Some interesting stuff I found

JKR has a section in her site where she addresses various questions posed by fans. Here are a couple questions and answers that I found interseting. Dun dun dun dun. (I've inserted bold or italics to draw attention to what I thought was interesting/important).


Q: What Dumbledore’s Howler to Aunt Petunia mean? (Remember my last...)

Rowling says, "Well, it is a relief to move on after the Mark Evans fiasco. This time, two out of the three poll questions had interesting answers (or so I think) and thank goodness you chose one of them.

So, Dumbledore is referring to his last letter, which means, of course, the letter he left upon the Durleys’ doorstep when Harry was one year old. But why then (you may well ask) did he not just say 'remember my letter?' Why, obviously because there were letters before that…

Now let the speculation begin, and mind you type clearly, I’ll be watching…

PS. It has been suggested that I am wrong in saying that Dumbledore’s last letter was the one he left on the doorstep with baby Harry, and that he has sent a letter since then concerning Harry’s illegal flight to school. However, both Dumbledore and I differentiate between letters sent to the Dursleys as a couple, and messages directed to Petunia ALONE. And that’s my final word on the subject – though I doubt it will be yours."


Q: Why does Harry forget about the mirror in “Order of the Phoenix?”

Rowling says, "I can’t give a full answer to this, because it is relevant to books six and seven. However, the short answer is that Harry was determined never to use the mirror, as is clearly stated in chapter 24: ‘he knew he would never use whatever it was.’ For once in Harry’s life, he does not succumb to curiosity, he hikes the mirror and the temptation away from himself, and then, when it might have been useful, he has forgotten it.

The mirror might not have helped as much as you think, but on the other hand, will help more than you think. You’ll have to read the final books to understand that!


Q: In “Chamber of Secrets” what would have happened if Ginny had died and Tom Riddle had escaped the diary?

Rowling says, "I can’t answer that fully until all seven books are finished, but it would have strengthened the present-day Voldermort considerably."