Review: LEGO Harry Potter  76396, 76397, 76398 and 76399

Harry Potter is back this year with a new wave of sets, something to delight all sorcerer’s apprentices. Two new books, two new teachings at Hogwarts, after the success of the previous four books (76382, 76383, 76384 and 76385), the AFOLs will be delighted to add two to their collections.

Since the Harry Potter range has existed at The LEGO Group, this is the first time that we will be able to obtain the Hogwarts infirmary, it will enlarge and sublimate our castle. In the same line as the Hogwarts books, a magical trunk, what will it contain?

Hogwart Moment: Divination Class 76396 and Defense Class 76397

The Build

The construction of the two books is similar to each other, fast and the construction techniques are simple but the end result is very clever and offers us good surprises. This makes it very accessible to younger builders.

On the outside, there are two beautiful covers accompanied by symbols that very easily recall the class.

For the divination class, we have a crystal ball, a jewel, a moon, divination cards, grass and a cup, because yes at Hogwarts we can read the future in tea leaves.

For the Defence class, we have the Dark Mark, those of the “Death Eaters”, a wooden stake, a werewolf’s head (probably a nod to Professor Lupin), a spider (Professor Alastar Mad-Eye Moody throws this spider in Draco Malfoy’s face as he mocks Ron Weasley who is afraid of it), a shield and two magic wands.

Inside each book, we have some furniture, some accessories and it is quite quick to install them and leave room for our imagination. What is very interesting and so satisfying is that you can store all the furniture, accessories and close the book, it’s very compact and really well designed, everything in its place. The minifigures will however have to stay outside the book, there is not enough space for them.

The differences between the two sets lie mainly in the interior, furniture, and many accessories as well as the removable walls (walls and stairs that move, it’s everyday life at Hogwarts).

In Professor Sybill Trelawney’s classroom, there is an armchair, two tables (the reuse of ice cream cones at the foot of the table is clever), a crystal ball, cups, and a teapot. Perhaps a piece of furniture is missing, a bookcase for example. The walls open on each side of the book, arches with curtains which gives an impression of grandeur, it offers a beautiful space to play. On the covers of the book, inside, on the walls of the curtains and shelves full of cups.

In Professor Alastar Mad-Eye Moody’s classroom, there is a blackboard, “Unforgivable” is written on it (not to be used, these are black magic spells), two desks with two stools, a beautiful trunk with a new piece for the top. The main wall, unlike set 76397, opens in the center of the book. The room, therefore, splits into two, with the classroom on one side and a potion stash on the other.

In both sets there are many stickers, and of all sizes, they bring a lot to the atmosphere of the books and allow us to easily immerse ourselves in the world of Harry Potter. The stickers have a very nice finish, it must be said.

Minifigures of Divination Class 76396

This set offers us three exclusive minifigures for this set.

Professor Sybill Trelawney, with her pretty headband in her hair, and a very nice outfit. The first appearance of the Professor of Divination in minifigure was in a set dating from 2004, then a second appearance in 2018, in the series 1 Harry Potter CMF.

For our favorite hero, Harry Potter, it’s a new version thanks to the medium legs but nothing transcendent, dressed in his Gryffindor uniform.

For Parvati Patil, this time in Gryffindor uniform, as well as medium Legs. Parvati’s first appearance as a minifigure was in a 2020 advent calendar.

Minifigures of Defense Class 76397

This set offers us three exclusive minifigures for this set.

Alastar Mad-Eye Moody / Bartemius Barty, a new colorway for this version, but we remain very close to the minifigure released in 2018, in the series 1 Harry Potter CMF. The first appearance of the Professor as a minifigure was in a set dating from 2005.

Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom are two new versions thanks to legacy mediums but nothing transcendent, dressed in their Gryffindor uniforms.

Verdict for 76396 and 76397

Two new and superb books, fairly fast constructions, with this kind of set we are not looking for the construction experience but rather a strong playability. Both sets meet the criteria perfectly, 6 new minifigures of our favorite heroes, two iconic Hogwarts teachings, and enjoyable mini builds.

What I really like about his books is that they all fall into place and store very easily, and in a few moments you can easily relive the mythical scenes from the movies.

At the student level, I regret that it is still four students belonging to Gryffindor, a little variety at the level of the houses would have been nice.

They will quickly find a place on the shelf next to the other books released previously.

We are ready now to know our future, take a seat, it’s time for the divination class, be careful not to fall on The Grim. Maybe you’d rather attend the Defense Against Evil class?

I give a 10/10 to each of the two sets.

Set 76396 features 297 parts and retails for $29.99/£24.99/€29.99

Set 76397 features 257 parts and retails for $29.99/£24.99/€29.99

Hogwarts Hospital Wing 76398

The Build

Since the Harry Potter range has been present at The Lego Group, this is the first time that we have the right to the Hogwarts infirmary.

The construction is divided into two parts, a part of the infirmary and a part of the roof. The color of the infirmary remains in the tones of the Harry Potter sets released for the 20th anniversary. The walls are Tan and Dark Tan and the roof Sand Green, its colors also reminiscent of the first Harry Potter castles released in 2001.

The infirmary was very quick to build because we repeat the same things three times, three windows, three beds, two bedside tables, and in the meantime some accessories such as a care trolley. Once assembled, the whole is very harmonious, thanks to the colors, and the large windows.

The second part of the construction consists in assembling three parts of roofs, two small ones and a tower and its clock. The three are removable, they can be added with the other parts of the castle.

In the tower with the clock there is a small mechanism to be operated, which will turn the hands of the clock.

It is possible to remove a 1×16 brick to open the set in three and access the beds and enlarge the play area.

Minifigures of Hospital Wing 76398

Our three favorite heroes are dressed in the outfits they wear in the third opus, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The 4 Minifigures are exclusive to the set.

Poppy Pomfrey, the head of the infirmary, she wears a white dress and a coif in her hair, the minifigure is really faithful to the film.

Hermione Granger, the minifigure looks a lot like the HP181 minifigure, but without the pendant that allows time travel.

Harry Potter is dressed in his classic blue jacket, some mud stains on the front and back of the chest.

Ron Weasley like his friend Harry, he finds himself with traces of mud on him, and a leg in plaster.

Accessories

In the infirmary, we find lots of mythical accessories from the film. Accompanied by the three beds, a screen, Madame Pomfrey’s medical trolley, with “Skele-Gro Water Bottle”, “Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans” and some potions. Ron and Hermione have bandages on their leg or arm.

Verdict for 76398

For the first time in the range, the infirmary is very successful, we get 4 beautiful exclusive figurines and many accessories. I really liked the “Skele-Gro Water Bottle” with the little skull-shaped head.

I regret that the infirmary is not larger in width in order to increase the play space and to be able to install the minifigures at the bedside of the medical beds.

This set will perfectly complement the rest of the Hogwarts castle.

I rate this set 8/10.

Set 76398 features 510 parts and retails for $49.99/£44.99/€49.99

Hogwards Magical Trunk 76399

Back to school at Hogwarts is approaching, Harry receives his letter of admission for the school, sent by a sumptuous owl. Now is the time to pack your bags. But in which house will Harry Potter be admitted?

The Build

The construction of the set is divided into two stages, first the construction of the trunk and following the interior of it with the various furniture and accessories.

Outside the trunk, the most interesting is the customization. You can first choose the colors of the Hogwarts house you want, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. The change of pieces to move from one house to another is very fast.

The second possible customization is the huge sheet of stickers. Depending on your tastes and desires, you can apply many stickers to the outside of the trunk. The stickers represent objects or symbols from the Harry Potter universe. I find their designs quite successful and it brings a nice finishing touch to the outside of the trunk.

A few examples: The Golden Egg from the Goblet of Fire, Golden Snitch, a train ticket to Platform 9 ¾, the crests of the four houses and of course my favorite the Mandragora.

My regret is that we don’t have an extra room to apply other stickers, for example if we decide to switch from Gryffindor to Slytherin and we have applied the Gryffindor coat of arms sticker, we end up with a small inconsistency.

Inside the trunk, several possibilities, we remain in the customization as for the exterior, we have the choice between three rooms of the castle.

House allocation for new wizards entering Hogwarts. To relive this moment of the film, the famous magic sorting hats, a stool and a fireplace in the background.

A room in the color of your favorite house, a chest filled with sweets, a sofa, a bookcase, a desk with a cauldron and a potion to revise and finally a bed with a blanket in the colors of one of the four houses. The room is rather well supplied with furniture and accessories.

The great hall of the castle, with its two large tables and a copious buffet where the young wizards can feast, on the sides the flags of the four houses.

What is very clever in this set is that you will have to dismantle certain pieces of furniture to obtain others, for example the banquet table which turns into a bed for the bedroom, or the sofa which turns into a chess game.

Minifigures of 76399

Professor Minerva McGonagall, in her emerald green dress, and her pretty green hat, we had already obtained this outfit and this hat in the set (76382), just the head changes.

For the rest of the minifigures, we stay on the same line of the set, it’s up to us to personalize our minifigures. You can make up to 5 sorcerer’s apprentices, you have a neutral uniform and a uniform for each house of Hogwarts (Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff). We have a large choice of hair, with different shapes and colors. On also has several heads with different skin tones, and two expressions per head.

That said we can recreate some heroes of the saga like Harry, Draco or Hermione.

Verdict for 76399

The experience of building this magic trunk is simple. The space inside is limited to move the furniture. The big highlight in this set is customization and modification, exterior, interior and even minifigures. We are on a set with increased playability and which is easily transportable, we can open or close the presentation because the final rendering is neat

There are many references to scenes or objects appearing in the Harry Potter saga.

I rate this set 7/10.

Set 76399 features 603 parts and retails for $59.99/£54.99/€59.99

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