And the year ends with news! The current issue of Premiere has our first look at Miranda Richardson as Rita Skeeter. Note that this picture is pre-first-task – and the dragonhide and sleeve-horns on Skeeter’s costume. Thank you Deniska for the scan! Also thanks MuggleNet for the article: Another year at Hogwarts, another director charge. …read more!

Happy New Year everyone! Because 2005 is going to be such a big year for Harry Potter fans, we thought now was a good time to look back at 2004, which wasn’t too shabby either where we’re concerned. Editor Sue scoured our archives and found all our 2004 highlights, so we hope you enjoy this …read more!

A few days ago we told you that Oliver and James Phelps and Devon Murray (the Weasley twins and Seamus in the Harry Potter films) were to appear in the Sunshine State in January for “The Coolest Show on Earth” in Orlando, Fla. And this has turned into a big rigamarole, so read below for …read more!

We’ve watched the news of the devastating South Asian tsunamis with mounting horror and know that you have, too. We know our readers in that region are few, but pray that they are all safe and sound. Our prayers are with the victims and their families. For a time TLC’s pages will host links to …read more!

PoA crops up in a few places in the Entertainment Weekly Year End issue: The article on sequels note that the “third time’s the charm Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban” landed a broom’s sweep shy of the previous films, but it was still enough to land it as the No. 32 all time …read more!

Grinch alert: We’ve been about due for one of these Potter harangues for some time. This time it’s from a new face, not William Safire or A.S. Byatt or even Harold Bloom. It’s retired business editor Jack Markowitz of the Tribune Review who calls the Potter books “the most over-praised, over-publicized and marketed books ever …read more!

There’s a big blue piece of candy illustration in the place of JKR’s “Extra Stuff” section on JKRowling.com. We didn’t publish this as news at first because, well, a picture of a blue piece of candy isn’t news. It’s the picture (enlarged) of the piece of candy that has been behind every door of her …read more!

I’m wrapping up work, as I know are many of you, and various Leaksters are boarding various planes (or not, as in Kristin’s case, due to snow) to go home for the holidays. We want to take this moment to wish you all a very, very wonderful holiday, no matter what you celebrate. We know …read more!

To those of you who were wondering in our comments section on Monday night (while everyone was going mad putting the puzzle together in real-time) whether Jo was sitting there cackling at us figuring all this out, here’s your answer from the lady herself: So now you know! Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will …read more!

She’s updated the NEWS section of her website with a note about the July 16, 2005 release of HBP; there’s a PS, too: P.S. Anyone interested in the ‘hidden meaning’ of the riddles and questions you had to answer before getting the message behind the door should head straight for the ‘Rumours’ section. So check …read more!