I’ve been on the road for a good part of Great Lent, alas, and come home to a box full of notes from y’all with fifteen links to great articles on the titles we discuss here at Hogwarts Professor. Each deserves a post of its own, but I’m sure I won’t get to that for at least another few weeks so here is the Mailbag turned upside down after the jump for your browsing, sorting, and reading pleasure. More on The Illustrated Guide very soon!

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Today’s mailbag question is about the meaning of the Rowling neologism, ‘Gryffindor.’ Here is the letter as I received it — except for the book title that I changed to the current edition!

John,

I am familiar with and own three of your books…and as I was re-reading a portion in How Harry Cast His Spell I thought it odd that you did not mention (allude to whilst citing the Griffin and its meaning) a household item that we have had since my childhood.  It is a picture of Christ standing beside a door with his hand raised poised to knock.  The biblical reference is Revelation 3:20.

This is an ubiquitious painting at least here in the midwest – I am guessing you are familiar with it?

I believe the stronger meaning is Griffin-‘door’ (English rather than French). Especially since Rowling has a brass door knocker in the shape of the Griffin.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

Richard

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A question I’m asked at almost every Potter speaking event I do — after “Have you met J. K. Rowling?” and “Are you related to Hermione Granger?” — is “What it is like to be a Potter Pundit?” I even had a young man write me a longish note about his plans to create eventually a career in which he could spend all day reading Harry Potter and writing about his favorite books, just like I had done.

The best part of being a Potter Pundit, hands down, is conversations in person and through correspondence with serious readers. I’m not sure how anyone can position him or herself to become a Hogwarts Professor professionally; I certainly didn’t, unless Classics major, Marine NCO, miso maker’s apprentice, grocery store cashier, yurt sewer, and Latin teacher constitute a calculated career path. Regardless, I really enjoy the letters I get every day, often several times a day, from readers who accept the invitation that is in all my books to write me with their comments and corrections and from HogPro All-Pros like you who write via this site’s Contact tab.

Today’s question arrived just after midnight. “Is Dumbledore’s great line in Half-Blood Prince as he and Harry escape the Cave of the Inferi an echo of the Psalter or what?” Here is the note with question and my attempt at an answer, with an invitation as well for you to share what you think:

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Another Great Letter! Keep those Theories and Questions coming!

Dear Professor,

After seeing Deathly Hallows Part 1, I have recently begun to re-read the Harry Potter series, which I’m now understanding in a whole new light, thanks to discovering your wonderful essay on Literary Alchemy. Also, I was bowled over by the Vanity Fair/Gaunt connection, which made me wonder if you would be interested in my accidental discovery of the etymology of the word, muggle.

Apparently, “muggle”, if I am to understand this correctly, is a Celtic loan word to Middle English–and it means a person with a tail. (I also think JK meant it to mean a non-believer). The word is used in a story about St. Augustine. Apparently, he was on a mission trying to convert non believers to Christianity. They stoned him, he prayed to God for vengeance, and God Gave the non-believers tails.

Remember when Hagrid cursed Dudley with a pigs tail?

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