It was the present tense for you, and that's all you have arriving here. It does tell you an awful lot about them. Admittedly, many people you know had only small parts, if anything, in the books. But Severus and Professor Dumbledore were certainly there. I find it difficult to imagine.
Cosima and Sarah were here, for me. I watched the series not long after. Our faces were well known enough that I would have found out one way or another. This way, it was on my terms.