I påvente av tilstrekkelig tid til å lese den femte Harry Potter-boken, har jeg denne helgen kost meg med en amerikansk parodisk utgivelse med ovennevnt tittel. Michael Gerber har forfattet en morsom og elegant raljering med de unge magistudentene, som definitivt ikke har vokst opp til å bli mors beste barn. Også J.K. Rowling får gjennomgå på en godlynt måte som røper Gerbers beundring for hennes prosjekt. Jeg siterer fra smussomslaget:

The Hogwash School for Wizards is the most famous school of the wizarding world and Barry Trotter is its most famous pupil. It’s been that way ever since J.G. Rollins’ «Barry Trotter and the Philosopher’s Scone» (released in the USA as «Barry Trotter and the Magic Biscuit») broke publishing records worldwide.

So important has Barry become to the school’s reputation – not to say finances – that it has been agreed that he can stay at Hogwash for as long as he likes. Barry Trotter is 22.

Life is good for the perpetual student. He doesn’t have to do any work and the wizard pipe he bought in London’s Catty Corner lends him the air of mystery and maturity required to impress girls (well, Muddle girls…well, stupid ones).

But now disaster looms. The movie «Barry Trotter and the Inevitable Attempt at Cash-In» has gone into final production and the marketing machine at Wagner Bros. is going into overdrive. Hogwash is going to be submerged under a tide of souvenir-crazed Muddle fans, torn apart and sold on eBuy, stone by mossy stone.

The movie must be stopped. Barry, Ermine Cringer and Lon Measly must find a way to defeat the most powerful force of grasping sleazoids the world has ever known: Hollywood.