Should We Feel Sorry for Petunia Dursley? And more MuggleMail

Summary

MuggleCast Episode Summary: "Should We Feel Sorry for Petunia Dursley? And More MuggleMail"

Release Date: November 5, 2024
Podcast: MuggleCast: The Harry Potter Podcast
Host: Harry Potter
Episode Title: Should We Feel Sorry for Petunia Dursley? And More MuggleMail

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Introduction

In this Halloween-themed episode, the MuggleCast hosts—Andrew, Eric, Micah, and Laura—delve into the complexities of Petunia Dursley's character from the Harry Potter series. Alongside this, they engage with their listeners through various MuggleMail segments, addressing fan questions and insights drawn from the ongoing chapter-by-chapter reread of the original seven Harry Potter books.

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Main Topic: Understanding Petunia Dursley

Andrew opens the discussion by posing a thought-provoking question: "When we first read the books as kids, Petunia's treatment of Harry was shocking. As adults, should we feel sorry for her?" (Timestamp [16:50])

The hosts explore Petunia's motivations, considering factors such as her envy of her sister Lily's magical abilities and the traumatic loss of their close bond. Clayton, a listener, sends an email elaborating on Petunia's potential childhood trauma:

"I can't imagine the trauma it must have caused seeing her sister be lauded as a gifted young witch attending this exciting school to study magic while she sat in geometry class."
— Timestamp [19:00]

Micah adds depth by suggesting that Petunia's jealousy could have been a natural emotional response to feeling left out, emphasizing that while her actions towards Harry are inexcusable, understanding her background adds layers to her character:

"Probably the jealousy is what turns into spite later on. While maybe the choice wasn't there to be jealous when she was younger, how she treats Harry now is fully under her control."
— Timestamp [23:28]

Laura concurs, highlighting the lack of opportunity for reconciliation between Petunia and Lily due to Lily's untimely death:

"We don't understand the motive. It's not clear... He [Sirius] should have known better."
— Timestamp [21:33]

The discussion underscores the importance of viewing Petunia not just as a villain but as a product of her circumstances, grappling with loss and unmet expectations.

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MuggleMail Segment

Voicemail from Heather: The Cursed Child

Heather, a long-time listener, shares her observations after watching different productions of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child":

"I saw the Chicago version just a few days ago, and then last year I also saw the London version which is a two parter with two and a half hours... almost all adults and in Chicago almost all families with small children."
— Timestamp [04:59]

Eric reflects on Heather's point, noting the corporate decision to make the play more family-friendly, which opens up new market opportunities akin to children's films:

"Making accommodations for families with children... opens up an entirely new market of sales for the Cursed Child production."
— Timestamp [05:37]

Micah adds that the visual effects in the play likely cater to younger audiences, enhancing engagement through "magic and fun," differentiating it from traditional Broadway shows:

"The visual effects probably entertain the kids much more than maybe what would go on in your normal Broadway show because there is so much magic."
— Timestamp [06:19]

Listener Email from Mikayla: Hermione's Grad School Assessment

Mikayla reaches out to share her academic project:

"I'm in the first year of my master's program and we have this project... I picked Hermione and am conducting a biopsychosocial assessment on her."
— Timestamp [06:59]

Laura expresses her admiration for Mikayla's initiative, while Micah and Eric joke about the podcast being cited in academic works:

"I have one book on podcasting that cited us... Career building through podcasting."
— Timestamp [08:12]

This segment highlights the podcast's impact on listeners' academic and personal lives.

Email from Julian: Exploring Wizengamo Origins

Julian provides a historical perspective on the term "Wizengamo," linking it to the real-world "Witenagemot," an ancient English council:

"It is derived from the word witenagamo... composed of noblemen and important people of the church... Think of a bigger version of the small council in Game of Thrones."
— Timestamp [09:19]

Andrew acknowledges the insightful connection, pondering on Dumbledore's strategic communication within the Wizengamo:

"How that council is tasked with enforcing or doing for the Ministry."
— Timestamp [11:03]

Eric further theorizes how this adds depth to Dumbledore's character, especially regarding his risk in revealing Voldemort's return:

"It lends even more important context to what Dumbledore's risk was in telling all the members of the Wizengamo that Voldemort had returned."
— Timestamp [11:03]

Listener Email from Kayla: Harry's Horcrux and Emotional States

Kayla draws parallels between Harry's emotions in "Order of the Phoenix" and Ron's in "Deathly Hallows," suggesting the influence of the Horcrux:

"Harry's feelings of jealousy, isolation, and frustration... felt like the Horncrux was playing a bigger role in Harry's feelings... the same tactic used by the locket later in the series."
— Timestamp [12:16]

Eric responds enthusiastically, agreeing that this could be "hard evidence" of the Horcrux's impact on Harry's demeanor:

"Makes a lot of sense... it's the Horcrux that's feeding off the rage."
— Timestamp [13:28]

This analysis invites listeners to reconsider character motivations and magical influences within the series.

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Additional Listener Contributions

Email from Christian: The Importance of Emeralds

Christian connects emeralds to Slytherin and their protective properties:

"If a venomous animal should look at it, it will become blinded. Probably why Slytherin chose emeralds as the stone of his house."
— Timestamp [25:42]

Laura appreciates the alchemical insight, speculating on emeralds' symbolic role in shielding against dark forces like the basilisk:

"Emeralds are used as snake eyes in carvings? That would be really incredible, given what we know happens to the basilisk in Chamber of Secrets."
— Timestamp [26:35]

Email from Sarah: Nearly Headless Nick's Petrification Dilemma

Sarah poses a captivating question about how Nearly Headless Nick was cured using mandrake potion despite ghosts' inability to consume food:

"How did they feed this mandrake potion to Nearly Headless Nick since it was mentioned that ghosts cannot consume food?"
— Timestamp [25:44]

The hosts brainstorm potential explanations, including misting the potion or introducing it to his spectral form:

"Perhaps they aerosolized the potion and sprayed it."
— Timestamp [29:24]

Andrew acknowledges the complexity, concluding it might be a plot hole within the series:

"If you're thinking of a spell or potion to work on a ghost, I can't think of a reasonable explanation."
— Timestamp [30:31]

This question highlights the nuanced relationships between magic and the ethereal.

What-If Scenario from TJ: Alfonso Cuaron Directing Goblet of Fire

TJ muses on how "Goblet of Fire" might have differed under director Alfonso Cuaron:

"If Alfonso Cuaron directed the Goblet of Fire, how do you think the film might have changed compared to Mike Newell's version?"
— Timestamp [31:27]

Laura envisions a more stylistic and enhanced visual portrayal of the Maze Task:

"I would have loved to see Alfonso brought the Sphinx and other creatures in the maze to life."
— Timestamp [34:17]

Micah echoes this sentiment, expressing a desire for more creative flourishes:

"He was a producer on Pan's Labyrinth... I would have loved to have seen his take on the merpeople and other creatures."
— Timestamp [36:18]

This hypothetical discussion underscores the impact of directorial vision on storytelling.

Quick Q&A: Harry’s Parseltongue Abilities

Catherine inquires whether Harry's ability to speak Parseltongue ends after Voldemort's defeat:

"Is it ever confirmed whether Harry's ability to speak Parseltongue ends after Voldemort is defeated?"
— Timestamp [37:03]

Andrew confirms that according to official sources, Harry loses this ability post-Deathly Hallows:

"Once the part of Voldemort's soul that dwelled inside Harry was destroyed, Harry discovered he was no longer a Parselmouth."
— Timestamp [37:30]

Eric speculates on the Horcrux's role in enabling this trait:

"If it goes away when the thing is no longer there, then it means it was the Horcrux that enabled him to do it."
— Timestamp [38:40]

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Community Feedback and Patreon Highlights

The hosts share and discuss feedback from their Patreon supporters, highlighting insightful observations such as:

• Rachel appreciates the analysis of the Horcrux’s influence on Harry and looks forward to discussions on Ministry interference at Hogwarts.

• Julianne expresses increased empathy for Harry, considering his traumatic past and lack of support.

• Carly suggests Professor Grubbly-Plank as an ideal member for the Order, given her availability and expertise.

These contributions emphasize the podcast's role in fostering a thoughtful and engaged Harry Potter community.

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Quizzage: Halloween Edition

In celebration of Halloween, the hosts present their Quizzage segment, featuring a special question:

Question: How many Halloween feasts do we see Harry attend during his time at Hogwarts?

Listeners are encouraged to submit their answers via the MuggleCast website for a chance to be featured in future episodes.

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Conclusion and Call to Action

As the episode wraps up, the hosts encourage listeners to support the podcast through subscriptions, Patreon pledges, and merchandise purchases. They express gratitude for the community's continued engagement and look forward to returning with further chapter-by-chapter analyses of "Order of the Phoenix."

"If you enjoy MuggleCast and think other Muggles would too, tell a friend about the show and we would appreciate a five-star review in your favorite podcast app."
— Timestamp [55:53]

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Notable Quotes:

• Andrew: "Laura and Micah are actually dressed as voters, which is really sweet." ([02:08])

• Eric: "It makes a lot of sense... it's the Horcrux that's feeding off the rage." ([13:28])

• Micah: "I would have loved to see Alfonso brought the Sphinx and other creatures in the maze to life." ([36:18])

• Andrew: "Once the part of Voldemort's soul that dwelled inside Harry was destroyed, Harry discovered he was no longer a Parselmouth." ([37:30])

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Final Thoughts

This episode of MuggleCast offers a deep dive into the often-overlooked facets of Petunia Dursley’s character, enhancing our understanding of the intricate dynamics within the Harry Potter universe. Through engaging listener interactions and thoughtful analyses, the hosts continue to create a rich tapestry of discussions that resonate with both long-time fans and newcomers alike.

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For more detailed discussions and to join the MuggleCast community, visit mugglecast.com.

Transcript

[Andrew]

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[Eric]

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[Andrew]

See DutchBros.com this episode is brought to you by Allstate. Some people just know they could save hundreds on car insurance by checking Allstate First.

[Micah]

Like you know to check the date.

[Andrew]

Of the big game first before you accidentally buy tickets on your 20th wedding anniversary and have to spend the next 20 years of your marriage making up for it. Yeah, checking first is smart, so check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate Savings. Vary terms apply. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates Northbrook, Illinois welcome to mugglecaster Weekly ride into the Wizarding World fandom. I'm Andrew.

[Eric]

I'm Eric.

[Micah]

I'm Micah.

[Laura]

And I'm Laura.

[Andrew]

This week there's no tricks, only treats. We're recording on Halloween as we're busting open our Muggle mailbag to take your questions on all things Harry Potter and our recent chapter by chapter discussions. I'm currently dressed as a podcaster for did you all see that? I'm wearing headphones wearing my Muggle cap.

[Eric]

It's honestly one of the best costumes you've ever had.

[Micah]

It's a good look. I like it.

[Andrew]

Laura and Micah are actually dressed as voters, which is really sweet. This episode is being released on Election Day. If you haven't voted, Americans, make sure you go out and vote. And a reminder to everybody that the Muggle cap and other merchandise from Mugglecast is available in our recently launched Mugglecast merch [e-mail] we have t shirts, we have sweaters, we have hoodies, we have hats, we have glassware. So check it all out. We do ship worldwide a great holiday gift idea for people if you're looking for things for the wish list. And once you receive your merch be sure to tag us on social media and we will share it. Thanks everybody. It's a great new way to support the show.

[Eric]

Yeah, already seen a lot of pics come in. People got their merchandise very, very good. It's very touching and they like it a lot.

[Micah]

And speaking of seeing a lot of things coming in, I've seen several of our patrons post about receiving their Muggle Cast Collectors Club stickers. They've gone out in the mail, so if you haven't yet received them, keep an eye out for an owl that be headed your way in the next couple of days.

[Andrew]

Micah, did you have to clean up a lot of owl poop in your allery when you were shipping all those out?

[Micah]

Well, no, because it's unseasonably warm here in New York. They were actually all just hanging out in the backyard and so I didn't have to worry about cleaning up anything at all. I just took all of the post outside and they just took off without any issue.

[Andrew]

That's great. Do you speak to the Owls? Do you go?

[Micah]

Of course. They don't like that. They find that patronizing. I actually had a conversation with them.

[Eric]

Yeah, it's true. If you try and speak owl with a Long island ax, then it's kind of offensive to them.

[Laura]

Andrew, I'm pretty sure you just insulted all owls mothers in owl hooting, so watch out.

[Andrew]

Oh, they hated one time I was sending stuff via Al and they hated when I was going who let the dogs out?

[Eric]

Who?

[Laura]

Well, I hate that too.

[Andrew]

So fun fact about that song, it was the first song I ever downloaded on Napster. Oh well, anyway, speaking of patrons, they have access to an exclusive Facebook group and in it one of our listeners, Brittany, organizes an annual holiday gift exchange so patrons don't miss out. You can join the group at Facebook Mugglecast patrons. You can also just search for it on Facebook if you're not a patron yet. It's a great way to share some Harry Potter joy with fellow listeners each holiday season. So without further ado, let's get into our Muggle mail episode and we're going to start with a couple of voicemails. This first one is from Heather concerning the cursed Child. Hi, I'm Heather. I've been a Muggle cast listener since 2006 and I have a response to.

[Laura]

Your graveyard episode where you discuss the.

[Andrew]

Shortening runtime of Accursed Child on stage. I saw the Chicago version just a few days ago, and then last year I also saw the London version which is a two parter with two and a half hours, then a two hour intermission, then two and a half more hours.

[Laura]

And the thing I observed was the.

[Andrew]

Audience, how in the London production it was almost all adults and how in the Chicago production it was almost all.

[Laura]

Families with small children.

[Andrew]

So yes, I do agree with Laura that this was a corporate decision because.

[Laura]

Making accommodations for families with children who may not be able to sit still for five hours opens up an entirely.

[Andrew]

New market of sales for the Cursed Child production. I mean, you think about a typical children's movie too. Think about like a Pixar movie, they're what, an hour, 45 minutes or so because they know kids don't have the attention span. And I remember when we were talking about Cursed Child in its earliest days, one of our concerns was that a two part show is a big commitment for somebody traveling to New York or London. I mean, you have to stay overnight potentially just to see the entire show. And that's kind of ridiculous.

[Micah]

It is. I do like the point that Heather is making though, in that maybe they are trying to appeal to a more family friendly audience with this Broadway show. When I saw Cursed Child just a couple of weeks ago, I did notice more families there than maybe I would have otherwise anticipated. But it does make sense if you're going to a two part show like the one that's still in the West End of London, the chances of you taking a young child to that is relatively low because they're not going to be able to sit through that long of a show. So I would though, just add to that that I do think the visual effects probably entertain the kids much more than maybe what would go on in your normal Broadway show because there is so much magic, there is so much fun stuff that's happening in the theater. I don't know that you necessarily get that with let's say Aladdin or the Lion King as to try and maybe compare to something you might take a young kid to go see.

[Andrew]

All right, let's listen to our other voicemail from Mikayla concerning Hermione and grad school. Hi Mugglecast.

[Laura]

I thought you guys would appreciate this. I'm in the first year of my master's program and we have this project.

[Eric]

Where we have to pick a fictional.

[Laura]

Character to do a biopsychosocial assessment on and I picked Hermione.

[Eric]

So I'm getting to go very in.

[Laura]

Depth on Hermione's character and drawing on lots of Mugglecast episodes that I've listened to. But I appreciate you guys and I love the podcast. And thanks for everything you do.

[Andrew]

Aw, that's awesome. Glad to hear that the show's helping.

[Laura]

Yeah, that's amazing. Congrats on pursuing your graduate degree.

[Micah]

Very cool. I wonder how many papers reports we've been cited in over the years.

[Andrew]

I don't know, but I have. I have one book on podcasting that cited us that I keep behind me.

[Eric]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Andrew]

Career building through podcasting. You have that in Reach book for high schoolers? Yeah, I think it's kind of cool to have on display.

[Micah]

I'm curious, is podcast now in a acceptable medium to cite in a report?

[Eric]

It is, yeah. It has to be.

[Laura]

Yeah, it is. Now, there are lots of things that are acceptable to cite, and plenty of things that can be cited are not necessarily the best resources. But yeah, you can definitely cite podcasts, and ours is an excellent resource. If you're writing a paper about Harry Potter, 100%.

[Eric]

If anyone wants to write a thesis and include us and mention us by name, send it to us and we'll send you a free T shirt.

[Micah]

Well, that's also why it's so great that we have transcripts. Shout out to Meg.

[Eric]

It is. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And all the latest episodes as well as I think at this point, all of the must listens on the Wall of Fame are all covered.

[Micah]

All right, well, let's bust open this Muggle mailbag. Laura, it's your job this time.

[Laura]

All right, well, getting into the mailbag. Our first message comes from Julian, who writes in on the Wizengamo. And Julian says, hey, y'alls, since you are on order of the Phoenix, we will be hearing about the Wizengamo. I have never once thought about the word, just accepting it as a wizarding world word. But about a year ago, I decided to move to England and with this move, learn a bit about English history, as it is also a little bit of my history. Long story short, it is derived from the word witenagamo. A witenage is a meeting of the Witen. The Witen is basically the king's council around about 800 to 1000 AD. It was composed of noblemen and important people of the church at the time. They would come together from time to time to discuss happenings and give the king advice and at times even decide on lines of succession. Think of a bigger version of the small council in Game of Thrones that meets a lot less often. Suddenly there feels to be more context of the word rooted in Muggle reality. If you want to delve even deeper, I Highly recommend the British History podcast, especially episode 199 which covers the Witan. But the interesting thing about the podcast as a whole is that every once in a while you see a bit of the wizarding world peppered in there.

[Andrew]

Shh.

[Laura]

The Muggles still haven't figured it out yet. Thanks for all the hard work, Julian. That is such a cool observation. I had no idea about that. Thank you for educating us.

[Eric]

It makes sense too that you would have. I think it was a progenitor to the modern day House of Lords in British Parliament when I was researching. And yeah, it's really good stuff. It makes sense to give noblemen stakes in your kingdom so that they support your laws. And for Fudge. You know, I really wonder how that what that council is tasked with enforcing or doing for the Ministry. But that makes it. I think it lends even more important context to what Dumbledore's risk was in telling all the members of the Wizengamo that Voldemort had returned.

[Andrew]

I think we could consider this a name Origin.

[Eric]

Yeah.

[Laura]

Yeah, I think so.

[Andrew]

Whoa.

[Micah]

I'm not even sure we had that one on the Name Origin section of Mugglenet back when I was managing it many years ago.

[Eric]

I'll update it right now.

[Micah]

Please do. But yeah, very cool Julian. Our next email comes from Kayla on Harry the hormone Monal Horcrux, and she says in episode 675, chapter one of Order of the Phoenix, you all were discussing Harry's feelings of jealousy, isolation and frustration while being stuck at the Dursleys and trying to decide if those feelings were being caused by the Horcrux. What I found interesting is that those are all the exact feelings Ron was experiencing in Deathly Hallows, which caused him to leave Harry and Hermione. The circumstances were also very similar in that he felt like Harry was withholding information from him and that Harry and Hermione were spending more time together without him, leading to feelings of jealousy and isolation. So I wouldn't be surprised if the Horcrux was playing a bigger role in Harry's feelings in the first chapter of Order of the Phoenix as we see the same tactic used by the locket later in the series. Thanks for all you do to keep the fandom alive and I've appreciated having you a part of my life since 2007 for when life gets overwhelming and I just need a break to enjoy some Harry Potter time.

[Eric]

Love this from Kayla.

[Andrew]

That's what we love about doing this podcast too. It's a nice break from the real world, you know. So thank you Kayla.

[Eric]

Yeah, but we're finding some more juicy evidence and comparisons with this whole hairy Horcrux thing.

[Andrew]

Yeah, I think this is some like, not just juicy, but hard evidence too that the Horcrux is at play here.

[Eric]

Makes a lot of sense.

[Andrew]

Well before we continue, this week's episode is sponsored by Better Help. This month is all about gratitude and I'm grateful for having a therapist who can help guide me through all of life's challenges and questions. And along with thanking them, I also think we should give ourselves a pat on the back. It's sometimes hard to remind ourselves that we are trying our best to make sense of everything, and in this crazy world, that is not easy. So let this serve as a reminder to send some thanks to the people in your life, including yourself. Working with a therapist helps you appreciate the people in your life and helps you get a better sense of your support circle. It's a way to get out of your own head and let someone help you see all angles of every situation you face. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online and designed to be convenient, flexible and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapists anytime for no additional charge. Let the gratitude flow with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com mugglecast today to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelphelp.com mugglecast this episode is brought.

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[Eric]

All right, our next Muggle mail comes from Julian, who says, hi, Mugglecasters. I find it cute that you all think that Dumbledore had a whole detail on Harry. I'm pretty sure he had only a skeleton crew being Mrs. Fig and Mundungus, which is why Mundungus just took off and there was no one to replace or cover for him. Not excusing him, but Dumbledore should have known better. Harry wasn't worth the resources because he was clearly he was overly certain about the blood protection. That whole smarter than everyone, bigger mistake scenario. Love the show. Okay, you guys were cute.

[Andrew]

Well, I'll take it. I think I wasn't surprised either if Dumbledore put a small crew around Harry. Otherwise, you're risking being noticed. If there's a lot of people surrounding Harry, you just got to keep a small group together. So.

[Eric]

Well, there was no shortage of. There were no shortage of volunteers to come pick him up, according to what Moody said in the Advanced Guard chapter. So I find it interesting if there was a shortage of people to volunteer for, like, rotating shifts on Private Drive.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Laura]

Yeah. I wonder if maybe Dumbledore was trying to divvy up the tasks so that no one person or one group of people would know too much. Right. So I could see him potentially not wanting as many people involved in Harry's detail during the summer before he leaves and then having a huge overlap with the people that are gonna come take him away just in case the order gets infiltrated. We kind of see that he does do this throughout the series. He's sort of like breadcrumbs information to specific people at strategic times. This might be part of it.

[Eric]

Yeah, that's a good point. I still don't think we will ever find out who's in the rear guard that shoots the sparks that give Moody the clear. So there are more people just hanging around that we, the Bee crew, the.

[Andrew]

BE crew, they're not as critical to the operation, in my opinion.

[Micah]

Yeah, My issue isn't so much that it was a skeleton crew, it's that it's an inept skeleton crew.

[Laura]

Yeah.

[Eric]

They do what they can.

[Andrew]

The C team, we have the A team, the B team, the C team, they just hang out. The P Team, because they hang out on Private Drive.

[Eric]

More like C minus team. Am I right?

[Andrew]

Okay. All right. This next email comes from Clayton on should we feel sorry For Petunia. Hey y'all, I've been rereading the books alongside yourselves I had a couple of thoughts I would be interested to hear your opinions on. When I first read the books as a kid, Petunia's treatment of Harry was shocking. As an adult, though, I can't help but feel a bit sorry for her. I can't imagine the trauma it must have caused seeing her sister be lauded as a gifted young witch attending this exciting school to study magic while she sat in geometry class. Add to that the loss of the close bonds Lily and Petunia shared. Lily and Snape's relationship and Snape's treatment of Petunia and it must have been a fairly difficult childhood. It certainly doesn't excuse the abuse of Harry, but it does make her a much more interesting character to consider now that I'm an adult and shed some light on childhood trauma and how it shapes us. Secondly, there's a scene in Chapter 6, the Chamber of Secrets that reminds me of Snape's memory around the lake from Order of the Phoenix. In Chamber, the trio are sitting around outside while Hermione reads and Colin Creevy admires Harry and asks for his photo. This feels similar to Lupin reading under the tree while James and Sirius relax. Pettig grew amazed by James and his skills with the Snitch. The trio is then confronted by their nemesis Malfoy. Just like how Snape arrives near the tree. In both books, there is a group of onlookers with only Lockhart in book two sparing the fight we see in book five. Just two things that have stood out to me so far as I reread with a new perspective. Thanks for all you do. Y'all are definitely my favorite podcast. Thank you to Clayton the Gryffindor.

[Eric]

Oh, it's a cool connection.

[Andrew]

I hadn't. I don't think I've ever considered the fact that when Lily went to Hogwarts, Petunia lost her sister. Her sister's daily presence at home. That kind of blows my mind. I mean that would be a huge bummer.

[Eric]

Yeah, it's. It's hard for me to like because in my head I suggest, well, Petunia made the choice to be jealous of Lily and made the choice to resent her sister's so called giftedness. But you're not really going to get over that. There's not. I mean put simply the way Clayton did geometry class kind of blows. So I don't know that there her parents would have had to do extra work to make sure and kind of instruct Petunia and comfort Petunia and give Petunia enough distractions and then work to preserve the relationship. When Lily was home between the two girls and I, that probably didn't happen. Petunia always felt like she was left out. She always felt like her sister was praised and loved more by her parents. And that is a failing of all of them and not of Petunia.

[Micah]

And she was rejected. Let's not forget that as soft and tender as Dumbledore likely was in his note back to Petunia, she didn't make the cut. And that probably cut deeper in a lot of ways.

[Andrew]

And I don't think Petunia's jealousy was a. Was a choice, Eric.

[Eric]

I feel like it is, though.

[Andrew]

Is it? I mean, isn't that a feeling if you.

[Eric]

If you have a sibling who's going to slated to win a Nobel Prize, are you gonna be mad at them? Resentful of them? Are you gonna be happy for them?

[Andrew]

Right. Yeah.

[Eric]

Or somebody who gets into all honors classes?

[Andrew]

I just think you can naturally be jealous too. Like it's out of your control. Maybe there's ways to reduce that.

[Eric]

It's a natural emotion. It's a natural emotion. But to let it consume you or define your relationship is a choice. Is kind of.

[Micah]

Andrew's also more mature now, if that would have happened maybe when he was younger and then his brother got. I assume his. It would be her brother who got the Nobel Prize.

[Andrew]

But my sister maybe could too.

[Micah]

Well, no, but.

[Andrew]

Wow.

[Eric]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

It was just my sister's birthday last than a week ago. Happy birthday. Micah thinks you're an idiot. I'm kidding.

[Micah]

You know what I'm saying?

[Andrew]

Yeah. Yeah. When you're younger, you might have more jealous feelings towards your siblings if maybe they win the baseball game.

[Eric]

It's a. It's a great point too, because Lily died so young, they really didn't get a chance to be adult siblings. And I feel like even if you have troubled teen years together, the 20s ish is probably when some of that gets resolved through conversation and further, you know, work on both parties. Lily died when she was like 21, I think, so that didn't get to happen.

[Laura]

That's such a good point because I even think about my own relationship with my brother. And when we were kids, we fought all the time. We fought like dogs and cats all the time. And it wasn't really until we both got older that we actually developed a closer sibling bond. And unfortunately, Lily and Petunia don't get that chance. And I have to imagine Petunia has some regret mixed in there as well.

[Micah]

Probably. And I think that jealousy is what turns into spite later on. And while maybe the choice wasn't there to be jealous when she was younger, maybe that was just a natural reaction. How she treats Harry now is fully under her control and she chooses to treat him horribly.

[Eric]

Yeah, one thing since we are busy all feeling very sad for Petunia right now. Legalize Gillyweed made a good point in the discord saying Dumbledore lost a sister too. Wonder if he empathized with Petunia. Meaning like when he wrote. When he wrote the note too. Like knowing well then he should have.

[Micah]

Let her into Hogwarts.

[Andrew]

But she ain't a witch. She ain't a witch. Something you can do about that.

[Eric]

He lets Hagrid. Well, he lets Filch. Yeah. I don't know. It doesn't make much sense. Legalize Gillyweed also said RIP James and Lily, by the way, anyone else grieve them today? That's right. Halloween is their death day.

[Andrew]

Yes. So let's extend some grace to Petunia on this anniversary.

[Eric]

Yeah.

[Laura]

Our next piece of mail comes from Christian. It's on the importance of emeralds. Okay. They say hello. Hello Mugglecasters. I just had a revelation when looking at my new engagement ring. Congratulations by the way. Had to pause to say that. Christian goes on to say there is along with a sapphire. Yeah. Ravenclaw. An emerald on it. Not for Slytherin. Ew. But it's gonna be a gay old wedding, so obviously it's because of the wizard of Oz. Anyway, I digress.

[Eric]

Nice.

[Laura]

Your wedding already sounds like so much fun. I love this. Anyway, I read up on the stones a bit about hardness and how they're formed and gain their color and. Hold on. On the Wikipedia page under the alchemical section, it says about emeralds. They say that if a venomous animal should look at it, it will become blinded. And I'm blown away. It's probably why Slytherin chose emeralds as the stone of his house. So his students would be even more protected from the basilisk. I love finding stuff like this. Anyway, wish you a great day. Thank you for making my ride to and from work so much more fun while being stuck in traffic. Keep doing what you're. Greetings from Germany from a listener since 2017.

[Eric]

Wow.

[Laura]

Yeah. That is so cool. And the fact that the emeralds are used, what is it? Because the stones of the house, like do we get to see the emeralds used as snake eyes in any of the carvings anywhere. Because if. I'm not saying that we do, but if we do, that's really incredible, given what we know happens to the basilisk in Chamber of Secrets with Harry stabbing its eyes out. So I just. That would be cool. Thank you so much for this.

[Micah]

Yeah, I love hearing connections like this even 19 years into doing this podcast.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Micah]

Our next email is from Sarah on Nick's petrification, and she wants to know. Upon rewatching Chamber of Secrets, I was wondering how Nearly Headless Nick came to be rescued from being petrified. They explained the only cure for petrification is a potion made from mandrakes. On the Wizarding World website, it's confirmed that this is a tangible substance, a restorative draft as opposed to a spell. My question is, how did they feed this mandrake potion to Nearly Headless Nyx since it was mentioned in the Chamber of Secrets book at the Death Day party that ghosts cannot consume food? Hope you guys can think about this question. Even though I know you already discussed Chamber of Secrets, I'm loving the chapter by chapters. Thanks for all you do.

[Andrew]

So could there be a potion, a type of potion that can be consumed by ghosts? But this also raises the question of, like, can ghosts get sick and how do they get better?

[Laura]

Yeah, I'm thinking back to the Death Day party. There is this moment where one of the ghosts kind of floats through one of the platters of rotten food that they have there and says that he can almost taste it, but not really. And so I'm wondering if there's some equivalent here to allow for the potion to work on a ghost. Do they just have him? Do they push his petrified ghost form through the potion?

[Andrew]

Can he just. Can the ghost soak in the potion like in a tub, and then it absorbs that way? Maybe.

[Eric]

I was thinking along similar lines and always have, because remember how they relocate Nick to the hospital wing is they kind of waft him. They, like, get fans or something and kind of. I assume you can aerosolize the potion and kind of mist it and spray it, Then it's kind of more of a gas.

[Andrew]

Or could. Could a ghost choose to eat something? Choose to drink a potion if they want? Like, sure, they can move through the food, but can they, you know, switch the path and then, like, the food? Is that how Casper. Can Casper do that?

[Micah]

Well, Casper's uncles, right, Eric? You know what I'm thinking of?

[Eric]

It's true. Fatso Stretch and Stinky yeah, they do.

[Micah]

Quite a lot of eating and they basically don't fully process the food.

[Eric]

But anyway, I'm delighted by the reference.

[Micah]

I don't really have a good answer. I almost wonder if Nearly Headless Nick, since he was the vehicle through which was it Justin Finch Fletchley saw the basilisk.

[Laura]

Yeah.

[Micah]

Should he have even been petrified?

[Eric]

Yes, well, he should have been killed, but he wasn't.

[Laura]

He was already dead.

[Andrew]

Right, right.

[Micah]

Well, that's my point then. He should have been fine. Well, but because like the water didn't become petrified. His mirror didn't become petrified.

[Andrew]

But that's a breathing to ghost breathe.

[Laura]

Yeah, but I mean, there, if we're talking about like inanimate objects versus animate objects, like Nearly Headless Nick is he has free will. Right. So I think that qualifies him to be petrified. But what this email is really highlighting for me is that this is kind of a plot hole. Like, I can't think of a reasonable explanation. Him getting petrified makes sense. Him getting unpetrified by the same potion they use on all the living victims does not make sense.

[Eric]

You don't like my misting idea? My error.

[Micah]

I actually like that a lot.

[Laura]

That is the closest thing that makes sense. And I cannot imagine that that was a solution that was thought of at the time of writing.

[Eric]

Yeah, you just put it in a Febreze can and you spray it with the. Nick smells great and he's back to life.

[Laura]

I mean, I. I like your theory, Eric, for sure.

[Eric]

I just always. I always assumed from the moment they move him from that spot using wind, that they can also restore him using like a winded spritzer, basically. I don't know. Okay, this email comes from tj, who's got a what if for us. Hey, Mugglecast, I have been listening to you all since 2006. A lot of longtime listeners. We're very touched writing in today and even followed you all on the smart mouth days. Shout out to you that old show. I have a bit of a what if scenario for you. What if Alfonso Cuaron directed the Goblet of Fire, how do you think the film might have changed to what we got with Mike Newell? Can't wait to hear your thoughts.

[Andrew]

First of all, this might be the first time we're doing a what if about the real world and not the fictional world of Harry Potter. But what TJ is saying is, would it be a little more artsy? Would it be a little less angry? I don't. What do you Think TJ is asking exactly when it comes to Alfonso and Eric, isn't this your favorite movie? Prisoner Azkaban?

[Eric]

No.

[Andrew]

Oh, sorry.

[Laura]

No, it's. That's Eric's favorite book, right?

[Eric]

Oh, probably least favorite movie. But I remember as a sidebar that I did want Alfonso back for Fantastic Beasts. I thought he would have done a great job with the Fantastic Beasts. With Goblet of Fire, it's hard to tell whether it would be more or less faithful. Cuaron really narrowed the scope to capture the teenage sort of self ness in Prisoner of Azkaban. Goblet of Fire would have presumably followed a more narrow path. Yeah, I think it'd be arty. We'd get a lot of good shots.

[Andrew]

Exactly. Yeah, I think it would have been. I don't really like Goblet of Fire, the movie. I bet Alfonso would have started by saying, hey, kids, cut your hair. Make it as short as the last movie.

[Eric]

Yeah. Or. Or here's an essay prompt. Write an essay. The longer your essay, the longer we'll allow your hair to be in this.

[Andrew]

None of them would have done it.

[Micah]

And wouldn't have broken any ribs.

[Eric]

You know, it's the butterfly effect.

[Micah]

Do you remember what forgot about.

[Eric]

Yeah, he broke a rib rolling on the ground with Fred and George. I think it is.

[Micah]

Yep.

[Eric]

Yeah.

[Micah]

He's teaching them how to fight Alfonso.

[Andrew]

Or Mike Newell.

[Micah]

Mike Newell.

[Andrew]

Oh, okay.

[Micah]

Yeah. Because the age line is in the age line. Goblet of Fire.

[Laura]

Yeah. Honestly, where I think Alfonso Cuaron would have been incredible for Goblet of Fire would have been with the Maze Task.

[Eric]

Yeah.

[Laura]

I think aesthetically, especially given how he showed that he's very willing to lean into creepy aesthetics when need be, I think would have been incredible. I honestly think the maze task in the Goblet of Fire movie is boring. And I think he would have really. He would have amped it up quite a bit and actually made it feel as. As significant as it felt when reading the book. But Goblet is my favorite book, so I'm a little more critical of the movie maybe than most. But, yeah, I would have loved to see direct Goblet because I liked the Prisoner of Azkaban adaptation. It wasn't perfect. There were definitely some big misses in terms of stuff that got left out. But I feel like stylistically, that was the first movie that, to me, felt like it really captured the tone of the stories and of the characters, and that was the tone that ultimately stuck for the rest of the series. So I appreciate Cuaron for that, Laura.

[Andrew]

What you were saying reminded me of the shrunken head on the night bus. I mean, that was an Alfonso Cuaron touch. And now I'm mourning the fact that. But if he did do Goblet of Fire or later movies, he probably would have brought other unique flourishes to the film series in canon. And it's a crying shame we didn't get more of that across the series.

[Laura]

He didn't want to, though, because they had asked him, I think, and he talked about how directing a Harry Potter movie was like being on a really long road trip where you really had to pee. And he just. He didn't have another one in him, so it was really clear that he only wanted to do this one.

[Micah]

Yeah, I mean, he's got experiences with mazes. He was a producer on Pan's Labyrinth. And I really agree with you, Laura. I would have loved to have seen the Sphinx brought to life some of the other creatures that we encounter in the maze. I would have loved to have seen his take on the merpeople and all the other creatures that live in the lake. The dragon actually wasn't too bad, so I don't think I really need a revision there. But even thinking to the end of the movie with Voldemort's resurrection, somebody like Cuaron on, that would have been really cool to see.

[Laura]

Yeah, I think he would have knocked it out of the park.

[Micah]

Like, what's his take on the dark mark? How does that appear in the sky? So, yeah, no, no, knock on Mike Newell. I mean, he did a good job.

[Andrew]

But, yeah, I'll knock on him. I didn't think he was that great.

[Laura]

I mean, I'll be honest. You know, when we did a broken rib, Andrew, when we did our Goblet of Fire commentary, I actually walked away from that, surprised at how much I enjoyed seeing the movie again. I remember when I first saw it in theaters, I was actually kind of disappointed because I went in with such high expectations for it, since it is my favorite book. I still don't think it's the best Harry Potter movie. It's definitely not the worst, I'll give it that.

[Andrew]

Well, moving along, this next one is a quick and easy cue from Catherine. She asks about Harry's parsel tongue abilities. Is it ever confirmed whether Harry's ability to speak parseltongue ends after Voldemort is defeated? And the answer, quite simply, is yes. And it was actually confirmed on Pottermore dot. Excuse me, Wizarding world. Excuse me, Harry Potter dot com.

[Eric]

Put it in the graveyard.

[Andrew]

Yes. So according to some original writing on what used to be Pottermore.com, harry could no longer speak Parcel Parseltongue. After the events of Deathly Hallows, once the part of Voldemort's soul that dwelled inside Harry was destroyed, Harry discovered he was no longer a Parselmouth, an added bonus of Voldemort's demise. Harry Potter.com editorializes I don't know, I think it'd be cool to speak Parseltong.

[Micah]

Yeah, me too.

[Eric]

Also, does that mean then by extension, that every time Harry speaks Parseltongue, he's actually using the Horcrux?

[Andrew]

Oh, that's interesting.

[Laura]

Yeah, yeah, I think so.

[Eric]

If it goes away when the thing is no longer there, then it means it was the Horcrux that enabled him to do it.

[Andrew]

He's kind of like turning it on or activating.

[Eric]

Yeah. Dipping into secret knowledge or.

[Andrew]

That's interesting.

[Laura]

Yeah. He was like subconsciously activating the Horcrux.

[Andrew]

Yeah, it's kind of cool.

[Laura]

That's interesting.

[Eric]

So we'll keep an eye on that.

[Laura]

Well, our last email for today comes from Ben and this is a chicken suit for the Mugglecast soul. Hi Mugglecasters, I'm from Ireland and I'll be 13 in December. It's my first time writing and I've just started listening to the new episodes yesterday because I had started with episode one about a year ago and worked my way up to 400 and I'm still going through Harry Potter. I started my reading when my uncle lent me his original four books and thanks to you I've continued my reading and fandom journey with books you've mentioned and integrated gotten integrated into the Twilight and Hunger Games fandoms. Thanks for reading from a proud puff Ben. And Ben adds as a P.S. an alternate deathly Hallows ending to end it with scar. All was well for the past 19 years. There had been no pain in his scar.

[Andrew]

That's awesome, Ben. Thank you for sharing that.

[Laura]

Yeah, I love that. And hey, happy early birthday.

[Andrew]

Yeah. And also I think it's pretty cool that we also helped you step into the Twilight and Harry Potter fandoms. Or, sorry, Hunger Games fandoms. It looks like I for one am excited for the next Hunger Games book that comes out early next year following Haymitch.

[Eric]

I'm really genuinely excited for that Sunrise.

[Andrew]

On the Reaping coming out in March of next year. Oh, Suzanne Collins has been doing this post core series thing, right? As has Stephanie Meyer. Honestly they released some extra books. They stay off social media.

[Micah]

We love Take note.

[Eric]

No. The film version of Ballad of Songs, Birds and Snakes got me way back into Hunger Games. I watched Hunger Games.

[Andrew]

I love that movie. All right, well we are going to take a quick break and then when we come back we are going to check out the latest installment of our Lynx line benefits. We'll be right back. This is an ad from BetterHelp. This holiday season, do something for a special person in your life. You give yourself the gift of better mental health. BetterHelp online therapy connects you with a qualified therapist via phone, video or live chat. It's convenient and affordable and can be done from the comfort of your own home. Having someone to talk to is truly a gift, especially during the holidays. Visit betterhelp.com to learn more and save 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp.com this episode is brought to.

[Eric]

You by Opill, the first over the counter daily birth control pill available in the us. Opill is FDA approved, full prescription strength and estrogen free. Plus there's no prescription needed. Finally, the days of needing a prescription for birth control are over. Opill is available online and at most major retailers. Take control of your health and reproductive journey with Opill Birth control and your control Use code birth control for 25% off your first month of [e-mail].

[Micah]

So our newest benefit over on Patreon is our links line. So thanks to those who support us [e-mail] mugglecast and we got some really good answers to this week's question we asked want to know what our patrons biggest takeaways are from the first five chapters of Order of the Phoenix? Was there maybe something we glossed over? Something they'd like us to hear discuss in a little bit more detail? And we got some good responses.

[Andrew]

This first response is from Rachel. I'm really liking the consideration of the Horcrux inside Harry and how that influences him. I'd never thought about that on any of the other times I've read the series. I'm also excited and hopeful for conversations surrounding Ministry interference at Hogwarts as the book progresses. Thanks for the great episodes.

[Laura]

Oh don't worry, that'll come with the territory.

[Eric]

This next one's from Julianne who says I actually had a lot more empathy for Harry on this reread. Not only is he a teenager who developmentally is egocentric, but he's just been through almost literal hell and then sent to live with people who abuse him Regularly. He has no support and is alone. My mom slash teacher heart breaks for him.

[Laura]

Yeah, yeah.

[Micah]

He's been through it.

[Laura]

Yeah. And it's only the beginning. Carly says, I wanted to put this on the links line about order members, but I chickened out. So I'm going to put this here.

[Andrew]

Don't chicken out.

[Laura]

Yeah, yeah. Please leave your feedback whenever you feel compelled to do so. For the links line, Carly. Carly goes on to say, professor Grubbly Plank would have made a perfect order member, especially for guard duty. She obviously doesn't have a day job if she's so available to be an on call substitute teacher for Care of Magical Creatures. So I imagine she'd have no problem just hanging out with Fig and her knees all day. That's a really great observation, Carly. And I can only think that perhaps Grubbly Plank had not been fully conceived of yet as a character. Although we do see her in this book, Right?

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Laura]

So maybe, maybe someone who was writing didn't connect the threads, how this character.

[Andrew]

Could have been somebody who was writing.

[Micah]

Cassandra says, I was struck by how conceited Harry is portrayed from the first chapter. He recalls that he in caps, is the capable one who confronted Voldemort, that he is the one who brought the news of Voldemort's return. Is this the Horcrux or normal, angry hairy boy dealing with stress or both? So I know we've talked a little bit about this on some of the chapter by chapter episodes, but these specific examples that, that Cassandra's calling out here, do we think it's Horcrux or Harry?

[Eric]

Yeah, it's a lot like when Voldemort's like, I went further than anyone else to avoid death. I did it. It was me. Feels very Voldemort to me.

[Andrew]

It does because they're big statements and he's not wrong. But these are big things to say in front of your friends and family.

[Laura]

And we never really see Harry talk like this before or after this book. Right. I can't think of any other examples where Harry is almost boastful. He's normally. He's normally pretty grounded and not terribly egocentric. So this was a little out of character.

[Eric]

Even later in this very book, he's the one going, I had loads of help every time I faced Voldemort. You know, that's something that Harry in the early part of the book would absolutely never be saying.

[Andrew]

At the risk of this sounding like a cop out, it could be both things happening here where it's the Horcrux and his rage. Which are a unique combination in this book.

[Micah]

I like that. I think it's the Horcrux that's feeding off the rage.

[Andrew]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. It's a deadly combination.

[Laura]

Hormones and Horcrux.

[Eric]

Horrible.

[Andrew]

I had the same problem when I was in high school. This next message is from Lady Gryffindor. Why couldn't Sirius do a charm or transfiguration spell to change his looks and allow him to venture out of his home? Hermione did it to Ron in book seven. You're telling me the Order couldn't do that for Sirius as well? Love you all.

[Eric]

Oh, that's. Yeah.

[Andrew]

And he. I mean, he does turn into a dog. So there's that. But I think maybe they just didn't trust him. They didn't want to put the idea in his head.

[Laura]

Yeah. Fair enough. Because, I mean, this is somebody who already has a target on his back. Right. And he tends. He has a history of being reckless.

[Andrew]

Yeah. I mean, even looking for a fight.

[Laura]

Yeah. I mean, even him go. We're gonna see him go to King's Cross in his Animagus form here in the next couple of chapters. And even Harry is going to note how risky it is for him to be doing that. Isn't that kind of how he ends up giving himself away too? At least early on.

[Eric]

Yeah.

[Laura]

Lucius.

[Eric]

Or somebody spots him.

[Micah]

Lucius. Because it's assumed that Pettigrew would share with anybody that Sirius is an Animagus.

[Eric]

That's what Sirius tells Harry in the previous chapter too. That his cover's blown, basically. But, yeah. Transfiguration charms. I think for me the thing that makes the most sense is it's a mixture of wanting to leave the house but also having nothing to do. If you were to leave the house complaining that you have nothing to do but then ultimately where's he gonna go? Even if somebody offered to transfigure him. Is he going to go for a walk? How fulfilling will that be? Is it maybe a swim thing?

[Micah]

A run? Yeah.

[Eric]

And from Lloyd. How do you think Kingsley is providing the Ministry with false information on Sirius Black? Like surely a reasonable Ministry official would doubt he was in Tibet. Do we think there's any confunding or memory altering happening? I want a series of this. I want to. Absolutely. To see Kingsley doing the misinforming. But, yeah. I don't know. I think that he would probably have to manufacture some kind of evidence.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Micah]

Right. But he can also plant the evidence. He's literally in conversation with Sirius on a regular basis. So I'm sure that Sirius could provide him with the necessary tools to be able to lie effectively. But in terms of Tibet, I don't. I don't think that's a stretch. I mean, we know wizards can apparate. So is it really that far fetched that Sirius could be in Tibet?

[Eric]

It's really just about the motive. Yeah, like what? Even though you could say it doesn't make sense, we don't understand the motive. It's not clear.

[Micah]

Well, it doesn't make sense because it's so far away or.

[Laura]

But he's on the run. So I actually think that makes perfect sense. I do like this idea, though, y'all talking about Kingsley needing to work closely with Sirius to really pull this off. I love the idea of Sirius writing some fake correspondence that Kingsley can then take into work and claim to have intercepted through, you know, his various connections that he has in the field. So I could see Sirius, like, faking a letter that he wrote from Tibet so that he could hold that up and be like, see, this is where he is.

[Eric]

Dear dark Lord. Greetings from Tibet.

[Andrew]

Do y'all think that Sirius would have walked to Tibet? Because I just Google mapped it and it's possible. So you got to take a ferry. 3871 hours to walk from Scotland to Tibet. Just throwing it out there.

[Micah]

He was in Dog Farm, so he ran.

[Eric]

Okay. Yeah.

[Andrew]

Google says this route may cross country borders. You think, how do I get from.

[Eric]

This country to that country? Well, it may cross some borders.

[Laura]

I mean, he could always just get on the Titanic and get over there. Wizards travel that way, right?

[Micah]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

As was documented in Fantastic Beast, not since it sank.

[Micah]

I was going to say that this comment made me think about the movie Jumper. I don't know if anybody's seen with Hayden Christensen. That's how I imagine Sirius. Like apparating from one location to the next as he's being chased by ministry officials.

[Andrew]

Well, this was a lot of fun. As always, listeners, thanks so much for your feedback. We really appreciate it. If you have any more feedback about today's discussion or chapter by chapter or anything else, you can contact us by emailing or sending a voice memo recorded on your phone to mugglecastmail.com and next week we'll be back to chapter by chapter with Order of the Phoenix, chapter six.

[Eric]

I've missed it. Going through the book, doing the chapter by chapter.

[Micah]

It's been a couple weeks.

[Laura]

Looking forward to it.

[Andrew]

Has been. All right. Now it's time for Quizzage.

[Eric]

Our last Kwizzitch question was name a nation within the United Kingdom where the legal voting age is 16 years. This is due to recent conversation in the book about Harry being of age. So that's why we asked that question. And correct answers, it turns out are Scotland, Wales and the isle of man. So 16 years all in the UK nations there, so that's pretty impressive. 50% of winners say they did not look up the answer and last week's winners include nine year old John the Gryffindor. I didn't look it up. I asked my mom. A permanent sticking charm portrait of Gollum has been added to cart four times, one for each host. Thanks for that Ben Bort. Mick Voldemort Buff Daddy can the Harry Potter TV show please cast me Daddy? Mort, did you know pants means underpants in the UK? Yes, we did know that. Eleanor, my 10 year old will be able to vote in the election after the next boohoo. Elizabeth K. Flip The Fox Fluffy's Three Heads graveyardcctv.com Gret and Ford still too young to vote in England. Harry Potter in the election for Parliament. Hermione when she gets 99% on her test. Huffily, puffily, the 12 year old. I never called the Mugglecast official number but I was so sad when you said it was gone and I would storm Google headquarters to get it back with an army of measles. I'm Holy Fred Lady G listening from the Dominican Republic Patronus Seeker People don't tell me anything Robbie Ruari Hipkin show me a Scotsman who doesn't love the thistle show me an Englishman who doesn't love the rose show me a true blooded Aggie from Utah who doesn't love the spot Clap clap where the sage brush grows. I looked that up and that's a Scotchman song from Utah State. For anyone who's wondering, Sirius and Molly need a spa day. The Postal vote that was six days late, thanks to Errol the Racist and most insulting House of Black and Wibblewumper the Third. You all did not disappoint with those answers. Here is next week's Quizzet question. How many Halloween feasts do we see Harry attend during his time at Hogwarts? I like it. Yeah, that's a good one. Back on. In spirit of today being Halloween, submit your answer to us on the Mugglecast website using the Quizzic form mugglecast.com quizzitch in your URL or if you're on the website checking out transcripts or Wall of Fame must listens that kind of stuff. Click on Quizzic from the main nav.

[Andrew]

This show is brought to you by Muggles like you. We are an independent podcast just sharing our love of Harry Potter with fellow fans, so your financial support is critical. In fact, listener support is the only reason we've been able to podcast for 19 years and counting. There are three great ways to help us out. If you're an Apple podcast user, subscribe to Mugglecast Gold, which gets you access to ad free and early releases of the show, plus two bonus installments every month and for many more Benefits. [e-mail] Mugglecast you'll get all the benefits of McGold, plus our live streams, links, line participation, a yearly physical gift, access to the Mugglecast Collectors Club, the exclusive Facebook Discord groups, a video message from one of the four of us, and more. We put a lot of effort into our Patreon and that's because we really appreciate your support there. And last but not least, grab some merch. Visit mugglecastmerch.com for all of our brand new merchandise or visit mugglemillennial.etsy.com for our overstock store. It's getting cold out, y'all. I think it's a perfect time to go ahead and purchase the Mugglecast Comfy Cozy Combo Pack. And I speak from experience because this morning I was wearing the Bugglecast beanie and it was so cozy and warm and soft.

[Eric]

Were you wearing the socks too?

[Andrew]

I was not. But tomorrow morning I'll do the cozy.

[Micah]

Just wearing the beanie.

[Andrew]

Yes, yes, Micah, yes.

[Micah]

You know, it's.

[Eric]

But it's also walking the dog.

[Micah]

80 degrees here today in New York.

[Andrew]

What the heck?

[Micah]

October 31st, November 1st, almost.

[Andrew]

But get the beanie in preparation for the colder days.

[Micah]

Eventually, winter is coming.

[Andrew]

Yeah, if you enjoy Mugglecast and think other Muggles would too. Tell a friend about the show and we would appreciate a five star review in your favorite podcast app. Thanks everybody for listening. I'm Andrew.

[Eric]

I'm Eric.

[Micah]

I'm Micah.

[Laura]

And I'm Laura.

[Andrew]

Bye everyone.

[Eric]

Bye.

[Andrew]

Ra.