Hogwarts New School in the Mountains of British Columbia

The hills around New Hogwarts

Under the expert organisational guidance of the Principal Dobby, and the senior leaders of the Ministry of Magic, the new Hogwarts Experiment opened earlier this month at Manning Park Resort - in the woods and mountains of British Columbia.

The Enchanted Wood - part of the Forbidden Forest

It had taken the Ministry several years of planning to get to this point, relying heavily on the magic technology of zoom together with a few large metal flying ships. But finally, the school has opened and 53 novice wizards enrolled, to learn the age-old craft, rituals and traditions of ‘relational magic’.
The students were accompanied by officials from the Ministry and a range of half-blood muggles to help with the smooth running of the school’s first few days: including a team of Elves under Dobby with particular expertise in transportation by portkeys and powder floo (although problems arose when one of the transportation devices expelled much of its powder floo onto the road surface). The main difficulties concerned the need to find teaching rooms at the appointed times, which were suitably secret and private for the spells to be cast, and the transfiguration to safely occur.
Before (and after) the school opened, the staff team had many magnificent banquets in Hogsmeade and nearby, including some use of magical potions which are legal when used in the Forbidden Forest. Copious quantities of Butterbeer and Polyjuice were also consumed without any noticeably harmful consequences.

Gathering provisions for the school's kitchens in Diagon Alley

Since the sad demise of Dumbledore, two appointments were made to fill his cherished and much-revered role in the new school: one from the mysterious East, and one from the western world (which is still, of course, predominantly populated by Muggles). The team of teachers included successors to Professors Snape, McGonagall and Lupin with a herbology trainee following Professor Sprout - and a special investigator employed directly by the Ministry.

New accommodation cabins for staff and students

The Sorting Hat placed all the students into the four houses, but found that only Slytherin was willing to accept the visitors from the Ministry, Dobbies and co-Dumbledores - many of whom had reputations for serious mischief. The students in Griffindor were taught by McGonagall’s successor in Transfiguration, those in Ravenclaw by Snape’s protegee in Defence Against the Dark Arts and Hufflepuff by Lupin (in Charms) with Professor Sprout’s Herbology trainee.

A school meal in the Forbidden Forest

Although Voldemort remains in perpetual torment and did not manifest himself at all, there was some evidence of Dementors’ activity, particularly on the school’s opening day. However, the power of the small group classes soon ensured their banishment – and useful lessons were learned by all. Three of the fifty-three students left before the end of teaching, led by one who was probably under the influence of an Expelliarmus spell. The later days were marked by the lingering presence of a Harmoniosus Impedimenta charm, which had its normal range of Yin and Yang qualities - bringing both benefits and drawbacks to the magical mixture. 

Elders who had previously held the role of Dumbledore were remembered and honoured: Jean who was the Queen of Haute Cuisine, and Steve as the High Chancellor of Books and Journals. Aldo Guitariamus is mostly in retirement from his duties as headmaster, but there are often rumours of a final gig - as there are for Jan the Rememberer, who remains the Keeper of Grand History and Tradition. Simone the Sicilian still holds the equivalent position to Dumbledore in Scuola di Magia at the Blue Lodge of Fellowcraft (the Italian Hogwarts).

We eagerly await the examination results from the Ministry of Magic’s special investigator, and look forward to creative and productive work with the Ministry, including representations to the most senior officials about how to continue the work of the school.