Newest Harry Potter read has Merced waiting for midnight release

The newest addition to J.K. Rowling’s popular series of novels about the wizarding world brought more than 150 people in Merced to the Barnes & Noble on Olive Avenue for a midnight premiere Saturday.

“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is a two-part play by Jack Thorne based on an original new story by Rowling, John Tiffany and Thorne. It is the eighth story of the series and the first one to be presented on stage.

“I’m very excited to read the new book,” said Dana Villarama, an event volunteer for Barnes & Noble. “Anything related to ‘Harry Potter’ is exciting.”

According to the play’s website, www.harrypottertheplay.com, the play chronicles the life of Harry Potter as an adult, now a husband, father of three and worker for the Ministry of Magic. Harry’s youngest son battles with the family legacy he never wanted.

“It’s this whole other world,” Merced resident Andres Garza, 20, said. “It shows that there’s magic in everyday life, hidden in every corner.”

The popularity of the books and die-hard fans made this event the biggest one Barnes & Noble has had in years, since the last “Harry Potter” book came out, according to Tiare Danby, event coordinator for the bookseller.

“It think that it encourages reading,” Danby said. “It’s something that should be encouraged and it brings people together, something that doesn’t happen often in Merced.”

Danby said people have been ordering the books since spring and thinks many people were happy to be a part of the midnight premiere.

The store was decked out in the colors of the four houses that make up the fictional Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Gryffindor.

“Harry Potter” fans were matched into one of the four houses, had their fortunes told, played trivia, created their own monsters, made spell books, were matched with hand-made wands and had their faces painted.

Merced resident Asia Reyna, 19, dressed up as the character Ginny Weasley, younger sister of Ron Weasley, and has been hooked on the series since she was in sixth grade.

Reyna said she enjoys the series because the storyline and characters are relatable to anybody.

Chelsea Taitano, community business developer for Barnes & Noble, said after reading community responses of what the “Harry Potter” series meant to people, she noticed how much it helped them in their personal lives.

“ ‘Harry Potter’ has always meant a lot to me,” read one note. “The books have been with me through so many hard times growing up, but knowing that I could open a book and go to Hogwarts helped me through it.”

Taitano said “Harry Potter” creates a haven for people because many have grown up with the series over the last decade.

The winner of the costume contest, Merced resident Julianna Davey, 16, came dressed up at Hermione Granger. She said she thinks “Harry Potter” has had such a huge impact on people because the story dives beneath the surface.

“I fell in love with the books,” Davey said. “They taught me friendship and made me who I am today.”

As of now, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is being performed at the Palace Theater in London. Tickets are sold out and will begin being sold again on Thursday.

Merced resident Oriana Danby, 16, said she is looking forward to reading the latest addition to the series and is currently rereading the “Harry Potter” series.

“When I was younger, it was an escape into an adventure,” Danby said. “I definitely think it’s worth the read. It makes me feel special and it opens up your curiosity.”

This story was originally published July 31, 2016 at 3:01 PM with the headline "Newest Harry Potter read has Merced waiting for midnight release."