Harry Potter fanshave something to truly get excited about this morning.Franchisecreator and book authorJ.K. Rowlinghas revealed the name and location of the American school ofWitchcraftandwizardrylocated in this fantasy world. That’s not all, though. She’s also announced that there are a total of 11 magic schools in this universe, including the famedHogwarts Academy.
J.K. Rowlinghas written the script for the Harry Potter spinoffFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which takes place years before Harry ever arrived at Hogwarts. And the action takes place in the United States. New York to be exact. In expanding this universe for the big screen and other forms of media,J.K. Rowlingshared a series of posts on her Harry Potter websitePottermore. There she states the following.
“The wizarding populations of most countries choose the option of home schooling. Occasionally, too, the magical community in a given country is tiny or far-flung and correspondence courses have been found a more cost-effective means of educating the young.”
This is the reason why there are only 11 wizarding schools registered with the International Confederation of Wizards. It should be noted that not all of these schools are as expansive, or as big as Hogwarts. Some are much smaller institutions.Ilvermornyis the American school of witchcraft and wizardry. It is located on the East Coast, though a detailed account of the facility has not yet been provided. The school is not located in New York, whereFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themtakes place. About the school,J.K. Rowlinghad this to say.
“Indigenous magic was important in the founding of the school. If I say which tribes, location is revealed.”
The second school named isMahoutokoro, which is stationed in Japan. It sits on the topmost point of the volcanic island of Minami Iwo Jima. The school is a palace made of mutton-fat jade. Students are generally accepted to the institution at the age of 7. They only attend classes during the day, and are ferried between school and home on the backs of giant storm petrels. School begins at 11 am, and once there, students receive enchanted robes that grow as the students do and change color based on their learning progression. Mahoutokoro is one of the top Quidditch schools in the world.
The third wizarding school unveiled isUagadou, located in Africa at an unspecified location referred to as ‘Mountains of the Moon’. This school is carved into the side of a vast mountain, and is shrouded in mist. Astronomy, alchemy, self-transfiguration, and casting spells are what the school is best known for. And these spells are accomplished with a unique set of finger pointing and various hand gestures. The wand is a European invention, and not commonly used in this part of the world. Students who get accepted to the school are usually notified by Dream Messengers while they sleep, which come from the current headmaster/mistress.
The fourth named Wizarding school isCastelobruxo, which is a golden temple set within the lush Brazilian rainforest. To the untrained eye, the institution looks like ruins. Caiporo, Small and mischievous spirits, protect the grounds and its students. Classmates attending Castelobruxo are required to wear green robes. Most are highly skilled in herbology and magizoology.
The fifth Wizarding school named isBeauxbatons Academy of Magic. It was actually introduced in the 2005 movieHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and was one of the three schools competing in the Triwizard Tournament. It’s believed that this school resides in a mountain range in Europe known as the Pyrenees. The grounds consists of lush gardens and lawns, which surround a beautiful chateau.
The sixth and final Wizarding school named out of the 11 existing schools is theDurmstrang Institute. It is the other foreign school that came to Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament inHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This school’s exact location is uncertain, and it is the most secretive of the 11 existing schools. It is believed to reside somewhere outside of Northern Europe. Some nefarious wizards have tainted the school’s reputation throughout the years.
You can read more about these schools atPottermore. Below, you can see a map that points to all 11 schools. The names and more details about the mysterious other five schools will be revealed in due time. It isn’t yet known if we’ll actually get to see the inside of Ilvermorny inFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, since most of the action takes place in New York City. But it will surely be referenced by name. What do you think?
