For many, the mania ended last summer with the publication of the seventh and final Harry Potter book.

For others, it was the beginning of an obsession, fueled by movies, fan clubs, conventions, a social movement, a planned theme park in Florida.

And then there is its very own musical genre -- Wizard rock.

For the moment, the Triangle is in the center of the Wizard rock world, hosting five of the country's biggest bands this week. Four made MTV's top 10 list of Wizard rock bands last year.

Harry and the Potters, which was the first to devote its repertoire to the books, played at Cat's Cradle on Tuesday.

In Apex today, Draco and the Malfoys (Draco Malfoy is Harry Potter's foil in the series) is headlining a concert featuring four bands at Eva Perry Regional Library.

They are among a growing slate of more than 500 bands that riff on all things Harry, said Mallory Schuyler, 23, who premiered "The Wizard Rockumentary" in April with twin sister Megan.

"It's a way to connect with other people who love the books you read," said Adam Raby, a 16-year-old from Raleigh, after Tuesday's show.

"We rocked out wizard-style," said an ebullient Holly Sit, a 15-year-old from Raleigh. The friends will be in Apex for the show tonight.

The book series itself has made history. More than 400 million copies of the books have sold worldwide so far since the first came out in 1997 in Britain, according to The Bookseller, a British magazine focusing on the book trade.

While the music might raise concerns of copyright infringement, there have been no serious allegations against the bands, Schuyler said. Rowling and Warner Bros., which produced the movies, have both sought to protect the franchise in other areas. But Rowling has generally supported fans of her books, honoring some fan Web sites on her own.

Not quite like Trekkies

Fans of other fantasy series, such as Star Trek, have penned their own songs to keep the story going. But Trekkie rock, for instance, never caught on like Wizard rock, often shortened to Wrock.

The difference is the Internet.

Wrock bands are supported by a generation that can't remember life without Harry Potter and is comfortable cruising social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook to find other fans and bands. They chat online, sharing songs and forming fast friendship, maybe even meeting at conventions and Wizard rock concerts across the country.

The phone, mail and fan conventions were the only ways fellow Trekkies fans could keep in touch at the height of the series' popularity.

"It's not necessarily Wizard rock music itself," said Nancy Merritt, a 14-year-old from Chapel Hill who was named 2007 Filker of the Year online by FilkCast: Potter Style. Filkers typically set new lyrics to existing songs.

"It's kind of the memories and stuff that comes with it," Nancy said. "When you find a community that, even though you've never met this person before, you are like best friends, you're a family."

Harry Potter fans are drawn to a story that lingers just below the surface of real life. Rowling's stories place wizards and witches amid regular people and include so many characters that it's easy to feel connected to one in particular, fans say.

"It's like a world that's just beneath our own," said Scott Vaughan, the owner, with his wife, of Camelot Treasures in Cary. The store sells Potter paraphernalia and is sponsoring tonight's concert. The Vaughans perform in a Wrock band called the Blibbering Humdingers.

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