A Supermom Created This 400,000-Piece Hogwarts Castle Out of LEGOs, and We Are Speechless

As a complete Potterhead, I was always really proud of my LEGO Harry Potter figurine I keep at my work desk. It comes complete with a school trunk, Hedwig, and Harry clutching his wand. The trunk even holds tiny Galleons! Then I discovered Alice Finch's re-creation of the Hogwarts Castle. I silently tucked my poor little Harry out of sight, at least until the shock of her stunning LEGO creation subsided a bit. Finch's absolutely epic 400,000 piece structure puts every single LEGO creation ever built — my tiny, school-bound Potter most of all — to shame.

The mother of two built a LEGO Hogwarts castle so full of detail, only a true fan could have lovingly pieced it together with such success. "I did quite a bit of research in the books and movies looking for the smallest of details, things like the old-fashioned slide projector in Lupin's Defense Against the Dark Arts class, the location of the potions class, and the wood paneling in the charms classroom," she told LEGO blog The Brother's Brick.

Before BrickCon 2012, she spent a total of 12 months of work on the castle, and it is designed to be both "architectually accurate" as well as completely playable. I'd personally be torn between the strong desire to keep every aspect in perfect place, and an impulse to reenact every book using the pieces. Pretty sure the latter inclination would win out. Check out the photos of the castle . . . you won't be able to look away.

Harry and Dumbledore in the Astronomy Tower

Harry and Dumbledore in the Astronomy Tower

Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory

Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory

The Great Hall

The Great Hall

Gryffindor Common Room

Gryffindor Common Room

Courtyard

Courtyard

Divination Tower

Divination Tower

Hagrid's Hut

Hagrid's Hut

Potions Room

Potions Room

The Library

The Library

Hogwarts Castle For Scale

Hogwarts Castle For Scale

Snape's Classroom

Snape's Classroom

Moving Staircases

Moving Staircases

Umbridge and the Centaurs

Umbridge and the Centaurs

Boathouse by the Great Lake

Boathouse by the Great Lake

Hogwarts Castle

Hogwarts Castle