JK Rowling picks her favourite Harry Potter quote

JK Rowling quoted her chosen line on Twitter much to the delight of her online fans. Picture: Twitter

The author, who wrote 1,084,170 words in the seven-book series, selected just 20 words from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

She chose the line, from page 723 of the first edition: “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?”

Rowling, who was responding to a question from a fan on Twitter, caused delight on social media when she revealed her top line.

The line is spoken by Hogwarts headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, while he is having a chat with Harry in the “spiritual” world and is a favourite with many fans.

One user, who goes by the name Angel said: “I just burst into tears because that’s my favourite too.”

Another person, who has an image of character Hermione Granger as their profile picture, added: “This one beautiful quote has such a strong meaning even if it only has a few words.”

One fan even posed on social media with the words tattooed on their ribcage.

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Rowling made known her favourite quote during a rare impromptu question and answer session during which she also revealed that there was at least one Jewish character in her Harry Potter series.

Asked by fan Benjamin Roffman whether the Jewish religion was represented in the series, she replied: “Anthony Goldstein, Ravenclaw, Jewish Wizard.”

The author then went on to outline that every faith and belief system was represented in Harry Potter other than Wicca – a contemporary pagan witchcraft religion.

Twitter user Anna Blackwell asked what advice Rowling would have given her former self.

Rowling replied: “It will get better. Also, those baggy red dungarees are a horrible look on you.”

The Edinburgh-based novelist has been active with Potter-related news in recent months, tweeting riddles and promising to post new content on fansite Pottermore for the 12 days leading up to Christmas.

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The Harry Potter books have sold more than 450 million copies worldwide and have been made into films that made £4.7 billion at the box office.

A trio of spin-off Harry Potter films, which predate the characters by 80 years, are being made by Warner with Rowling writing the screenplay.

They will be centred around the character Newt Scamander whose book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, is a set text for pupils at Hogwarts.

Earlier this month, the BBC unveiled plans for a TV series based on crime novels written by Rowling under the name Robert Galbraith.

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The Cuckoo’s Calling became a best-seller after the 49-year-old writer was unmasked as its author when her cover was blown by a legal firm she had hired. That book and its follow-up, The Silkworm, feature private eye Cormoran Strike and will form the basis of the BBC1 drama.

It is understood Rowling will “collaborate on the project”, with the number and length of episodes to be decided.

Director of BBC television Danny Cohen described it as “a wonderful coup” to be bringing her latest books to the screen.

Speaking earlier this year, Rowling said she wanted to make the books into “a series” that would run for longer than her Harry Potter books.

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