When Saruman and Gandalf the Gray dueled at the Tower of Orthanc, Saruman won rather handily. It certainly helped that he planned in advance, fully utilizing his home field advantage as well as the power of surprise. In fact, given the way Saruman unleashed his attack, Gandalf never stood a chance. This creates an interesting question: who would win in a fair fight, one fought on neutral ground, between Gandalf and Saruman?

Well, there’s probably nothing akin to neutral ground or the Marquess of Queensberry rules in Middle Earth. However, the Potterverse has both. The hallowed halls of Hogwart contain a room specifically for the school’s Dueling Club. What better place for Gandalf and Saruman to pick up their staves and batter each other like proper gentlemen?

Of course, other wizards and witches would want to watch, as would denizens of Middle Earth. However, everyone involved needs to first agree on some rather complicated arrangements. Most notably, the wizarding war taking place in the Potterverse requires some kind of truce so that Voldemort and Lucius Malfoy could get first row seats. In addition, a few “undesirables” would also want to sneak their way in, and they would need to find a place in the shadows, outside of anyone else’s direct line of sight. All of this is further complicated by the fact that no one on Middle Earth has anything like a Tardis or Stargate to transport themselves to another planet, time, or both.

(In retrospect, I should have thought about that before taking my photos and disassembling the build. I could have inserted a Tardis, along with the Doctor, to make it clear how Gandalf, Frodo, the ring, Saruman, and Gollum arrived.)

Nonetheless, they got there somehow, and now the two most powerful wizards of Middle Earth are about to find out who would win when equally prepared for battle. It should be a good one.