How to Forge a Letter from Hogwarts

There are many reasons why someone would want to forge an acceptance letter frog Hogwarts. It can be used to console yourself that you didn't get into certain colleges, given as a gag gift at parties, slipped into strangers mailboxes, or just used to play a cruel joke on your 11-year-old cousin. Whatever your reason is, this guide will help you to create your very own, realistic-looking acceptance letter from Hogwarts.

Step 1: Obtain your Hogwarts letter paper

To do this you may either buy parchment or make your own. Buying the paper will of course be easier and probably will look better. But if you wish to make the parchment for your Hogwarts letter, it can be easily done from home with nothing but water, coffee grounds and regular printer paper. Simply place the paper, 1 layer thick in a pan of some sort, cover with coffee grounds suspended in water, and leave for a few hours. When it's done simply dry the paper, either in the oven, with a blow dryer, or by simply air drying, and voila! Parchment!

These same techniques should be used to obtain parchmentlike envelopes.

Step 2: Obtain the Hogwarts letter text

Everyone knows that a real letter from Hogwarts is written personally by Professor Mcgonogall, but you can find a sample copy of her letters in your copy of Harry Potter and The Sorcerers Stone. It can be found in the third chapter of Sorcerer's Stone and begins "Dear, Mr. Potter". You would of course switch Harry Potter's name with the name of the person for whom your letter is intended. Harry Potter's letter included a list of supplies and instructions about the beginning of the next term and yours should too. If you wish, you can tailor the specifics to your person (ie, an explanation of why the letter didn't arrive until your person was 23 years old, an alternate meeting place if platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross in London is inaccessible, etc).

Step 3: Print/write the Hogwarts letter text onto your Hogwarts letter

If you bought your parchment, or if your home made parchment turned out particularly sturdy, you may simply run it through your printer at home to add the Hogwarts letter text. Just set the letter's text to a magical/calligraphic-looking font in your word processor and hit print while there is parchment paper in the paper loading tray.

Alternatively, if you do not think your paper could handle such treatment without cracking (a problem with some home made parchment paper) or if you wish to try out your new quill/ calligraphy skills, you may write out the letter text by hand. If at all possible use a quill or at least a calligraphy pen to do so. This will give your Hogwarts letter the most authentic look possible.

Step 4: Add special effects to your Hogwarts Letter

Any Hogwarts insignia stickers, wax seals, or other paraphernalia you may own will come in handy hear, to give your letter that last special touch. If not, simply slip your Hogwarts letter into its envelope and address it. When addressing the letter try to make it as specific as possible, specifying the place in the house where the person spends the most time (Harry Potter's letter was addressed to Mr. H. Potter, The cupboard under the stairs, #4 Privet Drive).

Now just seal the envelope and deploy it to whoever it's meant for. Finis!