LEGOHarry Potter, the wizard, the boy who lived, the chosen one etc etc, turns 38 at the end of this month. And what better way to celebrate a 38-year-old’s birthday than an absolutely massive set of LEGO?!
That’s right, much like the books and films themselves, LEGO is just a toy for grown-ups thinly disguised as something for kids.
I mean, it can be for kids, but we all know, despite the lessons of The Lego Movie, that being a true LEGO master builder takes the type of engineering acumen and dexterity that children simply don’t possess. Soz.
Warner Bros.And when you think about it, all those small pieces can be a real hazard to children, not to mention the pain of stepping on LEGO, so it’s definitely better left to the grown-ups.
Also, I think it’s pretty safe to say that when LEGO release a 6,020 piece set costing £349.99, they’re aiming it squarely at the type of people who A) have a lot of time on their hands and B) have the patience, attention span and wherewithal to take on such a mammoth task, i.e. adults.
LEGOSo what does this over-6,000 piece set add up to? Nope, not a life size model of Hagrid (though that would be super cool, and if anyone from LEGO is reading this I have plenty more ideas where that came from…). What you actually get in this case is a replica of the Hogwarts castle, complete with buildable stained glass windows, Hogwarts house banners and the infamous diary of Tom Riddle.
It also includes *deep breath* the Whomping Willow, Hagrid’s hut, dementors, boats, the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, the Chessboard Chamber with chess pieces, the Room of Requirement, the Goblet of Fire, the Gryffindor common room with fireplace, Aragog the spider, a Hungarian Horntail dragon, Dumbledore’s office, Umbridge’s pink office AND figures of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, Snape, McGonagall, Voldemort and literally loads more.
You can even sneak your way into the Chamber of Secrets through the hidden entrance and face the Basilisk. Sound good?
Warner Bros.The LEGO Hogwarts Castle measures over 58cm high, 69cm wide and 43cm deep. That’s as tall as one and a half Elder Wands and almost as long as the Sword of Gryffindor.
As the LEGO website description reads:
Make the magic come alive at the LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle! This highly detailed LEGO Harry Potter collectible has over 6,000 pieces and offers a rewarding build experience. It comes packed with highlights from the Harry Potter series, where you will discover towers, turrets, chambers, classrooms, creatures, the Whomping Willow and Hagrid´s hut, plus many more iconic features. And with 4 minifigures, 27 microfigures featuring students, professors and statues, plus 5 Dementors, this advanced building set makes the perfect Harry Potter gift.
Definitely a gift, from me to me, to celebrate Harry’s 38th birthday. I mean, us muggles need something to keep us entertained, right?
The mega 6,000 piece set is released on September 1, but is exclusively available to LEGO VIPs from August 15.
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Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.