Westwarts? Hogdean?

Well Jenny, I finally remembered to look up the title of the new Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Sounds scary. AND I had no idea it comes out March 31st! That is soooo soon! Just in time for my Easter holiday in fact! I couldn't be more excited! All this thinking about Harry Potter got me thinking about how similar Hogwarts is to West Dean....thus I have compiled a list of similarities.

1. Hogwarts is a castle -- West Dean is also a castle
2. Hogwarts has a whomping willow -- While the West Dean whomping willow does not whomp, it looks just like THE Whomping Willow
3. Students at Hogwarts celebrate by having a winter ball in the great hall -- West Dean students celebrated Christmas by having a fancy dress ball in the Oak Hall
4. Everyday Hogwarts students eat breakfast lunch and dinner together in a great hall where their meals magically appear -- Everyday West Dean students gather together and eat meals prepared by a not quite as magic kitchen staff.
5. Hogwarts is haunted by several ghosts -- West Dean has had several ghost sightings throughout the house
6. Hogwarts students have houses and secret passageways to their common rooms and dormitories -- West Dean has 7 programs and each one has a hidden away workshop within the college that is guarded by a secret code.
7. Hogwarts mail is delivered by owls -- West Dean HAS an owl. (ok that one was a long shot, but I can hear the hooting of an owl every night as I'm falling asleep)

Ok, I could go on and on about the similarities, but I'll spare you. Needless to say I am REALLY excited for the new Harry Potter book and can't wait to see what happens!