Yope

I'm very excited about the June wave, it's not dissimilar from the number of sets we usually get so anything good in August is a bonus. "Lowering expectations" could mean many things. For instance, if we still got a Gringotts D2C but no regular DH and just remakes then this would be disappointing for many who were looking forward to a DH wave. Having said that, I can see us getting a couple of remakes based on previous posts: - PS/CoS Hagrid's Hut with Norbert, Fang, golden Dumbledore. This seems really quite likely to me and would still have some appeal to owners of the PoA Hagrid's Hut. - PoA Quidditch is another one that would sell well and complete the stadium if you like with the second set of goal hoops. But the thing I'm most expecting from the "lower expectations" advice is non-minifig scale sets. Perhaps could see: - Buildable/mechanical creature similar to Hedwig, could be Buckbeak, Crookshanks chasing scabbers, Dobby - Buildable object in human scale, could be the elder wand, slytherin's locket, golden snitch, philosopher's stone. I am certain that we will get DH sets at some point. Lego has been so thorough with this theme and they're obviously aware of the missing scenes/figs and our desire for them. So I'm just trying not to rule anything out, it's obvious to me that a Gringotts is in the pipeline for some point and so are DH sets. Some of the non-standard sets (Hedwig, Hogwarts moments books) have been pleasant surprises anyway. Thanks to @Guyon2002 and @Falconfan1414 for giving us a heads up that this is going to be an unpredictable wave!

Sounds great. I've only got Gandalf as a non-HP fig in Diagon Alley for now but if the Leaky Cauldron is ever released (pleeeease) then I'll have Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli round a table. Speaking of adapting CMF figs, I was thinking about making a custom Firenze using the HP centaur head/torso with the new CMF centaur body in a lighter colour and a different hairpiece. But the HP centaur torso has dark brown around the waist and I don't think it would look too good unfortunately because I like the idea of using the different coloured piece.

You're very right. I still vaguely remember the uproar at the time! Similarly Snape came in the Whomping Willow set instead in 2018.

It's occurred to me that this is the first time we're getting a main Hogwarts Castle set (~£100) that hasn't included the trio. The previous 7 instances have all included Harry, Ron and Hermione. 6 have included Dumbledore so he will be tying Ron and Hermione in appearances after this new set. Draco is next with 5 and Hagrid and Snape both with 3. I'm pretty pleased about this, as otherwise we likely wouldn't be getting Colin Creevey/Justin Finch Fletchley.

I don't think the figs will be yellow tone, the Sinistra leak quelled my fear on that. Although the gold figs could be gold versions of the original figures with yellow heads I guess, hopefully not though and it might be tricky to bring back old moulds/do the starry capes. What versions of the minifigs do people think we'll be getting this year? My guesses for the Harrys would be: - Girls bathroom. This is a fairly easy one, Slytherin jumper (or hopefully the robes worn by Malfoy in DA). New faceprint for Harry and Goyle on the reverse - Fluffy's corridor. Hopefully we get the red jumper from the scene where they go through the trapdoor. - Hogwarts castle/Chamber of Secrets. I think we'll get a Gryffindor equivalent to Malfoy's Slytherin robes in Diagon Alley. - Hogsmeade. This'll be either PoA or HBP based on the minifigs included but I suspect PoA as we already have the exact HBP version of Harry from the CMF. Also the scene in the films when Harry hears about Sirius being his godfather is just Harry (no Ron/Hermione) with Madam Rosmerta/McGonagall so I think that's the version we'll get, with the dark hoodie.

I think there are pros and cons to the gradual change in Lego's approach. It's a shame that it's less affordable (impossible) for most kids to collect all the sets they like but at the same time it's nice that Lego is recognising other markets for their products, I'm sure many here have enjoyed building Diagon Alley for example. As for people who enjoy the exclusivity of minifigs, there is no problem with this. People like collecting things, coin collectors wouldn't want all 50 pence pieces to be equally common, stamp collectors wouldn't want all stamps to be equally prevalent too. So if people like having more exclusive minifigs that's ok. It's not about vanity, they don't want it to be able to lord themselves and their collection over children. That's ridiculous. I don't even particularly have a preference. It's just not nice to see people looking to condescend/patronise others on this forum with no due cause.

Each to their own, I do however think it's slightly unfair to criticise those who consider the minifigures to be a huge draw of bigger sets. I don't think LEGO is solely a construction toy, look at the CMF series and huge selection of figs in big collectable sets - there's obviously a draw for many people who consider the figures to be an exciting part of their collection or of creating a scene they enjoy. And just as some here are underwhelmed by another iteration of the Great Hall, the rarity of the scenes/figs is big plus for lots of people. I still find it quite special having some of the original HP figs like Trelawney, Umbridge, Bellatrix that were rare and extra valued parts of my HP displays and if some people felt the same about the new Lockhart/Harry then I don't have a problem with that, in fact I can understand why an inclusion in a far cheaper set might taint their perceived value. In any case, I don't really mind myself. I'm sure there will be plenty exciting figs/scenes to come.

You're right about the short legs not getting printing as far as I'm aware. I was picturing robes like Draco (or even the trio) in Diagon Alley which would get away with no leg printing. Yes I don't think it is either. Lego hasn't diverged very far from the source material - it was just the only new figure I could think of that was vaguely possible. Suspect it may be non-HP as the red hat below doesn't look HP related either. Although I do think the hat piece is new - can't remember seeing that colour combination before.

#legoleaks on instagram

Mr Flume? Looks a nice enough figure, not sure why the short legs though...

Whilst true, from LEGO's perspective selling less of each set becomes less profitable (see Star Wars) as the demand doesn't quite keep up with the supply. And from a HP LEGO fan's perspective it's a shame to be forced out of getting the sets you like because you can't afford the increased number of sets or don't have the space. Plus, with the quantity of City/Star Wars sets released, there is a definite drop off in quality imo.

The orange robes are a surprise. Lockhart wears gold in the classroom scene with cornish pixies, pale blue at the Duelling Club, green at Quidditch and Salmon pink in the Chamber of secrets. So the orange most likely represents the classroom/chamber outfit and probably the chamber given the theme of the set. As far as the longevity of the theme is concerned, I would be happy with just one more year after this. 2022 could fill in the obvious gaps missing from going through the years and a 3rd CMF could ensure we don't miss any Kreachers/Rita Skeeters/Madam Pomfreys/etc. After that an annual one-off set would be cool I guess but as a collector the prospect of several more years and dozens of new sets/remakes after 2021 stresses me out! We all only have finite display space. I could see the theme being parked for a bit and something like LOTR returning alongside the TV show.

Thanks for the confirmations! It's going to be a looooong wait until June. It'll be interesting to see how the Dumbledore figure differs from the CMF version, perhaps no hat as in the end of the Philosopher's Stone. It'll be also nice to get a Hogwarts uniform Ginny even if there are no new pieces involved. It will be a shame if we just get the jumpers and no robes for all the CoS students as Crabbe/Goyle/Ginny/Colin Creevey/Justin FF are almost exclusively shown with their black robes on top.

Promising looking fig - seems to confirm that we're getting flesh tones in the anniversary sets rather than yellow. I suspected they'd reuse McGonagall's hairpiece and I think it works. Anyone else think LEGO themselves might be behind the leaks in an effort to drum up hype? The photos are always blurry leaving us wanting more and they never get removed. Won't complain either way!

Don't apologise! We all have our preferences, I like new characters more than new versions and have a leaning towards the books over the films personally. What excites me about getting random shopkeepers/students/teachers ahead of more significant characters is that if LEGO is familiar enough to include Professor Sinistra/Mr and Mrs Flume, then they'll be fully aware that we're missing Percy, Bill, Madam Pomfrey, Rita Skeeter, Kreacher, Mundungus etc.

Bit late to the party but thought I'd chip in with some thoughts on the revealed sets: - I'm delighted about the anniversary sets having a bit of a throwback to the original sets. I loved those sets as a kid (still do) and I'm glad they're being linked to the new wave (personally a big fan of the albeit inaccurate sand green roofs). - The gold figures are exciting for me despite being a bit of a gimmick, think I'll maybe have them as statues in a MOC trophy room. - Girl's bathroom is a great cheap way to get Crabbe and Goyle figs, the cat Hermione is a fun addition and I'll be very happy if this fits neatly as an entrance to the Chamber of Secrets in the modular configuration. - A brick built Fluffy with moulded heads sounds perfect, feel like the chessboard/winger keys is an inevitable follow up as you expect Fluffy to be guarding something. - Hogsmeade sounds great, I'm not bothered about the potentially small playscale as it becomes easier to display. Minifigs are superb, nice to get a new Dean and hopefully hatless McGonagall, Madam Rosmerta and the Flumes are a real treat. - Hogwarts Castle set is super exciting. The Great Hall set was one of the only easy passes for me from the new wave, the hall is too squat with ugly doors and the tower misshapen imo (I currently use a modded 4842 hall and tower and think the sand green blends nicely). Hard to picture this set being just 10% larger than the Astronomy tower so don't think we can expect a lot of interior detail. I'd be happy with a nice, film-accurate facade and minimal interior (e.g. Duelling club great hall, moving stairs, Slytherin common room). Looking forward to seeing the how the Chamber connects to the girl's bathroom set. Delighted with the figs, new Lockhart, Colin Creevey, Professor Sinistra and Justin Finch Fletchley especially. - Advent calendar sounds interesting, suspect as mentioned the flap will be the "board" of a boardgame. Perhaps we'll get a dice build and the figs will be counters. All in all I'm really please with the revealed sets, much anticipated scenes, great new minifigs (some e.g. Sinistra that I wouldn't have dared to dream we might get) and a perfect way of doing the Chamber of Secrets imo which doesn't just give us an underground scene we can't easily display with Hogwarts.

While we wait for any more news, I thought I'd plug Jeremy Herbert's youtube channel. I'm sure many here are familiar with him as he is a Harry Potter LEGO specialist, but his views are lower than he deserves in my opinion. He reviews new and old wave Harry Potter sets (among other LEGO) and the set reviews are great - very informative with good comparisons to other sets/minifigures in the theme and way better quality than they need to be. Especially interesting to see the older sets covered too and it's almost become an information database on all LEGO Harry Potter for me. And for those who maybe can't afford or can't decide whether to buy new sets, the reviews give as good an assessment as any. Speaking of new sets, anybody built anything new recently? I'm still yet to get any of the Hogwarts moments books, would be nice to hear folks' thoughts.

Got ahead of myself there too! The Shrunken head should have been a giveaway... I'm probably a bit over-excited for any real news to drop, back to endless pages of speculation for now I guess.

Very exciting, Myrtle's bathroom could mean we get Crabbe and Goyle figs or a new Lockhart and presumably a Myrtle reappearance. Will be interested whether this is designed to join Chamber of Secrets set with the concealed chute in the sinks or whether a Slytherin common room is also in the Hogwarts expansion. I'd probably prefer the latter and that would just leave Hufflepuff representation left in the Hogwarts sets. The 2-in-1 technic set sounds like a pass for me but I can see there being a moulded firebolt or something in a little side build that grabs my attention, like the exclusive Harry with the Hedwig set. Shrunken head statue also sounds like a pass... and a very unexpected set if true!

Going back to the probable possibility of a Gringotts set. I'm curious how LEGO will pull off the suggestion of an underground section. If I were to guess then I think they might have the main atrium raised from ground level by an entrance staircase so that some idea of descent to the vaults could be conveyed. Perhaps we'll get a section beyond the atrium including vaults and if we're lucky a modest bit of rollercoaster track to move a kart between levels. It would be nice to have several vaults (Harry's, Philosopher's stone, Bellatrix's, an empty vault for the Weasleys, etc), and the space beneath an elevated atrium would be perfect for that. I'd like the dragon too although I'm personally not fussed about having it perched over the top of the bank, it doesn't really do this in the films or books as it is depicted in the the theme parks (which I don't consider "canon" and am glad didn't influence the Diagon Alley set). As for figures, I don't think we need a reused Harry/Hagrid from PS so I think it'll likely be purely DH based: - Harry (unlikely reappearance of the invisibility cloak, perhaps enlarged?) - Ron (with bearded faceprint on one side) - Hermione/Bellatrix (with dual faceprint and two hairpieces) - Griphook (exact same as CMF except for faceprint, as with Dobby) - Bogrod (white goblin hairpiece) - Younger goblin with reddish brown hair - Older Goblin - 2x human guards I don't think this would fit on a 16x32 baseplate so it would be either 32x32 (more sensible for outside appearance with the centre facing the middle of the rest of the street) or two 16x32 baseplates which might be better for the interior but I'm not convinced would look so good outside. Apologies for the needless pop at the Weasleys...

This is one of the best Diagon alley expansion MOCs I've seen! Surprised it hasn't had more recognition here. I'd love to get these shops in a real expansion and I like the style of facade you've used with the shops being part of the same building. Potage's brickwork looks particularly good, great graphics too :)

I'll be honest and say I don't mind the leaks too much. It's just trolls and if anything it actually adds to the discussion about what may or may not be possible. There's also the added drama and relief when the actual leaks surface. Plus, I don't think many people are left too disappointed that the actual sets aren't the same as what some leaker says. So for me "scum" is a bit excessive, but I'm all for "villainy" lol.

I dont get it either - although I find that the fake leakers rarely seem to be very convincing (with perhaps one major exception last year). I'm curious to see whether anyone here could do better, here's my attempt at 'fake' set names: 1. Lego 76386, $19.99, 217 pieces = 9.2ppp - Slytherin's Locket (camping scene with small pool and sword for destroying the locket) 2. Lego 76387, $39.99, 397 pieces = 10ppp - Ministry of Magic Infiltration 3. Lego 76388, $79.99, 851 pieces = 9.4ppp - Hogwarts Castle: Courtyard Battle 4. Lego 76389, $129.99, 1176 pieces = 11.05ppp - The Black Lake Triwizard Tournament 5. Lego TBD, $39.99, 274 pieces = 14.6ppp - Advent Calendar I'm sure others can do an even more convincing selection!

Totally agree with you, it's more that I find it a shame that we have 3 Fleurs and 5 Cedrics before we have a single Rita Skeeter, Karkaroff or Barty Crouch Snr - and that's just the obvious omissions from GoF. Also agree that a ship and underwater scene would add diversity, and tbh if they rolled it all into one set maybe we could get some of those omissions. Nonetheless I'd prefer something completely new, e.g. the ministry of magic from DH1 with Yaxley, Pius Thicknesse, polyjuice trio, Umbridge with locket, ministry Percy (I know not in films) etc. However, I believe we are in very safe hands with LEGO on this theme, they are slowly filling in the gaps and I'm sure they're just as aware of the current omissions as we are.

Not sure how much I want more GoF sets, think it's been pretty well covered compared to the other books/films. I can however see LEGO doing a Durmstrang ship at the 129USD pricepoint as they love old ships. My only hope would be that they don't give us yet more iterations of triwizard champions, personally really didn't like getting the three other champions in the Horntail set as they don't face the Horntail or have a speaking role or even appear on screen doing the task. Would have been much happier to get Harry, Rita Skeeter and Barty Crouch. Durmstrang ship would give us a new Karkaroff which would be nice as not too fond of the old one I have. I'd take a new merperson too but don't think a beneath-the-surface build would display well alongside everything else. I'd personally much prefer to get some OotP onward scenes: Ministry Atrium, Department of mysteries, Grimmauld Place, Inferi cave, Godric's Hollow, Malfoy Manor etc. It's a huge wave though this year so I'm sure we'll all be happy. Good point, I think fluffy could be a good explanation for the high price to piece ratio in the 129USD set.