Millions of Harry Potter fans are returning to the magical world of the young wizard today after the eagerly-awaited sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was unveiled in a witching-hour spectacle.
Thousands of copies are expected to be sold in Ireland over the next 24 hours - and 10 million worldwide.
Hundreds of bookworms queued through the night in Ireland to get their hands on the latest adventure, expected to become the fastest-selling book in history.
Multi-millionaire author JK Rowling last night offered fans a first glimpse of the 607-page tome as she read from her work at Edinburgh castle.
The historic surroundings were transformed into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in a celebration of the book's publication at one minute past midnight. Rowling told the Scottish Press Association it meant "everything" to be in her home city for the launch. She said: "I left my daughter behind with a copy of the book.
It is the first time she has had her hands on it. "When I left she was laughing at something, which was quite encouraging, you can imagine." Her work had earlier been shrouded in secrecy - with the identity of a central character who perishes keenly protected.
The novel, said to be "pivotal" in the Harry Potter story, focuses on the history of Lord Voldemort and the young wizard's own past, ending with the grieving teenager preparing for an epic new mission. Midnight signalled the start of a frenzied buying spree across the world, which will see statistics as mind boggling as some of Rowling's plot lines.
A number of retailers, including Eason on Dublin's O'Connell St opened at midnight to sell the first copies to eagerly queuing Harry Portter fans.
However, the launch is not without controversy after below cost selling row erupted between book sellers and large retail chains like Tesco and Dunnes Stores.
Tesco announced it would be selling the book for €12.99. This was followed by Dunnes Stores announcing the book would be on sale for €9.99, less than half the recommended retail price of €25.99
According booksellers, the cost of buying the book wholesale is approximately €16 per copy. Booksellers claim the below cost selling by the retail chains will have a enormous negative impact on small booksellers.
The first five Harry Potter books have sold more than 265 million copies in 200 countries and have been translated into 62 languages. end