As any Harry Potter nerd will know, yesterday - May 2nd - marked the 20th anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, the huge battle that ended the Second Wizarding War and took place in the final novel of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
As you may also know, a number of major characters are killed during the battle (and if not - spoiler warning!) or as a consequence of it - but author JK Rowling took to Twitter yesterday to apologise for one of them in particular.
"It’s that anniversary again," she wrote. "‘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."
In previous years, Rowling has apologised for killing off Remus Lupin, Severus Snape and Fred Weasley - but the death of the brave, selfless house elf has particularly resonated with fans:
At first I didn't like Dobby, but I wish I could be more like Dobby, his death in book & on film always makes me cry
— Anna Vancouver (@AnnaRoseVan) May 2, 2018
This is why. pic.twitter.com/ZzeWQBM4EJ
— Karl Adriane (@Ekzentrique) May 2, 2018
This is the only death I cried over when reading it, I’ve never read something so sad
— Paris (@parisvelvet) May 2, 2018
Dobby is the one that hurt me the most. He was loyal and genuine. DOBBY WAS A FREE ELF!!! pic.twitter.com/DSvVyClyhn
— Melanie Dione (@beauty_jackson) May 2, 2018
ðŸ'”ðŸ'”ðŸ'” pic.twitter.com/ksCcDWIYCs
— kevsho 🚀 (@kevsho9) May 2, 2018
— cait (@ifyouseecait) May 2, 2018
My family and I watch all 8 films every December, every year... and every year it is just as hard watching Dobby go. Regardless! Thank you so much for giving the world one of the greatest stories/series/films/books of all times. 🤘🖤🤘
— Matthew Kiichi Heafy (@matthewkheafy) May 2, 2018
