In this Professor’s Response episode of Critical Magic Theory, Professor Julian Wamble returns to Hufflepuff House with one central question in mind: What happens when goodness depends on context? After a passionate post-episode discussion (and a collective reckoning over the Tonks-sized omission), we dive deeper into what Hufflepuff traits like loyalty, fairness, patience, and hard work really mean when filtered through fear, power, and tradition.

This episode unpacks the underbelly of moral certainty—where loyalty can enable abuse, fairness can uphold the status quo, and kindness can cost you everything. With Tonks and Ernie Macmillan as case studies in contrast, we explore how two Hufflepuffs embody radically different versions of morality: one grounded in self-protection, the other in self-sacrifice. We also interrogate the idea of tradition as a form of resistance—or compliance—and how Hufflepuffs, often framed as the most moral house, can still reinforce unjust systems.

This is not about villainizing Hufflepuffs. It’s about recognizing that morality is not absolute—and that even the kindest hearts must be willing to question what (and whom) they serve.

Welcome back to Critical Magic Theory! In this house series premiere, Professor Julian Wamble kicks things off with a deep dive into one of the most beloved—and most misunderstood—Hogwarts houses: Hufflepuff. Why is Hufflepuff both the house most admired and most maligned? Why do so many love it in theory but reject it in practice? With wit, vulnerability, and a touch of statistical spice, Julian explores how fandom has filled in the gaps left by canon—sometimes in empowering ways, and sometimes through romanticization that borders on erasure.

We examine which characters across houses embody Hufflepuff values, and interrogate how loyalty, fairness, and kindness can be corrupted when unexamined. The final reflection flips the usual narrative, delving into the dark side of Hufflepuff—revealing what happens when virtues are applied without critical thought. From Ernie Macmillan’s gossip to Bellatrix’s twisted devotion, this episode has it all.

If Sybill Trelawney was wrong all the time, how is it that she keeps being right? From crystal balls to crystal-clear prophecies, shawls to sherry, this episode asks: what happens when a woman tells the truth, but no one wants to hear it?

In this spirited and sharp Prof Responds episode of Critical Magic Theory, Prof. Wamble dives deep into the post-episode reflections on Sybill Trelawney, inviting listeners to reconsider everything they think they know about Hogwarts’ most theatrical professor. From the double standards around the subject of Divination to the gendered dismissal of women labeled “hysterical,” listeners explore how performance, patriarchy, and pedagogy collide in the magical world.
 
Drawing on listener insights, Prof Wamble unpacks the legitimization (or lack thereof) of Trelawney’s craft, comparing her treatment to McGonagall’s and even to modern-day weathermen. What emerges is a compelling portrait of a woman whose “shenanigans” may be survival tactics in a world that denies her power even when she speaks the truth. Her relationship with alcohol, often used as punchline or proof of her instability, is reframed as a coping mechanism for living with a gift no one respects—and one she herself may not fully understand.

What happens to a seer in a world that refuses to see her?

In this episode of Critical Magic Theory, Professor Julian Wamble opens the third eye and dives deep into the divisive, eccentric, and often-dismissed figure of Professor Sybill Trelawney. With guest insights from "Chronic Overthinker" Emma, this episode interrogates the nature of belief, legitimacy, pedagogy, and perception in the wizarding world.

What does it mean to possess a gift no one respects? Can a teacher still be good if the subject itself defies instruction? And what do we owe people whose truths make us uncomfortable?
 
From dragging Hermione’s imagination to launching crystal balls in defense of Hogwarts, Trelawney’s story reveals how magical society weaponizes credibility—and how survival becomes performance. 

In this Prof Responds episode of Critical Magic Theory, Professor Julian Wamble returns to the larger-than-life figure of Rubeus Hagrid, unpacking the rich, complicated responses listeners shared in the post-episode chat.

This episode explores the paradoxes that make Hagrid both beloved and deeply flawed—his tenderness and his trauma, his loyalty and his lack of boundaries, his fierce love for magical creatures and his failure to respect the sovereignty of others.

This is not just a story about a lovable half-giant. It is a story about the monsters society teaches us to see—and the people we discard because they fit that image.

In this episode of Critical Magic Theory, Professor Julian Wamble unpacks the complicated legacy of Rubeus Hagrid, part giant, full heart, and perhaps the most beloved yet overlooked character in the series. 

We follow Hagrid through the lens of his contradictions: too old to be their friend, too kind to be safe, too visible to ever truly belong.Drawing on survey responses and the brilliant minds of some of the Chronic Overthinkers, we explore whether Hagrid is a good teacher, a good friend, and a good Gryffindor. But most powerfully, we reframe Hagrid not just as a gentle presence, but as a case study in how society scapegoats those whose bodies do not conform to the norms of safety and power.

A special thanks to Mayelin and Callie for joining the ranks of our Patreon Deep Divers

On this Prof Responds episode of Critical Magic Theory, Professor Julian Wamble returns to the woman in pink—Dolores Jane Umbridge—to unpack the powerful and sometimes uncomfortable insights raised in the post-episode chat. Why do we hate her so much? Why do we enjoy hating her? And more importantly, what does our hatred reveal about how we understand femininity, power, and punishment?
 
From the now-infamous “Umbridge vs. Voldemort” debate to the cultural thrill of watching a woman fall, this episode explores how systemic evil rewards obedience, how white womanhood can become a weapon, and how JK Rowling might’ve set a trap we were all too happy to walk into. As always, Professor Wamble gets personal, gets political, and yes—gets musical. The BOP is back. And so is the reflection you did not see coming.

On this episode of Critical Magic Theory, Professor Julian Wamble dives into the soft-voiced, hard-hearted horror that is Dolores Jane Umbridge.
 
She may wear kitten brooches and speak in syrupy tones, but beneath the pink cardigan lies one of the most insidious villains in the Wizarding World. We unpack the bureaucratic brutality behind her blood quill, the weaponization of femininity, and why her brand of evil—quiet, sanctioned, and system-approved-hits closer to home than Voldemort’s chaos ever could. Why do we hate her so much? Is it what she does—or the fact that we recognize her? And what does her rise say about the structures that reward cruelty wrapped in civility?

In this Prof Responds episode of Critical Magic Theory, Professor Julian Wamble dives into the dazzling disaster that is Gilderoy Lockhart—our favorite fame-chasing fraud.

From his misuse of memory charms to his obsession with applause over competence, this episode unpacks your brilliant post-episode chat insights and tackles the deeper themes of image, power, and performance. Is Lockhart just a punchline, or is he something more sinister? What does his pretty privilege reveal about the Wizarding World’s gullibility? And most importantly, is he actually a good Ravenclaw? 

Along the way, we explore the ethics of memory charms (spoiler: it’s dark), compare Lockhart’s influence to real-world influencers and tech bros, and ask what villainy looks like when it’s hiding behind great hair and a charming smile. Lockhart may be incompetent in some ways, but as this episode reveals—he’s dangerously good at playing dumb.

What would you do to be remembered?

This week on Critical Magic Theory, Professor Julian Wamble dives deep into the shimmering shallows of Gilderoy Lockhart—a man so desperate for legacy, he obliterated others’ lives just to make space for his own myth. From vanity and fraudulence to memory charms and moral delusion, we interrogate what happens when someone builds their identity entirely on lies—and worse, starts believing them.

Is Lockhart a villain? A bad Ravenclaw? Just a glorified PR stunt with good hair? Join us as we unpack the performance of fame, the ethics of memory, and why silence might be the most dangerous thing of all. Also: Beyoncé, colonialism, and why Lockhart’s story might be the Wizarding World’s most damning metaphor.

Special thanks to our new Patreon Deep Diver: Grace