and phone calls and stuff.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: Well, not an office assistant, more like a partner in crime.

[Eric laughs]

Mikey: Evil assistant.

Andrew: Partner in crime. Partner in crime.

Jamie: He’s a secretary.

Eric: No, I don’t think Fawkes is necessary to run the school. It’s not like he’s going to sit at McGonagall’s side and help the school. I think Fawkes was there ever since the beginning on Dumbledore’s behalf, really. He doesn’t really help, or he’s not needed in running the school because he’s always been the other part of Dumbledore’s job, which is protecting the world from Voldemort and finding out everything he can about Voldemort, and protecting Harry and all that stuff. The Order of the Phoenix – Fawkes’ job is not anything to do with the school or the running of the school. He’s not necessary. The only reason he was in…

Jamie: Yeah, but…

Eric: He was with Dumbledore.

Jamie: Yeah, but in the Order of the Phoenix, isn’t Phoenix just a sort of metaphor for Dumbledore? Because it’s Order of Dumbledore, really, because he commands what people do and stuff.

Eric: Well, it does. Well, see, I don’t think he commands.

Mikey: Well, it’s really Dumbledore’s Army.

Eric: I don’t think he commands it, necessarily.

Jamie: Yeah, but he tells people what to do without them.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Sorry. Without him now, they’re leaderless, as it were, and they have to get new person to do it, because he knows every – ou know? I don’t want to – he didn’t know what do to. He just knew what to do, and everyone else just were sheep in the grand scheme of things.

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: Following his command, and now it’s going to be…

Mikey: They were pawns.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Micah: Well, the reason I chose this quote, too, for Fawkes, was just because of that loyalty connection…

Jamie: Yeah.

Micah: …that seems to exist there. In both the quotes that Dumbledore has, he’s bringing up the loyalty and maybe Harry doesn’t have to go to Hogwarts to remain loyal to Dumbledore or to the school. He can sort of be by extension in a way

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: Well, I think Harry will eventually go to Hogwarts sometime. We will see Hogwarts in Book 7.

Jamie: He’s got to, yeah.

Mikey: He’s got to. We spent six books there, the story is supposed to be Harry’s time at Hogwarts. If Book 7 has no Hogwarts in it…

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: …why is this the last one?

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Right.

Mikey: You know what I mean?

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: So, it’s – he’s going to go to Hogwarts. Now, regardless whether Fawkes shows up when he’s at Hogwarts or somewhere else, definitely I think Fawkes will show up somewhere.

Jamie: Yeah, he’s go to.

Mikey: And in connection to Harry, but not necessarily Hogwarts. But Hogwarts will be seen. I can almost guarantee it.


Jo’s Quote About Dumbledore


Eric: And did you catch what J.K.R. said? I’m sorry, on the red carpet, or whatever it was to – Somebody asked if Dumbledore, “Isn’t he dead?” And she said, “Yeah, but he’s giving me a lot of problems, and he’s not that simple.”

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah. Dude, weren’t you…

Eric: Like, there’s still a lot of important stuff to come from Dumbledore.

Andrew: Weren’t you here this week? Last week?

Mikey: Yeah, we talked about that.

Eric: Oh, did we? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Mikey: It was a Dan Radcliffe quote.

Eric: I was, I was, I was.

Andrew: Dan Radcliffe? It had nothing to do with a red carpet.

Mikey: [laughs] Yeah. It was a Dan Radcliffe quote, man!

Andrew: [laughs] She went on the set.

Eric: Sorry, when I read these…

Mikey: He was thinking of Equus, man.

Eric: No, no, no.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Eric: What I was saying was…

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: …there’s a lot more to come from Dumbledore himself, not to mention Aberforth Dumbledore will show up so, we’ll be sure to see Fawkes.

Jamie: Yeah.


Fawkes’ Cry


Micah: All right. Well, what do you guys think about his cry at the end of Half-Blood Prince? Do you think it was a message, a warning, maybe even a rally cry?

Andrew: I think his cry, it was just to mourn Dumbledore. I don’t think there’s anything else that can explain it.

Eric: It’s “The Phoenix Lament.” It’s just sadness overall, because whether or not it was planned or anything, you’ve lost this great wizard, and…

Andrew: You also…

Eric: …the whole school had to know.

Micah: Do you think there’s a further connection, though? I mean, if he’s going around singing, is he perhaps sending any type of message for people to band together? That, you know…

Eric: Oooh. Yeah, I got…

Jamie: Isn’t there…

Micah: …something’s coming.

Eric: I kind of got that it was a magical significance. It wasn’t necessarily Fawkes putting protection, but when I was reading about Fawkes going around crying, it felt kind of ceremonious in a way, but also maybe the Phoenix – Phoenix, you know, make those who are pure of heart and everything, you know, feel stronger. So, I think it had some kind of magical effect like that.

Jamie: Wasn’t it closure as well, though? It was just a cry of, you know…

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: Yeah.

Jamie: Because he had to, really. It’s a nice – and I’m sure there’s another story, a famous story, where there’s been a low, wailing cry of death, you know? It’s that kind of thing, it’s just – And it’s also a funeral, you know, which is what people do there. So… It was just a nice touch, I think. Because you know some things in these books – I know that everyone says, you know, there’s no such thing as a coincidence.

Micah: Not everything has a double meaning. Is that what you were going to say?

Jamie: Yeah, yeah. And there’s no such thing as a coincidence. But we can’t forget that she’s writing to entertain, as well, and she’s writing for herself, and some things just, you know, make sense, and that just looks like one of those things. Saying that, it will probably turn out to be a huge plot clue and it will foreshadow everything.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: And pretty soon you’ll owe the world another 50 sausages.

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: You’re going to eat until you die, Jamie.

Jamie: I’ll be on 10,000 by the end of Book 7.

Andrew: [laughs] I think it was just for the imagery. I mean, everyone is hearing this cry throughout the entire school and on the grounds, so it sort of brings everyone together because they’re all hearing Fawkes.

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: Yeah, it’s a unification song, you know?

Andrew: Exactly.

Jamie: Yeah.


Could Harry Inherit Fawkes?


Micah: Well, this goes back to what Eric was trying to talk about before. In a Raincoast Book interview somebody asked, “Could Harry have a pet dragon?” and Jo responded by saying, “You can’t domesticate a dragon, whatever Hagrid thinks. That’s simply impossible. So no. He’s got more sense. He might get a different pet at some point but I’m saying no more at this moment.”

Andrew: Now, when was this?

Jamie: That was a long time ago, wasn’t it?

Micah: This…

Jamie: The Raincoast one was a long time ago.

Micah: Yeah…March 2001.

Andrew: March 2001, there you go.

Mikey: Wow!

Andrew: So, this was pre-Book 4.

Eric: No, it wasn’t.

Andrew: Ummm, yeah.

Eric: No.

Andrew: Oh, no.

Andrew and

Eric: After Book 4, but…

Jamie: But pre-Book 5, obviously. [laughs]

Eric: There’s much more coming about dragons, I guess, you know?

Mikey: Well…

Jamie: No, no.

Mikey: …maybe it could be Buckbeak, you know?

Micah: No, no, no! My point was Fawkes.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Oh, wait, what…sorry. [laughs] Wasn’t she talking about domesticating a dragon?

Jamie: No, no, no, what she’s trying to say is that…

Andrew: She said she’s putting it off.

Jamie: …he’s getting a different pet. That’s the most important point.

Eric: Oh, oh, oh, oh.

Mikey: But he get Buckbeak, though, or Witherwings, so it might not be Fawkes.

Jamie: Yeah, that’s true. But it just seems right that, you know…

Mikey: I want Harry to have a Phoenix.

Jamie: That Harry has the Gryffindor connection.

Eric: Yeah, Dumbledore’s bird.

Jamie: Yeah, and it – yeah, it, you know…

Mikey: No, I agree.

Jamie: It just seems right.

Eric: Yeah.

Mikey: It would be. I want Harry to have Fawkes. I want Harry to have a Phoenix.

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: Even if it’s not Fawkes, another one. Maybe a little Fawkes offspring.

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: But, but…

Andrew: Fawkes Jr. [laughs]

Mikey: But who knows? Who knows? I’m not going to pretend…

Andrew: Fawksey.

Mikey: We’ll call it Fawksey.

Eric: No…yeah.

Jamie: He better not, or I’m going to…

Mikey: FJ. Fawkes Jr.

Eric: Fawksey lady.

Mikey: FJ, come save me! Ahhh!

Andrew: [laughs] I’m – I act like I know, but I’m positive that Dumbledore must have told Fawkes to be Harry’s assistant, to help him when need be, to be there at his side.

Eric: He told the exact same thing to Harry. I mean, the opposite. He told Harry not to trust anybody but Ron and Hermione, and Harry didn’t even trust McGonagall with the information of the Horcruxes and stuff. So like…

Mikey: Yeah. Because…

Eric: …Dumbledore is pretty much setting up this closed group society, which I think includes Fawkes, which will consist of the people who take down Voldemort, you know?


Tangent: Will Harry Lead the Order?


Mikey: Yeah, I think the Order is there just to provide…

Eric: Yeah.

Mikey: …back-up and take every one else down.

Eric: Yeah.

Mikey: But it’s going to come down to Harry, mono-e-mono with the bald man himself. And…

Eric: Guys, wouldn’t it be crazy…

Mikey: …with Fawkes there.

Eric: …if Harry led the Order?

Mikey: That would be cool.

Jamie: No, it’s…

Eric: Like now?

Jamie: It’s not going to happen, though.

Eric: Do you think it’s…

Jamie: It’s…it’s…

Eric: Really?

Jamie: Well, he’s – you can’t, however much, you can’t sort of jump from what his task is to his powerfulness and, you know, how good he is. It’s like, he’s still a 16-year old – actually, wait, how old is he now?

Eric: 17.

Jamie: Yeah, sorry.

Eric: He’ll be seventeen.

Jamie: He’s still an almost seventeen year old under, you know, almost unqualified wizard with, you know, not as great magical powers. I’m sure if he and Lupin dueled now, Lupin would win. If he and Snape dueled as shown in Half-Blood Prince he wouldn’t even stand a chance. You know, he’s still, he may… Just because he has a great task it doesn’t mean, you know, he’s going to lead it.

Eric: Right.

Jamie: Like in Lord of the Rings, just because Frodo had the immense task he still listened to Gandalf and, you know, he didn’t lead anything, really.

Eric: Yeah, well, our Gandalf is dead. I mean…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: It’s just a matter of, I mean we were saying, would the Ministry, you know, interfere with Harry’s plan to find the Horcruxes and get rid of Voldemort, but will the Order, I mean…

Mikey: The Ministry’s always going to try to interfere. I hate the Ministry.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: No, no, no, I’m not talking about that. I’m saying, we talked about that before. But what I’m saying now is…

Jamie: I hate the Ministry. Decadent and corrupt.

Eric: …who’s going to run the Order? And how is…

Andrew: I don’t think it matters.

Eric: The Order is backing Harry. The Order was created for Dumbledore, Dumbledore’s purpose of getting rid of Voldemort, and now it’s turned to Harry to do that.

Jamie: But Harry can’t run it, though. He can’t run it. It’s just not…

Andrew: He wants to do this one his own, too, and he’s not going to want to manage the Order.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Well, he shouldn’t want to do things on his own. He’s got the whole Order.

Mikey: It’s going to be Shacklebolt or Arthur Weasley. Someone that we all know, we trust.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: He’s got…

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: That has that commanding, you know – May not be an obvious candidate. But it’s someone that everyone trusts and everyone listens to. So, like Shacklebolt.

Eric: Hey, wait.

Mikey: Shacklebolt.

Andrew: Exactly.

Eric: I think it should be Mr. Weasley, Mikey. Because wasn’t there old speculation that Mr. Weasley would be the new Minister of Magic and she said, “No, but” type of thing?

Mikey: I don’t remember, but I wouldn’t be surprised…

Andrew: I do remember her being asked that question.

Jamie: She always says, “No, but.”

Mikey: I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Weasley comes up and does something majorly significant for everyone.

Jamie: Yeah, I agree.

Mikey: Because he’s been there through all the books, you know. He’s helped Harry out. Basically, Harry is like a son to him. His other son, Ron, is so deep in this, you know. It’s – He’s going to do something that, you know. Plus, Dumbledore always trusted Arthur to take care of Harry, you know, in between stuff.

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: So, I think Arthur or someone we know, obviously from the Order, is going to be there. You know what I mean?

Eric: What I’m saying is, will Harry consult – not consult, but will Harry – I mean, they have to be led into the last battle. I mean, they are Aurors; they are people who get rid of people like Bellatrix Lestrange and stuff. I agree that Neville should have Bellatrix, but the fact is, they’re all adults and there’s all these good adults who are in the Order, who want to help Harry, and who are going to be on his side. Like Lupin, he’s going to fight in Harry’s last battle.

Mikey: No, no, they will be, they will be. Come on…

Jamie: Of course they will, yeah.

Mikey: Harry’s confided in Arthur in, what was it, Half-Blood Prince when he said…

Eric: Yeah.

Mikey: …”This is what happened when we followed Draco, can you take a look at it?” And he – you know, I think Arthur Weasley is one of those parents that are like, okay, he raised Fred and George, he knows they’re going to get in trouble.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Mikey: It’s someone that Harry can relate to as an adult, you know what I mean?

Jamie: But Eric, I don’t think it’s going to be like, you know, Two Towers type of thing, the film Two Towers where, you know, Harry walks over the hill with a look in his eyes and then all of the Order of the Phoenix comes up behind him and, you know…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: …they are all standing together. It’s like – it’s a different, it’s like a proxy battle for them. They aren’t in on Harry’s task. It’s his to kill Voldemort and theirs to clear the way.

Andrew: And just to clarify, Eric, I just checked and Jo actually answered that question on her official site and she just answered, “Alas, no.” Would Arthur Weasley would be the new Minister?

Eric: Well, I know, and I wasn’t saying he was. I’m saying people were guessing that he would be a power position.

Andrew: Well, I’m not saying that. I’m saying you said, “She said, ‘No, but’…”

Eric: Well, “Alas, no,” is exactly like a “No, but,” she just doesn’t…

Andrew: Well, “No, but,” usually ends with…

Eric: But. [laughs]

Andrew: “No, but,” something…

Eric: What I am saying is she didn’t rule out that he would gain power. She just ruled out that he wouldn’t be Minister of Magic.

Andrew: Yeah. Yeah.

Eric: You know, so…

Andrew: Fair enough.

Micah: All right.

Mikey: Let’s move on.

Jamie: Yes, let’s.

Andrew: Yeah.


Would Fawkes Choose Voldemort?


Micah: So, I think we’re all pretty much in agreement, based on the fact that Phoenixes choose their owners, that probably Fawkes would choose Harry in Deathly Hallows.

Jamie: Yeah.

Micah: If it came to down to it?

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: Well, wouldn’t he choose Voldemort? I mean, ah, no, sorry. Imessed up.

Jamie: Yes, he’s going to, yeah.

Mikey: He’s going to choose Voldemort because…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: He will. He likes power.

Micah: Well, that’s an interesting question.

Jamie: He’s a power hungry Phoenix.

[Eric laughs]

Micah: Well, let’s think about that, though. No, because his feather is in Fawkes’ – Fawkes’ feather is in Voldemort’s wand. Why did it choose him the first place?


Tangent: Jamie’s Theory


Jamie: You know what’s going to happen? He’s going to… [laughs] He is going to… [laughs]

Micah: Oh, god, do I want to hear this?

Jamie: No, you don’t, it is going to be awful. It’s awful.

Mikey: [laughs] Yes. Come on, Jamie.

Jamie: He’s going to do two things: He is going to become Voldemort’s pet, then he’s going to fly up his butt and set himself on fire.

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: And he’s reborn inside Voldemort.

Jamie: And he’s reborn.

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: Inside his stomach. [laughs]

Jamie: He crawls away…

Eric: “Aww, man, something’s crawled up there and died!”

Mikey: He’s going to pop out of his stomach…

Jamie: In Alien, yeah.

Mikey: …just like in Alien. AH!


Back to Fawkes Choosing Voldemort


Micah: But seriously, though, why do you think – why would his, a wand with his feather? Jamie, that was a great joke, by the way.

Jamie: Thank you.

Micah: Why do you think he would choose Voldemort? I mean, he chose Harry, we can probably see good reason for that. But why Voldemort?

Jamie: He didn’t choose him. It’s the wand. It’s like – I don’t think it’s the bird that chooses him, it’s the wand altogether, the combination of the wood and the inches. [laughs]

Eric: Yeah, the fact remains that part of Fawkes is still in Voldemort’s wand and part of the Fawkes was part of a wand that chose Voldemort.

Jamie: Perhaps it chose him. Perhaps it picks it on power. If you were a wand you would want the most powerful person to pick you. So, you have a fun time, you know, you don’t want somebody who just…

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

Jamie: …you know? So, perhaps it’s picked the two people. The two most – not magically powerful, but the two most sort of, not ambitious, I can’t think of the word. The two most…

Eric: Ummm…

Jamie: What’s the word when someone will go far? The two most…

Eric: Well, potential. Have high potential.

Andrew: Potential, yeah.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly. The two people with the most potential, perhaps. Perhaps…

Mikey: Well, Dumbledore is always saying it’s the choices that you make. Kind of like, you know, when Harry questioned whether he should have been in Slytherin…

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: …instead of Gryffindor. And I think at the time that the wand chose Tom Riddle, you know, as a boy, even though he made some bad choices, he was consciously already using magic for his own benefit. He could have changed, you know what I mean?

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah, definitely.

Mikey: It’s his choices. So, I think the fact that that wand chose him, it’s possibly maybe… Because Fawkes and Dumbledore were so close together – maybe it was a hope that this wand would help Tom Riddle become a better person.

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: Sure enough his choices led him down the wrong path. Same thing with Harry, you know.

Jamie: That is… Yeah.

Mikey: Maybe if Harry had his family the whole time, maybe that wand wouldn’t have chose him.

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: Because you know that whole thing – the prophecy wouldn’t have happened with him. But because the way Harry grew up, and it’s again his choices that kind of chose him, that wand was there to kind of bring balance.

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: And I’m not taking from anything on this but, can bring balance between the two.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Ah, well…

Micah: Well, going off on that.

Eric: What does this the prophecize?

Jamie: You aren’t taking it from anything, are you, at all?

Eric: By chance is this the prophecy? Is Harry the Chosen One like in what? What is it? Star Wars?

Mikey: [laughs] I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring it up.

Eric: No, no, no, it’s fine.

Mikey: It’s a balance between the forces of good and evil.

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: Yeah.


Fawkes Ties Harry to Voldemort and a Pokémon Tangent


Micah: But when these two wands meet, do you guys think that we’ll finally learn what it means that the biggest connection between Harry and Voldemort is, in fact, Fawkes?

Jamie: Yeah. Doesn’t it just show that they can’t battle using magic, so Harry has to find a different way to…

Andrew: Oh my god! It’s another Pokémon reference! Voldemort’s got Nagini, Harry’s got Fawkes, you duel them together, and whoever wins, that’s it! I got it!

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: “Fawkes, I choose you!”

Mikey: I choose you, Fawkes!

[Andrew hums Pokémon theme music]

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Fawkes used – Pika Ball! Thunderball.

Jamie: Is it just a feature of – Yeah, yeah, used on – yeah.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: [in low voice] “Fawkes!” [laughs] “Char char!”

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: [in high voice] “Fawkes!”

Jamie: Is it just a feature of anime…

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Jamie: …butlike in Pokémon, when, sort of – like – Ash’s mum would come along and say, “And don’t forget to change your underwear!” Ash would do this funny thing where he’d sort of move and then drop down and sort of…

Andrew: It’s Japanese anime, man. That’s how they do things.

Jamie: What is that thing called when they do that? And he goes [makes weird sound]

Andrew: There used to be a name for it.

Eric: It’s H-U-N-H. It’s “hunh.”

Jamie: That’s it, yeah. It’s like “hunh!” And then they…

Andrew: Oh, yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: But what is it? I don’t know what it is.

Andrew: It’s their style. What do you mean?

Mikey: It’s embarrassment or something like that.

Jamie: Oh, yeah. It’s – yeah. I love Pokémon.

Eric: Fawkes, it’s true that – I loved it, too, for years.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: I love Pokémon too, Jamie. We are going to start a Facebook group. Seriously.

Andrew: Let’s all be honest. We all had Pokémon cards. We all had Pokémon Red and Blue and teal and color-me-purple…

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: I never did.

Jamie: Of course you did, Mikey. Of course you did. Don’t lie. You loved it.


Back to Fawkes


Eric: Anyway – Fawkes. Seeing as Harry and Voldemort all have the same wand, and their wands can’t duel, I think the fact that Harry might have Fawkes on his side would kind of overrule the wand thing.

Jamie: Push it in his favor. Yeah.

Eric: Or push it in his favor at least because if you look at it as how many tail feathers of Fawkes do you have? Voldemort has one, and Harry’s got…

[Andrew laughs]

Mikey: How many power points you have? [laughs]

Eric: Yeah, how many power points? Exactly. What level is your Fawkes compared to…

Mikey: What level is your wand at?

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: I keep mine in a gold ball.

[Mikey laughs]

Eric: Master ball.

Mikey: Well, I think it’s going to be not necessarily Fawkes and Nagini that go battle it out. I think it’s going to be “the power the Dark Lord knows not,” guys. Y’all. It’s going to be love. We know that. It’s Harry’s love. And Fawkes’ love.

Micah: Speaking of quotes…

Eric: [in a British accent] “This is how Dumbledore sends his protection? A mangy old hat and a stupid bird?”

Andrew: I don’t know, guys. I continue to maintain all my Pokémon theories and I still think it all comes down to Pokémon.

Jamie: It does, it does.

Andrew: All these Lord of the Rings connections, all the Star Wars, Lord of the Rings. Ooh!

Eric: Not to mention, Lord of the Rings is about 60 years old, and Pokémon came out in ’96.

Jamie: Exactly. [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: No, send in your Pokémon/Harry Potter connections. There’s too many to ignore. We’ll read some of them off next week. What has the show become? I thought for sure we were going to make it longer than 78 episodes. Now, we’re reduced to Pokémon. All right, but to wrap it up today…


Fawkes Only Owned by Dumbledore


Micah: We got to finish this. Let me run through this quote, because it’s an important quote.

Andrew: All right. Go ahead. Let’s wrap this up.

Micah: Oh, god. This guy’s name is going to get me in trouble. Peter Humphreys, from the BBC Newsround. He asked a question of J.K. Rowling, “Who did Fawkes previously belong to and will he play a vital role in the next book?” She responded by saying, “I’m not going to answer about the role in the next book, which probably gives you a big clue, but he has never been owned by anyone but Dumbledore.” So, I think a lot of people will suggest that he belonged to Godric Gryffindor. This kind of puts all theories down.

Andrew: Aside.

Micah: Yeah.

Eric: But it doesn’t mean Fawkes wasn’t alive before Dumbledore came around. But it just meant that Dumbledore had to have been the one to domesticate him.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: And that is -Jamie’s right – a testament to his power.

Jamie: But do you know what’s going to happen in Book 7? Fawkes is going to get owned by Harry, but Voldemort is going to get “owned” by Fawkes and Harry, in fact.

Eric: Zing!


Fawkes, Dumbledore and Rebirth


Andrew: Oooh! So, what is the deal? Why is Dumbledore tied so closely to a bird that is symbolic of rebirth? I think Dumbledore sort of represents rebirth.

Jamie: Yeah. Because he’s always there.

Andrew: Dumbledore is always there. He’ll still be here.

Mikey: He’s omnipresent. He knows everything.

Jamie: Omnipresent, yeah.

Andrew: All right. Well, I guess that wraps up today’s character discussion.

Jamie: Can I just say one last thing?

Andrew: Sure.


Fawkes’ Etymology


Jamie: I was going to say that we haven’t talked about the etymology of his name which I don’t say clearly is from, but it’s probably from Guy Fawkes.

[Micah laughs]

Jamie: Who was the person who among with other conspirators tried to blow up the hoses of Parliament quite a long time ago.

Eric: November 5th.

Jamie: Yes. Which I guess has the fire connection, but he was captured, tortured, hung, drawn and quartered – so, which, incidentally is a very, very horrible British way of killing people which they reserved solely for people who had committed treason.

Andrew: All right. Well, that concludes today’s character discussion on Fawkes. If you disagree with anything we said here on the show, which I can’t imagine what.

Jamie: Don’t write in.

Andrew: Yeah, don’t write in. Just stop listening.

Jamie: Yeah. [laughs]

Andrew: E-mail mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com and let us know what you think and we’ll read some of your e-mails next week on the show. Right now we’re going to go to an interview I conducted earlier this week with Joe Fulton of millionaireplayboy.com. Here it is.


Interview with Joe Fulton


Andrew: All right. We are now joined by Joe Fulton of MillionairePlayboy.com. Hey, Joe.

Joe: Hi, Andrew. How are you doing?

Andrew: Doing pretty good, thanks. Welcome back to the show.

Joe: Oh, no problem.

Andrew: Now, last time you were on, you and I talked about the latest Harry Potter Legos, right?

Joe: Yup, and we also did the Lego Potter LEGO contest where we had all your listeners build LEGO sets based on Book 6.

Andrew: So, just last week you were at the American National Toy Fair to cover the latest toys being made available by LEGO and a few other companies for MillionairePlayboy.com. Is that right?

Joe: Yeah. Toy Fair is actually something that happens every February in New York City. All the toy companies there showcase all the products they’re intending to release this year. So of course, the biggest toy companies, you know, have the big lines. For instance, the Harry Potter. So, companies like LEGO, NECA, and Cards Inc. which is distributing toys through Corgi, showcased all their new Harry Potter products.

Andrew: Now, can you tell us about some of the things that you saw?

Joe: Well again, obviously LEGO is my favorite toy company. So far, they’ve only released this one new product related to Order of the Phoenix, and that is Set 5378, which is another Hogwarts castle. It’s 943 pieces, and it comes in three different parts. The first part is basically just a section of the Hogwarts castle that has Umbridge’s office and Professor Snape’s Potions room, but it also separates into the greenhouse and the Room of Requirement. It also includes nine mini figures, which is a lot of figures to be included in just one set.

Andrew: Cool.

Joe: We get Harry Potter. We get Ron. We get Hermione. The basic ones, but we also get Dumbledore, Hagrid, Draco, and Severus Snape, and then two new ones which is a thestral and Dolores Umbridge.

Andrew: Oh, very cool. Now, you said this is a 943 piece set. I’m not the biggest LEGO expert, but that seems pretty big to me. Is this one of the biggest sets that they’ve released for the Harry Potter series at least?

Joe: For the Harry Potters, yes. Actually, the biggest set they’ve just actually released was this year. If you go to our Toy Fair coverage on MillionairePlayboy.com, you’ll actually see pictures of the largest LEGO set which is for Star Wars. They release a 5190-some piece LEGO set…

Andrew: Wow.

Joe: …that’s going to actually retail for about $500.

Andrew: Wow. That’s unbelievable.

Joe: Yeah.

Andrew: Do you know any other details about this set? What it might price for or when exactly it’s going to go on sale?

Joe: You’re probably going to see it around August is my best guess is for when you’ll probably see this, and it’s probably going to retail about $90.

Andrew: Okay. Wow, so this is pretty big.

Joe: It’s a big set for LEGO – for Harry Potter sets, yes.

Andrew: Okay, cool. So, what else do you got for us?

Joe: Well, the biggest news is NECA. The Harry Potter action figures have been pretty crappy over the years. There have never been any really good ones. Mattel has had the license for the past three films. Last year they didn’t produce anything for Goblet of Fire. This year the license now was given to NECA to produce Harry Potter action figures, and they are now just starting to release the figures that will be going for Order of the Phoenix set. If you’ve seen – a few months ago they released images of seven inch figures that they’re releasing for the Goblet of Fire. Those ones should probably be hitting stores next March, and those include Harry Potter, Voldemort, Death Eaters. But the biggest news is the Order of the Phoenix series. So far, they’ve officially announced that they are doing two different waves. The first wave, which you’ll probably see around May, is Harry Potter, Hermione, Ron, and Sirius.

Andrew: I’m looking at these pictures now that you have MillionairePlayboy.com. They are beautiful pieces. I mean, the detail is incredible.

Joe: That is exactly why I am ecstatic about these figures. The details that have been put into these are far superior than any of the previous Harry Potter action figure lines that you have seen. Probably the best two sculpts I believe are probably Hermione and Sirius.

Andrew: Yeah, I was just going to say. I’m looking at the big one of Sirius, and you can see every little last hair on his mustache and around his chin.

Joe: Exactly, and it really looks like Gary Oldman…

Andrew: Yeah.

Joe: …which is obviously, you know, a priority. The other one that I like is Hermione, only because if you’ve ever looked at female action figures, they never really quite look right and I actually think they got Emma Watson down pretty darn well.

Andrew: I would agree. It does look just like her.

Joe: The second series of Order of the Phoenix is probably going to hit stores around July. The four figures for that will be Severus Snape, Harry Potter with a new sculpt that they haven’t shown yet, a Dumbledore with a sculpt we haven’t seen, and three different variations of the Death Eaters. Now, each one of those figures is also going to come with a piece of the Requirement Room Death Eater Build-a-Figure. And I have yet to see pictures of what that actually will make up, but to build up the Death Eater you’ll have to be able to collect all four pieces from all four figures.

Andrew: I see. That’s some interesting marketing they’re doing there.

Joe: It’s slowly becoming the newest thing to do, is to include a piece to make you buy, of course, every figure to build a new figure that you can only get if you buy everything.

Andrew: Yeah.

Joe: Now, the biggest thing is there is going to be a massive box set that’s going to be coming out that you’re going to be able to have your Harry Potter action figure versus Lord Voldemort in front of the Tom Riddle crypt, which is also going to be cool. And then, along with others sold separately, there will also be a deluxe ten inch Hagrid box set that he will also come with Fang and Norbert. Now, this one is actually going to be two scale to the seven inch, meaning this is why he will be ten inches…

Andrew: Ten inches. [laughs]

Joe: …tall.

Andrew: [laughs] That’s awesome.

Joe: Pretty big for an action figure.

Andrew: Yeah. Well, that would not have been any good if he was a seven-inch doll like the rest of them.

Joe: Well, that’s the good thing. They’re keeping everything to scale, which is really good.

Andrew: Yeah.

Joe: Then, for all you people who don’t collect action figures, they’re releasing a ton of different products, lots of plush toys of the different creatures: Hedwig, Crookshanks, Scabbers. But you can also get – they’re also selling lunch boxes. You can get a Sorting Hat, and a Marauders Map pillow.

Andrew: Very nice. I’m looking at these pictures now. They’re really going all out this year. Actually, I have a question for you about the action figures. What demographic are they aiming for when selling these? Because, I mean, do little kids buy these, and do adult collectors buy them? Is there a mix of teenagers?

Joe: I think they’re really going for the adult market. NECA action figures typically only are sold through some mostly online stores. I’m not sure if this is – if these are ever going to hit your Toys ‘R Us’ or Wal-Marts, but adult collector fans will probably eat these things up.

Andrew: Yeah.

Joe: NECA is very well-known for their sculpts. I think they do a tremendous job with all their other lines that they have. But I think these ones will probably attract more adult collectors than anything else. But that doesn’t mean that, you know, these aren’t kid-friendly, because most likely they’re going to be for eight and up. So – but I fully anticipate buying every single one of them. So…

Andrew: Yeah. I mean, personally, these would be nice things for me to just have here on my desk, as a little collector’s item.

Joe: Oh, yeah.

Andrew: Who knows, whenever I’m bored, maybe do a little wizard dueling.

Joe: [laughs] Displaying is probably the biggest thing for adult toy collectors.

Andrew: Yeah.

Joe: It’s not like we actually sit and have the battle…

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah, yeah.

Joe: …of Voldemort versus Harry Potter, although I probably have been known to do that.

Andrew: I’m going to admit, I used to be, too – I used to do that with the LEGOs.

[Andrew and Joe laugh]

Joe: Yeah. Now, the figures that really, though, will – kids will probably eat up more are going to be the ones that are distributed by – from Cards, Inc. Now Cards, Inc. – it’s an interesting thing that there is two different action figure lines for Harry Potter

Andrew: Yeah.

Joe: … because that usually doesn’t happen.

Andrew: So why is that?

Joe: Well, NECA has the license to distribute in America, and Cards, Inc is a European company, and for some reason, they’ve gotten around to be able to be, having all their figures distributed by – through Corgi / Master Replicas which is one company now. So now, they’ve started producing another line of Harry Potter figures, which are three and three-fourth-inch figures, which is basically your GI Joe, Star Wars action figure size.

Andrew: Right, right.

Joe: These ones will have a lot more articulation than the NECA ones. Just judging by the pictures, and again, I haven’t held one yet, but it looks like they’ll have probably about 14 different points of articulation of movement.

Andrew: Okay.

Joe: Now the downfall to these ones are the details. Because they’re smaller, the details cannot be as nice as the seven-inch NECA figures. And…

Andrew: And is it also because of the movements that they have to scale back a little bit with the detail? Just, like, the material?

Joe: Not necessarily. It’s – I think it’s just a new focus, that NECA traditionally does larger, seven-inch-type size figures, and I think that they – Cards, Inc is more going for the Star Wars market. Star Wars figures, or action figures, are still the number one action figure that’s bought these days. They’re a three and three-fourth-inch line, most successful line, obviously you’re going to try to mimic that. So, I think that’s sort of what they’re going after. And it’s interesting, but, again, compared to the NECA figures, I’m just not as – I’m not as into these ones as I should be, I guess.

Andrew: Yeah. Well, I guess if you’re comparing the two, and you have a choice between one or the other – and I guess you and I are, since we, as we just said, we’re less of actually playing with the action figures, more of a display – we’re display guys.

Joe: [laughs] Exactly. Mhm.

Andrew: [laughs] We go for NECA.

Joe: Now, the biggest thing is that they’ve not really released too much information about these. We grabbed some images from Cards, Inc’s website of the four figures that they’ve released images for so far, which is Harry Potter, Dumbledore, Mad-Eye Moody, and a Dementor. But at Toy Fair, we were given a sneak peak at the line. We were taken into – they weren’t allowing photography, but they were wanting to show us what is coming out. And I can tell you right now I have seen figures for Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Hagrid, Luna, and Snape.

Andrew: Ah, cool.

Joe: As well as a playset which I believe is supposed to be the Gryffindor common room. So hopefully, more of these figures will come about, but it looks like all of them will have some sort of excessory, like action figures do these days.

Andrew: Okay.

Joe: Harry comes with his wand and his Patronus, and Dumbledore comes with a wand, of course, and the talking – the podium, with the candles.

Andrew: Okay.

Joe: Mad-Eye Moody comes with a broom that he can ride on, and it looks like the Dementor just can fly. It comes with a little stand to make him look like he’s hovering.

Andrew: Oh, okay.

Joe: Mhm.

Andrew: Now, how do the other action figures look: Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Hagrid, Luna and Snape, do they look like their real – the actors who play them?

Joe: Oh, yes. Everything’s portrayed from the movies.

Andrew: Okay.

Joe: I think by now that is the look and feel that people will most recognize.

Andrew: Right, right.

Joe: You know? When the books first came out, if you remember some of the art and stuff that came out, everything was always based on the drawings and characters that are done in the books, but since the movies came out, there’s more of a face to Harry Potter, and Ron and Hermione, so now they have to look like Daniel, and they have to look like Emma, and…

Andrew: Yeah.

Joe: …I think that’s sort of the way it’s always going to be from now on.

Andrew: Now, what do you think about the timing of these products with the release of the seventh book? Do you think the seventh book might influence sales, or do you think it might hurt them, depending on when these toys come out?

Joe: Well, I’ve always heard that, you know, Harry – for some reason, the one thing that boggles my mind, is that Harry Potter has not had a very successful action figure line to date, which pretty much blows my mind because Harry Potter is as big as Star Wars was in the 70’s these days.

Andrew: Yeah.

Joe: And a lot of people say to me, “Oh, I don’t think Harry Potter fans are action figure collectors,” and I just don’t agree with that. I think that we haven’t gotten good quality figures yet and people have recognized that. I think, though, that there is quite a bit of merchandise coming out in the months of May through August.

Andrew: Okay.

Joe: And there’s a lot of different things for people to buy. So, I think people are going to have very empty wallets over the summer, let’s just leave it at that. [laughs]

Andrew: Yeah it always seems silly to me that LEGO would be releasing their Hogwarts set in August after the film and book come out, because if they would release the LEGO set, say early July, they would get the excitement and the hype for the book and the film together, whereas in August it’s over a bit. Wouldn’t you agree with that?

Joe: I agree with that. Now, that’s what they were telling us at Toy Fair in August that they can be easily moved up. So, again we’ll have to wait and see. The Goblet of Fire sets actually did not come out until after the movie was released.

Andrew: Oh, okay. Do…

Joe: So, again, there’s a marketing plan some – They’re planning something. What that is, I’m not quite sure yet.

Andrew: All right. So, anything else you wanted to add?

Joe: If I can, I’d like to give a shout out to all the people, the companies who sort of sponsored our trip to Toy Fair.

Andrew: Okay.

Joe: If you want to check out any of our sponsors; NoWhereLimited.com, Boo Market Toys, Brine Toys, FreeBento.com, YouBuyNow.com, SuperHeroStuff.com, and Iron Cow Productions.

Andrew: Alright. Very cool, and we look forward to hearing more from you about these toys as the releases get closer and come LEGO time, the LEGO release, we’ll probably do something again?

Joe: Yeah, I’ve already sent an email to LEGO, let them know that we’re very much interested in sponsoring another LEGO contest. Maybe we can get the prize being Hogwarts castle. Which would be a really, really cool prize. So, obviously once it gets a little bit closer to the movie we’ll have a real good idea of what we can do, but for all you LEGO fans just start thinking about projects that you could be putting together.

Andrew: Yeah. Alright, very cool. Well, Joe Fulton of MillionairePlayboy.com, thank you once again for joining us.

Joe: No problem.

Andrew: Hope to see you again soon.

Joe: Right. Thanks a lot!


Listener Rebuttal: Harry’s Soul


Jaime: And we’ve got two more rebuttals. The first one comes from Jen, 17, of Canada, subject; Harry’s death.

In Episode 77 you were discussing that death might not be the worst thing that happens to Harry. If killing tears your soul into several pieces, and if Harry kills Voldemort, will his soul be torn apart and Harry become a broken person? Could that be the worst thing that happens to Harry? Love the show, and Eric, don’t be discouraged. You aren’t hated.

[Clears throat] Wrong there, Jen. Sorry, Eric.

Keep up the good work, Jen.

Eric: What?

Jamie: I was making a joke. I love you, really. I do.

Eric: Oh, okay. Cool.

Micah: Is it really killing overall, or is it just when you perform the curse?

Mikey: I think it might be taking someone’s life, but again, I think love is what’s going to do Voldemort in, and if you kill someone with love, how can that rip your soul in half? Because it’s love.

Jaime: Yeah, exactly.


Listener Rebuttal: Posting Deathly Hallows Spoiler Alerts?


Andrew: The final rebuttal today comes from Denis P., 26 of New-Brunswick, Canada. He writes,

After the seventh book is released, should I stay away from MuggleCast until I have completed reading it? I’m assuming that you guys and gals will be talking all about what happens in Book 7 in the show following the release and I don’t want to spoil the ending like I did with Book 6. L-O-L. Maybe you should answer this on the show so that others don’t get their ‘Deathly Hallows’ spoiled.

PS: You are doing a great job, I listen to the other ‘Harry Potter’ podcast…

Oh, can’t put that in. [laughs]

Keep it up, Denis

So, no, what we’ll do is we’ll let everyone know when we’ll be talking about spoiler areas. So, we’ll talk about the latest news or something, and once we get into the book discussion, we’ll be like, “All right, spoilers here!” Maybe we’ll tell people what time code to fast forward to so that they could completely skip it. We’ll work something out.

Micah: I think – didn’t we do show notes? When we did show notes, we put a spoiler warning in it for Half-Blood Prince.

Andrew: Yeah, we did do that, and then the audio for the first ten shows I’d be like…

Micah: “Do not listen…”

Andrew: “Do not… This is MuggleCast” – No, I had a higher voice back then.

Micah: It would be more like, [high pitched voice] “Do not listen.”

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: [High pitched voice] “This is MuggleCast Episode 4.”

Eric: [High pitched voice] “It’s a spoiler everybody!”

Andrew: [High pitched voice] “For July 4th, and yes, there are spoilers.”

Eric: [High pitched voice] Oh boy! You’re a bad, bad man, Andrew!

Jamie: [High pitched voice] Raichu, I choose you!

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: [High pitched voice] Raaaiiiccchhhuuu!

Andrew: [High pitched voice] “Please enjoy tonight’s main discussion.” [Back to normal voice] Anyway, yeah, we’ll have spoiler warnings. I proposed an idea to a couple of my co-hosts within the past week or so about what we’ll do with that show in the month of July. I don’t want to give away any surprises, because I know once we reveal it, every other podcast will be doing the same thing, but we have a good idea for what we are going to do in July pertaining to MuggleCast because we want to make the shows worth it to you guys. Of course, once it gets closer to July, we’ll talk about what our plans are.


Chicken Soup For The MuggleCast Soul


Andrew: For now, we’ll wrap things up with a Chicken Soup from Denise, 15 from California.

Eric: Yum, thanks Denise.

Andrew: Jaime, this is actually a Chicken Soup for Jaime’s Soul.

Jamie: Oooh!

Andrew: I think we’ll read this in spirit of you coming back. So, she writes,

Hey, everyone. So, basically, I was in the car on a Friday night with my parents, and was kind of down after another boring day at school. I got so bored that I started singing along with the cheesy love songs on the radio, and, randomly, the acoustic version of what else, but ‘Every Time We Touch’ came on. Then, when it was over the radio person said, “Have you ever had a crush and not seen that person in a while, but when you do, you get weak in the knees? Well, that’s how Jamie feels tonight, since he requested this song.”

The DJ actually said that.

What a happy coinkydink. Just wanted to share one of the many ways MuggleCast helps me cope. Thanks for the laugh. Love you all. Yes, even Andrew.

Don’t know what that means.

Jaime: Can I say that, when he said “person,” he meant to say favorite MuggleCast host. You know? I haven’t been on in awhile and missed you all so badly. And hen I came back I got weak in the knees. So…

Andrew: Ohhh.

Mikey: Oh, Jaime.

Andrew: You’re sitting down, so I don’t understand. Do you stand up while you podcast?

Jaime: Well, no. It was a dull ache. It was a dull ache in the knees, really. But that didn’t sound right, so I had to say “weak in the knees.”

Andrew: Or do you podcast on your knees, yeah. [laughs]


Show Close


Andrew: That actually concludes Episode 78 of MuggleCast. I want to thank everyone for listening again. We have the contact information for you now. If you want to send us some parcel mail you can always mail:

MuggleCast
PO Box 223
Moundridge, KS 67107

Eric, if people want to call us, what numbers can they use?

Eric: Well, in the US they dial 1-218-20-MAGIC. In Australia they use 011-004-007-88-99-35-42. And…

Andrew: You’re not serious with that.

Eric: I don’t actually have the numbers, Andrew. I don’t know where to look. I just…

Andrew: Oh I thought – I thought…

Eric: …know there’s a lot of doubles.

Andrew: Sorry, thought you were a good host. Prepped and ready to go. Guess not.

Eric: No, I just remember the US numbers.

Micah: [laughs] Ohhh!

Andrew: If in the United Kingdom you can dial 020-8144-0677. If you’re in Australia you can actually dial 02-8003-5668. You could also Skype the user name MuggleCast to leave a voicemail for us. And we’ll be back with some voicemail questions next week.

[Show music begins playing]

Jamie: You’ve left something out, Andrew. Or if you’re in the UK you can come down to London on March 17th for an amazing, exciting, and hunger-curing day and tell us your thoughts then. And we’ll make sure they get in the show.

Andrew: There you go.

Micah: Yes.

Jamie: If you want to take part in that.

Andrew: Where do they e-mail?

Jamie: The e-mail is mcmeetup at gmail dot com. E-mail us soon and we’ll get back to you with all the details. [In deep undertone] Boo.

Andrew: [In deep undertone] Coming up.

Jamie: [In deep undertone] Coming up.

Andrew: You can also use the handy Feedback Form located on MuggleCast.com. You can also contact any one of us with our first name at staff dot mugglenet dot com. [laughs] So, oh, and also don’t forget, email in your Pokémon comparisons.

Jamie: Can I also say, if you can explain that [weird groaning sound] thing that Ash does whenever his mum asks him why he – if he’s going to change his underwear, then please email in so we can put it in the show. Because I have no idea.

Andrew: Also don’t forget our community outlets, people. We’ve got the MySpace with over 6000 friends. I didn’t even know that many people existed. It’s nuts. And then there’s also the Facebook group. We’ve got a group on YouTube, soon to feature Jamie’s suitcase being torn up into pieces in the Shawnee High School woodshop.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: We also have the Frappr map and Last.FM, Fanlisting Forums. It’s all there on MuggleCast.com. So once again, I’m Andrew Sims.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull.

Jamie: I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Micah: I’m Micah Tannenbaum.

Mikey: And I’m Mikey B.

Andrew: We’ll see everyone next week for Episode 79. Bye, bye.

Mikey: Bye.

Jamie: Bye.

Micah: Bye.

[Show music ends]


Bloopers


Andrew: That was…

Jamie: [singing] Touch my tears with your lips.

Andrew: Go ahead, tell your stupid story.

Jamie: However, my stupid – okay, my stupid story is, I was chatting to Andrew on AIM the other day and he – and we were talking about England. And since we’re going to London I said to him, “Do you want to go and see a show?” And I said “We Will Rock You” is an extremely good show. It’s…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: No, no, sorry. Actually I said to him, “Do you like Queen?” And he said, “Yeah, I do! Are they touring again?”

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: So, I quite rightly said, “No. One of them is dead.” To which he didn’t really have [laughs] any response.

Andrew: See, I’m one of those people who just listens to music. I don’t look into it unless your name’s U2. So…

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: I sort of just – now I’m well aware of Freddie Mercury and everything. But, they are tour – I’m pretty sure they are touring again…

Jamie: They did not, because he’s dead!

Andrew: Without Freddie Mercury.

Jamie: How can they tour?

Andrew: No, but they were doing a – maybe it was Guns N’ Roses,I don’t know.

Eric: Maybe it was Guns N’ Roses. [laughs]

Mikey: The Police are touring again, man.

Andrew: No. No, it wasn’t The Police. I don’t know. It was some band that someone died and they were getting a new band member.

Eric: Wait, Sting’s touring?

Mikey: No. No, The Police are playing for their 30th anniversary or something like that.

Micah: Oh wow.

Eric: With or without Sting?

Jamie: Andrew – Andrew…

Mikey: With Sting.

Jamie: I hear The Beatles are touring again soon.

Andrew: Oh, really? [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah.

Mikey: Yeah, all the original Beatles are playing again, Andrew.

Jamie: All the original Beatles are touring. Yeah. [laughs]


Eric: It’s also like the game Duck Hunt for Nintendo [laughs]. If any of you had it. Because it’s shooting down…

[Jamie and Mikey laugh]

Andrew: Oh my god, the ducks are…

[Falling and crash sound]

Andrew: The ducks are…

Mikey: Are Fawkes.

[Andrew laughs]

Mikey: I can just see a fan creating that game, you know…

Eric: Dude, that’d be awesome.

Mikey: You shoot the Fawkes…

Andrew: Fawkes Hunt.

Mikey: And it bursts into flames…

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Mikey: And just another one comes back up.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: I’m trying to remember the music from that.

Eric: I don’t know what it was.

Andrew: [Imitates Duck Hunt’s sound effects] Wa-wa-wa-wa-wa.

Eric: Yeah, yeah. Something like that.

Mikey: [laughsThat’s when Snape comes up and laughs at you.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: That’s awesome.


Mikey: I liked Digimon. I was never into Pokémon.

Jamie: Oh no!

[Everyone groans and laughs]

Andrew: Let’s not even go there.

Jamie: Mikey, you traitor. Get off now.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Yeah, I used to see that show – that was a Pokémon rip-off. That was such a joke.

Jamie: It was.

Andrew: Dragonball Z.

Micah: So, Andrew is there…

Andrew: Gah! Gah!

Micah: There’ll be a huge Snorlax blocking the entrance to Voldemort’s lair in…

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: It’s happening, man.

Micah: …Book 7.

Andrew: I can feel it coming.

Jamie: But you know what’s going to happen? Mewtwo will come along. ‘Cause he’s the master of everyone and just say…

Andrew: Mew is the equivalent to Fawkes.

Jamie: [deep voice] “You stupid fools.”

Andrew: Mew is the equivalent to Fawkes.

Jamie: No, Mew’s a lot more powerful.

Eric: [in Mew voice] Mew!

Jamie: Very good. Who just…

Eric: [in Mew voice] Mew!

Andrew: What’s the big snake in Pokémon?

Jamie: Who just – Arbok…

Andrew: Oh, come on. Anyone can do that.

Jamie: Arbok. Arbok.

Eric: [in Mew voice] Mew!

Andrew: Arbok?

Eric: [in Arbok voice] Charbok!

Andrew: I don’t remember him.

Jamie: [laughs] Very good!

Eric: [in Arbok voice] Charbok!

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: That was great.

Andrew: No, Onyx. Onyx, man.

Jamie: Onyx.

Eric: [in Koffing voice] Koffing!

Jamie: No, that’s the rock thing. That’s the big rock thing.

Eric: That was the basilisk.

Andrew: Yeah. It’s like basilisk, I guess.

Eric: [in Koffing voice] Koffing, Koffing!

Jamie: No, it was – it was Gyarados.

Mikey: Hey, Micah.

Eric: That was a crazy – crazy…

Jamie: Yeah, that was a monster of…

Andrew: New segment on the show.

Eric: Sea monster.


Eric: [singing] Da-na da-na da-na da-na da-na. Da-na da-da-na da.

I wanna be the very best.

Like no one ever was.

To catch them,

Is my real test.

To train them is my cause.

Bum-bum!

I will travel across the land,

Searching far and wide.

And teach each Pokémon to understand,

The power that’s inside.

Da-dum!

Mikey: Pok[laughs] Can’t even do it. [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: I can’t do it, Eric, I’m sorry.

Eric: Just, just – no, just do it! Be like, W-T-F, [singing] Pokémon!

Mikey: [laughing] Pok – po – [laughs]

Eric: [singing] It’s you and me.

Mikey: Yeah, dude, that’s as far…

Eric: [singing] I know it’s my destiny.

Jamie: [joins in singing] I know it’s my destiny.

Eric: [singing] You teach me and…

Jamie: [singing] Pokémon, you’re my best friend. [talking] Although, can I just say…

[Eric laughs]

Alice: That was terrible!

Jamie: If your best friend is a…

Mikey: Is a yellow, little rat…

Jamie: If you’re – exactly…

Mikey: Or whatever it is.

Jamie: A yellow thing that can’t speak, who…

Mikey: That goes, “Pika! Pika!”

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Eric: Pika!

Jamie: Who lets electricity out of his body and you keep him in a ball in your bag, then you’ve got serious issues. Ash, I hope you’re listening. Because, seriously, I’m talking to you.

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: [singing] Gotta catch them all! There we go.

Eric: Yeah, okay, so you – are you guys going sing or not? I just – I put myself on the…

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: No, no we’re not.

Micah: No, we’ve found our next podcast.

Mikey: [laughing] No, we’re not. We were laughing at you. Eric, I love you, but no.

Micah: We know what we’re doing after MuggleCast, now.

Jamie: I love you, too. Poke-Cast!

Eric: Poke-Cast!

Mikey: [Pokémon voice] Poké – Poké! Bree!

Eric: Yeah, well Pokémon’s been on for longer.

Jamie: Yeah, Bree, Poké, Bree!


Micah: Thanks, Andrew. EA Sports, the maker of the Harry Potter video games, has release details on – ah, not EA Sports, EA. Could you imagine that, though? EA Sports: Quidditch 2007. [British accent] EA Sports – it’s in the game.

———————–

Written by: Micah, Adrienne, Allison, Amanda, Briana, Cindy, Eloise, Jessica, Laura, Leah, Mandie, Margaret, Matt, Megan, Roni, Samantha, Sarah, Shannon, Shelly, and Tina

Transcript #77

MuggleCast 77 Transcript


Show Intro


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[Intro music plays]

Andrew: Because shampoo has somewhat surprising side-effects, this is MuggleCast Episode 77 for February 17th, 2007.

[Music continues to play]

Andrew: I thought we would start off the show this week by talking about the weather. Because we don’t talk about…

Ben: The weather?

Andrew: Yeah, the weather.

Ben: All right.

Andrew: Ben, what’s the weather like in Kansas?

Ben: It’s cold. I was talking to Mikey last night and it was nine degrees here.

Andrew: Wow.

Ben: [laughs] Yep. Nine.

Andrew: Mikey, what’s the weather like – where do you live, first of all?

[Ben clears throat]

Mikey: I live in Fullerton, California. Currently, I’m looking at my widget right now; it says it’s 73 degrees. So, it’s uh…

Andrew: Wow.

Mikey: Kind of warm.

Andrew: Yeah, come to think of it, we’re all over the world here. Eric, what’s the temperature like in New Zealand?

Eric: Well, it just happens right now to be a very chilly 66 degrees Fahrenheit.

Andrew: Hmm, darn.

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: Kevin, how’s the weather up in Connecticut?

Kevin: It’s cold.

Andrew: Cold?

Kevin: Feels like negative one degree.

Andrew: Kevin, you sound like you have a cold.

Kevin: I…

Andrew: Do you have a cold?

Kevin: I do have a cold, quite a bad cold.

Andrew: Aw… Kevin under the weather. Kevin’s got a blue screen of death.

Kevin: Yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: [laughing] For Vista.

Andrew: Well, I got…

Mikey: It does that arrow effect with the blue screen, you know.

[Eric and Kevin laugh]

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: It says, “You fail, you fail! You lose! Restart!”

Andrew: [cheesy voice] Hee hee, yay, Vista! Well, I got news for everyone. It is about to heat up in here.

[Mikey laughs]

Eric: Whoa ho, ho, ho.

Andrew: Look out, here it comes…

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: I’m Ben Schoen.

Kevin: I’m Kevin Steck.

Eric: Hey, wait a minute, let me put on my swim trunks.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Oh, what, no. This is Eric Scull.

Mikey: And I’m Mikey Bouchereau.

[Music continues to play]


News


Andrew: Micah Tannenbaum is standing by in the MuggleCast news center with the past weeks top Harry Potter news stories. Micah!

Micah: Richard Griffiths, the actor who plays Vernon Dursley in the Potter movies and who last night started playing the psychiatrist in Equus, says his presence in the Order of the Phoenix film is fleeting. He also discussed his character’s relationship with Harry. He said, “With this fifth film, Vernon is much more frightened of Harry than vice versa, and as it goes on, you see that it ends up with Harry as the master and Vernon as the shivering idiot, the shivering coward.”

Jason Isaacs, the actor who plays Lucius Malfoy, is currently performing in the West End play The Dumb Waiter. In a new interview, he talks about the play and, of course, briefly discusses Harry Potter. He said, “It’s absurd a man of my age doing that stuff. And then you get there and realize you’re doing scenes with Gary Oldman and Helena Bonham Carter. I look at the call sheet and they’re going to be there today. I’m going to get to talk to them. Before you know it you’re having lunch and sharing Harry Potter sauce. It’s fantastic.” He went on to say, “If you’re someone like me who finds work enjoyably tortured – I’m constantly niggling away trying to make it better and realer and more three-dimensional – it’s nice to leave all that at home and turn up at Harry Potter and just be unalloyed Nazi evil.”

A new Order of the Phoenix photo has surfaced showing Aberforth, the Hog’s Head barman. There are some high-res images from Newsweek and a new shot of Harry and Luna. For all the recently released photos from Order of the Phoenix, be sure to check out MuggleNet.com.

Earlier this week Scholastic, the US Harry Potter publisher, released a Deathly Hallows poster, available for download. Bloomsbury had previously released a UK Deathly Hallows poster. Both can be accessed through MuggleNet.com.

And in a new interview, Equus director Thea Sharrock expresses her thoughts on the seminal play, and also on Daniel Radcliffe playing the lead role, nude in some parts. She said, “The peculiar life Dan’s led has prepared him for things that most people will never have to deal with. To watch the ease with which he deals with things is extraordinary and immediately gave me great faith in the fact that he had as good a chance as anybody of pulling it off, if not better.”

Previews of Equus in London’s West End began last night.

Finally, Quidditch in outer space is a possibility. In an interview with the Times Online, a chief NASA scientist says that a micro-gravity sports competition is not out of the question when their first-ever space settlement arrives on the moon in 2024. The scientist said, “If you had a large, pressurised habitat, people could take advantage of the low-gravity environment by attaching wings to themselves and flying about.” While the typical Harry Potter fan may never be able to get to the moon, NASA says the Quidditch-like area would be used to keep their space inhabitants in shape.

That’s all the news for this February 17, 2007 edition of MuggleCast. Back to the show.


Dumbledore’s Back?


Andrew: Okay, thank you, Micah. Hey, we’ve got some news to talk about this week. You guys want to talk some news?

Ben: Ah, sure.

Mikey: Sure.

Andrew: I want to talk some news. Earlier this week, interesting tidbit came out of an interview with Dan Radcliffe. He revealed that JK Rowling was on set, and this – probably a few weeks ago, a couple months ago, and he says, the story went, “Jo came down to the set at one point and I said, ‘Oh, hello. Why are you here today?’ And she said, ‘Oh, I just needed a break from the book. Dumbledore is giving me a lot of trouble.’ And Dan said, ‘But isn’t he dead?’ And Jo replied, ‘Well, yeah, but it’s more complex.’ I was, like, briskly, ‘Okay, I’m not going to ask anything else.'” That’s what Dan said. What do you guys think is up with that? Dumbledore back in Book 7 and causing complications there.

Mikey: It’s his portrait. It’s his portrait. We know that.

Andrew: You think so?

Kevin: Yeah. Either that, or…

Mikey: Something like that.

Kevin: …something left behind that – something Harry’s going to…

Ben: Yeah. Something, some…yeah. They got it. They covered it.

Andrew: Some extra tidbit that’s really annoying.

Kevin: Yeah, something, some detail about where he was.

Mikey: Something he didn’t say in previous books.

Kevin: Yeah.

Ben: Actually, if you, actually – oh, what’s her name? Oh, yeah, JK Rowling. She said that…

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: …we were going to learn something significant about…

Andrew: You’ve done that before, haven’t you?

Ben: No, I don’t think so. We’re going to learn something significant about Dumbledore’s past. She said that in an interview.

Andrew: Oh, okay.

Ben: So…

Andrew: So, maybe it’s like a flashback or something? Not necessarily a…

Ben: Yeah, something.

Andrew: …flashback, but something…

Ben: Something that – maybe a memory in a Pensieve.

Andrew: Yes, yes.

Ben: Something like that.

Andrew: We got an e-mail from Katie, Tara, and Shannon from Chicago, who suggested that – well, they wrote,

“When Jo mentioned that ‘Dumbledore was giving her trouble’ and Dan asked, ‘But isn’t he dead,’ she responded that things were a bit more complicated. It seems like she was talking about Albus Dumbledore, but what if she meant Aberforth Dumbledore instead?”

Personally, I think when she refers to Dumbledore…

Kevin: Yeah, me, too.

Andrew: …she’s talking about Albus.

Ben: Yeah, because, “‘Isn’t he dead? Isn’t he dead?’ ‘Well, yeah, but it’s more complex.'”

Andrew: Oh, yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Good point.

Ben: Well, yeah.

Andrew: Unless Aberforth dies, too, but that’s stretching it. But yeah, that’s kind of interesting, and a kind of cool little fact there that we know we’re going to see a complicated part of Dumbledore book in Death – back in book Death [stumbles] – what am I saying?

Mikey: Deathly Hallows?


Emma Watson to Return?


Andrew: Another tidbit came out this week. This came from an interview with Rupert Grint, one of our…

Ben: The Saddle Club. [laughs]

Andrew: From The Saddle Club, yeah. Don’t you guys subscribe? I subscribe to The Saddle Club.

Ben: Yeah, mhm.

Andrew: That’s a – it’s actually a magazine over in England. It’s a girls’ magazine over in England, so I’m sure Jamie’s a…

[Kevin laughs]

Andrew: …regular subscriber.

Ben: Yeah.

[Andrew and Kevin laugh]

Andrew: And the February/March issue featured a new interview with Rupert Grint where he talks about the sixth film and they ask him about rumors concerning Emma Watson staying around for the final two films. And from what we know, Emma Watson is going to be in Half-Blood Prince, but as for the seventh, apparently there’s been more rumors than we think because Rupert seems to be pretty well aware of them. He said that – well, they asked Rupert, “I heard that Emma Watson might leave the series before it’s over. Do you know the story there,” and Rupert replied, “I’m not actually sure. I don’t really know the details, but I have heard that. I don’t know. It would be weird without her, and it would be sort of a shame if she didn’t stick it out. It’s not up to me because they do take up so much of your life. I don’t know what she thinks, but I do hope that she doesn’t leave.” Also, they asked if, you know, she’s ever been like, “Ah, I can’t take this anymore!” and he said, “No, not really. She hasn’t really talked about it. I know me and Dan are going to stick it out, so we’ll just have to see, really. I hope she doesn’t leave.”

Ben, what would you do if she wasn’t back for the seventh film?

Ben: I wouldn’t see it. [laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] You wouldn’t see it.

Ben: No, I’m just kidding. I really think she’ll be back. I don’t know. Maybe they’ll twist her arm with it.

Kevin: Yeah, twist her arm with money.

Ben: Say, “Come on, please?” Because she has, I mean, it’s…

Eric: Guys, seriously.

Ben: It’s what made her so popular, you know? Throw a little bit of money at her, she’ll come back.

Eric: Why would they not, though?

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Why would they not?

Mikey: She’ll come back.

Eric: I mean, if they were given the chance, if it weren’t the studio executives saying, “You guys are too old, we’re not allowing you to be in this film,” or whatever, why would they not do something like Harry Potter? I mean, there’s an issue, of course, being tired of the thing, tired of how much of your life it takes up, but seriously, guys, this is, especially, you know, in – and I know they have other things to do and other movies to be in, but this would seem – it’s such a great honor and you’re the only person who gets to fill this role. Why would you give that up? Especially, you know…

Andrew: Yeah.

Ben: No, you’re the Hermione.

Eric: It just doesn’t make sense to me. If you don’t like your character or how you’re portrayed, talk to the writers about it. If you have an issue with that, but…

Ben: And the problem I see with her getting out of it is it’s going to sort of…

Kevin: Destroy the trio, yeah.

Ben: …destroy things, because in a way, the trio…

Kevin: It’s going to be awkward.

Ben: Yeah, you know, when you think of the chemistry they’ve built over the past five films, when you put a new actress in there to fill the role of Hermione, it’s going to be…

Kevin: Exactly.

Ben: …completely different.

Andrew: Right. And plus, it’s the last film, so couldn’t you just stick it out…

Kevin: Yeah.

Eric: I know, really.

Andrew: …as Rupert says, for one more? That wouldn’t really make sense.

Eric: If you committed to the sixth film, I mean…

Mikey: Yeah.

Eric: …that’s the thing. If it’s only Emma who’s leaving, you know, if all three of them leave, that would just be complete crap, but just one of them leaving would just be weird. Introduce this new Emma.

Ben: Right.

Kevin: It’s not like she’s putting her whole career on hold. I mean, look at what Dan and Rupert are doing.

Eric: [laughs] Yeah.

Kevin: You know, they’re quite capable of…

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: …doing movies aside from Harry Potter

Andrew: Potter.

Mikey: Harry Potter.

Kevin: …while doing Harry Potter. So…

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: Well, didn’t she come out and say that she has other things on her mind besides just acting, and she’s not sure if that’s what she wants to do?

Andrew: Is that what she said?

Mikey: That’s kind of why.

Ben: Well she probably wants to be a teenage girl.

Mikey: I think I read it somewhere a long time ago.

Eric: Even if you don’t – even if you hate acting, even if it makes you terminally ill from acting, I would still do the seventh one. Do them all if you’re going to make it through six.

Mikey: I agree with you there, but I don’t know. I definitely think she’ll be back. But she’s done this before. Weren’t there rumors that she wasn’t going to be in the fourth film and stuff like that?

Andrew: Yeah. It’s strange, and the only reason we’re talking about it is because Rupert brought it up and said he had heard about it, which I assume, maybe there are rumors going around set. I’m not going to judge, but [Laughs] it’s interesting, and even if she says, “Look guys, I’m not coming back,” WB will be like, “Okay, here’s an extra ten million – what do you say now?”

Ben: [Laughs] Yeah.

Kevin: We won’t hear an announcement or anything official about it from WB until they sign a contract or she says, definitely, that she’s not coming back.

Andrew: Yeah, and from what I heard from when I was on the set a few months ago, they were in the process of trying to sign them all on for the seventh film, and they said they were pretty close to that, so we’ll see. It makes sense for her to stick around.


New OOTP Pictures


Andrew: Then also this week we got a few new pictures. The first one – probably the biggest one of the week – our first look at Aberforth. A blurry picture of him in the Hog’s Head, and I feel like I’ve seen this before, but I also feel like that fits him perfectly.

Eric: Hmm.

Ben: The picture is too pixelated, I think.

Andrew: It is!

Kevin: Yeah.

Eric: It’s just low resolution.

Mikey: Do you know here it actually came from? I don’t know…

Andrew: No, it’s weird. Harrylatino.com and Danlatino.com have both been getting these new pictures first, and we’re not sure where they’re getting them from…

Kevin: It looks like a cell phone camera or something, doesn’t it? Like the pixelation of it?

Mikey: Yeah, it looks really – the resolution is really low.

Eric: A smuggled image.

Kevin: It’s quite possible. I mean, you’ve seen what happens…

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: When you let cellphones in stuff, so.

Eric: Yeah, it’s true.

Andrew: But is anyone surprised by this picture of Aberforth? Did anyone expect him to appear a little different? To me he suits it perfectly.

Eric: Yeah, he looks…

Ben: He’s exactly how I pictured him in my mind.

Eric: Pretty much. He’s kind of a somewhat look-a-like to Dumbledore, but not entirely.

Andrew: I think he’s got a little bit to him if he grew that beard in an extra two or three feet, I think he’d look just like him.

Mikey: Yeah, I actually like the shortness of his beard. It’s kind of – I think it gives him his own character distinction right there.

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: It’s like a six-inch beard; it’s kind of cool.

Andrew: Mikey, you should grow one of those. You could if you wanted to.

Mikey: Should I? But it will be dark black, and I’ll be like a Hagrid instead of a Aberforth, so…

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

Ben: [imitates Hagrid] Rubeus Hagrid!

[Andrew and Mikey laugh]

Andrew: Hi, Rubeus.

Mikey: Rubeus! Where are you coming from? I love that guy.

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: Another picture came from Danlatino.com showing an emotional Harry with a cut on the left side of his forehead, looking pretty sad. He looks like he’s a little teared up there.

Ben: This seems sort of – I don’t know. Dan’s just not very good at the emotional scenes, I don’t think.

Andrew: I think that’s one of the best.

Kevin: It’s hard to tell.

Ben: What makes you think that? Let’s see how it turns out on the film, because I was extremely disappointed with the scene in Prisoner of Azkaban

Andrew: You killed my parents.

Ben: [Imitating Harry] “He was my friend!”

Eric: No, “he was their friend.”

Ben: Their friend!

Eric: It’s true.

Mikey: But he was good – He was better in Goblet of Fire. That was a huge improvement. He comes back. “He killed Cedric.” That was just like – it wasn’t that sad when Cedric died, but when he brought him back, that’s when it was just like, “Oh my god.”

Eric: Yes.

Ben: Did you cry, Mikey?

Mikey: You know, I may have shed a tear, but I’m not going to admit it.

Andrew: Dude, I’m tearing up just thinking about it. That scene was so depressing!

Mikey: Dude.

Andrew: In a beautiful way. It was just so well done.

Kevin: I remember sitting next to Ben, at the premiere, Ben turning to me and going, “The people next to me are crying! Hahahaha!”

Andrew: Didn’t you guys cry?

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Yeah, because they were bawling. They were shaken up.

Andrew: Any idea who they were or what their relation was to internal WB?

Kevin: Probably critics.

Ben: No, I don’t know. They were by Melissa.

Kevin: I did originally, and then we moved – I switched seats.

Ben: No, you were sitting by Sue.

Kevin: Oh, yeah. That’s right. And you were sitting by Melissa.

Ben: Not next to John.

Andrew: Didn’t you say that Sue was bawling her eyes out? Wasn’t Sue bawling her eyes out?

Ben: Yes she was.

[Andrew laughs]

Mikey: But come on, it is a sad scene.

Eric: Yeah. Goblet of Fire really improved Dan’s emotions. I know the POA scene was shaky, but I thought Goblet of Fire was – Dan really got a lot better…

Andrew: Yeah, and I think Equus is going to do good for him for the final two films, because that really is going to challenge his acting abilities in an emotional sense, and I think that by the time the Half-Blood Prince comes around, he’ll be ready to do some really emotional scenes in that film.

Then we also got a new picture of Dumbledore from Harrylatino.com again. My guess is that these pictures are from the upcoming Harry Potter Scene-it?, second edition.

Kevin: Oh, that’s possible.

Eric: Oh, really? are they coming out with that for sure?

Andrew: They are coming out with that. I’m just looking at these and I just have a feeling that since that was announced recently, I’m thinking they might have gotten their hands on an early copy or something. And these pictures, they just look like stills that you would find in a Scene-it? game. I don’t know why, but…

Kevin: It’s either that, or WB is contacting them right now going, “Why the hell are you uploading these pictures?”

Andrew: Yeah, yeah. Then we saw a smaller one of Harry and Evanna this week from a Spanish magazine. That image was actually leaked, and we kept it up anyway. [Whispers] Don’t tell anyone!

Eric: Shhh.

Andrew: And… what else did we have… oh! We had a nice look at the Atrium – the MSNBC article with the Order of the Phoenix preview. We got high-res images from Warner Brothers this week. What do you guys think of the Atrium? We’ve seen it in…

Kevin: Does…

Andrew: …I think, just one video preview.

Kevin: It reminds me…

Andrew: Beautiful set.

Kevin: Yeah, it sort of reminds me of Chamber of Secrets but shrunk. Like…

Andrew: Well, the Atrium set was built on the same area where the Chamber of Secrets set…

Eric: Oh, really?

Kevin: And you can…

Andrew: …was built.

Kevin: …see… you can see why. I mean, the columns to the right and left are…

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: It’s not necessarily…

Mikey: It’s very similar.

Kevin: …the same set, yes, but it’s very similar.

Andrew: Yeah, it is and in the article, they said that it’s going to be digitally enhanced to make it look longer, but I was there when they were building that set and that is huge. And I’m wondering why… I don’t know – Mikey, maybe you can put your thought in on this. This picture, it seems kind of low, it’s not shot very high. Do you think they were trying to hide all the lights and stuff up top?

Mikey: I…

Andrew: Do you know what I mean?

Mikey: I think the lighting would probably be a lot higher, but I’m actually looking at the high resolution right now. I do like a lot of the lighting; it’s very bright in the center… It is dark. It definitely – I don’t think it’s a finished product. Like you mentioned, they were probably going to take a little bit longer. This might be something along the lines of, like, his dream or something going towards there, because it doesn’t look like it would be bright, you know…

Andrew: There’s a lot of…

Mikey: …like when he meets up for the…

Andrew: Well, well right. I’m sure they just took this for an MSNBC article. I mean, this isn’t a picture from the actual film.

Mikey: Yeah.

Andrew: This is just like the set, you know.

Mikey: I think the low, it would probably be stylized you know.

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: Again the dream, you know maybe the snake, maybe an eye view from the snake or something like that, you know what I mean?

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: So…

Andrew: And, by the way, the fireplaces on the right and left, those are where the wizards and witches enter.

Mikey: Yeah.

Andrew: If you guys didn’t know that, so…

Kevin: Now what – what do you guys think about the scale?

Andrew: What do you mean?

Mikey: What do you mean?

Kevin: Well, I always imagined it slightly larger. Maybe it’s just me.

Andrew: The set is pretty big. It’s – it is gigantic.

Kevin: Is it? Maybe I’m not getting a – maybe I’m not getting a true…

Ben: I know, I know, Andrew, you’ve seen it, I mean…

Andrew: Well I’m not – what do you want me to say, Ben?

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: I’m sorry, I can’t comment…

Kevin: Well how about…

Andrew: …because I don’t want Ben to, you know…

Kevin: Well, for example, how – give us a…

Ben: You’re grass marketing us.

Andrew: I’m not grass marketing, I’m just telling you.

Kevin: How big are the fireplaces in reference to you?

Andrew: Well, they’re about…

Mikey: Are they full size?

Andrew: They’re about normal size, I mean, if you stood up – if you stood next to one of them, your head would be up to probably the mantel, or your head would be a little higher than the mantel.

Eric: Wait a second, is it Ben’s head or Kevin’s head, because there is…

Andrew: [laughs] Well, obviously Kevin’s head. Kevin’s head.

Eric: Oh right, right. Okay. Because I know…

Andrew: They sort of – from what she told us, you sort of, like, slide out. They slide out…

Eric: That’s kind of cool.

Andrew: … from inside of them.

Eric: But…

Andrew: Yeah, and, I mean, the offices will be digitally enhanced too. So it goes up, like, a hundred stories.

Eric: Have you seen the offices? You mean, like, in the atrium, like the view of the offices?

Andrew: Yeah. See, there in the back with the red pillars.

Eric: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, there’s a lot of deep royal colors, like, on the walls and stuff and the tiles and stuff. It’s all kind of royal…

Ben: Yeah, like green and…

Eric: …purple, royal green, royal red.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: But they’re darker.

Andrew: It’s Christmassy. I like it.

Eric: Well, it’s Christmassy. It reminds me of Willy Wonka, actually. I mean, if…

Andrew: I’m p…

Eric: If you want a comparison, I really think that’s – that those were my initial thoughts. It was very – a little bit – I don’t know if it’s too colorful, but I was thinking kind of crazy, Willy Wonka-y. I just – there’s a difference between showing…

Mikey: If…

Eric: … that the Ministry is like a crazy form of government, but then actually believing it as a government building? It just seems like a – in a way, a shiny new set [laughs] – and I like the colors – don’t get me wrong – but the colors kind of threw me off a little bit.

Mikey: You’re…

Eric: All those…

Mikey: … comparing this to the Tim Burton “Willy Wonka,” right? The really bright one with Johnny Depp?

Eric: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s – oh yeah, well, Tim Burton, yeah, sorry…

Mikey: Okay.

Eric: I should have specified, because I like Gene Wilder.

Andrew: All those offices are going to be filled with little wizards typing away at their magical typewriters and stuff like that, so that’s going to be pretty cool. And then we saw, not as exciting, Dan, well, Harry, walking through a corridor of the Ministry of Magic, all black. That was kind of scary, I guess. And that was pretty much it, in terms of new photos, and I’m sure there’s going to be some more coming out soon.


Announcements


Andrew: We want to move on to a few announcements now. Ben, you and I, along with Jamie and Micah, will be at Enlightening 2007 at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, this July 12th to the 15th…

Eric: That is…

Andrew: … for the movie premiere.

Eric: Is that going to be the next Jamie episode we have? Where is Jamie?

Andrew: Oh, god, I don’t know. Well, Eric, we cleared this up last week.

Eric: I know, I know. I heard you, but…

Andrew: Yeah, it’s, you know, he’s a busy guy.

Eric: I just realized, I was thinking I miss Jamie, so…

Andrew: He’s uh – oh, so – all of us do.

Mikey: I talked to him the other day but…

Eric: Really?

Mikey: …he was sick still.

Eric: Oh.

Mikey: He’s getting over a cold or whatever.

Andrew: He’ll be back soon. Yeah… so anyway…

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Eric: Sorry.

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Andrew: We’ll be doing a live podcast there and we’re also going to be doing a workshop showing everyone how we create MuggleCast. Please e-mail Enlightening 07 at gmail dot com. Send in your RSVPs with – letting us know that you’re going to be coming and how many people you plan on bringing with you, because the live podcast is going to be open up to the public, so even if you don’t sign up for Enlightening – although we highly recommend it – if you don’t sign up for Enlightening, you can still come to the live podcast, and then there’s going to be a movie event too. We’re not sure if that is going to be open to the public yet – they’re still working out the details – but we’ll fill you in as soon as we know more as well. Ben, you want to plug the book again?

Ben: Yeah. MuggleNet.Com’s What Will Happen in Harry Potter Seven. It was reviewed last week in the New York Times, a very positive review, you can check that out. And thanks to all of you, it will be debuting in the February 25th edition of the New York Times as the number four children’s best-seller. So…

Andrew: Wow!

Ben: … thanks to all of you.

Mikey: Wow.

Andrew: Now, wait…

Mikey: Congratulations, Ben. [laughs]

Andrew: Tell me how that works. Why does that – why is it in the February 25th edition? Is it like a once-a-month thing? Or what?

Ben: I’m not entirely sure, but that’s when it’s going to go in.

Andrew: Oh, okay.

Ben: It’ll stay on the list until – until it gets outsold or whatever, but it’s going to be in there.

Andrew: And is your interview on the New York Times podcast feed? Do you know?

Ben: Yes, it is.

Andrew: Do you think you could put a link in the show notes or something…

Ben: I haven’t listened to it.

Andrew: … so people can take a listen?

Ben: Well, you have to actually – well you have to go to…

Andrew: A link to the iTunes.

Ben: You have to go to iTunes. Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah, a link to the iTunes thing or whatever.

Ben: Okay, I guess so.

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: Yeah.

Andrew: Just so people can listen.


Feedback


Andrew: Also, thanks for everyone – thanks to everyone who sent in their feedback about the show. We asked for it last week. We got a lot of good feedback. We are reading all of it, and we do appreciate all of it. Biggest complaint was that, Eric, people don’t like you.

Mikey: That’s so mean.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: I’m just kidding. [laughs]

Mikey: [laughs] I’m like, “wow.”

Eric: Well, I mean…

Andrew: I’m only kidding. I’m kidding! Nobody complained about us, I’m only kidding.

Eric: … on the other hand, it’s 75 episodes in…

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: No, nobody complained about the hosts. The biggest suggestion we got was – people recommend that we have our books with us, so when we can’t remember an exact quote or something, we could just look it up quick. So, thanks to everyone who sent in their feedback, and you can send it in at anytime, we love to read it, and we want to improve the show, and make it as enjoyable as possible for the majority of the audience.

And also, I have an update on my wizard rock band. I’m hard at work on my new song. Eric, I gave you an opportunity to work with me.

Eric: I know, I know. I – what?

Andrew: And you didn’t take it.

Eric: No, I said we had to collaborate. We were going to – you were going to call me.

Andrew: Okay, well, you never did. Well, I never called you because you moved.

Eric: I moved, I know. I’m…

Andrew: You didn’t call me. That’s why. And you moved, and you have a new phone number now. So…

Eric: I do. It’ll just cost you like, 30 cents now.

Andrew: It’s going to be to “Bye Bye Bye” by N’Sync. A lot of people liked it, and they suggested that I make it my next wizard rock single, so I’m working on it right now.

Eric: So, what? “Not in July?” Or whatever, you’re just going to extend that and make it a full-length song?

Andrew: Yeah, right.

Eric: Okay, that’s cool.

Andrew: Right, yeah, so it’s pretty groovy, and that’ll probably be – it won’t be out for a while. I just got bored a couple days ago, so I figured I’d start working on it but it should be good.

Eric: By the way, while we’re on announcements, I just got an e-mail – I do apologize in advance for portraying an Aussie. I did not mean to offend anybody.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Okay, just got an e-mail now. I just got to clear that up before the next episode. Didn’t mean to do that.


Results of Deathly Hallows Theory Contest


Andrew: [laughs] Okay. All right, hey, we have the results of our Deathly Hallows theory contest that we started a couple weeks ago on MuggleCast. We got a good amount of votes – a couple thousand votes. We thank everyone who voted on MuggleCast.com for their favorite theory that we aired on Episode 76 of MuggleCast. The winners are…

Eric: [gasps and makes drumroll noise]

Andrew: First place…

Eric: Sorry.

Andrew: Winner of a MuggleCast t-shirt, a MuggleNet book, and an optional piece of Jamie’s suitcase, which, by the way, is still sitting here in my room. It’s looking kind of limp.

Eric: Limp suitcase. [laughs]

Andrew: I am ready to get rid of it. With 14 percent of the vote, Cynthia from Kentucky. And here’s her theory now:

[Audio]: Hi, this is Cynthia, and I’m from Kentucky, and I have been hearing some theories going around about Harry – or that Harry was actually the one who was at Godric’s Hollow on that Halloween night in 1981.

After thinking about it, this makes perfect sense to me, because when you see the Sorcerer’s Stone movie, it looks like that scene is being witnessed by an onlooker. Yet in all of the books, they are written in or from Harry’s point of view, and this scene just does not seem to be in Harry’s point of view.

But after thinking about this theory, I think truly it was or has been written from his point of view because the present-day Harry used the Time-Turner to return to that night, and actually warned his parents that Voldy was coming. Remember, James said, “He’s coming,” like he was not at all surprised that Voldemort was coming. So then, James told Harry to get under the Invisibility Cloak and Harry then witnessed his mother being murdered. This was the hardest thing Harry’s ever done, but he knew he couldn’t change his mother’s murder because his – it would change his whole future.

After the murders, I think there was some kind of struggle with future Harry and possibly some Death Eaters, and that is why Harry’s house – that is why the Potters’ house was destroyed. After all, we’ve never seen the Avada Kedavra destroy a whole house.

After that, I think that Harry went to the Dumbledore of the past and told him what needed to be done with baby Harry and what had happened at the house, then told him what was going to happen in the future, as well. And also, he, at that time, gave Dumbledore the cloak so Dumbledore could give it to the future Harry in the future at his first year at Hogwarts.

Anyway, that’s kind of the way I think it’s going to happen, so thank you very much. Bye.

Andrew: Second place, winning a MuggleCast T-shirt and also an optional piece of Jamie’s suitcase, Jeff from Iowa. Here is his theory:

[Audio]: Hey, MuggleCast. This is Jeff from Iowa. This is my theory in response to the contest mentioned in Episode 73.

I was recently watching Disney’s Hocus Pocus, and there was a line in there that witches cannot set foot on hallowed ground. This got me thinking about how the “Deathly Hallows” could be a place of hallowed ground, so I did some research.

Hallowed ground refers to holy ground, generally a place where there has been death or burial grounds. The most common example of hallowed ground in American history is a stretch of battlefield from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to Charlottesville, Virginia, from the American Civil War.

If a battlefield where so much blood was shed is hallowed ground, is it not plausible that there is somewhere in the wizarding world where there was a great battle, perhaps the battlefield of the first war with Grindelwald? If there is such a place, I think Voldemort would be drawn to this place and perhaps conceal a Horcrux. I tend to lean more towards the place where the final battle between Harry and Voldemort will become known as the “Deathly Hallows.”

Andrew: And third place, winning a MuggleCast t-shirt and an optional piece of Jamie’s suitcase: Amy.

[Audio]: Hello, everyone. My name is Amy, and this is my submission for the one-minute theory.

The more I research, the more I believe that “Deathly Hallows” refers to the Horcruxes themselves, and, yes, I’m basing this on Arthurian legend. I know, big shocker, right? But there’s more to it than that.

We can’t deny that the Harry Potter series has been laced with King Arthur influences. Chamber of Secrets screams Excalibur.

I would like to point out another Arthurian connection that interests me. Taliesin was advisor and chief harper of King Arthur. But more than that, he became obsessed with becoming immortal. He believed that the Hallows of Logres were the keys to immortality.

When researching Taliesin, I came across several literary works in which Taliesin is a main character. The Dark Is Rising is a five-book series by Susan Cooper published throughout the ’60s and ’70s.

The books follow a young boy named Will, who discovers on his eleventh birthday that he is destined to seek the signs before the final battle with the Lord of the Dark. In these books, the signs are a set of six circles quartered by crosses. The six signs are each made of a different material and represent a different element. In the presence of these, the Dark is powerless.

I know this theory isn’t exactly answering all of the burning questions the fandom has, and I know the whole King Arthur theory isn’t exactly original, but I do believe this puts a different spin on it. Let me know what y’all think!

Andrew: Now, all three of you, we don’t have your e-mail addresses, because everyone called in, so if you could please e-mail me, andrew at staff dot mugglenet dot com, give me your phone numbers so we can verify that it’s really you, then we’ll check it with our records, and then we will get you your prizes to you. Also, include which piece of Jamie’s suitcase that you would like…

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: Mikey…

Mikey: Can we get the video of you sawing it up? I really want to see that, man! I really do.

Andrew: Yes, Mikey, if that does happen – if that is required, I will take video of it.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: And it won’t be pretty, ’cause I’m not good with tools.

Eric: You’re taking an axe to Jamie’s suitcase. [laughs]

Andrew: An axe is a little too much, I think. [laughs]

Kevin: Oh, even – well… [laughs]

Andrew: Yeah. So, congrats to those three, and thanks to everyone who submitted their theories. Everyone enjoyed hearing them.


Character Discussion: Filch and Mrs. Norris


Andrew: Now, we are going to move on to something we haven’t done in a while, actually.

Eric: [gasps] Whoa…!

Andrew: A character discussion.

Kevin: Wow.

Eric: That’s trippy!

Andrew: This week, we are going to be talking about Filch and Mrs. Norris.

Ben: Argus Filch. His – his distinguishing characteristics is he has bulging, light colored eyes; thin, grey hair; prominent veins in his sunken cheeks; tendency to wheeze; usually wears a brown coat, but on special occasions, such as Christmas feasts or the revealing of the Goblet of Fire, he wears an ancient tailcoat. He’s a Squib – he can’t do magic, and he kind of – he’s kind of bitter about it, to say the least. And his family, as he is a Squib, both his parents must have been wizards. He’s got a big chip on his shoulder. It looks as though he probably wasn’t treated especially well by them, nor by the rest of the wizarding world, which makes sense, because Squibs are kind of shunned to the magical world, those who – you know, because they’re not worthy, in a way.

Filch is one of those Snape-like characters who makes us wonder what on earth Dumbledore’s been thinking. Why is Filch at Hogwarts? No one enjoys his presence there, least of all Filch himself. He can’t have been caretaker for more than 20 or 25 years, as Apollyon Pringle was caretaker in Mr. and Mrs. Weasley’s time – Mr. and Mrs. Weasley’s time.

Andrew: And now, a little name origin action. In Greek mythology, Argus was a monster that had 100 eyes and was ever so watchful. The name Argus means, “bright and watchful.” Which, of course, sounds just like Filch. I don’t know about bright.

Mikey: More watchful, definitely.

Andrew: He’s definitely watchful. Is he a smart guy? ‘Cause he doesn’t really…

Mikey: That’s where Mrs. Norris comes in.

Andrew: How so?

Mikey: She’s a pretty smart cat. She’s always there to catch things.

Ben: Yeah, that’s true. That’s true.

Mikey: So, I think…

Eric: Yeah, Mikey’s right.

Mikey: The combination of the two makes – adds there. I don’t know.

Andrew: They’re a good team, in other words?

Ben: They’re a good team.

Mikey: They’re the yin and yang. They make one perfect person, one perfect character.


Why Are Filch and Mrs. Norris So Close?


Andrew: That is a good question, actually. Why is Filch’s relationship with Mrs. Norris so close? They are a very tight team and…

Ben: Because she’s pretty much his one connection to the magical world, really. In terms of…

Andrew: Exactly!

Ben: … ability to do anything magical, she does it for him.

Eric: Well, not that she casts magic, but she is, yeah.

Ben: Magical.

Eric: Ben, that was as you said. She is magical, and it makes sense. Also, Mrs. Figg, who’s a Squib, has cats. I just think it’s like, especially in the case of Filch, we’ve seen things in the books that indicate he might be lonely and really wanting to do magic. He feels completely alone and stuff like that, so having a cat to keep him company and stuff, and watch the halls with him seems really cool.

Andrew: Yeah.

Mikey: Yeah, well, I’m actually on Answers.com, and I Google searched Filch, and it says it’s, “Snitch,” so, he’s always snitching on the kids. Getting them in trouble. I think the name fits him.


Who Came First?


Andrew: Yeah. Well, that is obviously why Jo named him Argus Filch. But…um…what was I going to ask? Do you think – do you think Mrs. Norris was at the school before Filch got there? Or Filch brought Mrs. Norris? Or…

Kevin: I would think Filch brought Mrs. Norris.

Eric: Yeah.

Mikey: I agree.

Kevin: I mean, it seems as though they’re too close to have had just a random encounter where they just began to like each other, you know?

Eric: Yeah, like Filch is the new caretaker so he inherited the cat. [laughs] The caretaking cat of Hogwarts.

Kevin: It also sort of makes sense for someone who is considered a reclusive-type person to have a cat. You know, get a cat for himself.

Eric: Yeah. Yeah, I agree.

Mikey: Well, also if he was, you know, a Squib growing up, his family would have got him something to make him not feel not as, you know, inferior as – he’s not a wizard but everyone else in his family is.


Finding the Root of Filch’s Anger


Kevin: Unless his family was horrible.

Ben: Yeah, that’s a good point.

Mikey: Yeah, but…

Ben: Which they were to him, I guess. [laughs]

Mikey: How do you know that, Ben?

Ben: Well, according to MuggleNet.com’s Encyclopedia he seems like he’s been oppressed because of his lack of magical ability.

Andrew: Well, that’s probably why he works at Hogwarts, right? Because he’s always wanted to have it and this is probably the closest as he can get to it.

Ben: Yeah.

Mikey: Yeah.

Andrew: Yet…

Mikey: Something.


What Makes Filch Happy?


Andrew: Yet, he’s hated how the school has been managed by Dumbledore. Maybe not hated, but in Order of the Phoenix when Umbridge took over he mentioned that the school…

Mikey: He was happy.

Andrew: Yeah. The school had never been run better, or something to that effect.

Kevin: Yeah, but don’t you think that it’s his… He’s happy to see the kids get in trouble? The kids be punished.

Andrew: Well, yeah, that’s what he takes…

Kevin: That’s where he takes pleasure, so…

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: …the more punishment they’re under, the better it is for him.

Andrew: Yeah.

Kevin: So, that’s why he would like…

Mikey: He’s always missing the…

Kevin: Yeah. That’s why he would like Umbridge more than Dumbledore right there.


Filch and Dumbledore


Andrew: Yeah. But do you think he – do you think he really didn’t like Dumbledore, or it was just his management, or his…yeah, basically, his management, administrative skills?

Eric: No, I think everybody does…

Mikey: I think he…

Eric: Oh, I’m sorry. I think all the teachers liked him. I mean, you know, or at least respected him. But yeah, I mean Filch just – I think Filch saw where Dumbledore was coming from about punishing the students, but I’m pretty sure, I’m almost positive, that Filch always felt like Dumbledore didn’t really care or – Not care, but cared too much about the students and didn’t really care about punishing the students. You know, I mean, Dumbledore is clearly like a rule-breaker, so I think, you know, maybe they didn’t always see eye-to-eye. But then Filch got to play when Umbridge stepped up, so…

Mikey: I agree with Eric on that one. It’s, you know – I think if anything, I think Dumbledore let everyone kind of get – have a little slack. You know, how many times should Harry have been in trouble?

Eric: Right.

Mikey: And after the first book, he was never worried of being expelled again. Well, other than crashing into the Whomping Willow. But it’s, you know…

[Ben laughs]

Mikey: …other than that…

[Eric laughs]

Mikey: …he never got in trouble. He never got in trouble.

Eric: They have – I think Filch and Dumbledore had their personal, you know, differences – I’m sorry, their professional differences – you know, but they kept it professional, I think. But I don’t think….

Andrew: Dumbledore – Go ahead, finish.

Eric: I don’t think that Filch would conspire against Dumbledore. You know, plot to kill him or be involved in such a plot.

Ben: Yeah, that’s absurd.

Andrew: Right.

Eric: Yeah.

Ben: Yeah.

Andrew: And Dumbledore probably let him do what he wanted to in terms of punishing the students, because he knew that it wasn’t out of line and at the same time the – yeah, it was keeping the school out of…

Eric: Yeah.


What Drives the Torture?


Andrew: …you know, harm’s way. But why does – I mean, we’re probably going to start beating around the bush here with these questions that Micah wrote up – but why does he always want to torture the students?

Kevin: He resents them.

Andrew: Because… What?

Kevin: [in a hoarse voice] He resents them. If I could talk I would say…

Mikey: Exactly.

Kevin: [laughs] Yeah. It’s because they have magical ability and he doesn’t. It’s that…

Ben: Right.

Kevin: …he resents them for the fact that they are growing up their life the way he wanted to live his.

Andrew: But don’t you think after thirty years or however long he’s been teaching at that – or that he’s been at that school, he would…

Mikey: Snape?

Andrew: Sort of get over it?

Kevin: Yeah, I don’t think so.

Andrew: No, Filch.

Mikey: It’s the same thing. I think he’s also just like Snape where he was probably picked on by, if not family members, people that he knew, ’cause they were at Hogwarts and he couldn’t be because he was a Squib. And he holds it against anybody that can do that.

Kevin: And is – Right.

Mikey: And he resents them. And like we see, Snape is just horrible to Harry because of his father. And he has no problems making fun of Sirius in front of Harry, making fun of Sirius after he is dead. You know, it’s one of those things where – it’s the same thing. You know, he was resented or he might have been picked on when he was a kid, and Filch is just having the time of his life taking it out on the kids. You know…

Ben: Well, you can’t get over it when it’s there every day.

Kevin: Right.

Ben: That’s the problem.

Eric: Yeah, yeah. The students continuously pick on Filch.

Andrew: Hmm.

Mikey: Yeah, and so does Peeves.

Kevin: Right.

Mikey: He’s constantly picked on by everything of magic. You know, Peeves picks on him, there’s just, you know…

Eric: Exactly.

Mikey: …there’s joke shops everywhere, the Weasleys, Harry and them are all breaking rules and he’s just constantly being put down, and, you know, people watch out for his cat – it’s just – Yeah, he’s constantly picked on, so…

Eric: So, I think you should not be patrons of the Fred and George Weasley store because you should feel bad for Filch and the fact that he cannot do magic to counter any of the things. You know, there have been points in the book where I felt sad for Filch. Especially after he – I think it was Book 3 – he had to clean up a really big mess. Like, he had to wash on his hands and knees twice or something. Do you guys remember that? Some kind of incident – I don’t think it was the swamp in Book 5 – but I think it was something else, maybe. Because he had to clean up with his hands and knees and do all their magical mess. It’s just – I do feel bad for him at times. I mean, you know…

Mikey: Oh, but it’s so much fun to pick on him.

Eric: Oh, it so is.

[Mikey laughs]

Eric: I would totally drop a dung bomb or something if I were at Hogwarts.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: “Hey, Filchy!” [makes a throwing noise] You know.


Why Does Filch Still Work at Hogwarts?


Andrew: So, why do you think he still works there?

Eric: That’s a good question.

Andrew: Does he just feel safe?

Kevin: Because it just offers him the opportunity.

Eric: It’s more…

Andrew: To…

Kevin: It also offers the opportunity for him to get back at them. I mean…

Eric: Well…

Andrew: Well…

Kevin: He’s given opportunity to punish them or…

Andrew: Is it getting back…

Kevin: …rat on them.

Andrew: Is that why it is, though? To get back at the students? It’s not necessarily his fault that he wasn’t a wizard and it’s not their fault that he’s not…

Eric: I think it’s the most magical life. Or one of the more magical lives that Squibs would have. You know what I’m saying? Like, Mrs. Figg lives in a Muggle suburb in a Muggle life.

Andrew: Yeah. Well, you probably couldn’t get much more involved than working at Hogwarts, unless you worked at Diagon Alley or something like that.

Mikey: What was it, the first book or the second book where Harry got in trouble and he was in Filch’s office and he got out? Didn’t Filch have – still trying to learn to be a wizard?

Eric: Yeah, QuikSpell. That was Book 2.

Mikey: Yeah, Book 2, yeah.

Kevin: Maybe he is holding out for something.

Mikey: Yeah. Maybe he’s hoping that being at the school where they are learning stuff, he’ll pick up on something that he didn’t learn. He might still hope that he’s a wizard, you know. Even though he’s…

Andrew: That’s true.

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: Maybe he’s just hoping some day something will click.

Mikey: Yeah well, we heard it with Neville where they thought he wasn’t magical and then out of no where he bounced, so…

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: So, we have to throw Filch off the top of the tallest tower and see if he bounces.

Mikey: Yeah, the Astronomy Tower and see if he bounces.

Ben: Hold on. Hold on, though.

Eric: Get Peeves in on that one.


Will Filch Ever Do Magic?


Ben: What if Filch is the one who does magic late in life?

Eric: It could be.

Andrew: That is what we are going to get to.

Mikey: It could be. See, if I was here last week, we could have talked about that, but um…

Andrew: Why?

Mikey: I don’t know, I just…

Andrew: What do you mean?

Mikey: Well, Filch – You guys talked about Petunia…

Andrew: We can talk about it now.

Mikey: Okay. Well, I definitely think Filch could be the person because he is this so angry character because of the whole thing. If he is able to do magic, it would be a complete turn around for him.

Andrew: Ahh…

Mikey: And also, he is the least likely person to think about. Because, think about it, he’s there all the time, he knows the castle probably as good as the Phelps twins – not the Phelps, [laughs] Fred and George.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Yeah, there is a difference.

Mikey: I’m in the middle of school. But, yeah, you know what I mean? He’s really – He would be an asset if he was able to be a wizard and fight against anything that might come up. Plus, he probably knows stuff about the school and about all the teachers…

Kevin: Yeah, about the people, yeah.

Mikey: …and everything that could be really helpful to Harry. And if Harry and them found out – if Harry helped him become a wizard or he was able to do magic, I totally see him completely doing a 180 and opening up and being able to help Harry in some way. Being like, “Oh, this underground area,” because, come on, no one had ever found the Chamber of Secrets.

Eric: Well, I don’t know about that.

Mikey: Well, he could do something because…

Eric: I think if Harry has to learn about an underground lake or something he should consult the Weasley twins. Because if you look – Trying to think about the kind of company that Filch kept in school, you know, Snape. And nobody proclaims how much of a misfit Harry is than, besides Filch, and then Snape. And if you do recall Book 4, you know when – or Book 5, actually, wasn’t it? When he went up to the Owlery. It might have been Book 6, I think it was. And he met Cho, but then Filch was tipped off…

Andrew: It was Book 5.

Mikey: It is Book 5.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: It was Book 5?

Mikey: Yeah.

Eric: Yeah, I’m all of a flutter there. But Filch doesn’t like Harry and even if he could do magic I think he still does think he’s a serious misfit.

Kevin: You have to remember that although he may not like him, it doesn’t mean that he’s not going to try to help him knowing that it’s for the good of everyone.

Andrew: In a situation like this, right.

Eric: It’s true, especially depending on how much he liked Dumbledore.

Mikey: And you also talked about Snape. Come on, couldn’t he know something about Snape that could – Maybe he doesn’t help him directly, but he knows something about Snape and maybe Dumbledore or something like that, that leads to Snape helping Harry, or something else that’s a big thing in the book.

Andrew: Yeah. Plus, in Book 5 – what you are referring to, Eric – I think it was Draco, or at least Harry believed that is was Draco, who had tipped Filch off to Harry possibly being involved in some suspicious activity. So, I mean, Filch works – He doesn’t work with, but he has respect for Draco, I think. So…

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: In terms of getting some Gryffindors in trouble. So, I think it wasn’t so much as Harry being hated by Filch, but I think Filch was just looking for someone to get into trouble. It could have been anybody.

Eric: Once he found out, or once he could not find proof of evidence of dung bombs and Harry, he didn’t turn around and say, “Oh, I was tricked by Draco.” He turned around and said, “Oh, Harry just got away with something.” He continued to believe that Harry had just sent a shipment of owls. He didn’t say, “Oh I was tricked.” That’s what he resorted to.

Andrew: Well, probably because he has respect for Malfoy. For Draco.

Eric: For Draco. But I’m saying over Harry he wouldn’t, you know…

Andrew: That’s true. So, you’re saying that he would say, “Screw Harry, I want to help out Draco.”


Tangent: DracoCast


Eric: But, again, if Draco’s good now or something, then…

Andrew: He’s not. [laughs] No way.

Eric: …you never know what kind of loyalties could – Really? You think Draco’s not going to… This isn’t DracoCast, but…

Andrew: You… [laughs] What?

Eric: You don’t think Draco’s going to be good?

Mikey: I think that Draco’s in trouble. He’s dead.

[Andrew laughs]

Mikey: He’s dead. Come on, he made a mistake. He didn’t kill Dumbledore.

Andrew: He’s being pressured, he’s…

Eric: But is he good?

Andrew: Is he good? No, he’s not good.

Eric: He’s not good?

Andrew: Come on.

Mikey: He’s naive, if anything.

Kevin: I think he’s only good for his own means, if that makes sense. He’s out for himself, kind of.

Eric: Okay. But he was ready to cry when Dumbledore told him to join the good side. He was ready to cry there. His father’s in a bad place. I don’t know, but we’ll talk about that some other time.

Andrew: Yeah, sure. Another main discussion. By the way, real quick – Have we had a discussion on Draco?

Eric: Yeah, I’m pretty sure we have.

Ben: Yeah.

Andrew: Anyway, but back on – We just went on so many different tangents there. What did we start off with? [laughs]

Kevin: Filch? [laughs]


Back to Filch Being Magical


Andrew: Filch. So, his involvement in Book 7. Being the one to display magic late in life. I guess that makes sense. What would be the first thing they would do?

Eric: Well, I suppose it’s directly proportional to how much of Hogwarts they show in Book 7. I mean, if it takes a big – If we find out that Hogwarts plays a big role, then I would say, yeah sure, I think Filch will be the one who displays magic. I can’t really see Filch away from Hogwarts, necessarily, so I would think…

Andrew: I was just going to say, Jo said that Filch stays around even during the holidays, so it’s a stretch, but maybe if we are going to see Filch display magic, it’s going to have to be at Hogwarts.

Eric: Yeah.

Ben: Where else? [laughs]

Eric: Yeah, Ben said it could be, and I like the idea of him being the one, but it depends on how much we see Hogwarts.


What King of Magic Would Filch Do?


Andrew: But, maybe we could talk about this for a second. What would give that would allow Filch to suddenly do magic? Would he be a full-blown wizard or would it just be little spells, or little jinxes?

Ben: We don’t know what magic means really, do we?

Andrew: Guess not, Ben.

Ben: Does magic mean wand magic, or does magic mean something magical’s going to happen to him? I don’t know if that makes any sense.

Eric: Well, I think we need to – If you look at the Quikspell course that Filch was reading, the readers that were listed in the book were people who are now inviting their friends or whatever to dinner, and setting the plates magically or something like that where they’re kind of doing minor stuff. But they are doing magic and they can control the magic. So, it’s kind of like – I guess the Quikspell course – if it isn’t a hoax – which it very well could’ve been just for laughing at Filch purposes – But if it’s not a hoax, I would think that they could do a little bit of spells. Force some magic out of the Squibs.

Andrew: Hmm.

Mikey: We don’t know what makes a person magical and what doesn’t make a person magical. It’s not a Star Wars here with the Midi-chlorians.

Eric: I think it’s Midi-chlorians, yeah.

[Eric and Mikey laugh]

Mikey: Okay. They can talk to them. Just like – okay, yeah. Because, honestly, what if – We know that Tonks’ Patronus changed when she was having problems when she was upset. Maybe he was just always picked on and he was just depressed about it.

Kevin: Yeah, that is possible, yeah.

Eric: [laughs] He was always upset.

Mikey: Yeah, and he’s so angry.

Eric: Hey, it’s possible.

Mikey: Maybe something happens, and he’s able to do magic.

Eric: He just needs to give in to love and, you know…

Mikey: Yeah.

Eric: And then he’ll just be casting spells left and right.

Mikey: Yeah, who knows? Something.


Filch’s Loyalty to Hogwarts


Andrew: So, do you think Filch would defend the school at all costs? If it came down to he suddenly got this magic later in life, and he was at the school and – I can’t imagine Voldemort trying to attack Filch – but do you think he would defend the school at all costs? Is he that loyal to the school? I think so.

Eric: You’re asking if he’s… Yeah.

Andrew: Because he lives there.

Eric: Is he in it for the school or is in it for himself?

Mikey: I think if someone hurt Mrs. Norris.

[Kevin laughs]

Andrew: Oh yeah.

Mikey: If a Death Eater came in and went after Mrs. Norris…

[Ben laughs]

Mikey: …and killed his cat, he’d be like – he would go insane! Come on. That cat is everything to him.

Eric: He did! He did in Chamber of Secrets.

Mikey: Yeah, so I think if something happened to Mrs. Norris – I would not be surprised – If something happened to Mrs. Norris, that’s what causes Filch to do magic. And I wouldn’t be surprised – because it’s going to be such a revelation if he is the one – I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a wandless spell that’s just really strong and he is more shocked than anyone else, and he’s able to save Mrs. Norris.

Ben: He’s particularly emotional.

Mikey: Yeah.

Eric: Every time Filch does magic, God kills a kitten. [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: But saves Mrs. Norris.

Eric: And saves Mrs. Norris. I don’t really want Mrs. Norris to have to die, but… So, is Filch in it for himself or is he in it for the castle? Because this isn’t really – Talking about Mrs. Norris it would seem like he’s in it more for himself more than the castle.

Andrew: I don’t think he’s in it for himself, because what has he got to gain?

Eric: By being picked on. Well, it gives him a home. And a dependency. Co-dependency.

Andrew: Yeah. Well, it’s his home. It’s his home. It’s Mrs. Norris’ home.


David Bradley as Filch


Eric: What do you guys think of David Bradley, the actor who plays Filch in the movies? Because he doesn’t get much screen time, but I think he really makes good use of what he does get.

Ben: I think he does a good job. Honestly, he’s what I pictured Moody being like for some reason.

Eric: Really?

Andrew: Physically?

Ben: Yeah. Physically. Whenever I imagine Moody when I read Goblet of Fire, I imagined him looking like Filch for some reason, except with a pegged leg.

Andrew: Right.

Ben: I think he’s done a good job.

Andrew: Yeah. I think he’s a great actor from what we’ve seen from just in these – like Chamber of Secrets when Mrs. Norris was petrified.

Ben: [impersonating Filch] “I’ll kill ya! I’ll kill ya! I’ll kill ya!”

Andrew: Yeah. That was great stuff. And he’s funny, too.

Eric: He is! Can you imagine filming Goblet of Fire? They’re like, “Okay, we’re going to shoot you out of a cannon.” [laughs] “Yeah, all right.” [laughs]

Andrew: I like when he lights the cannon too early. He does that a couple times in Goblet of Fire, right?

Eric: I know, right?

Andrew: It’s funny.

Mikey: Also, him running in. Him running in with the knees high. That was amazing! I was just like, “Wow.”

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: You’ve got to be a sport to do that kind of thing.

Mikey: He definitely brought life to a character that is not a major character. He did something to the character and I’m glad.

Andrew: Yeah, definitely. And Harry – Sorry – He’s going to have some good scenes in Order of the Phoenix. We know that he does one over the Great Hall entrance way – He’s nailing up proclamations made by Umbridge, and doesn’t he fall off the ladder or something? He does something goofy in one of those scenes where he’s hanging up the proclamations, so I’m really looking forward to seeing that. He’s great. It’s good comic relief and he’s funny. David Bradley, I think he said in a couple interviews that his grand-children are really supportive of his acting role.

Eric: Yeah. He’s doing it for his grandkids, you know? That’s kind of cool. I’d like to see what else he was in.

Mikey: Yeah.

Eric: I don’t recall seeing him in much else, but I know he’s done a lot of British movies.

Andrew: Mmm. All right. Any other questions, you guys, or are we done here? I think that’s…

Eric: Why is the sky blue?

Andrew: Yeah. I think that we covered everything.

Mikey: I think Filch makes the sky blue.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Eric: Filch does make the sky blue.


Book 7: Live or Die?


Andrew: Book 7, live or die? He’s got to live. That’s definitely interesting, displaying magic later in life. I think Filch is a good candidate.

Mikey: [unintelligible] …strong…

Eric: To die?

Andrew: No.

Mikey: To do magic.

Andrew: To display magic.

Eric: What if he displays magic and then dies?

Andrew: Well, that’s always a possibility.

Ben: That’s cool. That’s cool. [laughs]

Eric: Yeah. He’s kind of like the last card that they just throw in, you know.

Andrew: And Filch dies. Would anyone care?

Eric: With the scar.

Andrew: I’d be a little upset.

Mikey: I would be sad, come on.

Ben: Why would you be sad? It’s Filch.

Andrew: Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. [laughs]

Mikey: I don’t know. He’s not a bad guy, but he’s not a good guy, either, so…

Ben: It’s not exactly a ground-breaking death, I don’t think.

Andrew: No.

[Everyone laughs]

Mikey: I think it would be a pointless death.

Eric: Not like Dumbledore’s ground-breaking death. Sorry.

Andrew: Oh. Pun intended? Yes? No?

Mikey: Oh, wow.

Andrew: [laughs] What would Mrs. Norris do?

Ben: WWMND.

Eric: [laughs] Totally. PWN.

Andrew: All right, so that concludes today’s character discussion. Let’s move on to a few voicemails now.


Voicemail: British vs. Canadian Edition


[Audio]: Hey, MuggleCast. This is Tori Spencer from Alberta, Canada. I was listening to on Episode 76 when you talking about the Wormtail quote where he talks about, “should we proceed if we murder,” or if I “murder” or “curse.” I have the Canadian version of the book, Goblet of Fire, and it also says “curse” in mine. So it isn’t just the British edition. So I don’t know how this would affect the actual quote itself, but I thought I’d let you know that. All right thanks, love the show! Bye!

Andrew: Isn’t the British edition the same as the Canadian edition?

Ben: Yeah.

Andrew: Like cover and publisher?

Ben: No. The publisher is different. In Canada, it’s Raincoast, and in the UK, it is Bloomsbury.

Kevin: Is it the same editor?

Andrew: Probably the same editor.

Ben: But they’re the same editions, I think.

Andrew: Yeah.

Ben: Just different publishers.

Andrew: Isn’t Raincoast a subdivision of Bloomsbury? I could be completely off on that.

Ben: I don’t know. I think you made that up, actually. I don’t know, maybe you’re right. [laughs]

Eric: Bloomsbury is in New Zealand here. Bloomsbury, they publish the book here, so it’s no change.

Andrew: Well, that’s interesting. Thanks, Tori, for pointing that out. I guess it doesn’t seem like an integral – not integral – a crucial part of the plot.

Eric: Well, I think it’s just we were trying to say who else could he kill and, “Oh my God, we missed a death,” but if it’s just “curse” then I think it’s what, Barty Crouch, or something?

Andrew: Yeah, yeah.

Eric: Yeah. So, cool.

Andrew: Thanks, Tori. Next voicemail.


Voicemail: Deathly Cries


[Audio]: [name unintelligible] …from Bulgaria. Last week on 76 you were talking about deathly cry. You said you couldn’t really think of a deathly cry. Well, there’s the cry of the Mandrakes, which can be deathly, and the cry of the banshee which could be deathly, though I don’t think they’ll come out. I just thought I’d put that up. Okay, thanks! Bye!

Eric: She’s just saying that there could be voices from the past and that Deathly Hallows could be voices of the dead ones.

Andrew: Right.

Mikey: Yeah, I think that’s kind of what it says. Yeah, it could be the echos of the people Voldemort’s killed.

Kevin: Right, which is what…

Mikey: And that would be the Priori Incantatem, when their wands connect.

Andrew: This could relate to the Veil, too. We were talking about the Veil and how maybe on All Hollows Eve when the Veil is the thinnest… Someone remind me.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: What?

Eric: There’s a party. One night only in the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Mysteries.

Andrew: Well, no, seriously, were you there for that episode?

Eric: Yeah, I was. They said that the connection – The Veil will become thinner and people are kind of allowed to transcend.

Andrew: Right. So, this sort of could relate to the Veil, too. The Veil is going to have to play a big role.

Mikey: Yeah. I think it’s going to have to come back, definitely.

Andrew: Yeah, well it never went away, but yes.

Mikey: Well, we didn’t see it in Book 6.

Andrew: That’s true.

Eric: Which upset me, but I just figured we’d have a big finale with it then. Then the Love Room.


Voicemail: Can Harry Use Two Wands?


[Audio]: Hi, MuggleCasters. This is Michael from Wisconsin. I was calling in to talk to you guys about the contests for the theory contest. I was listening and I heard about one guy talking about how Snape, Voldemort, and Harry will be in the final scene and how Harry – I mean how Snape will disarm Voldemort and Harry will get his wand. Well, going back to the whole thing with Priori Incantatem and how Harry and Voldemort’s wands connected somehow, and I was wondering if Harry and Voldemort can somehow…I mean if Harry can use Voldemort’s wand and his own wand at the same time to perform a spell to double the power, like if he held the two wands in one hand. I wasn’t sure, but that was one of my theories on how he could defeat Voldemort. So, thank you. I love the show. All right, bye!

Ben: I don’t think it’d work that way. I don’t think it would – I think, that doesn’t make much sense because otherwise you could take ten wands, buy ten wands…

Kevin: Yeah but, I got…

Ben: …and be like, Avada Kedavra, and just blow away a building or something.

Mikey: [laughs] It’s like Rambo Harry.

Andrew: Yeah, yeah.

Kevin: I got a few voicemails to this effect, and one of the main reasons people were pointing this out is because the wand has the same core.

Eric: Yeah, and do you think that…

Kevin: And it’s not often that…

Mikey: Oh, yeah.

Kevin: …Two wands you’re holding have the same core.

Eric: Well, that’s why they can’t…

Ben: Well, no, not just the same core. Brother – they’re brother wands.

Kevin: Right.

Eric: Well because they’re the same feather – or they’re feathers from the same phoenix.

Kevin: Right.

Eric: But just the fact that Voldemort has a phoenix feather, and it’s Fawkes’ phoenix feather, and Fawkes and Dumbledore are so connected, do you think that maybe Dumbledore’s death, or something, or Fawkes could actually affect Voldemort’s wand?

Andrew: Hmm.

Eric: Because I think – we had questioned a long time ago about how…

Ben: Fawkes is probably going to go ask for his feather back.

Kevin: Oh, yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: He’s going to steal it.

Eric: Yo, I want my feather back. So…

Mikey: He’ll have a piece of stick.

Eric: So Voldemort’s wand will be coreless, he’ll just have a stick. But, that’s where the stick comes from. But anyway, no, but I mean, we know they can’t face each other, which is why in the very beginning of the show we stated, you know, Dumbledore asked about Ollivander going missing. I mean, Jamie – Jamie talked about Ollivander going missing, and how they can’t really battle each other with those wands, so… because it would always do Priori Incantatem. So…

Andrew. I think that if Harry would ever get his hands on Voldemort’s wand, he would try to break it.

[Ben laughs]

Eric: You know, I wouldn’t want to touch that thing.

Andrew: I wouldn’t, well…

Eric: Who knows what kind of curses it has.

Ben: Yeah me neither.

Andrew: Yeah, I’m sure it’s nasty.

Ben: Yeah.

Andrew: Got stuff all over it, but, yeah.

Ben: Yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Well, in the movie, it’s like a bone. It’s like a skeleton bone type thing.

Mikey: Can you imagine him as a first-year carrying that wand in?

Eric: [laughs] Yeah.

Mikey: [in a high-pitched voice] “This is my wand, everybody.”

Eric: [laughs] Well, I’m sure he changed…

Andrew: This is getting awkward, but…

Eric: Okay.

Andrew: I think they would try to break it, I mean, Harry would try to break it.

[Eric and Mikey laugh]

Andrew: Wouldn’t you rather try to destroy Voldemort’s wand than…

Eric: Do your magic, Voldemort!

Andrew: …try to double up, so to speak?

Kevin: Yeah, I think so, yeah.

Eric: Yeah. Yeah, you would.

Andrew: All right, enough about Voldemort’s wand. This is a G-rated show.


Listener Rebuttal: Voldemort’s Immortality Through Children


[Audio]: Hi guys, my name is Chris. I’m calling from the San Francisco area, and I’m one of your mature listeners. I had a thought for you guys to discuss. It’s actually kind of a funny thought. But as I get older, people ask me, “When are you going to settle down and have children?” My mom always tells me, “It’s the only way you’ll be remembered long after you’re dead.” That got me thinking into the Voldemort world. How come he doesn’t ever want to have children? Neither did Dumbledore, as far as we know. Really and truly, it is one way to become immortal. Your children pass on your genealogy, as well as your traditions and thoughts about you, and one way that Voldemort could live forever, really, is to have children. So I was just kind of curious. We know that he liked to operate alone, but we know that Bellatrix would do anything for him. Just I was curious as to why Voldemort never became a daddy. Can you imagine that thought? Well, I hope you guys have a great day, and pickles to you, too.

Ben: Thanks for that, Chris. Voldemort just has no love. He can’t make any love, because he has no love, so therefore he can’t be a daddy.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: That was the best answer to a voicemail question ever.

Andrew: Well, it’s true though.

Eric: It is.

Andrew: It might be a good way to pass on your legacy. And I mean, obviously Harry inherited something from, especially his father. But, you know, if Voldemort wanted to truly – but I mean, then his son could die. I can’t, I just can’t imagine…

Eric: No, I like this voicemail because I think it illustrates Voldemort – I mean, we don’t know that Voldemort doesn’t have a kid. You know, people like Bellatrix, as stated. We don’t know.

Andrew: [in Darth Vader voice] I am your father.

Ben: There’s going to be a Star Wars scene in Book 7.

Eric: But, we don’t know, could be hidden away, could be twins that were separated to opposite ends of the galaxy. We don’t know. We don’t know. It’s unlikely. But, at the same time, I think it illustrates Voldemort’s not understanding that there aren’t things worse than death. And there are other ways to become immortal, you don’t need to kill 100 people, make a hundred Horcruxes…

Ben: You know what would be crazy?

Eric: Or seven in this case – Well, hang on, Ben.

Ben: Oh, sorry.

Eric: You don’t need to make Horcruxes to become immortal. You become immortal – you live on through your children. And that’s exactly, this is just that, exactly that. It’s not good enough for Voldemort to be immortal, to pass on his power through his line. I don’t even know if he’d trust a child that he had to either take on the throne, once he dies, even though he’s never going to die, according to him, or whatever, you know. I don’t think he’d even trust a kid of his own, or if he did – At least…

Ben: Right, right, right.

Eric: I really don’t think he’s thinking about that kind of stuff.

Ben: Wouldn’t it be crazy, though, if that’s how Book 7 ended? Voldemort tells Harry, “I am your father.”

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: And – That’d be cool, wouldn’t that be…

Eric: Ben, you want a real answer to that question? No, it wouldn’t be funny.

Ben: I think it’d be hilarious.

Mikey: That’d be so wrong.

Ben: That’s why he wanted to kill Lily.

Andrew: We’re exposing Voldemort a little too much on this week’s episode.

Eric: “Harry, I…” [laughs]

Mikey: Yeah, I don’t think so.

Eric: “Harry, I have a son. He is your scar.”

Mikey: [laughs] The scar is his, something, yeah.


Listener Rebuttal: Is Jo Hinting Harry’s Death?


Ben: Hey, so we have one final listener rebuttal for you. This comes from Mercy, age 15, from New York City:

Hey you guys, love the show. You always make me laugh during my art class when I listen to MuggleCast. I love it. Anyway, I just read the new diary posting on Jo’s site, and in one line, she writes, “I always knew that Harry’s story would end with the seventh book, but saying goodbye has been just as hard as I always knew it would be. Even while I’m mourning, though, I feel an incredible sense of achievement.” I can’t help but wonder if she’s hinting at Harry’s demise. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he died, but I just thought perhaps that was her way of telling us something. So, yeah. I’d like to know what you think.

End quote. So, it’s kind of interesting. “I always knew that Harry’s story would end with the seventh book.” Could there be a deeper meaning there?

Eric: She’s just fiddling with us.

Andrew: Well, it could have a double meaning. I mean, if Harry really does die, Harry’s story still is ending with Book 7 whether he’s dead, or not.

Kevin: The books are entitled Harry Potter and the something for a reason.

Eric: Well…

Kevin: You know? The whole book series itself, the whole story she’s telling us about is about Harry Potter.

Ben: But could his story end completely? That’s what she’s trying to point out.

Kevin: I mean, it could, but it doesn’t…

Ben: Do you guys think he’s going to die? Does anyone here think he’s going to die?

Kevin: It doesn’t say one way or another.

Eric: Just because she says that she always knew that there were going to be seven books – that could mean she always knew that it was going to take Voldemort seven books to die properly. You know, it doesn’t necessarily – but it’s like saying goodbye, but I think she also means saying goodbye to everybody. Saying goodbye to just stop writing the books she knows she doesn’t want to write forever. She said in interviews how she wants to go out with a bang, so I just think it doesn’t mean he’s going to die and I’m hopeful that it doesn’t mean that.


Harry Has To Die


Andrew: Honestly, I was sitting in class a few days ago and I just started thinking about Book 7. I had this huge revelation that – it was set in my mind. Harry has to die in Book 7.

Eric: Why?

Mikey: Why?

Andrew: It’s just the only way the story can end correctly.

Mikey: Nooo.

Kevin: Oh, geez. Don’t get Eric…

Eric: What?

Andrew: How many times he’s tried to save the day, he’s been the hero. What better way for the book to end? Tell me a better way this story can end.

Eric: How about Voldemort dies and Harry…

Andrew: That’s so generic.

Eric: Wait, get this, get this, Andrew. Harry lives.

Andrew: That’s generic.

Mikey: And he gets to life happily ever after.

Eric: Oh, it’s generic? No, it’s not generic. The hero always dies, the hero always sacrifices himself.

Andrew: Now, the hero always saves the day and the bad guy dies.

Eric: Bruce Willis always stays on the asteroid and it blows himself up.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Bruce Willis always stays on an asteroid.

Andrew: I don’t…

Eric: It always happens, Andrew.

Andrew: I’m sorry, but if Voldemort dying, and Harry’s saving the day, it’s not powerful enough for the ending.

Eric: It’s not saving the day.

Andrew: He won the battle.

Eric: Harry getting severely torn up. He did win the battle, but you can lose a lot of other things. Maybe he loses a leg, or something. You know, the strife, the pain, the agony that he went through should be worth something. She’s going to put him through all that stuff and then he dies.

Andrew: How about this compromise: Harry and Voldemort die. I think that would be a nice ending.

Eric: Well…

Andrew: Harry has to die. I really think he has to.

Kevin: I think…

Mikey: If Harry dies, I’m going to be sad. I will be sad.

Andrew: And that’s when you know the stories had an affect on you and if it’s a well written story.

Kevin: I sort of agree with you, Andrew, yeah.

Andrew: You’ve had emotion through it.

Eric: But I want to believe that Harry’s life had a better purpose…

Kevin: Of course it has.

Eric: Obviously yes, the purpose is to defeat Voldemort, but it’s not really – and if Harry dies, you don’t want to go back and read about his every thoughts because Harry’s been a little bit stupid in the past and you won’t want to read about that kind of stuff happening if you know he’s going to die.

Kevin: Well, I think it’s…

Eric: I know I wouldn’t want to read it…

Kevin: I think I’ve said this before. Throughout the books Harry has lost everyone close to him, and it seems to me as though she’s setting it up for him to potentially die.


Frodo’s Journey Compared To Harry’s


Kevin: And it’s sort of like – it reminds me of Lord of the Rings in the sense of – for all of those who haven’t read it, stop now. When Frodo went across the Great Sea with the elves and stuff like that.

Eric: The Great Sea? Where did he go to?

Kevin: I can’t remember. The…

Andrew: You are a disgrace to the hobbits.

Ben: Was it [uses accent] Mordor?

Eric: It’s The Grey Havens.

Ben: [uses accent]Mordor.

Kevin: My point is that the whole reason why he wrote it that way – Tolkien wrote it that way was because Frodo had been through this whole journey and there was nothing left for him there.

Eric: That was his purpose?

Kevin: Exactly. That was his purpose. He fulfilled his purpose and he had done all the good he can do and he was no more without that mission.

Eric: But…

Kevin: He was forced to leave.

Eric: It’s equally true, that Frodo didn’t really have a loved ending, didn’t Frodo have a loved one that was going to love him and that he still decided to go off to the Grey Havens because, I mean, besides Sam…

[Alice heard in background speaking to Eric]

Eric: Oh, Sam counts? Okay, I have a Lord of the Rings aficionado in the room. Sam and the hobbits all went back and Frodo did live, he did survive right before he went to the Grey Havens, but that his life has changed so much that it was really – and so much had happened to him it really wasn’t the same Shire anymore, and he really did and he was taken off to go to the Grey Havens and usually hobbits are certainly not allowed there. Not usually.

Andrew: Well, as someone who’s never read Lord of the Rings

Kevin: Which is a shame.

Andrew: I can’t add my input to this, I’m sorry.


Harry Doesn’t Have To Die


Andrew: Ben, what do you think? Do you think Harry has to die?

Ben: I wouldn’t be surprised.

Andrew: But do you personally think he should die?

Eric: I don’t think so.

Ben: I think there needs to be an ultimate sacrifice. I can see him doing something like losing his magic or a physical death. I’m not sure.

Andrew: Yeah.

Ben: But I just think, the reason that I don’t think he’ll die a physical death is because Dumbledore puts a strain on there are so many things worse than death, you know what I mean? So, I don’t know.

Andrew: Yeah. [sighs]

Ben: I can’t see it ending in him dying, because that would just be advocating death as being the worse thing there is.

Eric: Yeah, that’s a good way of putting it.

Ben: In my mind.

Andrew: Yeah, but they’re not trying to respect what Voldemort thinks. They don’t agree with Voldemort, so…

Eric: He can’t die. What about Ginny?

Andrew: Yeah. I just…

Eric: Ginny would just not have a lover, then. And she’ll be one more widowed lover as a product of war.

Andrew: So what?

Eric: Oh, that’s a happy thought.

Mikey: Oh, come on.

Eric: For a happy book like Harry Potter. That’s a happy thought, Ginny’s lover dies. She has to go fall in love with someone else.

Andrew: Well, the books aren’t happy anymore…

Eric: Yeah, I know, I know. JKR has something against happiness or something.

Andrew: It’s a war. But I mean, okay, we could just…

Ben: We can go around in circles with this forever.

Andrew: Yeah, we could talk about this forever.

Ben: Yeah.

Kevin: Well, I do want to say one thing. Just because Harry dies doesn’t mean it doesn’t have to be a happy end.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Yeah, I know.

Andrew: Who knows?

Kevin: There’s ways she can write it so it’s a happy end.

Mikey: Well, maybe he dies at – in old age. That’s the end of it.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

Mikey: You know, he lives a full life and then he dies.

[Ben laughs]

Kevin: That’s true, yeah. [laughs]

Mikey: Yeah, as the headmaster of, you know, I don’t know.

Ben: I guarantee you this, Harry will die eventually.

Eric: Ooh.

Mikey: Ooh.

Andrew: Good theory, Ben.

Mikey: Oh my gosh.

Eric: Yeah, that’s juicy Ben.


Shampoo Is Lethal


Mikey: You want to know a fact I just found out? Hundred percent of people that use shampoo, die.

Andrew: Wow.

Ben: [laughs] I’ll be damned.

Andrew: Never knew that.

Mikey: It’s true.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: You would never guess.

[Eric laughs]

Mikey: Hundred percent of people that use shampoo. You’re gonna die.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Are you serious?

Mikey: [laughs] Yes, I’m serious.

Andrew: No way. I don’t believe you.

Mikey: Can you believe that? I’m like, “Wow, maybe I should stop washing my hair,” but then I said no.

Eric: [laughs] Nice choice.

Mikey: I’ll keep washing my hair.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: A wise choice, Mikey.

Andrew: That is unbelievable.

Mikey: [laughs] I agree.

Andrew: Do you know that a hundred percent of people who drink water enjoy it?

Eric: No, that’s not true.

Mikey: I don’t.

Eric: Their bodies might enjoy it, but…

Andrew: I do.

Eric: Like for health-wise…

Kevin: [laughs] So you count for a hundred percent now, Andrew?

Andrew: I meant bodies. Skype broke up, I said bodies. But it came out…

Ben: [laughs] Yeah, sure.

Andrew: Point is that – point is to be funny. Let’s move onto a Chicken Soup before I look like a complete fool.

[Mikey laughs]

Mikey: Oh man.


Chicken Soup For The MuggleCast Soul


Andrew: This comes from – sorry I cannot pronounce your name – Aycay, 20, of Chicago. She writes:

Hey MuggleCasters! I just wanted to thank you guys for working so hard for us fans and keeping these podcasts coming faithfully every week. I’m a junior in college right now, and my stress levels are higher than ever. I’m working, trying to cope with a long-distance relationship, trying to keep my grades up, and trying to stay sane, just like every other college student.

Except for Emerson.

I have a secret weapon though: Fandom. I have a place I can go where work and school don’t exist, and everything is hypothetical. Since the end is in sight now, it makes me somewhat nervous. I’ve been a part of fandoms before that have kind of fizzled. It is a sad feeling. Losing something that you lean on and that you love is a sour affair. But since you guys are faithfully putting forth these podcasts, I can savor every second of anticipation until “Deathly Hallows” comes out, and then the two movies. Thanks for keeping Harry Potter alive for me by providing an easy way to keep up and keep my “HP” wits alive. You guys rock!

Eric: Yeah, that was nicely wrote, actually. It was nicely written.

[Everyone cheers]

Ben: High five team, high five team.

Andrew: High five.

[Clapping sound]

Andrew: [Borat impression] High five!

[Clapping sound]

Andrew: [Borat impression] High five!

[Clapping sound]

Mikey: That was fun.

[Clapping sound]

Ben: Andrew, do you remember we used to high five on webcam?

Andrew: Yeah.

[Mikey laughs]

Ben: Yeah, that was awesome.

Andrew: That was when we used to be cool and webcam. We…

Kevin: We really don’t want to know about your webcam experience.

Eric: Does Skype have video chat? For like a video podcast?

Ben: [sings] We Skype –

Andrew and Ben: [sing] All the time. You and I…

Mikey: Wow.

Ben: [sings] With the same soul.

Andrew: [sings] The same video cam.


Show Close


Andrew: All right then, I believe that wraps up today’s show we thank everyone for listening. Contact information. Ben, where can people send parcel mail?

Ben: To:

PO Box 223
Moundridge, Kansas
67107

Andrew: You can also leave a voicemail question by calling 1-218-20-MAGIC, if you’re in the United States. If you’re in the United Kingdom, you can dial 020-8144-0677. If you’re in Australia you can dial 02-8003-5668. Also you can Skype the username MuggleCast to send a voicemail. But whether you’re calling or using Skype, please keep your message under 30 seconds to a minute.

[Kevin laughs]

Andrew: Per the request of Kevin. And eliminate as much background noise as possible. Also you can use our handy Feedback Form right there on MuggleCast.com, just click on contact at the top. And then you can e-mail any one of us at our first name at staff dot mugglenet dot com. I believe that does wrap up today’s show. Hey, we’ve reached 6000 friends on MySpace.

Eric: Yeah, we kicked booty.

Kevin: Wow.

Andrew: That is a lot of friends.

Eric: We really kicked booty.

Andrew: I did not know that many people listened to the show.

Mikey: You’re a popular person, Andrew.

Andrew: News to me. Hey, Ben, we also got a cool new countdown people can put on their MySpaces, right? Or blogs?

Ben: Yeah, definitely. Have you seen it around yet? I haven’t. I’ve been looking…

Andrew: Yeah actually, I posted a bulletin on the MuggleCast MySpace. One that, you know, where it sends a message to everyone…

[Show music plays]

Ben: Oh, yeah?

Andrew: I was like, “Hey everyone! Use this for your MySpace.”

Ben: Oh, awesome.

Andrew: But, yeah. You want to plug it real quick?

Ben: Mugglenet.com slash countdown slash countdown dot shtml.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: We’re so inventive with our subfolders. [laughs]

Andrew: And then you can add it to your own MySpace or blog to share your excitement for – it’s got two countdowns in one, how sick is that?

Mikey: That’s pretty cool.

Andrew: It’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.

Mikey: I like it.

Andrew: So – and then also you can join our group on Facebook. Join our YouTube group. Become a part of our Frappr.

Ben: YouTube, Last.FMMySpace, FrapprYouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Frappr, Last.FM.

Andrew: [laughs] That is completely out of order.

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: You can dig the show also on Digg.com/Podcasts.

Kevin: [laughs] Dig the show.

Andrew: For some reason our…

Ben: Do you dig it?

Andrew: Our listing has not been updating. It’s only – the most recent episode is Episode 70 and I e-mailed them and asked them if they could fix it, but I have not heard a reply back yet. Mikey, Kevin Rose does not like Harry Potter, so that might have to do with it.

Mikey: Yeah.

Andrew: Might be why it’s not being fixed.

Mikey: But Alex does from Digg Nation, too.

Andrew: Yes, that’s true.

Mikey: So.

Andrew: And then you can also vote for us on Podcast Alley. We’re doing pretty good over there, so we thank everyone that’s been voting for us in all these different places. Once again, I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: I’m Ben Schoen.

Kevin: I’m Kevin Steck.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull.

Mikey: And I’m Mikey B.

Andrew: Thank you once again, Mikey, for joining us. Well, we’ll see everyone next week for Episode 78. Bye, bye.

[Show music ends]


Bloopers


Micah: Earlier this week, Scholastic, the US Harry Potter [mispronounces] publisher. Da-duh.


Alice: [yelling] Turn it off!

Eric: What?

Alice: [still yelling] Turn it off!

Eric: Fine.

———————–

Written by: Micah, Adrienne, Allison, Amanda, Briana, Cindy, Eloise, Jessica, Laura, Leah, Mandie, Margaret, Matt, Megan, Roni, Samantha, Sarah, Shannon, Shelly, and Tina