Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Harry Potter Mystery Dinner Party

After the fun and success of our previous Harry Potter Party found here, we recently hosted a Harry Potter Mystery Dinner Party. I searched all over for a Harry Potter Mystery Dinner Game to purchase and hardly found any choices and the two I did find weren't great.  One included some rather mature topics I felt inappropriate to use and the other didn't make much sense.  So I ended up writing my own, but it is written for guests who have read or watched Harry Potter.  I will post it soon. Here are the details of the night:

 It was a blast, the guests we invited got so into their characters that it made the whole thing a tons of fun.

**Updated 08/19: Sorry for the delayed reply.  It has been a long time since managing this blog and I am sorry many of the links for the HP party are not working.  Follow this link to a google drive folder with all of the files. I'll have to update all the posts, but in the meantime use the link below. Enjoy and have a fun party!**

**Click here for LINK to ALL MURDER MYSTERY FILES on google drive**

First we sent out Owl Invitations:
I adapted my old Harry Potter Party invitations found here and reworded the inside.  Then I attached them to some balloons with printed out some owls.  (Check back for: Printable invites and owls for invitations)

Then once they returned their RSVP, we sent letters explaining the Details, the Character they were to be, Polyjuice Potion,  a Hogwarts Express Train Ticket, etc. (Printable Mystery Dinner Character Invites, inserts and Polyjuice Potion DIY found: here)

Then we did a ton of decorating for the final night.
I will soon post all of the tutorials for the different parts I made and downloads for the printables I used and made. It is just taking me a little while to compile everything.  But check back soon, I will continually be updating.
And I will also include all of the downloads for the Harry Potter Mystery Dinner. (Including the parts, the evidence, etc.)

So now for the Harry Potter Mystery Dinner Party
First we started outside.  
On the driveway with a chalk outline of the victim, signs for directions, headstones, cobwebs, glowing stairs, silhouettes of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade in the windows, and a Portkey (doorbell).
(I'm sure our neighbors thought we were crazy)
 (I couldn't get a good picture of the silhouettes, due to my flash...and the front steps were glowing with dripping green mixture, but they weren't done until just before the guests arrived, but here and here where I got the ideas.)

Then, main floor of my house was transformed into Hogsmeade
It was filled with random Harry Potter Themed Decor.  Tons of books, cobwebs, Quibbler Magazines, Daily Prophet Papers, Broom Parking & Brooms, Birdcages, Moving Portriates, Old Wooden Signs and other Creepy Decor (thanks to halloween).

It included The Three Broomsticks:
Here we served Drinks and Butterbeer and appetizers.
(Each guest brought an appetizer, to make my job a bit simplier...but I took pictures before they arrived) The appetizers shown below are only the few I made for the party along with the Butterbeer. The recipes came from my previous Harry Potter Party all can be found: here

Zonko's Joke Shop:
Here we had Sticky Eyes, Extendable Ears, Candy Lips/Teeth/Mustaches, Gummy Stretch Fingers, Sticky Spiders & more. (I will update with how to DIY all of these but here are the Printable Labels)

Olivander's Wand Shop:
Now, I know Olivander's is actually located in Diagon Alley, but we added it.
Tutorial found: here.

Honeydukes's Sweets Shop:
This was a fun shop.  Since we had our party right by Halloween, there was a ton of fun candies available. I did make Cockroach Clusters and Chocolate Frogs as seen in this post. I also was excited to find this Printable Box with Dumbledore Trading Card.  And here is a link to the Labels.

Madame Puddifoot's:
We had all kinds of drinks served here and mixtures to make your own potion/drinks.
I found tons of fun Potion Printables and made some fun concoctions that I will post about soon.

All around Hogsmeade I posted Daily Prophets, Posters, Wanted Posters, Etc
As well as Lots of Cobwebs, Spiders, Skeletons, Books, Candles, Etc.

The bathroom was one of my favorite parts of the house.  It had spiders crawling towards the faucet with a sign "Follow the Spiders", under the toilet seat I made a sign, "Ministry of Magic this way" pointing down, and best of all...we played clips of Moaning Murtle, so that way as guests used the restroom they got to hear her talking to them.  I loved all the fun little details.
Also, here are more Wood Signs and the picture of the Portkey Label.

Then for the Guests:
We had the pleasure of serving Draco Malfoy, Gilderoy Lockhart, Ron Weasley, Bellatrix Lestrange, Luna Lovegood, Mrs. Weasley, Filch, Dolores Umbridge, Rita Skeeter, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Professor Snape, Ginny Weasley, Mundungus Fletcher, Professor McGonagall (not pictured) and a very short appearance of 2 house elves. 
The costumes and little details everyone came with amazed me! And it made the party a success.

Then after everyone arrived and visited in Hogsmeade we headed to the train station.
First everyone collected their Interdepartmental Memos from the ceiling fan.
And proceeded to Platform 9 3/4.

Here are a few, more pictures of decorations.  The flying keys, extendable ears over the stairs, Floo powder over the fireplace and the Brick wall of Platform 9 3/4.
(Printables and Tutorials found in text links & at bottom of post)

After taking the Hogwarts Express down to the basement...we entered 
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Having a large unfinished basement came in very handy.
Most of the walls were cement, but anywhere that had framing, we attached cardboard and painted to be the stone walls of the castle.

Then the first room included, Dumbledore's Pensive (the silver bowl on the round table, but in the picture it didn't have the dry ice going), The Mirror of Erised, Potions class, Divinations Class, Trunks and Books, etc.

After Traveling down the Hallway, we entered the Great Hall, where we had our feast for the Mystery Dinner.
 
The each guest was given an assigned seat for their character.
Water glasses had worm filled ice cubes. And the tables were covered in books, skulls, birds, fruit, candles, gourds, etc.  You can just hardly see the "fireplace" in the background.  It was a Large television, surrounded by curtains, with a Fire DVD playing.

The room was filled with Fog, which you can see in these cloudy pictures.  The windows had curtains made from plastic table cloths, the Enchanted Ceiling was made of tulle and twinkle lights, And House Banners floated in the back. 

The walls held House posters, Sconces with Candles, and Room Labels. And we had a small table with Lanterns, the Marauders Map, & the Elixir of Life (so guests could easily refill their glasses)

For Dinner we served 4 courses, not including the Drinks and Appetizers up in Hogsmeade.

Menu:
Course 1: Caesar Salad, in a Lace Parmesan Cheese Bowl, with a Balsamic Vinaigrette Reduction making a lightning bolt on each plate. You can see the plates a few pictures above, before the salad was added to the Parmesan Bowls.

Course 2: Palate Cleanser, Sorbet with Sugared Lemon Slices

Course 3: Entre, Fettuccine Alfredo with Butternut Squash & Rolls

Course 4: Dessert,  Apple pie, Pumpkin Pie, and Treacle Pie (berry pie) served with Ice Cream

And here are the floating House Banners!
These were one of my favorite decorations and the tutorial is linked at the bottom. 

Other fun Decor included The Sorting Hat (Tutorial found: here)
Trunks, School Books, & Owl Cages.

In the Hallway, Professor Sprout's Herbology Class was passed, an Educational Decree, and more books, Trunks, and Cauldrons. (Printables for the class, the wall posters, the trunk labels, etc. found: in text links and below.)

Here is a close up of the Divination Class.
Glass ball, Tea cup, Taro Cards, etc
(Printables and directions found: here and in text links and below)

Cauldrons, Potions, Ingredients, Potion Books & Directions, etc.
(Printables and Tutorials found in text links and at the bottom of post)

Here are a few of extra wall decor and printables shown up close:
(Hogwarts banners, Maraurder's Map, Butter beer labels, and more printables found: here)

And finally, here is a sneak peek at the Mystery Dinner Scripts, Evidence, Etc.
The Printable Harry Potter Mystery Dinner posted below.
So after lots of writing, planning and decorating...the night went off well and was so much fun.  It was a ton of work, so I figured I would share it and hopefully make it less work on some of you.
 I will get everything updated on here and hopefully someone else out there will enjoy hosting a party and can use some of the things I share. 

Throughout the blog you can find all of the tutorials and printables for this party,
but here is one long list of all the links below.

Harry Potter Invitations & Tutorial found: here
Harry Potter Murder Mystery Dinner Script & Printables found: here
Harry Potter Hogsmeade Printables found: here
Harry Potter Mystery Dinner Printables and Labels: here
Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery Dinner Printables found: here
Harry Potter Quibbler and Daily Prophet Tutorial found: here
Harry Potter School Trunk Tutorial found: here
Harry Potter Divinations Printables found: here
Harry Potter Hogwarts Sorting Hat Tutorial found: here
Harry Potter Flying Keys Tutorial found: here
Harry Potter House Banner Tutorial found: here
Harry Potter Wand Tutorial found: here
Harry Potter Broom Tutorial found: here
Harry Potter Wood Sign Tutorial found: here
Harry Potter Platform 9 3/4 Tutorial found: here
Tons of Hogwarts Printables and Recipes, Etc found: here

More tutorial still coming! So keep checking back.



And for the original Harry Potter Party with tons of printables, recipes, and much more look: here
Linked to these Parties: Here
Come check them out and share what you post!

61 comments:

  1. OH MY GOD I'VE DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN! We had our Harry Potter Yule Ball in 2009 http://repurposedmind.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/harry-potter-party/ when there wasn't anything near as cool as your party to draw inspiration from. Besides Britta Blvd. I think but was definitely not as cool and professional looking as yours. I am in awe and wish I could have been there!

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    1. Thanks for the sweet comments and I checked out your Harry Potter Post. It was great! and I loved your costume, it was amazing!

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  2. Can I just say you are seriously the coolest person ever! I can't wait to do this next year for our annual Halloween Party! Should be SO much fun! :) Thanks so much for allowing all of us to use your work! You are the best!

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    1. Well, thank you...that is such a nice compliment. We had a blast at the party and I would love you to use it in the future! Thanks again!

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  3. WOW! I am SPEECHLESS!!! This is absolutely amazing! I am a major HP fan and turn my home into Hogwarts every year for my daughters birthday. This will be our 3rd year (since we started when she turned 9 3/4 of course ;) Every year we add more and more to the event and I honestly didn't think there were many out there as serious as me, until I found you! We wanted to do a murder mystery dinner this year, and I, too, have been searching for a murder mystery dinner, but struggling to find one kid appropriate (12 year olds) so I am currently rewriting and adapting one myself, that is not working out easily. I saw that you had a link to yours, but I couldn't get the link to take me there... Are you sharing your script? If so, could you email it to me? Or tell me how to find it on your site? You have no idea how much I would appreciate it! My party is in 2 weeks. THANK YOU for sharing your talents! I really appreciate it :)

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    1. To: Unknown/Anonymous...I hope you get this reply to your comments, because I am not sure how to contact you.

      But, I haven't uploaded the script yet. And only because this whole party has had lots of tutorials, printable, posts etc that I am adding and I slowed down a bit due to the holidays. But they are all coming. But, the script is done (obviously since we used it) but I was planning on going through and double checking for any typos etc. before I posted it. I will try and get it done and link it this week, but I can always email you the original as well if you need it sooner....just know there could be some typos. Let me know and if I don't hear from you, just know that I will post it ASAP.

      Thanks for your interest!
      Colleen

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  4. THANK YOU!!! Thanks for your prompt reply! I would LOVE to have you email a copy of the script as soon as possible before you post the official version and please don't worry about potential typos since I am sure they will go completely unnoticed among your creative genius plot :) My email address is hpottermaniac934@gmail.com I can't thank you enough for saving me hours of rewriting the current script I am working on! You are wonderful!!! THANK YOU!!!

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  5. I've been debating whether or not to contact you again since I don't want to bug you- you are doing me a HUGE favor and I sincerely appreciate it!!! I need to send invites by next Wednesday and, as you know, they are character specific to the script. Any chance you can email (hpottermaniac934@gmail.com) the script this weekend so I have time to plan with it? or if it doesn't work for you, I completely understand. Given the time crunch, I just need to know if the timing would work to wait for yours or if I should spend this weekend working on the other script I was attempting to rewrite instead? You are amazing and so kind to share all your ideas! LOVE your website! Thank you!!!

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    1. Okay, I just emailed all of them to you! (It took several emails) Good Luck and hope it isn't too confusing.

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    2. Colleen! Your murder mystery is over-the-top incredible! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I especially love your attention to details. Thanks for all the printables, too! Can't wait for our party, now we are set! Thanks again!

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  6. I too have been stalking the site since December waiting to see the awesome script and clues. I am doing the same party for my 14 year old in February so either of you have a script appropriate for kids or clues I TOO would TOTALLY apprciate it!!!!! Thanks for so many wonderful ideas!!! shawnakaybowen@aol.com

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    1. Shawna- I had no idea anyone was all that interested in the script. But I do have it and it's actually all ready to be uploaded to a new post, but I am just dealing with a few complications due to the size and amount of downloads. So I can email it to you in the mean time, but it did take almost 15 emails to get it all sent. If you can wait a few more days, I am hoping to have everything smoothed out and upload it as a large ZIP file. Let me know if that is okay or if you are wanting it sooner.

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    2. Shawna- So just as an update the script is not posted here:
      http://www.justsweetandsimple.blogspot.com/2013/01/harry-potter-mystery-dinner-script-parts.html

      And the invitations are posted here:
      http://www.justsweetandsimple.blogspot.com/2013/01/harry-potter-mystery-dinner-party.html

      More Printables from the party will come this week, I hope this helps!
      -Colleen

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  7. Wow-this is amazing! I love Harry Potter!

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  8. This is incredible! I'm so excited to use this. But I'm short a few people, are there any additional characters that can be taken out?

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  9. Simply AMAZING!!! I cannot imagine the amount of time and work you put into that whole party and then SHARING it all! THANK YOU for doing that!

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  10. Lots of Good information in your post, I favorited your blog post so I can visit again in the future, Thanks.
    zoella boyfriend

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  11. Hey there! I have been wanting to host a murder mystery, and my family just loves Harry Potter. Given my small apartment, we can only accommodate around 6-8 people. Can your game be adapted to work? I don't want to read the script... I hate spoiling surprises :) If not, do you know of any other kits for around 6-8 people? They are proving difficult to find. Thank You for your help!

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    1. Brandy- You could adapt the mystery dinner party script to work for 6-8 people, but it would take you looking at the scripts to make a few changes and 8 people would be better than 6 for sure. If you are the host playing Professor McGonagall's part, then it won't ruin the surprise...since your character can know what is going on. I wish I was more help, but I don't really know any others out there. That is why I made my own. I searched in Google for Harry Potter Mystery Dinners and the closest was this Wizarding Mystery Dinner Party: http://www.mymysteryparty.com/hamumywiandw.html, but it wasn't what I wanted. But it might work better for you? I hope that helps and good luck!

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  12. Celipops, thanks for your sweet comment..and I will definitely remember your parties, I am all about sharing! Thanks again!!!

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  13. This is just epic. I don't experience awe very often in life, but this is just awe inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing this. My eldest son has been asking for a Potter party for a long time. We're going to do our best to re-create the awesomeness that you have managed here.
    Really, this is so much to share, thank you again.

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  14. YOU ARE THE BEST!! Thank you thank you thank you!!

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  15. Well,have a great party night and remember me this night in future.


    Posted by WilliamMundy | Murder Mystery Parties

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  16. This is absolutely amazing. My potter fan is so looking forward to her birthday party, thank you so much! She is turning 16 and in her spare time writes potter fan-fiction, I'll have to post a link here when I get home. I am awestruck by the work, the detail and the sharing. You could start a business and charge for this!
    One little thing, on the invitations you say there are "inclosed" items (such as the train ticket) in stead of "enclosed"

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  17. This is unreal! I googled 'harry potter dinner' to get ideas for an upcoming birthday party, but never thought I would find something on this scale! I'm definitely going to borrow these decoration ideas & printables. This must have taken so much time!

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  18. I ran this party for my daughter's 16th birthday last night. She and her sister are HUGE harry potter fans and we had so much fun creating the harry potter world. we started in the three broomsticks with butterbeer. Went to platform 93/4 and up the stairs (train) to the castle and then sat down to eat. I played Mcgonnagall and handed out memos etc but left them to discuss between each parchment, apart from serving the food. We served pumpkin pasties to start, followed by chicken (and vegetable) casseroles with potato and sweet potato mashes with bread and butter pudding for desert. There were HP posters all over the house, the toilet had the sign for ministry of magic, my daughter's really really messy room was the room of requirement, there was flu powder over the fireplace and we had an amazing Honeydukes sweet shop with berties beans, cockroach clusters, pepper imps, peppermint toads, chocolate frogs (complete with 90 different trading cards), fizzing whizzbees, acid pops, jelly slugs, sherbert lemons (they are Dumbledore's favorite after all) licorice wands (licorice with white chocolate at the ends), ton-tongue toffee (we didn't do a joke shop) and possibly more. I decorated the cake as a quidditch pitch.

    All 12 kids really got into the spirit of the party, acting in character and giving all the information they were supposed to at each stage.

    Thanks so much for an awesome creation! I have never seen my daughter so enjoy a birthday party before.

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  19. I gasped when I saw this post. This party is AMAZING! Aah! So awesome!

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  20. I don't usually comment but this is amazing. Can I just come have my party at your house? Mine will never look this awesome but thank you for sharing so much inspiration.

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  21. I never comment but I have to tell you THANK YOU, thank you from the bottom of my heart. It was very generous of you to share all of your creative work. It helped me put on a fabulous party and saved me so much valuable time!!! You are amazing!

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  23. Help! I'm throwing a Harry Potter party this weekend and put off downloading all the printables. Now the link seems to be broken and I can't get to them! It just says coming soon. Can I get them in time to save my party? Pretty please? My email address is swingthing39@yahoo.com.

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    1. I have all the downloads for the script and pretty much everything. I have sent the one I can by email, but the important parts are too big to send. If you have Google Drive, I can send the rest. Reply to the emails if you do and I'll send the rest. Good Luck!!!

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    2. Hi. I am looking for the harry potter script and the party. I would love what you have! kristicslavens@gmail.com Thanks so much!

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  24. Is there a way to edit this to bring it down to only ten characters? Who would be best to exclude? I want to this as a surprise birthday for my sister - she's 25, but a mega crazy HP fan!

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  25. Can you please email to me? heidibuel@gmail.com
    When I went to download it bugged my computer out.

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  26. Can you please email to me? heidibuel@gmail.com
    When I went to download it bugged my computer out.

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  27. I agree with you. Thank you for sharing the update. It is interesting to have it discussed widely, so that we can gain more objective opinions.

    Dry ice UAE &Dry ice Abu Dhabi

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  28. If anyone is able to successfully shrink the amount of charactures, I'd LOVE to see it! I have downloaded EVERYTHING possible, plus a few outside docs I plan to use(i.e. J.K. Rowling's pedagree chart for the Blacks) if anyone needs them.

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  29. Wow, your dinner party sounds great. Glad to read this post. I will definitely visit there. But currently I have been seeking some suggestions for private party at Los Angeles venues. Do you know about any good Los Angeles party spots?

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  30. This is amazing!! I have some questions regarding the details. Would you mind emailing me? (trustyourgut@yahoo.com)

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    1. I have not received an email. Is there a better way to contact you or can you possibly just email me the files? I’m running out of time to put things together for my party. Thank you in advance for your help!

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  31. Thank you so much! I threw my wife a bday party using your templates (I just had to change all the McGonagall references to Dumbledore). The party was a big success and most importantly, my wife was happy with it! It's so awesome for you to share all this material, still being enjoyed 5 years later.

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    1. I wonder if you still have all the information. The downloads don't seem to work anymore and I would love to throw this party. Can you email me at elz618@gmail.com ? Thank you

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  32. Can you please email me this script? The download won’t work and I would love to do this for my sisters birthday which is in two days! Thank you!!

    Mariamahmed95@gmail.com

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  33. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  34. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  35. Hi everyone, Sorry for the last two deleted comments. I could not edit some spelling problems. While helping Mariam with downloads, I had to upload all of them on to Google Drive. As long as Colleen is okay with it, here is the address: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BziopHJlAksVbERDcGpnbjdrT3c/view?usp=drive_web
    If it doesn't work, email me, manydifferences@gmail.com Good Luck!!!

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  36. What amazing decorations! I bet you had so much fun with this. Would you please share your script with me? jeffandvalerie@gmail.com
    Thank you!

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  37. I have uploaded EVERYTHING possible to Google Drive, plus a few outside docs I plan to use(i.e. J.K. Rowling's pedagree chart for the Blacks) if anyone needs them.
    I just checked the link. Google web throws an delay in preview since it cannot virus scan the large file. Go strait to download for the individual files. If anyone has a script for a smaller party, please upload if possible. Thanks and HAVE FUN!!!

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BziopHJlAksVbERDcGpnbjdrT3c/view?usp=drive_web

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  38. I have been driving myself crazy trying to come up with an indoor sweet 16 party for my Harry-Potter-crazed-Brit-loving daughter, and when I stumbled on this today I felt so relieved and inspired, thank you!! This is going to be a perfect fit for her personality and interests, and will accommodate plenty of friends as well. Thank you so much for sharing! I'm off to start making things...

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  39. Where did you get your clips of moaning myrtle?

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  40. I just found your blog and would love your info on your harry potter party. I'm putting on a mystery for my son's church class and they would love this! It is amazing! Thank you. kristicslavens@gmail.com

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  41. This is amazing! I was wondering which characters would be good to drop if you have a smaller group of people? Like only 10?

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  42. Hi! I'm trying to host an HP Murder Mystery and it looks like the links to download the script are not working! Could you email me a copy to mar.e.bolt@gmail.com? Thank you!!

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  43. Hi fellow Muggles! I just wanted to update the link and steps to download everything. I'vd had many requests for files which I download before I reply. It's 632mbs, so make sure you have the space.

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BziopHJlAksVbERDcGpnbjdrT3c/view?usp=drive_web

    Since the file is so large, there are a couple steps for it. There is a screen that says it's unable to load preview, select the blue download button in that that box.
    That link takes you to a white screen with Google Drive page. It will say the file is too large to scan viruses but still has a blue download button. Click on that link and the file will start to download.
    It will take a some time to download 632mb.

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  44. P.S. Please let me know if your download is successful.😀

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  45. Hi, could you please email me the murder party plot details at lopita.majumdar@gmail.com?

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  46. Is there a way to play this with less people? Or does it require 14? Thank you!

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  47. Hello! Your links have all been taken down. :( I was hoping you would be able to send me the documents by email. mcmillionangel10@gmail.com
    Please let me know one way or another!
    -Bella

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  48. Hi Katie,

    Just wanted to let you know that I was able to download and open the files on both my phone and computer! Thank you for uploading this link!

    I can't wait to host this for my birthday next month!!

    Jessica

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  49. Hello Jessica,

    I'm very happy to hear you were able to download on the devices!

    Have a great time and Happy Birthday��

    Katie

    ReplyDelete

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