2.4 At Flourish and Blotts

Caution: Do Not Touch. Cursed — Has Claimed the Lives of Nineteen Muggle Owners to Date.

It’s Monday, which always brings a new episode of Podtrificus Totalus, a Harry Potter podcast done chapter by chapter, book by book, by two people who know a medium amount about Harry Potter.

In this chapter, Harry makes an unintended detour on his way to Diagon Alley, and he spots Draco and Lucius Malfoy visiting some unsavory shops to unload some unsavory goods. Harry is rescued by Hagrid, who reunites him with the Weasleys. All visit Flourish and Blotts and meet the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Gilderoy Lockhart.

We make a number of references to outside sources and popular culture, which are listed below:

Gildory Lockhart’s published works on the Harry Potter Wiki (spoiler warning for Chamber of Secrets)

The Wizarding World Currency Exchange on the Harry Potter Lexicon

Floo Powder on Wizarding World

Ultimate Unofficial Guide to the Mysteries of Harry Potter by Galadriel Waters (Ed. Astre Mithrandir; Published by Wizarding World Press in 2003)

William Burke, an Irish serial killer

Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” and “Titus Andronicus,” both of which feature a character named Lucius

The Hand of Glory on the Harry Potter Wiki

Flourish on the Oxford English Dictionary

Roi, the French word for king

Our Spell of the Week (or, in this case, Magical Object of the Week) is Floo Powder, which Harry and the Weasleys to reach Diagon Alley.