Hogwarts he is detected using magic in the presence of Muggles, a serious offence among the wizarding community. Dumbledore argued in Harry's defence, stating that it was done in self-defence, and that the Ministry has no authority to expel students – such powers are invested in the Headmaster and the Board of Governors. Snape has attempted to have Harry expelled, and he attempted to have Harry's father, James Potter, expelled when they were at Hogwarts together. The only student known to have been expelled is Hagrid, for the murder of Myrtle with an acromantula believed to be the Monster of Slytherin
In the Name of the Brother extraordinary things discovered in the real world are likely to be "studied to death." The name of the character Greg Mendell is similar to that of Gregor Mendel, who is known as the father of modern genetics. It is not known if this reference is deliberate, or what its significance is. Mendell acknowledges that it is against the law to text while driving in Maine, accurately reflecting a state law that went into effect on September 26, 2011. This episode was at the time the lowest rated in the series' run, with a 2.4/6 among 18-49s and only 7.68 million