In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book and two-part film in Rowling’s best-selling series, a number of beloved characters kick the bucket.
Taking place – fictitiously – on May 2, 1998, today marks the 20th anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, when Harry Potter defeated Lord Voldemort.
And over the last few years Rowling has taken to Twitter on the date each year to apologise for killing off a character.
This year she chose Dobby the house elf, who didn’t actually die in the battle.
Rowling tweeted: “It’s that anniversary again.
“This year, I apologise for killing someone who didn’t die during the #BattleofHogwarts, but who laid down his life to save the people who’d win it.
“I refer, of course, to Dobby the house elf.”
Fans will remember Dobby was murdered by Bellatrix Lestrange while freeing Harry, Ron and Hermione from imprisonment in Malfoy Manor.
The eighth story in the Harry Potter canon is set 19 years after the Battle of Hogwarts.
Currently a hit show on Broadway and in the West End, fans are hopeful Rowling will one day allow it to be a movie too.
Meanwhile Fantastic Beasts 2: The Crimes of Grindelwald is released this November.
