Alohomora!: The Original Harry Potter Book Club

*Trigger warnings for this episode: suicidal thoughts and death of a loved one On Episode 303 we discuss... → "Azkaban Guards" = magical policemen? Not quite → Why are parents not concerned that their children will be surrounded by Dementors in PoA? → Is Harry already suffering from mental health issues in PoA? → Are wizards behind Muggle society in the field of psychology? YES → Dementor's Kiss =...

On Episode 302 we discuss... → Grace’s famous last words, “I don’t think there’s anything controversial in this one!” → Action set-piece + character growth all in one → The trio forms a good plan for once! → Why didn't they ask Bill for advice? → The quest for Bellatrix’s wand → Why was Hermione chosen to play the role of Bellatrix? → Bi-Harry? Why not → Can House Elves penetrate Fidelius Charms??...

On Episode 301 we discuss... → How has Potter shaped your own personal or social environment? → "The Harry Potter series is a massive lesson on the notion of death" → Which character deaths got send-offs and which didn't? → Life following loss → What kind of afterlife would you want in the Potter universe? → "I really do believe that Voldemort was a good leader" → So many daddy issues → A great po...

On Episode Zero we discuss...   → A behind the scenes look at the inception of the show → How will this podcast be different from all others? → Are our interpretations just as valid as JKR's? → Kat doesn't want to be a narrator → In-depth analysis begins! → Crackpot theories → Is Dumbledore's watch anything more than a watch? → Patrick and his Robin Williams impressions → So, Alohomora is Potter o...

Our wizard rock song from episode 300! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/alohomora-the-original-harry-potter-book-club--5016402/support .

On Episode 300 we discuss... → Our statement on recent events → A special message from familiar voices → Can we stop talking? It's doubtful... → A prolonged trip down memory lane → Is it alive? WE STILL DON'T KNOW → Bring us your art, your poetry, your voices! → Alohomora turns into a wizard rock band - literally → Can I phone a friend? → Talking to our past selves is fun! → "All aboard the trash...

On Episode 299 we discuss... → "We don't know jack about this boy" → Why did we not get a backstory on this critical character? → The weakest link → How much magical talent did Peter have? → "If there is a way to survive, he will find it" → Adaptable, resourceful, and competent? → Is Peter the best evidence that we sort too soon? → Why did Peter choose Percy to be his human? → The silver hand: a g...

On Episode 298 we discuss... → "Thoughts can leave deeper scarring than almost anything else." → Is Madam Pomfrey a master potioneer? → Is Umbridge's trauma due to loss of control? → Harry is just DONE → Ultimate sassy McGonagall → Harry actually has a moment to grieve! → Ron's emotional teaspoon grows into a dessert spoon → Sirius and his parallels to the Deathly Hallows → Where Nick fails, Luna...

On Episode 297 we discuss... → Turtleback storytelling → This is structured writing. Character-driven? Baloney! → We know that C.S. Lewis used this technique because of Rowling! → What do Twilight and Star Wars have in common with Potter? → OOTP = OCD → J.K. Rowling has a tattoo? → Literary alchemy is here to blow your mind → What does Order of the Phoenix have to do with Ewoks? → GoF = the crucia...

On Episode 296 we discuss... → GoF - the one time we see Sirius as a good father figure → Why does FakeMoody teach students to throw off the Imperius Curse? → What DID Moody do to the witch who shouted, "Boo!" behind him on April Fool's Day? → "Hagrid is the actual worst." → Goblin rebellions sound fascinating! → *cough*Lockhart*cough* → "Fanfiction - the gift that keeps on giving." → House Elves...

On Episode 295 we discuss... → How did Ron get away with bringing a rat to school, anyway? → Are magical pets a reflection of their owners? OMG YES → "Errol's going to outlive them all." → Crackpot theories about Crookshanks and Mrs. Norris → Amphibious metamorphosis and how it compares to Neville → How phoenixes are like jellyfish... and hipsters → "In the Harry Potter universe, rabbits exist onl...

On Episode 294 we discuss... → Does Golpalott’s Third Law actually make sense? → What if Harry had given a bezoar to Snape? → Slughorn compares Harry to Lily more than James → Why didn't Harry just ask Dumbledore what a Horcrux was? → Alohomora Research Corner: powered by Ctrl-F → A glimpse into classroom seating charts courtesy of the Hogwarts houses → Is Wilkie Twycross yet another bad teacher?...

On Episode 293 we discuss... → The political structure of the wizarding world → Do wizards see the Queen as the Head of State? → Is there magic within the monarchy and Parliament? → Rosie has become the official wizarding world archivist → The hierarchy of departments within the Ministry of Magic → Arthur Weasley - a lovable example of benign corruption? → How does British politics work, anyway? A...

On Episode 292 we discuss… → Was Quirrell a victim of toxic masculinity? → You had me at hello → Lockhart is amazing at alliteration → "There is plenty to be learned even from a bad teacher..." → Lupin is Elsa...conceal, don't feel → Harry's first sane DADA teacher! → Did Barty Crouch Jr. enjoy teaching? → Good teacher, good actor, good plot twist, terrible human being → Parallels between Umbridge...

On this special bonus episode we discuss… → Getting involved with Harry Potter → The Wizarding Language of Heraldry → Deep dive into imagery, cover by cover → Black Dog and Potter → Artistic style, keeping 20 years new → Crafting the covers → Drawing Hogwarts Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/alohomora-the-original-harry-potter-book-club--5016402/support .

On Episode 291 we discuss... → Inbreeding is bad because it causes confusion! → Bellatrix has a dragon heartstring wand, which is a core shared by an odd cadre of characters → Why Bellatrix was killed by Molly Weasley → All of London should be covered in statues of Molly Weasley! → Why does Narcissa protect Harry in the Battle of Hogwarts? → Why did Narcissa only have one child? → How did Andromed...

On Episode 290 we discuss... Why is there no mention of Lily’s birthday? Harry is always comparing Bellatrix to Sirius Why is Umbridge terrible at everything, and why does she have it out for Trelawney? Snaps for Lee Jordan! Snape is the WORST at teaching Occlumency Kat’s teenage dating stories! Zoe wants to yell at Eric Scull Irvin has a ship that completely horrifies the other hosts Roger Davies...

On Episode 289 we discuss… → Red shirt Death Eaters → The slippery slope of the Elder Wand's power → "I look real good in half-moons." → "The shop will choose the apprentice." → Could Boggarts be deadly? → Inter-species education → What happens to Muggleborns who aren't allowed to go to school? → Wizard money and taxes - good luck giving correct change! → Hidden animagi and where to find them → Ro...

On Episode 288 we discuss… → How much do broomsticks cost?? → Who would have taken Harry's place as Seeker? → Oliver Wood's best chapter → How did Sirius REALLY buy the Firebolt? → How did Hermione keep Lupin's secret for so long? → Are Boggarts sentient? Remus certainly has an affinity for them! → Why "Expecto"? → Dungeons and Dragons makes its way into Harry Potter → Daniel Radcliffe's most icon...

On Episode 287 we discuss… - Do we pronounce the T in “Voldemort”? - Why is Voldemort drawn to Horcruxes, and why 7? - We hate controversy… but was Harry a Horcrux? - What was Voldemort going to turn into a Horcrux with Harry’s murder? - Why not use the Fidelius Charm on Horcruxes? Can you be your own Secret-Keeper? - Did Voldemort choose how he looks? What inspired him? - We want to hunt diadems...

On Episode 286 we discuss...  → Everyone is sad that Ron is dead gone → The cause for Hermione's tears → Mutiny! → Les MiserHogwarts → "This is some Gryffindor nonsense!" → Grindelwald, the Deathly Hallows, and who knows anymore? → Cursed Child parallels! → Bonding in graveyards → Fitting epitaphs → Rings and connections → We all cry for a while Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spre...

On Episode 285 we discuss… - Deathly Hallows is book-ended by good food - Home is where the food is - We'll never look at movie food the same way again - One minute feasts? Yes please! - Oh, that's why Hufflepuffs sleep near the kitchens! - Hermione is not the domestic type - Growing boys need a LOT of food! - Danielle explains British food for us Americans - Crazy American foods in comparison - W...

On Episode 284 we discuss... → Lockhart should have been the Hogwarts Drama teacher...or a Siren → What really happened to the Wagga Wagga Werewolf? → The Not-So-Restricted Section → Hermione's one track plan → Symbolic Quidditch → Alison (and everyone) just really, really, really loves Oliver Wood → Fred and George, ultimate protective Beaters → Where are the adults with this Bludger? → "Breathin...

On Episode 283 we discuss... → Is Lily Evans a Mary Sue? → Irvin recommends the “Lily Evans” web series by Apple Juice Productions → What was the turning point for Lily and James coming together? → Lily’s unusual inter-house friendship with Snape, and how much you can forgive your friends → Would Harry be spoiled if he had been raised by Lily and James? → Harry gets his bravery from James and his...

On Episode 282 we discuss... → Tom Riddle the pun master → Harry doubts expelliarmus for the first and last time → Harry's journey with unforgivable curses → Voldemort's psychological torture backfires → Mechanics of fighting the imperius curse → Harry's quidditch training is very applicable → All Voldemort talks about is killing Harry → Does it hurt to die? → Lots of ring composition → More than...