'Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home."

I honestly do not even know how to start this blog post. So much goodness happened today that I do not know how to justify it with words. I'll start by saying that this was the very best day of my time in London and it is very high in the rankings for my entire life. We spent the day at Leavesden Studios which was the primary location for the 10 years of Harry Potter filming. There is no other way to describe it... it was magical. I'm warning you now ("boy. Any funny business. Any at all..." See, I'm already starting) this may be unbearable for you if you have no soul and don't like Harry Potter and Harry Potter references.

But I promise, it did not start off ideally. I blame it on Kaitlin who said, because we met the bus right on time, "Oh nothing can go wrong now." And we were on a bus so no wood to speak of for knocking on. We got lost... MAJORLY lost on our journey to Hogwarts. We had no idea where we were, took directions from a seemingly helpful tube employee, and got even more lost. He sent us in the completely opposite direction and it took way too long to right ourselves.

This was Kaitlin and me looking at the tube maps.

So the bus that we were supposed to show up 45 minutes early for? Yeah we were more like 45 minutes late. We were a full hour late for our scheduled tour and terrified that we wouldn't be let in. Then, out of nowhere, the email that had my confirmation in it disappeared. Like one minute it was there and one minute it was gone.... kind of like the glass in the zoo in Sorcerer's Stone... "It was like magic!" Forgive me. I'm in the zone and I'm not editing. Anywho, the incredibly nice and helpful lady at the ticket office let us in with a smile. Thus began the most magical 3 1/2 hours of my life.

The tour started with a movie about the Potter films that was beautiful and, as Kaitlin so beautifully put, "almost a spiritual experience." Then we entered the Great Hall. The legitimate Great Hall where they ate three feasts a day, danced at the Yule Ball, and Molly Weasley kicked Bellatrix Lestrange's trash.

 GRYFFINDOR!

 Killing a part of Voldemort in a sweater because you're Neville freaking Longbottom

 Baby Daniel Radcliffe's robes!

I was really truly there.

And then after the Great Hall came the giant room filled with sets and props and costumes and everything your little Potter-loving heart could desire.

The Hogwarts Gate

 Ronald Weasley's bed

 "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts." Being in that exact moment was probably the most desperate desire of my heart so the picture is accurate.

 Gryffindor common room!

 Dumbledor's office entrance. Ever notice that is is literally a griffin door? A griffin door... Good old JK 

 Catching up on potions

 Brushing up on my parseltongue 

 Selfying in the foe glass

And that was just the first room... Kaitlin and I may have decided that it was absolutely necessary to duel. Don't judge.

And then came the outdoor props and sets!

Sometimes I drink butterbeer next to the Riddles' graves. It's whatevs.

Sirius'/Hagrid's motorcycle!

 Flying car

Knight bus

 Chillin at Privet Drive

 The Hogwarts Bridge

 Gringotts!!

 Flourish & Blotts and Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!!!

And then.. get this you guys: even among those who spent money to visit the Harry Potter studios, Kaitlin and I somehow distinguished ourselves as especially obsessed. Two guides stopped us and told us that one of the other guides told them that we were special HP fans. It may have been the squeals and screams of excitement that tipped her off. The girls decided to give us a surprise. They told us about all the models we were looking at (of the castle and different buildings used in HP). They described how the models were made and what they were used for. Then they dimmed the lights, led us into the next room, and we were greeted by this sight. They said the looks on our faces is why they work at Leavesden Studios. 

 "The wand chooses the wizard."

 Gift shop

 You can't really tell but that's a chocolate wand that I'm threatening you with.

 And then.. AND THEN to top it all off... the train we had to take to return to the Muggle world was on this platform. I was literally between platforms 9 and 10 as we left the world of Hogwarts. I kid you not.

This describes my reaction to the end of the tour perfectly. I feel you Trelawney.

Magic everyone. Just pure unadulterated magic. I am so very grateful for my life and especially for today. People mock those who love Harry Potter as much as I do. The fun thing is that we simply do not care. It is real for us.

Now if you've stuck with me this long, you deserve a reward. Here is a clip of me riding a broomstick. Yup. That happened today.

Mischief managed.