Paladone Harry Potter Quiz Night at Dive NQ, Manchester

A couple of weeks ago I got the most amazing invitation my boys have ever seen, my 9 year old was especially jealous. It was an invitation as a guest of Paladone to a very special Harry Potter Games Night at Dive NQ in Manchester. On offer were thousands of pounds of prizes and a fantastic evening playing every Harry Potter game you could ever think of....

I arrived early and was second person to be sorted into a house team - Team Ron, I may have coerced the Sorting Hat a bit - I always like to support #teamginger Apologies for the quality of the photos, we were in a bar. Imagine it's the 1920's and world of sepia.

The aim of the evening was to score as many points as possible for your team and there were gems for competing and for winning, I still had high hopes at this point - Team Ron for the win.

I was then given my a drinks token for my first of several beverages of the evening. I think I really needed time off and I was feeling the distinct lack of responsibility. Out of character for me in recent years, I got quite hammered. This was so helpful for photos...

There were I think nine games on offer and I played most except Harry Potter Cluedo and Top Trumps. Trivial Pursuit I was rubbish at. Those questions are really hard. It was great revisiting Playstation2 Quidditch, although I lost by a snitch (as is always the way).

Snap with real party poppers is harder than you'd think. Those strings are slippery, but it's a great twist.

Most popular game of the evening had to be the Wand-Making. Whenever you looked over people were repainting and adding more glitter. I got carried away, went back and did my handle in glitter. Never do this. Handles don't need glitter.

It just goes to show really, if you put 20 bloggers in a room they'll all naturally gravitate towards the glue gun. And it makes them happy.

The curtains made a great backdrop and the Marvellous Mrs P dressed as Dolores Umbridge was indeed a picture. Nutty as a box of chocolate frogs.

She made me look positively sober.

Wands and games completed, it was time for the winners. I already knew Team Ron were not the winners.

Best dressed were of course Dolores and Bellatrix Lestrange. Both equally in-character for their acceptance speeches..

Best wand was Lisa Hollybobs. Using a mixture of Google and glue she recreated Voldemort's wand. A worthy winner.

The team comp was close in the end. Team Ron weren't in the running and it didn't matter. I'd had a great night. Winners were Team Hagrid, beating Team Luna by 9 gems.

We were given a fantastic goody bag to take home, thanks to all of the people who made the evening possible - Paladone, Warner Bros, Rubies and the games companies, and all the other players!

Harry Potter mug, coasters, travel mug, light up keyring, iron on patches, and bag buddies from Paladone (available all over the place), glasses from Rubies. Gold coins and candy canes from Santa. Best photo of the night from Jar Jar Binks.  I hadn't even noticed he was there until I went through the photos....