Nearly a week ago, local bookstores found themselves scrambling to fill the shelves with enough Harry, Hermione and Lord Voldemort to satisfy the hungry populace.

By midnight Saturday, the sixth installation of the Harry Potter series "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" broke the fifth book's record, giving it the most profitable first-weekend sales of all time.

But while the larger stores cashed in on Potter-mania, sales are on a smaller scale for local bookstores.

Barnes and Noble sponsored a "Midnight Magic" party at stores nationally and issued wristbands to allow the bearers to purchase the book first.

Jean Modglin, manager of the Carbondale store, said the book is still in stock and discounted down to $17.99.

"It was really kind of neat to see the kids and their parents - a lot of times they read them together," she said. "Their age groups have expanded, those who once read her have grown up and still read her. Her audience has grown huge."

Erica Berglund, a sophomore studying film and music, was one Saluki who dressed in costume and braved the crowd of about 300 people on the night of the release. She has been reading Harry Potter books since elementary school.

Though she is still on the third chapter, she said she already loves the book.

"It definitely looks like it's going to be darker, but everybody knew that," she said. "One of my friends read it and sent me an e-mail that all it said was 'wow.'"

Locally owned bookstores have seen some sales, representatives said, but did not experience the same chaos as Barnes and Noble.

"I had a couple pre-order sales, and I met people here at midnight who wanted the book," said Shannon Newman, trade book manager for 710 Bookstore.

She said the store ordered 36 copies of the book, and other than the 11 pre-orders, few have sold.

She said the bookstore has trouble competing with the larger stores, especially those open 24 hours.

University Bookstore manager Rip Scott said he has seen sales go very well, possibly because of the high traffic in the Student Center over the weekend.

"We've had our campers in this week, and we opened up for Saturday sales during the Black Alumni event," Scott said.

Newman said her bookstore had considered a midnight release party, but decided not to because Barnes and Noble planned to do the same.

Scott said he would like to have a release party for the seventh and final book of the series.

"Next time we're talking about showing the last movie," he said. "If we get it [the book] during a fall or a spring semester, we'd like to boost it up a little more."

Reporter Kate Galbreath can be reached at kate_galbreath@dailyegyptian.com