$500M energy project was set to cross Dobby's memorial. Harry Potter fans stopped it

Fans can go to extreme lengths to protect the fictional worlds and characters they love. And a $500 million Greenlink interconnector project found out just how seriously Harry Potter fans take their fictional worlds. Simon Ludlam, the founder of Etchea Energy and project manager, shared the route the 125-mile cable connecting the UK and Ireland would go through during an interview on the Energy Revolution podcast. After learning that it could pass near a particularly beloved Harry Potter character's memorial spot at Freshwater West beach in Wales, his firm received hundreds of calls asking them to reroute, reported the BBC on August 9, 2026.

A sock for Dobby

Despite theme parks and studio tours, dedicated Harry Potter fans would visit different filming locations. One of these includes Freshwater West Beach in Pembrokeshire, South Wales. It was the filming location for Dobby's death in the Harry Potter series. Over the years, thousands of fans visited the beach to pay their respects. They brought 'gifts,' such as socks, stones, or other items, even after landowners urged them to stop. Now, Potterheads are celebrating after the project team agreed to change the $500M+ worth of cable's route to avoid the memorial.

No graves disturbed

When Ludlam first heard of the commotion, he was confused. His first reaction while speaking to a colleague was, "I said, 'Dobby, who's Dobby? I don't know Dobby? He's a fictitious character in a fictitious book. The whole thing is fictitious. What are you talking about?'" But his colleague assured him it was no joke, and they needed to handle it delicately. Ludlam took it seriously, and discussed with the planners "exactly how to reroute the cable so we wouldn't go anywhere close to Dobby's grave." After they found a solution, Ludlam also added, "A lot of people were very happy about that, and the project is now going [ahead] and Dobby's happy." But at the same time, the cables had to be redirected close to some real Bronze Age remains to allow Dobby's grave to remain untouched.

Words to action

The response from Harry Potter fans showed that fictional characters can have a lasting impact on people. It inspired them to take action even in the real world. A Carat and Fandom survey found that 87% of fans participate in activities surrounding their fandom. The finding suggests that fandom can extend beyond simply consuming movies, books, or shows, with fans participating in activities connected to the worlds and characters they love. Harry Potter fans taking a stand to preserve Dobby's real-life resting place is one great example.

All for a fictional character

Surprisingly, not everyone is on board with the idea. They were not impressed that real Bronze Age remains were about to be put at risk for a fictional character. @goodbye_lulu wrote, "So they can do this for a fictional character but not reroute projects or just not destroy the environment for a real living being." @norwegianfriedchurches wrote, "Is no one gonna mention how they directed it to go past a Bronze Age gravesite? This is cringe-inducing."

More on Scoop Upworthy

Jennifer Garner saves family farm her mom grew up on to preserve family memories

Archaeologists stunned by 4000-year-old stone that gives a map of historical sites

Here is what Mt Rushmore might have looked like if the project had not run out of funds