MuggleNet's Top 15 Moments

Part 3: Moments 5 through 1

Throughout October, MuggleNet is celebrating its 10th birthday with a variety of special features looking at the site and the fandom. Below is Part 3 of our look at the site's Top 15 Moments.

5) MuggleCast releases its first episode

August 7, 2005, marked a new era on MuggleNet as staffers Andrew, Ben and Kevin created the first ever Harry Potter podcast. The show took on a life of its own and became an instant favorite amongst the fandom. Over 180 episodes and four years later, MuggleCast is still going strong and shows no sign of slowing down. It has been honored twice: in 2006, with the People's Choice Award for Best Podcast and in 2008, with the Best Entertainment Award. Hosts Eric, Jamie, Laura, Matt, Micah and Mikey have all brought their unique personalities and theories to the show. By far the best part of the doing the podcast has been the interaction with fans online and in-person at various events and conventions around the world.

4) MuggleNet and MuggleCast interview the stars of the film franchise

MuggleNet and MuggleCast have both been very fortunate to speak with the stars of the Harry Potter franchise. At each movie premiere, MuggleNet has been given access at the press junkets and the red carpet to David Heyman, David Yates, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman and many more. Our podcast has also interviewed Warwick Davis and Goblet of Fire composer Patrick Doyle. On the book end, we have spoken with U.S. illustrator Mary Grandpre and U.S. audiobook narrator Jim Dale. And of course, Emerson's interview with author J.K. Rowling, which you can read more about in Moment #2.

View some of our more recent premiere interviews at these links: Order of the Phoenix premiere, Half-Blood Prince premiere.

3) Emerson calls Harry/Hermione shippers "delusional"

This is a very MuggleNet-specific moment that shook up some of our visitors - Harry/Hermione shippers to be exact. It was during Emerson's interview with JK Rowling (see Moment #2) that this moment took place:
ES: We thought it was clearer than ever that Harry and Ginny are an item and Ron and Hermione - although we think you made it painfully obvious in the first five books -

JKR: [points to herself and whispers] So do I!

ES: What was that?

JKR: [More loudly] Well. so do I! So do I!

[All laugh; Melissa doubles over, hysterical, and may have died.]

ES: Harry/Hermione shippers: delusional!

JKR: Well no, I'm not going to - Emerson, I am not going to say they're delusional! They are still valued members of my readership! I am not going to use the word delusional.
Harry/Hermione shippers couldn't believe they were accused of being 'delusional'. Emerson tried to do damage control but fans were already set on the loose.

2) Emerson interviews JK Rowling

What would you do if JK Rowling invited you to come to her home right after reading Half-Blood Prince so you could interview her? Hopefully you'd be able to read really fast.

Emerson and Melissa (of Leaky) received that exact invitation from Jo a couple of months before Half-Blood Prince was to be released in July 2005. It was a landmark interview because it was the first time a fansite had the opportunity to interview the author in-depth (not to mention it was right after the release of the penultimate book). You can read the entire interview starting at this link.

1) MuggleNet receives JK Rowling's Fansite Award

There has been no greater accomplishment for our site than when we received public recognition from the author of the Harry Potter books herself. In June of 2004, JK Rowling awarded MuggleNet her coveted Fansite Award via her official website. "It's high time I paid homage to the mighty MuggleNet," she wrote, "Where to start? I love the design, (I currently favour the 'Dementor' layout), the polls (I actually voted in the 'Who's the Half-Blood Prince?' one), the pretty-much-exhaustive information on all books and films." Read her entire write up at this link.


View Moments 15 - 11 | Moments 10 - 6

We hope you enjoyed this anniversary feature on MuggleNet. Here's to the next 10 years!