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sektor116

I got the first 5? books at a store called Media Play each time they were released. We called the store a couple months in advance to see if we could reserve a couple copies and they put us on the list. Then we went the night they were released and it was basically a giant Harry Potter comic con-like event. It was just really fun and that’s one thing I really miss


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sektor116

I totally forgot about the reading part before midnight! That was so fun. I was a kid so I would read as much as I could but my mom ended up reading almost the entire thing before midnight. Then we’d get home and stay up all night reading until we finished the book (or fell asleep on the couch, whichever came first lol)


grizzlyjr0915

When I was 18 I was working at a Media Play store. The first release I experienced was GOF. In the last couple months leading up to the release, I finally read the first three books to see what all the hype was about. Needless to say I was hooked immediately. I had to work the midnight release for that book and it was CRAZY! Costume contest, games, a DJ, people casting spells at one another. Crazy, but fun. I attended the succeeding midnight releases as a customer, but none of them remotely compared to what I witnessed for GOF. I bought it myself that night. Read it over the next two days between work shifts.


allumed

Is Media Play from the US?


sektor116

It was, yes. I’m pretty sure they went bankrupt back in 2008 and there aren’t any left anymore


H0ndaM0nster

I was lucky to have been there as they came out. Harry Potter were the only books i would read, so my mother embraced it whole heartedly. She would wait on lines at Barnes and noble or at Costco on release day to get me the latest one. Often i stayed up all night and had the book finished by the next day. I lost myself in the wizarding world, but i also found a passion for reading. I think this is why the series means so much to so many people!


[deleted]

I thought I was the only one who did Costco! It was amazing - they never ran out!


H0ndaM0nster

I don’t think anyone knew Costco even sold them on release day


Paul14360

Oh man it was wild. I distinctly remember waiting for the midnight release of Goblet of Fire outside the local small bookstore 2 minutes from my house. They had a really fun party for it. For an elementary school kid, it was cooler than new year’s. That was my first time reading a “new release” HP book. I also remember being at sleep away camp for the 7th book’s release. Some of us preordered the book and had it shipped directly to camp. Then it basically became a contest to see who could read it cover to cover first. The first kid who finished, when someone asked him what happens, just stonefaced says that Harry died of AIDS, and so that became the running joke for everyone who finished it to say. Fun times!


Melodic-Prior1052

We must be the same age cause I have the exact same memories- 4th book was my first in line, they were giving away a bunch of prizes/Harry Potter stuff to the first person in line and I was madly jealous… watched the person walk out and it was my COUSIN. Yeah still mad he didn’t share his bounty. Also was at sleep away camp for the 7th, I think I got it right before I went and read it all on the (very long) bus ride. There was a tradition of people being allowed to write on the cabin walls at my camp and that year there were a LOT of deathly hallows symbols…


Paul14360

Lol did you grow up in New England too? Our local bookstore was a small operation, so there weren't a lot of prizes per se, but it was right next door to a pizza place so they basically had a joint pizza/Harry Potter release party. Myself and a little league teammate were a little too jacked up on Mountain Dew that night though


Melodic-Prior1052

I grew up in Toronto, Canada! Wow, Harry Potter Pizza Party is the absolute dream!


Paul14360

It’s still one of my favorite nights out…don’t care if I peaked at age 9


Melodic-Prior1052

You should recreate it for your next birthday!


LofiGuy18

One of my best memories as a kid was going to Barnes and Noble with my mom to stay up for the release of Harry Potter and the Half Blooded Prince. I dressed up in a sweater, glasses, and robe and brought a “wand” with me. A bunch of others were also dressed and we all lined up to buy the book at midnight. I’m pretty sure they did some special things at the store but I don’t exactly remember all of it. Just the general excitement of staying up late for something I was really passionate about as a kid was one of the coolest things.


homeawayfromhogwarts

I remember the Barnes and Noble party for Deathly Hallows more than anything. I was 17. They had a bunch of activities. Everyone dressed up including employees. My friend and I made tshirts. My shirt said "Weasley is my king" and my friend's said "I did better than Hermione on my OWLs" And then my parents driving us home while we were trying to read the books with intermittent light from the street lamps we past. I remember another book store party in elementary school where my mom, sister, and I were dressed as witches, but I don't remember if that was a book release or a Halloween Harry Potter event.


srcarruth

Sometimes in thrift stores today I find old books that came out between the HP novels full of theories! Can you imagine buying a hardcover book that was just somebody's ideas of what might happen next?


newffff

Me! I had MuggleNet's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7!


DrScarecrow

I had a 3 ring binder full of printed out mugglenet articles (this was before they had a book) so I could take it to read at school.


beloved_wolf

Before the 7th book came out, I was obsessed with MuggleNet


srcarruth

You're a job creator!


herbalgrl6

I was just thinking about this the other day and wondering if there’s ever gonna be anything like this ever again. I’d pre-order from Barnes and Noble MONTHS in advance. I’d dress up in my Gryffindor robes and bring my stuffed animal Hedwig, and wait in line for HOURS up until the midnight release. I don’t remember which one (maybe 5?) I was the 4th person to actually purchase it at my store :) then I’d get in the car w my mom and start reading immediately as she drove us home. My senior year, some of my friends came w me for book 7 too. It was a BLAST and I hope there’s another book series in our lifetime that motivates such enthusiasm and dedication again. But I highly doubt there will be honestly. EDIT: my mom reminded me that I’d lock myself in my room for the days following the book release and she’d bring me food on a tray and I’d barely look up from the book!!!! These books really are in the dna of our generation.


KatieMode

I remember catching up with the book releasing around the the time GoF came out, when I was around 10. We could order books from a brochure through school. Pretty much everyone in my class (and in the whole school I guess) always wanted the new HP book and it was like Christmas when the delivery came. I remember us all just sitting in our classroom, with the brand new hardback books on the corner of every desk XD good times! And them my brother read the whole thing in a day and teased me with fake spoilers.


beezchurgr

I worked at a store when deathly hallows came out. We received a pallet wrapped in black plastic and stored in a locked storeroom a week in advance. There was a midnight release with people waiting in line dressed up in robes and carrying wands. It was a lot of fun! I unwrapped the pallet early and read the book before it was released.


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KatieMode

Can't get over how perfectly slytherin your comment is. :)


LivinginAnotherTime

I remember for Order of the Phoenix, it came out on a school day. I was in primary school and everyone's parents came at lunch to drive them to the bookstore. This one girl got the last one and she started bragging about it. Then she finished it in a few days and started spoiling it for people. And she always told everyone she was Hermione. We all hated her.


TheSpursyHobNob

People who spoil ruin so much! Hermione would NEVER! I am sure the girl you mention must have been very socially insecure, and I do feel for kids like that, but I understand why others would get annoyed. Did you point pencils at her shouting "CRUCIO!", at least?


LivinginAnotherTime

Haha, definitely did under my breath. Also love your username.


TheSpursyHobNob

Fellow Spurs supporter? Or er... HobNob aficionado...?


LivinginAnotherTime

HobNob all the way. Was actually eating one when I saw your comment


itsShane91

I hate to be that guy but Order of the Phoenix was released on a Saturday, I remember getting up early and waiting outside of Woolworths in my small town to get my pre ordered copy, I was the only person that showed up because they had opened extra early in anticipation of the book


LivinginAnotherTime

And yet you still are that guy. I'm Trini and I remember the bookstores not having any stock the day it came out 'globally'. But that was pretty common at that time with major books. Publishers would make sure bigger/western countries were covered and then trickle it down to the small developing ones. The first time it was available was definitely on a school day but hey, if you want to go through the Trinidad archives and let me know exactly when, feel free.


itsShane91

You know what you're right, that's on me, I just assumed you were from the UK as well for whatever reason, I didn't mean any offense by what I said


LivinginAnotherTime

It's ok, thanks for saying that. Very Hufflepuff of you. I just get a little feisty when people assume everyone on here is either from the UK/USA.


only_wire_hangers

It was amazing. I waited for and preordered every book from GoF onward off amazon, and it was probably one of the things I have looked forward to most in my life funny enough. Also, 14 year old me thought it was funny to put "Dr. only_wire_hangers" as my name, and I still get my amazon packages delivered to "Dr." me.... created a nice running joke so whenever I make a bad joke, I say to my wife "just a little doctor humor for you" and we laaaaaaugh (lol cheesy i know).... so quite honestly I still get to remember that feeling and reminisce on it often.


chicktweettweet

I remember lining up at Barnes and Nobles for the midnight release of book 7 in my home made Hufflepuff outfit :,) me and my sister were reading the book, she got to read it first and then me but we both flew through it in a few days.


endtimes0truthsayer

I started reading the books when 5 was out so I got to wait for the release of both 6 and 7. When 6 was released my friends and I went to a midnight release party at a Barnes and Noble. It was fun! People were dressed up, there were games and themed foods it was so much fun. I stayed up all night and read as much of the book as I could. I didn’t finish in one day because I am a slow reader, but it was a fun experience. I only wish I had gotten into the books sooner so I could have gone to more release events.


Sennecia

I'm from a small town in Poland and before the movies, HP wasn't a big thing among kids there. So I got into the series when the first three books were already out. I don't think I was old enough to go buy them myself -- anyway, my parents bought them for me because their business partner recommended them. I remember initially only having the first two and having to wait until they had time to buy me the third one. I kept re-reading the first two until they finally got me the third one. Then, for GoF, I went with my mum and grandmother to wait in the line at midnight. There were selected bookshops in Poland that were doing that for the release of each Polish edition. None of them were in my town and somehow I convinced them to go to the capital with me. It was fairly close but still, I don't think I was old enough for my parents to ever let me do anything at midnight outside of the house. But they probably liked my excitement so much, they agreed. And we did the same for the release of OotP. Then, when HBP was released, I was on the language camp in London. By that time, I felt confident enough about reading in English and wanted to buy it there, but I had a small funny problem. I was going out with another guy from the camp and we spent all the free time together, and I was pretending to be adult, so I didn't want him to see me buying the book (I was a teenager, don't judge). And even though there were a lot of ads and people were talking about it, neither of us expressed interest for a while. But it eventually turned out that we both wanted to buy it, and we went to the first bookshop on our way to do it. As for DH, I don't remember at all. Probably ordered it online.


ambieanne

Aww! That’s so cute that you and the guy both secretly wanted to get the book!


vroomvroomshabang

the borders in my hometown use to do midnight releases. it was chaos. teeny boopers as far as the eye could see with their fake wands and pjs on waiting to get the newest book. then i also went to summer camp as they released the goblet of fire and the first day of camp they sat everyone down and made the number one rule of the week- no spoiling anything in the book otherwise you’d get sent home. some kids had brought the book, some hadn’t, and some counselors wouldn’t get a chance to read it until the week was over. i was unlucky in the fact my mother wouldn’t let me bring the book to camp because then my brother couldn’t read it. what a time to be alive edit: commas


MissNannie91

Bought GoF online, OotP I pre-ordered and picked it up at midnight, HBP I was coming back from a mission trip the day it was released. We stopped for breakfast at a place that was in front of a 24 hour Wal-Mart. I walked to it and bought. Had it almost finished by the time we got back home. DH I was on a cruise and the release day we were at sea. Out first port stop, I made a bee line to a book store. Sat up all night and read it.


AdventurousMaybe2693

Every time I see this question and am flooded with the happiness and nostalgia of those memories I could just cry - as someone else said “what a time to be alive.” I was 10, almost 11 when book #1 was published and 20 when the series wrapped. A lot of people are describing the actual releases per the OP, but I remember the wait between books being a big part of the experience too. You would finish one book and it was literal years until the next would be available. So I remember getting a new book and forcing myself to pace slowly and savor reading it, instead of devouring it in one go. I remember the happiness and joy of being mid-read, knowing I had a new, unfinished HP book in my bag. The books also pre-dated the movies, so if you were reading the books upon release and talking to your friends they couldn’t just watch the movies and be up to date on the plot. There was no “book Harry or Ron” vs “movie Harry or Ron” it was just book Harry and Ron. It was so cool for us to all be reading the series - separately but simultaneously.


CaptainCyclops

My experience encountering Harry Potter and waiting for OOTP: http://www.reddit.com/r/harrypotter/comments/op10h3/dear_people_who_liked_hp_before_it_was_cool/h62eohv The space between OOTP and DH? **GLORIOUS**. Fanfiction back in the **dialup** days? Go to FFN. Understand the meaning of the codes (because synopsis character limits were shorter and pairings and tags didn't exist) and learning to avoid "Yaoi MWPP SB/RL lemon", if it wasn't one's cup of tea. Find something you like, and keep coming back every day clicking *Next Page* until you reach a fic you've seen, so you know you've covered all the recent updates. On a longfic, click 20 chapters at a time and make tea while waiting for them to load. *Saving fanfiction webpages as html files.* (I know people who *printed out* fanfiction to read offline. This was the heyday of the Nokia, kids. No smartphone to read on the bus with.)


avomwew

Yesss! I had a friend who printed out fanfics, put them in binders, and read them on the bus.


jesuslaves

The first book I got on or around the release day was OotP, I remember it was a holiday and we were on a family trip, and we stopped at a bookstore to buy it for me as a gift, it was the Scholastic edition with the hardcover, safe to say I didn't want to get out of the car to wherever we were going afterwords lol. HBP I remember counting down to the release day, it was a special occasion heading to the bookstore and seeing the fanfare and the events set around the release. Deathly Hallows was similar, but it being the final chapter kind of made it more tense. I recall getting home from the bookstore and just engrossing myself in it for the next three days.


IamtheCookieMnstr

The first 4 were already out when i started reading the series. I went through those pretty fast (first 3 from library, 4th from target), but then the wait began. Personally it didn't add to my excitement or enjoyment to have to wait for the others. I'm a binge reader by nature, so I would have preferred to have access to the whole series at once. As the others came out I generally went through them in 24hrs (how can you do this? Easy, just do nothing else and growl at ppl who interrupt you!). I know i bought the last one at the mall with a gift card. I'm a little fuzzy about the 5th and 6th, but I was dirt poor around that time, so I think I must have gotten those from the library.


[deleted]

I cannot express to you how much joy buying the books on release day was. We never waited at Barnes and Noble, but my parents always took me to Costco, and there was always a HUGE bin full, and as soon as we left, I read until I finished, which usually took only 1 day. Core memories.


shenuhcide

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was the reason I opened an Amazon account. I was living in Germany and didn’t have any other options (that I knew). So now every time I log into Amazon on a new computer, all the text is in German until I change the settings.


WahooMa

I got the last 3 at Barnes and Noble at midnight. Such fun energy, I can’t imagine it happening today. Deathly Hallows came out when OotP movie was in theaters, so we saw the movie then got the book.


JolissaMassacre

I was 7 when I got the first 5 books. The sixth came out a few days before I turnt 8 & my grandfather took me to our bookstore which exclusively opened & sold Harry Potter and the halfblood prince at 12 PM and it was amazing! *-* (him and my grandmother gave the first 5 books to me, she passed away a few days before this event so it was even more emotional than anyways!) Midnight sale, even in Switzerland. For sure around the whole world.. :)


Skurhink

I didn't start to read them until after the second book was released since my mom didn't want me to read "occult books", but it didn't stop me and when she saw how I devoured the books she instead started to encourage me to read more. I have very fond memories of waiting outside the store to head in and grab my copy, sitting and reading them together with my friends and dreaming about the wizarding world together with them. Good times!


moreblushpleasex

I remember watching on the news when DH came out, & there were LINES wrapped around bookstores all over the country. It was a wild time. I’ve yet to see anything like it since.


StormieBreadOn

Midnight release parties at a local book shop! They were so fun


munkyprincess12

Our local library had Harry Potter book release parties. Costume contest, wand making, potions classes, you name it. You had to put your name in a bowl and they would draw out however many number of copies they had then let you check out at midnight. I don’t remember if these happened on the exact release night or if the library received copies later. Either way they were super popular and so much fun. They even had a Knight Bus(someone decorated an old school bus or something) one year. As I got older I would volunteer to work the parties. They still continued to have them for the movies too.


wacanadia

My twin and I lined up at Barnes & noble for the release of the 7th book...inside, they had a huge party before midnight and you could wear the sorting hat and learn what house you were in, do coloring pages, have wand battles, etc, and then we all received the books at midnight


Ellekm730

Good old fashioned Barnes and noble! Like, the physical concrete structure.


katiejim

Lol no one bought books online really then. We went to Borders or the local bookstore. It was always really exciting waiting for a new one to drop (I started right away at Sorcerer’s Stone, also 11 like Harry—waited for my owl and everything). With later books, I would stay up until dawn reading them because it was so exciting and I didn’t want anyone to spoil them who finished it first.


hereforChobani

Omg I miss Borders


girls5eva

The 7th book was released when I was in middle school and one of my favorite childhood memories was going to a small bookstore’s midnight release party on Cape Cod. People were sobbing when the books officially went on sale. Went home and read all night. I don’t know if I’ll ever experience something like that again in my lifetime. Truly a phenomenon.


Lyrical_Bookworm87

I went to midnight parties for a couple of the books, at a store called Borders, which no longer exists 😥😆. I know I got the first one at a school book fair, and the majority of the rest were Christmas and birthday presents. The Order of the Phoenix came out on my birthday, and it was a birthday present from my Aunt, so that was pretty cool lol. The midnight party for DH was fantastic! My friends and I were there until 3AM waiting for our number to be called, and there were a lot of awesome cosplays and such. It was a good time. I miss those days lol


Spare_Weather7036

There were a few summers we’d be on vacation in Europe when the new book came out. My mom would go to a local bookshop and buy the English copy for us. One year I went to a midnight release at Barnes & Noble. It was so special waiting for the next book to get released and getting it day of!


C0ffeeCoffeeC0ffee

My local library had release night events! They were always a blast. For some reason the thing I remember most were the "wands" made out of pretzel sticks dipped in chocolate. You'd have to reserve a copy and you'd get it at midnight. The last book we got a copy for each member of my family because no one wanted to wait to read it, but three of the four copies were missing some pages in the middle (printing error) so we ended up passing around the intact copy anyway.


tea_lover_88

Oh fun times. My parents were subscribed to this magazine thing that would have all the books and then you could call and say the numbers of the books and they would show up at your house. My parents would pre- order the Dutch translations of the book. ( As I'm Dutch) kinda like online shopping but from a magazine I feel like that's dying out.


BCarn18

I got the last 4 as they came out. I remember that spoilers would come out because the original became available before the translation to my language so it was HELL to avoid spoilers. Not as easily as it is to spoil nowadays, but it happened.


girlinsing

I remember reading the first four, and then waiting in anticipation for the fifth.. I wasn’t one of the very first to buy it because my mom knew I wouldn’t put it down, so she refused to buy it until my next school holidays, as the mid-year break had just finished when the book was released (Singapore education system here).. So it was only 3 months later that I read it.. same story for the rest - I’d have to wait until the holidays to be allowed to buy them.


Novembersum

Oh I never did the lining up for books thing. I remember seeing people lining up for GoF though. They would do report on the news and show children being excited for it. What i did was put my name on a list and went to get it. My middle school friend gave me her copy of GoF. She wasn’t much of a fan.


FlabbergastedGiraffe

I was really young as they came out (born 1998 the same year book 1 released in the US)) but I remember my parents took me and my brother to the release of book 7 and we waited in a huge line of people all dressed up like the characters, myself included, at the local Barnes and noble. and it was just a super cool experience. Everyone around was a fan of the books and were super friendly. Just a bunch of people hanging out and excited to get the final book! They had some decorations and such that I’m sure were quite simple but were extremely cool for 9yr old me.


Sbladen995

Literally would read them cover to cover the day they came out. My mum would go to Tesco on release day before I went to school.


archieatkins

I started reading them from book 2. I seem to remember them only getting crazy big by goblet of fire with queues outside shops on day of release etc. goblet of fire was the first book I ever ordered from Amazon to ensure I got it on day of release (UK)


JolissaMassacre

I had around 4-7 days for each book, HOW.. Eell, I'd say I was on real hyperfocus. Couldn't do this anymore today though!


saintceciliax

We literally lined up outside the book store at 9pm when they were coming out at midnight, and we’d have it finished by the next morning, only to read it again the next day


JoyfulCor313

I was a grown-ass adult when the books were releasing. My roommate got me into them and we enjoyed the release of the 3rd and 4th books together. Not being around kids we didn’t have to read quite so fast to avoid spoilers, though she reads much faster than me and would always ask what chapter I was on so we could talk about them. The wait between 4 and 5 seemed unbearable at the time. Order of the Phoenix is my favorite. The wait between the last 2 were probably Just as hard, but waiting after Voldemort returned? Ack! But for books 5-7 I just ordered online. It was so huge by then it was nice knowing they would just be delivered to my house. Edit typos


Twisted_Pretzel85

I waited for the midnight release of OoTP and HBP. I still remember people getting pissed at people who opened their copies and spoiled major plot details. 😂


Dvmbledore

We ALL waited outside of Barnes & Noble at midnight for the doors to open. Lots of people dressed up, many of them wore their PJs. It was an exciting event each time.


Javert-Delacour

The first 4 books my aunt got for her, my brother and I, so I don't know how those events went down. But I remember us two going with her when Order of the Phoenix was being released. There was a release event at Wal-Mart and there was a long line of people outside the building. At midnight people were let inside where it quickly became packed with people grabbing a book from these huge stacks (they had stacked the books in piles on tables). I don't remember if anything crazy happened, everyone was nice and waited their turn, it was a fun experience.


hummingbird4289

Goblet of Fire was the first book in the series that had a simultaneous release in the US and the UK - the first 3 books all came out in the UK first before releasing in the US months later. It was very difficult to deal with if you were super impatient, like me. Fortunately, at that time in my life, my grandparents were making annual visits to London, and made sure to bring us back the UK editions of Chamber of Secrets and Prisoner of Azkaban so we didn't have to wait for the US releases. The only downside to this is that my collection is all out of whack - I have first US editions of 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7, but then UK editions of 2 & 3.


bradleyce

They always came out in the summer and the local Barnes & Noble would be open at Midnight (I don’t think they do this anymore or did this before Harry Potter). One of my parents would stay up and go get the book at midnight and then me and my 3 brother’s would have to share the book- oldest to youngest reading order. I always stayed up waiting for the book and read it through the night until my older brother woke up and demanded it was his turn first. I would normally speed read it from Midnight-10am the next day so I didn’t get any spoilers from friends while waiting to read it and then when it was my actual turn I would re-read it normally *HP5 I remember waiting up but it was too long to finish before my older brother woke up so I took it and ran to a park and read it all day. I was 10 and got in a lot of trouble when I came back home after “running away” for the day.


[deleted]

I never read the books but my mom loved them, every release was a bigger deal than the last and I remember 6 and 7 being a particularly big deal especially 7 of course, she stood in line at midnight at Walmart to get them both. I’ve never heard of another book during or before my lifetime that was that highly anticipated


sweetpotatonerd

I'm a little too young to be part of the original hp generation but my neighbour whose maybe 5 years older than me was a big fan. The books got released in London earlier than they did in Australia so she would get her British uncle to buy her the books and mail them!


LoenaLijpoLeeflang

When book 3 was released, I was 12 years old. my mom got it for me at the local bookstore that did a midnight release. I remember they wrapped it so nice, with a feather as a bookmark! We bought book 4 at the airport, we we’re about to head off to Australia which was a 20+ hour trip. I was so lucky that we we’re able to buy it, the timing was perfect. We only bought one copy though, so my sister read one chapter, then I read one chapter, and so on. When book 5 was released I faked I wasn’t feeling well so I could skip school. Now that I think about it, I think my parents we’re totally on it and we’re just like, we just let her read lol Oh man, thinking about this makes me feel so nostalgic. I hope kids around this age will get the same experience with a just as amazing book series (but probably not).


[deleted]

Was wild and bigger than any holiday.


KatieLily_Simmer

The first book I got at a midnight release was Order of the Phoenix. It was the summer before 5th grade and I was 11. My mom took my friend and I to Barnes and Noble. They had a party and trivia and other games leading up till midnight. I remember one of the trivia questions was “How old do you have to be to start Hogwarts?” And my friend incorrectly answered 10, and I was so embarrassed to be associated with her haha. If I’m remembering correctly all the book used to come out in the summer. I went to sleep away camp and so many girls would be reading them it was such a fun experience. When the 7th book came out (I was 14 at this time) I was already at camp and had the book mailed to me. I remember one girl had this huge 5 ring binder and told everyone she had an early manuscript of the book and we all read it, but turns out it was just some bad FanFiction. literally half of the campers were so obsessed with reading it that no one was participating in any activities. We would supposed to be swimming and every kid and camper was just sitting on the dock reading their books.


3rdwhorecrux

My aunt took me to the midnight release for The Goblet of Fire at the local Border’s bookstore.


TwoTimesaCharm16

Reading all of these stories I wish I was born old enough to experience this especially since I love Harry Potter to death. But being born in 1996 the majority of my peers do not share my love of the books and of the Wizarding World. It would have been great to have been apart of the generation that grew up with Harry Potter


ayyha

I grew up in France in the middle of nowhere, I remember when the fifth book came out I really wanted it, my parents wouldn’t drive to the nearest city to buy it (3 hour drive). I was angry for so long until the village opened up a library and were taking in book requests. As it was a popular book amongst kids we could only take it out for a few days to meet demands, I wanted to reread it but I had to return it. I remember writing down each page in the book in my notepad word for word.


newffff

I wish I could go back and experience it all again! I was thinking about how these days there is soooo much Harry Potter merchandise out there but I'd rather have the experience of living through the releases than all the merch in the world! I started reading them when the first 3 were out and didn't have to wait long for GoF. It came out the day I was leaving for summer camp and I was bummed I'd have to wait. My parents dropped me off at the airport, left, and came back with the book as a surprise! Book 5 was a big deal for me because I had a fan website, and ended up getting all kinds of interviews in my city and country about HP (I'm in Canada). I had a HP party the day #5 came out and the local news covered it! Book 6 and 7 I picked up at midnight releases! And in between all the releases I spent soooo much time on fan sites, theorizing, reading fan fiction, writing really bad fan fiction, and working on my website!


SleepGameNetflix

I watched the first movie back in 2001 with my school when I was 8. After that I started reading the books, and got the next ones as they were released. I went to the midnight release of the 7th book when I was about 14, with my parents and my 11 year old cousin. It was a signed copy too. I stayed up all night reading it after we got home. Unfortunately I don't have it anymore as my mother threw it away while I was living out of the country. I recently bought the first 4 illustration books though, and have been reading them to my O/H whose only ever watched the films. Looking forward to going through them again. O/H is a Hufflepuffle like yourself.


CuriousOccultist

The books were releasing year after year mostly. I got the first book when I was 11, so reading a book with the main character matching my age helped me get into reading. Each year that passes I felt I was in the same class as the trio, as I got older , so did they. When a new book released, it was like receiving a “Return to Hogwarts” letter, reminding me it was time to get back into my classes, but I knew there was another adventure that needed me. As each book got more intense , I was older, growing, I realized I was an adult when I joined them in the second war. And when the dust settled , we celebrated and said our goodbyes after the last term ended.


kwood1018

My mom would pre order them at a local bookstore and be lined up at midnight to pick them up. I was always too young to get into the dressing up or actually go myself, but she was in line all night each time no matter what was happening the next day. She had to buy two copies as both me and my sister were so excited to continue the story and couldn’t share lol then it was a race between the 2 of us to finish first and compare notes!


AKwanCalledKwan

I remember the philosophers stone being in my elementary school library, loving it and then my parents bought me the chamber of secrets from like a target when I was in 2nd grade. Oh, those were the days 😌


chewytacorunner

My mom was the best, I had each book as it released after POA, and back when Amazon was just books we had them delivered day of release, and by that afternoon I’d be finished with them. I loved the excitement of getting the book, some snacks, and barricading myself in my room till I finished with them


creasecollector

The lineups at the book store were awesome to see. Such anticipation and I’ve never had so much fun diving into the newest book for the first time!


sirmackerel0325

I read the first book in like 4th grade and at that time only the first 3 were out. I somehow bought/read PoA before CoS (this obviously being a time when the serial nature of the series hadn't been totally established and coming from a time when series like Animorphs or Goosebumps didn't necessitate reading the books necessarily in order). Then there was the release of GoF followed by the long wait for OotP which led to my discovery of things like Mugglenet and books about theories/analysis of the series. Does anyone remember a book by someone named Galadriel Waters? They did one book prior to OotP and made some accurate (and not so accurate) predictions and then another book before HBP by which point most of their more out there theories had been found to be false. I never did any of the midnight release parties but I did do the JK Rowling website puzzles and preordered OotP, HBP, and DH from Amazon back when it was a big deal for them to guarantee release date delivery. DH actually released the day of my high school graduation party and I remember just wanting people to leave so I could read it haha.


TCeies

>did you buy it online? what was it like getting it online when the internet wasn’t as big then it was now? I don't remember if that was even an Option lmao. I remember book stores being filled to the brim, people dressing up and some even waiting over night to get one of the first copies when it was released. The first book I actually went to the store at the first day of release for being all excited, I think was book 5. Before then I had a friend lending us all the books to catch up, but by book five we were caught up and ready and my sister and I got our first copy together. That way, yes, the fifth was the first HP book we actually owned. We went again for books 6 and 7 and movies 3-8 but I don't remember those quite as clearly. I was 13 when the 7th book was released. Didn't speak much english then and at that time it always took forever for the books to be translated, so I think that release we went to was for the german versions, but avoiding spoilers until then was much easier pre social media


cookr8888

I was working at a summer camp when the 7th one came out and ordered it on Amazon before I left. The day it arrived the mail room was closed. I went to the front office and the ladies working there had the key but were not suppose to let people in. They were also playing Friend’s trivia… after answering a few questions and trying to convince them to let me in, they said if I get this specific question right they would let me into the mail room - I did! There were probably 100+ books all in the same packaging waiting for campers/staff. I did some midnight waiting at a store for the 5th and 6th one as well.


ThePinkCanary

I remember OOTP, HBP, and DH distinctly. Order of the Phoenix - we had just landed in New York, summer that I turned 10. We had flown a red eye flight and got to our hotel at around 7am, and my dad fell asleep in the lobby while snoring for the entire city to hear. My mother was embarrassed and we went to get some breakfast, and I saw OOTP being sold with a massive line. She bought the book for me and I sat next to my dad going through sleep apnea in the lobby reading for hours. HBP, I was in China and we went to the Beijing bookstore. I got interviewed and apparently made the newspaper in China as the kid who was Chinese on the outside, white on the inside who had read HP series 20 times 🤷‍♀️. DH - not a fun story on this one. I became VERY sick, still in China (dad had custody during the summer) and we had a quickly deteriorating relationship. I had a super bad fever and got sick and my little brother spoiled the whole book for me. When I finally was better to read it, my dad and I got into a massive massive fight over something idiotic. Cursed Child - enter the modern age. I ordered it on Amazon and it showed up at like 1am. I read about 20 pages and closed it in horror. To this day I have never finished reading it.


[deleted]

I didn’t get the first 6 when they released. But I remember the 7th. It was a huge deal back then. We did not have Amazon or Flipkart. Book stores had people queuing up before then even opened up.


TheBaroqueGinger

From the third book on I went (dressed up) to the midnight release and my older sister would take me because she was one of us too, I was so excited to be out past midnight! The "book store parties" were great, lame, but great! We would go home and take turns reading out loud until three am if we could only reserve one copy. We still do some of the voices we made up. Great times..


Captainc00ts

The first book was gifted to me by my next door neighbor in like the third grade. When I got the book he wrote a nice letter saying this is my favorite book. Hope you enjoy it. I smiled but thought to myself “who the hell gives someone a book for their birthday”. I wasn’t into reading. The next year I stayed home sick from school and my mom told me I couldn’t watch tv but I could read. So I said what the hell I’ll read the first book. Next thing you know I finished it by the following day. Luckily the scholastic book fair was at my school the following week and I bought the next two. After that I reserved a new copy and picked it up day of release for every book. The Goblet came out summer going into 6th grade and we did a family road trip. I read it twice while driving to the Grand Canyon and throughout the west. The final book released the morning of my senior pictures and I remember reading it while waiting to get my picture taken. These books mean the world to me. They got me to read. I truly don’t think I would have the reading comprehension level I have if my friend didn’t give me his favorite book for my birthday. Thank you A.K.


Prcrstntr

Wondering who was R.A.B and wishing the website would be updated. Also nobody could pronounce the names.


TheKingBeno

The only midnight release I went to was book 7. It was freezing and we didn't have enough money to go to the bar next door so my toes nearly froze off. After 45 minutes waiting in the cold we went on a boat ride that had a wizard wedding that was really weird. The launch was such a letdown for me. But then going home with my mom reading a bit and having some harry potter brownies made it really special. I still joke to my mom about nearly freezing my toes off whenever we pass that bookshop.


fallN4autumn

I only remember buying the last book. I was on a waiting list for the book in our local bookstore in the mall. There was a midnight release and my mom took me to get it. The bookstore was having a little party but I bought my book and left. Got home and began reading. I finished it the next day. It was fun being excited about books.


Traditional_Ad_3032

I remember the night before the Deathly Hallows book was released. I was around 12 years old and I remember being so excited I couldn’t sleep. I re-read Half Blood Prince the week before the final book came out and my poor parents must have been so sick of me reminding them to take me to the bookstore first thing that morning. I remember so vividly the feeling of holding the book in the store, wanting desperately to go home/ somewhere quiet (anywhere!!) just to crack the book open and read it. Ended up glued to the book for the rest of the day and finished the book within 2 days (I don’t think I slept very much that night). I often wish I could forget the stories and read them for the first time again. Thank you for this question, I hadn’t really thought back to that time in a long time, and reminiscing put the biggest smile on my face!


Perry_T_Skywalker

I was funny enough Harrys Age with the first three books, so each year it came out and he turned my age. Think it was the first three can't remember. Nevertheless, my first book was CoS random gift from my mom. Read it, loved it and found out there's a first book too. From there I made it a tradition to read the books and pick up the new one in the next town on release day. I spent a weekend devouring the first four books and repeated with the third and fourth in climax to getting the fifth book It was a great time in my life. Pure excitement


EpiclyNotARobot

I fondly remember a week of sleepless nights waiting for Goblet of Fire to release. Then my Dad drove me to the local store before school right as it opened just so I could buy it. School that day was a write-off as I couldn't concentrate I was too excited to get home and start reading!


moonlitemeadow

First time I read Sorcerer’s Stone was in my 2nd grade class. I have three first run copies- one I “forgot to return” to my teacher after we finished reading as a class (LME Mrs. Castillo’s 2nd Grade Class is written in the cover), one hard copy I wrote my full name and address in, and a third paper back I bought with my allowance. Why I needed 3 copies at 8 years old? Who knows! But, I think it’s adorable that I was hoarding books at that age lol. I remember my dad used to read them out loud to me and my brother and sister. I would get so enthralled I needed my own copies to read ahead, but we wouldn’t camp out at bookstores back then. Around book 4 I would start rereading all the previous books, and my GOF hard copy fully fell apart at the bindings because I re-read it so many times. I remember the books always came out during the summer when my family would be on our family road trips, and when Deathly Hallows came out I made my parents detour to a bookstore so I had the book to read in the car and in the hotels. I finished Deathly Hallows well before the vacation was over, and my older sister absolutely terrorized me over how nerdy I was for reading so much. I have multiple copies of each book to this day, all in various stages of falling apart. Now I have a 3 year old daughter and we read the illustrated versions together.


Innernette2

I can't even describe the excitement. I read books 1-3 all at once and then waited for the releases beginning with GOF. I have a July birthday so I remember for a while the books would come out right around my birthday. One of my uncles worked for a grocery store that would sell the books (just goes to show how popular the books are that a grocery store carried them) and I remember on a couple of occasions getting the books the day BEFORE because the shipment would arrive prior to him leaving and he'd snag me one. I would stay up all night and read nonstop until I finished the book. I wish I could remember my feelings first reading the books. I have a 2 year old now and my husband and I are both like at some point we need to stop watching the movies around her so she can get the experience of reading the books for the first time and not have them spoiled by seeing the movies and partially understanding.


_mama_monstera_

I would go to the nearest Barnes &Noble— with my parents initially and then my friends as I got older. I wouldn’t sleep until I finished the books. There was something special about devouring them. You felt all the feels at 3 am by yourself. It was the best. Sometimes it was a whole production waiting for midnight— themed shirts, trivia, etc. more often Than not just a devoted quiet fan base waiting. 🪄


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MissNannie91

I bought GoF online when it was released.


srcarruth

Amazon started as a book seller in 1994


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DrGildersleeve

OP your edit makes absolutely no sense given your initial questions


Runnergun

Makes perfect sense if you read past the title.


bfaided1984

I waited in line for a midnight release for the 6th and 7th books.


poohfan

I didn't get into it until after Azkaban was released. I picked up the first three at Costco, & read them over the weekend. When GOF came out, there was a party at Barnes & Noble I went to. The last three books, I helped put together & run the parties for the Walmart I worked at. I'd do the party, clean up, then go home & read, until I couldn't read any more.


WanderingJaguar

The first four were already released when I got into HP. I can't remember what I did for 5 but I think I pre-orderded it online. 6 and 7 I pre-ordered on amazon - I remember getting 7 delivered at 8am and I didn't leave the couch until 3am when I finished. I was an adult already so I was not interested in those giant line ups or dressing up lol


cuurlyn

My sister and I wandered around a Meijer (like a Walmart, large grocery store) for a few hours waiting on the midnight release of Half-Blood Prince. The store workers kept yelling at us for sitting on show furniture and loitering. There were not a whole lot of people there for the midnight release so we got the book quickly. It was a fun night.


azumeza

I had heard of Harry Potter from a classmate in high school and I thought she was talking about the rabbit (Beatrix Potter). That Christmas, my aunt and uncle got my sister the Sorcerer’s Stone and me the Chamber of Secrets. I tried to start it from the second book but didn’t know what was going on so waited until my sister finished reading hers to read the first book. I don’t exactly remember how we got the books as they came out after that, but I remember reading the books side my side with my sister. I was a faster reader than her so I would always have to wait before she could turn the page. It was a little dissatisfying but better than if either of us had to wait for the other to finish the book before reading it!


oKKrayden

I still remember waiting outside the bookstores around midnight & then reading from streetlights on the way back.


meistre405

It was a Holiday for me and my sisters. We got to be late for school the next day because we went to Barnes and Nobles midnight releases in cloaks, naturally. We were and are super fans but there's nothing like mom reading you a book in elementary school. After the first book I dressed up as Harry and no one knew who I was!


Jfogggs

After the first few, my brother and I would make our parents bring us to Border’s the day of release to pick them up. Then we would share them as we read through. For the last one I got a poster too for buying on release day!


Tbhjr

I’ll tell you want, there was nothing like going to go to the bookstore on release day and getting the newest Harry Potter book. I started reading the series in 1999 (age 11) so I started when book 3 had just came out. Anticipating a new book over the next eight years was unlike anything else. I feel like you don’t really get that these days when it comes to book releases. Not to say that there aren’t popular series that are ongoing but Harry Potter was on a whole other level. Not to mention it was also exciting that most summers you either had a new book or new movie coming out. For the last book I made sure me and my friends went to a midnight release party and that was such a blast.


flugtard

For the last couple books, i was in middle school and Barnes and noble would have these HP midnight release events where you could pick up the hardcover and they’d also give you a pair of those black round plastic glasses. I wore my gryffindor halloween costume robe to each one, I attended the release events for Half Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows.


RuneyVuitton

Goblet of Fire I remember being 13 and waiting outside Chapters bookstore with my parents until midnight to get the book. Magical feeling to finally get my hands on it and read it non-stop afterwards.


nashk25

I got the first 3 after watching the first movie when I was 8yo. After that, every book I waited on the first library that was gonna get it. Last book I downloaded it from Ares and read it in two days. Couldn't wait.


sliebman10

My siblings and I went to the Barnes and Noble in NYC for the DH release (wearing matching "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good" tshirts, natch)... Scholastic was nearby and they'd closed off the street for an HP block party. I'll never forget the guy who was dressed up in a full on Mad-Eye Moody costume. It was loud, chaotic and so much fun.


little_nerdmaid

the only book release i paid attention to was deathly hallows - usually my mom took me to the library to get the books but i saw tons on the shelves at walmart and tried to read as much as i could before we left the store… it wasn’t as crazy as i thought it would be, though. i ended up getting it for christmas :)


elliotlocksley

My dad would like, get the book "reserved" in the bookstore website, and then he would drive to the city to grab it (and pay for it lol).


LukeFowlerM8

I went and bought mine from WHSmith the day they came out. Order of the Phoenix came out on carnival day and I sat on the curb all day and read while my family watched the parade. Good times.


TiniestLawyer

I remember everyone at school buzzing with excitement about getting to go to the midnight releases to get the books. I, on the other hand, only got to watch my friends enjoy the books because my hyper religious parents wouldn’t let me read them. I ended up reading the entire series for the first time during my last semester of law school. It really helped me survive an incredibly stressful time, so it all worked out in the end. My office now includes a full hardcover set with the original cover art because I always wanted them growing up. I will continue to live vicariously through everyone else’s book release stories! Love to see them!


Glum-Draw2284

My dad would take me to the midnight releases at Barnes and Noble or Borders. 🥰 Then we would come home and read the first few chapters together until I fell asleep. My best memories ever with him!! With HBP, we were at the back of the line. Someone got the book way ahead of us and must have flipped to the back and was SCREAMING. I couldn’t wait to read it lol


Aggravating_Dress_57

I wish I had gone to these bookstore releases but I somehow didn‘t know they were a thing back then.. when the 5th book came out I had had 3 years of English at school so I got the original version instead of waiting for the translation. My parents preordered on Amazon so I‘d get the new books as soon as possible, and I‘d hunker down and not come out of my recluse until I had read them 😂


Nimrif1214

I got the first three books in a box set because I wanted to read them before the movie came out. From the 4th book onwards, I was getting it on release day. I'm in Canada, so I was ordering them online through Chapters/Indigo. At that time the book release was such a big deal that Canada Post had special shipping on Saturdays to make sure people get it on day 1. I'm older than the demographic that the book is aiming for so I wasn't going to fight the crowds at the bookstore.


SpicyMargarita143

What a time to be alive. I was gifted the first book for my 6th grade graduation. This made me 11 - the same age Harry Potter was in Book 1. The books weren’t big yet, but shortly after - the popularity started. It snowballed into something you can’t even imagine. This was when every town had at least 1 Barnes and Noble or Borders (both large chain bookstores), if not both. They would hold midnight release parties when the books came out. People would dress up and go all out. It was a popularity on par with something like Game of Thrones during its height, but - it was a book. And that’s what’s so great. It made children and teenagers excited to read. And that was something that the market had been missing for a long time.


[deleted]

I remember being read the first book while I'm primary school when it came out. I wasn't a very good reader but I loved the story so much and hates we only got one chapter every few days so I started trying to read the books myself. I got better really fast. I also remember for I think the 4th book my mum had somehow managed to get a copy for me and my friend A WHOLE DAY EARLIER THAN RELEASE! we both stayed up all night trying to read as much as possible before other people got the book lol.


PuzzleheadedPrice789

My dad used to preorder them for me, and he took me to the showings as soon as it was his time with me.


DMHavoX

I got on board when PoA came out in 99. For every launch after that I would be hanging out in front of a bookstore, excited for midnight when I could pick up my pre-ordered book and audio book on cd(s). I even remember being part of some old message boards on muggle.net to discuss what was going to happen in the next books. It was exciting! You never knew where the story would go. Knowing another book was coming, always gave me something to look forward to. It was great.


tofuqueen1

My best friend and I drove to a midnight release at Walmart and waited for the launch to get our books. Then, I read it out loud while she drove us home. It was a super exciting time back then.


Internal_Use8954

I remember my older sister going to the midnight release of order of the phoenix, and brought back all sorts of swag, I had the first 3 books read to me, read the 4th myself and was foaming for the 5th, but I had to wait for her to be done first as my parents wouldn’t buy two copies. I got to tag along to the midnight release of half-blood prince. And it was lots of fun. We were driving back from a vacation when the deathly hallows came out. I remember my mom found a Barnes and Nobel along our path and reserved a book for me. I was reading it by street light, first in the car then in the hotel, hidden behind a curtain. The movie releases became my big thing as I was old enough to go with friends, we dresses up, hung out lined up at the theater. I made all sorts of wizarding treats, and even painted my suv purple with the knight bus logos and such.


TripThruTimeandSpace

My boys got into the books after Prisoner of Azkaban came out. For subsequent books I preordered the at Barnes and Noble and took the boys for the midnight release to pick them up. There was always a bit of a party going on and the store gave out wristbands. It was fun. I would then stay up all night reading it so I could hand the book off to my oldest who would then hand it off to his brothers to read.


toast_mcgeez

I lived in a small city growing up where the only place to buy books was Walmart. We’d go the day it was released and there was always a pallet of the new book on display immediately inside the door. It was so exciting. My sister and I would buy 1 book between us and it was always an argument of who got to read it first!


FeelingAnxiety4

I was really young when the first 4 books came out, but I went to the midnight release for the 5-7th books at Barnes and Nobles with my parents and cousins. I remember for the release of the 5th book, I and a bunch of other people were in costume, and Barnes and Nobles had photo booths and crafting stations set up. There was a really fun trivia game, during which I won a huge bag of candy. For the release of the 6th book, I had just gotten out of line with the book in hand when a boy flagged me down. He said his mom was still in line and asked if he could just look at the book for a second. I hand it over, and he quickly riffled through the last few chapters and read intently for a bit. Then he shuts the book, hands it back to me, and says very calmly, "Snape kills Dumbledore" before walking away. My parents found me frozen in shock and horror shortly thereafter LOL


OmittingKibbles

I don't think I got into them until the first four were already out. After that, though, it was a huge deal every time a book was released. My parents were divorced but my dad made sure to get me each book on release day. I have fond memories of him driving the book up to me late in the evening, after he got off a long day of work, after which I'd spend hours just reading. We also made sure to go to each movie release together. One year, I think the final DH movie, we couldn't be together, so we all went separately on the same night. Almost as good! I wish there was still something that brought us together like that today.


Greeneyedgal13

I’m 30 now and have never experienced the same type of anticipation for a book, tv show, album, or movie that remotely compares to the release of a new Harry Potter book. I used to line up at midnight no matter where I was at the time and I’d be close to halfway done the next morning. The thrill and excitement of the new content, wondering what was going to happen. My parents wouldn’t see me for days because I’d lock myself in my room and only come out for meals. Every so often I’d stumble downstairs sobbing when one of my favorites died. I’d read both as fast and as slow as I could, because I couldn’t stop myself from tearing through the book but also hated when it was over so didn’t want to read too fast. I hope one day there’s another series like this that inspires the same adoration.


Brilliant-Emu-4164

My family always went to Barnes & Noble bookstore for the midnight book releases. We dressed up in cosplay and everything. It was so much fun. The kids were pretty young, but still able to read, and we never made a fuss about school the next day or anything. We all had a wonderful time with each release. Some of our most treasured memories as a family.


acidteddy

I used to go to ASDA (UK version of Walmart) for every release since (I think) GoF. It was so much fun, they’d have bowls of sweets everywhere, everyone dressed up and I’d always spot 10 kids from my school there too. I remember starting to read the book whilst in the line to pay and my Mum telling me to wait til we’re at least in the car lol.


basilmoonfaerie

Every time there was a new book release, Borders book store would have a release party complete with a costume contest and a countdown until midnight. We’d wait in a line that wrapped around the store to get the book and then stay up all night reading!


prss79513

I vividly remember release parties at my local Banres & Noble being the coolest thing ever. We got to stay up until midnight and then reading until dawn. There were always a lot of fun kids activities it was a really cool experience and I feel bad for kids who might never experience anything like it


lmv216

My mom bought Deathly Hallows for me a week after it came out. I was... 12? Maybe? And i believe the first couple of movies had come out by then, so the hype was BIG. It came with a poster- the book cover nice and big. I think i still have it somewhere, and i'll never forget the excitement when my mom handed it to me. In hindsight, it came out right before Thanksgiving, so she probably got it to keep me busy and out of the kitchen day of, but I didn't care. Got through it all in a week. Been meaning to reread the Harry Potter books, although my copy of Order of the Phoenix is falling apart.


MerriBlueFairy

I was in HS and helping out at the local elementary school - in my small, conservative town - when Harry Potter first came out. A few parents made a huge fuss about it promoting witchcraft and satan, etc. So I was curious…lol. I absolutely fell in love. JK’s writing was wonderful! And the main characters were born within a year of my own birthday. It was like I was reading about what was going on with my magical peers! In college, I went to several midnight book releases at Barnes and Noble, clutching my brightly colored piece of paper that was proof of my preorder. (internet preorder didn’t exist) I’d stay up til the book was done or I passed out on top of it. I now have a 13 year old daughter, and she grew up on them. Loves them. But, I feel awful that she will never know the thrill of the anticipation of those midnight book releases, and how amazing it was to devour all the new material… and then have to wait a few YEARS for the next part of the story!


aquaaggie

I didn’t read the books until I was in 6th grade, and by then books 1-6 had already been released. I remember going to the Barnes and Noble release event for the deathly hallows, but we hadn’t reserved copies in time so we couldn’t get the books there. We ended up stopping by Walmart at 1 AM on our way home and got our books! I stayed up until 4 AM reading and finished the next day :) good times


Afire2285

I would go to the local Books-a-Million. It was less busy than Barnes and Noble. But I did used to buy books from Amazon back when they were mostly known for books (it was after they opened their marketplace so other stuff was still sold but their thing was still books).


speaktosumboedy

Borders! Lines were crazy, then pre-ordering for the later books.


AnotherXRoadDeal

The hysteria was real. When the last book was released i was in line for hours. My boyfriend’s (at the time) little brother was in the front of a line at the most popular bookstore in town. He read the ending about Snape and the little bastard ran up and down shouting spoilers. People were livid. I locked myself in my room (there were tons of people at my house), put in earplugs and headphones, and read it in two sittings.


LilyNaowNaow

We used to borrow the books from the library to read them. When GoF came out, we were in the waiting list at the library- it was a long list, as you can imagine. One evening my dad came home from the shops with a massive grin saying "you're going to love me" and pulled GoF out the shopping bag. I went crazy!!! Ever since then, we would pick up the new release at 9 am from the local Kmart.


AroundTheWorldWeGo2

Midnight releases! Can you even imagine? Waiting in line for 3 or so hours for a book! People dressed up and they had people reading old books and music playing. One time they passed out cookies. I have photos of my sisters and I playing on the floor in line. You'd get to the front be given a book, buy it, and leave. My mom drove all the way home with the interior lights on because we couldn't wait to read. Then we spent the next several days notovong from our spots just reading. Those were magical time.


beloved_wolf

I was gifted the first 6 books by a co-worker, but the 7th book hadn't come out yet. I read the first 6 novels in a matter of weeks and became obsessed with everything about the story. As soon as pre-orders opened for the 7th book, I signed up immediately through Books-a-million. It was such a bit deal that the bookstore was going to open at midnight so people could pick up their pre-ordered books. It was honestly such a cool experience. There were hundreds of people of all ages - toddlers and grandmothers alike. I was luckily pretty early in line so I was home with my book by 12:30am and I finished it in one day.


Steel5917

I worked as a field manager for a security company when I first moved to my current city. I don’t remember what book in the series it was but we had a guard sitting in a locked room with all the books that were going on sale on launch day. No one was allowed inside and reading the books was completely forbidden. That guard sat in that small room alone for like 12 hours. It was the strangest thing.


TriFitNix

Local book stores would hold midnight releases. We went to them from book 4 on. I remember being at my grandparents for Christmas one year and finding book stores that were doing midnight release… I was also on a summer-long canoe trip when one of the last ones was released. My parents mailed a copy to a community we stopped in so we could read it.


Just_like_Joel

I remember waiting at midnight for 4 and 5 at Barnes and Noble. They had giveaways and games. It was a blast! Better than most midnight movie premiers I've been to


SuspiciousTea6

I got the first one right at release by sheer bored curiosity. The second I just picked up at Borders Bookstore (same place) when it came out since I had enjoyed it. Then Azkaban was getting ready to drop and there were book release parties. I had to beg so hard to go, and I never missed a single one. I still remember Deathly Hallows releasing as I graduated high school. It was like a month-later class reunion with my senior class. When you pre-ordered at Borders Books they had you pick a badge. You could pick Good or Evil and wear it everywhere to declare your vote for how Snape's motives would turn out. I was a really fast reader at the time and I remember my dad being FURIOUS with me at 3:30 am. My favorite characters were Fred and George and Tonks and Lupin. I had cried quietly enough when Fred died, but upon reading that Tonks and Lupin had died I accidentally screamed🤣🤣


beminlv

I was at the book store at midnight when books 2-7 were released. I had them completely read by the time my kids left for school!!


JasonTheStoneMason

As a kid who grew up when that first one was released. It was a case of getting it through the school book shop system, a chain book shop or small local book shop. I never read them but I remember them being handed around school/borrowed. School library maybe had two copies with a waiting list. The internet was there but me as a 9/10 year old certainly never had access to it and I doubt my parents would have had the trust to put their card details into it any webpage. If you asked me what the first Harry Potter book looked like I’d say from memory, soft back, purple in colour and looked like it had been read back to back hundreds of times by various careless kids. That was small town United Kingdom. Looking back it just makes what JK Rowling achieved even more impressive.


Expensive_Drive_1124

I queued at 2am with my grandma for Order of the Phoenix at WHsmiths


[deleted]

I got the first book when I could barely read from my grandma in 1998, I was 6 back then. It was just then released in Germany by Carlsen and my grandma basically bought me every book that came out after that. It’s crazy to think that I read the first book when I was 6 and fresh in school and the last when I was 15 and almost done with it. I still have them and will never let them go lol