Welcome to The Sugar Quill

[Why did Dumbledore have a look of triumph in his eyes at the end of book four?] Good question... excellent question, in fact, and like all the best questions I get asked, I can't answer it! Because it would give too much away. However, well-spotted. Have fun guessing... someone's bound to get it right! AOL Chat (October 2000)

[In the fourth book, when Harry tells Dumbledore about his fight with Voldemort and how Voldemort could touch him after he took Harry's blood, Harry thinks he sees Dumbledore smile slightly. Why? Is Dumbledore really on Voldemort's side after all?] Hmmmm....like all the best questions I get asked, I can't answer that one. But you are obviously reading carefully. I promise you'll find out! Scholastic Chat (October 2000)

I frequently look triumphant, I'll have you know. Well, I'm sure you won't be surprised that I'm not going to explain why Dumbledore looked that way - well-spotted though. Yahooligans chat (October 2000)

I would most like to be like Dumbledore - I'd like his wisdom. Comic Relief chat (March 2001)

[Dumbledore is getting older, will it be a lot harder for him to fight Lord Voldemort this time around?] He is getting older, but he didn't do badly at the end of 'Phoenix', so there's life in him yet! World Book Day chat (March 2004)

[Rumor: Professor Dumbledore is Harry's real grandfather/close relative of some description.] If Dumbledore had been Harry's grandfather, why on earth would he have been sent to live with the Dursleys? JK Rowling Official Site (May 2004)

Hagrid

I like Hagrid. Ask away. [Is he going to be in the rest of the books?] Yes. Connection Interview (October 1999, transcribed by Catwoman at SQ)

I was at school in the Forest of Dean. That's why Hagrid has that accent, of course, which is a Forest of Dean accent. Royal Albert Hall (June 2003)

[What will happen to Hagrid’s half brother?] You'll find out in book six. Luckily he's become a little more controllable. World Book Day chat (March 2004)

[If Hagrid was a real person and came to your house, what would you cook him for dinner?] Something like an entire side of beef, I think. And I'm quite good at Yorkshire puddings, so a couple of dozen of them, too. World Book Day chat (March 2004)

[What is the extent of Hagrid's magical powers?] Not great! He can do magic to a fairly basic standard and occasionally surprises everyone (himself included) by bringing off more impressive bits of magic. Of course, he is somewhat hampered by the fact that his wand is broken and disguised as an umbrella. World Book Day chat (March 2004)

Riddle was telling lies about Hagrid [raising werewolf cubs], just slandering him. Yahooligans chat (October 2000)

Hagrid was in Gryffindor, naturally! Yahooligans chat (October 2000)

Hagrid LIKES what he cooks he can't see any room for improvement. He likes stoat sandwiches, bless him. Comic Relief chat (March 2001)

Does Hagrid get a wife? You think anyone would want to live with a man who breeds Blast-Ended Skrewts? Yahooligans chat (October 2000)

McGonagall

Professor McGonagall is a sprightly seventy. Scholastic Chat (October 2000)

Under that gruff exterior, Professor McGonagall is a bit of an old softy, really. Scholastic Chat (October 2000)

[Is there something more to the cats appearing in the books than first meets the eye? (i.e. Mrs. Figg's cats, Crookshanks, Prof. McGonagall as a cat, etc.)] Ooooo, another good question. Let's see what I can tell you without giving anything away....erm....no, can't do it, sorry. Scholastic Chat (October 2000)

Trelawney

[What was Professor Trelawney's first genuine prediction?] You'll find out! The best questions - the ones from really attentive and thoughtful readers - are always the ones I can't answer - they give too much away!Comic Relief chat (March 2001)

[In PRISONER OF AZKABAN, Professor Dumbledore mentions Professor Trelawney's "second true prediction." What was Professor Trelawney's First true prediction?] I love a perceptive reader! Professor Trelawney's first prediction was a very important one. And you will find out in due course what it was, but I'm not going to reveal it at this stage. Sorry. Barnes & Noble chat (September 1999)

[What is Trelawney's middle name (the one with the P)?] Patricia. World Book Day chat (March 2004)

Moody

Well, we've obviously got a new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher because Professor Moody wouldn't want the job again having been locked in a trunk for a year! It's a woman this time.Newsround Interview (September 2002)

[Is the real Moody ever going to be in the books? And is he as cool as the imposter Moody?] The real Moody is even cooler! Yes, Harry will see him again. Yahooligans chat (October 2000)

[Is Mad Eye Moody the real Moody this time? And if he is, is he up to something fishy? Because he's acting too much like Crouch Jr. - sniffing food etc.] It's the other way around - Crouch Jr. acted just like the real Moody. World Book Day chat (March 2004)

Mrs. Figg

[Is the Mrs. Figg with all the cats in the Dursleys' neighborhood the same Arabella Figg that Dumbledore mentioned at the end of book 4?] Well spotted! Scholastic Chat (October 2000)

Does Arabella Figg have an important role in the later books? You'll be seeing Mrs. Figg in book five and you'll find out all about her. Yahooligans chat (October 2000)

Is there something more to the cats appearing in the books than first meets the eye? (i.e. Mrs. Figg's cats, Crookshanks, Prof. McGonagall as a cat, etc.) Ooooo, another good question. Let's see what I can tell you without giving anything away....erm....no, can't do it, sorry. Scholastic Chat (October 2000)

Mundungus

You may see a little more of Mundungus. Newsround Interview (September 2002)

Mundungus, for those that don't know, means "tobacco," it's an old word for that and Mundungus is always smelling of his pipe and various other unsavoury things, so that's why he's called Mundungus. Royal Albert Hall (June 2003)

Rita

[Does sleazy Rita reflect how you feel about the media?] No, but when I got to the point in the writing where I had to introduce Rita, I did hesitate, because I thought, People will think this is my response to what's happened to me. But I had a lot more fun writing Rita then I think I would have done if it hadn't happened to me. Rita will be back. Entertainment Weekly interview (August 2000)

Umbridge

She's horrible isn't she? ... I'm glad you hate her because I really loathe Umbridge. Royal Albert Hall (June 2003)

Voldemort

My editor was shocked by the way the character was killed, which was very dismissive. That was entirely deliberate. Time Pacific Article (October 2000)

You have Voldemort, a raging psychopath, devoid of the normal human responses to other people's suffering, and there ARE people like that in the world. But then you have Wormtail, who out of cowardice will stand in the shadow of the strongest person. Entertainment Weekly interview (August 2000)

[Voldemort's a half-blood too...] Like Hitler! See! I think it's the case that the biggest bully takes their own defects and they put them on someone else, and they try to destroy them. And that's what he [Voldemort] does. That was very conscious-- I wanted to create a villain where you could understand the workings of his mind, not just have a 2-D baddie, dressed up in black, and I wanted to explore that and see where that came from. Harry in Book Four is starting to come to terms with what makes a person turn that way. Because they took wrong choices and he [Voldemort] took wrong choices from an early age. Newsround Interview (October 2000)

[Has Voldemort any children] No. Voldemort as a father... now that's not a nice thought. World Book Day chat (March 2004)

[Why did Voldemort pick Harry and not Neville?] Dumbledore explains this in 'Order of the Phoenix'. Voldemort identified more with the half-blood boy and therefore decided he must be the greater risk. World Book Day chat (March 2004)

[Did you base Voldermort on any real people? If so are you related to them?!] lol No I didn't base Voldemort on any real person! World Book Day chat (March 2004)

[Will Lord Voldemort get more 'screentime' in the upcoming books?] You will see him again, but like most evil dictators, he prefers his henchmen to do his dirty work. World Book Day chat (March 2004)

[Was Voldemort born evil?] I don't believe that anybody was born evil. You will find out more about the circumstances of his birth in the next book. World Book Day chat (March 2004)

I'm laughing...that [Harry being related to Riddle] would be a bit Star Wars, wouldn't it? Scholastic Chat (October 2000)

[Rumor: Voldemort is Harry's real father/grandfather/close relative of some description] No, no, no, no, no. You lot have been watching much too much Star Wars. James is DEFINITELY Harry's father. Doesn't everybody Harry meets say 'you look just like your father'? And hasn't Dumbledore already told Harry that Voldemort is the last surviving descendant of Salazar Slytherin? Just to clarify - this means that Harry is NOT a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. JK Rowling Official Site (May 2004)

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