Individuality: St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies (Book 5, Chapter 22)

Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of Defiance in chapter twenty-five of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. They discuss Hermione’s manipulation of Rita, Neville’s embrace of the DA, and Cho’s disappointment in Harry. Throughout the episode they consider the question: Is defiance always personal?Thanks to Andy Phillips for this week's voicemail! Next week we’ll be reading chapter twenty-six, Seen and Unforeseen, through the theme of obligation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14 Mars 201941min

It’s Vanessa’s turn to bless a female character of Harry Potter, and she’s chosen to bless Madam Pomfrey for her invisible labor. Ariana invents a game about woman doctors in America.NB: Ariana’s ‘fact’ about disneyland is, of course, an urban legend. It’s quoted as being true in a few disney related biographies, but pretty easily proved otherwise through some googling… which we did after recording this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Mars 201921min

Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of Curiosity in chapter twenty-four of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. They really zoom in on the Harry/Snape dynamic in this chapter: discussing the first Occlumency lesson, examining Snape’s motivations, and as always, finding a way to blame Dumbledore. Throughout the episode they consider the question: How much curiosity do we owe people?Thanks to Trey Lyon for this week's voicemail! Next week we’ll be reading chapter twenty-five, The Beetle at Bay, through the theme of defiance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 Mars 201938min

Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of Control in chapter twenty-three of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. They discuss Molly’s anxiety over Arthur, Neville’s relationship with his grandmother, and poor sad Professor Lockhart. Throughout the episode they consider the question: How do we recognize when we’re telling distorted stories about ourselves?Thanks to Kelsi Moore for this week's voicemail! Next week we’ll be reading chapter twenty-four, Occlumency, through the theme of curiosity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28 Feb 201948min

It’s Ariana’s turn to bless a female character of Harry Potter, and she’s chosen to bless Professor Trelawney for her mentorship. Vanessa invents a game about Nostradamus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 Feb 201919min

Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of Distance in chapter twenty-two of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. They discuss the fabulous headmaster portraits in Dumbledore’s office, Dumbledore’s love for Harry, and how Harry cleverly changes his story throughout this chapter. Throughout the episode they consider the question: What technologies are actually helpful in closing the distance between people?Thanks to Holly Glover for this week's voicemail! Next week we’ll be reading chapter twenty-three, Christmas on the Closed Ward, through the theme of control. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

21 Feb 201939min

Vanessa and Casper explore the theme of Honesty in chapter twenty-one of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. This week, Vanessa and Casper are joined by Nora McInerny, the host of one of our favorite podcasts: Terrible, Thanks for Asking. We discuss Ron’s bro-iness, Harry’s kiss with Cho, and the Thestrals as witnesses of grief. Our question this week is: When is honesty actually the best policy?This week’s voicemail is thanks to Ricker Bailey. Next week we're reading chapter twenty-two, St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, through the theme of Distance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14 Feb 201947min

We’re trying something new! Every other week, Vanessa and Ariana are going to sit down to bless a female character of Harry Potter. We’re calling the segment “Women of Harry Potter and the Sacred Text.” This week, Vanessa blesses Fleur Delacour. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Feb 201921min