It's a Wizarding World

We arrived in Hogsmeade on the Hogwarts Express on a perfectly overcast day.

We made a beeline for Hogwarts to ride "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey."

At night, the ride's name writes itself on the wall, disappears and writes itself again.

We were quite sad there wasn't a line because touring the castle is as much fun as the ride.  We spent almost an hour just wandering through and checking out all of the details.  The portraits move and talk, and not in a cheesy animated way.  They look like ordinary portraits until you realize they are carrying on conversations with each other!  Eavesdropping is a great way to catch up on your gossip from the wizarding world.

While the sun was shining we enjoyed a mug of frozen Butterbeer. 

While Andy rode the Dueling Dragon ride (Kristen was too short by an inch)  Kristen and I headed to the Owl Post to send some Valentine's back home.  After having her cards stamped, it took some time to choose an owl from the hundreds overhead to deliver her mail.

Loved watching the Frog Choir perform with their adorable singing frogs.

Lunch at Three Broomsticks was enchanting and delicious.

The boys from Durmstrang and the girls pf Beauxbaton perform during the Tri-Wizard cup spirit rally.

We spent hours exploring all of the shop windows filled with magical candy, bludgers, broomsticks, howlers, robes, sneakoscopes, and monster books.  You can't miss the mandrakes for sale.  You can hear them screaming from across the street. If you aren't petrified by the screams you can go visit Moaning Myrtle in the bathroom next door or get some cash from the Gringotts ATM. 

In Ollivanders you can watch a young wizard choose his or hers wand.

After choosing their wands and bundling up in our Gryffindor gear we explored more shop windows and this enchanted model of Hogwarts complete with flying hippogriffs.

There is so much more to Hogsmeade and surprises around every corner.  AND..if it rains..

everybody leaves. 

My favorite part of the Wizarding World is that my son, the reluctant reader; my son- the only reads non fiction books; my son- the only red the first two Harry Potter books because he needed reading hours for school is now so excited to read he has picked up Prisoner of Azkaban and actually said,

 "Just a minute mom, I want to finish this chapter." 

 Thank you J.K. Rowling.