All - I just wanted to throw this out there for those looking for ideas to put together a Harry Potter-themed show. I was asked to do a show for my niece's Harry Potter-themed 7th b-day party, but I didn't have much luck researching ideas.

I did, however, realize that someone who is even moderately literate in Harry Potter lore could make most tricks relevant with minimal effort, and that helped to effectively engage the kids.

* Viking Wizard Coin Cups already look wizardy, but I out together a little backstory that I got them from a goblin at Gringott's, and they were really a pair of vanishing cabinets that the goblins use to steal money from people

* Card stab - standard trick, but I got a rainbow-colored dragon knife from Amazon for $9, but said it was a magic knife that was given to me by Charlie Weasely when I went to visit him in Romania

* Animal Tarot - just introduced it as the one interesting thing that I learned from Prof. Trelawney in Divination class, which wasn't my favorite.

* Little Door was a trick I learned from Mundungus Fletcher (that's how he cheats at cards)

* Alchemist's Dream (Viking) - the tie in was in the name; dropped some knowledge on the kids that the original title of the first book in the U.K. was Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and then explained what philosoper's stone/alchemy meant.

* Birthday candle repeat - I had just grabbed some secial Hogwarts candles from the Great Hall

* Axtell drawing board turned out to be Tom Riddle's diary; it did create a lot of excitement when we found we were communicating with Lord Voldemort himself

* Smokey Mtn Pizza Box - the one thing where I didn't have a tie-in to Harry Potter, but it's a great effect and everyone loves pizza so nobody noticed that it was off-theme.

Some great ideas there. What about;

*Rising wand to teach them 'Wingardium Leviosa'

*Bill Abbott's The Thing to bring out the ghosts of Hogwarts

*Practical Magic's 'Magic Marksman' to play some Quidditch

*Jeff Hobson Doggy Bag routine to make Hagrid's 3 headed dog Fluffy

Almost any routine can be adapted to relate to the Harry Potter theme

I have a "Fantasy Magician" outfit, but it's a custom Harry Potter robe with a sorting hat someone made to do it. I bought it used. I only did it a few times, I'm not real comfortable doing it, it may come off as creepy this day and age, I'm not sure. Last time I did it was because they wanted that theme, and I explained my concern and the mom was OK with it. But I probably won't do it anymore, maybe not really worth the bother or risk. Having a magician is close enough to fit the theme for most parents, and they can decorate and do Potter themed activities. I have the kids use magic phrases from the movies if they have that theme.