JK Rowling Just Revealed There Are Two Harry Potters

In the world of witchcraft and wizardry, there is no name more famous than Harry Potter. The ‘Chosen One’ has become a bonafide pop culture icon thanks to his best-selling novels and films. However, the wizard’s creator just dropped a bomb about the character that will have fans seeing double.

Over on Pottermore, Rowling stunned fans when she confessed Harry Potter wasn’t the only – well – Harry Potter. The author took to the site to share a rundown of the magical Potter clan, and Rowling revealed there was another Harry Potter who proceeded the boy wizard.

When it comes to Harry Potter, there was a man who bore the name back in the 1900s. Formally named Henry Potter, Rowling’s newly revealed character was known most commonly as Harry Potter to his “intimates.”

You can read up on what Rowling has to say about Harry Potter 1.0 below:

“Henry Potter (Harry to his intimates), who was a direct descendant of Hardwin and Iolanthe, and served on the Wizengamot from 1913 – 1921. Henry caused a minor stir when he publicly condemned then Minister for Magic, Archer Evermonde, who had forbidden the magical community to help Muggles waging the First World War. His outspokenness on the behalf of the Muggle community was also a strong contributing factor in the family’s exclusion from the ‘Sacred Twenty-Eight’.”

Judging by Rowling’s revelation, it looks like Harry Potter 1.0 was just as defiant as successor. Henry Potter was known to fight for Muggle rights when it was unfashionable to do so, and his intolerance of the Ministry of Magic’s corruption mirrors his great-great-great ancestor. Harry Potter also pushed back against the Ministry when Cornelius Fudge refused to believe in Voldemort’s return. And, given Harry’s firm friendship with Hermione Granger, it is safe to say the boy was pro-Muggle as well.

Rowling’s revelation has got fans buzzing about the Potter family right now, but the update is not the first the author has given using Pottermore. Since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows wrapped the franchise’s main storyline, Pottermore has acted as a venue for Rowling to expand her magical universe. The author posted a slew of information regarding American wizard culture to preface the release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them last year. Rowling has also used the site to confirm Harry Potter’s son was sorted into Gryffindor.

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