J.K. Rowling fires up Harry Potter fanfiction writers with fun sighting
By Callum Gunn
When one Harry Potter fan spotted a door to Hogwarts drawn on a local wall, he took to Twitter to jokingly ask J.K. Rowling about it. Of course, she responded, firing up the fanfiction writers around the world.
In Chicago, there’s a door to Hogwarts. Okay, so it’s not quite real, but it’s something one Harry Potter fan spotted while on a train. Deciding to share it with the world, he tagged J.K. Rowling into the perfect picture and requested an explanation. He likely thought he wasn’t going to get a response, but instead, he got something that fired up all Harry Potter fanfiction writers around the world.
The image is of a chalk-drawn door to Hogwarts in Chicago. Rowling decided to play along, stating that the door just had to be the one for the exchange students from Ilvermorny, the North American equivalent of Hogwarts. Instantly, fans took to Twitter with their questions and ideas, as fanfiction writers jumped onto the exchange.
@jk_rowling can you tell me more about this door to Hogwarts at the Damen Blue Line stop in Chicago? pic.twitter.com/9O5IcAopU0
— Michał Wilczewski (@mehow87) April 25, 2018
It's for exchange students from Ilvermorny. Duh. https://t.co/pcZdtZAmtp
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 25, 2018
One fan was quick to point out the fact that American students needed a sign to Hogwarts. Of course, it all makes sense. What muggle (except those who wish they’d got their letter years ago) would even think about walking through that door? So many continue to believe Harry Potter is just fantasy, so of course, they’d just look, smile, and chuckle to themselves. Sometimes the best-hidden gems are actually in plain sight.
https://twitter.com/WensdaiAddamns/status/989153645819252737
Some fans asked if exchange students could become canon in the Harry Potter universe, leading to snippets of the novels being shared. Sure enough, pen pals and exchange students are a real thing. Bill Weasley once had a pen pal in Brazil, but the Weasley parents couldn’t afford the exchange trip.
They exist as a concept. Goblet of Fire, Chapter 7 pic.twitter.com/Nv5qQQFPYH
— Marisa Atkirk (@MarisaAtkirk) April 25, 2018
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The University of Chicago decided to jump in on the exchange, sharing that it was possibly a shortcut to their campus. Photos of the campus were included, making it clear that it does look like a slightly more modern version of Hogwarts.
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Of course, it’s mostly fired up the fanfiction writers. Expect hundreds of stories that involve a chalk-drawn door to Hogwarts in Chicago and plenty of young American witches, wizards, and possibly muggles showing up on the doorstep.
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Did you see the exchange take place? Has this become your new prompt for Harry Potter fanfiction? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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