ABOUT CLICKED

The modern news consumer ignores Weblogs and online citizen journalism at his own peril. But not everyone has the time to keep track of what's going on the Web. With this blog we hope to track the highlights of what's being discussed online so when news breaks from the Web, we're ready.

Will Femia is a Weblog enthusiast who, through good fortune and dumb luck, was introduced to the form as his position as chat producer for MSNBC.com careered into obsolescence. On any given day, Will can be found having already spent an unhealthy amount of time squinting at a computer screen.

Send a message to Will at spotter@msnbc.com



That Harry Potter fan site at the root of J.K. Rowling's lawsuit

Posted: Monday, April 14, 2008 4:51 PM by Will Femia
Filed Under:

The Harry Potter Lexicon is the fan site full of Harry Potter words. The lawsuit is over a book version of the site planned for publication. In a nutshell, Rowling says it's theft of her ideas, the publisher says it's a legitimate guidebook to complicated material. Personally, I'm surprised Rowling's publisher hasn't already been churning out related reference material to the series. There's a lot of milk in that cash cow.

I don't know about you but seeing a collection of trivia makes me think contests. So Harry Potter fans (and people who know how to perform a Web search), what modification did Arthur Weasley make to Hagrid's flying motorbike? (Yes, I know it was Seirious Black's bike, but you know what I mean.)

The first person to give me that answer wins an MSNBC logo version of the thing Hagrid hid his wand in. As a bonus, if you can name the celebrity who interrupted my interview with Robbie Coltrane when he was doing publicity for the first Harry Potter movie, I'll give you little beeping cube with LEDs that flash when you tap it. (I think it's meant to be a digital die.")

As for last week's contest, the winners are John who sent the Blackarachnia answer, David who sent the V'ger answer and Greg who sent the "I, Mudd" answer. I was going to do just the first right answer but these were the first of their kind and I happen to have three mugs here cluttering up my desk.

Congrats guys, I'm going to send you an e-mail asking for your mailing address. I'm hoping you all put valid e-mail addresses in your comments. If not, get in touch.

Oops, I forgot the photo:

Thank you Vanna.

MAIN PAGE

Email this EMAIL THIS

Comments

Arthur Weasley had helped Hagrid modify Sirius Black's bike with buttons that could shoot out magically-produced traps in case of a chase.
The celebrity who interrupted your interview with Robbie Coltrane was Dan Akroyd!
I hope I won that bliky cube!

Cat (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 5:25 PM)

Arthur Weasley modded the bike to shoot various Death Eater traps activated with handlebar-mounted buttons. The traps were a net, a brick wall, and dragon's fire.

And your chat was interrupted by Dan Aykroyd.

Mike Townes, Greenville, SC (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 5:28 PM)

Ok... I don't know the answer about the Arthur Weasly and the motorbike - I'm assuming that's in Book 7 and I'm still in the process of reading it... HOWEVER, the celebrity that interrupted your interview with Robbie Coltrane was...Dan Akroyd! Do I win?? lol :-)

Ms Lady J, Columbus, OH (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 5:31 PM)

a button for a net, a button to make a wall, and a button for dragon fire?

Darby Seattle, WA (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 5:38 PM)

Arthur altered the bike to (1) eject a net, (2) produce a brick wall, and (3) use a jet of dragon fire for speed.  Sorry, I don't know the bonus, but the prize is an umbrella...

David Hanson, Austin, TX (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 6:06 PM)

It was Sirius Black's bike, not Serious.

heather, DC (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 6:09 PM)

My answer is-the modifications Arthur Weasley added include: a button that shoots a brick wall out the end of the bike, a button that shoots a net out the end of the bike, and a purple button that shoots dragon fire out the end of the bike.

Susan, St. Louis. MO, (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 6:18 PM)

Mr. Weasley adds some buttons to Hagrid's motorbike that produce magic traps.  When Hagrid is sent to retreive Harry, he uses the buttons to produce a net, a brick wall, and dragon's fire to slow down the death eaters.

And during your interview with Robbie Coltrane, you were interrupted by comedian Dan Akroyd.

Deborah Chu, Berkeley Heights, New Jersey (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 6:22 PM)

I believe Arthur Weasley added a series of buttons that when pushed deplyed magical traps, such as a brick wall, dragon's fire and a big net.

Paul Navarro, Boise Idaho (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 6:24 PM)

Did he change it into a flying car?

Mark M, Norwalk CT (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 6:34 PM)

Arthur Weasley added a Dragon-fire button to the motorbike.

Al, Wichita Ks. (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 6:36 PM)

Sirius as in the dog star, not Serious Black.

Please check your writing.

Unnamed-critic (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 6:37 PM)

In your haste to correct yourself that it was indeed Sirius Black's motorbike, you misspelled Sirius.  Seriously.

John Doe, Seattle, Wash. (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 6:48 PM)

Arthur modified "Sirius'" motorbike with three buttons. The first put up a brick wall behind the bike, the second flung out a net, the third shot dragonfire out the tailpipe.
Do I win?
(btw, I was an editor on the HP Lexicon, I'll concede an unfair advantage)

Belinda Hobbs (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 6:49 PM)

He made it fly.  Do I get the mug?

Jethris (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 6:53 PM)

Can't imagine I'm first, but

"Arthur Weasley had helped Hagrid modify the bike with various buttons that could shoot out magically-produced traps in case of a chase. This turns out to be useful, as Hagrid uses buttons to produce a large net, a solid brick wall, and dragon's fire to deter the Death Eaters."
- from http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Sirius_Black's_motorcycle

and for the bonus
"Toward the end, Dan Akroyd walks into Coltrane's hotel room and you can suddenly tell there's a real Hollywood scene going on."

Bill Robertson, Madison, AL (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 6:58 PM)

motorbike was given random "weapons" (different traps like shooting fire) operated by a bunch of buttons, wand was hidden in an old pink umbrella

Cliff Husted, Rindge, NH (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 7:03 PM)

Answer to question: A button to fire dragons breath?

Lee, Portland OR (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 7:17 PM)

Proof read your content before submitting, DumbleDingus!
-I'm surprised Rowling's published???
-digital die.")? end quote??

Dan (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 7:20 PM)

Arthur Weasley helped Hagrid modify the bike with various buttons that could shoot out magically-produced traps in case of a chase.

Robert Schnieber, Glendale, Arizona (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 7:28 PM)

the answer is a turbo booster,a inflatable brick wall,and a net shooter thing. (?)

love kayla

Kayla Samples,Eatonville,Washington (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 7:31 PM)

Weasley added buttons to make various traps, such as dragon fire, nets and a brick wall.
Was the celebrity interruption by Dan Akroyd?

Patrick Dukes, Rock HIll SC (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 7:33 PM)

Arthur modified the bike with various buttons that could shoot out magically produced traps ( like a large net, a solid brick wall, and dragon's fire).

jt , phoenix, az (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 7:49 PM)

Arthur Weasley put a dragon fire button on the motorcycle.

Amber, Fletcher Hills, CA (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 7:49 PM)

Dan Akroyd

jt, phoenix, az (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 8:02 PM)

Dan Ackroyd was the person who came into the chat.

CJ Werlinger, Oklahoma City, OK (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 8:11 PM)

A Dragon Fire button was added by Weasley.

Adrian (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 8:19 PM)

Celebrity that interrupted: Dan Ackroyd?

Adrian (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 8:22 PM)

Hagrid hid his wand in an umbrella, not a coffee mug.

Chris, NJ (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 8:22 PM)

My head hurt reading your article; please fix up your grammer and punctuation.

MK, AB Canada (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 8:31 PM)

Arthur added a number of "weapons" accessible by buttons. These weapons included a brick wall, net, and fire.

Mark Payton Claremont, NH (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 8:33 PM)

Serious Black's bike eh? :)

John Doe, Seattle, Wash. (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 8:35 PM)

You spelled a name wrong; it is "Sirius Black," not
Serious Black."

Jennifer Stern, Apopka FL (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 8:45 PM)

Serious Black's?

Nicholas, Sydney, Australia (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 8:54 PM)

Hey those sites helped her hype her books.

She should not be such a greedy witch!

cyberbian, boston, MA (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 8:56 PM)

Please pull your Strunk & White back off the shelf:

- "Personally, I'm surprised Rowling's published hasn't already been churning out..." Don't you mean "publisher?"

- "(Yes, I know it was Serious Black's bike, but you know what I mean.) Isn't it "Sirius?"

Roger Agness (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 8:57 PM)

Arthur Weasley added a dragon-fire attachment to the bike, which sent flames flying out the back at the Death Eaters.

Soutrik B, Millburn, New Jersey (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 8:58 PM)

Arthur Weasley helped Hagrid modify the bike with various buttons that could shoot out magically-produced traps in case of a chase.

Will, Alexandria, VA (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 9:33 PM)

As for the second question, Dan Akroyd is the celebrity who walks in during your interview with Robbie Coltane.

Will, Alexandria, VA (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 9:35 PM)

Dan Akroyd interrupted your interview with Robbie Coltrane!

Darren Franzen, Arlington Heights, IL (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 9:36 PM)

he put a side carriage on the motorbike.  aka a side-car

seth brown cookeville tn (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 9:42 PM)

And Arthur Weasley installed a dragon-fire button on Sirius' motorbike!

Maybe working late will pay off! :)

Darren Franzen, Arlington Heights, IL (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 9:44 PM)

He modified it to shoot out magical traps to help Harry escape from the Dursley's - it shot out a brick wall, a large net, and dragon's fire. Now send me my umbrella :-)

Emily Freed, Arlington, Texas (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 9:46 PM)

Arthur Weasley added a button that produced dragon fire, a button that produced a net and a button that produced a solid wall behind him to stop ppl from following...
Dan Akroyd interrupted your interview with Hagrid :)

Dunia

Dunia Othman, Auckland, New Zealand (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 9:47 PM)

Mr Weasley put dragon fire onto the motor bike and Dan Akroyd interrupted the interview.

Amanda, St Charles, Missouri (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 9:53 PM)

Mr Weasley put dragon fire onto the motor bike and Dan Akroyd interrupted the interview.

Amanda, St Charles, Missouri (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 9:54 PM)

On the motorbike is now a button that makes it shoot fire (like a dragon).

Claire Wisker, Swannanoa, North Carolina (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 10:13 PM)

Arthur modifies the bike to help protect the riders against death eaters. Specifically you press a button and it shoots out walls, a large net, dragon's fire, etc. This comes in handy during Harry's evacuation of his Uncle's house in the beginning of the 7th book.



...And it was Dan Akroyd that interrupted your interview with Robbie Coltrane.


(Yeah I know WAY too much about HP to be sane.)


Bryanna Knox, Fredericktown, MO (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 10:35 PM)

Made it invisible

Lynne Peabody, Mammoth Lakes, CA (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 10:46 PM)

Rowling has alot of nerve...she is a hyp...she copied "Worst Witch" series...to say the least...why sue? maybe collaborate, or make charity deal...what a hog

John Doe, Seattle Wash (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 10:54 PM)



SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.): 

 Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private)

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://clicked.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=889595