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J.K. Rowling shares handwritten expecto patronum 'spell' for assault survivor's tattoo

This isn't your typical celebrity and super-fan Twitter interaction.
/ Source: TODAY

For social media savvy super-fans of any celebrity, even a subtle retweet can be cause for great celebration.

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J.K. RowlingAFP - Getty Images

But for one U.K.-based user named Katerina, a tweet to J.K. Rowling became life-changing — and not just because she's about to get a tattoo as a result.

On Wednesday, Katerina, who requested in an email to TODAY to go by her first name only, tweeted a message to the "Harry Potter" author: "i wanna get 'expecto patronum' tattooed & it'd mean the world if it was in ur handwriting. here's why." An attached, longer message details her experiences with everything from "assault to bullying to attempted suicide." According to Katerina, Rowling "helped me get through every single thing one way or another."

As any "Harry Potter" fan knows, "Expecto patronum" is the charm used by wizards and witches in the books to summon a "Patronus," or guardian with positive energy that appears in the form of an animal, in times of need.

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"Even though I had lost hope, I was still secretly hoping for a miracle, or a big of magic, if you will," Katerina wrote to TODAY.

In less than 10 minutes, Rowling wrote back to her.

"I love that you're working to heal and protect yourself. You deserve this. I hope it helps," the 50-year-old writer commented, including a photo of a handwritten "Expecto patronum."

Katerina said she was overjoyed: "Getting a reply from her was the best thing that has ever happened to me in years. It made me find happiness again. I owe her more than words will ever be able to explain."

She added that the response from others online have been just as heartwarming.

"I'm getting so many messages from people around the world saying such sweet things and that makes me shed more tears," she said.

And as for when that tattoo's going to make its debut? "I'm getting it in about two weeks, more or less," she said. "I already know that my 7th [Potter-related tattoo] will be my favorite one ever, no matter how many I get in the future."

"I will never be able to thank you enough Jo," she writes, before writing that she intends to get the magical charm tattooed "on the wrist I usually cut the most."

In another tweet, Katerina had explained that she already has six Potter-themed tattoos.

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