Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows features an iconic epilogue that takes place 19 years after the Battle of Hogwarts, following the Golden Trio as they send their children off to the magical school for the year. It's a beloved scene that confirms just how peacefully Harry, Ron, and Hermione lived after the Battle of Hogwarts, but there's always been a question surrounding why exactly J.K. Rowling chose to set this scene 19 years in the future. It's a very specific number to choose, and fans have always suspected that there's a more important reason behind that amount of time.
Harry Potter was age 37 in the epilogue, and he'd gone on to live a full and happy life following Lord Voldemort's defeat. In that final scene, it's revealed that Harry and Ginny are married with three children, and Ron and Hermione are married with two. Rowling gives some insight into the characters' children and the meanings behind their names, before sending them off to Hogwarts for a year of adventures. It's a sweet moment, and it offers all the necessary comforting reassurance after those dark years in Harry's life, but the 19-year jump ittedly feels a little too large.
The Harry Potter Epilogue Needed To Introduce The Children
The epilogue centers around a conversation between Harry and his son, Albus Severus, assuring the boy that even if he's sorted into Slytherin, he can still be a hero like Snape. Though it's easy to take issue with Harry's claim that Snape was Slytherin's greatest hero, it's an undeniably touching moment that carries a lot of emotional weight for fans of the franchise. The moment proves that Harry's legacy will live on, even long after his generation has left Hogwarts and begun their adult lives. The ing of the torch to Harry's children was a great way to achieve this.
If this prologue had taken place less than 19 years after the battle, it would be implied that Rowling's protagonists had children in their early years of adulthood, which likely isn't the story she wanted. It's easy to focus on the Golden Trio in this scene, but the final takeaway lies with their children. Harry's childhood was occupied with battling Voldemort, the world's most dangerous wizard; his children's shouldn't be. Their existence proves the trio's lives have begun to settle down, assuring the audience that they've moved on from the trauma of their youth and started new lives and families.
The Epilogue Takes Place On Harry Potter's 20th Anniversary
Although this is probably a coincidence, the 19-year jump means Harry Potter's epilogue takes place in 2017, which happened to be the 20th anniversary of the first book's release. It's unlikely, but it's also possible that Rowling made this decision on purpose in order to make the anniversary even more sentimental. By the time she was writing The Deathly Hallows, her series had already become a worldwide phenomenon - so there's no doubt that she would've suspected her success to persevere. Rowling has often changed Harry Potter canon after the fact, but this would be another example of her long-term planning.
There were huge celebrations among Harry Potter fans in 2017 (particularly since most of them were now firmly approaching adulthood), and the epilogue's date was just another of those celebrations. Many fans will have aged alongside the characters, so Rowling's choice to set the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows epilogue in 2017 was a very special moment. The whole point of the epilogue is to celebrate legacy — Harry es down the torch to his children, who then travel to Hogwarts to have their own adventures that audiences fantasize about. Coinciding this with the franchise's anniversary was a great tribute.
