World premiere for final Potter film tonight

The end is in sight for millions of Harry Potter fans as the last film in the hugely successful series gets its world premiere tonight.

Thousands have camped out overnight in Trafalgar Square, central London, with fans coming from as far afield as Canada and Sweden ahead of the first screening of 'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part Two'.

Among the stars they are expecting to see are the three main members of the cast, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson along with dozens of other cast members including Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Tom Felton and Alan Rickman.

At a press conference last night, Watson said playing Harry’s sidekick Hermione Granger had changed her life.

“Hermione’s been like my sister. She feels so real to me,” the 22-year-old actress admitted.

“I will miss being her. That is devastating. She has pushed me and made me a better person.”

But Ralph Fiennes has revealed he could not wait to take off Lord Voldemort’s heavy robes.

The Oscar-nominated actor said: “It was an irritating costume to wear – it was too long and sometimes I would trip over.”

Fans, many of them dressed as wand-wielding characters from the series, could be in for a stormy time tonight as the film looks set to make its debut in traditional fashion – to the accompaniment of thunder and rain.

Its stars have got used to squelching up the red carpet after being caught in a succession of torrential downpours before premieres in London’s Leicester Square.

The 2009 premiere of 'Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince' saw soaked stars Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson posing for pictures in the pouring rain while fans sheltered under Harry Potter umbrellas.

The same thing happened in 2007 at the first night of 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' and actor Tom Felton, who plays Draco Malfoy, said he expects today’s premiere to live up to “tradition”.

He told ITV1’s 'Daybreak': “I can imagine there will be a few showers and rain on the night. It wouldn’t be right if it wasn’t.”

The experts agree with Felton as forecaster Claire Austin of MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, predicted rain.

She said: “There are quite heavy showers around and it’s not looking like it’s going to be dry. The showers will be pretty heavy and there is a risk of thunder.”

But bad weather will not deter the thousands of fans expected to brave the elements for the premiere.

Jason Isaacs, who played the sinister Lucius Malfoy in the earlier films, said he was not surprised by their dedication.

He said: “Frankly I think they would turn out in earthquakes and tornadoes. That’s the effect the Harry Potter stories have.

“A lot of people have tried to understand why but nobody really understands - it’s magic.”

Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square will be transformed by a touch of Potter wizardry for the day.

The road joining the two sites will be transformed into Diagon Alley – the high street which is home to shops selling the latest in magic for Harry and his fellow wizards.

The film goes on general release on July 15.