Harry Potter Birthday, part 1 of 3 - Diagon Alley.

Instead of having a big party (we tend to alternate parties and she had one last year), we decided to have a Harry Potter birthday experience for Kristin. Although she knew that something to do with Harry Potter was happening on her birthday, she didn't know exactly what and she LOVES surprises.
I originally intended to wake her up and start the day but I still had so much to finish in the morning that Hubby took them out for a couple of hours. When they got back we led them all upstairs blindfolded into Kristin's room.
Here they are eagerly awaiting the day :)

We crowded into her room and sang her happy birthday as she was presented with her birthday cake. It was based on the one that Hagrid gave Harry in the first book/film.
After the cake she received her letter from Hogwarts.
Kristin read it out aloud. It included the list of ingredients that she would need for her lessons. The actual letter was much prettier than below as it was in curly writing :)

Dear Kristin,
Happy Birthday!
Even though you are another year older, you are not yet old enough to attend Hogwarts here in Scotland. So instead we are treating you to a Day at Hogwarts experience in your own home!
First, you are going to have to visit Diagon Alley to pick up some supplies.
The essential potions that you need for today’s lessons are:
Sopohorous
Armadillo bile
Salamander blood
Wartcap powder
Acromantula venom
Asphodal
Belch powder
Grated Mandrake root
Beetle eyes
Lionfish spines
Tubeworms
Ashwinder eggs
Moonstone
Pumpkin essence
Juiced knotgrass
Snake venom
Flobberworm mucus
Powdered graphorn
Rat spleens
Crocodile flesh
Murtlap essence
Chopped dragon heart
Lovage
Hellebore
Wormwood
Mashed frogs brains
After you trip to Diagon Alley, you will take part in some Hogwarts lessons including: Divination, Potions, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures and Quidditch.
This year, all under 11’s will be given special permission to visit Hogsmede. Permission slips (see attached) must be signed by a parent before lunch.
Happy Birthday & Have Fun!
Yours Sincerely

Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Before she left her room, she was given an egg to look after for the day with instructions to keep it safe and watch for it hatching. Obviously it was a gift from Hagrid.

As they stepped out of the bedroom, they entered Diagon Alley. The first stop was Gringotts bank.

Here we are reading the Gringotts warning. The kids were then given little leather pouches that I made
And the Galleons and Sickles were shared out.
Decoration on the wall
Of course all witches and wizards need wands so the next shop we visited was Olivanders wand shop.

I did look into buying the children wands but in the end decided to make them

Obviously each one had to be different.

Handing out the wands

Testing them out

A picture of one side of Diagon Alley
Round the corner, Kristin spied her broom :) Actually, she didn't see it straight away as she was too busy looking at everything.


Onto the robe shop. Kiki getting measured for her robes.


Googs was next


Then Brandon

And lastly, the birthday girl.
Before I gave her the robes that I had made for her, I pretended that an old piece of black fabric was all that I had left. She looked disappointed but accepted it... until she saw her actual robes :)

All kitted out :)

You can't attend Hogwarts without books. Here is Florish and Botts, the wizarding bookshop.

Kristin was given "Magical Beasts and where to find them"
As well as their Study Guides that I made.

It took me ages to stain all the pages with coffee but it gave the book a great look and feel.

In it were all the charms, spells, potions, ingredients, plants, and other information form the Harry Potter books, as well as the information that they would need for the days lessons.

We couldn't pass through Diagon Alley without visiting the magical Menagerie.

I got all the stuffed animals from around the house and piled them up around the room. There were 2 animals that Kristin hadn't seen before hiding amongst the others that she had to find, which were hers to keep.

Then, from out of my hat, the others all got to choose their own small animal to take to Hogwarts.
Here is one of them.

Potions shop! Kristin had to use her list on her letter to find all the ingredients that she would need.

The older two worked together...
while the younger two looked on.
The last shop to visit in Diagon Alley was Florean Fortescue's Ice-cream parlor

Waiting for their icecream
Eating ice cream!
Now onto Hogwarts....