Was it a Typo?

[Alexanne]

Did any one notice in chapter 22, After The Burial, that Professor Slughorn refered to Ron as Rupert. Could it be that J.K Rowling was thinking of the actor instead of the character. Just wondering if anyone else picked up on that

[redshoesrock]

It wasn't meant to be a typo - it's supposed to show that Slughorn's mind was on other matters, namely getting Aragog's venom. It also is meant to show that Ron didn't rate very highly with Slughorn, as compared to say, Harry. Though I wouldn't be surprised if JKR chose "Rupert" for Slughorn's slip-of-the-tounge because of Rupert Grint, the actor that plays Ron Weasley.

[Alexanne]

You're right, I didn't think about that. It just kind of threw me for a bit.

[Scarlet Lioness]

Yeah I think it was just a coincidence really...

[Stumpy]

there isn't alot of names that he could use as it had to be close to ron

[felix felicis]

forgive me for quoting myself, but in the first wee days of the HBP part of the forum i commented on that. here's what i thought:

"Had a house-elf taste every bottle after what happened to your poor friend Rupert." -Slughorn
Isn't it funny how Slughorn gets Ron's name wrong in his drunken state and how it just happens to be the name of the actor playing Ron in the HP movies? I think JKR had a Dumbledoreish twinkle in her eye when putting that tiny bit in. Just for laughs. Very Mark Twain of her.

[Broccoli]

I noticed that too and I agree that she may have chosen the name deliberately.

[Tanuki]

I totally agree. That was no mistake

[Bextra]

It wasnt a mistake because he only remembered the names of the good wizards didnt he? or the ones that showed potential or had reletives that were high up in the ministry.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Obviously there was nothing deeper implied, but it is quite funny if you think about it like that. Not laugh-out-loud funny, just a little humour which the keen eye can pick up on.

[Dutchess42]

I think she does that quite a bit. Perhaps we don't catch them all.

At one point she had Snape looking like "Christmas had been cancelled" which was odd since Snape did not make a fuss over Christmas.

But Alan Rickman, Playing the Sheriff of Nottingham in the Robin Hood movie spat out the line "Cancel Christmas!" I think it was a wink and a nod there as well.

[Athena Appleton]

I thought of the Ron/Rupert thing (she needed a name, and I think she definately did it as a little humor) but the Snape thing is pretty funny. Never would have thought of it, and I don't know if she did either, but it's a funny coincidence, regardless.