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Originally created as a massive hanger complex to create parts for WWII fighters and bombers, the former war vehicle factory and the surrounding grounds have been transformed with the magic of Harry Potter. Inside, we walked down the halls of Hogwarts, watched a new Diagon Alley being rebuilt (the original was dismantled), stood in Dumbledore's Astronomy Tower, touched Potter's bed (not the original since he got taller) and walked into The Great Hall (which, except for our tour, is indeed great and on that day, very quiet). Outdoors, we walked through Privet Drive, saw Hagrid's house and even saw Quidditch rings high above the tree line.

[July 2 Note: Our partners at Moviefone were also given a chance to view the set and just released insider notes in 15 Things to Know About 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince']

While we didn't get to meet him face-to-face, we saw Snape eating lunch in his signature outfit. Even his lunch looked scared.

But let's start inside. One of the first things that strikes you here is the film team's attention to detail. While many movies may add details via computer generated images, the books on the walls here offer up wording like "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardy -- If found, please return to Mr Filch, Seventh Door, Room 234-00," "Libatus Boarase Advanced Potion Making 2nd Edition," and even copies of the wizard's favorite tabloid, The Quibbler. Potions, a big part of the next movie, also bear such names as Peppercup Potion, Catamba Stye and Bouncing Spider. While the teams at Electronic Arts get special access to some of these items, in order to recreate them in game, it can't be an easy task.

Behind the scenes, there's loads of people running about, moving lights, curtains and starting the scene. Through the monitors we're watching Harry Potter (played by Daniel Radcliffe) as he's in a round and dark room. Ahead of him is his arch-nemesis, Draco Malfoy (played by Tom Felton), lying down in the water at the bottom of the room. This is the scene after Potter walks in on Malfoy during a conversation with Moaning Myrtle in the bathroom; Draco reacts angrily towards Potter and attempts to cast a Cruciatus Curse (torture). Harry, faster than his opponent, then uses the Sectumsempra spell that he's learned from the Half-Blood Prince's book of spells. The spell, which mimics a sword slash to Malfoy, cuts deep into his face and chest, an act of violence never before seen from Potter.

Just beyond this room, we searched for the Room of Requirement.

Back to the movie, we're watching Potter's face stare down at the body of Draco, breathing heavy, shocked at what he's done. Moving out to a wide angle, we see Snape (played by Alan Rickman) appear at the end of a hall behind Potter, placing a guard at the hall's entrance. Potter, still panting, walks down the halls, looks up to see Snape, slows his breathing and pace and continues down the hall. Potter, with his head still held low, bumps into the guard and walks off camera. The scene itself repeats eight times, each with different pauses for breath, different looks between Potter and Snape. Then the director calls, "Cut."

As the teams scurried about to start the next scene, we started to explore places like the Wesley House that was being dismantled. Stacked with a four story bookcase, there were even such details here as odd angles in every direction, stained glass and an odd clock with scissors as hands -- with names of each of the kids laser-etched. Next, we walked through the main room of Gryffindor, which movie fans have seen a few times. Interestingly, film screens replace all the paintings of former Hogwarts famous wizards as their ghostly movie counterparts added later in post-production. Ascending the staircase, we entered Ron and Harry's living area. And while the movie is fake, details like woolen blankets on real hand-carved beds, a plaque stating "The Quidditch League List of Teams & Points," ads for "Bake Sale: Cauldron Cake & Pumpkin Sale " and "Found: A false Merlin's Beard - well used" makes it feel like an odd college dorm and not a movie set.

As this was an active set, and despite wearing hard hats at times, we were able to site on benches and eventually take a rest on the movie's best seat -- Dumbledore's office chair. The leather bound seat (quite cushy) gets you behind the heavy wooden desk where you're able to view all the hand-painted portraits of people who work on the set. It was warm, comfortable and we felt like Dumbledore, if only for a minute. Yet, when we entered the Great Hall, where many of Potter's scenes are best known, we were shocked. Most movie sets look overrun with blue screens that take away the real feel of the place but here, it literally feels like Hogwarts, like an ancient cathedral with stones underfoot, scorch marks on the wall where the torches are lit for scenes when filled with up to 280 students.

Inside Dumbledore's chambers, it felt more like he was still there and not just us surrounded by fellow press.

One of the movie's most essential scenes involving Dumbledore (played by Michael Gambon takes place in his fabled Astronomy Tower. Despite small passageways, when you get up to the top, there's an interesting sculpture of five metal rings with a Chrystal globe at its center. Diagon Alley returns as well, the first set that was last scene in the third movie was stricken (torn down) and on Half-Blood Prince, needed to be recreated. While shops like Borgin & Burke, Ollivander's (wands), Quality Quidditch Supplies, Scribbulus, WhizzHard Books are staples, Weasley's new shop has been added to brighten up the normally dark main drag for wizards.

To finish the day, we even had a chance to walk down Privet Drive, which sits in the studio's backlot, and looks oddly misplaced since it's only a small row of houses on each side. With real lawns, there's a few dandelions sprouting up as well, to which Nikki (our tour guide) says will be cleaned up before filming.

The film's staff has also taken some creative license with the book content as well. As the book deals with the coming of age of Potter and watching as romances begin, they've added a new scene that helps build a stronger relationship between he and Ginny (played by Bonnie Wright. As that romance grows, the movie also adds a Christmas dinner scene at the Weasley home along with a big surprise for the Weasley family. These and other surprises will be unveiled in the full movie.

Feeling more like a church than a movie set, The Great Hall is one of the biggest rooms on the set, capable of holding 280 future wizards.

Our experiences with the film set helped to create a new appreciation for what it takes to continue to high-bar of production that's been a signature for the series. Watching EA's staff and the movie people talk, you can tell there's so much more to making a Potter movie into a game, and the movie director actually uses the game as a way to map out the location of rooms in Hogwarts (since, oddly, no map really exists for a school that features moving rooms) and set up scenes. Video game wizards will get a taste of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on June 30 and the full movie in theaters on July 15.

Micheal Mullen is the Managing Editor of AOL's GameDaily. Over the past 14 years, he has written about video games, technology and celebs for ZD Net, GameSpot News and Electronic Arts.