Advertise on podcast: MuggleCast: The Harry Potter Re-Read Podcast

Because the past sure can hurt a lot, MuggleCast this week celebrates a direct connection between Harry Potter and his mother Lily. Hopefully her letter isn't the only secret hidden away in the dusty corners of Grimmauld Place. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah, Laura, and special Slug Club guest host Hanna for another Chapter-by-Chapter focused episode from Deathly Hallows! Having issues with MuggleCast Gold on Apple Podcasts? Move to Patreon and get 1 month free! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Chapter 10 of Deathly Hallows, Kreacher's Tale Welcome Slug Club member Hanna to the show! Quizzitch: What item of Mrs. Black’s is Mundungus said to have run off with (and presumably sold?) 7-Word Summary: Kreacher makes Harry listen to his tale. Is Lily's letter the first time Harry is hearing directly from the *real* Lily Potter? Will it be the last? The hosts are all impressed that Harry, at only one year old, can ride a broom so well. He was probably just born with it. The Potter's cat may have more to it than meets the eye... according to an old fan theory. Would Dumbledore have taken James' cloak specifically to prevent him from visiting Sirius while in hiding from Voldemort? What if the Order had thrown the locket out? Wouldn't a landfill be the most unexpected (and therefore secure) place to hide one's soul? Kreacher tells his tale... but doesn't tell us what specifically he saw after drinking the potion. We speculate. How long has Kreacher been in the Black family? Did he raise family members before Sirius and Regulus? Micah makes an apt comparison between Regulus Black and Draco Malfoy. Harry's kind gesture to Kreacher has lasting consequences... the good kind. Lynx Line question: "How does Sirius and Regulus’ teenage bedrooms compare to your own?" Our patrons weigh in. Next week Chapter-by-Chapter continues as we learn about "The Bribe"! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, WHAT'S THAT?! Keep one eye over your shoulder because Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura are podcasting live from The Luchino Cafe off Tottenham Court Road. Best watch out for Death Eaters disguised us ugly workmen! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Chapter 9 of Deathly Hallows, A Place to Hide Quizzitch: What does Hermione order for herself and Ron in the cafe off Tottenham Court Road 7-Word Summary: Uncertainty looms heavy over the muggle world Did Harry, Ron and Hermione make the best choice in disapparating to the Muggle World? What would have been a better option? We have a few questions about Hermione's small, beaded handbag! How exactly does the Undetectable Extension Charm work? Even with the taboo in place, how did Dolohov and Rowle arrive at the cafe so quickly? And dressed for the occassion? Even in a remote London cafe, shouldn't the trio have been more discreet? Micah is not satisfied with Dolohov's performance What in the world are these security protocols at Grimmauld Place? Dusty Dumby is scaring who exactly? Harry's mind connection to Voldemort is back with a vengeance! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's something in the air! Wedding season has come to our chapter-by-chapter readthrough of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as we discuss Bill and Fleur's wedding in Chapter 8, "The Wedding," but this episode also features newlyweds Eric and Meg, fresh off of their own wedding! We ask 'who did it better?' and so much more. Welcome back to the show, Meg! We talk about Eric and Meg's wedding, and Andrew and Micah's repeated visits to the bar. Quizzitch: What is the name that the Lovegoods use for the gnomes? News covers recent casting updates for the upcoming HBO TV adaptation of Chamber of Secrets, including Arthur Weasley, Colin Creevey and Moaning Myrtle. Chapter by Chapter continues with Chapter 8 of Deathly Hallows, "The Wedding." Is Bill and Fleur's wedding the last time when these characters will get to let loose and have fun? Does holding the wedding this summer constitute an act of defiance? Is Harry at risk because he's merely present? Are the Weasleys at fault for organizing this event at a time like this? Would it be more impactful if Percy returned now, or later in the book, to make up with his family? Wedding battle! We compare Bill and Fleur's wedding to Eric and Meg's (recent) wedding, and Micah and Andrew vote on several categories. Viktor Krum is back! And he wants to fight Luna's dad. We discuss the disconnect around the Deathly Hallows symbol and historical tie-ins. Should Harry be more alarmed that Voldemort is seeking a foreign wandmaker, now that he knows who Gregorovitch is? Are Elphias Doge and Ron's aunt Muriel two sides of the same coin? Both present conflicting ways of remembering Dumbledore. Who is more correct? Doge or Muriel? Post Fantastic Beasts, what can we read into regarding Ariana's backstory here? Lynx Line: We ask our Patrons to share stories of their weddings OR of their dream weddings, and how they compare to Bill and Fleur's. Next week, we discuss Chapter 9 of Deathly Hallows, "A Place to Hide." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don’t put the remote down just yet, because Andrew, Micah and Laura are diving into all of your feedback on the latest Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone TV Show trailer and discussing some major Chamber of Secrets casting news! Welcome back friend of the show Barry, host of The Retold Podcast Yes, we already have Harry Potter Season 2 news! Dobby, Tom Riddle and New Ginny Weasley cast for Chamber of Secrets We're discussing your feedback on the new Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone trailer! Could James & Oliver Phelps cameo as Gideon and Fabian Prewett? What is Seamus so excited about: first Quidditch match or first day of classes? Did Hermione ask McGonagall for summer reading recommendations? Is Lavender Brown preparing the Patils to be separated for the first time ever? Would the series dare to open with Snape overhearing the prophecy? We analyze Dumbledore's "We can only prepare them" line and how it's a precusor to the rest of the series! Lynx Line: Our patrons weigh in with their first takes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Knock knock, who's there? Just the Minister for Magic, and he has questions about these 'random' things that Dumbledore has left behind for the Trio. Even after death, Albus knows how to mess with the Ministry, and we're here for it! Join us as we discuss Chapter 7 of Deathly Hallows, "The Will of Albus Dumbledore". Welcome Slug Club member, Sara! She gets extra points for remembering her Ilvermorny House even though we didn't ask for it. Ron has a birthday gift for Harry, but what is his intention behind it? Is he trying to genuinely be helpful, or is he just giving his bro a gag gift? Ron also admits to having barged in on Harry and Ginny. Is this appropriate behavior? Who ultimately should Ron try to be loyal to? Knock knock! The Minister is pulling into the Burrow with Arthur, and he has questions for Harry. Predictably, Scrimgeour handles this meeting with the Trio poorly. Could he have actually gotten some answers out of the Trio had he been different? Foreshadow alert! Hermione says she does NOT want to work in Magical Law after Hogwarts. We learn about the Snitch's 'flesh memory' as well as Scrimgeour's theory about the Sword of Gryffindor, and he's not too far off. Harry figures out the trick much sooner than expected. Turns out Norbert is a girl. How did Hagrid NOT know this sooner? Lynx Line: Which of Dumbledore's belongings would you have wanted? Quizzitch: What's the original name for the Deluminator? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Choo Choo! We’re truly headed Back to Hogwarts, as a new trailer for HBO Max's Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone TV Show is here! We break it down scene-by-scene, spot familiar faces, point out the book-to-TV loyalty, and question what's going on in some exciting-looking scenes. We're going to be spoiled with a LOT of great scenes when the series premieres this Christmas!  Plus, we look at what did (or rather, didn't) happen on Back To Hogwarts day itself. Maybe Harry Potter Inc. needs to take a page out of Apple and Disney's books, and learn how to create genuinely exciting events.  What was your favorite part(s) of the trailer? Reach out to us via our website, social media, or comment sections! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We tend to spend a lot of time trying to explain the Harry Potter stories as well as we can, but what if we explained them poorly? In this bonus episode, we're trying to explain certain plot points as poorly as possible. Content Warning: Because we're trying to explain things badly, and because we're behind a paywall, we're getting a little adult in this episode.

There've been two major casting announcements for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway, and the second season of HBO Max's Harry Potter series! We discuss the news, how the internet has reacted, and what lies ahead for both Cursed Child and HP TV. What do you think of the recent news? And stay tuned for September 1 - we anticipate big news, and we'll be covering it all that night!

This week, make sure you know the difference between spattergroit and spaghetti, because we're squeezing the family ghoul into a pair of Ron's old pajamas. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they dodge wedding chores from Mrs. Weasley and get a crash-course in destroying Horcruxes from Professor Granger! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Deathly Hallows, Chapter 6: The Ghoul in Pajamas 7-Word Summary: Upstairs resides a creepy groaning nasty Weasley With Mad-Eye gone, who should step and up and lead the Order? What exactly was Dumbledore's plan for the adult Order members once the Trio departed? Sit patiently until the Battle of Hogwarts? Mrs. Weasley is doing her best to keep Harry, Ron and Hermione apart: is she actively doing more harm than good? Despite Harry's best efforts, Ron and Hermione are making plans to join him on his Horcrux Hunt! Hermione makes the ultimate sacrifice: modifying her parents memories! Ron, Arthur, Fred and George transform the family ghoul to have spattergroit (a condition Ron was mistaken to have at St. Mungo's in Order of the Phoenix) Having the ghoul pretend to be Ron sounds like a good plan, but hold on a minute! Why has it been allowed to just hang out in the Weasley’s attic all these years? Ruh Roh! Dumbledore was an active member of the Banned Booked Club! Hermione has become quite the Horcrux expert (after pilfering Dumbledore's office) We get a double-dose of Sword of Gryffindor foreshadowing! Lynx Line: If you were Mrs. Weasley, what is the most outrageous task you would give Harry to keep him away from Ron and Hermione? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, avoid using your most obvious spells and be careful who you let through the door! A stressful battle with Death Eaters has left Harry and co. on edge during our Chapter-by-chapter reread. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura for this holey harrowing readthrough. Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Deathly Hallows, Chapter 5: Fallen Warrior 7-Word Summary: Paranoia ensues as survivors return from danger The chapter title has us on edge. Do we remember suspecting the worst for a different character following the battle? Why did Mad-Eye Moody insist on bringing Mundungus, who clearly didn't want to be there? Could Mundungus have been decent if he wants to fight? Does he know more magic than Harry, Ron and Hermione since he is older? We are glad that George is A-OK and that Molly can now tell her twin sons apart. Whose side are we on between Harry and Lupin's arguments surrounding the Stan Shunpike encounter? Is Lupin unfair to bring up James Potter's betrayal? We discuss the effectiveness of the 7 Potters escape plan, after the fact. How comes the Order members don't always follow through on the personal question / security check? Are they being reckless? Could Bill or someone else have recreated the magic surrounding "Thief's Downfall" at Gringotts, or only goblins? Ron's death count has risen by 1! Blink and you will have missed it. But what does that say about his overall character? How will this death impact him? Lynx Line: Pick a character who wasn’t forced to identify themselves, and choose an identifying fact that would have proved their identity? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we hope you like the taste of Polyjuice Potion because we're all transforming into Harry to (narrowly) escape Privet Drive! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah, Laura and Grace as they climb aboard Hagrid's motorbike for a fun ride to the home of Ted and Andromeda Tonks! Welcome to the show, Grace Candido-Beecher, author of Voldemort: An Unofficial Exploration! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Deathly Hallows, Chapter 4: The Seven Potters 7-Word Summary: Moody helps Harry escape safely from Voldemort Let’s discuss this plan: is it brilliant or unnecessarily risky? Do any other options come to mind that may have been overlooked? Which of the seven Potters surprises us the most (putting Mundungus aside)? We analyze the characters willing to transform into Harry and why they'd be so willing! Grace compares the 7 Harrys to the 7 Divine Virtues Does Hedwig's death symbolize the end of Harry's childhood more than any other moment in the series? Did the movie do it better?  MAX THAT: Everybody out here is playing Grand Theft Auto, and Hagrid is playing Mario Kart (and winning, by the way)! Expelliarmus: If they thought this had become Harry's signature move, why did they not direct him to cast any spell but this one? Why didn’t Voldemort’s (Lucius') wand work against Harry? Lynx Line: Which Order member would you trust most if you were flying alongside them? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're taking a break from releasing new episodes this week, so please enjoy this Bonus MuggleCast episode that was released on our Patreon! Become a member TODAY to receive instant access to lots of magical benefits! It's now '19 years later' following the release of the final Harry Potter book! In light of this anniversary, and our Chapter by Chapter re-read of Deathly Hallows approaching, we look back at the July 2007 midnight release! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, it's a series of awkward goodbyes at Privet Drive! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they say so-long to Dudley, Petunia and Vernon in Deathly Hallows, Chapter 3: The Dursleys Departing! 7-Word Summary: Goodbyes are flying through awkwardly among family Why is Vernon Dursley so impressed by Kingsley Shacklebolt? Are Daedalus Diggle and Hestia Jones really the best the Order have to offer? Would any of the Dursleys actually sell out Harry to Voldemort? What If... the Dursleys were kidnapped? Would Harry come to their rescue? Why can't Vernon bring himself to shake Harry's hand? Dudley does a complete 180! What made him warm up to Harry? What was Petunia going to say to Harry? The movie got it right, but why was the scene deleted? Lynx Line: In this chapter, the Dursleys are off with Dedalus Diggle and Hestia Jones into the unknown. What adventures will they go on over the next year? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uh oh. Micah's in charge of today's Bonus MuggleCast, and he's pitching us new FMK scenarios! We run through several trios and debate the pro's and cons of.... relations... with these characters. Poor Newt. Poor Dobby. NOTE: THIS EPISODE HAS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE! Enjoy!

This week, don't believe everything you read in the paper, because we’re reading criticism of the great Albus Dumbledore, penned by the untrustworthy Rita Skeeter. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they continue the read-through of Deathly Hallows! Quizzitch Question: What is the term used for when students take a year for travel between secondary and tertiary education? Chapter-by-Chapter of Deathly Hallows continues with Chapter 2, "In Memoriam" Our DH2 Seven-Word Summary: Rita maliciously attacks Dumbledore’s back in media Could the reader infer maybe there was more going on between Elphias Doge and Albus Dumbledore, from the tone and content of his memorial essay in print? How was Dumbledore making money for his family right after he left school? Was he borrowing some from Nicolas Flamel? We connect Elphias' mention of the Grindelwald and Dumbledore battle back to Book One and Dumbledore's Chocolate Frog Card writeup. Briefly, the hosts talk about how that moment was never brought to life in Fantastic Beasts (R.I.Parked) Who would bring Grindelwald and Dumbledore to life in a TV Adaptation? Would it be someone who's played the role before? While Harry feels left out of knowing Dumbledore better, would Dumbledore ever have really confided in him? Rita Skeeter is selling something! It stinks. How accurate can it be, if it is kind of a rush job, we ask? And, there is real life precedent to hastily published biographic works. The Mirror makes its appearance, and we imagine James and Sirius using them as boys. On our Lynx Line, we asked our patrons what the Dursley's did with all of Harry's left-behind possessions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices