SEASON FINALE! (Tea Leaves S1 E8) | Leaving Hogwarts, Packing up, End of Year Feast, More!

In this episode, we discuss the finale to season one in our version of the Harry Potter TV show. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:

·      Listen to Tea Leaves S1 E7 here!

·      1:40 Quick recap and Harry waking up in the hospital wing. Dumbledore comes to see him and explains what went down. I like that they discussed Harry’s family and why Quirrell was turned to dust when he touches Harry. However, it would be super beneficial for the story to discuss Voldemort’s journey and Flamel’s choices more.

·      14:14 Harry heads down to the feast. All exams have been cancelled, and Dumbledore gives his speech. It should be lighthearted, but I want to get some hints of the darkness to come. Neville gets his ten point that gives Gryffindor the house cup, beginning a wonderful arc.

·      20:05 Packing up. This is the quiet peace of the episode because it’s been so crazy for so long. Hogwarts is a huge place, but it is also incredibly personal. I want a few minutes to walk the grounds one last time and live in this world.

·      24:45 Leaving Hogwarts. We aren’t going to end the season at Hogsmeade station, but Hagrid’s goodbye should still mean something. The trio bords the train and watches as Hogwarts fades away. When they get off in London, they say their goodbyes to each other and the cameras pan out to see everyone having their same conversations, and we fade out.

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Transcript

Intro

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to the potter discussion. Welcome back to the potter discussion, discussing the Harry Potter books, films, TV show, and the Wizard and World fandom. I'm your host, Oscar, and this is episode 317. Thank you everyone for joining me today. It is my pleasure to be speaking with you. I hope you've had a wonderful week and you are ready to uh cap it off with a wonderful discussion of Harry Potter. And I am so delighted because today we are finishing season one of Tea Leaves. This is the very first season that we have outlined of our version of the Harry Potter TV show. Of course, this will be very far from what it actually will be, but I'm hoping we have at least a few things right. We are we are making it the way we want to, I guess. So uh we are going to finish out the very first season uh today. So I am very, very excited to be talking about this. I certainly hope you are as well. So definitely stick around to hear the end to the very first season. If anything comes to you as you're listening, if you have any questions or comments or uh topics for next season, if you want things to be mentioned, now is the time to reach out as we are writing it. So definitely reach out to thepotterdiscussion at gmail.com. That is the potterdiscussion at gmail.com. Alrighty, I think that's everything I wanted to mention before we begin. So without further ado, let's get into today's episode.

Quick recap and Harry waking up in the hospital wing

SPEAKER_00 1:40

So, as all of our tea leaves must begin, we have to begin with a quick recap. What did we miss? What was last episode? Well, last episode was episode 316, Tea Leaves Season 1, Episode 7. And this was the trapdoor episode. So the trio goes through the trapdoor. Uh, we discussed kind of a little bit different of a vibe, you know, it's a little cooler, a little darker, a little more, a little more sinister. And of course, we don't want to lose the the you know sense, you know, the real feel of this sequence, because of course it is, you know, camaraderie and working together and really exploring the magic of this world, and we get that so perfectly in the film. And I'm not saying, you know, this is this is gonna be a you know a horror film, but there are definitely, you know, there there's something on the line, and I and I definitely want to know that. So we went we went to Fluffy and we were playing music, and then uh as Fluffy began to uh wake up, the trio jumped through the trapdoor onto the Devil's Snare, where Hermione saves the day yet again. Uh we went through the Flying Keys, which we didn't really change much from the film there. But the chess set, uh, we that was one of the scenes that we discussed, should be very intense. It should be really high stakes. Of course, we see these pieces getting smashed to bits, and Ron has to sacrifice himself in order for uh Harry and Hermione to go on. So that is a big, big moment. We definitely want to focus a lot on the chess set. Uh the potions riddle is Hermione's time to shine. She shows that she's got some smarts. You know, she's ready to rumble for whatever's gonna come. And this is a good scene to set up her uh as a very, very important character in terms of strategy goes. So that's the the the potion riddle, but unfortunately, only Harry can go on. He goes on to see Voldemort, who offers him the world, seeing his parents again. But unfortunately, Voldemort's time does not last very long because Quarrel leaps at Harry. Uh Harry uh turns Quarrel to dust, and we see Voldemort seep out of Quarrel's dust and flee the scene. So this was quite the episode. This is, of course, the big trapdoor climax of the season. So it was very, very important that we make it exciting and ready to really hit the masses. So I am very, very happy with how that episode turned out. That link will be in the show notes if you missed it. I highly recommend that. So, where does this episode begin? Well, Harry wakes up in the hospital wing. That is that is where we begin. Dumbledore comes to see him and he explains what went down. Of course, this is a big moment for Harry because he's finally looking back and he can finally understand uh what the heck is going on. So let's dive into this conversation a little bit. One of the things that I like is the discussion around Harry's family, because that was one of the big focuses for Harry's interaction with Quarrel and Voldemort. Voldemort said, you know, offered Harry's parents back. He said, You could see your family again if you join me. And that was the one thing that gave Harry just a moment of pause. And that should tell us something really about his character, that he is truly committed to his to the to the people he loves. You know, I think loyalty is one of the things that really makes him stand out. He is willing to fight for the people he cares for, and that is, you know, it helps. It helps him, it also hurts him. And this is one of those moments where we see Voldemort is kind of using that against him. So that's uh uh one of the interesting uh moments there is when Voldemort is offering that because that's kind of the first glimpse into Voldemort's evil strategy. He knows how much Harry would want that, and Harry does for a second, think about it. So when Voldemort is eventually, you know, we think defeated, but like we kind of know not, and and zooms away, and of course, Quarrel is killed. We don't really know what's going on. Like, why the heck does Quarrel turn to dust? Like, literally just turns to dust. How in the world is that like, right? How did that happen? The way Dumbledore describes it to Harry is definitely a really effective way of doing it. He talks about the love that Lily had for Harry and how that was such a powerful, you know, you know, uh feeling that it really created this magical protection around him that Voldemort couldn't really get near him. And of course, Quarrel is Voldemort in this sense. So that is why Quarrel died and Voldemort had the sense to escape. If anything, I would think Voldemort did this on purpose. Voldemort knew he could not get Harry in that second. The only hope uh Voldemort had of you know doing something impactful was flipping Harry, was getting him on his side, which of course he knew was a long shot. So honestly, that might be a pretty good strategy play from Voldemort to uh tell Quarrel to get Harry, because of course he assumes that Quirl would want to touch him somehow, you know, grab him and whatever. Uh so that would tie up some loose ends for sure, and it worked. Quarrel Quarrel made contact, and bam, he was dustified. So it was definitely a smart thing of Voldemort to do. But I'm glad Dumbledore explained this to this to Harry in the hospital. And once Harry wakes up, he doesn't really know what's you know what happened. This is a big moment for him. This is something that he's never really done before. You know, he is so out of his depth, uh, and he is just really reeling from this. So I think Dumbledore can give him some some calm. You know, Dumbledore can say, and I think this is also kind of reassuring for Harry, because this is another reminder that his parents aren't really gone. You know, of course, they they were killed, but they're they never really leave him. And this is a this is a good reminder of that, you know, that the protection that they offer him is still alive and well, and that they are still working for him, you know, wherever they are. So it's a great reminder of that. And it's I think something that Harry is is gonna cherish, you know, all these, you know, little tiny reminders that he picks up uh all around Hogwarts. I think that's it it means a lot of him, and of course we're definitely gonna talk about that later. But one thing I don't love about this is the fact that we don't really get into Voldemort and Flamel too much. We really just talk about Lily and kind of what happened. We do mention that the stone is getting destroyed, um Flamel, you know, has enough elixir to last for another few, you know, years or whatever, but eventually he will die, of course. We do mention that, you know, it's not like we completely gloss over it. But it's important. I mean, we spent the whole book looking for this little rock. It's literally called, you know, the sorcerer's stone, the philosopher's stone. It is this this little thing is the most important item in this whole, you know, uh book. And you could make an argument that it's a symbol of the whole series, you know. So there's there's a lot that that is is kind of divulged in this kind of little thing. And it it is a representation of everything that Harry will be fighting. And honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't destroy it if they kept it somewhere. I mean, Dumbledore must know how to make it though. So I I don't know. Is it is it really truly gone? Even if they do destroy it, I think, well, first of all, Flamel could make another one if he wanted. And Vol Dumbledore could probably also make one if he if he tried. So is it is it really gone? I don't know. There's a there's a good argument to be made either way. But this thing is a symbol of what's to come, you know. Uh Voldemort is trying to come back to life, he's trying to preserve himself to become the most powerful wizard in the history of the world. So he wants to give himself a longer life. You know, it's it's I think also Unicorn's blood is a good example of that because it'll give him, you know, a prolonged life, but it will always be cursed. It will always be a half-life. That's how Ferenzi describes it to us. And he's absolutely right. But if we draw parallels from Unicorn's blood and uh the stone, what we really see is it's they represent horcruxes. And it's very possible that the author did not have the idea of horcruxes really cemented this early on, especially in the next book, too, when we literally destroy a horcrux, but we just don't know it. The idea of this, you know, trying to extend his life past what's natural is a huge theme, and it really marks his path to power. So I think it's also one of the big lessons of the story is, you know, like trying to extend something, trying to unnaturally do, you know, trying to unnaturally extend his life is perhaps his undoing. You know, the horcruxes were the thing that made him strong, but there were also eight Achilles heels that were just waiting to be pierced. So it is it's an interesting idea that, you know, this the stone is almost kind of like a first horcrux of sorts, you know. Uh Voldemort is trying to try trying to get it, trying to claim it for himself, because it will give him this life that he so desperately desires. And I I am always left wondering, you know, that it might have been better for us if he got it, you know, if he had gotten it, because uh how he is resurrected in the fourth book seems almost more powerful than if he were to be rejected by uh the stone. Of course, Flamel uh has prolonged life and he is very powerful. We see that in Fantastic Beasts. But he came from life, if that makes any sense. Flamel was alive and just prolonged his life, but Voldemort, even when he was uh, you know, uh k going to kill Harry, he had already made Horcruxes, you know, he was already a split soul. He was already this half half thing that almost didn't live, it just kind of was. So we're left wondering, you know, after that, plus his big downfall, plus this spell that refracts and essentially kills him. How in the world could he possibly be brought back to life? The stone can't just create life. That's one of the big rules, you know. You can't create something out of nothing. As many rules as magic breaks, that is one that is impossible to break. I think that would be uh silly if if it were possible to do that. So I am confident that if he had gotten the stone, it would not have gone well. So that's a that's a good little anecdote. But all these these little nuances are kind of lost in the conversation that Dumbledore and Harry have because it's it's a it's you know kind of the calm after the storm. It's this final breath, you know, and the last thing they want to talk about is the fact that it is never over. It is, in fact, just beginning. And I understand why, you know, Harry Dumbledore isn't like, all right, Harry, good job. Next year it's gonna get real. Like, I understand why he wouldn't walk in and say that. But at the same time, now that we know what's coming, even if he isn't overtly making statements to Harry, like, you know, Voldemort is on the rise, he is still out there. Good luck. See ya, you know, next year. Like that, of course he shouldn't say that. But little things, you know, little little moments, uh, things that tip us off, you know, these these tiny indicators that kind of tell us, like, oh, Dumbledore is already thinking, Dumbledore's plan is already in place. You know, this is a very dangerous place to be, and Dumbledore is trying his very best to make sure the best outcome is achieved. So this kind of this conversation that he has is vital. It is really, really important that uh they keep this dynamic because it is what defines kind of the conflict of the story. So I definitely want to keep this conversation, but there are more things to discuss. So let's move on.

Harry heads down to the feast

SPEAKER_00 14:15

Now Harry heads down to the feast. Luckily, Dumbledore has told him that all exams are cancelled. Woo-hoo, in honor of what happened. Uh, of course, he says, you know, it's what happened down there was a complete secret, so naturally the whole school knows. What a what a great line. I certainly hope they keep that in there. So Harry heads down to the feast, and there are some there are a few things that I want to happen here. And one of the big ones is the points. We absolutely should keep the whole points thing. You know, how uh Ron gets fifty for a great chess game, and Hermione gets fifty for her use of logic, and Harry gets sixty for his acts of heroism, and then Neville gets 10 that pushes them over the edge. That is exactly what I want to have happen. And the Neville moment I think happened perfectly. I think Matthew Lewis was fantastic in this scene. You know, he was just a kid, but he pulled it off. You know, he was absolutely shocked. Like you could just see it. You could just see how dumbfounded uh he he was. He was truly just shocked at this. You know, he got points. And the truth is he absolutely deserves it because he stood up to the trio. He stood up to them and he said, No, I'm not letting you go out and endanger yourselves and risk more points. You know, you have to stay here. I'll fight you to keep you here. Of course, it doesn't really mean much, but the sentiment is there, and I'm so glad that Dumbledore sees that, and I'm so glad that Neville finally gets what he deserves. So great job, Neville. And this arc, I mean, Neville's arc is is so important. I'm really looking forward to seeing how his arc uh you know evolves. So, we have a lot there to uh uh we definitely have some Neville things to discuss uh in the later seasons, especially. So definitely keep your ears tuned for that. But the other thing that I really want to have happen here is Dumbledore's speech. So Dumbledore's speech is always, I guess his speeches are always meaningful, they always mean something. And the interesting thing is they always have some inner, you know, meaning. Like the words on the page aren't always exactly what he is trying to tell us, which is an important idea. So similar to his conversation with Harry, I want him to give us some hints because one of the things that we were lacking uh with the films, you know, as especially the first films were coming out, uh, is the whole idea of, you know, horcruxes and what's to come. You know, I'm sure the author had was thinking of endings to the story and arcs and who would die and who would, you know. I'm sure, I'm sure things were known that were gonna happen at the end, but those details, I'm not sure if they were. So I think the benefit that we have now is we know everything that's gonna happen, and we know what is going to be sacrificed in order to win a brighter future. So if Dumbledore can mention some of that, you know, but indirectly, of course, I'm not saying like, you know, Dumbledore should say, oh, another year gone, uh, Horcruxes to be found next year. Oh, did I see it? Like, it's not that's obviously not gonna happen. But I want him to discuss about, you know, the fact that they won today, but they might not win tomorrow. And it's you know, he's uh he's not trying to scare them, he's just trying to remind them of the power of working together, and that even though uh, you know, forces of evil are always on the rise, and even though there are people who are very powerful and very well connected, who are consistently trying to bring about the downfall of the wizarding world, they still have a fighting chance at Hogwarts, and that's really the message that I that I want them to convey. It should be, you know, something that's pretty innocent. You know, I don't want Dumbledore to be discussing his death and the sacrifices that will be come to pass. I think that is a much, much later uh book. Uh that is a much later thing to discuss. But especially, I mean, I'm sure we've discussed these memes of the first and second books are like happy in sunshine, but the second the Prisoner of Ask Mat hits, it's like death and destruction. And that's honestly kind of true, I'll be honest. But that's that's for a reason, you know. We don't want to get, you know, totally, totally entrenched in this deep dark part of the story from the very beginning. I think that would that would definitely be a mistake. But if Dumble could just say, you know, guys, we have work to do. This this every year is a new challenge, every year is a new opportunity. Sometimes making sacrifices is the only way to win. You know, and it is a it's it's it's a tough thing to say, but I think, especially considering uh Harry's uh the sacrifices that Harry has already had to make with his family, I think he would especially connect with that sentiment, you know. So I am looking forward to Dumbledore's first end-of-year speech. I think it should, you know, in the films it is as light-hearted as ever. But if we could just get a glimpse, you know, just a second, we see the great beyond, you know, our path to come. I think that would give us some interesting, very interesting context of uh the time that we will have uh to to trod next. So that is the feast, and with that, let's move on.

Packing up

SPEAKER_00 20:06

So this is now I think the kind of like the shine of the episode. And this is this part is the thing that I was so missing in the uh films, and that is packing up, just getting out of there, you know, getting their affairs in order, getting their trunks packed, getting everything finished, and and saying goodbye to the castle. I think this is a such an important, you know, time, and this is, I think, a great example of just the whole like life at Hogwarts idea. Because with this extra time, we have you know more than twice the length of the film, we have time to just explore, you know, what does it mean to be graduating Hogwarts? You know, these seventh years, what's going on with them? And even first years, even even the trio, you know, they have to they have to figure out how to say goodbye to this place that they've only known for a few months, but still means so much to them. I think Harry is a great example of this because uh he barely knows Hogwarts. You know, i it's a drop in the bucket that that he's really been there, but he loves it so dearly because it is his, you know, tie to his past, it's the tie to his parent, it's the tie to the part of himself that really means something. So he has a huge struggle here uh saying goodbye, but uh but he's smart, you know, he's smart, and I think the film does this well, but we are absolutely going to have uh some some extensions, some slight modifications here. So I absolutely want this, you know. Just 10 minutes of them walking around, collecting things, you know, s walking to the to the ground, saying goodbye to Hag. Walking around the lake, you know, doing all doing all those things. Uh, that is absolutely the thing that I want to uh, you know, that's those are those the experiences I want because I think those are the ones that really make it real, you know. It's hard for us to imagine being at Hogwarts, seeing all these fantastical things always happening and seeing their classes, you know, seeing these things that are just almost so hard to relate to. But if we just if we see, if we follow, you know, the trio and they walk down somewhere and they just sit and they enjoy the breeze and the and and the lake and they listen to the birds, you know, that's I think when we would really begin to really understand what Hogwarts means, not only to them, but to us. The book is a great place for us to really know what Hogwarts is. Of course it is, I mean it has all the descriptions and all all the all the magic, but there's nothing quite like seeing it for real, like seeing it on the screen, listening to the listening to the age of the walls, and just hearing what it really is to be a student. I think that's a great opportunity to really make something like that come out. Their preparations for leaving involves, you know, walking around saying goodbye to their teachers, you know. We never didn't see that. McGonagle just kind of disappeared, you know, and Flipwick just kind of disappeared, and we didn't really see them. So we don't really know what's what's going on there, even though you know they were the ones who were teaching them. So that's a consideration. But they also like maybe want to go see some of the places that they, you know, one one last time before they before they leave. That would be great. Uh you think of like Quidditch, maybe Harry wants to fly his broom one more time. Maybe Ron wants to try it. Hermione tries, and then you know, they all, you know, they have a fun afternoon of just doing that, you know. So they're just little tiny things that that are added to this picture that is already so grand, you know, it's so huge and it's so personal, this this whole castle, that I just want to explore that. That's really all I want. So, with all the story that has to happen, I want a little bit of that. You know, I want a little bit of the, you know, okay. Not all of this is, you know, has to do with with Voldemort. Sometimes the castle is just worth itself. You know, that's that's what I want. Just for a second, I want to stop and smell the flowers. So that is a huge point I want to make. I would be very disappointed if we didn't get that in the TV show. Uh alrighty, a few more things to discuss. So let's

Leaving Hogwarts

SPEAKER_00 24:45

move on. So now we are heading back. And I love the goodbye in the films. It is so good. Uh, and honestly, I think it should be kind of similar, but of course, I don't want to end the whole season in uh on the platform. I want to be true to the books and end it uh back in London. So, with that in mind, I think there should be some similar, you know, lines. I think Harry should say, like, you know, it's not it's not goodbye. Not really. I definitely want to have that. And especially Harry's look, that look that he gives back towards Hogwarts, towards Hagrid, towards, you know, this life that he's now, you know, has the privilege to live. Uh, we should see how much it means to him is how much he is he he knows, you know, it it's it ripping his heart out to leave, but he knows he'll be back. You know, it's only a few months away that that that they'll return. So there's there's nothing really uh, you know, to to cry over. But the one thing I also really want here is the goodbye to Hagrid, because Hagrid is a huge part of this. And I know I might have mentioned his name in like the whole wrapping up thing, but I think we should save his goodbye for this moment when they're all when the trio's on the platform, because also Hagrid has to give Harry, you know, the book, and you know, they have to they have to talk about, you know, their their their summers and what's what's you know what are they what are they looking forward to and all these different things. I think Hagrid is, you know, such a kind-hearted person who represents such a kind part of of the Castle Harry's life in in this in this world. So I think uh we should definitely have a moment for Hagrid just to say goodbye. Uh and then they all get on the train. And honestly, I don't think we have to have a ton of scenes on the train because most of the impactful things have already happened. You know, we see them going back across the bridge, you know, and and just like that, Hogwarts disappears, and you know, and they and they go back to London. But the real goodbye happens on the platform. So they all get off, you know, all the parents are there, and Mr. and Mrs. Dursley and Dudley are all waiting for Harry, and you can tell they are not happy. They are looking around at all these weirdos. They see uh the Weasleys and all that, and of course Ron says, Oh, Harry, you must come over over the summer. They definitely make that clear. Of course, the Drizleys are not happy, they want to get out of there. But we should, I think this is this is a big moment because I don't want to have a lot of dialogue with this goodbye. I think that it should be, it should be, you know, ev like it should be obvious what's what's going on. I think the most powerful messages is, you know, are are when we don't have to hear the words of what they're trying to say. You know, we should be able to see it in Harry's in Harry's face. You know, he's so sad to be saying goodbye to his friends, but he's excited for the summer to think about returning to Hogwarts, about maybe seeing his friends over the summer, about about this magical life that he now gets to live. So that is the true end, and the final shot is this big sweep of the crowd. We see everyone filtering out, we see Harry walking out, and I think this is important that we don't focus on Harry because it shows how big the wizarding world is. You know, he of course is a wizard in the world, but this is this is, you know, a experience that is that is not unique to him. You know, he has he has a lot of uh friends who are going through this, so I just want to realize that, you know. So the final shot is we see the we see the crowd, we see everyone walking out, and it's a fade out. So that's the end. That's the end right there. How cool is that? Season one is wrapped. Just like that, we are out. Wow, that was fun. That was really fun. I'm so glad we got to go through this whole series, and of course, we have so many more seasons to get to. We are gonna spend many, many, many months on this series, so I am thrilled to keep going. And of course, this will go up to the release, so we can go through the story one last time until we start from the beginning for the very first time again at this TV show. I am very excited. However, there's one quick thing I want to mention before we do that, and that is a little post-credit scene. I think it would be such a fun nod after we get all these credits. Oh, what a great season. If for those who who know what they're looking for, they stick around to the end, and it's complete silence, and it's just this this quiet fade-in of this of this huge ornate door. And we aren't exactly sure what this door is. It's clearly like stone and wet and dark, and it's just so strange, and we don't really know what's going on here. And the silence is is deadly. And then the final thing that happens is a loud click. And the second that click happens, it uh cuts, fades, it completely cuts to black. And that's the true end of the episode. You might be able to guess what that is, but I want to keep the suspense for now. Tea Leaves season two is coming up. We will have we have some some things to discuss in between, but season two is absolutely on the horizon. Thank you everyone for joining me today and for this whole season one. Let me know if there are things you want to hear, if there are segments that you want to be added, if there are little things that you want me to include. Uh, season two is coming up, like I said, so get your feedback in now as we begin writing these first episodes. Uh, so definitely do that to the podradiscussion at gmail.com. That is the podra discussion at gmail.com. Reviews are also a great place to do that. If you want to leave five stars on App Apocalypse Spotify, your favorite podcast app, it would really go a long way for me. A written review is a great place to put your feedback. I promise you, I do see them all, and I'm very, very happy uh to work with ideas that I like. So definitely put your comments in there. And of course, now that we are on season two, it's time to get some friends involved. You know, I think, you know, it's it's so fun to listen, but it's even more to discuss. So, word of mouth is a great way that this show grows. I don't really do, you know, I'm not I'm not spending hours marketing, I don't have a huge corporation behind me. I am just talking about Harry Potter with with with my friends. So definitely reach out to some of yours if you would like to help me out. Share the show a little bit. Takes a few clicks, takes a few words, whatever it is, uh, that it all helps. It all helps the show. So thank you, everyone who does that. Alrighty, well, thank you very much for a wonderful season one. We will be back shortly in a few weeks with season two. I'm looking forward to next week. Thank you again for joining me. And as always, remember that happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light. I will see you all later.