Fans finally receive Potter book

Fans finally receive Potter book

Australian fans get their hands on the latest Harry Potter book


Reporter's log: Joining the fans queuing for Potter
Harry Potter fans can finally find out their hero's fate, after the seventh and final book in the series went on sale across the world.
The first copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows were snapped up just after midnight.

Author JK Rowling had admitted to "excitement, nerves and relief" as the launch approached.

"All the secrets I have been carrying around for so long will be yours, too," she wrote to fans on her website.

"Within hours you will know what happens to Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest in their final adventure.

"Those who guessed correctly will be vindicated, and those who guessed wrongly will not, I hope, be too disappointed!"

Former speed reading champion and Potter fan Anne Jones was one of the first to finish the book, reading more than 4,000 words a minute.

"It's a real page-turner, great fun. The kids are going to love it but there are some sad moments in it," said the 55-year-old.

As the clock struck 12, Rowling read excerpts from her new book to 500 competition winners at London's Natural History Museum before embarking on an all-night book-signing.

Reading from the first chapter, entitled The Dark Lord Descending, Rowling's voice echoed around the auditorium.

"The two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow moonlit lane," she began.

Upsetting


JK Rowling held a moonlight reading of the book at midnight
Appearing on BBC One's Blue Peter on Friday, the author warned that the book could be upsetting for some readers.

"Will I cry?" asked Natasha, a young fan in the audience for the show.

"Have you ever cried before at a sad book?" asked Rowling.

"Well, I cried when Dumbledore died," she replied.

"I think you'll probably cry at this book, too," the author said.

325 million sold

A decade after the first instalment, Harry Potter has become a global phenomenon with 325 million books already sold.

That number will grow as millions of copies of the new novel are snapped up over the weekend.

It is being released simultaneously in 93 countries, with a print run of 12 million in the US alone and more than 2.2 million ordered in advance from internet retailer Amazon.

A few people who got the book early posted on my friend's blog, telling her the plot - she was devastated

Abi C
Harry Potter fan


Growing up with Harry
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Loyal fans will finally reach the climax of the story after 10 years of twists and turns in the life of the young wizard.

A final confrontation between Harry and his evil nemesis, Lord Voldemort, has been building throughout the series - and Rowling has revealed some characters do not survive.

Fans around the world queued in their thousands outside bookshops waiting for the late-night launch.

At Waterstone's in central London, an estimated 5,000 people turned up to enjoy the atmosphere. Many came dressed in character - as wizards, teachers, death eaters, giants and even owls.

Cahina Lewis, who joined the queue in a witch's costume, said: "For the last nine or 10 years it's been such a big part of my life.


Sophie Sproston was first in the queue at Cardiff Bay's Asda

"I've been talking to my friends about Harry Potter theories for so long, and I'm not going to be able to do that anymore. What will I do with my life?"

Stefanie Van Gompel, 16, from Eindhoven in the Netherlands, arrived in London on Wednesday morning to queue for her copy of the book.

"The Dutch version isn't released until December so it's not such a big deal over there," she explained.

Chellie Carr, 17, from Okemos, Michigan, said she pestered her mother to bring her to London.

"For all the other books she said: 'No. It's just a book.' But for this one, she said yes," she said.

All-night parties and Hogwarts Express-style train trips had been planned elsewhere around the world to celebrate the release.


These fans in Hong Kong could not wait to start reading

Staff at stores in Hong Kong will tour the city dressed as wizards, while in Bangladesh, customs offices continued to work on a Friday - a holiday in the country - to ensure the novel was delivered on time.

Stores in Taiwan and India are laying on "magic breakfasts" for early customers and a Sydney shop is taking fans aged from two to 84 on a train ride to a secret location to get the book.

In New York, a street party will include face-painting, wand-making, fire-eaters and magicians, while in Bangkok, an outdoor movie screen will show all the Potter films throughout the night.