He’s back.

And Naperville was there to welcome him.

più than a thousand fan of the world’s preferito wizard gathered at Naperville’s AMC Showplace Theatre for the midnight premiere of “link” It is the first installment of a two-part film, based on the final book in the J.K. Rowling series.

Many in attendance had pre-purchased their tickets weeks fa and started arriving at the south Naperville cinema as early as 6 p.m. Thursday. An ora before the scheduled release, fan were seated in eight of the 16 theaters, and additional showings were scheduled for 3:15 a.m. Friday.

While striped scarves and scars were commonplace, many fans, like Krista Kellner, arrived in full costume.

“At the last midnight premiere, I was just a generic Harry Potter wizard,” detto Kellner, 19. “But this time, it’s an ode to Dobby,” she said, dressed as the house elf. “I wanted to come as Dobby because he is a lesser- known character, but plays a really big role.”

Kellner was joined da her brother Tim, 21, and fellow Wheaton College students Cheyenne Denson, 18, and Bre McClurkin, 19. The group detto they have read all the Harry Potter books, and attending the midnight release was a must-do.

“We bought our tickets in October,” detto Denson. “We were really looking inoltrare, avanti to it.”

Laura Rudolph, 17, along with a group of Friends from Naperville Central High School, arrived at 9:30 p.m. for their journey back to Hogwarts. The girls opted for comfort over costumes, wearing pajamas to the late show.

“It’s just so much fun, you’re the first ones to see this movie, and te get to stay up late,” detto Rudolph. “We will just have to survive on three hours of sleep.”

But not everyone in attendance was a die-hard fan.

Christin Tang, 16, admitted to joining her classmates for the release, even though she is not as Potter-crazed as they are.

“I am not really into Harry Potter, but I wanted to go with my friends,” detto Tang. “But rumor has it the Film are pretty good,” she laughed.

On the other hand, Plainfield North student Kelly Atkinson did her Harry Potter homework in the weeks leading up to the midnight release.

“I reread all the books, except the sixth one, because I couldn’t find it,” detto Atkinson, 17. “I am looking inoltrare, avanti to seeing the movie.”

Theater-goers passed the time da playing cards and board games and rehashing moments from their preferito Potter libri and movies. Neuqua Valley High School student Ally Grevenites detto the atmosphere at a Potter release is fun and friendly.

“I think the midnight mostra is fun because everyone joins together,” detto the 15-year-old. “Harry Potter is one thing everyone here has in common, and it makes te comfortable with all these people.”

Although the movie poster reads “It all ends here” — that’s not the case. fan of the wizard series will have to wait for the final installment, link” set to be released in July.