ABSTRACT
When J. K. Rowling made the announcement during an interview on October 19, 2007 that Dumbledore was gay, the Internet erupted with activity. Fans posted to cyberspace on forums, blogs, and vlogs, some wanting to give away their books, others praising Rowling for outing a prominent character. Scholars on the childlit listserv commenced a four-day passionate discussion about authorial intent and other implications of the announcement. The Leaky Cauldron website held a blog interview with GLAAD (the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). The wizard rock band Justin Finch-Fletchley & The Sugar Quills posted a new song “Dumbledore is Gay” on MySpace. Dozens of fans were inspired to write new works of fan fiction about Dumbledore and Grindelwald. Though this announcement was a rather big incentive for new riffs on the Harry Potter storylines, it is actually indicative of the way popular fictional narratives might be understood in the age of Web 2.0: as ever expanding networks of story.
