PARIS (AFP) — The secret is out for most of the world, but the last Harry Potter book finally gets released in France on Friday and Germany 24 hours later with the publishers still trying to keep the plot under wraps.
Special lead seals were put on the trucks that carried one million copies of "Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows" across France for the release of J.K. Rowling's finale in the seven book series.
More than 25 million copies of the English version have already been sold around the world and hundreds of thousands of French readers snapped up English copies and already know the ending.
Thousands of fans were still expected to turn out for Harry Potter parties for the midnight launch of "Harry Potter et les Reliques de la Mort" in Paris and other major cities.
French publishers Gallimard has ordered 2.3 million copies printed in the biggest ever book release in France.
One student was arrested in August for putting up an unauthorised translation into French on the Internet, which was quickly deleted.
Jean-Francois Menard spent 12-15 hours a day from July 21 until September 15 producing the official translation. He has worked on all seven Potter books, changing Hogwarts school to "Poudlard" because the English version was hard to say and thinking up other French-friendly magic expressions.
The launch will not be magic for everyone involved. The Sud union has condemned the Virgin store on the Champs Elysee in Paris saying its decision to stay open until 1:30 am was a bid to introduce 24 hour shopping, no matter the impact on its workers.
In Switzerland, the first French copies will be delivered by post because authorities refused to ease restrictions on shop opening hours so that stores could stage a midnight launch.
About 8,000 Swiss fans will get special deliveries at home just after midnight in a bid to get around Economy Minister Doris Leuthard's ban on special opening times.
The book's German language version, "Harry Potter und die Heiligtuemer des Todes", will go on sale just after midnight on Saturday.
Its publishers, Carlsen, have printed three million copies, one million more than for the launch of the previous book.
In regions where laws allow special opening hours, bookshops are holding launch parties and inviting customers to dress up as characters from the books.
The Potter books have been translated into 64 languages in all with more than 350 million copies sold, making Rowling into a billionairess.
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