Why JK Rowling's 'Harry Potter' Updates Have Become a Meme
By Hannah Wigandt
It's been a while since we've been through the motions of receiving a new Harry Potter book. But you probably remember the anticipation and the theorizing that takes place while fans patiently wait for the next book in the series to come. Going through this process can be nerve-racking yet enjoyable as the hype gets bigger and bigger until the release.
But for Harry Potter fans, this feeling has been shut off since the last book's release. Many since then all have the same question: What are we going to do now? Well, continue to re-read the books, obviously, but we can also share memes.
Since the last book hit shelves, author J.K. Rowling has been sharing tidbits of information about the Harry Potter universe that are not even cannon. The following are examples many scratched their heads at:
.@juliannedapdap Ron's Patronus is a Jack Russell, which was our last dog.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 1, 2015
Hogwarts didn't always have bathrooms. Before adopting Muggle plumbing methods in the eighteenth century, witches and wizards simply relieved themselves wherever they stood, and vanished the evidence. #NationalTriviaDay
— Pottermore (@pottermore) January 4, 2019
Many fans didn't know how to cope with this new information, and started to believe Rowling might be doing this just in attempts to stay relevant. This has pushed fans to start a meme about these weird facts.
The joke is simple. Fans create a fictional scenario where Rowling shares a new factoid. Out of nowhere. Read a few hilarious examples below.
me:
— jonny sun (@jonnysun) January 28, 2019
jk rowling: ron spent all 7 years at hogwarts fantasizing about a loyal unique imaginary best friend named “Harry Potter” as a way to cope with an unbearably plain life as a regular kid who wasnt super good or bad at school, who wasnt popular but wasnt an outcast either
Me:
— sarah schauer ? (@SJSchauer) January 25, 2019
JK Rowling: the Whomping Willow was gay
no one:
— Ann ☆ (@reixa_kick) January 27, 2019
jk rowling: ted bundy was a slytherin
Rowling has not commented on the new meme, but has commented on fans' posts and reactions in the past, so we wouldn't be surprised if she weighed in now.