Spoiler alert in case you still haven't gotten around to reading the Harry Potter books!
Today marks the 17th anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. To honor the occasion, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling took to Twitter to offer an apology to fans for killing off on particular character. Fred Weasley...
As mentioned, May 2 is the anniversary of the Battle at Hogwarts, which took place at the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Fans will recall that one half of the playful, pranking Weasley twins wasn't the only loss during the massive battle between Voldemort's Death Eaters and those brave enough to face them. But J.K. Rowling appears to be limiting her apologies to one character per year, beginning with Fred...
Fred's death certainly did leave a deep mark, not only because he was so likable, but because he was a Weasley, and because his exit left his twin brother George without his other half. It's particularly sad to consider George growing up and old without his brother at his side, as the two were basically inseparable up until Fred's death.
I doubt Rowling's apology is meant to reflect regret on her part, as she hasn't been one to express remorse over having to cut a character -- Florean Fortescue's death possibly excluded -- but it's fitting that she'd pick today to acknowledge fans' grief over the loss, and express some of her own in the process.
And it's not the first time she's expressed frustration over having to kill off her characters. This time last year, J.K. Rowling Tweeted that she was taking a moment of silence to acknowledge the Battle of Hogwarts, noting that she hated having to kill off some of those characters. She's presumably referring to the deaths of Tonks and Remus Lupin, Severus Snape, Colin Creevey, Lavender Brown and the other witches and wizards who fought on the side of good in the final book. The losses certainly made the end of the series a bittersweet event, however, they all died heroes, and are likely remembered well by those of us who love the series.
As for Fred, I'll set aside the ire today and think fondly of him for his loyalty, his sense of humor and his bravery. May he rest in peace somewhere beyond the veil, where I like to imagine there's no shortage of laughs to be had, pranks to be done, bludgers to be beaten, and jokes to be made.
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