Harry Potter.... a Tea for Two

Our neighbor J came by tonight, for an after-dinner tea party for just the two of us. She was supposed to join us this weekend for our Harry Potter Party, but she has to attend a family event that same day. She was so disappointed to have to miss our lunch party that I asked her to come over tonight instead. My husband had to work, which was fine with him-- he's not into having "a tea."

I set up the table in a low-key Harry Potter design, saving all the extra bells and whistles for Sunday's lunch party. But I did have some surprises for J on the table.... a Harry Potter bookmark, a Harry Potter pen (which has "attachments" for the other main characters), a bottle of Butter Beer (which is really cream soda in a vintage-looking glass bottle), and a silver Victorian "cracker" which had a Dumbledore-like wizard on the outer wrapping.

I also put out the Polyjuice Potion (which is really a glass bottle of green apple soda). For Sunday's lunch, the six of us will each have a shot-glass of the Polyjuice, but for tonight's tea, I just used it as one of the table decorations, along with the Harry Potter doll (action figure?) that I had found at a yard sale a few weeks back.

Instead of the white sugar cubes that I usually use for company, I filled up a little jar with natural brown cane sugar and labeled it "Essence of Dittany." J loved that little touch as she added the sugar crystals to her tea. (Love those brown sugar crystals... somehow much nicer than the white-white sugar.)

J and I had a nice visit... discussing everything from J.K. Rowling's final book in the Potter series to vintage rhinestones to neighborhood dogs and cats. She's a very nice lady who used to manage a bookstore...... she truly loves reading, and she's also a talented artist.

The seven Harry Potter books are still displayed on the buffet in the dining room...... may as well keep them out till after this weekend's party, then back on the bookshelves they will go. I swear, I'm going to read those books over again, beginning with the first volume and going all the way to the seventh, without reading anything else inbetween.