JK Rowling Went Undercover to a Harry Potter Forum; It Didn't Go As Planned

On her podcast The Witch Trials Of J.K. Rowling (presented by Megan Phelps-Roper), J.K. Rowling shared her experience of fans mobbing against her and bullying her off a Harry Potter forum, when she went there undercover.

According to Rowling, happened when the author of tremendously popular magical book series logged into a Harry Potter-themed forum thread while working on her fourth book about the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Rowling was so scared that she might somehow made herself known that she chose a random alias not related to the franchise.

When the author, cloaked by the alias, shared an opinion about the events of the book she was mobbed against and told in very explicit terms that she is "an idiot who doesn't know anything."

One might remember that the themes of bullying and overall authoritarian control are not taken lightly in the books and that is something the characters have to endure in the course of the whole series.

So, one could imagine the shock Rowling felt seeing the things she hated so much in the very community of her books' lovers.

Rowling discussed the events above in the third episode of The Witch Trials, which was recently released.

In her podcast, Rowling also brought up such issues as her experience of domestic abuse, traumatic miscarriage, all things Harry Potter, and her controversial comments on transgender issues.

For several years now, the author faces accusations of being transphobic — something she vehemently denies.