Ilvermorny School of the Occult is a prestigious wizarding school located in North America. It is the equivalent of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the United States. The school was founded by Isolt Sayre and her husband, James Steward, in the 17th century. The main idea of Ilvermorny School of the Occult is its rich history and unique approach to magical education. Isolt Sayre, who was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, brought with her the influence of Hogwarts, but also aimed to create a new school that reflected the traditions and values of the United States. The school is located atop Mount Greylock in Massachusetts and is hidden from the Muggle world.
The walls cracked and the windows shattered over their heads, waking up the babies Isolt and James had had earlier. Their children’s screams of terror immediately break Gormlaith’s spell and the parents wake up, Isolt shouts to James to join their granddaughters as she grabs the Slytherin’s wand – unaware that it is no more effective than a piece of wood – and runs to join her sons in fighting Gormlaith, who easily repels the trio in front of her.
The school is reputed to be one of the most egalitarian and least elitist schools of magic in the world due to the fact that one of its founders was a Non-Maj. Over the following years, the granite house continued to grow and eventually became a real castle in which new teachers were hired to meet the growing demand, so much so that all the families of sorcerers wanted to send their descendants to this new and prestigious school.
The school is located atop Mount Greylock in Massachusetts and is hidden from the Muggle world. It is known for its beautiful architecture and scenic surroundings. Its four houses are named after magical creatures: Horned Serpent, Thunderbird, Wampus, and Pukwudgie.
Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Are you a fellow Harry Potter fan? Well, you’ll be glad to hear that J.K Rowling recently shared new information revolving around the whimsical franchise. Rowling wrote about a North American wizarding school, equivalent to that of Hogwarts, on Pottermore, a website where the author shares stories, facts, and basically anything orbiting the Harry Potter world.
The new wizarding school is named “Ilvermorny”, and is located on the rocky mountains of Mount. Greylock in Massachusetts. Ilvermorny was founded by Isolt Sayre, a witch who fled her homeland of Ireland due to a dreadful and oppressive aunt, Gormlaith, ancestor to the dark wizard, Voldemort. Isolt made her way to the New World in 1603, where she met James Steward, a no-maj, or non-magical folk, and the pair fell in love. While resting in their quaint cottage in the middle of a forest, the pair found two Native American boys, Chadwick and Webster, who were abandoned in the woods with only a towel wrapped around them. The boys’ Native American heritage would heavily influence the different houses at Ilvermorny. Throughout their young lives, the boys heard magical (no pun intended) stories about Hogwarts, and dreamt of attending such a fine institution, something they were unable to do because of Gormlaith. When Chadwick turned eleven, which was the age of acceptance at Hogwarts, he begged his mother to construct a wand for him. Not knowing how or where to make a wand, Isolt traveled to a nearby stream and encountered a horned serpent, a gigantic snake with a glowy jewel in the middle of its forehead that had mind-reading powers. This comes from Native American folklore. With the consent of the serpent, Isolt cut off one of its horns, which her husband James, a carpenter, would later help construct into a wand. Isolt taught her boys magic in their cottage, and through the grapevine, other wizarding families in the New World soon found out what was happening behind the cottage walls.
Soon, the quaint, cozy cottage was constructed into a large castle, where students from all over North America would be granted acceptance into. The new school became so large that the four founders, Isolt, James, Chadwick, and Webster, created four houses in order to create house competitions. The founders named their house based on their favorite magical creatures, which resembles Hogwarts’ four houses. Isolt chose the Horned Serpent, which favors scholars. James chose the Pukwudgie, which favors healers. Chadwick chose the Thunderbird, which favors adventurers. Webster chose the Wampus cat, which favores warriors. All of these creatures come from Native American culture, which pays tribute to their traditions and folklore.
When newly-accepted students make their way to Ilvermorny, they are sorted into their houses in the middle of a large circular room where other students watch from a wooden balcony above. Four wooden statues of the houses creatures will tell the students which house they will be sorted into. If the Horned Serpent wants a student, the jewel in its forehead will glow. If the Pukwudgie wants someone, the creature will raise its bow and arrow. If the Thunderbird wants a student, it will flap its gigantic wings, and if the Wampus wants someone, it will let out a mighty roar. The students of Ilvermorny wear blue and cranberry colored robes, due to Isolt being sorted into Ravenclaw house at Hogwarts, and James’ love for cranberry pie. Ilvermorny has the same classes as Hogwarts, which include Potions, Transfiguration, Defense of the Dark Arts, and many more.
You can read more about this imaginative school on the Pottermore website. I hope you find it just as interesting as I do!
Parent and children decided to choose their favorite magical creature to name each house: Chadwick, smart but carried away, chooses the Thunderbird. Webster, loyal but argumentative, chose the Wampus as his mascot. Isolt, for her part, chooses the Horned Serpent to symbolize her because of the bond she feels with the creature she met near their home. James being a Non-Maj, had more difficulty finding a creature, but eventually adopted the idea of being represented by the Pukwudgie, having been particularly amused by his wife’s stories about William, a Pukwudgie she had lived with for some time.
Each house has its own distinctive traits, similar to the houses at Hogwarts. Ilvermorny School of the Occult teaches a wide range of subjects, including potions, transfiguration, herbology, and charms. It also emphasizes the importance of wandwork and has a strict curriculum that aims to develop the magical abilities and potential of its students. One of the main ideas behind Ilvermorny is the notion of inclusion. The founders believed that all magical students, regardless of their backgrounds or blood statuses, should have the opportunity to learn and develop their magical abilities. This idea is reflected in the school's sorting ceremony, where students are chosen by a magical artifact called a Sorting Hat, which takes into account their personal qualities and aspirations. Overall, Ilvermorny School of the Occult is a school that cherishes its history, values diversity, and strives to provide a well-rounded magical education to its students. It is a place where young witches and wizards can grow, learn, and fulfill their magical potential..
Reviews for "The Defense Against the Dark Arts Department at Ilvermorny School of the Occult: Keeping the Magical World Safe"
1. Jessica - 2/5 stars - "I was extremely disappointed with Ilvermorny school of the occult. The story felt contrived and lacked depth. The characters were one-dimensional and the plot was predictable. I was hoping for a more immersive experience, but instead, I found myself struggling to stay engaged. Overall, it was a forgettable read that didn't live up to the hype."
2. Mark - 1/5 stars - "Ilvermorny school of the occult is one of the worst books I've ever read. The writing was dull and uninspiring, and the storyline was cliché and unoriginal. The world-building was weak, leaving me feeling disconnected from the magical aspects of the story. The pacing was off, making the book feel slow and uneventful. Save your time and skip this one."
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - "I had high hopes for Ilvermorny school of the occult, but unfortunately, it fell short. The characters lacked depth and their actions often felt illogical and inconsistent. The plot was disjointed, with multiple storylines that failed to come together in a meaningful way. The ending felt rushed and unresolved, leaving me unsatisfied. Overall, the book failed to capture my attention or spark my imagination."
4. Tom - 2/5 stars - "Ilvermorny school of the occult didn't live up to my expectations. The writing style was choppy and the dialogue felt stilted. The pacing was uneven, with long stretches of inaction followed by hurried, confusing scenes. The plot lacked cohesiveness and left me feeling unsatisfied. While the concept was intriguing, the execution fell flat. I wouldn't recommend this book to fans of the genre."