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Harry Potter is back!

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  • 08-07-2014 5:30pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 58,456 ✭✭✭✭


    JK Rowling has written a 1500 word story on Pottermore, written from Rita Skeeter's POV about what the characters are up to now, in their 30s :)
    DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY REUNITES AT QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP FINAL
    By the Daily Prophet's Gossip Correspondent, Rita Skeeter.

    There are celebrities – and then there are celebrities. We've seen many a famous face from the wizarding world grace the stands here in the Patagonian Desert – Ministers and Presidents, Celestina Warbeck, controversial American wizarding band The Bent-Winged Snitches – all have caused flurries of excitement, with crowd members scrambling for autographs and even casting Bridging Charms to reach the VIP boxes over the heads of the crowd.
    But when word swept the campsite and stadium that a certain gang of infamous wizards (no longer the fresh-faced teenagers they were in their heyday, but nevertheless recognisable) had arrived for the final, excitement was beyond anything yet seen. As the crowd stampeded, tents were flattened and small children mown down. Fans from all corners of the globe stormed towards the area where members of Dumbledore's Army were rumoured to have been sighted, desperate above all else for a glimpse of the man they still call the Chosen One.
    The Potter family and the rest of Dumbledore's Army have been given accommodation in the VIP section of the campsite, which is protected by heavy charms and patrolled by Security Warlocks. Their presence has ensured large crowds along the cordoned area, all hoping for a glimpse of their heroes. At 3pm today they got their wish when, to the accompaniment of loud screams, Potter took his young sons James and Albus to visit the players' compound, where he introduced them to Bulgarian Seeker Viktor Krum.
    About to turn 34, there are a couple of threads of silver in the famous Auror's black hair, but he continues to wear the distinctive round glasses that some might say are better suited to a style-deficient twelve-year-old. The famous lightning scar has company: Potter is sporting a nasty cut over his right cheekbone. Requests for information as to its provenance merely produced the usual response from the Ministry of Magic: ‘We do not comment on the top secret work of the Auror department, as we have told you no less than 514 times, Ms. Skeeter.' So what are they hiding? Is the Chosen One embroiled in fresh mysteries that will one day explode upon us all, plunging us into a new age of terror and mayhem?
    Or does his injury have a more humble origin, one that Potter is desperate to hide? Has his wife perhaps cursed him? Are cracks beginning to show in a union that the Potters are determined to promote as happy? Should we read anything into the fact that his wife Ginevra has been perfectly happy to leave her husband and children behind in London whilst reporting on this tournament? The jury is out on whether she really had the talent or experience to be sent to the Quidditch World Cup (jury's back in – no!!!) but let's face it, when your last name is Potter, doors open, international sporting bodies bow and scrape, and Daily Prophet editors hand you plum assignments.
    As their devoted fans and followers will remember, Potter and Krum competed against each other in the controversial Triwizard Tournament, but apparently there are no hard feelings, as they embraced upon meeting (what really happened in that maze? Speculation is unlikely to be quelled by the warmth of their greeting). After half an hour's chat, Potter and his sons returned to the campsite where they socialised with the rest of Dumbledore's Army until the small hours.
    In the next tent are Potter's two closest associates, the ones who know everything about him and yet have always refused to talk to the press. Are they afraid of him, or is it their own secrets they are afraid will leak out, tarnishing the myth of He Who Could Not Be Named's defeat? Now married, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were with Potter almost every step of the way. Like the rest of Dumbledore's Army, they fought in the Battle of Hogwarts and no doubt deserve the plaudits and awards for bravery heaped upon them by a grateful wizarding world.
    In the immediate aftermath of the battle Weasley, whose famous ginger hair appears to be thinning slightly, entered into employment with the Ministry of Magic alongside Potter, but left only two years later to co-manage the highly successful wizarding joke emporium Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Was he, as he stated at the time, ‘delighted to assist my brother George with a business I've always loved'? Or had he had his fill of standing in Potter's shadow? Was the work of the Auror Department too much for a man who has admitted that the destruction of He Who Could Not Be Named's Horcruxes ‘took its toll' on him? He shows no obvious signs of mental illness from a distance, but the public is not allowed close enough to make a proper assessment. Is this suspicious?
    Hermione Granger, of course, was always the femme fatale of the group. Press reports of the time revealed that as a teenager she toyed with the young Potter's affections before being seduced away by the muscular Viktor Krum, finally settling for Potter's faithful sidekick. After a meteoric rise to Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, she is now tipped to go even higher within the Ministry, and is also mother to son, Hugo, and daughter, Rose. Does Hermione Granger prove that a witch really can have it all? (No – look at her hair.)
    Then there are those members of Dumbledore's Army who receive slightly less publicity than Potter, Weasley and Granger (are they resentful? Almost certainly). Neville Longbottom, now a popular Herbology teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is here in Patagonia with his wife Hannah. Until recently the pair lived above the Leaky Cauldron in London, but rumour has it that Hannah has not only retrained as a Healer, but is applying for the job of Matron at Hogwarts. Idle gossip suggests that she and her husband both enjoy a little more Ogden's Old Firewhisky than most of us would expect from custodians of our children, but no doubt we all wish her the best of luck with her application.
    Last of the ringleaders of Dumbledore's Army is, of course, Luna Lovegood (now married to Rolf Scamander, swarthy grandson of celebrated Magizoologist Newt). Still delightfully eccentric, Luna has been sweeping around the VIP section in robes composed of the flags of all sixteen qualifying countries. Her twin sons are ‘at home with grandpa'. Is this a euphemism for ‘too disturbed to be seen in public'? Surely only the unkindest would suggest so.
    Sundry other members of the Army are here, but it is on these six that most interest is focused. Wherever there is a red head one may make an educated guess that it belongs to a Weasley, but it is difficult to tell whether it is George (wealthy co-manager of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes), Charlie (dragon wrangler, still unmarried – why?) or Percy (Head of the Department of Magical Transportation – it's his fault if the Floo Network's too busy!). The only one who is easy to recognise is Bill who, poor man, is grievously scarred from an encounter with a werewolf and yet somehow (enchantment? Love potion? Blackmail? Kidnap?) married the undeniably beautiful (though doubtless empty-headed) Fleur Delacour.
    Word is that we shall see these and other members of Dumbledore's Army in the VIP boxes at the final, adding to the glitz and razzmatazz of a gala occasion. Let us hope that the behaviour of two of their younger hangers-on does not embarrass them, heaping shame on those who have previously brought honour to the name of wizard.
    One always hesitates to invade the privacy of young people, but the fact is that anyone closely connected with Harry Potter reaps the benefits and must pay the penalty of public interest. No doubt Potter will be distressed to know that his sixteen-year-old godson Teddy Lupin – a lanky half-werewolf with bright blue hair – has been behaving in a way unbefitting of wizarding royalty since arriving on the VIP campsite. It might be asking too much that the always-busy Potter keep a tighter rein on this wild boy, who was entrusted to his care by his dying parents, but one shudders to think what will become of Master Lupin without urgent intervention. Meanwhile, Mr and Mrs Bill Weasley might like to know that their beautiful, blonde daughter Victoire seems to be attracted to any dark corner where Master Lupin happens to be lurking. The good news is both of them seem to have invented a method of breathing through their ears. I can think of no other reason how they have survived such prolonged periods of what, in my young day, was called ‘snogging.'
    But let us not be severe. Harry Potter and his cohorts never claimed to be perfect! And for those who want to know exactly how imperfect they are, my new biography: Dumbledore's Army: The Dark Side of the Demob will be available from Flourish and Blotts on July 31st.


Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,315 ✭✭✭Soft Falling Rain


    Nice! I only recently completed my annual re-read of the series so this is most pleasantly surprising.

    It's interesting how the article is written anyway, as it suggests that Rowling still clearly thinks about her creations and where they would be. She also dangles a few carrots such as a new young gang (Lupin and Victoire) and the toll of Harry's work as an Auror. It makes you wonder if an itch is returning (I know she's working on a trilogy of new films within the universe).


  • Registered Users Posts: 29,131 ✭✭✭✭CastorTroy


    At least Rita got over her dislike of Harry and friends and is showing absolutely no bitterness towards them in that article. :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,793 ✭✭✭FunLover18


    That was interesting. I always found it odd that Hermione named her daughter after her ex-boyfriend though


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,324 ✭✭✭✭Cathmandooo


    Loved it, mind you I only loved Rita Skeeter after the movies, she was awful horrid in the books (I guess that is intentional :D )
    FunLover18 wrote: »
    That was interesting. I always found it odd that Hermione named her daughter after her ex-boyfriend though

    I'm confused, refresh my memory, who was Rose other than Hermione's daughter? :o


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,793 ✭✭✭FunLover18



    I'm confused, refresh my memory, who was Rose other than Hermione's daughter? :o

    My bad I got confused with Victoire, she's Bill's daughter isn't she.

    Carry on


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  • Registered Users Posts: 17,324 ✭✭✭✭Cathmandooo


    I thought old age had really kicked in for me :D Yeah that's Bill and Fleur's daughter.

    Lovely to get an update on them though, JK really knows how to plant seeds in your head and get you thinking about what she might mean.

    Do you think Hannah is Hannah Abbott?


  • Registered Users Posts: 58,456 ✭✭✭✭ibarelycare


    I thought old age had really kicked in for me :D Yeah that's Bill and Fleur's daughter.

    Lovely to get an update on them though, JK really knows how to plant seeds in your head and get you thinking about what she might mean.

    Do you think Hannah is Hannah Abbott?

    Yeah, JK Rowling revealed at a Q&A a few years ago that Neville married Hannah Abbott, and that Hannah became landlady of the Leaky Cauldron and the two of them lived above it :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,793 ✭✭✭FunLover18


    I thought old age had really kicked in for me :D Yeah that's Bill and Fleur's daughter.

    Lovely to get an update on them though, JK really knows how to plant seeds in your head and get you thinking about what she might mean.

    Do you think Hannah is Hannah Abbott?

    Yes.

    I wonder was Luna always going to marry Newt's grandson or did JK just want to remind us there was movie on the way


  • Registered Users Posts: 710 ✭✭✭mad turnip


    theres about 5-7 more up on pottermore, some of them are worth a read.


  • Registered Users Posts: 58,456 ✭✭✭✭ibarelycare


    FunLover18 wrote: »

    I wonder was Luna always going to marry Newt or did JK just want to remind us there was movie on the way

    Again that is something that was revealed by Jo years ago, I think it was in a webchat.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 29 smncnnr


    Again that is something that was revealed by Jo years ago, I think it was in a webchat.

    Luna married Rolf not Newt Scamander. Rolf is Newt's grandson.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,793 ✭✭✭FunLover18


    smncnnr wrote: »
    Luna married Rolf not Newt Scamander. Rolf is Newt's grandson.

    I think that's my bad again :(


  • Registered Users Posts: 58,456 ✭✭✭✭ibarelycare


    smncnnr wrote: »
    Luna married Rolf not Newt Scamander. Rolf is Newt's grandson.

    Sorry yeah, but that's who FunLover meant :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,009 ✭✭✭✭wnolan1992


    Some interesting stuff alluded to in it alright, but I dunno, it felt a little slapdash to me if I'm honest.

    Maybe that was intentional, but it just didn't feel like a Rita Skeeter article to me. Maybe my memory is just hazy or something I dunno.

    Still, it's nice that Rowling is still thinking of these characters and setting up potential stories for them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,793 ✭✭✭FunLover18


    wnolan1992 wrote: »
    Some interesting stuff alluded to in it alright, but I dunno, it felt a little slapdash to me if I'm honest.

    Maybe that was intentional, but it just didn't feel like a Rita Skeeter article to me. Maybe my memory is just hazy or something I dunno.

    Still, it's nice that Rowling is still thinking of these characters and setting up potential stories for them.

    I agree about the style of writing. Doesn't sound like Hermione is holding the animagus thing over her anymore but it definitely didn't sound as snide or nasty to me


  • Registered Users Posts: 29,131 ✭✭✭✭CastorTroy


    It sounded like she was pretending to be a professional but at the same time dropping comments like about the hair or mentioning "rumours" that were probably non existent but she wanted to get them started, such as the hints at things not being all rosy between them.

    So if Harry's 34, that would make Rita 60+?


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,071 ✭✭✭✭wp_rathead


    As their devoted fans and followers will remember, Potter and Krum competed against each other in the controversial Triwizard Tournament, but apparently there are no hard feelings, as they embraced upon meeting (what really happened in that maze? Speculation is unlikely to be quelled by the warmth of their greeting).

    Classic Rita :pac:


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,009 ✭✭✭✭wnolan1992


    wprathead wrote: »
    Classic Rita :pac:

    Have to say, that was my favourite line of the piece. :P

    Krum would be what, 37? Fair play to him for still being a top class athlete. :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,793 ✭✭✭FunLover18


    wnolan1992 wrote: »
    Have to say, that was my favourite line of the piece. :P

    Krum would be what, 37? Fair play to him for still being a top class athlete. :D

    All he has to do is sit on a broom and float around the place waiting for the snitch to show up.


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,009 ✭✭✭✭wnolan1992


    FunLover18 wrote: »
    All he has to do is sit on a broom and float around the place waiting for the snitch to show up.

    That's what Malfoy thought in his first game against Harry...


    :pac:


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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,020 ✭✭✭Ah_Yeah


    mad turnip wrote: »
    theres about 5-7 more up on pottermore, some of them are worth a read.

    Where are they?


  • Registered Users Posts: 710 ✭✭✭mad turnip


    Ah_Yeah wrote: »
    Where are they?

    Never relised how **** pottermore is to navigate. Heres some imgur links I found, probally more than this:

    HP (Part 1): https://imgur.com/gallery/g4vsA
    HP (Part 2): McGonagall's full backstory: http://imgur.com/gallery/8hqIP
    HP (Part 3): Lupin's full backstory. https://imgur.com/gallery/cqVSg
    HP (Part 4): Marauder's Map. https://imgur.com/gallery/1iX78/new
    HP (Part 5): James & Sirius prequel. https://imgur.com/gallery/L9Bo9
    HP (Part 6): The Time-Turner. http://imgur.com/gallery/oWc4A
    HP (Part 7): The sorting hat. http://imgur.com/gallery/ByX7U
    HP (Part 8): Draco's childhood backstory. http://imgur.com/gallery/QZ0FL

    UPDATE: HP (Part 9): Ghosts. https://imgur.com/gallery/xB8AX
    HP (Part 10):Peeves. http://imgur.com/gallery/7Mgj0


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,071 ✭✭✭✭wp_rathead


    mad turnip wrote: »
    Never relised how **** pottermore is to navigate. Heres some imgur links I found, probally more than this:

    HP (Part 1): https://imgur.com/gallery/g4vsA
    HP (Part 2): McGonagall's full backstory: http://imgur.com/gallery/8hqIP
    HP (Part 3): Lupin's full backstory. https://imgur.com/gallery/cqVSg
    HP (Part 4): Marauder's Map. https://imgur.com/gallery/1iX78/new
    HP (Part 5): James & Sirius prequel. https://imgur.com/gallery/L9Bo9
    HP (Part 6): The Time-Turner. http://imgur.com/gallery/oWc4A
    HP (Part 7): The sorting hat. http://imgur.com/gallery/ByX7U
    HP (Part 8): Draco's childhood backstory. http://imgur.com/gallery/QZ0FL

    UPDATE: HP (Part 9): Ghosts. https://imgur.com/gallery/xB8AX
    HP (Part 10):Peeves. http://imgur.com/gallery/7Mgj0

    mad turnip i owe you 10 pints!!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 710 ✭✭✭mad turnip


    wprathead wrote: »
    mad turnip i owe you 10 pints!!!

    swords, dublin, send a pm :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 16 laklaker


    THANK YOU. MY LIFE SAVE BOOK IS BACK!!


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