JK Rowling, beloved writer of the Harry Potter novels, has weighed in on Twitter to settle a bet made by a school teacher and a student in 2011 that became so heated, a legally-binding contract was drawn up and signed by witnesses. Now five years on, Rowling has revealed who has won.
Victoria Green, then a sophomore student in an American high school, got into a war of words with her then chemistry teacher, Robert Hernandez, over whether or not Rowling would ever again return to the magical world of her characters and release a new adventure featuring the grown-up boy wizard, with the teacher believing that Rowling would be unable to resist the temptation.
With Green firmly believing the writer would not, the pair drew up a contract, which they had officially notarised and signed by witnesses, outlining the terms of a wager on the matter, with the terms being that Rowling must write a new novel featuring Harry Potter before Green finished her university studies. The full terms and conditions of the wager can be read below:
@jk_rowling My chemistry teacher & I have a 2011 bet to settle. With "Cursed Child," who wins? Only you can decide. pic.twitter.com/2QBzyKRDDa
— τσri (@gillyweedgreen) February 12, 2016
With such high stakes in play, the announcement last week that the new play featuring the character, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, would be published as a complete script after its London premiere, things were in a grey area.
Fortunately for Green, Rowling responded to her tweet, declaring her the winner because, as per the binding rules of the contract, the new text is not a novel, and while JK Rowling is credited as its author, the principal work was completed by playwright Jack Thorne, who takes top billing on the book.
You win! #CursedChild is a play and while we have worked very closely on it, the wonderful writer is @jackthorne https://t.co/MpM5zMoiJN
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) February 12, 2016
Speaking to the Daily Dot, Green expressed her admiration for her former chemistry teacher, revealing she now studies environmental science. She awaits his call with interest.
