J.K. Rowling Apologizes For Killing Off Another Beloved Character

We lost so many in the Battle of Hogwarts.
Olivia Harris / Reuters

The Battle of Hogwarts -- that decisive, deadly fight between Voldemort's crew and everyone else in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- was tough for J.K. Rowling, too.

On the anniversary of the battle that took place on May 2, 1998, and killed off so many favorite characters, the author has apologized for another death. This time: Remus Lupin.

"In the interests of total honesty I'd also like to confess that I didn't decide to kill Lupin until I wrote Order if the Phoenix," Rowling tweeted. The fifth Potter installment painted a more detailed picture of the Weasley clan and their anti-Voldemort allies as Harry is holed up in the hidden Black family residence.

"Arthur [Weasley] lived, so Lupin had to die," Rowling explained. "I'm sorry. I didn't enjoy doing it. The only time my editor ever saw me cry was over the fate of Teddy."

Last year, to repent for her Battle of Hogwarts sins, Rowling apologized for perhaps the most tragic death in the whole series: one-half of Weasley twin duo, Fred.

"Fred was the worst for me, so I started with him," she wrote last May, announcing her wish to atone for one death per anniversary of the battle.

That leaves just Tonks, Snape, Colin Creevey and (maybe) Lavender Brown.

Clarification: This post has been updated to reflect the dubious nature of Lavender Brown's final fate. While she is likely dead, some believe she survived Fenrir Greyback's attack.

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