“It was an amazing experience seeing JK Rowling. I loved the way she spoke and the wonderful manner in which she conveyed each and every character in the book,” said Kritika Agarwal, a student at the school. The sixth-form student asked Rowling questions regarding her books and her inspiration. Rowling replied that she had enjoyed reading since she was 5 and she knew she wanted to become an author ever since.

The Harry Potter series has won the adulation of millions across the world with its magical tale of the eponymous teenage wizard and his attempts at counteracting the machinations of the evil Lord Voldemort. The series has sold over 400 million copies, won numerous awards, been turned into a blockbuster film franchise and has made Rowling a multi-millionaire.

News of Rowling’s arrival in Kathmandu broke on social media on Friday morning during her appearance at the school, along with photos of the best-selling author answering questions for the school newspaper. Describing the event as inspiring, Agarwal said that it felt great asking the celebrity author about her humble background and how she started off the story that has captured the hearts of millions, adults and children alike. Once named ‘The Most Influential Woman in Britain’, Rowling came from a modest background and in true rags to riches form, went from receiving state benefits to becoming one of the richest women in England.

The storyteller

We always dream of seeing our childhood heroes in person, but what happens when you finally get to see the person that created the series that made up 90 percent of your childhood? What happens is that you hyperventilate, then you become numb and then you realise that you have a rather large, obnoxious smile plastered across your face. And then you cry. When JK Rowling first stepped into the hall at my school, I froze.

My friend next to me began whooping and cheering, along with the rest of the school, whilst I sat there, tears welling up in my eyes as I watched Rowling climb up the steps and take her seat.

We gave her the warmest welcome possible, and why would we not? It was dress up as your favourite book character day at school and more than half of the students there, myself included, had on some Harry Potter-inspired costumes.

As the hubbub settled, Rowling took to her microphone and began reading a passage from her first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. She read what is, in my opinion, one of the most significant moments in the entire series, when Harry gets his first wand from Olivander’s.

As she read, I couldn’t help but try to wrap my head around the fact that it was really JK Rowling reading Harry Potter to us. Maybe it was because she had written the books, but when she read the chapter, each image formed clearly in my head—Hagrid, Harry, Olivander and his wands all coming to life. She even put in the effort to convey Hagrid’s deep baritone in a manner that I had never been able to place.

Rowling finished the passage, ending it much too quickly. But even if she had read for hours, it would’ve felt too short. Then, she was open for questions. So came the first question, and the second, third, and so on and so forth. To each and every student who asked a question, she made sure to swivel on her heavy four-legged chair and answer directly.

She never steered her answer away from the question she was asked and regularly made personal jokes, both Harry Potter-related and otherwise.

I spent a good 40 minutes of the hour laughing at her delight at seeing so many Harry Potters, Hermione Grangers and various Harry Potter-related characters in the audience and how she would react to some questions and become so immersed in answering them.

In that short hour, I saw first-hand what made Rowling so beloved, beyond the magical world and the beloved characters she has created. She was immeasurably down-to-earth and to have had the pleasure and privilege of seeing her and having her read to us in person was an indescribable experience, never to be forgotten.

In the future, when my friends and family ask me if listening to JK Rowling still remains one of my most unforgettable and memorable moments, even “after all this time?” my simple reply will be, “Always.”