Rowling was on welfare with a baby when she wrote “Harry Potter” in Edinburgh cafés. Twelve publishers rejected it. Bloomsbury took a chance in 1997. Seven books later, the series sold 500 million copies, spawned eight films grossing $8 billion, created theme parks, and defined a generation. Harry’s world—Hogwarts, Quidditch, Butterbeer, House sorting—became more real to millions than reality. Her later public statements about transgender people have alienated many fans and advocates. Her creative influence on fantasy literature and children’s reading habits remains undeniable even as her legacy grows complicated.
