Pinoy Potterheads celebrate release of Book 5.

(From Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Byline: Maryann F. Ortiz

I AM a Harry Potter fan and, like countless other people, I've been impatiently awaiting the release of the fifth book in J.K. Rowling's series. It's been about three years since "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" was released and despite the movies based on the first two books, Potterheads have been dying to know what will happen during Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts.

The Internet was where fans converged these past few years. Groups, websites, and mailing lists cropped up allowing fans to interact with each other and share ideas while waiting for the new book. One of them brought together Filipino fans from different parts of the world, of different ages, backgrounds and professions.

The Pinoy Harry Potter group (PHP) founded in 2001 is an Internet-based club and is structured much like Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is run by professors and members are sorted into houses, earn points, play Quidditch, and participate in fun activities.

Last March, PHP took part in "New Worlds," the first Philippine Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention. It is also now a member of the New Worlds Alliance of five other locally-based sci-fi and fantasy fan groups.

PHP's participation in New Worlds gave the members, according to founder and headmistress Cherie del Rio, "the confidence to step out of Internet Hogwarts and into the bright muggle world." It encouraged the group to plan a party to celebrate the release of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix".