The Harry Potter cast and X Factor hopefuls vied for the spotlight at the world premiere of the The Deathly Hallows Part 1 in London.

But they were all eclipsed by Emma Watson, who wowed the crowds in London’s Leicester Square with a skimpy black lace mini-dress and a feathered skirt.

Ms Watson (20), who stars as Hermione Grainger in the series, was joined on the red carpet by ‘Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1’ co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint.

The actress had earlier talked about her sense of style and how she always loved to choose her outfits from a young age.

“My dad was very good when I was younger,” she said. “He always encouraged me to choose things for myself. I was never just given clothes.”

Her co-star, Evanna Lynch, who plays Luna Lovegood, recently revealed that she will return to Co Louth to re-sit her Leaving Cert having been “distracted” by filming during her first attempt.

“I’ll get all the practical things done, and then I’d love to do more acting,” she said yesterday.

“Although if something comes up workwise during that, I’ll happily drop school,” she added, laughing.

“I love theatre, I’m not so sure about TV. Theatre actors blow my mind — the way they learn so many lines, they’re up there all by themselves. I think that’s probably more of a skill.”

The latest film, the final Potter tale by author JK Rowling, has been split into two with the second film due out next year.

Deathly Hallows will be released on November 19.

The first six movies amassed $5.4bn (€3.9bn) at the global box office.

Hundreds of screaming fans braved the wind and rain to catch a glimpse of the stars who hit the red carpet for the premiere.

Robert Conner was near the front of the queue of fans, having pitched his tent on Tuesday evening.

“I’m a big fan,” he said. “I’ve actually got a Harry Potter tattoo, which I’ve shown to quite a few members of the cast.”

Dora al-Saadi (17) came from Sweden especially to be there for the first screening. “It’s Harry Potter. It’s everything. Basically it forms our lives. Everyone here, they think it’s worth it because it’s such a part of our lives now,” she said.

The seventh Potter film virtually guarantees another big pay day for Warner Bros despite its failure to get a 3-D version out in time.

In Deathly Hallows Part 1, Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on a mission to track down and destroy the secret to evil Lord Voldemort’s immortality and destruction — the Horcruxes.

The movie trailer, part of a major marketing campaign running for weeks already, suggests the film will feature a familiar mix of spectacular action and increasingly dark storylines with the added twist of a bust-up between close friends Harry and Ron.

The actors playing the three central characters for the last decade are in the middle of a gruelling round of interviews to promote the film, and have spoken of mixed feelings about a franchise that turned them into A-list stars and millionaires.

Grint (22) felt a sense of relief that a decade of filming had ended. “It’s just really great, it’s a sense of real freedom because filming on Harry Potter does take over your life.”

Radcliffe (21), cast as Harry in 2000, said he was unlikely to reprise the role even if there was another novel. “I think 10 years is a long time to spend with one character,” he said.