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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.

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Comments

The modification was a dragon-fire button.

Matthew Hughes, Mission, TX (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 10:58 PM)

Well I don't think it says specifically what enchantment Mr. Weasley used in the books. However, I'd imagine he used an enchantment similar to the one he placed on the flying car.

So my guess would have to be an enchantment similar to that of Wingardium Leviosa.

Cameron, Chicago, Illinois (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 11:04 PM)

are we supposed to post a reply? my answer is... The sidecar for harry to ride in?

Bill, Weymouth Ma. (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 11:37 PM)

Merely wishing to point out that it's Sirius Black, like the brightest star in the night sky, not 'serious'.

Sarah Ferraro, Dallas, TX (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:00 AM)

Arthur Weasley had helped Hagrid make several adjustments to the bike, including a button that produced dragon's fire, one that produced a net, and another that produced a solid wall, all behind the bike.

Bonus: Dan Akroyd

Vaughan Oliveira, Laguna Beach, California. (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:09 AM)

It's Sirius Black

John Doe, Seattle, Wash (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:17 AM)

Arthur Weasley made the modifications to the bike more suitable for protection. So he made them more defensive modifications which harry uses later on.

The name of the celebrity who interrupted you in the interview with Robbie Coltrane was Dan Akroyd.

Justin, Houston , Texas (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:30 AM)

Arthur Weasley made the modifications to the bike more suitable for protection. So he made them more defensive modifications which harry uses later on.

The name of the celebrity who interrupted you in the interview with Robbie Coltrane was Dan Akroyd.

Justin, Houston , Texas (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:32 AM)

There's probably comments not approved that have this down already, but according to my Potter-fan daughter the motorocycle (motorbike) was made to breathe or cast dragon-fire.  

Dave (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:40 AM)

Oh, and you were interrupted by Dan Ackroyd, I believe.  I hope I win the flashing die!  I need more desk toys =)

Dave (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:42 AM)

The bike modifications were buttons that let the bike create a wall and a net in the air behind it as a defensive measure, and another one that shot dragon fire out the back as a type of magical nitrous to boost the bike to a much greater speed

Ben Murphy (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:49 AM)

Arthur Weasley added three buttons to the bike. One shoots a brick wall behind the bike. Another shoots out a net. The third shoots flames from the exhaust pipe.

Pamela Buettner, Belleville, IL (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:56 AM)

Dan Akroyd is the one who popped in on the Robbie Coltrane interview.

Kerry (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 1:00 AM)

um, you misspelled forgot in the "Oops, I fogot the photo:" Thanks for the link!

missy, provo UT (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 1:10 AM)

Weasley equipped the bike with a button capable of shooting dragon fire out of the exhaust pipe. Dan Akroyd interupted your interview.  

K Clark Spencer, Indiana (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 8:02 AM)

It's Sirius Black! (not Serious)  Better read a couple of the books!

Mike B (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 8:04 AM)

He put spells so that with a push of a button differnet thing came out the back- such as a brick wall, a net, and dragon fire. rodneyskip @ gmail.com

rodney skipworth (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 8:37 AM)

SERIOUS Black???  Seriously?

Siriusly?

Laurah in NY (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 9:03 AM)

He enabled Hagrid's Motorcycle to shoot various things behind it; a net, flames, or a wall.

Brian Palmer, Offutt AFB, NE (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 9:09 AM)

Oh, and Dan Akroyd is who interrupted you during your Robbi Coltrane interview

Brian Palmer, Offutt AFB, NE (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 9:12 AM)

Hagrid hid his wand in an umbrella (Brits call it a brolly).  No idea on the drop-in celebrity, though!

Terry Keyes, Bloomfield NY (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 9:20 AM)

Its the dragon fire button.  And its Sirius Black.

Doug Van Allen (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 9:33 AM)

Was it a sidecar?

Sam Burgan (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 9:35 AM)

Author Weasley modified Hagrid motorcycle with defensive measures activated with buttons installed
- a magical aftermarket addition, if you will

Larry Cathey, Memphis, TN (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 9:37 AM)

Defensive Mechanisms

Benson Taylor, Rigby, Idaho (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 9:54 AM)

The side car?

Bridget (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 10:10 AM)

I believe he added various buttons that made a few magical traps for followers such as a brick wall, a net, and some nasty fire

Michael H, Minneapolis, MN (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 10:12 AM)

My My My, people are awfully touchy about a simple spelling mistake and a typo or two aren't they?? WTF?

And where did all these ppl come from anyway, did they get directed from somewhere??  

I hope an actual clicked regular wins the prize!

KM (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:36 PM)

so who is the winner?

Cat, Chicago, Illinois (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:47 PM)

The real problem here is the attempt to extend IP rights well beyond any reasonable limit.  Guides to things/literary systems have been fair use for years.  There is legitimate scholarship that needs to have ancillary materials.  

Beyond the tiny genre of companion books, the real risk is to literary criticism.  It the stance is maintained that a mention of a work or a connection to it counts as appropriation then writing critical books becomes impossible, as even the gain ascertained by critique becomes articulated inexorably to the original source.  

Remember when Diebold started sending trademark violation letters to skeptical journalists?  What does it mean for a democracy much less a robust business world when we put everything in a museum the second it is complete?  

Disney might love the genre of the instant classic, but the way we police the museum makes for a terrible future.

Concerned Scholar, Minnesota (Sent Tuesday, April 15, 2008 6:35 PM)

There are other examples of stuff like this. Star wars and Star Trek are two that immediately come to mind. I don't think others' use of the original concept to launch other aspects of them has hurt either one.
What we have here is a bruising of her ego.

AZKobushi, Anytown, Anystate (Sent Wednesday, April 16, 2008 7:24 PM)

"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."

That's what I think this is *really* about.  I think Rowling's publisher wanted to do this and got scooped.

Ed, Ellicott City, MD (Sent Thursday, April 17, 2008 4:10 PM)



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