J.K. Rowling Responds to Couple’s Harry Potter-Themed Proposal

All wedding proposals are magical, but they don’t get much more magical than a Harry Potter-themed proposal. As a huge fan of J.K. Rowling’s fantasy series, Heather Pearson decided to ask her girlfriend, Kelsey Stacey, to marry her this Halloween just gone with a Potter-themed proposal.

The proposal quickly made the rounds online, and it wasn’t long before Rowling herself chimed in. Plans for the proposal began when 26-year-old Heather discovered an artist who folds the pages of books to create special messages. Heather ordered a design made from her and her girlfriend’s favourite Harry Potter book, The Goblet of Fire, which read “Marry Me?”

Heather then convinced Kelsey to throw a Harry Potter-themed Halloween party, though she had no idea she was actually throwing her own engagement party. Heather got Stacey to dress as Draco Malfoy’s wife Astoria and sent her on a scavenger hunt across the the city of Portland, Oregon.

Kelsey found herself traveling to Little Free Libraries, collecting the first three Harry Potter novels, each containing a love letter from her partner. Along the way she kept bumping into friends and family, many of whom had flown in to be there for trhe engagement she was still clueless about. She eventually found herself back at her apartment, where Heather was dressed as Draco. She then proceeded to propose to her in the pouring rain as friends and family watched. She obviously said yes, and the party went on until 4am.

Footage of the engagement went viral and received over 16,000 likes and 2,300 retweets on Twitter alone. It wasn’t long before Rowling heard the news and she Tweeted her congratulations to couple.

In an interview with VT, Heather said “not in our wildest dreams” did the couple pair think Rowling herself would be one of their well wishers.

“Not in our wildest dreams,” she said, “but we surely hoped she would somehow see it! We are beyond thrilled that she took the time to congratulate us. As an author, she has been a huge inspiration to us for so many years.

“I remember going to every midnight book release, including the release of the very first Harry Potter book, The Sorcerer’s Stone, at the Barnes & Noble bookstore near our house. My mom and I would both read every book as they came out, and I’ve read them countless times since!”

Kelsey stated she began to realise what was going on as her scavenger hunt went on. “I immediately realized what was happening when I saw my best friend from college at the first Little Free Library,” she said. “I then was surprised by my best friend from high school at the second Little Free Library, and my best friend since first grade at the third Little Free Library. I could not believe that Heather not only thought of such a creative way to propose, but that she’d flown them to Portland and involved them.”

Kelsey went on to say that the wedding is set for 2019 and will take place in London where they will visit locations from the Potter movies. She added: “Heather and I are the worst at keeping secrets or surprises from each other, so the fact that she had pulled this off completely blew my mind. I have never felt so loved! I was extremely excited and couldn’t wait to get back to her. I just couldn’t stop crying or smiling! I get to marry my best friend!”