Hogwarts birthday

Somebody turned 11! 

We enjoyed a quiet family evening of sparkling apple cider, Chinese takeout, and cupcakes.

And then the birthday girl opened presents, the largest of which was a new bunny hutch for Buck.

She was very pleased.

The weekend approached with fine weather for a Harry Potter party.

With Buck tucked safely and happily in his new digs and Lizzy out of sight at a friend’s house, it was time to prepare Hogwarts.

The garage was set up as a dungeon for Potions Class (not a huge stretch, really).

Ada did all the design and printing for these posters, as well as the potions recipes, class schedules, and various signs and labels.

Diagon Alley was in the living room (not to be confused with Downton Abbey, as Caleb did).

The Great Hall, of course, was in the dining room.

We set up this very terrifying Common Welsh Green dragon in the driveway for Defense Against the Dark Arts class (no worries, the dragon was Stunned beforehand, so the girls would just need to finish him off).

And Greenhouse 1 was on the back patio for Herbology class.

When the guests arrived, we started by visiting Ollivander’s for wand selection.  Each of the girls was able to light a lamp with the wand that chose them, so they headed straight from there to the great feast.

First up after lunch was Potions in the dungeon.  I was much nicer than Professor Snape and didn’t take away any house points.

The class made four different potions:  Exploding Filibusters, Laughter Potion, Ghoul Toothpaste, and Skele-Gro.  

The glittery powdered unicorn horn was a hit with certain students, who added copious amounts to their Laughter Potion and Skele-Gro.

Next, up Defense Against the Dark Arts.  The girls were brave and valiant facing the Welsh Green.

It didn’t stand a chance, really.  These girls were natural-born dragon slayers.

I so love this about girls.  They piled all the pinata goodies together and then sat cross-legged in a circle, quietly taking turns picking one thing at a time.  

Ada and I steered clear of candy, since they were already getting cupcakes, soda, and a trip to Honeyduke’s Sweet Shop.  Instead we put in bubble gum, lemonade packets, stickers, hair ties, and flavored chapsticks (did I mention I love girls?).

The last class of the day was Herbology, where the students potted Flutterby Bushes, which bloom every hundred years with deadly flowers that attract unsuspecting victims.  Fortunately, these are babies, so they won’t be blooming for a long time.

I found these unbearably cute owl pots on Amazon.  It came as a set of six, so the girls each got to pick one to bring home, and we have two left over currently sitting on my kitchen windowsill being adorable. 

After classes the girls got to visit Honeyduke’s and pick out treats to take home.  Each got a selection of Jelly Slugs, Chocolate Wands, and Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum, as well as a box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans and a Chocolate Frog box, complete with a Chocolate Frog card inside featuring a different famous witch or wizard.  Ada printed, cut out, and assembled the boxes and the Frog cards and made the Chocolate Frogs from a frog mold we bought.

Lastly, we sang Happy Birthday to the birthday girl and shared Butterbeer cupcakes (also made by Ada, and amaaazing).

The verdict:  Ada and I were very proud of ourselves… and very tired afterwards.  Lizzy has appreciatively thanked me multiple times over the past few days for doing it.  And I overheard comments from the guests such as, “This is the most fun birthday party I’ve ever been to!” and, “How could we NOT have fun?!”

So I’d say we passed our O.W.L.s with flying colors.  50 points to Griffyndor.