Yesterday was a long day.
On one hand, half the world was unexpectedly waking up to a brand new One Direction single–or trying to get through the day with no sleep, thanks to said surprise single, “Drag Me Down.”
On the other, there was another emotional roller coaster as Potterheads all over the world celebrated not only the chosen one Harry Potter’s birthday, but also our beloved queen JK Rowling’s birthday. And not just any birthday! She turned the fab 50, and a few number of Harry Potter stars had a word or two to share with her.
TIME compiled birthday wishes from seventeen cast members ranging from one of the main trio, Rupert Grint, to the woman behind the thoroughly hated Dolores Umbridge, Imelda Staunton, to director Chris Columbus.
David Thewlis, who played Remus Lupin, joked, “Now isn’t it about time you did something with your life?” while Matthew Lewis, who has shown what puberty can do for you (and played Neville Longbottom), tugged at our heartstrings with his gracious message saying, “I would like to thank Jo for changing MY life. Without her imagination and her talent I would never have become the man I am today.”
Some kept it simple with a bit of flair from their character (a cheeky “Mischief Managed” from James Phelps, who had portrayed Fred Weasley). And then in natural Evanna Lynch fashion, the actress who played Luna Lovegood embodied all of us and how we would react–but how she genuinely reacted–to meeting the birthday queen.
“It seemed impossible to fathom that everything I loved – a vast universe, the very buildings and sets we were standing on, the hundreds of people milling about with one creative vision in mind – all of it, had come from the lovely, glowing, blonde woman before me who was on the small side of human and the miniature side of SuperWoman,” Evanna wrote beautifully.
Read all the birthday wishes here! There are some real gems from cast members you wouldn’t have expected. You won’t regret it.