Though I spend most of my Harry Potter dedicated time here at HogwartsProfessor, the largest audience I speak to is the crowd of podCast listeners who tune in to MuggleNet Academia, the show on which I speak to a Potter Pundit and student guest about the artistry and meaning of Harry’s adventures. Produced by Keith Hawk for fandom’s favorite web site (and certainly one of the biggest), the new shows receive as many as 20,000 downloads and has been listened to in more than 100 countries.

I get mail, consequently, from serious readers around the world who have listened to those podCasts and then read one or more of my books. Sometimes they ask questions. Last week Keith forwarded this list of questions from a listener in Argentina who is writing a paper for a university course. Nothing new here, I’m afraid, but I post it as an example of my Walter Mitty existence as a Maven to Muggles. Please share your answers to the questions in the combox for our new friend in Argentina.

1. Do you believe in magic? Why / why not?

Magic as it appears in Harry Potter? No, I don’t believe in spell magic. I believe in the magic that is all the beauty, truth, and goodness that do not have rational, materialist explanations, which is wonder enough.