The Mystery that is Mark Evans -
Summary:
What is the significance, if any, of Mark Evans? J.K.R tells us that there is none.
Article:
J.K.R just recently updated the FAQ section of her official
site with a poll about what next question she answers should be, the questions were:
Is Severus Snape Lily Potter's (long lost) brother?
Is Sirius Black really dead?
What is the significance, of any, of Mark Evans?
The last question won 46% of the votes and he question that has haunted us forover a year now hs finally been answered by J.K.R herself:
Quote:
*
What is the significance, of any, of Mark Evans?*
I couldnt answer the poll question before now, because I've been making arrangements to take my family into hiding. It take stime to arrange fake passports one-way air tickets to Bolivia and twenty-four hour armed security.*
Why should I resort to such desperate measures? Because after you've heard this answer, I'll have to disappear for my own safety.*
Now before I get down to it (you can guess what's coming can't you?) I am gonna put up a feeble pre-emptive defence. Firstly you were all spinning highly ingenious theories about Mark Evans, so I thought that you would welcome the chance to hear the truth. Secondly I tried hard not to raise hopes or expectations by adding the word 'if any' to the question. Thirdly... there is no thirdly. I'm just killing time.
(Takes deep breath)*
Mark Evans is...nobody. He's nobody in the sense that Mr.Prentice, Madam Marsh, Gordon-Dudley's-gang-member are nobodies, just background people who need names, but who have no roles other than the walk-on parts assigned to them.*
(Check that Neil has immunized the dog and Jessica has packed her Gameboy, and continues)*
I've got nobody to blame except but myself. Sirius Black, Mrs.Figg and Mungdungus Fletcher were all mentioned passing well before they burst onto fully-fledged characters. So now you've all become to clever, not for your own good, but mine. The fact is that once you drew my attention to it, I realised that Mark Evans did look like one of those 'here he is just a casual passer-by, nothing to worry about, bet you barely noticed him' characters would suddenly become, half way book seven, 'Ha ha! Yes, Mark is back, suckers, hes the key to everything! He's the Half Blood Prince, he's Harry's Great-Aunt, he's the Heir of Gryffindor,* and he own the Mystic Kettle of Nackledirk (Possible title of book seven there must make not of it).*
Then why - WHY- (I hear you cry)- did I give him the surname "Evans"? Well believe me, you can't regret it more than I do now. "Evans" is a common surname; I didn't give it much thought; I wasn't even trying to set up another red herring. I could just as easily give him 'Smith' or 'Jones' (or 'Black' or 'Thomas' or 'Brown', all of hwich would have got me into trouble too).*
What else can I say? Many of the theories you presented were highly plausible. If you knew how ofen I checked the FAQ poll hoping one of the questions might edge into the lead...
Well, thats that. The car with the false license plates is at the door and I've to glue on my goatee. Goodbye*
So there it is, the matter has been cleared by Jo Rowling herself. Mark Evans is officially a nobody.
Source:
JKRowling.com.