Harry Potter is the subject in Salem

Muggles beware: A Harry Potter convention is coming to Salem next year in October. "The Witching Hour: A Harry Potter Symposium" will run Oct. 6-11, 2005, at historic sites and hotels in Salem, the self-proclaimed Halloween Capital of the World.

"Halloween is such a huge aspect to the Harry Potter book," said Melissa Lee, a coordinator of the conference run by HP Education Fanon Inc., a Houston-based nonprofit. "The best place to have the conference is in Salem, America's backyard at Halloween time."

The conference, expected to draw at least 1,200 hard-core fans of the boy wizard, is a follow-up to "Nimbus 2003," which was held last year at Walt Disney World in Orlando. "The Witching Hour" is not affiliated with either J. K. Rowling (above), author of the Harry Potter books, or Warner Brothers, producers of the Potter movies, Lee said.

In Salem, the group will explore the literary and cultural phenomenon inspired by the Harry Potter series. Book discussions and writers panels are part of the heady events plan. Fun and games include a costume ball, a concert, and even a game of quidditch, the flying broomstick game. Venues include some of Salem's top tourist attractions, including the Peabody Essex Museum and the House of the Seven Gables. Registration is set to begin next month on the website, www.witchinghour.org.

KATHY McCABE