It’s the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, and J.K. Rowling just apologized for an unusual death

For some, today is simply another spring day, but for millions of Harry Potter fans out there, it’s an anniversary. That’s right, today, May 2nd, is the anniversary of the fateful Battle of Hogwarts, when Voldemort was *finally* vanquished by Harry and his many allies at the beloved School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

To commemorate this day as she does every year, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has apologized for killing off a character during the battle, only this year, her choice was slightly controversial.

In her yearly tweet, Rowling apologized for killing off Severus Snape.

While some fans were devastated by Snape’s death and felt the apology was necessary, others were still reeling from his betraying Lily and trusting Voldemort’s word (really, Snape?), which ultimately ended in her death. Plus, he harbored a grudge against Harry just because he didn’t get along with Harry’s dad, James (who also died when Harry was a BABY).

Because I’m sure everyone is awaiting my opinion, I have to say that I have very mixed feelings about this, mostly because I think it was a necessary casualty. First, let me say this: I’m still waiting for Rowling to apologize for killing off Hedwig, even if it was brilliantly symbolic.

Snape’s life was essentially this huge tragedy, and his secret redemption arc — aka everything in the memories he supplied to Harry before he died — was a really important plot point that needed to be revealed but couldn’t have if Snape had lived. So, while I think his death was wholly necessary to gaining a lot of understanding of how Harry’s mission to kill Voldemort needed to end, it’s sad, nonetheless.

Snape is just the third character to receive the annual Battle of Hogwarts apology from Rowling. The author began this tradition in 2015, when she tweeted an apology for killing Fred Weasley during the Battle.

Fred was *very* well liked by fans and was almost like an older brother to Harry and *siriusly* didn’t need to die. He also often served as the comic relief, along with his twin brother, George, and was important to revealing many of Hogwarts’ secrets to Harry. Fred’s death, caused by a rogue killing curse, was witnessed by half his siblings and Harry, making it all the more devastating. Listen, when I read it, I cried, my older sister, and even my younger sister who had never read the series cried.

Rowling kept the tradition going last year, in 2016, by apologizing for the death of Remus Lupin.

Like Fred’s, Lupin’s death was, dare I say, riddikulus.  He was probably the most underrated father figure to Harry, and along with Sirius Black, was the closest connection Harry had to his father. Lupin was a surrogate godfather when Sirius was still in hiding and continued to be so after Sirius died. Lupin’s heartbreaking death is revealed as Harry stumbles across the bodies of him and his wife, Tonks. The fact that they had both just become parents earlier in the book makes it all the more tragic.

Next year, I vote Tonks or Colin Creevey get the proper apology they deserve.