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BISBEE — While sipping butterbeer and discussing plot theories, fans waited up until 12:01 a.m. today to pick up their copies of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”.
Local bookstores kept customers entertained with games, contests and snacks before the books could be sold.
Joan Werner, owner of Atalanta’s Music and Books in Bisbee, dressed as a witch for the evening as she led customers through Diagon Alley to Flourish and Blotts bookstore, a wand and broom repair shop and an apothecary with dozens of jars of mysterious ingredients. After stopping for a snack of butterbeer and bats brains, also known as juice and dried fruit to muggles, customers could wander through the Forbidden Forest after learning a spell or two in the Defense from the Dark Arts classroom.
All are part of the settings in the books. And muggles are how non-wizarding people are referred in the books.
 Ed Honda-Herald/Review ...And it's Hufflepuff for Marie Carpenter, 13, as sorter Greg Freeman gives the good news during Atalanta's Music and Books store celebrated the pre-sale of the final book of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Customers were treated to butter beer and assorted wizard goodies. |
Werner said the setup was the most elaborate she’s ever done for a book release, and it kept growing as she and her staff kept getting more ideas inspired by the books.
Although a storm started as the store’s event began, the thunder and rain added to the atmosphere, said Ruth Saffry, who served the butterbeer and other brews.
Though it was created for fun, it was also a tribute to the books by J. K. Rowling.
“The world she’s created is so detailed and rich that you can do all this,” Werner said.
After finding their way out of the Forbidden Forest in Atalanta’s attic, fans Alexandria Berg, 12, Jennifer Westerman, 12, and Mark Westerman had a few hours of time to kill until the book release at midnight.
Berg wore her Hufflepuff costume and some radish earrings, inspired by character Luna Lovegood.
She said she’s wondered whether Ron and Hermoine, two of Harry’s pals in the series, will end up together and whether Harry lives or dies in the book.
Jennifer Westerman had some of her own thoughts on the book.
“Voldemort is gonna die. He has to,” she said of series’ most evil character.
Mark Westerman had his own theory about Harry Potter’s fate.
“I bet you he turns evil,” he said.
Deanna Ivans also arrived at Atalanta’s a few hours before the book release. She read the sixth Harry Potter book, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”, in about eight hours and hopes to have the book read by the time she has to be at work at 10:30 a.m. today.
Although she doesn’t have many expectations for the book, she has her own predictions.
“I think Dumbledore is really alive and that Snape isn’t evil,” she said, adding Dumbledore “isn’t the type to beg for his life.”
Ivans has read and re-read the books for the past six years, including the “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”, which she’s read 11 times. She expects reading the last book to be a little sad.
“It’s like losing a friend,” she said. “J.K. Rowling just created this fantasy that you could get lost in.”
Brothers Josh Van Meter and Gabe Rodriguez arrived at Hasting’s in Sierra Vista about three hours before the book release. They planned to spend their time reading and listening to music in the store before getting their copies of the book.
“I’m hoping the butterbeer keeps me together,” Van Meter said.
Van Meter said he’s felt like he’s grown up with the characters in the series.
“You can kind of relate to them,” he said.
Ken Smith waited with a few of his friends at Hasting’s for his copy and planned to finish reading the book by Sunday morning if he can keep it from his mom and sister, who already started “calling dibs” on who can read the copy next.
HERALD/REVIEW reporter Laura Ory can be reached at 515-4683.
Styx wrote on Jul 22, 2007 1:36 PM: