The Potter Discussion: The Harry Potter TV Show Podcast

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In this episode, we flip the script to explore how the story would be different if Peter Pettigrew was on Dumbledore's side. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·       1:59 Dumbledore would have another line to Dumbledore. Snape is an effective and worthy spy, but have two perspectives on information is very valuable. They could find out if Voldemort was planning something he didn’t want Snape to know. Peter is also much more low profile and he can turn into a rat. It would be easier for him to sneak into situations and listen in on more conversations. One line of intelligence is pretty good, but two is priceless. 

·      7:23 Voldemort’s return would be different. This is a crossroads. It is Peter that helps Voldemort return the most, but if he’s on Dumbledore’s side, why would he? On the surface, it doesn’t make sense. But it might be a good move. Knowing Voldemort it makes sense that he would find a way to come back even without Peter’s help. So they can bring him back and install Peter as his right hand man and control his return in the process. Is it a good deal?

·      12:38 Sirius might not go the Azkaban. Or, he might go for a specific reason. If Pettigrew was on his side and he knew it, why would be break out in the first place? But then again, he was put away because he killed many muggles and, apparently Peter. If he knew they were on the same side, why would he? But what if Dumbledore didn’t say anything to Sirius? They would still have the same fight and Sirius would be arrested. Then Dumbledore could prove it was Peter and Sirius would be released. Peter could then run to Voldemort as a criminal on the run, join with him and become a spy. 

·      18:24 Malfoy Manor might be a little different. Peter owes Harry his life in the story, but things might shake out differently if they’re on the same side. Harry might not even end up there in the first place. But again even if he did, they could use it to their advantage. Peter could be the one to call Voldemort to prove his innocence and then create an escape, blaming someone else. 

23:16 Peter might be a better person. If he’s on Dumbledore’s side, there’s a good chance that he has different morals and he cares about lives and being good. No matter if he’s on Dumbledore’s side so he becomes a better person or he’s a better person so he’s on Dumbledore’s side, it is a swell situation either way.

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In this episode, we discuss some enemies that could have been friends. Enjoy!

·      2:11 Harry and Dudley. Watch the deleted scene here. The main benefit of this friendship would be an ally for Harry on Privet Drive. Every summer, he dreads the return and getting bullied by Dudley, but if he had a friend in Dudley instead, he might not find his summer home so horrible.

·      9:12 Harry and Bellatrix. If Harry and Bellatrix were friends, the story would be very different. When she kills Sirius, would Harry begin to hate her guts like he did when she was his enemy from the start? Their storyline would be much more interesting if Voldemort forced Bellatrix to kill Sirius. We have to assume that Sirius and Bellatrix were on good terms before that which only adds another layer of complexity. This could never happen! But if it could…

·      14:56 Snape and Hermione. This occurred to me because I never understood why Snape never saw Lily in Hermione as well as Harry. This is something that should have come out because though Harry is more closely related to Lily, Hermione is much closer to her at face value. It would be an unlikely friendship for sure, but it is one that could help bridge the gap of hate between Harry and Snape.

19:04 Dumbledore and Voldemort. One of the most interesting parts of the Fantastic Beasts films is the relationship between Grindelwald and Dumbledore. If Grindelwald was replaced by Voldemort, how would the story change? Dumbledore would probably find the war more difficult because instead of fighting an evil wizard he’s fighting the little boy from the orphanage who is angry at the world. 

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In this episode, we discuss the pros and cons of the tri-wizard tournament. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·      2:10 Cheating is promoted. The point of the competition is to think on your feet and adapt to any situation, but if the champions know everything about the challenges before they even stat, there is no point to any of it and the only challenge becomes who can learn the most about the task beforehand. 

·      5:11 Cheating is promoted. Genius! Cheating takes the competition out of the tasks and creates and more year-round event. If cheating is part of the tradition, it only tests more skills of more low profile work that the champions may have.

·      10:02 It puts the students in danger. The risk of death or injury is remarkably high and even if everyone escapes unscathed (which they didn’t) they might not come out the same as Dumbledore said. It is difficult the justify this competition if the lively hood of the students is put into the question to such an extreme degree. 

·      12:35 It brings the students together. Look at Hogwarts! With Cedric as a champion, every house was united against Harry which has never happened. Something powerful enough to get three of the four houses working together is worth mentioning. And the students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons were cheering for their school’s candidate.

·      15:49 It pulls the teachers apart. They were all in uproar when Harry was chosen and they didn’t want to give Dumbledore an unfair advantage. The teachers are also all competing to get the most information to their champion. For them, the whole point is to win. That’s it.

·      19:16 A huge source of magical cooperation. Ministries work together and, though they might compete, the teachers meet and judge together. The students get the chance to meet others like them from different parts of the world and learning about a different way of life. Bill met his wife! They all have a common goal and interest that can promote magical harmony. 

·      23:43 So is it worth the trouble? Absolutely not. The pros outweigh the cons and the only way to get rid of all the cons is to get rid of the tournament. There are other sources of magical cooperation that the ministries can work together on and if a competition is really what the students want, there is certainly one that can be thought up that doesn’t seriously put the students at risk.

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In this episode, we rank the top 10 spells in Harry Potter. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·      2:23 Honorable Mention and #10 Engorgio

·      5:10 #9 Incendio

·      7:10 #8 Immobulus 

·      9:50 #7 Protego

·      12:47 #6 Disillusionment charm

·      16:22 #5 Bubble Head Charm

·      18:54 #4 Wingardium Leviosa 

·      20:59 #3 Expecto Patronum

·      24:02 #2 Stupify

·      26:00 #1 Expeliarmus

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In this episode, we break down the character of Dobby. Enjoy!

Summary/Topics:
·      2:12 Dobby’s role in the story. Simply put, he started out as a solution for problems and a way to move the story along, but he became someone who stood up against the forces of evil and the weights that had previously held him back for so long. It is a real shame that he didn’t have the chance to come full circle and lead to house elves to victory against Voldemort. 

·       10:22 Strengths. One of Dobby’s greatest strengths is his loyalty. Harry is the person that freed him from the Malfoys and he is forever thankful and loyal to Harry for doing that for him. Because of that, Dobby is willing to do anything for Harry. This works well in combination with another strength: being a house elf. He is a field agent of sorts that can go behind enemy lines and infiltrate   places that would be otherwise unavailable to Harry. 

·      15:30 Weakness. Dobby has many just like any other character, but he main weakness is being in a position that wasn’t meant to make it to the end of the story. This isn’t his fault, but he is in the perfect place to be killed. He escaped his previous life which he hated and had made it so far, and began helping the people he truly cared for. That is just the right moment to take him out, right at the point where is hurts the most. 

·      19:40 How would the story be different without him? The characters that benefited from his services would have to figure out how to do it themselves. This could lead to some pretty interesting story lines. For example, Aberforth. If he couldn’t send Dobby, he would have to find a way to get into the Malfoy Manor himself. And Moody couldn’t use Dobby to get the gillyweed to Harry. Instead, he could have to find a way to get it to Harry himself. 

·      24:03 What was Dobby’s defining moment? When he was first set free. Lucius handed him the sock-filled diary that Harry had given a few moments before, and Dobby was free and he didn’t hold back. He said some things that he would never before and sent Lucius flying down the hallway. This set the scene for his defiance and his drive to fight for the right people. 

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In this listener submitted episode, we discuss what objects Harry and Voldemort would choose in an object draft. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·      2:12: The Elder Wand. Harry wouldn’t want it to use it, he just wouldn’t want Voldemort to have it. If Voldemort had been the true master, Harry wouldn’t have had a chance like Ollivander said. However, Voldemort put a lot of his energy into finding and killing the true master, so if he didn’t have the Elder Wand and didn’t worry about finding the master, he might be able to find Harry easier.

·      10:58 Bellatrix’s knife. This is the very same knife that Bellatrix used to kill Dobby, and that is exactly what Harry would want to stop from happening. He was enjoying life as a free elf, defending the innocent and helping his friends. He didn’t deserve to die and Harry knew that. On top of that, the rules of magic didn’t apply as much to him, so he could be a spy for Harry and get into places that Harry couldn’t.

·      15:39 The Sword of Gryffindor. Harry would choose the sword after the trade with Griphook. He wanted to have both the cup and the sword, but if it was a choice, the cup was the right one. But what could be better than having both. The sword is a surefire way of destroying horcruxes. Though it may be more difficult to get the horcruxes themselves than find a way to destroy them, having the sword and destroying them right when they find them would be the real prize.

·      20:27 The Marauder’s Map. This is a no-brainer. The map is literally a map to Harry’s location. He doesn’t have to send a bunch of Death Eater’s out to find him; all he has to do is give them a location and that’s that. Outside of Harry, he also knows the location of just about everyone else. He could use it to find the hunters of his horcruxes to see how close they get.

·      24:16 The Diadem of Ravenclaw. The destruction of his horcruxes are the main reason why he loses, so protecting them is a way to ensure victory. Though he might still lose the final duel and could be forced close to death like the first time he went after Harry, he would live to fight another day and plot his return.

·      26:44 The Sorting Hat. After he chose the two previous items, Voldemort would be pretty much set. If he has the map and the diadem, there is no chance that Harry could win. Choosing the sorting hat and destroying it in some symbolic way would be the icing on the cake for Voldemort, truly showing his triumph over Dumbledore and the rest of the Order.  

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In this episode, we discuss the new Harry Potter documentary about stunts. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:
·      Listen to episode 205, QuizMaster: DA Edition here!

·      3:14 Is it going to be happy or sad? A shown in the trailer, the day that he sustained his injury was one of it not the worst day on the Harry Potter set. This was a horrible tragedy and that isn’t going to be an overlooked fact. However, there is also a positive spin. He has such a network of family and friends, and now, though he can’t do the work that he loves, he bounced back and now enjoys life to the fullest. 

·      7:40 Would the films be possible without stunts? Probably not. The stunts are the things that bring the films to life; jumping off cliffs and doing crazy things are what shows us how fantastical the world is. Combined with the magic, stunts are the core of the films. They certainly wouldn’t be the same without stunts. 

·      13:45 Who is the Tom Cruise? My mind jumps to Rupert Grint. He would ask to do a stunt all by himself, and the studio would then have to train him for days to do just this one thing. He would see it as a challenge and fun activity to take up.

·      19:03 What is my favorite stunt? Without a doubt, it is when Harry is hanging off the rooftop in the Triwizard Tournament as the dragon claws nearer and nearer. It is so intense and we’re really living the scene, and without the stunt of dangling from the roof and then grabbing the broom just has he falls, and putting the broom under himself and zooming away.  

·      22:36 What is the purpose of this documentary? In short, it is to shed light on the behind-the-scenes aspects of the story, as well as to give credit to a department that was integral to the creation of the films. David Holmes has a very unique path, and this documentary is going to show how much his life was affected by Harry Potter, but also how he managed to pull out of it and make the most of his life.

·      26:07 Are there going to be more things like this? Absolutely! 

The fan base of Harry Potter is still very much alive, and there any many people out there who would be delighted to watch more Harry Potter content. There are still so many people who we haven’t seen and so many stories that still haven't been told.

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In this episode, we test our knowledge on Dumbledore's Army. Enjoy!

Summary/Topics:
·      1:53 Warm Up Round

·      4:21 Question 1

·      7:54 Question 2

·      12:36 Question 3

·      16:48 Question 4

·      22:12 Question 5

·      25:17 Question 6

·      27:47 Question 7

·      30:17 Challenge Question

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In this episode we discuss some of the best Fred and George moments. Enjoy!

Summary/Topics:
·      1:58 “He’s not Fred, I am!” This scene takes place in the first book in King’s Cross station. This is a good display of banter between them, and this was one of the first examples we have of their characters. They aren’t afraid of pulling someone’s leg while making a joke. This establishes their place as the jokers of the family and puts them very close. It shows the closeness of the two.

·      8:12 Gred and Forge. This scene takes place in the first Christmas as Hogwarts, showing that the twins like to tease Ron. They also know how make a good joke in passing, and the fleetingness comes across in the text. As we read, the words on the page become an image in our heads, and this scene is a fantastic example of their perfect comedic timing.

·      13:16 Giving Filch a box of chocolate. Umbridge was getting close to the Dumbledore’s Army, so Fred and George had to find a way to get Filch off the scent. They gave him a box of chocolates that turned out to be less than friendly.

·      16:58 Fireworks. This is my favorite Fred and George moment. It is the ultimate spit in the face to Umbridge and timed perfectly. Umbridge gets what she deserves and the school gets a good show. They depart Hogwarts in style and make a mark. Even Flitwick was happy. That was the one moment where the teachers were thrilled to say that Fred and George were some of the worst trouble makers the school had ever seen.

·      23:02 The Age Line. Dumbledore said no one should try and cross the age line that he drew around the Goblet of Fire. Fred and George took that as the perfect opportunity to do just that. The gold represented a leg up for their family and a chance to get back on top. They had a dream to open up a joke shop and begin making money for themselves. 

·      27:39 “But if we’re not careful we’ll have another Head Boy in the family. I don’t think I could stand the shame.” This is exactly what we would expect one of them to say. The Head Boy stands for the Administration, everything that Fred and George try and take down. 

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In this listener submitted episode, we discuss if Harry and Hermione could have ever been romantically involved.  Enjoy!
 
Summary/Topics:
·      1:31 Harry is too committed to Cho in the books. They went on actual dates and spent more time together. In the book it was more involved and long lived. They stayed together long enough to know that it wasn’t a casual thing. With Cho in Harry’s life for so long, it made it more difficult for Harry to be with Hermione. 

·      9:14 Ginny and Harry had a serious relationship. By the time Harry had broken up with Cho, the time was ripe to get with Harry. And when they eventually did, it was too late for Harry’s view of Hermione to change. And the inception of Harry and Ginny also loosely marked the beginning of Ron and Hermione as well which closed all door that lead to romantics between Harry and Hermione.

·      14:59 There is more detail in the book. Harry didn’t have enough brain space to deal with multiple relationships on top of all the challenges he faced with Dumbledore and Voldemort. There was just too much going on in his life in the books for a relationship with Hermione to work. 

·      19:07 In the film, Harry didn’t have a nearly as involved relationship with Cho. They trade glances, they kiss, and then Cho tattles on the DA and that’s that. Short lived. After they broke up, the hole that was left in Harry’s heart could have been more easily filled by a relationship with Hermione. 

·      22:08 There is less detail in the film. This gets a bit difficult to discuss because the story and all the problems are the same. There are just fewer layers for Harry and Hermione to deal with, and that might lead to an easier time getting closer together. Ron is someone who might prevent this. Ron in the film is more petty and he might not take to Harry and Hermione’s relationship as kindly as in the book. Maybe it’s written in the stars that there is no chance that they will ever be together. 

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