Real Potterheads might not even know this, but it’s been exactly nine years since J.K. Rowling put the final stamp on the final (maybe) chapter of the Harry Potter septology.
And in a new Tweet, Rowling displays a little light vandalism she did on a bust in room 552 of the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Finished Hallows 9 yrs ago today. Celebrated by graffiti-ing a bust in my hotel room. Never do this. It's wrong. pic.twitter.com/HsqQKydY68
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) January 11, 2016The hotel renamed the suite the J.K. Rowling Suite (it was originally the Tweed Suite) years ago, and amped up the price tag to match its newfound fame. The room now runs nearly £1,000 per night, which does include a full set of the Harry Potter books.
Is this kind of vandalism right? Sure, if you drop the mic on your magnum opus, which spawns massive secrecy efforts, a multibillion dollar film franchise, and a still-unbelievably rabid fandom, you can probably write on just about anything you want. But does Rowling continuing to return to the sites of her last great success seem a little maudlin? You bet it does. We want her to have another win, if only so she can stop posting retroactive facts about the Harry Potter universe.
If you want a tour of the room without having to pony up the £1,000 per night or the flight to Edinburgh, check out this YouTube post.