Potterversity: A Potter Studies Podcast

Eavesdrop on the Potterversity faculty in the staff lounge as we dish about Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore!NOTE: This episode contains spoilers!On this special episode, hear uncensored opinions and on-the-spot analysis about The Secrets of Dumbledore from some of our Potterversity regulars, Beatrice Groves, Emma Nicholson, Louise Freeman, and Lana Whited. We’ve pulled together outtakes from our technically off-the-record conversations for your listening pleasure. Some topics include: Romance and relationships in the films Whether there will be another Fantastic Beasts movie How this one compares with the other films Albus’s disappointingly reserved fashion choices Mads Mikkelsen’s Grindelwald compared to Johnny Depp’s What happened with Tina Queenie’s motivations Cruel and unusual punishments in the wizarding world Where young Tom Riddle fits in the timeline Whether Gellert still loves Albus Funniest moments Critiques and lingering questions Our new understanding of Dumbledore’s machinations also leads us to question whether Harry really saved the day in the Harry Potter series or whether it was all Dumbledore’s master plan. What do you think?

Join us for our deep dive into Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and its literary allusions, beastly lore, and continuation of the plot points in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.NOTE: This episode contains spoilers!Dr. Beatrice Groves (Trinity College, Oxford) joins Katy and Emily to decode the symbolic elements of this story and help us understand where it fits within the Harry Potter series. Find out about Bea’s prediction-come-true and hear about how the central beasts in the film reference medieval mythological creatures featured in various bestiaries that Bea has kindly read for us so she can share her knowledge. From the Qilin to the Obscurus, Bea explains the importance of making beasts central to Grindelwald’s plan, which unites the Dumbledore plot with Newt Scamander’s. Grindelwald uses beasts for his own ends instead of appreciating them as they are, as Newt does, and this provides us key insights about his character – and echoes similar problematic aspects of Voldemort’s character. You can read about some of these theories in Bea’s column, Bathilda’s Notebook.Bea connects the beasts to T.H. White’s The Once and Future King and The Book of Beasts – both strong influences on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series – as well as the work of Neil Gaiman and Lev Grossman. The Fantastic Beasts films also draw from P.G. Wodehouse and Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The prison (and its beasts) in Secrets of Dumbledore evokes mythology and other sources, layering stories upon stories to create rich intertextual meaning. We talk about Rappaport’s Law banning Wizard/No-Maj marriages, seemingly abandoned at the end of the film, and the Dumbledore-Grindelwald blood troth and its significance.How does this story inform our understanding of Albus Dumbledore’s youth and the whole Dumbledore family? Bea points out clever inversions of the Aberforth-Albus-Ariana scene in the last Harry Potter book and the revelations about Albus and Gellert’s relationship in the film – and whether those feelings continue. You’ll also hear much of interest about the mirror dimension experienced by Albus, Gellert, and Credence and additional functions of the Deluminator that echo Deathly Hallows moments. Secrets abound in this story and among the Dumbledores themselves, and their revelation drives the plot of the film.

David Martin, one of the winners of Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses, talks about his amazing experience on the show.On this episode, Katy and Emily talk with our friend David Martin about being on the victorious Hufflepuff team on the Tournament of Houses quiz show, which aired on TBS November to December 2021. He tells us how the auditions went, what it was like to be on the show, which questions most stumped him, what it’s like to have become a social media star, and why he is a lifelong Hufflepuff. Be warned: There are spoilers!David also shares with us some of his scholarly analysis on why the wizarding world seems stuck back in time, the cultural significance of Mr. Weasley's love of plugs, wizard dating tips, and the significance of particular trees in the Harry Potter series. Whether you're a Harry Potter trivia whiz or not, you will love the good humor, sharp insights, and behind-the-scenes dishing of this episode.In our special segment, David sticks around to talk with us about books Potter readers might enjoy after finishing the series. You'll definitely want to try some of these fiction and nonfiction works. And you can add to your list David’s new book Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches and Other Thoughts about Harry Potter, which is out now and available for purchase.

Understand the ties that bind – blood and otherwise – in Arthurian legend and the wizarding world in this episode.Emily and Katy discuss with Dr. Carol Jamison (Georgia Southern University) the links between Arthurian literature and Harry Potter through the concepts of blood lines, noble (or “pure”) blood, and blood feud. Author of Chivalry in Westeros(McFarland, 2018), Carol examines medievalism in popular culture, not only in the Potterverse but also Game of Thrones. She explains both medievalism and neo-medievalism in pop culture and how the Harry Potter stories play with Arthurian themes that fit these categories. We learn about how views of chivalry and heroism connect the characters and themes of the two literary sources, including the values of generosity, loyalty, and sacrifice, along with the notion of noble-bearing or birthright that distinguishes heroes in both. But the two series actually test the assumption that heroism comes automatically from bloodline, pointing out that virtue does not, in fact, come from blood or heritage.We talk about Harry’s connection with Voldemort as a kind of blood tie that also has corollaries in Arthurian legend. This unwanted blood connection parallels the connection between Arthur and his son/nephew Mordred, leading to similar peril and self-sacrifice. Blood feud also drives the action in the two series, as desire for revenge and restitution motivates major events in each, creating alliances as well as rivalries. Analysis of the Malfoys and Gaunts, in addition to Snape, demonstrates the importance of medieval feuding to the Harry Potter story.Carol shows how these links to Arthurian legend allow the Potter books to challenge contemporary ideas about racial purity that lead to profound injustice (Dolores Umbridge, we’re looking at you). This emphasis, too, presents a parallel particularly to Thomas Malory’s collection of Arthurian tales. Both the late 15th century and today evince the effects of social and political upheaval as old ideals about the link between virtue and blood are challenged. How much do we still esteem bloodline and elect “dynasties” to positions of power? These issues continue to resonate with us today. You can read more about Dr. Jamison’s analysis in “Blood Ties, Blood Sacrifice, and the Blood Feud in Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Series” in Children’s Literature Quarterly (2021).

Take a closer look at the Harry Potter fandom in this month's episode!What aspects of the fandom are your favorites: festivals, online communities, cosplay, fan fiction, or something else? On this episode, Emily and Katy talk with Dr. Marianne Martens (Kent State University), author of The Forever Fandom of Harry Potter (Cambridge University Press), about what makes Harry Potter fan communities unique and persistent.The first Harry Potter book was published at about the same time that online communication and social media became more popular. Marianne explains how digital platforms have helped researchers understand what appeals to readers in addition to facilitating readers connecting with each other online, circulating theories and creative reflections on the series. The Potter fandom has a strong participatory aspect, especially among young people, and significantly higher engagement than many other fan communities built around young adult novels.A lot of Harry Potter fan participation happens outside of official commercial channels, which fuels fan engagement but also creates challenges with copyright and trademark restrictions, as the many renamed wizard fests attest. Marianne explains what it means to be a "branded author" and "branded readers" and how that influences Harry Potter fan experiences by making room for the emotionally inspired, affective labor of fans but also raises questions about who "owns" the Harry Potter stories. Active participation leads fans to feel a sense of ownership that can be in conflict with the original author and the film production company. We also talk about the joys and struggles of the festival experience and where these events might be headed in the future. Marianne points out the significant power that Potter fans have had to protest the commercialized elements of the Potterverse, like the activism to protect independent fan sites and to end support of the exploitative labor systems used to produce Potter candy products.Does Harry Potter have a "forever fandom"? Marianne tells us why she characterized the fandom that way for her book in 2018, and we discuss directly the impact of more recent developments that have created tension in the community and turned away previous fans of the series. We talk about how fans have responded and the possibility of separating the series from its creator.

We at Potterversity love house-elves! Join us for our valentine to Dobby, Winky, Kreacher, and Hokey and their persistent relevance for understanding injustice.House-elf fans Emily and Katy talk with Dr. Christine Schott (Erskine College) about how the house-elves keep Harry Potter relevant to social issues today. Given the upheaval this new generation of readers sees in our world, Christine tells us, the Harry Potter stories give us a "training ground" for figuring out how to respond to those problems and complexities. The unsatisfying, unresolved issue of house-elf enslavement leads us to continue thinking about this wizarding world oppression in ways that help us consider persistent injustices in our world.The house-elves can be related to all kinds of oppressed peoples, including those bound in chattel slavery, house-wives (as Katy has argued), immigrant communities, and even artificial intelligence (as Emily has explored). Yet the house-elves' ambivalent portrayal in the Harry Potter series as "happy slaves" makes us uneasy and requires us to examine them more closely. We talk about how the individual house-elves - Dobby, Winky, Kreacher, and Hokey - invite theoretical but also empathetic consideration from us. How do we understand Dobby's sacrifice in the war against Voldemort? How should we feel about Harry hoping Kreacher will bring him a sandwich at the end of the Battle of Hogwarts?Structural attempts at house-elf liberation in the wizarding world seem ineffective. What lessons can we gain about anti-racism and other social justice movements from such attempts as SPEW? Christine helps us see that there are insights to be gained about allyship and social change from how the characters struggle with the abolition of house-elf slavery. This is the value of a story that does not provide easy answers, she explains. We also talk about "cancel culture" and how to keep the study of literature relevant to both students and society at large.Read Katy's chapter on "The Real House-Elves of J.K. Rowling," Emily's essay analyzing "Dobby the Robot," Christine's essay on "The House Elf Problem," and more scholarly perspectives on house-elves in Muggle Studies. Which approach do you find the most compelling?In this episode's special Owl Post segment, we discuss one listener's question about how to understand Harry and Professor McGonagall's troubling use of Unforgivable Curses. Should we...forgive them? What do you think?

Looking to recover lost love? Discover the connections between the Harry Potter stories and The Christmas Pig. Designed for younger readers, The Christmas Pig features a young boy going on a perilous quest to thwart a materialist villain, The Loser, and reclaim his lost, beloved best friend, Dur Pig (DP). In this first episode of the new year, Emily and Katy explore the similarities between The Christmas Pig and the Harry Potter novels. Common motifs include the value of courage and loyalty, the challenge in dealing with bullies and tyrants, anti-modernism and anti-materialism, the heroism of the small and marginalized, coping with death and our own mortality, and the transformative power of love. Emily highlights the Christian themes appearing in both, particularly the magic of the Christmas season, comparing Hogwarts Christmases with the miraculous possibilities of Christmas Eve in traditional lore. She also explains the religious significance of some of the names in the story. Katy points out how, in both stories, “Things” gain sentience and agency through their proximity to people and absorption of human emotion. The Alivening of objects in The Christmas Pig is perhaps akin to spell-casting in the wizarding world. We also explore the ways this novel, like the Potter series, fits Tolkien’s definition of a fairy story, especially the experience of a perilous realm, the way magic is taken seriously, and the tale’s eucatastrophic ending, with the finding of that which has been lost.

Tune in for the latest Potter Studies insights from the tenth annual Harry Potter Academic Conference!In this special episode, Emily and Katy have an in-person roundtable with Laurie Beckoff, Kat Miller (Alohomora!), and Kat Sas about some of the exciting ideas and controversial issues raised over the course of October's Harry Potter Academic Conference (HPAC) at Chestnut Hill College.Fresh from the conference, we talk about media and social media "mirrors" in the wizarding world, Hogwarts as a setting of "dark academia," the Harry-Horcrux dilemma, Potter activism, and the eternal debate about Ron Weasley: hopeless or hero? Along the way, we contemplate the ever-relevant lessons of the Potterverse for us in the Muggle world, changes in the Potter fandom, public performance and reputation in the series, thing theory, and racism and oppression in the wizarding world. Who are the wizarding world media influencers? How does the Harry Potter series fit in with other macabre campus mysteries? Is Harry really a Horcrux? What about Nagini? How should we understand the flawed ideas about race and oppression expressed by characters in the books? And, finally, does Harry need Ron's friendship during his quest?The conference stimulates us to ponder compelling ideas and quandaries at the forefront of Potter Studies. If you’re looking for more Potter academia, check out Muggle Studies on MuggleNet, where Laurie has collected a bibliography of and links to Potter Studies scholarship.Join us for a lively, funny, thoroughly nerdy conversation about these topics and more!

Get a little "meta" in this episode about Harry Potter fandom and pop culture podcasting! Emily and Katy talk with film and fandom scholar - and fellow podcaster - Michael Boyce, Professor of English Literature and Film Studies at Booth University College and host of the Geek 4 podcast. We investigate how the Harry Potter films have affected our fandom and explore podcasting about popular culture from within the "ivory tower" of academia.Were you first attracted to the Harry Potter world through the films or the books? Michael explains how he came to be a Potter fan and his early experiences of the fandom. We discuss how the actors' interpretations in the film (ahem, Michael Gambon) change the way we understand the characters and how directorial cuts affect our memories of the narrative. Have these interpretations become canon or do the films exist in a kind of alternate universe? Different directors have also created distinct interpretations and even tones for the various books, and we consider how that influences the movies' coherence as a series. Michael explains that the films have provided easier points of access to the wizarding world for fans and have created clearer images of the characters, which certainly has had consequences for fan reactions to casting decisions and fan creative productions.Michael helps us analyze the unique (and not-so-unique) qualities of the Harry Potter fandom, and we consider the marketing of Wizarding World products to the multi-generational fan community. We talk about fandom as a target (and even creation) of late-stage capitalism and the way fans show our loyalty and love for pop culture through our wallets. Sometimes fan-based products like toys have even spoiled major plot points - LEGO, we’re looking at you! Michael tells us about fan gatekeepers and the joys of excluding others on the basis of fan purism. Is there a hierarchy in the Potter fandom based on the Hogwarts Houses? What do you think?Michael talks about how his podcast, Geek 4, which interviews people about their fandoms and engages with the geeky academic side of a variety of fandoms, from sci-fi to sports. We discuss the benefits of podcasting for both creators and listeners, especially during the pandemic, and the high-quality podcasts that exist which contribute to public scholarship. Podcasts provide an easy-to-access conduit to expert knowledge and feed the soul of our fan communities.

Investigate bullying at Hogwarts on this month’s episode.In this episode, Emily and Katy talk with Ithaca College’s Katharine Kittredge and Carolyn Rennie about the history of bullying and how it relates to the social and educational environment at Hogwarts. We talk about what makes a bully and how that conception has perhaps changed over time in the western world. Katharine explains how eighteenth-century writers tended to think of bullying as natural to children and inevitable in the school setting, especially where differences of privilege existed. The nineteenth century revised that view to consider bullying as a deviant behavior or the result of a problem in the bully’s psychology, which is more like our view today. Carolyn discusses the modern and feminine forms of bullying, especially facilitated by social media, and the volatile context in which kids can be both bullied and bullies depending on the situation at any given moment.The Harry Potter stories’ relationship to Tom Brown’s School Days provokes a comparison of the way both portray boarding school bullying behavior. Katharine explains how bullying was regarded in the history of British boarding schools and how novels reflected real-world changes. Bullying was sometimes seen as a pedagogical strategy in institutions, as peer pressure was used to enforce social norms. We also talk about gender dynamics in the bullying in pre-Victorian school stories, and how boy-bullying and girl-bullying differed. Katharine and Carolyn point out where these echoes resound in the Harry Potter series and how they influence character development. We explore how bullying manifests in both generational and intergenerational relationships, including from teacher to student. Are Hogwarts bullies humanized over the course of the series?From class differences to race, gender, and a variety of intersectional identities, bullying reveals intricate social dynamics in the wizarding world that have lessons for us Muggles. Join us for a thorough discussion that does not leave J.K. Rowling’s own words and actions unexamined.Stay after class for our special segment “Food Fight,” where we throw down over the question: Who is the bigger bully, James Potter or Severus Snape?

Decode magical numbers on this month's episode!Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Lana Whited (Ferrum College) about one of the more mysterious of the magical subjects at Hogwarts: Arithmancy. We discuss where this subject fits in the Hogwarts core curriculum, its historical and etymological roots, and its meaning within the Harry Potter series. And, for that matter, how do you even pronounce it? Arithmancy is a type of divination using numbers used to predict events in the ancient world. Lana walks us through how to do these calculations and how to understand the numbers that result.Pointing out that we quite commonly assign significance to numbers (hello, lucky episode #13!), Lana explains the significance of important numbers in the Harry Potter books, like 3, 4, and 7. Much numerical significance comes from people’s observations of the heavenly bodies, and the number 7 specifically represented the divine across historical eras.Why does Hermione loathe Divination but not Arithmancy? We also talk about math-whiz Oliver from Puffs and his frustration with the lack of math at Hogwarts - why wouldn't Arithmancy be enough for him? Lana helps us understand the nuances of these characters' responses to the subject, and considers that Arithmancy may be the best integration of art and science among the Hogwarts courses. This subject, like astrology and other kinds of divination, gives people a sense of order when times are uncertain or unsettled, and appeals because it finds meaning deeply embedded in the universe. Wizarding society certainly takes this subject seriously, and we discuss why that is. Lana tells us the arithmancical numbers for a variety of characters, which reveal their key characteristics.Hogwarts students' favorite school subjects in general seem to reveal something important about their personality and growth arc across the series, and so we explore what Charms, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, and Herbology represent for character development. We also wonder why there's no literature class at Hogwarts, and whether there are other magical subjects that should be taught that are surprisingly missing. Should the students be learning Occlumency . . . or not? What do you think Hogwarts should be teaching that they don’t?For our special segment, join Emily and Katy in the Potterversity common room as they do some Arithmancy homework. Feel free to do your homework, too, with Dr. Whited's Arithmancy worksheet!

Harry’s explorations of loss, grief, and the nature of death borrow heavily from classical visions of the underworld, especially Virgil's Aeneid.In this episode, Katy and Emily talk to Dr. Vassiliki (Lily) Panoussi, Chancellor Professor of Classical Studies at William and Mary, about references in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to Virgil's Aeneid. Lily tells us about this ancient Roman origin story, which also references classical Greek texts like The Iliad and The Odyssey. It explores themes like heroism, sacrifice, community, friendship, and grief. Virgil's story about Aeneas's journey was immediately influential in the Roman Empire and remained so throughout western literary history. Lily explains that J.K. Rowling seems to consciously draw on the epic structure and themes of this classical story, particularly to serve a similar purpose as "a foundational epic that will have impact on the real world." Like Aeneas, Harry is supposed to usher in a new global era.Lily teaches us about katabasis, or descent, used to describe underworld journeys. Travel to the world of the dead plays a crucial role in the hero’s development in ancient Greek and Roman literature. Harry, too, has underworld journeys that shape him in each book, including the Mirror of Erised, the Chamber of Secrets, the tunnel under the Whomping Willow, the graveyard, the Department of Mysteries, and the caves of Inferi. Deathly Hallows multiplies the number of underworld journeys for our hero. Harry's visit to Godric's Hollow evokes Aeneas's trip to Buthrotum, a town that represents his old life and also helps him move through his feelings of loss and grief and back to the world of the living. We also learn about ancient-world death rituals, including games, that helped people deal with loss without ceasing to live themselves. Lily provides a nuanced reading of Harry's burial of Dobby based on parallels with The Aeneid that will make you think of it in a new, profound way.We also learn about connections to the story of the King of the Wood and Aeneas's quest for the Golden Bough, which are evoked in not only magic wands but also another magical object that might surprise you. There are several symbolic cues to Harry being in the liminal space between life and death. King’s Cross Station is just such a liminal space at the end of Deathly Hallows, and we have a vibrant discussion of how it specifically references classical underworld experiences. This scene is the culmination of several lessons in leadership for Harry and provides a rebirth from which Harry can establish a new, more peaceful era for wizarding society.Emily and Katy provide the Muggle News for our special segment, with information on upcoming conferences for Potter scholars. Check out the Harry Potter Academic Conference and the Southwest Popular and American Culture Conference. Let us know if there are conferences or festivals you love in the Potterverse!

On this episode, we're reading Harry Potter through trauma theory, Fat Studies, and semiotics - and from the perspective of a nonbinary trans scholar of young adult literature.What does it meant to be a Potter scholar? Get a glimpse of one academic's research into a variety of topics in the Harry Potter books. In this episode, Emily and Katy talk with Tolonda Henderson, former librarian and current scholar of the intersections of disability, race, and adolescence in young adult literature, about their research into the seven-book series. Tolonda shares how they became interested in Potter scholarship, wondering "Why is Madame Pince so useless?" and then moving to a wide array of Potterian topics. "What the text says matters," Tolonda explains, and so looking closely at the language and symbols used in the books has become an essential part of their study of Harry Potter and other young adult literature. Tolonda decodes for us the symbolic and textual memorialization of Harry's family in Godric's Hollow to understand why the monuments were built, their purpose for the wizarding community, and the role they play in Harry's own psychological journey. Tolonda also reveals to us how descriptions of fat characters (like Neville, Dudley, and Professor Slughorn) affect the ways we understand them, and how we are influenced by "thin thinking." Tolonda has studied the way the books convey trauma through descriptions of the physical and psychological descriptions of peritraumatic disassociation. Trauma distorts Harry’s sense of space, time, and his own embodiment, most clearly represented in the scene at King’s Cross Station, and the books have something important to say about how to navigate such crises.As a nonbinary trans literary scholar, Tolonda also tells us how their scholarship has been affected by statements made by the author last summer. Is it possible or desirable to continue to study Potter, given those statements? Tune in to hear their thoughts on this difficult question as well as their ideas for other young adult fiction to read this summer.

Universes collide as we imagine the story of the founding of Hogwarts in the form of a Shakespeare play.In this episode, we're joined by Ian Doescher, author of William Shakespeare's Star Wars as well as Shakespearean retellings other of modern tales. He tells us about how he first embarked on this project and what made Star Wars a natural fit for Shakespeare. Ian is particularly struck by how Shakespeare mines human emotion and provides insight into characters' motives and feelings with soliloquies - something we don't get during emotional but silent scenes on film, such as Luke Skywalker watching the binary sunset on Tatooine.We love Star Wars and Shakespeare here at Potterversity, but what does this have to do with Harry Potter? It comes down to an intriguing line in the FAQ section of Ian's website, which explains that he had an idea for the story of the Hogwarts founders as told by Shakespeare, which unfortunately did not receive permission to go forward from the powers that be. We talk about why this was the Potter story Ian was drawn to, which Shakespearean themes and characters are echoed in this tale, the role of the supernatural in Shakespeare's work, how the Sorting Hat would fit in, and why Shakespeare was obviously a wizard.As Katy mentions that she finds Voldemort to be relatively two-dimensional and thinks he could benefit from a soliloquy, Ian discusses why he enjoys writing villains and how exciting it was to hear Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine) read from The Jedi Doth Return. Emily brings up the genre of pastiche, which involves imitating another writer's style, and Ian explains how he both tries to shed insight on the form of Shakespearean drama and give new life to the story he is retelling. Translating contemporary language into early modern English and iambic pentameter poses its own challenges, and Ian doesn't stop there. He works to employ the various literary devices Shakespeare used and keep iconic scenes recognizable and humorous while transforming them. Ian is continuing his retellings with William Shakespeare's Avengers and his Star Wars pastiches with I Wish I Had a Wookiee, a book of Star Wars poetry in the style of Shel Silverstein. As for William Shakespeare's History of Hogwarts, the rights remain elusive, but if permission ever came through, Ian would gladly pick up his quill.In our Owl Post segment, two listeners ask whether Darth Vader and Kylo Ren deserved their redemption and if Voldemort could have been redeemed. We get into the ethical and theological weeds of whether redemption can ever be truly deserved or must be earned.

Explore the many dark connections between Harry Potter and Dracula, two stories of love, death, and the conquest of evil.In this episode, Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Beatrice Groves (Literary Allusions in Harry Potter, Bathilda’s Notebook) about the many parallels between Bram Stoker’s Dracula and the Harry Potter series. Hogwarts evokes Count Dracula’s castle, and J.K. Rowling and Stoker evoke similar impressions of eastern Europe as a place where dark magic dwells. Despite the scarcity of actual vampires in Harry Potter, Rowling evokes vampiric imagery with both Voldemort and Snape. Rowling even drew early images of Snape where he looks like the Count. Does Quirrell have a parallel in Dracula? Harry parallels Dracula’s heroine, Mina Harker, especially in having a traumatic experience with the villain that creates a continuing psychic connection. Ideas about blood and the transfer of blood exist in both works, creating similar questions about purity and power. Dracula also has objects that keep him alive - boxes of soil - much like Voldemort’s Horcruxes. Defeating Dracula and defeating Voldemort follow similar plot paths, including the way they die. Bea reveals a fascinating association between the Horcrux locket’s destruction and Dracula that you will not want to miss. Albus Dumbledore’s parallel in Stoker’s novel is the famous vampire hunter Van Helsing. Both, Bea explains, represent the author’s voice and perspective. Other fascinating links abound as well, so tune in! Feeling thirsty? In our special segment, return to the Three Broomsticks where Emily explains how to make Sanguini Martinis and the Sanguini Sangria Surprise!

'Our Puffs-palooza continues as we talk with some of the talented people behind the play Puffs. We continue our conversation about the wonderful fan re-vision of the Harry Potter series, the off-Broadway play Puffs. Emily and Katy discuss with Matt Cox (Puffs creator) and Stephen Stout (Puffs actor and producer) the creative process behind the making of the play. Note: This episode contains spoilers of the play. Matt and Stephen explain how they became fans of Harry Potter, and then fan-creators. Matt tells us how he came up with the idea for the play, and Stephen how he became a “fandom anthropologist,” especially by visiting Universal Studios’ Wizarding World theme park in preparation for working on the play, convincing him they had to be “responsible in their fooling” because of how much the series means to fans. Interested in the nostalgic expression of pop culture, Matt embraced the tragic and comic aspects of the Harry Potter series, and the way the Puffs' perspective magnifies those elements. He played on the idea that kids reading the series as it came out imagined themselves getting a Hogwarts letter; that moment was rooted in the culture of the 1990s and those fans’ memories of their growing-up years. They also share how they made an alternate universe that echoes Harry’s world, and how social media helped the show take off in popularity. As the audience grew, Matt was able to tweak the show in response to audience reactions. The show started as more of a comedy, but the story developed more fully to develop its emotional heart. Stephen reveals some of the alternate endings of the play and how they adjusted it as time went on. Matt and Stephen explain the advantages of theater as a medium that takes the audience on a full journey, allows actors to play multiple parts (like Cedric and Voldemort), and creates the magic of the wizarding world with a only few small cues to the audience. They reveal how some of the funniest moments of the show were created. Puffs creates a shared experience between actors and audience that brings excitement and joy. As Puffs is performed in different US states and in Australia, the producers have encouraged making changes to adapt the references so that the audience is always in on the joke. The “rough magic,” improvisation, and adaptability of the show is central to its success. Despite the satire and playful critiques, Matt and Stephen emphasize the earnest parts of Puffs that make it a love letter for the Harry Potter series. How do we interact with Harry Potter as responsible fans? Stephen and Matt talk about navigating changes in the fandom by adding elements to Puffs and its additional, related stories that major movie franchises perhaps do not have the courage to do. Emily asks about how Puffs pushes the envelope on the Harry Potter underdog narrative in showing us other underdog perspectives we may not have considered.Don’t miss this smart and hilarious conversation revealing the behind-the-scenes story of the off-Broadway play Puffs. Check out more fun from these talented folks at The Ultra Corporation on YouTube!

Join us for the beginning of our Puffs-palooza! In this episode, we talk with Dr. Melissa Aaron and Dr. Lauren Camacci about the off-Broadway play Puffs - how you can see it at home, why should see it (if you haven’t already), and why we love it so much. Warning: Spoilers abound in this episode! Puffs imagines the seven-book Harry Potter series in a compressed timeline and from the perspective of students in Hufflepuff in those same years. This is a fan fiction approach that Henry Jenkins calls refocalization, which retells a story from the perspective of marginalized characters to provide new insights. Melissa, a theater historian who saw the play in New York, explains how the in-person play experience is different from seeing it on film, and we consider whether the play is satire, parody, or something else, and what makes it so funny. It creates an in-group experience for fans and millennials. Bringing Muggle pop culture, including fantasy geekdom, into Hogwarts corrects a gap in the original series. The character of Hufflepuff Oliver reminds us that a good student in the Muggle world would not necessarily be good in magic and that Hogwarts lacks basic education high schoolers of all kinds need, including math and sex ed (the latter hilariously taught by Professor Snape (Stephen Stout) in Puffs). Lauren points out that the play’s portrayal of Harry highlights his privilege and the favoritism he receives, especially from Dumbledore, making us question his character and examine the everyday heroism of his Puffs parallel, Wayne, who Melissa calls “The Unchosen One.” In celebrating more mundane moral qualities (friendship, kindness, bravery, sacrifice) - absent the greater save-the-world destiny - Puffs truly gets to the heart of the Harry Potter series. Are you a Puff? Are you such a Puff? We talk about the Hufflepuff house identity and how perceptions of it may have changed. Seeing Cedric’s death from the Hufflepuff perspective provides a point of view that makes us read the original Harry Potter books differently. We compare Cedric’s characterization in Puffs and in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and discuss the two plays more generally, pondering which seems more true to the spirit of the original character and book series. Each play provides a different theater experience, and even the commercial aspects of the two productions differ. Dear Listener, which of these two plays do you prefer? Share your thoughts with us! In a fascinating listener follow-up, our Owl Post segment poses questions about wand violence based on Potterversity Episode 4: “Violence and Civilization.” Stay tuned for our next episode in which we talk with Puffs creator Matt Cox and actor Stephen Stout! You will not want to miss our conversation.

Are the Harry Potter novels fantasy, mystery, school story, bildungsroman, allegory, or something else? Harry Potter’s blend of genres shapes reader expectations and creates fascinating intersections. In this episode, Dr. Tison Pugh (Pegasus Professor of English at the University of Central Florida) joins Katy and Emily to discuss the wide variety of genre conventions, patterns, and themes employed in the Harry Potter series. Tison talks about his recent book Harry Potter and Beyond (University of South Carolina Press, 2020), which explores how J.K. Rowling’s novels use and also manipulate a variety of genres. Tison assures us that genre fiction can be high-quality, innovative, and worthy of study. No one genre defines the Harry Potter books, and that allows Rowling to expand both plot and themes in surprising directions. For example, we talk about how the fairy tale and hero’s myth genres influence gender dynamics of the wizarding world in somewhat opposing ways. Reflecting on this intersection helps us to understand the balance of epic battles with personal, domestic moments in the books, including the much-maligned epilogue. Wizarding world politics also fit within certain genre conventions. When we read the series, are we hearing Rowling’s politics, or are we absorbing the politics of certain genres? Although the novels play with the conventions of mystery fiction, Harry is not exactly a good detective, which inspires us to think critically about his heroism and Hermione as a supportive detective protagonist. Rowling’s main allegorical subjects - the crucifixion and World War II - are violent and disturbing. Tison talks about whether the Harry Potter books sanitize those in troubling ways or make way for more sophisticated thinking about them, and how this relates to Rowling’s quite gruesome Cormoran Strike books. We also talk about what constitutes the “canon” and where the movies, author statements, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child fit in our evaluation of the Harry Potter series. How much should we consider Rowling’s own intentions and political ideas when we think about these books? Tison teaches a Harry Potter class at UCF, and in this episode’s Owl Post from listener Elise, we all consider how we might responsibly continue to teach these books given Rowling’s statements about trans people. Please join us for this lively yet deep exploration of the literary structure and value of the Harry Potter books.

A Valentine for...Uncle Vernon? In this episode of Potterversity, Katy and Emily talk with scholar Tim Jennings about Vernon Dursley in a way that, if it doesn’t redeem Harry’s uncle, does seek to humanize him. Why is Uncle Vernon the way that he is? What motivates him? Why is he so awful to Harry? We explore Vernon’s relationships with his wife Petunia and his sister Marge to determine what we know about how Vernon grew up, his social influences, and why he loathes the magical world. Enjoying contrarian readings of texts and using psychology to analyze literary characters, Tim provides a nuanced view of why Uncle Vernon acts as he does. Although the series almost exclusively follows Harry’s perspective, the first chapter of the very first book begins from Vernon’s perspective, indicating his importance as a foil for Harry and the wizarding world. The Dursleys’ desperate clinging to the “perfectly normal, thank you very much” has a profoundly significant effect on the reader’s experience of the series. Tim explains why this is a good place to begin our journey into the magical realm. Vernon’s character - his anger and alienation - develops over the seven books. How Vernon performs his roles as husband, father, and even boss reveals his understanding of success and what methods he sees as key to building a good life. We question whether Vernon’s ideas about the wizarding world are just an intense reflection of Petunia’s own or if they develop based on his own negative experiences with Dumbledore and other wizards. Looking at Aunt Marge provides clue for how Vernon might have turned out even worse - in general and towards Harry particularly. Tim suggests provocatively that Vernon may have experienced abuse in his own childhood. In our conversation, we find some reason to feel sympathy for Vernon. What do you think? In our special segment in the Potterversity Staff Room, Tim talks with Emily and Laurie Beckoff about how Vernon or, more likely Dudley, could break free of a family pattern of abuse.

What does the prevalence of violence in the Harry Potter series tell us about magical civilization - and our own? Despite its theme of nonviolence, there’s a fair amount of violence in the Harry Potter series. On this episode, Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Aurélie Lacassagne, Associate Professor of Political Science at Laurentian University - Sudbury, in Ontario, Canada. Aurélie explains how the Harry Potter novels, which have struck a resonant chord with readers worldwide, reveal important tensions in what scholar Norbert Elias called the “civilizing process.” As Aurélie notes, Elias connects “civilization” to self-restraint, interdependency, emotional control, and the taming of violence. However, he notes that “decivilizing” also occurs dynamically in all societies as social restraints are tested and emotions boil over. Although members of the Order of the Phoenix show empathy and try to restrain violence where possible, the Death Eaters conversely gain pleasure from torture and murder, without shame or disgust. Pure-bloods, a cohesive group who think of themselves as more established and rooted in tradition, embrace an exclusive notion of society, expressing fear and hatred of outsiders. These outsiders are deemed unworthy of social protection or empathy. Death Eater violence thus contributes to decivilizing forces in wizarding society. Most members of the wizarding community are engaged in the civilizing process, but fear can impel even non-Death Eaters - including members of the Ministry of Magic - to let loose their baser human tendencies.The Harry Potter series shows how difficult it is to constrain one’s emotions, not only for Death Eaters but for the good characters in the series like Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Civilizations create release valves for strong emotions to channel them productively (Quidditch!). So much of Dumbledore’s advice emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between expressing our feelings and following social restraints. We must express love and empathize with others, but also be capable of experiencing remorse, which we can see in Snape but not Tom Riddle. Remorse is vital for the civilizing process not only for the one who experiences remorse but also for the larger community, which can then extend forgiveness. Aurélie shares how our experience of decivilizing moments in our own history can reinforce the value of the “global survival unit” that recognizes the unity and value of all humanity, extending community protections to all. History and literature provide witnesses by adoption. Both the Harry Potter novels and the history of twentieth-century fascism engage our emotions, pointing to love, friendship, and empathy as the core values of human civilization. In our special segment, Emily and Katy discuss the scene in Prisoner of Azkaban where Hermione punches or slaps Draco in the face. Is this decivilizing violence? How do we feel about this moment of unrestrained aggression?

Uncover the meaning of Christmas in the Harry Potter novels. On this episode, Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Beatrice Groves (author of Literary Allusion in Harry Potter and blogger at Bathilda’s Notebook) about the Christmases at Hogwarts and how they culminate in the final book’s graveyard scene at Godric’s Hollow. Emily points out that J.K. Rowling uses Christmas as a way to highlight the magic of the world she created, the particular magic of the season special even in a magical realm. Bea explains the significance of Harry choosing to stay at Hogwarts for most of his holiday breaks - and Ron, too! One of the most important elements of Hogwarts Christmas, Bea points out, is its communal nature - sitting at a communal table, the Hogwarts faculty letting their hair down, and the merrymaking and gift exchanges that strengthen ties of fellowship. Important events happen on Christmas at Hogwarts that have larger symbolic relevance: Harry getting the Invisibility Cloak and the Firebolt as gifts, his discovery of the Mirror of Erised, and the trio taking Polyjuice Potion (which Bea likens to the “incarnational ideal”). Bea explains the surprising significance of roosters to the Christmas season. We investigate the religious themes that come through even rather secular descriptions of Christmas practices at Hogwarts. From our view of Neville’s Christmas in Book 5, we contemplate the strength of Neville’s character displayed at St. Mungo’s and the religious significance of the parallel between Neville and Harry. Rowling often buries important themes in jokes or humor, but these have deeper resonance later in the series. Bea connects Christmas carols (like “In the Bleak Midwinter”) and Christmas fairy tales to the Christmas rose, or hellebore, which helps explain the last Christmas scene, in which Harry and Hermione visit Harry’s parents’ graves. That scene realizes the symbolic depths of the earlier Christmases and British religious culture represented in the series. How does one show love with empty hands but a full heart? Join us on a visit through the different Christmases of the Harry Potter books and rediscover the magic of the season. Our special segment this week takes you to Happy Hour at the Three Broomsticks for a special holiday wizard cocktail! As the days grow colder, we hope that this potion and this episode will warm your heart.

Rule-breaking for the right reasons on this episode of Potterversity.Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Beth Sutton-Ramspeck about her analysis of rule-breaking and creativity in the Harry Potter series. In the early 2000s, some parents wanted the Harry Potter books banned because the students at Hogwarts often broke the rules without consequences. We talk about why this misbehavior may actually point to important moral choices for the students, as they understand there are multiple sets of “rules” or principles in place at any given time. Sometimes the trouble they make is what John Lewis called “good trouble,” or evidence of Martin Luther King Jr.’s concept of “creative maladjustment.”We examine a variety of apparently maladjusted characters in the series: where they come by their perspective and how it’s useful to them. What constitutes creativity, and why is breaking the rules - and even defiance - a key part of it? The Death Eaters and villains like Dolores Umbridge and Voldemort are some of the most magically creative characters, but there are critical limitations to their creative expression. We look at the trio’s rebellious behavior as well as the pivotal importance of outsider characters like Luna Lovegood and Dobby, who some see as not only “weirdos” but also perhaps insane. And of course the Weasley twins bring their own brand of mischief - is it just troublemaking, or does it qualify as “good trouble”? Racial inequalities and injustice abound in the wizarding world and in our own; sometimes you can’t solve those problems by following the rules. Creative maladjustment to racism provides opportunities to change the system for the better.Our special “Owl Post” this week focuses on whether Hogwarts ought to banish Slytherin’s name from the school, due to his past misdeeds. We share our opinions. What do you think?

Catch a glimpse of the latest in Harry Potter scholarship and get oriented to our new podcast! In our first episode, Emily and Katy introduce the virtual Potter Studies education you can expect from Potterversity. We discuss the Harry Potter Academic Conference (HPAC) at Chestnut Hill College, which this year was held virtually. Kudos to Karen Wendling and Patrick McCauley for pulling off this gathering successfully in a way that allowed Potter scholars from all over the world to interact with each other. Hear about some of our favorite presentations, including Brent Satterly’s talk on LGBTQ responses to J.K. Rowling and several excellent close-readings of the books and movies. Many former Reading, Writing, Rowling guests appeared to discuss humor (Louise Freeman), Hogwarts: A History (Lana Whited), “creative maladjustment” (Beth Sutton-Ramspeck), Merlin and Dumbledore (Laurie Beckoff), and Quidditch (Caitlin Harper). In his featured presentation, Chris Bell wondered about whether we could read Harry as biracial to understand his position between two worlds. On Tyranny author Timothy Snyder’s keynote was an eye-opening political analysis connecting the history of totalitarianism to the Harry Potter books - with insights for us today as well. You’ll also get to hear about the papers Emily and Katy presented at the conference. Emily explains the thinking behind her talk about food and the eucharist in the wizarding world. As a liturgist, Emily became interested in the table fellowship at the end of Deathly Hallows, which has eucharistic overtones. Looking closely at the Sorcerer’s Stone, Emily tells us why there is so much emphasis on food, and how food is represented as transformative in an alchemical sense. Stay tuned for a “Dining Hall” episode on a future Potterversity episode where we’ll explore this topic even more. Katy’s presentation pondered whether Arthur Weasley’s “misuse of Muggle artifacts” is actually cultural appropriation, particularly with his bewitching of the Ford Anglia. Cultures do not stay static and isolated, but when does cultural borrowing become theft or offensive? The divide between Muggles and wizards - including wizard secrecy - makes this a complex question and helps us to approach the issue with sensitivity and nuance. The HPAC this year showed that Potter Studies reflects current social and political developments. Our times themselves are politically charged, and the Harry Potter books reveal that these trends have a long arc visible even two decades ago. Talking about issues in the context of the wizarding world allows us to engage with complex problems and political realities in a more neutral setting. Some problems recur in successive generations, which the series reflects, and this will continue to keep the Harry Potter books relevant. Our special segment for this episode: "Overheard in the Potterversity Staff Room" (with Katherine Sas).

In imaginative fiction, bridges provide access to magical and dangerous worlds. During this month’s episode, Katy and Emily talk about bridges in the Harry Potter books and movies. We’ve scoured the books and films for bridge images and references to see where they’re used and how. There are not many bridges in the books - though the Brockdale Bridge’s destruction at the beginning of Book 6 and the bridge in “The Tale of the Three Brothers” have important metaphorical significance. The villainous Dolores Umbridge also acts as a conduit for evil into Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic. The movies make good use of bridge imagery in thoughtfully chosen moments that make us ponder what connections or transformations are made there. We also talk about how each of the seven books of the Harry Potter series creates a literary bridge from one book to the next, keeping us reading. Looking at beginnings and endings of the books helps us to see how each book provides a sense of conclusion, but also leaves the reader wanting to know what will happen next. These bridges from book to book simultaneously reinforce the connection we Muggle readers feel to this fantasy realm and forge links between Harry and the wizarding world, where he feels more at home. Here at the RWR podcast, we are hoping to create a strong bridge for you, our listeners, to lead you to our new, magical podcasting adventure: Potterversity! We are making a few changes to our format and proceeding under a new name, but most of our team is the same, including Katy and Emily and many of your favorite guests. Although we will not be doing any more RWR podcasts after this one, you will still have access to archived episodes. To continue your higher education Hogwarts experience, please do join us at Potterversity: A Potter Studies Podcast, made in association with MuggleNet, where you will continue to get the incisive academic perspective on the books and fan culture you love.

Literary alchemy provides clues to the romantic pairings in Harry Potter. Why did Ron and Hermione, Remus and Tonks, and Bill and Fleur end up paired together? Literary alchemy holds the symbolic answers. Katy and John talk this month with Elizabeth Baird Hardy (Mayland Community College) and Beatrice Groves (Oxford University) about the alchemical pairings of elements that reveal themselves in the Harry Potter series and beyond. John provides a short explanation of literary alchemy and why certain pairings - mercury and sulfur, for example, represented in Hermione and Ron - are seen as critically important. Humoral combinations (phlegm, black bile, yellow bile, and blood) also symbolically represent the resolution of contraries, central to the alchemical idea of transformation through being broken down (solve) and then joining together again anew (coagula). Elizabeth and Bea connect these alchemical weddings to Shakespeare’s comedies (and Romeo and Juliet) as well as Christian tradition. We discuss not only the Quarreling Couple, but also the Philosophical Orphan - the legacy of a broken romantic coupling, like Harry or Teddy Lupin. Following the orphan through the process of purification, we readers experience the solve et coagula of alchemical transformation ourselves. John explains the big alchemical wedding moment of the series, which may surprise you. We also look at alchemical pairings in other Rowling works, including the Fantastic Beasts films and Cormoran Strike, and use our understanding of alchemical combinations to predict Newt and Tina’s relationship (the Niffler plays a central role!) as well as Robin’s and Cormoran’s romantic fumblings.

Far from an offhand or casually constructed story, The Ickabog intentionally continues many of the themes and structures of the Harry Potter books in a fairy tale genre. In this month’s episode, Katy and John talk with Harry Potter scholars John Pazdziora (University of Tokyo-Komaba) and Lana Whited (Ferrum College) about our first analyses of The Ickabog, which was released in installments from June to July 2020. The slow release has allowed fans of Harry Potter once again the delights of speculating about what will happen next, and we have captured that spirit in our conversation recorded after Chapter 51 was posted. Lana Whited points out the connections with "The Emperor’s New Clothes," while John Pazdziora shows how they fit within the French conte tradition that combined fairy tales with social criticism. Following both those traditions, The Ickabog lures the reader into a politically sharp and often violent tale. We discuss what the fairy tale theories of Bruno Bettelheim tell us about how children process gruesome stories. The third-person omniscient, even parental, voice of the narrator serves a purpose in talking readers through the difficult experiences of the Cornucopians. Other literary allusions abound. The name “Beamish” references “The Jabberwocky”; the Ickabog reminds of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” The Ickabog’s cave recalls Odysseus’s encounter with the Cyclops, but also Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, where the stories that compose reality are revealed to be false. We consider whether The Reluctant Dragon and The BFG might contains clues for us about the Ickabog’s true nature. We also use Freudian psychoanalysis to interpret the story in surprising ways. The Ickabog’s name allows several possible literary and linguistic interpretations. The Ickabog is a story about stories: why we tell them, how they influence us, and how our interpretations may change with our experience of the world. There are similarities between this story and both Harry Potter and the Cormoran Strike series. From common thematic elements to alchemical symbolism and once again a chiastic, turtleback structure for the tale, we consider how parallels to these other works reveal the meaning of The Ickabog. We then use that knowledge to make predictions for its end. How well did we predict it? Listen in and see what you think!

Explore the surprising relevance of Beedle the Bard’s first tale - “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot” - in this week’s episode. “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot” seems like a simple story on the surface, but Katy and Emily with their guest Travis Prinzi (Harry Potter and Imagination) uncover the challenging complexities of this tale. We look at the fairy tale motifs Rowling uses, and also ways this streamlined narrative acts almost as a parable. The young wizard learns his lesson in the end, but does he learn it in the right way and for the right reasons? The themes link to Christian texts like the parable of the talents, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan. Beedle’s story also references generational inheritance of power and responsibility, which echoes main ideas of the larger Harry Potter book series. These themes resonate with other works, from Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are to The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. The story’s commentary explains that this narrative exists in different versions, rewritten for different contexts and audiences. Particularly Albus Dumbledore’s portrayal of Beatrix Bloxam’s saccharine revision slaps back at the suggestion that children should be sheltered from important realities to which they must develop a moral response. Beedle’s tale gives voice to the grim and grotesque miseries of the wizard’s “other,” which demand remedy and cannot be ignored. Dumbledore’s reflections on the story point out that Beedle was writing at a time when wizards were persecuted by Muggles. In helping his potential persecutors, the young wizard makes himself vulnerable - and yet, this is what he must do. This tale has essential lessons for our own times, as we are called to recognize how the suffering of others calls us to their service, despite the inconveniences and despite the risks. Beedle asks us to dare to heal our communities with courage and the talents we possess. The world is knocking at our door, and our conscience requires a response: How will we answer?

Take a closer look at the fierce and fine Ginny Weasley in this bonus episode. Katy and Emily talk with Louise Freeman (Mary Baldwin University) about Ginny Weasley, examining why some fans dislike her as well as what is admirable about her. We compare book-Ginny with movie-Ginny and consider the effect of scenes left out of the films on our impression of the character. Romantic love is at the heart of our discussion, but is that all Ginny has to offer? Does she transcend her role as Harry Potter’s girlfriend? We talk about her influence on other characters and the central plot of the series, as well as the development of her own unique story arc. Looking at Ginny Weasley Potter of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child also provides an opportunity to reflect on her core qualities and her relationship with Harry as an adult. Ginny becomes more interesting as the series progresses, and so rereading reveals important and surprising insights, not only on her character but also on building romantic relationships - and family - in a time of crisis.

Deconstruct Beedle the Bard’s tale “Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump” with us in our latest bonus episode! Katy and Emily talk with Katherine Sas (University of Pennsylvania) about the wizard fairy tale featuring the wily and witchy Babbitty Rabbitty. We discuss how J.K. Rowling developed the concept and how it connects with the themes of the Harry Potter series. Is this a story about death, as Albus Dumbledore suggests? The story demonstrates ways people manage their deepest fears. Considering that this story plays on common fairy tale tropes and undermines them, we talk about the fusion of the Trickster and the Crone, and Kat reminds us that Babbitty Rabbitty shares characteristics with Baba Yaga from Slavic folk tales. We also discuss the animal imagery used in the story and contemplate heroic rabbits in literature, including Watership Down. Beedle’s tale also has a political dimension that highlights Rowling’s themes about the abuse of power and the courage of marginalized and overlooked people. In the face of violent power, Babbitty remains unbroken and laughing.

Take a surprising closer look at Petunia Dursley in this week’s episode. Harry’s Aunt Petunia is one of the lesser villains of Rowling’s fantasy series, but in this bonus episode, Katy and Emily hear Emma Nicholson’s rereading of Petunia in light of what we find out at the end of the last book. Considering how Petunia was rejected from the wizarding world in her childhood, and other hints of her humanity and vulnerability, we find some sympathy for Lily’s sister. Petunia is at the center of the Muggle-wizard divide and reveals that the wizards - including Albus Dumbledore - have not always been in the right. Do you remember what Petunia’s last gift to Lily was? We explore the symbolism of the two flower sisters, the influence of Vernon Dursley on Petunia Evans, and the emotional difficulty of living - and raising children - on the boundary between two worlds.

Which of the wizarding world books mentioned in the Harry Potter series would you most like to have on your bookshelf? Join us in considering the funniest, most important, and most intriguing books within the Harry Potter books in this bonus episode. Emily and Katy talk with Professor Lana Whited (Ferrum College) about the many books J.K. Rowling invented for the wizarding world. Which ones are most central to the plot? Which are the most dangerous? Which would be the most entertaining? We also discuss the effect of having all of these wizard-specific books and what the series is teaching us about reading, knowledge, and critical thinking. As Lana reminds us, Rowling’s point is that books are the most powerful magic of all.

Graduating seniors connect their experiences this spring to the final Harry Potter book. In this special episode, Emily, Katy, and Lana Whited (Ferrum College) talk with high school and college seniors who are separated from their friends and schools this spring because of the COVID-19 crisis. Neil Fredericksen (Franklin County High School), Jamie Gilbert (Ferrum College), and Miranda Veal (UNC-Chapel Hill) share their feelings about missing the last part of their senior year. Responding to the viral post about similarities between this experience and what Harry, Ron, and Hermione went through in their lost seventh year, our guests connect their own stories with the trio’s exile in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. We talk about the similarities in the missed opportunities, isolation, unpredictability, and lack of closure. We also explore the important differences that Harry Potter fans see between fighting a deadly virus and fighting the Dark Lord. Once again, our conversation reinforces how important the Harry Potter series is for interpreting challenging events in our own lives. From all of us at Reading, Writing, Rowling, a big congratulations to all the seniors graduating this year! May we look back upon this time as one in which we did not what was easy, but what was right, to keep our loved ones, friends, and even strangers safe from harm.

Prognostications about the next Cormoran Strike novel, based on the clues so far. In this bonus episode, John and Katy predict what will happen in the next novel in the Rowling/Galbraith Cormoran Strike series with the help of Elizabeth Baird Hardy (Milton, Spencer, and the Chronicles of Narnia) and Beatrice Groves (Literary Allusion in Harry Potter). Given the Strike 5 title Troubled Blood, John explains Rowling’s reliance on the blood motif in Harry Potter and ponders its recurrence in Cormoran Strike. We speculate about the possibility of Marilyn Manson epigraphs through the book, how Manson lyrics could connect with key characters, and whether this blows apart the potential for repeating the chiastic structure of the Harry Potter series. Other clues point to the phrase “troubled blood” in Edmund Spenser’s Faerie Queene. Like Rowling, Spenser mixes genres, with literary allusions abounding. Britomart, Florimell, and the Redcrosse Knight provide hints for the plot and characters of Strike 5: women in danger, Robin in disguise, depression and suicide, doppelgängers. From tattoos to Twitter headers, we leave no clue unexamined! Are we on the right track? What do you think?

Enjoy a special bonus mini episode of our show about how we’re “holding on to Harry Potter.” Katy and Emily talk with MuggleNet’s Laurie Beckoff about how to navigate our love of Harry Potter with new revelations from J.K. Rowling that challenge what we thought we knew. Laurie explains her theory that the wizarding world extends beyond the books and has become a common language for our culture, an idea she expressed in her article “Holding on to Harry Potter.” Laurie connects us with the “death of the author” literary idea, and Emily makes comparisons to H.P. Lovecraft, J.R.R. Tolkien, and (of course) Star Wars. We may sometimes feel the Disillusionment Charm has been cast on us with new tweets from the author and by developing, as readers, a stronger critical perspective on the series. Nevertheless, we discuss how each of us still holds close the themes and values that first made us love the books.

Explore the more-than-magical power of words and rhetoric in the wizarding world. This month’s episode explores Albus Dumbledore’s wisdom that “Words are our most inexhaustible source of magic.” Mark-Anthony Lewis (Bristol Community College and School on Wheels of Massachusetts) helps Emily and Katy understand how speech and rhetoric operate in the wizarding world. He explains why “Harry Potter Has a Consent Problem,” and the importance of not only choice but lack of choice for certain characters and beings (like Muggles) in the Harry Potter series. Spells, of course, gain their power from words, but Mark-Anthony also points to pivotal moments where speeches are more powerful than magical spells. Dumbledore in particular uses speech instead of magic at critical points to persuade and to empower others in the magical community. Mark-Anthony applies the ideas of rhetoricians like Gorgias, Kenneth Burke, Lloyd Bitzer, and Richard Vatz to explore where the power of language and speech originates, and how it builds relationships and empowers listeners. Does the prophesy constrain Harry’s action through the words it relays? We consider Harry’s means of retrieving the real memory about the Horcrux conversation from Slughorn - which he thinks will involve magic but Hermione knows will require persuasion. How do free will and destiny intersect with speech and rhetoric? The wizarding world often disdains the physical violence of the Muggle world, but accepts violence generated by the words uttered in spells. Wizards are sometimes blind to the fact that words can do great damage, and to other kinds of physical communication, like the way animals or beasts speak. Mark-Anthony explains that Hagrid is more in tune with this kind of communication, in ways that other wizards are often not, and makes a quite creative connection to the gamekeeper of Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Characters like Lockhart, Dumbledore, Voldemort, and Snape employ a variety of rhetorical styles and devices. We talk about Harry Frankfurt’s concept of (to put it politely) “baloney” as well as the concept of “techne” to understand how key characters communicate and persuade through their speech. Is Snape a kind of Victor Frankenstein? We conclude with some thoughts about insights regarding crisis communication in the Harry Potter series that we might apply to our current difficult times.

Get to the heart of werewolves in the Harry Potter series in this month’s special double episode!In this supersized episode, John and Katy talk with literary scholars and werewolf specialists Dr. Melissa Aaron (California Polytechnic State University) and Dr. Renée Ward (University of Lincoln, UK) to reveal the true nature of beastly transformations in the Harry Potter series. “Everything you know about werewolves is wrong,” Melissa tells us, explaining the literary origins of werewolf lore and its key elements. Renée explains the diversity of classical and medieval lyncanthrope references, which were not necessarily judgmental but often emphasized martial violence and extreme difference. Melissa cautions that there is no stable “Ye Olde Book of Werewolves” with one static understanding of what werewolves are or were, but you will nevertheless get lots of ideas for your werewolf reading list from our discussion.What do werewolves represent? Often they represent the beast within, and fear of oneself, which is clearly a theme of Rowling’s series, especially with Remus Lupin. Renée explains the significance also of Fenrir Greyback (and his name), and how both he and Lupin are searching for similar things: in struggling with their own identities, they look for communities in which they can find acceptance and play meaningful, powerful roles. Rowling’s archive of character histories reveals important contrasts in Remus’s and Fenrir’s development. Werewolves in general, and these two characters in particular, explore the fear that having been a victim of a predator, one may become a predator oneself.Newt Scamander in his Fantastic Beasts textbook has difficulty categorizing werewolves as “beings” or “beasts.” Rowling problematizes such a binary system, using the werewolf as a case study. Transformation is a fundamental, often involuntary part of werewolf nature. To her magical world, Rowling adds Animagi and Metamorphmagi, who transform at will. Why does she do that? What do we think about the concept of wolfsbane as a medical treatment for lycanthropy? We look at the various metaphorical readings scholars have used to understand Rowling’s transforming characters, the alchemy of these transformations, struggles with one’s own duality, and whether the novels support a romantic “Beauty and the Beast” reading of werewolf relationships. The movies, the Twilight series, and the new Fantastic Beasts films (especially Nagini) - we leave no stone unturned in this conversation! Human/animal transfiguration, we realize, is genuinely at the heart of Rowling’s most important themes.The nuance, humor, and deep literary knowledge of this episode will tremendously expand your view of human transformation in the Harry Potter series.Please join the conversation via email ([email protected]), Twitter (ReadWriteRowl), or our Facebook page! We’d love to hear from you.

**This episode is dedicated to our friends in Australia, including our fabulous editor Emma Nicholson, who are still dealing with the aftermath of the recent fires. Our hearts are with you.**Whether you love or hate - or love to hate - Draco Malfoy, you will thoroughly enjoy our deep dive into this controversial bad boy of the Harry Potter series.In this month’s episode, John and Katy talk with “Hogwarts Professor” Louise Freeman (Mary Baldwin University) and “Bathilda’s Notebook” author Beatrice Groves (Oxford University) about the many facets of Draco Malfoy. We consider his literary and film predecessors, whether he’s the cool kid or not, and whether he breaks out of the cardboard villain stereotype. What does J.K. Rowling want us to think about him? Bea reveals surprising connections to both Kipling and the movie The Young Sherlock Holmes.We also parallel Draco and other villainous characters in the series, like Dudley, to see how they compare as bullies and whether they have redemptive experiences. How do their relationships with their parents affect them? Both have life-changing experiences with evil that influence their actions at the end of the series. Louise explains the importance of parental influence and we consider the degree to which Dudley and Draco both operate as extensions of their larger families. Harry, as an orphan and a stranger to the magical world, has an ability to act independently that his antagonists do not. We look at the arc of the two characters over the whole course of the series and what events have the most profound influence on them. Particularly, Malfoy’s moment in "The Lightning-Struck Tower" gets our full attention, complete with Biblical and Shakespearean allusions.Is the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child version of Draco the same character? We consider how the parenting, bullying, and friendship themes are carried into the play, and how it influences our understanding of Draco as a character. The Albus and Scorpius friendship might be a reimagining of Harry and Draco’s relationship, with Rose as perhaps the prejudiced bully character. Draco also functions as a symbol - with his cratylic name and dragon/snake references - which we explore in relation to literary allusions as well as the larger themes in the series. Harry’s ability to communicate with snakes, and his use of the Slytherin spell Sectumsempra against Draco, reflect his own ambivalence as his relationship with Draco develops. Should we feel pity for Malfoy, especially during that last year stuck in Malfoy Manor with the Dark Lord? Does Draco demonstrate any regret at the end? You do not want to miss this debate! Please join the conversation via email ([email protected]), Twitter (ReadWriteRowl), or our Facebook page! We’d love to hear from you.

Discover the origins, influence, and magic of medievalist children’s fantasy literature in our conversation with Dr. Maria Sachiko Cecire about her new book Re-Enchanted: The Rise of Children’s Fantasy Literature in the Twentieth Century (University of Minnesota Press).In this episode, Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Maria Cecire (Director of the Center for Experimental Humanities at Bard College) about the importance of “minor” literary genres: medieval literature, children’s literature, and fantasy literature. Childhood and the European Middle Ages alike are often scorned as undeveloped periods of irrationalism and immaturity, but they are also important origin times during which the adult and the modern world are formed. Magic, belief, and innocence can be emphasized (against science, rationalism, experience) in literatures directed toward these formative developmental periods. These “trivial” literary genres ultimately have tremendous impact on our expectations for ourselves and our world, making childhood and the Middle Ages a common “psychological landscape,” Maria says, that becomes a focal point for our collective hopes and fears.In the spirit of the season, we also connect contemporary ideas about Christmas with these ideas about medievalism, magic, and childhood. Both fantasy children’s literature and many of the “traditions” of Christmas celebration allow a bridge for adults into the enchanted realm of belief so characteristic of childhood. We consider the explicit references to Christmas in children’s fantasy literature, like Harry Potter, and its literary use as a portal for enchantment and belief.

Eavesdrop on our conference conversation recorded at Chestnut Hill College!This episode showcases both the new and enduring trends in Harry Potter scholarship, as seen at the Harry Potter Academic Conference at Chestnut Hill College in October 2019. Katy and Emily talk with a panel of scholars who organized, attended, and/or presented at the conference: Laurie Beckoff, Lauren Camacci, Elise Trudel Cedeño, Louise Freeman, Patrick McCauley, Kat Sas, Karen Wendling, and Lana Whited.We talk about the ways presenters found new insights in character studies (of Professor McGonagall, Luna Lovegood, Dolores Umbridge) and thematic studies (models of education, medieval tropes, house-elf liberation), how they embraced new methodologies (digital humanities, geography) and asked new questions (Why are love potions feminized? Where did Rowling get her understanding of Cormoran Strike’s injury?), and how they considered not just the books but also films (including Fantastic Beasts) and fan works. Many presentations connected Rowling’s stories with the world we are living in today. Where is Potter scholarship headed? Why are these stories still so relevant to us? We share our thoughts on general trends in the field, as witnessed in the variety of topics presented year-to-year.Join us for a fun and varied roundtable conversation about the research presented at the conference and our experience of the event, which has become a kind of pilgrimage site for fans and aca-fans.

Harry Potter empowers us to speak across borders of difference and find our authentic voices.In this month’s episode, Katy and Emily talk with Dr. M’Balia Thomas (University of Kansas) about the border-crossings of students like Harry and Hermione, which M’Balia calls the “Harry Potter Border-Crossing Analogy” (HPBCA). Wizarding world characters’ experiences of going into a different world, with a different language and social system, can help us develop empathy for real-world border-crossers, including particularly second-language learners in the classroom environment. M’Balia also talks personally about how the Harry Potter novels have helped her find her authentic voice, as a woman of color in academia, as a southerner teaching in the Midwest. Rafael Carneiro (Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil) and Amy Quirin (University of Kansas) also join us to discuss research all three scholars are producing on Albus Dumbledore’s pedagogy. Is Dumbledore a good teacher? M’Balia, Rafael, and Amy are studying his teaching methodology through digital textual analysis of the language he uses when he instructs other characters.

Fandoms and film adaptations of Middle-earth and the Wizarding World in this week’s episode.Katy and John continue the conversation with Dr. Sara Brown and Dr. Amy Sturgis, this time focusing on the fans and the film versions of the iconic fantasy series of J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling. We discuss whether the Rowling and Tolkien fandoms are oppositional or intersecting, and what the newer Rowling fan community can learn from Tolkien fans’ experiences. In both fandoms, there are questions about how people became interested in the worlds (books, movies, cosplay), intergenerational and global differences, and people who mingle elements of Middle-Earth and the wizarding world in their own creative fan productions. Amy asks, “What Hogwarts house would Galadriel have been in?”

What does the wizarding world owe to Middle-earth?This month, Katy and John talk about the fantasy worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling with guests Dr. Sara Brown (Rydal Penrhos School and Signum University) and Dr. Amy Sturgis (Lenoir-Rhyne University). Though Rowling has minimized the influence of Tolkien’s saga on her own world-building, readers can spot several connections at the superficial level, from names (Wormtongue/Wormtail, Butterbur/butterbeer, Longbottom) to frightening magical beings (Ringwraiths/Dementors, Shelob/Aragog) and important magical objects (Mirror of Galadriel/Mirror of Erised/Pensieve). The influence carries over to the themes (coping with mortality, loyalty, and friendship) as well as their critiques of modern society. Both series classify as “fairy stories” according to Tolkien’s definitive essay on the subject. Amy calls Rowling’s work “a modern-day Tolkienian project.”

J.K. Rowling’s comedy helps us connect with the darker themes of the Harry Potter story.Join us for Part 2 of our discussion of “Humor and Harry Potter,” where we continue our conversation with Emily Strand (Mount Carmel College of Nursing), Louise Freeman (Mary Baldwin University), and Caitlin Harper (NYDA - Harry Potter Alliance, New York City). Exploring humor theories, we analyze how Rowling’s comedy works and its effect on the reader. We talk about how the laughs are balanced out by frightening and tragic moments, and how so much of the tragedy in the books stems from jokes gone wrong. We also consider the humor in the films, fan creations, and Rowling's other works.

What are your favorite funny moments in Harry Potter?J.K. Rowling’s deft use of humor is one of the core reasons for the success of the Harry Potter series, yet one which is not much discussed. In this first of a two-part episode, we remedy that lack! Katy talks with Emily Strand (Mount Carmel College of Nursing), Caitlin Harper (NYDA, Harry Potter Alliance—New York City), and Louise Freeman (Mary Baldwin University) about the silliest scenes, wittiest phraseology, funniest foods, and most amusing characters in the Harry Potter series.

Uncover the literary secrets within Harry Potter, Cormoran Strike, and Fantastic Beasts!In this episode, Katy and John do a deep dive into the symbolism and transformative power of J.K. Rowling’s work. First, John describes the concept of literary alchemy and how literature can effect an alchemical transformation on readers. Then, special guest Evan Willis (University of Dallas) explains how Renaissance alchemical symbolism intertwines with classical myth in Harry Potter and Cormoran Strike. From the Orestes myth to Castor and Pollux and Leda and the swan, we learn about the well of myths Rowling draws from in her literary creations.

Explore the many Harry Potter references to King Arthur in this month’s episode! Three generations of Potter scholars gather to talk about J.K. Rowling’s Arthurian influences. From significant naming of characters to points of plot and theme, Katy and John discuss the many connections between the wizarding world and the medievalism of the King Arthur stories with special guests Laurie Beckoff (MuggleNet, MSc University of Edinburgh) and Beatrice Groves (Oxford University, author of Literary Allusion in Harry Potter). Come along for this wide-ranging and meaningful discussion about knights and enchanters and women in ponds distributing swords!

Whether you love the movies or hate them, this episode will open your eyes to the challenges and artistry of the Harry Potter movies.In this episode, Janet Batchler, screenwriter (Batman Forever, Pompeii) and professor at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, helps us understand the Harry Potter movies, what we love about them and why - as well as what bothers us about them and why. Professor Batchler and Katy, along with returning guests Kat Sas and Elizabeth Baird Hardy, talk about the value of critically examining the Harry Potter movies to understand the technical challenges of film adaptation.

You do not want to miss this compelling, poignant episode about the power of reading (and reading Harry Potter in particular) in our emotional lives. Harry Potter helps adoptive and foster families deal with trauma, questions of identity, and family relationships. In this episode, Katy and her co-host Emily Strand investigate the use of Harry Potter as “bibliotherapy,” especially for adoptive and foster families. Margie Fink, co-founder of Transfiguring Adoption (transfiguringadoption.com), explains to us how she was inspired to create resources for adoptive and foster families - parents as well as children - from the Harry Potter books but also other young adult literature and media. Louise Freeman (Mary Baldwin University) and Lana Whited (Ferrum College) join us in discussing the value of literature for encouraging empathy, dealing with trauma and PTSD, and coping with issues of family and identity.

Who could have predicted this episode? Join us in Divination Class for this episode on tarot, astrology, and games in the Harry Potter series. With the help of guests Eglantine Pillet (Sorbonne, University of Paris) and Beatrice Groves (Oxford University), Katy and John examine the symbols of prediction, destiny, and cosmic interconnection in J.K. Rowling’s universe.

This month join us at alchemist Nicolas Flamel’s house, where we’re searching for answers to the profound questions raised by the second film in the Fantastic Beasts series. Spoilers abound!The Crimes of Grindelwald left a lot of fans and critics scratching their heads. With our guests Elizabeth Baird Hardy (Mayland Community College), Megan Kelly (SpeakBeasty), and Lana Whited (Ferrum College), Katy and John investigate the mythic, literary, and alchemical references in this movie to answer key questions and decipher where the series may be headed next.