PARIS:

Was it wizardry that guided him? Or too much free time? Whatever it was, a determined French 16-year-old was accused of accomplishing a mystifying feat in translating all 759 pages of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows within days of its July 21 release and posting it online.

The problem: It was illegal, and now the teen has spent a night in jail this week and faces charges of intellectual property violation.

The alleged French teen translator, a high school student from Aix-en-Provence, likely had less sinister intentions. “He just wanted to get the book online,” and did not appear to be seeking commercial gain, Aix Prosecutor Olivier Rothe said. The boy apparently compiled the entire translation himself, Rothe said.