For My daughters 10Th bithday party we went all out Harry Potter.  We started by hand writing 50 invitations on parchament paper writing in green caligraphy.  We sealed each letter with melted red crayon, and stamped it with an H (you can get these at a craft store)  The invitation stated...  You have been selected to attend a pre-student orientation and special birthday party at Hogwarts (seeing as they were only 10, and you have to be 11 to attend Hogwarts)  We will be celebrating all our future witches and wizzards as well as (childs name) birthday.  Please come in scool uniform if you have already purchased them, or other proper witch or wizzard attire. Street clothes are not permitted. If there is an attire problem, please let me know, as cloaks can be fitted and made with in a reasonable time for $3. (I made these for 9 children the week befor the party!)  We will be meeting at Platform 9 3/4  on september 28 at 6pm. (the address given was for the school down the street..we drove them in a horse carriage owned by a friend) Please be prompt as the Hogwarts express leaves promptly at 6pm.  We also sent a special letter to parents which stated: TO concerned parents:  You child has been invited to Hogwarts, where they will attend four classes. No spirits will be conjured, nor any one hurt or frightened.  If at anytime anyone is scared they may stay in the kitchen with the house elves (our direct neighbor helped out and stayed at her house with all the  small children ,,I have five kids, my 10 year old is the oldest)     The night of the party myself, husband, sister and neighbor all dressed as withches and wizzards, waited for the children at the school. 46 children came!!! As the children arrived we played an ice breaker game called name that bertie bott.  (I purchased several kinds of Harry potter candy off the internet) They all stood in a circle and was given a bertie botts...some were quite disgusting but everyone played and had a good laugh. At 6.05pm we were off and ready to leave in the Hogwarts express. When the children arrived they were given a welcome speach "Welcome to Hogwarts....we are so glad that you have made it. You all look like a promicing bunch. First, befor you are sorted, I would like to remind you of some rules. You will always stay with your house, and fallow your prefects direction.  Seccond, you must never go into the dark forest, onless with a teacher as Damentors have been spotted (I pointed to my neighbors 1 acre yard covered with trees and gardens)  Third,you must respect your teachers as well as your classmates. Now,.....for the sorting"  We had the children sit on a small table that had a black sheet over it. Sitting under the table was my brother in law, who would yell out in a great voice what house they were in.  We bought the sorting hat off ebay for $15.00 after the sorting, we gave one child in each house a flashlight along with a pin that said prefect. (of course the bithday child was in gryphendor, and was also the prefect.  after all this, the students were off to their classes. We set a schedule ahead of time makeing each class 20 min, and giving them 5 min to get to classes. Prefects were to follow the map of my house and the neighbors (this was our Hogwarts) The four classes were as follows:  My neighbor was in her kitchen, where the children got to eat at the Leaky Culdron...we made bat wings (using chicken wings), witch finger cookies, worm noodles (green spagetti) salad, pumkin bread and pumpkin juice...coolaid with frozen hands (another color coolaid frozen in plastic dr. gloves..turn these inside out and wash first, they have a yucky powder inside!) Here they would go across her house and visit a room with a large sign that said HONEYDUKES candy... and get there goodie bags which had, an ice mice, one fizzing whizbie, one box bertie botts, one acid pop, one chocolate frog,1 cocaroach cluster, and lemon drops. (this can all be purchased on line, at walmart and Target!) My class was potions where they made a magic potion of solids vs liquid.  They used cornstartch and water and food dye.  When mixed if you touch it, it becomes solid like play dough. when put down, it becomes like a liquid. (play with the measurement befor the party. We are in UTAH and the hight altitude makes a difference. Start with half cup cornstartch and just enough water to moisten...go from there.) The children put this in zip lock bags and kept them.  This project takes about 20 min.    My Huzband dressed like a wizzard had herbology, which was outside in our shed. We had a sign on it that said Haggards Hut. He had each of the children plant different herbs in cups, he made "root"beer with dry ice (nice affect) and made there own wands.  We collected sticks in neighbors yard.  They deccorated it with a variety of glitter, feathers, scraps, etc...  (this was a fun part as the children loved haveing there own wand!) My sister dressed in great witch garb, taught divinations. This was upstairs in my daughters room which is painted purple and rag rolled light purple to look like a castle wall.  This room is everything harry potter! I wish I could submit a picture!  My sister read everyones fortune using a crystal ball and tea leaves!  To everyones surprise and horror (in fun) there was a damentor hiding in one of the rooms upstairs, and always paid that class a visit. (seeing as no one knew that my brother in law was under the table for sorting, after that he went and hid upstairs in a damentor costume.)  The news quickly spread...so expect kids to be afraid....but dont worry...the teacher know how to get rid of him...as soon as the damentor appears, she points her wand and says "expecto patronum"  The damentor quickly retreats, and hides til the next class. After all three classes, they meet in the great hall and it is determinded they have not been good and must go to detention in the forbidden forest.  (at this time if anyone is frightened since its pitch black, and they have alredy been visited by a dementor, those afraid may wait in the kitchen with the kitchen elves and watch the movie....most kids went to detention!) As I led them through the forest, (the one acre yard, or any dark yard with trees will do.) of course they are visited by our dementor!  This was great!!!! The kids were scared but loved it! When we got back from our walk, we had one last class together!  In the exact place they were sorted, they had Charms, where they would learn how to make light.  (while we were walking, our damentor got back uner the table. On the table was a simple pumpkin which has a plug in light.) We got all the student to stand up and with a swish and flick learned the simple charm "Lumus" Of course nothing happens.  TO the surprise of the birthday girl, she was called up and asked to point her wand, using the swish and flick technique, and of course saying "LUMOUS" as she did, the pumpkin magically lit up!  This was amazing....she was totaly surprised and all her friends were totaly impressed! This was the last class and we ended the party with a little bit of visiting and played the movies in one room and had the music playing in another.  The children had a wonderful time!  I got many calls from parents saying this party was great and children are always asking my daughter when her next party is.  The best is kids who couldnt make it, or werent invited are always asking her to invite them next year. As parents came to pick up there children, my brother in law took off his mask and shook all the kids hands, so that they would not be frightened later. \*\*\*\*A little note. We really didnt expect that many kids to make it, but we really played it up. The week befor we went to divinas class and brought her an acceptance letter, sealed with the letter H. It was worded exactly as Harrys is and you can get this in the first book.  The principle delivered the letter saying that an owl had gotten into the shcool and dropped this off in his letter....anyways....the 20 min was not enough time for that many kid. the party was from 6 to 9pm, and I am glad. Classes were quickly changed to 30 min!) Here is a time guideline 15 min arrival 15 min load and ride to Hogwarts 25 to 30 min welcome speach and seperation into houses 30 min per class (1 and 1/2 hours total) 5 min for walking to each class (total 15 min) 15 min walk around grounds for detention 10 min for charms class and learning of spell "LUMINOUS" The rest of the time if any can be used to watch Harry Potter movies, and of course eat goodies while listening to the Harry Potter theme song in back ground.  This was a lot of fun. I also thought I would include our decorations 1. Herbology was in our shed, which we said had a sign "hagrids Hut" 2. Potions was in my kitchen.  I had lots of glass bottles with colored water in it and put small pieces of dry ice in each.  This had a great affect!  I also had small viles with house hold spices and a chalkboard that said welcom to Professor Snapes class.  Today you will be haveing a substitute.  please behave or your detention will be with me. Signed professer snape...of course! 3. The food was at the Leaky cauldron at my neighbors, she decorated with a great gothic theme that she got at a consignment type store...like the good will. She had candles etc. She made a sign with a plastic cauldron that said you guessed it....The Leaky cauldron.  She also used her living room as the famous candy store Honeydukes. This was great.  Her Husband played store owner and handed out the candy to the children. 4. the rest of the house has spider webs, candles were lit for most of the light, and the stairs leading to herbology were not lit at all, except for a small battery candle.  This is why we gave them flashlights.   The most fun was in the bathroom we had a voice recording of moaning murtle!!!!!!! We recorded it from the movie and hid the radio in the cubbord!  The kids were surprised to say the least and loved it. Remember to leave gaps of time where there is nothing on the recording so its not contionuous, but every few min. I am sorry if this is random...it was such a great party and we had SOOOOOOO much!!!             Good luck and have a great time!