With the witching hour almost upon us Harry Potter-mania is set to erupt across Ireland's bookstores, starting with the midnight launch of volume five of JK Rowling's Hogwart's saga - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
The latest edition in Rowling's tale of the teenage wizard Harry, his friends Ron and Hermione, and his ongoing battle with the evil Lord Voldemore, will be officially launched at a minute past midnight tonight - and bookstores nationwide are opening for the occasion.
|
|
The signed title page of 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' is displayed at the New York Public Library, today. The signed copy, a gift from author JK Rowling, arrived earlier in an armored truck. Photo: Reuters
|
The tightly-guarded secrets of Harry's latest adventure are, however, known to at least four people in Ireland - namely those lucky individuals who yesterday purchased four copies of the book, which were "inadvertently" placed on sale, at Tescos in Athlone.
But that was the only blip in a security operation of astounding secrecy - for a novel at least - which has seen 250,000 copies of the book, each vacuum packed in a bundle of six, delivered and placed under lock and key in Ireland's bookstores.
Precautions usually reserved for the transportation of large sums of cash have this week been utilised in the distribution of Harry's tome; Securicor Omega Express - a company not usually renowned for the transportation of children's books - has been vigilantly distributing
The Order of the Phoenixin advance of the midnight sale.
But more importantly for the fans, young and old, what exactly is contained therein? Well, the news is, that nobody knows. The most abiding rumour is that Rowling has decided to 'kill off' one of the series' most important characters, but no-one appears to know who it is . . . yet.
The press blurb tell us that the rise of Lord Voldemort (the evil one) has opened a rift in the wizarding world between those who believe the truth about his return, and those who prefer to believe it's all madness and lies (cynics please leave now).
Throw the following into the mix: a new Dark-Arts Teacher, a venomous house-elf and end of term Ordinary Wizarding Level exams - and you have the bones of the latest Potter installment.
ireland.comhas however, with the able assistance of Harry's publicity people, secured the text of the opening lines of the book:
"The hottest day of summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the large, square houses of Privet Drive…The only person left outside was a teenage boy who was lying flat on his back in a flowerbed outside number four."
From there, it's anyone's guess.
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenixwill go on sale at a minute past midnight tonight at major bookshops nationwide.