Tarquin McTavish

1955 - present
Imprisoned for crimes against Muggle neighbour, who was discovered trapped inside McTavish's kettle.

In celebration of Jo Rowling's upcoming visit to the US, JK's Army (our Potter memorabilia collecting tips team) is holding an exciting enter-to-win competition. The prize is a first edition, deluxe copy of the UK Book 6. Worth around $60-120, it has a cloth cover, gilt-edged pages, a silk bookmarker sewn in, and is in mint condition. For more information on entering this competition, click here.

Back in May, Bloomsbury co-founder Liz Calder predicted that the seventh book in the Potter series would be released in 2007. Now, a new article released by Reuters also predicts the aforementioned:

Harry Potter fans will have to wait until next year for the latest installment of the boy wizard's antics to come out in hardback. The paperback version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has gone to number one since its launch, the company said.

Although not a direct quote from Bloomsbury, any news is good news for those skeptical of a release as soon as next year. Articles that state this type of information will typically receive this news from analysts who have an inside track or are well-informed with how these companies do business.

USA Today wanted to know which characters the "experts" thought were going to die in Book 7, so they asked me and Melissa from TLC to give some odds. Here's what we said. Even though they called us separately, notice the similarity of the numbers we provided.

For those of you in the Chicago area, ABC 7 may be broadcasting tonight a recorded interview where I go a little more in-depth than just pulling some numbers out of my butt, but I'm not sure exactly when it will air. As soon as I know, you'll know.

For their work on Goblet of Fire, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson have been nominated for SyFy Genre awards in the categories of best actor and actress, respectively. The pair also picked up nominations for best young actor, and the fourth Harry Potter movie is up for best movie. Voting will commence on July 10th, finishing 30 days later. Best of luck to them!

Thanks to HPANA for the tip!

As it's now June 28th in the UK, JK Rowling has updated her official site to wish our favourite house-elf, Dobby, a happy birthday.

This past weekend has been busy for JK Rowling. On Sunday, she read from Half-Blood Prince at the Queen's "Party at the Palace" celebration. The following day, she did a rare, live interview on UK talk show Richard & Judy. We've posted coverage from both appearances, which is summarised below:

Jo Rowling interview on Richard & Judy
- Video, transcript, screenshots.

JKR, Rupert, Emma and Matthew attend the Queen's 80th
- Video, photographs, screencaps, report #1, report #2, report #3.

CBBC Newsround has posted a brief video (click "Launch Newsround Player" on the right-hand side and then click on June 26th) covering the Queen's 80th birthday party on Sunday. In it, Jo Rowling is asked by a reporter how she found time to attend the event while writing Book 7.

"It's quite easy, really. All authors love the chance not to write, don't they? No, it's fantastic to have a reason to get out and about."

JK Rowling's live interview on the UK afternoon talk show Richard & Judy has just concluded. Although the presenters lacked any in-depth knowledge of the series, if you're anything like me, you'll love Jo even more after watching it.

You can find full coverage of the interview below:

Video: here, thanks to Nick.

Transcript: here.

Screencaps: here, thanks to Natalie.

James Walters, young Sirius Black, recently did an interview with HPFZ in which he discussed the OOTP set, how he landed the role, other cast members, filming, and director David Yates. Here's an excerpt:

HPFZ: Can you describe David Yates' filming style? For example, Chris, Alfonso and Mike all applied a unique spin to the films. Does David?

JW: Definitely. I've noticed through certain prefaces I've been allowed to watch that he's a really personal director. He's very calm with the actors, and during the audition process he made us feel really welcomed. He's subtle, easy to approach and still makes sure he fulfills his vision. Mike has a distinct style, which worked extremely well for the Goblet of Fire, which dealt with fantastic action scenes during the Triwizard Tournament. But David is the perfect choice for this film in particular, which is a lot more about emotion and for the first time, the real frustration we begin to see in Harry. He's the perfect choice, and I can't wait to begin the adventure.

You can see the interview in its entirety over at HPFZ.

The Queen's 80th birthday celebration at Buckingham Palace took place today and a report by CBBC Newsround states that JK Rowling was one of the first stars to arrive. Additionally, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Matthew Lewis were in attendance to see the show.

A video of the pre-recorded sketch, featuring Dan, Rupert, Emma and Matt, played during the "Queen's Handbag" performance can be seen here (screencaps here), thanks to reader Nick.

Some images from the event can be seen in our gallery. They include shots of the aforementioned HP cast members as well as JK Rowling reading Book 6 to fans.

At the event, Jo said of Book 7: "I am feeling sad as it is the last one. But so far, so good." Regarding the book's progress, she said: "I'm doing well I think. You can never really tell till you get near the end. I am not quite there yet."

Apparently, JK was "mobbed" by kids but said, unperturbed: "This is the bit I like. I like meeting them."

Update: Jo told The Times at the event that she "always believed children would come back to enjoying books - and that's not just down to me." Harry Potter would have been "a bit fazed" by the event, she said. "But he's quite cool, and I think he would have been impressed."

Our 45th show hosted by Ben, Micah, "MuggleNet Greg," and me covers Book 7 questions, voicemails, and another This Week in Potter. Plus:

- Listener Rebuttals and Voice Rebuttals
- Horcruxes revisited...where are the three unknowns?
- Pettigrew's final debt to Harry: giving him a Horcrux?
- What will become of Draco?
- What role will the Ministry of Magic play?
- This week's Butterbeer discusses the actors and actresses' privacy
- Does Trelawney remember Snape hearing part of the prophecy?
- Do we get made fun of for loving Harry Potter?
- Does anyone else besides Voldemort have Horcruxes?
- This Week in Potter: the HBP title is released
- Is the title of Book 7 right under our noses?
- Andrew is convinced, and he's got three potential titles

Full shownotes and links to download are available at the MuggleCast portion of our website. If you're new to our weekly Harry Potter talk show, we recommend subscribing via iTunes (for free). This way, you'll get the show automatically as soon as it is released each week. Enjoy!

The Sunday Times has published an interesting interview with Sophie Dahl, the granddaughter of best-selling author Roald Dahl. In it she talks about tales of her youth as well as her expectations for "The Queen's Handbag," to be performed today at the Party at the Palace, in which she'll play the part of The BFG's Sophie. She also spoke about Harry Potter:

"Well, what's interesting about the Potter phenomenon is that my grandfather's books came before," says Dahl. Are you saying she ripped him off, I ask, thrilled at the prospect of a stand-up fight between the two women at Sunday's garden party?

"Well no," she says carefully, "but JK Rowling has been very generous in acknowledging how she was influenced by him, and you can see it in Potter. My grandfather was probably funnier than her, and she is probably more epic, but it's clear how like him she is in other ways. She's interested in good and evil and, like him, isn't at all afraid of the dark side of life."

Emma Watson made an appearance at today's O2 Wireless Festival in Hyde Park, London. Check out some images of her at the event in our gallery.

Update: Six more photos of Emma from the event have been added.

Update #2: Five more pics added.

Thanks to D-E.net, EmmaEmpire.net and EW.ca!

BBC Two will air at 7:00 PM GMT "Beauty Backlash," a program detailing the frustration women feel nowadays about the unattainable images of beauty sold by cosmetic firms. Apparently "The Money Programme investigates the beauty backlash as major names like JK Rowling speak out against the pressure on young people to be thin and beautiful."

Whether this means JKR will appear on the show, or if they will simply reference her "weight rant" (published on her official site), we do not yet know. Thanks to SS.

Update: Unfortunately the show only mentioned Jo's weight rant article briefly.

Additionally, on Richard & Judy today, they announced that the interview with Jo on Monday will last 20-25 minutes. Thanks to David and Sarah for the heads-up!

The British paperback edition of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince hit shelves today. If you would like to purchase it online, you can do so at Amazon. The American paperback edition of Book 6 will be released on July 25th.

The Albus Dumbledore actor in the third, fourth, and fifth Harry Potter movies appeared today on British afternoon talk show Richard & Judy. If anyone managed to capture a video of the interview, please let us know.

Remember that JK Rowling will also be interviewed on this show on Monday, the day after her reading at the Queen's "Party At the Palace" celebration. We plan on having footage from both events. Stay tuned.

Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) recently did an interview with the LA Daily News, noting that he will be filming for Movie 5 in September and October. He also discussed why he enjoys portraying the nasty character:

"I torture myself by always trying to be interesting and human on screen, but every now and again it's great to be in 'Harry Potter' and just rip it up and be as singularly evil and unpleasant as possible."

Filming for Order of the Phoenix is expected to recommence next month.

24Dash.com reports that JK Rowling will be receiving a Doctor of Laws degree to recognize her contribution to Multiple Sclerosis research. Jo was quoted in the article, praising MS research:

"I am extremely honoured to be receiving this honorary degree from such a distinguished Scottish university, with such a dynamic international reputation.

"I am also particularly pleased to support the work that the university's institute of medical sciences is doing on MS research.

"As the patron of the MS Society Scotland, and someone with personal experience of the devastating effects of MS, it is a great privilege to be able to help the institute continue its pioneering work into the causes and effects of multiple sclerosis."

Jo will receive her degree from the University of Aberdeen on July 6th at Marischal College.

Yesterday, a screencap from a promotional commercial showed the trio acting out their skit that is set to be run during the Queen's 80th birthday party. Today, TLC has video of the commercial online. The clip features Dan telling an owl (presumably Hedwig) to deliver a letter.

The Queen's birthday party is on Sunday, June 25th and will be aired on the BBC.

Ain't It Cool News was at the New York Licensing Show yesterday, where a promotional banner for Order of the Phoenix was spotted.

The picture depicts Harry holding his wand with Hogwarts in the background. Although this is a generic promotion for the next film, one major difference in this film appears to be Dan's hair.

Yahoo! has published a top 20 list of the most-searched-for rumors on the world's second biggest search engine. Rumors related to the seventh book in the Harry Potter series topped the chart, followed by Sopranos and X-Men 4 rumors.

In an announcement today, Warner Bros. revealed that the fifth Harry Potter will be released simultaneously in conventional and IMAX theaters on July 13th, 2007.

...Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was released to the world. Here are some interesting headlines surrounding the big day:

- Amazon makes history with OOTP delivery
- Mail carrier fired for delivering copy of OOTP a day early
- JK Rowling talks about Book 5 death
- Defective copies of Book 5 turn up
- Scholastic plans third printing only three days after initial release

Last week we reported that Dan Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint would be participating in a skit for the Queen's 80th birthday party. A promotional commercial, which ran on TV today in the UK, showed a brief shot of the trio and Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) acting out their skit.

The scene was filmed in the Gryffindor common room on the Order of the Phoenix set. The full video will be aired at the Queen's 80th birthday party on the BBC Sunday, June 25th. If anyone is able to capture the full commercial video, please send it in to tips at staff dot mugglenet dot com! Thanks to Helen for the capture.

Today's "Get Fuzzy" comic jokes about Harry Potter. Check it out here.

Update: A follow-up to the previous comic has been added.

In this week's fun-filled hour of Harry Potter discussion, join Ben, Eric, Micah, and me as we once again welcome back Matt Vines from VTM. We also discuss the final chapter of Sorcerer's Stone, analyze Percy Weasley's motives, and more:

• Listener Rebuttals respond to Prophecies and Trelawney
• New names for Micah
• Where do we see foreshadowing of Horcruxes?
• Will Percy ever make up with the family?
• Which side is Percy on?
• The differences between Percy's and Voldemort's equal goals
• Magically doing "it"
• Spy on Spartz asks, "Why is the world round?"
• Gimme a Butterbeer speaks out against spoilers
• Three years ago this week OOTP was released...where were we?

To listen to the show you can visit the MuggleCast portion of the site and download the audio file to your desktop.

To easily download the show each week and keep your collection of podcasts organized, download iTunes, click here, and then press Subscribe. Enjoy!

A survey reported by CBBC Newsround this morning asked 3,000 people who they would preserve for the future. English football (known as soccer in the US) player Wayne Rooney was the top person to be preserved, while JK Rowling was seventh on the list.

Thanks to Sarah and Ryan for the tip!

Matchstick Marvels has created yet another astonishing model, constructed solely from matchsticks: the Hogwarts castle. The model, which comprises over a half-million matchsticks and took a whopping three years to build, will be displayed at a Spanish museum in December. You can check out some photos of this masterpiece below:

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4

Thanks to Patrick for the tip!

Forbes magazine has published their annual top 100 list of the world's most powerful celebrities, and JK Rowling has come in at #19, three places ahead of last year's ranking.

One of the few billionaires on our list, J.K. Rowling is preparing to close the book on her "Harry Potter" series. The next installment, the seventh in the series, is rumored to be her last, although she'll continue to write and will likely explore other parts of the Potter milieu. Worldwide sales of the Potter books have topped 300 million copies worldwide. "The Goblet of Fire" was last year's highest-grossing film, with a worldwide box office take of $892 million.

Since last year, Jo has accumulated an estimated $75m. Forbes say celebrities must have a combination of earnings and sizzle to acquire a coveted place on the list.

Our principal sponsor Alivan's is offering a special June savings coupon exclusively for MuggleNet visitors. Just enter mugglenetvip during checkout at www.alivans.com and take 10% off your entire order. Alivan's is currently offering free shipping on every order over $40.

Alivan's has also just released some brand new products including Harry Potter T's and House Sweaters. And if you haven't already seen them, be sure to check out the one-of-a-kind Solitaire Collection wands - once a wand is created in this collection, it is retired, never to be duplicated.

HarryPotter.com has been updated with details about the pre-recorded play starring Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma and Matthew Lewis to be shown at the Queen's 80th birthday party.

As part of the event, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Matthew Lewis will appear in character as Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville in a filmed segment on the Gryffindor common room set recommending a spell for the Palace to use in order to apprehend a thief. It is this spell that ultimately leads to them catching the crook.

Thanks to Marco via Veritaserum.

We have final clarification now concerning Dan's presence at the Queen's 80th birthday party. Back in May we reported that he would not be there, but yesterday an article from CBBC Newround stated that he'd be participating in a play for the Queen. This led people to believe that the report in May was incorrect.

To clarify, the play in question will be pre-recorded and aired at the birthday party. Therefore, as already said back in May, Dan will not be in attendance.

A few months ago, mother-of-four Laura Mallory filed several complaints against all six Harry Potter books, saying they included "evil themes, witchcraft, demonic activity, murder, evil blood sacrifice, spells and teaching children all of this." Even though she hasn't read any of the books because they're "too long," she noted that it would be difficult for children to distinguish between the fantastical events in the books and real life, and attempted to have them removed from school libraries in Gwinnett County. Although this is true to an extent, the dark side of the books are portrayed in a bad light; no one thinks Voldemort's the hero. More importantly, Harry Potter teaches kids (and adults alike) how good can overcome evil.

On April 20th, scores of educators, parents and students showed their support for the books in a public hearing, and both the local school and system media committees concurred. In fact, the support for the books remaining in school libraries was so strong that hearing officer Su Ellen Bray offered ten reasons why they shouldn't be removed and on May 11th, the Gwinnett Board of Education voted that the novels should stay.

Mallory appealed this decision on Friday, and the legal services division of the Georgia Department of Education will now determine the next step in this debate.

Why exactly did Professor Slughorn tell Tom Riddle about the Horcruxes? What is the meaning of the prophecy in Order of the Phoenix? Hear about all this and more in MuggleCast Episode 43.

Joining Laura, Rachel, John Noe and me is a new guest host, Jeff Guillaume from HPANA (it's an acronym, folks).

Remember, you don't need an iPod to listen to a podcast. We strongly recommend subscribing to our show through Apple's free iTunes program. However, if you are unable to install this program, you can directly download the show here. Happy listening!

39,202 of them, to be exact, of anything you can imagine relating to Harry Potter. Ciaran and his team have been working like house-elves for months putting together our newest section, the MuggleNet Gallery, so thank Becky, Natalie, Suraj, Jess, Emily, Caroline, Sarah, Ann, Matt, Rachel, Laura, Dan, and Andrew for all their hard work. You guys did great!

UPDATE: BadTaste.it reports that the journalist who wrote the article was contacted by Warner Bros shortly after the story's publication. WB said "the deal was off" because the location had been made public. All negotiations with the local authorities in Balestrino, Ms. Andreetto says, were subject to some sort of "confidentiality clause." We will update you on any changes.

Today we've learned Warner Bros. has been looking into filming scenes or b-roll (additional scenery) for Order of the Phoenix in the Savona area of Italy. An article in Italy's Il secolo XIX paper has a picture of Castello di Balestrino in North-Western Italy, where scenes from the upcoming Order of the Phoenix movie may be filmed as early as this Fall.

This full, detailed article can be found at the link below (or by clicking on the headline of this news story). Thanks to BadTaste.it for the translation, scan, and article!

Potter stars Dan Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint will be participating in a kids' play to be performed at the Queen's 80th Birthday Party, according to CBBC Newsround:

The play, called The Queen's Handbag, is part of the Children's Party at the Palace. It will be broadcast on BBC One and the CBBC Channel on the day. The idea behind the party is to celebrate the success of British children's literature and to encourage kids to read more. The play's storyline is top secret, but organisers say there will be a specially-written scene including Harry and his friends.

Other famous stars who will be part of the play include Kelly Osbourne, Johnathan Ross, Winnie the Pooh, Mary Poppins and Postman Pat. The Queen's party is on June 25th.

UPDATE: Yahoo! News reports that Matthew Lewis (who plays Neville Longbottom in the Potter films) and Julie Waters (who plays Mrs. Weasley) will also be in attendance.

We reported to you last month that some Order of the Phoenix filming was taking place along the Thames in London. In May 2005, David Yates had this to say: "So far, we have spent a lot of time on boats on the Thames. I want to do a great big wizard chase past the London landmarks and it is going to be very exciting, but it has not been easy to set up." By wizarding chase, we assume he means the flight from Privet Drive to 12 Grimmauld Place at the beginning of the book.

New photographs of filming on the river have now been posted at London Taxi Tours.com. Additionally, there are some new shots of Hagrid's hut that vary slightly from previous ones we've seen.

Thames: 1, 2
Hagrid's hut: 1, 2, 3

Thanks to Kashyap for the tip!

In March, JK Rowling was nominated in The Book Magazine's "Greatest Living British Writer" poll, and today, the winners were announced. Jo of course won, totaling three times as many votes as fantasy writer Terry Pratchett, who came in second place. The editor of The Book Magazine, Christine Kidney, had this to say:

"Our survey provides a fascinating insight into what the British public thinks makes a 'great' writer. It shows how a writer can connect with us, as if we were the only reader in the world, and it's why books prove to be such enduringly popular objects."

Thanks to HPANA for the tip!

Michael Gambon, who portrays Professor Dumbledore in Harry Potter Movies 3, 4 and 5, did an interview yesterday with the BBC's Top Gear show. In it he discussed cars, films, theater and more. On his part in the Harry Potter movies, he had the following to say, although you should note that he said it in a dry, but humorous way:

Presenter: But of course since then, now Harry Potter has come along.
Michael Gambon: Yeah, I'm Dumbledore. Richard Harris did two films, and he died. I am now on my third.
P: Do you understand the first thing that's been said in Harry Potter?
MG: Well, I read the script and learn the lines and I try to understand. I have to understand it, don't I, sort of... Quite often I don't know what's going on.

You can see a video of his appearance on the show over at TLC. Thanks to everyone who e-mailed!

A rare signed photograph of Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter has been posted on eBay by Cambridge University students to raise money for various charities. If you would like to bid for this item, click here; the starting bid is 150 pounds sterling. You can see a full list of charities benefitting from this auction here.

Thanks to Marjorie for the tip!

A new photo from the filming of December Boys, Daniel Radcliffe's third non-Potter movie, has surfaced online. It shows Dan alongside co-stars Chris Byers and Lee Cormie. December Boys is slated for a release at the end of this year or the beginning of 2007.

UPDATE: Warner Bros has asked us to remove this photo as it is not an official picture from the movie.

This week's episode of our weekly Harry Potter radio show is now available. Hosted by Ben, Kevin, Eric, Laura, and myself, we run through the second to last chapter of Sorcerer's Stone, talk to Robbie Fischer of The Book Trolley, answer these questions:

• Why is Dumbledore's office password protected?
  
• What does a "No Comment" from Jo mean?
  
• Who was at Godric's Hollow that fateful night?
  
• Could those who often use the phrase "silly girl" clue us in on who was there?
  
• Why didn't Voldemort use an Unbreakable Vow with his followers?
  
• Further explanation of Jo's response to photography
  

...and much more. You can download the show through the MuggleCast website, or subscribe via iTunes (for free) to get the show downloaded to your computer with each new release (just press "Subscribe" at the link). Enjoy!

JKRowling.com has been updated to wish our favorite young Death Eater a happy birthday. Happy birthday, Draco!

An article in the June 9th issue of Entertainment Weekly lists Harry Potter as the second most powerful film character behind Wolverine from the X-Men Trilogy:

Few other teenagers could boast of vanquishing evil wizards and box office records even before puberty began to take root. The most recent film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, has raked in $290 million, bringing the series' total box office to more than $1 billion. The [fifth movie], Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix--directed by series newcomer David Yates (The Girl in the Cafe)-- will hit theaters next summer.

You can also see a scan of the full page article right here. Thanks to Kim, Jenni, Kate, Hillary, and Annemarie for the tip!

Dan Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint - along with producer David Heyman - will be making a video appearance at this year's Comic-Con International. A taped video message from the set will be played during one of the nights. As of now there are no plans to show preview footage from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Thanks to Leaky!

Back in March, we reported that JK Rowling will be interviewed on the UK talk show Richard and Judy sometime near her appearance at the Queen's 80th birthday party. Leaky recently confirmed that Jo's appearance will take place on June 26th from 5 to 6 PM. The show will air on Channel 4. If anyone captures a video of the interview, please let us know!

Tom Morris, a former professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, the school our webmaster Emerson is currently attending, has written an essay about how the ethics and philosophies described in the Harry Potter books can and should be applied in real-life business situations. Morris believes that courage is crucial in business where tough decisions need to be made - but there isn't a specific manual on attaining bravery. He notes that one of Harry's most important qualities is courage and that it isn't due to fearlessness but a desire to do what is right.

But his values push him on, as he is determined to do what is right, not what is easy. Mr. Morris pulls out five basic strategies from Harry Potter's encounters with danger that we can use in difficult or even frightening situations:

Prepare for the challenge: As athletes demonstrate, nothing builds confidence and supports courage for a difficult undertaking like preparation. Harry undergoes exhaustive practice for his Quidditch matches, the sport of wizards played on broomsticks with flying balls.

Thanks to everyone who emailed!

Bloomsbury publishing director Liz Calder has done yet another interview, this time with The Times of India. In it she speaks about the Harry Potter phenomenon and other tales from the book publishing world.

You were closely associated with the launch of the Harry Potter series. Tell us about the beginning of the phenomenon.
When Rowling sent us her manuscript, we had just begun our children's section and were keenly looking for books that fit the category. One reading led to another and before we knew it, we had bought the book. I think our enthusiasm at Bloomsbury about Harry Potter was infectious because word about the book spread like wildfire and it turned into the outrageous success it is.

What was it about Harry Potter that other children's books didn't have?
Well, Rowling filled a very important niche at the right time. She produced a book that could tear an entire generation away from the TV. It had the right mix of magic, a school story, good versus evil and, most importantly, lots of humour. Also, Rowling is an original. Her work has a freshness that has grown with every book. We have received many copycat manuscripts after the success of Harry Potter, but that never works.

Thanks to Aditi for the tip!

We reported to you recently that some filming for the Order of the Phoenix movie is currently taking place in various parts of Scotland, including West Highlands, Glenfinnan, Glencoe and Glen Etive. TLC has acquired several photos of filming at Glenfinnan, which feature Harry's stunt double and the filming crew.