5 Characters J.K. Rowling Should Apologize for Besides Snape

J.K. Rowling isn’t just an author; she’s also a highly skilled witch who is an expert at stirring up the Potter fandom with post-series comments. From clarifying Dumbledore’s sexuality to casting doubts on Ron and Hermione’s relationship, Rowling hasn’t left the Potter series stagnant since 2007.

On May 2, the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, she took to Twitter to apologize for killing Severus Snape. Naturally, not every fan was pleased by this, as Snape’s redemption remains a contentious topic. As one fan on Reddit said, “Snape being in love with Lily doesn’t make his mistreatment of Harry for literally the entire time they knew each other suddenly okay.”

No matter how you feel about Snape, there are plenty of other dead characters who deserve apologies more. Because Rowling has already apologized for killing Remus Lupin and Fred Weasley, they aren’t on this list. But here’s who she should apologize for.

1. Hedwig

When Harry leaves the Dursleys’ house for the final time in Deathly Hallows, Death Eaters chase him and six others who have taken Polyjuice potion to look like him. In the ensuing battle, Hedwig is hit by a stray curse. Many fans have offered justifications for this, theorizing that Snape might have dealt the blow in order to further disguise the fact that it was the real Harry or simply theorizing that her death was symbolic of the end of Harry’s days as a schoolboy, since Hedwig was among his first connections to the magical world.

NNevertheless, as an entirely innocent creature, Hedwig is perhaps the most egregious death in the Potterverse. Harry could have sent her away, or cast a Disillusionment Charm and traveled with her. Can’t Harry have one nice thing?

2. Sirius Black

All the while, the outside world thought he was responsible for the death of his best friend. Before he could clear his name or establish any semblance of a fulfilling life, he was killed by one of his aforementioned insane family members. He also died before finding out that his blood brother, Regulus, was actually not a dick like he thought. In 37 years of life, the guy had roughly a 4-year span in which he was happy and not living under a restrictive roof. He’s arguably the most tragic member of the fascinating and tragic Black family. Merlin, Rowling — can’t you give a guy a break?

3. Colin Creevey

Colin Creevey just wanted Harry Potter to like him and think he was cool. From the moment he entered the narrative in Chamber of Secrets, he was a wide-eyed, Muggle-born boy, who greeted the magical world with childish delight and joy. He died in battle when he wasn’t even supposed to be there, as he was only 16. He snuck back in to join the fight, and to rub salt in the wound; Rowling describes him as looking “tiny in death.” At this point in the story, she had already delivered a devastating blow in the form of Fred’s death. There was no reason Colin had to go, too.

4. Andromeda Tonks

Andromeda Tonks seems like an unusual choice, since she didn’t actually die and has minimal page time. Shouldn’t J.K. Rowling apologize for killing her daughter Nymphadora? Yes, she should. However, Tonks is arguably the most tragic character in the entire series. Like her favorite cousin Sirius, Andromeda was born to a fanatical pure-blood family. Somehow, even though she was a Slytherin, unlike Sirius; even though Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy were her sisters, she broke free of the ideals she had been raised with and fell in love with a Muggle-born. After bravely running away with him and raising a kickass daughter, did she live happily ever after? Not exactly.

Every member of her new family tragically died — and she didn’t even have time to grieve, because she was left to raise baby Teddy. First, her favorite cousin Sirius died, then her husband was murdered, and then her daughter and son-in-law died in battle. To rub salt in the wound, her daughter was murdered by her own sister, who was then killed by Mrs. Weasley. No matter how much Andromeda hated Bellatrix, part of her must have felt sad at her death. What did Andromeda do to deserve all this suffering?

5. Lavender Brown

Lavender Brown is every worst stereotype of a vapid teenage girl in the Harry Potter books. She takes the trivial subject of divination seriously. During her short and disastrous relationship with Ron, she calls him “won-won,” she engages in obnoxious PDA with him and can’t take the hint that he’s just not that into her. And yet, we all go through embarrassing phases. Lavender, however, is not allowed to grow out of hers, because she’s savaged by Fenrir Greyback. Fans dispute about whether or not she’s dead — but even if she’s alive, she’s now mangled forever. Sure, she goes overboard in her 16-year-old crush, but it’s an undeserved fate.