Radio Voldy (OOTP Chapter 26, Seen and Unforeseen)

Summary

Podcast Summary: MuggleCast Episode - "Radio Voldy (OOTP Chapter 26, Seen and Unforeseen)"

Podcast Information:

• Title: MuggleCast: The Harry Potter Re-Read Podcast
• Host: Harry Potter (Hosts: Andrew, Eric, Micah, and Laura)
• Episode: Radio Voldy (OOTP Chapter 26, Seen and Unforeseen)
• Release Date: May 13, 2025

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Introduction to Chapter 26: Seen and Unforeseen

In this episode, the MuggleCast team delves deep into Chapter 26 of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," titled "Seen and Unforeseen." The hosts engage in a comprehensive analysis, focusing on character developments, pivotal plot points, and overarching themes that shape the Wizarding World.

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Key Character Discussions

Hermione Granger: The Know-It-All Dilemma

Hermione's strategic move to leverage Rita Skeeter in securing an interview with Harry marks a significant turning point in the narrative. This act not only shifts public perception of Voldemort but also underscores Hermione's pivotal role in the resistance against authoritarianism.

Micah [06:17]: "She gets to see the fruits of her labor essentially when the Quibbler article comes out and Harry is convincing people."

However, her assertiveness is met with criticism from Andrew and Eric, who feel that Hermione's know-it-all attitude sometimes overshadows her intentions.

Andrew [06:29]: "She was hard on Harry when talking about Cho. It just reeks of Hermione going out of her way to be a know-it-all."

Eric adds that Hermione's advice might not align with Harry's character, suggesting that her solutions sometimes lack practical applicability.

Eric [07:09]: "She tells Harry that he should have said yeah, this ugly girl I know... That's not Harry's character at all."

Despite these critiques, Laura offers a balanced perspective, emphasizing Hermione's awareness of the broader implications of her actions.

Laura [11:12]: "It needed to happen for the entire benefit of the wizarding world."

Severus Snape: A Glimmer of Respect

Snape's interaction with Harry during their Occlumency lessons reveals a nuanced side of his character. When Harry successfully resists the Legilimency spell, Snape responds with unexpected approval, hinting at a more complex relationship between teacher and student.

Eric [30:11]: "Snape says, 'That was better. You actually did a better job.'"

This moment sparks curiosity about Snape's motivations and whether there's a deeper strategy at play, possibly influenced by Dumbledore's overarching plans.

Albus Dumbledore: Masterclass Leadership

Dumbledore's strategic maneuvering to protect Professor Trelawney from Umbridge's authoritarian measures showcases his brilliance and foresight. By preemptively appointing a replacement, Dumbledore not only thwarts Umbridge's plans but also ensures the safety of Trelawney, whose role is crucial to the prophecy.

Laura [42:41]: "It's a masterclass. It's so good."

The hosts commend Dumbledore's ability to manipulate regulations to his advantage, reinforcing his position as a formidable leader within Hogwarts.

Ginny Weasley: The Unsung Hero

Ginny's unexpected prowess in Quidditch emerges as a redeeming moment in the chapter. Her skill in catching the Snitch not only salvages Gryffindor's standing but also counters the pervasive negativity surrounding the sport due to Ron's struggles.

Eric [22:44]: "Ginny's like, don't act like you know what you're talking about."

This contributes to a more positive depiction of Ginny, highlighting her as a key player in the unfolding events.

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Plot Developments

Voldemort's Strategic Shifts

The episode thoroughly examines Voldemort's evolving plans post his encounter with Rookwood. Missteps by Death Eaters like Avery lead Voldemort to reassess his strategies, hinting at potential vulnerabilities within his ranks.

Micah [03:15]: "Voldemort's changing gears as a result of this meeting which Harry has unique insight into."

The hosts speculate on how Voldemort's delayed actions could impact the broader Wizarding War timeline, questioning the efficiency and intelligence of his followers.

The Quibbler's Rising Influence

Umbridge's attempt to ban "The Quibbler" inadvertently triggers the Streisand Effect, increasing its popularity among students and sparking clandestine support for the Order of the Phoenix.

Andrew [59:04]: "Umbridge should have thought about that before adding that additional educational decree."

This discussion underscores the unintended consequences of censorship, drawing parallels to real-world scenarios.

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Character Interactions and Dynamics

Hermione and Harry's Friendship

The tension between Hermione's plans and Harry's personal life, especially his date with Cho, highlights the complexities of their friendship. While Hermione's intentions are rooted in the greater good, her execution sometimes strains their relationship.

Laura [07:09]: "Hermione needs to share a bit of the blame here."

The hosts debate the balance between pursuing strategic objectives and respecting personal boundaries, offering varied perspectives on Hermione's approach.

Dumbledore vs. Umbridge: The Power Struggle

The clash between Dumbledore and Umbridge epitomizes the battle between wisdom and authoritarianism. Dumbledore's ability to anticipate and counter Umbridge's moves reinforces his dominance and protective stance over Hogwarts.

Andrew [43:48]: "It's a masterclass. It's so good."

This segment emphasizes the strategic depth of Dumbledore's character and his unwavering commitment to safeguarding the prophecy and the school's integrity.

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Fan Mail and Listener Engagement

The episode transitions into a vibrant segment where listeners' letters, both supportive and critical, are read and discussed. Highlights include:

• Supportive Letters:

  • Girishma: Praises Harry for his bravery and the positive impact of his actions.
  • Jennifer (JP): Commends Harry as a symbol of hope and heroism.

• Critical Letters:

  • Mev: Expresses frustration with Harry and Dumbledore, blaming them for widespread lies and fear.
  • Kyle: Offers a balanced critique, acknowledging Harry's quirks while appreciating his role in resisting tyranny.

Eric [67:27]: "Oscar to Andrew for his annunciation there. Good timing."

These interactions showcase the diverse perspectives within the fandom, fostering a sense of community and active participation.

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Conclusion and Upcoming Content

The hosts wrap up the episode by teasing future discussions, including Chapter 27, "The Centaur and the Sneak," and promoting their other podcast segments like "What the Hype" and "Millennial." They encourage listeners to support the podcast through Patreon and engage with them via email or voice memos.

Andrew [73:01]: "Don't forget to visit patreon.com/mugglecast to support us."

Notable Quotes:

• Micah [06:17]: "She gets to see the fruits of her labor essentially when the Quibbler article comes out and Harry is convincing people."
• Eric [07:09]: "She was hard on Harry when talking about Cho."
• Andrew [59:04]: "Umbridge should have thought about that before adding that additional educational decree."

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Final Thoughts: This episode of MuggleCast offers an in-depth exploration of Chapter 26 from "Order of the Phoenix," blending analytical discussions with engaging banter. The hosts provide valuable insights into character motivations, plot intricacies, and thematic elements, making it a compelling listen for both avid fans and newcomers to the series.

Transcript

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[Eric]

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[Andrew]

Welcome to Mugglecast, your weekly ride into the world of Harry Potter. I'm Andrew.

[Eric]

I'm Eric.

[Micah]

I'm Micah.

[Laura]

And I'm Laura.

[Andrew]

And we are your Harry Potter friends talking about the books, the movies and the upcoming television show. So make sure you follow this show in your favorite podcast app and that way you'll never miss an episode. And this week we are bewitching Order of the Phoenix to look like school books so we can secretly discuss chapter 26 Seen and Unforeseen. But before we do that, a couple of reminders. If you love the show and want to help us keep this show running smoother than a Quidditch goal against Ron as Keeper, visit patreon.com mugacast and pledge today. You'll get instant access to two bonus Mugglecast episodes every month. You'll also get ad free episodes, a new gift every year, and a lot more. We could not do this without you and we appreciate you like Snape appreciates borrowing Dumbledore's pensive other great ways to support us. You can pick up Mugglecast [e-mail] you can leave us a review in your favorite podcast app and tell a friend about the show. Also, we have this overstock store. It's where we have leftover merchandise from years past that we want to get out to listeners while supplies last, including our 19 years later t shirt. We recently added that to the Overstock store. And they celebrate our 19th anniversary. It's our special epilogue year, so don't miss out on those. Visit mugglemillennial.etsy.com to grab yours. And for more ways to support us and to learn more about the show, visit mugglecast.com all right, time for chapter by chapter Order of The Phoenix, chapter 26 Seen and Unforeseen.

[Eric]

Yes, yes, yes. We last discussed this cool chapter. Actually, I say we it was Andrew, Laura, Micah and Pat. Three turns should do anything.

[Andrew]

Good luck.

[Eric]

What the.

[Micah]

Episode 463, we see a scene play out between Voldemort and Rookwood, who we know from the last chapter has just escaped from Azkaban. And we learned that there was a little bit of a misstep on the part of one of the other Death Eaters named Avery, who provided information to Voldemort that Broderick Bode would have been able to retrieve the prophecy. And Rookwood is very adamant about the fact that that could not be the case. So Voldemort's kind of pissed off that he's been wasting time over the course of the last few months to no avail.

[Andrew]

Goodbye, Avery. I never liked your paper products. I'm kind of glad that you're getting out of here.

[Micah]

Yeah, I think he is done for.

[Andrew]

He's done for. I can never figure out the labels which. Which are which. I don't get the numbering scheme.

[Laura]

Well, see, what you don't realize, Andrew, is that this was Avery's second calling.

[Andrew]

Oh.

[Laura]

After things went south with Voldemort, he decided to, you know, go form his own label making company.

[Andrew]

I see.

[Laura]

And he's apparently just as bad at that as he was at his last job.

[Andrew]

So the envelopes say 8160, but then there's also 4140. Which is it? I can't tell which template I'm supposed to be.

[Eric]

Mysterious thing time.

[Laura]

Wow.

[Andrew]

Still bug me.

[Laura]

We were hating on Avery.

[Andrew]

I know.

[Laura]

My God. I mean, granted, he deserved it, but.

[Andrew]

Geez, these days I use a Rollo thermal label printer. I love those things. Too bad there's no Rolo in the Harry Potter series.

[Eric]

Oh. Oh. I love a good bit about stationery. And office stationery particularly, so I had to include that. By the way, that was episode 463 entitled Umbridge's Quibbles, so everyone should check that out if they want. Even more than what we're doing this episode. However, this episode, because it encompasses four weeks of time, it's actually a huge, like a long duration of time. We're gonna do something a little different for the main discussion and that is focus on individual characters moments in the chapter. Because pretty much everybody has a good chapter except the villains and Ron.

[Andrew]

So as it should be.

[Eric]

Yeah, this is. And Trelawney, arguably, but she's saved. She's saved.

[Micah]

She is saved.

[Eric]

We're going to go through and talk about that. But I think the first character for whom it's a good chapter is Hermione. As we said last week, the decision to use her leverage on Rita Skeeter to force this interview with Harry really does change the course of the wizarding world or at least this whole where the public is with Voldemort and believing that he's back amid the Ministry. So real props to Hermione. She gets to see the fruits of her labor essentially when the Quibbler article comes out and Harry is convincing people.

[Andrew]

Major win for her for sure. What I didn't love from her this chapter though was the know it all attitude. Eric, I think you have a good note in here about Hermione. GPT.

[Eric]

She's back.

[Andrew]

She's. She's got an answer for everything. She's not as environmentally horrible as chat is, but she. She was hard on Harry when talking about Cho. I think assuming that he should know how to handle Cho. It's just like if she knows all this so well, then she should have given Harry a heads up before their dates. And to me, this just reeks of Hermione going out of her way to be a know it all. I hate when people do this in the Muggle world. They say, oh, you didn't know that? I knew that. You should have expected that. Well, you should have told me.

[Micah]

Yeah. It's so wrong of Hermione to expect Harry to show what to do. And there's your dad joke.

[Laura]

Oh, yeah, you were. You were waiting for that moment.

[Andrew]

You should try to insert a dad joke every week.

[Eric]

And then we'll have a little noise, hashtag Micah's jokes.

[Andrew]

Like the crack of a beer can opening up. That'll be the.

[Eric]

And a snore.

[Micah]

Can we get that?

[Eric]

We'll get the crack of a. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Record this.

[Micah]

Butterbeer. There we go.

[Eric]

There we go. It's.

[Andrew]

Oh, yeah, brother.

[Eric]

It's Kirkland water.

[Micah]

But I do think Hermione needs to share a bit of the blame here. Not for how the date went, that's on Harry and choir. But she should have had the awareness that this was an important moment in Harry's life and double booking him was not going to go over well with Cho. And quite honestly the explanation that she offers in this chapter for Harry to have given Cho was weak and I'm not sure it would have made much of a difference if Harry had used her rationale. I still think we would have arrived at the same outcome.

[Eric]

I'll agree with only one part of this sort of anti Hermione bias in the middle of Hermione's triumphant chapter, which is that the advice she gives to Harry wouldn't really work. It wouldn't really be like him. She tells Harry that he should have said yeah, this ugly girl I know, Hermione Granger, who I, by the way, I'm not interested in it all. She's like obligating me to go and see her. I really don't want to, but I'm gonna go do this. Do you want to come along? That's not. Sorry babe, that's not in Harry's character at all. Like first of all, lie. Second of all, like just kind of pretend that he doesn't want to do something like he's Harry friggin Potter. Like if he doesn't want to do something, he's not going to do it. So it's kind of an much too late after the fact suggestion of Hermione's. I don't have a problem with Hermione, I really don't. But there are times when she comes off as a little condescending and particularly in this chapter, the wording that's used to describe how she's speaking, like if he were a toddler, um, is, is a bit much. So I think she's probably reveling in her recent success and it's caused her to be a little tone deaf or undelicate with them as a result.

[Laura]

I don't know. Having had the experience of being the only girl in a friend group of teenage boys, y' all, I relate to Hermione so much here because if we're looking at what the cause of Harry's bad date with Cho was, you go back to the root of it. It's the fact that Harry put absolutely zero effort into planning anything for this date until he woke up the morning of and was like, oh yeah, I'm going on this date. So he had no plans. He clearly showed up to this date with nothing in mind. And that's not to say that Cho did a great job of this herself. Like she could have planned something more. Although I Think ultimately her, like, covert plan was for them to end up at Madame Puttyfoots. But there could have been more effort put into the date itself that might have made this story about Harry needing to go see Hermione land differently. Not saying that it would have been like, it might have been a bumpy landing, but I think it would have gone better than it did ultimately.

[Micah]

So can we agree though, that it's a misstep on the part of Hermione to put this on Harry's calendar at the same time that he's going out on the first date with the girl that Hermione knows he likes?

[Laura]

I mean, I don't. I don't think Hermione picked the date.

[Eric]

No. This is the trouble is that there are very few, especially with Umbridge's authoritarianism. There are so few opportunities for something like what needed to happen to happen. It needed to be a Hogsmeade weekend because Umbridge wasn't expecting it. She wouldn't have her spies there. This was pretty much the only time this could happen. And this needed to happen for the entire benefit of the wizarding world. As I keep saying, the ends justify the means here. Hermione was generous to let Harry still go on his date and say, we'll meet you later because this could have taken so much time to do his interview that, you know, didn't have time for anything else. So I think that Hermione was more than patient and more than kind and just not.

[Andrew]

I. I guess my question is how long, how many hours are they at Hogsmeade? Because there probably would be enough time to do the date and this meeting. Luna's not busy. She's got nothing but time. She can make whatever time she needs. Rita is Hermione's, you know what?

[Eric]

Unemployed.

[Andrew]

She and unemployed.

[Eric]

You should just say unemployed.

[Andrew]

Show up at any time. She doesn't have a Valentine's Day date, I think, as we established last week. So I think there would have been time. And I think Hermione was setting Harry up for failure. I. Can you imagine any of you hearing that your best friend is going out on their first date and you have the nerve to say to them, I need you that day to get over here at this certain time. That's outrageous.

[Laura]

I mean, I think if, if my best friend is the chosen one and that specific day is the day that we get to do something to change the trajectory of the entire world.

[Andrew]

Sorry, Cho can wait.

[Laura]

Yeah, and also, I'll just say I don't think Harry and Cho are a good match. I actually think that Harry has not been super interested in her since their kiss at Christmas and he just hasn't. I think he's just kind of slow on the uptake.

[Eric]

Yeah. I think as soon as he realized this was gonna be slightly difficult, that she has some baggage, it's been slowly rubbing him kind of the wrong way.

[Micah]

The one piece of it though is that Harry doesn't have the information of who he's actually going to meet and what he's meeting. Hermione.

[Eric]

He also didn't demand about it though. Right. Because like he could have asked Hermione and she probably would have told him.

[Micah]

In fairness, Harry's got a lot on his mind.

[Laura]

Yeah, okay.

[Eric]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

And didn't Hermione peel out of there pretty quick? I seem to recall when she gets this idea.

[Micah]

She does, but presumably she would have needed to get a response and then set up the actual meeting. So what I'm saying is if Harry would have positioned it as, you know, I have a really important interview I need to do or, I don't know, make it anything other than using Hermione's name.

[Eric]

I'm meeting my friend. Yeah.

[Micah]

Yeah. Or it's. If he had phrased it in a different way, perhaps the outcome would have been.

[Eric]

Yeah, he didn't have the information necessary to help him phrase it a different way on multiple ends there. I want to make two points here. We always hear about Hogsmeade weekends, but I don't think we see them go to Hogsmeade on Saturday and then go to Hogwarts to sleep and then go back to Hogsmeade on Sunday. I think the Hogsmeade weekend is like just a Saturday afternoon where the kids from the school come to the village, like.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Eric]

So my point in bringing kind of that observation up is just that we like to imagine there's enough time to do both. Right. The date, because that's Valentine's Day. So if there were two days they could have done it. Hermione would have scheduled the read a thing first for the non Valentine's Day day. Right. Clearly she's considerate enough.

[Andrew]

No, that's true. I did. I did imagine it as a day trip as well. You got to block a lot of time out. I understand that. You got to. You got to block out like two or three hours just to ride Forbidden Journey. You never know how long is going to be.

[Eric]

Yeah. Oh, God.

[Andrew]

And the line, the Butterbeer line. Yeah, that's.

[Eric]

That's half a day anyway.

[Andrew]

Yeah, Tourists everywhere screaming, children, God forbid.

[Laura]

Forbidden Journey breaks.

[Andrew]

You run into your favorite Mugglecaster. Yeah, you go on that Hagrid coaster that, the original one, and you're like, this was 30 seconds. And I waited in line an hour for that.

[Eric]

By the way, we love that ride on this show. But still, it's cute.

[Andrew]

If there's no wait, it's cute.

[Eric]

The other question I want to, I want to put the this is a good Hermione chapter, dammit. Do the ends justify the means? Because even Cho, who reads the Quibbler article, comes and gives Harry a kiss on the cheek and is like, that was really brave. Like, now Harry doesn't take that opportunity to gloat and be like, that was what I was seeing Hermione about. FYI. I think Cho's probably smart enough to realize though, when that interview occurred especially.

[Micah]

She was, yeah, she's in Ravenclaw.

[Eric]

Well, there you go. So then she must. Then she owes Hermione an apology. Anyway, we're gonna move on.

[Laura]

I mean, these are teenagers. Let's, let's remember that none of these people's frontal lobes are fully developed yet. So like, there are just some emotional and like maturity limitations at play for everyone here.

[Eric]

There's a little bit of a blind spot when it comes to Hermione rubbing people the wrong way. She kind of gleefully tells Fred and George why Ginny's all of a sudden good at Quidditch and it's because she's been sneaking their brooms. And like, oh, yeah, that makes sense. But like, hello guys. You didn't notice that. And then Hermione does kind of step into it a little bit. Step in it. Regarding Quidditch and what did we think about her comment that she, she feels kind of better than or freer because her mood is not dependent on Ron's goalkeeping ability. Unlike most of Gryffindor who are just like, their week is ruined.

[Laura]

I mean, I think Hermione is. She doesn't understand Quidditch. It's very clear. And she doesn't have like, probably the appropriate level of respect for it because she doesn't understand it. At the same time, I still think it's a healthy attitude to have to not hang your mental health on something that you have no control over.

[Andrew]

Yeah, I think the conversation in the books gets a little exaggerated. Overall, people do look forward to games in the Muggle world. Just thinking about Muggle examples here. People look forward to football, right, Micah? Every Sunday, what are you doing 1pm in the afternoon? You're looking forward to, I don't know, the jets or something.

[Micah]

Well, I mean, pick a better team.

[Andrew]

Yeah, but they're close to you. That's why you.

[Micah]

Yeah, that's fair.

[Andrew]

I think Ron is on to something here, that it's something to look forward to. It gives him some joy. But like tying his mental health to it is probably an over exaggeration, an exaggeration at this age.

[Micah]

But it's not that surprising if you think about how most young people who play, whether it's you consider competitive or non competitive sports, how worked up they do get depending on the outcome of their performance. And Ron has grown up in a family with really good Quidditch players and he wants to be able to, in a lot of ways live up to that reputation. And he's somebody who just loves Quidditch in general. So this idea that the sport that he loves, he's not very good at, at least to start. And let's be fair to him, I mean, he's getting thrown into a tough situation here. Right. He hasn't had time to really grow and mature into this role. But as far as Hermione goes, she gets worked up over things like getting a wrong answer or not acing an assignment. And so this made me think if we were to flip it a little bit, because Quidditch, when Ron isn't getting scored on what, 14 times, is fun. It's enjoyable for the most part. For these students, it's an outlet. Does Hermione have any fun outlets aside from academics?

[Eric]

Is this part of why does spew count?

[Micah]

Yeah, I was thinking about that.

[Laura]

Knitting all those.

[Eric]

No, because she does it alone. It's probably really lonely. Like it's creative. She makes hats. But like.

[Micah]

Yeah, I'm not saying you can't have your own personal hobby. Of course you can. But I'm thinking about doing something that allows you to be part of a team, to interact with other people, to have, you know, you humbled army, maybe it's new.

[Andrew]

I see your point though. I see your point.

[Eric]

She gets a little holier than now. But I think ultimately, as somebody who's always had like a healthy skepticism for all sports. Yeah, I kind of get what she's saying. Like your team lost this week, you're going to. That's going to like drag you down. But like, why are you so affected by this external factor? Like, I don't know. I don't agree with her tone, but I agree with what she's saying.

[Micah]

Yeah, there's something about it that she Just doesn't quite understand, though. Go back to even Sorcerer's Stone, she was cheering on Harry in that first matchup, right?

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Micah]

So there is a love for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, but if I'm not mistaken, doesn't she also get into it with Ginny in a later book about Quidditch?

[Laura]

In Half Blood Prince, Ginny's like, don't act like you know what you're talking about. Shut up. And, I mean, Hermione kind of deserves it because, again, she's speaking kind of, I think, out of turn, tonally about something she doesn't really know about. And I think you're right, Micah. Like, Hermione, up until Dumbledore's Army, I don't think Hermione. I don't think we've seen her experience being on a team like that. I think she cheers for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, mostly because her best friends are on it. Like, if she didn't have close friends on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, I don't think that she would root against them or anything, but I don't think she would be as enthusiastic at matches either, you know?

[Andrew]

Yeah, I. I do wonder how many wizards and witches enjoy Quidditch in the Wizarding World. It's interesting because in the Muggle world, we have so many different sports to pick from. Everybody's got a sport. A lot of people have sports they like, except for Eric, it sounds like, apparently. But then in the Wizarding World, it kind of sounds like you're forced to either love Quidditch or love no sport at all. It doesn't seem like there's any other sport that's on the same level as Quidditch.

[Eric]

Yeah. You're not getting invited to, like, the Gobstones World Cup.

[Andrew]

Right? Right. So I wonder if. I also wonder maybe Hermione, in time, came to like Quidditch. To like. I've been kind of a late bloomer when it comes to football. I've gotten into football. I never thought I would.

[Eric]

Who's your team?

[Andrew]

The Eagles. Fly. Eagles. Fly, baby. Come on. Super bowl champions.

[Eric]

Road to victory. Mm.

[Andrew]

I'm optimistic that Hermione came to like Quidditch a lot. Also, if you're the Minister of Magic, I feel like you have to at least fake that you like it.

[Eric]

That's right. You're asked.

[Andrew]

Look, there.

[Micah]

There are some people who just don't like sports.

[Laura]

That.

[Micah]

And that's. That's totally fair.

[Eric]

I'll tell you who does like sports. Ginny has a good chapter. She actually saves Gryffindor, I think some shame by catching the Snitch when they're only ultimately going to lose by 10 points, which keeps them in the running for the Quidditch World Cup. Now there's this moment where Harry kind of has this internal monologue where he thinks he could have done it better. And that's kind of a little worrisome, but at the same time he's like, just grateful because everyone is down about Quidditch. Everyone is upset that Ron, despite all the practice, is still not passing the mustard. And I feel like at least Ginny kind of maybe saved some embarrassment for everybody. So good for her.

[Laura]

Yeah, I think. Well. And ultimately prevents Gryffindor from being knocked super far down the list. Right. Like they could still bounce back.

[Micah]

Yeah. And it's, it's hard watching from the sidelines. Think about athletes who get injured and have to watch when their team is competing in important matches. That's what Harry is experiencing here. It's a bit of fomo, to be honest with you. I mean, it's, it's very equivalent to when Andrew isn't on the show and he, he edits it and then he's sitting there thinking to himself, gosh, if I was only on. So many other good points would have been made. The show would have been so much better.

[Andrew]

This moment was missing a Trelawney impression. Don't worry, that's coming later today's episode.

[Eric]

I got to say, too, with Harry having to watch his team compete and he can't do it. Umbridge is a few rows behind, like in front of him, looking back, smiling at him.

[Micah]

What a on.

[Eric]

She gets hers. She evils in this chapter. But still, it's just. It's bad. Yeah, but really want to shout out Luna again. The other member of this equation, the other person who was at the table while Harry did his tell. All besides Hermione and Rita. And it's her father's printing press, her father's publication that gets to have the Harry Potter tell all what really happened the night you know, who came back and what I saw. And you know, the Quibbler quickly sells out. It's the fastest sellout for it. Xenophilius is going to do another print run of it. And they do seem. She. She is a little bit surprised, I guess, that there seems to be more interest in Harry's story than that of the crumple Horned Snorkak. Which is an odd comment, but hilarious.

[Andrew]

Which raises the question just how out there are Luna and Zeno that they would think a story on these Crumple H. Snork hacks would or should get priority over an interview with Harry? That. That just tells me they're not in touch with reality. I know they are already a little out there, but aren't you paying attention to the news and what's going on?

[Eric]

Like, yeah, there's a possibility that the Crumplehorn snork story is going to usurp Harry's story and that Harry's going to have to wait a whole other issue to get his interview in. That's what Luna says, I think, in the very beginning of the chapter. But I think Xenophilius had enough sense to actually put the hairy thing out first.

[Andrew]

Okay.

[Eric]

Because they get it like, you know, within the week. So there's that. But yeah, like, I don't really know how. What a sense of how big the article, how they thought it would be. But ultimately, due to circumstances in this chapter, it's so much bigger.

[Laura]

I really want to see the editorial calendar for the Quippler. Like, I really want to see how they prioritize because I. I tend to think that at the Quibbler, you know, they are probably living under the assumption that anything too, you know, weird to be published in the profit should probably go in the Quibbler.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Laura]

So I wonder if like, their method of deciding what goes first is like, what is the most underrepresented kooky story basically.

[Eric]

Yeah. Like they don't have like a closed door policy. It's like open, like anything that was rejected from the Prophet will take it.

[Laura]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

Any rumor. Fudge spotted in Goblin Disco Club. The Truth about Nargles. Are they stealing your left shoes? Werewolf mermaid Hybrids found in Black Lake.

[Micah]

Are you making these all up?

[Eric]

I was gonna say they're really good.

[Micah]

Or did you Google Quibbler headlines?

[Andrew]

No.

[Laura]

Are they from ChatGPT?

[Eric]

Andrew, could you say no again, but say it more convincing?

[Andrew]

No. What?

[Micah]

Well, Lydia has a good point. In the Discord, she said they believe Harry so they don't see the need for the urgency to release the story.

[Andrew]

Oh, good point, good point.

[Laura]

Yeah, I could see Xenophilius being like, duh.

[Eric]

Right?

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Laura]

This is the worst kept secret. Everyone knows this. Well, not quite.

[Andrew]

Yeah, we're gonna take a quick break and investigate this new rumor that Albus Dumbledore is actually a giant shrinking troll. So we'll be right back.

[Micah]

No, he's just a troll.

[Andrew]

Wow.

[Laura]

Dumbledore is kind of A troll low key.

[Eric]

You just said that to a man with a subtitle that says Dumbledore enthusiast. How do you feel about that?

[Laura]

I know what I did.

[Eric]

Fantastic. I think it's harder insult Dumbledore looking at Andrew with his. The little subtitle there.

[Micah]

We need to get him a shirt that says Dumbledore enthusiast.

[Andrew]

I'm down for that. Oh, it's creative.

[Laura]

Well, yeah. Your birthday is coming up.

[Andrew]

I want Laura's pants for my birthday.

[Eric]

Yeah, me too.

[Andrew]

I'm gonna be flying for like 12 hours each way in a couple weeks. I need those comfortable Laura's pants.

[Laura]

If you can. You actually do that and wear them and please take pictures of yourself flying across the Atlantic in my pants.

[Micah]

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[Laura]

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[Laura]

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[Eric]

And we're back. Let's talk about an interesting subject or development here. Snape, as in Professor Snape, actually seems to have a moment where he might be wanting to teach Harry or like instruct him. Well, I don't know how I feel about this. Basically, Snape and Harry square off as they always do. But this is a lesson in which Harry successfully throws off the Legilimans spell. It allows Harry to throw a shield charm. And he breaks into Snape's mind and we see some memories of Snape's. And instead of murdering Harry right on the spot, Snape says, that was better. You actually did a better job. And I'm starting to think, wait a minute, that was a normal human response to actually your students succeeding at something you're teaching him. What's going on with Snape? Why didn't he just. Just flip the heck out?

[Andrew]

Is Albus checking in, asking how the lessons are going? And maybe he's like, no progress. And maybe Dumbledore is encouraging him to actually be a better teacher.

[Eric]

You're right. This is something he can report back to Albus. And so that's why he doesn't flatten Harry.

[Andrew]

I've made progress. I've given him a compliment that before.

[Micah]

Or after Harry basically compliments Snape or says what he says, which Snape basically takes as a compliment.

[Eric]

Yeah, he's like, excuse you, Potter, but you're not special. And you're not supposed to want to see what the Dark Lord is saying to his Death Eaters. And Harry's like, no, that's your job, sir. And Snape's like, you're right, it is.

[Andrew]

So, wait, Micah, you're calling that a compliment?

[Micah]

Well, I think that's the way Snape interpreted it.

[Andrew]

Interesting. Like, this is my role. This is my job in this fight.

[Micah]

Like, yeah, you're damn right I am.

[Andrew]

Well, that's an interesting way to look at it.

[Laura]

Yeah, that's kind of how I interpreted it, too. Kind of like, hell yeah, I am. And you have no idea what you're talking about. So sit down.

[Andrew]

You're dumbled. Damn right.

[Micah]

But it doesn't last long, right?

[Eric]

No, no, no. And interestingly enough, you know, they cast it one more time and Harry is able to finally get through the door. It's a really interesting kind of instance where Harry is standing in front of the door. He's never gotten through it. He's reaching out. He opens it and actually sees the room beyond. The room beyond with all these subsequent doors with black walls, black floors and blue flame. And my question here, I had kind of an inkling that I've never had before thinking about this. But my question would be, how is Snape able to coax it out of Harry if Harry never dreamt that he got through the door? Like, how is this actually able to occur if it never occurred before? And what Snape's doing is occlumency or legilimency.

[Micah]

I feel like in these moments, Harry is exceptionally vulnerable. And I don't think Harry necessarily needs to be asleep to experience these visions from Voldemort. So maybe it was just a situation where two things were happening at the same time.

[Andrew]

Yeah, Snape is sort of breaking him down so much that he's actually opening up, like, the active connection to Voldemort.

[Laura]

Yeah, well, and Harry's not practicing either. That's something else that gets called out. Snape specifically says, when this happens, you haven't been practicing. The implication being if you had been practicing, this would not be happening. And we even see Harry in this chapter acknowledge how hard it is for him to empty his mind before he goes to sleep.

[Eric]

Not doing that. Everybody around me sucks.

[Laura]

Yeah, basically. So it's like, I agree with Andrew. I think Harry's already vulnerable because of the work that he's being put through with Snape. But I don't think that he's like, well resourced to be able to actually do what he needs to do outside of his lessons. Again, sorry, Andrew. It all goes back to Dumbledore. Like, so much of this, so much of Harry having the information that he needs to be successful, successful at this is missing because Dumbledore isn't communicating.

[Eric]

And because Snape didn't set him up for success either. He's not like, here, Potter, we're gonna actually practice emptying your mind. No, but like, this is how you do it. This is because there's the method. Like, that's as important as learning the spell or the resisting of the penetration.

[Laura]

I agree, but I mean, I think Dumbledore could have predicted how Snape was going to teach Harry poorly.

[Andrew]

And then Dumbledore should have anticipated this, like you're saying, and said, snape, do this right. Don't be a whiny bitch in front of Harry. Get the job done. Put your feelings towards the boy and his mom aside for a couple hours a week and do me a solid here. That's the conversation that should have happened because Dumbledore can't teach him directly for reasons we've already discussed. He needs somebody who's really good, like we discussed previously. Maybe Lupin would have been an option. Or like we said previously, Lupin should have been in the room as a kind of teacher's assistant. Keep snake chill. I guess.

[Eric]

Compliance officer.

[Andrew]

Yeah, yeah, Compliance officer.

[Eric]

Well, I think too that the, like, Snape's angle. Okay. Harry's been dreaming about the door since the beginning of the year. Long before Dumbledore could have stepped in about it, but since Christmas, like now they know that things are intertwined and stuff. But Harry desperately wants to see beyond the door. This is not something Snape can really prevent. Harry's now gotten so much of a taste about the door, dreams about it every night, that he really wants to see what's beyond it. So I think there's something accurate to what Snape is saying when he tells Harry that he's not even trying. And perhaps he wants to go beyond the door. Perhaps he wants to see more. Feels special about Voldemort. Like it comes off as just his.

[Micah]

Own willpower that's also working against Snape in this moment. Like to your point, Harry wants to go there. So maybe subconsciously he's keeping himself from closing off his mind because he has this desire to know what's in the room.

[Eric]

Well, cause if he really took the threat seriously, I think he. Or if, or if it was explained to him in a way that made Harry take it seriously, he would have, you know, maybe made a little bit more effort. But he loves a good mystery. Right. And so what I'm starting to think is something crucial happened the last time Harry had a dream. I think at the end of the last chapter, which is as suspected, Voldemort now knows about their dream connection. So going back to my original question about this scene, which is how can Harry be recalling something that he doesn't remember having to begin with, what it looks like behind the door. Is Voldemort now actively implanting or trying to send visions of what's behind the door to Harry?

[Micah]

Why not?

[Laura]

Yeah, I mean, we see them.

[Micah]

He's Voldemort in this chapter when he's dreaming.

[Eric]

Yeah, yeah. So I finally, I think answered the question that I was having, which is like Voldemort has actually turned on the broadcast and is now like, this is what's behind, you know, Radio Voldy. Yeah, there's, you know, a lot of fun we could have with that idea, but ultimately it'll get used horribly at the end of the book in two months time.

[Laura]

Yeah, I think it's also interesting. It's really hard to tell, I think for the reader and for Harry where Voldemort's emotions end and Harry's emotions begin. Because I think some of Harry's desire to see what's beyond the door is driven by Voldemort's desire. Because we see in the last chapter, I think it was Harry specifically call out that he is having emotions that are not his own, that are, like, not contextually appropriate for the conversations that he's in at the time.

[Micah]

He's maniacally laughing.

[Eric]

Yeah.

[Laura]

Like, I think a lot of this is Voldemort. And then I think Harry's natural curiosity on top of that makes it probably really hard to break, or rather, really hard to empty one's mind of.

[Micah]

Totally. And I just think that Snape has so much to do with that. Because if we go back to a prior discussion we had and we compare how Lupin taught Harry to cast a patronus and the care with which he did that and the way that he would, step by step, teach him if it was too much for Harry, they stopped, Right. And he treated him with the chocolate. Now we're in a situation where Snape just wants to get the last laugh, Right? Like, basically every time, no matter how well Harry may perform in that particular moment. Right. Like, he has a great moment in this chapter. Snape could have stopped the lesson there, left Harry on a high note. And maybe he doesn't have the dream that he experiences in this chapter, but instead, I always think that Snape wants to leave the lesson on the higher ground. Like, and maybe higher ground's not the right now.

[Eric]

Yeah, the upper hand. Well, like, because Harry knows. Harry knows that he's in for it now. Like, after he has the success, he's like, oh, Snape's gonna make me pay for that sing inside his head. And he does. In fact, the only reason the lesson. The only reason Snape could maybe kind of weirdly be misconstrued as, like, a decent teacher who cares for half of one second in this chapter is because the lesson isn't allowed to continue because they hear a scream up above. And it's Trelawney's scream. Which leads us to the last character that has a very good chapter, I would say, and that is Dumbledore, who is. He was able to, I guess, predict that Trelawney would be attempted to be removed from the school. He has read Umbridge's diary. He knows that that's the next move that Umbridge is clearly feeling so put out over this Quibbler thing that she's scrambling for, how can I show my control? How can I show I have power? So, time to give the divination teacher the sack. And Dumbledore completely shuts down her ability to remove Trelawney from the school unceremoniously and mercilessly. It's amazing.

[Andrew]

Yeah, he's ready to go with this. It kind of reminds me of the beginning of the book where he's defending Harry in court. He knows the laws and the statutes. He knows how to get through this situation and still remain in control. And that's when he brings in Forens.

[Eric]

I mean, it's just. It's just, It's. It's Dumbledore. It's amazing. He, like, opens the door. He knows, as you said, Andrew, he knows the exact statutes. He knows that because the law appointing the High Inquisitor was a. The excuse around it being able to exist was that they couldn't find a defense against the Dark Arts teacher. So that's why the law is worded to where if Hogwarts fails to find a teacher, then the Inquisitor will appoint one, because that's how that law was written then, and it certainly wouldn't be how it was written if it were a new law now. That's why Dumbledore did this whole thing where he finds a substitute before the question even comes up about who's going to fill Trelawney's role. So Umbridge thinks that she's distinctly gaining a victory and, like a, you know, really, really, really grabbing for power here. And Dumbledore is like, no, you can fire Trelawney, but you can't send her away. And also, I already have a replacement. It's just. It's. It's a masterclass. It's so good.

[Laura]

Mm. It's like malicious compliance, honestly. Like, yeah, okay, I'll play within the rules, but, like, if we're playing by the rules, you can't do that.

[Micah]

Yeah, I definitely. Plus one. Dumbledore, in this. This moment, he was prepared. And really, the only reason he was out there was to go get Forens. He probably knew from all the intel he has across the school that this sack was coming and was imminent for Trelawney. And I think I'd love to see. I guess it's going to be John Lithgow. This shot that Harry describes of Dumbledore, this imposing figure coming through the oak doors with the knight behind him, the moonlight behind him. It was not something we got in the movies. So, although Michael Gambon does come out into the courtyard area, but it's not the same effect.

[Eric]

It's epic. Until he then goes, don't you all have studying to do? Yeah, that's Dumbledore's source.

[Micah]

There's the second worst line in the cranky Michael Gambon.

[Andrew]

Yeah. No, I think you're right, though, Micah, about Dumbledore anticipating this. He's probably been anticipating it. For many weeks. Just seeing how Umbridge is operating and knowing Trelawney about, you know, the type of teacher that she is. It also makes me wonder if Dumbledore had somebody on tap to replace Hagrid.

[Eric]

Right?

[Andrew]

You would, you would think he did. They're both anticipating that one too, right?

[Eric]

Yeah, it's probably grubbly Plank. But the greatest thing about Trelawney's replacement. The greatest thing about Trelawney's replacement is that it plays right into Umbridge's own prejudices. It is what she would call a half breed or a creature of lesser. Of near human intelligence. Right. It's a centaur. And she Friggin hates that. And the fact that he's not going to go to Trelawney's office tower to sleep or wherever her quarters are up in the castle. But Forens is just going to prefer something on the ground floor by nature completely allows Trelawney to stay. And it's just Umbridge is so racist. She has to like, like control herself. Not only did Dumbledore one up her, but he prevented. He presented it. He presents a teacher that is going to. His very existence is going to offend Umbridge as being teaching staff at the school worse than Trelawney did to begin with.

[Laura]

And also Forens is not going to take any crap off Umbridge. That's the other advantage here. I mean this, this is someone who, you know, Umbridge's horrible standards would lead her to believe is not qualified to hold this position. And he's gonna make her look pretty dumb when the time comes. I kind of can't wait to revisit that chapter because it is so satisfying. He's just like, lady, I'm aware of the whole cosmos and all the timelines and all of this is so much bigger than you. Please go away.

[Eric]

The other aspect of Dumbledore's brilliance here is that nobody guesses the true victory that's happening. I think you could see this from the outside a bit. All the students and the teachers may even see it as a procedural move where it's like Headmaster 1, High Inquisitor 0 on the latest victory. But Trelawney is essential. It's essential that Trelawney is protected and she's there strategically. This is why Dumbledore appointed her to her role at the school to begin with. She's there strategically because she gave the prophecy between Harry and the Dark Lord. Now the interesting thing about this is in Umbridge trying to send her away, if, if she was successful at that, Trelawney would Maybe be at the mercy or fall victim to one of the Death Eaters. If anybody knew this about her. This is the weapon that Voldemort is trying to get to right now. And he could just abduct Trelawney either to a memory trial. I know specifically she doesn't remember giving that. But like if he physically had Trelawney. This is the year when Trelawney needs to absolutely be protected by Dumbledore at Hogwarts. This is the year. And now she is, which is really, really exciting. I don't think I've ever pieced together before that like Trelawney's part in the grand scheme of things, which we don't. Again, we don't really find out until the next book. The full significance of it is that she needs to stay at the school this year.

[Andrew]

Maybe Snape needs to be teaching Occlumency to Trelawney as well. How would that be for a class teaching Trelawney and Harry? He would hate that.

[Eric]

Trelawney and Harry in Remedial Potions. It'd be just, just absolutely wild.

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[Laura]

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[Eric]

All right, welcome back. So let's talk about Voldemort's development developing plan here. Because as indicated in our clip that we played from the last time we discussed this chapter, Voldemort has wasted some months in attempting to grab the prophecy through imperialing other people to do it, etc. Etc. He now knows he now has the basic building blocks thanks to Rookwood, that only he or Harry can really retrieve the prophecy. And this allows the subsequent Months to exist and unfurl how they do. So, yeah, Voldemort is quickly changing gears as a result of this meeting which Harry has a unique insight into.

[Andrew]

Yeah, it does make me wonder how Voldemort's plan and how the whole timeline would have changed had Voldemort never wasted time with this now bad information. Would this have been wrapped up a lot sooner? Would we have had one less year?

[Laura]

Like, right, like we've gotten to Horcruxes and Hallows sooner than we do Harry.

[Andrew]

Potter and the Order of the Horcruxes.

[Eric]

I mean, I think if you find out that it either has to be you or Harry to retrieve the prophecy they're either going to try and kidnap or lure Harry there sooner or they're going to find a way to get Voldemort in the Ministry which, yeah, I mean, Lucius could sneak him in and. Well, I guess he's not small anymore. But like, you know, I think that they have enough Death Eaters that are clearly willing to risk it that Voldemort could go himself to the Ministry.

[Micah]

It just seems like something that should have been more common knowledge. Why? Why would Voldemort who's this extremely accomplished individual with vast knowledge of the wizarding world not know nor does any of his followers know that a prophecy can only be retrieved by those who it is made about.

[Andrew]

Thinking about the timeline Voldemort says in this chapter they wasted months. So thinking about that if they did waste months let's say they actually figured things out like early in the summer in between years four and five. Which would also make sense because, you know, Voldemort is now fully back in his body. What if Voldemort tried to lure Harry away from Privet Drive in some way Having somebody else come for him pretend to be somebody who he's not gets him out of the Dursleys house and before you know it Harry's being lured into the Ministry or something like that. Like I could see something like that playing out. Arianne, who's listening live also wonders would Nagini be able to have retrieved the prophecy as another Horcrux themselves? She is part of Voldemort, so it's about part of her. That's an interesting idea too. Yeah.

[Laura]

Yeah. Well, and I think they might have been trying to do something like that because Nagini is the one who attacks Mr. Weasley, right?

[Andrew]

So, yeah, yeah, yeah. But would Nagini have been successful? I wonder.

[Laura]

I don't know. Yeah, we'll never Know.

[Andrew]

Lydia also asks, would Voldemort have been able to take Polyjuice Potion again inside. That's an interesting question, too. So he would just pose as somebody else so he could get in to the Ministry easily enough. Yeah. And then with the prophecy, and then would he be able to grab the prophecy? I guess that brings up questions about these rules about the prophecies versus Polyjuice Potion. I guess I would assume that, yes, he could take it because it is still him.

[Laura]

Yeah.

[Micah]

It's not his style, though. He doesn't like Polyjuice.

[Andrew]

Yeah, he wants to take it himself and he wants everybody to know it was him. Is that kind of what you're saying?

[Laura]

He just loves the attention. He wants the drama.

[Eric]

I will say we do get kind of a full picture after Harry's vision about how exactly things went down. Like the fact that we saw Lucius Malfoy the day Harry's hearing that was the day that Sturgis Podmore was first cursed. And this whole explanation about Bode and kind of why he needed to be killed at St. Mungo's, this is all pieced together by the trio. And so it's just. It's pretty interesting, I guess, that the Death Eaters and all of them have all actually been working towards this goal just like the Order has been keeping watch, preventing them from getting behind the door. It's kind of. It's probably, like, more exciting than it sounds of, like guarding this door so that Voldemort's people can't get in there.

[Micah]

It does show how bad security is at the Ministry as well that you have these two groups that are at odds with each other over the same general space within the Ministry yet nobody really picks up on the Ministry's none the wiser.

[Eric]

Yeah.

[Micah]

But to Andrew, your question, though it's hard to say what else Voldemort would have done with the time. Right. It seems like it just shows he's vulnerable too. Right. And that he doesn't know everything and he's going to make missteps. He's going to make mistakes but other people are going to pay for those mistakes.

[Andrew]

You could say there was a flaw in the plan.

[Micah]

Yeah.

[Laura]

Oh, wait, there's a chapter called that.

[Eric]

Oh, interesting.

[Andrew]

Well, no, but that. That is a good point. That is a good reminder and almost kind of foreshadowing that Voldemort and his team aren't perfect either. For as big of a threat as they are, they're messy, too. They're getting bad information. And Voldemort Evidently doesn't know anything. Everything that he should.

[Laura]

Yeah, but what is it that Miley says?

[Andrew]

Andrew, Everybody has those days. Everybody makes mistakes already in the usa.

[Laura]

I thought it was the Nobody's Perfect. I feel like that's the one you always tout.

[Andrew]

Nobody's Perfect. Yeah. Oh, see, you confused me because I was technically Hannah Montana.

[Laura]

Oh, sorry.

[Andrew]

I'll accept it. Yeah, I'll accept it. Yeah.

[Eric]

Well, Eric, Yes.

[Micah]

I did want to ask though, all this information that you just shared with us, why not leak it to the Quibbler? There's no downside, right, to doing that at this point?

[Eric]

What information that all the Death Eater.

[Micah]

Information that was just shared about Lucius Malfoy and Broderick Bode and Avery and Rookwood. Right.

[Andrew]

Is it partly that Harry isn't entirely sure that what he's seeing is accurate? So maybe he doesn't want to put out information that he's not too sure of himself.

[Laura]

Yeah, but he's naming Death Eaters who were in the graveyard.

[Eric]

Yeah, but that's.

[Andrew]

But he was sure.

[Eric]

Well, it's all.

[Andrew]

He saw it with his own eyes.

[Eric]

I don't think Harry's unsure about what he's seeing now. But the graveyard story was his story to tell. And the guarding of the door story is Dumbledore's story to tell. Or, like, somebody who's in, like, the Order. Like, I think Harry would not scuttle the Order's intentions by revealing information about their goings on. Like, it's more of a. It's more of a security thing for, like, protecting the Order by not saying anything. I don't know. It sounds like even though everything is 100% true that's happened, releasing that kind of information about, like, what Lucius Malfoy has been open to and a poisoned plant or a killer plant sent to Saint Mungo. Sounds like the stuff that the Quibbler usually posts about, right?

[Micah]

Yeah, but it could be a nice follow up to Harry's story.

[Eric]

Harry should just be a regular columnist for the. Yeah, yeah.

[Andrew]

He should launch a podcast.

[Eric]

Here's my tell all story. How my a TikTok how my grandfather's sleek, easy hair solution Fortune has been put to use in my lifetime.

[Micah]

Look, if nothing else, it would have put Voldemort on guard and that connection between the two of them would have been shut down real fast.

[Andrew]

Mm.

[Eric]

Well, also, do we think, though, that the Ministry, who's actively trying to pretend that this is not the case if they read in the Prophet or in the Quibbler that everybody's trying to get through this door. Do you think that they would actually put up more protections around the hall of Prophecy, the Department of Mysteries?

[Andrew]

But you would hope, but maybe they wouldn't announce that. They don't want people to know they're taking the seriously.

[Laura]

Right. Because you don't know how many others working at the Ministry are quietly pro Voldemort and you don't want to activate them and make them think, oh, there's.

[Eric]

Something that, oh, I can help this guy get in here.

[Laura]

Yeah, exactly.

[Eric]

Yeah. You just don't know where the security failures lie. Like, we know the wand weigher Eric isn't that good as a job because he just disappears later. But, yeah, so I guess they don't want to poke the bear, is the answer to that question.

[Andrew]

Couple of odds and ends I wanted to highlight on the subject of Umbridge banning the Quibbler and Hogwarts, which in turn made everybody want to read it. There is a term for this type of event, and it's called the Streisand Effect in the Muggle world. And this is this. This is a phenomenon where an attempt to hide, remove, or censor information ends up unintentionally drawing more attention to. It was named after singer and actress Barbra Streisand, who in 2003, tried to suppress a photo. She did that by suing a photographer and a website that had published this photo before the lawsuit, though the photo had only been downloaded a few times.

[Eric]

Right.

[Andrew]

But after news of the lawsuit broke, it was viewed by hundreds of thousands of people. Because people are wondering, why does Barbara not want us to see this photo? This is exactly what happens with the Quibbler and Umbridge trying to ban it.

[Eric]

Oh, man.

[Andrew]

Yeah. So I think that's, you know, Umbridge should have thought about that before adding that additional educational decree. And also, I just want to highlight this line when Harry's talking about Quidditch. It says, the narrator says, though Harry would rather have jumped off the Astronomy Tower than admit it to Hermione. By the time he had watched the game the following Saturday. And it goes on. But it was interesting that the author said he would rather have jumped off the Astronomy Tower when in the next book, Dumbledore is thrown off of it. When did she know that that was going to be the way Dumbledore died?

[Eric]

I think it's just, it's. It's fun and feels lived in in the universe that everyone at Hogwarts knows, obviously, that the Astronomy Tower is the tallest tower at Hogwarts. So you just say that for emphasis. It's like, I'm going to jump off the halt. The Astronomy Tower, because it's the most likely to kill you by virtue of being the tallest. You fall the furthest and hit the thing.

[Andrew]

Sure.

[Eric]

So that's just a saying at Hogwarts, like they say, like it's just a saying at all. Everybody, I'd rather jump off the Astronomy Tower than get this parchment to Professor Snape again. All right, that's what I'm thinking.

[Micah]

One of the twins makes a similar joke. I forget which book it's.

[Eric]

Oh, you're right.

[Andrew]

Oh, really?

[Micah]

Yeah, something.

[Andrew]

There was also a line in here about I'd rather kill myself. I'm like, oh, my God, I forgot about these suicidal comments.

[Eric]

Yeah. But. Okay, let's get to our MVP segment because Trelawney is unfortunately, I guess, sacked. What was the best all time? Andrew's got the glasses ready.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Eric]

What is the best all time Trelawney moment before she was fired?

[Andrew]

When 13 dine together, the first to rise will be the first to die from Prisoner of Azkaban. And I. I love this line because it's great to look back on in hindsight, but also you can use it in the real world. If you have a table of 13, you're like, oh, you know what? The first person to rise is going to die. This happened to me last year and at the Friends giving, it was a table of 13. I don't want to say who was the first to rise, because I want to put that bad juju out out.

[Laura]

There, but I was thinking about it.

[Eric]

But you've kept the receipts. You know who it was.

[Andrew]

Oh, yeah. Oh, I know. And I watch for.

[Eric]

Not you. You should warn that person. That's the right thing to do. Be like.

[Andrew]

You know, I actually, I'll admit I was the first one to rise because I didn't want anybody else to die. I'm taking one for the team.

[Eric]

Oh, man, that's Andrew.

[Laura]

How are we supposed to do this podcast?

[Andrew]

Yeah, I'll send you some instructions. I'll tell you what, if there's no show in a couple of weeks from now, then you should grow concerned.

[Eric]

Other than that, like on Memorial Day when we take off. Yeah, that's what I was going for. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, my God. Well, Laura, what is a good Trelawney moment?

[Laura]

So, honestly, what I will give her, I think she's kind of iconic for this. It's also kind of toxic. But just the fact that she's built an entire career off something that she can't do consciously. So she's only ever made two prophecies in her entire life that we know of and she doesn't remember doing either of them. And she still kept the grift alive, so, you know, I'll give it to her. Get your. Get your bag.

[Micah]

Just briefly, I actually did find the line about the Astronomy Tower. It's from Prisoner of Azkaban. It's after Harry falls from the Dementor attack during the Quidditch match and he's in the hospital wing and Ron makes some comment and George responds, yeah, come on, Ron. We'll walk you off the Astronomy Tower and see how you come out looking.

[Eric]

I'm telling you, it's just a saying that they say at Hogwarts.

[Andrew]

Wow.

[Micah]

Now, for my Trelawney moment, I was wondering, Andrew, would you do the honors of reading it? Yes. In your best Trelawney voice.

[Andrew]

Yeah. Let me put the glasses back on. One does not parade the fact that one is all knowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the inner eyes so as not to make others nervous.

[Micah]

Thank you, Trelawney.

[Andrew]

You're welcome.

[Micah]

This was from Prisoner of Azkaban. When they're eating over the holidays and she's going back and forth with McGonagall.

[Eric]

Oh, right, right. Yes. The safer skeptic than Umbridge, who, you.

[Micah]

Know, look, time heals all wounds, right? McGonagall, Trelawney in this chapter.

[Eric]

Oh, BFFs. Yeah. I mean, not really, but McGonagall doesn't agree with the method that Umbridge is employing. It's like the, you know, she can't get behind it. So I want to give a shout out to you. I think the most iconic thing that Trelawney did happened in this chapter before she was let go, which is that after the Quibbler article came out, the very next lesson, as various teachers are kind of being extra nice to Harry, given a little extra points towards Gryffindor for little things or like, winking at him. Trelawney, who has spent nothing but Harry's every lesson of divination, predicting that he will die in some kind of horrible way, instead regales the classroom with how Harry will grow to an old age, become Minister for magic, and have 12 kids. And that is a. An official, unofficial prophecy.

[Andrew]

12. Ding, ding, ding.

[Eric]

So I think that's really fun. But it's. It's her way of. Of again, passive resistance. So good for her fighting the good fight. And. Sorry. That Umbridge tries to get rid of her. We're gonna go over to our links line and this is certainly a fun one this week. We asked our patrons to that they've just read Harry's Quibbler tell all article. And why don't you write him some fan mail or some hate mail? Because Harry gets both in this chapter to be delivered via Outpost to the.

[Andrew]

Great hall at the breakfast Girishma wrote. Harry, you don't know me and for now it's better that way. Just know this. I'm in Slytherin and I read your interview in the Quibbler. I believe you. So do others, more than you'd think. Not all of us have Death Eater parents or buy into the lies the Ministry and the Prophet keep feeding us. Some of us are watching, listening, thinking for ourselves. What you said, it mattered. It gave people like me a reason to speak a little louder in quiet corners, to ask harder questions. To push back when we can. Change is slow here, but it's starting. You are not alone. Not even in the dungeons. Keep going. The truth has more allies than you realize. In the end, we'll have to fight. And I promise I will be fighting alongside you. Keep your head up. Best regards a Slytherin who's had enough. It sounds like something out of Andor the new Star wars show.

[Eric]

First of all, Oscar to Andrew for his annunciation there. Good timing. I think that was a really good read of that. And then also props Oscar to Garishma for single handedly redeeming Slytherins.

[Andrew]

No, this was a great idea to take it from this angle. I can't say who I am, but there are many of us who believe you.

[Eric]

That's really cool. Well, Jennifer writes, hope this letter finds you well. Dear Harry, I wanted to take a moment to reach out to you after you bravely proclaim that Voldemort has returned. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for you to speak out. Especially given the heavy weight of expectation that comes from being the boy who lived. Your message serves as a rallying cry for everyone to remain vigilant. Thank you for being an unwavering symbol of hope and heroism. Stay strong and take care of yourself. We all believe in you, Harry. With admiration, JP that would have been good. Aww.

[Micah]

Rachel wrote in to say, Dear Mr. Potter, thank you for sharing your side of the events. Your life has been in the papers since before you could walk, and I can't imagine all the scrutiny hearing what truly happened in the maze in the graveyard. There was a graveyard? Was horrific. And I feel Like I'm questioning everything in the Daily Prophet. Is this what the Muggles across the pond who watch Fox News feel like? I've never seen it, but I hear it's pretty skewed. Anyways, thank you for speaking up. Sincerely, a reader and supporter.

[Laura]

Love that. Next one comes from Mev, who is taking a more critical anger.

[Eric]

Oh, good, because we said hate mail, so I'm glad for it. Yeah, yeah, we're saying I was like fan mail or hate mail? Bless Mev.

[Laura]

How dare you spin those lies about you know who coming back. Fill the minds of younglings with all those lies and scare them. My darling sweet pudding. Marjorie is having nightmares because of your lies. Shame on you and Dumbledore. He should be ashamed of himself for letting you spin those lies. But I think I should not be all at all surprised. Since you don't have any parents, it's obvious you seek attention that you did not get from them. They must be turning in their graves. Yours sincerely, Dorothy Hops Bridge. So, this person got a name? Oh, Mev, you went in.

[Eric]

Oh, man, that. I don't think I'll recover from that.

[Andrew]

And finally, Kyle said. Dear Mr. Potter, I know many people think you're a bit of a nutter, but I'd just like to say that the world needs nutters like you to balance us all out. Otherwise we'd all be bound by the boring boundaries of truth and reason. I hope you and Dumbledore continue to stick it to the vampire fudge and insist that you know who is back. Of course, we all know he never really died. He just retired and took over as a barman in Aberdeen. Cheers from a longtime fan. Please give my best to Stubby Doris Purkis.

[Eric]

What I. What I love about Kyle's is I forget, but the people that are reading Harry's article, especially in the first print run, are likely people that already subscribe to the Quibbler for its weird, wacky and kooky, you know, articles about random stuff. And so the idea that some of the first people writing to Harry as a result of that would be like, these kooks. I love it.

[Andrew]

Yeah. Well, listeners, you can participate in the links line every week by becoming a [e-mail] mugglecast and if you have any feedback about today's book club discussion, you can contact us by emailing or sending a voice memo that you record on your phone to mugglecastmail.com and next week, chapter by chapter, continues with order to The Phoenix, Chapter 27, the Centaur and the Sneak. Don't forget to check out our other weekly podcasts, what the Hype and Millennial for more pop culture and real world talk from the four of us. What's been happening on what the Hype?

[Laura]

So on what the Hype, we are continuing to cover season two of the Last of Us. Eric and I, as well as our friend Chelsea, are doing live reactions on Sunday nights at 10:30pm Eastern right after the episode. So if you're watching the Last of Us, come join us if you want to. Micah, come join us about the episode after it's over. We are. We also just finished covering season five of you, and we're getting ready to get into some Gilmore Girls 25th anniversary coverage. So we got a lot going on over there.

[Andrew]

And over on Millennial, Laura and I did a listener mailbag episode, catching up on confessionals and some other listener feedback, and did some reminiscing, actually, about the Mugglecast days and the early Mugglecast days, I should say, and burning the episodes on CDs and stuff like that. All right, now it's time for Quizzage.

[Eric]

This week's what Prison was the site of the largest jailbreak in British history when 38 inmates, members of the Irish Republican army, overpowered guards with smuggled weapons and hijacked a food truck in the year 1983. The name of the prison was the Maze and 25% of people who got the correct answer said they did not look it up. So that's pretty good odds. This week's winners were Buff Daddy Krista Dumbledore. The Rizful had a very nerdy wedding on May 2nd. We'll share photos.

[Laura]

Aw, congrats, congrats.

[Eric]

Hufflepufferfish kissed by the Blarney Stone, Patronus Seeker Stray Niesel, the smartest witch of her age, through goes Hamilton and Tofu Tom. Alright, and here is next week's Quizzage question. Andrew, thanks for setting this up a bit earlier in banning the Quibbler Umbridge only raises more interest in it. The concept of banning something only to make it more popular is colloquial known as the Streisand Effect after actress Barbra Streisand sued a photographer for publishing a photo in 2003. The question is, what was the photo of? Submit your answer to us on the Quizzage form located on the Mugglecast website. Go to mugglecast.com quizzage or if you're already on the site, click on kwizzitch from the main nav.

[Andrew]

Thanks everyone. For listening. Don't forget to visit patreon.com mugglecast to support us. We'd also appreciate a review in your favorite podcast app. And send an owl to a friend about the show if you think they would enjoy Mugglecast 2. I'm Andrew.

[Eric]

I'm Eric.

[Micah]

I'm Micah.

[Laura]

And I'm Laura.

[Andrew]

See you all next week. Bye everyone.

[Eric]

Ra.