LONDON, June 20 (UPI) -- Midnight struck in the United Kingdom, and millions of Harry Potter fans snatched up copies of one of the most highly anticipated books in years.
Fans have waited hungrily for three years for the latest installment -- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix -- of the young wizard's adventures.
The British Broadcasting Corp. reported that author J.K. Rowling attended the launch of her new book in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Australian reported muggle, wizard and witch sightings in Melbourne and Brisbane as the book hit store and library shelves down under.
According to the BBC, this fifth installment, which has already broken Internet sales records with more than a million advance orders logged by Amazon.com, is set to become the fastest selling and most profitable book. Thirteen million copies have already been printed.
Rowling's first four Potter novels have sold 200 million copies in 55 languages in 200 countries.
