LEGO Collectible Minifigures 71028 Harry Potter Series 2 [Review]

The Harry Potter franchise has become one of LEGO’s most popular and enduring themes, having given fans numerous iterations of most of their favorite characters since the line’s first wave back in 2001. In 2018 LEGO pointed their wildly successful Minifigures line at the Wizarding World, introducing a biggest-ever set of 22 characters from Harry Potter as well as from Fantastic Beasts in anticipation of the second film’s release with 71022 Harry Potter & Fantastic Beasts Minifigures. Now LEGO is returning with another wave, though this one is focused entirely on the classic Harry Potter series. Featuring the traditional 16 unique figures in blind bags, LEGO Collectible Minifigures 71028 Harry Potter Series 2 are available starting Sept. 1 for US $4.99 | CAN $4.99 | UK £3.49. Despite nearly 20 years of LEGO Harry Potter sets, Series 2 manages to include five characters who have never before appeared in LEGO form, along with plenty of new character designs and a nice selection of new elements.

The packaging

Most fans are well acquainted with the drill by now. Collectible Minifigures are packaged in blind bags, which come in a retail case of 60. Some poking and prodding of the bags can tell you the contents with more or less accuracy, depending on your skill. As usual, we’ll be bringing you a handy Feel Guide soon. Like the previous Harry Potter set, Series 2 features deep blue packaging. There’s also a small icon noting it as Series 2. While the Wizarding World logo is present, this series focuses solely on Harry Potter characters. As with all the LEGO Harry Potter sets, the minifigures are based on their movie versions, not the books.

With recent series, LEGO hasn’t been randomizing the figure placement within the case, meaning that you could have a good idea where to find specific figures simply by the bag’s location. Unfortunately, our review case got jostled a lot during shipping, and a lot of the packages fell out of their rows. So we’re not able to accurately tell you about the bag placement within the case, but as always, we can tell you about the quantity breakdown for each figure. The good news is that unlike Series 1, there’s no rare chase figure, and with just 16 unique figures, there are three full sets per case. Our case had the standard distribution we’ve come to expect from CMF series: five each for three characters, four each for six, and three each for the remaining seven. There’s no word yet if LEGO will sell this series as a complete case as they have the last several, but buying a full case and splitting it with two friends is usually a good option for ensuring a complete set.

Character QTY per case Character QTY per case
Albus Dumbledore 5 Pomona Sprout 4
Griphook 5 Lily Potter 3
Moaning Myrtle 5 Ginny Weasley 3
Harry Potter 4 Fred Weasley 3
Hermione Granger 4 George Weasley 3
Ron Weasley 4 Bellatrix Lestrange 3
Luna Lovegood 4 Kingsley Shacklebolt 3
James Potter 4 Neville Longbottom 3

As usual, each figure comes with a black 4×3 minifigure base. All of the characters except Griphook and Moaning Myrtle also include a pair of wands, meaning you’ll accumulate plenty of extras (though I suspect if you’re already a LEGO Harry Potter fan, you’re already awash in them).


Harry Potter

Series 2 bounces around the Harry Potter timeline, picking up characters from wherever they were missing or most interesting, drawing from all five middle movies. This older version of Harry from The Half-Blood Prince might not seem the most interesting at first glance, but recent LEGO sets have focused on the earlier movies so it’s nice for newer fans to be able to get a teenage Harry. His head is double-sided with alternate smiling and shocked expressions. He carries a brown wand and a sand blue book. Although it doesn’t have the title, the design gives away that it’s the Advanced Potion Making textbook Harry borrowed that had once belonged to Snape. Inside is a 1×2 tile printed that’s re-used from Tom Riddle’s diary in the Moaning Myrtle minifigure, which is a disappointment since a unique print relating to potions would have made this otherwise sparse figure a lot better. For a series bearing his name, the Harry Potter figure is the most disappointing of the lot.

Update: After reports from several readers who also have the figures, we realized that our Harry Potter came with the wrong 1×2 tile print. Normally we only open one of each figure for the review, and sort the rest by feel as research for our Feel Guide, but we went back and opened the other three Harry Potter packages. Two of them had the same tile error, while the fourth contained the correct tile for the Potions book, which is much more appropriate. We’ll be contacting LEGO Customer Service about the error, though we’re not sure how they will handle it, as CMF elements are generally not available for replacement. If this issue turns out to be widespread there are sure to be a lot of disappointed fans.


Headmaster Albus Dumbledore

True to the movies, LEGO Harry Potter styles Dumbledore after the two actors who portrayed him. This Dumbledore minifigure is based on Richard Harris’ version from the first two films and employs a new hat/hair element for the pointy wizard’s hat and flowing white locks. Dumbledore’s long dark red robes uses a dress element printed front and back with an intricate but subtle pattern. Dumbledore’s head is double-sided with open- and closed-mouth expressions that are nearly identical, especially when hidden behind a beard.

Here’s the new Series 2 Dumbledore next to two recent versions: the blue-robed Michael Gambon version from Series 1, and the slightly less accurate version of the same design from 75954 Hogwarts Great Hall. The two CMF series figures are the best Dumbledores that LEGO has created, and both perfectly imitate the look their actors imbued into the role.

Even more exciting than Dumbledore himself, though, is the return of Fawkes the Phoenix, Dumbledore’s magical companion. LEGO first released Fawkes as a huge custom mold in 2002, where it was among the best designs of the early line. More recently, Fawkes was included as a brick-built animal in 75954 Hogwarts Great Hall in 2018. As beautiful as the original 2002 Fawkes design is, it’s clearly too large for minifigures, though it does have an elegance that the newest design lacks, looking more parrot-like. As for the brick-built one, well, it probably won’t be seeing much use now that the CMF version will be readily available.


Hermione Granger

Hermione and Ron have gone down to Hogsmeade for a bit of refreshment–after all, there’s nothing like a good bit of butterbeer! Of course, it’s hard to get across that they’re drinking butterbeer when you take the standard LEGO approach of using an empty cup, so this CMF series introduced what I believe to be a first: a tumbler that’s filled. The amber filling is a similar dual-injection look as the Erlenmeyer flasks. The mug has a plume hole on the top of the handle, and accepts a stud on the bottom. The lip of the glass is also of the correct diameter to accept the bottom of a round stud or the bottom of another glass. Hermione is otherwise dressed in regular muggle clothes with a striped sweater, blue jeans, and fur-lined boots. She has the same long brown hair as previous versions, and has a double-sided head with an alternate startled expression.


Ron Weasley

Completing the first of several character pairs in Series 2, Ron is also dressed for an outing at the tavern. Like Hermione, his only accessories are a mug of butterbeer and a wand. Ron’s unkempt dark orange hair is the same design used in many recent versions, and he’s got alternate puzzled and angry expressions. Ron wears a striped coat and grey jeans.

Here’s Ron and Hermione together, enjoying the “totally just friends” stage of their character arc.


Luna Lovegood

Luna Lovegood’s endearingly eccentric antics are on full display with this version of her character, as she wears her enchanted Gryffindor-cheering lion hat. A younger version of Luna appeared in the Series 1 figures, but like several other characters in this series, this older version is from The Half-Blood Prince. Although this isn’t the first time LEGO has produced a lion headpiece, this one is a totally new element from the one that the Cowardly Lion wore in The LEGO Movie 2 CMFs. And although it’s not pictured on most of the packaging, Luna also gets a regular hairpiece in bright light yellow for when she’s not at Quidditch matches. Her head is double-sided, with alternate smiling and frowning expressions.


Griphook

Although a couple of Harry Potter sets have included goblins as far back as 2002, this is the first time Griphook is a named minifigure. Unlike the previous versions, Griphook doesn’t have a custom molded head, but instead uses a regular minifigure head and a custom hairpiece with goblin ears, and the result looks far superior. The hairpiece is actually dual-molded with dark grey hair and flesh-colored ears rather than one or the other being painted. Griphook’s dressed in his pinstriped banking coat and shirt, including printed sleeves, and he carries a key and the Sword of Gryffindor. The sword is a brand new element that’s wonderfully detailed with three inset trans-red jewels on the pommel and crossguard. Griphook has only a single-sided head for a permanent scowl. As the LEGO key comes in pairs on a sprue like the wands, an extra is included.


Lily Potter

Perhaps the most important figures in the Harry Potter stories who haven’t previously had a minifigure version, Lily and James Potter finally make an appearance in Series 2. Harry’s mother wears a simple blue outfit with a dark blue skirt printed onto her legs, and carries a tiny sand blue swaddled baby who’s helpfully labeled with an H. She has alternate expressions of smiling and grinning. Her dark orange long hair has appeared many times in previous sets.


James Potter

At long last, LEGO Harry Potter isn’t an orphan, as both his parents are now available in minifigure form. James is dressed in a fine black overcoat and suit with a dark red scarf. The scarf was introduced back in 2017 with The LEGO Ninjago Movie CMFs, but has only appeared in a few colors since then, so the dark red brings a welcome new addition. James has a double-sided head with long sideburns and alternate expressions of a slight smile and excited joy, and he carries a 2×3-tile portrait of himself and Lily.

Given that Harry’s parents are most famous for dying in defense of their son, it would have been obvious to include frightened or angry looks for the alternate expressions. But despite the darkness of the story, it’s laudable that LEGO chose to portray them in their happiest moments. It’s a poignant counter to the evil that we all know eventually befalls them.


Ginny Weasley

Another character version from The Half-Blood Prince, Ginny is dressed here in the delicate dark-blue dress that she wore to Professor Slughorn’s Christmas party. The torso and upper legs are dark green, printed over with an intricate dark blue pattern that yields a lovely deep-sea hue. Ginny’s dark orange is a new element printed with a single gold barrette. Her head is double-sided with a grin and a smirk, and she carries a wand and a dish of dragon tartare balls. The dish is a new element and like the butterbeer mugs, it’s very nicely designed to clutch a round stud on the top or bottom. It also features a plume hole in the middle of either end.


Fred Weasley

The next pair of figures hail from The Goblet of Fire. Fred and his twin brother George have appeared in minifigure form just once before in 2011’s Diagon Alley, though recently the twins have been advertising for LEGO itself. Fred is dressed in a tan coat and beanie and carries a briefcase (the element that was introduced in Series 1) and a wand. The briefcase folds out to become a gambling booth so the twins can take bets on the Tri-Wizard Tournament. The inside of the briefcase lid is printed with their bookie records, and two printed 1×1 tiles with gambling chits are included. Each of the tiles have an extra included, so you’ll actually get four. Fred’s head is double-sided with alternate smirking and surprised expressions.


George Weasley

Always together, George Weasley is ready to accompany his twin brother in their Goblet of Fire antics. Since Fred has the gambling scene, that leaves George to handle the Marauder’s Map, though both twins are dressed for the former scene. The Marauder’s Map has appeared a few times in previous sets, including a very nice unfolded version earlier this year in the Harry Potter Minifigure Pack. This 2×2 tile shows just the map’s cover and matches perfectly with the unfolded version. George has a double-sided head with grinning and laughing expressions. The Hogwarts beanie/hairpiece that both Weasleys wear is a new element that’s double-molded in dark orange and tan.


Bellatrix Lestrange

Featuring Azkaban prison garb, this version of Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange is from The Order of the Phoenix, during which she makes her escape, though her hair matches her later, more composed look a little better. The hairpiece has appeared just once before in black, and it was on a previous version of this character from 2010. Bellatrix carries her prison number sign, ⤴╧  93, along with a black wand and dark grey handcuffs, a new color for the latter. An extra set of handcuffs is included. Bellatrix’s striped prison clothes are printed on a grey dress slope and feature dirty fringes, and her head is double-sided with a wicked smile and a frown.


Kingsley Shacklebolt

Kingsley Shacklebolt plays a role in several of the movies, but up to now hadn’t appeared as a minifigure. Kingsley’s bright robes make him a hard-to-miss feature, and they’re represented here with printing on the purple torso, arms, and legs, as well as with a cloth cape that’s blue on the outside and dark blue on the inside. Unfortunately, the soft, unstarched cloth cape doesn’t lie very flat against the torso, leaving the cape more billowy than it ought to be. Kingsley’s cap is a new element that sits at a slight angle and features a diamond pattern printed all the way around. Kingsley carries a dark brown broom and a black wand. Due to most of it being exposed, Kingsley’s head is single-sided.


Moaning Myrtle

A key figure in The Chamber of Secrets, Moaning Myrtle Warren is another character who’s never before appeared as a minifigure. The ghost who haunts the second floor girls’ lavatory, Myrtle appears in pale tones with aqua head and hands, dark blue hair, and a sand blue body and legs. As a younger character she features bendable short legs. Her soft rubber pigtail hairpiece is a new element, and Myrtle’s head is double-sided with dual expressions of crying and pouting. Myrtle carries Tom Marvolo Riddle’s diary, a simple book that can cause no end of trouble. The black book cover is just printed with Tom’s initials, presumably because the full name wouldn’t fit. Inside, the printed 1×2 tile contains Harry’s first words to the magical diary, much more appropriate here than in the potions book. Myrtle also includes a black 1×2 jumper and a clear stand so she can float, and an extra stand is included.


Professor Sprout

The endearing Professor Pomona Sprout has had just a single previous minifigure version from the 2011 Hogwarts set, and this version is more closer to capturing her character. Head of Hufflepuff House and the Herbology department, this version of Sprout is from The Chamber of Secrets and is ready to teach young students about mandrake roots. Her head/hairpiece is a new element that combines a bent wizard’s hat with frizzy dark grey hair and a pair of earmuffs. She carries a dark tan wand and has a mandrake root and pot. Interestingly, the mandrake is a 1×1 round brick like the ones from this year’s Hogwarts Astronomy Tower set, and not the special element introduced with the Series 1 Neville character. It’s a new print from the ones in that set, but doesn’t look nearly as good as the special element and it’s a disappoint that that piece didn’t return. Sprout has a double-sided head with smiling and surprised expressions, and an extra plant stem is included.


Neville Longbottom

True to form, Neville was running late for the lineup of young students in their formal Hogwarts robes that featured in Series 1. Last time we got Harry, Hermione, Ron, and even Dean, but at last Neville has caught up. In addition to his dark brown wand, Neville carries the sentient Monster Book of Monsters from The Prisoner of Azkaban. It’s a standard book back with a new cover element for the creature’s tentacly fringe. The front is printed with eyes, and the inside gets a 1×2 cheese slope instead of a standard tile, which is printed on the edge with pages, a mouth, and a tongue/bookmark.


Conclusion and recommendation

If you’ve just read a lengthy review of 16 Harry Potter minifigures, it’s likely that you’re a LEGO Harry Potter fan. And if you’re a LEGO Harry Potter fan, this is an excellent series that you’ll want to collect. There are a few figures that might not be worth spending the dough; this version of Harry Potter is extremely forgettable and you won’t miss it. You may also not need another version of Ron or Hermione, though the butterbeer mugs might make it worthwhile. The same goes for Ginny and her dish of questionable hors d’oeuvres. Pretty much all of the other figures, however, are excellent and represent rarely seen or totally new characters or include great new additions like Fawkes and the Monster Book of Monsters.

The $5 price-point does chafe a bit, and while the company has done an excellent job overall of holding steady prices on a per-piece basis across their entire assortment despite inflation, the Minifigure lines is one key area we can see LEGO’s overall costs slowly inching up. Unfortunately, the $5 per figure for Minifigures is probably here to stay, whether we like it or not. The good news is that most of the recent Minifigures series have eventually gone on sale, so there’s a chance you may be able to pick up them up for less if you’re patient.

LEGO Collectible Minifigures 71028 Harry Potter Series 2 are available from LEGO starting Sept. 1 for US $4.99 | CAN $4.99 | UK £3.49 each. They may also be available from third-party sellers on sites like Amazon and eBay.

The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

5 comments on “LEGO Collectible Minifigures 71028 Harry Potter Series 2 [Review]

  1. Alex

    Your Harry figure came with the wrong tile. There is actually a tile that is appropriate to the book, with scribbles such as “Sectumsempra”.

  2. ZURN

    I bought a full box and the distribution was disappointing

    4-Harry Potter with the Book of Potions
    9-Albus Dumbledore with his Phoenix Fawkes
    4-Hermione Granger with a Butterbeer glass
    4-Ron Weasley with a Butterbeer glass
    4-Luna Lovegood with her Gryffindor lion headress
    5-Griphook with the Sword of Gryffindor and key
    3-Lily Potter with Harry as a baby
    3-James Potter with portrait
    3-Ginny Weasley with a chocolate sundae
    3-Fred Weasley with hat and joke case
    3-George Weasley with Marauder’s Cap and Map
    2-Bellatrix Lestrange in Azkaban outfit and a prisoner sign
    3-Kingsley Shacklebolt with broomstick
    2-Moaning Myrtle with Tom Riddle’s Diary
    4-Professor Pomona Sprout with mandrake and flower pot
    4-Neville Longbottom with Monster Book of Monsters

  3. Ian

    I wonder if there really is variation on distribution. I just bought a whole case still sealed in the shipping box and the count of each minifigure was almost identical to the reviewer’s case except I got 3 James Potters and 4 Neville Longbottoms. To me it makes more sense for there to be the same number of Lilys and Jameses per case and I would have suspected that I got the “real” distribution if I didn’t know that a lot of folks were getting wildly different ones.

Comments are closed.