Rowling Says Dumbledore Is Gay

Editor's Note:  Story Updated at 9 p.m. ET, Oct. 19
J. K. Rowling, author of the worldwide best-selling Harry Potter series, met some of her American fans Friday night and provided some surprising revelations about the fictional characters who a generation of children have come to regard as close friends.

In front of a full house of hardcore Potter fans at Carnegie Hall in New York, Rowling, sitting on the stage on a red velvet and carved wood throne, read from her seventh and final book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," then took questions. One fan asked whether Albus Dumbledore, the head of the famed Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft,  had ever loved anyone. Rowling smiled. "Dumbledore is gay, actually," replied Rowling as the audience erupted in surprise. She added that, in her mind, Dumbledore had an unrequited love affair with Gellert Grindelwald, Voldemort's predecessor who appears in the seventh book. After several minutes of prolonged shouting and clapping from astonished fans, Rowling added. "I would have told you earlier if I knew it would make you so happy."

In answer to the question "Did Hagrid marry?" Rowling replied that sadly, no. The half-giant had a flirtation with a giantess but she found him "a tad unsophisticated" and the relationship never went forward. In response to the audience's groans of dismay, Rowling said, jokingly, "OK, I'll write another book." And when the audience continued to express disapproval added, "at least I didn't kill him."

Other minor characters, according to Rowling, came to happier ends. Neville Longbottom, Harry's meek and hapless classmate, married Hannah Abbott, another classmate.

Original story follows:

It's been seven years and five insanely popular books since author J. K. Rowling last wowed American disciples with a live reading. That explains the Beatlemania-esque shrieks from 1,600 lucky Los Angeles teens and preteens who listened on Monday morning to Rowling read a bit of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," her seventh and final book in this best-selling series. Afterward she met with and signed copies of her book for each of the children, all of whom had competed in a Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) essay competition to win a coveted seat at today's event at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood.