After months of dithering, the street date for the seventh book of the "Harry Potter" series has been set: July 21, 2007.   Earlier rumors had set the date on 7/7/07, a week before the release of the next Potter film, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."  The new release date comes a week after the film, a detail which may bolster initial viewership as canon-starved fans bide their time.

"Deathly Hallows" is the long-anticipated climax to the world-famous book series following the adventures of teenaged wizard Harry Potter.  He and his friends attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, learning to master their abilities as they attend classes such as Potions, Transfigurations, and Defense Against the Dark Arts.  Harry's archnemesis is the evil Lord Voldemort, a Dark wizard who murdered Harry's parents when Harry was only one year old.  As events have unfolded through the books, Harry has shown himself to be a powerful wizard on his own merits.  However, Voldemort has not only cost Harry his parents, but also directly and indirectly the lives of some of his friends.  The final book will almost certainly feature a final showdown between the two; whether Harry survives is entirely a matter of speculation.