Before I start on this lengthy tale, I would just like to clarify exactly what I love about the Harry Potter series. If you haven't read the books, then you most likely think I'm just nerdy. That's fine, but trust me, they are great reads. As a lover of all things literary, I truly believe that JK Rowling is a living legend. Her imagination is boundless. Her mysteries kept me guessing, her characters kept me laughing (or crying), and her made-up world kept me entertained during long quiet hours at work (books on disk = so much better than music). While the movies are wildly different from the books (I love the books a million times more), there's something entirely awesome about seeing your favorite characters on screen...and so I heart the movies, too.
=)
If you read my previous blog, you know that I basically dragged my poor mom across the "pond" to London just for the final Harry Potter premiere. I knew before going that people would be camped out ahead of time in Trafalgar Square, far before we would be arriving in London. For some crazy reason I didn't see this as an issue and trusted in my...God? Perseverence? Flirting skills?...ability to make things happen, to get me as close as possible to that red carpet.
This is my story.
We landed at 5:30 AM the morning before the premiere. We went to our hotel, found our room wouldn't be ready until 3 PM (major fail since we'd just traveled for 24 hours), checked our bags and freshened up in the hotel lobby bathroom like classy Americans. Lucky for us, in Europe, deodorant is optional, so we still smelled better than most. Finally, we set out to Trafalgar Square to scope out a game plan.
This is what we saw.
They're in cages because they've been camping out for days. They had tents and air matresses and coolers filled with sustenance. Some people hadn't showered, much less seen a bathroom in a while. Their dedication was admirable, but these annoying muggles were between me and my dream. I was hungry, tired, panicky, and had no clue what I should do. We walked around the Square looking for the end of the queue (line) and when we finally found it, mom offered to stay in it while I looked for a British man in a yellow vest to give me the 411.
I found a gentleman and he kindly told me not to panic. The people in queue were going to receive wristbands. They had 8000 to give out. If I didn't receive a wristband (as it looked as though there were 8000 in line ahead of me) I could come back tomorrow and watch the entire premiere from the boundary. "Just get here early, Miss, to get a good spot in front." The man said sweetly, in his adorable British accent.
OK! Good work! Problem solved. So mom and I decided to walk around town and get a feel for our neighborhood, while we waited for our room. We walked over to Leicester Square to the theatre, where the stars would get to watch the movie. We admired the beautiful buildings and statues until we couldn't take the hunger anymore and went back to find our room was ready. We immediately fell asleep.
We woke up that night around 9 and set out for dinner. We ate at a cute Italian restaurant near the hotel and walked around town some more. We checked out Trafalgar and they were FINALLY letting the poor caged humans into the actual Square by the red carpet. We watched the very first two people get in. It was a pair of young teenage girls. They got the spot next to the stage where the Las Vegas girls had been when this whole idea first was planted into my brain. In that moment I was so incredibly happy for them. They had such determination and patience. For a fleeting second I was jealous and a bit upset that I hadn't had that kind of drive, but immediately remembered that I flew from America. I have a job and a life and not a ton of money, so that spot was always there's. I just hoped I would be able to get up early enough to get mine.
I woke up the next morning before mom, threw on some clothes and literally ran down to Trafalgar Square to find some premiere viewing real estate. What I found, instead, was a 15 foot wall surrounding the entire area. He lied to me? Why, London, why? Immediately I ran back to the hotel, yelled some semi-hysterical gibberish at my poor sleeping mother and ran back to the Square. I planted myself in a line that was so long that it snaked through the side streets. After about an hour, I found another gentleman in a yellow vest and asked if I needed a wristband to be in this line, to which he replied, "Yes, Miss, I'm sorry, but if you don't have a wristband I'm afraid you should just give up." Give up? Um, your buddy lied to my face yesterday, so I'm not going anywhere. I started thinking about how much money I could spare to buy someone's wristband, desperate for a way in. I thought about trying to steal one. None of this was helpful, so I simply took a picture of the line to remind myself of the result of improper planning.
Then, all of a sudden, a huge crowd of people came running past me on the street, in the opposite direction of the premiere. Someone screamed "Trafalgars full, they're setting up at Leicester Square!!", I grabbed my bag, and took off running.
Leicester Square is a tiny triangle sized theatre district with shops and cobblestone roads. I parked my anxious ass on the street where everyone else was. Suddenly out of absolutely nowhere it began to pour. Like a dumbass American, I didn't have an umbrella, so a super sweet non-English speaking girl shared hers with me for about an hour. During this time, there was Harry Potter music blasting from the theatre. Workers reassured us that the stars would drive by and wave out of their cars. I finally relaxed. If I got to see their hands, I was satisfied.
Until.
There came a sudden announcement over a loud speaker informing us that "this was not a viewing area, everyone must leave." You lied to me again, London? For shame. Heart? Sunken. Tears? Very near. Clothes and laptop? Soaked. Give up? Never.
Everyone on my side of the street got up. But everyone on the other side stood their ground. So, I went over. I heard a teenaged Gryffindor telling her friends that "This is exactly where [she] stood at the last premiere and [she] saw everyone."
I didn't move for 2 hours. Mom found me and was happily sipping wine and tea in the hotel lobby behind me. Suddenly there was an outburst of screams and yells and a rush forward. I ran a few yards and was faced with...could it be?...a waste-high metal barrier. Like the kind they set up around...wait for it...RED CARPETS.
Success. Second row.
I stood in this spot for a few hours until I heard my mom yell from somewhere behind me (through a thick crowd of people), "MEGAN, LUUUUNCH!", and saw a bag being passed to me. A few hours later I heard (from the same general area), "MEGAN, WAAAATER!", and was passed a travel cup. She's the best.
I continued to wait...
my spot at the red carpet that i worked so hard to get to. I stood here for 9 hours.
bringing in the red carpet.
all set up.
Close to the starting time of the premiere, a yellow vest came over and told us that the stars would be walking by. I was sick of getting lied to by London and decided I'd believe it when I saw it.
Finally the show started...and I saw it.
neville longbottom!
draco malfoy!
luna lovegood! and her lovegoods. dang, girl.
The rest of the event I took video. I didn't want to miss a thing. Its shakey, but super awesome. I saw everyone except Hermione, Ron, and (tear) JK Rowling, all of whom drove by in bullet-proof cars. After seeing (and being part of) that crazy crowd, I can't really blame them.
Finally, when the last attendee was safely in the theatre for the private viewing, the crowd dispersed. I turned around and my mom was standing there. She hugged me. My clothes were still soaked. So were my cheeks. Happier tears have never fallen.
The end.
Not really. We still had 6 days left in LONDON!!!!!! But that's a whole 'nother blog.
