There are still a few weeks left of summer vacation for many children around the world, but that dreadful day is nearing all the same... When September rolls around, many kids will be returning to their studies, and this includes those in the Wizarding World who will soon be marking Back to Hogwarts Day.
With this on the horizon, Lego has announced a new set based on the Harry Potter franchise, with this being created to mark 25 years since the live-action films were made and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone arrived in cinemas. It's a special Collector's version of the Ministry of Magic (the UK branch in London, that is), and it spans a whopping 3,491 pieces, meaning it's quite the detailed and complex build.
It has a three-floored design, where the top tier is a London street fit with a telephone box elevator and near to an underground station, with all of this set above the grand main hall for the government facility with its circular and eloquent pillars and a large banner of Cornelius Fudge in the background. This is then on top of the lower levels, including the Hall of Prophecy and the courtroom where Harry was put on trial in The Order of the Phoenix.
There are other details and secrets embedded into the build too, not least Arthur Weasley and Dolores Umbridge's offices, space for Dumbledore and Voldemort to face off in front of the grand fountain, and a Lynx Patronus minifigure. Speaking of minifigures, the set includes 14 options, including Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Arthur Weasley, Mad Eye Moody, Dumbledore, Sirius Black, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Nymphadora Tonks, Dolores Umbridge, Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy, Antonin Dolohov, and the first-ever minifigure depiction of Arabella Figg (the elderly neighbour of Harry's at Privet Drive).
As for when this set will debut, Lego Insiders can snag an Early Access version from August 29, but the proper global launch date is planned for September 1. The price of the set is locked in at £389.99/€429.99.
