This week, TWH considers religion in two ways:

In the first hour, we talk about the role that religion plays in the series—from the Bible quotes on Ariana and Kendra Dumbledore’s and James and Lily Potter’s graves, to the Jesus figure that Harry comes to represent when he is willing to sacrifice himself on behalf of his friends.

In the second hour, we discuss how the Harry Potter fandom functions as a religion, which features guest speaker Luis Alba-Sanchez!! Luis has looked closely at this idea, and he explores the function of the books as a “sacred text,” the devotion of fans as seen in Dear Mr. Potter and more.

Season 5 - Episode 11 - Religion in Harry Potter // Harry Potter as Religion

“Dumbledore” by Harry and the Potters
“Dumbi vs. Voldi” by Fresh Dumbledore
“Dumbledore’s Song” by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls
“The Last Enemy Defeated is Death” by Ministry of Magic
“Sacrifice” by Stephanie and the Quaffles
“Harry Potter is Dead” by Ministry of Magic
“I Couldn’t Kill Albus Dumbledore” by Draco and the Malfoys
“The Weapon” by Harry and the Potters
“Snape vs. Snape” by Ministry of Magic
“Open at the Close” by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls 
“On the Other Side” by Ministry of Magic
“Like It’s Quidditch” by the Station
“I Want Harry Potter Back” by Lily & James
“It’s Real for Us” by Lauren Fairweather
“We’re the Potter Fandom” by the 8th Horcrux
“For Jo” by RiddleTM
“Post-Potter Depression” by Lauren Fairweather 

Wow—a lot of characters in HP die. This week on TWH, we discuss the important role that death plays in the Potterverse. For a while we discuss this article about who “deserved” to die and who didn’t, we tangent about LOTR and Twilight, and—shockingly!—we acknowledge one passing that we’ve been denying for years.

In retrospect, we should have talked about thestrals. The concept of “seeing death” is fascinating. Ah well, there’s always next time!

Season 4 - Episode 12 - And then I died

“The Avada Kedavara song” by the 8th Horcrux
“And Then I Died” by the Moaning Myrtles
“The Dark Lord Lament” by Harry and the Potters
“Bring my Body Back” by the Cedric Diggorys
“Remember Cedric Diggory” by the Cedric Diggorys
“Bridge to the Other Side” by Oliver Boyd & the Rememberalls
“The Godfather” by Harry and the Potters
“Ode to Sirius Black” by the 8th Horcrux
“Aragog Tonight” by Bella’s Love
“APWBD” by the Remus Lupins
“Dumbledore” by Harry and the Potters
“Legacy of the Fallen Wizard” by Catchlove
“Through and Through” by the Weasel King
“Fawkes’ Lament” by Talons and Tea Leaves
“Falling Sidecar” by Ministry of Magic
“Here Lies Dobby” by Fred Lives
“Evanesco Dobby” by Ministry of Magic
“Fred’s Dead” by Gred and Forge
“Werewolf Love” by Tonks and the Aurors
“More than Just a Werewolf” by RiddleTM
“Bravest Man I Ever Knew” by Ministry of Magic

 Happy Christmas everyone!

Also, a few announcements: As our closest followers may notice, this posting is out of order. Sara’s way behind on the podcasts (as usual) so we’re gifting you all this episode as it is, after all, Christmas.

After that, there will be some big changes coming to TWH! We’re switching podcast hosts, and we’ll soon be moving our blog to tumblr. Look for that, and the rest of the episodes from season 4 in the next few weeks.

Season 4 - Episode 14 - And a Partridge in the Whomping Willow Tree

“The Cold Wild Yonder” by Oliver Boyd & the Remembralls
“Xmas Rules, Voldemort Drools” by Harry & the Potters
“Christmas at Hogwarts” by Hungry Hungry Hippogriffs
“My Wish List” by MC Kreacher
“Help Me Hagrid” by Justin Finch-Fletchley & the Sugar Quills
“Have Yourself a Harry Little Christmas” by Gred & Forge
“Drop the Needle, it’s Christmas” by Dumbledore
“Yuletide Anthem” by Kwikspell
“Seasonal Depression” by the Whomping WIllows
“A Ministry-Approved Christmas” by Peeved
“So Much Love” by Snidget
“I Need Some Mistletoe” by Neville Longbottom
“The Twelve Days of Wizard Christmas” by Gred & Forge
“The Sweater Song” by the Hermione Crookshanks Experience
“Happy Christmas Day” by Oliver Boyd & the Remembralls

Dear listeners,

Finally!! Our special one-hour episode with Harry and the Potters is now available here, and on iTunes!

Season 4 - Episode 8 - Harry and the Potters take over TWH

Backstory: The guys came to Whitman and performed on Saturday, Oct. 29. After the show, we snuck up to the KWCW station and did a special show from midnight to 1 am. They picked the tracks, told some jokes about Walla Walla, took some calls, and generally had a blast.

In fact, they had such fun that we should offer our apologies for the poor audio quality at points—the guys were just super excited and making the levels crazy. I did a bit of editing, but c’est la vie. ENJOY!

This is so terribly belated, I knoooooow! Sorry, dear listeners! (My computer crashed. Sympathy plz?) But finally, we present to you our special episode devoted to Dear Mr. Potter, the book that collected fan letters written to the characters who changed their lives—Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Luna and the others. In the episode we read a few of the letters, talk about role that HP and the fan culture has played in our own lives, and play some sweet meta-wrock (that is, wizard rock about wizard rock and wizard culture!) Speaking of which….

Season 4 - Episode 7 - Dear Mr. Potter

“The Leaky Con Theme Song” by the House of Black & Swish and Flick
“Potter Addict” by the House of Black
“Wizard Rock Heart Throb” by the Whomping Willows
“I’m Bringin’ Sneakoscopes” by the Sneakoscopes
“Wizard Rock Twist” by the Remus Lupins
“This is Never Going to End” by the Parselmouths
“Post Potter Depression” by Lauren Fairweather
“Rock with a W” by Buckbeak’s Flight
“Big Magic Wreggae Party” by Mimbulus Mimbletonia
“For Jo” by RiddleTM
“Open Letter to the Entire Wizarding Community” by the Whomping Willows
“Wrock Fan Girl” by the House of Black
“My Parents are Muggles” by Seen and Unforeseen
“Like It’s Quidditch” by the Station
“Book 6 Made Me Cry” by Danny Dementor
“Bring Back Richard Harris” by Harry Potter and the Magic of Music
“Needlessly Complicated” by the Butterbeer Experience
“House Song” by Ministry of Magic

Another week, another podcast. And this week Sara and Claire cover all the angsty-est topics that ever were whined about.

“Angsty Wizard Summer” by Bella’s Love

This past Saturday, Harry and the Potters contributed to the #OccupyBoston protests, part of the larger #OccupyWallStreet movement, in their own magical way. Drawing parallels to the Potterverse, they declared an #OccupyGringotts movement, as described on their tumblr.

In this spirit, TWH joined in this week with an entire episode dedicated to a discussion of the wizard economy, Gringotts, social movements, government, media and the larger “-isms” addressed by JKR.

We spun tracks primarily from the first and second volumes of Wizards and Muggles Rock for Social Justice and Rocking Against Voldemedia, which both supported the Harry Potter Alliance, the #1 Harry Potter social justice activist group, which we’ve talked about on several occasions.

But on to the podcast…

Season 4 - Episode 5 - #occupygringotts

“Money for Christmas” by the Gringotts Goblin Choir
“Voldemort Controls the Media” by Roonil Wazlib
“My Dad is Rich” by Draco and the Malfoys
“Your Family is Poor” by Draco and the Malfoys
“What up, Hogwarts?” by Big Whompy
“It’s Quite Alright” by Catchlove
“Friends” by the Cedric Diggorys
“Werewolf Rights Now” by the Remus Lupins
“United We Fight” DJ Luna Lovegood
“Fang (Keeps Peeing in my Lake)” by the Giant Squidstravaganza
“Save the Quibbler” by Gred and Forge
“Eff the Ministry” by Justin Finch-Fletchley
“Goyle’s Pants” by Draco and the Malfoys
“The Rebel Call” by the Whomping Willows
“Part-Werewolf for Hire” by Gred and Forge
“Woe is Me” by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls
“Maybe Kreacher Will Bring Me a Sandwich” by Harry and the Potters
“Here’s the Scoop” by DJ Luna Lovegood
“(Never) Do What You’re Told” by the Remus Lupins
“Owl Post Strike” by the Owl Post and the Mudbloods
“Don’t Believe It” by Harry and the Potters
“Quick Quotes Quill” by Tom Riddle & Friends
“Potterwatch Episode 294” by the Sneakoscopes
“Howl at the Moon” by the Moaning Myrtles
“Sniffle My Niffle” by the Nifflers
“I’m in Love with the World” by the Pizookies
“A Werewolf, A Willow” by the Remus Lupins
“Potterwatch” by Catchlove
“Jerry the Goblin” by Tom Riddle & Friends

As many of our dear listeners know, we had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Paul and Joe DeGeorge of Harry and the Potters this past June before their Ride The Lightening performance in Portland. All summer we dragged the excitement out as we talked and talked and talked about what amazing guys they are. But seriously. Genuine and absolutely hilarious, the duo had some great things to say. For this week’s show, we combined the interview with some of beloved, but lesser played, Harry and the Potters tracks and talked a bit about the origins of the Witching Hour. Really, our existence is all thanks to these two, the accidental founders of the wizard rock genre.

You’d think it really doesn’t get any better… until it does! After a bit of Witching Hour magic, Whitman Events Board and our radio station, KWCW 90.5 FM Walla Walla, have secured a SPECIAL WHITMAN SHOW this coming Halloween weekend of Harry and the Potters! Hurrah! More details to come, dear (local) listeners.

So, without further ado, a REAL, actual, not deleted proper podcast!

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Wizard rock origins: Harry and the Potters

(all songs by HATP unless otherwise noted.)

We’re back for another season!!!! Yay yay yay wizard rock! Wizard rock forever!

The Witching Hour has loads of new music, stories, and more to share with you, dear listener. We’ll be talking about Pottermore, reviewing Deathly Hallows part 2, airing our interview with Harry and the Potters, and hopefully getting into some super sweet discussions about the Potterverse, as usual.

This week we answer Oliver Boyd’s song “End of an Era” with a resounding “Hey, no it’s not!” Sure, things are changing, some aspects of wizard culture are changing, but it’s not the end, not yet. But we still love the song.

So without further ado, the first episode of our FOURTH season:

Season 4 - Episode 1 - End of an era (or is it?)

“Harry Potter and the Remix of Death” by Mike Relm
“End of an Era” by Oliver Boyd & the Remembralls
“Wizard Party Forever!!!” by the Whomping Willows
“A Phoenix Lament” & “Epilogue” by Ministry of Magic
“This is Never Going to End” by the Parselmouths
“The End” by the Remus Lupins
“When the Lights Go Out” by the Whomping Willows
“Post Potter Depression” by Lauren Fairweather
“Into the Night” by Ministry of Magic
“Hallelujah (The Boy That Lived)” by Talons & Tea Leaves
“Save Ginny Weasley from the House of Awesome” by Oliver Boyd & the Remembralls
“My Dad is Rich” by Draco and the Malfoys
“The Firebolt (2010)” by Harry and the Potters
“House Elft 4 Life” by MC Kreacher
“Underwater” by the Giant Squidstravaganza
“Prefects are Hot” by the Moaning Myrtles
“For Those Who Are Desperate For Those Who Are Lost For Those Who Have Acne” by Bella’s Love
“Problem Solving Skillz” by Harry and the Potters
“Insufferable Know-it-all Hermione Granger” by Gred and Forge
“Caught in your Devil’s Snare” by Into the Pensieve
“Expelliarmus Kid” by Peeved
“Your Flying Car” by the Whomping Willows
“Whatever You Like” by DJ Ronald B
“The Weapon” by Harry and the Potters

This month’s mixtape is all about re-thinking wizard rock. The movie may be out but this is not the end! We’ve got some great wiz hop (formerly referred to as wrap—we picked this new and improved term up from Joe DeGeorge) as well as new wrock wrenditions, some recent releases and updates on old favorites by the likes of Draco and the Malfoys and Harry and the Potters.

You can download the mixtape as an MP3 here.

Enjoy the tracks!

“House Elf 4 Life” by MC Kreacher
“Broomsticks and Apparations” by Fawkes
“B.Y.O.W” by Danny Dementor
“Like a Horcrux” (artist unknown)
“We R Lightning Scars” by Alex Carpenter feat. Kri$tina
“Occlumency Lessons” by the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office
“Alohomora” by Pogo
“Party All Night” by the Whomping Willows
“Pixie Funk” by the Blibbering Humdingers
“The Firebolt (2010 version)” by Harry and the Potters
“My Dad is Rich” by Draco and the Malfoys
“The Art of Parseltongue” by Hawthorne and Holly
“Worth Fighting For” by the Butterbeer Experience
“Angsty Wizard Summer” by Bella’s Love
“Hallows” by Andy with an M
“Hallelujah (The Boy Who Lived)” by Talons & Tea Leaves

Here’s another exciting summer update:

We will be releasing two summer mixtapes of wrock. July’s theme, is, of course, Deathly Hallows-themed. And August is all about brand new wrock, which will include some excellent MC Kreacher, Blibbering Humdingers, Fawkes and tons more!!

We meant to hype this a bit earlier but things got crazy, as they always do, and so it’s without further ado that we present the first mixtape. It’s especially designed to help you wrock out while in line for HP7p2. (Or any day, really.)

But srsly. Be sure to listen to this on Thursday. Tears will be shed. So. many. tears. But remember—that’s not always a bad thing.

You can either download it here from MediaFire, as an MP3 here, or by subscribing to The Witching Hour podcast!

And the tracklist:

“End of an Era” by Oliver Boyd & the Rememberalls
“The Phoenix Lament” and “Epilogue” by Ministry of Magic
“Wizard Party Forever!!!” by the Whomping Willows
“Marauders Forever” by the Remus Lupins (in honor of the end of TRL’s live performances)
“No Matter How Far (I’ll Still Love You)” by Talons & Tea Leaves
“Penelope” by the Hermione Crookshanks Experience
“Ballad of Ron and Hermione” by RiddleTM
“Needlessly Complicated” by the Butterbeer Experience
“Sacrifice” by Stephanie and the Quaffles
“When the Lights Go Out” by the Whomping Willows

Love,
Mehera, Sara & Claire

Look for the second mixtape in mid-August. When our podcasting software decides to work again, we’ll have the last show of season 3 and the Harry and the Potters interview for you, too. Then, before you know it, we’ll be back in September. It’s just like magic!

Tune in this week for Mehera and Claire’s favorite wizard rock songs of all time! This is the last regularly scheduled podcast of season three, but keep checking in with The Witching Hour throughout the summer for some exciting updates.

As a matter of fact… this fall, we will be releasing Part 1 of our interview with Paul and Joe of HARRY AND THE POTTERS! That’s right, guys, the one, the only, the original wizard rock band and the boys who brought it to life. We caught up with them in Portland on their Ride the Lightning tour on topics like the new movie release, Dear Mr. Potter, and more.

On top of that, we’ll be SOLVING the mystery of Justin Finch-Fletchley and the pizza obsession! We chatted briefly with Justin in Portland and he finally answered why, why, why he’s so into pizza.

Courtesy of HATP

So, without further ado, here’s the tracks for the newest podcast:

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Greatest Hits

“XOXO Gossip Witch” by the First Task is Dragons
“Alohomora” by Pogo
“I’ll Follow Their Son” by the Remus Lupins
“Problem-Solving Skillz” by Harry and the Potters
“My Dad is Rich” by Draco and the Malfoys
“Animals That Have Left Me” by the Mudbloods
“Trains, Doubts and Dreams” by the Hermione Crookshanks Experience
“Portkey into Your Heart” by Into the Pensieve
“The Boy Who Lived” by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls
“Taking You To School” by Dumbledore
“Bookworm” by Roonil Wazlib
“I Believe in Nargles” by the Whomping Willows
“Loosen Your Tie” by the Remus Lupins
“Hey Hey Ron” by the Hermione Crookshanks Experience
“Just a Hufflepuff” by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls
“Made to by a Gryffindor” by the Nifflers
“Pizza in the Hall” by Justin Finch-Fletchley and the Sugar Quills
“Accio Love” by Ministry of Magic (acoustiatus version)
“Pretty Girl” by Peeved
“Meet Me on Diagon Alley” by Ministry of Magic
“House of Awesome Theme Song” by the Whomping Willows
“Save Ginny” by Harry and the Potters
“Pensieve Diggory” by Ministry of Magic
“Eulogy, Book IV” by Philsopherock
“Woe is Me” by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls
“Come On, Angelina” by Gred and Forge
“Who Are These Boyz?” by the Parselmouths
“Caught in Your Devil’s Snare” by Into the Pensieve
“Underwater” by the Giant Squidstravaganza
“Bravest Man I Ever Knew” by Ministry of Magic
“The Burrow” by RiddleTM feat. the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office
“I Am A Wizard” by Harry and the Potters

Grab some tissues before you listen to this episode, dear listeners.

Finally, we present the second-to-last podcast of Season 3: The Deathly Hallows revisited, and you know what that means. Yep, a heavy dose of the Butterbeer Experience, the Hermione Crookshanks Experience, Ministry of Magic and more. A reflection on the books and the first movie, it prepares you (and the DJs!) for the July 15 film release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2.

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Deathly Hallows Part 2

Happy anniversary of the end of the Second Wizarding War! Well, not quite. That day was May 2, 1998 and this podcast is coming out in June. Blame DJ Sara; Mehera and Claire recorded the show on May 2 but it is only now being released. Perhaps it is for the best. You might be a bit more emotional right now if it truly were the 13th anniversary of the death of so many of our favorite HP characters. Although, as Mehera notes, it’s only six more years till the epilogue occurs… if you do the math, some of our new favorites (*cough*ALBUSSEVERUS*cough*) have already been born. But I digress.

This week is our bi-annual holiday show, featuring songs from charity wrock compilation albums. There are some really great songs packed in here, so don’t miss out!

Season 3 - Episode 11 - A Very Harry Christmas

“Drop the Needle, It’s Christmas” by Dumbledore
“It’s Not Christmas” by the Moaning Myrtles
“Have Yourself a Harry Little Christmas” by Gred and Forge
“Light the Castle Up” by the Remus Lupins
“House Elf Party” by the Blibbering Humdingers
“My Wish List” by MC Kreacher
“Christmas Shopping for Dobby” by Harry and the Potters
“All I Want for Christmas” by Draco and the Malfoys
“An Epic Christmas Tale, Chapter 3: We Lift Each Other Up” by the Mudbloods
“Decorate Me” by the Whomping Willows
“Yuletide Anthem” by Kwikspell
“Money for Christmas” by the Gringotts Goblin Choir
“Hogwarts Lullaby” by the Veelas
“The 12 Days of Wizard Christmas” by Gred and Forge
“Nothing to Fear” by Ministry of Magic
“Seasonal Depression” by the Whomping Willows
“The Sweater Song” by the Hermione Crookshanks Experience
“Wizard Chess” by Harry and the Potters
“Christmas with the Weasleys” by the Remus Lupins
“The Cold, Wild Yonder” by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls
“Celebrate the Day” RiddleTM
“It’s Snowing” by Catchlove
“Spread the Pureblood Cheer” by the Purebloods
“Voldemort’s Secret Santa” by Seen and Unforseen
“When Bellatrix Came Over for Christmas/What?!” by Harry and the Potters
“Help Me, Hagrid” by Justin Finch-Fletchley and the Sugar Quills
“Magical Christmas” by House of Black
“X-mas Rules, Voldemort Drools” by Harry and the Potters
“Happy Christmas Day” by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls