Episode #744: Hokey Pokey (HBP Chapter 20, ‘Lord Voldemort’s Request’)

/ Micah

On this week’s episode, we take another trip down memory lane. Be sure to hide your valuable family heirlooms because there is a thieving Dark Lord lurking. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they do the Hokey Pokey and they turn themselves around… because that’s what it’s all about!

Who Is Hokey the House-Elf?

Hokey is the elderly house-elf of Hepzibah Smith, a wealthy witch and descendant of Helga Hufflepuff. In Half-Blood Prince Chapter 20, “Lord Voldemort’s Request,” Dumbledore shows Harry Hokey’s memory of a visit from a young Tom Riddle, who was working for Borgin and Burkes. Hepzibah proudly shows him two treasures: Helga Hufflepuff’s cup and Salazar Slytherin’s locket. Two days later, Hepzibah is dead, poisoned. Hokey is convicted of accidentally poisoning her cocoa, but Dumbledore believes Voldemort killed Hepzibah, modified Hokey’s memory to frame her, and stole both treasures to turn into Horcruxes.

  • Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 20: Lord Voldemort’s Request
  • Memory #1: Hepzibah, Hokey & Helga Hufflepuff
  • We debate whether or not Tom Riddle should have been given a post at Hogwarts vs. allowing him to dabble in dark artifacts at Borgin and Burkes
  • Hokey The Scapegoat: we compare how Tom Riddle used her much like he used Morfin and Hagrid!
  • Hepzibah Smith displays some of Hufflepuff’s less-than-flattering character traits. Do we agree she is Slughorn “lite” in her behavior?
  • What do we make of the “young, attractive man charming the older, wealthy woman” trope?
  • Memory #2: Awkward Job Interview
  • Given how his appearance has begun to change, does Dumbledore already suspect Horcruxes during Voldemort’s trip to Hogwarts?
  • Do we agree with Dumbledore that Voldemort didn’t actually come to Hogwarts to get the Defense Against The Dark Arts (DADA) post?
  • Doesn’t the Ministry, school governors, and other faculty notice the turnover rate for the DADA position? Why isn’t anything done to break the curse?
  • Lynx Line: In an alternate universe where Dumbledore decided to give Tom a second chance, what Hogwarts position should he have offered Tom instead of DADA Professor [wrong answers only]?
  • Quizzitch: In Chapter 20, we learn why Hogwarts cannot have a DADA teacher for more than year. In United States history, which two American Presidents served less than one year in office?

Download now | Read the Episode 744 transcript | Chapter Analysis