MuggleCast: Reliving The Greatest Month in Potter Fandom History

Date: December 30, 2025
Podcast: MuggleCast: The Harry Potter Re-Read Podcast
Hosts: Andrew, Laura, Micah, Eric

Overview

In this lively bonus episode, the MuggleCast crew—Andrew, Laura, Micah, and Eric—reminisce about July 2007, widely considered the “craziest month in Harry Potter fandom history.” That extraordinary month saw the almost-simultaneous release of the Order of the Phoenix movie and the final book, Deathly Hallows, creating a whirlwind of excitement and emotion for fans and the hosts themselves. The group fondly remembers red carpet experiences, after-parties, international travel, personal milestones, and the bittersweet closing of a formative era in the fandom.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Scene: July 2007 – The Fandom’s Pinnacle

• Context: The hosts note that July 2007 was unparalleled: the Order of the Phoenix film premiered, and just 10 days later, Deathly Hallows—the final installment—was published.
  • “It was probably the craziest month in fandom history.” – Andrew (01:27)
• The group jokes about MuggleCast being older than both the Order movie and Hallows book.

The Build-Up: Movie Release and Book Anticipation

• Eric: Reminisces about seeing fans’ excitement at movie theaters amidst his own travel confusion.
  • He can't pinpoint where he saw the film due to hectic travel, “I was just all over the place.” (03:17)
• Micah: Didn’t see the movie immediately, leading to playful teasing.
  • “Why took you so long? Again? Why? Why? Traitor. You're a fake fan.” – Andrew (05:28)

The LA Premiere: Red Carpet, Parties, and Potter Celebrities

• Andrew: Attended the LA premiere, covered the red carpet, remembering being trusted with expensive camera equipment.
  • Notably, he and Emerson asked Imelda Staunton (Umbridge) to go “heh heh heh” on camera—“which like, lives rent free in my head.” (05:49)
  • Miley Cyrus (pre-fame) attended.
  • Interviewed Jeff Foxworthy.
• Laura: Recalls her unexpected ticket to the premiere and the after-party—her first and only red carpet walk.
  • “Very last minute, I get this text from Andrea that was like, I got a ticket for you. And I was like, f-ck yeah, you do!” (07:15)
  • Jamie handed her his after-party ticket, preferring chicken and waffles over glitzy events.
• After-party Antics:
  • Ben tried to make a move on Emma Watson (09:16), with her bodyguard promptly intervening.
  • Laura ended up chaperoning Mason, who was dealing with a hangover during the trio’s “hand, foot, and wand” ceremony at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.

Personal Milestones and Fandom Revelations

• Andrew: Came out as gay to a close friend (Mason) during this time, and jokes about losing his virginity that week.
  • “I also lost my virginity that week.” (12:01)
  • “Welcome to my Harry Potter world, Mason. I'm gay and Ben's throwing up on jeans in the hotel room...” (13:09)
• The group laughs over “deep lore” fan moments and inside jokes, e.g., Ben’s mom shadowing them at events (13:32-13:48).

Book Release in London: The Midnight Moment

• Several hosts flew to London, hosted an event at Waterstones Piccadilly for the Hallows release.
  • “Jamie cried at midnight. He was so emotional.” – Andrew (14:55)
  • BBC and international outlets covered the fandom’s reactions.
  • Actors hired as Snape and Hagrid, communal hotel reading sessions, and an early livestream (Ustream) to share reactions.
    • “We hopped on Ustream and we reacted to Deathly Hallows... thank God the Internet worked well enough.” – Andrew (19:06)
• Micah: Stayed stateside, got special access to a Borders midnight release thanks to a friend.
  • Was mildly spoiled on early deaths due to leaked spoilers from Kevin. (20:05)

Reflections, Firsts, and Travel Tales

• Core Memories:
  • “For me, it's losing my virginity. I mean, come on.” – Andrew (23:13)
  • Eric recalls experiencing the Bangkok airport—a first outside Europe—en route to New Zealand.
  • Micah cherishes the Enlightening 2007 conference in Philadelphia, applauding its Hogwarts-style venue with “great acoustics.” (25:44)
  • Jamie, underage in the US, tricked bartenders with a UK ID formatted to seem older—enabling extra alcohol purchases at events.
    • “On the UK ID, that would be backwards, so July 12th. Right. And that made him 21...” – Andrew (26:42)
  • Laura recounts her first international travel and the milestone of moving from high school to college amidst the frenzy.

The End of an Era

• Prophecy Conference (Toronto, August 2007):
  • Marked by a “pajama party live podcast,” it seemed to close the formative phase of Potter fandom for many.
  • “That felt like the end of the fandom, kind of… It definitely felt like an end of an era.” – Andrew & Laura (29:28–29:40)
• Bittersweet Goodbyes:
  • Post-conference blues after returning home, leaving behind the only friends who truly understood their passion.
    • “We were always bummed after a conference... It was like this fantasy world... and then it was back to reality.” – Andrew (30:38)
    • “Back to my closeted Harry Potter, like, weirdos. Shit. Now Mason knows I'm gay.” – Andrew (31:12)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the wildness of July 2007:
  • "Can you even imagine at this point leaving Order to the Phoenix in the movie theater? You see it, you have a great time, and then you're like, holy crap, I'm now 10 days away from the final Harry Potter book." – Andrew (01:27)
• On the emotional weight of the finale:
  • "He was crying because it was all over... It was bittersweet. I mean, how could you not feel emotional that night?" – Andrew (15:20)
• On fandom togetherness:
  • "We were all sharing a hotel room... hopped on Ustream... and we reacted to Deathly Hallows." – Andrew (19:06)
• Summing up the era's end:
  • "That felt like an end... There were a lot of firsts." – Laura (29:40, 28:07)
  • "We certainly didn't think we would be doing this podcast almost... 18 years later." – Micah (30:32)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:27 — Setting up July 2007 as the peak of Potter fandom
• 03:17 — Eric and Micah's movie premiere confusion and recollections
• 05:49 — Andrew's LA premiere stories; red carpet hijinks
• 07:15 — Laura’s last-minute ticket and after-party adventure
• 09:16 — Party stories: Ben and Emma Watson, hungover ceremonies
• 12:01-13:09 — Andrew’s personal milestones (coming out, losing virginity)
• 14:55 — London Waterstones book release memories; Jamie’s tears
• 19:06 — First live “reaction” webcast post-Hallows
• 20:05 — Micah’s bookstore experience and spoilers
• 23:13+ — Each host’s core or “flashbulb” memory
• 25:44 — Enlightening 2007: setting and venue anecdotes
• 26:42 — Jamie’s ID trick, underage drinking in the U.S.
• 28:07 — Laura and Andrew: “summer of firsts” and transition periods
• 29:28 — Prophecy conference/pajama party/live podcast; sense of closure
• 30:38 — After-conference blues, returning home
• 31:12 — Final thoughts: personal changes, looking back

Conclusion

This lovingly chaotic episode captures the excitement, absurdity, and emotional highs and lows that characterized July 2007 for Potter fans and the MuggleCast crew. The hosts' personal and collective stories—of premieres, parties, book releases, travel, and transitions—highlight how Harry Potter brought people together during a cultural milestone, with effects lingering even as the original saga closed. Their memories serve as both a nostalgic celebration and a testament to the unique magic of communal fandom experiences.