Alexandra’s Adventures @alexandras-adventures - Tumblr Blog

We're back!

After a nearly 3 year hiatus, Alexandra's Adventures is back and better than ever. We are so excited to be back with you all! The season 3 trailer is out, so go check out your favorite listening platform for podcasts and give it a listen.

Don't forget to like, follow and subscribe here, to the podcast, and on instagram @alexandrasadventurespodcast!

#alexandrasadventures #alexandrasadventurespodcast #podcast #applepodcasts #spotify

ICYMI we have a new logo!

#alexandrasadventurespodcast #alexandrasadventures #podcast #applepodcasts #spotify

It's my 3 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳

#3 year tumblrversary #tumblr milestone

On May 2, 2021, we raised our wands in honor of those lost during the Battle of Hogwarts 23 years ago.

Check out episode 7 of The Pensieve Podcast where we explore Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on https://anchor.fm/alexandras-adventures

Join us as we discuss the losses that occurred during the course of the novel, as well as during the battle, the happy and joyous moments that occur in the darkest of times, and finally the unforgivable curses.

Scholarly Second Source: “Illness and Disability” by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter Blog Post 14

Raise your wands in honor of those lost in the Battle of Hogwarts 23 years ago today! Episode 7 of The Pensieve Podcast is out now. This episode is a discussion about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! Join us as we explore the losses that occurred during the course of the novel, as well as during the battle, the happy and joyous moments that occur in the darkest of times, and finally the unforgivable curses. Stick around until the end for this episode’s scholarly second which is by J.K. Rowling and is titled "Illness and Disability." You can listen to it @ https://anchor.fm/alexandras-adventures! Make sure to check it out!

Scholarly Second: “Illness and Disability” by J.K. Rowling

Now for this week’s blog post:

Where Do Those Names Come From?!

Rowling seems to have a fun time coming up with names for everything in her book. “She uses foreign words, puns, and anagrams; makes references to history and myth; and often takes names from maps.” For words such as Quidditch, she makes them up. It was brought up that a fan pointed out letters from each ball used in the game make up the word Quidditch: Quaffle, Bludger, Bludger, and snitch. Something else that I think is special is that she also invents the histories for the words she invents. A companion book one can find is “Quidditch Through the Ages” where we can learn more about Quidditch.

Below are some examples of words with a little more meaning to them/where they came from:

Acronyms

O.W.L.s: Ordinary Wizarding Levels. To pass you would prove to be wise.

N.E.W.T.s: Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests.

Geography

Bathilda Bagshot: Bagshot is the author of A History of Magic, but is also a town near London

Foreign Words

Beauxbatons: French for “beautiful wands”

Literature

Gilderoy Lockhart: His first name refers to his being gilded to make him seem more intelligent and attractive. His last name connects with author J.G. Lockhart and fits his role as a writer of wizard lore.

History

The Grey Lady: Lady Jane Grey was the queen of England for 9 days in 1553 before being killed.

Religion and Mythology

Remus Lupin: Lupus is Latin for ‘wolf.’ Additionally, the legendary founders of Rome were named Romulus and Remus.

Saints

Hedwig: under her patronage, nuns chose as their work the education of orphaned children, like Harry.

And a couple fun words: Diagon Alley runs “diagonally.” Knockturn Alley is not a place you want to visit “nocturnally.”

Source: Colbert, David. The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts. Lumina Press, 2001.

Check out episode 6 of The Pensieve Podcast where we explore Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on https://anchor.fm/alexandras-adventures

Join us as we discuss the Unbreakable Vow, the Malfoy’s, and Bill Weasley.

Scholarly Second Source: “Film Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” by Stacy Gillis

Harry Potter Blog Post 13

Hi everyone! Episode 6 of The Pensieve Podcast is out! You can listen to it @ https://anchor.fm/alexandras-adventures! It is all about book 6 of the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. We had a great conversation about the Unbreakable Vow, the Malfoy’s, and Bill Weasley. If you haven’t listened to it, make sure to check it out!

Now for this week’s blog post:

Is “Avada Kedavra” a Real Curse?

The killing curse is the worst of the three unforgivable curses; use of any of these against another human brings a life term in Azkaban. Harry is the only known person to survive the killing curse. The curse derives from a phrase in the ancient Middle Eastern language called Aramaic, “abhadda kedhabra”, meaning “disappear like this word.” It was said that this phrase was used by ancient wizards to make illnesses disappear. The phrase is also one likely origin of the magical word abracadabra.

Which of Voldemort’s Cohorts Comes from India?

In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, we are introduced to a large snake that stays by Voldemort's side named Nagini. Something interesting that I learned in this chapter is that Nagini actually has a Royal bloodline and an important role in mythology. Naga is sanskrit for snake and Nagi the word for a female. In Buddhism and Hinduism, nagas are a race of semi-divine snakes with great powers. Female nagas are known as nagini.

What is the Most Important Language for Wizards?

The answer is Latin. Many spells, charms and curses are simply Latin words. For example, lumos means light, and nox means darkness. Latin is used in other places in the series. Mad Eye Moody was once an auror. In Latin, aurora is another word for light. It makes sense that an auror is a person who fights darkness. Additionally, Hogwarts’ motto is Latin: “Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus,” which means “Never tickle a sleeping dragon.”

Below are more examples of spells and what they mean in Latin.

Accio: summoning charm -- in Latin, accio means to call or summon

Deletrius: Makes things disappear -- in Latin, deleo means to erase or destroy

Expecto Patronum: Produces a patronus (guardian) -- in Latin, expecto means to throw out and patronus means guardian

Expelliarmus: Disarms an opponent -- in Latin, expello means to drive out or expel and arma means weapon

Imperio: puts the subject under the wizard’s complete control - one of the unforgivable curses -- in Latin, impero means to order or command

Source: Colbert, David. The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts. Lumina Press, 2001.

Harry Potter Blog Post 12

Hi everyone! Episode 6 of The Pensieve Podcast is out now! You can listen to it @ https://anchor.fm/alexandras-adventures! It is all about book 6 of the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. We had a great conversation about the Unbreakable Vow, the Malfoy’s, and Bill Weasley.

This week’s scholarly second is brought to us by Stacy Gillis, whose article is titled “Film Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”

Now for this week’s blog post:

What Makes Veela Angry?

We first see Veela in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire at the Quidditch World Cup. They are beautiful young women, and their beauty is astonishing, which can make men act foolishly. It is said that Veela can be quite jealous. In a famous Serbian tale, the veela Ravioyla warned Duke Milosh that if he sang on her mountain she would shoot her arrows into him. Ravioyla heard Milosh singing in a finer voice than her own, which made her angry, and she shot two arrows at him, one hit his throat and the other his heart. In the end, Ravioyla healed Milosh. Veela are also known to be gifted in the healing arts. They tend to be kind to humans and are known to marry mortal men. According to this chapter, the thing that upsets them the most is having their ritual dances disturbed.

What Makes Harry a Universal Hero?

Harry is a very familiar hero to readers. He has many qualities that we see in other stories that we enjoy. Harry is what readers might call a “legendary Lost Prince or Hidden Monarch.” He can also be classified as an Ugly Duckling by the Dursleys’ strange standards. The Dursleys also treat Harry like Cinderella. His treatment is very similar to that of Cinderella’s tale.

Because Harry is famous in the wizarding world, he begins to feel self-doubt. Additionally, other people who care about bloodlines would see Harry as inferior.

Scholar Joseph Campbell wrote about “The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” which is the common central character in many stories. Campbell explains that the hero’s journey has three stages: Departure, Initiation, and Return. We can see all three stages throughout the series. Each novel tends to start with Harry at the Dursleys’ house before he embarks on an adventure/goes to school. Although he is surrounded by people who are helping him, he often has to enter the final battle or fight alone. Harry faces a lot of trials throughout the series and has many companions that assist him. The hero takes a “magic flight” back to his original world. We see this in the Chamber of Secrets, when Fawkes rescues them. Harry also has difficulty adjusting to his original life, where people will not fully comprehend his experience. We see this all the time when he returns to the Dursleys’ house, but we also see this in the magical world more after the fourth book.

The quest of our heroes stays the same. They have to battle the dark forces of the world, but they must face the dark forces within and rediscover that they are worthy of victory. Campbell says “we understand Harry because every one of us shares the supreme ordeal.”

Why Are Goblins Such Good Bankers?

The goblins in Harry’s world have rebelled against wizards in the past and have an uneasy truce with them. “Sometimes goblins are portrayed as more industrious than evil--adept at mining…” I thought this was an interesting fact, because when they go to Gringotts Bank in the films, they ride around in what look to be mining carts. The goblins in the series seem to be somewhere between good and evil. This “balance makes them perfect guardians for Gringotts Bank, a task that requires they be both trustworthy and ruthless.” It is important to note that you have to be careful when making deals with goblins. Bill Weasley works with them and warns Harry about making deals and being careful because the goblins can be ruthless.

Source: Colbert, David. The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts. Lumina Press, 2001.

Check out episode 5 of The Pensieve Podcast where we explore Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on https://anchor.fm/alexandras-adventures

Join us as we discuss Quidditch, Sirius’ death, and the prophecy.

Scholarly Second Source: “Power vs. Authority in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” By: Bill McCarron

Harry Potter Blog Post 11

Hi everyone! Episode 5 of The Pensieve Podcast is out now! You can listen to it @ https://anchor.fm/alexandras-adventures! It is all about book 5 of the series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. We had a great conversation about Quidditch, Sirius’ death, and the prophecy.

Now for this week’s blog post:

Why Is Each Malfoy Aptly Named?

Each name for the Malfoys is loaded with meaning and history. It was interesting to learn that the family name, Malfoy, derives from the Latin maleficus, meaning evil-doer. Many would argue that this is fitting because the Malfoy family is considered “evil” and dark by many people in the wizarding community.

Meaning of Names

Draco: double meaning in Latin, “dragon” and “snake,” which is fitting as he is sorted into Slytherin

Lucius (Draco’s father): similar to “Lucifer,” another name for the devil, which is fitting as he is a “powerful Death Eater”

Narcissa (Draco’s mother): her name is said to come from the Greek myth about Narcissus, who was very vain and “cursed by a god to fall in love with himself,” which eventually led to his death

If Dumbledore Is So Powerful, Shouldn’t He Fight Voldemort?

Albus Dumbledore is the headmaster of Hogwarts and is “considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times” (which is on his Chocolate Frog trading card). He holds many titles in the wizarding world that prove this: “Order of Merlin (First Class), Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards.” People wanted Dumbledore to be the Minister of Magic, but he did not want this position and decided to remain at Hogwarts. This is something we learn more about in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, because Fudge becomes paranoid thinking Dumbledore is after his job even though he always made it clear he didn’t want the position and advised Fudge behind-the-scenes. He and Harry are two of the only wizards who do not fear to call Voldemort by his name.

Many have asked why he did not search for Voldemort, but instead let Harry face Voldemort. As mentioned in this chapter, he is “particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, so we know he is capable of defeating Voldemort. Although he has plenty of knowledge and experience, there is not an easy answer for this question. We learned about the prophecy in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix which could be considered one of the reasons that he could not just go searching for Voldemort and defeat him. Albus Dumbledore is a complex character, and we know he usually has his reasons when he makes specific decisions.

Source: Colbert, David. The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts. Lumina Press, 2001.

Harry Potter Blog Post 10

Hi everyone! Episode 5 of The Pensieve Podcast is out now! You can listen to it @ https://anchor.fm/alexandras-adventures! It is all about book 5 of the series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. We had a great conversation about Quidditch, Sirius’ death, and the prophecy.

This episode’s scholarly second was by Bill McCarron, whose article is titled “Power vs. Authority in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.”

Now for this week’s blog post:

This week’s blog post is a little different. I wanted to share more information from the book that we did not get time to talk about in Episode 5.

Number 12 Grimmauld Place is the ancestral home of the Black family. Sirius Black lets Dumbledore use it as headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix, so many people are staying there. While cleaning up the house, Molly Weasley thinks that there is a boggart in one of the cabinets upstairs. As we learned from Professor Remus Lupin earlier in the series, no one really knows what a boggart's true form is. Molly asks Mad-Eye Moody to check the cabinet with his magical eye for her. Moody does confirm that there is a boggart and knowing that the boggart could not see Moody and become his worst fear, this means that Moody is probably the only person in the world who knows what its true form is.

We also learn what Molly’s boggart is when she goes to get rid of it. Molly’s boggart is the corpses of her family and Harry Potter. Every time Molly attempted to banish the boggart, it changed into a different member of the family, ending on Harry. Having seen the student’s experience with a boggart and seeing fears such as spiders and teachers, this moment becomes much more emotional. We also watch Mrs. Weasley breaking down for one of the first times. This was shocking to read because she has always been so strong and caring. This moment shows that even the people we see as the strongest can still break.

I also enjoy the little moments when we learn about what is going on in other characters’ lives although they are not always joyful moments. When Harry arrives at Grimmauld Place, he is told not to bring up Percy to Molly and Arthur. It is revealed that he has been given a promotion at the ministry, and when he came home and told his family, they believed that he was given the position in order to spy on the family. This led to an argument and Percy packed up and left the family, getting a flat in London. We also learn that in his argument, he blamed his father for the fact that they did not have much money growing up. Percy’s opinions and job come into play later in the book. He actually sends Ron a letter in the middle of the night hoping Ron would be able to read it in private. However, the letter just angers Ron, because Percy told him to stop being friends with Harry because when things are done, he won’t want to be on the wrong side.

Check out our latest episode of The Pensieve Podcast where we explore Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on https://anchor.fm/alexandras-adventures!

Join us as we discuss wand technology, the Death Eater trials we see when we learn about the Pensieve, and Fred and George’s dreams of having a joke shop.

Scholarly Second Source: “Other Muggles’ Children: Power and Oppression in Harry Potter.” by Victoria Scholz

Harry Potter Blog Post 9

Hi everyone! Episode 4 of The Pensieve Podcast is out so if you haven’t listened to it yet, make sure to check it out @ https://anchor.fm/alexandras-adventures! It is all about book 4 of the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. We had a great conversation about wand technology, the Death Eater trials we see when we learn about the Pensieve, and Fred and George’s dreams of having a joke shop.

Now for this week’s blog post:

Are All Giants All Bad?

Giants are generally thought to be dangerous, cruel, and large by most humans. The first giants were the Gigantes of ancient Greek mythology. They were born when the blood of Uranus (the Heavens) fell upon Gaea (Earth). It is said that the Gigantes fought the gods of Mount Olympus, and when they were defeated by Hercules, they were buried under mountains that became volcanoes. Cyclops are known as another race of mythical Greek giants. An example of the Cyclops can be seen in Homer’s The Odyssey. Both the Gigantes and Cyclops were said to be vicious cannibals.

Legends live on about British Giants, such as Gog and Magog, Gogmagog, and Gargantua. Giants have also been long associated with magic. According to the early historian Geoffrey of Monmouth, Stonehenge originated with the giants of Ireland. The stones are often connected with secret religious rites and medicinal/healing properties. It was said that the Giants transported the rocks from Africa to Ireland where they were set up. Whenever they felt ill, they would have baths at the foot of the rocks, and the water would be poured on the rocks to run onto them in order to heal/cure them.

In the Harry Potter universe, we learn that most wizards are prejudiced against giants. Although we hear about it in other books, this is mostly learned in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Hagrid doesn’t share this information because of what others may think, but it is revealed that his mother was the giantess Fridwulfa. Madame Olympe Maxime, the headmistress of Beauxbatons, is also a half-giant. Her name does hint to this information. “Olympe refers to the original giants of Olympus, and maxime means ‘great’ or ‘very large’ in French.”

Source: Colbert, David. The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts. Lumina Press, 2001.

Harry Potter Blog Post 8

Hi everyone! Episode 4 of The Pensieve Podcast has been out for a week! Make sure to check it out @ https://anchor.fm/alexandras-adventures! It is all about book 4 of the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. We have a great conversation about wand technology, the Death Eater trials we see when we learn about the Pensieve, and Fred and George’s dreams of having a joke shop.

This episode’s scholarly second was by Victoria Scholz, whose article is titled “Other Muggles’ Children: Power and Oppression in Harry Potter.”

Now for this week’s blog post:

How Do You Catch a Unicorn?

In the wizarding world, “the unicorn is a symbol of the sacred.” In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, we learn in Care of Magical Creatures that unicorn foals are “pure gold” with “silvery” blood. When unicorns grow older, they become silver, and when they mature they become pure white. In the novel during class, the professor who is subbing in for Hagrid has a lesson on unicorns and has a young unicorn who is still gold. It is during this lesson that we learn that young unicorns really only tolerate girls, so only the girls in the class are able/allowed to go near it and pet it. After class, the students reveal that it was one of the best lessons they have had so far.

Unicorns appear in the ancient art and myth of Mesopotamia, China, and India. Legends say that the unicorn has the ability to save one’s body as well as one’s soul. We see the use of the unicorn’s healing and medical qualities when it comes to Voldemort in the first book. He was critically ill, but the blood of the unicorn kept him alive.

Source: Colbert, David. The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts. Lumina Press, 2001.

Listen as we explore Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in episode 3 of The Pensieve Podcast on https://anchor.fm/alexandras-adventures!

Dive in and hear all about boggarts and Harry’s Firebolt, as well as the Marauders and Snape!

Scholarly Second Source: “Lupin’s First Lesson: An Example of Excellent Teaching” By: Joshua Cole

Harry Potter Blog Post 7

Hi everyone! Episode 3 of The Pensieve Podcast has been out for a week! Make sure to check it out @ https://anchor.fm/alexandras-adventures if you haven’t already! It is all about book 3 of the series, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. We had a great conversation about boggarts, Harry’s firebolt, and the Marauders and Snape.

Now for this week’s blog post:

Why Is the Third Task Set in a Maze?

The third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is set in a maze. The champions for each school face many different creatures and things. While in the maze, they “encounter a boggart, a sphinx, a Blast-Ended Skrewt, a giant spider, and a golden mist that turns them upside down.” Their goal is to make it to the center of the maze where the Triwizard Cup has been placed.

Colbert goes on to write about the Labyrinth of Crete, which is essentially a maze. The labyrinth is central to one of Greek’s famous myths about “a hero’s test of skill, the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. Although it is said in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire that they have made changes to the Tournament to avoid repeating a has caused plenty of deaths in the past, the challenges are still extremely dangerous. I think this is why the Labyrinth of Crete is a great comparison. While not having to watch out for as many different dangerous plants, creatures, etc, the people sent into the labyrinth had to avoid the Minotaur, who would eventually find and eat each person.

Source: Colbert, David. The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts. Lumina Press, 2001.

Harry Potter Blog Post 6

Hi everyone! A new episode of The Pensieve Podcast is coming out later! Make sure to check it out @ https://anchor.fm/alexandras-adventures.

Why Do Parents Worry about Grindylows?

Grindylows are water demons from the legends of Yorkshire, England. The creatures are introduced in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban during Defence Against the Dark Arts class. They are described as being “a sickly green creature with sharp little horns” and “long, spindly fingers.” Grindylows are fond of ponds and lakes. Harry experiences the Grindylows first hand when he dives into the Great lake/Black lake during the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. The grindylow actually grabs his leg, and when watching the film, it looks as if they are trying to injure or kill him.

Why Might a Human Fear Merpeople?

The Latin word mare, meaning “sea,” is where the name comes from. There are merpeople who live in the lake at Hogwarts as well. Like many others in literature, they are described as having “green skin and long green hair,” as well as the classic human torso and fish tails. To make the merpeople unique in Harry Potter, their houses are “arranged in villages” like the suburbs on land. It is also said that they keep grindylows as pets. It is fascinating that the legends of merpeople exist in nearly every culture. Additionally, Harry also meets the merpeople during the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. This interaction highlights the fact that Harry “finds the same danger that contact with merpeople often symbolizes: the risk that the sea will prove so alluring that one will never return to land.”

What Are the “Runes” on the Pensieve?

First, the pensieve is described as a “shallow stone basin” with “odd carvings around the edge.” The author created the name from the French word penser (“to think”) and sieve, which is a tool used to strain liquids and separate out desired things. Runes were the first alphabet of the tribes of northern Europe, used in Britain, Scandinavia, and Iceland, appearing in the third century A.D. The alphabet is sometimes called “futhark,” because the first six letters were f, u, th, a, r, and k. Runes were sometimes used for divination. When runes were first being used, there was little distinction between scholars and wizards.

Source: Colbert, David. The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts. Lumina Press, 2001.

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

Alexandra’s Adventures