1997-2007 in review

Both Mugglenet and The Leaky Cauldron have posted retrospectives of the last ten years. Mugglenet's is an extensive timeline, and TLC's is a thrilling movie montage. If they used Accio Quote in their research, I hope it was helpful!

Mugglenet Presents... the Decade in Review 1997-2007
10 Years in Harry Potter, A Video Retrospective by The Leaky Cauldron

Beware NYT article on spoilers

In writing about fandom and spoilers, I believe that today's article on the New York Times "Defenders of Secrets, Unite!" is too explicit, and may detail a spoiler itself. The writer basically interviews the heads of the major news fansites and authors of commentary books about how they feel about spoilers and how Book 7 might end, so if you keep up on the news at The Leaky Cauldron and Mugglenet there is nothing new here.

Later edit: If you are trying to stay spoiler-free (even the hoax ones), skip the Keith Olbermann video on MSNBC too.

Mugglenet book a NYT "Editor's Choice"

Well, how cool is this? Mugglenet's book What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7? was just made an Editor's Choice by the New York Times Book Review!

Quotage (author is Lee Siegel):

You realize something as you follow these fans through questions of loyalty (just how binding is the “life debt” that one wizard owes to another who saves his life?); of love (is it a lack of sexual tension that makes Harry and Hermione friends?); of self-esteem (“Neville’s early lack of skill may be nothing more than the result of meager self-confidence”). If Rowling’s genius lies in the replete, self-contained world she has created for young people, then to the extent that her readers have entered into this world, they partake of her imaginative genius.

To put it another way, Spartz and company aren’t jumping up and down on YouTube or sending out minute-by-minute dispatches about their state of mind on MySpace. They are traveling out of their own selves into someone else’s imagined universe, where they seem happy, even grateful, to find pieces of their lives without encountering the slightest reference to themselves.

Nice work guys, and congratulations!

And on a more somber note, the Times also reported about the controversy over the Newbery winner A Higher Power of Lucky's use of a medical word for a man's genitalia (I'm not squeamish, I just don't want to get blocked). I thought the book was delightful and powerful.

Leaky Mug Trivia Contest

Here are the questions we prepared for the "Leaky Mug" podcast Trivia Challenge. Remember, they only had 10 seconds to answer.

Hogwarts
1. Name a female Hogwarts Headmaster.

2. How many secret passages are there out of Hogwarts, including those that are now blocked?

3. Why does Harry make his first visit to Dumbledore's office?

4. Despite Madam Pince's protectiveness, we have seen one Hogwarts library book desecrated. Who did it? (actually 2 possible answers)

5. After falling through Fluffy's trap door, Hermione says they "must be miles below the school." What floor did they fall from?

Magical creatures
1. In Greek mythology, Hercules 2nd labour was to kill the nine-headed Hydra, but each time he cut off one its heads, two would grow in its place. How did he stop this from happening?

2. What magical creature is usually mistaken for a hedgehog by muggles?

3. Invisibility cloaks are woven from the hair of this ape-like creature native to the Far East. Name it.

4. Harry injured his finger during a Magical Creatures class. What was the magical creature that did it?

5. Of all the dragon species in the world, how many are native to the Americas?

6. What real-world phenomenon can be explained by the existence of the Mooncalf?

Potions and plants
1. What does Neville's Mimbulus mimbletonia spray?

2. What did the Weasley twins use it to sort the boils problem caused by their Fever Fudge, thanks to Lee Jordan, (whom Harry recommended it to, after Hermione offered it to him for his bleeding hand)?

3. What does Hermione say Amortentia smells like to her?

4. What visible effect results from taking Pepperup Potion?

5. Snape can give you a potion to make you do almost anything he wants - what concoction does he say he'll offer Harry if he wants to hear nonsense?

6. For what purpose does Hermione make a Sleeping Draught?

Jo's website
1. In the Links bookcase, what is the title on the book used to decipher the Rune tiles in the Rubbish bin?

2. What portkey would you click to enter the Rubbish Bin section?

3. To get a chart called Revision of the plan of Order of the Phoenix you need to draw something on a blank paper. What shape do you draw?

4. Dialing PEEVES into the cell phone will gain you what for your scrapbook?

5. On the radio program "Toots, Shoots & Roots" Toots gives advice to a witch about reviving her dead Flitterbloom. What is the host's first name?

Death Eaters
1. What name did JKR originally use for the Death Eaters?

2. At what two times have we seen Tom Riddle supported by his friends, before they officially became known as Death Eaters?

3. What Death Eater injured Hermione and knocked her out in the Dept. of Mysteries?

4. Between Voldemort's downfall and return, he went how many years without seeing his Death Eaters?

5. Who were the only two Death Eaters who, on the night of Voldemort's return, were expected to join him in the graveyard and did not?

6. What was the spell we saw the Death Eaters use (or try to use) most often in the Battle of the Dept. of Mysteries? (2 answers accepted)

Places
1. In English, what is inscribed on the entrance to the Mines of Moria in Lord of the Rings?

2. Mrs. Figg lives on which street?

3. After picking up his gold from Gringotts, what was the first shop Harry visited on his first trip to Diagon Alley?

4. Name the shop in Hogsmeade where Hermione buys a pheasant-feather quill.

5. On Harry's eleventh birthday, Hagrid buys him a hamburger in a restaurant with plastic seats. Where is this restaurant located?

6. What's the difference between a stalactite and a stalagmite?

Wands
1. What wood was used to make Lily's wand?

2. The shortest wand we've seen thus far belonged to Umbridge, and we know Hagrid's was the longest before it was snapped. Who owns the longest wand still intact, of those we know?

3. At the core of Harry's wand is a single tail feather from Fawkes; at the core of Ron's is a unicorn tail hair. What are the other two substances we know can be used to make the core of a wand?

4. What happened when Harry's wand chose him in Ollivander's shop?

5. Who had a mahogony wand?

6. Name another wandmaker besides Ollivander.

Quidditch
1. How many players are allowed in the scoring area at one time?

2. A foul which happens when any player other than the Seeker touches the Golden Snitch is called what?

3. During a match in 1884 a Snitch escaped after eluding capture by the Seekers for six months of play. Name the moor on which it is said to still be living wild?

4. Cobbing is a foul involving excessive use of which body part?

5. What professional Quidditch Team did Oliver Wood join after leaving Hogwarts?

6. Who wrote The Beaters Bible?

Spells
1. We've seen several Permanent Sticking Charms in action, mostly in 12 Grimmauld Place. What's the only use of this charm we've seen outside of that building?

2. Name three of the spells written in the margins of the Half Blood Prince's Potions book.

3. What is the incantation that Cinderella's fairy godmother uses to transform the pumpkin into her coach, according to Disney?

4. What wizard/witch do we know to have used a Stealth Sensoring Spell, to detect intruders?

5. What does the incantation "Peskipiksi Pesternomi" do?

6. What spell does Sirius use to get the knocked-out Snape out of the Shreiking Shack?

Famous Wizards
1. What is Morfin Gaunt's relationship to Lord Voldemort?

2. According to Wicked, what was the good witch of Oz's original name before she changed it to Glinda?

3. What killed Abraxas Malfoy?

4. What family's coat of arms is on Salazar Slytherin's ring?

5. Name the only non-Gryffindor student to fight in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.

6. Name three wizards with alliterative names.

7. What is Umbridge's middle name?

8. How many times does the name Sirius appear on the Black Family Tree, not counting erasures?

9. What specifically is the status of Order of the Phoenix member Caradoc Dearborn?

10. Who invented Floo Powder?

Miscellaneous
1. Name a canon reference to Monty Python.

The answer key is available at the Lexicon.

HP Lexicon staff to mediate Leakymug Trivia Contest

We at the Harry Potter Lexicon are busy concocting some diabolical questions to ask at the Leakymug podcast trivia challenge at Lumos on Saturday July 29th at 6:30 p.m. The contest is Mugglenet vs. Pottercast; the Lexicon staff will be moderating. Fun, eh? Post some questions you think we should ask! Here are the categories:

Magical creatures
Potions
Jo's website
Wizarding money
Death Eaters
the Ministry of Magic
Quidditch
Famous Wizards
Places
Hogwarts
Wands
Spells

Pottercast and Mugglenet staff will have 20 seconds to answer each question.