Transcript #56

MuggleCast 56 Transcript


Show Intro


Micah [Show Intro with music in background]: Because, “What’s Buggin’ Micah?” gets results, thank you Jo Rowling, 41 of Scotland…

Andrew: This is MuggleCast Episode 56 for September 17th, 2006.

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[speaks rapidly] Hello, everyone, welcome to the show. I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: [speaks rapidly] I’m Ben Schoen.

Laura: [speaks rapidly] I’m Laura Thompson.

Jamie: [speaks rapidly] I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Micah: [speaks rapidly] I’m Micah Tannenbaum.

Andrew: [still speaking rapidly] We’ve got a great show for you this week. Before we go anywhere else, Micah Tannenbaum is standing by in the MuggleCast newscenter with the past week’s top Harry Potter news stories.


News


Micah: Last week we reported that the Daily Mirror spoke to JK Rowling at a tea party in Edinburgh, celebrating the release of Driving Lessons. Regarding the progress of Book Seven, the UK tabloid quoted Jo as saying, “I’m up to about 750 pages now.” At the time, we told you it was highly unlikely Jo would give away how many pages she’s written. Now we have confirmation in the form of an update to the the Rubbish Bin at JKRowling.com:

She said: “I haven’t written 750 pages of book seven, and if I had, I’d be very worried, as I’m not close to finishing it yet. I was at the tea party for Driving Lessons, though, so this isn’t pure fiction. The journalist reports that I said that Rupert is ‘absolutely
terrific’ in the film. He is, so that bit shouldn’t be in the rubbish bin at all.”

Speaking of updates, clearly thanks to my rant on last week’s show, JK Rowling has added a new diary, news, and Extra Stuff entry to her official site. In her diary, she apologizes for the lack of updates recently and talks about her experience in New York for “An Evening with Harry, Carrie and Garp.”

Also, a NAQ (Never Asked Question) was added to the Extra Stuff Section: Why did Dumbledore have James’ invisibility cloak at the time of James’ death, given that Dumbledore could make himself invisible without a cloak? We discuss that later in the show.

The National Library of Scotland has obtained a $3.35 million grant in order to establish a “digital repository” to include blogs, journals, and e-mails written by leading Scots – JK Rowling among them. The digital works exhibited will all be of cultural significance and are set to be unveiled in 2008.

The Harry Potter box set containing Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, published in support of Comic Relief, now has a brand new cover.

And finally, Bloomsbury will re-release 21 books to celebrate their 21st birthday, including Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. According to Publishing News “All the titles will feature a short question-and-answer with the authors,
an introduction by fellow writers, and a reading guide.” No word yet on what Jo may include.

That’s all the news for this September 17th, 2006 edition of MuggleCast. Back to the show.


PO Box Update


Andrew: Oooooookaaaaaaaaaay. Thank you, Micah.

Micah: Oh, I’m here this week. Sorry.

Andrew: Yeah, you are here.

Jamie: So say…

Micah: You’re welcome.

Jamie: …”you’re welcome.” [laughs]

Andrew: Micah, we are so proud of you this week. I speak for the Harry Potter community…

Laura: [applauds] Yay!

Andrew:…when I say we are so proud of you this week.

Micah: What’d I do?

Andrew: But we’ll get to that in a minute.

Jamie: I think we’re proud and excited, to be fair.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: We are.

Jamie: We are excited, as well.

Andrew: [unintelligible] great. Let’s have a few announcements first. Do not forget, vote for us on Podcast Alley. And a P.O. Box update, Ben.

Ben: Oh my gosh!

Andrew: You have a PO Box update for us?

Ben: Oh, geez. We have more letters than you can imagine.

Andrew: Quickly?

Ben: Thanks to, who is this here? Thanks to Harley Hoover from Peninsula, Ohio for sending us pickles. Paper pickles with each of our names on them. That’s very, very kind of you.

Laura: Awww. How cute.

Ben: We got some letters here from Alexis…

Andrew: Hold on, wait a second, wait a second, wait a second.

Ben: What?

Andrew: [takes deep breath] Pickle, pickle, pickle, pickle, pickle, pickle, pickle, pickle…[chokes on his words] All right. Go ahead.

Ben: We have letters here from Alexis from Liz Jaffe – Joffe. This person, I don’t know. They are from Oklahoma, but that’s all I know about them. Ummm, thanks to…

Jamie: Well that completely narrows it down.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: …Miss Rownack Choudhury for sending me a Subway gift card. Thanks to Claire Fuller for sending in a letter. Someone else made pickle hats for us.

Andrew: Ooo. Are you going to bring all this pickle stuff?

Jamie: No, he’s going to keep it to himself.

Ben: Memorabilia? Merchandise?

Andrew: Yeah.

Ben: Yeah, right. [shuffles papers]

[Laura and Andrew laugh]

Andrew: Okay.

Ben: Thanks to Leslie McGee for sending us a CD, I think this is? Yeah, a CD. Then, the pickle hats came from Jordana from Illinois.

Andrew: Ooo.

Ben: Like, these are hats like you wear on your head. Like, they’re paper hats. They’re kind of neat.

Andrew: Oh, cool.

Ben: Yeah, and then another letter came from Alex from New Hampshire.. So, yeah, there’s your PO Box update.

Jamie: Are you bringing these to California, Ben? Really? Are you bringing them?

Ben: Huh? The pickle hats? You really want your pickle hat?

Andrew: Yes!

Jamie: Of course I want my pickle hat!

Ben: I guess.


Announcements: Leaky Mug LIVE in California


Andrew: Leaky Mug, live in California September 28th. It’s going to be a fabulous…

Jamie: A blast, a blast. It’s going to be a blast.

Andrew: Yeah. A big event. Don’t forget to RSVP on LeakyMug.com. We got about 300…

Jamie: What’s RSP… Sorry, what does RSVP stand for?

Ben: Resendez s’il vous plait.

Jamie: Repondez s’il vous plait. Not bad, Ben. You get 8 out of 10 for effort.

Andrew: We have like 300 to 400 RSVPs already, so it’s going to be a big event. And make sure you get there early, because Borders is limiting it to 400 people, and it’s going to be a lot of fun. So… And also, join the Facebook event group, because cool people do that.

Jamie: Just for the fun of it. Just for the fun of it.

Andrew: Yeah.


Listener Rebuttal: Harry Potter and Wicca


Andrew: Listener Rebuttals this week – Jessica, 23, from Ohio has a rebuttal about the “Gimme a Butterbeer” from Episode 55.

Ben: Oh, she wants to have a go, does she?

Andrew: A comment was made, I’m not sure by who, about how the Harry
Potter books do not convert the readers to Wicca. While I completely agree
that Harry Potter does not encourage people to alter their religious beliefs in any way, I felt compelled to point out that HP does not relate to Wicca in any way. While it’s true that followers of Wicca are sometimes referred to as “witches,” Wicca is a valid religion that has absolutely nothing to do with things like flying broomsticks and magic wands. Just wanted to make that distinction. Love your show. Keep up the good work.

Laura: Yeah, it’s important to say that.

Jamie: It’s true. It’s true. It’s true, yeah.

Laura: Wicca is not an evil religion at all.

Jamie: Yeah, but, I can’t really remember it, but weren’t you just
pointing out that it’s a religion and you should really separate Harry
Potter and religion completely? Because, you know, once you start mixing
them, you just get into all the stuff about evil and stuff like
that.

Laura: Mhm.

Jamie: It’s just like… I just think it should be kept completely separate,
you know. It’s a book series.

Laura: Well, yeah.

Ben: Fo’ sho’.

Jamie: Fo’ sho’, man. But, just check on, “Wiccapedia” and type in, “Harry
Potter.” [laughs]

[Laura laughs]


Listener Rebuttal: Dumbledore’s and Voldemort’s Power


Jamie: Okay, our second one is from Elenna, who is 16, from
east L.A. – hope you’ll be coming to the podcast – and the subject is, “Dumbledore and Voldemort’s Power.”

Regarding your discussion about if Dumbledore and Voldemort are just generally more powerful than the rest of the…

And I can’t read it because my AIM has just popped up. Somebody has signed off. [laughs]

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: …are just generally more powerful than
the rest of the world, and why that is. Isn’t it possible they’re just
equivalent to what geniuses are in the Muggle world, but with magical
ability? Like, there are some people who are just regular, some who are
smart, and some who are super intelligent, or geniuses. The same can go for
the magical world. Though people can’t be more magical than others, they can possess different levels of talent in magic, as in the Muggle world with intelligence. This talent possibly follows the same laws as intelligence does with the Nature/Nurture theories. Great show. Peace out.

So, I guess she’s kind of saying that Voldemort and Dumbledore are the Einsteins of the magical world. Or the Leonardo DaVincis or something.

Ben: Definitely.

Jamie: I think that’s pretty true.


Listener Rebuttal: Harry Potter vs. Star Wars


Andrew: Erica, 24, of Chicago writes about Harry Potter and the Star Wars
connection that Jamie brought up last week.

Jamie only mentioned this briefly, but I think it was genius to make a connection between the levels of power in HP characters and the main players in Star Wars…

Ben: That’s not on MuggleNet or anything. He thought of that all by himself first. [laughs]

Andrew:Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: Okay, okay. Wait a minute. Okay, Ben…

[Andrew and Ben laugh]

Jamie: Okay, I don’t think I did… I didn’t… I did think of that myself. I didn’t get it off the site.

Andrew: Dumbledore is the equivalent of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a learned Master, a combination of great skill and experience and age. I’d pick him vs. Yoda, because Vader was Obi-Wan’s student. Voldemort is the equivalent of Darth Vader, an orphaned child prodigy with exceptional natural ability turned “less than human evil lord,” who passes on some of his power to the one who will have to defeat him. Harry is definitely Luke Skywalker. He inherited some exceptional abilities by being marked by Voldemort. So, if we follow the pattern in Harry Potter, the Masters of the Force, whether good or evil, are light years away, ahead of the rest of the Jedi in their ability. Luke never became a Jedi Master, and was able to defeat Vader in the same way that Harry, while he is more skilled or powerful than average wizards his age, does not have to become as powerful as Voldemort to defeat him. He only has to skillfully use what he knows. And even though there are some similarities, please don’t think I would ever suggest that Voldemort and Harry will share a “Luke, I am your father” moment. But maybe that would be a Crackpot Theory.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: Yeah. Next week’s one for Eric. But like… It could be like, you
know, she says it’s just one thing that Harry’s got to tap into. Like love,
you know. I mean, it could be that love isn’t especially powerful, but it’s
just the one thing that Voldemort can’t stand, and that one thing is, you
know, his weakness, and he just has to tap into that power or something and
use that against him.


Listener Rebuttal: Did Dumbledore know Wormtail was the Potters’ Secret-Keeper?


Jamie: This is from Carolyn, 19, from Connecticut:

In Episode 55, you were discussing Dumbledore and Voldemort’s magical powers. You mentioned that you thought that Dumbledore cast the Fidelius Charm on the Potters because it is described as immensely complex magic. However, we knew that Dumbledore gave evidence that Sirius was the Potters’ Secret-Keeper, and if Dumbledore was the one that cast the charm, wouldn’t he know that Wormtable, sorry, Wormtail was the Secret-Keeper? Love the show. Carolyn.

Ummm…

Laura: Yeah, she’s right. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, she’s right.

Andrew: We got a lot of rebuttals like that. So, that’s more of a
correction.

Jamie: So, to sum things up, we were wrong. Sorry, I was wrong.

Laura: Good job, guys.

Andrew: You were wrong. [laughs]

Jamie: I was wrong, yeah. Oh, come on. Please let the blame around slightly.

Laura: I wasn’t there, so you can’t blame me.

Jamie: We were wrong. We were wrong.

Ben: I wasn’t there, either, so I think…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: Okay, both of you were wrong.

Andrew: It was just me, Ben, and Eric. Or no, me, Jamie, and Eric, yeah.

Ben: Let’s blame Eric because he’s not here to defend himself.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Andrew:Yeah, that’s good. I like that. [laughs]

Jamie: It was clearly that Sirius was the Potters’ Secret-Keeper. I mean… I mean… Okay, I screwed up again. Whatever Carolyn says.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew: Okay, well that wraps up listener rebuttals.

Ben: [sings] Sweet Caroline. [speaks] Sorry. [laughs]


Micah Gets Results


Andrew: Well, last week on Episode 55 we premiered a brand new segment: “What’s Buggin Micah?” Coincidentally, Micah, this is pure coincidence, JK Rowling on Thursday, September 13 – oh no, Wednesday, September 13th – updated her website with lots of updates just a mere, a mere four days after, “What’s Buggin Micah,” premiered, where Micah flipped out on JK Rowling for not updating her website.

Laura: And you think this is a coincidence, Andrew?

Andrew: I’m just kidding. I just didn’t want to be modest.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: No, I just wanted to be modest. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah.

Ben: I don’t know.

Andrew: Micah, what do you think about this? Are you convinced?

Ben: It was long due. It was due. So, I don’t know.

Andrew: Let’s just pretend like it was Micah and that Jo does listen to the show.

Ben: Well here, we have a little test here. Let’s have Micah…

Jamie: Ask for a million pounds.

Ben: …gripe about the title and see if it… [laughs]

Andrew: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Go ahead, Micah. Go for it.

Jamie: Micah, say…

Micah: [laughs] What do you want me to do?

Jamie: Just say…

Andrew: Say, “Micah.” I mean say, “Jo, give us the title.”

Jamie: Jo, she never gives – yeah, yeah.

Andrew: [laughs] Do it, do it.

Jamie: I bet she gets it in the next couple of days.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

Micah: Okay, okay.

Jamie: That’d be a pretty big coincidence.

Micah: Jo…

Andrew: Wait, wait, wait. Hold on, wait, wait.

Jamie: You’ve got to mean it from the heart, though.

p>[Micah laughs]


What’s Buggin’ Micah?


Andrew: Now, it’s time for the second installment of “What’s Buggin’ Micah?” Micah, go.

Micah: No. [laughs]

Jamie: Micah, mean it from the heart.

Micah: There’s nothing bugging me right now, though.

Andrew: No, this is bugging you.

Jamie: Yeah.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew: You told me about it earlier. Go ahead.

Micah: Jo, you must reveal the title of Book Seven by Halloween.

Andrew: [laughs] Okay. [laughs]

Ben: You heard it here, folks.

Jamie: Did that come from the heart Micah, or are you just…?

Andrew: Well, it’s funny, though. On the news post we made on MuggleNet.com, if you look through the comments [laughs] a lot of people say… [laughs]

Micah: They all thought it was my doing.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs] Like this one: “Hey, Micah, that rant of yours worked!” [laughs] It was pretty funny. Another one says, “Finally, she must have listened to MuggleCast.” [laughs] So, coincidence? Probably really good timing, yes. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah come on, very good timing, though. Very good timing.

Andrew: However, of course Jo listens. You know, this is her thing. She wants to hear us discuss.

Jamie: Didn’t she tell us that [laughs] when she goes jogging in the morning she…

Andrew:Plugs her iPod in?

Jamie: Plugs her iPod in, yeah, and just turns the show on.

Andrew: Actually, guys, I think that she actually dropped us a hint on her site.

Ben: What’d she do?

Laura: Where?

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs] If you go on, you know, JKRowling.com, you look at her diary. She says sorry five times. How many letters are in Micah’s first name?

Everyone: Five.

Jamie: 1, 2, 3…

Andrew: [laughs] How many times did she say sorry?

Ben: Five.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Five, huh? See the connection?

Jamie: Oh, god.

Andrew: Yeah, okay. [laughs]

Laura: We’ve been doing this way too long, Andrew.

Andrew: She dropped a hint.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: There you go.

Jamie: That’s a pretty big hint.

Andrew: It is.

Jamie: An anvil-sized one.

Andrew: I tried finding other ones but I couldn’t. That was the best one.

[Andrew and Micah laugh]

Andrew: So anyway, that was very good and a lot of people liked that segment last week, Micah.

Micah: They did.

Jamie: Should we change it?

Andrew: So, good work. “What’s Buggin’ Micah?” gets results.

Jamie: Should we change the “Chuck Norris/Dumbledore Quotes” to “Micah Quotes” now, because he’s pretty…

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: Yeah, he’s pretty powerful. [laughs]


Main Discussion: Why did Dumbledore have James’ Invisibility Cloak?


Andrew: So anyway, this leads us into our main discussion this week, which is about an update that Jo made on her site. Jamie.

Jamie: Okay, this is taken straight from her site:

“Why did Dumbledore have James’ Invisibility Cloak at the time of James’ death? Given that Dumbledore could make himself invisible anyway, does he really need it? Prior to posting this I had a quick look online and realized that some fans had been speculating about this question.”

That’s Jo by the way, not me.

[Andrew, Ben, and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: “However, nobody has ever asked me about it, and they really should have done. Just to allay the fears of the justifiably suspicious, this isn’t what we in the know call a Mark Evans situation.”

As in that, you know, we think it’s massive but it’s not.

“There is a significant, even crucial, answer to this question.”

So, our main discussion this week is: Why did Dumbledore have James’ Invisibility Cloak on him at the time of James’ death? Go.

Ben: Oh geez. That’s nothing but pure conjecture.


Was Dumbledore Unable to be Invisible at that time?


Jamie: Our questions for this, our first one is, number one: Is this simply that Dumbledore couldn’t make himself invisible at this time? Some people forget that Dumbledore was not ridiculously powerful from birth. Although it seems like he has always been one step ahead (e.g. when Professor Tofty said that during his N.E.W.T. examinations he could do things with a wand that, you know, nobody had ever seen before).

[Micah and Ben laugh]

Jamie: Magical abilities are clearly a product of age and experience. [laughs] What’s so funny about that?

Laura: You guys are so gross! You guys are so perverted!

Andrew: Grow up! Grow up. Be mature. God!

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: Do you think that’s the case?

Andrew: I don’t think so because this was only 12, 13, however many years it was prior, and it’s not like Dumbledore developed all his skills in that – not 12 to 13 – 15, 16 years.

Jamie: How do you know, Andrew? How do you know?

Andrew: Because he was the Headmaster of Hogwarts!

Jamie: But how do you know, Andrew?

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: Because he was there after Harry died and…

Laura: [laughs] Harry didn’t die!

[Micah laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] I mean, I mean, I mean… Oh, really? Oh, shoot.

Jamie: Digging a grave here, Andrew. It’s getting bigger and bigger.

Andrew: I mean James and Lily died. James and Lily died.

Jamie: I guess so. You’re still wrong.

Andrew: No, I’m not wrong.

Jamie: Are you? Are you? What do people think?

Laura: No, I think Dumbledore was able to become invisible on his own. I don’t think he would’ve…

Jamie: I’m just going to act as a…

Ben: Yeah, okay. JK Rowling said it’s significant. What significance would that hold? Just that he didn’t know how to become invisible on his own then.

Laura: Yeah, I don’t think that would hold any great key to the series.

Ben: So, we’ve established Andrew’s wrong once again. But… [laughs]

Andrew: No. [laughs]

Ben: …anybody have any bright ideas?

Andrew: No, we didn’t!

Laura: No, I think we just established that Andrew was right. [laughs]

Andrew: I’m just saying Dumbledore didn’t develop all his skills after Harry’s birth. He had them before Harry’s birth.

Laura: Yeah, so he…

Andrew: He’s an old guy.

Jamie: How do you know that? Okay, he is an old guy, but he could just…

Andrew: I don’t know that, but he was the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Jamie: But he could have read…

Laura: Well, that doesn’t really…

Jamie: …the book, “Becoming Invisible Without a Cloak,” just in those 15 years. You don’t know that he learned…

Laura: Yeah, but didn’t Dumbledore tell Harry whenever he was looking into the Mirror of Erised that, “I have my own ways of becoming invisible”?

Jamie: Oh yeah, he did. Yeah, but that’s after. That’s a long way after…

Laura: Yeah, but it just seems like the way he talks about it…

Jamie: It does, it does. It does.

Laura: …he’s been doing it for awhile and hoes accomplished at it.

Micah: So, he has his own ways of becoming invisible. He puts the cloak on. That’s his way of becoming invisible.

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah [laughs]

Jamie: He sews it into his skin and he can turn it on and off by just thinking it or something.


Did James Purposely Give Away The Cloak?


Jamie: Let’s go into our second question: Did James purposely give the cloak to Dumbledore? Perhaps he knew that Dumbledore would give it to Harry or that his death was imminent. Ben, what do you think?

Ben: I think of course James intentionally gave it to Dumbledore. I don’t think that Dumbledore would steal it from him. So…

Jamie: Well, I didn’t mean that. I meant if he found it after his death or something.

Ben: Well, in the note that Dumbledore left to Harry he said that, “Your father left this with me shortly before he died,” right? Isn’t that what it said?

Jamie: That is very true, yeah. Yeah.

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: So, I don’t know why he would give it to Dumbledore.

Laura: Well, we’ve talked about this before and I think the consensus we came to on that episode was that he left it to Dumbledore for…

Jamie: We don’t come to consensuses. We don’t come to consensuses. [laughs]

Laura: Well, sometimes we do. Rarely, rarely we do and in this case…

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: …we decided that James left the cloak with Dumbledore because he knew that Dumbledore would give it to Harry. But it seems like there’s got to be something a little bit more prominent going on there, seeing as it’s a crucial clue.

Jamie: Yeah, that’s true.

Laura: Or bit of information.


Where Was The Cloak After The Potters Died?


Jamie: Well, let’s go onto the third question, which is kind of redundant now.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: if he didn’t purposely give it to him, where was the cloak after the death of the Potters?

[Pause of silence]

Laura: With Dumbledore because he said he left it… [laughs]


Did Dumbledore Get The Cloak in Godric’s Hollow?


Jamie: Okay, okay fair enough. [laughs] Question four. Question four: Did Dumbledore go to Godric’s Hollow to get the cloak?

Laura: Well, it all depends on whether James gave it to Dumbledore before or after the Fidelius Charm was performed, because obviously Dumbledore didn’t do it. So…

Jamie: But how far – sorry.

Laura: If Dumbledore didn’t perform the charm and he wasn’t the Secret-Keeper he couldn’t find the Potters, so James would have had to given it to him prior to going into hiding.

Jamie: That is true, but how long before they died was the charm performed? Do we know?

Ben: No.

Laura: Well, only a couple of weeks.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: They said that within two weeks of it being performed Voldemort found them and killed them.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: But obviously we know it had to have been sometime in that year that Harry was born, because he was only a year old whenever Voldemort attacked them.

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah.

Laura: So. it couldn’t have been that far in advance.

Jamie: Do you think he gave it to him with all of his other possessions? Or do you think he sort of sat them down and said, “I’m giving you this cloak because,” you know, “because it’s special and you need to do something specific with it.: I think it could be that one.

Ben: Well, I don’t think he intended to leave it with Harry because…

Laura: Why not?

Ben: …I don’t think that would’ve been his intentions.

Jamie: Well, because Dumbledore just said, “It is time that it is returned to you,” didn’t he? He didn’t specifically say, “Your father gave this to me to leave you.”

Ben: Right, because… But, no, why would James predict that if they were going to be killed that his son would make it through?

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Oh yeah.

Laura: Because no parent ever wants to imagine that their child’s going to die. They are going to want to leave options…

Jamie: He brings up a fair point though, doesn’t he?

Laura: …just in case their kid lives.

Jamie: He brings up a fair point, that, I mean…

Laura: Yeah, but do you know any parent that’s going to say, “Well, you’re absolutely going to die, so there’s no point in making plans for you…”

Jamie: Yes, yes.

Laura: “…because you’re going to be dead.” [laughs]

Ben: Well, they’re not necessarily making plans. I mean….

Andrew: Why would James give it over in the first place? Why does he have to assume that he’s going to be the one dying?

Jamie: No, no, no, but, the odds there… He thinks if Voldemort… He didn’t realize that Lily’s love was in place, so he thought that, “If Voldemort can kill me, who you know, is clearly a pretty advanced wizard, he isn’t going to have any trouble with a small baby boy.” So, perhaps he gave it to him for, you know… Maybe it is a Horcrux, Ben.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Well, why… Okay, if you think about it… What I’m trying to say is, perhaps
James gave Dumbledore the cloak for a reason other than to give to Harry
later on….

Laura: To give to Harry.

Ben: …for his own personal use.

Jamie: No he did, Of course he did. Because he couldn’t have envisioned that
Harry would – was going to live, you know, even though in his soul, in his
heart he must have absolutely begged him to live he had to think about. You
know?

Ben: I mean, of course, who wants their kid to die?

Jamie: Yeah and, but, or perhaps he gave it to Dumbledore to cover Harry. I
don’t know.

Andrew: Cover Harry? With the cloak?

Jamie: Yeah, yeah and take him somewhere or something. Ben…

[Andrew, Ben and Laura laugh]

Jamie: I doubt…

Ben: That’s enormously significant in Book Seven.

Jamie: Huh?

Ben: That’s enormously significant in Book Seven.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: I’d laugh if it was Ben, because I would never let you live that
down.


Properties of the Invisibility Cloak


Andrew: I just don’t see how the cloak could unless there’s something more
to the cloak and no don’t say Horcrux.

Micah: Well, could he use the cloak to go through the veil.

Jamie: Ooo.

Laura: I don’t think so.

Andrew: What would the cloak do?

Ben: I don’t know just throwing out a crazy theory.

Jamie: Because the veil wouldn’t think that anyone was there.

Andrew: Well perhaps, perhaps… Okay, hold on, perhaps there are some
properties to the invisibility cloak that we don’t know about. Perhaps… Like what I’m trying to say, perhaps…

Laura: Well, yeah.

Ben: …it does more than make you invisible. Like there’s something else
that it does for you.

Jamie: Like what?

Ben: That’s the thing, I don’t know.

Laura: Well, we know that they’re really rare, so there’s got to be
something special about it other than invisibility.

Jamie: I’ll give you ten points if you can tell me which creature you can
spin hair from to turn into invisibility cloaks.

Laura: Ummm…

Jamie: It begins with a “D.”

Laura: Demiguise

Jamie: Very good, very good.

Laura: Yeah!

Jamie: You get ten points. It’s pointless really.

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: But you do win ten points.

Ben: It’s like Whose Line is it Anyway.

Laura: Beat me at a trivia contest next time.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs] Okay well now I want to look this animal up and see
if there’s anything special. Like you would think that if there is going to
be some amazing revelation about the invisibility cloak there would have
been some foreshadowing in the books already. Like-

Ben: Well there could be they just haven’t recognized it.

Andrew: Harry noticed that when he wore the cloak a spell deflected off of
him.

Ben: I know, I know but she’s not going to do that. She is going to make
subtle things. They would be subtle insinuations.

Andrew: I know. I know it would be in passing.

Laura: Yeah, like remember… Do you remember the way – do you remember the
way it was described, like it felt light as air yet when it, like flowed
over his fingers it felt like water. He said it felt like liquid air, so
clearly there’s something just really bizarre about this thing, because it’s
not just fabric.

Jamie: It makes you invisible, it’s pretty bizarre already.

Laura: Yeah and she just, the way she described it kind of played it up to
be something even more special.

Jamie: Yeah. Oh, I think it is more special, but…


Cloak Used For The Order?


Andrew: Well that was sort of… That was getting somewhere it did seem like.
What if Harry or what if James had given it to Dumbledore, for Dumbledore
to give it to an Order member, because maybe James would have thought that
an order member had…

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: …a more important use for it.

Jamie: That’s the very sort of crucial answer though, that’s pretty general.

Laura: But why wouldn’t James give it to that order member then.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Because an order member might have needed a – might have had a
better reason to use it than James did.

Laura: Yeah, but why wouldn’t. No, I’m saying is…

Jamie: Why wouldn’t Dumbledore have given it to her?

Laura: …if James wanted to give it to an order member why wouldn’t James have given it to them?

Andrew: Because maybe, depending on the situation, who knows what was going
on then with the Order, when all that was happening. They could’ve been all
spread out across all of England or whatever. Maybe James just couldn’t
directly deliver it to him.

Laura: They wouldn’t need to they had magic.

Andrew: And Dumbledore was going to see him for coffee.

Laura: They have owls.

Ben: No, what I think we are missing here is that he…

Andrew: That’s not safe though.

Ben: I think the reason that why James gave it to Dumbledore is the thing
that is significant.

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: Not what the cloak is used for.

Jamie: Yeah, definitely. Yeah, but it could be like he gave to him because it was needed somewhere.

Ben: I’m not saying that we should expect, oh in Book Seven Ginny’s going to get
alive using the invisibility cloak.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah okay. How rare are they? Because he could have just given
it to him. Because, you know, it’s a rare thing. He’s go to, you know? It’s
something valuable, which is clearly going to come in useful at some point.

Andrew: It seems strange, didn’t Moody have two of them?

Laura: Yeah, he did.

Jamie: Yeah. But one was a bad one, wasn’t it?

Laura: But then he had all sorts of, he had all sorts of Dark Arts things
that no one else had.

Andrew: Yeah, he just collects them.


Differences in Invisibility Cloaks


Ben: Could be a possibility that the invisibility cloak is – that particular
one – is enchanted somehow because, even though they’re rare I don’t think
they all share the same properties.

Jamie: It’s a two-way invisibility cloak. He can use it to talk to James
from beyond the grave.

Laura: Is it possible – we know that wands have different powers depending
on what kind of animal their magical core came from. So, say the demiguise
that Harry’s cloak was woven from had some sort of weird power. Would that
make it more unique?

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: Than the others?


Jo Is Messing With Us


Micah: I think she just likes messing around with us. That’s what I think. She
put this out there – if you think about it, what did she really tell us on
the site? See now you’re going to get me angry again.

[Andrew, Ben, and Laura laugh]

Micah: She didn’t tell us anything of significance. Nothing on that site was
of any significance.

Laura: Yes, because she wants us to speculate about it. She’s trying to bring
attention to it.

Andrew: Right.

Laura: She’s trying to bring attention to it.

Andrew: She’s got to keep the fandom going, [laughs] she realizes that this book is taking a while.

Jamie: Yeah, because Harry Potter’s dying, isn’t it?

[Ben and Andrew laugh]

Andrew: It is!

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: And she has got to restart it.

Andrew: No. I’m saying…

Ben: Yeah, I bet she doesn’t have enough money so she needs more people.

[All laugh]

Andrew: [laughing] No! What I’m saying is she likes to see the community active like this, so she throws this stuff out there every once in a while to get everyone going and get everyone excited.

Micah: Watch. It was just a birthday present. That’s all it’s going to turn out to be.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Maybe, maybe.

Ben: Oh yeah, the most significant birthday present in – yeah.

Laura: How would that be significant? [laughs]

Andrew: Well yeah, that’s the thing. She says it’s not another Mark Evans situation.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.


Where Did James Get The Cloak?


Laura: Well, where do you think James got the cloak from in the first place? Do you think it was a family heirloom or…

Ben: Wasn’t it? Or do we know? I’ve read too much fan fiction, I’ve confused the heck out of myself.

Laura: I don’t know if it was ever said. Yeah.

[Laura and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: I think a lot of people have assumed that it’s a family heirloom, but I’m not sure that it was ever specified that it was.

Jamie: I don’t think you can go out and buy one can you, though? I mean, can you just go out and buy them?

Laura: Well yeah, that is why it would make sense that it was something passed down through the family.

Jamie: Yeah, well, exactly. Are they rare in that you see them in shops, but their few and far between and very expensive?

Laura: I don’t think we’ve ever seen one in a shop. You would think if you could get one you could get it in Knockturn Alley, but I don’t think we’ve ever seen one there.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, yeah, but they aren’t evil are they?

Ben: Well of course they have to be expensive, or otherwise everyone would have them.

Jamie: No, because they could be rare as in…

Laura: You can’t even buy them, it’s not something you can really buy.

Jamie: …I don’t know, some type of animal. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Ben: But guys, if they are going to be rare than they would be very expensive to acquire one.

Jamie: No, because they could command high prices, but you just can’t buy them.

Laura: What if it’s something that you have to get because of something you do? For instance, Moody has it because he’s an Auror or he was an Auror. What if – I mean we don’t know much about Lily’s and James’ occupations. I’ve always kind of wondered what Lily’s was, because Jo said that James didn’t really need to have any kind of high-paying job because he had plenty of gold. So I was always under the assumption that Lily did something a little more important, and maybe it was hers.

Well what do you guys think it was that – assuming that invisibility cloaks are given out because of an important job, do you think that maybe Lily did something important with the Ministry? Like maybe she was an Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries?

Jamie: Who? Lily? Oh.

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: A Bode or a Croaker? I don’t know.

Laura: Mhm.

[Jamie, Laura, and Ben laugh]

Andrew: But how would she have inherited the cloak? You were saying that she had a more respectable job than James did.

Laura: Well I’m saying…

Jamie: [laughs] What did James do?

Laura: The only people we’ve ever seen in… Well, I think the only other person we’ve seen in the books who has a cloak is Moody, and he’s an Auror. So, isn’t it pretty safe to assume that you only get those cloaks based on some kind of important occupation?

Jamie: Could be, yeah.

Andrew: Hmmm.

Jamie: No, I think it’s based on need though more than how important your job is. Aurors are trained in stealth and stuff.

Laura: Well obviously if you’re doing something… If you’re an Auror or you’re an Unspeakable you’re obviously going to need forms of protection. An invisibility cloak could offer some form of protection.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah. That is true. Yeah.

Andrew: But then it got in James’ hands, how? Lily just handed it over to him? Wouldn’t she want to keep that for herself as sort of like a…

Laura: Well no, because once Voldemort is after you, you’re screwed. It doesn’t matter.

Andrew: But you would still want to keep it.

Laura: Yeah, but what if there was some greater cause as to why Dumbledore needed it? That’s the thing. I think that Lily would sacrifice that.

Micah: I’m just looking at the way that she worded the question, because she never words things the wrong way; and she says “at the time of James’ death.” She doesn’t bring up Lily, she specifically refers to James. I don’t know. It’s almost like she’s saying why did he have it at that exact moment, so you almost think that he was there when it happened.

Ben: Whoa, whoa. Micah Tannenbaum, I love you.

[Laura, Andrew, Jamie, and Micah laugh]

Ben: But seriously though. It’s important that… Okay at the time of James’ death, wouldn’t she say the Potters’ death? You know what I’m saying?

Andrew: Yeah. That’s how you see it everywhere else referred to it.

Laura: I don’t think Lily’s alive if that’s what you’re trying to say. [laughs]

Micah: No, I’m not.


Was Dumbledore in Godric’s Hollow?


Ben: Well, do you think it could be possible that Dumbledore was in Godric’s Hollow that night?

Laura: That’s… I’ve been kind of wondering about that.

Ben: No, but if you think… Would he stand idly by and watch them be killed though?

Laura: I don’t know.

Micah: Like he’s holding the invisibility cloak in one hand [Laura and Micah laugh] with a weird expression on his face. Oops.

Laura: Well, hey, that… There’s still something about that odd twinkle to Dumbledore’s eye at the end of Goblet of Fire when he found out that Voldemort had Harry’s blood. What if he’s evil?

[Everyone laugh]

Micah: Where’s Rachel?

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: What if he was evil, he was.

[Laura and Micah laugh]

Micah: No, but also the other thing that kind of debunks the Lily idea is that she refers to it as James’ invisibility cloak.

Laura: Yeah. I see those.

Ben: Yeah, that too. If it was Lily’s invisibility cloak, why would James give it to Dumbledore? You know?

Andrew: Well, Lily could have told him to give it.

Laura: Lily told him.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew: Do you want to…

Ben: I know, but if it was something that was her personal possession.

Micah: So he was whipped? Is that what you’re saying?

Laura: Yes.

Micah: He just did everything that Lily told him to do.

Laura: Yeah, just like I think Harry’s whipped by Ginny, so…

Jamie: Oh yeah, he is.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: She sorts him out, she sorts him out.


Theory From CoS Forums


Andrew: Do you want to read a theory off of CoS Forums? Maybe get this going a little bit more? This goes a little deeper, further than what we’ve been saying. This was posted on CoS forums by Eli C, a first year. He quotes Sorcerer’s Stone, “Your father left this in my possession before he died, it is time it was returned to you, use it well, a very merry Christmas to you.” And Eli says, “The cloak was probably left unintentionally with Dumbledore by James. I say this because Dumbledore did not say, ‘He gave this to me to use it for whatever purpose.’ It said James mistakenly left it, thus the, ‘he left it in my possession.’ We can theorize that Dumbledore did not have it intentionally and there is a strong possibility that the cloak was being used by a member of the Order. My thought is that it was James. Keep reading for more on this. Dumbledore only had it in his possession for a short time when the Potters were killed. Otherwise, such an important object of protection would have been returned quickly, especially if they were in danger. Remember that although Dumbledore is at school with Harry, Dumbledore asked Harry to keep the cloak with him at all times.

Jamie: Ooh, yes. But, if that’s the case, then…

Laura: But how do you forget an invisibility cloak though?

Andrew: Well, hold on, there’s more. “I think James was secretly tailing Snape under the cloak the night of the Prophecy. He followed Snape, overheard the conversation between Snape and Lord Voldemort, in which Voldemort chooses Harry as the One. Snape, realizing what he’s done, turns to Dumbledore, and at some point James reveals himself either while Snape is with Dumbledore or right after he leaves. Remember that Snape knows that Harry and James’ cloaks are one in the same. So, it is probable that James revealed himself while Snape was with Dumbledore in conversation. During this conversation or possibly heated discussion James sets down the cloak on a chair, discusses things with Dumbledore and Snape rushes off to Godric’s Hollow and his family to keep safe. Dumbledore finds Sirius to be the Secret-Keeper, but then they choose Wormtail, cast the Secret-Keeper charm and the next day or so, James and Lily are killed. Snape did not know who the Secret-Keeper for the Potters was and therefore did not know that they would be killed. Besides, Death Eaters do not know each other, per se. See Book Four, I believe. There’s more, but… [laughs]

Jamie: Do you think that if he could do that, I mean, if I had to be invisible, I’d want a way that Dumbledore chooses, rather than a cloak, because it’s a crude way of remaining invisible. You know, if there’s a strong wind…

Andrew: Yeah.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Jamie: It flaps up from the bottom then you’re going to see your feet, or, you know, it’s just seems… It is very crude. Or if you trip over and it flies off.

Andrew: Or footsteps. [laughs] You can hear footsteps, too. It’s not…

Jamie: Exactly.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: It’s not the same as…

Jamie: Yeah, but, yeah. It just seems very crude. But it’s an interesting theory, though.

Ben: Well, hold on. Do you think that that’s a case that Dumbledore needed to use the invisibility cloak?

Laura: No.

Ben: Because, perhaps… Oh, never mind.

Laura: No, say it, Ben.

Ben: Well, I was just going to say maybe Dumbledore’s invisibility that he can do by himself – never mind.

Andrew: Just say it.

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: Just say it. No theory is safe.

Ben: Yeah, I know. I’m just saying that [laughs] the invisibility cloak has to have something special about it for Dumbledore to use it over his own invisibility. There.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Ben: Thank me, Captain Obvious.

Andrew: If you’re wondering why there’s a lack of more discussion, that’s because we’re recording this on the same day that the news broke. So, we were a little tight for time for planning more of a thought-out discussion.

Jamie: We’re also quite tired.

Andrew: We are quite tired. It’s 9:21 here on the East Coast.

Jamie: Oh, well, you know…

Laura: It’s 9:13, you’re so full of crap.

Andrew: It’s 9:22, Laura! [in nerdy voice] My Mac is synced with the U.S. government time zones, it can’t be wrong.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: 9:13.

Micah: Yeah.

Andrew: Is everyone slow in Georgia?

[Laura and Micah laugh]

Laura: Yes, actually, it’s funny that you should ask.

Andrew: But if you have your own theories, feel free to send them in and we’ll probably discuss this more next week on – but shoot, we’re recording early. Listen to the show on Sunday, get them in by Sunday night. We’re recording Episode 57 much earlier next week. Get your theories in. I’m sure there will be some waiting in the MuggleCast e-mail box, and we’ll talk about it more on next week’s listener rebuttals.


Dumbledore-Norris Facts


Anyway, moving on. Just in time, right after Jamie says he’s tired, it’s time for Dumbledore and Chuck Norris facts.

Jamie: The book, Lord of the Rings, was revised from it’s original. The first one had Frodo taking the One Ring to Dumbledore to destroy it.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: Hey Jamie, as a matter of fact, someone actually sent in a letter…

Jamie: Yeah?

Ben: …a letter that had some Dumbledore quotes on it.

Jamie: Oh, nice.

Andrew: Next.

Jamie: Dumbledore once used an Engorgement Charm on a small hill. That hill is now known as the Himalayan Mountains.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Dumbledore performed the Aguamenti Charm only once. The result left 70 percent of the Earth covered in water.

Andrew: Ooh. [laughs]

Jamie: Okay. Oh, I’m sorry. These are thanks to B.D., 27, from Alabama. [laughs] Okay, here’s one: A basilisk is born of a chicken’s egg hatched beneath a toad, but Dumbledore was born of a dragon’s egg hatched beneath a Hippogriff.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: That’s a kind of, you know. That’ll do for today.

Andrew: Okay.

Jamie: Andrew, Andrew, that’ll do for today.


Voicemails – Homeschooling


Andrew: That’s plenty. Now it’s time for this week’s voicemails. [laughs] Here’s the first one, from Amanda:

[Audio]: Hi, this is Amanda from Wisconsin. I just wanted to say I love your guys’ show and I have a question. When you guys were talking about, on your last episode, that if Hogwarts was to close, they could be home schooled, how would the students who are Muggleborns be taught? Because their parents, you know, don’t do magic. So, just wanted to see what you guys thought. Thanks, I love your guys’ show. Bye.

Andrew: Laura, you’re our home schooling expert. Tell us. Because you always stand by the – and I’m not trying to insult it or anything, I’m just saying you always stand by the…

Laura: Well, I think it’s also important to point out that I was forced to argue that point by the person who came up with this segment – thank you, Ben. And, while I…

Jamie: What segment is it?

Laura: The debate segment.

Ben: So, are you admitting that you have a substandard education, Laura?

Laura: No, I’m not saying that at all. I’m saying that you can’t really compare a Muggle education to a wizarding education because any parent can teach you math, however, any parent can’t teach you wizarding. There would have to be some sort of supplement.

Ben: No, any parent can’t teach you calculus, I’m sorry.

Laura: No, I’m saying any parent…

Ben: If my mom tried – my mom couldn’t teach me basic addition. [laughs]

Laura: Ben, I’m saying, I’m saying that any person, any person can study mathematics because it’s a universal thing. Not any person can…

Jamie: I can’t.

Laura: Yes, you can, Jamie.

Jamie: I’m [censored] at it. [laughs]

Ben: No, you can’t. You cannot study that.

Laura: No, you – yes, anyone can study it.

Ben: Once you get to advanced levels, you can’t.

Andrew: Yes, you can.

Ben: No, you can’t. You have to have some instruction.

Laura: No, you can study it, Ben.

Andrew: In books! In books!

Jamie: No, you can’t. No, you can’t.

Laura: It doesn’t mean you have to be a genius at it.

Ben: Okay, that’s like saying you can read a book on how to fly a plane and you’ll know how to fly a plane.

Andrew: Well, that’s different.

[Jamie laughs]

Laura: No, it’s not. It’s not. That is completely different.

Ben: It’s the same thing.

Laura: No, it’s not.

Ben: Okay, you can’t teach yourself calculus.

Laura: Some people can.

Ben: Okay, Laura.

Andrew: Someone had to invent calculus, Ben.

Laura: [laughs] Yeah.

Ben: Okay…

Andrew: That’s a silly statement.

Ben: [laughs] Shut up, Andrew. You’re wrong.

Andrew: [laughs] No, I think what Laura is saying is magic is completely different because there’s a wand involved and there’s a certain way you have to flick the wand and there’s a certain, you know, you’ve got to concentrate…

Ben: No, but there’s the same, the same – you have to go through another process. You have to go through a process with math, too.

Laura: The thing is, though, that everyone can study math. Not everyone can study wizardry. So, there is a difference between Muggle studies…

Ben: Okay, everyone can – no, no. We’re going to come to the same playing field. Everyone wizard can study Potions.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Ben: That’s what we’re saying.

Laura: Yeah, but not – yes.

Ben: They’re different subjects.

Laura: Yes, but we’re not talking about home schooling kids who have wizarding parents, we’re talking about home schooling kids who have Muggle parents.

Jamie: They can still do it, though.

Laura: What I’m saying is…

Jamie: If they’ve got the magical ability, they can do it. They can do it, they can teach themselves out of a book.

Laura: Sure, some people can read stuff, but not everyone is adept at teaching themselves. That’s true, they’re not, and so you would have to come up with some kind of system where you sent tutors. There are actually some home schooling systems where kids go to pick up their work two or three times a week, and they meet with teachers and tutors, and they do their lessons. They bring it home, they do their work at home, and then they take it back for grading.

Ben: Okay, if you were a Muggle parent…

Andrew: We don’t need to do a whole debate out of this.

Ben: …would you want to… No, I’m just curious…

Jamie: No, this is fine. This is fine.

Ben: …send your kid into a wizarding household, where they’re likely to be killed?

[Jamie laughs]

Laura: If you were a Muggle parent, would you want to send your child to a wizarding school where they’ll likely to be killed?

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Andrew: Snap, Ben.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: No, I’m saying it defeats the whole purpose.

Laura: It’s the same thing.

Ben: No, I’m saying it defeats the whole purpose of not sending them to Hogwarts.

Laura: No, it’s not…

Ben: If you’re going to send them somewhere else to be home schooled.

Laura: You don’t – no, you don’t have to send them to live with that person, they can use the Floo Network to get to and from…

Jamie: But Laura…

Laura: …everyday.

Jamie: Laura, coming back to the voicemail. Do your parents teach you, or do you do it all yourself?

Laura: No, I do it by myself.

Jamie: Okay, well that means that a student, a student who is Muggleborn – sorry, a wizard who is Muggle born – can do it, too.

Ben: No, they can’t because…

Laura: Sure, some of them…

Ben: No, listen, listen.

Laura: They can, Ben.

Jamie: Of course they can, Ben.

Ben: How did you learn to count to a hundred? Did you just, one day, wake up and say, “One, two, three, four…”

Jamie: But that’s primary. That’s kindergarten, that’s kindergarten.

Laura: No, that’s very different, Ben.

Ben: No, it’s not. No, it’s not. You have to have – someone has to help you establish the base in order for you to be able to build upon it. I mean, if you don’t have any base to build upon, then you’re not going to be able to enhance your education.

Jamie: The point is, though, Ben, people learn those things at primary school, whereas stuff like magic, you know, it’s like, we see in Hogwarts, it’s… You need to… You can’t be taught how to hold your wand and wave it so something happens. You have to learn it from, you know – you’ve got to learn it yourself. It’s like juggling; it’s just practice that does it.

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: You can’t… Somebody can’t say to you, “Chuck one into the air and then move it across a bit. Then chuck the other one into the air, then catch it, then do this.” You have to learn it.

Ben: Yes, they do. That’s exactly what they do.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: Yes, but it’s trial and error, Ben.

Ben: I – I know, but you have to have someone give you a push in the right direction. If you’re a Muggleborn – like swish and flick. Look, Flitwick spent a lot of time teaching them how to flick their wands the right way. You’re not going to be able to figure – imagine how long it’s going to take you to figure that out on your own. I’m just saying…

Jamie: You will. It’s written down. If it’s written down you can.

Laura: Are you saying that because, that because kids are home schooled, they can’t have teachers? Because that’s not true. I have teachers. I can contact them via e-mail. So there’s no reason that if a student was having trouble, they couldn’t write to their teacher – they couldn’t write to the person who wrote their course material.

Jamie: Yeah, well, exactly. Yeah, and…

Ben: I’m tired of being right, guys.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: No, okay. I think that you can – you can learn math to a point, and that point might be pre-calc or calculus.

Jamie: I cannot do Kevin’s math, man.

Andrew: Right. Same thing…

Laura: It depends…

Andrew: Same thing…

Laura: It depends on your abilities.

Andrew: Hold on, hold on! Yeah. You can learn magic to a point, but that point is basic – very basic magic.

Laura: There comes – the thing is…

Andrew: Because there comes a point in learning, going through your Hogwarts career that – or just your learning magical career that you will absolutely need a teacher.

Laura: The thing – there’s a thing that some students can teach themselves independently all the time. Some students can’t, and that is why if there was any kind of homeschooling program, I honestly, despite the debate last week, I don’t find it feasible that Hogwarts would close down. I don’t find it feasible that students would home school. I’m saying that it’s not an impossibility. I’m saying that people – people could do it…

Jamie: Exactly.

Laura: …if there was some kind of conflict that made, that would allow for homeschooling to go on because it wouldn’t be safe to be at Hogwarts. It would have to be an alternative that people would take.

Jamie: I just think that it’s obvious that they can do it, though, because if you think Dumbledore and Voldemort couldn’t have get…couldn’t have got…couldn’t have been taught what they’ve learned…

Laura: Mhm.

Jamie: …over and above the basic stuff. They had to learn it themselves by trial and error and it’s only by trial and error that you can do it.

Laura: There was a time when there was no school…

Jamie: Exactly.

Laura: …and people had to have educated themselves on magic.

Andrew: Okay, well, there you go. [laughs] This discussion could really go on forever.


Voicemails – Lily’s Eyes


[Audio]: Hey, MuggleCast. This is Alexia from Seattle and I was just re-reading Goblet of Fire and I was at the part where Moody’s doing the Imperius Curse and Harry is good as resisting it, and he says, “Watch his eyes, that’s where you see it – very good, Potter, very good indeed!” I was thinking maybe that’s the power that Lily’s eyes have – that they’re able to resist the Imperius Curse, because Lily fought Voldemort when he said, “Step aside” and he probably used the Imperius Curse on her, so I was just wondering what you thought. Thanks. Bye.

Laura: Well, yeah. That’s why a lot of people thought that whole bit in Prisoner of Azkaban the movie was foreshadowing where…

Andrew: About Lily’s eyes?

Laura: Yeah. About how she could see people for what they really were.

Ben: Well, what I think, I think the Imperius Curse has a lot to do with your, your ability to have control over your actions. I don’t know if it has anything… I don’t know if the eyes are as significant as…

Laura: Yeah, but the eyes are the window to the soul, Ben.

Jamie: No, but…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: …you can just see it in the eyes. It’s just like a reflection of what’s happening inside… I don’t think your eyes… Have you guys seen Minority Report, the film?

Andrew: Mhm.

Jamie: Okay. [laughs] When, when Tom Cruise – if he was good at withstanding the Imperius Curse before he had his eyes changed, he’s still going to be able to afterwards.

Andrew: [laughs] Or anything in general. At life.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: Yeah. He’s still going to be able to afterwards.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: His eyes aren’t actually going to make any difference. Amen.

Andrew: Yep. Micah, what do you think? Is there a connection? Is there a link between the soul and the person’s eyes? Do you think there’s a little, a little, a little nerve that runs from the eye to your soul?

[Laura laughs]

Micah: Oh yeah, absolutely. Doctors have proved it, in fact.

Ben: No, what I think, I think that… I mean, if you look in someone’s eyes, you can get…

Laura: You can tell what they’re feeling.

Ben: I know. You never just sit there and stare into someone’s… Yeah, you can tell like, their emotions, all those types of things. And like, there’s this girl at my school who I tell her she has the eyes of Satan because…

[Everyone laugh]

Ben: Every day I see her, I tell her she’s the devil child because…

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: Why?

Laura: Oh, my god.

Ben: I don’t know. I just look into her eyes and her pupils are like smaller than most people’s, like, they’re tiny and black and…

Jamie: Oh, well that settles it. She’s clearly – she’s clearly the…

[Micah and Laura laugh]

Andrew: The devil.

Jamie: …the anti-Christ, then. Yeah. Well, Ben, if you’d told us that, we would’ve completely agreed with you.

Ben: See, the devil. See, Moundridge High School has everything, Andrew. We have the smartest people, we have Satan, we have…

[Jamie and Laura laugh]

Andrew: [laughs] I see.

Jamie: Personal libraries.

Ben: [laughs] No, but you can tell – you can tell everything about people through their eyes. Not everything, but you know what I mean. Like, you can tell about how sweet their eyes are and how, how compassionate they are. That type of thing.

Jamie: Did you try and chat – chat that girl up, Ben, with that line?

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: “Hey, I just thought I’d tell you…”

Ben: Actually, I sang an Elton John song.

Andrew: Yeah, by the way you’re supposed to announce the winner for that this week.

Ben: Actually, I did choose the winner.

Andrew: Well, let’s do it at the end. Micah, do you have to go now? Before we move on to our next voicemail?

Micah: Yeah.

Andrew: Micah, where are you going?

Micah: Yeah, I do.

Andre: What are you doing? Are you going to a ‘Jo Rowling listened to me’ party?

Micah: I actually have to go speak to Jo…

Andrew: Oh!

Micah: And thank her for updating the site.

Andrew: Oh.

Ben: She’s meeting Micah under the Brooklyn Bridge.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Laura: Say hi to her for us, Micah.

Micah: Okay.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Micah: Yeah.

Andrew: All right. See you Micah.

Jamie: Bye Micah.

Micah: All right guys.

Andrew: Micah Tannenbaum, everyone. Gets the results.

Micah: I’m still here.

Andrew: I know. I wasn’t making fun of you yet.

Ben: Oh, I was going to say, “Micah has friends?”

[Andrew and Ben laugh]

Micah: All right, Ben. Wait two seconds to do it, and then you can say it.

Ben: Okay. Sign off, Micah, so I can talk crap about you.

Micah: Ready? I’m hanging up now. All right, go for it.

Andrew: Okay. See you. Go ahead. Good.

Ben: Are you serious? Micah is social?

Andrew: [Laughs] Ben.

Jamie: Come on, come on.

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: Next voicemail.


Voicemails – Fawkes


[Audio]: Hi MuggleCasters. This is Kathleen calling from central Australia where it’s been hitting it down the drains the past few days. I’m just calling with a question about Fawkes. What do you reckon his role will be in the seventh book? I’ve heard a lot of theories about maybe he’s Godric Gryffindor’s pet, or all the things connected with Voldemort and Harry’s wand and things like that. So I’d be interested to hear what you think. Anyway, bye!

Laura: I think Fawkes is going to peck Voldemort’s eyes out like he did the Basilisk.

Jamie: Yeah. [laughs]

Laura: And that’s just going to be the end of it.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: He clearly… But don’t you think that the battle at the end of Book Six, sorry, Book Five, in the Ministry, I thought showed two things specifically. That in a duel, Voldemort would defeat Dumbledore, because if Fawkes hadn’t been there, that spell would have hit Dumbledore, yeah?

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: And killed him. So, unless you consider Fawkes to be part of Dumbledore.

Ben: When did Fawkes save Dumbledore at the Ministry?

Laura: Yeah, he ate the…

Jamie: Where he swallowed the Avada Kedavra spell, and then it created him again so he doesn’t die. First of all, it showed that because of Dumbledore’s advanced age and everything that Voldemort would defeat him.

Laura: Yeah, but then – but Jamie, if Voldemort can defeat Dumbledore, then I think your Dumbledore-Norris comparisons are pretty much over.

Jamie: No, no, no because in terms of wizarding stuff, yes, but if…

Ben: Dumbledore in his prime would spank Voldemort.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: Spank?

Andrew: Whomp.

Ben: Spank.

Jamie: If Chuck Norris and Dumbledore went after Voldemort, he just, he’d run and try and find all of his Horcruxes so he could die quickly and save some pain.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Both of them together would be a… So anyway, the second thing that it proved, I thought, was how powerful Fawkes is. If he could swallow sort of the most powerful spell – one of the most powerful spells – and just turn into a baby again, even though he normally dies and turns into a baby, but if he can just take that spell like it’s absolutely nothing, and come back again, then that proves how powerful he is. And he clearly is an extremely powerful bird, because just like in the Chamber of Secretes when he dragged them all to the surface. And I think he’ll play a big role…

Laura: Yeah, but is that anything…

Jamie: Do you think he’ll be Harry’s pet?

Ben: What about the phoenix song? Do you guys have any idea about the phoenix song? We kept hearing it in Book Six, didn’t we?

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: It inspires courage in the hearts of the true, and inspires fear in the hearts of the bad minded.

Ben: Well, maybe that will play a role again, you know? Just because…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: What? He’ll just start singing and Voldemort will cry and…

Ben: Yeah, Voldemort will just crumble.

Andrew: He’ll peck his eyes out, and then he’ll bring out Godric’s sword.

Jamie: But do you think he’s now Harry’s pet now?

Laura: Yeah, I think he’ll…

Jamie: Because he clearly was extremely fond of Harry.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah, like he stroked him and everything. That would be awesome if he was Harry’s pet.

Laura: I think that would make sense for Dumbledore to leave him to Harry.

Jamie: Yeah, in his will.


Dumbledore’s Will


Andrew: Does Dumbledore have a will?

Laura: Probably.

Andrew: That’d be sweet.

Ben: Well, if he’s planning his death. I think he planned his death, so he certainly did have a will.

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Andrew: Hmmm. That hasn’t been brought up before.

Ben: He wouldn’t die unprepared.

Andrew: Everyone send in their top ten items on Dumbledore’s will.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: [laughs] Seriously. andrew at staff. Subject: Dumbledore’s will, and I’ll read them and never do anything with them. So…

Jamie: Apart from read them, which is pretty important, Andrew.

Andrew: Yeah. Read by me, ho ho ho!

Jamie: The ultimate thing.

Andrew: The ultimate compliment.

Laura: What do you bet one of the things on that list is going to be pickles?

Andrew: Yeah.

Ben: Yeah.

[Laura laughs]


Dating Service Update


Andrew: I’m telling you, the pickle craze is picking up. That’s all the voice mails we got from everyone this week, and we’re almost out of show here. Quick dating service update: We got a lot of applicants, but there are too many, and it’s so confusing. Everyone’s all over the map with what they’re asking for and stuff. Send a new dating service request. In the subject, put your name, city, and state…

Laura: Now…

Andrew: … And what you’re looking for.

Laura: Now, Andrew…

Andrew: Guy or girl. And age. All in the subject, all in the subject, in that order that I just said. Rewind it.

Laura: Now, Andrew, when you say that people were all over the place [laughs] with what they wanted, are you saying they should lower their expectations?

Andrew: [laughs] No! No! What I’m saying is… What I’m saying is people are asking for different – it’s just confusing, all the e-mails that I have. That’s all I’m saying. It’s not very organized. I’m having a hard time…

Jamie: But Andrew…

Andrew: …sorting it all.

Jamie: [laughs] …it isn’t a real thing! Think about it!

Andrew: Huh?

Jamie: This isn’t a real thing!

Ben: This is for real, you guys. [laughs]

Andrew: No, this is for real, and I tried to…

Jamie: Andrew…

Andrew: … get a couple together…

Jamie: How many couples have – how many couples have got together…

Andrew: Jamie!

Jamie: … since MuggleCast’s…

Andrew: Jamie?

Jamie: …dating service started? [laughs]

Andrew: Was Rome built in a day?

Jamie: Yes, it was! It’s a lie!

Andrew: No, it wasn’t! [laughs]

Jamie: Dumbledore and Chuck Norris…

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Jamie: …banded together and built it in half-a-day, I think.

Andrew: No, we are serious about this dating service thing. There’s a free dinner in it for you if you send in your e-mails, and, you know, we find good matches. They have to live near each other, and I have to do background checks on these people. I can’t hook people up…

Ben: [laughs] Be careful!

Andrew: … with pedophiles! How would I feel?

Ben: Andrew’s dad has a government connection.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: He’ll check us all out.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: I can’t believe he told us that.

Andrew: Yeah! [laughs] He really didn’t, though.

Ben: Riiiiiiight.

Andrew: So, mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com. Dating service rewind to hear the order that I said in the subject line, ’cause I’m too lazy to try to remember it, and that’s that.


Winner of Ben’s Candle in the Wind Contest


Ben: I’d like to announce the winner of the Candle in the Wind parody. It comes from Cameron Smith, and I’ll post it on the website. I’ll give you a little preview of the first verse here. Jamie, would you like to join me in the song?

Jamie: Uh, no.

Ben: Please? [dings] Goodbye, Dumbledore…

Jamie: I don’t know it, Ben, so [laughs] how can I join you in it?

Ben: [continues singing] Though I never knew you at all, you had the skill to Apparate

You will?

Jamie: No, no, no, no. Just sing it. Just sing it.

Ben: [continues singing] While those around you crawled…

Jamie: I can’t sing, anyway.

Ben: You crawled into the Ministry, and they whispered into Fudge’s brain. They removed you from the Wizengamot ’cause they thought that you were insane. And it seems to me you lived your life like a Phoenix in the wind…

[Laura and Jamie laugh]

Ben: Never knowing Snape would betray you when you let him in. And you probably should have killed Tom when he was just a kid…

[Andrew, Jamie, and Laura laugh]

Ben: [continues singing] Your Phoenix burned out long before your legend ever did.

Laura: [still laughing] That was quite good.

Ben: That was my beautiful rendition.

Jamie: That was good. Andrew, Andrew, I just want to point out why Ben did this competition. It was just so he could sing…

Andrew: So he could sing! Yeah! Pretty much.

Jamie: …Elton John on the show.


Contact Information


Andrew: [laughs] Oh, important note: Episode 57, we are going to be recording earlier in the week, so it’s going to be a little – the show might be a little different. Probably not Listener Rebuttals, because this Episode 57 is going to be the last show before…

Ben: Ever. [laughs]

Andrew: …California. Yeah. Ever.

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah.

Andrew: Before our live podcast and we’re all moving around. I’m going to be in England with Jamie, drinking tea.

Jamie: Yeah, eating crumpets.

Andrew: And Ben will be at Notre Dame with Emerson, drinking, well…

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: We’ll leave your mind open on that.

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: And … [laughs]

Ben: Orange juice.

Andrew: Orange juice! Anyway, contact information: You can…

Ben: PO Box…

Andrew: Yep. Go for it.

Ben:

PO Box 223
Moundridge, Kansas, 67107.

Andrew: You can also call us in the United States. Dial 1-218-20-MAGIC, and in the United Kingdom, dial 020-8144-0677. And if in Australia, dial 02-8003-5668. If you have a question that you want us to answer on the show, you have to call it in. We always get questions via e-mail.

Ben: By e-mail.

Andrew: But we can’t answer them! We like the voice mails. It’s a sound show. And I like reading all the e-mails.

Ben: One more thing…

Andrew: And also… Hold on. Skype the user name MuggleCast, too. That’s another way of calling if you don’t want to dial the number. Just add MuggleCast to your Skype list. Keep your message under thirty seconds, listen to my awesome voice mail, where I say, “Pickle,” like that, and…

Laura: Are you kidding me? Did you actually edit…

Andrew: And also e-mail feedback form at MuggleCast…

Laura: …that specifically for that?

Andrew: I didn’t edit. I just re-recorded it earlier today. [laughs]


Fudgesickles


Ben: Another thing, Happy Birthday to my dear friend, Savannah. She’s a good Harry Potter fan. She listens to the show. I met her in Las Vegas. So, yeah. Happy Birthday.

Andrew: Here come all the birthday requests! [laughs]

Ben: I know, but I had to do this one. Fudgesickle.

Andrew: Fudgesickle?

Ben: It’s just like pickle, dude. It’s the new thing.

Andrew: No! Ewww! No!

Ben: Fudgesickle!

Andrew: Ewww! No!

Ben: Come on!

Andrew: Ewww. Okay – Fudgesickle.

Ben: Fudgesickle.

Andrew: Fudgesickle – pickle?

Ben: No.

Jamie: Oh, no, no. That’s so, so strange.

Andrew: [laughs] That’s going overboard.

Ben: Can we leave that in? That’s a good one.

Jamie: Let’s change it to crumpets.


Show Close


Andrew [Show Close with music in background]: Seriously, though, when we are in California, we want to see everyone with their pickles and their MuggleCast merchandise and all that. So, anyway, that wraps up the show. Once again, I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: [speaks rapidly] I’m Ben Schoen. [laughs and slows down] I’m Ben Schoen.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: [speaks rapidly] I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Andrew: Wow. That was quick! [laughs] I didn’t even hear it!

Jamie: How’d you know I said it, then?

Andrew: Sorry, I forgot. There’s also – Don’t forget to join our Frappr map. I love – We love looking at pictures of you.

Laura: No. Andrew…

Andrew: No, seriously. Everyone go on our Frappr map.

Jamie: What’s Andrew going to say now, Ben?

Laura: Andrew loves looking at pictures of you.

Jamie: Ben?

Andrew: Okay, fine.

Jamie: What’s Andrew going to say now?

Andrew: I wanted to be…

Jamie: All right. What’s Andrew going to say now? [imitating Andrew] “You’re all a bunch of really good looking people, so you know dudes, send your photos!”

Andrew: You’re an attractive bunch. [Laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, see that’s right.

Andrew: I want to see your pictures. [laughs] No seriously. It’s fun looking at…

[Laura Laughs]

Andrew: Okay, that just sounds weird! [laughs] So, anyway!

[Andrew and Ben laugh]

Andrew: Join our Facebook group, and we have a MuggleCast MySpace group coming very, very, very soon. And by very, very, very soon I mean…

Laura: Never. [Laughs]

Andrew: Soon. And by soon I mean I don’t really know.

Ben: And by soon he means when the guy finally gives it to us.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah. Well, he ran into a problem with it. That’s why there’s been a hold up. So, that’s it. We’ll see everyone next week for Episode 57. Fifty – Yeah, 57. [laughs]

Ben: He’s lost it.


Listener Comments


[Show music plays]

[Audio]: Hi. This is Howard in England, and I’m calling to say that the debate that you had, at the beginning I thought that Ben and Jamie were right, but I’ve got to say that Laura and Eric, they covered it. They were really good. Great debate. Well done. they stayed on topic, stayed on a point, and so I’m agreeing with them now. Good job!

[Audio]: Hi. This is Jillian from New Jersey, and I just wanted to say that people say people from Jersey talk fast, but Jamie, you beat us all. I love the show! Keep it up! Bye!

[Audio]: Hey, MuggleCast! This is Sonia. I’m 15 from the UK, and I just wanted to say that I really, really love your show, and it’s the highlight of my week. I listen to it every week and it’s all great. And I just wanted to say thanks for being so great, and cheering me up when I’m upset and everything. So, thank you! Bye!

[Audio]: Hi. This is Paul from Damascus. I was just wondering how to get a web link on the MuggleCast dating service. Because it’s really hard to find someone that likes Harry Potter around here, and just trying to hook up, you know? Well, thanks! Bye!

[Show music ends]


Special Song By David C.


Andrew: As a special bonus this week we have a special song made by David C. of Reading, Pennsylvania. He took clips from last week’s episode, Episode 56, to show how musical we were. Enjoy!

Ben: Bom! Bom bom bom!

Andrew: What’s buggin’ Micah? Duh duh la duh duh la duh duh la doo! What, what, what’s buggin’ Micah? What, what, what’s buggin’ Micah?

Ben: Bom! Bom bom bom!

Andrew: Duh duh la duh duh la duh duh la doo!

[singing to the tune of the theme song] Na na na na na na na na!

What, what, what’s buggin’ Micah? What, what, what’s buggin’ Micah?

Eric: [singing] I’ve got a peaceful easy feeling!

Andrew: What, what, what’s buggin’ Micah?

Ben: Bom! Bom bom bom!

Jamie: K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

Andrew: Dumbledore was whomping McGonagall! Ahhh!

Ben: Bom! Bom bom bom!

Andrew: What, what, what’s buggin’ Micah. Dumbledore-Norris Facts! Yay!

Laura: Yay!

Andrew: What, what, what’s buggin’ Micah? Duh duh la duh duh la duh duh la doo! Huh?!

Ben: Bom! Bom bom bom!

Andrew: Huh?!

Ben: Bom! Bom bom bom!

Andrew: While I was downloading the episode! Oooh!

Ben: Bom! Bom bom bom!

Andrew: What, what, what’s buggin’ Micah?

Ben: To get to the other siiide!

Andrew: Back to school edition! What, what, what’s buggin’ Micah?

Ben: Bom! Bom bom bom!

Andrew: Duh duh la duh duh la duh duh la doo!

Ben: I’m saved by the bell. It’s all right…

Andrew: Ooooh oooh oooh! What’s, what, what’s buggin’ Micah. Duh duh la duh duh la duh duh la doo! What, what, what’s buggin’ Micah?

Ben: Bom! Bom bom bom!

Andrew: What, what, what’ buggin’ Micah? Duh duh la duh duh la duh duh la doo!

Ben: Bom! Bom bom bom!

Andrew: Duh duh la duh duh la duh duh la doo! Is he a wallflower?

Jamie: Is he a wallflower?

Andrew: [in deep voice] Is he a wallflower? Is he a wallflower?


Bloopers


Jamie: Care and attention went into making them.

Ben: If you want your pickle hat I’m going to have to pack another suitcase just full of PO box crap.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Oh yeah, because a hat must take up so much room, Ben.

Ben: [in mock Brittish accent] It take up a lot more room than you think when you’re going to be gone for over a week…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: [laughs] Okay, well Ben!

Ben: You need plenty of space for your clothes, Jamie.

Andrew: [laughs] Okay, okay.

Jamie: Well, Ben, you wouldn’t do that because you wore the same shirt for the entire two weeks we were away in New York. So… [laughs]

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: Oh, is this the joke when I’m not around? That you…

Andrew: No, I’ve never heard that.

Jamie: No, that’s the first time I’ve said it since I said it in Vegas, you paranoid…

Ben: No, I know, I know.

Jamie: Ben’s like [imitating Ben] “Dude! You’re talking about me behind my back, man! Dude! Dude!”

Ben: No, I know you do. I know how you operate, Jamie. I know how you operate.

Jamie: Okay, Ben! Okay, Ben, don’t even think about going there…

Ben: You made fun of my shorts, you made fun of…

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: Let’s argue about this after the show.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: The shorts that I wore. Just because there’s a lot of pictures of me with those shorts on doesn’t mean I wore them every day!

Jamie: [laughs] Well, you did, though!

Ben: No, I didn’t!

Andrew: Sorry, but those pictures were every day.

Jamie: You did wear them every day!

Ben: I did not wear them every day.

Jamie: It’s those red – those red…

Andrew: Let’s keep going.

Jamie: Andrew, this is funny stuff. Put this stuff in. People will like it.


Jamie: [laughs] This is just weird. Dumbledore hexed [censored] the go… Oh that’s terrible! I can’t do that!

[Andrew and Micah laugh]

Jamie: I just got that, suddenly.

Ben: Say it. Andrew, edit it out. I want to hear it.

Jamie: Okay. Dumbledore hexed [censored]

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: I didn’t get that at first!

[Ben laughs]

Ben: You guys, that is ridiculous.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: I didn’t… Oh my god, that’s terrible.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

———————–

Written by: Micah, Adrienne, Allison, Amanda, Jessica, Judy, Mandie, Margaret, Martina, Matthew, Megan, Roni, Shannon and Shelly

Transcript #55

MuggleCast 55 Transcript


Show Intro


Andrew [Show Intro with music in background]: Because I screwed up last week
calling Episode 54 “Episode 55,” this is MuggleCast Episode 54 – but really
55, for September 10th, 2006. Does that make sense?

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[Andrew hums Intro music]

Andrew: Don’t you guys like this music?

Ben: Yeah, it’s excellent. [laughs]

Jamie: It’s very good. It’s very good.

Eric: John Williams at his best, Andrew.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: I think I’m the next Bono.

Jamie: It’s a drunk John Williams recording. He got back after a few drinks
and thought “I’m going to have a quickie on the keyboard.” [laughs]

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: And that came out.

Andrew: Jamie, we don’t appreciate that kind of language on here.

Eric: Yeah, especially – well, you’re half way there, Andrew.

Jamie: What, “keyboard”?

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: “Keyboard” is pretty disgusting, isn’t it? The word
“keyboard”.

Andrew: Welcome, everyone, to the show, but Ben – what’s up? There’s a lot
of noise going on, here.

Ben: I’m in my library and my Spanish teacher is trying to talk to me right
now while I’m trying to record this.

Andrew: Can you tell her to “shut up-o”, please-o?

Ben [laughs]: No, I can’t do that. They say “cállete.”

Andrew [laughs]: Anyway, to the introductions.

Ben: I’m Ben Schoen.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull.

Jamie: I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Andrew: And this is the late – no it’s not the latest. This is the show
where we bring you the latest in Harry Potter news, theories, discussions
and lots of Potter pickles. It’s been catching on, and I couldn’t be more
proud.

Ben: And Moundridge High School libraries.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs] Ben, is there no one else – how many people
are in that library? It seems kind of quiet.

Jamie: Andrew, Andrew…

Andrew: What?

Jamie: No one’s in there at all. It’s Ben’s personal school library,
you see.

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: Oh! [laughs] I see.

Jamie: In Moundridge each person gets their own library with a sort of
kitchen, bedroom, a plasma TV, all that kind of stuff. It’s pretty special.

Ben: Yeah. [laughs] Well, actually, actually I’m sitting on a giant, soft, comfy chair, which is very, very comfortable. And – yeah.

Jamie: You get three of those, don’t you, Ben?

Ben: Yeah, three of those, and actually, there’s a kid on the couch laying
down and staring at me right now.

Andrew: Ask him what he thinks of Harry Potter.

Ben [to student on the couch]: Hey, what do you think of Harry
Potter?

Student: I don’t know.

Ben: He doesn’t know.

Andrew: [laughs] Ask him if he’s on pot, because it certainly sounds
like it.

Ben: [to student on the couch] My friend wants to know if you’re on
pot.

Student: No.

Ben: No, he’s not on pot.

Andrew: No? [laughs] Anyway…

Ben: We’ll go around and get more opinions from Moundridge High School
students here in a bit.

Andrew: Ooh! That sounds exciting.

Jamie: Yeah!

Ben: Very exciting.


News


Andrew: [laughs]: But before we do anything else, Micah Tannenbaum is
in the MuggleCast News Center with the past week’s top Harry Potter news
stories.

Micah: Lord Voldemort was voted the number one villain in the
BigBadRead, an online Bloomsbury poll to find the UK’s favorite literary
villain from a children’s book.

Here’s what Jo had to say about this “honor”:

I am thrilled and honored beyond words that Lord Voldemort has been voted
best villain in the Big Bad Read poll. I am not sure how he would react to
knowing that he had won a Muggles’ unpopularity poll. A mixture of pleasure
that you recognized his power and menace, coupled with fury at your nerve at
mentioning his real name, I think. His author, however, is absolutely
delighted.”

MuggleNet staffer Natalie attended the premiere of Driving Lessons starring Rupert Grint and Julie Walters, in London’s Leicester Square. She managed to do a short interview with Rupert Grint, and also spoke briefly to Emma Watson, Julie Walters, and Bonnie Wright. You can check those out over on MuggleNet.com.

Driving Lessons hit theaters Friday in the UK. To coincide with its release,
a tea party was held earlier in Edinburgh. According to the Daily Mirror, JK
Rowling went along to support Rupert.

She tells The Ticket she is half-way through writing the seventh and
possibly final book, but the 41-year-old Scottish author is keeping
tight-lipped over rumors she’s planning to kill off Harry.

“I’m up to about 750 pages now, but I’m not telling anyone what happens to
Harry,”
she says. “I’ve just come along to support Rupert who’s absolutely
terrific in Driving Lessons.”

Just keep in mind The Daily Mirror is a British tabloid, not exactly known for its accurate reporting.

Pope Benedict XVI’s senior exorcist claims the Harry Potter books contain
innumerable positive references to magic, “the satanic art.”

“Behind Harry Potter hides the signature of the king of the darkness, the
devil,” he told Vatican Radio. And according to the Daily Mail newspaper in
London, he added that the books attempt to make a false distinction between
black and white magic, when in fact, the distinction “does not exist,
because magic is always a turn to the devil.”

Yeah, I always find myself going into a hypnotic trance, floating above my
bed, while chanting indecipherable languages after I finished a re-read of
Prisoner of Azkaban, don’t you? You’re a senior exorcist! How about
becoming a lawyer? At least then people will believe what you say 20% of
the time as opposed to 10% of the time. And I hear the pay is better too.

Moving on, a recent interview was conducted with Alec Hopkins, the actor portraying
young Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. He
discusses filming, talking with Alan Rickman, and how he ended up with the
role.

Entertainment Weekly has ranked the fourth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, #36 on its list of the best “high school movies” of all time.

That’s all the news for this September 10th, 2006 edition of MuggleCast. Back
to the show.

Andrew: Okay, thank you, Micah.


Announcements


Andrew: A couple announcements before we move along. T-shirts – MuggleCast
t-shirts. Purchase your t-shirts, k-thanks-bye.

Ben: Yeah, t-shirts.

Andrew: Also, Podcast Alley – don’t forget to vote. It’s a new month.

Don’t forget, boys and girls – Leaky Mug Live in Los Angeles, California on September 28, 7 PM, at the Borders of Westwood in L.A.

Ben: Westwood. Yeah.

Andrew: Yes, it’s going to be a fantastic event. We’re all going to be there. So, come out and support, represent, wear your MuggleCast t-shirts.

Jamie: Say hello.

Andrew: It’s going to be a lot of fun.

Ben: Wear your MuggleCast t-shirt.

Andrew: But, please do RSVP on LeakyMug.com, so we know that you’re coming.


Listener Rebuttal – Sirius and The Mirror


Andrew: Listener Rebuttals this week. Zoe…

Ben: Let me do it. I want to read this one.

Andrew: Okay.

Ben: Our first Listener Rebuttal comes from Zoe MacLeod, 17…

Jamie: McCloud. McCloud.

Ben: McCloud. From Newport Beach, California – right there in the heart of the O.C.

Hey guys! Love the show! Anyway, I was just thinking, maybe Sirius did
have the mirror with him when he fell through the veil but the reason that
Harry couldn’t contact him was because he had the say “Padfoot” instead of
“Sirius Black.” If James and Sirius did make the two-way mirrors, it would
make sense that they would use their nicknames like they did on the
Marauder’s Map. Just wondering what you guys think.

Jamie: Have we got to assume that if he went through the veil with his
mirror, that he’s still alive down there? Sort of bored out of his mind.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Yeah.

Ben: I think he’s down there eating Lucky Charms, you know. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, exactly. Yes, he is, he is.

Eric: Well, he…

Jamie: Andrew’s dad went to…

Ben: The veil? [laughs]

Jamie: The Department of Mysteries and…

Ben: And he threw a few boxes through. [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Put his head through, and he’s like “Hey, Sirius, you getting a bit
hungry down there, are ya?” [laughs]

Eric: And then there was that whispering beyond the veil, “Thanks, mate.” But I
think we’ve discerned that it’s not the Killing Curse that hit Sirius when
he fell back into the veil to begin with, because he had time for his eyes to
widen with shock.

Jamie: It’s the hungry characteristic.

Eric: Curiosity characteristic. It’s kind of like “What’s going on?”

[Ben laughs]

Eric: He might still be alive down there just eating Lucky Charms.

Jamie: Eric, you’ve just completely ruined that beautiful moment. When his
eyes widen, by using an over-used Americanized expression, like “Hey, what’s
going on?”

Ben: Yeah.

Jamie: Sirius did not think, “Hey, what’s going on?”, trust me.

[Ben laughs]

Eric: Okay, Jamie.

Jamie: Stuff went through his mind like, “Oh my god, I’m never going to see my
godson again. Oh my god, my house! Oh my god, all my friends!” Please don’t
cheapen it by saying that he thought “Hey guys, what’s going on here, dude?”

Eric: Well, no.

[Ben laughs]

Eric: It said that “he had an expression of mixed shock and curiosity on his
face.” “Hey, what’s going on?” seemed to depict that. Well, he could have
also been saying [sings] “I’ve got a peaceful, easy feeling.”

Jamie: I don’t think he thought of singing.

Ben: Thanks, Eric.

Eric: Maybe he just thought that – he said, “This is a particularly
interesting phenomenon that is being observed right now. I wish that I would
not be falling backwards.”

Jamie: But rather forwards? To the great delight of the Ministry of Magic.

Eric: Yes.

Ben: Right. [laughs] Our next Listener Rebuttal…

Andrew: An interesting point though. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Back… We
never really responded to the actual rebuttal.

Jamie: No, we didn’t.

Eric: Well, I think it’s… I don’t think that’s correct, because even though it’s – I think
it would of came with extra instruction if… Sirius would’ve given Harry a
little bit more in the note if he had to say “Padfoot” instead of “Sirius
Black.”

Andrew: Right.

Ben: Eric makes a fair point.

Eric: Or Harry would go up to it and say “Well, this thing is broken, because
I say ‘Sirius Black’ and it doesn’t show me him.” And then he would throw it and break it.

Andrew: Yeah, but then…

Jamie: But it’s not future – I don’t mean future, I mean it’s not like sort of security proof. That doesn’t make sense. But, you know what I mean? It’s not…

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: Anyone could walk up to it and say, “Sirius Black,” whereas the name “Padfoot” is only known to a few people so…

Ben: That’s true.

Andrew: More secure?

Jamie: It’s like, yeah. It’s more secure.

Eric: Whereas, the Marauder’s Map, you need to specifically say, what? “I solemnly swear I am up to no good.” Do you mean like that kind of secure? Like, it’s not…

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, yeah, kind of. It’s like, if you knew it was Sirius’ then you could just walk up and say, “Sirius Black,” whereas…

Eric: Or…

Jamie: If you said, “Padfoot,” you have to actually think about that.

Eric: Yeah, and if they were the only pair in the world, you could just say, “Other mirror,” and [laughs] it would probably work.

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah, exactly, yeah.


Listener Rebuttal – Availability of The Two-Way Mirror


Andrew: Next rebuttal.

Ben: Our next rebuttal comes from Jimmy Rose. “In your last episode there was some discussion about the commercial availability…”

Andrew: Hold on, wait a second, wait a second. Hold on.

Ben: What?

Andrew: It’s interesting how Ben suddenly wants to do all this reading. I kind of think he’s showing off for the crack addict there.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly. I think he’s…

Ben: Oh yeah, yeah, I’m showing off for the two people…

Jamie: Yeah.

Ben: …in the library.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Ben: I’ve done the reading before.

Jamie: Are you charging them both rent, Ben?

Ben: What?

Jamie: Or is it just like – are you charging them both rent in your library? Or…

Ben: [laughs] Yes, I am.

Andrew: He’s charging – he marketed it as a Live Podcast at his school and only two people showed up.

Jamie: Yeah, he did. Yeah.

Ben: I’ve been selling t-shirts all day. Selling…

Andrew: Yeah, okay. [laughs] Anyway…

Ben: Our next listener rebuttal’s from Jimmy Rose.

“In your last episode, there was some discussion about the commercial availability of two-way mirrors. Given what we know about the wizarding world, this seems unlikely to me. In Britain at least, there are two main areas for wizarding commerce – Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. If you consider what is for sale -or at least what’s mentioned as being for sale in the books – you’ll find that most of it has to do with food, joke items, clothing, animals and broomsticks. We’ve yet to see the wizarding world’s version of The Sharper Image. In fact…”

[Ben and Eric laugh]

Ben: “…we’ve got a lot of evidence that there is a lot of call for convenience items. Take for example the Remembrall. It lets you know that you’ve gotten – that you’ve forgotten something, but gives you no help at all in remembering what was forgotten. If that’s the best way they can…” [laughs] “If that’s the best they can do…”

Jamie: This is poorly read, Ben, I must admit.

Ben: “…for commercially available personal organization…”

Sorry, people keep walking in here and looking at me. [laughs]

“…I find it hard to believe that you’d walk into a store and find something as useful as the two-way mirror.”

Anyways, we know what he’s saying – we know what Jimmy is saying here.

Jamie: I agree, but it could be like a special mail order item that you can only get from a certain – from TwoWayMirrors.com.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Or something like that. It’s like… It could not be a sort of. It could just be like a patented item that only one company sells. Or something like that.

Andrew: [mocking Jamie] Pain-te-ted. Pain-te-ted.

Jamie: Well…

Ben: Patented?

Andrew: Like Linux.

Ben: Linux.

Eric: You know what’s interesting about the Remembralls, is that they were banned from the O.W.L. tests in Book Five, but I find that interesting because they aren’t actually supposed to tell you what you’ve forgotten. Or, like, according to the movie.

Jamie: Yeah. You could have forgotten anything.

Ben: You going to know you’ve forgotten something…

Eric: Why are Remembralls, you know… I mean, unless it’s like… If it’s good on a multiple choice answer where you’re like, “Okay, I think it’s B,” and then it says, “You’ve forgotten the truth,” or something.

Jamie: Because it’s still an aid that stops your thing.

Eric: It is an aid, yeah.

Jamie: But, the thing is, this is also about Felix Felicis. It says it… Slughorn says that it’s a banned thing in competitions, athletic events, so, you can only use it on an ordinary day. But what constitutes an ordinary day? It’s like that, which is why I don’t see how Felix Felicis could possibly ever be allowed, really. Because, who decides if it’s an ordinary day? But, that’s completely gone off on a tangent, so…

Eric: Yeah, I like what…

Jamie: …I think we should get back to Jimmy Rose.

Eric: I like what Jimmy Rose was saying about convenience items and also how the wizards want to impress each other with different gifts and things.

Jamie: Oh yeah, yeah.

Eric: I think that’s cool. But, obviously, a lot of that is also Misuse of Muggle Artifacts, like the Ford Anglia. So…

Jamie: Yeah. But he points out that wizards like to change ordinary items like using unheard of magical spells, that kind of thing, to change them for their own good, like the Marauder’s Map. It’s clearly taken a strong bit of individual personalized magic to make it how it is. And so, the two-way mirrors… I mean, I think they just bought two mirrors…

Andrew: And enchanted them.

Jamie: …from the mirror shop in Hogsmeade, yeah. And enchanted them.

Eric: And I think there are several other rules that they could work with if they wanted to do that. Such as, the rule of seven, which seems to be present, at least to Voldemort and Horcruxes. Seven is a magical number. And also the rule of pairs, as described by Dumbledore.


Tangent: Phone Booths


Jamie: Yeah. Can we just talk about… Jimmy mentions the phonebooks – the phone booth outside of St. Mungo’s.

Eric: Yeah, that’s…

Jamie: Sorry, outside of Purge and Dowse.

Eric: Saint…

Andrew: Ministry of Magic.

Jamie: No, no, no, no.

Eric: It’s Purge and Dowse, yeah.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, sorry. The Ministry of Magic. No…

Andrew: It’s the Ministry of Magic, isn’t it?

Eric: We should have given Leaky that question.

Jamie: No. It’s the Ministry of Magic, isn’t it?

Eric: Yeah, it’s the Ministry of Magic.

Jamie: Yeah, sorry, yeah.

Eric: The phone booth.

Jamie: It seems… Yeah. This is completely off on a tangent again, but I was just thinking, it seems a bit weird that they choose that thing to get into the Ministry because it’s – one person’s number in the real world has got to end in “MAGIC” or start in “MAGIC.”

Andrew: Yeah, but there are only… Well, that phone – does that phone really work?

Jamie: Yeah. No, yeah.

Ben: No, no. I doubt it actually dials out.

Jamie: Because I would be scared if… I would be scared if I was sitting there, if I was standing in there and I dialed my friend’s number and the phone booth…

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: …went down into the earth. I’d think something was screwing up.

Andrew: Yeah, but it’s just, “MAGIC,” and in the book it’s described that nobody would ever approach it because it’s so worn down.

Eric: There’s like shattered panes of glass.

Andrew: Yeah. It’s…

Ben: You probably have to dial out anyways.

Jamie: There had to be somebody who…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: What do you mean, you’ve got to dial out?

Ben: Well, sometimes you have to enter a number.

Andrew: Well, if you just dial “MAGIC” and stop, then it’ll…

Jamie: Oh, well. Yeah, but somebody, somebody who’s read the Harry Potter books will probably go there now and…

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: Yeah, no. That’s like saying somebody…

Jamie: And dial, “MAGIC.”

Ben: No, that’s like saying somebody would have to be able to stumble on…

Jamie: I’m joking, Benjamin.

Ben: No, no. I’m saying that’s like saying someone could be able to stumble upon Hogwarts. It could have the same anti-Muggle charms that Hogwarts does.

Jamie: Yeah, it could, it could. But there must be some easier way, though, of doing it. Yeah, I mean, it probably does, but still.

Ben: Of course, there is probably some easier way, but that’s the way it is.

Eric: Well, that’s just the Muggle entrance too.

Andrew: Yeah. Deal with it.

Jamie: Yeah. Because, yeah. Let’s just deal with everything. Every single show should just be, “Hi, welcome to MuggleCast. Deal with it.”

Ben: That was hilarious. That’s a real knee-slapper, Jamie.

Jamie: “And that wraps up the show this week. I’m Andrew Sims.”

Andrew: Yeah, I’m on the floor. I’m in tears.

Eric: There’s that British humor.

Jamie: Well, Ben, Ben. Okay, well…

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: At least I don’t think that Sirius… This is going to get you, Eric, but…

[Andrew laughs

Jamie: I don’t need it to only get you. It’s going to get all of you in general…

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: …because your jokes are so obvious. “Hey, guys! And he was like,’ Dude, what’s happenin’ here, man?'” That’s the kind of jokes – obvious stuff.

Eric: That was not a joke!

Ben: That wasn’t a joke.

Jamie: I don’t care! I don’t care! You’re going to take…

Andrew: All right, anyway…

Eric: That was inflection. That was what I thought Sirius would say.

Jamie: Just ’cause you don’t understand the nuances and subtleties of
the British humor, you know?

Ben: That wasn’t even funny, though. Humor means it’s funny.

Jamie: Okay, Ben. Okay, whatever, Ben. Whatever.


Listener Rebuttal – Sirius: Harry, Use The Mirror!


Ben: Our next rebuttal comes from Stacey, 24, from Washington. Once
again, about the two-way mirror:

“I recently read Order of the Phoenix, and something about the mirror stuck me, and I have not been able to get it out of my mind. In Chapter 29 of Order of the Phoenix, Fred and George created diversions …”

[Jamie and Andrew laugh]

Ben: “…so Harry could use Umbridge’s fireplace undetected to contact…” [laughs] “…Sirius and ask him about the ‘Snape’s Worst Memory.’ Why, oh, why didn’t Sirius tell Harry to use the mirror instead of going to all that trouble? Perhaps he didn’t want Lupin to know he’d given a two-way mirror to Harry. But, I think the situation was important enough for Sirius to encourage Harry to use the mirror. But, I suppose if Sirius had told Harry, the rest of the book may not have happened.”

Eric: Yeah, I think this is something where you were reading a little bit too much into it. I just re-read this scene about two days ago, and it was Sirius. It was one of those things where Sirius just didn’t think about it. He was, you know… Harry was in the fire, and whereas Sirius would say, “What are you doing here? You’re risking your neck. Why didn’t you use the mirror?” Where that could have happened, he was basically just, you know, excited to have any contact with Harry. Remember, the kind of person Sirius is. He was very excited, but also very worried, and he just wanted to hear what Harry had to say, so that he could get off and on his way.

Ben: And remember, hindsight is 20/20. I mean, it could have just
been an oversight, you know.

Eric: Yeah, and…

Jamie: Something about the mirror hit her.

Ben: And when Harry hid the mirror, he buried it at the bottom of
his trunk. So, he didn’t want to communicate with Sirius, because he was
worried he was going to get him in trouble, or whatever. So, he decided not to. I just think it was…

Eric: Plus, at the time… Yeah.

Ben: Like, when you’re not in that situation it’s different.

Eric: And Lupin had to run and get Sirius, too. He’s, you know – Harry
came through, saw Lupin.

Ben: Yeah.

Eric: And Lupin just had to run up while Sirius was
feeding Buckbeak, and out of the blue. It’s just one of those things that
slips your mind. The fact is, Harry is in the fire, needs to talk to you,
you know? Do you say, “Why didn’t you use this, it’s much safer”? It just
slipped his mind.

Jamie: Ben, if I make a joke about, “Something about the mirror struck
me, and I’ve not been able to get it out of my head.” If I say, “Oh, it’s a
shard of glass,” or something like that, are you going to be like, “Oh, dude, that’s not funny, man!”

Eric: Why? Well, if it’s not funny…

Ben: If it’s not funny, it’s not funny. Sorry, Jamie.

[Eric laughs]

Ben: Sorry you’re… “Hey, this is MuggleCast. Deal with it, man.”

Jamie: I’ve kind of spoiled it now by… I’ve kind of spoiled… laughs]

Eric: Jamie, yes, you’re British, yes, you’re magical, but if your
joke is not funny, we will not laugh. [laughs]

Ben: Yeah.

Jamie: Ok, well, that kind of spoiled it now by asking you if you’d
find it funny, so let’s move on.

Andrew: This is a very dry humor podcast. All right, well, Ben has to
get put of here ’cause, for some reason, he podcasts at school now.

Jamie: He has to get out because…

Eric: He’s kicked out of school for podcasting.

Jamie: No, no, no. The personal libraries are normally 24 hours, but
they’re doing some refurbishments there. So, he’s got to get out.

Eric: Ohhh. Adding in like a hot tub machine, a slushy…

Jamie: Yeah, precisely, yeah.

[Eric and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: A free recording studio, as well, so the sound quality of the
next MuggleCast is going to be amazing.

[Eric laughs]


Main Discussion: Power and Magical Ability


Andrew: Laura and Micah are going to join us a little bit later in the
show, but for now, [clears throat] we do have a main discussion.
Well, just a discussion, for everyone this week. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, it’s… Well, no, I think “just a discussion” is a bit mean. It’s sort of a “mai” discussion, you know? Doesn’t have the “n” on it.

Andrew: It’s a what? It’s a “mai”?

Jamie: It’s a “mai” discussion.

Andrew: Okay. [laughs]

Jamie: It’s almost a discussion. It’s just slightly lacking, you know?

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: [laughs] Slightly lacking?

Jamie: Slightly lacking, yeah. This week, we are going to discuss the difference in power and magical ability between Voldemort and Dumbledore, and every other wizard, witch, and everything. So, we’re going to start with a small intro, and then go on to ask a few questions that we’re going to discuss.

Andrew: ‘kay!


Does Magical Ability Stem From Knowledge?


Jamie: Throughout the series, there have been constant reminders of the difference in power between Voldemort and Dumbledore, and other witches and wizards. References are often made to the incredible powers Voldemort has at his disposal, such as: Peter Pettigrew saying, “There are powers the Dark Lord possesses,” stuff like that, and also that Dumbledore is the only wizard that Voldemort has ever feared. Judging by Dumbledore’s easy defeat of the Death Eaters at the Ministry of Magic, e.g. him casting that rope thing that binds them all together, and his difficult and deadly battle with Voldemort, are we safe to assume that these two wizards are on a par, or close to a par on ability, where they’re miles and miles ahead of other witches and wizards?

And, that is the intro, and our first question – which kind of – it isn’t really answered in the main discussion, but it kind of stems from it. It’s is magical ability, does it stem from people’s knowledge, like in Star Wars? As in your knowledge of the Force? So, Yoda is, you know, sort of the best because he’s so old, and he started the Force, so he knows its nuances and its subtleties, and he can use that to greater ability.

Andrew: I think that certainly stands for Dumbledore because of his age, but, I mean, the last sentence in your opening, though. Wasn’t that a question? “Are we safe to assume that these two wizards…?”

Jamie: Yes, it was. It was. It was. Yeah. We could talk about that.

Andrew: Because I would say, yes. Dumbledore is the most – what’s the wording? Powerful wizard? Most powerful wizard alive?

Jamie: Ummm, yeah.

Eric: I just heard it described that Voldemort was actually the
most powerful. In fact by Dumbledore, I think, himself. Towards the end,
he said that Voldemort… And you know, again this is kind of a question
that, you know, in the beginning of the first book, McGonagall and
Dumbledore sitting on the ledge, and McGonagall says…


Tangent: The Whomping Willow


Jamie: K-I-S-S-I-N-G? [laughs]

Eric: No, that’s in the tree later on.

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Eric: But, could they actually bewitch the Whomping Willow to sit in it? I don’t know, anyway.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: You know what? Maybe the Whomping Willow is just tired of being used by Dumbledore and McGonagall. But, anyway.

Jamie: I think it is. It’s just – they spend so much time up there, and thinks, “I just can’t watch this anymore.”

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: It got its name, the “Whomping” Willow, because Dumbledore was
whomping McGonagall. [in high-pitched voice] Ahhh!

Eric: Oooh! That was a good one! Even though it would be really funny.

[Andrew laughs]


Back to Main Discussion: Dumbledore and Voldemort’s Power


Eric: You know, she says that, “you’re too noble to use some powers,”
and he blushes, of course, but in Book 5, Dumbledore actually does say and I think it’s okay for him to admit that Voldemort is… He said specifically, “Not powerful, but his extensive knowledge of magic…”

Jamie: Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah.

Eric: “…covers more than any other wizard, including myself.” And I
think it’s safe to say that Voldemort would at least know more different
kinds than Dumbledore. But, again, Dumbledore holds his own and Dumbledore was easily – well, not easily – but he was able to detect the whole, “cut your wrist, open the door, use the thing across the lake.” He was able to detect the magic, so they’re very obviously close in power.

Jamie: Yeah, though I agree, but I just think that it’s funny – well, not really funny – but how at the Ministry of Magic, Dumbledore just walked in cast one spell and all of the Death Eaters just didn’t have a chance. And with Bellatrix, as well, who’s clearly pretty powerful magically. He just bewitched the Fountain of Magical Brethren and the thing just came after her, and she fired spells uselessly off it’s chest. You know? It just seems like he can do absolutely anything against anyone.

Andrew: So easily.

Eric: Well, he could.

Jamie: Yeah, so easily, whereas it’s just against Voldemort that he has trouble. That battle in the Ministry, I doubt any other wizard could have stood up to that amount of magical power being transferred back and forth.

Eric: Even Harry? You think?

Jamie: In terms of blow on blow, if Harry had dodged it and jumped around and used his mind like he has, then, yes, probably, but I can’t imagine if they had a sort of [laughs] slapping contest for wizards, where you slap the other person in the face and then they slap you and it just keeps happening until you give up. If they did that with wands and spells, I can’t imagine Harry being able to stand up to Voldemort’s or Dumbledore’s things.

Eric: Oh, obviously not.

Jamie: It doesn’t seem like normal spells.

Eric: They aren’t.

Jamie: They don’t only fire stuff… They don’t only fire stuff out of their wands. They bewitch and ensnare, and cause the water to rise up and do stuff like that.

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: Other people I just don’t think can…

Eric: No. The whole water thing covering Voldemort, like Voldemort enclosed in this case of like water, and even the fact that Voldemort left his physical body to possess Harry. Even the fact that he just jumped out of his body and into Harry’s and his body disappeared completely from the physical plane.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: How can you do that?

Jamie: Well, exactly.

Eric: And that’s what makes the battle so cool to see. Sorry, Andrew.

Andrew: And yet, in the Ministry, he continued to be disregarded as this mad man who just had no influence in the Ministry of Magic.

Eric: Oh, yeah.

Andrew: It’s very sad.

Eric: Well, that’s the question, if Dumbledore ran things, you know. If Dumbledore was Minister of Magic, but he would never want that. He just wanted to teach students.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah, precisely.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Teaching students and governing the already grown-up public are two separate choices, I think, for your life.

Jamie: But don’t you think that going back to Voldemort’s power especially, the Aurors are supposed to catch dark wizards. I just don’t think you can call Voldemort simply a dark wizard.

Eric: Because he’s a Dark Lord.

Jamie: He’s not only a dark wizard. Yeah, exactly. The Aurors are impressive and stuff, but if Dumbledore can curse Dawlish, and I’m not going to say it.

Andrew: Yeah, thank you.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: You just did. You’ve given it enough to John.

Jamie: [laughs] I’m going to say it as quickly as possible. Quickly as possible. If Dumbledore can curse Dawlish so easily with no effort whatsoever, and he’s got Outstanding in every single N.E.W.T. he’s ever taken…

Eric: Exactly.

Jamie: …and along with five other people at the same time before or however many people it was, how can Dawlish have any chance of catching Voldemort? It’s just inconceivable.

Eric: That’s why it is, but that’s the thing. They should’ve used Dumbledore. They should’ve… Now I bet they’re kicking themselves in the butt because Dumbledore was so powerful.

Jamie: Don’t you think, also, that Book Six especially, Dumbledore’s mental and physical decline, I think, is showing. That while he could exchange blow on blow with Voldemort for awhile, Voldemort is more powerful than him overall.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: I think if they… In Book Six, if it came down to a duel, Voldemort would win. And I think that’s putting everything on Harry. Absolutely everything on Harry.

Eric: Yes, but I think that also goes to say that, why then, is it exactly a bad thing that Dumbledore died, anyway? Because, if he…

Jamie: Well, precisely, yeah.

Eric: He obviously was declining. Whether that was, I guess power, and if you remember age is kind of a factor.

Jamie: Oh, yeah.

Eric: It’s got to be. You know…

Andrew: Definitely, in Book Six, played a role.

Eric: The soul would, of course, be an advantage Dumbledore had over Voldemort. Dumbledore told Harry that he only suspected one wizard or any wizard, or all wizards in general, of only having one Horcrux, which we can kind of infer is Grindelwald, but nobody knows. But he said the most he thinks any wizard had of Horcruxes was one. Obviously, that says a great… How did Voldemort acquire that knowledge of how to do that, not just once, but six times? Maybe he talked to the guy who did it the first time, but for the term to even exist, you’d think that enough people would…

Jamie: So, how’s your Horcrux?

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: But, it’s just… Yeah, yeah, yeah. I agree.

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: Amen. I concur. But, I just… It just seems that the reason for Dumbledore’s death was that he couldn’t teach Harry anything more. He taught him everything he knew, and since he couldn’t take on Voldemort for him, you know?

Eric: Mhm.

Eric: There wasn’t anything left for him, apart from to die. It sounds terrible but, apart for him to die and infuriate Harry even more so that he’s going to go and kick Voldemort’s butt, man.

Eric: Yeah. Well, he could of told Harry how he, kind of, burned his hand off. So, I don’t think we’re talking exactly about the second part of this, as in comparison to other wizards. We’ve talked about them to each other.

Jamie: Don’t you think that he could, both of them… All of the Death Eaters are scared of Voldemort, so clearly he has weapons that they can’t even comprehend.

Eric: Oh yeah.

Jamie: It just seems like that he has everything that everyone else, you know? I mean like even people, obviously, respect him, as well. Like Ollivander said, he did terrible things.

Eric: But great.

Jamie: Sorry, great things but terrible, yes. Awful, but great things. He’s so powerful. People respect power, even if it’s terrible power and the same with Dumbledore. Everyone respected him. Hogwarts was safe because Dumbledore was there, you know? And if Voldemort feared Dumbledore, you can’t disagree with Voldemort, who hates being weak, who hates weakness, who hates being scared of other things. If he personally feared Dumbledore, then what does that say about Dumbledore, you know?

Eric: Mhm. Well that’s true, too, but that’s just the thing. Again, that’s why it’s so fun to watch the battle in Book Five, because Voldemort just comes up with some kind of weird sounding talisman reverberation thing and Dumbledore counters it with some kind of…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …shield of unknown…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …presence that makes a gong…

Jamie: Shields of Glory. [laughs]

Eric: Yeah, well it was a gong sound. Remember that. It was like a…

Jamie: That was Voldemort’s shield. That was Voldemort’s shield.

Eric: Yes, but that was amazing. It was like a strange gong humming as in response to Dumbledore’s…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: But then, it’s just…

Jamie: What spell did he cast then, if he didn’t seek to kill him there? After Voldemort could tell from that.

Eric: I know, isn’t that the coolest question in the world? Because Voldemort…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …immediately said, after he reflected that spell, “You wish not to kill me, Dumbledore?”

Jamie: Yeah, “You didn’t seek to kill me?”

Eric: And of course they got into their, “You do not know that there are worst things than death,” and stuff like that. But Voldemort knew exactly – he must have known exactly what that spell was going to do to him, even though…

Jamie: Yeah, he did. Yeah.

Eric: …Dumbledore didn’t open his mouth.

Jamie: I just can’t think what kind of spell that could possibly have been.

Eric: And how do you acquire that knowledge of what, you know, with the gong’s sound it means it was this charm, you know, it was this spell?

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Eric: It’s just unbelievable.

Jamie: He clearly sort of read music by ear so, you know, each spell makes a different sound and then he just hears it and, you know, knows from there.

Eric: [laughs] What do you guys think of Dumbledore as a Legilimens? Because here was a question in Book Five about Dumbledore teaching him himself. Like, it was tossed around, except for, obviously, the fact that, you know, Harry would, upon looking at Dumbledore, explode into flames, but [laughs] he said, “I didn’t teach him myself because I didn’t want to reveal anything to Voldemort.” And stuff. But Dumbledore as a Legilimens seems kind of cool. And…

Jamie: He’s clearly amazing, though, because he’s amazing at everything. [laughs]

Eric: Oh, he’s amazing at everything. I think he got, what, perfect scores in Transfiguration and Charms or something.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: They were like perfect N.E.W.T.S.

Jamie: He did stuff with a wand that was never seen before or something.

Eric: Oh yeah, Tofty, right. Tofty said that, yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: “Stuff with a wand I’d never seen before.” Things like that. It makes you think like it’s not an acquirable knowledge. It makes it seem like it just…

Jamie: It’s just Dumbledore, it’s unnatural.

Eric: Like nobody can just do things with their wand like that, and that was when Dumbledore was at Hogwarts, when he was 17 years old. Here he is 150.

Jamie: Maybe it’s like, sort of, you know, Polymaths from the Renaissance period. It’s like the wizarding equivalent. They’re like. They’re just…. Once in a while a wizard, who comes along, who excels in absolutely everything and is ridiculously powerful magically. Like, I bet the Four Founders of Hogwarts were miles ahead of…

Eric: That’s the other thing I wanted to bring up.

Jamie: …other wizards their age.

Andrew: Oh yeah.

Jamie: It just seems like that to me.


Connection to the Founders


Eric: Well, Voldemort, having Slytherin’s blood in him.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Again the pureblood thing is supposed to, you know, inbreeding, on the whole, is supposed to affect genetics and things like that, make people…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …more maniacal and evil and stuff like that, but, the power, at least, or the richness, I mean, if we’re to think Dumbledore is any kind of descendent of Gryffindor or something else, that could have a play in it, too. So, maybe blood does matter in, like, the slightest of ways…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …where you may be a little bit more susceptible to things, but were the Four Founders all pureblood, though? I mean, do we know that?

Jamie: No.

Eric: But it’s kind of implied by the whole Slytherin connection that, at least, well, Slytherin must have been pureblood.

Jamie: Well, yeah, yeah.

Eric: But where does that… I don’t know where that starts.


Magical Knowledge vs. Power


Jamie: But then in relation to other witches and wizards, do you think that they are?

Eric: They are what?

Jamie: Miles ahead? Miles ahead of them? They could beat anyone.

Andrew: The Heads of Houses are miles ahead?

Jamie: No, no, no, no, no. Voldemort and Dumbledore.

Andrew: Oh.

Jamie: Do you think that, I mean, it’s like Chess Masters, you know; they can beat every single chess player in a club. Or then Chess Grandmasters can beat every single Chess Master and stuff like that, you know? I just think that they’re absolutely ahead of everyone and in duels they, you know? It just seems like

Andrew: I don’t know about light years. What do you mean, exactly? Just ahead in knowledge or skill? Because isn’t the knowledge…

Jamie: For Both. Everything.

Andrew: …that they have in common?

Jamie: No, but I mean, okay. If Dumbledore and Voldemort had a… If there was a competition where every single person dueled and it was like a knockout thing so, if you lost, you went home. I think Voldemort and Dumbledore would be facing each other in the final battle.

Andrew: Oh yeah.

Jamie: However many people came into it. It’s just like beating absolutely everyone.

Andrew: I definitely agree, skill-wise, but I don’t know about knowledge because, it seems like it would be like Horcruxes, for example.

Eric: They’re not common knowledge.

Jamie: No but, Voldemort didn’t want that memory to learn about Horcruxes. He wanted it to learn about what Slughorn told Voldemort about Horcruxes. There’s a difference. It isn’t though he didn’t know about Horcruxes. And in the first chapter of Book Six when Fudge says that, sorry, the Muggle Prime Minister asks, “Is he back?” and Fudge says, “I don’t know, and Dumbledore won’t explain it properly.”

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: It’s like Dumbledore is the only person who…

Eric: Understands it.

Jamie: …understands it. You know? And it just seems like, in terms of power…

Eric: There was…

Jamie: …in terms of knowledge, that he’s ahead of everyone.

Eric: There was something else he said, too. I think he was explaining to Harry – it’s at the end of Book Five after Sirius’ death, in his office. He explains to Harry, he says that the enchantment placed on Privet Drive is of an ancient magic that, obviously, Voldemort underestimates, or hates and, therefore, underestimates, but he also says that, “I think that I found a connection or a way to protect you that…”

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: “…maybe no other wizard has.”

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: He said something along the lines of where, “I’m the only one who really knows how to do this particular kind of thing, so I did…”

Jamie: Yes. Yeah.

Eric: “…because I invest faith in my own intelligence.”

Jamie: Also, I assume we should assume that the two Fidelius Charms. Sorry, not the two. The Fidelius Charm that was used with the Secret Keeper was performed by Dumbledore? Because Flitwick says in Prisoner of Azkaban, that it’s an immensely complex spell.

Andrew: Ohhh.

Jamie: And I think when he says it’s an immensely complex spell, it’s sort of, it really is immensely complex. It’s not just like, brewing a Draught of Living Death, which is damn hard, but not, you know, impossible.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: It really is only some of the most difficult things in the world. I bet Dumbledore conjured that.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: One question is, what it entails? Obviously, it’s a little more than a “swish and flick.” It’s even more than a Patronus…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …thinking of a happy thought.

Jamie: Oh ten… A mill… Yeah, but this is the thing; I think it’s like a million times more than a Patronus or Fidelius…

Eric: But what other ways are there? What could you possibly… Do you need to empty your mind, or do you need to be in a state of meditation when you create things like that?

Jamie: Ask Dumbledore.

Eric: Ask Dumbledore? I can’t. Unfortunately…

Jamie: Oh wait, he’s dead.

Andrew: He’s dead. [laughs]

Jamie: I think we’ve pretty much agreed that Dumbledore and Voldemort are ridiculously, ridiculously powerful or, sorry, to correct myself there, Voldemort is ridiculously, ridiculously powerful; Dumbledore was ridiculously, ridiculously powerful.

[Eric mumbles something]

Jamie: And that they… Sorry, yeah, yeah. And that they could beat any person in a duel, and that people look up to them and respect them and admire them…

Eric: That would be good.

Jamie: …even Voldemort.

Eric: I mean… Sorry, I didn’t want to interrupt you.

Jamie: Go on. I thought we were wrapping this up

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Oh, well. I… But a final thought, if I may. The… One of the things I think about
Dumbledore, too, is potentially the reason he might know as much is because, well, a) he seeks it, but things like, I just thought of the scene by the lake with the Merpeople, when Dumbledore was speaking Mermish. You know, I’m not saying there aren’t institutions that may teach you Mermish, but Dumbledore’s the kind of person like that who would care and who would seek to…

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Eric: …communicate with the residents of obviously the lake where his school is.

Jamie: So it’s diplomacy, as well as…

Eric: I think good diplomacy is…

Jamie: …magical ability. Eric, I am going to put you on the spot here and ask you a question. Quite a difficult one. What is the name of the leader of the Mermaids, sorry, the Merpeople in the lake.

Eric: I do not know. Wait, wait, wait…

Jamie: Andrew do you know?

Andrew: Nooo.

Eric: Wait, wait, wait.

Jamie: No, Googling it, Eric.

Eric: No, I’m not Googling it…

Jamie: You naughty, naughty, naughty boy.

Eric: You would hear my naughty, naughty, naughty fingers typing the naughty, naughty, naughty keys.

Jamie: Okay.

Eric: Ummm…

Jamie: Good then, that’s fine.

Eric: I… I… I…

Jamie: Shall I tell you?

Eric: I know it’s got some kind of a – what’s that called?

Jamie: Word in it? Yeah, it’s pretty good.

Eric: The “ch,” “gh,” type sounds. What are they? “Ch,” “ck”.

Jamie: [sounds out different combinations of letters] “Gchs”? “Chs”? “Ghs”?

Eric: It – not “chs”, but also “sh,” the actual groupings of…

Jamie: I’ll tell you. Shall I tell you?

Eric: Alright…

Jamie: It’s Merf… Sorry, Merchieftainess Murcus.

Eric: Is that actually in the book?

Jamie: It is.

Eric: What page?

Jamie: I don’t know!

[Eric and Jamie laugh]

Eric: Oooh, PWNed! All right.


Crackpot Theory of the Week: Voldemort’s Wand is a Horcrux


Andrew: It’s time for another installment of the Crackpot Theory of the Week. We’ve gotten lots of…

[Jamie hums a tune]

Andrew: Oooh, I like that music.

Eric: I like that, too.

Andrew: Someone make a remix out of that. [laughs]

Jamie: It’s kind of Layla. It’s kind of… Not… Yeah, yeah.

Eric: [hums Layla]

Jamie: Layla by Clapton. [hums Layla]

Andrew: Mmmm. Yeah.

Jamie: It’s not actually, at all. I’ve just decided it. Sorry.

Andrew: Oh. [laughs] I just pretended like I knew it, so…

Eric: [singing to the tune of Layla]

Crackpot, you’ve got me on my knees. Crackpot…

Jamie: It’s “Ley.” It’s “l-e-y.” There’s not “la” on this one, though.

Andrew: Okay, I guess that’s it. [laughs] Go ahead. Go for it Jamie.

Jamie: Okay, this is from Scott, 16, from Australia. And, Eric, this is your Crackpot Theory of the Week. [speaks very fast] The final Horcrux is Voldemort’s wand. Go.

[Long pause]

Eric: Okay…

Andrew: [laughs] Go!

Jamie: [laughs] Go!

Eric: Where is Voldemort’s wand? Where has it been? How did he get it back? There is only one explanation for this, and this is it: Voldemort’s wand is actually a Horcrux. He preserved himself inside it, and it has the ability to skitter across the floors and through the pages of all seven books or rather the first four or five books, and that is how Voldemort retrieved it. Nobody was able to find it because, well, the Voldemort inside of it just moved the wand slightly away from everybody, so that once he was destroyed it was not buried amongst the rubble, and throughout time it was just seen in the corners of the HP universe, just browsing and viewing what was going on. So that, by the time that Voldemort regained control of his wand, it would then be able to supply him with the knowledge and experience of… [long pause] I don’t know maybe it’s hanging out with Trevor in the Chamber of Secrets, I really don’t know.

[Another long pause]

Andrew: Okay.

Jamie: Not bad Eric, not bad at all.

Andrew: Yeah, that wasn’t bad.

Eric: [makes uncertain noise] Ahhhh…

Jamie: It’s getting better.

Eric: I’m still tweaking, tweaking some things. Could we possibly do another one? I know it’s a little bit much to ask, but…

Jamie: Yes, yes go on.

Eric: I love these so much. There’s so many people, I got ten or twenty of them.

Andrew: There’s just so many people. It’s not my fault it sucks.

Eric: [laughs] What?

Andrew: Ahhh. What do you think of that one?

Jamie: Errr, I immediately think of a point that is of… One sec, I’ll type it to you.

Andrew: Let me read the points that Scott brought up. Voldemort who values his magical prowess above all else would consider his wand almost part of him, a sensible place to keep a part of his soul, as he will always have it with him. Another point, his wand managed to survive the explosion that wrecked Godric’s Hollow. Normal wood would have been burned to cinders. This could mean his wand is protected. And the final point…

Jamie: Oooh yeah.

Andrew: Wizards are very attached to their wands. Cedric polished his [mispronounces] regularly, [enunciates] regularly.

Eric: [laughs] I bet he did.

Andrew: Harry says he is fond of his wand, and that it can’t help being related to Voldemort via its core. His wand connects him to the magical world: the locket, the diary and the ring connect him to Slytherin, etcetera.

Eric: Hmmm. I had not thought about the wand connecting him to the wizarding world. I think that’s cool.

Jamie: Eric, are you ready for your next one?

Eric: Yes.


Crackpot Theory of the Week: Scrimgeour – Descendant of Gryffindor


Jamie: Okay this one is from Alex, 15, from Indiana. And, Eric, this is your Crackpot Theory of the Week.

Andrew: Dun dun dun…

Jamie: Rufus…

Andrew: Oops. I’m, I’m sorry! It’s ruined. It’s ruined!

[Eric hums the tune of Layla]

Jamie: It’s ruined! No, its fine, it’s fine. We’ll do it again.

Andrew: Okay.

Jamie: And…

Eric: [sings to the tune of “Layla”] Got me on my knees, crackpot

Jamie: Eric, Eric. This is your Crackpot Theory of the Week.

Andrew: [sings] Dodolo dodolo dodolo dodolo doom.

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: Rufus Scrimgeour, the new Minister of Magic, is a descendant of Godric Gryffindor and will play a key role in Book Seven.

Eric: Ah, the lion.

[Andrew begins to hum softly in the background]

Eric: He’s described as being as…

Andrew: We need Millionaire music for this.

Jamie: Don’t, don’t…

Eric: You know, Regis is…

Jamie: You’re just giving him time to think.

Eric: You know Regis is no longer… Regis is no longer doing that show.

Andrew: Stalling, minus five.

Eric: I am not stalling. Okay! His lion face. Isn’t he described as having a face like a lion? I mean, come on.

Jamie: By who, by who, by who? Who said that?

Eric: Oh!

Jamie: Come on, Eric.

Eric: Oooh! Aaah! It’s…

Jamie: First chapter of Half-Blood Prince, come on.

Eric: Half-Blood Prince. Well it was…

Jamie: Come on boy! Come on.

[Eric begins to make pained noises]

Jamie: You’re useless. You’re useless, you’re a disgrace.

Eric: I don’t know. [Starts to scream] I can’t take it!

Jamie: You’ve failed! You’ve failed at life. Kill yourself!

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Harry?

Jamie: Is Harry in the first chapter of Half-Blood Prince, Eric?

Eric: Oh, oh, oh! Yes!

Jamie: You call yourself a fan? You call yourself a fan?

Andrew: That’s despicable.

Eric: Oh, it’s the other minister.

Jamie: Yes. Who is it?

Eric: Oh, well it’s…

Jamie: Tony Blair?

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: It’s not Tony Blair, because…

Andrew: He’s quitting. Who cares?

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: According to the Lexicon… He’s quitting?

Jamie: He is.

Andrew: Well…

Jamie: Well, he will be soon. Stop stalling, Eric.

Eric: Okay, so the face like a lion. The other minister thinks he has a face like a lion, come on! He’s a descendant of Godric Gryffindor that’s all there is to it! In fact, he might be Godric Gryffindor. In fact, I might even…

Jamie: Repetition! Minus fifteen!

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Eric: No. In fact is not repetition. In fact, he might even be Aslan from the Narnia series. You never know. Anything is possible. But a guy with a lion of a face…

Jamie: Non-relevance! Minus twenty!

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Eric: I don’t think it’s a question. He has got a lion for a face, and he goes around, and he governs people and he governs the magical world. And realizes what an asset Harry is.

Jamie: That was good.

Eric: Okay. Were there any other points that he brought up? She brought up? He, she. He, it.

Jamie: [yawns] No, she didn’t bring any up.

Andrew: All right well, if you’ve got a Crackpot Theory Of The Week for Eric that you want him to answer on the show, send it in to mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com. It has to be… He has to be able to prove it in some way, shape, or form. Send in your points so we can read them on the show once he’s done. You know the drill, you know how it rolls. So, that’s that.

Eric: Oh my gosh. Can both of those actually go in? I thought that was really…

Andrew: Yes, Eric.

Eric: I… I… I…

Andrew: Yes.

Eric: Thank you. I really liked that.

Eric: Ummm…

Andrew: Ummm…

[Eric laughs]


Eric’s Vacation


Andrew: We’re now going to head into an Editorial Segment hosted by Laura and Micah. Eric, this is – and then Eric, you’re getting out of here and you’ll be gone for three weeks? Four weeks?

Eric: Well, I can be on the show if it’s absolutely necessary, if you’re short of people, if you only have you and Ben one night, I can do it.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: It’ll be like 11:00 AM on a Thursday, which we’ll be doing nothing except sleeping. So I can be, but it’s… I don’t need to be. [laughs] I don’t need to be on. But, yeah, I’ll be gone. Well, two weeks actually, the 24th. And then obviously the 24th I’m meeting up with you guys. So, we’ll be together for – with the LIVE podcast and everything else. Hope the rest of the episode goes well tonight.

Jamie: All right, Eric.

Andrew: Have fun in New Zealand.

Eric: Thank you.

Jamie: Yep.

Eric: And, uh, bye-bye!

Andrew: And we’ll take it right now to an Editorial segment by Laura and Micah. Take it away, girls. And Micah. No, just girls.

[Jamie and Andrew laugh]

Jamie: Just girl and Micah.


Editorial Segment: Brandon Ford, The Underground Lake


Laura: Hey everyone, the Editorial Segment is back. Yay! [claps] Say “yay,” everyone. Come on. Yay.

Micah: Yay.

Brandon: Yay.

Laura: I love the enthusiasm. Okay.

[Brandon and Micah laugh]

Laura: And to celebrate, joining us – joining Micah Tan The Anchor Man (as I like to call him) and I this week is Brandon Ford, author of The Underground Lake. Welcome back, Brandon.

Brandon: Hello. Thank you for having me back.

Laura: Oh, it’s no problem. We had a great time with you the first time, and you were actually the first editorialist we had on this segment, right?

Brandon: Yes, I feel very honored.

Laura: Yes. The Underground Lake has been on hiatus for a while now, but it’s back, great as ever. So Brandon, why don’t you give us a little bit of a synopsis on your latest piece?

Brandon: My last editorial was called “Where in the World is Wormtail?” Basically, after reading Book Six I was very frustrated, because I had predicted after reading Book Five that Wormtail was up to something which is why he was gone the whole book. And in Book Six, he still really didn’t do anything; he was just sort of living with Snape in what I call the “new millennium odd couple,” which was very strange to me. And he didn’t really do anything but serve wine and eavesdrop on people. So, I was trying to still think what could he possibly still be up to, so that was sort of my little introduction back into the world of editorial writing regularly, once again.

Laura: So, now, according to your editorial, who is it that Voldemort doesn’t trust? Snape, Wormtail, or both?

Brandon: Both, but I think right now he is kind of playing both sides against the middle; that essentially their living with each other because one is supposed to be spying on the other one. But I think ultimately the real choice of Voldemort is that Wormtail is living there to spy on Snape, to make sure he really is playing for the right team.

Micah: Yeah, I thought this was interesting because this came up on an episode of MuggleCast. We were talking about this, and most people would assume that Snape is keeping an eye on Wormtail, because that’s in fact what he says in the book, but I think when you think about it, it makes a lot more sense for Wormtail to be spying on Snape.

Brandon: Yeah. I definitely agreed with that. Which is why – it came out of trying to figure out what in the world Wormtail was doing living with Snape. And to me, that just makes the most sense.

Laura: So, we know that Wormtail is obviously a drifter, kind of seeking the stronger side of the war. Do you think Snape is like this too, or do you think that he actually has an alliance? Do you think he’s actually playing the role of spy, or do you think he’s playing both sides to his own advantage?

Brandon: For the longest time I thought he was what I called a triple agent, which is he was just out for himself, he wasn’t really playing both sides. I don’t really want to answer that question because my next editorial is actually the answer to that question.

Laura: Ahhh.

Brandon: [laughs] So, I am just going to leave you with that. But, I do think he does have something rather secretive up his sleeve.

Micah: But I guess, going off of that, your editorial – you sort of started out taking a look at where Wormtail was, but then you didn’t really answer it. Is that going to come up in the next editorial too?

Brandon: No. When I titled it “Where in the World is Wormtail?” at first it was – I mean, obviously geographically we know where he is; he’s living in Snape’s old house. But, I think more what I meant was, “What has he been up to since Book Four?”, really. I guess one of the reasons that I didn’t really go as much into what I thought he was doing, is because a lot of the wind was knocked out of my sails after reading Book Six because, essentially, JK Rowling answered the question; that he’s been living with Snape. And I wasn’t really satisfied with that, so I really wanted to go more into what – the fact that it has more to do with Snape and less to do with Wormtail, right now. However, I do still hope that there is something going on with him, that there is some secret plan that only he and Voldemort know about. But I’m not going to hold my breath for that one.

Micah: Now, do you think Wormtail is planning to help Harry in any way? Will he help him at all? And if he does…

Brandon: Yeah, I had been thinking about that because, of course, what Dumbledore said about how Wormtail now owes Harry, because Harry didn’t let Lupin and Sirius kill him. And, I thought, like a lot of people did, that it would come down to the end and that he would sacrifice himself for Harry. But then, for a while I started to think about, you know, the obvious Lord of the Rings parodies, where Gandalf says Gollum is going to rule the fates of many and all that stuff, but then in the end it’s not a good way that he rules the fates of many. It’s actually quite a horrible way that he rules the fates of many. So, I started to think maybe it’s possible that Wormtail, in his greed, or in his evil, would do something, and that would lead to a chain of events where it would end up helping Harry, even though he isn’t purposely helping Harry, per se. But in the end I feel like, knowing JK Rowling, he’ll probably do something in the end that will help Harry.

Laura: Earlier you were talking a little bit about how Book Six took some of the wind out of your sails. Did Jo’s reading in New York City interfere with any of your theories?

Brandon: Actually, no. When I was asked to come back, I went on MuggleNet and looked at the transcripts and the reports of what she said in New York City, and really she didn’t. In fact, she kind of gave a little more fire to a theory that I had before, that I thought she’d debunked, that now I kind of have again which is about Petunia and how, in Book Seven, whatever her big secret is, is going to be revealed. I had – and I think we discussed this the last time I was on – that I had the theory that she was a closet broomstick.

[Micah and Laura laugh]

Brandon: And that she might have magical powers, or something, and JK Rowling in one of her interviews since then said that she’s not a Squib, and she doesn’t have powers and things. But then, in the New York chat, she mentions that there is some huge secret that she has that’s going to be revealed, and I think one point that I did mention in that article about how she maybe kept the original letter that Dumbledore gave her, or that she has something of Harry’s parents’ or in the end, ultimately, she really does have a soul and she’s just not some evil word that I probably shouldn’t say. And, yeah, I’m just… I think that it really is going to come down to her being revealed as not such a horrible person after all, hopefully.

Micah: So, you were very satisfied when she clearly stated that Dumbledore was dead.

Brandon: Yes, extremely.

[Laura laughs]

Brandon: That was sweet vindication. That was sweet vindication.

Laura: I know exactly how you feel. [laughs]

Brandon: I have gotten so many emails from people, saying “Dumbledore’s not dead, just like Sirius isn’t dead.”

[Laura groans]

Brandon: I’ve even gotten a few, “Cedric isn’t really dead,” which is really stupid.

[Laura laughs]

Brandon: But, you know, I’m just glad that she said, categorically, “Dumbledore is dead. Deal with it, people.” And it does make me a little happy inside.

Micah: Now, what about the whole possibility of redemption? Because that was something else somebody asked. Possibly for Draco, possibly for Snape.

Brandon: As far as redemption for those two characters, once again, actually, the redemption of Snape goes into my next editorial, and the possible redemption for Draco goes into the one that I’m writing after that.

Micah: Okay.

Brandon: But I can say that my feeling about, as far as Snape being redeemed is – my problem is, at the end of the day, regardless of what team he’s playing for, he is the one who murdered Dumbledore. And there’s sort of no turning back from that. He can’t exactly walk up to the Order and say, “Oh, it was all arranged, it was all a plan,” because if he goes to the Order they’re just going to kill him. So, I don’t know. Whatever he does, he can only be redeemed really in the eyes of Harry. In the eyes of the world, he will always be the man who killed Dumbledore and no amount of explaining and no amount of intrigue is going to change that fact. So, his redemption is going to be on a different level than, “Oh, he’s really good after all. Let’s all hug and shake hands and call it a day.”

As for Draco, Harry has, more or less, not necessarily forgiven Draco, but acknowledged the fact that he doesn’t think that Draco ever would have killed Dumbledore, so he actually pities him. And I’m on that train too. Whether Draco can come back to the side of good, I don’t know. He might be motivated for the love of his parents, and trying to protect them, to ultimately make the right decision. But, something else that I’ve always said is that Draco may not have killed Dumbledore, he may not have pulled the trigger, but he bought the gun, loaded it and cocked it, so there is a level of guilt in there as well. The short answer is: I don’t know.

Micah: Right. And I think when that question was asked, she tended to favor Draco a little bit more when she was talking about redemption. At least, that’s the impression I got from her answer.

Laura: Yeah, that’s what I thought. Absolutely.

Brandon: Yeah. I do think that if any of the two of them was going to be redeemed, my money’s on Draco over Snape.

Laura: Mhm.

Brandon: But time will tell.

Micah: Now, the preview for your next article is called “What If We’re Wrong?” And my question is, what if we’re wrong about what?

Brandon: What if we’re wrong about Snape actually being a good guy?

Laura: Oh, no. [laughs]

Brandon: I’m going to sort of give you what I pretty much put in the introduction to it. As soon as I read the book the first time, I was immediately on the, “Oh, I trust him even more now that he killed Dumbledore, because he did it because he had to,” and all this stuff. But after – when I was doing research for “Where in the World is Wormtail?” I read “Spinner’s End,” and something really did not sit well with me when Snape was giving his answers to all of the questions that Bellatrix kept asking him. And it got me thinking: what if everybody’s wrong? What if he really isn’t good? What if everything he told Bellatrix was the truth? That he did all that stuff because he’s on Voldemort’s side. And it’s just sort of… And the subtitle is “A Trip to the Bizarre World.” It’s just sort of, what if we look at everything that’s happened in the books from the point of view that he was telling the truth, and he really is a bad guy. What does that ultimately mean for Harry, and what does that mean for us as readers who have believed him for the past six books, and it turns out he really was evil the whole time?

Micah: I think that JK Rowling has just trained us so well to second guess everything, so that when we saw Dumbledore actually…

Brandon: I know.

Laura: She really has.

Micah: …murdered, you automatically thought, “Oh, there has to be something else to this,” and I’m sure there is, but we may be looking a little bit too far into it. So, it’ll be interesting to read that.

Laura: Yeah.

Brandon: Mhm.

Laura: Some of us thought he was alive, didn’t we, Micah?

Brandon: [laughs] Yes.

Micah: Yeah, I don’t know who.

[Laura and Brandon laugh]

Micah: Some site, actually.

Laura: [still laughing] Well, that all sounds insanely interesting, and I think that everybody’s pretty much really looking forward to reading that one, but we’re running out of time, so we need to get into our lightning round, which…

Brandon: All right.

Laura: …I don’t think you got to do that, because we premiered that after your debut on this segment.

Brandon: Yeah.

Laura: So, first question, did Snape love Lily?

Brandon: I believe so, yes.

Micah: Okay, I’ll take the next one.

Laura: Yeah.

Micah: At Radio City Music Hall, did Jo slip up and reveal that the trio will survive the war, or are people reading too much into it?

Brandon: Well, I believe that Ron and Hermione will be surviving. I’ve always been in the “I think Harry’s going to die” group, but I don’t think she slipped up and revealed that. I did she did slip up and reveal that Ron and Hermione were probably going to survive, because I think they are.

Laura: Who else was at Godric’s Hollow the night the Potters were killed?

Brandon: I always maintain that I think Peter Pettigrew was there with Voldemort in the house, so I’m probably going to stick with that.

Micah: That’s your whole “Last Day Theory,” isn’t it?

Brandon: Yes, it is. No, Fudge was not there.

[Micah laughs]

Brandon: I can see that that actually did not happen, now that I’ve read Book Six…

[Laura laughs]

Brandon: …but, yeah, I think he was there.

Micah: And in that Richard and Judy interview, she said that she spared one recently when she was writing Book Seven. Who do you think that was?

Brandon: [laughs] Once again, you’re getting into an editorial that I’ve just started writing, too. Who do I think is spared, is Lupin.

Laura: Really? Why is that?

Brandon: Well, I always had down that I thought all of the Marauders had to die, just because I think that that piece of Harry Potter history had to be closed. Because I believe Wormtail is going to die, and I believe that Lupin has to die so that all four of them can and that, basically, the whole set has to die. But now, after Book Six and Lupin’s hopeful relationship with Tonks, and other things, I kind of think he might – I think he might be the one who’s spared.

Laura: And who do you think are the two people that are going to die in the place of the character who got the reprieve?

Brandon: I’ve been thinking about that one a lot lately, and I’m not entirely sure about one. I think, unfortunately, Hagrid probably has to go.

Laura: [in distress] Oooh.

[Micah laughs]

Brandon: I don’t want him to go, but I think he’s got to go. Just because that would be really sad, and that would kill everybody. But I don’t know about the other one. I’ve been really trying to think about who the other person could be.

Micah: See, when I heard…

Brandon: I’m hoping it’s not Neville, but it could be.

Micah: When I heard two, I immediately thought Fred and George.

Brandon: I don’t think so.

Laura: [gasps] Micah! No! Don’t say that!

Brandon: I think – I’m going to say all the Weasleys are safe. I really feel like all the Weasleys are safe.

Laura: Really?

Brandon: Yeah.

Laura: That’s interesting.

Brandon: I…

Laura: A lot of people think that Percy’s going to buy the farm.

Brandon: I don’t think Percy will… [laughs] Honestly, I don’t think Percy is important enough to die. I don’t really think anybody would care if Percy died, personally.

[Micah and Laura laugh]

Brandon: But… Plus, I think Percy still has to mend his fences with his family and, you know, I’m an optimist. I think all the Weasleys will remain unscathed, maybe a little grievously injured, but I think they’ll all live.

Laura: An optimist who thinks Harry is going to die.

[Everyone laughs]

Brandon: I think he’s got to. I think he has to.

Laura: All right, well, we’re running a little short on time here, so Brandon, thank you for joining us again. It is…

Brandon: No problem. Anytime.

Laura: …always a pleasure to have you.

Brandon: Thank you.

Laura: Now, listeners, don’t forget. If you or someone you know has an excellent editorial on MuggleNet, be sure to let us know. And for one final note, we’re working on expanding this segment by featuring other areas of the site and the lovely people who run them, so we will of course, be looking for listener feedback on that, because we love you guys so much, so please write in when you hear anything on that. And once again, Brandon Ford, “The Underground Lake.” Read it, or else.

[Brandon and Micah laugh]

Brandon: Thank you. Please do.

Laura: [laughs] All right. Bye, everyone.

Micah: Thanks.

Brandon: Bye. Thank you.


What’s Buggin’ Micah: Jo, Update Your Site!


Andrew: Okay, we’re back and now joined by Micah. He hopped off the editorial discussion and decided to join us.

Ben: I’m home now.

Andrew: Oh. [laughs]

Micah: Where were you before?

Ben: I was at school.

Jamie: Yeah, but Ben…

Andrew: In school.

Micah: Oh.

Jamie: Ben, don’t you get a free house with that library as well? [laughs]

Ben: Yeah. [laughs]

Andrew: Well, that’s the thing. The editorial segment – or, wait. When you got off like, twenty minutes ago. So, what’d you do, fly home?

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah.

Ben: I drove.

Andrew: Okay, anyway. [laughs] We have a new segment this week, because we’re all about new segments. Like, like pickle. Pickle. Pickle.

Jamie: We…

Andrew: Pickle.

Jamie: We like to keep up to date, don’t we?

Andrew: Yeah. So it’s a new segment, and it’s called, “What’s Buggin’ Micah?” [laughs]

Micah: [laughs] Did you – did you practice that?

Andrew: Boy, this is a rough start. Yes, actually.

Jamie: Can I do it?

Andrew: Yeah, go ahead.

Jamie: While all of you who hear Micah doing the news think that he’s a sort of laid back, calm individual who doesn’t ever get angry or doesn’t ever shout or get annoyed, he isn’t really. And if you listen to us recording, you’d hear the full force of Micah exploding.

Andrew: [sounds scared] Oooh. Gives me chills just thinking about it.

Jamie: It fills us with fear – yeah, it does. Just thinking about it, I’m going queasy and sort of, you know, jumping up and down. But, anyway, we thought that we would bring this sort of anger and use is productively, so we thought we’d try and show everyone exactly how Micah feels in this new segment.

Andrew: All right.

Jamie: So, Micah, explode.

[Andrew and Micah laugh]

Micah: All right. Well, being that this is the first segment, I’m going to make it short and sweet, but you’ll be able to figure out what it’s about soon enough. So, with that said… Jo, you need to update your site.

Andrew: Oooh.

Micah: “Why?” you ask? Because it’s been 120 days, which is roughly one-third of the calendar year since you last posted something.

[Ben laughs]

Micah: Wizard of the Month, birthday announcements – they don’t count.

[Ben laughs]

Micah: Yes, I realize you did come visit us in New York City, and it was great seeing you. We know you’re writing Book Seven, but we’re not asking for a lot. At least update the diary on the main page. I believe you’re supposed to write in a diary more than once every five months. I mean, Emerson has posted more than you lately, and that’s saying something.

[Andrew, Ben, and Jamie laugh]

Ben: Oh, my gosh.

Micah: Just to put it in perspective, here are some things that were happening on May 10th; the last time you updated:

MuggleCast was only 38 episodes old.

[Andrew gasps]

Jamie: That’s a long time away.

Micah: We were more than two months away from Las Vegas and New York City.

[Andrew pretends to cry]

Micah: Katie Couric was still the host of the Today Show.

[Everyone laughs]

Micah: Those students who are now freshman in college were still taking classes as seniors in high school.

[Andrew laughs]

Micah: Pluto was still a planet.

[Everyone laugh]

Micah: …and, and DumbledoreIsNotDead.com was actually a meaningful website. So please, Jo, update your site!

Jamie: That’s what’s bugging Micah. Although, Jo…

Ben: Well, I could totally see Jo posting on her website, “Because Micah Tannenbaum said so.”

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: How awesome would that be?

Jamie: Although, Ben, Ben, I’d just like to point out that Jo, if you’re listening, we are in no way affiliated with Micah Tannenbaum at all.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Or any of his news segments.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah. Or any of his feelings or angers at all. Personally, I think May is a great time to update and I think you should…

[Ben and Micah laugh]

Jamie: …live your life and don’t worry about a website. Seriously.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Micah, you da, god.

Andrew: Micah, that was very good.

Jamie: That was good.

Andrew: And we got – we like seeing this side of you because everyone sees the serious Micah Tannenbaum in the MuggleCast news center, but there’s never the real Micah. [laughs] Anyway, good work, Micah. [laughs] I… I… I concur, though. It has, it has been a while. It’s a shame, that’s all.

Micah: What’s been a while?

Andrew: An update to her site.

Ben: Duh!

Jamie: Yeah, it’s been – let’s phrase it properly. It would be rather pleasant to receive an update.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: But we in no way expect it.

Andrew: I do.

Jamie: Okay, I do too.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Jo, update your website. Come on, it’s been ages.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.


Dumbledore-Norris Facts


Andrew: Now time for some more fun with Dumbledore/Norris facts! Yay!

Jamie: Should we have a bad quote of the week, as well? [laughs] Like, you know, the worst one that’s been sent in?

Andrew: Sure.

Jamie: Okay, I just need to find it. This is a nice one from Dan, 12. “Dumbledore’s beard makes unicorn hair look dull.” [laughs]

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: “When Dumbledore’s eyes twinkle brightly behind his spectacles, you had better be glad that he’s wearing his glasses, otherwise the brightness of that twinkle would burn a hole right through you.” [laughs]

Jamie: I love these. I love… No, actually, even though Ben’s boring and says that they are – they are bad, the response that I’ve got about these has been fantastic so please keep sending them in.

Micah: You know, when I first saw that in the Writley – and I’m being serious – I thought that you were going to start talking about some relationship between Dumbledore and…

Ben: Mrs. Norris. [laughs]

Micah: …Mrs. Norris.

Jamie: “Azkaban has recently replaced the Dementors with cardboard cut-outs of Dumbledore.”

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: “A more effective way of guarding the prison.” [laughs] This is a good one, “In the seventh year of Hogwarts, Dumbledore was voted best dressed and most likely to be forgiven for performing an Unforgivable Curse.”

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Nice. Non-magic one of the week – “Dumbledore doesn’t need an iPod or any other device for playing music, he just thinks of the song he feels like listening to and it immediately starts playing in his head.” [laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] Speaking of beautiful and intelligent…

Jamie: What?

Andrew: …and popular…

Laura: Hello?

Jamie: Can I get to say this at some point?

Andrew: Yeah, Laura just entered. I wanted to introduce her properly.

Jamie: Oh!

Andrew: Hello.

Jamie: Hey, Laura.

Laura: Hi.

Jamie: Laura, did you know that Dumbledore is not really dead, but living with Tupac [pronounced “Two-pack”] and Elvis?

[Andrew and Ben laugh]

Laura: Really?

Micah: “Two-pack?”

Andrew: “Two-pack?”

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Tupac. What’s his name?

Jamie: Yeah. “Two-pack.” That’s it.

Micah: Well, I’ve never heard it as “Two-pack?”

Jamie: “When Dumbledore holds a Remembrall, it simply shatters because Dumbledore never forgets.”

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: That’s from Jennifer Rader, 18, from Texas. Thank you. Please keep sending them in. They’re fantastic. Send them to jamie at staff dot mugglenet dot com and, yeah. And we especially like original Dumbledore quotes that have some kind of magic thing related to them so to all the people who have gone to ChuckNorrisFacts.com, [laughs] copy them down and change the name to Dumbledore…which I admit I did do first of all. Try and get some original ones. They’re all fantastic. Thank you.


Gimme A Butterbeer: Harry Potter – The Satanic Art?


Andrew: Now, it is time for the return of Gimme A Butterbeer…

Laura: Yay!

Jamie: Dun dun dun.

Andrew: …with Ben Schoen.

Ben: It’s what everyone’s been waiting for, I’m pretty sure.

Jamie: Do you know what…

Andrew: Yeah, we’ve been waiting like, how…when…what was the last one? When was the last one?

Jamie: Four years. We should do a Gimme A Butterbeer.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: Andrew, Andrew.

Ben: Me?

Andrew: Yeah, we should do our own.

Jamie: Andrew. No, no.

Ben: It was the last time Jo updated her site.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: Ohhh. [laughs]

[Micah laughs]

Jamie: We should do a…

Andrew: What?

Jamie: We should do a Give Me a Butterbeer about Ben not doing Give Me a Butterbeer.

[Laura laugh]

Ben: Yeah, that’s a good one.

Andrew: Okay, I’ll be right back but Ben, you can do that.

Ben: This week, I’d like to take a look at Harry Potter: The satanic art. “Behind Harry Potter lies the signature of the king of darkness, the devil,” Pope Benedict XIV senior exorcist told Vatican Radio. According to the Daily Mail newspaper in London, he added that “the book attempts to make false distinction between black and white magic when, in fact, the distinction does not exist because magic is always a turn to the devil.” I know we’ve discussed this before, but for the last time, Harry Potter is not turning our youth into little witches and wizards. It’s a fictional story about a boy who happens to be a wizard and is attempting to save the world. It’s the equivalent of saying Superman must be demon-possessed because real people can’t fly.

What I’m getting sick and tired of is continually hearing the critics say the same thing over and over. To me it seems they can’t stand how insanely popular the book is, so they’re going to be so – so they’re going to be cynical and find a way to criticize. Unfortunately, they keep re-hashing the same message: Harry Potter is the devil. I think this is a very important conversation to have. When prominent religious figures continually condemn the books, it makes the average Christian Harry Potter fan feel guilty for reading the series because of its alleged connections with the occult. Please, if you’re going to criticize the books, at least make a legitimate attempt to understand what they are about.

Jamie: Or read them first.

Ben: I sincerely doubt the Pope’s exorcist has actually read the series, so it’s unfair for him to pass judgment. Perhaps if he actually cracked one of the books, he’d see it’s underlined moral teachings and realize that it’s not just a bunch of teenage witches and wizards dancing in a circle chanting voodoo. Hopefully, this is the last time I have to bring this topic up. I’m Ben Schoen and I say, Gimme A Butterbeer.

Laura: Well, I doubt it’s going to be…

Jamie: Pretty good, Benjamin, well done.

Laura: It will probably not be the last time you have to bring that topic up, but you do bring up several good points.

Jamie: The Pope’s going to turn around and say, “Well, if Ben Schoen doesn’t want us to say anything…”

Ben: Yeah.

[Ben and Laura laugh]

Jamie: “…we won’t say it. It’s fine.”

Ben: So, what do you guys think?

Jamie: I think you’re right, but do you know what? I don’t really care though. It’s like if the Pope’s senior exorcist wants to say it’s about devils and stuff, then that’s fine. He can think we’re going to hell for reading it.

[Laura and Ben laugh]

Jamie: I’m going to read it still and I’m sure that every other fan is still going to read it. But, I do agree that it can make people feel guilty for reading something they shouldn’t feel guilty about. Do you agree with that sentiment Laura? Or…

Laura: I do, I do agree with that sentiment.

Jamie: Oh, excellent.

Laura: It really irks me how people seem to think that they can go about judging the books without even reading them.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: It’s like that Laura Mallory, who doesn’t live to far from me, who claims – she seems to think that she doesn’t need to actually read the books before condemning them because she has four children and she doesn’t have enough time. Yet, she has so much time sitting around appealing to the state, which she is now. I think she’s getting another hearing here soon, so I’m probably going to go up there and argue.

Jamie: Good. Do it, do it.

Laura: I think it’s absolutely ridiculous and I think, Ben, you hit the nail on the head.

Micah: Try and refrain yourself from hitting her.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: But seriously, what right does she have to go and protest something? Separation of church and state definitely covers this.

Laura: Mhm.

Ben: You can’t say, “Because God said so, these books have to be banned from libraries.”

Jamie: No, you can’t say it, can you?

Ben: The interpretation of what God is…

Jamie: There’s just no ground there.

Ben: Based upon the person and the constitution protects your right to…

Laura: Exactly.

Ben: Freedom of religion, so it’s ridiculous for this woman to even say that.

Laura: Well, I think it’s important to remember, and I’m not meaning this to be insulting – in the least way at all, but freedom of religion is also freedom from it, and…

Jamie: It is.

Laura: …I think trying to base a public school system’s right to have what they want in the library on one person’s religious beliefs is absolutely ridiculous.

Micah: And I think, all you have to do is look at what took place at the beginning of August in New York City, in terms of it’s impact on literature with 6,000 people coming out each night to see, not just Jo, but two other authors and I think that that’s a statement to be made. The whole idea of it being a satanic cult – I really don’t like the comparisons that were made, in particular the two that Emerson mentioned in his post to these – 5to what was it? To Hitler and Stalin?

Jamie: Yeah. It’s just ridiculous.

Laura: Well, I…

Jamie: It’s just ridiculous.

Laura: We’re all perfect examples of what good Harry Potter can do. Think about how different our lives would be if it weren’t Harry.

Jamie: Oh yeah.

Laura: We wouldn’t be going on all these great trips, we wouldn’t be doing this show, we wouldn’t even know each other.

Jamie: I know. How ridiculous do you think it is? jamie at staff dot mugglenet dot com. Tell me how ridiculous…

[Ben, Laura, and Micah laugh]

Jamie: Exactly how ridiculous do you think it is.

Ben: The bottom line is that it’s a book. It’s not preaching to you, it’s not trying to convert…

Jamie: Exactly.

Ben: …you to a belief system. It’s just a story. That’s all it is. There are many stories out there that involve witchcraft, but…

Jamie: Exactly.

Ben: …it doesn’t mean they are all trying to convert to Wiccans.

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: Wicca, whatever you want to call it.

Laura: And kids are reading now. They’re not letting their brains rot in front of the television as much anymore. That is one thing to be so thankful for. Anything that gets kids reading.

Ben: I don’t think anything that’s encouraging child literacy is going to be spawning from the devil.

[Andrew, Ben, and Laura laugh]

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: You go to hell if you read books, but if you play video games, you’re all right.

Ben: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: It just makes no sense.

Ben: Well, once again, if you have an idea for this segment, please email ben at staff dot mugglenet dot com. Or go to the MuggleCast.com website and select Ben from the contact page. Thanks! Also, give me feedback on this. Tell me what you think.


Andrew’s HUH?! E-mail of the Week


Andrew: It’s time for Andrew’s… [makes “me, me, me, me, me, me, me” throat clearing sound] It’s time for Andrew’s Huh?!, Huh?!, Huh?!…

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: …E-mail of the Week.

Jamie: That was easy.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: It usually takes a couple of tries to get my voice in a groove.

Jamie: Yeah, you’ve got to tune it up.

Andrew: Actually, this isn’t an e-mail. This is HUH?! MuggleNet comment board of the week entry, thing.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: So, we posted about MuggleCast 54, which I incorrectly called 55 last week.

Laura: Good job!

Andrew: My bad!

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: And, you know, we like reading the comments. We like seeing the feedback, and there’s this one comment that kind of, you know, we get these every once in a while, and it really grinds my gear…

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: Gears. It reads, “I’d just like to mention that I used to watch this.”

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Okay, first of all, you don’t watch it, you listen to it.

Eric: First mistake! [laughs]

Andrew: Second sentence: “It was good,” no comma, “though the descussions…”

Jamie: Descussions?

Andrew: Spelled D – E – S… Yeah, it’s like, “descussions.”

[continues reading] “…did start to go downhill.”

All right. Your opinion.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: “What actually made me quit watching it,” – once again, you’re not watching, you’re listening – “was the large amount of spyware that latched itself onto my computer when I was downloading the episodes.”

Oooo!

Ben: Yep. You heard it here. We… [laughs]

Andrew: “The computer guy said it was very hard to get rid of – get rid of, and some of them still remain because they will not detach. We may have to get a new computer. Thanks, MuggleCast.”

First of all, you’re welcome.

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: Second of all, we don’t attach any spyware…

Ben: Spyware? We don’t even know how to do that. How would you do that?

Jamie: Andrew, Andrew don’t lie.

Ben: How can you attach spyware to an mp3 file?

Jamie: No, no…

Ben: How can you do that?

Jamie: No, Ben, don’t lie. I think we should come clear.

Ben: [impersonating Kevin] We have Kevin do it each week?

Jamie: We have a special deal worked out with…

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: No, no. We have a special deal worked out with Dell, whereas we screw up everyone’s computer, then they buy a new one from Dell…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: Then we get a 20% annual profit.

Andrew: Yeah! [laughs]

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: Enter code MuggleCast…

Jamie: Pretty, pretty awesome, really.

Micah: Who sent this to you? What’s their name?

Andrew: It was on the comment board.

Micah: Oh.

Andrew: But I just want to point out that, of course, we don’t attach anything to the audio files. That’s just silly, and we would never try to. We don’t even know how. And they’re just audio files. It’s like downloading music. That’s all.


Jamie’s British Joke of the Day


Andrew: Jamie!

Jamie: Yes.

Andrew: British Joke of the Day!

Jamie: I’ve got one.

Andrew: Oh!

Jamie: Okay.

Andrew: That’s a joke in itself.

Jamie: Didn’t know that… Eh! All right. There’s this guy, and he goes skydiving for the first time ever, okay? After he jumps out of the plane, he counts to ten, as you do, pulls the cord, and absolutely nothing happens. So, he’s getting a little bit worried by now, and he pulls the cord for the auxiliary parachute, but, unfortunately, again, the parachute doesn’t appear at all [laughs]. So, he’s falling down, you know, reaching terminal velocity, and he’s plummeting toward the earth, and he sees this woman coming up completely the other way, and he shouts to her, “Hey! Do you know anything about parachutes?” And she quickly replies, “No. Do you know anything about gas stoves?”

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Oh, that bombed.

Jamie: Oh, god, that was funny.


Ben’s Not So British Joke of the Day


Jamie: Okay, Ben, you tell yours.

Ben: My joke?

Jamie: Would you like me to tell it?

Ben: I’ll tell it. So, guys. Why did the ghost of the chicken cross the road?

Andrew: Why?

Ben: To get to the other [in scary voice] siiiiiiiiiide!

Jamie: That is pretty good, that one, Ben.

Ben: I love that joke!

Jamie: That is pretty good. I’m very impressed.

Ben: I love that joke.

Jamie: I’m laughing so much.

Ben: [laughs] You did a little bit ago when I told it to you.

[Andrew, Jamie, and Laura laugh]

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, I did the first time he said it, but we still only laughed minorly at first.


Chicken Soup: Back-To-School Edition


Andrew: Now, to wrap up the show this week, Chicken Soup: [excitedly] Back-To-School Edition! [sings] Da da da da da da… What’s the Saved by the Bell music?

Ben: [sings] I’m saved by the bell! Itttttttt’s all right, ’cause I’m saved by the bell! [laughs]

[Micah laughs]

Andrew: Phillip Defibaugh [stumbles several times through last name]

Micah: Defibaugh?

Andrew: Defibwaah? Waaah! 15, from Orange County, California, writes about his back-to-school MuggleCast experience:

“I just wanted to say I love listening to the show and that you actually helped me in school. Let me explain. I am really out of shape.”

Oh, okay.

“And at my school in my PE class we have to run a mile every week. I never scored very well. One day, my PE teacher said we could listen to our iPods while we ran the mile.”

Good idea!

“I had just started to run when I noticed I had clicked on MuggleCast. For once, I was actually laughing while I ran the mile.”

Ben: I’m sure that helps him run faster.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Yeah, I was just going to say! That’s a little flawed! But anyway…

“A little while later, my PE teacher had stopped me. I had run two extra laps without noticing it! My teacher decided to give me extra credit, bringing my C to a B in the class. Thank you MuggleCast!”

Jamie: [laughs] Funny.

Andrew: How do you get a C in gym?

Ben: Because you can’t run a mile.

Laura: Hey, I know people who have done it. [laughs] We have our…

Andrew: “PS: Jamie…”

Laura: Sorry!

Andrew: Oh, go ahead Laura. Sorry.

Laura: Oh, no, I was just going to say that our final in gym was we had to run for 30 minutes, and if we didn’t do it…

Andrew: What?!?

Laura: [laughs] We got a C in the class, yeah.

Ben: Hey, do you realize that in thirty minutes, you can run for like four miles?

Laura: Mhm.

Ben: Yeah. That’s ridiculous!

Andrew: That’s a lot.

Ben: That’s… [laughs]

Andrew: And at the bottom, it says:

“PS: Jamie, you’re my favorite MuggleCaster.”

Awww!

Ben: Well, this person is definitely off their rocker, then!

[Micah, Jamie, and Laura laugh]

Jamie: Do you know what we should do? The most sort of – I can’t remember the word. What’s the word that sort of psyches you up and makes you do something?

Andrew: Pump iron?

Ben: Pump you?

Jamie: Sort of inspiring song is always, Eye of the Tiger, by Survivor.

Andrew: [sings beginning of Eye of the Tiger] Buh! Buh buh buh! Buh buh buh!

Jamie: We should play that every single week, just to kind of, like, inspire people who could be doing things right now when they are listening to the show.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: It will help gym students everywhere.


More Chicken Soup: Back-To-School Edition


Andrew: Well, here’s another. I like these kind of re – not rebuttals, Chicken Soups. This one comes from Briana, 16, of Virginia Beach, Virginia. And she says:

“Hey, MuggleCasters! Tomorrow, I start my senior year of high school. I’ve been dreading it all summer, but MuggleCast helped me realize there was nothing to worry about tonight in the form of a supermarket phenomenon. There I was, in the refrigerated section of the supermarket in my MuggleCast shirt…”

Of course! Everyone wears their MuggleCast t-shirts out everywhere. [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: “…holding a jar of pickles for my lunch.”

Okay. I’m not sure why she has pickles for lunch, but…

“I laughed silently, reminded of the most recent episode (which was hilarious, by the way). Then, it happened.”

Ben, cue it up, please!

Ben: [sings beginning of Eye of the Tiger] Buh! Buh buh buh! Buh buh buh!

Andrew: No!

Jamie: Come on, Ben!

Ben: [singing City of Blinding Lights] Ooooooooo…

Andrew: [singing City of Blinding Lights] Ooooooooo…

Andrew: Can’t do it now. But…

[Ben sings throughout]

Andrew: “‘City of Blinding Lights’ came on the speakers of the supermarket. I swear, that moment was the culmination of my favorite MuggleCast allusions. I had a pickle jar in my hand…”

[Jamie and Laura laugh]

Andrew: ” …U2 in my ears, and the podcasters on my… well, chest. [laughs] I started to laugh even louder. Now that I think of it, I must have looked so ridiculous as I attempted to sing the “Ooohs” while laughing hysterically.”

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: Wonderful!

“With the help of MuggleCast, U2, and pickles, I was able to have one last moment of blissful stupidity before I head off to school tomorrow morning. So, thank you, guys, for being for being funny and utterly random every week. It made my summer.”

Pickles, pickles, pickles, pickles…

Ben: Stop!

Jamie: And U2. And U2.

Andrew: …pickles, pickles…

Ben: Stop with the pickles!

Andrew: …pickles, pickles, pickles, pickles, pickles, pickles, pickles, pickles…

Ben: Hey, I have a little challenge.

Micah: Oh, the transcribers are going to love that.

[Transcriber’s note: Word!]

Jamie: Yeah. [laughs]

Ben: I absolutely love that. Lately…


Ben’s Random Challenge


Ben: I want to hold a challenge for the listeners.

Andrew: Pickles.

Ben: Lately, I’ve …

Jamie: Ben, I do the random challenges!

Ben: No, no; we both do. No, hold on, hold on. Lately…

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Ben: Lately, I’ve been on this little Elton John kick.

Jamie: I’m fed up with him copying me!

Andrew: No!

Ben: And Dumbledore is now dead; JK Rowling confirmed it. And so, I would like for you to write a parody to Elton John’s Candle in the Wind, for Albus Dumbledore.

Laura: Oh, geez. [laughs]

Andrew: I think that’s dumb.

Ben: No, please do it.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: Winner gets a t-shirt. [laughs]

Andrew: Ohhh!

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew: Okay, I just want to close the show off by reminding everyone that we now have a low bandwidth version of the show – we’ve had that for a few weeks – but we also have a feed now, so you can subscribe to it within iTunes. Just go to MuggleCast.com and there’s an iTunes link. This version of the show is much easier for those on dialup to download the show. It sounds like this… [says in a mock static voice]

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: Crumby quality, but not really crumby, but not – it’s still…

Ben: Grainy?

Andrew: What am I saying [laughs] It’s… Yeah. The quality’s decreased, but you can still hear just fine. So, go to MuggleCast.com.


PO Box Update


Andrew: So, that wraps up MuggleCast Episode 55. If you would like to contact us, you can send PO box parcel mail to…

Ben:

PO Box 223
Moundridge, Kansas 67017.

Oh, by the way…

Jamie: Don’t forget to send your stuff 15 years in advance.

Ben: A minor PO box update. A minor PO Box update. This past week I received four boxes of Lucky Charms for Jamie…

Jamie: Yay.

Andrew: Whoa!

Laura: Jesus.

Ben: Four boxes of Lucky Charms.

Jamie: Thank you, thank you.

Ben: Two of them come from Sam and Ashley. I have no idea where they’re from, but here’s what they say:

“Jamie you are awesome, and my favorite MuggleCaster.”

Enough of that [censored]

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Hey, Andrew, put that in, but just bleep it out. That was funny.

Ben: The other set of goodies come from Madeline – it says on the front – Madeline Welsh…

Jamie: Oh, that’s a nice name.

Ben: Madeline Welsh from Orlando, Florida. Hey, Madeline, we might be there around New Year’s, so we’ll swing by.

[Jamie laughs]


Show Close


Andrew [Show Close with music in background]: You can also, call in a voice mail question or comment to 1-218-20-MAGIC. In the United Kingdom, 020-8144-0677, and in Australia 02-8003-5668. You can also Skype the user name MuggleCast to leave a voice mail, question, comment, whatever you want. Just Skype the user name MuggleCast. Did I already say that? Leave your message user… Keep your message under thirty seconds and no background noise. We’ve also got a Feedback Forum on MuggleCast.com. Don’t forget the Frappr map. Add your pictures; I know – I’m confident you’re all a good-looking bunch. Vote for us on Podcast Alley and all that good stuff. Once again I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: I’m Elton John.

Jamie: I’m Cascada.

[Andrew laughs]

Micah: I’m Billy Joel.

Laura: And I’m Laura Thompson.

Andrew: We’ll see everyone next week for Episode 56.


Bloopers


[A school bell rings]

Ben: Uh oh! There goes the bell. There goes the bell, we’re going to the hall.

Andrew: What’s this mean? What?

Ben: What?

Andrew: Where are we going?

Ben: The bell just rang.

Andrew: No, I want to sit here!

Ben: We’re going to the hallway.

Andrew: Nooo!

Ben: No, we’re going to the hall.

Andrew: Oh, okay.

Ben: We’re going to the hall. I may have to leave after this, guys. I don’t know. Moundridge High School.

Jamie: Hey.

Andrew: Oh, come on.

Jamie: Hey Andrew?

Ben: Yeah, I’m recording a podcast right now.

[Students chatter in the background]

Jamie: Andrew.

Eric: Moundridge, Kansas.

Jamie: Andrew, keep that stuff in the show about us arguing about the thing that wasn’t funny. The arguing was funnier than the actual thing.

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: I was going to anyway.

Jamie: Oh, okay.

Andrew: So, we’re going through Moundridge High School hall.

Ben: Hey, Ryan Flood. Ryan Flood. You’re on MuggleCast. Say, “Hi.”

[Andrew laughs]

Student: Harry Potter’s awesome!

Ben: You’re on MuggleCast, Say, “Hi.”

Student: Hey [censored]!

Andrew: All right.

Student: Snape [censored] Draco.

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: Whoa! [laughs] Okay!

Student: Snape [censored] Dumbledore.

Eric: Muggle…

Student: Yo! MuggleCast live!

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: [laughs] Yeah. Say, “Hi,” Chad.

Student: You’re not [censored].

Ben: Yeah I am! Right now. Swear to god.

Student: [jokingly] Where’s Emerson?! Emerson! I want to [censored] Emerson! Oh, Emerson!

[Ben laughs]

Eric: Ben’s…

Student: Emerson I love you, Emerson!

Jamie: I think he just punched him in the face.

Student: What’s that other guy’s name?

Andrew: Oh okay. [laughs]

Eric: Oh my god! Some of this stuff is not getting in.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: Shat?

Student: Are they talking to you?

Ben: Yeah, right now.

Student: What are they saying?

Student: See, Emerson, I love you!

Eric: Moundridge High School: Uncensored.

Student: Ben Schoen, let me see that laptop.

Ben: No! Get away!

Student: I just want to look at it.

Ben: Look with your eyes.

Student: I’m not even going to touch it.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: This is ridiculous.

Student: Hey, come here Ben.

Ben: What?

Jamie: Get some girls on, Ben. They wouldn’t swear.

Andrew: Huh?

Student: Let me hear what they’re saying right now.

Jamie: Ben?

Ben: Yeah?

Jamie: Get some girls on. They won’t swear.

Student: Oh, this guy’s British.

Ben: Yeah, he’s British.

Eric: Ben doesn’t get any girls.

Student: Ben gets a lot of girls, man.

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: Gets what?

Student: He gets a lot of girls, man. It’s insane.

Andrew: I don’t believe that.

Jamie: I don’t know.

Student: Oh, no, no. The guy is loaded with chicks.

[Ben laughs]

Eric: Girls named Henry, right?

Student: Henry, yeah.

[Ben and Student laugh]

Eric: [laughs] And Patrick, Patrick.

Ben: Patrick.

Andrew: Hmmm, well.

Ben: This is not good. I’m losing signal.

Andrew: This is quite a segment, yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: This is best segment I’ve ever heard. Damn exciting.

Ben: Hey, Waynes. Wayne you’re on MuggleCast. Wayne, you’re on MuggleCast. Say, “Hi.”

Student: Hi.

Ben: Say, “Harry Potter rules.”

Wayne: Harry Potter is [censored].

Andrew: Everyone automatically knows what MuggleCast is at the school. [laughs]

Eric: It’s just the sad truth, Andrew.

Jamie: That’s because Andrew boasts about it every single… Sorry, that’s because Ben boasts about it every single day. He’s like, “So, Ben, are you coming out tonight?” “No, I’m recording MuggleCast and doing my work on the biggest Harry Potter site in the world.”

Eric: Yeah, the average person is under the impression that he spends five hours every day recording MuggleCast.

Jamie: Yeah. We do, don’t we? You know? That’s no lie.

Eric: Oh, absolutely.

Jamie: Five hours a day.

Eric: Yes. The unseen footage is…

Ben: Hey, can you guys hear me? Not you.

Jamie: No.

Eric: What?

Ben: I think I’m going to have to go now.

Eric: Get a girl on, man.

Ben: Hey Natalie. Natalie, come here.

Eric: What do Kansan girls sound like?

Ben: Come on, just say, “Hi.”

Natalie: Hello?

Andrew: It’s so stressful, isn’t it, Natalie? Yeah.

Eric: [laughs] Yeah. Shy.

Ben: Say, “Hi.”

Jamie: Yeah. It’s pretty tough, I must admit.

Ben: Say “Hi, Jamie.”

Natalie: Hi Jamie.

Jamie: Hey.

Eric: Say hi to me!

Ben: That’s Eric.

Natalie: I did!

Natalie: Oh, hi Eric.

Jamie: Say hi to me, is that?

Ben: Hi to you? [laughs]

Eric: Hi! Hi Natalie. How are you?

Natalie: I’m good. How are you?

Eric: I’m going great. So, listen, how is Ben in school? Do you know Ben?

Jamie: Yeah.

Natalie: I do know Ben.

Andrew: Did you ever go to a dance with Ben? Did you ever see him at a dance?

Natalie: No.

Jamie: Is he…

Natalie: Well, I’ve seen him at dances, but I don’t go with him.

Jamie: Is he a…

Andrew: Is he a wallflower? Tell me, are the rumors true?

[Ben laughs]

Natalie: Are the rumors true of what?

Andrew: Is he a wallflower?

Eric: Is Ben a wallflower?

Natalie: A wallflower?

Jamie: Does he just stand by the wall and just do that all evening and look depressed?

Natalie: No, no, he dances.

Jamie: Or does he get up on to the…

Andrew: He dances? Oh, gee.

Jamie: Oh. Is he as much of a player as we’ve heard? They told us…

Eric: Does Ben’s milkshake bring all the boys to the yard?

[Ben and Natalie laugh]

Natalie: Yeah. All the boys. Definitely. Mhm.

Jamie: But, no girls?

Eric: Any girls?

Natalie: Of course. [laughs]

Ben: Okay, guys. Are you still there?

[Natalie laughs in background]

Eric: Well, we appreciate talking to you.

Jamie: No, we’ve gone in the one second.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Ben: [laughs] Shut up.

Eric: Thank you, Natalie.

Ben: See yeah, that’s, that’s Moundridge High School for you.

Andrew: The one girl.

Jamie: [laughs] Andrew, put that in. Put that in. That was actually really quite funny, I must admit.

———————–

Written by: Micah, Adrienne, Allison, Ally, Amanda, Eloise, Jessica, Judy, Mandie, Margaret, Martina, Matthew, Megan, Roni, Shannon and Shelly

Transcript #54

MuggleCast 54 Transcript


Show Intro


Andrew [Show Intro with music in background]: Because quantum theory has too much to theorize – thank you Alice, 28, of Ohio – this is MuggleCast Episode 55 [he means 54] for September 3rd, 2006.

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Hello, Potter pickles! [laughs] Welcome back to…

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: …the show. I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: I am Ben Schoen.

Jamie: I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull. [at the same time as Jamie]

Laura: And I’m Laura Thompson.

Eric: Jamie, Jamie, Jamie, Jamie.

Andrew: And this is the show where we bring you the latest in Harry Potter news, theories, discussions, umm…

Jamie: And some other stuff as well.

Andrew: Plumpy pickles, and much more. [laughs]

Jamie: [laughs] Plumpy?

Andrew: But before we go anywhere else, a tasty pickle by the name of Micah Tannenbaum is over at the MuggleCast news center with the latest Harry Potter news stories.

Jamie: What’s up, tasty Micah?


News


Micah: Daniel Radcliffe recently announced that he will commence filming for a new ITV drama, My Boy Jack, in the summer of 2007. The show is based on a true story of Rudyard Kipling and his son Jack, who was killed in World War I.

At the Emmy Awards, David Yates-directed film The Girl in the Café won the “Made for TV Movie” award. The movie’s producers announced that David couldn’t attend the ceremony due to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix filming commitments.

Three movie release dates that I mentioned last week have all now been confirmed by Warner Bros. You can always keep up with the latest Order of the Phoenix release dates in our movies section.

Those three release dates included Belgium on July 11th, Denmark on July13th, and Poland on July 20th.

Additionally, Warner Brothers confirmed to us that the fifth Harry Potter movie will be released next year in the Czech and Slovak Republic on July 19th, and in Sweden on July 13th.

We also posted a few new set pictures from the film over on MuggleNet.com.

RupertGrint.net, MuggleNet’s official Rupert fansite, has posted their exclusive interview with the actor who plays Ron Weasley in the Potter films. In it, he talks with site owners Claire and Kelle about everything from his favorite movies to Book Seven theories, and says there will be no Quidditch in Order of the Phoenix.

The Ron Weasley actor will make an appearance on radio talk show hostEdith Bowman’s program this Thursday, September 7 between 1 and 4 PM GMT. Listeners can submit questions, which will be posed to him on air.

Emma Watson has been nominated for a Relly award in the category of Best Junior Achiever by Live with Regis and Kelly. Don’t forget to vote for her, and the winners will be announced on September 22nd.

Finally, as we head out to the 2006 Podcast Awards, the next live Leaky Mug, will be held on September 28th, at Borders in Westwood, located at 1360 Westwood Blvd. in Los Angeles, California. It will start sharply at 7 PM Pacific Time, and we hope to see you there.

That’s all the news for this September 3rd, 2006, edition of MuggleCast. Back to the show.

Andrew: Okay, thank you Micah.


Jamie’s Contest


Jamie: Eric, complete this sentence for me, okay: “Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate.” Come on, Eric, you should know this.

Eric: Oh, something about vivacious…

Jamie: Not bad! “This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished; a vital voice once venerated, now vilified.”

Eric: Jamie?

Ben: That’s not even funny.

Jamie: “However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation now stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin…” Actually, the only reason I’m doing this, Ben, is because I wanted to announce a competition, and normally I have waited until once we got into the show. I was so excited about this, I thought, “I have to do this now!” Okay. We want a MuggleCast version of the speech from V for Vendetta. So – and you win a free t-shirt, a very nice t-shirt. And they’re especially limited edition now, because we’re going to have new designs coming out, so please get them while you can.

Eric: Jamie?

Jamie: Yes, Eric?

Eric: What is it with these run-on sentences? You must like grammar. I mean, yes – last episode, you wanted them to do DADA, a sentence of entirely DADA.

Jamie: No, no! I just love sentences.

Eric: Don’t get me wrong, V for Vendetta is a wonderful movie.

Jamie: It is good. You’re right.

Eric: I loved it. It’s excellent. It’s like the – that was brilliant, by the way, too. But I don’t know. How – what does this have to do with a t-shirt?

Jamie: It doesn’t have anything to do with the t-shirt. It’s just a – we want a MuggleCast version of it, like, for example, Muggles. I don’t know. “Majestically moving montage of Muggle…”

Eric: Of mundane!

Jamie: I don’t know – of mundane, yeah. Mundane Marry Potter news.

Ben: Marry Potter news?

Jamie: Yeah, I don’t know. [laughs]

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: Something all – it has to be something that actually makes sense, but yeah. Send them in to jamie at staff dot mugglenet dot com.

Eric: I must say, you have the most compelling challenges ever. I really like them.

Jamie: Well, that’s extremely kind, Eric. Thank you.

Andrew: What about last week’s contest?

Ben: The California one? Or – no. Crap.

Jamie: What last week’s contest?

Andrew: Well, no, that too. But the DADA.

Jamie: Oh yeah! No see, I didn’t think at the time, because that was – I saw something on TV about one word which you could say five times, no, no, sort of like eight times and if you insert proper grammar, it makes a sentence, and I was somehow under the impression that you could do this with DADA. But apparently you can’t, so I got, like, four hundred emails of just DADADA 900 times, and I wouldn’t have called them sentences.

Andrew: Did you see the one that I forwarded you?

Jamie: No, I don’t think so. Why, was it an actual sentence?

Andrew: Yeah. I think so.

Jamie: Oh.

Andrew: I didn’t really read it. [laughs]

Jamie: Do you still have it?

Andrew: I forwarded it to you!

Jamie: Ohhh!

Andrew: Check your G-mail.

Jamie: Check my G-mail, okay then. I’ll check my G-mail. But, yeah. Please send your new versions of the speech from V – mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com, or jamie at staff dot mugglenet dot com.

Andrew: Sounds good. I also wanted to start a new segment this week. I don’t know how long it’s going to last, based on, like, the physical…

Eric: You and your new segments.

Jamie: Geography?

[Phone rings in background]

Andrew: But, I want to just – what is that?

Ben: A telephone.

Eric: Don’t worry about it. I’ll mute myself.

Laura: It’s someone’s phone.

Andrew: Oh. I got excited. I thought it was Jamie’s phone [laughs] making a reappearance.

Jamie: Oh no, I know. It hasn’t.

Andrew: After fifty shows. [laughs]

Jamie: It’s very shy. It’s extremely shy.

[Andrew still laughing]

Jamie: I’ve been trying to convince it to come out at some point.


Jamie’s Back Update


Andrew: [laughs] Jamie, we want to start a new segment this week called “Jamie’s Back Update.”

Jamie: Oh.

Andrew: Because people are concerned about your back and I thought maybe we could just…

Ben: Actually, he was faking it all along.

Jamie: Yeah, I was, yeah. I’m sorry. [laughs]

Andrew: Oh!

Jamie: No, it is getting a lot, lot better and I’m hoping to be able to move soon. No, no, no.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: It is getting a lot, lot better. I’ve just been doing absolutely nothing and it’s getting better and hopefully in like a few days it’s going to be completely back to normal. But, I’m not going to lift any bins filled of water – I’m sorry, trash cans filled with water…

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: …for a while, I must admit. Thank you very much for everyone’s e-mails saying “please get better.” I am, thank you very much. And actually I just found…

Andrew: There’s some announce…

Jamie: I’m sorry, can I say…

Andrew: Yeah.


DADA Contest Winner


Jamie: I just found that e-mail about the DADA DA.

Andrew: Oh.

Jamie: It is a very long email with about one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve… [mumbles numbers] About twenty-four DADA. So that prize goes to Jacqueline, 15, from Staten Island…

Andrew: So, did you want to read it?

Jamie: Well, it’s quite long, it is…

Andrew: Oh, okay.

Jamie: Well, I can do a quick one. Okay, one, two, three, go.

[Jamie recites DADA winning e-mail really fast]

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Is that for real?

Eric: He is really good at that.

[Jamie continues reciting DADA winning e-mail really fast]

Eric: He’s still going?

[Jamie continues reciting DADA winning e-mail]

Jamie: The end! Total DA’s thirty-five.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Thank you.

Andrew: What just happened? That was completely unedited, folks.

Ben: Yeah, that’s…

Andrew: Good job, Jamie. Wow.

Jamie: Thank you.

Ben: Actually, I’m sure I could beat that.

Andrew: Well…

Jamie: Ben, you couldn’t beat it if you’d taken classes in reading long DADA sentences, okay.

Ben: No, no. In debate we – there’s speed debating.

Jamie: Oh, is there?

Ben: Where we talk about that fast.


Announcements


Andrew: We have some [laughs] announcements this week. Don’t forget to purchase your MuggleCast t-shirt. The new designs are on the way – we should roll them out within the next couple weeks and by couple, I possibly mean few.

Jamie: Eighteen.

Andrew: Yeah. Don’t forget to vote for us on Podcast Alley and of course Leaky Mug…

Ben: Wait a second, wait a second.

Andrew: What?

Ben: More on Podcast Alley – please, please vote for us on Podcast Alley. We’re tired of losing to PotterCast. There, I said it. The “P” word.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Vote for us on Podcast Alley, put us over the top for the month. We haven’t won in a while, so help us out.

Andrew: Ummm, the only “P” word we are allowed to say on this show is “pickles.”

Ben: Pickles.

Andrew: No, no…

Ben: MuggleCast 54 – Pickles.

Jamie: Pickles.

Andrew: Pickles.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: No, plumb-pickers pickles…

Andrew: Pickles.

Eric: Plumb…

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Plumpy pickles.

Andrew: It’s a fun word. Pickles. Everyone say, “pickles.”

Ben: Pickles.

Jamie: Pickles.

Eric: Pickles.

Andrew: Pickles.

Laura: Pickles.

Eric: [in a high-pitched voice] Pickles.

Andrew: Pickles. [Laughs]

Eric: Tommy Pickles?

Andrew: [still laughing] Okay – California. Leaky Mug live in California September 28, 7:00 PM at the Borders in Westwood.

Jamie: Be there.

Andrew: In Las Vegas. [laughs] No, not Las Vegas, Los Angeles.

Ben: Sorry, we’re still in Vegas.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: We are.

Ben: I left my soul in Vegas; my heart in New York City.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs] Are you going to do the lyrics thing, Ben?

Ben: The lyrics – about the lyrics. To be honest with you, I’ve been really forgetful lately. I have a bunch of them in my inbox. I’ll sort them out and when Andrew posts the show, we’ll post the winner.

Jamie: Can I summarize what Ben’s saying here, please?

Eric: Since – yeah. Go ahead.

Jamie: I think what he’s saying is that he opens up his G-mail and it says “410 unread messages.” They’re all in black, so you know, he hasn’t read them and he thinks, “I’m going to bed.”

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: I’m going to bed, yeah.

Eric: Yeah, that’s pretty much… Yeah.

Jamie: That’s about it, though.


PO Box Update


Andrew: And Ben, you got a P.O. Box update for us this week?

Ben: This is the best P.O. Box update of all P.O. Box updates.

Jamie: Yeah. It’s the only one you’ve done.

Ben: I know.

Jamie: Sorry. [laughs]

Ben: Firstly – this is going to be weekly from now on or, bi-weekly. Depends on how much stuff we get sent. So, then you should send something in. The first thing I’d like to mention is our featured PO Box Item of the Week. Someone by the name of Sarah Fyack from New Jersey – Andrew’s native state – sent in a drawing of the MuggleCasters with the featured slogan, “I don’t need friends, I’ve got MuggleCast.”

Andrew: Awww.

Jamie: Awww.

Eric: Awww.

Laura: Awww.

Ben: Yeah, it is very – it is a really awesome picture, and to be quite honest, Jamie and I both look so hot, it’s ridiculous.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: It’s like she put a hot filter on us.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: And, yeah. So, I’ll post this – I’ll take a picture of it or scan it or something and we’ll put it in the Show Notes.

Andrew: Yay.

Ben: With ten banner ads around it.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: No, I’m just kidding. The other items that were sent in during this past week: Angeline Kokami and Holly Gart from Canada sent in custom bookmarks for each of the MuggleCasters. Hopefully I’ll send those out soon.

Eric: Awww.

Laura: Awww. Thanks you guys!

Ben: Emily from Washington – Redmond actually, which is where Microsoft was founded, anyways – sent in a wonderful account of a dream in which I made an appearance.

[Eric laughs]

Ben: And Emily, I agree, we are meant for each other. Chelsea from Pennsylvania sent in a Subway gift card. Mary, my fellow Kansan, sent five one-dollar bills for my birthday. Hannah, my number-one fangirl sent in sequins in a card, which I opened and scattered all over my laptop…

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: …and it took me about twenty minutes getting it out of the keys. Thanks Hannah. [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: And, of course, other letters from Amelia from Canada; Katie from Maine; Lauren from California, who’s very excited about the live podcast; Tracy from Oklahoma, who’s enjoying the heat; Kevin from California; Liz Jah from California for an extremely generous Subway gift card. So, thanks a ton for that. Finally, Jacklyn from Staten Island, the one who won the DADA thing a minute ago – she thought she’d be funny and send Christmas cards already.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: But, but, something that’s worth pointing out – there’s only Christmas cards here for Laura, Andrew, Kevin, and Eric. So, looks like Jamie, Micah and myself got the shaft.

Laura, Jamie, and

Andrew:

Awww!

Eric: Just cut Eric’s in half, and we’ll…

Ben: [laughs] Yeah, and we’ll split it. Also, thanks to Kyle from New York for the birthday package that he sent me, and to Elizabeth for sending Laura a scarf. I’ll get that out to her as soon as possible.

Laura: Awww! Thank you, Elizabeth!

Ben: So, send us anything, absolutely everything, anything you have. So, something you send may end up as our featured item of the week. So, there’s your incentive. Send something…

Andrew: [laughs] Featured item of the week.

Jamie: We’re the new eBay. We’re the new eBay. Instead of sticking stuff on eBay, just send it to us.

Andrew: We’re selling Laura’s scarf. Bidding starts at five bucks. [laughs]

Laura: No, I want my scarf. That’s mine!

Andrew: [laughs] Just kidding.

Andrew: Pickles. Pickles. Pickles.

Eric: Pickles.

Jamie: Pikles.

Andrew: Pickles. Pickles. [in a nerdy voice] Pickles. [laughs]

Ben: So, that wraps up…

Andrew [laughs]: We’re wasting everyone’s time.

Ben: Remember guys – hey remember, everybody – that is:

MuggleCast
PO Box 223
Moundridge, Kansas67107

So, there you have it. There you have it.

Andrew: Pickles. Send your pickles to the PO Box. [laughs]

[Laura laughs]

Ben: If anyone sends pickles, I swear I will flip out, because I hate pickles. Pickles are so gross. I’d rather…

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: You just asked for it. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, Ben, that’s like saying “Oh, no. Please don’t send me $1,000,000. I really don’t want it, Ben”


Listener Rebuttal – Aberforth


Andrew: Listener Rebuttals this week. [laughs] Finally. Erica, 15 from California. She writes:

“Hi, MuggleCasters. I’m just writing in because Eric asked whether Aberforth was acting dumb or if he really was…”

Jamie: Dumb. [laughs]

Andrew: Once again, people aren’t proof-reading.

“I’d like to point out that in Goblet of Fire, pg. 442, US edition, Dumbledore said that when Aberforth got arrested for charming a goat, and it was all in the papers, ‘He held his head high and went about his business as usual. Of course, I’m not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery.'”

Laura: It doesn’t mean he’s stupid.

Eric: He’s not trying to say that he’s dumb.

Eric: No, you just need to…

Eric: He’s stupid, just not dumb.

Eric: Take a look at Episode 53, go about 22:10 in, and I clearly take into account the fact that Dumbledore didn’t know if he could read or not.

Andrew: Okay.

Eric: Okay.


Listener Rebuttal – Aberforth’s Reading


Jamie: And this one comes from Issel, 16, from Miami in Florida, with the subject “Aberforth Can’t Read.” Ah.

“Just thought I’d point out that Albus told us that he wasn’t sure his brother could read. I find it odd, in fact, I find a bit of deja vu going on here, I must admit. I find it odd that the brother of the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, can’t read. What does that say about their upbringing? Was Albus normally from a poor, destitute, ill, and illiterate family? Or perhaps Aberforth couldn’t be persuaded to read, and then again, why wouldn’t Albus know if his brother could read or not? Well, maybe it was only a joke. Only Jo really knows.”

In fact, that’s absolutely right. I think we should close down the show and close down everything, ’cause she’s the only one who really knows everything.

Eric: I think it’s suddenly clear to me. I – guys, I know the key to the series or the key to Aberforth is that he’s too busy with goats to care much to read. He never learned to read. He was always, you know…

Ben: I am slappin’ my knee over here.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Jamie, she solved it for us, and she used great words like destitute and…

Jamie: Yeah, they’re nice words.

Eric: Yes.

Laura: Big words, Eric.

Andrew: Yes.

Laura: Big words. [laughs]


Listener Rebuttal – Gas Prices


Andrew: Cindy, from New Jersey, writes:

“Episode 53 was my first time listening to your program, and I enjoyed it very much.”

Thank you, Cindy.

“FYI, the person from Australia told you that they pay the equivalent of $0.90 per liter of gasoline. Before this bums you out too much, consider the fact that a gallon of gas is approximately four liters. 4 times $0.90 equals $3.60. Not a bargain at all.”

Good point, Cindy.

Laura: True that.

Andrew: A few people e-mailed this in. There is cheap gas out there in the world.

Jamie: I don’t want to complain, but I feel a complaint coming on at this “$3.60, not a bargain at all.”

Andrew: Yeah, but…

Jamie: It’s the bargain of the century.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: I’d buy to hoard it, just so I didn’t – just because it was so cheap. If I went to Australia, I’d pack my suitcases with gas, man.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: And leave all my clothes there.

Andrew: I have one thing to say.

Jamie: Yeah?

Andrew: Pickle.

Jamie: Pickle.

Andrew: Pickle. Pickle.

Ben: Stop saying that! That’s annoying! Geez!

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Ben: Actually, guys, Melissa challenged Andrew and I on Skype the other night to come up with something that the fandom is going to keep saying – like their Dawlish thing. So, let’s make ours “pickle.”

Andrew: Yeah. Pickle. Everyone say “pickle.”

Jamie: No, no, no, no.

Andrew: Shirts with pickles on them.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew [still laughing]: Printed with pickles.

Jamie: Two pickles.

Andrew: You know, that’s the beauty of podcasting. I can keep saying “pickle” and no one can throw me off.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: Everyone say it. Just waste everyone’s time.

Eric: Pickle.

Andrew: Pickle.

Eric: Pickle.

Andrew: Pickle. [laughs]

Jamie: When you’re you listening to this just think, that we’re actually all sitting here, just saying “pickle.”

[Eric and Andrew laugh]

Jamie: And laugh because of that, okay? Please.


Main Discussion – The Two-Way Mirror


Andrew: Our main discussion this week: The Two-Way Mirror. Jamie Lawrence.

Jamie: We’re doing a slightly different sort of re-vamp of the main discussion, where we’re going to have an intro and then main questions. Then, further questions stemming from our main questions, and then a “What if?” section as well.

So, here’s our intro: Before Harry went back to Hogwarts after the Christmas holidays in Order of the Phoenix, Sirius handed him a two-way mirror, telling him to use it whenever he needed to chat. At the time, Harry promised himself he would never use it, as it could potentially draw Sirius out of Grimmauld Place and put him in danger. We don’t hear anything else of this mirror until after Sirius’ death. And we never see it again until the end of the book. After Sirius dies, Harry discovers it at the bottom of his trunk. It bears the following inscription:

“This is a two way mirror. I’ve got the other one of the pair. If you need to speak to me just say my name into it. You’ll appear in my mirror, and I’ll be able to talk in yours. James and I used to use them when we were in separate detentions.”

After Harry reads this, he smashes the mirror in frustration.

Andrew: Oooo.

Ben: Oooo.

Laura: Awww. [laughs]


Two-Way Mirror: A Common Good?


Jamie: Okay, main questions. Number one, was the two-way mirror an invention of Sirius and James, or is it commercially available? As in, can you go on eBay and type in “two-way mirror” and buy one? Any thoughts?

Eric: I did.

Ben: Well of course not, Jamie.

Jamie: What? You can’t go on eBay?

Laura: Sounds like something they could get at Zonko’s.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Andrew: Mmmm.

Jamie: Or on eBay dot wizard.

Ben: I doubt it was their own invention, but I don’t know. They were very clever though because they invented the Marauder’s Map. So…

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Ben: It wouldn’t be beyond them, but I don’t know.

Jamie: But he says that, “James and I used to use them.” I don’t know if he’s talking about the two mirrors as a pair or just the entire thing, you know?

Eric: Oh, a group of them.

Jamie: Because I’d like to think its his invention, but I don’t know.

Andrew: I was just going say if they were commercially available, wouldn’t we have seen them before already?

Jamie: Well, yeah.

Ben: That’s true.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: That’s what doesn’t make sense.

Jamie: That’s true.

Ben: Couldn’t Ron or Harry use them? Or students at Hogwarts could probably use them to cheat on tests and stuff too.

Eric: Oooo.

Andrew: Well, you’d have to hold the mirror in front of you.

Jamie: Yeah.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: Yeah, but you could just pretend you were checking your hair or something.

Ben: How big is it? I thought it was really small. I didn’t think it was…

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: [laughing] It’s a four by six.

Laura: Yeah. I always thought it was just a little hand mirror.

Jamie: [laughing] How are we supposed to know?

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: I’d imagine it being three and a half inches, four, yeah.

Andrew: It’s the size of the one in Snow White that Snow White talks to.

Jamie: Yeah.

[Eric and Jamie laugh]

Eric: You just carry it around in your backpack or something.

Jamie: And it has a huge sort of gilded frame around the edges as well.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Jamie: Yeah. It’s not commercially available.

Andrew: I would guess that…

Eric: Sirius Black now appearing in IMAX.

Jamie: Yeah. No, did you notice it’s just like the 21st Century equivalent of the web cam?

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah. I was just going to say, is this built by Skype Inc.?


The Same Two Mirrors?


Jamie: Yeah, I think it must be. Question number two, are these two the same mirrors that Sirius and James used? This kind of follows on from the first question. You know, these could be the same two because these are the only two that exist, or you know are these just the same two because Sirius has kept them?

Laura: I think Sirius kept them.

Ben: Well no. They’re the same two because of how he words it. He says, “James and I used to use them when we were in separate detentions.”

Jamie: No, but he could mean that James and I used to use the mirrors, you know, this type of mirror? It’s like James…

Ben: I know, but in the previous sentence he just referenced a specific mirror that he gave Harry.

Jamie: No, I don’t know. You could see it either way. That “them”…

Ben: What difference does it make?

Jamie: I don’t know! Its just… Hey, Ben! This is a podcast where we over analyze everything. You can’t say, “What difference does it make?”

Eric: Well no. I think it is the same pair because of the way it’s worded.

Jamie: I agree.

Eric: It says, “James and I used to use them.” I think this wouldn’t be something Sirius wouldn’t have gone out and got another pair of just to do this with Harry.

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah. I know.

Eric: First of all, he can’t leave Grimmauld Place, you know. So, I think it makes more sense that he’s had these ever since, you know, he and James were at school – that kind of thing. I don’t know what they’re doing at his house or that’s a question like where’s his motor bike at?

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: I read a theory once that Harry’s room in Order of the Phoenix, when the Advanced Guard comes and Tonks is in his room she looks at the mirror in his bedroom with – and either fixes her nose or checks her hair or something, and I’ve seen it theorized that that was actually her sending a symbol to somebody with a similar kind of mirror, maybe. Do you guys think that that’s likely that Harry’s own bedroom cupboard might have a mirror on it that would be two-way if there were more than one of these?

Jamie: I don’t know.

Laura: That would be creepy. [laughs]

Ben: That would be awesome. It’s like a spy or something.


Secure Communication?


Jamie: Yeah. When Harry’s lying in bed people could see him through the mirror. Okay, question number three, and this I thought was one of the most important questions. Is this method of communication completely secure?

Andrew: Well, I would think if Sirius gave it to him than he knew there must be some level of security to them.

Jamie: Yeah, I agree. I don’t think he’d give him anything that could be compromised at all and it doesn’t seem like it goes through anything else. If you think of Floo Powder, you know, it goes through the central sort of Floo Powder, you know, Department thing and they can monitor. But, I just don’t… This doesn’t seem like the kind of thing that you can monitor.

Eric: You know what it reminds me most of is the mirror in Beauty and the Beast where you have to say the name and it shows you that person, but obviously this is a little bit more restricted.

Jamie: Oooo, yeah.

Eric: That one I imagine it being the same size, around.

Jamie: That kind of thing, yeah.

Andrew: So, are they just two mirrors that Sirius and James put enchantments on?

Jamie: Well, yeah. It could be, yeah. That could be it as well.

Eric: It’s so interesting with pairs. There’s the pair of two way mirrors, the pair of pair of vanishing cabinets, and Dumbledore seemed to have this look of dawning comprehension when he asked Draco on the Lightning-Struck Tower if the vanishing cabinets were a pair?

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: And he’s like, “Yeah. Ah.” That’s interesting to know what pairs – what significance they have and stuff. Like would, for instance, in order for you to enchant two-way mirrors would they have to be of the same glass? Would you actually have to, you know, or something like that – buy two mirrors and enchant them or what? Like phoenix feathered pairs. I don’t know. Anyway, do you guys have my Tonks question? I cut out then.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: No.

Jamie: No, we did hear it. It was the one about using Harry’s mirror.

Eric: Yeah, to send a signal or something.

Andrew: Oh yeah.

Eric: Is that really likely?

Jamie: It could be, but you’d have to be able to use any mirror then in that case, because I doubt that Harry’s mirror would automatically have a charm on it.

Andrew: Mhm.

Eric: Oh.

Jamie: Okay, question number four. Actually, we’ll skip question number four. It was going to be do other people use them, but it was kind of covered in one and two.

Okay, No. 5 – this isn’t really a question, it’s just something I noticed: There seems to be quite a
lot of importance in the series as a whole on mirrors. So, you’ve got –
obviously, the Mirror of Erised, you got the Two-Way Mirror we’ve been
talking about, The Foe-Glass that Moody has, which obviously is important
when Dumbledore and McGonagall burst into the room. You’ve got the mirror in
The Burrow that gives grooming advice and the mirror in The Leaky Cauldron
that commented on Harry’s hair, and said, you know, “You’re fighting a
losing battle, there kid,” or whatever it was. So, I mean, obviously, we’re
going to see the Mirror of Erised again. Well no, actually – or are we? No,
we aren’t – or are we? I can’t remember.

Eric: I don’t think so.

Laura: I don’t think we’ve ever heard anything about that.

Jamie: Oh. Well, that completely…

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Guys, are we due up to see – I’m not going to choose a subject, ’cause I
like it a lot – but are we due up to see the Ford Anglia again? Didn’t Jo
say?

Laura: Yes.

Jamie: We are, yeah, yeah. Sorry. Yeah, I think that’s what I was thinking
of. Not the Mirror of Erised.

Ben: Harry’s going to run over Voldemort and back right over him.

Eric: Yeah.

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Eric: [still laughing]: Wasn’t there a mirror that said – Harry said
“I’m not going to die today,” or something, and the mirror’s like “That’s
the spirit, dear.”

Jamie: “That’s the spirit, dear.” Wasn’t the that one in The Leaky Cauldron
as well?

Eric: I’m not sure. There was one in The Burrow.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah it did. Yeah.

Laura: Yeah, it was the one in The Leaky Cauldron.

Eric: I think that was the one in The Burrow.

Ben: Don’t you know how like, in the Wizarding world things are special, and
how the pictures move? So, maybe it’s the same thing with all mirrors – can
talk to you.

Jamie: Oh yeah, it could be.

Eric: I don’t know, though. It’s not like the – speaking of Beauty and
the Beast
again – the wardrobe in that one. That’s what I imagine when I
think of you know, “Tuck your shirt in, scruffy,” or whatever. I imagine the
wardrobe woman was like, you know? But, these – I’m not quite sure. That’d
be a little freaky if all your mirrors could talk to you.

Jamie: It would be.

Eric: Like they were watching you or something.

Jamie: But, it does show, though, that they’ve been used extensively. I
mean, the first book, obviously it’s pivotal. But the Two-Way Mirror could
have been pivotal as well.

Eric: Yeah, some of them have voices. So, that’s really weird.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Like, I mean we could ask the same question about the mirror in
The Burrow that gives the grooming advice.

Jamie: Oh yeah, definitely.

Andrew: Is it commercially available, or is it enchanted like a lot of the stuff in the Weasley household is by Mrs. Weasley?


Harry’s Fault Sirius Died?


Jamie: Okay, Question number six: Assuming using the Mirror would have saved
Sirius’ life, is it Harry’s fault he died?

Eric: Oh, Harry guilts himself enough. No, it’s not Harry’s fault he died.

Laura: No.

Ben: No.

Eric: But, that’s not to say it doesn’t absolutely suck that Harry was a
little bit you know, on the noble side and he didn’t use it to check on
Sirius when he had the vision.

Jamie: But he could’ve warned him.

Laura: Yeah, but Sirius was also on the noble side. He was told to stay at
Grimmauld Place, and didn’t.

Andrew: Mhm.

Jamie: No, he didn’t, but after Harry you know, saw him lying in the
Department of Mysteries, Voldemort you know, standing over him –

Eric: He should have checked.

Jamie: He could have checked with him easily.

Laura: Yeah, but he never opened the package, so he didn’t know that the
Mirror was in there.

Jamie: Are you sure?

Laura: Yeah, he didn’t open it until after Sirius died.

Jamie: Oh, oh, right, okay. Of course, okay.

Andrew: Yeah, he totally smashed it.

Eric: Didn’t he go into… I haven’t gotten there yet in the book I’m reading, but didn’t he ask Kreacher where Sirius was or something?

Laura: Yeah, Kreacher lied. [laughs]

Eric: Kreacher lied. Ah, I hate Kreacher.

Jamie: Didn’t his mum tell him that you don’t lie?

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: Very, very bad.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: They’re pure-blood. I don’t think they would have said anything, so…

Jamie: Maybe not. Well, it’s very disappointing, I must admit.

Eric: [laughs] So, it’s bad up-bringing, then. Are you on Hermione’s
side with Kreacher, that he’s really a nice chap.

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: Yeah. He’s just misunderstood. He’s just misunderstood. You know?

Laura: Deranged.

Jamie: But, okay, it isn’t Harry’s fault he died, but do you think this
could be significant now in the series? That it’s just one more thing that
Harry blames himself for, it’s one more thing he has to revenge.

Laura: Well, of course.

Jamie: It’s one more thing that could empower him.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: It’s just something that could have been different, you know? It’s
just, I don’t know – I’d like to find out if he’s going to Reparo the
Mirror and use it again.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Kind of like the mysterious – I mean, it wouldn’t be entirely out of
hand considering The Marauder’s Map just suddenly appeared in Book Five
after it was supposed to be in Imposter Moody’s office. You know, stuff like
that.

Laura: Well, didn’t Jo say that we would see the Mirror again?

Eric: The Two-Way Mirror?

Jamie: What, the Two-Way Mirror?

Ben: Yeah, she did. She did.

Eric: She did? Oh, wow.

Jamie: All right, well, that leads very nicely into Question 10 – skipping a
couple of questions…

Andrew: Well, wait.

Jamie: What?

Andrew: If we saw the Two-Way – if we’re seeing it again, doesn’t that mean
there’s more than one since Harry smashed his?

Jamie: No, no.

Andrew: Unless it’s repaired.

Eric: Well, Reparo.

Jamie: Harry could. Yeah, yeah.

Andrew: Or he’ll just run into where it’s briefly mentioned. [laughs]
“Harry saw the Mirror.” [still laughing]

Jamie: Harry could step on the shards accidentally, and there we are. We’d see
it again.


Contacting Sirius


Jamie: No, but it leads into: Will it contact Sirius from beyond the
grave?

Eric: Depends, if he had his mirror with him. [laughs]

Laura: Yeah. In the book…

[Jamie, Eric, and Laura laugh]

Eric: Is that a mirror in your pocket?

Jamie: That’s awesome I didn’t even consider that.

Laura: In Order of the Phoenix, didn’t it say something along the
lines of “Harry said it wouldn’t work because Sirius didn’t have his mirror
with him when he fell through the veil”?

Jamie: Yeah, he’s like “Excuse me, Bellatrix, do you think you could you
just wait one second?”

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: “I have to go and get my mirror.”

Ben: Hold on, hold on though. Wouldn’t – I was under the impression that these
mirrors were tiny and they could fit into your pocket. I didn’t think they
were ones that you hold in your hand. When I thought of a Two-Way Mirror…

Eric: Well, you have to put it in your pocket from your hand, Ben.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: They’re like, hand-held, but they’re not huge is what I think we’re
saying. Like they are pocket – they are pocket mirrors.

Jamie: I think they probably are. But, so yeah. I think we’ve got to
conclude there that he [laughs] could contact Sirius from beyond the
grave…if he’s got his mirror with him.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: Well, that’s the question. Why did Sirius – do you guys remember this?

Laura: That’s kind of gross.

Eric: Did he just walk out? Was he just tired of waiting? Like, how did he
get to the Department of Mysteries?

Laura: He came with the rest of the Order.

Eric: Oh, he came with the rest. Because they… Yeah. Okay. So…

Jamie: He got a bus.

Eric: Right.

[Eric and Laura laugh]

Eric: No, the Knight Bus, though, you know Stan Shunpike is mentioned in every book since Book Three?

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah?

Eric: That’s just one of those other weird things.

Andrew: That’s not every book.

Eric: It is every book.

Laura: Every book since Book Three.

Andrew: Since Book Three.

Eric: Since Book Three. It’s, you know…

Andrew: So what?

Eric: Well, that’s just one of those…

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: It’s like Aberforth – somebody sent in a rebuttal to me saying that Aberforth was hinted at since Book Four, and I think, well, Stan Shunpike is the same way, and these things are leading somewhere, obviously.

Jamie: Perhaps.

Andrew: Yes.


Breaking of the Mirror Symbolic?


Jamie: Yeah. Okay, question number eight, now. I think we’re going backwards. Is the breaking of the mirror symbolic?

Eric: Yes, because seven years bad luck…

Ben: Seven years of bad luck…

Laura: … Bad luck [laughs]

Eric: It’s the seven years bad luck, and it’s the seven years of Harry Potter.

Jamie: Seven years of bad luck? It’s a bit late isn’t it? Him breaking it in Book Sox.

Laura: [laughs] That’s true.

[Laura and Eric laugh]

Jamie: Should’ve broken it in Book Once. But, yeah, because it was kind of – I can’t remember exactly, because I haven’t read it for a while, but didn’t he break it and Jo wrote a sort of purging of emotion there, that he sort of, he broke it and then that was it. And then, you know? I don’t know.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: I don’t know how to say it. Like a kind of, “Harry threw the mirror, it broke into a thousand pieces, and he stood there staring into space, thinking, ‘What am I going to do with my life?’…..like that.

Andrew: Does anyone know where in the book it is? Because I have the book.

Laura: It’s in…

Jamie: The end, presumably.

Ben: Order of the Phoenix.

Laura: Yeah, it’s…

Andrew: No, I know that.

Laura: It’s in…

[Ben laughs]

Laura: …the very last chapter, I think.

Jamie: It’s before Sirius dies. He breaks the mirror because Sirius has died, before he dies. [mutters] Andrew, just go before it, quickly.

Laura: [laughs] What?

Andrew: No I…

Eric: Hang on.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: [laughs] I love being stupid.

Andrew: Wait, it’s in the last… Oh.

Laura: Yeah, it’s right before he goes and finds Luna, and she’s saying that all these people stole her stuff.

Eric: “He looked around to make sure there was nobody else there. The dormitory was quite empty. He looked back to the mirror, raised it in front of his face, with trembling hands and said, loudly and clearly, ‘Sirius.’ His breath misted the surface of the glass. He held the mirror even closer, excitement flooding through him, but the eyes blinking back at him through the fog were definitely his own. He wiped the mirror clean again, said till every syllable rang clearly through the room, ‘Sirius Black.’ Nothing happened. The frustrated face looking back out of the mirror was still definitely his own. ‘Sirius didn’t have his mirror on him when he went through that archway,’ said a small voice in Harry’s head. ‘That’s why it’s not working.'”

Eric: Well he doesn’t know that for sure, but…

Ben: Well, what Harry’s going to do, is he’s going to go to the veil and just throw…

Laura: Just throw in the mirror…

Eric: Throw in the mirror.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Mirror. Turn this on, loser. You forgot this.

Jamie: No, no – he calls…

Eric: He says, Sirius, you forgot this. You forgot your mirror.

Jamie: [laughs] He calls Sirius Black and it goes, “I’m sorry, the person you are calling is dead.”

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: [imitates telephone’s unrecognized number tone] “The person you are calling is beyond the veil right now.”

Jamie: “The person you are calling is dead.”

Andrew: It goes on to say, “Disappointment was burning in his throat. He got up and began throwing his things pell…” Pell-mell? Never heard of that.

Laura: Pell-mell. [laughs]

Andrew: “…into the trunk, on top of the broken mirror.”

Eric: “Then an idea struck him. A better idea than the mirror.”

Andrew: [laughs] Is this popcorn reading?

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Eric: [laughs] Yes, it is popcorn reading. I’m glad – it’s good use of the term, too. You understand it. That’s good. At least if you’re going to make fun of it.

Andrew: Yeah, I know. I did it when I was in, like, fifth grade.

Eric: Okay, good. More importantly…

Jamie: That’s the end of our main questions.

Andrew: [sighs] So…

Eric: Hurdle across to – hang on. Wait!

Andrew: So, really, Harry is just assuming that it’s…

Jamie: That, er…

Andrew: …that he doesn’t have the mirror with him.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: So, potentially, he could still have the mirror with him.

Jamie: He could do. That’s if he is still alive, of course. It’d be quite hard to work it if he’s dead.

Eric: “He just hurled the mirror back into the trunk, where it shattered. He had been…” Wait! “He had been convinced for a whole shining minute that he was going to see Sirius, talk to him again.” Isn’t this like being convinced for a whole couple of minutes that he is going to live with Sirius?

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: That’s a good…

Ben: It’s almost like when he was convinced for a couple minutes that he saw his dad.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: That’s true.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: That’s actually true.

Jamie: It’s all these moments of…

Eric: All these moments of false happiness.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: That one can only just have, you know?

Jamie: Pickle.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: Pickle.


What If…Harry Had Used The Two-Way Mirror


Jamie: So, I think we have covered the further questions in the main questions, really. So, should we go on to “What if?” Okay. What would have happened if Harry had used the two-way mirror and spoken to Sirius? Would Sirius still be alive? And would the prophecy have been smashed? And would all of Dumbledore’s stuff have been chucked about and [laughs] – and, smashed, or what?

Eric: [laughs] I think – it’s a question, because I think he would have gotten a direct line to Sirius through the mirror. He wouldn’t have had to – he wouldn’t have believed Kreacher that he was gone, and that kind of stuff. So, obviously they wouldn’t have that confrontation, but you struggle to think that in times of – in situations would Harry have really thought to use the mirror? But…

Jamie: Well, exactly. Yeah.

Eric: Once as he thought to search for Kreacher, when he went through the fireplace, or whatever, for that, so it only makes sense that he would’ve thought of the mirror, if he knew what it was, and probably used it. So, I’m inclined to say he would have found Sirius would be all right. But then that’s the other question: can really – so much happened that night, it was just like. Eventually I think they would have had to wind up at the Department of Mysteries, the question is: would Sirius be dead?

Jamie: No. Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: That’s true, too. Considering he didn’t take it with him.

Jamie: It’s just like a cell phone. It’s just like a cell phone. It rings and you take it out, but instead of putting it to your ear you just stare into it.

Andrew: Yeah.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: It’s like Skype video.

Jamie: Yeah, it is.

Eric: No, just staring at it would do the trick.


The Guilt


Jamie: Yeah, it would. Okay, “What if” number two: Will Harry’s guilt over not using it impact events in Book Seven? Already talked about that.

Andrew: He has guilt over a lot of things.

Jamie: Laura you think it will, right?

Eric: I think all of his emotions will just work in Book Seven. It’s… You know?

Jamie: Laura, you had a good point about this before. That it isn’t his fault that Sirius died, but it’s going to…

Laura: Well, yeah. It’s going to add to his motivation to succeed…

Eric: Yeah, just as long as no one’s saying…

Laura: …to avenge Sirius.

Eric: As long as no one’s saying, “Give yourself to the dark side”, I’ll be okay reading Book Seven.

Laura: What?


Repairing The Mirror To Contact Sirius


Andrew: So, let’s draw some conclusions here. Could Harry possibly repair his mirror in order to recontact Sirius?

Jamie: Yes.

Eric: Yes.

Andrew: Because JK Rowling has made it clear that… Okay.

Laura: Sure.

Ben: …things can be repaired…

Jamie: It’s just like a thousand piece puzzle…

Andrew: It could appear in Book Seven again…

Eric: God, when does that – oh, wait! That’s another thing: the Ford Anglia. That’s why Harry has to go back to Hogwarts, because that thing is still in the forest, and we need to see it again.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Ben: Okay, whatever.

Jamie: [laughs] Okay, go on Andrew, do you want to move onto dating?


MuggleCast Dating Service


Andrew: [laughs] Sure, let’s move on now to the MuggleCast Dating Service. You know…

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: …it has been a pretty surprising success, and we’re trying to get a couple of people together on dates, and [in weird, deep voice] I don’t want to spoil the surprise.

[Laura and Andrew laugh]

Andrew: But I’ll tell you right now it’s going to be a whole lot of dating.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: But… So we’ll have another update on the dating service next week, because we’re trying to get some cute little relationships worked out.


Discussing Chapter-by-Chapter


This week we are going to try a brand new segment that we didn’t even talk about next week – er, last week. And, by the way, hate to do it to everyone but Chapter-by-Chapter is getting pushed back again. Probably until next week. But, Eric, you’re going to New Zealand when?

Eric: Next Sunday. Eleven days.

Andrew: So…

Eric: Yeah, I was thinking about that. How’s the first week in October for everybody?

Jamie: Sounds fine.

Laura: Sounds good to me.

Eric: But…

Andrew: [in high pitched voice] Good. Yay, pickle!

Eric: But, but, but, but you guys have got to agree that it’s going to have a structure. I’m going to be doing this outline, we’re all going to agree on it, and we’re all going to participate. Is that correct?

Jamie: As long as we don’t – as long as it doesn’t take half an hour, yeah. Because it…

Eric: Okay.

Jamie: I think it is very good when it doesn’t drag out. When it drags out it gets old very quickly. So I think we…

Eric: Well, yeah.

Andrew: That’s why it’s got to get structured.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: So as I said, each of these has a different feel to it. Each of them will need a different outline that suits the book.

Jamie: Okay, fair enough.


Debate: Should Hogwarts Stay Open?


Andrew: Okay, so we are going to do a brand new segment this week, which we’ve been actually thinking about for a while. We don’t even have a title for this new segment this week, so we’re just going to call it Debate. Ben, why don’t you explain this new segment?

Ben: Well a long, long time ago I said…

Jamie: In a galaxy far, far away.

Eric: Far away.

Ben: …Far, far away. Everyone knows me as the debate guy, I’m on my high school’s debate team, kind of won State last year, you know?

Laura: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Ben: So I thought, “Let’s have a Harry Potter debate.” Here is how it works. Each week we’re going to be debating a resolution and those of you who participate in high school debate will know what I’m talking about, but anyways, this week, for example, is going to be…

Andrew: [laughs] Anyone who doesn’t is screwed.

[Jamie and Eric laugh]

Ben: …Hogwarts. Just listen, just listen. This week is going to be “Hogwarts should be open for Harry’s seventh year.” Okay? There will be an affirmative team, which affirms resolution, which argues, saying that Hogwarts should be open. And on that side, this week, is going to be Jamie and myself. And then there will be the negative team which says Hogwarts shouldn’t be open, which is Eric and Laura. And something that I need to remind everybody of – everyone that is arguing, Andrew who is going to be our judge, and the people listening to the show: it is not an argument over whether or not Hogwarts will be open, it’s an argument whether or not Hogwarts should be open, which definitely opens it up to a lot of interpretation.

And so here is the format: the affirmative team, Jamie and myself, gets two minutes to present our case uninterrupted. The negative team will get two minutes to do the same. Following that there will be five to ten minutes of open discussion, where each side will get to ask each other questions and respond openly to each other’s arguments. Then at the end each side, starting with the affirmative, will get one minute to tell you why you should vote for them. Andrew, who is going to be our judge, will decide who he thinks should win the round, and this will count for 25 percent of the vote. The other 75 percent of the vote will be based off the listeners, with a poll on mugglecast dot com. So, is everybody ready?

Laura: Sort of.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Andrew: Yay!

Ben: Sort of? This is intense.

Jamie: You go first, Benjamin, because you’ve…

Eric: We’re kind of… [laughs]

Jamie: …dusted before and we haven’t dusted.

Andrew: Yeah.

Ben: Andrew, Andrew are you timing?

Andrew: Yeah, let me get up a clock. Okay, ready, set, go!

Ben: Okay. The first reason that they should keep Hogwarts open is because of safety. Because Hogwarts is this big safe haven where everyone can meet up, and if we have all these people and all the children in one place, particularly the protection of minors, we’ll be able to keep them safe from the Death Eaters, particularly if we have the Aurors stationed around.

The second main reason that we should keep Hogwarts open, is because by closing Hogwarts it is essentially admitting defeat. It’s letting the bad guys win. So, it’s quite clear that we should keep Hogwarts open for those two reasons. Specifically ,the safety, and because it would be admitting defeat. Like in the war on terrorism, if we were all to go and become hermits and hide in our houses, it just wouldn’t make sense because it would be like saying the terrorists win. And so, the people at Hogwarts, the Board of Governors, should not let the Death Eaters win. Now, go Jamie!

Jamie: Also it should be kept open because education will always remain important. However many wars there have been, there will still be children, there will still be children who will become adults. Everyone needs to be educated. You cannot – the war is important, it’s going on now, we have to win. However, Hogwarts has survived a thousand years, and it can survive a thousand more. And children still need to be educated all the time, so it has to remain open for that reason.

Ben: How long was that?

Eric: You guys have forty seconds left.

Andrew: A minute.

Jamie: Forty seconds left?

Ben: Forty seconds left? Oh, lets keep talking then.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: They have to be fools to close Hogwarts, just think about it.

Andrew: Thirty.

Ben: We have to be able to keep Hogwarts open because it’s a safe haven for everybody. Just think about it; why would you close down this educational facility…

Jamie: It’s a stronghold.

Ben: …when the next generation is going to be…

Jamie: Ben, Ben, it’s a stronghold, isn’t it?

Ben: Yeah. Especially ,during times of war. Parents…

Andrew: Ten.

Ben: … don’t have time to home school their students, their kids, so they’ll have to send them to Hogwarts, and it makes the most sense. Hogwarts needs to stay open…

Andrew: Three.

Ben: …and it should stay open.

Andrew: Two.

Jamie: Amen, brother.

Andrew: One. Okay.

Eric: That ended nicely.

Andrew: Argument from the…

Laura: Oh, hang on two seconds.

Andrew: …what was it called again? Negative side.

Laura: My only thing is that mine comes across as saying that it won’t be – I mean, I’m going to try to make it make as much sense as humanly possible. But, whatever.

Andrew: When you’re ready.

Laura: At the end of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, readers discover that they will not be seeing Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry again – at least not through Harry’s eyes. Unfortunately, it is doubtful that Hogwarts will be seen as a learning institution, at all in the final book of the series. Despite Professor Sprout’s unabashed optimism that if even one student wanted to learn, the school should remain open, it is not possible for Hogwarts to continue providing a formal education as it has been. The leading cause of this is the ongoing war outside the school’s walls. It must be remembered that war does not just affect people personally; businesses fail and economies struggle. Ollivander won’t be the first or last shop owner to disappear from Diagon Alley, so it’s not as if students can just stroll down the streets to the usual locations in order to buy books and supplies. Now that the wizarding world at large is taking Voldemort’s return seriously, parents won’t be looking forward to sending their children back to school, particularly after it was infiltrated by Death Eaters.

During times of war, people tiptoe. They don’t make large financial decisions, and education in a boarding school setting is going to take a backseat until Voldemort is rid of. That’s not to say that the Ministry won’t provide some sort of home study program in order to supplement students. A struggling economy does not lend itself to allow a small number of students to populate a large school such as Hogwarts. Besides, several of the Hogwarts teachers are Order members, and especially after Dumbledore’s death, they are needed now more than ever to continue the fight against Voldemort. Most people will be torn between two decisions: wanting to remain safe, or wanting to do their part to help in the war. It will be a very small number of students who wish to remain inside the school walls, while battles rage on outside of them. So, while it’s nice to daydream about the little school that could, Hogwarts should not facilitate an educational system during the course of the seventh Harry Potter novel because it can’t. [chokes] Thank you. [laughs] I just choked.

Eric: Oh my god.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: That was…

Eric: I just, okay, I have fifteen seconds to say, Laura. That was absolutely brilliant. Any doubts I had that our side might actually do good have been completely vanquished, and that is just amazing. Thank you. Three seconds to go. You saved my butt. Thank you so much. Winning team!

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: Laura, I’m going to grill you harder than a well-done steak in a…

[Laura and Andrew laugh]

Andrew: Now, it’s time for the open discussion.

Ben: Okay.

Andrew: Go ahead.

Ben: Okay, I’ll start this off. Okay, Laura, you bring up the point that it’s not possible for Hogwarts to provide education, and that there’s an ongoing war outside of Hogwarts walls, and then you go on to mention that businesses and economies fail during times of war. However, isn’t it important to provide education for the students who are going to Hogwarts, now, to prevent future businesses and economies from failing?

Eric: Well, who said it takes intelligence to run business?

Laura: Yeah, exactly. And the thing is, while…

Ben: No, but it’s the same thing… It’s…

Laura: …this is…

Ben: It’s the same thing with our generation. If you don’t get your education now, you’re not going to be able to become a productive member of society.

Eric: That’s what the people say who…

Ben: You’re less likely to.

Laura: That’s not true. That’s absolutely…

Ben: You are definitely…

Laura: …not true.

Ben: Okay, look at the trends in society. Those who are more educated have higher salaries and are much more likely to become productive members of society. Don’t even tell me for one second that if these kids stay at home and don’t get their education, that they’re going to help out in some way.

Laura: But that’s not true. They can get their education at home. They absolutely can get their education at home.

Jamie: Aren’t we missing the vital point that, World War I, school stayed open. World War II, school stayed open. Even in world wars, you can’t lose sight of the fact that it’s a generational conflict. It isn’t… Until nuclear stuff comes out, and I don’t think Voldemort’s going to drop an H bomb on Hogwarts, you know? Until we’ve got mutually assured destruction in the wizarding world, there’s still going to be a generation after. There still is going to be… You still have to educate the masses. You can’t just stop providing welfare for this. That’s completely ignoring the fact that Hogwarts is the safest place in the wizarding world for things. It would be like immorally abandoning the children.

Eric: Is it that Dumbledore’s dead?

Laura: Is it anymore, though? Dumbledore’s dead.

Ben: No, but that doesn’t matter. Okay, what you have to weigh is, where are the students going to be safer?

Laura: It does matter…

Ben: No, listen. Where are the students going to be safer? At Hogwarts, where they can be under the protection of the Ministry of Magic, or at home, when…

Eric: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Jamie: And the teachers. And the teachers, as well…

Eric: The Minister is going to protect Hogwarts, first of all. And second of all…

Laura: Yeah.

Eric: …I actually think in their homes is safer, in some ways, because Hogwarts is a single target. If you want to go after Hogwarts, now that Dumbledore is gone…

Jamie: Stronger united than we are divided, Eric.

Eric: Yeah, well, no, that’s true, but in their separate little homes, Voldemort’s not going to go knocking at everybody’s door until the very end, where eventually everything will eclipse, and people can’t escape. But I’m saying, if want to go and destroy Hogwarts, you might be able to do it if you’re Voldemort, now, because Dumbledore is dead. So, if everybody – if all the students and everything are at Hogwarts, and Voldemort tries to take Hogwarts, it might be slightly easier than if they’re all in their little homes and villages as far away as Suffolk, and, you know?

[Jamie laughs]

Laura: Exactly. The Ministry is not going to want to have to protect such a large target.

Eric: But I think it’ll be easier to protect.

Jamie: I still think it’s the safest place to be, though. At home, you’re all – you’re so disunited there, you’ve still got all the teachers there. If you think teachers are going to be possibly the best wizards and witches, they’re the people who teach the students, you know? I just think that I would rather be there, living in a castle that’s protected by enchantments, living in a castle under the eye of teachers, living in a castle that has protection I don’t even know about, living in a place where we’re all together. You know?

Laura: Yeah, where Voldemort knows where you are.

Jamie: But he’d know where you are, anyway. He’d just goes to a house and says he’s going to be a…

Laura: Not if you went into hiding.

Jamie: Oh, right. Well, fine. Fine.

Ben: So you’re still…

Jamie: We’ll build a nuclear bunker then, and go down there, and…

Laura: Hey, people do it. People do it.

Eric: The problem with hiding – that’s the thing is these students aren’t going to be the ones fighting the war, which is why I think it’s okay for them to go home, go into their homes…

Jamie: Okay, Eric.

Eric: …and be okay, because it’s not like you’re hiding and waiting for Voldemort to take over, because in certain ways these students would just be students of learning. I think learning is very important, but, at the same time, the people who are fighting the war against Voldemort will be the ones who make the advancements, will be the ones who stop him. And, actually, going into hiding isn’t necessarily letting the bad guys win, in this case…

Ben: Yes, it is.

Jamie: It is.

Laura: No, it’s not.

Ben: It totally is. Listen…

Eric: The people who were fighting Voldemort will remain fighting Voldemort. They aren’t the ones who will go into their homes. The people who are going into their homes…

Ben: I know, but when something begins to – when you let it affect the everyday lives of your citizens, is when you let the bad guys win.

Jamie: Exactly. You’re completely admitting defeat when, you know, when you do that. After this war is over – and it will end, obviously – there are going to be children having no direction, nowhere to go. I’m sure if – especially, I doubt that every other wizarding school in the world is going to close down. You can’t – one school closes down…

Laura: Yeah, but is every other…

Jamie: …it’s going to look terrible, as well.

Laura: Is every other wizarding school in the world such a big target as Hogwarts is? Because it’s been said from day one…

Jamie: They’re still centers. They’re still centers.

Laura: …that Voldemort would take over Hogwarts… No, it’s been said from day one that Voldemort would take over Hogwarts and turn it into a school of the Dark Arts if Dumbledore wasn’t there.

Jamie: But if they close down Hogwarts…

Ben: But I think it’s important…

Jamie: …then he’ll take it, anyway. It’s like giving it to him. They might as well wrap it in a…

Laura: Yeah, but at least then he doesn’t have a school full of students to take over.

Jamie: But then he has it permanently. He has it permanently.

Ben: Okay, something else that’s important to point out is that there is no other alternative to education. Home…

Laura: That’s not true.

Ben: Home study programs – what do you do? No, it’s been proven that they have to have some instruction how to do these spells. You can’t get everything from just reading a book. That’s not how it works, and when you have parents who are off working, you can’t just give the children a book to read at home and expect them to be able to just do magic right away. They have to have a place to get their education, and it makes sense for Hogwarts to stay open. As Jamie said before, Voldemort is only the worst wizard in the past hundred years and Hogwarts has been open for thousands of years, so it’s been open through previous wars. It doesn’t make sense to close it just because of the fact that Voldemort’s out on the run. That’s admitting defeat. That’s saying we should all go hide inside of our homes…

Jamie: Exactly.

Laura: It’s not. It’s absolutely not.

Ben: No, it is. No, it is. I’m drawing the parallel of 9/11 again, but after the terrorist attacks, it’d be like saying we shouldn’t have football games because all these people are…

Jamie: We shouldn’t fly in planes as well. We shouldn’t fly in planes.

Eric: Well…

Ben: We’re still going to have the football games. We shouldn’t fly in planes. We should just stop. We should all go hide in our basements because of the fact that Osama Bin Laden’s after us. It doesn’t work like that. People need…

Laura: People aren’t hiding, Ben. Are you telling me that you think all of the people on Harry’s side from school aren’t going to go out and fight against the Death Eaters? Because I think they are.

Jamie: No, of course they won’t.

Laura: I don’t think they need school.

Ben: What are they going to do? They need to have their education first. They’re going to be worthless against a bunch of adult wizards…

Laura: No, they don’t.

Ben: …who have had their education.

Eric: They’ve had their education. Dumbledore’s Army…

Ben: Hogwarts needs to stay open so that they can learn.

Laura: Yeah, don’t you see the point behind Dumbledore’s Army, at this point? Those students learned way more in Dumbledore’s Army…

Ben: Right, but there will be no more Dumbledore’s Army.

Laura: It doesn’t – they don’t need Hogwarts…

Ben: There’ll be nothing.

Laura: …to have Dumbledore’s Army.

Jamie: Of course they do!

Laura: No, they don’t. That was clearly exhibited in Book Six.

Jamie: This is so, this so, you know, Dumbledore’s Army, it’s a thing of students who are going to go and take on the Death Eaters and emerge victorious. It isn’t a fairy tale. They’ll go over there and half of them will be killed. Those two sisters, whose younger brother was killed by Greyback, they are not going to want to fight a war like this. They’re going to want to stay in the school and watch the news and see what’s going on from that perspective. You can’t just completely close down their social hub just because there is a war going on, you know.

Laura: I don’t know…

Eric: Because that’s why Harry’s…

Laura: I think if my little brother were killed by people I’d want to go out and fight the people that did it.

Eric: And that’s exactly why Harry is leaving Hogwarts.

Ben: That’s your mentality…

Jamie: Exactly…

Ben: … but you also have to think about the fact of what’s going to be better for the students? What are they going to think is better for them: stay at home and have a chance of being killed, or go to school, have fun with your friends, and face the same chances?

Jamie: Yeah.

Ben: I think Hogwarts is safer. Even though Hogwarts has been infiltrated in the past with the Vanishing Cabinets, don’t you think security is going to be so much more tighter? It’s like saying after 9/11, that they’re going to use the airplanes again. It’s not going to happen.

Laura: Yes, but see there’s…

Ben: Security is so tight. They’ve already broken up attacks with the airplanes. It’s the same thing with infiltrating Hogwarts, they’re not going to be able to do it again. They’re going to attack some other way, and I don’t think that…

Laura: Exactly. They will attack another way.

Ben: …they should close down Hogwarts.

Laura: It’s just like – you bring up 9/11. People are afraid of the security of subways and trains because people are more focused on planes, now. People are – they’re going to be more focused on the secret passages into Hogwarts now. I mean, there’s going to always be a weakness, and…

Ben: But…

Laura: …the worst thing that you can do…

Ben: But at the same time, the people at Hogwarts are going to be concerned about those places too.

Laura: Sure, they will, but there will always be weaknesses. There are always going to be places where Death Eaters can get into the school, and the worst thing that they can do is assemble thousands of students there to be taken hostage.

Jamie: No, but it isn’t assembling them, they’re there already.

Eric: What Laura and I are saying, and I’ll put this into a nice little parody, a nice little story here…

Jamie: Well, thanks for that, Eric.

Eric: …is – you’re welcome – is that after 9/11, it significantly hurt plane travel. It didn’t – obviously it didn’t stop planes, but people were a little bit more wary of travel, and especially if they were planning a vacation to the Middle East, nobody does that anymore. [laughs] So, I think it’s a matter of just – obviously, we’re not flying. We are staying home instead of – say you were planning a trip to the Middle East. Obviously now you’re not going to go there because it’s a war zone, you could get killed. But at the same time, our leaders – Bush and everybody – are still fighting. They’re still sending troops over there, and the war is going on, but we’re in the comfort of our own home. We’re not over at Iraq fighting. You know, we’re not – say it’s being shipped to Iraq, just for a family vacation or something. You’re not going to do that because it’s a war zone, but you are at home, but our leaders are still fighting. The people who can win the war are still fighting the war, and…


Debate Continued


Ben: But Eric, here are the options that you’re faced with: you close down Hogwarts, you eliminate a place for education. You make it… You are bending to the bad guy’s will, and then, furthermore, we have to weigh that as we’re going to have this generation of people who are uneducated. What about the first-years – the incoming first-years? There’s always people at different levels of education…

Jamie: Exactly.

Ben: …within Hogwarts and it doesn’t make sense to close it down completely, to close it down. You have to weigh that up between that and the risk of Voldemort sieging Hogwarts, which doesn’t seem as likely because security is going to be so much more tighter.

Jamie: They’re going to have Aurors…

Ben: So much tighter…

Jamie: …all over the place.

Ben: …after what happened before.

Jamie: The place is going to be swarming with Aurors.

Eric: Yeah, but it was still so tight. If…

Laura: Yeah, the place was swarming with Dementors during Harry’s third year and Sirius Black still got in.

Eric: And that’s the thing – it was good enough for Dumbledore. Dumbledore had all his possible…

Jamie: Laura, Sirius Black is awesome. He could…

Laura: It doesn’t matter that he’s awesome. He was able to get past Death Eaters.

Jamie: He could… No, I don’t care.

Laura: Dementors, excuse me.

Jamie: Yeah, that’s different! Sirius Black found a way to get past them in the dog form, you know? It’s completely different. It’s…

Laura: No, it’s not completely different…

Jamie: Of course it is!

Laura: … because he was able to break their security.

Jamie: Of course it is. It’s completely different.

Eric: Under Dumbledore’s security measures, Death Eaters got in, and, as a result, he was killed.

Jamie: That is one…

Eric: Under Dumbledore’s security – they were good enough for Dumbledore. Dumbledore knew more languages than Harry had ever heard of. Dumbledore is one of the most powerful wizards ever…

Jamie: Was one of the most powerful wizards ever.

Eric: …and even he overlooked some of these things.

Jamie: Every – that isn’t a reason to close… That isn’t a reason to…

Laura: He was fooled by a student, basically.

Jamie: He wasn’t fooled by a student. He was fooled by the fact…

Laura: Yes, he was.

Jamie: …that he didn’t – that he hadn’t considered the…

Laura: Death Eaters got into his school due to a student.

Jamie: Because…

Ben: Okay, but that does not justify closing Hogwarts…

Jamie: It doesn’t even nearly justify it. It’s one…

Ben: It… You have to have…

Laura: They were going to close Hogwarts because one student died there. In Harry’s second year.

Jamie: Exactly, and they didn’t because they realized that you can’t…

Laura: They didn’t because Harry solved it. Harry went and retrieved Ginny from the chamber. They would have closed Hogwarts if Ginny had died.

Jamie: You can’t say that. That is – I disagree completely.

Laura: Yes, they would’ve. The school governors were going to close the school.

Jamie: Yeah, but they were…

Laura: That’s the whole reason that Harry was motivated – I mean, apart from the fact that it was Ron’s little sister.

Jamie: Until they’ve caught the thing – until they caught the person, that it an acute problem. This war is chronic.

Ben: Never-ending. It’s…

Jamie: It’s going to be – you cannot…

Ben: It’s a war of ideologies. You can’t say, you can’t signal an end, because there’s always going to be the bad guys.

Jamie: It’s just stepped up a bit. It’s just intensified. Exactly. You can’t… You are basically saying, “We cannot handle this situation. We are leaving welfare, we are leaving education so we can put everything into this war.” You cannot do that. As Ben said, the people going into their first years…

Laura: But that’s what they’ve been doing all these years. They’ve been putting mediocre Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers in place.

Eric: And the school was never the target. That’s the thing about World War II. Schools were – yes, schools remained in session, but schools weren’t the target.

Jamie: Eric, trust me, civilian targets were bombed. Schools…

Eric: I know.

Jamie: People died under tables all the time because of it.

Eric: Well, Jamie…

Ben: But the thing is, throughout the entire series, you hear about people showing up at home with the Dark Mark hovering…

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Ben: …above their house. And if the Death Eaters were going to do anything before, imagine how many students they could’ve killed, and how many they let go free. They’re only going for the main ones. That’s why Hogwarts has to stay open. Because…

Laura: No, because…

Ben: …they’re only going for the main ones. They’re not going to make a mass killing of a bunch of people they don’t even know.

Laura: Oh, yes, they would. Oh, yes, they would.

Ben: That’s not how they operate. They’re going…

Eric: They will. They’ll get to the main ones. They’ll get to the main ones.

Jamie: If… Okay, the thing…

Laura: They’ll kill anyone they have to who’s in their way.

Ben: If that was the case – Laura, if that was the case, then they would have done it in The Half Blood Prince, but they didn’t.

Laura: No, because those students were safe in…

Ben: Ad that’s my point exactly.

Laura: …their common rooms, and they had a common goal of killing Dumbledore that night.

Eric: Yeah, and the thing is, if you’re going to kill…

Ben: Well, their common goal is going to kill Harry. It’s not going to be…

Laura: No, they were…

Ben: “…let’s go here and just mess up all these students.” That’s not how it’s going to work, because…

Laura: Yes, because it causes the kind of discord that they’re looking for…

Ben: …they hate – they only hate a certain people.

Laura: …that makes them stronger.

Ben: No, they only hate certain people. They hate mudbloods, they hate Muggles. They’re not going to target the average pure-blood wizard. Only if you’re not on their side.

Eric: But if the average pure-blood wizard gets killed, they aren’t going to feel that sorry about it. If they’re all in a giant room, it doesn’t matter.

Jamie: If you’re going to die – if you are 100 percent, okay, going to die, okay? Would you rather die in your house, alone, or with everyone else who is your age, everyone who you’ve spent the last three years with at school? I would want to die with everyone else. I would not want to die alone…

Eric: Yes, but what would your parents want?

Jamie: …thinking we’ve given in and we’ve died.

Eric: But what would your parents want?

Laura: You take a risk of having a mass killing of students at Hogwarts and then the school will be closed forever.

Jamie: There’s always a risk. There’s a risk of a mass killing of a community, of a mass killing of a village or a city. There’s always going to be that thing.

Laura: Yes, so wouldn’t you rather…

Ben: You don’t see us breaking up…

Laura: Wouldn’t you rather split up the risk?

Ben: You don’t see us breaking up the communities.

Jamie: No, I would rather be there. If Voldemort is going to take the school, he is going to take the school. I would want to be there with everyone else still standing up…

Ben: And, also, something else…

Jamie: …standing up in my citadel.

Ben: Something else. What is going to be better? What is going to be more effective: having all these students together where they can be trained and be able to defend against the dark arts and actually have a chance against the Death Eaters, or have them be separate in their own households, where there’s going to be destroyed, and…

Eric: Who says they’re going to be trained?

Laura: How well can they be educated at Hogwarts, though?

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: Because half of the teachers are in the Order.

Andrew: Okay, we need the – time’s up.

Eric: That’s the thing…

Laura: Okay. Time’s up.

Eric: Half the teachers are in…

Eric: Well…

Ben: We each get one minute.

Eric: … I think that’s a final point.

Laura: Okay.

Eric: I think that…

Andrew: Time’s up.

Eric: No…

Andrew: Closing arguments. Hold on – Eric.

Ben: No, your time’s up.

Andrew: Eric! [laughs]

Ben: You can’t say anything more.

Eric: But Laura wasn’t done with her sentence and you said time was up and we had no warning by a couple minutes.

Laura: Yeah, but time’s up. Time’s up, we can’t say anything else.

Ben: No, time’s up, time’s up. Time’s up means you shut up.

Andrew: We extended it by like… [laughs]

Jamie: We extended it by about nine light-years. Anyway, come on.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] Closing arguments, Ben and Jamie.

Jamie: Ben.

Andrew: One minute.

Ben: Well…

Andrew: Go.

Ben: The first thing that I think is important to remember…

Jamie: Give me 30 seconds.

Ben: …is you have to weigh the fact that if these students do not go to Hogwarts, what’s going to happen is you’re going to create a whole generation of uneducated people, because we don’t know when this war is going to end, so the students have to go to get their education. Secondly, they are safer at Hogwarts. Hogwarts is going to be swarming with people from the Ministry. They’re going to be safer and they are stronger united than they are divided being in their own homes. Thirdly, it’s admitting defeat. It’s like saying, “Well, let’s just let the Death Eaters – let’s just let them win.” By going to their homes and being hermits – that’s ridiculous. So, Hogwarts should stay open. It has to stay open.

Jamie: It has got to stay open. As you said, there’s the only summing up thing – we are stronger united than we are divided.

Andrew: Twenty seconds.

Jamie: They have to stand together. They have to put a front up against Voldemort and challenge him. That’s it. And we have to educate our children and that’s as far as it goes.

Ben: Beautiful.

Andrew: Seven, six, done?

Ben: So… Yeah. Vote for Ben and Jamie.

Andrew: Laura and Eric, one minute, go!

Laura: All right. Students do not need the kind of formal education that Hogwarts provides to become educated enough to keep the economy going and to fight Voldemort. And frankly I think that kind of education is taking a back seat at this point because you don’t have to be together all in one place to be united. Students maintain strong bonds over summer vacations. Students can get together and do what they want outside of school. They do not need to be together in Hogwarts where they are going to be a single target. Not to mention the Ministry of Magic will have to put so many of their employees and so many of their forces at Hogwarts when they could be other places defending other people. Eric?

Eric: What kind of school are you going to have with all the good Order, all the people who know how to defend stuff are in the Order, are fighting the war. What kind of school would it be? I agree you’ll be together and you’ll be with your friends and stuff, but is that what your parents want for you? For you to be at the target. You know? Jamie said he wants to be there with his friends. Would his parents allow it? That kind of thing is…

Andrew: Five.

Eric: …happening.

Andrew: Well, that was a very good…

Laura: It got very heated.

Eric: No, it sucked. I can’t be on this side.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: I can’t even remember I was concentrating on that so much.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: Laura, I…

Ben: Wasn’t that good?

Laura: That was good.

Jamie: That was actually quite good, yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: I am sorry I yelled at you guys. I do love you.

Andrew: Awww. Hugs all around.

Laura: I just…

Eric: Laura, you did well.

Laura: Thank you.

Andrew: Now, okay, now how am I doing this, Ben? Because I have little things to say, to point out. I have to sort of present my own case, don’t I?

Ben: Well… No, you can…

Andrew: Of why I chose the winner?

Ben: Yeah, do that and then you give us – tell us why you chose.

Andrew: Right.

Laura: Tell us how we’re wrong.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew: I’m going to have to go… [laughs] I hate taking sides like this. I am going to have to go with Ben and Jamie because, because…

Jaime: Yeah! Yeah!

Andrew: Because… [laughs]

Jamie: I was going to call you a ******* if you didn’t.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Both sides brought up good points, but I think when we’re talking about whether or not the school should stay open, they presented more points for the school staying open. First of all, Laura and Eric both brought – well, Laura brought up that the school is penetrable and they were thinking of closing it, which is a pretty good argument because who is to stay the school can’t be penetrated in Book Seven again. However, Jamie and Ben brought up good points such as homeschooling won’t work because they need teachers for spells and if they close the school now, when are they going to decide to open it again if the war does not even in Book Seven? Although we can probably assume that it will. Also, with the school being open, there will be a huge amount of Ministry protection because it is going to be their butts on the line if they do keep it open and God forbid an attack happened. And they also brought up the point that Dumbledore’s Army is not prepared. And can you… I do not think that a lot of people in that Army would be able to go out and fight Death Eaters. I mean I think that is kind of absurd because they are Hogwarts student.

Laura: I don’t agree. Five members of Dumbledore’s Army went to fight Death Eaters at the Ministry of Magic.

Jamie: But, it’s like… It’s like…

Eric: And they did a good job.

Ben: But Laura, Laura, Laura, Laura, don’t argue with the…

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Pipe down. Pipe down, Laura.

Andrew: I’m talking about as a whole.

Jamie: You lose ten points for that, Laura.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: That’s, that’s what I had.

Ben: Okay, well now is the chance for you, the listeners, to vote.

Andrew: At home. [laughs]

Ben: So, go to www…

Andrew: Text message “Magic”. [laughs]

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Magic. Yeah. [laughs] Yeah.

Andrew: Standard text messaging rates apply.

Ben: Go to www.mugglecast.com and regardless of what Andrew said – his opinion only counts for 25% of the vote. So, if you feel that Eric and Laura really did present the best arguments, please vote for them on MuggleCast.com. There will be a poll section where you will be able to see how to vote. And so, yeah. You count for 75% of the vote. So…

Andrew: And we’ll…

Jamie: Ben, I think it’s only fair to point out that we will be logging IP addresses and anyone who doesn’t vote for us will be banned from downloading the show in the future.

[Eric and Laura laugh]

Ben: Yeah. [laughs] Just kidding. Just kidding.

Andrew: We encourage everyone to vote before Wednesday – before Wednesday night because that is when we record the show and we’ll announce the winner then. So, you’ll have three or four days to vote. So, go on MuggleCast.com and…

Ben: So, please – and remember, we’re asking for your fair and unbiased point of view. Please do not – if I’m your favorite MuggleCaster or Jamie is your favorite MuggleCaster, and you feel that we got, basically, blown out of the water, then please vote for them, because we don’t deserve it. Just because you like us, doesn’t mean you should vote for us. Vote for who you thought presented the best case, and who you thought won the real arguments. So…

Andrew: Very good.

Ben: Yep. I like this segment.

Andrew: Yeah, I like it.

Laura: I thought it was fun. [laughs] I want to do it again.

Jamie: That was awesome.

Eric: I still didn’t get to say my point.

Laura: Awww.

Andrew: If you have a discussion, a debate topic for us, e-mail it to mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com. This, “Hogwarts: Shouldn’t It Stay Open?” that was a very good debate topic. Hopefully we can keep doing this weekly.

Ben: And please, please create your topics in the form of “should,” just so we don’t get into in an argument over whether it actually will happen. If it’s arguments for whether it should happen, it gives both sides a lot more ground because, for example, here, we know that Hogwarts, most likely, is going to stay open. But, if I was to say to Laura and Eric, “Oh, you know Hogwarts is going to stay open,” then it wouldn’t leave them much ground for them to argue their side because they may say, “Oh, I guess that’s a good point and why would Hogwarts close?” That type of thing. So, we’re saying Hogwarts “should.” Please put the word “should” in there somewhere.


Dumbledore Facts


Andrew: All right, next up, Dumbledore Facts with Jamie Lawrence. [laughs]

Jamie: Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Okay, I just have to find them now, sorry.

Andrew: Did you see that one I sent you? I sent you a few, but one of them was hilarious.

Laura: My throat is dry from all of this debating.

Jamie: Oh god. Okay, can I just say that everyone – the response to this segment has just been absolutely fantastic. I’ve got so many e-mails detailing some extremely good Dumbledore quotes and some not so good Dumbledore quotes. But, yeah, thank you very much. So, I’m just going to find this one now. Okay, we’ll start off with one who, I don’t know who it’s from, oh, from Brian, 14, in Massapequa Park, New York.

“When Dumbledore approaches a Hippogriff, the Hippogriff has to bow to Dumbledore.”

Andrew: [laughs] Okay, why am I the only one laughing? [laughs]

Jamie: Because no one else understands this awesome…

Laura: Because I don’t understand. I[m sorry.

Andrew: Okay, I’m going to have to send you a YouTube video and then maybe you’ll understand.

Laura: Okay.

Jamie: Okay.

“They built the London Underground so it would look like the scar above Dumbledore’s knee.”

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: You know, that’s really good.

Jamie: Okay.

“Dumbledore makes the Dementors relive their worst memories.”

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: This is a weird one.

“If a Boggart met a Boggart, both would turn into Dumbledore and die of fear.”

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Okay, this one is…

“When Dumbledore looks into Mirror of Erised, he just sees Dumbledore.”

Oh, these are from Mattaius, who’s 20 from Sweden. Thank you very much, these are some of the best. I’ve got seriously so many, I’ve got so many.

“Upon hearing that he was played by Michael Gambon, Dumbledore killed Gambon. Dumbledore gets played by no man.”

[Eric and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: This is awesome. And this is sort of a non-Harry Potter one.

“If Dumbledore misspells a word, your dictionary is wrong.”

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Oh my god.

Andrew: I like it.

Jamie: I could laugh at these for – these are brilliant.

Andrew: I’m going to find a good Chuck Norris on Conan video and…

Jamie: Yeah, go on.

Andrew: …post it in the show notes, because those of you who don’t understand it, if you watch this segment on Conan that he used to regularly do, you’ll understand it. [laughs] It’s very funny because Chuck Norris is this tough guy.

Jamie: There’s one specifically for me.

“The Hogwarts kitchen bin tore all its muscles in its lower back when Dumbledore tried to lift it.”

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Jamie: Okay, that’s enough Dumbledore quotes for next week because too much of a good thing… We’ll be back next week with more and more and more. Please keep emailing them to me. They’re very, very funny and I love receiving them.


Crackpot Theory of the Week


Andrew: Yep, now time for another relatively new segment. The Crackpot Theory of the Week.

Eric: Yay.

Laura: Yay.

Andrew: Title not stolen from the Lost podcast with Jane and Jack. All right, so…

Eric: Yeah, really.

Andrew: …if you remember last week – they’re a very good podcast. If you remember last week, we asked you to send in your crackpot theories to pose to Eric, which he will try to defend as if his life was depending on it.

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah.

Eric: The key here…

Eric: Now, Is my life really depending on it?

Andrew: Yes, because we are going to send out…

Eric: Snipers lined up across the…

[Everyone laughs]

Eric” Yeah.

Andrew: The key to these crackpot theories is that they have to be feasible. They can’t be outrageous.

Jamie: Yeah, they have to be feasible.

Eric: Well, there’s a difference between crackpot theories and stupid theories.

Jamie: But also, Eric has to just launch into defending it completely.

Eric: I know, right?

Jamie: He can’t think, he can’t look at his books, it is just straight away for… How long is it for?

Andrew: This is going to be good.

Jamie: One minute or two minutes? Or do you think…

Andrew: Well, what should we do?

Jamie: One minute, one minute we’ll go for. One minute, I will give you a statement and you’ll have to do it – defend it. Okay, for one minute, are you ready? Eric, this is your crackpot theory of the week: Moaning Myrtle is a spy for Voldemort.

Eric: Okay. First of all, she guards – she’s strategically poised at the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets. So, she’s a spy for Voldemort because she can keep track of anybody – any goings in and out. She could also hold – thanks to Harry she knows how to open the Chamber of Secrets. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if when Harry found Draco crying over the sink, I think they were actually about to enter the Chamber of Secrets and plan a meeting together. But that was – obviously, Harry interrupted, got all moody. Pretty soon people were Sectum Sempraing and it got pretty nasty, but that was actually, you were witnessing the meetings between Moaning Myrtle and Draco, and they were both discussing the Dark Lord when Harry walked in.

Jamie: Pretty good for the first attempt, I thought, Eric.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Yeah, it was not bad. First on the show.

Andrew: This was submitted by Stephanie, 17, of Newark, Delaware.

Eric: Pretty good, yeah. Should we go on?

Andrew: Should we read what her points were?

Jamie: Yeah. Go on.

Andrew: “She always seems to appear when Harry is trying to figure out something that relates to the Dark Lord; for example, brewing the Polyjuice Potion and discovering the clue for the second task in the Triwizard Tournament. Each appearance she makes, she seems to aid Harry somehow i.e., pointing him in the direction of the Chamber of Secrets, which would lead him into the grasp of Voldemort. I would love to hear you guys defend this, even though I think this theory is not exactly plausible.”

Eric: Also, I would say she is head-over-heels for Voldemort, but it’s not really funny.

[Jamie laughs]

Eric: She’s…


Jamie’s British Joke of the Week (sort of)


Andrew: Does anyone else have any other points going on? She might. She likes good looking young boys, I think.

Eric: Well, she was – she was into them so much she just…

Jamie: Yeah, no. Yeah.

Eric: She just dropped dead when she saw him.

Jamie: And Voldemort came around, and she looked a bit flushed.

[Everyone laughs]

[Andrew makes drum roll]

Ben: There’s Jamie’s British Joke of the Day!

Jamie: Yes! I don’t have to do one now! Yes!

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Do you have any others?

Jamie: No, I don’t.

Andrew: Do you have – oh, I thought we were only going to do one a week.

Jamie: Yeah, oh, yeah, yeah. One a week. One a week. No, no, no. One a – come on!


Andrew’s “Huh?! of the Week


Andrew: Okay. Now, it’s time for Andrew’s Huh?! of the Week.

[Eric and Laura laugh]

[Andrew clears throat]

Eric: You better…

Andrew: Got a frog in my throat.

Eric: One day, your voice is going to stick like that, Andrew.

Andrew: Huh?! Yeah, like that? Okay. laughs]

Eric: [in high-pitched voice] I’m Andrew Siiimmms! [laughs]

Andrew: Actually, it’s not an e-mail this week. It’s actually a web site. Every once in a while, I like checking out all the other Harry Potter fan sites out there, because, you know, I’m open. MuggleNet, Leaky – they’re great, but how about the little sites? They count, too, don’t they? [pauses] Nah, they really don’t. But, anyway…

[Eric laughs]

Laura: [laughs] Andrew!

Andrew: I like checking them out, and there’s one site called SpinnersEnd.com, and I thought this was pretty funny. They have a part of their site called, “The Truth About Fan Sites,” and they have little questions, you know, to answer people’s questions, like, “What does it really mean when a site goes on hiatus?” and stuff like that. They recently updated it. They have questions like, “Why do many sites constantly change the layouts?” and, “What’s going to happen to all the HP fan sites once all the books and films are done?” No! [Andrew pretends to bursts into tears] But, there’s another question here that I really like, and this is just funny. The question is: “Why does almost every HP fan site have a podcast now?” And their answer? [laughs]

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: “Simple. Because MuggleNet has one.”

[Everyone laughs and sighs “Awww”]

Andrew: And there you go! That is our Huh?! of the Week!

Laura: That warmed my heart. [laughs]


Other Harry Potter Podcasts


Andrew: But I thought maybe we could spend a couple of minutes talking about all these other Harry Potter podcasts out there. I don’t know what, exactly, but what do you guys think of all of them?

Jamie: Carpe diem.

Ben: They’re good.

Laura: How many has everyone listened to?

Andrew: Well, they haven’t listen to any of them, because [in a jokingly gruff voice] we’re so busy.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: But it’s just amazing how many podcasts there are [laughs] now relating to Harry Potter.

Laura: Well, I think it’s good because, as far as I know, I believe MuggleCast was the first Harry Potter podcast on iTunes.

Andrew: [imitating Woody Woodpecker] That is right, Laura! Ha ha ha ha ha!

[Eric and Laura laugh]

Laura: And I think that a lot of people were inspired by that.

Andrew: Yes.

Laura: And I think it’s a good thing. I feel very flattered.

Jamie: It’s just like…

Laura: I like it whenever people – actually, I know that some people over at MuggleNet Fan Fiction have started some little, small podcasts, which is pretty cool.

Andrew: Oh, wonderful!

Laura: I think it’s cute.

Andrew: Wonderful.

Andrew: Well, the sincerest form of flattery is imitation, yes? No?

Laura: “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”

Andrew: That’s what I meant! [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: If that – if that’s…

Laura: Good job, Andrew!

Andrew: But, I do have one little problem with all these Harry Potter podcasts. [jokingly sounds exasperated] Well, of course, there’s PotterCast

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: But there’s also RowlingCast, SpellCast, SnapeCast…

Eric: Oh, my gosh!

Andrew: SlashCast…

Eric: The names, people!

Andrew: DumbleCast…

Jamie: DumbleCast?

Eric: Come on!

Andrew: EnchantedCast, FlooCast…

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: …WizardCast, and I’m not making these up.

Eric: And don’t go on your Cast and say…

Andrew: Can people please…

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: VeelaCast, [laughs] PhoenixCast, HPCast – that’s original. You don’t have to put “Cast”…

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: …at the end of a noun for your podcast title.

Jamie: What? You mean like…

Andrew: Do what…

Jamie: HogwartsCast?

Andrew: Yeah. SlashCast, RowlingCast, SnapeCast, Harry Potter Podcast [laughs], whichever Cast you’re on.

Eric: And – and don’t go…

Jamie: They are Harry Potter podcasts, though.

Laura: They are Casts! That’s what they are. Why can’t they call them that?

Eric: But the fact is every, you know, the thing is, don’t go on your own Cast and say, “Oh, they mentioned us,” because at the same time, we’re just saying it’s kind of interesting. There are really good – there are a few Harry Potter podcasts that are actually – like Alohamora, or something along those lines – it’s not “Cast.” And there’s nothing wrong with “Cast.” As Laura said, you are Casts, and I’m sure, you know – I’m sure you all have great shows, but the difference is that everybody has sort of capitalized on this whole “Cast” thing.

Andrew: Right. That’s my point.

Eric: And it’s just like, well…

Andrew: So, what the Huh?!

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: How about there’s good ones, like Overflowing [mispronounces]Pen-ee-sives and Hogwarts Confidential.

Jamie: Oh, that’s good.

Andrew: Dumbledore Studies – clever names like that.

Laura: Did you say, “Pen-ee-sives”? [laughs]

Andrew: Pensieves.

Jamie: Pen-ee-sives! [laughs]

Eric: Pickle.

Andrew: I said, “Pensieves!”

Eric: Dumbledore’s Pickle.

Laura: [still laughing] No, you said, “Pen-ee-sives.”

Jamie: I think you may have said, “Pen-ee-sives,” Andrew.

Andrew: No, I didn’t!

Jamie: No, I think you may done it.

Laura: Yeah, you did! [laughs]

[Jamie and Laura laugh]

Andrew: Then there’s – so anyway… There’s ones like mudblood on the Air, Harmony Podcast.

Ben: That’s very, very nice.

Andrew: Fangirling [laughs] So anyway – oh and FilkCast – how could I forget? So, that’s all. I just wanted to bring that up. I thought that was funny. One again, Spinner’s End, “Simple, because MuggleNet has one.”


Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul


Andrew: Now, moving along, we have Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul to wrap things up. This comes from Christian, 18 of Hamilton, New Jersey. He writes…

Jamie: Oh wow, Ben.

Andrew: Or she.

Jamie: One more from New Jersey.

Andrew: Yeah, I know, another from New Jersey. Yeah, yeah, yeah. “My name is Christian…”

Ben: Coincidence.

Andrew: Listen, the smartest people clearly are from New Jersey. I don’t even look where they’re from before, I just look at the content.

Jamie: Of course you don’t. Of course you don’t.

Andrew: [laughs] I’m sorry, okay?

My name is Christian, I am 18 and I live in Hamilton, New Jersey.

Jersey represent Andrew. Jersey represent. Anyway…

I just graduated and started my first year of college down in Virginia. It’s about a 6 hour drive if there is no traffic. I went to a smaller high school in New Jersey where I was captain of the baseball team and soccer team. I was friends with just about everyone in my grade. I went from knowing everyone in a comfortable environment, to being thrown into a place six hours away from home and knowing no one. The first week was real tough and I listened to MuggleCast every day when I got lonely or whatever. I just wanted to thank you guys for being there even though you didn’t know you were. Keep on, keep on truckin’.

Laura: Awww.

Andrew: So, that’s very nice. That’s always very inspiring, when we get e-mails like that; saying that you were there for us, or me, but you didn’t know it…

Eric: [sings] I’ll be there for you.

Andrew: No! Why’d you have to pick that song?

Jamie: I was going to take, “Every night in my dreams I see you, I feel you.”

Andrew: What’s that from?

Eric: That’s Savage Garden.

Jamie: It’s not! It’s My Heart Will Go On!

Laura: [laughs] That’s Celine Dion.

Eric: Oh!

Andrew: [laughs] Savage Garden.

Jamie: [sings] Truly madly deeply do…

Andrew: Anyway…

Eric: I totally screwed that up.

Jamie: [sings] I don’t know the words so I’m just going to sing…

Andrew: Anyone got anything else? Anything?

Laura: Nope.

Andrew: Anything on your mind that’s really bugging you?

Jamie: Well, yeah.

Ben: Yeah.

Andrew: Gimme a Butterbeer, maybe?

[Ben Laughs]

Laura: Yeah, Ben. Where are the Butterbeers?

Andrew: Everyone wants to know.

Ben: Actually, thanks to Kyle for sending me a butterbeer. He actually sent me a Butterbeer.

Andrew: The one I forwarded you? Oh. [laughs]

Ben: An actual butterbeer. No, a real butterbeer.

Jamie: Yes. He e-mailed it and he pulled it out of his computer screen.

Andrew: Ben, I forwarded one to you.

Ben: No, I’ve actually already done that one before. It’s been so long that you don’t remember.


Show Close


Andrew: Hmmm, okay. Well, anyway, that wraps up MuggleCast Episode 54. Contact information. PO Box, Benjamin?

Ben:

MuggleCast
PO Box 223
Moundridge, Kansas 67107

Andrew: You can also call us. In the United States 1-218-20-MAGIC. That’s 1-218-62442. If you’re in the United Kingdom, you can dial 020-8144-0677. If in Australia, you can dial 02-8003-5668. We haven’t been getting many calls from the United Kingdom and Australia, because we can see what number they’re coming from, so feel free to use that number. We know there’s a lot of you out there. You can also…

Jamie: Or you can Two-way Mirror us.

Andrew: Yeah [laughs]

Jaime: Two-way Mirror us.

Eric: Yeah, Two-way Mirror us.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: I just hope we’ve got out mirrors on us at the time or you’re…

Andrew: [laughs] Channel Four. You can also Skype in a voicemail question or comment to our MuggleCast username. Just remember to try to keep your message under thirty seconds, blah blah blah blah blah. You can also e-mail us, mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com, or just go on MuggleCast.com for all that contact information, and a handy feedback forum. Also, I wanted to plug our Frappr Map because we haven’t in a while. We’re also working on a MySpace, and we do have a Facebook group that you can sign up for – er, you can join. There’s a good, what, 300 people on there right now?

Laura: MySpace? [sighs]

Andrew: Join the Frappr map and add you’re photos because…

Laura: MySpace…

Andrew: Because I was looking at everyone’s photos today. You’re an attractive bunch; every one of you. [laughs] And ummm…

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: But don’t add avatars.

Eric: Andrew, nice looking.

Andrew [Show Close with music in background]: That’s really lame and that just shows that you’re incompetent and don’t like how you look, and like I said, you’re all an attractive bunch. We’ve also got a new website in the works. That will be up soon. Take our listener survey and rate us on Yahoo podcast sites and all that good stuff. Once again I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: And don’t forget to vote on Podcast Alley. I’m Ben Schoen.

Jamie: And don’t forget to submit – to send in your…

Eric: I am…

Jamie: V is for Vendetta filks turned to MuggleCast to jamie at staff dot mugglenet dot com

Eric: Yes, you don’t want us to say verily this visage…

Jamie: No, you definitely don’t want to say that. Precisely. That is exactly what you don’t want to say. Okay. I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Eric: Right.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Andrew: [laughs] We’ll see everyone next week for Episode 55.

Eric: Bye!


Bloopers


Eric: Uh, are you okay saying yours after mine?

Laura: Yeah, it’s fine. Just whenever Andrew…

Jamie: Oh, the disorganization.

Andrew: Is this a tea party? Come on.

Laura: Okay, no! You know what!?

[Jamie laughs loudly]

———————–

Written by: Micah, Adrienne, Allison, Ally, Amanda, Eloise, Jessica, Judy, Mandie, Margaret, Martina, Megan, Roni, Sarah, Shannon and Shelly

Transcript #53

MuggleCast 53 Transcript


Show Intro


Rupert [Show Intro with music in background]: Hi everyone, this is Rupert Grint. This is MuggleCast, the number one podcast for everything Harry Potter. Take it away, Andrew!

Andrew: Thank you, Rupert! Episode 53, for August 27th, 2006.

GoDaddy.com presents Traffic Blazer. Submit your business info to more than 200 search engines and directories, and position your website for top rankings with Google and other leading search engines. With Traffic Blazer from number one domain registrar GoDaddy.com, you’ll get your share of internet business.

Hello everyone, welcome back to the show! I’m Andrew Sims.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull.

Jamie: I’m Laura Thompson.

Jamie: [at the same time as Laura] I’m Jamie Lawrence.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: [laughs] I’m Jamie.

Andrew: Nice. Nice, guys. And Ben Schoen is not with us because he’s late, as usual, and this week we just started – we decided to start without him.

[Jamie laughs]

Eric: Notice in…

Andrew: And…

Eric: …in the face of confrontation, Jamie’s last name just disappears…

[Laura laughs]

Eric: He’s just like, “Sorry! I’m Jamie,” then he leaves.

Jamie: Yeah. No, no. It isn’t really confrontation. It’s more of trying to build up a sort of personal relationship with everyone, you know how it is.

Andrew: Oh, right.

Jamie: I want – I think – I mean, I may even just shorten it to Jam next time, you know?

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Jam-Jam.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Now I’m not going to lie, I’m feeling kind of important tonight because I got a photographer right in front of me for the Philadelphia Enquirer, taking a – taking pictures for – what is it for again?

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: The “Coolest People Ever Cover Article”? Something like that.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Speaking of awesome people, Micah Tannenbaum is standing by in the MuggleCast news center with the past week’s top Harry Potter news stories.


News


Micah: Wow, Andrew, you sound a little different this week.

Some disappointing news for those of you who are looking forward to a good grudge match in the Order of the Phoenix film next summer – we’ve been informed that there is no storyline in the movie surrounding Ron’s Quidditch hardships, nor has there been any filming on broomsticks done by Rupert. We’re led to believe that this means there will be no Quidditch in the fifth film at all.

Mid-Day has an excellent new interview with Order of the Phoenix director David Yates, Potter actor Dan Radcliffe, and Cho Chang actress Katie Leung. In it, we learn Yates’ approach to directing the film, the kissing scene between Dan and Katie, and much more.

Yahoo! News reported earlier this week that Jessica Stevenson has been cast for the role of Mafalda Hopkirk, who works in the Improper Use of Magic Office at the Ministry of Magic.

And we have also received three more European release dates for Order of the Phoenix.

The film hits Belgium on July 11th, Denmark on July 13th, and Poland on July 20th.

Staying with movies, Goblet of Fire was awarded the “Choice Movie: Drama” award earlier this week at FOX’s Teen Choice Awards, voted on by teenagers across the United States.

As we reported back in March, the Goblet of Fire DVD set a world record for the largest selling DVD on its first day in the United States, which was roughly 5 million copies. There is a scan from the Guinness Book of World Records, which also includes a picture of Dan holding the certificate on the set of Order of the Phoenix.

And a few days ago, the nominations were announced for this year’s batch of World Soundtrack Awards. A song on the Goblet of Fire soundtrack called “Magic Works,” was nominated for “Best Original Song Written for Film.”

These winners will be announced on October 14th at the Flanders International Film Festival in Ghent, Belgium.

The Daily Record has published a new interview with actor Rupert Grint, who reveals that he recently failed his driver’s test. He also wants to continue playing Ron in the Potter series through the seventh film. And Yahoo! Movies recently posted the trailer for Rupert Grint’s latest movie, ‘Driving Lessons.’ The film will hit limited theaters on October 13th.

Tom Felton gave a small interview to the Junior Carp Tournament’s website. Tom talks about filming progress on Order of the Phoenix. He says that it is three-fourths of the way completed, and predicts that fifty percent of what he shoots will make the final cut.

Finally, as I did on the very first news one year ago, happy birthday to Ben Schoen, who turned 17 this past week.

That’s all the news for this August 27, 2006 edition of MuggleCast. Back to the show.

Andrew: Okay, thank you Micah.


Nicknames For Micah


Andrew: Some more names for Micah here – I think we did this one already.

Jamie: We’ve had this one…

Andrew: Micah-phone.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: “The Micah-chip”, “Micahtack”, “What I Micah About You” – that’s a new one!

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Mic-atomic bomb.

Eric: [laughs] Mic-atomic bomb.

Andrew: Just don’t stop.


Micah, Eric and Jamie Turn One-Year Old


Laura: Now Andrew, did you forget about the news this week? How it’s a year old now?

Andrew: Oh, how could I forget! [laughs] Thank you for reminding me!

Eric: So am I!

Andrew: I’ll bet Micah told you because he knew that I was going to – I was going to forget.

Laura: Yup.

Andrew: Am I right?

Laura: Yup. You are right.

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: What? I don’t get it.

Andrew: Micah Tannenbaum’s News is one year old, today.

Eric: Now wait, Jamie…

Jamie: Is that right? I see!

Eric: Jamie!

Jamie: Yeah?

Eric: Doesn’t this – this means you and I also turn one year old today.

Jamie: No, Eric, it means [singing 99 Red Balloons] You and I, in a little toy shop, buy a bag of balloons with the money we’ve got.

Eric: Shut up.

Andrew: It does, doesn’t it?

Eric: Because it was Episode 3? 4?

Jamie: I think it could be. It’s around that, yeah.

Eric: It was Episode 3!

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Oh yes, it was! You’re right! It was around three or four. Three or four, it was something like that.

Andrew: Yeah. And now we are – here we are a year later, and Micah’s still got – still kicking the news. So, thanks to him for his excellent weekly reporting.

Jamie: Dedication.


Announcements


Andrew: Now let’s move on to – yeah. Let’s move on to a few announcements now. MuggleCast t-shirts: pick up your copy today, because they are running out quickly.

Jamie: Completely limited edition?

Andrew: Yeah, they really are limited edition now, and we’re going to be selling some new designs very soon. Also, don’t forget to vote for us on Podcast Alley. And California – we have lots of California updates. Unfortunately, Ben’s not here to read off the California song winners…

Jamie: ‘Cause he’s lazy.

Andrew: [laughs] I don’t know where he is, actually. But, California – I haven’t even told you guys yet. That’s how bad of a host I am. We are aiming for September 28 at the Borders in Westwood – the Westwood area of California.

Laura: Great!

Andrew: They’re very excited to have us, so mark your calendars now…

Jamie: Awesome, awesome, awesome.

Andrew: And we’ll have some updates on LeakyMug.com. Go there for RSVP and more information and all that. There’s Ben – now, hold on a second. The reporter’s here now, the reporter’s here now.

Laura: Okay, everybody.

Andrew: Welcome Toni. Say hi, Toni.

Toni: Hi, everybody.

Jamie: Hey, Toni.

Eric: Hi.

Laura: Hi!

Andrew: Ben just called me and said that he completely forgot. Which explains how he dedicated he is to the show.

Laura: Which is typical! [laughs]

Eric: We’ve only been doing the show for what, you know, over a year?

Jamie: A year-and-a-half.

Andrew: Right. Yeah. So, we’ll get lyrics next week for everyone.


Listener Rebuttal – Cedric’s Death


Andrew: Listener Rebuttals this week though, our first one comes from Julia, 16 of New York. She writes in response to minor versus major character death discussions on Episode 52. She says:

“While Cedric is not a major character, his death impacted Harry at that time nearly as much as killing off a major character like Sirius or Dumbledore does in the later books. Cedric’s death is the first death Harry experiences firsthand, and gives him the first taste of what fighting this war is really going to be like. He is put on guard, his friends and classmates are in very real danger. By having the first experienced death in the series be of a minor character, J.K. Rowling allowed us – Harry – allowed Harry to be more prepared. If Sirius had been the first witnessed murder, then it might have been a bit too much of a shock for us as well as Harry. Harry would have had to deal with the shocking grief that comes with watching someone die for the first time, along with the sadness that comes with losing someone he loves.

This is a long one.

Perhaps Cedric’s death desen – desensa…”

Laura, help me out here.

Jamie: Desensitized.

Andrew: “…Desens – desense – desensitized Harry enough that…”

Laura: Good job, Andrew. [laughs]

Andrew: “…after Sirius died he was able to get through his misery and depression enough that he could continue with his life…”

[Jamie laughs]

“…by starting off with a minor character death.”

[Jamie laughs]

“Rowling made sure things happened in the appropriate order. Cedric’s death missed the odds, Sirius’ murder caused a few tears to fall, and Dumbledore passing on caused more flat out sobbing.”

Good point brought on by Julia.

Jamie: And Ron kicking the bucket in Book Seven is going to cause some suicides among us all.

Andrew: Yes.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Laura: Yeah, but wouldn’t you agree that part of the reason Cedric’s death struck Harry so strongly was because of their close age? I mean, they were so close in age and the fact that Harry saw that no one was spared…

Eric: Agreed.

Laura: And even teenagers were being killed, and one person was supposed to die in the graveyard that night. And it wasn’t supposed to be Cedric, it was supposed to be Harry.

Andrew: And he saw the death. That was the first death that he saw. So…

Eric: Yeah. This can be you. You know. This will be you, almost.

Jamie: That’s true, but I think it reinforces the points that we were making that it’s a minor character, but it’s not a minor death. You know, it tells Harry a lot, this thing. So, you know, when Jo said that she wasn’t killing off minor characters, I don’t think she was particularly saying that every single character she kills is important, but every single death that she creates is important to Harry, and obviously as this person says, takes him on a journey, where it gets worse, and worse, and worse and shows that he’s in the middle of a war.

Laura: Agreed.

Eric: Right.

Andrew: And this was the first death that he had seen, you know.

Eric: Well, question: Do you think without Cedric’s death – I mean, in Book Five – I’m re-reading Book Five, and it seemed like you know, that the vast majority of the wizarding population doesn’t believe Dumbledore and Harry even though Cedric’s died. They just knew that Harry appeared from somewhere with Cedric dead. Do you think without Cedric dying they would have had no case and even less people would have believed Dumbledore and Harry?

Jamie: [thinking] Ummm…

Eric: Or would they have been able to prove successfully that Voldemort returned without the question mark of how Cedric died?

Jamie: Don’t you think that kind of makes it worse because you know, Cedric’s death – There wasn’t a mark on his body, obviously. They couldn’t prove anything. Harry just came back with this thing, and it could’ve looked like to the whole Voldemort coming back thing was just a cover-up.

Laura: That makes it worse for Harry.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly. But, I don’t know. It would be interesting to see. Perhaps we can do a “What If?” What happens if Cedric said, “No it’s okay, you have the cup. I’m going to go and take a break.”

Eric: Right. [laughs]

Laura: I don’t think as many students would have been on Harry’s side. I don’t think as many people would’ve come to the DA and that kind of thing.

Jamie: Yeah, probably not.

Eric: I don’t know. Cedric might not have – I don’t even think Cedric would have believed Harry. Or he may have, because he turns.

Laura: Well, yeah. Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: Well, I was talking about people…

Jamie: No, Eric. Eric, to be fair, he is dead. He won’t be believing much, you know.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Jamie: It’s just a minor point, obviously.

Eric: No, his final point… No, his final remarks, “Take my body back to the fangirls.”

[Jamie laughs]

Eric: You know, they were pretty sweet.

Laura: [laughs] Fan girls.

Andrew: Jamie, you want to take the next rebuttal?


Listener Rebuttal – Defense Against The Dark Arts


Jamie: Yeah, sure. This is from Kaitlin, 16, from Aberdeen in SD. Where’s…?

Andrew: What is that?

Jamie: What’s SD?

Andrew: Come on, American pop quiz.

Jamie: What is…

Laura: [whispers] South Dakota.

Andrew: South Dakota.

Jamie: Oh okay, South Dakota.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: I was like…

Jamie: You know, every single British place there’s a place called it in America, everywhere. Ridiculous.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: Anyway, the subject is DADA, Defense Against the Dark Arts.

“Because of the curse Voldemort put on the DADA position none of the DADA…

Ah, god, I can’t say it now.

…teachers have been able to stay for more than one year. I find it interesting that the DA only lasted a year as well. As a secret defense class, Harry acted as a DADA teacher. [laughs] Do you think that because Harry as a DADA teacher [laughs] the curse was a reason that he didn’t continue with the DA?”

Whew, god!

Andrew: Isn’t that kind of interesting?

Jamie: I have to take a break after that.

[Andrew, Laura, and Eric laugh]

Andrew: It wasn’t much. Don’t you think that’s kind of interesting? That’s why I put it in here.

Laura: Yeah. I thought that was interesting.

Jamie: Yeah. It is, but I don’t think you can call the DADA and the DA synonymous.

Andrew: Well, yeah.

Jamie: Okay. Let’s make a competition for the person who can send in the longest sentence composed of only DADA.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: That was like three sentences Jamie. [counting sentences] One, two, three, four.

Eric: DADA, PDA…

Jamie: No, I mean only DADA. DADA, DA, DADA, DA, DADA..

Andrew: Oh, okay. Is that another t-shirt giveaway?

Jamie: No, because I think Sam will get ****** off if I ask him to send one.

[Jamie, Andrew and Eric]


Listener Rebuttal – Mad-Eye Moody


Andrew: Good point, good point. [laughs] Next listener rebuttal comes from Taya, 16, from St. Louis.

“In the last show, you guys discussed the possibility of Mad Eye Moody becoming the next Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Although that would be really cool because he’s such an interesting character, he’s too busy with his business for the Order to spend his time teaching. No doubt he’s got a lot of places to go and things to do for the Order, but he wouldn’t be able to do his job at Hogwarts because he’d be focused on teaching. So I think it might be someone from the Order, but maybe someone more insubstantial. I love your show!”

Laura: I agree with that. I really do. I think that the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in Book Seven is going to be someone that we know, but it will be someone insubstantial because Harry’s not going to be at Hogwarts. So, we’re not really going to need to learn all that much from that person.

Andrew: Right.

Eric: And again, it can’t be someone too important – too good at Auroring if it is an Auror that does the teaching, because they’re supposed to be, you know, helping the cause. They can’t be hold up at Hogwarts, you know, teaching.

Laura: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: Exactly, they can’t go and, you know, stop fighting the war but then say, “Oh well, I’ve got to be back to marks some books.” You know, it’s a full-time job. It’s a full-time job.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Actually, that’s like – I was watching this political satire program in the UK and they were talking about the “Territorial SAS”, which is our special forces. And it’s like, you’re either in the SAS or you aren’t in the SAS. So, this “Territorial SAS”, this person was saying that they’re behind enemy lines, they’re fighting, but they’ve got to get back on Tuesday to do their job.

[Silence]

Jamie: I thought that was hilarious.

Andrew: [chuckles softly] Yeah, that’s why it’s British satire.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: No, exactly! I was just about to say, you know, I tell these things about British humor and it’s just met with a “Oh, heh. Oh, that’s good, that is.”

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Well, I still find it interesting. It’s still kind of like cultural something. Anyway…

Jamie: What Eric, interesting in a kind of not funny at all way?

Eric: Not really. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah, cool.

Andrew: I sent you an article Jamie, earlier today from a girl who e-mailed. It was an article in the BBC, and the article said that British humor is 15% funny or something like that because of the accent.

Jamie: Oh yeah. So, I think that kind of backs up the theory that the jokes that I tell every single week are awful.

Eric: Well, Jamie?

Jamie: Yes?

Eric: Does the SAS – do they have guns?

Jamie: Yes, it’s like your Delta Force.

Eric: What’s our Delta Force? You know more about this than I do.

Jamie: Oh, right.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: Delta Force is one of your special forces divisions of the American army.

Eric: Oh, right. Okay.

Laura: [laughs] I find it really sad that Jamie has to educate…

Eric: I swear Brits know more… British people know more about us than…

Jamie: Eric?

Eric: What?

Jamie: Anything else you want to know about your country? Where do you live again? I’ll tell you if you’ve forgotten, you know?

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: Yeah. Eric, that’s embarrassing.

Eric: Yeah.


Listener Rebuttal – Bill Weasley


Andrew: Next rebuttal, this is going down quick. Next rebuttal: Joanna, 18, of Kala – Kala – Kalamazoo, Michigan. Is that a real town?

[Eric and Laura laugh]

Eric: I guess so.

Andrew: Is it? Philadelphia Inquirer photographer says yes. [speaking to photographer] Have you really? What’s it like?

Philadelphia Inquirer Photographer: It’s a small town.

Andrew: Oh.

Jamie: Kalamazoo? It sounds like a Google spin-off.

Andrew: It’s a small town. You heard it here first. She writes – Joanna writes:

“What do you guys think about the possibility of Bill Weasley becoming the new DADA professor? I mean, he’s the one at Gringotts, right?” [laughs]

Okay, let me stop this for a second.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: When you’re writing these rebuttals, we’re not – we’re too lazy to go through and edit them, or read them like we’re going to read them on air, so edit them for us and then send them in. [Laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: I know exactly why [inaudible]

Jamie: What’s wrong with this?

Laura: Come on, Andrew.

Andrew: Because then we look…

Jamie: Andrew…

Laura: You can’t just read over the errors?

Jamie: What do you expect? Haikus and…

Andrew: She writes…

Jamie: Iambic pentameter? [laughs]

Andrew: That’s exactly what I expect. She writes:

“I mean, he’s the one at Gringotts, right? So maybe he wouldn’t have any experience teaching but hey, he’s a nice guy. He is, as Harry says, ‘cool.’ He has experience fighting Death Eaters, he’s got battle wounds…what else do you need? He could gain experience as he goes and I’m sure he knows enough that he could teach these kids. Also, that would allow a member of the Order to be at Hogwarts without compromising a major player. I’m interested to hear what you think!”

Eric: Kudos for…

Andrew: That’s a good final point.

Eric: Yeah, completely browsing over what we were just saying about how they couldn’t be a major player, but if they were in the Order, it would still be nice. The only problem is, the battle wounds…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …reason…

Laura: Yeah.

Eric: I… His battle wounds kind of make him part werewolf and people don’t like werewolves teaching their kids. Sorry. Even if it will never mature or whatever, he’s still got…

Jamie: Still looks like a bit of a werewolf.

Laura: Yeah, but wouldn’t any of the parents who would have that kind of opinion take their kids out of Hogwarts anyway at this point?

Eric: That’s true, that’s true. You could say, well, screw them.

Jamie: Or homeschool them.

Laura: Yes!

Eric: [laughs] Yes! And for more abuse about homeschooling…

Laura: I love how you guys all mock me for being homeschooled.

Jamie: No, we don’t, we don’t.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: No, we talked – we did a whole few episodes about that actually…

Jamie: We mock the idea of being homeschooled – home-taught magic. To be fair.

Andrew: Yeah, exactly.

Laura: Why?

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Well, okay then, Laura. How many people do you know who, on a Wednesday morning, stay home, eat breakfast, and then get their wands out and cast some spells? And have their mom teach them how to do it?

Laura: I’d say about 50.

Jamie: 50?

Laura: 50, Jamie.

Jamie: Well, I don’t think 50 is very representative, but…

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Of the world’s population.

Eric: Because the wizarding world is so huge.

Jamie: Yeah, it is.

[Laura laughs]


Listener Rebuttal – Ben And Harry Parallel


Andrew: Okay, let’s move on. Erin, 31 of Pennsylvania; she writes about Ben in Nebraska. She draws an interesting parallel and this really freaked me out.

“In Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry is sitting in a Muggle street, in the middle of the night, wondering what the police will say when they find a boy with a trunk of magical items. Ben is sitting in a Muggle street, in the middle of the night, wondering what the police will say when they find a “boy” with his laptop stealing WI-FI. Wow, the parallels!”

Jamie: That’s pretty awesome.

Andrew: Good point, Erin. Good point, good point.


Listener Rebuttal – Book Spines


Andrew: This next one – these are some weird emails this week – Michelle, age ten…

Eric: Million.

Andrew: Ten million…

Jamie: One hundred thousand.

Andrew: …one hundred thousand. And she writes:

“You guys played a voice ‘thing,’ that said the books…”

They are called voicemails.

“…that said that books have ‘Year One,’ ‘Year Two,’ and so on. It’s on the spine of both the paperbacks and hardcover editions.”

Not all of them. I think when they first started printing these, they didn’t have “Year One” and “Year Two.”

Laura: Really?

Andrew: Like – yeah.

Jamie: Do they really?

Andrew: My copies don’t. So, that leads me to believe they did that just because they wanted to put something new on the spine of the reprints.

Eric: Hmmm.

Laura: Hmmm. Interesting.

Eric: The UK editions don’t have them on the spine.

Andrew: I don’t…Laura, are they on yours, Laura?

Laura: Ummm…

Andrew: They’re not on mine.

Laura: I don’t know. I have a newer version of Sorcerer’s Stone because my old one died, [laughs] but, yeah…

Jamie: It died?

Laura: My newer one has “Year One” on it. [Laughs] Yeah. I killed it. I’m sorry.

Jamie: Awww.

Eric: It was a Horcrux.

Jamie: Yeah.


Listener Rebuttal – The Price of Gas


Andrew: And, last rebuttal comes from Doug of Brisbane, Australia. He writes about fuel prices because we talked about this last week.

Laura: Oh, geez.

Andrew: And this kills me.

“Hey, just listening to the show. I heard the outrageous prices of fuel in the US and UK. We have it too easy down here with $1.20 AU per liter, which is approximately 90 cents in the United States.”

Laura: Oh!

Andrew: Terrible.

Jamie: Wow.

Laura: That makes me want to cry.

Andrew: I know. [laughs]

Jamie: I’d buy that just for the sake of buying it – Petrol. I mean, just…

Laura: What was that, Andrew?

Jamie: …store it somewhere.

Andrew: Ship it back here. Do you drive, Laura?

Laura: Yeah!

Andrew: Oh, you do? I didn’t know that.

Laura: I’m almost 18-years old. I do drive.

Eric: Laura drives?

Andrew: This…

Laura: Yes!

Eric: What color car do you have? Is it pink? [laughs]

Laura: I don’t have my own car. I use my dad’s.

Eric: Does it have zebra skin? Oh. Okay, never mind.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: When you get a car, will it have zebra skin?

Laura: No.

Eric: Okay.

Jamie: You’ll have to explain this joke, Eric. I must admit, I think I’m a bit behind. [laughs]

Eric: It’s not a joke, I just picture Laura as having – okay, sorry. Andrew’s conversing with a reporter so we can just continue to ask Laura strange questions…

Andrew: I was conversing with a reporter.

Eric: From apparently no origin. Huh?

Andrew: [laughs] I was conversing with the reporter.

Eric: Sweet.

Andrew: Say ‘hi’ to the listeners.

Toni: Hi listeners!

Jamie: Yeah!

Andrew: This is Toni from the Philadelphia Inquirer and – when is this article going to be in the…

Reporter: Sunday, likely.

Andrew: Oh, Sunday? Okay.

Eric: Hi Toni! I’m down here in Reading, check me out.

Laura: Cool.

Andrew: Eric says “Hi from Reading.”

Laura: I’m from Cumming.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: When I told her you were from Cumming over the phone, she was like, “What’s that again?”

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: Yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: I spelled it. It was awkward.

Jamie: I’m Cumming.

Andrew: So, yeah.

Toni: [inaudible]


Main Discussion – Aberforth Dumbledore


Andrew: Yeah. Our main discussion this week is Aberforth Dumbledore. And Eric, you put this little one together, so…

Jamie: Little one? [laughs]

Andrew: …you’re in charge. No not little, sorry

Eric: I don’t put any little ones together.

Andrew: [laughs] All right, go for it Eric.

Eric: Okay, I have a little bit of an introduction, but then we are going to follow an actual structured thing which is in the Writely. So everybody, check this out. Okay, all MuggleCasters, on deck here for this one. Okay. Listen. Okay, in Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 16, pg. 335, US edition, Hermione leads Harry and Ron through Hogsmeade on their first free weekend, to the place where an unknown amount of students are going to come to hear Harry’s plans for the soon-to-be DA. Basically they’re all coming to hear a story. You guys remember this?

[Everyone agrees]

Eric: Hermione sets the whole thing up, and he just kind of follows it after a while. Anyway, so he asks Hermione, “Where are we going, anyway?” And Hermione says, “The Three–” well, Harry suggests the Three Broomsticks. She says, “‘Oh – no,’ said Hermione, coming out of her reverie, ‘no, it’s always packed and really noisy. I’ve told the others to meet us in the Hog’s Head, that other pub, you know the one, it’s not on the main road. I think it’s a bit …you know…dodgy.'”

The Hog’s head is described as being not at all like the Three Broomsticks. Its small, dirty, one room, and it smells like goats. [laughs] This is the place where Hagrid once won Norbert the dragon, as an egg, and everyone in it typically keeps their heads covered, and their minds to their own business. Now, what’s important about the Hog’s Head – apart from its location, which we’ll talk about in a few minutes – is the bartender. After many hints and references to goats and all that, JK Rowling finally told us that the bartender is actually Aberforth Dumbledore, Albus’ brother. This connection, I suppose, is where the mystery and discussion really begins.

Aberforth was first mentioned in Book Four by Dumbledore; Rita Skeeter’s article on Hagrid comes out, and in order to cheer him up Dumbledore tells of how his brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practicing illegal charms on a goat. It was apparently something really big in the papers – [laughter] I know, goats, right? But Aberforth continued to, quote, “go about his business as usual,” though Dumbledore then expresses concern that Aberforth may not know how to read.

Now, this is what I want to bring up first about Aberforth; his first conversation and appearance to Habby – er, Harry. [laughs] In Chapter 16 of Order of the Phoenix, “In The Hog’s Head,” he’s described as, “a grumpy looking old man, with a great deal of long hair and a beard. He’s tall, thin, and looks vaguely familiar to Harry.” Harry walks up to him to order a Butterbeer, and all he gets from him is a grunt, [imitates Aberforth] “What?” [laughs] The only other choice words Aberforth has for Harry is, [imitates Aberforth again] “six sickles,” which he takes from Harry almost blatantly, and the he goes to help someone else. In fact, Ron finds Aberforth so shady that he discusses trying to get a Firewhisky off of him, even though he is underage; Hermione scowls.

So, first question is, what exactly do you guys think is up with Aberforth? [laughs] I mean, illegal charms on a goat, grunts for an answer, and he polishes – cleans his cups with a dirty rag that looks like it’s never been washed before, and he actually makes the drinking glasses dirtier. “‘The Hog’s Head is a-bring-your-own-glass establishment,’ advises Professor Flitwick to Hermione,” and it seems like the barman is completely nuts.


The Role of Aberforth


So do you think that Aberforth is pretending to be stupid, or is he really just this creepy, distant, kind of in-the-background guy?

Jamie: I think…

Andrew: I think he’s the creepy…

Jamie: In the distant…

[Everyone begins to agree]

Jamie: I agree.

Laura: Whenever I heard about illegal charms on goats, uh, that pretty much confirmed…

Jamie: Yeah…

Laura: What I feel about him, is that he’s kind of creepy and out there, and – goats. I just…

Eric: And goats.

[Laura and Eric laugh]

Laura: That’s all I have to say.

Eric: Well, still – it kind of fits, though. In an interesting way, do you think that Dumbledore and Aberforth Dumbledore would be brothers? Because they’re both, kind of whimsical in their own ways. I guess…

[Laura laughs]

Eric: It makes sense that if – doesn’t it make sense that if Albus is this, you know, social genius, and he knows how to work people like Fudge knows how to get out of tight spots, doesn’t it seem fitting that his brother would be just as weird, with – obviously lacking some of those skills – they kind of compliment each other, do you think?

Andrew: Right. Like the Ugly Duckling.

Laura: I’m not sure he’d be lacking in any skills, though. I mean…

Eric: What? Aberforth?

Laura: Yeah, I mean…

Eric: Because he seems like a social wacko. He is this…

Laura: Well Dumbledore’s kind of a social wacko…

Eric: That’s true.

Laura: …he’s just a nice one. [laughs]

Eric: That’s true. Well, still, goats. You said it yourself.

Jamie: Yeah, I mean it’s…

Laura: Well, it doesn’t mean he’s unintelligent.

Jamie: Laura, so in Cumming, do they just go around, you know…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: …picking up goats and, uh…

Laura: No, no, no. See, here you have Uncle Daddy.

[Jamie laughs]

Laura: We don’t – people don’t mess with goats here.

[Jamie still laughs]


Aberforth: The Order Member


Eric: So wait, he is actually in the Order. Or he was in the old Order. Back at Grimmauld Place, Mad-Eye Moody is looking at that picture, or he shows Harry that picture of the old Order, including Harry’s parents, Wormtail, and that, and it shows Aberforth Dumbledore. Mad-Eye Moody says he only met him once, and that was the time that picture was taken. And so he seems to be really mysterious, even to the other Order members. Because Moody only met him once, and if he’s in the Order that seems strange; they always see people dropping by at Headquarters, and that kind of thing.

Laura: Well, think about it. If the Hog’s Head is kind of a shady place, what better place…

Jamie: Kind of?

Laura: …to have an Order member?

Jamie: Yeah, I agree. And, also, it’s like there are some people who are on the good side, but you wouldn’t want round for dinner. It’s like Aberforth – he’s obviously on the good side, but he isn’t the kind of person who you can trust to drop by and, you know? It’s like – yeah.

Laura: Yeah. He’s like Mundungus.

Jamie: It’s like Jack Sparrow says in the first Pirates Of The Caribbean

Laura: [sighs] Oooh, Jack Sparrow.

[Laura and Eric laugh]

Jamie: If I get this 100% right, which I know I won’t, it’ll be good. It’s, “Me, I’m dishonest. It’s the honest ones you’ve got to watch out for. Because…”

Laura: [sighs] Yes.

Jamie: Okay, I don’t know. But, you know, it’s that he’ll always be dishonest, perhaps, Aberforth – I can’t believe I’m making this parallel. This does not work at all.

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: Yes, it does. Johnny Depp works with anything.

Jamie: Yeah. I agree completely.

Andrew: No, he doesn’t.

Laura: Yes, he does.

Jamie: But…

Andrew: You guys are both just fangirls for him.

Jamie: And anyway, ummm…

Laura: I’m not ashamed to admit that.

Jamie: So, he’s completely dishonest. And although he can be trusted to help, I don’t think he can be trusted with the most sensitive stuff, so perhaps it’s that. It’s like Mundungus.

Eric: So you think he’s untrustworthy?

Jamie: Yes. No, I don’t think he’s untrustworthy, but he’s just, perhaps, incompetent.

Eric: Awkward?

Jamie: Yeah, awkward and incompetent.

Andrew: Right.

Eric: Awkward, okay.

Andrew: He’s like Eric. We like him, but we just don’t want him places.

[Jamie laughs]

Eric: We don’t want him around. Okay.

Andrew: I’m just kidding, just kidding.


Mundungus In The Hog’s Head


Eric: No, that’s fine. But, it’s funny you mention Dung, because Dung is – Mundungus is in the – he’s in the pub when Harry and them go and try and start the DA, dressed as a veiled witch. Which, actually, Sirius says is because Dung was thrown out of the Hog’s Head twenty years before, or something like that. So apparently, Dung is actually banned from the Hog’s Head. But in addition to that, in Book Six, Aberforth is actually spotted with Dung in Hogsmeade when – right before Katie gets attacked, and when Harry finds Dung stealing Sirius’ stuff – when they walk up to him, they see the barman. Harry recognizes the barman from the Hog’s Head, and just as they start walking up, Aberforth ties his cloak a little bit tighter and walks away. And that’s when Harry finds… But Dung and Aberforth were talking, so do you think Aberforth has a hand in Mundungus stealing Sirius’ stuff, or was he trying to buy stuff off of him, or what? Because Dung and Aberforth were seen together in that street, but, yet, Dung is supposed to have been banned from the pub, and all sorts of stuff. Is that just for show, is the whole thing just for show?

Jamie: Ummm…


Strategic Location: The Hog’s Head


Andrew: What if he’s Albus’ outsider.

Eric: I thought so.

Andrew: Not outsider, but he does all the dirty work that he can’t really be seen doing.

Jamie: What? Like killing people? [laughs]

Andrew: No, just like with the trades, with Sirius, and stuff like that.

Eric: Well guys, put it this way. The Hog’s Head in Hogsmeade – Hogsmeade is so close to Hogwarts, so my opinion is that it’s a location thing. Because there’s – obviously, if you want a pub in Hogsmeade, there is either the Three Broomsticks, which is crowded with all these happy-go-lucky people, and then there’s the Hog’s Head, which is this dusty, grimy place. Everyone keeps their cloaks up and covers their faces. So I’m thinking, if Hogsmeade is kind of a strategic location for Aberforth to have a bar, because the Hog’s Head obviously attracts a lot of the shadier, dodgy people. So… Things like – well, Hagrid got Norbert there, so I guess it makes sense that Dumbledore would have known about Norbert the whole time.

Jamie: Yeah. It also doesn’t seem like a place where you’d be watched; you go there and people don’t judge you. It just seems like a place where everyone’s weird, and it’s okay to be weird there.

Eric: Right, and, like I said, Ron seemed to think Aberforth was really passive, because he was going to try and get a Firewhisky off of him.

Jamie: Yeah.


Aberforth And The Prophecy


Eric: So that’s really interesting. The prophecy – because Aberforth was there. Aberforth was the only other person besides Snape, Dumbledore, Harry, and Trelawney, who has anything to do with the prophecy, as far as we know. Because it was the Hog’s Head, which is where the prophecy was made, it’s where Albus went to interview Sybil and Snape – or Trelawney and Snape. And Dumbledore was interviewing both of them that night for a teaching position, which kind of gets into Snape. But basically, during Trelawney’s prophecy, Aberforth came in, holding Snape by the scruff of the neck – is this correct? And he said, “This man was listening in,” or something like that.

Jamie: I think – I think we’re putting slightly too much importance on him, I must admit.

Eric: Well, he’s a main discussion, if we’re putting importance on him, it’s my fault.

Jamie: No, no, no. It’s fine. I think it’s interesting that is also shows that he just seems to be part of the plot, but not, you know – he’s like a fun thing. The thing about goats, the only reason that was there, was so that we recognized him in the bar, as the bartender. It’s just – it seems like just a challenge to us, to recognize that. It doesn’t seem like it’s important to the thing as a whole.


Did Aberforth Buy The Locket?


Eric: But the fact that Harry sees Aberforth and Dung together in the street, when Dung is nicking Sirius’ stuff, it seems to me that Aberforth might have actually – do you think it’s possible that he bought the locket off Mundungus? If Dung had actually collected that locket, wouldn’t it be really convenient if Aberforth had then bought it off of him? Or something like that? Since we’re worried – the whole question is, is the locket still at Grimmauld Place, if Dung was stealing the stuff?

Jamie: That’s very true, yeah.

Eric: So, then, I’ve picked this out, thanks to Lexicon, who said that it was Aberforth who was seen. And I thought, well – I just have – I don’t know – I have this idea that Aberforth is going to play a really big role in Book Seven. I just…

Laura: Well, do you think he’s going to help Harry, at all? Or do you think he’s going to be, kind of, a barrier?

Jamie: [says cautiously] Hinder.

Eric: Dung is the barrier. I think that’s the contrast, too, between barman and bar-goer, between Dung and Aberforth.

Jamie: Thief.

Eric: I think Aberforth is actually – yeah, [laughs] bartender and thief. The difference – I think Aberforth will help Harry, or something. I mean, Aberforth was there with the prophecy. I mean, come on. He’s got to – Harry should know this, and Harry should just go into the Hog’s Head and ask him a question, because this guy was there, you know?

Jamie: Yeah, I guess so.

Andrew: Well, that’s something that does make sense in Book Seven.


How To Reference Aberforth


Eric: Yeah, so wait. Here’s a question, guys. If Aberforth is a good – is a big character in Book Seven, will she call him Aberforth, or will she call him Dumbledore? Will she slip up and just mention his last name? Because…

Laura: No, she’ll call him Aberforth.

Eric: …wouldn’t it be funny if someone…

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah.

Eric: …if she called him Aberforth the whole time? Because if someone opened the book, and they read, “Dumbledore walked across the room,” they would scream it, [imitates a fan’s excitement] “Albus is alive! He’s alive!”


Will Aberforth Teach DADA?


Andrew: Here’s a question…

Eric: [mumbles] Well, kind of funny.

Andrew: …actually, a couple people e-mailed this. I was just looking through the MuggleCast emails for Aberforth. And, a lot of people seem to think that maybe Aberforth will be the one who takes over the Defense Against the Dark Arts role, because – and this comes from Josh of Vermont via Texas, whatever that means.

“I was listening very closely to Claire’s listing of the possible DADA teachers coming from current Order members. She was really thorough, listing the lasting members and the most prominent, but JKR herself mentioned that there is a member of the Order we haven’t seen at all, who will be playing a role in the seventh book.”

[Eric gasps]

Andrew: “After pursuing the Lexicon…”

Who looks at the Lexicon? HP Encyclopedia all the way!

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: “… of living Order members, most of which we’ve seen, I think that Claire’s glaring omission was Aberforth Dumbledore. Maybe he will come in to teach DADA.”

Jamie: What? And…

Andrew: What do you guys think?

Eric: [makes thoughtful noise] Aaah…

Jamie: Yeah, and he’d offer a drink of Firewhisky…

Andrew: Goats?

Jamie: …and a goat, yeah, for each person who gets the right answer.

Eric: [laughs] And a goat, yeah. You’ll have to sacrifice a goat for your exam. Pretty funny.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Well, you should have brought that up last week, though. Who was going to be the one – who is the one that Jo was talking about? And this was in an interview with Emerson and Melissa. “Member of the Order we haven’t seen at all, who will be playing a role in Book Seven.” So, I guess…

Laura: Yeah, but if we haven’t seen them at all, it’s not going to be Aberforth, because we have seen him.

Andrew: Not much, though.

Laura: Well, she said…

Andrew: Not very prominently.

Laura: She said, “You haven’t seen him,” didn’t she?

Andrew: “We haven’t seen at all.” Well, this could be paraphrased, you know. [whispers] Just go with it, Laura.

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah.

Andrew: [laughs] I’m just kidding.

Jamie: We just agree with you, yeah.

Andrew: So now, nothing on that? Alright. You’re doing a disservice to Reading, because now this reporter is just going to say the co-host of Reading was really lame.

Eric: Listen, I’m sorry, I grabbed all the other things about Aberforth, but we went through them so fast.


The Night Of The Prophecy


Eric: There’s just this thing where he finds Trelawney helping…

Andrew: [laughs] She’s writing it down, it’s true.

Eric: No, he finds Trelawney in the room. When is this? “Sectumsempra,” “The Seer Overheard”. Here it is. Okay. So he finds – this is pg. 506 in the UK edition.

Jamie: [in excitement] Ooh, ooh, ooh. Ooh, ooh. Wait. Wait, wait. Oh no, I can’t find my book.

Eric: Aw. Book Six…

Andrew: What?

Eric: Page 507 or so.

Jamie: No, I realize that, but…

Eric: No, I didn’t.

Jamie: Okay, one sec.

Eric: “‘I think you better tell Professor Dumbledore,’ says Harry.”

Jamie: [clucks his tongue] God.

Eric: This is when he finds Trelawney. “‘He ought to know Malfoy’s celebrating – I mean, that someone threw you out of the Room.'”

Jamie: Ugh.

Eric: “To his surprise, Professor Trelawney drew herself up at this suggestion, looking horny – haughty.” Sorry…

Jamie: Looking what, sorry? [laughs]

Eric: Uhhh…

[Laura laughs]

Eric: “‘The Headmaster has intimated that he would prefer fewer visits from me. I am not one to press my company upon those who do not value it.'” Eh, yeah. So wait, hang on. She… So, Harry suggests she go see Dumbledore, and she says, while they’re walking to his office, “I miss having you in my classes. You were never much of a Seer, but you were a wonderful Object.” [laughs]

Jamie: Hmmm.

Eric: Which is funny.

Jamie: That’s the best chat up line I’ve ever heard. I’m going to start using that.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: You aren’t a very good Seer, but…

Eric: Come on. Okay…

Jamie: Sorry.

Eric: She says, “‘I well remember my first interview with Dumbledore,’ went on Professor Trelawney, in throaty tones. ‘He was deeply impressed, of course, deeply impressed. I was staying at the Hog’s Head, which I do not advise, incidentally – bedbugs, dear boy.'”

[laughs] This is an unkempt place. I mean … Ahhh.

“‘But funds were low. Dumbledore did me the courtesy of calling me in my room at the inn. He questioned me. I must confess that, at first, although he seemed ill-disposed toward Divination. And I remember that I was starting to feel a little odd, I had not eaten much that day. But then…'”

“And now Harry was paying attention properly for the first time, for he knew what had happened then: Professor Trelawney had made the prophecy that had altered the course of his whole life, the prophecy about him and Voldemort.”

“‘But then we were rudely interrupted by Severus Snape!'”

Harry just blacks out. He’s like, “What?”

Jamie: He’s like, [puts on an American accent] “Zoh my God, man!”

Eric: And then Trelawney says, “Yes.”
[imitates American version of Harry] “Zoh my God, what?! Snape?!” All right. [laughs]

“‘Yes, there was a commotion outside the door and it flew open, and there was that rather uncouth barman standing with Snape, who was waffling about having come the wrong way up the stairs, although I’m afraid that I myself rather thought he had been apprehended eavesdropping on my interview with Dumbledore – you see, he himself was seeking a job at the time, and no doubt hoped to pick up tips! Well, after that, you know, Dumbledore seemed much more disposed to give me a job, and I could not help thinking, Harry, that it was because he appreciated the stark contrast between my own unassuming manners and quiet talent, compared to the pushing, thrusting young man who was prepared to listen at the keyholes.'”

And Harry just completely took off to yell at Dumbledore for hiring Snape and stuff. But, so Snape – the thing is, why this is important… Because Snape wanted a job before he… He wanted to work at Hogwarts before he sent Voldemort after Lily and James. Do you guys think that was to be a spy for Voldemort, maybe? Was that – could that have been an initial plan even before…

Laura: Yes.

Eric: …he applied. Or was it something…? It could’ve.

Jamie: I think so.

Eric: But, so the barman stopped, actually stopped, Snape from – in fact, in a way, Aberforth saved Harry’s life? You could draw that conclusion, considering if Snape would have heard the full prophecy, Voldemort might not have made all those mistakes.

Laura: Yeah, that’s true.

Andrew: Yes. We do – we have a voicemail about that, actually.

Eric: Really?

Andrew: Later in the show. Well, Snape hearing the full prophecy.

Eric: So, yeah, it is Aberforth who stopped Snape from eavesdropping. Which is interesting, but…yeah. So, that’s cool. So, that places him. He’s at the scene of the crime, so I just want to learn more from him. I think he has a good – I mean, he’s Dumbledore’s brother. How not intelligent, how not able to give information and help, is he?

Jamie: Well, perhaps Dumbledore was just the lucky one, and he turned out, you know, thick.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: That’s what I was saying. He’s like the Ugly Ducking.

Jamie: Yeah. [laughs] The black sheep of the family.

Laura: Yeah, but doesn’t the Ugly Ducking turn into a beautiful swan?

Eric: [gasps] Oooh.

Jamie: No, Laura.

Eric: [sings] Laura, you’re my best friend.

Andrew: Well, okay.

Jamie: Laura, Laura.

Andrew: Then maybe that can be his role in the seventh book.

Jamie: Maybe in your fantasy…

Laura: What?

Jamie: …fueled stories, you know?

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: In real life, Laura, that stuff just doesn’t happen, okay? Life is a cruel, hard time.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: The world is a cold place and it’s not worth fighting for.

Laura: Okay, Ben. All right, Ben. Thank you, Ben.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: And to cap things off, call me Ben.

[Jamie and Andrew laugh]

Andrew: That concludes our main discussion this week. And don’t forget: if you – if anyone has a topic idea for us to discuss, feel free to e-mail it: mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com.


MuggleCast Dating Service


We have a new segment, now, that I’m really looking forward to. This is the MuggleCast Dating Service. You might remember last week, that I put people up to this.

Jamie: Oh yeah. Oh, can I read this one?

Andrew: Can I read the first one?

Laura: Awww.

Andrew: I’m really excited about this.

Jamie: No, Andrew, you can’t.

Andrew: Oh, fine.

Jamie: No.

Andrew: Okay, because…

Jamie: No, no. No, of course you can… No, go on.

Laura: You can’t both go out with Michael White from Amherst, Massachusetts. I’m sorry.

Jamie: Ooh, but he’s so tall! And he likes long walks on the beach.

Andrew: And you’re saying…

Jamie: Yeah, exactly. No, go on Andrew.

Andrew: Well, we asked people last week to send in their applications, and we got two of them. So ladies, listen up. This first one comes from Michael, 16, of Amherst, Massachusetts. [laughs] Got the camera right in front of me, sorry. Michael…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: Is that what you call it?

Andrew: [laughs] He’s age 16, he’s six foot three, and he enjoys long walks on the beach, dogs, paintball, volleyball, and Harry Potter. So, anyone in the…

Jamie: Yeah, man!

Andrew: …Amherst, Massachusetts area would like to get in touch with Michael, please email andrew at staff dot mugglenet dot com and I’ll get in touch with you. Favorite music: Saves the Day, Weezer, Goldfinger, MuggleCast, and Jamie Lawrence. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Favorite movies: Fight Club, 10 Things I Hate About You. Favorite MuggleCaster is me of course. What kind of question is that? And he’s looking for a fun girl, preferably in Western Mass and a MuggleCast listener. So…

Eric: Interesting combination of Fight Club and 10 Things I Hate About You

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Yeah. I was going to say that. He likes sort of violent chick flicks.

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: And our second one in the MuggleCast Dating Service is Alan, 17ish – sounds a bit honest, 17ish.

[Jamie, Andrew and Eric laugh]

Andrew: By 17, I mean 42.

Jamie: Yeah, give or take 40 years. Yeah, Subject: MuggleNet Dating. “I would love MuggleNet dating. If you guys could find me a girl that as obsessed with…”

Eric: Obsessed with what? That’s important.

Jamie: “I’d definitely invite you guys to the wedding and vote for you a billion times on Podcast Alley. [laughs]. Currently, I only vote a million or so times.”

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Of course.

Jamie: Well, we could use a billion. Definitely. But, yes, of course Alan we will find you a nice girl. If you can send in exactly what you’re looking for and well get right on it. Okay?

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: “Is as obsessed as I am” must be about Harry Potter or MuggleCast.

Jamie: Yes.

Andrew: Not the greatest speller though, so if you’re looking for someone who is excelling in English, I would not look for this one, ladies. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah. [laughs]


Voicemail – Micah’s Theory


Andrew: Voicemails this week. First one comes from, I don’t know. First voicemail this week comes from someone who has a question about Micah’s theory that Jamie posed last week.

[Audio]: Hey, guys! This is Mindy from Iowa calling about Episode 52 of MuggleCast. In it, Jamie talks about Micah’s theory of Harry’s dream in Sorcerer’s Stone being connected to Dumbledore’s murder. Couldn’t it be possible the dream was referring to the night Harry’s parents were killed. In it, it talks about seeing Snape and Harry hearing a laugh, a high-pitched laugh. Couldn’t it be connected to the theory that Snape was at Godric’s Hollow when Voldemort killed Harry’s parents and then laughed afterwards?

Jamie: I think it definitely could, but that wouldn’t explain why Draco was there. And I think it follows so well that it’s Draco and then he turns into Snape and then he kills Dumbledore.

Laura: If this is the case though, does this mean that Harry is a seer?

Eric: No, it just means he’s really gifted.

Andrew: No.

Jamie: No, no. Laura, Laura, Laura, Laura. “See”ker. Almost there.

Laura: [laughs] Oh, Jamie. You’re so funny.

Jamie: It has a “k”. It has a “k”.

Laura: There’s that British humor again.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Keep practicing and next week you may just have it.


Voicemail – Lockhart


Andrew: Next rebuttal is about hiring Lockhart as we discussed last week.

[Audio]: Hi, MuggleCast! This is Seth from Venice, California with a listener rebuttal. I think the reason that Dumbledore hired Gilderoy Lockhart was partly because he needed a Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher and Gilderoy was the only one willing for the job, but also Jo said in an interview somewhere, and I can’t quote chapter and verse, but Dumbledore sometimes hires teachers even if they are incompetent or nasty or otherwise undesirable just because he wants students to have the life experience of dealing with the less savory side of human nature. So, I think that’s another reason he hired him. Thanks! And love the show. Bye!

Andrew: That is a good point.

Jamie: I agree, actually.

Laura: I think what you guys are also forgetting is that Hagrid said in Chamber of Secrets that Lockhart was the only one…

Andrew Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: …who was qualified for the job.

Jamie: That’s what I was going to say.

Eric: Anyway, this guy couldn’t quote chapter or verse, I don’t know what his deal is, but he just somehow couldn’t.

Jamie: Or series.

Eric: I know right? [laughs] Anyway. Yeah, I agree with him. But it was… Lockhart was one of those… You know, I agree Dumbledore kind of presented… It was kind of what Harry could have used at that time…

Jamie: You’re doing well so far Eric, I must admit.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Oh my god! No, it’s kind of what Harry needed. You know? This whole clearly-famous guy who knew nothing and it gave Harry the opportunity to really shine forward with his own – at least in the Chamber of Secrets thing if they had somebody like Moody, it would have maybe been taken… I don’t know. It’s just the way the books worked. I think Lockhart came at an important time in the series. You know? It showed Harry – definitely I think it was for Harry’s first view of something that the public would have liked or though or supported that he was in contrast with.

Jamie: I agree. That sounds pretty reasonable.


Voicemail – Fred And George At The Quidditch World Cup


Andrew: Next rebuttal is about Fred and George and their scheming at the Quidditch World Cup

[Audio]: Hi, y’all! This is Marie Pat from Queens. I listen to y’all on the subway. It makes my commute go faster. I just listened to Episode 52 and I wanted to comment on Fred and George’s bet and the Quidditch World Cup. I don’t think they cheated or time-traveled or anything. I think this is an indication of what shrewd businessmen Fred and George are going to be. First off, if you listen to, I think it was Harry, after the game is over, he does a little analysis of the game – the Irish Chasers Troy, Mullet, and Moran, I think their names, were so good. There was no way Bulgaria was ever going to catch up once they started to lead. And Krum was, of course, the best Seeker ever. So, it was probably a pretty good chance that Krum would get the Snitch and a very good chance that the Irish would win the match. The combination, of course, is not as likely, but they needed to take the risk. And that is part of being a shrewd businessman, is knowing when take a big risk in order to get a big payoff. And you start to see that… Whoops, excuse me! You start to see that when they open their shop and also the way they leave the school. They have to take big risks in order to be successful. And they just happen to be smart and shrewd enough to make it work. And that is my theory on their bet. Too bad the bookmaker they placed their bet with wasn’t an honest dealer. Anyway, love the show and hope to hear the next one! Thank you! Bye bye!

Eric: Zoh my god! Goodnight!

Andrew: Good, nice and long, right?

Eric: I love how she is from Queens and says y’all. I like it when they say “y’all,” especially when they are from Queens, but this has got to be one of my favorite voicemails because thinking about it, she said it wasn’t exactly that far off or far-fetched idea for the kind of scenario that played out to actually happen. I think the way she did that, it was done very well. I think it seems a lot less necessary that Fred and George would have had to use time-travel.

Laura: I agree.

Andrew: It’s just a bunch of agreeing today.

Jamie: It is! I know! It’s…

Laura: We’re all so passive.

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah, we are. I couldn’t feel more passive today.


Voicemail – Odd Wizard Out


[Audio]: Hi this is Amanda. I’m from Michigan. I wanted to know what you guys would think, how it would feel like if you were the only non-magical person in a whole family of wizards. Like, how Ron would feel if he was the only non-magical person in his family. Thanks! Bye!

Jamie: I would feel left out and I would feel ashamed. I’d kind of be annoyed as well that all of my friends or my friends could conjure computers and stuff.

Laura: But what you don’t know is Jamie is the only non-magical person in his family.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: I am. Yeah. [laughs] I am.

Laura: That’s why Andrew’s dad gave him the Lucky Charms.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, exactly! {laughs]

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: He’s speaking from the heart.

Jamie: I was crying to Andrew’s dad all night that I didn’t have any magical powers.

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Jamie: So, he gave them to me in the hope that they ignite my magical powers or something.

Andrew: Make you feel [in leprechaun voice] “magically delicious!”

Jamie: Exactly! [laughs]

Eric: Jamie, are those Lucky Charms magically replenishing themselves or…?

Jamie: Yes, they are.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Oh my gosh!

Jamie: They’ve turned into 18 boxes so far.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: They’re reproducing in your cupboard.

Jamie: No, they are.

Andrew: So, I’m not sure why the person asks this question, but I guess she just wants our feelings on it. And we’d be sad.

Eric: Well…

Andrew: Of course we’d be sad. It would be like – insert something funny here.

Jamie: It would be like everybody in your family being amazing musicians and you being useless.

Andrew: Yeah, right.

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: It would be like being the Ugly Duckling.

Eric: You’d get pissed about it all the time.

Laura: Or it would be like being the only person in your family who liked talking about Harry Potter all day.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: Can you imagine what that would be like?

Andrew: That is why people listen to this show because we connect with them and that’s it. That’s why.


Voicemail – That Night In Godric’s Hollow Revisited


Andrew: Next voicemail could possibly reveal why Harry could not be killed when he was a kid in Godric’s Hollow.

Eric: We already know why he couldn’t kill him.

Andrew: Are you ready for this? No, you’re… Not until you hear this.

[Audio]: Hi, this is Sarah from Maryland. I just rereading Order of the Phoenix and I was wondering what you guys thought about this passage. It’s on pg. 791, Chapter 35 of “Beyond The Veil”.

“The Death Eater had pulled his head out of the bell jar. His appearance was utterly bizarre, his tiny baby’s head bawling loudly while his thick arms flailed dangerously in all directions, narrowly missing Harry, who ducked, Harry raised his want but to his amazement Hermione seized his arm.”

“‘You can’t hurt a baby.'”

Now are we all know, Hermione usually speaks truth. And if this is true, could Voldemort have hurt Harry as a baby. Just wanted to know what you guys thought. Bye!

Jamie: I think she was speaking figuratively when she said you can’t hurt a baby. Like, it would be wrong to hurt a baby.

Laura: Yeah, I think that was kind of Hermione reacting in horror that…

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: …Harry would try and curse a baby.

Andrew: Hurt a baby. But that does bring up another point we got an e-mail about a while ago and I wanted to bring it to the show. But… Or maybe we did talk about this on the show – Hermione is always right.

Eric: Well, no. She wasn’t… But this isn’t her…

Laura: Not always.

Jamie: Except…

Eric: This is not Hermione…

Jamie: Except when she gets emotional.

Andrew: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Eric: That, but also this isn’t her matter-of-factly speaking. You can’t hurt a baby Harry! This is her saying…

Jamie: [in an American accent] Zoh my god, Harry! You can’t do that, man.

Eric: You can’t hurt a baby! Hermione sees his arm and she’s like, “What are you doing, Harry? You can’t hurt a baby!” And Harry could have retorted, you know, “Oh, but it’s really a Death Eater.” But she was just using, it was her mother instinct a girl. They already got the Death Eater, he’s got a baby for a head.

[Jamie laughs]

Eric: He’s got this baby-faced Death Eater. They’ve got him. You don’t need to fire another curse. It was just Hermione – her mother instinct saying, “You can’t hurt a baby” not factually speaking. “Harry, you can’t hurt a baby…”

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …so don’t even bother trying – don’t waste a spell. That’s not what she’s saying.

Laura: And where would you draw the distinction? I mean saying you can’t hurt a baby, but you can hurt a 10-year old? Because there – wasn’t it in Half-Blood Prince, the Montgomery sisters, their little brother was killed?

Jamie: Yeah, yeah!

Laura: He was like, killed. So, I just don’t see where that distinction could be drawn because most parents view children as their babies forever.

Jamie: Well, no, no, it depends which side you’re on. I mean Greyback killed their brother, didn’t he?

Laura: Yeah.

Eric: Greyback kills little kids.

Jamie: He doesn’t care if you’re a little baby or if you’re… Yeah, exactly.

Laura: It doesn’t matter if there is magical protection over a baby.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: No, it’s not. It’s not.

Andrew: There isn’t.

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: I don’t think so either. That’s what I am saying. I think it was just Hermione’s maternal instinct.

Jamie: She’s speaking… She’s speaking figuratively.

Eric: Yeah. There can be magic that is triggered by age, like for instance the spells on Privet Drive that will have passed.

Jamie: That will go off when he’s 17.

Eric: That will go off when he’s 17, that kind of thing. But, I don’t it’s regularly, like an actual regular occurrence.

Laura: Is Toni leaving us?

Andrew: No, the photographer is leaving. Toni is going to stick around. I am going to talk with her after. It was a problem they came this week because I couldn’t podcast naked like I normally do.

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly. [laughs]

Andrew: I had to be clothed.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: Right? I know. So inconvenient. Put on some clothes.

Andrew: Yeah, it didn’t work out.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: Okay, well that does it for voicemails this week.


Dumbledore-Norris Quotes


Jamie: Now, as I am sure quite a few people have noticed, with the Dumbledore quotes, I have just been taking Chuck Norris quotes and turning them to Dumbledore quotes, which is not difficult. You just take out the word “Chuck Norris” and put in the word “Dumbledore”. So, but then I thought they aren’t very original if you do that. So, starting now we’re going to do some original Dumbledore quotes. And we’ve already been sent some in. And we’re going to start doing them, you know, from now on. So, if somebody has some original ones, please do send them in. [laughs]

For example, [laughs] one person sent one in today that Dumbledore was made Head Boy while he was still on the train, on the Hogwarts Express, in his first year.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Also, that Dumbledore told the Sorting Hat which House he was going to be in at Hogwarts.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: And my personal favorite of the week: When a basilisk looks into Dumbledore’s eyes it suffers an instant death.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: That was hilarious. How could you not laugh at that?

Laura: I guess I am going to have to rent some Chuck Norris films because…

Eric: It’s some of the British stuff, right? Wasn’t that British? I…

Andrew: Yeah, I need to have a talk with Laura and Eric and Ben, if he was here. Why don’t you guys think they are funny?

Laura: Hey, well if it helps, if it helps my dad worked on the set of a Chuck Norris film.

Jamie: Really? That’s awesome!

Andrew: No way!

Laura: Yeah! Invasion USA.

Andrew: Did he get his autograph?

Laura: No, I don’t think so.

Andrew: Was Chuck Norris as cocky as he seems on screen?

Laura: I don’t know. This was back before I was born. So…

Andrew: Oh.

Eric: I don’t think that Chuck Norris has anything to do with these Chuck Norris jokes. I think it’s just his fans.

Jamie: Probably, yeah. How about…

Andrew: Because he’s… Because he’s a real tough guy on the show and so that’s where these – they are sort of like the Jack Bauer jokes.

Jamie: Yeah, they are. Yeah.

Eric: Oh, Jack Bauer.

Jamie: There is no chin behind Dumbledore’s beard, only another wand.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: [laughs] What about if Jack Bauer and Chuck Norris had a fight, Dumbledore would win? I think that was good.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Eric: That was good.

Jamie: Or when Dumbledore and Chuck Norris walked into a room, the room collapsed because that much awesomeness cannot be contained in one building.

[Jamie and Andrew laugh]


Andrew’s Huh?! E-mail Of The Week


Andrew: It’s now time for Andrew’s Huh?! E-mail of the Week. No, that was bad. Huh?!

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: There you go.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: It concerns my Easy Button that sounds a little like this [press button] “That Was Easy!”

Jamie: You’re fired!

Andrew: Alyssa, 13, of Massachusetts.

[Plays Trump sound “You’re Fired!”]

Andrew: The battery is dying, it’s getting quieter with every push. Alyssa, 13, of Massachusetts writes:

Hey, Andrew. When you mentioned the Easy Button and played it on the show, I immediately wanted one. I’m sure I’m not the only one and you should have Staples pay you because you brought them business. Love the show! Keep up the good work!

Alyssa, the reason why this my Huh?! E-mail of the Week is because the money from these go to charity and I am not the kind of person who would steal money from charity just by promoting the Easy Button.

Jamie: Nope.

Andrew: As a matter of fact, I have been working with Staples to promote the Easy Button and you can purchase these at your local Staples store for only $5.00 and it benefits the Boys and Girls Club of America. [pushes button] “That Was Easy!”

Jamie: That was quite easy, wasn’t it?

[Everyone laughs]


Jamie’s Back Hurts


Andrew: Jamie, I’ve noticed now – you’ve been a little moody for the past hour. What’s going on? You have a story to tell us or something?

Jamie: Well, I haven’t… I have a… I can’t even think of the word.

Andrew: Story?

Jamie: Story, yeah. [laughs] Well…

Andrew: It’s called a story. [laughs]

Jamie: Well, I have a half-confession, as well. I haven’t got a joke this week. Now, normally, I’d apologize, but there’s a story behind it, so I won’t

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: I thought I would be an extremely nice person and clean the kitchen. And I brought the bin, the qui – sorry, the trash can, man. I got…

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Jamie: I got the trash can, took it outside, and filled it up with water to clean it because it was dirty. Then, I bent down to pick it up, so I could move it to the drain and pour the water away. However, I didn’t realize it – it was this heavy. So, I got down, put my hands on it, went to lift it up, and I didn’t lift it because it was too heavy, and basically, to cut a long story short, I’ve torn all the muscles in my lower back, and it hurts. And it hurts so much.

Laura: [moans] I vaguely remember you telling me about that.

Jamie: Yeah. And I can hardly move, and it hurts to do absolutely everything. And they keep spasming and causing me to almost fall over, so that’s why: a) I don’t have a joke; and b) I feel moody this entire show; and, c) My jokes have been jokes but haven’t really been jokes. So, yeah. [laughs]

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: How does he do that?

Andrew: Jamie, have you consulted a doctor?

Jamie: I have, yeah.

Andrew: Because, frankly, I’m worried about you.

Jamie: I have, yeah, yeah.

Andrew: Well, what’d the doctor say?

Jamie: That I’ve torn my muscles. [laughs]

Andrew: Oh. [laughs]

Jamie: Basically.

Laura: [laughs] Send Jamie some pain killers.

Andrew: Yeah… [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, and hopefully…

Andrew: …to the PO Box. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, and they’ll get with me in 2015, so, I’ll tear them again then just so I can use the pain killers.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]


New Segment: Crackpot Theory of the Week


Andrew: Okay, Eric? Are you going to do your e-mail?

Eric: Yeah, sure. You want to intro it, though, because…?

Andrew: Okay. Yeah. We’re going to start a new segment this week. We’re going to call it – you know, we’ve been kicking this one around for a while and, when thinking of who would be the best co-host to defend a theory down to the wire with his life depending on it, it would definitely be Eric. So, Eric is going to start a weekly segment, or attempt to make it weekly. It is going to be the Crackpot Theory of the Week. Eric?

Eric: [laughs] Okay. For this first Crackpot Theory of the Week, we go back to… You know, we go back in time a couple…

Andrew: No, wait, wait, wait. Let me explain this a little bit more, because I thought you were going to. Crackpot Theory of the Week: Where Eric will take a theory that he finds online, or maybe one that you send in, and he will defend it with all his might, as outrageous as it might sound, but it could very well be possible. So, go ahead, Eric.

Eric: You’ve completely crushed [laughs] – you’ve built up this sort of, you know, big, big tension for this really good, I don’t know. All right.

So, for this first Crackpot Theory of the Week, we go back in time a couple of weeks to Lumos. Lumos 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Now – oh, by the way, I have pictures of Lumos and Vegas and New York City on my private gallery: crownscull dot com slash gallery. Okay? That’s just that for people who want to relive.

Now, okay, so going back to Lumos, there was a few panel discussions, and Steve VanderArk from HP-Lexicon.org was in one of his keynote speeches, I think, or one of his speeches, and at the very end, he fooled, or he surprised everybody with a strange theory as to why Dumbledore isn’t dead, or, well, you know, later on in New York City, JKR confirmed this, so I can’t really defend it to the T, but he suggested that Dumbledore couldn’t be dead because Dumbledore and Professor Slughorn switched bodies before entering the cave.

If you pay close attention, and the reason this floored everybody – everybody went silent – was because in the cave, there are several instances where Dumbledore uses, “Oho” – O – H – O – as a kind of response to start his stories. And it’s just – it’s very awkward for Dumbledore to, all of a sudden, be saying, “Oho!” a lot, and he’s waiting around in the cave. And people – so, the theory is, I guess, that Dumbledore and Slughorn switched bodies. That Slughorn used the Polyjuice Potion, and then that it was Slughorn who was killed, and that’s why Dumbledore is still alive, and people were just floored and completely silent, and Steve VanderArk totally PWNed everybody, and everybody walked out, like, “Oh, my god.” So, I guess I’m supposed to defend this to a T, but JKR kind of said that he died, and also, Mr. Weasley says, “Oho,” once, I think, in Book Five, I was reading. So, Crackpot Theory – well, Crackpot Theory should also be theories that are completely crackpot.

Jamie: I’ve got a different idea.

Eric: Okay.

Jamie: Can we – can we put a spin on this? Basically, you don’t know what the theory is before the show, and then we come up with a theory, and then we say it to you.

Laura: Oh, that’s a good idea!

Jamie: And you have to say for five minutes just to defend it, and to come up with all the evidence, and just…

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: …improvised – improvise.

Andrew: So, we’re going to ask the listeners to send in theories that are crazy but could be true, and then we pose them to Eric on the show.

Jamie: Yeah, and he has to improvise, you know, and defend it for two or three minutes, completely improvised.

Andrew: Okay.

Eric: I like that, actually, a lot.

Jamie: Yeah, it’ll be fun. It’ll be fun.

Eric: I’m psyched for it.

Andrew: All right. So, listeners, subject line: Crackpot Theory. Pose a theory, pose your points, we’ll read them to Eric. Eric will…

Jamie: Defend them to the death. Good, good.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Oh, but no points. I almost want to ask no points, because they’re…

Andrew: Okay. Then, just the theory.

Eric: Just the theory.

Andrew: All right.

Eric: Even if you have points for it, don’t share them, and see if I bring them up.

Andrew: But, keep in mind that Eric has to defend it for a few minutes…

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: …so, don’t make it something that could be… Well, two or three minutes. So, make it a theory that it can last…

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: You know, it’s not stupid. It’s discussion worthy.

Eric: Okay. Oh, by the way, Eric…

Andrew: mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com


Eric’s Exciting News!


Eric: You guys, you guys – Laura, Laura especially remembers Eric. You know, the wand checker, Eric, from Book Five?

Laura: Oh, yeah.

Andrew: Yeah, you brought him up on the show.

Laura: I remember that.

Eric: He has a last name! I was… As I said, I was reading Book Five, and he has – his last name is Munch.

Andrew: Oh.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah. It is. Yeah.

Eric: Yeah, it is. His name is Eric Munch, and he arrests Sturgis Podmore. He’s on night duty in the Department of Mysteries, so, he must be important to have a job in the Department of Mysteries. Okay.

Andrew: Cool!

Eric: Okay. Cool.

Andrew: Well, I believe that does wrap up our show this week. [laughs] We hope you enjoyed our testing of Crackpot Theory.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: I did.

Andrew: And…

Eric: I think Jamie’s idea was better.

Jamie: Thank you.


Last E-Mail: Where’s Chapter-by-Chapter?


Andrew: One last e-mail comes from Sura…Suraimee…Surama…

Laura: Suriyama?

Jamie: So, yeah. This is from Suriyama, 21, from Bonn in Germany. Subject: Chapter-by-Chapter.

“I just wanted to ask if you are going to continue with the Chapter-by-Chapter segment. I really liked it and miss it a lot. I love your show and all you. It’s by the far the best podcast. Regards, Suri.”

Thank you, Suri.

Andrew: Yeah, we’ve been getting a lot of e-mails like this lately, wondering where Chapter-by-Chapter is, and, like we said, at the end of the last one, that we’d be taking a break off it, but we are going to bring it back very soon, but…

Eric: Yeah, I think I…

Andrew: But we’re working on a new format for it…

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: …in order to make it better.

Eric: I guess I just have to send you a kind of reformed, revised outline about how to clearly state things, right, Andrew? So, shouldn’t we – could we promise getting it on next week? Could we do that? Can everybody read, I think it would be the first two…

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Eric: First two chapters of Book Two?

Jamie: Two? Two?

Andrew: Yes.

Eric: Next week – I tell you, people – with this new Crackpot Theory of the Week; with this Chapter-by-Chapter Book Two starting up, next week is going to be Eric-tastic.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Oh, god. [laughs]

Laura: Oh, Jesus.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Eric: I am stoked. And, by the way, check out the gallery. eric scull dot com slash gallery.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah. Right.


Show Close


Andrew: If you cannot believe next week’s show is going to be Eric-tastic, then please remember to call in with all your excitement to 1-218-20-MAGIC in the [says slowly] UK you can dial…

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: It’s loading really slow. 020-8144-0677. In Australia you can use 02-8003-5668. We haven’t been getting many calls from these places.

[Show close music plays]

Eric: It’s because you say double four, double oh seven, double eight, acht, neun…

Andrew: I picked double numbers so it’s catchy, sort of.

Eric: No, it sounds awesome, but I would hate to be the person who has to slow down your voice on the show and actually catch it.

Andrew: 020-8144-0677 UK. 02-8003-5668 in Australia. If you didn’t catch that, just go to MuggleCast dot com, click on contact. Also, Skype the user name MuggleCast, e-mail mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com with your dating uh, dating uh, dating uh, dating uh things.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: If you like Michael or Allan, please e-mail Andrew at staff dot MuggleNet dot com and let us know.

Eric: If you like goats, send that in, too.

Andrew: Hopefully, we’ll get you two together.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: About Aberforth’s…

Andrew: Listener Rebuttals; you guys know how we do the show by now. Send everything in. And also check LeakyMug.com this week for more information on LeakyMug Live in California for the Podcast Awards. We’ll all be out there. It’s a par-tay, woo! That wraps up MuggleCast Episode 53 [laughs]. I’m Andrew Sims.

Eric: I am Eric-tastic.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Jamie: And I am Jam.

Laura: Jamie, you were supposed to…

Eric: [laughs] Jam. Jam.

Laura: …fight me for that.

Jamie: No way. No way.

Laura: We were supposed to be fighting over that last place now…

Jamie: Laura.

Laura: …like we were at the beginning of the show.

Jamie: Laura. Laura, I’m in so much pain now, you just have to poke me and I fall over and give in, seriously.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew: We’ll see everyone next week for Episode Fitty-four.

Laura: Adios!

Jamie: Fitty-four! Bye bye.

Eric: Ciao.


Micah’s First News Segment

Andrew: In commemoration, now, of Micah Tannenbaum’s one year of news podcasting here on MuggleCast, here is his very first news segment, which he is very, very embarrassed of.

Micah: Thanks, Andrew.

Let’s begin with our top news story…

Start spreading the news (don’t worry, I wont break out singing Frank Sinatra), but Warner Bros. announced Friday that the Big Apple will host the U.S. premiere of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on November 12, 2005. The world premiere will take place a week earlier, on November 6th in London.

Speaking of Goblet of Fire, on Wednesday, Warner Bros. officially released the international trailer with amazing shots of the Quidditch World Cup and all three tasks in the Triwizard Tournament. Listeners can check out this new trailer by logging on to the film’s official website at www.gobletoffire.com.

Staying with the topic of movie premieres, Katie Leung (who portrays Cho Chang) and Robert Pattinson (who portrays Cedric Diggory) both recently attended the Dukes of Hazzard premiere in Leicester Square, London. Hopefully, they weren’t taking any acting lessons.

Finally, wrapping up our movie news for this week, Tom Felton (who portrays Draco Malfoy) will supposedly stay on through the filming of the seventh Harry Potter movie. He spoke about it while hosting the 3rd Annual Junior Carp Tournament, saying: “I’ll keep doing it as long as they
want me to.”

In other news, a Dutch Harry Potter fan named Dennis just couldn’t wait for the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, so he made his own rendition entitled Harry Potter and the Torch with Green Flames, which he started writing back in January of 2004. And while publishing of his creation was forbidden, it was uploaded onto the Internet (in Dutch for those who wish to read).

Moving from the Netherlands to France, the French cover of Half-Blood Prince was released on Tuesday, which is similar in style to the American deluxe edition. The book is due out in France on October 1st.

Finally, if you didn’t have a chance to participate, on Thursday MuggleNet staffer Jamie Lawrence hosted a chat with Matthew Lewis (who portrays Neville Longbottom). You can log on to MuggleNet to check out the transcript.

Before we leave two birthday announcements to take make: one to Rupert Grint the actor who portrays Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter films turned 17 and to MuggleNet senior staff member Ben Schoen who turned 16, both on Tuesday. Happy birthday to both of you. And I’d sing happy birthday, but I assume you want to keep your ratings up.

Of course you can get more in-depth news, pictures, videos, and audio clips of all the things mentioned by logging on to MuggleNet.

That’s all the news for this August 28, 2005, edition of MuggleCast, back to you guys.


Bloopers


Jamie: [singing] They’re coming to take him away, ha ha, they’re coming to take him away, ho ho, hee hee, ha ha. To the funny farm, where life is beautiful all the time. And I’ll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats.

Laura: [laughs] Thank you, Jamie.

Jamie: You’re welcome.

———————–

Written by: Micah, Adrienne, Allison, Amanda, Eloise, Jean, Jessica, Judy, Mandie, Margaret, Martina, Megan, Sarah, Shannon and Shelly

Transcript #52

MuggleCast 52 Transcript


Show Intro


Andrew [Show Intro with music in background]: Because, because, because, because this is MuggleCast Episode 52 for August 20th, 2006.

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Hello, everyone. Welcome back to the show, I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: I am Ben Schoen.

Jamie: And I am Ja-mie Lawrence.

Andrew: And joining us this week, Claire O’Connor. Hi, Claire.

Claire: Hello.

Jamie: Hey, Claire.

Ben: [laughs] It’s a US newscaster.

Claire: Thank you for having me on the show.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah.

Andrew: Jamie, what’s your deal with these “O’s” in front of last names?

Jamie: Ah, well, you see, my experience with US newscasters, which I have to say, is far from substantial…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: …has told me that every single newscaster is “Something O’Something.” I mean, you’ve got Conan O’Brien, and I won’t list any more since there are so many.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: I could be here forever. So, yeah.

Claire: You don’t know any more.

Andrew: There’s really not many more. [laughs]

Jamie: Sure, sure, sure, sure. There’s um…

Ben: Okay, and how is Conan O’Brien a US newscaster?

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: He’s a late night talk show.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

Jamie: Okay, a US TV person then, Ben. Stop picking holes in my flawless argument.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: It will get you nowhere, seriously. Absolutely nowhere.

Andrew: Speaking of flawless, awesome newscasters, Micah O’Tannenbaum is standing by in the MuggleCast news center with the past week’s Harry O’Potter news stories.


News


Micah: Forbes magazine has named author JK Rowling the world’s ninth-highest earning celebrity. Apparently, she makes a cool $145 per minute compared to the $77 per minute from last year. Hannah Clark of the magazine, said: “With the $145 she earns every minute, Harry Potter author JK Rowling could buy more than a few boxes of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, one of the young wizard’s favourite sweets.”

In a recent poll conducted among 1,213 US citizens, an interesting discovery was made: more people know about the Harry Potter than the British prime minister, Tony Blair. The Bleier Centre for Television and Popular Culture in New York said: “These results are not about how ‘dumb’ Americans are, but about how much more effectively popular culture information is communicated.”

In a new interview with The Independent, Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley in the Potter films speaks about taking a role outside the wizard series. The article also asked him to answer some questions about his career.

In a separate brand new interview, Julie Walters, who plays Mrs. Weasley, talks about her current acting projects, Driving Lessons, the publication of her first tome, and much more. On Potter, she says she will film her scenes for Order of the Phoenix sometime this fall, and confesses to not being quite an avid reader of the books, although her daughter is. So, I guess that makes up for it.

Jo Rowling and husband Neil Murray attended the movie premiere of Snow Cake earlier today at the Edinburgh Film Festival. Some photos of their appearance can be seen in our galleries. Alan Rickman, who plays Professor Snape, stars as Alex Hughes in the film.

In movie news, the first ever photograph of Natalia Tena sporting purple hair and in full Nymphadora Tonks costume has surfaced online. The picture, which was taken on the set of the fifth film, can be seen over on MuggleNet.com.

And HarryLatino.com has been told by Warner Bros. that Order of the Phoenix will be released in Spain on July 20th, 2007.

Additionally, Harry Potter Fan Zone reports that the movie distribution company who will be handling the movie in Australia has announced a change in the release date. The new date is July 12th, 2007, which would be several weeks earlier than the previously set date of September 6th. We are working to confirm this information.

Tom Felton (who plays Draco Malfoy) was in Pennsylvania past week for the annual Junior Carp Tournament.  We now have several pictures of Tom up in our galleriesfrom the event!

And finally, the Encyclopedia and Movies Sections of our site have been revamped and there is now a transcript and video available from our live Leaky Mug New York City podcast. So be sure to check all of that out.

That’s all the news for this August 20th, 2006 edition of MuggleCast. Back to the show!


Happy Birthday Micah!


Jamie: Can I just come in here and say a big, big, big happy birthday to Micah. Belated birthday greetings for the 17th, which was a few days ago. So, hope he…

Andrew: He turned 24.

Jamie: So, I’m going be extremely…

Claire: Happy birthday, Micah!

Jamie: I’m going to be extremely American here and say, have a great day, buddy.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: He would have had a great day.


Recording Issues


Andrew: We were supposed to have Kevin on this week, but he’s actually sleeping because we were recording earlier than normal and once again, he dropped the ball.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: We actually tried to record earlier this week, but [laughs] he was sleeping again. So…

Jamie: Yeah, this show has probably been the most put off show. We tried to record it, which day? Thursday?

Andrew: Mhm. No, Wednesday, I think.

Jamie: Wednesday, moved to Thursday…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: … moved to Friday.

Andrew: Moved to Saturday.

Jamie: Yeah, moved to Saturday.

Andrew: Oh yeah, moved to Saturday. [laughs]

Jamie: Moved Sunday – moved to today.

[Andrew still laughing]

Jamie: So, we’re very committed, but it’s just, you know?

Andrew: It’s hard, it’s hard.

Jamie: It is hard.


Nicknames For Micah


Andrew: It’s hard work. So, anyway, moving right along… Oh, we have some nicknames for Micah. I think he put these in the Writely because he wanted us to see them.

Jamie: Bring them up?

Andrew: They just keep coming! They just don’t stop! His name is so versatile. The “Micahwave.”

Jamie: We’ve had that before, haven’t we? I’m sure we’ve had that before.

[Claire laughs]

Andrew: Yeah, but I think we cut it out of the show. [laughs]

Jamie: Oh!

Andrew: So, we’re doing them again. “Micah-Tan the Anchorman,” “Mic Check.” Yeah. If we did, sorry.


Announcements


Andrew: Anyway, Listener… No, no, let’s do some announcements first. Podcast Alley; don’t forget to vote for us there. Podcast Awards – we’re hoping that we did win at the Podcast Awards, and we are going to announce now that we will be in California.

Jamie: Really, Andrew?

Andrew: Yes.

Jamie: I was really hoping that we’d lose.

Ben: [laughs] That we lost.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: I’ve got my fingers crossed that…

Ben: That we lost.

Jamie: we come in last. Yeah.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Hopefully, hopefully.

Andrew: Anyway, [still laughing] we’re announcing now that we are going to be in California the last week of September and we will be doing a live Podcast. However, we don’t know when yet. It will probably be during the week of the 24th. The Podcast Awards are on the 29th. So, we’ll have more details on that hopefully soon.

Claire: I want to go!

Ben: So, here’s your challenge. Here’s your challenge: [music plays in background] We’ve all heard the song by Phantom Planet called “California.”

Claire: Awww!

Jamie: I haven’t.

Ben: Your job…

Claire: The OC.

Ben and Claire: [singing] California…

Ben: [singing] Here we commmmmmmme…

Andrew: Yeah. Does it sound like this?

Jamie: Correction, then. I have.

[Claire laughs]

Ben: Your job is to write a LeakyMug/MuggleCast remix to that song and submit the lyrics to ben at staff dot mugglenet dot com.

Andrew: And then what?

Ben: Then the winner gets a free t-shirt.

Jamie: In California or now? Or…

Ben: A free LeakyMug t-shirt.

Jamie: After they’re done, yes.

Ben: Yes, after they’re done.

Andrew: Also, Jamie, I hate to put you on the spot for this but [laughs] do you have the name of the person who won our little mini-contest last week?

Jamie: Oh, yeah, I do. I don’t know his last name, but Rob from… Now, I don’t know how to pronounce this. It’s one of the hardest things. That place in Florida that has about 18 “S”s and 18 “I”s in it. Kiss-im-mee? Is that how you pronounce it?

Andrew: Laura sent me the pronunciation [laughs] earlier this week, but now I forget it because she knew we would butcher it. It’s Kiss-ay-me?

Jamie: Kiss-ay-me. Well, yeah, Rob from there won a lovely…

Ben: Kiss me, Claire.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Rob from Kiss-im-mee, Kissimmee, Kiss-ay-me, has won a lovely iPod Squares MuggleCast t-shirt. So, I hope you enjoy that, Rob.

Andrew: Speaking of MuggleCast t-shirts, the current designs – we only have a few of them left to sell and then they will be retired in favor of some brand new MuggleCast designs, which are nearing completion.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Andrew: They’re all fantastic, and we cannot wait to release them.

Ben: So, it’s just like when Disney will pull The Lion King off of the shelves and out of stores.

Andrew: “Go in the Disney Vault forever!”

Ben: Yeah, it goes in the Disney Vault, you know?

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: Well, these t-shirts are going to go in the MuggleCast Vault. So, you have to purchase one right now. It’s your last chance to buy the MuggleCast squares t-shirt. So, if you were even on the fence about buying one before, hopefully this will put you back to the good side. You need to purchase a t-shirt.

Jamie: But don’t worry because, we’re going to cryogenically freeze them so we can bring them back in 50 years.

Ben: Yeah. [laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

Jamie: You can buy one then.

Andrew: You can file “Save As” in Photoshop.

Jamie: Yeah.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Claire: Didn’t Walt Disney freeze his head? Didn’t he freeze his head? That was weird.

Jamie: Whose head?

Claire: That was really weird.

Jamie: Whose head are we freezing?

Claire: Walt Disney froze his own head.

Jamie: No way! Really?

Andrew: No, he didn’t.

Claire: Seriously, like he did. He froze his own head. Honestly, I swear to God, yeah.

Jamie: Where’s it kept now?

Claire: [laughs] In the Disney Vault.

Jamie: For talking points, you know, if you keep it in your living room.

[Andrew and Claire laugh]

Jamie: “What’s that?” “Oh, don’t worry, it’s just Walt Disney’s head. So, do you fancy a drink?”

[Andrew and Claire laugh]

Andrew: Yeah, well, the new t-shirts are really, really nice. They’re made by Sam at SamandNate.com again. One is designed specifically for all you girls out there because about 78% of our listening audience is girls. We should set up a dating service through MuggleCast…

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: … for all these guys that listen to the show.

Ben: If this is of interest for you, please e-mail in.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: [laughs]Dating on MuggleCast.

Ben: Dating at staff dot MuggleNet… No, I’m just kidding.

[Andrew and Claire laugh]

Ben: That’s not really – don’t send emails there.

[Ben and Claire laugh]


Listener Rebuttal – James is Really Dead


Andrew: [sighs] Anyway, rebuttals this week; we have a lot of them. We have a few extra eye rebuttals because we asked for people’s thoughts.

Our first one, not concerning eyes, comes from Claire of Australia. Claire from Australia, she writes:

“I was listening to Episode 51 when you were talking about there being a chance of James Potter still being alive. I definitely don’t think that is possible because in The Goblet of Fire, in the battle scene between Harry and Voldemort, when their wands connect and the last people that Voldemort killed came out of his wand as memories, which is also known as [Mispronounces word] Pri – Pri – Pri – Prior – Prior… ”

Claire: [Pronounces correctly] Priori Incantatem!

Andrew: ” …Incantatem.” [laughs] “James did definitely come out of Voldemort’s wand. So, if he wasn’t dead, how would he be able to, just as Lily and other people Voldemort had killed, did?”

[Claire and Jamie laugh]

Claire: What?

Andrew: [laughs] The point is, a lot of people sent in this same point, that James came out of Voldemort’s wand, so he must have been dead, because we were like, “Is James really dead?”

Jamie: [laughs]Oh, James came out of Voldemort’s wand, what a line.

[Andrew and Claire laugh]


Listener Rebuttal – Eye Color


Andrew: Anyway, B.D. writes:

“The subject was brought up about JK Rowling describing someone’s eyes as black or gray, and it is true that she does often refer to people as having them. It is also true to imagine those types of eyes. It is also true that she described Voldemort’s eyes as red, and it is easy to imagine them as red. But, when it came time to reveal Voldemort to the world, the filmmakers took them out because the effect, while imaginable, was less believable. In a round about way, I think black and gray eyes is more of JK Rowling using a literary license. Also, black or dark eyes are historically a way of saying someone is handsome or brooding…

Jamie: Brooding. Brooding.

Andrew: Broding? Brooding. …which is odd to me because these are two different things. Also, ask anyone who has had a black eye and they will tell you that is nothing to do with the pupil, iris…”

Jamie: And they’ll punch you.

Claire: Yeah, you’ll get punched.

[Andrew and Claire laugh]

Andrew: Well, right, that’s what happens when someone hits you but, “To cap things off, eyes are not necessarily black, gray, blue, green, yellow, or red, but the writer is the master of their universe, and Rowling is the master of ours and if she calls them techno-colored eyes then they are.” [laughs] “However, remember that red ferns don’t always grow on graves and green eyes are not always greener when they came from your mother.”

Jamie: That is a very poetic message.

Claire: It is indeed.

Jamie: I’m very touched by the, sort of, fluidity of it. Should we have a moment of silence; quiet contemplation now?

Andrew: For B.D. in Alabama?

Jamie: Yeah, okay.

Andrew: Right now. One, two, three.

[Moment of silence]

Ben: That was great. Great silence.

Claire: Fabulous.

Andrew: Jamie, would you like to read off the next rebuttal?[laughs]


Listener Rebuttal – Write a Book


Jamie: Oh, I thought that was extremely good. Extremely good. Okay, this is from Don’t Know and Not Sure. Their ages combined, which is 28. I don’t know if that’s 28 each and we have to combine that or if its 28 in total. But they say:

“Hey, guys and Laura…”

And Claire – don’t forget.

“This is Don’t Know and Not Sure and we have an idea to solve your financial problems. Write a book together! All the real Harry Potter fans will buy it and then you can stop begging us to buy t-shirts and making excuses about how our other…

[Claire laughs]

Jamie: …shirts will explode. Because they won’t.

They will, they will. Your shirts will explode!

“We hope you take our brilliant advice. Love the show, bye!”

Ben: What irony!

Jamie: Yes, thank you, Don’t Know and Not Sure. We are writing a book, making a film…

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: …going into the real estate business, building cruise liners…

Andrew: But, come on, seriously. Why on Earth would we write a book? That doesn’t make sense.

Ben: That doesn’t make any sense.

Jamie: That doesn’t make any sense at all.

Ben: I would not want to be involved with that.

Jamie: No, I tell you why, because the effort – especially if there’s a deadline or something, you know? Like, I mean, I just, I don’t know.

Andrew: Like September 1st. That’s just outrageous.

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah that is stupid, that is stupid. But, thank you, Don’t Know and Not Sure for caring about us.

Andrew: Well, I’m really glad they wrote in because, you know, remember last week we asked them to [laughs] write in.

Jamie: Oh, we did, didn’t we? Yeah! Because their cousin once removed Can’t Say wrote in, so it was only fair for Don’t Know and Not Sure to write in, as well.


Listener Rebuttal – Lucky Charms


Andrew: Yeah, and our last rebuttal is specifically for Jamie – is from Deir.. Dei… Dedre…

Jamie: Deirdre.

Andrew: Dier… Dre… Deidre…

Claire: Deirdre!

Andrew: Fourteen! [laughs] Location: Books A Million, which is a bookstore I think. She writes:

“In Episode 51 Jamie was eating lucky charms. I was…”

Ben: No, they call her house Books A Million.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: “In Episode 51 Jamie was eating Lucky Charms. I was just wondering, what do Lucky Charms taste like?! Love the show; Ben is hot!”

What?! What!?

[Jamie and Andrew laugh]

Andrew: So, Jamie, what do Lucky Charms taste like?

Jamie: Hey Dierdre, Lucky Charms …

Ben: I’m pretty sure it’s Dierdre [pronounces Dee – dra] not Dierdre. [pronounces Ded – dree]

Jamie: No it’s not Dee-dra. It’s Dierdre! [pronounces Deer-dree]

Claire: Ben’s been watching too much Desperate Housewives.

Ben: How’s it spelled?

Andrew: D-e-i-r-d-r-e.

[Jamie laughs]

Claire: It’s…

Ben: It’s Dee-dra!

Jamie: Okay, fine. No, it’s Dr. Dre. That’s how you pronounce it.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Ben: Okay, someone e-mail in. Is it Deirdre [pronounces Did-dree] or Deirdre? [pronounces Dee-dra]

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Or if it’s Dr. Dre.

Andrew: So, Jamie, what do Lucky Charms – what do they taste like?

Jamie: They are absolutely awesome. They have a swagger of Irish gold combined with a hint of magic and all summed up to absolute perfection and combined to create a beautiful breakfast cereal that, not only starts you off for the day, but keeps you going for weeks and weeks and weeks.

[Andrew laughs]

Andrew: Or as they say in the commercial …

Jamie: Very, very nice.

Andrew:[in Irish accent] “Magically delicious!”

Jamie: Yeah, no, they taste extremely nice. They’re my new favorite; if only I could buy them over here. So, now …

Ben: Actually, you can. You can buy groceries on Amazon now.

Jamie: Oh.

Ben: I’m sure they would ship you a box of Lucky Charms.

Jamie: No, but it’s fine. But, it’s fine. Just, every time single I go into the U.S. I’ll buy one box, come back, and then have one bowl every three weeks so they last me…

[Andrew and Ben laugh]

Jamie: …until I can next go to the U.S.

Andrew: I thought you said they magically refill – the box is magically delicious.

Jamie: Well, they do, but I don’t know if that was just the box that you gave me or every single box, so I didn’t want to say anything.

[Claire laughs]


Listener Rebuttal – Harry’s Eyes


Andrew: Oh! Oh, yeah, I paid a little extra for that box because I wanted to make sure it lasted for you. And now some more eye rebuttals. Nicole, 22, Michigan says:

“I have a theory about Harry’s eyes that also fits in with the fact that Jo Rowling said that there was foreshadowing in the Prisoner of Azkaban movie. In the movie when Remus Lupin is talking to Harry about his mother he says that ‘she could see the beauty in others, perhaps especially when they couldn’t see it themselves.’ I think that Harry might have inherited this ability to ‘see’ beauty along with his mother’s eyes. This could have many consequences in Book Seven depending on who has this inner beauty. Perhaps Snape, Pettigrew, or possibly even Voldemort.”

Jamie: Hmmm. So wait, what’s she saying? She’s saying that Harry can see good in people, is it? Or…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: But Micah came up with one point about this – about the whole eye thing. Because I mean, I find it really, really difficult to find theories about why Harry, you know, has Lily’s eyes and how important they are. Apart from that theory which everyone loved about Harry going to her grave and plucking out her eyes, and then really having Lily’s eyes.

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: But no he says, Micah says that he thinks that at some point in the final battle that Harry will be in a compromising situation, extremely similar to Lily was. Snape will be there, for all you Snape/Lily fans, and his attention will be caught by Harry’s eyes and he will remember what happened to Lily and sacrifice himself in some way to save Harry, maybe. Write in if you think that that’s, you know, a viable theory or any comments about it. Thank you, Micah.

Andrew: Very interesting.

Ben: [impersonating Micah] That’s okay.

Andrew: We also got a few other e-mails saying black and gray eyes do exist. They’re all pretty much redundant of each other. But also this one comes from Elizabeth, 14, of Tulsa… Toosa… Tusa:

“In Episode 51, you were talking about how the fact that Harry has Lily’s eyes could be significant in Book Seven. Here’s the theory I have: in Book Five, Dumbledore said he thought he saw a shadow of Voldemort stir behind Harry’s eyes. So, in Book Seven, if Voldemort finds a way to get in Harry’s mind without killing himself, others could be able to tell.”

Ummm…

Jamie: I think Dumbledore was speaking figuratively when he – when he meant that. Though, you know?

Andrew: You think so?

Jamie: Well, yeah, like – like when Voldemort possessed Harry, Dumbledore could see the Voldemortness inside Harry, you know? So…

Andrew: Ah, yeah…

Ben: The Voldemortness.

Jamie: Yeah, the Voldemortness. That is a proper word. Check the dictionary, everyone. So, yeah.

Claire: Voldemortness. Very nice.

Jamie: Yeah. So but, I don’t know. Yeah, it could be that, you know, his eyes can show what kind of power Voldemort has on him at any one time, perhaps. It’s good.

Andrew: All right. Well, that does it for rebuttals.


Main Discussion: Defense Against The Dark Arts


Andrew: Now, moving on to our main discussion this week, which is the Defense Against the Dark Arts class at Hogwarts. There’s so many questions about it because just…

Jamie: There are.

Andrew: About the curse and who might step up in Book Seven to take the role, but we’re going to start off with a voicemail about the curse.


Cursed Position


[Audio]: Hi, this is Jessie from New Hampshire and I was just wondering about the Defense Against the Dark Arts people – teachers. Because Dumbledore had said that no teacher had lasted for longer than a year since he had been asked for the post. So, what happened to all those other teachers that had been there before Quirrell? Do you think that they all died? Do you think they just resigned or do you think that Voldemort had involvement with all of them? Because he wasn’t strong at that point, so – but I don’t know. I just wanted to hear your thoughts. I love the show! Thanks! Bye!

Andrew: It’s purely speculation, but, I mean we haven’t really ever heard what happened to the other Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers…

Jamie: No, we haven’t.

Andrew: …prior to Book One.

Jamie: You’d think though – you’d think though if you went for a job interview for a teacher and you said, “So, why is the job open?” and the headmaster said, “Well, it’s, you know, the last 50 teachers have either died, resigned, or gone mad,” you wouldn’t take the job. But, no.

Andrew: Right.

Jamie: Everyone still takes the job. It’s weird.

Claire: Well, maybe that’s because…

Andrew: Yeah. Yeah.

Claire: Maybe that’s because it’s such a coveted position at Hogwarts. That’s nothing to do with…

Jamie: Yeah, that’s true, that’s true.

Claire: You know?

Jamie: Yeah, that is very true.

Andrew: And Dumbledore could very well be convincing them somehow.

Claire: Everyone’s vying for it. So…

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Andrew: Offering some sort of incentive.

Claire: Definitely.

Andrew: Anything else to say about that?

Ben: None here. My feet – my feet are so numb right now.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: I don’t know what’s happening.

Jamie: My back hurts more.

Andrew: Are you still in your car?

Ben: Yeah, I’m still in the car in Nebraska.

Jamie: Yeah.

Ben: Sleeping here for a week now.

Jamie: He slept there for an entire week.

[Claire laughs]

Ben: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: That – that really is commitment. I’m still hanging on to my raft. I’ve been here a week as well.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: I’m getting a bit wet now I must admit.

[Andrew still laughing]


Professor R. J. Lupin


Andrew: Well, with Lupin, in the third book, he had left to keep the students at Hogwarts safe because he turns into a werewolf and all that. But, if he had stayed, what could have happened the following year? Because it just seems like he didn’t really have to leave; because did Dumbledore ask him to leave or was it on his own? Was it his own decision?

Jamie: I think… I think he took the incentive though, you know, like he knew that people would, especially parents, would call in and say you know… They’d leave voicemails on the Hogwarts voicemail Skype name and say, and say, you know…

[Andrew, Ben and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: “We don’t want a werewolf teaching our children.” And he thought that the war is going to start soon and he was playing a big role by leaving Hogwarts and uniting Hogwarts, more than staying there and causing trouble. I think it was a sacrifice.

Claire: Do you not think he could have been a target by Death Eaters had he of stayed? That’s just me thinking, but…

Jamie: He turns into a shop that sells all manner of electrical items.

[Jamie, Andrew, and Claire laugh]

Claire: Shut up, Jamie. [laughs]

Andrew: It just seems like he would have been the most likely candidate to stay around for a second year.

Jamie: He would, yeah.

Andrew: And he didn’t. I don’t know. It just doesn’t seem like the curse really applies to him because he left on his own decision.

Jamie: He is the only one who left when he hadn’t done anything consciously wrong, if that makes sense.

Andrew: Right, right.

Jamie: Whereas you know, Lockhart obviously in the Chamber of Secrets, Quirrell did have Voldemort on the back of his head as Harry points out, so that was quite a big thing. You know, so… And Moody obviously wasn’t Moody. So, yeah. I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know.


Gilderoy Lockhart


Andrew: Chamber of Secrets [clears throat]: Dumbledore hires Lockhart. Why would he hire Lockhart knowing full well – well, maybe not knowing full well – that this guy is out of his mind? Because Lockhart had played people for a while saying that he did all these things.

Jamie: Yeah.

Ben: Well, isn’t it just because it’s so hard to find someone to take that position? Isn’t that why?

Jamie: That… I think that could be it. But..

Ben: Because you have – you have to hire whoever you can get.

Jamie: He couldn’t have played Dumbledore, though. Dumbledore obviously knew.

Claire: No, no, no. I think the point with Lockhart was that he brought a kind of – he brought the exposure to Hogwarts that no other person at that point in time could have brought, you know, because he was so popular.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Claire: Surely.

Jamie: Yeah. But, no. Yeah.

Andrew: So you’re saying – you’re saying Dumbledore hired him because of how popular he was?

Claire: Yes, in a way. It could be.

Jamie: Yeah. Wait. It could be..

Ben: It’s the only reason we keep Jamie on the show.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: It’s like – no, no, it’s like hiring Jon O’Stewart to be your new English teacher, you know?

[Andrew laughs]

Claire: Jon O’Stewart? How fitting.

Andrew: [laughs] It doesn’t start with O’Stewart.

Jamie: So, yeah. It’s just like – that would bring loads of publicity and stuff, so perhaps it is that. That is a very good point.


Professor Snape


Andrew: Who, now, what if Snape had received the position that he originally asked for? Didn’t we already talk about this recently? I’m trying to remember.

Jamie: I think we did. We asked why Dumbledore finally gave the position to him, didn’t we?

Andrew: Well, no, like prior to that. Why didn’t he receive the position earlier than Book Six?

Jamie: Ummm… Maybe Dumbledore didn’t completely trust- no, no! I know why! I know why! Because Dumbledore realized that every single Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher – yeah – they either left within a year, they died within a year, or something happened; and he needed to keep Snape close to him because he was working for him to spy on Voldemort.

Andrew: Oh, right.

Claire: Not even, Jamie.

Jamie: If he placed him in… Assuming that the job is actually cursed, you know, if he placed him into that job, then within a year he’d be gone or something. And then in the sixth book – oh my god, yeah! And then – I’m so excited now, I’m so excited! And then in the sixth book…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: No, no, no, no, wait.

[Claire laughs]

Jamie: And then in the sixth book, because they had planned that Snape was going to kill Dumbledore, he put him into the job because it didn’t matter; because he was going to leave him and go over to Voldemort. Well, not go over to Voldemort, as it were, because they’d been planning it. So, that shows that Snape is a good person. Perhaps it’s that.

Claire: Hang on, hang on.

Ben: You are so good, Jamie. So good.

Jamie: It just hit me, it just hit me.


Who Will Be The DADA Professor in Book Seven?


Andrew: Shall we make some predictions? Book Seven: who will be the DADA teacher? Because I don’t – I don’t think we’ve even talked about this yet.

Claire: Moody. Mad-Eye Moody.

Andrew: The DADA. [pronounces it “dah-dah”]

Claire: Definitely, Mad-Eye Moody.

Andrew: Why, Claire?

Claire: Definitely. Because…

Andrew: Why?

Claire: …his role, I feel his role was – it wasn’t explored to the fullest. I mean, I think that…

Jamie: That is true.

Claire: …I don’t know, that JK has… She has – she has a motive for him. Yes, definitely.

Jamie: Mad-Eye O’Moody is coming for the role.

Claire: Mad-Eye O’Moody. [laughs]

Andrew: Some people think that an Order member will step up, but it might be someone other than Moody, such as Lupin or Tonks.

Jamie: What, you mean like putting somebody from the Order inside Hogwarts to know what’s going on?

Andrew: Right, yeah. Right, exactly.

Jamie: Right, yeah.

Andrew: For someone like Lupin or is McGonagall an Order member? Or is she just…

Jamie: She’s got to be.

Andrew: Wasn’t she just in and out, in Order of the Phoenix?

Jamie: Yeah, she was.

Claire: Guys, assess where we left Lupin in the last book. Where was Lupin at the end of the last book? Where was he? Was he not in the hospital?

Jamie: Yes, he was. He was in with Bill and then Tonks said..

Claire: With Charlie…

Jamie: No, no, Bill, Bill. Yes. And then – and then, Tonks says, “I love you, I don’t care if you’re a werewolf once a month. We just won’t do it then.”

[Andrew laughs]

Claire: If you actually think logically about who’s going to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in Book Seven, then we need to think that it’s not going to be Hagrid. Of existing members, it’s not going to be Hagrid.

Jamie: No.

Claire: It’s not going to be Professor McGonagall because she’s going to be the head teacher of Hogwarts – most likely, most likely. It’s not going to be Kingsley Shackleboot – Shacklebolt, even, because he’s working with the Muggle Prime Minister. It’s not going to be Arthur Weasley because he’s been promoted to something I can’t remember right now. And, the….the…for me, the most likely candidate is definitely Mad-Eye Moody. And I think that Tonks will go to Transfiguration because of obvious reasons.

Jamie: Yeah, that sounds fair enough. That sounds fair enough.

Andrew: I like that. That’s an interesting way to put it. Who else, I’m looking at the list of…


Professor Potter


Jamie: Can I say, the question of – it’s been discussed for quite a long time – that whether Harry is going to become the Defense Against Dark Arts teacher, but I just can’t see it, because…

Claire: Oh, no way! Oh, come on. Get a grip!

Jamie: You can’t, it’s…

Ben: That is the dumbest thing…

Jamie: Respect, please, Ben. Respect please.

Ben: …I have ever heard in my entire life.

Jamie: But, Ben…

Ben: [laughs] Sorry, sorry.

[Claire laughs]

Claire: Ben…

Jamie: We’ve only got one more book, so he can’t qualify out of school and then become the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, unless she writes it in an epilogue.

Andrew: Well, right.

Claire: If you think about it, Harry has so much to learn, himself, in the last book…

Jamie: Exactly, exactly. He can’t teach people.

Claire: …to be able to destroy all the Horcruxes and then get to Voldemort. And then, not even that, but he has actually to do this. So, how is he going to find the time to be Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and…

Jamie: Precisely.

Claire: …and then do this final quest kind of thing, you know? It’s just not possible.

Jamie: Exactly, exactly. He’ll be like, “Class dismissed, I’ve got to go and find a Horcrux.”

[Ben and Claire laugh]

Andrew: Right, but I think most people think he’s going to become Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher after.

Jamie: Well, maybe, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Claire: Possibly. Possibly.

Andrew: After all this mayhem is over. Because, of course he can’t do it during school. That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: How about Dumbledore’s Army? Could he maintain Dumbledore’s Army and bring it back?

Jamie: Yeah. Perhaps.

Claire: I think so.

Jamie: But, it would be TLDA: The Late Dumbledore’s Army.

Andrew: Oooh…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Tear, tear, tear.

Claire: [laughs] That’s below the belt, Jamie. That is below the belt.

Andrew: Maybe he wouldn’t even run it. Maybe, like, Hermione or maybe not-so-much Ron would take it over.


Other Positions at Hogwarts


Andrew: Now, what about other roles? Claire already – Tonks seems like a good person for Transfiguration. How about Potions? Will Slughorn stay on? I think he’s good enough to be… I think he’s…

Claire: Definitely. Absolutely. Definitely. Yes.

Andrew: …loyal enough to Dumbledore to come back for another year. That wraps up our Defense Against the Dark Arts discussion, but, Jamie, I understand you have a theory for us now.


Theory: Foreshadowing The Lightening-Struck Tower


Jamie: I’m going to come up with a theory that was proposed by Micah. He’s on a role this week and this was…

Ben: You’re going to come up with a theory that was proposed by Micah?

Jamie: I was… Yeah, it’s going to take all my powers and concentration to read this straight out of a text file, so let me concentrate, Ben.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: He proposes that we knew in the first book, from very early on, that Snape was going to kill Dumbledore. Also in fact, not only that, but that Malfoy was going to try and kill him, he couldn’t, and then Snape was going to kill him. So, to find out how this is, turn to pg. 130 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, or page – one sec, let me find it – or pg, 97 of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, both paperbacks. It’s right at the end of the chapter, “The Sorting Hat”. I’ll read from it, and then explain it afterwards.

“Perhaps Harry had eaten a bit too much, because he had a very strange dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrell’s turban, which kept talking to him, telling him that he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn’t want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully,” and now, concentrate especially, “and there was Malfoy, laughing at his as he struggled with it – then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold – there was a burst of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking.

He rolled over and fell asleep again, and when he woke the next day, he didn’t remember the dream at all.”

Now, we couldn’t find a link between the turban, but if you go back to “The Lightning Struck Tower” in Book Six, “there was Malfoy, laughing at him,” Dumbledore, “as he struggled with it” – the prospect of being killed, maybe – and, then Malfoy couldn’t do it, so he “turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold – there was a burst of green light,” Avada Kedavra, “and Harry woke,” as in got unfrozen, “sweating and shaking.” So, I thought that was really, really good, Micah. So, well done.

Andrew: That is a very good theory. He has a tendency to think up…

Jamie: Well, I…

Andrew: …brilliant things like this. Unless he just stole it.

Jamie: It’s the kind of thing that is linked, and obviously is right.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: But, it would’ve been impossible to predict from it that Dumbledore will, you know – this was the scene where Dumbledore died, if that makes sense. I think it’s very good, though.

Claire: This is a perfect example of the…

Ben: [inaudible]

Claire: This is a perfect example of the – sorry, honey – of the red herrings that JK gives us early on, and, that as readers, we kind of assess everything that we can, but sometimes the simplest of things that we read and we don’t pick up on are the things that give us the most insight into the future occurrences of the books.

Jamie: Yeah, definitely, yeah.

Claire: You know?

Jamie: Exactly. So, can I say to everyone, go and analyze Harry’s dreams. Every…

[Claire laughs]

Jamie: Go through the books and see what you can…

Claire: Every single one. Every single one.

Jamie: See if you can link them to other things in Book Six. Yeah, every single dream. If there’s one stone left unturned, we are – we are not going to be happy.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: I want theories, I want discussion, I want book proposals, I want – I want the world.

Claire: [laughs] You want the world.

Jamie: [sings] I want it all, I want it all.

Andrew: [laughs] This is our new segment on MuggleCast called “Word by Word.”

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah.


Voicemails – Year 7?


Andrew: Voicemails this week – let’s listen to the first one.

[Audio]: Hey, MuggleCast guys, it’s Amanda from Des Moines, Iowa. I was just listening to my iPod, listening to MuggleCast, while walking my dogs and I just thought all the books of US versions say either “Book 1, Year 1 at Hogwarts,” or “Book 2, Year 2 at Hogwarts.” I was wondering maybe if you guys thought that the seventh book would be somewhere else other than Hogwarts and that’s why they had to mention it on the other ones. Just love to hear what you guys thought. Love your show! Thanks!

Andrew: It’s interesting, but I think they only do it because – well, they wouldn’t know so far ahead of time. Jo wouldn’t be like…

Claire: She might.

Andrew: …”Oh, I’ll put ‘at Hogwarts’ so that in Book Seven we can put ‘at the cave’,” or something.

Ben: [laughs] Yeah.

Claire: Andrew, I definitely – I disagree with that. I think she might. Seriously. Somebody like Jo, I think she definitely might. Maybe that’s just me? Yeah, definitely.

Andrew: I don’t even know where it says this. What am I missing? I don’t see where it says this [laughs] in the books. Ummm… yeah, I don’t know where it says that on the books, but if you want to clarify that, feel free to e-mail us.

Ben: Yeah, I don’t think – even if it did say that somewhere, I don’t think that Jo would change it for the last book.

Andrew: Interesting perspective, though, for walking your dogs.


Voicemails – Crabbe and Goyle


[Audio:] Hi guys, my name is Chris, I’m calling from the San Francisco bay area. I really enjoy your show, and I had a topic for discussion that I hope you guys pick up. I was wondering if, in fact, Hogwarts reopens for Year 7, what do you think will become of Crabbe and Goyle? At the end of Half Blood Prince, Harry notes that he looks over and sees them at the Slytherin table and they seem very lost without Malfoy. Do you think they’ll continue with their education? And, if so, do you think they’re not going to be so nasty towards Harry, or other people, now that Malfoy is no longer there? Thank you, I love your show, and have a good day!

Jamie: They’re going to Harvard. They’ve just applied and they’ve got in. [laughs]

[Claire laughs]

Andrew: I think they will definitely be less – they won’t tease Harry as much. They won’t be in his way as much. As for leaving school…

Claire: If you look at it right, there’s never been as much rivalry in Hogwarts, possibly since the times of James and Lily, as there has since Harry came to school and there’s been this whole thing between him and Draco. So…[laughs] I’ve completely forgotten what I was going to say. Oh, god! No, help me out. Seriously, help me out. [laughs] I’m falling here.

Jamie: I don’t know…

Claire: I think that…

Jamie: I can’t really go into your brain.

Claire: [laughs] I’ve completely lost it as well. No, I think that – I think that Draco is definitely not going to go back for Year 7. How can he possibly, possibly, go back for Year 7?

Jamie: Yeah, no…

Claire: How can he? Seriously.

Jamie: Exactly. He can’t. He can’t.

Claire: With the whole – you know, Albus Dumbledore was a – he was adored by the whole school. How can Draco possibly go back after all that’s happened? Snape’s out of the picture. He’s ran away to wherever he is.

Jamie: Yeah.

Claire: And the future is, basically, that Harry – neither Harry nor Draco are at Hogwarts. That’s just my opinion, but Book Seven, that’s – they do certainly not play a part in Hogwarts for me.

Jamie: Yeah, that’s probably true.

Andrew: All right, next voicemail.


Voicemail – Harry’s Eyes


[Audio:] Hi MuggleCasters, this is Evie from Ohio. In regards to your Episode 51 discussion, when it comes to Harry’s eyes, do you think that Jo is likely to play on the old saying, “The eyes are the windows to the soul,” and do you think she already has? Hope this message finds you well. Bye, bye.

Jamie: But it is interesting that, you know, because it’s like the two wands connecting together and each person seeing into the wand of the other. Couldn’t it be like – if somebody looks into Harry’s eyes, they can see into his soul? Or something like that. I don’t know.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: It’s an interesting quote, though.

Claire: Yeah, again, there’s kind of this great symbolism with that, so…

Andrew: And that’s really a huge part of this story.


Voicemail – Killing Extras


[Audio:] Yeah, hi, this is Angela from Virginia. I had a comment about Episode 50. You made a comment that said that Jo didn’t kill of extras. Well, the comment that I have to that is: does she not consider Cedric an extra because she kills him off in Book Four? And my husband and I were listening to ya’ll’s Episode 50, and you said something about Harry that was inappropriate. Well, it wasn’t that, it was just what you said about Harry being an unpleasant person – a term that you used. And we wondered why that term was used. We love the show anyway. Keep up the good work! Bye, bye!

Jamie: I think when Jo…

Ben: I don’t know what she’s referring to.

Jamie: I can’t remember. We… I mean we probably did, but…

Andrew: Harry said – we said Harry was an unpleasant person?

Jamie: Did we?

Andrew: To be honest, I wish I could remember too.

Jamie: Yeah. What she said about Jo not killing extras, I think it means that… I think Jo, what she means is, every single death that she puts in is significant to the series as a whole. As in she doesn’t kill people for the sake of killing people. You know? Everything is important. Rather than that she kills secondary characters.

Claire: That’s definitely viable. I mean if you look at it, she didn’t kill Dumbledore for no reason, did she?

Jamie: No.

Claire: Seriously, she didn’t kill Dumbledore for no reason. If Dumbledore went through to the final book then Harry would have been invincible almost. So…

Andrew: Okay, the quote from Jo was that “she doesn’t go for the extras.” So, I don’t think it means every death has to be important. But, could Cedric be an exception to this? Or could…

Jamie: It is important though…

Ben: No, people are asking about – people are asking about Book Seven and the deaths that relate to Book Seven. And she’s saying that she’s not going to kill off the minor characters. She’s going to go to those that are closest to the main character.

Jamie: She isn’t doing it for the sake of it though.

Claire: Jo has gotten to a point that she thinks if the Harry Potter fans are so inept, that they are going to look at every single situation and every single angle, and think “Why couldn’t this have happened? Why couldn’t this have happened?” So, she needs to kind of kill off everybody she thinks is kind of viable candidate for kind of – for a reason. “Why couldn’t they have been there? Why couldn’t this have happened?” You know?

Jamie: I was going to say that it isn’t that she’s going for the main characters, but she’s killing the people which are necessary to kill in order for the book to progress. And that each death isn’t a death for the sake of a death, it’s a death because…

Ben: I disagree. I think she’s saying that she’s going to kill those…

Jamie: Well, Ben, I’m sorry, but you’re wrong. Ben… Ben…

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: Ben, do you get sick of being wrong?

Claire: Ben, you are wrong. You are completely wrong. [laughs]

Ben: I’m never wrong. That’s the problem.

Jamie: Or are you used to it by now? Are you used to it by now?

Ben: JK Rowling said that she does not target the extras. That doesn’t mean that she’s going to kill somebody that we don’t realize plays a pivotal role in the series. It means she is going to kill people we know are main characters and we know are really going to tug at our heartstrings when they die. That’s what I think it means.

Claire: I think that’s definitely true. I do think that’s definitely true, Ben. I think you’ve got reason for saying that, but I think it’s gotten to the point where JK is looking at every single viewpoint, every single angle, that she realizes how perceptive the Potter fans are, and she just realizes that, you know, every possible explanation has to be covered because we’re just that good. Basically, we are just that good.


Voicemail – Outcome of the Quidditch World Cup


[Audio]: Hi, MuggleCast! This is Deepa from Edison, New Jersey. I was wondering, how do you think Fred and George Weasley knew the outcome of the Quidditch World Cup? Thanks! Bye!

Ben: I’m going to say time travel.

Andrew: You think Fred and George can do time travel?

Ben: Well…

Jamie: Maybe.

Ben: Yeah, there has to be some way.

Jamie: They are very clever people. But, it could be that, yeah. Or it could be…

Claire: Yeah.

Jamie: …they guessed somewhat right. But, it doesn’t seem like they were right because if you – if you go back to Goblet of Fire

Ben: It’s way too specific for them to have guessed.

Jamie: No, but, if you go back to Goblet of Fire, just after the World Cup has finished and Bagman is seeing Fred and George, they approach him with huge smiles on their faces like they knew that is was going to happen anyway. And they just, you know, were coming to collect their gold.

Andrew: Interesting question, but it seems like Fred and George would have… Harry is their trusted – their financial…

Jamie: Yeah, backer. Backer.

Andrew: …backer now. Wouldn’t they have told Harry they could do time travel?

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: That doesn’t seem like something they would keep secret from him of all people.

Ben: No, no. They – not necessarily.

Jamie: Financial o’backer.

Ben: Yeah, financial o’backer. [laughs]

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: No, they wouldn’t – Harry wasn’t backing them financially, when they originally made the bet. So…

Jamie: Yeah, I guess so, yeah. That’s true.

Ben: They wouldn’t feel like they owed it to Harry, to tell him…

Andrew: Oh, I see what you mean.

Ben: So, yeah. And, of course, there are going to be things they keep secret to themselves. There was never any agreement or any stipulations to Harry giving them the money. He pretty much just said…

Jamie: No, that’s true. Yeah, yeah.

Ben: “Hey, take the money.”

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: Right, right. Okay, fair enough.


Voicemail – Jo on Snape Being Evil


Audio: Hey, I’m Crystal from Arlington Heights, Illinois, and I’m calling because on Episode 50 you were talking about JK Rowling saying that their opinion was correct on Sam and whatever his name was. They said, “In our opinion everything follows from it,” being ‘What if Snape is evil or good?’ That’s what she meant by, “In your opinion” – that their opinion was right. So, I love you guys! Bye!

Ben: I love you too!

Jamie: I love you too, as well!

Andrew: Yay, an explanation.

Ben: Right, and this whole notion that Jo made all these slip-ups at the live reading have pretty much gone to pot, because…

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Not really.

Ben: [exasperated] Yes, they have. You’re wrong.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Andrew: Okay.

Ben: Jo did not slip-up at all, because I said she didn’t.


Dylan Spartz’s Inspirational Quote of the Week


Andrew: Okay. All right, now moving onto our second, but last, Spartz Quote of the Week. But first, Julia, 15, from Canada wrote:

Just in case you were wondering, the quote from “Dylan Spartz’s Inspirational Quote of the Week” is from a song called, “I Put The Metro In Metronome,” by a band called Cute Is What We Aim For. You should check them out, they’re awesome!

Now it is time for Dylan’s Inspirational Quote of the Week. The inspirational quote of the week this week is, “Scotty doesn’t know.” I might have butchered that a bit, but I’m pretty sure that was it. “Scotty doesn’t know.”

[Jamie laughs]


Andrew’s Huh?! E-mail of the Week


Andrew: And, based on the laughter that I just got from that, it is time to retire Dylan Spartz’s Inspirational Quote of the Week in favor of a new segment: Andrew’s “Huh?!” E-mail of the Week.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: It comes from Ryan, 15, of California. He writes:

“Here’s an awesome idea thought of while eating some Chapstick:”

Okay.

“You should ask the listeners if they have a ritual or tradition while listening to MuggleCast. Personally, I like to eat a six-inch tuna with everything on it, with Sun Chips and a Pepsi!”

So, apparently Ryan, 15, of California eats Sun Chips and a six-inch tuna every time he listens to the show. And he thought of this while eating Chapstick, which is lip balm.

Jamie: But Ben – I mean Andrew, you do realize now that you’ve started this thing, people are going to send these wacky e-mails just to be on Andrew’s “Huh?!” E-mail of the Week.

Andrew: “Huh?!” “Huh?!”

Jamie: Yes, that’s the thing. I refuse to do that, so I’m just going to say Andrew’s “Huh” E-mail of the Week.

Andrew: [laughs] Well, I’m going to talk to Emerson, and he’s going to teach me how to…

Jamie: Ah. Excellent, excellent.

Andrew: …spot the right from wrong, because he’s an experienced Wall of Shamer.

Jamie: He is.

Andrew: Actually, I have a few of them because we get so many e-mails, but some of them are absurd. So, they’re going to get worse than that, I promise you.

Jamie: Awesome.

Andrew: So, that’s my “Huh?!” E-mail of the Week.

[Jamie laughs]


Chicken Soup For The MuggleCast Soul


Andrew: Chicken Soup. Jamie, care to read it?

Jamie: Yes. This comes from Rebecca, 17, from Pennsauken in New Jersey. Wow, we seem to have a…

Andrew: Representing.

Jamie: …quite a few New Jerseyans this week.

Ben: A lot of New Jersey people.

Jamie: Yeah, wow! That’s…ummm… Hey, Ben…

Ben: No coincidence or anything.

Jamie: Isn’t…

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: I don’t pick these people based on their locations.

Ben: Yeah, whatever. You’re like, [imitates Andrew] “Oh, Jersey! Oh Jersey!”

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Okay.

“Hey, MuggleCasters! I’m huge fan of the show. I’ve been listening to it since Episode 1. I love it so much that I bought a tape adapter for my car, considering I only have a cassette player in there, so I could listen to MuggleCast on the road with my iPod.”

That is severe dedication for you.

“Well, it so happens the only reason my parents gave me a car, was so I could chauffeur my three younger sisters around. I happen to hate driving them places, because they are so ungrateful about it and with the gas inflation…”

Yep! It must suck, paying three dollars a gallon over there. I can’t imagine what it must be like paying six and a half!

Andrew: [laughs] Jamie, why don’t you tell people, because that’s…

Jamie: It’s… It’s like the gas…

Andrew: …that blows my mind!

Jamie: Okay.

Andrew: That blows my mind.

Jamie: We pay now, currently, a pound a liter, which translates to six and a half dollars a gallon.

Andrew: That is crazy.

Jamie: Back to the voice mails, so – sorry, to the thing.

“Well, it so happens that my sisters hate Harry Potter with a severe passion. I’m the only one in my family that loves it. So, my new plan was that whenever they asked me to take them somewhere, I would always put on MuggleCast in the car. They would always complain and moan, saying, ‘Don’t put on the weird people that talk about Harry Potter!'”

[laughs] Yeah, we are weird.

“But, my plan worked, because my sisters hated MuggleCast so much, they refused to let me drive them anywhere. So, MuggleCast, thank you for saving my gas money…”

Ah, if you want to save more gas money, you should have gone to Eric’s reading…

[Ben and Jamie laugh]

Ben: Eric’s reading!

Jamie: …in Vegas!

Ben: Yeah.

Jamie: “…and sanity. Keep up the amazing work. Rebecca.”

Thank you very much, Rebecca. We’re glad that we caused your sisters to hate us so much they won’t even get in the car with you. [laughs]

Andrew: I don’t understand why people would hate us.

Jamie: I do.

Andrew: It makes me sad. [laughs]

Jamie: I hate us. I hate us.

Andrew: Anyway. Oh. Well, I guess I do, too, come to think of it.

Jamie: Awww.

Andrew: I envy us.


Dumbledore-Norris Lines


Andrew: Okay. Jamie, you got a number…another Dumbledore…

Jamie: I do, I do! [laughs] I’ve just got to open my e-mail – a sec. But, I’ll say the first one. I have a couple this week. These are from Lindsay, age 16, from Cape Town, South Africa.

“Dumbledore makes onions cry.”

[laughs] Which I thought was brilliant.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: “When Dumbledore is ready to wake up, he tells the sun to get behind the horizon.”

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: “Some people wear Superman pajamas. Superman wears Dumbledore pajamas.”

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: Let’s find some more. Oh, okay. Last one, last one.

“Dumbledore uses a night light, not because Dumbledore is afraid of the dark, but because the dark is afraid of Dumbledore.”

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: Okay! Last one! Last one, last one! [laughs]

“When the bogey man goes to sleep at night, he checks his closet for Dumbledore.”

Which I thought was so funny!

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Andrew: Oh, my gosh.

Jamie: Ahhh, I love those.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: I love those.

Andrew: [laughs] Me, too! I can’t believe you’ve never seen Chuck Norris, though, and you still find them so funny!

Jamie: Who?

Andrew: Yeah, you.

Jamie: I have seen Chuck Norris!

Andrew: In the show?

Jamie: What? No, I’ve seen [laughs] Walker, Texas Ranger.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: No, no, Texas, Walker Ranger, or Ranger, Texas Walker, or something – or whatever it’s called, you know?

Andrew: [laughs] Walker, Texas Ranger, I think.

Jamie: That’s the one. That is the one.


Claire’s Scottish Joke


Andrew: I think that does rap up our show this week. P.O. Box, Ben?

Ben: P.O. Box 223, Moundridge, Kansas, 67107.

Andrew: You can also e-mail us at mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com, or call us: 1-218-20-MAGIC. In the United Kingdom: 02081 440677. And Australia: 0280035668. You can also Skype the name, “MuggleCast,” to leave a voicemail, or if you have any other suggestions, comments, complaints, concerns – whatever you want – just e-mail mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com.

Claire: Do I not get to do a Scottish joke?

Jamie: Do you have one?

Claire: I have a Scottish joke, if you want me to do it.

Jamie: Oh, yeah. Go on, then.

Claire: There was once a student at an English university, and his name was Donald MacDonald. He was from the Isle of Skye, and he was living in the Halls of Residence, in his first year at university. After he’d been there a month, his mother came to visit…

[Ben laughs]

Claire: Shut up, Ben! Nose out.

[returns to joke] …carrying reinforcements of his oatmeal. “And how do you find English students, Donald?” she asked. “Mother,” he replied, “They’re such terribly noisy people. The one at that side keeps banging his head against the wall, and he won’t stop. The one at the other side screams, and screams, and screams away into the night.” “Oh, Donald! How do you ever manage to put up with these awfully – awful, noisy English people?”

[comments] I can’t speak! [laughs]

[continues with the joke] “Mother, I do nothing,” he said. “I just ignore them. I just stay here quietly and play my bagpipes.”

[Everyone laughs loudly]

Jamie: Oh, that’s probably one of the best jokes I’ve ever heard in my life.

Andrew: Oh, wow.

Jamie: That is so good. Ah, that’s awesome. That’s awesome. That’s really good. I like that one.


Show Close


Andrew [Show Close with music in background]: That does it for Episode…

Jamie: No, no, no, no, no! Wait. Wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait!

Andrew: What, what, what, what, what, what?

Jamie: Okay, I would just like to do two things. I’d like to congratulate the ancient Romans for finally getting e-mail, because I have got an e-mail from a certain Julius Caesar…

Andrew: Oooh!

Jamie: …age, really old; location, secret passage under the Hog’s Head which leads directly to Rome; subject, my papyrus. Okay, he says:

“My dear fellow Jamie, you are so very welcome for the papyrus I sent you. I am delighted to hear that Mr. Schoen sent it to you. And thank you for your sympathy about being stabbed, but it’s quite all right. You see, no one knew, but I made a Horcrux, and am now disguised as a wizard by the name of Aberforth Dumbledore. My regards, Julius.”

Andrew: Well, wow! What an honor, Jamie. I used to think that our life would be completed when JK Rowling e-mailed, but…

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah, but Julius Caesar.

Andrew: But that, yeah. Forget it. On that note [laughs], that does wrap up Episode 52. I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: I am Ben Schoen.

Jamie: I am Jamie O’Lawrence.

Claire: And I am Claire O’Connor.

Andrew: Claire, thank you for joining us this week.

Claire: Thank you so much for having me. It was a pleasure.

Andrew: You can find Claire at RupertGrint.net, and she’s the fantastic host of RupertCast, and also RedCast. To all the listeners, we apologize for a shorter than normal show this week, but we were all pretty busy this past week, and had a few scheduling conflicts, so we’ll be back with our usual length next week. Goodnight, everyone!

Jamie: Bye, everyone!

Claire: Bye!


Comments


[Audio]: Hey MuggleCast, this is [inaudible]. My name is [inaudible], I live in Jamaica, look it up. And this is [inaudible]. I love the show that much. I turned 15 yesterday and found that I’m coming up to New York in a couple of days. I’m really excited and I’m definitely buying a MuggleCast t-shirt while I’m there. I love the show, keep it up. Bye!

[Audio]: Hey guys! This is Emily and I live in the bay area in California. I just wanted to say that I love your show. It’s pretty much good when I have to be in the car for an hour, and I need something to listen to other than my sister whining. So, good times! Thanks a lot, guys! Bye!

[Audio]: Hey MuggleCast. This is Tom from England. I just wanted to say that I love the show. It’s great, and I’m really peachy about this UK line, because I can’t call internationally; it’s too expensive. But, keep up the good work, and we hope to hear more of Jamie’s British Jokes of the Day soon. See you later! Bye!

[Audio]: Hey MuggleCasters. This is Allison, calling from South Ohio, and I just wanted to congratulate you all for a wonderful 50th episode. I hope to hear at least 50 more. I also wanted to mention that MuggleCast made it into my local newspaper, the Plain Dealer, but it only mentioned Andrew and Ben, though, not Jamie or Laura or the rest of you guys, but I just thought you’d like to know that you’re famous around the Cleveland area. Again, love the show, and I hope you guys make at least another 50. Thanks! Bye!

[Audio]: Hey guys, it’s Erica from Australia here, and I just thought I’d call my own voicemail line to say that I love your show, and I hope you guys will come down to Melbourne one day for a live show, because I miss Vegas and New York City heat, and we all love you down here. So, see you soon. No pressure or anything. Fire hazards rock. Love you guys! Bye!

[Audio]: Hey MuggleCasters, this is Amanda from Tampa. I wanted to say how much I love you guys, and Jamie has the best singing voice I’ve ever heard. You guys are awesome. Keep up the good work! Bye!


Bloopers


Jamie: Ben, you can do one thing for us, okay? Can you just – if this is the best thing…

Ben: [Impersonating Warrick Davis] Warwick Davis! [laughs]

Jamie: No, no. Well, that too. Two things.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Thank you, that was very kind. Do you think you can please give us a Butterbeer?

Andrew: Later.

Ben: Maybe.

Andrew: Come on. You have to. There’s got to be something you saw at Lumos that must have [censored] you off.

Ben: Yeah, but I can’t talk about that. That would be – that would not relate to Harry Potter.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh loudly]

Jamie: Yeah. And it would be NC-17, as well.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: Yeah. [laughs]

Andrew: Something related to the convention [laughs], I’m talking about.

———————–

Written by: Micah, Adrienne, Allison, Ally, Amanda, Eloise, Jean, Jessica, Judy, Mandie, Margaret, Martina, Megan, Rhiannon, Roni, Shannon and Shelly

Transcript #51

MuggleCast 51 Transcript


Show Intro


Andrew [Show Intro with music in background]: Because 50 episodes of MuggleCast just wasn’t enough, this is MuggleCast Episode 51 for August 13th, 2006.

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Hello everyone, welcome back to the show. I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: I’m Ben Schoen, in the middle of the street in Nebraska…

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: …stealing someone’s wi-fi.

Laura: [laughs] I’m Laura Thompson.

Jamie: Oooh! And I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Andrew: And this is the show where we bring you the latest in Harry Potter news, theories, discussions and we’re driving in Nebraska. But, before we go anywhere else, first let’s check in with [laughs] Micah Tannenbaum for the past week’s top Harry Potter news stories.


News


Micah: MSN has now posted a complete video from the second night of An Evening With Harry, Carrie, and Garp. The charity readings with JK Rowling, Stephen King, and John Irving took place on August 1 and 2 in NYC.

B1 Media, the company which produced the Goblet of Fire DVD, has won for “Major Technical – Best Menu Design” at the 9th annual DVD Awards.  

Producer John Pohl commented, “We’re honored that this award recognized the elaborate and expressive 3D achievement and strong sense of design the menus displayed. The artistic excellence of these menus contributed to an incredible DVD experience and was a result of the sacrifice that our 3D, composite and design teams made.”

JK’s Army, the team who gives MuggleNet fans advice on buying or selling Harry Potter memorabilia, has started a new campaign urging eBay to clamp down on the selling of fraudulent Harry Potter merchandise. They need your help. That’s a scary thought. To find out more about this worthwhile effort and how you can help bring about change, head over to MuggleNet’s Main Page

The Scotsmanreports that Jo has donated a handbag of hers to be auctioned off at the new members’ club 29, in Glasgow’s Royal Exchange Square on October 6th. Jo took the small black Rodo purse to the premiere of Sorcerer’s Stone.

In a new interview, first published in Surrey Life, Draco Malfoy actor Tom Felton talks about his acting career, hobbies, Harry Potter, and what he’s been up to lately. He says filming for the Potter movies is always fun and that it’s weird to see the final product.

Finally, WB has confirmed that Order of the Phoenix will be released in Argentina on July 12th, 2007. As more dates are announced, we will bring them to you.  There a few new Order of the Phoenix set pictures, including one of Dan Radcliffe over on MuggleNet.com

That’s all the news for this August 13th, 2006 edition of MuggleCast.  Back to the show.


Ben Recording While Driving In Nebraska


Ben: There’s a car passing and I’m laying down. Hold on.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: False alarm, they turned, they turned.

Laura: Wouldn’t it be awesome if Ben got arrested and we were recording?

Ben: Live on MuggleCast.

Jamie: Oh, it would be so funny. It would be Spy on Schoen.

Ben: This is ridiculous. I drove three-and-a-half hours tonight tired as – more tired than you can imagine.

Jamie: Tired and soaked to his skin.

Ben: And I get here to record MuggleCast and I go to the library to steal their wi-fi…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: Ben…

Ben: They had it encrypted…

Jamie: I think the term is “use” not “steal.”

Ben: “Use” their wi-fi. They have it password protected. And so I drive around this small podunk town, searching for wi-fi and I found some and now I am parked in the middle of the street…

[Laura laughs]

Ben: …windows rolled up in my car. It’s about 5,000 degrees and I’m here to do MuggleCast.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: So, I am the most dedicated MuggleCaster…

Jamie: That’s commitment to you?

Laura: That is devotion.

Ben: …EVER.

Jamie: Are we still streaming this to the FBI, Andrew? Or did we stop?

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah, I think we’re going to have to stop after this episode.

Jamie: Okay, cool.


Announcements


Andrew: Eric will be joining us in a minute, but for now, let’s do some announcements.

Don’t forget, everyone, to purchase your MuggleCast t-shirt, especially now. Now is a very critical time to purchase your MuggleCast t-shirt, because there are rumors going around that all t-shirts that do not promote MuggleCast are going to burst into flames within the week.

Jamie: Yep.

Laura: Oh, no!

Ben: Mhm. I’ve heard this rumor.

Jamie: I don’t think it’s a rumor, I think it’s true.

Ben: There’s also a rumor going around that the current MuggleCast t-shirts may be going out of stock.

Andrew: [laughs] So, now is the time to buy.

Ben: Ooo.

Andrew: That’s right.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: No, but seriously, if you do want to support the show, please purchase a MuggleCast t-shirt. As you know, we are taking a trip to California later in September and we need some money to get us out there. So, any help will be appreciated, and you get a cool shirt also.

Ben: An awesome shirt.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: And, Podcast Alley, place your votes for support and the Podcast Awards are now closed. We thank everyone who has voted, once a day and unfortunately…

Ben: Only if you’ve voted once a day.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Ben: Otherwise…

Andrew: No thank you. [Still laughing]

Laura: Mhm.

Ben: Yeah.

Andrew: No, thanks to everyone and we unfortunately won’t know the winners – well, we won’t know the winner of the “People’s Choice” category until actually the ceremony. So, we’ll know if PotterCast won in “Entertainment,” but we won’t know if we won in “People’s Choice.” Which, is worrisome because we don’t want to all fly out there [laughs] and lose, but…

Laura: [Laughs] Yeah.

Ben: Oh well. Oh well.

Andrew: Oh well, it will still be fun.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: Andrew, I had something I wanted to do really quick.

Andrew: Okay.

Laura: I got a couple of things from the PO Box today, thank you Ben. One was from Patricia. She sent me some hand decorated shoes – they’re pretty cool. She did them in my three favorite colors. And then Lauren sent me this really cool shirt and she hand-embroidered this really awesome pattern on it. It’s got a flower and a dove and it’s really, really awesome and I’m wearing it right now. So, I just wanted to say thank you to them.

Ben: Awesome.

Laura: That was very sweet and thanks to Ben for sending them. [laughs]

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Ben: Finally. A little update about the PO Box. I finally got my butt in gear.

Jamie: Yeah.

Ben: The other day I actually responded to a letter. I am a changed man.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Ben: So, please send anything, everything to the PO Box.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Jamie: Can I just thank Julius Caesar for that excellent piece of papyrus he sent me. I only just got it, thanks to Ben.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Because he was a bit late. But, it’s very nice Julius, thank you. And, I’m sorry you got stabbed.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: It was a nice thought.


Listener Rebuttals – Comments on Episode 50


Andrew: Listener rebuttals this week. Jamie do you want to take the first one?

Jamie: Yep. This is from Casey, 15 from Wyoming. She says:

“Hi, I just want to say I loved the last episode,” that was Episode 50, our one-year anniversary episode. “Especially with all of the music. I especially like Your Song by Elton John…” There you go, Ben! “…because my choir had to sing it one year for a concert, and even though no one else liked it, I did.” And here comes the award for sarcastic comment of the century.

[Laura and Andrew laugh]

Jamie:

“Also, I wanted to tell Jamie that he has a beautiful voice, and should pursue a career in music.”

Andrew: Oh, wow.

Jamie: Thank you for that.

[Laura and Andrew laugh]

Jamie:

“I love the shows, and it is the highlight of my week. Peace!” Thank you very much Casey.

Ben: [sings] “I just want to tell everybody, this is your song.”


Voicemail – Cascada


Andrew: Jamie, we also got a voicemail this week that I thought you should take a listen to. I know you mentioned to me earlier this week that you thought, maybe you could write to Cascada and get a little money out of this because you have been promoting them.

Jamie: Exactly. Definitely.

Andrew: So, I think this voicemail will help you out.

Jamie: Go for it.

[Audio]: Hey, MuggleCasters! This is Emily and I’m from Missouri. And, I just wanted to tell you that I hated the song “Every Time We Touch” until I heard Jamie sing it or, the part of it that you did post him singing. Anyway, thank you so much for giving me a new favorite song. Bye!

Jamie: Awww.

Laura: Awww.

Jamie: Isn’t that lovely? Thank you very much. And, I will be writing to Cascada now and I will be requesting ten pounds every single time that song is played.

[Laura and Andrew laugh]

Jamie: That can get us to California.


Listener Rebuttal – Every Time We Touch


Andrew: Yeah, in no time. Next song Ray Mur – not song. [laughs] Next rebuttal comes from Ray Murphy of Ireland. He writes:

“Just thought I’d say how is it Jamie didn’t hear that song until he went to America? I myself am from Ireland and us and the United Kingdom kind of share the music charts. The same songs are released at the same time, Cascada’s “Every Time We Touch” has been released here for its second time this year and is constantly on all music video channels and radio stations. Thought I’d just bring dat up. Class show buds.” [laughs]

Thanks for writing in real English words. [laughs]

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: No seriously, Ray. It’s just I don’t really pay attention to the charts, I think. So, and I don’t really watch the music channels and stuff so I get stuff late. Although, I might add that I sent Ben “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers – no, no sorry. It wasn’t Ben. It was…

Andrew: Emerson?

Jamie: …Emerson, yeah. I sent that song to him about two months before it got big over there so that’s my claim to fame.

Ben: Actually, you sent me James Blunt’s…

Jamie: Oh, so there you go.

Ben:You’re Beautiful like, four months before it got big over here.

Andrew: Really? Hmm.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Mhm.

Andrew: Next…

Ben: [sings] You’re beautiful.

Andrew: Oh god! This show, really, we should call it “MuggleCast: Music Mix” or something.

Jamie: Music – yeah.

Andrew: Something funny. Insert it there. Next one comes…

Ben: I don’t think music mix quite, [laughs] quite does the trick, Andrew.

Andrew: [laughs] Thanks for the support, Ben.

Jamie: [laughs] MusicCast. That is original.


Listener Rebuttal – Will The Trio Survive Book Seven?


Andrew: Next rebuttal comes from Meghan of Nova Scotia, age 20. She writes:

“I completely… [laughs] I completely agree [Laura laughs] with what Ben said on this subject. It’s not realistic to me for all of them to survive. All three of them are still quite young and are not all that powerful. Why should they make it out of the final battle alive and others more powerful should die? It is just not probable.”

Jamie: Thank you, Meghan. This is what I’ve been trying to say for so long. That it’s not a fairy tale. These people – you know, if three 16-year-olds who haven’t learned as much magic are going to war with all these adults who are qualified and everything, they can’t all survive. It’s, it’s just – it would be completely unrealistic. Although, I hope…

Laura: No one said that all the 16-year-olds were going to…

Ben: So Jamie, you – Jamie, you agree with me?

Laura: …were going to survive, though.

Jamie: No. No, no, no. No. I agree that it is unrealistic to expect all three, considering the task they’ve taken on and the danger. Lupin said in Order of the Phoenix that there are dangers involved that they can have no idea of and they still don’t have any idea of. And it’s just some of the stuff they’re going to be up against – dark magic they haven’t experienced before, spells they don’t even know. It’s just, I really think it’s improbable that they’re all going to survive. It’s a horrible thought, but…

Andrew: Yeah.


Listener Rebuttal – Every Time We Touch


Andrew: In relation to that rebuttal, Bryan, age 16, from Pennsylvania writes:

“Though this e-mail is for all you MuggleCasters in general, I particularly – blarh – particularly [Andrew and Laura laughs] have something to say to Laura.”

Laura: Oh no.

Andrew:

“I don’t understand why you and the majority of the MuggleCasters are so convinced that JKR ‘slipped-up’ about the Trio living through the series.”

Jamie: Oooh.

Andrew:

“I have watched the entire video you guys just posted, and I honestly wasn’t given that impression at all. Laura, mmm girl, [Jamie and Laura laugh] you tried to say that JKR said, after naming the Trio, ‘But I’m the only one that knows who lives through Book Seven.’ She never says this!”

Jamie: Apart from Chuck Norris.

Andrew:

“The only thing she does say… [laughs] The only thing she does say, after the audience begins to shout out names, is: “I’m the only one that knows who’s actually dead.”

And he is correct. I’m reading the transcript now.

Laura: He is. What I would like to say in relation to that, though, Bryan…

Ben: Ha! In your face, Laura.

Andrew: No, no, no.

Laura: Hey! Shut up, Ben.

[Jamie laughs]

Laura: Anyway, you went on in your e-mail to kind of discuss how it was misleading to misquote her and I completely agree with you. However, I think that her saying, “I’m the only one who knows who’s actually dead” implies that she’s the only one who knows who dies in Book Seven. So, that was why that thought came into my head because I only went to the readings. I didn’t actually go through and read the transcripts and get the actual quote, so you were absolutely right, but I do think that it was somewhat of a slip-up on her part because she did say she was the only one who knew…

Andrew: It was.

Laura: …that died. So, yeah.

Andrew: It was. I think that gives it away. And let’s read that whole part right now. I have the transcript up right here. She says – I’m very prepared tonight.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: She says, “I’d take Harry to apologize to him. I’d have to take Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I would…this is…see…I know who’s actually…” Well, what happens… King says – Stephen King says to her, “Hagrid. Take Hagrid.” And then JK Rowling says, “See, I know who’s actually dead.” But I mean, that could also be saying that Hagrid dies.

Ben: But she never actually said that she was inviting only people who live to the table.

Andrew: No, but…

Ben: I don’t see how that’s – I don’t see how that’s implied.

Andrew: Because she’s saying, “See, I know who’s actually dead.”

Laura: Because she’s saying… Yeah.

Andrew: She’s talking about who she would take to dinner who’s alive.

Laura: That was alive, yeah. I guess it’s just a matter of opinion, really, but that was how I perceived it. [laughs]

Ben: You guys are wrong, okay?

Andrew: Hold on. And then Stephen King says…

Ben: [laughs] Just kidding.

Andrew: “Pretend you can take anyone.” And then she says, “Pretend I can take anyone? Well then, I would definitely take Dumbledore.”

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: “I’d take Dumbledore, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and, Hagrid. I’d take Hagrid.” Okay?

Jamie: What’d she say to them?

Ben: So that means Hagrid’s going to die?

Jamie: Maybe, no. But what would she say to them, though? She’s just sitting there. “So, I wrote you.” [laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] Correct, Jamie. Correct.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: Thank you. That would be an interesting conversation.


Eric Joins The Show


Andrew: Now moving on to our main discussion this week. Oh! Hold on, hold on. Well, he should be recording when he comes in. Let’s see if he’s a good enough podcaster to be doing that.

Jamie: Yeah, is he prepared?

Andrew: Eric, are you recording? Eric?

Eric: Hi.

Andrew: Hey, are you recording?

Eric: Yes, I am.

Laura: Hey Eric.

Eric: Hey everybody.

Andrew: Oh! He is a good podcaster. Everybody, a round of applause. Eric Scull has just joined us in the Skype chat this evening.

[All clap]

Laura: Yay!

Eric: Oh, wow.

Ben: Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Eric Scull!

[All laugh]

Eric: Thank you, thank you.

Andrew: Nice one, Ben.

Jamie: Why don’t you give an opening speech? Actually, wait.

[Andrew and Ben laugh]

Eric: [laughs sarcastically] No, anyway. What are we talking about?

Andrew: We just wrapped up listener rebuttals and we were just transitioning into our main discussion when you so kindly conference called. So…

Ben: Eric, I need your praises. I am in the middle of a street…

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: …in a small town in Nebraska, stealing someone’s wi-fi. Aren’t I the best MuggleCaster ever? Or what?

Jamie: Yeah.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: Yes, Ben. Three praises for Ben.

Laura: Sure, Ben.

Eric: Round of applause for Ben, everybody. [claps]

Andrew: Oh, we already did. We already had one.

[Everyone laugh]

Jamie: I can beat that.

Ben: Yeah.

Jamie: I can beat that, Ben.

Eric: I can, too.

Andrew: How? Oh, yeah.

Jamie: I’m…

Andrew: What time is it there?

Jamie: I’m hanging… Oh well, yeah. Well, no, apart from it being 4:54 a.m., I’m floating down a river…

[Everyone laugh]

Jamie: …hanging onto a raft…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: …and I’ve put my laptop on top and Skype’s open and it’s a very nice laptop and it could fall in.

[Everyone laugh]

Ben: Oh, really. Yeah.

Jamie: So I’m ten times – ten times more committed than you are, Ben.

Eric: I…

Laura: Well, not to mention the nine hour flight to get over here for the live shows.

Andrew: [laughs]Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah. Exactly, exactly.

Eric: Guys, I’ve just worked two jobs – yay for me – in one day. I worked 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. full-time at school, and then I worked from 5 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. at the movies, so I’m kind of mellowed-out here, but, yeah.

Andrew: Awww.

Ben: Okay, well let’s move on with the main discussion…

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: …because it’s already 100 degrees in my car and this laptop is adding to the heat and…

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: [sings] That’s why they call you Mr. Fahrenheit.

Ben: …and the car is starting to fog up.

Andrew: Okay, well, our…[laughs]

Laura: Roll down your window a crack!

Ben: I can’t because then my lights will come on again.

Eric: [singing] Here in my car, life is safest of all. I can lock all my doors.

Jamie: Very good Eric, Gary Newman.

Eric: Yes, Gary Newman, Cars. Download it, everybody.

Jamie: Very good. It’s a good song.

Andrew: Too much music on this show. Too much music.

Eric: Oh, there is.

Andrew: I’m just kidding. Who handles music?

Ben: R.I.A.

Andrew: Yeah, they’re going to come after us.


Main Discussion – Book Seven Theories


Andrew: Main discussion this week: Book Seven theories. And we’re going to start off with one today by Jamie Lawrence.

Jamie: This is a kind of big discussion, and it’s a weird discussion, because I’ve never seen any conclusive evidence throughout the entire series. Because some theories, they start of with Book One, and they carry on and get more solid and things change, but you can always follow them. Whereas this one, it’s complete speculation. So, we’ll probably be completely wrong, and in two years when the book comes out – yes, two years, not Summer 2007, I’m sorry, but Summer 2008 –– when the book comes out. We’ll probably be proven wrong. But anyway, here goes.

[Laura laughs]


Harry’s Eyes


Jamie: We’re going to talk about Harry’s eyes. JK Rowling has said Harry’s eyes and their similarity to Lily’s is paramount to the series as a whole, completely essential. So, I’d question, such as what is the relationship between their eyes? Are his physical eyes going to play a part, or does it show some kind of bond between them? Do you think that the color is important? And just what exactly do they mean?

Let me start off with something, okay? Let me put something out there. Harry’s eyes have been described several times, and it’s been driven home by Jo that his eyes are green, and obviously there’s the Slytherin connection. What could that mean? And, of course, we’ve seen an increase in the people who thinks Snape likes Lily. So, is there any kind of Slytherin connection there between them?

Eric: Snape is his father.

Jamie: Yes, Eric, yes!

Laura: Ewww. It’s just really difficult, because we keep hearing that we’re going to see what the big deal is about their eyes, and it hasn’t happened yet, and one would think that if it was so important, the movies would get it right. But Daniel Radcliffe has blue eyes, so I don’t understand.

Jamie: No, Laura, it’s fine. They’ll just tie him down and inject some green dye into his eyes, and that will make it all worthwhile, won’t it? You know, that’s fine.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: We’ll do that for the next one.

Andrew: Well, they’ll probably be kicking themselves when Movie Seven comes along…

Jamie: Yeah, they will. Yeah.

Andrew: …and they’re like, “Hmmm, I guess we’d better change his eyes.” But that can be solved with contacts.

Eric: Yeah. [laughs]

Ben: No, Jo wouldn’t have let that happen. If it was that important, his eyes would have been green.

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah, but she said it’s very important, but I found on Google one absolutely charming Harry Potter fan put a theory out there. He suggests that Harry will go to Godric’s Hollow, go to his mother’s grave, pluck out her eyeballs, and then he will finally have, “his mother’s eyes.”

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: That’s… That’s…

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Ah, that’s a wonderful theory.

Eric: That’s absolutely charming, as you put it, Jamie.

Laura: That’s very charming.

Jamie: Whoever that was, I think you’re onto a winner there, son.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: But in all seriousness guys, do you think there’s – does anyone have any idea, any speculation on what the eyes mean?

Eric: Well, I’d like to give some credit to Jamie for coming up with, making this a somewhat worthwhile discussion.

Jamie: Thank you, Eric.

Eric: Well, the whole eye thing, it’s a matter of, if eyes are, as you said, the underlying thing of the book, then it’s also to say that if he has his mother’s eyes, that love – I think it just reinforces love being a central theme of the book. Because Lily loved Harry and died for him and all that stuff. And all these connections to his mother, and love, and maybe even Snape’s love for Lily just underlies love. How is love going to play a part in the next book? I’d really like to know, because love so far hasn’t really acted as like a force against Voldemort with the exception for those very few times where it crippled him very much so.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: But beyond that it’s just…

Ben: Well the…

Eric: Yeah.

Ben: But when Lily sacrificed herself back when Harry was a baby, that was the first way love played any role in the series.

Eric: Right. And love in the future kind of played a little on the back burner, as far as circumstances, how Harry made friends, the certain relationships he had because he could love, because he could forgive. Things like that, that’s how Pettigrew owes him the debt. Things like that. Love does kind of… If you look carefully enough, love does weave itself in between everything, including Pettigrew, including maybe even Dumbledore. I’m sure you could draw love connections through everything. As a result of Harry loving, this has happened. So, we’ve not seen anything, have we, like certain things only eyes can do, or certain eyes?

Jamie: Exactly, yeah.

Eric: Yeah, there’s never been really a separate thing of eyes. I mean, fingers you can even call are more important than eyes, because long fingers apparently signifies – and there’s enough evidence to guess this. Longer fingers mean greater power.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: But it doesn’t seem like there’s any eye signifiers out there.

Jamie: Perhaps he’s inherited Lily’s x-ray vision, and he’s going to find all the Horcruxes. Something like that.

Andrew: Lily has x-ray vision?

Jamie: Yeah, didn’t you know that, Andrew?

Andrew: No.

Jamie: You seriously need to reread Book One, seriously.

Andrew: I know. [laughs] I’m sorry.

Laura: I just think it’s interesting that green is the color that’s supposed to represent envy, and Harry is anything but envious, don’t you think?

Ben: Well, he’s envied a lot.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah, that’s true. I just think that since he has the power of love, it’s just interesting to me that something that is so often reinforced in the series is that he has his mother’s eyes, and they are bright emerald green. So, I just thought that was interesting.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: The whole Slytherin thing is interesting, but I think it’s kind of weak, because there’s what, four eye colors?

Jamie: Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah, and Voldemort has red eyes, Gryffindor color.

Andrew: Oh!

Eric: Yeah, surely Voldemort doesn’t have red eyes because he loves so much that it’s just, you know? It’s like saying, you’re so full of poo that you’re eyes are brown. It just has no correlation whatsoever.

Jamie: Yeah, I guess. I don’t know. So, we’ll open this to you all. Write in, and tell us what you think about Harry’s eyes, and their significance in the series as a whole, their significance with Lily, weather there is a Slytherin connection, and weather you think Harry will go to his mother’s grave, pluck out her eyeballs, and then he will finally have his mother’s eyes.

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: I think it’s a pretty solid theory, so, we’ll see if you agree.


Lily Is Good At Charms


Andrew: What about the point you have in here, Ollivander said Lily was very good at Charm work?

Jamie: Oh, yeah. Well, I read this awhile ago, and he specifically said in the shop that she was extremely good at Charm work, and I’m just wondering if that’s going to feature in Harry, Harry’s fight in the final book. Probably not.

Andrew: Well, she was good at Potions, too, and that’s pretty interesting.

Eric: I find it interesting. I would really like to know what Charms is more advanced at. They took a Charms OWL but we haven’t actually seen any Charms have we? Since Year One where it was obviously Alohomora and the levitating thing Wingardium Leviosa. That was like the only Charms we’d actually seen, wasn’t it? Like where they’re – what’s the difference between charms, spells, enchantments, hexes, they’re just different names to describe a different type of the same thing.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

Eric: So, the fact that you could study Charms, I wonder how different Charms is then to studying hexes, studying spells. Things like that.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: So, if Charms requires more eye work…

Ben: Well, the thing about Charms – the thing you were talking about with classifications, I think it starts with spells and then everything fits into spells. You know what I’m saying? It’s sort of a tree that sort of works it’s way down.

Eric: Yeah, I understand.


Eyes In Battle


Jamie: Can I just come out with a revelation? Oh my god, do you know what I think it is? It’s because in Occlumency and whatever the other one is…

Eric: Oh god, wait.

Ben: Legilimens?

Eric: I think I know where you’re going with this.

Jamie: It’s 5 a.m. It’s 5 a.m. So, I can’t even…

Eric: It’s midnight you Brit.

Jamie: …remember who Harry Potter is.

Eric: Right.

Jamie: Okay, Occlumency you need eye contact. Perhaps there’s something there with Snape and Harry and…

Eric: With eyes.

Jamie: Yeah, something like that, and no, no, no, no…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: I’ve got it. I’ve got it. Okay, I’m so excited now. She died to protect Harry. Perhaps she has given him some type of mental barrier, well not mental, but eye barrier against Voldemort’s Legilimency. There you go. When he finally fights or something. It’s like when you wear contact lenses and a piece of dirt flies into your eye and it just bounces off because you have something protecting your eye.

Eric: Doesn’t it get stuck between your eye and your contact forever?

Jamie: Eric…

Laura: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: Eric, you just completely ruined my analogy now. I hate you.

Ben: Jamie, they already have – Harry and Voldemort already have the connection through the scar, so…

Eric: Yeah.

Ben: …regardless or not of the eyes, eye contact is irrelevant because he…

Jamie: No, it can be stronger.

Ben: …can still use Occlumency. Yes.

Jamie: It could be stronger with eye contact. So, it’s just and idea. It’s just an idea.

Eric: It’s interesting because if Harry’s going to revert – well, Ben said, the connection is through the scar and they said in Book Six that Voldemort was practicing Occlumency against Harry so Harry couldn’t pry into his mind, to pry into Voldemort’s mind. Not that Harry would want to – just that fact. If they ever have duel and eyes are going to be part of the thing, I kind of see Harry being without his scar or something. That kind of instance because you’d think they’d be able to mentally – that eyes wouldn’t be…

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Eric: If you’re talking about battling Harry in the future with eyes playing importance or significance, I really don’t know. I just want to know more about Lily. I think once we know a little bit more about Lily…

Jamie: Yeah, I agree.

Eric: …that will reveal everything.

Ben: She must have…

Eric: Whether or not she had anything with Snape, or how she ever accepted a bum like James. According to Remus and Sirius, he cleaned himself up, but still. Based on what we saw in the Pensieve in Book Five , I just think she was a smart girl who wouldn’t really fall for James, but I don’t know.

Laura: He was a 15-year-old boy though. I mean, let’s not kid ourselves here, fifteen year old boys can be jerks.

Eric: Yeah, but he was cruel.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: He was really cruel.

Laura: Well, yeah, but you guys are all cruel to each other.

Ben: Never.

Jamie: No !It’s love. It’s love cruel. It’s love cruel, isn’t it Ben?

Laura: Oh, right. Right.

Ben: Right.

Jamie: It is. We love each other.


Gray and Black Eyes


Andrew: Rebuttal comes from Crystal, 13 – not a rebuttal but an e-mail comes from Crystal, 13 of Chicago. I was just looking into the MuggleCast box and she had a question about eyes, and she says:

In the Harry Potter books, many people are described of having black or gray eyes. Do people really have black or gray eyes? I suppose gray could just be a really light shade of blue, but I’ve never seen anyone with black eyes. I’m not sure why I’m asking you, but I’m at the point of insomnia where I’m an odd sort of calm coming over me and I’ve been listening to MuggleCast for nine straight hours. [Everyone laughs]

Oh, well that’s very nice.

Laura: Awww.

Andrew: Could it be that Jo’s just… They don’t really have black or gray eyes, they have…

Jamie: They’ve got beetle black eyes. For Hagrid.

Andrew: No, that’s just the way…

Ben: Maybe she just describes them as being…

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: That’s her way of saying they’re really dark.

Andrew: Like metaphorically?

Laura: Not to mention – yeah. Have you ever seen anyone with such dark brown eyes they look black?

Andrew: Right.

Ben: Well, my eyes even. The pupil and the little center thing blends in with the whole eye.

Jamie: Iris.

Ben: The iris.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: No, no, that’s the circular thing. It’s all circular so it doesn’t really say anything but…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: …the little bits the pupil, then the iris, then it’s the white bit – that’s the scientific term, the white bit.

Eric: Well, I think the eye thing is just characterization without realism – not necessarily without realism – but if she describes someone with having small black eyes, and beetle black as Hagrid’s are, you can sort of picture that even if you’ve never seen anybody with black eyes. I think just the way it’s done, you can understand what somebody with gray eyes would be kind of cool or chilly inside, or something like that.

Jamie: But, Sirius has cold gray eyes, and he’s nice.

Eric: Well, he’s somber. He’s kind of reserved.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Eric: Kind of faded out, from all the years in Azkaban.

Jamie: Yep.


Theories From Chamber of Secrets Forums


Andrew: Should we move on now to our next discussion?

Laura: Yeah, I know that we have been talking about featuring some theories from the Chamber of Secrets forums, and according to Eric we haven’t really been doing it…

Andrew: We haven’t done it at all.

Eric: I didn’t really say that, but…

Laura: Yeah, well you said they were over there with pitchforks and…

Eric: Yeah. [laughs}

Laura: All sorts of nasty things. So I was browsing the forums over there [stumbles on speech] the other day and I can’t even talk right now because it’s 12 o’clock in the morning and…

Jamie: Sorry, sorry, can I interrupt here and say, Laura, I’m sorry it’s 12 o’clock. Why don’t you get some sleep?

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: I swear, every single time. Go and have a lay down and I’ll stay up all night and I’ll come back after you’ve slept and carry on.

[Andrew laughs]

Laura: Okay. All right, all right, all right. Thank you, Jamie. Thank you, Jamie.

Andrew: That’s very kind of you, Jamie.


That Night At Godric’s Hollow


Laura: Now, I was kind of interested about a theory that I saw concerning Godric’s Hollow and who was there the night that the Potter’s were murdered, and this theory, I think it was a bit iffy but it was interesting all the same. Now, some users have been clever and pointed out how Jo’s pretty specific about how the Godric’s Hollow scene should be filmed and we didn’t see James in that scene, and we didn’t really see anyone else in that scene apart from Lily and Voldemort, who was just in a cloak type thing. And in the Prisoner of Azkaban movie, we didn’t hear James’ voice saying, “Lily take Harry and run.” We only heard Lily yelling. Now, some of them think that what could end up happening in Book Seven would be along the same lines that happened in Book Three, where Harry goes back in time to Godric’s Hollow and is actually the one telling Lily to take Harry and run. What did you guys think of that?

Eric: I don’t like it.

Jamie: Yeah, it’s a bit…

Eric: Didn’t Dumbledore say something about how many times you would ever have to turn a Time Turner just to go back what, 15 or 17 years?

Laura: Mhm.

Eric: 18 years?

Jamie: Really? When did he say that?

Eric: It might not be a thing, but even if they didn’t say it, how long would that – can you really go back in time that far and change that much? Is there that power? And also, the thing about not hearing James in the thing in Prisoner of Azkaban

Laura: See…

Eric: We didn’t really hear a lot of things in Prisoner of Azkaban the movie.

Laura: No, we really didn’t. See, what I didn’t really think this theory solved was how Harry would defeat Voldemort. It would just seem like it was a recurring cycle; it wouldn’t really solve anything. But at the same time, I find it interesting because if you read Prisoner of Azkaban when Harry says that he saw his dad on the other side of the lake, it was either Remus or Sirius that said, “You saw James,” and he got very pale. And if this theory were true, then it would kind of lend itself to the fact that James had survived that night, wouldn’t it?

Eric: I think actually James – I think JK Rowling shot down the idea that James was still alive.

Laura: I think she did, too, but I find it interesting because she was so specific about how that scene should be filmed. I think that she really put a lot of time into making sure that they did it right, and I find it interesting that we didn’t see him in that scene…

Eric: Well…

Laura: …and we didn’t see anyone else.

Eric: You’ve got to understand who’s telling the story as well, and you know, whereas we did see Voldemort entering the house, we only really needed to understand what happened with his mother and him at the time, and JKR was very specific with how that scene was filmed, apparently. I mean, that’s the rumor, but there’s also part of when the camera spins you can almost see…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …another figure. People think that’s Snape. You know, in the movie, like things in the background and stuff. There’s like a shadow present, things like that.

Ben: But, honestly, guys, don’t you think that Lily would have…

Laura: Mhm.

Ben: …pleaded with Severus if she knew that he sort of had a soft spot for her? Wouldn’t you think that we would have actually heard a mention of Severus, rather than just the pleading with, “Don’t kill me – take me, not my son”?

Laura: Mhm.

Andrew: You’re saying, Ben, she would be able to influence him, because Snape was…

Ben: Well, I think we would – Harry, in the brief recollection that he has of his parents being killed, that when his mother’s pleading, you’d hear plead with Snape, not just Voldemort.

Laura: Yeah, but it’s also – it’s also just that: it’s a brief recollection. It’s not the entire occurrence. She could have pleaded with Snape, but I don’t know. For some reason, I’m not sure if I could see her doing that…

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: …just because of her attitude towards him in the Pensieve scene.

Eric: I can compare Lily to Ginny. I think Lily and Ginny are very similar in the way that they are women who understand the tasks set upon them, the dangers therein. At least, that’s who Ginny is now. I think if Lily happened to see Snape there, she would nod to him and give him the look of utmost disappointment, but I guess she would accept that he was there, or something along those lines. I don’t know.

Laura: Yeah, but even if she did plead with Snape that wasn’t going to stop Voldemort.


Don’t Try This At Home


Ben: I’m paranoid. I’m glancing out my mirror.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Jamie: Do you hear a siren, Ben?


Back To James


Eric: Yeah, James is definitely dead. I remember now. It’s because there was a theory running that James and Lupin had actually switched bodies prior to James’s death.

Laura: Oh, yes! [groans and laughs]

Eric: Actually, a decently thought out…

Laura: I remember that one.

Eric: …plotline, but it was very clever.

Laura: I don’t know. I’ve never – I’ve never bought into the idea that the Potters were alive, really.

[Ben laughs]

Eric: See, that’s the thing. You know, Jo said in her response, I believe it’s even on her website, she said something like, “Brilliant theory.” I mean, that was the first thing she said, “but, no, James would never abandon his family at a time of death…”

Jamie: Of course he did.

Eric: “…and he died with them.” Yeah, he died with them is pretty much what she said. So, you know, and I don’t know how he would go on living and watching Harry, or letting Harry be with the Dursleys and all that stuff.

Laura: Mhm. I agree.

Eric: So, I think he’s still dead.

Jamie: I concur, too.

Eric: But, you know, that’s not to say that I don’t find it incredibly weird how certain Harry was that he saw his father on the lake that night. But then, that was supposed to emphasize just how much like James Harry looked, or something crazy like that.

Jamie: Precisely. Yeah, yeah. That’s it.

Eric: I don’t know. But it seemed really awkward…

Laura: Yeah.

Eric: …like it didn’t really fit there.

Laura: Well, how did they not match up, Eric?

Eric: It’s kind of like, okay: you can see that she was just trying to draw similarities between Harry and James, but Harry was, like, beyond certain that it wasn’t… I don’t know. Maybe it’s a sign of his immaturity or inability to grasp that it was indeed him. Maybe it’s his inability to get with the picture and understand things entirely, but he was a little bit, I don’t know. I think there was something going on there, about that night, and about Dumbledore and how he acted that night. That whole night, they went back in time, I really think that there was just something else there that wasn’t really – I mean, I’ll accept that it’s Harry, you know, who thought that Harry was Prongs or whatever, but there just seemed to be so much extra stuff that might come in place later. You know? The similarities drawn between Harry and James were brought up again and brought up again, but so were Harry’s eyes, with his parents. It’s just like any of his lineage is – seems to be emphasized throughout the books: his parents, his love for his parents, which might, again, be love. So, what does that mean, you know?

Laura: Wouldn’t you agree, thought, that he might have thought it was his dad because of how powerful the Patronus was? Maybe he thought he couldn’t conjure one?

Eric: It could be that.

Laura: A powerful one?

Eric: It could be the lack of confidence in that, but he… I don’t know. It’s just interesting how certain he was, how wrong he was, apparently. I think James is dead, don’t get me wrong. I just think there might be something else really weird going on there, and I can’t really explain it. But, it’s kind of like Dumbledore says, “Those we love never truly leave us,” and Harry really wanted to see his father; at least, he really wanted help, and something in the form – what appeared to him as his father, but it turned out just to be him.

Ben: Well, the fact that the Patronus was a stag, and that was his dad’s Anim – Animag [stumbling] Animagus form.

Eric: Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

Laura: Mhm.

Eric: Right. That’s why it’s brilliant. That’s a good point. Thank you.


Ben is Melting


Ben: I’m sorry, guys, I’m not talking very much. I’m melting. I am melting.

Andrew: I don’t believe you, Ben. That’s almost impossible.

Ben: I will take a picture of…

[Laura laughs]

Ben: I will take a picture of myself with Photo Booth.

Eric: [to Ben] It is. [laughs]

Andrew: Can you? Can you please, right now? [laughs]

Ben: Yes, right now.

[Eric and Laura laugh]

Andrew: Do it.

Ben: And we will put it up on…

Eric: Yeah!

Andrew: Can we use it as the show title, Laura?

Eric: Ben melting!

Andrew: For those who subscribe via iTunes?

Eric: Ben melting!

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: Sure. Here, I’ll turn up my screen up to full brightness now.

Andrew: Oh, this is going to be fun.

[Eric and Laura laugh]

Eric: Ahhh.

Ben: This is disgusting.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: You can’t see anything, really.

Andrew: Ben, do you have your MuggleCast t-shirt on?

Ben: [laughs] I do, actually!

Andrew: Oh, this is perfect! [laughs]

[Laura laughs]

Ben: I think I got enough punishment, though. If a police officer comes up here…

[Laura laughs]

Ben: … and he’s like, “You’re coming in,” I’d be like, “Thank god! Is there air conditioning in the building?”

[Andrew, Eric, and Laura laugh]

Ben: Anything to get out of this car!

Eric: Yeah!

Andrew: Listen, you have to promise me that if they come up, you’ve got to keep recording [laughs]. We need that!

Ben: Okay, I will.

[Eric and Laura laugh]

Andrew: No you won’t. That’s silly. What town are you in?

Eric: MuggleCast 50: Live from Jail!

Ben: Alma, Nebraska.

Andrew: All right. Let me Local Google or Google Local and get the number there… [laughs]

Laura: Yeah, let’s get their number.

Andrew: … and call the police station!


Jamie’s Contest


Jamie: Ben, how do you spell that name?

Ben: A – L – M – A, Nebraska.

Jamie: Okay. The first person to write in and tell us the population…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: … of Alma, Nebraska, wins a free t-shirt.

Andrew: [laughs] Okay! He’s not joking, either.

Jamie: E-mail… Yeah, no, I’m not joking. Seriously.

Laura: Because Jamie’s going to pay for it for you.

Jamie: So, e-mail Ben and…

Eric: The correct population [laughs].

Jamie: Yeah, well, we’ve got to go and count them, so it might take a while to send you a t-shirt, but it will be fine.

Ben: E-mail… E-mail…

Jamie: E-mail jamie at staff dot mugglenet dot com with your answer.

Ben: Yes.

Jamie: First person gets a free t-shirt.

Andrew: If you already have a t-shirt, don’t – don’t play.


Voicemail – Harry The Auror?


Andrew: Well, we’ve got a few voicemails this week. A little update on the co host. Kevin is not here because he’s sick. E-mail Kevin at staff. He’ll never read his e-mail, but send it anyway and in another year I’m sure…

Ben: [imitates Kevin] Kevin…

Jamie: [imitates Kevin] No! That is insulting, Andrew! I always read it! Fifteen times a minute!

Andrew: [laughs] And Micah is also out. He’s socializing in New York City. All right, let’s move on to this week’s voice mails?

[Audio]: Hey guys. This is Adam from Tennessee. I just wanted to say that I love the show, and do you guys really think that Harry’s going to want to become an Auror after he defeats Voldemort? I mean, he would have gone through this seven-year battle with him. I mean, wouldn’t he just want to have some kind or fun or something? Just wanted to know what you guys thought. Anyway, bye.

Ben: I just finished rereading Half-Blood Prince not too long ago, and in the opening chapters Harry’s thinking about what he wants to do for a career, and he’s very excited because Professor McGonagall lets him in to Potions because there is a new Potions Master, Professor Slughorn, and he started thinking about his future, and he said that there’s nothing else that he’d really want to do, so…

Andrew: Besides Potions?

Ben: No, besides becoming and Auror.

Andrew: Oh, okay.

Ben: So, if he could defeat Voldemort, then all these other people would be just child’s play, wouldn’t they?

Laura: I don’t know.

Andrew: Yeah. You would think so.

Ben: So, it’s not like… I doubt he wants to… You know the rich and the famous, they still want to be productive. It’s not like just because he defeats Voldemort, he’s not going to sit around and lounge all the time, just because he beat Voldemort.

Laura: I think he’ll have had enough after he defeats Voldemort.

Jamie: I think he’ll want to go…

Laura: I think he will.

Jamie: You know…

Eric: No, he – I don’t think he’ll have had enough.

Laura: Yes.

Jamie: What’s he got a no-defeating-dark-wizards fetish?

Andrew: Why, Laura?

Laura: No, it’s not that! It’s because he’s already spent his whole life this far, not only risking his life…

Jamie: I agree with you. No, I agree.

Laura: …but the lives of everyone who loves him.

Eric: But that’s what he does.

Laura: He’ll want to get… Yeah, but he doesn’t want that. We saw that from the sixth book. He had to dump his girlfriend because he’s afraid for her safety.

Eric: True.

Laura: He’s going to want to be able to settle down with people.

Ben: Yeah, but he didn’t really dump her.

Laura: That doesn’t matter! That doesn’t matter! He still did it because he feels like he had to protect her, and he’s going to want to settle down and live a quiet life with the people he loves. That’s what he’s going to want.

Jamie: I agree. He said in – I think it was Order of the Phoenix or Half-blood Prince. No, it was after he got his O.W.L results. He said that surely the best choice, and the best chance of him defeating Voldemort is to become one of the dark wizard catchers that are trained to find and kill him. So, I think yeah, he’ll do it for that because he wants to have the best chance, but it’s just like afterward he isn’t needed to defeat normal dark wizards, if that makes any sense. The Aurors can do that. He wants to… His task is to finish Voldemort. You don’t see Frodo, after he’s finished off with the one ring, going and getting a load of other rings and doing it.

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: It’s just his task and he’s finished it. So, I think that’s going to be the end after that.

Eric: I understand…


Ben Is Live In Alma, Nebraska


Ben: Guys, I hate to interrupt, but I really have to go.

Laura: Alright.

Andrew: Okay.

Ben: I’m needed back at the house. My grandparents’ house. So…

Andrew: All right.

Ben: I really enjoyed my time with you guys. I’m excited to leave because I get to go to air conditioning.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: Awww.

Ben: And I don’t have to worry about getting caught anymore.

Laura: Darn.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: But I have had the best luck on the street tonight. This is [sings] Where the streets have no name!

Andrew: Can you plug the street? Do you know what street your on? Can we thank those people?

Jamie: Can I just repeat what Ben’s just said?

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: Ben’s had the best luck on the street tonight.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: I have! No one has turned down this street. So, thanks people…

Jamie: Was she good?

Andrew: What street is it, Ben?

Ben: Here, I’ll start my car right now.

[Car engine starting noises]

Laura: We get to listen to Ben’s car.

Eric: That sounds like a Chevy.

Andrew: Oh boy.

Jamie: [sings] Take me down to the paradise city where the grass is green and the girls are pretty.

Ben: No. It’s a Pontiac. I’m in motion right now. [Car driving noises]

Eric: Schoen…

Andrew: He’s going to lose his connection.

Ben: No. It’s getting stronger, actually.

Eric: You’re driving towards the house. Ben, go towards the house.

Andrew: Oh boy. [laughs] All this…

Eric: Go in to the house.

Laura: Let’s see how long Ben can drive around before…

Andrew: It sounds like a nice car.

Laura: …he loses his connection.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: He just downloaded Pontiac sounds off of Google, and he’s playing them now.

Eric: Yeah, I’m in a car right now.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: Yes, Jamie.

Jamie: He’s really in a 15-year-old passion wagon.

Andrew: Sounds like a nice car.

Ben: I am on First Street. Thanks to the people of First Street in Alma, Nebraska for providing me with internet tonight so I can record MuggleCast.

Andrew: Oh wonderful. Wonderful.

Ben: So, everyone send your thanks…

Laura: I’m sure they’re going to enjoy the fact that you told everyone where they lived.

[Eric laughs]

Ben: Yeah. So, if you ever need free wi-fi, come down to Nebraska.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: And so we’re going to have one last drive away with me. We’re going to drive away until my internet dies. So, this is the last you’ll hear of me, people.

Andrew: Okay.

Ben: I’m driving with a laptop on my lap. My seat’s halfway laying down, and the light in this house next to me just turned on. They’re probably wondering who…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Ben, do you have any comment about the difficulty of being yourself?

Ben: It is rough being Ben Schoen. Getting chased around…

[Jaime laughs]

Andrew: Ben, is this a dirt road your on?

Ben: No, no. And I’m passing Kennedy Street…

Andrew: Oh!

Ben: …and I’m losing my signal. So, goodnight guys! Thanks for having me on the show.

Eric: He’s going.

Jamie: He’s losing it.

Eric: Bye Ben!

[Andrew laughs]

Laura: Bye Ben.

Andrew: Ah, and there he goes.

Jamie: If you grab the defibrillator we might just be able to save him just in time.

[Andrew laughs]

Andrew: Like the dork that I am, I’ve could follow him on Google Map. So that was very nice, and once again we thank the people of First street in beautiful Alma Nebraska. It is a very nice neighborhood.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] We hope to podcast from there again some time in the near future.


Voicemail – Thank You MuggleCast!


Andrew: Anyway, let’s move on to the next voice mail.

[Audio]: Hey MuggleCast. This is Michelle from Connecticut. I met you at the first charity reading in New York city. I’m the one who asked what Hermione would see if she looked in to the Mirror or Erised, and I just wanted to say how nice it was to meet you guys. Going to the charity reading was my birthday present this year, and meeting you guys made it even cooler than it already was. So, I just wanted to say that I really love the show, and oh yeah! Thank you so much, Andrew, for just reminding me how many people there were there. That really helped my nerves, and made it great. [laughs] But, yeah! Love the show! Keep up the good work! Bye!

Andrew: There’s a story to this voice mail, and it’s the reason we’re playing it. Jamie, you might remember the girl who came up to us.

Jamie: Ohhh! It was her birthday and…

Andrew It was that girl.

Jamie: And she said that I’ve actually been picked to ask a question.

Andrew: Yeah, and she was very scared, and I said to her, “Oh well don’t worry, there are only…”

Jamie: There’s only 6,000 people there, yeah.

Andrew: And that scared her, and now I feel bad, so I’d just like to apologize.

Jamie: But it was a very good question, so it came across very well anyway. Even though there were 6,000 people there.

Andrew: Yeah. And we had a discussion about it on the live podcast and all that. So…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: It was a good question. I actually liked it a lot – I actually liked it a lot because of JKR’s wording. JKR said two things. She said that they’d… She, not only would she see her – the whole trio with Voldemort defeated, but she’d also see herself tightly eloped around a certain somebody. But that was two things, that was two answers.

Jamie: She did.

Eric: So, that was actually really good. It was a good question.

Jamie: I think, I believe, Eric, she said, “tightly entwined.”

Eric: Oh, entwined. Sorry, what did I say?

Laura: Mhm.

Jamie: I don’t know… In…

Eric: Inter…

Laura: “Eloped.” He said “eloped!” [laughs]

[Everyone laugh]

Eric: Eloped!

Jamie: Did he really say that? Did he really say that?

[Laura laughs]

Eric: Why? Why is that funny?

Laura: Yeah!

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Because “eloped” means run off with, and secretly marry. So, I’m not too sure that was the correct choice.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Whatever.

Andrew: Good vocabulary.

Jamie: Oh, my god. The running jokes from that from now on are going to be huge!

Eric: No, Ben, forgive me. It was – it’s 12:30…1:00 a.m. here. I…

Andrew: Ben?

Eric: I – I just can’t think.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: I just…


Voicemail – Unity In Hogwarts


Andrew: Next voicemail comes from someone who wants to know about the unity in Hogwarts.

[Audio]: Hey, MuggleCast guys and Laura. This is Bailey and Tyler from Connecticut. Love the show. We were just wondering what you thought of this idea: assuming that Hogwarts does reopen, whether Harry goes back or not, will the four houses stay separate or will they be abolished and the school will become one? House position has always been a source of animosity between students since the founding days, so this could be the first steps to a more unified wizarding world. As Dumbledore, may he rest in peace, had always been such a strong supporter of unity, do you think this is a possibility? On a completely unrelated note, Ben, you and I should really get married. I mean, how cute does Ben and Bailey Schoen sound? Anyway, thanks and congratulations everyone on a year of MuggleCast!

Andrew: It’s a shame he’s not here to hear…

Jamie: It is.

Andrew: …hear that!

Jamie: Can I…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: I think creating one house instead of Gryffravenhufflerin…

[Andrew, Eric, and Laura laugh.]

Eric: Gryffravenhufflerin. That’s amazing.

Jamie: Will – will not work because it’s forcing people who are normally tolerant of each other to work together and I think they are better kept apart, but still kept together with Hogwarts. You know, because they’re – they’re primarily a part of Hogwarts, I’d say, rather than a part of their house. So, I don’t think it’s going to happen, but…

Eric: I agree.

Laura: Yeah, I think that no matter what you do there’s always going to be animosity between certain groups of students…

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Laura: That’s just how it’s going to be.

Eric: If it wasn’t houses, you know? If it wasn’t officially in houses, it would just be cliques within Gryffindor or cliques within Slytherin, you know? Yeah.

Andrew: I think there still has to be the houses, but it seems like there might be a lot less competition this year or in the seventh year.

Jamie: Yeah, that’s probably right.

Laura: Mmhmm.

Andrew: I mean, I don’t know. Turning into one, like Jamie said, it’s not going to be Gryffravenhufflein.

Jamie: Rin.

Andrew: Rin.

Jamie: Rin.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh.]

Andrew: That’s beautiful, though. No one’s actually – that’s our new shirt slogan. WB can’t get us for that one! [laughs]

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah, yeah.

Andrew: All right…

[Laura laughs.]

Eric: Slythravenhuffledor. I don’t know.


Voicemail – Dumbledore Protected Snape Against DADA Job


Andrew: Next voicemail contains a very interesting theory. At least, I thought it was interesting.

[Audio]: Hi, guys. This is Amanda and I’m 21 and I go to Penn State University. In the Half-Blood Prince, at the end of the chapter “Lord Voldemort’s Request,” Dumbledore and Harry had just finished viewing Dumbledore’s memory of when Voldemort returned to Hogwarts to request a teaching position. Harry asks if he was after the Dark – the Defense Against the Dark Arts job again and Dumbledore replies that he definitely wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job and that the aftermath of the meeting proved that. “You see, we have never been able to keep a DADA teacher for longer than a year since I refused the post to Lord Voldemort.” I’m wondering, in addition to Dumbledore’s supposedly withholding this job from Snape because he was afraid Snape would fall back on his old ways, could it also be a possibility that Dumbledore was protecting Snape from the curse that was placed on the DADA job? This makes Snape’s sudden change in position even more intriguing, because Dumbledore must have known that putting Snape in the DADA job would mean he would no longer be at Hogwarts at the end of the school year. This lends further credence to the idea that Dumbledore knew that he was going to die and that there was some sort of understanding between Snape and Dumbledore. Just wondered what you guys thought. I listen to MuggleCast, PotterCast, and the Leaky Mugs obsessively, but I have been unable to make any live shows. Ever consider doing a college tour? Thanks! Bye!

Andrew: Isn’t that a good idea, though? No, seriously…

Laura: Yeah! We do have, though. We do have a staffer at Penn State. So…

Andrew: Oh, yeah.

Laura: So, shout out to Penn State! Whoo!

Andrew: Wait, who? Who was it?

Jamie: What was the idea?

Laura: Rachel.

Jamie: What was the idea?

Andrew: Rachel’s at Penn State?

Laura: Yeah!

Andrew: Rachel. MuggleNet?

Eric: Got to…

Laura: Yeah!

Eric: …come do a college tour. MuggleNet Rachel.

Laura: Yeah, MuggleNet Rachel. She goes to Penn State.

Andrew: I never knew that.

Eric: Which is like, a few hours west of here. So…

Andrew: I never knew that. I thought she lives in California, though, right?

Laura: Yeah, but she goes to Penn State.

Andrew: Oh, wow.

Eric: Whoa, that’s a little awkward.

Andrew: Hmmm. [laughs]

Eric: “I live in Pennsylvania and I got to California for college.” USC, baby!

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

Eric: All right. [laughs] Laura, was it you who said Dumbledore used people in, I think, it was the last episode? You said Dumbledore really… Someone…

Laura: Ummm, no, I believe that was Jess that said that Dumbledore manipulates people, not me.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Eric: I didn’t say manipulates, but uses them for, like, when they’re ready. I think this theory… I think… It was kind of like Dumbledore…

Laura: No, I completely agree with her…

Eric: Dumbledore withholding things…

Laura: I completely agree with her theory, but…

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: I never said that he uses people…

Eric: No, no, that’s okay. That wasn’t you. Someone was saying it once.

[ Laura laugh.]

Eric: I heard Dumbledore waits for the time – until the time is right.

Laura: Mhm.

Eric: He withheld Snape from that position and I strongly agree with this theory – until the time suited him. Until the time was right where Snape would only need to remain at Hogwarts another year. A time such as this. One could argue Dumbledore was waiting to give Snape the position for the time when Snape would eventually need to leave and, you know, set off the final chain of events as either forcing their plan, or not forcing it at all, to defeat Voldemort. I think it’s a great plan.

Laura: Mhm.

Eric: I also want to mention something, but I won’t right now. I want to hear everybody else’s theories on this particular one. But, she reminded me of something.

Laura: I really don’t have any theory on it because I agree with her 100 percent.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: I thought that ever since I closed Book Six.

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: That’s what I thought went on.

Eric: It had to have been.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Me too. I like because it works. [laughs] I can’t debate it.

Jamie: It sounds good to me, too.

Andrew: Yeah, good theory. Good theory.


Sidetracked To The Sorting Hat


Eric: So, there was, you know that – that potential theory about the Sorting Hat being a Horcrux, because people somehow think that Dumbledore didn’t know that the Sorting Hat was a relic of Godric Gryffindor, and so when Dumbledore points to the sword, he says, “The only known relic is not a Horcrux and I’m sure,” but people think Dumbledore was either not thinking about it or not considering or not able to find the Sorting Hat. There’s speculation that when Voldemort comes into Dumbledore’s office and Dumbledore, you know, says, “No” and says, “You don’t want to be a teacher.” Voldemort almost reaches for his wand, according to Harry. Harry sees him kind of twitch his wand. Some people speculate that’s the moment where he made the Sorting Hat a Horcrux. Personally, I think it’s way too easy to make something a Horcrux, but the whole point of that is people think that the Sorting Hat might be a Horcrux and that would have been the perfect means to create one in that room. But, I think – I was watching Chamber of Secrets, the movie, the other day and I think I deduced that the Sorting Hat can’t be a Horcrux because the Sorting Hat was the one thing that saved Harry in Book Two, by presenting him with Gryffindor’s sword.

Jamie: But…

Eric: You know? If there was.. If there was… But, if there was any kind of Voldemort in the Hat, wouldn’t it have prevented the Hat itself from giving, you know, from giving the sword to Harry. I mean, if you think it’s a relic of Godric Gryffindor, and the sword is the one thing besides Fawkes that really…

Laura: Mhm.

Eric: You know? And where was the sword before that? Again, with our Room of Requirement thing, do things have to appear from nowhere? But, the sword was a known relic. The sword just was somewhere else at the time and Harry got it. So, I think if the Sorting Hat were a Horcrux, it wouldn’t have given Harry the sword.

Andrew: Well, it’s important to bring up here that JK Rowling put on her official site that the Sorting Hat is not a Horcrux. So… [laughs]

Eric: Yeah, okay. End of story

Andrew: [laughs] I guess that’s a good reason.

Laura: Not to mention Dumbledore, [laughs] he would have to know that it was a relic of Gryffindor’s because the Sorting Hat put it in one of its songs.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Yeah.

Laura: He said something about how Gryffindor would deem off his head and put a spell on him. So, I think that was pretty obvious.

Jamie: I love how you saved that point, Andrew, until right after Eric had finished.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Well, I… I tried to get it in but he just keeps talking. There’s no break. [laughs]

Before I forget, if anyone has any topic discussions or topic ideas or ideas from the Forum that you guys think we can discuss, you know how long we usually talk about these things and into what depth. So, let us know if you have an idea for something you want us to talk about. Just email us at mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com. We’re always open to ideas because, after all, it is you guys who are listening. So, we want to talk about something you’re going to be interested in. We have a hunch that you want it to be about Harry Potter but, besides that, we don’t know anything else.

[Laura laughs]


Jamie’s British Joke of the Day


Andrew: Now it’s time for a segment that we haven’t heard of for quite a while. Early July, I’d say. And that would be Jamie’s British Joke of the Day.

Jamie: Oooh! Okay, I have one. However, it could slightly cause offense. So, I’m going to replace…

Andrew: Uh oh.

Jamie: No, I’m going to replace what – I’m going to make it so it couldn’t possibly cause offense. Okay?

Andrew: Okay.

Jamie: So, there are three women, okay? One with a certain hair color [laughs], one with another certain hair color…

[Eric and Laura laugh]

Jamie: …and the third one with the hair color, which is…

Eric: Often connotated…

Jamie: …often connotated with feelings of stupidity and… Yeah. So, okay?

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: So, these three women with different hair color are all on trial for murder. They’re all convicted. And they’re all to be executed by firing squad. And the first one – of not the hair color that we were insinuating before, Eric – is brought in front of the firing squad. And they say, “Ready, aim,” and she goes, “Earthquake!” And everyone turns around and she escapes. It’s brilliant!

Andrew: Uh huh. [laughs]

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: So, the second one comes out, who also doesn’t have the hair color of the one we were talking about earlier, and sits down and they go, “Ready, aim,” and she says, “Tsunami!” And everyone turns around and, brilliantly, she climbs up the wall and escapes. Then the third one, who does have the hair color that we were insinuating brings about connotations of stupidity, sits down, and the firing squad lines up, brings their guns up to her and go, “Ready, aim,” and she shouts out, “Fire!”

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: Ummm, all right, I get it.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Good joke, Jamie.

Jamie: It was ruined slightly by the need to put in excesses of [inaudible] and stuff.

Andrew: Yeah, okay.


New Segment: Dylan Spartz’s Inspirational Quote Of The Week


Jamie: Also, can I introduce a brand new section to MuggleCast, please?

Andrew: Yeah. Can I do one first, though? Can I do one first? I have a new one. This came to me while we were sitting here recording. It’s a new segment and I’m going to call it, “Dylan Spartz’s Inspirational Quote of the Week.” “Dylan Spartz’s Inspirational Quote of the Week.”

Laura: Oh geez.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: I’m sitting here on Skype and, as most of you know, there’s a little message people can put next to your Skype name. But, before that, as most of you know, Dylan Spartz is the brother of Emerson Spartz. And a lot of you girls out there like him for his boyish charm and his cute…

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: His uh, his uh…

Andrew: …sense of humor. And his…

Eric: And his Chevy.

Andrew: [laughs] Fill-in-the-blank Jamie?

Jamie: And his uh, and his uh, and his uh…

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] I know where you’re going with this, so I’ll just move on.

Jamie: And his. We’ll just stop there.

Andrew: So, he has something in his Skype name – I don’t even know what Skype calls it – but I found it very inspirational and would like to read it for everyone now. This is Dylan Spartz’s Inspirational Quote of the Week. “Style doesn’t matter when you’re on your back.” “Style doesn’t matter when you’re on your back.” This has been the Dylan Spartz’s Inspirational Quote of the Week.

Laura: Hmmm.

Andrew: Tune in next week when I tell him we did this on the show and he gives me another one.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: Isn’t that nice? Isn’t that great? [laughs]

Laura: Now I’m looking at everyone’s Skype things. Andrew is “Awayigo.”

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Andrew’s trying to be down with the lingo, aren’t you, Andrew?

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: I haven’t looked at that in years and I’m changing it right now. “Rocksors my socksors.”

Jamie: No, change it to [singing] “Take me down to the paradise city.”

Andrew: It’s just, you know, Dylan Spartz – let me talk to you guys for a minute about Dylan Spartz. Dylan Spartz is a man of brilliance, he is a man of creativity, he is a man of humor…

Eric: [laughs] So, he is a man.

Jamie: He is. He is a man. And I know that everyone out…

Laura: Absolutely.

Jamie: Absolutely, Andrew. And everyone out there really would love to entwine with him – elope.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: Elope. I don’t know, some fan girls would like to elope with him.

Jamie: They would.

Eric: And going back to Hermione and Ron, they might have to elope and run away from all the Harry and Hermione ‘shippers.

Jamie: That’s very true.

Andrew: So, we’re in a fun mood today, so we have yet another fun segment for everyone. Jamie?


New Segment: Dumbledore Facts


Jamie: Oh, yes! Okay, this is going to be a regular segment. It is called, it is appropriately titled, “Dumbledore Facts.” Okay? Now, I don’t really know how to introduce this, but I’m sure everyone out there has heard of Chuck Norris facts. Yes?

Andrew: Yes. Yes.

Jamie: Right.

Laura: Mhm. Yes.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Now, these Chuck Norris facts are stated to emphasize Chuck’s awesomeness, amazingness, virility, power, all these kinds of things. And people worship him just as we worship Dumbledore, so I thought, why can’t we have some facts about Dumbledore, as well? So, I’m going to shoot off this week with, that Dumbledore can lead a horse through water and make him drink.

Andrew: [laughs] Ahhh … I’m the only one who got that.

Eric: Oh wait, so it’s actually…

Laura: Really!

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: But you see, someone kind of mean…

Andrew: It’s going to be hard to set this up because most people don’t understand these Chuck Norris jokes.

Jamie: No, just say that. Put that in and we’ll see it goes. And one more since it’s the first one and everyone likes it. There is no chin underneath Dumbledore’s beard. There is just another fist.

[Andrew and Eric laugh]

Eric: Oh god, not these. No, no, no, no, no.

Jamie: Come on, it’s funny!

Andrew: Ah, yes, these.


Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul


We haven’t done this segment for in a while. We have a Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul. So, the first one comes from [laughs] Can’tSay? Can’tSay? Oh, she can’t say her name.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Oh. I thought her name was Can’tSay.

Andrew: [laughs]I know! She’s strategically made it one word to fool us.

Jamie: That’s awesome!

Andrew: So, this is from Can’tSay. [laughs] Wouldn’t it be funny if that’s actually her name? [laughs]

Laura: Oh no!

Jamie: Can’tSay Johnson from Canada. What were your parents thinking?

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Twelve years old she writes, “Hi, MuggleCasters…” Well, okay, I got to set this up because I had it in my head. We are about to enter another school season and this is a school related Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul. I’d love to start a school type segment for MuggleCast, but can’t think of anything.

Andrew: This comes from Can’tSay, 12, of Canada.

“Hi, MuggleCasters, I really love the show. I would like to thank you for helping me in school. I began listening to MuggleCast in April while I had the flu, and when I saw my sister downloading an episode in French class we were discussing technology. My teacher asked the class to do reports on different ways to use the computer, etc. So, I did my report on podcasts because I’m obsessed with the show and Harry Potter. My idea was original, and I got 100 percent.”

Woohoo!

Laura: Yay!

Andrew:

“So, my parents were really proud of me. Thank you so much! Please continue the show! I love MuggleCast!”

Someone needs to compile a list…

Jamie: That’s nice, that’s nice.

Andrew: …of… Yeah!

Eric: Of all the things we do for people?

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: Since we’re getting back into the school spirit, here, if you have something that relates to MuggleCast that involved your school, like a report or something because I know there’s been a few. We’ve gotten emails before. Send a copy of it – maybe a scan, because we’d like to see 100 at the top…

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: …with a big smile, even if it’s in the As or Bs. Even if you failed it. That would be pretty funny.

[Eric and Laura laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] So…

Eric: Just so long as it has one of our names in it.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: Right. Right.

Jamie: And, Andrew, our second Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast Soul comes from Don’t Know, and then after that it’s Not Sure.

[Everyone laughs]


The Colbert Report


Andrew: Ah, well. Anyone got anything else to bring up? Anyone, anything? I wanted to talk about news, actually.

Jamie: But Micah does that.

Andrew: No… You… He reads it, he doesn’t talk about it.

Laura: Oh, if that means we get to talk about that episode of The Colbert Report, then I’m totally cool with that. I love the show.

Andrew: Oh, that was really funny. Did you like that, Laura?

Laura: Yeah, I watch The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. That was pretty funny.

Andrew: It was…

Laura: It’s pretty funny stuff.

Andrew: We posted it on MuggleNet the other day, and Stephen Colbert tipped his hat to Jo, [laughs] for threatening to kill off Harry Potter.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: It was really funny. Good stuff.

Laura: Did you guys ever see that one episode, where he was interviewing Al Franken, and there was one point where they both – they were in a very heated discussion, and somehow they both ended up with their index fingers touching each other. And Stephen Colbert goes, “Our wands have the same type of Phoenix feather.”

[Andrew laughs]

Laura: And I thought that was hilarious. I burst out laughing, and my dad’s looking at me, like, “What, are you insane?” And Al Franken just looked totally confused. Colbert was just like, [imitates Colbert] “Oh, your kids are too old.” So, I thought that was a cute little tidbit, and, so pretty clearly he’s a fan. So, I thought that was awesome. [laughs]

Andrew: I’m glad he got his own show, because he was so good on The Daily Show.

Laura: [laughs] He is hilarious.

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: But, we can’t get too far…

Andrew: No.

Laura: …into some of the other things that he talks about. Unfortunately.


Phoenix Photos


Andrew: Yeah. In other Potter news, we’ve seen a lot of filming pictures, lately. Anyone surprised by this? Does anyone really care? It’s interesting, though, because…

Laura: [laughs] I haven’t even looked at them.

Eric: Yeah, I…

Andrew: Oh, good.

Laura: I’m feeling like such a bad fan.

Eric: Don’t we see…

Andrew: Good podcasters.

Eric: They’re from like, a good few 100 yards away, and they’re like half-built.

Andrew: But these are good, because unlike with other movies, we’re actually seeing the actors.

Eric: Are we?

Andrew: Yeah, Harry and… Well, Dan Radcliffe and Harry Melling, were seen – what was it? On July 24, I think it was. Outside of…

Laura: Oh, yeah. Running in some field…

Andrew: …some field. Yeah…

Eric: I didn’t recognize them. They were just like two people at the corner left of the screen. I was like… [makes uncertain noise]

Laura: What happened to them being in a neighborhood?

Andrew: Yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Well, there’s no neighborhoods in England, apparently. And I’m sure Jamie could attest to that.

Laura: Yeah. [laughs]

Andrew: But they’re filming the scenes where Dudley is attacked by Dementors.

Laura: Hey Jamie, tell us about how television sets came before the neighborhood, in England.

Andrew: Because we’re looking at the set photos and they’re shooting Dan Radcliffe and Harry [has trouble pronouncing “Melling”] Melling running through some open fields. But they run through neighborhoods in the movie, so.. And I said, well as Jamie could attest to, there’s no neighborhoods in England, either.

Jamie: A what, sorry? A nabhor – neigh – what was it called? Neighborhood?

Andrew: No, neighborhoods.

Jamie: What’s that?

Andrew: Neighborhoods.

Jamie: What’s that?

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: No, I…

Andrew: How do you call it?

Jamie: Oh my god!

Andrew: [laughs] Oh.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: Oh, Jamie.

Jamie: That was the worst bit of teamwork I’ve ever heard in my life.

Andrew: [laughs] I’m sorry. I should have picked up on that.

Jamie: It’s okay.

Andrew: I did at the live podcast. Um, also, we saw some photos… They’re filming – what is it? “Snape’s Worst Memory” scenes, too. And, once again, we saw Dan Radcliffe and whoever is playing a young Snape – the young Snape. Once again, I see from the feedback that nobody really cares. [laughs]

Laura: [laughs] Pretty much.

Jamie: Alan Rickman’s son.

Laura: No one cares until [laughs] the movie comes out.


How Many More MuggleCasts?


Andrew: It’s true. Hey, you know, I was doing the math the other day, and by doing the math, I meant going through…

Laura: You were doing math?

Andrew: …going through my Google calendar and adding every single MuggleCast that’s scheduled…

Jamie: Nice.

Andrew: …to be released, up through the Half Blood Prince release date.

Jamie: That’s pretty depressing.

Andrew: And, yeah, it only took me about 20 minutes [laughs]. We will be up to Episode 170 when…

Jamie: My god!

Andrew:Half Blood Prince is released.

Laura: Oh my god!

Andrew: On November 21, 2008.

Eric: No! No, no!

Laura: Yeah, but don’t you think the seventh book…

Jamie: No. No.

Laura: …will have come out by then?

Jamie: [with food in his mouth] No. Oh, yeah, it will, yeah.

Eric: Oh, god. I can’t fathom 170.

Laura: [laughs] So, we won’t be up to quite that many. Unless, I mean, maybe we shouldn’t put this thing, because it will make people sad, but are we really going to keep going weekly after the seventh book comes out?

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Let’s do it! Let’s do it! Let’s do it, let’s do it, let’s do it.

Andrew: All right…

Jamie: There’ll still be loose ends.

Andrew: Yeah, why not?

Jamie: There’ll still be loose ends.

Laura: We’ll have nothing [laughs]

Eric: We’ll all be grown with kids.

Laura: We’ll have nothing to talk about!

Eric: You know…

Andrew: Yeah. Who’s to say, you know? We can make the show like a half hour long, just do it that way. No, no, we’ll…

Laura: We’re all going to be getting ready to – we’ll be getting ready to go into our sophomore year of college.

Andrew: Laura, you’re very negative, and I don’t appreciate this type of attitude.

[Laura laughs]

Eric: Yeah, Laura…

Andrew: …as a podcaster.

Eric: I can totally see you, just like, “We’re about to record…”

Laura: Hey, you know what? I’m done. I…

Andrew: Whoa!

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: My contract is only through Book Seven, I’m sorry.

[Andrew laughs in shock]

Eric: Your contract?

Andrew: I’d better check mine. I don’t know what Spartz put down on that.


Lucky Charms


[Everyone lapses into silence, and Jamie eating can be heard]

Andrew: Jamie, what are you eating? We all want to know.

Jamie: I’m eating cereal. In fact, Andrew, do you know what cereal I’m eating?

Laura: Oh my god. Emerson would love you.

Jamie: I’m eating Lucky Charms.

Andrew: Are you eating Lucky Charms?

Jamie: Okay, everyone, you see, this is true.

Andrew: Really?

Laura: [laughs] Ciaran would be so proud.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Just before…

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: Just before I left Casa del Sims in America, Andrew’s Dad, very kindly, put a thing of Lucky Charms into my suitcase, which I didn’t find until I got home. And when I got back, I was very, very excited, and I’ve been eating them ever since. In fact, I think they really are Lucky Charms, because I’ve had about 400 bowls, and I don’t think it’s going down.

Andrew: [laughs] I was going to say, you’ve had that box for a while. Was it a filled box, or was it half-empty, or…?

Jamie: [chokes] Sorry…

Andrew: Half-full, if you think positive.

Jamie: It was about…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: it was about three-quarters full. But I’m sure it’s going up. It’s full now.


Show Close


Andrew [Show Close with music in background]: [laughs] Oh, okay. Well, on that note, once again, I’m Andrew Sims.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Jamie: And I’m Jamie Lawrence, eating Lucky Charms.

Andrew: We’ll see everyone next week for Episode 52. Goodnight, everyone.

Laura: Oh my god, 52.

Eric: Thank you guys, for having me on.

Andrew: We’re too old.


Blooper #1


Jamie: Okay, let’s do some – okay. Okay, let me think. Okay. I’m going to have to think how I’m going to phrase this. Okay, you’re going to have to put this straight after…

Ben: Car coming.

Jamie: …what Ben was saying.

Ben: Car coming down the road.

Jamie: Let me think.

Ben: Turn.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Okay, Ben…

Ben: Turn!

Jamie: Ben, he’s not going [swears] to arrest you.

Andrew: Don’t curse!

Jamie: He’s not a [swears] policeman.

Andrew: [laughs] Please don’t curse!

Jamie: Sorry.

Andrew: We can’t use this in the show. Okay…

Ben: [in relief] They turned.

Andrew: All right.

Ben: We’re good.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: They turned.

Jamie: Talking of…

Ben: This is ridiculous!

Jamie: Ben, it’s not ridiculous. They’re not going to [swears] arrest you for sitting in your car on a computer.


Blooper #2


Micah: There are a few new set pics, including one of Dan Radcliffe, over on MuggleNet. There are a few new Order of the set Phoener… Phoener… [trails off, trying to pronounce Phoenix] Wow! There are a few new [begins coughing]. There are a few new Order – oh my god! There are a few new Order of the set… [sighs] This is just not working out, man. Andrew, why must you demand the news of me when I have to get up at 5:00 a.m. tomorrow morning?

———————–

Written by: Micah, Allison, Ally, Amanda, Eloise, Jessica, Margaret, Martina, Rhiannon and Roni

Transcript #50

MuggleCast 50 Transcript


Show Intro


Andrew [Show Intro with music in background]: [Andrew and Ben alternate saying “This”] This is MuggleCast, MuggleNet.com’s brand-new podcasting feature.

Episode [Casters alternate counting Episodes 1 through 49] 50 – Whoa! – for August 08th, 2006.

See why GoDaddy.com is the No. 1 domain registrar worldwide. Now with your domain registration you get hosting, a free blog, complete e-mail, and much more! Plus, as a MuggleCast listener enter code “RON,” that’s R-O-N when you checkout and get your dot com domain name for just $6.95 per year. Get your piece of the Internet today at GoDaddy.com!

[MuggleCasters sing “Happy Birthday”]

Jamie: Okay, this is ridiculous! What a waste of time!

Andrew: No, it’s not. It was good.

Ben: MuggleNet! MuggleNet!

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: MuggleNet!

[Singing Elton John with Eric]

It’s a little bit funny, this feeling inside

[Singing by himself]

I’m not one of those who can easily hide that it’s MuggleCast 50!

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: Wooo! Sorry.

Andrew: Hello, everyone. And welcome to this very special edition of MuggleCast – Episode 50, which means we are halfway through our lifespan. We can only last 100 episodes.

Laura: Wooo!

Jamie: Did we say that?

Andrew: Well, no. But… Well, I don’t know.

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: Oh my god, no! God, I’m going to cry.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Yeah.

Andrew: I’m just kidding.

Ben: It’s like knowing you’re going to die. It’s the same exact thing.

Andrew: I’m Andrew Sims.

Jamie: Welcome to MuggleCast.

Ben: I’m Ben Schoen.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Jamie: [fake coughs] I’m not even going to say my name. That’ll do. [fake coughs]

Laura: And last again, last again, it’s…

Jamie: [fake coughs] That’s it. That’ll do. I’m Jamie.

Laura: Come on, Jamie. [laughs]

Jamie: I’m going to start being friendly and just saying “Jamie.”

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: And I’m Jamie.

Andrew: Maybe we should start doing that. It’s very down-to-earth. What were you going to say, Ben?

Ben: I was going to say…

Jamie: [Singing] I can’t lie…

Ben: It’s like, it’s like knowing you’re going to die, you know?

[Jamie groans]

Ben: If you knew you were going to die when you were 75, you would plan things out a lot better, but nobody knows when they are going to die, so they take all these chances. So, if we knew we were going to stop doing the show at Episode 100 then we would actually make sure we got everything we wanted to and know that we have to plan things out more. So, I say we don’t stop at 100, we stop at like 188 or something. But, I’m just saying.

Eric: Oh my gosh! Fifty shows in, Ben that was wonderful.

Laura: Ben, you’re just depressing me.

Eric: That was Ben’s first…

Jamie: No.

Laura: I am going to go cry now.

Andrew: That was pretty sad.

Jamie: Should we go have a group cry, then we’ll…?

Eric: …emotional…

Andrew: Yeah, group cry. Show is over.

Ben: Well, hanging around Jamie really changed me these last few weeks.

Jamie: What can I say? Ben’s a changed man.

Ben: Yeah.

Jamie: He used to be involved in gang crime…

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Yeah.

Jamie: …and carry around four guns. Now, he’s a man of God.

Andrew: Oh, god.

Jamie: He really is.

Andrew: Before we go anywhere else, Micah Tannenbaum is standing by in the MuggleCast news center with the past week’s top Harry Potter news stories for the, oh, 46th time?


News


Micah: After six years, author JK Rowling arrived on American shores for two nights of charity readings with authors Stephen King and John Irving to benefit the Haven Foundation and Doctors Without Borders. Academy Award winning actress Whoopi Goldberg opened up the festivities on both nights, while author JK Rowling was introduced on the first evening by comedian Jon Stewart and on the second evening by actress Kathy Bates.

During a Q & A session, Rowling told what she thought Hermione would see in the Mirror of Erised, hinted at possible redemption for a certain Slytherin, explicitly stated that Dumbledore is dead – so, there goes my theory and sorry DumbledoreIsNotDead.com, you should have sold the domain name while it was hot. She also stated that she may have decided to change the title of Book Seven while in the shower Wednesday morning.

All three authors read from the same passages both nights with Jo choosing Chapter 13 of Half-Blood Prince, “The Secret Riddle”.

Videos, pictures, and a full report from both evenings of Harry, Carrie, and Garp are available over on MuggleNet.com.

Our LIVE NYC podcast was a huge success. Thanks to everybody who came out and saw us. Audio and transcript of the show will be available shortly.

Thanks to all your nominations, in what is being called Wizard Rock the Vote, we’re asking Harry Potter fans to get out and vote at the 2006 Podcast Awards homepage for both MuggleCast and PotterCast. Simply go to PodCastAwards.com and vote for MuggleCast under People’s Choice Podcast and PotterCast under Best Entertainment Podcast. You can fill out the ballot once every 24 hours. Voting ends August 11th.

Speaking of nominations, Nickelodeon Australia has nominated MuggleCast at the 2006 Kids Choice Award in their “Fave Podcast” category! Go to Nickelodeon.com.au, create a Nickname, and vote for all the categories. The Podcast category is number 15 on the ballot.

Also, Harry Potter is up for best book, Goblet of Fire is up for best movie, Daniel and Rupert are both up for fave actor, and Emma is up for fave actress.

The award ceremony will be held on October 11th.

WB has confirmed that the sixth film, Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince, is set to be released on November 21st, 2008.

Steve Kloves will return to write the screenplay for Half-Blood Prince. A director has yet to be chosen. The fifth film, Order of the Phoenix, will hit theaters July 13th, 2007.

Finally, as we wished author JK Rowling and Harry Potter a happy birthday this past week, after 50 episodes, we wish a happy birthday to MuggleCast, which is officially one-year old.

That’s all the news for this August 08th, 2006 edition of MuggleCast. Back to the show.

Andrew: All right, and thank you, Micah.


MuggleCast Turns One


Andrew: And as we mentioned earlier in the show, this is Episode 50. We are one-year old without absolutely zero problems along the way. I can hardly believe it.

Jamie: No, no Andrew, you’re absolutely right.

Laura: With none at all.

Jamie: Never.

Ben: Except maybe the ten or so times Jamie would get online when it was time to record and ask for a three-hour nap and for us to wake him up at 4 a.m.

Jamie: Okay, I am not the only one who did that.

Ben: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: So…

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]


Announcements


Andrew: So, a few announcements and then we’ll move on to listener rebuttals. Don’t forget to purchase you’re MuggleCast t-shirt. We gave away a lot of Lumos t-shirts back in Vegas and everyone really enjoyed them and we’re probably going to have some more printed up soon to sell in the store.

Also, big credit to Sam of SamAndNate.com, they are always helping us with these t-shirts and they’re our cheap designers. So, we thank them very much. And if you guys, any of you out there listening need a t-shirt designed or some t-shirts printed, then check out Sam and Nate because they really do a great job on all their work.

Also, don’t forget to vote for us at Podcast Alley – at PodCastAlley.com. We need a new vote from everyone, at least once a month to stay in the Top 10 there.

And don’t forget a big one, the Podcast Awards – the 2006 Podcast Awards. Voting is going on. We are nominated in “People’s Choice” and PotterCast is nominated in “Best Entertainment.” So, we need everyone to vote once a day at PodcastAwards.com, by voting for us in “People’s Choice” and PotterCast in “Best Entertainment,” so we can both all go to California and have a lot of fun. Right, Ben?

Ben: Remember folks, that is MuggleCast in “People’s Choice” and PotterCast in “Best Entertainment Podcast.” We cannot stress the importance of this.

Jamie: Yes.

Ben: See, in the past we’ve seen with charity drives and stuff like that, how when the Harry Potter fans unite, they can do great things. So, we’re asking you all to do it again, but this time with the Podcast Awards. Show these people at the Podcast Awards that we’re not just some lame Harry Potter talk show that just talks about some children’s book.

Andrew: Right.

Ben: We’re for real. We’re a real podcast with a hardcore audience. So, it’s on you!

Andrew: Yeah, man. We’re for “realz.”

Ben: Yeah.

Jamie: That was beautiful, Ben.

Ben: Thank you, thank you.


Listener Rebuttals – Wizarding Population


Andrew: Listener rebuttals this week, the first one comes from Jonathan, 15, of Vermont. He writes:

“During Episode 49, you debated how many wizards there were in the world. I think it was Andrew who mentioned the World Cup and that huge to Harry could be 2,000 people, but when I looked through Book Four, I noticed that Mr. Weasley mentioned that the stadium seats 100,000. So, there must be at least 100,000 wizards and probably many more, since it is mentioned several times in the book that it was very difficult to get tickets.”

Very good point there.

Jamie: That’s… Yeah! That’s just completely – our argument was completely wrong then. That’s brilliant, yeah! [smacks lips] So, there has to be over 100,000.

Andrew: Yeah, that’s pretty ironic too because that’s how many listeners we have tuning into MuggleCast each week.

Ben: Practically.

Jamie: Yeah, times four million. Then you’ve got how many people are listening.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew: Exactly, Jamie.


Listener Rebuttals – Wizarding Population With Jo Excerpt


Andrew: Next rebuttal comes from Melanie of Australia. She has a rebuttal regarding the wizard population as well. She actually quotes the interview between Emerson, Melissa, and JK Rowling. How last year, when Emerson asked her how many wizards there are in the world and she talks about Hogwarts, and she says:

“Here’s my thing with Hogwarts. Way before I finished Philosopher’s Stone, when I just amassing stuff for seven years between having the idea and writing the book, I sat down and I created 40 kids who enter Harry’s year. I am delighted I did because it was so useful. I got 40 pretty flushed-out characters. I never have to stop and invent someone. I know who is in the Year. I know who is in what House. And I know what their percentage is. And I have a few personal details on all of them. So, there were 40. I never consciously thought, ‘That’s it! That’s all the people in this year.’ But, that’s kind of how it worked out. Then, a I’ve been asked a few times how many people – and because numbers are not my strong point – one part of my brain knew 40 and another part of my brain said, ‘Oh, about 600 sounds right.'”

So, she goes on to say there will be the odd kid whose parents don’t want them to go to Hogwarts, but 600 out of the whole of Britain is tiny.

Ben: Well, see I don’t really understand what the importance – unless you’re nitpicking, with the importance and how many people there really are.

Jamie: But, we do nitpick.

Andrew: Right, and the reason that I brought this one up is because, basically it’s saying – Jo’s saying that she really has no official number for it.


Listener Rebuttals – Homeschooling And International Government


Jamie: Our last Listener Rebuttal is from Andrea, age 16 from Pipersville, PA. She talked about homeschooling and international government.

“Hi everyone. I had a couple of comments about the issue of homeschooling like you talked about in Episode 49. What reason would wizarding parents have to home school their kids? Magical transportation like Portkeys make it possible to go anywhere for school. So, if parents, for example, the Malfoys, didn’t like the school close to them, they could just send their child to a different school. Also, unlike in our world where public schools don’t always give a good education or can be considered dangerous, Hogwarts has some of the best witches and wizards as professors and many safety measures. I also have a rebuttal: the wizarding world does have at least some kind of international government. On pg. 95 of the US hardback edition of Order of the Phoenix, it is mentioned that there is an International Confederation of Wizards. I love the show!”

I thought that this is very good, but we don’t know that Hogwarts has some of the “best witches and wizards.” Obviously, Dumbledore and – are very powerful, but we don’t have anything to compare them to. We’ve seen Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, but we don’t know the extent of their ability and stuff like that.

Laura: Now, I’m curious. Last week, when you guys were talking about homeschooling their students, were you talking about primary school, like what would come before Hogwarts?

Ben: We were talking about homeschooling with – like for the entire magical education, not before Hogwarts. Well, it’s kind of like homeschooling people throughout high school. It just doesn’t really work. They get a substandard education.

Laura: [laughs mockingly] You’re so funny Ben. You’re so funny.

Ben: Where the students usually aren’t as smart. That’s just usually how it works.

[Jamie laughs]

Laura: No.

Ben: I’m kidding, I’m kidding.

Laura: Yeah, this coming from a kid who is in the Kansas public school system. I don’t even want to hear it from you.

Ben: I’m kidding, I’m kidding.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: The only reason I say that stuff is because Laura’s home schooled.

Jamie: He’s the only one in Kansas public schools.

Ben: Please don’t bombard me with e-mails, I’m sorry.

Laura: I thought, I mean, didn’t Draco say that his Mom didn’t want him to go because of the distance? I mean, I don’t see why it would be a big deal to home school your students.

Andrew: It’s not a big deal. We were just trying to figure out how many wizard students there are in the wizarding world.

Laura: Oh, okay. Sure.

Andrew: We’re just not sure if students who go to Hogwarts could have been home schooled.

Laura: Well, I’m not really clear with that.

Jamie: Yeah, well they still could be home schooled, couldn’t they? It doesn’t mean that – just because…

Laura: Yeah. Sure they could.

Jamie: People have completely different perceptions. Some people could think that Hogwarts is good, but people who don’t believe in the education system might… You know?

Laura: Yeah, because Jo even said that Mrs. Weasley home schooled all of her kids before they went to Hogwarts.

Jamie: No, but that’s earlier.

Laura: Yeah, but why…

Jamie: I think she’s talking, kindergarten man.

Laura: Yeah, but if you could do it then, why couldn’t you do it for ages 11 on up?

Jamie: I think you could, yeah. I think you could.

Laura: I think you could.

Jamie: It goes back to what we were saying about learning magic – being a sort of inexact science. So, it’s more you learning it yourself than being taught it. Because, the teachers, I mean, we haven’t seen enough classes, but they just say “do this, do this, do this.” It seems like, especially in the practical magical subjects and then the people – the students- try to do it.

Laura: Mhm.


MuggleCast: One Year Later


Andrew: All right. So, moving on now. It was a year ago today – at least when we were recording, August 7th – that MuggleCast was released. Our very first episode featuring me, Ben and Kevin and it was just us three. It was a terrible episode.

Ben: Can you really believe it’s been a year?

Andrew: I know.

Laura: Awwww. [laughs]

Ben: Oh geez, I don’t know. Time flies when you’re having fun.

Andrew: Yeah, and it’s…

Ben: It’s rough being Ben Schoen.

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Andrew: And it’s just weird to think that the majority of these listeners have been with us for a year now. We’ve basically been through everything with them [laughs], like holidays and just everything they’ve been through and just week after week it’s been – we’re like friends now. We’re like a family. But, a question for you guys, did any of you think that this wasn’t going to work, or you were just skeptical of the whole concept, or people would just hate it from the start?

Jamie: No, I knew it was going to work right from the beginning.

Laura: I wasn’t.

Jamie: Oh my god.

Ben: Oh yeah.

[Ben and Laura laugh]

Jamie: I was thinking… No, I’m being sarcastic.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: I had no idea.

Ben: I wasn’t. I actually wasn’t skeptical.

Andrew: Well, maybe not so much skeptical, but…

Ben: It was the…

Andrew: …just like, unsure of how things would take off like they really did.

Laura: I didn’t really quite envision the scale…

Andrew: Yeah.

Laura: …that it reached, but I thought it would be…

Ben: I don’t think anybody…

Laura: …pretty successful just because of how many people come to the site.

Ben: I don’t think anybody would actually think it would become this popular because… I’m not saying this to be arrogant, but we have our own…

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: We have fans now and it’s the fans of the fans type of thing and it’s really kind of neat.

Laura: Yeah, basically I didn’t expect to be signing things. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, same.

Laura: That was the big shock. It’s like, the people hand me their Harry Potter books and I feel like I’m kind of defiling them. I’m like, I didn’t write this.

[Andrew laughs]

Laura: But, I don’t know, it’s kind of odd.

Andrew: I know. I felt weird writing in people’s books too because it’s the Harry Potter books and really it should just be Jo signing it. But, who would have thought that a year from now – a year from August 7, 2005 – we would have already done three LIVE podcasts and we’d have these signings afterwards. And we’d be – people would be just really involved in the show. Episode 1 though, I’m surprised people caught on to it so quick because I didn’t think it went too hot. [laughs]

Ben: Well, actually I hosted that first episode, so I was actually pretty impressed with how it turned out…

[Laura laughs]

Ben: …the quality. Actually, I never want to listen to that thing ever again.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: The audio quality was bad, the content was bad, it was poorly planned. But hey, you live, you learn.

Andrew: Right, and I really wish all episodes on this show were as easy to produce as that one. I mean, now, they’re so much more involved. We have five co-hosts a week now, and our schedules are more conflicting than ever before [laughs] and it’s just, there’s a lot of pressure on this show. But that first episode, it’s so hard to get over your first episode – get past that first episode – because people don’t know your personality. They don’t know what the show is going to be like. But, once you get past that first show, it’s so easy to connect with the listeners.

Ben: Yeah.

Laura: It’s scary.

Ben: Any podcast has to know…

Laura: I was really nervous.

Ben: Yeah, it’s difficult at first. But, something else that I’d like to point out is I really do – like, sometimes people make me out to be this grumpy old man. I really am not. I really enjoy when all the fans come out and see us at these live events.

Jamie: You’re a grumpy young man.

Ben: But anyways…

[Laura laughs]

Ben: I really enjoy when the fans come out to see us at these live events. It really makes you feel – it really makes us feel like we’ve, you know, even if it’s in some minor way, changed some people’s lives to some extent. And so, if you get the chance, if you’re in the area of any of these live podcasts we’re doing, please come out and see us because we enjoy meeting you, I’m sure you enjoy meeting us and it’s nice to just be able to mingle with the fans.

Andrew: Right and I mean, I’ve said this before, there’s nothing better than the support from the listeners. I mean, the e-mails are great and we love reading them, but there’s something more to actually meeting the people and giving them hugs and talking with them and interacting with these people who – they’re always listening to us, but we never really get a chance to hear from them.

Ben: What I really – like I said before – Harry Potter stuff, is meeting all of the lovely people. Right, Jamie? Isn’t that the best part? Because when you go to the…

Jamie: It’s the best part of it, yeah.

Ben: Because when you go to these events, it’s…

Jamie: I love meeting…

Ben: We get to hang out with each other for a week, which is – it has its ups and downs. Hanging out with Andrew can be a bit rough.

Andrew: [laughs] Especially when you steal my bed.

Ben: Going to meet all these fans, you meet people from all different walks of life. For example, at both Vegas and New York City, there was a young lady from Australia and she was really, really nice and it was just – it was great.

Andrew: And Jamie, your first experience with meeting the fans was there in Vegas when – at the Scholastic Podcast with Emerson, Melissa, and Cheryl Klein.

Jamie: I know, I couldn’t believe it. I sort of – somebody handed me a book and I turn around in case there was a celebrity standing behind me and they were trying to give me the book to sign instead.

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: Did you guys get anyone asking you for autographs at Radio City Music Hall?

Ben: Yeah, I got quite a few people, actually.

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: As we were walking away, there were people that were asking for pictures…

Jamie: It’s weird. It was cool though.

Ben: It sort of makes you feel like a phony because you don’t – like we don’t really think that we’re actually celebrities.

Laura: Well, especially since we were there in the same building as…

Ben: JK Rowling.

Laura: JK Rowling, Stephen King, [laughs] and John Irving. And I’m like, why are you asking me?

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Ben: People who didn’t know anything about Harry Potter walked and were like, “Who are those bozos?”

Laura: [laughs] Exactly.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: I’m like, “I’m Ben Schoen, people! You don’t know who I am?” [laughs]

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: There’s actually a funny story about that from the New York Podcast. When we… When me, Emerson and Jamie when to the reliever?

Jamie: The uh, the uh, the uh, bathroom?

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs] Inside joke people. And we went to the bathroom and we come out – there were two girls and they asked to take a picture with us, so we say okay. And they get this random guy who’s reading the books standing there to take a picture with us with them and he’s like, “I don’t know who these three guys are, but I want a picture with them too once you’re done.”

[Ben and Laura laugh]

Andrew: So, we take the picture with the girls, and then we take a picture with the random guy.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Yeah. So, we asked him what his Ebay username was, because it’s clearly going on there.

Ben: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: For four million dollars.

Ben: So, to sum up the past few weeks – even for the regular listeners who didn’t come out to see us, I hope you enjoy the live stream we did from Lumos. And, recordings of the live Podcast will be put up. It’s a lot more interactive if you’re actually there and next time, try to come out but we’re back to our regular – the regular swing of things here for at least a few months. [laughs] And yeah, I just – the last few weeks have been great fun. Can’t even put it into words.

Andrew: Now Jamie, this was a special trip for you…

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: …because of course, you came all the way from the UK and this was your first time in the US since, when was it again?

Jamie: 2001. But yeah, I went to Orlando, though, which was completely different. Completely different.


Every Time We Touch


Andrew: Yeah. And while you were here, you were introduced to – as we talked about on the live New York City podcast – a new song. [laughs]

Jamie: Hmmm. Well, yeah.

Andrew: You should sing this because this is a very important song to you. It goes a little something like this.

[Plays recording of “Every Time We Touch” by Cascada]

Jamie: Do I actually have to sing to it? I can’t really. I’ll wake everyone up and they’ll kill me.

[Andrew stops recording]

Jamie: Just play the – just play the recording you got in…

Andrew: Okay, yeah. We’ll do that in a minute.

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Ben: [sings] I need you by my side. [laughs]

Jamie: But, but I mean, yeah. There’s a story behind this as I said on the…

Andrew: I’ll play it in the background while we… [starts playing “Every Time We Touch”]

Jamie: There’s… There’s a story behind this, as I said on the New York Podcast. We were sitting in Vegas by the pool at the Aladdin Hotel on the strip – we were all, you know, sunbathing, enjoying ourselves. And suddenly, this song came blasting through the speakers, which they positioned all around the pool and…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: …I hadn’t heard this song before and I thought it was absolutely awesome, even though the lyrics are the cheesiest lyrics you would ever hear in your life, it’s still such a good song.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: So I – I ask Andrew who sang it, he told me, and then immediately I rushed upstairs onto his laptop and I downloaded it through iTunes for about 99 cents or something like that, but it was worth every single penny.

Andrew: You actually paid for it?

Jamie: No, of course I didn’t…

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: …but I’m not going to say I downloaded it through Acquisition, am I?

Andrew: [laughs] Too late now.

Jamie: Yeah. Anyway, so, best…best…

Andrew: Oh geez.

Jamie: …99 cents or whatever I’ve ever spent. So, after that I put it on my mp3 player, and I plug my headphones in, turned it up to the maximum volume, jumped onto our very nice bed – well, the bed isn’t very nice now. But I…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: …I jumped onto it, turned it right up, and sang, well, screamed the lyrics as loud as I could and this was repeated several times throughout the entire holiday to this song.

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: And my throat hurt so much by the end of it, but it was – it was completely worth it. But, I’ve got to point out that it really was screaming it. It sounded absolutely terrible and Andrew, I think you have a snippet of it, don’t you?

Andrew: Yeah. It’s very, very, very small, but we have more clips that we’ll also play at the end.

Jamie: Okay.

[Andrew plays clip of Jamie singing part of “Every Time We Touch”]

Andrew: That’s all I had a chance to record, [laughs] but I have – we have two more songs that we’ll stick in that he sang, but are really, really funny.


Jamie’s Proud To Be An American


Ben: Well, there’s actually another song that made its rounds while Jamie was jumping up and down on the couch.

Jamie: Oh really?.

Ben: Right, Jamie? [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah. This trip was a trip of songs. We, in Vegas, we were – we went for a stroll down the strip to the Bellagio hotel, where we stood by the fountains, which are featured in the movie Ocean’s Eleven and what happens is every 15 minutes, the fountains come on and they perform their water show thing to a different song each time. And we happened to get there when the song was “I’m Proud to be an American” or “God Bless The USA” by Lee Greenwood. And it was brilliant. All of us were in floods of tears.

Ben: Yeah. [laughs]

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: We were comforting each other. It was the biggest display of manly love I have ever seen. We were all hugging and so I heard this song and I felt strangely patriotic, even though I’m British. So, we – we went back to Andrew’s house and I…

Ben: We actually went back to the hotel…

Jamie: …downloaded the song, put it on the mp3 player.

Ben: …and downloaded it.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Huh?

Andrew: [laughs] We went to the hotel.

Ben: Yeah, honestly. We – we didn’t leave Vegas.

Jamie: What did I say?

Ben: We just went back to Andrew’s house. Yeah we left – we left Vegas…

Jamie: [laughs] Oh, sorry.

Ben: …and flew back to Andrew’s house, downloaded the song…

[Everyone laugh]

Ben: …flew back to Vegas. [laughs]

Jamie: Yes. We’re that rich, we can just go back to Andrew’s house to download a song. No, sorry, we went to the hotel, I downloaded it, and again, this was followed by jumping up and down on the bed and every time I did it, it brought a tear to my eye because I felt so…

Ben: American. [laughs]

Jamie: …patriotic to – yeah, to America. So, now I think that for each time I sung that song, it sort of added five percent to – American to me.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Jamie: So, I’m sort of – I’m slowly getting there. Slowly getting there. In a couple of years, I could have lost my British-ness completely and turned American. So yeah, those were the two best songs of the trip.

Ben: Actually, I had two better songs but we’ll get to those later.

Jamie: God bless the USA. [laughs]

Andrew: Well no, Ben – Ben, you got into Elton John [laughs] regrettably for the rest of us.

Ben: That’s because I actually was walking down the strip and the water show was going on, on the other side of the street and I heard Elton John’s “Your Song”. I just heard [sings] “I hope you don’t mind” and I just, I went to download it and stuff.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: Laura, do you have any fun stories from Lumos to tell us about? Maybe some, some musical adventures that you experienced yourself?

Laura: No, you know, all I got the whole time there was Ben berating me for my Green Day obsession, so I have nothing to say.

Jamie: Yeah.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Ooh.

Laura: I have nothing to say.

Andrew: Awww.

Jamie: [sings] There she was just walking down the strip, singing “God Bless The USA!”

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Jamie: That’s the best song.


Favorite Moments


Andrew: So, we all have our favorite moments from the past 49 episodes of MuggleCast that we would like to play for everyone now. So first, we’ll start off with Ben’s favorite moment.


Ben and Micah’s Favorite Moment


[Audio starts]

Jamie: Unless you swing that way Ben.

Ben: Okay.

Andrew: Well, we should talk about how Emma, how Hermione is portrayed in the films.

Laura: Mhm.

Andrew: Because…

Ben: Very, very…

Andrew: …some people take it the wrong way. See it badly, poorly.

Laura: Mhm.

Ben: Okay.

Jamie: Ben thinks, Ben thinks she’s portrayed very, very, very, very well.

Andrew: We’ll get to that in a minute.

Jamie: Don’t you, Ben?

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Oh yeah.

Jamie: He has dreams at night. He has dreams at night of running through a cornfield and they’re chasing each other and their arms are open…

[Everyone laugh]

Ben: Oh, come on.

Jamie: …and you can hear like “Chariots of Fire” going…[hums the tune]

Ben: Okay, enough of embarrassing me. Okay, about Hermione.

Laura: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

[Audio ends]

Andrew: Aw, poor Ben.

Laura: Oh, memories.

Jamie: I remember that. [sings] Memories.

Andrew: And my voice sounds like I haven’t spoken in the past ten years. All right, now we have Laura’s two favorite moments.


Laura’s Favorite Moment #1


[Audio starts]

Micah: I know I’m not a scientist or anything, but isn’t there a relation between an otter and a weasel, somewhere along the line?

Jamie: Is there? Oh my god!

Laura: It would make sense.

Jamie: Oh my god, that’s amazing! Oh my god!

Ben: Oh my gosh.

Jamie: Oh my god, Micah. That’s absolutely awesome!

Ben: Oh my god. Micah Tannenbaum has discovered the key to the Harry Potter shipping series. Do you guys see this?

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Fans, send a letter to the P.O. Box.

Andrew: Give us a call.

[Everyone is still laughing]

Jamie: No.

Ben: Send him fan mail. Give us a call. Oh my gosh, Micah.

Andrew: 218-20-MAGIC. Seriously though, no, he makes a good point.

Jamie: That’s an awesome point!

Ben: That is true, that is true.

Micah: Now I’m going to have to look that up. Let me look that up.

Laura: That’s really cool.

Andrew: I’m going to do Google image searches and compare. Weasel.

Jamie: Can we have ten seconds of silence to appreciate that amazing revelation by Micah?

Andrew: [disgusted noise] Nobody Google image search weasel. I’m sorry I mentioned that.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Really? I’m doing it right now of course.

[Audio ends]

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: All right, now number two.


Laura’s Favorite Moment #2


[Audio starts]

Jamie: Actually, Ben, this is a perfect moment for this. I’ve been meaning to ask you this for a – for a while now. I’m afraid I can’t get down on one knee, but Ben?

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Ben: Yeah?

Jamie: [laughs] Ben Carla Schoen…

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Carlo. His middle name is Carlo.

Jamie: Will you marry me?

Laura: Can I be the flower girl?

Ben: Of course, Jamie.

Jamie: Oh, yes!

Ben: Of course.

Jamie: Yes, definitely. Definitely.

Ben: Yeah. [laughs]

Eric: Can I be the best man?

Jamie: Eric, you aren’t doing the speech.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Eric, you are not doing the speech.

Ben: Yeah, you’re definitely not.

[Audio ends]

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Is it just me or…

Jamie: Awww.

Ben: …I’ve forgotten half of the stuff we say on these shows.

Andrew: I know. [laughs]

Jamie: I know.

Laura: Yeah, me too. [laughs]

Ben: [laughs] Actually, I’ve forgotten 99 percent of the stuff we say on these shows.

Andrew: Yeah.

Ben: I just hate listening to them because I hate hearing my own voice.

Andrew: Yeah, exactly.

Jamie: Yeah, same here. I can’t listen to it.

Laura: I’m the same way. I don’t listen to any of the shows.

Jamie: Same.

Laura: [laughs] I feel like such a bad person.


Bad Moments on MuggleCast


Andrew: We’ll play the moments from myself and Eric in a little bit. And, by the way, Eric dropped out because he was at a Barnes and Noble using wireless internet but then it broke down on him and he’s going back to his house where power is now restored. He had lost power earlier today. But Laura, you’re going to tell us a little bit now about some bad moments that we’ve had recording MuggleCast because every once in a while, we do run into a hiccup.

Laura: [laughs] Well, actually, I was kind of hoping Eric would be here to recount those because I don’t remember them very well.

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah.

Ben: There were quite a few.

Laura: But there was – there was Episode 46 which I’m sure we all remember very well.

Jamie: Oh my god.

Laura: This was our attempt to record our first live show…

[Ben laughs]

Laura: …over the Internet and well Andrew, you – you had a very good description of what it sounded like whenever we went into that room, so why don’t you tell us a little bit about that.

Andrew: What had happened was we were using SkypeCast to do this live show because we thought, “Oh, it’s Skype. There couldn’t be any problems.” We use them every day to record and talk to each other. So, we created a SkypeCast and you can fit up to 100 people in a room and for some reason – because we had two rooms open or something – whenever we tried to talk to each other, just us co-hosts, there was this huge noise that sounded like wind and it almost sounded like a hurricane?

Jamie: But Andrew…

Andrew: Or…

Jamie: …can I interrupt very quickly…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: …and just point out one glaring error in the name you just gave?

Andrew: Oh. What?

Jamie: It wasn’t SkypeCast. It was SkypeCast Beta.

Andrew: Ohhh. That does explain a lot.

Laura: Ah, yes. [laughs]

Jamie: Very important in this story.

Andrew: It does.

Ben: [laughs] Yeah.

Jamie: I think it is very prominent in this story you are about to tell.

Andrew: Yes. It does explain a lot. So, we just heard this giant hurricane, wind-like noise so we all had to yell over top of each other because – not over top of each other, over top of this…[laughs]

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: …gigantic noise that we heard. It was so funny and we were all in tears from laughing.

[All laugh]

Andrew: It was…

Ben: [laughs] That was so funny. That was so funny.

Laura: It really did. [laughs] It really was. It got to the point where we were just dying laughing and I don’t even know what was so funny about it, but… [laughs]

Andrew: It was the funniest thing we’ve ever done [laughs], but it was also a pretty bad experience, because we kind of screwed all the people we were hoping to listen to us record the show live. Now, another bad experience we had was Episode 13, which was our Halloween Episode. It was timed nicely, because it was on lucky 13, but it was also a very unlucky episode for recording [laughs]. Right, Laura?

Laura: I think we recorded that one twice, didn’t we? I think we recorded it twice, and then we had to record it again because I think Eric’s computer was messing up, and I don’t even remember if Jamie was on. Ben probably wanted to go to sleep. I was probably yelling at everybody to shut up.

Ben: Well, actually, I hadn’t been on for three episodes, and finally, I was like, “Yes! I’m finally back on the show again!” And I come on the show, and record – record an episode, and I think it’s fine, and then I go (I probably left to go get some food or something), and I come back three hours later. I’m a big eater, you know? I come back three hours later, and Andrew tells me, “Hey! We re-recorded the show while you were gone.”

Andrew: Hee hee hee!

[Laura laughs]

Ben: I was like, “Uh… thanks for calling me!” Yeah.

[Andrew laughs]

Andrew: I can’t remember actually why I didn’t call you.

Ben: So, I… Yeah.

Laura: I don’t even remember why we decided we needed to re-record it. It was just – I think we decided it wasn’t a good show. It was bad and rushed.

Ben: Just a washed episode.

Andrew: Every once in a while, we’ll hit a show where we just can’t get everyone…

Ben: Well, every once in a while, we’ll lay here on Skype for four hours trying to start…

[Laura laughs]

Ben: …and then finally, we’ll just be like, “Let’s do this tomorrow.”

Laura: Yeah, if by – if by, “Every once in a while,” you mean almost every week…

Ben: Yeah [laughs].

Laura: … then, yes [laughs].

Andrew: It’s too bad Eric’s not here right now, because he could tell us all those horrific stories about how he’s lost his audio file quite a few times.

Laura: Yes. [laughs]

Ben: Guys. Guys, guys, guys, my Audacity crashed. Guys… [laughs].

Andrew: That’s the number one thing we hear from him.

[Andrew, Ben, and Laura laugh]


Eric’s Favorite Moment


Andrew: All right, now, here is Eric’s favorite moment. Of course, it’s a moment of his:

[Audio starts]

Eric: Okay. So, no – okay. Quiet, Micah. All right. So now, you think Tootsie Rolls…

Micah: Because I say so much.

Eric: Now, everybody knows what a Tootsie Roll is. Everyone’s had a Tootsie Roll. Everyone, if they haven’t, they’re going to have a Tootsie Roll. So, I’m thinking, I’m sitting here, looking at this whole tube of what used to be Tootsie Rolls (actually, I ate them all), and I’m thinking, “Who manufactured these?” Nobody knows! Nobody knows what company owns Tootsie Roll, unless you work for that company, I’m thinking, but they’ve sold millions. I mean, how many Tootsie Rolls have you sold – have you bought in your life? That’s a lot of Tootsie Rolls.

Andrew: [laughs] So, what’s your…

Eric: So, the point…

Andrew: [Continues laughing] So, what’s your point?!

Eric: So, the point is, Andrew and Micah and Laura and viewers at home, that you don’t know who manufactures Tootsie Rolls, yet you buy them anyway. And in the case of MuggleCast t-shirts, you know who manufactures them. You know that you’re going to get your money’s worth from MuggleCast. You know exactly who that money is going to and why it’s going to them. And you can support the show by buying this, just like you support Tootsie Roll manufacturers. Like the CEO of Tootsie Roll – the CEO of Tootsie is sitting there on a desk chair, and he’s not doing anything for Harry Potter fans, but we are, and that’s why you should buy a MuggleCast t-shirt.

[Audio ends]

Andrew: Wow. That was inspiring. Long, lengthy, and inspiring…

Eric: Hey, hey Andrew? Andrew?

Andrew: …but we really appreciate it.

Laura: And full of Tootsie Roll plugs [laughs].

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: The thing that I found funny about that [laughs] is that, is that all of us picked somebody else’s comment so we didn’t seem arrogant…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: … but Eric’s favorite bit…

Andrew: Yeah.

[Ben and Laura laugh]

Jamie: … Eric’s favorite bit just happens to be a half-an-hour monologue by himself.

Andrew: How typical.

Ben: But still – actually, I’ve given Eric a lot of crap back in the day, well, actually, every day. And…

Laura: Back in the day?

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew: Not even close.

Ben: And I just thought that actually, that was pretty funny, and his little spiel there.


Andrew’s Favorite Moment


Andrew: All right. And now, here’s my favorite moment, which is mainly for the comment that Laura makes later in this audio clip:

[Audio starts]

Andrew: But think about the situation: Lily was born among two mudblood – she’s not…

Laura: Muggleborn!

Ben: So was Hermione.

Andrew: Oh! Whoa, whoa, whoa…

Laura: Muggleborn…

Ben: Yeah!

Laura: … Andrew, gosh!

Ben: Geez!

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: What?

Laura: Muggleborn!

Ben: Muggleborn, not mudblood!

Laura: God, you’re so prejudiced!

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: Geez!

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

Andrew: Okay! So… Oh, oh, I see, you guys are trying to be courteous.

Jamie: What did you say, Andrew?

Andrew: I didn’t catch it, you dorks.

Jamie: What did you say? I missed it.

Andrew: I said mudblood! [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Andrew! Andrew!

Andrew: All these dorks are like, “Don’t say that!”

Eric: They’re both mudbloods. They’re both worth nothing, anyway.

Jamie: Hey…

Andrew: You guys are such dorks [laughs].

Laura: Shut up! You work for the site, too!

Andrew: I thought I was actually using the… [laughs] I thought I was using the wrong term. You made me feel all stupid.

[Andrew and Laura laugh]

[Audio ends]

Ben: Did you…

Laura: You should’ve felt stupid, Andrew. I’m just kidding.

Ben: To me it sounded like you arbitrarily chose ten seconds of a random show…

Andrew: No, I didn’t!

Ben: …and called it your favorite moment [laughs].

Andrew: No! I thought that was a funny clip.

Laura: No, actually, I’ve seen – I’ve seen people with that whole thing quoted in their profile over at the forums. So, apparently…

Andrew: Oh, really?

Laura: Yeah. Apparently, people find it funny.


Jamie’s Favorite Moment


Andrew: Oh, cool. Well, here is Jamie’s favorite moment, now:

[Audio starts]

Ben: Everybody, welcome to MuggleCast Episode 32, coming to you live from Moundridge, Kansas. I’m Ben Schoen.

Andrew: Sims, Andrew.

Ben: [Impersonating Kevin] I’m Kevin Steck.

Eric: [Impersonating Jamie] I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Andrew: [Imitating Laura] I’m Laura Thompson.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull.

Ben: [Impersonating Micah] And I’m Micah Tannenbaum.

Ben: We have a full house here this week, people.

Andrew: We do.

Ben: We have Eric, Andrew, Kevin, Jamie, Laura. Geez!

Andrew: [Impersonating Laura] Yeah, this is great. I love this.

Eric: [Impersonating Jamie] Can somebody post the schedule? Can somebody post the schedule?

Andrew: [Impersonating Laura] No, why do you keep asking?

Eric: [Impersonating Jamie] Give me the schedule. I want the schedule.

Ben: Okay, Jamie. I gave you the schedule three minutes ago.

Eric: [Impersonating Jamie] Go into the Writely. Dude, go into the Writely and get the schedule.

Ben: [Impersonating Micah] Hey Ben, I forgot to do the News this week.

[Ben laughs while this is playing]

Ben: [Impersonating Micah] What are we going to do about that?

[Jamie laughs while this playing]

Ben: Micah…

Andrew: Micah, can you stop asking questions?

Ben: Andrew, what are we going to do about him?

Andrew: I don’t know. Laura?

Ben: [Impersonating Kevin] Hey, don’t be so mean to Micah! Micah is a good person. I am backwards compatible with Windows 3.1.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: [Impersonating Laura] No you’re not. You’ve got Windows XP. Windows 3.1 doesn’t exist.

Ben: Okay. The jig is up. The jig is up

Eric: Oh, quiet down Laura. I used to have Windows 3.1.

Andrew: [Impersonating Laura] What are you talking about?

Ben: Okay.

Eric: Laura, okay, whatever.

Andrew: [Impersonating Laura] Stop it!

Ben: Okay. Okay, guys.

[Audio ends]

Laura: Way to go, Andrew. You made me sound slow. Thank you.

Andrew: [laughs] That was my best portrayal of you.

Laura: You’re such a good Laura impersonator. I think you should – that should become your profession.

Andrew: Oh, thank you.

Ben: That was definitely a good opening for that.

Jamie: I thought that was funny. That was funny, funny, funny, funny.

Andrew: Ben, you kind of sounded like you were getting annoyed at the end of that, though, with us doing the impersonations.

[Jamie and Laura laugh]

Ben: No, I’m talking about the [impersonating Kevin], “I’m Kevin Steck.”


An Evening With Harry, Carrie and Garp


Andrew: Well, all right. That concludes our Episode 50 talk. We’ll discuss a little bit later in the show just a little bit more, but for now, of course, there was a big event this week: An Evening with Harry, Carrie, and Garp, featuring, JK Rowling, of course. What did you guys think of it? It was a huge event. We all went. What’s up, Laura?


Stephen King


Laura: Well, what did you guys think of Stephen King?

Ben: He was awesome. I really thought he was cool.

Laura: I thought it was……

Jamie: Stephen King rocks.

Laura: … absolutely awesome to see him.

Ben: Lard Ass Hogan.

Andrew: Yeah [laughs]

[Laura laughs].

Andrew: Jamie, what did you think of Stephen King?

Jamie: Well, I read It. I think I read It a very long time ago…

Ben: You read what?

Jamie: … or I saw the film. I thought it was…

Ben: You read what?

Jamie: It. Stephen King’s It, you know?

Andrew: The book he wrote.

Ben: I know.

Jamie: Oh [laughs].

Ben: I’m messing with him [laughs].

Jamie: So, anyway. I read that a while ago, and I thought it was absolutely awesome. And I think it’s interesting because everyone thinks of him as a sort of weird horror writer who comes up with disgusting stories, but he’s really, really normal. And he explained how he comes up with these stories in very practical, logical ways. So, I think it was really, really interesting to hear that. Yeah, I thought it was fun. I thought John Irving told an extremely good story, and as Eric said, he answered his questions very well, but Jo just stole the night, obviously. But it was an awesome, an absolutely awesome event. I thought it was really, really, really good. And fun. And I’m so glad I went to it.

Andrew: Yeah, me, too. And Stephen King’s entry was also – his big entrance – was also pretty cool [laughs]. Because it kind of reminded me of – I feel like an idiot saying this. I know Ben – Ben knows what I’m thinking [laughs].

Ben: Because he looked like Bono from U2 coming out to City of Blinding Lights.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah.

[Jamie laughs].

Andrew: No, but it was very U2-ish. It was like these six lights pointing out onto the – towards the audience, and he walked out, and you could only see his silhouette, [laughs] and it was just kind of cool, and then the lights came up and stuff. I just thought that was neat. And it’s a shame J.K. Rowling didn’t come out that same way. She just walked out, although she still had a big entrance with the applause.

Jamie: Mhm.

Eric: Oh, come on!

Laura: Jo doesn’t need an entrance.

Eric: She doesn’t need an entrance!

Andrew: Well, that’s what I’m saying.

Eric: She still got a standing ovation. She had the biggest applause. You know that.

Andrew: Right, right. Definitely. And it was funny, because we mentioned this on the live NYC Podcast, too, but every time her face came up on the intro video, this huge applause…

[Eric laughs]

Laura: Everyone just freaked out, yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

[Andrew, Eric, and Laura laugh]


Jon Stewart


Andrew: And then, of course, another big surprise for almost everyone in that audience was when Jon Stewart came out to introduce Jo on that first night, and that was really exciting [laughs].

Laura: [Gasps] Oh!

Eric: Oh, my gosh!

Jamie: Andrew, Andrew literally…

Laura: Oh, I got very excited.

Jamie: Andrew, I…

Laura: Poor Micah! He was sitting next to me, and I screamed when I saw Jon Stewart come out [laughs], and I felt him kind of flinch.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: I have never seen Andrew so excited.

Ben: Micah did?

Jamie: Andrew, you looked so excited when that happened.

Ben: Micah looks like Jon Stewart.

Andrew: Well, it was a big surprise.

Laura: No he doesn’t.

Andrew: And I’m always watching him on TV. It was the first time I actually saw him in person.

Eric: [To Ben] A little bit.

Andrew: So, it was pretty cool [laughs]. Ben, would you care to explain for our listening audience, for those who weren’t at the event, could you tell everyone the order of the events?


Rundown of the Evening


Ben: It started off with Whoopi Goldberg doing an introduction that was written – it was written for her by… I don’t remember who wrote it for her. It was probably Scholastic. And the intro – she was reading it, and it sort of fell apart, so she had to improvise a bit, but she did a really nice job. She was really funny. And then she called out Kathy Bates, who came out and started talking about her personal connection to Stephen King, all these types of things, and then she introduced him. Stephen King came out and read a section of a story he wrote called, The Body, and it was, “The Legend of Lard Ass Hogan,” which has a lot of throwing up in it.

Andrew: Hmmm.

Ben: It’s a very funny story.

[Eric and Laura laugh]

Ben: But, it can also make you sick to your stomach if you’re not feeling too well. And then I forget the name of the guy who came out to – after Stephen King – to introduce John Irving. Do you guys remember?

Laura: Ummm…

Eric: It was a different guy both nights.

Ben: I’ll talk about the first night…

Laura: Wasn’t it…

Andrew: I’m not sure, but whoever it was, he wasn’t very interesting.

Ben: Yeah, I don’t remember. But anyway, a guy came out and introduced John Irving.


John Irving


Ben: John Irving read… Jesus, I forget…

Eric: A Prayer for Owen Meany

Ben: Yeah, A Prayer for Owen Meany. That was very good. He was probably the best performer over all, because…

Laura: Mhm.

Ben: I think Stephen King was the best storyteller because he was able to keep your attention, I thought. Because even though I was really tired, I was awake for most of his reading. But John Irving, what really impressed me about him is that he had a great ability to set his characters apart, and do a lot of really good different voices, and – but I think that’s why, I think, for example, Andrew’s little brother was really entertained, because he was doing a different voice for each character. He was able to do a high-pitched female voice very, very well. Overall he was very entertaining.

Andrew: It was interesting, because my brother, who’s only ten-years-old, he was actually very entertained by John Irving’s reading. It was for that exact reason that Ben brought up, because he can do a lot of different voices, and he really enjoyed that story, because of all the nastiness that was involved with it.

Ben: But the reason 90 percent of the people were there was to see JK Rowling.


JK Rowling Q&A


Andrew: Right, and JK Rowling did have two special question and answer sessions, one each night. The first night was a little bit of a disappointment; we didn’t really learn anything new, other than what Hermione would see in the Mirror of Erised, which, of course, would be Harry and Ron alive.

Laura: The questions the second night were definitely more deep, I would say.

Eric: Yeah. We found out…

Laura: Definitely what the hardcore fan would want to hear.


Rowling: Dumbledore Is Dead


Andrew: One thing, one big thing she answered was that Dumbledore is actually “for-realz” dead.

Laura: Yes. So, now, which of us here, on the Dumbledore show, thinks that Dumbledore is still alive?

Ben: It was Micah and Andrew.

Laura: Was it you, Andrew?

Andrew: [says innocently] Ah, no, I don’t know what you guys are talking about. Whoever edited that show must have made it sound like I thought Dumbledore was actually alive, which is just silly.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: I don’t know. Who would have done such a thing?

Laura: So, I have a question. I went to Dumbledoreisnotdead.com, after this, and you might want to cut this because it might sound like I’m being mean, and I’m really not. But, on their site, they’re saying, “We never…” – something along the lines of, “We never said that he was absolutely dead.” Or something along those lines. [laughs] And I’m like, “Well, your url is Dumbledoreisnotdead.com.”

Andrew: They went into a huge stage of denial, when they first found out, and they made this post on the site, and they were like, [puts on a distraught voice] “But, but, she’s probably just fooling with us. She can’t be for real. She wouldn’t do it this early before Book Seven, blah-blah blah…”

Eric: Those fans are – you know, I don’t see what they’re complaining about. They got what any fan could ask for, which is personal recognition by JKR…

Laura: Yeah.

Eric: She stopped everything and said, “And there’s a website, Dumbledoreisnotdead.com, that will be very upset with me for saying this.” You know, she plugged them in front of 6,000 people, and if JKR…

Jamie: Yeah, it’s because she felt sorry for them, that …

Eric: You know…

Jamie: It’s because she felt sorry for them…

Eric: Yes!

Jamie: …that she was completely destroying their heritage, Eric.

Eric: Yes, but that’s how you show you affect the author of your books. Even in such a miniscule way that she sees about your website. But that was just – okay – that was touching.


Children’s Book and Librarians


Andrew: We also found out from Jo that she’s working on a young children’s book, which actually, we already knew, but she said it’s about halfway written, and she’ll release it after the Potter series is over with. She also brought up librarians, which was pretty funny, and she said that the reason librarians in Hogwarts are so mean is so that students in the school will actually have to do the research themselves. And her perfect example was Hermione, [laughs] which I thought was pretty funny.

Laura: Yeah. Well, she actually apologized to that one woman, because she was a librarian…

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah. [imitates JK Rowling] “Sorry!”

Laura: [laughs] I can see how that would be kind of awkward.

Eric: She said, “Please don’t dislike me, I love librarians. The thing is, the answer is always in a book, but if we had good librarians, Hermione would never have to search and find it.”

Andrew: Yeah, that was pretty funny.


Book Seven


Andrew: We also found out that she was ready to change the title of Book Seven, when she was taking a shower before the second reading… [laughs]

Laura: Yeah.

Eric: [puts on a mock scandalized voice] Oh my gosh.

Andrew: Which was kind of funny.

Eric: We found that out night two.

Laura: Yeah.

Eric: So, what happened was, when we went there night one, she had a 98 percent certain title for Book Seven in her head, and night two she had a completely different set title.

Andrew: Yeah, at least we know now that she’s been thinking about the book even while she’s on a vacation, here in the States. But she’s not going to use that title. I thought she said it was too late, or something.

Laura: No, she said that – she said that she was kind of on-the-fence about it, but that she thought the newer one was better. Something along those lines. But do you guys think this bodes well for a Summer ’07 release?

Jamie: Never in a million years. I will eat 50 more sausages if…

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: If it’s released in 2007 – Summer, 2007…

Laura: I’ll be right there with you, Jamie.

Jamie: Thank you, because there is no way it’s going to be released in the Summer of 2007.

Eric: They’ve already ruined the date…

Laura: I really don’t think so…

Jamie: Of course it won’t.

Laura: I really don’t think it will…

Jamie: It would be ridiculous. She can’t write that much in that short amount of time. As I’ve said to Ben in a previous episode, she can’t pull it out of her rear end. She’s got to write it, and Book Seven, it’s the concluding part of her entire septology. She can’t just – so she has to think about ever loose end, she has to leave no stone unturned, she has to make sure it’s absolutely 100 percent finished before she gets it out. Why would she try and get it out then, when all the hype of the movies are around? And we shouldn’t really get into this again, but…

Ben: Right! And the first night – the first night of the reading, she said that she had written a good portion of Book Seven, but she felt like she had a lot left to write. And it’s important to…

Jamie, Eric and

Laura:

Yeah.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: And it’s important to remember that she has to submit the manuscript to the publishers, the publishers have to do their editing, which is what Hot Cheryl does.

Eric: Cheryl Klein.

Ben: And they have to pass around the manuscript, doing all their editing, and then they have to compare the British version to the American version and make sure that everything is – the integrity is preserved through each of them. So, I just – I wanted it Summer 2007, but now I’m pretty sure we’re looking at 2008.

Jamie: It’s not going to happen. Yeah.

Laura: Yeah. I think it’s…

Ben: We can count on 2008.

Laura: I think it’s pretty safe to assume… Yeah, I think it’s pretty safe to assume that if we haven’t heard anything by Christmas, like we did for Half-Blood Prince, then…

Andrew: Yeah, definitely.

Laura: …we probably won’t have a book by next Summer ’07.

Ben: And with Half-Blood Prince, we had the title a year before the release. We had the title…

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: …about right now. If we get the title within the next two months, then maybe, but I just… I don’t want people to get their hopes up, because she said that she – she said in her interview with Emerson and Melissa, last summer, that she was hoping to have the book written and release it in Summer 2007. But, I’d rather have her take her time and have it be really good, rather than…

Laura: Same.

Ben: … have her rush it and try to make it for the fans.

Laura: But what is with this… I mean, she’s making it sound like she’s got a long way to go, but then…

Eric: Well, no…

Laura: …we’ve got representatives from Scholastic predicting Summer ’07.

Ben: Yeah.

[Everybody laughs[

Andrew: I know!

Eric: She said…

Laura: That’s what’s confusing me.

Eric: What she actually said at the Podcast, was not that she had gotten…

Andrew: Wait! She was at our Podcast?

[Laura laughs]

Eric: I’m sorry, at the live – yes she was, but she was wearing a black wig…

Laura: She was sitting with the staff, Andrew.

Eric: …and no one noticed her but me.

Andrew: Awww!

Eric: On the floor. Anyway, what she actually said at the reading, was that she had written – she’d gotten quite a far way into Book Seven, but she felt that she hadn’t answered questions, answered a great deal of questions. It wasn’t that she felt she had a great deal more to go, she just said a lot of the big questions still haven’t been answered. And that was what upset me. But, she didn’t say anything about how much she was actually going to answer, in Book Seven. So, Book Seven could be very close to being ended – very close to being finished, which is what threw me off. But she said, “I am a great deal into it. I’m pretty far in, but I really don’t feel like I’ve answered a lot of the major questions,” and she kind of shrugged it off, like, [imitates JK Rowling’s hesitation] “Ah, yeah…”

Ben: But the simple fact that Warner Brothers chose Summer, 2007 for the movie really…

Eric: Which was a stupid idea.

Ben: Well, it really doesn’t bode well for having the book done by then. And so I just I would love to have it be next summer, but with a movie, next summer it’s going to be busy enough. So, I mean…

Laura: Yeah. Oh, if the book came out next summer, our whole summer…

Ben: Yeah.

Laura: [laughs] Would be Harry Potter.

Ben: It will probably end up being that way, anyways, but I just think…

Laura: [laughs] Yeah.

Ben: I just think that I might get a little bit burnt out. Because it would be so much fun, but I’d rather have it been drawn out more, and have something to look forward to…

Eric: Me too.

Ben: …rather than have it all…

Laura: Yeah, I think so, too.

Ben: …all at once.

Andrew: Not to mention Jo’s on a vacation now, up in the Hamptons, so I doubt she’s getting much writing in during her little vacation. Which is good.

Ben: Well, you don’t know how much writing she’s doing.

Laura: [laughs incredulously] On vacation?

Eric: We’ll see.

Ben: No, no, writers – no. No! Writers… No, that’s not what…

Eric: Well, why not? If something comes to her…

Ben: Okay, writers need, they need inspiration…

Laura: Yeah, well, if something comes to her, but…

Ben: They need inspiration, so it doesn’t matter if it’s 3:00 a.m. in the morning, and she just got done breastfeeding her latest born. She’s…

[Laura laughs]

Ben: …going to pause to go write a chapter…

Eric: Mackenzie?

Jamie: [sings] Father Mackenzie… [continues to hum]

Laura: No, it’s not that, it’s…

Andrew: Good song.

Laura: …if something came to her, then I’m sure she’d jot it down, but I don’t think she’d say, “Okay, Neal and everybody, I’m going to sit down for three hours today while we’re on vacation, and I am going to write.” I just don’t see that happening. I think that since she hasn’t been here in six years, and she’s here on vacation, she’s probably here having fun with her family. And, I completely support that.

Ben: And, anyways, it’s just two weeks. It’s not…

Andrew: Yeah. Laura makes a good point, though. Good point, Laura.


Salman Rushdie: Snape Good Or Bad?


Andrew: Now, Salman Rushdie, who is a famous author, came up with his son and proposed to Jo a “Snape: good or bad” theory. And, Eric you got the gist of it. Most of us didn’t.

Eric: So, the guy at – the guy at the reading went up to her, and this was the question that she answered the Dumbledore is truly dead thing, too. But. he talked about Snape! He went through – it was him and his son, and they went up to JKR, and they said something about how they feel that Snape is a good guy and that him and Dumbledore planned Dumbledore’s, you know, attack and death, and all that stuff. But, as a result, since Snape is good, that means Dumbledore isn’t really dead. And, he went through this elaborate thing about how Snape and Dumbledore could, you know, play off each other, and how Snape was really working for Dumbledore against Voldemort, and tricking him and stuff. And then he said, “Well, just because Snape is good, that means Dumbledore isn’t dead,” and Jo just said, “Uh, well, unfortunately, Dumbledore, Dumbledore is dead.” And, then, that’s – that’s all she said. She didn’t even touch the Snape thing. It wasn’t even – it wasn’t even like a fleeting moment…

Laura: No…

Eric: …where she was going. She just completely didn’t say anything at all. So…

Laura: Yeah. She said, “Your opinion on Snape is correct.”

Eric: Oh.

Laura: But, that’s what I thought was interesting, that she used, “opinion.” Like, she didn’t just come out and say, “You’re right about Snape.” She just said, “Your opinion on Snape is correct.” So, it just… I don’t know if she was trying to throw us off, or something. It just seemed weird to me that she did that.

Andrew: I think that was just the safest way, to her, of answering it without giving anything away.


Coming To Dinner


Ben: Okay, I have a question. What did… What was the way that Jo worded when she got asked about the five people she would get asked – she would ask from Hogwarts, or whatever, to come to dinner with her? What did she say that lead people to believe that Harry, Ron, and Hermione are going to live through the series?

Andrew: What happened, was Soledad O’Brien asked each author to name five characters from their book, that they would take to dinner. And, when it was Jo’s turn, Jo said, “Harry, Ron, and Hermione,” and then she paused to think about it. She put her head in her face and she was like, [imitates JK Rowling] “Aaah! I can’t!” Like, she gave the idea that, you know, she was having a hard time coming up with five. And then people started yelling out characters, from the audience. But then, that’s when Jo said, “Yeah, but I’m the only one who knows who lives through Book Seven.” And that was when everyone realized that she was trying to name people who, who lived through the series. So, that’s what gave away that Harry, Ron, and Hermione do live. And then she – someone was like, “Well, if it could be any character…” And then, Jo said, “Okay then, Dumbledore and Hagrid, too.”

Laura: Well, it’s not like it matters, because Emerson pretty much confirmed it…

Ben: Okay…

Laura: … for everybody at the live show.

Ben: No, that’s not true. He didn’t… No. Okay, if…

Laura: Well, if she said that they’re all going to live through the end, then…

Ben: Okay, that was so long ago. Things could have changed a million times by then. And she… It was back…

Laura: They could of, but I don’t know.

Ben: That was back when… Right now, JK Rowling’s harder to meet than the President of the United States. That was back when she was doing these smaller bookstore tours. And, I honestly – I said this in both live podcasts; if all three of those – if the Trio, if everyone of them makes it through the series, I just don’t feel that it’s actually realistic. Because Jo, I think she’s going to have to give one of them the axe. Because, as she’s said before, that they didn’t go after the extras. She does not target the extras. She goes after the ones who are closest to the main character, and the only way that she can actually do that is by nailing one of the three. And, I just don’t see how it’s realistic for us to expect all three of them to make it through. And I just don’t want it to end up, “Oh, everything’s so happily ever after! The trio went on and got married, blah blah blah.” I think you can interpret what she said that night differently.

Andrew: No, I’m telling you, you should listen to the recording, if we can find one.

Ben: Well, then, what’s the point of even – what’s the point of even reading Book Seven?

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: You know Harry’s going live.

Andrew: To see what happens to Hagrid?

Ben: I’ll just throw in the towel now.

Eric: To see the details, the in-between.

Laura: Yeah, just because – I don’t know. Just because they all live doesn’t mean everything’s going to be hunky-dory. I mean, what if something just terribly awful goes on, and Harry ends up separating himself from Ron and Hermione forever? I mean, what if he just goes and holes up somewhere and becomes a hermit? Who knows? Just because they all live does not mean it’s going to be a happy ending.

Eric: Not at all. And, the crap they go through – I mean, my God, we might be begging for something happy. I know some of us were reading Book Five and were begging for Harry not to be such a piss-ant about everything.

Laura: Yeah. And, you know, on those lines, something so terrible might happen that we might be begging for one of them to die, to just stop being miserable. I mean, who knows what’s going to happen to them? It’s a war, and I think that, like Dumbledore said, there are worse things than death. So…

Andrew: Yeah, oh, geez, yeah.

Laura: I’m with him.

Andrew: That’s a good point.


No Gandalf For Dumbledore


Eric: When she knows… You know, also, didn’t she say something like, “Dumbledore wouldn’t pull a Gandalf, but any other…”

Laura: Yes!

Eric: Well, she said that, but also she said – she kind of hinted that he might still be able to affect Harry or something. He does, maybe – to guide Harry, like maybe a portrait, or something like that. Because I think someone asked her that question, and she just said, “Well he’s not, you know, you couldn’t expect him to pull a Gandalf.”

Laura: You know, I felt so vindicated when I heard that, because the first night after the reading, I’m walking out of Radio City Music Hall and there is this guy, and he’s just going insane and telling everyone around him that Dumbledore is alive because Dumbledore made a Horcrux.

[Eric sighs]

Laura: And this guy turns to me and he’s yelling at me to go to Dumbledoreisnotdead.com, and he’s like, “Dumbledore made a Horcrux!” And I’m like, “No, he didn’t.” And he said, “Yes, he did.” And I’m like, “Dumbledore does not have the type of malice that a person would need to have to want to create a Horcrux, because even if he did kill somebody, he’s not going to split his soul, because that would make it impure.” And this guy is in my face yelling at me.

[Andrew laughs.]

Laura: And I just felt so…

[Eric laughs]

Laura: I just – I threw my arms in the air. I was like, “YES!” And Jess, you know, who’s the Dumbledore hater, she was beside me and she’s just freaking out, and she’s all happy. So, it was a wonderful moment.

Andrew: [laughs] It was probably the guy from Dumbledoreisnotdead.com. [laughs]

Ben: I’m going to think of a way to twist and contort what Jo said that night.

[Laura snorts]

Ben: Distort…

Eric: Into what?

Laura: Okay, I have no idea why, but I just spit soda, like everywhere. [laughs]

Ben: No, I’m going to – I’m going to find a way to prove to you that there’s still room to kill Ron and Hermione.

Andrew: I’m telling you, man. Listen to that audio and you will be very convinced that they are going to die, because it definitely came off as a slip-up.

Ben: No, okay, she’s very deceptive. You know she’s very deceptive. She’s very tricky. There’s – so, I wouldn’t put it past her.

Andrew: Yeah, but you could tell she didn’t do it on purpose. I’ll show it to you later.

Eric: But, later that night, too, there was, like – one of the final questions she was asked was so big. It was one she absolutely had to ignore and she said, “You guys should feel happy. I gave you Harry, Hermione, you know? I gave you Dumbledore. I gave you Petunia.” She was listing all these things she thought we clearly were given by her and, so you know, I don’t think that’s still the question.


Petunia


Eric: And the things she said about Petunia was that there is, quote, “more to her than meets the eye,” which makes it seem like she’s a witch to me, but I guess that could be interpreted…

Laura: No, didn’t she debunk that?

Eric: Maybe somewhere, but she said there’s – someone asked her about Petunia. Oh, yeah! “Will Petunia be sad that Harry’s last time on Privet Drive is this summer?” Or something. It was like that question, and she answered it kind of like that.


Ben Knows The “Truth”


Ben: Well, guys, something I want to point out is that, even though I know several of you probably enjoy seeing one of the Trio die with me, you’re just holding out for popularity, or something.

[Andrew laughs.]

Ben: Got to say they’re all going to live…

Laura: No, you know what? If it…

Ben: So all the fans love me. I’m sorry, I’m not saying this to be hated…

[Laura laughs.]

Ben: I just – this is just the way I feel.

Andrew: You feel very strongly about this, Ben.

Ben: I’m standing up for what I believe in.


Final Thoughts On The Evening


Laura: No, you know what? I – I mean, I would be very sad if one of the members of the Trio died, but at the same time, I would understand that that’s reality. I could go with it either way. Although okay, I had one thing that I wanted to say. Was anyone else surprised that Stephen King and John Irving did not read from Carrie and The World According to Garp?

Jamie: Yes

Laura: Since that was what it was called! [laughs]

Ben: Well, it’s just what they’re – it’s just what they’re really famous for reading. That’s what – no, famous for writing. So, it was…

Laura: Yeah, but I just figured that if that’s what they were calling it, then…

Eric: Well, “Harry” is so vague. “Harry” could be any of the books, so that’s not really fair to the authors to call it “Harry, Carrie, and Garp,” if they are actually going to make them read those novels…

Laura: Yeah, I guess.

Eric: Because, what JK Rowling novel is Jo not going to read that isn’t a “Harry” book? The rabbit one?

Ben: Yeah, that’s… So, that’s what I was going to say. The rabbit book she wrote when she was six.

Andrew: That would be interesting to hear, at least.

Eric: Dude, that would be cool. That would be fun.

Laura: But, apart from that, I had a great time.

Andrew: Yeah, it really was an excellent…

Laura: Awesome.

Andrew: …event put on by Scholastic, and hopefully she’ll do something like this in the future. Maybe in another six years.

[Laura and Eric laugh.]

Laura: I hope she does, but one of the reasons that I was so adamant to go, is because, I mean, it’s really a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Even it we do see her again, we’re not going to probably see her reading alongside such great authors such as Stephen King and John Irving. So, I’m not sure we’ll ever get to see anything quite like it again.

Andrew: Right, yeah, combined with those two other authors, it really was a unique night.

Laura: Mhm.


Gifts


Laura: We actually had a lot of cool people at the Vegas and New York shows who brought us things. I think… I want to say…

Andrew: I think I know who you’re talking about.

Laura: Yeah.

Andrew: Jennifer and Kelly.

Laura: Yes!

Eric: Time to thank them.

Jamie: In New York.

Andrew: They made us nice little goodie bags filled with chocolate and hats…

Ben: Goodie bags.

Andrew: …and a few other different things. Oh, we all got a little personalized letter. It was very nice. And we also got a little kangaroos from – who was it again, Jamie? What was her name? The Australian girl.

Jamie: Erica. Erica.

Andrew: Yeah, thanks to her for those little kangaroos. I also – I don’t know if anyone else did – I got a little iPod carrier from someone. I forget your name, please e-mail me and then I’ll thank you. It has a little “A” on it, and it’s in Gryffindor colors, it’s really nice.

Laura: In New York, a really lovely, wonderful girl, named Katie, brought me a bunch of Save Darfur bracelets, because she and a friend of hers are really into the cause. And they made a little movie about it, and it was at their school’s Academy-Award-type thing for student-made movies. So, I wanted to thank her for being really into that cause, because that’s something that’s very important to me, and it was really sweet of her to bring those for me.

Andrew: And we also got cards from a girl named Christina. She all made us little personalized cards with a little note.

Laura: Oh, yeah, those were so cute!

Andrew: Yeah, so thanks again to everyone who came out to the live shows. We had a great time meeting everyone. Anyone else got anything to add?

Ben: [singing] And you can tell everybody, that this is your show…

Jamie: I’d just like to say…

Eric: [singing] This is your show…

Jamie: I’d like to say something very quickly. This is going to be brief. I’d just like to say to everyone, that every time we touch I feel the static…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: …and every time we touch I reach for the sky. Can’t you feel my heart beat slow? I can’t let you go. I want you in my life. All of you.

[Laura laughs]

Andrew: Oh, wow!

Jamie: So, thank you very much.

Andrew: That’s very nice.

Ben: [singing] You can tell everybody, that this is your show…


Show Close


Andrew [Show Close with music in background]: So, once again, thanks to everyone for listening in for the past year. We really appreciate everyone’s support. All the e-mails. All the thank-yous. All the everything that we get.

Laura: We love you guys.

Andrew: Exactly. On that note, let’s give you our contact information one last time. The PO Box, Ben?

Ben: PO Box 223, Moundridge, Kansas, 67107.

Andrew: You can also leave a voice mail for us. In the United States dial, 1-218-20-MAGIC. If in the United Kingdom, you can dial 02081440677. If in Australia, just for Erica, you can dial 0280035668. Don’t forget, you can also email us, mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com. Skype the username, MuggleCast. You can leave a voice mail that way, too. And do not forget to vote for us at the 2006 Podcast Awards. Vote for MuggleCast in “People’s Choice” and PotterCast in “Best Entertainment.” Once again, I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: I’m Ben Schoen.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson

Jamie: And I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Andrew: Oh my god, Eric and Jamie, that was the most depressing goodbye.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: Sorry. And I’m Jamie Lawrence. Goodbye! [smacks lips]

Eric: And bye! Done!

Andrew: That’s better. We leave you tonight with voice mails from listeners like you, who can recall some favorite MuggleCast moments from the past year. Once again, thank you, thank you, thank you, to everyone, for listening. And we’ll see you next week for Episode 51.


Jamie’s Singing


Jamie: [singing off tune] Who wants to live forever?

[To Ben] Come on.

Ben: I don’t know that one.

Jamie: [singing] Who wants to live forever? Who wants to live forever?

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Come on!

[Still singing off tune] Oooooh….. Who dares to love forever? Aaaahh!

Melissa: The maids are laughing hysterically at you.

Jamie: Sorry?

Melissa: The maids are laughing hysterically at you.

Jamie: Oh, really?

Melissa: Yeah, they’re cracking up.

Ben: Do I’m Proud to be an American?

Jamie: Sorry?

Ben: Do I’m Proud to be an American?

Andrew: Yeah, that’s the best.

Melissa: What? Nobody is videotaping this!

Jamie: [singing off tune]

New York to L.A.
In every American heart,
And it’s time we stand and say,

That I’m proud to be an American,
Where at least I know I’m free.
I won’t forget the men who died,
Who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
Next to you…

There ain’t no doubt I love this land…
God bless the USA.

[Andrew laughs]

[Jamie takes a long pause to breathe]

Jamie: [resumes singing]

And we’re proud to be an American,
Where at least I know I’m free.

Kevin: [laughs] You’re going to fall.

Jamie: [still singing]

And I won’t forget the men who died,
Who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up…

[Stops singing to speak] Oh my God, I’m so tired!

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: Andrew, do you have to pay for Acquisition?

Jamie: [still singing]

…still today.
And there ain’t no doubt I love this land.
God bless the USA!

Kevin: Wait what?

Andrew: That was beautiful!


Listener Favorite Moments


[Audio]: Hi, MuggleCast, this is Marissa Bowers, 14, of Pennsylvania. And I wanted to call about the favorite Podcast numbers and moments. And I have to say that one of my favorite moments is Jamie’s proposal. I laughed for ten minutes, of course. Or more. And rewound it about five times. And my other favorite moment is Jamie’s bet with the sausages. Mmmm. Good times. Can’t wait. And you know what? I just really want that to happen. As much I don’t want Harry to die, I just still want that to happen. Thanks! Love the show! Bye!

[Audio]: Hello, MuggleCast, this is [inaudible] from Canada. My favorite MuggleCast moment has to be this: “This is MuggleCast Episode 18, December 04, 2005.” Want to know why? Because it’s the first ever MuggleCast episode I’ve ever listened to. So, Muggle-Show, you can keep it up! Bye!

[Audio]: Hey, guys, it’s Nicole from New Hampshire, and I just want to say, Happy 50th Episode. And I love the show. One of my favorite moments is when Matt Vines said Jo was full of it. I love the show! Bye!

[Audio]: Hi, this is Tori from Texas, calling in for Episode 50, our favorite MuggleCast moments. I think my favorite moment, pretty recently, is Dumpster-Diving Jo. Every time I listen to that one, I just crack up and can’t stop laughing. So, that would have to be my favorite MuggleCast moment. All right, guys, keep up the show! Bye!

[Audio]: Hi, MuggleCast, I was just calling to tell you one my favorite moments from MuggleCast. One of my favorite moments was when, on Episode 23, Melissa called into the Advice Segment and pretended to be Julie even though you guys probably knew it was her, but, I just – it took me a while to figure it out, and when I did figure it out, it was really funny. So, I really liked that! Bye!

[Audio]: Hey, MuggleCast, this is Katie from Florida, and I just wanted to say, I love, absolutely love, your show. And you sure make me feel like I’m not the only nerd out there. And I love you, Ben! Bye!

[Audio]: Hi, this is Liz from Maryland, and I was just at your live show in New York City, and I had a great time! When I first saw you all come out there, it just reminded me how much joy you guys actually bring to my life. And I know I speak for a lot of MuggleCast fans when I say that you guys definitely make the week a whole lot better. And I would seriously, truly, I don’t know what I would do without MuggleCast. You guys are amazing. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do. Um, yep, I want to marry Ben Schoen! Okay, bye!

[Audio]: Hi, Andrew and Ben! [receives prompting] It’s Ryan Sims! Have fun in Las Vegas! Okay, bye!

[Audio]: Hello, my name is Johnny. And I live in Georgia, which is very close to where Laura lives. And I want to meet up with her, and we’re going to have several little Muggles! Bye!

———————–

Written by: Micah, Allison, Amanda, Eloise, Margaret, Martina, and Roni

Transcript #49

MuggleCast 49 Transcript


Show Intro


Melissa Anelli [Show Intro with music in background]: Coming to you from our Dance Dance Revolution Center in Las Vegas, Nevada…

Andrew: …this is MuggleCast Episode 49 for July 25, 2006.

[John Noe cheers in background]

Melissa: No, no, no. I’ve got a better idea. Forget the show. Let’s go do Dance Dance. I challenge you!

Andrew: Melissa, get off my show.

John: Tell me when.

Andrew: Go ahead.

John: Tell me when!

Andrew: Go ahead!

John: See why doe…[laughs] Hold on. See why GoDaddy.com is the world’s number one domain registrant. Enter the code “Ron” to receive 10% off your GoDaddy purchase for the next seven years.

[Everyone laughs]

John: Wait, what do I have – I forget what I have to say.

Andrew: [singing] Visit GoDaddy today!

Jamie: Well, considering Andrew’s previous experience with live MuggleCast…

Andrew: Excuse me, Jamie! Excuse me.

Jamie: Yes, Andrew?

Andrew: The music. Don’t you hear the music?

Jamie: No.

Eric: What music?

Jamie: I must admit I don’t.

Andrew: [turns up the volume and MuggleCast theme plays] You hear it now?

Jamie: Oh yeah, I do. Yeah, I do.

Eric: That’s pretty.

Andrew: It is. Isn’t this nice? Look, we have music. We’re like – like this is the intro we’re doing, right now.

Jamie: Ben standing there?

Andrew: Yes.

Eric: See why GoDaddy.com offers the best domain name registrations worldwide. Enter code “Ron” and you’ll receive…

Andrew: Hurry up! It’s going to play…

[Interrupted by Show Intro music]

Ben: Aaah!

Andrew [Intro music in background]: I knew that was going to happen. Hello everyone, and welcome back to the show. I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: I’m Ben Schoen.

Kevin: I’m Kevin Steck.

Eric: I’m Eric Scull.

[Long pause]

Jamie: Oh, sorry, and I’m Jamie Lawrence. [Phone rings] Okay, sorry.

Andrew: Jamie, you already screwed this up.

[Phone keeps ringing]

Jamie: Yeah, I know, because my phone’s just gone. I know that’s the worst timing ever. I’m – I’m really, really sorry.

Kevin: You do realize we’re live, Jamie, right?

Jamie: I do, I do. And I’m sure that everyone understands. Can I quickly answer this? One second.

Andrew: Eric – I mean Jamie – look at this. Live and he’s doing something. All right. Well, before we go anywhere else – first off, Micah Tannenbaum is standing by in the MuggleCast News Center with the past week’s top Harry Potter news stories.


News


Micah: CBBC Newsround conducted an interview earlier this week with Evanna Lynch. In it, she talks about getting the role of Luna, reactions from fans, and much more. There are transcript, video, and pictures available. Be sure to check out EvannaLynchFans.com for the latest news on the actress playing Luna Lovegood.

ComicBookResources.com has posted a report on what Order of the Phoenix director David Yates and Dan Radcliffe had to say at Comic-Con. They talked about Professor Umbridge, Hagrid’s half-brother Grawp, and Dan tried to get a word in concerning his big kissing scene. You can check out the full report over on MuggleNet.com.

Cinemark, America’s third biggest theater chain, has announced that it plans to use “Real D” technology in 150 theaters by the end of 2007, thus attracting more audiences. Real D enables a single digital projector to beam images that seem to move toward or away from viewers wearing special glasses. While we already know that Order of the Phoenix will be played in IMAX theaters, the company has apparently discussed with Order of the Phoenix producers the idea of including some 3-D scenes in the movie for some non-IMAX theaters.

James Krasner, a professor of English and British Victorian literature at the University of New Hampshire, has spoken out on the recent media frenzy over two characters dying in the seventh book, and why it won’t be Harry who meets his death. He said: “Whenever an author’s books become very popular in his or her lifetime, as is the case with Rowling, a tug of war starts between the author and the fans about who the characters really belong to. Rowling, like Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes), is trying to assert her control. She’s reminding us that Harry is her character, not ours; she can kill him if she wants to. Doyle actually did kill off Sherlock Holmes, but Rowling won’t go that far because she cares about Harry. Conan Doyle was really sick of Holmes,” Krasner says.

TV Guide recently spoke with Jason Issacs, the actor who plays Lucius Malfoy in the Potter films, including the upcoming Order of the Phoenix. Jason spoke about when he will begin filming the fifth film and how exciting he thinks it will be to shoot the battle in the Ministry.

Finally, Sony Classics has confirmed on their official website that Rupert’s film, Driving Lessons, will indeed be released on October 13th, 2006.

That’s all the news for this July 23, 2006 edition of MuggleCast. Enjoy the live shows!

Andrew: Okay, thank you Micah.


First LIVE Show


Andrew: Well, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this live MuggleCast. This is our first one. I think everything’s going smoothly, except for our server guys told me that the Skype people are a little loud. That would be Jamie, Kevin and Eric. So…

Kevin: Oh.

Eric: Okay!

Andrew: …you guys just, you know, kick it back a little bit. Don’t forget you can submit live feedback: MuggleCast.com slash live. [laughs] You should change that to apex.html…

Ben: MuggleCast slash live. MuggleCast.com slash live.

Andrew: …to submit live feedback to the show, you can submit whatever you want. You can submit Listener Rebuttals, right here, while we’re talking, basically. So, if we’re discussing something and you’re like “Oh, wait a second, hold up,” or something – “I disagree with this,” feel free to go to MuggleCast.com slash live, and then we’ll get your live feedback and we will respond to it on the air. Not everyone’s, but, you know.


Announcements


Andrew: We have a few announcements this week. First of all, do not forget, – Jamie, please especially you, do not forget to purchase your MuggleCast t-shirt.

Jamie: I must admit, I did almost forget. I haven’t heard it for so long.

Andrew: It did.

Jamie: It slipped my mind, you know. I did, yeah.

Andrew: And Lumos 2006 and NYC 2006 are quickly approaching. They are approaching so fast that Ben Schoen is already here. He just walked away from the computer, but he is here with me in the studio this week. Ben, do you like being with me?

Ben: Not really.

Andrew: Why not?

Ben: He smells. The worst breath ever.

[Andrew and Kevin laugh]

Andrew: I beg to differ. My voice – er, my breath smells voluptuous.

Jamie: [laughs] Voluptuous.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Twenty minutes ago, Andrew and I ran out to a convenient store called WaWa because I had a craving for some diet soda.

Andrew: And…

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: And that’s why we started late.

Ben: Yeah. [Laughs]

Andrew: Yes. Actually, yeah, I blame it on Eric. If you’re hearing Skype sounds, don’t mind that. That’s just Skype being you know, Skype.

Ben: Yeah.

Andrew: And, do not forget, the Podcast – well, you can forget, because the [laughs] the Podcast Awards are now – well, nominations are now closed. We will be hearing if we did get a nomination within the next week or so, and then the voting will begin. So stand by for next week’s show. We’ll let you know if we did pick up a nomination. Then…

Jamie: And also…

Andrew: Yes, Jamie.

Jamie: Don’t forget to R.S.V.P. for Lumos and NYC…

Andrew: Oh, I forgot.

Jamie: …and ten points to anyone who can still remember what R.S.V.P. stands for.

Eric and Ben: Rpondez, s’il vous pla”t.

Eric: Rpondez, s’il vous pla”t. Rpondez, s’il vous pla”t. Rpondez, s’il vous pla”t.

Andrew: That might be the…

Ben: Eric. Hey, Eric. Tone it down a notch, let’s tone it down.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: You don’t get 50 points for saying it three times.

Ben: One final…

Eric: Oh, yay.

Andrew: Let’s not get into this.

Ben: One final announcement we have this week is vote for MuggleCast on Podcast Alley.

Andrew: Right!

Ben: Right now, if there are 150 people listening, that’ll give us enough votes to overtake PotterCast – not PotterCast, to overtake everyone forever, okay – to put us at No. 1. So you go ahead and vote for MuggleCast on Podcast Alley today. Please.

Kevin: That slip is going to cost you, Ben.

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: And if you do…

Ben: I know.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: What’d you slip? What’d you say?

Jamie: You’re going downhill.

[Andrew laughs]

Kevin: Oh, you’re so going downhill.

Andrew: This is live, folks! Well, actually, I think we might edit the live one just a little bit.

Ben: Maybe.

Andrew: I don’t know. It depends on what we say.

Kevin: You really can’t. Don’t edit.

Andrew: If we’re the top Podcast on Podcast Alley at the end of the month, Eric, what are you going to do for the listeners?

Eric: I don’t know. I said I’d sing, but I’m not sure about that anymore.

Andrew: What?

Jamie: He’s going to stop talking for five minutes.

Eric: No, no, no. Save gas money, seriously. Yeah, save gas money.

Jamie: Yes, say yes, man!

Eric: Oh, by the way, can I do an update about that?

Andrew: Sure. Real quick.

Eric: Okay, we’re just going to – anybody who’s interested in saving gas money, I call you the “Gas Guzzlers.” We’re going to meet in the lobby of the J. W. Marriott on July 27th after Harry and the Potters, which will be around 10:15 pm on that night. So, that’s it. Just meet me there and bring your Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Thank you!

Andrew: And also, we have…

Jamie: Eric, that was good.

Eric: Thank you.

Andrew: Yeah, that was awful quick. That was sweet, thanks.

Kevin: It was, yeah.


Book Reading Giveaway


Andrew: Also, we have a special giveaway exclusively for our live visitors right now.

Ben: Just for you.

Andrew: We are giving away one ticket to night two of JK Rowling’s reading with Stephen Fry and John Irving.

Ben: No.

Jamie: Sorry, no, it’s Stephen King.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Stephen King! I always screw that up. [Laughs] I always screw that up. Stephen King and John Irving – right this very second. Actually, we’re going to give it away at the end of the show – but to enter, and this is for the live listeners only – go to our live feedback and type in “I want to win the JK Rowling book reading ticket.” [laughs]

Jamie: Dot com.

Andrew: Dot com. No, go to MuggleCast.com/live and put in the little body of your feedback, “I want to win the JK Rowling giveaway ticket.” It is for the Orchestra 3 Section, Row FF, Seat 304. The seat is really nice, and this contest is sponsored by JKR’s Army, which is a group on MuggleNet.com to help protect you guys from being scammed online, and you can get to their page by going to the Merchandise link on the Nav Bar on MuggleNet.com. We’ll have a link in the Show Notes of course, but to go there, submit it. And then, at the end of the show when we have live call-ins we will ask one of our callers to pick a number between one and the amount of entries that we receive, and then…

Jamie: Four million.

Andrew: …that person – it will be four million. An then that person will receive the ticket. They will have to pick it up at the live – nice welcome, whoever just signed on, on AOL.

Eric: Oh.

Andrew: [laughs] They will have to pick it up at our live Podcast in New York City, which is on August 2nd. Oh – oh my gosh, we already got one feedback. Go, click it. This is – Dana from Wisconsin wants it. She’s our first entry so far.

Ben: And remember, you actually have to be in New York City on August 2nd.

Andrew: Yeah, you have to be there to pick up the ticket. [Laughs]

Ben: Otherwise, it won’t work very well.

Andrew: Yeah, so good luck to everyone.


Listener Rebuttals – Room of Requirement


Andrew: Listener Rebuttals this week: our first one comes from Jordan, 15, of Massachusetts:

Ben:

“In Episode 48, the Room of Requirement was a very heated topic, but when discussing it I think you may have forgotten one thing: That the Room will change into a room that you need. It is not like a genie where you get wishes and can ask for anything. The Room does not give you objects, but a room full items in order to obtain what you desire. For example, if Harry walked by the Room wanting to find Horcruxes, he would not be able to wish for the Horcruxes, but he may be able to ask for a room equipped with things to track them down, or to map out places where they could be. The Room would not be able to hand over the Horcruxes themselves. Therefore, I think that the Room will give you a room whether it’s to hide something, to use the bathroom, or to study in. The Room wouldn’t give you an A on your paper, but tools to study with to achieve that A. Love to hear your thoughts. Thanks.”

Andrew: That’s a great example, and we got a TON of feedback on the Room of Requirement with last week’s Episode 58, because people seem to think that we missed this huge point that Jordan just pointed out. So thanks to her for that. Another feedback comes from Erica, 13, of Virginia.

Jamie: Ooo!

Andrew: What, Jamie?

Eric: What, Jamie?

Jamie: Can we talk about it? [Laughs]

Eric: I think it’s really cool. It’s a good interpretation on what you would get if you asked for a certain room, and we did miss that. I think that was cool.

Jamie: Don’t you think it’s kind of similar to the discussion we had about the Mirror?

Kevin: Definitely.

Jamie: As in it has limitations and…

Kevin: Yeah, that’s what I was going to say.

Jamie: It can’t give you exactly what you want, what you really, really want, obviously. But yeah.

Ben [Sings]: Give you everything that you want…

Jamie: I’ve lost where I’m going, completely.

Andrew: That’s okay. This is live.

Kevin: Well, I was going to say that although the Room may be able to provide you with the things that may help you, I believe it still has limitations to how far it can help you.

Jamie: Yeah, but if you – if you, like, wanted a steak…

[Kevin laughs]

Jamie: Would you find a cow and a knife and a barbecue, or would you find a steak?

[Eric laughs]

Jamie: ‘Cause I think you’d find a steak, to be fair.

Andrew: Well, I don’t think the Room of Requirement is to provide people’s steaks.

Jamie: But if you’re starving and you really, really, really, really want one.

Eric: I don’t know, let’s open that one up to the listeners. [laughs]

Andrew: Well, maybe they’ll show how to make the steak. [laughs] Not give you a cow, but…

Jamie: Free your mind, Andrew!

Eric: A cow and a knife? I don’t know.

Andrew: Maybe they’ll get a butcher or something. Anyway, before we go on to the next Rebuttal, we got a lot of feedback, actually.

Ben: E-mail.

Andrew: These are people saying they want the ticket. I think we’re up to – how many? We’re getting them by the second. We just went from 81 to 94.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: I think the feedback’s working. Next Listener Rebuttal comes from Erica, 13, of Virginia also in response to the Room of Requirement:

“Hi MuggleCast, this is Erica, 13, of Virginia. My Rebuttal is regarding the Room of Requirement. Ben said something about not being able to be in the Room of Requirement at the same time unless the door’s open. Well listening to the audio CD’s of Half-Blood Prince, it says that Professor Trelawney heard a male cheering for doing something successful when she went into the Room to hide her bottles. Does this mean it is possible for people to see different rooms or be in the Room at the same time?”

Ben: I’m kind of confused about what she’s meaning. I don’t know.

p>Eric: I think she means Draco Malfoy, like when Trelawney went in to hide her sherry bottles and she entered.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: But I thought it was the same room that Draco was in.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly. I was going to say that. Didn’t she just find that huge room and she just hid the bottles in there?

Eric: Yeah, because he – well, no. I think it was a smaller room because Draco – like, she heard him, but he turned around then and did his darkness powder thing.

Jamie: Oh yeah.

Eric: So that was the same room that they were in.

Ben: One little update here: Leila, please stop submitting that you want to win the JK Rowling tickets.

Andrew: [laughs] We get it!

Ben: The more times you submit it does not mean your going to have more chances to win. So…

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: This is not a random drawing. Well, it sort of is, but we’re going to be able to tell. Yeah, so only submit one, please. Next listener rebuttal.


Listener Rebuttals – More Room of Requirement


Ben: This comes from Chris, age 23, from Chicago, once again the Room of Requirement. “Filch uses it whenever he runs out of cleaning products and what-not. It makes a store cupboard of products that he takes out and uses. So yes, you can take things out.”

Jamie: But doesn’t this kind of contradict that you…

Ben: Last week we were debating over…what?

Jamie: That you can’t make something from nothing. So if he takes them out, can he keep them? Can he take them up to his room and store them there and use them again, or do you have to put them back?

Ben: What I mean is that it comes from somewhere.

Eric: Yeah, well.

Ben: If that make sense.

Eric: If Filch keeps taking stuff out – I don’t know, that’s really weird. But if he keeps – if he runs out of supplies and then goes and gets supplies, maybe they don’t need to make something from nothing.

Andrew: Well, the problem with this rebuttal was that he didn’t provide an exact page and I meant to mention that before we read this.

Eric: Weren’t we inclining…

Andrew: Anyway – go ahead.

Eric: I’m sorry.

Andrew: No, go ahead.

Eric:Last week, weren’t we inclining to say that it was a little bit weird that, you know, that there’s like this giant stock room that it can only pull from. So, did we decide whether it has to come from somewhere or not? Could it just…

Jamie: I don’t think we reached a conclusion, just like we never do.

[Eric and Jamie laugh]

Eric: Because that would be a really, really big room of stuff the Room of Requirement could actually use. I don’t think that would make sense. Maybe it does come from nothing. Hmmm.


Main Discussion – Magical Schools


Andrew: Alright, so now we are going to move on to our main discussion this week. I know that we just lost a connection, so I think everyone is going to be reconnecting right now. But Jamie, you put together this fantastic main discussion on magical schools.

Jamie: Okay. This came from the fact that I thought – I remember Jo said in an interview that there were a thousand students that went to Hogwarts, and I remember there was quite a lot of discussion about this. And people thought it didn’t seem right because of how many people you saw in the film with how many people it talked about in the books; and everyone reached a conclusion, or it was a general consensus, that there were 300 people at the school. So if we assume that there are 300 people at Durmstrang and Beauxbatons as well, then that’s 900 magical children in the world, and that doesn’t seem very many considering how big the magical community is. There’s a Ministry for Magic here, there’s probably – it’s likely that there’s one abroad as well, in several countries. So I think – what’s happening here? Are we missing something, or is it just an error in the books?

Kevin: Well, I think there’s an inconsistency with the – I guess it’s sort of like an illusion of a lot of people, but it’s not necessarily as many as we think.

Jamie: No, that’s not…

Kevin: I mean, you have to remember that when we saw the Quidditch World Cup and they showed all of these wizarding people, it was from Harry’s perspective. So from Harry’s perspective, there were loads of people, but loads of people to Harry could be 2,000 people.

Ben: Yeah, these definitely aren’t the only three schools.

Kevin: That’s correct, yeah.

Ben: Because there has to be a school in America.

Jamie: It’s impossible – yeah.

Kevin: But it would be fitting to think that wizards aren’t all that commonplace. They only make up a very small portion of the world community, so you would think that there weren’t very many.

Jamie: Is that true, though? That wouldn’t make them small.

Kevin: I would assume so. You have to remember they’re small enough that they can blend in and…

Jamie: Well, they’re clever enough to blend in, though. It could just be there are a lot of them, and they’re spread through out the world. But they’re – after however many centuries of blending in with people, they can work it pretty well. But I just can’t believe that there are any less than a normal sort of human population.

Eric: Yeah. I think so.

Jamie: It doesn’t seem right.

Eric: I agree with Jamie. I don’t think JKR, throughout the whole series, has ever kept it on a small scale.

Jamie: Right.

Eric: If you look at it, the wizards have their own rock band, The Weird Sisters. They have Celestina Warbek. They have their own love songs. They have their own radio station.

Kevin: Yeah, but that’s part of any community.

Eric: Well, one of the things that does support the smaller community aspect or the scale of things is that Hogsmeade is the only apparently all wizarding – you know…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Or was that in Britain or in the world? Was it just…?

Jamie: That was Britain, I think.

Kevin: Britain.

Eric: Britain, okay.

Jamie: Well, doesn’t that just suggest that wizards are blending in with humans more and that’s just one where they can all…

Kevin: Yeah, but that’s what I’m saying. I mean, the more wizards you have blending in with quote-unquote “normal people,” you’re going to draw attention just by doing that. I mean, you have to remember – look at Ron’s house. It is definitely a wizarding house.

Jamie: Yeah.

Kevin: And if you had millions of houses through out Britain that were like that, you would think that at least some people would, you know, take notice.

Eric: Especially…

Kevin: I think it’s small scale enough so that they blend in to the point where no one notices.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Especially because wizards don’t seem to be the most up-to-date on how to blend in with Muggles. You know, it seems there would have to be a small population, because otherwise there would be no reason why Muggles shouldn’t know. But then again…

Jamie: Of course there is, of course there is. There are loads of reasons.

Eric: The wizards always do boast about how little the Muggles actually see.

Jamie: Exactly, and…

Eric: How much they notice.

Jamie: But if the – you couldn’t expect the Muggles to live with the wizards in harmony, because they’d want magical solutions to their problems.

Eric: True. I mean – right.

Jamie: They’d want to see spells. It takes a wizard to understand that it isn’t that kind of “wow” magic. Its a lifestyle.

Kevin: Either that, or they just wouldn’t understand it.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Eric: There’s a difference between living along side and knowing about it. I mean, I think wizards could live amongst Muggles without the Muggles actually knowing what they were.

Ben: At least, they’re doing that now aren’t they.

Kevin: Yeah, but see, that’s what I find hard to believe, because just for example, Harry and Ron with the invisibility car.

Eric: Mmmm.

Kevin: That was one pair of kids that made themselves public in front of all these Muggles.

Ben: But would it uphold in the whole Department of Ministry.

Kevin: What would happen if you had millions of children doing that?

Eric: Hmmm.

Jamie: But it’s like…

Eric: It’s kind of a little bit too careless.

Kevin: Exactly. The whole story caters to the fact that there’s a small community and not some huge uncontrollable beast, you know?

Ben: Right, but there’s a whole department within the Ministry for that.

Kevin: Yes, I understand that, but can…

Ben: And the Obliviators that’s dedicated to preventing that from happening…

Kevin: I understand.

Ben: …preventing it from getting out.

Kevin: Yes, I understand you could control, but two million…

Eric: Well, again – again Kevin, there is a Salem Witch School that JKR mentions in – I think its either Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them or, sorry, Quidditch Through the Ages, something like that – Quidditch Through the Ages, all these other schools, all these other places. It seems like the sky is the limit with JKR about how expansive her world is. She really wants to make it this huge, giant world with…

Kevin: Oh yes. I’m not arguing that they’re spread out, but what I’m saying is…

Eric: Yeah, I understand.

Kevin: …they’re not in high enough concentration in anywhere in the world that twenty people in a single Ministry cannot take care of it. Do you know what I’m saying?

Eric: Which is interesting – I mean, I know what your saying, but I’m just – with having a…

Kevin: Because mistakes are bound to happen, and the more people you have, the more mistakes are bound to happen.

Eric: Right.

Ben: Well, here’s what I think.

Kevin: I find it hard to believe that a single department can take care of a million people like the scale is.

Eric: But what’s interesting to me is that Hogwarts – is Hogwarts the school for everybody in Britain to go to, every wizard in Britain, and is Beauxbatons the only French school for everybody in France to go to? You know, all the wizards. Is that how that works?

Kevin: I’m not really sure if its… Has she ever truly distinguished?

Eric: Because – well, we’ve seen people like Seamus Finnigan come from a distinctive region in Britain or Wales. I don’t know exactly where, but it seemed that all of – pretty much Britain, all of England, was represented at Hogwarts and all of – so it would make sense that if you’re a wizard and if you live in that country, if you live in that area, you would go to Hogwarts, and if you live in France you would go to Beauxbatons. So the question is though, about the small population thing, Hogwarts only holding either 300 or even 1,000 – my high school holds 1,200 people, and that’s just in a few maybe square miles of school. You know, Britain is bigger than Burkes’ County. So you’d think there’d be a lot more people.

Jamie: Don’t forget…

Kevin: Well I think…

Jamie: Go on Kevin.

Kevin: Oh. What I was going to say is I think that there are quite a few wizards, I’m not arguing that. But I’m saying that they’re spread out throughout billions of people in the world, and they’re not in high enough concentration to say, “Hey! We’re wizards.” And actually, we had some feedback from Kim that just said “At the Quidditch World Cup, the stadium held hundreds of thousands of people, and it sold out.”

Jamie: Yeah. But I was going to…

Kevin: How – okay, continue. Sorry.

Jamie: It’s okay. I was just going to say that in Goblet of Fire, we saw the Bulgarian minister, so it’s clear that the Ministry of Magic is just a domestic thing.

Kevin: A small subsidiary, yeah.

Jamie: Well, no. It’s just a domestic thing. There’s no ‘Wizarding World Government’. It’s just like there’s one on each continent, country, so there’s clearly a population in each country. I just think there’s got to be more than a few thousand wizards, because they’d be close to extinction.

Kevin: But…

Jamie: If you think the war between Voldemort and the Order of the Phoenix has got to branch, that has to include a few thousand, including people who fight on a sort of rim, just in that. So I just don’t think that a few thousand’s that reasonable of an estimate.

Ben: There has to be tons.

Kevin: I wouldn’t say that a few thousand is a reasonable estimate, but I wouldn’t say that they’re anywhere compared to the normal, average person’s population. How many people are living in London right now?

Jamie: About 8 million.

Kevin: Exactly. And how many from London are going to Hogwarts, which is the closest school to it?

Jamie: No – loads, yeah. I completely agree, but do you think that just means that there’s eight per country?

Kevin: What was that? You broke out.

Jamie: Sorry. Do you think that just means there’s one school per country?

Kevin: Maybe not necessarily, but all I’m saying is that if there’s eight million people in London, and there’s how many have been named in Hogwarts? 900 or 1000?

Eric: Yeah.

Kevin: Imagine eight to one thousand – eight million compared to a thousand children.

Eric: That’s like looking at…

Ben: Its also important to remember that in one of the books, Draco’s dad was thinking about sending him to Durmstrang, so they’re not required to go to the school that’s within their own country.

Kevin: Oh absolutely, yes.

Eric: But at the same time…

Kevin: It impairs them in a demographic way.

Andrew: And I still…

Eric: And I wouldn’t think if Hogwarts didn’t fit you, I wouldn’t think that you would have to be sent to Germany or Bulgaria to go to school.

Kevin: And I would think that’s a lot like current public schools where your first – the normal school to go to is the closest school to you.

Eric: Yeah.

Kevin: But every once in awhile, you get a few parents that don’t want their kid going to that school and…

Eric: Yeah.

Kevin: …they pull them out. But still, I mean, that ratio is still there. It’s a thousand students to eight million people in just London alone. We’re not talking about surrounding areas.

Eric: Yeah. So that number seems incredibly off.

Kevin: Exactly, and that’s what I’m saying. I think that there’s a significant body of wizards, but I don’t think there are huge amounts. I mean, it’s still a very large ratio.

Eric: I still think it has to be above a thousand – I mean just – like you said, it’s…

Kevin: Well, what I’m saying is how many people are in the world? You’re looking at –

Eric: Oh, 6.5 billion.

Kevin: Exactly.

Jamie: Yeah, 6.5 billion, about.

Kevin: So out of 6.5 billion, if you do that ratio, you’re looking at a couple million wizards.

Eric: But if that’s correct – but I don’t think it is. I can’t understand why there’s only one thousand children in – I mean, how many children are there in England under the age of 17, in all of Britain? It’s probably a significant amount in the millions. And for only a thousand to be – I just think that number is off, I think that number is incredibly off. I think there would be – if Hogwarts is the only school in England, there would be a lot more kids there.


Live Feedback – Marrying Muggles


Andrew: Hold up, because Michael from Baltimore, Maryland submitted some live feedback here: “There’s also the fact that wizards and witches have had to marry Muggles or they would have died off, so maybe the population of wizard children isn’t that big. So it’s very possible that Hogwarts could hold all wizard kids in Britain.”

Ben: And it’s also important to remember that there is also Muggleborns that are being born too.

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: I said that.

Ben: No you didn’t! You said that they’re…

Andrew: Oh. [laughs]

Jamie: But then perhaps you should accept – you know, instead of making a distinction between wizards and witches and Muggles, you should divide it by people who know and are aware of the magical world. And those that don’t – obviously that brings you into a gray area when you come to the Dursleys, who are clearly completely aware of it but completely hate it. But there’s obviously a complete difference between a Muggle who hasn’t ever experienced the magical world, and Petunia who’s grown up with a witch but doesn’t have any magical powers herself.

Kevin: Yeah.


Live Feedback – Voldemort’s Reign of Terror


Andrew: Another interesting live feedback right now – Sarah and Laura from Austin, Texas. They say: “You have to take into consideration that the kids at Hogwarts now were born during Voldemort’s reign of terror. People may have been reluctant to have children during a very unsafe time.”

Jamie: Yes, good point.

Eric: Yeah but, how reluctant? I mean it’s not that we’re seeing Hogwarts having all these empty classrooms because everybody’s parents stopped having kids around that time. If anything, Molly Weasley said that people were rushing into families and starting their families now – or at the time of Voldemort’s terror – just in case there was no tomorrow.

Jamie: Yeah.

Ben: But it’s also… What I think is interesting too is how do you – is there like a certain selection criteria in order to get you into Hogwarts? Because in Half-Blood Prince we see Dumbledore mention that Voldemort’s name was down since birth. And do you have to be a certain caliber wizard for that quill to actually write your name down, or is it all the wizarding children in Britain?

Kevin: Well, I would think…

Ben: Because that might explain how there are only 900 students who are going there because it may be more discriminatory about who to admit and who they don’t.

Kevin: I don’t – yeah, but I don’t think they discriminate. I think the main criteria is being able…

Eric: That you…

Kevin: …to cast magic – use magic.

Eric: Yeah, I mean…

Kevin: They have a responsibility to make sure you as a kid, you’re not going to expose yourself as a wizard.

Jamie: Yeah.

Kevin: Because then you become different, you attract attention, and it’s very bad. So I believe that’s the only criteria, someone who can cast magic.


Live Feedback – Homeschooling Wizards


Jamie: Elizabeth brings up – Elizabeth from Poulsbo, WA… Where’s that? Don’t know.

Ben: Wisconsin? No… WA – Washington!

Jamie: Washington, yeah. She brings up the point that: “Who knows, perhaps there is a large population of homeschooling wizards.” I think [laughs] – I’ve got this in the show notes, and I think that that could actually be. Because surely their parents can teach them how to wave a wand?

Kevin: Yeah, but also, you’d have to compare it to current homeschool students here. I mean, how many kids out of a school district are homeschooled?

Jamie: Yeah, but don’t forget…

Ben: That may be different in the magical world, though.

Jamie: But the…

Ben: Man, I think that – I’m not – stop homeschooling kids. I think they’re less likely to be homeschooled in the wizarding world, because it seems to me that in order to become – to get a better job, like it is in most schools, you have to go to a good school to get a good job.

Eric: Oh.

Ben: And if you’re homeschooled, especially where you’re just having your parents teach you magic, they may not be skilled in terms of Potions, Transfiguration, Charms and all that – enough to be able to teach you.


Live Feedback – Every Wizarding Child Goes To Hogwarts


Kevin: I just got a live feedback from Claire in France saying, “JKR says every wizarding child goes to Hogwarts on her website.”

Eric: Yeah, and that’s really weird.

Andrew: There you go Ben.

Kevin: And I believe the reason…

Ben: Well, I screwed up.

Kevin: And I think the reason for that is that there are restrictions legally within the wizarding world on where and when children can use magic.

Jamie: But do you think that the homeschooling aspect – I was going to say that obviously, as you were saying, Kevin, it seems that the magical population are – I don’t want to say oppressed a race, but they clearly are this sort of non-evident race on Earth.

Kevin: Yeah, they…

Jamie: So, I mean, obviously, I’m sure there’s some…

Kevin: They don’t want to impose themselves.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly. But more than that, I think – do you think that some wizarding parents could think, “Well, I don’t want my child going out and fraternizing with Muggles,” when you don’t know what could happen to him if they found out that he’s a wizard. Obviously that doesn’t count at Hogwarts…

Kevin: Oh, you mean like someone segregating…

Jamie: …but they could get a bit worried about him.

Kevin: Like segregation due to being a wizard?

Jamie: Yeah, yeah perhaps.

Kevin: Well, I think that’s also a reason why the kids do go to school. Because the wizarding community – just because you’re a Muggle, doesn’t mean that you can’t have a non-Muggle child.

Jamie: Yeah.

Kevin: So I think the whole point of educating the children in the school is trying to prevent that segregation of the population.

Jamie: Yeah, I think that’s right.

Kevin: I mean, you have to remember, they may be wizards, but they’re still human.

Jamie: Yeah.

Kevin: And, you know, there’s no boundaries with who you’re going to love, so…


Wizarding Primary School?


Eric: Huh. So guys, I have two more topics I’d like to at least suggest for this about schooling in the wizarding world. Is that okay?

Jamie: Yep!

Andrew: We’re all…

Eric: Okay, cool. One of them is we hear that, at least with Hogwarts, kids are contacted at the age of eleven, and from the age eleven they go to school. Now, Harry himself went to – not Stilmahod, but whatever – primary school?

Jamie: Yeah, primary school.

Eric: But up until around I guess it was fourth grade, fifth grade, something like that. Now at Hogwarts, they of course teach all magical classes, meaning things like Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Calculus, Trigonometry, things like that, wizards aren’t ever taught. So I’m thinking and I’m going through the books reading, and every time I read the books you have to realize that actually, as far as regular Muggle world goes, Harry and pretty much anybody…

Jamie: Previous experience before it – yeah.

Eric: …only really has a fourth or fifth grade education.

Kevin: That’s true, yeah.

Jamie: Oh yeah, definitely.

Eric: You know, formally.

Kevin: Yeah, but you have to see the reasoning behind that. For the same reason why wizards don’t make themselves apparent within the population – it’s because they have somewhat of an advantage over the normal population.

Eric: Meaning they just know – they’re doing so many…

Kevin: Exactly. They’re using something that can help them practically, just like in high school you’re taught things that can help you practically. You know –

Eric: Kind of like the difference between getting a degree and studying a trade.

Kevin: Exactly.

Eric: OK.

Kevin: That’s the way I view it, at least.


Other Schools And Their Role Against Voldemort


Eric: Okay. Now what about – we talked about other schools kind of in other countries, but this whole thing about small populations of wizards – what do you think they’re doing about the war on Voldemort? Especially the Americans over at I guess Salem Witchcraft in Massachusetts, or whatever. Here’s this guy who’s supposed to be the worst wizard, worst dark wizard ever, and he’s not really exactly affecting America just yet, but what do you think these other countries are doing? Because if there is a small wizard population, I don’t think there’s really this full scale effort against Voldemort or that the Americans would even be concerned about it…

Kevin: Well, I would…

Eric: …except to say that maybe it might one day may come to us.

Kevin: I would assume that it would be something similar to what we do nowadays in current world events, which is show our support through…

Ben: Invade them?

Kevin: …people and supplies and such like that.

Jamie: Diplomacy.

Kevin: Yep. It’d be because – if they are, like Jamie said, “domestic entities”, then there has to be some sort of diplomatic ties between them to bring them together, and I’m assuming that’s what they use to get help and provide help.

Eric: Hmmm. So do you think we’ll be seeing a lot more of other country fighters against Voldemort in Book Seven? Like where it’s kind of this whole world scale effort against Voldemort? Because the thing is, whereas Book Seven needs to be this Harry-Voldemort thing, it also kind of should be a whole world war, basically, put into perspective. Or do you…

Ben: Well, there needs to be cooperation on multiple levels.

Kevin: Also…

Ben: There has to be cooperation with the houses, there has to be cooperation between purebloods, half-bloods, Mudbloods – and of course there has to be international magical cooperation, which is what Goblet of Fire was all about. Because you have the French people, you have the Bulgarians, and it’s all about uniting to be one.

Eric: I like that Ben.

Ben: United we stand, divided we fall.

Andrew: Awww.

Kevin: You have to remember that magic really has no boundaries. Just because Voldemort is in England now doesn’t mean he can’t apparate to the United States.

Eric: No, no, that makes sense. Yeah.

Kevin: You know, so…

Jamie: Can I quickly reply to a live feedback from Erica from Australia?

Kevin: Sure.


Live Feedback – More To Magic


Jamie: She says that when I said “wave a wand” – she thinks, “There’s more to magic than waving a wand and how much would their parents be able to teach?” I agree completely, but I think that it’s kind of like how – I think to wizards, teaching Transfigurations, Charms, everything is just – is parallel to teaching Maths, English in the Muggle world. But also, from what I’ve personally seen at Hogwarts in the books and the films, teaching is more – it seems to be more like a university atmosphere where you just get on and do it yourself and it’s practice. So, I think if someone’s committed, they could probably learn to do basic things at home. And also, somebody asked if there’s a wizard college – a few people have asked that – and I think Jo said that there definitely wasn’t. After NEWTS, that’s it.

Eric: Well, take a look at the mindset of the Ministry of Magic as far as underage magic goes. Remember, Dumbledore told Harry – in Book Six he cleared this up, which was helpful – that if you are an underage wizard, you can actually use magic underage if you’re in a household. If you live in a wizarding household, they can’t detect magic. So it would seem that law would support homeschooling because a parent could tell their child, “Practice this,” and then their child could practice, and the Ministry wouldn’t know any different. So homeschooling wouldn’t technically be against wizarding law, or at least nobody would – you wouldn’t keep getting letters saying, “Stop doing these charms, you’re underage.”

Jamie: Yeah.

Kevin: Well that’s one of the reasons why I said that homeschooling probably isn’t very viable for that community due to the laws and restrictions placed upon the domestic government.

Eric: Wait, you’re saying it is viable or isn’t?

Kevin: It is not.

Eric: Oh. But why? Because they couldn’t tell if you live in a wizard family.

Kevin: Because…

Eric: Dumbledore said that the parents are responsible. He says it’s the parent’s responsibility to control their children.

Kevin: Okay, I’ll give you a great example.

Eric: Okay.

Kevin:You go to college currently to learn what calculus or programming or art or whatever you’re going to learn, right?

Eric: Mhm.

Kevin: Why would you go to college when you could turn around and go to your parents and have them teach you that?

Eric: Because the college is more educated.

Kevin: Exactly, because your parents cannot provide the level of education.


Homeschooling


Eric: Well yeah, but that’s an argument with homeschooling is whether the institution is better or not. But I can’t see the wizarding world – I mean, I’m saying wizarding education, it seems like it would be a lot better in schools than at home, especially because of the diverse branches of magic that parents certainly would not explore all of with their kids. They would teach their kids what they felt they would need to know. Just like ancient civilizations with trades. You learn one single trade, and your whole family was in it forever. I mean, I…

Kevin: Yeah.

Eric: Wizard schooling would be better, but I’m saying that wizarding home schooling – if it is possible, I certainly don’t think that they would have – that they would get course books sent home. Something like the home schooling situation here, but at the same time you could still probably teach kids. I don’t know, are we…

Kevin: I don’t – I honestly don’t see someone able to teach all of the – all of the technical knowledge on the…

Eric: Then that goes back to the thing. If kids are not allowed to be home schooled – if kids are not allowed to be home schooled, then what school do they go to? Because if Hogwarts only has a thousand people, that either means there’s basically no wizards throughout the world or it means that there’s an inconsistency.


Live Feedback – Magical Schools Around The World


Jamie: I was going to – Claire from France is writing in to completely correct us and say that at the World Cup, Harry and Ron, I think it was, ran into the Salem Witches Institute in America, so there clearly are other magical schools around the world.

Eric: Right.

Kevin: Oh yeah, we all…

Jamie: And that’s proof. So should we move on? I think we pretty much wrapped up that discussion.

Andrew: Yeah, we killed it.

Jamie: But didn’t reach any conclusions, again.

Kevin: Of course.

Andrew: This the whole purpose of the show. We do not really reach any conclusion and there is no point for MuggleCast. We are all about no conclusions.

Jamie: When we finally reach conclusions, the universe ends. It’s just like a paradox, you know?

Kevin: It is, right.

Andrew: Hey live feedback! Sorry.

Jamie: Sorry.

Andrew: Finish your joke. No, go, go.

Jamie: No, it’s…

Andrew: No, it’s cool. No, please, it’s cool. I’m over it. Go ahead.

Jamie: But it won’t be funny now, because you’ve built it up!

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Fine. I was going to say if the universe ends, don’t think about meteors or tsunamis or anything like that. It’s just MuggleCast finally reached an agreeable conclusion. You can believe that if you want.

Andrew: I see. I see. Well our live feedback continues – what Jamie, what?

Eric:Something about meteors and…

Jamie: Don’t worry.


Update: Live Feedback


Andrew: In case some of you haven’t noticed we’re having a few connection problems. Our server died out, I think. Just once or twice. But it seems like we’re doing okay now, and our live feedback continues to come in – literally by the minute. It is a very, very, very successful part of the show here.

Kevin: Remember sending in for those, for those who are…

Andrew:Yes, we do appreciate the live feedback. If you have any questions about this topic, why don’t you send them in right now to MuggleCast.com/live, and then we are going to take a break and then we’re going to do some other fun stuff. But Ben, you’re here in the studio with me here this week, and as some of the people may know, if you go to MuggleCast.com and click on the adventures tab, it will get our lovely little audio blog.

Ben: Mhm. Well, yeah, I’ve beat Andrew in practically everything there is.

Andrew: [laughs] We didn’t need to bring up that.

[Ben laughs]

Andrew:I just wanted to let everyone know that we’re sort of…

Ben: Yeah, it’s – it will be updated tonight. I beat Andrew in skeeball, pool, air hockey – you name it, I’ve beaten him in it.

Kevin: I’ll have to play you at pool.

Ben: Andrew is an expert at losing.

Andrew: Kevin, I’ll play you in pool.

Ben: Andrew’s an expert at losing, the poor guy.

Kevin: How big of a table were you playing on? A full size?

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: Oh, it was like at least 300 feet.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: And this has been idle chat with Kevin Steck.

[Andrew and Kevin laugh]

Ben: It’s a full-size pool table, yes.

Jamie: It’s a bit small isn’t it?

Andrew: Here’s an interesting question, Crystal and Carrie Johnson of Garden City, Kansas. I think I revealed too much.

Ben: Oh!

Andrew: But – what? Go ahead. They live near you?

Ben: These two people, Crystal and Carrie Johnson, I ran into at a debate tournament. I’m pretty sure because they – I was at a national qualifying tournament – e-mail in Crystal if this is you, because this kid came up to me, he said “‘These two girls want to meet you.” And he tried to pull me over there and I was freaked out so I didn’t go over there, but e-mail me if this is you, these people from forensics. So, yeah.

Andrew: And don’t pretend to be them because we have your IP address, so there’s no point.

[Kevin laughs]


Live Feedback – Why No Wizarding University?


Andrew: So anyway, they write, “Do you think that there
is no wizarding University because they have learned everything they need to know in school, or is it because they learn what they need to know or what they need to on the job?”

Kevin: On the job.

Andrew: I’m going to have to say it’s because they learn everything
in school – really? Well I was going to say school because they learn about
Apparating, they learn about defense, they – they learn everything you need at Hogwarts.

Kevin: Well, I think they learn the vast majority, but you have to remember – just look at Dumbledore. He didn’t learn all of that in [laughs] school.

Eric: [laughs] They don’t teach that at school.

Kevin: He learned through – exactly, he learned it through experience. I think that a lot of wizards, a lot of the best wizards in the wizarding world are exactly that. People who have gone beyond their school training and actually made an effort to teach themselves aspects of the wizarding community.

Eric: You know what is really, really interesting Kevin is that Dumbledore was a Transfiguration teacher. When Dippet was Headmaster, Dumbledore taught Transfiguration. When has that come into play? Have we seen Dumbledore transfigure anything? I mean, just talking about Dumbledore and all the things he’s learned since he left school…

Kevin: Yeah, but you have to remember that Snape was a Potions
Master but he really wanted Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Eric: Yeah.

Kevin: So just because he’s in that spot doesn’t mean he’s the best at it.

Eric: Okay.

Ben: Guys, Crystal e-mailed again. This is indeed that Crystal that I met at the Forensics Tournament.

Eric: Oh, stalker!

Ben: So just – yeah.

Andrew: [In a weepy voice] This is such a nice reunion!

Ben: Thank you!


Live Feedback – Population of England


Andrew: Jamie, you’re going to want to pay attention to this: Connor from Oregon just submitted some live feedback. He was looking at Wikipedia, and the population of London is actually 7.5 million, so…

Eric: That’s eight million.

Andrew:You don’t even know your own country, that is pretty embarrassing.

Jamie: It’s half a million out! That’s disgusting.

Kevin: I know.

Eric: Round up, Jamie. Don’t be so hard on yourself.


Live Feedback – Posting on iTunes?


Andrew: Anyone else? Anna M from the UK writes, “Are you recording this? And if so, will you be posting it on iTunes?” Of course we will be posting it on iTunes. That would be silly if we didn’t. We don’t want to exclude the 1.5 zillion of you who aren’t listening live right now.

Eric: [laughs] So you reached your goal of thirty thousand listeners, or one hundred thousand listeners, Andrew?

Andrew: Yeah. Hey!


Live Feedback – Learning Specifics For Future Occupation


Ben: Katie from Marietta, Georgia writes about the discussion we had earlier: “They learn specifics of what they need to know for their job in training. Tonks said that you have to be – you have to have training to become an Auror. Most of the jobs probably require taking some sort of formal training.” So this is also interesting to point out because once again, when they are done at Hogwarts, its not like they jump right into the job field. They have to have training before they actually get their professions. So in a way, that’s probably more like their internship slash college. However you want to look at it.

Kevin: Point. Kevin was right again.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben:For the first time.

Eric:Yeah, for the first.

[Long pause]

Andrew: Well this has been the MuggleCast Awkward Moment of the Show!

[Ben laughs]

Andrew: I’m glad we got past that okay.

[Andrew and Ben laugh]

Jamie: I’m sure there’ll be many more.

Andrew: We – oh, well – what’d you say, Jamie?

Jamie: I just said I’m sure that there’ll be many more.

Andrew: No, I beg to differ.


Live Feedback – Live Podcasts Every Wednesday?


Kevin: Oh, here’s a good questions from Nate: “Will you guys be doing live podcasts every Wednesday instead of normal release time?” No. We will be doing normal podcasts, recorded on Wednesday, released on Sunday like normal. But we’ll…

Ben: Wait, hold on, hold on! Hold on Kevin! We’re going to do this more often…

Kevin: Oh, absolutely.

Ben: …since this has been more of a success. So don’t be jumping to conclusions, come on.

Andrew: Yeah no conclusions here, Eric. Kevin, no conclusions, no conclusions.

Kevin: All podcasts live.

Andrew: Hey, hey, how about this idea? How about we do a MuggleCast live every six – every morning at, like, 6:00 AM.

Kevin: Yeah, like a radio station.

Andrew: Instead of turning on a TV – yeah, you turn on MuggleCast, and you get your daily dose of Harry Potter news. [laughs]

Eric: Eric Scull on morning coffee high. Not a good idea.

Jamie: Yeah, the news will be eight hours long and it’ll be time for the next news, Eric, when you finish that one.

Andrew: Yeah.


Live Feedback – Jamie And The Police


Jamie: Can I – can I reply to a piece of feedback from Nate who says: “Busted Andrew, we could hear Jamie before the show, better call the police in Vegas.” I’d just like to point out that was not me. I don’t know who it was, but I’ll be sorting them out very soon. Thank you.

Eric: What? Something’s in Vegas?

Andrew: I’m not sure what they are talking about, but…

Jamie: I can’t remember it. Can you, Andrew?


Live Feedback – Opening The Server


Andrew: It lies. I honestly can’t remember. [laughs] Anyway we are actually opening the server up right now trying to see how many people we can fit in here, because this is like a test. We consider you all a bunch of test monkeys, and we are going to feed you all bananas by providing our – what is this?

Eric: Oh, don’t say that, they’ll want it now.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: Genetically engineered bananas.

Andrew: [Laughs] Okay! Oh…

Eric: You will never be hungry for a banana again.

Andrew: Right. Anyway, anyone else got any live feedback before we take a break? Oh, by the way, if you haven’t noticed by now this is going to be sort of a different show. It’s a little bit different from our normal episode, because this is the last one before our 50th and our last one before the live podcast, and we’ve got a ton of stuff going on, so we hope it’s still the same amount of quality.


Live Feedback – Jamie’s British Joke of the Day


Ben: We’ve got an important piece of live feedback here. Jack from “none available” would like to know: [in a British accent] “Will Jamie be giving his joke of the day?” Jamie, Jamie, will you be giving your joke of the day today, Jamie?

Jamie: I – now you see, I was planning on making an announcement about that, a bad announcement. So yes, I will definitely be giving a joke, and I won’t be trying to find one on Google by typing in funny plus jokes plus very funny…

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: …and then reading it out loud pretending I’ve made it up myself. So, yes, sorry. Did I just say that out loud?

Eric: But the real question is Jamie, will you be telling a joke to start off Lumos everyday? When registration opens will you be there with your paper to tell your joke?

Jamie: [Long pause] Yes, Eric. Shouldn’t have said that, shouldn’t have said that.

Kevin: Oh, sorry.

Jamie: Just before the break, I have a question for everyone, and send in your live feedback. I don’t remember who sent it in, so sorry, but you said that “Can the Room of Requirement interfere with the prophecy?” As in can there be, sort of contradictions in terms? I don’t know how this would work, but it just occurred to me that it was pretty interesting subject. So send in your ideas, thank you.

Eric: And I have one live feedback result here from – this one
comes from Distorted Melody from the MuggleCast Fan Chat on AIM. She says – or, they say, “Who is drinking the Slurpee?”

Andrew: No one. [Laughs] That’s the call quality.

Eric: That was – yeah.

Ben: No Slurpees here. So folks, that does it for us until after
the break. Remember, if you happen to – it’ll only be five to ten minutes. But remember, if you happen to disconnect, just keep trying to reconnect. That’s the only way you are going to get back in. So we hope you come back in.

Andrew: [Show music in the background] Can you guys all here the music? We have music now!

Jamie: Nice music.

Eric: That’s like the coolest music ever.


Back To The Show


Ben: Welcome back everybody!

Eric: Yay!

Ben: I’m still Ben Schoen. [Laughs]

Andrew: I’m still Andrew Sims, I hope.

Kevin: And I think I’m still Kevin Steck.

Ben: [In a British accent] Who’s all here? Go on, go on now!

Eric: I was Eric Scull.

Kevin: Did we lose the Brit?

Jamie: No. I think I’ve aged somewhat in that five minutes, though.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: Okay. Well, welcome back everyone to the show. Of course, we are still live, and if you lose the connection it is important to remember to just try to reconnect. Because otherwise…

Ben: You’re not getting back in.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah, and we have that connection limited to only a certain amount of people so you do not crash our poor little server. One live feedback came in earlier requesting that we have more music on the show here, so I figured I’d turn a little music on here. [Spice Girls starts playing] How’s this? This good?

[MuggleCasters sing along with the song]: So tell me what you want, what you really really want, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really, really, really wanna zigazig ha. If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends, Make it last forever friendship never ends, If you wanna be my lover, you have got to give, Taking is too easy, but that’s the way it is.

Andrew: Oh wait, wait, wait, we’ve got to get to the verse at least. A one, two, three… [sings wrong lyrics, then laughs] Well, I screwed that up. Okay. Gone away – oh, oops, hello. [Music stops playing] We’re back, we’re back.

Jamie: Let’s try and criticize that song as much as we can.

Andrew: Oh come on, we played it on the show the other day. You probably wouldn’t notice, so…

Ben: [talking in a girly voice to Andrew’s sister in the background] It’s Becca!

Jamie: [laughs] You did?


How Much Do We Talk?


Andrew: Yes. We are going to move on now to a little e-mail we got from Devin, 16, of Rose Valley, Pennsylvania. She writes about how much we talk.

Ben: Devin is a guy’s name.

Andrew: Or he. No, I’m pretty sure. No, it’s also a girl’s name.

Ben: No, Devin is not a girl’s name.

Andrew: Ummm.

Ben: E-mail in right now. If Devin is a girl’s name, e-mail in and let us know.

Andrew: No don’t, because we’re going to get a million feedback. Anyway, she calculated the amount of words per hour that we all talk.

Kevin: Wow!

Andrew: Does anyone want to guess who came in first place with the most words per hour?

Becca: [In background] I do!

Andrew: Not you, Ben, because you see it.

Jamie: Eric with 900,000 words an hour.

Eric: Wait, Jamie was..

Andrew: How much?

Jamie: 900,000, am I close?

Eric: Wait, here’s live feedback…

Andrew: 900,000? You’re a little out of the ballpark.

Jamie: Oh no.

Eric: Guys this is good. From Mwuahaha, location California, they say, “Evil monkeys will eat you if the show does not get on the air.” So, that’s good that we’ve taken care of that.

Jamie: Yes.

Eric: Oh well.

Andrew: Alina says Devin is so a girl’s name, but then Danielle says Devin is a guy’s name. So, I think we’re split. I think it’s actually Devin spelt D – E – V – I – N.

Ben: Like that means anything.

Eric: This will be the next one. Okay.

Andrew: That means it’s a girl. D – E – V – O – N is a guy. [laughs] Anyway, anyway.

Eric: Okay, Ben, that’s not..

Andrew: Eric came in first place with 3,338 words per hour.

Ben: Congratulations, Eric.

Andrew: Yeah, round of applause for Eric.

Ben: What an achievement for Eric Scull!

Eric: Jamie has 3,337 at least. I mean, Jamie and I are neck in neck.

Ben: No, Jamie was 2,681.

Jamie: Thank you, Eric.

Ben: Which is a considerable 700 words – 700 words per hour – lower than you.

Eric: That was…

Ben: 700!

Eric: Ben! Nate from Maine says, “Will we be having the privilege to hear a Live Give Me A Butterbeer?” Will you ask the fans to give you a butterbeer on this live show, Ben?

Andrew: He’d answer, but he doesn’t want to bring his word per hour count up.

Ben: [laughs] Yeah.

Andrew: [laughs] But I – who wants…

Eric: So wait, you can’t compare to my 3,300-some words if you don’t want to reach that goal.

Andrew: Who wants to guess who’s third? Third place.

Eric: Time me, I dare you, time me.

Jamie: Kevin.

Andrew: Who, Jamie? You’re a little too loud.

Jamie: Kevin, sorry. Kevin.

Andrew: No actually, I’m in third place with 2,473 words; then comes Ben with 2,191, Kevin in fifth with…

Jamie: No.

Andrew: What?

Kevin: So this is over all the episodes?

Andrew: Yes. Obviously, it’s not this episode.

[Andrew, Ben, and Kevin laugh]

Kevin: Well, you never know, some people can…

Jamie: I’m not joining in laughing because I actually thought it was this episode.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Oh really?

Andrew: Kevin has 1,419, Laura was 1,354, and Micah comes in at a solemn, strong, and bold 561 words per hour.

[Andrew, Ben, and Jamie laugh]

Ben: Micah’s a soldier. He is a soldier.

Andrew: I wish we all spoke as much as he did.


Live Feedback – Spice Girls


Jamie: Can I just answer one quick piece of live feedback? Alice from Lancaster County in PA says, “I just want to know, who has that Spice Girls song on file?” Well Alice, I think that might just be Andrew.

Andrew: I’m proud to say that that is indeed me. [laughs]

Ben: Okay, get this. Yesterday we were on the way home from the ocean…

Andrew: Oh god. From Ocean City, okay, it’s not from the ocean. We weren’t on…

Ben: Yeah. Guess what? Andrew busts out his iPod and starts playing the Spice Girls… [laughs] And I’m like, “What are you doing?”

Andrew: But it’s important to note that this came after the U2 and everything. My sister and her friend were in the back of the car and I thought it might be a nice song. So then instead Ben decides to switch on some hick music.

Ben: Mhm.

Andrew: And then none of us were amused.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: [in hick voice] Takes the tractor another round.

Andrew: So anyway, thank you Devin for sending in that information, and she says she can provide us with more figures which I’m sure we would all love to see. What?

Eric: Ryan R from Germany writes: “Dear MuggleCast, www.babynames.com – and Devin means writer of poetry. It’s Celtic and Gaelic, and it is unisex.” So thank you Ryan R from Germany.

Jamie: There we go.


Submit Gimme A Butterbeer For Later Use In The Show


Ben: Okay, thank you for settling that. It’s time to discuss what’s going on with Gimme A Butterbeer. I made a sort of tactical error when I first started this segment because I should have done it every other week. Because at first I thought, “Oh, I’ll never run out of ideas.” But now, folks, I’m out of ideas. So, this week Gimme A Butterbeer…

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Literally, give him one, give him one.

Ben: [in high-pitched voice] …idea, please. [laughs]

Kevin: [laughs] Idea.

Ben: So right now send in- send in something, okay? Send in something, please.

[Kevin laughs]

Ben: Oh by the way, Alina from Pennsylvania writes, “Wawawa chocolate shake.” Andrew and I each had a chocolate shake from WaWa a few nights ago, so…

Andrew: Oh yeah, that’s right.

Jamie: Possibly the most gripping piece of live feedback we’ve had so far.

[Andrew and Ben laugh]

Andrew: Yeah.

Ben: Yeah.

Kevin: [laughs] Yeah.

Ben: So go ahead, send me your Gimme A Butterbeer ideas right now. Maybe we’ll work something up for the end of the show.

[Jamie laughs]


Live Calls


Andrew: Now it is time to move on to the part of the show where you guys can call in and ask your questions. I guess we should have brought this up at the beginning of the show now that I think of it so people had time to…

Ben: Think of questions.

Andrew: …ask some questions. If you’ve got a question that you would like us to answer, whether it’s a question about Harry Potter, a question about the show, a question about maybe the live podcast, whatever you want, call in right now: 1-218-20-MAGIC. Yes, Eric?

Eric: You know who’s going call in? It’s going to be Aaron from Pleasanton, California who keeps sending in his Top 10 list. He sent it in so many times, Jamie.

Andrew: Also, if you’re in the United Kingdom, you can dial 020-8144-0677, in Australia 02-8003-5668. And then you can also Skype the name MuggleCast. Lets take a call from Bridget.

Eric: Okay.

Andrew: Bridget, are you there?

Bridget: Yes.

Ben: Hello.

Eric: Oh, hello.

Andrew: Bridget, I’m not going lie, I like your Skype icon. [laughs]

Ben: [doing his Andrew impression] Yeah! All right!

Bridget: Oh wow, your sound needs to be fixed.

Andrew: [laughs] What’s that?

Jamie: Well considering…

Bridget: You know that we can’t hear you?

Andrew: I fixed it. We’re okay now.

Jamie: You can’t hear Andrew? That’s a godsend, why are you complaining? [laughs]

[Kevin laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] I fixed it. Wait, you can’t hear me or you can’t hear the rest of the people? You should be able to hear everyone now. I don’t know that must have sounded…

Kevin: Can everyone hear the call?

Bridget: Okay, now I can hear myself and that’s really weird.

Andrew: Let’s take another call. Erica, are you there?

Erica: Yeah. Hello?

Andrew: Hi, Erica!

Eric: Hello.

Ben: Abercrombie. Abercrombie & Fitch.

Andrew: Don’t give out her Skype name.

Erica: Hello? Hello?

Andrew: Can you hear us? Whoa, oh, hello.

Kevin: Hi.

Erica: Yeah. Hi. Hello. Pardon? Yeah, I’m here.

Eric: I’m sorry.

Andrew: Where do you live? Where are you from?

Erica: Can you hear me?

Andrew: Yes.

Jamie: Yes.

Erica: Hi, I’m from Melbourne, Australia.

Jamie: You do have a very nice accent.

Erica: I can’t hear you, it’s going really slow.

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: Perhaps because it has to cross a gigantic ocean. [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]


Kimberly: The Building Plan


Andrew: Let’s invite Kimberly. Kimberly? Kimberly, are you there?

Kimberly: Hello?

Jamie: Hello.

Andrew: Do we have to- are you across a gigantic ocean?

Kimberly: Hello?

Ben: Bye Ellie, bye Ellie. [laughs]

Andrew: Hi. [laughs]

Kimberly: [laughs] Hi.

Jamie:Hi. Oh, you’re here.

Andrew: Can you hear me now?

Kimberly: Can you hear it? I can hear you.

Andrew: Yes, yes. We’re good now. Okay, cool. What’s going on? Thanks for calling in. You’ve been calling a while haven’t you? Sorry Jamie, go ahead.

Jamie: So..

Kimberly: It…

Jamie: Go on.

Kimberly: I just – it just started working, so I haven’t heard the show. I just got connected through QuickTime, so…

Andrew: Oh okay.

Kimberly: How’s it going?

Andrew: It’s going pretty well. This is a test.

Jamie: It’s interesting.

Kimberly: I was wondering – I don’t know if you’ve got, if you guys have talked about in Order of the Phoenix when Harry sees a building plan? You know what I’m talking about?

Jamie: Oh, yeah. What? Bill’s building plan?

Kimberly: Yeah.

Eric: I guess it was of the Department of Ministries – Mysteries. Sorry.

Kimberly: Oh, it was?

Eric: I think so.

Kimberly: Cool.

Eric: What do you guys – do you guys think? I think they’re mapping that – wait, maybe not, because did we ever find out what that weapon was? In – didn’t Voldemort want a weapon, or that was the assumption?

Ben: Love that Harry has.

Jamie: Not for Voldemort’s use.

Kimberly: I don’t know, it could have been the prophecy. I thought it could have been.

Eric: Because at Grimmauld Place, I think it was either Fred or George or somebody stumbled in and they determined that Voldemort was looking for a weapon, and there were blueprints that I guess were either Department of Mysteries or somewhere else that the Order had to go to do something. I don’t know. That’s interesting, good question.

Kimberly: Well, thanks. Good luck with the rest of the show!

Eric: Wait, don’t leave!

Ben: Eric’s got to answer it.

[Andrew and Ben laugh]

Kimberly: Oh, okay.

Eric: Are you guys going to discuss this about the building plans or whatever?

Andrew: See, to be honest, I don’t remember that because I guess that was a little small tidbit in the book. What do you think, Ben?

Kimberly: I think it’s on page 80 or something.

Ben: I don’t know. [laughs]

Eric: Page 80-something? Fairly early in the books, I guess.

Jamie: Can I give a bit of feedback?

Andrew: Yes.

Jamie: Brian e-mails in with a rather sarcastic tone…

Andrew: Uh oh.

Jamie: …saying, ” The weapon was the prophecy. Duh.”

[Kimberly laughs]

Ben: Ooh.

Kimberly: Oh god!

Eric: Oh, come on.

Jamie: I think he brings up a fair point. Was it the prophecy? But is it really a weapon, or is it just a piece of information?

Eric: Oh wait. Well yeah, it is a weapon. It’s the same thing, because it’s the knowledge of how to destroy Harry.

Kevin: Exactly.

Eric: Thank you Alina, Alina from Pennsylvania. Okay, so wait, does the whole fan base agree that we are correct in assuming that the blueprints were of the Department of Mysteries?

Jamie: Well, we don’t know, do we?

Kevin: Yeah, but it would be fitting if you’re trying to find a prophecy which is in a building that you don’t know if you got a blueprint.

Eric: Or the Hall of Prophecy, right. You know, it’s interesting they have blueprints of the Department of Mysteries. Perhaps Harry can retrieve those without actually having to go into the Ministry?

Kevin: Yeah, but you have to remember they also have the map that Fred and George used, so…

Jamie: To add to that previous thing about it being the prophecy, Alina writes in and says, “The weapon was the knowledge of how to destroy Harry.”

Eric: I just said that.

[Kevin and Andrew laugh]

Jamie: Did you really?

Kevin: Yeah.

Ben: Yes.

Jamie: Oh, I knew that.

Kevin: [laughs] Quote, unquote.

Jamie: I was just testing everyone. [laughs] Well done, you all passed with flying colors.

Andrew: Thank you, Ellie, for calling in.

Kimberly: Yeah sure, no problem.

Ben: Next caller.

Kevin: Yeah, thank you.

Kimberly: Bye.

Andrew: See ya.

Kevin: Bye.

Jamie: Bye.


Crystal and Keeri: Favorite Houses


Andrew: Oh, she hung up for me. Thank you for hanging up for me. Okay, we’re going to get another caller in here now. Caller?

Ben: John?

Andrew: [laughs] Shut up! You blew it, you totally blew it!

Ben: [laughs] I didn’t blow anything.

Andrew: Oh, that’s his fault. He held it, not me.

Jamie: What is this?

Andrew: How about Nathan Sutherberg? Oh nope, missed him too. How about a fresh one? How about Chris? Hello, Chris!

Crystal: Hey guys. Yeah? Hey.

Andrew: Hey, what’s up?

Crystal: It’s Crystal from earlier. [laughs]

Kevin: [laughs] Oh.

Andrew: The girl from earlier.

Crystal:It’s Crystal, hey guys.

Ben: Is this the girl from Garden City?

Crystal:Yep, that’s me.

Ben: So you’ve seen me before. You’ve been like a hundred feet away from me before, haven’t you?

[Andrew laughs]

Crystal:Whoa, how do I mute this?

Andrew: Just turn down your computer volume.

Eric: Just leave.

Kevin: Just hit pause.

Eric: Just leave.

Ben: You were like 30 feet away from me once.

Crystal: Okay, can you guys hear me?

Eric: Yeah, give your undivided attention to us.

Crystal: [laughs] All right, I was wondering – okay, what are your favorite houses?

Eric: Oooh.

Jamie: Mine! I love mine.

Andrew: We get this question..

Ben: [in high-pitched voice] I’m a Gryffindor.

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: We don’t know enough.

Crystal: Have you heard this question before? Sorry.

Eric: We don’t know enough.

Andrew: It’s all right. We get it a lot, but I guess it’s just your personal opinion. It’s not like any of us put in a lot of deep thought into it, at least I don’t. Maybe Eric does, but…

Ben: My favorite house is Andrew’s house.

[Andrew, Kevin, and Eric laugh]

Andrew: Awww.

Eric: My favorite house is The Burrow.

Crystal: Yeah. I’m a Puff, so I was just wondering.

Andrew: Okay we’re talking about..

Ben: Hogwarts houses.

Kevin: Yeah, Hogwarts houses.

Ben: You’re a Hufflepuff? Are you kidding me?

Crystal: Yeah I am, I’m a loyal Puff. [laughs]

Jamie: You..

Andrew: [laughs] You’re a loyal Puff.

Ben: Okay, what year are you in high school right now?

Crystal: Actually, I’m a – I’m just in college, now.

Eric: Woot!

Ben: Are you assistant coach or something for the Garden City High School?

Crystal: No, I was with my friend.

[Eric laughs]

Ben: Oh, you were, okay. Do you know Caleb, Caleb Jessie?

Kevin: That’s good.

Crystal: Who?

Ben: Caleb Jessie.

Crystal: Yes! [laughs]

Andrew: Okay. Good thing we’re giving everyone’s names out now.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: All right, thanks for the call, Crystal.

[Crystal laughs]

Jamie: I’m sure you talk to MuggleNet about all your friends, but, you know…

Crystal: Okay, hold on, my sister would like to say hi. She’s obsessing. Hold on.

Andrew: Oh, whoa now.

Jamie: Ben, she dusts for DNA, just like you.

Keeri: Hey.

Kevin: Hello.

Andrew: Hey.

Keeri: Hey, this is Keeri. You guys pronounced it wrong. It’s “Key-ree”.

Kevin: Keeri?

Andrew: Oh.

Keeri: Keeri, yeah.

Kevin: Could you spell it?

Keeri: Yeah. Keeri and Crystal. K-E-E-R-I.

Eric: Oh, how would you mispronounce that, Ben?

Keeri: All right, talk to you guys later. Bye!

Kevin: Yeah, bye.

Andrew: All right, bye.


John Noe?


Andrew: One important note to everyone – make sure that you keep your thing down – keep your mic low. All right, let’s try to call someone else in here. Hello caller, you’re live on MuggleCast Live, the number one Harry Potter podcast on live [laughs] thank you for calling!

[Andrew laughs]

John: Oh my god, did I get in?

Jamie: No, you just…

Eric: You so did not.

Kevin:You didn’t make it, I’m sorry.

Jamie: I’m sorry.

John: Oh no!

Andrew: Contain your eagerness, but try to remain calm.

Jamie: Thank you for calling.

Andrew: How are you doing, caller?

John: How’s it going? How are you guys?

Eric: Oh my god, is this John Noe?

Andrew: We’re fine, how are you?

Eric: Is this John Noe?

John: What? Who? John what? No.

Andrew: Right, well we’re just under the assumption because – well, right, but we’re just under the assumption because it says in your Skype name ‘John Noe’.

John: Oh, no, I’m just a John Noe fan, is all.

Andrew: Oh, okay.

Eric: It sounds like John Noe. It smells like John Noe.

John: Oh! It must smell pretty darn good.

Eric: Yes it does.

[Andrew laughs]

Andrew: I’m strangely intrigued.

Eric: It smells like crab cakes. Hmmm.

John: So how’s this going, is it going good? How long have you been doing this for?

Andrew: Minus the voice calls, I think it’s going okay.

John: That’s cool.

Andrew: Yeah.

Ben: Have you been listening?

John: I was trying to get it to work, and I’m – I don’t know. Does it work good with Firefox? Because I couldn’t get it to listen.

Andrew: Yeah, we’re limiting how many people can connect, though, so chances are you probably…

Eric: Hey, wait…

John: Oh, you must be looking for my connection. I’m blocking it on purpose.

Andrew: We got your IP.

Eric: Guys, is there enough room for John on this?

Andrew: Clearly there is, because he’s talking to us right now.

Eric: I mean for John and everybody else.

Andrew: Oh, no, no, we only have one extra spot. We’re getting lots of calls. So why don’t we say goodbye to John?

John: Oh no, not so fast!

Eric: John, we’ll see you in Vegas!

Kevin: Yeah, in Vegas.

Ben: John…

John: No, I’m not going, I had to cancel my ticket.

Eric: You’re not going to Vegas?

Andrew: Oh, yeah.

Ben: Oh, yeah.

John: No!

Ben: He is too. He’s going.

John: I’m going to be in Atlanta.

Eric: No! No, you’re not.

Jamie: He’s not.

Andrew: We forgot to announce that, speaking of.

Ben: He’s joking!

Eric: Noe no, Noe no!

Ben: John, John.

John: What? What?

Eric: No Noe, you’ve got to be at Vegas.

John: How come I don’t see Ben’s name on here? How’s he talking to us? I’m so confused.

Ben: Because I’m at Andrew’s house.

Kevin:He’s at the Andrew studio.

John: Oh that’s right, you’re playing on your play date.

Andrew: Yeah. His mom dropped him off in their mini van.

[John laughs]

Ben: Yeah. Hey, John, John.

John: What?

Ben: Who’s your favorite MuggleCaster?

John: Oh, that’s a tough call. I’m a huge Jamie fan.

Jamie: Awww.

John: And Micah. Is Micah in here?

Andrew: No.

Kevin: No, Micah’s not here.

John: Oh, crap.

Eric: He did news this episode, though.

John: He already did his news?

Eric: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

John: That’s great.

Ben: I did it for him.

John: I’m excited for that part.

Andrew: [laughs] Okay. Thanks…

John: Well, I won’t let your listeners wait any longer to talk to you guys.

Andrew: All right.

Kevin: Okay.

John: I will take my leave.

Eric: Thank you, John!

Andrew: See you in Vegas.

John: See you, boys.

Eric: Okay, bye.

Jamie: Bye, John.

Eric: See, you know what’s funny?

Andrew: That was nice.

Eric: You know what’s funny?

Andrew: What?

Eric: I didn’t even look at Skype, and I said, “This guy sounds like John Noe,” and then I asked him, and then I looked, and it was John Noe.

Andrew: Eric, you’re a voice expert.

Jamie: To be frank, I thought it was John Noe. I mean, it’s like he sounded like him, and it was. You know, because it was.

[Eric and Kevin laugh]


Aaron: Destroying Horcruxes


Andrew: One more caller. I like this guy’s Skype icon. Aaron, are you there?

Aaron: Whoa! Holy crap.

Andrew: I’ll take that as a yes. [laughs]

Jamie: Holy crap is – we have children here, you know!

Aaron: Oh, oh, we do?

Jamie: I don’t know, do we?

Aaron: Yeah, I think so.

Andrew: What’s going on, Aaron? Welcome to MuggleCast 49. Title: [laughs] The Disaster Call In Show.

Aaron: But my iTunes is like – well, okay.

Kevin: Oh, pause the iTunes. It will make it a lot better.

Aaron: Yay, I paused it.

Kevin:That’s it!

Ben: [imitating Kevin] Kevin Steck!

Andrew: Hey, so what’s on your mind? What are you calling for?

Aaron: Well, the Horcruxes. I just wanted to know…

Kevin: What about them?

Aaron: …how you think they are destroyed, because we don’t really know how.

Ben: [in a Voldemort voice] Avada Kedavra.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie:Flush them down the toilet. And hope you never see them.

Kevin: No, I mean, that’s a good question. Are they – I’m assuming you’re saying are they indestructible unless you use a certain method, or…

Aaron: Yeah. Probably. We don’t know how the ring was destroyed.

Kevin: I would assume there was some sort of magic to sort of vanquish the piece of the soul that’s within the item. You have to remember that after – you’re not really destroying the item, because obviously the ring was still together and stuff like that. So I would guess there was a certain method to remove it.

Eric: Thank god.

Aaron: Okay.

Andrew: Eric, what do you think? How do you destroy Horcruxes?

Eric: In the cave, people are still wondering what that green liquid actually did. People are like, well, did it make Dumbledore relive his worst memory? Did it make Dumbledore feel pain? He was all like, “Oh, it’s my fault,” things like that. I’m going to actually quote the book here. I just – hold on, I need to find the exact pages. But when Dumbledore drinks the green liquid now, remember when they first go into the cave and they see it. It’s described – the green fluid and the stone basin, it’s actually described as being reminiscent of the Pensieve. Just one word, something like that. There’s, “No more, please no more.” These are the things that Dumbledore cries out. “I want to die, I want to die, make it stop, make it stop, I want to die. Kill me,” also. “It’s all my fault, it’s all my fault, please make it stop, I know I did wrong. Oh please, make it stop, and I’ll never, never, never again…” These are the kind of things Dumbledore screams out. Now actually, I was thinking about this, and I was thinking, now what would possibly make Dumbledore say, “It’s all my fault, please make it stop, I know I did wrong?” It actually sounds like he’s being punished. When he’s reading this, this is an instance when he’s being – in fact it reminded me, and I don’t think anyone’s ever come to me with this particular question, but it makes it seem like Dumbledore is actually, after drinking the green liquid, reliving what happened to the children in that cave, that Tom Riddle tortured. It sounds like a little girl, that Riddle was performing perhaps a Cruciatus Curse on, would be saying, “It’s all my fault, I know I did wrong, I’ll never, never again do wrong…”

Andrew: He is a little girl…

Eric: “Please, please! Not that!”

Andrew: …with long white hair!

Eric: “I’ll do anything, I’ll do anything! Please, no more, stop!”

Jamie: Eric, you’re getting way too into this.

Eric: Okay, I’m sorry.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie:That’s okay.

Eric: But listen. So it sounds like Dumbledore is actually reliving the memory of what happened in the cave, and that makes sense. Does that mean that Voldemort’s Horcruxes, in order to destroy them, you have to relive that particular moment in his life? Or – basically, the question is, is this making him relive the cave moment? Because – is that the function of the green goo? Because nobody knows. But it really seems like it. I made that connection, and I was thinking, well maybe in order to destroy Horcruxes – maybe in order to destroy the Horcruxes, you have to somehow weave your way in through Voldemort’s past. Basically I’m just wondering, if this one Horcrux made him relive the moment in order to get at the Horcrux, I’m wondering if you actually have to seriously involve yourself in Voldemort’s life or brain or mind in order to destroy them all; which means basically Harry is going to have to prepare himself for going into Voldemort’s life a little less comfortable than he would if he were just viewing it in third person through the Pensieve. And so maybe, in answer to your question, in order to destroy a Horcrux, you don’t just have to know insane magic, maybe you also have to be prepared to relive some of Voldemort’s happiest memories and in a more than effective way.

Jamie:Perhaps.

Andrew: Perhaps. What do you think of that, Aaron.

Aaron: But you’re flawed.

[Andrew laughs]

Aaron: After they get the Horcrux, he says one person couldn’t do it alone. So then Dumbledore did the ring alone, supposedly. I guess.

Eric: Well, that doesn’t mean it’s a flaw. That means this particular Horcrux was constructed in such a way – it doesn’t mean that Dumbledore didn’t have to face something of Voldemort’s past when destroying the ring or something, because if you remember, Dumbledore knew about – mysteriously about the ring. He knew how Tom took Marvolo’s wand and he knew all that stuff that he probably shouldn’t have. He knew that Tom took Marvolo’s wand, went and killed his family, and then planted that memory into Marvolo’s mind saying he’d done it, so maybe he learned that through his battles destroying the ring.

Aaron: Hmmm.

Ben: Hey, Aaron, how old are you?

Aaron: I’m twelve.

Ben: And, oh, dude.

Eric: Hold on. So Aaron is twelve…

Ben: Eric, you got your butt kicked by a twelve year old!

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: Hold on, so Aaron is twelve, and he tells me that my theory, my spiel that I called in from Italy on this show, is flawed. Aaron, I’ve got to tell you, you’ve got guts. Aaron, do you work out?

[Everyone laughs]

Aaron: Uhhh…

Jamie:Do you see it…

Andrew: Eric has not touched weights in years.

Eric: I am just – well actually, I took Strength and Conditioning this year, but I didn’t before that.

Andrew: But you failed miserably. What grade did you get?

Eric: Yeah, I did. So – what grade? I got – I think I benched…

Jamie: Sorry…

Eric: …bench max is, like, 170…

Jamie: Okay…

Andrew: Actually, I’m starting to think we don’t care.

Jamie: Isn’t that kind of flawed, because if you’re massive and extremely strong…

Eric: Oh! Well, now Jamie’s flawed.

Jamie: No, no! If you’re huge and extremely strong and you can bench a million tons, then surely you’re going to get an A, whereas if your scrawny and weak…

Eric: Oh, no, how it was run – this is completely off topic and it’s Aaron’s fault because he’s got guts…

[Andrew laughs]

Aaron: Awww.

Eric: Because he’s got guts. But they take your max, and then you have to start practicing with seventy percent of your max, of whatever you can – the most you can possibly do, you take that weight by – you take seventy percent of that weight, and that’s what you practice with. You do twelve. You do twelve reps.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: That sounds extremely academic.

Eric: It isn’t academic, but you just build on what you can do. So it is actually not unfair, because you just start with what you could absolutely do, and then you actually improve. It’s very nice. It’s not, it’s not like, “Everybody, today we’re going to be doing 300 pounds.” Because…

Andrew: Well, alright. So…

Eric: Anyway, Aaron, do you have any more ideas about this whole Horcrux thing that you’d like to share here?

Aaron: Nope, that was pretty much it. Yeah!

Eric: Okay.

Andrew: In that case, thank you Aaron for calling in.

Aaron: Yup, no problem!

Kevin: Thank you.


Rashmi: Picking The Winner And MuggleCast Fan Chat


Andrew: Let’s take one more call, and they will also decide who wins that fabulous ticket to Jo Rowling, Stephen King and John Irving in New York City on the second night.

Eric: Stephen Fry…

Andrew: Who should we pick… Rashmi, are you there?

Rashmi: Hey.

Kevin: Hello.

Andrew: Hi.

Rashmi: Hi.

Andrew: Thanks for coming to the show, where you from?

Jamie: Hello.

Rashmi: I’m from the Caribbean.

Kevin: Nice.

Andrew: I’d recommend you turn your stream down so we don’t hear it in the background.

Rashmi: Yeah, I just did.

Andrew: It’s kind of… okay, thanks.

Eric: Is it…

Andrew: You got a question for us?

Rashmi: Actually no, I don’t have a question, but I just wanted to say thank you because you’ve made the MuggleCast Fan Chat more lively than it has been in a very long time.

[Andrew laughs]

Rashmi: We have over thirty people in there right now.

Andrew: That’s good.

Rashmi: Oh yeah, and Ben?

Ben: Yeah? What’s up?

Rashmi: Ben, Lisa says hi.

Ben: Hi Lisa. I love you.

Andrew: [laughs] That’s right. Because you guys are talking over IM, too.

Rashmi: And she also says that you need to marry Hannah.

Andrew: Awww. Well, we’ve already had one marriage proposal too many on the show today.

Ben: I’m already marrying Andrew’s sister, so I don’t know if I can do that.

Andrew: Okay, and there’s the Andrew’s sister joke for the day.

[Ben laughs]

Eric: Wait, so Rashmi…

Andrew: Rashmi…

Rashmi: Mhm?

Eric: So, it is [pronounces it car-RIB-be-an] Caribbean, then?

Andrew: So what’d you…? [laughs]

Rashmi: Sorry?

Eric: It is Pirates of the Caribbean?

Rashmi: Yes, it is.

Eric: Pirates of the Caribbean?

Rashmi: Yes, it is.

Eric: Ahhh. Okay, I win about $30. Pay up, Andrew.

[Kevin laughs]

Andrew: For those of you who don’t know, the MuggleCast Fan Chat is the little chat that goes on, on AIM pretty much 24/7, and fans of the show go in to talk to one another about the show and…

Jamie:How cool Andrew is.

Andrew: This is the first live show, this is a great – yeah, occasionally. I mean, they have to moderate that part because it occurs so often.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: But Rashmi, can you please pick a number between 1 and 136?

Rashmi: 131.

Eric: That’s not fair.

Andrew: Is that your final answer?

Eric: That’s not really fair to the people who submitted it more than last minute.

Andrew: Hold on.

Eric: I think it should be somebody who submitted it before.

Andrew: That wasn’t last minute. That wasn’t last minute at all.

Kevin:No, it’s not working that way.

Andrew: Hold on, I’m getting it up here… Ah, Gmail. The winner of the JK Rowling Live in New York City: Night 2, who has to also pick up the ticket at the podcast on August 2nd or else you cannot go, is…Ben?

Ben: Nicole from Wayne, Pennsylvania! So congratulations, Nicole! Be there in New York City, or else…

Jamie: When you said that, it sounded like you meant the winner of the ticket is Ben, and I thought…

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: And I thought, wow, that’s crap.

Andrew: Ben’s always a winner in my book.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: Well, I will be – we’ll e-mail Nicole and let her know just in case she’s not listening anymore.

Eric: Hey wait, guys! Nicole – Nicole is in the MuggleCast Fan Chat.

Andrew: I know there have been a few connection problems throughout the night.

Rashmi: Yeah, she is.

Andrew: Oh, is she? Tell her to Skype AndrewMN, the username.

Eric: Hang on, hang on. Where’s – I got to find Nicole. She’s in, she’s in the…who…damn it! Who’s Nicole? Everyone’s like, “Congrats, Nicole!” and then nobody is saying who Nicole is.

Rashmi: Nicole is surfingcoolchick12.

Andrew: Ooh!

Eric: Oh, wait. You can’t do that, but thank you. Thank you, Rashmi. Surfing cool…okay, I’m going to IM her. So, wait, that’s amazing. So she’s actually in the – she’s an active listener and stuff.

Andrew: Hopefully she’ll call in. Thank you. Is her call Icole-Nay? Is her name Icole-Nay?

Ben: Yeah, try it. That’s what I said.

Rashmi: No, Nicole.

Jamie: Complete breech of the data descriptions act – sorry, data protection act.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Complete breech of anything Jamie wouldn’t do.

Andrew: Alright. Thank you, Rashmi, for calling. We’ll get her in here.

Rashmi: Okay, thank you.

Kevin: Yeah, thank you.

Andrew: Thank you, bye bye.

Eric: See ya!


Contest Winner: Nicole


Andrew: Our live feedback continues to pour in. I’d like to thank Peter for e-mailing a good forty times with the same statement, “New nickname for Micah: The Micahphone.” I’m pretty sure we brought that up on last week’s show.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: By the way, it’s Icole-Nay, Andrew.

Andrew: Nicole-Nay?

Kevin: Icole-Nay.

Jamie: If you could step…

Andrew: Icole-Nay? All right. We’ll call it up a million times.

Eric: Like E. coli, only with a hyphen and N-A-Y.

Andrew: Nicole, are you there?

Nicole: Hello?

Andrew: Nicole?

Eric: Nicole!

Andrew: Hi.

Nicole: Hi!

Kevin: Hello.

Eric: Congratulations! Rashmi just won you…

Nicole: Thank you! I know!

Eric: …a ticket.

Nicole: I know.

Kevin: You’re going to be in New York?

Nicole: It’s so amazing! Yeah, I am. Actually, I have a really cool story to tell you.

Andrew: Oh, then tell us. But before you do it, can you back away from your mic a little bit?

Nicole: Yeah, sure.

Andrew: Thanks.

Eric: Go about ten feet back.

Nicole: [laughs] Okay.

Andrew: No, no, no. Go ahead.

Nicole: We were on here last time for the MuggleCast Live. It failed, and so me and three other people – Derek, London, and Rhiannon; Rhiannon’s actually a transcriber for you guys – we made our own podcast…

Andrew: Oooh.

Nicole: …and it’s on http://clik.to/maraudersmap. And also, I won the ticket and I’m giving it to Rhiannon, who is our transcriber, because I’m already going to the podcast.

Eric: Awww!

Andrew: Awww!

Kevin:Awww! That’s very nice of you.

Andrew: That’s well used.

Nicole: And also – Andrew, I was at the Phillies game, but I didn’t see you.

Andrew: Oh, were you the girl who e-mailed me?

Nicole: Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah, I was looking for you, only I didn’t know what you looked like, so it was kind of hard to pick you out.

Nicole: Yeah, it was kind of hard. [laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] Thanks.

Nicole: But yeah, just so you know. But thank you so much for picking me…and thank you, Rashmi, too.

Andrew: No, thank Rashmi, yeah.

Eric: Thank Rashmi.

Andrew: Yeah, so…

Nicole: And also, can I ask a question, or are you guys done with that yet?

Andrew: Sure, why not?

Eric: No, we’re not.


Nicole: Making Horcruxes


Nicole: Well, I had a question for the JK Rowling thing, but it didn’t work when I sent it in. It just kept saying “error”. I had a question about Horcruxes: what do you guys think, do you have to make them immediately after you’ve killed somebody or do you think you have to make them – like is there a specific amount of time, or can you make them at any time?

Kevin: I think you can make them…

Ben: I think you can make them anytime.

Kevin: Anytime, yeah.

Ben: Anytime, whenever.

Eric: Anytime?

Kevin: Mhm.

Eric: No!

Ben: Yup.

Eric: No, because I think it was something that had to be done during the exact act, the most heinous act of nature, when your soul actually splits. The way Slughorn described it, I thought it had to be done then, because if you remember, Dumbledore said he thinks that Voldemort went to the Potters’ house with only six Horcruxes – sorry, five Horcruxes. He was one Horcrux short, and he was “no doubt preparing to make his sixth Horcrux, meaning seven parts of soul, with the murder of the Potters.”

Kevin:Yes, but that doesn’t mean that you have to do it immediately.

Eric: I think it does.

Kevin:The argument that I would take against that is that the damage to your soul is never repaired, so therefore…

Eric: But you can’t harness…

Kevin:…you can always take your fragmented soul and separate it.

Eric: Yeah, maybe. Kind of like a hard drive.

Kevin: [laughs] Exactly. Maybe, yes. But that’s what I would think. I would say anytime after you commit the murder because the damage is already done.

Eric: But now, here’s a question, and I guess I’ll go onto what Nicole was saying. The whole thing where you split your soul and you make it – or you split your soul. Assuming that he splits it six times, are those six even parts of your soul, or is it actually exponential, where you’ll split it in half, and then half again, and then half again? So does one particular Horcrux have more of a soul in it than the others, or are they all spread out evenly? What do you guys think?

Kevin: Well, you have to remember that each time he separated his soul, he also became less human; and if that’s the case…

Eric: That doesn’t…

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kevin:…that means that you may be able to split it multiple times, as many times as you want, but each time you’re separating yourself and destroying yourself.

Eric: Well, that doesn’t really answer my question.

Ben: Right, but – yeah. But to answer his question, I think he means – okay, the first time you split it, then you have two halves. The next time you split it, you have a fourth, and eventually, you get down to…

Kevin:You go down to – exactly, yeah.

Eric: You have one forty-ninths, I guess.

Kevin:Yeah, you have so little of a soul that you’re not human, really.

Eric: But what exactly does it mean to have no – I mean, Dumbledore said that when Voldemort possessed Harry, he finally realized the comparison of a whole and untarnished soul against his own. But Voldemort can still be an amazing dictator and still kill a lot of people with his one forty-ninth a soul, or whatever it is, however that works. Even with one seventh a soul, he can still kill a lot of people and he can still do so much. So do you guys think – what do you speculate might be the outcome of having so little a soul? I mean, apparently it has a great deal to do with everything, but he’s still very much alive and he can still cast spells and he’s still incredibly powerful.

Jamie: I think that pretty much sums it up. [laughs]

[Eric laughs]

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah, that’s what I was going to say.

Jamie:I can’t actually think of any word that, in the English language, that you haven’t said in that sentence, Eric.

[Andrew, Eric, and Kevin laugh]

Eric: That doesn’t sum anything up.

Jamie: No, I think it’s a good point. But he’s still got his magical power, he’s still got the spells. He can still – I just think he can’t feel, he can’t love, he can’t feel emotion, he can’t do all those things…

Kevin: Exactly.

Jamie: But he can still kill people, which I’m sure he’s happy about.

Andrew: I don’t like that. Nicole, you still there?

Nicole: Yes? Yeah.

Eric: Congrats.

Andrew: Okay.

Nicole: Thanks for answering my questions.

Andrew: No problem.

Nicole: Oh, where should I pick it up? Should I just like, come up to you guys, or what?

Eric: Yeah, yeah.

Andrew: Well, I’ll send you an e-mail.

Kevin: We’ll send you a confirmation in an e-mail.

Eric: You know who to find.

Andrew: That’s right, Kevin Steck.

Nicole: Thanks – and listen, everybody. I love you, Andrew, Ben, Kevin, Jamie, Eric.

Jamie: Awww, she remembers.

Nicole: Pennsylvania rocks.

Eric: Oh, and Laura and Micah!

Nicole: And Laura and Micah.

Ben: [imitating Micah] What about me? What about me?

Eric: Hey, so you’re from Pennsylvania, right?

Ben: [imitating Micah] Why didn’t I get a shout out, Nicole? Nicole?

Nicole: Yes, I do.

Eric: Where in Pennsylvania? What part…

Nicole: Near Philadelphia.

Andrew: Don’t give away…

Ben: Don’t give away your location.

Eric: I’m under an hour away from Philly.

Ben: Eric’s going to stalk you.

Eric: You know where Reading is? You know where Reading is. Here, look up Reading and e-mail me.

Ben: It’s “Reading” [pronounces it reed-ing], actually.

Nicole: Okay.

Eric: We’ll hang out at Wawa.

Nicole: Yes, Wawa.

Eric: I’ll get a vanilla milkshake.

Nicole: Okay, everybody listen to MuggleCast and listen to The Podcast That Must Not Be Named. We’re Google-able. [laughs]

Ben: Bye, Nicole!

Kevin:Bye, thank you for the question.

Ben: So everybody, that does it for us from our podcasting center in New Jersey.

[Everyone laughs]


Jamie’s British Joke of the Day


Andrew: What, Jamie?

Eric: Well, you know, it hasn’t exactly been an hour. We’ve been off air a lot.

Jamie:I haven’t done a joke.

Andrew: Oh, Jamie, do you have a joke?

Jamie: I do. Well, you see, I felt kind of guilty that I had repeated the same joke that I’ve repeated before; and in fact, Lisa, 16, from New York says, “Hi Jamie, I always love your British Jokes of the Day, thank you, but I couldn’t resist mentioning this. I’m sure other people will write in with the same comment, but I believe that you have in fact said your wasp joke in a previous episode of MuggleCast. It’s all good, though, because I had forgotten the punch line.”

Eric: Wait, did he?

Andrew: Jamie! I cannot believe you.

Jamie: Yeah, it’s terrible.

Kevin:You should…

Jamie: Sorry for this. I have got a new, previously unheard ever joke, okay?

Andrew: Oooo!

Jamie: So, I’ll start it out. You won’t ever have heard this before, ever, okay?

Eric: So this is another one, right?

Jamie: Yeah, this is new, this is new. Okay, ready?

Andrew: Before you say it, hold on, before you say it, once everyone’s finished hearing the joke, go to MuggleCast dot com slash live and let Jamie know what you think. Give it a rating of one to ten, ten being the best. Go ahead.

Kevin: [inaudible] …zeros.

Jamie: Okay. As I said, it’s brand new. You won’t have heard this before. There’s this guy, okay, and he’s an absolute expert on wasps, okay? He’s the best expert ever on wasps ever. [laughs] He’s the absolute world expert, and he’s walking down – in fact, no, I can’t be bothered with this now. You won’t have heard the start of that joke before. I’ll finish it off next week, though.

Andrew: I don’t get it, why’d you stop?

Jamie: Because, because…

Eric: Well, what happens at the end to the wasp expert? He’s just walking down the street until…

Jamie: But it was supposed to gain a laugh from the fact that I had said it again [laughs] the actual joke. I guess it isn’t funny the third time.

Eric: G-mail is flooded with, “That’s not funny, Jamie. Get a real life.”

Jamie: Oh, no.

Andrew: Awww.

Jamie: That’s just rude. Okay then, I’ll come up with a quick one…

Andrew: Here’s a quick feedback: “Zero for quality, ten for effort.”

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: I like that. Okay, then…

Andrew: Zack from North Carolina: “That joke deserves a ten.” Go ahead.

Jamie: [laughs] Okay, then. Did you hear the joke about the butter? And, as Eric should’ve said, “No, I didn’t. Tell me the joke about the butter.” And the answer is, “No, I won’t tell you the joke about the butter, you’ll only spread it.”

Eric: He says to his friend…

Andrew: [laughs] Wonderful.

Eric: …the toaster he’s friends with says, “No, don’t stop now, you’re on a roll. You’re on a roll.”

Jamie: Is he still going on about that?

Andrew: [laughs] That’s really weird, Skype has this new filter that automatically disconnects a person…

Jamie: [laughs] Okay, that’s good.

Andrew: …who’s saying these jokes and making no sense.


Show Close


Andrew: Before we go, a couple of last minute reminders. There will be no MuggleCast next week because…

[Jamie and Kevin gasp]

Andrew: …we are going to be in Vegas.

Ben: Live!

Jamie: Live, baby.

Andrew: Right. But we’re still going to have the Lumos one that will be released on the feed and will be live, as I just said. And do not forget, for episode…

Jamie: Are we going to be live, Andrew?

Andrew: Yes, we’re going to be live, in case I didn’t mention. And do not forget everyone, please call in – [laughs] not right now because we’re connected to it – please call in 1-218-20-MAGIC or the Australian – or England number…

Ben: British. British number.

Andrew: No, not British number, England!

Ben: UK!

Andrew: UK, there you go.

Ben: UK, British…same thing.

Jamie: That’s nice – British.

Andrew: …UK number, to leave your favorite moments from the show and any other thoughts that…

Jamie: The UKish number.

Andrew: …you have about MuggleCast, and we’ll be running them on Episode 51. Don’t forget our phone number: 1-218-20-MAGIC. The other numbers you can find online. The PO Box, Ben?

Ben: PO Box 223, Moundridge, Kansas, 67107. Send anything. I actually bring people their stuff this week, so…

[Show close music]

Jamie: Wow.

Ben: Yeah. Start sending your Christmas cards now so then they can get to Jamie. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, I’ve said this – before 2050.

Ben: Yup.

Jamie: You might just make the next millennium if you send them now.

Ben: [laughs] Well, that does it for us here on MuggleCast.

Andrew: Once again, I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: I’m Ben Schoen.

Kevin: I’m Kevin Steck.

Ben: [imitating Eric] I’m Eric Scull.

Eric: No, I’m Eric Scull. I’m back. Thanks for inviting me back when we were closing.

Ben: [laughs] Oh.

Jamie:And I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Ben: Good night, everybody.

Eric: Good night!

Kevin: Goodbye.


Bloopers


Andrew: Oh, Jamie?

Jamie:Yes? Yes, Andrew?

Andrew: Oh, Jamie, you’re our first caller!

[Jamie and Andrew laugh]

Jamie: Well, hey, I’d just like to say that I really like Jamie. I think his jokes are absolutely excellent. I’ve always liked him so much. I think his points are fantastic, so yeah, I just wanted to say thanks very much.

Ben: But – but hey, don’t you think that Jamie reuses the same jokes over and over again?

Jamie: I…

Ben: Wouldn’t you say that’s a fair estimate?

Jamie: I think he might do sometimes; but to be honest, his way of telling them is just so fantastic. I’m enthralled from beginning to end, and after I come out of this amazing sort of daydream during the show, I’m so amazed I can’t even remember my own name. So, you know…

———————–

Written by: Micah, Adrienne, Jean, Judy, Mandie, Megan, Sarah, Shannon and Shelly

Transcript #48

MuggleCast 48 Transcript


Show Intro


Andrew [Show Intro with music in background]: Because it was just a year ago today that Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was released – oh, it’s bringing back memories – this is MuggleCast Episode 48 for July 16th, 2006.

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Hello everyone and welcome back to the show. I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: I’m Ben Schoen.

Kevin: I’m Kevin Steck.

Jamie: I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Eric: And I’m Eric Scull.

Andrew: And this is the show where we bring you the latest in Harry Potter news, theories, discussions, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And now, we’ve learned that we total cars.

[Someone makes car noise]

Andrew: Any reaction?

[Someone makes car noise again]

Andrew: Before we go anywhere else, Micah Tannenbaum’s standing by in the MuggleCast News Center with the past week’s top Harry Potter news stories.


News


Micah: In a list of the 100 greatest family films compiled by Channel 4, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone came in at Number 15. ET, Shrek, and Mary Poppins took the top three spots.

At the 2006 Home Entertainment Awards, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire picked up prizes in the categories of “DVD Extras of the Year” and “Sell-Through Title of the Year.” The Awards recognise outstanding achievement in home video.

A new article published by Entertainment Weekly gives their take on the top sidekicks ever to be together, from real life to fantasy. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger come in together at Number 11 behind the likes of Ed McMahon, Robin, and George Costanza.

Electronic Arts, the worldwide video game developer known to us for their work on the Harry Potter video game franchise, announced yesterday that they are actively developing six new titles to be released this Fall for the Nintendo Wii. Of those, one is a new Harry Potter game specifically designed for the new video game system. The Wii’s primary new feature is its controller, which is held with one hand and waved at the screen. From this, it’s easy to assume that the developers could create an area of the game that lets you cast spells with a flick of your wrist.

Dan Radcliffe has released his most recent newsletter. Be sure to head over to DanRadcliffe.com to check it out.

Last week, M. Night Shyamalan told ComingSoon.net that he has put some serious thought into directing either of the final two Potter films. On this Sunday’s edition of PotterCast, Melissa Anelli talks with Shyamalan about the boy wizard. In a preview on Leaky’s site, the director states he would offer the “greatest protection” on author JK Rowling’s work.

Finally, an article published today in JAM! Television reports that Robbie Coltrane has “just wrapped his scenes on the fifth Harry Potter movie.” All filming for Order of the Phoenix is scheduled to be completed by late Fall. We are officially less than one year away from the release of the fifth film. The movie is slated to be released in United States and United Kingdom on July 13, 2007.

That’s all the news for this July 15th, 2006 edition of MuggleCast. Back to the show.

Andrew: All right, thank you Micah. [laughs]


Nicknames


Andrew: Wow, we’ve a few announcements to get to this week. Oh, how could I be so silly. I almost forgot the latest batch of names for Micah Tannenbaum. This one comes from Ryan, 18 of Virginia who calls himself “The Nickname King.”

Jamie: Who…

Andrew: I really like these.

Jamie: Oh, I thought that his nickname was “King.”

Kevin: Ryan, the “Nickname King.”

Jamie: Not that he calls himself with the “Nickname King.”

Andrew: Okay.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: What do you guys think of these? Micahscope. Huh, huh?

[Kevin and Jamie laugh]

Andrew: Tann-en the Sun. And, the Baum-badeer. Didn’t we already think of that one?

Ben: I don’t know.

Kevin: I think we did, yeah.

Ben: But, interestingly enough, today – just last night I went to the P.O. Box, okay? And, I open up the box and I pull out this letter and I start feeling it and I’m like, “Oh my gosh, it’s like ten Subway gift cards.”

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: And, I open it up and it says on it – there’s like a piece of what looks like bathroom tile and it says “Formica” and below it is says “For Micah.” [laughs]

Jamie: What? Does he collect, like bathroom tiles, or something?

Ben: No, no. Formica. It’s like the top of the table.

Andrew: Oh!

Jamie: Oh right. [laughs] Yeah. That’s clever. That’s clever.

Ben: It said “For Micah.”

Jamie: That’s clever!

Ben: It was great.

Andrew: So you going to mail that to him?

Ben: Of course.

Jamie: It’s kind of heavy though, isn’t it? To mail?

Kevin: Nope, he’ll never see it.

Jamie: Yeah, he will never see it.

Andrew: It’s a floor tile? Ben will put it in his room.

Ben: No, it’s like a table top, but it looks like that. It’s like a little sample.

Andrew: Oh.

Jamie: Here’s a new name for him. When Micah starred in The Flintstones as Barney’s baby, what was he called?

Ben: I don’t know.

Andrew: I don’t know.

Jamie: Have you guys seen The Flintstones?

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Wait, I saw The Flintstones. What about it?

Andrew: I haven’t seen it since ’94.

Jamie: What’s Barney’s baby called?

Eric: Barney’s baby? Oh, Bam-Bam.

Jamie: Yeah, so change it a bit for Micah. “Baum-Baum.”

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Baum-Baum.

Eric: [sings] Shake your Baum-Baum. Shake your Baum-Baum.

Andrew: All right, that’s Joke One of Jamie’s Joke of the Day.

Jamie: Yeah.


Announcements


Andrew: We’ve got quite a few announcements this week. Don’t forget to vote for us on Podcast Alley because if you don’t, we will cry ourselves to sleep and there will be no MuggleCast.

Ben: Are we in the lead on Podcast Alley?

Andrew: No. Pottercast is still beating us.

Ben: Really? Even after last week?

Andrew: Yeah. By like 20 votes though, not that much.

Eric: Oh guys, don’t forget that…

Andrew: It’s pretty tight competition this week.

Eric: That’s because their fans have more to do than homework when they’re at home.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Don’t forget that.

Andrew: Well, see, their offering their listeners an incentive for voting for them.

Jamie: Which is what?

Andrew: John’s going to sing a song in New York for Jo, “New York, New York.”

Jamie: Well, fine then…

Eric: Well…

Andrew: We’ve got to offer them something. Jamie, what would you want to do?

Eric: You know, I’m very upset.

Jamie: I want to… Okay, if they vote for us and we win, then Ben will, I don’t know.

Ben: I’ll sing “Photograph” for everybody. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah. Yeah, you can… No, no…

Ben: [sings] “Look at this photograph…”

Jamie: You can sing “You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt.

Andrew: Oh, I like that, yeah.

Ben: [sings] “You smile at me on a subway…”

Eric: On a subway. [laughs]

Ben: [Sings] “You’re with another man…”

Jamie: What did…

Ben: [Sings] “You smiled at me in the subway…”

Andrew: Ben, are you promising people that?

Jamie: What did James Blunt say… Hey Ben, what did James Blunt say to the 12-inch cheese steak when the cheese steak grinned at him? [laughs]

Ben: [sings] “You smiled at me in the subway…”

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Actually, here’s what I’m thinking…. Okay, if I get… I’m probably leaving Monday, so I wouldn’t be able to know. Let’s see. Okay, if we beat them by more than 100 votes, I’ll do it.

Jamie: Do what? Sing “You’re beautiful?” Okay.

Andrew: [laughs] All right, it’s on.

Ben: No, I don’t know. I don’t want to sing it. I don’t want to do it. I can’t do it.

Kevin: But where’s he going to sing it?

Ben: I can’t do it. I can’t do it. I’m too big of a…

Andrew: All right.

Eric: I’ll sing something.

Andrew: Jamie, you want to offer something?

Ben: Jamie will do it.

Jamie: No, I won’t. I’m already eating the sausages if Harry dies, I can’t take any more punishment.

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Jamie, your sausages are very, very popular.

Jamie: Yeah, well what can I say? Jumbo ones.

Andrew: All right, Eric what will you do if…?

Eric: What will I do?

Jamie: He’ll provide 500 photos for the fans. Oh no, wait, he’s already done that.

[Andrew laughs]

Ben: He’ll make another PhotoBucket.

Eric: Alright, if we get–if we beat Pottercast, I will sing, in person, a…

Ben: An Elton John song. He’ll sing “Rocketman.”

Jamie: “Rocketman,” yeah.

Eric: Well yeah, no. I’ll do that for free. I’ll do that for free.

Ben: [sings] “I left last night, pre-flight.”

Eric: But anyway, there’s a Brittany Spears song “Lucky.” You know “Lucky” by Brittany Spears?

Ben: No, I don’t.

Jamie: No, we don’t know.

Eric: A few of the people who run EvannaLynchFans.net or another one of the other Evanna Lynch sites have a filk, or I guess a parody of it that they wanted me to sing for them. I told them I would. I would record it, called “Looney” for Luna Lovegood and it’s based on Brittany Spear’s “Lucky” and I will sing that in person if we beat PotterCast on Podcast Alley.

Andrew: All right, wonderful. And an update on Lumos and New York City, don’t forget people to RSVP. We have over… If you e-mailed an RSVP back before the new Leaky Mug site to hplive at gmail dot com, we ask you to RSVP again on the Leaky Mug – or, not “The Leaky Mug” – just LeakyMug.com because it’s much easier to count the RSVPs up that way. We have over 200 RSVPs for Lumos and over 600 RSVPs [laughs] for New York.

Jamie: Hey Andrew, and your test this week is, can you remember what “RSPV”, sorry “RSVP” stands for?

Ben: Re-pa vous le-on [Attempts to speak French, but fails miserably]

Eric: Respondez, s’il vous plait.

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah, that’s what I would say.

Jamie: Repondez, s’il vous plait. Very close, very close.

Andrew: We actually have a story about that, Jamie, for our Chicken Soup this week.

Jamie: Oh yeah, we do!

Andrew: If you read it. Okay, Eric did you have an announcement about Lumos and New York, or Lumos?

Eric: Okay, so after the performance of Harry and the Potters, I wanted to get together in maybe the lobby of the JW Marriot or someplace. I don’t know. I’m not very sure about the legality of any of this, but I wanted to get together and “popcorn read” one of the books in the Harry Potter series. Do you guys know what a popcorn reading is? It’s when you read, like…

Andrew: Yeah, I did this when I was four. [laughs]

Eric: You read a little bit. Well, we’ll all have name tags and…

Jamie: What is it? What do you have to do?

Eric: Popcorn reading. Okay, well you take a book and you start reading it, I guess you do voices and everything like that and then, when you get tired of reading, you say “popcorn” – you stop reading and you say “popcorn” – and then you pick someone else and then they start reading. And the deal is we’ll have a bunch of fans who don’t know each other – the key is that you don’t know each other. A bunch of fans will get together and they’ll read – I guess it’s Prisoner of Azkaban I wanted to read – and we’ll just read a little bit of it. It will be like an hour or two after 10:00 or 8:00 when Harry and the Potters is done. And, we’ll just hear fellow fans doing the voices of all our beloved characters and just reading the book. It’s just some kind of cool cozy reading corner with Eric and you. Super Awesome Vegas Magical Outing at Night with Eric and You. Okay, and anybody who might be interested in coming to this, please email me at gasmoney at staff dot mugglenet dot com and you’ll either receive an update or I’ll know how many people are interested. And then I will see by next week or at Lumos if I can actually do that. If we’re allowed to congregate in a big lobby or something. So, once again, this is the Super Awesome Vegas Magical Outing at Night with Eric and You, “savegasmoney” is the acronym and call – email gasmoney at staff dot mugglenet dot com.

Andrew: As most of you know, every single week a new transcript goes up of the past week’s show and as everyone knows Micah Tannenbaum, or…

Jamie: Baums-a-lot.

Andrew: …Micahscope heads that – or that – [laughs] heads that section. And he has quite a few transcribers who we would like to take a moment to thank. So, to Sarah, Ally, Martina, Jessica, Amanda, Roni, Rhiannon, David, and Margaret, and Emily, thank you very much for helping out…

Jamie: Thank you!

Andrew: …with the transcripts. And, we’ll be seeing a few of them up in New York and we’ll be giving them a MuggleCast t-shirt.

Jamie: And hugs.


Listener Rebuttals – Mirror of Erised


Andrew: Listener Rebuttals this week, Kylie, 32 of LA writes about the Mirror of Erised discussion we had last week.

“I absolutely loved your last discussion about the Mirror of Erised and whether Harry could use it for guidance to find Horcruxes. I just wanted to remind you guys that Dumbledore told Harry in Book One that the Mirror offers no knowledge nor truth.

In my opinion, even though Harry saw his “family”, most of those characters that he saw were not real people, but people he had a deep and desperate desire to share life with. This is because we know that James was an only child and Lily’s only living relative was Petunia. Therefore, all the people he saw in the Mirror were most likely people who could possibly be relatives, but were either dead or not real.

That brings me to my next opinion, that there’s absolutely no way he can use the Mirror to find the Horcruxes, unless of course it was intended so with an enchantment, like the Philosopher’s Stone. Because the mirror does not offer truth or knowledge, one can not use it to seek either one.”

Jamie: I think that’s a brilliant point, and that’s completely changed our discussion from last week.

Ben: Yeah, sorry.

Jamie: Yeah, sorry, we’re stupid. [laughs]

[Andrew and Ben laugh]

Eric: Wait, has it really?

Jamie: Yeah. We said that it’s a contradiction that the Mirror can show only your heart’s desire, but it couldn’t tell you something that it wasn’t common knowledge, like the meaning of life.

Ben: Yeah.

Jamie: But what she’s just said is that’s completely wrong because it shows neither knowledge nor truth. So, that’s one to Kylie, zero to us.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Yeah.

Jamie: Thanks.


Listener Rebuttals – Mirror of Erised: Take Two


Ben: Our next Listener Rebuttal comes from Grace, age 17, from Minnesota. Subject: The Mirror of Erised.

“Hi guys, love the show! On Episode 47, you were talking about the possibility of Harry seeing how to find a Horcrux within the Mirror of Erised. However, in her interview with Emerson and Melissa, Jo said Harry ‘would have to see Voldemort finished, dead, gone, wouldn’t he? Because he knows now that he will have no peace and no rest until that this is accomplished.’ This means that since finishing off Voldemort is his ultimate heart’s desire, the Mirror won’t show him Horcruxes, since they are only a means to fulfilling that goal.”

Jamie: I think that’s a really, really good point. I was thinking that last week when we were talking about it, but I don’t think I mentioned it. I think that he – your heart’s desire has got to be the final piece of the puzzle. It can’t be the means, because clearly you want the end more than you want the means. So, yeah. I think that’s exactly right.

Eric: Harry’s heart’s desire changed. At first it was to see his family, and then at the end of it, it was to get the Sorcerer’s Stone and all that. And I really think that if Harry wanted it deep enough, he could see getting a Horcrux. If he had one Horcrux left and he…

Jamie: But he doesn’t want it!

Eric: He wants to find a Horcrux to kill it!

Jamie: But his…

Eric: He needs to do…

Jamie: Okay, but Eric, but Eric, it’s a shortcut to – that he’d rather have the end, so why would you… Okay, say if you wanted to cycle two states, yeah? You could either look in the mirror and see a brand new bike that’s worth $50,000, or you can see yourself at the place. Which would you rather? You’d see yourself at the place, since you’d rather be there.

Eric: But you need the Horcrux! What I’m saying is – no. I’m not saying, I’m not saying he could actually retrieve the Horcrux from the Mirror. That doesn’t – he obviously wants to use it, but…

Jamie: No, but his true desire wouldn’t ever be to see a Horcrux.

Kevin: Yeah, but Jamie…

Jamie: His true desire would be to finish Voldemort. Yeah?

Kevin: I think Eric’s point is that maybe you’re going to see that bike at first, right, having the bike at first. But when you start working for the bike and you start earning that money, when you’re like, “Oh my god, this is killing me,” you may see yourself going…

Jamie: Yeah.

Kevin: “Oh geez, I really want to see myself at the bike place buying it.”

Eric: No. What I’m saying is that Harry’s desire changed. At first he wanted to see his family, then he wanted to get – it’s an immediate thing. You can look into the mirror and see different things depending on your…

Jamie: It’s not immediate. Of course it’s not immediate! It’s built up, it’s like pent up…

Kevin: What?

Jamie: The deepest – well, the deepest most desperate desire in your heart doesn’t just change momentarily just like Ben’s band of the moment.

Eric: It does change! It does change. It changed for Harry in Book One.

Jamie: No! No! But – yes, it does, but it doesn’t just change suddenly. Events in the real world change it. It’s like that.

Eric: Well, yeah. But events in the real world like Harry – what I’m saying is I think that if he wanted to find a Horcrux and if his heart’s desire was to find a Horcrux, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t see that just because it would mean defeating Voldemort. Sure he wants to defeat…

Jamie: What would he rather find, though?

Eric: He would rather defeat Voldemort, but…

Jamie: How can his deepest, most desperate desire in his heart be any less than that goal, now? Especially after Dumbledore has died, Sirius has died. It’s a war.

Ben: Right.

Jamie: How could he ever want to have a lesser deepest desire than that? And anyway, as Grace points out, it can’t show truth or knowledge, so it couldn’t show him finding a Horcrux. It could show him holding it, but that would be pointless.

Eric: Well…

Jamie: You know?

Eric: Truth or knowledge; I think that was just the way Dumbledore chose to explain it. Truth or knowledge was to deter Harry from staring at it.

Jamie: No, no, no. But it didn’t…

Eric: But, I…

Jamie: It didn’t actually show him truth or knowledge. It just showed him holding it. So, if you – if the most deepest, most desperate desire in your heart is to have the Philosopher’s Stone, you’d see yourself holding it, you wouldn’t see yourself finding it, and it was just so that the enchantment works.

Kevin: If you – if Harry found all the Horcruxes except one, right? Ron and Hermione both died…

Jamie: Yeah.

Kevin: …trying to find that last Horcrux, right? And all he needs is finding that last Horcrux to kill Voldemort, I think if he looked in the Mirror of Erised, he’d see himself holding that last Horcrux and not killing Voldemort.

Jamie: No, I disagree. I disagree.

Ben: No, that’s not true because the purpose, the sole reason that he’s in it anymore is he… Okay! His deepest desire isn’t to find the Horcruxes; it’s what he’s going to do with the Horcruxes, which is defeat Voldemort.

Jamie: Exactly, yeah, yeah.

Ben: So, okay. If you’re in his situation. Okay! For example, earlier I went to Subway, and say my greatest, deepest desire was to eat Subway. Would I see myself eating the sandwich or would I see myself driving there?

Jamie: Exactly. You’d see yourself eating the sandwich. You wouldn’t see yourself driving there.

Eric: But, if you wanted to make it to Subway – if you wanted to make it to Subway, you would see yourself making it to Subway.

Ben: Why would Harry’s greatest desire be to fight Voldemort? It’s to have Voldemort dead.

Andrew: I have another Listener Rebuttal that I just found, because we’ve been getting a lot of feedback about this discussion because it…

Ben: Hold on.

Andrew: It’s been going back and forth so much.


Listener Rebuttals – Mirror of Erised: Take Three


Eric: This is Lisa, 16, from San Diego. Her subject is also Mirror of Erised. Lisa says:

“I disagree with what you were saying in the latest MuggleCast about the Mirror of Erised, because the Mirror doesn’t give you what you want most, it shows you what you want most. So, if someone’s most heartfelt desire really was to know the meaning of life, it would show that person knowing that secret, not give them the answer.”

I agree with that.

“So if the person desired to know the meaning of life so that they could be at peace or teach others or make the world a better place, they would see themselves doing these things or being these things, but not the meaning of life itself. So, I don’t think the Mirror would show Harry where the Horcruxes were, but would rather show him what he would do with them.”

I see.

Jamie: This is exactly right, exactly what we were just talking about and what Grace said, that it can’t show you – it can’t give you what you want apart from when Dumbledore made it so. It just shows you what you want. I think that’s a brilliant point. I think that’s really good.

Eric: Yeah, I would agree with that. I think this said it a little bit clearer for me, at least to understand where you guys were coming from, that it would show Harry destroying the Horcruxes as opposed to finding the Horcruxes. Though, I guess I would argue if he really wanted to find them, if that was his…

Jamie: The point she’s making is that you wouldn’t see yourself destroying it in the Cave because the Mirror can’t know that it’s in the cave. You just see yourself, I don’t know, against a white background just destroying it, because it can’t show you whatever. And perhaps if you perceive the Horcrux to be, say, a cup, then you’d see it being a cup. It’s your subconscious that tells you what you think it would be, so it can’t actually tell you anything you don’t know. It’s just a projection of what you think.


Listener Rebuttals – Snape’s Protective Instinct


Ben: Our next Listener Rebuttal comes from Niamh, age 14, from Illinois. The subject: Snape’s Protective “Instinct.”

“In regards to Episode 47, I’d like to comment on the Snape protecting the Trio issue. I agree that it could be a teacher’s instinct, but I personally think the Snape isn’t pure evil. He must have some compassion in him. It’s hard to tell what side Snape is on, but I don’t think that, at this point in his life, he would kill (or let die) an innocent student or anyone else unless he really, really had to. It’s just hard for me to picture Snape that cruel. He always seemed more humane than many of the other Death Eaters. Thanks!”

Jamie: He is. That’s the thing; he’s mean, he’s not cruel. I think that’s a distinction you’ve got to make.

Andrew: I do think so. But, I mean, then again, this was what occurred in the movie, so we shouldn’t be theorizing about this too much.

Ben: That’s true.

Andrew: Because it was just Steve Kloves going, “Hey! This would be nice.”

Kevin: Yeah, it was an interpretation of the book. So.

Andrew: Right.

Jamie: Yeah.


Main Discussion – Room of Requirement


Andrew: So, moving along to our main discussion this week: the Room of Requirement, spawned by Jamie Lawrence. So Jamie, this is all you.

Jamie: Yes, I built the room. I built the Room of Requirement.

Andrew: No, no, no. [laughs]

Jamie: Well, I thought this would be an extremely interesting topic because it’s one of those things where you can’t see where its brain is kept, so we can’t really examine it. We don’t know who made it, where it came from. It’s kind of a second Chamber of Secrets, except it doesn’t have a Basilisk in it.

Kevin: Which is good. [laughs]

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Exactly. But I’m sure if you – it is good, but I’m sure if you passed and wished for one, one would appear. Or would it?

[Kevin laughs]

Jamie: I don’t know! That’s the kind of thing we’re going to be discussing. Does it have limitations? Could you ask for a room that makes yourself immortal forever, and do the effects of the room only last while you’re inside? So, these are the kinds of things we’re going to be discussing.


How Does It Work?


Jamie: Should we start with, how does it work?

Eric: Well, okay. It works – the Room of Requirement is located at, on the seventh floor, I guess, one of the corridors of the seventh floor. And in order to – it has to be activated. What it is, it’s a blank slab of wall on the seventh floor in one of the corridors. Isn’t there two statues of some guy teaching goblins how to tap dance?

Jamie: I don’t know. I don’t think that’s important, though, to be fair. I just… [laughs]

Eric: No, I was just being encyclopedic. Okay, anyway, so you…

Jamie: There’s a slight scratch on the brick just outside the room.

Eric: [laughs] Hey! Third brick from the left, it’s happened before.

Jamie: Hey!

Eric: So, listen. In order to activate the room, you have to walk past it. You have to walk back and forth three times thinking and requesting the wall to appear or requesting a room. The Room of Requirement is a good term because it’s a variable, the room that you need. You can walk past it and say, “I need a room to hide this potions book,” or “I need a room to hide from Filch. I need a room that is equipped for teaching of Defense Against the Dark Arts.” That kind of thing.

Ben: I need a room to snog Jamie.

Jamie: [laughs] One of the fundamental sort of laws of physics and the world is that you can’t create something out of nothing. Now magic – we’ve seen that the effects of conjuring stuff don’t last indefinitely, and I think it follows that the more powerful a wizard you are, or witch of course, the more complex the things you can conjure, and the longer time they take to go away. But, it also follows that are all those things that you conjured real? And so does the stuff that appears in the room, is that real? Or is it just there as long as you’re inside the room? Because it’s like, can you take stuff out of the room?

Ben: Here’s what my theory is on it.

Jamie: Apart from the stuff you put in?

Ben: Okay. When you go in the Room of Requirement, and say… What I’ve always thought is, why couldn’t you walk past the door – why couldn’t Quirrell do that and want a Sorcerer’s Stone or 300 Sorcerer’s Stones? The items that appear in the room have to come from somewhere. They have to come from somewhere. And so if the item isn’t readily available, you couldn’t wish for four 400 Sorcerer’s Stones because that just wouldn’t happen. But things like a whistle or…

Jamie: You mean you think there’s a warehouse somewhere and they just pick the items from it, and it has to be in the warehouse?

Ben: No, it’s magical!

Jamie: It’s stocked.

Ben: I think you could – [laughs] I think you could take it out of there. I mean, if it’s minor items, I don’t… There have to be, of course, some limitations on it, otherwise you could take – wish for a room full of gold. But, that’s not going to work. So I don’t know, it’s…

Jamie: The fastest computer ever.

Ben: You see, the thing is this magical understanding so it’s beyond our comprehension. It’s not going to make sense to us, so I don’t know where this stuff comes from, but…

Jamie: Why are we discussing it, then? [laughs]

Ben: There’s no point, then.

Jamie: Fine. Right, everyone, we’re closing the show, that’s enough, we’re finished. I mean, so obviously, it’s impossible to understand how it works until we get further information because we just don’t know if you can take stuff out…

Ben: Right.

Jamie: …apart from stuff you put in like the book. Or… But, obviously, it has to have a link with something. Because, I mean, the two cabinets, clearly it’s… I mean, the room has to be on Earth because you can go straight from that cabinet to the one in Borgin and Burkes.

Eric: Borgin and Burkes.

Jamie: It’s not like a different universe, but I just don’t – I don’t know. What does everyone think? E-mail us. E-mail us.

Eric: Okay, that’s the thing. Okay, it pulled that cabinet from somewhere. That cabinet did exist in Hogwarts before it was in the Room of Requirement because Fred and George Weasley stuffed the Slytherin Montague into that cabinet and that is the, I guess we’ll call it the – what is it? The Vanishing Cabinet? Is that…

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Vanishing Cabinet.

Eric: Yeah, the Vanishing Cabinet. So, that Vanishing Cabinet did exist prior to its either being placed in the Room of Requirement, or something like that. Like, it was at Hogwarts and I think – do you know where they said they got it? Where Fred and George got it when they shoved Montague into it? Do you know where it came from?

Jamie: I can’t remember, no. I’m not sure.

Eric: Because, the thing is, it’s in there and that’s the question, how did it get there and how did it get into that room and…?

Ben: Have you ever thought that maybe the items that appear in the Room of Requirement had to be brought in there at some point?

Jamie: Oh yeah, but you can’t have everything. You can’t cater for absolutely everyone who could possibly walk past it and wish for something because you’d have to put billions and millions and millions of items in there. But, I think that you can put stuff in.

Ben: [laughs] It has to be in stock.

Jamie: I just don’t know if you can take stuff out that’s been in there. Yeah, it has to be in stock. You like, “Hey, I want a computer,” and it says, “Out of stock.” So you think, “Oh no, I’ll have to come back later.”

Eric: I don’t know that it works like that though, I mean. It’s just, you asked a question. If you asked for a room that made you immortal, would that happen? I don’t know. I think – is that even possible? Like a room that makes you… Because I think, a room that makes you immortal in there, or makes you safe, would just be a giant padded room.

Kevin: Yeah, it’s open to interpretation.

Eric: Something like that. But, I don’t think that there’s actually a room with a gas in it, that if you breathe it, it makes you immortal. Or like a room with a fountain that, if you drink from it you’re immortal. I don’t think it would do that.

Jamie: It comes down to the, if a genie appears, can you wish for a million wishes? Can you break the laws of the thing?

Ben: Yeah, but…

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: So, like, do the effects of the room only last while you’re in there or do they come out?

Ben: Well, I would think they would have to because otherwise couldn’t you walk by the Room of Requirement and say, “I want Voldemort to be in there, tied up with his hands behind his back so I can kill him.” Or…

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah.

Ben: “I want Dumbledore, my parents to be in there alive.” You can’t do that. So…

Jamie: Yeah, yeah. No, obviously you can’t do that, but it’s stuff you need though, isn’t it? It’s…

Ben: You have to legitimately need it.

Jamie: It’s the Room of Requirement. It’s not the Room of What You Want.

Ben: That’s true. You have to legitimately need it.

Eric: Okay, well I want to make it clear that at least the stuff doesn’t go away, like forever. Because the thing is, Draco was using the Room of Requirement in Book Six to mend the broken Vanishing Cabinet. Now, the thing is, though, it couldn’t have gone away after he was in there once because as soon as he left, it would go back to being broken or it would go – he would never get anywhere if…

Jamie: But, what does the Room of Requirement look like when it isn’t being used? It’s like a Boggart thing. No one knows what a Boggart looks like when it isn’t in the form.

Eric: Well, the whole point of the Room of Requirement is that you – it can be anything. It’s a variable. And I think, can’t more than one room be open at once? Because, Harry was always trying to get into the room while Draco was in it, but yet, Trelawney… But, yeah. But Professor Trelawney, looking for a place – and these were the exact specifications. She was looking for a place just to stash her sherry bottles and she found the room that Draco was in. But Harry tried, “I need to see the room that Draco is in. I need to see the room with the…” He tried all these…

Jamie: He didn’t need to, though. I suppose she – yeah, but I don’t think it can be used more than once at the same time because it’s like when…

Eric: But you can get into the room, if it’s open, you can get into it.

Jamie: Well perhaps Draco said, “I want this room to be completely safe from Harry Potter. I do not want him to get in.” And it would have to honor that because he said it first.

Eric: Yeah.

Ben: What’s interesting about the Room of Requirement is that Jo did a lot of good foreshadowing with it in Book Four when Dumbledore is telling Karkaroff or Madame Maxime…

Kevin: About the…yeah.

Jamie: The chamber pots, yeah.

Ben: Yeah. How he walked into a room with the chamber pots…

Eric: Yeah, the chamber pots.

Ben: …and then he can’t find it again. Because he was up late one night looking for the bathroom and he stumbled upon a room with chamber pots.

Jamie: He must have known. He must have known about it. If Dumbledore knows about it…

Ben: And also, wouldn’t he know where the bathroom is? Seriously.

[Ben and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: He probably would have. He’s lived there, like four million years…

Eric: Wouldn’t he have one in his office? I mean…

Jamie: What, an en suite? En suite bathroom to his office.

Eric: Couldn’t he just conjure up a toilet? Couldn’t he just conjure up a toilet

Jamie: No, Eric, Eric. Because it would disappear and then it would just fall all over the floor.


The Room’s Future


Jamie: What will happen to the Room of Requirement now because it has been established as a weakness to Hogwarts? Is there any way to empty it out or put it out of order or stop people using it?

Ben: Empty out the warehouse.

[Ben and Jamie laugh]

Kevin: I mean, it had to be created by someone. And I would assume that…

Jamie: The four founders, probably.

Kevin: Yeah, if the enchantment was put in place, I’m sure that it can be taken down.

Jamie: Away, yeah, yeah.

Eric: But can it be, now that Dumbledore’s gone? Because Dumbledore, I mean, put it this way. Dumbledore knew all these languages that Harry didn’t even hear about. And I’m sure he’s not the only one. But, the fact is, all these enchantments were put on it since ancient, ancient magic that you couldn’t read about in books. Things like Horcruxes and stuff.

Kevin: Yeah, but you would think that, being a school, that they’d have some history of what was done and if anyone would know, it would be the…

Eric: You would think, but that’s like…

Kevin: …Headmaster or Headmistress.

Eric: Yeah.

Kevin: And I would believe that that person who would know would be the next person in line to take over the school.

Eric: Right. But, it’s something like the Chamber of Secrets. They really didn’t believe it even existed…

Kevin: Yeah, but…

Eric: …until Book Two. Like, they actually… So wait, if anybody knew about the Room of Requirement, wouldn’t they go up to it and say “I need the Chamber of Secrets”? Or…

Ben: You have to legitimately need it.

Jamie: I don’t think it can give you something… Yeah, but it couldn’t give you something that’s elsewhere.

Eric: No, no, you don’t have to need it. You just walk by and request it. You walk by and request it and then it opens, like…

Andrew: I think the answer is right here in the title: “The Room of Requirement.” Like what Jamie was just saying earlier…

Jamie: Yeah, you need it. You can’t…


Dumbledore’s Army


Andrew: Yeah. You absolutely need it, I guess. I mean, then again, did Harry need Dumbledore’s Army? Was that required? A room for Dumbledore’s Army?

Eric: It was just a good idea where he really wanted the companionship and they needed a place – well, they kind of needed a place against – free from tyranny, free from Umbridge. That kind of thing.

Kevin: Exactly, and I don’t think it’s that he – did he need Dumbledore’s Army. He needed a room to practice.

Eric: Yeah. Just because you require something…

Kevin: So, he already had the Army, he just required a room to practice that was private.


Need vs. Require


Eric: Just because you require something, doesn’t mean you need it, though. If you require a bicycle to carry out a bicycle ride across two states, that’s something you want to do. That’s not necessarily something you need to do.

Ben: No. “Require” and “need” are synonymous. “Require” and “need” are synonymous in this instance.

Jamie: I think they are, yeah.

Eric: You want a room, you want a place to hide your sherry bottles, but truthfully, nobody goes up to Trelawney’s office. She could just put them underneath one of her…

Ben: Well, honestly speaking, do you legitimately “need” anything?

Andrew: That’s what I always think, yeah.

Jamie: Exactly, you don’t. Harry doesn’t need to find the Horcruxes. He doesn’t need to. If you don’t believe in fate and stuff, he doesn’t need to.

Ben: Yeah.

Jamie: Voldemort could win. But that leads on to asking whether Voldemort could use it to hide the Horcruxes. Could he say, “I need a room that no one could ever, ever get into, apart from me.”?

Ben: Well, you see, I think he’s too arrogant. I think that Voldemort is too arrogant to think that someone could ever figure him out.

Jamie: No, but could he? Could he?

Ben: Theoretically, is it possible?

Jamie: But could he? That’s the point.

Ben: I don’t know.

Jamie: It isn’t about whether he would, could he do it? But then that – but then, why didn’t they hold the Philosopher’s Stone in that? I think it’s just too unreliable, the Room of Requirement. It doesn’t seem like a sort of established thing that people use regularly. It’s like…

Ben: It’s kind of like the Mirror of Erised. I mean, you can’t really define…

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Ben: …what its limitations are, based off what’s been said in the book.

Jamie: Yeah, because people don’t know as well.

Ben: Good point, mate.

Eric: Yeah, about Voldemort and hiding his Horcruxes in there, I don’t think he personally would have had any time in Hogwarts to hide a Horcrux in the Room of Requirement.

Jamie: No, but could you? Could he do it, though?

Eric: Oh, could you? I don’t know why you necessarily couldn’t, but…


Dumbledore’s Bladder


Andrew: The Room of Requirement was first discovered in Goblet of Fire. Is that Jo’s clever way of explaining what it is? Dumbledore needed to go to the bathroom. He couldn’t, for some reason…

Jamie: No, but he didn’t need to. He could wait another two minutes or another five minutes.

Andrew: Maybe he couldn’t. Maybe he absolutely couldn’t! [laughs]

Jamie: But he clearly could, Andrew.

Andrew: How do you know how strong his bladder is? How do you know how strong Dumbledore’s bladder is? He’s an old guy!

Jamie: Okay, Andrew, Andrew, Andrew, Andrew he can clearly wait one more second, which means he didn’t need to go at that time.

Andrew: But is one more second…

Jamie: If he absolutely needed to go, he could have just “wee”d all over the floor if he needed to.

Andrew: Well, that’s the point. There would be a consequence to that. Maybe if there is a consequence to what you require, I don’t know. I just think…

Eric: I think Dumbledore is more than capable of conjuring up a urinal just to pee in, or a pot or anything. As soon as… After he mentioned the room, he knew Harry was listening at that moment and he turned and winked at him. This whole thing was about Dumbledore telling Harry about…

Andrew: That it’s there?

Eric: …the room. The fact is – the question is not whether or not Dumbledore actually needed to go to the bathroom, because I don’t think he did. He could have conjured up – and why doesn’t he have a bathroom in his office? He lives up in the top of the tower. Does every night…

Jamie: He brings up a fair point. It is a fair point.

Ben: Why can’t he just zap the urine out of his bladder?

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Put it in his Pensieve!

[Ben and Eric laugh]


Room of Requirement in Book Seven


Ben: Okay, are you sure he winked at him?

Andrew: Yes.

Ben: Okay, he was telling Madame Maxime about how he doesn’t know the secrets of Hogwarts and maybe, contextually, he was, it may seem like he was doing that, but Dumbledore is a mysterious man. Harry found it on his own. It isn’t like Harry went searching for a room that… You know what I’m saying?

Jamie: Yeah, I know.

Ben: Harry didn’t reference that in his memory, the time that Dumbledore winked at him. So…

Jamie: Next point, will Harry use the Room of Requirement to aid him on his quest in Book Seven, why or why not? I open that to the floor.

Ben: [laughs and continues in British accent] The floor. I have no idea.

Andrew: Well, you could narrow it down a bit. Obviously, he’s not going to use it for the Horcruxes, because that’s just way too easy. I mean…

Jamie: Yeah.

Ben: Don’t get into that discussion again…

Andrew: No.

Ben: …because I’m pretty sure you can’t require the Horcruxes.

Jamie: Exactly.

Andrew: No, right. Well, there’s an alternative. You can just kill off Voldemort.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Andrew: And this is my point of saying that there was no alternative for Dumbledore when he had to use the bathroom. [laughs]

[Everyone laughs]

Eric: Anyway, is Harry even coming back to Hogwarts? I want him to, but…

Andrew: Yes! Yes! That’s a dumb question. Of course he is.

Jamie: He could still use it, though.

Ben: No, he’s not.

Jamie: He’s like…

Ben: Not for the whole time.

Jamie: No, he isn’t for the whole time.

Eric: Yeah, he’s always welcome at Hogwarts.

Jamie: Exactly.

Eric: I don’t know. The Room of Requirement, it seems like it was used twice now and that’s okay, and that’s good. The good side used it, the bad side used it.

Jamie: What it seems… Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

Eric: That’s like asking, will Harry retrieve the potions book? Will he retrieve Snape’s, the Half-Blood Prince’s book? You know, that’s like asking that – or will he be able to, because the thing is he wanted to come back and get it. He never really got the chance to, but he wanted to, because he marked it. He put the cage with the dead animal in it or something, on top of the book, and then he marked the book or something. So, he actually knows where the potions book is hidden if he can ever get into that room again. So, why is that significant? Why did he mark his place? Is that going to be neglected? Will he never…


Harry Potter and the Big Red Button


Jamie: What I’ve noticed, though, doing this discussion is, it doesn’t seem like we have enough information about it. I think it’s literally fitting as well. It’s… I don’t know how to pronounce this, a deus ex machina. You know? God from the machine. It means it’s a plot device capable of sorting out everything. So, it’s like a big red button that just kills Voldemort and finds the Horcrux and stuff like that, and, obviously, that can’t exist, or the entire magical world would be different, the laws would be different, and so, obviously, Harry can’t use it just to solve everything or the books would be two lines long. “Harry went to the Room of Requirement, pressed the big red button, and Voldemort died.”

[Andrew laughs]

Eric: And then what’s the second sentence?

Jamie: Uh…

Eric: The end? [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [laughs] “The end” is the second sentence.

Andrew: No, no, no. “Scar.” [laughs]

[Eric and Jamie laugh]

Jamie: Yeah, it’s just, “Scar.”

Eric: “The end. Scar.” [laughs] Scar.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: “He pressed the big red button, then on the way out, on the wall, he hit his scar.”

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Last sentence, “Ouch.”

Andrew: His scar jumped off his forehead. [sings] da da da da da da DA! The end.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Okay…


Brainless Objects


Jamie: So, we can compare it to the Marauders’ Map, Tom Riddle’s diary, the Mirror of Erised; things where you can’t see where they keep their brains, and Mr. Weasley warned Harry that you should never ever trust something where you can’t see where it keeps its brain. So, should we trust the Room of Requirement?

Eric: Yes, because it’s Hogwarts, and that’s like asking should you trust… Well, see there are so many things about Hogwarts; doors that open up into walls, things like that, so what kind of question is that?

Jamie: Isn’t it a…

Eric: If you were to ask this about the potions book, that’s a separate question, because it’s just a book with stuff written in it. It’s not like a live object, but the Room of Requirement isn’t exactly a live object as much as Riddle’s diary was, either.

Jamie: Exactly.

Eric: And can’t you see – but, can you trust Hogwarts?

Jamie: It’s a matter of sentience, though.

Eric: The Room of Requirement isn’t exactly a separate entity. I mean, it is part of Hogwarts, after all, and it’s part of the personality of at least one of the four founders, assuming that they built it.

Jamie: Don’t you think it’s a matter of sentience, where if things are self-aware and can actually think for themselves? Like, the Room of Requirement is just like a big program, really, and it just gives you what you want. It could be a program, or it could think for itself, whereas Tom Riddle’s diary is completely different and could respond to different things. It was much more alive than the Room of Requirement, I think.

Eric: I think it’s interesting to… It’s got, I think it’s got some kind of intelligence, because you could ask just for a place to practice spells, and it would give you loads and loads of shelves of the best books and comfortable pillows to practice, and that kind of thing. There’s some kind of… Because it gave Harry and the DA a lot more than they originally asked for. They just asked for a room to practice spells.

Jamie: But it’s a matter of interpretation, though. It could just be programmed to interpret stuff in a certain way, just like the Matrix.

Eric: Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking it’s like, but I think it does just react on your command. If you ask for something it will interpret it and give it, but I don’t think it’s a separate entity. I think it’s just part of Hogwarts. It’s part of what makes Hogwarts magical.

Jamie: Okay.

Eric: It’s just another interesting room, another interesting stairway that changes, you know?

Jamie: And once again, after that 15-minute discussion, we are yet to find a conclusion.

Andrew: [laughs] Well, that’s the – you really can’t, because there’s no real answer. The only real person that knows the answer is Jo.

Jamie: No, there’s not.

Kevin: Yeah, there’s not enough information on it to…

Andrew: Well, what I love about recording these podcasts is that we have all this saved, and we can go back and listen to it and go, “Oh, we were right there, we were wrong there.”

Jamie: Yeah.

Andrew: This is all, you know. It’s like an archive of theories and stuff, so we should place bets on all the stuff that we talk about. So…

Jamie: Yeah. [laughs]

Andrew: We really should. We already have one sausage bet. [laughs]

Jamie: Yeah, we do. [laughs] Unfortunately.


MuggleCast Car Giveaway


Andrew: Now we’re going to move on to a different story that we’ve yet to experience here on the show. This comes from Jim, 17 of Massachusetts.

“About a month ago, I downloaded MuggleCast onto my MP3 player, and was listening to it on my drive to work, and Laura said something that made me laugh really hard. In fact, it distracted me enough to not realize the car ahead of me was stopped, so I hit it going 50 miles per hour, and totaled my car.”

Kevin: Ouch!

Andrew: “Luckily, I walked away with only minor cuts. Well, since it was my first car, and most teens crash their first one, last week my mom and dad got me a newer, better car in place of the old one, so I would like to thank Laura for getting me a new car.”

Jamie: And, in fact, we’re running a new service. Just write in what car you want, and it will be shipped out to you as soon as possible.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: But you have to prove to us that you actually crashed your own car.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: So wait, so what did we learn from Jim, 17? We learned that Laura is funny.

Andrew: Yeah, I couldn’t believe it, either.

Eric: That’s amazing.

Kevin: Yeah.

Andrew: Not car crashing-worthy, but at least… [laughs] So, we e-mailed Jim back to get more information, and his parents bought him a new Pontiac Firebird in place of his, now totaled, ’99 Volkswagen. He actually attached a picture of this broken – well, this totaled…

Kevin: [laughs] Broken car. “I broke it.” [laughs]

Andrew: It’s more than just broken. [laughs] Yeah. Just a little accident. So, we’ll post this on the website.

Eric: Show notes. [laughs]


Favorite – End Battle Scene


Andrew: …website. Now we have a fun, favorite segment for you this week. Your favorite end battle scene. This comes from Alyssa, 13, of Massachusetts. She writes, simply,

“Hi, I’m Alyssa and I just love the show. Keep up the great work. I had an idea for the favorites segment. Favorite end battle scene. Again, I love the show.” [laughs]

Great e-mail. So, let’s go around the table here. Let’s start off with Eric, since he’s been away for a while. Eric, what’s your favorite end battle scene?

Eric: Oh, favorite end battle scene. I don’t know. I’m very…

Jamie: Wow, silence.

Eric: I like Book Five, I think, in the Ministry of Magic, because all those rooms and things that were mentioned. We’re going around in the Ministry of Magic, the Department of Mysteries, for crying out loud, and I would actually like to see – I don’t know what the odds are of seeing that room, or that whole department ever again. I think we should, but everything… They burst through the door into another room, and we didn’t know what the room was for, and didn’t really find out, but it was just all these, I guess, mysteries, is the way to do it. And that battle scene not only had all the DA fighting for their lives, what they learned all year, but also, then, all the Death eaters came, and all of the Order came, and Dumbledore faced Voldemort at the end. Dumbledore and Voldemort against each other. Nothing is better. I think Book Five.

Ben: I’d have to agree with Eric.

Kevin: Yeah, same with me.

Jamie: I concur. I concur.

Ben: What was interesting about Order of the Phoenix was beforehand, people were asking Jo about the book, and she said, “Well, we’re going to go somewhere new.” And it was so funny, because we went to five or six new places. We went to Grimmauld Place, we went to St. Mungo’s, we went to the Department of Mysteries, and I just found that interesting.

Eric: Yeah, there were a lot of new scenery changes. Do you guys it’ll be back at the Department of Mysteries again? Because Harry kind of is staying away from the Ministry. If he goes in, they’re going to suspect…

Jamie: It has to be, doesn’t it? Because the room with the locked door. You know the one? The Love Room.

Eric: That’s so weird, because Dumbledore told Harry what was in the room, or he told him about the room, but nobody can ever enter that room.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: Or something like the door’s locked. That’s so weird. A room that contains love?

Jamie: Well, clearly, he probably will be entering it.

Kevin: Yeah. Yeah.

Jamie: Just because Dumbledore said that nobody could ever, ever enter it, he probably will now.

Kevin: And she sort of focused on it so much that it made everyone go, “Ooh, what’s in there?”

Ben: That’s… The series is going to end in the Love Room.

Jamie: He’ll open the door, and some huge heart will come out and just…

Eric: Yeah.

Kevin: Care Bears.

Eric: It’s just like in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. The Ark of the Covenant broke open and the angels came out, and the site was too holy for anybody, and they had to close their eyes or else they died.

Jamie: Yeah.

Ben: [singing] After the flood, all the colors came out.

Andrew: [singing] Day!

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: I would have to agree, as well. I think it was one of the best scenes in the whole series, especially Dumbledore versus Voldemort. That was awesome.

Kevin: Dumbledore and Voldemort, yeah.

Ben: Oh, geeze. I about freaked out. That was great.

Jamie: It was the kind of story – it’s kind of like an action film, which you watch just for the action. It’s so cool. You can’t not like that scene. Voldemort versus Dumbledore. It’s just brilliant.

Eric: Not to mention there were so many cool – all the cool rooms.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Eric: The Time Room, the Death Eater whose head was turned into a baby and grown back, and this statue of Magical Brethren, for crying out loud.

Jamie: Yeah, that’s awesome.

Eric: That’s like the coolest thing ever, so I don’t know.


Michael Gambon as Dumbledore in Ministry Battle


Eric: You guys think they’ll do that good in the movie? The end battle scene, because, I mean…

Andrew: I…

Eric: I’d like to see… I mean Michael Gambon, I guess he could face Ralph Fiennes, but I don’t know. It’s just…

Andrew: Well, we heard from Lucius… [laughs] Not Lucius.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: We heard from Jason Isaacs that he’ll actually be doing a lot of shots on a huge green or blue screen, and this is leading people to believe that this whole end battle scene is going to be all shot on blue screen, and then they’re going to chroma everyone in, and it’s just going to be mayhem everywhere you look, and they wouldn’t possibly be able to do this all in one take with all the actors there at one time. So…

Jamie: Yeah, so blue screen.

Ben: I think that with battle scenes, I think we need to pay some homage to the Goblet of Fire Voldemort dueling Harry. That was great

Andrew: Well, yeah. I was going to bring that one up, because to think that we’re going to be seeing it again, hopefully, in Book Seven.

Eric: Ohhh!

Jamie: It will be completely different, though. He’ll be more prepared and…

Kevin: And Harry won’t be, Harry hopefully won’t be the helpless kid he was in the graveyard, you know?

Jamie: No, but it’s different. Yeah, it’s just

Kevin: I think the whole reason why people liked Book Five’s duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort was, it was actually a wizard duel, where it was…

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Kevin: It was the two most powerful wizards alive fighting.

Eric: It was a proper wizard duel, but also, I think the coolest thing about it was the history behind it. You know, Dumbledore was the only one he ever feared, and there he was calling him Tom.

Jamie: He called him Tom, as well, yeah.

Eric: He called him Tom, exactly. And I really worry about Michael Gambon. I’m not going to go into the old arguments about him, but I really don’t think Michael Gambon cares enough about the history of Dumbledore, or understands. Every interview…

Jamie: They’ll tell him, though. They’ll tell him, though, before he does it.

Eric: Every interview Michael Gambon’s like, “I don’t really know what the hell I’m saying, I just go out and say it.”

Andrew: Yeah. That’s such a problem. That’s terrible for WB PR. [laughs]

Ben: He’ll never be on the show. Michael Gambon will never be doing a fan interview for us.

Eric: I know, but he’s going to have to say, “I knew you’d come, Tom,” or, “Once again you failed to understand that mortality is not the worst thing,” and he says that right to him. And…

Jamie: But, Eric, Eric, he’s an actor, though. That’s the whole…

Eric: I know.

Jamie: He can do it, though. They’ll tell him what to do and he’ll do it as an experienced actor.

Ben: It doesn’t matter. It depends on the screenwriter. It has to depend on the screenwriter. If the screenwriter puts it in right, then that’s all that matters.

Eric: I just have to get over it. That’s all I have to do. I just have to get over… Because, the history, we have to have this sense of world, this sense of… I worried about this before Goblet of Fire came out. I worried that the movies wouldn’t be tied together in the same world, because of all the acting changes.

Andrew: The reason that this film is going to be so great is because you – like Jamie said. Like in the book, you have this huge, mass duel at the end. But, it’s among these actors who we’ve seen in Prisoner of Azkaban – the film – all do a fantastic job, and now they’re going to be in Order of the Phoenix, all together. And these British actors really shine through. They are fantastic.

Jamie: They really are, yeah. They’re very experienced actors.

Andrew: Working together with the kids and the adults. Yeah, it’s good. But the actors, the older actors, with each other are great. And whether Michael Gambon is a good Dumbledore or not, he’s still going to be able to make it work.

Jamie: I agree completely.

Eric: I think, as well…

Jamie: Also, that end scene is especially good, because we see new kinds of magic. Like him conjuring the shield, and the water going up and streaming in the air.

Kevin: Yep.

Jamie: And there doesn’t seem to be any spell for causing a pool of water to surround him and suffocate him. For us, it just seems like stuff that only experienced wizards can do.

Ben: And the Fountain of Magical Brethren. That was pretty cool, too.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: As I mentioned, yeah. But, that’s cool Jamie, too. I think you pointed out that we can see a certain change, and a certain allusion to the next movie, where there’s going to be all sorts of magic that makes no sense.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: And nonverbal spells are being taught, and all this magic that really just defies convention; what we’ve learned so far.

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: The only actual spells we’ve learned have been in the dueling club scene, and then Alohamora in the first book, not a lot else besides Lumos and Lumos Maxima. Actual spells, we’re going to learn a lot more.

Ben: Lumos Maxima’s a movie thing, isn’t it?

Eric: Yeah. Well, it is. It is. But Lumos isn’t.

Ben:Lumos Maxima!

Eric:Maxima!” Woo hoo!

Andrew: I’ve been rereading Order of the Pheonix and every time there’s a Dumbledore line, I just sit here, and I take a minute to think how Michael Gambon is going to pull it off. Because I really like Michael Gambon…

Ben: He’s just not the serious type.

Andrew: …and I’m looking forward to the trial.

Ben: I could definitely see Richard Harris. No, I think Richard Harris…

Jamie: No way. No way!

Ben: …would do a lot better job of pulling off the serious Dumbledore.

Jamie: No, I personally think the complete opposite. Richard Harris I thought was, for some people, the only Dumbledore, and I completely respect that, but I don’t think he had that persona for Dumbledore at all. I think Michael Gambon, especially in Prisoner of Azkaban, right at the beginning, you really, really trusted him.

Ben: Oh no, he was way… I don’t know…

Eric: But Andrew, does Andrew see what I’m saying, with, just with the interviews that Gambon gives. He’s just like, “Yeah, I really don’t know what the hell I’m doing, it’s just a stupid kids movie.”

Andrew: Well, that’s true.

Eric: He’s like…

Andrew: He doesn’t know what’s going on in the books, but he’s a great actor and I think it counters…

Eric: But he doesn’t care, either. He’s just like, “I just read the script.”

Jamie: It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t care, or if he doesn’t know the history, or if he doesn’t know anything. He’s just got to deliver one line, and he has to do it well. He’s an actor, that’s why he’s a famous actor. He’s been in so much stuff because he can do that. You don’t think that every single adult actor has read the Potter books so they can give it their all. They’re actors, they’re actors and actresses, that’s the whole point.

Eric: Here’s a man who is openly insulting a large majority of the Harry Potter fan base in every interview.

Jamie: No, he’s not. He’s… No. Michael Gambon is that kind of guy. He’s a sort of, don’t care, happy-go-lucky, swearing on TV shows; that’s how he is. But, if he can pull off the role in the film, I don’t care what his history’s like, if he hasn’t read the books or anything.

Andrew: But, we’re all in agreement that the two final battle scenes with Voldemort are two of the best.


This Week in Potter


Andrew: Now, let’s move onto This Week in Potter. This is a nice one. July 16th, 2005, merely a year ago.

Ben: The release date of this show.

Andrew: Huh?

Ben: The show will be released on July 16th.

Andrew: Oh, cool. So, where were all of we? [pauses and laughs] Where were all of us?

Kevin: Wow!

Jamie: ‘We’ sounds better.

Andrew: Jamie, where the hell were you?

Jamie: Half-Blood Prince. I was in Edinburgh with Emerson and Melissa, Emerson’s mum, and Melissa’s two friends. Sorry, which day did it come out? The 16th or 15th?

Andrew: The 16th.

Jamie: Okay, the 16th. Then I was – I think I had just gotten to Edinburgh, and I was meeting Emerson at the airport, and were going to the hotel. Ywp, that’s where I was, then two days later I was at the castle. Edinburgh Castle.

Andrew: Eric, where were you?

Eric: I was in Ohio. Actually, it was in Hudson, Ohio, and there was a town event there for Book Six. The whole town – kind of like what happened with Oak Park. The whole town was turning into Diagon Ally shops, things like that. And I guess I was just – I wouldn’t call myself the MC, but I was announcer for the events that were going on. I guess you guys were at Spellbound?

Ben: I was at Spellbound.

Andrew: Ben, where were you?

Eric: Spellbound.

Ben: I was at Spellbound in… What was the name of that little town? So, it was near Chicago. I forget the name of the town, but, yeah. I was at this town near Chicago at the mall at this party MuggleNet sponsored, hanging out with Damon.

Andrew: [laughs] Oh yeah!

Ben: That was the best part. And…

Eric: Eating waffles.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: Then we went to the Hilton and we got our books there, then I stayed up until 4 AM reading on the couch in the Hilton. Then I went to sleep.

Andrew: You didn’t finish, did you?

Ben: Huh?

Andrew: You didn’t finish did you?

Ben: No, I was reading really slowly, because I was trying to savor the moment.

Kevin: I was actually at Borders, in a local town, just hanging out, waiting for the book to be released.

Andrew: Oh.

Eric: You were?

Andrew: I, actually, if you read my About Us profile, I didn’t go anywhere. I was in Ocean City. I was sort of covering for MuggleNet.

Kevin: You were calling me.

Andrew: Oh yeah, that’s right. I was calling you 30 million times, wasn’t I?

Kevin: Yeah, that was an interesting night. We were the only ones that were actually near computers.

Andrew: Jamie, how long did it take you to read the book?

Jamie: I read it – I finished at 12:30 in the afternoon. So, we got back about quarter past 1:00 in the morning, then I stayed up and read it all the way through till half-12:00.

Andrew: I was sort of… I took my time, too, like Ben was saying. I took about a little under two days to read it.

Jamie: That’s not terrible.

Andrew: No, because, I didn’t touch MuggleNet that entire time that I was reading it, and I spent both days just reading, taking breaks in between stuff, because our mail and stuff…

Kevin: Oh my god, we were getting…

Andrew: …we’ve said this before. Our mail and stuff, it was just flooded with spoilers. It wasn’t worth it.

Kevin: It was horrible.

Andrew: So, that’s why I felt sort of forced to read it quickly like that,

Ben: Yeah, well…

Andrew: So, I could continue on MuggleNet.

Ben: What about Order of the Phoenix? How long did Order of the Phoenix take you guys to read?

Eric: Order of the Phoenix took me longer, I think. I forget, though.

Kevin: Oh, Order of the Phoenix took me, what was it? Eight hours? Nine hours?

Andrew: Jamie, didn’t you tell the…

Jamie: Yes I did, Andrew, thank you very much, yes I did.

[Andrew laughs]

Andrew: What? Explain it. Okay, finish

Jamie: Okay, I did an interview for the BBC, and I said:

[Audio]: Interviewer: How long do you think it would take you?

[Audio]: Woman: Well I’m not a very fast reader, and I know it’s a very big book, so it’ll be slower than my children.

[Audio]: Interviewer: Yes, and Jamie?

[Audio]: Jamie: Probably about four hours.

[Audio]: Interviewer: And when are you going to start?

[Audio]: Jamie: I think probably about two minutes past midnight, as soon as I get the book.

[Audio]: Interviewer: Just go straight through?

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: That was great.

Ben: That was great.

Jamie: Probably took me about three times that. But, I couldn’t say on air that I was thinking about maybe reading a bit, then going to McDonalds, then coming back and having a sleep, having a coffee…

Kevin: Because we’re all under the assumption, yeah.

Jamie: It just doesn’t sound right, does it? So I said yeah, yeah, about four hours. Absolute maximum, though, four hours.

Kevin: Yeah.

Andrew: Were you trying to impress the BBC or something?

Jamie: Well, no, no, I just couldn’t say that…

Kevin: I remember that one person was completely talking over you the whole time.

Jamie: She actually knew her stuff pretty well. She knew what she was talking about.

Ben: That video is on MuggleNet, isn’t it?

Kevin: It is, yeah.

Andrew: Yes, it is.

Ben: I put it up. I put it up.

Jamie: All right. It is then.

Kevin: But they were all under the assumption that you didn’t know anything about Harry Potter. It was great. She was completely talking over you, never giving you a chance to answer anything. It was great.

Ben: But that was pretty funny. I laughed so hard when you said four hours.


Voicemail – Parallels Between Book One and Book Seven


Andrew: Now it is time for this week’s voicemail segment. Kevin Steck, get them rolling.

[Audio]: Hi MuggleCast, this is Jason from Chicago, Illinois. I have a question. While I was listening to MuggleCast 46, Laura mentioned that she doubted Hermione was going to be the one to get killed off. That kind of jolted my memory back to oddly enough, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, when during the chess game, Ron sacrifices himself so Harry and Hermione could move on, and then Hermione kind of did the same by giving Harry the potion that would allow him to move on, as well. My question is, what are the odds that J.K. would do it again, in the sense that she would sacrifice Ron and Hermione so that Harry could survive, in this case? All right, love the show! Keep it up! Okay, bye!

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: No, I like that, though, because Laura was saying that the books are symmetrical. So, like in the beginning, Ron and Hermione had to drop out so that Harry could move on. Perhaps, in Book Seven, they have to drop out, only in a, how do I put it?

Jamie: Morbid sense.

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Morbid sense. Final sense. Final sense.

Kevin: Yeah.

Andrew: What do you guys think?

Eric: Sixth sense. No.

Kevin: I think it would be cool, the foreshadowing.

Andrew: Yes.

Jamie: Yeah, definitely.

Kevin: From Book One to Book Seven? I think that would be pretty cool.

Eric: Yeah, but, I don’t see why it’s a question. It’s been said now that eventually it has to be just Harry against Voldemort. So, they’re going to have to fall back – and they’re more than keen on just falling back and letting him take Voldemort. They want to help him out as much as they could, but they know they’re not going to actually be in the very, very, very final battle between Harry… You know? The prophecy says it just has to be Harry and Voldemort. So, they will drop back, they’ll fall back, but that doesn’t…

Jamie: It doesn’t, though. It just says that one has to kill the other. I mean, Hermione and Ron could hold him down while Harry kills him.

Kevin: It’s true.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: It just means that Harry has to kill him.

Andrew: Tickle him.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly.

Kevin: Yeah, but I think he’s trying to say that, do you think it’s possible that Ron is going to die for Harry, just like he sacrificed himself?

Jamie: Oh yeah. Of course, it is definitely possible.

Eric: I know, but it’s like the new hot topic right now. Who is going to die?

Jamie: Of course. It is definitely possible, yeah. One of them – I think everyone accepts that one of them will probably die, but I don’t think anyone is going to reach complete agreement until the book actually comes out, as to who’s going to die or not.

Kevin: Yep.

Eric: I don’t know why there’s all this favoritism, it’s almost as if you want Ron and Hermione to die.

Jamie: No, no, it’s not.

Eric: Just because the prophecy says that it has to be Harry and Voldemort at the final battle, doesn’t mean that Hermione and Ron won’t be perfectly fine, just back at home or something. They will fall back, they will not be in the absolute final battle. That doesn’t mean they have to die.

Kevin: I think the reason why people are thinking that is that it seems fitting that – she has killed off two father figures. She has never killed off one of his true friends, one of his childhood friends.

Jamie: She’s killed people close to him, but there’s a difference between being Dumbledore and being Ron. It’s a complete difference.

Eric: So, you’re saying that just because there’s this open void where she hasn’t killed a friend yet, she needs to kill a friend?

Andrew: No.

Jamie: Yes. No, no, but in some ways, yes, because it’s a war. They are all going into it together.

Eric: What will that teach him?

Jamie: It’s not teaching, it’s to make it realistic. It’s a battle, it’s a war. If three people go in against three people from their other side…

Eric: Ohhh!

Jamie: Three teenagers aren’t all going to come home nice, nice, and all completely alive. You know?


Voicemail – Impact of the Killing Curse


[Audio]: Hi, MuggleCast, this is Andrea calling from Vancouver, British Columbia, and I want to know what you think about something. On DumbledoreIsNotDead.com, one of the clues cited is that when Dumbledore is hit with Avada Kedavra, he is sent flying off of the Astronomy Tower. The site contends that this could not have been a real killing curse since in every other instance of Avada Kedavra we’ve seen, the victim simply slumps down onto the floor. However, I think there is evidence that the physical impact of any curse can be affected by the degree of emotion behind it. In Order of the Phoenix pg. 336, UK edition, Harry is hit with the Impedimenta Curse to stop him punching Malfoy and he is knocked over backwards by the force of this spell. Later, when practicing Impedimenta at a DA meeting, the victims are simply frozen for a minute or so – pg. 401, UK edition. So, if this were true, it would mean that if there were a lot of emotion behind Snape’s AK, which I think is evident in the description of hatred and revulsion in his face, then it is possible that the curse could have sent Dumbledore flying off the tower. Just wanted to hear what you thought. Thanks!

Jamie: I think, what she’s talking about is, do you remember in Order of the Phoenix, right at the end when Harry tried to use the Cruciatus Curse on Bellatrix, and he wasn’t thinking the right emotion, you know?

Kevin: Yeah.

Jamie: He was just angry, and you need to actually want to cause them pain. I think that’s right, because when Snape uses the killing curse on Dumbledore, it says that his face is screwed up in complete loathing. So, I think it must, the spell must be made more powerful by the kind of emotion behind you, because that’s like a running theme throughout the entire books, that magic isn’t only dependent on your wand and the spell. It’s dependent on the personality – the force behind it. So, I do think it’s made more powerful, yeah.

Eric: But again, I don’t think that any amount of force would have changed…

Jamie: Oh, the outcome, no, of course not.

Eric: Well, no or the fact that Dumbledore moved.

Jamie: Oh, no.

Eric: I don’t think, I actually don’t think that the fact that Dumbledore moved had anything to do with Snape being off…

Jamie: No, no.

Eric: …oupset with Dumbledore. I think the whole reason he moved was completely separate. The same kind of separate where…

Jamie: Because he was powerful.

Eric: Where people go up to Harry and say the only exception to the Death Curse…

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Eric: …sits in front of you. It was something so vastly different, I don’t think it had anything to do with how upset…

Jamie: The thing is, saying that you can’t have degrees of killing curse – it either kills you or it doesn’t. So, perhaps that loathing, that anger, has to show itself in a different way. So, the body flying backwards a long way, or something like that, because if the body just lands and its eyes are wide and it’s being killed, you can’t tell how powerful the curse was that killed him. If that makes sense.

Eric: Well, it’s interesting, too, because they attribute Harry’s scar or at least Dumbledore attributes the actual scar to the Death Curse.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Eric: He doesn’t attribute it to Voldemort, exactly; otherwise there would be a lot more support for the Horcrux theory…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …of the scar. But Dumbledore actually says that the scar is a mark of the Death Curse. So, that’s really weird, because the Death Curse doesn’t usually leave a mark, he says, “The exception sits before me.” Or something along those lines, where Dumbledore…

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Eric: …who is aware about Horcruxes at the time, actually says the Death Curse made the scar. So, maybe the Death Curse may behave differently depending on the people casting, but I just don’t know what to make about it. It’s like, we thought that – originally we speculated in the beginning couple of episodes, it was just the amount of power that Dumbledore had, that made an impact…

Jamie: Yeah.

Eric: …because of how powerful – stuff like that.


Voicemail – The Ring


[Audio]: Hi MuggleCast. My name is Amanda, and I’m from New Jersey. I have a theory about the ring Horcrux that Dumbledore was wearing in Half-Blood Prince. The ring contains the Peverell coat of arms, and after researching Peverell, I found that the coat of arms contained a lion. Do you think this could be the real Gryffindor Horcrux? If so, it leaves open the possibility of a new Slytherin Horcrux, which might be easier to locate in the books. I’d love to know what you think. Thanks! Love your show!

Jamie: Mr. Gaunt is clearly very, very patriotic and sort of elitist. I doubt he would wear any ring that had any significance with Gryffindor or…

Eric: Yeah.

Jamie: …anything other than Slytherin considering his background. Unless, of course, he didn’t know, but I consider that unlikely.

Eric: Yeah, agreed. I don’t even remember that line.

Kevin: Yeah.

Eric: I just read that last week, but I don’t remember a lion being on the ring.

Jamie: Oh, no, no, it’s research that she did.

Andrew: Yeah.

Eric: Oh, research?

Jamie: Yeah, because Peverell relates to lions.

Eric: Oh, actually, well that’s kind of cool, but I do think Gaunt would have made sure. Or would have at least been – yeah.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Eric: And Dumbledore would probably be able to tell. I don’t know.


Chicken Soup For The MuggleCast Soul


Andrew: We’re going to wrap things up this week with a Chicken Soup. Jay, 20, of Ohio, writes:

“The other day at work during lunch I was wearing my MuggleCast t-shirt.”

Hey, everyone buy one today.

“My friend ‘Susie’…”

He put it in quotes, so I guess he’s trying to protect her identity.

“…said, ‘What’s the point in listening to MuggleCast. I understand you like reading but, come on, what do you learn from MuggleCast?’ Then yesterday after listening to the newest episode at work… I learned something… Jamie taught me what RSVP means! So, I went up to ‘Susie’ and said, ‘What does RSVP mean?’ And she didn’t know what. [Jamie laughs] And I said, ‘Well today, Jamie from MuggleCast taught me what it means. It means …'”

Jamie?

Jamie: Répondez s’il vous plaît.

Andrew: “See, you can learn from MuggleCast!”

Jamie: Yes.

Andrew: “So, thank you Jamie for helping me put that dizzy cow back in her place. You rock.” [laughs] Wow!

[Kevin laughs]

Eric: Every 47 episodes of MuggleCast, when we become an educational dispenser, we can prove dizzy cows wrong.

[Jamie laughs]

Eric: Jamie…


Favorite Moments Over Past 50 Episodes


Andrew: Well, that does it for us for this week’s show, but we have a few more little notes for everyone. Episode 50 is quickly approaching and we want your favorite MuggleCast moments and favorite quotes from the show sent in via our phone numbers, 1-218-20-MAGIC, and our two new phone numbers. In the United Kingdom you can call 020-8144-0677 and in Australia, 02-8003-5668. So, please send in your favorite moments and anything else that you would like to say about MuggleCast. We’re going to have a big block of voicemails at the end of Episode 50. We’re all going to be recording episode 50 in Vegas together, so that will be very interesting.

[Random woo-hoos]

Ben: I’ll be laying on the bed.

Kevin: Yeah.

Andrew: It’s going to be a lot of fun. And, next week, we are going to make our second attempt at MuggleCast Live. We have a new server. Huge, huge, huge, huge, huge, huge thanks to Jeremy. He’s been helping us out with this and he’s been really excited to get this going with us. So, next week, MuggleCast Live. Wednesday at 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. We’re going to have a lot of fun with it.

Jamie: What time is that my time?

Andrew: Ten? We’re going to have a lot of fun with it, and there’s a limit of 300 people who can access this feed. It’s not a SkypeCast this time, thank god.

[Jamie laughs]

Andrew: For more information…

Ben: Thanks a lot Skype!

Andrew: Visit the MuggleCast website. Yeah. So, Ben, our P.O. Box is…

Ben:

PO Box 223
Moundridge, Kansas, 67107.

Andrew: Send us stuff and you get your name on the show, and send your listener rebuttals, questions, comments, suggestions, complaints, whatever you want, to mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com. You can also find all our contact information on the MuggleCast website. Did I say staff at mugglecast dot com? I meant at mugglenet.

Ben: Staff dot muggle

Andrew: Dot com.


Jamie’s British Jokes of the Day


Andrew: Before we go anywhere…

Jamie: Okay, I haven’t done my joke.

Andrew: Jamie…

Jamie: Okay, so here’s a nice short one. A man walks into a doctor’s office. He has a cucumber up his nose, a carrot in his left ear, and a banana in his right ear. “What’s the matter with me?” he asks the doctor. The doctor replies, “You aren’t eating properly.”

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Actually, that was pretty good.

Ben: That’s going to destroy your rep, dude.

Jamie: Hey, it’s already downhill, considerably. I don’t think it can go any lower on the jokes.

Andrew: Well, Jamie, I just want to thank you real quick for coming through with your promise of doing two jokes.

Jamie: Well, thank you. I thought these people deserve two brand-new, previously unheard jokes, because I didn’t say any last week.

Andrew: Yeah, so, let’s hear…

Jamie: Okay, fine, well… So, there’s this guy, he’s like an international wasp expert. He knows absolutely everything about wasps. There is nothing on wasps he doesn’t know. One day he’s walking down the street. He walks past a CD store and he sees and advert that says, “The best tape of wasp sounds ever. Come in and listen.” Well, he thinks, “I’m the international wasp expert and I haven’t ever heard this tape, so how do they know it’s the best ever? I haven’t certified it.” So, he walks in and says to the person there, “Listen, do you know who I am? I’m the international wasp expert. Do you think I could listen to this tape and I can tell you if it is the greatest tape of wasp sounds ever.” So, the man says, “Well, yeah. Okay then.” So, he takes him over to the player and plugs him in, gives him the headphones, and presses play. The person listens and he thinks, “Well, I can’t hear any wasp sounds at all. What the hell is this?” So, he goes back to the store person and says, “Excuse me, but I couldn’t hear any wasp sounds at all, and you told me this was the greatest wasp sound tape ever.” So, the person says, “Come on then, I’ll go and try again.” So, he goes back, plugs him in, gives him the headphones, presses play and, once again, he can’t hear anything at all – any wasp sounds. And he’s getting extremely annoyed now, because he’s the international wasp expert, and he doesn’t have that much time on his hands. So, he goes back and says, “Now listen, you really do have to tell me now. Do you think you could please show me the wasp sounds?” So he says, “Yeah, well come on, then. We’ll go and try again.” And he goes back, and he says, “Right, do you think you can stay here now, so when it goes wrong, you can see what’s happening?” So, he plugs him in, gives him the headphones, presses play, and he listens to it, and he says, once again, “Well, I can’t hear any wasp sounds at all.” So, the store person stands there, and suddenly a look of dawning comprehension comes on his face and he says, “Oh, that’s why you can’t hear any wasp sounds. You’re listening to the “b” side.”

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Oh my god. That is excellent…

Jamie: Isn’t that the best ever?


Show Close


Andrew [Show Close with music in background]: On that note, I’m Andrew Sims.

Ben: I’m Ben Schoen.

Kevin: I’m Kevin Steck.

Jamie: I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Eric: And I’m Eric Scull reminding you to save gas money.

Andrew: Ben Schoen, you’re in the studio here with me next week.

Ben: Yeah.

Andrew: I cannot wait.

Ben: Monday morning, 5:43 AM, meet me at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport, okay? Everybody be there.

Andrew: Say goodbye.

Eric: Goodbye, everybody.

[Everyone says “goodbye”]


Bloopers


Andrew: Now, it is time for this week’s voicemail segment. Kevin Steck, get ’em rollin’.

Kevin: You roll them, I don’t have them on.

[Everyone laughs]

Andrew: Oh man. Come on.

Kevin: I sent them to you.

Andrew: Oh geez. [imitates Kevin] Oh, I don’t have… You’re just too lazy to play them.

Kevin: No, I actually don’t have them.

Jamie: That concludes our voicemails for this week.

Kevin: I have them on my external hard drive, which is connected to a different computer.

Eric: Oh what, Kevin Steck is disconnected, now? He’s too…

Kevin: No.

Andrew: [puts on voice] Oh yeah, really connected Kevin. [becomes serious again] All right, here we go.

———————–

Written by: Micah, Allison, Ally, Eloise, Jessica, Margaret, Martina, Rhiannon, and Sarah

Transcript #47

MuggleCast 47 Transcript


Show Intro


Andrew [Show Intro with music in background]: Because you’re still waiting for that Hogwarts letter (thank you, Ally, 14, of Virginia) – this is MuggleCast Episode 47 for July 09th, 2006.

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Ben: Hello, everyone and welcome to MuggleCast Episode 47. I’m Ben Schoen.

Jamie: I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Laura: Jamie?

Ben: Silence.

Jamie: Sorry, I said my name. Ben start it.

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: Okay. I’m Laura Thompson.

Greg: And I’m Greg Porter.

Ben: Before we go any further, let’s go to Micah Tannenbaum for a look at this past week’s Harry Potter news stories.


News


Micah: A Canadian court ordered The Wyrd Sisters band to pay back WB’s legal fees incurred while fighting the original court case. The band says they are appealing the court’s decision and will continue to push their $40 million dollar lawsuit against Warner Bros.

A spokesperson from WB says that they are extremely hopeful that they will continue to prevail in this case.

Fans have speculated that HP 7 will hit shelves on July 07, 2007, and now an article by CNN Money describes how a 2007 release for the final Harry Potter book is just what the struggling American publisher needs. The company is optimistic that its profits won’t completely flat-line following the publication of Harry Potter 7.

And given Scholastic’s relationship with her, they should be in good position to work with her in the future.

Warwick Davis has let us know about a charity auction he’s holding in Peterborough, UK on Sunday, July 16th. The auction line up includes many exciting pieces of Harry Potter memorabilia, with the star item being a very rare, original “Quidditch World Cup Programme” as seen in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. What makes this one extra special is that it has been signed bye Daniel Radcliffe. Warwick will be personally auctioning off the items and complete information on the auction is available over on MuggleNet.com.

In the latest edition of Entertainment Weekly, the magazine offers their odds on various characters perishing in the final Harry Potter book.

Ron comes in at a modest 20-1, Ginny’s looking grim at 6-1, Hagrid isn’t getting any love at 3-2, Hermione seems safe at 50-1, Snape is in serious trouble at 2-1, Harry is in danger at 9-2, and Voldemort, well, has little chance with even odds. Wasn’t that a really feel-good segment?

ComingSoon.net has posted a new interview with M. Night Shyamalan, director of great thrillers such as The Sixth Sense, Signs, and more recently The Village. Now partnered with Warner Bros, Shyamalan was asked if he’s been approached to direct one of the last two Potter films. To hear his response, be sure to check out the full interview over on MuggleNet.com.

Speaking of the movies, more Order of the Phoenix set photos surfaced earlier this week. You can check out brand-new shots of Privet Drive, Hagrid’s Hut, and the Hogwarts Express over on our Main Page.

Finally, JK Rowling, president of the Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland (say that five times fast), was presented Thursday with a Doctorate of Laws by Aberdeen University for her generous and philanthropic work aiding Multiple Sclerosis research. So, congratulations are in order to Jo for this very prestigious degree!

That’s all the news for this July 09th, 2006 edition of MuggleCast. Back to the show.

Ben: Thanks, Micah. Before we move on to this week’s listener rebuttals let’s take a look at few announcements.


Announcements


Ben: By your MuggleCast t-shirt. Jamie, why should they buy a MuggleCast t-shirt?

Jamie: Because, because we haven’t ever told them before. So, I doubt many people would have bought those, you see.

Ben: Mhm.

Jamie: So, I thought we’d provide one new announcement so everyone can get their’s in time for Lumos and New York, which leads smoothly into our next announcement, doesn’t it Ben?

Ben: Yes, it does. We need you, if you’re going to be attending either LIVE podcast, either in New York City or in Las Vegas for Lumos, you need to visit LeakyMug.com and RSVP. Jamie, what does RSVP stand for?

Jamie: Right. My French accent is going to be ridiculously rusty. It’s “Repondez S’il Vous Plait!”, which is “please reply” or “reply please”.

Ben: Mhm. So, please reply. Let’s move on to our next announcement. Everyone, everyone, everyone please vote for us in the 2006 Podcast Awards. We are going for “Best Entertainment Podcast” and “People’s Choice”. So, you can do that by going to PodCastAwards.com and remember – announce us once every 24 hours so we have a chance to win a podcast award.

Laura: And go to California. [laughs]

Ben: Yeah, we want to go to California. Yes, that is what… [laughs]

Greg: Wait, wait, didn’t you forget “The Best Podcast Called MuggleCast Award”?

Jamie: Oh, yeah.

Ben: Oh, yes.

Jamie: Please vote for us in that category.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: It’s…

Ben: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: We really hope to win.

Greg: Vote against the others.

Jamie: Yeah, it’s going to be a… Yeah, but Greg, it’s going be – our main contender is that one called MuggleCast.

Ben: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: It’s sort of – it’s between us and them.

Ben: We want to – there are some people over at this podcast called “Nobody Likes Onions” that I heard they really, really want to see us win the Podcast Awards.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: So, so please, please go ahead and vote for us at the Podcast Awards.

Another thing that you should vote for us for is vote for us on Podcast Alley because right now our friends over at PotterCast are beating us. So, we need you to vote, okay? So, please got vote for us at Podcast Alley. Right, Jamie?

Jamie: Yes, please do. Please do.

Greg: Remember if you vote for PotterCast it means you hate us.

[Laura laughs]

Greg: You don’t hate us, do you?

Jamie: And also, every time you vote for PotterCast, God kills a kitten.

[Laura laughs]

Greg: Yes, twice.

Ben: So, no voting for PotterCast. Vote for MuggleCast people. So, that wraps up this week’s announcements. So, in short, by your MuggleCast t-shirt, RSVP for Lumos, vote for us in the Podcast Awards and Podcast Alley. Here are this week’s voice rebuttals sent in by listeners who have feedback to give us on the past week’s show.


Voice Rebuttals


[Audio]: Hi, my name is Cheryl and I am calling from Santa Clara, California. And I’m calling as a listener rebuttal for MuggleCast #26 in reference to the Occlumency. And I side with Ben regarding the Pensieve and the memories are still stored in your brain. It’s just maybe the details of these memories are what you store in the Pensieve. The reason why I mention this is if you listen or re-read the chapter in Book 5, it does not clearly say that Snape is removing those memories from his brain for the lesson with Harry. He’s just doing it. Maybe he’s saving it to look it over the discussion they just had. But, nor does it state that he has to do it so that Harry doesn’t see. Otherwise, why would Harry suddenly see all his past about him being as a child, being beaten and all that. I’m sure Snape wouldn’t want him to see that, so either way, I just wanted to say I side with Ben on this and I do not think that just because you put it into the Pensieve you have no memory of it. Otherwise, how do you know what’s even in the Pensieve? You don’t even remember it is there. So, okay. Bye!

[Audio]: Hi, this is Christina. I’m in Pennsylvania. I actually have a listener rebuttal. You were saying how Dumbledore’s memories are in the Pensieve and you were talking about whether or not it is a copy or the actual memory. I think it’s more of a copy because if you remember his memory of the prophecy is in both the Hall of Prophecies and in his own Pensieve. So, what about that? I think it’s more of a copy and a compression inside your brain. Okay, keep up the show. It’s great! I love it!

[Audio]: Hello, this is James. I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and I was just noting on Episode 46 how you were talking that Jo do not want to leave it open for a sequel after Harry Potter 7. That could mean that Harry is going to die, however it could also mean the epilogue could take place far in the future with Harry looking back on his adventures and how he took down Voldemort and how he lived a happy life since then. That’s all! Great show! And I will talk to you.


Listener Rebuttal – The Final Battle


Ben: Okay, now it’s time for this week’s listener rebuttals – one’s that are sent in via e-mail by several visitors. I first listener rebuttal comes from Taya, 19 years old from Louisville, Kentucky.

Hey Andrew,

After listening to you and the guys talk about the possibility of Snape saving Harry’s life in the final battle, I came up with a theory of how I think it’s all going to go down: There are lots of us out here who do not want to see Harry kill Voldemort with Avada Kedavra. One reason is because it would be rather boring. But another is that we just don’t want Harry to have to kill anyone…ever. So, here’s the solution.

During the final battle, Snape blocks a killing curse sent at Harry by Voldemort. He dies to save Harry. This then offers Harry the same protection that Lily provided him back at Godric’s Hollow. Thus, when Voldemort sends another Avada Kedavra at Harry, it rebounds once again…this time killing Voldemort, as he no longer has any Horcruxes.

I just think that there would be something very poetic about the story ending the way it began. I would love to know what you guys think. Thanks! I love the show!

Jamie: She… I really. Sorry.

Ben: Jamie, what do you think?

Greg: That’s why fan fiction exists.

Ben: Yeah. [laughs] Jamie, what do you think?

Jamie: I was going to say I really like the idea about poetic justice and the story ending the way it begun, but I think that is why Harry should kill Voldemort with Avada Kedavra. It would be a bad ending, but a good ending because of that. So, he’d have spent ages doing all his Horcruxes and then he’d just kill him quickly and it would be like – you would think, “Is that it?” But then, I just think it would work really well. Like Voldemort tried to kill Harry with the Killing Curse and it didn’t work, and but Harry kills Voldemort in the end. So, it kind of shows an inferiority on Voldemort’s part, whereas Harry can do it. I just think it will be nice.

Ben: Well Jamie, I just don’t think – I think there has to be something more to it than Avada Kedavra. I mean I agree with him, you really don’t want to see him kill anybody, but he is going to have to find a way to kill Voldemort anyway. And so…

Jamie: You have to remember that Avada Kedavra isn’t just Harry killing Voldemort. The killing process started ages ago when the prophecy was first told and doing the Horcruxes.

Ben: Right, right. Mhm.

Jamie: All that kind of thing.

Ben: I just can’t see when Voldemort dies or if he dies in the books, I just can’t see it ending that way.

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: I don’t know. Just, it doesn’t seem right to me for it just to be Voldemort misses a curse that is shot at him and he dies because… You know? I just think there has to be something more to it. And the theory that this person presents about Snape dying to save Harry, I don’t think that that can happen because the reason Harry survived when his mother died to save him was because of love. And it was out of his mother’s love.

Jamie: Harry, yeah. And Snape doesn’t kill him.

Ben: And Snape doesn’t love Harry.

Jamie: Yeah.

Ben: Snape’s doing it because he owes him a debt because of his father. So, I don’t think that is going to happen, but I do think there is something more to it than Avada Kedavra. Laura, did you have some thoughts on it?

Laura: Yeah, I think it’s been made pretty clear that Harry is the one that has to kill Voldemort and it would be kind of like Voldemort killing himself with his own curse if he shot it at Harry and it rebounded on him. I think that whatever curse or anything that happens, goes on, has to come from Harry. I don’t think rebounds count.

Jamie: I think that’s right. But, Ben, you talking about that Snape doesn’t love Harry so he couldn’t do it, I think that’s right. And, I mean, this is to digress slightly, but I think it brings up sort of important points in the books, that there are some things that even magic can’t change. Like, you can’t fake the love, so you can’t provide that type of protection to Harry if you don’t really love him, which is why it’s such a powerful charm.

Ben: Definitely.

Jamie: I mean, I like this theory, in that it provides a nice end for Voldemort, but I think even Avada Kedavra could be a nice end because that would sum up the entire killing process. It would just be the final step and I think it will kind of wipe out all the emotions that have been developed throughout the entire series.

Ben: Thanks to Taya for sending that in to us.


Listener Rebuttal – Voldy’s Upbringing


Ben: Now, moving on to our next Listener Rebuttal, which comes from Rose, age “Ahhh!” from Jacksonville, Florida.

[Laura laughs]

“I have a quick comment on the way Voldy turned out so bad. As much as I would love to think of Voldy as mentally subnormal, we are told very often by Dumbledore that Tom Riddle was one of the brightest students ever. Also, if we look at Harry, he has not exactly had a easy life of love and sunshine; gifts and candy. Harry has not turned out to be bad and he had it worse than Tom, if you ask me. Tom lived in the orphanage, anyway. Tom lived in a world of indifference and Harry lived in a world of neglect. Who is to say what life can turn out a dark wizard?”

Laura: Last week whenever I was talking about Voldemort having inherited some kind of mental problem from the inbreeding of the Gaunt family, I wasn’t talking about him being less intelligent than anyone else. I was actually talking about that somewhat contributed to his deranged outlook on life. Because, if you look at it, serial killers tend to be very intelligent people, so just because someone has an issue in their head doesn’t mean that they’re stupid. As for you talking about Harry’s life versus Voldemort’s life, I agree with you completely and I’m not sure if this got thrown in last week, but I remember in Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore said, “How can you really feel sorry for Voldemort?” because he did have this predisposition to be evil and he did have a bad upbringing, but he could have overcome it, and he chose not to.

Ben: That pretty much sums up my thought on it. Jamie?

Jamie: But, could – I mean, the two things that I first thought when I read this was, Dumbledore talking about choice: that, even though Voldemort’s had the worst time ever, so has Harry. One chooses a different life to somebody who chooses another life.

Laura: Mhm.

Jamie: So, I think choice has to come into it. I just, I mean, this is really going in circles to what we talked about last week, but I just don’t think you can be born evil because it just completely destroys any chance of choice in the world and just suggests that fate and destiny take over everything, which doesn’t really seem to be a theme in the Harry Potter books. Well also, I was going to talk about that they mentioned that Dumbledore said that Tom Riddle was one of the brightest students ever. And the brightest, most evil people are the most dangerous people. If you look at, I mean, if you look at Hitler, he was absolutely terrible, but he was exceptionally clever, you know?

Laura: Mhm.

Jamie: Politically, financially, everything. He was one of the greatest public speakers ever, so I think that it’s all about choice, really.

Ben: It’s like Dumbledore said, “It is our choices far more than our abilities…”

Jamie: Exactly, yeah.

Ben: “…that shape who we are.” So, regardless to how they were raised they both chose their own paths and that’s how they ended up.


Listener Rebuttal – Mirror of Erised and Horcruxes


Ben: Our next Listener Rebuttal comes from Travis from North Carolina.

“MuggleCasters, most people I know think that the Mirror of Erised will be seen again, and I got to thinking. Is Harry going to use the Mirror to find the location of the Horcruxes? He did basically the same thing with the Stone. He changed his greatest desire from his family to finding the Stone. Can he do that with the Horcruxes, as well? Just wanted to see what you thought.”

Jamie: Hmmm.

Laura: Hmmm.

Ben: No. I’m going to say no because the reason that he got the Stone was because…

Laura: Dumbledore made it that way.

Ben: Yeah, Dumbledore made it that way. So, if Dumbledore wouldn’t have made it that you could get the Stone from the Mirror, then it wouldn’t have happened. Now, unless Voldemort made the Mirror a Horcrux… I don’t know.

Laura: I don’t think so because, that would also require Dumbledore knowing – or whoever created the Mirror – knowing where the Horcruxes were, and I don’t think Voldemort would want to use something that Harry already knew how to use, clearly, from the first book.

Jamie: But, isn’t there a difference between using the Mirror to find the Horcruxes and using it to get the Horcruxes. So, he could look into it and see himself. If his deepest most desperate desire was to see where the Horcruxes were, he could see himself finding it. But, I think that it must take a lot to change your greatest desire from seeing your family, who he hasn’t ever known, to finding the Horcruxes. And also, surely, however much he wants to see where the Horcruxes are located, his deepest desire is always going to be over and above that, say, to kill Voldemort.

Laura: Mhm.

Jamie: So, even though he really wants to find the Horcruxes, he wants to kill Voldemort more. So, it could be like – it’s a Catch-22 situation with the Mirror. I think it’s possible, though. There’s got to be a loophole somewhere that allows him to do it.

Ben: Well, okay, the thing is, Jamie, is that – the thing is that if Harry looks into the Mirror and his greatest desire is to have all the Horcruxes, it’s not going to show him where the Horcruxes are. It’s going to show himself holding all the Horcruxes.

Jamie: No, no, no, because if his greatest desire was to know where the Horcruxes were located, not for him to have them all, then it would do. If his greatest desire – I mean, it depends on the wording and what his greatest desire is. If he really, really, really wants to be with the Horcrux, then it could show him with it, so then he’d know where it was. I think it depends on how you interpret a greatest desire like that.

Ben: That’s definitely true. But I just can’t see the Mirror being able to guide him to it because then the Mirror would have to have some innate knowledge of where it actually is located.

Laura: Yeah, that’s what I was going to say. You would kind of have to have a different point of view on what the Mirror can actually do. I mean, can it show you something that you don’t know? I mean, something that you have absolutely no knowledge of?

Jamie: Like, if you…

Laura: I mean, like if…

Jamie: …like if your greatest desire was know what the meaning of life was, could it tell you the meaning of life? I mean…

Laura: Yeah, along those lines. Or, if someone went and buried something, like a Horcrux, and you had no clue where it was, could it show you where that is? Because it’s not like it’s programmed into the Mirror to know everything. It’s not God.

Jamie: No, but I mean, I assume the Mirror hasn’t seen Harry’s parents before, but they obviously look like, I mean, I assume they look like what they look like.

Laura: Well no, I’m talking about – I’m talking about the Mirror reflecting things that you know.

Ben: Right.

Laura: And obviously, I think Harry must have some kind of knowledge of his family.

Ben: A recollection of what his people looked like. Well, that’s not true, though, because, don’t you remember Harry looking into the Mirror and saying he saw people who looked like him and who had eyes like his…

Jamie: Oh yeah, that’s true. That’s true.

Ben: …and had hair like his.

Laura: Yeah…

Ben: So, is it, but I don’t think – was that actually images of his family members or…you know? It’s all hard to explain because we don’t know the magical process that goes into actually propagating images to be reflected on the Mirror.

Laura: But, Ben, I think it was you…

Jamie: It’s a contradiction in terms, though. Sorry, go on.

Laura: I think it was you that said it a few episodes ago. That everything that happens when you’re a baby you can remember it, it’s just in a different part of your brain that’s pretty hard to access. So, what if Harry had recollections of these family members that he saw as a baby?

Ben: That’s true. That could be possible, yeah.

Jamie: But the thing is, it’s a contradiction in terms if Dumbledore says that the Mirror shows nothing less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. But then we say that it can’t show things it doesn’t know. It can’t do both. You know? If your greatest, deepest desire of your heart is to find out the meaning of life, it has to show it to you. But, that’s where magic comes in. We can’t explain this.

Laura: Mhm.

Ben: Right. Well, that was an interesting discussion. But do you guys – the final thing he addressed – do you think that we’ll actually be able to see the Mirror again?

Jamie: We do, don’t we?

Ben: And do you think that…

Jamie: Doesn’t Jo say it’s going to make another appearance?

Laura: No, that was the car.

Jamie: Oh really? You sure it wasn’t the Mirror?

Laura: The Ford Anglia. I’m pretty sure.

Jamie: Oh, okay.

Ben: Because I recall – I don’t know. Maybe, Jamie, you read the Galadriel Waters books…

Greg: Oooh.

Ben: …because she says, she says, “I think we’ll be seeing this Mirror again.” Except she had it backwards, kind of clever, like the Mirror of Erised has on it…

Jamie: Yeah, yeah. I remember something like that.

Ben: “I show your…I show not…’whatever’…but your heart’s desire…” Yeah.

Jamie: Why do we always ask questions on here that we don’t find an answer? We give one side, then we do the other side, and then we say, “Yeah, well it could be either way, really, couldn’t it?”

Ben: Yeah. [laughs] We need to start making bold predictions.

Laura: [laughs] Well, I’m kind of the opinion that you have to have some kind of knowledge of what your desire is. I mean, or at least some kind of opinion because, what if the Mirror reflects – if it reflects what you want, couldn’t it reflect your opinion, as well?

Ben: That’s true. But, Jamie…

Jamie: Yeah?

Ben: Jamie, how could the Mirror show you the meaning of life because if the Mirror could show you that, then you wouldn’t have the purpose of discovering the meaning of life.

Jamie: But, no…

Ben: The Mirror reflects your heart’s desire, and Dumbledore said that many of many men have wasted away before it.

Jamie: Wasted away before it, yeah. Entranced by what they see.

Ben: Yeah, so…

Jamie: But, if they are entranced by what they see, then it must be pretty damn powerful, the stuff that it can show. But I don’t see how it can show nothing less or more than the deepest, most desperate desire in your heart if it’s got limitations.

Ben: That’s… Yeah, good point.

Jamie: Yeah, yeah.

Laura: I think the limitations are based on the person looking in the Mirror, though.

Jamie: What? You mean it’s sort of…

Laura: I don’t they’re based on the Mirror, I think they’re based on the person looking in it.

Jamie: But, clearly from what Dumbledore says about that people have wasted away before it, it will show you whatever you want as long as you’re not – sorry, even if you’re not worthy of it. It will always show you your deepest, most desperate desire in your heart, even if…

Laura: Yeah, but couldn’t it show you the deepest most desperate desire in your heart as you would want to see it?

Jamie: Well, if…

Laura: Not as it would be, but as you would wish to see it?

Jamie: Well…

Ben: This is getting confusing, guys.

[Everyone laughs]

Laura: It’s interesting, though.

Jamie: But, if your deepest, most – I’m trying to think about this while speaking, so sorry if it sounds stupid.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: If the deepest, most desperate desire in your heart is, say you – is say, a subjective view of yourself, then I think it will show you like that, but, I mean, obviously… Yes, of course, because, it shows Ron. It shows Ron…

Ben: As Quidditch Captain.

Jamie: Yes, Quidditch Captain. I don’t think that’s going to happen.

Laura: Mhm.

Jamie: So, it obviously shows stuff that can’t have a chance of happening, as well because if it’s what you desire most, it’s going to show it to you because…

Ben: Right, Harry sees his parents again.

Laura: Yeah, so…

Jamie: And…

Ben: And he’s not going to see them in real life ever again.

Jamie: But, as Dumbledore says, it shows neither truth nor something. So, it simply just shows what you really, really want.

Ben: Yeah. [laughs]

Laura: Yeah. So, it shows it from your point of view.

Jamie: As the Spice Girls point out, the Mirror says to you, “So, tell me what you want, what you really, really want.”

Spice Girls [Musical Interlude]: “Yo, I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want. So tell me what you want what you really, really want. I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really, really, really, wanna zig-a-zig ah…”

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Jamie, Jamie, Jamie when I look in the Mirror, I see you.

Jamie: Really? Well, I see you as well, Ben. So…

Ben: Awww. Awww. Okay, well, thanks to Travis for that. That sparked a very interesting discussion.

Jamie: And we still haven’t come to a conclusion.

Ben: Yeah, we still haven’t really come to a conclusion. E-mail us your thoughts.


Listener Rebuttal – Does Alchemy Spell Hagrid’s Doom?


Ben: Our next Listener Rebuttal comes from Serenity – I like that name – age 16sixteen from Virginia.

Jamie: “Boil the land and burn the sea. You can’t take the sky from me.” Sorry.

Ben: Yeah. [laughs]

“Hey guys! While I was listening to your latest podcast, I realized that the possibility of Hagrid dying wasn’t even discussed. A while back, I read a very good editorial discussing this, and there were some very keen points. One: Black, white, and red are the three alchemy colors. Sirius is black, Albus means white, and Rubeus means red. JKR has used many subtle hints throughout the series, and this might be one of them. Two: JKR said that in the interview with Emerson and Melissa, that she wanted to kill off all those who Harry could depend upon, so he would be alone in facing Voldemort. And I think that they would mostly likely be the adults in his life. Finally, Jo has a knack for writing the unexpected (who would have thought that Snape was trying to save Harry in Book 1?). So since the newspapers, you guys, and many online polls haven’t even mentioned Hagrid, don’t you think that he is a worthy candidate?”

Actually, around Book 5, Hagrid – all the bookies were taking bets.

Laura: Yeah…

Ben: …and I think Hagrid was the…

Jamie: They were. I was going to say that, yeah.

Ben: He was the number one person to go.

Jamie: He was number one, I think.

Ben: He had the best odds of dying.

Laura: He was.

Ben: So, it has been discussed before. So, I don’t know. I think the alchemy point about the red, white, and black…

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: …black, white, and red is very interesting.

Jamie: I think it’s interesting. It is very interesting. I don’t think we can depend on that as a main clue, though. I think we can look elsewhere to see it. Hagrid’s clearly part of Harry’s life now, and I’d like to think he’s going to be there when Harry has to do everything with Voldemort, but it obviously takes a lot to hurt him, as we see from the battle in Half-Blood Prince. So, I don’t see – I don’t know. It could be that Voldemort kills him personally to, you know, I don’t know…

Ben: I don’t think that…

Jamie: …just to like incense Harry.

Ben: Well, you see, she mentions how JK Rowling says she wants to kill off everyone who’s close to Hagrid so he’s left alone facing Voldemort? I don’t think she would have to kill Hagrid to accomplish that because what aid would Hagrid provide if he was battling Voldemort directly? You understand what I’m saying? If it was the case where he was battling Voldemort and Dumbledore was still alive, then Dumbledore would be able to assist him, and Sirius would be able to save him, because they’re both trained and qualified wizards. Hagrid was expelled in his third year, so what’s he going to do? Run at him with his…

Jamie: Exactly, yeah. He could hide behind him, and then sort of rugby tackle his legs and take him down so that Harry can…

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Yeah.

Laura: But I don’t think that helping Harry defeat Voldemort necessarily means actually facing Voldemort.

Ben: You mean emotionally?

Laura: He could… Well, not just that. He could help Harry in so many other ways. He could hide him, he could travel with him. He could do so many things. He has such a vast knowledge of magical creatures. So, I think that…

Jamie: Yeah, exactly. He could help him, definitely, but I think it depends on… I mean, they make the point that Jo wants to get rid of all those people who Harry could depend on, but does that mean that she actually has to kill them, or that Harry just thinks that they aren’t there, at the time for him, that he’ll be better at facing Voldemort.

Laura: Well, I don’t think she literally means she’s going to kill everyone that he depends on because then…

Ben: That would mean Ron…

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: …Hermione, Ginny…

Jamie: Yeah.

Greg: Well, I don’t really see a reason to kill off Hagrid. Besides what you guys are mentioning, I just don’t see it.

Ben: I don’t think there’s a purpose in killing off Hagrid, personally.

Jamie: Of course they… Well, the one purpose, I mean, the main purpose for all these deaths is to show that it is a war and there are going to be casualties on both sides. You can’t just have Voldemort and all his Death Eaters dying, and everyone going home holding up Butterbeers shouting, “Hooray, we won the war!”

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Yeah, all right, but okay! In every book I think… I don’t know, I just enjoy… I just always… Like at the end of Goblet of Fire, after you know the climax of the book and the denouement – I think that’s what it’s called. Is that right?

Jamie: The what? Sorry?

Ben: The denouement?

Jamie: The what?

Laura: [laughs] Oh!

Ben: Have you heard that term, Laura?

Laura: Yeah. I think that’s right.

Jamie: What the hell is…

Ben: Denouement. It’s like after the climax, the sort of ease down.

Laura: Hang on, I’m going to look it up. [laughs]

Jamie: How do you spell that?

Ben: Dee-now-ment?

Laura: It looks like de-now-ment.

Jamie: Oh, denouement! [pronounced like de-now-ment] Yeah. How did you…

Ben: Denouement. [pronounced like de-new-MA]

Jamie: [laughs] How did you say it, Ben?

Ben: It’s denouement! [pronounced like de-new-MA]

Jamie: It’s denouement, [pronounced like de-NEW-ma] isn’t it?

Laura: Hang on, I’m looking it up in my dictionary. [laughs]

Jamie: It is de-new-mont. [pronounced like de-NEW-ma] No, no, no. It’s D-E-N-O-U-E-M-E-N-T. It is not definitely de-new-ma, or however you pronounced it.

Ben: It’s denouement! [pronounced like de-new-MA]

Laura: How’s it spelled?

Jamie: It sounds like – It’s D-E-N-O-U-E…

Ben: It’s D-E-N-O-U-N…

Jamie: No, O-U-E. O-U-E.

Ben: …M-E-N-T. No, it’s not.

Jamie: It’s de-new. D-E-N-O-U-E-M-E-N-T. Denouement.

Laura: Yeah! It’s denouement! [pronounced like de-NEW-ma]

Greg: Oh, wow.

Ben: Hold on.

Jamie: Ben, she’s the one checking it.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: See, this is what happens – this is what happens when you go to Moundridge High School, okay?

Jamie: [laughs] Ben, trust me, it’s right. I studied it a couple years ago.

Laura: Yeah, he’s right, Ben.

Ben: Denouement.

Laura: Denouement. Denouement.

Jamie: Isn’t it like a dead pan?

Ben: Denouement.

Jamie: Isn’t it like dead pan purging?

Ben: It’s the unraveling of the plot.

Laura: Yeah.

Ben: But anyway, in every book during the denouement… [pronounced like de-new-MA]

[Laura and Jamie laugh]

Ben: …Harry always goes and talks to Hagrid, and I just can’t see Hagrid not being there, you know? It just always seems like Hagrid’s the control throughout the entire series. He’s always there. It stays the same with him. And I just can’t see him dying. If he dies, I’ll be sad.

Jamie: I’ll be sad, too.

Laura: He’ll cry.

Ben: I’m sure Jo’s counting on that. She’s making sure she won’t kill anybody that will make me sad.

[Jamie and Ben laugh]

Laura: We’ll have to send tissues to the P.O. Box so that Ben can cry.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah, and shoulders. And shoulders. If you can send some shoulders so that Ben can cry on them. [laughs]

Ben: Yeah, does anyone else have any thoughts about Hagrid dying?

Laura: I’m neutral.

Jamie: Please don’t let it happen.

Laura: I think it can go either way.

Greg: Yeah, I’m neutral, as well.

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah, same.

Ben: Me, too.

Jamie: I’ll remain neutral. So, again, one more point where we haven’t even nearly reached a conclusion.

[Jamie and Laura laugh]

Ben: Sorry about that. There’s so much evidence pointing both ways that it’s hard for us to pull it off.


Listener Rebuttal – Nicknames For Micah


Ben: Okay, well this is sort of a… This thing is… This next listener rebuttal-type thing has sort of turned into its own segment each week. People keep sending in new nicknames for Micah and, so, here are a few of them. We have Micahangelo, like either the Ninja Turtle or the artist. That was from Ryan, 18 of Virginia. And then there’s Mr. Baum-bastic or the Baum-ba-deer (Jordan, 15, Windermere)…

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: And then here’s my personal favorite: Micahphone. [laughs]

Jamie: Hey!

Ben: This is from JP, 16, of New Zealand. So yeah, send in your new Micah nicknames. Everyone, keep sending them in.

Greg: I still like La-baum-baum.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: [sings] La la la la baum baum. Sorry.

Jamie: Micahangelo is good. I like that.

Ben: Yeah, that is a good one. [laughs]

Jamie: He paints enormous frescos of Harry Potter news on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

Ben: Yeah. [laughs] Well…

Jamie: Actually, I don’t even know if that was Michelangelo.

Greg: I better look it up.


PO Box Update


Ben: A little update on the PO Box. We have received one letter in the past week, and you know what, guys? Everybody? I blame myself for not acknowledging you enough on the show. So, as a result, sometime between the release of this episode and our Las Vegas podcast, I’m going to make a list of everyone who has ever sent in a letter to the PO Box, and I’m going to post that on the website. I have all the mail somewhere, so it’s just a matter of digging it out. And…

Laura: So Ben, are you going to have two separate lists? One for the stuff that you’ve actually sent and…

Jamie: Which would be – which would have nothing on it.

Laura: …and the stuff that’s still sitting in your closet?

Jamie: Ben? Ben?

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Ummm, no. Yes?

Jamie: Can I blame you, as well, on air? Because Ben hasn’t sent us anything that’s come into the P.O. Box.

Ben: No, I have! I’ve sent Micah his stuff, I’ve sent Eric, I’ve sent Laura, I’ve sent Andrew, I’ve sent Kevin.

Laura: Yeah, he’s sent me two Christmas cards and…

Jamie: Wait, so wait, you sent everyone’s except mine?

Ben: Yes, because I don’t feel like paying post to Britain.

Jamie: Ben, it’s not going to cost much for one letter.

Laura: Buy your MuggleCast T-shirt so that Ben can pay for the postage. [laughs]

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah. Please, yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: Well, the thing about the P.O. Box – I don’t have the letters in front of me, but thanks to Joel from Emmawatson.us for sending me some Subway gift cards.

Jamie: Ben! That’s your site! Ben! [laughs]

Ben: And I’ve gotten… I know! That doesn’t matter! That’s where he’s from, and he sent me Subway gift cards, okay? In the MuggleCast box…

Jamie: That’s like me saying thanks to Jamie Lawrence for sending me a Subway gift card. Thanks very much, Jamie, that’s really nice of you.

Ben: Yeah. [laughs] Any of your Subway gift cards are very accepted. They’re very much appreciated. The battle against childhood obesity for me continues to be waged. I’m now 15 lbs. lighter than when I started, so…

Jamie: Nicely done.

Ben: Applause! High five!

Laura: Yay!

[Everyone claps and cheers]

Greg: Yeah, those gummy bears that you were eating before the show.

Jamie: Yeah.

Greg: Those were definitely helping.

Ben: Hey, hey. Don’t talk about those. I know, those were. Okay.

Laura: Yeah, so…

Ben: Now it’s time… Well, go ahead, Laura.

Laura: No, I was just going to say, if you want to send your Christmas cards, send them now and they might get to us on time.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: Yes. [laughs] So go ahead and start sending.

Jamie: Christmas cards for Christmas 2015. Send them now.

[Greg and Laura laugh]

Ben: Yeah, you guys are just a riot.

Greg: By that time we’ll be at MuggleCast 436.

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah.

Ben: Wow, did you figure that out, Greg? You’re good, Greg.

[Greg and Laura laugh]

Greg: I did that all in my head.


Main Discussion – Prisoner of Azkaban Foreshadowing


Ben: Now, it’s time for this week’s main discussion. An interview with David Heyman, Steve Kloves, Mark Radcliffe, and JK Rowling on the Prisoner of Azkaban DVD extra, November 23, 2004, JK Rowling had this to say:

[Audio]: “Alfonso had very good intuition about what would and wouldn’t work. He’s put things in the film that, without knowing it, foreshadow things that are going to happen in the final two books. So, I really got goose bumps when I saw a couple of those things, and I thought people are going to look back on the film and think those were put in deliberately as clues.”

Ben: What do you guys think that Prisoner of Azkaban foreshadowed in Half-Blood Prince, and what do you think it’s going to foreshadow in Book 7?


Ron and Hermione


Greg: In Half-Blood Prince, the obvious thing there was the relationship between Hermione and Ron, or the love there.

Jamie: Oh yeah.

Laura: Oh yeah.

Greg: That’s been foreshadowed everywhere just because it’s funny.

Jamie: That’s been – That was foreshadowed before the first book was even released.

Ben: Yes. [laughs]

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: Everywhere.


James and Lily


Jamie: Jenna wrote a really good editorial on MuggleNet. It was really good reading. I really enjoyed it. One quote particularly stood out. One from Sirius:

[Audio]: “It’s cruel that I got to spend so much time with James and Lily, and you, so little. Know this: The ones that love us never really leave us, and you can always find them in here.”

Jamie: I mean, have you read this editorial? It was really, really interesting.

Ben: Well, in the editorial, she brings up the fact that Sirius himself said this to Harry and it could be a huge clue. “Not only that, but it could easily be added into the film as a nice emotional line without knowing that it could serve a greater purpose. Not only do I think it could possibly foreshadow something to do with finding Sirius after his death, but we know that Harry’s heart is essential to power he must use to vanquish the Dark Lord.”

Jamie: Yeah.

Ben: So, what Jenna’s trying to point out here is that it foreshadows, perhaps, Sirius dying and then- I don’t know, I think it just…

Jamie: It’s to do with love, though. It’s clearly got something to do with the weapon that Harry uses against…

Laura: Yeah, it has to do with Harry’s power over Voldemort. Yeah.

Jamie: I just don’t know if he’s talking – I mean, obviously, he isn’t talking literally. Harry can’t open up his chest and find his parents in there.

Ben: Yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: But, I just – you know, it depends if it means he can find them; he can feel them saying, “Come on, Harry. You can do it.” Or if he can get some actual kind of power from them that helps him defeat Voldemort. I just don’t know if she’s talking literally – sorry – as in figuratively, or if she’s talking magically. You know?


Three Turns


Ben: I don’t know. In the movie, Dumbledore tells Harry and Hermione to retrace their steps when they go back in time.

[Audio]: Three turns should do it, I think. Oh, by the way, when in doubt, I find retracing my steps to be a wise place to begin. Good luck!

Ben: In the book, he says nothing of the sort. Could this be how Harry tracks down the Horcruxes, by retracing Voldemort’s steps that he’s shown in the Pensieve? What do you guys think?

Laura: Eh.

Greg: That’d be cool.

Laura: I just think it was an easier way to explain it on screen.

Jamie: Yeah, I agree.

Ben: Yeah, that’s definitely why. I don’t know, some people – I’ve brought this up before. It just seems like anytime that there’s something – people overanalyze stuff. I mean…

Laura: [laughs] Because we don’t.

Ben: They always take things…

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: Ben, Ben, Ben! That’s a bit…

Ben: I know. It’s a podcast.

Jamie: That’s a bit hypocritical, isn’t it?

Ben: Yeah.

Jamie: You’re in a podcast that is committed to overanalyzing every single theory on Earth.

Ben: Yeah.

[Greg laughs]

Ben: So, sorry about that. Don’t mail-bomb me, please.

[Ben and Laura laugh]

Ben: Okay. In…

Jamie: The thing about…

Ben: Go ahead.

Jamie: Go on.

Ben: Go on.

Jamie: No, you go if you want. Okay.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: The thing about this, is that I think it seems a bit too logical that Harry’s going to track down the Horcruxes by retracing Voldemort’s steps. We know logical is good because it gets you there, but Harry isn’t always the most level-headed, logical person. I don’t think he’d want to do that. You know? I just don’t think that’s the kind of thing he would do. Obviously, he has to find a base to go, but I think he’ll find that from asking people.

Ben: And I’m not quite sure how he can do it, how he can track people down through the – how he can track down the Horcruxes in the Pensieve because or, I don’t know. Maybe – I think he could utilize the Pensieve…

Jamie: Oh yeah.

Ben: …especially with the memories of Voldemort.

Jamie: It’ll help him, definitely.

Ben: Mhm.

Jamie: But, I just don’t know what…

Ben: In a way, I think that…

Jamie: …or how much is going to go into…

Ben: …I think Dumbledore’s lessons that he gives Harry in Book 6 are the way of – I think he had a feeling that he may not be around much longer, so he says, “Oh Harry, we need to… I need to give you as much knowledge as possible.” And that’s why the lessons were focused more on filling his head with knowledge rather than, “Hey, let’s go out, I’ll show you all these new advanced magic and advanced spells.”

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: It’s like, “Hey man, look at this! I just got this from a Toys R’Us! It’s the best spell ever!”

Ben: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: Okay, okay. This is going completely off on a tangent here, but I was – do you know Dumbledore – and I don’t mean to speak ill of the dead, bless Dumbledore’s soul, but the thing that really annoyed me in Half-Blood Prince was how he seemed sort of holier-than-thou all the time with his… When they were on the boat across to the island, and Dumbledore said that Harry’s powers wouldn’t register compared to his, you know, and just stuff. And when they left Privet Drive and he said that he didn’t think he would be attacked because he’s with him. I don’t know. Those things just kind of got me.

Ben: What was interesting was…

Jamie: I don’t think Dumbledore…

Laura: He did that through the whole book.

Ben: Right, but what I thought was cool was that towards the end, he sort of… When he was – when Harry was transporting Dumbledore back to the castle shortly before Dumbledore was killed, Dumbledore says, “We’ll be all right…”

Greg: “I will be with you.”

Laura: Yeah, he was like, “I’m with you.”

Ben: …I’m with you.”

Laura: That made me cry! [laughs]

Jamie: But, why do you think, why do you think Dumbledore said all that throughout the entire book? Do you think it was to inspire Harry and trying to get him to better himself.

Ben: Well, confidence is everything in most situations.

Laura: Mhm.

Ben: You don’t want to be overconfident, but I don’t think Dumbledore is really being overconfident because…

Laura: I think he’s being honest.

Ben: Mhm. I mean, I don’t think… Would you have any… Put yourself in Harry’s situation. Do you think there’s anything to worry about when you’re with one of the most powerful wizards in the world? I wouldn’t be scared.

Jamie: Yes – no! No, but, no, but there is. That’s the point. Now of course there is. It’s got to a – it’s got to a point now where this war can’t be won by one man. Of course that’s something to worry about. I would not – even considering how powerful Dumbledore is, probably one of the greatest wizards ever to have lived, I would still feel vulnerable considering all that Voldemort’s done, everything he can do. In that cave, I don’t think it’s possible to feel safe, even if you’re with a million wizards with a billion wands each. [laughs]

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: And that kind of thing.

Ben: Yeah, you’re probably right. But, moving back to the topic at hand.

Jamie: Ben, can I just go back to that quickly?

Ben: Okay, go ahead.

Jamie: I think, also, it’s to tell Harry he isn’t even nearly ready to battle Voldemort. Because even though he has love and all these things, he’s simply not powerful enough magically. I think Jo would be doing an injustice if Harry fought Voldemort now and won. He simply can’t do it. I know in… It’s like in Star Wars – in Star Wars: Episode II – and I don’t want to draw a parallel to Star Wars as I’ve done before. I do obviously prone to draw parallels with Star Wars. [laughs] But it’s like when Count Dooku fights Anakin in Star Wars: Episode II. He isn’t powerful enough to beat him then. It doesn’t matter that it’s a film. He just isn’t powerful enough to beat him, and I don’t think Harry is now. And I think it could be Dumbledore telling him he’s powerful and he has what it takes, but he needs to improve slightly. He needs to get in gear.

Ben: Yeah, he does. [laughs]


Protector Snape


Ben: Okay, moving back to the main discussion about Prisoner of Azkaban foreshadowing things. We see towards the end of Prisoner of Azkaban where Snape stands in front of Harry, Ron, and Hermione to protect them from the werewolf Lupin. Do you think that Snape could some way sacrifice himself, especially with the new vicious werewolf that we get introduced to in Half-Blood Prince, Greyback. Do you think that it’s likely or a possibility that Snape could get in the way when Greyback is attempting to attack?

Jamie: Couldn’t that just have been adult instinct, though, to protect them from – it’s just his instinct to jump in front of children and protect them from an evil. I mean, I know what you mean, that the way he did it – he put his arms around them and tried to protect them. But it could be his instinct as a teacher taking over, you know?

Laura: Mhm.

Ben: Yeah, that’s true, too. Laura, do you have any thoughts on it?

Laura: I think it’s possible. One thing that I think is probably important to point out was in the book, Snape was knocked out, and in the movie they had him wake up. So I don’t know if they did that for the specific purpose of maybe kind of symbolizing the life-debt that he feels like he owes to James and, therefore, onto Harry, or if it’s some kind of foreshadowing for Greyback. But I don’t know. I think that it would be…

Jamie: Yeah.

Laura: I think it would be more of a poetic justice type of thing if it were Remus that saved them from Greyback than Snape.

Jamie: Yeah, I agree.

Ben: Especially since – wasn’t Lupin bitten…

Laura: Yeah, he was bitten.

Ben: …by Greyback?

Jamie: Greg, do you have anything to say?

Greg: It could go either way.

Laura: [laughs] Again.

Greg: It’s an interesting concept.

Ben: I love – Greg is Captain Obvious.

Jamie: Yeah.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Every week.

Greg: I am.

Ben: “You know, I think something might happen with that, you know?”

[Everyone laughs]

Greg: “I think it’s possible that something is possibly going to happen in Book 7…

Jamie: Hey, guys. [laughs] Yeah, that’s a…

Greg: …involving a werewolf in general.”

Jamie: That’s a…

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Yeah.

Jamie: That’s a pretty solid theory there, Greg.

[Laura laughs]

Jamie: And grounded in significant evidence. That’s definitely going to happen.

Greg: Hey, I go about these things with the hope that nobody will ask me any questions.

Ben: Yeah. [laughs]

Greg: Then I’ll just be able to make jokes and laugh.

Jamie: It’s a good way of doing it. It’s a good way of doing it.


Lupin and Harry’s Conversation


Ben: We all know that love plays a central theme in the books, and Harry’s mother’s love for him is what saved him in the beginning, back when Voldemort showed up at his house that night. But in Half-Blood Prince, we learned that everyone – pretty much everyone had a crush on Lily Evans. And in the Prisoner of Azkaban movie, Harry has a conversation with Lupin about Lily.

[Audio]: Oh yes. I knew her. Your mother was there for me at a time when no one else was. Not only was she a singularly gifted witch, she was also an uncommonly kind woman. She had a way of seeing the beauty in others, even and, perhaps, most especially, when that person could not see it in themselves. And your father, James, on the other hand, he [laughs] – he had a certain, shall we say, talent for trouble? A talent, rumor has it, he passed on to you. You’re more like them than you know, Harry. In time you will come to see just how much.

Ben: And do you think that this was foreshadowing Slughorn saying that “to know Lily was to love her” comments in Half-Blood Prince?

Jamie: I don’t think it specifically foreshadows that. I think that it could definitely be foreshadowing something because they clearly overemphasize – well, not overemphasize, but really emphasized it in the film. Lupin’s conversation through the forest and on the bridge. I mean, it’s clearly – the thing about Lily, is that, it’s clearly an important thing that’s going to prove really, really significant in the seventh book. I don’t think it’s foreshadowing anything specifically. I think it’s just again emphasizing how important Lily was, and the color of Harry’s eyes, obviously.

Laura: I think it was just going off of what we knew about Lily from previous books.

Jamie: Yeah, I think that’s right.

Laura: Because especially in Order of the Phoenix, we saw that even though she wasn’t particularly fond of Snape, she still stood up for him. And I think they kind of took that in the Prisoner of Azkaban movie. They kind of enhanced the perception of how gentle she was.

Jamie: Yeah, I think that’s right.


Ron and Hermione…Again


Ben: You guys mentioned this earlier, but the Hermione-Ron relationship definitely gets foreshadowed in the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Greg: It’s foreshadowed everywhere in every movie, though.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Yes, Jamie said that it was foreshadowed before the start of Book 1. [laughs]

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah, it was.

Greg: [imitating Hermione] “Grab on! Oh my gosh! I just grabbed your arm!”

Jamie: I think it’s…

Greg: [imitating Ron] “Quit touching my arm!”

Ben: Yeah.

Jamie: Do you think it’s less foreshadowing now? I mean, I personally think, especially from the third film, it’s less foreshadowing and more actually getting into it. Because there’s a point when things are actually happening and it’s not foreshadowing anymore. You know?

Laura: Mhm. Because, I mean, especially now, Jo doesn’t really have time to foreshadow things. Things have to either happen or not.

Ben: Right.

Jamie: So, I think it’s more getting into it.

Ben: Well, Book 7 can’t foreshadow anything more [laughs] unless it happens later on in the book, if you understand what I’m saying.

Jamie: Yeah, oh yeah.

Ben: Definitely. Because I was just reading Half-Blood Prince not too long ago, and I noticed that in the early on, you can definitely tell the romance stuff that is going to happen because…

Laura: Oh yeah.

Ben: …you see Harry get jealous of Ginny; he starts thinking about Ginny a lot more. You see Ron and Hermione. I don’t know. You see Ron trying to show off in front of Hermione a lot more, and…

Jamie: But, also…

Ben: …it’s definitely…

Jamie: But, also, they had time to do that kind of stuff then. Now, it’s either fight or flight. They either get married – oh wait, this is a bit, sort of ultimatum-like. But they either get married or they don’t because the seventh book, they can’t say, “Well, let’s see how it goes.” Because A: there’s a war going on, and one of them could not be there right at the end. And also, Jo doesn’t really have time. She’s got to tell us what’s happening with them. So…

Ben: Do you guys think that Ron and Hermione might actually get married, or do you think they’ll just be together?

Laura: Well…

Ben: Could you see a marriage actually happening in the early parts of Book 7?

Laura: [laughs] I don’t think if anyone gets married it’s going to be during the course of Book 7. I think we’ll see it in the epilogue. I think that…

Ben: Well, you see…

Laura: …getting married at 17 would be…

Ben: …it’s kind of like war.

Laura: Yeah, but getting married at 17 – can you even do that?

Ben: People went off to World War II for the draft – of course you can. In the magical world, you become of age at 17. And when people were leaving for the draft for World War II here in the US, we heard about all these marriages; people barely even knew each other, they get married before they left, and…

Jamie: Wait, exactly. And it has to be…

Ben: …you know, because it was their only chance.

Laura: That’s like what Bill and Fleur did, though.

Jamie: Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

Laura: That’s what they did, and I don’t think that she’d need to show us that again. She’s already shown us that aspect of the war, and I just don’t think that if Harry and Ginny or Ron and Hermione were going to get married, we’d see it until that epilogue because she said that everyone who lives, we’re going to find out what happens to them after the final chapter of the war.

Jamie: Yeah, that’s true. That’s true.

Ben: Good point, Laura. Good point.


This Week in Potter: The Goblet of Fire Book Release


Ben: Now it’s time for this week’s This Week in Potter. On July 8th of 2000, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was released. It’s weird to think that it was six years ago.

Jamie: It is.

Laura: I know.

Ben: Jamie Lawrence, where were you? On July 8th – July 7th at midnight.

Jamie: Where was I? Goblet of Fire… Well, it’s quite shameful for me to say this, but I was probably tucked up in bed, thinking ‘I’ll buy my copy tomorrow, there’s no rush at all.’ How wrong I was, of course. Now, it’s all about getting the book first, reading it first. You know? Those kinds of things. It’s not, it’s not. But, yeah, I think I was tucked up in bed, thinking about anything but Harry Potter, which I’m ashamed to say.

Laura: Blasphemy.

Jamie: It is blasphemy.

Ben: Where were you at, Laura?

Laura: Well, I was 11 years old, and I had just moved to Georgia. So, I was lonely and I had no friends, and I was at…

Ben: That’s still the same, in a way.

Laura: Shut up! No, I was at Zany Brainys. Zany Brainy is this – for those of you who don’t know it’s this huge toy store – and I don’t know where all they have them, but they have them here. And some of them have multiple floors, and I went, and they just had a huge Harry Potter party, and that’s where I was.

Greg: Awww.

Laura: I know, all dressed up.

Greg: I was at…

Ben: Where were you, Greg?

Greg: I was at the Borders in Beldin Village Mall or near Beldin Village Mall.

Ben: How old were you then, 11?

Greg: I forget – yeah, it was something like that. But, I had just read the first three books within three weeks before the Book 4 released.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: My story is not very exciting. I had not read a single Harry Potter book then.

[Everyone gasps]

Greg: Oh my gosh. We have to kick you off MuggleCast, you’re not allowed on here anymore.

Laura: We’ve got to stone Ben, now.

Ben: Hey, hold on. Hold on, though. I do remember July 7th at 11 PM. I was sitting in my living room watching Nightline with Ted Koppel. It’s A good American TV show on ABC. Anyway, there was a big story about the Harry Potter phenomenon, and it showed people lined up at Barnes and Noble, getting ready to get the books and stuff.

Jamie: And Ben thought, “You sad, sad people, why would you ever line up?” And then one year later, it was him.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Yeah, yeah, kind of. It was almost that way. And then my mom leans over – my mom was watching TV with me – and she says, “Hey, are these books really that great?” I was like, “Oh yeah, I’ve read them all.” I just lied to her because I don’t know why I did. But I told her I read them all and I really hadn’t. And so yeah, that was before I even got into Harry Potter. I didn’t get into Harry Potter until December 2002. So, it was almost two-and-a-half years after the release of Goblet of Fire when I first picked up a Harry Potter book.

Jamie: You shouldn’t be telling people these things; they’ll lose faith in us.

Greg: You’re a horrible person, Ben.

Ben: No, they won’t. I went all out, though. I joined right up at MuggleNet.

Jamie: You got right in there.

Ben: Joined the Executive Committee.

Greg: Ben, I don’t think I can talk to you anymore, I have to go. I mean, my entire opinion of you has changed.

[Laura laughs]

Ben: Oh, Greg.


Warwick Davis Interview


Ben: Earlier this week, Jamie, Andrew, and myself sat down with Warwick Davis, who plays Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter films, and here’s the interview that we did with him.

Andrew: So, we are now joined by Warwick Davis, who as many of you know plays Professor Flitwick, and several of the Gringotts goblins in the Potter films. And, recently, he’s played roles in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Ray, and will reprise his role as Flitwick in Order of the Phoenix. So, welcome, Warwick. How are you doing today?

Warwick: Thank you very much, I’m doing well, thank you.

Andrew: Okay, good. Thanks for joining us on the show today.

Warwick: It’s a pleasure.

Andrew: And Jamie, want to get right into the questions?


Character Change


Jamie: First question: I know quite a few people asked you this, Warwick, especially at Collectormania – I know you got a lot of people who came up and just asked you this straightaway – but can you elaborate on why Warner Brothers changed the appearance and clothes of Flitwick between films?

Warwick: Okay, this is something that when it happened, I knew it was going to cause a lot of confusion amongst fans of the movies, and finding a very sort of straightforward and short explanation is quite difficult. When it came to the third movie, of course the looks of the whole films had changed. Alfonso really wanted to put his mark on the films. And then a lot of things altered: anything from character looks, to the actual layout of Hogwarts itself. And another thing was happening at the same time. There wasn’t really anything for Flitwick in the script at all, and I got a call one day from the producer, saying basically, “There’s nothing for you, but we’d love you to be in the film all the same. How do you fancy coming in and doing a kind of cameo in the movie as somebody else?” And I said, “Well, that’s great, thanks for asking. I’m always thrilled to be part of all of this, anyway.” So, I went in for a meeting with Alfonso, the director, and Nick Dougland, who’s the make-up supervisor, and we came up with this new look for this character who would be basically the conductor of the Frog Chorus in the Great Hall. And so, we went with that. When it came to making the fourth movie, Mike Newell really wanted to use the character he’d seen in number three for me, and I was quite a bit more on that movie. I was on it for 45 days, so there was a lot more stuff going on. So, I started to raise the question, “What is this guy called? Who is he?” He was known as the choir conductor in three, was he still that? I wanted to figure that out, and they said “Okay, now we’ll call him Flitwick.” And I said, “Well, possibly that’s going to cause a bit of confusion.” But they say, “No, that’s what we’ll go with. We’ll go with Flitwick. All the looks have changed, it’s now a bit more kind of 1950’s-styley, so we’re going to go with that.” So, hence he became Flitwick. I like to think – in my mind – that perhaps this is a relative of Professor Flitwick; this is perhaps a brother, or a cousin. He’s not a professor, either, he’s just Flitwick and he teaches magical music. That’s my justification for it, in my own mind, because it’s a question I get asked all the time.

[Everyone laughs]

Warwick: So hopefully, now, this has set the record straight there. [laughs]

Jamie: That’s cleared up, yeah. Do you prefer one to the other, or do you just see them as completely different? You can’t compare them; they’re played differently.

Warwick: I see them as being very different, to be honest. I’m very fond of the old Flitwick. It was so fun playing something that’s so – there are pluses and minuses for each one. The old Flitwick is fun to play, it’s fun playing somebody so totally different from yourself, and I was kind of fond of the old guy, really, in a way. But the new Flitwick allows me to be a lot more active and stuff. I wouldn’t imagine the old Flitwick crowd surfing, somehow.

Andrew: Yeah. Yeah.

[Everyone laughs]

Warwick: I’ll tell you about the crowd surfing now, while we’re on this. That scene came about purely because I made a joke to Michael Newell. We were doing the sequence in the Great Hall; it was the best few weeks, that was fantastic. It was very near Christmas we were shooting that and it was just such a wonderful atmosphere with all the dancing and music, and we of course had Jarvis Cockerin and all the Radiohead guys there. It was really a great sequence to shoot. And I suggested, I knew they were going to do this mosh sequence. I said “Wouldn’t it be funny if as the music started, Flitwick kind of crowd surfs?” Mike Newell of course just chuckled, and said “Oh, silly stuff.”

Andrew: [laughs] Yeah, definitely.

Warwick: Then he said, “Actually, leave that with me.” And I said, “What?” Anyway, on Monday, he came back in again after the weekend and said, “You know what you said? We’re actually going to do that.” I couldn’t believe it.

[Everyone laughs]

Warwick: I just couldn’t believe it. So, that’s how that got into the movie. It was purely because of me messing about. And there’s so much stuff that was never used, whether any day you’ll see it, but there’s loads of stuff of Flitwick air guitaring.

Andrew: Oh, really? Really?

Warwick: There’s just hours of stuff of me messing about, having a good time.

Andrew: Uh huh.

Warwick: So, you never know, it may come back to haunt me in the future.

[Andrew and Ben laughs]

Andrew: Yeah, it always does.


Order of the Phoenix


Ben: Warwick, Warwick, have you had a chance to be on the Order of the Phoenix set yet?

Warwick: I have. I’ve done a couple of days there. I don’t have a huge amount of work to do on this one.

Ben: Well, could you describe the atmosphere in comparison to the previous films?

Jamie: Is it darker, specifically? I mean, because the book’s obviously a lot, lot darker. I know quite a few fans are wondering, is it going to be a complete change from the other films? Because obviously they’ve got darker as the series has got darker and the content has got darker. It’s turned from a more fantasy-like story, into a real world war-type thing. So, do you think that the atmosphere on set, and the way the people are portraying their characters reflects this?

Warwick: For me, I haven’t noticed really a change in the atmosphere, to be quite honest. In all of the other movies, we’ve had very dark times, scenes that were very moving, and emotional, and dark to do. I’ve not noticed anything particularly more so on this film, certainly. We’ve got quite a few different crew on there, and that sort of thing, and that really is the only difference. We’re back in familiar surroundings, familiar sets with cast members who I’ve been working with for the past – what is it now? Six years? So yeah, it doesn’t feel that different to be quite honest. No, I wouldn’t say.


David Yates


Andrew: What’s the new director like, David Yates? Have you had much time to work with him?

Warwick: Yeah, he’s very different; again, all the directors have been a complete contrast to each other, but they all bring something very special and unique to the projects. He’s very particular. He’s very detailed. He’s very thorough in his direction as well, and so I’ve enjoyed the work that I’ve done with him so far.

Jamie: Do you like changing directors? Because they’ve clearly all got different styles. Do you like that type of thing or do you prefer sticking with one style throughout the series?

Warwick: No, I think that all the directors bring something pretty fresh to the projects, and put their own unique stamp on Harry Potter, and I think it’s all for the better that each one of them does that.

Jamie: Because, I liked the first two; I thought they were good in what they did, but I prefer the darker, more serious directing.

Warwick: Mhm.

Jamie: But, I suppose that comes with the film. The first book isn’t as dark, so then the first film shouldn’t be.

Warwick: That’s right, and all of the characters are growing up as well, so the subject matters are going to become more adult as they do so.

Jamie: Yeah, definitely.

Warwick: I think the films have grown up with the characters, and then with the actors in turn, so I think that probably will be a continuing kind of curve as we go on into the other two books, which at this point, nobody knows whether they will become films or not.

Andrew: Right.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: But, I’m pretty sure that they will though. I know nothing of that.


Filming


Jamie: Have you filmed any of your scenes? Obviously we don’t want to ask you something that you can’t answer, but if you could give us some type of insight, it would be nice.

Warwick: I can’t really say very much. I have filmed some scenes and they were scenes in the Great Hall. That’s pretty much all I can tell you at this point. [laughs]

Andrew: Okay.

[Warwick laughs]

Jamie: Oh, excellent. Okay.

Warwick: And that building is a great building, you know. It’s a set down in Leavesden Studios in London, and it’s like no other set I’ve been on because it is like it’s a real building. It has history now; it’s got six years worth of memories for me playing all sorts of scenes in there, from great banquets in the first movie, to a funeral scene, and then a Yule Ball. It’s gone through so many transformations…

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: …and has had so many different scenes played in there that, you know, itself is a historical building. It will be very sad if they don’t kind of preserve it in some way after all this is over because it’s wonderful to walk in there. It is exactly as you see it in the movie. This is what’s great about everything you do on Harry Potter. It’s as you see it.

Jamie: So, does it feel like the Great Hall to you, or does it still feel like you’re filming in a building that changes?

Warwick: No, it feels… It feels like the Great Hall to me because when you’re in there and you’re performing a scene, you very much, kind of – you’re just so into the scene and into the character and what’s going on, that’s how you see it.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: So, it has basically become that for me. You know, I go in there, I have all the memories and all the feelings, and it smells like the Great Hall…

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: …and it’s got all of that history about it. So, it’s a pretty unique place. It’s fantastic. Although it doesn’t smell quite so good sometimes, actually, now I’m thinking about this.

[Andrew, Ben, and Jamie laughs]

Warwick: On the first movie, we used these banquets in there, and we used real food. All of this stuff you see is real. There are huge turkeys and…

Andrew: Is it? Really? Is it?

Warwick: …and all of the pigs and all the things you’re eating there, it’s all real. But after, kind of, days two and three, the food is the same food.

Jamie: A week’s old! [laughs]

Warwick: Yeah. And they don’t replace it. They just kind of gloss it a bit and make it look fresh again, and they just kind of go around each scene and say, “Do not eat the food, remember.”

Andrew: Mhm. [laughs]

Warwick: And you wouldn’t anyway because the smell [laughs] is quite unreal.

Jamie: Six days. Oh, that’s good. Because, I mean, I like those kinds of grand filming locations, because in our university in Durham, we spend quite a bit of time in the cathedral…

Warwick: Mhm.

Jamie: And I know there’s been a filming done there. In one part of the cathedral…

Andrew: Oh, really?

Jamie: …I think, was used in filming the first film, was it? Or was it the second film, or something.

Warwick: I know they have been to Durham, yeah. I went down to Gloucester at one point. I know they went to Durham.

Jamie: I just think it’s brilliant how they can get all these real world churches and cathedrals and sets and just turn them into what looks like a magical place. So, I just think it’s brilliant.

Warwick: Well, absolutely, yeah. That’s right. We used the cloisters, actually, down at – in Gloucester Cathedral, and it does look like a corridor in Hogwarts, you know? It saves building a set.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: It has a certain kind of authenticity to the stone, of course, because it’s real stone, and it all works. It works rather well.


Is Professor Flitwick Your Best Role?


Ben: Do you think – is Professor Flitwick the kind of character that you would like to be remembered for, or does one of your other previous roles stand out for you?

Warwick: Well, I’ve been very lucky. I’ve had a lot of pretty good roles in my career to date. I mean, I’ve had a lot of roles that are memorable for one reason or another. You know, Wicket in Star Wars.

Ben: You were the Leprechaun, correct?

Warwick: Oh, yeah. That’s right. I’ll come to him in a moment.

[Ben and Warwick laughs]

Ben: Okay.

Warwick: We’ve got Wicket in Star Wars, who is a character that is, kind of – a character that a lot of people grew up with, a lot of kids or a lot of grown-ups now, have said, “Oh, I used to have a teddy of Wicket and loved the character,” and all those sort of things. So, he did have – he certainly made his mark there with people in the world. And then, of course, you’ve got the film Willow, which is still really, really popular.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: Now it’s come out on DVD. You’ve got people who have now grown up themselves and have kids. They’re handing on that movie to the kids and saying, “I grew up watching this. Check it out.” So, it’s becoming sort of a generational type of film, and still, but it’s more popular now than it was when it came out, so I have a huge amount of sort of recognition, still, from that.


He’s The Leprechaun


Warwick: And then, coming on now to The Leprechaun, that has sort of its own band of insane followers throughout the world.

Ben: I’ve seen a lot of those movies. Those are very good.

Warwick: Yeah, well, [laughs] thank you!

Jamie: I actually saw them really recently. I thought they were excellent. I was sort of flicking through the films, and it said, “Warwick Davis stars as the Leprechaun,” so I thought, well, I’ll watch this. You know?

Warwick: Yeah. [laughs]

Jamie: And it was sort of 2 AM and the lights were off.

Warwick: Yeah. It… They’re just kind of crazy just kind of – I suggest people take their brain out and put it in the fridge and then watch the movie…

[Andrew laughs]

Warwick: …because it’s not a thinking kind of movie. It’s just: get on, and have fun, and enjoy it. And they are gradually becoming cult movies.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: They’re showing over here on the Horror Channel now so that people in the UK are now getting to see the movies. They weren’t released here, you see, on DVD very widely, so people here were kind of crying out to get a hold of them, but now a lot of people have seen them. I am constantly asked, especially when I go to America, to record voicemail for people as the Leprechaun.

Jamie: Oh, as the Leprechaun, yeah.

Warwick: That’s quite… [laughs]

[Andrew and Jamie laughs]

Jamie: You – the third Leprechaun film, did you actually film in Vegas? Is that right?

Warwick: That’s right. We did. We went to Vegas, just for one day though – one night shoot in Vegas…

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: …because they’re fairly low-budget movies and it’s quite expensive to shoot there, so we – the film actually licensed lots of slot machines into California and built a set in a hotel…

Jamie: Oh, okay.

Warwick: …in downtown L.A. It was actually the Ambassador Hotel. It was the hotel where one of the Kennedys was assassinated in the kitchen, down underneath? The very thing…

Jamie: Oh, okay. Yeah.

Andrew: Uh huh.

Warwick: The hotel where the very first Oscars were held, I believe. So, we shot in there, and then we went to Vegas for one night. We had no permits to shoot, and they basically walked me out into the middle of The Strip that runs through the center of Las Vegas and said, “Right. Try and pretend you’re kind of hitching a ride,” and then just shot the reactions of people…

[Jamie laughs]

Warwick: …and of what I was getting up to. They sent me walking into casinos and out again, just did all of this stuff, you know, as it was happening kind of thing. And it was – it was fun to do because by then the people knew the character, but I just thought I was going to get attacked…

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: …by some crazy man.

[Andrew and Ben laughs]

Warwick: It’s – yes, I’ve certainly done a huge variety of different things on those movies as well; it’s anything from rapping to…

Jamie: The Elvis…

Warwick: There’s the Elvis thing as well, exactly.

Jamie: Yeah, that’s right.

[Andrew, Ben, and Jamie laughs]

Warwick: So, they – they’ve been very good to me, those films, and people are crying out for a seventh one. There’s actually kind of a spoof, a little trailer, on the Internet at the moment with “Leprechaun versus Wishmaster,” which is quite amusing to see.

Jamie: Oh! Is that – is that with Andrew Divoff? Is it?

Warwick: It’s the guy – what they’ve done…

Jamie: The Wishmaster ones…

Warwick: They’ve taken clips from both the movies and put them together as if it’s a trailer for a new film, and it’s been very cleverly done.

Jamie: Oh.

Warwick: You know, you could be convinced if you didn’t know otherwise.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: But people will want a “Versus” movie. They want a “Lep Versus Chucky” or something like that. That’s…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: That would be good. That would be good.

Warwick: Whether this will happen, I’ve no idea, but we shall see.

Jamie: I suppose it’s the kind of film where there are all different possibilities that could come from it, whether it’s sequels or versus or…

Warwick: Mhm.

Jamie: Or things like that.

Warwick: Yeah, you could go on and on, because at the end of each movie, he dies, you see, the Leprechaun always dies.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: There’s no explanation at the beginning of the next on what happened [laughs]. He’s suddenly in space…

[Andrew and Jamie laughs]

Warwick: …or he’s in the hood.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: It doesn’t need explaining. It just happens.

[Andrew, Ben, and Jamie laughs]


Other Films


Jamie: Are you in the process of appearing in any other films now? Do you have any projects lined up?

Warwick: What’s going on for me at the moment? Let’s think about this… I just did my episode of Extras. You know? Ricky Gervais’s show, Extras?

Jamie: I do.

Andrew: Oh, yeah.

Jamie: I love – I love him. He’s so funny.

Warwick: It’s an HBO show in America. It shows over here in the UK on the BBC, and it’s – and for those people who don’t know what Extras is, it tells the story of Ricky Gervais’s character, Andy, who is an extra on films, and in each episode, he encounters an established actor playing themselves working on a film with them, basically. And what it does, it takes the actors’ kind of persona. It takes the view of the audience, and turns that completely on its head. So, what the audience expected that person to be like, it’s nothing like what they’re like. And I just did…

[Andrew laughs]

Warwick: …an episode with Daniel Radcliffe, which was pretty fun. And I shall not spoil it…

Jamie: How did that go?

Warwick: Oh, it went brilliantly! Oh, it was such fun to do, and Daniel is a great sport, as you’ll see when you watch the finished article…

Jamie: Excellent.

Warwick: We had a really good time. So…

Andrew: I’m not sure if it was a quote from you or – it got around the fandom the other day, that news, and it said you and Dan are a lot different from your roles in Harry Potter, so I’m looking forward to that.

Warwick: Oh, absolutely. We are. It takes our own personalities and just – it’s not what you expect, and that’s what all the actors do. In the last series, that’s what you saw. It’s Patrick Stewart doing it. It’s – yeah. We’re just very different, and people will be surprised and hopefully will just have fun with it because we certainly did doing it. It was really great fun.

Andrew: Do you know when it’s going to air? How soon?

Warwick: I’m not sure. I think it will probably be in the Fall, actually.

Andrew: Oh, okay.

Warwick: Just they take too long with these things, and there’s loads of outtakes. Look out for the DVD. On the last series, there were loads.

Andrew: Oh, okay.

Warwick: When we were shooting this, it was constant laughter and funny goings-on. So… [laughs]

[Andrew laughs]

Warwick: Yeah, I’m really proud of that. It was fun to do.


Warwick’s Favorite Films


Jamie: What types of films do you like, personally? I mean…

Warwick: Ummm…

Jamie: Do you like specific genres or comedy? What type of comedy do you like?

Warwick: I’m actually a big fan of ‘80s comedy: Chevy Chase, John Candy…

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: …that kind of John Hughes movies, I love all of his stuff. So, yeah. I’m a fan of all of that stuff. So, yeah, if I sit down to watch a film, I’ll normally pull something like that out that I’m familiar with.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: I’m not a great adventurer in movies. It’s very rare that I’ll – because it’s such a treat for me to sit down and watch a film anyway. I don’t get much time to do that. It sounds funny being an actor you’d think I’d always be watching movies.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: But I don’t. So when I do, I don’t want to waste that couple of hours. I think, “Well, I’ll watch something that I know I’m going to enjoy.”

Jamie: You really won’t take a chance.

Warwick: I really don’t take a chance on movies very much [laughs].

Andrew: Yeah

Warwick: So…

[Andrew and Jamie laugh]

Warwick: And having two children now, nine and three, I tend to be fed a diet of Disney films at the moment.

[Everyone laughs]

Warwick: It’s – I could answer any question about any of the recent Disney movies, but…

[Andrew and Jamie laughs]

Warwick: …ask me about the latest Woody Allen or – I can’t tell you anything.

[Everyone laughs]


Film’s From An Actor’s Point of View


Jamie: I try to ask as many people this as possible: is it different watching films from an actor’s point of view? Because, I mean, we obviously can’t seem to think what it’s like to be on the other side of the camera. So, do you – do you watch them…

Warwick: Yeah.

Jamie: …from a different perspective, would you say?

Warwick: I do. Since I became an actor, I could never watch a film the same way again. All I see is the shots, I see the performances, I see the mistakes – I just see everything in such a different way. It’s what I’m used to now. But, yeah, I won’t be watching a film like you all. It’s quite a shame, actually, because I just – I just unravel it, that’s what I’m doing all the time.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: It’s rare that I’ll get so into a film that I’ll forget that. I sometimes do, and that’s probably a good sign of a good movie, but…

Jamie: So, I mean, especially considering your work on the Leprechaun series, could you say that you could get scared by a film now, or do you think you’re so busy analyzing it?

Warwick: I don’t know. Again, since having children, I don’t watch horror movies anymore. I used to be – I used to love them. Growing up, Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween were the films I grew up with. But now, that type of film doesn’t appeal to me; although I make them. To watch them, it doesn’t really appeal to me anymore, for that very reason, having kids.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: But, yeah. If I can watch a movie and laugh… I think movies are very important that you can go in there. And that’s what’s so great about Harry Potter is it’s escapism. You go in there, you don’t want to be reminded of the world that you’ve just come from…

Jamie: The real world?

[Andrew, Jamie, and Warwick laughs]

Warwick: Yeah. It’s lovely to go somewhere else, you know, Star Wars, any of that, just escape for two hours and come out feeling kind of uplifted, you know?

Andrew: Yeah.

Warwick: Moved. But…

Jamie: That’s the sign of a good film, though…

Warwick: Absolutely.

Jamie: Isn’t it, really? You’re completely taken away from the real world where…

Warwick: Certainly.

Jamie: You have to go back.


Warwick Is Podcasting


Andrew: That’s a great point. So, we hear you’re getting into podcasting now. Is that true?

Warwick: Well, yes. I haven’t done my first one yet, but it’s certainly something I want to do. I very much admire Ricky Gervais’ podcast, again. He does a podcast with Steven Merchant and a guy called Karl Pilkington, which is basically just three kind of guys chatting about absolute nonsense.

Andrew: Right.

Warwick: And I quite fancy doing it because talk shows are an area that I really want to get into.

Andrew: Mhm.

Warwick: I did some work at the Star Wars celebration last year in Indianapolis, where I was one of the hosts there and was interviewing other Star Wars actors in my stage area, and I had to put together twelve talk shows. And it’s something, again, I went on to do at Walt Disney World this year. I spent five weeks there at Star Wars weekend acting as the host and the interviewer. And just enjoyed it so much and a lot of people said, “You should really do a talk show,” and so, that’s something that I want to get into. But I thought, well podcasting is every man’s radio. Anybody can do it.

Andrew: Right.

Ben: Yeah.

Warwick: And I thought, well, I’ll start this talk show experiment with a podcast and prove myself there, and then move into, hopefully, television.

Jamie: Talk show, yeah.

Andrew: Yeah.

Warwick: [laughs] I’ve got a great name for it: Small Talk.

Andrew: Oh, okay.

[Everyone laughs]

Jamie: Nice.

Andrew: It’s a great medium because there’s really no limits and if you go look on iTunes, or any other podcasting directory, you’ll find a podcast on every little topic you can imagine. And I know Ricky’s show has gotten huge numbers, a huge listener base, and now he’s charging for the shows, I believe. So…

Warwick: It’s record-breaking, the first one.

Andrew: Yeah.

Warwick: The second – even the charged one was record-breaking. It made the most money of any podcast ever.

Andrew: Yeah, it’s amazing.

Warwick: They’re just great. Every time I’m driving to London for work – it’s about an hour and a half in the car – I’ll download a podcast before I go and it’s better than tuning into the radio. There’s no commercials.

Andrew: Right, right.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: You can pick your topic that you want to listen to and they’re fantastic.

Andrew: Exactly.

Warwick: Fantastic things, yeah.

Jamie: I kind of see them as bringing radio to the public. It’s like amateur films, that’s to do with video. Now this is trying to bring every type of media medium to anyone. It’s just kind of like that.

Warwick: Well, anyone can have a radio show. If they’ve got a computer and a microphone, and a little bit of knowledge (because there is a little bit of jiggery-pokery to do).

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: Pretty much anybody can do it, which is what’s so great about it.

Andrew: Yep, exactly.

Warwick: So, yes, I will be attempting it. I want to do it with another actor friend of mine. He’s in London, but using the techniques that you’ve been teaching me…

Jamie: No limits, yeah. [laughs]

Warwick: Absolutely, we can do it. [laughs]

Andrew: Yeah.


Funny Stories


Jamie: Finally, do you have any funny stories about people who have talked to you about your role for Potter? Or any funny stories on set? Or anything else that could give our listeners a giggle, maybe?

Warwick: Okay. This is a tricky one. I knew this one would be coming at some point because it always comes up in interviews. I should have a stash of funny moments in my mind. Let me think now. I mean, there are some – they don’t necessarily relate to Potter – but there are scary fan moments. I have fans who have tattooed images of my characters upon themselves.

[Andrew laughs]

Jamie: Really?

Warwick: There’s a guy I met once and he said “Hi,” and he looked perfectly normal, and then he pulled his shirt up and had a tattoo of Willow on his belly.

[Andrew and Jamie laughs]

Warwick: It was staring me in the face, basically, and it was like, “Whoa!” That’s pretty frightening when you see yourself…

Jamie: What can you say to that, yeah?

Warwick: What do you say? Absolutely… I see tattoos of the Leprechaun on somebody’s arm; it’s me, but it’s not.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: But when it’s Willow, it’s kind of looking back at me there and then he wanted me to sign it, which was too much.

[Everyone laughs]

Warwick: And again, another really surreal thing about being an actor – and now becoming, kind of, more recognized, I suppose – is that I’ll arrive home from being out somewhere and check my e-mails, and I have a guest book e-mail that comes in from my website. Somebody would have written saying, “Hi, Mr. Davis, I’m the guy who was washing his hands next to you today in the bathroom.”

[Everyone laughs]

Warwick: “I didn’t want to bother you, but I just wanted to say hi.” Then I’ll think back, and I’ll think, “Yeah, there was a guy, and I was a bit worried about him because he was looking at me out of the corner of his eye.”

[Andrew laughs]

Warwick: So, that’s the kind of thing that…

Jamie: Glad you got away.

Warwick: That’s right, but people will often write in saying they didn’t want to bother me but they were the person that was in such a place…

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: …at such a time.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: So, that was always quite fun.

Jamie: That’s a nice story. [laughs]

Andrew: Yeah. [laughs]

Warwick: But I’ve got nothing Harry Potter specific I’m afraid to say.

Jamie: That’s okay.


All Fun On Films


Warwick: Just to say that we do all have such a good time working on the films. The crew on that is such an efficient and professional crew, but at the same time the atmosphere is very relaxed and we’re all having fun doing that job and enjoy being part of that. We know we are only a handful of people that have the privilege of doing it, and…

Jamie: Exactly. Yeah, it sounds like – the impression I’ve got throughout all the films and all the set reports and all the info that we get, that it’s just like a whole big community you’ve got there. It’s not just…

Andrew: Yeah.

Jamie: I don’t know if this is the case on other films as well, but it seems to be amplified on Potter especially, that everyone’s friends with everyone – you can always have a laugh.

Warwick: Oh, absolutely. It’s like a family. These people have been working together for six years now and so yeah, you know each other very well. And it is like a start of a new term.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: Each time we start a new film, it’s like a start of a new term and everyone’s grown up a bit, everyone’s a bit wiser…

Jamie: Changed, I suppose as well, yeah.

Warwick: …everyone’s refreshed at the beginning then absolutely died out at the end.

[Jamie laughs]

Warwick: So it’s pretty much like school. Except, each year you have a new headmaster, in the director.

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: But it’s good fun. I desperately feel very honored to be doing it, because what a great British cast that we have.

Jamie: Definitely, yeah.

Warwick: I’m always intrigued to see who is the next actor or actress that will be joining us. And I feel very lucky because I’m only one of a handful of actors who has come through all of the films – handful of adult actors, I should say…

Jamie: Yeah.

Warwick: …that have come through all of the films so far. I feel like part of the furniture, actually, now. A bit of the set dressing.

Jamie: Yeah.


Any More Order Filming


Andrew: Yeah. So are you going back to the Order of the Phoenix set anymore? Or are you…

Warwick: I will be, yes. I have some more time in August to do.

Andrew: Oh, okay. All right, well, that concludes our interview with Warwick Davis. Thanks very much for joining us on the show today.


Warwick’s Auction


Warwick: Very good. I’ve just wanted to say one more thing.

Andrew: Okay.

Warwick: Before we go.

Andrew: Sure.

Warwick: I know, I’m probably dragging this out, but…

Jamie: No, that’s okay.

Andrew: That’s fine.

Warwick: I wanted to let people know who are – people in the UK most definitely, if you’re not then don’t worry – but I’m holding a charity auction on Sunday the 16th of July, here in the UK. We’ve got a couple of really cool Harry Potter items in there; just wanted to let people know about it. We have an original Quidditch World Cup Program, as used in The Goblet of Fire, and it’s signed by Daniel Radcliffe.

Jamie: Nice.

Warwick: And the Quidditch World Cup Program is not just a piece of paper, it’s a wonderful kind of – it’s a booklet but it’s hugely detailed. I can’t really describe it. I was so thrilled when I received it from Warner Brothers because it’s a great prop and something that’s pretty rare. Especially now Daniel has also signed it. So, that’s a cool thing and I also have a Wand Box, which I know there are a few out there but I have one that’s signed by Daniel and myself and Devon Murray, who plays Seamus.

Andrew: Oh, cool.

Warwick: And I’ve got lots of other signed pictures from Potter people, and that’s the limelight of the auction.

Andrew: Great.

Warwick: So, if anybody is interested, go to my website, WarwickDavis.com. On there, you can read the auction catalog for yourselves. You can also get details on how you can make a telephone bid on the day if you’re interested, or details of where to come to be there as I auction these items off in person.

Andrew: Oh, very good.

Jamie: Excellent.

Warwick: So, go check it out. WarwickDavis.com. Thank you, guys.

Andrew: No problem, thank you.

Jamie: Thank you Warwick, that’s brilliant. Thanks a lot.

Warwick: Thank you very much. Good to talk to you.


Australian Phone Number


Ben: To make it so that you listeners aren’t able burn the show onto DVD, we’re going to cut things short this week and eliminate the voicemails from the show, but they will be back next week, and we have some more options for visitors who are not located in the United States. However, remember, if you are in the US, you can dial 1-218-20-MAGIC and leave a voicemail. For those of you in the United Kingdom, where good ole Jamie is, dial 020-08144-0677. And for those of you [in a British accent] in the land down under, in Australia…

Jamie: You just said that in a British accent.

Ben: Dial 02-8003-5668. And yes, I know that a British accent does not work for Australians.

[Jamie and Laura laughs]


British Joke of the Day


Ben: I’m very sorry. However, British accent does work for our good pal, Jamie. Who’s doing this weeks British Joke of the Day!

Jamie: Well, actually, I have a very sad announcement to make. After my last joke last week I got such bad comments, I just couldn’t believe it.

[Show Close music in the background]

Jamie: My computer almost said, “I’m sorry, I’m not displaying this e-mail because it’s so bad.” I got – it was a terrible joke, I must admit.

Ben: Oh geez.

Jamie: But, so instead of going on Google and typing in “funny jokes,” which I’ve never, ever done before, I might add – just to get a joke.

[Ben laughs]

Jamie: I’m going to get two excellent jokes for next week, instead of doing one bad one this week and one bad one next week. So, please tune in next week for two jokes of the day because I can’t think of any for this week. I’m sorry.

Ben: I’m going to hold you to that, Jamie.

Jamie: Yeah.

Ben: You better do that.

Jamie: I will, I will. They’re going to be so good.

Ben: You will. [laughs]

Jamie: You’re going to be laughing before I even tell them. They’re that good. You can sense them.

[Ben laughs]


Show Close


Ben [Show Close with music in background]: Well, yeah. [laughs] Well, everybody, that wraps up MuggleCast Episode 47. That’s all for us here. If you want to leave a voicemail you can call the numbers I mentioned before. Leave any feedback comments or Listener Rebuttals at mugglecast at staff dot mugglenet dot com. And by going to MuggleCast.com you can view all of our contact information and select us from a contact form. And also, finally, a low bandwidth version of the show is now available. So go ahead, and for those of you on dial-up you can download the show. It may not be as good audio quality, but it won’t take you three years to download like it was before. So, go ahead and download the show. [laughs] So, that wraps things up. I’m Ben Schoen.

Jamie: I’m Jamie Lawrence.

Laura: I’m Laura Thompson.

Greg: And I’m Greg Porter.

Ben: Join us on MuggleCast Episode 48 next week. I have a feeling Andrew will be back and some more of the regulars will be. So, goodnight everybody!

Greg: Good night.

Laura: Good night.


Bloopers


Ben: Sorry about that, guys. Did you fill him in?

Jamie: No, what happened?

Ben: My boss came in the room. I’m here at work and he came in the room and started asking me all these questions.

[Everyone laughs]

Ben: I’m like, “Man, you can leave now.”

Warwick: [laughs] Did you tell him what you were doing? You couldn’t, though, because you’d get into trouble.

Ben: Well, he probably would have – I should have said, “You know that guy from the Leprechaun,” and he would have been like, “Oh yeah!”

Warwick: Yeah [laughs], I could have chuckled. [Leprechaun laugh] And done the noises.

[Jamie laughs]

Ben: Yeah, do some of the noises man.

———————–

Written by: Micah, Ally, Amanda, David, Jessica, Margaret, Martina, Rhiannon, and Sarah