It's the best of times and it's the worst of times for "Harry Potter" fans all across the globe. On one hand, we're right on the cusp of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2," a film that's guaranteed to bring beautiful closure to one of the single greatest fantasy franchises of all time. On the other hand, there's that dirty word… closure.
Well, the doors haven't closed yet. Indeed, from where we're sitting, they're wide open — so wide, in fact, that a very important question still lingers: who is the greatest "Harry Potter" character of all time?
We're about to get to the bottom of that question right here at MTV News with the Harry Potter World Cup, a month-long tournament that will have you, the fans, voting to make your voice heard and determine who really is the greatest character in the entire Potterverse. 64 different competitors from all corners of J.K. Rowling's expansive series will enter the ring, but in the end, only one will emerge as the wizarding world's greatest champion.
As announced by James and Oliver Phelps, the real-life counterparts of the prank-happy Weasley Twins, the Harry Potter World Cup launches with first round voting opening on June 20. From there, it'll be round after round of single elimination duels between your favorite wizards and the villains you love to hate, and you'll be there every step of the way voting on which competitor deserves the grand title. The two finalists will be revealed on Monday, July 11, kicking off an intense final duel that'll play out just days before the theatrical release of "Deathly Hallows Part 2" — and the winning wizard will be revealed during MTV News' livestream coverage of the film's red carpet premiere in New York City.
So, what are you waiting for? Get to know the contestants by studying the bracket, start spreading the word on Twitter using the #mtvpottercup hashtag, and get those wands at the ready — only one wizard can be named the champion, and it's all up to you.
The Harry Potter World Cup Tournament Voting Schedule is as follows:
Round 1 – Monday, June 20th through Sunday, June 26th
Round 2 – Monday, June 27th through Thursday, June 30th at Midnight
Sweet 16 – Friday, July 1st through Tuesday, July 5th at Midnight
Elite 8 – Wednesday, July 6th through Thursday, July 7th at Midnight
Final 4 – Friday, July 8th through Sunday, July 10th at Midnight
Championship Round – Final 2 announced Monday, July 11th. Voting will continue up until the New York City premiere of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2."
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