• Essay
Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
When Harry has finished recounting the story of his experience in the Chamber of Secrets, and Dumbledore has dismissed everyone else from his office, he asks Harry to have a seat.  He thanks Harry for the loyalty that called Fawkes to him in the Chamber, then opens the discussion… Read More
• Podcast Episode
Posted by in Canon discussion / Harry Potter Lexicon Minute
As careful readers, we’re taught to pay attention to last names – when two characters have the same last name, there is usually a good reason why. But there are three instances within the books of two characters having the same last name, without any reason given explaining it. Read More
• Essay
Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
While discussing the fate of the Sorcerer’s Stone with Harry in the Hospital Wing, Dumbledore encourages Harry to use Voldemort’s name: “Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.”  Harry has not encountered that opinion prior to this moment, but he accepts the advice readily. When Hagrid… Read More
• Podcast Episode
Posted by in Harry Potter Lexicon Minute
You may notice on the homepage of the Lexicon that it always shows the current exchange rate between a galleon and a range of different worldwide currencies. But did you ever wonder how J.K. Rowling came up with this seemingly confusing system of wizard money? Hagrid explains… Read More
• Podcast Episode
Posted by in Harry Potter Lexicon Minute
When did House Ghosts become a recognized part of life at Hogwarts? Nearly-Headless Nick celebrates the 500th anniversary of his death in Chapter 8 of Chamber of Secrets. In the following chapter, Professor Binns states that Hogwarts was founded more than a thousand years… Read More
• Podcast Episode
Posted by in Harry Potter Lexicon Minute
Chastity, Credence, and Modesty may have seemed like strange names to viewers of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but they are rooted in the Barebone family’s Puritan past. Not only is the Barebones’s church named for Salem, Massachusetts, but also the family… Read More
• Article
Posted by in Fandom News
The July J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World Loot Crate has arrived!  Join Nick and Barbara once again as we unbox another box of magical goodness for the Lexicon’s Youtube Channel. This month’s theme is “Defense Against the Dark Arts” and contains items to help you fend off the darkest and most… Read More
• Article
Posted by in Website news
As of Saturday evening, 8 July 2017, we’re having some problems with the Lexicon, apparently due to the new version of Word Press to which we just upgraded. This may result in pages not Apparating onto your screen correctly. No need to contact the Department of Magical Transportation — they’re… Read More
• Article
Posted by in Fandom News
It was very early in my life that I became captivated with the worlds of Science Fiction and Fantasy.  From Tolkien’s Middle Earth, to C.S. Lewis’s Narnia, to Roddenberry’s Federation, the worlds of my favorite pieces of fiction spurred me on in a myriad of ways. I can trace my… Read More
• Article
Posted by in Fandom News
Josie has posted on her site blog some details about what happened to the Companion. She’s working on fixing all the links now and soon the site will be 100% safe again. You can read her post here: https://hp-companion.com/2017/06/02/sigh/#comment-47530 I’ve let her know that we’d be happy to help… Read More
• Article
Posted by and in Characters
The editor for the Characters section of the Lexicon was Lisa Bunker who was also the founder of Accio Quote. So it was a natural fit for her to collect quotes by and about the main characters in the books as she worked to bring each character’s biography up to date. Read More
• Article
Posted by in Fandom News
Back in 2009, I posted about a wonderful Harry Potter website called The Harry Potter Companion. It’s run by an ex-Lexicon editor who did amazing work for our site for many years before leaving to take on other challenges. The Companion goes through the entire Harry Potter series, chapter… Read More
• Article
Posted by in Canon discussion / Rants
We all know the quotes. They’re turned into memes, they’re spouted by cosplayers — they seem to define the characters who said them. Except DID they say them? In many cases, the answer is no. Yes, Quirrell did say “Troll — in the dungeons — thought you ought to know” (PS10)… Read More
• Essay
Posted by in Canon discussion / Essays
Here’s the thing when it comes to the Dark Lord’s followers: There aren’t that many of them. When I was watching Deathly Hallows Part Two during its midnight premiere, my groan was probably heard by everyone in the theater when, behind Voldemort, appeared (what seemed to be) a… Read More
• Article
Posted by in Fandom News
LootCrate just announced the next installment of their spectacular “J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World” Crates: THE DARK ARTS Their website states: “There’s a darker side of magic and we’re exploring its depths with exclusively-created collectibles, apparel, replicas, and more showcasing the people, places, creatures, and things associated with the Dark Arts of… Read More
• Podcast Episode
Posted by and in Canon discussion / Lexicon Podcast / Theories
For the majority of Episode 25, Steve and Nick puzzle over the topic of Horcruxes, and more particularly how they are created and when Voldemort created each of his Horcruxes.  Listen in as we end up with more questions at the end then we had at the beginning.  We are back to audio only this week, but stay tuned, more Video podcasts will be coming soon. Read More
• Article
Posted by in Fandom News
For me, it started with a visit to my son’s house. We were hanging around chatting when I noticed a gray box on the bookshelf with a label on it reading “Firefly Cargo Crate.” I remarked about it since, you know, it was Firefly. He took it down and showed… Read More