Canon discussion
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Which is the Most Popular Harry Potter Novel?
• Article
Posted
by Steve VanderArk
in Canon discussion
When people ask me which is my favorite Potter novel, my answer is usually “Whichever one I’m reading at the moment.” But that’s a cop-out. I do have a favorite, and I think most fans do as well. Each book in the series is very unique from the others. Each… Read More
🎙️ Prime Numbers
• Podcast Episode
Despite being a self-confessed math-phobic J.K. Rowling has certainly had some fun with numbers in the Harry Potter universe. In a previous episode we talked about wizard currency being built on prime numbers, with 29 knuts to a sickle and 17 sickles to a galleon. Prime numbers crop up… Read More
🎙️ Order of the Phoenix Chapter 1
• Podcast Episode
Today we’re spending a little bit of time with chapter one of Order of the Phoenix. From the very beginning, we’re introduced to the theme of drought. Rowling writes: Cars that were usually gleaming stood dusty in their drives and lawns that were… Read More
🎙️ Introduction to the Chapter Episodes
• Podcast Episode
Steve VanderArk here to let you know something new that’s coming to the Harry Potter Minute. Every couple of episodes, we’re going to share some thoughts on one particular chapter of one of the books. These chapter episodes will focus on one particular detail or connection that struck… Read More
🎙️ Who Can Take Away Points?
• Podcast Episode
The continuity editors of the Potter books surely earned their wages – other than things like math and dates, there are remarkably few inconsistencies in the Potter series.  But there is a small one in Order of the Phoenix that proved to be… Read More
🎙️ Episode 29: “...and it was all just cabbage”
• Podcast Episode
Posted
by Steve VanderArk, Nick Moline and Barbara Moline
in Canon discussion / Lexicon Podcast / Theories
Recorded in person and with an added panelist, we discuss Gamp's Law and the meaning of "sixteenth year" Read More
🎙️ Pets at Hogwarts
• Podcast Episode
Everyone is familiar with Ron‘s pet Scabbers, who turns out to be Peter Pettigrew, a traitor who sold out the Potters to Voldemort. What I’ve always wondered though, is how Ron was able to bring him to Hogwarts? In Harry’s Hogwarts letter in The Philosopher’s Stone, it… Read More
Quotes and Mis-Quotes
• Article
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
The Death Eaters: A Guide To Who Was Where
• Essay
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
🎙️ Episode 26: Fantastic Beasts and the 2001 thirst for canon
• Podcast Episode
Episode 26 of the Lexicon Podcast focuses on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (the schoolbook released in 2001 and a new edition released this week), and Quidditch Through the Ages (the book that was originally published along with Fantastic Beasts in 2001). We first talked… Read More
🎙️ Episode 25: The Horcrux Conundrum
• Podcast Episode
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. Â Listen in as we end up with more questions at the end then we had at the beginning. Â We are back to audio only this week, but stay tuned, more Video podcasts will be coming soon. Read More
Famous Wizard Cards: Analysis and Discussion
• Essay
Introduction In the book, these cards are collected and traded by students and referred to as Chocolate Frog Cards. However, “real” versions of these cards exist, created by Rowling herself, providing a fascinating look into the vast scope of Wizarding history. After the release of the fourth book, the world… Read More
How old is Minerva McGonagall? (and a lesson in humility)
• Article
So a few weeks ago I published a timeline pulling together events involving Dumbledore, Newt Scamander, Grindelwald, and Voldemort. It’s fascinating to see how the struggles and ambitions of each of these characters overlap and connect. While I was at it, I put a few other interesting dates on the… Read More
🎙️ Episode 23: Fantastic Beasts and the Wait for the Next Movie
• Podcast Episode
The week Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them came out, Lexicon Tech Wizard Nick Moline just so happened to be on a business trip. On the way home, he stopped in Texas and together Steve and Nick (along with Steve’s wife Mitzi) watched the movie together. After watching the film,… Read More
Integrating the Voldemort, Dumbledore, and Grindelwald timelines
• Article
One very interesting line of speculation coming out of the new film is how the timelines of Dumbledore, Grindelwald, and Newt Scamander integrate with each other. I will be creating a very detailed master timeline with all the information laid out, but in the meantime here is what we know… Read More
🎙️ Episode 22: The One About Draco
• Podcast Episode
Episode 22 of The Harry Potter Lexicon Podcast focuses on the character of Draco Malfoy. Steve and Nick start by talking about the latest news about the upcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie franchise, now announced to be five movies instead of three, and theorize on how far… Read More
🎙️ Episode 21: Do Seers see alternate realities?
• Podcast Episode
Steve and Nick continue their discussion of Cursed Child, so here is your spoiler warning (which we didn’t quite get to mentioning until we had already been talking about cursed child quite a bit), don’t listen to this episode if you haven’t read or seen Harry Potter and the Cursed… Read More
Minister or Teacher, either way Hermione is still awesome
• Article
In the weeks since the release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, there have been a number of criticisms of the story. Â One, which I’ve already talked about has to do with the way time itself is presented to work. Â Another has to do with one character, Â … Read More
Finding Hogwarts in Rowling's past
• Article
Posted
by Steve VanderArk
in Canon discussion
Where did the name Hogwarts come from? Rowling answered that question in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald: A friend from London recently asked me if I remembered when we first saw Hogwarts. I had no idea what she was talking about until she recalled the day we went… Read More
🎙️ Episode 20: Is Cursed Child Good?
• Podcast Episode
Steve and Nick finally got a chance to sit down and talk about Cursed Child, some good, some not so good, and found it is very hard to steer away from the Time Travel rabbit hole. Â So much stuff to talk about and we debate a few big issues on the story.
SPOILER WARNING:Â Don't listen to this episode if you haven't read Cursed Child yet because we are not holding back on this episode. Read More