J.K. Rowling’s mother dies

Anne Rowling dies, aged 45, of multiple sclerosis. This sad event is reflected in Rowling’s descriptions of Harry and his own losses.

“… the books are marked by an inventive wit and vivid characterisation. And there are undercurrents to the adventures, a sense of morality that is subtle and emotions that run deep. After reading the first in the series, it is no surprise to hear Rowling say that when her mother died, aged 45, of multiple sclerosis, she changed the book to reflect her own grief.

“In one chapter Harry looks into a magic mirror which allows the viewer to see what their heart most desires, and finds his dead parents waving at him. ‘He had a powerful kind of ache inside him, half joy, half terrible sadness,’ writes Rowling.

‘I was conscious that when I looked in the mirror, I would see exactly what Harry saw. But it was only when I’d written it that I fully realised where it had all come from. It is an enormous regret to me that my mother never knew about any of this, second only to the fact that she never met my daughter.'” (“Harry Potter Charms a Nation.” Electronic Telegraph, 25 July 1998.)