In March, Harry Potter Studios in Hertfordshire opened a new expansion area featuring Hogwarts Express — the train that leaves at 11 am every September 1st from Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross Station and takes future witches and wizards to the Hogwarts School for their new term. Since some of my friends are equally obsessed with the Harry Potter series, I find it somehow easier to organise holiday surprises for them. Remembering how much fun we had last year when my friend Linda was visiting from Palestine during our Christmas visit to The Making of Harry Potter, I decided to invite my  friend and fellow (and much better) blogger Nina for a tour of the Studio on her birthday. It’s not like I really wanted to go there myself — it is just one of the hardships we have to endure for people we love! Ironic comments aside, the tour of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the Hogwarts Express train was truly magical: from the Great Hall decorated to the nines and ready for dinner to a cup of butter-beer in the yard, it felt like home away from home for a real Harry Potter fan. This time I even got to fly a real broomstick! If you scroll down to the bottom of this post, you will see a video of me enjoying every second of this experience (starting at 2:00).