The One with the Harry Potter Party and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Premiere

This is more what I was thinking when it comes to book releases: When I was in London for a study abroad, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince came out. I think people in London have a sort of "claim to fame" because J.K. Rowling is English and all. I don't blame them, I would feel the same way. My friend Allison and I decided to go to the release together.

That morning, we walked past the Waterstone bookstore where the big party was going on that night and there were already kids in the "queue". That's some dedication because it was still about 15 hours until midnight!
We didn't have any official costumes, so we all got dressed up in black and drew lightening bolts on our foreheads with eye-liner. They even had people dress up like main characters and interact with people standing in the mile-long (I kid you not) line. I don't really know what these monster things are supposed to be, they aren't in the books if I remember correctly.
Dumbledore!
Snape and Hagrid!
Allison and I stood near the front entrance. We weren't there to get a book, the line was way too long. Plus, all the action was going on at the front. We stood next to the group of press people and made friends with some of them. They filled us in and told us that the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie premiere was going on the next day. Finally, the countdown began and when the clock stroked midnight fireworks and lights went off and the madness continued. Those kids who we saw earlier in the day were the first ones to get the book and as they ran out of the store we bombarded them and made them take pictures with us. Here we are "worshipping" the new Harry Potter book. On the way back to the flat, there was a tiny corner bookstore open. No lines, no waiting, no nothing. We all went in and got our own copies, easy as that!
So the next day we went to Leicester Square and amazingly we ran into some of the same press people we saw the previous night. This is what they do for a living - mingle and meet with famous people.
The square was decked out to look like the chocolate factory.
There were three chairs that no one had claimed for hours so Allison, Katie and I each grabbed one.
Finally, the famous people started to roll in. This is Julia Winter (Veruca Salt) and this is her one and only movie so far, according to IMDB.
Here is AnnaSophia Robb (Violet Bearegarde). I didn't realize until I IMDBd her that she's the same girl on Bridge to Terabithia and she had a small part on Jumper.
Liz Smith (Grandma Georgina)
David Kelly (Grandpa Joe)
Jordan Fry (Mike Teavee) His only other claim to fame is a voice in Meet the Robinsons.
Eileen Essell (Grandma Josephine) She plays Mrs. Connelly in Duplex (with Drew Barrymore and Ben Stiller) which is one of Chris' favorite movies.
Tim Burton himself. Crazy guy.
Tim Burton never goes far without his "partner" Helena Bonham Carter (Mrs. Bucket). Tim, Helena and Johnny Depp have been in quite a few movies together like Sweeny Todd and the Corpse Bride. Missi Pyle (Mrs. Bearegarde) She's been in a million movies but never a prominent character (Friends - The One with Ross' Teeth, Galaxy Quest, Home Alone 3, Big Fish, Along Came Polly, 50 First Dates, Dodgeball, Anchorman).
And of course, Johnny Depp himself. Yes, I have seen him with my own two eyes :)