I don’t think I’d ever originally considered the monstrosity in my living room a “rough draft”, but that’s how I’ve felt about it for quite some time now. Hogwarts is difficult enough to move around the apartment. It’s large scale and fragile nature — in addition to the fact that it is incredibly heavy — makes the possibility of it surviving any sort of “out of apartment” move highly unlikely. Hence, when I move — whenever that is — Hogwarts is going to have to come down.

There was so much that I wanted to do with Hogwarts that I didn’t — either because I didn’t plan or think ahead, or because I was in a rush to finish it, or because it didn’t occur to me to do it until I was finished or would’ve had to conduct some massive demolition/reconstruction to complete.

I originally concieved of a massive Lego Hogwarts several years ago, shortly after hooking my friend Allison on Hogwarts. We were having dinner at TGIF in Towson when I mentioned wanting to build a large Hogwarts model — complete with Hogsmeade and a Qudditch field. At first, she though I meant just arranging the “official” Lego sets on a large base, which I believed she remarked was “stupid.” But when I explained my ideas, she was hooked, and we spent much of the summer discussing ideas and diagramming on graph paper and brainstorming.

And then we lost touch. And then, years later, I built a Lego Hogwarts. And then, close to a year after finishing it, we got back in touch. And I keep thinking of a new, improved Hogwarts. After all, the next time I move, afterwards I’m going to have a considerable amount of dark-gray, tan, and sand-green bricks begging to be unpacked from their plastic storage bins and formed into something awesome.

So, here are some of the things I’d like to feature or change in Hogwarts: A Lego Castle v. 2:

1.) A complete environment for Hogwarts. There is currently only the castle — I’d like to include Hagrid’s Hut, the Whomping Willow, the Hogwarts Express, and maybe part of Hogsmeade. I’d also like to revamp the castle’s green-house, and make it actually look a green house! I have an idea for showing “below the lake”, but I’m not quite convinced I could pull it off.

1a.) The Hogwarts Express would most likely I’d cheat and buy the electronic Lego version. The track would be a complete circle, to allow the train to make a full rotation around the “environment.” A good chunk of the track would run through a tunnel under the “mountain” upon which Hogwarts would be located. Possibly, the King’s Crossing station would be hidden from sight here, visible by removing a part of the rock-face.

2.) Hogwarts Mk. 1 is largely hollow. With the exception of the Entry & Great Halls, DADA Classroom, Dumbledore’s Grotto (I don’t know if that counts) and the Owlry, the interior construction is mostly hollow, made up of a network of support structures to hold the entire thing upright. I’d like Hogwarts Mk. 2 to have more interior spaces — Snape’s Dungeon classroom, the Gryffindor Common Room, Dumbledore’s Office, the Chamber of Secrets, etc.

2a.) I’d really really really like to have a larger Great Hall, with a removeable roof (for dusting purposes), and a more detailed interior — tables for all four houses would be neat.

2b.) I’m not happy with the interior design of the DADA in Mk. 1. I’d really like to put more effort into it. Removeable roofs or wall-panels (for access) are a neccessity!

3.) As far as the castle itself goes, I’d like to make it larger, while at the same time, not making it so fucking tall. Currently, the castle is on a 64×64 peg footprint, while boasting a height of 200 Lego Bricks, or seven feet. If I do intend for a functional train-track to allow for the Hogwarts Express, I’m probably looking at a bare minimum footprint of, hell, I dunno, any Lego Train enthusiasts reading this? 200×200 pegs?

I got me some schematics to sketch.

(I’ll take suggestions, ideas, comments, whatever. Be creative!)