The Ultimate Hogwarts Dinner Event | Defence Against The Dark Arts

Last updated on 17 October 2023

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Welcome to this edition of the Ultimate Hogwarts Dinner Event series!

Recently I was part of a team that turned our church into Hogwarts for a youth event. We decked out the entire building in Harry Potter magic, and for 2 hours the kids were students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In this series, I’m sharing how we set up each classroom and the activities we held in them. Be sure to check out the rest of the series by clicking the links at the end of this post.

“It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind. You may find yourself facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm will befall you whilst I am here. I must ask you not to scream. It might provoke them!” – Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

This had to be one of the coolest activities in our amazing Hogwarts dinner event, but I have to apologise for the lack of photographs. I think only took 1 or 2, and that was after the kids had already gone through it.

In one of the church’s lower basement rooms, we set up a Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom for the kids to try and pass their OWLS. They had only 10 minutes in each class, so they had to move through it quite quickly. Here’s what we did.

Defence Against the Dark Arts Decor

It was really simple, but you could add a whole bunch of things to make it more elaborate. At one end of the room we hung a backdrop of an old-timey lounge scene which we had from another event, then use our big candle holders and rope to create a ‘runway’ of sorts. This was to make sure the kids all stayed lined up, and there was just a mass of students spread out everywhere. Excuse the pastel pink wall with bunting – this is one of the rooms they have the smalls in (ages 2 and 3 maybe?). It did take away from the ‘dark’ arts a little bit.

We hired a really big trunk from First Scene costume and prop hire here in Auckland and put it in front of a large pin board which we covered in black fabric. This leads us to the activity…

Defence Against the Dark Arts Activity

Prior to the kids showing up, I had printed off a whole heap of things deemed by society to be scary. Things that people would be fearful of; clowns, spiders, zombies etc. We then blew up a whole bunch of black balloons with chocolate inside them (those small snack-sized bars or other wrapped chocolates), and stuck one of the pics onto it. This became our ‘Boggart’.

The kids were given a dart, and had 3 chances at using Riddikulus to defeat the Boggart (popping the balloon which was pinned to the board) and get the chocolate. The balloon, if popped by go 3, was then replaced on the pin board by another, so the next kid could have at turn.

Alternative ideas for Defence Against the Dark Arts

Create a maze that they have to weave their way through to get to the Tri Wizard tournament, answering riddles as they go
Craft a Patronus
Hide a bunch of Cornish Pixies around your house/hall/location and get the kids to find them
Make a quiz on the never-ending stream of professors who were in the role over the years.
Name as many creatures as you can remember that adorned the walls, shelves, and surfaces over the years in the classroom
Set up an obstacle course outside like Lupin does for their 3rd year exam

While I never go to see this game in action (I was in the Herbology room the whole time), I hear it went pretty well! Clean up was minimal too; all the dead balloons just go in bags and everything else just gets put away.

Check out the rest of the series: