J. K. Rowling offers new short piece on Harry Potter

July 10, 2014 Uncategorized 8

Rita Skeeter covers the appearance of Harry Potter and other DA members at the Quidditch World Cup. Writing for the Daily Prophet with her usual mix of sensationalism and snide innuendo, Skeeter uses Potter, Weasley, and Granger’s attendance at the World Cup to pass along news and gossip about the wizarding world’s most famous wizards and their friends.

Of course, the 1,500-word piece is actually written by J. K. Rowling; it appeared on Pottermore.com on July 8.  Skeeter’s voice is just as falsely warm and subtly nasty as in the books, but it’s clear nonetheless that all our friends are well and happy. Thank you, J. K. Rowling, for giving us a brief glimpse into their present lives!

Screenshot: ‘Rita Skeeter’s article on Pottermore, 7/08/14

(Sorry; you have to be signed on to Pottermore to read the full story. It’s not hard to sign up, but it does take a little time to be assigned to a house and so on. If you’re a fan, it’s actually worth it; some fun stuff shows up, including information and backstory that didn’t make it into the books, like McGonagle’s history. Plus, Ginny has been putting out almost daily reports on the Quidditch World Cup.)

If you want to know more about the article, keep reading.

SPOILER ALERT




Here are a few tidbits gleaned from Skeeter’s article:

  • Harry’s hair is showing a few signs of silver in his mid-thirties, but he still wears his signature round glasses.
  • He and Viktor Krum are (still) friends, and Harry takes James and Albus to meet Viktor – who is still playing for Bulgaria.
  • The Ministry refuses to give out any information on Harry’s work as an Auror, but it’s apparently still a dangerous job, because Harry’s sporting a nasty cut across one cheek.
  • Rita Skeeter resents that Ginny is the Daily Prophet‘s Quidditch correspondent, reporting on the World Cup.
  • Ron left the Aurors within 2 years to join George in running Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes.
  • Hermione is now Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
  • Charlie Weasley is still wrangling dragons, and he’s still unmarried.
  • Percy runs the Ministry’s Department of Magical Transportation, overseeing the Floo network among other things.
  • Professor Neville Longobttom’s wife, Hannah Abbot (formerly proprietress of the Leaky Cauldron, according to earlier statements by Rowling) is retraining as a Healer and will seek the Matron’s position at Hogwarts.
  • Luna is supporting all 16 teams in the tournament by wearing robes made from all their flags. She and husband Rolf Scamander (grandson of Newt Scamander, author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) left their twin sons in care of their grandfather, presumably Luna’s father.
  • Teddy Lupin and Victoire Weasley are a couple (which we knew from the epilogue already.) And Teddy does have blue hair. (We knew he did as a baby, but until now it’s just been fanon that he keeps it as an adult. After all, presumably he’s a metamorphmagus like his mother.)
  • And finally, Rita Skeeter has written a bio about the DA members called Dumbledore’s Army: The Dark Side of the Demob. It’s due out on Harry’s birthday… and I’m hoping that means we might get some excerpts on Pottermore.

 You might also enjoy the Tor.com piece on Skeeter’s article.
 

8 Responses to “J. K. Rowling offers new short piece on Harry Potter”

  1. Braine TS

    Oh I saw this on the news the other day. Backstory is, this is her way of mocking the tabloids. Me thinks this is the classiest way to address those rumors and jabs she’s been getting lately.

    • Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard

      I didn’t know she’d been getting more rumors and jabs recently, but I’ve always thought that Rita Skeeter was her brilliant way of thumbing her nose at the tabloids. And it will certainly make a generation of readers think twice about the veracity of tabloids!

  2. Bea

    I hope she makes this available outside of Pottermore. I enjoy the Potter books but not enough to join.

    • Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard

      You can get most of the content, if not the veiled nastiness, from the Tor.com article. But I suspect it won’t be too long before someone reblogs it — even if that is a violation of copyright.

  3. Angela's Anxious Life

    Glad you posted these. I read this article on Pottermore and didn’t even get half this. I thought it was a little boring and wish the article would’ve had more information.