J.K. Rowling's Charity to Publish 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard' !

It's her and Harry's birthday, but J.K. Rowling is giving us and charity a very special gift.

This morning, Scholastic announced that Jo's children's charity, the Children’s High Level Group (CHLG), will be publishing The Tales of Beedle the Bard !

Jo said: "There was understandable disappointment among Harry Potter fans when only one copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard was offered to the public last December. I am therefore delighted to announce that, thanks to the generous support of Bloomsbury, Scholastic and Amazon (who bought the handwritten copy at auction) – and with the blessing of the wonderful people who own the other six original books - The Tales of Beedle the Bard will now be widely available to all Harry Potter fans. Royalties will be donated to the Children’s High Level Group, to benefit institutionalised children in desperate need of a voice. The new edition will include the Tales themselves, translated from the original runes by Hermione Granger, and with illustrations by me, but also notes by Professor Albus Dumbledore, which appear by generous permission of the Hogwarts Headmasters’ Archive."

Scholastic predicts the books will generate around $8 million in sales; money which will of course be going to CHLG and unprotected and powerless children and teenagers around the world which live in unacceptable conditions and institutions all over Europe.

Happy Birthday, J.K. Rowling and Harry !

J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter both celebrate their birthdays today, and we all wish they're as magical as possible!

Have a great time, guys!

Also, Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon in the Harry Potter films) celebrates his birthday today as well. Happy Birthday!

Rupert Grint speaks about HBP Teaser Trailer

Rupert Grint spoke with MTV about the upcoming film Cherrybomb in which he stars, and also talked about the Half-Blood Prince teaser trailer, addressing those who would have liked more scenes:

“It’s only a teaser, just to get people excited."

In addition, he says that even though he hasn't seen the teaser trailer yet, he is happy that "there is a shot of him in the trailer, as it was from one of his favourite scenes from the film."

The Half-Blood Prince Teaser Trailer has been released!

Yes, it's here! The Half-Blood Prince teaser trailer is now online, and it can be seen both here on this site as well as on AOL Moviefone in three wonderful formats.

More - and longer - trailers should also appear soon; keep checking back !

21 / 7 / 200...7: A Year Ago Today...

On the Saturday 21st of the 7th month of 2007, the 7th Harry Potter book was released to fans worldwide. After 10 years the novel series came to an end: bringing with it surprises, tears, satisfaction and a peculiar happiness, a fulfillment. For though we were sad the end was near, we nevertheless pored hungrily over the pages of Deathly Hallows to live Harry's last adventure. Some of us rushed through, while others delayed their appointment with the last page to read and enjoy the book fully.

But even though the final word - 'well', not 'scar' ;) - has been written, Harry Potter still lives inside the devoted reader. There are still three whole films to come, the encyclopedia, a theme-park and who-knows-what else on the way. For even though some of us have moved on to other series, other stories, other parts of our lives, while the rest are as Potter-immersed as we ever were, all of us know that there's still a ton of things to come; and that Harry Potter is still a part of our lives.

Edinburgh's "The Balmoral" Hotel offers 'J.K. Rowling Suite'

"The Balmoral" Hotel in Edinburgh offers the room in which Jo finished writing Deathly Hallows, renamed, with the author's permission, 'J.K. Rowling Suite'. The cost is £965 per night, as The Telegraph reports.

The suite is number 552, and representatives of the hotel say that since the suite was aired on ITV1’s JK Rowling: A Year in the Life documentary last December, “wealthy fans from across the world have stayed there, specifically requesting the suite.” A hotel source told the Telegraph that the 180-square-foot room is exactly the same as when JKR wrote there, including the writing desk she used “as well as the queen-size bed in which she slept. ” (Though she used the room as an office, and returned home at night.)

The hotel also has on display the marble bust of Hermes on which J.K. Rowling wrote “JK Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in this room (552) on 11th Jan 2007.” You can see a picture here. The bust was originally removed from the room, but has now been replaced and sits in a glass case.

The room also now has a brass plaque on the front door and a brass owl instead of a door knocker.

'Wizarding World of Harry Potter' Signs Appear

New pictures from the Harry Potter theme park at the Universal Studios, scheduled to open in December 2009, have surfaced on IOACentral. They depict signs which feature “two owls around Hogwarts castle, and a symbol representing Hogsmeade.”Additional photos show that the Enchanted Oak, rumoured to be turned into something Potter-related, is already being torn down.

More updates to come later!

HBP IMAX 3D Teaser Trailer released !

The very brief Half-Blood Prince teaser trailer has now been released; it features a plain black background, Dumbledore's voice along with the HBP and IMAX 3D titles.

Cedric's death in GoF a 'classic', says EW

Entertainment Weekly has selected the top 25 ''new classic'' death scenes, and Cedric Diggory's murder by Peter Pettigrew in the graveyard in the fourth film is in at number three of the list.

Jason Isaacs talks about 'Deathly Hallows' role

Jason Isaacs, the actor who portrays Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films spoke about his possible role in the seventh movie:

"I am not in number six unfortunately, but I hope to be in number seven which starts next year and I haven't seen the scripts. If I am not in it I will be picketing the set to be sure."

However, as Lucius plays a considerably more significant role in Deathly Hallows compared to Half-Blood Prince, he'll probably be coming back for the seventh film.