The last book in the series may have been released, but Potter-mania continues: A book of fairy tales mentioned in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” and handwritten by J.K Rowling has sold for more than $4 million Cdn. at a London auction.

“The Tales of Beedle the Bard,” which was also illustrated by Rowling, had been expected to sell for about $100,000 Cdn.

But bidding at Sotheby’s auction house soon rocketed to £1.95 million ($4.04 million Cdn). The successful bidder was London art agent Hazlitt, Gooden and Fox on behalf of Amazon.com.

Amazon later announced that it is planning to take “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” on tour through libraries and schools.

Proceeds from the book’s auction will benefit Rowling’s charity The Children’s Voice, which campaigns for child rights in eastern Europe with plans to reach children in other parts of the world.

“This will mean so much to children in desperate need of help,” the author said in a statement about the book’s sale. “It means Christmas has come early to me.”

Rowling actually created seven copies of the fairy tale tome, but only one copy will ever be sold. According to the author, the other six have been given to the people “most closely connected to the Harry Potter books during the last 17 years.”






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