Wizarding fans celebrate 'Deathly Hallows' release

Pottermania hit Utah hard Friday evening with only hours before the much-anticipated release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the seventh and final volume in the Harry Potter series.

"This is cool. I don't want it to end. I'm afraid to read the book," said Cyndee Derbidge of Centerville.

Fans around the state joined in the melee with magical release parties culminating with the distribution of the book. Bookstores and libraries transformed into Diagon Alley, the Leaky Cauldron and classrooms from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Salt Lake City Library's Midnight Muggle Madness celebration was expected to attract over 5,000 Harry Potter fans.

"For a book to make this much hype is pretty cool," said Stephanie Costa, a member of the library's Harry Potter task force, which put the celebration together. "It's not just kids who are excited."

Participants in the library's celebration could take their turn under the Sorting Hat to find which of the four houses they would be placed, find all eight golden snitches hidden around the library to win a prize or step into a Hogwarts classroom to learn about herbology, potions, charms, defense against the dark arts or care of magical creatures.

Tia, Derek and Jordan Derbidge, all 10, were waiting for their turn under the Sorting Hat. Tia, as the friendly one, hoped for Hufflepuff, while Derek liked Ravenclaw, and Jordan, Slytherin, because he's a fan of snakes, his mom, Cyndee Derbidge, said.

Rebecca Enke, 10, and her cousin, Emma Sargent, 12, enjoyed the fortune telling and were anticipating the potions class.

"I'm excited to get my book at midnight," Emma said, noting she doesn't think Harry is a Horcrux. In the book, a Horcrux is a piece of Lord Voldemort's soul, and in order to defeat him, Harry must eliminate all seven Horcruxes. Because of a prophecy in "Order of the Phoenix," many fans believe Harry is one himself.

At The Children's Hour in Salt Lake City, Potter fun started at 10 p.m. with murals made of sidewalk chalk, a trivia contest and predictions for the fate of the boy wizard. Customers went on a treasure hunt around the neighborhood to find the books just in time for the midnight release.

"After people read the book, we'll give a prize to the person whose (prediction) is the closest," said Diane Etherington, owner of the store.

It was a giant block party at The King's English Bookshop, 1511 S. 1500 East, as the block between Kensington and Emerson Streets was closed for the release party.

"We've renamed all the stores on the block to different stores on Diagon Alley," said Anne Holman, store manager. "We have face painting, henna tatoos and a magician doing magic."

Of course, speculation about how the series will end ran high.