On episode 181 of our podcast MuggleCast, we introduced our "Wizarding World of RollerCoaster Tycoon" contest, where listeners could construct a Harry Potter-themed amusement park using the popular video game RollerCoaster Tycoon by Chris Sawyer. Listeners were permitted to use the additional two expansion packs and the contest ran approximately one month, ending on Thursday, October 29th. We have now posted our top five theme parks and a runner-up. Also, each theme park is available for download as a save-game file (but you will need the video game and/or expansion packs to play). Thank you to everyone who entered! Visit the theme park contest page right here!

What do you think about these parks and this contest? Leave your comments below!

It's a holiday frequently celebrated in the Potter books, and we're all for celebrating it too! Be sure to switch MuggleNet over to any of our three Halloween themes to get in the spirit:

- 2009 Halloween Theme
- 2008 Halloween Theme
- 2007 Halloween Theme

Don't forget that we're looking for pictures of your Potter-related Halloween costumes! Take a picture of yourself in costume today and send it in to halloween09 at staff dot mugglenet dot com. Also please include your name and location. We'll post them on the site in a few days!

According to Times Online, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 won't be the biggest film of 2010. They believe Iron Man 2 will be the biggest. Here's the reasoning for why Deathly Hallows won't take the top spot:

Part one of the final Harry Potter movie. Part two will follow in July 2011. Devoted fans have known what happens in the story since 2007; for newcomers, Harry and his pals Ron and Hermione search for some magical artefacts called Horcruxes. The plot takes the trainee wizards out of Hogwarts for much of the movie, resulting in a marked change of atmosphere compared to its predecessors.

Do you agree with Times Online? We sure don't! The Harry Potter franchise is the greatest earning franchise of all time, and a second Iron Man certainly won't earn more than a Potter flick.

On Wednesday we reported Chris Rankin's tweet about filming with 43 principal cast on the set of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Since then, Tom Felton and Matt Lewis have sent out exciting tweets related to the filming of what we presume is the Battle of Hogwarts:

Tom Felton:
- G morning tweeps. Another big day on set. Very exciting! Playing my g tar waiting to be called to work. Love x

- Had a great day on set. This film will be EPIC! @Mattdavelewis was throwing jokes....I was catching them. He's a complete gent x

Matthew Lewis:
- Well I'm shattered. Working hard this week. Mark Williams and @TomFelton keeping me entertained!

- Ralph Fiennes is cool as. Lovely bloke too. Gave us quite the acting masterclass today. What a performance!

Filming for Deathly Hallows is expected to wrap up in Spring 2010. For more about the film, visit our info section.

In September we told you about a very cool remote control wand that was about to go on sale.

Since then, the creator of the wand offered to give Jamie a demonstration of the Kymera Magic Wand in the comfort of Jamie's own home using his own electronic equipment.

Jamie was blown away by the technology and wrote up a review for MuggleNet (the full review can be accessed by clicking the "Read More..." link at the bottom of this post):

It was roughly two minutes into my interview with Chris Barnardo, mastermind of the Kymera magic wand, that we got onto the topic of Arthur C. Clarke’s third law: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Chris quoted it with such passion that I knew I was about to see some sorcery in action, and before I know it, I’m turning lights off with the flick of a wand and turning up the volume on my iPod dock with a majestic twizzle.

The Kymera magic wand is truly a puzzle piece of engineering. About halfway into the interview Chris laments that 300 years ago he’d have been burnt at the stake. If I’m being honest, I’m surprised he escapes that punishment today. I simply have no idea how the wand works (although he does explain it to me), but am infinitely impressed with it. The technology is clever. The wand is heavy-ish but not cumbersome, and fits comfortably in the palm. The styling is rustic, Victorian and sleek, but not overpowering. One gets the sense that this wasn’t made simply for aesthetics.

Earlier this month we told you that an Ace of Cakes episode would feature a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Half-Blood Prince New York Premiere after party cake.

That episode has now aired on Food Network and can be viewed online in several pieces. Thanks to Snitch Seeker, the clips can be found at this link (the video quality is not the best).

Today, Oct. 30 is Molly Weasley's birthday!

Let's join together to wish this great mother, who taught us not to mess with her daughter, a wonderful day!

A new Flourish and Blotts tote bag is now available at the WB Shop.

This stylish black and burgundy canvas tote displays an emblem of the Diagon Alley bookstore where the young wizards-in-training purchase their schoolbooks as well as two embroidered quills on the front.

It's available for $19.95.

In September, we gave you a handy link to help you follow all the Harry Potter stars - from JK Rowling to Tom Felton - in one easily click using a third party service.

Since then, Twitter has created their own Lists feature which is now available to a good amount of Twitter users.

So we went ahead and created a Twitter List of Potter stars. It can be accessed right here. If you're logged into Twitter you'll be able to easily follow all the Potter stars in one easy click! You'll also be able to follow the MuggleNet and MuggleCast Twitter accounts.

If the link above does not work for you, it means you don't have the Lists feature yet. Don't worry... Twitter will give it to you soon!

A list of MuggleNet staffers on Twitter can be found here. To the 168 people who have already put us in their own Lists: thank you!

The HPA is participating in America's Giving Challenge, which gives $1000 to the organization that can get the most amount of people to give in a single day. The minimum donation is 10 dollars and it has to be given through this Facebook cause.

If you believe in blending the arts, literature, pop culture, and social change is something this world needs, while making the magic of Harry Potter real for so many of us - then please join us in this special 24 hours through making a ten dollar donation to show your love and support of the HPA.

Hurry, the contest only runs until 3 p.m. EST today, Oct. 29!

Looking forward to Halloween, Entertainment Weekly has released a list of "17 Characters Who Are Charming -- But Deadly."

Lord Voldemort - and Ralph Fiennes' portrayal - is one of the characters they list.

Others on the list include Dexter, Jack the Ripper, and Sweeney Todd. Read the entire list starting right here. Thanks to Jake for the tip!

Chris Rankin, the actor who plays Percy Weasley in the Potter series, updated his Twitter just a short time ago. It looks like a big scene for Deathly Hallows will be filmed tomorrow:

in the hotel, excited for filming in the morrow, but not excited for the 5am wake-up call... 43 principal cast on set tomorrow...!

43 major cast members on set! Someone start counting all of them. Battle of Hogwarts scene, perhaps?

Don't forget, you can follow all the Potter stars by clicking here! You can also learn more about Deathly Hallows by visiting our info page.

We've reached the final part of our Top MuggleNet Moments series! To wrap things up, we're looking at the Top 5 Moments in MuggleNet's history.

This part highlights MuggleCast releasing its first episode and defining a future for Harry Potter podcasting, Emerson insulting a group of Potter shippers across the world, and various MuggleNet interviews with the creators of the books and films - including JK Rowling.

You can view Parts 1 and 2 of this series right here and right here respectively.

We hope you've enjoyed this series, and thanks to EVERYONE for their support over the past 10 years! There are many great things for MuggleNet and the Harry Potter fandom to come.

Universal Studios will be holding auditions for the Wizarding World theme park Nov. 14 and 15.

Male Actors able to portray age range of mid-thirties to mid-forties and speak with a British dialect.Strong improv and interaction skills required. Male and Female Actors Youthful in appearance, able to speak with a British dialect. Please prepare a one minute monologue for audition using a British dialect.

Check out the schedule here.

Good luck to all who try out!

Your home is decorated (hopefully), so why not dress up MuggleNet with our Halloween 2009 layout? We have two other Halloween layouts from previous years at this link and this link.

Also, are any of you dressing up in Potter-related costumes this Halloween? If so, please take a picture of yourself on Halloween night and e-mail it to halloween09 at staff dot mugglenet dot com. We'll take our favorites and post them here! Please include your first name and geographical location. Thanks!

In celebration of MuggleNet's 10th Anniversary, Fan of the Week is back with three huge updates! More fan contribution! Staff member featurettes! MuggleNet's first ever Fan of the Year!

Head over to Fan of the Week to find out more!

For those of you in Australia, you can check out the new Blu-ray cover for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Of interest, is the sticker saying, "Be the first to see footage from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

Half-Blood Prince will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in Australia on November 18.

And don't forget MuggleNet has a comprehensive Half-Blood Prince DVD info page that you can check out right here!

Thanks to Shahbaz for the tip!

With the recent move to Boston, Warner Bros. has sent along a brand-new video tour of Harry Potter: The Exhibition. Actor Matthew Lewis, who attended the special press event last Thursday, and was the first to tour the exhibit, talks about some of the cool features.

The video also includes interviews with Executive Vice President, Licensing and Worldwide Marketing for Warner Brothers Consumer Products, Karen McTier and President, Branded Entertainment at Exhibitgroup/Giltspur, Eddie Newquist.

Check out the video right here! Additionally, MuggleNet staffer Kat attended the Boston press event last week and took over 75 great photos! For an in-depth review of the Exhibition, read Eric's Chicago review.

The exhibition opened to the public at The Boston Museum of Science on Sunday, October 25 and will remain in Boston through Sunday, February 21. Been to the exhibition in Chicago? Going while it is Boston? Let us know what you think!

A single mother from the United Kingdom was planning to have a Harry Potter-themed party this weekend to celebrate Halloween. Instead Ms. Marmite Lover will have to change things up a bit.

Last Friday, she received a cease-and-desist letter from Warner Bros. suggesting that her "proposed use of the Harry Potter properties...without our consent would amount to an infringement of Warner's rights."

Ms. Lover was looking to charge a small entry fee (as she has for other themed parties), but says that no harm was intended. She set up a small site to purchase tickets online.

"My living room holds under 30 people, this is hardly some cynical money spinning exercise – at a maximum of 25 British pounds a head I won't make a profit, I'll be struggling to cover the costs of the ingredients and props I've shelled out on, such as dry ice and miracle berries."

Warner Bros. said they do not, of course, object to her holding a generic wizard/Halloween night and that is what Ms. Lover has been forced to do.

What do you think of this? Should Warner Bros. be shutting down Potter-themed Halloween parties? Or is Ms. Lover in the wrong?

The latest episode of our Harry Potter podcast is now available! It's a landmark show as MuggleNet webmaster Emerson Spartz makes his debut on a pre-recorded episode. He joins us to talk about MuggleNet's 10 year anniversary and much more:

- Someone is almost fired by the boss after slacking off from his news duties.
- News: Potter DVD features, Dan may be in a musical, and Deathly Hallows filming updates.
- This week's Chapter by Chapter looks at chapters 4 - 6 of Chamber of Secrets.
- Tons of foreshadowing within Borgin and Burkes!
- Gilderoy Lockhart - what's his deal?
- We take your e-mails and tweets about these chapters.
- What is the all-time best moment Emerson has had with the site?

All that and a LOT more on this very long episode (1 hour and 46 minutes to be exact) can be heard by downloading! To download the fun for free, we recommend subscribing through iTunes. Just CLICK HERE and then press "Subscribe" to the right of our album art. (Already subscribed? Refresh your feed!) No iPod or MP3 player needed! You can also visit the MuggleCast website to listen right within your browser, or to download the MP3 file to your desktop.

UPDATE: Our video-game theme park contest ends Thursday 10/29. View the details on MuggleCast.com!

We always love getting your feedback. Leave us your thoughts in the comments below!

Forget football Sunday, today is the Quidditch World Cup!

There will be 22 teams participating in the Intercollegiate Quidditch Association's tournament, so tune in here.

Thanks to Matt for the tip!

Amazon has posted a new 2-minute commercial for the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Blu-Ray set.

It includes some nice new looks at the bonus features we'll be getting on the special edition and Blu-Ray DVDs.

To view it, click here! Thanks to Snitch Seeker for the tip.

To learn a lot more about the Half-Blood Prince DVD and its special features, visit our info page. The DVD will be released on December 8th in the United States.

Does this new video get you excited for the bonus features?!

UPDATE: The set report has been removed due to inappropriate content.

A brand-new Deathly Hallows set report has now appeared online detailing out the events and guests of the wedding at the Burrow between Fleur Delacour (Clemence Poesy) and Bill Weasley (Domhnall Gleeson).

Of "sizeable" note was one of the party's guests, Frances de la Tour, who plays Madame Maxime and last appeared in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. To this point, no mention had been made of her return for Deathly Hallows.

Additionally, the writer notes the "claw marks" across Bill's face (courtesy of Fenrir Greyback) and that George Weasley has a bandage over his missing ear (which Ron has replaced with his own drawing).

Finally, there are plenty of pictures taken of the Burrow set, as well as of random drawings outside of the Lovegood's home and inside Hermione's parents' house. This explains why Michelle Fairley was cast as Mrs. Granger, even though neither she nor Mr. Granger appear in the seventh book. The scene is being shot as a flashback where Emma Watson (Hermione) alters her parents memories.

What do you think of these recent developments?

Read the full report, complete with pictures, over on LiveJournal. For all we've got on Deathly Hallows, click here.

Thanks to Leaky for the tip!

Several media outlets, including the official Harry Potter Twitter account earlier today, have picked up a story originating from The Daily Mail about a guy named Harry Potter. He isn't too happy about sharing the same name JK Rowling's main character holds:

Mr Potter said: 'When I got my job in the bank, they couldn't believe that I was telling the truth on my application form.

'I'm the only person in the building who doesn't have to use my full name when I'm talking on the phone.

'Beginning a phone conversation with the mention of my name is never a good start - it distracts people too much.'

And while the young stars of the film series have snapped up a string of multi-million properties, Mr Potter will be happy when he and girlfriend Philippa Hall, 18, manage to buy their first house together.

Is this guy just looking for attention, or is he really upset? Would it bother you if you were named Harry Potter?

In early September we told you that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince had been nominated in several categories at the 2009 Scream Awards.

Thanks to HarryPotterXperts.de, we now know that Half-Blood Prince won in the "Best Ensemble" and "Holy S***! Scene of the Year" (for the bridge collapse) categories.

The awards will air Tuesday, October 27th at 10 PM on Spike TV.

Last month we told you about an upcoming comic book by Bluewater Productions centered around the story of Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

MTV now has online a preview of six pages from the comic book. They include very nice, full color sketches illustrating the life of our favorite author.

The comic book will be released in December. It is not officially authorized by Warner Brothers/JK Rowling. For more information on the Female Force comic book series, click here!

UPDATE: 83 beauitful, high-res photos from the exhibit can now be seen starting right here!

Deathly Hallows notes from the fansite Exhibition interview with Matt Lewis:
- Matt has the script for Part 2 and will begin shooting next week.
- "The scale of it is enormous," he says of Part 2.
- Neville is "a bloody and battered resistance leader - a battle hardened veteran."

The East Coast premiere of Harry Potter: The Exhibition opens in Boston, MA on Sunday October 25, 2009. MuggleNet staff member Kat was able to preview the Exhibition this afternoon and also attended a roundtable discussion with actor Matthew Lewis.

We learned that Matt goes back to work for Deathly Hallows next week and will be filming the final battle scenes soon.

Matt also said that after seeing his own dancing shoes in the exhibition he recalled a scene that had been cut from filming in Goblet of Fire...

"I can't dance. They told me Neville is a good dancer. My partner was Bonnie, Ginny Weasley, and we learned the waltz. Which wasn't too difficult, I was okay with the waltz. You follow it back, to the side, back, to the side. That's easy, I can do that. Then we had to learn a tango. Now you see the other guys, like Dan & Rupert, they were fine because they were told they were supposed to be rubbish. It was supposed to be uncomfortable. Neville however was supposed to look like Fred Astaire. And so we did this tango, and we spent months on this tango and you know I have got two left feet. It was totally embarassing and Bonnie was probably cringing herself, but she was pretty good. And then we never even shot it, we never even did it. We never even got around to filming it. So that reminded me, with the dancing shoes."

Read Eric's full report from Chicago for a more in depth look at the Exhibition.

Amazon.com has announced that Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system is the first product to surpass Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in grossing pre-orders. From TG Daily:

"The launch of Windows 7 has superseded everyone's expectations, storming ahead of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as the biggest grossing pre-order product of all-time at Amazon.co.uk, and demand is still going strong," says Brian McBride, Amazon UK MD.

Over the past three months, only Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol has sold more copies than Windows 7, which is an incredible achievement for a software product.

This year's People Choice Awards are now open, and Harry Potter has been nominated in a few categories:

- Favorite Franchise: Harry Potter
- Favorite Movie: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Favorite On Scream Team: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson

Get over there and vote! Thanks to Maggie for the tip.

Matt Lewis will participate in a roundtable press conference for Harry Potter: The Exhibition this Thursday at the Boston Museum of Science.

The Exhibition is set to open this coming Sunday, Oct. 25. MuggleNet will be there to cover all the events on Thursday!

DON'T FORGET: MuggleNet is also celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month throughout October. For more information on how you can help the fight against breast cancer with MuggleNet, please click here.

Without any doubt, MuggleNet's success has been built by our loyal visitors. Some of you have been visiting since 1999, while others just discovered us a few weeks ago (see the poll on the right for those results).

Today, as part of celebrating 10 years online, we present to you this group of stories from MuggleNet visitors across the globe. The stories explain what MuggleNet has meant to so many people over the years. We were sincerely touched after reading these.

We hope you enjoy them too. Thanks to EVERYONE who submitted stories. We read and greatly appreciated them all. Next week, look for the Top 5 MuggleNet Moments!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has been nominated in the Hollywood Movie of the Year Category at this year's Hollywood Movie Awards.

As of now, Star Trek leads the pack with 27% of the votes, while Half-Blood Prince is second with 21%.

Cast your vote here.

Thanks to Enrico for the reminder!

Over the past few weeks we've reported on several cool Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince DVD/Blu-Ray features, and another one specifically for Blu-Ray has just been announced today.

David Yates and Dan Radcliffe will participate in a community screening of Half-Blood Prince on December 12th starting at 3 PM EST. Fans who have a copy of the film on Blu-Ray and are registered in the BD Live community will be invited to participate. Comments from David and Dan via VideoBusiness:

"I'm really looking forward to the live community screening of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and excited to talk directly to fans of the movie about my experiences and answer their questions," said Radcliffe. "It's a wonderful way for fans and for those directly involved with making a film to share opinions and ideas."

Yates added, "I'm looking forward to engaging with the thoughts and opinions of the fans who have supported us so loyally and passionately over the years-without them the films wouldn't be the success they are."

Happy birthday wishes are in order for Dumbledore actor Michael Gambon today.

Join us in wishing him a very happy 69th birthday!

Nominations are now open for the 2009 Podcast Awards and we need your help! Head on over to PodcastAwards.com to nominate MuggleCast in the categories of People's Choice and Entertainment.

Make sure you put "MuggleCast" in the Podcast Name field and "http://www.mugglecast.com" in the Podcast URL field. Feel free to vote for the other podcasts you listen to in the remaining categories. Please note you can only fill out the form ONCE!

The nomination period ends tomorrow, Sunday, October 18, so get voting! And thanks as always to the listeners for being so supportive!

The HPA will stand up against Proposition One--a ballot that would repeal same-sex marriage in Maine--by "Wrock-ing 4 Equality" on Oct. 24.

The Harry Potter Alliance is bringing together thousands of Harry Potter fans across the world to fight Proposition One. The basic gist is one day of activism set in Portland, Maine at the North Star Cafe (225 Congress Street Portland, Maine 04101) featuring Harry and the Potters and Draco and the Malfoys. The concert will be live streamed for fans to watch online. After the first show is over, concert attendees in Portland will canvass and those watching online will phone bank in conjunction with both Mass and Maine Equality. At the end of the day, we'll be coming together for a second concert to close things out.

Click here for more information.

MTV has an interesting article looking at how the creators of the upcoming film X-Men: First Class are using Potter as an example of what they want to do:

"Harry Potter is a bit of a role model for us, absolutely," she said. "But we want it to be like the recent, darker Potters. It should not be a kiddie movie—we're in the 'X-Men' world so you can't suddenly change the tone."

Even the film's cast of characters will follow Potter's footsteps insofar as getting into mischievous adventures that Xavier wouldn't approve of.

"There's nothing more interesting than a bad kid, and this is full of naughty children," said Donner. "Cyclops, for example—he's a tough kid that bobbed from foster home to foster home, until he ends up at the school and becomes the leader."

Are they copy cats or coming up with an original idea?

Serbia.com is reporting that actor Rade Serbedzija will begin filming his role as Gregorovitch in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows next month. The article notes:

"The film is the latest sequel in the 'Harry Potter' oeuvre, and Rade will play the pivotal role of Gregorovitch, the famous wandmaker, in the film."

Thanks to Leaky for the tip!

As marked by the calendar on J.K. Rowling's website, Saturday, October 17 is Filius Flitwick's birthday. Happy Birthday to everyone's favorite Charms professor and Head of Ravenclaw house!

Several stars from the Potter films have made Empire Magazine's list of the 100 Sexiest Movie Stars (Empire chose 50 men and 50 women).

Emma Watson came in at an impressive #3 on the women list: The face that launched a thousand extremely dodgy internet countdown clocks has blossomed with adulthood into an extremely poised, porcelain-fine beauty and something of a fashion icon. Not bad for someone who won't even turn 20 until next April.

Dan Radcliffe appeared at the #37 spot on the men list: He loves cricket, he's got great taste in music, he's absolutely minted... what more do you want? A good body? Well he's got one of them too (did you see Equus? Of course you did). You want more? Well he's a bloody wizard, and a really good one at that, with a couple of potions that'll guarantee you fancy him.

Other stars who made the cut include Robert Pattinson (#2), Helena Bonham Carter (#9), Jason Issacs (#24), and Alan Rickman (#8). Thanks to Kershia for the tip!

The Hertfordshire Mercury has a new interview online with James Williamson, who will be playing an unnamed Death Eater in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In the interview, he discusses how he's been getting ready:

At the moment James does not know if he will have any lines. He will find out only when he begins filming on Thursday.

The former Bishop’s Stortford College student has been acting for the past seven years and regularly features in performances at Stevenage’s Gordon Craig Theatre. His latest performance was in Footloose.

The role will be a challenge for the young actor, who is used to playing good characters.

James said: “I’ve never played an evil character. I’ve done several comedy roles and usually get typecast as a well-spoken English man.”

Celebrating the release of the new book-to-film adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are, TIME Magazine has a new feature looking popular books turned into popular films.

The Harry Potter series is of course included on this list:

Though J.K. Rowling's 1997 book had already sold hundreds of thousands of copies by the time Hollywood released its first Potter film, Sorcerer's Stone turned the boy wizard into an international pop icon virtually overnight. The movie earned close to $1 billion at the box office and guaranteed that the remaining books in the series would find their way to the big screen. The last installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II, is expected to be released in the summer of 2011.

See the entire list - which looks at Willy Wonka, Stuart Little, and many others - at this link. Thanks to Vivi for the tip!

In a follow-up to the story posted below (link), many are still wondering what the "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" ride at Universal Studios will be. The ride's name was revealed in mid-September, but no other details have been given.

However, a new article from the Orlando Sentinel reveals that Universal may be using very advanced robotic arms to move visitors through the ride:

The Harry Potter attraction, which will be housed in a 15-story replica of Hogwarts Castle, will be a much larger, more lavish experience [compared to a new Disney ride using similar robotic arms].

Universal's ride is also expected to be a type of "robocoaster," in which the robot arms advance along a track even as they swivel riders in various directions. The bases of the robot arms in [Disney's new ride] are fixed in place.

Do you have any theories?

A local Orlando news channel, Central Florida News 13, decided to fly their helicopter over the construction site of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park recently to get a good view.

The video, available here (click the "News 13 Exclusive: Flying Over Hogwarts" link), provides a great 360-degree view of the construction site.

For the first time we get a good look at the building that will house the "Forbidden Journey" ride that Universal promises will not be like anything seen before.

Definitely check it out for a great view of the construction. The park will be opening this Spring. For more on the park, visit our info page!

When the Order of the Phoenix DVD was released close to two years ago, fans were treated to a nice look at Half-Blood Prince.

WB has decided to do the same with the Half-Blood Prince DVD and will include a sneak peek of Deathly Hallows. The feature was discovered when DVD Empire posted the back cover of the DVD on their website.

Remember: MuggleNet has a comprehensive Half-Blood Prince DVD info page that you can check out right here! Thanks to Maggie and Leaky for the tip.

Last week we kicked off a special series looking at the past 10 years of MuggleNet.

Part 2 of our 'Best Moments' feature is now available at this link! In this new installment, we dive into more of our Best Moments: MuggleSpace opening, the release of MuggleNet's two books, and other bittersweet memories!

Next week we'll be sharing the MuggleNet stories you all wrote in with, and the final week will look at our Top 5 Moments. Enjoy!

Back in August our friends at UHP reported that actor, Ray Fearon, was rumoured to reprise his role as Firenze in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Earlier this week we contacted Ray Fearon's agency, to see if they could shed any light on the situation. They responded to say that as of yet they have not been approached about this role and that currently this rumour is incorrect.

With just under 9 months of filming still to go, this could all change. With so many familiar faces returning, it is still likely that we may get to see our favourite Centaur on the screen one last time.

In the meantime be sure to check out our Deathly Hallows film section for a wealth of information, including an updated Cast list.

Amazon has sent out announcements that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is now available for pre-order on DVD, Blu-ray and Amazon Video on Demand!

The DVD/Blu-ray combo can be purchased here and the single-disc DVD can be purchased here. For more info visit Amazon.

All the actors are understandably sad that filming for the franchise is slowly coming to the end, and Robbie Coltrane is no different. He plays Hagrid in the series and recently spoke to the Radio Times about it:

"We were all going - 'Yeah, it's gonna be tough on the kids...'"

"Then eventually we were all saying 'Yeah, it's gonna be pretty tough for me too'."

The actor admits one thing he will not miss when filming ends is the beard he has to wear for his role as Hagrid.

"It's all horrible. But at the end of the day, they take it off and then two girls come to my trailer with a pot of hot oil, they dissolve the beard, rub my face with oil." he said.

Thanks for the tip, Adam!

It may be hard to get a good view of how construction on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is progressing by only viewing photos.

So, why not check out a video of construction? Orlando Attractions Magazine has posted this new video of construction around the Wizarding World. It provides a great view of how things are progressing!

Thanks to Shelby for the tip!

This Is Briandom has another photo report up from a recent visit to Universal Studios Orlando and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter construction site.

The photos depict some nice progress on the exterior buildings of the Wizarding World, including Hogsmeade and Hogwarts.

Check them all out right here! The park is scheduled to open in Spring 2010.

We know. You wake up every morning and say to yourself, "Argh! What the heck is going on with Deathly Hallows filming?!"

You check MuggleNet and read up on the latest filming news, but did you know we have a comprehensive Deathly Hallows information section that archives all the news we get?

What's more, we've recently made big updates to the Cast and Filming information pages! They're loaded with info pertaining to Part 1 and Part 2. Check them out and visit often because they'll be updated with new info as quickly as we get it!

Warwick Davis answered the classic 'New look Flitwick' question via Twitter today. Why did Flitwick's look change for Prisoner of Azkaban?

When it came time to shoot 'Azkaban', there was no mention of Flitwick' in the script. However, the producer still wanted me to be in the movie so he asked if I would play the role of 'Choir Master'. Of course, I said 'yes'. When it came time to shoot 'Goblet of Fire' the director, Michael Newell said he liked the look of the choir master, and from that moment, the character became known as 'Flitwick.'

You may recall that Davis answered the same question when the MuggleCasters interviewed him. Read the transcript here.

Check out Davis' Twitter right here.

UPDATE: Photos posted on BizBash back in July show the cake (in the shape of the Hogwarts Express) along with decor at Half-Blood Prince party. Thanks, Katie!

You may remember that for the Order of the Phoenix Los Angeles premiere in July 2007, Ace of Cakes star Duff Goldman created a very cool Hogwarts cake (pictured) for the cast, crew, and special guests.

As it turns out, the cake was so good Duff was invited back to create a cake for the Half-Blood Prince New York premiere! An episode of Ace of Cakes featuring a behind-the-scenes look at his creation will air on the Food Network starting October 29th at 10 PM EST. Thanks for the tip, Mika!

On a related note, FeltBeats caught up with Duff at the Half-Blood Prince premiere and he revealed a couple details about this new cake. You can watch the interview right here on YouTube.

DVD Times has a new article out detailing what we can expect from the "Close Up with the Cast of Harry Potter" portion of the Half-Blood Prince DVD. Many cast members are contributing with fun segments totaling 28 minutes:

- Editing with Daniel Radcliffe: Daniel and editor Mark Day have a light-hearted conversation about film editing and how to get the right shot for a scene
- Special Effects with Matthew Lewis, Oliver Phelps and Tom Felton: The guys get a "science lesson" from Special Effects Supervisor John Richardson and technician Matthew Harlow.
- Owl Training with Jessie Cave: Jessie heads outside for training tips with “hootie” and owl trainer Guillaume Grange.
- Stunt Training with Rupert Grint: Rupert shows off his thrill for danger with the stunt department.

Read more details, including what other cast are doing, over at DVD Times! Don't forget: MuggleNet has a Half-Blood Prince DVD section packed with info right here. Thanks to Snitch Seeker for the tip.

Variety is reporting that Dan Radcliffe will be starring in an upcoming musical titled "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" on Broadway.

Producers, directors, and choreographers are already in place but Dan is the only cast member set for the production. A reading set to be held in December will determine who the other cast members are. From Variety:

Written by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, "How to Succeed" chronicles the rise of a crafty window cleaner as he follows the advice of a self-help manual to connive his way up through the ranks of the World Wide Wickets Co. and get the girl in the process.

As most fans know, Dan starred in London and New York productions of the stageplay "Equus" alongside fellow Potter actor Richard Griffiths during 2007 - 2008. We'll update with more when we can! Thanks to Maggie for the tip.

As we have mentioned previous, throughout October MuggleNet will be celebrating its 10-year anniversary! As part of the celebration, we will be featuring the top 15 moments in the site's history.

Today, we are releasing moments 11 through 15, including some April Fool's pranks, the midnight book release parties, as well as a few of MuggleNet's most notorious sections. Moments 1 through 10 will be revealed in the coming weeks.

And don't forget: you can share your stories with us about how you first found out about the site or how it has impacted you by e-mailing them to mn10stories@staff.mugglenet.com.

Middlebury College is set to host the Third Annual Quidditch World Cup later this month. As you may recall, Middlebury has made everyone's favorite sport from the Harry Potter series popular across college campuses.

The event will take place on October 25th from 9 am - 5 pm with 26 teams competing from around the United States. You can get all the information and latest updates on their Facebook page or by following them on Twitter.

Be sure to check out MTV's coverage of this up-and-coming college sport!

Thanks to Emily for sending this in!

The latest episode of our Harry Potter podcast has arrived, and with it is the triumphant return of Chapter by Chapter! Its been two years since we wrapped up our Sorcerer's Stone Chapter by Chapter series, and now it's back in a new format for Chamber of Secrets. Plus:

- JK Rowling creates a Twitter and hints at a writing project.
- Will she use the Twitter account often? And what is she writing?
- We predict when the Encyclopedia will be released (if that is what she's writing).
- We start with Chapters 1 - 3 from Chamber of Secrets.
- Does Dobby know about the Horcruxes from this early point?
- Andrew points out an example of Jo forwarding a death in Deathly Hallows.
- Quote Quiz and Make the Music Connection return.

All that and a LOT more can be found in this week's show! To download the fun for free, we recommend subscribing through iTunes. Just CLICK HERE and then press "Subscribe" to the right of our album art. (Already subscribed? Refresh your feed!) No iPod or MP3 player needed! You can also visit the MuggleCast website to listen right within your browser, or to download the MP3 file to your desktop.

Harry Melling--the actor who plays Dudley Dursley--discussed his recent weight loss and his career in an interview with the Telegraph.

On returning to the set of Deathly Hallows after his weight loss, Melling no longer looked like Dudley.

Dudley doesn't feature in the sixth Potter film, so there was a long gap between playing the butterball bully in the fifth, aged 16, and shooting the seventh film, this year. In the meantime, he had changed almost beyond recognition, to the producers' alarm. "They did this double-take, 'Oh my God, we are going to have to do something,' and I felt very guilty. They could have recast, but instead they padded me out."

Despite not being a lead in the movies, Melling is happy with his career.

"I can now shed the child-actor thing, like the fat, and start a new career, because no one sees me as Dudley."

Tom Felton, the actor who plays Draco Malfoy in the Potter series, updated his Twitter account today with the following news:

"Had a great day at work! learning from the best, its an honour to work with Ralph Fiennes, he's so professional and talented."

Fiennes returns as Lord Voldemort for Deathly Hallows after no new screen time in Half-Blood Prince.

The other day, Tom sent out the following Tweets:

- back filming!! up so early! fresh blonde hair...malfoy is very busy today x

- Just finished for the day. All went well with the last shot of the day so on the way home. Tired... but Feels good to be back at hogwarts x

Don't forget you can follow all of the Potter stars on Twitter right here!

Fans joined forces to start a petition for the release of Cherrybomb--a film starring Rupert Grint--and succeeded. As the BBC reports, the film has found a distributor and will be released sometime in 2010.

Rupert Grint was thrilled.

I'm delighted by the huge support the film has already received on the official Facebook page and other sites on the web and am so grateful to my fans in particular, who have travelled the world to support the film at festivals and preview screenings."

Thanks to Chris for the tip!

The Times Online recently interviewed Dame Maggie Smith, where she discussed her career, her role in the Potter films as Professor McGonagall, as well as her battle with breast cancer. Smith, who was diagnosed last year, tells the story of how she filmed her scenes for Half-Blood Prince mid-treatment.

The actress is very candid in the interview, saying that she even accepted the possibility of dying. Thankfully, the doctors have given her an "all-clear," as she goes for a check-up later this month.

Smith is set to begin filming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows shortly, but notes, "she is racked with doubt about her acting future after being 'knocked sideways' by her illness."

All of us here at MuggleNet wish Maggie a full and speedy recovery!

Author J.K. Rowling will be the recipient of the first ever Hans Christian Anderson Award next year in Denmark. The Potter author will travel to Odense to accept the award in person on October 19, 2010.

"The city already has a strong link to Rowling’s books and hosts an annual Harry Potter Festival, which transforms the City Hall into Hogwarts School for witches and wizards. The festival is run in conjunction with the public library to encourage children to read."

In addition, Rowling was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award on October 4, by animation and gaming company DQ Entertainment for her outstanding contribution towards children's entertainment.

Thanks to Tine for the tip and translation!

J.K. Rowling announced, while at the Stella McCartney show, that she is indeed putting "pen to paper."

“I’m working on something, but it’s not Harry Potter,” she said. “I need a Harry break.”

You may recall that she mentioned she was busy writing when she posted her first Twitter message last month.

What could it be?

Read the Telegraph's report right here.

The vertical construction of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park is finally getting VERY exciting!

The tallest tower of Hogwarts and exterior walls have been put into place, and WOW do they look cool! See the pictures right here on OrlandoUnited.com.

Construction is expected to continue through early next year. Universal announced several weeks ago that the park will open this Spring.

You can read everything we've got on the Wizarding World right here! Thanks to Emily for the tip.

Rotten Tomatoes UK has released a new interview with the actress who plays Narcissa Malfoy in the Potter films. In it, she repeats what she told our own Nick Myers at the Half-Blood Prince UK premiere - this film, unlike the others, can have a "full stop" finish:

"It's got a full stop," she told us. "I think up to now, every director who has done a Harry Potter has had to do a dot-dot-dot. They know it's a sequel, they know there's another film coming out. But with this one, we can actually make everything have an epic ending. It's going to be final. And it's going to be huge. There doesn't have to be any more pauses or dot-dot-dots. So they're letting out all the stops with this one."

Helen also reveals that a table read for Part 2 of Deathly Hallows is taking place today, and she mentions that many around the set have grown up with the franchise and are sad to see it go.

Thanks to Joe from Rotten Tomatoes!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and MuggleNet would like to encourage prevention and early detection, as one in eight women will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer in her lifetime. This issue is close to the Potter community, as Dame Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall) is herself a breast cancer survivor.

A BeMitt is a new tool designed to assist women in performing their monthly self-breast exam. Beth Bromberg, creator of the BeMitt, had several benign lumps removed from her breasts yet still wasn't doing her monthly exams. When her then 20 year-old daughter Jenna, a Harry Potter fan and MuggleNet visitor, discovered a lump in her breast, she decided it was time to spread awareness to make self-exams not just easier but more effective. She invented the BeMitt, a mineral oil-filled mitt that magnifies texture - allowing women to better know their breasts and increase the likelihood of early detection.



If you have a Twitter account, please help us spread the word by clicking here and Re-Tweeting our goal.

J.K. Rowling's calendar has been updated to wish Professor Minerva McGonagall a happy birthday.

Join us in wishing this headmistress and former Gryffindor head of house the best on her day!

As we announced yesterday, October marks 10 years since MuggleNet was founded by little Emerson. We have several features planned throughout the month to celebrate the occasion, and today we need your help for one of them!

MuggleNet's success is thanks in large part to YOU - the visitors. Do you have a story about finding MuggleNet? About what MuggleNet has meant to you? About what MuggleNet has done for you? Then we want your stories! Please e-mail them to mn10stories@staff.mugglenet.com. Please keep your stories limited to no more than 3 paragraphs.

We'll take as many stories as possible and post them on MuggleNet later this month. Thanks!

More celebrating to come this weekend...

This news initially broke a couple weeks ago but has recently been picked up in various major media outlets. According to a new book by Matt Latimer, who was US President Bush's speechwriter, Bush's administration had denied JK Rowling a Presidential Award because the Potter books promoted witchcraft.

From the BBC:

The claims appear in Latimer's new book called Speechless: Tales of a White House Survivor.

He wrote that "narrow thinking" led White House officials to object to giving Rowling the civilian honour.

The award acknowledges contributions to US national interest, world peace or cultural endeavours.

Thanks to everyone who has e-mailed in with the tip.

Once upon a time, a 12-year-old kid was suffering from crushing boredom. He thought it would be fun to make a website. So he did. And at first, it completely sucked. Then he got really, really obsessed. He quickly found other obsessed fans -- and you know the rest!

HarryPotter.com just wasn't giving us enough of what we wanted, so we took matters into our own hands: MuggleNet is a 10 year long project of collective success involving millions of passionate Harry Potter fans from every corner of the Earth. Every fan contributed in some way - whether it was posting news, submitting fan fics, or engaging in discussion on forums while we went delusional waiting for each book. WOW, has it been fun!

We'll be posting fun new features throughout the month looking back at the past 10 years, so stay tuned. Embarrassing baby photos of Andrew Sims are likely. T-shirts possible. Thank you, MuggleNetters, for your continued support!

How long have you been with us?