J.K. Rowling's reply to critic of gay Dumbledore

By: CBS58 Staff

Posted: Mar 25, 2015 11:59 AM CDT | Updated: Dec 2, 2015 5:19 PM CDT

(CNN) -- Can't see Harry Potter's Albus Dumbledore as gay? Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has a terse message for you.

Rowling revealed that the Hogwarts School headmaster was gay after \"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,\" the final book in the boy wizard series, was released in 2007.

Fan Ana Kocovic started the exchange by asking the author, \"I wonder why you said that Dumbledore is gay because I can't see him in that way.\"

\"Maybe because gay people just look like ... people?\" Rowling wrote in her March 24 reply.

Rowling's fans loved it.

Rowling's response has been retweeted more than 7,000 times and favorited more than 10,000 times.

Kocovic's original tweet has been deleted, but it seems she got the message and even enjoyed the exchange.

For other fans, Dumbledore's orientation was news.

In the movies, the role of Albus Dumbledore has been played by two respected actors: Michael Gambon took over the role after Richard Harris died in 2002.