Fans of the Harry Potter series almost lost one of their most beloved characters. According to series author JK Rowling she considered killing Ron off with the unforgivable Avada Kedavra curse part way through the series.

During an interview on the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 2 DVD Rowling tells Daniel Radcliffe:

“I did seriously consider killing Ron.”

Rowling goes on to add:

“Funnily enough, I planned from the start that none of them would die,” she says. “Then midway through, which I think is a reflection of the fact that I wasn’t in a very happy place, I started thinking I might polish one of them off. Out of sheer spite. ‘There, now you definitely can’t have him anymore.’”

Even though Rowling was convinced that at least one of the main character had to die she also revealed that “in my absolute heart of hearts” she couldn’t do it.

Would you have been disappointed if Ron Weasley had bit the bullet part way through the series? It definitely could have opened Harry Potter’s love life up to more confusion and possibilities but a Harry Potter book without Ron Weasley just seems so unimaginable today.

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JK Rowling Admits: “I Did Seriously Consider Killing Ron” is a post from: The Inquisitr

JK Rowling is giving Harry Potter fans a sneak peak of the Pottermore website which will go live in October. The “Magic Quill Contest” which runs from July 31st through August 6th will give select users access to the site ahead of schedule.

The contest is simple to participate in, throughout each day a trivia question will be posted on the Pottermore site, users who solve the question can add it to the end of the quill.pottermore.com url for example quill.pottermore.com/RonWeasley, once you access that URL you must find the magical quill which is hidden on the quill section of the site, simply find the quill and you’ll be taken to the beta registration page.

It’s still unclear how many beta users the site will accept, however with more than 500 million Harry Potter books sold worldwide if there is a limited number of beta registrations available you’ll want to hurry up and find the magical quill as soon as possible.

Pottermore Beta Arrives With Access Contest: Find The Magic Quill is a post from: The Inquisitr

With Pottermore finally revealed we knew it was only a matter of time before more goodies were added to the Harry Potter universe and now we have learned that author J.K. Rowling is planning to pepper the website with more information about our favorite Potter characters.

Launching in July the website for example will provide the full back-story of Professor Minerva McGonagall including her childhood, schooling and her early ministry career and heartbreak. Rowling had always meant to write about Minerva’s backstory in the Potter books but says she was never able to find the right place to tell her full life story.

Via the Pottermore website users will be able to choose which house they want to be sorted into and anyone who chooses outside of the Gryffindor house will also receive a quarter-chapter about the “true nature” of their houses.

Users to Pottermore will also have a wand selected for them, since Wizards and Witches never choose their own wands.

More to follow as the site grows and takes on an eco-system of it’s own.

J.K. Rowling To Provide Character Backstories To Fans Via Pottermore is a post from: The Inquisitr

JK Rowling has disclosed more information about the mysterious “Pottermore” website, but in typical JKR fashion, the information released is really raises more questions (and drums up more interest) than anything else.

According to Rowling, Pottermore is going to be an online experience “unlike any other,” and the site will encompass the same mythology of the original books, inclusive of “a few crucial additions.” According to the Washington Post, it seems that the main crux of Pottermore is going to be an e-book storefront:

In an announcement launching Pottermore, an interactive Harry Potter Web site and online store, Rowling said that the full series will be available in digital form. The books will be in several languages and will work on any electronic reading device.

The site will also sell digital audiobooks of the novels.

(Details about the format of books were not disclosed in the video itself.) However, Rowling seems to hint that fans will have a chance to participate in the storylines- though how this will be achieved is, of course, a mystery. The official release date is July 31st- Harry’s birthday- but Rowling says certain fans will be able to get in early if they “follow the owl.”

Watch the clip, below:

Pottermore Revealed: It’s an E-Book Store? is a post from: The Inquisitr

While we currently have no clue what the site will house- rumors guess everything from a Harry Potter branded smartphone to a social networking site themed around the famous Wizard from Hogwarts- we do have a clue what it will not be.

According to Rebbeca Salt, spokeswoman for the famous Harry Potter author, the site is “not a new book” and “not directly related” to the final Potter movie, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” which comes out on July 15th.

A privileged few have been fortunate enough to enjoy a sneak peek of the new site, and have described it as

“breathtaking in scope, detail and sheer beauty.”

It does us no good however, as their lips are so tightly sealed, regarding details of Pottermore,  that even an ‘Alohomora’ couldn’t open them.

According to the countdown clock linked from the Pottermore website, the official reveal will go down Thursday, June 23 at 2 AM.

In the meantime, check out the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Trailer below:

What is the Secret Behind JK Rowling’s Pottermore Website? is a post from: The Inquisitr

J.K. Rowling Buys $1.3 Million Home, Destroys It To Put In Garden is a post from: The Inquisitr

J.K. Rowling, author of the massively successful “Harry Potter” series of books turned blockbuster films, told the actor that plays the titular character that no more titles would be forthcoming in the series- via text message.

At the premiere for part one of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Daniel Radcliffe disclosed the information to press about the SMS exchange. Rowling, who seemed to like jerking the series’s fans around a bit here and there, is supposed to have said that the last book in the series was really the last book:

“Basically, it amounted to the fact that she felt I had been very good in this ‘Harry Potter’ film, and as a reward for that, she wasn’t going to [write] any more ‘Harry Potter’ [books],” Radcliffe revealed to MTV News.

Radcliffe added:

“I’m sure she will be writing other books… But I can pretty much guarantee that Harry will not be a feature.”

The star then commented on whether he’d be sad to see the series go after part two of Deathly Hallows is released, to which he replied:

“It’s sad, absolutely,” he said. “[But] we’re going out on a high note. To sustain this level of quality for 10 years is a very rare thing in a big franchise. I think it’s us and ‘Toy Story,’ to be honest. I think we’ve done amazingly. I’m thrilled.”

This is possibly good or possibly bad news, depending on which fans you ask. While some would have clamored for more tales of the boy wizard, many fans balked at the worse-than-some-fanfiction type ending of the last book in the series.

[MTV]

Rowling tells Radcliffe there will be no more Potter books is a post from: The Inquisitr

This is a part of a series on George Norman Lippert, “America’s JK Rowling”, creator of the spinoff “James Potter” novels set in the Potterverse and often compared to the original “Harry Potter” .

GNL Series:  The Story – The Interview, Part I – The Interview, Part II

Could you give a quick intro on what the James Potter series is (ideas, themes, inspiration, etc.)?  Most people consider it high-quality fan-fiction, but what do you label it as?

When I first discovered fan-fiction (and this was AFTER finishing my first James Potter book) I was bored with how so much of it was just a rehash of the original characters and stories.  Being satisfied with Harry’s tale, I wanted to explore the wider magical world.

For instance, in a world split between Muggle and magical, wouldn’t there be a contingent of people intent on breaking down that separation?  If so, would their intentions be good or bad?   And what about this character that is barely mentioned in the DH [ed.-  JK Rowling’s “Deathly Hollows”] Epilogue, Harry’s firstborn son, James?  What would it be like to grow up as the son of the most famous wizard of all time?  How would that effect this boy’s personal development?  Further, on a greater scale, what about the rest of the wizarding world?  What are magical schools and locations like all over the world?  How do Muggle cultures affect the magical world that operates within them?  These were the themes I wanted to explore.

Thus, the James Potter series is a logical extension of the Harry Potter universe, branching off from the epilogue of J. K. Rowling’s final book.  But while it originates from the tree of the original series, it expands into some new areas, exploring entirely new themes, characters and locations.

As far as how I think of these stories, I hate the term “fan-fiction”.  I call it that, for lack of a better word, but to me, it’s more like when a band does a cover of another band’s hit song.  It sounds familiar, and yet, if done properly, it is still fresh and unique.  “Cover fiction” is possibly a better term for what I try to write, although I doubt the term will catch on.

From what I can tell, both installments of the James Potter series have had an explosive effect on the Harry Potter reader community… is this true?  Good reactions, bad, or mixed?  Do you have any numbers on readers that might be useful in understanding how your works compare in community reach to JK Rowling’s?

When the first James Potter story was released, I was completely unprepared for the worldwide response it generated.  During the first week, there was a wave of fairly rabid hate mail, mainly from those I’ve come to think of as the Canon Police.  These individuals claimed that I was “ruining Harry Potter”, based on the fact that my story, in many ways, broke away from the familiar fan-fiction model.  I was coloring outside the lines of the Potterverse, it seemed.

The second wave of reader response, however, was much larger and almost uniformly positive.  Those who, like me, had been sad to see the end of the magical universe, seemed quite happy with my new perspective on it.  Apparently, they felt that I had kept just enough of the old to make it familiar, but introduced enough new themes and characters to keep it fresh.  This wave of reader response has continued to the present.  I receive emails every day from readers all over the world, encouraging me to write more.

As far as hard reader numbers, this is very difficult to pinpoint, mainly because the story is hosted in so many languages now, from so many websites completely independent of me.  Based on my own website numbers, and those I have gathered from a few other sources, my guess is that the stories have been read by at least a million people (the English versions, added up, have been downloaded over 750,000 times).

The interesting thing to me is that the James Potter stories have reached a large demographic of people that do not read fan fiction.  That’s what flatters and pleases me the most.

You comment in both books that your work is set inside Rowling’s universe and uses similar characters, but are not endorsed by Rowling herself – you even include a character-tribute to Rowling in “Curse of the Gatekeeper”.  What’s the reaction been from her and her legal advisers?  How about from Scholastic?

During the initial media response to my first James Potter story, both Warner Bros. and J. K. Rowling’s agency were asked if they were responsible for the website and the stories.  When that happened, I felt I had an “in” with them, and I contacted them.  I was worried that they would attempt legal action against me, but Ms. Rowling’s agency (The Christopher Little Agency) was very encouraging and cordial.  They agreed to view a preview sample of the story (although, for understandable legal reasons, Ms. Rowling herself did not view it) and declared that they had no legal issue with the free release of stories such as mine, so long as they were not attributed to Ms. Rowling.  Warner Bros, at that time, agreed, merely asking that I not use any of the Harry Potter film score in the promotion of the James Potter stories.  I agreed immediately, of course.

Regarding the character of Juliet Revalvier, in “James Potter and the Curse of the Gatekeeper”, she is, of course, an affectionate homage to Ms. Rowling herself.  Since these tales are all derived, ultimately, from the fertile garden of her imagination, I have always had great respect both for her work and her proprietary ownership of it.  I was, in fact, very vocal about my disdain for Mr. Steve Vander Ark during the whole “Harry Potter Lexicon” legal brouhaha. Regarding Scholastic Books, I have heard no word from them.

Kyle Brady is a contributing columnist for the Inquisitr, an entrepreneur, and has a future in science fiction.  He can be found at his blog, via email, or on Twitter.

Of Harry Potter, James Potter, and Warner Bros. Studios – The Interview, Part I is a post from: The Inquisitr

This is a part of a series on George Norman Lippert, “America’s JK Rowling”, creator of the spinoff “James Potter” novels set in the Potterverse and often compared to the original “Harry Potter” .

GNL Series:  The Story – The Interview, Part I – The Interview, Part II

Harry Potter is one of the most dominant international sensations of all time, existing in printed word, on film, and in countless languages, and has captivated the minds of countless millions of readers.  JK Rowling completed her series and gave the world what was allegedly the final piece in her Potterverse assemblage in mid-2007, to the joy and dismay of fans worldwide – the story was complete and their curiosity had been satisfied, but for many it left a gaping hole in their hearts and minds.

It should come as no surprise, then, that a rabid fan-fiction community developed around the Potterverse, courtesy of the Internet, as a way to cope with those whose lives had become so deeply enmeshed with Harry Potter and his adventures.  Some of the fan fiction was decent, as long as you stayed away from the disturbing subgenres that prefer a more adult and mentally damaging tone.  But none of it stood out as anything more than amateur writers copying the behaviors of someone they idolized with an almost religious fervor.

Enter George Norman Lippert – early August, 2007.

Like many others, he finished “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows” and was emotionally lost, so he began writing.  In his first sitting, he wrote what would become a piece of his first fan-fiction novel (or “cover-fiction”, as he calls it), and showed it to his wife.  After her encouragement, he continued writing, and completed “James Potter and Hall of the Elders’ Crossing” relatively quickly, followed by a release on December 1, 2007.  Since then he’s released a sequel (“James Potter and the Curse of the Gatekeeper”), is preparing to release the next in the series (“James Potter and the Vault of Destinies”), wrote a related standalone book (“The Girl on the Dock”), and produced a slew of other Potterverse related pieces.

And along the way he’s had contact with JK Rowling and Warner Bros., with mixed results.

By GNL’s calculations, over a million people have read his stories – not quite the 400 million that JKR has achieved, but still highly impressive.  Rowling herself has said, via her agent, that she has no qualms about fan-fiction, so long as it’s not the previously mentioned deranged version, and specifically has no problem with the James Potter material.

Warner Bros., the rights-holder to the movie versions of Harry Potter, had the same initial reaction:  the James Potter logo, use of characters, etc. was agreeable to them.  However, they seem to have had a change of heart, and are demanding changes in the representation of the material and GNL’s website.  It’s intriguing that they feel the need to not only contact, but attack, a creator of media in an entirely different form than what they produce, especially when it’s more of a tribute than a detraction.  Even more curious, WB seems to think it will damage their branding of Harry Potter, while evidence shows that it would likely bolster sales.  Why didn’t they go after countless movies and books that have emulated the iconic logo in one fashion or another?  The Golden Compass, The Dark Is Rising, and Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief are just three easy examples of such allowed behavior – perhaps the studio power behind these three movies makes the difference?

It is truly sad that copyright claims are being used in an attempt to stifle such creative and lovingly crafted work that approaches its subject with the feel of JK Rowling and a twist of originality.  The fans have embraced them, the Queen of the Potterverse gave her blessing, and Scholastic (the American print publisher of Harry Potter) seems to have no objections – it’s only the overzealous movie studio that seems to take affront to GNL’s actions.  While they are demanding changes that are largely of presentation and self-promotion, the leap to requiring the removal of the James Potter novels from public view is not a large one, especially given the known behavior of frightened media behemoths.

George, however, understands that this honeymoon period may not last much longer, and admits he may not fully complete the expected seven-book series because of the increasing effort necessary to produce further installments.  Instead, he has his sights set on being an author in his own right, outside of the world of Harry Potter, and is currently “shopping” the manuscript of “The Riverhouse” for publication.

Whether the James Potter series is completely finished or not, it is safe to say that George Norman Lippert has distinctly enriched the lives of countless Harry Potter fans and even the Potterverse itself.  His works have shown that not only can a fan with talent significantly enrich the source material without resulting to pale imitations, but that it’s still possible to rise from obscurity to fame within the literary world – all without an agent, a marketing campaign, or SPAM’ing forums.

To quote a dryad from “James Potter and the Hall of Elders’ Crossing”:

You must beware, James Potter.  Your father’s battle is over.

Yours begins.

GNL can be found on the James Potter series website, on Facebook, and on Twitter; the James Potter novels are available for download [1] [2], his novel can be found on Amazon, and the next chapter in the epic saga will be released December 1, 2009.

Kyle Brady is a contributing columnist for the Inquisitr, an entrepreneur, and has a future in science fiction.  He can be found at his blog, via email, or on Twitter.

Of Harry Potter, James Potter, and Warner Bros. Studios – The Story is a post from: The Inquisitr

It should be obvious, at this point, to any observer:  the world loves Harry Potter.  Not just America, or even the Western World, but the whole World – Planet Earth.  The first of the last three movies based on the successful series by British author JK Rowling, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”, came out last week, leaving only two more movies to cover the final book in this epic saga of magic.  It will be another two years before the movies are released to the public and the mixed tears of both unrelenting sadness and joy are shed, which gives both Rowling and the studio (Warner Bros.) time to consider the all-important question: what’s next?

After the last book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”, was released two years ago, JK Rowling stated in many different interviews that the series would not continue – she felt the characters had been brought to completion, and included a halfhearted “look at the characters in the future!” epilogue as if to prove she was serious.  However, she’s not likely to stay away forever, and the reasons are simple:  the world adores her work, she’s made millions from the series, and, most importantly, this magical realm lives inside her head in a very real way.

The best authors, when creating imaginary worlds, construct them in their heads piece-by-piece and treat it as if it were real – J.R.R. Tolkien and Rowling have this trait in common.  But when these imaginary worlds become a part of the author’s life for so long, Tolkien for the better part of his, and Rowling for the last twelve years, their very existence becomes entwined.  Evidence of this can easily be seen in the fact that Tolkien could not leave Middle Earth, even after all the books were completed, or that Rowling will offhandedly refer to a previously-unknown fact like “Dumbledore is gay” as if it were obvious to the outside world.

Rowling has already revisited the magical land of Harry Potter once, to write “The Tales of Beetle the Bard” and a few more times as a consultant for the production of the movies – who’s to say she can stay away for good?  The options for her to return to the series are many and varied, with most of them being great ideas in and of themselves.  A few storyarcs come to mind almost immediately:

• Voldemort’s first ascent to power, just prior to Harry’s being born, with the original Order of the Phoenix
• James, Sirius, and the rest of the gang as they grow up through Hogwart’s themselves
• “parallel” novels following important, but not central, characters such as Luna Lovegood or Neville Longbottom, intertwining plotlines with the existing books
• Dumbledore’s past, including the adventures (and eventual battle) with Grindelwald

The options for the growth of the world are nearly endless, and it can be done delicately and appropriately without offending fans of the current series or appearing to continue the “Harry Potter grows up” storyline past its already obvious end.

Additionally, these movies have been a huge source of fame and fortune for Rowling, so much so that it’s easy to question whether she can financially leave the world.  Without ever writing again, she will be able to live comfortably and without much thought for finances, but she will eventually get bored with having nothing to do – as everyone does.  When that time comes, she may consider finding a job to occupy her time, and will know that she lives as she does thanks to her writing career.  Logic follows that she will pick up the pen and word processor once again, with the legions of Harry Potter devotees hoping she result is another chapter in the series.

Harry Potter has become an international, multigenerational sensation that will live on forever in the hearts and minds of its fans, future readers, and the halls of literary greats.  Other modern commercial successes, such as Twilight, do not and cannot live up to the precedent that Rowling has set for young adult fantasy novels, no matter how hard book publishers or movie studios try – pure genius is self-evident.  An intelligent, creative woman at the age of 43, JK Rowling has many years ahead of her to decide what the future holds for Harry Potter – and whether or not to continue the largest love affair the modern world has ever seen.

Kyle Brady is a contributing columnist for the Inquisitr, an entrepreneur, and has a future in science fiction.  He can be found at his blog, via email, or on Twitter.

Harry Potter and the Worldwide Love Affair is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Vetting and Barring Scheme begins October 12, 2009 and requires all adults who work with children, even on special one off occasions, to register for a fee of $105. The law is similar to child protection laws in place in other countries (most Australian states have such laws) however are usually only applied to those working full time with children, such as child care workers or teachers, as opposed to book authors who make the occasional special appearance.

Carnal Knowledge reports that several well-known UK authors will boycott schools in protest of the requirement including Philip Pullman, Anne Fine, Anthony Horowitz, Michael Morpurgo, and Quentin Blake. Pullman called the policy “corrosive and poisonous to every kind of healthy social interaction…This reinforces the culture of suspicion, fear and mistrust that underlies a great deal of present-day society. It teaches children that they should regard every adult as a potential murderer or rapist.”

The UK Government defended the law, saying that it was necessary to defend children from predators. I’m sure J.K. Rowling will be highly amused at the notion that she could be considered a predator, after all that label is usually only applied to her by extreme Christian organizations.

J.K. Rowling a Potential Pedophile? UK Laws strike again is a post from: The Inquisitr