| 1980 |
| Based on clues in the novels, some fans believe that Harry Potter was born July 31, 1980. The books never explicitly tell when Harry was born, or even the decade in which the story takes place, but one clue -- a ghost celebrating the 500th anniversary of his death in 1492 -- pegs the beginning of the series to the early 1990s. |
| 1993 |
| Rowling's daughter Jessica is born. Her marriage ends soon after, and she moves to Edinburgh to be near her sister. |
| 1998 |
| In September, Scholastic Press releases a re-titled version of the first Harry Potter book in the United States. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" reaches the bestseller list weeks later and stays there. |
| 2000 |
| At midnight on July 8, the fourth book, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," is released to huge fanfare and waiting crowds at bookstores. Two weeks later, the New York Times adds a "Children's Chapter" bestseller list (so named to distinguish it from the list for picture books) to its book review section. The Harry Potter books appear there instead of on the hardcover fiction list. |
| 2002 |
| The series' second installment, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," opens across the United States and United Kingdom on November 15. |
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| 1990 |
| During a train ride from Manchester to London, J.K. Rowling comes up with the idea for the Harry Potter novels. In the following months, Rowling's mother dies and she loses her job with the post office. She moves to Portugal, where she meets and marries a Portuguese journalist. |
| 1997 |
| In June, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" is published in Britain by Bloomsbury. It quickly becomes a surprise bestseller. |
| 1999 |
| "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," the second book in the series, is released in the United States on June 2. The third book, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," follows on September 8. Both are instant hits. |
| 2001 |
| Harry Potter comes to life on the big screen with the November release of the movie version of the first book in the series. "The Sorcerer's Stone" goes on to gross $965 million worldwide. |
| 2003 |
| "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" arrives in bookstores at 12:01a.m. on June 21, 2003. |
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