Should J.K. Rowling retire or return to her invented universe?

J.K. Rowling recently announced to BBC that, although she is finished with Harry’s story, she is not opposed to returning to the universe she created in her beloved magical series.

I’m conflicted. This calls for an organized list:

IN FAVOR OF RETURNING
1. All we have now are “Twilight” and “The Hunger Games.” Many have latched on and believe these are worth following with all the fervor the Harry Potter series received, but for me, it’s just not the same.

2. There are more than 600,000 pieces of Harry Potter fan fiction waiting in the wings, all begging to be transformed into the next “Fifty Shades of Grey.” What if J.K. Rowling beat all of her fans to the punch?

3. The pre-Potter world under the reign of Voldemort is often mentioned, but it could be intriguing to experience this world through the perspective of someone who lived through the terror. Preferably, it would be someone not also battling with puberty. Maybe even an adult from the series, i.e. Dumbledore, Snape or Lockhart, if not a new
character entirely.

4. I was reduced to tears on my 11th birthday when I didn’t receive an invitation to Hogwarts. This is a universe that enthralls children to a point in which they write embarrassing columns about it in their adult lives.
In some other corner of this universe, there could be something even more fantastic for young and old readers.

5. Rowling always delivers. She told BBC she would make the return only if the idea were absolutely fabulous and only “if (she) genuinely (has) something to say.” It is likely, then, that any story from this universe to which she lends her time would be great.

IN FAVOR OF RETIRING

1. Could there be someone else in this magical universe with a more interesting story than Harry Potter? Could another series set in the same universe, or even a stand-alone book, ever measure up?

2. This is sacred territory, a perfect creation. Maybe it’s better to leave well enough alone. Bless her for seeing the error in creating a prequel or sequel, but even another character with a separate storyline could exhaust her wonderful invention.

3. Rowling should not be written off as a one-trick pony. She should be dedicating her talents to other projects, creating different universes. No author should be limited to a single project when he or she could be capable of more.

4. Watching somebody else butcher the series through popularized erotic fan fiction could be hilarious. Think of all the wand jokes.

­— ambhendr@indiana.edu