“He felt his heart pounding fiercely in his chest. How strange that in his dread of death, it pumped all the harder, valiantly keeping him alive. But it would have to stop, and soon. Its beats were numbered. How many would there be time for, as he rose and walked through the castle for the last time, out into the grounds and into the forest?”

British author, philanthropist, producer, and screenwriter

J. K. Rowling, born Joanne Rowling, is a British author, philanthropist, producer, and screenwriter. She is known for creating the Harry Potter series, and she was born under her full name before becoming widely known by her pen name. Her Harry Potter books follow a young wizard across seven volumes and became the best-selling book series in history, with more than 600 million copies sold. She also writes the ongoing Cormoran Strike crime fiction series under the name Robert Galbraith.