“5…4…3…2…1! Harry, Harry, Harry, Harry,” came roaring shouts from the crowd of hundreds packed into Barnes & Noble bookstore Friday night. The occasion? A 12:01 a.m. release of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” the fifth book in the wildly successful Harry Potter series about a boy wizard.
The celebration began at 10 p.m., when the bookstore was swamped with children, parents and fans of all ages. Those who pre-ordered the book clutched their tickets for fear of not being one of the first to receive the book. Those who showed up hoping to get lucky waited in line for the chance to be part of history.
University professor Renee Edwards waited in a long, winding line to receive her chance at the new book.
“I have an 11 year old…we are getting the book for him,” she said. “I read them aloud to our family.”
The Harry Potter phenomenon began in September 1998 with the release of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by British author J.K. Rowling. After the first book was produced into a popular feature film, three other books followed, “The Chamber of Secrets” (also a motion picture), “The Prisoner of Azkaban” and “The Goblet of Fire.”
“I wanted the book but I didn’t want it to be this crazy,” said general studies senior Kent Falting. “I didn’t know 8 million people would suddenly learn how to read.”
With the release of “Order of the Phoenix,” J.K. Rowling’s creation has taken on a life of its own, taking children from their TV sets and encouraging them to read.
Americans young and old are swept up in the magical books, written on a 9 to 12 year old reading level.
“It’s written on two levels; it appeals to children, but then it’s subject matter that adults understand,” said Pre-kindergarten teacher Liza Armshaw.
The Harry Potter extravaganza was filled with fans of all ages wearing elaborate costumes, authentic striped scarves and tattoos of Harry’s signature lightning-bolt scar. Barnes & Noble employees handed out replicas of Harry’s glasses and other accessories to patrons.
“I don’t think we were expecting this many people; we have a great turnout,” said Barnes & Noble employee and kinesiology senior Stephanie Nunez. “I love this. It’s so much fun.”
Armshaw brought her two children to see the characters and said her family owns everything from the books to audio CDs of the Harry Potter series.
A character hard-to-miss attendee of the celebration was the yellow-caped John Graham, in character as Gilderoy Lockhart, a defense against the dark arts professor at Harry Potter’s Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His long hair and black attire set him apart from the hordes of children surrounding him.
A film major at Savannah College of Art and Design, Graham convinced the youngsters that he was Gilderoy Lockhart, speaking with a heavy accent and signing photos for the eager children.
Never getting out of character, Graham led the children around in search of a camera crew.
“All the young can unite under the bounds of liberation to enjoy creativity and humor,” he said, still in character. “The fact that the old and young can experience something together is great.”
Margret Lipscomb is a consumer relations representative for Wells-Fargo, but on Friday she was dressed as Professor McGonagall from Hogwarts School. An avid fan, she said the reason Harry Potter is so popular is because it’s fun. “There’s no other word to describe it; it’s just fun,” she said.
Children asked for her autograph and she eloquently spoke with an English accent as she posed for pictures.
At 12:01 a.m., the book officially went on sale, and the pandemonium began. A voice over the loudspeaker tried to call out ticket numbers for the lucky few who received the book first.
“I’m so scared. This is absolutely insane,” architecture senior and Barnes and Noble Employee Sarah Guthrie said.
White boxes filled with copies of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” were dollied behind the counter, creating huge stacks of the books that constantly need to be refreshed.
“Why do I feel like a roadie for J.K. Rowling?” one laborer joked.
Jamie Broussard, a sophomore at Redemptorist High School, was one of the first to receive the book.
“I didn’t really expect to be one of the first, it was just by chance,” she said. “I’m going to enjoy reading it.”
Outside, 11-year-old fifth grader Kayce Nice was already seven pages in to her five-minute-old purchase.
Clutching the dark blue skinned book to her chest, there was a twinkle in her eyes.
“I was the third person to get one,” she said. “I was so surprised. I knew everyone was going to try and get the books. I knew it was going to be crazy. We had to get here at 8:20 [p.m.]. I might stay up all night.”