Whoops! Harry Potter Ships Early!

Last episode of boy-wizard saga cursed by leaks
By Colleen Barry,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 19, 2007 5:55 AM CDT
Whoops! Harry Potter Ships Early!
An Amazon.com employee stacks boxes containing copies of J.K. Rowling's book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," inside the Amazon.com fulfillment center in Fernley, Nev., Monday, July 16, 2007. The 7th and final Harry Potter installment goes be on-sale July 21, 2007. (AP Photo/David Calvert)   (Associated Press)

Despite a massive security program to guard against leaks, an online retailer prematurely shipped out as many as 1,200 copies of the final Harry Potter book, the Wall Street Journal reports. Dozens of people already claim to have Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, including the New York Times book reviewer, who said she picked it up at a local book store.

One early copy reportedly sold for $250 on eBay. Scholastic has filed suit against the online retailer Discount.com, and author J.K. Rowling has pleaded for reader patience on her website. The book won't be out officially until one minute after midnight Saturday. (More Harry Potter stories.)

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