3 different versions are floating around. According to Scholastic, one of them is real.

I am going to stay away from anything that remotely tells me the ending of the book, because I, a loyal fan, will be out there to buy the book (and will have it read by Monday). Apparently I'm not the only one, with 2 million pre-orders alone in amazon.com, and people all over the place getting ready to stand in line at midnight on friday.

How is it that a book can possibly have so much impact on our culture? It seems that Harry Potter has only been carrying momentum for the last few years. The movies I think, had a huge part in it. It a great job of bringing a world to life that until then only existed in your imagination. Then there's also the fact that the books took so long to come out, and that each year you saw them struggle through similar things you had to struggle through as you were growing up. Who didn't have a goofy friend like Ron? or a smart-ass friend like Hermione?

Suddenly these characters, that we've grown up with and have become part of our popular culture, are in the hands of 700+ pages, in a book that is set to be released at midnight, worldwide. Everyone wants to know what happens. How can you not? This is more part of you than barbies, or GI Joes (or whatever kids are playing with these days).

But then some stupid distributor screws up, book gets released 3 days early. How do you get away from learning of the fates of your favourite characters when there is such a thing as the internetz out there? You don't know if when you click on a link, there will be the ending of the book clearly laid out there for you to see.

Which is why, by Monday, it will be impossible to not know how the book ends. If its this difficult this far (with a day to go), when Monday comes around, there is nothing in place to prevent you from hearing about it.

Problem is, will I be able to get a book this weekend?