A real date this time?
Bloomsbury, JK Rowlings' own publishing company has put out comments on the matter and the sixth book . This is what they had to say on it:
J.K. ROWLING'S HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE TO BE PUBLISHED ON 16th JULY, 2005 IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTH AFRICA
LONDON, ENGLAND: NEW YORK, NY, USA: 12 noon London, 21st December, 2004
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by J.K. Rowling, the sixth in the bestselling series, has been scheduled for publication on 16th July, 2005 in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, it was announced today by Bloomsbury and Scholastic, her British and American publishers. On her website, www.jkrowling.com, J.K. Rowling announced last night that she had completed the book and delivered the manuscript to her two English language publishers.
In making the joint announcement, Nigel Newton, Chief Executive of Bloomsbury Publishing in the United Kingdom and Barbara Marcus, President of Scholastic Children's Books in the United States, said: "We are delighted to announce the publication date. J.K. Rowling has written a brilliant story that will dazzle her fans in a marvellous book that takes the series to yet greater heights. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince delivers all the excitement and wonder of her bestselling Harry Potter novels."
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince takes up the story of Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at this point as Voldemort’s power and followers are increasing day by day, in the midst of this battle of good and evil.
The author has already said that the Half-Blood Prince is neither Harry nor Voldemort. Intriguingly, the opening chapter of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has been brewing in J.K. Rowling's mind for 13 years.