Wow, look at that, we made it all the way to Deathly Hallows! Bear with us as we ease back into the wizarding world—“dinner, Nagini,” is after all quite shocking. This week, LoVo yuks it up; Bellatrix is getting some; Yaxley briefly matters; Charity Burbage meets an uncharitable end; and Harry both bleeds and reads the newspaper, so, cool start, Harry! Plus: Very briefly, a Reconstruction podcast.

This week’s chapters: The Dark Lord Ascending & In Memoriam

Next week’s chapters: The Dursleys Departing & The Seven Potters

Ep. 79—The Snark Lord Ascending

A Harry Potter book club for grownups. Heather Price-Wright and Alex Dalenberg make their way through the Harry Potter books, chapter by chapter. We analyze avada kedavra. We dissect Dumbledore. We question quidditch. And we hail Hermione. Join us as we go as deep as you've always wanted to into the books that defined our childhoods. Alohamora—the door is open.

Arts

Literature

Performing Arts

Design

Food

Fashion & Beauty

Visual Arts

A lot of important things happen in this chapter, but also, Minerva McGonagall leads a flock of Hogwarts desk into battle. Awesome. This week, The Golden Trio stick to a plan; LoVo should fire his advance team; Draco’s mommy wuvs him; and we bid goodnight, sweet(?) Half-Blood Prince. Plus: actual, Hagrid-style weeping about Hagrid. 

This time: The Elder Wand
Next time: The Prince’s Tale

Ep. 102—Hagrid: Into the Spiderverse

Fred Weasley was dead, to begin with. Sorry, we just had to remind you exactly what you’re getting into with this episode. But don’t worry! There’s also hellfire! And murder! And toxic workplaces! And snogging! And impossible moral conundrums! And bitchy ghosts! And PUNS ON PUNS ON PUNS! And a very limited amount of singing.

This time: The Battle of Hogwarts
Next time: The Elder Wand

Ep. 101—No Time to Diadem

Five years, 100 episodes, every single conceivable permutation of the f-word, and a 45-minute summary of a pretty throwaway chapter. Welcome back, witches! Sorry we wrote that. Anyway, this week, some classic Rowling quirks rear their fat pig heads, including ugly villains, reactionary teens, brutal foreshadowing of fractured families, and cool hidden Hogwarts tricks. Harry also does a torture. Plus: We … sing? A lot? 

This time: The Sacking of Severus Snape
Next time: The Battle of Hogwarts

Ep. 100—Wizardry, Equality, Fraternity

Can we get away with not acknowledging that this is our first episode since February? No, huh? Don’t worry, there’s an explanation at the beginning, but mostly this is just a long, unhinged summary with digressions into wizard bathroom habits (thanks, Twitter) and interruptions from a puppy. Neville has some battle scars; Harry learns to accept help; Aberforth makes a mean ploughman’s lunch; and the Snape Discourse gets ever-more maddening.

This time: The Lost Diadem
Next time: The Sacking of Severus Snape

Ep. 99—Hog's Head Revisited

Pretty annoying to meet the best character in the final act of the final book, but that's the hand we're dealt with G.O.A.T. Aberforth Dumbledore. This week: Ron's hunger makes him stupid(er), we miss dive bars immensely, and a terrible family saga finally sees the light of day. Plus: aspersions of goat … uh … loving. It takes all sorts.

This week: The Missing Mirror

Next week: The Lost Diadem

Ep. 79—The Snark Lord Ascending

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