Back in 2007, leading in to 2008, RDR Books was sued by J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers to prevent the publication of The Harry Potter Lexicon, by Steve Vander Ark, a companion encyclopedia to the Harry Potter series. The book was deemed to contain too much of Ms. Rowling’s material, and publication was halted due to the copyright infringement.

The Register reports that, guided by the outcome of the lawsuit, Steve Vander Ark has finished a revised version of the manuscript without the offending material, and the book has now been published.

J. K. Rowling’s agent, the Christopher Little Agency, approves of the changes.

“We are delighted that this matter is finally and favourably resolved and that JK Rowling’s rights – and indeed the rights of all authors of creative works – have been protected,” said the statement. “We are also pleased to hear that rather than continue to litigate, RDR have themselves decided to publish a different book prepared with reference to [New York] Judge Patterson’s decision.”

The Lexicon horror story has come to a favorable end, though the damage has already been done. It is sad that the lawsuit wasn’t avoided and settled out of court, in a less public manner, but what’s done is done.