JK Rowling appeals for fans' help as Harry Potter prequel written on a postcard is stolen
The handwritten manuscript went missing after a burglary in Birmingham
A one-off Harry Potter prequel handwritten on a postcard by JK Rowling has been stolen in a burglary – and the author is begging fans not to buy it if the missing item resurfaces for sale.
The manuscript was sold for £25,000 at a charity audition nine years ago. Written on both sides of an A5 card, it comes to around 800 words and is reportedly set three years before the boy wizard's birth. It features Harry's father James Potter and his godfather Sirius Black in their teenage years.
The postcard was stolen from Howard Road in Birmingham last month, but now the West Midlands Police are appealing for help from Harry Potter fans to track down the culprits.
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."
JK Rowling has also issued her own plea.
The postcard was sold in 2008 to raise funds for English PEN, which promotes the freedom to write and read, as well as Dyslexia Action.
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