5 Fascinating Facts J.K. Rowling Revealed About “Harry Potter”

Beware, there are some spoilers in here. If you haven’t yet finished the Harry Potter series yet, have someone nearby who can obliviate your memory after reading this.

With that said, the series ended a decade ago, so we think it’s okay to spoil a few things. Here are a few of the most exciting revelations author J.K. Rowling has dropped since publishing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on July 21, 2007.

1. Ron’s Patronus

There are several memorable Patronuses throughout the series. Harry, of course, produced a stag, just like his father. While Snape and Lily Potter both produced does. Not to mention, Hermione’s patronus was an otter. What about Ron? Ron was protected by a playful, loyal dog—how appropriate!

Hagrid, on the other hand, couldn’t produce a Patronus. Sadly, he wasn’t a good enough wizard for such magic, but the half-giant had other gifts.

2. Witches can cure most muggle ailments, but not all wizarding wounds.

In an entry on the Pottermore blog, Rowling considered the notions of illness and disability in the Wizarding world.

Why is it that Luna can fix Harry’s face after getting kicked in the nose by Draco, yet Mad-Eye Moody has a peg leg?

In writing the Potter series, Rowling “decided that, broadly speaking, wizards would have the power to correct or override ‘mundane’ nature, but not ‘magical’ nature. Therefore, a wizard could catch anything a Muggle might catch, but he could cure all of it; he would also comfortably survive a scorpion sting that might kill a Muggle, whereas he might die if bitten by a Venomous Tentacula.”

Thankfully, Rowling created a world where most of the maladies of the wizarding world don’t harm muggles.

“While wizards have an enviable head start over the rest of us in dealing with the flu, and all manner of serious injuries,” the author wrote, “they have to deal with problems that the rest of us never face.”

3. Dumbledore’s Spectacular Skills

There is an excellent Twitter thread where Rowling explains that being bitten by the basilisk in Chamber of Secrets doesn’t kill the horcrux inside Harry because “The Horcrux-receptacle has to be destroyed BEYOND REPAIR, so Harry would need to have DIED.”

Within that same thread, though, Rowling clarified another pesky problem. Dumbledore used impressive wizarding skills to remove Voldemort’s horcrux from the Resurrection Stone while leaving the fundamental power of the stone in-tact for Harry to use “at the close.”

4. What about “the perfect antidote?”

“Chocolate is the perfect antidote for anyone who has been overcome in the presence of Dementors, which suck hope and happiness out of their surroundings,” Rowling writes in another Pottermore blog.

Dementors make an excellent metaphor for Rowling, who has suffered from depression in her life. The author has famously reached out to fans working to overcome mental illness in efforts to help them see a brighter future.

“Chocolate can only be a short-term remedy, however,” Rowling warns in her Pottermore entry. “Finding ways to fight off Dementors–or depression–are essential if one is to become permanently happier. Excessive chocolate consumption cannot benefit either Muggle or wizard.”

5. There’s one place the Potter series won’t go.

The Potter series was, of course, first seen in print, then it went to the silver screen, and a year ago with The Cursed Child, the wizarding world found its way on stage. However, for everyone suggesting we have Harry Potter on ice, it looks like Rowling is not a fan of the idea:

And just a reminder, according to Rowling, the “T” in Voldemort is silent.