Rowling Says Dumbledore Is Gay

NewsWeek ^ | Oct 16, 2007 | By Tara Weingarten

[hercuroc]

J.K. Rowling, author of the world-wide best-selling Harry Potter series, met some of her American fans tonight and provided some surprising revelations about the fictional characters who a generation of children have come to regard as close friends.

In front of a full house of hardcore Potter fans at Carnegie Hall in New York, Rowling, sitting on the stage on a red velvet and carved wood throne, read from her seventh and final book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," then took questions. One fan asked whether Albus Dumbledore, the head of the famed Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, had ever loved anyone. Rowling smiled. "Dumbledore is gay, actually," replied Rowling as the audience errupted in surprise. She added that, in her mind, Dumbledore had an unrequited love affair with Gellert Grindelwald, Voldemort's predecessor who appears in the seventh book. After several minutes of prolonged shouting and clapping from astonshed fans, Rowling added. "I would have told you earlier if I knew it would make you so happy."

In answer to the question "Did Hagrid marry?" Rowling replied that sadly, no. The half-giant had a flirtation with a giantess but she found him "a tad unsophisticated" and the relationship never went forward. In response to the audience's groans of dismay, Rowling said, jokingly, "O.K., I'll write another book." And when the audience continued to express disapproval added, "at least I didn't kill him."

Other minor characters, according to Rowling, came to happier ends. Neville Longbottom, Harry's meek and hapless classmate, married Hannah Abbott, another classmate.

[xsmommy]

it was entirely gratuitous for her to come out with this little nugget. very unnecessary. she annoys me, more than anything.

[BibChr]

How long with this thread be if all the comments by people bragging of their ignorance of the series were exempted?

[BibChr]

Ditto. “The arrogance of wealth” comes to mind. Morally, spiritually tone-deaf-as-a-rock. And blithely unconcerned about her impact on her young readers.

[CholeraJoe]

Pandering, IMO.

Wearing a pink shirt today in honor of Breast Cancer awareness month.

[xsmommy]

yes, all of that.

[xsmommy]

xsbrownie is nearing the end of book 5, and doesn’t yet know that Dumbledore gets killed in book 6, let alone needing to find out he is gay. i made no mention of this news to her but i feel certain her friends at school will be discussing it today.

[xsmommy]

and i am sure you look quite dashing in pink!

[Tijeras_Slim]

Next thing you know she'll publish a how-to guide on inter-racial dating.

Or "The Best Pickup Lines for Madame Puddyfoot's".

[retrokitten]

But it will sell the next book, retrokitten; the reference guide about each character.

I really don't know. I'm not sure if I will buy it or not (I thought I read or heard somewhere that the earliest it will come out is 2009 or 2010), but it has nothing to do with the DD gay thing. It has more to do with the fact that I don't really care what happens outside of the main story. I am a big fan of the series, but not so rabid that Harry Potter is my hobby, if that makes sense (I just flashed on an episode of Friends, "Gandolf is coming! We are sooo going to party!"). For me, everything was nicely wrapped up in DH.

I'm not going to lie, it was a bit of a shocking revelation, but once real life started later Saturday it was a non-issue.

[Tax-chick]

It took me a week of late nights to get through “The Portrait of a Lady.” I got “The American” at the library today.

[saveliberty]

One of the British FReepers pointed out that it was sarcasm lost on Americans. Or maybe she was half joking and now she will run with it.

It’s a series of stories that I enjoyed reading.

I agree that I won’t go to a Potter Festival and dress up like characters LOL

[retrokitten]

I agree that I won’t go to a Potter Festival and dress up like characters LOL

Exactly! LOL! I can't claim to be 100% non-Potter dorky, though. I do have some HP stuff. A few years ago for Christmas my husband bought me Hermione's time turner and I think the same year my mom bought me a set of 4 metal bookmarks that represented each of the houses. Nothing leaves the house, though. My dorkiness is kept under wraps (I think). ;-)

[saveliberty]

My dorkiness is kept under wraps (I think). ;-)

LOL I won't be telling anyone.

[Redcloak]

Yeah... The gaydar was twitching as I read that part of the last book. There was something odd about their interaction.

[ErieGeno]

Idiots who read this garbage need to seperate fact from fiction and fiction from reality.

[csvset]

Dad's tattoo Dumble-Doh!

PROUD Paul Croft got a tattoo of Harry Potter wizard Albus Dumbledore on his back – but is now being teased by pals after he was outed as GAY.

Shocker ... Dumbledore

Proud Paul, 36, spent a YEAR having the Hogwarts headmaster etched into his skin as a surprise for his five kids.

But the factory worker has been the butt of jokes ever since Harry Potter author JK Rowling revealed last week that Dumbledore was in love with a fellow male sorcerer.

Paul, of Nottingham, moaned yesterday: “It’s been terrible. I’ve always liked Dumbledore – just not in that way.

Wisecracks

“I went into work and everyone was sniggering.

Revelation ... JK Rowling

“When I walked in, one of the lads said, ‘Oi, Paul – heard about Dumbledore?’

“There were wisecracks about ‘Watch your backs, lads.’ Someone asked me if I was planning to get a tattoo of Graham Norton. I thought, ‘Why me?’ ”

The huge £500 tattoo shows Dumbledore holding a scroll bearing the names of his Harry Potter mad children – Charlotte, Deanna, Brandon, Tamzin and Paris.

Paul said: “It seemed like a good idea at the time.

“The whole thing took nearly a year. I was really pleased with the result.

“The tattoo is about 2ft in length and shows Dumbledore played by Richard Harris – who was the original and best.”

He insisted: “I don’t regret it and I’m not going to get rid of it.”

t.wells@the-sun.co.uk