LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle
Harry Potter is entering his fifth year at Hogwarts, and now you can replay important scenes from theHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenixbook,movie, or even make up your own adventures. Legos are perfect for social play, and this Hogwarts castle set provides loads of exploration and cooperative play with 943 pieces.Set includes step-by-step color diagramsshowing how to complete the model.The set is modeled so that, when constructed, it recreates the look and feel of theOrder of the Phoenixfilm. Several unique rooms are represented here, including the Room of Requirement, where Harry can get just about anything he wishes (provided he walks past it three times). The greenhouse provides a place where Hermione can tend a potted mandrake, which is included. There's even a fireplace through which Harry could exchange messages with Sirius Black, only there are no owls included. The accessory pieces of the set are loads of fun. It includes orange flames, tiny goblets, trophy ribbons, jewels, magic books, charts and many other interesting pieces.While most Lego playsets come with just a few minifigs, this one is packed with almost the entire cast. Harry and his companions Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley are included, along with Hogwarts staffers Hagrid, Professors Dumbledore, Snape, and the evil Dolores Umbridge. Potter will also have to contend with his nemesis, a newly designed Draco Malfoy who sports a mischievous grin, and a Death Eater. The playset also introduces two Thestral minifigs modeled after the large, winged, skeletal horses from the fifth installment.With almost a thousand pieces, kids between 7 and 12 will likely take a few hours to put it all together into a finished playset. Fortunately, Lego includes colorful, step-by-step diagrams that makes construction--pardon me for saying it--a snap. And unlike other, non-Lego playsets, this can be broken down and re-assembled into many different combinations.Hogwarts Castle comes with nine minifig characters from the story.The downside, though, is that Lego packages all of the tiny plastic parts in bags that don't reseal. You might want to consider getting one of those parts organizers to keep the pieces well sorted between assemblies or at least safe from Lord Voldemort.--Porter B. Hall