Potter fever rises as covers revealed

THE burning question of whether schoolboy wizard Harry Potter lives or dies will be revealed in the seventh and final installment of the saga which will hit the shelves on July 21.

The covers of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows have been revealed with the children’s edition featuring an illustration of a distinctly grown-up-looking Harry, Hermione and Ron.

The adult edition has a photograph of a locket bearing a serpentine “S” — believed to be the “horcrux” in which the evil Lord Voldemort keeps a fragment of his soul.

Both were released yesterday by publisher Bloomsbury to whet appetites before the book hits the shelves. They will be used throughout the world on the English language editions, although the US edition will have different illustrations.

Ms Rowling has spoken of her sadness at ending Harry’s adventures.

“I always knew that Harry’s story would end with the seventh book, but saying goodbye has been just as hard as I always knew it would be,” she wrote on her website.

“I can hardly believe that I’ve finally written the ending I’ve been planning for so many years. I’ve never felt such a mixture of extreme emotions in my life, never dreamed I could feel simultaneously heartbroken and euphoric.

“One thing has stopped me collapsing in a puddle of misery on the floor. While each of the previous Potter books has strong claims on my affections, Deathly Hallows is my favourite and that is the most wonderful way to finish the series.”

The adventure series is mostly set in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and focuses on Harry’s fight against the evil wizard Lord Voldemort, who used the Dark Arts to kill Potter’s parents.

Since the release of the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 1997, the books have spawned films, video games and assorted merchandise.

The six books published to date have collectively sold more than 325 million copies, and have been translated into more than 63 languages, making Rowling the richest writer in literary history, worth an estimated €1.1 billion.

While a statement on Bloomsbury.com says the company no longer releases first print information, it is rumoured that the initial print run is expected to be 12 million copies. There are 608 pages in the Bloomsbury edition, making it the second-longest book in the series.

The book is available for pre-order from a number of websites, including Amazon.com at £8.99 (€13.24 excluding delivery costs), or from Easons at €16.09.