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In this episode, we discuss the perfect Harry Potter Christmas. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·      1:22 Opening presents. The rest of the day would feel off if the day didn’t begin with a mountain of magical goodies at the foot of Harry’s best. Seeing all the things he gets is flooring, considering how few friends he has made.

·      7:50 Christmas breakfast. After waking up and opening presents, a good Christmas breakfast is a great way to kick off the festivities. Without a good first meal, the tone for the rest of the day wouldn’t be as merry.

·      11:49 Winter walk. The grounds of Hogwarts are absolutely huge, so exploring it is always a treat. To add to that, the wintertime makes it so much more magical, especially on Christmas. It would be just a blast to walk around the snow and ice of the grounds, maybe stopping by Hogsmeade and getting a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks.

·      17:27 Lunch and a snowball fight. We have seen our fair share of snowball fights at Hogwarts, but now we are making it official. It would be even more fun to use magic. Snowballs would be flying and there might be some injuries, but it is all worth it for some winter fun.

·      23:32 Sitting by the fire. As the sun sets, the perfect way to end the afternoon is by the fire with something like a book or a boardgame. The common room is likely very well decorated and it is the perfect place to spend some time. Additionally, it would be fun to explore the castle a bit. There is more than meets the eye, that is for sure.

27:05 Christmas Dinner. It goes without saying that this is the climax of the day. Maybe it is still snowing and some more torches have been added to the hallways, and the vibes are set for the most important meal of the holiday season. Christmas at Hogwarts is truly magical, and a dinner is the right way to cap it off.

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In this episode, we flip the script and discuss what would happen if Harry grew up with Sirius. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·      1:22 The story wouldn’t be as good. It sounds strange to say, but it is true. The magic of the story comes from Harry’s ignorance for the first 11 years of his life, then the spark that comes from his realization that there is so much more to his life and an explanation why strange things happen around him.

·      7:29 He would be more powerful. It took just a few years at Hogwarts for Harry (or more accurately the piece of Voldemort inside him) to grow into a powerful wizard. But if Harry knew he was magical years earlier, he might have been able to land on his feet at Hogwarts and learn magic faster.

·      11:55 He would be more like James. That might also mean that he might be more of a bully. Dudley didn’t do much for Harry, but he did teach Harry humility. Harry wasn’t about to become a bully at Hogwarts after being tortured for years at home. But if he didn’t have that and he had a much bolder and James-like father figure at home, he might be a little different.

·      18:33 The Mirror of Erised might not show his parents. In the end, it probably will. Harry isn’t a completely different person after all. But, when he is with Sirius, he has the person who was the closest person to his father. Petunia was Lily’s sister, but they were far from close. Harry might miss his parents just a bit less with Sirius around.

·      23:00 The story wouldn’t happen. This is true of every Flip the Script. The differences would be smaller than others, but they would bump the story in such a way that would send it into a totally different direction.

·      25:40 Harry would have less character. He would still be famous, but nothing about him other than that would be different. He would just be another student from another wizarding household coming to Hogwarts.

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In this episode, we discuss some major updates for the Harry Potter TV show from an interview with some of the executives. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·      Read the article here

·      1:18 The first season will be eight hours long. That is a heck of a lot longer than the few hours we had for the first film, so what might this mean? The hope is they won’t face problems of time. If the season comes out and they make some excuse about cutting something for time, we will know something was up.

·      8:21 30,000 submitted tapes? Wow. That is the number of people who auditioned for the trio. Now we have to continue to ask the age-old question, who will they cast? Will the actors play the characters from the film or the book? They had better be really good at acting and find a middle ground between the characters we know and the names on the page. 

·      19:08 Peeves will be included. That was an explicit statement they made. Hopefully, this will tell us that they are in fact trying to include as many things from the books into the show as they can.

·      21:16 They will keep the iconic sets and expand what we haven’t seen. They said that they want to explore the aesthetics of the castle further, while keeping the iconic sets such as the Great Hall. This is great news! Changing the original and iconic sets would be a certain disaster.

·       25:40 “No one can replace Alan Rickman, but we can find the next generation.” This is great news. Alan Rickman is impossible to top, and it is good that the filmmakers have realized this. Snape is technically 31 in the first film, and Rickman has a much more ancient air about him. It is good that they aren’t trying to replace who we know and love, but expand upon their characters and show us more facets of who they are.

·      29:09 Mark Rylance and Cillian Murphy and are two names that have come up for Dumbledore and Voldemort respectively. The filmmakers themselves have thrown Rylance’s name around before. He isn’t perfect, but it might work well depending on how they spin it. Ralph Fiennes himself put a stamp of approval on Murphy’s name for Voldemort, but Murphy seems just a bit too young to capture Voldemort essence.

·      33:25 “We have a much larger sandbox.” I hope what they mean by this is they are going to use the basis of the films to expand into places we haven’t seen and characters we haven’t met. They have such a good chance to make this a fantastic series, all they have to do it grab it.

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In this episode, we discuss new magical holidays to add to the calendar. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·      1:31 Magical Veteran’s Day. A ton of people fought in the Battle of Hogwarts! And that wasn’t even the first time Voldemort was a serious adversary. We should create a holiday that celebrates those who fought, living and dead, to protect the forces of good and their triumph over evil. It is better to celebrate Harry’s victory than Voldemort’s loss.

·      9:09 Harry Potter Day. This is along the same lines as the previous, but celebrates the first victory over Voldemort when Harry was just a baby. I got this idea from the first conversation we are party to in the entire series between Dumbledore and McGonagall when she says this day might be known as Harry Potter Day in the future.

·      15:05 Day of the Dead. This is a holiday celebrated in Mexico in the muggle world, but this could work in the magical world. This day is to celebrate friends and family that have passed away. At Hogwarts, those people are still around in the forms of portraits and ghosts. They keep the secrets of the castle and can collect and distribute information faster than any other.

·      20:05 Magical Games and Sports Day. We don’t need a day to celebrate quidditch, but this is more than that. In the Goblet of Fire, Hermione summed up the Tri-Wizard Tournament and other sprots like it well. She said they were for international magical cooperation, not winning or losing. To have a day set aside to celebrate this would only encourage more growth in the category.

·       22:40 Magical Creatures Day. Time and time again, magical creatures are looked over and mistreated. Without fail, they are often the ones who hold up the rest of the wizarding world. By sheer numbers, there are probably three times the number of magical creatures compared to magical humans. Taking a day to celebrate them would be the least we could do to repay them.

·      26:18 National Magical Statute of Secrecy Day. This one is more of a joke, but it still would be funny. What if wizards took one muggle and lifted all charms of concealment on Hogwarts, placed them in the castle, then let them loose back into the muggle world without wiping their memory? That would be fun.

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In this episode, we discuss who could have been a spy in Harry Potter. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·      1:52 Professor McGonagall. She is of the utmost moral fiber in the series. You really want to have McGonagall on your side, and we are lucky that she was fighting for us. If she were a spy, it would be because she genuinely thought Voldemort’s world would be for the greater good. 

·      8:20 Ron Weasley. This one is a bit of a curve ball, but it still fits. Ron is probably the least likely to become a spy, but that is why the reveal would be so good. During the fourth year, he and Harry go through a rough patch in their friendship. Why shouldn’t Ron become friends with someone else like Draco? Through the Malfoys, Ron might be introduced to the ways of Voldemort and fall victim to his promises. It’s a longshot, but anything is possible. 

·      13:08 Percy Weasley. Percy wasn’t in the best standing with his family for a few years in the middle of the story. He was too committed to order and supporting the ministry, not to mention his own deep-rooted ambition. During that time, he might come to realize that the change that has to happen in the world must come from those who have the guts to do things others won’t. That sounds something like the Death Eaters. Percy might find their ways repulsive at first, but he may come to overlook his opinions for the fight of order against chaos. 

·      18:29 Professor Slughorn. We are introduced to him at first because Dumbledore needs a potion professor, and we learn that the Death Eaters have been trying to either recruit him or kill him. It makes sense that Slughorn might have been approached and presented with ideas of what the world should be. Like Percy, this pathway was already drawn for us.

·      23:30 Rubeus Hagrid. We couldn’t have an episode about jaw-dropping spies without including Hagrid. There is a zero percent chance of him willingly becoming a spy for Voldemort. He is far too committed to the cause of good and helping Dumbledore. The only chance of him being a spy would be if Dumbledore was working with Voldemort, and they misled Hagrid to do things that he thought were for good, but really only helped Voldemort.  

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In this episode, we discuss what would be on a hypothetical Fantastic Beasts TV show. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·      1:52 Dumbledore’s past. He is such a deep character, and the struggles of his childhood are a big part of who he is and why he is so committed to defeating Grindelwald. If we could understand just a little bit more about his past, we might be able to appreciate his character more.

·      7:49 Newt’s Childhood. We catch just a sneak peak of this in the Crimes of Grindelwald, and it is gold to see Newt as a child. He is very committed to protecting magical creatures, and doing good wherever he goes. We don’t need as much time as Dumbledore, so seeing him for just a few minutes could give a new edge to his rock solid morals.

·      11:39 Creedence’s backstory. He is a very emotionally damaged character, and we aren’t given the best backstory as to why this is. We can understand him for the most part at the end, but I would rather we have the chance to understand him from the beginning.

·      16:57 Tina and Queenie before Newt. These two are as close as can be, and that bond breaking is one of the core parts of the story. If we could have a clearer window into just how strong these sisters are drawn together, it would mean more when Queenie eventually chooses to join Grindelwald. 

·      21:32 Dumbledore and Grindelwald’s relationship. Without a doubt, their relationship is one of the driving factors that keep the story going. Some of the most compelling scenes are where we see their pain of separation. We need more scenes like the one where Dumbledore pulls the curtain off the Mirror of Erised and sees Grindelwald.

·      25:11 Jacob’s bakery. There are two moments in time that would give us a better perspective on Jacob. The first is right after the events of the first film, and the second is before the third film. One is him feeling great, getting with Queenie and living great. The second is when he is living without Queenie and he is a mess. The contrast between these two moments combined with how tense their relationship is when their paths cross will show us how difficult it was for Queenie to go and how painful is was for Jacob to stay. 

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In this episode, we discuss who would win between Harry and Umbridge. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·      1:38 Why them? I made this choice because Harry and Umbridge have been at each other’s throats forever. It isn’t very hard to believe that they might have an altercation that would lead to a duel. They are two different people that support very different things, and a disagreement would lead to something less than civil.

·      6:53 Harry’s strengths and weaknesses. He is a good wizard to start. He can think on his feet and use spells well. He is also very motivated to fight Voldemort, and that motivation will help him. The ministry is standing in his way, and defeating them is more than half the battle. As for weaknesses, Harry is too focused on saving other people, and that distraction might impede his ability to duel.

·      14:17 Umbridge’s strengths and weaknesses. She has very strong beliefs. Umbridge knows what she wants and she is willing to go far to make it happen. She might be willing to do the things Harry isn’t. She also is terrified of chaos and will do anything to protect it. However, she is easily distracted, and it wouldn’t be hard for Harry to get in her head.

·      19:40 Umbridge blasts down the wall of the Room of Requirement. Who wins? If a duel broke out and Harry and Umbridge were to lock wands, Umbridge would win in that moment. She is in her element in defending Fudge and the Ministry, and she would absolutely flatten Harry. 

·      23:12 Harry takes the locket in the Deathly Hallows. Who wins? In this case, Harry would win. Umbridge is in the middle of an interrogation, but Harry has the element of surprise. Umbridge wouldn’t be able to understand what was going on before she lost.

·       26:28 The flat plane. Who wins? If there are no other outside factors, Harry would win. Umbridge won the first duel because she was in her element. If there was nothing on the outside influencing what was going on, Umbridge wouldn’t have the extra punch on her side to win.

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In this episode, we discuss the scariest characters in Harry Potter. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·      1:34 Tom Riddle. He is such a terrifying character because we know what his future is. He causes mass panic and killing, and it all starts at an unassuming orphanage. With every glint of red in his eye and every sly trick he plays, we are only reminded that his past present and future (get it?) is Voldemort.

·      7:58 Bellatrix Lestrange. She is literally insane, and that is why she is so terrifying. She is a big part of Voldemort’s plans, and it is early on established that she is willing to go very far to serve Voldemort. Her torture of the Longbottoms only supports this.

·      12:11 Xenophilius Lovegood. What in the world? What is he doing here? Well, clearly he was willing to sell out Harry to the Death Eaters. We learn that Luna’s live was on the line and that is why he did it, but looking back, what else would he have been willing to do? Kill Harry himself?

·      17:37 Umbridge. She is the most easily hated villain in Harry Potter, but she is also quite terrifying. She isn’t particularly scary in Order of the Phoenix, but in the Deathly Hallows, we learn how far she is willing to go. She was giving out Azkaban sentences like candy on Halloween. What else is she doing that we don’t know about?

·      24:21 Dementors. We couldn’t have a Halloween episode without these guys. If their name is said, the very temperature of the room drops. Nothing will ever beat them in terms of scare factor. They are the very embodiment of fear; a rotting hand opening a door, the crackle of freezing water, the wave of the hooded cloak in invisible wind. Boy oh boy, they take the cake.  

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In this episode, we discuss some of my least favorite quotes. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·      2:00 “There is no good and evil, only power, and those too weak to seek it.” How Voldemort is this one, huh? I can appreciate this quote as the very least. It is well written and reflects the values that Voldemort has. However, he is wrong. If this quote was instead something like: “In the world, there is more than good and evil. There is power, and those too weak to seek it” it might have rung true. Unfortunately Voldemort disregards the very ideas of good and evil as false.

·      11:32 “If it’s true, what you say, and he has the Elder Wand, you really don’t stand a chance.” This quote is far from false. That is not the reason why it is among my least favorite. In fact, I would go as far as to say that Ollivander is completely right. He just shouldn’t have told Harry that the fight is pointless before it even begins.

·      17:50 “He’s not back!” Fudge is ignorant. He doesn’t want to believe that Voldemort is back, and even if he knows that he is, he insists on continuing to say that Voldemort is far from returned. If Fudge had just accepted it and began action earlier, it may have been much easier to win.

·      21:55 “He’s not James, Sirius.” I didn’t think Mrs. Weasley would get on this list, but here we are. Sirius and Mrs. Weasley are arguing about Harry’s involvement in the Order of the Phoenix, when she drops this on Sirius. She shouldn’t feel the need to go this low.

·      27:03 “I don’t think you’re a waste of space.” Dudley finally makes this realization after 17 years of living with his cousin. This is such a heart-wrenching quote and probably the nicest thing Dudley has ever said in his life, but it comes at the worst time. It is a shame that the very moment they have to say goodbye is the moment they finally reach somewhat good terms. Moments after this quote, the Dursleys leave and they never see Harry again.

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In this episode, we discuss the best superhero moments in Harry Potter. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·      1:35 Harry and Hermione Rescuing Sirius. They had just executed Dumbledore’s well thought out plan perfectly. However, they aren’t exactly heroes which is why this moment is number one, but it is still Harry and Hermione coming to the rescue.

·      6:18 Harry returns to the DA in Deathly Hallows. Harry is the founder of the DA and he represents the resistance against Voldemort, so why he returns, the moment means so much because it spells out the beginning of the end, one way or the other.

·      Listen to episode 225 about Dudley and the Dursleys here!

·      12:52 7 Potters. Harry says goodbye to the Dursleys, then heads off the great wide world. We see number 4 empty at last, then are brought back to the real world when the Order arrives and they begin to prepare to leave, beginning the final course of events.

·      17:34 The Hut on the Rock. Hagrid walks up the door, breaks it down, and tells Harry the truth about who he is and where he must take him. This is the very first time Harry has been exposed to this kind of thing, and by proxy, it is the readers first experience with magic.

·      20:48 Dobby at Malfoy Manor. Dobby is so unassuming, he is a hero if that makes sense. He isn’t very strong or magical, but he is loyal. He will stand up for you if you stand up for him. Here, he sacrifices his life for Harry to win against Voldemort.

·      23:45 Fred, George, and Ron rescuing Harry from Privet Drive in The Chamber of Secrets. Harry sees the headlights coming, and they rip the bars off. Harry throws his trunk and Hedwig into the car, jumps through the window, and they zoom off into the night.

·      26:00 Battle of the Order of the Phoenix at the Ministry of Magic. Not only are there two hero moments, but two. The DA is saved by the Order swooping in and dueling the Death Eaters away, then when Harry runs after Bellatrix who just killed Sirius, and is faced by Voldemort. Before he can make a move, Dumbledore emerges and saves the day.

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