Happy Harry Potter Party!

If you know Thatkid at all, you know he's obsessed with Harry Potter.  We've been reading the books since kindergarten, he's got an account on Pottermore so he could be officially sorted and he even owns the "Syltherin House" version of some of the books as he has embraced his house.

In June he got a talking sorting hat, and the idea for his birthday party came into fruition.  Nevermind that most of his friends didn't know Harry Potter, and those that did were really only familiar with the movies and not the books.  He wanted a Harry Potter party, and he got one.

When guest arrived, they were greeted with a shopping list and sent to Diagon Alley to retrieve their school supplies.

A stop at Madam Malkin's for their school robes.

Cauldrons

Ollivander's to pick out their wands.

And of course, Flourish and Blotts to grab their school books.

Here they grabbed both a Monster Book of Monsters

As well as a book containing information for all their classes.

Once most of the guests had arrived, they were ushered over to the Hogwarts Great Hall.

Here they lined up and waited to be sorted into their houses.

Pretty soon, Dumbledoor came out with the sorting hat.

He placed the hat on the head of each child, and once it announced their house, he gave them an identifying tie and they hurried off to join their table.

Once all the children were sorted, Professor Sprout came out for the first lesson - Herbology.

The kids learned all about venus fly traps and got to plant their own.

Then Hagrid came out to teach Care of Magical Creatures.

He taught the kids about nifflers and they competed against each other in a niffler game.

Professor Trelawny led the kids in a Divination game

Then Professor Lockhart helped the children discover their Patronuses.

In Transfiguration, the kids learned to turn pills into animals.

And in potions class, they each made a potion (slime) to take home.

After all those classes it was time to burn off some steam - QUIDDITCH matches!  I hid 2 snitches in the yard so we could have 2 games - Gryffyndor versus Slytherin, and Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw.

While the kids played Quidditch, the house-elves magically cleaned the tables and put out a feast for the kids to enjoy that was made up of sandwiches, fruit, veggies, house-colored deviled eggs, and sweet sorting hats.

And then it was time for cake.

Thatkid requested a strawberry cake with black mirror glaze.

On the way out, the kids all got to stop in Hogsmede for a trip to Honeydukes for some candy to take home.

I made peppermint toads out of marshmallow fluff, peppermint extract, and white chocolate.

Sugar quills were molded melted jolly ranchers.

I went with a more traditional interpretation of cauldron cakes - welsh cakes which are technically "pan" cakes, but could easily be made in a cauldron if one used that to cook.

My favorite were the ice mice.  Did you guys eat those chocolate ice cubes growing up?  They were one of Thatdad's favorites.  They seemed to melt in your mouth, while also making your mouth feel colder.  I found a recipe online and adapted it to work with white chocolate, which seemed more "ice-y".  These really did melt like an ice cube and chill your mouth!

It was sooooooo much work and I don't think I'll ever do anything like this again, but the kids had a great time!  Thatkid specifically picked out all the food that we served, from lunch, to cake, to candy.  He's the one who requested sorting hats with both regular and white chocolate. 

I especially like these because they're perfect for this time of year with treats and snacks take on that "spooky" aspect.  Because a sorting hat looks exactly like a witch's hat.  These are also incredibly easy, which is another plus.

 Sweet Sorting Hats

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

cocoa powder (use black cocoa powder for an especially spooky witch hat)

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Separate the dough into 8 triangles.
2. With the pointed part on top, place a Tbsp of either chocolate chips or white chocolate chips along the bottom of the triangle.
3. Roll the bottom up and over the triangle to contain the chocolate chips and create the brim of the hat.
4. Repeat with remaining triangles and chocolate chips.  Bake for 10 minutes, until golden brown.
5.  Use a sifter or strainer to sift cocoa powder over the warm hats.