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JK Rowling donates £1m to charity on Battle of Hogwarts anniversary

'It feels inappropriate to talk about fictional deaths today,” author wrote

Jacob Stolworthy
Saturday 02 May 2020 15:32 BST
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(Getty Images)

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JK Rowling has made a £1m coronavirus donation to commemorate a key event from her Harry Potter book series.

Today (2 May) is the anniversary of the fictional Battle of Hogwarts, and the author, who usually apologises for killing a beloved character every year, said she would commemorate the event by donating instead.

“Today’s the 22nd anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, but I’m going to be honest and say that it feels inappropriate to talk about fictional deaths today,” she wrote on Twitter. “Too many people are losing loved ones in the real world.”

Rowling continued: “So on this anniversary of a great wizarding victory, I’m thinking of the people who’re out there doing their jobs to protect us and our way of life. I have three key workers in my immediate family, and like all such relatives, I’m torn between pride and anxiety.”

Rowling then revealed she was donating £500,000 to homeless charity Crisis and the other remaining £500,000 to Refuge, which helps protect women and children from domestic abuse.

On past anniversaries, Rowling has apologised for killing off famous characters, including Fred Weasley, Severus Snape and Dobby.

It was recently reported that Rowling “secretly” bought her childhood home, which is said to have inspired several moments from the Harry Potter series.

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