Everything J.K. Rowling revealed about the Wizarding World in 2015
J.K. Rowling joined Twitter back in 2009, because her Twitter tells us so. However, she didn’t really start using Twitter to her (our) full advantage until earlier this year. In between Tweets for her charity, Lumos, and rooting for her favorite football team, she started tossing Harry Potter information into the mix. As you know, we all remained perfectly cool, calm, and collective when this started happening.
Just kidding, we freaked out big time. Though the Harry Potter books finished back in 2007, there’s still so much more to learn about the Wizarding World. And instead of waiting for companion books from Rowling, or prequel spin-offs, or even stage plays, Rowling started dolling the information out herself, 140 characters at a time.
2015 was the Year of Twitter Chats with J.K. Rowling, and we learned A LOT. We learned enough to fill an entirely new HP book — not that we’re suggesting anything, Rowling. These Tweets are perfectly fine for us right now. Here’s just a small sample of everything we learned over the last year.
2016 will be the Age of Hufflepuff
PUFFS, UNITE. According to Rowling, the 4th favorite Hogwarts House is about to have its time in the sun. Earlier this year (and before Pottermore revamped itself), Hufflepuff won the House Cup. Rowling took note of that, and tweeted out that it’s “starting to feel like the dawn of the Age of Hufflepuff.” Add in the fact that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them focuses on Newt Scamander, a Hufflepuff, and you guys, the badgers will RISE.
[doing best Hermione impression] It’s Voldemor(e) not Voldemort. “Mort” in French means dead, and is pronounced without the hard T at the end.
Hagrid doesn’t have a Patronus
Grab a few tissues for this one. Whether it was because he wasn’t strong enough as a wizard — er, groundskeeper, because Hagrid doesn’t have a wand, ha ha ha. Anyway. Hagrid can’t produce a Patronus. Remember, it’s a difficult spell to master as it is, and you need a really happy thought. Hagrid faced so much hardship in his time (and so many of his beasts died) he simply couldn’t conjure one.
How Albus Severus got his name
Why would Harry and Ginny name their second son, Albus Severus? We get the Albus, because Dumbledore. But many still question why Harry would choose to honor someone who caused him so much pain at Hogwarts. To truly understand the reasoning behind Rowling’s (and Harry’s) decision, you’ve gotta read her whole twitter chat. But the bottom line is: “Snape died for Harry out of love for Lily. Harry paid him tribute in forgiveness and gratitude.”
James Potter started school this year
Want to feel old? James Sirius Potter had his first day at Hogwarts this year. He’s now 11. How many times do you think he’s gone into the Forbidden Forest (and got caught by Filch)?
The debate over tuition fees at Hogwarts was raised this year. Annual, how much does it cost to attend the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? While a pretty hefty number was tallied, one that would rival four-year private collages, Rowling set the record straight for us: Hogwarts is free. Because OF COURSE going to the most magical place on Earth is free. Of course.
And we all graduated from Hogwarts
Still mad about your lack of Hogwarts letter? Wallow, no more. According to Rowling, we all attended Hogwarts. Every single one of us. That’s crazy, because you’d probably remember taking Potions with Snape for seven years. As Rowling states: “All these people saying they never got their Hogwarts letter: you got the letter. You went to Hogwarts. We were all there together.”
Now that she mentions it, I do kinda remember.
You’re already celebrating July 31st with a cake for Harry. Now we can celebrate on November 3rd with a cake and a little bit of mischief for Sirius.
Rowling doesn’t use Twitter just for HP trivia. Sometimes, she squashes fan theories, too. One that’s been floating around for a while, and actually has a lot of backing in the books, is an idea that Draco is turned into a werewolf after the Malfoy’s fail Voldemort. However, per Rowling, it’s not true. Draco doesn’t howl at any moons.
Have you ever wondered why the Dursleys were so horrible to Harry? Over the course of the books, we learn from their actions that they’re simply horrible people. And they were always kinda like that. Uncle Vernon always considered Petunia’s sister, Lily, and her husband, James, “freaks” and they weren’t invited to their wedding. Vernon and Petunia also didn’t want to attend Lily and James’ wedding, and the last time the sisters spoke was for Harry’s birthday announcement. BRB, crying a little.
First off, did you know Harry’s related to the wizard who invited Skele-gro? And we know Harry uses Skele-gro a lot during his days at Hogwarts. Another relative developed Sleekeazy’s Hair Potion, and another served on the Wizengamot. Harry’s also got some Peverell blood running through him, which is how his father (and his grandfather before him) were in possession of the Invisibility Cloak.
Know how you’re still mad about your lack of Hogwarts letter? Sorry to bring it up again. After a while you probably chalked it up to the fact that you don’t live in England, and how is an owl supposed to get across the Atlantic, anyway?
Well, STOP THE PRESSES. Somewhere in the United States, THERE’S A HOGWARTS. Oh, so go ahead and be mad that you didn’t get your letter from somewhere stateside. The location of American Hogwarts hasn’t been disclosed yet, because that’ll come out in Fantastic Beasts. Sleep better at knight knowing that there’s a school for Witchcraft and Wizardry close to home.
[Image via Warner Bros.]
