Like a witch in possession of a Time-Turner, J.K. Rowling continues to tweak the details of the Harry Potter universe long after the final book was released.
Now, in an updated edition of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, originally published in 2001, Rowling explores wizarding world rumors about Newt Scamander’s true identity.
The most notable tweak? Wizarding world tabloid journalist Rita Skeeter thinks Scamander was a spy for Dumbledore and, as Hypable reported, Scamander doesn’t exactly deny it.
Scamander, a Magizoologist, reportedly used the title as a cover to sneak into the Magical Congress of the United States of America of 1926. Whether the report is real wizarding news or fake is not yet clear.
But Scamander does confirm that he was close with Dumbledore, whom he described as “more than a schoolteacher.” This clue points to the theory that, rather than working for him as a spy, Scamander had a relationship with Dumbledore, whose character may be openly gay in upcoming movies. It also bodes well for young Dumbledore’s role in future “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” movies ― hopefully, we’ll be seeing more of him there.
Here’s what else we know: Newt never graduated Hogwarts, and he’s still alive at the time Harry and friends go romping through the school’s halls.
Between Twitter, her fan site Pottermore, and new editions of the books, Rowling has built an encyclopedic ― or a Silmarillion-like ― store of facts about her characters. While some updates have been progressive ― confirmation from the author that Hermione could be black, for example ― others are simply ephemera for fans to gnaw on, bolstering theories about different backstories.
Until the next installment of Scamander’s story hits theaters, fans will be left to piece together these clues, whether by spell or sheer deduction.
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