Why would anyone spend long hours turning page after page of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” AND photograph the whole tedious process?!

It would seem this was reasonable enough activity to somebody. The Internet was a-buzz yesterday when more than 700 photos, corresponding to the 700-plus pages of the last Harry Potter book surfaced.

The book appears to be an American edition. A hand shows up in several of the photos, as does a brown shoe and some carpet. File-sharing sites were already, well, sharing, the book.

This just goes to show how the excitement and anticipation surrounding the book have escalated to unprecedented heights.

JK Rowling, the very famous creator of the very famous Harry Potter, the unique boy wizard studying at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has been adamant that there are no leaks before the July 21 release.

Fans are curious curious curious to learn what new adventures Harry goes to – and if he survives them. Rowling revealed last year that two of the main characters would die and then refused to offer further details.

Asked if Harry would die, the author made a parallel with renowned mystery novel writer Agatha Christie killing off Hercule Poirot but left everyone in the dark as to whether she too wished to “finish off” Harry herself.

“The Deathly Hallows” is under tight security, with booksellers complying with some serious rules, such as storing the books in a secure area, locked from members of the media. Booksellers are not allowed to reveal when or whether the books have arrived.

As to leaks on the Internet, the publishers have an army of lawyers busy patching up all holes. The publishers have also maintained a policy of neither confirming nor denying the authenticity of alleged leaks, keeping the clouds of mystery thick.

“We have a litigation specialist poised 24 hours a day, seven days a week to deal with any breaches. It is our intention to enforce the embargo vigorously and seek an immediate injunction if required,” a spokesperson for Bloomsbury said for British newspaper Telegraph.

American fans have set a record for “The Deathly Hallows,” as Barnes & Nobles reported that the 1.2 million pre-orders it has received top all previous pre-order records in the bookseller’s history.

An initial batch of 12 million copies has been prepared for the U.S. market.