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Harry Potter Fans Party in Bookstores as New ‘Cursed Child’ Book Is Released at Midnight Worldwide

Harry Potter
Harry Potter fans line up in order to be the first to receive the new Harry Potter script book inside Waterstones bookshop on Piccadilly in central London on July 30, 2016.

Line up, Potterheads! Harry Potter fans around the world lined up at their local bookstores to celebrate the midnight release of the beloved series’ eighth book, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, on Sunday, July 31.

The new story, which is set 19 years after the events of seventh novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, follows an adult Potter and his son Albus Severus. The book is the rehearsal script of the two-part West End stage play of the same name, which premiered in London on Saturday, July 30.

Related: PHOTOS: Harry Potter Stars: Then & Now

The release of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child screenplay — which was written by original author J.K. Rowling with Jack Thorne and John Tiffany — is timed perfectly, as Sunday is both Potter and Rowling’s birthday.

Eager fans took to social media as they purchased the eighth installment overnight in Europe, Australia and more.

“ITS SO PRETTY #HPScriptBook #CursedChild,” one user captioned a Twitter photo of the Cursed Child books stacked up at his local bookshop.

Related: PHOTOS: Harry Potter Stars as Kids

Another user shared a photo of fellow Potterheads — clad in Hogwarts clothing, of course — lined up, waiting to purchase their copies. “And the people just keep on coming,” she wrote.

Harry Potter
A ‘Harry Potter’ fan dressed as a character from the books poses for a photograph inside Waterstones bookshop on Piccadilly in central London on July 30, 2016.

Earlier on Saturday, Rowling, 50, thanked fans who caught an early glimpse of the stage play and kept the story a secret for patient readers.

Related: PHOTOS: Celeb Scribes

“It’s the most extraordinary fandom so I’m kind of not surprised because they didn’t want to spoil it for each other,” she told the BBC. “I’m so happy we got here without ruining everything.”

Find a midnight release party near you on Scholastic’s website!

Tell Us: Are you picking up Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at midnight?

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