LONDON – Harry Potter fans are holding their collective breath as author J.K. Rowling gets set to reveal her latest project involving the boy wizard.
Rowling has called a news conference Thursday in London to reveal details of "Pottermore," a mysterious website that has been taunting fans with the words "coming soon."
Theories include a Harry Potter encyclopedia, e-book versions of the novels or an Internet-based game.
Several British newspapers received what appeared to be a leaked marketing memo indicating the site is a Web-based game including a hunt for real magic wands. It's not clear whether the memo was genuine. Rowling's representatives did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Rowling's seventh and final Harry Potter novel, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," was published in 2007. The final film the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2," has its world premiere in London on July 7.
Rowling has not ruled out writing more books set in the Potter universe, but her publicist says "Pottermore" is not a new book.
"Pottermore" was trademarked in 2009 by Warner Bros., which distributes the Potter movies, but Rowling spokeswoman Rebecca Salt said the site was not directly linked to the latest film.
The trademark description suggests an interactive site "providing online chat rooms and electronic bulletin boards" and "online facilities for real-time interaction with other computer users concerning topics of general interest."
A leading Potter fan site, www.the-leaky-cauldron.org, said it had seen a preview of Pottermore and called it "breathtaking."
The Harry Potter books have sold about 450 million copies worldwide and spawned a hit movie franchise and a theme park. Forbes magazine has ranked Rowling as one of the richest women in Britain, with an estimated wealth of $1 billion.
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