Yesterday was press conference day in a week of what Jason Isaacs has described as 'Pottermania'.
I was one of about 250 members of the media from across the world (Singapore, Mexico, New Zealand, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, and, err, Liverpool of course) who had gathered at the St Pancras Hotel at teatime.
I'd seen the film in the morning at the BAFTA screening cinema - you can see a truncated version of my review online tomorrow and the full version in the paper next Friday - and then, after a long, long wait and lots of tea, at 5.30pm a good chunk of cast and crew arrived to be quizzed by us.
A good chunk was 22 in all, from Emma Watson and Rupert Grint to the director David Yates (from St Helens) and producers, by way of Ralph Fiennes, Robbie Coltrane, Jason Isaacs, Helen McCrory, David Thewlis, Julie Walters and numerous Weasleys and Hogwarts students.
They lined up behind their names on stage. Matt Lewis (Neville Longbottom) was chewing gum. Outside, I'd come across Robbie Coltrane having a last crafty fag behind a pillar. Two cushions were quickly procured for Warwick Davis.
These press conferences are odd things, slightly surreal really. First was a video of DJ Alex Zane interviewing Daniel Radcliffe in New York. As Radcliffe talked about how much he'd miss his co-stars, Rupert looked on intently. Emma, wearing a black lace and feather creation, on the other hand was engaged in an animated chat with Lord Voldemort, sorry, Ralph Fiennes, sitting next to her.
I always feel sorry for the peripheral characters as they rarely get asked anything, and indeed most of the questions seemed to be directed at Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, David Yates and Ralph Fiennes.
Alex Zane batted a couple of general ones along the row, asking for their favourite lines from the films, and their favourite props.
Wands appeared to be popular, along with brooms, Malfoy's wig, and Hermione's Mary Poppins bag.
Suddenly there was an interruption - it was Matt Lewis who needed to be excused. "Sorry, but I need the loo" he told the laughing room. "Mine favourite prop is the sword of Gryffendor". Then he was off, with a relieved-looking Rupert Grint in weak-bladdered pursuit.
Julie Walters admitted she liked both her Mrs Weasley costume "warm in the winter, absorbent in the summer" and the line she delivers to Bellatrix as the Death Eater threatens Ginny Weasley - "not my daughter you bitch". Go Julie!
For Michael Gambon (who trapped Robbie Coltrane in his trailer apparently by parking his Ferrari outside the door!) it was the pouch he'd made for his cigarettes and lighter, and for Bonnie Wright (Ginny) it was Tom Riddle's diary.
Then it was off for 'cocktails with the cast'. And, if they'd only known it, being the envy of 5,000 dedicated fans in the rain outside.
I do hope everyone who has waited patiently for the premiere gets to see their heroes one last time.
And you can read more, including a full interview with Jason Isaacs, in tomorrow's Echo and online.