Lia Purcell has found a way to satisfy her Harry Potter fix between book and movie releases: She's been watching her four Potter DVDs over and over again (32 times collectively so far) and re-reading her six books from cover to cover (that would be 38 complete readings).

It has been a way for the La'ie resident, 25, to catch up on the young wizard before each new release and to come up with trivia questions for a Harry Potter online discussion board she has run for the past seven years.

Author J.K. Rowling "just seems to draw you into the stories," said the die-hard fan, a student at Brigham Young University-Hawai'i.

Purcell is among thousands of eager devotees gearing up to see the fifth Potter movie, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," which opens in theaters nationwide today. Ramping up the excitement is the impending release of J.K. Rowling's seventh and final book of the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," which comes out in just 10 days.

Judging by the series' history, the two releases will also likely smash records; the four movies have raked in $3.5 billion at box offices worldwide and global sales of the six books have topped 325 million copies.

All the hype surrounding the new movie and final book "is wonderful," said Derrick Ernst, manager of the yet-to-open Barnes & Noble in Lahaina. "It gets (kids) to read."

Kids like Christianne Michel, who was 6 years old when she devoured the first book, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," in just three days.

Christianne, 12, hopes to see the new movie with her parents.

"There are all these cool parts in the book ("Order of the Phoenix"), and I'm looking forward to seeing how they're going to do them in the movie," the Maryknoll School student said. "There's this part where in Sirius Black's house, there's a picture of his mom and it's yelling at everyone, and the whole house is shaking. ..."

David Grupen, Christianne's classmate, said he's especially interested in seeing Dolores Jane Umbridge — the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor — come to life on the big screen.

"In the book, she was a really great character," said David, 12, who has read each Harry Potter book "at least three or four times."

David has been counting the days to the new movie, which he plans to see with his dad.

"It was a great book, so I just hope the movie is up to par," said David, who took part in a Harry Potter quiz bowl at school last year.

Purcell, the BYUH student, is particularly curious about the movie's ending, which — without spoiling anything for those who haven't read "Phoenix" — should be an action-packed showdown between good and evil in the Ministry of Magic, she said.

"I'm hoping it stays true to the book," said Purcell, who was taking a break from reading articles online about the movie's European premiere last week in London when she talked to The Advertiser.

The timing of the Harry Potter releases couldn't have been better, Purcell added. She's thrilled to be able to watch the new Potter flick, then read the final book just days later.

"For hardcore fans who are into the books, it worked out pretty well," she said.

Reach Zenaida Serrano at zserrano@honoluluadvertiser.com.