10 Things You Didn't Know About Harry Potter's Scar

10. J.K. Rowling Initially Chose Its Shape For An Odd Reason

Given how meticulously and carefully the wizarding world has been built up since its inception, there's almost an expectation that everything should have a deeply profound reason for existing. Harry's scar is no exception, and while there are definitely a lot of nifty details we can draw from it - many of which we'll discuss - Rowling's reason for originally choosing that iconic lightning bolt shape feels unusually one-dimensional.

In a now-archived Mugglenet interview, the author was asked about Harry's scar, and more specifically, why it was given its famous shape. Her answer?

"To be honest, because it's a cool shape. I couldn't have my hero sport a doughnut-shaped scar."

Rowling had aspects of the final book planned before she even wrote the first one, so if she did have a deeper reason for choosing a lightning bolt, she would have known it in 2007 - when this interview took place.

Still, imagine watching a version of the movies where Harry has a sugar-ring doughnut plastered across his forehead? Oh, what could have been...