World Book Day!

And what's World Book Day without a chat with JK Rowling! Wheeee! Full transcript here, but I'm pasting some very important snippets here in the blog.

Spoilers for all Harry Potter Books follow!

kylie: Thanks for writing such wonderful books, Ms Rowling :). Just one question: What are Ron, Hermione and Ginny's middle names? Thank you :)
JK Rowling replies -> My pleasure:) Middle names: Ginny is Molly, of course, Hermione 'Jane' and Ron, poor boy, is Bilius.
I comment -> Eh? Bilius? LOL. But I would have asked if Ginny is really "Ginny" or if it's short for some other name, like the oft-speculated "Virginia". Oh well....

Sirius Riddle: What houses were Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew in? Everyone tells me they were all Gryffindor, but I won't believe it unless I hear it from Ms. Rowling herself!
JK Rowling says: This is JK herself saying that they were indeed in Gryffindor!

hermione 3: Will Harry and Hermione will be together? *sigh*
JK Rowling replies -> lol Not saying... but you've had enough clues by now, surely?!

kylie: What does the "J" in Remus J Lupin stand for?
JK Rowling replies -> 'John'. Boring but true!

Rita: Whatever happend to Sirius' flying motorbike?
JK Rowling replies -> Ah, good question. You'll find out, but the real sleuths among you might be able to guess.

Rita: What about Wormtail? Is there hope for redemption?
JK Rowling replies -> There's always hope, of course. You'll find out more about our rat-like friend in book six.

Rita: What happend to Harry's grandparents? Will we ever learn about them?
JK Rowling replies -> They're all dead and not particularly important to the story, although you will find out a little bit more.

HPFreak7: How did Harry get the Marauder's Map back, when Crouch Jr. had it last?
JK Rowling replies -> Loads of people have asked me this, I knew I should have shown Harry nipping into Moody's empty office and getting it back, but I assumed you'd all know that's what he did. Sorry!

HG: What is Trelawney's middle name (the one with the P)?
JK Rowling replies -> Patricia.

Adele: Will poor Harry be stuck at the Dursleys' all next summer?
JK Rowling replies -> Not all summer, no. In fact, he has the shortest stay in Privet Drive so far.

Echo: Was Percy acting entirely of his own accord in Order of the Phoenix?
JK Rowling replies -> I'm afraid so.

kelly_holland: When you turn into an Animagus, can you choose what animal you become? Or does this get "assigned" to you?
JK Rowling replies -> No, you can't choose. You become the animal that suits you best. Imagine the humiliation when you finally transform after years of study and find that you most closely resemble a warthog.

Josh from Cottenham Village College: Right at the beginning, when Voldermort tried to kill Harry, how did Voldermort and Harry both survive?
JK Rowling replies -> That is the crucial and central question and if I answered it there would be hardly any point writing books six and seven... so I won't!
I comment -> Oooooooohhhh.....

Chibimono: Do you have any future plans in particular for Draco Malfoy?
JK Rowling replies -> I've got plans for all my characters. Actually, this is a really good place to answer a question about Draco and Hermione, which a certain Ms. Radcliffe is desperate to have answered. Will they end up together in book six/seven? NO! The trouble is, of course, that girls fancy Tom Felton, but Draco is NOT Tom Felton!
I comment -> So much for the D/Herm shippers. :) Go R/Herm! :)

SiriuslyLovinSirius: If we ever see Sirius again, what form will he be in?
JK Rowling replies -> I couldn't possibly answer that for fear of incriminating myself.
I comment -> Oh, please, do incriminate yourself! Heheheh.

HPFreak7: How are muggle parents convinced to let their kids go to Hogwarts, a strange place they never heard of before; and wouldn't they think it was a practical joke?
JK Rowling replies -> In the case of Muggle parents, special messengers are sent to explain everything to them. But don't forget that they will have noticed that there's something strange about their child for the previous ten years, so it won't come as a complete bolt from the blue.

renata: What happened between hermione and viktor krum during the summer?
JK Rowling replies -> Ron would like to know that, too.

Field: Do you plan for Ginny to take on a major character role in the next two books?
JK Rowling replies -> Well, now that Ginny has stopped being mute in Harry's presence I think you can see that she is a fairly forceful personality (and she always has been, remember Ron saying that she 'never shuts up' in Chamber of Secrets)?

Luisa: How old are Charlie and Bill Weasley in relation to their other siblings?
JK Rowling replies -> Oh dear, maths. Let me think. Bill is two years older than Charlie, who is two years older than Percy.

kai: Where do wizarding children go to school before Hogwarts?
JK Rowling replies -> They can either go to a Muggle primary school or they are educated at home. The Weasleys were taught by Mrs. Weasley.
I comment -> I was right! Wheeee!!!!

book: why did voldemort pick harry and not neville
JK Rowling replies -> Dumbledore explains this in 'Order of the Phoenix'. Voldemort identified more with the half-blood boy and therefore decided he must be the greater risk.

Harry: Has Voldermort any children
JK Rowling replies -> No. Voldemort as a father... now that's not a nice thought.
I comment -> Hahaaaa! There we go. There will be no "I am your father" lines coming from Voldie! Hehehh.

eastbrook4: why did Harry have to split up with Cho Chang?
JK Rowling replies -> That's life, I'm afraid. They were never going to be happy, it was better that it ended early!
I comment -> Wheeeeeeeeeee!!! Oops. *sheepish grin*

miggs: Is there going to be a new minister of magic in the next books?
JK Rowling replies -> Yes. Ha! Finally, a concrete bit of information, I hear you cry!

~~~

Wheee! Some pretty cool tidbits of info there. Can't wait to watch the movie! :)

======

This is probably the nicest comment I got last week during The Imperial Prom: "At the risk of eternal damnation, I must say you look pretty tonight."



.:chronicled by senator skywalker at 5:27:00 PM:.
.: | :.

...