The “Harry Potter” epoch is over, but a literary fantasy craze may have just begun.

“What are we gonna do when we’re done reading the seventh book?” asked Emma Casale, 28, bookseller at The Children’s Bookstore on Roland Avenue in Baltimore and founder of a “Harry Potter” book club at the store.

“Our lives will be over,” said Melanie Glickman, 14, only half joking.

Fans everywhere eagerly prepared to celebrate the launch of the seventh and final J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” book, released at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

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“The series has generated lots of interest in other kinds of fantasy,” said Deborah Taylor, school and student service coordinator for Enoch Pratt Library. “Some older fantasy books are becoming more popular, so I think we will continue to see that trend.”

To celebrate the book’s release, The Children’s Bookstore’s “Harry Potter” club gave out wands, cauldron cakes, pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs at their “Harry Potter” party Friday on the sidewalk outside the store. The store had pre-sold 250 books but reserved all others to sell Saturday.

“I’ve heard a lot of people say that the way the kids in the books cling together to fight evil is very empowering,” Taylor said. “The whole idea that, yes, there are scary things out there, but people can band together to fight it.”

“The series inspires such a big sense of community,” said Agee Imparato, 13, “Harry Potter” club member at The Children’s Bookstore. “Everyone’s been reading the books for so long that when you talk about it, it feels like you’re a part of a giant community.”

Eight Barnes and Nobles locations in Maryland hosted “Harry Potter” parties last night. According to Bill Robertson, store manager at Baltimore’s Powerplant Barnes and Noble, the store has pre-sold more than 800 books. The store’s “Harry Potter” party included eight different activity stations including face painting, wand making and picture-frame making.

“I don’t want the series to end, but I’m excited for the new book,” said Gretchen Catlin, 13, from The Children’s Bookstore “Harry Potter” club.

The future of “Harry Potter” is anyone’s guess. But one thing’s for sure — the series has sparked young readers’ imaginations.

ekrupp@baltimoreexaminer.com