Fans gather for Harry Potter premiere

LONDON, England Braving rain that made it almost impossible to sleep, the fans sheltered under umbrellas Thursday to mark their spot in Trafalgar Square -- where the stars of the movie will make a red-carpet appearance for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2."

Groups of girls screamed with excitement as they painted each others' faces in the red-and-yellow colours of Gryffindor, one of the four houses of the wizarding Hogwarts school in the Harry Potter books.

Some fans had travelled far for the event. A group of Mexican fans held aloft their national flag and a banner praising JK Rowling.