Lexicon Contributor

Paula Hall

Paula Hall
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Posted by in Website news / What's New
House-elves really came into their own in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — this fact, and some similarities between the characters of the house-elves and the theme of the greatness of servitude in the Christian gospels, was not lost on new Lexicon essay contributor Leanne Bruno. Enjoy!… Read More
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Posted by in Website news / What's New
I’ve just posted the last essays that will be published before Deathly Hallows, and they should definitely keep our Pensieve humming! An active LiveJournaler, Felicity, has allowed the Lexicon to publish three essays setting forth her theories on Horcruxes: one about the Horcrux described as “Something of Ravenclaw’s or Gryffindor’s,”… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
In an interview with The Leaky Cauldron and MuggleNet in July 2005, Rowling said, “Dumbledore’s guesses are never very far wide of the mark. I don’t want to give too much away here, but Dumbledore says, ‘There are four out there, you’ve got to get rid of four, and then… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
We saw in Half-Blood Prince that Hepzibah Smith was distantly related to Helga Hufflepuff and that Hufflepuff’s gold cup was in her possession. We also saw that Salazar Slytherin’s line ends with T.M. Riddle/Lord Voldemort through the Gaunt family, which was in possession of Slytherin’s gold locket and a Slytherin family heirloom, the Peverell ring. But we haven’t been given direct information identifying the family… Read More
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Posted by in What's New
I’ve posted a couple of essays by new Lexicon contributor Philip Legge, one on the ever-puzzling subject of the Weasleys’ ages (bless Jo and her idiosyncratic “maths”), and the other a detailed survey of Quidditch schedules and results at Hogwarts. There ought to be enough detailed analysis in these essays… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
The State of Play at Hogwarts Quidditch is the principal wizard sport and the school sport of Hogwarts, so given the outstanding natural abilities of J.K. Rowling’s main protagonist, it unsurprisingly forms a major recurring element in the series, including an eventful visit to the Quidditch World Cup in Goblet of Fire. The four houses… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
Harry’s Unanswered Question “Professor, what happened to your—?” “I have no time to explain now,” said Dumbledore. “It is a thrilling tale, I wish to do it justice.” (HBP4) At least four times in Half-Blood Prince, Harry asks Dumbledore to explain what happened to his right hand. Each time, Dumbledore smiles and implies that… Read More
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Posted by in What's New
Here’s a bonbon for all you shippers out there — a wicked fun and wildly speculative essay about potential relationships in the Marauder Era, by new Lexicon contributor hpboy13. Enjoy!… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
As the last Harry Potter book draws ever nearer, we are all scrambling to organize and finalize theories. So, anyone who’s an HP fan must have heard of several ships[*] from the Marauder’s Era. I’ll refer to them as m-ships in this essay to make life easier. These m-ships basically put together two of the… Read More
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Posted by in Website news / What's New
It’s been awhile, but I have a couple of new essays posted, authored by a regular contributor, Ravenclaw Rambler. He’s got some ideas about the location of Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters, as well as some thoughts on “muggle magic.” Keep checking back for new essays all this week, as I have a… Read More
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Posted by in Essays
A number of questions are often asked about the Hogwarts Express—how can it be hidden at King’s Cross so effectively?—why is there always just one compartment left? how can it travel around without being seen? The Hogwarts Express—Muggle features Muggles, it is suggested in OP7, developed technology because they don’t have magic, so… Read More
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Posted by in Essays
The quotation above was coined by Arthur C. Clarke as his Third Law, in Report on Planet Three (1972). This essay compares the different technologies available to the magical and muggle worlds. Magical Artifacts Artifacts with magical properties are quite common in the magical world described in the books of J.K. Rowling. Some of them are similar to… Read More
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Posted by in Website news / What's New
I’ve just posted an essay by Quentin Lowagie, webmaster of the Harry Potter Lexicon counterpart in French, L’Encyclopdie Harry Potter. Quentin visited London last year, took some fabulous pictures of London sights related to the world of Harry Potter . . . et voila , je vous prasente Harry… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
Within the Harry Potter stories are many scenes that can be analyzed astronomically. As both an astronomer and a teacher, these interest me, and so I will present such analysis here. My goal is not to criticize Rowling when she is inaccurate in her astronomy (or, for that matter, to praise her when she… Read More
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Posted by in What's New
I know it’s been awhile, but I have finally posted another new essay. This one is from astronomer and past Lexicon contributor Mike Weinstein: Astronomy in the Harry Potter Series. Enjoy!… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
Where is the Burrow—Harry’s second home (his first is Hogwarts, of course, not Privet Drive!)? Ottery St. Catchpole The books give the Burrow’s location as just outside the village of Ottery St. Catchpole, but give no direct clues as to where this is. The similarity of the name to Ottery St. Mary, in Devon has… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
Introduction This interview that took place on March 12, 2001 became the historical point from which all theories and speculations about how much money would one need to go to Gringotts and to buy a Galleon started. Most researchers worked with the first JKR statement of “About five pounds,” while not addressing the more… Read More
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Posted by in Essays
Contents Introduction Defining Magic First Attempt at a Definition of Magic Second Attempt at a Definition of Magic A Closer Look at Spell work Third Attempt at a Definition of Magic Elements of Performing Magic and Their Function Examples of Magic Accio: Summoning Charm Avada Kedravra: The Killing Curse… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
The Hut-on-the-Rock holds a key place in the life story of Harry Potter.  It was here, on his eleventh birthday, that he encountered the world of wizardry for the first time since infancy. But where was it? The address on the letter brought by Hagrid in PS4 is not very helpful: Harry Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock,… Read More
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Posted by in Website news / What's New
I’m just trying to make up for lost time over my busy holiday season! Here’s another great essay, this one by Dr. Immo Garrn, adapted from a presentation he made at the Patronus conference in Copenhagen during the Summer of 2006 about the physics of magic. Read More
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Posted by in What's New
I’ve posted a new essay discussing how the Fidelius Charm works by Anna L. Black, a past contributor to the Lexicon’s Magical Beings and Named Beasts pages. Enjoy!… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
This is the first explanation of the Fidelius Charm we ever encounter in the Harry Potter books. While it might seem satisfactory at first glance, it clearly raises a lot more questions than it answers (as do many other plot elements in Rowling’s saga). Is the charm cast on people, or on a specific location?… Read More
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Posted by in What's New
Professor Koniphorus Swamp is at it again, writing about the flora and fauna in the world of Harry Potter as no other essayist! Be sure to have a look at her new essay, speculating about the surprising importance of one of the most boring critters in the Potterverse: Flobberworms. Read More
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Posted by in What's New
It is my very great pleasure to announce the posting of a new essay, Snape’s Eyes, by Edward M. Kern, Associate Professor of History at Lawrence University. If you attended Lumos 2006, you may recognize this essay — it was originally presented at Lumos in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
Presented at Lumos 2006 Las Vegas, Nevada 29 July 2006[*] How wonderful it is that the second chapter of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is titled “Spinner’s End.” Wonderful, because, if read ironically, it refers not only to a place, but to Severus Snape’s fate, a rubric revealing that the… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
After walking—or rather riding—up the staircase to the Headmaster’s office, one knocks on the door, enters, and is greeted not only by the face of the Headmaster, or Headmistress, but by soft snores coming from the wall. We are first introduced to the Headmaster’s office, and the decorations it contains, in Chamber of Secrets (CS12). Here,… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
The newly released Black family tree, now revealed in its full glory, is the topic of considerable discussion and is a source of considerable information on the relatedness of the various pure-blood  wizard lines. Many familiar names show up on that tree, including Weasley (blasted off, of course). Sirius Black comments in Order of the Phoenix, “Molly and I are… Read More
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Posted by in Website news
I’ve posted a new essay: Arthur Weasley’s Relationship to Sirius Black: First Forays into the Black Family Tree, by new Lexicon contributor Sylvie Augustus. Of particular interest to the true Pottergeeks out there, I think!… Read More
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Posted by in Website news
Two new essays have been posted. One is on the ever-popular subject of Horcruxes, by new Lexicon contributor Megan Bostelmann, arguing that Harry is not a Horcrux. And Professor Koniphorous Swamp, who in her own words “appears to have too much free time on her hands,” has written a new… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
In the first ten years that Harry Potter lived with the Dursleys, his Aunt Petunia never uttered a word to him about the magic ability of his mother, her sister Lily. When the truth finally comes out about his parents, this is the first statement Petunia makes about magic, and it must have summed up what in her mind were… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
Since the arrival of Half-Blood Prince on July 16th, 2005, Harry Potter fans have been endlessly searching for Horcruxes. We find ourselves repeating the Horcrux possibilities just like Harry does in Half-Blood Prince: “the cup, the locket, the snake, something of Gryffindor or Ravenclaw’s . . . .” (HBP30). Several Horcrux identity theories have been circulating, with claims ranging from Tom Riddle’s mouth organ to Gryffindor’s old toothbrush. After reading… Read More
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Posted by in Website news
Have a look at our new essay, in which Owen de Lyon wonders “What Came Before the Hogwarts Express?“… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
The Hogwarts Express has been the subject of various essays exploring its nature and function. As has been plausibly noted elsewhere on this site, it isn’t really a steam engine, but rather a magical transportation device that mimics a Muggle equivalent in external form and function. This is consistent with the general trend in Wizard “technology,” which seems… Read More
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Posted by in Website news
I recently posted a humorous and imaginative essay in which new Lexicon contributor pepoluan wonders of the wizarding world How do they make all those books? Have fun!… Read More
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Posted by in Website news
Paula again, with another fabulous scholarly essay.  Alan Jacobs, Professor of English at Wheaton College and a scholar of Christian theology and literature, among other things, has allowed us to publish on the Lexicon his essay “Opportunity Costs — What does it profit a man to defeat the Dark… Read More
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Posted by in Website news
Three new essays have been posted! Douglas Moran has Some Thoughts on House Elves, and Professor Koniphorus Swamp, who “has devoted her career to the investigation of the biology of magic,” has provided Another View of Magic, Genes, and Pure Blood in response to an earlier essay on wizarding genetics by… Read More
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Posted by in Essays
Every living thing has genes that largely determine its appearance. Humans (magical or Muggle) look like humans because they have human genes; dogs look like dogs because they have dog genes; cats look like cats because they have cat genes. The set of genes that make up an individual person or dog… Read More
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Posted by in Essays
I read with interest the essay “Magic, Genes, and Pure Blood,” by glamourousgeek, being myself involved in research into the complex inheritance of magic, but I must take exception to the science expressed within it.[*] Even if the magic trait is inherited through Mendelian genetics (which does not quite… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
“One day,” said Hermione, sounding thoroughly exasperated, “you’ll read Hogwarts, A History, and perhaps that will remind you that you can’t Apparate or Disapparate inside Hogwarts.” (OP23) “Well, he [Dumbledore] can’t have Disapparated!” cried Umbridge. “You can’t inside this school—” (OP27) Quietly, tentatively, Harry spoke into the darkness. “Kreacher?” There was a very… Read More
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Posted by in What's New
From the moment it was physically possible for the first fan to have finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the Harry Potter fandom has been speculating on what is going to happen in Book Seven — and what needs to happen, given the puzzles, mysteries and loose… Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
“Ah, what a tangled web we weave… Or in this case, what a tangled web Jo Rowling has woven. With one volume left to wrap up all the threads, we Harry Potter fanatics have created a list of all the sphinx-like comments, unfinished story lines, incomplete character trajectories and cryptic references to… Read More
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Posted by in Website news
I’ve just posted a terrific scholarly essay on the depiction of virtue in the Harry Potter books that should be a real treat to read for anyone who appreciates just how important the Harry Potter books are. It’s called Harry Potter and the Good Life, and it was written by … Read More
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Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
  A pile of critical rubbish has been composting around J. K. Rowling [Editor’s Note: The link provided is to an archive of jkrowling.com, which was superseded by Pottermore.] and her Harry Potter books ever since they were discovered by young (and not-so-young) readers and became phenomenal best sellers. The charges, briefly, as these. (1)… Read More