TEENAGE wizard Harry Potter has worked his magic once again.

Advance orders are flooding in to York bookshops for the latest offering by author JK Rowling.

The long-awaited fifth Harry Potter book, The Order Of The Phoenix, will go on sale on June 21.

Kerry Chamberlain, inventory manager for Borders in Davygate, York, said the store was going to remain open late on Friday, June 20, and start selling the book at midnight.

She said: "We have had 50 pre-orders so far, and they are coming in all the time.

"We have never taken orders so far in advance, so to have that many already is very good."

Paul Doughty, manager of Waterstones, in High Ousegate, said: "There's been a sales surge on book number four, The Goblet Of Fire, as if people are preparing for number five.

"The interest in the latest book is so great because the momentum has been building with the last four books. We have adults booking for children and adults booking for themselves as well."

Fishergate Primary School pupil Carol Harris, ten, has read all four Harry Potter books, and said she had heard rumours about what was going to happen in the next book.

Some of her friends have already ordered their copy.

Carol said: "I know that someone's going to die and it's going to have something to do with Dumbledore's pet, his phoenix.

"I do get scared the first time I read the books, and the films from the books are quite scary.

"I would like Harry to get a girlfriend like Hermione, someone who is clever but also knows that Harry is clever.

"At least I know when the book's coming out now."

Updated: 12:07 Tuesday, January 21, 2003