A New JKRowling.com for the New Year!

To round out what has been an unbelievably busy year for J. K. Rowling and and the Potterverse, the announcement of a new jkrowling.com came yesterday via a tweet from its proprietor: https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/811319241089699841

I think it got hugged too hard and panicked. It’ll be back.

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 20, 2016

The website is polished and clean, yet comfortable and inviting. Her welcome message says that the home page is meant to resemble her actual writing desk. And that it does, complete with Cormoran Strike novel character notes (which links to a page listing all of Jo’s writings), handwritten notes about Dumbledore (Fantastic Beasts?), Draco and Rose (potentially Cursed Child?), a request for ‘a large gin’, and jotted revisions on part of the Fantastic Beasts script set in The Blind Pig: She discusses how Twitter has become her cyber vehicle of choice for communication in recent years, but wanted to make her website “real and personal” again. There she discusses all of her projects that came to fruition in 2016, including Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them as well as work on her next Cormoran Strike novel. She also mentions some of the hidden links on the site including those to her two charitable organizations, Lumos and her charitable trust Volant as well to Pottermore. The site also contain a hidden ‘debunking’ button similar to her old site, where Jo will denounce rumours. We’ll let you find that though, but a hint is to look for something that looks like it belongs in the trash… There’s also a Pet Sounds 50th anniversary tour lanyard, reminiscent of when Jo met Brian Wilson on The Beach Boys’ tour in Edinburgh in May: The most exciting news on the site for the fandom is what Jo refers to as her “Christmas gift for wizard lovers”. There she answers six of the most frequently asked questions she receives about the Fantastic Beasts series and a Chamber of Secrets bonus question she says is one of her favorites! https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/811328050289868802

FAQs

1.     Why couldn’t Newt just Apparate to the USA? Why did he go by boat?

Apparition becomes increasingly risky over long distances. As with most magic, much depends on the skill of the spell-caster: Apparition requires knowledge of the terrain to which one is moving, or the ability to visualize it clearly. Cross-continental Apparition would almost certainly result in severe injury or death. Moreover, the beasts in Newt’s case had varying magical natures. Some could have Apparated with him, but others could not.

2.    Why did Newt go in through No-Maj customs?

He was transporting magical creatures at a time when this was illegal. No-Majs were far easier to fool than the wizarding checkpoint would have been.

3.    Why couldn’t Newt use ‘Accio’ to retrieve all his beasts?

‘Accio’ only works on inanimate objects. While people or creatures may be indirectly moved by ‘Accio-ing’ objects that they are wearing or holding, this carries all kinds of risks because of the likelihood of injury to the person or beast attached to an object travelling at close to the speed of light.

4.    Why isn’t Veritaserum used in interrogations?

It is, but skilled wizards can avoid its effects by using antidotes and charms. A gifted Occlumens could also resist Veritaserum.

5.    Why did ‘revelio’ undo the effects of Polyjuice Potion?

It didn’t. Grindelwald’s Transfiguration surpasses that of most wizards, so he used a spell, not a potion, to take on the appearance of Percival Graves.

6.    Why didn’t Harry Potter develop an Obscurus?

An Obscurus is developed under very specific conditions: trauma associated with the use of magic, internalized hatred of one’s own magic and a conscious attempt to suppress it. The Dursleys were too frightened of magic ever to acknowledge its existence to Harry. While Vernon and Petunia had a confused hope that if they were nasty enough to Harry his strange abilities might somehow evaporate, they never taught him to be ashamed or afraid of magic. Even when he was scolded for ‘making things happen’, he didn’t make any attempt to suppress his true nature, nor did he ever imagine that he had the power to do so. And finally, an oldie but a perennial favourite…

7.     Why wasn’t the Horcrux inside Harry destroyed when he was bitten by the Basilisk in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets?

A Horcrux can only be destroyed if its container is damaged beyond repair. Harry was healed by Fawkes. Had he died, the Horcrux would indeed have been destroyed. PS I’m being asked all kinds of excellent questions about Fantastic Beasts that I can’t answer right now, because the answers would give away too much about future plots. If your burning question isn’t here, you are probably safe to assume that it will be answered in the sequels!

There is a wealth of speculation and supposition to unpack here. For Potter fans, it’s as prized as a Weasley Christmas sweater! For those who feared their favorite storyteller’s new series would leave her devotees out in the cold, removed from the cherished canon, it’s time to think again – her attention to detail has once again astounded everybody. Happy holiday pondering, and thank you to Jo for the gifts!