I'd come across the competition purely by chance. I was about to log out of Facebook when it caught my eye. I couldn't believe what I saw when I opened my emails - I remember screaming and nearly falling over my feet in the rush to get downstairs! A few days after the initial email, a second email arrived to confirm the launch party details. What was originally 'just' a personalised Blu-Ray edition of the film turned into a launch party, question and answer session with the cast and a giant goody bag as well. I am so grateful to the Harry Potter UK Facebook page for such a great prize and such a fantastic day!
My dad and I hopped on the tube (London Underground train system) on the day of the event to join the throng of winners outside the cinema, as there were 100 winners of the competition, and everyone could bring one guest. I spotted several Harry Potter books, scarves and t-shirts, while sporting my 'Keep Calm and Carry a Wand' t-shirt and my Gryffindor scarf. We waited outside, and then went inside and waited a bit more. We were greeted with free drinks and canapés while they began filming a few interviews with some of the other winners. Recently, a video montage of the event, including some of the interviews, has been uploaded to the Harry Potter UK Facebook page. Additionally, for more photographs of the event, see the Harry Potter News Niffler's photo gallery.
After a while, we were all led into the cinema screen, where six seats were set up for the cast. A prominent UK radio broadcaster, Edith Bowman, acted as the interviewer and introduced the five cast members to us: Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick and Griphook), Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley), Natalia Tena (Nymphadora Tonks), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) and Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood)! Then the questions began.
Edith Bowman asked the cast several questions herself, and took questions from the audience too. I had been racking my brains for a good question for weeks, and still hadn't managed to come up with one, but I decided that I had to ask the cast a question - any question! I remembered seeing on Evanna Lynch's Twitter account and on MuggleNet that Evanna and some of the other cast members had recently been to New York to see Daniel Radcliffe acting in 'How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying' and to see the New York stop of the travelling Harry Potter exhibition, so I asked the cast what New York and the exhibition was like for them. They answered that they really enjoyed the exhibition, and Natalia Tena said that she asked the staff to change Tonks' wand, as it wasn't quite right! Evanna Lynch recommended the exhibition to anyone planning to visit New York and all five cast members said that Dan Radcliffe was excellent in 'How To Succeed'.
Even the hugest Harry Potter fan would have learnt a lot from the question and answer session with the cast. Mark Williams revealed that someone who had worked on all eight films was called a 'lifer' and that one lifer had the job of looking after the props, and apparently security was quite strict - Natalia Tena was asked to immediately return some of Tonks' underwear after she'd accidentally gone home wearing it! All cast members agreed that their character's wand would be the prop to have.
Warwick, Mark, Natalia, Matthew and Evanna were all asked which was their favourite film to act in (out of the series) and which is their favourite to watch. Evanna said that Prisoner of Azkaban was her favourite to watch, as it was 'artsy' and she liked the Time Turner sequence, while Matthew said that Deathly Hallows Part 2 was his favourite film to act in because he got to do some action scenes. To which part of the film is he referring? We'll have to wait and see!
One particularly interesting question asked the cast what song their character would have on their iPod. Immediately, Mark Williams suggested 'Poker Face' by Lady GaGa for his character, Mr. Weasley, and then changed to 'Bonkers' by Dizzee Rascal! Natalia Tena suggested that Tonks would be a heavy metal fan, and Evanna Lynch referenced Wizard Rock (I couldn't help but smile at that) before Natalia Tena said that Luna could be looking at bugs and listening to opera, which suits her! Mark Williams then went on to suggest that Neville listens to brass band music, and gave a wonderful demonstration! Mamma Mia and musicals were suggested for Professor Flitwick.
Another question that was asked referred to the actors' similiarities and differences to their characters. Natalia described her audition to us - she turned up late, ran in and then tripped over - as Mark Williams pointed out, nothing like Tonks at all then... On set at Grimmauld Place, Natalia continually tripped over a table, just as Tonks kept tripping over the umbrella stand in the books, so eventually they simply moved the table! Matt Lewis said that he is forgetful like his character as well.

Overall, it was a fantastic day already and I hadn't even received the prize yet! Once the cast had left to go to a signing in HMV in Oxford Street, we all settled down to watch Deathly Hallows Part 1 again, before receiving our prizes and goody bags. The prize itself, a personalised limited edition Blu-Ray edition of Part 1, is beautifully presented, and I was very excited to receive it. I'd like to thank the Harry Potter UK Facebook page a million times over for such an amazing prize, and a day to remember.