J.K. Rowling has called upon her fans for help following the theft of a handwritten Harry Potter prequel. The untitled 800-word work was written on both sides of an A5 postcard, and features Harry's father James Potter and his godfather Sirius Black in their teenage years. It was sold at a charity auction nine years ago for £25,000, but this week police confirmed the document was stolen during a house burglary in Birmingham last month. Following the news, the author herself took to Twitter to urge fans not to buy the story, emphasising that it was intended to raise money for charity.
J.K. Rowling has urged fans not to buy the stolen Harry Potter prequel
Investigating Officer PC Paul Jauncey said: "The only people who will buy this unique piece are true Harry Potter fans. We are appealing to anyone who sees, or is offered this item for sale, to contact police." In her plea, J.K. Rowling added: "PLEASE DON'T BUY THIS IF YOU'RE OFFERED IT. Originally auctioned for @englishpen, the owner supported writers' freedoms by bidding for it."
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It comes just days after the acclaimed author received the outstanding contribution prize at the British Book Awards. The 51-year-old said she was "thrilled" to have won the award, adding: "Twenty years ago I would hardly have believed I'd have a book published, let alone an accolade as wonderful as this." J.K Rowling's impact on the publishing industry is undeniable; every year that she has released a new Potter tale, the book market has grown, with the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child script named as 2016's biggest seller.