Winner to be Announced LIVE on Monday, July 11th at 4:30pm ET
during MTV News’ Red Carpet Live Stream from the “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow – Part 2” Premiere on MTV.com

To link to the Elite 8 teaser video – go here: http://www.mtv.com/videos/movies/670444/harry-potter-world-cup-were-down-to-the-final-eight.jhtml#id=1666016

To embed the Elite 8 teaser video – use the following:

NEW YORK – JULY 6, 2011 – With more than 5 million votes cast thus far, MTV News’ Harry Potter World Cup is entering its final rounds as only eight characters remain in the battle to be crowned the Wizarding World’s Champion as “The greatest Harry Potter character of all time.” Fan favorites Harry, Hermione, Ron and Draco are set to go head-to-head with villain Severus Snape, Professor Remus Lupin, Rubeus Hagrid and Sirius Black, respectively. Will good triumph over evil? Muggles everywhere should head to MoviesBlog.MTV.com to continue voting and are also encouraged to utilize the official Twitter hashtag #MTVPotterCup to spread the word.

In addition, MTV News’ today confirmed that the winner of the Harry Potter World Cup will be announced LIVE on Monday, July 11th during MTV News’ live stream of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow – Party 2 Premiere Red Carpet. Beginning at 4:30pm ET on MTV.com, MTV News’ Movies Correspondent Josh Horowitz will reminisce with the likes of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Alan Rickman, Tom Felton, Matthew Lewis, Helen McCroy and director David Yates, among others, and ask fan’s most burning questions via MTV.com or Twitter (using the @MTVNews handle and hashtag #AskPotter). Fans can begin submitting questions today. Voting will continue through the live stream up until the announcement. Voting will continue through the livestream up until the announcement.

The Harry Potter World Cup launched on Monday, June 20th with an intensity and fierceness rivaled only by the most extreme Quidditch matches ever seen. Round by round, the month-long tournament that began with a field of 64 has unfolded online with fans championing, fighting and voting for the character they believe is the greatest in J.K. Rowling’s epic fantasy series.

Beginning today, the Elite Eight Match-Ups include:

·       Harry Potter vs. Serverus Snape

·       Hermione Granger vs. Remus Lupin

·       Ron Weasley vs. Rubeus Hagrid

·       Draco Malfoy vs. Sirius Black

Voting for the Elite Eight round will continue through Thursday, July 7th at Midnight ET.

Following the Final Four match-up this upcoming weekend, the two finalists will be announced the morning of Monday, July 11th, kicking off a championship round that will continue up until MTV News’ live stream from the Red Carpet of the film’s New York premiere.

The Harry Potter World Cup Tournament Voting Schedule is as follows:

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 through the livestream up until the announcement.

To view the Harry Potter World Cup bracket click here.

To link to a video of longtime Harry Potter actor Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) handicapping the tournament, click here.