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About the end of HP (2011): "Change is always scary, but I feel very excited, and I feel like I'm entering a new chapter and getting a fresh start. I'm looking forward to just being a normal young woman again. It has been quite hard and pressured making the Harry Potter films. I'm so happy to be out having fun with my friends. It will be nice to take a break and step back a bit. It'll be the first time I'll be able to look back and properly enjoy the success we've all had. It's been incredible."
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Julia & Darina's Story


 


The most lucky, scary and surreal day of my life!

As me and my friend Darina stepped out of Leicester Square Station, we legged it. The Square was already packed with about 200 people – waiting. Waiting for the first barrier opposite the cinema to be put up. Me and Darina were really freaking out – what if we didn't get at the front? But luckily we sneaked in, just in time.

As the day dragged on, more and more Potter fans filled up the barriers. Me and Darina just stayed in the same spot for hours. That was until we saw Chris Rankin standing right behind us! He went off before we could say hello, so we ran after him. I got his autograph, shook his hand and got a picture of him holding the autograph! After I left him I decided to go back and got a picture of him with me. Me and Darina chatted to him for about 30mins, before he had to go. We spent the rest of the day watching all the decorations being put up.

At about 4:00 pm all the rich people (who had nothing to do with the film) started to arrive. It had started raining by then, but there was not a single moan or complaint. When the actual stars started to arrive there was such an atmosphere, that you could just feel it in the air! The Knight Bus went around the Square about 3-4 times and everyone screamed. Everyone was pushing and squashing each other if just one person screamed.

Every time a celebrity would come, they would go all the way down, past where I was standing and was interviewed by this woman from ITV (I think) who actually hosted the event. I met and got an autograph and picture of: Alfonso Cuaron, David Thewlis, James and Oliver Phelps, Devon Murray, Christopher Columbus and Emma Watson. Me and Darina got to chat to Emma. We complemented on her outfit (which was even more gorgeous up close) and she asked us how long we've been standing there. When the star of the films Daniel Radcliffe came by everyone went crazy! As he wasn't heading our way, I was nearly in tears. So I got my stuffed ‘Piglet' toy key ring, wrote: from Julia –x-, in permanent marker and threw it at him. It hit his head and he picked it up. When he was looking around to see who threw it, everyone around me was pointing at me and I was waving my hands like mad. He spotted me, gave me a huge smile and mimed thank you over the screams and gestured thanks by putting his hand up slightly! I was soooooo exited!!!!! Daniel Radcliffe has my Piglet!!!!!! We also saw and got just a picture of: J.K.Rowling,Tom Felton, Alan Rickman, Rupert Grint and Gary Oldman. As all the celebrities were called in, some people went home.

At that moment I went to find the toilet (which I didn't). As I was coming back to my place, a huge security guard was shouting at me and pointing at Darina: ‘Is she with you? Is she with you?'. As I replied -YES! – I was panicking! I thought something terrible had happened to her! My fear got even worse as she turned around. I saw her red, puffy face filled with tears and she screamed at me: ‘She gave me the tickets! Emma gave me the tickets for the premiere! Oh my God! We got the tickets!' I just froze, I couldn't believe it – I still can't! A second later we were rushed out of the crowd by Potter fans and we had to run. Me and Darina – half crying, half screaming for people to let us through- had to run all the way round the Square. A security guard escorted us past all the screaming fans (on the bit where the carpet was supposed to be). I had to hold on to my friend just to walk. That's how much my body was shaking!!!! It was the best moment of my life! As we were near an entrance, a man from the press asked for our names and took our picture. We were crying so hard, as an usher took us to our balcony seats!

We couldn't concentrate on the movie for a while. But when we finally calmed down we found it was absolutely AMAZING! When it finished, Darina was telling me to stop because she saw Emma somewhere. As I was on my tip toes, searching for her, it was a few moments before I had realised that she was standing a centimetre away from me!!! Me and Darina thanked her over and over again for the tickets. She asked us if we had enjoyed the film and we were like: YES!!!!! WE LOVE YOU, THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!!! She was all smiling at us - maniacs, and before she was rushed off by her ‘people' she gave us a cute thumb up and said bye! As she went I spotted Robbie Coltrane and asked for his autograph. He apologised a lot before he showed me the blisters on his fingers – which was funny! When I came out, Rupert Grint walked past me and I got his autograph. Them I got Devon Murray's again, but this time on my ticket. A couple of minutes later, who else but Joanne – the mother of all things Potter, herself walked past me with her husband. I tried to get her autograph, but her security said she had to go. As she was about to get in the car, I shouted out that I loved her and she smiled. That was enough for me! When I finally realised I had lost Darina, I went on a search and found not only her but Katie Holmes as well. As she was talking on the phone, we got her autograph – she is so tall! Most of the celebs had already gone off in the cars, but we spotted Lizo and the Blue Peter crew. We stood right in front of them and talked loudly about how Emma gave us the tickets. I finally plucked up the courage to say hi to Lizo and we had a little conversation about how Emma gave us the tickets. Plus, we got his autograph as well! He's much shorter in real life.

It was about 9:30pm before all the celebs had gone, but the fans were still there. Me and Darina went round Leicester Square three times because we loved all the fans screaming at us! It was surreal!

On our journey, we scared a LOT of people by screaming and telling them what had happened. I usually hear about these kinds of things happening once in a lifetime. I would never have imagined that happening to me. It just goes to show that dreams really do come true!