Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows WORLD PREMIERE!!!

So.

Seeing that I am from Minnesota, which is in the middle of America, and nowhere near LA or New York, when I heard that the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows premiere was going to take place in London, I decided that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Adding to this was the fact that I am an avid fan of the Harry Potter series.
Now, people that know me know that I have a "go big or go home" attitude.  If I was going to the World Premiere, I was going to do it right!  The premiere took place on Thursday, November 11.  I knew that this was a massive event, and decided that I would camp out in Leicester Square.  So, in preparation, I bought a £3 sleeping bag from a charity shop and got some granola bars knowing that I would be cold and hungry throughout the night. Being Minnesotan does have its advantages in our abilities to handle the cold. 
So, after classes on Wednesday, I went home and started packing.  I packed the sleeping bag, my camera, some sharpie pens, plenty of granola bars, a scarf, and a raincoat.  I myself wore my Geology boots, which are steel-toed, insulated, and waterproof. Then I had on my wool German trousers, thick wool socks, a t-shirt, and flannel, my winter coat, a pair of gloves and a winter hat.
I was well prepared. 

Tent City outside Leicester Square

Once I got into London and Leicester Square, I didn't really know what to do next, having never been to an event like this before.  I saw a few pop-up tents, and decided to ask for a bit of guidance.  When I asked a 50 year old woman dressed as a witch how it all worked, all she said was, "Back of the Que is over there!!!"  She was serious.  So I went in that general direction until I found the end of the line. This was at about 5:00 PM. I plopped down my stuff, and asked the two people in head of me if they had ever done something like this before.  They informed me that they had, and explained that people line up and camp overnight so that they can get into the actual square, which is where the red carpet is and where the press stay.  The man, whose name was Peter, told me that the celebrities arrive early to do interviews, get their photos taken, and interact with the fans.  So I quickly went to the nearest bookstore and got a copy of The Deathly Hallows just in case.

Slowly but surely, I was beginning to understand how everything worked. 
We talked for a while, and Peter told me that it was supposed to rain overnight.  I was really hoping that wouldn't be the case.
While this was going on, construction workers inside the Square were building the set for the premiere. There was 2 massive TVs being put up, as well as barricades and stages.  At one point, the security came out and moved half of the line to the other side of the square because the construction crews needed the room.  They told us that we would be moved back to where we were at midnight. 
Now, you need to understand that there were some die-hard fans there.  Most of the people camping there were girls.  Two of the girls behind me actually had Harry Potter related tattoos. These people were extremely ornery about the line.  The would lash out at people for Que-jumping and when we were moved, they all worried about people taking their spots.

So we were sitting and talking, passing the time away into the night.  At one point I decided it might be wise to invest in an umbrella, so I bought a cheap 5 pound one from a souvenir shop, just in case it rained. At midnight, we were escorted back to the first point, where I took out my sleeping bag and started to rest.  The temperature at this point was 3 degrees C or 37 degrees F. That was the coldest it got.  I must admit I was chilly at some points.  The next thing we had to worry about was the people coming out of the pubs and bars.  I was sleeping in and out at this point, but I remember people coming and either really respecting our dedication, or abusing us for being "nerds and losers." One girl kept shouting that we needed to learn that Harry Potter wasn't real.  Of course he isn't real. I think everyone knows that.  We were there to celebrate a book and a film. 
Also at some point a drunk guy laid himself down on me.  Security upped their presence and would make sure there wasn't any unwanted visitors, which was nice of them.  Soon I had my ipod on, and fell asleep to the music.
I didn't wake up until about 7:30, and at this point there was a drizzle coming down that I hadn't felt.  So I took out my umbrella and made a little shelter.  This went on for a bit, until 9, when the took us and let us into the Garden.  I was able to get a spot right in the front of the barricade, so I could see everything that was going on.  I more people crowded in, and before I knew it, the gates were closed. 

Inside the Premiere

I was in!!
Now it was time to wait.  We watched as the construction builders put up posters and signs and the red carpet.  There was a general feeling of excitement!  Soon, TV crews started to arrive, and I must have screamed in front of 18 cameras.  I'm sure I was on the news somewhere in the world.  It turns out that a photo of me made it into The Daily Mail. dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1328820/Harry-Potter-Deathly-Hallows-Emma-Watsons-sticky-situation-premiere.html
This whole time, since I was at the front, I did have to stand.  My legs got tired, but I was hoping the end result would be worth it.

Death Eaters Kicked off the evening.

Of course, out of nowhere, it started to rain.  I wasn't so worried about myself, but was more worried about my bag, which housed my camera.  Luckily it is a good quality bag, and is water resistant, but I didn't want to take any chances.  So up went the umbrella to protect it.  Unfortunately, the wind had other ideas, and my umbrella popped about 15 times before it was salvageable.  The time was now 5:00. Things were starting to happen:  torches were being lit, the giant TV screens were playing the Harry Potter trailer, and the hosts had arrived.  Soon, a massive scream came from across the garden, and it was announced that Emma Watson and Rupert Grint had arrived.  From there, everything became a blur.
More and more stars kept arriving, and were being interviewed all over.  Soon they started trickling our way, and that is when I started meeting people.  Everything is so hectic, and one only has 2 hands. I wish I had been able to take good photos of or with all the people I met, but It was all I could do just to get an autograph.  Sometimes I didn't even get that, I just had to be satisfied knowing that I shook their hand and told them how superb they were.

Emma Watson

Here is who I saw:
Emma Watson "Hermoine Granger"
Daniel Radcliffe "Harry Potter"
Mark Williams "Arthur Weasley"
Bonnie Wright "Ginny Weasley"
John Hurt "Ollivander"
Ralph Fiennes "Lord Voldemort"
James Phelps "Fred Weasley"
Oliver Phelps "George Weasley" 
 And heaps more of the cast.

Daniel Radcliffe

Here is who I met:
Rupert Grint "Ron Weasley"
Jason Isaacs "Lucius Malfoy"

Here is who I met and got signatures from:
Alfred Enoch "Dean Thomas" 
Imelda Staunton "Dolores Umbridge"
Tom Felton "Draco Malfoy"
J.K. Rowling Author of Harry Potter series

Here is who I met, got a signature from, and a photo with:
Evanna Lynch "Luna Lovegood"

J.K. Rowling

Imelda Staunton "Dolores Umbridge"

Tom Felton "Draco Malfoy"

Tom Felton "Draco Malfoy"

Evanna Lynch "Luna Lovegood" and I

The signatures I now have

The poster I got off of the barricades.

The next thing you know, they are all heading inside and the crowd disperses. They tell us that we can take the posters they had tied to the barricades, so naturally I got one to take home with me.

It was a crazy experience, but I feel the need to do it again someday.  It was that good.