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What is the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?

By Callum Gunn

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You’ve heard of Hogwarts, but what about the witchcraft and wizardry schools around the rest of the world? Just where is the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?

If you go to Pottermore, you’ll find you can get yourself sorted into two houses: Hogwarts and Ilvermorny. The first is self-explanatory for any “Harry Potter” fan. In fact, non-fans could likely tell you all about the school and may even be able to tell you all four houses. But what about the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?

Those who have kept up to date with the wonderful and deep world of Harry Potter will likely have heard the name. J.K. Rowling shared the names of multiple schools around the world, along with their locations and Ilvermorny was one of them.

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North American school with Irish beginnings

The school is located in North America, on Mount Greylock’s highest peak. Multiple enchantments are used to hide it from the Muggles, sometimes causing misty cloud around the peak.

While it’s the North American school, it does have Irish beginnings. The school’s founder was Isolt Sayre, a girl born to two wizard parents around 1603 in Coomloughra, County Kerry. Her parents were killed because of their connection with Muggles and she was kidnapped and raised by her aunt Gromlaith Gaunt, who was a pureblood and believed that was the way magic should be.

Isolt was never allowed to go to Hogwarts, since Gormlaith believed Isolt would learn more at home rather than a place with Mudbloods. However, Gormlaith did tell Isolt all about it and this led to Isolt fantasizing about the school.

When Isolt finally escaped her kidnapper, she fled to the Colonies under the alias of Elias Story on the Mayflower. From there, she disappeared into the mountains, leaving her shipmates to believe she’d perished. In the mountains she came across the Hidebehind and Pukwudgie, two magical creatures she’d never heard about before and bonded with the Pukwudgie.

The magical family grew

Over time, Isolt found out about the existence of other magical people in the Colonies. While she lost her Pukwudgie friend, William, she did start to gain a family. She first came across two boys who had travelled with their parents from Plymouth and then across a Muggle (or No-Maj in America) named James Stewart.

Photo Credit: courtesy Warner Bros.

Isolt eventually married James and they raised the boys themselves. The boys heard stories about Hogwarts and were frustrated that they weren’t allowed to attend, but Isolt helped create a school in her cottage.

The four eventually named houses and they would be the founders. They all named houses based on the magical creatures they loved the most.

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The four houses of Ilvermorny

The Thunderbird was Chadwick Boot’s favorite.

The Wampus was Webster Boot’s favorite.

The Horned Serpent was Isolt’s favorite.

The Pukwudgie was James’ favorite.

It wasn’t until Webster was ready to start school at 11 that the news was spreading about the homeschooling and Ilvermorny grew. By 1634, Isolt’s school had grown past her wildest dreams.

This is now the school for all the North American wizards and witches.  The Pukwudgies are the security of the school and the robes are blue and cranberry.

To be sorted into the houses of the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, new students will stand on the Gordian Knot. This uses symbols to determine the house a student will go into. It’s after this that the students will get their wand—rather than arriving one.

Next: Fantastic Beasts: What exactly is a Magizoologist?

You can get yourself sorted into an Ilvermorny house at Pottermore. When you get sorted, come back and let us know which house you’re in!

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