On Friday night, July 15, hundreds of people of all ages began to gather at Reston bookstores, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million. In celebration of the release of J.K. Rowling’s sixth book, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," the bookstores threw Harry Potter parties. Since books didn’t go on sale until midnight, the bookstores offered Potter-themed activities throughout the stores, including crafts, readings and magic shows.
While the event kept many children up past their bedtimes, it’s nothing compared to the sleepless days ahead for the people planning to read the 652-page tome over the weekend.