Pottermore, the official Harry Potter website has finally released the seventh and last installment of the epic series yesterday. But that's not all. J.K. Rowling also gave Potterheads a treat with new essays revealing some interesting facts about the Harry Potter universe.
You can head on over to the website and check out the essays titled "Vernon & Petunia," "The Sword of Gryffindor," "Alchemy," "Extension Charms," and "Hatstall." For now, here are a few magical facts courtesy of Cinema Blend.
Old wizards duelled with swords
"It was considered unsporting to use a wand against a Muggle sword (which is not to say it was never done)."
These were the words Rowling used to describe how wizards before duelled using swords, because the use of a wand is likely to be mightier for a skilled wizard. She described in the essay "Sword of Gryffindor" the conflicting laws between wizards and goblins, through the story of the mighty, accomplished duellist Godric Gryffindor.
Petunia had repressed feelings about Lilly
Upon the exit of the Dursleys in the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Rowling wanted to show that there was more to Aunt Petunia other than being an angry aunt. And in "Vernon & Petunia," the author revealed that not only did Aunt Petunia have "some latent feelings of guilt" about how she treated her sister Lily Potter, but also that she secretly wished to become a witch as well.
"I wanted to suggest, in the final book, that something decent (a long-forgotten but dimly burning love of her sister, the realization that she might never see Lily's eyes again) almost struggled out of Aunt Petunia when she said goodbye to Harry for the last time," Rowling said, "but that she is not able to admit to it, or show those long-buried feelings."
The Sorting Hat had a hard time with McGonagall and Pettigrew
It's hard to imagine Professor Minerva McGonagall not the head of the Gryffindor house. But in the "Hatstall" essay, it was revealed that because of her superior intelligence, McGonagall was almost placed in Ravenclaw.
On the other hand, it's easy to see how Peter Pettigrew could have been placed in Slytherin instead of Gryffindor. During his time, the Sorting Hat wanted him to be placed there, however, he still ended up with James, Remus, and Sirius.
