Sept. 1, 2017 marks the official “19 Years Later” date from the epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, wherein a grown-up Harry Potter sees his own children off to Hogwarts. As readers now find themselves older and wiser, EW is celebrating the milestone all week long by taking a closer look at the Wizarding World two decades later.
Though J.K. Rowling has not written the encyclopedia she once mused about, she has kept us plenty informed about the lives of her characters since the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Via Pottermore, as well as various interviews and tweets, Rowling has filled us in on everything from the new landlady of The Leaky Cauldron to the approximate value of a Galleon. As we approach the real-time date of the polarizing Deathly Hallows epilogue, let’s check in on what some of the denizens of the Wizarding World are up to almost two decades later. Is all as well as purported to be?
(Apologies in advance if this list is just a reminder of how all of your favorite characters died. We had the same problem when compiling it. We wish we could tell you the futures of Sirius Black, Dobby, Lupin, Tonks, Fred, and so many more. Sob.)
19 years later—where are they now?
Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley
Harry and Ginny have found relative domestic bliss following the trauma of their teen years. They have three children: James Sirius, Albus Severus, and Lily Luna. When Harry’s not busy apologizing to Albus Severus for giving him the worst name of all time, he has a busy career. Harry fulfilled his dream of becoming an Auror and eventually rose to the top of the department before heading up the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He has also followed in his godfather Sirius’ footsteps, acting as a father figure to Teddy Lupin, child of the late Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks.
Ginny has enjoyed an athletic career on and off the Quidditch pitch: Immediately following the Battle of Hogwarts, she played professionally for the Holyhead Harpies. After retiring her broomstick, she became the senior Quidditch correspondent and eventual sports editor at one-time fake news outlet TheDaily Prophet.
Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley
Hermione and Ron have also enjoyed romantic happiness (in spite of some naysaying) and have two children, Rose and Hugo. Ron joined Harry as an Auror at the Ministry of Magic, where they “revolutionized” the department. After only two years, Ron left the Ministry to co-manage the wizarding joke emporium Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, alongside his brother George. His greatest achievement to date remains getting his picture on a Chocolate Frog Card.
Hermione was the only member of the original trio to complete her schooling at Hogwarts. After which, she went on to a successful career in the Ministry of Magic. She began her path continuing the work of S.P.E.W. at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, where she promoted better treatment of house-elves. In spite of her slightly-unhinged house elf obsession, she eventually became Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement before rising to the top job of Minister of Magic.
The Malfoy Family
After changing allegiances at the last minute, the entire Malfoy clan avoided imprisonment in Azkaban following the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998. Draco married Astoria Greengrass, and together, they raised their son Scorpius to have more tolerant views. Details about Draco’s career remain fuzzy – he pretty much seems to be a pureblood trust-fund baby living off the wealth of Malfoy Manor.
Neville Longbottom
After his stealth fast track to the title of Hogwarts’ sexiest man alive (see: every recent photo of Matthew Lewis), Neville ultimately returned to school. Following a brief stint as an Auror, Harry’s loyal friend returned to Hogwarts as a Herbology professor, where he became one of the school’s most beloved teachers. He married Hannah Abbott from Hufflepuff (sorry Luna!) and they reside at the Leaky Cauldron, where she is the landlady. However, Abbott has reportedly left the Leaky Cauldron and applied to replace Madam Pomfrey as the next Matron of Hogwarts (but this is according to Rita Skeeter).
Luna Lovegood
Luna indulged her love of rare (and possibly imaginary) magical creatures by becoming a magizoologist (magical naturalist). It’s fitting, then, that she married Rolf Scamander, grandson of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them author Newt Scamander. They have twin sons, Lorcan and Lysander. Most likely, they spend their spare time hunting for Crumple-Horned Snorkacks.
Gregory Goyle
Goyle’s occupation and whereabouts are unknown (though he’s undoubtedly still mourning his bromance with Vincent Crabbe). We kind of hope his present-day life is something like that of the actor who portrayed him in the films, as Joshua Herdman is now an amateur MMA cage fighter. Malfoy did always rely on Goyle for his muscle more than his brains.
Cho Chang
Harry’s first crush survived the Battle of Hogwarts and then married a Muggle… which, honestly, is just such a Cho Chang thing to do.
Lavender Brown
TBD. Brown was ravaged by Fenrir Greyback during the Battle of Hogwarts, but was later seen “feebly stirring,” a hopeful phrasing that has caused heated debate among fans.
Rubeus Hagrid
Harry’s first adult friend and confidante is still living and working on the grounds at Hogwarts. Despite a brief romance with Madame Maxime, he never married because she was too “sophisticated” for them to be a good long-term match. Harsh, Madame M, harsh.
Dean Thomas
Survived, but whereabouts unknown. Rumor has it he went to law school in the States where he learned how to get away with murder. (But really, J.K., where is he? Is he a manager for West Ham now? What’s the deal?)
Seamus Finnigan
Survived, but whereabouts unknown. We assume he probably returned to Ireland. Honestly, we hope he and Dean are off living their best lives together, which you know involves Dean’s futile struggle to explain the rules of Muggle football to him on a daily basis.
Minerva McGonagall
After the Battle of Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall returned to her position as headmistress of Hogwarts. She has brought her “suffer no fools” pragmatism and deep loyalty to the job ever since. We assume her Animagus abilities make catching students up to no good a relatively easy task, though we won’t be surprised if disciplining a third generation of Potters and Weasleys sends her into retirement.
Sybill Trelawney
Trelawney returned to her post as Divination teacher and continued to predict the deaths of her students. She also penned a book about Divination entitled My Eyes and How to See Past Them, which, ironically, Hermione keeps on her shelf in her Ministry office.
Gilderoy Lockhart
The former professor and James Frey of the Wizarding World permanently resides in the Janus Thickey Ward of St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, still suffering from a backfired memory curse.
The Weasley Brothers
All of the Weasley brothers have made good in their own way. George suffered a devastating loss from which he never really recovered, when twin brother Fred was killed in the Battle of Hogwarts. Despite that, joke shop Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes became an even bigger money-maker with Ron joining George as a co-manager. He also married his Gryffindor Quidditch teammate, Angelina Johnson, and they have two children: Fred (all the feels) and Roxanne.
Charlie is still a dragon wrangler and remains a bachelor (unclear whether this means he is a “confirmed Bachelor” in the old Hollywood/Rock Hudson sense or if he’s just still single). If it’s the latter, where is the crossover fan-fiction between him and Daenerys Targaryen? We imagine he’d give Jon Snow a run for his money.
Percy married a woman named Audrey and they have two daughters, Lucy and Molly (aw!). Always a government man, he remained true to the Ministry and is currently the Head of the Department of Magical Transportation. (Maybe he can do some consulting work for the NYC MTA?)
Moaning Myrtle
Still haunting the first-floor girls’ bathroom. Still thinks Harry’s hot.
Pansy Parkinson
Whereabouts unknown. Still thirsty for Draco.
Fleur Delacour and Bill Weasley
Fleur and Bill are still happily married (in spite of his face serving as werewolf’s Fenrir Greyback’s appetizer on the night Dumbledore died). After the war, Fleur was awarded medals of bravery from the French and British Ministries of Magic. Bill has since returned to his work as a curse-breaker for Gringotts. They have three children: Victoire, Dominique, and Louis. If these characters’ tendencies for marrying their high-school sweethearts holds strong, Victoire may provide yet another link between the Weasleys and Potters – she was spotted snogging Harry’s godson, Teddy Lupin, on the Hogwarts Express and at the 2014 Quidditch World Cup.
Dudley Dursley
Now with a family of his own, Dudley remains on “Christmas card terms” with his cousin Harry. Harry’s family visits when they’re in the neighborhood, which, for obvious reasons, his kids hate. Aunt Petunia passed away of unknown causes, and it is unclear whether Uncle Vernon is still alive.
Viktor Krum
Krum is still doing what he does best: Playing Quidditch. He retired for a few years, but returned to play for Bulgaria with the aim of winning the World Cup, which he did in 2014 (a match attended by Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and their families). Not much has changed for Krum, but fingers crossed he’s figured out that brow sitch.
Dolores Umbridge
The pink menace was arrested, interrogated, and imprisoned in Azkaban following the Second Wizarding War. She earned a life sentence for her crimes against fashion and kittens and Muggleborns.
Rita Skeeter
Though she still writes her poison-pen gossip column for The Daily Prophet (most famously reporting on Harry and company at the 2014 Quidditch World Cup), Skeeter has largely made her fortune writing tawdry, speculative biographies. Titles have included Snape: Scoundrel or Saint? and Dumbledore’s Army: The Dark Side of the Demob, as well as vastly inaccurate biographies of Harry Potter and Newt Scamander.
Kingsley Shacklebolt
Immediately following the Second Wizarding War, Kingsley Shacklebolt was confirmed as the Minister of Magic. He held the position until being succeeded by Hermione Granger. Alongside the members of Dumbledore’s Army, Shacklebolt led the movement to reform the Wizarding World. He banned the use of Dementors at Azkaban, overturned pro-pureblood laws, and worked to eliminate corruption at the Ministry.
All the rest…
Though we have a lot of information, there are also several individuals whose whereabouts and occupations are currently unknown. They are: Ernie MacMillan, Susan Bones, Lee Jordan, Molly and Arthur Weasley (likely enjoying grand-parenting), Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout, Kreacher, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and the Patil twins. We can only assume — and hope — they are alive and well.
This article was originally published on EW.com
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