The Harry Potter franchise is arguably the most renowned in the world, captivating fans with its enchanting universe and memorable characters, including Harry, Dumbledore, Dobby, and Hagrid.
However, some characters are universally disliked, including one that author J.K. Rowling particularly detests.
During Halloween in 2014, she shared insights about a character she finds most detestable within the beloved magical realm.
Interestingly, this character is not the infamous Dark Wizard, Lord Voldemort, but Dolores Umbridge, the power-hungry bureaucrat from the Ministry of Magic who punishes Harry and his friends under the guise of justice.
Rowling’s disdain for Umbridge is rooted in real-life experiences, making her aversion to the character more than just fictional sentiment.
This information was revealed in a 1,700-word essay published over ten years ago on Pottermore, a fan-centric platform dedicated to the Harry Potter Universe.
Introduced in “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” Umbridge starts as a senior clerk at the Ministry of Magic and gradually ascends to become the headmaster of Hogwarts.
While Voldemort epitomizes pure malevolence, Umbridge represents a more insidious form of tyranny, masked by her fixation on order, authority, and legality.
Rowling has frequently labeled Umbridge as one of her least favorites, describing her in her essays as “the character I find most purely disgusting.”
She argues that Umbridge’s desire to control and punish in the name of law and order is just as detrimental as Voldemort’s blatant evil.
Later in her essay, Rowling discusses the real-life inspiration behind the character, revealing that Umbridge is based on actual individuals from her past.
Although Rowling does not name the specific person, she describes her as a teacher she encountered during her schooling.
“The woman in question returned my resentment tenfold. Why can’t we be honest with each other, directly and sincerely, even if, on my part, it seems absurd?” she reflected.
Rowling also detailed the teacher’s appearance, particularly her “notable taste for twee accessories,” specifically mentioning “small plastic bow slides in a pale lemon color.”
In the same Pottermore essay, Rowling provided intriguing insights into Umbridge’s background, including her non-human phobia and her hidden “half-blood” lineage, indicating that she is the progeny of both magical and non-magical parents, and despite her actions in the story, she displays an admiration for pure-blood status.
