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For The Herald

SPARTA — A little over seven years ago, a British housemom sat down and started to write a book about a young wizard named Harry going to a wizarding school called Hogwarts.

Five books, 132 chapters, 2,689 pages and millions of book sales later, the Harry Potter novels are among the most popular and successful of all time, and if the response in Sussex County to the release of the latest edition, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," is any indication, the anticipation hasn't died down one bit.

About 350 Muggles — "it's what we call nonmagic folk," explains Hogwarts groundskeeper Hagrid in the first book, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" — started lining up two hours before Sparta Books opened for Friday's midnight release of the sixth in the hugely popular seven-book series.

Music from the Harry Potter films played in the background as fans — some brandishing toy wands and brooms, others wearing wizard robes and Harry's horn-rimmed glasses — were treated to outdoor activities organized by the Girl Scouts Troop 748. There were book readings and a fortune teller. And raffles allowed fans to enter for gift certificates and Harry Potter bookmarks, booklights and T-shirts.

This was the third Harry Potter midnight opening and party for Sparta Books — the store also hosted parties for the last two books, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," both of which had similar attendance, according to store owner Carol Viall.

"This is the only book I know that this happens with, (and) I've been selling books for 20 years," she said, looking at the line of Potter fans stretching down to the parking lot of the CVS pharmacy building next door.

The store's shipment of 400 books was gone before dawn Saturday, but another shipment arrived later in the day.

Other Sussex County bookstores held similar Harry Potter midnight openings. The Book Shelf in Newton opened its doors at 11 p.m. and played Harry Potter music as a mist machine created a light fog throughout the store, and The Book Center, located in the Byram ShopRite Plaza, featured a musician and a game sorting children into the different houses of Hogwarts, as in the first book.

"There's a new phenomenon in these books," said Daryl Zinn, owner of The Book Center. "Earlier, when these books were released, they sold over time. Now, it's like going to the opening weekend at the movies. Everybody who wants them gets them in the first five or seven days."

Zinn said that about 80 percent of the 350 books he sold had been pre-ordered. Similarly, 350 of the 400 Viall sold were pre-ordered.

Such was the anticipation that Greene's Beans Cafe, a building neighboring Sparta Books in the Theatre Court plaza, also kept its doors open after hours and hosted a four-hour Harry Potter reading. More than 30 people listened as about a dozen volunteers — each British, the accent contributing to the feel of the story — recited chapters from the first book.

"It's been a tough week for British people lately," said reader Sharon Chamberlain, a Sparta resident originally from Sussex, England. "This was a nice thing to lift people's spirits."

Viall credits the popularity of the series in large part to its ability to appeal to children and their parents. This feeling was reflected by the crowd, which consisted of young children, teenagers and adults.

"I've read them all," said Anna Buback, Sparta resident who waited in line with her 11-year-old daughter, Elizabeth. "I love them, and I get excited just like the kids. I'm dying to know what will happen next."

Elizabeth, along with friends Katie Cafferata, 11, and Madison Breeden, 10, were the first ones in line, just as they were at the "Order of the Phoenix" opening two years ago. Although they had been waiting for over two hours, their excitement was undiminished as the doors opened.

"It's worth the wait," Elizabeth said, waving her hands with excitement. "We love Harry Potter."

Although "The Half-Blood Prince" is 30 chapters and 652 pages long, the children did not appear discouraged by the book's size. Elizabeth expressed disappointment that it wasn't as long as "The Order of the Phoenix," the series' longest so far at 870 pages.

"These books have made children excited about reading," Viall said. "You hope for that at such a young age. It's really helped kids develop a love of reading, and what parent would say no to that?"

Pat Roschdale, 17, who dressed like Harry Potter and took photos with the children in line, said he sees Harry as a character with something for everybody — wizards and Muggles, alike.

"It's lessons about courage, lessons about growing up, lessons about love, and people can relate," Roschdale said. "I read it and I think, 'Yeah, I go through that, too.'"

At her official Web site, www.jkrowling.com, novelist J.K. Rowling has already been asked when she will start her still-unnamed final Potter book, which she says will not be for another few months. In the meantime, fans will have to be content with "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," and be ready to mark one final midnight opening on their calendars.

Ever wondered what lies beyond the pages of 'Harry Potter'? After reading the books several times, the thoughts linger...

Thank Joanne Kathleen Rowling for her bottomless fantasy. And the skill to bring characters and places alive so masterly.

She probably did more to prevent the next generation from turning illiterate than any charity organization or school campaign could do.

But because Hogwarts, Diagon Alley and Little Whinging are so realistic, the attentive 'Potterite' comes up with a few questions for the queen of popular literature. Not out of criticism, but mere curiosity, wouldn't we all like to hear the answers?

# 1. Before Harry Potter learns that he's a wizard, the Dursleys forcedly take their nephew to the London Zoo. There, Dudley gets bored with a Brazilian (Burmese in the movie) boa constrictor and Harry apologizes for his cousin's rude behavior. The snake nods, engaging Harry in a conversation.

In book two, Harry uses Parselmouth – snake language – again. This time, he makes hissing sounds to shelter Hufflepuff's Justin Finch-Fletchley from the vicious 'serpensortia' spell cast by Draco Malfoy. Couldn't he just have talked normally, like he'd done at the zoo?

# 2. Hogwarts recruits first graders at age 11. For seven years the students are taught transformation, potions, broom flying, herbology, divination and defense against the dark arts, to name just a few subjects.

Are those wizard kids destined to lead semi-ignorant lives? Or is their intelligence superior by nature? With all the complicated spells and wizard science, average grade school education won't carry them far.

The visiting Durmstrangs and Beauxbatons prove passable English skills. This hints that their schools have mandatory foreign language classes. How come Hogwarts students don't have to study English, biology, geography, maths and Latin (for the spells)?

# 3. Hermione, every reader knows, is muggle-born. Harry spent his childhood years with the Dursleys. Once they got their Hogwarts letters, it was 'off to be a wizard' – but, seriously, aren't they missed by their school friends?

Is there no such thing as 'compulsory education' in Great Britain? How is possible that they disappear from their school districts? Don't their parents have to report, where they send their children for further studies? On the other hand, it makes one wonder where the Weasleys, Malfoys and Longbottoms sent their offspring to learn their ABCs.

# 4. While we learned that wizards and witches occasionally 'dress up like Muggles', it is more than astounding to see Hogwarts students go into Hogsmeade in jeans and sweaters. Harry and Hermione might have brought some clothes, but where has Ron gotten his attire?

Most of all: Why dress up as Muggles in an all-wizard town? Or is this just the interpretation of Alfonso Cuarn and JK Rowling didn't object?

# 5. How old do wizards grow? It's quite obvious that headmaster Albus Dumbledore is way beyond muggle retirement age. After all, when the chamber of secrets was originally opened 50 years ago, he already taught at Hogwarts.

Hagrid was a student then, which makes him at least 70 years, presently. He does look young for his age, doesn't he? Assuming that they age more slowly in the wizard universe, what about the muggle-borns?

# 6. Lord Voldemort – then Tom Riddle - was a schoolmate of Hagrid's, thus he must be around 70 as well. He qualifies as a special case, since in the first book he gained immortality by drinking blood from a slaughtered unicorn.

Considering his temporary existences as a parasite on Professor Quirrell's head, within a magic diary and as an undescribable being before re-inhabiting his body, it's safe to assume that with Voldemort, age is not an issue. Is there any explanation on whether 'unicorn blood immortality' can be reversed - or were we told the end of the story in book one, already?

# 7. Hogsmeade is the only all-wizard village in Great Britain. This piece of information raises a series of questions about the wizard-muggle relations in the rest of the country. In wizard families, we witnessed at 'The Burrow', there are all kinds of amazing appliances.

Just think of the pot that cleans itself or the auto-knitting needles. Unusual creatures such as the ghoul in the attic or the gnomes in the garden must fuel curiosity among the muggle neighbors. How can wizards lead magic lives and muggles never notice?

Were the Weasley kids forbidden to bring friends home? How come they have no clue how a telephone works, when they live in regular towns with phone booths etc?

# 8. What's the going exchange rate of pounds to galleons? Where can it be checked? Hermione, for example, went shopping in Diagon Alley, accompanied by her Muggle parents. She had to somehow get her first wizard money.

Or else, how could she have bought her books and robes? And, again, if wizards live in muggle areas, aren't they bound to encounter situations which require cash? Lastly, does Gringott's hold a monopoly over the monetary exchange?

# 9. What career options are there for the average Hogwarts graduate? We have heard about several, but not nearly enough. The ministry of magic can do with motivated young staff. Someone has to keep the Hogwarts Express going.

There is always a need for personnel in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade's fancy shops. Serving butter beer at one of the inns is a possibile career. We've heard of honorable aurors, fearless dragon tamers, nosy reporters for the Daily Prophet, bold beaters for the Chudley Cannons as well as accomplished healers at St. Mungo's.

Every now and then, Hogwarts needs a new teacher. But basically, the choice is small. The geographic concentration is not a problem for the floo powder-commuter, of course. However, what about wizard universities? Could Lee Jordan apply for an internship with the International Association of Quidditch? Does Neville Longbottom stand a chance of learning the art of wand-making as an apprentice at Ollivanders?

# 10. While we will, hopefully, find out how James Potter managed to win over Lily Evans (in a book five memory sequence she expresses her dislike after James taunts then-student Severus Snape), it remains a mystery, where Harry's father hails from.

When discussing Sirius' family tree at the Noble House of Black, it's said that all wizard families are somehow related to one another. Why is there no other Potter? If wizards stay young for so long: where do the relatives live? Or is Harry the youngest generation in a long one-child-per-couple family line; with all the parents dying young?

There's a long list of other questions. Let's anticipate the next installment of the saga. By the final chapter of the seventh book, those questions might all be answered.

We'll meet Aragog again, probably. Maybe JK Rowling will fill us in on the missing years between the Potter's graduation and Harry's birth. While at it, she'll tell us how Lily and James accumulated the impressive pile of galleons at Gringott's bank.

It could be that Ron and Hermione find love, judging from the way they interact. Maybe Harry and Luna discover that they are soul mates. Perhaps Hagrid goes back to school to achieve his NEWTs as soon as the second war is over. Wouldn't it be nice to know that Fluffy, the three-headed dog in book one, is safely put away at Hogwarts and not roaming free in a muggle neighborhood?

One thing is for sure: JK Rowling will take us on another journey in the not-so-distant future - July 16, 2005, to be precise. Like millions of 'Potterites', I can't wait to lose myself in the brilliantly made-up world again - questions answered or not.

Seventy lucky Harry Potter fans from around the world have been interviewing author JK Rowling to mark the launch of her latest book.

The youngsters arrived at Edinburgh Castle on Friday night as guests of honour in horse drawn carriages. Luckiest of all was Owen Jones from Cardiff, whose thirty minute interview with his heroine will be shown on Scottish TV at five o'clock this evening.

Owen asked JK Rowling: "Security has been a huge issue with the Harry Potter books, what do you think you've gained from keeping the plots such a secret?"

She replied: "I gain nothing but the satisfaction of knowing that all my hard work goes to the people for whom it is intended, in other words - people who really want to read the books. I find it upsetting and disquieting that some elements are so keen on spoilers because it seems such a mean spirited thing to do, this isn't about money or anything other than the pleasure of reading for people who want to read it, so..."

An official of the mall predicted its sales of the book would exceed 1,000 copies Sunday.