Potter publisher sues over breach ARTICLE

Publishers have placed a strict embargo on the book's publication

The US publisher of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is taking legal action against two companies for dispatching copies of the book early.

Scholastic sued online retailer DeepDiscount.com for breaking the strict midnight Saturday embargo.

In court papers filed in Illinois, the publisher also named its distributor Levy Entertainment for failing to ensure books were not sent out.

It said that only a tiny fraction of its 12m copies had been distributed.

"The number of copies shipped is around one one-hundredth of one per cent," said Scholastic in a statement.

'Please ignore'

The company added that they had a list of customers who had ordered the book from DeepDiscount.com and were asking them to put it to one side if they have already received it by mistake.

A report in The Baltimore Sun newspaper about a customer who had already received his copy prompted Scholastic to take action.

They are seeking unspecified damages from the two companies in question.

A spokesman for Infinity Resources, who own DeepDiscount.com, said: "We take the situation very seriously and are conducting an internal investigation."

JK Rowling has called on fans to dismiss speculation

Levy Entertainment declined to comment.

Scholastic has also asked "everyone, especially in the media, to preserve the fun and excitement for fans everywhere".

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has also posted an appeal on her official website, stating: "Let's all, please, ignore the misinformation popping up on the web and in the press.

"I'd like to ask everyone who calls themselves a Harry Potter fan to help preserve the secrecy of the plot for all those who are looking forward to reading the book at the same time on publication day.

"In a very short time you will know everything!" the statement concluded.

Earlier this week, pictures of what appeared to be pages from the new novel were circulating on the internet.

Minna Fry, marketing director of the book's UK publisher Bloomsbury said: "There have been so many fake books going up on the internet over the past four to six weeks. We have no reason to believe that these are anything other than fake either."

frm BBC newssss!!!!!!!

actually dey did it quite a few days bak n den it wasnt jst only 1 day...but really dey r sick 😡 dey shud b n wud b punnishd 😡 😡

I will KILL that person if i find him. keep him away from me. 😡

How can publication do such a big blunder esp when they know thumb rule of midnight HP release. Thank god I didn't pre-ordered mine and I am going to close my eyes and go to store to pick my copy...now as HPFan I am still going to do as planned...get my copy, make hot coffee & cuddle down to read......we deserve to be treated fairly esp after waiting so long....

I think it is so wrong of them-i mean like it says in the article, it ruins our fun and excitement

its wrong could they not wait one day 😡 😡 ruin it for everyone

im one of those peeps whom schlostic called up to hold the book till sat...they said my book's been shipped..just waiting eally for ir....bu if i do get it b4 sat..i'll hold it till sat 😳

Dola which publisher did u order it from.