By early afternoon, the online booking system operated by 21Cineplex, one of two movie chains screening “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” starting on Friday, crashed.

When the Jakarta Globe attempted to register on 21Cineplex’s MTIX Web site, the site said it could no longer process new members because it was overloaded.

Blitz Megaplex, the second movie chain, said it had anticipated the increased demand by adding an extra server.

“Now we have separate servers for the Web site and data base so the Web site is faster,” Blitz marketing head Dian Sunardi told the Globe.

In XXI Senayan City, people started lining up for tickets even before the theater opened at 11:30 a.m.

“When we opened the cinema this morning, crowds of fans were already waiting to buy tickets for Friday,” said Rahmat, a security officer.

Mela, the manager for XXI Senayan City, said tickets for all screenings on Friday were almost sold out. “But many people are also buying tickets for Saturday and Sunday. People have been waiting for this,” she said.

Ranny, 19, who came with her family, bought nine tickets for a screening on Friday. “It’s full already. I bought nine for me and my family, but we need to sit separately. Like two, four, here and there,” he said.

Sheggy Chesario, 23, an advertising account executive, said that he had tickets to watch Harry Potter on Friday night.

“I stood in line for 45 minutes and got three tickets for the Friday 7:45 p.m. show at Plaza Senayan,” Sheggy said.

Wendy, 18, has already seen the movie in Singapore but was in line to get tickets. “And a lot of friends are texting me and asking me to buy them Harry Potter tickets,” she said.

Meanwhile, the postal service in Solo reissued a series of stamps bearing likenesses of characters from the films. The stamps, which Solo postal authorities say can be used to ship mail anywhere in Indonesia, are available as four different sets of 12, and cost Rp 35,000 ($4.15) each.

Hanin Fathan Choiriyah, a spokeswoman with the Solo Postal Service, warned that supplies of the collectibles were limited, with only 400 of the 12-stamp series in stock.

The stamps, originally produced in 2007, were reissued with the movie release.