JK Rowling has hit back at a Harry Potter fan who is still upset that Albus Dumbledore is gay.

Twitter user Frank Fraticelli tweeted of the book series: “once u revealed Dumbledore was homosexual I stopped being a fan. Nice how u blindsided us with that one. Enjoy your billion $.”

However, the message provoked the reclusive author – who has rarely used Twitter until this week – to respond.

@halfelven55ff I advise you to start following Brian Souter at once. He’s much more your kind of person. — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 6, 2014

She wrote: “I advise you to start following Brian Souter at once. He’s much more your kind of person.”

The Edinburgh-based author was referring to Stagecoach boss Sir Brian Souter – who funded a campaign to keep the Section 28 ban on the “promotion of homosexuality” in schools.

Rowling and Souter are on opposite sides of the upcoming Scottish Independence referendum, with Rowling giving £1 million to Better Together, while the Scottish National Party accepted a £1 million donation from Souter.



Rowling later tweeted: “I want to thank all the people tweeting me lovely messages. Don’t worry about me – to paraphrase Albus Dumbledore, if you’re waiting for universal popularity, you’ll be on Twitter a VERY long time. xxxx”

I want to thank all the people tweeting me lovely messages. Don't worry about me – to paraphrase Albus Dumbledore… — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 6, 2014

If you're waiting for universal popularity, you'll be on Twitter a VERY long time. xxxx — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 6, 2014

The author revealed that Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore was gay after the publication of the final Harry Potter book in 2007.

She said: “It has certainly never been news to me that a brave and brilliant man could love other men

“He is my character. He is what he is and I have the right to say what I say about him.”