These are facts straight from the mouth of J.K. Rowling, and were gathered from numerous online chats and her personal website. Everything here is confirmed.

General Info

Release Date: July 16th, 2005

Length (US):
- Trade version: 672 pages
- Deluxe edition: 704 pages

Length (UK):
- Trade version: 608 pages

Chapters: The deluxe edition includes 32 additional pages of artwork; the same pictures throughout the book before each chapter, just larger versions. Considering there is also 1 or 2 pieces of artwork before the story begins, we can expect about 30 chapters.

Additionally, the door on JKR's site opened on Halloween revealing 3 of the chapter titles. You can see/read about them here.

Other Info: On August 16th, the door on JKR's site opened giving us the following excerpt of book 6, which describes the Half-Blood Prince:

(He) looked rather like an old lion. There were streaks of grey in his mane of tawny hair and his bushy eyebrows; he had keen yellowish eyes behind a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles and a certain rangy, loping grace even though he walked with a slight limp.

Random facts about the book

• We will learn a lot more about Voldemort in this book.

• HBP will be an intense book, but with light-hearted moments.

• Harry will leave Privet Drive early again, for a "much pleasanter" reason than in book 5.

• The opening chapter of book 6 was originally planned for the early parts of book 1, perhaps we get a more in-depth story of what happened the night Harry's parents died.

• Neither Harry or Voldemort (including Tom Riddle) are the Half-Blood Prince

• Arthur Weasley will not be the new Minister of Magic

• By the ends of books 6 and 7 "you'll have all the back story you'll need", says JK Rowling, and a prequel will not be necessary

• There will be a new Minister of Magic, no more Mr. Fudge.

• We will find out what happened to Hagrid's half brother Grawp. He will be a bit more controllable in book 6.

• The Dursleys are in the next book, but Harry's stay with them will be the shortest yet. In book 5 he stayed for 4 weeks, so we know his stay will be less than 4 weeks.

• Cho Chang will not be a romantic interest of Harry in Book 6, however there will be a "little romance" for Harry says JK.

• In books 6 and 7 we will find out exactly why JK killed off Sirius.

• Harry becomes even more powerful in book 6.

• In books 6 and 7 we will find out why Dumbledore trusts Snape.

• We will find out what happened to Wormtail AKA Peter Pettigrew

• More about the animosity between Snape and Sirius will be revealed in the last 2 books.

• JK has said that giving away the form of Snape's boggart and patronus says too much. We'll definitely find out what Snape's worst fear is, and it'll be important.

• Hermione and Draco will NOT end up together in book 6 or 7.

• We will find out what exactly Dudley saw when he looked at the dementors.

• The reason Voldemort and Harry both didn't die when Voldemort tried to kill Harry, will be revealed.

• We will see more of Draco's mother, Narcissa Malfoy, now that Lucius is busy.

• We'll learn more about Harry's scar in the last 2 books.

• Moaning Myrtle will make an appearance again, as will Tonks.

• More about Voldemort's birth will be revealed, thus helping us understand why he is so evil.

• Muggles begin to notice "more and more odd" occurrences in book 6, says JK.

• The wizarding world is really at war in the sixth book.

• Harry will tell his dearest friends about the prophesy after it sinks in to him.

• We will learn more about Harry's relatives, including his grandparents (though JK says they aren't really important to the story)

• We will find out what happened to Sirius's motorbike.

• Book 6 will be shorter than the 5th book (or at least JK's 99% sure, but will not swear on her children's lives)

• There will be no "new" nationalities of children at Hogwarts. Hogwarts is a British school, and JK says that adding foreigners for the sake of it is not in her plans.

• During an interview, when JKR was asked in which Hogwarts room she'd like to be for 1 hour, she said it would be a room in which Harry has been before, but doesn't know its importance. Yet. (this could have happened in book 5, but we're unsure)

• It's very important in the plot that Harry has his mother's eyes, and that her wand was very good for charms.

• During an interview for Kids BBC, Victor Greensteet (reporter) asked Rowling if Harry would have a dragon for a pet. This is what she replied: "You can't tame a dragon, no matter what Hagrid thinks. It's simply impossible. So no. He has more common sense. He MAY have a different pet in the future, but for now, I won't say anything else". (This could have been buckbeak, but I'm sure we can expect more pets)

• In the same interview for Kids BBC, the reporter asked J. K. if Harry had ever used the internet, and this is what she had to say: "No. They (the Dursleys) won't let him go near Dudley's computer, and Dudley is the only one who has a computer. They hit him if he gets too near to the keyboard. So the answer would be No. I use it a lot, but Harry doesn't. Wizards don't really need to go on the web. They have an even better way to find out what's happening in the outside world, which I think is a lot more fun than the Internet, but I'm going to keep quiet on this one."

• The choice between what's right and what's easy will be a pillar of the plot in Harry's last 2 years at Hogwarts

• Harry's parents' profession will be a big part of the plot.

• Something HUGE will be revealed about Lily Potter

Rumors that Have Been Put to Rest

Listen carefully, I shall say this only once: the only sources you should trust concerning information on the Half-Blood Prince are official spokespeople for my publishers and my official website.

- JK Rowling, JKRowling.com

• HBP will not contain chapters entitled: "Lupin’s Papers", "Pettigrew's Pamphlets", "Sirius's Circulars" or "the Pocket Crosswords of Severus Snape".

• Colin and Denis Creevey won't be the new Gryffindor Beaters - the beaters will be totally new finds of the captain's.

• Nicolas Flamel will not teach Potions at Hogwarts, as when he destroyed the Philosopher's Stone, he died.

• Luna and Neville will not get together in HBP.

• Half-Blood Prince will not be 38 chapters long.

• Harry will not stand trial again in HBP, he leaves the Dursleys early for a "much pleasanter" reason than a court case.

• There will be no character named "Icicle," and JK said that she didn't recall saying there ever would be.

• Dumbledore is not a relative of Harry

• Harry is not related to Voldemort and he is not related to Salazar Slytherin.

• Lily Potter is not alive.

• Lily was not a death eater

• No prequel books are planned (no books before Harry's time at Hogwarts)

• Crookshanks is not an Animagus

• Neville is not the son of Peter Pettigrew (where do these people come up with this stuff?!)

• Remus Lupin does not have a twin brother.

• The next book with not be called "Harry Potter and the Green Flame Torch" or "Harry Potter and the Mountain of Fantasy"

• JK does not have any parts in the films

• Harry Potter will not be the new Minister of Magic